tv dinners

How can FlashForward keep up the excitement for 22 episodes? Like the orphaned child of Lost and Heroes, the pilot is great, catastrophic, actors you recognise (Hey it’s Penny from Lost! Hey it’s Miles from This Life!), and even a creepy ending.. Maybe I’ve just become cynical in my break from tv blogging..

So what have  I been meaning to tell you…

Well True Blood is coming to Channel 4 here in the UK. I do recommend it, but the gore is getting to me over on FX where Season One is about half way through. If you’re offended by the thought of blood sucking fang bangers then just don’t go there. If you loved Alan Ball’s Six Feet Under, then do. Anna Paquin plays Sookie Stackhouse, the eye of the storm for the vampire and murder action going on in Bon Temps. Paquin is originally from NZ and was the youngest to ever win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for the Piano in the 90s. Her onscreen brother Jason is apparently from Home and Away, too, so a definite antipodean vibe going on there.

The Tudors

God there must be little on TV if I’m enjoying The Tudors, complete with Joss Stone (who was actually really good) as Anne of Cleves. Seriously though, Henry really needs to start ageing and gaining his middle aged spread soon. Tonight’s finale with Cromwell literally hacked to pieces was a brutal ending. I wish they’d do more to represent Henry’s inner thoughts, surely he must have felt some remorse…

Rachel’s Home Cooking

Exclusive to UK Food, Rachel is back teaching families and seeing how chefs cook with their families at home. I eat my words, while she’s still at it with the tasting teaspoons, Rachel as a teacher is pretty engaging viewing.

Masterchef the Professionals

There must be sous chefs across the country either in hysterics or filled with regret at not entering. Seemingly unable to cook meat and with shaking hands – the entrants are almost uniformly a bit rubbish. Lucky for them Michel Roux Jr is lovely and honest. Greg Wallace continues his love of desserts.

The Wire

Missing having the Wire three times a week on BBC. So much so we bought Gone, Baby, Gone which has Beadie and Omar in it. Good film for the mostpart too.

Fashion Police – the Emmys

Couldn’t believe Debbie Mat is gone! I like Guiliana, but what’s happened to Debbie? Also new was Khloe Kardashian – she was good though (miles better than Alesha Dixon as a new judge on Strictly). My main gripe was the lack of love for Christina Hendricks as I loved the front of her dress – that colour was perfect for her colouring. January Jones looked gorgeous too.

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…

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.

I’ll admit, I do have some minor worries about how ‘They vanished’ but who cares? Lost is coming back, soon! Yay!

Ok folks – My picks are in bold.  A Star* means I think they’d be an equally good winner.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Boston Legal
• Damages*
• Dexter
• House
• Lost*
• Mad Men

Outstanding Comedy Series

• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Entourage
• The Office
• 30 Rock
• Two and a Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• James Spader, Boston Legal
• Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad*
• Michael C. Hall, Dexter
• Hugh Laurie, House
• Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
• Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters*
• Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
• Glenn Close, Damages
• Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
• Holly Hunter, Saving Grace

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Tony Shalhoub, Monk
• Steve Carell, The Office
• Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
• Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
• Charlie Sheen, Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine*
• Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
• Tina Fey, 30 Rock
• America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
• Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• William Shatner, Boston Legal
• Ted Danson, Damages*
• Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
• Michael Emerson, Lost*
• John Slattery, Mad Men*

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
• Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
• Chandra Wilson, Grey’s Anatomy
• Sandra Oh, Grey’s Anatomy
• Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• Stanely Tucci, ER
• Glynn Turman, In Treatment
• Robin Williams, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
• Robert Morse, Mad Men*
• Oliver Platt, Nip/Tuck
• Charles Durning, Rescue Me

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

• Shelley Berman, Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Rip Torn, 30 Rock*
• Will Arnett, 30 Rock
• Steve Buscemi, 30 Rock
• Tim Conway, 30 Rock

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

• Polly Bergen, Desperate Housewives
• Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
• Sarah Silverman, Monk
• Carrie Fisher, 30 Rock
• Edie Falco, 30 Rock
• Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Ellen Burstyn, Big Love
• Dihann Carroll, Grey’s Anatomy
• Cynthia Nixon, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
• Anjelica Huston, Medium
• Sharon Gless, Nip/Tuck

Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program

• Jon Stewart, host; 80th Annual Academy Awards
• Stephen Colbert, host; The Colbert Report
• David Letterman, host; Late Show With David Letterman
• Don Rickles, performer; Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
• Tina Fey, host; Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Reality Program

• Antiques Roadshow
• Dirty Jobs
• Extreme Makeover Home Edition
• Intervention
• Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

• Ryan Seacrest, American Idol – noooooooooooooooooooo
• Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
• Howie Mandel, Deal Or No Deal
• Heidi Klum, Project Runway
• Jeff Probst, Survivor

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Late Show With David Letterman
• Real Time With Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series

• Dexter
• Heroes
• Mad Men (two nominations: “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and “Shoot”)
• Pushing Daisies
• Ugly Betty

Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series

• Californication
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Pushing Daisies
• 30 Rock
• Ugly Betty

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series

• Brothers & Sisters
• Damages
• Friday Night Lights
• Mad Men
• The Tudors

Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series

• According to Jim
• Californication
• In Treatment
• My Name Is Earl
• Scrubs
• 30 Rock

Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series

• Battlestar Galactica
• Breaking Bad
• Dexter
• Lost
• Mad Men*
• Rescue Me

Outstanding Costumes for a Series

• Desperate Housewives
• Mad Men
• Pushing Daisies
• The Tudors
• Ugly Betty

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

• Entourage
• Flight of the Conchords
• The Office, “Money (Parts 1 & 2)”
• The Office, “Goodbye, Toby”
• Pushing Daisies
• 30 Rock

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

• Boston Legal
• Breaking Bad
• Damages
• House
• Mad Men*

Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program

• 80th Annual Academy Awards
• The Colbert Report
• Company (Great Performances)
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Saturday Night Live; Host: Tina Fey

Outstanding Main Title Design

• Bernard and Doris
• Chuck
• The Company
• Mad Men
• New Amsterdam

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

• Flight of the Conchords, “Yoko”
• The Office, “Dinner Party”
• Pushing Daisies, “Pie-Lette”
• 30 Rock, “Rosemary’s Baby”
• 30 Rock, “Cooter”

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

• Battlestar Galactica, “Six Of One”
• Damages, “Pilot”*
• Mad Men, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”*
• Mad Men, “The Wheel”
• The Wire, “30″

Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Late Night With Conan O’Brien
• Late Show With David Letterman
• Saturday Night Live

Fingers crossed!