MIDNIGHT MAN.   ITV1 (UK), May 2008. James Nesbitt, Reece Dinsdale, Rupert Graves, Catherine McCormack, Ian Puleston-Davies, Alan Dale. Screenwriter: David Kane; director: David Drury.

   This was a conspiracy story set in three one-hour parts, less adverts. The ubiquitous James Nesbitt starred as Max Raban, a journalist whose career took such a tumble when he revealed a source, a female friend who went on to commit suicide, that he is now resorting to raiding the bins of celebrities looking for anything he can turn into a story.

   Worse, he suffers from phengophobia, a psychological fear of daylight, so he only operates at night, hence the title.

   When his former editor sends him on a routine dustbin mission, it leads to a hit squad who are assassinating terror suspects, possibly on behalf of the government. Soon Raban is framed for a murder and he is desperately trying to stay at large long enough to find evidence of the conspiracy, while uncertain as to whom he can trust.

   The news I read of this were negative so I was in two minds as to whether to watch it or not but I’m a sucker for a conspiracy story, and I have to say I quite enjoyed it.

   Sure, at the end, you rack your brain to see if it all makes sense and it doesn’t always, but in general it built up a head of steam, had several of those moments when you gasp in amazement (well, you’re slightly amused by the plot twists) and, despite a rather perfunctory ending, it managed to hold the attention.