Another new idea - people tend to watch TV over the weekend so let's talk about what everyone's been watching on a Monday instead of a Friday. And since 24 and Lost are only a week out, moving to a Monday means you can talk about both shows, whether you're in the US or the UK.
The Winter Olympics and lack of Heroes meant there wasn't much new US TV week this week, but anyway:
Archer: Some more great moments as per usual.
Being Erica: Watched the end of season two at last. Overall, while they experimented a lot more this season, Erica's character arc felt less satisfying and the whole thing almost reset Erica's situation back to the start of episode 1 (that's time travel for you). Ethan's emasculation this season didn't endear the show to us either, since at least he was a decent love interest for her last year.
Being Human: Don't really remember last week's very much (that's how good my memory is), but this week's was scary in a different kind of way from usual (Mitchell). Not quite sure why Annie has flipped from wanting "door tuition" (you know what I mean) a few episodes ago to her current frame of mind, but Mitchell's arc has been great. Some odd directorial decisions mind.
Burn Notice: Not bad. The Chris Vance stuff is so much tag-on at the moment though.
The Deep End: Up to episode four, which was half dreadful, half fun. The romance between Australian guy and blonde girl is a little bit Sweet Valley High, but it's charming in its way; everything else, particularly the legal side, is like having a nail hammered into your head by someone thinking they're being zany.
Leverage: A good ending to the season, overall, but the lack of Gina Bellman for much of the season has been a problem for character arcs, and most of the characters have been treading water. Basically, not as good as season one.
Life Unexpected: A reasonable ep, but nothing spectacular, other than "Lux learns a lesson about responsibility".
Lost: Were those answers we just got? Or fake answers? Either way, a great Locke-focused episode. Nice that disability isn't regarded as an unhappy ending for him in the flash-sideways. And best name for alternative Locke I've heard so far: "The Locke-ness monster".
24: Someone kill Dana now. But at least half an episode of decent moments, with Jack doing a cross between Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon and the guy in Metal Gear Solid. Still needs more excitement though.
But what did you watch? See if you can cast your memories back to last week, anyway.
UPDATE: I forgot to mention the following two new HBO shows that started up and which I can't be arsed to give full reviews to:
The Ricky Gervais Show: Heard The Guardian's Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant/Karl Pilkington podcasts? Thought they'd be better if they were all animated, with Ricky Gervais looking like Fred Flintsone? Then a) you're a nutter b) you'd be wrong.
How To Make It In America: Supposed to be a comedy about working class New Yorkers trying to hit the big time through whatever pie-in-the-sky business scheme they have (selling fake leather jackets, borrowing money off a violent cousin, selling black-and-white photos). Actually about as funny as reading stats about recessionary economics. Does have a few funny moments and okay as a drama, I guess, but not involving at all. Still, if you ever wondered what happened to Shassyn Sossamon (sp?) from A Knight's Tale, now you know.
As always, no spoilers unless you're going to use the <spoiler> </spoiler> tags, please. If you've reviewed something on your blog, you can put a link to it here rather than repeat yourself (although too many links and you might get blocked by the spam filter)
I haven't watched all the second season of Being Erica - still got seven episodes to go since it was proving a bit of a downer and not quite as interesting as the first season - but for those of you who haven't started yet, here's star Erin Karpluk talking about it and what you have to look forward to, since there are still quite a few things to look forward to.
In Canada: Tuesdays, 9pm, CBC in the US: Wednesdays, 10pm ET/PT, Soapnet. Starts January 20th 2010 In the UK: Season 1: Mondays, 10pm, E4. Starts September 28th. No word on season 2
Being Erica is one of the new breed of Canadian TV shows that are actually very good - good enough to compete globally and even be better than those from the US and Britain. Kind of like "Quantum Leap for girls", it sees 30-something Erica Strange taken back in time by mysterious therapist "Dr Tom" to fix those parts of her past that made her the fabulous call centre operator with an MA in English Literature that she is today.
While it wasn't the grittiest show in existence and answers about who exactly Dr Tom was or why he wanted to help Erica weren't exactly forthcoming, season one was smart, emotional, made a decent stab at depth despite the fantasy element of its set-up and was genuinely moving at times.
Get watching UK viewers: it starts on E4 on Monday.
The first season saw Dr Tom's unique, quote-laden therapy help Erica to get a decent job and a decent boyfriend, and to fix her relationships with her friends and family. By the end of it, Erica seemed pretty much fixed. However, she seemed to have broken 'Dr Tom' by breaking the rules he'd laid down for her therapy. As we go into season two, she has a new therapist, Dr Nadia, whom she doesn't want, as well as a new mission.
More importantly, it's time to pay for her therapy because she's built up quite a bill.
Well, the new season has really started in earnest in the US, and there are some new shows in the UK, too. I'm working my way through them at the moment, so between now and Monday, you should be getting full reviews of
House (a weird two-hour special in which House seems to become nice)
Cougar Town (Courtney Cox's new show)
Modern Family (supposed to be very funny)
The Mentalist (very yawn inducing)
Accidentally On Purpose (slightly awful so far, even though it does star Jenna Elfman)
The Good Wife (whatserface off ER going back to work after politician Chris Noth cheats on her)
FlashForward (everyone in the world gets a vision of what their life will be like in six months)
Smallville (kneel before Zod!)
The Vampire Diaries (a third-episode verdict probably. If I can stomach watching two episodes back to back)
CSI (Sara's back and that other one is off!)
But…
Merlin bored me enough that I stopped after 10 minutes, so I won't be watching that any more
Gossip Girl finally got too silly last week, so I gave up on it, too
I'm figuring the number of people interested in The Beautiful Life round here wouldn't be that great, so I avoided watching that, too
The Fixer was rubbish for about 30 minutes then got really good
I'm slowly catching up with Mad Men and as lovely as it is, I'm not finding the character interest at the moment to draw me in - am I suffering from quality TV ennui?
Last week's Supernatural made up for the slightly disappointing season opener with a good ending.
I've still to watch this week's episode of Supernatural as well as Community.
And virtually everything else I've already reviewed.
But how about you?
UPDATE: Doh! I'll be reviewing the first episode of the new season of Being Erica (very intriguing) as well. I knew I'd forget something.
As always, no spoilers unless you're going to use the <spoiler> </spoiler> tags, please
What an interesting idea. Over in Canada, CBC has an annual 'open doors' event in which you can tour the network's facilities and meet the stars. Look, here's Erin Karpluk of Being Erica being told she's the next Carrie Bradshaw.
I wonder if the Beeb could do something similar. What do you think?
Thanks to Joe Bua for pointing this one out to me: it's a list by The Guardian's Anna Pickard of the Top 10 TV celebrities (real or fictitious) to be trapped in a lift with. I'm not sure whether that means all at the same time or in 10 separate lift-trapping incidents, but meme of the week is to list your 10 celebs, either in the comments below or at your own blog, leaving a link below.
Here are mine, in no particular order:
Dr Tom (from Being Erica): he'd have solved all my troubles, provided a quote for the occasion and created an exit door from the lift, all before the emergency services got there.
Joanna Page: to keep our spirits lifted and to fill us all with a sense of happiness in case Dr Tom didn't show up. Plus she's only 5'1" so she wouldn't use up much oxygen. And just because.
Derren Brown: who'd convince us it was all in our minds
Neil Burnside (from The Sandbaggers): because whatever needed to be done, he'd do it, no matter what the personal sacrifice was or who he had to kill to do it, as long as it was in Britain's best interests.
Stephen Fry: because all such lists have to include Stephen Fry and for the conversation, even though he'd use up twice as much oxygen as everyone else – except Joanna Page who, now I think about it, can talk like the clappers when she's nervous.
Peter Parker: because, well – I know this is a secret but – he's Spiderman, and thus obviously very useful in such situations.
Ali Larter: just because. And because she's very fit, which is always useful in a "scaling your way out of the lift and up the cable" scenario. And who knows? Maybe she does have super powers. Which would be useful (see 6). But mainly just because.
Jill Goodacre: because then I could call Joey and tell him about it in our secret code.
Tina Fey: because she's bloody funny, and it's better than being stuck in a lift with Sarah Palin.
Jonathan Creek: because he'd find the secret panel at the back that would let us all out. Bloody Creek. Why didn't he tell us about that sooner?
If 10 seems like too many, you can just name a few instead. Or if you'd like to be trapped with more, fair enough, although remember the oxygen and weight issues.
I have actually been stuck in a lift in real life – in the Hoover Dam, halfway up, with 40 other people, in the dark, without aircon, for nearly an hour. Electricians had to abseil down the lift shaft to rescue us. It wasn't fun, and I didn't get to choose any of the people in the lift with me.
About the blog
This is a UK media blog with daily news, views, exclusive reviews and good conversation. There's a bit of a bias towards the latest and greatest US TV, but we also cover British TV ranging from new Doctor Who to old Z Cars, Property Ladder to Big Brother, and BBC4 to S4C – yes, this blog is firmly part of the conspiracy to promote all things Welsh where possible, particularly Caerdydd.
Add in film, theatre, art, books, events and media journalism and you've (hopefully) got one of the best places on the web for media lovers. Oh yes, and there's The Carusometer, the ultimate guide to quality TV.
About me
I'm Rob Buckley, a freelance journalist who writes for UK media magazines that most people have never heard of. I've edited Dreamwatch, Sprocket and Cambridge Film Festival Daily; been technical editor for trade magazine Televisual; reviewed films for the short-lived newspaper Cambridge Insider; written features for the even shorter-lived newspaper Soho Independent; and contributed sarcastic articles about television to the blink-and-you-missed-it "web site for urban hedonists" The Tribe. I'm freelance now and have contributed to the likes of Broadcast, Total Content + Media, Action TV, Off The Telly and TV Scoop. Have pity on me.
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