The Best Television of 2015: No.1 - HBO's THE LEFTOVERS

Ex-cop Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), his girlfriend Nora (Carrie Coon), and daughter Jill (Margaret Qualley), move from New York to a world-famous town in Texas that didn't suffer any 'departures' during the inexplicable event four years ago, when 2% of the world's population simply vanished, only to discover the local community's not immune to the social and cultural changes this event has caused those left behind...

What made it so good? I love it when a show works out its kinks, realises its strengths, listens to constructive criticism, makes wise changes, and comes back better. Too many shows seem to die because the creators have a vision they bullheadedly refuse to change, and just lose viewers or get creatively lost. Not so, The Leftovers—which had a big change of location, moving from New York suburbia to small-town Texas, and managed the very difficult challenge of maintaining its sorrowful tone while finding ways to make it more palatable.

The Best Television of 2015: No.6 - HBO's GAME OF THRONES

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) deals with a revolt in the liberated city of Meereen, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) flees King's Landing to try and win the approval of the Khaleesi, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) plots to overthrow the Bolton's on his way down south to seize the Iron Throne, Jaime Lannister travels to Dorne to rescue his niece, Arya (Maisie Williams) is trained by the 'Faceless Men' to become an assassin, and Cersei (Lena Headey) makes a tactical error by empowering a devout religious man nicknamed 'The High Sparrow'...

What made it so good? Well, look: this was actually a relatively poor season of Game of Thrones compared to season 3 and 4, in particular. It took ages to get going, Jaime's side quest to Dorne where we met the 'Sand Snakes' was an unmitigated disaster, and I was roundly bored by Arya's (Maisie Williams) training to become an assassin. But, despite all those negatives, Game of Thrones continues to be the benchmark for fantasy filmmaking on television, and we have enough goodwill and interest in these characters and the ongoing story to pull us through its weak spots. You could tell they were adapting one of George R.R Martin's poorer novels, it's true, but that didn't stop season 5 from delivering several of the best moments this show has done. Speaking of which...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.10 - 'I Live Here Now'

It's the finale of THE LEFTOVERS' magnificent second season, so please click through to Frame Rated for my review... and perhaps even leave a comment or share with your friends? I'd appreciate it!

Here ends one of television's finest seasons, and a remarkable achievement in terms of The Leftovers transforming itself into a more inclusive drama without losing its identity. Fine-tuning is what happened this year, and it's been a pleasure to watch and review 10 episodes that didn’t really put a foot wrong; becoming something of a masterclass in high-concept mystery storytelling, driven by complex human emotions instead of empty-promises and hit-and-miss explanations. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.9 - 'Ten Thirteen'

It's time for another Wednesday link to my latest THE LEFTOVERS review at Frame Rated, the penultimate "Ten Thirteen" with an emphasis on what Meg's been up to. Please read, comment, and share!

It's the penultimate instalment of The Leftovers season 2, and no coincidence "Ten Thirteen" takes place on the eve of the Great Departure's anniversary—14 October—hence the title. But there was also a large chunk of the story that filled in gaps from the past—mostly involving Meg (Liv Tyler), who's only appeared in one scene during "Off Ramp" this season, where she raped Tommy (Chris Zylka) before threatening to burn him on a roadside. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.8 - 'International Assassin'

Wednesday's link to my review of THE LEFTOVERS at Frame Rated is here, and it's another top-quality episode. If you're not watching this HBO drama (perhaps because you were put off by the relentlessly dour first season?), do yourself a favour and power through to season 2. It's amazing. Anyone watching here? Leave a comment over at Frame Rated; I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories!

I don't think anybody expected The Leftovers to kill its protagonist, Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux), last week—after he drank poison at the behest of a numinous old man who promptly blew his own brains out with a revolver. It was a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, and "International Assassin" follows it with this show’s most audacious episode; one fans will be analysing, interpreting, and theorising about for a long time. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.7 - 'A Most Powerful Adversary'

As usual, Wednesday means a link to my weekly review of THE LEFTOVERS at Frame Rated, with a look at the incredible "A Most Powerful Adversary"...

"A lot of The Leftovers is about ordinary people seeking explanations for extraordinary events, and the push-and-pull over accepting outlandish theories that fly in the face of common sense. These concerns usually play out with the show's big picture issue of 2% of the world's population vanishing, and how such an irrational event has completely upended everyone's beliefs. "A Most Powerful Adversary" tackles the same kind of idea, but with a narrower focus on Kevin (Justin Theroux) seeing the deceased Patti Levin (Ann Dowd) and struggling to reconcile this fact: is she a delusion invented by his own diseased mind, or a real paranormal occurrence that suggests he's special or cursed?" Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.6 - 'Lens'

Dead birds buried in boxes, mad scientists, and an unwanted pie. It can only be episode 6 of HBO's THE LEFTOVERS, reviewed by yours truly over at Frame Rated yesterday.

There were a lot of revelations in the mid-season "Lens". Personal secrets were revealed, and some of the oddness about ‘Jardenian’ culture and its people was rationalised. The Leftovers still loves teasing us with the prospect of its cornerstone mystery being explained—one day, somehow—but even if it never happens I’m enjoying the crackpot theories the show presents us with, even if they always lead to dead ends. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.5 - 'No Room at the Inn'

It's Wednesday! Which can mean only one thing: this week's link to my latest THE LEFTOVERS review at Frame Rated. "No Room at the Inn" was a magnificent hour of television, focusing on Christopher Eccleston's character, Reverend Matt Jamison.

It's time for Reverend Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston) to have his turn in the limelight, and my expectations were high because a favourite episodes last season was the Matt-focused "Two Boats and a Helicopter", which singlehandedly made me stick with The Leftovers in those early days when its gloomy vibe was proving a tough sell. I'm pleased to say "No Room at the Inn" was another impressive hour of TV to equal that first season highlight—tense, surprising, distressing, poignant, moving, and weirdly optimistic. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, 2.2 - 'A Matter of Geography'

I've reviewed THE LEFTOVERS, season 2, episode 2, "A Matter of Geography". Is Kevin losing his mind? Is Nora actually smiling? What's going on in miracle town? Was that The X-Files' Steven Williams?

"After the premiere unexpectedly whisked us to the completely new location of Jarden, Texas (to introduce a whole new family who live there), “A Matter of Geography” delivered the opening episode most people were expecting: a chance to catchup with small-town cop Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) and Nora Durst (Carrie Coon) back in Mapleton, New York, at the exact moment the first season ended with them discovering a baby on their doortsep. But that’s not to say this hour lacked similar feelings of intrigue and surprise; it only confirmed The Leftovers is starting to find itself and play to its strengths. Continue reading...

Frame Rated: THE LEFTOVERS, season 2 premiere - 'Axis Mundi'

I'm going to be reviewing HBO's THE LEFTOVERS every Tuesday, exclusively on Frame Rated. My thoughts on season 2's incredible premiere, "Axis Mundi", is now up--so please visit, read, and share!

The first season of HBO fantasy drama The Leftovers was a hit with critics, but audiences were less receptive. It's easy to see why, because this is a show with a tantalising hook (that 2% of the world's population inexplicably, instantaneously vanished), but isn't offering answers to that mystery. It just wants to explore the myriad ways ordinary folk would react to such an extraordinary event; which means a lot of the drama revolves around serious themes of loss, regret, grief, guilt, and loneliness. Click to continue reading...

Frame Rated: TRUE DETECTIVE - Season 2 Finale

Yesterday over at Frame Rated: I stepped in to review the season 2 finale of HBO's TRUE DETECTIVE on Sky Atlantic, "Omega Station".

I lost interest in this season of True Detective around the time Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell) lost his moustache; which was ironically the moment Nick Pizzolatto’s plot broke from a crawl to a light jog. There have been some impressive sequences this year (episode 4’s city shootout was good fun, although I preferred the queasily otherworldly sex party from episode 6), but the meat of the story failed to sink its talons early enough. For much of the year, it was difficult to fully understand exactly what was going on; as important names and faces failed to leave enough of an impression on audiences, beyond the core trio of downtrodden Vinci detective Velcoro, anxious Sheriff Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams), and tortured traffic cop Paul Woodrugh (Taylor Kitsch). Continue reading...

Watch True Detective online via NOW TV.

David Fincher's UTOPIA remake for HBO dies in pre-production

Fans of Channel 4's quirky and horrifying thriller Utopia were inconsolable last year, when it was announced the show wouldn't be renewed for a third series. While the final episode sort of works as an ending, the story was clearly intended to continue with a new dynamic. The only silver lining was the prospect of a big-budget U.S remake perhaps becoming a bigger commercial success, to potentially continue the basic story beyond where Channel 4's version left off. And while the idea of American remakes of English-language shows generally causes puzzled looks from English-speakers everywhere, the fact this one was being masterminded by David Fincher (Fight Club) and writer Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), for cable heavyweight HBO, was enough to make me optimistic...

I'm watching: EXTANT • HALT & CATCH FIRE • HANNIBAL • HUMANS • JS&MN • MR ROBOT • THE STRAIN • TRUE DETECTIVE • WAYWARD PINES

Familiar preamble by now: I'm still watching lots of television every week, but have less time and inclination to blog about it all. Therefore, occasionally I like to offer brief thoughts on some of the shows I've made a weekly appointment to watch. Maybe you'll enjoy reading? Onwards!

Extant – Season 2 (CBS/Amazon Prime)
Look, I wasn't a huge fan of season 1, but sometimes you watch silly things in the summer. It's a symptom of heat stress. Extant looks gorgeous in 1080p on Amazon and is frankly of the few reasons I can justify paying for their Prime service. But I'm probably going to give up soon, because this is clearly yet another U.S series that doesn't warrant going beyond a single season. This year has Molly (Halle Berry) becoming more crazy-eyed cop than problem-solving astronaut (who's suddenly a gifted marksman!), and I'm less interested in her reshaping because it's so clichéd. Ditching sensible Goran Visnjic for swaggering Jeffrey Dean Morgan was a good move, though. David Morrissey doing his American Accent© in a clichéd military tough-guy role, and the ridiculousness of scientists designing the government a robot warrior who resembles, um, a beautiful catwalk model... less so.
★☆☆☆☆

GAME OF THRONES season 5 – WTF? And WTF happens next?!

The fifth season of Game of Thrones has rolled to a close, courting the usual controversy along the way. A key difference this year was an increase in viewer negativity about a few of the storylines, which was perhaps to be expected when even book readers agree we're beyond the apex of George R.R Martin's saga. But it hasn't been a complete downward slide, and there's added excitement in the fact the book readers have less advance knowledge of the plot, so everyone's on more even ground.

I didn't review the show again, for various reasons, but thought it would be fun to consider where season 5's left us with the key characters, and what might happen next year. Just to be clear, I haven't ready a single sentence of George R.R Martin's Song of Ice & Fire novels.

TV Pilots I Want to See: 2015-16

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

★ = not picked up

★ = in development, or under consideration

★ = officially becoming a new series

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

Trailer: GAME OF THRONES – Season 5

The new season of GAME OF THRONES is only a few months away, so time for HBO to crank up the hype-machine. Embedded above is the season 5 trailer, where the juiciest news (for those who aren't book-spoiled) is that diminutive fugitive Tyrion will be growing a beard. Oh, and helping fan-favourite Daenerys in her quest to seize the Iron Throne. Cool!

GAME OF THRONES returns 12 April on HBO in the U.S, with a next-day return in the UK on Sky Atlantic.

THE LEFTOVERS undergoing changes for season 2

HBO's high-concept drama THE LEFTOVERS (set in a universe where 2% of the world's population inexplicably vanished) will apparently jettison much of its supporting cast, and the action is moving away from the fictional town of Mapleton, New York.

Newsbuzz: DOCTOR WHO's Christmas clue, TRUE DETECTIVE casting, WONDER WOMAN finds a director, ITV adapting JEKYLL & HYDE

The BBC have revealed that this year's DOCTOR WHO Christmas special is entitled "Last Christmas", fanning the flames of a summer rumour about Jenna Coleman leaving the series.

Newsbuzz: JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORELL adaptation, Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION and Tom Hardy's TABOO

The BBC are adapting Susanna Clarke's 2004 novel JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL into a seven-part series for next year. Peter Harness (Wallander) has written the scripts, which will star Eddie Marsan (as Mr Norrell) and Bertie Carvel (as Mr Strange), two Englishmen living in an alternate 19th-century, who help the British government in the war against Napoleon using magic. It will also star Alice Englert (Beautiful Creatures), Marc Warren (Mad Dogs), Samuel West (Mr Selfridge) and Charlotte Riley (Wuthering Heights).

THE LEFTOVERS - Season One • good grief or lamentable bore?

I've felt conflicted about HBO's THE LEFTOVERS all season, and that's a compliment. I enjoy shows that get you thinking about your own taste, opinions, and the reactions of others. This isn't an easy show to watch week-to-week, as it's superficially a downer of Biblical proportions. A looped video of a skinhead kicking a puppy contains more joy.