I had written off Tesco’s free Clubcard TV service before it even launched.

A bit of social media chatter prompted The Grocer to do some digging back in February and led us to an early version of the site that was, at that time, open only to the retailer’s staff.

The shows on offer then were less than inspiring: some old Care Bear cartoons, a Batman movie that even a die-hard geek like me could ignore and – shudder – Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. Please. (I must admit that my personal dislike of Two Pints – topped only by my loathing of My Family - did colour my opinion of Clubcard TV somewhat).

Here, I recall thinking, is all the rubbish Tesco didn’t want to put on its paid-for Blinkbox video service. Clubcard TV is a throwaway, I reckoned, a little bonus to offer its loyal shoppers.

I’m eating humble pie by writing this, acknowledging that Clubcard TV is turning into something very interesting – from a consumer and an industry point of view.

I first realised I had written the service off too quickly when it officially launched in March with an announcement stating businesses including Kellogg’s, Colgate and Danone had signed up to take advantage of running “targeted advertising based on users’ shopping habits”.

The penny dropped. How many other TV service providers could offer anything like that – direct, targeted access to the shoppers who spend their money with the UK’s biggest retailer.

The following month came the announcement that a deal had been secured with BBC Worldwide – meaning Tesco shoppers would, indeed, have access to Two Pints (poor things) along with the likes of Goodness Gracious Me, dramas such as Blackpool and children’s shows including Stig of the Dump. I shrugged my shoulder a bit at that – hardly a line-up to get people signing up for a Clubcard.

A few weeks later was the slightly more compelling announcement that a reality show set in the world of modelling, Elite New Face, would be exclusive to Clubcard TV. This one got a raised eyebrow rather than a shrug. It wouldn’t be the best show in the world, but that sort of stuff certainly has its audience, and the fact it was exclusive content was interesting.

But this week has brought the deal that I think could be a game-changer – a tie-up with ITV that will give viewers access to much-loved, quality shows such as A Touch of Frost, Cold Feet, The Darling Buds of May, Cracker, Inspector Morse and Prime Suspect. Yep, they are old shows, but they are shows parents will recommend to their teenage children, and shows that 20-somethings missed first time around and may be drawn to by their good reputation.

They are shows that will enthuse advertisers, excite existing viewers and may even encourage shoppers who don’t have a Clubcard – or shop at Tesco – to change their ways.

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