Over at MSN TV today: it's a triple-bill of reviews, starting with Sky Atlantic's US import BANSHEE about a jewel thief posing as a small-town's sheriff; continuing with ITV's new sitcom VICIOUS about an ageing gay couple played by Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi; and concluding with ITV's other new sitcom THE JOB LOT, about the employees of a city job centre...
Banshee is executive-produced by Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood) and airs on male-skewing Cinemax in the US, which sets up all kinds of contradictory expectations. Cinemax's existing hit Strike Back (a co-production with Sky, who originated the franchise) is arguably the best action series on-air, so I was interested to see what the channel could do with something with more substance and levels.
Continue reading 'Banshee' at MSN TV... (You can also listen to my audioboo.)
Vicious has already been given the accolade of a Christmas special by ITV, so expectations were perhaps unreasonably high. ITV isn't revered for its sitcoms (which have been stuck in the doldrums for the past few decades), so perhaps they just got overexcited by the fact Vicious isn't deplorable.
Continue reading 'Vicious' at MSN TV...
Airing immediately after 1970s-style sitcom Vicious on Monday evenings, I was amused to find The Job Lot's theme tune also evoking memories of that bygone era; Bring Me Sunshine will forever be synonymous with Morecambe & Wise. Similarly to Vicious, The Job Lot feels outmoded and creatively predictable, but my guess is ITV are trying to woo an older audience who don't have much time for modern sensibilities.
Continue reading 'The Job Lot' at MSN TV...
