January

is looking good. 


January will be (PMA - possible copyright Linford Christie) the excellent start to the new year I am hoping for. 2010 has been a pretty crappy year for me, televisually and personally, so I'm more than happy to wave goodbye to it. I've been waiting for 2011 to start for a few weeks now and as I count the days off I become more excited about what next month has to offer. A couple of highlights follow:


9th - Episodes begins.

.         

As I have previously mentioned, I am quite looking forward to this. Saying that, the trailer looks less good than it did when it only existed in my imagination. The premise seems sound. The frustration felt when British shows are destroyed re-made for a US audience is certainly a cash innable concept. Understandably, all the marketing focuses on LeBlanc. Yet it's a shame to not even mention the presence of Mangan and Greig, as I would imagine BBC America means that a lot of viewers have heard of them. 
I suspect that it will be either very good, or very awful. My current PMA is attaching all hope to the former. 

16th - The fifth and final season of Big Love begins. You would think, given my (and Chloe Sevigny's) scathing thoughts about season 4 (though I wasn't forced to apologise as no-one gives a shit about what I think) that I would not be bothered about this season. But I really want it to be good. I have such a crush on this show, or the show that it used to be, the promise that it had - the characters, the writing, the actors involved.


But I am worried. One season is not a lot. And there are a fucklot of open ended story lines floating around the Big Love universe. Will we see them all resolved to our satisfaction? Will a lot of them be forgotten in the haste of wrapping things up neatly? I have this horrible nagging worry that they will get to episode 7 and decide to start some random new plot instead of satisfying our curiosity about the things that we actually want to know about. Like Lois and Frank, or the Greens. I want to know what Heather has been up to and I want to finally put the ridiculous Ana story away for good. I want to see more Alby. I want the show to have the proper ending that it deserves and I hope that they get things back on track, as they could have done last season right up until the political campaign. Also, I want to know what on earth they were thinking when they made up this atrocious poster? Bill has some sort of serial killer look on his face and Chloe looks, at best, constipated. 


There are other things to look forward to. Fringe returns on the 21st, we shall be seeing more of Alan Cumming in the upcoming episodes of The Good Wife and I am really hoping, with all my fingers and toes crossed, that Glee is planning on getting off it's cliched arse and producing some good television again. 

Let 2011 begin!

A Year in Review. Almost.

Every year I think about doing a little bloggy type run down of the top 5/10 good/shit things that have happened in tv/film/pantomime over the previous months. Of course, I am a right lazy fucker so never end up doing any such thing. I'd rather be eating leftover Christmas biscuits, frankly. Plus, this desire usually centres around the thoughts I have floating around my head about certain shows...so I'll manage about 2 categories before I run out of ideas or remember that I don't actually watch every show going.

This year, I started thinking about it again. Because I don't learn. So I thought I might give it a go. In a lazy, half arsed kind of way. I mean, we don't need another few pages of top 10's. They are everywhere. Who can be bothered to sit down and pen another run down of 2010? So here goes _drumroll_ the 2010 top 1's!!

Most Disappointing Show
1. The Walking Dead.

Big hopes. Big. Reality: stupid, stupid, stupid. It could have been so good, and the overall premise is so good that I will even allow it another chance when season 2 airs next year. But this does not mean that all is forgiven. This season had huge plot holes that stretched far beyond the acceptable boundaries of suspension of disbelief. The lack of decent female characters was appalling, rivalled only by the whitest Atlanta ever seen on television. The idiocy of the survivor group - driving around in a five vehicle convoy whilst talking about your lack of fuel. The fake gang moron-athon that wasted an entire episode. The foreshadowing was terrible - when you find yourself in a boat with your older sister, when you've never had any real screen time to think of before.....well, here's a hint: you're going to get eaten. And die really. very. slowly. I don't think I've ever wanted a collection of cast members to get killed off so badly. I'm hoping that season 2 begins with Rick, Glenn and Daryl leaving the rest of the group (I would discuss them, but most of them are so dull I cannot remember their names) and finding some more intelligent life forms to hang around with.

And their ends my round up of the year. I would say that disappointment is the overall feeling of the 2010 television year. This years Big Love was the worst ever and has almost ruined the show for me. I placed my hopes in three new September pilots, all of which turned out to be utter dross. Not just bad, in a Private Practice way, just unwatchable. Boardwalk Empire had all the moves, it looked right, it sounded right. It had all the right pieces in all the right places, but it just fell flat. It was boring. Not bad, just rather uninspiring. Maybe it was all the money. Glee did not live up to the promise of season 1. True Blood was lacklustre, despite the joy of Russell Edgington. I suspect that more naked Eric might solve that issue.

Of course, it wasn't all bad - Fringe was truly excellent this year. I wanted to see it every week and there wasn't a part of it that was not enjoyable. There were some great British shows - Whites, Rev, Mongrels and Sherlock showing excellent first series. Peep Show returned for an impressive seventh outing. I discovered old shows that I had never seen. I finally got around to watching all Felicity episodes. I found Breaking Bad.

Well, this list making has been exhausting! No wonder I never bother to do it.

P.S.

Merry Christmas.


And all that.

The British are Coming. Or Going. Or Something.

Whilst assessing the new crop of shows airing in January, it becomes apparent that there is a rather large British element to the proceedings. Three straight re-makes and a slew of actors trying their hand over the pond make for an invasion, it seems.


Shameless and Skins begin in January and seem destined to fail. Skins...well, anyone who has watched the original can see how the US version cannot possibly compare. Even the original couldn't keep up with itself, such was the greatness of series 1. The sex, the nudity, the debauchery. Won't it all be rather....well, clean? Which brings us neatly to Shameless. The thing about Shameless is that it's dirty. And not in a Skins way. In an unwashed, actually really dirty way. And the promo shots I have seen for the US version, starting on the 9th January appear to be devoid of all dirt. Of course, William H. Macy is fantastic. But it just doesn't look right. They must be going for a different feeling altogether, because Shameless is about the underclass, council estates and the photos look like Brothers and Sisters with (god forbid) more alcohol.


It's an oft touted phrase that Americans cannot handle the grit and drama that British drama has to offer. I don't think this is true, over recent years the American output has become increasingly dark (and brilliant). It just seems like such a shame to take so many UK shows and re-make them into diluted versions, removing all the appealing ingredients that made you want to re-make it in the first place.

I am quite excited about Episodes, a BBC2 comedy, airing both Here and There in the new year. Maybe we can shake off the re-make fail by making a show about re-making British Shows for the US viewers. Except this time we get to see the marvellous Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan. It will be interesting to see where this goes. I'm longing for a new comedy. Whites has kept me entertained for a few weeks and of course, us UK viewers are currently enjoying the colossal funny of Peep Show (not re-makeable, btw) but this is soon to end - alas our shows are very short. Fingers crossed for a fantastic January on the tellybox.

So it Turns out....

Andrew Lincoln? Not so annoying after all. For the moment.

The Walking Dead is not flawless, by any stretch of the imagination. It's predictable, sometimes obvious and rather full of zombie cliches. Survivors grouping together in a department store. I feel like I've seen it all before and my exposure to zombie material is roughly zero. Not only that, but the stupidity exhibited by some of the characters makes them contenders for Moron of the Month after only 3 episodes.

Character stupidity is a hard one to overcome, particularly when it's only a device to further the plot. Camping in the woods with plentiful zombie ground cover is an exercise is stupidity, as is the concept that we would willingly believe that Merle, handcuffed on a roof with a hacksaw would choose to hack off his entire hand. Rather than his thumb, or even the rather flimsy looking chain between the cuffs. Add these to the fact that the protagonists wife, on hearing that he is dead, supposedly jumps straight into bed with his best friend.

Despite the high moron count and the zombie cliches, I find it thoroughly enjoyable. Is it the zombies? Are they just so interesting (and rarely done in a televisual serial) that all the other concerns are overridden? Is it the cast or the writing? I don't know. But I find it engaging, even when it's annoying me. Still, that can only last so long. And I tell you, if the survivors don't get a move on and start looking for somewhere a bit more sensible to hide (clue: anywhere else), my patience will probably run out.

But for now, with episode 4 to watch this evening, I shall be enjoying my own personal resurrection of Andrew Lincoln.

And When it Was Bad....Well, at Least There's Fringe

Right?

I was so worried before the start of season 3. Season 2 had that iffy start, and JJ shows don't have the best track record when it comes to the third season. I was half expecting Melissa George to show up and instigate Operation: Shittify as usual. 

Fortunately, everyone's least favourite Antipodean has been nowhere to be seen and the season is wonderful. The show has somehow morphed stealthily into something genuinely good, rather than the hit and miss guilty pleasure that it started as.

In fact, I can count the annoyances this season on one hand. Which is impressive, as to be frank....well, I'm easily annoyed. I can overlook a lot of annoyances though, as The Walking Dead proves (more on that next time)....but I still count them.

My only major gripe so far is the seemingly necessary stupidity pills that Peter has been taking. How can he not realise that Olivia is not Olivia? The answer? Because the story line needs him to be ignorant. Which is a major annoyance. Peter is not stupid. Peter is intelligent, has a lot of common sense and is a master of reading people. And yet he has wandered around, in a post-coital haze, seemingly unaware of the imposter in his bed. Are we supposed to believe that suddenly regular sex has dulled the man's brain? Or are they trying to make us believe that Peter has known all along and is playing the game? Well that can't be true. If Peter knew, he would confront her immediately. And the story line would be over. I hate that it is simply the only way that they can run the story - by altering and degrading his character.

I'll let this one slide though (and I'm sure the writers of the show will be breathing a huge sigh of relief there) as the rest of the season has been exemplary. But I'll be watching. But not for another two weeks. There's another annoyance for you.

When it was Good, it was Very, Very Good.....

99.6% of the time, when watching Gossip Girl, my thoughts go along these lines. Why am I watching this tripe/why do I subject myself to such farcical rubbish/why is a grown woman watching a show designed and aimed at girls half her age? Generally, these thoughts occur when certain images are on the screen, ones resembling these:

 

But then, sometimes...there are these moments of glory. When something so ridiculous comes on screen that makes me think..."Yes, this is why I watch this show." Of course, all of these moments generally involve the same person. And this week is no different.

That would be the Chuckmeister, in a teeny robe. Holding a macaroon.

Swoon.

This show is ridonkulous.

Zombies, Cont.

There is a reason I am uneducated in all things undead. <whispers> I'm a big girly wuss. I must be about 15 years behind my contemporaries - the things that scare me now are things that they were minorly bothered by terrified of at 15. They built up a resistance to scary stuff and moved on. I stagnated and just avoid, avoid, avoid.

As such, I am only half way through the first episode of The Walking Dead. Pathetic? Indeed.

It's the tension that scares me. Someone jumping out in the dark, not knowing what is around the corner. And so, this:

scared the pants right off me. It's like a televisual version of Silent Hill. <shudders>


I'll be watching the rest of The Walking Dead today.

In the daylight.

Wot No Fringe?

I was totally unprepared for the lack of Fringe this week.

Hmph.

Egg and The Great Undead

I'm not really a fan of zombies. I don't watch zombie films, I don't read zombie books. I don't invite zombies round for dinner. Even Charlie Brooker couldn't lure me in with his zombie offering, and that's saying something.

I am also not really a fan of Andrew Lincoln. This is something that you probably can't really appreciate if you aren't from the UK, but he is everywhere. Really. Aside from his televisual and film career, he is an amazingly prolific voice over actor. I can barely go an evening without an advert with good old Egg doing the talking.

These two things in mind, I'm not entirely sure what is attracting me to Frank Darabont's The Walking Dead. I wasn't even aware of the comic before Googling generic-internet-searching the new show.

But there is something there I think. I watched the trailer. It makes me all tingly. I know - you don't like the complicated science talk, but sometimes I can't explain things in any other way. Is this the show I have been looking for? Have I been wasting my time waiting for HBO to come to the rescue? Have AMC been dark horsing around while I assume Mad Men is a one off? Am I going to have to watch Breaking Bad now?

And who knows? Maybe, in adopting a new accent, Andrew Lincoln will find a whole new fan base. I'm referring to myself there, by the way.

BoredWalk Empire

Fine. It's fine. Not spectacular, or awe-inspiring, or inspirational. It's fine.

I've been having trouble getting into the swing of things when it comes to Nucky and friends. It's slick, it's well done, it's expensive. It has a great cast, some good performances. But it just doesn't grab me.

I am rather disappointed. That's my fault for placing too much emphasis on HBO being the saviour of my television world. I'm waiting for something else to reach out and grab me, something that makes me anticipate each week. Maybe it's the genre that's a turn off. Maybe it's lubricated with so much money that it can't hold any interest. I've been wondering if it's more like a long, complicated film rather than a well planned out series. Maybe I'm just feeling down as there was no Fringe last week.

And so....as my next post will show, I've moved on to pastures new, learned no lessons, and simply transferred all of my eggs into a new, zombie shaped basket. This one will perform, right?

Performance Anxiety

So it turns out that the three new pilots I decided to try out are all rubbish. Laughably so. And I will watch all sorts of rubbish.

Hmph.

Which leaves me at a loose end. So I have finally started watching season 4 of Felicity (I move with the times, what can I say?) and am also getting around to all those episodes of Southland that have been sitting on the Sky planner for months. 

So for the next few weeks I will be cherishing the last few Mad Men episodes of the year, and pretending that I'm watching a current JJ show, not one a decade old. At least the future looked good then, eh?

Dr Pepper, DDS

Is the snake on the way in or on the way out?

This was the best episode of Glee in a long time. Heather Morris is delightful to watch.

I have no appreciation for Britney Spears, but Brittany S. Pierce is another thing altogether....

He's Alliiiiiiiiiivvve!

Eric.

iz not ded.

fyi.





(I think he is bringing Pat Sharpe hair back from the dead, though)

All Change

I am in a bad mood.

So, if I seem more snappy than usual, that is why. I am having trouble finding anything nice to say, which is why I have avoided discussion of the Boardwalk Empire episode. I wouldn't even want to sully Fringe with this monster of a mood.

But, talking of pilots, there are still things to discuss.  A lot, in fact. It's all change this season. I've lost a lot of shows over the last couple of years. As previously discussed, I dropped Brothers & Sisters, Private Practice and Smallville at some point in the last season. I just couldn't take any more. At some point before that, ANTM went, as did Bones, Chuck and One Tree Hill. So it was starting to feel a little roomy in my television. I assumed that I would be picking up Boardwalk Empire, and also in the line up we have.....

 The Whole Truth. With Maura doing her Abby-face. Or maybe that's just her face. I suspect that with the marvellous Good Wife to keep me happy on the legal side of things, this one might not make it.

Plus, I've watched the first 6 minutes and they were rubbish. And that's all we need to make a decision, yes? It seemed to involve a lot of cheesy legal drama chatter, they say things like "I will do everything in my power to get you off/punish that man/resurrect Rainbow Brite".....and I'm not sure I can take that. But hey, I've watched worse!

 <adopts deep voice> The Event

The first 5 minutes of this (I had to watch the first 5 minutes of everything so my husband could confirm that he didn't actually want to watch any of them) play out like the start of a cheesy disaster movie.
I love cheesy disaster movies. Volcano, Deep Impact, I have seen them all. It also contains Zeljko, so I may have to watch this regardless.

Even when Alias went all wobbly at the end there, I still watched it. I'm not sure that I want to see it done all over again though. And I really don't want to look at that beard for weeks at a time.

I shall try, as it is JJ. And he seems to know what he is doing. But if anyone mentions Rambaldi, I'm gone. K?

So, hopefully these new offerings will fill my time. But if it turns out that they are rubbish, well...I'm not sure what I will be doing with myself. Something useful, maybe....

SGMWZOMGWTF?

Welcome back to Seattle! Where doctors who previously were drunkards and thought nothing of performing surgery whilst wasted can be chief again without anyone being concerned. Where unrequited love is retconned into a friendship gone awry. Where women turn into weak, speech spouting, crying ninnies at the drop of a hat.

Really. What happened to Bailey? She was hardcore. Not any more.

But the biggest wtf moment is reserved for Cristina and Owen. Who in a moment of love stupidity, decide to get married. Excellent. Because I want to watch that fall apart for the next 20 weeks. And yet, I will.

Give The Child a Hug!

Kiernan Shipka is truly marvellous as Sally Draper. The way that she adopts the speech and mannerisms of Betty is amazing. I can't remember the last time I actually enjoyed watching a child actor. 

Poor Sally. She needs her own show. One based on her struggle with her psychological issues arising from her terrible upbringing. Where she was shown no affection or guidance. Or as we all know it, the 60's.

If I were her, I'd probably be masturbating in public as well.

Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Bass

Chuck Bass, just like everything in the show, is back to normal.

Gossip Girl starts this week with Serena. She has a dilemma. And it's not whether she should wear the blue or the pink circus pants. (Blue, der!) Does she choose Nate or Dan? The loveable scamp with little brain (currently schlepping around with a young Heather Locklear), or the step-brother with a baby? Tough choice. What other teen show has one of the main protagonists umming and ahhing between her boyfriend and her step-BROTHER? Come on people, you don't find this shit anywhere else! Well, unless you happen to be reading Virginia Andrews right now. In which case, you should be ashamed.

On the other sides of this faux-triangle, Nate is busy scheming to win Serena from Dan, who in turn is not that bothered about Serena. He is too busy doing what every young man, recently shocked by a surprise baby with a woman with whom you always wore a condom should be doing. That is, jumping into bed with someone else. A new, shiny, snarky!Vanessa.

Chuck is dead. Or he's not. And when he's not, he's charming Fleur Delacour out of her wizarding robes in the continuously ridonkulous Paris subplot. When your attempt at pretending to be dead and starting a new life with a new name can be uncovered by Serena Van de Woodsen in about a week, you know you need to rethink. Not exactly the devious mastermind that we all know and love, I hope Chuck doesn't plan on being this ineffective all season.

So basically, nothing happens. This show is rapidly stagnanting. Events happen, disasters, tragedies, exposes...but nothing ever results in any character development. Chuck and Blair split up again, never to be reunited. Only for them to immediately start working towards Chuck and Blair being together again. As for the incest love train, don't get me started.

And someone take Milo's hat off. Nate is wearing shorts. The child is going to overheat.

Spite is The New Black

I am considering the possibility that the creators of Project Runway got so exasperated with the lack of genuine drama and vile bitchery happening amongst the competitors in the show that they let the judges do it instead. With Mondo stepping off the Michael hate train and Gretchen opting to close her miserable mouth rather than spew the bile she usually does, I would imagine the producers are pretty strapped for "entertaining" moments.

So this week, Heidi gallantly stepped up and did her bit for spite and making designers almost-cry. I accept that  there was a lot of poor work this week. I thought that there would be a Top 1 rather than 3, as Mondo was the only one to make anything appealing. But they were vicious! This is Andy, trying not to cry:

His design was atrocious, but to laugh at him? In front of everyone? January Jones could hardly keep a straight face. Someone needs to lock that woman on the set of Mad Men and keep her there. Forever. I'd rather suffer Betty every single week than have to see January in anything involving her personality ever again.

<sigh>

True Blood Mondays are Over

It took me far too long to realise that it was Monday this morning. And Monday usually means True Blood from the night before, though not today. And then I realised that the finale had happened a week ago and I had written nothing on the subject, which is explained by my ambivalence about the whole thing.

It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't good. For those of us hoping to end the season with a naked Eric on the roadside anyway. If you were stupid enough (like me) to keep on hoping until the last 3 minutes that this is how they were going to end things, then more fool you! I suspected I would be disappointed, but the mention of Jesus and the witches got my hopes up. This had better happen next year or I shall be having words with Mr Ball. Maybe. Probably not - I'm not that organised.

Things I would like to see less of next season: Bill in general, Sam and his amazing retconning storyline, Tara crying, anything involving a Mickens, Arlene and Terry (though Terry on his own is fine), gore, the fae realm - which resembles the backdrop from a Sylvanian Families advert and Jason continuing to be wasted on crap like in-bred panthers. Russell Edgington and his beloved Talbot were truly marvellous but not even they can counteract all the fail this year.

I do like True Blood. It's cheesy and tacky in the best way. I love what Alan Ball has done with the books, using them as reference rather than fact, expanding some great minor characters (LaFayette in particular) and getting rid of others. Alcide was well done, surprisingly, and I love Jessica. But with these extra characters, with taking the focus away from Sookie, things get claggy quite easily.

I'd like to see the show spread a little less thin. And more naked Eric, of course. Always.

And We're Back in The Game

So the first of the rubbish-programs-that-I-should-not-be-watching-any-more-but-can't-seem-to-help-it has started. Gossip Girl! Actually, I'm quite embarrassed even writing that, but seeing as a) no-one reading this blog knows me, and b) I suspect no-one is reading this blog, it makes no difference...I'll hold my head high. Maybe. Plus, I gave up on Private Practice, Brothers & Sisters AND Smallville last year so I suppose there is still a small amount of room in the schedule for tat.

And just like that we return to the machinations of the over-privileged residents of the UES. But not before we visit Blair and Serena in Paris. Where Serena wears a pair of trousers with enough pink material to start a Mr Blobby army and the streets are cleaner and emptier than ever before. Really, I have been to Paris. It's not that clean. Dan is having another crisis and Vanessa still exists. It's like we were never away. This image encapsulates everything that is wrong with this show - Dan, Vanessa, characters like Georgina Sparks and a bloody baby! Yes! Of course! That's what we need to breathe life into the show! A baby with dubious paternity, that always works!

Now tell me why I only dropped three shows last year?

The Countdown Begins

With only one week to go until the premiere of HBO's new showpiece, I am quite excited. Great actors, impressive crew (we can categorise Scorsese as crew, can't we?). I'll be interested to see what Buscemi does with the role and I love some of the smaller names - Michael Pitt, Gretchen Moll.

How on earth does HBO keep doing it? Of course, if it's rubbish, I'll be back here quick smart, deleting all of this fawning in the hope of remaining correct at all times and not at all fanboyish.

Dull, Dull, Dull

I think it is quite telling when the "personality" of the season is a man whose main character traits seem to be speaking English badly and making clothes that old lady sluts would wear. Santino he is not. Although it was amusing when he pretending to string himself up from the door when he was eliminated.

This season is dull. Really. Ivy as the villain? (And they have had to work HARD to make that happen.) All she did was bitch about another designer and be a total control freak. It's not exactly on a par with smuggling in pattern books or making the mother of another designer cry.

Initially, I thought that they were doing well this year. Better guest judges (actual designers!), less overall drama, Tim Gunn getting mouthy. But it's just gone downhill. There seem to be very few good designers, just a load of unimaginitive sewers arguing over who is better at construction, and some MOR competitors making forgetful clothes. And a rather timely appearance from Kristin Bell, who knowledge of designing rivals mine. Clue: none. Even Gretchen has stopped being so spiteful, which is disappointing.

When you are halfway through the season and you don't care who wins, you know things are bad.

Moron of the Month

I've been pondering for the last few days on the intelligence of tv characters. There isn't a great deal to ponder - unsurprisingly, most starring leads are intelligent (as well as attractive, and completely without flaws). But occasionally, you find a writer who isn't afraid to make their characters a little more....realistic.

The plan was to do a little list, maybe top 5 morons, or something equally complementary. I  had imagined, when initally brewing the concept in my cauldron of a mind, that I would have trouble weeding out 5 from the masses of idiots, but that's not the case. When I ruled comedies out (they are FULL of morons - stupidity is funny!), I was left with hardly any material....so we went with Moron of the Month. Pleasant, right?

And the lucky winner for September is.......

Margene Heffman

Oh Margene, where do we start? You marry the first person that shows you any affection, who happens to be the man you were babysitting for. The man with two wives. Then you marry another man in need of a green card, become infatuated with your "son" and  agree to be a surrogate mother for the woman across the street who you hardly know.

Despite proving to be quite adept at business in season 4 (also knows as season suck), Margene is still a woman of very little brain who seems to make bad life decisions every minute.

Join us in October for another idiot. When I decide whether to save Sookie Stackhouse for some sort of grand finale idiot-of-all-the-idiots showpiece. Is there anyone more stupid?

The Bitch is (Not) Back

 Now. I should point out that I am a massive Veronica Mars fan. I sometimes (when doing something thrilling, like washing up or vacuuming) ponder where a fourth season would have gone, where V would be now. I think about what Weevil is up to and why we didn't see the character development of Dick that I was hoping for........<nostalgic sigh>

So the news that Kristen Bell is leading a Twitter trend to get the VM film on the go should please me. But it doesn't. I don't think there's the market for a Veronica film. They couldn't make people watch it when it was free! I'm torn between feeling impressed that the star of a show feels so strongly about the project that she will go to these lengths....and suspicious that Bell trots this stuff out every time she has a (terrible - someone get that woman a new agent) new film to promote. Hell, I'm not sure if I would pay to see a Veronica film. A fourth season, yes, but what is a film going to offer? A happy ever after?

I think it's about time we put Veronica in the box labelled "Brilliant Shows That the Networks Loved to Hate" and be done with it. Dead Like Me needs some company, after all.......

Is It Just Me?

Or has the finale of True Blood come around really quickly? How have 11 episodes happened? Or more accurately, how have 11 episode where nothing of any real note has happened.....happened?

Too many story lines, not enough time. How is that possible for a show an hour long? Why introduce Alcide if you aren't going to bother spending any time with him and his naked chest? I shudder when I think about the precious minutes wasted on the Mickens' debacle, particularly when you consider how little we have seen of Pam this year. Crystal Norris, how little I care about you and the inbred panthers you call family. Hotshot? I'd rather be in Shreveport with Mr Northman. 

There have been high points. James Frain, for a start. He has been deliciously doolally, or he was, before being dead. I think it is acceptable to assume that Russell Edgington won't be returning next year, if all goes to plan this Sunday. Add that to the loss of (the always excellent) Zeljko Ivanek as The Magister and I'm wondering what's left. This show has so many good male characters. We'll save my overlong rant about the pathetic, weak, annoying, badly drawn and acted female part of the show for another day. When there's alcohol. At least Tara is less pathetic this year.

Try harder next year, Alan Ball.

You Have Been Warned

Following the most recent episode of Mad Men, I plan to start a one-woman campaign. Jon Hamm shall be winning the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2011. I hope that's clear.Of course, it will be an entirely fruitless effort - I have no contacts, don't live in the US, and am pretty rubbish at organising...well, anything involving people. I'm more Charlie Brooker than Tracy Flick.

Now, if anything, the episode made me feel despondent. At some point, Mad Men will be over. And it may have gone off the boil before it finished. I mean, I'm not sure it can get any better. Don. Peggy. Trudy....oh how I love Trudy. How Vincent Kartheiser can do so much with one small look. This is how I felt when I was 3 seasons deep in The Wire. Awestruck that someone could write something so good, you think nothing will ever live up to it (but then something comes along)....and sad that it can't last forever. Do you hear me, One Tree Hill?

So yes, back to Hammchops. He and Elisabeth Moss were outstanding. Lets get on the campaign trail. 

Bubbles!

To mark the.....er....20 day (that's a celebration, yes?) countdown to season 3 of Fringe, we are treated to a sneaky peeky.

Andre will be appearing in the first episode. One could surmise that he will die a horrid and graphic death. But I wouldn't want to assume anything about Fringe. They might surprise me. <snort>

I am quite excited. Now, lets see what else is new in understatements.......

And the Oscar Goes to.....

That face - that's how I felt listening to Gretchen yippet on and on about how great, and then how vile the designs she masterminded were. Even Korspants looked like he was about to die of boredom and he is used to looking at his own clothes for hours at a time!

Also, every TV show needs a Tim Gunn. We can clone now, yes?

The win of Peggy

Lolarious.

Peggy has been wonderful this season. A few blips, notably the rather odd emotional reaction to Pete and Trudy's baby news but we'll let that pass. I love seeing her find her social place, making friends, gaining her own personality and style. Seeing her struggle has been interesting, trapped between being a trailblazer and wanting the traditional trappings of 50's and 60's womanhood - marriage, babies, a chain between you and the kitchen sink. Her new friends might be annoying but it's great to see the funny side of Peggy.

"He doesn't own your vagina"
"No, but he's renting it"

<snort>

All Gore....All the Time

Srsly.

Can True Blood get any bloodier? Is it some sort of theme? Last season we had sex, this season exploding vampires, entrails and spurting arteries. 

Can we have the sex back please?

Lie To Me

I was going to start with "when good shows go bad" but I would not actually go that far. Maybe "when middlingly average shows go bad" would be more appropriate.

What's happening? I know, it's hard for a procedural to keep up the interest, to not meander down the road of weekly recycling the same story. But I had such high hopes! More fool me I suppose. It started so well, interesting idea, decent cast. It's not lasted long - the interesting idea, that is. It seems to have descended into a 40 minute reel of Tim Roth being cockney, a baddie of the week/issue of the week and the perfunctory quick clip of the minor characters. When the series started, they were showing us more to Torres, to Loker. Even Gillian gets no character development these days. We spend more time pondering Emily and her various dates than we do on those three combined. It feels like they are constantly airing episodes out of filming order and please, can someone tell me, WHAT happened to the FBI guy that Torres was dating (living with?)?

The last episode was so bad I only managed to watch 15 minutes before I switched over. Not sure if I will be bothering again.....