What I've been watching...
Well, I haven't commented on the new series of Ashes to Ashes yet, have I? I meant to, honest. I won't give any spoilers, but let's just say that I thought the first two episodes were OK and am looking forward to the third one. I'm pleased with Gene, who is even more attractive when being quite downbeat. But I'm a little miffed, as always, that Alex is simply nowhere near as sympathetic a character as Sam was - she doesn't quite have the strength, or maybe just the appeal, to carry the storylines. But then the storylines in themselves aren't as strong as those in Life on Mars, because there's a massive nostalgia-shaped hole where LoM had its lovely golden sense of the good old days. LoM was built on a juxtaposition of the good things of the past (hunches, community, etc) with the good things from the future as predicted by Sam (stricter policing methods, equality, etc), whereas A2A is sinking into a comparison of the beginning of everything bad about society (corruption, etc) with the culmination of that badness in today's world (surveillance society, etc). And perhaps the worst thing: almost total lack of amusing soundbite quotes.
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I've also been watching Primeval. It's like a bad habit you can't quite break - I know it's badly scripted, with awful CGI and characters that mostly don't do much for me... but it's Dr Who-slot dinosaurs, so I watch. Plus, Ben Miller is awesome but mostly underused as the boss. And I think Becker is pretty hot, if only he'd say more and show some character occasionally. Nevertheless, this series has had some good moments, including a realisation that textual research could help them to predict patterns of anomalies, and some sad bits with Cutter. This week was pretty good, despite an implausible change of clothes part way through, and I liked the in medias res beginning. But I have to say, it's next week's that looks awesome - for the first time, we're going to have an anomaly that links up with a period of human history, and there'll be a Medieval knight or somesuch riding through the streets of London. I can't wait!
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The only other thing worth remarking on of late was the recent series of Lewis. Mostly, I was just a bit bored. I watched, and thought about whodunnit, but I didn't feel engaged, even with the LoTR-fantasy-style plot of the first one. Perhaps I've just seen too many 2-hour murder mysteries in my time - Agatha Christie has a lot to answer for. However, I have to say that the (regrettably short) appearance from Harry Lloyd (AKA Will from Robin Hood) in the last episode really perked it up for me! He was even playing a Classics student... YAY!
I've been watching Heroes too, of course, but who ever knows what's going on in that?
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Now then, recommendations for the future...
George Gently starts tonight, and I can't wait! It's set in the 1960s, features Martin Shaw being as wonderful as he always is, as well as Lee Ingleby (whom I love, but then he is Sam Tyler's dad!). Plus, it's 1 1/2 hr murder mystery, so also fails to bore me plotwise. Perfect for a Sunday night!
We still don't know when Torchwood will grace out screens with it's short but multi-episoded series this year, all to be shown within one week if the rumours are true. But eventually it will get here.
We also don't know when the new series of Kingdom will be on, but as long as it doesn't clash with GG, I don't mind! I'm very much looking forward to further Stephen Fry exposure.
Finally, there's going to be the second half of the series of Law and order UK in September.
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I've also been watching Primeval. It's like a bad habit you can't quite break - I know it's badly scripted, with awful CGI and characters that mostly don't do much for me... but it's Dr Who-slot dinosaurs, so I watch. Plus, Ben Miller is awesome but mostly underused as the boss. And I think Becker is pretty hot, if only he'd say more and show some character occasionally. Nevertheless, this series has had some good moments, including a realisation that textual research could help them to predict patterns of anomalies, and some sad bits with Cutter. This week was pretty good, despite an implausible change of clothes part way through, and I liked the in medias res beginning. But I have to say, it's next week's that looks awesome - for the first time, we're going to have an anomaly that links up with a period of human history, and there'll be a Medieval knight or somesuch riding through the streets of London. I can't wait!
---
The only other thing worth remarking on of late was the recent series of Lewis. Mostly, I was just a bit bored. I watched, and thought about whodunnit, but I didn't feel engaged, even with the LoTR-fantasy-style plot of the first one. Perhaps I've just seen too many 2-hour murder mysteries in my time - Agatha Christie has a lot to answer for. However, I have to say that the (regrettably short) appearance from Harry Lloyd (AKA Will from Robin Hood) in the last episode really perked it up for me! He was even playing a Classics student... YAY!
I've been watching Heroes too, of course, but who ever knows what's going on in that?
---
Now then, recommendations for the future...
George Gently starts tonight, and I can't wait! It's set in the 1960s, features Martin Shaw being as wonderful as he always is, as well as Lee Ingleby (whom I love, but then he is Sam Tyler's dad!). Plus, it's 1 1/2 hr murder mystery, so also fails to bore me plotwise. Perfect for a Sunday night!
We still don't know when Torchwood will grace out screens with it's short but multi-episoded series this year, all to be shown within one week if the rumours are true. But eventually it will get here.
We also don't know when the new series of Kingdom will be on, but as long as it doesn't clash with GG, I don't mind! I'm very much looking forward to further Stephen Fry exposure.
Finally, there's going to be the second half of the series of Law and order UK in September.