House

Wednesday’s Millennium news

14 October 2009 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Film

Theatre

  • Nigel Harman to star in Public Property

British TV

US TV

What have you been watching this week (w/e October 2)

2 October 2009 Rob Buckley 6 Comments

As you may have guessed, I’ve been watching quite a bit of tele this week and you should have seen the result in a big wodge of reviews. However, on top of this I’ve also seen:

  • Accidentally on Purpose: Episode 2, which was truly dreadful so I’ve given up on it. E4 viewers steer clear of it when it arrives on our scene
  • The Vampire Diaries: Episode 2, to which I can only say, ditto.
  • Hank: review later
  • The Middle: review later
  • The Fixer: Little bit daft, but interesting to see MMA on a mainstream UK show
  • Supernatural: As excellent as always, and nice to see Hector off The Unit getting a job as an archangel
  • House: weird. No instant reset button. A good twist at the end, too (although I did see it coming). No longer can House be accused of being formulaic
  • CSI: Miami: back to insulting our intelligence. I knew it couldn’t last longer than a week
  • Community: last week’s was absolutely sensational, with an ending as well written as 30 Rock. It’s really must-see TV already
  • Mad Men: I played catch-up (not seen Sunday’s though), but the last-but-one episode was excellent

So I’ve still got a big pile of programmes to watch as you can probably tell. Any I should avoid?

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

US TV

Review: Lie To Me 2×1

30 September 2009 Rob Buckley 4 Comments

In the US: Monday September 28, 9/8c, Fox
In the UK: Thursday October 8, 10pm, Sky 1/Sky 1 HD

As you can imagine, with so much TV for me to watch and review, there’s a certain discipline involved if I’m ever going to have a life (arguably, I still need to get one). Thankfully, chez moi, the Carusometer is in charge, and once it’s passed its third-episode verdict, I abide by its ruling decision and ditch a programme it doesn’t rate.

Lie to Me I dropped after the third episode, on the general grounds that while the Carusometer loved Tim Roth, it thought the rest of the cast rubbish, the format ludicrous and too much an obvious copy of House‘s and Bones‘s, and the plots mediocre.

But Shawn Ryan, former exec producer on the now-defunct The Shield and The Unit, took over as show runner for this season. He’s been making interesting noises during interviews, that suggested he could see the flaws in the show, too. So I decided to leap back for the premiere episode of the second season to see if there are notable improvements.

It’s definitely better, but there are still serious flaws. Good old Carusometer. It’s always right.

Continue reading “Review: Lie To Me 2×1”

US TV

Review: House 6×1-6×2

26 September 2009 Rob Buckley 1 Comment

House 6x1

In the US: Mondays, 8/7c, Fox
In the UK: Sundays, 9pm, Sky 1. Starts 4th October

The biggest accusation that can be levelled at House is that it’s formulaic. Every episode, someone comes down with the lurgi after a fake out sequence at the beginning where you’re not exactly sure who’s going to get ill. They turn up at House’s hospital. House and his team try to work out what the problem is, they misdiagnose a few times, then House (or someone) has a sudden moment of inspiration and the mystery is solved. All of this takes place while House makes various nasty and/or politically incorrect comments, messes around with his team and pops back the Vicadin.

Yes, they’ve messed around with that formula a couple of times, but that’s basically what happens each and every episode.

So I have to wonder what’s going to have to the show from now on, given this season premiere appears to be mucking around with the formula quite a lot.

Continue reading “Review: House 6×1-6×2”

Friday’s “BBC news’ not so impossible task” news

25 September 2009 Rob Buckley Post a comment

Film

British TV

US TV