Frame Rated: APRIL 2016 - The Best of Film & TV

A few day's ago at Frame Rated, I compiled a list of the best television shows and movies heading our way over the next four weeks. Includes The Huntsman: Winter's War, 11.22.63, Outlander, Fear the Walking Dead, Captain America: Civil War, etc. Click here!

Frame Rated: MARCH 2016 - The Best in Film & TV

It's March! What's opening in cinemas and debuting on TV over the coming month? I run down some of your best viewing options, over at Frame Rated. Click here!

Frame Rated: 2016 TV Preview

It's already slightly out-of-date because Sherlock aired yesterday, but here's a link to my '2016 TV Preview' feature at Frame Rated from a few days ago. 8 must-see television shows that are debuting (or returning after long absences) between now and March. Click here!

Pilot watch: Fox's MINORITY REPORT

★☆☆☆☆

What's the premise? Minority Report takes place in the mid-21st century, where crime was once prevented before it was even committed thanks to three "Precogs" (psychics who can predict the future). 15 years later, one of those Precogs, Dash (Stark Sands), returns from exile to help Detective Lara Vega (Meagan Good) tackle crime using his amazing gift of clairvoyance, while searching for his fellow Precogs (twin brother Arthur and foster sister Agatha).

Pilot watch: Fox's LUCIFER

★★★☆☆

What's the premise? The Devil, 'Lucifer Morningstar' (Tom Ellis), abandons his responsibilities in Hell to run a nightclub in Los Angeles, before deciding to punish city criminals with the help of LAPD detective Chloe Dancer (Lauren German).

Pilot watch: NBC's BLINDSPOT

★★★☆☆

What's the premise? Blindspot is a new NBC mystery drama, created by Warner Bros. Television. It concerns the discovery of a naked tattooed woman in Times Square, dubbed 'Jane Doe' (Jaimie Alexander), who's lost her memory and can't even remember who she is. The FBI become involved when someone notices a tattoo on Jane's body is the name of FBI agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton).

TV Pilots I Want to See: 2015-16

It's time for the return of my annual feature that lists the 2015/16 U.S pilots I have an interest in. This year, to make it a bit more fun, I've split these potential new shows into loose groups with similar themes. Also, each one has a coloured star that denotes its development status:

★ = not picked up

★ = in development, or under consideration

★ = officially becoming a new series

As always, if you spot any errors, notice that something needs updating, or would like to recommend a glaring omission to my list, please let me know in the comments below. This post will update over the next few weeks, as the networks announces each pilot's fate and start releasing trailers/photos. And now, onward!

2015: Television Preview

2014? Pah! That's so last year! What goodies has the small-screen got in store for us in 2015? Below is a chronological list of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to our screens, according to yours truly...

December 2014 Highlights – BLACK MIRROR • DOCTOR WHO • DOWNTON ABBEY • ESIO TROT • THE WRONG MANS

December is a particularly busy month in British TV because of the two-week period over Christmas and New Year when various shows air specials. It's less exciting in the U.S, where shows go on mid-season hiatus until January or February. (I've never understood that, seeing as you have more of a captive audience thanks to 'holiday period + winter weather', but whatevs.) Below are my picks of the best stuff heading our way this month—although there's always a level of secrecy with UK scheduling, so it's subject to change and amendment the closer we get to Christmas time. As always, let me know about any glaring omissions, and I will sneakily update this post. (That's an added incentive for RSS readers to visit the actual blog, too...)

November 2014 Highlights – ATLANTIS • BABYLON • THE FALL • RIPPER STREET • TOAST OF LONDON

It's November. Halloween's behind us and Christmas is fast approaching, which means most of the new/returning TV shows are back on-air. But which stragglers do we have to look forward to, now the nights are drawing in?

Preview: Showtime's THE AFFAIR • an unreliable love story

★★★☆

I like dramas that surprise me with hidden depths and intriguing methods of storytelling. Showtime's THE AFFAIR sounded like a prosaic idea on the surface, so I was pleased everything was elevated by a sharp narrative and good performances. Noah Solloway (Dominic West) is a first-time novelist and family man from New York, who takes his wife and four children to the coastal resort of Montauk, Long Island. There he meets a pretty waitress called Alison (Ruth Wilson), whose relationship with her husband Cole (Joshua Jackson) is on the rocks after the tragic death of their young child. The title gives away what happens next…

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...

Pilot preview: ABC's GALAVANT - fairy tale musical hits bum note

I've reviewed the pilot of ABC's new medieval musical comedy GALAVANT, months ahead of its US premiere...

Pilot preview: ABC's FOREVER - an entertaining, unoriginal assemblage

It's hard to criticise FOREVER too harshly, because it does everything a good pilot should do. The premise is outlined succinctly, there are big dramatic moments, a 'message' is imparted over the course of the hour, the performances are charming, there are good special effects, and a touching twist concerning the surprise back-story of a supporting character. For those reasons alone, I don't begrudge anyone enjoying this and coming away intending to watch more. However, Forever doesn't have an original bone in its body.

Pilot previews: Fox's BACKSTROM & ABC's SELFIE

Based on Swedish novels by author Leif G.W Persson and developed by Hart Hanson (Bones), detective drama BACKSTROM has had a bumpy ride to our screens, after CBS passed on a 2012 pilot and Fox jumped in to prevent it becoming a footnote in the annals of TV history. This drama stars Rainn Wilson (The Office) as Everett Backstrom; an irascible, offensive detective with the uncanny ability to solve mysteries.

Pilot preview: Fox's GOTHAM - intriguing Batman 'pre-cowl'

Months ahead of its Fox premiere, I have reviewed the pilot episode of their Batman prequel drama GOTHAM...

Pilot preview: NBC's CONSTANTINE - stylish supernatural twaddle

Months ahead of its NBC premiere on 24 October, I preview the pilot episode of supernatural comic-book horror drama CONSTANTINE...

Pilot preview: The CW's THE FLASH - super-fast, super-fun

Months ahead of its 7 October premiere on The CW, I take a look at the pilot episode of their new superhero drama THE FLASH.

TV Pilots I Want to See: 2014-15

It's that time of year again. The time when I cast my eye over the US pilots that are vying for full series orders in the 2014/15 season, although some are going direct-to-series. As usual, it's not an exhaustive list, but if I've missed something you think needs to be added just leave a comment. There's a chance some of these may slip into the 15/16 season, too, so apologies if that happens. These choices aren't the pilots I believe will definitely be good, just ones I want to see for some reason (usually involving the basic concept, the creative team, and/or the casting). It will also be updated with new photos, trailers, and each show's "status" as information trickles through about season pick-ups...

2014: Television To Look Forward To

As has become tradition, I've compiled a list of the big new shows that will help make the loss of 2013 more bearable. 2014 looks to be shaping up rather nicely (if noticeably full of dark subject-matter), if the below mix of pilots and commissioned series make good on their potential. As always, I'm sure I've missed some gems, so feel free to add some of your own choices as a comment. If I strongly agree with any oversights, I will add hastily them and claim they were included all along.