Year: 2016

BFI events

The Radio Times festival has moved to the South Bank

1 December 2016 Rob Buckley 1 Comment

Last year saw the hosting of the first Radio Times festival. As I pointed out when I went, it was a slightly odd affair hosted in a park opposite Hampton Court, with plenty of illustrious speakers, book signings, pop-up food shops and regular old book shops. 

Maybe it’s oddness, the strange location and the difficulty booking tickets, particularly on the day, that meant that there wasn’t one this year, as the Radio Times events team had a rethink. But next year, it’s back on 7-9 April, this time in association with the BFI, who had a bit of a presence at the first event but wasn’t the co-organiser. 

Unsurprisingly, it’s therefore being held at the BFI Southbank and there aren’t quite as many things to see, given there are only three theatres. But the preliminary programme is out now, there’s plenty to watch – not just from the UK but from overseas thanks to Walter – a few authors and a bit about the radio, too. You can buy tickets today if you’re a BFI patron or champion, tomorrow if you’re a BFI member and Monday if you’ve not already given the BFI a big lump of cash this year. 

Friday
Radio Times Hall of Fame: Michael Palin
Join us as comedian, actor, writer and globetrotter Michael Palin takes us on a journey through his amazing life.

East of Ipswich
Palin’s acclaimed, bittersweet ‘near autobiographical’ drama about a teenager’s first sexual experiences on a seaside family holiday.

Saturday
TV Premiere: The Durrells
Screening of the first episode of the new series, followed by an on-stage chat with members of the cast and crew.

Call the Midwife
Join series creator Heidi Thomas as she shares the secrets of the show alongside executive producer Pippa Harris and cast members.

Victoria Wood: A Tribute
Julie Walters and colleagues come together to share their memories of the late, great Victoria Wood and introduce some memorable clips.

Victoria Wood: Two Creatures Great and Small + Victoria Wood at the Albert Hall
Two gems from Wood’s career that capture all her brilliance as an award-winning stand-up performer

Sunday
Hetty Feather + Meet Jacqueline Wilson
Watch two new episodes of the enchanting CBBC children’s drama, and meet author Jacqueline Wilson, creator of Hetty Feather and ex-children’s laureate, and selected cast and crew.

The Archers: The Trial of Helen Titchener
Louiza Patikas (Helen), Tim Watson (Rob) and former Archers editor Sean O’Connor reveal the inside story of Rob and Helen.

Judith Kerr and Michael Morpurgo
Two of our best-loved children’s authors, Judith Kerr (The Tiger Who Came To Tea) and Michael Morpurgo (War Horse) in conversation.

Mark Gatiss: From League of Gentlemen to Sherlock
Writer/actor/comedian and fantasy maestro Mark Gatiss talks to Radio Times Television editor Alison Graham about his favourite TV moments, including Sherlock.

Walter presents: TV Premiere: Merciless + Meet Walter
Following this bold Brazilian drama meet Walter Iuzzolino, curator of Walter Presents, the service introducing international TV dramas to the UK.

Walter presents: TV Premiere: Locked Up
Season 2 opener of the Spanish prison drama + interview with actor Berta Vázquez, co-creator Iván Escobar and Walter Iuzzolino.

Radio Times Hall of Fame: Steven Moffat
Steven Moffat – showrunner of two of the UK’s biggest TV shows, Doctor Who and Sherlock – in conversation with Frank Skinner.

TV Premiere: Guerrilla (Sky Atlantic)
Exclusive preview of a Sky Original 1970s set thriller about a group of black power activists in London + cast and crew on-stage.

News

News: Masters of Sex cancelled; Netflix downloads; One Kick adaptation; + more

1 December 2016 Rob Buckley Post a comment


Internet TV

International TV

US TV

New US TV shows

The BarrometerA Barrometer rating of 2

Third-episode verdict: Shooter (US: USA; UK: Netflix)

30 November 2016 Rob Buckley 2 Comments

In the US: Tuesdays, 10/9c, USA
In the UK: Wednesdays, Netflix

The biggest problem with Shooter – USA’s adaptation of the 2007 movie of the same name, in which a retired marine (Ryan Phillipe) is falsely accused of an assassination and must find the true culprits to clear his name – is that it’s educational. Yes, educational.

I say problem because you’ll end up knowing an awful lot about guns after each episode. At some point in each hour, you’ll get an awful info dump from Phillipe about some new weapon or other (“the pistol grip on that shotgun reduces your control and may cause you to spray shot into her gut”) that’s both impressive and yet simultaneously a bit upsetting – like a neighbour who can tell you in forensic detail exactly what you did every single moment of the day in chronological order. Even when you thought you were alone. And were at work.

But like that neighbour who might otherwise be quiet, keep to himself and always mow his lawn, if you can overlook the one problem, you might get on well. Shooter, like its antecedent, is actually a pretty fine thriller.

While the first episode was more or less identical to the first 20 minutes or so of the movie, providing almost no surprises whatsoever, episode two was an intriguing “what if he’d turned right instead of left?” embellishment to the movie that still ended up at more or less the same point by the end, but which fed in a whole new bunch of parameters, allies, enemies and situations that made the whole thing just a little bit more realistic and expansive than the movie. It also made Phillipe’s wife (Shantel VanSanten from The Messengers and The Flash) a little more interesting and gave Cynthia Addai-Robinson something to do other than glower.

Episode three in turn is the beginning of Phillipe’s hunt for the bad guys and their hunt for him, and it dials the tension up several notches with some smart moves on everyone’s parts. It also added to the show’s already pleasantly conservative tone, giving us all manner of ‘brothers and sisters in arms’ moments that should make you swell with patriotism, even if you aren’t American.

Where the show falls down a bit, oddly enough, is its action scenes – or at least its fight scenes. Never has a marine been so incompetent at fighting. In a day and age when pretty much every action show has an ex-military advisor on hand, Phillipe appears to be at almost yellow-belt status in dealing with the enemy, barely able to muster a competent o-soto-goshi, let alone give us any proper marine corps martial arts.

If you like a decent thriller, with reasonably sensible plotting, a decent cast and decent characters, then Shooter‘s a good show to watch. If you love guns, you may even love it*. It’s just a shame nothing about Phillipe really says ‘top marine sniper’, particularly his fighting.

Barrometer rating: 2
Would it be better with a female lead? If it was Gina Carano, sure
TMINE’s prediction: Will certainly last a season

*Although for all I know, it might be making it all up, in which case you won’t

News

News: Z Nation renewed; The Odd Couple cut; Man in the High Castle found; + more

30 November 2016 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Internet TV

  • Stephen Root to play the eponymous Man In the High Castle
  • Doug Jones and Athony Rapp join CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Discovery

US TV

US TV show casting

New US TV shows

New US TV show casting

What TV’s on at the BFI in January 2017? Including Sherlock, Abigail’s Party and Nuts in May

29 November 2016 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Gosh, 2017 came round quickly, didn’t it? Yes, already, we’re looking at what the BFI is showing in January next year. Two big things:

  1. A tiny, tiny Sherlock season. Only one episode in fact. But it’s a new one. Maybe some of the cast might even be attending
  2. An Aliston Steadman season. Quite a big one, since includes the likes of Abigail’s Party, Nuts in May, Pasmore, Girl and Virtuoso, as well as Alan Bleasdale’s first TV drama, Early To Bed.

Details after the jump, although you might want to listen to a bit of Demis Roussos first.

Continue reading “What TV’s on at the BFI in January 2017? Including Sherlock, Abigail’s Party and Nuts in May”