TV: Being Human 101

Well, I've certainly had a lot to say about Being Human in the past.  The reason is simple really - when the pilot was shown last year, it was one of the best television offerings I had seen in years.  Jubilation ensued as a full season was granted followed swiftly by disappointment as 95% of the cast members were replaced.

Now after almost a year of speculation, episode one of the first season aired on Sunday night and I was not disappointed at all.  It was absolutely marvellous and this show is set to become one of my favourite shows ever. 

Firstly and mostly importantly, Russell Tovey was brilliant as he reprised his role as George.  This guy is a phenomenal actor and we had the privilege of seeing him in the play The Sea last year.  He is so believable and likeable as the werewolf George and he almost steals the show (in my not-so-humble opinion).

 
Screencap by neptunekisses.livejournal.com

It was never going to be easy to replace the impossibly gifted and gorgeous Guy Flanagan - Guy was so good in the Being Human pilot and I think he stimulated the inner fangirls of thousands and thousands of women.  Despite having such big shoes to fill, Aidan Turner is just fine as the vampire Mitchell and I was really happy with his performance.  He's rather easy on the eye too!

 
Screencap by neptunekisses.livejournal.com

And then there is the ghost Annie.  I wasn't even specifically blown away by Andrea Riseborough's performance in the pilot (on account of me drooling so much over Russell and Guy) but when I heard that she was to be replaced by Lenora Crichlow I was so disappointed.  I shouldn't have worried though.  Her performance was almost refreshing after Andrea's Mary Sue portrayal and she has just the right mix of anger and irreverence that one might expect from a haunting ghost.

 
Screencap by neptunekisses.livejournal.com

Wow - it is so nice to report being happy with the state of English television for a change and I am certainly happy.  I can't wait until the next episode this Sunday and I am definitely a fan now.  I'd be interested to know what the men out there think of this show - Stephen wasn't convinced although it did make him giggle at times.

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Film: Yes Man (2008)

I don't often watch films anymore. There was a time when Ste and I went to the cinema every single Tuesday of our lives and we watched just about everything out there. Then television became more of a fan thing for me with me tracking and reviewing the shows I had watched and falling in love with Veronica Mars, Prison Break, The O.C. and a host of other shows.

However, I made a New Year's resolution to watch 20 films this year. Interestingly, I made the same resolution in 2007 but then I went through the pesky inconvenience of emigrating to a new country and that can really interfere with your leisure time, I tell you. There is also the small detail that we paid 50p each to go to the cinema in South Africa (which is about $1) and it costs £8 to £12 to go to the cinema here. I really struggle with that discrepancy and that is at the heart of my review on this film.

There was nothing special about Yes Man. A man enters into a challenge to say 'yes' to everything for an entire year and naturally that leads to funny consequences as he says 'yes' to all those spam mails offering enlargements and so on. And he meets a girl and his habit leads to misunderstandings and a rift in the relationship but they clear it up eventually and they live happily ever after.

In other words, it is the same as every other romantic comedy out there and you certainly shouldn't waste actual money going to see it in the cinema. It also fits the Jim Carrey formula which is a pity because I happen to think he can act and I don't understand why he would opt for something as unoriginal and formulaic as this after he somewhat proved himself in the critically acclaimed films Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Man on the Moon and The Truman Show.

My final answer will be: move along, there's nothing to see here. Certainly don't watch it is if it the only thing you're going to watch at the cinema in the next couple of months. Wait until it comes out on DVD and then hire it along with a host of other DVDs on a rainy Sunday afternoon. And then nap through it.

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Letter From God to Man (Official Video) - Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip were one of the best discoveries I made last year and they are absolutely brilliant. Every song on their 12 song debut album Angles is great and I would really recommend you give them a listen.

Strictly speaking, Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip are a hip-hop act but the background music and phenomenal lyrics make this an act that can easily appeal to listeners across genres.

Official myspace.

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Season: Dead Like Me season 1

It's no secret that I am not really a comedy fan. I much prefer thrillers, action, adventure, fantasy, horror and drama in the film and television I watch, as well as the books I read.  Strangely enough, I like watching stand-up comedy or comedy at the theatre.

I think that is the primary reason that I never started watching Dead Like Me.  It kind of seemed to come and go without me really noticing.  Yet like so many shows that are cancelled before their time, the legend that is Dead Like Me continued to grow and I began to feel that I had missed out on a cult classic.

How convenient is it then that Sky were showing the entire season 1 in double bill time slots over a one month period?  

The basic premise of the show is that the five strapping young individuals in the picture above are grim reapers and the story starts with the death of George (second from the right) and her employment as a grim reaper.  Thankfully, the story doesn't follow a one-a-week formula with us learning who will die and how it all pans out which suits me fine.  I am so tired of one-a-week programming!  The story revolves around reapers essentially having to be crooks to support themselves in this world, George's family that she left behind and the relationships between the reapers.

For someone who doesn't like comedy, I can unabashedly say that I loved this show and I can find no fault with it.  I cannot believe they cancelled it after only one season!  I loved each and every one of the characters and I do hope that the movie rumours prove to be true.

My favourite character is Mason played by Callum Blue on whom I might have the slightest crush.  Which is to say he is drop dead gorgeous and completely morally bereft.  Judging from the last episode, I can definitely say he should get lucky more often.

Speaking of which, I think that is what makes the show work.  There are no fluffy clouds or moral statements.  It's the kind of show where you think, 'yeah, that's what I would do if I thought no one was looking too'.  Yo can really identify with the characters but laugh at it all at the same time too.

Bring the show back dammit!!!

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TV Show: Being Human - prequels

The news of casting changes in Being Human hasn't exactly filled me with joy. I went from marvelling at how great the pilot was to jubilation when it was awarded a six-episode season to disappointment at the replacement of Guy Flanagan and Andrea Riseborough.

I just watched the trailer which didn't exactly allay my fears.

However, I did go onto Being Human website (after following through links on The Grynne's post) and I found three prequel clips.

These clips definitely make me feel better. It seems the show is taking a darker approach than the pilot which seems to work quite well and I feel much better about the casting of Aidan Turner and Lenora Crichlow now. I was under the impression that George was much older as a werewolf though. His prequel shows that he was only recently changed. Did they depart from the pilot (which they warned they might) or did I get that wrong?

I'm really looking forward to the show now and wish I knew when it was starting again.

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Book review: The Fall - Garth Nix

I discovered two massively talented authors in 2008, namely Garth Nix and Anthony Horowitz. I picked up books from each of these authors as I was looking for some light reading over the summer holidays and while aimed at the young adult market, I have found myself tearing through their books ever since.

I'd always hesitated to pick up The Seventh Tower series as the books were to be found in the children's section (as opposed to the young adult or teen sections) and I had read at Amazon.co.uk that the target audience was just too young and the books may not appeal to adult readers.

The first book in the series, The Fall is a thin volume of only 219 pages, printed with large text. I finished the book in two days but I need not have been concerned about whether or not I would like it - this is another Nix success.

This is a complex, original and highly imaginative book. In places, it reminded me of The Wind Singer by William Nicholson which I reviewed in August but both books were released in 2000 so I think that is just coincidental. The book is based in a Dark World where light is the most precious commodity and society is classed in a hierarchy based on access to that light. Through Nix's writing, you can feel the claustrophobia and constant darkness of this world and you find yourself longing for mentions of light. It made cold and rainy England seem positively bright and shiny by comparison!

I enjoyed the portrayal of the main character Tal who is aged about 13½ (the book is set shortly before his Ascension which occurs at age 13¾). He is shown to be a strong and resourceful protagonist which makes a change from characters in books where the lead character has to learn or discover their strength and ability as a leader (for example Northern Lights).

What sets this book apart from others in the genre is the description of the Dark World and the various tasks that must be completed by Tal. The concept of the Achievements, for example, where games need to be played to win favours or sun stones is enhanced by the descriptions of the games that need to played. I thought the idea of the Beastmaker game was awesome and I enjoyed the concept of the Crystal Wood too.

All told, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I will definitely read the whole series. I wish they weren't releasing the books so slowly in the UK!! I'll wait until they are released in the UK though because I prefer our covers to the overseas editions (and yes, that means I intend to buy the entire series). I believe they have released the six books overseas as two three-book omnibuses and that is actually a great idea. That would certainly help bridge the gap for adults reading the series as the only thing that really marks this as a children's book is its length, not the complexity of the story.

I give it 4 stars out of 5 but reserve the right to change that to a 5 out of 5 once I have read the whole series

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Book Review: Size 12 Is Not Fat - Meg Cabot

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, this was officially the first chick-lit murder mystery book I had read. Second, I absolutely had to know who had committed the crimes. And third, I wanted nothing more than for the heroine to get the hero by the end of the book.

While we were travelling around the countryside on our road trip, I noticed a Meg Cabot omnibus for £3 comprised of Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either. I had never heard of Meg Cabot nor had I read a book of the chick-lit genre before but I needed some light reading after all of that travelling and on account of my flu.

The thinly disguised comment at the beginning of this post has to do with my dawning realisation, very early on in this book, that Twilight by Stephenie Meyer was in fact nothing other than a chick-lit novel with a vampire lead male. Except that the leading women in chick-lit novels usually develop some self-esteem or sense of self-worth by the end of the first book (or at least the sequel!) and Meyer was quite happy keeping Bella at the vacuous, oblivious stage throughout most of the series.

With that massive tangent out of the way, I'll just say that Size 12 is Not Fat delivered. I needed something light and entertaining and that is what I got. A lot of readers found certain aspects of the book annoying, for example the lead character Heather keeps saying "dorm - I mean residence hall". Having read the Amazon reviews before digging into the book however, I was prepared for this and basically ignored it.

The book was good enough that I'm going to dig straight into the sequel (seeing as it is part of the same omnibus). I can't envisage reading too many of these books and will probably be gagging for something less vanilla after that but yes, perfect for now.

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Matt Smith is the 11th Doctor...

... and I'm not disappointed.

Photo courtesy of BBC.co.uk

I spent the past year or so being... irritated by the constant speculation over who was to be the next Doctor Who. Essentially, Russell T Davies, DW's ex-head writer, was constantly spreading silly rumours about who "would make a fabulous next Doctor". And so the rumour mill went into overdrive and fans of Harry Lloyd, Russell Tovey and Patterson Joseph (among countless others) became convinced that their favourite star was going to be the next Doctor.  It was just tiresome and became even more so after David Tennant announced that he was quitting at the end of 2009.

Well, I have to say that I am not disappointed with tonight's announcement on Doctor Who Confidential.  I was not happy with any of the bookies' favourites up to now and Matt Smith was completely unexpected.  From the interview clips with him it is clear that he is a complete and utter loon and therefore, he'll be perfect for the role.  He has earned his stripes in Party Animals and The Ruby in the Smoke and has shown that he is a talented, versatile actor.  I only hope that he'll dress in sexy Victorian clothing and doesn't disappoint us.

Photo courtesy of BBC.co.uk

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Next Doctor revealed today

Straight from the BBC:

The BBC confirmed today that it will reveal the identity of the Eleventh Doctor as part of a special edition of Doctor Who Confidential to be aired on BBC ONE tomorrow, Saturday 03 January at 17:35hrs.

Following the announcement in October that David Tennant would be stepping down from his role as the Doctor at the end of 2009*, speculation has been mounting as to who would take over from him for the fifth series of this iconic BBC drama that will air in 2010.

With a new creative team in place for the new series led by Executive Producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger, the casting of the new Doctor was job number one to be completed before scripts could be finalised and shooting could begin in summer 2009.

In the Doctor Who special, to be aired tomorrow at 17.35hrs, the actor playing the new Doctor will be giving his or her initial reaction to being the new, eleventh incarnation of one of television's most loved characters.

Head Of Drama BBC Wales Piers Wenger said, "We are so pleased to have been able to cast this person as the new Doctor. We believe the actor is going to bring something very special to the role and will make it absolutely their own - I just can't wait to tell everyone who it is - it has been a nail biting Christmas trying to keep this under wraps!".

* There will be four Doctor Who Specials featuring David Tennant that will run in 2009 into New Year 2010 (dates tbc).

The Doctor Who Confidential programme will also be broadcast live on the BBC's Big Screens nationwide.

Doctor Who Confidential - The Eleventh Doctor: Saturday, January 3rd - 17:35hrs, BBC ONE

Source: BBC.co.uk

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New Show: Demons

I'm really looking forward to Demons which is starting on ITV 1 tonight at 7.20pm.  It is a supernatural thriller (my very favourite type of television genre) and the timing couldn't be more perfect - I needed something to fill the void left in my Saturday nights since X Factor and Merlin finished last month.

Picture courtesy of ITV.com

The synopsis on the website is as follows:

"Luke Rutherford is your average teenager – until his dead father's best friend, Rupert Galvin, turns up. Galvin has come to tell Luke his secret destiny: he's the real-life great-grandson of Abraham Van Helsing, the vampire hunter in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Luke is set to inherit the family mantle as a warrior against the supernatural entities swarming the earth.

But Luke isn't the only one to have recently discovered his true identity. The powerful half-life, Gladiolus Thrip (Mackenzie Crook) has too."

The show features the marvelous Philip Glenister and I am praying that the show is not a disappointment like so many other UK shows recently.

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2009: Television

I haven't figured out where I'm going with this list yet. I imagine it'll look great at the end of the year but we'll see...

2008/2009 Television season

Being Human season 1 (preview) (episode 1)

Demons season 1 (January - February 2009) (preview)

Ghost Whisperer season 4

Grey's Anatomy season 5

Heroes season 3

House season 5

NCIS season 6

Robin Hood season 3

Sarah Jane Adventures season 2

Supernatural season 4

90210 season 1

Classic Television series

Dead Like Me season 1 (January 2009)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 1 (January - March 2009)

Spooks season 1 (February - March 2009)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2 (March 2009)

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2009: Films

This post will list all the films I watch in 2009 with links to their reviews.
January 2009
03. Yes Man
February 2009
01. Slumdog Millionare
08. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
14. He's Just Not That Into You
21. Push
March 2009
07. Bolt
13. Marley and Me
21. Pink Panther 2
April 2009
06. Batman Begins
06. They Call Me Trinity
06. Gran Torino
May 2009
05. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
18. Einstein and Eddington
30. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
30. 12 Rounds
June 2009
05. Angels and Demons
28. Race to Witch Mountain
28. Milk
28. Inkheart
28. Gran Torino
July 2009
25. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
August 2009
16. Freefall
September 2009
19. Coraline
26. Terminator Salvation
November 2009
21. New Moon

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