US TV

Preview: House of Lies (Showtime) 1×1

6 January 2012 Rob Buckley 4 Comments

House of Lies

In the US: Sundays, 10pm ET/PT, Showtime. Starts 8th January 2012

So you want searing, laser-sharp insights into the world of management consultants, do you?
Oh boy do I want them!

Well, let me tell you a few home truths then.
Sock it to me, baby!

Some of them lie.
No, really!

Some of them make it up as they go along and use jargon to baffle people.
 You don’t say!

Some of them just tell their clients what they want to hear so they keep getting paid stacks of money.
Well, that’s outrageous! Thank you, revealer-in-bold-of-these-secret-truths.

Actually, did anything RIBOTST just say come as news to you? Probably not. Which is probably why Showtime’s supposedly searing, laser-sharp insight into the world of management consultants, House of Lies, which stars Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell, mostly falls flat.

It’s going through the motions of satire. It’s trying hard to tell us new things. But it’s like a ‘Dick and Jane’ book when everyone’s already gone to college.

Having said that, if you just want a show in which a load of deeply unpleasant people get portrayed as deeply unpleasant and having a mostly crappy life (apart from their vast salaries and jet-setting lifestyles), then House of Lies might have something to offer you. Well, that, misogyny, nudity, topless pole-dancers and lesbian sex in toilets. In that order. Here’s a trailer.

Continue reading “Preview: House of Lies (Showtime) 1×1”

Sitting Tennant

Friday’s Sitting Tennant (week 1, 2012)

6 January 2012 Rob Buckley 1 Comment

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He’s smiling, Mona Lisa-style now. Clearly, it’s because he knows what you’re thinking: how come Sister Chastity, Janice and Hebbie all sent in the same photos this week?

  1. Sister Chastity, Janice, Hebbie: 15

Don’t forget Tuesday’s caption competition – or that there’s new rules!

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 and doesn’t obviously infringe copyright, it will appear in the “Sitting Tennant” gallery. Don’t forget to include your name in the filename so I don’t get mixed up about who sent it to me.

The best pic in the stash each week will appear on Tuesday and get ten points; the runners up will appear on Friday (one per person who sends one in) and get five points.

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

Each month, I’ll name the best picture provider and best captioneer, and then at the end of the year, the overall champion will be announced for 2012!