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Post by fenris on Dec 7, 2010 14:12:20 GMT
Sam Fitzgerald walks back into Erinsborough, and Neighbours has instantly become highly watchable again, for the first time since Elle disappeared out of sight on that airport escalator back in January. The best thing about Sam's return is that we've finally got someone to root for, especially as she's directly taking on the vile Kennedy clan (and their hangers-on, Steph and Toadie) by acting as the prosecutor in Steph's court case.
Steph mowed down and killed Ringo while she was both (1.) drunk and (2.) by her own admission, such an emotional mess that she didn't know where she was, where she was going or what speed she was doing. She's as Guilty as Sin. But since the Neighbours scriptwriters continuously and bizarrely still expect us to sympathize with Steph, everyone's acting as Sam's the Bad Guy (even Lucas - I expected better from him). Toadie in particular is clearly terrified that his beloved Steph might actually have to - gulp - pay for her crimes instead of swanning off scot free, as Susan and Libby constantly have (the two of them have committed libel and blackmail in the recent past, and on both occasions the police weren't even called in), and he's already started trying to influence the witnesses;
Toadie (to Kate): "Just tell the truth. It Was An Accident."
Here's hoping that in the next few weeks, Sam wipes the floor with the lot of them.
Poor Sonya. Once again, Toadie is putting Steph first, second and third, with Sonya a very distant last. She's occasionally flared up about his appalling treatment of her and obsessive preoccupation with Steph in the past, but the writers have currently put her back in doormat mode.
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Post by fenris on Dec 10, 2010 16:57:47 GMT
The non-subscription satellite/cable movie channel Film 24 (Sky channel 157) used to screen independent British and American movies, but it reportedly got into financial difficulties a few months ago, and this was reflected in it's scheduling: the movies vanished, and for several weeks the channel only showed a couple of obscure American comedy/drama series, plus a pair of documentaries about Kylie Minogue and Heath Ledger that both seemed to get repeated every single night. But in November the channel's format changed again, and it's now screening classic American TV shows from the Fifties and early Sixties: Dragnet, The Lucy Show, Bonanza, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Lone Ranger are amongst those receiving an airing.
However, of special interest to sci-fi fans will be the little-seen 1950s TV version of Flash Gordon, starring Steve Holland as Flash. Ignoring the continuity of the original newspaper comic strip, the show is instead set several centuries in the future, with Flash, Dale Arden and Zarkov as members of an inter-planetary police force called the Galactic Bureau of Investigation. The series was shot in West Berlin, and although mostly filmed on studio sets, some occasional location shooting uses the rubble of the ruined, bombed-out city to stand-in for alien landscapes.
Flash Gordon was just one of several space opera shows filmed in America during the Fifties. The others (sadly none of which are currently being shown by Film 24) included Captain Video, Space Patrol, and Tom Corbett - Space Cadet. There was also a children's educational series about a time-travelling scientist called Doctor Z-Ro, several years before a certain British children's educational series about a time-travelling Doctor...
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Post by fenris on Dec 17, 2010 21:42:57 GMT
Loving Stargate Universe at the moment. I was never a Stargate fan, so I tuned into this originally, and stuck with it, mostly for Robert Carlyle. But since it came back for the second half of season one, something seems to have clicked. It's easily the best thing on TV right now, up there with new Who. I'm really surprised by how good it's got. And Carlyle is still phenomenal, which doesn't hurt. Hope they hang on to him as long as possible. Bad news concerning Stargate Universe, courtesy of the SFX website; Syfy has just announced that it’s cancelled Stargate Universe, which will now end after the final 10 episodes are broadcast next year. The network has been airing the various versions of Stargate since 2002, but with no further incarnations of the show in the pipeline, it looks like 2011 could be the year the franchise finally grinds to a halt.
While season one of Universe launched with around two and a half million viewers, the figures dwindled to the one and half million mark by the end of season one, while season two has seen a drastic fall to ratings around one million mark.Source: www.sfx.co.uk/2010/12/16/stargate-universe-cancelled/ |
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Post by orokiah on Dec 20, 2010 16:58:43 GMT
Bad news concerning Stargate Universe, courtesy of the SFX website; Syfy has just announced that it’s cancelled Stargate Universe, which will now end after the final 10 episodes are broadcast next year.It was disappointing to hear but no surprise given the ratings. I haven't enjoyed season two as much as season one, but I'll still be enormously sad to see it go. |
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Post by fenris on Jan 17, 2011 17:12:03 GMT
I confess I don't know how well Luther has performed in the ratings, but I'd like to see another series. Have spotted Luther amongst the shows returning/debuting in 2011 in BBC1's 'Hello to 2011' promo, so have done a quick search and discovered that further episodes have indeed been commissioned - but instead of a full series, there's only going to be two two-hour specials. Here's the press release; Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC One, confirmed at the Edinburgh Television Festival today that one of the nation's most talked about dramas – Luther – has been recommissioned.
Jay Hunt says: "Luther is the most memorable new detective on the block. I am delighted he will be returning to BBC One."
Luther makes a welcome return in two two-hour specials with Idris Elba reprising his role of Luther, the near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions.
Idris Elba says: "I'm really excited to be coming home to play Luther again. He's got so many more stories to tell... assuming he manages to live long enough. I've cleared my diary and will be back later in the year."
Creator and writer Neil Cross says: "In series one, we saw DCI John Luther take quite a beating – both physically and emotionally. In these specials, he's not only still standing – he's back for more. Luther's world is as fast-moving and dangerous as ever... and the challenges he faces are even more intense."
Luther was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning, and Jay Hunt, Controller, BBC One, and will transmit in 2011.Source: www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/08_august/28/recommissions.shtmlHmm. Just hope that Ruth Wilson as Alice Morgan - Luther's sociopathic confidant, sounding board and occasional sidekick - will also be returning. She was the main draw in the first series, and without her Luther risks becoming just another conventional cop show. |
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Post by fenris on Mar 20, 2011 15:09:50 GMT
Has anyone else seen Young Dracula? Debuting on the CBBC channel in 2006 with fourteen episodes, a second season of thirteen episodes was shown in late 2007 - early 2008. The BBC have officially announced that a third season isn't being commissioned. A website called Screenterrier is claiming that Young Dracula is being revived for a third season. However, as I'm not familiar with that site, don't know how reliable it is, and the article doesn't list any sources, I decided to do some digging. As far as I can tell, so far there's been no official press release, announcement, or any kind of confirmation from the BBC about a third series. However, theatrical agents Mclean-Williams - who represent actress Claire Thomas - stated in their February newsletter that Thomas is reprising her role of Ingrid in a third season. And scriptwriter Emma Reeves has been commissioned by the Beeb to write at least one episode. If a third series does materialize, it's most welcome. Young Dracula helped partly fill the Hex-sized hole in my life until Demons and Trinity came along. Yes, it was aimed at teenagers and older children, but the show possessed a sly wit, a wonderful Gothic look, and some sophisticated in-jokes that probably sailed over the heads of it's target audience. It was also quite dark and even surprisingly bloody on occasion. The show was especially adept at exploring themes that teens could relate to: Vlad the permanent outsider just wanting to fit in and be normal; Robin the misfit's pride in his individuality and refusal to conform; Vlad's uneasiness regarding his father's determined attempts to mould him into something he didn't want to be; and Ingrid's gradual acceptance that she would never win her father's love, respect or affection. |
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Post by fenris on Apr 22, 2011 21:08:10 GMT
A website called Screenterrier is claiming that Young Dracula is being revived for a third season. Still haven't found any official press release from the BBC about a third season of Young Dracula, but if this report from the Liverpool Echo is correct, it seems to be confirmed; Young Dracula children’s series to be filmed in Liverpool.
by Tina Miles, Liverpool Echo. 21st April 2011
THE new series of a popular children’s drama will be filmed in Liverpool. CBBC’s Young Dracula, which ran for two series between 2006 and 2008, is set to return. Show bosses said the 13 episodes will be filmed around Liverpool from next month. Insiders revealed the third series “promises some exciting new characters as well as the return of familiar favourites”.
The original series starred Welsh actors Gerran Howell as Vladimir Dracula and Craig Roberts – the star of new film Submarine – as his friend Robin. Actress Clare Thomas, who played Ingrid Dracula, is expected to return.
Damian Kavanagh, controller of CBBC, revealed three new series would be filmed in the north – including this one in Liverpool. He said: “CBBC is committed to providing children with a diverse range of quality home grown dramas.”
The latest Young Dracula series will pick up the story four years on and Vlad and the Count have fled from Stokely. Pursued by slayers and vampires The Count and Vlad keep a low profile and buy a school.
The gothic comedy is not the only children’s drama to be filmed in Merseyside. House Of Anubis was shot in Speke for US children’s channel Nickelodeon. The programme, which is about a group of boarding school teens, was co-produced by Childwall-based Lime Pictures from July last year.
Lime Pictures’ associate company Conker Media produced The Well, filmed around Sefton Park in 2009. Lime Pictures also made Ingenious, a one-off children’s drama from the pen of Jeanette Winterson, which was especially written for CBBC.
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Post by fenris on Apr 25, 2011 13:04:39 GMT
Finally! The BBC have issued a press release confirming that Young Dracula - three years after it was cancelled - is returning for a third season; By popular demand Young Dracula is swooping back to CBBC. We pick up the story four years on and Vlad and the Count have fled from Stokely. Pursued by slayers and radical vampires alike, The Count and Vlad keep a low profile and "hide in plain sight" by buying a school. The Count is determined that Vlad fulfils his destiny to lead the vampire race, but this is threatened by The Count's own tendency to create mayhem and disaster on a daily basis and by the re-emergence of the anarchic Ingrid, who brings a trail of destruction in her wake.
An irreverent, gothic comedy, Young Dracula shines a mischievous light on family relationships and what it is to be a teenager trying to make his way in the world. The third 13x30 minute series will be filmed around Liverpool and promises some exciting new characters as well as the return of familiar favourites. The series is produced by Lis Steele and executive produced by Josephine Ward.Source |
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Post by fenris on Jun 9, 2011 18:07:36 GMT
Have discovered that further episodes of Luther have been commissioned - but instead of a full series, there's only going to be two two-hour specials. I just hope that Ruth Wilson as Alice Morgan - Luther's sociopathic confidant, sounding board and occasional sidekick - will also be returning. She was the main draw in the first series, and without her Luther risks becoming just another conventional cop show. makes a welcome return next Tuesday (14/06/11) on BBC1 at 21:00. Although this second season was originally announced as a pair of two-hour specials, it's being screened as four one-hour episodes. Here's a link to the BBC's trailer for the second season, and yes - that is Alice Morgan in the final shot. |
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Post by fenris on Jun 12, 2011 15:27:02 GMT
Have only just discovered that Luther creator and scriptwriter Neil Cross is an acclaimed crime novelist, and his next book is actually based on the series. Luther: The Calling will be available on 4th August 2011. Here's a link to it's entry on Amazon. |
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Post by fenris on Jul 13, 2011 15:12:13 GMT
Luther makes a welcome return next Tuesday (14/06/11) on BBC1 at 21:00. Although this second season was originally announced as a pair of two-hour specials, it's being screened as four one-hour episodes. The second season of Luther was something of a mixed bag. On the downside, the opening scene of D.I. Luther playing Russian Roulette in his shabby, rundown flat before leaving for work was laughably unsubtle (yes, he's extremely troubled - WE GET IT), and he behaved out-of-character on several occasions thoroughout the series, without any attempt at explanation (such as helping Alice Morgan escape from custody). The climax of the final episode, when Luther tried to out-psych a potential suicide bomber by playing him at this own game and dousing himself with petrol, was particularly silly (and had a resolution cribbed from the movie In the Line of Fire). It was also a shame that Alice was written out after two episodes, having only appeared in four scenes. I think the show's creator and scriptwriter Neil Cross just didn't know what more to do with her. That said, she was namechecked in the season's final moments, and I'm convinced we haven't seen the last of her - if there was ever a character screaming out for their own spin-off, it's Alice. On the plus side, the series' storylines were as compelling as ever, as were the performances by the entire cast. I especially liked the fact that having given us a brilliant sociopathic genius (Alice) in the first season, this time the show's psycho villains - failed artist Cameron Pell and the Dice Killer duo - were portrayed (quite rightfully) as worthless, pathetic losers, deluding themselves that they were great visionaries and/or fulfilling some kind of grand destiny. There was also a welcome addition to the cast in the form of Alice's replacement, teenage prostitute/extreme porn actress Jenny, who was drawn into Luther's orbit, positive proof that he's a magnet for damaged people and troubled souls. Incidentally, I can't help wondering if Neil Cross wasn't using this year's pair of two-part stories to pay subtle homage to Luther's ITV counterpart Whitechapel. The first season of Whitechapel focused on a Jack the Ripper copycat, the second on a pair of Kray twin wannabes. Pell (from Luther's first two-parter) was obsessed with unexplained Victorian-era entity Springheeled Jack, and the second two-parter's Dice Killers were identical twins. Coincidence? |
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Post by fenris on Jul 24, 2011 15:27:33 GMT
Prior to the first episode being broadcast earlier this week, most media journalists had lazily described BBC2's new series The Hour as being 'the British Mad Men', but the two shows have little in common.
Mad Men is set in early-Sixties America, when that nation was at it's most stylish, confident and colourful, and had yet to feel the effects of Vietnam, a string of high-profile political assassinations, the civil rights struggle, and rock & roll.
In contrast, The Hour takes place in 1956 Britain, which was a very different time and place. The UK was in crippling debt, rationing had only ended a couple of years earlier, WWII was still a recent event and most major cities were still littered with bombsites. This is all reflected in the show's wonderful production design: the clothes (and the people who wear them) look shabby and threadbare, offices are dim and dingy, walls are marked with mildew and various other stains. It's all slightly seedy. As opposed to Mad Men's proud, thrusting Brave New World of sharp suits and gleaming consumer goods, the atmosphere in The Hour is one of 'make do and mend'.
Another key successful element in The Hour is it's central character Freddie Lyon (played by Ben Whishaw), the kind of brilliant, forward-thinking individual who's constantly waiting for the rest of the world to catch up, see sense, and agree with him. As a result, he's impatient, arrogant, frustrated and frustrating, seemingly hell-bent on burning his remaining bridges and alienating the few friends he's got left. He could - should - be very unlikeable, but his earnest desire to keep the public informed with genuine, important news stories (instead of the bland, high society flannel his bosses are content to churn out) comes across as a truly noble endeavour.
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Post by fenris on Aug 16, 2011 23:09:25 GMT
Roz is being written out of Emmerdale this week, which is a shame as I've always liked her. To be honest though, despite being in the show for about a year, she hasn't really done anything, other than performing a perfunctionary role in Holly Barton's heroin addiction storyline, then becoming part of the Greek chorus in the sweet factory.
I get the impression that Emmerdale's writers had a storyline planned for Roz, but for whatever reason it didn't work out. For a while I suspected that she might eventually have a sapphic relationship with Holly, based on the fact that (1.) Roz is the only young female character in the village who has shown no interest whatsoever in any of the male characters, and (2.) a few weeks ago in the Woolpack, Cain quizzed her about her boyfriend, and she pointedly replied "I don't have a boy-friend." But maybe I was reading too much into this, and seeing hints that weren't there.
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Post by fenris on Oct 16, 2011 15:00:24 GMT
The BBC have issued a press release confirming that Young Dracula - three years after it was cancelled - is returning for a third season. Starting last Friday (14/10/11), the first season of Young Dracula is being repeated on the CBBC channel every day (including weekends) at 16:00. The new, third season of the show will reportedly begin on CBBC on 31st October 2011 - Halloween (how appropriate). The time-slot has yet to be confirmed. |
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Post by fenris on Oct 27, 2011 14:30:27 GMT
The new, third season of Young Dracula will reportedly begin on CBBC on 31st October 2011. The first episode of Young Dracula's third season, entitled 'Hide and Seek', is being shown on the CBBC channel at 17:15 on 31st October 2011. Second episode 'The Enemy' is on the next day (1st November) at the same time. I know that it's a series intended for older children & young teenagers, but as far as British vampire TV shows are concerned, in my humble opinion Young Dracula is genuinely more watchable & entertaining than the over-rated Being Human. The third season has a new setting and supporting cast, with the only returning characters being the Draculas (the Count, Ingrid and Vlad), their servant Renfield, and the family pet - talking hellhound Zoltan. The pages dedicated to the series on the CBBC website (link below) list several new regular characters, the most intriguing of which is Erin - apparently a combined romantic interest & arch-enemy for Vlad. Official CBBC webpages for Young Dracula. |
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