Strange by name, Strange by nature. This quirky one-hour drama, to quote the script “ a supernatural whodunit???, comes from the pen of Andrew Marshall, a former writing partner of David Renwick, the man who gave us Jonathan Creek and it appears the BBC are going for something similar here.

Sam Janus plays a nurse and frustrated physicist who becomes embroiled in intrigue when strange things begin to happen on her ward.

An old man arrives on the ward unable to speak and spells out the name Azal with Scrabble letters. Azal turns out to be some sort of demon and not, as you’d think, a brand of lavatory cleaner.

All of these dodgy goings-on attract the attention of a chap called John Strange (played as if he’s up for the Doctor Who job by Coupling’s Richard Coyle). Strange is accompanied by a down syndrome lad who goes ice cold in the presence of demons and a teenage computer expert obviously cast by Rent-a-Nerd.

When the old man at the hospital is mysteriously incinerated, Janus goes off to help Strange in his demon catching despite the protestations of her brooding boyfriend and having to cope with her son being wrapped up in a science project.

Iain Richardson wanders about the place looking menacing, as a church official with dark secrets but there’s something missing here.

There’s a lack of chemistry between the leads and a plot so ludicrous it really belongs on CBBC rather than primetime BBC One. If it gets past this pilot then perhaps there’s scope for improvement and who knows the X-Files and Buffy brigade may love it, but in my view, no amount of flashy special effects can make up for a dull script.

Rating : 7 out of 10

Strange airs on BBC One on Saturday 9th March at 9.00pm