Like The Wire? Maybe you’ll like Brick City

I’ve not seen it, but for lovers of The Wire, there’s an attempt to do a real-life documentary series equivalent over on the US’s Sundance Channel. Called Brick City, it follows Newark, New Jersey’s mayor Cory A Booker, various citizens on the front lines, developers, gang members and youth mentors.

In case you don’t know Newark ain’t Baltimore, but it’s not Manhattan either. I’ve no idea if this is going to be a puff piece or not, but I thought I’d mention it out of interest.

US TV

Preview: White Collar 1×1

White Collar

In the US: Fridays, 10/9c, USA Network. Starts October 23rd

You may remember that while watching Chuck recently, you thought to yourself, “Why that dashing and handsome young Matt Bomer – who plays the possibly, possibly not evil secret agent Bryce Larkin – is so dashing and handsome, he deserves his own TV series.”

Someone at USA Network seems to have thought the same thing, because here comes White Collar, a show about just how dashing and handsome Matt Bomer is.

The ostensible plot of the series is that Bomer is one of the world’s smartest white collar criminals. Forgery, art theft, con tricks: you name it, he’s done it, although he’s only ever been caught once. When the man who caught him – FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay) – finds himself stumped in his hunt for another art thief, he turns to the first thief to catch his second thief.

But, in actuality, the show is merely about Bomer going around being charming to various women while looking pained because of his lost love, who appears to have run away.

Guess the intended demographic. Go on. I dare you.

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Wednesday’s Scottish independence news

Film

Radio

  • Made in Manchester to offer free dramas from David Nobbs and Tim Fountain for download

British TV

US TV

US TV

Review: 30 Rock 4×1

Jenna sings about tennis

In the US: Thursdays, 9.30/8.30c, NBC
In the UK: Comedy Central at some point

Season three of 30 Rock felt a little off. It wasn’t quite the show it used to be, which is a shame, because by season two, it had become the funniest show on TV.

The problem was a reliance on plot. Yes, on plot. 30 Rock at its funniest is based on silliness and standalone episodes, rather than season-long plots. Watch the pilot episode and you’ll recall that the dullest bit was the middle third that tried to establish plot and drama. Problematically, season three of 30 Rock had way too many unfunny story arcs.

Going into season four, the question is have Tina Fey and co noticed this, dropped the plots and gone for the funny?

Almost.

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US TV

Review: Heroes 4×6 – Tabula Rasa

Tabula Rasa

In the US: Monday 19th October 2009
In the UK: Looks like February now

Ah, if only all Heroes episodes could be this good. While not entirely faultless, Tabula Rasa had everything that made season one so good: decent characterisation, a good script, some really cool uses of powers and some actual heartwarming moments – as well as, praise the Lord, a decent cliffhanger.

More after the jump.

Continue reading “Review: Heroes 4×6 – Tabula Rasa”