Poll Result: which was the best Christmas/New Year TV treat this year?

Last week I asked you to vote for your THREE favourite Christmas/New Year TV shows/specials that aired in the UK. The full results of my poll are below, with quick comments from myself. After 103 votes, it's a fairly surprising result the further down the list you go...

MSN TV: ITV1's MR SELFRIDGE & Sky1's GLEE - 'The New Rachel'

Over at MSN today: I've reviewed ITV1's expensive new period drama MR SELFRIDGE, starring Entourage's Jeremy Piven as the eponymous US retail magnate; and Sky1's season 4 premiere of GLEE entitled "The New Rachel".

The BBC weren't pleased when their remake of Upstairs, Downstairs was outshone by ITV's Downton Abbey a few years ago, so they got revenge by forcing ITV to delay Mr Selfridge in the wake of their outwardly similar period drama The Paradise. Or that's the popular theory. I'm not sure it worked, because The Paradise was only a moderate hit and didn't capture the public's imagination; whereas Mr Selfridge feels like it has a better chance to soar because of the channel's association with Downton and perfect Sunday night scheduling.

Continue reading "Mr Selfridge" at MSN TV...

I liked Glee when it began, but it's weakened over time, so I came to season 4's premiere with low expectations. "The New Rachel" was better than anticipated, given the challenges of replacing old characters while maintaining a separate storyline in New York. Nevertheless, it's easy to imagine it falling back into a rut once the juice of new characters has been squeezed a few times.

Continue reading "Glee" at MSN TV...

TV Picks: 7-13 January 2013 (American Dad!, Death in Paradise, New Normal, Primeval: New World, Revenge, Spies of Warsaw, Stargazing Live, Stella, World Without End, etc.)

Below are my picks of the most notable TV shows debuting on UK TV screens this week...

Twitter'd: SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN

Some wry observations, quips, wisecracks and thoughts on the big-budget fairy tale movie, compiled from my Twitter feed using Storify...

MSN TV: ITV1's SPLASH!

Over on MSN today: I review the premiere of ITV1's celebrity diving show SPLASH!, which is their new light entertainment hope for Saturday nights. As I can't resist puns, do you think it sank or swam?

I can understand the thinking behind Splash! getting commissioned by ITV; in the wake of the sport's increased popularity thanks to Tom Daley's sex symbol status, the desire to extend the nation's athletic positivity post-Olympics (also a reason the BBC revived Superstars, also with Gabby Logan), and a format that doesn't taking itself seriously. The latter point is worth further thought, seeing as the show felt as throwaway and knowingly pointless as the BBC's Let's Dance for Comic Relief (which likewise has celebs doing something out of their comfort zone and receiving tongue-in-cheek analysis). The difference is that Let's Dance has the excuse of existing for charitable reasons, whereas ITV assumedly believe Splash! has potential to be an honest success. Bombing isn't allowed on the show, but tell that to the ratings.

Continue reading at MSN TV...

Movie Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)

It's the superhero movie few people wanted, unlike when Marvel decided they should have another stab at The Incredible Hulk when Ang Lee's ill-advised psychodrama flopped at the 2003 box-office and they called in Louis Leterrier for 2008's quasi-sequel. What rankles more about The Amazing Spider-Man is how they don't even pretend Sam Raimi's still-warm trilogy existed, and ask audiences to just accept the change in cast and darker tone. So here comes the well-known origin story yet again, minus all excitement that we're seeing the character transposed from page to screen.

MERLIN: what was magic, what was tragic?

The dust has settled on the BBC's Smallville-inspired telefantasy Merlin, which drew a curtain on five series last Christmas Eve, so now we can reflect on its highs and lows as a completed work. To that end, I've compiled a list of my positive and negative thoughts below for you to read. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course...

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 3.9 & 3.10 – 'The Wish' & 'Amends'

Buffy: World is what it is. We fight, we die. Wishing doesn't change that.
Giles: I have to believe in a better world.
Buffy: Go ahead. I have to live in this one.

There have been hundreds of stories involving alternate universes, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer was always going to tackle this sub-genre in some way or another. The result was "THE WISH" from Marti Noxon; a terrific episode that made up for in entertainment value what it lacked in originality. The "be careful what you wish for..." moral has been done to death, but I had a huge amount of fun watching this Sunnydale dystopia—which not only allowed the lead actors to act out of character (which is always great), but also turned Cordelia (Charisma Carpenter) into the lead for awhile, and enabled the return of season 1 arch-villain The Master (Mark Metcalfe)...

Poll: which was the best Christmas/New Year TV treat this year?

The traditional British fortnight of Christmas specials and TV treats is practically over, but which shows were your favourite? Below is a list of the main shows vying for Briton's attention this year, and you can choose THREE that entertained you the most. You can also include ONE show of your own choosing.

(I'd appreciate people only vote if they were in a position to have watched most of these shows – i.e. you spent Christmas in the UK. Otherwise global Doctor Who and Downton Abbey votes may corrupt results...) Thank you!

2013: Television To Look Forward To

Happy New Year! It's 2013, which can mean only one thing: lots of brand new and returning television shows! Below is a list of some notable shows that are soon to be hitting the airwaves (or internet in a few cases!) I'm sure I've forgotten some, and a few premiere dates may change, but this chronological list should give you a pretty good idea what to expect over the next six months or so. Feel fee to leave a comment about my choices, and add some of your own! (Updated: 09/01/13)