As long ago as the 1960s, television drama ranged from the serious (for example,The Wednesday Play) to the escapist (for example, The Avengers) but many playwrights seemed to know that you need to grip and hold the audience's attention. This requirement seems to be ignored in many present-day plays and drama series, which spin things out, fail to convince, or simply confuse the viewer.

Sex, the City and Me (BBC2) had an interesting theme: the male chauvinism of London bankers and traders. It showed Jessica, played by Sarah Parish, as a go-getting city trader who becomes pregnant and finds herself demoted when she returns to work. It was hard to sympathise with any of the characters, who were all (including Jessica) selfish and hard-nosed, eager to tread on other people's faces. The only slightly sympathetic person was Lawrence, well played by Burn Gorman (pictured), although even he turned out disappointingly.

The story had many unlikely elements and the denouement depended on the dea ex machina of a cleaning lady appearing with some vital tapes. Jessica sued her bosses for unfair treatment and it was a long and hard battle - not only for her but for viewers who found a one-hour drama turned into a 90-minute yawn.

Brothers and Sisters (Channel 4) is a new American drama series based on the familiar pabulum of the dysfunctional family. The cast includes some familiar faces - notably Sally Field as the materfamilias, Ally McBeal's Calista Flockhart as her estranged daughter Kitty, and Six Feet Under's Rachel Griffiths as another daughter Sarah. There are lots of other relatives, all with many problems - in fact, so numerous that it is daunting to face the prospect of watching further episodes. The family interactions suggest that the series wants to be another Six Feet Under but that marvellous series was cleverly structured, better written and not so irritatingly mysterious.

The Time of Your Life (ITV1) is also about a dysfunctional family. Mum and Dad are intending to split up and they have lots of children who it's difficult to tell apart and who all seem to have relationship problems. One daughter, Kate, has been in a coma for 18 years. Still, Kate wakes up and gets out of bed immediately and starts walking round (one of many improbabilities). Of course, there's a mystery about how she fell into the coma and why a friend died on the same night. It's going to take another five episodes to find out.

Jekyll (BBC1) is even more mysterious. Steven Moffat renders Robert Louis Stevenson's original story of Jekyll and Hyde almost unrecognisable by updating it to the present day. James Nesbitt becomes Dr Jackman, who keeps turning into an evil character who visits prostitutes, attacks people and even shins up the side of buildings. The idea of someone having a dual personality is credible enough but there are so many twists and turns as to render the implausible irritatingly impossible. Fans of Dr Who may swallow it but I shall avoid the remaining five episodes. Credibility is not helped by some clunking dialogue - as when Tom's wife says to him: "Whatever the problem is, whatever it is that's keeping you from us, whatever's happened that's so bad you think you can't even talk to me about it."

Reality shows appeal to TV producers because they provide drama on the cheap. The latest is Kyle's Academy (ITV1), presented by the nasty Jeremy Kyle. His morning show exploits people with problems and lets Jeremy shout at them accusingly. Kyle's Academy purports to help five people sort out their problems but it's just another chance for voyeurism. Jeremy tells the five victims: "We want to help you: that's what we're here for", but if that is true, why film it all and show it to the nation? His 'experts' include former spin doctor Derek Draper ("He's very honest," says Jeremy) and Annie Ashdown, a 'life coach' (a job which seems to need no qualifications).