An Island Parish, BBC2 - TV review: An insight into a resourceful and close-knit community

There were some brilliantly odd floats for the carnival procession, including one with dogs wearing shower caps.

An Island Parish (BBC)

An Island Parish took proceedings way north. Unst, in the Shetland Islands, is the focus of this 10th series, and it's actually closer to Oslo than London. From watching this gentle show, you'd think nothing had changed up there in the past 50 years.

Despite ostensibly focusing on the work of the community's church, the Reverend David Cooper didn't feature much. Instead, we got the run up to UnstFest, the Island's annual shindig that included a stone-skimming contest for the first time. Those guys meant business, some got up to 10 bounces. The poor Rev could only manage two. There was also some brilliantly odd floats for the carnival procession, including one that involved dogs wearing shower caps.

It was certainly a good insight into the friendly, resourceful, close-knit community. “It's not like you get in the middle of Birmingham, is it?” said Heather, a retired school teacher, as she looked out at the North Sea glinting in the sun. You certainly don't, but I would have liked to see more of Unst in 2016, the post-referendum politics, as well as the ponies and processions.