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Sep. 25th, 2010 11:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caz963It occurs to me that I haven't posted much about anything other than work lately.
So - telly. I'm caught up with S2 of White Collar so far - but what on earth is this "mid-season finale" crap? I know that US seasons are strange things that have regular gaps in them, but this appears to be something new. And something which we Brits seem in a hurry to import (Yes - I'm looking at YOU, Steven Moffat!)
But I'm still enjoying the show enormously - although I'm starting to wonder just how many times Neal can avow his trust in Peter and then promptly go behind his back on something before Peter tells him to stuff it and sends him back to prison.
I haven't watched the last couple of episodes of Leverage yet - but I've felt this season has been a bit lacklustre in places. I really enjoyed the episode that showed one particular event from the PoV of all the characters (the take on Sophie's accent was... interesting, to say the least!) - but it's not pulled me in the way it did. It's still slick, fun and well written though - so I'mnot going anywhere just yet.
Lie to Me has become rather disappointing of late. I love Tim Roth and his sarf Lunnon barrowboy ways, but he's been really overdoing the quirkiness of late to the extent that his physical ticks and fidgeting are starting to get annoying. Not to mention the fact that Lightman has behaved like, well, a bit of a thug at times. Not that that's not been part of the character in the past, but it didn't seem to happen so often before. Or maybe that's my imagination. I heard there's going to be a third series, which I'll watch, but I'm not sure for how long if it doesn't get back on track.
I caught up with Law & Order: UK as well. Again, enjoyable but not really "appointment" television. I think the relationship between Ronnie and Matt is very well drawn and played - and Bradley Walsh continues to impress me. I think that the "Order" (if that's the police) side of the show works very well, but the "Law" is the weak spot, despite the presence of Ben Daniels and Bill Paterson. I like a good courtroom drama as well as the next person, but there's something that doesn't sit quite right in the UK version, and the only way I can think of putting it is that it's a little too earnest. I don't know - some of the rousing speeches that work well in US drama don't translate that well; and yes, I know the episodes aren't "transferred" verbatim, but there's still something that doesn't feel right.
S4 of Dexter is now airing here - but I'm already about two episodes behind with that. Dex is knackered and losing his edge now he's got a new baby giving him sleepless nights. And how creepy is John Lithgow? *shudder*
Merlin is back on Saturday nights. It's interesting that it gets a later timeslot than Doctor Who, isn't it? I have no idea why that should be, because I can't see that the subject matter is substantially different in its nature. The opening two-parter was pretty good, I thought - with Morgana finally taking her place as per the legend, as the villain of the piece. Emilia Fox continues to look good in armour! - And am I imagining things, or is there a LOT more shirtless Bradley James this series? *g*
(I'm sure that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
loreley_se or jhava will be able to corroborate that for me!)
Also - Fringe is back. That's the one show I've been really excited about seeing again this autumn. The finale of S2 really upped the ante and went out on an almighty cliffhanger, and I'm desperate to see what comes next. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, so no spoilers please!
I might give Downton Abbey a look tomorrow night. I don't watch ITV very much (because there's not a lot on it worth watching!) but this is by Julian Fellowes of Gosford Park fame, and stars Maggie Smith, so it's gotta be worth a look.
Although it does sound rather similar to Upstairs, Downstairs - for the unititiated, that's a clasic show from the 1970s about a posh family ("upstairs") and their servants ("downstairs"). I remember watching it on a Sunday night in my teens. It looks very "static" now, of course, but it boasted some wonderful actors and writers (Alan Plater among the latter) and is definitely worth seeking out on DVD if you've never seen it. But the Beeb has apparently done a remake - and if there was ever a TV show that didn't need a remake, it has to be that one. Although I did read that there are some episodes that take place in the 1930s, some time after the original series came to an end. One to watch for the nostalgia value, I think.
The air date for the fourth series of The Sarah-Jane Adventures has been given as 11th October - which means that the one with the special guest stars will air during half-term. Very convenient :-)
Still waiting on a transmission date for Single Father, though. I reckon the producers are waiting for the lovely Mr Tennant to return from the US so that he can do the usual publicity round; hopefully being sewn into all those tight costumes (!) won't have had any damaging effects ;-)
Is there anything else good on that I should know about?
So - telly. I'm caught up with S2 of White Collar so far - but what on earth is this "mid-season finale" crap? I know that US seasons are strange things that have regular gaps in them, but this appears to be something new. And something which we Brits seem in a hurry to import (Yes - I'm looking at YOU, Steven Moffat!)
But I'm still enjoying the show enormously - although I'm starting to wonder just how many times Neal can avow his trust in Peter and then promptly go behind his back on something before Peter tells him to stuff it and sends him back to prison.
I haven't watched the last couple of episodes of Leverage yet - but I've felt this season has been a bit lacklustre in places. I really enjoyed the episode that showed one particular event from the PoV of all the characters (the take on Sophie's accent was... interesting, to say the least!) - but it's not pulled me in the way it did. It's still slick, fun and well written though - so I'mnot going anywhere just yet.
Lie to Me has become rather disappointing of late. I love Tim Roth and his sarf Lunnon barrowboy ways, but he's been really overdoing the quirkiness of late to the extent that his physical ticks and fidgeting are starting to get annoying. Not to mention the fact that Lightman has behaved like, well, a bit of a thug at times. Not that that's not been part of the character in the past, but it didn't seem to happen so often before. Or maybe that's my imagination. I heard there's going to be a third series, which I'll watch, but I'm not sure for how long if it doesn't get back on track.
I caught up with Law & Order: UK as well. Again, enjoyable but not really "appointment" television. I think the relationship between Ronnie and Matt is very well drawn and played - and Bradley Walsh continues to impress me. I think that the "Order" (if that's the police) side of the show works very well, but the "Law" is the weak spot, despite the presence of Ben Daniels and Bill Paterson. I like a good courtroom drama as well as the next person, but there's something that doesn't sit quite right in the UK version, and the only way I can think of putting it is that it's a little too earnest. I don't know - some of the rousing speeches that work well in US drama don't translate that well; and yes, I know the episodes aren't "transferred" verbatim, but there's still something that doesn't feel right.
S4 of Dexter is now airing here - but I'm already about two episodes behind with that. Dex is knackered and losing his edge now he's got a new baby giving him sleepless nights. And how creepy is John Lithgow? *shudder*
Merlin is back on Saturday nights. It's interesting that it gets a later timeslot than Doctor Who, isn't it? I have no idea why that should be, because I can't see that the subject matter is substantially different in its nature. The opening two-parter was pretty good, I thought - with Morgana finally taking her place as per the legend, as the villain of the piece. Emilia Fox continues to look good in armour! - And am I imagining things, or is there a LOT more shirtless Bradley James this series? *g*
(I'm sure that
loreley_se or jhava will be able to corroborate that for me!)Also - Fringe is back. That's the one show I've been really excited about seeing again this autumn. The finale of S2 really upped the ante and went out on an almighty cliffhanger, and I'm desperate to see what comes next. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, so no spoilers please!
I might give Downton Abbey a look tomorrow night. I don't watch ITV very much (because there's not a lot on it worth watching!) but this is by Julian Fellowes of Gosford Park fame, and stars Maggie Smith, so it's gotta be worth a look.
Although it does sound rather similar to Upstairs, Downstairs - for the unititiated, that's a clasic show from the 1970s about a posh family ("upstairs") and their servants ("downstairs"). I remember watching it on a Sunday night in my teens. It looks very "static" now, of course, but it boasted some wonderful actors and writers (Alan Plater among the latter) and is definitely worth seeking out on DVD if you've never seen it. But the Beeb has apparently done a remake - and if there was ever a TV show that didn't need a remake, it has to be that one. Although I did read that there are some episodes that take place in the 1930s, some time after the original series came to an end. One to watch for the nostalgia value, I think.
The air date for the fourth series of The Sarah-Jane Adventures has been given as 11th October - which means that the one with the special guest stars will air during half-term. Very convenient :-)
Still waiting on a transmission date for Single Father, though. I reckon the producers are waiting for the lovely Mr Tennant to return from the US so that he can do the usual publicity round; hopefully being sewn into all those tight costumes (!) won't have had any damaging effects ;-)
Is there anything else good on that I should know about?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-09-25 11:19 pm (UTC)They're going to announce the dates for Single Father next week.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 09:39 am (UTC)I heard the other day that DT finishes filming in the US on the 1st, so maybe that has a bearing on the date... dunno.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 07:29 am (UTC)I try not to miss Alan Davis about his youthful years, although no-one else seems to like it
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 09:37 am (UTC)I've not seen the Alan Davies thing, although I know about it. The list in this post is pretty much the entirety of the TV I actually watch, so it's not much! But I might try to track that down.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 05:27 pm (UTC)Yeah, LtM's gone downhill. (Did you see the finale? Uhm.) The third season starts in November but I'm in the same boat of whether to keep watching or not. It doesn't help that they're on their third showrunner in as many seasons. I think bringing on Shawn Ryan was the worst idea, as the downturn happened during his tenure; trying to turn it into just another macho cop show kinda ruined the format for me.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 06:17 pm (UTC)This whole mid-season finale thing seems pretty dumb to me. I bemoaned the fact that it's going to happen for DW next year - and I really don't like the idea at all. What's the reasoning behind it? IMO, at a time when viewership has been fragmenting for years - and is continuing to do so - it seems stupid to alienate viewers by splitting a season in half. People will forget to look out for the next bit if the programme makers aren't careful!
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 08:26 pm (UTC)Why, yes, there is a good amount of Bradley's chest in Merlin...it's getting a little bit graticous but hell who am I to complain. It is a mighty fine chest!!!
I am reading all your work rants btw...just can't come up with anything intelligent to say really, other than I don't know how you're doing this without walking in with a gun one day...
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 08:44 pm (UTC)As for the work rants - well, thank you for reading - I just post to get things off my chest, but sometimes it's nice knowing that people are out there nodding and rolling their eyes...
There are certainly several kids I teach that really could do with a good, sound slap - amd occasionally, colleagues who I think could do with one as well!