This Time with Alan Partridge is the purest expression of Partridgeism. As a mature and nuanced satire on the state of British television, it has no peers. It is a fine exemplar, were any needed, of the extraordinary talents of Steve Coogan, custodian of the Partridge persona, his current writers Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons, and indeed everyone involved in this gem of a production. It is funny and worth watching.

Partridge is Partridge, as Theresa May (herself a little awkwardly Partridgean) might say, but the Jennie Gresham character, as played by Susannah Fielding, adds another dimension to the Partridge universe. Fielding, helped by her stereotypical presenter-prettiness, is the perfect embodiment of the modern vacuous, patronising, gushy, daytime telly personality-free personality. Her principal advantage is that her audience doesn’t notice the insincerity oozing all over the sofa and the studio floor.

The chemistry between Jennie and Alan, and the contrast between their on- and off-screen relationship is intriguing. There are moments of intimacy, as when she hovers close to him to explain how to pronounce “intimacy”, to make his Ts less sibilant, but also passages of uneasiness, mutual incomprehension and mistrust.

The relationship between Alan and his semi-detached third presenter, the accident-prone Simon Denton (Tim Key), is much simpler, that of a failed experiment. The personal capital Alan has invested in his former North Norfolk Digital “sidekick” is eroded every time the dread words “no files found” appear on the video screen, as they do invariably. He makes Alan look slick. It is, then, all classical Partridge.

Yet some people have a problem: Piers Morgan, for example. He presents Good Morning Britain, a news magazine show that bears some similarities to This Time, and he’s commented: “Very sad news that the new Alan Partridge show, called This Time obviously mocks me and Susanna… Coogan has disappeared up his derriere.”

The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Show all 47 1 /47 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Click through to read the gallery >>> The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Doctor Who - New Year's Day special (BBC1) “As a slightly cheesy reminder of what we love about Doctor Who – i.e. the fact it gives us an intergalactic eccentric in a big flappy overcoat shouting at Daleks – this is a New Year treat that more than delivers” BBC The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland (BBC2) “Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland is a meandering look back over his life, career, and national identity – a “Proustian wander through Scotland”. There’s a lot of mordant chat about the weather, illustrated with shots of dark grey clouds above even darker grey lochs.” BBC/7Wonder/Jaimie Gramston The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Paras: Men of War (ITV) “From the outset the production is elevated by its sensitive handling of the men – and the Paratroopers remain exclusively male – involved. These kinds of programmes have a tendency to fetishise toughness, lingering on assault courses and weaponry.” Jonny Ashton/ITV The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Brexit: The Uncivil War (Sky Atlantic) “Despite what some feared, the casting of Cumberbatch doesn’t simply flatter Cummings – the A-lister is too good a chameleon for that. But, inevitably, as he scrawls out his campaigning brainwaves on a whiteboard, there is a touch of that deductive maverick Sherlock in his portrayal of this scruffy, balding political saboteur.” Nick Wall The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) A Year of British Murder (Channel 4) “The programme-makers must have done much to win the confidence of so many friends and families, as they went through unspeakable personal pain; but they repay that confidence with an understated and powerful film.” Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Secret Life of the Zoo (Channel 4) “This documentary goes behind the shrubbery to show off these animals and their guardians. The humans are a pretty exotic bunch too, judging by some of the lines they come out with.” Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family (BBC) “You see, saint or sinner, prince or pauper, we are all part of one race, the brotherhood of man. And the saintly and regal Danny Dyer stands as its finest ambassador.” BBC The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Les Misérables (BBC1) “West believes Valjean to be “the greatest hero in all literature”, and he plays the part with all the care and intricacy such a character deserves.” BBC/Lookout Point/Laurence Cendrowicz The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Inside Europe: Ten Years of Turmoil (BBC2) “For anyone who’s not altogether sure how British politics turned so suddenly into a rolling dumpster fire from which all exits are blocked then Inside Europe: Ten Years of Turmoil is a necessary public service to explain exactly, and exactly how needlessly, we all came to be here.” BBC/European Council Newsroom The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Catastrophe (Channel 4) “There’s really been nothing quite like Catastrophe on our screens before, and it deserves its cult status for the quality of everything the production team do, not least the stunning cinematography in this finale. Thanks, all. 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And so we find ourselves sitting next to Henshall in his (prominently featured) Volvo V70 estate, sharing his thoughts, intercepting suspects and being driven off the road by unidentified enemies.” BBC/ITV Studios The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) This Time with Alan Partridge* (BBC1) "This Time with Alan Partridge is such a consistently strong creative achievement that fears for the future of Alan Gordon Partridge, may, once again, be allayed. Or Alayned, perhaps.” BBC The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Leaving Neverland (Channel 4) "Michael Jackson has long looked like a burning tire yard. There were the allegations, the out-of-court settlements, the arrest, the trial and not-guilty verdict. But there has been nothing like Leaving Neverland” AFP/Getty The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Home (Channel 4) "Home is a rather gentle, unobtrusive variation on the sitcom theme – but one that is built on a quite a bizarre premise. The twist is that a family who returns to Surrey from a holiday touring around France discover a Syrian refugee stuffed in the back of their SUV. Not only that, but, after a few moments of blind terrified panic about a suicide bombing, they eventually adopt him like he’s stray cat that’s just wandered in." Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Murder of Jill Dando (BBC) "A tremendously sad, strange story then, and just as unfathomable today. Dando’s friends, family and the producer and director of the film have made a fitting and balanced tribute to her, something she deserves. I can’t really add anything to that." PA The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Derry Girls (Channel 4) "It is sometimes remarked that the Troubles in Northern Ireland make for an unpromising backdrop for a sitcom about adolescent kids. Well, yer man’s wrong, as they might say. Derry Girls, returning for a triumphant and exuberant second run, proves that humour, dark or otherwise, can be quarried from even the most unlikely of locations." Peter Marley The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Fleabag (BBC) "While there are plenty of well-turned one-liners, the deeper attraction of Fleabag is schadenfreude. The character is as old as Daisy Buchanan or Lydia Bennett or Scarlett O’Hara. The best compliment to Waller-Bridge and her cast is that they find fresh clothes in which to dress these ancient monsters." BBC/Two Brothers/Luke Varley The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Road to Brexit (BBC) "The Road to Brexit is easily the best thing to emerge from the whole brexit imbroglio. OK, not much competition, but still... Despite the po-faced title, you realise very quickly that it’s not yet another drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch or yet another attempt by Laura Kuenssberg to explain the inexplicable, or yet another show with the public arguing about stuff they don’t understand. Rather, it’s a very clever, very funny, very 'different' parcel of bollocks to Brexit." BBC The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Our Planet (Netflix) "The footage is glorious, especially the side-on tracking shots of the birds and the hunting, where it is as if the cameramen were able to set up a rail along the ocean. Most spectacular of all is the sequence of a glacier collapsing into the ocean, where 75m tons of ice being sloughed off in less than 20-minutes. But at times Our Planet feels a little unfocused. Attenborough’s last big BBC series, Dynasties, won almost unbearable amount of emotional resonance through its focus on animal families. Our Planet is more of a greatest-hits parade, with overblown orchestral soundtrack and ponderous intonation. You can’t buy love, even if you pay for David Attenborough." Netflix The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Line of Duty (BBC) "Plausibility is a spectrum; Bodyguard became ridiculous but Line of Duty stays just the right side, and as usual there is more plot in an hour than in whole series of other programmes. As well as being gripping entertainment, Line of Duty has become an effective examination of the relationship between the state and the individual. The shadowy government forces are elected; the organised crime gangs are fuelled by the drug trade. The police are there to save us from ourselves but can only do it if they are subjected to constant scrutiny. It’s exhausting work, policing the police." BBC The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Virtues "Joseph is almost never out of shot, whether seen from afar, contemplating a bottle of strong cider in a playground, or in visceral close-up, clutching his doner to his face. There are few actors you could trust with so much screen time, especially with such a pared back and naturalistic script. The fact any of it is remotely watchable is testament to Stephen Graham’s abilities. No man working in Britain today can drink a pint with more pathos." Dean Rogers/Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Good Omens 'Good Omens is a hugely enjoyable, imaginative premiere, as close to Pratchett’s vision as anyone could have dared dream. And while the melancholy tone may not be for everyone, fans of the book will surely be sated.' Amazon Prime The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Years and Years "Years and Years, then, is favoured by some wit, a cornucopia of fab talent and promising characters. 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Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Capture "So here we have an intriguing, but rather flawed sort of Big Brother thriller set in our contemporary world of digital snooping, near constant surveillance and (a topical touch) widespread use of facial recognition technology." BBC/Heyday Films/Nick Wall The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Top Boy "Top Boy can be bleak and violent, with dialogue so naturalistic that it verges on the impenetrable, but in telling stories that rarely get heard, it asks us to think differently about the city we live in." Netflix The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Criminal "Criminal uses its small canvas to ask big questions. The focus on these intricate dances means that after a while we begin to question the idea of objective truth, as well as the facts at hand. I have no idea if it is a realistic depiction of detective work, but it makes for gripping drama." 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Amazon Studios The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Watchmen "Damon Lindelof’s version of the beloved graphic novel is a compelling demonstration of what can happen when source material is treated with sensitivity and imagination." HBO The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) Warrior Women "Arriving in the wake of Marvel’s Black Panther, the film highlights the links between the saga of the real-life Agoji women, who fought in the former Kingdom of Dahomey (located in modern-day Benin), and the all-women comic-book world protectors known as Dora Milaje." Channel 4 The best TV shows of 2019 (so far) The Accident "The writer Jack Thorne says his latest four-part drama, which explores the aftermath of a disaster on a small community, was shaped by the Grenfell Tower fire. Rather than overcrowded west London, his takes place in Glyngolau, a fictional run-down town in Wales. A new building project, The Light, is being built on the outskirts. 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Susannah (Fielding) might be caricaturing Susanna (Reid), but the show does not “mock” Morgan, because the latter enjoys – genuinely – huge international fame and success on a scale Partridge can only imagine. Where Alan is insecure, obscure and a hopeless broadcaster, Morgan, love him or not, is the opposite. Partridge is sui generis; he pre-dates (not predates) Morgan.

A few fans implore Coogan to “stop getting Alan wrong”, echoing an episode of I’m Alan Partridge where Alan’s attempt at a James Bond film-watching marathon (”the Bondathon”) is spoiled by others’ ignorance and he explodes at them – “stop getting Bond wrong”.

So let us put this to the test, on Episode Three. First, The Partridge Family. We already know that our hero has been estranged from his children, Denise and Fernando Partridge. Decades ago Alan declared, to some builders as it happens, that “I’ve got access to the kids, but they don’t wanna see me.

Now, a This Time experiment with vegetarianism yields Alan a bonus of a half-hour a day less time spent in the loo, which he uses to organise a – partial – reconciliation with Denise (a meet and “noggin” at Starbucks). Similarly, Alan’s strained relationship with former wife Carol is updated, and we now learn that she beat the children, and was “a functioning alcoholic”, disturbing details he mutters live on air.

Another example: Alan’s long-term thing about teachers. Or, rather, teachers under whom he has suffered injustice. Alan is able to apply his own experience to the This Time segment on corporal punishment in schools, including a quite creepy “reconstruction” sequence of him as a computer-generated schoolboy, complete with trickle of blood from the side of his mouth, like in a 1960s Hollywood action movie, when his teacher slaps him (unfairly, for drawing a caricature with a penis for a nose).

There then follows a sharply sarcastic instructional film in which Alan demonstrates how the sort of techniques usually confined to the squash court or golf course – swing, balance, accuracy – can be deployed in applying a slipper efficiently to an adolescent boy’s buttocks.

Again, this is entirely consonant with what we know of past Partridge. In I’m Alan Partridge (2002), he nurses a grudge against “sweaty” or “cacky” Raphael, who punished him for having a chalk cock-and-balls drawn on the back of his blazer (an anatomically impossible act, as Alan insists). In Scissored Isle (2016) we see Alan remonstrating with an aged ex-chemistry teacher, Mr Cragg, who earned the nickname of “Craggatoa” for his uncontrolled violent temper. Now he’s in a mobility scooter.

So, Coogan’s latest Partridge is 110 per cent Partridge. He is still obsessed with Noel Edmonds; yet he evolves. He tries harder to restrain his excesses (for example “homoscepticism”, as he once called it); he is now behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Insignia, moving on from his previous Kia Optima, Lexus IS and Rovers (25 and 800); he now suffers recurring dreams involving a prostitute called Bianca. All authentic.

I know that Morgan and Coogan have got “previous”, but Morgan does seem to have overreacted to a perceived slight. He predicts: “There might be a third episode, there won’t be a fourth”. Well, I can attest there are six in all, I’ve seen them, and the best, potentially award-winning stuff, is yet to come.