US TV

An archive of articles about US television programmes and production.

Tuesday’s “You’re both hired!” news

9 June 2009 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Awards

Film

East European TV

  • In Treatment to be remade in Romanian, Hungarian, Czech and Polish

British TV

Canadian/German TV

  • Rufus Sewell, Ian McShane and Donald Sutherland to star in Pillars of the Earth

US TV

Monday’s split Time Lord news

8 June 2009 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Doctor Who

Film

Theatre

US TV

US TV

Review: Royal Pains 1×1

5 June 2009 Rob Buckley 13 Comments

Royal Pains

In the US: Thursdays, 10/9c, USA Network

As recession has struck, so US TV’s attitude to the rich has changed. Where once there was admiration and envy – Sex and the City – so admiration has faded and been replaced by amusement – Gossip Girl and Dirty Sexy Money – before eventually reaching disdain – Privileged and now Royal Pains.

The envy’s still there though.

While still wishing it had their money, Royal Pains is nevertheless quite a fun show that despite its essential dislike of the rich has heart to make up for this unworthy emotion.

Set in the Hamptons, New York state’s retreat for the ultra-wealthy, it sees disgraced ER doctor Mark Feuerstein accidentally wander into a new job as a ‘concierge doctor’ – a live-in, on-call doctor who looks after the rich and famous when they have those little problems the rich and famous suffer from: drug overdoses, car crashes – and deflated breast implants.

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US TV

Preview: Nurse Jackie 1×1

5 June 2009 Rob Buckley 7 Comments

Nurse Jackie

In the US: Mondays, 10.30pm ET/PT, Showtime

You’ve got to hand it to Showtime in the US. In the last three years, they’ve gone from being “the network that would like to be HBO but isn’t” to the near-undisputed leader in quality TV in the US. Californication, Dexter, Weeds, Brotherhood – the list keeps getting longer and longer.

Let’s add Nurse Jackie to that list.

If the US were to ever remake either Green Wing or No Angels and still make it a success, this it what it would come up with. Nurse Jackie is a nurse – simultaneously just like every other nurse but also like no other. She knows better than the doctors what should be done. She knows better than the patients.

In fact, even though everyone disagrees with her, she’s still going to do what she thinks is right to save lives, whether that’s fake a signature on an organ donor form or flush a criminal’s ear down the toilet.

Be glad nurse Jackie’s looking after you – but also be a little frightened.

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