I despair when people suggest that TV isn’t as good as it used to be. I mean, these people have clearly never watched The Street (BBC One, Monday, 13 July, 9pm) which, as the words and numbers in the brackets show, returns to our screens next week with a new series. The Street is written by Jimmy McGovern. He’s the master of making emotionally powerful and beautifully written dramas. He won a Bafta for this show. They’re often difficult to watch, but always worth it in the end. So what will next week show us?

Related: The Street review

Of course, there’ll be more morality tales hidden in the Mancunian terrace. In the opener, we’ll be treated to a tense and engrossing story surrounding Bob Hoskins who stars as pub landlord Paddy.

Paddy catches a teenager smoking in the gents’ and bars him. However, the teen’s father is the local hood and that can only mean one thing surely? Pressure, confrontation and violence.

Through these everyday rituals and dances, we’ll invariably get to look at ourselves a little, which is always a good thing. Failing that, we can just get lost in another fine Bob Hoskins performance… not to mention a brief glimpse of Timothy Spall, who returns as cabbie, Eddie.

Miss this at your peril.