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US televisionObituaryBarbara Hale obituaryActor best known for her role in the US television legal drama Perry MasonIn the hugely successful US television series Perry Mason (1957-66), Barbara Hale, who has died aged 94, played Della Street, Mason’s secretary. She reprised the role in 29 TV movies between 1985 and 1995. Della’s indefatigable calm and poise established her as a partner to the LA lawyer Mason (Raymond Burr) and his investigator, Paul Drake (William Hopper).

Television This article is more than 10 years oldObituaryBarry Jackson obituaryThis article is more than 10 years oldActor best known for playing the pathologist George Bullard in Midsomer MurdersThe actor Barry Jackson, who has died aged 75, was a staple of British television for more than 50 years but it was not until he was in his 60s that he earned a degree of stardom, thanks to his portrayal of the pathologist Dr George Bullard in 76 episodes (1997-2011) of the popular mystery series Midsomer Murders.

OpinionAnimation on TV This article is more than 3 years oldBoJack Horseman is a cartoon about a horse, so why does it feel so profound?This article is more than 3 years oldEli GoldstoneThe much-loved Netflix show makes viewers like me laugh – but it also, surprisingly, brings us face to face with ourselves BoJack Horseman, which came to an end last week, is a Netflix cartoon about talking animals. So why has it come, over the course of its six seasons, to inspire such love and debate?

UK criminal justice This article is more than 2 years oldMinister must reverse rape conviction slump or resign, says LabourThis article is more than 2 years oldRobert Buckland said he is ‘deeply ashamed’ but David Lammy accused him of shedding ‘crocodile tears’ Robert Buckland must resign as justice secretary if he cannot reverse the plunging prosecution and conviction levels for rape within a year, Labour has demanded. The shadow justice secretary, David Lammy, accused Buckland of shedding “crocodile tears” this week when he apologised for the downward trends in bringing sexual offenders to justice.

New York New York: crane collapses on to Manhattan street after catching fire – video A construction crane caught fire in Manhattan, New York, on Wednesday. The arm of the crane hit a neighbouring building as it collapsed on to the street below, causing multiple injuries. Authorities closed the surrounding streets to traffic, while firefighters stationed near the building tried to extinguish the flames Source: As credited

FilmObituaryRobert SterlingIn the early 1950s, while the film industry was blaming the sharp decline in cinema attendance on the proliferation of television throughout the US, many film actors welcomed the one-eyed monster that boosted several fading careers. One such figure to benefit from the new medium was Robert Sterling, who has died aged 88. He had been in films since 1939, playing bland second leads or heroes in B-movies, when he was cast in Topper.

Observer book of the weekPolitics booksReviewThe former PM’s biggest fan pins the blame for his downfall on a group of Bond-like Baddies known as The Movement in a pyramid of piffle acclaimed by David Icke The moment this piece is published, I will be tendering my resignation to the editor. I have failed him, I have failed the Observer and I have failed you, its readers. In my 30 years as chief political commentator of this newspaper, I have been oblivious to a conspiracy of sweeping and malevolent scope that has been machinating away to ruthlessly raise up and then ruin Tory leaders.

Folk musicFaraway oceans, cannibals, life-or-death struggles with sea monsters … songs that chronicled the lost culture of whaling are finding a new audience, thanks to Kings of the South Seas The Guardian’s product and service reviews are independent and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. We will earn a commission from the retailer if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Oh the whale is free, of the boundless sea

Country diaryPlantsWenlock Edge, Shropshire: The leaves look like mountain ranges cut by river valleys seen from an aeroplane It is not yet dawn and the nettles are frosted. The moon, high among bruised clouds, is bright even with almost half sliced off; “a joyless eye,” Shelley wrote, “that finds no object worth its constancy” (To the Moon). Although it drains the blood of autumn colours from the trees, moonlight reveals their darker character; they whisper with a sound like drizzle and waking wings.