TV Reviews / Previews
TV Review: Electric Dreams, BBC4, 29/09
"We'll always be together. Together in electric dreams." Or at least that's what renowned fibbers Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey would have us believe. Electric Dreams also happens to be the name of a new three-part series which, combined with some other technology focused programmes, creates the Electric Revolution season on what is the UK's last beacon of hope in this multi-channel revolving pit of despair, BBC Four.
"We'll always be together. Together in electric dreams." Or at least that's what renowned fibbers Giorgio Moroder and Philip Oakey would have us believe. Electric Dreams also happens to be the name of a new three-part series which, combined with some other technology focused programmes, creates the Electric Revolution season on what is the UK's last beacon of hope in this multi-channel revolving pit of despair, BBC Four.
TV Review: FlashForward, Five, 28/09
FlashForward is Channel 5's hot new US TV show that literally some people are talking about. The writers of FlashForward came up with the idea while cleaning their kitchen surfaces and thought to themselves, "Goodness! I wish I could fast-forward this arduous task!" A two minute pause followed. "Hold on...Flash kitchen cleaner, Fast-Forward.....FlashForward!" Handily, that’s also the premise of this new Lost-esque sort of sci-fi, but definitely action/drama, genre series.
FlashForward is Channel 5's hot new US TV show that literally some people are talking about. The writers of FlashForward came up with the idea while cleaning their kitchen surfaces and thought to themselves, "Goodness! I wish I could fast-forward this arduous task!" A two minute pause followed. "Hold on...Flash kitchen cleaner, Fast-Forward.....FlashForward!" Handily, that’s also the premise of this new Lost-esque sort of sci-fi, but definitely action/drama, genre series.
The Simpsons: Season 12 – DVD Review
When America's favourite yellow family The Simpsons (sorry liver-diseased The Johnsons of Massachusets) first appeared on our screens back in the 90s, who could have predicted that they would sustain twelve long seasons (and beyond...)? Yet while this series packs in the laughs, the guest stars and the characters we all know and love, there is something that is starting to smell a bit off in Springfield.
When America's favourite yellow family The Simpsons (sorry liver-diseased The Johnsons of Massachusets) first appeared on our screens back in the 90s, who could have predicted that they would sustain twelve long seasons (and beyond...)? Yet while this series packs in the laughs, the guest stars and the characters we all know and love, there is something that is starting to smell a bit off in Springfield.
Dancing With The Stars: Kelly Osbourne Ballses Everything Up
Getting Kelly Osbourne on Dancing With The Stars this year was nothing short of a masterstroke. We mean that. Someone wins whatever happens. If Kelly Osbourne goes on to win Dancing With The Stars, it'll be an epic display of triumph over adversity. And if Kelly Osbourne does terribly at Dancing With The Stars, clattering around the dancefloor week after week like some kind of epileptic Weeble until the judges do the decent thing and shoot her like a knackered racehorse, then it'll be exactly what everyone expected. Last night Kelly Osbourne did the latter. Which works out best for us, really.
Getting Kelly Osbourne on Dancing With The Stars this year was nothing short of a masterstroke. We mean that. Someone wins whatever happens. If Kelly Osbourne goes on to win Dancing With The Stars, it'll be an epic display of triumph over adversity. And if Kelly Osbourne does terribly at Dancing With The Stars, clattering around the dancefloor week after week like some kind of epileptic Weeble until the judges do the decent thing and shoot her like a knackered racehorse, then it'll be exactly what everyone expected. Last night Kelly Osbourne did the latter. Which works out best for us, really.
X Factor Bootcamp Recap: John & Edward And Other Awful Sods
Hey, did you see X Factor this weekend? You did? Good. Then you won't need a recap, will you? Because recapping X Factor's bootcamp stage is stupidity itself, really. The whole show is just hour after hour of two-second clips of dumpy people going "HUUUUUAGH!" on a stage followed by Cheryl Cole pulling a funny face. It's pointless. But then so are we, so we're going to do it anyway. Here are the X Factor acts who stood out for us this weekend, including Miss Frank, It Takez 2 and, oh heavens, John & Edward...
Hey, did you see X Factor this weekend? You did? Good. Then you won't need a recap, will you? Because recapping X Factor's bootcamp stage is stupidity itself, really. The whole show is just hour after hour of two-second clips of dumpy people going "HUUUUUAGH!" on a stage followed by Cheryl Cole pulling a funny face. It's pointless. But then so are we, so we're going to do it anyway. Here are the X Factor acts who stood out for us this weekend, including Miss Frank, It Takez 2 and, oh heavens, John & Edward...
X Factor Recap: Big Double Bill Action
And so it was the weekend when the big pulsating brains behind X Factor decided that they might as well do two shows in two days. That equals around three hours of hot singing action, plus judges comments. Dannii Minogue, fast receding into the background, has ceased to say anything of worth, and the occasional flashes to her still, eerie face have carved her a niche as the only subliminal judge on the panel. The other three still cast their important judgements, and Cheryl has now taken to the stage on at least three occasions to hug the weeping contestants, much like Mother Teresa would, had she ever been given the chance to get out of the slums to judge a singing contest instead. She's dead now, bless her. Has been for ages.
And so it was the weekend when the big pulsating brains behind X Factor decided that they might as well do two shows in two days. That equals around three hours of hot singing action, plus judges comments. Dannii Minogue, fast receding into the background, has ceased to say anything of worth, and the occasional flashes to her still, eerie face have carved her a niche as the only subliminal judge on the panel. The other three still cast their important judgements, and Cheryl has now taken to the stage on at least three occasions to hug the weeping contestants, much like Mother Teresa would, had she ever been given the chance to get out of the slums to judge a singing contest instead. She's dead now, bless her. Has been for ages.
Entourage: Season 5 – DVD Review
Entourage has been described as the male Sex and the City. Strange, considering that Entourage has more wit, talent and imagination in one line of dialogue than Sex and the City had in its entirely overlong, over-hyped, self-indulgent, commercialised, horse-faced, mass-menopausal film. If you're not up to speed, the plot basically centres around Hollywood A-lister Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his tag-alongs. 'E' (Kevin Connolly) is Vincent's manager, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is his driver and Drama (Kevin Dillon) is his less successful acting brother. Together, along with the always-modest Ari (Vince's agent - Jeremy Piven), they try to bag movie roles, women and a good time on a weekly basis.
Entourage has been described as the male Sex and the City. Strange, considering that Entourage has more wit, talent and imagination in one line of dialogue than Sex and the City had in its entirely overlong, over-hyped, self-indulgent, commercialised, horse-faced, mass-menopausal film. If you're not up to speed, the plot basically centres around Hollywood A-lister Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his tag-alongs. 'E' (Kevin Connolly) is Vincent's manager, Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) is his driver and Drama (Kevin Dillon) is his less successful acting brother. Together, along with the always-modest Ari (Vince's agent - Jeremy Piven), they try to bag movie roles, women and a good time on a weekly basis.
X Factor Recap: Olly Murs And Some Other Bad Idiots
Yay! Big Brother's finished! Yay! That means we can talk about X Factor now! Yay! Until Christmas! Yay! Or until we take our own lives! YAY! Now, X Factor is still in that awful, unnecessarily long early audition part where people turn up, sing in a hilariously bad way and then go home to develop lifelong violent revenge fixations on Louis Walsh. These episodes barely warrant recaps, to be honest, but how else could we spend our time? Seeing friends? Going outside? Pah. So here are the X Factor contestants from Saturday who caught our eye - Olly Murs, Demi Cullum and Carla Schettini...
Yay! Big Brother's finished! Yay! That means we can talk about X Factor now! Yay! Until Christmas! Yay! Or until we take our own lives! YAY! Now, X Factor is still in that awful, unnecessarily long early audition part where people turn up, sing in a hilariously bad way and then go home to develop lifelong violent revenge fixations on Louis Walsh. These episodes barely warrant recaps, to be honest, but how else could we spend our time? Seeing friends? Going outside? Pah. So here are the X Factor contestants from Saturday who caught our eye - Olly Murs, Demi Cullum and Carla Schettini...
