BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 4.5 – "The Road Less Travelled"

Writer: Mark Verheiden
Director: Michael Rymer

Cast: Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), James Callis (Baltar), Grace Park (Sharon Agathon), Eileen Pedde (Sgt. Erin Mathias), Keegan Connor Tracy (Jeanne), Bodie Olmos (Hot Dog), Rekha Sharma (Tory), Jennifer Halley (Seelix), Aaron Douglas (Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Callum Keith Rennie (Leoben Conoy), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta), Michael Trucco (Anders), Leela Savasta (Tracey Anne), Lara Gilchrist (Paulla Schaffer), Finn R. Devitt (Nicholas Tyrol), Alisen Down (Jean Barolay), Lori Ann Triolo (Phoebe) & Ryan McDonell (Gonzo)

Tyrol sinks into despair after his recent loss, becoming curious about Baltar's sermons and the following he's attracted. Meanwhile, the Demetrius' crew grow concerned about Starbuck as an enemy arrives with a tempting offer...

"... I have committed... unconscionable crimes. And I
have been offered one last chance at redemption,
because I chose to accept my fate and not fight it anymore."

-- Gaius Baltar (James Callis)

Is it just me, or are things starting to drag? The strange thing is, it's only been a few weeks since a more proactive episode, but BSG does have a tendency to slam on the brakes, even if it's necessary to build a sense of realism. I don't know, I just feel the last season should be rocking and rolling a lot more than it seems to be after a confident start...

Recently-demoted Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), sporting a shaved-head that seems to be a way to further shed his sense of humanity, is still trying to make sense of his wife's death. Her murderer, fellow Cylon Tory (Rekha Sharma), posits the idea that Cally sensed his "change" ever since they left the nebula, and perhaps committed suicide. Tyrol's heartache leads him to grow curious about Baltar (James Callis), who Tory seems to hold in high esteem suddenly (indeed, she's become his "concubine"), and visits Gaius to eavesdrop on one of his sermons.

Baltar notices the Chief's presence as he addresses his flock and makes a spiritual offer of support for his loss, holding out his hand for Tyrol to take. But his gesture backfires as Tyrol throttles him in front of his congregation, angry over his empty words about Cally. Tyrol storms off to his quarters alone, where he contemplates committing suicide with a handgun, until a photograph of Cally and his son catches his eye and persuades him he still has something to live for.

Later, Baltar arrives at Tyrol's quarters and apologises for his misjudgement earlier. As Tyrol, reclining on his bed, stares at him with a stone-faced glare, Baltar opens up about his spiritual transformation from a weak scientist and criminal politician, whilst sounding genuinely sorry he didn't get to know Tyrol's dead wife better. As Batar goes to leave, Tyrol offers him his hand as a mark of respect and understanding. Both are wonderful scenes, cementing the brilliance of James Callis and Aaron Douglas – the latter of whom has benefited the most from his character's unmasking as a Cylon.

On the sewerage ship Demetrius, Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) is still struggling to remember the way back to Earth after 58 days, and her crew are growing increasingly worried she's a Cylon sleeper agent plotting their demise, as faith in her and their mission diminishes by the second. Things aren't helped when they discover a battle-damaged Cylon Raider with a Leoben model (Callum Keith Rennie) aboard; as he seems to have a unique understanding and belief in Starbuck's mission, telling her that the Hybrid aboard his Basestar can help Starbuck find clarity in her search.

Anders (Michael Trucco) is particularly disappointed that Starbuck is being taken in by Leoben, who has proven himself untrustworthy in the past. But, after dragging him away, Anders also becomes intrigued by Leoben's words, primarily because they seem to have significance about his recent unveiling as one of the Final Five. Leoben promises a truce between Cylons and mankind, if they can find the "promised land" together.

Later, Sgt Mathius (Eileen Pedde) performs a spacewalk to inspect the hull of Leoben's ship and is killed when the Raider's reactor goes critical, destroying the ship and her along with it. Outraged and suspecting the explosion was planned, Starbuck brutally assaults Leoben, and then has to contend with her crew – who refuse to obey her orders now that the deadline for their mission has arrived. Helo (Tahmoh Penikett) is stood down as the XO, and Gaeta (Alessandro Juliani) refuses to take his place. A full-scale mutiny is in effect and Helo formally relieves Starbuck of her command.

The Road Less Travelled is a solid but unremarkable episode. As usual, it's the excellent performances that rescue a fairly mundane storyline, although the injection of Leoben into the Demetrius' already tense atmosphere wheedles out some interesting confirmations and developments. It's made clear that the Cylon civil war encompasses all their society (not just the few Basestars it originated on) and seems to fulfil the Hybrid's prophecy given in the TVM Razor ("... they will know enmity, bitterness, the wrenching agony of the one splintering into the many...") I don't think Leoben sensed Anders is a fellow Cylon during their encounter, but I'm sure the Demetrius will eventually arrive at a Basestar so Starbuck and Leoben can speak with its Hybrid – so will Anders go aboard, and will his identity be known to these sensitive, precognitive machines?

A random questions: are Baltar's radio broadcasts soothing restless baby Tyrol (a human-Cylon hybrid)? Baltar does seem to be a very important human for Cylons (lover of Caprica Six and now Tory, spiritual snoop with Number Three, and now possibly a friend of Tyrol) Is he a true prophet, designed to bring the humans and Cylons together in peace? And wasn't it strange to have an episode with no sign of Adama, Roslin, Lee and Six?


6 May 2008
Sky One, 9.00 pm

CHUCK 1.5 – "Chuck Versus The Sizzling Shrimp"

Writer: Scott Rosenbaum
Director: David Solomon

Cast: Zachary Levi (Chuck Bartowski), Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah Walker), Sarah Lancaster (Ellie Bartowski), Adam Baldwin (Major John Casey), Joshua Gomez (Morgan Grimes), Vik Sahay (Lester), Mark Christopher Lawrence (Big Mike), Bonita Friedericy (General Beckman), Scott Krinsky (Jeff), Julia Ling (Anna Wu), Ilyse Mimoun (Cashier), Noel True (Meg), Gwendoline Yeo (Mei-Ling Cho), Ewan Chung (Lee Cho), James Hong (Ben Lo Pan), Creagen Dow (Teenage Boy), Jesse Heiman (Fernando), Rick Hoffman (Agent Scary) & Victor Wolf (Juan)

Chuck goes on a stakeout of a Chinese restaurant with Sarah and Casey. Meanwhile, Morgan participates in a Buy More sales competition...

"Glocks and a crotch rocket: my kinda gal."

-- John Casey (Adam Baldwin)

5 weeks in and 5 solid laughs. I've resigned myself to approaching Chuck as a light-hearted episode of Alias now, instead of a full-on spy spoof, and it's working. But it really is a crying shame the laughs are so sparse, as the characters and development of said improves every week. Even the stories are beginning to sustain an hour better – even if the cogs of the narrative still need greasing...

It's stakeout duties for geeky hero Chuck (Zachary Levi), as he accompanies government protectors Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) and Casey (Adam Baldwin) outside Chinese restaurant Bamboo Dragon, after "mind-flashing" on assassin Mei-Ling Cho (Gwendoline Yeo), who's working undercover in the kitchen. But it turns out she's there to rescue her brother Lee (Ewan Chung), who has been kidnapped by the Triad managers of the restaurant, led by Ben Lo Pan (Big Trouble In Little China's James Hong; note his character name's similarity to his villain from John Carpenter 80s cult classic.)

For the first time, Chuck's secret life as a walking piece of spy kit clashes more forcefully with his social life, as his mission begins to threatens a "Mother's Day" celebration he religiously participates in with sister Ellie (Sarah Lancaster). Best-friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) also finds he can't count on Chuck's help in winning a Buy More competition – where the "green-shirt" with the least number of sales is going to be fired by Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence.)

Sadly, Chuck Versus The Sizzling Shrimp is another episode where the main story doesn't grab your interest; with its feeble kidnapped brother and vengeful sister plot all rather vague and boring. There are some good moments (like Chuck becoming the "eyes" of Sarah and Casey during a mission, via security camera feeds), but the subplot with Morgan trying to win the Buy More competition actually became more involving. And Chuck himself was written more goofily than usual, sadly.

With few laughs, a disappointing mission, and a lack of Yvonne Strahowski in revealing clothes, the one thing keeping this episode from total failure is the resolutely strong performances from the cast. In particular, Sarah Lancaster got a chance to shine here; and her gradual acceptance of irritating Morgan, together with her mature (though incorrect) acceptance that Chuck's romance with Sarah means she's going to see less of him, was well handled.

Indeed, many episodes seem to spend a solid 5-10 minutes at the end just concentrating on every mission's fallout regarding its characters – and they're always the most interesting part of each episode. But the late reveal that Chuck and Ellie's "Mother's Day" celebrates the day their mother abandoned them, forcing them to fend for themselves, was interesting but awkwardly done.

Overall, the show is certainly improving steadily, even if this episode's story was a notable step backwards compared to recent plots. The writers should be extremely grateful the cast (particularly Levi and Baldwin) are able to rise above the wobbly material and eek out some laughs.

If Chuck was the laugh-riot it should be, you could overlook its plotting deficiencies, but unfortunately it's still stuck in neutral when it comes to tickling the funnybone. Some people like the fact it lacks a scattergun approach to gags (and I agree with that), but you're lucky if you get one worthwhile joke a minute. And that has to change. The opening credits have a mischievous, funny, funky vibe that's still missing from the actual show. Sorry to say.


5 May 2008
Virgin1, 10.00 pm

DIRT 2.2 – "Dirty Slutty Whores"

Writer: Joel Fields
Director: Stephen T. Kay

Cast: Courteney Cox (Lucy Spiller), Ian Hart (Don Konkey), Josh Stewart (Holt McLaren), Alex Breckenridge (Willa McPherson), Ryan Eggold (Farber Kauffman), Tom Arnold (Jimmy Darby), Charlie Webber (Ian), Elisabeth Harnois (Milan Carlton), Jordan Hinson (Christa Darby), Richmond Arquette (Collin De Quisto), Josh Clark (Sam Greer), Kendahl King (Tami G), Thomas Silcott (Alien), Jennifer Leigh Warren (Bee), Alexi Wasser (Naomi), Shi Ne Nielson (Emma), Lauren Sanchez (Entertainment Anchor #1), Mark Thompson (Entertainment Anchor #2) & Giuliana Rancic (Entertainment Anchor #3)

A privileged rich girl is released from jail early, with Lucy quick to get the scoop. Meanwhile, Willa and Farber investigate a video an actor's daughter leaked onto the internet...

"I think I figured out why you hate Milan so much.
She's you. She's all of us. See, we're a nation of spoiled
rich people. Milan's just so extreme that it makes us
feel better by comparison. Really, she's just the part
of ourselves we loathe. That's why we need her. To
make us feel better. That's her job."

-- Don Konkey (Ian Hart)

Dirt's new edict of basing its characters on real celebs goes into overdrive in Dirty Slutty Whores, with a snappy storyline that introduces us to Paris Hilton-alike Milan Carlton (Elisabeth Harnois) and a Alec Baldwin/David Hasselhoff hybrid called Jimmy Darby (Tom Arnold). This mirroring of reality is amusing, if simple-minded, but fortunately rises above lazy pastiche with some acidic twists; as reality is taken to imaginative extremes...

Milan Carlton (named after a European city and hotel chain, a la Paris Hilton) is likewise thrown into jail for reckless driving, although Lucy (Courteney Cox) bets Farber (Ryan Eggold) that she'll be out before midnight. Indeed, celebutante Milan is freed within 24 hours on the back of a spurious medical condition relating to her unannounced pregnancy.

Elsewhere, sitcom star Jimmy Darby's daughter Christa (Jordan Hinson) posts a video of her drunken dad eating dog food off the floor, supposedly in an attempt to snap him out of his alcoholism – but actually to get revenge for a nasty voice-mail he left her. The drunken 'net video is clearly based on David Hasselhoff's YouTube embarrassment, while the voice-mail aspect is inspired by Alec Baldwin's recorded phone rant. Here, Willa (Alexandra Breckenridge) and Farber uncover the fact Christa's homemade video was actually a staged publicity stunt, after acquiring the video-camera's original digital hard-drive.

I'm still not convinced aping real people and storylines is the best move for Dirt to make, but I admit it's quite fun. But what really helps this episode is how Joel Fields' script spends half its time rib-poking the audience with its reality-based plot, before taking things a step further. Milan tries to atone for her crime by going to South-East Asia – ostensibly taking part in charity work, but actually working on her suntan. She's later arrested by the less-forgiving Asian authorities for going topless on a beach and, after they discover drugs on her person, she's humiliated in an extreme punishment that echoed Bart Simpson's treatment by the Australian government. Only harsher.

For the Darby's, patriarch Jimmy admits his drunken doggy act was just a scam to get his daughter her own television show ("Parents 911"), where she can build a career by helping youths with problem parents like her own. Even if her TV career is based on a lie, Jimmy just wants Christa to do something constructive with her life. Lucy agrees to bury his understandable deception, in return for access to Milan's PR expert. He agrees to the deal, and Don (Ian Hart) soon smuggles out the PR man's taped recordings of coaching sessions for his clients – including Milan and her boyfriend being instructed on how to answer tough press questions.

The tape also includes footage of Lucy's on/off lover Holt (Josh Stewart), who she's disappointed to see being told how to answer questions about Julia's recent death. However, Holt's comparative humanity hasn't been defeated by the spin of celebrity, as she then watches him brush off the PR guru and leave his office. It's another example of how Holt refuses to be consumed by the lifestyle he's living, and his "naivety" about how the game is played is clearly something Lucy finds endearing, refreshing and rather noble. Her life may deal in deceit, corruption, lies and flakiness, but in Holt she sees someone who can rise above it all.

The emphasis on these celebrity chimeras means the regular cast are somewhat undernourished with material. Lucy gets a nice face-to-face chat with Milan beside her indoor pool, over a Q&A puff piece, but there's not much else that sticks in the mind. Don also takes a backseat, until his idea to create a rat-infestation to gain access to the PR man's video camera -- although I liked his view on why socialites like Paris Hilton (ahem, Milan Carlton) are famous. See this review's opening quote above. It's a sentiment I agree with.

Willa and Barber's relationship seems like it's going to develop, although it's student/teacher at the moment as he learns the ropes – having to "dumb down" to get into the mindset of a tabloid magazine. There's also a nice scene when he mistakes Willa's offer of a Chinese meal as a date and, despite the fact we learn he has a girlfriend and Willa seems uninterested, it's surely a matter of time before they get together. But where's Brent Barrow; Willa's office lover who made a secret sex tape of her? Actor Jeffrey Nordling appeared briefly last week, but it seems that his role in 24's seventh season (now pushed back to 2009) means his character won't be as a prominent. Which is a shame.

Overall, this was an entertaining hour of fluff drama, and the echoes of reality didn’t become as tedious as I'd imagined, thanks to some welcome twists. That said, basing storylines and characters on reality is going to date Dirt very quickly. The Hilton/Hasselhoff riffs are already a year out of date, so how well will they play in a few years' time? Not very well, I expect. Still, if Dirt wants to be as disposable as tabloid magazines: so be it. Just don't expect anyone to be desperate to catch a repeat in 5 years time...


5 May 2008
Fiver, 9.00 pm

THE PRISONER 1.7 – "Many Happy Returns"

Writer: Anthony Skene

Director: Patrick McGoohan

Cast: Patrick McGoohan (Number Six), Donald Sinden (The Colonel), Patrick Cargill (Thorpe), Georgina Cookson (Mrs. Butterworth), Brian Worth (Group Captain), Richard Caldicot (Commander), Dennis Chinnery (Gunther), Jon Laurimore (Ernst), Nike Arrighi (Gypsy Girl), Grace Arnold (Maid) & Larry Taylor (Gypsy Man)

Number Six wakes up to find the Village has been deserted, allowing him to make his escape...

"You resign. You disappear. You return. You spin a yarn
that Hans Christian Andersen would reject as a fairy tale."

-- Thorpe (Patrick Cargill)

It's perhaps wrong to have Number Six (Patrick McGoohan) escape the Village twice in the first 7 episodes, even if each escape does prove to be a cruel trick. What's strange is that Six continually falls for these elaborate schemes. I mean, really, if you wake up to find the Village deserted, you should guess something's wrong, surely. That said, Many Happy Returns is a great episode, primarily because it allows us to witness Six's ingenuity as a (probable) secret agent...

So yes, Number Six wakes up to find the Village has been abandoned. After roaming around trying to find any signs of life, he eventually comes to believe he's alone. Consequently, he fashions himself a yacht (Six is very good at building makeshift vessels out of tree trunks), and sets sail across the ocean with a homemade compass.

Days pass in Six's journal, as he grows increasingly weak and weather-beaten through exposure to the elements, until he loses consciousness and is boarded by two "pirates" – who steal his provisions and push him overboard to drown. Fortunately, Six isn't quite as weak as he's led them to believe, and clambers aboard their boat unseen. Now with the element of surprise, Six commandeers their vessel and locks them in a cabin. Six reaches the coast, as the pirates escape and a struggle ensues – eventually leading to Six abandoning ship and making a swim for the shore...

Arriving on dry land, Six wanders across the desolate country landscape, eventually coming across a small group of gypsies who don't speak English, but who offer him a drink. Eventually, Six sneaks aboard a vehicle bound for London and arrives in the capital city – still suspicious that even the panorama of a bustling metropolis might somehow be a deception, and paranoid about ordinary passers-by.

Six goes to his London apartment, where he discovers a Mrs Butterworth (Georgina Cookson) now lives. She even has custody of his pride-and-joy; his self-made yellow Lotus. Six later heads to his workplace, where he tries to convince his superiors of his tall story about a mysterious Village where he was held captive all this time. They eventually allow Six to spend some time figuring out where the Village might be located (narrowing down its likely location as somewhere between southern Spain and northern Africa.)

A fighter jet is dispatched with Six in the back, hoping to find the Village during systematic sweeps of the area by air. After hours of work, Six finally notices the familiar Village nestled on the coastline below and signals to the pilot – who turns around saying "be seeing you", before pulling Six's ejector seat. Six parachutes down to the beach and traipses back to his cottage, dejected. The Village is still deserted, but Mrs Butterworth arrives with a birthday cake for him, revealing herself to be the new Number Two. The Village suddenly explodes to life outside, filled with the usual brightly-dressed bandsmen and villagers.

Anthony Skene's script is one of the best, as the story gradually unfolds at an enjoyable pace and almost manages to trick you into thinking Six really has made it home. If it wasn't for the fact I know there are 10 more episodes left, that is. But seeing this episode back in 1967 must have made the late surprise even more devastating.

Directed by co-creator/star Patrick McGoohan, it's also a very slick episode with plenty to recommend as Six's escape gets underway. Amazingly, there isn't a line of spoken dialogue for the first 20-minutes, making the whole episode twice as compelling as it would have been otherwise. These days, there are quite a few examples of TV shows with minimal dialogue (most memorably Millennium's Halloween episode The Curse Of Frank Black), but it must have been quite extraordinary back in the late-60s. It's actually a shame the episode gets so talky towards the end, as those opening near-silent 20-minutes are TV gold.

It stretched credibility that the Village superiors would allow Six to escape (as he might not have been so predictable in going back home, especially with his track record of fooling them), but it works well as a crushing blow to his resolve. And it was great to be reminded of how focused, determined, inventive and skilled Six is. But what's really unsettling is how deep the Village's roots go, as all of Six's superiors are clearly involved in the plot to get answers about why he resigned. That answer must be terribly important if they were willing to empty the Village to instigate his escape – as we've been led to believe that many people in the Village are there to be "interrogated", too. But it never really feels that way. The whole place seems designed to expose Six's secrets, specifically.

Overall, this is a favourite episode of mine. It's well-paced, exciting and tense, with an inevitable rug-pulling end that's still great fun. The script and direction are excellent, while there's a nod to the Village's whereabouts and the whole episode makes Six's situation look hopeless. Even if he does escape, everyone he's worked for will only orchestrate his return, so if he ever does get out – he'll have to disappear.

Trivia

-- The actor playing Number Two is not shown in the opening credits. The only other time this happens is in Arrival.

-- This is the only episode where co-creator George Markstein (who plays the man behind the desk in The Prisoner's opening credits) appears in the show. He makes an uncredited appearance as the man Number Six confronts at a desk after leaving Mrs. Butterworth's.

-- This is the only episode directed by Patrick McGoohan which he didn't also write.

-- Georgina Cookson (Mrs. Butterworth/Number Two) previously played Blond Lady in A. B. And C. She is also the only Number Two to wear a black badge with a white penny farthing symbol.

-- Number Six returned to London on 18 March, approximately 30 days after leaving The Village. This means he escaped around 23 February.


First Aired: 12 November 1967

MAD MEN 1.10 – "The Long Weekend"

Writers: Bridget Bedard, Maria Jacquemetton, Andre Jacquemetton & Matthew Weiner

Director: Tim Hunter

Cast: Vincent Kartheiser (Pete), Jon Hamm (Don), Christina Hendricks (Joan), Elisabeth Moss (Peggy), January Jones (Betty), John Slattery (Roger Sterling), Michael J.X Gladis (Paul), Aaron Staton (Ken), Rich Sommer (Harry), Bryan Batt (Salvatore), Maggie Siff (Rachel Menken), Kate Norby (Carol McCardy), Kiernan Shipka (Sally Draper), Talia Balsam (Mona Sterling), Robert Morse (Bertram Cooper), Elizabeth Rice (Margaret Sterling), Megan Stier (Eleanor Ames), Alexis Stier (Mirabellle Ames), John Walcutt (Franklin Newcomb), Scott Michael Morgan (Ralph Stubbs), Ryan Cutrona (Gene Driscoll) & Allan Miller (Abraham Menken)

Don loses a client's account and Roger tries to cheer him up over a Labor Day weekend stuck in the office. Meanwhile, Joan and her roommate paint the town red...

"Remember, Don: when God closes a door, he opens a dress."

-- Roger Sterling (John Slattery)

Do you find that episodes of Mad Men don't really click until you're about half-way through? I get that feeling a lot. That's not to mean every episode struggles to find its feet, it's just that every story teases you along, keeping its cards close to its chest, until it surprises you with some sudden development and revelations. The Long Weekend is a great example; it coasts along nicely enough, taking place over Labor Day weekend, and then rocks you with a few surprises when you least expect them...

The Nixon campaign gets some significant development, as the ad men realize competitor Kennedy's new TV ads (upbeat, memorable, modern) wipe the floor with Nixon's sombre, old-fashioned address from a desk. They consider doing a negative advert about Kennedy -- as positive ones only help solidify supporter's resolve, but bad publicity can sway on-the-fence voters. Don (Jon Hamm) thinks they should focus on Nixon's grass roots upbringing, as voters might not like Kennedy's background as a recent immigrant who bought his way into Harvard.

Rachel Menken (Maggie Siff) also reappears with her father Abraham (Allan Miller) to see how Don's creative team are doing with their department store re-branding. Mr Menken is open to new ideas, but doesn't want to push away his existing customers with too many big changes. Don impresses Abraham with his insight into customer psyche, and leaves feeling satisfied, if vaguely aware he's been coerced into going along with Don's idea.

Roger (John Slattery) is once again turned down by office girl Joan (Christina Hendricks), despite the fact his wife and daughter are out of town over the Labor Day "long weekend". There are signs now that Joan's had her eyes opened by seeing The Apartment; a film starring Shirley MacLaine as an office girl handed around the office. Instead, Joan decides to paint the town red with her recently-fired roommate Carol (Kate Norby), hoping to pull a few handsome men for them both.

Don is later unsettled when he loses the Dr Scholl account over concerns of creativity, although Roger is philosophical about this unfortunate loss in business: "The day you sign a client is the day you start losing them."

There's also an enjoyable scene between Pete (Vincent Karthesier) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss), with the latter making it clear she's becoming confused and irritated by Pete constantly pestering him. Is he interested in her, or not? Stung by Peggy's newly-acquired confidence and refusal to give in to his usual smarm, Pete leaves her alone.

In an attempt to cheer Don up, Roger takes him to flirt with a group of models (all twins) who have been hired to audition for Cartwright double-sided aluminium. Roger targets Eleanor and Mirabelle Ames (Megan and Alexis Stier), making an executive decision to cast them, before inviting them back to his office for celebratory drinks. Soon after, Roger is flirting outrageously with the twins, making Don increasingly uncomfortable...

As Carol and Joan get ready to hit the town, Carol makes a subtle move on her friend ("I did everything I could to be near you -- all with the hope that one day you would notice me. Joannie, just think of me as a boy..."), but is disappointed when Joan fails to return her feelings. The two women head out, looking for men, and later return with one apiece: Franklin (John Walcutt), a Fordham college professor, and Ralph (Scott Michael Morgan), a carpenter. Joan tales Franklin to her room under the pretence of changing a light bulb for her, as Ralph makes a move on Carol, despite her initial reservations.

Back at the office, Don and Eleanor hear a scream and rush into Roger's office to find him half-naked and having a heart attack, brought on by the sexual activity with Mirabelle. Don has the girls call for an ambulance before leaving, and accompanies his randy boss to the hospital. A little later, Roger is recovering in bed, and his brush with death has him contemplate "human energy" or a "soul", before his wife and daughter arrive. Don leaves Roger's family alone as they embrace and break down into tears.

Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse) is anxious that the Sterling Cooper's clients don't get worried about Roger's hospitalization, so calls Joan into the office late at night to send telegrams to everyone. Upon hearing the news about her lover's heart-attack, Joan tries to control her feelings, but she's surprised when Cooper later warns her not to waste her youth on age, indicating he's aware of his business partner's office romance with her.

At the hospital, Don calls Betty to cancel their short break to the beach house with her visiting father and aunt, before he catches sight of another Kennedy TV advert playing in a waiting room. The ad includes a clip of President Eisenhower rubbishing Nixon; an sly but effective way for the Kennedy campaign to destroy the Nixon threat. How can they possibly counter the current President's lack of faith in their client?

In a daze of confused emotions, Don goes to see Rachel Menken, who lets him and makes him a drink. Don opens up to her -- telling her a story about being a pall bearer at a funeral, where he first realized how fleeting life is. They have sex, but only after Don asks her permission. Afterwards, Don and Rachel lie together naked, and Don once again feels comfortable enough to open up – revealing that his mother was a prostitute who died in childbirth. He was taken in by his biological father and his wife, although his drunken dad later died after being kicked by a horse. Young Don consequently spent his childhood being raised by his stepmother and her new lover...

I was a little worried that four writers had a hand in this episode, but it doesn't seem to have helped or hindered the story. The sexual antics of Roger are becoming increasingly fraught, although his heart-attack could see him turn over a new leaf now. Who knows. And, most notably, Don's shadowy past just got a little more penetrable in a scene that was treated as almost throwaway. So, he's the son of a whore and a drunk, who was raised by country bumpkins. I never really expected the revelations to be earth-shattering stuff, but is that really it? Hopefully not. There are still 3 episodes left, so there must be something more to it. No?

The scene between Bertram Cooper and Joan was also very nice, as he's clearly a lot more knowledgeable about what goes on in his business than we thought. He's been written as the kind of unseen "silent" partner, content to just play games in his office, drink alcohol, and occasionally sit in on some meetings, but Cooper's clearly the brains of the outfit. Someone who has a better work ethic than his overly-sexed partner Roger. It would be interesting to see Cooper's home life in the future. I have a suspicion he's the antithesis of most of the ad men who work for him.

We also got a bit of added complication for Joan, now that her room-mate has revealed her affections for her. At the moment the homosexual characters (Salvatore, and now Carol) aren't getting much to do on the show, and it's all coming a bit late in the season. I suspect Mad Men isn’t really going to tackle the gay issue until season 2, but the seeds have been sown here for a Joan/Carol/Roger love-triangle. Well, unless Roger sees the light and realizes he has a loving family, who are worth living for.

The Peggy/Pete relationship was reduced to a single scene. But it was a good one. Peggy is certainly finding herself empowered just recently, and I gave an inner cheer when she cut to the chase regarding Pete's hot-and-cold treatment of her. Their uneasy relationship is one of the best subplots in Mad Men, and I'm still undecided on whether Pete has genuine feelings for Peggy, or not. But this episode swayed me to the opinion that he's just an immature player; someone who enjoys playing mind-games and likes the thrill of an illicit workplace affair.

Throughout it all, the Nixon campaign popped up a few times – which we already know Kennedy is going to win. Don was bitter enough about losing the Dr Scholl account, so how's he going to take it when the Nixon campaign fails to bring home the presidency for his client? And how badly will that failure impact on Sterling Cooper? Roger seemed level-headed about losing Scholl, but Nixon looks to be one of the biggest clients Sterling Cooper has ever had.

And will Abraham Menken discover Don's sleeping with his daughter now? That's hardly professional, is it? Is this whole season building towards Don's entire life being blown apart, as his affairs are exposed, his unsavoury past revealed, and his business decisions backfire? Perhaps. But it perhaps won't be that disastrous, as there's a second season on the way...

Overall, I enjoyed The Long Weekend, although it took awhile to really grip me, and the understated nature of Don revealing important aspects of his past was a little disappointing. I really hope the show hasn't been building such high expectations about Don's history, if it doesn't have anything to provide a satisfying pay-off. Still, I'm always intrigued and entertained by Mad Men, and things should only get better now we're approaching the big finale...


4 May 2008
BBC Four, 10.00 pm

PUSHING DAISIES 1.5 – "Girth"

Writer: Katherine Lingenfelter

Director: Peter O'Fallon

Cast: Anna Friel (Chuck), Lee Pace (Ned), Chi McBride (Emerson), Kristin Chenoweth (Olive), Jim Dale (Narrator), Ellen Greene (Vivian), Swoosie Kurtz (Lily), Field Cate (Young Ned), Barbara Barrie (Mamma Jacobs), Hamish Linklater (John Joseph Jacobs), Carlos Alazraqui (Gordon), Ralph P. Martin (Pinky McCoy), Christopher Neiman (Lucas Shoemaker), Leyna Nguyen (Newscaster) & Jon Eric Price (Ned's Father)

On Halloween, Olive hires Emerson to track down a horse-riding ghost who's been killing jockeys...

"Though Olive Snook had won the race for her life, in the race
for the pie-maker's heart, she had once again placed second."

-- Narrator (Jim Dale)

Ah, the Halloween special. They're always good fun, and Pushing Daisies' supernatural premise would seem like a great basis for some spooky goings-on. The story this week revolves around the ghost of world-famous jockey John Joseph Jacobs (Hamish Linklater), who appears to have returned from beyond the grave to avenge his death, by killing jockeys who were instrumental in his tragic downfall. Olive (Kristin Chenoweth) asks for Emerson's (Chi McBride) help in solving the mystery behind J.J.J, in an episode that plays very much like an episode of Scooby Doo...

It's actually something of a relief that Girth sidesteps the usual emphasis on Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck's (Anna Friel) relationship, as there's only so much saccharine romance you can stomach. Instead, this episode notably pushes Ned into the background, after resurrecting a few trampled jockeys, and the focus actually settles onto Olive and Emerson for once. Girth reveals that Olive was once a professional jockey (which I can buy into because of diminutive Kristen Chenoweth's 4'11" stature), and hides a dark secret about the circumstances of J.J.J's death.

The whole episode is built on the idea of ghosts from the past returning to figuratively haunt people on Halloween, as it's revealed in flashbacks that Young Ned (Field Cate) discovered his father left home and moved in with a new wife and two new sons on Halloween. There's a wonderful scene where Young Ned, hidden under a blanket as a trick-or-treating ghost, interacts with his father without his knowledge.

For Olive, the past involves her part in a sinister plot with other jockeys (who now appear to be on a vengeful spirit's hit-list), while Chuck grapples with her guilt over allowing her aunts Lily (Swoosie Kurtz) and Vivian (Ellen Greene) to think she's dead. Also nice to see the antagonism between Chuck and Olive increase, as Olive thinks Chuck has faked her death for some ominous reason, unaware that Ned resurrected her with his magic touch.

Pushing Daisies continues to impress me with its stylized world and day-glo colours, but this episode wisely gives us a break from the usual retina-burning extravagance. As a Halloween episode, it's uses a darker colour palette than previous episodes, with shadowy horse stables and a few night-time sequences. But it's still slightly disappointing as a Halloween episode, as it wasn't particularly scary or creepy enough to get under your skin, despite the presence of a fire-breathing horse that seemed to reference The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow in the teaser.

It's a shame, but fortunately this episode gave us a lot of character development – particularly for Ned, whose childhood flashbacks get more relevant as the week's pass by, and Olive with her jockeying past. Chi McBride remains underutilized as Emerson, but his injections of cynicism are wonderful and really help keep the show balanced.

Unfortunately, like a great many US mystery shows, the identity of the spectral horse-rider becomes a little bit obvious towards the end, but the way various clues are spread throughout the story very well, and the specifics regarding J.J.J's death are amusingly strange and engaging. I particularly loved the performance by Barbara Barrie as Mamma Jacobs, a character who could give Emerson a lesson in sarcasm and the art of barbed put-downs.

Katherine Lingenfelter's script also had some memorable laughs (such as Olive's weak attempt to open the tomb with a shovel), and a sublime ending with Ned using his childhood ghost-blanket idea to allow Chuck to interact with her aunts for the first time since her death. It was surprisingly touching, so the actors are certainly doing their job in making the human relationships work, amidst all the peculiarities of Pushing Daisies' universe...

Overall, Girth was a great episode only let down by a central mystery that didn't quite provide the necessary punch after such a build-up. And how the horse could breathe fire was never explained! But, despite some flaws, the character development for Olive and Ned was excellent, and the show continues to provide an hour of charm, giggles and sweetness. It's not the perfect treat for Halloween (on account of its cartoon-level of scares), but it's hardly a nasty trick either.


3 May 2008
ITV1, 9.10 pm

DIRT 2.1 – "Welcome To Normal"

Writer & Director: Matthew Carnahan

Cast: Courteney Cox (Lucy Spiller), Ian Hart (Don Konkey), Josh Stewart (Holt McLaren), Alex Breckenridge (Willa McPherson), Ryan Eggold (Farber Kauffman), Laura Allen (Julia Mallory), Will McCormack (Leo Spiller), Jeffrey Nordling (Brent Barrow), Shauna Stoddart (Terry), David Figlioli (Miles), Anne L. Nathan (Dr. Shalba), Tom Schmid (ER Doctor), Saundra McClain (ER Nurse), Anna Khaja (Nurse), Shi Ne Nielson (Emma), Ashley Johnson (Sharlee Cates), Robert Benedict (Keith Straub) & Kiersten Warren (Martina Linn)

Lucy awakens from her coma after the knife attack by Julia, as Don's schizophrenia improves...

"Listen, if I can survive whatever is lurking inside
Don's car, I can survive anything!"

-- Lucy Spiller (Courteney Cox)

Last year I took a chance watching Dirt, fuelled only by a fondness for Courteney Cox (although I detest Friends), and I was glad I took the risk. Dirt was certainly flawed and a bit lazy in its ambitions at times, but it was usually good fun and superficially entertaining – like the gossip rags it revolves around. Cox was good as tabloid editor super-bitch Lucy Spiller, Ian Hart regularly stole the show as ratty schizophrenic paparazzo Don Konkey, and the array of zany storylines across its 13 episodes kept my interest.

The show returns for a second season, sadly cut down to 7 episodes because of the US writers' strike. And there are other tweaks to the show that might cause some upset. All the episodes will be more self-contained (which isn't a bad idea, as the narrative became impenetrable for newcomers last year), there are snazzy new opening credits (a dubious rock n' roll version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"!), and a few cosmetic changes to things like location legend graphics. But the really notable changes come from the toning down of the characters; which is sure to cause a split amongst fans...

Welcome To Normal is a fitting title, as last year's exaggerated outlook on tabloid journalism is reigned in considerably here. Lucy obviously survives the knife attack by Julia (Laura Allen), who is rather oddly written out in this premiere's teaser – as Lucy's brother Leo (Will McCormack) hits her with his car as she flees the crime scene. Indeed, it's quite irritating how quickly last year's cliffhangers are wrapped up, although I'm sure Leo's hit-and-run incident will come back to bite him. Its a shame Julia's gone, but understandable. Her character had nowhere else to go after a hectic and very eventful role in season 1.

Before too long, Lucy comes out of her coma and starts trying to run her magazine from a hospital bed, much to best-friend Don's utter dismay. But she's clearly needed back at DirtNow, as her staff have failed to capitalize on the Lucy/Julia story that fell into their laps, enabling rival publication Icon magazine to make some headway in sales. After hiring Farber Kauffman (Ryan Eggold), an enterprising reporter from L.A Weekly who manages to sneak into Lucy's room for an exclusive story, Lucy's soon back at work trying to rally her troops and make DirtNow #1 again...

But it's a different Lucy than we're used to. She's still determined, razor-sharp, opinionated and intrepid, but there's less of the overt cynicism and bitchiness. Her brush with death seems to have given a different outlook on life, as she tackles her work for sheer enjoyment – with no hint of the overzealous pursuit of success, power and influence from season 1. It remains to be seen if this tweaking to Lucy's character will work, but it's fine for this post-coma episode at least. One thing Dirt did struggle with last year was how best to write Lucy – as super-bitches are great characters, but can alienate viewers who just find them dislikeable. It seems that creator Matthew Carnahan (writer and director of this premiere) has decided to soften Lucy a bit... but hopefully she won't lose her edge too much.

Don is also altered, as he begins to realize his schizophrenia is drying up now he's taking regular medication. This is perhaps a wise move (for the time being, at least), as some of Don's bizarre visions last year became slightly overbearing and often seemed to treat schizophrenia too lightly. Don is definitely one of the most engaging characters on the show (as the only "nice guy"), so hopefully we can look forward to seeing more of him as a three-dimensional person, rather than a lens for weird visuals and abstract kookiness. This episode already has him taking care of Lucy after her trauma (in a nice reversal of their relationship last time), so things look promising...

The actual tabloid-related plots are rather bland here, unfortunately. The edict in season 2 is apparently to have storylines and celebs based on real-life events and people. So here we find Sharlee Cates (Ashley Johnson), a Britney Spears-style pop princess in the midst of a public meltdown, and Martina Linn (Kiersten Warren), clearly based on gold-digger Anna Nicole Smith. Both characters are set-up to be continuing threads for the season, even if each episode is going to reflect the weekly "issue" format of the fictional DirtNow.

But is it wise for a show like Dirt to rip characters straight from reality like this? The show already struggled to outdo real tabloid stories last year, so I don't see the sense in copying them outright. Why should viewers tune in for pale imitations of real people and real lives? I don't need a TV show for that fix, I can pick up Heat magazine.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed by this premiere. Season 1's life-or-death cliffhanger was brushed under the carpet within minutes, and I have a suspicion that the show's change in attitude will lead to weaker episodes. I agree with the decision to ditch the intense serialization, but softening Lucy and journo Willa (Alex Breckenridge) seems like a mistake. I'm personally hoping Lucy gets her groove back soon, and hope the show's quest for reinvention doesn't lead to it becoming a pale, toothless hack...


28 April 2008
Fiver, 9.00 pm

200,000 Hits!

I think it's worth celebrating 200,000 hits, don't you? That's quite a milestone. DMD hit 100,000 hits back in Jan 07, so that means there's been an average of 6,666 people visiting here every month since then. The devil's number. Oh dear. The stats give the exact number of pageloads as much, much higher -- so I'll go with that.*

But it's just numbers. Although obviously I'm glad people are reading and seem to be coming back. There's nothing more disheartening than putting a lot of effort into a blog that isn't read by anyone. Any fool can throw up a tonne of photos of naked women and watch the stats rocket as Google points everyone their way. I do this because I'm a bit opinionated, like to share information, maybe hope to change peoples' minds about certain films/TV, and just generally enjoy talking about the media.

So I've definitely enjoyed this past year, blog-wise. I'm reviewing a lot more TV and films than ever before, people are commenting more readily on posts, and the blog has generated some interest from outside agencies -- with links from the likes of Guardian Unlimited and offers of (sadly unpaid) work from other websites. So that's been good to see.

If you're one of the returning visitors to DMD, my heartfelt thanks for reading the thoughts and opinions of a fellow TV viewer -- especially if you've subscribed in Bloglines, Google Reader, or some other blog-feed software. I really do appreciate it. The feed's here if you haven't.

Oh, and if you've been directed here by a search engine because there are a few photos of Anne Hathaway, Hayden Panetierre, Lucy Griffiths and Angelina Jolie dotted around -- hey, there's plenty more to see! Honestly. So take a look around! :)


* My maths is terrible, so maybe I've made a mistake calculating these figures. 6,666 people per month doesn't sound right, as 3,200 have already visited DMD in May 08! Oh, whatever. 100,000 people since Jan 07 anyway and 200,000 in total since the blog began...

TV Week 2 @ Newslite.tv

My new TV Week column at Newslite.tv seemed to go down well (a lot of Yvonne Strahovski love out there), so here comes Week 2 -- with reviews for the excellent Mad Men, the return of Peep Show and the last Bionic Woman. Check it out and leave a comment!

SUNDAY'S SEX SIREN: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, daughter of screen legend Jon Voight, has become a Hollywood heavyweight with the accompanying celebrity lifestyle (hunk boyfriend Brad Pitt, assortment of adopted children), through a combination of extraordinary physical beauty, acting talent, and film choices that aren't always wise, but keep her firmly in the public eye.

Initially a gawky child (teased by other kids for her thin stature, glasses and braces), Jolie became something of a rebellious outcast in her youth, collecting knives (which she used to self-harm), dreaming of becoming a funeral director, and spending her time with her boyfriend moshing in clubs. She started theatre studies, but instead became a model at the age of 14, which gave her a globe-trotting career at an impressionable age, and appeared in numerous music videos -- such as Meat Loaf's "Rock & Roll Dreams Come True".

In 1993, she got her first movie role in low-budget sci-fi Cyborg 2, before making something of a splash in Hackers ('95) alongside British actor Jonny Lee Miller – whom she married a year later. In typical Jolie fashion, she wore a white skirt with her groom's name written in her own blood. They divorced in '99.

During their marriage, Jolie made her breakthrough with Playing God ('97) opposite The X-Files' David Duchovny, and won a Golden Globe the same year for her performance as Cornelia Wallace in a biopic of George Wallace. Gia ('98) was another notable role in her early career, with Jolie playing real-life supermodel Gia Carangi. Her performance bagged her a Screen Actors Guild Award and was the first film to overtly play on her attractiveness and sexuality, with a few nude (including one with Lost actress Elizabeth Mitchell!)

More roles followed, including Pushing Tin ('99) alongside Billy Bob Thornton – whom she married a year later. In typical Jolie fashion, she wore the blood of her husband in a vial around her neck. The celebrity couple's oddball relationship fuelled the tabloids for many months, helping establish Angelina Jolie as a big-name showbiz star. Her biggest critical success came in '99 when she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted – where she played a mentally ill woman. The Oscar success firmly established her as Hollywood hot property, with beauty and the talent to back it up.

Massive successes came her way very quickly, particularly when she became the embodiment of video-game heroine Lara Croft in Tomb Raider ('01) and its sequel ('03). Both films received bad-to-average reviews, but everyone agree that Jolie was perfectly cast and made for a compelling action star. After a positive start to her post-Oscar career, Jolie's career decisions took a downward turn almost immediately, with roles in box-office turkeys like CGI/live-action hyrbrid Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow ('04), animation Shark Tale ('04) and Oliver Stone's Alexander ('04) all in the same year.

In 2005, Jolie became the talk of Tinstletown when she was revealed as "the other woman" coming between Hollywood married couple Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. Pitt had reportedly fallen for Jolie's charms while working with her on big-budget action thriller Mr & Mrs Smith. The rumours proved to be true when Pitt and Aniston divorced, and Jolie started a relationship with Pitt. Consequently, Mr & Mrs Smith became a summer blockbuster on the back of the lead's real-life romance – and was the success Jolie really needed after '04s run of disasters. Since then, her professional career has been trying to balance "event movies" (''07s Beowulf, '08s Wanted and Kung Fu Panda) with films that earn her some critical respect ('06s The Good Shepherd, '07s A Mighty Heart).

But it's her private life that currently fuels Angelina Jolie's celebrity month-to-month. She adopted Maddox, a Cambodian-born boy, in 2002 and Zachara, an Ethiopian-born girl, in 2006. After getting involved with Pitt, he has since legally adopted Jolie's children, and the couple have their own child together – Shiloh, born in May '06. In 2007, Jolie also adopted a Vietnamese boy called Pax after he was found abandoned at a local hospital. There are currently reports that Jolie is pregnant again.

It's something of a shame for fans that Angelina Jolie isn't more present at the movies, but who can blame her when she has kids and Brad Pitt waiting at home. That said, she returns this summer with comic-book action flick Wanted (which plays on her dangerous, alluring, tough-as-nails, sexy-as-hell allure – which helped Tomb Raider and Mrs & Mrs Smith do so well.)

It seems people are less interested whenever she does serious films, as The Good Shepherd and A Mighty Heart both underperformed, which seems to suggest she can't quite escape her looks. Her large eyes, cat-like features, large breasts, long legs, toned body and iconic plump lips single her out as a fantasy figure, so her roles are probably quite limited. You have to do an awful lot of work to tone her down, or make her look ugly – and I'm sure that's the last thing most studio execs want to do with someone as attractive as Angelina Jolie! So she's in a bit of a Catch-22.

Oh well, I can't feel much sympathy for her. Being too attractive is a good flaw to have! And she really does make a perfect female action star. The added twist of her odd lifestyle and rumours of an energetic and masochistic sex life helps keeps fans interested and intrigued. She's definitely one of those super-confident, fiercely sexual women that excite (and frighten) red-blooded men, while the fact she's bisexual clearly helps her reach a wide, appreciative audience.


Name: Angelina Jolie Voight
Birthdate: 4 June 1975
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA