I find Jimmy Nail fascinating. Not a traditional heartthrob, he did seem to have a legion of fans and get cast as the lead in rom-com style dramas in the 90s, whilst also having a music career as well. Crocodile Shoes is the point where these two elements combine, an old series about an unlikely pop star trying to break his way into the business.

The first series of this is a triumph. It reminded me quite a lot of early Nashville, featuring the intricacies and details of trying to make a splash in the music business. We’ve got troubled manager Adrian who discovers Newcastle factory worker Jed and the pair of them embarking on a journey together.

The story is surprising - somehow grounded in the details, but also quite far-fetched in the wider mob stories… but it’s the characters and the music that make it special. I loved Jed. Honest, with integrity, straightforward and new to this way of life, but not naive. He’s lovely. Adrian is more abrasive, but you still care about him and want him not to get hurt, which he quite often is!

And the music is great, an unlikely Geordie singer with a knack for writing country songs. Lovely.

Having enjoyed series 1, I quickly moved on to watch series 2 and… well. It’s a different thing entirely. The only thing that really carries over from the first series is how adorable Jed is. Otherwise, it’s a different show that seemed to want to be The Bill. Crime and murder, threats and prison. There’s less music, certainly very little about the music business itself, and seemingly endless bad luck.

So avoid that, for sure. But if you’ve not seen the original seven episodes of Crocodile Shoes, or want to watch them again, I definitely recommend it. I couldn’t find them anywhere on the regular streaming platforms, but they’re on YouTube if you search. Music, 90s, and accents, what more could you ask for?