You just have to look at the most memorable televisual event of 1997 - the death of Diana - to know that television, driven as it is more and more by mass spectacle, will throw up further unpredictable events for our delectation next year. The huge success of the Louise Woodward trial as a Trojan Horse for sky News's marketing department will see more live courtroom action beamed into our homes as soon as the right (white) defendant comes along.
In the medium term, 1998 will start showing the impact of the recent changes at the top of RTE, ITV, Channel Four and Sky. This should be the year in which ITV finally manages to jettison it's much resented burden of News At Ten, while Channel 4 while Channel 4 badly needs to rediscover its minority remit, which has been largely discarded in recent years. RTE's re-branding of Network 2 as a "youth" channel doesn't disguise the relative paucity of new voices on Irish television, while there's still no hard information on whether we might see TV3 appearing soon - it certainly looks unlikely for 1998.
TnaG's presentation standards and some of its programming are quite good, but the shoestring budget is showing in the inordinate number of repeats - an insuperable problem, as a budgetary increase is unlikely to occur soon.
The UK broadcasters are girding their loins for the onset of digital TV in the autumn, which should see much blood spilt on the floor. Speaking of competition, perhaps RTE, as a channel financed by the licence-payer, might release the full Nielsen ratings to the public, so we can find out what we're really watching?
Eight to watch in 1998
The Ambassador (BBC 1, January)
The latest BBC series set in Ireland begins its six-week run on January 4th, starring Pauline Collins as the newly-installed British ambassador to Dublin ("the most vibrant city in Europe," according to the press release). With its whodunnit storylines set against a backdrop of inter-governmental intrigue, this glossy-looking production certainly won't do Bord Failte any harm, promising "to do for Dublin what Morse did for Oxford". Among the Irish cast are Owen Roe as the Minister for External Affairs and T.P. McKenna as the Taoiseach.
Cancer Wars (Channel 4, January)
Major new four-part documentary series looking at the history of the fight against cancer, probably the most large-scale medical battle of the late 20th century. Those attempting to give up smoking for the New Year might find it a help to hear from such luminaries as Norman Schwarzkopf about their battle with the big C.
The Madness From Within (RTE 1, January)
Bryan Dobson presents this feature documentary commemorating one of the less celebrated historical anniversaries of the year, of the Civil War, which was tearing the country apart 75 years ago. The title comes from a speech by General Richard Mulcahy, and Colm Magee's film features interviews with some of the remaining survivors of the conflict and with the relatives of participants.Moseley (Channel 4, February)
Rumour has it that Channel 4's new chief executive, Michael Jackson, has little patience with handsomely-mounted costume dramas like 1997's Dance To The Music Of Time, so this four-part series in February may be the last of its ilk for a while. Jonathan Cake (last seen Dance To The Music Of Time actually) plays the political maverick and leader of the British Union of Fascists in a drama which spans six decades of British 20th-century history.
Michael Hayes (Channel 4, March)
There was consternation some years ago when David Caruso left NYPD Blue to concentrate on his movie career. As we all know by now, that was one of the less successful moves in recent showbiz history, with Caruso appearing in box-office flops such as Kiss Of Death and Jade. Now he's back on Channel 4 with this new American import, in which he plays an excop turned acting US attorney. Nicholas Pileggi, who collaborated with Martin Scorsese on the scripts of Goodfellas and Casino, is one of the co-writers for this show, which has apparently been well received across the Atlantic.
Undressed (Channel 4, March)
Produced by the Dublin-based company, Little Bird, this history of fashion in the 20th century, described as a "sprawling fantasy of sex, power and glamour" includes contributions from most of the key protagonists in the rag trade today, including the last interview recorded with Gianni Versace before his violent death.
1798 (RTE 1, late spring)
More historical fare with this major three-part series commemorating the 200th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion, setting the events of that year in the context of the American and French Revolutions, looking at the violence which cost 30,000 lives, and taking the story up as far as the Act of Union.
Amongst Women (BBC, RTE, late autumn)
Adapted for the screen by Adrian Hodges, this four-part version of John McGahern's novel is a co-production between BBC Northern Ireland, RTÉ and the Irish Film Board, and stars Tony Doyle, Ger Ryan and Susan Lynch. Set in 1950s rural Ireland, it tells the story of the Moran family, "bound together as much by fear and deceit as by love".