PBS SVU

Galumphing around the house at loose ends on my own last night, I flipped on the Kenneth Branagh rendition of the Swedish detective in the PBS Wallander. He does a perfectly creditable piece of work, but it is amazing how formulaic these PBS mysteries have become. Middle-aged guy; prickly on the outside (here, five o'clock shadow), soft on the inside just waiting for a good woman's love. Crimes heavy on outrages against women and children: nothing wrong with any of this but it is clear that these guys believe they have figured out their demographic niche and are determined to show their loyalty to it. It's as predictable as Law & Order.