Spiky drama thrills in the 21st century

When Bouquet of Barbed Wire was first produced for TV back in the mid 1970s its taboo-challenging menu of incest and infidelity caused a furore.

Wind the clock forward more than three decades and there's still plenty to shock in this new adaptation of Andrea Newman's novel, even though these issues are now aired every day of the week on contemporary soaps and daytime talk shows hosted by Jeremy Kyle.

The original starred Frank Finlay and Susan Penhaligon in the roles of the father who has inappropriate feelings for his daughter. Here it's veteran Trevor Eve (as Peter Manson) gazing longingly at doe-eyed Imogen Poots (as Prue) while their characters' lives disintegrate in a maelstrom of secrets and lies. The excellent Hermione Norris offers an understated wife and mother (Cassie), quietly trying to hold her middle-class London family together, while she watches Tom Riley (Gavin Sorenson) embark on a systematic scheme of destruction.

It began with Prue becoming pregnant by Gavin, her sixth form English teacher, a self-assured but sinister northerner. With Peter deeply suspicious and barely suppressing his boiling anger, and Cassie stifling her sobbing, the young couple had a quick register office wedding, living briefly in Gavin's grotty East End flat.

Meanwhile, Peter's architect practice was in trouble, he started an affair with new junior colleague Sarah and he snuck up to Wakefield for a sly visit to see his mother (Sylvia Sims) in a residential home.

A fast blossoming Prue emerged from her hasty honeymoon with a bruised face – her prize for quizzing Gavin about Paula, the name tatooed on his arm...

Parts two and three await to unravel that mystery. I can't wait.