Review: Tom Chambers Keeps Waterloo Road on Form

Rarely has a British school drama aimed at adults lasted so long and remained as consistently entertaining as Waterloo Road. In previous seasons the secondary school has been set on fire, seen teenage pregnancies and murder--no wonder it's at the bottom of all the educational league tables. Now, returning for a fifth season there's even more action in store with the opening episode welcoming hundreds of new students and half a dozen new teachers, including a new executive head played by Strictly Come Dancing's Tom Chambers, as the school is merged with a nearby private one recently closed for financial reasons.

Amid the hoards of apprehensive and excited new faces arriving for their first day of term there are two distressed sisters sent off by their dishevelled-looking mum that offer the first sign of a lurking sinister storyline. As the episode evolves it becomes clear that the family will play a key part in future plots, much as the Kellys did last season, but this time the story looks likely to be darker and more compelling than before.

There are punch-ups between students (see video below) and arguments in the staff room as everyone struggles to adjust to the new arrangements and as always the young characters are just as interesting as the older ones. A newly qualified teacher throws herself down the stairs while other new arrivals stick their noses up at their new workplace and colleagues. That especially goes for the new executive head Max Tyler, played by Chambers, who arrives to oversee the merger mid-assembly to begin one almighty (and probably season-long) power trip. Despite being an instantly dislikeable character Max brings a fresh atmosphere to the show and this, along with the other new characters, keeps the show on impressively good form.

Season four drew notable audience figures, with 4.6 million viewers (19 per cent of the total TV audience for the time of broadcast) tuning in to its debut show, and the average TV.com episode scores have remained consistently high over the years. If the opening episode of season five is anything to go by Chambers will keep the show on form and there's plenty more to look forward to. Waterloo Road returns on Wednesday, October 28, at 8pm on BBC One.