The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, ITV Hub

This modest mini-series, which probably couldn't be more ITV if it tried, tells the bizarre (and yet somehow true) story of John and Anne Darwin, who avoided financial oblivion by hoodwinking people into thinking the former had perished in an unfortunate canoeing accident.

To reveal what actually happened would be spoiling the fun of Richard Laxton's series which, while being as familiar as your oldest pair of socks, always remains watchable due largely to the work of Eddie Marsan and, in particular, Monica Dolan.

Their portrayal of the Darwins is authentic enough to make you believe that you are peering into the lives of just another ordinary, loveless marriage. That being said, there is something especially vile about the way John emotionally abused his doting and hopelessly naïve spouse. One suspects though that, once you strip away the audacity of their con, the cycle of abuse which defines the Darwin's marriage is depressingly commonplace.

This is never clearer in the final episode, when Anne fights in vain to clear her name after realising the error of her ways. Psychological abuse is arguably the most dangerous of all domestic desecrations because it is the hardest to prove, its bruising unable to be worn as a badge of dishonour. While there is a modicum of redemption for Anne by the series' end, it's hard to disbelieve that the damage had already been done.

The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe is far from groundbreaking, but it is an oddly relatable tale that serves as a sad reminder that not all marital mistreatment involves a raised fist.