Fish and toffee
So everything is back on and my TV diary is already clashing. Even with Sky+ I’m not sure I’m going to be able to watch Heroes, Who Do You Think You Are and 24 all at once.
But anyway, after spending months complaining that nothing is on..
My Oscars go to
30Rock – Fridays on Five – Brilliant series opener with Seinfeld and guest appearance from Sean Hayes (”Just Jack”) as a hillbilly. It’s a shame there aren’t many other good sitcoms around anymore.
Lost – Brilliant series so far, I don’t care if it’s turning into Quantum Leap. What’s wrong with that?
And the 81st Oscars coverage itself?
I couldn’t bear to watch Fearne so endured E!s Ryan Seacrest, who was pretty rude to the Slumdog kiddies and was snubbed by Brangelina, again.
However for the show itself – the stand out performance has to be Stephanie Beecham, who was ‘grumpy’ with Claudia Winkleman and was a bad bad idea for the Oscar screening live review on SkyOne. Despite Beecham, Hugh Jackman’s all singing and dancing was a good change, even if he’s no Billy Crystal, it felt more showbiz. The speeches were all good, the live singing over the In Memoriam section touching and having the five past winners for each category come up and recite a haiku to each nominee was sweet, even if it looked a little Star Trek and Nicole Kidman’s tribute to Angelina Jolie came across a bit iffy.
Finally, one of the joys of Sky+ is the nonsense programme information, like the time it said a chef was cooking ’stuffed bobster’ or today’s gem…
Twister in Milton Keynes
A very British storm junkie
Oooh Channel 4, how clever, after all the snow everyone’s interested in weather. Even Michael McIntyre noted on wossy’s show on Friday that snow = News + Weather + Travel.
So the unassuming junkie in question is Stuart, IT exec. by day, storm chaser by night (or storm season), he takes holidays to drive around Kansas chasing tornados with fellow weather obsessive friend Roger, who runs a company for people who want to chase twisters (Sadly I would go.). I have to mention at this stage that Roger is exactly like the American cartoon Roger Ramjet, except perhaps he’s not a ‘hero of our nation’.
If you feel you’ve missed your opportunity to become a meterologist or watched Twister for the tornados then you’ll love this and have til mid March to watch it online.
The real genius of the show was demonstrating the impact all this windy chasing was having on Stuart’s relationship. His wife seems to tolerate the trips away and general geekery but at the end of the show, Stuart is forced to choose between his new bride and tropical storm Hannah. Stuart’s a very polite husband, ” I’m so glad I came home, Hannah didn’t turn out to be a great storm.”
Damages for Wednesday
So my TV Diary is almost complete.
Monday – 24 (and even who do you think you are but it’s only a short run)
Tuesday -Mad Men
Weds….
Thursday – Brothers & Sisters (I know)
Friday – not really a TV night somehow.
Saturday – see above
Sunday – Lost
Starting back soon is Damages, 30Rock.. fingers crossed for Wednesdays.
TV ads
What is with this compare the meerkat rubbish? Why does the meerkat sounds like a Michael Howard and Borat cross?
Masterchef
Remind you of anyone? Why do they keep SHOUTING at each other? Do you become hard of hearing if you have an enhanced palate?
BAFTA
Why is the BBC splitting the BAFTAs over two channels?
Award shows are soo cringe making, but Kate Winslet’s won – and kept the speech acceptable for the stoic British press and Mick Jagger continued Mickey Rourke’s swearing plus a nice image of the Pitt family putting on the Sound of Music.
And bonus, they played Terry Gilliam’s film highlights twice for no reason.
Painted Black, Soundtrack drama and other excitement
Mad Men is so cool. I can understand why the BBC have chosen to tease the British public with a season trailer soundtracked to the Rolling Stones Painted Black. But it’s just so heavy handed and c’mon this is a show where the characters live and breathe illusion and advertising, somehow the show deserves better, not to mention that Painted Black wasn’t even written until 1966. I know Season Two skips ahead from where we left it in late 1960 but 6 years? That’s Desperate Housewives territory. Anyway, this is seriously exciting.
24
There’s not much I can add on the topic of the return of 24, Charlie Brooker’s summed it up perfectly. My only concern is I don’t think they’re going to catch anyone or avert any terrorist acts unless they get Chloe back on coms. Frankly anyone would be better than these fools in the FBI who can’t even get a satellite link up. I predict two things from Day Seven though – Jack’s going to fall in love with FBI agent Walker, or she’ll die. She’s currently buried under a plastic sheet and some dirt but this is 24, she’s nowhere near dead yet.
Fashion Police
The SAGs Fashion Police was much less bitchy than the Golden Globes. One of the most peopular searches for my blog was Taylor Swift, mentioned in last years FP post, so hey, I’m going to go for tags:
Tina Fey’s looked pretty in her Bryan Reyes dress, but.. hey I don’t want to be namechecked when she collects her next award, the fashion police can ‘Suck it’.
To summarise – everyone from Desperate Housewives looked awful but Peter Perfect has a crush on Dana Delaney so he’s forgiven her green leather! Kate Winslet looked amazing but she got a mixed reaction. Angelina on the other hand was praised for more chic (read boring and back to front) frock wearing. Brad Pitt was claimed the spitting image of Cary Grant. Finally the Mad Men cast – how weird is it to see them a la 2009? Christina Hendricks in David Meister and January Jones in Luxotica. Fashion forward people.
Beach Philosophy
Lost
I love Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies), does anyone else remember him in Spanking the Monkey or even Twister? He’s such a brilliant actor, and he’s key to this season of Lost. I’d been worried that he was stuck on the boat off shore from the Lost Island when it time travelled, but no, he’s just fine.
I remember being really peeved by the flash forwards but now that Sawyer and co are bouncing backwards and forwards in time I can’t complain. You can sense the storyline really gaining momentum as there’s more answers than questions in this pentultimate series and the next.
In some ways I feel sorry for all the people who stopped watching – catching up on DVD is convenient but you can’t beat having a show on TV that you actually can’t wait for.
Ian Lee’s on location special was even funny in parts – because of the cast and crew though. I’ve not forgiven Lee’s attempt to replace Joel McHale yet.
Motorway meals
Big Chef takes on Little Chef
Is it just me or has both Heston and Little Chef boss Ian missed the point? Blue Sky is fine but people travelling just want good quality reliable food – and yeah not for more than £10. There’s no point having meals that cost more than a tenner at Little Chef – it’s a convenience restaurant not a destination one.
That said, I am hoping Heston can bring in better quality produce for that tenner and I like the diner style look of the new Little Chef, but will it be rolled out across the board? Our local one could definitely use a facelift.
Live from the Red Carpet
Red Carpet
Well I’m avoiding Fearne Cotton and the Anglo-filter by watching the live footage of the Golden Globes on E!
Yeah you have to put up with Ryan Seacrest but there’s Stiletto-cam, Head to toes Glamcam, the Formula One cam. Guiliana is always so nice to the stars, and you can tell they like her, 30 Rock’s Tracey Morgan even calling her “Mrs Morgan in the next life, You are my woman! Our babies would be better lookin than Kimora-Lee’s” or even a sincere exchange with David Duchovny, “I’m thankful for my family, my wife and kids. My gratitude opens my heart up every day” and the stars mock Ryan – already tonight Alex Baldwin’s just stolen the show by asking Ryan who he’s been fondling recently.
“They had you on the cover of a magazine. You were groping some woman.”
—30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin, chatting with Ryan Seacrest about recent reading material
They draw squiggly lines over the dresses and you can see who’s mingling with who on E! too. Don’t forget Fashion Police is on Tuesday at 8pm, “mark an effort, buy a mirror!”.
Awards season again though – hands up who is sick of the long interviews with Rainn Wilson? Fingers crossed for Kate Winslet to win this year.
Brothers and Sisters
Started back with a worrying sappy monologue and didn’t quite hit the Walker family bickering high, at least the first episode back had a gorgeous location and the promise of another illegitimite Walker child.
Dallas - but funny and sunny. Photo seat42f.com
A History of Scotland
Why isn’t this series presented by a historian? Because they all walked out on the series? The first show featured the battle of Brunanburh 937 which allegedly took place where I live in the Wirral! Neil Oliver should get down from those mountains and dig a trench in our back yard. I’m all for a history of scotland though, but do worry that it’s been disassociated with by leading Scottish historians as “Anglocentric”.
TV but not TV
Notorious, the Eagle has Landed, Transformers, The Good German… yep it’s my impromptu festive film festival. Somehow long idle hours require more than 30 minute drama. So no TV yapping from me at present – anyway I’m psyching myself up to watch the entire West Wing season 1 to infinity that I was given for Christmas.
See you in 2009 folks for the long awaited comeback of:
Damages, Mad Men, Lost, Flight of the Conchords and more.
In the meantime, here’s a link for non-US readers who are partial to Flight of the Conchords – it’s the entire premiere episode of Season Two. For Americans – you can watch it on funnyordie.com.
Show business
So Tom has won Strictly Come Dancing 2008.
I like Tom, and his show dance was more showy and original than Rachel’s, or for that matter Lisa and Brendan’s slightly futuristic offering. Just as well, as apart from doing a good Samba he really didn’t have Rachels technical skill or Lisa’s glamour (or perfect 40 scores, she was my favourite by far). Infact at the end all the crying from Camilla over winning the title seemed a bit x-factor. Living the dream, ugh.
Finally – is there no more It Takes Two? When will we get to see Claudia Winkleman again? The past winners dance was a great idea, wasn’t it? Why did James and Ola do a cha cha out of the blue? Will they bother including older men who will go down the Sergeant route next year? Will Brian Fortuna be back – why isn’t he dancing in the States version? When does the Apprentice start?
