Blog Feed: Dan's Media Digest

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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. > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

TRAILERS: 666 PARK AVE. & LAST RESORT (ABC)

Published on 2012-05-17 11:17:00

This trailer for ABC's > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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. [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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, [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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. [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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. > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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. > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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, [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 [..] > read more

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) [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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) [..] > read more

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, [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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' [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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? [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 [..] > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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' > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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. > read more

'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 & > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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, > read more

'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, > read more

'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, > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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. > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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) > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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) > read more

'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 > read more

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. > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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. > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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. > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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. > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 " > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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. > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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. > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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.< > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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, > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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/ > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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' > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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. > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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' > read more

'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 > read more

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: > read more

'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' > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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, > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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* ( > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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) > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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, > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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. > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

'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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more

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 > read more