TMINE

First episode of Sanctuary available

It claims to be the first “broadcast quality” science fiction show for the web (anyone want to debate that?). You can view the first four episodes of Sanctuary, starring Amanda Tapping from Stargate SG-1 as a British person, over on the web site. But you can view the first episode below.





I would mock the British bits but I’ve already been indulging myself with Lost‘s latest recreation of London

Lost does Covent Garden

Tee hee! That’s Covent Garden.

First and last news of the week

Normal service resumes on Monday – barring accidents or faulty alarm clocks

Film

Music

  • Ozzy Osbourne is going to be the first star on Birmingham’s Walk of Stars

Radio

  • XFM is axing its daytime DJs. Does that include weekends? No more Jimmy Carr… [free registration required]

British TV

US TV

News

Clips from CBS’s new shows

I’m back in the UK now and half comatose from an overnight flight. But I wouldn’t dream of letting you guys down by doing the work I’m actually supposed to be doing or sleeping or something.

No, it’s time to look at CBS’s new shows for the Fall season. If you’ve ever heard Les Moonves speak (he’s the head of CBS), you’ll know just how much he loves the Internet. So it’s not surprising that CBS has been all forward thinking and created a ‘bloggers toolkit’ so that we can all gas on about the new shows with some handy video clips to hand.

Given that 90% of US television now stars Brits, is based on a British format or both, it’s hard to highlight one particular example of the new season’s shows that’s going to be of most interest to those of us over here. However, regular readers of this ‘ere blog are probably going to be most curious about the remake of Viva Blackpool that Hugh Jackman’s been throwing together: Viva Laughlin. It stars Monarch of the Glen‘s Lloyd Owen as a nice man who tries to open a casino in Laughlin, Nevada. It also features Madchen Amick (her off Twin Peaks), DB Woodside (Wayne Palmer on 24) as well as Jackman in a recurring role.

Unfortunately, there’s no video yet. Bugger. That’s not a good start, is it CBS? Here’s a pic though.

Viva Laughlin

Continue reading “Clips from CBS’s new shows”

News

Clips from ABC’s new pilots

ABC’s now joined NBC in providing us all with clips from their forthcoming Fall shows. Unlike NBC, however, they haven’t done the decent thing and put them on YouTube as well, so you’ll have to brave the ABC web site – and its geo-filter – to have a look at what’s coming up. Again, I don’t know if they’re going to work in the UK, so if someone wants to experiment, now’s your chance.

Pushing Daisies

Of most interest for genre fans is Pushing Daisies, starring Lee Pace as a private investigator who can bring people back from the dead for a minute. it also stars Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth and Jim Dale (as the narrator) and is written by Bryan Fuller of Heroes, Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me fame. Might be a little too whimsical for the viewing public, but you never know.

Most of the new shows, however, seem to focus on really rich people.

Continue reading “Clips from ABC’s new pilots”

US TV

Season finales: CSI: Miami

CSI Miami

I was a little surprised by this particular finale. Normally, seeing the name Sunil Nayar, one of the show’s producers, in the writers’ credits is enough to put fear into your heart, given he’s written some of the worst crimes against humanity that CSI: Miami has perpetrated: nothing has been too stupid or offensive for our Sunil.

But this season’s finale was a relatively low key affair. There were few mind-blowingly dumb moments, just a couple; there were no cliffhangers, no massive plot resolutions, no lives imperilled. If it hadn’t been for the three-minute music video conclusion, you’d never have known it was a season finale. About the only real tension was from a few “will they, won’t they” moments between Calleigh and Eric.

To a certain extent, that’s because this has been a season without a long story arc: there have been a few two- or three-episode arcs, but nothing really to rival previous seasons’ gangs/brothers/hot forbidden fruit South American sister-in-law/marriage shootings arcs. Given the show doesn’t really need to work to bring the viewers in and it’s not a show that people watch to tax their brains or learn something about humanity, it’s more surprising that previous seasons have actually felt this need at all.

Still, even the Carusobot seemed unable to believe he was doing a Batman/Angel/Captain Jack on the top of a helipad for no adequately explored reason at the end.

So don’t be afeared, UK viewers, you can watch this episode without any worries, apart from potential brain damage.

Tension: 2/10