BREAKING BAD, 4.6 - "Cornered"

"... are you tough?" That's the question Walt (Bryan Cranston) is asked by his old boss Bogdan, as he's given a handover of the car wash that's half-intended to lecture and enfeeble him. Walt's spent the majority of his adult life as an unremarkable chemistry teacher nobody paid much attention to, but despite the fact his current lifestyle's so dangerous he can't shake the feeling of power and importance it gives him. Walt bites his tongue in front of Bogdan (a man who knows nothing of his current situation), yet can't resist a petty power play by spending Bogdan's first earned dollar that was framed for its symbolism...

In front of wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) it's a whole different matter. She's nobody's fool and has already pieced together Walt's behaviour (particularly his drunken words over dinner), to correctly theorizing her husband knew the deceased "drug lord" Gale, and that his outpouring of affection on her voicemail was driven by mortal fear, not love. But while Skyler's deductions can't be easily denied when she confronted him in their bedroom, the thing that upsets Walt is how she patronizes him as a wimp who's in over his head and should scurry to the police. That's not the person Walt want to be seen as, so he lies about the chances of him ending up murdered like Gale. "I am not in danger. I am the danger. I am the one who knocks." Poor Skyler's perhaps starting to think she's living with Scarface, now Walt's oversold his role in the underworld, but he never gets a chance to take back his words. Incredible scene.

Another example of Walt's desire to be seen differently by people came when he put his son (RJ Mitte) straight about the level of his (fake) gambling addiction, so he doesn't have to keep playing such a feeble role. Gambling addiction may be the agreed cover story for how they've amassed so much money so quickly, but Walt makes it clear he's no addict and simply made bad choices. And to further sweeten the relationship and be seen as a hero for once, Walt bought his son a flashy and expensive car for his sixteenth birthday. An expense that quite rightly infuriates Skyler, who's more aware of the attention such purchases will bring, and doesn't want their secret to be unraveled by inquisitive neighbours and family. It seems Walt can't even enjoy the financial perks of his job, such is the curse of the choices he's made. As Skyler puts it: "someone has to protect this family from the man who protects this family."

Skyler may have proven her insight by shrewdly connecting the dots about Walt's dinner speech, his voicemail, and his mysterious black eye, but it's a skill she shares with her husband. Unexpectedly, Walt suddenly twigged why Jesse (Aaron Paul) was sent on a road trip with Mike (Jonathan Banks): the intention being to stage a robbery that Jesse could foil so it would drive a wedge between them by boosting Jesse's confidence and eroding his dependence on Walt. But Jesse refuses to accept his presumption, partly because Walt's again positioning himself as person all events revolve around. For a recovering meth-head like Jesse, who wants a sense of purpose and direction from life, it's understandably hard to keep being told you're an after-thought or, at best, a pawn people push around the chess board to ensure their king's protected. Interestingly, Walt used to share Jesse's feelings of inadequacy, too, so Jesse is essentially going through the same transformation he went through... even if it's less a journey of self-discovery and more an illusory trick by Gus (Giancarlo Esposito). Or is it both?

Maybe Gus will come to realize that Jesse is a valuable asset after all? In this episode, Jesse proves himself in a real situation while staking out tweakers selling a stolen container of blue-meth with Mike. Mike's plan, based on years of experience, is to sit in his car eating sandwiches until the junkies step outside. Jesse's plan, based on years mixing with meth-heads, is to divide and conquer using the tweakers' distracted mental state to gain access to the house. For the most part, Jesse's ad hoc plan works brilliantly, ending hours of idly sitting around for Mike. And after Mike debriefs Gus at a restaurant about the day's events, is it possible Gus is being honest when he tells Jesse he spotted talent in him? Or if that's not strictly true, is Gus perhaps genuinely intrigued that Jesse may not be the irresponsible liability he thought?

Whatever happens, I have a feeling Mike's growing more attached to Jesse than he ever thought possible. The recent robbery make have been faked, but Jesse's reaction was genuine and would have saved his life, and Jesse's plan with the tweakers was perhaps the kind of thing a younger Mike would have done? The scene where Mike notices Jesse shaking on a meth comedown, offering him his meat loaf to eat, was a sign Mike feels something for the boy—like Walt. Maybe Jesse is the common ground that will see Mike and Walt join forces against Gus, particularly if Gus's plans for Jesse take a turn for the worse?

It was also fun to see more of the antagonism between Walt and Gus, which is being played out without any face-to-face contact. After being ditched by Jesse during the Superlab's clean-up, a frustrated Walt managed to bribe three Mexican workers from the laundry room floor above to help him clean the lab. Ironically becoming the definition of a "lazy" boss that Bogdan warned him about, with his feet up on a worktop drinking coffee. But Walt's little victory was again short-lived, as Gus simply had the three immigrants shipped back to Honduras because they've seen too much, with Walt to blame for their deportation.

Overall, "Cornered" was really great because it started to show us how Walt's changed and is less willing to hide behind his mask. In some ways the lines of his "Heisenberg" persona are beginning to blur, and he's only just able to keep a lid on things. Walt was far more brash and egotistical than we've seen, especially in front of Skyler and Jesse, and more willing to test the limits of what he can get away with at the Superlab while Gus is watching via his surveillance camera. He's still at a disadvantage because Gus is good at keeping his distance and manipulating events from afar, so maybe Walt will come to realize he needs Jesse's help if he's going to escape this stalemate. It also seems that this episode was laying the groundwork for Walt becoming "boss"—of the car wash, maybe of the Superlab, and of his destiny...

But is Walt tough enough, or is he all talk?

Asides

• Loved the idea of opening the episode with an alternative version of episode 4's cold open, when Mike was a refrigerated truck attacked by cartel gunmen. The cartel have evidently learned a thing or two from that incident, so this time got their hands on Gus's blue-meth by pumping the truck full of exhaust fumes and killing the two guards inside. Very clever. Interesting to hear that Gus is embroiled in a Cold War with these people, and so far looks hesitant to step things up, and instead wants to arrange a meeting with these rivals. I would imagine this simmering drug war will kick into gear before the season's over.
• Intriguing scene with Skyler driving to the Four Corners Monument (where the states of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico meet) and tossing a coin to help her decide if she should simply run away from her situation (without Walt?) But when both coin tosses landed in Colorado she dragged the second back to New Mexico with her foot. She knows she's not going anywhere, for the time being.
• Does anyone think Jesse's going to be learning a lot about how Gus's meth is distributed while working with Mike? This should come in handy if Walt ever replaces Gus, and make Jesse a genuine 50/50 partner because he knows how the drug business works beyond simply cooking the stuff.

written by Gennifer Hutchison / directed by Michael Slovis / 21 August 2011 / AMC

Review: STRIKE BACK: PROJECT DAWN, 2.1

Sky had success with their three-part action-drama Strike Back in early-2010; based on the best-selling novel by former-SAS soldier Chris Ryan and starring Richard Armitage (Spooks, Robin Hood) as British hero John Porter. The long-awaited sequel has transformed into a very different beast; both because Sky now has a co-production partner in US cable network Cinemax (a subsidiary of HBO), and the limited availability of its leading man because of his commitment to The Hobbit.

The former isn't going to worry many viewers, as Strike Back now has an improved budget, more resources, and a 10-episode order, but the latter unfortunately means Armitage's chiseled hero is killed off within 15-minutes. Knowing the popularity of Armitage and his role in making Strike Back a hit last year (by attracting a female demographic to a very macho series), it's a major change that feels akin to writing Kiefer Sutherland out of 24's second season. Oddly, it's nowhere near as shocking as that theoretical death scene, perhaps because the show's trailers had already prepared audiences for the likelihood of Porter's demise (Armitage barely featured in any promotional material).

Can Strike Back pick itself up and soldier on, making you quickly forget its original protagonist? Based on this fast-paced and entertaining premiere, I think that's very possible, perhaps even a certainty. For starters, they've replaced Armitage with two equally attractive actors: Philip Winchester (Camelot) as by-the-book Sgt Michael Stonebridge, the poster boy of fictional British intelligence agency Section 20; and Sullivan Stapleton (December Boys) as maverick former-Delta Force operative Damien Scott, a brash, continually horny American. This gives the show a hackneyed "buddy" element to play with, but it works surprisingly well. Stonebridge even finds Scott bare-knuckle fighting in Kuala Lumpur, years after his dishonourable discharge, but that's exactly the cliché you expect from a show like Strike Back. It was either that or a Buddhist temple in the Himalayas.

It may share DNA with the likes of the venerable Spooks and innovative 24, but in many ways Strike Back's heart is twinned with posturing Steven Seagal movies. The combative title's the dead giveaway. This show plays in a world where the complexities of global terrorism can be reduced to that of a Time Crisis coin-op arcade. The violent takeover of a luxury hotel, by terrorists who start ruthlessly assassinating hostages, even plays like Level 1 of a video-game. So far it makes 24 look like a John le Carré novel.

But I don't particularly care Strike Back has a reductive swagger about it. Not every action thriller needs lofty ambitions; sometimes you just want the fun of a "clean-cut British hunk" and a "tattooed American bad boy" jetting around the world trying to catch the terrorist mastermind responsible for killing their mutual friend, who's also plotting something codenamed Project Dawn. The action's tight and efficient, there's a smattering of nudity to titillate both sexes, plausible violence (loved a naked Scott's disarming of a baddie using a towel), plus some fun twists and turns—including a last-minute reveal I should have seen coming, but somehow didn't. There's intelligent playfulness to Frank Spotnitz's (The X Files) script, as well—such as the moment Jimi Mistry's character makes his entrance and the scene allows you to assume he must be the big villain, when in fact he's an ally who just happens to be of Indian ethnicity (thus making the audience complicit in racial profiling).

Overall, I'm not convinced Strike Back: Project Dawn will offer enough depth to warrant episodic reviews, but it seems likely it'll provide a few months of entertainment. There's nothing original about its style, aesthetic, premise, story or characters—but as the TV equivalent of a Friday night straight-to-video action movie rental, Strike Back's a capable and effective offering.

written by Frank Spotnitz / directed by Daniel Percival / 21 August 2011 / Sky1

TV Picks: 22-28 August 2011 (Doctor Who, Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show, Mount Pleasant, Page Eight, Total Wipeout, Undercover Boss USA, etc.)

DOCTOR WHO - BBC1, Saturday, 7.10PM

MONDAY 22nd

The Pet Detectives (Channel 4, 8pm) Documentary about three agencies that reunited pets with their owners.
PICK OF THE DAY Jamie Cooks Summer (Channel 4, 9pm) Chef Jamie Oliver hosts this special about eating outdoors.
Cherry's Body Dilemma (BBC3, 9pm) Documentary about women's self-image.

TUESDAY 23rd

The Great Train Robber's Secret Tapes: Revealed (Channel 5, 8pm) Documentary about the Great Train Robbery.
PICK OF THE DAY Harry's Arctic Heroes (BBC1, 9pm) Documentary following four disabled soldiers trekking to the North Pole. (1/2)
Random (Channel 4, 10pm) Drama spending a day in the life of a family. Starring Nadine Marshall, Daniel Kaluuya, Jay Byrd & Louis Mahoney.
I'm Pregnant With Their Baby (BBC1, 10.35pm) Documentary on surrogacy.

WEDNESDAY 24th

Too Much, Too Young: Children Of The Middle Ages (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary on the role of kids in medieval times. Presented by historian Stephen Baxter.
PICK OF THE DAY Mount Pleasant (Sky1, 9pm) Comedy-drama set in a Manchester cul-de-sac. Starring Sally Lindsay, Daniel Ryan, Pauline Collins, Bobby Ball, Sian Reeves, Liza Tarbuck & Angela Griffin. (1/8)
Seven Wonders Of The Buddhist World (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary looking at the 2,500-year-old history of Buddhism and its architecture.
Wallis Simpson: The Secret Letters (Channel 4, 9pm) Documentary about the famous affair between Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII.
The Beat Goes On (Channel 5, 11pm) Gameshow where two teams compete in a singing and dancing contest. Hosted by Dave Berry. (1/6)

THURSDAY 25th

Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live 2011 (BBC3, 9pm) Coverage of BBC3's own comedy show, recorded live at this year's Edinburgh Festival.
Undercover Boss USA (Channel 4, 10pm) Season 2 of the reality show where corporate bosses go undercover amongst their workforce.
PICK OF THE DAY Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show (BBC3, 10.30pm) Series 2 of the character sketch comedy starring Simon Brodkin as south-London cheeky chappy Lee Nelson. (1/7)

FRIDAY 26th

Fraud Squad (ITV1, 9pm) Investigation into one of the UK’s biggest share frauds, perpetrated by a Nigerian called George Abrue, who stole £20 million from British marks. Narrated by Richard Armitage. (1/2)
PICK OF THE DAY Sean Lock: Lockipedia Live (Channel 4, 10.25pm) Stand-up comedy recorded live.

SATURDAY 27th

Total Wipeout (BBC1, 6.10pm) Return of the physical gameshow, starting with a two-part celebrity special featuring Brian Dowling, Dalton Grant, Nicola McLean, Simon Day. Hosted by Richard Hammond & Amanda Byram.
PICK OF THE DAY Doctor Who (BBC1, 7.10pm) Series 6 of the sci-fi adventure resumes. Starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Alex Kingston & Arthur Darvill. (8/13)
Hans Litten v Adolf Hitler: To Stop A Tyrant (BBC2, 8pm) Documentary about a Jewish lawyer who cross-examined Hitler during a 1931 trial.
A Night with Will Young (ITV1, 9.15pm) Entertainment special with the ex-Pop Idol winner, singer Will Young. Hosted by Kate Thornton.

SUNDAY 28th

David Jason's Greatest Escapes (ITV1, 8pm) The actor investigates various famous escapes, starting with Colditz Castle in Germany.
PICK OF THE DAY Page Eight (BBC2, 9pm) Drama about a former-MI5 agent whose boss and best friend dies, leaving behind incriminating agency evidence. Starring Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, Michael Gambon, Ewan Bremner, Tom Hughes & Judy Davis.

Confession: 21 TV Shows I Missed

For much of my teenage years and early-twenties, my viewing habits were more focused on specific TV genres and a preference for movies. Consequently, there's a wealth of TV shows I never saw. I'm also human, so it's impossible to watch absolutely everything that's broadcast every single week, for years on end, and sometimes you're so far behind with something it becomes too much effort to catch-up.

Below is a list of 21 embarrassing blindspots in my TV viewing, a brief statement about why I missed their original broadcast (or never made an effort to acquire them), and a quick note on the chances of me rectifying this in the near-future...

30 ROCK (2006-present) I watched the first three episodes when it began, but they weren't really strong enough for me to become a loyal viewer. It's since gone on to be a notable US comedy of the '00s, and part of me wishes I'd stuck with it. I see clips that look funny, and I really like Tina Fey. Catch-up? I won't go out of my way by renting box-sets, but I'd watch a repeat run of double-bills if they were timed well.

ANGEL (1999-2004) Owing to how Buffy failed to put me under its spell (see below), there was no chance I'd even consider watching a spin-off starring her hunky vampire boyfriend running a detective agency. Catch-up? Nope, unless a very positive Buffy catch-up inspires it.

BIG LOVE (2006-11) I remember hearing the premise and thinking this would make an interesting show, but it wasn't treated well in the UK. Only now, many years later on Sky Atlantic, is the show being given the respect it deserved. But for me, that was too late. Catch-up? Very unlikely.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (1997-2003) To be fair, I watched the first season when it aired because I'd seen the Kristy Swanson movie and a TV adaptation intrigued me, but I thought it was pretty dumb and never made it to season 2. More fool me, as Buffy went on to become one of the '90s biggest cult hits and is now fondly remembered as a little masterpiece. I caught occasional episodes friends forced on me (like "Hush"), maintained a crush on Sarah Michelle Gellar, and loosely understand the show's evolution through pop-culture osmosis, but Buffy just didn't clicked quick enough for me. I always saw it as something primarily appealing to teenage girls who own David Boreanaz pencil cases. Catch-up? Maybe one day, but there's such a lot to get through it's a very daunting prospect.

DEADWOOD (2004-06) My general aversion to Westerns is well-known, so is it any wonder I didn't take to this show? Oddly, many recent Westerns have impressed me (3:10 To Yuma, Assassination Of Jesse James..., True Grit), so maybe it's about time I reconsidered my attitude. I can evidently enjoy a Western if it's done well and doesn't rely on hoary clichés, but it's still not something I'm especially drawn to. I saw Deadwood's pilot when it aired on Sky1, but turned it off during the first ad break and never looked back. Shocking treatment, I know! Catch-up? Unlikely, but there's an outside chance. It helps there aren't too many episodes compared to other shows I fell behind with.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (2004-12) I did watch a chunk of the first season. I liked its format and murder-mystery angle, plus it rekindled my love for Lois & Clark's Teri Hatcher. I can't remember why, but I fell behind mid-season and never did catch-up with it. Then I heard that season 2 was a travesty and washed my hands of the show completely. Catch-up? No, although I do sometimes wonder who killed the narrator.

ENTOURAGE (2004-present) It's a show you mainly hear about from US sources and the occasional British fan, but nobody I know ever watched it. There are aspects of it I find intriguing when I hear about them, but ultimately it doesn't appeal. Catch-up? Um, no.

FRIENDS (1994-2004) A genuine comedy phenomenon of the '90s that crossed generation gaps, but I just never found it funny. I can't get past the dull premise and unrealistic idea those people would live together in a luxurious New York apartment. They weren't characters who reflect anything about me, so I found it tough to care about them. Even those guitar-twanging stings between scenes make me want to claw my face off. Catch-up? There's more chance of me getting a "Rachel" cut.

THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW (1992-98) It was on late-night BBC2, past my bedtime. It was also lampooning a genre of TV (the US chat show) that I wasn't very knowledgeable of back then. The episodes I did catch never snared me, or made me laugh. Catch-up? Unlikely, unless it's repeated on TV one day.

PARKS & RECREATION (2009-present) It's not available in the UK, so I'm with millions of people in never getting into this mockumentary. However, even after getting my hands on a half-dozen episodes of season 2 (I was told, perhaps wrongly, that season 1 isn't worth bothering with), I found it hard to get into. I gave up after a few episodes, sorry to say. I like Amy Poehler, but something about it didn't grab me. Catch-up? I still have those half-dozen episodes, so may try and persevere...

PARTY DOWN (2009-10) They cancelled it just when I was feeling the urge to give it a whirl, so don't blame me! This has never aired in the UK and isn't available on DVD, so options were limited for me. I hear mixed things, to be honest. Catch-up? Maybe, if only because there isn't much to wade through.

SEINFELD (1989-1998) Like Larry Sanders, atrocious scheduling killed this comedy in the UK during the '90s. It bounced around the midnight timeslot on BBC2 for years. I remember catching a few episodes and finding them quite funny, actually, but I always thought Jerry Seinfeld himself was smug and I just didn't like him. I'd have watched a show about George. Is that show Curb Your Enthusiasm? Maybe. But I don't like Larry David as a performer, so CYE has its own issues. Catch-up? Well, I'd be prepared to give it a go in repeats.

SHAMELESS (2004-present) I've actually seen more of the US remake than the original show. How terrible! I missed Shameless when it first started, and when I did watch a few episodes they were from the post-James McAvoy era (i.e. when the show had turned into a stupid, grimy soap), What I saw wasn't great and it soured me toward watching those earlier years, which were apparently fantastic. Catch-up? I really doubt it.

SIX FEET UNDER (2001-05) Another show that passed me by. I don't know, I think I had a feeling that couldn't possibly be that good because the premise doesn't leap out as being must-see. A few years ago I watched the first three episodes, intended to do a big catch-up in the summer, but then Virgin Media dropped the show from their on-demand service! Blame them. Catch-up? One day, sure, time permitting.

SKINS (2007-present) I'm actually annoyed I never saw much of the first few series, which most people agree were the show's heyday. I did catch the odd episode, but out of context they didn't seem to work. I also think I was perhaps just slightly too old to care. From what I hear, I wouldn't bother with series 3 onwards. Catch-up? If "generation one" ever gets repeated, I'll tune in.

THE SOPRANOS (1999-2007) I'd watch this epic Mafia family drama if it premiered today, but for some reason the show passed me by originally. It existed in the days before DVR's and online streaming would have given you more chances to see it. You basically had to watch it on Channel 4 or buy the eventual box-set. I just never saw it on TV (not entirely sure why) and never wanted to risk spending money on the box-sets in case I didn't like it. Catch-up? Yes, if I find enough time.

SPOOKS (2002-11) This drama started a year after the groundbreaking 24 premiered in the UK and I saw the BBC's spy show as an inferior reproduction. Anti-terrorism? Split-screen? It was surely commissioned because 24 was a big hit and 9/11 was a hot topic. Anyway, I stuck with the exhilarating 24 and watched Spooks grow into a well-respected, award-winning show that many people prefer over 24. I don't regret that decision. Maybe I should have watched them both, but by the time I started to wonder if Spooks was worth a go it was already four series old. That meant too much effort to catch-up via expensive box-sets. Catch-up? No, sorry.

STATE OF PLAY (2003) I never saw this BBC serial. I don't even recall it airing. It just escaped me entirely and I'm not sure why. I've seen the US movie adaptation with Russell Crowe, which was alright, but I'm always hearing how the TV original is a drama masterclass. I sometimes get the itch to watch it, but now I know the story I'm not sure if it'll work. Catch-up? Maybe one day, when my memory of the movie has dimmed.

UNDECLARED (2001-02) As a fan of Freaks & Geeks, I should definitely try and watch its spiritual successor (likewise axed after one season). I don't believe it ever aired in the UK, unlike F&G, so I'm excused for never seeing it. Catch-up? I'll seek it out when there's time and give it a go.

THE WEST WING (1999-2006) Much the same story as The Sopranos, although I remember this being more widely talked about. I I began to wish I'd watched it after seeing some season 3 promos on Channel 4, but by then it felt like I was too far behind the rest of the western world. Catch-up? Need some persuasion it's worthwhile in a different political climate.

THE WIRE (2002-08) To be fair, I may have missed this crime drama when it aired, but so did most people. The Wire was primarily a box-set recommendation, often championed by The Guardian. Over the past three years I've rented the first and second seasons, so I'm not entirely clueless about this show. But no, I still haven't found the time or inclination to watch the last three seasons. When I watch The Wire, I'm mostly confused for five episodes, struggle with the glacial pace for about six episodes, then acclimatize and end the season huge respect and appreciation for what it achieved. But, do I love it? Am I desperate for more after every episode and season? No, I really can't say I am. Catch-up? Yeah, most likely, but I'm in absolutely no rush.

Of course, it's not all bad news. I do catch-up with old shows I missed if I find the time. In the past few years I made a 20% dent in the five-season Wire, watched Life On Mars a few months after it ended, devoured the Firefly box-set, caught-up with Community so I could dive straight into season 2, and recently finished the entirety of Arrested Development's repeats on FX—all shows that escaped me first time around.

Anyway, I thought this post could also inspire an associated poll, so below you'll find my biggest blindspots. The question is: which one should I make my top priority to watch from beginning to end? You can also add your own suggestion as an "other" vote.

The poll closes on Tuesday 23 August @5PM GMT. I may use the result to prioritize my catch-ups, if and when they happen.

TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY – "Immortal Sins"

A resurgence of something resembling the Torchwood fans expected from the misfiring Miracle Day, if still not perfect because of some rather awkwardly-placed flashbacks and a twist everyone could see coming. But by totally ignoring the Miracle Day event, forgetting about child-killer Oswald Danes (for the second week), and keeping new characters Rex (Mekhi Phifer) and Esther (Alexa Havins) on the sidelines, "Immortals Sins" was easily the best episode yet. And one that proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Torchwood has floundered this year because everything Miracle Day-related has been a washout. It's a fantastic premise; but one that makes for a better discussion than it does a television drama.

This week, Gwen (Eve Myles) was forced into kidnapping Jack (John Barrowman) by whomever's controlling her high-tech contact lenses and threatening the lives of her family in Wales. A large chunk of the episode was a simple two-hander between those characters on a nighttime drive to a rendezvous point, punctuated by flashbacks to New York in 1927 where Jack's an émigré being processed at Ellis Island. It's there he meets a dashing Italian called Angelo Colassanto (Daniele Favilli) who tried to steal his fake visa, only to strike up a friendship that quickly turns sexual as they move into an apartment together. Jack's the wise older man, who opens Angelo's eyes to the promise of this New World while being key to his sexual awakening, but who can't quite convince the devout Catholic that what they're doing isn't sinful. Angelo prays for forgiveness every time they have sex, and eventually becomes convinced Jack's the Devil incarnate after witnessing his lover's death and resurrection while working as bootleggers for the mob.

There was just a lot more going on in this episode than usual, and even if it didn't all work perfectly it was a rich oasis of story and character in the narrative desert of Miracle Day. It was a particular relief to have a story so focused on Captain Jack, who's been criminally wasted in his own show for half the season. John Barrowman's hardly the greatest actor in the world, and I find Jack's flippancy and double entendres more embarrassing/uncomfortable than funny, but "Immortal Sins" gave Barrowman halfway decent material to work with. His seduction of the closeted Angelo was handled nicely, and overall you could believe these two men had a strong bond, but that Jack's maverick attitude (born of his immortality) means a relationship is such a struggle to maintain. In fact, Angelo became more interesting in one hour than Rex has in six.

For those wishing Miracle Day had more explicit sci-fi elements to it, the return of Jack's immortality would have been appreciated. A sequence where Jack was hung up and repeatedly murdered by people who think they've caught El Diablo in their basement was gruesomely memorable), and the presence of a giant mind-altering alien parasite in a crate of ice was a fun touch.

We even had a few big clues about Miracle Day's explanation, with three rival Mafia Don's apparently agreeing to utilize Jack's immortality for their own ends—meaning those men must be "The Families" mentioned by the assassin in "Escape To L.A". They even shook hands in a manner that formed a triangle, which explains the rotating triangle logo we've seen a few times. And as The Families were smuggling alien parasites in the '20s, isn't it feasible they found technology that could turn mortality on its head? Jack's torturers also took lots of his blood, so maybe that's been used to somehow turn everyone immortal? And with the last scene reveal that Gwen's puppetmaster Angelo, I'm assuming Jack's old boyfriend ascended to a position of authority as a gangster and then spent decades trying to find Jack? But why create Miracle Day? It can't have been an accident if The Families had PhiCorp stockpile painkillers a year in advance. And when we meet Angelo, will he be a wrinkled centenarian or an immortal?

Overall, "Immortal Sins" was a surprisingly very good episode. It delivered tangible clues and made you think more about Miracle Day's origin and purpose. It's arrived far too late in this disappointing season, but I'm hoping the final three episodes will maintain this quality so the story ends well. If they can just give us a plausible explanation for everything, that would go some way to restoring Torchwood's reputation. It still wouldn't be enough for me to change my mind about this year's output as a whole, but it definitely wouldn't hurt.

Asides

• The biggest reference yet to Doctor Who came here, with Jack talking about his friend "The Doctor" and how he'd travel with a companion.
• I liked the reveal that Esther and Rex had realized Gwen was being coerced by an outside force. It also made those two characters look genuinely capable and intelligence for once, which was appreciated.
• Fun to see Nana Visitor here; best-known as Major Kira Nerys from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Continuing the trend of Miracle Day to cast genre faces, from Jurassic Park's Wayne Knight and Dollhouse's Dichen Lachman, to Ghostbusters' Ernie Hudson. I hear we have Star Trek's John de Lancie to come. My guess is he'll be a villain.

written by Jane Espenson / directed by Gwyneth Horder-Payton / 19 August 2011 / Starz

Trailer: AMERICAN HORROR STORY (FX)

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

Ryan Murphy, co-creator:

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

Brad Falchuk, co-creator:

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

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

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

AMERICAN HORROR STORY premieres 5 October on FX.

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER 2011: Launch Night

For a decade the first night of Big Brother signaled the beginning of summer for fans, but the latest run is premiering in the middle of August on Channel 5 (who've bought the rights to the show after Channel 4 axed it last year). It's a bad time to launch, made worse by the bizarre decision to kick-start BB's return with a celebrity special that will segue into the regular show. This means that the "proper" show won't start till September, when the weather's cooling, and continue throughout autumn!

top-bottom: Amy Childs, Tara Reid,
Jedward, Kerry Katona & Darryn Lyons

People underestimate the power of seasons and weather when scheduling television. Big Brother has been synonymous with summer for over a decade. Housemates sunbathing in the garden was a recurring motif of the show's live-feed (absent this year), while the celebrity version always arrived in January to blow away wintry post-Christmas blues. It seems as crazy as moving Wimbledon to October.

At the very least you'd think Channel 5 would know it makes more sense to do a regular Big Brother first, then extend the run with a celebrity version. The problem with reversing that order is how it risks people becoming bored of the house, and perhaps the whole show, by the time the celebs are all evicted and a rabble of strangers are thrown in.

To be honest, whichever version of BB airs first, the "double bill" is the larger issue. Why not have a normal version in August through October (if they must), leave the celeb version for January-February, and then get the next regular version on-air by June as usual?

Anyway, Celebrity Big Brother returned last night with a 90-minute launch, which was practically identical to those Channel 4 aired for 11 years. If slightly tighter, with a few improvements. The celebs no longer arrived in pointless limousine (which have literally travelled about 50 metres), but instead walk through the opening iris of a giant Big Brother eye-symbol—like something out of Stargate SG1.

Our new host is Brian Dowling (the winner of Big Brother 2, crowned Ultimate Big Brother champion last summer) who replaces Davina McCall. I was braced for a disaster, but Dowling was surprisingly confident and assured. After so many years watching the relative shambles of McCall (tottering around pulling faces and fumbling her words), Dowling struck a calmer, cheeky tone. You could argue he was comparatively boring, which is true to some extent, but as a debut it was a good start. He just needs to reflect some of the show's lunacy—which MCall, love her or hate her, always put across in her own performance. There's room for improvement, but Dowling acquitted himself nicely.

As for the celebrity housemates themselves, well... after weeks being teased about the possibility of Pamela Anderson and Charlie Sheen entering the house, the actual bookings were a disappointment. There were only a handful of housemates you'd refer to as "celebrities", and even those were firmly on the C-list.

The big four were beautician Amy Childs, star of The Only Way Is Essex where she's known for "vajazzling" customers; actress Tara Reid, half-remembered for American Pie, but best-known for falling out of nightclubs drunk; Irish identical twins Jedward, the X Factor novelty act whose sheer lunacy has turned them into cult favourites; and Kerry Katona, the ex-popstar who became famous-for-being-famous thanks to a turbulent love life and public meltdown. The rest were significantly less famous, if you can imagine such a possibility: Darryn Lyons, the egotistical Aussie paparazzo with a pink mohican haircut; Lucien Laviscount, a handsome Coronation Street actor; Sally Bercow, wife of the Speaker of the House who infamously posed in nothing but a towel for a tabloid; Paddy Docherty, the Irish star of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding; Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff, ex-wife of David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff; and Bobby Sabel, a hunky male model nobody's ever heard of.

top-bottom: Lucien Laviscount, Sally
Bercow, Paddy Docherty, Pamela
Bach-Hasselhoff & Bobby Sable

The star-power's dim, but that's usually the way with Celebrity Big Brother. It perhaps didn't help with negotiations that the show's moved to Channel 5, which is seen a low-rent channel, thus eroding the feeling that an appearance will revive a stalling (or non-existent) showbiz career. If this year's show is a big success, expect a better lineup for 2012. Of course, fame has nothing to do with making a great show. It's all about personalities and chemistry. If the housemates are fun, entertaining, shocking, outspoken, and argumentative, who cares if you've never heard of them. In fact, lesser-known celebrities are often a better booking because they're usually less guarded and more willing to stand out from the crowd. I already sense that Sally and Pamela will be bigger personalities than they are celebrities. And that's just as it should be.

You can't judge the success of a reality show on its opening night, especially as nothing has happened in the house yet—beyond Kerry being given a secret task to get herself voted the group's biggest diva. The only thing you can judge Big Brother on from the launch night is the production itself (good, well-paced, no major hiccups), and the performance of host Dowling (who, as I said, was fine).

The only flaw was how the launch offered absolutely nothing we haven't seen before. Channel 5 delivered no big reinvention of the previous launches, just cosmetic changes (like having iconic BB narrator Marcus Bentley describe the housemates as they entered the house instead of the presenter). Even "the twist" of a secret task was something the show's done numerous times before, so it fell rather flat.

But hey, Celebrity Big Brother 2011 not have given us any sweeping changes, but the refinements were decent, and I'm sure most fans are just happy to see the show back on-air. I just hope Channel 5 find ways to improve Big Brother in more noticeable ways, especially as it'll be running into the chillier months (less bikini's for the Daily Star's front pages), while vying for column inches against X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing.

Big Brother usually has the summer all to itself, but now it's swimming with major competition. It doesn’t stand a chance of winning this battle, especially given its new home, but Channel 5 are just after a steady hit. The launch attracted an impressive 5.1 million viewers, making it Channel 5's fourth most-watched show ever (and the most-watched in 12 years), which is fantastic news for them. I just wonder how far those numbers will drop, as they undoubtedly will.

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER, Channel 5

Movie Review: SUPER 8 (2011)

written & directed by J.J Abrams
starring Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard,
Noah Emmerich, Bruce Greenwood & Ron Eldard

It's a movie echoing hyphenate J.J Abrams' childhood, told through the prism of those wonderful early-'80s Steven Spielberg movie; where being a kid meant you were part of a gang (treehouse and dog optional), had a bedroom full of NASA posters and B-movie memorabilia, rode a BMX, used a walkie-talkie, and lived in a small-town nestled in a beautiful valley. More importantly, your ordinary life was destined for the extraordinary: perhaps due to the discovery of a treasure map (The Goonies), a visionary dream (Explorers), the arrival of iconic monsters (Monster Squad), or, in Super 8's case, the accidental release of a dangerous alien...

Our mop-haired 13-year-old hero is Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney); half-orphaned by a factory accident that claimed his mother's life, he now lives with his bereft father (Kyle Chandler), the town's Deputy Sheriff, and has bottled his grief by investing time making a homemade zombie movie with pals Charles Kaznyk (Riley Griffiths), Preston (Zach Mills), Martin (Gabriel Basso) and Cary (Ryan Lee). After soliciting the help of older neighbour Alice (Elle Fanning), who proves to be a brilliant actress (cemented by an adolescent version of Naomi Watts' audition scene from Mulholland Dr.), the gang get more than they bargained for while filming on the outskirts of town. It's there a passing military train derails one cloudless night—in spectacular, cacophonous fashion—and, unbeknownst to the young filmmakers, its extra-terrestrial cargo escapes...

From there it's E.T-meets-Iron Giant, with dashes of Jaws and Jurassic Park (and Jeepers Creepers 2?) stirred into Abrams' melting pot. Thankfully, it would be wrong to outright condemn Super 8 for adhering to genre formula, as its intention is to evoke the era when a "summer blockbuster" had to rely on a sense of wonder rather than the wonder of spectacle; where ideas, story and characters were enough to draw audiences. F/X sequences were the parcel drops that kept audiences nourished on the way through a story—they didn't gorge on a Transformers 3-like banquet, which leave you overdosed on nothing but visual stimuli. Abrams manages to nail this old-school approach perfectly; so much so that a part of me felt it was a shame his alien wasn't achieved using stop-motion (CGI almost looks misplaced in a 1979 context), but I suppose there's only so far Abrams' could afford to keep his head in the past.

There's heart and respect to Super 8 that's sadly been a rarity in children's movies these past few decades, once kids started to be spoonfed digital phantoms, photo-realistic tragedies, and rapid-fire editing that batters their minds into submission. Abrams resurrects the gentle spirit of youthful adventure here, helped by some great child stars who give the story real character and, for anyone over-30, a lovely swim in nostalgia. The puppy love between Joel and Alice is touchingly handled, while the thorny issue between their respective fathers provides decent human drama in-between waiting for the alien's back-story, motivation, and escape plan to be explained to us.

While there's nothing that isn't in some way derivative about Super 8, it's fantastic love-letter to a bygone age, and if Tarantino's allowed to recycle '70s exploitation cinema, I see no just cause for Abrams to face criticism for doing exactly the same thing with a more mainstream genre. The individual elements may be familiar to many, but they're blended in such a way as to appear fresh, and the whole thing will probably delight contemporary youngsters who never even lived during this time (either in reality, or vicariously through movies).

Overall, Super 8's a great throwback movie that only suffers because its limited ambition means it's rather predictable, and there are some nitpicks that'll stick in your craw. Why does the alien's magnetized spaceship only attract specific metal objects, for example? But when focusing on its young cast, while refreshing memories of early Amblin movies, Super 8's a pleasing alien-on-the-loose caper that knows exactly what it's doing. I just wish it had subverted more of the genre's conventions (beyond having a menacing alien that isn't anthropomorphized too much), but it's mostly content to replicate the tropes with loving care, attention, and effection.

Paramount Pictures / 112 minutes

RINGER comes to Sky Living

Sky Living have announced their acquisition of The CW's upcoming 13-episode drama Ringer, which was originally produced for CBS before they passed on the project.

The show stars Buffy's Sarah Michelle Gellar as a woman on the run called Bridget, who escapes her dangerous life by posing as her affluent twin sister Siobhan, unaware her missing sibling was leading an equally hazardous existence. Ioan Gruffud (The Fantastic Four) co-stars as Siobhan's suspicious husband, together with Nestor Carbonell (Lost).

Owing to a multi-year deal with CBS Studios International, Sky will be airing the show shortly after its US premiere.

Louisa Forsyth, BSkyB Acquisitions Manager:

"Securing Ringer exclusively for Sky Living demonstrates yet again our commitment to owning the very best in primetime US drama. The combination of impeccable casting with the TV legend that is Sarah Michelle Geller and seasoned British actor Ioan Gruffudd, coupled with the show's edgy suspense will ensure that viewers, and especially Buffy fans, are certainly in for a treat this autumn."

Stephen Tague, Senior VP of CBS Studios in Europe:

"Ringer is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, by Sarah Michelle Gellar's avid global fanbase and critics, as well as eager new viewers. We're thrilled to bring this thrilling and suspenseful series to the UK audience."

While still unavailable to the majority of people via Freeview, I'm glad Ringer is coming to the UK on a channel more people have than Sky1 and Sky Atlantic. That's a relief. Now let's hope it's good. I've heard mixed things about the script and pilot.

RINGER premieres in the US on 13 September. Sky Living's premiere has yet to be announced.

Trailer: DEATH VALLEY (MTV)

I vaguely remember posting a news article about this show's development a long time ago, but now it's finally here: Death Valley. This is a horror comedy-drama that's essentially a supernatural COPS, set in a universe where the Undead Task Force (UTF) clean up the San Fernando Valley from nasties like vampires, werewolves and zombies. Tania Raymonde (Lost) and Bryan Callen (The Hangover) head up the cast, and you can watch MTV's trailer above. (Skip to the 30-second mark to avoid a commercial.)

What do you make of Death Valley? It looks like fun, but I'm not sure it's the kind of show that's going to last. Once the novelty wears off that you're watching a group of cops arrest supernatural creatures and throw them into jail, what else is there to see? Still, I'd never write something off before I've seen it. Maybe the cops themselves will be an entertaining bunch and the story will offer more than weekly scenarios for the cops to throw werewolves into jail.

Still, the TV spots are pretty funny:

DEATH VALLEY premieres 29 August @1030PM on MTV.