Autumn 2015 TV - Part One

We're a few months into the 2015/16 television season, so I just wanted to run down all the shows I'm watching, how I think they're getting on, and my degrees of continued interest in them.

'Agents of SHIELD' (season 3) - ABC.
Season 1 became good halfway through. Season 2 turned bad halfway through. Season 3's proving to be a real bore from the start. It seems someone decided what we really want from AoS is lots of people with superpowers, so they're going big on the whole Inhumans angle. I just wish the show didn't feel like a live-action X-Men more than a spy-fi show that could tackle a lot of different subjects and ideas. Unsurprisingly, the best episode (so far) concerned an hourlong flashback to Simmons stranded on an alien planet, having to survive until rescue arrived. While it was probably inspired by The Martian novel, or knowledge of the film adaptation, it was something you don't see TV do very often.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: HOTEL. Scary? Or just unpleasant and weird?

FX's successful horror anthology American Horror Story returned this week, for a fifth season now set inside a creepy Art Deco hotel in downtown L.A. I've watched every episode of AHS, so it's clearly doing something right, but I would never say this is an objectively good drama. It has flashes of inspiration and has produced some truly freakish imagery (the best this side of Hannibal), but it's not exactly scary. It's just reliably weird and crazy, with cool visuals and a slumming-it cast who nevertheless enter into the spirit of things. Perhaps because you rarely win awards for appearing in horror films come Oscar time, but AHS is somehow a regular fixture at the Emmys and Golden Globes.

TV I've been watching lately...

We're fast approaching November and most of the new autumn shows have begun, plenty of old favourites are back, and the summer shows are a memory. But what am I enjoying watching every week, finding time to write about, or have given up on completely? Read on!

THE AFFAIR (Showtime, season 1). It's been a great two-episode start to this new Showtime drama starring Dominic West and Ruth Wilson as extra-marital lovers, with a unique flashback format that also bisects each episode into opposing perspectives on the same events. Even without those narrative devices, I'd like this The Affair in terms of the basic story and performances, but the twists are what makes this feel so compelling. And I was pleased the second episode didn't beat around the bush, so we already have an idea about why the main characters are being interviewed by cops a year after their affair began. My only vague concern is that it's hard to really side with West or Wilson's character, as each "part" of the tale casts one or t'other as the more dominant, mildly unlikeable one. Not knowing who to believe or trust is part of the show's mystery, of course, but it does mean the viewer's constantly unsure about anything... which makes it hard to settle into. ★★★☆

Review: FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW • itinerant monsters

★★☆☆

The masterstroke of AMERICAN HORROR STORY has been its self-rejuvenating format, with each season a self-contained miniseries—starring many of the same actors, in different roles. If you hate a particular season, you can safely stop watching and come back the following year. Unfortunately, one thing always remains the same: the quality of its writing. The problem with AHS is that it's always masking its many flaws with great casting and visceral ghastliness, but when one acclimates to those elements the story's found wanting and every season's gone off-the-rails after a half-dozen episodes.

October 2014 Highlights - ARROW • CONSTANTINE • THE FLASH • GRACEPOINT • HOMELAND • THE WALKING DEAD • more!

It's October. Officially autumn. So what treats does the television have in store for UK and U.S viewers from now until Halloween? Let's look at the most notable highlights...

Digital Spy: 12 Fantasy Television Crossovers

Over at Digital Spy today, it's my latest article. This one fantasises about 12 "crossover" episodes of past and present TV shows, that would be extremely unlikely but incredibly fun to watch. Dexter meets Hannibal? Sherlock travels to Fargo? Justified visits True Blood? Click through to read more, and remember to share if you enjoy it!

From AMERICAN HORROR STORY to FARGO, will U.S cable's sudden love of 'anthology series' last?

There's an emerging trend in U.S TV for cable dramas to have seasons that deviate from the preceding one, becoming anthologies. FX's American Horror Story started the ball rolling, when creator Ryan Murphy announced its second year wouldn't continue the 'haunted house' plot of its inaugural run. Instead, AHS told a completely different story set in a crazy asylum, utilising some of the same actors.

Finale review: FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! Hands-down, American Horror Story (AHS) is the most divisive TV show currently airing, and during every episode I find my opinion changes every five minutes. It can be transcendentally good (well, occasionally), a fine purveyor of gore and strangeness (always), and yet it's monumentally stupid and prone to repetition while wandering down narrative dead-ends. Most episodes feel like they're written by someone who didn't see the preceding script, and has only been told what happens by a drunk friend the night before. It's a show I often want to wash my hands of, and yet I keep coming back every week. It's not simply a case of "hate-watching", either, because that sadistic pastime runs its course. I think it's because the actors are trying so hard to impose a sense of clarity and consistency the writers fail to, and the surprising durability of a show that, for all its faults, is unlike anything else on television.

FX grant AMERICAN HORROR STORY a fourth season

FX have renewed American Horror Story for a fourth season, based on the popularity of its current third season 'Coven', which is averaging 7.74m viewers.

John Langraf, CEO of FX Networks & FX Productions:

"Put simply, Ryan Murphy is a master television producer. Time and time again he reinvents the form. What he, co-creator Brad Falchuk and their producers Dante Di Loreto, Tim Minear, Jennifer Salt, James Wong, Brad Buecker, Jessica Sharzer, Douglas Petrie, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Alexis Martin Woodall and the entire production team and cast responsible for the American Horror Story franchise have done is nothing short of extraordinary. Every year, they create a riveting and brilliant new miniseries. AHS: Coven is the best yet, and I have no doubt that the next instalment will be even better."

Review: FX's AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN – 'Bitchcraft'

written by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk | directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

American Horror Story's first season was an increasingly tiresome collection of horror film clichés, while its asylum-set second was a fun but tiring mishmash of freakishness. Both had their ups and downs, but this FX drama's sheer bravado has proven to be an intoxicating cocktail. The ace up its sleeve (that prevents AHS outstaying its welcome like most Ryan Murphy shows) is that each season tells an entirely separate story with using largely the same actors in different roles. It can't be overstated how much this helps matters, and I'm pleased to report that the premiere of season 3 suggests the writers are closer to nailing what's possible with AHS.

Dan's TV Awards 2012 (including a Top 10)

It's December, which means most entertainment blogs and websites will be indulging their readers with extensive Top 10 lists. I've done exactly that myself for most of the seven years Dan's Media Digest has been online. But this year I thought I'd offer something different: an awards ceremony! Of sorts. You can call it the "Danos", or something. It's basically a run-down of television shows that I thought pulled off something particularly good or bad this year. And if you still prefer a more traditional Top 10, I've included one at the very end.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM review – 'Welcome to Briarcliff' (season 2 premiere)

written by Tim Minear / directed by Bradley Buecker

I watched all of American Horror Story last year; mostly out of a grim fascination than any attachment to the thin characters or their convoluted storylines. From two of the sick minds that brought us Glee (Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk), it was always apparent they only have two settings: "too much" and "much too much". Subtlety isn't inherent better than tactlessness, but AHS always felt too overblown to become genuinely scary. Frightening events happened very regularly (most paying homage to films like The Exorcist and The Shining), but did it ever get under your skin and make it difficult to sleep at night? I don't think so. AHS threw so much at viewers that it was difficult to care about anyone or anything, as the show instead became something of an endurance that was amplifying its own shortcomings. There were a handful of great episodes (I remember really enjoying half its Halloween two-parter), some enjoyable performances (such as the superb Jessica Lange), and the occasional successful surprise (like the daughter having died weeks ago), but in general terms I found AHS an unwieldy disappointment.

Primetime Emmy Awards 2012: Nominees

The nominations have been announced for the Primetime Emmy Awards 2012, and it makes for interesting reading. Below is a list of the major nominees, together with thoughts from my good self under each category. Obviously, I don't watch everything on US TV, so some of this is down to gut instinct and wishful thinking...

Outstanding Comedy Series

• The Big Bang Theory
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Girls
• Modern Family
• 30 Rock
• Veep

Thoughts: I'd like Girls to win because it's new and, to be frank, most US awards show are tedious because a good 90% of the nominees are cut-and-paste from last year.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Lena Dunham – Girls
• Melissa McCarthy – Mike & Molly
• Zooey Deschanel – New Girl
• Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
• Amy Poehler – Parks & Recreation
• Tina Fey – 30 Rock
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep

Thoughts: Claiming Nurse Jackie's a comedy is one thing, but claiming Edie Falco's in any way funny on that show is another thing entirely. I can envisage Julia Louis-Dreyfus winning, because of residual Seinfeld love, despite the fact she was the fourth funniest person on Veep.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory
• Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Don Cheadle – House of Lies
• Louis C.K – Louis
• Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
• Jon Cryer – Two & A Half Men

Thoughts: Louis C.K should win, obviously, but Jim Parsons probably will because more people watch Big Bang Theory and it's easier to laugh at geek stereotypes.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory
• Kathryn Joosten – Desperate Housewives
• Julie Bowen – Modern Family
• Sofia Vergara – Modern Family
• Merritt Weaver – Nurse Jackie
• Kristen Wiig – Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: I'm not best placed to say, but Merritt Weaver is the only thing that even makes me understand why Nurse Jackie gets nominated in comedy categories, so give it to her. She's fun.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Ed O'Neill – Modern Family
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family
• Ty Burrell – Modern Family
• Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family
• Max Greenfield – New Girl
• Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: The Modern Family award will most likely go to... oh, throw a dart.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Boardwalk Empire
• Breaking Bad
• Downton Abbey
• Game Of Thrones
• Homeland
• Mad Men

Thoughts: Finally! Americans have woken up and realized Downton Abbey is a TV series, not a miniseries. This has huge repercussions, as you'll see later. Breaking Bad is the best show on TV, so one hopes this is a no-brainer. Interesting that none of these dramas are on mainstream networks.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Glenn Close – Damages
• Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey
• Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife
• Kathy Bates – Harry's Law
• Claire Danes – Homeland
• Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men

Thoughts: Oh, Claire Danes, for sure. Michelle Dockery? America really needs to get over its UK period drama fetish. She's fine, but... God.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
• Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
• Michael C. Hall – Dexter
• Hugh Bonneville – Downton Abbey
• Damian Lewis – Homeland
• Jon Hamm – Mad Men

Thoughts: Bryan Cranston, duh. How is Michael C. Hall still getting nominated for Dexter? Hugh Bonneville? Oh, Lord. Jon Hamm's my #2.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad
• Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey
• Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey
• Archie Panjabi – The Good Wife
• Christine Baranski – The Good Wife
• Christina Hendricks – Mad Men

Thoughts: See, they've gone Downton crazy this year! I'm going to say Christine Baranski, because I've seen her play drama and comedy and she's terrific at both. Christina Hendricks is lovely, but I don't see why she gets nominated. Unless Emmy voters just want to see her on the red carpet.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

• Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
• Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad
• Brendan Coyle – Downton Abbey
• Jim Carter – Downton Abbey
• Peter Dinklage – Game Of Thrones
• Jared Harris – Mad Men

Thoughts: Ordinarily, Peter Dinklage would be my pick, but the Emmy's have come good and given Giancarlo Esposito a nomination. So he's my pick, because he was absolutely astonishingly good in Breaking Bad's fourth season.

Outstanding Guest Actor in Comedy

• Michael J. Fox - Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Greg Kinnear - Modern Family
• Bobby Cannavale - Nurse Jackie
• Jimmy Fallon - Saturday Night Live
• Will Arnett - 30 Rock
• Jon Hamm - 30 Rock

Thoughts: I can't judge this one, sorry...

Outstanding Guest Actress in Comedy

• Dot-Marie Jones - Glee
• Maya Rudolph - Saturday Night Live
• Melissa McCarthy - Saturday Night Live
• Elizabeth Banks - 30 Rock
• Margaret Cho - 30 Rock
• Kathy Bates - Two and a Half Men

Thoughts: Or this one.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
• Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
• Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
• Jeremy Davies, Justified
• Ben Feldman, Mad Men
• Jason Ritter, Parenthood

Thoughts: Excellent category. I'd love for Mark Margolis to win, considering his performance was 99% communicated with a glare because his character in Breaking Bad could't talk. But I'd be happy with anyone else, except for Jason Ritter in Parenthood (which I haven't seen).

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife
• Loretta Devine, Grey's Anatomy
• Jean Smart, Harry's Law
• Julia Ormond, Mad Men
• Joan Cusack, Shameless
• Uma Thurman, Smash

Thoughts: I can only really comment on Martha Plimpton and Julia Ormond here, who were fine but nothing Emmy-worthy. Was Uma Thurman worth the nomination for Smash?

Outstanding Reality Show Host

• Tom Bergeron - Dancing With the Stars
• Cat Deeley - So You Think You Can Dance
• Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race
• Ryan Seacrest - American Idol
• Betty White - Betty White's Off Their Rockers

Thoughts: This is a genuine category? Oh. Umm, Cat Deeley to win. I like her.

Outstanding Reality Series Competition

• The Amazing Race
• Dancing With the Stars
• Project Runway
• So You Think You Can Dance
• Top Chef
• The Voice

Thoughts: From what I hear, The Voice or Dancing With The Stars have this sewn up.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Jimmy Kimmel Live
• Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
• Real Time With Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: I don't watch any of these regularly, but tend to find The Colbert Report funniest.

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie

• American Horror Story
• Game Change
• Hatfields & McCoys
• Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Luther
• Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: Oh, now the Emmy's think Sherlock isn't a TV series. Give it a few years and they'll learn – but, okay, the paucity of episodes means it's a hard one to categorize. I'd pick Sherlock here because it's more fun and creative, but wouldn't mind Luther winning.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Connie Britton – American Horror Story
• Julianne Moore – Game Change
• Nicole Kidman - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Ashley Judd – Missing
• Emma Thompson - The Song Of Lunch

Thoughts: I can't judge this one, but my gut says Julianne Moore.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Woody Harrelson – Game Change
• Kevin Costner - Hatfields & McCoys
• Bill Paxton - Hatfields & McCoys
• Clive Owen - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Idris Elba – Luther
• Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: It has to be Cumberbatch, followed by Elba. Patriotism, see.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Frances Conroy - American Horror Story
• Jessica Lange - American Horror Story
• Sarah Paulson – Game Change
• Mare Winningham - Hatfields & McCoys
• Judy Davis – Page Eight

Thoughts: Jessica Lange was the standout of American Horror Story, in a role that's practically revived her career. Disliked the show, by and large, but she was great.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Denis O'Hare - American Horror Story
• Ed Harris - Game Change
• Tom Berenger - Hatfields & McCoys
• David Strathairn - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Martin Freeman - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: Denis O'Hare? He's great, but his role on American Horror Story was negligible. I actually thought Watson's role in series 2 of Sherlock was noticeably weaker, but I haven't seen the others, so will have to go with Martin Freeman.

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

• Tim Van Patten - Boardwalk Empire
• Vince Gilligan - Breaking Bad
• Brian Percival - Downton Abbey
• Michael Cuesta - Homeland
• Phil Abraham - Mad Men

Thoughts: Hmmm, tricky. I think there's more involved with directing Boardwalk Empire, so Tim Van Patten gets my hypothetical vote.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

• Julian Fellowes - Downton Abbey
• Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon & Gideon Raff - Homeland
• Semi Chellas & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men
• Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton - Mad Men
• Erin Lev & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men

Thoughts: Julian Fellowes? Haha. He had terrible problems with Downton Abbey series 2. Just give it to one of the Mad Men posse.

Overall thoughts

A strong showing for British shows (Luther, Downton Abbey, Sherlock) and the actors involved in them (but not the writers?), plus some love shown for excellent dramas like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. It's just a tragedy Community doesn't feature anywhere—being not only the funniest show on TV, but one with the best comedy ensemble I've seen in years.

The Emmy 2012 winners will be announced on 23 September at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, with host Jimmy Kimmel. The complete list of nominees can be read here.

Dan's 10 Disappointing TV Shows of 2011

Let's get one thing straight: this isn't a list of the Top 10 Worst TV Shows of 2011, although many of the following programmes would definitely appear on one. I just think it's too easy to throw together 10 terrible television shows, but the truth is I don't tend to watch the really awful stuff for longer than a few episodes.

Instead, my list is about the TV shows that were just about good enough to keep you watching, or you felt obliged to stick with out of loyalty to the brand, genre, or talent involved.... but were nevertheless very disappointing. Fact is, I watched all the episodes of everything on this list, so on some level you could say they were a success, but that's not to say I enjoyed most of what I saw.

I hope that explains my thinking behind some of the picks you don't agree with here, or are perhaps surprised by. The same overall rules apply as before, especially regarding how shows that premiered in 2010 can be counted if they broadcast 50% of their episodes in 2011.

And now, here are my most Disappointing TV Shows of this year...

10. American Horror Story

(Season 1) I grew to strangely enjoy this show, as you "enjoy" picking at a thick scab. From the creative minds of Ryan Murphy and Bryan Falchuk (Nip/Tuck, Glee), this was a "haunted house" movie stretched to 12 episodes, about the dysfunctional Harmon family moving into a Los Angeles home full of frightening ghosts from the building's notorious past. It contained some neat ideas (like how some ghosts are so corporeal they interact with the living as "real people"), and Jessica Lange's performance was brilliant as bonkers neighbour Constance. But the problem with AHS is that it had no sense of self-discipline, the story felt half-improved, some of the actors didn't have the right approach to the material (especially Connie Britton), and a great deal of its better ideas were stolen from movies. (The show even used music from Psycho and Bram Stoker's Dracula!) Okay, it was by design and thus intended to be a loving confection of tropes, but for me it came across as desperate. (random reviews) FX / FX UK

9. The Killing

(Season 1) There are far worse shows around, but The Killing is on this list because of how disappointing it became. What's extraordinary is that it had the best pilot of 2011, by some margin, and I was engrossed for the first five weeks. Based on the Danish original (which is required viewing for Guardian readers here in the UK), all American showrunner Veena Sud had to do was Americanise where appropriate and condense the 20-episode foreign season into half that time Instead, she flushed away many people's goodwill by revealing a "twist" that meant half the season had been a colossal waste of our time, and then gave us a finale that didn't bother answering the "Who Killed Rosie Larsen?" question. That would have been defensible, had we not been led to believe there would be an answer this year, as most people only kept watching past episode 7 for an answer that never came. A crying shame, because the production on The Killing was exemplary, with a brilliant atmosphere (perpetual rain, overcast skies) and thrumming soundtrack. But they should have kept their eyes on the story and were wrong to mislead the audience to this extent. (review archive) AMC / CHANNEL 4

8. Chuck

(Season 4) The little show that would have been cancelled halfway through season 2, at any other time in NBC's history. It's managed to scratch out five seasons, but the fourth is where it started to lose much of its curious appeal. This is primarily because its story arcs didn't work for me, especially the annoying "search for Chuck's long-lost mom" storyline that soaked up so much time. As "Mama Bartowski", Linda Hamilton (Terminator 2) reminded us why her career tanked in the mid-'90s, bringing zero humour and scant charisma to an underwritten role. She was simply there because of her association with a geeky franchise, allowing the writers to do some cute Terminator in-jokes. Ex-007 Timothy Dalton fared better as a scene-chewing Russian super-villain, but even he outstayed his welcome. A poor year of a show that probably deserved the axe this summer, although the current fifth season has been much better... (review archive) NBC / SKY LIVING

7. Glee

(Season 2) If we're honest, Glee started to lose itself as early as mid-season 1 after its winter hiatus, but season 2 is where I lost patience. Overstuffed with (mostly weak) pop songs, it became clear the three writer-producers had little idea what to do with their talented cast. Beyond the storyline with Kurt and his move to the Dalton Academy, it was a case of random romantic match-ups (which were on/off more times than a light switch) and far too many celebrity guest stars. Gwyneth Paltrow had a brilliant first appearance (singing Cee Lo Green's "Forget You"), but bringing her back twice didn't work. The season also gave us too many "themed episodes", from Britney Spears to Rocky Horror. What was once a joyful show that made you giggle and hum along to cheery music became a one-trick pony you wanted to see put down. The most annoying thing is that I'm still watching Glee today, halfway through the even worse third season. I really have no excuse, beyond masochism and an unhealthy fascination with dancer Heather Morris. (random reviews FOX / E4

6. Episodes

(Season 1) A satire on TV production, specifically when hit British comedies get remade into terrible US remakes, Episodes was a leaden and unfunny misfire on most levels. There were performances from Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig (as a British screenwriting couple trying to keep their principles in the face of adversity), with a fairly amusing turn from Friends' Matt Le Blanc playing "himself", but it simply wasn't enjoyable to watch all the way through. It limped along after a poor start, with perhaps two episodes that actually rose to an acceptable quality level, which isn't enough. Given the talent involved and subject-matter that felt like it could have something to say about Anglo-American cultural differences, Episodes was one of this year's bigger disappointments to me. A comedy that had its handful of targets in mind, and bludgeoned them over and over, week after week... (review archive) BBC2 / SHOWTIME

5. Dexter

(Season 6) It's a huge shame to see Dexter appear on this ignoble list, as a few short years ago it was a regular in my Best Shows list, but season 6 was the year when the wheels finally came off Showtime's top-rated series. There have been warning signs for awhile now, notably during the ragged fifth season, but this year was a particularly bad run. Despite the potential of delving into a religious theme, the writers lost sight of what made the show so great in its heyday, and countless mistakes amassed throughout its run. The greatest sin being a twist tardily revealed weeks after most fans had guessed it, and a peculiar decision to have Deb suddenly find her adopted brother sexually attractive. Throw in the show's continuing problems in giving its extended cast anything worthwhile to do (just kill a few already!), and the misjudged casting of Colin Hanks as the season's villain (who's no Jimmy Smits, let alone a John Lithgow), and Dexter simply ran aground under a weight of shit. The only hope is knowing the show now has an end-date of 2013, so the writers can work towards a definite conclusion. Trouble is, can its current writing staff pull something off that fans will enjoy? (review archive) SHOWTIME

4. Primeval

(Series 4 & 5) This year we had a double-dose of Primeval, because digital partner Watch showed series 5 months after ITV finished series 4, as they were filmed back-to-back. It was an unexpected return of a show ITV axed because of costs, with two new regular characters along for the ride, but this was a very inauspicious year. Primeval has rarely been good, but it can be fun if you accept its flaws and formulas. I just don't think it has anything left to offer anyone, because the new characters were a washout (especially tedious Irish "action man" Matt), and the fifth series in particular was a big waste of time until a half-decent finale. It's a show that has moments to enjoy, but it's reached a point where I'm struggling to stay interested on a character or storytelling level—or even in a superficial "ooh, dinosaurs" way, to be frank. (review archive) ITV1 / WATCH / BBC AMERICA

3. Outcasts

It had a familiar yet appealing premise, an ambitious production filming in South Africa, with some good actors involved, but Outcasts failed to live up to expectations. SF nerds took great delight in tearing the show's setup apart, and none of the characters left any impression (apart from the excellent Liam Cunningham). It didn't help that Jamie Bamber's character was killed off in the first episode, or that so much of the story and twists felt analogous to things we've seen done better in Lost, Battlestar Galactica and Solaris recently. I have an appetite for intelligent SF mysteries with a measured pace and emphasis on character, but Outcasts just wasn't any fun and almost crawled through its hours. However, it did inspire this blog's busiest article in many years! (review archive) BBC1 / BBC AMERICA

2. Life's Too Short

(Series 1) The sitcom that appears to prove The Office's Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are creatively bankrupt, Life's Too Short distilled everything they've done before (a mockumentary format poking fun at a disabled character, with meta-jokes and celebrity cameos) but did nothing new or interesting with those ingredients. For half the seven episodes, it didn't even feel like a Warwick Davis-starring sitcom, as so much was an excuse to shoehorn in Gervais, Merchant and a guest-star-of-the-week. Things improved slightly for the last three episodes, once the storyline with Warwick's divorce became a bigger focus, but my goodwill was exhausted by then. It just wasn't insightful or clever, as everything here had been done better in Extras, and poor Warwick was forced to play himself-doing-a-David-Brent impersonation. A sore disappointment from two writers who used to demand only the best, but are now happy to devise stupid shows for their friends (see also Karl Pilkington's An Idiot Abroad). (review archive) BBC2

1. Torchwood: Miracle Day

While there were concerns about "Americanizing" Torchwood when Russell T. Davies announced those plans, I don't think any fan anticipated the debacle that Miracle Day became. It still had its creator at the helm, who managed to recruit a writing staff of people who'd worked on some impressive shows (Buffy, House, Battlestar Galactica, X Files, Breaking Bad), and it wisely refused to tone down the sex/violence. In fact, quite a few people believed this could be the making of Torchwood because it had more money to play with, had a very ambitious high-concept story (everyone on the planet suddenly stops dying for an unexplained reason), and was reprising its very successful Children Of Earth miniseries format.

Unfortunately, Miracle Day fell flat on its face after a decent start. Once the novelty of its idea had worn off by episode 4, it became clear just how irritating the new American characters were (especially belligerent dickhead Rex Matheson), they made the godawful mistake of trying to make audiences sympathise with a child-killing paedophile (then had no idea what to do with Bill Pullman's slimy character halfway through), dandy hero Jack Harkness had nothing to do until two-thirds into the story, Gwen Cooper was as irksomely forthright as ever, there were no aliens, and the ultimate explanation for the titular "miracle" was extremely silly and vaguely explained. I can't think of any other show that so spectacularly flopped after such a previous high (although Children Of Earth is somewhat overrated). It even made committed fans fall out of love with the show! I don't think anyone would care if Torchwood never came back now, as Miracle Day appeared to kill a promising franchise. How ironic. (review archive) STARZ/ BBC1

AMERICAN HORROR STORY, 1.12 – "Afterbirth"

(Warning: major spoilers ahead)

I gave up reviewing American Horror Story a month after it started, but I still kept watching every week. I didn't have much to say about the show weekly, as it's very disorderly and driven almost entirely by clichés, but it became a fascinating train wreck. AHS is the kind of show I enjoy watching on a perverse level, even as  it's making me shake my head in disbelief and laugh in derision, because it had a blasé confidence about itself. After awhile, I grew to rather enjoy most episodes on a shallow level, and a few of the latter-season twists/reveals worked surprisingly well (especially the neat surprise that the Harmon's teenage daughter Violet had been dead weeks). I also really enjoyed Jessica Lange's unhinged performance as peculiar next-door neighbour Constance, and there were some effective scares on occasion. It's just a shame the general story was so chaotic and the central characters to impossible to care about.

Anyway, the finale aired this week, which I watched out of diligence. I was quite pleased by how things wrapped up, too, with the Harmon's all dead and finding a better existence in the afterlife than they ever did in life. The suggestion that they were somehow able to overcome the more sinister ghosts in the house, becoming the dominant force, was also very good, and now they'll act as guardians by preventing any family moving in who wants to have a child (which is exactly what the evil forces of the house latch onto). The final scene, set three years later, with Constance discovering that the Harmon's surviving son (her grandson, whom she's adopted to raise alone) has inherited her son Tate's psychosis also made me chuckle. It's the living you really have to worry about, right? When AHS was being knowingly silly and devious, I could enjoy it a whole lot more than when it was trying to be serious—which is generally whenever Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton were around trying in vain to earn an Emmy, or so it felt.

The best thing I've heard about AHS is showrunner Ryan Murphy's plans for the second season. One question most people asked early on is how the show could possibly tell a "haunted house" story over multiple seasons, but now we know they're avoiding that problem. AHS will actually tell a completely different story next year, with new characters, but it will still involve a "haunting" of some description. Maybe a haunted hotel will be the backdrop, who knows. But that certainly makes me much happier about sticking around for this show, as it can essentially renew itself every dozen episodes. If you don't like what one season did, maybe the next will be more to your taste. Unfortunately, Ryan Murphy's style of excessive nonsense, dumb soap opera plotting, and stealing ideas (even music) from better sources, isn't one that really appeals to me. I much preferred the episodes of AHS he didn't write, particularly those from James Wong (X Files, Millennium) and Tim Minear (Angel, Dollhouse), who had a much better grasp of what a good horror TV shows needs to work. Murphy just spurts out everything he half-remembers working in old movies and TV shows he's seen before, then hopes we'll think he's being post-modern and paying homage to some greats instead of ripping-off people.

So, there may still be problems ahead for AHS unless Ryan Murphy steps down as showrunner (in my eyes), although I'm glad the show hasn't made the grave mistake of trying to keep the Harmon's haunted house saga going indefinitely. It was already feeling stretched at a mere 12 episodes. Hopefully season 2 will be more original and cast lead actors who are a little more fun, as Denis O'Hare and Jessica Lange were this year.

Did you watch AHS this year? If so, what did you think? And what do you make of the unusual decision to give us a new story and characters every season, under the American Horror Story umbrella?

written by Jessica Sharzer / directed by Bradley Buecker / 21 December 2011 / FX

AMERICAN HORROR STORY, 1.3 – "Murder House"

This is where I stop reviewing American Horror Story every week. Not because it's a terrible chore to sit through, or that it's without  entertainment-value, but because it's clearly the kind of show there's no point setting aside time to review. You watch it because it's a hit-and-miss collection of ghoulish pleasures that delight (use of the Bram Stoker's Dracula score) and confuse, while relishing its "trashy '80s American soap" feel (the piano-based soundtrack, especially). A lot happens, often without rhyme or reason, but there's always something strange occurring every four minutes to keep you watching... but to sit down and review this mess fairly? To put effort into trying to find meaning and structure to what's basically a mélange of half-baked ideas, mostly stolen from better sources? I can't be bothered to trudge through the mire, especially considering how many other shows are on-air right now and more deserving of attention.

I'll keep watching AHS, of course. I'm not saying it's not without a peculiar charm (we saw a man sewing bat wings onto a dead pig), or that a few of the mysteries haven't snared my interest, but it's so overwrought it gives me a headache thinking about it. Maybe it'll settle by mid-season and focus on storylines without embroidering them with flashbacks to the house's chilling past. I'm intrigued by the idea pregnant Vivian (Connie Britton) started to bleed when she was out of the house, as if a successful birth relies on her staying indoors (and the house itself was originally owned by a doctor who terminated pregnancies), so there's at least some hope AHS will come together and isn't totally without a shape or plan. There's hope yet that AHS may not be a good show episodically, but we'll look back on the entire first season and realize it knew what it was doing... but it's equally likely it'll be totally exposed as a nonsensical smorgasbord of random horror-themed ideas.

Ben's (Dylan McDermott) blackouts were quite interesting (until the show gave us a reasonable explanation for them involving laudanum poisoning), because I was beginning to think he's a shrink who murders his clients and then blocks the memories. And it was fun to see the back-story between next-door neighbour Constance (Jessica Lange) and housemaid Moira (Alexa Breckenridge), with the former shooting the latter through the eye for sleeping with her husband in 1983 when she lives in the so-called "Murder House". Moira's now trapped in the house as a spirit, getting older as if she's still alive, yet retaining her sex-kitten look in the eyes of Ben. So is Constance responsible for Moira being unable to crossover to the afterlife Why is Moira hitting on Ben all the time? Is it part of her penance, or part of some bigger plan she has to ascend? Do creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have any clear answers themselves, or are they just adding to the pile until a workable explanation presents itself?

I just don't have faith in the people behind this show, really, and that's the bigger problem for me. To those viewers ignorant of who the men in charge of the ghost train are, they're probably still enjoying the crazy ride.

written by Jennifer Salt / directed by Bradley Buecker / 19 October 2011 / FX

AMERICAN HORROR STORY, 1.2 - "Home Invasion"

I think it's going to take a few more weeks before I decide if American Horror Story's a good or bad show. "Home Invasion" opened with another teaser set during the house's notorious past (1968, where an intruder called Franklin forced a virginal woman to dress as a nurse before he knifed her repeatedly in the back), and the present-day story eventually revolved around three young intruders, led by a girl called Fiona (Azura Skye), wanting to reenact antihero Franklin's murder with the captive Harmon family. This all sounds compelling on the surface, but it's hard to care about any of the people in jeopardy, and the show is ultimately too superficial to get under your skin. It doesn't build a mood for very long, because it's just too keen to get to next jump-scare or freaky occurrence.

I still can't see where AHS is heading, as it will surely get boring and ridiculous if the Harmon's refuse to leave a house that's so clearly haunted by a multitude of violent spirits, and a magnet for local weirdo's in general. At least this episode ended with Vivien (Connie Britten) demanding to husband Ben (Dylan McDermott) that they move out, which is the most plausible thing AHS has done so far, but I hope the show has a plausible reason to prevent them leaving—as must surely happen to keep the story going. But even if the Harmon's stay for a realistic reason, what's the long-term plan for AHS? Is it a weekly excuse to just play around with scary movie tropes (they even stole the legendary music stings from Psycho!), provide in-jokes for horror aficionados (a nod to The Changeling was cool this week), and gross-outs for the Final Destination crowd (a dream sequence where a woman's body is ripped asunder when trapped between the doors of an elevator)? If so, that may work for awhile, but there needs to be some sense that the Harmon's aren't just puppets for the writers to manipulate into frightening situations every single week, for no good reason. But even if this show's building to a moment when the Harmon's perhaps exorcise the house of its evil spirits, then what do creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk plan to do for season 2 and beyond?

Leaving aside the issues of turning AHS into a serialized television drama that justifies the form, "Home Invasion" didn't really work for me. There were moments that were impossible to ignore (a kick to the gonads has the same effect), but there's such a lack of emotional connection to anything, or anyone, that my eyes glazed over during the climactic chase sequences that were intended to have you rooted to your seat. At best, AHS is enough of a wanton confection that something will pique your interest along the way—like crazy Tate's (Evan Peters) apparent kinship with the house's spooks; the reveal that pregnant Vivien's not getting morning sickness, but her husband's ex-mistress Hayden (Kate Mara) is now expectant; the brilliantly Lynchian neighbour Constance (Jessica Lange) and her unnerving daughter Adelaide (Jamie Brewer); or maybe just a particular grisly moment, like how a girl with a recurring nightmare of being cut in half ended up chopped in two by an axe.

I just wish there was something better binding it all together, because it feels like FX have simply given Glee co-creators Murphy and Falchuk free reign to indulge their sick and twisted supernatural fantasies. It's a shame they don't have anything original to add to the genre, as their imaginations aren't up to the task. Then again, seeing as 99% of Glee's musical output is covers, why am I surprised? This duo have made a fortune repackaging other people's hard work in sexier modern attire.

written by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk · directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon · 12 October 2011 · FX

Review: AMERICAN HORROR STORY, 1.1 - "Pilot"

written by Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk / directed by Ryan Murphy
starring Connie Britton, Dylan McDermott, Evan Peters, Taissa Farmiga,
Denis O'Hare, Jessie Lange, Alexa Breckenridge & Frances Conroy

If Matthew Morrison rapping wasn't frightening enough, Glee co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk turn their attention to horror with FX's deranged haunted house drama American Horror Story (henceforth AHS). A family of three move into a creepy Los Angeles home—psychiatrist Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott), wife Vivien (Connie Britton) and teenage daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga)—aware it was the scene of a double suicide, but accepting its ghoulish past for the bargain it represents to buyers. Naturally, the Harmon's soon find themselves dealing with a variety of natural and supernatural oddities: from ageing neighbour Constance (Jessica Lange) and her handicapped daughter Adelaide (Jamie Brewer) with a sixth sense; to resident housekeeper Moira (Frances Conroy), an elderly frump who transforms into a sizzling temptress (Alexa Breckenridge) from Ben's perspective. Then there's the ghostly "Rubber Man" who wears a full-body gimp suit; gawky identical twins murdered in 1978; Ben's teenage patient Tate (Evan Peters) who fantasizes about murdering his classmates; and Larry (Denis O'Hare), the badly burned former owner of the house who survived a fire he started that killed his entire family.

There isn't much subtlety or restraint with AHS, as you'd perhaps expect from the minds behind Nip/Tuck and Glee. It wears its intentions on its sleeve, and doesn't have the patience to establish and develop a deep sense of mood. Crazy things happen and strange people appear at the rate of a theme park Ghost Train. The basic idea appears to be that the house preys on the inner demons and difficult pasts of its unfortunate inhabitants, to eventually push them into insanity and murder. Ben was recently unfaithful, so Moira appears to be a sexy young woman who wears maid fetishwear and tries to seduce him behind his wife's back; Vivien recently had a miscarriage and the episode ends with her announcing another pregnancy (the father likely to be the "ghost-gimp" she mistook as her husband one night); daughter Vivien's a victim of bullying at school and finds help from the disturbed Tate, who teaches her chief tormenter a macabre lesson she'll never forget. Maybe Constance's dream of becoming a Hollywood starlet was also ruined because of the house in some way?

It's a show designed to grab your attention and, as much as I hate to admit it, succeeds by pushing some obvious buttons. The haunted house genre doesn't seem to lend itself to serialized TV (it's hard to imagine AHS lasting more than a season, unless the plan is to introduce a new family/house every year), but for now it feels like it'll be fun to explore some of this show's underlying mysteries. Even if that just amounts to discovering exactly who the various apparitions are and why they continue to haunt the living. (In its favour, I must admit it's a fresh and amusing idea to have a ghost like Moira be employed by the people she's haunting, and there's enjoyable ambiguity about the mortal status of characters like Constance and Larry.)

The problem facing AHS is that it doesn't appear to be much more than surface-level shocks and peculiar imagery, as Murphy and Falchuk merrily throw ideas at the screen and hope most will stick to, alchemically, make this show scary and compelling. Unfortunately, while it's certainly attention-grabbing at this nascent stage, how many episodes will pass before audiences have acclimated to this mix-tape of horror tropes and start craving a proper storyline and characters you can get involved with? Not long, I'll wager. In the acting stakes, McDermott's a little blank and forgettable as Ben; Britton's character is written very thin, but the actress is the only one trying to spin gold from straw; Farmiga (kid sister of movie star Vera Farmiga) shows personality and promise; old hands Lange and Conroy are suitably uncomforting; Breckrenridge looks delectable in her saucy getup; and O'Hare already looks poised to steal the show as he did in True Blood.

Overall, I had fun with the sheer preposterousness of this show's style, a few of its ideas worked, but my abiding thought is that AHS will have to prove it has some substance very quickly, and that some of its creative decisions are very questionable (after the good work dealing with Down's Syndrome on Glee, it's all undone in very ugly fashion here). Ultimately then, AHS isn't much more than a cornucopia of steals from Psycho, Rosemary's Baby, The Tenant, Poltergeist, The Shining and The Amityville Horror. It should be given a chance to grow—and hopefully mature into something that feels more unique, without the childish desire to fling weirdness in your face every few minutes. At worst, it may attain so-bad-it's-good status.

Aside

• This show debuted strong for FX, with 3.2 million viewers, equaling Ryan Murphy's Nip/Tuck premiere. This is below the premiere of Justifed (4.2m) and The Shield (4.8m), although a bigger total of 5m people saw American Horror Story when you include its repeat showing.

5 October 2011 / FX

FX UK premiering AMERICAN HORROR STORY in November

FX UK have acquired the British rights to American Horror Story via Fox International Channels. This is the FX supernatural drama created by Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, Glee) and Brad Falchuck (Glee), starring Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Denis O'Hare, Frances Conroy and Alex Breckenridge.

Little is known about this new cable series, beyond the fact it involves a family living in a haunted mansion in Los Angeles, and appears to feature copious amounts of PVC catsuits, gimp masks, and other assorted fetish wear. Maybe the mansion was previously a brothel catering for clients with unusual sexual tastes? I have no idea...

American Horror Story is scheduled to roll out around the world the week beginning 7 November, a month after its US premiere. This is similar to how The Walking Dead is distributed globally—but with a much longer gap between the US and international airings, which certainly won't help in the fight against torrents.

Hernan Lopez, President & CEO of FIC:

"FIC has proven that it can launch a series around the world by treating it as a blockbuster movie. We believe American Horror Story is the next global hit that our viewers and platforms have come to expect from our channels."

Marion Edwards, President of International Television at 20th Century Fox:

"American Horror Story is the next great water-cooler series, and we are thrilled that it will be the next major international launch for FIC following their unprecedented success with The Walking Dead."

The series begins on 5 October in the US on FX.

Trailer: AMERICAN HORROR STORY (FX)

FX have released the first promo for their new spooky drama American Horror Story, created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (Nip/Tuck, Glee). It's basically about a family who move into a haunted house, starring Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Frances Conroy, Denis O’Hare, Taissa Farmiga and Evan Peters. So far, so familiar...

Ryan Murphy, co-creator:

"American Horror Story is a project that Brad [Falchuk] and I have been discussing for a while. [FX President] John Landgraf and I have maintained a wonderful relationship since Nip/Tuck ended its run and he gave me an open invitation to develop a new show for the network. FX is the perfect place for this series and we look forward to a great homecoming."

Brad Falchuk, co-creator:

"We knew this project was perfect for FX. That network put itself on the map for its big, bold, some might say slightly twisted shows, and the creative freedom we had on Nip/Tuck was incredibly liberating. John immediately got what we were trying to do, which was bring the horror genre to television but with our own subversive sensibilities. And we couldn't be more excited to get started."

The above "Family Portrait" promo doesn't give much away, beyond a sense of its slick and glossy tone. But even that could be something specific to this artistic promo, who knows. Anyway, I have no idea if it's even possible to turn a haunted house story into a long-running cable drama, but as a fan of the horror genre this is on my radar. Along with ABC's The River, from the director of Paranormal Activity, which starts in the new year.

On the heels of True Blood and The Walking Dead, is horror the big new thing in scripted television?

AMERICAN HORROR STORY premieres 5 October on FX.