BIONIC WOMAN 1.7 – "Trust Issues"

Writer: Kerry Ehren
Director: Alex Chapple

Cast: Michelle Ryan (Jaime Sommers), Molly Price (Ruth Truewell), Miguel Ferrer (Jonas Bledsoe), Lucy Hale (Becca Sommers), Isaiah Washington (Antonio Pope), Kevin Rankin (Nathan), Jordan Bridges (Tom Hastings), Roger R. Cross (Bomani), Stefanie Samuels (Sniper/Julianne), Aubrey Arnason (Girl Agent), Jason Coleman (Guy Agent) & Julian Christopher (President Rudan)

Jaime and Antonio must stop the assassination of an African head of state on US soil, but Jaime begins to wonder if she can trust her colleague...

"Is that why James Bond never had a steady girlfriend?"

-- Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan)

After seven episodes, Bionic Woman is still chasing a winning formula, but it could all be academic. The concept and its execution are just too predictable and old-fashioned to grab my attention, and nearly every episode just seems to be going through the motions.

In the current climate of high-concept, imaginative science-fiction, simply outfitting a sexy woman with "super powers" and dumping her in a clandestine government agency is terribly stale. Still, with better creative direction, it may have become a super-charged Alias replacement, but there's no evidence of the freshness and spark J.J Abrams endowed his female spy series with.

In Trust Issues, Jaime (Michelle Ryan) helps Antonio (Isaiah Washington) protect an unpopular African dictator from assassination, although matters are complicated when she overhears Antonio colluding with the assassin. Back at home, new CIA agent boyfriend Tom (Jordan Bridges) is invited to dinner, to meet Jaime's younger sister Becca (Lucy Hale).

On the surface, this would seem to have all the ingredients for a diverting adventure (with some juicy betrayal thrown in), but it's all played out very straight and never holds your interest. This is mostly because the political elements (being fictional) are difficult to get involved with, while President Rudan (Julian Christopher) isn't very sympathetic, so I actually hoped the assassin would put a bullet through this tyrant's head.

The subplot with Jaime hoping to get her sisters approval of Tom isn't terrible -- but it's distracting, and makes you question how Jaime can so easily juggle work and home commitments. Her profession is almost treated like a nine-to-five job, with Jaime only occasionally being called to action at inopportune moments.

I'm just not invested in any characters or situations here, and Jaime herself seems to be getting quite mouthy and irritatingly back-chats psychiatrist Ruth (Molly Price) in one scene. I think Michelle Ryan is doing the best she can with the material, but she only really shines in the home-life interludes with sister and boyfriend.

Interestingly, this episode does end with a moderate bang at a horse racing track – with a wonderful leaping visual for Jaime, and the surprisingly death of a main character.

Of course, the death has zero emotional effect on the audience, as the only regular character worth caring about is Jaime. The whole of the Berkut Group could die in a horrible gas attack, and I'd actually be glad the show has a chance to recast – although Kevin Rankin is proving quite amusing, despite a clichéd role as tech-geek Nathan.

The culling of a character was either an intentional move by the writers to streamline their messy cast, a pre-planned "shock" that hasn't worked because the writing has been lacking for that character, or the actor just asked to leave – and became the first rat to leave this sinking ship...

I really want to be enthralled by Bionic Woman, but it's a pale shadow of other spy-based shows, and seems unable to make its bionic concept count for anything. Imagine if Alias gave Sidney robotic limbs? Or if 24's Jack Bauer was also a prototype cyborg? The shows would write themselves! But the writers of Bionic Woman only seem capable of sub-par terrorist stories and reheated teen drama -- with a bit of super-hearing, sniper-vision and amazing jumps thrown in for good measure.


14 November 2007
NBC, 8/7c pm

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: RAZOR (2007)

Writer: Michael Taylor
Director: Felix Enriquez Alcalá

Cast: Michelle Forbes (Admiral Helena Cain), Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen (Kendra Shaw), Graham Beckel (Jack Fisk), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Edward James Olmos (Adama), Jamie Bamber (Apollo), Tricia Helfer (Gina Inviere/Number Six), Mary McDonnell (Roslin), Grace Park (Sharon), Nico Cortez (Young William Adama), Matthew Bennett (Aaron Doral), Michael Hogan (Tigh), Vincent Gale (Peter Laird), Fulvio Cecere (Lt. Alastair Thorne), Steve Bacic (Colonel Jurgen Belzen) & John Heard (Commander Barry Garner)

Flashbacks reveal the events surrounding the Battlestar Pegasus – both during the Cylon attack on mankind, and after discovering the Battlestar Galactica...

As we await the final season of Battlestar Galactica, the feature-length prequel Razor will definitely satiate fans suffering withdrawal symptoms...

Written by Michael Taylor, Razor is a story of two flashbacks: one that's essentially a lost episode (set after the events of season 2's Pegasus Part II), and the other revealing what happened to the Battlestar Pegasus when the Cylons attacked...

The first half of Razor focuses on the Pegasus' history, as we're introduced to notorious ball-breaker Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes), through the eyes of new crewman Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen).

Moments after Kendra boards the Pegasus, gets lost, and has her ear chewed by Cain, the Cylons attack the Scorpion Shipyards where the Pegasus is docked. Fortunately, in the ensuing chaos, Pegasus manages to get its FTL drive online and makes a blind jump to safety -- to lick its wounds and debate retaliation.

The second half is mostly set 10 months after those events, with Kendra the only main character Pegasus survivor and engaged in a suicide mission alongside Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), masterminded by Caine's replacement Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber).

The storyline also finds time for a brief fan-pleasing flashback to the First Cylon War, where we meet a Young William Adama (the uncannily similar Nico Cortez), who discovers the Cylons' early experiments to make themselves appear human... just as the Armistice is signed and the original war between man and machine draws to an end. Well, okay, a half-time break.

As much as I enjoyed the Pegasus episodes in season 2, I don't think a prequel movie was really called for. We don't learn much that we didn't know, or have assumed – although the continuity afforded by jumping back in time is quite welcome. I particularly like how Cylon mole Gina (Tricia Helfer) is revealed to have a sexual relationship with Caine, making her eventual capture, torture and sexual abuse even more disturbing than it was before.

Michelle Forbes again impresses as Caine, a tough-as-nails character who totally avoids the cliché of having her icy heart slowly melted. In fact, she just becomes crazier as Razor progresses, culminating with an astonishing way to keep her crew loyal through fear. As genre fans have know for years, Forbes is excellent and Caine's a magnetic character to watch on-screen, despite being irredeemably callous.

The bulk of Razor is carried by Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen as Kendra, and she does a great job of making a brand new character seem like an old-hand almost immediately.

The regular actors are as dependable as always, particularly Jamie Bamber as Apollo, Edward James Olmos as Adama and Katee Sackhoff as Starbuck. The other characters only have minor roles (which is disappointing for fans of Mary McDonnell's Roslin, Michael Hogan's Tigh and Grace Park's Sharon), while fan-favourite Baltar is sadly absent.

If you view this is an unseen episode, Razor works very well, although for the majority of the audience, it's little more than a curiosity piece. An appetiser before the show restarts properly.

The special effects are beyond reproach for TV, and amongst the show's most spectacular. The Cylon attack of the Scorpion Shipyards are particularly stunning, while fans will get a kick out of seeing some retro Cylon design -- with CGI versions of the tin-heads from Glen Larson's original 70s series, one of whom utters the iconic line "by your command".

But, in the grand scheme of things, Razor could quite easily be skipped over and you wouldn't miss much. The only thing that provides new information to the up-to-date viewer, is a moment when Kendra discovers the first Cylon Hybrid aboard a Basestar muttering "all this has happened before, and will happen again..." over and over...

The cyclical nature of life has been a recurring theme on the show for awhile now; that we're all puppets acting out roles in life, which are changed after every "performance". Oh, and the Hybrid's thoughts on Starbuck's significance is very illuminating! Those moments are Razor's only significant baring on the regular series, and little gems for fans to dissect until season 4 rocks up...

Overall, Razor is great fun and very entertaining, but the fact it's a prequel robs it of dramatic impact -- because you always know who lives and who will die. Still, if you treat it as a "lost episode" with fan-pleasing nods to the original 70s series, it's very hard to hate.

Sadly, it's not essential viewing, but it's a fine companion piece to regular Battlestar Galactica, kept alive by fine performances from Forbes and Chaves-Jacobsen, the enjoyably sticky war crimes storyline, and truly epic visuals...


18 December 2007
Sky One, 9.00 pm

TRAILER PARK: The Dark Knight

Why so serious?

Background: As if you didn't know! It's the sequel to 2005's Batman Begins, again starring Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Michael Caine as Alfred, but with Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes, and the unusual choice of Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) as master criminal The Joker...

Review: Well, it was worth the wait. This is a dazzling little glimpse at, primarily, Ledger's performance as The Joker -- and he's every inch the psychotic, frightening lunatic from the gritty comics. To be honest, the trailer needs a few watches for the performance to really sink in, as it's so different to Jack Nicholson's or any other incarnation.

Batman himself takes a backseat, although there are some fun scenes of him on his "bat-pod" cycle (cape flapping) and crushing a car that he jumps onto. But it's The Joker we're all here to see, and the Joker-vs-Batman confrontations should have real spark and malice to them. I can't wait for summer '08.

Prediction: Undoubtedly, this will be a huge hit -- particularly because Begins was such a resounding success, and the prospect of The Joker appearing in director Christopher Nolan's take on this comic-book hero is mouth-watering. The caped crusader may not rule the summer box-office (thanks to the return of a certain whip-wielding archaeologist), but he'll be the dark, punkier alternative.

HD Medium (24 MB)
HD High (74 MB)
HD Best (96 MB)

A little note: unless your computer is sufficiently top-spec, I found that the high/best versions of these trailers can freeze a bit. Maybe it's just me, but... just so you know.

LIVE AT THE APOLLO 3.5 – Dara O'Briain, Stephen K. Amos & Frankie Boyle

The final part of this stand-up comedy mix was hosted by Irish comedian Dara O'Briain, best known in the UK for his presenting of satirical panel show Mock The Week...

Dara O'Briain


The affable Irishman has a calm and confident approach, although his act didn't get enough time to build and was generally hobbled by obvious gags that seemed outdated (are we still amused by Brokeback Mountain jokes?) The best stuff revolved around the Irish being terrible SCUBA divers and Englishmen's sneery attitude to the Eurostar. His patter about IT job titles was amusing, too -- but overall this was an average performance from a comedian I know can do better.


Stephen K. Amos


Stephen's not a familiar face to most people -- but was his recent appearance on Have I Got News For You timed to coincide with this? Anyway, Stephen has some great material, and a similar style to Omid Djalili (in that he starts the show with as a broad foreign sterotype, before settling into his natural British brogue).

He was pleasantly self-deprecating ("I'm in the shit stage of an afro...") and picked on audience members without taking it too far, and making them uncomfortable (a pet hate of mine.) A lot of his material was constructed around racism (Coon cheese, accent difficulties in the US, "nig nog"), but also tapped more universal truths (vest and pants in P.E, business class on planes, twin sister myths.)

Overall, I was impressed with Stephen K. Amos, as he's not a stand-up I've seen very much of. He had a good conversational style and was easy to listen to, and definitely had that all-important ability to make you empathize with him...


Frankie Boyle


The final act was Dara's Mock The Week co-star, Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle. The somewhat gawky Scot has made a name for himself in recent years, for being quite fearless in his scathing approach to comedy. To his credit, he had an abundance of material (much of it one-liners), that both shocked and impressed.

Scottish-based jokes about Braveheart, the Glasgow terrorist attack and the insanity of sending pale ginger Scotsmen to war in Iraq, quickly gave way to more general targeting: London Olympics, Spice Girls reunion, geriatric mothers, anaesthetic condoms, train toilets, ID cards, and gay dads. The jokes came thick and fast, although I'd heard many of them before – in previous stand-up shows featuring Frankie, or on the aforementioned Mock The Week.

Frankie has an enjoyable danger to his material and delights in taking things right to the edge of decency, or grossing out the audience with clever descriptions (like a pregnant old woman's baby essentially bungee jumping whenever she went to the toilet.)

If you've not seen much of Frankie, chances are you'll bust a gut laughing, although I personally found 70% of the act to be reheated off-cuts.


And that concluded this third run of Live At The Apollo, which has been a welcome treat for Monday nights. Only a few of the dozen comedians really disappointed, with most of the acts reminding TV audiences what their "proper job" is – as we tend to think half these people are paid to sit on comedy panel shows.

But, please, enough with the Jack Dee jokes! We know he used to be the host of the show previously, and Dara even told a joke about someone texting him to ask "where's Jack Dee?" -- for about the third time this series.


17 December 2007
BBC1, 10.35 pm

"Together in electric dreams..."

Aaah, great memories last night courtesy of The Sci-Fi Channel, who showed 1984 "classic" Electric Dreams.

It's the implausible tale of a nerdy architect (mysteriously bereft of computer know-how) whose bulky home computer becomes sentient (after he spills champagne on it), and proceeds to fall in love with his neighhour, cello-player Madeline (the now-Oscar nominated Virginia Madsen, in her second ever film.)

Hollywood loves to try and make computing look sexy and high-tech, by avoiding the boring reality of text-based coding. No, everything's very visual, super-fast, and user-friendly in the movie world. Computers are essentially magical tools that take control your home appliances (if you put a special adaptor into all the wall sockets!) and come equipped with broadband internet speeds a few decades before the fact.

This was always a daft movie, even back in '84, but after 20 years the oddness of antiquated 80s home computing is even more amusing. There's a moment in a computer store, with shelves full of now-vintage home computers and games systems, that made me smile. Or the opening scene in an airport, where Miles finds the world swamped with technology – like, calculator watches and personal organizers! 2007 would blow Miles' mind...

Hindsight and nostalgia is always good fun, as you can't believe people ever put up with such old, slow technology. The new iPhone probably rivals anything NASA had in the mid-80s!

Electric Dreams does have a few memorable moments, as all cult classics should. The implausible champagne birth of artificial intelligence is good for a giggle, and a moment when the computer (who later calls himself Edgar) musically "duels" with Madeline's cello-playing is very entertaining.

Directed by Steve Barron, whose career didn't flounder as you might expect after seeing this, the film also has a good soundtrack. Barron directed music videos in the early days (most famously Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean"), so Electric Dreams is pretty nifty musically. Like I said, the PC/cello duet is enjoyable, and songs by 80s new wave bands Culture Club and Heaven 17 feature.

And then there's the title track: "Electric Dreams" by Human League's Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder. The song is more famous than the film, and it's pure 80s pop at its best. When it kicks in for the film's climactic moment – played worldwide by Edgar, who has transmitted himself into all the planet's electrical systems – it really is quite uplifting, no matter how cheesy.

Throw in crush-worthy Virginia Madsen in her oversized jumpers (legs straddling her cello), the dumb moment when her tear splashes onto Edgar's microchips – making him understand the concept of love – and you have a silly, disposable, yet curiously charming 80s tosh.

PARKINSON: The Last Conversation

To be honest, I don't particularly like Michael Parkinson's interviewing style on his chat show. I think he's too easy-going and sycophantic, although it's nice to see an interviewer who has researched his guests properly...

I have nothing against Parky himself, who always come across as a decent, grounded fellow -- but it's lucky a chat show survives on the standard of its guests, because Parkinson's had some big names and a handful of classic moments since 1971: from the fantastic Muhammad Ali chats, to the TV gold of Parky being attacked by Rod Hull's Emu puppet, and the uncomfortable silence of Meg Ryan...

It was the last "proper" episode last night (a glorified clip-show is on next week), so Parkinson was given a 2-hour special by ITV, where he re-interviewed some of his favourite guests...

Billy Connelly has been one of Parky's most interviewed celebrities and returned for another natter, although there's really little of interest in Connelly's personal life left to explore. That said, Connelly's always an easy watch and at least he's had the good sense to wash the purple dye out of his goatee!

Michael Caine was next. A legend of the silver screen who's similarly been interviewed so many times you feel like you know him. He was ultimately left to tell some interesting facts about the genesis of the words "caddy" and "marmalade"!

David Attenborough followed, who's one of my television heroes. For me, this man is natural history. His voice has guided me through countless wildlife documentaries and, at 81 years of age, he deserves all the plaudits he gets. I enjoyed this interview much more than the others, particularly his stories about turtles on the Galapagos islands. A genuine national treasure.

David Beckham came next and, despite not being a football fan, he was at least someone who inspires a multitude of questions. It was interesting hearing his thoughts on his sacking by Steve McClaren, England's bad performances, his opinion on multi-millionaire teenaged footballers, and his move to L.A. Beckham's overexposed, but he comes across as a likeable, ordinary, family man. I like him.

Peter Kay arrives, injecting fun and pizzazz into the show, which was curiously low-key with the three old men and introverted Beckham. Unfortunately, he wasn't afforded a proper interview -- he just arrives to raise the spirits by making everyone wear party hats, got out a cake and poured some cordial. And did anyone else get the impression Connelly felt upstaged, Caine was irritated, and Attenborough was mostly perplexed? Spoilsports.

Short shrift became the order of the day, with Judi Dench arriving and singing a comedy song (written by Michael Ball) that was a bit lacking in spirit. A few clips of Mrs Brown (co-starring Connelly) and a brief 5-minute chat, and she was finished with.

The final guest was Dame Edna Everage, another iconic guest of Parkinson's over the years. She performed a little song with Laurie Holloway (Parky's piano player), and then didn't get a chance to do anything, as Parkinson immediately had to wrap-up the show.

At 2-hours, I don't think the last show was particularly well-handled. There were 7 guests (8 if you count Jamie Cullum's turn on the piano), but only 4 were interviewed properly, laving the others to look like stragglers with a "party piece" to perform. I'd have preferred 5 guests with a proper 20-minutes chat each.

It was also a curiously unemotional close, as Michael Parkinson himself didn't wet an eye (even at the very end), and the existence of a clip-show next week as the "real" ending somehow undermined the whole show. That, and the fact Parkinson actually came to an end once before, in 1982, before being resurrected by the BBC in 1998.

I don't think Parkinson will be back again this time (certainly not in 20 years time!), so we say a fond farewell to the classiest British interviewer. I may not like his occasionally fawning style, but you can't criticize the calibre of his guests, his professionalism, and achievement in the field.

Who do we have to take his place now? Jonathan Ross is fun, but too antagonistic and self-centred. Graham Norton exists only to poke fun and be cheeky with a certain type or celeb. There really aren't any old-school interviewers left!

So cheerio, Parky! Enjoy your retirement. The memories will last a lifetime... and doubtless that Emu attack will be repeated forever.


16 December 2007
ITV1, 9.00 pm

DEXTER 2.12 – "The British Invasion"

Writers: Daniel Cerone & Melissa Rosenberg
Director: Steve Shill

Cast: Michael C. Hall (Dexter Morgan), Julie Benz (Rita Bennett), Jennifer Carpenter (Debra Morgan), Erik King (Sgt. Doakes), Jaime Murray (Lila Tournay), Lauren Velez (Lt. Maria LaGuerta), David Zayas (Angel Batista), C.S. Lee (Vince Masuka), Christina Robinson (Astor), Preston Bailey (Cody), Geoffrey Pierson (Captain Matthews), Jonathan Banks (FBI Deputy Director Max Adams) & Keith Carradine (Special Agent Frank Lundy)

The task force close in on the Bay Harbor Butcher, Lila finds Doakes imprisoned in the cabin, and Dexter makes a last-minute scramble...

"You're going away with me alright... in a garbage bag."

-- Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall)

A life-affirmed Dexter (Michael C. Hall) faces the final curtain, as Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) tell him the FBI task force are beginning to search the Everglades, and could be hours away from discovering Sgt Doakes (Erik King), who's still caged inside Jiminez's cabin.

Dexter races to beat the Feds before they discover Doakes and his elaborate frame-job is ruined, not realizing loony Lila (Jaime Murray) has beaten him to it. Having stolen Dex's sat-nav last week, Lila has arrived at the cabin and finds Doakes inside, quickly ascertaining his captor is her ex-boyfriend: Dexter Morgan, the Bay Harbor Butcher. Uh-oh.

Her reaction is nicely underplayed by Murray, and the depth of Lila's nuttiness is revealed when she almost immediately turns sympathetic of Dexter's plight. Her pyromania (a plot-point laid mid-season) blossoms once again, as she decides to play guardian angel for Dex and sets fire to the cabin with Doakes inside. Fortunately, Doakes manages to escape from his cage seconds later... unfortunately, a propane canister then explodes and (in one of the show's best stunts), Doakes is horrifically incinerated.

The impact of Doakes death is a surprisingly big gut-punch, as Erik King managed to belatedly make Doakes less of a cartoon thorn in Dexter's side, and a credible force for good. I had a faint glimmer of hope Doakes might even survive season 2 somehow, and never expected the gruff sergeant to go out so early, and in such eye-popping style! Oh, and certainly not at the hands of Lila...

It's not long before the task force are crawling all over the smouldering cabin, with Lundy (Keith Carradine) confident the Bay Harbor Butcher's kill-site has been unearthed; thanks to the retrieval of another victim's body in the wreckage and another knife/saw set.

In one of the show's grizzlier scenes, Doakes' charred torso is pulled from the lake and Masuka (C.S Lee) confirms it's their work colleague. Dexter can't believe his luck, even toying with the idea that the Devil himself has performed a miracle for his benefit. In an amusing scene for fans, the next day begins with a reprise of the excellent opening title sequence, with the chirpy theme tune playing over Dex's morning ritual, before he goes to have make-up sex with Rita (Julie Benz).

Later, Lundy and Debra plan a wintry holiday together, now that the Bay Harbor Butcher case has been solved, both blissfully unaware that the real culprit is actually still at large...

LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) is still convinced Doakes wasn't the Butcher, until Lundy visits her office and makes it abundantly clear that all the evidence, and all the facts, point to her friend's guilt. Lila, on the other hand, knows the truth and finds creative inspiration in Dex to paint a slightly-warped portrait of her homicidal former boyfriend.

Dex himself is busy combing through the cabin's remnants when Masuka reveals the explosion was likely caused by a burning stove (which Dex knows he didn't leave on). Then, after confirming his missing sat-nav unit was part of the debris, Dex realizes Lila must have been responsible for his unexpected reprieve... and must now know his darkest secret.

The former lovers agree to meet at an aquarium, in perhaps the episode's best scene, where they finally see each for who they really are. Dexter seems amazed Lila chose to help him and, despite the fact she admits to always being "afraid" of him on some level, he convinces her she's more like him than she realizes. A weird chemistry quickly develops, with Lila suddenly becoming the perfect partner for someone like Dexter; a confidant, accomplice and lover all in one sexy package.

They agree to run away together, but -- as Dex's voice-over wryly comments after she leaves to pack her things -- Lila will only be coming with him in a garbage bag...

LaGuerta is finding Doakes' hidden life difficult to handle and is having a tough time getting her staff to donate to his memorial fund. Understandably. Debra, who faced similar heartache last year when her boyfriend was unmasked as a serial-killer, has a neat little heart-to-heart with her lieutenant, and comes to understand LaGuerta's need to focus on the good in Doakes' character...

Arriving at Lila's (to kill her), Dex lurks in the shadows with his hypodermic needle primed, but is surprised to find his sister is the victim of his ambush attempt! As he tries to explain himself, Lila arrives and senses the strange atmosphere, with all three characters on different pages: Debra is forcing illegal immigrant Lila to leave the country, Dex wants Lila to think they're going to elope, and Lila has knowledge that could rip Dex's life apart...

Debra takes charge and forces Lila to go, although she takes Dex's bag in an attempt to force his pursuit of her. Unfortunately, Lila later discovers Dex only brought his killing tools and realizes she was to become his next victim. She refuses to answer Dex's desperate phone calls and, as we all know, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" (particularly one moments away from being dismembered!)

As expected, Lundy's involvement in the show draws to a sad close, as he receives word that the FBI want him to lead another case in Oregon, and a long-distance relationship with Debra isn't going to work. I think the Lundy/Debra subplot worked pretty well this year, thanks mainly to Carradine's effective performance and the oddness of their pairing providing more chemistry than I thought possible.

At Rita's, babysitter Lexy (where did she come from?), is rendered unconscious by Lila, using one of Dexter's needles, and Dexter returns home to find Astor (Christina Robinson) and Cody (Preston Bailey) have been kidnapped! What's more, Captain Matthews (Geoffrey Pierson) informs Dex that a woman with a British accent contacted him saying she had new information about the Butcher, that involves Dexter...

With his freedom hanging in the balance again, Dex rushes to Lila's house and finds the kids safe and sound – but vengeful Lila has only used them as bait, and sets fire to her home, trapping all three inside to die.

Debra decides to join Lundy in Oregon and is on her way to the airport (without even telling her brother, but we'll let it lie...) and has to decide between her family commitments in Miami or life with Lundy, when Rita calls and asks for her help finding her children...

As the fire rages our of control, Dex manages to get Astor and Cody to safety through a window, but he can't fit himself through. As the smoke begins to choke him and with the door firmly locked, Dex collapses to an inevitable death... before a flashback to a campfire scene with Harry (James Remar) inspires renewed strength, and he manages to crash through a disintegrating wall, just as his sister arrives to help...

In the finale's closing moments, Lila flies out from the airport alone, and Debra comforts her oddly-calm brother, who echoes his campfire flashback by promising her he's going to "be like this forever"...

The denouement flits across the Atlantic to Paris, to find dastardly Lila living alone and finding a postcard from Miami in her mail. Dex is there, and quickly injects her, tying up loose-end Lila by stabbing her through the heart (how apt) and zipping her up in a body-bag. Mon dieu!

Doakes' memorial is held with LaGuerta and Dex in attendance, although it was actually heartbreaking to see Doakes' small family huddled together crying, doomed to think their son/brother was a twisted killer!

But, as far as Dex is concerned, he can only honour Doakes' "sacrifice" by enjoying his consequential freedom. After taking receipt of a new slide box for fresh blood trophies, Dex promises to carve out a new path for himself, experimenting with new killing rituals, stepping out of his father's shadow to turn "Harry's Code" into his own...

The British Invasion is a succinct, thrilling and appropriate finale for this excellent second season. The various plot-strands come together brilliantly (although Lundy's story was ultimately a bit extraneous), but it was particularly wonderful to get the "old Lila" back, with the aquarium scene between Hall and Murray particularly chilling.

Most interestingly, while Dexter ends with everything back to the status quo (which I always half-expected), it hints that Dexter Morgan himself has evolved and learned from these experience, so season 3 will see the show explore new avenues.

I think the writers have definitely taken certain aspects of Dexter as far as they can, so it will be nice to see a moderate shake-up --although hopefully that won't just mean Dex gets more elaborate and imaginative with how he kills criminals.

Will this new direction also mean an end to the flashbacks, which have been such a big part of the show for so long? I doubt it, but Harry certainly won't be presented as the all-knowing Frankenstein to Dex's young Monster anymore.

And, now the show has used a storyline many thought would be reserved for the last season, where can we go from here? Another serial-killer for Dex to thwart, yet admire? Would the show perhaps benefit from a move away from sunny Miami? Will Dexter ever find someone to confide in, or is he destined to be a lone wolf? Will he perhaps find a progeny to pass on his craft someday?

There are still some possibilities, I'm sure, but the direction remains excitingly unpredictable – so I can't wait to see what Dex does next...


16 December 2007
Showtime, 9.30 pm

Dan's Top 10 TV Hits Of 2007

I think we're living in a little golden era of TV, particularly for fans of intelligent sci-fi, exciting fantasy and dramas with high-concept twists. Even better, many of them have crossed over into the mainstream, with everyone recognizing their strengths.

It's wonderful to see the types of shows I've always enjoyed being embraced by the masses and 2007 has been a particularly strong year -- with established shows refusing to let the quality slide (despite a few wobbles) and new shows hitting the ground running with intriguing concepts...

There were many TV shows that caught my eye and entertained me this year, but my heart is always captured by scripted drama. Below are 10 shows, that aired in the UK this year, and demanded my blogging commitment, loyalty, admiration and respect...

In ascending order...

10. Robin Hood

season 2, BBC1

The first series was poor, but not irredeemable. The major flaws of Robin Hood were in its youthful casting of the outlaws, irritating anachronisms, cheerful panto violence, slothful storylines and repetitive action.

But, against expectation, series 2 has managed to fix some of the problems (but there was no major recasting, obviously). While it's still flawed, and nowhere near as gritty and complex as I'd like, Robin Hood is now good fun. The storylines are more cohesive, the plots feel fresher, and the tone is more willing to paint with darker colours.

Best Bit: At time of writing (and there's only 1 episode to go), I think the most successful moment in Robin Hood this year was when Marian's father died in Show Me The Money – which was both heartfelt, much darker than usual, and instigated the real blossoming of the Robin and Marian romance (which isn't usually a compelling aspect of the show.)

9. Dirt

season 1, Five US

This Courteney Cox vehicle was a surprisingly enjoyable watch, being slick and often naughty entertainment. I never expected to like it, but thanks to Cox's committed portrayal, Ian Hart's twitchy performance as ratty photo-journo Don, and a few eye-opening scenes of nakedness, violence and personal betrayals, Dirt became a little treasure on Monday evenings. But not one you'd easily admit to watching -- as it's the TV equivalent of a trashy magazine you protest about in polite company, but keep hidden in a drawer...

Best Bit: I could choose a rude bit involving Courteney Cox, but I'll try and refrain from something so obvious. Instead, Dirt really slapped me round the face when slimy publisher Brent Barrow (Jeffrey Nordling) was threatened with castration by two goons in his own home – one played by cheerful Wayne Brady from the US version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?!

8. Prison Break

season 2, Five

I never expected Prison Break to last one season, as the prison escape premise sounded too restrictive. So it was a surprise to see season 2 evolve into a sprawling Fugitive-style adventure, introducing William Fichtner as conflicted manhunter Agent Mahone. The second year became very slapdash after a confident start, but the series has always been able to keep things going at breakneck speed, and is seldom boring.

In many ways, Prison Break is actually a bad show, but it's so ruthless efficient and entertaining you can overlook the meandering subplots, dozy conspiracy, repetitive goings-on, and the fact half the characters just don't work outside of confinement. Even more surprising, season 3's setting in a lawless foreign jail has successfully extended the lifespan of the series once more... although surely a fourth year would be pushing it?

Best Bit: After being captured by the Feds mid-season, escapee brothers Michael (Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) are being transported through a tunnel, and are allowed to escape by corrupt FBI Agent Mahone (only so he can kill them later), and find they have an unexpected ally in the shape of government hitman Kellerman…

7. Life On Mars

season 2, BBC1

The 70s cop drama with a sci-fi twist returned for its second and, disappointingly, final season. Contemporary cop Sam Tyler (John Simm) was still trapped in 1973, on the beat in Manchester with sexist dinosaur Gene Hunt (Philip Glennister) and trying desperately to get back to the present.

As with the first series, the mysteries themselves were never that taxing (the culprit tends to be the only guest star with a sizable role!), but it certainly ramped up the time-travel/coma mythology, and generally had more fun with its premise. The final episode was very fitting, albeit totally illogical… but that's another debate. We eagerly await Hunt's return in 80s-set spin-off Ashes To Ashes… and brace ourselves for the American remake, with Irish Star Trek actor Colm Meany as their version of Hunt…

Best Bit: I can nit-pick it to death, but the finale's reveal about exactly what happened to Sam after his car crash was still compelling and emotionally done. Great use of the Bowie track "Life On Mars" and "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", too.

6. Battlestar Galactica

season 3, Sky One

Season 3 was the show's weakest year, but that only goes to show how brilliant this revamp of the cheesy 70s sci-fi original is. The new series opened with a run of episodes that had obvious parallels to post-911 events in Iraq, with hints of WWII's French Resistance, as the human residents of New Caprica become enslaved by occupying Cylons.

From there, Battlestar Galactica built its mythology towards a pivotal moment in an ancient temple that pointed the way to Earth, before unfortunately hitting a bad run of standalone Cylon-less episodes. Fortunately, the courtroom drama finale was well-executed and left fans with some jaw-dropping reveals. Whether these brave twists will be the series' undoing, only time will tell...

Best Bit: The show has always had fantastic visual effects to hand, but they never take precedence over plot and character. However, I don’t think anyone will forget the exciting, unpredictable moment when the Galactica jumped into the atmosphere of New Caprica to launch a rescue mission. Big screen spectacle on your TV!

5. Jekyll
BBC1

Steven Moffat, the celebrated Doctor Who writer, was handed his own six-part series by the BBC, and chose to update classic Victorian horror Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde. James Nesbitt took the dual role in this imaginative quasi-sequel, performing the part with infectious enthusiasm and charisma.

This mini-series was one of 2007's weirdest shows, as it constantly teetered on the brink of silliness, lurching from tense horror and playful dumbness every 10 minutes. It was more schizophrenic than its protagonist/antagonist, but never boring. It may not make logical sense by its conclusion, but it was a brave and immensely enjoyable Saturday night treat for summer.

Best Bit: There are plenty of moments to savour, and even chuckle at, but I think the show really surprised in the sequences when Hyde realizes Jekyll has gone and the empty space in his head fills with previously unobtainable memories…

4. Doctor Who
season 3, BBC1

It's now clear the revamp of the series in 2005 has worked a treat, as Doctor Who moved further away from farting aliens and into more grown-up stories. Series 3 took its time to get going, after introducing new companion Martha (Freema Agyeman, immediately consigning Billie Piper to history), but once that second-rate Dalek story concluded, things really got interesting...

Bizarrely, series 3's excellent second-half barely features The Doctor per se -- as he was transformed into a human for the superb Human Nature story, reduced to a cameo in the extraordinary Blink, and aged into a cripple for much of the finale! And, despite the last episode being a damp squib in some respects, the beautifully haunting reveal of nemesis The Master was a TV highlight of the year...

Best Bit: Yes... for pure spine-tingling brilliance, you can't beat the breathlessly-edited sequence when kindly Professor Yana (a superb Derek Jacobi) is transfixed by his fob watch, opens it, and is transformed into The Doctor's sinister nemesis: The Master!

3. Dexter
season 1, The FX Channel

One of the best new shows, Dexter is a slick mix of gruesome procedural and high-concept pulp, as an affable Miami forensics expert moonlights as a serial-killer. The central performance by Michael C. Hall (Six Feet Under) is chiefly responsible for the shows success, as he manages to make Dexter into an engaging anti-hero, who you worryingly begin to really care about...

Indeed, the show's moral grey area is the most appealing aspect of the show, as audiences are made to like a cold-blooded killer purely because he at least only targets criminals and was trained by a legendary lawman.

It's patently absurd on many levels, but the sheer vigour of its storytelling, inherent tensions, and overarching mysteries, neatly off-set initial misgivings. By the time the final batch of episodes arrive, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more compelling TV show. And season 2 is even better in most respects...

Best Bit: Undeniably the moment the Ice Truck Killer's identity is revealed in a slow pan… causing a few gasps.

2. Heroes

season 1, Sci-Fi Channel/BBC2

Undoubtedly the year's most talked-about show, Heroes was also one of the most consistently entertaining. This tale of ordinary people discovering they have superpowers, and slowly coming together to thwart a nuclear bomb in New York, was the dictionary definition of must-see TV. It has a very engaging cast, frothy pace, exciting premise, great production values, and a keen sense of fun.

Of course, it helped enormously that everything about it was new and there was a lot of ground to explore (past, present and future). Unfortunately, season 2 has proved Heroes isn't quite so strong now we're acclimatized to its style and have a handle on all the characters' lives – with the surprises and sense of adventure being mostly absent. But... that first season was magic; even with the duff ending.

Best Bit: The show was very adept at providing jaw-dropping cliffhangers, but I'll always love the moment teleporter Hiro (Masi Oka) realizes he's actually in a future New York… just as a nuclear bomb destroys the city.

1. Lost
season 3, Sky One

After a disappointing six-episode "mini-season" in late-06, Lost fought off growing criticism to produce arguably its most consistent run of episodes since season 1. We learned more about the mysterious Others, met new characters, witnessed the downfall of DHARMA, got a shadowy glimpse of the enigmatic "Jacob", and then the rug-pulling finale set in motion the beginnings of a rescue...

Lost is still the most dense, intelligent and entertaining genre show TV has produced in years, and shows no sign of running out of ideas. It's had a few upsets along the way (with some people abandoning it for being "too slow" – whatever), and the flashbacks are becoming more redundant, but the masterful writers never lose control and make repairs whenever necessary.

The core audience hated two new characters, who were subsequently killed off in one of the season's better episodes; and one that explained their assumed "pointlessness" as something more interesting. That's the way to do it!

Lost is a superb mystery show, with each episode like a beautiful piece of a jigsaw. You may have to put each piece to one side for now... but you know they'll fit together later, now the bigger picture is slowly emerging...

Best Bit: There are dozens to choose from in the second half of season 3, but I particularly liked the creepy reveal of ghostly Others leader Jacob, after Ben leads Locke to that abandoned cabin in the jungle…

ROBIN HOOD 2.11 - "Treasure Of The Nation"

Writer: Simon J. Ashford

Director: Matthew Evans

Cast: Jonas Armstrong (Robin), Lucy Griffiths (Marian), Keith Allen (Sheriff), Richard Armitage (Guy Of Gisborn), Sam Troughton (Much), Gordon Kennedy (Little John), Harry Lloyd (Will Scarlett), Joe Armstrong (Allan-a-Dale), Anjali Jay (Djak), Stephen Beckett (Legrand), Andy Helfer (Paxton) & Lynda Bellingham (Queen Eleanor)

Robin receives a message from King Richard, which tells him to find the "treasure of the nation" -- hopefully before the Sheriff does...

The penultimate episode of this improved second series starts slowly, but hots up after 20-minutes to provide fun adventuring with Robin's gang and compelling drama between Marian (Lucy Griffiths) and Guy Of Gisborn (Richard Armitage).

If season 1 was obsessed with breaking into Nottingham Castle, season 2 is definitely fixated on messengers; as another one arrives in Sherwood Forest to hand Robin (Jonas Armstrong) a message from crusading King Richard himself...

Legrand (Stephen Beckett) is the burly herald in question, a character created to cause antagonism with the similarly meat-headed Little John (Gordon Kennedy), although Beckett's performance doesn't really stretch much beyond a few baritone chuckles. A clichéd attempt to have the two giants eventually become friends doesn't quite come off, either.

Despite the first 20-minutes being a little dawdling, with Legrand taking Robin to see a wool merchant called Paxton (Andy Helfer) to decipher the King's message, things slowly become more interesting. Paxton helps decrypt the message, that asks Robin to find the "Thesaurus Patriae" (Treasure Of The Nation), and the gang head off on a treasure hunt through the forest, to some circular standing stones, and finally into an underground room…

Meanwhile, Marian is upset that Robin's latest quest means the villagers of Locksley will have to fend for themselves, now that the Sheriff (Keith Allen) has turned the place into a garrison for his mercenaries. She has no alternative but to take on her Nightwatchman persona and sneak into a storeroom to steal food for the starving people, only to be discovered by sympathetic Alan (Joe Armstrong) and Guy...

At this point, the subplot becomes more interesting than the main plot, as Guy discovers Marian's true identity and has no option but to take her prisoner. Robin Hood has always struggled to make its characters emotionally connect with viewers, but Guy and Marian have more history and facets to their characters than anyone else. It helps that Armitage and Griffiths play well against each, and seeing Guy realize his former fiancé has been leading a secret life against him, is by far the most engaging aspect of the episode…

But that's not to say there isn't merit with the treasure hunt plot, as it leads to fun moments of Indiana Jones-style underground adventure -- complete with a stone doorway (obviously made of polystyrene!) that traps our heroes inside. The Sheriff promptly turns up to eavesdrop on some information about the mysterious treasure's location and rides off with his men to a church at Kirklees.

Of course, Robin's gang soon escape and find the location of the treasure first, all amazed to discover it's actually a person: Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (Lynda Bellingham), King Richard's mother, who must be evacuated from England. There follows a scramble to get the Queen out of the church and to safety, with the Sheriff's men back on their tails, leading to a fight sequence in the woods where (for once) the Sheriff shows backbone by killing Paxton and fighting Robin man-to-man...

Yes, after spending so long acting like the stooge to his own henchmen at times, it's great to see the Sheriff getting stronger material to work with recently. It's more iconic and enjoyable to see noble Robin Hood fighting the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham -- rather than just foiling another of his elaborate schemes and traps.

With most of the cast off being action men, it's left to Lucy Griffiths and Richard Armitage to provide the "real" acting, as outed Marian tries to appeal to Guy's better nature. But a bitter, hurt and resentful Guy sees no other option but to kill the love of his life for her vigilantism.

Needless to say, Robin's team manage to get Queen Eleanor to safety and she leaves for Ireland, before heading onto France. Back at the castle, a despondent Sheriff hopes to be cheered up by news Guy has captured the Nightwatchman and is readying him to be hung from the gallows. But, as Marian arrives (and is amusingly mistaken for an onlooker by the Sheriff), the "Nightwatchman" appears on the battlements and leads Guy and his men away in pursuit…

Guy therefore incurs the wrath of the Sheriff for allowing the Nightwatchman to escape again -- but, as consolation, he wins the respect and admiration of Marian – for making Allan pretend to be the Nightwatchman to spare her life. Honestly, I'm more interested in seeing if Marian can slowly turn Guy into a good guy, rather than watch her elope with Robin elope into the forest!

Overall, Treasure Of The Nation is mostly filler, although the Nightwatchman subplot unexpectedly ends a recurring plot neatly and simultaneously provides an emotional punch that's lacking elsewhere. It was interesting to have Queen Eleanor turn up in the series, particularly when she took a shine to "Big Bear" Little John, and I'm also enjoying the suddenly pro-active Sheriff, too...

It takes awhile to get going, but episode 11 is entertaining and manages to surprise a few times. The main irritation (beyond the repetitive use of music; that blares out for such thrilling moments as... a man hiding in a well!) is that the 90-minute finale won't arrive for another fortnight…


15 December 2007
BBC1, 7.15 pm

THE X FACTOR 4: Live Final

I've never been a big X Factor fan, although I did get caught up in last year's show – but only because Leona Lewis was, frankly, the best singer these talent contests have ever discovered. I'm glad to see her album/single doing phenomenally well, and wish her luck with the "difficult second album".

But onto X Factor series 4, which I reviewed for awhile (during the early auditions weeks), before ultimately becoming irritated by its repetitive nature, and my unwillingness to dedicate every week to the long, drawn-out live shows...

That said, I did catch some of the Live Final last night. Now, I was aware of who the finalists were, but my opinions on them are based purely on tabloid news, overheard gossip, and yesterday's performances…

Rhydian (think Gordon Ramsey-meets-Max Headroom) was there, along with brother/sister duo Same Difference and Scottish crooner Leon. It was at least an interesting mix…


Same Difference are cheesy-pop personified. A sickly brother/sister combo forced to sing love songs with each other (which was just wrong), in the shape of Sean and Sarah Smith. I don't think I'm alone in thinking the Smiths were fans of Steps, have S Club 7's television show on DVD, know every word of Aqua's "Barbie Girl", and have memorized the choreography of "The Fast Food Song". Of the three, they were definitely the most shamelessly desperate to win (how many times did Sarah mime for viewers to call?)

Rhydian is the oddball novelty act. He had the best voice of the finalists, but is distracting weird. That said, he would have made a nice contrast with the straight-laced previous winners Leona Lewis, Shane Ward and Steve Brookstein. I'm all for something a bit unusual, and I can imagine Rhydian having a cult following if people buy into him...


Leon was the underdog, as I'm not even aware of him after reading the newspapers all these weeks! To me, he just seemed like a competent, affable young guy from Scotland, with nothing terribly exciting, fresh or different to offer.

So anyway, turn away now if you don't want to know who won…. okay, have you gone? Last chance... right, for those who have stayed or already know: Leon Jackson was crowned X Factor 4's winner. How utterly bizarre!

I think the public just couldn't imagine buying an album by oddball Rhydian, or face the embarrassment of pushing a Same Difference single over the counter at HMV. So Leon won by a kind of default -- he was "safe" and appealed to the kind of viewers who aren't out dancing to music on Saturday evenings, but instead gather with family and friends on their sofa.

And I have nothing against that. What do I care? I wouldn't buy anyone's album. I think Leona Lewis is an amazingly talented singer, but I'm fed up with hearing her "Bleeding Love" on the radio, so there's no chance of me shelling out for her album...

Let's be honest. I saved myself a lot of time avoiding X Factor this year. For anyone who did stick with it, week in/week out, was it worth it? Really?? The blandest singer won. Of the three, at least Rhydian would have been an antidote to the guitar-based bands who dominate the charts these days. There's nobody else around to fly the flag for crazy, visual, bizarre, pop music -- is there?

But Leon? I dunno. Maybe I missed all the weeks when he delivered amazing vocals and performances, but I somehow doubt it. He was very under-the-radar for me, as the newspapers led me to believe it was a two-horse race between Rhydian and Same Difference. Don't you just love the British public, though? I bet some lucky people made a killing at Ladbrokes!

My predictions for X Factor's finalists now:

Leon: probably the Christmas #1 (although it's not as certain this year), an under-performing follow-up single in April, and eventual obscurity like Mr. Brookstein...

Same Difference: a top 10 cheesy hit sometime around March, but they'll be touring Butlins by summer, sharing a billing with Chico and the Cheeky Girls...

Rhydian: a #7 hit with a cover of something a bit weird (but probably with a funny/bad music video), but no lasting success.

Same old, same old...

The X Factor 5 hotline for 2008's contestants is now open. Calls cost: too much.