Hermitage TV

Lovato For Greys

2010-03-29T23:03:00.000+01:00

Demi Lovato has been confirmed in a guest role in favourite medical drama, Grey's Anatomy. Playing the part of a possibly schizophrenic patient, Lovato will test Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) experience to the maximum as he tries to diagnose her.

A Desperate Return

2009-05-08T22:36:00.000+01:00

The major problem with Edie dying, was not that she was a man eating whore, or that our wish that she might finally kill Susan was crushed, it was that suddenly Desperate Housewives just became desperate. She may have been an under utilised character but her brief appearances filled the Wisteria Lane drudgery with some much needed humour. A underhand comment here, a bitchy quip there, she never failed to bring a smile. It was only when we she disappeared from our screens for good that I realised the void that had replaced her. Whilst writer Marc Cherry marched on with thrilling plots and dramatic twists, it always came down to Edie to provide a brief chuckle, to lift the mood and to remind us that this was indeed a comedy.

The episode post her death - aka "Rose's Turn" was truly dreadful. Edie's last words - "I let go of picket fences, of cars and driveways" made me wish that I too had not bothered to tune back in. However, in a return to what is, at its roots, a family driven drama with some murder mystery thrown in, "Bargaining" was truly back on form.

Edie's dead, so to it seems is the series

Whilst Gaby tackled her daughters insecurities over her looks, Lynette strived to keep her marriage strong as Tom started to slide down a slope to depression. Katherine's worries were realised when she discovered Mike didn't want to re-marry whilst the return of Jackson caused a lonely Susan to let her feelings gush out in a torrential out pouring. Unluckily for her - as is to be expected - though Jackson's marriage proposal was real, its intent was not for the romance and love that she craved. Across town Brie's efforts to tackle Orson's comical kleptomania failed miserably and upon discovering he was entitled to recieve half her assets, solicited help from Susan's ex and divorce vulture, Karl.

It was a welcome return to family issues, to the everyday problems that people across the world face. Even more welcome was the return of the comedy, Lynette and Tom in action whilst on a conference call, MJ's one liner about macaroons. Carry on like this and perhaps this black comedy will finally be comedic again.

Summer Bay's Triumph

2009-05-01T21:43:00.000+01:00

As Home and Away causes controversy in conservative Australia, in England I am finally impressed that an Australian soap has plucked up the courage to run with a gay relationship storyline. Not that it hasn't been done before. Back in the 90's Shannon (Isla Fisher) had an affair with a female writer staying in the caravan park. In 2004 Neighbours caused a stir when the popular Sky Mangle (Stephanie McIntosh) shared a kiss with a fello student. And of course, only this past year, Xavier's wacky and wayward ex grabbed a quick kiss with Nicole.

Charlie and Joey come to terms with their relationship

But one glaringly obvious point with these past episodes is their lack of run time. These gay moments have simply been used to spice up a story, to develop one's character, but never has either of the Australian soaps decided to create a gay couple as an ongoing and stable part of the soap. But it finally seems that execs at Home and Away have decided to dramatise modern times, changes, stereotypes, and homophobia. Whether Joey and Charlie's love will continue remains to be seen, but the scripting has been undertaken excellently, creating excitement whilst keeping realism. However, with Charlie's & Hugo's indiscretion on the beach in tonight's episode, I hope that isn't all just another case of soap's once again buckling against conservative and bigotistic views.

Goodbye Jelly Belly

2009-05-01T21:28:00.000+01:00

As Neighbours sinks deeper and deeper into an abyss of poor acting, bad scripting, and poorly executed storylines it isnot suprising to see one of its legends take his final bow. Harold Bishop left tonight, happily driving off into the distance in his camper van, and ended his 20year run on the show. From a floundering and flustered accountant he has become one with the Austrailian soap and will be sadly missed. Who will now fill the void of his legendary duo's, first with Madge and later with Lou? Perhaps Toadie who was passed a photo album in Harolds last episode, allowing us viewers to recollect his history.

With the news that Tom Oliver (Lou Carpenter) is to reduce his hours in much the same way that Ian Smith did, it is feared that the remaining part of the double act may soon be about to desert the sinking ship to. With firm favourites, the Kennedy's, remaining let us hope that Neighbours can rekindle some of its lost vigour and not allow Harold's departure to be its final bow before it disappears below the waters.

The Resistance is Fighting

2009-04-30T22:26:00.003+01:00

If you haven't heard already, and have been living life under a stone, then Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles life currently hangs on an uncertain thread. FOX has yet to announce its TV line up for fall and whilst their execs are weighing up the good and bad, SCC fans are definately fighting back by signing petitions, emailing and calling the FOX customer line, along with anything else they can possible think of to save this awesome show.

It features on TV Guide's 7 show's they'd keep (Source), Zap 2 it have an 86% keep it (Source) whilst on twitter ashman01, the show's creator and SaveTerminator are doing all they can to inform fans of how to help.

I have to add my full support for saving this brilliantly written, originally filmed, and well acted series. Terminator: Salvation will soon be upon us, bringing new and old fans back into the fold, surely it would be an extroadinarily bad time to terminate this awesome addition to the machine driven empire?

Husbands return for "Sex"

2009-04-30T14:57:00.000+01:00

Evan Handler and David Eigenberg have reportedly been added to the return cast of the second "Sex and the City" movie which is due to begin filming this summer.

Handler, who returns as Charlotte York-Goldenblatt's husband Harry, will be joined by Eigenberg who resumes his role as Steve Brady according to Entertainment Weekly. The addition of the pair to the already complete quartet of women (Paker, Cattrall, Davis, Nixon) and the reappearance of Chris Noth as "Mr Big" means that all past crucial roles are now filled. This is with the exception of Jason Lewis who's relationship with character Samantha Jones ended in the first movie.

Other stars who have shown interest in returning include John Corbett (Aidan), Jennifer Hudson (Louise) and Gilles Marini (Dante). The movie is due to be released May 28th, 2010

Neighbours Additions Revealed

2009-02-24T16:04:00.000Z

With the recent departure of many Neighbours regulars and the annoucement of more to go it is with relief that I can actually show some of the new Erinsborough residents! Replacing the void after Caitlin Stasey's departure is Sunny Lee, appearing in Episode 5663 at newcomer Hanny Lee.

The new Ramsey's set to arrive a few months later are Will More (Harry Ramsey), Ashleigh Brewer (Kate Ramsey) and Kaiya Jones (Sophie Ramsey).

Photo & information courtesy of The Perfect Blend

Terminator, Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 2, Episode 15, Desert Cantos

2009-02-24T15:56:00.000Z

Most series pull in the viewers with dramatic stories set to a standard formula, Six Feet Under started with a death every week, Desperate Housewives has the incessant narration of Mary Alice but not The Sarah Connor Chronicles. In a refreshing mix up of television format the TV terminator series seems to subtly change its boundaries each week whilst still providing a compelling story. In Episode 14 we had a glimpse of Sarah’s husband, a guardian angel as he followed her through the episode. In other past episode we’ve flipped between present and future and for Episode 15 we have our story unfold throughout broken down segments of the mass funeral following Catherine Weavers’ murdering spree at the warehouse.

As the residents of the local town draw together in comfort after the death of so many of their loved ones and friends, Sarah, John, Derek and Cameron set about trying to find just what was going on in the warehouse, knowing only too well that it wasn’t an air vent manufacturing plant. Sarah’s vision of the flying bot is still clear in her mind and though the others don’t necessarily believe her they are encouraged to seek to the truth as to what was happening.

Crashing in on the funeral John sets about extracting information from the daughter of a murdered man whilst, seeing the picture of the man who had shot her, Sarah begins a similar treatment on his widow. In the procession John is taken to a scene where cows lay dead surrounding a pool of water by teenage girl, whilst at the funeral Derek realises that they are not the only ones digging for information as he spots someone, sent by Catherine Weaver, to clear up one last mess. Sarah, soaking up information from Diane, another widow, is given a set of keys to a storage box that Diane never knew about and upon entering it finds bloody rags and boxes of belongings – belongings that were a mother and son’s who dramatically vanished after she broke her terms of contract at the warehouse.

At the following wake, with input from Cameron, John & Derek soon realise that the teenage girl John’s been talking to is hiding something – her father isn’t dead after all. Whilst they try to discover why his whereabouts are being covered Sarah is on the trail of the company man, leading her into a basement where she discovers camera feeds and links to all of the company employee’s houses and a tunnel connection two of houses together.

Drawing the family of the non-deceased employee together they set about getting information of his whereabouts and just exactly what was happening at the facility only to met with ignorance and a sense of “never ask, never tell”. Realising that there are not going to gain any valuable information John takes his mother to where the cow carcases are, only to find the dead body of the company man, followed by an eruption from the pool when the bot that Sarah saw explodes out of the water and flies away, entering a truck and being shut down and driven away by the only surviving man from the facility. In no uncertain terms the team now know that there is indeed an AI flying about the skies, but where is Skynet?! Who is Skynet? And whatever happened to finding the Turk?!

Calling All Shorties

2009-02-24T15:32:00.000Z

Whilst we in England are still enjoying Cycle 11 of America's Next Top Model Tyra's empiric show snowballs on as it announces the casting call for Cycle 13 with just one difference, all models musn't be taller than 5'7"!!

Tyra's enforced a height restriction, none over 5'7" should apply

In a motion to turn the modelling show on its head Tyra announced "There have been top supermodels in the past that weren’t as tall as the industry demands, like fashion icon Kate Moss. So we are changing up ‘Top Model’ for cycle 13 and making it a year for the shorter model!”

It seems that girls over this height will not be considered for the Cycle which leaves me wondering, with the apparent lack of success of any of the previous winners within the supermodel world can this only be a marketing ploy to get more viewers rather than an actual attempt to create supermodels? You decide.

ANTM - Cycle 11, Episode 5

2009-02-24T15:18:00.000Z

After their new locks last week the show turned to the next crucial part of any models artillery – her walk. Arriving at a bowling alley Miss J quickly thrust a pair of high heeled bowling shoes at each girl and barked for them to strut the alley like never before. With Isis up first feeling confidant and with something to prove it was only a matter of time before she skidded on the shiny surface and nearly toppled over. Many of the girls seemed to have it this year and the only outrageously awful show was put on by Hannah who was so stiff she looked like she should be creaking each time she moved a limb. With no idea what to do at the end of the runway she whirled around and stomped back to the beginning, the rest of her competitors in hysterics.

Returning to the house Isis and Analeigh went out of their way to try and help the struggling Alaskan but it was all too late when they discovered they were doing a fashion catwalk the following day. With much excitement the girls turned up to a vintage bank to find they would strutting down the catwalk as catburglers – and blindfolded! But, in a series twist, they also discovered that one of the girls would be leaving post catwalk, no photoshoot, no panel, no Tyra.

It wasn’t long before nerves set in and whilst some – Joselyn, McKey excelled through their first showcase, Hannah lost her nerve and all she’d learnt was swept away, whilst Sam embarrassed the designer by hoisting her skirt up at the end of the runway. It was a fairly obvious cut and after the two J’s announced their decision a teary Hannah left the competition.

In an ANTM first Hannah gets cut with no panel, no photo, no Tyra.

But what next? Would there still be a cut? Was there still a photoshoot? What was happening?! Well ANTM went back to normal with the girls attending their next photshoot comfortingly in their own pool, shot by their own judge Nigel Barker. A water shoot the girls were to be immersed with only their nose up being shot.

Analeigh, fearing she was to be cut from the competition stepped up her game and proved some outstanding photo’s, with Sam and McKey and Clark continuing their upward rise. Joselyn, not able to swim couldn’t keep her nerve, a previous stunning Elina lost all focus and floundered and Isis, once again in a swimsuit, found her mind ill prepared for the photoshoot.

At judging Lauren Brie was called first, with Analeigh straight from last week’s bottom two coming a close second. Samantha, although with a stunning photo was viciously berated for disgusting the designer with her end of catwalk moves and ended up in the bottom two along with a sinking Isis. In the end Sam had the better picture and the transgender queen from Maryland crashed out of the competition.

The transgender queen sinks out of the competition

With Tyra cutting two this week, does it mean a reprise in the next episode or is it simply a tactic to spice things up?

Living - Mondays at 21.00

NEW SERIES - The Beast

2009-02-18T23:56:00.000Z

Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January 2009 our minds have been ever presently concerned with Patrick Swayze’s health rather that his acting credentials so it’s nice to see him once again taking the lead, this time in a undercover FBI role.

As far as this opening episode and pilot went it was far from original but if you like this genre of television it still had enough to suit everyone. With rookie agent Ellis Dove (Travis Fimmel) becoming Charles Barker’s (Swayze) handpicked undercover partner the two set about bringing down a black market weapons gang, amidst a cover of punches, blown up cars, wrong doings and a general air of hostility. As always wanting to cause intrigue to further the series there was the inevitable first “drink” with a new girl, the problems of a rookie’s inexperience fitting in with his new partner, and the rookie’s over excelling confidence that he actually knew how to run the show already.

Swayze’s Barker is the FBI agent with his new rookie side kick

Trying to crack the weapon’s gang it was the duo’s responsibility to “borrow” a RPG (rocket launcher), find the appropriate contacts, set up the meeting and then capture the buyer alive whilst not trying to become worm food themselves. Ellis, on a mission to get the RPG activity keys, entered a den of meth and madness and found himself in a situation where he had to either smoke meth or take a risk of blowing a hole in his foot with a gun. He chose the meth option and soon found himself trying to focus through a haze of drug taking whilst still getting the job done.

All ended well as they took the gang down in style but it was the final moments that took an unexpected twist and made me want to see more. Returning home for the day Ellis found himself surrounded by a number of offices, some of whom he’d seen before throughout the operation but as other people. It seemed that his whole partnership with Barker was built on a lie, he’d been hand picked by them to ride alongside the FBI agent and discover whether he was crooked or not. I didn’t see that coming and it added a great twist.

It was also refreshing to see Ellis, as he looked across at the bar where his new date was waiting, realise that life was too difficult and he couldn’t include her, walking away and turning his life to focus on the undercover job in hand. This isn’t the usual plot, normally the girl is quickly drawn into the mix of danger, so it was refreshing to see Ellis take an unusual but appropriate turn. However, she does live in his building so whether this stays that way I’m not sure is likely.

I’m looking forward to see where this series goes, it may become original and fresh, it may die a traditional and obvious death, the next few weeks are sure to tell.

Five USA – Wednesday’s at 10.00

Terminator – Sarah Connor Chronicles, Season 2, Episode 14, the Good Wound

2009-02-18T17:27:00.000Z

After what seems an eternity Sarah and John are back in our lives with the continuation of Season 2. With initial rumours that the series was to be scrapped to relieve fears for a flagging Prison Break, now that the latter series has been cancelled perhaps we will see a reprieve?!

The Good Wound opens with Sarah in hospital after she’s been shot in the leg at the desert warehouse. She slowly comes too and realises what’s happening, worried to see police outside her room, and feeling like death itself. John is currently tied up with Riley who has slit her wrists while Derek is trying to find Sarah and warehouse and Sarah finds herself completely alone until the vision of John’s dad, Kyle Reese who says “come with me”.

Yanking the IV from her arm and shattering the window as to lure the guard into her room she quickly takes him down, takes his gun and hobbles out of the hospital. But the wound is worse than she thinks and taking action she kidnaps a doctor at gunpoint. Checking into a motel and still with the doctor – Felicia – at gunpoint she directs the surgeon to remove the bullet. Again Kyle Reese appears, asking her to calm down, to take the gun off of Felicia, to accept help and not always be so wary. Following her advice she starts to answer the doctors question, talking about John, talking about how there are people after her, wanting to kill her. Felicia says that Sarah isn’t the only one and as she starts to dig deep into Sarah’s leg the pair discuss John.

Coming to half an hour later Felecia tells a drained Sarah that she can’t remove the bullet, its too close to the femoral artery and one small knick would mean 4minutes of life left. Summoning all her energy Sarah, with the help of the surgeon, travel to a hospital and breaking into the morgue prepare to do surgery with more equipment.

Meanwhile John questions his priorities when it comes to his mother and Riley. After Riley does a running act, he asks Cameron to help find her to have response “We don’t need to” and he finally starts to see what is truly important.

Back in the morgue Felecia successfully removes the bullet moments before Derek arrives and points a gun at her. Grabbing Sarah’s gun off the counter Felecia comes to the conclusion that Derek must be the man after her patient and the pair eye each other up carefully…that is until the senior police man and seemingly Felecia’s partner arrives. Whilst Sarah’s been having surgery the police force have been busy trying to track her down and clear up the mess as Derek has systematically destroyed all their evidence. It becomes apparent that the deputy has attacked Felicia in the same way she believes Sarah has been treated and pulling the trigger by accident the doctor ends up shooting and killing him. Making a swift exit with Derek the pair say to blame the death on them, but Felecia says she’ll tell them he attacked her, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t done it before.

At the basement lab Ellison is shocked to discovered that John Henry has accessed the internet and found out everything there is know about his new body. It seems John Henry’s intelligence is growing and telling Catherine Weaver that she is not human he relates to her a non encrypted message he found on the internet covering a conversation in relation to the chemical makeup of his body. Catherine Weaver visits the warehouse in the desert, obviously the source of the phonecall conversation, and kills everyone there before blowing it up.

Just what is she up to?

Just what is Catherine’s game? Is she creating John Henry to out do Skynet? Is John Henry skynet? When is Ellison going to realise there is something far more sinister going on here than he ever imagined? And will Sarah and John ever get a break from saving their skins to actually focus on bringing Skynet down?

I sincerely hope this series continues, even for those who weren’t original terminator fans it has drama, action, intrigued and actually attempts to characterise its cast rather than had 2D action heroes. The scene’s of the post apocalyptic Earth are great as well as the weave of characters from passed and present. Long may it continue.

Lost, Series 5, Episode 5 - This Place is Death

2009-02-18T16:50:00.000Z

As Ben desperately tries to convince the members of “The Oceanic Six” to return to the island Sun takes her chance to take down the man that she blames for the death of her husband and points a gun at Ben. Shocked to learn that Jin is still alive she agrees to go with him when Ben offers to show her proof but to the coordinators dismay only Jack follows. He fails to reunite the Oceanic Six for their trip back to the island and as they three of them pull up outside a church they are surprised to also to see Desmond, on his quest to find Daniel Faraday’s mother. Upon entering the church they are met by a woman lighting candles, she is Daniels mother, she has the knowledge of how to return and dismayed at the turnout she agrees that is too late and that the four of them, including Desmond has to be enough.

Back on the island Jin is still trying to come to terms with what is happening. Rousseau and her team convince him to accompany them towards the radio tower purely because its in the direction of the Oceanic camp but upon entering the jungle they come across their old foe the smoke monster. Dragging one of their team down a hole Jin knows only too well what is happening and stops a heavily pregnant Rousseau from following knowing that she is very much alive in the future. A glaring in the sky and a painful screech to his ears and Jin jumps through time to find himself alone in the tree’s again.

Continuing to make his way towards the beach he hears voices and running around the corner see’s Rousseau pointing her gun directly at her boyfriends head. He pleads with her, tells him that he’s the father, that she knows who he is and just as she lowers her gun he takes aim ready to fire. Rousseau, being the better shot, takes him down with a bullet to the head and turning to see Jin sets him scrambling for the jungle through a line of bullets. Another time jump and Jin once again here’s voices but this time it is that of Sawyer and Locke, he has jumped to the correct time period and he is relieved to join his lost comrades.

After fleeing Rousseau’s bullets Jin is relieved to find his comrades

Things are getting worse for Charlotte, most of the team are now experiencing nosebleeds but as they take several sequential time jumps the red headed Brit collapses to the ground, her mind rambling through different times, her body not able to cope with the haemorrhaging. Letting the team go on Daniel stays behind with her as she alludes to the fact that she grew up on the island, that she had spent her life trying to return and that as a child she had been scared by a man on the island who told her never to come back again lest she wanted to die. In a moment of clarity she realises that is was in fact Daniel who told her before finally succumbing and dying in Daniels arms.

Charlotte finally succumbs but not before some time travel rambling

At the Orchid Station they are pleased to see it standing, until of course, another time jump. Arriving in a time where it didn’t exist John rushes down a bank to find a well, a well that Charlotte had mentioned in her ramblings. Taking the rope he starts to make his way down, only to time jump halfway through and plummet to the base of the well where he shatters many bones.

He is met by one of the others, someone that tells him that Ben shouldn’t have moved the island, that is was meant to be moved only by John and that he had to correct the mistake. Stumbling his way to the wheel with bones sticking through his leg in grisly fashion John summons all of his strength and starts to push the wheel.

With John now at the island’s helm is about to save our island survivors from fatal haemorrhaging? I sure hope so otherwise by the time the others arrive there’ll actually be none left to save and their entire reason for returning will be wasted. With Kate, Aaron, Sayid and Hurley all out of Ben’s mix will they actually be able to return and what will happen to those members that stay in the real world? And think of Penelope! She’s only just found Desmond again, they’ve had a child and now it looks like she’s going to lose him all over again!!

Heroes - Series 3, Episode 15 - Trust and Blood

2009-02-18T16:17:00.000Z

With the aircraft plummeting to earth after Claire’s attempt at freeing the Hero hostages at the end of last episode we were left with a horrible thought that this may be the end for some of our characters.

Taking a slightly different method to the usual episode Nathan relates the story of incidents down the phone to his mother. As the plane crashes and victims scurry away from the crash site Nathan’s forces are quickly sent in to clear up the huge mess that’s been created by his daughter. With Hiro, Matt and Mohinder dashing one way and Claire and Peter another it’s hard to choose who to follow.

As the trio make a break for freedom Matt once again is overcome with the desire to draw and with his eyes glazed over lumbers off in a random direction, Hiro and Mohinder unconvincingly in tow. Stumbling across a seemingly abandoned caravan Matt takes the opportunity of paper and crayons to sketch the future, only horrified to see that he’s drawn Daphne, back at the crash site, being shot. Along with Hiro’s will to do good and his own desire to save his love they convince Mohinder to go back to the plane to try and save her.

Meanwhile Claire and Peter are also trying to make a quick exit just as Noah Bennett arrives and points a gun at Petrelli’s head. Now only able to hold onto one power at a time he is pretty much defenceless against Horn rimmed glasses though he has one major advantage to himself – Claire, who quickly pulls the daughter card and allows Peter to escape.

Running into a scared Tracy in the bush the pair quickly establish that they need to try and pull Nathan in, get him to stop his crusade, get him to see sense. Using her feminine charms Tracy calls Nathan and asks him to meet her. However he turns up with backup and though Noah has Peter in clear shot he fails to shoot and Peter once again escapes capture by pulling Nathan’s power and whizzing away. An unlucky Tracy is once again caught, failing to change Nathan’s mind, and is quickly drugged and shackled.

At the crash site Daphne and Ando have arrived in a bid to save Matt and Hiro. The speedster quickly pulls a recaptured Claire to safety but as the team decide what to do she is shot and we believe killed in front of Matt. Losing control of his mind the future visionary takes power over one of the advancing troops, turning him on his colleagues and shooting them all dead. They once again escape the clutches, all apart from Claire who is now, tiresomely, captured again and sent back to her mother to live a “normal” life.

Daphne’s down as another female Hero is killed.

Meanwhile Sylar is still busy trying to track his family down and taking a mother and son hostage decides to pursued his kidnapped SAS to talk by torturing the hostages in front of him. He doesn’t get what he bargained for though as the son seems to have powers of his own and just as we think Sylar is about to kill again, the teenager miraculously saves his life as the SAS throws a bullet. Seeing himself reflected in the boy Sylar is convinced to take the new power with him on the promise that the boy can unearth where Sylar’s true father is.

With this new spin on things I’m intrigued to see what happens next. Our crew of Heroes have now become a rogue gang, out to seek justice, revenge, truth. With Nathan quickly turning into his father we wonder if any of the insiders are likely to be swayed – will Angela come good for Peter, will Claire give up always doing as her father says and turn into the slaying catsuit seductress of the future that we have glimpsed in the past and with Sylar now teamed up do we have a new, stronger force on our hands?

ANTM - Cycle 11, Episode 4

2009-02-16T23:38:00.001Z

It’s here, hurrah, makeover day! This is by far probably my favourite episode of every series and though I continue to berate Tyra Banks when it comes to the makeovers she sure knows what she’s talking about. Its often that she’ll give a model a radial new look that you think couldn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of working but when the camera starts snapping the new image is pure genius. Whilst most of the girls had the usual treatment of adding to their already luxurious locks and simply adding or changing colour a follicle there and wispy strand there were several that had radical new looks.

Favourite Elina went from her Angelina lookalike to a big, red, bushy hair – it works like a dream. Meanwhile McKey & Samantha had dramatic shortening of the their locks to crisp and short styles whilst Clark went from blonde to dark and Hannah had a glorious fringe put in with an edgy straight cut shoulder length background.

McKey, Eline and Samantha had dramatic reductions

The newly cropped girls were given a cover girl cosmetic challenge at Walmart. Using the makeup lines products they were to deliver a non scripted 30second piece to camera to sell the product – they’re starting the girls off early this season with their advert delivery. Hannah won by delivering a stunning, friendly and warm performance.

At the photoshoot the girls were once again started off early in the season as J Manuel left them in the capable hands of Russell James, the photographer responsible for Tyra Banks famous Sports Illustrated bikini shot, and the designer of the bikini’s the girls were to wear, supermodel Susan Holmes. Whilst some excelled with the new looks others flopped as Analeigh clawed her way up a rock, Brittany was stiff even walking and Hannah had no clue where to place her body.

At judging Elina, rocking her new red hair was called first whilst Lauren-Brie and another stunning photo became a close second. Though the challenge winner Hannah lagged in third place but it came down to Analeigh, the figure skater who had to bring more to her shoots and Brittany, the beautiful girl who simply looked vacant on set and in her photo’s. It was a pretty obvious choice and Brittany was sent packing.

The beach leaves Brittany feeling vacant.

Living - Mondays at 21.00

Corrie "May be sold off by ITV"

2009-02-16T17:53:00.000Z

The Sunday Express reports that the longest running soap may be sold off by Granada Television due to a crisis with funding brought about by the dire economy. Instead of being produced by ITV's production company it would be sold to an independant company to save costs.

This comes only days after it was reported that Emmerdale was likely to be retracted to filming in Manchester rather than Yorkshire...spelling almost definate closure for Yorkshire TV.

Skins - Series 3, Episode 4

2009-02-16T17:39:00.000Z

Continuing its march through teenage adolescence, gang violence, bad language and an immense mixed cauldron of drugs and sex season 3 of Skins is still managing to hold my attention. I spent the first half hour of this episode, featuring one of my favourite comedians, Sally Phillips as Pandora’s very straight mother, with a huge beam on my face, such that the story was so funny and acted out so fantastically.

With Pandora’s birthday looming, she and Effie hold host to the scene of yet more cameo roles with Harry Enfield, Effie’s father, finally finding out about his wife’s affair as her lover, David Badiel, arrives at their house to express his undying love. With Effie at breaking point she questions’ why she and Pandora are friends to which the loopy lass replies “Because I’m stupid and will do anything you say.”

Pandora’s birthday is just what they need, though Effie along with Naomi, Katie & Emily when they arrive at her house, are rather aghast to find out that it’s a pyjama party, they have to play twister and Pandora’s mum has actually made them all customised evening wear. There is a hysterical scene where the party goers are made to bake brownies in the kitchen whereupon Pandora’s mother starts singing “London’s burning” in canon, insisting the other’s all join in. Katie soon realises they need something drastic to spice the party up and before you know it she’s spiked the brownies with MDMA and Effie along with Pandora’s mother are soon in a world of their own (try watching Pandora’s mum gazing into a bowl of wobbling jelly without smiling).

Everyone except Pandora is far from impressed

It doesn’t stay this way for long, as Pandora’s mum passes out, Pandora locks herself in the toilet in tears and Cook’s climbed through the window much to JJ’s horror. Creeping through the house to drag out a vodka filled Cook he see’s Emily and Naomi kissing in the living room and gets thoroughly frightened, especially when Katie’s footballer boyfriend and friends gatecrash the party, taking over and soon descending the quiet suburban pyjama party into complete chaos.

Emily manages to catch another kiss with Naomi

Emerging from her safe house in the early hours of the morning Pandora’s met with a scene of destruction. Freddie has saved JJ, the party goers have all but vanished and only Cook remains, rummaging through the revellers trash in an attempt to find more to drink. A saddened Pandora is cheered up immensely after he agrees to a game of twister to complete her night and the pair, driven by Cook’s “brain” and Pandora’s desperation at losing her first love Thomas, end up sealing their friendship with some sunrise nuptials on the living room floor. Horrendously, as Pandora says goodbye to Cook, who should come running up the street shouting “mother let me back” but a jubilant Thomas, straight back into the arms of his devoted Pandora.

With Thomas a seemingly not one hit wonder I wonder if Pandora, or Effie who only too well knows the secret, will let on or try and hide the complexity of the situation. Only time will tell!

E4 - Thursdays at 10pm

Desperate Housewive bids farewell to Wisteria Lane

2009-02-12T09:50:00.029Z

Today is a day of mourning for Desperate Housewives fans as Nicolette Sheridan, who plays feisty man eating Edie Britt confirmed that she is to leave the show currently in its fifth season. Her spokesperson revealed to People.com that she is ready to leave saying "she had a great time on the show and is looking forward to her next project"

Nicolette plays man eater Edie Britt

Currently filming its fifth season Desperate Housewives is set for its finale in May, with Edie making her grand exit in April. Creator Marc Cherry had previously hinted that there were going to be dramatic plots for the character mentioning that Edie would be crossing a moral boundary that "will have devastating consequences for her and lead to a shocking conclusion to her time on Wisteria Lane"

Desperate Housewives - Season 5, Episode 14 - Mama Spent Money When She Had None

2009-02-10T15:50:00.016Z

The Scavo’s are broke. Tom’s sports car has to be sold and as Bree glides by in her new Lexus, gushing about all of its fabulous features, there’s no doubt that there will be trouble. Word quickly spreads through the women of Lynette’s dire situation and taking matters into her own hands as only Bree does best, the stressed out mother and pizzeria owner soon finds a cheque for $20,000 thrust upon her. Aghast by her friends generosity Lynette quickly determines that though the money would save her financial situation she cannot accept it as a gift and Bree quickly becomes a 15% shareholder in the Scavo’s food outlet.

Bree’s generosity quickly comes between friends

Elsewhere the other housewives also have financial matters on their minds – Susan finally gets a place for MJ into the private school she’s been bugging for months only to discover that the fee’s are far more than she and Mike can afford. Finding Katherine wearing a brand new and beautiful pearl necklace gift from Mike, Susan becomes angry and attempts to steal the necklace back. Confronting Mike over the situation he embarrassingly reveals that he couldn’t afford a real pearl necklace and so bought Katherine a fake, and that he is working all the hours that god sends to try and put money by for his son. Humbly Susan repents and realises that it is she who must work harder and grovelling at the school’s office convinces the head to give her an art assistant post at the school, thus affording her the discount needed for MJ’s school fee’s to be met.

Money is not a problem however for the newly wealthy Solices and as a celebration Carlos arranges to take Gabrielle out to an expensive restaurant. Seeing the need to make it extra special Gabrielle takes it upon herself to try and fit back into the gown she wore when Carlos first proposed, it however no longer fits as well as it did and managing to get an invite to Edie’s extreme workout class she sets about losing the weight. However, after reading the work out class’s contract and discovering that words such as “can’t”, “donut” and “cake” are banned and partaking in the first session with the angry and fierce ex Israeli army instructor Gabby decides to quit. That is until the class arrive on her lawn at 6am, the instructor blowing his whistle and forcing her out of the house. After refusing to take part Edie gives Gabby a few home truths telling her that they as a group had decided to come over because they knew how important getting into the dress was for the latino. That Gabby was fast turning into the self conceited bitch she used to be, and that Edie much preferred the dumpy, poor housewife of the last few months. Realising that Edie was actually speaking truth Gabby returned to the group, a smile from the instructor and the other women, and realised there was more to the training group than pain, lactic acid and shouting – there was friendship.

Gabby’s back to being trim but needs to do some re-evaluating

At the pizzeria Lynette threw a party to celebrate Bree’s becoming a shareholder but things got off to a bad start when the red headed regimented queen of food discovered the Scavo’s were dishing up pizza from her best selling book without using the correct ingredients. Taking matters into her own hands Bree threw out the old pizza’s and started over, much to the anger of Lynette who drove off from the party, bumping Bree’s new Lexus in the meantime, and leaving the foodie alone at her own book signing. Things became worse when Lynette later angrily gave Bree a cheque for the damage to the car and stated that money had truly come between them.

With our current economic crisis it is nice to see it being portrayed, though with some delusion, through Desperate Housewives. How Susan ever managed on her book illustration I’ll never know so it’s with some relief that she finally gets a job and equally its nice to see Gabby, though richer than of late, not reverting to the money grabbing, shallow minded bitch she was originally. With the undertones of Dave still ever present – Tom Scavo discovers that it was Dave that put Preston into the firing line for arson – there are still rumblings of a big explosive final but it is refreshing to see this season return to some of the more common, but by no means lesser, suburban storylines rather than relying on big, complicated and unrealistic plots to thrill the viewer.

Neighbours - Ramsey's coming home, Parkers out?

2009-02-10T14:27:00.016Z

Australia's TV week is reporting the arrival of Ramsey's back in Erinsborough. The trio of children, 18, 16 and 12 are rumoured to be the offspring on Paul's half sister, a previously unknown Jill Ramsey. With the Ramsey's and Robinson's always willing to cause their fair share of trouble I'm sure these new additions' will quickly start causing havoc on the street.

It is also reported that Steve Bastoni (Steve Parker) has quit his role as the street vet 2 years after he arrived. With Bridget's current future looking far from stable are we about to lose all of the Parkers in one fail Ramsey replacing swoop?

Steve Bastoni is rumoured to have quit his role as Steve Parker

UPDATE: The Herald Sun is now fuelling rumours of the Parker's departure reporting that it was decided to axe the Parkers when Eloise Mignon (Bridget Parker) decided to leave to return to university studies. The Parker trio will film their final scenes in April, to appear on Australian screens in July.

ANTM - Cycle 11, Episode 3

2009-02-09T23:21:00.008Z

Modellicious booty is back tonight and with the emphasis on posing and shapes Benny Ninga was back on the scene to teach the girls what was fierce and what was not. First off the girls had to model inside stretchable elastic tubes and then this was continued the following day with their first official task – posing with Tarina Tarantino’s rage of handbags and accessories.

Whilst some girls rose to the challenge others flopped considerably with Hannah placing a handbag in a light, Sheena placing a leg behind her head and proceeding to put the bag between her legs and Nikeysha telling all who was watching that she needed to pee before straddling the accessories like never seen before. With some fierce moves Elina stole the show and won herself a bag of jewellery and the place of first ever task winner for cycle 11.

Back at the house the girls threw off the stress of the day by plunging themselves into the pool and playing truth and dare. Breaking the moment Hannah brought celebrations to a stand still as she pushed Isis away from her before trying to defend herself by calling herself a stereotypical white girl, rubbing all the ethnic girls in the house the wrong way and portraying herself as a racist – much to her complete denial.

At the photo shoot their task was put to the test as they were asked to pose on a rope ladder hanging from a crane and look as fierce and ethereal as possible. Whilst Lauren-Brie, Elina and Marjorie killed it, others including Isis failed to impress.

At judging Lauren-Brie received rave reviews including the panel saying her photo was a top five photo out of all the series, whilst Isis, Nikeysha and Brittany bombed. Sheena was questioned over her breasts, saying there were indeed real but later stepped forward to admit they weren’t. Lauren-Brie was top photo of the week whilst bottom two were Isis and Nikeysha, the latter who was sent packing.

Don't fall Nikeysha

Living - Mondays, 21.00

Lost, Series 5, Episode 4 - The Little Prince

2009-02-09T22:35:00.014Z

Kate, still fleeing from an unknown menace who’s trying to take custody of Aaron, finds comfort in fellow island survivor Sun. Leaving her son with Sun she embarks on a trail to try and reason with the lawyers and to find out just who is trying to take custody, only the island survivors know the true identity of Aaron. With the lawyers not repenting she decides on a stake out after discovering that a meeting is planned with the applicant later that day.

Meanwhile Sun receives a packet which, disappearing quickly into the bedroom, is revealed to contain a gun. At hospital Jack continues to care for Sayid after his run in with the would be assassins. Called into the corridor by an angry colleague he runs in Ben as he comes to assist. Upon re-entering the room where Sayid is being treated they discover their friend rummaging through the pockets of his latest victim, another would be assassin. Jacks fears are raised as a card with Kate’s address is found and rushing to meet her on her stake out he agrees to follow the lawyer alongside her.

Kate is out to find who is trying to attain custody of Aaron

Pulling up at a hotel the door answerer is a familiar face, that of Claire’s mother. After a brief meeting with the lawyer Jack convinces Kate to let him speak to her, after all he has met her before at his father’s funeral where he discovered that Claire was in fact his half sister. It becomes quickly obvious that Claire’s mother knows nothing of Aaron, expecting him to have perished along with her daughter on ill fated flight 815 and is only in town to collect her compensation cheque.

Convincing Kate to come with him Jack takes her to the rendevous location where Kate comes face to face with Ben who confides to her that it is in fact he who was trying to get custody of Aaron. He, along with the others must all return to the island otherwise certain peril faces those that they left behind. This includes Hurley who Ben has now spoken to the authorities about, dispelling truths that he murdered the man outside his mental home, and who will soon be released.

On the island Charlotte’s haemorrhaging is getting worse and though she’s up and about again things are looking pretty grim for her. Another time trip takes them back to several months after they arrived on the island and Sawyer, hearing voices, see’s Kate helping Claire give birth in the jungle, but before being able to say anything disappears again in another time jump. John realises that it all started with Ben at the orchid station and that they should make their way back there, something which is made slightly easier when they get back to the beach to find that the camp has returned and though their motorised boat isn’t there a canoe has replaced it. Trouble follows though as the owners of the canoe soon come following armed with guns, and though a lucky time trip saves them from the bullets it soon places them in the middle of a storm causing them to wash back on shore still far from the orchid station where both Juliette and Miles.

As other's start getting nosebleeds Charlotte's future looks pretty grim.

A body floats face down in the water and is soon pulled into a rubber dingy by a group of people speaking French. Turning the man over they are shocked to see a Korean man – Jin – and after arriving on the beach and realising that one of the French woman is pregnant it becomes obvious that she is Rousseau.

I’m not sure how shocked we’re supposed to be at this…after all, they are tripping back and forth through time so unless she says something completely startling then I’m not sure we’re in for a discovery here. However, I do want to see how on earth Ben convinces Sun to come with them, especially since she’s intend upon killing him.

Skins - Series 3, Episode 3

2009-02-09T20:40:00.025Z

A different flavour this week as Thomas lands on our screen, a Congo immigrant who has travelled to England for an optimistic new start. Taking up residence in a vacant and somewhat dilapidated flat Thomas sets about carving out a place for himself – he tidies his new home, he stands up to a gang of children trying to rob a newsagents and he carries home a very stoned Pandora after bumping into her and Effie at a bus stop.

Everything seems to be going well for Thomas until an unwanted and unpleasant visitor arrives at his flat in the form of gangster Johnny White. Soon thrown into a scary and what looks like a torturous setting Johnny warns Thomas that he has moved into his patch, that the flat is his flat and that if Thomas wants in anyway to stay in the area he better listen up and pay up fast.

Thomas has an optimistic outlook on life - even when Johnny White turns up

Optimistic as always Thomas quickly sets about trying to find a job and though, whilst at the job centre they determine he has no skills of use, he soon finds himself as a cleaner at the local college, a scene where he soon once again spots the alternatively loopy Pandora. Embracing each other’s eccentricities Pandora invites him to her aunts (a wonderful cameo by Maureen Lipman) who serves up “special” tea and scones and whereupon we soon find out that she is in fact – and drawing upon one of my favourite films Saving Grace – naively growing vast quantities of cannabis in her greenhouse.

Thomas, quickly bringing an also naïve Pandora up to speed, sets upon drying, weighing and bagging up the drug, realising that if he can sell it he can easily make the money that is being demanded by gangster Johnny. A quick phone call later and our entire skins cast are on hand and at the ready to pedal the drug at an underground rave venue. Moments later they have made all the cash that Thomas needs, Emily has finally admitted that she was the one that kissed Naomi not the other way around, and Johnny White is once again on the war path after spotting the gang pushing drugs on his patch.

This time around the gang aren’t quite so lucky as the gangster and his mob catch up with them, recognising both Thomas and Cook immediately and threatening inevitable violence. However, at this point, a so far quiet and rather timid Thomas steps in, it seems the gain of friends has brought out a fire in him and he challenges Johnny White to a one on one fight – if the gangster wins then he takes all of Thomas’s money and does what he wants, if Thomas wins he leaves him and all his friends alone for good. After showing his strength of character earlier by eating an entire pot noodle at boiling point Johnny’s challenge is chillies, to eat as many as possible without flinching. After consuming one with a smirk on his face the gangster is stunned as Thomas grabs a handful and admits that he used to eat these all the time as a child, winning the challenge and ensuring his friends are never bothered again. In their ecstatic state the gang celebrate back at Thomas’s flat – the usual concoction of booze, drugs and sex – unfortunately for Thomas though his mother appears on the scene and sends him packing back to the Congo.

How will Pandora cope with the departure of her Thomas?

Continuing its brilliant new series Episode 3 throws us a slightly different style than usual with the episode focussing on a previously unknown character with very little to do with the rest of the skins gang. Thomas’s outlook on life is refreshingly bright, even when he is put in a dangerous environment and it’s a real sense of friendship survives all that champions through the episode. With Thomas sent back to Congo will we see him again? How will Pandora cope with the departure of her first kiss? And is Johnny White really going to leave the gang alone?

E4 - Thursdays at 10.00

Heroes - Series 3, Episode 14 - A Clear & Present Danger

2009-02-07T15:24:00.005Z

Things in the Petrelli household are getting sinister – I know, could they really get more sinister? It’s several months since Arthur Petrelli was killed and Sylar was presumed dead after trying to outdo Claire and Angela. Things have changed. Matt & Daphne are trying to live normal lives, Peter’s back to work as a paramedic, Angela’s helping Claire choose schools and Nathan’s getting a little too friendly with the White House. Tracy’s plan of getting Nathan to the top seems to be working and as we watch him in a TV interview something is not right. Tracy goes to her bathroom, the window is open, and before long she’s surrounded by SAS, weapons pointed at her in all directions, and even with her power she’s taken down.

At the Petrelli’s Claire is also feeling the unease. As Angela hurries her along to choose colleges Claire’s mind is too busy with questions on Sylar’s whereabouts, on disappearances of people, of why her father (biological) keeps going on secret business trips, to be persuaded into any kind of educational direction. Her mind made up to leave and be a hero, with or without help, she packs her bags, not before overhearing a conversation between her grandmother and father discussing the take down of Matt Parkman and Peter.

As she rushes to protect Matt, informing Peter on the way, Mohinder is in similar trouble. Cornered on a roof top he manages to fight his way from the SAS and is graciously saved by Mr Bennett…..who of course, in true Heroes way, promptly delivers Mohinder back to the very people he’s trying to flee. Another one down.

At Parkman’s Matt is going through a new transformation as his spirit guide appears in visions and before long he’s the newest in a line of visionaries who are able to paint the future. Not understanding his drawings, until Claire arrives and the pair discover a drawing depicting that she would do just that, Matt has no time to discover the true meaning of this new power as once again the SAS arrive, another two Heroes down.

Arriving in an aircraft hanger we see many taken down Heroes, by this time also including a powerless Hiro, shackled, hooded and drugged being trudged towards an aeroplane. Nathan, overseeing the entire operation is shocked to find Claire amongst the mix and quickly gives her a way out, bundles her into the back of a car and tells it to take off. She quickly takes out the driver of the car and as the plane is taking off manages to stow herself in the cargo hold….once aboard releasing as many of the prisoners as she can. Heroes released she dashes to the cockpit only to find Mr Bennett happily at the helm whilst all hell breaks loose in the hold as Peter, sucking up Tracy’s power, accidently manages to freeze half the plane off.

With the plane going down with half our cast on it, Peter holding on for dear life and perilously close to being sucked out, I was hastened to wonder if we were about to see a massive cull of cast which has been secretly kept under wraps. Will Ando be able to save Hiro? Will Sylar, who obliterated any attack on his life by the SAS, try to help his captured Heroes?

Heroes is still as attractive as ever but whilst famous for blurring the lines between good and evil, hero and villain, it is starting to become stale with the inevitability that in each series all that were bad previously will show good sides and vice versa, Mr Bennett is typical for this. Peters increasing whinge about saving the world and doing everything to save people is starting to annoy and I’m starting to wonder if they’ve gone one twist too far.

America's Next Top Model, Cycle 11, Episode 2 - Final 14

2009-02-02T23:40:00.012Z

Tyra Bank’s “Look at how fabulous I am” show returns to our screens in Cycle 11 with the obligatory Monday night slot on Living for us British viewers. Rumours of supermodel quitting the show after having a showdown with series creative director Jay Manuel seem to have been unfounded and she is back with the fake smiles, attention seeking scripts and unfaltering belief that she really is the next thing to god. This being said, I can never draw myself away from the screen so it was with much anticipation that I waited for the new series.

Things have changed a little this series. The girls have headed back to LA for their homebase and the house set up is as normal. In an unprecedented turn of events Tyra this year has actively sought out a pre-op transsexual for the final cut after seeing her as a background extra in one of the Cycle 10 photo’s. Naturally this causes certain havoc within the house and group, 101 questions, a number of the more traditional girls taking great offence, immediately causing hatred in viewers and endearing Isis, and those that befriend her, to us. Whether her inclusion was done for effect or because she actually is a good model remains to be seen but it makes good viewing. I particularly like the footage of slightly sleezy Nigel Barker eying her up and down before he knew, I wonder if he still feels the same (though I am hastened to think that Nigel would actually chat up anything that moved).

It was with sadness that we saw Isis, on her first photoshoot, being taunted by Sharaun behind the scenes (ooh, what’s all that hair, he needs to shave, is that stubble rash?) though Isis dealt with it very well.

When it came to judging Isis’s photo was stunning, she was called second (only because I think the judges didn’t want to further an already residual bias towards the wannabe model) and Sharaun was in the bottom two. Haha! The bitch is gone, that’ll teach her.

Bye Bye Sharaun, good riddance

The panel remained Pauline Porizkova, Miss J, Tyra and Nigel Barker, though they lacked a guest judge in this first round which I wonder whether will continue. The first person called in the callout also has their photo displayed in the house for the week – this week is was a stunned and nervous Marjorie. Also for a first all the judges met with the girls initially for a one on one which, though hasn’t been included up until now, gave a good spin on things.

Can’t wait for more bitching next week….oh, and maybe some good photo’s.

Living, Mon - 9pm.

Demons, Season 1, Episode 5

2009-02-02T16:11:00.004Z

Demons continues its intermittent ride this week as Luke, now starting to adjust to life as a “half life” slayer, finds himself in mortal danger. Mina, back to her normal state after last week’s vampire outing, sets her sights on unearthing the death of a teenage boy….only to have her vision flash the image of Luke’s dead body on a rooftop into her mind. Galvin proceeds to tell Luke to stay safe, at home, out of harms way which is just what a rebellious 18 year old wants to hear right?

In typical horror fashion Luke doesn’t listen to Galvin’s pleas, is soon socialising at school and trying his best to attract the attention of the newest girl in town – the very attractive but somewhat hostile Alice .

Whilst Luke continues to ignore any threat to his life Galvin and Mina set about trying to discover just what is after their slayer. The solving of a manuscript clue in the vision leads them to the conclusion that it the would be assassin is on a revenge killing, an old slay of the Van Helsings has come back to haunt them. After being chased through a tunnel by a dragon like creature & a ball of fire they soon discover that the perpetrator is in fact a Harpie, a woman come monster who lures her victims to a siren death. 2 of the three Harpie sisters were cut down by a Van Helsing forbearer, it doesn’t take a genius to work out just who’s come back.

Luke by this time is smitten with his new found love, he’s shown her around London, they’ve had ice creams on the beach, she’s been on a killing spree and is gently luring Luke in. Irate at even the slightest possibility that Galvin might be correct Luke decides to test it himself by bringing Alice to his flat and trying to induce her transformation. Being an ancient being she however is slightly intelligent and switches the drinks but before long Luke discovers the truth, after another bloody death and a wonderful transformation as Alice bone shatteringly and painfully transforms into her true self and along with Galvin and Mine tracks her down and smites her.

The success of ITV’s Demons has been sporadic with some great episodes alongside poorly written scripts and cameo castings. Whilst enjoyable it still remains to be a poor mans Buffy, a wannabe Supernatural. It remains to be seen whether the series can pull out of its nosedive but so far it doesn’t bid well for a second season.

Lost, Series 5, Episode 3

2009-01-31T12:50:00.009Z

With the penultimate series now appearing on our screens I wasn’t entirely sure where the writers were going to take us. At the end of the last Season we discovered who the 815 Six were, the island disappeared and took all those left behind with it and John Locke mysteriously ended up in a coffin. But with Jack, Kate, Sun, Hurley, Sayid and Aaron off the island where else was left to go.

Well they answered our demanding questions as we entered the new series. The Island, not happy at losing valuable members of its population is in a state of time flux, Ben, turning that great wheel underground has sent it spinning and our castaways are now busy spinning through time with no idea where they’ll end up next. Not that there’s actually many of them left, the original 40 or so survivors and with the exception of Juliette and the three scientists only Locke and Sawyer seem to be left.

The problem with spinning through time is enemies that have become allies soon revert to their original status as many of the survivors found out when they were attacked on the beach with fire arrows. John, once leader of the others, finds himself unknown to them though thankfully one of them had the sense to seek him out in the future and give him a message to relay back to him for trust issues. To a certain extent this seemed to work but of course, just as Locke might be getting any answers they shifted through time again and all was lost.

Charlotte’s head aches and nose bleeds are getting worse with each time trip and though we as the viewers discover much (including that both Daniel Farday and Charles Widmore were also once members of the island’s community) the cast is dwindling to perilously small numbers – will anyone be left to continue the series?! Daniel, his mind a mathematical mess, seems to be only one who has any clue at what is happening and in a stroke of desperate hoping manages to discover Desmond, still in hatch, still pushing numbers.

Faraday seems to be the only one who understands

Off the island Desmond is happily getting on with his life. Sailing around the world with Penny and now their son Charlie, doing their best to avoid Charles Widmore. Then suddenly he wakes one day with a memory – a memory of Daniel Faraday insisting that everyone on the island is in danger and that he must go to Oxford to seek out Daniel’s mother. The only problem with this is that when he gets to Oxford there is no record of the Faraday’s on the universities computers and the lab that Desmond once visited is now locked up, shrouded in a cloak of mystery. Following a tip off from the caretaker who discovers Desmond rooting around and tells him that Daniel was trying to transport a rat’s brain through time, the next stop is a suburban house where the discover is a little more sinister – a bedridden woman who’s brain seems to be constantly flicking back and forth through time. After discovering that it indeed Charles Widmore that is funding the woman’s medical care Desmond has no choice but to face the man that had been trying so hard to kill him and his friends.

Desmond's blissful life is about to go down the drain

Widmore, being more tame than I remembered informed Desmond that Daniel’s mother was now in LA but not to go there, but to stay in hiding with Penny, to keep them safe. Of course, it wouldn’t be Lost if Desmond didn’t completely disobey the instructions and by the end of the episode he, Penny and child were heading to the states to discover just what was going on.

After an hour of that my brain was just about fried. Whoever writes these elaborate stories I do not know but this rather than this series acting as a wind down its bring even curious and curiouser questions into mind. The original but quickly tiresome flashbacks have finally gone and are replaced with something more extraordinary, actual time travel but I repeat my earlier observation will anyone actually make it alive to the final season?

Skins - Series 3, Episode 2

2009-01-29T23:22:00.026Z

With Skins producers deciding to cut most of the original cast members at the end of Series 2, the regular skins fan was left with only Effie Stonham and Pandora to drag them through to the current series. With this in my thoughts I was in two minds about watching the new series, but I did and I must say, I'm lovin it.

It's different than the original, but then every series has to grow and change or otherwise face the inevitable axe. Our first episode incorporated subtle references to some of our favourite ex’s, Sid’s old locker became the focus of some rather destructive forces and the old gangs antics were mentioned in the head of Roundview College’s welcome speech. This being said, without the younger Stonham gracing our screens it is largely out with the old and in with the new.

Cook, turning 17 and wanting to throw the inevitable drug and drink filled party, soon had the new gang holed up in his local and proceeded to down tequila’s, beer, and entire cake that had been made. In his haste to party himself Cook failed to see that everyone else was less than impressed and before long the group had had enough whereupon Cook thought it would be a good idea to gate crash an engagement party. And this is where the obligatory skins destruction started. Pandora wonderfully announced “I’ve decided I love drugs” before eating an entire packet of Cocaine (I’m sure of which amount would have actually killed her), whilst Cook, on the promise of sex if he impressed, boarded the stage for some karaoke.

The place soon descended into chaos when the once warring sides of the family, the bride’s side headed by notorious gangster Johnny White, once again leapt at each others throats, our skins tribe caught in the middle, Cook now with bloody nose along with other various damages and a full bag of coke in his system. Fleeing the party in a hurry Cook’s mission to bed a girl that night began to flag as first Katie, then Pandora and finally Effie turned him down and it seemed that even Freddie had finally had enough of keeping his friend out of trouble.

Not to let his birthday pass without some action Cook was soon misguiding little lamb JJ as the pair took to a brothel, where JJ proceeded to have his first kiss!! Cook done, and JJ a bumbling bag of nerves after his £10 kiss they discovered that it wasn’t only they that had paid for some womanly services as they found a chained and whipped Johnny White in the next room. The already riled gangster was further taunted by Cook who seems to know no boundaries and proceeds to rob, punch and humiliate the man – possibly the worse move he could make. It remains to be seen whether Johnny White will come-a-looking for Cook and the gang.

Always on the charm offensive Cook seems to have a knack for causing trouble

Skins 3 is shaping up into a fine new series. I’m enjoying our new characters who seem to pushing the boundaries further than before, or perhaps we just got used to the lives of Sid, Tony et al….but their actions do seem to be paling to insignificance compared with these lot. It remains to be seen whether the drugs, obscenities and drink can continued to be mix with more softly family drama’s and personal emotion as per the previous 2 season but currently I can’t wait to see more.

E4 - Thursdays at 10pm

Cranford Returns

2009-01-29T14:27:00.014Z

Cranford's successful sweep of the awards after its 5 episode run back in 2007 showed just how right the BBC had got it and it now seems that they are keen to revive the series - after all, the events of the televised series in no way complete the entirety of the classic by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell.

It seems that viewers will be treated to a 2part special made especially for Christmas 2009! Set to take place one year after the wedding of Sophy & Dr Harrison, I cant wait to see what they, Matty & the other residents have been up to!

Spooks - Episode 6

2008-11-25T14:12:00.000Z

It was with relief that Spooks returned from the financial confusion of last week’s episode to a more easily understood, though by no means less complicated, clash of peace delegation parties. With the Palistinian and Iranian parties in town and Londons governmental and NATO overseers, the Spooks were back on the grid to protect, maintain and keep terror threats to an absolute whisper to keep from un-nerving anyone in the delegation parties. So when a secret and high alert terrorist weapon suddenly turned up for sale on Ebay the team were set into hyper drive and Lucas was sent to retrieve the item as quickly and as quietly as possible.

Arriving on the doorstep of the Ebay seller it was surprising to see that he was in fact far from a terrorist, more he was just a teen out for a quick buck or two. Quickly acquiring the weapon back into MI5 hands Lucas was set to leave when, as always happens, complications arrived in the form of secret agents, seemingly flying under the grid.

With Lucas, Dean Mitchell, our dear teen gun seller, and his mother on the run it was up to Ros and the rest of team back at base to discover what was going on…..this made all the much harder when they discovered that it was actually a rogue agent called Michael Sands, he had been monitoring every word and movement made by the team, and thus all communication with Lucas had to be kept to an absolute minimum. The story unfolded with Dean having been witness to the assassin of a photographer, the gun used wiped out all electric mechanisms and so one pull of the lever and the hapless motorcyclist and photographer had ended up under the wheels of a rather large lorry. Dean, having cycled like frenzy away from the scene was followed by Sands, and in a twist of fortune Sands ended up being hit by a car and Dean, seizing the opportunity grabbed the bag plus gun and ran. However, it wasn’t that simple, there was something more that Sands wanted, it wasn’t just the gun and Lucas, making the connection realised that there was something in the backpack, and thereupon retrieving it discovered a small photo containing chip, a photo of the governmental first minister trying to coerce the head of the NATO and overseer of the delegation team, to quit. It was all carried out in wonderful Spooks fashion, running, jumping, kidnapping, hiding, all the elements that provide a great Spooks episode. But Spooks decided to take it one further. Upon recovery of the evidence and end of the delegation the team realised that Dean and his mother had to go into witness protection, Dean had seen too much, he knew too much and he would always be in danger. But as many obstreperous teens do Dean rebelled and ran at the last minute, leaving a surprising and tragic end to the story as Dean took a bullet to his head. Having spent the entire episode protecting Dean, Lucas had failed at the last and un-seemingly timed minute.

Of course, Sugarhorse continued to rattle on in the background with Harry turning to trusted Connie to meet a foreign asset coming with important information. The usual subterfuge and undercover tactics were used to make their meeting of as innocuous as possible and soon Harry had the file in his hands, the one that would reveal who the mole was, only problem was, upon opening it, the mole was himself! Framed and in direct line of fire with his team wondering whether he was the mole or not would Harry, a Spooks institution, finally see his last days?

Is it all about to end for Harry Pearce?

BBC – Mondays at 21.00

Survivor - NEW SERIES

2008-11-25T13:30:00.001Z

With the BBC finally starting to live up to the licence payers money this past Sunday saw the revival of the hit series “Survivors”. Remade from the 1970’s original, written by Terry Nation also creator of Dr Who, the 90minute pilot episode hit our screens with the contemporary explosion that was much needed to start the 21st century’s new take on the classic story…..and it didn’t disappoint.

Having not actually been alive in the 70’s I had no idea what was in store….a virus wiping out most people on earth but other than that, not a clue. The opening episode took much time setting the scene with that splendid disaster movie format, politician’s trying to keep a lid on things, everyday families not knowing what was going on but trying to go about their daily lives regardless. But it soon became very obvious that this wasn’t just a case of the bad flu rounds, and when people started dying rapidly the apocalyptic terror quickly seemed to dawn on our screen survivor’s. Tom (Max Beesley) locked in his prison cell due to lack of guards watched his cellmate die yet he himself had no symptoms at all, Al Sadiq (Phillip Rhys) partied at a nightclub before taking a girl back to bed, only to wake in the morning and find her dead whilst Samantha Willis (Nikki Amuka-Bird) made a final phone call to discover that both her husband and children were ill before carrying on with her governmental duties to the end. Here were our survivor’s, maybe a bit of classic textbook stereotypes, but throw them all together and what would happen?

But as with our modern and newly improved BBC there are always twists. Abby Grant (Julie Graham) our leading lady soon started to develop symptoms of the virus and before we knew it her husband was cradling her limp body as the virus took hold and her quest to find her son (who was away at some sort of holiday camp) seemed all but over. But a day or two later after the pandemic had really taken hold a gasping Abby awoke from her death bed after surviving it through only to find her husband, along with most of the rest of the world dead. Likewise Jenny Collins (Freema Agyeman) started to develop symptoms and rushed herself and her flatmate to the local hospital where upon they sought out their friend, and doctor, Anya Raczynski (Zoe Tapper) who finally admitted that once the virus took hold there was nothing she or anyone could do. Their housemate died and then in a further twist of horrific fate Jenny Collins, survivor of the original show, also fell victim leaving new character Anya amidst a sea of dead bodies.

After losing housemates Patricia and Jenny Collins, survivor in the orginal series, new character Anya tries to cope with her new world

And now we wonder, what is the fate of these few survivors? Tom is already making severely ominous signals – he killed the surviving screw to get out of jail and soon began to prey upon a scared and scantily clad woman. Why was he in jail for 20years? Abby, her search for her son soon becoming obviously time wasting befriended Greg Preston (Paterson Joseph) and by the end of the 90 minutes we had a team of six survivors in what could very well prove to be possibly the worst suited group in history…..but were there more? How would they survive? Will their group dynamics prove to be the end of their survival? I’m sure of one thing, its not going to be an easy ride!

BBC – Tuesday’s at 21.00

Coronation Street - Stars to walk cobbles?

2008-11-21T12:33:00.001Z

"Fawlty Towers" star Andrew Sachs and former "Dynasty" actress Stephanie Beacham are said to be in talks over joining ITV's popular and long running soap Coronation Street.

Sachs, recently caught up in the BBC's Ross/Brand furor is said to be joining the street as Norris Cole's brother after the classic BBC comedy actor expressed interest. Scriptwriters "first started working on a possible character for Andrew Sachs six months ago" a spokesperson for the soap confirmed adding "We have been in discussions with Andrew about the proposed storyline which would be seen on screen sometime next year."

Meanwhile Stephanie Beacham is midway through the audition process for a new part, rumoured to be Ken Barlow's new love interest. A spokespeson confirmed that they had indeed seen the popular actress but added "A decision on the final casting has yet to be made".

So does this confirm the parting of the ways for Deirdre and Ken? And I'm intrigued to find out about Norris Cole's brother....will they be chalk and cheese? Will they be like two peas from a pod? One thing that can be certain, they'll drive Rita up the wall!

Spooks - Episode 5

2008-11-20T12:27:00.003Z

It's all very well to have complex plots, surprising twists and miraculous savings of the country but when it gets so complicated that you don't really have the foggiest what is going on then you might as well be staring at a blank screen. I felt a bit like this after watching Episode 5 of Spooks, I enjoyed the agents saving the country from yet another threat but I hadn't really a clue what was actually going on.

Al Qaeda took a side step this week as the BBC tackled the world's economic crisis and like a phoenix from the flames came Maynard, a man that preyed on the economic downfall by insiders trading. It was apparent from the outset that with all the jargon being thrown around like it was everyday banter that I wasn't going to understand so with that in mind I simply sat back and watched as the team merged into their appropriate slots so as to carry out their operation flawlessly. Ross, becoming Jenny Hunter, soon ingraciated herself upon their target and was pulling numbers, figures, and share prices out of head like it was no ones business, whilst a rather handsome Lucas played along as her fiance Peter. Ben was renegaded to a coffee shop worker - only being able to pass Ros messages written on the inside of coffee cup holders, whilst Jo was on the street.

The crux of the matter was that financial pirate Maynard set the market shares in the BBC's fictional bank plummeting causing choas to the markets, panic to the public - of which Malcolm was one having his entire life savings with the bank concerned, and the British government clutching at straws as to what to do. If the government made a public announcement about the banks real debt - 65million - the economy and customer confidence would crumble, if they paid off the debt and kept it hidden the United Kingdom would be bankrupt. Things started to go array almost from the offset when Acer Darlek, right side man realised that Lucas was an agent and therefore so was Ros. Malcom was falling apart at the thought of his life savings vanishing, Jo was seeing the man she murdered everywhere she went, and as usual Harry was off the grid, tearing apart Connie's home with the adamant opinion that she was a mole. With a gun to head Ros must've been feeling very very lonely. Of course, our cold calculating vixen soon reversed the roles, had the Russian right side man on the floor and the financier target, trusting Ros after an explicit night of passion, switched sides, threw all his money back into the market thinking that the government was going to bluff him and lost everything in the process. Job once again done.

All this was very dramatic but my main fear was when Ros, after talking to Harry about Jo's problem marched off to find her with an envelope. A sudden fear overcame me and for a split few seconds I thought Jo was about to become the next Spook victim, being removed from the grid due to her paranoid delusions. It was with relief that a somewhat surprisingly soft spoken Ros showed her pictures of a dead Boscard confirming that Jo had indeed killed him and he wasn't walking the streets everywhere she went. Meanwhile Harry, after discovering nothing but a tape labelled to him at Connie's house, was finally convinced that she had in no way passed information to others about Sugarhorse - or even that she knew anything about it. It was Lucas that came up with the goods, remember one word that he'd heard through his tortured state - Pilgrim - and it threw up some damming evidence against Harry's old mentor the SpyCatcher.

I want to know more about Sugarhorse, I want to see Jo get a decent operation, and all I can ask is that after this episodes very confusing storyline they bring it back to Ruskies, Yanks and good old Al Qaeda terrorists!

BBC - Mondays at 21.00

Natural World - Mountain Gorilla's

2008-11-11T21:28:00.005Z

Celebrating 25 years of the “Natural World”, BBC 2’s splendid natural history series was back tonight with an in depth look at the Mountain Gorilla’s of Rwanda, specifically a silverback called Titus.

Watching it on a whim I was soon drawn into this fascinating world of the Gorilla and found myself quite affected by the story told. With my background in Zoology I have always been aware of the mountain Gorilla’s, of Diana Fossey and her plight and was therefore intrigued when I found out that the leading man of tonight’s show was a Gorilla born under the watchful eye of Diane Fossey and her team. Having an in depth history of Titus’s background, where he was born, how he survived, how he overcame the largest of obstacles to become the longest running King Silverback in our records was quite astounding.

Titus relaxes amongst the vegetation

Born to Flossey, Titus found himself alone at a young age after the group was overtaken by a rogue male who killed Titus’s baby sister. With an unnerving display of humanitarian characteristics his mother and several other females fled the group leaving Titus abandoned and alone with a group of males, the leader being the murderer of his sister. For the next few years the male troupe remained intact, showing a homosexual behaviour never before seen within Gorilla’s, until, after the death of a silverback from another group, a number of females appeared on the scene. Beester, the leader of the Titus’s group, killed two of the new female’s babies and ran the rest of the males out of town but yet again in another unknown behavioural characteristic allowed his good friend Titus to remain behind. In the following years Titus gained in strength and allegiance, siring his first child unbeknown to Beester at the tender age of eleven.

But it was Titus’s character that stood out. He’d been abandoned, he’d survived against all odds, the murderer and leader of a male troupe had allowed him to survive and then, in another bizarre twist Titus somehow managed a coo to take over the troupe without spilling any bloodshed. This was an outstanding character.

Natural World wrapped up with another shock. As Titus took his troupe to the summit of their mountain territory his strange friendship with another silverback, Kuryama, amidst the troupe (allowing another fully grown silverback within a group is in itself extremely rare) was broken as Kuryama took, through non aggressive terms, most of the group back down the mountain leaving Titus with only a few of his loyalist supporters. But it was then revealed that this other male, had in fact been confirmed through DNA sampling, as Titus’s first ever child. Titus himself took his remaining group down the other side of the mountain into Congo and later emerged with a newly born baby in tow, his siring days weren’t over yet.

Some of Titus's many offspring including overthrower Kuryama

But it was the intensity of this 40minute show that really struck me. Here were living, breathing, intelligent beings. A mother fled a group after her baby was murdered, a father allowed his son to remain in his troupe up until the point where he himself was overthrown. Why are we allowing these creatures to be murdered and poached. They are our closest living relatives, they are intelligent, and yet we are increasingly making them extinct. At one point in time they ascended into the mountains and we took our first steps towards humanity. It could have easily been the other way around, one small step the other way and the roles could be reversed. Natural World should be watched, pondered upon and then your feelings acted on.

BBC 2, Tuesday’s at 20.00

Spooks - Episode 4

2008-11-10T23:48:00.000Z

The BBC really excelled themselves when creating Spooks and it seems that seven series on and they’re still not going to disappoint us. With Al Qaeda planting bombs left, right and centre, the Ruskies back on the scene trying to undermine our every turn and those pesky Yanks boldly going where common sense would tell anyone not to interfere, this latest season of Spooks is shaping up beautifully.

But, as with all good thrillers not everything is to be expected so with this weeks olive branch, offered by a surprising Al Qaeda leader, a certain nervousness and apprehension was added to the mix. Harry and Ros, marvellously manipulating the Home Secretary, managed to persuade all members involved that meeting with the Al Qaeda representative was a good idea and soon set off with a dazzling array of tracking, radiation particle and satellite devices to secure that they never lost sight of their target. Of course, nothing is ever straight forward, and they soon lost all communication but with a little gadget of Malcolm’s (a cunning device tracker that released specific particles which could be tracked – and all in the shape of smartly fitted ring on Harry’s finger) they ensured that, at some point, they could re-establish his whereabouts.

He was indeed there to offer an olive branch, he was there to secure the future of the middle east, he was there to negotiate. And negotiate he did, for the public pardon and release from all further CPS matters of two Guantanamo bay prisoners he would give the team the location of an Al Qaeda bomb placed in London. Promptly ending the meeting Ros and Harry quickly set about some more manipulation of the government whilst the rest of the team set about tracking Ossetic, the negotiator, however it was here that complications soon really started rearing their ugly heads.

Firstly the Home Secretary made his public statement in the Houses of Parliament, only it wasn’t good enough for Ossetic and he refused to give the bomb’s location. The team then set off to pick him up, only to be beaten to it by another squad which they later found out with the help of Malcolm’s ring device were the Yanks. Whilst arguing for his release they managed to strain the American allegiance even more, and at the same time Lucas was given information from his estranged wife that the bomb would go off ten minutes earlier than they’d been informed of. Did they disarm the bomb and let the Russian’s know that Lucas had returned to them, or did they let the bomb go off risking civilians lives? Well the Spooks team were on it and coming up with a third option managed to clear the restaurant, disarm the bomb and provide a fake explosion saving both Lucas and his ex’s lives from the Russian’s in the process. Job Done. London Saved.

Meanwhile “Sugar Horse” moved subtly on with Harry’s “spycatcher” insinuating that Connie, who was around at the time of the operation, could indeed be the leak. Would Harry trust Connie or his own past teacher? It remains to be seen. And, oh yes, the American’s never wanting to not have it their way blew up Ossetic’s plane as he returned to Afghanistan. Yep, they stuck their oar in again and with Ossetic passing vital information to Harry about the latest middle eastern weapons before he died, they managed to ensure that the job for our dear Spook’s team just got a lot harder.

BBC - Mondays at 21.00

Britannia High - Episode 3

2008-11-10T16:56:00.000Z

With its ratings slumping ITV desperately dragged Britannia High to the primetime slot of 7pm this past Sunday, to little effect. The problem isn't the timeslot here, the problem is the show itself. What may have looked like a great idea on paper isn't working on television and I'll be absolutely amazed if it goes further than the 9 pre-filmed episodes of this series.

With no mention of Danny's dyslexia from last week we jumped straight into the singing and dancing disaster with Jez's story, quickly realising that he was lying to his new found fame seeking friends about who he was and where he'd come from. I didn't much care to be honest. It soom emerged that his father wanted him to go to business school, Jez had enrolled at Britannia High without saying anything and soon everything came pouring out into the open with many tears and angst ridden songs. The only refreshing thing here was that his father made no bother about his son being gay, it was a given, it hadn't been brought up in a negative or positive way, it has just been let be. Where as most stories surrounding gay characters tend to be geared towards their sexuality it was encouraging to see that here it was Jez himself that was the focus, not which side he batted for. However, that said, this is not enough to save this quickly sinking ship (though I fear it's already beneath the waters). With lack lustre and somewhat obvious storylines, characters that fit into the classical stereotypes but don't actually live up to them, and some pretty bad acting, I think its perhaps time for Britannia High to close.

Cattrall Confirms 2nd Movie

2008-11-06T22:50:00.000Z

Wonderous news bloggers, Kim Cattrall today confirmed rumours that a second Sex and the City Movie is to be filmed, with the stars gearing up to start next summer. Appearing on the Paul O’Grady with stand in host Melanie B, Cattrall announced that there indeed would be a sequel but that is was “difficult getting everybody who's so incredibly busy all together at the same time"

Being a HUGE fan of Sex and the City I must say I can’t wait and am filled with anticipation to hear this news. The movie out earlier this year was a wonderful addition to the already well loved brand but cut short many of our favourite 3 ladies stories choosing to concentrate mainly on Carrie’s on/off relationship with Big. Let’s hope that now they’re married movie number 2 will have a stable relationship between these former nightmare daters and will instead concentrate on all four ladies and their fabulous lives.

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Episode 3

2008-11-06T22:37:00.000Z

In the world of the Connors, life is getting extremely complicated. Not that it wasn’t before, what with time travelling to the future to escape pursuit by a killer only to find he’s followed you and he’s not the only one. But now, whilst killing, running, blowing things up and trying to stay alive, all the while plotting to stop Armageddon, John’s decided to fall in love and Sarah’s ex husband and new wife have arrived on the scene.

John, albeit the hero of the world, is still a teenager and what do all teenagers do? Disobey their mothers. Nipping off into town, deadly “sister” in tow, John promises to stick with Cameron but is soon persuaded by his new love interest Riley to do a runner and have a fun “normal” day with her. Cameron’s not best pleased – although does she have feelings since she’s a terminator – especially when John gives her the slip and she ends up spending the day playing catch up all over town.

Meanwhile, receiving a frantic and terrified call from wife Michelle, Charley Dixon recruits help from Sarah and Derek. Turning up at her location they soon discover that she’s been tied in a chair, attached to a bomb, and likely to explode the second she moves from her seat. However, Sarah curious to why the terminator simply didn’t dispose of Michelle, quickly realises that it’s a plot to take her and the resistance cell away from John so he can more easily be disposed of himself. Whipping the fake bomb away and gearing up to tear after a now critically endangered John – not that he wasn’t critically endangered before, he has got an assassin after him – things don’t go quite as planned as a cunning system to steal John’s cell number and record his conversation with his mother ends with an exploding phone mast, unfortunately fatally wounding Michelle Dixon. One down, several to go.

John, being scammed into meeting his mother (or in this case the Terminator using his mother’s voice) at the pier is soon in mortal danger as he finds himself without his mother or Cameron for help. Plunging into the water of the ocean he finds himself extremely lucky – it seems Terminator’s cannot swim!! With all of this going on I fear the Connor’s will never cease Skynet from coming into operation. Michelle Dixon’s dead, surely John’s new girlfriend Riley isn’t going to get out without at least a scratch and everyone seems too busy with surviving than actual planning to save the world. Meanwhile Shirley Manson’s cropped up as the extremely evolved Terminator Catherine Weaver, what place she has in this story is not yet apparent, she doesn’t seem too concerned with trying to kill John at this precise moment. I’m sure the time will come when she is.

Virgin 1 (Virgin - 122, Sky 121, Freeview 20), Thursday's at 21.00

Spooks - Episode 3

2008-11-04T22:42:00.001Z

With the hottest terrorist topic in our modern world Al Qaeda were back in force on Spooks this week, with a gang preparing to detonate several bombs in and around London’s markets. Newly recruited Ben Kaplan (Alex Lanipekun) found himself this weeks victim as he solely infiltrated the bombing unit, living, breathing, praying and becoming the extremist that would truly hide his real identity from his terrorist cell. It’s a dangerous thing, nipping out for quick meetings with Lucas in the middle of the night, knowing that you’re living with a guy that’s prepared to blow up civilians and cause mass destruction and if you’re caught then you hope for the easy way out – death.

Ros, charging the Spooks unit as Harry chased a whimsical lead, was her usual cold and calculating self as the team followed the three stages that had been set out for the operation – waterfall (the deluge of terrorist specific words and threats on the internet), dry run (where they knew that the terrorist cell would act out the exact plan of the detonations) and finally the actual bombing. They wanted the big fish in all of this, and so waiting was their only game. The only problem they hadn’t foreseen was that, upon the start of the dry run and Kaplan actually managing to get a look at the bombs, they'd been thrown a red herring and the dry run was in actual fact the real run. With Spooks tailing the four bombers (3 foxes being the terrorists and hawk – Kaplan, now armed with a armed bomb capable of mass destruction) the operation was in full throttle as Ros, Connie and Malcolm waited anxiously back at head quarters. With precise decision the team manage to disarm the first 3 bombs and take out the bombers, finally freeing Kaplan from his undercover nightmare. Unfortunately for Jo, who was tailing the fourth bomber, she didn’t manage to stop an explosion in the middle of a busy market. Clearing the area, two police took down the bomber only to have him explode his bag from underneath them, the team at head quarters in an anxious strain whilst they waited for Jo to confirm that yes, she was still alive. You never quite know with Spooks, just because someone died last week does not mean it won’t happen again, anyone can die at any time. But luckily for us she did and I say that because Jo brings that one bit of humanity that is needed to the ensemble. Ros is cold, Harry, Lucas and even Ben get on with the job concerned but it is with Jo that we actually see remorse, emotion, and pure terror. Indeed, this perhaps makes her the best spook of all, she feels everything, takes time to heal, takes time to get over things, but still comes back and does it over and over again and that takes guts.

Jo Portman (Miranda Raison) provides some much needed humanity

With Jo back in the fold and the bombers averted from their mass destruction our attention is turned to a distinctively absent Harry. Reliving a moment of Russian torture Lucas remembers the words “Sugar Horse” and upon hearing these words a concerned Harry seeks out his old mentor, the Spycatcher, to find out more. Unbeknown to him his old mentor plays him, and we get the distinct feeling that even Harry is now in way over his own head. What is Sugar Horse? Why were the Russian’s trying to get information on it? And does Ros actually have a heart? I'm sure we'll get more info, at least on the former two, in next weeks compelling episode

BBC – Mondays at 21.00

Miss Naked Beauty - Episode 3

2008-11-04T21:41:00.000Z

It’s time for Gok, bangers and baps again and the competition to find a new ambassador women and someone to be crowned “Miss Naked Beauty” the contest begins to hot up.

A surprise visit from the man himself has the unsuspecting remaining girls caught out this week as Gok turns up at their hotel rooms to go through their makeup products to see just how much of the crap they really have….and to make matters worse he then shoves them out the door without a scrap of make-up on. But there’s always a point to his plan and soon the girls are lined up, blindfolded, in front of horrendously sized images of their faces and their skins ages. The results are pretty shocking, just by caking your face in foundation, by sleeping in left over makeup and from generally not taking care of your skin you’re literally killing it and many of the girls are shocked to find that their skin age is in fact several years above their own age.

Lucinda learns her skin's real age

At least with Gok you can count on one thing, he might make you do something not so nice, but in true Wan fashion, he rewards the girls with a capsule makeup box (for a natural look of course) and a hairstyling session to take the girls back to how they should look, off with the hair dye, off with the extensions, out with the straightening irons and in with the curves, waves and pleasantly surprising flowing locks.

Next up and the task to save a group from the elimination is a little trip to Romford!! Such places shouldn’t be shown on TV….should they? Their task? To stand outside a nightclub and convince the party going girls of Essex to remove their makeup that they’d spent hours applying, and then go clubbing ea natural! It was actually a pretty clever task, convincing these girls isn’t easy, I’m not sure I’d be up for it, but with girly banter and lots of flattery the teams soon had their tickets (pink and blue accordingly for each team) pouring in the nightclub was soon filled with fresh faced and very attractive girls who indeed, didn’t need a scrap of make up on to look great!

But of course, it is a competition, and that means there must be cuts! The Blue’s won the task (our favourites Lucinda and Jo therefore through to next week) and so it was crunch time for the losers. Tiny little Amy is so cute, but her voice was being lost, Dalia was becoming feisty, not the behaviour of an Ambassador, and Denise, well she just didn’t really know who she was, what she was doing and where she fitted into the competition. Gok & Myleene gave Dalia another chance so its goodbye to tiny Amy and Denise the dramatic.

Dalia survives the cut

Channel 4 - Tuesday's at 20.00

Dead Set

2008-11-04T14:51:00.003Z

As the week geared up to Halloween, Dead Set hit our E4 screens with a quiet but bloody entrance. Unfortunately, life being the way it is, I couldn't catch it at the time, but a Sunday afternoon recovering with On Demand and I was soon up to date with all the latest going's on from the fictional Big Brother house.

Set in modern Britain, with the current mass hysteria in fame, celebrity and reality TV, Dead Set was a modern take on Dawn of the Dead, with the supermarket being replaced with our own dear Big Brother compound. I'm not sure what I was expecting, I think a mediocre, slash horror/comedy show which whilst entertaining wouldn't have been much to write home about - how wrong could I be! I was blown away by the sheer horror and original creativity of the show. At times I had my hands to my face in terror and I can really say I thought it was on a TV par with "28 Days Later".

Filming of the pre-zombie extracts took place whilst Big Brother 2008 happened so the set was real, the crowds were real, Davina was real. The first hour long episode slowly built the tension with Kelly, the poor trodden upon production assistant running around trying to sort everything out (as us runner's do!) and the producer from hell, an arrogant, stressed, sexually inappropriate and Ricky Gervais office esc character generally screaming and being horrendous to everyone. But it was when the zombie horror took hold that the real terror struck. As the production office went down and a confused Davina, mid eviction interview, tried to understand what was going on, the residents in the Big Brother House were blissfully ignorant. Seeing Davina running, screaming and then having her throat ripped out was pretty horrendous, I mean, its Davina McCall! The Big Brother reunion, hosting a whole assortment of cameo's, also stirred gut wrenching feelings as Ashleyne, Brian, Imogen, screamed, ran, scrambled but were one by one bitten and ripped to pieces. It was pretty gory and wonderful stuff!

As all us runners do, Kelly managed to survive the onslaught and broke her way into the Big Brother House, whilst the ghastly producer and recently evicted housemate were holed up in another room, a zombie Davina trying to smash her way through the door. But this is only the start, it all starts to go horribly wrong as housemates, as they do, begin to fight, backstab, want to escape. I won't tell you who survives, who doesn't survive and what generally happens because it's TOO great to spoil. I loved it. I'll be buying it on DVD. And Davina, our hero, was genuinely awesome.

See the website here

Britannia High - Episode 2

2008-11-03T19:10:00.001Z

Much as some of the modern series have done with format, one character development per episode is at Britannia High's musically explosive centre. Last week's pale, traumatised and naive Lauren quickly fell into her place with fello students this week as our viewers' eye was firmly focused at Danny, Lauren's new muse and Britannia High's answer to Troy Bolton.

The musical numbers continued though sometimes they felt more out of place than the cast's obvious age difference from their characters and the undertones of the peripheral cast were continued with Claudine's bitchiness to Lauren (in real life she is an absolute sweetheart) and the random, trying to live up to ditzy skin's classic Cassie, character of Lola.

It was all a bit obvious to be honest. Last week we had naive, country girl with massive talent trying to fit into the vicious world of celebrity, dance and music and Episode 2 went along the lines of - top high school hunk with incredible gifts for dance fails in everything else. As the program progressed Danny (Mitch Hewer) became more and more resentful to his fellow classmates and teachers trying to help him, pushing away Lauren whilst at it, and generally being a complete pain. Taking his attention away from his actual failing grades he launched himself into showcasing himself, completing the oddly placed musical numbers and becoming the school's newest rep. It all came to a crux when Girls Aloud's Nicola and Kimberly came to give the school a "Q & A" session and Danny, being the school's rep was asked to read out the hand picked questions. With a frantic flurry of brow furrowing it became obvious that something was wrong and after storming out of the hall, humiliated and upset, it was revealed that Danny had dyslexia and couldn't read a thing. Five minutes later he was sent off to a residential reading and spelling course and that was the end of that.

I'm sorry to say that this show is very quickly flagging. I was very up for being impressed and hoping that one of ITV's new forefront entertainment programs would indeed be that, forefront and ground breaking. Instead you wish the ground would open up and swallow what is likely to become a great big failing mess as the series continues. I will continue watching, Mitch is a fitty, Sapphire Elia was lovely in real life, and I want to believe that it can better but with only a run of 9 episodes and 2 already down its going to have to do it fast.

Spooks - Episode 2

2008-10-29T22:33:00.009Z

Riding high on the opening episode of Season 7, part two came with dramatic effect as the Spooks team were still reeling from Adam’s death. With his true identity as a spook having to remain hidden and the media reporting that it was the bomber that died in the car explosion i.e. implicating Adam himself, the grieving process in Spooks is always made that much harder. Harry drunk and plotted revenge, Ros let out an unusual but private burst of emotion before she returned to a colder version of her former self exclaiming “People die all the time” when she was asked how she was, and Malcolm took to examining minute differences in sounds waves on his computer (it must be a thing that Spooks do!).

With the Russians at the centre of the Adam’s death and Ros appointed to unit chief, it soon became apparent that Lucas North was not to be trusted. One minute he was meeting with Harry, the next the main Russian collaborator, and then his ex wife, who also turned out to be a recruited Russian Spy. Once again the Ruskies were back on the scene as our prime adversaries, hooray! Malcolm’s seemingly pointless efforts in the office in fact established that a stray Ruskie sub was patrolling British waters and intent on causing a “tsunami of information” through seafloor internet cables that would bring Britain to a economic standstill. And here came the leap of faith, they needed an insider, someone that could contact and betray if necessary, a Russian spy. How convenient, North was back, ready, able and wanting to return to work, but could they trust him?! It seemed so, albeit after an ice hearted Ros had stunned him with a taser, that yes, he was working for the Russians, but only to get their trust before he handed everything he knew over to our dear old Spooks team. The sub was stopped and stranded in British waters, Britain was saved once again, and Harry got his revenge after initially imprisoning the leader of the Russian spies only to then shoot him in the chest and end it once and for all.

It’s great to see the team back in action. With ice bitch at the helm and North fitting in nicely after proving his worth and killing a few people it’s back to the Spooks we know and love. It remains to be seen whether Season 7 will live up to the expectations after Season 6, but its well on his way.

BBC - Mondays at 21.00

Autumn Watch - NEW SERIES

2008-10-28T22:18:00.001Z

Back in 2005 when the BBC commissioned a one week live Spring watch show, its drama and news focusing around the busy day to day lives of bustling badgers, nests of nestlings and a strange duo of presenters, I’m sure they didn’t realise the ratings winner that they were onto. Four years later and with the addition of Autumn watch for the 3rd year running this successful format has grown into a twice yearly wonder, increased its air time in both BBC2 and C Beebies primetime slots and has an ongoing massive viewer input – I’m sure which goes a long way for the reason it is loved.

Quirkily matched Kate Humble and Bill Oddie provide the shows main comedic centre with Bill often disappearing down strange non scripted tangents with a sometimes irritated Kate reeling him back in before all sense of why and where they are has vanished. This years main centre for Autumn watch has moved to Poole Harbour, Brown Sea Island to be exact, a rare feast of differing habitats. With Simon King roaming around the country providing in depth snippets on larger, and often more film challenging fauna, our two week Autumn watch sprint is off to a fine start. Currently on location filming Fallow deer (on which there has been many discussions in my household and I hear others of their particular furry nether regions) Simon gives us the low down on the yearly rut – alas so far we have had no comic Simon King rutting roars. Back at Brown Sea Kate and Bill set about re introducing us to some characters we had met before such as Hannibal, the Barn Owl who had eaten all of his siblings live on TV as a horrified nation look on, and provided their entertaining and sometimes strained relationship.

I love Autumn Watch, and Spring Watch, for that matter. You can dip in and out, or you can watch the entire series but still get the enjoyment. You can take part in the forums, set about creating your own “breathing space”, send in video’s, or simply wonder at the marvels of our own British Wildlife. Fantastic.

BBC2 - 20.00 Mon - Thurs, 28th October - 6th November

Spooks - NEW SERIES

2008-10-27T22:29:00.000Z

Autumn has come and it looks like what little social life I had before is about to be lost to a new, busy and highly exciting TV schedule. Making a very welcome return to our BBC screens tonight was “Spooks”, the highly acclaimed British MI5 drama. I have to admit after watching the first couple of series and that notable chip fat fryer horror scene I lost interest. The original cast featuring both Keeley Hawes and Matthew Macfayden were for the most part dead, extradited or in hiding and newer spooks didn’t give me the interest that I needed. I was brought back to the phenomenon with the last series where I was happily surprised to note that it had moved on, rather than individual episodes with little or no continuing themes, Spooks had entered the area of continuing dramatic storylines that built gradually through the episodes showing just that little more each time to consistently build the intrigue and complex plot, which, had it been revealed at the beginning, would have put even the most intelligent minds into a downward spiral.

Last time a complex web of lies and deceit were built around the Iranian ambassador and terrorist forces and tonight’s episode opened with a new terrorist plot, this time Al Qaeda, a sprinkling of Russian and a dash of Chechnya. After the cliff hanger of last season’s finale we soon discovered that Jo was thankfully alive and making a surprise return was Ros (Hermione Norris). Normally once a spook is gone, they’re gone, but Ros seen to survive the editorial guillotine and was back with vengeance tonight landing back in Britain from Russia and uttering “I’m getting extremely bored. I’m tempted to get out and kill them just to get it over with” upon realising that she’d been followed.

Of course Adam (Rupert Penry-Jones) and Harry were once again at the helm and with the trade of a Russian spy for a British one Lucas (Richard Armitage) makes a welcome addition to the cast. Fighting to rescue a British soldier taken hostage and being threatened with execution it was soon revealed that this was just a side line to a far more ominous plot to blow up innocent spouses and children of dead British soldiers at a Remembrance Day service. Quickly on the scene Lucas managed to take down the assassin while Adam, after a brief poignant moment with returned Ros, high jacked a parked car bomb and jettisoned it as far away from innocent citizens as he could. Unfortunately, not making a deserted square quite in time, Adam was caught in the blast and that was the end of Rupert Penry-Jones. With the addition of Armitage to the cast it should have been obvious that one member of the team was on the way out – though often the unexpected twists make the viewers guessing a hard task. How Harry & Connie managed to live above 40 I don’t know, you sure don’t last very long being a Spook, well, not when your bosses are BBC writers.

With Adam dead Lucas North makes up the numbers

BBC - Mondays at 21.00

Little Dorrit - NEW SERIES

2008-10-26T21:53:00.000Z

The BBC badly needed a saviour to its period drama. After invigorating the genre with Bleak House in 2005 and a few years later in 2007 with the BAFTA & Emmy award winner Cranford, a spate of titles including Oliver Twist, Larkrise to Candleford and Tess of the D’Urbervilles failed to impress. The “Little Dorrit” trailer was overflowing with winning names, the cinematography was original and interesting, the setting charmed but I was all to afraid that it, as others did, would fail to impress past the first few minutes. I am very glad to admit I was wrong.

With a compelling and eclectic cast including Matthew MacFadyen (Pride & Predjudice, Spooks), Freema Agyeman (Dr Who, Torchwood) & Mackenzie Crook (the Office, Three & Out) intrigue and mystery were rife from the outset. Mrs Clennam (Judy Parfitt) being confined to her room, her husband and son oversees, sought work in little Dorrit (Claire Foy) when she came knocking and thus their lives began a strange entanglement that is only seen within the best of novels. Arthur Clennam (MacFadyen) soon arrived back on his families’ doorstep, his father dead, to a rather hostile and cold reception, especially when, out of sight of her son, Mrs Clennam opened her husbands’ old watch to find a small piece of parchment with the words “Do Not Forget” written onto them. Meanwhile little Dorrit was finding is hard to keep her new employment to herself and away from her father, the resident of a debt jail, especially when Arthur Clennam, oblivious to her white lies, arrived to question her on her dealings with his family. He seemingly thought that his family had paid some part in the Dorrit’s initial downfall and was out to seek the truth.

The setting for this glorious story is a rather un-lavish London. The dark and ominous atmosphere created for the filming helps to establish the intrigue, much as in Bleak House where you never really knew just what was going on and it always left you wanting more. Not having read Dicken’s “Little Dorrit” I have no idea what is in store but I can assure you it’ll be dark, complex and highly alluring.

Judy Parfitt plays the formidable Mrs Clennam, paralysed and confined to her room for 12 years

BBC - Sundays at 20.00

Britannia High - NEW SERIES

2008-10-26T19:50:00.002Z

Making a welcome debut and exciting addition to the Sunday night schedule came “Britannia High”, ITV’s blend of fame meets high school musical. Set in London, Lauren (Georgina Hagen) rocks up for her first day of the new term and the stereotypical talent school genre starts to roll off with quiet boredom. Claudine is the obvious bitch, who takes immediate offence to Lauren as she was talent spotted rather than having to audition, Danny is the “hot” guy who tries to be nice to everyone, and Lauren is the girl who really doesn’t understand what she’s doing in a place like this. I had a feeling it was going to be very obvious, middle of the road and uninspiring.

I gave it five minutes, then ten, and by fifteen I was actually quite enjoying it. With Arlene Phillips & Gary Barlow behind the choreography and musical numbers it started to change my opinion from just another talent show to something that actually had an edge. It was still pretty plain sailing from the writers with few risks taken but it still worked, our climax to the episode had us wondering will she, won’t she, as Lauren and dance partner Danny performed their first group dance showcase night. Lauren, not be the natural dancer, had not yet completed a difficult lift sequence and though she made it on the night, it still had us wondering if she might fall into a heap of embarrassing awfulness in front of the audience, teachers and worse still her fellow students. She then promptly fainted, was talked around from quitting by teacher Frank Nugent, and Claudine surprisingly showed that she had a heart inside that icy exterior.

Concluding the episode was a kiss between Lauren and Danny and another musical number, this time danced across the roof tops, and a feeling that I’d like to see where this show takes us. I love that it’s set in London and we actually get to see the city, I love Mitch Hewer aka Skins fame (though I’m not sure about his new buffon hairstyle) and the musical number between bitch Claudine and uncomfortable newcomer Lauren really got me into the show. The website is also interesting with video’s, character perspective biographies and blogs & behind the scene’s information so you can get inside the students world. Can’t wait to see more.

Mitch Hewer & Georgina Hagen play budding romantics Danny & Lauren

ITV - Sundays at 18.15

Prison Break vs Terminator spinoff

2008-10-26T15:15:00.000Z

It seems that bosses over at Fox are contemplating some drastic moves to try and salvage flagging "Prison Break" from the scrap heap. With "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" acting as a lead in on the Monday night US timeslot for the prison escapee series I would have thought good audience figures, however, a Fox source told website SyFy Portal "audiences just aren't responding to the show" about the Terminator spin-off. "All I can say is that production will likely stop, and I would think that Fox might try to air some of the episodes already in the can," the source stated. "But I don't know. They don't want to lose Prison Break, so there could be some schedule shuffling in the future."

I'm slightly disappointed with this news. Prison Break started out with a fantastic first series, breaking the mould and creating a new genre but in subsequent series lacked the complex intelligent storylines that it began with, opting to go with more and more ludicrous stories. It was easy to go with these because they became part and parcel of the show, but in my opinion, Prison Break has had its run and The Sarah Connor Chronicles should be allowed to continue its run.

X Factor - Week 3

2008-10-26T00:54:00.002+01:00

Week 3 and X Factor is hot, hot, HOT! With only a few dud finalists in my view the competition seems to be wide open this year with an extremely strong girl contingent both in Cheryl and Danni’s category. This week was Big Band week, been done before, same old thing but it does sort the men from the boys so I was excited to see who would do what tonight.

First up was Scott with his version of “That’s Life”. It was a good opener to the show with Scott owning the stage and the song but he got a mixed review from the panel with Louis saying the performance was good, that Scott was a nice guy but there was “something missing”.

Immediately on his tales was Daniel with what I thought a very lack lustre performance of “The Lady is a Tramp.” I have to admit I still cannot see why Daniel made it through the finals….he can sing but I have feeling to agree with Simon when he said “I genuinely don’t believe you’re going to win.” Daniel’s performances come across as very club lounge-ish and I can see that learning a set to travel the clubs and pubs in would work, but singing live on a show such as X factor with the talent he’s up against just isn’t going to work.

Having the first two acts disappoint a little I was waiting with anticipation for the first of the girls and Laura White. This girl is incredible, I remember her first audition where she sang “I can’t get off my high horse” and I was completely amazed then and she continues to become better and better. Her rendition of Billie Holidays’ “God Bless the Child” was mind blowingly great with Simon uttering the words “World Class”, Louis “Incredible” and Danni “Fantastic”. I did however worry that the viewers, not recognising the song, might perhaps not vote for her, perhaps favouring artists singing familiar big band songs that would hit the correct note.

Next up was Eoghan, and I’m sorry, I just don’t get this act, why is he here? If Louis says there’s something missing from Scott then why on earth does he think that Eoghan is “The one to beat”? I’m totally confused but I guess I was totally confused with Leon last year. Eoghan sings “Love was made for you and me” which I think is reedy, nervous, and though he tries to put in some swing and dance it fails to even slightly impress – however, the panel seem to blown away…Hmmmmm……

Danni’s up next with Ruth Lorenzo and after being in last weeks sing off I’m really rooting for this girl. I think Simon is wrong when he says she has to sing in Spanish because she is Spanish, as she says in her VT, this is a British competition and she’s in Britain, she wants to sing in English and she does it amazingly. I always liked this girl and tonight she proves what’s she worth with a truly fantastic performance of the classic “Summertime”. Simon compliments her with “Best performance and so far” and admits that on this occasion she was right to sing in English – finally Simon! Plus – did you see that dress?! She was HOT!

Our favourite Alexandra is next with her “Candyman”, the Christine Aguilera classic. I love that she’s not doing a ballad, I love the styling and that she’s mixed it up a bit but Christine gets away with this song because a) the video is GREAT and b) she’s already known so the song doesn’t have to be amazing lyric wise. I feel that Alex pulls it off with tremendous force, but the song is slightly lacking something. However, with Louis’s “your back in the race” and Simon’s “a fantastic performance” who am I to judge?

Six down and four to go and so back with the boys its hottie Austin up next (although has anyone noticed just how short this guy is?). His “Mack the Knife” is awesome, I love the song, he wins over the audience and commands the stage. For Big Band week it works but the Austin I know and love is more rock, more grunge so I’m looking forward to next week.

It’s the last group in the competition next with JLS and their rendition of “Aint that a kick in the Head”. Its smooth, its classic, they suave and sophisticated though I agree with Simon when he says the voices are off a little. However, it doesn’t really matter because they put on a great performance and all take part rather than the usual one front man and other backing singers that many groups resort to.
Quirky, wonderful Diana is up next in a flapper style dress, sitting on a quaint little swing in a stage of mist and singing the classic “Smile”. I LOVE Diana. She’s totally different from everyone, she’s like a mini Kate Bush, she makes the song her own and a contemporary piece for what is an old song. And as Simon said “It was understated but it was still brilliant.”

And last, but not least, and bringing an AMAZING voice to the stage comes Rachel Hylton. Her styling tonight was incredible, her voice, though not perfect, still amazing and I thought she closed the show with utter style. Singing “Feelin Good”, she certainly was after, as was I!

So that’s it….ten contestant’s done, so who was in the sing off? Well the public got it totally right tonight with Scott and Daniel in the firing line. Their start to the show really was lack lustre and didn’t inspire and to be honest I really found myself not being able to remember just what they’d done. Scott chose to sing “I can’t make you love me” and Daniel sings “To where you are” as a dedication to his late wife. In my opinion Scott sings better but the judges – both Louis and Cheryl having the deciding factors, believe that Daniel puts more spirit into his performances and it is a gutted Scott that leaves the show. Louis was even choked with tears which is incredible after the hard time he’s given Daniel in the past, but its Daniel in, Scott out, can’t wait for next week! DISCO!

ITV - Saturdays - 19.30

Coronation Street - Rosie makes a bid for freedom

2008-10-24T20:58:00.001+01:00

Poor little Rosie, we've watched her grow into a fine, demure young woman and now this happens to her - NOT. Our favourite bitchy seductress sure has grown over the past few years, but not into the well respected and intelligent young girl that I'm sure Sally Webster was hoping for. Private school may have nearly bankrupted the family but it sure didn't do the wonders for Rosie that it was supposed to, she's working in the factory alongside queen bitch Carla, she had an illicit affair with her teacher John Stape and she caused her father to end up in jail. Did she really think that karma wasn't going to turn around and bite her on her young, naive arse?

Corrie's little vixen now finds herself locked in the attic of the very person whom started her passage to adulthood off - John Stape. Now I'm not entirely convinced by this turn of events, there's far too much to lose for Stape, but I can see that a rush of late night lunacy over took the man and soon escalated into something far worse and dark. With Stape and Fiz off on a week's holiday does he really think that Rosie can survive in his attic alone? Her bid for freedom in tonights show was short lived, the happy couple are off on their vacation and all she has left is a couple of ready made pasta's and some crumpled biscuits left to amuse her. If she ever gets out of this I sure hope she's thankful for everything she has in life, but I'm sure, in sure Rosie style a couple of ladying it up once back home she'll be back to her old ways.

Meanwhile Carla's having a hard time coping with Liam's death - more the fact that she has to hide her grief for her lover from his pregnant wife and family and deal with Tony's increasing pressure to organise their wedding, Deirdre's being railroaded into a oversees trip to Lords as chief arse wiper to several incontinent old ladies, and Dev's returned home to find Daryl and Amber shacked up in bed. Life's a joyous breeze isn't it?

Little did Rosie (Helen Flanagan) realise she was going to end up locked in an attic

ITV -

Mondays- 19.30, 20.30

Wednesdays - 19.30

Fridays - 19.30, 20.30

The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 2

2008-10-23T22:31:00.002+01:00

Back in the old days when Arnold Schwarzenegger was cool, “Twins” & “Junior” had thankfully not been created and dreams of the muscle man becoming a US Governor were ludicrously ridiculous, Terminator and “I’ll be back” was very very in. Three films later and what seemed to be the end of the Terminator phenomenon it once again reared its head with the “Sarah Connor Chronicles”, a series that surprisingly excited me and proved to stand its own ground when coming to the Terminator brand. Set around John Connor (the saviour of world post Rise of the Terminators) and his mother Sarah, it was a fast paced, action packed and terminator filled account of how the Connors were setting about destroying computer network Skynet and thus saving the planet from Armageddon.

Successfully completing a short first season I was thrilled to see the Connor’s back on Virgin 1 tonight, once again fighting for survival, their goal of destroying Skynet becoming perilously out of reach as increasing amounts of other obstacles were thrown in their path. Tonight saw the race to live after Cameron (Summer Glau), the “friendly” terminator sent back from the future John, had her switch tripped, causing her to revert back to the “Terminate John Connor” robot she’d originally be created as. As far as Terminator’s go she’s pretty pleasing on the eye, even with half her face falling off, and as she mangled everybody to within an inch of their lives it was still with some sorrow that John pulled the plug on her as she pleaded “Please John, I don’t want to go, I’ve reset myself, I’m ok now”. Of course, in the end he couldn’t burn her up and took a risk turning her back on, much to his mother’s displeasure, but it worked and now our pretty little Terminator is back up and running and not wanting to kill the very person she was sent back in time to protect.

With a new side story kicking in of a somewhat more advanced Terminator making herself know I can’t wait to see how this season develops, and with many more episodes lets hope the creators can keep the pace going in this exciting addition to the Terminator brand.

Cameron (Summer Glau) makes an interesting and attractive character even if she is a Terminator

Virgin 1 (Virgin - 122, Sky 121, Freeview 20), Thursday's at 21.00

Coronation Street - Maria Next?

2008-10-23T19:13:00.001+01:00

A soap insider is claiming today that Maria Connor (Samia Smith) may be next on the chopping block for evil factory boss Tony (Gray O'Brien). It is reported that Maria, realising that it was indeed Tony that arranged her husband's hit and run murder, accuses the businessman to his face along with anyone else that will listen. As her friends concern grows for the grief-stricken widow they arrange for her to see a psychiatrist but will it be Tony that silences her before anyone else really pays attention?

Is Maria about to fall victim to mad Tony's murdering streak?

Heroes – Season 3, Episode 4

2008-10-23T18:05:00.000+01:00

With Heroes becoming an international phenomenon more or less over night it was always going to be tough for creater Tim Kring and his team to keep the snowball effect rolling and find new ways for Heroes to develop and inspire its audience. Season one’s moto, something most human beings in the Western world are akin to was “Save the Cheerleader, Save the World.” Season two then again had to save the world from a deadly virus, and now Season three – you’ve guessed it – has to save the world from yet another bomb and a deadly genetic formula giving anyone who wants it the possibility to inject powers into themselves. Now it’s easy to criticise as a viewer and I’m sure the creative team for Heroes’ is doing the best they can but the problem is that in their ambition to build a bigger and better brand for themselves they are starting to lose the reason that we all love Heroes.

When it comes to Sci-fi characters and superheroes they often lack a lot of depth that is required to fill out a persona, to make us love them, to see why they do things. Heroes changed all this by giving our heroes stories, struggles, every day life hassles that they’d rather do without. It was with this personal touch that we grew to love the Bennets, the Petrelli’s, and even to a degree Sylar because we could understand where they’d come from and how they’d become what they were today. Desperate Housewives needed a leap forward in time to breath some life into what was becoming a tired format, I have the feeling that Heroes needs to the do opposite. With so much travel hopping back and forth, people dying here, becoming alive again there, villains becoming heroes, heroes becoming villains we are starting to lose our personal interest in the characters. So what if Claire, 4 years into the future, is trying to kill her brother Peter, we don’t know why and those little extra touches, one liners that would make us care are unfortunately absent. With more twists and turns than you can shake a stick at and family connections pouring out of the woodwork in all directions there is certainly enough to keep the intrigue going for the time being. Angela seems have to given birth to a multi powered football team, whilst Nathan has one daughter and perhaps more soon to come with his deepening relationship with Nikki aka Jessica aka Tracy (think flying ice cube baby with the combination of their current powers) but it remains to be seen whether the series will ground itself back with the personal flavour or snowball out of interest into just one big complicated mess.

Nikki's reincarnation's just can't seem to stay away from Nathan Petrelli

Miss Naked Beauty

2008-10-22T18:16:00.005+01:00

I love Gok, you love Gok, the whole of Britain loves Gok Wan. The Gok Wan treatment seems to have hit Britain’s TV over the past few years and has swept the Nation making Gok one of our favourite TV hosts. You get the feeling that when he walks into the room with an idea, broadcast bosses lay down on the floor uttering words of “Yes Gok, Ok Gok, what primetime slot do you want Gok?”. It wasn’t until last night and a sigh of “oh god, there’s nothing on” that I decided to settle down to a bit of Myleene and Gok in “Miss Naked Beauty.”

Now, I’m a model show guy. I religiously watch “America’s Next Top Model”, “Britain’s Next Top Model” and the more recent “Make Me A Supermodel US” and this model show with a twist made me highly intrigued – I’m used to watching model’s gradually put more and more on to their performances so how would I cope with a show where it was stripped away. The result was startlingly good. Gok is not saying don’t wear makeup, don’t dress up, don’t look fabulous, but as with “How to Look Good Naked” he is trying to find someone who can strip back to their bare skin and sell it.

This debut episode took 200 women from all different ages, sexualities and races from across Britain and whittled it down to just 12 finalists in the hour show. They were scrubbed of makeup, asked why they should be the winner, even crowded into an empty swimming pool and blasted with full on fireman’s hoses just to wash every scrap of falsity away. It was FABULOUS! What we ended up with was a bunch of unconfident girls, some crying because they couldn’t bear to look at their hideous reflections without makeup, trying to muster the courage to take this competition further and wanting to win Miss Naked Beauty. What was even better was they then all piled the slap back on to try and impress the judges that would cut them down to the final 12! Great! They’d learned nothing!

The format’s great, Myleene and Gok are great and the principal is something well and truly deserving. I can’t wait to slump onto the couch next week, safe in the comfort that I can wear what I want and Gok won’t complain, to watch what I think will be lots more tears, tantrums and perhaps a glimmer of genius.

Channel 4 - Tuesday's at 20.00

Desperate Housewives - Season 5

2008-10-22T16:06:00.003+01:00

Running directly on from the Season 4 finale last Wednesday the housewives are back on Channel 4 tonight with the debut of Season 5. With a much needed plot twist - jumping five years into the future - it is hoped that Wisteria Lane will get the revitalisation that it needs to re-establish Season 5 to a par with that of the first explosive and original show seen with its Season 1 debut.

The housewives are largely changed and jumping five years into the future brings new trials and tribulations in addition to the viewers desperate need to know just what has happened over these missed years. Gaby, now with two rather tubby children in tow, has become Mrs Frumpy whilst Susan and Mike’s rather boring and long winded will they won’t they is once again off the cards with Mike looking dead – again. Meanwhile the Scavo children have grown rather large and I’m sure more “boisterous” if that’s the correct word and our wonderful Bree seems to have returned to her former cold and calculating self that we knew and loved in Season 1. Katherine remains on the street though daughter Dylan and best friend Julie Mayer seem to have disappeared (presumably off to college) and though I was stricken to see our favourite man vulture Edie leave at the end of the last Season, five years on and she’s back on the street to cause chaos once again.

All in all the first few episodes seem to shape up for a good run to come, the humour is back, the ridiculous mystery and danger storylines seem to have gone (think boy locked in the cellar) and our housewives are back to causing chaos in their own insane, but truer and more normal lives. There’s still a stain of foreboding – Edie’s new husband is fast shaping up to be the new villain of the series and Bree’s male soul mate Orson seems to finally be putting his foot down but with Porter Scavo falling in love with his mum due to a myspace esc chatting incident, and Bree trying to force feed her vegetarian grandson a hotdog because it’ll make him grow up big and strong, I think we’re set for several months of fun and hysterics.

Channel 4 - Wednesdays at 22.00