Month: June 2009

The CarusometerA Carusometer rating of 2

Third-episode verdict: Royal Pains

20 June 2009 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

Over the summer, it seems, if you’re going to watch any network’s programming, USA has it all sown up. While NBC is sticking out bland-to-rubbish content like Merlin and The Listener, and the other networks are content with re-runs, rubbish and reality TV (mix that up as much as you like), USA is quietly sticking out some of its best work. Burn Notice has been topping the ratings for three seasons now and Royal Pains, its new Thursday-night stablemate, is shaping up pretty well, too.

We’re three episodes in, now, and as I said during my review of the really quite good first episode, the show could have gone one of two ways: desperately dull or still entertaining and leisurely – a perfect summer show. Happily, it’s continued in the same vein as before, a kind of cross between Gossip Girl (but without the excesses), House (but without the mean nasty doctors, just the nice ones), MacGyver (but without the mullet or spies) and The Apprentice (but without the strange hairpiece) in which amiable doctor Mark Feuerstein has to work out what the matter is with a bunch rich people (and anyone else he comes across), usually with the aid of whatever he finds lying around, all the while trying to build a new business and romance the local hospital administrator.

And it does it all very well. The relationships are nicely handled, nothing seems too forced, nothing too bad seems to happen, and no matter how rich or how poor characters are, they all seem relatively nice. It’s a feel good show about people feeling well.

If I had to criticise, Dr Hank’s brother is a bit of an arse and deserves a spade to the back of the head, and in an effort to stay away from anything too unpleasant for too long, there’s a little shallowness to the characterisations. But it’s just a nice to show to watch. It would last about five seconds in a winter schedule, but in summer, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better or more apt.

Carusometer rating: 2
Rob’s predication: Should last for a good few seasons, unless the American economy falls into a giant hole in the next year or so. Or at least a bigger giant hole.  

Sitting Tennant

Friday’s Sitting Tennant (from Sister Chastity): Secret Smile

19 June 2009 Rob Buckley 11 Comments

It’s Friday, and only slightly later than normal thanks to a tussle with hermeneutic Heideggerian phenomenology, here comes Sitting Tennant. This week’s prize winning Sitting Tennant was provided by Sister Chastity and comes from Secret Smile. Why is the smile secret? I leave that up to you to decide.

That gives us the following picture leaderboard:

  1. Rullsenberg: 31.5
  2. Sister Chastity: 26.5
  3. Jaradel: 20.5
  4. Rosby: 2.5
  5. Persephone: 1

Meanwhile, at witty caption central, I don’t have to decide since the people have spoken and awarded Joe top prize on his first go.

  1. Toby: 131.5
  2. Marie: 112.5
  3. Rullsenberg: 92
  4. Jane Henry: 70.5
  5. Persephone: 45.5
  6. Jaradel: 38.5
  7. Electric Dragon: 31
  8. Rev/Views: 25
  9. Scott 2: 14
  10. Joe: 10
  11. Scott: 3
  12. Aaron: 2
  13. almostwitty.com: 1
  14. Stu_N: 1

Remember, you can submit as many captions as you like for today’s picture, with the wittiest getting 10 points next Friday.

Got a picture of David Tennant sitting, lying down or in some indeterminate state in between? Then leave a link to it below or email me and if it’s judged suitable, it will appear in the “Sitting Tennant” gallery.

Every photo displayed on Monday (one per person who sends one in) gets a point, with a bonus point if it’s from the latest DT production; the best pic in the stash each week will appear on Friday and get three points.

You can also enter the witty and amusing captions league table by commenting on Friday’s Sitting Tennant photo, the best caption getting 10 points.

What have you been watching this week? (w/e 19 June)

19 June 2009 Rob Buckley 4 Comments

A few new series and mini-series starting up this week, so what have you been watching?

Another 50/50 episode of Mitchell and Webb last night (ironically enough): ‘Remain Indoors’ remains one of the most darkly funny things around. Psychoville I might get round to watching in my lunchbreak, if I have enough time. Occupation is waiting for a few hours of available downtime, since lovely wife’s undying love for James Nesbitt mandates that we watch it together.

Episode 4 of Mental was quite one of the most painfully bad episodes of anything ever made – even worse than Painkiller Jane – so I’m giving up on that.

Haven’t watched Nurse Jackie this week yet, since for some reason, it won’t go onto my iPod at the moment. Royal Pains and Burn Notice are waiting for me when I get home – last week’s were both good, so you should be watching them if you’re not already.

Simon Schama’s John Donne was typically Simon Schama-esque: all very exciting and involving when you watch it, but you can’t remember a thing afterwards. Michael Woods’ Beowulf was far more memorable for its slower pace.

I also caught an episode of an old documentary series called The Power of Myth, which is basically a collection of interviews with Joseph Campbell. Surprisingly Christian in its analysis and a bit sketchy on the details, but very interesting and worth watching if you have a mo.

As always, no spoilers unless you’re going to use the <spoiler> </spoiler> tags, please? Ta!

Random Acts

Random Acts of Ali Larter: Supporting modern art

18 June 2009 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Ali Larter at the Whitney Museum

This week, Ali Larter has been supporting modern art, which is jolly nice of her, if a bit random. Still, she does it a lot, since she’s a bit of a collector, particularly of photography by Lillian Bassman. But this week she’s been to the Whitney Museum’s annual art party and auction.

I think the Whitney is amazing. It has an incredible collection of American art, and I think it’s important, especially in these times, to come out and support, to get the attention back to the museums. I think that art inspires people during difficult times and I hope that there is always funding, especially to keep the programs alive in the schools.

The Whitney houses one of the world’s foremost collections of contemporary American art and programmes provocative special exhibitions by the most promising and influential American artists of the 20th and 21st century.

Look, here’s a BLT at the Whitney. Giant BLTs – now that’s random.

Have you seen Ali Larter acting randomly? If so, let us know and we’ll tell everyone about it in “Random Acts of Ali Larter“