A word on TV. Most seems a bit rubbish at the mo; CSI continues, slick and assured while CSI:NY continues slipping into farce, with ever more ridiculous happenings treated with po-faced seriousness by Mac ‘Carved from wood’ Taylor and his team. House I enjoy but only because of Hugh Laurie; House is at its best when he is most acerbic.
That’s about it really – I’d be watching Scrapheap Challenge but I’m boycotting all channels with a 4 in the titles (unless proceeded by the letters BBC) for reasons I won’t even deign to mention (but should be obvious).

Stuff that’s not on the telly though; Heroes is great – very moreish. It somehow has a similar feeling to Lost despite being nothing like it – the only similarities are a large ensemble cast and the serial nature of the story. Though, as that story is about a disparate bunch of people across the world discovering they have superpowers and possibly teaming up to save New York from destruction (I haven’t got that far yet but that seems to be the indication), it couldn’t really be more different. And there’s not a drop of spandex in sight.

Dexter is the TV adaptation of Darkly Dreaming Dexter – a book Jennie once recommended and that I enjoyed reading. Starring ‘the guy who played David in Six Feet Under’, it’s about a blood spatter analyst who also happens to be a murderous psychopath obsessed with blood (not your usual hero). Fortunately he channels his killing urges into taking out the scumbags the MDPD can’t prosecute. When a serial killer turns up and begins exhibiting bloodless corpses cut into precise pieces, Dexter feels the urge to find him, though whether to join or catch him he’s not sure. The pilot follows the book quite closely; I’m guessing the arc of the first series will be the plot of the book – I reckon they’ll need to add some more happenings to keep 24 episodes interesting however. At the mo it has a very nicely dark sense of humour that can only be a good thing – but to be avoided if you don’t like the thought of associating closely with a nut-bar.

And yes, if you’re wondering; I’m bored.

Oooh – I just watched The Empty Child episodes of Dr Who and I have to say that they’d be terrifying for the little people. Really well written; never has the word ‘Mummy’ been so freaky, and to have a perfectly sci-fi explanation. Brilliant.

I've never been much interested in the Big Brother show but just been hearing all day about this 'nigga' bollocks on the radio and tv. What are your views?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6729673.stm
and comically:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6406625.stm

Definitely gonna be listening to the Moyles show tomorrow morning.

Dan

I categorically refuse to read, listen or talk about anything to do with that show and hence have no idea what you're talking about and have no intention of finding out.


Have a nice day.

well it's a kind of separate issue altogether.
The second bbc link above is nothing to do with BB so it would be 'safe' for you to click if you so wished =)

OK but on your head be it...

I don't think that you can or should ban words or otherwise restrict what people (in general) say; after all it's the intent behind the word that's the problem and how can you judge that?

Besides the Daily Show said it all already as you can see here

Thanks for the link. As ever, I will be deferring to the infallible wisdom of The Show.

PS I've just noticed that I'm Dave...again.

Good stuff.

hahaha! i'd completely forgotten about that. =) Good work with all the posts, Dave!

just finished watching heroes series 1...

enjoyed it lots... i have to say a little dissapointed by the ending though...

i wont give the ending away to anyone who hasnt seen it but its a bit like the matrix in that the first matrix was good but at the end of it, when he finally realises he's 'da shiznit' you expect it to be a lot more entertaining...

it basically seems like the first series is an introduction... i hope next season doesnt ruin it all.

im getting a little annoyed at these US drama series though...

essentially its like a elongated film spread over an 18 hour series which doesnt resolve anything and just leaves it all open for the next series.

oh well... at least i've got 2 series of prison break to catch up on.

That's a shame; they need to take a lesson in resolving enough threads to satisfy without wrapping it all up so tight they can't squeeze out another series. I reckon Dr Who does it quite well but then it's more of a series with long-running threads than a committed serial like Heroes et al. And they have considerably fewer eps to fill. I suppose 24 did it though, Battlestar Galactica probably does as well (it is supposed to be perfect) but I don't watch that so...

Having mentioned the Doctor I loved Blink: ' "The Angels have the phone box." I love that one. I've got that on a t-shirt.'

fonejacker E4 10:30pm Friday nights

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i was in tears

It would appear that despite a distinctly average 1st series, Hyperdrive is returning for a second stint on BBC2 starting on Thursday.

Hyperdrive gets renewed.

Arrested Development gets canceled.

Bastards.

This one looks interesting. Yes, she did used to be in Eastenders.

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If I'm not mistaken, the blonde is Starbuck from Battlestar.

She kicks ass quite believably.

I say, that's a long trailer...is there any need to actually watch the show?

Neverwhere

Neverwhere is one of my favourite books. Written by Neil Gaiman and adapted from his screenplay of this Nineties BBC series it follows Richard Mayhew as he is pulled into the world of London Below, a place where there really is an Angel in Islington and 'Night's Bridge' is something to be feared. I remembered the series but never got to watch it so I was pleased to note its UK DVD release after far too long (it was released in the US 4 years ago). Still, remembering other BBC efforts of the day, I didn't go into it with all that much hope which, as it turns out, was just about the right attitude.
The problems are immediately apparent; the whole thing looks like an old episode of Dr Who, filmed entirely on a set somewhere. This is despite the fact that it was almost all filmed on location - even on the deck of HMS Belfast. According to Gaiman's pragmatic commentary this was because they were forced to record onto video but lit it for film as it was due to go through a post-production 'filmification' process. This never happened leaving everything rather flat. There is also a distinct budget problem - the floating markets look a bit like Camden, there's no Gap creature to mind and the Beast of London is quite clearly a shaggy cow with tusks glued on.
However (and it's a big however), there is much that is right (as you might expect as Gaiman was involved throughout): Down Street is beautifully realised as a hotel staircase that goes on forever; Serpentine's dining room is an abandoned Tube platform with actual trains passing (apparently there were many ghost-sightings that day as passing commuters caught a passing glimpse); the Black Friars are all black (a detail I missed in reading the book); the Marquis De Carabas as played by Paterson Joseph (Peep Show) is spot on - 'A bit dodgy in the same way that rats are a bit covered in fur.'
Anyway it's worth a look for any fans as long as they don't expect too much. It will certainly help pass the time until the film comes out - apparently the director of Hard Candy has been signed up and the property is owned by The Jim Henson Company so the beast should be slightly better.

Genius

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Anyone else been watching Californication?

Watched the last one the other day - damn good series, very funny.

David Duchovny back on top form, well worth a watch think it's even on uk tv now.

Watching it on five and finding it very enjoyable; mainly due to Duchovny (though the naked women don't hurt).

Anyone watching Damages on BBC?

I'm liking it. Reminds me a bit of Murder One from back in the day.

Dirty Sexy Money

Dirty.

Sexy.

Funny.

In an unexpected outbreak of televisual justice, Harry Hill's TV Burp won two Baftas this weekend: Best Entertainment Programme and Best Entertainment Performance.

Here's what Harry said on picking up the latter award:

"Baffy waff! Baffy waffy wim wam, wim wam, baffy waff! Waff waff, wiffy waffy wafta! Course the person who should really be accepting this award is the producer of Freaky Eaters."

Genius.

Just watched last ep of Dr Who (I love iPlayer on Virgin) and I have to ask: What's with Billie Piper's impression of Rose? It was like someone had added another row of front top teeth (or teefth as she would have said it) and she was doing a very bad impression of Sean Connery.

Apart fom that it was quite enjoyable. Though I see there'll be Daleks in the next ep: Boring!

I haven't seen the episode but I will iplayer it in due course. I remember an interview with Billie where she stated that she had forgotten how to play Rose. Sounds like she didn't manage to remember.

On a Billie related note - When in NY I noticed that Confessions Of A Call Girl has hit TV screens stateside. I saw one episode when it was on here - seemed pretty average to me, though with an admirable amount of flesh on display.

On an Dr Who SPOILER notice






Now that David Tennant is (possibly) dead I'd like to start a campaign entitled "Who-for-Hoff". Yep, I want The Hoff to be the next Doctor.

It'd be fab.

Who is Billie? Who is Billie?

She was very good in the Canterbury Tales!

Shooting Stars Christmas Special

I am now in possession of series 1 and 2 of The Mary Whitehouse Experience.

'Milky milky', 'that's you, that is' etc.

Bosh.

Just finished season 2 - brilliant TV viewing - great music references, filthy, hot and loose women and of course there's a writer in there! Top marks. Have you got into Mad Men yet - mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Season 2 eh? I got pissed off that they *made* a season 2 so boycotted it. I quite liked the fact that the first season ended properly and didn't leave too much unfinished.

Never heard of Mad Men...

Jonnyboy would you like to weigh in on this.

Advertising firm on Madison avenue in the 60s when Nixon and JFK were facing off. Drama with all sorts of sexy 60s suits, much smoking, drinking during office hours and hubba hubba stylee women crawling out of the woodwork. Ridiculously cool and very addictive. Get season one- you won't regret it.

And did I mention Christina Hendricks?

Govi*

Or Mad Max as Posh Beckham called it...

Has anyone yet bothered with 'The World's Greates TV Series' The Wire?

I'd like to know if it's any good...

Yes, Mad Men is on my list. So far all I know is Govi*'s summary above. Particularly the Christina Hendricks bit. Hubba hubba. (King: Hendricks is the buxom young lady who played Yo-Saf-Bridge in a couple of Firefly episodes. I've been slightly obsessed with her since then).

The Wire is also on my list. Unfortunately it's a long list. I'll definitely get round to it though.

Can I point out that season 7 of 24 is totally fucking awesome? Really back on track after the slightly crap season 6. Last episode Jack tortured a Senator's chief of staff for information using a taser, whilst actually inside White House! Amazing. The makers are using this season to answer criticism that the show portrays torture in a favourable light. However, the way that they are responding is to make Jack torture everyone he comes across. Genius.

The reason that it's going to take so long to get to The Wire and Mad Men is that I am currently watching the whole of 24 from the very beginning as Tizzy hasn't seen any and wants to. We're one season in so far so I'll see you all sometime next year.

The Wire is frighteningly good.

Thanks Pete I'l have to see about getting round to it then.



Ohhhh. In all the coverage I'd not noticed that. Damn. I too have a weakness for Yo-Saf-Brig. What with 30 Rock, all 7 seasons of The West Wing (Jess hasn't seen any), Dexter, The Wire, and now Mad Men I'm not sure I'll have time to continue catching up on Quantum Leap (next up Season 3 - the one with the Vietnam episode, classic).

Has anyone bothered watching Law & Order: UK. Now surely that can't possibly work.

Here's a visual reminder of Christina Hendricks. From this month's esquire.

[attachmentid=357]

As they say in the show about her character, Joan Holloway, when suggesting that every woman either emulated Jackie O or Marilyn Monroe

'Actually, Marilyn [Monroe] is a Joan. She just doesn't know it yet.'

Hubba hubba

heres one for the ol' skool trev peeps...

"hendricks was food"

Why wasn't I informed?

New Red Dwarf on Dave

Apologies, I had noted this but not communicated it to anyone. My excitement about this is seriously muted by the fact that the last series was total and utter unfunny cack.

In other news, I am now two episodes into The Wire (got a bit of a backlog building up on Sky+) and I am already totally hooked. The rumours were that it takes a long time to get into, but I have to say it was the opposite for me. The quality shines through from the first pre-credit exchange of the first episode. I don't think that I have ever been so utterly convinced by a TV show.

When that MP named McNulty got in trouble and there was an article titled "McNulty facing MP expenses probe", I spent one brief and shining moment totally convinced they were talking about the detective and trying to figure out how he got into politics.

The Inbetweeners

For those of you who haven't seen it, the Inbetweeners on E4 is ace, I've just bought Series 1 & 2 on DVD. I am very much behind the curve as it has been on telly for ages, but I'm only just getting my teeth into it.

For those of you who do watch it (Ween?), how close to the mark is it for us in sixth form era? Painful! I particularly like the scene when he tries to get served in the pub. "EVERYONE HERE IS UNDERAGED!!!"

This is what Wikipedia had to say: "It gets its name, The Inbetweeners, from a social class of teenagers – people who are not cool enough to be popular but not geeky enough to be nerds" Obviously a reference to us methinks

Lets play - which Inbetweener are you?

Will (the posh, clever, witty, but slightly nerdy one with all the good ideas) - reminds me a bit of Pedro, except more talkative

Simon (slightly more savvy and a bit of a ladies man) - this has to be Noj surely?

Jay (dense, very crude and a complete bullshit merchant) - obviously Drew

Neil (tall and dense) - has to be Marno, if he could pull off amazing robotronics

yeh i've been watching it since day 1... it is genius

i read somewhere that the show Skins is what everyone wanted their teenage years to be like, but 'the inbetweeners' was how it actually was...

oh, and Pedro is blatantly Will

FastForward

Any of you watch this? Looks interesting - basically in one instant everyone on Earth falls unconscious at exactly the same time for 2 minutes 17 seconds. Chaos ensues - think anything flying has crashed, cars collided, trains missing stop signs etc etc.

With the story centering on a FBI investigator, it soon emerges that in fact everyone had in fact had their conciousness transferred exactly 6 months into the future where everyone lived that future moment as if they were really there.

Cue lots of clues to dig up, people's 'flash forwards' to ask about and some intriguing possibilities, if handled well, about cause-and-effect, destiny, pre-determinism etc. The first episode was enjoyable and made me want to watch the second.

I saw it and I'd agree for the most part with Dan; it was an interesting concept (made me want to read the book) and the pilot was well executed with a good cast (including, strangely enough, two Englishmen - Joseph Fiennes and Jack 'Steve from Coupling/Commander Norrington/advert voiceover guy' Davenport and Harold(but not Kumar)).

There were however several things that made me wary; mainly the words, "Fom the creators of Lost"; weird things happen to lots of people changing lives all over; flashforwards; flashbacks to flashforwards; brooding central character; presence of a random animal (this time a kangaroo/wallaby); presense of Domonic Monaghan; first episode throws up more questions than it answers...

I just hope that they can contain themselves: I think this is a great concept for a season of TV - but I think it'd lose me completely if it went on for any longer (hello Lost, hello Heroes).

As important as my approval is to the TV execs however, I think they'll probably string it out for a bit longer if it's successful. Whatever happened to mini-series such as The Lost Room? That was great, mainly because its complete weird shitness had to be sustained only for 3 eps.

Just finished the wire season 1 - has to be said it takes till the last 3 episodes to really see it all coming together. I couldnt understand why they were calling it the best show ever. It takes a looooong while.

cant wait to crack season 2

we saw flashforward too, looking good, although its gonna be annoying sticking to the channel5 schedule and waiting through ad breaks.

theres usually the complete series 1 online by the time its on UK tv.

on a side note, im surprised no one has mentioned the appearance of Family Guy's, Seth MacFarlane.

Em spotted it after seeing the trailer a few days ago.

She has the eyes of a Hawk...

(no pun intended)

He was spotted by Jess too (though she was less specific "Hey, it's that guy!" I think were her exact words)...must be a girl thing.

Here is Seth MacFarlane performing Singin' In The Rain at the BBC Proms just a couple of months ago. The guy is clearly a legend.

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