Ah, it’s good to see Harry back on form after his rather tepidly disappointing previous series. But then with so much absolute nonsense shown daily on British tv, it’d be hard to mess up a series like this. And yes, some of the puns are a little obvious, but well, I shan’t complain. And just enjoy for once. Like you should be doing too.
Never Mind the Buzzcocks (9pm, Mondays, BBC 2)
It is fair to say that Bill Bailey is the only person keeping this show alive. As much as I like the show regulars for their opinions, tastes in music etc. Phill Jupitus seems to be on auto-pilot, and Mark Lamarr retorts were once refreshing, now they smack of a self-fulfilled ego, and prove to be tad annoying. As far as the guests go, occasionally interesting, but talentless boy-band singers have got to be a no-no if this show is going become interesting again. (CA).
Early Doors (10pm, Mondays, BBC 2)
Initially, I felt Roddy Frame's Theme tune from his "Surf" album was the only saving grace for this show. However, by the end of the first airing, and now through a welcome repeat, I have grown to like this comfortable comedy drama. Anyone who ever regularly goes down to their local pub are bound to see people similar to the characters presented here. A good ensemble cast allow a solid script written by Craig Cash and Phil Mealey to continue where the Royle Family left off. The final episode delivered well enough to justify a second series, which will allow Cash to once again take some well deserved limelight, after being the writing partner to the up-front persona of Caroline Aherne. (CA).
Teen Big Brother (10pm, Nightly, C4)
This is what series 4 of Big Brother should have been like - full of screaming, shouting, arguments over nothing and idiotic displays of stupidity! Sod the fact that two of them had sex, thirty seconds of duvet movement hardly made for great tv, it’s that they almost instantly forgot that they were being filmed that made it so fantastic to view. If only Channel Four had kept them in for longer, then it could have got really fascinating. (AF).
Holby City (8pm, Tuesdays, BBC1)
Okay, I know, it’s been running for bloody ages, but I’d always avoided it before due to hating Casualty so much. But having woken up early (er, I’m working nights these days), and having time to waste, I caught an episode. And well, its barable. Averagely acted, not always predictable, but well, I can’t believe how obvious an ER rip off it is, and how incredibly better that US show is. Whereas it attempts to mirror the frenetic pace of the camerawork in ER, when so little of interest is going on it fails to manage this. And how or why NBC haven’t sued such a blatant copy of one it’s shows is beyond me. (AF).
Peep Show (10.30pm, C4. Fridays)
Oddly enough I really thought I’d hate this. David Mitchell and Robert Webb had both annoyed me when I’d caught them on other tv shows, and well, the idea behind it all (two sad lonely single guys share a flat, and we see events from there perspective) seemed, well, dull. But there’s a strange bleak honesty to the show which makes the characters, unlikeable as they are, strangely sympathetic, and whilst it’s hardly groundbreaking stuff, its amiably enjoyable, and it doesn’t suffer from pretentiousness, an error to many C4 comedy’s seem to be making these days, and it’s not afraid to be oddly weird either. Bizarre then, but twistedly amusing too.
Trevor’s World of Sport (10.35pm, Mondays, BBC1)
There are quite a few ways to spot a failing tv show (lack of promo’s, the stars never featuring on chat shows etc) but the most obvious one is when the timeslot is changed. And so when TWOS was moved from a primetime 9pm slot on Friday to a graveyard one on Mondays, well, a second series was so clearly never going to happen, lets it put it that way. Which is a shame, as this was rather involving material. The mistake the BBC made was to pidgeonhole it as a comedy, whereas it was more than this, and whilst funny at times, often the dramatic moments upstaged the comedic ones. Both Neil Pearson and Paul Reynolds made for great (if not always appealing) leads, the supporting cast could actually act (which makes such a change for a BBC1 sitcom), and whilst the jokes occasionally missed the spot, enough was going on elsewhere to make this extremely watchable. Not perfect by any means, then, but damn interesting, and for once a show which wasn’t quite like anything else on the box at the time. I’d like to think that maybe the BBC won’t judge it by it’s viewing figures and give it another run. But sadly that never seems to happen these days. (AF)
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The writers clearly wanted a special send-off for this one time "Neighbours" style soap, and after all the early years of bog-standard neighbourhood relationships getting stale, the writers added the controversial storylines of murder, incest, lesbian relationships, euthanasia, gangster-chic etc. much to the chagrin of politicians that believe that such filth encourages young people to be as 'distasteful'. This only serves to illustrate the naiveté of these politicians, and to put in context the darker aspects of real life, and exaggerate them to make the show entertaining. In the end, that is what it is all about. Entertainment. Over its 21 years Brookside managed to keep its core audience entertained, and in Jimmy Corkhill, they had a loveable rogue character nurtured into a truly great creation, offering profound insight during the latter years, good comedic timing, and more than deserved the right to close the show.
Despite being the end of an era, rumours abound that the franchise will be sustained via DVD specials following characters stories now the soap has ended. Only time will tell. As far as the closure of Brookside, it went down with dignity.
Craig Aston.
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Eastenders (7.30pm / 8pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, BBC1)
Ah, I was doing so well too. It’d been almost a year since I watched the show, fed up with the crappy plotlines (Phil Mitchell falls out with someone, they get in to a fight, Phil plans revenge / The Slater’s have yet another shocking family secret exposed etc.) but the return of Dirty Den dragged me back in to watching it (and I’d like to lay at least some of the blame on my new girlfriend being addicted m’lud).
At the moment at least it seems to be going through one of it’s good patches. Den’s return was a tad on the patchy side, but once the shock value was over with, and his initial growling sessions with Phil Mitchell ended, he’s been entertaining enough to watch. The real high point recently though has been Alfie and Kat finally getting together, which, surprisingly for Eastenders, was extremely well handled, fun, light hearted and ever so romantic, and it drew in one of the shows’ biggest audiences of the year.
Which of course makes me wonder, why do BBC bosses seem so intent on making the show utterly miserable most of the time? Okay, okay, all soaps are based partly on terrible things happening to characters, however unbelievable they may be (oh look, another planes landed on the village / dear god! The plague’s back etc.) but Eastenders seems to wallow in misery 98% of the time, and it’s become one of those shows which can actually be tiring to watch, and make you far more down than you were thirty minutes earlier. So will they take note that viewers like, if not need, happier moments in the soap? It’s unlikely judging by the other non-Alfie and Kat storylines quietly bubbling along in the background and, well, when has anything good lasted in Albert Square?
So I’m sure it won’t be long before it winds me up again to the point where I’ll find myself screaming ‘For god’s sake how fucking annoying is this?’ at the screen, before turning off the tv and once again vowing to never watch the show again. Probably when the Little Mo date rape storyline rears it’s ugly head. After all she’s been through yet more trauma for her character simply isn’t needed. Some people do live happily ever after all. Just not in soapland sadly it seems.
Alex Finch.
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The Frank Skinner Show (Friday, 10pm, ITV1)
An interviewer is only as good as his guests. If Friday’s episode is anything to go by, this is certainly true. In previous weeks, guests Blue, Jordan, and Bryan and Kerry McFadden have amongst others have appealed one would imagine to the majority; the superficial, lowest common denominator viewer, and turned an amusing chat show into vacuous space of no talent, interest, or entertainment. This however was all changed with the “All American” Special aired last Friday. Guests Michael Moore, Robert Downey Jr., and Michael Stipe all offered much more insight, and enjoyment than in previous weeks.
Initially, it looked as if Michael Moore would take to Frank’s brand of humour, notably when he questioned if West Bromwich Albion were a real team (Top of the Nationwide first division – outside of the Premiership, it doesn’t get any more real) but as an opening interview it was primarily an education of all the myths sensationally created by the media, and simple fact that so many people agree with Moore, it is just that these have been failed to be acknowledged by the US and UK media, who see political activists such as Moore as mere troublemakers.
Then, the entertainment really kicked in. Robert Downey Jr. and Frank both have had their demons well documented, and neither was afraid to dismiss them. Downey Jr. could have quite easily been construed as delving into ‘George Best’ territory, proclaiming he had ‘screwed’ his fiancée two hours before, and ‘still smell her on him’, but the quick-witted Skinner knew how to diffuse the remark, where Wogan had failed. Downey Jr really entertained, and really was exuberant, without hamming to the point of becoming Jim Carrey.
Finally, a wonderful interview given by Michael Stipe, who by his own admission was ‘poorly educated, and doesn’t like his teeth’, but was immensely articulate, engaging, and after initially nervous, settled in comfortably, which can be thanks in part, to Skinner’s reassurances, and his brand of humour relaxing the atmosphere. Quick-thinking and quality retorts have always been Skinner’s forte, and this episode allowed him to use that to his full potential. Final sing-along played up to Downey Jr.’s former drug habits, with Skinner asking the incredibly animated Downey Jr. “What the f*** were you like on Cocaine?” to riotous laughter. Monday’s guests include Johnny Vegas, the hilarity continues.
Craig Aston.
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But what can I say, when it was recently announced that previously unaired in the UK season 7 was to be shown, I sat on tenterhooks eagerly awaiting its return. I would have also considered writing a lengthy review on the backstory for those that don't know, but Iain Millar of the Independent did a far better job than I could do justice to right here.
However, by Homicide's standards, the opening episode was lacklustre to say the least. What let " La Famiglia" down was the writing; on the ever-reliable Munch (played by Richard Belzer) provided respectable quips, but even those at times were predictable. Most U.S fans hated the season for three reasons; Michael Michele, Callie Thorne, and Jon Seda, but more for the writers trying to turn the show into a 'relationship drama' type cop show proved to be its downfall.
Craig Aston.
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Little Friends (11pm, Wednesdays, E4)
Prankster-tv just doesn’t seem likely to go away does it? From Dennis Pennis to Ali G to Don Joly, tv bosses cant seem to get enough of celebrities and members of the public being unexpectedly set up.
So how does this compare to Pennis’ foul mouth? Ali G’s intentional stupidity? Dom Joly’s absurdity? Well it’s hit rate is a lot higher, there’s just something about young children humiliating pop stars and people in general that makes it laugh out loud stuff. Obviously this isn’t smart tv – most of it was probably thought up by drunken producers (as 90% of Banzai actually was, when I worked with one of the producers of that show once he told me it was the greatest job he’d ever had, and all the better ideas they had were after 5 or so pints), but it works because of the mix of innocence and offensiveness.
So whilst an adult saying in front of Busted “Who are you? Busted? For fuck’s sake I wanted to talk to someone fucking famous” might raise a smile, when it’s a fourteen year old kid it makes it damn amusing. Other great moments have included tricking three men in to unknowingly holding signs up saying “We fuck goats” and a kid getting an adult to read out a letter from his mother where she states that his father’s been an unfaithful bastard and that she’s leaving him was uncomfortable but quality stuff. It;s mostly childish for sure, but well, like most kiddish behaviour, whilst you might not like to admit it, it is secretly very funny. Occasionally it doesn’t work – and selling cakes with pictures of cocks and other rude body parts on at a bring and buy sale was dumb rather than amusing, but most of the time it’s extremely watchable and entertaining stuff.
Of course in five years time you’ll probably have forgotten that this is ever existed, but well, as fast food tv goes, it’s damn tasty, and whilst not particularly good for you, a guilty pleasure indeed.
Alex Finch.
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Firstly, reality shows like "The Salon" etc. have usurped soaps as the most nauseatingly boring thing on television. Secondly, the hype surrounding the return of Leslie Grantham as Dirty Den Watts has been more than justified, and as a formerly casual watcher of the soap, I can honestly ( and some might
Well I will.
Adversarial encounters have worked extremely well in the past few years, with shows like "Oz" and "The Shield", gripping you with the struggle between two individuals eager for supremacy, and here it is no different. Grantham coming over all smooth works brilliantly against Mitchell's thug like character, and as in "Oz"; you can't help to root for the loveable rogue against the neantherthal bully. Meshing Den in with his family has also provided some wonderful opportunities for sub-plots; his desire to patch it up with Sharon, his new relationship with daughter Vicky, and the deep seated hatred set in the subtext between Den and Dennis, hidden only for the sake of Sharon and Vicky. Last week saw some great interaction between Grantham and Letitia Dean, Nigel Harman (playing the under-stated and menacingly brooding Dennis) and Scarlett Johnson as the content daughter Vicky; this week has already seen the long-awaited first meeting of Den and Phil, but the burning question is, how far will the intensity between Den and Phil, and more to the point, how far will the intensity between Den and Dennis go?
Sure the scripts aren't as great as "Oz" or "The Shield", i'm not pretending they are. I also believe they cram more information (though less detailed) in a 30 minute episode, than the aforementioned hour-long shows. One thing is for certain; it makes for some interesting viewing up until Christmas, and who would have thought I would have said that about a soap.
Craig Aston.
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Derren Brown Plays Russian Roulette (9pm, Sunday, C4)
Well, don’t we all feel a tad stupid now. As, well, it really looked like he was going to do it. Play an actual game of Russian Roulette live on Channel Four, and no doubt millions tuned in just hoping that it might go wrong. I’m not saying that society’s turned all blood thirsty all of a sudden, but well, every person I spoke to about it wanted to watch it to see if he was really going to do it. And all of them had a guilty sly look on there faces when they muttered that it would be tv history if his brain’s didn’t end up adorning the nearest wall.
But, as has now been well publicised, it was all a hoax. The gun wasn’t loaded with bullets, and the loud bang we heard and the sand which seeped out of the sandbag was simply caused by special effects. A very simple small explosive device placed in to one of those bags. And so it was all just publicity based hype. Presumably to promote his latest dvd which was released the day after.
But I just don’t care though. Sure, I feel a tad silly for clutching the sofa whilst he performed the stunt, but it made for fantastic tv, and all I wish is that it hadn’t been revealed as a hoax so soon after, that a question mark had hung over the whole event. Brown’s still trying to do this in various interviews, but well, it’s turned out to be a rather pointless exercise.
Still, when tv has gotten so lazy of late, with far too many reality tv shows and insipid medical or cop drama’s, this came as a breathe of fresh air. How he’ll top this is anyone’s guess, but I hope he does, rather than going back to his old shtick of guessing people’s jobs et al.
Alex Finch.
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Fame Academy (9pm, BBC1, Saturdays / Nearly all the time on BBC3)
Well, Alex Parks became the second jubillant fame academy winner on Saturday, as if it was ever in doubt, and the million pound record contract takes effect. Compared to Pop Idol, Fame Academy is tolerable, due to the input of the judges, David Grant enjoyed modest success in the eighties, he also with his wife Carrie has sung backing vocals on numerous hit albums, and they have won a MOBO for Best Gospel album. Robin Gibb's pedigree is unquestionable , even if you don't like the majority of the Bee Gees work; the only weak link is Richard Park, who 'considerable experience in Commercial Radio' only serves to allow him to contradict himself. I mean, why moan about power-ballad singers, when with the exception of Virgin, that is all that really pumped out of commercial radio, and has been since I can remember.
Needless to say, Park's confrontations with Patrick Keilty have been mildly amusing, but ultimately pointless, as despite the distinctiveness of Alex, she will descend into sub-Dido comfortable pop by the time the contract expires, as evidenced by the backing track for her own composition - lyrically fine, but the tune was screaming MOR - hardly distinctive. As for the others, well Alistair will no doubt follow in the footsteps of Robbie Williams and Daniel Bedingfield, Carolynne should stick to the softer-edge MOR rock, instead of trying to create the Bodyform ad with her vocals, but I suspect that should Titanic II ever get made, she will be the one they call to belt out "My heart will go on" Mk. II. As for the others, James looked like he was grooming himself for Mister Mister territory, Paris could easily follow Lemar's example, with hopefully better results. Peter should re-evaluate his talent, as shouting and screaming into a microphone has been done before, and by better people, and everyone else was forgettable.
However, I'm sure that there will be a distinct lack of originality in any those aforementioned artist's 'output' due to the conditioning received whilst in that Academy. Bright young things they may be, but they have the marketing strategy of and international business phenomenon without the merest of substance that the likes of The Smiths from the eighties, or the Manic Street Preachers from the nineties, or to a certain degree the Coral from the noughties, for these bands came with unashamed propositions that were innovative in their era. Marr wrote wonderful arrangements set to Morrissey's wry, but melancholic lyrics; the Manics blended Guns and Roses guitars with punk angst and political philosophy and unashamedly obliterated the mould with "Generation Terrorists", and "The Coral", brought merseybeat and sixties psychedelia to today's relevance in such an infectious manner.
If Alex Parks wants to see her emotion cultivated rather than dwindle, she couldn't do worse than listen to Cat Power, and Gillian Welch, or if she wants her torture to remain tuneful but still sound intriguing, I could personally recommend Shawn Colvin and Suzanne Vega. Sadly, I doubt that will happen in the current climate, and we must expect the usual homogenized mediocrity to rear its boring, ugly head once again.
Shame really, after all those months of drama, that the end product isn't more encouraging
Craig Aston.
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QI (10pm, Thursdays, BBC2 / 10.30pm, Thursdays, BBC4)
Who would have thought such a high-brow quiz would have been this entertaining? Fronted by Stephen Fry, the main premise of QI (or Quite Interesting) is to ridicule Alan Davies. Actually it's not,the main premise is to answer questions truthfully if possible, but if not in an interesting manner as possible, so that Fry can award points. However, if the obvious answer is given, then an alarm sounds and 10 points are deducted.
In dispeling countless myths, usually imparted by Davies, the fun kicks in with the guests reactions to fallacies that they (along with the majority of us) believed to be true. Highlights have included disbelief from Davies and Rich Hall that the Earth has two moons, and not one. Also, Hall struggled to be as knowledgeable and interesting as Gyles Brandreth (two words I'm surprised to mentioning on this site), so he started saying anything of interest, such as "Radishes are made of meat". Which is funnier in context, than it is here in print, as it was a mark of desperation from someone who felt out of their depth in comparison. The result, a highly insightful programme, that has provided more amusement than the one regular panel quizzes combined in recent weeks.
Ultimately, Quite Interesting.
Craig Aston.
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Want more tv comment? Then click below for reviews from:
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