Blog Feed: Dan's Media Digest

Teaser: DEXTER - the final season

Published on 2013-05-17 11:58:00

How do you want to be remembered?The eighth and final season of Showtime's Dexter is a little over a month away, so the publicity machine is awakening. We've already had a few brilliant posters (embedded below) but here's a clever promotion selling t

HANNIBAL, 1.8 - 'Fromage'

Published on 2013-05-17 04:00:00

This show is already very serialised, but "Fromage" almost felt like a third part of the "Entrée"/"Sorbet" two-parter, continuing the idea that Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) is consumed by loneliness and sees a chance of real friendship with Will

Everybody loves Riddick, right? A defence.

Published on 2013-05-16 05:30:00

1999's Pitch Black was an inventive sci-fi actioner that introduced us to Vin Diesel, who mostly failed to capitalise on that promising start as a Hollywood action hero. I know he's part of the Fast & The Furious movies, which have somehow become box

MAD MEN, 6.7 – 'Man with a Plan'

Published on 2013-05-16 04:00:00

The merger of ad agencies Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and Cutler, Gleason & Chaough came with all the pain and power-struggles one could reasonably expect, with the empires of Don (Jon Hamm) and Ted (Kevin Rahm) groaning under the stress. Peggy (Eli

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN coming to TV

Published on 2013-05-15 11:55:00

Film-maker Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City) is launching his own television network later this year: the El Ray Network. It will be English-language, but target Latino audiences as a "home of kick-ass entertainment", according to Rodriguez hims

MSN TV: BBC1's FRANKIE

Published on 2013-05-15 10:24:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the premiere of BBC1's new medical drama FRANKIE, starring Torchwood's Eve Myles as a hard-working District Nurse...The prospect of fighting more aliens after the wretched Torchwood: Miracle Day gets less likely wi

Trailer: ABOUT TIME (2013)

Published on 2013-05-15 04:30:00

Richard Curtis time-travel rom-com ABOUT TIME fuses TIME-TRAVELER'S WIFE (even casts McAdams) and GROUNDHOG DAY youtu.be/u2PUMA6nFWk— Dan Owen (@danowen79) May 14, 2013

HBO's FAMILY TREE

Published on 2013-05-14 10:49:00

Christopher Guest is famous for writing, directing and appearing in many 'mockumentaries'; most famously rock spoof This is Spinal Tap, but also Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, Waiting for Guffman, et al. His work was a sizeable influence on Ricky Gerva

MSN TV: BBC2's THE FALL

Published on 2013-05-14 10:30:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the premiere of BBC2's five-part crime drama THE FALL, starring The X Files' Gillian Anderson as a London detective sent to Belfast to help catch a serial strangler...The most notable thing about BBC2's five-part d

Fox greenlight 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY

Published on 2013-05-13 13:09:00

Fox have leaped at the chance to bring their long-running hit 24 back to life, after executive-producer Howard Gordon proposed a "limited event series" of 12 episodes, in the wake of the inability to get the long-awaited movie made. Kiefer Sutherland

Trailer: Netflix's ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

Published on 2013-05-13 10:37:00

Fans have waited seven years for Arrested Development's return (or a year, if you're a late-comer like me), after it was axed by Fox after three seasons. It's now become the flagship resurrection for online rental service Netflix, who've taken the st

MSN TV: ITV's THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER - 'The Murder in Angel Lane'

Published on 2013-05-13 10:18:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the two-hour ITV crime drama THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER, a follow-up to their 2011 adaptation of Kate Summerscale's novel, starring Paddy Considine as the eponymous Victorian sleuth...British drama has a tendency

TV Picks: 13-19 May 2013 (Case Histories, The Dales, Eurovision Song Contest, The Fall, Frankie, Ice Age Giants, etc.)

Published on 2013-05-13 04:00:00

Below are my weekly picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens...MONDAY 13thMay the Best House Win (ITV, 2pm) New series where proud homeowners show off their houses to three judgemental strangers, in the hope of winning £

State of the Blog: 4 million hits!

Published on 2013-05-12 07:00:00

I've been forgetting to chime in with these situation updates, although I doubt they're anyone's favourite thing to read. But they do serve a purpose and let regular readers know what's going on with the blog.Anyway, the big news is DMD has achieved

DOCTOR WHO, 7.12 – 'A Nightmare in Silver'

Published on 2013-05-12 04:33:00

After his superb Doctor Who debut "The Doctor's Wife" (one of the best episodes of Steven Moffat's era), expectations were unreasonably high for the sophomore effort of renowned author Neil Gaiman (American Gods, Neverwhere). Sadly, "A Nightmare in

Twitter'd: TAKEN 2 (2012)

Published on 2013-05-12 04:30:00

My live-tweets of bad movies continued on Saturday afternoon with action sequel TAKEN 2, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. (Also, a reminder that you can read previous live-tweets here.)[View the story "TAKEN 2 (2012)" on Storify]

LOVEFiLM buy History's THE VIKINGS

Published on 2013-05-11 05:42:00

The History Channel's first serialised drama The Vikings has found a home in the UK. Unexpectedly, it's landed at the feet of Europe's biggest film rental company LOVEFiLM. After so much Stateside buzz about Netflix and Amazon getting into the "origi

Should 24 restart its clock?

Published on 2013-05-11 05:16:00

In the wake of Fox axing Touch after two seasons (the sci-fi drama starring Kiefer Sutherland as the father of an autistic boy who can predict the future), it appears the network's offering Sutherland the opportunity to reprise his role of super-agen

COMMUNITY, season 4 finale – 'Advanced Introduction to Finality'

Published on 2013-05-10 13:05:00

This is the probable end for Community, unless the producers agree a deal with NBC to keep it on-air for another half-season. But I'm not sure where you go now Jeff (Joel McHale) has graduated from college, unless they awkwardly backtrack in some unc

HANNIBAL, 1.7 – 'Sorbet'

Published on 2013-05-10 11:17:00

There's a memorable shot in "Sorbet" when a disgusting and unrecognisable arrangement of flesh is gradually revealed to be the throat of a beautiful opera singer, as the view pulls out of her gullet. It encapsulated Hannibal for me; a show that's ult

MSN TV: BBC1's BRITAIN'S BIGGEST HOARDERS - Series 1

Published on 2013-05-10 10:40:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the new documentary series BRITAIN'S BIGGEST HOARDERS, which is rather self-explanatory.It isn't most people's idea of entertainment, but there's a curious fascination with hoarding right now. It started with How C

Teaser: THE WORLD'S END (2013)

Published on 2013-05-09 11:21:00

Looking forward to #WorldsEnd from Messrs Pegg, Frost and Wright. youtu.be/YF-4c8U-mUI— Dan Owen (@danowen79) May 8, 2013... it even has another 'fence gag', which means this is definitely a trilogy after Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

MSN TV: BBC1's THE APPRENTICE (series 9) and Sky Living's HANNIBAL

Published on 2013-05-08 10:29:00

Today over at MSN TV: I've reviewed the series 9 premiere of BBC1's business reality show THE APPRENTICE; then cast my eye over Sky Living's US crime drama HANNIBAL, which brings Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter to the small-screen. (The latter review

MAD MEN, 6.6 – 'For Immediate Release'

Published on 2013-05-08 05:30:00

My favourite Mad Men episodes are often the ones where seismic events hit the workplace, and "For Immediate Release" delivered one of the best in the merger of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and its competitor Cutler, Gleason & Chaough—in a deal inte

THE IT CROWD finale being filmed

Published on 2013-05-08 04:00:00

It all went quiet with Channel 4's geek-friendly sitcom The IT Crowd after series 4 ended in 2010, mainly because the showbiz careers of Chris O'Dowd and Richard Ayoade skyrocketed and their schedules became difficult to work around.(No, most UK show

Trailer: CBS's UNDER THE DOME

Published on 2013-05-07 10:51:00

CBS have released a full trailer for their summer series Under the Dome, and it looks pretty good. I have serious doubts about its longevity, even over a self-contained 13-episodes, but it's hard to argue with the talent here: Neal Baer (ER, Law & Or

Twitter'd: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4

Published on 2013-05-07 04:00:00

My occasional live-tweeting of bad movies continued last Sunday night with 'found footage' sequel PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4, starring a bunch of nobodies with some cameras...[View the story "PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (2012)" on Storify]PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4

TV Pilots I Want to See - 2013-14

Published on 2013-05-06 07:14:00

It's become a blog tradition (sort of) that I compile a list of the most promising or interesting TV pilots that are being made for 2013-14. This tends to favour US shows (where the whole idea of a 'pilot episode' is purer and drives the industry), b

TV Picks: 6-12 May 2013 (The Apprentice, British Academy Television Awards, Hannibal, Justified, A Life of Crime, Suspicions of Mr Whicher, etc.)

Published on 2013-05-06 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, returning/premiering on UK screens...MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAYPICK OF THE DAY

DOCTOR WHO, 7.11 – 'The Crimson Horror'

Published on 2013-05-05 04:46:00

This has been a good year for Mark Gatiss, with "The Crimson Horror" now surpassing his very enjoyable "Cold War" to become his best Doctor Who offering since "The Unquiet Dead" seven years ago. As a lover of Victoriana, Gatiss is on surer ground whe

Trailer: HBO's TRUE BLOOD - season 6

Published on 2013-05-04 11:25:00

HBO know how to put together a good trailer, and this has certainly benefited True Blood in the past. Every season of the show always looks amazing when you condense the best bits from a half-dozen episodes into a minute or so. The official trailer f

This summer: ANGEL and BUFFY catch-ups

Published on 2013-05-04 08:34:00

We're approaching the so-called 'summer season' where many US TV network shows go off-air, but this rarely means we're entering an entertainment wasteland. UK TV still rolls on unhindered, and even US TV tends to fill June, July and August with new s

Competition Result: PLEBS DVD

Published on 2013-05-04 06:03:00

Thanks to everyone who entered my competition to win one of three copies of ITV2's sitcom Plebs on DVD. I asked the question '... what is the name of the [show's] gormless slave character?' and everyone correctly answered 'Grumio'.The three randomly-

HANNIBAL, 1.6 - 'Entrée'

Published on 2013-05-02 13:33:00

This episode doesn't air until tonight in the US, so beware spoilers.We're just over halfway through Hannibal's first season and, as you've no doubt realised, I'm a massive fan. This show's writing, its sinister tone, dingy atmosphere, slick visuals,

Teaser: CBS's UNDER THE DOME

Published on 2013-05-01 12:47:00

#UndertheDome teaser, you stand accused of gross overused of the #Inception BRRRRRAAAWWRWRMRMRMRMRMM youtu.be/JTqtPVHXBgo— Dan Owen (@danowen79) May 1, 2013Click here to bring that epic feeling to YOUR life.

MAD MEN, 6.5 - 'The Flood'

Published on 2013-05-01 04:00:00

To its credit, Mad Men has always kept a focus on its own characters and has rarely used 1960s history in an easy and lazy way to create some drama. Quite a few events of the decade have been allowed to pass by, often without much comment. But there

MSN TV reviews: Sky Atlantic's BANSHEE, ITV's THE JOB LOT and VICIOUS

Published on 2013-04-30 13:33:00

Over at MSN TV today: it's a triple-bill of reviews, starting with Sky Atlantic's US import BANSHEE about a jewel thief posing as a small-town's sheriff; continuing with ITV's new sitcom VICIOUS about an ageing gay couple played by Ian McKellen and D

Competition: win ITV2's PLEBS on DVD!

Published on 2013-04-29 06:00:00

ITV2's hit comedy Plebs arrives on DVD and Blu-ray today, and I have three DVDs to give away to lucky readers, courtesy of Universal Pictures.The six-part comedy is set in Ancient Rome and follows the exploits of three ordinary young men from the sub

TV Picks: 29 April - 5 May 2013 (Banshee, Community, Four Rooms, The Job Lot, Vicious, Would I Lie To You?, etc.)

Published on 2013-04-29 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to British screens...MONDAY 29thFour Rooms (Channel 4, 1.45pm) Series 3 of the antiques series where sellers are given offers from four different dealers. Featuring Alex Pro

DOCTOR WHO, 7.11 - 'Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS'

Published on 2013-04-28 04:45:00

It has a title that evokes a thrilling Jules Verne adventure, and that's mostly what we got with Stephen Thompson's 'Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS' (hereafter 'Journey'); an eagerly anticipated episode because it promised to show us areas of th

HANNIBAL, 1.5 - 'Coquilles'

Published on 2013-04-27 09:33:00

If you didn't choose to watch episode 4 in its webisode form, I'm pleased to report 'Coquilles' still makes perfect sense, although skipping episode 4 completely may impact the next episode dealing with Abigail Hobbs's character (which made up the bu

HANNIBAL, 1.4 - 'Œuf'

Published on 2013-04-27 07:45:00

As you're probably aware, the fourth episode of Hannibal was pulled from NBC's schedule because of unease about the Boston Marathon bombings (from creator Bryan Fuller) and the Newtown massacre from last December. The episode centred on a character p

MSN TV: BBC2's THE POLITICIAN'S HUSBAND

Published on 2013-04-26 10:17:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the first episode of BBC2's three-part political drama THE POLITICIAN'S HUSBAND, starring David Tennant and Emily Watson as a married couple whose careers in Westminster start going in opposite directions...A spiri

HBO option Guillermo Del Toro-produced horror drama MONSTER and 'The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death'

Published on 2013-04-26 04:00:00

Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) has attached himself to the potential HBO series Monster, based on the Manga comics created by Naoki Urasawa published between 1994 and 2001. Monster concerns a doctor on a search for the

MSN TV: Channel 4's 10 O'CLOCK LIVE

Published on 2013-04-25 10:34:00

Today over at MSN TV: my review of Channel 4's satirical comedy 10 O'CLOCK LIVE, presented by Jimmy Carr, Charlie Brooker, David Mitchell and Lauren Laverne.It's considered to be the UK's answers to America's The Daily Show; or rather it aspires to b

MAD MEN, 6.4 - 'To Have and to Hold'

Published on 2013-04-25 04:00:00

A rare episode not written or co-written by creator Matthew Weiner, and a very interesting one because of its focus on woman (mostly ex-secretaries) that are part of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce's history. I particularly liked getting some insight in

HANNIBAL, 1.3 - 'Potage'

Published on 2013-04-24 04:00:00

I'm still trying to get a firm grasp on what Hannibal's going to be as a first season, but after three episodes it seems to be a dissection of the repercussions following a notorious serial killer's death; most notably on the surviving daughter of th

DOCTOR WHO, 7.9 - 'Hide'

Published on 2013-04-23 10:38:00

After Neil Cross's disappointing "The Rings of Akhaten" (although I know it has its fans), he bounced back with this quasi-haunted house story "Hide". It was the first episode he wrote for Doctor Who, so perhaps this was an idea closest to his heart.

MSN TV: ITV's BROADCHURCH - finale

Published on 2013-04-23 08:14:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the finale of ITV's murder-mystery drama BROADCHURCH, starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman. Did you guess who killed Danny Latimer?It could have been a diluted version of The Killing, but Broadchurch crafted it

The hectic weekend

Published on 2013-04-22 04:34:00

Sorry, life got in the way of a few things I was intending to blog about over the weekend. Rest assured that reviews for Hannibal and Doctor Who will be along before their next episodes air. Things should be back to normal by tomorrow or Wednesday. I

TV Picks: 22-28 April 2013 (10 O'Clock Live, Ben Earl: Trick Artist, The Politician's Husband, Russell Howard's Good News, Watson & Oliver, etc.)

Published on 2013-04-22 04:23:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows premiering or returning to UK screens this week...MONDAY 22ndPICK OF THE DAY

TV Review: DA VINCI'S DEMONS, 1.1 - 'The Hanged Man'

Published on 2013-04-19 04:00:00

Warning: this episode doesn't air in the UK until tonight, so beware of minor spoilers...David Goyer has Blade and The Dark Knight trilogies on his résumé, but it's notable both were based on existing material and achieved transcendence thanks to g

Trailer: R.I.P.D (2013)

Published on 2013-04-18 11:07:00

R.I.P.D trailer - sort of MEN IN BLACK-meets-GHOSTBUSTERS? Looks gloriously bad; Jeff Bridges having a riot. youtu.be/X07xNrVd7DU— Dan Owen (@danowen79) April 18, 2013

Trailer: Starz's BLACK SAILS

Published on 2013-04-18 05:00:00

Now that its unequivocal hit Spartacus has been laid to rest, Starz are desperate for another success story to keep them in the minds of audiences. Magic City's still on the air (anyone watching that?), Da Vinci's Demons is now airing in Spartacus's

Will Microsoft reboot HEROES?

Published on 2013-04-18 04:00:00

There are reports suggesting MSN may revive axed NBC superhero drama Heroes, to help launch its Xbox entertainment studio with original content. A new series would likely focus on new characters, with the potential for original stars like Hayden Pane

Universal check into BATES MOTEL

Published on 2013-04-17 05:30:00

The UK's Universal Channel have purchased the rights to A&E's Bates Motel; the Psycho-inspired TV drama starring Freddie Highmore as infamous would-be serial killer Norman Bates, alongside Vera Farmiga as his kooky mother. The show debuted in the US

MAD MEN, 6.3 - 'Collaborators'

Published on 2013-04-17 04:00:00

Infidelity's been a big part of Mad Men, and this episode saw both Don (Jon Hamm) and Pete (Vince Karthesier) get pricked by its many barbs. Don's obviously moved on from Megan (Jessica Paré) without her even realising their relationship's over, to

Trailer: Netflix's HEMLOCK GROVE (NSFW)

Published on 2013-04-16 11:19:00

It's a big year for Netflix as they try to alter public perceptions about how content can be delivered. It began in earnest with their original drama Lilyhammer, but made headlines with their David Fincher-produced political drama House of Cards earl

Video: BEING HUMAN - the last scene

Published on 2013-04-16 04:00:00

Being Human's fifth series hasn't aired everywhere around the world yet, so I'll be careful about spoilers (for now). But if you have seen the end of the BBC show, you may be interested in clicking the embedded video above. It's a DVD-exclusive scene

MSN TV: ITV's ENDEAVOUR

Published on 2013-04-15 10:16:00

Today over at MSN TV: I've reviewed ITV's Inspector Morse prequel ENDEAVOUR, starring Shaun Evans as a younger version of the iconic detective, here working in the 1960s...I have to question the creativity behind extending the Inspector Morse brand;

TV Picks: 15-21 April 2013 (America in Primetime, Da Vinci's Demons, Defiance, Ice Cream Girls, Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States, etc.)

Published on 2013-04-15 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens this week, which includes the global Netflix release of Eli Roth's Hemlock Grove webseries. The time are a-changing! The title 'TV Picks' isn't technically correct now

MSN TV: ITV's BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT

Published on 2013-04-14 08:09:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the return of ITV's BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT, which is going up against BBC1's The Voice in a Saturday night light entertainment battle...In a crowded marketplace of reality competitions, Britain's Got Talent finds its

TV Finale: SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED - 'Victory'

Published on 2013-04-14 04:41:00

Warning: the following review contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the Spartacus: War of the Damned finale, which hasn't aired in the UK at time of writing.As I've mentioned before, the only reason I stopped reviewing Spartacus halfway into its 'Vengeance' se

DOCTOR WHO, 7.8 - 'Cold War'

Published on 2013-04-13 13:27:00

Considering he's one of the biggest Whovians amongst the show's new crop of writers, Mark Gatiss's scripts have been something of a disappointment--never living up to the promise of his series 1 highlight "The Unquiet Dead". There was "The Idiot's La

HANNIBAL, 1.2 - 'Amuse-Bouche'

Published on 2013-04-13 04:39:00

I thought Hannibal's pilot was terrific (one of the best I've seen in years), and I'm so relieved this second episode was almost as brilliant. In fact, aspects of it were indeed better. I had assumed Hannibal would operate as a case-of-the-week proce

COMMUNITY, 4.9 - 'Intro to Felt Surrogacy'

Published on 2013-04-12 12:14:00

I stopped reviewing Community earlier this year because there hasn't been much to say about each new episode lately. They're marginally entertaining and contain the odd excellent line of dialogue, and I still really love the cast, but this isn't the

TV Ratings: MAD MEN's season 6 premiere fails to attract Sky Atlantic viewers

Published on 2013-04-12 06:00:00

Sky Atlantic outbid the BBC for the rights to show Mad Men, and it launched to an unsurprisingly weak 98,000 last season. Now the ratings are in for its sixth season premiere, and that audience has fallen to 58,000. (That's a loss of 40,000 viewers,

THE SHINING getting a prequel in THE OVERLOOK HOTEL?

Published on 2013-04-12 04:30:00

Uh-oh. It looks like someone's been impressed by what A&E have done with Bates Motel, the TV prequel to Psycho. Warner Bros are apparently very keen to make a prequel to their own classic movie, The Shining. It's early days, but producers Laeta Kalog

Audioboo: DALLAS - season 2

Published on 2013-04-12 04:00:00

I may stop blogging about every new Audioboo I record soon, so please keep that in mind. The latest instalment will be embedded in the right-hand sidebar, and uploads are immediately tweeted to my feed. You can also subscribe to my boos with iTunes.B

Trailer: THE HANGOVER - PART III

Published on 2013-04-11 12:50:00

THE HANGOVER III appears to feature no hangovers. Or drinking. Oh, but Vegas is back. youtu.be/96TelFMZwHc— Dan Owen (@danowen79) April 11, 2013

MSN TV: Sky Atlantic's MAD MEN, 6.1-2 - 'The Doorway'

Published on 2013-04-11 10:25:00

Over at MSN TV today: I review the feature-length season 6 premiere of AMC's MAD MEN, which made its UK debut on Sky Atlantic last night. This an incredibly difficult show to review with an imposed word-limit, but I hope you enjoy it."The Doorway", M

Video: THE WALKING DEAD - Season 3 Visual Effects Reel (NSFW)

Published on 2013-04-10 12:12:00

I sometimes post videos that visualize how a TV show managed to pull off its impressive visual effects, usually focused on the imperceptible trickery of Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire. But this one focuses on AMC's zombie drama The Walking Dead

Chloe Sevigny in THOSE WHO KILL remake

Published on 2013-04-10 04:00:00

The brilliant Chloe Sevigny (Big Love, Hit & Miss) is taking the lead in A&E's Those Who Kill, adapted from the 2011 Danish series Den som dræber by Glen Morgan (The X Files, Millennium); a show originally inspired by the crime novels of Elsebeth Eg

Audioboo: BATES MOTEL - episode 1-4

Published on 2013-04-09 12:44:00

Embedded below is my latest boo, this one offering brief thoughts on A&E's Psycho prequel

TV Picks: 8-14 April 2013 (Being Human USA, Britain's Got Talent, Mad Men, The Prisoners, The Real Hustle: New Recruits, The Security Men, etc.)

Published on 2013-04-08 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to UK screens...MONDAY 8thChefs: Put Your Menu Where Your Mouth Is (BBC1, 3.45pm) Series 2 of the show where chefs compete to earn the most profit in various British eaterie

DOCTOR WHO, 7.8 - 'The Rings of Akhaten'

Published on 2013-04-06 13:35:00

Neil Cross is a new writer to the Doctor Who family, having made his name with Spooks before establishing it thanks to the runaway success of Luther. I was rather looking forward to seeing what a writer with his dark and twisted sensibilities would b

ARGUMENTELLY: movie-to-TV adaptations

Published on 2013-04-06 08:42:00

Dirty Dancing: but which one's dirtier?Apologies for the fortnight's delay, but I did say this Argumentelly would only be semi-recurring.If you recall, the last instalment asked 'Are television adverts good or bad?'Rob D Webster argued for their grea

TV Review: NBC's HANNIBAL - 'Apéritif'

Published on 2013-04-05 13:54:00

Thomas Harris is largely responsible for creating modern serial killer fiction with his 1981 novel Red Dragon, later turned into the Michael Mann movie Manhunter. His 1988 follow-up, The Silence of the Lambs, made that belief unquestionable after Jon

MSN TV: ITV's SCOTT & BAILEY (Series 3)

Published on 2013-04-04 10:31:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the third series premiere of ITV's detective drama SCOTT & BAILEY, starring Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp.These days viewers are bombarded with glossy crime dramas of amazing narrative complexity and visual panach

Audioboo: THE WALKING DEAD (season 3)

Published on 2013-04-03 12:31:00

Enough people responded with encouraging thoughts and advice about my first Audioboo, so I thought I'd give it another go...This one covers The Walking Dead's third season, which finished on AMC last Friday. (There are no spoilers for UK viewers, don

TV Review: BBC America's ORPHAN BLACK

Published on 2013-04-03 06:50:00

I wasn't expecting to enjoy Orphan Black quite as much as I did, perhaps due to residual feelings of disappointment in last year's similarly-themed Ringer. However, this pilot episode did a terrific job of laying out the concept and getting the audie

Final series of MISFITS

Published on 2013-04-02 12:43:00

The superhero drama Misfits is coming back for 8 hour-long episodes, but this fifth series will be its last.Murray Ferguson, Clerkenwell Films' Chief Executive, says the show "... was a bold and confident commission that backed original ideas and new

Did ANYONE spot my April Fool?

Published on 2013-04-02 09:21:00

The saying about a lead balloon springs to mind, because I didn't get any feedback about my April Fool's Day joke yesterday. Huh. Maybe it was TOO subtle, which kind of says everything about the state of television today...If you aren't aware, yester

MSN TV: Sky Atlantic's GAME OF THRONES (season 3 premiere) & BBC1's JONATHAN CREEK - 'The Clue of the Savant's Thumb'

Published on 2013-04-02 04:38:00

Today over at MSN TV: I've reviewed the season 3 premiere of medieval fantasy epic GAME OF THRONES on Sky Atlantic with "Valar Dohaeris", and the Easter Monday special of BBC1's long-running murder-mystery drama JONATHAN CREEK.I found Games of Throne

Audioboo: DOCTOR WHO's 'The Bells of Saint John'

Published on 2013-04-01 09:11:00

I'm often asked about maybe recording a podcast to accompany DMD, but I'm not comfortable doing that. Writing's more my medium, because putting something on the internet in audio/visual form is more permanent. (I can easily rewrite and fix a blog pos

Trailer: TRUE BLOOD - season 6

Published on 2013-04-01 08:55:00

I'm still posting trailers for True Blood, strangely. It's a sickness. As you probably know, I haven't been keen on this HBO supernatural drama since the end of season 2; and although season 5 was a mild improvement on season 4, it's become a ridicul

TV Picks: 1-7 April 2013 (Chalk N' Cheese, Find the Chair, Game of Thrones, Murder She Blogged, Once Upon A Time, Touch, United States of Cakes, etc.)

Published on 2013-04-01 04:51:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to UK screens this week...MONDAY 1stAfrica: The Greatest Show on Earth (BBC1, 7pm) Highlights of the BBC landmark wildlife documentary series, including footage of the three

MSN TV: BBC1's THE VOICE (series 2); BBC2's LIFE'S TOO SHORT special; Channel 4's LABYRINTH

Published on 2013-03-31 09:15:00

Today over at MSN TV: there's an apt trinity of reviews for Easter, as I cover the series 2 premiere of THE VOICE on BBC1; cast an eye over the hour-long return of spoof documentary LIFE'S TOO SHORT; and assess the first part of Channel 4's fantasy a

DOCTOR WHO, 7.7 - 'The Bells of Saint John'

Published on 2013-03-31 09:07:00

Doctor Who's 50th years kicks off with the concluding half of series 7 (which was frustratingly put on hiatus since late-September, not including the excellent Christmas Special). Unusually, "The Bells of Saint John" was an introductory episode for a

DOCTOR WHO: 50th Anniversary casting

Published on 2013-03-30 07:03:00

Doctor Who returns tonight for the last half of series 7 (BBC1, 6.15pm), and Blogtor Who have reported casting news confirmed by Doctor Who Magazine.DON'T continue reading if you don't want to know, although God knows how you're going to avoid this n

MSN TV: Sky1's REVOLUTION

Published on 2013-03-30 06:00:00

Today over at MSN TV: I've reviewed the double-bill premiere of Sky1's new US sci-fi import REVOLUTION, which concerns a near-future society living without electricity. (Long-time readers of DMD perhaps don't need to click through, as this is an amal

I've been watching ARROW, have you?

Published on 2013-03-28 06:58:00

I'm not doing as many episodic reviews as I used to, and to be honest I haven't watched more than a few episodes of most new shows lately. My TiVo is full of whole series it's been diligently recording weeks after I saw a premiere, then realised I di

MSN TV: ITV2's PLEBS

Published on 2013-03-26 03:12:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the double-bill premiere of ITV2's new historical sitcom PLEBS, about three young men trying to climb the social ladder in Ancient Rome...While the idea of an ITV2 sitcom set in Ancient Rome triggers a negative gut

MSN TV: BBC1's OUR GIRL

Published on 2013-03-25 05:23:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed BBC1's feature-length single drama OUR GIRL, starring EastEnders' Lacey Turner as a London teenager who decides to join the Army...I wasn't expecting to enjoy Our Girl based on the first 20 minutes in which Lacey T

Easter TV Picks: 25-31 March 2013 (Doctor Who, Labyrinth, Life's Too Short, Mindy Project, New Girl, Plebs, Revolution, The Village, The Voice, etc.)

Published on 2013-03-25 04:30:00

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens this week, which includes the Easter weekend...MONDAY 25thBoris Johnson: The Irresistible Rise (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary on the divisive Mayor of London, whose popularit

Twitter'd: THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2 (2012)

Published on 2013-03-24 12:34:00

My occasional live-tweeting of bad movies continues with supernatural sequel THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN - PART 2, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and lots of other people who should have known better...[View the stor

ARGUMENTELLY: television adverts

Published on 2013-03-23 06:47:00

Last week's inaugural edition of Argumentelly offered two opposing views on Comic Relief's Red Nose Day telethon. Journalist Iain Hepburn argued against the popular fundraising event, while I argued for it.The result of the reader vote was clear: 72.

TV Review: BATES MOTEL, 1.1 – 'First You Dream, Then You Die'

Published on 2013-03-22 05:00:00

There have been previous attempts to recapture the magic of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, the master of suspense's esteemed 1960 film adaptation of Robert Bloch's novel: three direct sequels of fading quality, a failed TV pilot from 1987, and 1998's con

MSN TV: E4's YOUNGERS

Published on 2013-03-21 11:52:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the first episode of E4's new pre-watershed drama YOUNGERS, about two south-east London rappers hoping to break into the urban music industry...E4's The Inbetweeners was partly about an unremarkable foursome trying

Competition result: ARGO Blu-rays!

Published on 2013-03-20 08:00:00

Last week I hosted a competition to win two copies of the Oscar-winning movie Argo on Blu-ray.To win one, I asked: which of director Ben Affleck's co-stars did he later marry? The answer was Jennifer Garner from Daredevil, which not everyone got righ

Channel 4 import French zombie drama LES REVENANTS

Published on 2013-03-20 05:00:00

While reviewing BBC Three's new zombie drama In the Flesh for MSN, I made reference to a 2004 French movie called Les Revenants (They Came Back) that it partly resembles. That award-winning film concerned dead people returning to life and having to r

Channel 4 request more UTOPIA

Published on 2013-03-19 05:00:00

Utopia was another UK drama that felt like a self-contained miniseries, before ending on an unexpected cliffhanger. Luckily, Channel 4 has agreed to a second series of this conspiracy drama, despite seeing ratings drop to a low of 1.15m over its six-

MSN TV: BBC1's THE LADY VANISHES & BBC3's IN THE FLESH

Published on 2013-03-18 11:50:00

Today over at MSN TV: there's a double-bill of reviews, covering BBC1's new adaptation of THE LADY VANISHES, and BBC3's new zombie drama IN THE FLESH...I'm glad to see the BBC adapting books that aren't written by Charles Dickens or Jane Austen. Ethe

TV Picks: 18-24 March 2013 (Boss, The Challenger, Goodbye Television Centre, James Nesbitt's Ireland, Our Girl, The Syndicate, Youngers, etc.)

Published on 2013-03-18 05:00:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable premieres and returning shows to UK screens...MONDAY 18thWPC 56 (BBC1, 2.15pm) New series about a female police officer working in the male-dominated 1950s. Starring Jennie Jacques, Kieran Brew, Gerard Ho

Trailers: DOCTOR WHO - Series 7b & 50th Anniversary

Published on 2013-03-16 13:17:00

Doctor Who returns in just a few weeks, so the BBC have released a trailer for series 7b (embedded above). It promises more mystery with new companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman), Warwick Davis in a flying ace helmet, a perilous space walk ac

David Brent does Comic Relief

Published on 2013-03-16 06:40:00

The highlight of last night's Red Nose Day telethon was undoubtedly Ricky Gervais reprising his breakthrough role as The Office's David Brent, for a ten-minute sketch revealing what the character's been doing over the 10 years he's been off-screen (i

Teaser: ALAN PARTRIDGE - ALPHA PAPA

Published on 2013-03-16 05:16:00

It's been rumoured for over a decade, but Alan Partridge is finally getting his own movie. Steve Coogan is currently filming in and around Norfolk, as part of a feature-length adventure that allegedly revolves around his North Norfolk Digital radio s

MSN TV: BBC1's PRISONERS' WIVES

Published on 2013-03-15 12:33:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed the series 2 premiere of BBC1 drama PRISONERS' WIVES, about four women coping with the absence of important men in their lives who are in prison...The title provokes expectations of a trivial Footballers' Wives-style

Competition: win ARGO on Blu-ray!

Published on 2013-03-15 06:00:00

With Ben Affleck's Argo having been released on Blu-ray/DVD and celebrating an Academy Award win for Best Picture, Appliances Online have offered two Blu-ray copies of the film for a competition.'Depicting the true story of the 1980 joint CIA-Canadia

TV Review: THE MIMIC (Channel 4)

Published on 2013-03-14 13:54:00

One of the more unusual offerings of late, The Mimic is a five-part comedy-drama starring impressionist Terry Mynott (VIP) as a seemingly unexceptional maintenance man called Martin Hurdle, who actually has the eerie ability to imitate voices. You'd

ARGUMENTELLY: Red Nose Day

Published on 2013-03-14 05:30:00

Welcome to a new recurring feature called ARGUMENTELLY. It's a portmanteau of "argument" and "telly", geddit? The concept is simple: each edition showcases an argument for and against something relating to television. I will invite guest bloggers to

Cumberbatch and Freeman signed to a fourth series of SHERLOCK

Published on 2013-03-12 12:02:00

Benedict Cumberbatch recently attended the South Bank Show Awards, where he let slip he's signed to a fourth series of Sherlock, saying both he and co-star Martin Freeman have

BEING HUMAN, 5.6 - 'The Last Broadcast'

Published on 2013-03-12 05:00:00

There were a few wobbles along the way and a climax that didn't make complete sense to me, but Being Human's last ever episode was a triumph on most levels. The Devil is a difficult character to portray (especially regarding the limits of his powers)

MSN TV: BBC1's SHETLAND & ITV's MR SELFRIDGE finale

Published on 2013-03-11 11:39:00

Today over at MSN TV: I've reviewed BBC1's two-part crime drama SHETLAND, and ITV's finale of Edwardian department store drama MR SELFRIDGE.The influx of Nordic Noir programming appears to be having an effect on British drama suddenly, as bleak two-p

TV Picks: 11-17 March 2013 (Comic Relief, In the Flesh, It's Kevin, Lady Vanishes, Masterchef, The Mimic, Prisoner's Wives, etc.)

Published on 2013-03-11 11:38:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, returning or premiering in the UK...MONDAY 11thCountry Show Cook Off (BBC2, 6.30pm) New series where chefs go on a nationwide road trip, participating in various cookery contests. (1/20)This Wor

DEREK, series 1 finale

Published on 2013-03-10 06:21:00

Ricky Gervais' sitcom Derek ended this week and Channel 4 have ordered a second series, but I'm sorry to say my thoughts haven't changed a great deal since episode 1. It's a show where Gervais can eulogize his world-view through the eponymous simplet

COMMUNITY, 4.5 – 'Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations'

Published on 2013-03-09 08:03:00

I've been reviewing every episode of Community partly because there isn't much else that's demanding my interest just now, but also because the departure of Dan Harmon means it has added interest as a sitcom that's lost its creator. This season has d

Where Are They Now? The cast of AMERICAN GOTHIC

Published on 2013-03-07 10:30:00

One of my favourite one-season wonders and supernatural dramas in general was 1995's American Gothic, created by Shaun Cassidy (the singer and star of The Hardy Boys who more recently made Roar and Invasion). The show concerned the fictional town of

MSN TV: ITV's BROADCHURCH

Published on 2013-03-05 12:20:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed the premiere of Chris Chibnall's eight-part drama BROADCHURCH, starring Doctor Who's David Tennant as an out-of-town detective investigating the murder of a young boy in an idyllic coastal community.The problems facin

BEING HUMAN, 5.5 - 'No Care, All Responsibility'

Published on 2013-03-04 11:04:00

I haven't felt gripped by series 5 until this penultimate episode from Sarah Dollard, which gave us big events and character-based shock-waves in preparation for the finale. I have some criticisms about how well Being Human's handling its supporting

TV Picks: 4-10 March 2013 (Anna & Katy, Broadchurch, The Crash, Parks & Recreation, Russell Brand's Give It Up Gig for Comic Relief, Shetland, etc.)

Published on 2013-03-04 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows airing in the UK this week, from new premieres to returning favourites...MONDAY 4thBeat the Pack (BBC1, 3pm) New general knowledge quiz involving an element of bluff and persuasion. Hosted by Jake Humph

Twitter'd: RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION

Published on 2013-03-03 11:01:00

My occasional live-tweeting of bad movies continues with Paul W.S Anderson's zombie sequel RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION, starring Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, and zombies. Lots and lots of zombies.[View the story "RESIDENT EVIL:

MSN TV: ITV's ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY

Published on 2013-03-03 04:53:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed the second episode of ANT & DEC'S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY, which has been revived on ITV after a four-year hiatus.In all honesty, I find Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway occasionally wearisome because not all of th

MSN TV: BBC1's MARY AND MARTHA

Published on 2013-03-02 05:47:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed Richard Curtis' one-off drama MARY AND MARTHA, starring Hilary Swank and Brenda Blethyn as mothers drawn together by tragedies involving malaria...Mary and Martha is a 90-minute drama (also to be shown on HBO) that Ri

COMMUNITY, 4.4 – 'Alternative History of the German Invasion'

Published on 2013-03-01 12:07:00

We're four episodes into Community's new season, and my disgruntlement about creator Dan Harmon's absence has dissolved to an extent. These four episodes haven't been brilliant, but they prove the show is still very watchable and the performances lik

MSN TV: ITV's FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD & LIGHTFIELDS

Published on 2013-02-28 10:54:00

Today over at MSN: a double-bill of reviews from last night on ITV; the Simon Cowell-produced cookery series FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD and supernatural drama LIGHTFIELDS.Simon Cowell's production company is behind Food Glorious Food, which explains why it f

MSN TV: BBC2's HEADING OUT

Published on 2013-02-27 10:46:00

Over at MSN today: I reviewed the premiere of BBC Two's new sitcom HEADING OUT, written by and starring comedian/presenter Sue Perkins as a middle-aged lesbian vet.Sue Perkins' career has yo-yoed since she achieved cult stardom as part of a double-ac

BBC cast THE MUSKETEERS

Published on 2013-02-27 04:00:00

clockwise: Tom Burke, Luke Pasqualino,Howard Charles & Santiago CabreraThe BBC have already started work on their replacement for Merlin, the adventure series Atlantis, but they're also working on The Musketeers—a ten-part drama based on Alexandre

BLACK MIRROR – 'The Waldo Moment'

Published on 2013-02-26 11:38:00

Interesting to note that series 2 of Black Mirror has reversed the style of series 1's episodes; beginning with the "emotive hard sci-fi" one, continuing with the "scary high-concept" one, and now ending with the "blackly satirical" one. "The Waldo M

Sky Living take a bite of HANNIBAL

Published on 2013-02-26 04:00:00

Sky Living have picked up the UK rights to NBC's impending crime drama Hannibal, about a FBI profiler (Hugh Dancy) tasked with catching serial killers, aided by his therapist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelson)—who's secretly rather partial to human f

BEING HUMAN, 5.4 – 'The Greater Good'

Published on 2013-02-25 13:31:00

One thing that's becoming clear about Being Human is that I'm completely bored of the central theme of monsters feeling guilty about their true natures, and whether or not they can live as "humans" in polite society. After five series the idea feels

MSN TV: DEXTER - season 7

Published on 2013-02-25 11:42:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed the season 7 premiere of Showtime's DEXTER, which finally made its UK debut on Fox last night. This is a rewritten and condensed version of my original review from last September, so don't worry if you're already well

TV Picks: 25 February – 3 March 2013 (Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Celebrity Juice, CSI, Cube, Heading Out, Lightfields, Mary & Martha, Oscars 2013, Shameless, etc.)

Published on 2013-02-25 04:00:00

Below are my weekly picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens...MONDAY 25thOperation Hospital Food with James Martin (BBC1, 9.15am) New series where chef James Martin tries to improve the quality of food in UK hospitals. (

10 Things People in TV & Film Never Do

Published on 2013-02-24 05:07:00

They may look like you and I, but characters on TV and at the movies are a very different species. Below are 10 things fictional people never do, which flies in the face of normal everyday experiences.1. Get snagged on a door handle when leaving a ro

Trailer: GAME OF THRONES – season 3

Published on 2013-02-23 10:01:00

HBO has released a one-minute trailer for the third season of Game of Thrones, which looks mightily impressive. I'm glad I stuck with this show through a dense and occasionally plodding first season, because it's really turned into something very imp

COMMUNITY, 4.3 – 'Conventions of Space and Time'

Published on 2013-02-23 05:58:00

The idea of Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed (Danny Pudi) attending a convention for their favourite sci-fi show (Doctor Who pastiche Inspector Spacetime) offers so much potential for geek-friendly references and pop-culture lampoonery, but "Conventions

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.21 & 3.22 – 'Graduation Day: Part 1 & 2'

Published on 2013-02-21 14:21:00

Mayor: Mmm. My God, what a feeling. The power of these creatures. It suffuses my being. I can feel the changes begin. My organs are shifting, changing, making ready for the Ascension. Plus these babies are high in fibre. And what's the fun in becomin

BLACK MIRROR – 'White Bear'

Published on 2013-02-19 11:45:00

The following review contains major spoilers, so please don't read unless you've seen the episode in question, or spent 1999 screaming "Bruce Willis is a ghost!" in shopping malls...Last week's premiere "Be Right Back", while emotionally rich, didn't

BEING HUMAN, 5.3 – 'Pie & Prejudice'

Published on 2013-02-18 11:26:00

The midway point of series 5 arrived with a largely non-mytharc storyline from Jamie Mathieson, which felt more like your typical episode of Being Human. There wasn't much that felt particularly new here, but it was efficiently put together and ended

TV Picks: 18-24 February 2013 (666 Park Avenue, Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, Brit Awards 2013, Dexter, Jack Taylor, Piers Morgan's Life Stories, etc.)

Published on 2013-02-18 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning on UK screens this week...MONDAY 18thThe Common Denominator (Channel 4, 3.30pm) New quiz show concerning how the brain works. Hosted by Phil Spencer. (1/40)PICK OF THE DAY

Trailer: NBC's HANNIBAL

Published on 2013-02-17 10:16:00

NBC have finally released a trailer for their TV series based on characters created by author Thomas Harris, popularised in movies like Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal and Red Dragon. (We'll forget the atrocious prequel Hannibal Rising.

MSN TV: Fox's THE WALKING DEAD, 3.9 - 'The Suicide King'

Published on 2013-02-16 09:42:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed the mid-season 3 premiere of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD, which had its UK premiere on Fox last night.There's almost no point being critical about The Walking Dead, because it continues to be a ratings juggernaut that can'

COMMUNITY, 4.2 – 'Paranormal Parentage'

Published on 2013-02-15 12:23:00

After last week's worrying premiere, Megan Ganz's "Paranormal Parentage" was a very good return to form that has me more optimistic about Community's future without Dan Harmon around—well, creatively, as this episode registered a drop in overnight

MSN TV: Sky Atlantic's VEGAS

Published on 2013-02-15 10:43:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed VEGAS, which had its UK premiere on Sky Atlantic last night. Regular readers probably don't need to read it, as it's a reworking of the original review I wrote for its US premiere last September on CBS. Unless you wan

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.19 & 3.20 - 'Choices' & 'The Prom'

Published on 2013-02-14 13:22:00

Willow: Actually this isn't about you--although I'm fond, don't get me wrong, of you. The other night, you know being captured and all, facing off with Faith, things just kind of got clear. I mean you've been fighting evil here for three.. years, and

BBC replace MERLIN with ATLANTIS

Published on 2013-02-13 12:17:00

Unsurprisingly, the BBC have announced their intention to replace Merlin with another family-friendly fantasy series: Atlantis.They've even hired one of that show's better writers, Howard Overman (who later created Misfits, Vexed and adapted Dirk Gen

Review: SPARTACUS: WAR OF THE DAMNED – 'Enemies of Rome'

Published on 2013-02-13 11:43:00

This review is a number of weeks behind the US broadcast on Starz, so please be mindful of spoilers in any discussion below.I stopped reviewing Spartacus last season because the show, while still very enjoyable and made with bloodthirsty zest, had dr

BEING HUMAN, 5.2 – 'Sticks & Rope'

Published on 2013-02-12 13:32:00

If this wasn't the last series of Being Human (coupled with the fact I've reviewed every episode so far) I would give serious thought to dropping weekly reviews. It's lost its freshness. I quite like fastidious Hal (Damien Molony), but sleepy-eyed To

MSN TV: Channel 4's BLACK MIRROR - 'Be Right Back'

Published on 2013-02-12 10:54:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed the first instalment of Charlie Brooker's BLACK MIRROR, which returned for a second series with a story about a widow (Hayley Atwell) who resurrects her dead boyfriend using cutting-edge technology...Charlie Brooker's

Review: COMMUNITY, 4.1 – 'History 101'

Published on 2013-02-11 13:04:00

Creators of many TV shows lose their position of power, for one reason or another, all the time. Most viewers don't notice, unless the show in question went through one person's filter as "showrunner" to a far greater extent than usual. Dan Harmon wa

TV Picks: 11-17 February 2013 (Big Fat Gypsy Valentine, Black Mirror, Spartacus: War of the Damned, Vegas, The Walking Dead, etc.)

Published on 2013-02-11 03:30:00

Below are my picks of this week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to UK screens...MONDAY 11thPenguins: Spy in the Huddle (BBC1, 9pm) Wildlife series where a camera is planted inside a fake rockhopper penguin, to capture a flock of penguin

The long weekend

Published on 2013-02-08 02:34:00

Family commitments mean I won't be blogging until after the weekend, which makes it difficult to review the return of Community until then. But next week should be better, with reviews for Black Mirror, Spartacus, The Walking Dead and Zero Hour. Sorr

BBC stakes BEING HUMAN dead

Published on 2013-02-07 11:29:00

BBC Three's highly successful supernatural drama Being Human has been cancelled by the BBC, after five series of 37 episodes and one popular North American remake. A few novels have even been published. That's an impressive feat for a relatively low-

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.17 & 3.18 – 'Enemies' & 'Earshot'

Published on 2013-02-07 04:30:00

Faith: No one can stop the Ascension. Mayor's got it wired, B. He built this town for demons to feed on, and come Graduation Day, he's gettin' paid. And I'll be sittin' at his right hand -- assuming he has hands after the transformation, I'm not too

MSN TV: BBC2's DANCING ON THE EDGE

Published on 2013-02-05 11:07:00

Over on MSN today: I've reviewed the feature-length opener of Stephen Poliakoff's five-part miniseries DANCING ON THE EDGE, about a black jazz band trying to breakthrough in 1930s London; starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Janet Montgomery, Jo

MSN TV: BBC3's BEING HUMAN (series 5)

Published on 2013-02-04 10:52:00

Over on MSN today: I've reviewed the fifth series premiere of BBC Three's BEING HUMAN, which is the first with none of the original actors involved. Has this rejuvenated the supernatural drama completely, or is it the same old thing with different fa

TV Picks: 4-10 February 2013 (BAFTA 2012, Common Ground, Dancing on the Edge, Nashville, The Spa, Spiral, etc.)

Published on 2013-02-04 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to UK television screens. Feel free to leave a comment about what you will be watching, or if I've missed anything worth watching...MONDAY 4thFood & Drink (BBC2, 8pm) Reviva

Twitter'd: THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2012)

Published on 2013-02-03 05:00:00

It's the latest in my occasional series of live-tweeted quips about a movie I'm not passionate about reviewing properly. Click below if you'd like to read some random thoughts and jokes about THE EXPENDABLES 2, starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Stat

MSN TV: ITV's SPLASH! - Final

Published on 2013-02-03 04:49:00

Over on MSN today: I review the final of ITV's celebrity diving series SPLASH!, having missed the semi-final the week before. (Don't worry, it still made perfect nonsense to me.) I'm so relieved this Saturday night water torture's over...You have to

Netflix's HOUSE OF CARDS (2013)

Published on 2013-02-02 08:03:00

written by Beau Willimon (based on the miniseries by Andrew Davies and the novel by Michael Dobbs) / directed by David FincherThere's two conversations to be had about House of Cards: the content of the show itself, and the unusual way it's been dist

Yes, it's been a slow blogging week

Published on 2013-02-01 07:00:00

Hello, dear reader.I just wanted to fill people in on what's happening here at Dan's Media Digest. I haven't had much time to watch anything this week (poor me), which is why a number of things haven't materialised. Given the muted response to my fir

TV Review: FX's THE AMERICANS

Published on 2013-02-01 04:30:00

If Showtime's Homeland had been made 30 years ago, chances are it would resemble FX's The Americans. This new spy drama also leans on the recent US cable trend for anti-heroes (Dexter, Breaking Bad), asking us to invest sympathy in the double lives o

TV Review: Channel 4's DEREK

Published on 2013-01-31 04:30:00

Last year's pilot was given a mixed reception by audiences and critics alike, but Derek's back for a six-part series written, directed and starring Ricky Gervais as the eponymous care home worker. It's easy to see why people are having trouble parsin

MSN TV: Channel 5's DALLAS (season 2)

Published on 2013-01-30 10:45:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed the second season premiere of DALLAS, which started on Channel 5 last night (a day after its US premiere on TNT). The cast are all back for another year of backstabbing, intricate cons and cruel deceptions... although

ITV buy FX's THE AMERICANS

Published on 2013-01-29 04:00:00

ITV will broadcast FX's political thriller The Americans, bringing the 1980s-set drama to a wider terrestrial audience in the UK. The show concerns two KGB agents (Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys) living in New York during the Cold War, whose own children

TV Picks: 28 January – 3 February 2013 (Being Human, Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe, Mary Berry Story, Dallas, Derek, etc.)

Published on 2013-01-28 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, premiering/returning to UK screens...MONDAY 28thMoving On (BBC1, 2.15pm) Series 4 of the one-off dramas.PICK OF THE DAY Winter Viruses & How To Beat Them (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary looking at the a

Geek godhead JJ Abrams directing STAR WARS EPISODE VII

Published on 2013-01-25 04:00:00

It's official. JJ Abrams has been chosen to direct Star Wars Episode VII for Disney; the first in a new trilogy schedules for release in summer 2016. This news come despite the fact Abrams appeared to rule himself out of the running recently, saying

Twitter'd: TOTAL RECALL (2012)

Published on 2013-01-25 02:55:00

Below are some quips about the TOTAL RECALL remake, starring Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston. This is all I have to say on the matter.[View the story "Twitter'd: TOTAL RECALL (2012)" on Storify]Twitter'd: TOTAL RECALL

UTOPIA – episode two

Published on 2013-01-24 06:00:00

I reviewed the feature-length premiere of this six-part thriller last week for MSN, and enjoyed it a great deal. The second episode was less engrossing, which tends to be the case for shows of this nature. It couldn't impress us in the same way, but

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.15 & 3.16 – 'Consequences' & 'Doppelgangland'

Published on 2013-01-24 04:30:00

Mayor: Well, this is exciting: a Slayer up for Murder One. That's sunshine and roses to me. It really is.I occasionally bemoan how episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer always involve a supernatural element, so the appeal of "CONSEQUENCES" was seeing

MSN TV: Sky Atlantic's THE FOLLOWING

Published on 2013-01-23 12:49:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed Sky Atlantic's premiere of Fox's new crime thriller THE FOLLOWING, starring Kevin Bacon as a former FBI agent brought out of retirement to recapture a notorious serial killer...The reasons to give The Following a chan

Movie Review: DREDD (2012)

Published on 2013-01-22 05:30:00

Anderson: Sir, helmets interfere with my psychic abilities. Judge Dredd: Think a bullet in the head might interfere with them more.The second attempt to launch Judge Dredd as a bonafide franchise, after 1996's box-office flop with Sylvester Stallone

Amazon remaking ZOMBIELAND

Published on 2013-01-22 03:30:00

The times, they are a-changin'. Online rental service Netflix has started creating its own content (Lillyhammer, House of Cards, Arrested Development), and now Amazon are jumping on the bandwagon with a remake of hit horror-comedy Zombieland.The proj

ARROW star Jessica De Gouw gets bitten by Sky/NBC's DRACULA

Published on 2013-01-21 13:05:00

The Sky/NBC co-production of Dracula has cast Mina Harker, who will be played by the beautiful Australian actress Jessica De Gouw—currently starring as the leather-clad Huntress in The CW's superhero drama Arrow.The ten-part supernatural series has

TV Picks: 21-27 January 2013 (Comic Relief Bake Off, The Following, Good Wife, Last Leg, Louie, Suits, Top Gear, Wonders of Life, etc.)

Published on 2013-01-21 04:00:00

Below are my week's picks of notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens this week...MONDAY 21stPICK OF THE DAY

20/01/13: That Was The Week That Was

Published on 2013-01-20 08:36:00

Another fun week in blogging and social media. There was lots more MSN reviews this week, only the second full-star review in my Buffy catch-ups, my last ever review of Fringe (which came to an end simultaneously in the US and UK), I exchanged pleasa

MSN TV: SPLASH! Week Three

Published on 2013-01-20 04:41:00

Over at MSN today: there's still an appetite for SPLASH! reviews, so I've obliged with some thoughts on the surprisingly popular ITV show's third heat...Last week, Tom Daley's Splash! unquestionably improved from its horrendous opening episode; this

FRINGE, 5.12 & 5.13 – 'Liberty' & 'The Enemy of Fate'

Published on 2013-01-19 08:16:00

LibertyEnemy of FateIf you think season finales are hard to pull off, try series finales. The weight of expectation's almost crushing, particularly for science fiction shows that have passionate and demanding audiences who'll nit-pick something to de

TV Review: The CW's THE CARRIE DIARIES

Published on 2013-01-18 04:30:00

Carrie: The pain of love is what truly changes us. It's the losing of love that makes us who we are. The loss of a parent. Of your virginity. Of who you thought you might be. Of your innocence. Those losses are perhaps our first steps into adulthood.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.13 & 3.14 - 'The Zeppo' & 'Bad Girls'

Published on 2013-01-17 04:30:00

Cordelia: (to Xander) Boy, of all the humiliations you've had I've witnessed, that was the latest.It's strange "THE ZEPPO" aired after "Helpless", because the previous climax where Giles (Anthony Head) is fired as a Watcher and Buffy (Sarah Michelle

Showtime order PENNY DREADFUL from John Logan and Sam Mendes

Published on 2013-01-16 12:46:00

Screenwriter John LoganThe cable network is really trying to boost its original programming just now, perhaps because it knows Dexter's reaching the end of its lifetime (and Homeland could easily crash-and-burn if it's not too careful?) They've just

MSN TV: Channel 4's UTOPIA

Published on 2013-01-16 11:09:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed the premiere of Channel 4's unnerving six-part conspiracy thriller UTOPIA, starring Alexandra Roach, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Adeel Akhtar and Neil Maskell...Utopia is a slow-burn thriller that aims to establish a mood

MSN TV: Sky Atlantic's GIRLS, 2.1 - 'It's About Time'

Published on 2013-01-15 11:06:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed the season 2 premiere of HBO's Golden Globe-winning GIRLS, which had its next-day premiere on Sky Atlantic last night...Girls is notable for bringing a higher level of functional reality to a character-based drama foc

MSN TV: BBC1's BLANDINGS

Published on 2013-01-14 10:38:00

Today over at MSN: I've reviewed BBC1's Sunday comedy-drama BLANDINGS, based on the short stories by P.G Wodehouse...Screenwriter Guy Andrews gave us the brilliant 2008 ITV miniseries Lost in Austen, but his adaptation of renowned English author P.G

TV Picks: 14-20 January 2013 (8 Out of 10 Cats, American Idol, Call the Midwife, Girls, Paddy's TV Show, Utopia, Yes Prime Minister, etc.)

Published on 2013-01-14 04:00:00

This is the week where ITV1 drop a digit, having realized nobody's ever referred to them as "ITV1" in conversation. The UK version of FX also retitles itself to Fox, which just moves the global confusion elsewhere (I'll be calling it Fox UK). More im

13/01/13: That Was The Week That Was

Published on 2013-01-13 12:07:00

It's been a productive and interesting week in blogging and social media. My live-tweets of ITV's absurd Splash! got me multiple mentions in the day's GoodTVeets, and my subsequent MSN review nearly landed me a radio interview on Radio 5 Live (I was

MSN TV: ITV1's SPLASH! Week Two

Published on 2013-01-13 04:48:00

Today over at MSN: owing to the astonishing popularity of my SPLASH! review last weekend, MSN invited me back to critique the second week's episode. It was an offer I couldn't refuse, naturally...ITV's light entertainment spectacle Splash! launched t

Showtime move DEXTER to 30 June, keep HOMELAND for 29 September

Published on 2013-01-12 15:51:00

Showtime are splitting their successful pairing of Dexter and Homeland this year. Dexter's eighth and (presumed) final season will now begin on 30 June, helping to launch the network's new drama Ray Donovan (starring Liev Schreiber as a fixer to the

FRINGE, 5.11 – 'The Boy Must Live'

Published on 2013-01-12 11:52:00

The last episode before the two-part finale next Friday (which airs simultaneously in the UK, early Saturday morning), I don't have much to say about "The Boy Must Live". This hour very much an information dump, which I'm sure some people will be fru

Quentin Tarantino chats to Krishnan Guru-Murphy about DJANGO UNCHAINED

Published on 2013-01-11 11:32:00

Writer-director Quentin Tarantino's in London to promote his new Western movie Django Unchained, starring Jamie Foxx as the eponymous freed slave who comes under the tutelage of Christoph Waltz's bounty hunter, and got quite upset about the line of q

State of the Blog: 2013 – the year ahead

Published on 2013-01-11 04:30:00

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new year! I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, but I do like to make plans and assess matters. Last year saw a number of subtle changes to DMD, primarily being a reduction in output. I published 516 blog

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.11 & 3.12 – 'Gingerbread' & 'Helpless'

Published on 2013-01-10 05:00:00

Joyce: This is not a good town. How many of us have-have lost someone who-who just disappeared... or-or got skinned, or suffered "neck rupture"? And how many of us have been too afraid to speak out? I-I was supposed to lead us in a moment of silence.

TV Review: TRANSPORTER – THE SERIES

Published on 2013-01-09 04:00:00

There's something so hackneyed about Transporter: The Series that it's almost agreeable. Almost. Inspired by the Luc Besson-produced action trilogy of the same name, even the title's suffix 'The Series' begs you to see this as a throwback to the '80s

Poll Result: which was the best Christmas/New Year TV treat this year?

Published on 2013-01-08 04:00:00

Last week I asked you to vote for your THREE favourite Christmas/New Year TV shows/specials that aired in the UK. The full results of my poll are below, with quick comments from myself. After 103 votes, it's a fairly surprising result the further dow

MSN TV: ITV1's MR SELFRIDGE & Sky1's GLEE - 'The New Rachel'

Published on 2013-01-07 09:48:00

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed ITV1's expensive new period drama MR SELFRIDGE, starring Entourage's Jeremy Piven as the eponymous US retail magnate; and Sky1's season 4 premiere of GLEE entitled "The New Rachel".The BBC weren't pleased when their r

TV Picks: 7-13 January 2013 (American Dad!, Death in Paradise, New Normal, Primeval: New World, Revenge, Spies of Warsaw, Stargazing Live, Stella, World Without End, etc.)

Published on 2013-01-07 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows debuting on UK TV screens this week...MONDAY 7thCornwall with Caroline Quentin (ITV1, 8pm) Series 2 of the show where the comic actress travels around the county of Cornwall. (1/10)PICK OF THE DAY

Twitter'd: SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN

Published on 2013-01-06 12:02:00

[View the story "SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN (2012)" on Storify]SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN (2012)My Twitter'd review of "Snow White & The Huntsman", where Bella from "Twilight" teams up with Thor to defeat Charlize Theron's Evil Queen, with a little hel

MSN TV: ITV1's SPLASH!

Published on 2013-01-06 05:07:00

Over on MSN today: I review the premiere of ITV1's celebrity diving show SPLASH!, which is their new light entertainment hope for Saturday nights. As I can't resist puns, do you think it sank or swam?I can understand the thinking behind Splash! getti

Movie Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)

Published on 2013-01-05 11:22:00

It's the superhero movie few people wanted, unlike when Marvel decided they should have another stab at The Incredible Hulk when Ang Lee's ill-advised psychodrama flopped at the 2003 box-office and they called in Louis Leterrier for 2008's quasi-sequ

MERLIN: what was magic, what was tragic?

Published on 2013-01-04 05:00:00

The dust has settled on the BBC's Smallville-inspired telefantasy Merlin, which drew a curtain on five series last Christmas Eve, so now we can reflect on its highs and lows as a completed work. To that end, I've compiled a list of my positive and ne

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.9 & 3.10 – 'The Wish' & 'Amends'

Published on 2013-01-03 05:00:00

Buffy: World is what it is. We fight, we die. Wishing doesn't change that. Giles: I have to believe in a better world. Buffy: Go ahead. I have to live in this one. There have been hundreds of stories involving alternate universes, and Buffy the Vampi

Poll: which was the best Christmas/New Year TV treat this year?

Published on 2013-01-02 06:46:00

The traditional British fortnight of Christmas specials and TV treats is practically over, but which shows were your favourite? Below is a list of the main shows vying for Briton's attention this year, and you can choose THREE that entertained you th

2013: Television To Look Forward To

Published on 2013-01-01 09:37:00

Happy New Year! It's 2013, which can mean only one thing: lots of brand new and returning television shows! Below is a list of some notable shows that are soon to be hitting the airwaves (or internet in a few cases!) I'm sure I've forgotten some, and

New Year's TV Picks: 31 December 2012 – 6 January 2013 (Africa, Alan Carr's New Year's Specstacular, Celebrity Big Brother, Charlie Brooker's 2012 Wipe Out, Glee, Mr Selfridge, Room 101, etc.)

Published on 2012-12-31 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the week's most notable TV shows, debuting or returning to British airwaves. As usual, the New Year heralds lots of new programming to get 2013 off to a good start...~ NEW YEAR'S EVE ~Wild At Heart: Filming With Animals (ITV1, 6

Trailer: SPARTACUS - WAR OF THE DAMNED (Starz)

Published on 2012-12-30 16:11:00

The trailer for the third and final season of Spartacus was released over the weekend, and it's full of exactly what you'd expect: violence, geysers of blood, granite jaws, nudity, big speeches, violence, huge armies, swords, Julius Caesar, more viol

Movie Review: THE HOBBIT - AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (2012)

Published on 2012-12-29 09:37:00

The decision to trisect an adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit (likely clocking in around nine-hours in total) appears to be misguided and foolish, but I actually didn't have a problem with how Peter Jackson stretched the first epic instalment's

Dan's TV Awards 2012 (including a Top 10)

Published on 2012-12-28 05:00:00

It's December, which means most entertainment blogs and websites will be indulging their readers with extensive Top 10 lists. I've done exactly that myself for most of the seven years Dan's Media Digest has been online. But this year I thought I'd of

DOCTOR WHO – 'The Snowmen'

Published on 2012-12-27 07:54:00

written by Steven Moffat / directed by Saul MetzsteinThe Christmas specials of Doctor Who have a unique potential to make fans of those who don't give the show a moment's thought during the year, as most British households containing Whovians will fo

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.7 & 3.8 – 'Revelations' & 'Lover's Walk'

Published on 2012-12-27 05:30:00

Giles: I won't remind you that the fate of the world often lies with the Slayer. What would be the point? Nor shall I remind you that you've jeopardized the lives of all that you hold dear by harbouring a known murderer. But, sadly, I must remind you

MERLIN, 5.13 – 'The Diamond of the Day: Part 2'

Published on 2012-12-25 04:30:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Justin MolotnikovAfter five years, Merlin finally closes the book on its formative take on the Arthurian legend. The good news is this was a conclusion that didn't entirely disappoint, although there were undoubt

FRINGE, 5.10 – 'Anomaly XB-6783746'

Published on 2012-12-24 08:38:00

written by David Fury / directed by Jeffrey HuntI don't have much time to write a full review of the latest Fringe, so a few brief thoughts will have to suffice. I really enjoyed this episode, despite its unusual pace and a feeling of frustration tha

TV Review: BBC1's MR STINK

Published on 2012-12-24 05:30:00

This hour-long adaptation of David Walliams' best-selling novel was a pleasant surprise; taking many inspirations and weaving them into something that stood on its own two feet. It told the story of 12-year-old Chloe Crumb (Nell Tiger Free), who stri

Christmas TV Picks: 24-30 December 2012 (Call the Midwife, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, The Girl, Restless, Room on the Broom, Ripper Street, The Snowman & the Snowdog, Superstars, etc.)

Published on 2012-12-24 04:00:00

It's the second Christmas TV week, with the UK schedules bursting with specials and festive treats. Other countries don't have this tradition of putting so many new shows on, to entertain a captive home audience in late-December, so enjoy it! My pick

MERLIN, 5.12 – 'The Diamond of the Day: Part 1'

Published on 2012-12-23 06:56:00

written by Jake Michie / directed by Justin MolotnikovI'm surprised Merlin hasn't done a story where the eponymous hero loses his magic before now, but it was a good idea to explore in the show's penultimate episode. However, it was something of an e

THE WALKING DEAD gets fourth season, but loses showrunner Glen Mazzara

Published on 2012-12-21 12:21:00

AMC have officially renewed their zombie drama The Walking Dead for a fourth season, but showrunner Glen Mazzara won't be involved. It seems creative differences are to blame, as AMC apparently have opposing ideas about where the show needs to go.AMC

Sky1 to simulcast FRINGE finale

Published on 2012-12-20 12:09:00

In a move that's sure to delight British fans of Fox's sci-fi drama Fringe, Sky1 today confirmed they're broadcasting the series finale simultaneously with its US East Coast premiere. This is the second simulcast Sky has done with a popular US drama;

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.5 & 3.6 – 'Homecoming' & 'Band Candy'

Published on 2012-12-20 04:30:00

Giles: I suspect the finger food contains actual fingers.I found the busyness of "HOMECOMING" mostly appealing, although some of its ideas felt too compressed as a result. I'm already aware Mayor Richard Wilkins (Harry Groener) is season 3's Big Bad

HOMELAND, 2.12 - 'The Choice'

Published on 2012-12-19 04:00:00

written by Alex Gansa & Meredith Stiehm / directed by Michael CuestaAgainst expectations, Homeland managed to pull off a good finale to cap an inconsistent sophomore season. It often felt like everything leading up to Brody's (Damien Lewis) interroga

DEXTER, 7.12 – 'Surprise, Motherfucker!'

Published on 2012-12-18 04:00:00

written by Scott Buck & Tim Schlattmann / directed by Steve ShillThere have been stumbles along the way, but season 7 of Dexter managed to reorient the show after a calamitous sixth season. It didn't take a genius to realise the show needed to pull i

Trailer: STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS (2013)

Published on 2012-12-17 11:10:00

Why can't I get excited about Star Trek Into Darkness? It's all looks gorgeous and I can't wait to see this universe back on our screens, with this brilliant cast involved, and Benedict Cumberbatch as a sci-fi villain is an amazing choice. And yet...

MISFITS, 4.8 - episode eight

Published on 2012-12-17 08:55:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Dušan Lazarevic This was an okay end to what's been a frustrating fourth series. Misfits had a lot to overcome this year, with the loss of three original characters and a fourth halfway through its run, and it

Christmas TV Picks: 17-23 December 2012 (The Cube, Dragons' Den Christmas Special, Jonathan Ross Show, Mr Stink, Paddy's 2012 Show & Telly, etc.)

Published on 2012-12-17 03:30:00

Below are my TV picks of the most notable television shows debuting in the UK between 17-23 December, which primarily consists of season treats and specials in the run-up to Christmas...MONDAY 17thNigellisima: An Italian Inspired Christmas (BBC2, 8pm

MERLIN, 5.11 – 'The Drawing of the Dark'

Published on 2012-12-16 07:16:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Declan O'DwyerThis was more like it. Merlin is unfortunately a poor show when it comes to developing ideas over a series, but when it's backed into a corner it often comes up with the goods. Mordred (Alexander Vl

FRINGE, 5.9 – 'Black Blotter'

Published on 2012-12-15 05:27:00

written by Kristin Cantrell / directed by Tommy GormleyThe majority of episodes this season have been adventures where Walter (John Noble), Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Astrid (Jasika Nicole) try and collect an item, with the intent

British Comedy Awards 2012: the results

Published on 2012-12-13 11:53:00

I have a deep attachment to the British Comedy Awards (hereafter the BCAs), mainly because they're the only awards ceremony I've seen every edition of, and I like its mix of anarchy and self-mockery. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and host Jon

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.3 & 3.4 – 'Faith, Hope & Trick' & 'Beauty & the Beasts'

Published on 2012-12-13 04:30:00

Mr Trick: Sunnydale. Town's got quaint, and the people: he called me "sir", don't you just miss that? I mean, admittedly, it's not a haven for the brothers. You know, strictly the Caucasian persuasion here in the 'dale. But you know you just gotta st

HOMELAND, 2.11 – 'In Memoriam'

Published on 2012-12-12 04:30:00

written by Chip Johannessen / directed by Jeremy PodeswaGathering feedback on last week's episode was more entertaining than the episode itself, because some people are seriously outraged Homeland's revealed so many chinks in its armour this season.

Trailer: MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Published on 2012-12-12 03:30:00

While Marvel are having uproarious fun with their multi-character, cross-pollinating franchises, you have to remember rivals DC still own unarguably the two greatest comic-book characters ever: Batman and Superman. There's still talk of them doing a

MISFITS, 4.7 – episode seven

Published on 2012-12-11 06:00:00

written by Jon Brown (story by Jon Brown & Howard Overman)directed by Dušan LazarevicNot as ostentatious or as significant as some episodes from earlier this series, but I found myself enjoying episode 7 more than expected. Maybe it's because Finn (

DEXTER, 7.11 – 'Do You See What I See?'

Published on 2012-12-11 04:30:00

written by Manny Coto & Wendy West / directed by John DahlThe penultimate episode of this comeback seventh season was just kind of buzzing along fairly innocuously, not doing a whole lot of interest, before tying Dexter (Michael C. Hall) into some of

TV Picks: 10-16 December 2012 (British Comedy Awards, Jack Irish, Little Crackers, Poison Tree, Sports Personality of the Year, etc.)

Published on 2012-12-10 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the most notable new TV shows, all premiering this week in the UK until the 16 December. A few festive specials as the holidays approach, too...MONDAY 10thLet's Do Christmas With Gino & Mel (ITV1, 12.30pm) Brand new series where

MERLIN, 5.10 - 'The Kindness of Strangers'

Published on 2012-12-09 04:50:00

written by Richard McBrien / directed by Declan O'DwyerNot for the first time, I struggled to remember key facts behind a returning character—noble sorcerer Alatar (Gary Lewis)—so felt slightly disadvantaged for a portion of this episode. It's li

THE WALKING DEAD's third season: mid-year report

Published on 2012-12-08 10:51:00

"Seed" (***), "Sick" (**½), "Walk with Me" (**½), "Killer Within" (***½), "Say the Word" (**½), "Hounded" (**½), "When the Dead Come Knocking" (***) & "Made to Suffer" (***½)Long-term readers will know I ragged on The Walking Dead during its fi

FRINGE, 5.8 – 'The Human Kind'

Published on 2012-12-08 07:41:00

written by Alison Schapker / directed by Dennis Smith"I know that our hearts are broken and that it hurts, but that's what makes us human." – OliviaAfter a frustrating two-week hiatus, Fringe's final season returns strongly with "The Human Kind", w

MSN TV: Sky Arts' A YOUNG DOCTOR'S NOTEBOOK

Published on 2012-12-07 11:05:00

Over on MSN TV today: I've reviewed the premiere of Sky Arts' four-part medical drama A YOUNG DOCTOR'S NOTEBOOK, based on the short stories of Russian playwright Mikhail Bulgakov, starring Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe and Mad Men's Jon Hamm, playi

Teaser: STAR TREK – INTO DARKNESS (2013)

Published on 2012-12-06 11:20:00

The long-awaited teaser trailer for JJ Abrams' new Star Trek Into Darkness movie has finally been released, and I'm disappointed by it. The marketing of this rebooted franchise really frustrates me, because they're still so reticent to trumpet the ST

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.1 & 3.2 – 'Anne' & 'Dead Man's Party'

Published on 2012-12-06 04:30:00

Buffy: This'll probably go faster if we split up. Lily: Can I come with you? Buffy: Okay, where did I lose you on the whole splitting up thing?There's a confidence that coats a television show in its third season, now the writers are certain they hav

HOMELAND, 2.10 – 'Broken Hearts'

Published on 2012-12-05 13:31:00

written by Henry Bromell / directed by Guy FerlandThis is a tricky one. I think "Broken Hearts" will appeal more to the section of the audience who are happy for Homeland to be a variation on 24 that eschews the real-time format, whereas people who e

Dan's donations drive for December!

Published on 2012-12-05 06:00:00

Picking up from this recent comment thread, it occurred to me I haven't asked for donations in a very long time. As you know, like most things on the internet DMD is free and, while it does directly lead to paid work sometimes, it's mostly done to sc

MISFITS, 4.6 - episode six

Published on 2012-12-04 06:00:00

written by Jon Brown (story by Jon Brown & Howard Overman)directed by Jonathan Van TullekenI've missed the sense of insanity

DEXTER, 7.10 – 'The Dark... Whatever'

Published on 2012-12-04 04:30:00

written by Lauren Gussis, Jace Richdale & Scott Reynoldsdirected by Michael LehmannI'm naturally suspicious when an inordinate amount of writers are credited for an episode, despite knowing that technically every episode of a US drama is "broken" by

TV Picks: 3-9 December 2012 (The Fear, Royal Variety Performance, The Town, Young Doctor's Notebook, etc.)

Published on 2012-12-03 03:30:00

My weekly picks of the most notable TV shows debuting in the UK this week is below, covering 3-9 December 2012...MONDAY 3rdThe Royal Variety Performance 2012 (ITV1, 7.30pm) Annual variety entertainment evening attended by The Queen. Hosted by David W

MERLIN, 5.9 – 'With All My Heart'

Published on 2012-12-02 04:51:00

written by Richard McBrien / directed by Alice TroughtonThe transformation of Queen Gwen (Angel Coulby) from loyal wife to treacherous villain has been a weak spot for this final series, so while I was happy it came to a conclusion during "With All M

MSN TV: Sky1's AN IDIOT ABROAD 3

Published on 2012-12-01 07:50:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the third series premiere of Sky1's smash-hit AN IDIOT ABROAD, where Ricky Gervais sends Karl Pilkington from Venice to China with dwarf actor Warwick Davis in tow.The first series of An Idiot Abroad had novelty on

THE KILLING wasn't killed

Published on 2012-12-01 04:45:00

In shock news, AMC are expected to announce that their remake of Denmark's crime drama The Killing is coming back for a third season, despite being axed in the summer. This is partly because Netflix have decided to help with the licensing costs, but

Teasers: A&E's BATES MOTEL

Published on 2012-11-30 13:21:00

A&E's TV prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's seminal Psycho has really sneaked up on me. I was aware Bates Motel was being made, but it had gone so quiet that I'd totally forgotten about it. If you don't already know, this show will tell the story of a you

ABC remaking BBC's VEXED

Published on 2012-11-29 11:36:00

Despite being a terrible show on so many levels, ABC are looking to remake BBC2's comedy-drama cop show Vexed—the story of a mismatched male and female detective. In the UK, the show starred Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) and Lucy Punch (Bad Teach

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.21 & 2.22 – 'Becoming: Part 1 & 2'

Published on 2012-11-29 05:30:00

Angel: Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would want to look. Unless of course they're putting up low-rent housing.The first part of season 2's finale embroidered a simple story with fan-pleasi

Trailer: BBC Christmas 2012 - 'It's Showtime!'

Published on 2012-11-28 11:06:00

The BBC have released their Christmas trailer for this year, highlighting some of the season's televisual treats. Being cynical, it's mostly exactly what we get the rest of the year only with added baubles, tinsel and garish jumpers. But there is the

HOMELAND, 2.9 – 'Two Hats'

Published on 2012-11-28 04:30:00

written by Alexander Cary / directed by Dan AttiasI've been increasingly disappointed with Homeland since "Q&A", but this episode went some way towards helping restore my faith. There were a number of surprises and more of a feeling we're moving towa

MISFITS, 4.5 – episode five

Published on 2012-11-27 06:00:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Jonathan Van TullekenThere's been a curious lack of super-powers this series. That isn't a reason to dislike Misfits, but there's an argument it starts to lose a unique ingredient without them. I sometimes have

SHERLOCK series 3 delayed

Published on 2012-11-27 05:00:00

The third trio of Sherlock episodes were due to start filming in January 2013, for a potential release in late-summer. This has now been pushed back to March 2013, accommodating Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's hectic work schedules, meaning

DEXTER, 7.9 – 'Helter Skelter'

Published on 2012-11-27 04:30:00

written by Tim Schlattman / directed by Steve ShillDexter's (Michael C. Hall) voice-overs tend to announce each episode's themes rather bluntly, so we quickly knew that "Helter Skelter" was about love and fear. But it was also about partnerships and

MSN TV: Channel 4's PEEP SHOW (series 8)

Published on 2012-11-26 13:59:00

Over on MSN TV: I review the belated return of Channel 4's PEEP SHOW for its eighth series, starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb as perennial losers Mark and Jeremy.US sitcoms The Big Bang Theory, New Girl and Community are all the rage right now.

MERLIN: the magic fades away

Published on 2012-11-26 11:43:00

The BBC today announced the surprise decision to bring their Saturday night fantasy drama Merlin to an end, after an impressive five years. The youthful take on the Arthurian legend will end at Christmas with a two-part finale, although the creators

TV Picks: 26 November – 2 December 2012 (An Idiot Abroad, John Bishop's Big Year, Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience, Steppin' Out with Katherine Jenkins, etc.)

Published on 2012-11-26 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the best TV premiering in the UK between 26 November and 2 December 2012...MONDAY 26thBritain's Best Bakery (ITV1, 4pm) Brand new series where independent bakeries try to impress judges Mich Turner and Peter Sidwell. (1/20)Dying

MERLIN, 5.8 – 'The Hollow Queen'

Published on 2012-11-25 04:30:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Alice TroughtonAfter a brief run of relative flops, series 5 gets back on-track with "The Hollow Queen"; a very enjoyable episode that made the most of a story that perhaps wasn't quite so impressive in retrospec

RIP Larry Hagman (1931-2012)

Published on 2012-11-24 06:48:00

TV legend Larry Hagman, 81, has died following complications from throat cancer. He was most famous for playing Texan oilman J.R Ewing in classic '80s soap Dallas, which was revived with Hagman's involvement earlier this year. Others may remember him

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.19 & 2.20 – 'I Only Have Eyes For You' & 'Go Fish'

Published on 2012-11-22 05:00:00

Drusilla: Then I'll sleep naked. Like the animals do. Angelus: You know, I'm suddenly liking this plan. I feel bad for saying this, because I can see the merits and laudable intentions of "I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU", but I was quite bored most of the

BBC Four to broadcast PARKS & RECREATION next year

Published on 2012-11-22 03:30:00

Days after FX announced they'll be broadcasting FX's Louie in the new year, BBC Four have now revealed they've bought NBC's Parks & Recreation and will air the first two seasons from spring 2013. One assumed they'll buy the third, fourth and fifth is

Chevy Chase departs COMMUNITY

Published on 2012-11-21 16:41:00

Chevy Chase has left NBC's cult comedy Community with immediate effect, having filmed the majority of its 13-episode fourth season. It's not yet known if his character, bigoted Pierce Hawthorne, has been written out as part of an agreed exit strategy

HOMELAND, 2.8 – 'I'll Fly Away'

Published on 2012-11-21 04:30:00

written by Chip Johannessen (story by Howard Gordon & Chip Johannessen) / directed by Michael CuestaThis season of Homeland has divided its audience slightly, but I think we can all agree the show's not as good as it was last year. If the earlier epi

MISFITS, 4.4 – episode four

Published on 2012-11-20 11:30:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Jonathan Van TullekenEverything about this episode screamed that I should be loving it, but I just didn't. Big things happened, but they felt more inevitable than truly surprising. It was a good episode that wa

DEXTER, 7.8 – 'Argentina'

Published on 2012-11-20 04:30:00

written by Arika Lisanne Mittman / directed by Romeo TironeA quieter character-based episode, perhaps the calm before the storm as season 7 begins a sprint to the finish (Dexter tends to have a final four episodes that go like a locomotive). I wasn't

MSN TV: BBC3's HIM & HER (series 3)

Published on 2012-11-19 11:38:00

Over on MSN TV today: I've reviewed the third series premiere of BBC Three's cult flat-share sitcom HIM & HER, starring Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani as lazy lovers with oddball friends and family...I enjoyed Him & Her when it started, despite its

TV Picks: 19-25 November 2012 (Kookyville, Last Tango In Halifax, Peep Show, Stephen Fry: Gadget Man, When Robbie Met James, etc.)

Published on 2012-11-19 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the week's best new shows premiering on UK television, between the 19th and 25th of November...MONDAY 19thPICK OF THE DAY

MERLIN, 5.7 – 'A Lesson In Vengeance'

Published on 2012-11-18 04:30:00

written by Jake Michie / directed by Alice TroughtonFollowing last week's "The Dark Tower", I still don't accept the transformation of Queen Gwen (Angel Coulby) into Morgana's (Katie McGrath) henchman after barely a week of "brainwashing". If it was

FRINGE, 5.7 – 'Five-Twenty-Ten'

Published on 2012-11-17 10:04:00

written by Graham Roland / directed by Eagle EgilssonA part of me still misses the sense of randomness Fringe used to have, as each episode of the fifth season is just a different chapter of the same story, but it's doing a good job keeping things in

ABC cancel 666 PARK AVENUE and LAST RESORT

Published on 2012-11-17 03:30:00

Unsurprisingly, ABC's brand new dramas 666 Park Avenue (the supernatural soap about a haunted hotel) and Last Resort (the action-thriller about a mutinous submarine crew) have been cancelled. ABC have decided not to order more episodes, in the wake o

DOCTOR WHO: Children In Need 'minisode' & Christmas Special trailer

Published on 2012-11-16 14:38:00

The BBC's Children In Need telethon has become the place to tease the Christmas Special of Doctor Who, and that tradition returns for 2012. Above is a four-minute "minisode" called "The Great Detective" (narrated by Mark Gatiss), which establishes wh

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.17 & 2.18 – 'Passion' & 'Killed By Death'

Published on 2012-11-16 05:00:00

Angelus: Passion is the source of our finest moments; the joy of love, the clarity of hatred, and the ecstasy of grief.This season's seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer mature in many ways, but "PASSION" is probably the moment it truly came of age. Angel (

LOUIE coming to the UK's FX channel

Published on 2012-11-15 13:56:00

Louis CK's low-budget and experimental comedy Louie is finally coming to the UK, three years after it started winning awards in the US. The UK's FX network will begin showing the Emmy-winning hit in January 2013, around the same time it changes it re

MSN TV: BBC2's THE HOUR (series 2)

Published on 2012-11-15 10:55:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the series 2 premiere of BBC Two's 1950s newsroom drama THE HOUR, starring The Wire's Dominic West, Skyfall's Ben Whishaw & Emma's Romola Garai.I wasn't a big fan of The Hour's first series because it felt like hal

HOMELAND, 2.6 & 2.7 – 'A Gettysburg Address' & 'The Clearing'

Published on 2012-11-15 04:30:00

written by Chip Johannessen / directed by Meredith StiehmIt's funny: when you watch a lot of television you start to notice underlying structures more and more. The first half of Homeland was focused on Brody's (Damien Lewis) treachery and how it rel

FRINGE, 5.6 – 'Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There'

Published on 2012-11-14 04:00:00

written by David Fury / directed by Jon CassarI liked this episode, although in retrospect it was a little thin and didn't really present us with any huge forward momentum. This fifth season has been a year of incremental nudges in terms of narrative

MISFITS, 4.3 – episode three

Published on 2012-11-13 07:00:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Nirpal BhogalI haven't been very impressed with series 4 so far, but episode 3 was a definite improvement. Power games, masculinity and sexual politics were the big themes this week, for three character-focused

DEXTER, 7.7 – 'Chemistry'

Published on 2012-11-13 04:30:00

written by Manny Coto & Karen Campbell / directed by Holly DaleThis season's all about love. Or that's the driving emotion behind most of the character's motivations, I feel. There's Dexter (Michael C. Hall) and Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) trying to k

The forgotten laptop

Published on 2012-11-12 10:54:00

I've done a very silly thing and left my laptop three hours away from where I live, after visiting family over the weekend. This is causing me lots of problems because I had important documents saved on that laptop. I guess I should count my blessing

TV Picks: 12-18 November 2012 (2 Broke Girls, Big Bang Theory, Children In Need, The Hour, Ross Kemp: Invisible Wounded, Secret of Crickley Hall, etc.)

Published on 2012-11-12 03:30:00

Below are my picks of the week's best TV premiering in the UK...MONDAY 12thCrime Stories (ITV1, 2pm) Brand new police drama told in a documentary style. Continues weekdaily.1001 Things You Should Know (Channel 4, X) Brand new quiz show featuring ques

MERLIN, 5.6 - 'The Dark Tower'

Published on 2012-11-11 04:30:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Ashley WayWe're now halfway through series 5 and "The Dark Tower" lost points for leaning so heavily on a storyline the fantasy genre (but more importantly this show) has tackled many times before. It's true that

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.15 & 2.16 – 'Phases' & 'Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered'

Published on 2012-11-10 10:00:00

Cain: First they tell me I can't hunt an elephant for its ivory. Now I've gotta deal with People for the Ethical Treatment of Werewolves. I must confess I knew Oz (Seth Green) was a werewolf from the start, which robbed me of the chance to be astonis

RED DWARF X – 'The Beginning'

Published on 2012-11-09 05:57:00

Series X draws to a close with arguably the most action-packed episode in its history, partly adapted from the failed Red Dwarf movie's screenplay. "The Beginning" was certainly amongst the best episode of this series, but still not without some unde

MSN TV: Channel 4's SECRET STATE review

Published on 2012-11-08 08:27:00

Over on MSN TV today: my review of Channel 4's SECRET STATE, a four-part political thriller inspired by the 1982 novel "A Very British Coup", starring Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment) as a Deputy PM who uncovers a conspiracy involving an American petroch

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.13 & 2.14 – 'Surprise' & 'Innocence'

Published on 2012-11-08 05:00:00

Buffy: My boyfriend had a bicentennial. Marti Noxon must have been Joss Whedon's "golden girl" back in 1998, because she's back already with another two-parter (this time in partnership with Whedon, mere episodes after her previous two-parter and imm

State of the Blog: winter break

Published on 2012-11-07 04:00:00

I'm taking a break until next Monday (12 November), so output will be noticeably affected this week. As always, I'll endeavour to review a few things if I get the chance (maybe including the new Bond film Skyfall), but it's best to expect absolutely

DEXTER, 7.6 – 'Do the Wrong Thing'

Published on 2012-11-06 04:00:00

written by Lauren Gussis / directed by Alik SakharovA good episode of mid-season adjustment, as Dexter brought Hannah McKay's (Yvonne Strahovski) storyline to the forefront while pushing Isaak Sirko's (Ray Stevenson) into the background—which itsel

MISFITS, 4.2 – episode two

Published on 2012-11-05 11:41:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Nirpal BhogalLast week's premiere divided people 50/50, but I was happier with episode 2's focus on newcomer Finn (Nathan McMullen), although this hour still didn't feel as effortlessly witty and imaginative as

TV Picks: 5-11 November 2012 (Comic Strip Presents, Dara O'Briain's Science Club, I'm A Celebrity..., Nick Nickleby, Secret State, etc.)

Published on 2012-11-05 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the best television shows hitting UK screens this week...BONFIRE NIGHTPICK OF THE DAY

MERLIN, 5.5 – 'The Disir'

Published on 2012-11-04 04:44:00

written by Richard McBrien / directed by Ashley WayThere was a lot of horse-riding back-and-forth during "The Disir", mixed with the unshakable feeling we've seen it all before. Merlin has always encountered problems making every episode feel distinc

FRINGE, 5.5 – 'An Origin Story'

Published on 2012-11-03 08:40:00

written by J.H Wyman / directed by P.J PesceAfter last week's shocking death of Etta (Georgina Haig), it was only right that "An Origin Story" should focus on the grief felt by parents Olivia (Anna Torv) and Peter (Joshua Jackson), and I'm glad it wa

DERREN BROWN: APOCALYPSE – Part 2

Published on 2012-11-03 06:56:00

The conclusion of Derren Brown's zombie apocalypse prank was everything it needed to be, although more issues with the concept bubbled up in my mind. The biggest being how the psychological changes to Steven didn't require such an elaborate fraud, an

RED DWARF X – 'Dear Dave'

Published on 2012-11-02 11:41:00

written & directed by Doug NaylorA slightly better episode this week, although obviously not a patch on classic Red Dwarf—but the rekindled hope of a return to form fizzled out weeks ago. I was just grateful "Dear Dave" kept things relatively simpl

REVOLUTION, 1.6 – 'Sex & Drugs'

Published on 2012-11-02 05:00:00

written by David Rambo / directed by Steve BoyumThe worst episode of Revolution yet, by some distance, "Sex & Drugs" provided too much of its biggest problem: co-lead Tracy Spiridakos; an atrocious actress who should be headlining an Asylum "mockbust

LUTHER starts filming series 3

Published on 2012-11-01 12:13:00

The BBC have today announced the four-episode return of their cop drama Luther for a third series, in the very strange manner of an animated teaser answering written questions. Take a look above, although you pretty much know all the details now. If

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.11 & 2.12 – 'Ted' & 'Bad Eggs'

Published on 2012-11-01 06:00:00

Giles: Whatever the authorities have planned for [Buffy], it can't be much worse than what she's doing to herself. She's taken a human life. The guilt is... it's pretty hard to bear. It won't go away soon. Cordelia: I guess you should know, since you

Space's PRIMEVAL: THE NEW WORLD review

Published on 2012-11-01 05:00:00

written by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens / directed by Martin WoodNot too long into the original UK run of Primeval I started to wonder if the concept would be better handled on American network television. The idea of space-time "anomalies" spewi

Poll result: what's the scariest TV show ever made? [Halloween Special]

Published on 2012-10-31 12:43:00

Scary TV Shows (clockwise, top-right) Carnivale, Ghostwatch, The Stone Tapes, Supernatural, DexterAfter a year's break, I finally got around to hosting a poll here at Dan's Media Digest. This one was to celebrate Halloween and determine the TV show m

MSN TV: Sky1's LAST RESORT review

Published on 2012-10-31 11:49:00

Over at MSN TV today: I review the pilot of the terrific LAST RESORT, which received its UK premiere last night on Sky1. (Please note: this is a shortened version of my original review, written after the show was broadcast on ABC in the US--although

HOMELAND, 2.5 – 'Q&A'

Published on 2012-10-31 05:30:00

written by Henry Bromell / directed by Lesli Linka GlatterHomeland has the curious ability to appear very unpredictable in the moment, while in retrospect things seem almost inevitable. This season's direction and pace has astonished almost everyone

DEXTER, 7.5 – 'Swim Deep'

Published on 2012-10-30 12:36:00

written by Scott Reynolds / directed by Ernest DickersonWhen you hit rock bottom, the only way is up. After the abysmal sixth season, it's a joy to see Dexter recover so admirably this year. I love this season at the moment, and suspect the writers are overjoyed that having Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) secret be known to Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) has resulted in such freshness. Quite aside from that major change to the show, the storylines this year feel far better integrated—with less of a fee [..]

Review: MISFITS, 4.1 – episode one

Published on 2012-10-29 12:22:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Nirpal BhogalIt's not uncommon for British drama to recast from time to time, and this is something popular shows must try to turn into an advantage. Famously, Doctor Who latched onto the idea of having its time-travelling hero "regenerate" into different actors whenever the incumbent Doctor wanted to leave, or BBC chiefs felt a change was necessary. Other shows, like E4's Misfits, just have to find a way to plausibly explain the losses while introducing n [..]

TV Picks: 29 October – 4 November 2012 (Horror Europa, Last Resort, Top Gear: 50 Years of Bond Cars, Young Apprentice, etc.)

Published on 2012-10-29 05:00:00

Below are my weekly picks of the best UK shows premiering between 29 October and 4 November...MONDAY 29thPICK OF THE DAY

Competition result: DARK SHADOWS region-free Blu-ray

Published on 2012-10-28 09:44:00

Last week I held a competition for someone to win a region-free copy of Tim Burton's Dark Shadows on Blu-ray. The question posed was: which movie did Tim Burton and Johnny Deep first work together on? The correct answer is: 1990's Edward Scissorhands. Of course.Of all the correct entries, the randomly chosen winner is:Ian McArdell, SurreyCongratulations, Ian! Your prize will hopefully be dispatched within the next few days. Commiserations if you didn't win this time, but please do try again when [..]

MERLIN, 5.4 – 'Another's Sorrow'

Published on 2012-10-28 05:47:00

written by Jake Michie / directed by Ashley WayI have to confess, I'd completely forgotten the background to the relationships this episode built on, and I'm probably not alone in struggling to remember that Princess Mithian (Janet Montgomery) was once engaged to King Arthur (Bradley James), and that Uther's death was ordered by a man called Odin (Fintan McKeown) as revenge for Arthur killing his son in a duel. Or maybe I am? Thankfully, "Another's Sorrow" wasn't impenetrable if you haven't seen [..]

NBC's MOCKINGBIRD LANE review

Published on 2012-10-27 10:33:00

written by Bryan Fuller / directed by Bryan SingerThe Munsters was always trapped in the shadow of The Addams Family during its original TV broadcast in the 1960s, and hasn't enjoyed its rival's continuing pop-culture interest—which received a substantial rejuvenation thanks to two witty movies in the 1990s from director Barry Sonnenfeld. Ironically, Sonnenfeld would later become a producer of Bryan Fuller's Pushing Daisies television series, and Fuller was recently given the chance to update [..]

FRINGE, 5.4 – 'The Bullet That Saved the World'

Published on 2012-10-27 08:29:00

written by Alison Schapker / directed by David StraitonAfter a week's break so early in the season (I hate US scheduling), Fringe bounced back with "The Bullet That Saved the World", which helped put the previously disappointing "The Recordist" out of everyone's mind. The strange thing about this episode is that it actually wasn't anything too extraordinary, with Olivia (Anna Torv), Peter (Joshua Jackson), Walter (John Noble), Astrid (Jasika Nicole) and Etta (Georgina Haig) resuming their scaven [..]

Review: DERREN BROWN – APOCALYPSE (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-10-27 05:57:00

I've been a huge fan of Derren Brown's work since he exploded onto Channel 4 about 10 years ago, bringing his psychological illusions and mind trickery to the Great British Public. His impact on magic can't be underestimated and, for my money, eclipses what David Blaine did for street magic in the late-'90s. The only problem Derren faces is the growing feeling that every TV series/special he comes up with is just a twist on something he did years before, or at the very least an embellishment of [..]

RED DWARF X – 'Entangled'

Published on 2012-10-26 11:25:00

written & directed by Doug NaylorBetter than last week's sour time-travel romp "Lemons", but "Entangled" was more of a structural mess—flailing around awkwardly trying to find a shape. There's nothing wrong with ambition, but this episode just didn't know what it wanted to do. It started with the promise of Cat (Danny John-Jules) and Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) becoming "quantum entangled", prompting synchronicity and coincidences (harkening back to the "luck virus" in Series V); there was then [..]

MSN TV: Channel 5's HATFIELDS & McCOYS review - Part One

Published on 2012-10-26 10:58:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the first two-hour instalment of History Channel import HATFIELDS & McCOYS, which premiered on Channel 5 in the UK last night. It's an Emmy-winning miniseries starring Hollywood stars like Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton... but does that mean it's any good? It's a six-hour Western telling a story that won't mean anything to most Brits, after all...As a viewer, I'm admittedly at two disadvantages with Hatfields & McCoys: I've never particularly enjoyed Westerns a [..]

Poll: what's the scariest TV show?

Published on 2012-10-26 04:30:00

It's been months since I did a poll at DMD, for one reason or another, but here's a special one for Halloween. What's the scariest TV show? I'm primarily looking at all types of drama (ongoing series, soaps, miniseries, specials), so will discount reality shows and documentaries. (Although mockumentaries are acceptable.)Below you'll find a pretty substantial list of chilling TV shows made in the past 50 years, focusing exclusively on the UK and US. Simply click on whichever one you think was the [..]

MSN TV: Sky1's FRINGE review - 'Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11' (season 5 premiere)

Published on 2012-10-25 08:30:00

Today over at MSN TV, I've reviewed the fifth and final season premiere of sci-fi drama FRINGE, which was broadcast on Sky1 last night. (Please note: this is a condensed version of my original review from a month or so ago, after it aired on Fox.)It's remarkable we're watching a fifth season of Fringe, considering how low it's rated on the other side of the Atlantic. You have to give its US network Fox credit for supporting a drama that never charmed the masses--despite a first season designed t [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.9 & 2.10 – 'What's My Line: Part 1 & 2'

Published on 2012-10-25 05:00:00

Xander: It's a statistical impossibility for a sixteen-year-old girl to unplug her phone.Buffy the Vampire Slayer's first ever two-parter was a very mixed bag, with too much rehashed from previous episodes, but there was enough good stuff to make it slip by innocuously. If that's a good thing. "WHAT'S MY LINE: PART 1" again found Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) grumbling about being The Slayer and questioning her destiny, thanks to a school Careers Fair that, for her, won't determine the preordain [..]

Trailer: EVIL DEAD (2013)

Published on 2012-10-25 04:00:00

I respect Sam Raimi's '80s cult classic EVIL DEAD, but much prefer the jokier sequel-cum-remake Evil Dead II. Fans have been waiting for a fourth movie from Raimi and star Bruce Campbell for around 20 years, but it never seems to happen. A remake was also mooted many years ago, but that's actually come to pass—with Raimi and Campbell as producers. Uruguayan director Fede Álvarez (who came to many people's attention with his short film Panic Attack!) is behind the remake, and Sony Pictures hav [..]

HOMELAND, 2.4 – 'New Car Smell'

Published on 2012-10-24 05:00:00

written by Meredith Stiehm / directed by David SemelSo that's how things are going to play out! When Homeland took the unexpected decision to expose Brody (Damian Lewis) as a certifiable terrorist in only the second episode, everyone's been predicting what the writers might do next. Typically for when this sort of thing happens, the fallout feels very obvious in retrospect: Saul (Mandy Patinkin) breaking the news to Carrie (Claire Danes) in person, making the self-doubt vanish while validating h [..]

MSN TV: Sky Living's ELEMENTARY review - 'Pilot' (season 1 premiere)

Published on 2012-10-24 04:00:00

Today over at MSN TV, I take another swing at Sherlock Holmes update ELEMENTARY, which premiered in the UK on Sky Living last night. Having had a number of weeks to digest the show, following my original review, has my opinion softened or my ambivalence grown?Elementary's problem isn't that it's inspired by the BBC's successful Sherlock. The hitch for the CBS series lies closer to home where US television is clogged with too much similar programming. CBS is such a hotbed for quirky procedurals i [..]

Watch: BREAKING SWIFT - 'We Are Never Ever Gonna Cook Together'

Published on 2012-10-23 16:17:00

Have you noticed the sudden increase in Breaking Bad parodies and other funnies online? The show seems to have hit a nerve with online comedians since season 4 aired. Here's one of the funniest I've seen in awhile: Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" given a Breaking Bad-style twist. (Warning: I guess some of the lyrics and imagery can be classed as spoilers if you've yet to see this amazing show.)

DEXTER, 7.4 – 'Run'

Published on 2012-10-23 05:00:00

written by Wendy West / directed by John DahlI'm loving this season's progress; particularly the way things seem to matter again, as Dexter (Michael C. Hall) and Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) try to reach a mutual understanding. Over the past few years, there's every chance season 7's plots might have slightly dull (with Dexter's voice-over cluing us into whatever hazy theme or token symbolism the writers are reaching for), but this year it's working because the potentially humdrum stalk-n'-kill of [..]

Competition: win DARK SHADOWS on Region-Free Blu-ray

Published on 2012-10-22 05:30:00

To celebrate the UK release of Tim Burton's DARK SHADOWS on DVD/Blu-ray today, I have one copy of the Blu-ray disc to give-away!This comedy is an adaptation of the cult classic US supernatural soap opera, about a 19th-century man transformed into a vampire and buried alive by a witch, who's exhumed in the 1970s to meet his quirky descendants. It stars Tim Burton, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonny Lee Miller & Chloë Grace Moretz.To have a chance of winning this Region-fre [..]

TV Picks: 22-28 October 2012 (Arrow, Brazil, Derren Brown: Apocalypse, Elementary, Girls, Hatfields & McCoy, Misfits, Scandal, etc.)

Published on 2012-10-22 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the best TV shows debuting in the UK between 22-28 October...MONDAY 22ndJamie's 15 Minute Meals (Channel 4, 5.30pm) Brand new cookery series where the chef explains how to make quick and easy meals. (1/40)Little England (ITV1, 8pm) Series 2 of the documentary series following the lives of ex-pat Brits living on south-west France. (1/6)PICK OF THE DAY Arrow (Sky1, 8pm) Season 1 of the US superhero drama about a billionaire who returns home after spending five years stranded [..]

FRESH MEAT review: second year

Published on 2012-10-21 10:09:00

I've neglected to write about the return of Channel 4's student comedy-drama FRESH MEAT, but that's no reflection on the show itself. It became one of my favourite comedies last year (slightly below Peep Show, also created by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain), and I'm pleased to report series 2's started strongly.Writer Tony Roche's second episode was actually better than the premiere written by the show's BAFTA-winning creators. The changes to the show between series also feel smart and self-aware: [..]

MERLIN, 5.3 – 'The Death Song of Uther Pendragon'

Published on 2012-10-21 04:54:00

written by Howard Overman / directed by Justin MolotnikovMerlin's off to its best start in years, with three strong consecutive episodes. I have less to say about "The Death Song of Uther Pendragon" than the two-part premiere, but that's only because the plot this week was so simple. Don't take that as a negative, because shows like Merlin often work best when they're telling stories that feel lean and classic. Howard Overman was an early stand-out of Merlin's writers (going on to create the won [..]

SPY review – 'Codename: Growing Rogue' (series 2 premiere)

Published on 2012-10-20 07:51:00

written by Simeon Goulden / directed by John HendersonI wasn't a fan of Sky1's Spy when it debuted last year, and that's something of an understatement. The basic concept has merit (a plebeian single father of a prodigious child accidentally becomes a spy, but is therefore unable to impress his son by sharing the news), but there were fundamental flaws that preventing me from buying into the show. The biggest let-down was a ridiculous lack of espionage, as the only sign Tim (Darren Boyd) had wan [..]

MSN TV: THE WALKING DEAD review - 'Seed' (season 3 premiere)

Published on 2012-10-20 05:44:00

Today over at MSN TV, I've reviewed the third season premiere of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD, which had its UK premiere on FX last night. As someone who didn't care for the first season, and found half the second season mostly dull, is this zombie drama onto a winner now it's tackling the comic's revered prison storyline..?AMC's adaptation of the best-selling Walking Dead comic has been an extraordinary success (this premiere attracted a record-breaking 10.9 million US viewers, unheard of on cable TV [..]

RED DWARF X – 'Lemons'

Published on 2012-10-19 11:29:00

written & directed by Doug NaylorMy TiVo recorded a batch of Series IV episodes after last week's "Fathers & Suns", which I found myself watching in recent days. That was a mistake, because it brought Series X's scarcity of laughs into sharper relief. "Lemons" had a fun but hackneyed idea at its centre, with the gang accidentally sending themselves back in time to 23 A.D while trying to build a Swedish "rejuvenation shower", and having to traipse from England to India in order to get some lemons [..]

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM review – 'Welcome to Briarcliff' (season 2 premiere)

Published on 2012-10-19 05:00:00

written by Tim Minear / directed by Bradley BueckerI watched all of American Horror Story last year; mostly out of a grim fascination than any attachment to the thin characters or their convoluted storylines. From two of the sick minds that brought us Glee (Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk), it was always apparent they only have two settings: "too much" and "much too much". Subtlety isn't inherent better than tactlessness, but AHS always felt too overblown to become genuinely scary. Frightening even [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.7 & 2.8 – 'Lie to Me' & 'The Dark Age'

Published on 2012-10-18 05:30:00

Buffy: You die, and a demon sets up shop in your old house; and it walks, and it talks, and it remembers your life, but it's not you.This is now a very different show compared to its first season. "LIE TO ME" didn't even have a monster for Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) to fight of clear supernatural origin; instead, it was a human villain in childhood crush Ford (Jason Behr). The episode also spent a chunk of time keeping its cards close to its chest, so I wasn't sure where the story was headed [..]

TNT pickup Darabont's L.A NOIR

Published on 2012-10-18 04:00:00

After writer-director Frank Darabont was fired from AMC's The Walking Dead, he almost immediately started work adapting John Buntin's book L.A Noir for television.The book tells of the epic battle between the LAPD and Mickey Cohen, a former boxer turned mob boss in the 1940s. Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, The Pacific) will play the lead, an ex-Marine turned cop who also has to deal with the corrupt police force around him. Also involved are Neal McDonough (Justified), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) [..]

Trailer: MISFITS series 4 coming soon

Published on 2012-10-17 13:05:00

E4 have released the first trailer for Misfits' fourth series, which I'm guessing means we only have a few weeks to wait. It appears to confirm the new character's super-powers are x-ray vision and telekinesis, but also hints that another "super-storm" is going to hit the estate. Well, unless that's purely an artistic choice for the 40-second teaser, to remind us about where these powers first came from.There's no premiere date for Misfits yet, but I'm guessing 28 October or 4 November...

REVOLUTION, 1.5 – 'Soul Train'

Published on 2012-10-17 07:00:00

written by Paul Grellong / directed by Jon CassarAnother decent episode of Revolution—which has become this TV season's nicest surprise. That said, the writing was noticeably blunter in many ways; particularly the pre-blackout flashbacks to Neville (Giancarlo Esposito), where it was revealed he was once a mild-mannered salesman with a noisy teenage neighbour problem. I appreciate the idea that this post-apocalypse has changed people—or allowed them to indulge dark impulses or chase power—b [..]

HOMELAND, 2.3 - 'State of Independence'

Published on 2012-10-17 05:00:00

written by Alexander Cary / directed by Lodge KerriganI loved how this episode began: teasing us with Saul (Mandy Patinkin) having Brody's (Damian Lewis) confession confiscated by airport customs official. It was something I didn't predict might happen last week, which was reason alone to believe this was the direction things would take (Saul knowing Brody's a traitor but without the evidence), but I was pleased this was a tongue-in-cheek deception. Saul's too clever for that to happen, so presu [..]

DEXTER, 7.3 - 'Buck the System'

Published on 2012-10-16 04:30:00

written by Jace Richdale / directed by Stefan SchwartzAfter two sloppy seasons, I'm still poised for Dexter's seventh to turn into a catastrophe, but it hasn't happened yet. In fact, I found myself enjoying "Buck the System" more than the previous episodes, although obviously they gave this hour its foundations to build on. I also couldn't help wondering if the writers are kicking themselves about not letting Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) in on Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) secret earlier, because it' [..]

TV Picks: 15-21 October 2012 (Graham Norton Show, Hebburn, Spy, Stand Up to Cancer, Surprise Surprise, Switch, Walking Dead, etc.)

Published on 2012-10-15 04:00:00

Below are my picks of the best new TV shows premiering in the UK between 15-21 October, so please take a look and share amongst your friends...MONDAY 15thSing For Your Life (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary about 35 cancer patients forming a choir, to test a theory that singing may help fight the disease. World War II: 1942 & Hitler's Soft Underbelly (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary about the WWII battles in North Africa and Italy. Presented by David Reynolds.The Vampire Diaries (ITV2, 9pm) Season 4 of the US [..]

MERLIN, 5.2 – 'Arthur's Bane: Part 2'

Published on 2012-10-14 08:40:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Justin MolotnikovLast week's premiere was an unexpectedly mature and compelling opener for Merlin, and I was astonished to find the concluding part of "Arthur's Bane" was equally as good with added revelations. In terms of the actual plot, it was a simple case of keeping the inertia of Part 1's storylines going until a satisfying end. Merlin (Colin Morgan) and Arthur (Bradley James) were taken prisoner by Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) and transported across a t [..]

Comedy Reviews: BBC3's CUCKOO & Channel 4's FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER

Published on 2012-10-14 04:50:00

BBC Three's CUCKOO was my pick of the week not long ago, but I never got around to reviewing it. The premise has middle class couple Ken (Greg Davies) and Lorna (Helen Baxendale)—from the Midlands, just to further stress how intermediate they are—discovering their beautiful daughter has married an American hippie calling himself "Cuckoo" (Andy Samberg) while on vacation. From there it runs through the expected culture clash comedy check list: dad hates that his baby girl's married a New Age [..]

Trailer: MOCKINGBIRD LANE (NBC)

Published on 2012-10-13 11:44:00

You probably already know that NBC are having second thoughts about their remake of The Munsters, retitled Mockingbird Lane. Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies) and Bryan Singer (X-Men) are behind this show, but it looks unlikely to get picked up for mid-season. However, having spent $10m developing it, NBC will broadcast the pilot as a "Halloween special" on 26 October, and if ratings are incredible maybe NBC will rethink their position. They have all the actors under contract until July 2013, too.U [..]

FRINGE, 5.3 - 'The Recordist'

Published on 2012-10-13 08:36:00

written by Graham Roland / directed by Jeff T. ThomasA big misstep for this season's Fringe, I'm hoping "The Recordist" isn't going to be indicative of more episodes about the Fringe team having largely superfluous adventure while on their treasure hunt for Walter's (John Noble) tapes and following its instructions. This week, the gang arrive in a woodland deep in Pennsylvania, after being told to descend on that location by the third of Walter's non-consecutive video-tapes. There they discover [..]

Review: BEAUTY & THE BEAST, 1.1 - 'Pilot'

Published on 2012-10-13 06:24:00

written by Sherri Cooper & Jennifer Levin / directed by Gary FlederThe CW's loose update of 1980s hit Beauty & the Beast (itself an urban modernisation of the classic fairy tale) is an abhorrent waste of everyone's time, but especially viweers. Every creative decision it makes is wrong, but particularly unforgivable is to re-imagine the eponymous Beast as a hunk with a facial scar, who occasionally threatens to turn into the Incredible Hulk if he gets emotional. It's such a woeful misjudgement t [..]

RED DWARF X – 'Fathers & Suns'

Published on 2012-10-12 12:15:00

written & directed by Doug NaylorThis was a strange amalgam of the classic Red Dwarf sitcom format (which Series X is an attempt to return to) and the overreaching action-adventure style that swamped Series VII. Consequently, "Fathers & Suns" felt more hit-and-miss than last week's premiere, although things resolved themselves well enough for me to forgive some of its bigger flaws. There were two major storylines this week, and each would have been improved without the other's inclusion. Kryten [..]

Review: ARROW, 1.1 – 'Pilot'

Published on 2012-10-12 05:00:00

written by Andrew Kreisberg & Marc Guggenheim (story by Greg Berlanti & Marc Guggenheim) / directed by David NutterStop me if you've heard this one before: billionaire playboy of an industrious family undergoes physical and mental transformation in a wilderness, before returning home to rid the streets of crime in the guise of a costumed protector. Green Arrow has always been a Batman knock-off, but given the phenomenal success of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, it's little wonder DC ha [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.5 & 2.6 – 'Reptile Boy' & 'Halloween'

Published on 2012-10-11 06:00:00

Buffy: I told one lie. I had one drink... Giles: Yes. And you were very nearly devoured by a giant demon snake. The words "let that be a lesson" are a tad redundant at this juncture.I sensed a shift happening in Buffy the Vampire Slayer with "REPTILE BOY". It first came to my attention that the characters, particularly Willow (Alyson Hannigan), were wearing smarter, brighter clothes. It may be a weird coincidence, but the image quality of my DVD also rose a notch from the soupy haze that's hithe [..]

MISFITS series 4: the gang assembles

Published on 2012-10-11 04:00:00

We've had a few glimpses of the new characters joining E4's Misfits over the summer, but here's the official ensemble photo. From left to right: Jess (Karla Crome), Rudy (Joe Gilgun), Finn (Nathan McMullen) and Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett). Amongst the teases for the new series are a six-foot killer rabbit and the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Could the latter be a rival super-gang using their powers for evil?What do you make of the new-look gang? Crome's been making a name [..]

REVOLUTION, 1.4 – 'The Plague Dogs'

Published on 2012-10-10 07:00:00

written by Anne Cofell Saunders / directed by Felix AlcalaI know what you're thinking: Revolution should be on weekly rotation seeing as I've reviewed every episode that's aired so far. I must admit, I wasn't planning to cover this show beyond its average pilot, but it's doing a good job making me overlook the conceptual flaws and focus on character and story. "The Plague Dogs" was another strong episode that, while overloading and underlining far too much, wasn't boring for a second and contain [..]

HOMELAND, 2.2 – 'Beirut is Back'

Published on 2012-10-10 04:30:00

written by Chip Johannessen / directed by Michael CuestaLast week's premiere was a placid explanation of where the characters are six months after season 1's white-knuckle finale, but "Beirut is Back" was Homeland approaching its best. I'm not going to dwell too deeply on things this week, for one reason or another, but suffice to say this episode had plenty to recommend. Carrie's (Claire Danes) self-doubts were brilliantly portrayed, as she listened to Saul (Mandy Patinkin) and Estes (David Har [..]

DEXTER, 7.2 - 'Sunshine and Frosty Swirl'

Published on 2012-10-09 04:30:00

written by Manny Coto / directed by Steve ShillIt's inevitable that after so many years spent teasing something enormous, it doesn't quite live up to inflated expectations once it happens. Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) now knows her dependable brother Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) actually a serial killer—trained and modulated by her late father (James Remar), no less—and "Sunshine and Frosty Swirl" spent the majority of its hour letting the siblings work through this unthinkable situation. That's [..]

MSN TV Review: HOMELAND, season 2 - 'The Smile' (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-10-08 10:35:00

Today at MSN TV, I've reviewed the season 2 premiere of espionage thriller HOMELAND, which had its UK premiere on Channel 4 last night. This is a cut-down version of my review of last week's US premiere on Showtime, so perhaps only recommended to those who love to play 'spot the difference'...Homeland became a favourite show of mine instantly, and I was one of those who loved the excruciatingly tense finale—which offered enough of a climax while keeping the door ajar for more. This premiere wa [..]

TV Picks: 8-14 October 2012 (8 Out Of 10 Cats, DCI Banks, Fresh Meat, Have I Got News For You?, Me And Mrs Jones, Nurse Jackie, Plane Crash, etc.)

Published on 2012-10-08 03:30:00

Below are my personal TV picks for the week ahead (8-14 October), focusing on the premieres for UK television only...MONDAY 8thWonderland: I Was Once A Beauty Queen (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary about British beauty pageants of the '70s and '80s. Featuring testimonials from former Beauty Queens like Carolyn Seaward, Tracy Dodds, Della Dolan & Madeleine Stringer.Magnificent Machines: The Golden Age Of The British Sports Car (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary about the post-war boom of UK sports cars like the MG M [..]

Review: MERLIN, 5.1 – 'Arthur's Bane: Part 1'

Published on 2012-10-07 04:44:00

written by Julian Jones / directed by Justin MolotnikovMerlin outgrew its childishness and started exploring darker territory last year, but it was too little too late for me. It may have embraced a more absorbing and artistic tone, but the stories were still sorely predictable or rehashes of old ideas. Merlin hasn't been a narratively ambitious show, although it's made with love and manages to improve every series. "Arthur's Bane: Part 1" was a confident and positive start for its fifth year, w [..]

FRINGE, 5.2 – 'In Absentia'

Published on 2012-10-06 08:32:00

written by J.H Wyman & David Fury / directed by Jeannot SzwarcA far stronger episode than last week's busy premiere, "In Absentia" had a much clearer focus and better characterisation. This season already feels like one big story split into hour-long chunks, which probably won't please fans that enjoyed the freak-of-the-week aspect of Fringe, but delight those who always enjoyed the show's on-going mythology. Unless the parts of the mythology you enjoyed had nothing to do with The Observers and [..]

Review: RED DWARF X - 'Trojan'

Published on 2012-10-05 05:30:00

written & directed by Doug NaylorConsidering it was BBC2's biggest ever hit (a record it still holds to this day), it always felt bizarre that sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf vanished after eight series. Ostensibly this was so co-creator Doug Naylor could prep a movie reboot with the TV cast, and it's one of comedy's greatest tragedies that Naylor's desire to turn Red Dwarf into a big-budget film was partly the reason it lost its way. The "filmic" Series VII with no live studio audience, the reintroduct [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.3 & 2.4 – 'School Hard' & 'Inca Mummy Girl'

Published on 2012-10-04 05:30:00

Drusilla: Do you like daisies? I plant them, but they always die. Everything I put in the ground withers and dies.Fan-favourite and Billy Idol-alike Spike (James Marsters) makes his debut in "SCHOOL HARD", arriving in Sunnydale with inamorata Drusilla (Juliet Landau) to kill the Slayer for the approval of the Anointed One (Andrew J. Ferchland). Elsewhere, it's the annual Parent-Teacher Night; an event Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and fellow troublemaker Sheila (Alexandra Johnes) have been put i [..]

REVOLUTION, 1.3 - 'No Quarter'

Published on 2012-10-03 11:31:00

written by Monica Owusu-Breen / directed by Sanford BookstaverI'm the first to admit people don't give television shows enough of a chance these days. There was a time when I routinely didn't expect many shows to get good until their second seasons, and was prepared to watch them try and find themselves until everything clicked. (The modern Star Trek's routinely never got good until season 3 or 4!) These days, viewers make snap judgements based on pilots (which are largely just a marketing tool [..]

Review: 666 PARK AVENUE (ABC)

Published on 2012-10-03 05:30:00

written by David Wilcox / directed by Alex GravesIt makes mistakes (some of them perhaps fated to unravel the show), but 666 Park Avenue could develop into something good. I just have doubts it'll grow into anything special because its beautiful protagonists—married couple Jane (Rachael Taylor) and Henry (Dave Annable), latest tenants of luxury apartment building The Drake—are both too honourable and straight-laced. The concept is The Drake's run by the (literally?) demonic Gavin Doran (Lost [..]

Review: HOMELAND, 2.1 - 'The Smile'

Published on 2012-10-02 11:47:00

written by Alex Gansa & Howard Gordon / directed by Michael CuestaThe best new drama of last year returns, laden with Emmy's from the preceding weekend. Homeland became a firm favourite of mine almost instantly and I was one of those who loved the

Review: DEXTER, 7.1 - 'Are You..?'

Published on 2012-10-02 06:00:00

written by Scott Buck / directed by John DahlIt makes a change to feel passionate about Dexter again, following a two-year dip in quality that made the show languid, repetitive, and stupid. The fifth season has its acolytes, but most agree the sixth was a creative backwater (let's not even discuss the mid-year twist everyone saw coming, or Deb realising she fancies her adopted brother). It felt like even the writers realised something had to be done to reinvigorate the series, so last year's fin [..]

Winner: SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE Region 2 DVD

Published on 2012-10-01 05:00:00

Last week I held a competition to win a Region 2 DVD box-set of Spartacus: Vengeance. The question asked was, essentially, where does the character of Spartacus originally come from? The answer was Thrace. Of the many thousands dozens of entries, I'm pleased to announce the randomly chosen winner is...Elvis Wright, DerbyshireCongratulations Elvis! I'll pass on your delivery details to the supplier of this DVD and you'll hopefully receive it very soon. Commiserations to everyone who entered but d [..]

TV Picks: 1-7 October 2012 (Best Possible Taste: The Kenny Everett Story, Hotel GB, Homeland, Hunted, Merlin, Monroe, Red Dwarf X, Strictly Come Dancing, etc.)

Published on 2012-10-01 03:30:00

The autumn season's definitely arrived in the UK, as my picks for the week's best new shows proves...MONDAY 1stMay The Best House Win (ITV1, 4pm) Brand new series where homeowners visit and rate each other's home, focusing on British expats in France and Spain. PICK OF THE DAY

DOCTOR WHO, 7.5 - 'The Angels Take Manhattan'

Published on 2012-09-30 08:50:00

The fan-favourite Weeping Angels (frightening "living statues" that can only move when nobody's looking at them) terrorise New York City in Doctor Who's mid-series finale; an episode that also serves as a bittersweet farewell to companions Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill). Steven Moffat's the man behind the script, and although his time as showrunner's been pockmarked with plots favouring smarty-pants complexity over heartfelt emotions and character, I was relieved The [..]

Review: FRINGE, 5.1 – 'Transilience Thought Unifier Model-11'

Published on 2012-09-30 04:47:00

written by J.H Wyman / directed by Miguel Sapochnik & Jeannot SzwarzIt's remarkable that we're even watching a fifth season of Fringe, considering how low-rated the show's been throughout its run. Fox haven't even enforced a budget cut, so you have to give credit for the studio's support of a terrific sci-fi drama that just never found a way to charm the masses—despite a first season designed to do so, which quickly realised its strengths lay in the serialisation preferred by devout fans. Char [..]

Review: LAST RESORT (ABC)

Published on 2012-09-29 08:59:00

written by Shawn Ryan / directed by Martin CampbellMy most eagerly-awaited pilot of the season didn't disappoint. ABC's high-concept military thriller Last Resort delivered a tense, gripping, exciting, and ambitious scenario that marshaled its many influences (Crimson Tide, 24, Battlestar Galactica, Lost, Tom Clancy/Clive Cussler novels,) to impressive effect. The only question mark hanging over the show is a familiar one: can the concept evolve and adapt to the needs of a weekly TV series, or w [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 2.1 & 2.2 – 'When She Was Bad' & 'Some Assembly Required'

Published on 2012-09-29 05:52:00

Cordelia: You're really campaigning for bitch of the year, aren't you? Buffy: As defending champion, you nervous? I was excited to spin my first season 2 disc, knowing Buffy the Vampire Slayer's sophomore year's considered a major turning point for this supernatural drama. Sadly, "WHEN SHE WAS BAD" was more like an addendum to the largely shoddy first season that didn't feel necessary. On the bright side, at least by having Buffy definitively prevent the possibility of The Master returning, we c [..]

TRAILER: PRIMEVAL - NEW WORLD

Published on 2012-09-28 11:39:00

A new trailer for Primeval: New World has been released, ahead of its premiere on Canada's Space channel and the UK's Watch later this year. It looks... surprisingly in-keeping with the British original, which feels like a disappointment. I've always thought a North American sensibility would do better with the concept of time portals spewing dinosaurs/monsters into the present-day, but this spin-off doesn't look or feel very different. If the rumours of the UK Primeval's demise are true (it has [..]

Review: VEGAS (CBS)

Published on 2012-09-28 07:17:00

written by Nicholas Pileggi & Greg Walker / directed by James MangoldI was looking forward to Vegas on account of its arresting premise (outmoded cowboy takes on slick mob boss), its beautiful setting (Las Vegas, 1960), and the fact The Shield's Michael Chiklis will be locking horns with The Right Stuff's Dennis Quaid, but this well-made pilot didn't grab me as strongly as I'd hoped. It certainly wasn't bad; oozing style courtesy of James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma), and doing something slightly diff [..]

Competition: win SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE on DVD!

Published on 2012-09-27 04:00:00

Starz's swords-n'-sandals epic Spartacus: Vengeance is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on 1 October in the UK, and I have a Region 2 DVD box-set to giveaway (courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment). The second season continues the story of mutinous slave Spartacus (Liam McIntyre) as he tries to amass an army to defeat the Roman Republic...To be in with a chance of winning this awesome prize, just answer this question:In the series, where does heroic slave Spartacus originally come from?(a) Capua(b) Spar [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.11 & 1.12 – 'Out of Mind, Out of Sight' & 'Prophecy Girl'

Published on 2012-09-26 05:00:00

Cordelia: People who think their problems are so huge craze me. Like this time I sort of ran over this girl on her bike. It was the most traumatizing event of my life, and she's trying to make it about her leg! Like my pain meant nothing! Out of Mind,Out of SightCordelia (Charisma Carpenter) has spent previous episodes being a one-note cliché as the high school airhead, yet I'm aware she becomes a key part of Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) gang and, later, a leading cast member in spin-off Ang [..]

REVOLUTION, 1.2 – 'Chained Heat'

Published on 2012-09-25 13:07:00

written by Eric Kripke / directed by Charles BeesonI'm probably not going to review Revolution weekly, but thought I'd offer some brief thoughts on its second episode. Post-apocalypses are very hard to do on television, and not just for monetary reasons associated with bringing that kind of world to life. Unless the survivors are complex and interesting people, they just don't work. It helps if there's an on-going threat to them (like the zombies in The Walking Dead), but I'm not sure if Revolut [..]

Movie Review: THE AVENGERS (2012)

Published on 2012-09-24 06:00:00

directed by Joss Whedon / written by Zak Penn & Joss Whedon (based on characters created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby)Marvel's The Avengers (aka The Avengers, aka Avengers Assemble) cruised into the record books this summer, becoming the third highest-grossing movie of all time after Avatar and Titanic. Marvel Studios' expensive gamble of making a handful of standalone superhero movies with the intention of bringing them all together as a super-group, clearly paid off. It's amusing to remember that [..]

TV Picks: 24-30 September 2012 (Boardwalk Empire, Continuum, Cuckoo, Drugs Live, Girlfri3nds, Homefront, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Nigellisima, etc.)

Published on 2012-09-24 04:00:00

Here are my picks of the best British TV, premiering between 24-30 September 2012...MONDAY 24thNigellisima (BBC2, 8.30pm) Brand new series where Nigella Lawson presents a guide to Italian cookery. (1/6)Health Before The NHS (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary exploring how the sick were treated before the creation of the UK's National Health Service. Presented by Dr Robert Winston. (1/2)PICK OF THE DAY Never Mind The Buzzcocks (BBC2, 10pm) Series 26 of the music panel show, with guest host Kathy Burke and c [..]

DOCTOR WHO, 7.4 – 'The Power of Three'

Published on 2012-09-23 04:59:00

Something of a throwback to Russell T. Davies' era, "The Power of Three" was one of those knockabout trifles that Doctor Who indulged more often before Steven Moffatt took over—although putting The Doctor (Matt Smith) into a domestic setting seems to have remained a yearly feature, with "The Lodger" and "Closing Time" fulfilling a similar remit. However, Chris Chibnall's second story this year was also paving the way for the loss of Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) next week. It ju [..]

Preview: ELEMENTARY (CBS)

Published on 2012-09-22 05:59:00

written by Robert Doherty / directed by Michael CuestaElementary's problem isn't that it's been inspired by the success of the BBC's own modern-day Sherlock Holmes, it's how US TV's choked with too many similar shows. Erase the words "Sherlock" and "Watson" from this CBS pilot and it doesn't make any difference, because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's characters are merely a good marketing ploy for a country that's always been attracted to the "consulting detective" and police procedurals in general. B [..]

Sponsored Video: VIRGIN MEDIA SHORTS 2012

Published on 2012-09-21 03:30:00

It's the return of the UK's biggest short film competition from Virgin Media, which is offering £30,000 of film funding and mentoring from the British Film Institute to this year's winner. 13 finalists will compete at the Southbank Centre in London this November, with a panel of judges (including actress Juliet Walters and film critic James King) selecting the winner. All of the finalists will receive a fantastic consolation prize, too, as the 12 shorts will then be shown in nationwide cinema f [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.9 & 1.10 - 'The Puppet Show' & 'Nightmares'

Published on 2012-09-20 04:30:00

Buffy: Giles, unto every generation is born one who must run the annual talentless show. You cannot escape your destiny. The Puppet ShowThis season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's guilty of doing horror standards, but the way it gives them a modern spin or subversion definitely helps. At face value, "The Puppet Show" was an unremarkable tale about a teenage pariah called Morgan (Richard Werner) who turns into a serial killer at the behest of his demonic ventriloquist dummy Sid, drawing the attenti [..]

Video: GAME OF THRONES, season 2 - visual effects showreel

Published on 2012-09-19 03:30:00

Last year the video I posted of Game Of Thrones' FX showreel became very popular with readers, so I've embedded one that covers the second season (above). This one comes from the effects house Pixomondo. It's once again remarkable to realise just how much of the show is artificially created or extended by CGI. Shame the video quality isn't better, but I'll amend this post if a better version becomes available. And finally, a warning: there are big spoilers if you haven't seen the second season y [..]

MSN TV Review: TRUE BLOOD (FX), season 5 premiere

Published on 2012-09-18 04:00:00

Today over at MSN TV, my old review of TRUE BLOOD's fifth season premiere has been reproduced in an abridged format. So if you somehow couldn't manage to read 1,100 words about "Turn! Turn! Turn" three months ago when it aired on HBO, you can hopefully manage the 500 words for its UK debut on FX."True Blood has been bad longer than it was ever good. Season one's excellent Southern Gothic murder-mystery seems like a lifetime ago, as the show's since morphed into a gory supernatural soap that hate [..]

REVOLUTION: did you pull the plug?

Published on 2012-09-18 04:00:00

NBC's big sci-fi drama Revolution aired last night in the US, and I reviewed the pilot last week. But what did you make of it? Did the concept grab your interest and leave you desperate for more, or are you pretty sure NBC will pull the plug sooner rather than later? The next Lost, or should it just get lost? Over to you!

Review: DOWNTON ABBEY, series 3

Published on 2012-09-17 05:47:00

I was late falling under the spell of the opulent Downton Abbey, but burned through the first two series in preparation for last year's Christmas special, so this marks the first time I've experienced ITV's Emmy and BAFTA-winning period drama in HD and with adverts. I approve unreservedly of the shiny high-definition, which gives everything even more of an immaculate air, but the number of adverts was slightly irritating over 90-minutes. (I'll be recording and watching on delay from next week.) [..]

TV Picks: 17-23 September 2012 (Baggage, Covert Affairs, Derren Brown: Svengali, Kevin McCloud's Man Made Home, True Blood, etc.)

Published on 2012-09-17 05:00:00

As usual, below are my picks of the week's best television, from the many shows premiering in the UK between 17-23 September 2012...MONDAY 17thMasters of Money (BBC2, 9pm) Factual series looking at three influential thinkers who changes the economic landscape. Presented by Stephanie Flanders. (1/3)Brit Cops: Rapid Response (Sky1, 11.15pm) Fly-on-the-wall documentary following the Wiltshire police. (1/10)PICK OF THE DAY True Blood (FX, 10pm) Season 5 of the US supernatural drama. Starring Anna Pa [..]

DOCTOR WHO, 7.3 – 'A Town Called Mercy'

Published on 2012-09-16 09:29:00

"We all carry our prisons with us. Yours is your morality." – Kahler-Jex to The DoctorThe brief was to deliver weekly "blockbuster" movies for series 7, and "A Town Called Mercy" obviously had the Western genre as its chief inspiration, but also managed to weave in riffs on Frankenstein, Westworld, The Terminator and Universal Soldier. That makes it sound like a huge amount of fun, but too much about Toby Whithouse's story fell flat and the story had problems justifying its runtime.The story t [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.7 & 1.8 - 'Angel' & 'I, Robot... You, Jane'

Published on 2012-09-16 06:00:00

Angel: When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body. But it doesn't get your soul. That's gone. No conscience, no remorse... it's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done, and to care.AngelThe season perks up with "Angel", mainly because it enlightens us on the the eponymous vampire and worked as the first true follow-up to the pilot. The Bronze is being fumigated just as Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) has her own pests to sterilise; but what [..]

Aisle be back Monday

Published on 2012-09-15 06:30:00

Don't expect many updates until Monday because I'm attending a family wedding. This means my planned next-day reviews of tonight's Doctor Who and tomorrow's

Review: GLEE, 4.1 – 'The New Rachel'

Published on 2012-09-14 05:48:00

I was a vocal fan of Glee when it first started, but the show started to drift in season 2 and large swathes of the third season were unwatchable for me, so I came to this fourth season premiere with low expectations of a masterful turnaround. I was right to keep my hopes low, but "The New Rachel" was certainly much better than it had any right to be, given the upheaval the show faces trying to replace old characters and maintain a parallel story set in New York. Glee definitely has a chance to [..]

Review: BUG (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-09-13 04:00:00

I recently had the chance to mainline Sky Atlantic's eight-part Bug, the Sky Atlantic series from Adam Buxton (one half of the excellent Adam & Joe) that basically televises his popular bi-monthly gigs at the British Film Institute. The concept is very simple: "Dr Buckles" casts a discerning eye over unconventional music videos available online, and reads out some of the unintentionally hilarious and genuine YouTube comments. If nothing else, you have to marvel at the ingenuity of Adam in creati [..]

Video: BREAKING BAD audition tapes

Published on 2012-09-12 16:14:00

These have been knocking around for a few years, but I only just discovered them thanks to a tweet via @Coops_tv and @Jarettsays, which led to some minor detective work. It's the audition tapes for Breaking Bad actors Aaron Paul (above), Dean Norris, Anna Gunn and Betsy Brandt (all below). I'm guessing Bryan Cranston didn't have to audition because Vince Gilligan wrote the character for him to play. It's interesting to see these actors at the beginning of what's been an incredible five-year jour [..]

Movie Review: THE HUNGER GAMES (2012)

Published on 2012-09-12 04:00:00

Adapted from the best-selling book by Suzanne Collins (the first in a trilogy of diminishing returns), The Hunger Games has barely an original thought in its silly head. Its similarities to Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale are woefully obvious and well-documented, and I'd have let the matter slip had I not realised Collins' previous literary success (The Underland Chronicles) also has similarities to Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. I guess she's one of those authors who'd rather write her own take on so [..]

Preview: REVOLUTION (NBC)

Published on 2012-09-11 04:00:00

Below is a review of NBC's upcoming Revolution, which contains a few tiny spoilers and allusions to events some readers may prefer to avoid. It's certainly nothing that will ruin the story, or anything that wasn't given away in the show's teasers/trailers, but this is fair warning.Whenever a TV show comes shackled to a "high concept" idea, there's a chance it won't be able to tease out its story over a potential five years or more. NBC's Revolution follows in the footsteps of ABC's FlashForward, [..]

Video: BREAKING BAD - illustrated opening title sequence

Published on 2012-09-10 04:30:00

Breaking Bad is one of many modern TV shows that has a very brief opening title sequence, which doesn't communicate much except the tone of the show. Animator Martin Woutisseth clearly feels this was a missed opportunity, so he's created a superb animated opening title sequence of his own. (It would perhaps only work for season 2, because that was the only year all of these characters were involved with the show at the same time.) Anyway, it's a fantastic piece of work and I recommend you take a [..]

TV Picks: 10-16 September 2012 (Alan Carr: Chatty Man, The Audience, Downton Abbey, Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Cookery Course, Moone Boy, QI, Strictly Come Dancing, etc.)

Published on 2012-09-10 03:30:00

Below you'll find my weekly TV picks of the best new shows debuting in the UK between 10-16 September 2012...MONDAY 10thPICK OF THE DAY

DOCTOR WHO, 7.2 – 'Dinosaurs on a Spaceship'

Published on 2012-09-09 04:45:00

Chris Chibnall wrote "42", set aboard a doomed spaceship with a ticking clock format, and Silurian two-parter "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood", so it seems only fitting that "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" combined the two. In the number 42 and presence of two camp robots (voiced by Peep Show duo Robert Webb and David Mitchell), Chibnall also clearly appreciates the work of former-Who scribe and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy creator Douglas Adams. "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" was easily Chibnall's bes [..]

Blu-ray Review: STAR TREK - Season One, episode 1-7

Published on 2012-09-08 06:05:00

To celebrate today's 46th anniversary of Star Trek, I've reviewed the first seven episodes of this 1960s science-fiction classic, from its excellent remastered Blu-ray...This is where all those famous voyages began. Star Trek isn't the longest-running science-fiction property in the world (that distinction belongs to Doctor Who, which debuted three years earlier in 1963), but it's easily the most diverse and successful; with five cartoons/sequels/spin-offs, eleven feature films (currently), and [..]

Review: HUNDERBY (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-09-07 04:30:00

Julia Davis is a justly celebrated writer/performer of black comedy, most famously BBC Three's Nighty Night, and now she's transferred her her skills to a period drama for Sky Atlantic's lavish Hunderby—a sly, deliciously dark riff on Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca. The 19th-century story concerns Helene (Alexandra Roach), a shipwreck survivor who washes ashore near the hamlet of Hunderby on the English coast. Two aspiring heroes come to her aide—a mute black slave called Geoff (Dan [..]

BBC order HAPPY ENDINGS anthology from PSYCHOVILLE duo

Published on 2012-09-07 03:00:00

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, one half of The League of Gentlemen

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.5 & 1.6 - 'Never Kill a Boy on the First Date' & 'The Pack'

Published on 2012-09-06 10:26:00

Buffy: See, this is a school; and we have students, and they check out books, and then they learn things. Giles: I was beginning to suspect that was a myth. Never Kill a Boyon the First DateLike most superheroes, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) leads a double-life: smart-talking schoolgirl by day, cold-blooded vampire slayer by night. "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" addressed the issues that might arise from such a binary lifestyle, but never provided enough emotional weight to make us care. [..]

MSN TV Review: DALLAS (Channel 5)

Published on 2012-09-06 04:00:00

Today at MSN TV, I turn my attention to the unlikely revival of '80s soap DALLAS, which just had its UK premiere on Channel 5. Has the show struck black gold, or should it never have been dug up?"If you're under 35, you may not recall watching the original series of Dallas, but surely every TV fan is aware of the famous "who shot JR?" cliffhanger. Dallas produced 357 episodes over 13 years, but the second season cliffhanger was undoubtedly its crowning glory; antihero JR Ewing (Larry Hagman) was [..]

Video: MAD MEN sing Ricky Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up'

Published on 2012-09-06 03:30:00

Here's a little something to make you smile: the cast of Mad Men, with footage edited to make it appear like they're singing Rick Astley's '80s classic "Never Gonna Give You Up". It never fails to surprise me how much time some people have on their hands, because compiling the footage for this must have taken forever! Oh well, we reap the rewards...[via @EthanRunt]

CBS to pilot BEVERLY HILLS COP

Published on 2012-09-05 05:30:00

Eddie Murphy recently revealed he's been trying to get a TV sequel to his 1984 movie Beverly Hills Cop off the ground, and it looks like there's a real chance of that happening now. CBS have ordered a pilot, which will follow the exploits of 90210 cop Aaron Foley (son of Axel, Murphy's wise-ass character from the three movies). Eddie Murphy is himself set to appear in the pilot as Axel, who has subsequently been promoted and now casts a shadow over his son. He may even recur throughout the serie [..]

State of the Blog: summer's nearly over

Published on 2012-09-05 04:00:00

I just thought I'd check-in, seeing as my State of the Blog posts haven't been as frequent as usual. Over summer it's inevitable content would drop here, and that was exacerbated by an effort to reduce my output. Or, to phrase it better, redirect my passion by only covering things I have a real hankering to write about. Covering weekly TV shows that are reliably competent, constantly mediocre, or don't change very much, was starting to sap my enthusiasm.I've found it a more freeing and pleasurab [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.8 - Gliding Over All

Published on 2012-09-04 04:00:00

They could happily rename this show Broken Bad now. The mid-season finale of season 5 was a remarkable hour of drama, shot through with involving and unexpected consequences. Walter White (Bryan Cranston) still has his supporters amongst the show's fan-base, but it's surely impossible to sympathise with him after the slaughter he conducted here. The proverb says "the darkest hour is before the dawn", so it was perfect that once Walt started to see the light and turn away from his drug-making, to [..]

TRUE BLOOD season 6 gets reduced

Published on 2012-09-03 15:23:00

Alan Ball, creator of HBO's popular vampire drama True Blood, has revealed there will

TV Picks: 3-9 September 2012 (The Bletchley Circle, Dallas, Hilary Devey's Women at the Top, Mrs Biggs, Ross Kemp: Extreme World, The Thick of It, etc.)

Published on 2012-09-03 04:00:00

It's my weekly TV picks of the best UK shows having a premiere between 3-9 September, as the schedules begin to fill out for September...MONDAY 3rdCelebrity Antiques Road Trip (BBC2, 7pm) Series 2 of the show where celebrities compete to find valuables. This episode features Richard Meldrew and his One Foot In The Grave co-star Annette Crosbie. Continues weekdaily. (1/20)Paul O'Grady: For The Love Of Dogs (ITV1, 8pm) Brand new series where the comedian visits the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in Lo [..]

DOCTOR WHO: Asylum of the Daleks ephemera

Published on 2012-09-02 09:50:00

My full review is available at MSN, but here are some extra thoughts on key moments of the Doctor Who premiere "Asylum of the Daleks"...It's our first look at Dalek homeworld Skaro in nu-Who, complete with a skyscraper-sized sculpture of a Dalek. You can add narcissism to their list of negative traits. I assume the Daleks tackle the inevitable poop problem by exterminating pigeons with lasers.When The Doctor's away, Amy reverts to being a model to pay the bills (probably in aide of that perfume [..]

Sponsored Video: JAWS Blu-ray

Published on 2012-09-02 08:52:00

The original summer blockbuster is swimming its way to Blu-ray after 27 years. Jaws scared audiences senseless back in 1975 and it's now been remastered as part of Universal Studios' centenary, bringing 1080p visuals and 7.1 surround sound to home viewers.A masterpiece from young filmmaker Steven Spielberg (who obviously went on to dominate popular entertainment), Jaws is adapted from the best-selling novel by Peter Benchley, and tells the story of a coastal community terrorised by a 25-foot man [..]

MSN TV Review: DOCTOR WHO, 7.1 - Asylum of the Daleks

Published on 2012-09-02 04:41:00

Today at MSN TV, I've reviewed the series 7 premiere of DOCTOR WHO, "Asylum of the Daleks"; a typically fast-paced and thrilling adventure with some big surprises up its sleeve.The series 7 premiere heralds the return of Doctor Who's most famous adversary, the despotic Daleks. Steven Moffat promised to restore the fear-factor of the show's iconic villains, which has been trickling away since series 1's "Dalek", and "Asylum of the Daleks" certainly managed to undo recent creative missteps (not le [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.3 & 1.4 - Witch & Teacher's Pet

Published on 2012-09-01 07:25:00

Xander: What do you mean? We're a team. Aren't we a team? Willow: (to Buffy) Yeah, you're the Slayer, and we're, like, the Slayerettes. WitchThe two-part pilot may have had more monsters and action, but "Witch" works as a better indicator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's raison d'être. It takes supernatural standards and uses them to embellish themes of adolescent life and the US high school experience. Here, Buffy's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) auditioning to become a cheerleader (more an effort to fi [..]

Review: TROLLIED, series 2 (Sky1)

Published on 2012-09-01 05:38:00

Sky are currently waist-deep in new comedy, but now last's year supermarket sitcom Trollied (one of the first shows to launch Sky's recent home-grown initiative) is back for a run of 14 episodes, including a hallowed Christmas special. As before, I confess to finding this show pleasant and amusing, if rarely laugh-out-loud funny or very intelligent. I could miss a few episodes and wouldn't be bothered in the slightest, or feel a desire to catch-up with what I've missed, but it fills a thirty-min [..]

Video: SHERLOCK - The Network Joint Session Masterclass

Published on 2012-08-31 04:00:00

MediaGuardian have put the entire Sherlock panel online from the Edinburgh International Television Festival, where creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss discuss the creation of the popular BBC series with TV critic Boyd Hilton. They're also joined by producer Sue Vertue and actor Andrew Scott (who plays Moriarty). I have nothing much to add, beyond the fact this is an enjoyable hour's watch for fans, and I'm so pleased The Guardian have put high-quality footage of this panel online.

NBC order sci-fi script from the showrunners of HOMELAND and SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

Published on 2012-08-30 15:07:00

Howard Gordon (24, Homeland) and Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) are working together on a potential NBC series set in a near-future where human-looking robots exist. The pilot will revolve around a homicide detective investigating the first instance of a robot killing a human being, to the backdrop of a growing robotic rebellion.That sounds like the plot to the successful movie I, Robot, which was inspired by various short stories by Isaac Asimov. It's also interesting t [..]

Augmented Reality: film yourself with an ALIEN chestburster!

Published on 2012-08-30 10:52:00

Here's a very cool demonstration of an augmented reality app, which is sure to delight fans of the Alien franchise. Simply install the free app (iOS, Google Play), print the target image (or buy an official T-shirt), and you can film a friend with a nasty chestbuster xenomorph protruding from their body. Or wherever you like! I recommend a sleeping pet. Brought to you by the talented folk at Fingerfunk.[via io9]

THE DESCENT's Neil Marshall to direct Starz's BLACK SAILS pilot

Published on 2012-08-29 11:15:00

British director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) has been hired by Starz to direct the pilot of their upcoming Treasure Island prequel Black Sails; which will tell the story of Captain Flint and Long John Silver two decades before Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale.Marshall most likely got the job because of his expertise with low-budget, and it probably didn't hurt that he pulled off the impressive Game of Thrones action spectacular "Blackwater" with only a few weeks preparation ti [..]

Autumn 2012: What I'll Be Watching

Published on 2012-08-29 04:00:00

It's that time of year again; the tantalising brink of the autumn/fall season, where the TV networks premiere their brand new shows, together with returning favourites. As always, it promises to be a very busy time of year, and I probably won't be covering as much as usual. Instead, I'll sample the majority of pilots, write about the ones I have a strong reaction to, and then watch a few more episodes to determine if they're worth persevering with. Only the most interesting shows will become reg [..]

Video: FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS - Feel Inside (And Stuff Like That)

Published on 2012-08-29 03:30:00

It's been three years since HBO's Flight of the Conchords finished after two seasons (scarily), so this is a nice treat for fans of the New Zealand duo. It's a 14-minute charity special, where Jermaine and Brett are given the opportunity to write a charity song for kids. It includes a brand new sketch with their clueless manager Murray (Rhys Darby), an amusing market research session with real school kids, and a performance of the resulting song itself. Great fun. I've actually warmed to FotC mo [..]

Review: A TOUCH OF CLOTH (Sky1)

Published on 2012-08-28 06:18:00

Part OnePart TwoSatirist Charlie Brooker understands how to approach a spoof; the genre many say was perfected in the '80s by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker (ZAZ) with their classic Airplane!, building on Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. Since then, the form's sadly devolved into dumb mimicry, spearheaded by detestable claptrap like Scary Movie and Epic Movie, but Brooker laudably approached A Touch of Cloth with the classics in mind...For those unaware, ZAZ famou [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.12 - Save Yourself

Published on 2012-08-28 04:33:00

"You're a dick" -- Holly to AndyAnother mess, as expected. I had mild hope that True Blood would give us a satisfying finale, but it didn't even have the grace to resolve the Lilith storyline. In addition, the feeling everything's half-improvised and they have no idea what they're doing was back in force. I'd love to know if the writers sit down and map out the entire season, or if they just wing it with a Charlaine Harris book as a vague outline. It's terribly done, but I guess the ratings stay [..]

Review: BAD SUGAR (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-08-27 11:01:00

Peep Show creators Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain return with a one-off special for Channel 4's "Funny Fortnight" season, and if there's any justice a full series will follow. Bad Sugar concerned the Cauldwell family, whose ageing patriarch Ralphfred (David Bradley) made their fortune in mining. These days the Cauldwell dynasty is mostly comprised of schemers, bitter idiots, and gold-digging bitches. In this episode we meet Lucy (Sharon Horgan), who's just joined the family after getting hitched t [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.7 - Say My Name

Published on 2012-08-27 08:36:00

The bliss of Breaking Bad is when the hard work pays off, and "Say My Name" saw a number of subplots come to a head; particularly regarding Mike's (Jonathan Banks) involvement with the business, Walt's (Bryan Cranston) desire to take his empire up a level, Jesse's (Aaron Paul) hope to break free of this mess, and Hank's (Dean Norris) luck trying to tie-up the stalling Fring investigation. It was, as you'd expect from this show when it's in sight of a half-season finale, absolutely magnificent.It [..]

TV Picks: 27 August– 2 September 2012 (Citizen Khan, Doctor Who, Good Cop, Hunderby, The Paralympic Games, Strike Back, Trollied, etc.)

Published on 2012-08-27 03:30:00

Once again it's time for my weekly TV picks of the best new shows British TV has to offer, as the new TV season begins in earnest...BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYDig WW2 with Dan Snow (BBC2, 7pm) New series where historian Dan Snow explored Northern Ireland's role in WWII. Continues daily until Wednesday. (1/3)The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2012 (BBC1, 7pm) Live coverage of the annual ceremony from Edinburgh Castle. Narrated by Bill Paterson.Only Connect (BBC4, 8.30pm) Return of the tough mental games [..]

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 1.1 & 1.2 - Welcome to the Hellmouth & The Harvest

Published on 2012-08-26 08:38:00

"To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood. And then you have to suck their blood. It's like a whole big sucking thing." -- BuffyWelcome to the HellmouthThe HarvestNever underestimate the power of a good title. 1992's Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have earned twice its $7 million budget on opening weekend, but it was hardly a success for screenwriter Joss Whedon, who felt the movie strayed far from his original vision. But the odd-sounding title lodged in audience minds, and five years l [..]

Review: JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Published on 2012-08-24 12:37:00

A sitcom pilot from Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin can't fail to raise expectations, as the writers were responsible for Drop the Dead Donkey and Outnumbered. Just Around the Corner is an idea that's apparently been swimming around their minds for awhile now, so I'm not sure if its inclusion in Channel 4's "Funny Fortnight" season is them scratching an itch or a serious attempt to launch a new show. The thing about this pilot is that, rather like The Function Room, it felt like a one-joke idea tha [..]

Creators tease SHERLOCK series 3, which begins filming in January 2013

Published on 2012-08-24 11:13:00

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss attended the MediaGuardian's Edinburgh International Television Festival panel to discuss Sherlock. They were joined by actor Andrew Scott (Moriarty) and producer Sue Vertue, to answer various questions. The big news was the announcement that series 3 will film between January and April 2013, suggesting a late-summer/early-autumn premiere next year.They also teased the next three 90-minute specials, with the one-word clues "rat", "wedding" and "bow". Fans will remem [..]

Review: COPPER, 1.1 – Surviving Death (BBC America)

Published on 2012-08-23 13:58:00

These days, every channel wants its own original drama, even if that flies in the face of their perceived intentions in the marketplace. I mean, why is MTV doing anything other than play music videos non-stop? Perhaps inspired by the success of cable minnow Starz with Spartacus and Boss, British TV importer BBC America has created its own drama series—one that, wisely, mixes the BBC's reputation for esteemed period drama, with the American crime procedural obsession. The result is the ten-part [..]

MSN TV Review: THE INBETWEENERS [USA]

Published on 2012-08-22 14:27:00

Today at MSN TV, I've reviewed the American remake of British comedy phenomenon THE INBETWEENERS, which started its first season on MTV last Monday. Will it recapture the magic of the original and echo its success Stateside? Well, probably not."Britain can take solace in the fact the best teenage drama and comedy of recent times has come from our shores: Skins and The Inbetweeners. MTV have now remade both for America, but the problem remains that these shows were very British reactions to a gen [..]

Review: TOAST OF LONDON

Published on 2012-08-22 12:57:00

It may sound strange to call any sitcom "encouraging" if I only laughed once, but Toast of London felt like it needs time to grow now the seed's planted; and for viewers to get a better handle on the daft characters and situation. It's the story of acclaimed luvvie actor Steven Toast (Matt Berry), who's destabilised his own career by appearing in a controversial West End play (the title of which is even censored by comical aural distractions if anyone dares utter it). As a result, Toast is now d [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.11 – Sunset

Published on 2012-08-22 11:01:00

Whenever it has an inflexible finish line in sight and must resolve things quickly, True Blood is often at its unhinged best. It's certainly more focused. Otherwise it's too happy to fool around for weeks on end, trying to stretch its story out across twelve hours. If HBO only ordered a half-dozen episodes every season, just imagine how much better and tighter this show would be. "Sunset" was a fairly pleasant viewing experience, even if it still contained some subplots I'm not very interested i [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.6 – Buyout

Published on 2012-08-21 10:59:00

"This business is all I have left now... and you want to take it away from me." -- WalterThe fallout to Todd (Jesse Plemons) unflappably killing a child witness was largely what I expected: Jesse (Aaron Paul) is outraged and demanding they sack callous Todd; Walt (Bryan Cranston) is numbed but pragmatic about events and determined to keep the business going for selfish reasons; and Mike (Jonathan Banks) is angry and looking for a way out of this whole sorry mess. What was unexpected is how an in [..]

MSN TV Review: CUTTING EDGE – IAN BRADY: ENDGAMES OF A PSYCHOPATH (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-08-21 10:52:00

Today over at MSN TV, I've reviewed Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary IAN BRADY: ENDGAMES OF A PSYCHOPATH, which appears to have started some debate from readers.Ian Brady, psychopathic killer of five children in the 1960s: Pauline Reade, Keith Bennett, John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans. You know the mug shot; sleepy-eyed, downturned mouth, a tussle of teddy boy hair, wearing a tie-less white shirt and jacket. Along with his lover and abettor Myra Hindley, he instantly became [..]

Review: THE FUNCTION ROOM – "Meet the Police"

Published on 2012-08-20 11:31:00

Another sitcom initially announced as part of 2011's Comedy Showcase, before being unceremoniously dropped from the schedule, The Function Room now arrives as part of Channel 4's "Funny Fortnight" season. Like Verry Terry, one assumes this is a back-door pilot for a series if the response is favourable, and it certainly made enough of a positive impression on me.The Function Room cast a veritable who's who of modern British comedy talent: Friday Night Dinner's Paul Ritter, The Inbetweeners' Blak [..]

BOTTOM's Mayall & Edmondson reuniting for HOLLIGAN'S ISLAND

Published on 2012-08-20 04:30:00

Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson have been British comedy legends for 30 years, particularly with their work on The Young Ones and Bottom, but in 2003 they parted ways after the fifth Bottom stage show, "Weapons Grade Y-Fronts". However, it looks like the anarchic double-act will reunite after almost a decade working on solo projects. Fans will be delighted to hear this will involve the return of Richie and Eddie, in a TV series based on their Bottom show "Hooligan's Island"—where their alter egos [..]

TV Picks: 20-26 August 2012 (Parade's End, Toast of London, A Touch of Cloth, Vic & Bob's Lucky Sexy Winners, Whatever Happened to Harry Hill?, etc.)

Published on 2012-08-20 03:30:00

It's my weekly look at the UK's best new TV shows, for the week beginning 20th August 2012. A week that includes plentiful comedy as part of Channel 4's "Funny Fortnight" season...MONDAY 20thDon't Blow the Inheritance (ITV1, 5pm) Brand new quiz show where two generations of the same family answer questions to earn money towards an Inheritance Prize Fund. Hosted by Tim Vine.Cutting Edge: Ian Brady – Endgames of the Psychopath (Channel 4, 9pm) Documentary about the infamous child murderer.Our Wa [..]

Why don't they bring back THE AVENGERS?

Published on 2012-08-19 09:40:00

It's the British spy-fi series that premiered in 1961, starring Patrick Macnee as urbane agent John Steed (in iconic bowler hat and umbrella), partnered by various assertive women—most famously Honor Blackman's shrewd Dr Cathy Gale, Diana Rigg's catsuit-wearing Emma Peel (so-named because she was added to give the show "man appeal"), and Linda Thorson's inscrutable Tara King. I'm talking about British cult classic The Avengers, of course, which at its mid-'60s peak was shown in over 90 countri [..]

Teasers: DOWNTON ABBEY, series 3

Published on 2012-08-19 04:30:00

ITV1 used the Saturday night returns of gameshow Red & Black? and The X Factor to debut trailers for upcoming dramas. The most memorable of which were two teases of Emmy-winner Downton Abbey's third series. Both offered fans peeks of the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith): one where she makes an acerbic remark about Lady Grantham's visiting mother Martha Levinson (Shirley Maclaine), and the other where Martha gets the better of her caustic English relative.Downton Abbey returns to ITV1 in September [..]

Review: VERRY TERRY, Channel 4

Published on 2012-08-18 05:30:00

Kayvan Novak transfers his popular Fonejacker/Facejacker character Terry Tibbs to a spoof chat show, where the brash East End car salesman interviewed Hollywood legend Mickey Rourke and ex-Blue Peter presenter turned domestic goddess Anthea Turner (her appearance filmed weeks before her recent marital problems, sadly). We've grown so accustomed to spoof chat shows that they rarely surprise or delight in the same way Knowing Me, Knowing You or The Mrs Merton Show did in the '90s, but Verry Terry [..]

Trailer: HOMELAND, season 2

Published on 2012-08-17 12:15:00

Showtime have released Homeland's official second season trailer (embedded above), which is 95-seconds of bliss. I love trailers that don't assault you with imagery; spoiling things for the eagle-eyed with a pause button. This is a much classier preview of season 2, set to the enchanting "Every Breath You Take" (The Police classic, here covered by Scala and the Kolacny Brothers).It doesn't give much away, but it teases some notable changes—not least war hero Nick Brody (Damian Lewis) stepping [..]

MSN TV Review: RUSSELL BRAND - FROM ADDICTION TO RECOVERY

Published on 2012-08-17 10:40:00

Over at MSN TV today, I've reviewed BBC Three's hour-long documentary RUSSELL BRAND - FROM ADDICTION TO RECOVERY, where the comedian investigates the country's drug addiction problem and the prospects of rehabilitation."My opinion of Russell Brand has always been hard to pin down because his output runs incredibly hot and cold. For every scene-stealing turn in the likes of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, there's a heinous remake of Arthur lurking round the corner. In addition, he's undoubtedly a ramp [..]

HBO/BBC2 pickup Christopher Guest and Chris O'Dowd comedy

Published on 2012-08-17 03:30:00

The IT Crowd's Chris O'Dowd is having incredible success in the US right now, thanks to a well-received role in Bridesmaids. Next up

Trailer: DEXTER, season 7

Published on 2012-08-16 12:22:00

Showtime have released a two-minute trailer for the seventh season of Dexter, which I've embedded above. It certainly looks promising, if only because the writers appear to have realised they can't toy with the audience any longer. For the first time in a very long time, we have a Dexter trailer demonstrating unequivocal progress of the show's underlying tension: Deb knows, or will soon realise, that her brother's the notorious Bay Harbour Butcher. I hope. There's still an outside chance this tr [..]

Review: BAD EDUCATION, BBC Three

Published on 2012-08-16 04:00:00

His stand-up comedy is flavourless and mechanical, but I enjoyed Jack Whitehall's acting debut in Channel 4's Fresh Meat recently, so didn't approach BBC3's Bad Education with the trepidation I'd have had beforehand. Whitehall has written this sitcom for himself, playing posh and immature teacher Alfie, but he forgot to make anything halfway original. And why cast yourself as a posh teacher, when you're currently known for playing a posh student in another sitcom? What next, a posh caretaker?Gav [..]

MSN TV Review: ACCUSED, series 2

Published on 2012-08-15 10:46:00

Over at MSN TV, I've reviewed the series 2 premiere of Jimmy McGovern's drama anthology ACCUSED, this one starring Sean Bean as a transvestite college professor who starts an affair with Stephen Graham's affable TV repairman."From acclaimed writer Jimmy McGovern, Accused retains its established format: a story told in flashback from the perspective of someone standing accused of a crime. In this premiere, transvestite teacher Simon Gaskell (Sean Bean) stood in the dock, part of a story involving [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.10 – Gone, Gone, Gone

Published on 2012-08-15 04:00:00

Following the slight uptick in quality last week, it's back down with a soft bump for "Gone, Gone, Gone". True Blood recognises it can't drag everything out over a whole season these days, which is good, but it also means that we have this awkward latter period where the show tries to cope with narrative losses by getting more characters involved in remaining plots. To that end, Sam (Sam Trammell) and Luna (Janina Gavankar) again played shape-shifting detectives in order to find Luna's missing d [..]

A summer redesign

Published on 2012-08-14 05:30:00

Dan's Media Digest underwent a revamp last Sunday evening, as you've hopefully noticed. (Unless you don't visit my blog directly and instead leech its RSS feed.) The changes don't feel too substantial in some ways, but it's still a brand new template combining aspects of the old with something new. The impetus behind this summer change was threefold:I wanted THREE columns, to enable more sidebar content and increase advertising space. It also necessitates the return of the 'Archive' widget (wher [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.5 – Dead Freight

Published on 2012-08-14 04:00:00

It begins with a lone kid on a dirt bike, riding across the peaceful desert, stopping to collect a tarantula in a jar; blissfully unaware he's yet to meet the environment's real danger that needs containing. "Dead Freight" had a beautiful bookend that packed a raw punch, no doubt about it, but the majority of the hour was another fizzy Breaking Bad escapade—which are something of a throwback to the earlier seasons, only the stakes are now far higher and success more critical.Lydia (Laura Frase [..]

Olympics: the Legacy of London 2012

Published on 2012-08-13 11:04:00

The Olympic Games are over for another four years, with the torch literally passed to Rio de Janeiro for 2016. It's been a wonderful fortnight for a great many reasons, managing the difficult feat of making the British lose their cynicism and sarcasm. Ever since London won the Games seven years ago, the press and comedians have been filling our heads with derogatory remarks about what a London Games will look like (how could they be as lavish or well-organised as Beijing?), and the focus was on [..]

TV Picks: 13-19 August 2012 (Accused, Bad Education, Celebrity Big Brother, Jonathan Ross Show, Person of Interest, Red or Black?, Verry Terry, Wilfred, X Factor, etc.)

Published on 2012-08-13 04:00:00

Here are my picks of the best new television shows premiering in the UK, for the week commencing 13 August:MONDAY 13thCelebrity MasterChef (BBC1, 6.30pm) Series 7 of the celebrity culinary challenge, featuring Jamie Theakston, Anne Charleston, Javine Hylton & Steve Perry. Hosted by Greg Wallace & John Torode. (1/30)Frontline Police (Channel 5, 8pm) Documentary with ex-cop Rav Wilding looking at crime prevention in Essex.Lorraine's Fast, Fresh & Easy Food (BBC2, 8.30pm) Brand new cooking show wit [..]

FX order THE AMERICANS

Published on 2012-08-10 04:00:00

It's official. US cable channel FX have ordered 13 episodes of Joe Weisberg's 1980s Cold War drama The Americans, starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as parents of an American family living in Washington D.C who are secretly KGB spies.The official description of the show is as follows: "The arranged marriage of Phillip [Rhys] and Elizabeth Jennings [Russell], who have two children who know nothing about their parents true identity, grows more passionate and genuine by the day, but is constant [..]

LUTHER spin-off for Alice Morgan?

Published on 2012-08-09 05:00:00

Variety are reporting that Neil Cross, creator of the BBC's Golden Globe-winning cop drama Luther, would love to write a US-set spin-off for the show's popular serial killer love-interest Alice (Ruth Wilson).Speaking to Variety, Cross confirmed that "the BBC is very interested in the project. The only real question would be how many and how often we would do it—whether it would be a one-off miniseries or a returning miniseries, a co-production or not. The truth is I absolutely adore Alice. I d [..]

Review: BEAVER FALLS, series 2

Published on 2012-08-09 04:00:00

*½ (out of four)Beaver Falls baffled me last year and continues to do so. It's a fun but derivative idea (three British blokes fly to a Californian summer camp with the intention of boozing, partying and shagging girls, only to discover they're at the bottom of the social ladder alongside some misfit kids they're tasked with entertaining), and it managed to justify a half-dozen episodes last year... but only by the skin of its teeth. The strange thing is, the story concluded perfectly well last [..]

Trailer: HOMELAND, season 2

Published on 2012-08-08 11:06:00

Showtime have released a 45-second TV spot that promotes the second season of Homeland, the fantastic terrorism drama starring Damian Lewis as a US war hero suspected of being an Al Qaeda terrorist by Claire Danes's CIA operative. The teaser doesn't give us footage pulled direct from the new season (relying instead on old clips and staged tableau), but it does confirm the story will shift to focus on the political angle now Lewis's character's running for office.I'm really looking forward to Hom [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.9 – "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

Published on 2012-08-08 04:00:00

** (out of four)I enjoyed "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" more than I expected to, which is largely because expectations are rock bottom this season. It helped that the hate-group storyline came to a decent conclusion, with a shock unmasking of the 'shifter-slaughtering gang's leader that worked well. (It may have betrayed a poignant character for the sake of a cheap shock, but did so in a way I quickly accepted.) The stupid Ilfrit demon storyline also ended, which was a blessed relief, and [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.4 – "Fifty-One"

Published on 2012-08-07 03:30:00

*** (out of four)"I will not have my children living in a house where dealing drugs, and hurting people, and killing people, is shrugged off as 'shit happens'." – Skyler WhiteA slower and more thoughtful episode than we've had so far this season, but no less absorbing for its focus on Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Skyler's (Anna Gunn) failing marriage. Walt retrieving his porkpie hat from his repaired Aztec signified him reconnecting to his "Heisenberg" alter ego, and "Fifty-One" served as the cle [..]

Movie Review: JOHN CARTER (2012)

Published on 2012-08-06 10:40:00

*½ (out of four)Edgar Rice Burroughs' first Barsoom novel was published in 1912, and A Princess of Mars proceeded to inspire and influence a vast amount of sci-fi over the 20th-century. Its impact can be found most apparently in Star Wars and Avatar, but even properties like Flash Gordon and Superman owe a debt. This unfortunately means any modern adaptation lacks freshness to modern eyes; and even a $250 million spectacle isn't that impressive post-Phantom Menace. Still, even having accepted t [..]

TV Picks: 6-12 August 2012 (Beaver Falls, A Gifted Man, Mastermind, Secrets of the Pickpockets, etc.)

Published on 2012-08-06 03:30:00

MONDAY 6thDispatches: Britain's High Street Gamble (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary investigating the rise of gambling businesses on the UK's high streets.The Hit Factory (ITV1, 9pm) Documentary on the Stock Aitken & Waterman music producing trio, who had more than 100 Top 40 hits in the '80s and '90s. Narrated by Suranne Jones.PICK OF THE DAY

Review: VEXED, series 2

Published on 2012-08-05 12:22:00

* (out of four)I have no idea how Vexed was given a second series by the BBC, after mediocre ratings, poor critical reaction, and the loss of co-star Lucy Punch (off doing things in Hollywood, perhaps after being reminded the UK doesn't have much to offer funny actresses). Somehow, someone thought Vexed deserves a second chance two years later—so it's back for a longer run of six episodes. But it feels like confidence isn't so high now the show's in the can, as it's been given a summer timeslo [..]

Movie Review: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)

Published on 2012-08-05 08:16:00

***½ (out of four)The ambitious conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy may lack The Dark Knight's clarity and that performance from posthumous Oscar-winner Heath Ledger, not to mention the elegant simplicity of Batman Begins' arc, but it's a vigorous spectacle that brings Nolan's cherry-picking vision to a rousing climax. The wonder of Nolan's work in this universe is how he's managed to create something that feels singularly distinct, yet borrows so much from the cream of Batman comi [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.8 – "Somebody That I Used To Know"

Published on 2012-08-04 13:13:00

*½ (out of four)The previous episode was

Trailer: DOCTOR WHO, series 7

Published on 2012-08-02 07:57:00

The BBC have released the first official trailer of Doctor Who's seventh series, which is rumoured to begin its first half later this month. At this stage in the show's life, post-revival, I have to say there's nothing here to get me really excited, but it does look like great fun. Thousands of Daleks, the return of the Weeping Angels (now with a scary cherub version), the apparent death of Amy Pond (also a key feature of the promotional photo below), a cyborg cowboy, dinosaurs on a spaceship, T [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.3 – "Hazard Pay"

Published on 2012-08-02 07:31:00

*** (out of four)I love how this season's giving us a good insight into the ins and outs of running a top-level drug empire, and what's necessary when the serpent's head is lopped off. Mike (Jonathan Banks) is calmly trying to ensure the remaining elements of Gus's business don't breathe a word to the cops, but it's difficult now the feds have taken their hazard pay—which is another good reason for Mike to start working with Walt (Bryan Cranston) on another drug racket, to pay for people's sil [..]

Olympic break

Published on 2012-07-30 04:18:00

I'm taking some time off until the weekend, primarily because I have tickets to the Olympic tennis at Wimbledon. As usual, this means I can't guarantee DMD will be updated at the usual times and frequency. Breaking Bad and True Blood will be reviewed at some point, but I'm not entirely sure when. I'll try and maintain the usual schedule, if I can, but no promises. There may be bonus reviews of John Carter and The Dark Knight Rises at some point, as a sweetener.But, for now, please use this oppor [..]

TV Picks: 30 July – 5 August 2012 (Lemon La Vida Loca, Lost Children, The Midwives, Simply Italian, Vexed, etc.)

Published on 2012-07-30 03:30:00

MONDAY 30thFrom Ronaldo to Ronaldo (ITV4, 7pm) Profiles of the best football players, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Zinedine Zidane.Arctic Icebreakers (Channel 5, 8pm) Science documentary looking at the design of engineering vessels that must travel through icy seas.PICK OF THE DAY

Trailer: HUNTED (BBC)

Published on 2012-07-29 08:18:00

Hunted is the BBC's flashy new espionage thriller, created by Frank Spotnitz (The X Files, Millennium). It stars Melissa George (Alias, The Slap) as a highly skilled intelligence operative called Sam who goes on the run after being targeted by her own elite firm. Spotnitz himself says he's "... incredibly excited about the ambition of this series. It's got action on a cinematic scale, huge story twists and turns, and intriguing characters who are both emotionally and morally complex. I can’t i [..]

Trailer: MERLIN, series 5

Published on 2012-07-29 04:59:00

The BBC have released a 40-second trailer for the fifth series of Merlin, which will premiere later this year. It heralds the dawn of a new era now Arthur's king and Gwen's become his queen, and the footage looks to be continuing the darker tone began in series 4. I can't say I'm hugely excited, because I think Merlin's taken far too long to reach this point in its life (The Legend Begins says the tagline. What, five years into the show?!), and the biggest problem remains the iffy plotting and t [..]

TV Review: LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS – OPENING CEREMONY

Published on 2012-07-28 08:26:00

I think the UK lacks confidence and self-belief sometimes, because it's troubling to remember the cynicism many people had about the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. For years cynics have said nothing will live up to Beijing's awesome 2008 event, given how much money they spent, and the thousands of citizens who practised round-the-clock to make it look so startling. But I thought last night's ceremony was a triumph, even taking into considerations all the silly, cheesy moments. There was n [..]

THE KILLING killed by AMC

Published on 2012-07-28 05:35:00

After two seasons, AMC have pulled the plug on murder-mystery drama The Killing—the US remake of the internationally successful Danish drama Forbryldsen. The show launched to high ratings (2.72m) and critical acclaim two years ago, but viewers dropped away and critical opinion shifted over the course of its first season. The second season, which concluded the central "Who Killed Rosie Larsen?" mystery, and which many thought had been unwisely dragged out too far, aired to 1.45m subscribers.In [..]

BBC1 Original British Drama - autumn 2012

Published on 2012-07-27 11:54:00

After the recent BBC2 trailer, now it's BBC1's turn to get in on the action. They've released a tease of six new dramas coming to the BBC's flagship channel this autumn, and naturally they look glossier and more expensive than BBC2's more erudite offerings.There's the four-part drama Good Cop, starring Warren Brown (Luther) as a Liverpool policeman whose moral compass gets spun after the death of a friend; Suranne Jones headlining Joe Ahearne's adaptation of James Herbert's ghost story The Secre [..]

E4 buy GLEE writer's THE NEW NORMAL

Published on 2012-07-27 04:30:00

E4 have been having great success with US sitcoms just recently, as acquisitions like The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, New Girl, Suburgatory and Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 have all been drawing good ratings for the youth-targeted digital channel. Who needs those endless repeats of Friends, right?Adding to their US-heavy line-up, E4 have just bought the UK rights to The New Normal—Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy's sitcom about a gay Beverly Hills couple (played by Andrew Rannells and [..]

LIFE'S TOO SHORT ending with a special

Published on 2012-07-26 05:00:00

Ratings and reaction to Life's Too Short were terrible earlier this year, so most people assumed the BBC would quietly axe Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's latest sitcom. But then Gervais claimed on Twitter that a second series was very likely, which felt strange and self-delusional at the time, especially as the show was then greeted with a muted response in the US.Yesterday, the show's star Warwick Davis confirmed that Life's Too Short won't be back for another series, but the story will c [..]

BBC2 Original British Drama – autumn 2012

Published on 2012-07-26 04:30:00

The BBC have released a minute-long tease for the autumn, focusing on BBC2's successful "Original British Drama" strand. The Hour returns for series 2 of the 1950s newsroom drama, where it seems news anchor Hector (Dominic West) is embroiled in a scandal, but the rest are all new offerings. There's Parade's End, an adaptation of the Ford Madox Ford novels, starring Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch; Toby Jones plays Alfred Hitchcock in The Girl, with Sienna Miller as the famous director's obsessio [..]

MISFITS: Series 4 Photo & Web-Chat

Published on 2012-07-25 14:00:00

Howard Overman and Matt Stevens, the creator and producer of E4's superhero hit Misfits, were involved with a live web-chat on the show's official site earlier today. During their dialogue, they revealed a few things about the currently filming fourth series (including the fact Shaun Dooley's playing the latest probation worker), updated fans on the prospect of a US remake ("the storm will reach any country which I sell the format to. So it looks like there might be a storm in America soon..."), [..]

Sky partner NBC for DRACULA with Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Published on 2012-07-25 11:04:00

Sky have been co-producing a few shows with US networks just recently, most notably Strike Back with Cinemax and Treasure Island with Syfy, and now they've partnered with NBC to bring a fresh interpretation of Dracula to our screens. Carnival Films & Television (the company behind Downton Abbey) will produce the ten-part drama alongside Univeral Television, Flame Ventures, Playground and Sky Living, which will air on NBC and Sky Living.In this "epic tale of love and revenge", Dracula (The Tudors [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.7 – "In the Beginning"

Published on 2012-07-25 04:00:00

* (out of four)My blood's boiling...True Blood's been incompetent and wilfully stupid for years now, but it's now become insulting and wretched. If you're still watching HBO's vampire drama, I hope it's only out of grim fascination, because from a creative perspective it's become a catastrophic mess. Scenes lurch out of nowhere, logic takes a backseat, and any clarity of motivation is practically non-existent. It feels like each episode's writer is under orders to fill an hour with whatever malf [..]

MSN TV Review: ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS - "Olympics"

Published on 2012-07-24 10:45:00

Over at MSN TV, I review the "Olympics" episode of Absolutely Fabulous, which completes the popular sitcom's triptych of 20th anniversary specials...Cards on the table, I'm not a fan of Absolutely Fabulous. Jennifer Saunders's 1990s sitcom never appealed to me as a teenager as I wasn't the target audience when it premiered in 1992; this remained true throughout its intermittent lifespan. The show plays better to women and gay men, although it's obviously not designed to exclude heterosexual guys [..]

BREAKING BAD, 5.2 - "Madrigal"

Published on 2012-07-24 04:00:00

*** (out of four)Nothing's simple. If Walt (Bryan Cranston) thinks he's just going to step into Gus Fring's shoes and become the city's drug lord, he's in for a rude awakening. Obviously he knows it won't happen overnight and needs careful planning, but after destroying Gus's incriminating laptop, Walt is blissfully unaware of the other repercussions Fring's death has set in motion..."Madrigal" served to remind us that you can't eliminate someone like Gus Fring without shock-waves. First there's [..]

SINBAD, 1.3 - "House of Games"

Published on 2012-07-23 05:00:00

*½ (out of four)After three episodes, I'm not sure there's any point continuing weekly reviews of Sinbad, as I'd planned to. Sinbad is one of those shows where my opinion's unlikely to shift, as I just don't derive much pleasure from this show. This week's episode was better than the last, to be fair, with more of a focus on the gang themselves, but there was too much silliness underpinning it. Anwar (Dimitri Leonidas) lost the Providence in a foolish bet with merchant Abdul-Fahim (Ashley Walte [..]

TV Picks: 23-29 July 2012 (Absolutely Fabulous, The Angel, Bert & Dickie, The Churchills, Come Dine With Me, Olympics 2012, A Year in the Wild, The Zoo, etc.)

Published on 2012-07-23 03:30:00

During the Olympic period, I won't be noting any of the live coverage during this time, because there's just too much, with the exception of the opening and closing ceremonies.MONDAY 23rdMegastructures: London's Olympic Stadium (Channel 5, 8pM) Documentary on the making of the 2012 Olympic Stadium in London, which has been built to enable a variety of future uses.Horizon: The Truth About Looking Younger (BBC2, 9pm) Science documentary exploring why our ski n ages.PICK OF THE DAY Absolutely Fabul [..]

WILL BILL signed T-shirt winner!

Published on 2012-07-22 05:00:00

Earlier this week I held a competition to win a Wild Bill T-shirt signed by actor Dexter Fletcher, who made his directorial debut on that movie. The question I asked was very simple:In Wild Bill, Will Poulter plays Bill's son Dean, but in which movie did Poulter play a schoolboy called Lee Carter?The answer was: Son of Rambow.Of the correct entries received (and there were some incorrect ones!), the randomly chosen winner was: Grant Martin from Essex. Congratulations, Grant! I'll be in touch soo [..]

What else am I watching?

Published on 2012-07-21 08:52:00

The TV shows I review aren't all I watch. Oh no. My TiVo is full of many things, which I don't have the time to write about, so here's a brief insight into my DVR's weekly recordings...The Midnight Beast (E4, Thursdays). I reviewed the pilot, which was promising, and have stuck with E4's Flight Of The Conchords-esque teen comedy. I still wish it was better written, have to say. The trio are very

Trailer: RED DWARF X

Published on 2012-07-20 14:05:00

Dave have released a tease of Red Dwarf X, which returns for a six-episode series later this year, following the success of those atrocious "Back to Earth" specials three years ago. As a lapsed fan of Red Dwarf (which was one of my favourite sitcoms as a teenager), I was braced for the worst... but this wasn't so bad. It immediately helps that you can hear a live studio audience laughing along, and the middle-aged cast don't look as ridiculous as I was imagining they might. Chris Barrie's the on [..]

Sponsored Video: TED trailer

Published on 2012-07-20 05:00:00

I have a love-hate attitude towards Seth MacFarlane, creator of popular adult-skewing cartoons Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show. He's clearly a talented man with multiple strings to his bow, but his style of comedy is something I have mixed feelings about. I often find that a compilation of Family Guy clips on YouTube is preferable to actually watching a single episode, because the show doesn't have good stories--and therefore context isn't that necessary for most of the jokes. [..]

Primetime Emmy Awards 2012: Nominees

Published on 2012-07-19 11:56:00

The nominations have been announced for the Primetime Emmy Awards 2012, and it makes for interesting reading. Below is a list of the major nominees, together with thoughts from my good self under each category. Obviously, I don't watch everything on US TV, so some of this is down to gut instinct and wishful thinking...Outstanding Comedy SeriesThe Big Bang TheoryCurb Your EnthusiasmGirlsModern Family30 RockVeepThoughts: I'd like Girls to win because it's new and, to be frank, most US awards show [..]

Competition: win a WILD BILL T-shirt signed by Dexter Fletcher

Published on 2012-07-18 04:30:00

Wild Bill is a British drama about Bill Hayward (Charlie Creed-Miles), a parolee who returns to his home in East London after 8 years in prison, only to discover his two teenage sons have been abandoned by their mother and are living on the street. Bill's eldest, 15-year-old Dean (Will Poulter), is doing his best to provide for his younger brother, but it's not long before Bill's forced back into a fatherly role, just as his youngest son gets involved with some of his drug-dealing associates...T [..]

Trailer: FRINGE, season 5

Published on 2012-07-17 12:57:00

Here's another trailer from the San Diego Comic-Con, this one previewing the final season of Fringe. As expected, it looks like the show will be entirely set in the future glimpsed in season 4's "Letters of Transit", with Fringe Division trying to rid the world of the conquering Observers. One would assume this leaves little room for freak-of-the-week investigations, being more of a serialised action-adventure with freaky science as the freedom-fighter's weapon of choice. A change of pace, perha [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.6 – "Hopeless"

Published on 2012-07-17 11:02:00

*½ (out of four)We're halfway through season 5 already, and I'm aware my reviews will soon slip into repetition—if they haven't done so already. The show's problems are its problems, and they're clearly not going to be fixed soon (or ever). There's a chance for reinvention next season, without Alan Ball's involvement, but even then I don't see HBO allowing True Blood's recipe to be altered too much. Unless the ratings flat line, there's most likely no chance of this show ever clawing back its [..]

Review: BREAKING BAD, 5.1 – "Live Free or Die"

Published on 2012-07-17 03:30:00

**½ (out of four)"We're done when I say we're done." – Walter White The first half of Breaking Bad's concluding season begins, and there are big changes in the wake of Gus Fring's shocking death and the dismantling of the Mexican cartel. A power vacuum's opened up in Albuquerque, and the victorious Walter White (Bryan Cranston) probably has ambitions to fill the void. Where once he was a desperate chemistry teacher using his underestimated talents to make and sell drugs to provide for his fam [..]

SINBAD, 1.2 – episode two

Published on 2012-07-16 05:00:00

*½ (out of four)Sky1's new fantasy drama looks terrific, but Sinbad isn't engaging us with the lead character and his shipmates. I don't actually recall anyone's name beyond the hero (without looking up the credits), and it confuses me that episode 2 largely kept Sinbad (Elliot Knight) away from the rest of the regulars. This week, Sinbad and the crew of The Providence were captured by an island tribe of Water-Thieves, with Sinbad taking a liking to their autocratic leader Razia (Sophie Okonedo [..]

TV Picks: 16-22 July 2012 (Dancing On Ice Goes Gold, How the Universe Works, Phil Spencer: Secret Agent, Suburgatory, Usain Bolt: the Fastest Man Alive, etc.)

Published on 2012-07-16 03:30:00

MONDAY 16thBabies In The Office (BBC2, 7pm) Series where a London minicab firm allow their workers to bring their babies into work with them, which has proven a success in America. (1/2)PICK OF THE DAY Britain's Secret Treasures (ITV1, 8pm) Series exploring the amazing archaelogical finds by ordinary members of the public. Hosted by Michael Buerke & Bettany Hughes. Continues until Saturday. (1/6)Nature's Microworlds (BBC4, 8.30pm) Documentary series exploring some of the world's most amazing eco [..]

Comic-Con 2012: DOCTOR WHO

Published on 2012-07-15 12:11:00

Embedded above is the Doctor Who panel from Nerd HQ at San Diego's Comic-Con, where Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill addressed fans. Fun to see Chuck's Zachary Levi as their emcee, too. So check out the video, which is the entire 47-minute panel, available in 720P HD if you click through to YouTube. The gang discuss the possibility of a multi-Doctor special, a very leggy Karen Gillan does a Dalek impression, and there's an unlikely rendition of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". A lot of fu [..]

Trailer: TRUE BLOOD, season 5b

Published on 2012-07-15 05:16:00

True Blood has this remarkable ability to create brilliant trailers, packed full of stunts, violence, sexiness, and moments to make fanboys yelp with joy. Regular as clockwork, they've been releasing a trailer for the remainder of the current season every year at San Diego's Comic-Con, perhaps to take the edge off everyone's disappointment so far. As usual, it's worked.The embedded trailer looks like a huge amount of fun, but deep down I know that these are isolated moments taken out of context. [..]

Trailer: THE WALKING DEAD, season 3

Published on 2012-07-14 13:06:00

A trailer for The Walking Dead's third season premiered at the San Diego Comic-Con recently, which I've embedded above. It gives us a four-minute tease of the new season, and it all looks rather good. But this is a show that always looks really good when footage is shown out of context, because there's sun-baked scenery, rotting zombies, and hardcore violence to cut to. The show has always done an impressive job in that regard. It's the characters and storytelling I have problems with, although [..]

Review: THE ANGELOS EPITHEMIOU SHOW (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-07-14 06:26:00

* (out of four)A character created for BBC2's Shooting Stars, burger van owner Angelos Epithemiou has now landed his own Channel 4 spoof chat show; following a pilot originally intended for last year's Comedy Showcase season. Dan Renton Skinner is the man behind the gormless loser, and his oafish creation remains someone I just don't warm to or find especially funny. It's hard to see what the joke is, other than the chance to laugh at someone who's ugly, stupid, and unfashionable—but in today' [..]

DEAD BOSS, series 1 finale

Published on 2012-07-13 13:17:00

I reviewed the first two episodes of BBC Three's prison comedy Dead Boss, but didn't think there was much point continuing. A sitcom needs to be something special if it's going to motivate weekly reviews, and Dead Boss felt like a harmless time-filler more than anything else. (Which most are, so there's no shame in that.) But, having just watched the final episode, I thought I'd let some of my thoughts and feelings known. This show isn't terrible, but I often had the feeling that the production [..]

Channel 4 order more BLACK MIRROR

Published on 2012-07-12 11:21:00

I was beginning to think Black Mirror (Charlie Brooker's excellent three-part satire of modern society and technology) was doomed to be seen as a one-off experiment, perhaps because of the 322 complaints it received for the episode where royal kidnappers blackmailed the Prime Minister into having sex with a pig on live TV. But, thankfully, Channel 4 has finally ordered another three episodes. Series 2 of Black Mirror will actually begin filming next month.Shane Allen, Channel 4's Head of Comedy, [..]

Chris Moyles; the loud-mouthed "Saviour of Radio 1" leaves the flagship breakfast show

Published on 2012-07-12 05:30:00

Chris Moyles, BBC Radio 1's love-him-or-hate-him DJ, is hanging up his headphones after a record-breaking 8 years presenting the station's famous breakfast show. Now aged 38, it was inevitable he'd go sooner rather than later, after 15 years with the stattion, although his most recent contract would have kept him on-air until late-2014 (when he'd have turned 40).Radio 1 may be pitched at 16-34 year olds, but it has a habit of keeping DJs around who are far beyond that age bracket. Jo Whiley was [..]

Aliens and vampires coming to Starz

Published on 2012-07-12 04:00:00

Steven S. DeKnight (Buffy, Angel) is currently the showrunner of Starz's smash-hit Spartacus, which is gearing up for its third and final season next year. Wary of losing him to a rival, the cable network is already developing Incursion with DeKnight; a series about soldiers fighting an alien invasion.Starz describe Incursion thus: "Each season the battle will be fought on a new, exotic planet as humanity punches deeper into enemy territory. Grittily realistic combat, darkly complex characters a [..]

MSN TV Review: THE NEWSROOM (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-07-11 11:12:00

I already

TRUE BLOOD, 5.5 - "Let's Boot and Rally"

Published on 2012-07-10 04:00:00

**½ (out of four)This was the best episode of season 5 so far--which isn't saying much, but it's nevertheless true. What helped is this episode maintained some lucidity amidst the show's haphazard style. Sookie (Anna Paquin) being enlisted to help ex-boyfriends Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) find Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare), using her psychic fairy powers, felt like a rational use of her character and a decent way to get Sookie involved in the main storyline. Even if [..]

Review: SINBAD (Sky1)

Published on 2012-07-09 10:44:00

In a change to the usual procedure, you can read my review of Sky1's fantasy adventure series SINBAD, starring newcomer Elliot Knight and Lost's Naveen Andrews, over at MSN TV."Sky recently cornered the market in US drama with Sky Atlantic, and increased their comedy output across the board, so now they turn their attention to weekend fantasy; those teatime shows that have proven successful for the BBC (Doctor Who, Merlin) and ITV (Primeval) in recent years. The good news is this adaptation of l [..]

TV Picks: 9-15 July 2012 (Adam Buxton's Bug, Alan Partridge's Mid-Morning Matters, Angelos Epithemiou Show, The Newsroom, Twenty Twelve, Volcano Live, etc.)

Published on 2012-07-09 03:30:00

For any new readers, this is a regular Monday feature where I choose the best TV shows that are having a premiere in the UK this week...MONDAY 9thThe Farm Fixer (BBC2, 6.30pm) Series where The Apprentice's Nick Hewer helps Nothern Ireland farmers develop their businesses. (1/4)Faster, Higher, Stronger: Stories Of The Olympic Games (BBC2, 7pm) The history of the Olympic Games, focusing on the various events and the athletes who push the limits of human capabilities. (1/4)Volcano Live (BBC2, 8pm) [..]

Review: PARENTS (Sky1)

Published on 2012-07-08 04:00:00

**½ (out of four)"Comfortable" is the word I'd used to describe much of Sky's latest comedy; as recent shows like Trollied, Mount Pleasant and The Café plow very genteel furrows. There's nothing edgy or trailblazing about them, they're just lightly amusing. Parents can be added to this growing pile, as a warm-hearted sitcom with clear lineage to My Family and Modern Family, although the concept feels more like an improvement of BBC2's short-lived 2009 sitcom Home Time (where Emma Fryer played [..]

Review: THE MIDNIGHT BEAST, 1.1 – "Someone Called Sam" (E4)

Published on 2012-07-07 06:41:00

** (out of four)The Midnight Beast are a charismatic trio of singer-songwriters who've amassed a big following on YouTube with over 290,000 subscribers and a combined 40 million video hits. (Non-fans may remember their parody of Ke$ha's "TiK ToK" from 2009, which became a viral hit around the world.) Recently, The Midnight Beast have been touring the country and had a semi-autobiographic book published, and now E4 have decided to give Stefan Abingdon, Dru Wakely and Ashley Horne their own six-pa [..]

Review: DYNAMO – MAGICIAN IMPOSSIBLE (Watch)

Published on 2012-07-06 13:38:00

Last summer Watch scored an unexpected hit with Dynamo: Magician Impossible, a street magic series owing much to the pioneering work of US illusionist David Blaine in the late-'90s; insofar as it's a near-exact replica. Like Blaine, Bradford-born magician Dynamo (aka Steve Frayne) travels the world performing magic to ordinary folk in the great outdoors—with no stages, dry ice

Sky comedy: who's laughing now?

Published on 2012-07-06 03:30:00

I have my issues with BSkyB and how they function as a company (forever trying to monopolise the marketplace with unassailable sports and movie rights), but appointing Lucy Lumsden as their Head of Comedy was something of a masterstroke that's benefiting British comedy fans. The ex-BBC employee has been in charge for a few years now, and in that time Sky's comical output has quadrupled. We're living in an era where The Simpsons isn't what people immediately think of when you mention Sky in the s [..]

Sky acquire ARROW, ELEMENTARY, THE FOLLOWING & VEGAS

Published on 2012-07-03 10:59:00

Sky today announced four big US acquisitions; The CW's superhero drama Arrow, CBS' modern-day Sherlock Holmes drama Elementary, Fox's serial-killer thriller The Following, and CBS' cop drama Vegas.

TRUE BLOOD, 5.4 – "We'll Meet Again"

Published on 2012-07-03 04:30:00

* (out of four)A bad episode for so many reasons, and one which struggled to make much of a parental theme—if you can call it a theme, given how it's probably coincidence the writers had reason to echo Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Pam's (Kristin Bauer van Straten) relationship in the nascent one between Pam and Tara (Rutina Wesley) and, to a lesser extent, Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll). The show even invented a brand new piece of lore, with vampire "makers" suddenly ab [..]

Online Review: DAWSON BROS. FUNTIME

Published on 2012-07-03 03:30:00

***½ (out of four)You probably haven't heard of The Dawson Bros. They're a trio of comedy writers (brothers Steve and Andrew Dawson, joined by friend Tim Inman) who have been contributing material to various TV comedies over the years—from That Mitchell & Webb Look, and The Peter Serafinowicz Show, to The Friday Night Project and Balls Of Steel. They've also written for the UK strand of website Funny Or Die, which feels like the closest thing to their recent BBC commission Dawson Bros. Funtim [..]

TV Picks: 2-8 July 2012 (Alan Partridge on Open Book, Blackout, Dynamo: Magician Impossible, Falling Skies, Let's Get Gold, Parents, Sinbad, Superstar, Wallander, etc.)

Published on 2012-07-02 03:30:00

MONDAY 2ndJamie's Summer Rave Up (Channel 4, 8.30pm) Series where chef Jamie Oliver showcases outdoor recipes. (1/3)Blackout (BBC1, 9pm) Psychological thriller about a council officer whose life spirals out of control after an altercation with a drunken businessman he puts in a coma. Starring Christopher Eccleston, Ewan Bremner, Dervla Kirwan, Andrew Scott & MyAnna Buring. (1/3)7/7: One Day In London (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary about the day London was attacked by terrorists, killing 52 people and i [..]

Review: LOUIE, 3.1 – "Something Is Wrong"

Published on 2012-07-01 04:00:00

** (out of four)The title echoed my thoughts after watching this season premiere of Louie. Louis C.K's quasi-autobiographical sitcom is one of the bravest and most experimental TV comedies around, but "Something Is Wrong" was a weak start to its third year. I have no doubt future episodes will be far better, and this will quickly be seen as an aberration, but it's a pity to restart the show with a dud. Newcomers to Louie (many persuaded to give this show a try by passionate fans) may feel no com [..]

HIT & MISS - episode six

Published on 2012-06-30 04:00:00

** (out of four)Sky Atlantic's first original drama comes to the end of its first series, where the biggest surprise was how the story didn't have the decency to conclude. Hit & Miss appears to be another show I've mistaken for a miniseries, unfortunately, ending on a cliffhanger to be resolved whenever Chloë Sevigny finds a gap in her schedule and memories of grim Manchester have faded. It's been a bizarre six-week viewing experience, but one that held my interest—even if much of the reason [..]

Review: THE NEWSROOM, 1.1 – "We Just Decided To"

Published on 2012-06-28 04:00:00

**½ (out of four)Aaron Sorkin offers another workplace drama to compliment Sports Night, The West Wing, and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, populated by familiar archetypes and snappy dialogue. The Newsroom is hardly a stretch for the award-winning writer, who recently moved back into feature films with Charlie Wilson's War, The Social Network and Moneyball, but there's clearly something Sorkin wants to say about the media in the long-form of television. The problem with Sorkin is how his style [..]

Review: ALAN PARTRIDGE – WELCOME TO THE PLACES OF MY LIFE

Published on 2012-06-27 04:00:00

***½ (out of four)It's strange to think that Steve Coogan's alter ego, incompetent broadcaster Alan Partridge, has only appeared in a handful of TV programmes actually doing his day job (The Day Today, Knowing Me, Knowing You, and webseries Mid Morning Matters). His most famous outing, the award-winning sitcom I'm Alan Partridge, instead took a tragicomic look at his sad life as his career declines. And that makes Welcome to the Places of My Life all the more special to me, because it puts the [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.3 – "Whatever I Am, You Made Me"

Published on 2012-06-26 04:00:00

*½ (out of four)Now I start wondering if there's any point reviewing True Blood every week, because the show's reached the point where it's a struggle to say anything new about it. You know my core issues by now, and they're not going to be fixed any time soon. (There are far too many characters, most stuck in pointless or boring subplots.) In every episode, an hour's worth of stuff happens—some good, some bad, most forgettable—and you finish each episode with a mix of emotions. If most of [..]

TV Picks: 25 June – 1 July 2012 (Alan Partridge: Welcome to the Places of My Life, The Bachelor, Gordon Behind Bars, the Hollow Crown, Line of Duty, Veep, etc.)

Published on 2012-06-25 03:30:00

MONDAY 25thWimbledon (BBC1, 1.45pm) Live coverage of the annual tennis Grand Slam tournament. Presented by Sue Barker. Continues every day for a fortnight, various times.Food Factory (BBC1, 7.30pm) Series 3 of the food show that investigates mass-produced meals. Presented by Stefan Gates, taking over from Jimmy Doherty. (1/6)Strictly Kosher (ITV1, 9pm) Documentary about the lives of a Jewish community living in Manchester. Concludes tomorrow. (1/2)Lifers (Channel 4, 9pm) Documentary on Gartree P [..]

Movie Review: THE GREY (2012)

Published on 2012-06-24 04:55:00

Joe Carnahan puts his post-Narc career back on course with the effective and unexpectedly spiritual The Grey, starring his A-Team lead Liam Neeson as another alpha male thrown into a life-or-death situation. Here, Neeson keeps his Irish brogue to play suicidal John Ottway, a hunter employed to kill the wolves that endanger an oil team in Alaska. Then, one fateful night during a blizzard, Ottway becomes one of seven drillers to survive a plane crash on their way home. Stranded in the snowy wilder [..]

Sky's new shows: BRIZE NORTON, DUCK QUACKS DON'T ECHO, HELP ME I'M HUMAN!, MOONE BOY, MOONFLEET, THE SMOKE, and YOU & WHOSE ARMY?

Published on 2012-06-23 11:53:00

Sky's announced another brace of TV shows that will join their channels later this year and the next. These include three entertainment pilots: Duck Quacks Don't Echo (a comedy panel show about erroneous trivia), Help Me I'm Human! (a comedy chat show focused on modern dilemmas), and You And Whose Army? (a challenge series between two celebrities and a handpicked team of friends, family and acquaintances). These were all commissioned by Phil Edgar-Jones, formerly of Channel 4, who is now looking [..]

Review: TRUE LOVE (BBC1)

Published on 2012-06-23 07:17:00

Here's an abject lesson in how to waste potential, if ever I saw one. True Love could have been a small-screen drama-heavy version of Love, Actually (there are signs it wanted to be), but for some inexplicable reason writer-director Dominic Savage largely chose miserablism. I like the basic concept, though: five half-hour love stories, broadcast across four nights, with a few characters straying into other episodes, all set in the seaside town of Margate. And look at the fabulous cast assembled: [..]

HIT & MISS - episode five

Published on 2012-06-21 12:50:00

It's still as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face, but Hit & Miss has proven to be oddly enjoyable despite that failing. As penultimate episode's go, this one didn't leave me desperate to see next week's finale, but I enjoyed the repercussion of Riley (Karla Crome) shooting John (Vincent Regan) dead as he tried to strangle her. It predictably led to Mia (Chloë Sevigny) taking charge of the situation, behaving suspiciously calm and collected around the gruesome scene, while getting into further [..]

Competition Result: COVERT AFFAIRS DVD

Published on 2012-06-21 04:00:00

Last weekend one of my irregular competitions was launched; this one to win a copy of Covert Affairs' first season on DVD (released 18 June 2012 in the UK). I'd love to say thousands of people entered, but that would be a barefaced lie. But hey, that's why you really must enter competitions here, because you have a fantastic chance of actually winning!Anyway, the question posed was as follows:Piper Perabo is the star of Covert Affairs, but which live-action/animated movie was her big break?(a) T [..]

Review: FALLING SKIES, 2.1 & 2.2 - "World's Apart" & "Shall We Gather at the River"

Published on 2012-06-20 03:22:00

I really enjoyed the first batch of Falling Skies episodes from season 1, but then the show started to spin its wheels and my interest diminished. I managed to watch the whole season, but beyond a few moments the show didn't capitalise on its concept and make its characters matter. Even now, I struggle to remember people's names, have no real connection with the majority of folk, and don't feel compelled to keep watching. Although, on a visual level, Falling Skies at least delivers the goods. Th [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 5.2 - "Authority Always Wins"

Published on 2012-06-18 10:08:00

An improvement on the messy premiere, for a reason we've come to expect: less focus on the bad storylines the second-tier characters are occupied with, more on the good ones that feel relevant. As someone who enjoyed the vampire politics of True Blood's first few seasons, I'm glad we're back to that particular well. Seeing Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) detained in the vampire equivalent of Guantanamo Bay, interrogated by politely threatening Dieter Braun (Hell On Wheels' C [..]

TV Picks: 18-24 June 2012 (Chris Moyles' Comedy Empire, Prime Suspect USA, Radio 1's Big Weekend, Sex & The Sitcom, etc.)

Published on 2012-06-18 03:30:00

MONDAY 18thLondon On Film (BBC4, 8.30pm) Documentary on the various aspects of London captured on film, beginning with the West End.Chris Moyles' Comedy Empire (BBC3, 10pm) Gala evening of comedy from the Hackney Empire, hosted by Chris Moyles. Featuring Mark Watson, Jason Bryne, Andrew Maxwell, and many others.PICK OF THE DAY

Hardware Review: VIRGIN MEDIA TIVO

Published on 2012-06-17 12:37:00

It's been available for awhile now, but I recently took the plunge and bought one of Virgin Media's new TiVo boxes. No, before you ask, it wasn't those David Tennant adverts that swayed me. I opted for the 500GB model, rather than the premium 1TB model, mainly because I don't record and keep enough HD content to make the 1TB a key requirement. I nearly always record, watch and delete everything within a week or so.The many features of the TiVo have been well-documented over the months by profess [..]

Competition: win COVERT AFFAIRS on DVD!

Published on 2012-06-16 06:59:00

Covert Affairs is a USA Network drama about CIA trainee Annie Walker (Piper Perabo), who works for the Domestic Protection Division and is promoted to field operative to catch her ex-boyfriend. Co-starring Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty) and Peter Gallagher (The O.C), and produced by The Bourne Identity's Doug Liman Covert Affairs has become Really's most popular drama here in the UK.The first season DVD box-set is released on Monday (18 June), but I have a FREE copy to give away to one lucky re [..]

Review: DEAD BOSS – episode one & two

Published on 2012-06-15 12:46:00

BBC Three's latest comedy reminded me a great deal of BBC Two's Psychoville. Both tackle dark concepts, both are serialised murder-mysteries at heart, and Dead Boss even cast the other half of French & Saunders in a fun role as a prison warden. Is it coincidence that this sitcom's even directed by Steve Bendelack, who filmed Psychoville's esteemed forerunner The League Of Gentlemen?Comic actress Sharon Horgan (Pulling, Todd Margaret) co-wrote this series with stand-up comedian Holly Walsh, and a [..]

HIT & MISS – episode four

Published on 2012-06-14 13:42:00

The dearth of comments suggest Hit & Miss is a show people either don't like, aren't watching, or don't feel obliged to talk about. That's a shame. It certainly isn't great, but as these things go every episode's kept me entertained and convinced to keep watching. The performances are strong and the cinematography is wonderful, which helps cover the fact the storylines feels like someone's scratching several "gritty soap" itches. The show may have been created by Shameless' wunderkind Paul Abbot [..]

MAD MEN, 5.13 – "The Phantom"

Published on 2012-06-13 04:00:00

The season concludes on an unsubtle and meandering note, nevertheless blessed with some haunting character moments.This wasn't the most thrilling or revelatory finale Mad Men's ever produced (in fact, it was probably the weakest ending we've had), but it was still a quietly intoxicating hour that drew some of the year's themes and subplots together nicely. It's just a shame this wasn't the emotional punch I was hoping for (which came early with Lane's suicide last week), meaning "The Phantom" wa [..]

CHUCK's Yvonne Strahovski joins DEXTER

Published on 2012-06-12 12:52:00

Showtime have revealed that Chuck star Yvonne Strahovski has joined Dexter's seventh season for a multi-episode guest arc. Strahovski will play Hannah McKay, a "strong, independent woman with a past that she's struggling to put behind her". Hannah will help the Miami Metro detectives solve some cold cases, alongside Dexter Morgan, who begins to suspect there's more to Hannah than meets the eye. (My premature guess: she's the show's first female serial killer.)As a huge fan of Ms Strahovski, who [..]

Review: TRUE BLOOD, 5.1 – "Turn! Turn! Turn!"

Published on 2012-06-12 04:00:00

The successful vampire drama returns for more bloodthirsty histrionics, but the show's looking quite long in the fang...HBO's vampire drama True Blood has been bad longer than it was ever any good. That first season of high-concept thrills, strung around an enjoyable Southern Gothic murder-mystery, now seems like a lifetime ago. The show's since transmogrified into a blood-soaked supernatural soap that hates its human characters, and has no idea what to do with the paranormal ones. It's a narrat [..]

TV Picks: 11-17 June 2012 (Dead Boss, the Only Way is Marbs, Primeval, Secrets of Our Living Planet, Short History of Everything Else, True Love, etc.)

Published on 2012-06-11 03:30:00

For any new readers out there, TV Picks is my weekly selection of new TV shows airing in the UK. I can't promise a comprehensive list, but most of the next seven day's best programmes will be mentioned here.MONDAY 11thPICK OF THE DAY

Movie Review: UNDERWORLD - AWAKENING

Published on 2012-06-10 12:10:00

I feel sorry for Kate Beckinsale; one of the world's most beautiful women, stuck in some of the world's ugliest movies. She's the star of the vampire-vs-werewolves Underworld movie's solely because she looks hot in skin-tight cat-suits, but it's such a waste of a once-promising young actress. Having skipped the third movie entirely (a mind-numbing medieval prequel starring her low-rent doppelganger Rhona Mitra), Beckinsale's back for the fourth. At this point, a career path into hardcore pornogr [..]

Review: REVENGE (E4)

Published on 2012-06-09 04:00:00

I saw Revenge's pilot last summer, but wasn't impressed enough to even bother writing a negative review. It just washed over me and I felt no compulsion to watch the season when it began on ABC. But, as I've mentioned before, I believe scheduling is more important for television than it is for movies. Revenge just feels like a summer show to me; the TV equivalent of an undemanding novel you take away with you on holiday for a fortnight. Having re-watched the pilot a few weeks ago, when it made i [..]

HIT & MISS – episode two & three

Published on 2012-06-07 04:00:00

Episode 2Episode 3After the premiere, this second episode felt like it was largely solidifying the relationships between the characters, and giving us more examples of how Mia (Chloë Sevigny) is changing—and being changed—by the young country family she's adopted. The three kids appear to be coming round to accepting Mia, despite an early upset when their smallholding is put up on the market by evil landlord John (Vincent Regan), humiliated after Mia beat him to a pulp last week. There were [..]

Review: CONTINUUM (Showcase)

Published on 2012-06-06 05:35:00

It's been awhile since there was a pure-blooded sci-fi TV series that I've liked (since Battlestar Galactica?), and while it's too early to be sure if Continuum will fill that gap, I was certainly more impressed than I expected to be. No disrespect to Canadian TV, but their homegrown SF/fantasy output always feels like it's lagging behind their American neighbours. Continuum is hardly cutting-edge stuff either, but it's a nice idea with a solidly constructed premiere that's good enough to coax y [..]

MAD MEN, 5.12 – "Commissions and Fees"

Published on 2012-06-05 16:01:00

Are you sick of hearing about how wonderful Mad Men is? I just love this show so much it's starting to hurt. "Commissions And Fees" was another sterling piece of beautifully-written drama, with a truly horrifying shock and fabulous character work in-between. It's just such a pleasure to watch a show where the writing, directing and acting are in harmony—although the downside is you realise how the majority of television just never comes close to this benchmark.The major talking point of this e [..]

Sponsored Video: THE BOURNE LEGACY

Published on 2012-06-05 04:00:00

I'm surprised the fourth installment in the Bourne saga, The Bourne Legacy, has attracted so many talented people, considering it's on shaky ground without Matt Damon and the first two sequel's director Paul Greengrass. But the famous names involved helps give Legacy

NBC cast HANNIBAL himself

Published on 2012-06-04 15:06:00

Bryan Fuller's Hannibal, the upcoming TV series based on the Thomas Harris novels concerning Hannibal Lecter, has finally found its eponymous anti-hero. The famous cannibal psychiatrist will be played by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, best-known for playing Le Chifre in Casino Royale, but he was also the lead in the Pusher trilogy from acclaimed director Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson, Drive).This is an interesting choice, for sure. I was expecting them to go with someone British, which is the pred [..]

Starz's SPARTACUS to end next year with final WAR OF THE DAMNED season

Published on 2012-06-04 08:20:00

Starz have announced that the third season of their highly-rated Spartacus (or fourth if you count the prequel miniseries) will be its last. The final season, Spartacus: War Of The Damned, will premiere in January 2013 and conclude the story, inspired by the real-life tale of a rebellious gladiator.Showrunner Steven S. DeKnight: "It was an extremely difficult and emotional decision for my partners and I. Yet, in the end, the story was best served by rolling all of the remaining action and drama [..]

MTV developing SCREAM TV series

Published on 2012-06-04 06:02:00

According to TV Line, MTV are developing a TV series based on the popular Scream franchise, which has spawned four movies (all directed by Wes Craven) that have made $500m at the global box-office since 1996.Tony DiSanto (Teen Wolf) and Liz Gately (The Hard Times Of RJ Berger) are producing this project, but there's no word on the involvement of Craven or creator/writer Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries). A writer is apparently being sought for the pilot.While the reflex reaction is to roll [..]

TV Picks: 4-10 June 2012 (Alan Carr's Summertime Spectacular, Bedlam, Big Brother, Diamond Jubilee Concert, Louis Theroux: Twilight Of The Porn Stars, Nina Conti – A Ventriloquist's Story, etc.)

Published on 2012-06-04 03:30:00

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYPICK OF THE DAY

Movie Review: PROMETHEUS (2012)

Published on 2012-06-03 11:03:00

It's a little embarrassing how the core idea behind Alien prequel Prometheus was used in the abhorrent Alien Vs Predator (to explain the background of the warrior-like Predator species), although it goes without saying that screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof do a better job appropriating Erich von Däniken's Chariots Of The Gods, which is used to demystify arcane elements of Scott's '70s masterpiece. Where did that crescent-shaped alien ship come from? Who or what was the so-called "Sp [..]

DIRK GENTLY axed by the BBC

Published on 2012-06-02 11:11:00

I know I'm days behind with this news, but I just wanted to officially mention the demise of BBC4's Dirk Gently after one pilot and three episodes.A BBC spokeswoman: "We've loved having Dirk on the channel but the license fee freeze means less British drama on BBC4. In future we will focus on the best dramas from around the globe, like The Killing and Borgen, whilst BBC1 and BBC2 become the main homes of original British drama."So why doesn't the low-budgeted

I am back!

Published on 2012-06-02 10:32:00

After a slightly longer than planned break, I'm officially back and raring to blog! I do hope the week-long drought wasn't too bad for you, although page-hits and comments did seem to take a serious knock. I blame the fantastic British weather last weekend, and perhaps people going away on holidays of their own in the run-up to half-term. Or maybe the Queen's Jubilee build-up had some kind of effect with native audiences, who knows.Obviously, the lack of fresh content here didn't help, as I usua [..]

MAD MEN, 5.11 – "The Other Woman"

Published on 2012-05-31 09:34:00

This has been a terrific season of Mad Men (how many shows can say that in their fifth year?) and "The Other Woman" marked another delightful highlight. A sublime episode on every level, it was a fascinating study of how women were perceived, exploited and undervalued in the '60s (and perhaps still are to some extent). The core moral dilemma was astutely drawn, as Pete (Vincent Karthesier) discovered that Herb Rennet (Gary Basaraba), head of the Dealers Association and member of Jaguar's selecti [..]

TV Picks: 28 May – 3 June 2012 (All the Queen's Horses, Britain's Lost Routes, Jimmy & the Giant Supermarket, Live at the Electric, Married to the Moonies, Revenge, etc.)

Published on 2012-05-28 04:00:00

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAYHow To Beat Pain (BBC1, 7.30pm) Series looking into the cause, effects and treatment of back pain. Presented by Dr Kreindler & Professor Whyte.The Queen & I (ITV1, 8pm) Documentary using home-made video footage of Queen Elizabeth at various public engagements. (1/2)Afghanistan: The Great Game – A Personal View by Rory Stewart (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary on the UK's involvement with Afghanistan throughout the 19th-century. Continues tomorrow, concludes Wednesday. (1/3)Britain's H [..]

Sorry, I'll be away for awhile

Published on 2012-05-26 05:30:00

Just a quick blog to say I'm away for awhile now. I definitely won't be able to blog until Monday at the earliest because I'll be in Wales. (Next week's TV Picks are going up automatically.) I'll have to play next week by ear, too. I'm

Review: DON'T TRUST THE B**** IN APARTMENT 23 (E4)

Published on 2012-05-25 04:00:00

Forget James Van Der Beek playing himself (in a lazy attempt to transform him into the next Neil Patrick Harris, copying the joke of NPH's Harold & Kumar apperances), I was mostly interested in Don't Trust The B**** In Apartment 23 because of a likable pair of young actress: Dreama Walker, terrific in The Good Wife; and Breaking Bad alum Krysten Ritter, who has talent in both comical and dramatic disciplines. Sometimes just having fresh and interesting folk in a sitcom will draw you in, but you [..]

Review: HIT & MISS (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-05-24 04:00:00

Sky Atlantic take their first step into original homegrown drama with the six-part Hit & Miss, created by Paul Abbott (Shameless, State Of Play) and written by Sean Conway. US indie star Chloë Sevigny (Big Love) takes the lead as transgender hitman Mia, introduced casually shooting a man dead for a crime boss, before discovering she fathered a son 11 years ago. Summoned to windswept west Yorkshire, shortly after her ex-lover Wendy's died of cancer, Mia tries to connect with her young son and hi [..]

MAD MEN, 5.10 – "Christmas Waltz"

Published on 2012-05-23 11:12:00

Life's short, and sometimes the only person you can rely on is a good friend. Two characters get through a thorny situation in "Christmas Waltz" (a dance that takes two) that requires the help of a pal to get them through it: Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis), making his return after a three-year absence as a devoted Hare Krishna; and Joan (Christina Hendricks) after she's served divorce papers by her husband. The other character of particular note in this episode, Lane (Jared Harris), doesn't turn t [..]

Charlie Kaufman writing HBO comedy series for Catherine Keener

Published on 2012-05-23 04:00:00

The incredible Charlie Kaufman, writer of notably bizarre movies like Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, is bringing his talent to the small-screen. He'll be writing and directing a HBO half-hour comedy described as "an exploration of one day in a woman's life and how the events leading up to it can affect, or not, the reality in which she lives."The "woman" will be played by indie actress Catherine Keener, who's appeared in a handful of Kaufman's movies [..]

Two new MISFITS revealed?

Published on 2012-05-22 11:05:00

Screenterrier claim to have the exclusive on who's joining E4's superhero drama Misfits for its currently filming fourth series. They are: 23-year-old Karla Crome (Hit & Miss) as Jess, the "female version of Larry David"; and Nathan McMullen (Shameless) as the naïve and childlike Finn. The identity of the third new actor, playing "good-looking" but "standoffish" Alex, has yet to be revealed. This news has yet to be confirmed by Channel 4, at time of writing, but sounds credible.Nathan Stewart-J [..]

BREAKING BAD returns 15 July on AMC

Published on 2012-05-21 14:36:00

Mark this date in your diaries: 15 July. That's when AMC start airing Breaking Bad's fifth and final season. The bad news is this 16-episode season's being split in half, so we'll only get 8 episodes before the final 8 are shown in summer 2013.But in some way that's actually good news, because it prolongs the passing of TV's greatest show, and the writers will have ample time to perfectly construct the show's conclusion.

THE VOICE UK is getting hoarse

Published on 2012-05-21 13:29:00

It began impressively enough, with over 10 million people tuning into the "blind auditions" stages of BBC1's singing contest The Voice. The UK version of the Dutch global hit was even beating Simon Cowell's juggernaut Britain's Got Talent when the two shows overlapped (although that's understandable when you factor in the BBC's lack of adverts, and people's tendency to record ITV shows to fast-forward through commercials). But still, whichever way you cut it, The Voice was a huge hit for the BBC [..]

TV Picks: 21-27 May 2012 (British Academy Television Awards, Don't Trust The B**** In Apartment 23, Eurovision Song Contest, Hit & Miss, Soccer Aid, etc.)

Published on 2012-05-21 04:00:00

MONDAY 21stRHS Chelsea Flower Show (BBC1, 7.30pm) Botanical series. Hosted by Alan Titchmarsh. Continues on BBC2.Love Shaft (E4, 7.30pm) Dating show where prospective partners meet in an elevator heading to a penthouse. Hosted by Will Best. (1/6)Gok Cooks Chinese (Channel 4, 8.30pm) Brand new series where fashionista Gok Wan gets to indulge his passion for cooking. (1/6)PICK OF THE DAY The Fall Of Singapore: The Great Betrayal (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary revealing that the British gave the Japanese [..]

TRAILER: SINBAD (Sky1)

Published on 2012-05-20 12:18:00

What with all the trailers being released to promote brand new US TV shows in the autumn, it's easy to forget that the UK has some interesting new programming on the way, too. The big summer hope for Sky1 is Sinbad; their adaptation of the Arabian Nights character, in a 12-part series starring newcomer Elliot Knight (below) as the eponymous hero.In this tale, Sinbad is exiled from his homeland of Basra after the death of his brother, cursed to remain at sea by his grandmother, and becomes part o [..]

COMMUNITY: how a Harmon-less fourth season could be good, but might be bad

Published on 2012-05-20 08:54:00

Fans of beleaguered sitcom Community were overjoyed a few weeks ago when NBC announced the poorly-rated show would be returning for an abridged fourth season. But that joy turned to sorrow after the season 3 finale aired, with news Dan Harmon's contract wasn't also being renewed--meaning a fourth season will be made without its creator. How will this affect Community? It's hard to tell without seeing what his replacements do with it, but it will undoubtedly have an impact.Below are some speculat [..]

Movie Review: CHRONICLE (2012)

Published on 2012-05-20 04:30:00

The found footage genre has enjoyed a boom recently (the Paranormal Activity's, the REC's, The Last Exorcism, Cloverfield, Trollhunter, TV's The River, et al)—but while it's always been a comfortable fit for the horror genre, I never expected a superhero origin movie to benefit from its first-person storytelling device. Chronicle, a frugal $15m production from newcomer Josh Trank, proved me entirely wrong. It's remarkable how well the POV-style works to tell a fairly generic origin story for [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.20-22 – "Digital Estate Planning", "The First Chang Dynasty" & "Introduction to Finality"

Published on 2012-05-19 06:13:00

Community's third season came to an end with a trio of episodes shown across two-hours on NBC; which was either a parting treat for loyal fans, or a way to burn-off the remainder of a low-rated comedy. Which do you think? The first episode, "Digital Estate Planning", was a spiritual sequel to "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas" from last season, only with claymation replaced by 8-bit computer graphics. The virtual adventure began when Pierce (Chevy Chase) was summoned to his late-father's estate w [..]

Behind the Scenes: VEGAS (CBS)

Published on 2012-05-18 10:57:00

I love the look of CBS's Vegas, but more importantly I like the idea and the potential behind these character types. The fact it's based on a true story is the icing on the cake. It's the story of how modern-day Las Vegas was formed in the '60s, told through the eyes of local rancher "cowboy" Sheriff Ralph Lamb (Dennis Quaid), who clashes with mobster Vincent Savino (The Shield's Michael Chiklis), a ruthless criminal who has big plans for Sin City. It also stars Jason O'Mara (Terra Nova) as Lamb [..]

TRAILERS: 666 PARK AVE. & LAST RESORT (ABC)

Published on 2012-05-17 11:17:00

This trailer for ABC's

TRAILER: ELEMENTARY (CBS)

Published on 2012-05-16 16:30:00

Here's the trailer/promo for CBS drama Elementary, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr Joan Watson, both transposed to Manhattan. I reviewed the pilot script a short while ago, which I thought was fine but nothing more. It's hard to shake my loyalty and love of the BBC's Sherlock, which I hold my hand up to. But as you can tell from this trailer, Elementary has a very different tone, and I'm pleased Miller's take on the character isn't copying what Benedict Cumberbatc [..]

MAD MEN, 5.9 – "Dark Shadows"

Published on 2012-05-16 10:59:00

Betty (January Jones), Don (Jon Hamm) and Roger (John Slattery) are now "shadows" of their former selves, although the replacement of the word "pale" for "dark" in the title's twist on the popular phrase is insightful. Each of them acted nastily in this episode, after all. Firstly, Betty tried to sabotage her ex's seemingly idyllic marriage with Megan (Jennifer Pare) using their own daughter; arming Sally (Kiernan Shipka) with the potentially explosive knowledge her father was secretly married b [..]

TRAILER: TRUE BLOOD, season 5 (HBO)

Published on 2012-05-16 04:30:00

At this point, it's safe to say your response to a True Blood trailer will be diametrically opposed to your response to the show itself. HBO are masters at making their vampire drama look like enormous fun (which I guess it still is on some levels), but we've now had at least two seasons where the show became a mess of random ideas, unruly plotting, and a clutter of characters. I know some people felt season 4 was a return to form, but it was really just an improvement on the abysmal third year. [..]

Movie Review: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL (2011)

Published on 2012-05-15 06:00:00

Tom Cruise isn't getting any younger, but you'd be hard-pressed to find many Hollywood actors doing what he does shy of a 50th birthday. The fourth instalment of the durable Mission: Impossible franchise is another hit for its star/producer, thanks to another shrewd choice of director. Brad Bird steps behind the camera for this sequel (making his live-action debut after animations such as The Simpsons, Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille), bringing his qualities as a slick storyteller an [..]

TRAILER: THE FOLLOWING (Fox)

Published on 2012-05-15 04:30:00

It's the official trailer for Fox's new series The Following, starring James Purefoy as an escaped serial killer being hunted by Kevin Bacon's retired FBI agent, who caught him the first time. Those two excellent actors alone get my interest, and this four-minute promo certainly looks slick and chilling... but also quite clichéd. How often are eyes described as "windows to the soul" in scripted drama? Too often. Creator/writer Kevin Williamson (Scream, The Vampire Diaries) should know better. S [..]

TRAILER: REVOLUTION (NBC)

Published on 2012-05-14 06:00:00

It's the first official trailer for NBC's Revolution, which they've just picked up to become a new series. It's one of those extensive four-minute promo's, which means it probably spoils the majority of what happens in the pilot (directed by Iron Man's Jon Favreau). For this reason, I chose to only sample the first minute. I quite liked what I saw, although television doesn't have a good track record with global-spanning events like these. Maybe it's because viewers rapidly lose interest once th [..]

TV Picks: 14-20 May 2012 (24 hrs In A&E, 56 Up, The Exclusives, Hell On Wheels, Lewis, Inside Facebook, Secret Millionaire, Silk, Tales of Television Centre, The Walking Dead, etc.)

Published on 2012-05-14 04:00:00

MONDAY 14thInside Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg's $100bn Gamble (BBC2, 8pm) Follow-up documentary on Facebook's creator from journalist Emily Maitlis.Chatsworth (BBC1, 9pm) Documentary about Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, which has allowed a film crew inside for a whole year. (1/3)56 Up (ITV1, 9pm) Return of the seminal 7 Up documentary series that has spanned decades.Secret Millionaire (Channel 4, 9pm) Return of the series where a millionaire goes undercover in a deprived community/workplace. (1/7 [..]

FRINGE, 4.22 – "Brave New World: Part 2"

Published on 2012-05-13 04:55:00

Last week I mentioned how hard it is reviewing the individual halves of two-part episodes, and unfair in many ways. Would you review a novel after only reading half the book? "Brave World: Part 2" was a strong conclusion to last week's setup and the fourth season in general; containing some inventive sequences and blessed with a confident sweep of enjoyable action and drama. It made sense of a few long-standing issues, or at least made you accept the "mad science" behind them, and like all good [..]

Review: EPISODES, 2.1 – episode one

Published on 2012-05-12 06:17:00

It's extraordinary to think the least talented actor in Friends, Matt LeBlanc, walked away with a Golden Globe for playing "himself" in BBC/Showtime's dimwitted Episodes. His performance perhaps rates as amusing (more so if you believe LeBlanc even has a persona to lampoon), but it was hardly an exceptional comic turn that made you reconsider him as an actor.The show itself was a toothless satire, repetitively gumming away on targets as old as the hills. US television dumbs things down to appeal [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.19 – "Curriculum Unavailable"

Published on 2012-05-11 12:45:00

By now, Community's completely stopped trying to be accessible to newcomers, because anyone who hasn't seen the show before would have found "Curriculum Unavailable" impervious. I've seen every episode, and there were bits that had me scratching my head in confusion. Then again, given this episode's theme of mass psychosis, that was probably half the intention. There was a good idea sitting at the heart of this episode, too: what if Greendale Community College is a figment of the study group's c [..]

DirecTV's ROGUE to star Thandie Newton

Published on 2012-05-10 12:56:00

DirecTV have jumped into the scripted programming game, ordering 10 episodes of Rogue, a drama starring Thandie Newton (Crash, MI:II) that "revolves around a morally and emotionally conflicted cop, Grace (Newton), who is tormented by the possibility that her own actions contributed to her son’s death. Grace’s search for the truth is further complicated by her forbidden relationship with the crime boss who may have played a hand in the crime."British writer Matthew Parkhill created the show, [..]

Review: CARDINAL BURNS (E4)

Published on 2012-05-09 11:25:00

Cardinal Burns is the perfect sketch show for youth-skewing E4, as comedians Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns transfer their stage expertise to television, relatively fresh from sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival and London's Soho Theatre. It's always exciting to see fresh faces on our screens, with no baggage and preconceptions clouding what they do. It's simply a case of: are these two men and what they write funny? Thankfully the answer was a definite yes, with Cardinal Burns turning [..]

MAD MEN, 5.8 - "Lady Lazarus"

Published on 2012-05-08 16:05:00

The recent "Far Away Places" was about characters trying to escape their lives, and "Lady Lazarus" continued that theme in many ways. Pete's (Vincent Karthesier) become so inured to his life that he slept with Beth (Alexis Bledel), the wife of a fellow commuter who's likewise having a fling. Unfortunately for Peter, a full-blown affair failed to blossom, despite his best efforts (pestering Beth from a payphone during work-hours, arranging a communal visit to discuss life insurance with her husba [..]

HOMELAND will return to Channel 4

Published on 2012-05-07 04:30:00

The feature-length finale of the brilliant Homeland aired on Channel 4 last night, bringing season 1 to a close in the UK. You can read my review of the finale here, or the entire season

TV Picks: 7-13 May 2012 (Britain Beware, Episodes, Phil Spencer: Secret Agent, The Ricky Gervais Show, Starlings, etc.)

Published on 2012-05-07 03:30:00

MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAYSmall Teen Turns Eighteen (BBC3, 9pm) Follow-up documentary to Small Teen, which followed a young girl dealing with her father's drug addiction.PICK OF THE DAY

FRINGE, 4.21 – "Brave New World: Part 1"

Published on 2012-05-06 04:30:00

I enjoyed Part 1 as an hour's set-up and (almost literal) moving of chess pieces, but I'm glad Fox have renewed Fringe, because it's hard to imagine Part 2 being anything but unsatisfying and rushed as a would-be series finale. Strangely, there's still little indication we'll return to the future-world from "Letters Of Transit" (which feels more and more like a bizarre indulgence), unless next week's climax works as a dual setup for those events. I guess we'll have to see."Brave New World: Part [..]

State of the Blog: template improvement

Published on 2012-05-05 07:38:00

By now you'll have noticed a few changes here at Dan's Media Digest. I always like to keep the blog's template looking shipshape, so this was a mid-year clean to make everything more attractive and useful for readers.The changes are as follows:Larger preview-images. The front page's preview images for each post have been enlarged to 400px and centralized. In some ways this is a return to the original few versions of DMD, for those who've been reading long enough to remember.More social buttons. [..]

VIP, 1.2 - episode two

Published on 2012-05-05 04:00:00

Impressions shows are amongst the toughest of TV genres to review, because there's little to say beyond listing which impressions worked, which didn't, and which sketches made you laugh, and which didn't. And even that's all very subjective. But after last week's promising start, I was relieved to see that episode 2 of Very Important People (VIP) was possibly better in some respects. It felt like there was more crammed into the 30-minutes, and there was plenty of new impressions to sit alongside [..]

STAR TREK: TNG - EXPOsed

Published on 2012-05-04 12:56:00

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation were reunited on-stage for the Calgary Expo in Canada recently: Patrick Stewart (Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Riker), Brent Spiner (Data), LeVar Burton (Geordie), Michael Dorn (Worf), Will Wheaton (Wesley), Gates McFadden (Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Troi) and Denise Crosby (Yar), with a surprise appearance by a fan-favourite. I'm sure you've seen these kind of convention-style candid videos before. It's an hour of lighthearted banter and chit-chat, plus whoo [..]

Lauren Socha's leaving MISFITS

Published on 2012-05-03 13:25:00

Having already lost three of its original cast members since season 2, with the departures of Robert Sheehan (still miss him), Iwan Rheon and Antonia Thomas, Channel 4 have announced that Lauren Socha won't be returning as Kelly for Misfits' fourth series.Channel 4 spokesperson:"A mutual decision was reached between [production company] Clerkenwell and Lauren earlier this year that she would not be returning for the fourth series. Misfits has been in production for a number of weeks now and Laur [..]

Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson join HBO's TRUE DETECTIVE

Published on 2012-05-03 04:00:00

HBO's new crime thriller True Detective has found its two lead actors in Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey (who also appeared together in 1999's EDtv). They will play detectives whose lives entwine while engaged in a 17-year-long hunt for a serial killer operating in Louisiana. The story will be told from the vantage point of 2012, where a bizarre murder case from 1995 has been re-opened (assumedly the killer's first victim).It's interesting to note that True Detective joins NBC's Hannibal [..]

Sponsored Video: KINECT STAR WARS

Published on 2012-05-03 03:30:00

I'm sure most people born in the '70s and '80s remember running around their bedrooms with a broom handle or cardboard tube, making "vwumming" noises, pretending they were Luke Skywalker with a lightsaber. A few may even have favoured putting a bucket on their head to become Darth Vader. It was all so quaint back then, relying on imagination and ingenuity.In comparison, today's children are spoiled rotten by flashy video games like Star Wars Kinect for XBOX—which enables players to control cha [..]

MAD MEN, 5.7 – "At the Coldfish Ball"

Published on 2012-05-02 03:30:00

Mad Men's at its best when tackling relationships, so it's no wonder "At The Coldfish Ball" was so vividly enjoyable, because it was crammed full of them. The best revolved around Megan (Jennifer Pare), who had to deal with the arrival of her French parents, Emile (Ronald Guttman) and Marie (Julia Ormond), whom it transpires aren't as keen on suave Don (Jon Hamm) as one would expect ("his manners are studied"). It became clear in a later scene that Emile believes his daughter's found a shortcut [..]

VEEP, 1.2 – "Frozen Yoghurt"

Published on 2012-04-30 12:54:00

This is shaping up to become one of the year's biggest disappointments, speaking as a huge fan of Armando Iannucci. Veep just isn't very funny. I sat stony-faced throughout this half-hour, trying to determine why it's not working for me. Is it because all of the characters are unlikable? While you don't have to like characters to enjoy watching them, you need to find them entertainingly despicable at the very least. Veep's posse are just a mixture of bland stereotypes and objectionable idiots. A [..]

TV Picks: 30 April – 6 May 2012 (Awake, British Soap Awards 2012, Hart of Dixie, The Killing, Maestro at the Opera, Planet Earth: Live, War Hero in My Family, etc.)

Published on 2012-04-30 03:30:00

Hello to Jason IsaacsMONDAY 30thFoxes Live: Wild In The City (Channel 4, 8pm) Interactive national study into the UK's urban fox population. (1/4)PICK OF THE DAY

FRINGE, 4.20 – "Worlds Apart"

Published on 2012-04-29 04:00:00

Anyone expecting a continuation of last week's out-of-the-blue adventure set in the future may have been disappointed by "Worlds Apart", which returned to the present-day concerns of David Robert Jones and his plan for bi-universal armageddon. I didn't mind, because it seems likely this story is revealing exactly what happened to setup the events of "Letters In Transit", where the Fringe team were put into stasis and The Observers took over the world. So we effectively have two sides of the same [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.17 – "Basic Lupine Urology"

Published on 2012-04-28 07:39:00

Sometimes a spoof doesn't tickle your funnybone because you're unfamiliar with the target being lampooned. Confession time: I've never seen an episode of Law & Order, and I don't even know what a "yam" is (it's North American for "sweet potato"). These two things perhaps hampered my enjoyment of "Basic Lupine Urology", to an extent, but thankfully writer Megan Ganz's targets weren't wholly specific. If you've seen a police procedural or courtroom drama in your lifetime (and who hasn't?) then you [..]

Review: VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE

Published on 2012-04-28 04:30:00

The Morgana Show had a mixed reception last year, but few denied the colossal talent of its eponymous star Morgana Robinson. Very Important People

Fox renew FRINGE for final season!

Published on 2012-04-27 11:13:00

As many fans theorised, Fox have decided to renew Fringe for a fifth and final season. But they've only agreed to a truncated 13-hours, which will bring the show's total number of produced episodes to a neat 100.This is better for the show's long-term financial future in syndication, as Fox recently revealed Fringe actually costs them money because the audience just isn't strong enough to off-set expenses via advertising. I guess it's lucky Fox's execs appear to really love the show and what it [..]

State of the Blog: workload, monetizing & Instagram

Published on 2012-04-27 03:30:00

It's been awhile since I checked in with a State of the Blog--which, for the benefit of any newcomers, is where I let readers know about stuff pertinent to Dan's Media Digest's output and future.Workload!As I've mentioned for awhile, I'm in the process of altering how and when I blog. This is requiring a psychological change after six years doing things a certain way, as I'm trying to maintain quality while reducing workload, but without the number of blog posts nosediving. As part of this new i [..]

Trailer: G.I JOE – RETALIATION

Published on 2012-04-26 03:30:00

It's the latest trailer for G.I Joe: Retaliation, the sequel to 2009's G.I Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, this time directed by Jon M. Chu (Step Up 2 The Streets) and written by Zombieland scribes Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

MAD MEN, 5.6 - "Far Away Places"

Published on 2012-04-25 12:39:00

Even better than last week's "Signal 30", if you can believe it, "Far Away Places" was a damn fine hour of entertainment. In an unexpected shift of format, this gave us three vignettes (loosely themed around the desire to escape reality), and played around its day-long chronology to delightful effect.The first focused on Peggy (Elisabeth Olsen), whose relationship with Abe Drexler (Charlie Hofheimer) doesn't seem to be going so well. Abe's aware she's there in body but not spirit, and Peggy's si [..]

BAFTA Television Nominees 2012

Published on 2012-04-25 03:30:00

Emily Watson & Dominic West in ITV1's 'APPROPRIATE ADULT'The British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTA) unveiled their nominees for the small-screen aspect of their enterprise yesterday. The three most notable things for me are (a) the love shown for Appropriate Adult

Review: VEEP, 1.1 – "Fundraiser"

Published on 2012-04-24 03:30:00

Veep marks award-winning British writer Armando Iannucci's first commission for the American marketplace, after the baby-step of transatlantic movie In The Loop, which quasi-adapted his award-winning BBC comedy The Thick Of It. It comes as no surprise that Veep's an amalgam of both those political efforts, only exclusively concerning the US government. This eight-part HBO series concerns Vice President ("veep") Selena Myers (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as she navigates Capitol Hill with her entourage o [..]

TV Picks: 23-29 April 2012 (8 Out Of 10 Cats, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Gadget Show: World Tour, Steps: On The Road Again, Very Important People, etc.)

Published on 2012-04-23 03:30:00

MONDAY 23rdPICK OF THE DAY

FRINGE, 4.19 – "Letters of Transit"

Published on 2012-04-22 04:30:00

I had a few problems with "Letters of Transit", primarily how it threw a bold new idea at us without any build-up. Sometimes it feels like the writers get so impatient they decide to throw an eleventh hour curveball and see if it works. Fortunately, this episode was one of season 4's most enjoyable hours and suggests ways Fringe will continue next year (if it gets renewed), or manufacture a fitting conclusion if it doesn't. (It's also been revealed this week that two endings have been written fo [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.16 – "Virtual Systems Analysis"

Published on 2012-04-21 06:38:00

This high-concept episode was consistently amusing and provided some good insights into the characters of Abed (Danny Pudi) and Annie (Alison Brie), but it was just shy of excellent. In this episode, after being given a three-hour lunch break by the Dean (Jim Rash), Annie played matchmaker by getting Troy (Donald Glover) to take Britta (Gillian Jacobs) out for a meal, while she kept Abed company in his so-called "Dreamatorium" (an empty room decorated in the style of a Star Trek Holodeck). Insid [..]

28 TV Pilots I Want To See - 2012/13

Published on 2012-04-20 03:30:00

I love US TV but have always had some issues with its "system", particularly the way it launches dozens of new shows over the September/October period, because this often means good stuff gets trampled in a stampede. I much prefer the drip-feed UK system over the course of a full year, which still has "new season" periods (autumn and spring), but new stuff's being launched every few months because of shorter runtimes. Still, the very competitive American system does mean that every year we get a [..]

MAD MEN, 5.5 - "Signal 30"

Published on 2012-04-18 11:02:00

A fantastic episode, the best of the season so far, and a brilliant spotlight on Pete Campbell (Vincent Karthesier), who so desperately wants to be like Don Draper (Jon Hamm) it's negatively affecting his approach to life. He's the junior partner in a successful New York advertising firm, married to Alison Brie, and father to a beautiful baby girl, but his whole idea of what constitutes "success" has been warped. He was keener and prouder to show friends his fancy new stereo, rather than his ow [..]

Sidebar problems

Published on 2012-04-17 13:09:00

I'm aware that DMD's sidebar is suddenly appearing below the main column of my posts. I have no idea why this has happened. I haven't been tinkering with the template and haven't added any new widgets to that sidebar recently, so whatever's caused this must be something unrelated to my activities.I'm hoping Blogger's at fault and this problem will be rectified shortly. I know Blogger are about to update their "back office" in April, so maybe it has something to do with those changes behind-the-s [..]

Script Review: ELEMENTARY (2012, CBS)

Published on 2012-04-17 03:30:00

I don't usually review scripts of TV pilots, for three basic reasons:1. Simply finding the time to read them is hard.2. I don't want to be spoiled prematurely.3. I think it's fairer to review pilots once they're ready to be seen.Still, a script is a fascinating insight into the creative process, and reviewing one feels more acceptable in TV circles because the written word's the driving force of that medium. I still feel uncomfortable about labelling something "good" or "bad" based solely on a s [..]

FRINGE, 4.18 - "The Consultant"

Published on 2012-04-16 10:54:00

One of the better episodes for awhile, but it still feels like this season's started to limp towards a finish. I hope this last-quarter re-adjustment will result in a clearer focus very soon, because I've started to lose interest in everything. "The Consultant" was a nice showcase for alt-Broyles (Lance Reddick), the most underused character on the show, which is a particular shame because Reddick's a great actor. The episode's big reveal, that Broyles has been in cahoots with evil David Robert [..]

TV Picks: 16-22 April 2012 (2 Broke Girls, The '70s, Beavis & Butt-head, Ewan McGregor: Cold Chain Mission, Later Live, Louis Theroux, Grandma's House, Lip Service, Smash, etc.)

Published on 2012-04-16 03:30:00

MONDAY 16thPICK OF THE DAY

COMMUNITY, 3.15 – "Origins of Vampire Mythology"

Published on 2012-04-14 08:43:00

I love the hardcore spoof episodes, but this season's been rather weighted one side with those, so it was nice to have a more regular episode—one that's still zany and full of clever jokes, but ultimately about the characters and their interactions. In "Origins of Vampire Mythology", a skeleton fell out of Britta's (Gillian Jacobs) closet in the shape of ex-boyfriend Blade (Kirk Fox), a carnival traveller whom she's always been infatuated with. The power Blade's very presence had over Britta t [..]

Review: WOULD I LIE TO YOU? and HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU? (BBC1)

Published on 2012-04-14 04:30:00

BBC1 is airing two of the UK's most popular panel shows back-to-back every Friday night, but how well are these formats coping with the strains put under them?The evening begins with lie-based panel show Would I Lie To You? Now in its sixth series, WILTY remains fresh enough to stake a claim as the funniest panel show on TV. This is probably because it's more of a parlour gameshow than most others in the genre—which are often quiz-based because it's easier to attach scripted jokes to that form [..]

Review: DEREK (Channel 4)

Published on 2012-04-13 11:13:00

The good news: Ricky Gervais' Derek isn't the distasteful portrait of a mentally-disabled man many assumed it would be (based on the original sketch that featured a questionable version of the same character). The bad news: Derek was nevertheless a largely tedious half-hour that offered few laughs amidst an oppressively earnest atmosphere.Derek, billed as a "one-off comedy-drama", perhaps because Channel 4 got cold feet about committing to a full series without testing the water first, found Ger [..]

MAD MEN, 5.4 - "Mystery Date"

Published on 2012-04-11 10:40:00

Unexpectedly this week, Mad Men does psychological horror; both real and imagined. "Mystery Date" focused on Don (Jon Hamm), Joan (Christina Hendricks) and Peggy's (Elisabeth Moss) response to their own fears, insecurities, prejudices, and regrets. Don, already flagged as "middle-aged" this season, is now very sick and struggling with the realisation that wife Megan (Jessica Paré) has concerns about his lothario past…An old flame called Andrea (Twin Peaks' Mädchen Amick)—a deliberate link [..]

FRINGE, 4.17 – "Everything In Its Right Place"

Published on 2012-04-10 10:56:00

I wasn't enthused about "Everything In Its Right Place", which actually made me realise I've come to find Lincoln Lee (Seth Gabel) boring. I didn't always feel this way; in fact, there was a time when I was itching for Peter to disappear, so Lee could replace him. But when my prayers were answered this year, Fringe's writers didn't succeed in taking the Lee/Olivia (Anna Torv) twosome to the next level. Or any kind of level. So Lee's just quietly jealous about Olivia and Peter's romance and helpf [..]

Competition Result: THE ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS DVDs

Published on 2012-04-10 04:00:00

My Easter weekend competition to win 5 copies of The Almighty Johnsons on Region 2 DVD closed yesterday. The five winners, chosen at random, are as follows:Susannah Cooke, AyrshireTom Pattyn, StanleySiobhan Grant, MiddlesexGarry Lloyd, NO ADDRESSIan Deveney, NO ADDRESSI will be in touch with the above winners by email very soon. Those who didn't include a delivery address in their competition entry will also need to do so in their reply to this imminent email. (And you're lucky I accepted your a [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.14 – "Pillows & Blankets" (Part 2 of 2)

Published on 2012-04-09 12:10:00

I wondered how the writers would eke out a two-parter from last week's story, and this was the answer: a half-hour long joke, spooking the Civil War documentary style of filmmaker Ken Burns (who I'm not familiar with, so some of the jokes probably sailed over my head). But in the main, this was a brilliantly constructed spoof with some very funny moments as Troy (Donald Glover) and Abed's (Danny Pudi) war between Blanketsburg and Pillowtown escalated across the college, although I grew bored of [..]

TV Picks: 9-15 April 2012 (Community, The Cube, Derek, Graham Norton Show, Have I Got News For You?, Matt Lucas Awards, Russell Howard's Good News, Would I Lie To You?, etc.)

Published on 2012-04-09 09:42:00

EASTER MONDAYPICK OF THE DAY

Competition: THE ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS – Season 1 DVD

Published on 2012-04-06 04:24:00

To celebrate the DVD release of the complete first season of The Almighty Johnsons on 9 April from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, I'm giving away copies of the DVD box-set to five lucky readers.The Almighty Johnsons, which recently aired on Syfy, is an acclaimed fantasy drama about four ordinary brothers who just happen to be descended from Norse Gods.

THE KILLING (USA), 2.1 & 2.2 – "Reflections" & "My Lucky Day"

Published on 2012-04-06 04:00:00

Less a review, more a statement of intent. I won't be covering The Killing season 2 every week, because (a) it never caught the imagination of this blog's readers, and (b) I've lost interest in this series. It's been well-documented season 1 annoyed many viewers; first with an annoying red herring (that in retrospect made the mid-season largely pointless), and then with a frustrating refusal to answer its question "who killed Rosie Larsen?" question in the finale.This turn of events probably was [..]

SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE – "Wrath of the Gods"

Published on 2012-04-05 03:45:00

I stopped reviewing Spartacus: Vengeance a short while into its run, which was no reflection on its quality. It was more down to personal issues like time and, frankly, a growing sense that it's a show where you tend to just reiterate the same handful of points over and over. This sometimes happens with shows after the first season has been thoroughly parsed, so once I'd made my feelings on Vengeance's new characters/actors and broader canvas known, it was hard to envisage doing weekly reviews t [..]

MAD MEN, 5.3 - "Tea Leaves"

Published on 2012-04-04 03:30:00

There haven't been many, if any, signs of ageing in Mad Men's cast since the show began. Do you really want to add crowfeet to Jon Hamm's visage, or give Christina Hendricks flecks of grey? So that perhaps made it all the more shocking to see glamorous Betty (January Jones) for the first time this year, nine months after we last saw her, because she's borrowed Elisabeth Moss' jaw-flab from season 1. Yes, bombshell Betty's now chubby and "middle-aged" according to her blunt doctor ('60s-speak for [..]

TV Ratings: GAME OF THRONES, season 2 premiere (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-04-03 11:00:00

HBO's Game Of Thrones returned to Sky Atlantic last night, where it attracting 522,000 viewers (peaking at 633,000) in the 9pm hour. To put that in perspective, the first season averaged 365,000.However, season 2 premiere "The North Remembers" was noticeably down on the 743,000 figure for GoT's very first episode in 2011, suggesting it may have lost approximately 200,000 viewers since then. It'll be interesting to see if season 2 continues to shed viewers, or if the fantasy drama's natural audie [..]

Review: GAME OF THRONES, 2.1 – "The North Remembers"

Published on 2012-04-03 03:30:00

I'm of the opinion that there's little point reviewing Game Of Thrones episodically. As its inaugural season showed us, this is a show where a gradual accumulation of knowledge reaps later enjoyment—and I don't have the time or inclination to read the books, or laboriously research episodes after they're broadcast, to provide reviews of sufficient depth. Like many others with a lack of foreknowledge regarding George R.R Martin's work, I adore this drama's production standards and performances, [..]

TV Picks: 2-8 April 2012 (Celebrity Deal Or No Deal, Game Of Thrones, King, Made In Chelsea, Modern Spies, Morgan Spurlock's New Britannia, The Undateables, etc.)

Published on 2012-04-02 03:30:00

MONDAY 2ndChaplain's: The Angels Of Mersey (BBC2, 8pm) Fly-on-the-wall documentary on Liverpool's chaplains.Damien Hirst: First Look (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary retrospective on world-famous British contemporary artist Damien Hirst.Modern Spies (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary on modern spying, featuring interviews with real British secret agents. (1/2)Our Crime (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary on the effects of crime and violence. (1/4)PICK OF THE DAY

FRINGE, 4.16 – "Nothing As It Seems"

Published on 2012-04-01 10:39:00

This week, Fringe offers us a remake of its own episode "The Transformation", but from the perspective of the entire case being fresh material to everyone but Peter (Joshua Jackson). It's a clever way for the writers to take another run at an old idea they enjoyed, but perhaps didn't explore or develop to a greater extent. But I have to say I'm not a fan of Fringe mining its own history like this, because it just feels like the show's relying on its past glories too much. It was exciting to see [..]

Steven Moffat talks DOCTOR WHO; more Daleks, non-human companion, Hollywood movie, 50th anniversary, and the return of Russell T. Davies?

Published on 2012-04-01 04:51:00

The Doctor Who news continues to trickle in, with showrunner Steven Moffat recently giving some interesting snippets of information on Jenna-Louise Coleman's new character and series 7.Steven Moffat, executive-producer, speaking to the Welsh magazine Follis:"We've been listening to feedback from the fans, so the new companion isn't human this time. April actually doesn't know what she is—and yes, that's her name—but hopefully The Doctor can help discover who "made" her. If that's the right w [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.13 – "Digital Exploration Of Interior Design" (Part 1 of 2)

Published on 2012-03-31 04:00:00

Did this need to be a two-part episode? I was left confused

Review: JUSTIFIED, 3.1 – "The Gunfighter"

Published on 2012-03-30 12:10:00

I'm not passionate about Justified, which is perhaps evident by my yearly decision to wait for its UK broadcast on 5USA (which tends to premiere weeks before a season ends on FX in the US). It's a great show with fantastic performances, and season 2 was streets head of its spotty inaugural year (because of tighter serialisation and much stronger recurring characters), but it's never been must-see television in my eyes. My opinion may be about to change, on the evidence of Justified's best ever s [..]

ITV2 commission supernatural drama SWITCH

Published on 2012-03-29 15:29:00

left-to-right: Lacey Turner, Hannah Tointon, Nina Toussaint-White & Phoebe FoxTouchpaper Television, the production company who make Being Human for the BBC, are stretching their wings with a brand new supernatural drama for ITV2. Switch will star Lacey Turner (EastEnders) and Hannah Tointon (Hollyoaks) as witches living in London's Camden Town, together with Nina Toussaint-White (Doctor Who) and Phoebe Fox (Black Mirror).This coven of modern-day witches—fashionable career girl Stella (Turner) [..]

TV Ratings: MAD MEN, season 5 premiere (Sky Atlantic/AMC)

Published on 2012-03-28 13:24:00

I've been itching to see how Mad Men performed on Sky Atlantic, ever since the show was poached from BBC4 as one of SkyA's big-name acquisitions. Unsurprisingly, last night's double-bill fifth season premiere only attracted an average of 72,000 viewers.Most damningly, there was actually a 50% drop in viewership between episodes, going from 98,000 to 45,000. Does this suggest that half the audience were newcomers, who switched off? If so, will SkyA be looking at 50,000 regular viewers in the week [..]

Review: MAD MEN, 5.1 & 5.2 - "A Little Kiss"

Published on 2012-03-28 11:35:00

It's been 18-months since Mad Men was last on our screens, following a contract dispute between AMC and creator Matthew Weiner, but the critically-acclaimed show is finally back for an overdue fifth season. Time has likewise moved forward for the advertising execs of Madison Avenue, at half the pace, taking us into the summer of 1968 nine months later...It's noticeable in this two-part premiere "A Little Kiss" that the 1960s are now in full swing, in contrast to the more sedate early seasons whe [..]

Competition Result: TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL - signed Jason Mewes cartoon

Published on 2012-03-28 04:00:00

Last week I held a competition to win a signed Jason Mewes cartoon from Syfy UK's Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil. The question posed was:What is the name of the high school where Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil takes place? a. Crowley Highb. Crowton Highc. Crowhill HighThe correct answer was (a) Crowley High. Of the correct answers received, the winner (chosen using random.org) was Pam Reynolds. Congratulations, Pam! I will be in touch with you later today to arrange delivery of your prize. Thanks [..]

Neil Cross signs deal with Universal; LUTHER movie to follow TV series

Published on 2012-03-27 05:00:00

Novelist/screenwriter Neil Cross (Spooks, Luther) has agreed a two-year deal with Universal Television to develop new TV series projects in the US.Bela Bajaria, Universal TV Executive Vice-President:"Neil Cross is a visionary and we are huge fans of his stellar work on Luther. We look forward to working with him to create a big, broadcast network hit."Cross has already agreed to write a Day Of The Triffids remake for Sam Raimi (Spider-Man), having just finished Mama for Guillermo Del Toro (about [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.8 – "The War Child"

Published on 2012-03-27 03:30:00

Series 4 concluded on a note of pleasurable camp, although best not scrutinise things too much. To wit, I still don't understand how vampires could successfully take over the world—because, unlike Syfy's US remake, Being Human's vampires don't even have super-strength. They're just bloodthirsty people with fangs and unfortunate weaknesses (unable to enter residences uninvited, are susceptible to explosions and wooden stakes). It's hard to see how Being Human's bloodsuckers could ever enslave h [..]

TRAILER: Doctor Who, series 7 teaser

Published on 2012-03-26 13:46:00

Today is not only my 33rd birthday, but it's the seven-year anniversary of the day Doctor Who returned to our screens with "Rose". How times flies! As a birthday present to me (um, right?), the BBC have released a teaser for the show's seventh series (embedded above).I'm sure you've seen this already today, but what do you think? The teaser is almost exclusively created using footage from the Wild West episode the BBC have shot in Spain, but it's a nice way to wet out appetites. Isn't it slightl [..]

TV Picks: 26 March - 1 April (Dexter, Justified, Mad Men, Once Upon A Time, One Night, Silent Witness, The Syndicate, Twenty Twelve, etc.)

Published on 2012-03-26 03:30:00

MONDAY 26thSecrets And Words (BBC1, 2.15am) Daily dramas with the theme of adult literacy. Continues nightly until Friday. (1/5)My Murder (BBC3, 9pm) Drama inspired by real events, about a teenage boy killed by his girlfriend.Ad Men (Sky Atlantic, 9pm) Documentary on the British advertising world from the '60s to now.PICK OF THE DAY

Review: THE VOICE vs BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT; the battle for Saturday night begins!

Published on 2012-03-25 04:00:00

A tyrannical television battle played out on British televisions last night, as the BBC unveiled their long-awaited version of global smash The Voice, and ITV began yet another series of Britain's Got Talent. Both had reason to draw a huge amount of interest. The Voice was developed off the back of the success the US version had last summer (where ratings bested what X Factor USA achieved in the autumn), and has freshness on its side because it's a brand new show. There are judges (nay coaches) [..]

FRINGE, 4.15 – "A Short Story About Love"

Published on 2012-03-24 10:17:00

Most definitely a turning point episode for season 4, as "A Short Story About Love" confirmed that Peter (Joshua Jackson) is living in an altered timeline, not a new timeline. This means the characters we've been following this year haven't been alternate versions (which would've meant season 4's been a weird tangent), but still the characters we know-and-love (albeit with changed or suppressed memories about Peter's existence). I'm so relieved Fringe has finally made this distinction explicit, [..]

COMMUNITY, 3.12 – "Contemporary Impressionists"

Published on 2012-03-23 15:46:00

After last week's relative normality, the show's "mad house" feel returned for "Contemporary Impressionists"—an episode clearly intended to air after the mid-season break, what with the study group cheerfully reconvening in the opening scene. There was a nice theme to this half-hour, of the group seeing what they love/hate about each other (partly told through the prism of a story about celebrity lookalikes), but I found it something of a struggle to sit through. Maybe it was because a great d [..]

Competition: TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL – win a signed Jason Mewes cartoon!

Published on 2012-03-22 04:30:00

I have a prize that should interest fans of Syfy UK's horror-comedy Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil, which I recently reviewed.It's a copy of the cartoon on the left, but signed by the show's recurring guest-star Jason Mewes (Clerks, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back). There are only THREE that exist in the whole world, so this is a collector's item for fans of Todd and/or Mewes.To have a chance of winning this rare piece of merchandise, simply answer the following question:What is the name of the high [..]

Jenna-Louise Coleman is DOCTOR WHO's newest companion; series 7 teased...

Published on 2012-03-21 12:19:00

The BBC have announced that 25-year-old Jenna-Louise Coleman has joined Doctor Who as the next companion. She will replace Karen Gillan halfway through the seventh series, who's leaving to pursue other projects, together with screen husband Arthur Darvill. The details of Coleman's character, including her name, have yet to be revealed by showrunner Steven Moffat, but we do know she'll make her debut as a key part of the 2012 Christmas special.Blackpool-born Coleman played Emmerdale's teenage les [..]

DIRK GENTLY, 1.2 - episode two

Published on 2012-03-14 06:00:00

It pleases me how Dirk Gently appears to be at the centre of a Venn diagram, sandwiched between;Doctor Who and Sherlock. There's just so much crossover in terms of ideas, tone and talent. This episode's written by Matt Jones (who wrote Who's "The Impossible Planet" two-parter), and guest-stars Bill Paterson (who played a scientist in Who's "Victory Of The Daleks"). It was also notably geared towards science-fiction than last week's premiere, and that suits the show better than when it plays thi [..]

SHERLOCK series 3 filming 2013

Published on 2012-03-14 04:30:00

Executive-producer Beryl Virtue has confirmed to the BBC's in-house magazine Ariel that Sherlock won't start filming its third series until "early 2013". Given the turnaround we've experienced with the previous two series, I predict this means Sherlock will be back in autumn 2013 (or perhaps late-summer, echoing series 1).Sherlock unfortunately has a very long development process; mainly because co-creator Steven Moffat is so busy most of the year running Doctor Who, Martin Freeman has resumed s [..]

Talking Point: is there too much TV on TV?

Published on 2012-03-13 05:30:00

I know we live in a time where television's available round-the-clock for most people in the Western world, but I was wondering if there's too much being transmitted through the airwaves. It's a difficult thing to gauge, because obviously we don't all watch the same things. Some people, like my grandad, may think there's nothing worth watching on TV most days. Other people, perhaps with wider access to TV via the internet or cable/satellite, may feel swamped with the 24/7 choice available.And, o [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.6 – "Puppy Love"

Published on 2012-03-13 04:30:00

Thank heavens writer John Jackson remembers what made Being Human a success when it began. "Puppy Love" was easily this year's funniest and most character-driven episode, and all the better for it. Tom (Michael Socha) and Hal (Damien Moloney) felt like a solid comedy double-act, having stopped locking horns over their petty differences, and none of the subplots were actively terrible—although the idea of Annie (Lenora Crichlow) killing an elderly neighbour (Anthony O'Donnell) went from bad tas [..]

TV Picks: 12-18 March 2012 (Alcatraz, Bang Goes The Theory, Eastbound & Down, Love Life, Scott & Bailey, etc.)

Published on 2012-03-12 04:30:00

MONDAY 12thBritain's First Photo Album (BBC2, 6.30pm) New series exploring the work of Victorian photographer Francis Frith. Presented by John Sergeant. (1/10)Bang Goes The Theory (BBC1, 7.30pm) Series 6 of the entertainment science series. Starring Dallas Campbell, Liz Bonnin & Jem Stansfield. (1/8)China: Triumph & Turmoil (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary on modern China and its rise to become a global financial superpower. Presented by Niall Ferguson. (1/3)PICK OF THE DAY Scott & Bailey (ITV1, 9pm [..]

UK, rejoice! COMMUNITY returns to TV; BREAKING BAD season 3 debuting on DVD

Published on 2012-03-10 03:30:00

Community and Breaking Bad are two of my favourite shows, and I'm certainly not alone in rating them very highly. They're also two of the most mistreated US shows on British television. The Emmy-winning Breaking Bad briefly bounced around Channel 5's late-night schedule a few years ago; and obscure music channel Viva aired the critically-acclaimed Community's first season, to zero fanfare and no intention to air more. Both shows have had limited DVD releases in the UK, but we're still two season [..]

Review: THE SARAH MILLICAN TELEVISION PROGRAMME

Published on 2012-03-09 04:00:00

The most overexposed comedian around now has her own BBC show. Sarah Millican's a very likable person (mainly because she exudes adorable auntie vibes), but she's become such a TV fixture these past few years that her presence has become quite irritating. And it doesn't help that her material often circles the same hackneyed female-skewing concerns of health, beauty, weight and dieting. Millican's early career, forged with a success Edinburgh Festival show, was marked by jokes concerning her the [..]

PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD developments

Published on 2012-03-08 13:13:00

Niall Matter, Sara Canning, Miranda Frigon & Geoff GustafsonOnly yesterday we heard that the future of ITV's Primeval is in doubt after five series in the UK, but the long-awaited Canadian spin-off Primeval: New World is looming as a possible replacement. This adaptation of the UK time-travel/monster-hunting drama is currently filming in Vancouver, British Columbia, and GateWorld have revealed a few details about the cast and crew...Niall Matter (Eureka) has been cast as the lead, alongside Sara [..]

TRAILER: Community returns

Published on 2012-03-08 06:58:00

Behold! The epic new trailer for the remainder of Community's third season! Is it wrong that this excites me more than most summer blockbuster trailers? It looks so imaginative and funny, I can't wait to see what the Greendale study group get up to. Plus there's a feeling in the air that NBC will renew the show for a fourth season, despite its low ratings. I sincerely hope so, because losing this show would be a real tragedy.COMMUNITY resumes 15 March on NBC.And now, just for fun, Community meet [..]

Keri Russell joins FX's THE AMERICANS

Published on 2012-03-08 03:30:00

Keri Russell (Felicity, Mission Impossible III) has signed onto FX's new drama The Americans, created by Joe Weisberg (Falling Skies, Damages) and executive-produced by Graham Yost (Justified). The show concerns two KGB agents living in Washington D.C, posing deep undercover as Americans during the early-'80s.FX describe the show thus:"The arranged marriage of Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings [Keri Russell], who have two children who know nothing about their parents' true identity, grows more pass [..]

SKINS axed; PRIMEVAL close to extinction?

Published on 2012-03-07 08:01:00

It's been revealed that the current sixth series of E4's Skins will be the show's last, although the producers are planning three two-hour specials to air in 2013. It's strongly believed that these "farewell episodes" will feature some of the show's previous cast members; including Nicholas Hoult, Dev Patel and Kaya Scodelario.In other news, ITV have revealed that they currently have no plans to renew Primeval for a sixth series. They previously cancelled the monster-hunting sci-fi drama after s [..]

Review: TODD & THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL

Published on 2012-03-07 03:30:00

Todd The Metal GodHow To Make A HomunculusThis Canadian horror-comedy premiered way back in September 2010, but is only now making its UK debut on Syfy. Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil (hereafter Todd) is another of those cheap-and-cheerful TV shows, aiming to be the next Buffy The Vampire Slayer, but sorely lacking the key ingredients of good writing and engaging performances to achieve that aim. The other strange thing about Todd is how retro it feels, as I could easily believe this show was made [..]

Review: DIRK GENTLY, 1.1 - episode one

Published on 2012-03-06 10:26:00

It's been awhile since the pilot of Dirk Gently aired on BBC4 in 2010, but a three-part series has finally arrived—again chasing the coattails of BBC1's Sherlock, which it resembles in a few ways. The primary difference is that Dirk's intelligence and theories are always in question, given his crazy belief that everything is interconnected, and the show is much quirkier—rather like an earthbound Doctor Who. But while the promise of a silly detective show, based on characters created by autho [..]

TRAILER: Game of Thrones - Season 2 (HBO/Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-03-05 10:17:00

There have been a few trailers for Game Of Thrones' second season released by HBO, but this is my favourite, with a great use of Florence & The Machine's "Seven Devils". I didn't review the show last year, after the pilot, and it took awhile for me to wrap my head around it, but this has since become one of my most anticipated TV shows. I just hope season 2 will be easier to get into, because it took a good six episodes before I was invested in the story and characters last time. The fact so muc [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.5 – "Hold the Front Page"

Published on 2012-03-05 05:28:00

Adam (Craig Roberts), the fortysomething vampire trapped in the body of a teenager, makes his return after an appearance last series. I like Roberts delivery and sleepy-eyed demeanour, but don't see what's so irresistibly charming about Adam's puerile sense of humour and David Brent-isms. I suspect he's more hilarious if you're a teenager yourself watching a contemporary make innuendos and vulgar gestures to the grown-ups. In "Hold The Front Page", Adam returned to Honolulu Heights with his head [..]

TV Picks: 5-11 March 2012 (David Walliams' Big Swim, Dirk Gently, Revealed, Sarah Millican Television Programme, The Secret Policeman's Ball 2012, White Heat, etc.)

Published on 2012-03-05 03:30:00

DIRK GENTLY - Monday, BBC4, 9PMMONDAY 5thRiots & Revolutions: My Arab Journey (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary series about the Arab Spring and some of the rebels involved. (1/2)PICK OF THE DAY Dirk Gently (BBC4, 9pm) Series 1 of the comedy-drama mystery based on the character created by Douglas Adams. Starring Stephen Mangan, Darren Boyd & Helen Baxendale. (1/3)Out In A Limo (Channel 4, 10pm) Documentary series about a limo firm working in Blackpool.Keith Meets Nick Griffin (Channel 4, 11.05pm) Actor Ke [..]

TRAILER: Hit & Miss (Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2012-03-03 03:30:00

Sky have released the first trailer for their homegrown drama Hit & Miss, created by Paul Abbott (Shameless, State Of Play). It stars Golden Globe winner Chloe Sevigny (Big Love) as a transgendered hitman called Mia. This is a very intriguing project for a number of reasons: Abbott's a great writer with numerous hit to his credit, plus it's unusual to have an American fly over to headline a UK drama.Sevigny appears to have done a remarkable job perfecting a northern accent, too. Amusingly, the a [..]

Review: AWAKE, 1.1 – "Pilot"

Published on 2012-03-02 11:22:00

Having had his fingers burned with Lone Star (the critically-adored show about a bigamist Fox axed after two episodes), writer Kyle Killen sticks to the idea of a man leading a double-life, but commercialises it by adding cops and a SF/fantasy bedrock. It's a Life On Mars-esque drama dealing with slippery dreams/parallel universes, replacing nostalgia with the heartache of familial bereavement. Detective Michael Britten (Jason Isaacs) suffers the loss of wife Hannah (Laura Allen) in a car accide [..]

Three new MISFITS are coming to E4

Published on 2012-03-02 03:00:00

Misfits will introduce three new characters for its fourth season, to help replace Simon (Iwan Rheon) and Alisha (Antonia Thomas).The casting call reveals the new characters as: "smart and articulate" Jess, a "female version of Larry David"; the"enthusiastic" Finn, who has a "childlike, naively optimistic view of life"; and the "sexiest guy on the estate" Alex, who "doesn't seem very interested in girls". Series 4 of E4's superhero drama returns later this year. Are you excited by the thought of [..]

Watching lots, reviewing little: Being Human USA, Luck, Smash, Spartacus, Whitechapel, and more catch-ups...

Published on 2012-03-01 12:53:00

I know. Things haven't bounced back as I'd have liked it to at Dan's Media Digest. The truth is, I'm watching a variety of things on TV still, but my enthusiasm to review most of it has waned since my dad's funeral. (A close family bereavement takes time to get over, so I'm not really feeling myself right now.) But I'm slowly getting caught up, although I'm giving serious thought to radically changing how I write and organize my time with this blog. Episodic reviews may be less common, for one t [..]

TRAILER: Magic City (Starz)

Published on 2012-02-29 03:30:00

Starz have released the first trailer for their new 1959 drama Magic City, starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen), Christian Cooke (Cemetery Junction), Olga Kurylenko (Quantum Of Solace) and Danny Huston (30 Days Of Night). It's created by Mitch Glazer (The Recruit), and co-produced by Ed Bianchi (The Wire).The show is described by the network thus:"As Frank Sinatra rings in a new year in the grand ballroom of Miami Beach's most luxurious dream palace—the Miramar Hotel—its visionary leader [..]

Alan Ball leaves TRUE BLOOD?

Published on 2012-02-27 11:21:00

Forbes are reporting that True Blood showrunner Alan Ball is stepping down from writing the smash-hit vampire drama, although he'll still be creatively involved with the show. There's no official word on why he's decided to step down, although the Forbes article suggests exhaustion, a desire to do new things, and a contractual issue with HBO. I'm sure there'll be more to come on this story, and I'll most likely update this post with the latest news.But, if this is definitely true, I'm so glad. T [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.4 - "A Spectre Calls"

Published on 2012-02-27 10:45:00

A weird episode that didn't work that brilliantly, although it got increasingly more enjoyable because of its sheer lunacy (peaking with a one-take disco dance of triumph). The setup was unfortunately a hoary chestnut, though, as a peculiar stranger appeared and deftly turned friends against each other before getting his inevitable comeuppance. In Being Human's case, the manipulative stranger was oddball Kirby (James Lance), a toymaker who died in 1975 but has returned to help Annie (Lenora Cric [..]

Coming Soon: DIRK GENTLY, series 1

Published on 2012-02-26 08:14:00

After a successful pilot in 2010, writer Howard Overman (Misfits) returns with his crime mystery drama based on Douglas Adams' holistic detective character Dirk Gently. The new three-part series again stars Stephen Mangan (Episodes) as Dirk, joined by Darren Boyd, Helen Baxendale, Jason Watkins (Being Human) and Lisa Jackson.The first episode is written by Overman and directed by Tom Shankland (The Fades), the second is written by Matt Jones (Doctor Who, Torchwood), and the third by Jamie Mathie [..]

TV Picks: 27 February – 4 March 2012 (The Agenda, The Dales, Empire, The Food Inspectors, Glee, Indian Doctor, etc.)

Published on 2012-02-25 12:16:00

GLEE - Sky1, Thursday, 9PMMONDAY 27thPICK OF THE DAY The Indian Doctor (BBC1, 2.15pm) Series 2 of the 1960s drama about a Welsh mining town with an Indian doctor. (1/5)The Dales (ITV1, 8pm) Series 2 of the travelogue. Presented by Adrian Edmondson. (1/12)Empire (BBC1, 9pm) Documentary about the British Empire, which at its height ruled a quarter of the globe. (1/5)Stop My Stutter (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary on stammering and the speech therapy classes run by ex-Pop Idol star Gareth Gates.Pedigree Do [..]

FRINGE, 4.14 – "The End of All Things"

Published on 2012-02-25 07:47:00

A terrific episode that helped focus minds and propelled us into the final movement of this fourth season. Olivia (Anna Torv) captured by David Robert Jones (Jared Harris) and forced to perform psychic tasks to test the success of her surreptitious Cortexiphan dosing, with surrogate mother Nina (Blair Brown) painfully tortured as the emotional trigger; Peter (Joshua Jackson) entering the consciousness of the dying Observer (Michael Cerveris) in Walter's (John Noble) lab, at which point a large c [..]

Should ROOM 101 be banished to Room 101?

Published on 2012-02-25 06:09:00

Room 101 returned to our screens awhile ago, but I haven't had the chance to write about it until now. I was always a fan of this show; from when it started in 1994 with Nick Hancock in charge, all the way through the Paul Merton years until it was axed in 2007. For those who've been hiding under a rock, the format of the show had a weekly celebrity trying to convince the host to let them banish items into the fictional "Room 101". It was basically a half-hour spent listening to a famous person' [..]

FRINGE, 4.13 – "A Better Human Being"

Published on 2012-02-23 07:40:00

A solid enough episode, although the way the A-story about genetically engineered telepathic half-brothers complimented the B-story about Olivia (Anna Torv) regaining her memories of Peter's (Joshua Jackson) timeline started to lose its way after awhile. This was actually a rather mediocre and ridiculous X Files-y story, with the most interesting aspects being the developments with the show's mytharc—particularly the fact someone's been dosing Olivia with Cortexiphan (intending to restore her [..]

Sky1 commission CHICKENS

Published on 2012-02-23 05:15:00

In an unusual move, Sky1 have swooped to commission a six-part series of the sitcom Chickens, which started life as a Channel 4 "Comedy Showcase" pilot last year. The series concerns three men living in a small English village during World War I, who have each decided not to fight for King and Country.It stars Simon Bird (The Inbetweeners), Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) and Jonny Sweet, who are also the show's creators/writers. I reviewed the original pilot here.Lucy Lumsden, Sky's Head of Comed [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.3 – "The Graveyard Shift"

Published on 2012-02-22 11:42:00

It's entertaining, but the edge has gone from Being Human. There's too much of a childish vibe from the performances and storylines for my taste, as the series becomes more serialized, ridiculous and rife with nitpicks. Why are the Old Ones taking so long to arrive? Why is Annie (Lenora Crichlow) written to always be such a silly fool? Why are all the vampires having such a hard time killing a baby? Why was vampire Fergus (Anthony Flanagan) able to enter the B&B without permission in the climax? [..]

TV Picks: 20-26 February 2012 (Brit Awards, Kidnap & Ransom, Pramface, Watson & Oliver, White Van Man, Winterwatch, etc.)

Published on 2012-02-20 03:30:00

WATSON & OLIVER - BBC2, MONDAY, 10PMMONDAY 20thThe Tube (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary on the London Underground as the system is given the biggest revamp of its lifetime. (1/6)My Hometown Fanatics: Stacey Dooley Investigates (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary on Luton, believed to be the extremist capital of the UK.PICK OF THE DAY Watson & Oliver (BBC2, 10pm) Brand new sketch show from Lorna Watson & Ingrid Oliver. Guest starring John Barrowman. (1/6)True Stories: My Social Network Stalker (Channel 4, 10pm) Docu [..]

See you next Wednesday

Published on 2012-02-18 04:55:00

Following the death of my father a few weeks ago, aspects of DMD understandably slipped during January and February. (I make no apology for that, and I know nobody expects one.) But it has given me a better idea about the strength/loyalty of readership when there's no new content for an extended period of time (surprisingly healthy), and the success of increased double-bill and bite-sized reviews.It also made me realize two things: (1) that some shows benefit from shorter reviews--especially one [..]

Terry O'Quinn joins 666 PARK AVENUE

Published on 2012-02-17 03:30:00

The brilliant Terry O'Quinn (Millennium, Lost) has signed onto ABC's pilot 666 Park Avenue, based on the graphic novels by Gabriella Pierce about an architect called Jane Boyle who marries the wealthy Malcolm Doran and become part of his revered family on the Upper East Side of New York City. But soon after moving into their new home, Jane comes to realise her mother-in-law is a witch, she herself has latent magical abilities, and their house is haunted. O'Quinn will play Gavin, the owner of the [..]

Review: THE RIVER, 1.1 – 1.3 – "Magus", "Marbeley" & "Los Ciegos"

Published on 2012-02-16 11:24:00

MagusMarbeleyLos Ciegos"There's magic out there..." – Dr Emmet ColeI honestly wasn't expecting ABC's The River to be so heavily indebted to the same network's lamented Lost, but there's a fair amount of crossover because this show likewise revolves around a group of people negotiating a beautiful but scary wilderness, being attacked by half-invisible supernatural forces and tribal "Others". There are even "flashbacks" via family home videos, and a subtitled character who speaks no English. The [..]

SPARTACUS: VENGEANCE – "A Place In This World" & "The Greater Good"

Published on 2012-02-15 03:30:00

A Place In This WorldThe Greater GoodApologies. I've slipped behind with my reviews of Spartacus: Vengeance, and to be honest that'll likely be an ongoing problem for awhile. But I thought I'd at least give some random thoughts on Vengeance now we're three episodes into the season. It's still fair to say the show still misses the marvelous John Hannah (more than Andy Whitfield, too), but the return of Ashur (Nick Tarabay) in "The Greater Good" went some way to make me forget about his loss. A sh [..]

ELEMENTARY, dear Jonny

Published on 2012-02-14 15:34:00

Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Eli Stone) has been cast as Sherlock Holmes in CBS' modern-day update entitled Elementary. A project that's causing raised eyebrows at the BBC, whose globally successful Sherlock has likely inspired this American take on the same idea.Bizarrely, Jonny Lee Miller recently co-starred with Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch in Danny Boyle's theatre play Frankenstein (where they alternated playing Dr Frankenstein and the Monster every performance). I wonder what Cumberb [..]

THE WALKING DEAD, 2.8 – "Nebraska"

Published on 2012-02-14 11:09:00

I think I'm going to call time on regular reviews of AMC's The Walking Dead. It gets phenomenal ratings and has a passionate fanbase, but I find it too much of a drag. There are enough exciting moments to keep me watching as a casual viewer, but there's also a staggering amount of mindless chit-chat between characters I don't care about. Sometimes I find myself realizing we're halfway through an episode, and yet I could recap what's actually happened in a sentence. Maybe the show has to be this [..]

BEING HUMAN, 4.2 – "Being Human 1955"

Published on 2012-02-13 11:50:00

Last week's premiere had the unenviable task of having to explain the sudden departure of two regulars, one of whom wasn't prepared to come back and film any kind of farewell, and it was perhaps understandable that the episode was something of an overstuffed, exposition-heavy mess. "Being Human 1955" (horrible and mostly irrelevant title aside) was a slightly stronger episode of series 4, but it still strikes me that there's a lot of silliness happening for the sake of it. Introducing new vampir [..]

TV Picks: 13-19 February 2012 (Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, Grimm, Homeland, Let's Dance For Sport Relief, Luck, The Mad Bad Ad Show, Upstairs, Downstairs, etc.)

Published on 2012-02-13 03:30:00

HOMELAND - Channel 4, Sunday, 9.30PMMONDAY 13thDon't Tell The Bride To Be: The Proposals (BBC3, 8pm) Series following various people who propose in big and dramatic ways.Mozart Le Nozze di Figaro (Sky Arts 2, 8pm) Production of The Marriage Of Figaro to celebrate Mozart's 250th birthday.Don't Tell The Bride (BBC3, 9pm) Valentine's Day special.PICK OF THE DAY Grimm (Watch, 9pm) Season 1 of the US supernatural drama about a man who can see "fairy tale" creatures who live alongside humans. Starring [..]

FRINGE, 4.11 & 4.12 – "Making Angels" & "Welcome to Westfield"

Published on 2012-02-12 11:35:00

A few quickie reviews of recent Fringe episodes, as I try to get through a mountain of catch-up TV this week..."Making Angels" is ostensibly a long-overdue focus for diligent lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole), who's perhaps one of TV's most undervalued supporting characters. Unfortunately, this episode wasn't enough of a showcase for Nicole, although she had a few good scenes playing opposing versions of Astrid—and it was a relief to finally have someone behave realistically when [..]

Review: BEING HUMAN, 4.1 – "Eve of the War"

Published on 2012-02-11 14:14:00

Faced with the loss of three major characters by the end of this opening hour, Being Human's creator Toby Whithouse takes inspiration from his Doctor Who boss Steven Moffat and supercharges the show to compensate—turning it from a relatively demure house-share comedy-drama into a full-blown fantasy adventure with cartoon-y villains, a doomsday prophecy inked on skin, glimpses of an apocalyptic vampire-controlled future, and a newborn baby called Melody Pond Eve who's at the centre of everythin [..]

TRUE BLOOD, 4.2 - "You Smell Like Dinner"

Published on 2011-07-05 10:20:00

True Blood's been tough to review since season 3, when it gave up trying to tell two big storylines over a dozen episodes (with subplots as breathing space), and just resorted to dipping into various disconnected stories of very uneven quality. I'm a

TV Picks: 4-10 July 2011 (Dynamo: Magician Impossible, Falling Skies, The Killing, Law & Order: UK, New Tricks, Nurse Jackie, Shark Tank, Teen Wolf, Tonight's The Night, etc.)

Published on 2011-07-04 03:30:00

Pick of the Week: THE KILLING (USA) - Thursday, Channel 4, 9PMMONDAY 4thStuck On Sheep Mountain (BBC1, 4.25pm) Series where two families sample life as Victorian hill farmers in Snowdonia. (1/5)Pointless Celebrities (BBC1, 5.15pm) Celebrity run of th

Poll Result: who is your favourite chat show host?

Published on 2011-07-03 08:55:00

Last week I asked you to name your favourite chat show host, and the results are now in! There were 51 votes and here's the outcome:NO VOTESAlan Carr (above-right), Chelsea Lately, Jimmy Fallon (above-left), Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, Larry King, Craig

Talking Point: which US TV show (that's never aired in the UK) do you want to see most?

Published on 2011-07-03 04:20:00

These days, the best US drama/comedy usually arrives in the UK, even if it occasionally takes 9 months (I'm looking at you FX, with your indolent scheduling of Dexter). The birth of digital TV in the mid-'90s meant there were suddenly dozens of extra

Infographic: DEXTER

Published on 2011-07-02 10:17:00

I just thought I'd post this infographic for Showtime's Dexter, which gives you lots of interesting trivia about the show. Strange to note that Dexter Morgan kills 10 or 11 people over the course of every single season--is that some kind of agreed qu

Jump the Blast #20 & #21 - Falling Skies & White Collar

Published on 2011-07-02 06:10:00

It's the final edition of Jump the Blast, so here comes a double-bill courtesy of regular reader David H. The first is taken from the pilot of sci-fi drama FALLING SKIES, with Ben Mason (Noah Wyle) flung through the air after an alien "mech" takes a

Trailer: THE HOUR (BBC2)

Published on 2011-07-01 11:26:00

The BBC have released the first trailer of their '50s newsroom drama THE HOUR, written by BAFTA-winning Abi Morgan, starring Dominic West (The Wire), Ben Whishaw (Perfume), Romola Garai (Atonement) and Anna Chancellor (Spooks). The six-part drama fol

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: JULY 2011 (Adjustment Bureau, Battle: Los Angeles, Caprica S1, Drive Angry, The Kennedys, Luther S2, Primeval S5, Rango, Stargate Universe S2, etc.)

Published on 2011-07-01 03:30:00

4 JULYThe Adjustment Bureau [DVD] [BLURAY]Caprica: Season 1, Volume 2 [DVD] (**½ out of four)Coast: Series 1-5 [DVD] (*** out of four)Drive Angry [DVD] [BLURAY]Hall Pass [DVD] [BLURAY]The Kennedys&nb

Starz cancel CAMELOT

Published on 2011-06-30 15:58:00

I'm actually rather surprised by the news that Starz have cancelled Camelot, their adaptation of the Arthurian legend, starring Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green. The ratings were decent (the premiere was a network record-breaker, the finale attracted 1.5

PRIMEVAL, 5.6: tomorrow's world

Published on 2011-06-30 10:00:00

This was easily the best episode of series 5 and possibly Primeval's most satisfying finale yet, despite the story feeling stretched to twice its natural length. Steve Bailie and co-creator Adrian Hodges are two of the show's best writers, and you ca

Coming Soon: BEAVER FALLS, E4

Published on 2011-06-30 03:00:00

E4 have a brand new comedy-drama on the way, which they're hoping will replicate the success of The Inbetweeners. Beaver Falls is the story of three British friends—Flynn (Coronation Street's Samuel Robertson), A-Rab (Four Lions' Arsher Ali) and Ba

LUTHER, 2.3: the diceman cometh

Published on 2011-06-29 10:30:00

The final two-part story began on a riveting note, with an attack on a petrol station's forecourt by a fair-haired weirdo (Steven Robertson), brandishing a bat and acid-filled water pistol, as the frightened customers watched from inside the adjoinin

FALLING SKIES, 1.3 - "Prisoner Of War"

Published on 2011-06-29 03:30:00

Falling Skies is already higher up in my estimation than The Walking Dead ever was. It helps that an alien invasion is more interesting than a zombie apocalypse—because zombies represent a decay that can't be reversed, only halted. There aren'

Review: TRUE BLOOD, 4.1 - "She's Not There"

Published on 2011-06-28 07:30:00

The third season of this vampire drama was a sprawling, undisciplined clutter of malformed ideas. It survived on the captivating performance of Denis O'Hare (as vampire king Russell Edgington) and a regular dose of signature what-the-fuck cliffhanger

Trailer: BOARDWALK EMPIRE, season 2

Published on 2011-06-27 10:21:00

HBO have released a great trailer for the second season of their gangster epic Boardwalk Empire, and it all looks extremely promising. I enjoyed the first season, but it seemed to lose focus in the middle-section and, at times, felt like they were te

Poll: who is your favourite chat show host?

Published on 2011-06-27 10:00:00

This week, I want to know who your favourite chat show host is. The only stipulation is they need to have fronted a chat show within the past two years, so you can't choose past masters like Michael Parkinson or Johnny Carson.I've prepared a list bel

TV Picks: 27 June – 3 July 2011 (Burn Notice, One Tree Hill, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares USA, Secrets Of The Pop Song, Sirens, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-27 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: SIRENS - Channel 4, Monday, 10PMEvery Monday I browse the UK television schedules for the coming week, selecting each day's best new TV shows. Below you'll find the result of that work...MONDAY 27thBabies Behind Bars (ITV1, 9pm) Doc

Video: Vince Gilligan, BREAKING BAD season 4

Published on 2011-06-26 08:38:00

Collider have a great 18-minute interview with showrunner Vince Gilligan about the upcoming fourth season of Breaking Bad. There's not much in the way of huge revelations and spoilers (which is fine by me), but there's plenty of interesting insights

Jump the Blast #19 - White Collar

Published on 2011-06-25 06:15:00

Laura Shumacher's eye for explosions has come in handy once again, with this submission from the season 2 finale of WHITE COLLAR. The images above highlight a situation where master thief Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and some bad guys looked inside a wa

Review: WILFRED, 1.1 – "Happiness"

Published on 2011-06-24 13:21:00

A remake of a critically-acclaimed Australian series, writer David Zuckerman (Family Guy) adapts the bizarre comic tale Wilfred for American audiences. The concept is brilliantly simple: an ordinary guy realizes he's hallucinating his attractive next

Scott Buck discusses DEXTER season 6

Published on 2011-06-23 10:34:00

Entertainment Weekly have a terrific interview with Dexter's new showrunner Scott Buck, where he discusses the show's past and present. In particular, Buck reveals details about the forthcoming season (spoilers if you haven't seen season 5 yet), with

PRIMEVAL, 5.5: anomalous

Published on 2011-06-23 03:00:00

Considering there were a few game-changing events in this penultimate episode, it's surprising how little I cared. A dinosaur appeared in the middle of a populated area (yes, finally!) and made the national news, shortly before anomalies started appe

Review: FALLING SKIES, 1.1 & 1.2 - "Live & Learn" & "The Armory"

Published on 2011-06-22 10:58:00

This Steven Spielberg-produced alien invasion drama makes some wise creative decisions, not least its acceptance that the genre doesn't need to be laboriously set-up nowadays. After a brief opening narration depicting an extra-terrestrial invasion us

LUTHER, 2.2: beware the bogeyman

Published on 2011-06-22 10:35:00

Well, that was a harrowing hour, taking episode 1's setup to the next level after the kidnapping and torture of DS Ripley (Warren Brown) by masked weirdo Cameron Pell (Lee Ingleby) in a sewer, as Luther's (Idris Elba) team desperately tried to locate

Overview: GAME OF THRONES, Season One; blood, boobs, blades & beheadings

Published on 2011-06-22 04:00:00

I decided against reviewing Game Of Thrones weekly because it felt like writing about the show would require too much effort—at a time when there was a lot of TV to cover. Most of what I review, regardless of quality, has to be inherently fun for m

Punch gets POWERS

Published on 2011-06-21 11:31:00

British comic actress Lucy Punch (Dinner For Schmucks, Vexed) has signed on to play the lead in FX's adaptation of comic-book Powers. Punch will play Deena Pilgrim, an investigator of crimes that involve people with superpowers. There's no word on wh

Showtime adapting 100 BULLETS comic-book

Published on 2011-06-21 10:40:00

According to Deadline, screenwriter David Goyer (Batman Begins) has been asked to adapt the 1999 Vertigo comic-book 100 Bullets for US cable channel Showtime.The noir-style comic, written by Brian Azzarelo and illustrated by Eduardo Risso, concerned

TV Ratings: GAME OF THRONES, season 1 finale (Sky Atlantic & HBO)

Published on 2011-06-21 10:32:00

The finale of HBO's Game Of Thrones was a ratings winner for Sky Atlantic on Monday night at 9pm, as the medieval fantasy's last episode averaged 667,000 viewers over the hour. This is just below its premiere high of 743,000.Over in the US, the final

THE KILLING, 1.13 - "Orpheus Descending"

Published on 2011-06-21 10:20:00

I know this show is starting on Channel 4 in the UK soon, so there's a chance people will stumble upon this review online. If so, please turn away now. This is a review of the season 1 finale, so there are consequently gigantic spoilers ahead. Only r

Review: THE MARRIAGE REF

Published on 2011-06-21 03:35:00

A critical bomb in America, the Jerry Seinfeld-produced MARRIAGE REF has been remade for the UK and aired its first episode last Saturday. Dermot O'Leary hosts (well, ITV need to keep him sweet in-between X Factor marathons), but this format rev

Starz pick up Sam Raimi's assassin drama NOIR

Published on 2011-06-20 12:17:00

Deadline have reported that Starz are adding to their drama output (following Spartacus, Camelot, Torchwood and the recently announced Boss and Magic City), with assassin drama Noir. Produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, Noir is a live-action adaptat

Starz pick up Sam Raimi's assassin drama NOIR

Published on 2011-06-20 12:17:00

Deadline have reported that Starz are adding to their drama output (following Spartacus, Camelot, Torchwood and the recently announced Boss and Magic City), with assassin drama Noir. Produced by Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, Noir is a live-action adaptat

THE BORROWERS come to BBC this Christmas

Published on 2011-06-20 10:35:00

Christopher Eccleston, Sharon Horgan & Robert Sheehan cast in THE BORROWERS The BBC have ordered an adaptation of classic children's novel The Borrowers as a key Christmas treat this year. The new 90-minute special, written by Ben Vanstone (Merli

THE BORROWERS come to BBC this Christmas

Published on 2011-06-20 10:35:00

Christopher Eccleston, Sharon Horgan & Robert Sheehan cast in THE BORROWERSThe BBC have ordered an adaptation of classic children's novel The Borrowers as a key Christmas treat this year. The new 90-minute special, written by Ben Vanstone (Merlin

Reviews: 8 OUT OF 10 CATS, KING OF... and WALL OF FAME

Published on 2011-06-20 10:20:00

The comedy panel show is in rude health, there's no doubt about it. Friday night's are when BBC1's genre stalwart Have I Got News For You airs, and now it's joined by three rivals—two of which are new to the airwaves. First there's old-hand 8 OUT O

Reviews: 8 OUT OF 10 CATS, KING OF... and WALL OF FAME

Published on 2011-06-20 10:20:00

The comedy panel show is in rude health, there's no doubt about it. Friday night's are when BBC1's genre stalwart Have I Got News For You airs, and now it's joined by three rivals—two of which are new to the airwaves. First there's old-hand 8 OUT O

TV Picks: 20-26 June 2011 (Glastonbury 2011, James May's Things You Need To Know, Mildred Pierce, Shameless USA, Three Men Go To Venice, Top Gear, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-20 03:30:00

Pick of the Week: SHAMELESS (USA) - More4, Thursday, 10PMMONDAY 20thMade In Britain (BBC2, 9pm) Series looking at the decline of UK production. Presented by Evan Davis. (1/3)Four Of A Kind (ITV1, 9pm) Documentary about a husband and wife who have con

TV Picks: 20-26 June 2011 (Glastonbury 2011, James May's Things You Need To Know, Mildred Pierce, Shameless USA, Three Men Go To Venice, Top Gear, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-20 03:30:00

Pick of the Week: SHAMELESS (USA) - More4, Thursday, 10PM MONDAY 20thMade In Britain (BBC2, 9pm) Series looking at the decline of UK production. Presented by Evan Davis. (1/3) Four Of A Kind (ITV1, 9pm) Documentary about a husband and wife who have

Poll Result: who is your favourite TV father?

Published on 2011-06-19 09:50:00

To celebrate Father's Day (which is today, if you've forgotten), I asked you to name your THREE favourite dads from television last week. There were 85 votes collected, with the results compiled below:ONE VOTEMike Brady, Jim Royle, Arrested Developme

Poll Result: who is your favourite TV father?

Published on 2011-06-19 09:50:00

To celebrate Father's Day (which is today, if you've forgotten), I asked you to name your THREE favourite dads from television last week. There were 85 votes collected, with the results compiled below: ONE VOTEMike Brady, Jim Royle, Arrested Develop

Jump the Blast #18 - Memphis Beat

Published on 2011-06-19 04:45:00

It's Jump the Blast time again, with another submission from Laura Schumacher, who screengrabbed this moment from the season 2 premiere of MEMPHIS BEAT. In the scene, detective Dwight Howard (Jason Lee) and a colleague narrowly avoided getting cooked

Jump the Blast #18 - Memphis Beat

Published on 2011-06-19 04:45:00

It's Jump the Blast time again, with another submission from Laura Schumacher, who screengrabbed this moment from the season 2 premiere of MEMPHIS BEAT. In the scene, detective Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee) and a colleague narrowly avoided getting coo

TV Ratings: THE KENNEDYS (BBC2)

Published on 2011-06-18 12:49:00

It debuted in the UK on The History Channel some time ago, but controversial US miniseries The Kennedys finally arrived on terrestrial TV last night. BBC2's double-bill from 9 till 10.30pm attracted an impressive average of 2.6 million over its two e

TV Ratings: THE KENNEDYS (BBC2)

Published on 2011-06-18 12:49:00

It debuted in the UK on The History Channel some time ago, but controversial US miniseries The Kennedys finally arrived on terrestrial TV last night. BBC2's double-bill from 9 till 10.30pm attracted an impressive average of 2.6 million over its two e

Review: ANGRY BOYS, 1.1 – 1.6

Published on 2011-06-18 10:20:00

Given the title, it's ironic the two best characters are softly-spoken women in Chris Lilley's latest mockumentary. A gifted impersonator (and the funniest thing to come out of Australia since, um, Steve Irwin?) Lilley's Angry Boys is his bigges

Review: ANGRY BOYS, 1.1 – 1.6

Published on 2011-06-18 10:20:00

Given the title, it's ironic the two best characters are softly-spoken women in Chris Lilley's latest mockumentary. A gifted impersonator (and the funniest thing to come out of Australia since, um, Steve Irwin?) Lilley's Angry Boys is his bigges

Trailer: BOSS (Starz)

Published on 2011-06-17 14:51:00

"... sacrifices are easy when you're holding the knife..."Starz are a US cable channel best-known for unsubtle drama like Spartacus: Blood & Sand and Camelot, but they seem to be moving away into more levelheaded shows with Torchwood: Miracle Day

Trailer: BOSS (Starz)

Published on 2011-06-17 14:51:00

"... sacrifices are easy when you're holding the knife..." Starz are a US cable channel best-known for unsubtle drama like Spartacus: Blood & Sand and Camelot, but they seem to be moving away into more levelheaded shows with Torchwood: Miracle Da

Coming Soon: SIRENS (Channel 4)

Published on 2011-06-17 08:01:00

Channel 4 have a brand new comedy-drama on the way called Sirens. It stars Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker), Rhys Thomas (Bellamy's People) and Richard Madden (Game Of Thrones) as world-weary paramedics Rachid, Stuart and Ashley, who go about their day enco

Coming Soon: SIRENS (Channel 4)

Published on 2011-06-17 08:01:00

Channel 4 have a brand new comedy-drama on the way called Sirens. It stars Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker), Rhys Thomas (Bellamy's People) and Richard Madden (Game Of Thrones) as world-weary paramedics Rachid, Stuart and Ashley, who go about their day enco

Sky reveal SINBAD details

Published on 2011-06-17 06:41:00

Elliot Knight & Naveen Andrews star in Sky's SINBADSky are getting in on the trend for family-friendly telefantasy (that's seen Doctor Who, Merlin and Primeval become ratings-winners for their terrestrial rivals), with an adaptation of classic se

Talking Point: would you watch a foreign-language import channel?

Published on 2011-06-17 03:30:00

Government/BorgenBBC4 have announced they're going to air the Danish political drama Borgen (retitled Government), in the wake of its success with The Killing. The digital channel's previously shown French cop drama Spiral, Icelandic comedy Night Shi

TORCHWOOD: guns, lots of guns

Published on 2011-06-16 10:29:00

Starz have released some promotional photos for Torchwood: Miracle Day. Can you spot the theme in the majority of them?Two men, two gunsMan with a large gunInjured man with a gunFour people with gunsMan with a big gunWoman with TWO gunsIs anyone else

PRIMEVAL, 5.4: beetlemania

Published on 2011-06-16 10:05:00

This was the most enjoyable episode of what's been a substandard series, if only because it kept things simple and played to the show's strengths. Episode 4 was a taught icky horror mostly set in the ARC, which was being flooded by thousands of giant

TV Ratings: LUTHER, series 2 premiere (BBC1)

Published on 2011-06-15 12:52:00

BBC1's gritty crime drama Luther returned for a four-part second series last night (reviewed here), attracting an impressive 5.6 million viewers (25.2% of the audience), which matched its premiere's numbers from last summer.This is particularly good

Sky nab NURSE JACKIE from BBC

Published on 2011-06-15 12:39:00

Showtime's medical comedy-drama Nurse Jackie has aired two seasons on BBC2, but Sky have swooped and outbid the BBC for the rights to season 3, which is currently airing in the US. Nurse Jackie will now be added to Sky Atlantic's exclusive line-up, w

Review: LUTHER, 2.1: that's the way to do it!

Published on 2011-06-15 04:30:00

Luther split audiences when it aired last summer, but I quickly warmed to this detective drama's heightened reality and desire to have ghoulish fun within a normally staid genre. In some ways it's even more joyously absurd than the modernized Sherloc

Teaser: DAMAGES, season 4

Published on 2011-06-15 03:30:00

Legal drama Damages returns for a fourth season next month, rescued from oblivion when FX cancelled it by DIRECTV. A 30-second teaser has been released (above) that gives us a mild tastes of what's in store. I'm not sure what the new storyline is, ba

DOCTOR WHO: series curtailed for 2012, "special run" planned for 50th anniversary

Published on 2011-06-14 18:00:00

Speaking at the Church & Media Conference, Danny Cohen (the Controller of BBC1) confirmed that Doctor Who won't be returning for a full series in 2012, although a "special run" is planned for 2013 to mark the show's 50th anniversary.It's not yet

TV Ratings: GLEE, season 2 finale (E4)

Published on 2011-06-14 12:42:00

"... start spreading the news, they're leaving E4..."Glee's second season concluded on E4 last night, achieving an impressive 1.24 million in the ratings (5.1% of the audience). That's actually down 300,000 on season 1's finale, although 391,000 watc

THE KILLING, 1.12 - "Beau Soleil"

Published on 2011-06-14 10:40:00

Did anyone else get the feeling this hour could have been moved forward to, say, episode 5 and worked almost as well? It would have meant a few shortcuts and a surprisingly efficient investigation, but it would have been possible. While I understand

Talking Point: is broadcasting multiple episodes a week a wise move?

Published on 2011-06-14 04:30:00

Injustice, ITV1It's becoming common for UK broadcasters to air TWO episodes of a drama every week, sometimes more. Outcasts spent the first few weeks of its life airing episodes on Mondays and Tuesdays; the currently-airing Case Histories launched wi

AMC want more of THE KILLING

Published on 2011-06-13 15:27:00

AMC's remake of Danish murder-mystery drama The Killing has been renewed for a second season, in light of solid ratings (a 2.2 million average) and acclaim—although the critical buzz has softened, and in some cases soured, since the first batch of

TV Picks: 13-19 June 2011 (8 Out Of 10 Cats, Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Dexter, King Of, Lee Mack's All Star Cast, Luther, Marriage Ref, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Wall Of Fame, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-13 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: LUTHER - BBC1, Tuesday, 9PMMONDAY 13thPolice Interceptors (Channel 5, 8pm) Series 4 of the fly-on-the-wall show following the officers of South Yorkshire's Road Crime Unit. (1/15)Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die (BBC2, 9pm) Document

Poll: who is your favourite TV father?

Published on 2011-06-12 09:30:00

To celebrate Father's Day on 19 June, this week's mega-poll wants to know your THREE favourite television dads. Ideally, this should be a character who's somewhat defined by being a father, not just someone who's fathered children but it has no huge

CAMELOT, 1.10 - "Reckoning"

Published on 2011-06-11 13:50:00

The finale of Camelot's inaugural year was enjoyable, if only because a lot of big things happened with increasing regularity after a fairly uninteresting start. A continuation of last week's "The Battle Of Bardon Pass", we caught up with Arthur (Jam

American MISFITS remake still possible...

Published on 2011-06-10 13:19:00

The possibility of a US remake of E4's fantastic superhero drama Misfits has never been popular with fans of the show. While the USA is the birthplace of the comic-book superhero, Misfits was by its very nature a fresh spin on the American tropes of

Review: TEEN WOLF, 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-06-10 10:55:00

Australian director Russell Mulcahy made his name in the early-'80s with iconic music videos that got playtime on a then-fledgling MTV—which even launched with Mulcahy's "Video Killed The Radio Star". 30 years later he's the jobbing helmsman behind

PRIMEVAL, 5.3: Victorianasaurus

Published on 2011-06-09 08:50:00

I can promise you that when I suggested Primeval do something outside of its comfort zone (like actually sending someone through an anomaly, perhaps to Victorian times, to capture a dinosaur), I genuinely had no idea that would be the basis of the ve

THE KILLING, 1.11 - "Missing"

Published on 2011-06-09 06:40:00

I'm going to abandon my usual review format this week, echoing what The Killing itself decided to do with the antepenultimate episode "Missing". This was a very strange episode considering what's come before and how the show has fed its audience thei

State of the Blog: template, auto pagination, OWF & TV Calendar

Published on 2011-06-08 03:00:00

Before we start, let me just say that I'm going to be very busy with "real world" matters today, so updates will be affected—beyond this post, of course. Anyway... the eagle-eyed may have noticed a few more blog improvements, courtesy of Alan Woodw

PSYCHOVILLE, 2.6: cold Lazarus

Published on 2011-06-07 10:45:00

In a baffling move, BBC2 aired the finale of Psychoville three days early, to make room for Mock The Week, which probably means it slipped the notice of many people. I know we live in the age of digital catch-up services, but it's still frustrating w

Talking Point: is Doctor Who's Amy Pond a badly written insult to women?

Published on 2011-06-07 03:00:00

US TV screenwriter Kay Reindl (Millennium, Haunted) wrote an interesting, impassioned rant about the current state of Doctor Who over at her blog—a show she's fallen out of love with since Steven Moffat took over from Russell T. Davies, despite the

Poll Result: who is your favourite fictional investigator?

Published on 2011-06-06 05:00:00

Last week I asked you to name your FIVE favourite fictional investigators/detectives. There were 187 votes and the results are amassed below, with asterisks denoting unique "other votes" that were received:NO VOTESAlex Cross, Jack Ryan, Ducky Mallard

TV Picks: 6-12 June 2011 (Angry Boys, Camelot, Comedy Gala 2011, Injustice, In With The Flynns, James May's Toy Stories, Mock The Week, Smallville, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-06 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: ANGRY BOYS - BBC3, Tuesday, 10.40PMMONDAY 6thCrimewatch Roadshow (BBC1, 9.15am) Series 3 of the roadshow editions of the popular crime-fighting series. (1/20)Injustice (ITV1, 9pm) Legal drama about a retired defense barrister called

TV Calendar

Published on 2011-06-05 13:40:00

Below you'll find a constantly-updated list of popular TV shows and the date they'll be premiering/returning to the US and UK. I hope you'll bookmark this page and refer back to it. If there are any corrections that need to be made, or you think anot

CAMELOT, 1.9 - "The Battle Of Bardon Pass"

Published on 2011-06-05 08:55:00

The penultimate hour of Camelot was a disappointing dud, which felt all the more painful because Starz decided to keep us waiting two weeks after "Igraine". To be honest, it's getting increasingly difficult to review this show's episodes without just

DOCTOR WHO, 6.7 – "A Good Man Goes To War"

Published on 2011-06-04 14:45:00

The mid-series finale was in the exact same mould as Steven Moffat's other tent-pole episodes; a big, cluttered, exciting, ludicrous, exhausting, riotous, wantonly confusing, propulsive spectacle. It was the kind of episode that hid its deficiencies

Trailer: LUTHER, series 2 (BBC1)

Published on 2011-06-03 11:37:00

Hell is empty... and all the devils are here...The BBC have released a full trailer for series 2 of LUTHER, which I've handily embedded above. It's a really effective and atmospheric tease of what's to come. I've actually seen the first episode alrea

PSYCHOVILLE, 2.5: say oops frozen head

Published on 2011-06-03 10:05:00

This penultimate episode of Psychoville retained the momentum of last week and increased the revelations, which made for a very satisfying half-hour. I'm still not finding series 2 as funny as series 1, but I'm glad the story has taken shape recently

Review: THE TWILIGHT ZONE, 1.1 - 1.7

Published on 2011-06-02 04:00:00

As announced recently, here's the first batch of my planned reviews of THE TWILIGHT ZONE's first season (1959-60) to celebrate Rod Serling's classic anthology making its debut on high-definition Blu-ray. I hope these reviews will entertain existing f

PRIMEVAL, 5.2: dinosaur on a submarine

Published on 2011-06-01 10:30:00

There was a muted response to my premiere review of Primeval last week, so either people don't care about the show now, aren't aware of its return, or don't subscribe to Watch--the digital channel with the UK premiere ahead of ITV. I don't have much

So that was THE EVENT, that was...

Published on 2011-06-01 04:30:00

Like many shows before it, THE EVENT was hyped as the successor to Lost before making its debut last autumn--a marketing plot that's officially become the kiss of death for new sci-fi drama. I dearly wish the American marketing folk would use less hy

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: JUNE 2011 (127 Hours, I Am Number Four, Psychoville Series 2, The Fighter, The Lord Of The Rings, etc.)

Published on 2011-06-01 03:00:00

The Godfather, The Crimson Petal & The White, 127 Hours:6 JUNE127 Hours [DVD] [BLURAY]The Bridge On The River Kwai [BLURAY]Burn Notice: Season 4 [DVD]Crimson Petal & The White [DVD]The Godfather [BLURAY] (***½ out of four)The Godfather: Part

Trailer: BREAKING BAD, season 4 (AMC)

Published on 2011-05-31 13:52:00

AMC have announced the premiere date of Breaking Bad's fourth season. It's 17 July. They've also released the above trailer, although it doesn't appear to feature any new footage. Regardless, it's a very effective montage of the previous three season

THE KILLING, 1.10 – "I'll Let You Know When I Get There"

Published on 2011-05-31 10:45:00

I think I'd have liked "I'll Let You Know When I Get There" if it had come earlier in the season, but considering the fact it's essentially an alternate-episode 4 (now the Bennet Ahmed dead-end has come to an end after a ridiculous half-season spent

Poll: who's your favourite fictional investigator?

Published on 2011-05-31 09:25:00

It's been awhile, so here comes another of those mega-polls that gives everyone a headache! This time, I'm after your favourite fictional investigator/detective. As usual, the poll's options below are extensive, but I'm sure I missed a great many.In

X FACTOR'd

Published on 2011-05-30 12:36:00

It's been a torturous year for fans of X Factor, despite the fact not a single episode of the show's aired since Christmas 2010. The speculation over the US version's judges dominated the showbiz headlines since New Year, and then Cheryl Cole was ign

TV Picks: 30 May – 5 June 2011 (Alexander Armstrong's Big Ask, Case Histories, Coast, Lead Balloon, Meet The Elephant Man, Popstar To Operastar, Talking Funny, etc.)

Published on 2011-05-30 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: LEAD BALLOON - Tuesday, BBC2, 10PMBANK HOLIDAY MONDAYHorrible Histories (CBBC, 5.15pm) Return of the BAFTA-winning historical sketch show for kids.Gory Games (CBBC, 5.45pm) Horrible Histories spin-off gameshow. Hosted by Dave Lamb.F

State of the Blog: underlining & IT

Published on 2011-05-29 10:39:00

This week: coding, IT at work, Twilight ZoneFirst, I'd like to openly thank longtime reader Alan Woodward, who helped me fix a long-running problem with DMD this week: the inability to underline links in blog posts. It's a minor thing, yes, but a tou

DOCTOR WHO, 6.6 – "The Almost People"

Published on 2011-05-28 14:45:00

Some two-part conclusions are intentionally different to their setups and take things to a whole new level (see: "Day Of The Moon"), while others are just concerned with fast-paced resolution and pay-off. "The Almost People" was definitely in the lat

Talking Point: do you start watching TV shows you know have been cancelled?

Published on 2011-05-28 06:29:00

This is perhaps more of a concern for television shows that are imported, but would a show's cancellation put you off watching them to begin with? A good recent example is The Chicago Code, which was axed by Fox in the US the same week it made its UK

'PSYCHOVILLE' 2.4

Published on 2011-05-27 05:55:00

I've been frustrated with Psychoville because recent episodes haven't develop the backbone of the storyline much, they just brought a few of the characters' lives to grisly ends. A few new characters were introduced with no clear connection to the sh

Review: 'Firefly' - The Complete Series (2002)

Published on 2011-05-26 04:00:00

The eponymous insect burns brightly, but only lives for a day; an ironic omen of what happened to its namesake television series Firefly. Joss Whedon's space-western was posthumously more successful on DVD than during its brief, disorderly broadcast

Review: 'PRIMEVAL' 5.1

Published on 2011-05-25 12:40:00

Burrow over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the series 5 premiere of PRIMEVAL, which received its UK premiere on Watch last night.As part of ITV's co-financing deal with BBC America, Germany's Pro Sieben and UKTV, that allowed the re

Edward James Olmos joins 'Dexter'

Published on 2011-05-25 03:00:00

Edward James Olmos (Blade Runner, Battlestar Galactica) has been added to the cast of Dexter for its sixth season, joining the previously announced Colin Hanks, as an expert on religious artifacts, and Mos (formerly Mos Def) as an ex-convict who's fo

Trailer: 'Torchwood: Miracle Day' (Starz / BBC1)

Published on 2011-05-24 11:17:00

Starz have released a full-length trailer for Torchwood: Miracle Day, their co-production with BBC Wales and BBC Worldwide. The ten-part series reunites John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Kai Owen from the original British show, joined by newcomers Mekhi

'THE KILLING' 1.9 - "Undertow"

Published on 2011-05-24 10:40:00

In "Undertow" there was a major development in the murder case, but it wound up setting the investigation back by several days/episodes. That's even more frustrating when you realize the removal of Bennet Ahmed's subplot means The Killing could proba

Jump the Blast #17 – 'Rush'

Published on 2011-05-24 04:00:00

Laura Schumacher's becoming a one-woman army when it comes to submitting screenshots for my semi-regular Jump the Blast feature. Her latest picks come from the third season premiere of Australian action drama RUSH, where a car-bomb explodes while the

Trailer: 'Homeland' (Showtime)

Published on 2011-05-23 12:23:00

We've already seen the four-minute preview/teaser Showtime released a short while ago, but here comes the official trailer for their upcoming terrorist drama Homeland, which does a better job communicating the concept of the show. The official synops

BAFTA Television Awards 2011: The Winners

Published on 2011-05-23 04:30:00

The BAFTA Television Awards were held last night. Below you can read the full list of winners, a reminder of my largely incorrect predictions, and a few thoughts on the outcomes:Leading ActorJim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)Benedict Cumberb

TV Picks: 23-29 May 2011 ('Celebrity Five To Go', 'Four Rooms', 'Funny Or Die Presents', 'Paul Merton's Birth Of Hollywood', 'Primeval', 'Scott & Bailey', etc.)

Published on 2011-05-23 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: 'PRIMEVAL' - Watch, Tuesday, 8PMMONDAY 23rdCelebrity Five To Go (Channel 4, 5pm) Reality series where five famous people go on holiday together, starting in Cape Town with The Apprentice's Stuart Baggs, Christopher Biggings, and oth

Interview: Robert Sheehan, 'Misfits'

Published on 2011-05-22 12:14:00

Digital Spy have a great interview with Misfits' Robert Sheehan, ahead of his arrival at the BAFTA Television Awards tonight (22 May), where the E4 superhero series is nominated for Best Drama again.The interview touches on everything fans would want

'CAMELOT' 1.8 - "Igraine"

Published on 2011-05-22 10:40:00

A flawed episode, but I found myself quite enjoying "Igraine" because of Claire Forlani's performance and the way it gently prodded situations along regarding Merlin (Joseph Fiennes) and Igraine's simmering sexual tension, and Guinevere's (Tamsin Ege

'DOCTOR WHO' 6.5 – "The Rebel Flesh"

Published on 2011-05-21 15:00:00

Matthew Graham (Life On Mars, Ashes To Ashes) wrote the execrable "Fear Her" from series 2--a nadir in Doctor Who's revival--so I was relieved "The Rebel Flesh" was an altogether more satisfying and competent episode. That said, it was unexceptional

'The IT Crowd' shutting down?

Published on 2011-05-21 06:15:00

Speaking to Chortle, writer Graham Linehan has said his Channel 4 "geek-com" The IT Crowd will probably end after its fifth series, due later this year.Graham Linehan:"I think one more series to really say goodbye to the characters and the fans. I'm

'AL MURRAY'S COMPETE FOR THE MEAT'

Published on 2011-05-20 10:00:00

The idea of a TV gameshow based on a pub quiz, hosted by Al Murray's comic creation the Pub Landlord, must have seemed like a great idea for digital channel Dave. Indeed, whenever Compete For The Meat was relying on Murray talking to members of the p

'PSYCHOVILLE' 2.3

Published on 2011-05-20 03:00:00

We've reached the halfway mark and I'm worried Psychoville's proven me right and should have ended after one series. We're still no closer to seeing how the new characters (Jeremy, Hattie) relate to anything (if they even do, as I have doubts), and e

The CW Previews: 'Ringer' & 'Secret Circle'

Published on 2011-05-19 13:01:00

There are only two shows from The CW I'm potentially interested in this year, which they previewed at their Upfronts this week: Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer, about a woman on the run who assumes the life of her affluent twin sister (originally made

CBS Previews: 'A Gifted Man', 'Person Of Interest' & 'Unforgettable'

Published on 2011-05-19 10:40:00

Here are my picks of the best CBS shows the network previewed at their Upfronts presentation: supernatural medical drama A Gifted Man, about a doctor haunted by the ghost of his ex-wife; action-drama Person Of Interest, where Jim Caviezel and Michael

Dare to re-enter 'The Twilight Zone'?

Published on 2011-05-19 04:30:00

This month's release of The Twilight Zone's first two seasons on high-def Blu-ray has given me a hankering to review this estimable '50s classic. My current thinking is to cover the first season's thirty-six episodes in six groups of six. (The fact t

Trailer: 'Strike Back: Project Dawn' (Sky1 & Cinemax)

Published on 2011-05-19 03:00:00

Sky have released a trailer for the second series of their action-drama Strike Back--now referred to as Strike Back: Project Dawn, making it sound like video-game for XBOX. Series 2 is a co-production between Sky and Cinemax/HBO and has been expanded

BBC considering 'The Voice'?

Published on 2011-05-18 11:15:00

Following its current success on NBC, the BBC are allegedly keen to buy the UK rights to singing competition The Voice, based on the Dutch series The Voice Of Holland.Designed as a rival to the British Pop Idol and X Factor formats, which have been s

AMC order no TV pilots for 2011

Published on 2011-05-18 10:55:00

US cable network AMC have decided not to pursue the six pilot scripts they've had in active development since March: alien first contact drama The Voyage from writer John Shiban (X Files, Breaking Bad), The Man With The Golden Ears (based on a Danish

'CHUCK' 4.24 - "Chuck Versus The Cliffhanger"

Published on 2011-05-18 10:40:00

Going in, I knew NBC had renewed Chuck for a fifth and final season, but still suspected this finale wouldn't risk ending on an actual cliffhanger, as that would have infuriated fans if NBC had axed the insuperable series. As it stands, Chuck has man

Trailer: 'True Blood' - witches vs vampires

Published on 2011-05-18 03:30:00

"If they can control the dead then they can control us" -- BillI recently posted the trailer for season 4 of True Blood, but I thought I'd indulge you with a second. This one is a little tastier, with a look at exactly what the new season's going to

ABC Previews: 'Charlie's Angels', 'Once Upon A Time', 'Pan Am' & 'The River'

Published on 2011-05-17 13:18:00

ABC held their Upfronts presentations today, so here are some more previews and synopses of their brand new shows I'm interested in: the Charlie's Angels remake, fairy tale drama Once Upon A Time, '60s jet set drama Pan Am, and horror drama The River

'THE KILLING' 1.8 - "Stonewalled"

Published on 2011-05-17 10:55:00

The finale's a dot on the horizon, so I was very pleased with "Stonewalled", which was a more satisfying hour of The Killing than we've had in weeks. The investigation was beginning to turn stale but this refreshed things with the FBI's introduction

Sky grab 'Glee' from E4

Published on 2011-05-17 10:37:00

As rumoured, it's now official: Sky have outbid E4 for the UK rights to Fox's Glee. Sky1 is the likely new home of the high school "dramedy" for its third season and beyond. This continues a trend for Sky, as the broadcaster often snaps up the rights

State of the Blog: IT hates me

Published on 2011-05-17 04:30:00

My workplace underwent a big IT upgrade last week, but the results haven't meant a huge improvement--well, at the moment, For instance, I'm still lumbered with Internet Explorer 6, so the ability to read or leave comments with Disqus won't improve. E

Fox Previews: 'Alcatraz', 'Terra Nova' & 'Touch'

Published on 2011-05-17 03:00:00

Fox had their Upfronts yesterday, revealing their new shows for 2011/12 to the press and marketing people. Of particular interest to me are their three sci-fi dramas: JJ Abrams' latest mystery Alcatraz, Steven Spielberg-produced dinosaur adventure Te

Competition Winner: 'Spartacus: B&S' DVD!

Published on 2011-05-16 05:30:00

Last week, I held a competition to win a copy of Spartacus: Blood & Sand on Region 1 DVD. This competition was only open to US residents, with the prize kindly provided by Direct Choice Satellite.The question posed was: In which Italian city do t

TV Picks: 16-22 May 2011 ('Al Murray's Compete For The Meat', 'British Academy Television Awards 2011', 'Caprica', 'Jamie's Food Revolution Hits Hollywood', 'Louis Theroux', etc.)

Published on 2011-05-16 03:30:00

Pick of the Week: 'CAPRICA' - Sky1, Monday, 11.15PMMONDAY 16thFake Britain (BBC1, 9am) Series 2 of the counterfeit investigation series, starting with a look at how banks are giving their customers a high quantity of fake £1 coins. (1/15)The Story O

NBC Preview: 'Grimm', 'Prime Suspect', 'The Playboy Club' & 'Smash'

Published on 2011-05-15 13:41:00

NBC's The Playboy Club, starring Amber Heard (left)NBC have released some sneak peeks of a few brand new shows they've commissioned for the 2011/12 season, if you care to take a look below. Do any of these take your fancy?GRIMM "Grimm" is a new dram

Trailer: 'True Blood', season 4 (HBO)

Published on 2011-05-15 10:05:00

HBO have released the first trailer for True Blood's fourth season that includes new footage. What do we have in store for us? Um, more of the same. There's no clear sense of what season 4's story is, and this year's apparent emphasis on witchcraft i

'CAMELOT' 1.7 - "The Long Night"

Published on 2011-05-15 08:00:00

On Camelot this week, we were given a typical siege story that allowed for some exploration of a few characters, as Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower) and his knights travelled to Castle Pendragon at his half-sister Morgan's (Eva Green) behest, only to fi

'DOCTOR WHO' 6.4 – "The Doctor's Wife"

Published on 2011-05-14 14:30:00

It was mooted that renowned author Neil Gaiman (The Sandman, Coraline) might write an episode of Doctor Who during Russell T. Davies' era, but only now does the Hugo-winning wordsmith make his debut on the estimable sci-fi drama he grew up watching.

'COMMUNITY' 2.23 & 2.24 – "A Fistful Of Paintballs" & "For A Few Paintballs More"

Published on 2011-05-14 08:55:00

Last year's seminal episode "Modern Warfare" (commonly referred to as "the paintball episode") cemented Community's reputation as television's most creative, geek-friendly and imaginative comedy. A pastiche of the action genre (directed by Fast &

ABC commit to 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Pan Am'; 'No Ordinary Family' definitely dead; NBC nix 'The 17th Precinct' & 'Wonder Woman' pilots

Published on 2011-05-13 15:07:00

ABC have decided to give their TV remake of '70s hit Charlie's Angels a whirl, with Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh and Rachael Taylor in the leading roles. They've also opted to take '60s jet set drama pilot Pan Am to series, which stars Christina Ricci

NBC end 'The Event'; ABC vaporize 'V'

Published on 2011-05-13 14:34:00

Unsurprisingly, NBC have decided to cancel their sci-fi mystery drama The Event. The show has been averaging 7.4 million viewers this season, which isn't enough to justify the cost. On a similar note to FlashForward, the show was hyped as "the next L

'PSYCHOVILLE' 2.2

Published on 2011-05-13 13:20:00

I've rated it the same as last week's premiere, but I enjoyed episode 2 slightly more -- although I still have concerns about Psychoville's general direction and how it's using its characters. Considering there are less episodes this year, I'm a litt

NBC renew 'Chuck' for season 5

Published on 2011-05-13 12:08:00

Against all the odds, again, Chuck has been renewed for a fifth season by NBC. The order is for 13 episodes, but a "back nine" could be required if ratings are great (unlikely) or the rest of NBC's schedule is a disaster zone (likely.) Chuck only man

'THE KILLING' 1.7 - "Vengeance"

Published on 2011-05-12 14:14:00

We enter the second half of The Killing with an episode that fell back on the old formula (wrap-up last week's cliffhanger in 10-minutes, provide half-an-hour of leisurely developments, then end with a provocative 3-minute climax.) I’d hoped for be

Charlie Brooker writing 'Black Mirror'

Published on 2011-05-12 06:00:00

Channel 4 has announced that journalist/broadcaster Charlie Brooker has been hired to write a brand new satirical drama called Black Mirror, described as "a hybrid of The Twilight Zone and Tales Of The Unexpected." The series will air as three hours,

'Rubicon' reviews: rescinded

Published on 2011-05-12 03:00:00

I've decided to stop reviewing Rubicon, which is currently airing on BBC4. There weren't enough comments or page-hits to justify my time with it, and the show hasn't gripped me as I expected it to. It was something of a risk reviewing this AMC drama,

'Rubicon' reviews: rescinded

Published on 2011-05-12 03:00:00

I've decided to stop reviewing Rubicon, which is currently airing on BBC4. There weren't enough comments or page-hits to justify my time with it, and the show hasn't gripped me as I expected it to. It was something of a risk reviewing this AMC drama,

Fox cancel 'Chicago Code' & 'Human Target'

Published on 2011-05-11 10:13:00

The Shield writer-producer Shaun Ryan has been dealt another blow; just months after his show Terriers was canned by FX, his cop drama The Chicago Code's been axed by Fox! The 13-part series starts its run on Sky1 tomorrow, so it'll be interesting to

'CHUCK' 4.23 - "Chuck Versus The Last Details"

Published on 2011-05-11 10:00:00

The penultimate episode of Chuck (perhaps ever--again) was a better episode than we've become accustomed to recently, but there were things that strangled my enjoyment. I've simply grown bored of Chuck (Zachary Levi) and tired of his relationship wit

Sky confirm 'Mad Dogs' series 2, maybe 3

Published on 2011-05-11 09:51:00

Sky have revealed their well-received drama Mad Dogs will return for a second series. The sun-kissed thriller, about a group of childhood friends reunited in Majorca, who become embroiled in a violent murder-mystery when one of them is killed, was a

Jump the Blast #16 - 'Burn Notice'

Published on 2011-05-11 03:30:00

This week's Jump the Blast comes from Burn Notice's TV prequel "The Fall Of Sam Axe", brought to my attention by regular reader Laura Schumacher. This isn't a show I watch, but Laura explains that this moment occurs during a scene where Sam Axe (Bruc

Sky making 'SPY'

Published on 2011-05-10 10:10:00

Sky have started work on a brand new sitcom called SPY. The comedy concerns a single father called Tim (Whites' Darren Boyd), struggling to win the respect of his nine-year-old son, who accidentally finds himself being trained as a MI5 agent. Tim mus

Competition: WIN 'Spartacus: Blood & Sand' DVD

Published on 2011-05-10 04:00:00

I have a box-set of the action-packed gladiatorial series Spartacus: Blood & Sand to giveaway on Region 1 DVD, courtesy of Direct Choice Satellite, an authorized retailer of DirecTV packages.SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND is a stylized story based o

Talking Point: why are the BBC refusing to air Scottish comedy to the rest of the UK?

Published on 2011-05-10 03:00:00

Have you seen the sketch show Burnistoun? Doesn't ring a bell? Oh, how about Gary: Tank Commander? No? You must have seen Limmy's Show? Still drawing a blank? If so, chances are you're not Scottish, because those are three popular Scottish comedies t

Joe Gilgun joins 'Misfits' as Rudy

Published on 2011-05-09 11:00:00

It's been revealed that actor Joe Gilgun (This Is England '86) is joining E4's hit superhero drama Misfits as new character Rudy, brought in to replace Nathan in light of Robert Sheehan's decision to quit the BAFTA-winning show.Gilgun will be a famil

Who wants 'The Apprentice' series 7 reviews?

Published on 2011-05-09 06:30:00

I skipped reviewing series 6 of The Apprentice last year, so tragically missed writing about the hilarious egomania of Stuart "The Brand" Baggs. What a hamster-faced plonker he was, eh? Naturally that equaled TV nirvana.This year, I'm still in two-mi

'FRINGE' 3.22 – "The Day We Died"

Published on 2011-05-09 04:30:00

As expected, Fringe's third season finale offered the chance of reinvention for the show, going forward, while also working surprisingly well as a potential series finale if Fox hadn't renewed it. Although the conclusion would have required fans to a

TV Picks: 9-15 May 2011 ('The Apprentice', 'The Chicago Code', 'Comedy Genius Of John Sullivan', 'Eurovision 2011', 'Gordon's Great Escape', 'The Night Shift', 'Strangeways', etc.)

Published on 2011-05-09 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: 'THE APPRENTICE' - BBC1, Tuesday, 9PMMONDAY 9thBusiness Nightmares with Evan Davis (BBC2, 8pm) Series recounting the instances when globally successful businesses make catastrophic mistakes. (1/3)Dispatches: A Year Inside Number 10

Poll Result: which one-season wonder deserved seconds?

Published on 2011-05-08 09:10:00

Last week I asked you to select your favourite "one-season wonder" (a TV series that only lasted a year, before it was prematurely axed.) I know it was a very tricky proposition, but the response was fantastic, with 85 people registering their vote.

'CAMELOT' 1.6 – "Three Journeys"

Published on 2011-05-08 04:50:00

Last week gave us Camelot's best episode to date, so it's a terrible shame this following episode was its worst. A triumvirate of storylines, each one as tedious as the next, only serving to reiterate points already made. Merlin (Joseph Fiennes) led

Teaser: 'Dexter', season 6; Hell Breaks Loose

Published on 2011-05-07 18:00:00

Showtime have released a brief teaser for the sixth season of Dexter (see above.) There's no new footage, just a recap of the various foes Dexter Morgan has taken on over the years. Noticeably, the teaser ignores anything that happened in season 5. M

'DOCTOR WHO' 6.3 – "The Curse Of The Black Spot"

Published on 2011-05-07 14:05:00

Quite literally calmer seas for Doctor Who after its tempestuous two-part premiere, as the TARDIS appears aboard a 17th-century pirate ship that's fallen foul of a becalmed ocean. To make matters worse, Captain Avery (Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville)

'RUBICON' 1.5 - "Connect The Dots"

Published on 2011-05-07 07:20:00

This was a much better episode in terms of delivering developments that felt relatively huge, but has it come too late? I've started to wonder why I should actually care about the reason a stranger committed suicide. Or the suspected murder of an adm

Trailer: 'Hell On Wheels', AMC

Published on 2011-05-07 03:00:00

Hell On Wheels is AMC's brand new TV series, to sit alongside their hits Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. This Western is set during the construction of the Transcontinental railroad in 1865; its title a phrase used to describe the itinera

Trailer: 'Luther', BBC1

Published on 2011-05-06 16:01:00

The BBC have released a short promotion for Luther, which returns for its second series in the near-future. It's a rather tedious and obvious piece of marketing, showing Idris Elba demolishing his office in snapshots played backwards. The BBC seem to

Review: 'STEWART LEE'S COMEDY VEHICLE' 2.1 - "Charity"

Published on 2011-05-06 10:10:00

If a comedian draws attention to their unique style of avoiding traditionally-constructed "jokes", does this make them immune to complaints they're still not very funny?Stewart Lee, erstwhile half of comedy duo Lee & Herring, alongside Richard He

Cheryl Cole confirmed for 'X Factor' USA

Published on 2011-05-06 03:00:00

The will-she/won't-she surrounding the possibility of X Factor judge Cheryl Cole joining the US version with Simon Cowell has been, frankly, a torturous guessing game. Here in the UK, barely a day's gone by without a tabloid newspaper or gossip blog

Review: 'PSYCHOVILLE' 2.1

Published on 2011-05-05 18:00:00

Solemnly march over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the long-awaited series 2 premiere of BBC2's horror-com PSYCHOVILLE, starring Reece Shearsmith & Steve Pemberton.After an unreasonable two-year absence, only alleviated by last year's

Talking Point: is physical media really doomed?

Published on 2011-05-05 05:40:00

It's been revealed that US sales of DVDs fell 20% in the first quarter of 2011, falling from $2.58bn to $2bn over three months. The report by the Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) also showed that rentals fell 36% to $440m, but online streaming rose

Aborted Reviews: 'Being Human': S1-3, 'Caprica': 1.14 - "Blowback", 'Dexter': S4 & 'Dollhouse': S2

Published on 2011-05-05 02:50:00

I write a lot of stuff I never actually post here, usually because I proof-read and don't think it's good enough. It's true! I keep all my writing on a Word document that's currently 113 pages long, mostly consisting of hazy ideas for polls, talking

'CHUCK' 4.22 – "Chuck Versus Agent X"

Published on 2011-05-04 12:40:00

This felt like three episodes stitched clumsily together, meaning it was notably disjointed, but there was enough good humour across the episode to see it through -- not to mention two big developments for the show's mythology. For those reasons, I f

Poll: which one-season wonder deserved seconds?

Published on 2011-05-04 03:00:00

The demands of television often means fantastic shows don't last more than a season, before a network pulls the plug in the face of terrible ratings. There are times when a show only airs a few episodes, before it's yanked off-air. Others are just vi

'THE KILLING' 1.6 – "What You Have Left"

Published on 2011-05-03 08:05:00

The halfway point of the season predictably involved Rosie Larsen's funeral, although it wasn't given as much attention as you'd have expected. In fact, the political subplot received more screentime, as harangued Councilman Richmond (Billy Campbell)

'FRINGE' 3.21 - "The Last Sam Weiss"

Published on 2011-05-02 07:20:00

The penultimate hour of the three-part conclusion to season 3 was a more enjoyable and eventful hour than last week's preamble. It was a little slow to get going, but then launched into a sprint that took us towards a key moment we've been waiting th

TV Picks: 2-8 May 2011 ('Family Guy', 'Psychoville', 'The Shadow Line', 'Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections', 'Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle', 'Waterloo Road', etc.)

Published on 2011-05-02 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: 'PSYCHOVILLE' - Thursday, BBC2, 10PMMAY DAY BANK HOLIDAYDambusters: Building The Bouncing Bomb (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary where a team of engineers try to rebuild the famous bouncing bomb that destroyed a vital German dam in WWII.

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: MAY 2011 ('Black Swan', 'Green Hornet', 'King's Speech', 'Spartacus: Blood & Sand', 'Tangled', 'True Blood: S1-3', 'Twilight Zone: S1-2', 'Walking Dead: S1', etc.)

Published on 2011-05-01 04:55:00

On the first day of every month I highlight the best DVD and Blu-rays released in the UK & Ireland. Below are my picks of the best TV box-sets and movies hitting stores in May 2011:2 MAY:'The Green Hornet', 'Star Trek: Complete Series' & 'Twi

'DOCTOR WHO' 6.2 – "Day Of The Moon" (Part 2 of 2)

Published on 2011-04-30 14:00:00

It's tough reviewing episodes like " Day Of The Moon", which are so thick with incident and swathed in different layers that you end the episode gasping for air, feeling like your brain's been shaken for 45-minutes. As I said last week, there's a cer

'CAMELOT' 1.5 - "Justice"

Published on 2011-04-30 09:55:00

I didn't have much faith in this episode to begin with, but it slowly came together in a surprisingly pleasurable way that crystallized several things about Camelot and provided some much-needed glimpses at what the show's really all about. In partic

State of the Blog: updates & Thrones

Published on 2011-04-30 06:25:00

My Blogger/IE6/Disqus issues are back in force, so just don't expect many updates or replies to your comments until after 5pm on weekdays. There will be a few instances when I can auto-post things from the day before (TV Picks, Jump the Blast's, Poll

Trailer: BBC Original British Drama

Published on 2011-04-29 15:17:00

The BBC have released another Original British Drama trailer with more footage of upcoming shows like The Shadow Line, Exile, The Hour and The Night Watch. It also includes a few snippets from Doctor Who and, towards the end, what appears to be a wor

Who's at the Royal Wedding?

Published on 2011-04-29 09:55:00

via GaryTomWilliamsDid you enjoy the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton this morning? I certainly had a fun time tweeting snarkily about it for a few hours, but it was genuinely a lovely occasion. One of the funniest tweets that caugh

'RUBICON' 1.4 - "The Outsider"

Published on 2011-04-29 08:00:00

This wasn't the big turning point I was hoping for. "The Outsider" took things in a different direction, but in so doing it rested most of the storylines that were already in play. That seems like a terrible decision, as audiences are surely clamorin

Poll Result: who's your favourite resurrected character?

Published on 2011-04-28 03:00:00

Last week I asked you to vote for your favourite resurrected fictional character (i.e a character who "cheated clinical death".) There were 52 votes, with the results below:ONE VOTES - 1.92%The Crow's Eric Draven, RoboCop's Alex Murphy, Alien's Ellen

'THE KILLING' 1.5 – "Super 8"

Published on 2011-04-27 10:55:00

This fifth episode avoided the emerging formula of proving the innocence of last week's prime suspect in Act I, but otherwise it was business as usual. The Killing continues to have an immersive, sodden atmosphere that's strangely alluring, but it's

'RUBICON' 1.3 – "Keep The Ends Out"

Published on 2011-04-26 07:50:00

Before I even started watching Rubicon I was aware it had pacing issues (by design or otherwise), but this third episode was the first time they became a notable problem. This was a glacial hour that tested my patience. A core problem for Rubicon is

BAFTA Television Awards 2011: The Nominees

Published on 2011-04-26 06:25:00

The BAFTA Television nominees have been announced for 2011, ahead of the ceremony in London on 22 May. The full list is below, together with some predictions and thoughts from yours truly:Leading ActorJim Broadbent - Any Human Heart (Channel 4)Benedi

'FRINGE' 3.20 – "6:02 AM EST"

Published on 2011-04-26 04:35:00

There are only three episodes left this season, and "6:02 AM EST" was primarily an hour that refreshed our memory of pertinent storylines and moved the characters into positions for the big finale. There were some great character moments to savor and

'The Borgias' has a second coming

Published on 2011-04-25 18:17:00

Showtime's brand new historical drama The Borgias, starring Jeremy Irons as a devious pope and patriarch of a notorious family, has been renewed for a second 10-part season in 2012.David Nevins, Showtime President:The Borgias has become Sunday night

TV Ratings: 'Doctor Who' (BBC America)

Published on 2011-04-25 18:00:00

Alex Kingston as River Song in DOCTOR WHOThe ratings for Doctor Who's series 6 premiere on BBC America are in! "The Impossible Astronaut" is confirmed as the cable channel's highest-rated show ever. 1.28m people tuned into the episode on Saturday eve

TV Picks: 25 April - 1 May 2011 ('Derren Brown: Miracles For Sale', 'Exile', 'In Treatment', 'My Big Fat Royal Gypsy Wedding', 'Royal Wedding', 'Secret Millionaire', 'Suspicions Of Mr Whicher', etc.)

Published on 2011-04-25 03:00:00

Pick of the Week: 'IN TREATMENT' - Friday, Sky Atlantic, 10.15PMEASTER MONDAYKate & William: A Royal Love Story (BBC1, 8.30pm) Documentary on how Prince William & Kate Middleton met and fell in love.The Suspicions Of Mr Whicher (ITV1, 9pm) Dr

TV Ratings: 'Doctor Who' (BBC1)

Published on 2011-04-24 18:00:00

Saturday's series 6 premiere of Doctor Who attracted 6.5 million viewers at 6pm, the show's earliest timeslot to date. That's down 1.2m viewers from series 5's launch, but obviously there was more hoopla about Who's return with brand new actors last

Review: 'DOCTOR WHO' 6.1 - "The Impossible Astronaut" (Part 1 of 2)

Published on 2011-04-23 15:10:00

Time travel to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the series 6 premiere of DOCTOR WHO, "The Impossible Astronaut". Spaceman! Aliens! Stetson!Steven Moffat's greatest strength is also his greatest weakness. The episodes he wrote during Russell T.

Jump the Blast #15 - 'Breakout Kings'

Published on 2011-04-23 02:50:00

This week we have a Jump the Blast submission from reader Bhavin Mandora, taken from A&E's new series BREAKOUT KINGS. This screengrab shows the week's escapee "successfully blowing up a symbol of the oppressive American Government's communication

Review: 'JUSTIFIED' 2.1 - "The Moonshine War"

Published on 2011-04-21 05:25:00

Mosey on over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the season 2 premiere of FX's JUSTIFIED, which finally made its UK debut on 5USA last night. Marijuana! Man-trap! Gasoline!The first season of FX's Justified was consistently entertaining, but

State of the Blog: Easter break

Published on 2011-04-20 04:15:00

I'm off on another jaunt from today until Easter Monday (which includes seeing Derren Brown live -- woohoo!), so blog updates will be less frequent. This week's reviews of Rubicon, Fringe and Camelot will be delayed, but I'll do my best to ensure Doc

'CHUCK' 4.21 – "Chuck Versus The Wedding Planner"

Published on 2011-04-20 02:50:00

I've said many times that Chuck's at its best when it's having lighthearted fun, ideally with a streak of family-tinged emotion running through it, and "Chuck Versus The Wedding Planner" proved that once again. After so many episodes spent trying to

RIP: Elisabeth Sladen (1948-2011)

Published on 2011-04-19 18:05:00

Actress Elisabeth Sladen, who played faithful companion Sarah-Jane Smith on Doctor Who for 38 years, has died of complications arising from a battle with cancer she kept quiet for several years. She was 63.Sladen made her Doctor Who debut as feisty r

Video: HBO Moments – Spring 2011

Published on 2011-04-19 11:02:00

HBO have released a nice trailer for their spring output, which includes Game Of Thrones, Bored To Death season 2, Treme season 2, True Blood season 4, Inception, Boardwalk Empire season 2, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Town, and many more. Some of the f

TV Ratings: 'Game Of Thrones' (HBO & Sky Atlantic)

Published on 2011-04-19 09:40:00

After years in development and months of hype, HBO's long-awaited medieval fantasy drama Game Of Thrones made its premiere on Sunday night in the US, attracting 2.2m viewers. Considering the show's expense and lavish marketing drive, that's disappoin

'THE KILLING' 1.4 - "A Soundless Echo"

Published on 2011-04-19 07:00:00

AMC's crime drama The Killing continues, with a slight feeling of formula creeping into the equation, but hopefully things will be given a shake before audiences start to feel too much repetition. "A Soundless Echo" was another enjoyable and compelli

Poll: who's your favourite resurrected character?

Published on 2011-04-19 05:10:00

In celebration of Easter, where Jesus Christ rose from the dead after being crucified, this week's poll is all about fictional characters who were resurrected from beyond the grave...Please note: ghosts can't be included, because they're still dead.

Video: 'The Walking Dead' VFX Showreel

Published on 2011-04-18 11:04:00

"The Walking Dead" Demo Reel 2010 from Stargate Studios on Vimeo.Awhile back I showcased a brilliant greenscreen-themed video by the special-effects company Stargate Studios. Well, here comes another one, but this time focusing exclusively on their w

'FRINGE' 3.19 - "Lysergic Acid Diethylamide"

Published on 2011-04-18 04:00:00

This has to be one of craziest episodes Fringe has ever produced, and that's saying something for this show! "Lysergic Acid Diethylamide" (hereafter "LSD") was a bizarre cocktail of Inception and The Matrix, partly told in an animated style akin to R

TV Picks: 18-24 April 2011 ('Doctor Who', 'Don't Scare The Hare', 'Game Of Thrones', 'Justified', 'March Of The Dinosaurs', 'The Reckoning', 'United', etc.)

Published on 2011-04-18 02:40:00

Pick of the Week: 'DOCTOR WHO' - BBC1, Saturday, 6PMMONDAY 18thHelp! My House Is Infested (Channel 4, 8pm) Sarah Beeny fronts a series where pest control experts help homeowners with infestations.Motorway Cops (BBC1, 9pm) Series following the daily l

'GAME OF THRONES' 1.1 - "Winter Is Coming"

Published on 2011-04-17 08:15:00

Shoot an arrow over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the medieval epic GAME OF THRONES in advance of its long-awaited premiere (tonight on HBO, tomorrow on Sky Atlantic.) Beheading! Archery! Marriage! Incest!Adapted from author George R.R M

'SING IF YOU CAN'; watch if you dare

Published on 2011-04-17 04:45:00

Do you remember Distraction, the Channel 4 gameshow hosted by Jimmy Carr, where contestants answered general knowledge questions while being distracted in painful ways? ITV have taken that basic concept and merged it with karaoke for new Saturday nig

'CAMELOT' 1.4 - "Lady Of The Lake"

Published on 2011-04-16 11:20:00

A marked improvement over last week's "Guinevere", partly because there's a sense Camelot's starting to find its tone; a fun balance between reality and fantasy that reminds me of ITV's Robin Of Sherwood. I'm still concerned by how quickly the season

Jump the Blast #14 - 'Die Hard' & 'Die Hard 2"

Published on 2011-04-16 06:30:00

A double-bill Jump the Blast this week, courtesy of reader Mark Fawcett. The two examples he submitted come from the first two DIE HARD movies, starring Bruce Willis as unlucky cop John McClane. Both screengrabs are classic shots from their respectiv

Talking Point: what's so swingin' about the '60s?

Published on 2011-04-15 08:15:00

Mad Men renewed a long-held media fascination with the 1960s. Transformers 3 is partly set in 1969, the X-Men First Class prequel takes place entirely in the '60s, The Kennedys miniseries obviously focuses on that era, James Bond was rebooted via a C

'RUBICON' 1.2 - "The First Day Of School"

Published on 2011-04-15 05:10:00

The title of this second episode felt subtly significant, as it's beginning to feel like the analysts of the American Policy Institute (API) are children in many ways. In one scene we even see Grant (Christopher Evan Welch) eating a beaker of jelly i

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.10-1.13 catch-up

Published on 2011-04-15 03:10:00

1.10 - "Dog Eat Dog" (★★1/2 out of four)1.11 - "Going Dutch" (★★★ out of four)1.12 - "You're The One I Haunt" (★★ out of four)1.13 - "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Me Killing You" (★★1/2 out of four)I was surprised my previou

Katie McGrath talks 'Merlin' series 4

Published on 2011-04-14 08:41:00

Digital Spy have a fun and substantial interview with the lovely Katie McGrath about Merlin, which is currently filming its fourth series. She drops a few hints about what fans can expect to see, but what caught my eye was hearing they're filming the

Will Sky poach 'Glee' from E4?

Published on 2011-04-14 08:00:00

Glee's become a huge hit for digital channel E4 (regularly attracting upwards of 1.2m viewers), and a jealous Sky have clearly been taking notice. In a situation that'll sound very familiar to fans of 24, Lost, House and Mad Men, Sky are allegedly po

Rearview: 'PROFIT'; television's loss

Published on 2011-04-14 07:20:00

I've been meaning to watch the feature-length pilot of '90s TV series Profit for some time now, and finally had the opportunity to recently. It passed me by as a teenager, but on reflection has inspired so many shows I enjoy as an adult. Profit is a

Trailer: BBC2 - Original British Drama ('Crimson Petal & The White', 'The Hour', 'Night Watch', 'Shadow Line', 'United')

Published on 2011-04-14 04:00:00

BBC2 have released a nifty preview of some upcoming drama series, many of which have caught my attention. But what's most interesting is the tagline BBC2 have thought up ("Original British Drama"), which is perhaps a sly attack on Sky -- which recent

Patience, Blogger problems

Published on 2011-04-14 02:40:00

I suspect Blogger are upgrading their system, which means I'm unable to access my dashboard with Internet Explorer 6 at times. It's an outdated browser, I know -- but that's what I'm forced to use at work. Consequently, I'm sometimes unable to post a

'CAMPUS' 1.2 - "The Culling Fields"

Published on 2011-04-13 08:20:00

Campus got off to a very poor start last week, but everything deserves a second chance. The fact its opening episode was an extension of a 2009 pilot certainly didn't help matters, so I tuned into "The Culling Fields" expecting a firmer grip on thing

Video: 'Homeland' (Showtime)

Published on 2011-04-13 08:00:00

Showtime have released footage from their upcoming psychological thriller series Homeland, about a CIA officer (Claire Danes) who begins to suspect the intelligence that led to a missing US soldier (Damian Lewis) returning home is an Al Qaeda setup.

'CHUCK' 4.20 - "Chuck Versus The Family Volkoff"

Published on 2011-04-13 07:15:00

Will this season ever end? It feels like we've been stuck watching the interminable machinations of Alexei Volkoff (Timothy Dalton) forever. Remember when Chuck was a string of standalone, funny, exciting, sexy escapades, with only a thread of mythar

Video: Yvonne Strahovski appears in College Humor's "Three Pop Stars, One Song"

Published on 2011-04-12 10:59:00

"I'm from the year 3000. I'm here to eat your penis."Chuck's Yvonne Strahovski gets her very own College Humor showcase, in this spoof music video where she takes on the guises of Katy Perry, Ke$ha and Lady Gaga. It's the not-entirely-funny "Three Po

Mark Gatiss on 'Sherlock' series 2

Published on 2011-04-12 06:30:00

Speaking at the Kapow convention over the weekend, writer/actor Mark Gatiss (League Of Gentlemen) divulged details about the second series of Sherlock. The new three-part run will adapt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Scandal In Bohemia", "The Hound Of T

'THE KILLING' 1.3 - "El Diablo"

Published on 2011-04-12 04:55:00

The third episode was less compelling than the amazing two-part opening, but still delivered the same dank and immersive atmosphere. You can almost smell the rainwater through your television. One problem with The Killing's multi-episode format is th

'DREW CAREY'S IMPROV-A-GANZA'; whose format is it, anyway?

Published on 2011-04-12 04:00:00

Improvise your way over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first episode of DREW CAREY'S IMPROV-A-GANZA, a brand new improvised comedy show that reunites many stars from the American remake of Whose Line Is It Anyway?Atrocious title aside

Viva Las Vegas! Viva 'Misfits'!

Published on 2011-04-11 10:42:00

Following the weekend's shock announcement that Robert Sheehan won't be part of Misfits' third series, some details on the "online film" has come to light. The webisode will apparently involve the gang going on a trip to Las Vegas, where the new char

How did 'Friday Night Dinner' taste?

Published on 2011-04-11 04:24:00

I reviewed Channel 4's new comedy Friday Night Dinner when it debuted, and quite liked it. It was nothing special, but it was likable, although I had concerns about the inflexibility of the concept (two young adult brothers have weekly dinner with th

TV Picks: 11-17 April 2011 ('Britain's Got Talent', 'Graham Norton Show', 'Life Of Riley', 'Paul O'Grady Live', 'Piers Morgan's Life Stories', 'Sing If You Can', etc.)

Published on 2011-04-11 02:25:00

'Britain's Got Talent' - Saturday, ITV1, 8.20PMMONDAY 11thStargate Universe (Sky1, 8pm) Season 2 of the sci-fi drama continues. Starring Robert Carlyle, David Blue, Elyse Levesque & Justin Louis. (11/20)A Home For Maisie (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary a

'CAMELOT' 1.3 – "Guinevere"

Published on 2011-04-10 09:45:00

After a two-part opening that played like an average Hallmark television movie, "Guinevere" was a step backwards in most respects. It juggled three storylines poorly, and I'm still not sure it's a wise decision to have given Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bo

'Being Human': Toby Whithouse on the show's future

Published on 2011-04-10 08:39:00

Being Human's creator Toby Whithouse has been interviewed by Entertainment Weekly, in the wake of the show's third series finale airing on BBC America. Consequently: beware spoilers! It's an interesting discussion, focusing on the departure of Aidan

Robert Sheehan leaves 'Misfits'

Published on 2011-04-10 08:21:00

Hugely disappointing news has arrived from the Kapow convention, taking place in London this weekend. Robert Sheehan, who plays Nathan Young in E4's BAFTA-winning superhero drama Misfits, will not be returning for the third series. His position on th

Poll Result: who's your favourite TV doctor?

Published on 2011-04-10 04:40:00

Last week I asked you to vote for your favourite TV doctor – a question that caused confusion, strangely. Movie doctors and people who happen to call themselves "Doctor" don't count, as the post made clear. And yes, it's Professor Farnsworth, but "

Jump the Blast #13 - 'The Mechanic'

Published on 2011-04-09 06:10:00

After a lull, we're back with another Jump the Blast screengrab! This one comes from the Jason Statham-starring remake of THE MECHANIC, spotted by regular contributor Laura Schumacher. The image shows Statham's hero nonchalantly walking away from a g

'RUBICON' 1.1 - "Gone In The Teeth"

Published on 2011-04-08 04:50:00

Crack the Obsessed With Film code, where I've reviewed BBC4's very belated premiere of AMC's conspiracy drama RUBICON, starring James Badge Dale. Crosswords! Chess! Four-leaf clover!AMC's Rubicon was acquired by BBC4 last summer, but in the wake of i

State of the Blog: 10 Questions

Published on 2011-04-08 03:40:00

It's question time again! Every so often I like to ask everyone 10 questions regarding DMD and its output, to keep me aware of changing opinion and expectations of the readership here. A blog's nothing without happy, engaged readers.1. The polls appe

FX UK buy TNT's 'Falling Skies'

Published on 2011-04-07 05:06:00

FX UK have bought the British rights to TNT's alien invasion series Falling Skies, which is scheduled to premiere in the US on 19 June. In a deal with Turner Broadcasting Company, FX will air the ten-part series three weeks after its Stateside debut.

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.20 - "No Ordinary Beginning"

Published on 2011-04-07 04:20:00

The chances of No Ordinary Family getting a second season are the same as Michael Chiklis waking up with a full head of hair. "No Ordinary Beginning" was a curiously flat finale in some ways, even inept at times, despite doing many of the things we'v

TV Ratings: 'Campus' (Channel 4)

Published on 2011-04-07 03:25:00

The brand new university-set comedy Campus began on Monday night at 10pm over on Channel 4, but it could only muster 610,000 viewers in a timeslot that averages 1.8 million. That's very worrying, really. Reviews, including my own, were generally nega

'Big Brother' returns, on Channel 5

Published on 2011-04-06 10:36:00

After almost a year of speculation, Channel 5 have confirmed that they're reviving Big Brother, which aired its final series on Channel 4 last summer. C5 have thrashed out a £200m two-year deal with Endemol, after months of negotiations, allowing Bi

Poll: who's your favourite TV doctor?

Published on 2011-04-06 07:00:00

Following the success of last week's "who is your favourite fictional captain" poll, here comes the follow-up: "who's your favourite TV doctor?" Specifically, fictional doctors/professors of science and medicine on TV, who are practicing experts -- s

'CAMPUS' 1.1 - "Publication, Publication, Publication"

Published on 2011-04-06 04:00:00

Enroll at Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the premiere of Channel 4's university-set comedy CAMPUS, from the makers of Green Wing. I wasn't a fan of Green Wing, the semi-improved comedy based on scripts that were a hodgepodge of jokes, sketch

'THE KILLING' 1.1 & 1.2 - "Pilot" & "The Cage"

Published on 2011-04-05 05:10:00

Investigate Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the double-bill premiere of AMC's new crime drama THE KILLING, a remake of the acclaimed Danish TV series Forbrydelsen. Murder! Suspects! Police! Rain, lots of rain!Denmark's 2006 TV series Forbryde

TV Ratings: 'The Borgias' (Showtime), 'Camelot' (Starz), 'The Kennedys' (ReelzChannel) & 'The Killing' (AMC)

Published on 2011-04-05 02:40:00

Four high-profile US cable shows debuted over the weekend, and all did very well in the ratings. Camelot, Starz's take on the Arthurian legend, attracted 1.1 million viewers (equaling the record set by Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena recently), despite

'THE BORGIAS' 1.1 & 1.2 - "The Poisoned Chalice" & "The Assassin"

Published on 2011-04-04 05:20:00

Confess your sins to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the two-part premiere of Showtime's brand new historical drama THE BORGIAS, starring Jeremy Irons. The Vatican! Sex! Treachery! Holy moly!US cable TV's latest foray into mischievous histori

TV Picks: 4-10 April 2011 ('Campus', 'The Crimson Petal & The White', 'A Different Breed', 'The Kennedys', 'Rubicon', 'The Walking Dead', etc.)

Published on 2011-04-04 02:45:00

'Rubicon' - Thursday, BBC Four, 9PMMONDAY 4thNeighbourhood Blues (BBC1, 9.15am) Series about the Kent police squads who deal with difficult communities. (1/5)Justice (BBC1, 2.15pm) Drama about a brand new public justice system run by Judge Patrick Co

Poll Result: who's your favourite fictional captain?

Published on 2011-04-03 12:30:00

Last week I asked you "what is your favourite fictional captain?" There was a great response to this poll, with 155 votes counted. The results are below, with "other votes" asterisked:NO VOTESCaptain America, Captain Birdseye, Captain Caveman, Captai

Did I April Fool you?

Published on 2011-04-02 12:06:00

Yesterday I posted an article about the BBC's plans to create a channel for the over-50s called BBC5, replacing BBC4, which would be rebranded BBC4Kids. It was, of course, utter nonsense. My attempt at an April Fool, because every year people wondere

'CAMELOT'; Arthurian, on the rocks

Published on 2011-04-02 08:25:00

Canter over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first two episodes of Starz's CAMELOT, starring Joseph Fiennes, Jamie Campbell Bower & Eva Green. Swords! Horses! Magic! Boobies!The Arthurian legend is one of the most enduring of Englis

Poll: what will you be watching this spring/summer?

Published on 2011-04-02 05:10:00

This is an informal poll, with immediate real-time results. I'm just wondering what everyone's planning to watch on TV this spring and early summer. I've compiled a quick list of some notable shows airing between April and July, including transmissio

'Doctor Who': Series 6 BBC America Trailer

Published on 2011-04-01 11:51:00

Now it's the turn of BBC America to debut a trailer for Doctor Who's sixth series, premiering 23 April. It's not as exciting as the native trailer (partly because of the weaker music and silly voice over) but you can appreciate the visuals more becau

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: APRIL 2011 ('Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows', 'The Killing: S1', 'Monroe: S1', 'Monsters', 'Nurse Jackie: S2', 'Tron Legacy', etc.)

Published on 2011-04-01 09:50:00

On the first day of every month I highlight the best DVD and Blu-rays released in the UK & Ireland. My picks of the best TV box-sets and movies hitting stores in April 2011 are below:4 APRIL:'Glee', 'The Killing' & 'Outcasts'The American [DVD] [B

'THE KENNEDYS'; a tedious blemish on rose-tinted nostalgia

Published on 2011-04-01 07:00:00

Head over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first two-hours of controversial miniseries THE KENNEDYS (which begins next week in the US and UK), starring Greg Kinnear, Tom Wilkinson, Katie Holmes & Barry Pepper.There's a reverence for

AMC reach 'Mad Men' agreement

Published on 2011-04-01 05:32:00

AMC, Lionsgate and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner have reached an agreement on the future of the show. Weiner has signed a deal to stay with the series for season 5 and season 6, with the option to return for season 7, which is likely to be the last.

BBC5 in development

Published on 2011-04-01 03:00:00

The BBC have announced the development of a new digital channel, designed to replace BBC4 within the next few years -- which is itself expected to be renamed BBC4Kids. BBC5 will target the over-50s, in light of an independent survey that found people

HBO cancel 'In Treatment', sort of

Published on 2011-03-31 08:33:00

HBO have cancelled In Treatment, after three seasons, in light of the psychotherapy drama's continually low ratings. The third season premiere only attracted 279,000 viewers. However, the phrasing from a HBO spokesperson is peculiar:"It's true that w

Talking Point: do you know anyone with a ratings box?

Published on 2011-03-31 07:50:00

A tiny percentage of the population are given TV ratings boxes to chronicle their daily viewing. There are 16,000 so-called Nielsen families in America, and 5,100 British households given BARB boxes. The results of this minority's viewing are then mu

BBC4 announce more 'Dirk Gently'

Published on 2011-03-31 05:39:00

Following a well-received pilot last year, BBC4 have commissioned more episodes of Dirk Gently, the surreal detective series based on the character created by author Douglas Adams. Three hour-long episodes will be written by Howard Overman (Merlin, M

'Doctor Who': Series 6 Full Trailer

Published on 2011-03-30 10:28:00

The BBC have debuted the official, full-length trailer for series 6 of Doctor Who online. This one-minute tease will make its television debut tonight at 8pm on BBC1. Behold! Doesn't it look awesome? I'm so pleased the quality of production design an

Mainlining TV: 'The Kennedys', 'Game Of Thrones', 'Mildred Pierce', etc.

Published on 2011-03-30 07:35:00

Just a few words to say that I'm in the middle of a strange period of activity, where there are less regular shows to review suddenly (Chuck's on hiatus till 11 April, Fringe isn't back till 15 April, No Ordinary Family finishes next week), but my ti

TV Ratings: 'Bored To Death', Sky Atlantic

Published on 2011-03-30 05:00:00

HBO's comedy-drama Bored To Death premiered on Sky Atlantic on Monday at 10.15pm, but could only manage a staggeringly awful 50,600 viewers. I mean, that's just abysmal. It doesn't help that Bored To Death is now two years old (plenty of time for its

Coming Soon: 'Campus', Channel 4

Published on 2011-03-30 02:50:00

Do you remember Campus? The comedy pilot produced for Channel 4's Comedy Showcase season way back in November 2009? If so, you may also recall that it was selected to be given a full series, and now it's finally about to broadcast! I reviewed the ori

AMC's 'Mad Men' returning in 2012

Published on 2011-03-29 14:50:00

AMC have confirmed that Mad Men will return for a fifth season in early-2012. It's believed the delay in production this year has stemmed from AMC's intention to make the series more profitable by:Including product placement in episodes. Shaving 2-mi

'The Fades' taking shape for BBC3

Published on 2011-03-29 10:10:00

Iain De Caestecker & Daniel KaluuyaA BBC press release confirms that BBC3's new supernatural drama The Fades (previously known as Touch) has started filming. The six-part series, written by Jack Thorne (Skins, This Is England '86), concerns a you

'Primeval' series 5 to debut 24 May

Published on 2011-03-29 09:45:00

The action-adventure sci-fi series Primeval is returning for a fifth series on 24 May. As part of ITV's co-financing deal with BBC America, ProSieben and UKTV, the digital channel Watch will get the world premiere, with ITV1 repeating series 5 as a t

'BORED TO DEATH' SEASON 1; mildly noirish, not very moreish

Published on 2011-03-29 07:30:00

Tail someone over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed BORED TO DEATH's first season, which made its very belated UK debut on Sky Atlantic last night.My expectations were perhaps too high for Bored To Death; based on its eclectic cast, an appea

'GOOD DOG' 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-03-29 05:10:00

Move into Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed (at the request of Moretears) the Canadian comedy-drama GOOD DOG, starring Ken Finkleman as a crabby TV executive with a girlfriend half his age. "In its opening scene, Canadian comedy-drama Good Dog

Poll: who's your favourite fictional captain?

Published on 2011-03-29 02:50:00

This week's poll is very simple: who's your favourite fictional captain? Naturally, this covers books, cartoons, television and film. I've listed many of the popular choices below, but you can peruse a more thorough list here.<

Howard Overman plans 'Misfits' changes

Published on 2011-03-28 07:40:00

Spoilers for series 2 of Misfits ahead. You have been warned! The Christmas special of E4's teen superhero drama Misfits ended with a scene that appeared to promise new super-powers for the five young characters. In a recent interview with creator Ho

'FRINGE' 3.18 - "Bloodline"

Published on 2011-03-28 07:20:00

I wonder if the idea of an accelerated pregnancy was pursued because the writers weren't sure they'd get a fourth season, so decided they should draw as much of the current narrative together as possible in the remaining time. "Bloodline" was one of

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.19 – "No Ordinary Future"

Published on 2011-03-28 04:40:00

Just prior to its first season finale, Heroes did an episode that leaped into the future to show viewers exactly why its characters must stop a city-wide explosion in New York. It was a clever idea, although its existence signaled the characters woul

TV Picks: 28 March – 3 April 2011 ('32 Brinkburn Street', 'Bored To Death', 'The Cube', 'Lewis', 'Rhod Gilbert's Work Experience', 'Louis Theroux', 'The Runaway', 'Spiral', etc.)

Published on 2011-03-28 02:40:00

'Bored To Death' - Monday, Sky Atlantic @ 10.15PMMONDAY 28th32 Brinkburn Street (BBC1, 2.15pm) New series following two groups of characters; from 1931 and 2011. Stars Raffey Cassidy, Rebecca Callard, Maggie Steed, Jack Deam & Joe Dixon. Continue

Webcrawler: A Brief History Of Title Design

Published on 2011-03-27 08:32:00

A Brief History of Title Design from Ian Albinson on Vimeo.I adore great opening titles, particularly in television. Embedded above is a fantastic compilation of notable opening titles from movies, charting their evolution in that medium through the

20 TV Pilots We Want To See [Obsessed With Film]

Published on 2011-03-26 06:25:00

I have a special weekend feature published at Obsessed With Film, called 20 TV PILOTS WE WANT TO SEE. The concept is very simple: I've chosen 20 US television pilots currently in-development that, for whatever reason, I'm very keen to see. Many have

'COMMUNITY' 2.19 – "Critical Film Studies"

Published on 2011-03-25 11:30:00

I don't review Community, but it's been a particularly slow week so I thought I'd alleviate the tedium with a quick, impromptu review of this week's episode "Critical Film Studies", which was a very clever and well-written half-hour. The premise was

Trailer: 'Angry Boys'

Published on 2011-03-25 08:50:00

I really enjoyed Chris Lilly's Summer Heights High from a few years ago, so his latest work Angry Boys is high on my must-see list. The ABC/HBO 12-part mockumentary will again find Lilly playing an assortment of characters, including a reprisal of Ja

Fox renew 'Fringe' for a fourth season

Published on 2011-03-25 06:30:00

Fox have renewed the sci-fi drama Fringe for a fourth season of 22 episodes, despite its inconsistent performance since moving to Friday nights since mid-season. The news was broken by writer-producer J.H Wyman via Twitter. A recent episode actually

Talking Point: would you care if the BBC cutback on late-night and daytime programmes?

Published on 2011-03-25 06:25:00

The BBC's latest idea to save money is to axe overnight programming, saving £150m per year. This could mean nothing but repeats airing on BBC1 and BBC2 between 10.30pm and 6.00am every day.This would put a few art programmes and The Graham Norton Sh

Jump the Blast #12 - 'Chuck'

Published on 2011-03-24 08:30:00

How's this for something different? We've had our fill of people avoiding explosions, so now we've moved onto porcine action heroes! In CHUCK's recent episode "Chuck Versus The Muuurder", a piggy nicknamed 'Kevin Bacon' avoided becoming roasted when

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.18 - "No Ordinary Animal"

Published on 2011-03-24 06:55:00

Michael Chiklis and Julie Benz are signing onto other pilots, ABC have announced this show's last clutch of episodes are going to bounce around the schedule, so I think it's safe to say No Ordinary Family has its neck on the chopping block. That's a

'CHUCK' 4.19 - "Chuck Versus The Muuurder"

Published on 2011-03-23 05:30:00

We're approaching the season finale, but Chuck's spinning its wheels a little, and after this episode it appears recent events with Director Bentley (Robin Givens) were just mini-arc that's not going to play a major part of the brewing Vivian Volkoff

TV Ratings: 'Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena', Sky1

Published on 2011-03-22 09:10:00

The six-part prequel to Spartacus: Blood & Sand made its UK debut last night (Sky1, 10pm), attracting a healthy average of 482,000 viewers. Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena was expected to air on Bravo (where Blood & Sand's premiere drew 365,000

Talking Point: which current TV show deserves a movie adaptation?

Published on 2011-03-22 07:15:00

The movie industry are always remaking old TV shows (The A-Team arrived last summer, The Smurfs are due soon), but which current/recent TV show most deserves a cinematic interpretation? Doctor Who and perhaps Torchwood feel like no-brainers, and a 24

State of the Blog: record-breaking

Published on 2011-03-22 03:14:00

There was a great response to my post about a campaign to get BBC2's Whites back on TV, but that paled into insignificance compared to the deluge of hits my interview with writer Ben Richards (Outcasts) had last week. The comments are still trickling

'FRINGE' 3.17 - "Stowaway"

Published on 2011-03-21 10:40:00

This episode did little to dissuade me that Fringe hasn't hit a rough patch since mid-season, but the freak-of-the-week was an interesting source of empathy: a woman called Dana Gray (Caprica's Paula Malcomson) who, after surviving a family tragedy,

BBC extend 'Merlin' series 4

Published on 2011-03-21 09:14:00

Great news for fans of BBC1's Merlin; the fantasy saga's fourth series will be extended from the previously announced ten episodes to its standard thirteen.Producer Johnny Capps, speaking to SFX Magazine:"There was talk there would be 10 [episodes] b

'BECOMING HUMAN'; for whom the school bell tolls

Published on 2011-03-21 07:35:00

Head over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed BBC3's BECOMING HUMAN, the 50-minute compilation of Being Human's online spin-off, starring Craig Roberts, Leila Mimmack & Josh Brown.After the success of webseries Becoming Human (which attrac

Poll Result: who's your favourite Irish TV character?

Published on 2011-03-21 06:00:00

Last week, to celebrate St Patrick's Day, I asked you to vote for your favourite Irish TV character. I forgot to include Nathan from Misfits, and there was some debate about the Irishness of Merlin's Morgana, but I think we overcame those issues. Ple

Quick note: computer problems

Published on 2011-03-21 04:10:00

I'm having a few technical issues today, so reviews of last night's Becoming Human and Friday's Fringe will probably be delayed until tomorrow. My replies to any of your comments will also have to wait until this evening. On the plus side, the result

TV Picks: 21-27 March 2011 ('Fringe', 'Midsomer Murders', 'Opinionated With Frank Skinner', 'Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena', 'V', 'White Van Man', 'Women In Love', etc.)

Published on 2011-03-21 03:40:00

'Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena' - Sky1, Monday, 10PMMONDAY 21stEverything & Nothing (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary on the size, scale and scope of the universe. (1/2)Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena (Sky1, 10pm) Prequel miniseries to the violent action drama

'FRANKENSTEIN'S WEDDING'; the Creature's alive, but the live drama's dead

Published on 2011-03-20 09:15:00

Stagger over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed BBC3's FRANKENSTEIN'S WEDDING, the horror musical broadcast LIVE from Leeds' Kirkstall Abbey last night, starring David Harewood, Andrew Gower & Lacey Turner.There’s a sudden appetite for

Dan's Media Digest: 5 Years Young Today

Published on 2011-03-20 04:00:00

Today, Dan's Media Digest celebrates its 5th birthday! Yes, I've been writing here, almost every single day, for five years. Hasn't time flown? I'm now in my 30s! That's scarier than it perhaps should be. A few remarkable stats:30,000,000 words writt

The Best of Comic Relief 2011

Published on 2011-03-19 07:25:00

Do you remember when Comic Relief's fundraising was mostly restricted to buying silly red noses, cheap T-shirts and a novelty pop song in the run-up to the live telethon? That still happens, but these days you can't escape Comic Relief for weeks, som

Video: 'Doctor Who' does Comic Relief 2011

Published on 2011-03-18 14:30:00

Together with the Christmas specials, it's become a tradition for Doctor Who to deliver a mini-episode during the BBC's three major telethons (Comic Relief, Sport Relief and Children In Need.) Keeping that custom alive, the excellent Steven Moffat-pe

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.5-1.9 catch-up

Published on 2011-03-18 04:00:00

1.5 - "The End Of The World As We Knew It" (★1/2 out of four)1.6 - "It Takes Two To Make A Thing Go Wrong" (★★ out of four) 1.7 - "I See Your True Colors... And That's Why I Hate You" (★★1/2 out of four)1.8 - "Children Shouldn't Play With U

Video: Jesse Heiman - The World's Greatest Extra

Published on 2011-03-17 14:21:00

Jesse Heiman is an American extra who has appeared in almost 50 productions, usually uncredited, ranging from movies (Spider-Man, The Social Network, American Pie, Old School) to television (Chuck, Glee, Monk, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Developme

Talking Point: is racism endemic in cosy British drama?

Published on 2011-03-17 08:15:00

Writer Brian True-May has been suspended from work for claiming the success of his ITV series Midsomer Murders was partly down to the fact it doesn't reflect the UK's modern, multicultural society. In his own words:"We just don't have ethnic minoriti

'V' 2.10 - "Mother's Day"

Published on 2011-03-17 06:15:00

ABC reduced their season order of V by two episodes while the show was in production, and "Mother's Day" carried the scars of a truncated story that was, at times, ruined by the need to cram missing hours of plot into a single episode. The season 2 f

Poll: who's your favourite Irish TV character?

Published on 2011-03-17 03:40:00

It's 17 March, so that means it's St Patrick's Day! To celebrate, here's another themed poll.Who's your favourite Irish TV character?I've stretched the definition to include characters who are (or are likely to be) of Irish descent. You can pick ONE

Petition: Bring Back 'Whites'

Published on 2011-03-16 08:45:00

I was delighted my post about the online campaign to save the BBC2 sitcom Whites was very much appreciated. Last I checked, it has been re-tweeted 167 times and shared on Facebook 67 times. A special thanks to @UKComedyNews and Whites stars @alandavi

'CHUCK' 4.18 - "Chuck Versus The A-Team"

Published on 2011-03-16 06:13:00

There was a great theme of obsolescence running through this episode, in a story that justified a two-parter but instead bailed out after an hour, leaving a few dangling threads. Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) became suspicious of

TV Ratings: 'Twenty Twelve', BBC Four

Published on 2011-03-16 03:45:00

The brand new docuspoof Twenty Twelve, about the preparations for London's 2012 Olympic Games, attracted a fairly disappointing 341,000 viewers on Monday at 10pm, with an extra 8,000 watching the BBC HD repeat immediately after. Why no high-def simul

Talking Point: should nitpickers be taken seriously?

Published on 2011-03-15 07:40:00

Today's Talking Point is inspired by the comments left beneath my interview with Outcasts' creator Ben Richards. It's clear from some of the response that a chunk of the audience had issues with what they perceive as lapses of logic and fla

'TWENTY TWELVE' 1.1

Published on 2011-03-15 05:50:00

Sprint over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first episode of BBC4's brand new docuspoof TWENTY TWELVE, starring Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Hynes, Olivia Colman & Amelia Bullmore. The Olympics! A big clock! A giant sandwich!The docuspoof/

'Being Human' back for series 4; 'Outcasts' gets cast out

Published on 2011-03-14 12:05:00

There are no surprises here. If you were crazy enough to consider the BBC may axe Being Human, you were proven wrong today with confirmation an eight-part fourth series has been commissioned for transmission in 2012 (most likely January.) The third s

'FRINGE' 3.16 - "Os"

Published on 2011-03-14 08:55:00

This was one of those episodes that washed over me because we've seen too many iterations of this formula. It's Fringe 101: a brilliant scientist with humane intentions, who starts to commit crimes to keep his dangerous side project alive, attracting

Interview: Ben Richards, writer/creator of 'Outcasts'

Published on 2011-03-14 06:40:00

Ben Richards wrote for BAFTA-winning spy drama Spooks, before creating the political drama Party Animals and ITV's hitman thriller The Fixer. Most recently, he made the sci-fi drama Outcasts, which completed a turbulent eight-part run on BBC1 la

'OUTCASTS' 1.8

Published on 2011-03-14 05:10:00

It's the end of this road for this maligned sci-fi drama, and what a rocky journey it's been. The cruel thing is that this finale was Outcasts' most assured and confident hour, for a number of reasons: there was stronger use of Julius Berger (Eric Ma

TV Picks: 14-20 March 2011 ('Bang Goes The Theory', 'Big Red Nose Desert Trek', 'Comic Relief 2011', 'Christopher & His Kind', 'The Event', 'Frankenstein's Wedding... Live In Leeds', 'Twenty Twelve', etc.)

Published on 2011-03-14 03:45:00

'Comic Relief 2011' - Friday, BBC1, 7PMMONDAY 14thComic Relief Does Glee Club (BBC1, 5.15pm) Weeklong special for charity where glee clubs from across Britain compete to be crowned the best. Continues every day until Friday. (1/5)Bang Goes The Theory

'BEING HUMAN' 3.8 - "The Wolf-Shaped Bullet"

Published on 2011-03-13 17:10:00

The finer points of this finale were a cop-out, I can't deny it, and I'm sure that irritated many people. The situation with the stabbed Nina (Sinead Keenan) was resolved credibly but too easily; the compos mentis Herrick (Jason Watkins) met his stic

Webcrawler: 'Community'-meets-'Social Network', Good Kissing & What's In Spock's Scanner?

Published on 2011-03-13 07:30:00

Here's a brilliant two-minute video that transforms the comedy Community into a poignant drama with Social Network overtones. Superb work, brilliantly edited. I actually want to see a television drama like this.Entertaining montage of kisses in the c

Jump the Blast #11 - 'Alarm für Cobra 11'

Published on 2011-03-13 05:30:00

I've never heard of Alarm für Cobra 11, but it's an action-packed German crime drama suggested by Laura Schumacher. As you can see from the images above, the show is obsessed with the whole Jump the Blast cliche. It's been airing since 1996, so the

Poll Result: who is TV's best female role model?

Published on 2011-03-12 11:10:00

Last week I asked you to vote for who you think is the best female role model on television. The actress who best represents what little girls should aspire to be when they grow up, essentially. The results were, perhaps inevitably, very worrying in

TV Ratings: 'Monroe', ITV1

Published on 2011-03-12 08:30:00

As I mentioned in my review yesterday, ITV1's Monroe made a positive start on Thursday night at 9pm. The brand new medical drama starring James Nesbitt attracted 5.9m viewers, with an additional 143,000 tuning in an hour later on ITV1+1. It comfortab

'MONROE' 1.1

Published on 2011-03-11 04:50:00

Admit yourself to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed ITV's brand new six-part medical drama MONROE, starring James Nesbitt & Sarah Parish. Doctors! Brain surgery! Guitar Hero!The "maverick doctor" is a staple of television, with the contempo

'GLEE' 2.15 - "Sexy"

Published on 2011-03-10 07:35:00

After almost two years, my regular reviews of Glee hereby come to an end. The show isn't the guilty pleasure it once was, and it's becoming a struggle trying to find different things to say about it every week. If anything interesting happens to the

Talking Point: are same-day American premieres of British TV shows unfair?

Published on 2011-03-10 06:23:00

Doctor Who's sixth series is being shown on BBC America the same day as its UK premiere on 23 April. This continues a trend started by Doctor Who with its 2010 festive special "A Christmas Carol" and the fourth series premiere of Primeval. I'm sure m

'V' 2.9 - "Devil In A Blue Dress"

Published on 2011-03-10 05:35:00

The penultimate episode of V's second season (which most will agree has been an improvement), was a decent stride towards the finish line. V's the kind of show where there's nothing much to discuss about the characters or subtext, but it's good fun i

'Becoming Human' webseries comes to BBC3

Published on 2011-03-10 02:45:00

I thought something like this would happen. The BBC have announced that the popular webseries Becoming Human will be shown on BBC3. The eight-part online drama will be edited together to form a 50-minute special, broadcast on 20 March @9pm. Becoming

'THE EVENT' 1.11 & 1.12 - "And Then There Were More" & "Inostranka"

Published on 2011-03-09 04:50:00

Every TV show needs need characters the audiences care about and want to watch every week. It sounds so simple. But that's the key ingredient missing from The Event, and all of the Lost-inspired shows that have failed to replicate that island mystery

'THE BIG C' & 'HOW TV RUINED YOUR LIFE'

Published on 2011-03-09 03:15:00

Showtime's The Big C is a comedy-drama I've been watching on Channel 4 recently. The premise is essentially a distaff Breaking Bad; with middle-aged schoolteacher Cathy Jameson (Laura Linney) learning she has cancer, then deciding to keep her diagnos

Poll: who is TV's best female role model?

Published on 2011-03-08 10:30:00

It's International Women's Day! To celebrate, I've compiled another themed poll.The question is very simple: which TV actress is the best role model for women today?This isn't down to their looks, it's about the quality of the characters they play an

Campaign: Bring Back 'Whites'

Published on 2011-03-08 08:10:00

The BBC have 33 slots for comedy shows every 12-months, but comedy's a prime target for cost-saving, so it's been necessary to axe a few shows this year. Cheryl Taylor, the BBC's Comedy Commissioner, recently decided to axe the gastronomic comedy Whi

'BREAKOUT KINGS' 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-03-08 04:55:00

Escape to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the premiere of A&E's new crime drama BREAKOUT KINGS. Prisons! Criminals! Cops! Originally a pilot script that was refused further development by Fox, Breakout Kings managed to find a home with th

Talking Point: when was your last box-set binge?

Published on 2011-03-08 02:45:00

The DVD box-set has transformed how many people watch television since the turn of the century. For many people who can't access premium TV channels, box-sets are often their only legitimate alternative. Many shows seem to benefit from box-sets, if y

'OUTCASTS' 1.7

Published on 2011-03-07 08:10:00

It's not great sci-fi, but it can be decent drama. Ironically, episode 7 was the most down-to-earth episode of Outcasts yet, but that worked in its favour. I'm sure many sci-fi fans will disagree (vehemently, for those still opining the absence of fu

'BEING HUMAN' 3.7 - "Though The Heavens Fall"

Published on 2011-03-07 04:50:00

Creator Toby Whithouse returns to steer the ship towards port, as Being Human's third voyage draws to an end, with the excellent "Though The Heavens Fall". In retrospect, I like how series 3's mytharc-heavy episodes have been buffered by standalone s

TV Picks: 7-13 March 2011 ('24 Hour Panel People', 'Hellcats', 'Law & Order UK', 'Monroe', 'Ricky Gervais Show', 'Stand Up For The Week', etc.)

Published on 2011-03-07 03:00:00

'Monroe' - ITV1, Thursday, 9PMEvery Monday I browse the UK television schedules for the coming week, selecting each day's best new TV shows. Below you'll find the result of that work...MONDAY 7thRoyal Upstairs Downstairs (BBC2, 6.30pm) Series where a

Live-stream: '24 Hour Panel People'

Published on 2011-03-05 06:35:00

As part of the events planned for this year's Comic Relief, comedian David Walliams is participating in a 24-hour marathon of classic British comedy panel shows. 24 Hour Panel People is currently live-streaming (well, with a 10-minute delay) to the w

Jump the Blast #10 - 'Wolverine'

Published on 2011-03-05 05:00:00

We have a new submission today, sent in by Jemmerzem. Great to seee more of you taking part in this meme now! This screengrab is a classic example of a "Jump the Blast" moment, from the movie WOLVERINE, where the eponymous character (Hugh Jackman) no

Advert: 'Virgin Media' (Dan Black's "Symphonies")

Published on 2011-03-04 18:45:00

Virgin Media have a brand new advert, which you can watch above. It's pretty good, certainly more intriguing and stylish than Sky's commercials, if still very unfocused on telling people what the advantages of Virgin are over their satellite rival! A

Video: 'Doctor Who' meets 'Buffy'

Published on 2011-03-04 12:44:00

Have you ever wondered what Doctor Who's opening titles would look like if they were done in the style of Buffy The Vampire Slayer? Wonder no more! Someone's very kindly created a brilliant mashup, embedded above.As much as I love Who's iconic theme

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.17 - "No Ordinary Love"

Published on 2011-03-04 06:25:00

I don't have much to say about No Ordinary Family this week. As a Battlestar Galactica fan it was great to see Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless both guest-starring, particularly as the latter is playing Dr King's superior Mrs X. Lawless has proven hers

'MAD DOGS' - Part Four

Published on 2011-03-04 04:15:00

I'm not going to lie: the climax to Mad Dogs was a disappointment. In retrospect, this miniseries can now be divided into halves (the engrossing first two episodes; and the choppy final two). There was a great low-budget British indie movie to be mad

10 Ways To Improve '10 O'Clock Live'

Published on 2011-03-04 02:40:00

Channel 4's Thursday night satirical comedy 10 O'Clock Live is struggling in the ratings. Overhyped as the UK's answer to The Daily Show, the show debuted to widespread disapproval and negative press, and the general feeling hasn't changed. I don't t

'V' 2.8 - "Uneasy Lies The Head"

Published on 2011-03-03 07:30:00

The February "sweeps" period is over in the US, so after a few weeks where I found myself energized by V's surge of pace and reveals, "Uneasy Lies The Head" returned to dawdling, exposition-heavy normality. The amount of times the characters keep exp

Talking Point: the BBC iPlayer's going international, so will you subscribe?

Published on 2011-03-03 05:00:00

The BBC's famous iPlayer is launching internationally this year on the iPad, for a monthly subscription of less than $10 (£6.13). This means foreign viewers will be able to access much of the BBC's TV archive and get access to BBC shows mere hours a

ITV plotting 'Whitechapel III'

Published on 2011-03-03 04:27:00

ITV have recommissioned detective drama Whitechapel, after two successful series about famous copycat killers. Series 3 will be extended to six episodes (telling three two-part stories) and will evolve to encompass crimes beyond the Whitechapel distr

State of the Blog: social, donators, commenters, etc.

Published on 2011-03-03 03:00:00

Social spreadI'm pleased to see people re-tweeting posts on Twitter, as that's a great way to spread DMD's content to people who may not otherwise find it. In particular, @BeingHuman3 has been very supportive of my Being Human reviews this series. I'

'CHUCK' 4.17 - "Chuck Versus The First Bank Of Evil"

Published on 2011-03-02 05:20:00

Season 4's new storyline properly launched after last week's groundwork, with an entertaining episode that has me more engaged with the notion of Chuck (Zachary Levi) accidentally turn Volkoff's sheltered daughter Vivian McArthur (Lauren Cohen) into

BBC2 axe 'Whites'

Published on 2011-03-02 03:21:00

In a shock move, BBC2 have axed the culinary sitcom Whites, which starred Alan Davies as the chef of a country manor. Davies tweeted the news himself:"Just heard Whites was cancelled by the BBC last week. Gutted. Worst news I've had in my whole caree

Jump the Blast #9 - 'The Cape'

Published on 2011-03-02 02:40:00

It's our second submission from regular reader Laura Schumacher, who's setting a great example with this meme. Hopefully more of you will join in the fun! Laura's screengrab comes from NBC's cheesy superhero drama THE CAPE, and is a typical action sh

'MRS BROWN'S BOYS' 1.2 - "Mammy's Secret"

Published on 2011-03-01 08:10:00

I gave this new BBC1 comedy another spin last night, having been impressed by its raw energy and foulmouthed verve the week before. It was appreciably less manic, which was nice, but I think I have a better grasp on why it's still not working for me.

Talking Point: more adverts and product placement, but do we care?

Published on 2011-03-01 06:35:00

Telecoms regulator Ofcom have relaxed the rules about how many adverts can be shown every hour during movies and single dramas on ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 in the UK. Seven minutes was the current limit, but that's been increased to twelve minutes

'FRINGE' 3.15 - "Subject 13"

Published on 2011-03-01 04:08:00

One of the most unforgettable episodes of Fringe was "Peter", set entirely in 1985, that explained exactly why and how Walter (John Noble) crossed over to the alternate-Earth and kidnapped the other dimension's version of his dead son. It was a brill

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: MARCH 2011 ('Being Human S3', 'Let Me In', 'Machete', 'Mad Dogs', 'Mad Men S4', 'Marchlands', 'Saw: Final Chapter', 'Skins S5', etc.)

Published on 2011-03-01 02:45:00

On the first day of every month I highlight the best DVD and Blu-rays released in the UK & Ireland. Please find below my picks of the best TV box-sets and movies hitting stores in March 2011:7 MARCH:'Mad Dogs' & 'Saw: The Final Chapter'L

TV Ratings: 'Friday Night Dinner', Channel 4

Published on 2011-02-28 08:42:00

Great news for Channel 4, who scored a weekend hit with their new sitcom Friday Night Dinner. The comedy, about two twentysomething brothers who have a meal with their parents every Friday, attracted 2.2 million viewers on Friday night at 10pm. That'

'OUTCASTS' 1.6

Published on 2011-02-28 07:16:00

It's tough reviewing Outcasts. It has such a dreadful reputation (now dumped to Sunday nights in the wake of dismal Monday/Tuesday ratings), but I do see positive flashes. The problem is that everything good about Outcasts is undone by the indolent p

Oscars 2011: The Results

Published on 2011-02-28 06:30:00

The 83rd annual Academy Awards were held last night at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. Did you watch? I'll try and catch the highlights, mainly to see the various sketches that hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway did. As for the winners:

'BEING HUMAN' 3.6 - "Daddy Ghoul"

Published on 2011-02-28 04:30:00

A mixed bag this week, with another guest-star focused storyline, this time balanced with pertinent events back at the B&B. The latter was definitely the most engaging aspect of "Daddy Ghoul", although the former was decent filler because George'

TV Picks: 28 February – 6 March 2011 ('A League Of Their Own', 'Jamie's Dream School', 'Love Thy Neighbour', 'Wonders Of The Universe', etc.)

Published on 2011-02-28 02:50:00

'Wonders Of The Universe' - BBC2/HD, Sunday, 9PMEvery Monday I browse the UK television schedules for the coming week, selecting each day's best new TV shows. Below you'll find the result of that work...MONDAY 28thHow To Live With Women (BBC3, 9pm) A

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' – "The Bitter End"

Published on 2011-02-27 08:55:00

The finale of Gods Of The Arena was as gruesome, gripping and violent as we've come to expect, although perhaps not quite as edge-of-your-seat thrilling as hoped. I blame the fact there wasn't enough in "The Bitter End" that could compete with the pr

Movie Bites: 'The Hole', 'The Last Airbender' & 'The Other Guys'

Published on 2011-02-27 07:00:00

THE HOLE. Joe Dante (Gremlins) makes his overdue return to directing with children's fantasy-thriller The Hole; essentially Goosebumps-meets-The Gate. In a typically Spielbergian suburb of America, teenager Dane (Chris Massoglia) and his younger brot

Video: 'Law & Order UK' - Lessons In British Justice

Published on 2011-02-27 04:31:00

I don't watch Law & Order UK, but that doesn't make this any less amusing. BBC America have created a very funny three-minute video giving American viewers a tongue-in-cheek guide to the cultural differences between the original L&O and this

'FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER' 1.1 - "The Sofabed"

Published on 2011-02-26 08:20:00

Drive round to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first episode of Channel 4's new sitcom FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER, starring Tamsin Greig & Simon Bird. New Scientist magazine! Apple crumble! A sofabed!Robert Popper isn't a name many people wi

Talking Point: will you be watching the Oscars?

Published on 2011-02-25 08:52:00

This is primarily a TV blog, but I cover movies occasionally, so what are you thoughts on this Sunday's Oscars? Is Natalie Portman a shoo in for Best Actress? Can anyone beat Colin Firth to Best Actor? Is The Social Network going to steal Best Pictur

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.16 - "No Ordinary Proposal"

Published on 2011-02-25 07:50:00

The writing's on the wall for ABC's underperforming superhero drama, which means it's a struggle to get enthused about it. As the season finale looms, "No Ordinary Proposal" at least spent time pushing the mytharc along, but the show isn't delivering

'MAD DOGS' - Part Three

Published on 2011-02-25 04:10:00

If "Part One" was setup and intrigue, and "Part Two" was aftermath and reaction, "Part Three" should have deepened the mystery in preparation for the finale. It didn't quite achieve that, as the story's annoyingly cagey about revealing much about the

'GLEE' 2.14 - "Blame It On The Alcohol"

Published on 2011-02-24 08:00:00

I brace myself for sanctimonious schmaltz whenever Glee tackles "the issues" effecting today's youth, and there were indeed moments when "Blame It On The Alcohol" started preaching. It doesn't help that half the cast look like they're in their mid-20

'V' 2.7 - "Birth Pangs"

Published on 2011-02-24 04:30:00

After last week's unmistakable move to invigorate V, "Birth Pangs" continued on a similarly propulsive note. The show is delivering a surprising amount of information and clarity about the Visitors and their masterplan this season, which is great to

Video: 'Boardwalk Empire' VFX Breakdowns

Published on 2011-02-23 10:57:00

Boardwalk Empire VFX Breakdowns of Season 1 from Brainstorm Digital on Vimeo.My recent greenscreen post went down well, so here's another incredible special-effects showreel, brought to my attention by @TVSatelliteWeek. This four-minute video shows y

Talking Point: what are YOU watching that I'm not?

Published on 2011-02-23 07:39:00

I think you all know what I'm watching on TV every week. If you don't, you're just not paying attention! But what are YOU watching that I'm NOT? And is there anything currently airing on TV it's a shame I've missed out on? Do you have any general rec

'CHUCK' 4.16 - "Chuck Versus The Masquerade"

Published on 2011-02-23 05:00:00

Regarding the primary storyline, "Chuck Versus The Masquerade" felt rather insubstantial, but this allowed for valuable character-based subplots for Morgan (Joshua Gomez) and, to a lesser extent, Casey (Adam Baldwin), who both came to realize they're

'MRS BROWN'S BOYS' 1.1 - "The Mammy"

Published on 2011-02-23 03:00:00

Taken as individual elements, this brand new studio-based comedy offers nothing original, but cumulatively it makes for a heady confection of madcap weirdness, a stream of hit-and-miss jokes, and bemusement. Mrs Brown's Boys is a TV adaptation o

'EPISODES' 1.7 - "Episode Seven"

Published on 2011-02-22 06:25:00

After nearly two months, that's the finale? While Episodes showed signs of life in "Episode Four" and "Five", the show completes its run with an entirely predictable and largely unfunny installment. Everything you'd expect to happen following th

'OUTCASTS' 1.5

Published on 2011-02-22 03:55:00

It's the snail's pace that keeps killing my enthusiasm. I liked the idea behind this lyrical fifth episode, but because it boiled down to a long trek through an empty wilderness with three characters (two of whom you don't really care about) you felt

'FRINGE' 3.14 - "6B"

Published on 2011-02-21 08:00:00

It's worth mentioning the elegant beauty of Fringe's teasers. It's rare to see teasers that do as their name suggests these days, which the investigative sci-fi genre is particularly adept at. You watch the opening minutes of Fringe with the giddy ex

'BEING HUMAN' 3.5 - "The Longest Day"

Published on 2011-02-21 04:30:00

Vampire boss Herrick (Jason Watkins) returned in surprising style, for a character-focused "bottle episode" (almost exclusively taking place in the B&B) that posed the moral question "can someone be forgiven for their sins, no matter how unforgiv

TV Picks: 21-27 February 2011 ('Friday Night Dinner', 'Heston's Mission Impossible', 'Mrs Brown's Boys', 'Ross Kemp's Extreme World', 'Silk', etc.)

Published on 2011-02-21 02:20:00

MONDAY 21stMy Life In Books (BBC2, 6.30pm) Chat show focusing on celebrities' love of books. Guests are author PD James and presenter Richard Bacon. Hosted by Anne Robinson.Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets (BBC2, 8.30pm) Return of the fly-on-the-wall

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' – "Reckoning"

Published on 2011-02-20 08:25:00

Penultimate episodes can be just as dramatic as season finale's these days, as they tend to bring various storylines to a conclusion (usually the secondary ones), so the finale can better focus its attention while dealing with some fresh, tasty after

Video: Amazing Greenscreen Showreel

Published on 2011-02-20 04:15:00

I tweeted about this video yesterday, but far more people visit my blog than follow me on Twitter, so I thought it was worth sharing here. Embedded above is a four-minute showreel from special-effects company Stargate Studios, who do a huge amount of

Jump the Blast #8 - 'Bones'

Published on 2011-02-19 06:35:00

We have our first reader submission for Jump the Blast, kindly sent in by regular Laura Schumacher. This shot comes from an episode of Bones, showing Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) narrowly avoiding becoming woodland toast. Unfortunately, Laura can't

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.15 - "No Ordinary Powell"

Published on 2011-02-18 08:40:00

Most episodes of No Ordinary Family tend to elicit the same response from me: entertained but craving something more substantial. But I do enjoy watching these likeable actors play superheroes for an hour, with just enough continu

State of the Blog: donations, sponsors, friends, etc.

Published on 2011-02-18 06:45:00

Penny for the blog?I've decided to add a PayPal "donations button" to DMD, near the top of the sidebar. The reason for this is simple: while I've always blogged as a pastime (partly to sharpen my writing and work ethic), I think the blog's reach

'MAD DOGS' - Part Two

Published on 2011-02-18 04:15:00

Last week's opener was a slow-burn setup to the shocking climax, where well-heeled Alvo (Ben Chaplin) was shot in the head by an undersized gangster wearing a grinning Tony Blair mask, in full view of the four friends he'd invited to his luxury Major

'MAD DOGS' - Part Two

Published on 2011-02-18 04:15:00

Last week's opener was a slow-burn setup to the shocking climax, where well-heeled Alvo (Ben Chaplin) was shot in the head by an undersized gangster wearing a grinning Tony Blair mask, in full view of the four friends he'd invited to his luxury Major

'GLEE' 2.13 - "Comeback"

Published on 2011-02-17 06:40:00

I'm tiring of writing weekly reviews of Glee. I think I've stuck with it for so long this season because (a) I have fond memories of the blissful fun it delivered for much of season 1, and (b) it can sometimes be an enjoyable show to critique even at

'GLEE' 2.13 - "Comeback"

Published on 2011-02-17 06:40:00

I'm tiring of writing weekly reviews of Glee. I think I've stuck with it for so long this season because (a) I have fond memories of the blissful fun it delivered for much of season 1, and (b) it can sometimes be an enjoyable show to critique even at

'V' 2.6 - "Siege"

Published on 2011-02-17 04:45:00

Last week found V tackling the archetypal "assassination" plot, and this week it cleaves close to the archetypal "siege" plot. So, no points for originality, and the characters still aren't inherently rousing, but the show's forward-momentum, action

'V' 2.6 - "Siege"

Published on 2011-02-17 04:45:00

Last week found V tackling the archetypal "assassination" plot, and this week it cleaves close to the archetypal "siege" plot. So, no points for originality, and the characters still aren't inherently rousing, but the show's forward-momentum, action

'OUTCASTS' 1.4

Published on 2011-02-16 08:40:00

Largely freed of the need to "world-build" and introduce characters, episode 4 was markedly the best hour of Outcasts yet. It was able to tell a simple story without too many dull subplots, because the groundwork's been laid and everything establishe

'OUTCASTS' 1.4

Published on 2011-02-16 08:40:00

Largely freed of the need to "world-build" and introduce characters, episode 4 was markedly the best hour of Outcasts yet. It was able to tell a simple story without too many dull subplots, because the groundwork's been laid and everything establishe

'CHUCK' 4.15 - "Chuck Versus The Cat Squad"

Published on 2011-02-16 06:25:00

In "Chuck Versus The Couch Lock" we were introduced to Casey's (Adam Baldwin) testosterone-fuelled team from the '80s, and in this week's "Chuck Versus The Cat Squad" we were similarly acquainted with Sarah's (Yvonne Strahovski) estrogen-fuelled squa

'CHUCK' 4.15 - "Chuck Versus The Cat Squad"

Published on 2011-02-16 06:25:00

In "Chuck Versus The Couch Lock" we were introduced to Casey's (Adam Baldwin) testosterone-fuelled team from the '80s, and in this week's "Chuck Versus The Cat Squad" we were similarly acquainted with Sarah's (Yvonne Strahovski) estrogen-fuelled squa

'THE CHICAGO CODE' 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-02-16 04:20:00

Ride-along to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed Shawn Ryan's new cop show THE CHICAGO CODE, starring Jessica Beals, Jason Clarke & Delroy Lindo. Car chases! Guns! Murder! Driving on the grass! Writer-producer Shawn Ryan had huge success with f

'THE CHICAGO CODE' 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-02-16 04:20:00

Ride-along to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed Shawn Ryan's new cop show THE CHICAGO CODE, starring Jessica Beals, Jason Clarke & Delroy Lindo. Car chases! Guns! Murder! Driving on the grass!Writer-producer Shawn Ryan had huge success with fiv

'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT' 1.1 – "Pilot"

Published on 2011-02-16 02:40:00

Acclaimed comedy Arrested Development (which ran on Fox for three seasons from 2003-2006) is being repeated in double-bills every Tuesday on FX UK. It's a series that mostly passed me by, as it did many people in the UK, because it bounced around the

'ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT' 1.1 – "Pilot"

Published on 2011-02-16 02:40:00

Acclaimed comedy Arrested Development (which ran on Fox for three seasons from 2003-2006) is being repeated in double-bills every Tuesday on FX UK. It's a series that mostly passed me by, as it did many people in the UK, because it bounced around the

'EPISODES' 1.6 - "Episode Six"

Published on 2011-02-15 08:15:00

The penultimate episode aired last night in the UK, with the show building to a big upset in the final scene. The comedy felt stripped back in favour of simmering drama this week, and I was disappointed one of the funnier subplots came to an abrupt e

'EPISODES' 1.6 - "Episode Six"

Published on 2011-02-15 08:15:00

The penultimate episode aired last night in the UK, with the show building to a big upset in the final scene. The comedy felt stripped back in favour of simmering drama this week, and I was disappointed one of the funnier subplots came to an abrupt e

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.4 - "Wouldn't It Be Nice (If We Were Human)"

Published on 2011-02-15 05:20:00

This isn't actually a review, just a quick note to say I'm dropping Being Human USA from my weekly review cycle. I don't hate this remake, but it's a pale imitation of the BBC version and, frankly, the fact it's recycling so many storylines and ideas

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.4 - "Wouldn't It Be Nice (If We Were Human)"

Published on 2011-02-15 05:20:00

This isn't actually a review, just a quick note to say I'm dropping Being Human USA from my weekly review cycle. I don't hate this remake, but it's a pale imitation of the BBC version and, frankly, the fact it's recycling so many storylines and ideas

'OUTCASTS' 1.3

Published on 2011-02-15 04:20:00

The third episode of Outcasts again walked that line between tediousness and mild perkiness, eventually delivering the show's best half-hour once this week's deadly "whiteout" storm hit Forthaven. Ironically, everything felt more relaxed and settled

'OUTCASTS' 1.3

Published on 2011-02-15 04:20:00

The third episode of Outcasts again walked that line between tediousness and mild perkiness, eventually delivering the show's best half-hour once this week's deadly "whiteout" storm hit Forthaven. Ironically, everything felt more relaxed and settled

Coming Soon: 'Friday Night Dinner', Channel 4

Published on 2011-02-15 03:40:00

Channel 4 have a brand new six-part comedy on the way from writer Robert Popper (Look Around You), called Friday Night Dinner. It concerns two brothers in their 20s -- wannabe-musician Adam (Simon Bird) and estate agent Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) -- who s

Coming Soon: 'Friday Night Dinner', Channel 4

Published on 2011-02-15 03:40:00

Channel 4 have a brand new six-part comedy on the way from writer Robert Popper (Look Around You), called Friday Night Dinner. It concerns two brothers in their 20s -- wannabe-musician Adam (Simon Bird) and estate agent Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) -- who s

Poll Result: who are the hottest TV couple?

Published on 2011-02-14 11:25:00

To celebrate Valentine's Day, last Friday I asked you to vote for who you think the hottest TV couple are, from a selection of lovebirds who appear on TV shows I'm currently reviewing. You could vote for a total of three sexy couples, with the option

Poll Result: who are the hottest TV couple?

Published on 2011-02-14 11:25:00

To celebrate Valentine's Day, last Friday I asked you to vote for who you think the hottest TV couple are, from a selection of lovebirds who appear on TV shows I'm currently reviewing. You could vote for a total of three sexy couples, with the option

'FRINGE' 3.13 - "Immortality"

Published on 2011-02-14 06:30:00

This marked out first return trip to the alternate-Earth in what seems like forever, but it was unfortunately a so-so installment. "Immortality" wasn't a crushing bore, and it delivered some important developments, but the investigation at the heart

'BEING HUMAN' 3.4 - "The Pack"

Published on 2011-02-14 04:05:00

After a few weeks focusing on largely self-contained stories, Being Human returned to elements introduced in the premiere "Lia", with an episode that brought certain elements of series 3 to an unanticipated close. In many ways "The Pack" was the conc

TV Picks: 14-20 February 2011 ('Brit Awards', 'Gadget Show', 'Grammy Awards', 'Let's Dance For Comic Relief', 'OK! TV', 'South Riding', 'Treme', etc.)

Published on 2011-02-14 02:30:00

VALENTINE'S DAYCoach Trip (Channel 4, 5.30pm) Series 6 of the travel-based reality gameshow.OK! TV (Channel 5, 6.25pm) Brand new weekday magazine show. Presented by Kate Walsh & Matt Johnson.The Gadget Show (Channel 5, 8pm) Return of the technolo

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' – "Beneath The Mask"

Published on 2011-02-13 08:32:00

We're approaching the end of this six-part prequel already, so it's no surprise to see Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena beginning to capitalize on the relationships of the characters now the groundwork's been done. "Beneath The Mask" was a marvelous epis

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.14 - "No Ordinary Double Standard"

Published on 2011-02-12 10:50:00

The word on the street says No Ordinary Family is doomed because of low ratings for ABC, which is a shame. It's lost half its audience since last September's premiere, with this episode marking a nadir of 5.3m. But while I agree it's hardly a revolut

TV Ratings: 'Mad Dogs', Sky1

Published on 2011-02-12 06:30:00

Sky1's new drama Mad Dogs got off to a great start on Thursday night at 9pm, with 960,000 viewers tuning in for Part One. My guess is that the star-power of the four leads (Philip Glenister, John Simm, Max Beesley, Ben Chaplin) was too much to resist

Jump the Blast #7 - "Human Target"

Published on 2011-02-11 18:00:00

'HUMAN TARGET' - "Marshall Pucci"It's the second Human Target offering in this meme already! This one comes from the recent season 2 finale and it's probably THE archetypal "jump the blast" visual; a badass walking away from a large car explosion, wi

'HUMAN TARGET' 2.13 - "Marshall Pucci"

Published on 2011-02-11 09:10:00

The season 2 finale of Human Target was a curious mix of exciting moments (most in the first half) with a slight feeling of dryness, primarily because the backbone of Ilsa (Indira Varma) and the weird circumstances of her billionaire husband's murder

'MAD DOGS' - Part One

Published on 2011-02-11 06:15:00

Take a trip to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the first episode of Sky1's four-part drama MAD DOGS, starring Philip Glenister, John Simm, Marc Warren and Ben Chaplin. There's sun, sea, sand, and a gunman wearing a Tony Blair mask. Are you up

Poll: who are the hottest TV couple?

Published on 2011-02-11 02:40:00

To celebrate Valentine's Day in a TV-centric way, I'm running a weekend poll to find the hottest small-screen couple. Of course, this list could be very ungainly if taken to extremes, so I've opted to focus on romantic couples from current TV shows t

'GLEE' 2.12 – "Silly Love Songs"

Published on 2011-02-10 07:25:00

We get an early Valentine present from Glee with "Silly Love Songs" (because the eleventh episode aired after the Super Bowl?), but this would surely have been best scheduled next week. Regardless, it was one of those episodes with a satisfying empha

'V' 2.5 - "Concordia"

Published on 2011-02-10 04:20:00

There's no point restating my same points every week. You know where I stand on season 2 by now: improved pace, clearer motivations, more answers, awkward dialogue, and mostly weak characters. "Concordia" was the best episode of the sophomore season,

TV Ratings: 'Outcasts', BBC1

Published on 2011-02-09 09:00:00

BBC1's brand new sci-fi drama Outcasts debuted on Monday with a decent 4.45 million viewers at 9pm (17.9% of the audience for that hour), beating ITV1's weight-loss series The Biggest Loser, Channel 4's One Born Every Minute (2.6m), Channel 5's new d

'CHUCK' 4.14 - "Chuck Versus The Seduction Impossible"

Published on 2011-02-09 07:50:00

After the mishandled Mary/Volkoff storyline that choked Chuck of its former vitality, I was so relieved that "Chuck Versus The Seduction Impossible" was a return to the energetic, outlandish, jam-packed storylines I watch this show for. The only thin

'OUTCASTS' 1.2

Published on 2011-02-09 04:15:00

It's fair to say Monday night's premiere of sci-fi drama Outcasts was met with widespread disappointment, mixed reviews, and vitriol from the "online community" (Twitter's my barometer of choice). I wasn't very impressed either, but aware some shows

TV Bite: 'Bedlam'

Published on 2011-02-09 02:50:00

I was planning to review Sky Living's new six-part supernatural drama Bedlam, about a haunted asylum that's being renovated into domestic flats, but Monday night's first episode was so appalling I didn't even finish it. I don’t believe in reviewing

'EPISODES' 1.5 - "Episode Five"

Published on 2011-02-08 08:15:00

What's this? A really good episode of Episodes? Can such a thing even exist? Surprisingly, it can. "Episode Five" was this comedy's strongest installment yet, mostly because it found convincing and amusing use for its three leads that embraced the sh

'GLEE' 2.11 – "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle"

Published on 2011-02-08 06:35:00

My reviews of Glee have been less popular in season 2. Maybe it's because British fans have only just started this year, or because my opinion of Glee has grown more jaded and "gleeks" prefer to read glowing adulation? There's nothing I can do about

'OUTCASTS' 1.1

Published on 2011-02-08 04:40:00

Set a course for Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the premiere of the BBC's brand new sci-fi drama OUTCASTS, starring Liam Cunningham, Hermione Norris and Jamie Bamber. There's a spaceship in peril, a little boy obsessed with tigers, and flatu

TRAILER: 'Terra Nova' - Super Bowl TV Spot

Published on 2011-02-07 13:21:00

Sunday's Super Bowl gave America the chance to watch meatheads run around a playing field wearing protective armour under their clothes. The softies. It also gave the world several high-profile movie and TV trailers, such as the one above for time-tr

TV Ratings: 'Hawaii Five-0', Sky1

Published on 2011-02-07 11:00:00

The CBS remake of iconic cop show Hawaii Five-O made its UK debut on Sky1 last night at 9pm, attracting an impressive 717,000 viewers -- almost triple the average for that timeslot. I reviewed the pilot last year for Obsessed With Film, which I enjoy

'FRINGE' 3.12 - "Concentrate And Ask Again"

Published on 2011-02-07 08:50:00

We're still in a period adjustment right now, which is giving Fringe a slightly deflated feel after the superlative dual-Olivia storyline. Recent weeks have been about accumulating knowledge and cementing emotional foundations, ready for the show to

'HUMAN TARGET' 2.12 - "The Trouble With Harry"

Published on 2011-02-07 06:30:00

The penultimate episode of this sometimes erratic but hugely enjoyable second season gave us another prime slice of Human Target, from the pen of Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, who usually deliver more of a season 1 flavour to their storyli

'BEING HUMAN' 3.3 - "Type 4"

Published on 2011-02-07 04:55:00

Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are the three "types" of supernatural creature in Being Human's universe, but we're introduced to a unique fourth in the aptly named "Type 4": Sasha (Alexandra Roach), a Welsh zombie chav killed in a car accident who w

TV Picks: 7-13 February 2011 ('BAFTA', 'Bedlam', 'Cougar Town', 'Madagascar: Island Of Marvels', 'Mad Dogs', 'Outcasts', 'Under Pressure', 'Weeds', etc.)

Published on 2011-02-07 03:55:00

MONDAY 7thOne Man & His Campervan (BBC2, 6.30pm) Series where Martin Dorey travels around the UK in his 1970s campervan, meeting various people and taking in the sights.The Beauty Of Books (BBC4, 8.30pm) Series aiming to promote the brilliance of

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' - "Paterfamilias"

Published on 2011-02-06 08:50:00

Any concerns I had that Gods Of The Arena wouldn't be able to recapture latter Blood & Sand's glory were utterly quashed by "Paterfamilias", which was another great episode in what's proving to be a terrific prequel series that's avoiding the tra

'PRIMEVAL' 4.7

Published on 2011-02-06 04:40:00

Even with expectations duly lowered, Primeval's series 4 finale could only muster a subdued sigh from me. I think the truly frustrating thing about Primeval is watching a fantastic premise go to waste in the hands of writers who rarely deliver compet

TV Ratings: 'Entourage' & 'Six Feet Under', Sky Atlantic

Published on 2011-02-05 11:01:00

Sky Atlantic's launch-night performance split opinion; some thought 438,000 people watching Boardwalk Empire was a decent figure considering the fact SkyA's a channel exclusive to Sky's 10m customers. I can see that point of view. I guess I just expe

Poll Result: will you be watching Sky Atlantic?

Published on 2011-02-05 06:45:00

Earlier this week I asked everyone a very simple question: will you be watching Sky Atlantic? Sky's brand new channel, their home of the exclusive HBO programming that cost them £150m, started on 1 February with much fanfare. But are people actually

Channel 4 receive 519 complaints about 'The Event'

Published on 2011-02-04 09:05:00

519 people have officially complained about the loss of The Event from Channel 4's schedule, owing to the show going on hiatus in the US. The sci-fi mystery drama will return to NBC on 7 March with a two-hour special intended to revamp the series (th

Fiver rebranded to Five*

Published on 2011-02-04 04:30:00

Following the recent acquisition of Five by publishing magnate Richard Desmond, it's being revamped on 14 February (reverting to its original name of Channel 5), and sister channel Fiver will also be rebranded on 7 March. It will now be known as 5* (

State of the Blog: stars, memes, treatment, poll, etc.

Published on 2011-02-04 02:57:00

For any new readers, State Of The Blog is a recurring feature of Dan's Media Digest where I basically update everyone on things relating to the blog. It's nothing more complex than that. So if you like reading some inside thoughts and updates about w

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.3 - "Some Thing To Watch Over Me"

Published on 2011-02-03 07:50:00

I'm still uninspired to write about Syfy's Being Human remake in great depth, but that's not a reflection on its quality. It's not a bad show, really -- it's just a toothless version of an even better show. Also, because the characters and most of th

'V', 2.4 - "Unholy Alliance"

Published on 2011-02-03 05:15:00

We're only four episodes into V's second season, but it feels like the show's been back much longer. Is that a good sign, because these four hours have crammed so much material in? Or a bad sign, because things feel like they're dragging? It's defini

TV Ratings: 'Boardwalk Empire', Sky Atlantic

Published on 2011-02-03 02:30:00

Sky Atlantic got off to a fairly disappointing start on Tuesday night. The 8pm hour-long preview Let The Stories Begin drew a measly 147,000 viewers, before the much-publicized debut of Boardwalk Empire boosted viewership to 438,000 at 9pm, only for

'HUMAN TARGET' 2.11 - "Kill Bob"

Published on 2011-02-02 07:40:00

I don't have much to say about "Kill Bob", so I'll be reasonably brief. This episode was entertaining and had good action sequences, but the idea behind it didn't quite take flight, and the subplots were very weak. The central premise was solid, thou

'Boardwalk Empire': what did you think?

Published on 2011-02-02 06:41:00

Sky Atlantic launched last night, with Boardwalk Empire as its crown jewel at 9pm, followed by Blue Bloods as 10.30pm. What did you think? I don't get Sky Atlantic myself, so I can't offer my opinion on the channel, but a friend told me Boardwalk Emp

'CHUCK' 4.13 - "Chuck Versus The Push Mix"

Published on 2011-02-02 03:55:00

Over the years, Chuck's writers have been forced on many occasions to write would-be series finales, owing to uncertainties about the show's future. They've done an astonishingly good job, until now. "Chuck Versus The Push Mix" was the culmination of

'EPISODES' 1.4 - "Episode Four"

Published on 2011-02-01 04:30:00

I was led to believe Episodes radically improves from "Episode Four" onwards, but this was the week asphyxiation with a cushion felt preferable to watching the interplay between Matt Le Blanc, Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig. I don't actually blame t

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: FEBRUARY 2011 ('Buried', 'Despicable Me', 'Due Date', 'Easy A', 'RED', 'The Social Network', 'The Office: S5', 'Primeval: S4', 'Upstairs, Downstairs', etc.)

Published on 2011-02-01 02:45:00

Amazon.co.uk WidgetsOn the first day of every month I pick my favourite DVD and Blu-rays that are released over the next four weeks in the UK and Ireland. Below is the result of that work for February:7 FEBRUARYCalifornication: Season 1-3 [DVD]Califo

'FRINGE' 3.11 - "Reciprocity"

Published on 2011-01-31 08:45:00

There were some elements of "Reciprocity" I really enjoyed, and it was fantastic to get forward momentum on the "doomsday device" that Massive Dynamic have managed to piece together, minus the supposed power source that Fauxlivia stole. It's a little

'BEING HUMAN' 3.2 - "Adam's Family"

Published on 2011-01-31 05:35:00

As a comedy-drama, I prefer it when Being Human's tackling serious subjects and significant situations with humour as a pressure release valve, as it did last week. "Adam's Family" was ostensibly an example of the show doing exactly that, but I thoug

Poll: Will you be watching Sky Atlantic?

Published on 2011-01-31 04:30:00

Sky Atlantic premieres on 1 February, with its lineup of US drama that includes the majority of HBO's programming. Shows on the way include Boardwalk Empire, Blue Bloods, Treme, Weeds, Entourage, The Sopranos, Game Of Thrones, Mad Men, etc.SkyA is in

TV Picks: 31 January – 6 February 2011 ('Apprentice USA', 'Boardwalk Empire', 'Harry Hill's TV Burp', 'Hawaii Five-0', 'Louis Theroux', 'Marchlands', 'The Promise', 'Secret Diary Of A Call Girl', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-31 02:45:00

Every Monday I browse the UK television schedules for the coming week, selecting each day's best new shows. Below you'll find the result of that work...MONDAY 31stThe Battle for Bomb Alley: Panorama (BBC1, 8.30pm) Documentary investigating the differ

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' - "Missio"

Published on 2011-01-30 08:25:00

I'm relieved to see Gods Of The Arena quickly reaching the highs it took Blood & Sand half a season to achieve. The writers clearly understand their show now and, despite feeling that a few ideas are being recycled with different characters, "Mis

'PRIMEVAL' 4.6

Published on 2011-01-30 03:30:00

After last week's relative triumph, it was back down to earth with a bump for the penultimate episode of what's been a disjointed, frustrating comeback year for Primeval. The only indisputable success has been the enhanced quality of the CG (by virtu

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.2 – "There Goes The Neighborhood: Part 2"

Published on 2011-01-29 09:25:00

I'm in a quandary with this series. As a remake it hasn't offended my love for the UK original, which started its own third series last weekend, and that's great. It's just a hard show to review at this unripe stage, because it's largely following th

'The Office': Michael Scott meets David Brent

Published on 2011-01-28 09:36:00

Since he disappeared from our screens in 2003, fans of The Office have been desperate to see more of Slough's nightmare boss David Brent, and they were finally rewarded this week. Ricky Gervais rescurrected his notorious character for an episode of t

'COME FLY WITH ME'

Published on 2011-01-28 09:15:00

Matt Lucas and David Walliams aren't to everyone's taste, but an astonishing amount of people find them hilarious. You just have to remember the phenomenon that was Little Britain; a sketch show that combined the cheekiness and cross-dressing of '70s

Jump the Blast #6 - 'Human Target'

Published on 2011-01-28 03:00:00

'HUMAN TARGET' - "Communication Breakdown"Here's a shot from a recent episode of Fox's action-adventure drama Human Target, showing bodyguard Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) and his partner Ilsa Pucci (Indira Varma) escaping the wreckage of their pr

National Television Awards 2011: Winners

Published on 2011-01-27 04:25:00

I didn't watch the National Television Awards live this year, but feel like I dodged a bullet. As everything's chosen by the public, it's too mainstream to be a barometer of quality in UK TV, just popularity. For instance, nothing for This Is England

State of the Blog: 'Firefly', Disqus, replies, rankings

Published on 2011-01-27 03:00:00

Short breakFirst, a quick heads-up that I'm away for a few days until Saturday, so updates will be a little erratic until I get back. Luckily, V and No Ordinary Family are on a break, so I probably won't miss too much. Fireflying highYou may remember

'CHUCK' 4.12 - "Chuck Versus The Gobbler"

Published on 2011-01-26 02:40:00

You just have to roll with Chuck sometimes; swallowing whatever ridiculous development it's currently running with. For the second year running, the cautious producers mapped out a 13-episode story arc this year, lest the show got cancelled, before N

'EPISODES' 1.3 - "Episode Three"

Published on 2011-01-25 07:18:00

This was the least funny episode so far, but it did a much better job with the characters. Sean (Stephen Mangan) developed a man-crush on Matt Le Blanc, thanks to his sports car, a spontaneous trip to Las Vegas by private jet, and learning of his abn

'Bedlam' & 'Spartacus' UK releases

Published on 2011-01-25 06:24:00

Bedlam, Sky Living's new psychological drama about a haunted apartment block, has been given a release date of 7 February @10pm. Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena, the six-part prequel to Spartacus: Blood & Sand, will be broadcast on Sky1 in the third

Poll Result: What did you think of 'Being Human' USA?

Published on 2011-01-25 02:50:00

Last week, following the debut of Syfy's Being Human remake, I asked you what you thought of the Americanized version. The results weren't very surprising, but here they are nonetheless:35.7% - I had mixed feelings28.5% - It was very good17.8% - I th

'FRINGE' 3.10 - "The Firefly"

Published on 2011-01-24 08:35:00

Back from hiatus, Fringe finds itself in a precarious position, shunted to Fox's Friday night "death slot" with an episode wryly entitled "The Firefly", possibly in salute to Joss Whedon's sci-fi drama that died in the same timeslot in 2002. The good

'BEING HUMAN' 3.1 - "Lia"

Published on 2011-01-24 04:35:00

Enter Purgatory and open the door marked Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the series 3 premiere of BBC3's supernatural drama BEING HUMAN, brought to you by the makers of werewolf-fighting cages:Series 3 of Being Human has a tough job on its ha

TV Picks: 24-30 January 2011 ('How TV Ruined My Life', 'JLC: Turning Japanese', 'Million Pound Drop Live', 'The National TV Awards 2011', 'Skins', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-24 03:25:00

MONDAY 24thLaura Hall: My Battle With Booze (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary following Laura Hall, a 21-year-old who became the first person in the UK banned from drinking.Justice: A Citizen's Guide To The 21st Century (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary on the philosoph

The British Comedy Awards 2011: Winners

Published on 2011-01-23 08:50:00

The British Comedy Awards have always been my favourite awards ceremony, for a number of reasons:They're the only awards bash I've seen every year, since they started in 1990.I tend to have seen most things nominated, which means I have a more rounde

'PRIMEVAL' 4.5

Published on 2011-01-23 08:20:00

After a hopeless run of wretched episodes, Primeval delivered a competently-told story with an agreeable mix of imagination, silliness, decent action, tongue-in-cheek homage's, and clarity with most of its storytelling. The script was co-written by c

'SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA' - "Past Transgressions"

Published on 2011-01-22 11:21:00

Hack n' slash your way over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the premiere of SPARTACUS: GODS OF THE ARENA, the six-part prequel to Spartacus: Blood & Sand, brought to you by the majesty of Jupiter's c*ck:A prequel to the Starz hit Spart

'FAST & LOOSE' 1.2

Published on 2011-01-22 06:52:00

I was distinctly unimpressed with BBC2's new improv comedy show last week, and most of you agreed with my assessment it was too slow and, unforgivably, too rehearsed. But I know these shows take awhile to find their feet (the first few series of Whos

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.13 - "No Ordinary Detention"

Published on 2011-01-21 08:15:00

There was a tweak to the usual format of No Ordinary Family this week, as three separate stories were told that all involved members of the Powell family being detained/trapped in some way. Jim (Michael Chiklis) found himself entangled in a hostage c

'10 O'CLOCK LIVE'

Published on 2011-01-21 05:05:00

It can't have escaped your attention Channel 4 have launched a brand new satirical news show for Thursday nights; what with so many promos, billboards and online adverts swirling around the UK media over the past few weeks. 10 O'Clock Live is the lat

'THE CAPE' 1.3 - "Kozmo"

Published on 2011-01-21 03:25:00

I didn't think NBC's new superhero drama The Cape could sink much lower than its opening few episodes, but the "Kozmo" was a full-blown stinker it's tough to defend. My expectations were low, but it still managed to plumb new depths. If a show's this

'Red Dwarf' returning to Dave for six-part series

Published on 2011-01-20 15:14:00

It's been confirmed that cult sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf is returning to TV with a brand new six-part series, to be broadcast on the digital channel Dave, who commissioned the three-part special "Back To Earth" in 2009. Craig Charles (who plays Lister)

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

Published on 2011-01-20 06:25:00

David Slade, the director who filmed a castration for the unflinching Hard Candy, places his own testicles in the vice of studio commercialism here, forever staining his filmography by involving himself with The Twilight Saga. The good news is t

'V' 2.3 - "Laid Bare"

Published on 2011-01-20 04:30:00

I can't deny V's doing a better job with pacing, action, and sense of forward momentum this season. Those are improvements the show desperately needed and the writers have delivered them. There's barely a five minute window before something visually

Poll: What did you think of 'Being Human' USA?

Published on 2011-01-20 02:45:00

Syfy's remake of the BBC's Being Human debuted last Monday, to decent ratings but mixed reviews. Personally, I thought it was a decent pilot and I'm interested to see where it goes once more original elements come into play. But what did you think of

'CHUCK' 4.11 - "Chuck Versus The Balcony"

Published on 2011-01-19 06:25:00

It feels like Chuck's been on hiatus for six months, not six weeks, but it's finally back with "Chuck Versus The Balcony", roughly halfway through this season's extended 24-episode run. And, as usual, the cast's winning chemistry and the show's warm

'BEING HUMAN' (USA) 1.1 - "There Goes The Neighborhood: Part One"

Published on 2011-01-19 04:15:00

Take a bite out of Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed Syfy's supernatural comdey-drama BEING HUMAN, a US remake of the acclaimed UK series, brought to you by the architects of hospital basements:The British are coming... and they have television

'EPISODES' 1.2 - "Episode Two"

Published on 2011-01-18 05:15:00

A marginal improvement on the terrible premiere, but this was still a rather lethargic half-hour, only enlivened by a few funny scenes (such as insincere exec Merc rudely miming his disapproval of his blind wife's boring anecdote to their dinner gues

TRAILER: 'Outcasts', BBC

Published on 2011-01-17 13:41:00

The BBC have released the first full-length trailer for their upcoming sci-fi drama Outcasts, about a group of colonists in the future trying to settle on an alien world known as Carpathia. There's even a handy summary and character list, below:Summa

'HUMAN TARGET' 2.9 & 2.10 - "Imbroglio" & "Cool Hand Guerrero"

Published on 2011-01-17 06:35:00

After an unsteady start, season 2 of Human Target's really starting to rock! These two episodes eclipsed last week's double-bill very comfortably. A few more episodes of this caliber and the show's edging into must-see status, which is quite an achie

TV Picks: 17-23 January 2011 ('10'Clock Live', 'American Idol', 'Being Human', 'British Comedy Awards', 'Hattie', 'Nurse Jackie', 'Top Gear', 'The Tudors', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-17 02:45:00

Every Monday I browse the British TV schedules for the coming week, selecting each day's best new shows. Below you'll find the result of that work...MONDAY 17thLand Girls (BBC1, 2.15pm) Return of the period drama.Perfection (BBC2, 4.30pm) Quizshow wh

'PRIMEVAL' 4.4

Published on 2011-01-16 09:10:00

We're halfway through series 4 already, and duly rewarded with another episode that reeked of by-the-numbers storytelling, offering us little new or surprising. However, as prescribed as it undoubtedly was, writer Paul Gerstenberger's plot was the be

The British Comedy Awards 2011: Nominations

Published on 2011-01-16 04:40:00

This year's nominations for the British Comedy Awards were announced yesterday, ahead of the live ceremony on Saturday 22 January, now broadcast on Channel 4 and again hosted by Jonathan Ross. A rundown of the nominees can be read at the excellent Br

'LIGHTS OUT' 1.1 - "Pilot"

Published on 2011-01-15 11:25:00

Fight your way over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed FX's brand new drama LIGHTS OUT, about a former heavyweight boxer attempting a comeback, brought to you by the makers of threatening baseball bats:Considering the popularity of sports mov

'FAST & LOOSE'

Published on 2011-01-15 06:40:00

I was a huge fan of Channel 4's Whose Line Is It Anyway? throughout the '90s and, indeed, into the '00s with the inferior but fun US remake, that wisely retained the fantastic Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles. It was a collection of simple improvisation

Jump the Blast #5 - 'The Green Hornet'

Published on 2011-01-14 06:20:00

'THE GREEN HORNET'A timely addition to this ongoing meme, as THE GREEN HORNET is released nationwide across the US and UK today. The above screengrab comes from the film's trailer -- during a scene when the villain, Chudnofsky (Inglourious Basterd's

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.12 - "No Ordinary Brother"

Published on 2011-01-14 04:30:00

As fond as I am of this series, I acknowledge its faults and irritations. "No Ordinary Brother" started on a frustrating note, with a very lazy way to move past last week's cliffhanger, where Katie (Autumn Reeser) discovered her boyfriend Joshua (Jos

'V' 2.2 – "Serpent's Tooth"

Published on 2011-01-13 07:25:00

The problems with plot and characters are still there, but there's two things keeping V watchable right now: a brisker pace, and definition about what the stakes actually are. This helps pull you through the show's weak moments (most scenes involving

BBC1: new drama ('One Night', 'Call The Midwife', 'Morton', 'Bound' & 'Great Expectations')

Published on 2011-01-13 05:33:00

There are five brand new dramas coming to BBC1, details of which can be found on the press release. To summarize: One Night is a four-part drama that sounds like the movie Go, showing how four strangers' lives intersect over the same summer night; Ca

State of the Blog: DMD3, 'Caprica', features, etc.

Published on 2011-01-13 03:00:00

New Year, New LookObviously, the planned revamp of DMD went ahead on New Year's Day without too many hiccups. A few minor issues were swiftly dealt with that weekend (such as a "sharebox" that obscured text in lower screen resolutions), and minor imp

TV Ratings: 'Glee', E4; 'Episodes', BBC2

Published on 2011-01-12 03:05:00

Glee returned to E4 on Monday night, garnering its highest UK rating ever. A very impressive 1.6 million tuned in to see its belated return (with 362,000 watching on E4+1 at 10pm), compared to the 1.1m who watched Glee's premiere last year. This rati

'EPISODES' 1.1 - "Episode One"

Published on 2011-01-11 07:50:00

Jet over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the premiere of the Showtime/BBC comedy EPISODES, brought to you by the manufacturers of unfillable luxury baths:Episodes offers another Anglo-American comedy partnership, and we all know how well T

'THE CAPE' 1.1 & 1.2 - "Pilot" & "Tarot"

Published on 2011-01-11 04:40:00

Flap over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the double-bill premiere of NBC's superhero drama THE CAPE, brought to you by the makers of dagger-fed tennis ball launching machines:A risky idea, badly handled. The Cape is effectively NBC's repl

Competition: 'Damages' DVD winner!

Published on 2011-01-11 03:15:00

Last week I gave my American readers the chance to win a copy of Damages: The Complete First Season on DVD. To win, you just had to answer the following question:In which city does Damages take place?(a) Washington D.C(b) Chicago(c) New YorkThe corre

'HUMAN TARGET' 2.7 & 2.8 - "A Problem Like Maria" & "Communication Breakdown"

Published on 2011-01-10 06:30:00

This loose two-parter was a welcome jolt of energy for a show that hasn't quite found its feet, following a half-successful revamp this season. Most surprisingly, it managed to turn Chance (Mark Valley) and Ilsa's (Indira Varma) simmering will-they/w

TV Ratings: 'Primeval', ITV1

Published on 2011-01-10 04:40:00

Can you say "Stargate"?ITV1's Saturday sci-fi series Primeval is having a tough time in the ratings. Its New Year's Day premiere only managed to pull in 4.4 million viewers, while the next-day audience for episode 2 dropped to 3.29m. The most recent

TV Picks: 10-16 January 2011 ('Comedy Rocks', 'Episodes', 'Fast & Loose', 'Glee', 'Hell's Kitchen USA', 'No Ordinary Family', 'Shameless', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-10 02:55:00

MONDAY 10thBaking Made Easy (BBC2, 8.30pm) Brand new culinary training series with cook Lorraine Pascale.Horizon: What Is One Degree? (BBC2, 9pm) Comedian and erstwhile physicist Ben Miller investigates this titular question of temperature.Glee (E4,

'PRIMEVAL' 4.3

Published on 2011-01-09 08:53:00

Well, there was early promise, but it didn't last very long. Since this show began I often wondered why more people didn't come through anomalies (if they're not confined to prehistoric times), and Primeval has only ever explored that possibility onc

Jump the Blast #4 - 'Breaking Bad'

Published on 2011-01-09 04:20:00

#4: 'BREAKING BAD' 3.1 - "No Mas"Here's a great action shot from the season 3 premiere of AMC's BREAKING BAD, "No Mas", showing that year's villains, "The Twins", torching the truck that carried themselves and other illegal immigrants into the US fro

Poll Result: What was the best TV treat for Christmas 2010?

Published on 2011-01-08 08:15:00

Last Monday I asked you to vote for the three best TV specials that were shown over the Christmas/New Year period on British TV. I chose a selection of the big "events" from the festive TV listings magazines (although I forgot to include Misfits -- s

Vote for 'Obsessed With Film' as 'Best Overall Blog' for Total Film magazine!

Published on 2011-01-08 06:35:00

Total Film magazine are running some polls to find the best movie-related sites for 2011. Obsessed With Film has been shortlisted as one of the candidates for Blog Of The Year --which is a great achievement in itself. Now, I've been writing TV news p

Press release: 'Torchwood: Miracle Day'

Published on 2011-01-07 18:50:00

Russell T. Davies spilled juicy details about the return of Torchwood, while speaking at the Television Critic's Association tour. The miniseries has been renamed Torchwood: Miracle Day, and the BBC have issued a press release about the new series wh

Coming Soon: 'Being Human', series 3

Published on 2011-01-07 12:51:00

The BBC Press Office have released details of Being Human, which returns to BBC3/HD very soon. There's nothing too unexpected in the release, although it clarifies a few things about the change of location from Bristol to Cardiff; such as how the hou

'NO ORDINARY FAMILY' 1.11 - "No Ordinary Friends"

Published on 2011-01-07 06:25:00

A man who can stop a moving freight train with his bare hands? Yeah, I'll suspend my disbelief. A woman who can run 100 metres in the blink of an eye? Okay, sure. A girl who can hear people's thoughts? Not a problem. Accepting that Autumn Reeser's a

'THE GOOD WIFE' 2.1 - "Taking Control"

Published on 2011-01-07 04:40:00

Adjourn to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the second season premiere of ace legal drama THE GOOD WIFE, brought to you by a well-known brand of tablet computer:I don't easily warm to legal dramas because, to me, they conjure images of berobed

'Torchwood: The New World' arriving 1 July

Published on 2011-01-07 04:07:00

The upcoming fourth series of Torchwood, which has undergone an American revamp, will debut 1 July on Starz in the US and BBC1 in the UK. Filming begins next week on the ten-part miniseries, with the first episode directed by Bharat Nalluri (Life On

TV Bites: 'HUMAN TARGET' 2.5 & 2.6 – "Dead Head" & "The Other Side Of The Mall"

Published on 2011-01-06 08:05:00

To prevent me going insane this year (especially during mid-season, when new shows add to my existing schedule), a few of my reviews will be given the "TV Bite" treatment -- which is, basically, "shoot from the hip"-style reviews. TV Bite candidates

Competition: 'Damages' Season 1 DVD

Published on 2011-01-06 06:15:00

It's competition time on DMD again! And this time, it's my American readers who get to feel the benefit. That makes a change, doesn't it.You may know that Golden Globe-winning drama Damages, following a prodigious lawyer called Ellen Parsons (Rose By

'V' 2.1 - "Red Rain"

Published on 2011-01-06 04:20:00

Stair-jump over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the season 2 premiere of ABC's sci-fi remake V, brought to you by the tailors of Laura Vandervoort's V-neck tops:ABC's remake of V, the '80s hit show about alien visitors who arrive on Earth

Sky Atlantic: launching 1 February

Published on 2011-01-05 07:14:00

The Home Of World Class TelevisionSky have confirmed that Sky Atlantic will launch on 1 February. This is a new channel designed to be Sky's "home of world class television" -- primarily showing the exclusive HBO content Sky bought the UK rights to f

Bravo shows transfer to Sky

Published on 2011-01-04 11:17:00

You may have noticed that Bravo vanished from your EPG on 1 January, because Sky are gradually scrapping the suite of channels it acquired from Virgin Media last year for £160m (apart from Living.) But what's happening to the popular shows on these

'PEEP SHOW' 7.5 & 7.6 - "Mark's Parents" & "New Year's Eve"

Published on 2011-01-04 08:06:00

Apologies for the lateness of these closing reviews. Peep Show was a victim of a lazy Christmas and various New Year distractions. I'm going to mainly encapsulate my feelings about series 7 as a whole in this double-bill review.The belated arrival of

Talking Point: Is US drama inherently aspirational, and is this a good thing?

Published on 2011-01-04 05:15:00

The casts of Shameless: American & BritishI heard AOL critic Mo Ryan voicing her concerns about the longevity and appeal of upcoming US drama Shameless, based on the UK series of the same name. Both shows revolve around a large dysfunctional fami

'ZEN' 1.1 – "Vendetta"

Published on 2011-01-03 09:59:00

Amble over to Obsessed With Film for my review of detective drama ZEN, an adaptation of the Aurelio Zen mystery by author Michael Dibden, brought to you by the designers of the sharpest suits in Rome:There are so many regional detectives cluttering u

Poll: What was the best TV treat for Christmas 2010?

Published on 2011-01-03 07:52:00

British TV culture is clever enough to realize that most people are at home over the Christmas period (sometimes for a whole fortnight, given the school holidays), and subsequently demand brand new TV entertainment because it's cold outside and the s

'PRIMEVAL' 4.2

Published on 2011-01-03 06:10:00

I complained about the lack of character development in the premiere, so it was nice to see this follow-up episode place an emphasis on Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts) and Abby (Hannah Spearritt), but the results were as feeble and boring as you could hope

TV Picks: 3-9 January 2011 ('Big Fat Quiz Of The Year', 'Dancing On Ice', 'Derren Brown', 'The Good Wife', 'Hustle', 'Lark Rise To Candleford', 'Louie Spence's Showbusiness', 'Penn & Teller: Fool Us', 'That Sunday Show', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-02 18:02:00

MONDAY 3rdThe Chase (ITV1, 5pm) Return of the weekdaily quiz show. Hosted by Bradley Walsh.The Lakes (ITV1, 8pm) Series 2 of the show where Rory McGrath investigates the idyllic Lake District. Silent Witness (BBC1, 9pm) Series 14 of the crime drama.

Jump the Blast #1-3 - 'Community', 'I Am Number Four' & 'Chuck'

Published on 2011-01-02 12:00:00

I started a halfhearted meme on Twitter recently, screengrabbing shots from movies and TV shows that feature people jumping away from explosions. This clichéd shot seems to appear in most action sequences; sometimes delivered tongue-in-cheek, but of

Poll Result: What did you think of this year's 'Doctor Who' Christmas special?

Published on 2011-01-02 10:45:00

Earlier this week I asked you what you thought of the annual Doctor Who festive special, "A Christmas Carol". There were 88 votes, with the results below:51.1% Fantastic!37.5% It was okay.9.0% Disappointing.2.2% Terrible!I was in the "okay" demograph

'PRIMEVAL' 4.1

Published on 2011-01-02 09:10:00

Stomp over to Obsessed With Film, where I've reviewed the series 4 premiere of ITV1's dinosaur action series PRIMEVAL, brought to you by the makers of foil survival blankets:The opening titles of Primeval involve triangular shards of light with vario

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: JANUARY 2011 ('Caprica: S1', 'Dinner For Schmucks', 'The Girl Who Played With Fire', 'The Hole', 'Merlin: S3', 'Wall Street 2', etc.)

Published on 2011-01-01 12:26:00

Every month I highlight the best new DVD and Blu-ray releases in the UK & Ireland. January's often a poor month for new releases (as most of the best summer titles came out for Christmas), although there are still a few late-summer movies making thei

Incoming TV: Winter/Spring 2011

Published on 2011-01-01 11:29:00

I've embedded the BBC's preview of shows coming in 2010 above (which includes clips from Doctor Who and Outcasts), and below is a list of UK and US TV shows airing in winter/spring that have my attention. I've indicated the likelihood that I'll be re

Introducing: DMD3

Published on 2011-01-01 09:11:00

The overhaul of Dan's Media Digest, to celebrate its fifth year, is finally here! Yes, after a few months work, DMD3 is officially L-I-V-E! So what are you waiting for? Take a look around, click some links, get comfy!Hopefully, your first impression

Top 10 Pirated TV Shows of 2010

Published on 2010-12-31 06:10:00

TorrentFreak have released a list of the 10 most downloaded TV shows of 2010. You can read their list below:1. Lost – 5.9m (downloads)2. Heroes – 5.4m3. Dexter – 3.8m4. The Big Bang Theory – 3.2m5. House – 2.6m6. How I Met Your Mother – 2