Posted on October 1, 2009 by Darren
I live in the same house as my gran (I reckon I’m young enough that it’s still cute rather than creepy), and last week a new boxset of her pet obsession – CSI – arrived in the door. Since she’s in bed shortly after I get home from work, the two of us have been watching episodes of the ninth season of the seminal forensic “drama” (it’s more science-fiction or fantasy, but let’s not quibble). It’s the season that sees former hot young actor of the eighties, William Peterson, replaced by former hot young actor of the nineties, Laurence Fishburne. I’ll admit I haven’t yet watched every episode, but it’s surprising how much I’m not missing the lead who coaxed the show through nearly a decade of airtime. Has CSI seemingly acheived the impossible? Has it successfully swapped out an established leading man?
A Fish(burne) out of water?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: casting, csi, ensemble, gil grissom, laurence fishburne, lead actor, new actor, ray langston, Television, the x-files, william peterson | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 22, 2009 by Darren
I have mixed feelings about the Emmy awards. On one hand Bryan Cranston is awesome, but on the other Hugh Laurie is due a statue, albeit probably not for this lacklustre year. On one hand 24 deserved recognition, but on the other Anne Wersching was the best actress on the show – certainly not Cherry Jones. it was awesome to see Brendan Gleeson get some over due love. And there is one decision I’m glad that the Academy made. Michael Emerson deserved an award for his role of everyone’s favourite sociopath.
Ben, the two of us need look no more… We both found what we were looking for.
Where have you, Ben?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: Anti-hero, antihero, ben, ben linus, benjamin, character, emmys, jacob, linus, lost, michael emerson, supporting actor, Television, villain | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 16, 2009 by Darren
We don’t really do chat shows in this part of the world. Well, that’s a lie. We don’t do them well. And when we do do them, they are Prime Time shows like The Late, Late Show and are more often than not cheap imitations of chatshows from the States – we’re looking at you, Tubridy Tonight. In recent years we’ve tried the morning and afternoon chatshows and they haven’t really caught on – there’s a crisis at the RTE Afternoon Show even at the moment. In the States it’s different. Oprah Winfrey is the most powerful person on television. She saved Whitney Heuston. She makes or breaks best selling novels. Oprah is powerful. So the rumours that Oprah’s time as queen of the afternoon come as a bit of a surprise to me. As do many of the suggested reasons…
O, my god!
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: afternoon television, chatshows, oprah, oprah winfrey, politics, ratings, Television, the oprah winfrey show | 1 Comment »
Posted on September 9, 2009 by Darren
I’ll confess. I loved the malevolent pepperpots. The only plumbers hell-bent on galactic domination, the Daleks are arguably even more famous than Doctor Who, the show that spawned them. Stick an image of a Dalek in front of anyone and they’ll recognise it, even if they can’t name it. Whatever of their invasion plans, their infiltration plans seem to have come to fruition. But are these most famous of arch-foes over-exposed? Should they be forcibly taken away from the powers that be at the new series for at least a few years?
Wonder what their depth-perception is like?
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: aliens, british science fiction, daleks, doctor who, iconic, iconic aliens, matt smith, oversaturation, russell t. davies, science fiction, stephen moffat, Television, the daleks | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 2, 2009 by Darren
Senator Ted Kennedy passed away last week amid a media frenzy. What interested me most about the Senator’s passing was the revelation of how he spent his final days: watching Bond movies and the entire run of 24. There are worse entertainments to be found, to be sure. I wonder if he watched that hallmark American television show enthralled by the actions of Jack Bauer, or if he saw something more hidden away? He wouldn’t be the first to find parallels between the show’s African-American Presidential family and the illustrious Kennedy dynasty. Did he see a reflection of what might have been, in another life?
I like the flag. Patriotic touch.
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: 24, bobby kennedy, charles logan, david palmer, edward kennedy, jack bauer, jack kennedy, jfk, john f kennedy, john fitzgerald kennedy, kennedy dynasty, kennedy family, politics, president, richard nixon, senator ted kennedy, ted kennedy, Television, the kennedys, wayne palmer | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 5, 2009 by Darren
It surfaces every now again. Talk of a Sopranos movie. It’s the same deal-io with the oft-requested Veronica Mars movie or a sequel to Serenity. It seems that the big screen has become the desired home for any number of TV shows – whether they ended before their time (as Firefly did) or as planned (per the Sopranos). I’m a little surprised, though, that everyone seems to think this is a good idea.
Seeing red...
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Filed under: Movies, Television | Tagged: adaptations, bewitched, big screen, films, firefly, franchises, get smart, in the loop, in the thick of it, miami vice, Movies, serenity, simpsons, simpsons movie, small screen, sopranos, sopranos movie, starsky & hutch, state of play, Television, the simpsons, the simpsons movie, veronica mars, veronica mars movie | 4 Comments »
Posted on July 24, 2009 by Darren
I caught an episode of CSI: Miami last night and I am ashamed to admit that I had forgotten the cheesy power of Horatio Caine and the Sunglasses of Justice. I suspect that, isolated from each other, neither would be of note but, combined, they are unstoppable. Sure, some may question the ability of lead actor David Caruso, but I think it is a breathtaking performance. If he is a wooden performer, he is fashioned from rich mahogany. If he is two-dimensional, he is a Looney Tune of two-dimensionality. If he is a bad actor, he is the Marlon Brando of bad actors. And, in fairness, are you watching for anything other than the one-liners?
Raising Caine...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: csi, csi: miami, david caruso, drama, horatio caine, miami, one liners, puns, sunglasses of justice, Television | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 21, 2009 by Darren
The Tennant/Davies era of New Doctor Who is well-and-truly over. Despite fandom’s speculations about what a Doctor Who panel at Comic Con means (movie! movie! movie!), it seems that – for the moment at least – the most recent incarnation of the Timelord has made room for his replacement. Filming began yesterday on the first episodes produced by Stephen Moffat and starring Matt Smith as the lovable time traveler. Of course, the photos started showing up around noon. So, what do we make of the newest actor in the role? What do we expect from Moffat as a showrunner (as compared to Davies)? Do we know anything at all?
Who is he? He is Who...
Note: This article contains spoilers. Lots and lots and lots of spoilers, based off rumours about Tennant’s departure and the set photos revealed yesterday.
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: alex kingston, bbc, david tennant, doctor who, matt smith, regeneration, russell t. davies, science fiction, stephen moffat, Television, the doctor, the eleventh doctor, the tenth doctor, timelords | 1 Comment »
Posted on July 16, 2009 by Darren
I’ve been thinking about the tendency of science fiction to use allegories and metaphors for morals and lessons. I’ve also been thinking about the rather epic and excellent Children of Earth miniseries that the Beeb ran last week and the Americans are receiving next week. With the report from An Bord Snip Nua being released today, it got me thinking about where the recession would force us to make cuts. And who would be the victims. It got me thinking: Is Children of Earth about the recession?
What a load of bankers...
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Filed under: Television | Tagged: an bord snip, bailout, banks, bord snip, children, children of earth, deficit, doctor who, economic climate, metaphor, public sector, recession, russell t. davies, sacrifice, torchwood | 2 Comments »
Posted on July 14, 2009 by Darren
I’m a sucker for great cinema. I’m an even greater sucker for ways of paying tribute to great cinema. Turner Classic Movies have launched their Summer Under the Stars season (where stars like Cary Grant and Sidney Poitier get a whole day dedicated to their classics over the month of August) with a variety of teaser posters which treat these movies as if they were brand spanking new. I have my own favourites of the collection after the jump, but it got me thinking about other great ways of advertising films. Not particular films, but cinema in general or classics. As an amazing experience.
I’ve come up with some great examples that I’ve been taken with lately.
If they showed these ads in cinemas, I'd be happy...
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Filed under: Movies, Television | Tagged: advertising, adverts, cinema, film advertisements, films, great films, high definition, montages, Movies, posters, sky, sky digital, sky hd, tcm, turner classic movies | Leave a comment »
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