TV Show Mini-Reviews

Post by **FatherJack** » February 18th, 2009, 0:07

I really liked Life on Mars and rather enjoyed the first series of Ashes to Ashes, but not quite as much. It did dwell a little on a certain couple of key events in her history, and while that's what it's supposed to be about I did get a little tired of seeing them.

Like Life on Mars she's not very convinced of the reality, but is remarkably game when it comes to joining in with it. There's some clever and very funny stuff in there.

So, very much looking forward to the second series - I probably have most of the first on my old DVR box and can generate vids from that if they're not screening it stateside and the floors are empty.

Post by **deject** » February 18th, 2009, 2:09

Hey I wasn't sure about it the first I've heard about it was like 3 or 4 days ago. It won't be on here for another few weeks, but I think I shall DVR it.

Post by **HereComesPete** » February 18th, 2009, 13:48

Did anyone watch the merkin version of life on mars?

Are they merkinising ashes to ashes as well?

editz because I noticed I'd put in instead of on.

Post by **FatherJack** » February 18th, 2009, 14:18

HereComesPete wrote:Did anyone watch the merkin version of life in mars?
Are they merkinising ashes to ashes as well?

If done well, this sounds like it could have been good. Trouble is, there were some very good cop shows in the 70s and 80s which are still watchable now, and it's pretty easy for the modern viewer to extrapolate how modern technology would help the characters, also the US police were a long way ahead with radios, etc. It'd take some intellegent writing to make this stand out, and sadly that doesn't always happen with these 'conversion' jobs.

spoodie · Post by **spoodie** » February 18th, 2009, 15:52

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Agent ... ies)">Free Agents</a>
It's alright and mostly for (relatively) old people like me. It features Garth Marenghi and Buffy's Prime Minister. As well is a woman I find quite attractive called Sharon Horgan. Even though she's 5 years old than me and that makes her ancient.

At least it's a British programme

/edit
moved to correct thread

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 4th, 2009, 16:25

The Beast (A&E)

The Beast, starring Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel, centers on an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran, Charles Barker (Swayze), who takes on a rookie partner, Ellis Dove (Fimmel). Barker trains Dove in a hard-edged, psychologically driven approach towards undercover work, where a moment's hesitation can lead to death.

I've watched about 6 of these. Its on Thursdays at 10pm here. Swayze tends to kill everyone and is above the law but they don't show it directly and his rookie partner is investigating him. Not all that new of a premise but the shows/stories have been pretty decent. I've been skeptical but now...I'm hooked and want to see where this is going.

Although, its all serious and no bikinis...not Bum Notice style...

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » March 9th, 2009, 19:19

Sort of a new series

Leverage

TNT series; entertainingish series about a group of incompatible criminal specialists working on break-in jobs and stuff. First season's pretty promising (well more than previous volumes of Heroes anyway). I'd rate it Burn Notice minus two on a Sarah Connor Chronicles to House scale.

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » March 9th, 2009, 19:33

Baliame wrote:Sort of a new series

Leverage

TNT series; entertainingish series about a group of incompatible criminal specialists working on break-in jobs and stuff. First season's pretty promising (well more than previous volumes of Heroes anyway). I'd rate it Burn Notice minus two on a Sarah Connor Chronicles to House scale.

So, seven?

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » March 9th, 2009, 19:42

I don't quite know the exact scales around, but I know "House" is good and "SCC" is bad and the show's a little worse than Burn Notice, so yes, leave it at seven.

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 9th, 2009, 20:11

I quite liked Life on Mars...

US Life On Mars Cancelled:

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 12:40pm
ABC's US version of hit BBC1 time travel drama Life on Mars, starring Harvey Keitel, has been axed.

The series finale will be written so as to wrap up loose story ends and explain how modern cop, Detective Sam Tyler, played by Jason O'Mara, found himself in a 1973 New York police station.

Life on Mars, made by 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios, was given two of the network's key slots – Thursday at 10pm after Grey's Anatomy and Wednesday 10pm after Lost – but "didn't click with viewers", according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"With its serialised nature, many considered Life on Mars to be better suited as a limited series the way it aired in the UK," the trade title reported.

British production company Kudos, which created the UK version, worked with 20th Century Fox Television on the series.

Meanwhile, the BBC's US commercial channel, BBC America, is to begin screening Ashes to Ashes, the 1980s sequel to the original British version of Life on Mars.

Hopefully this sort of settles the infamous argument over the UK and US versions!

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 9th, 2009, 20:17

Baliame wrote:Leverage
I'd rate it Burn Notice minus two on a Sarah Connor Chronicles to House scale.

Dr. kitteny berk wrote:So, seven?

I watched 2...done. Its kinda like a bad Mission Impossible/A-Team hybrid experiment gone bad...

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » March 9th, 2009, 20:41

It managed to keep me locked to the screen, it's rare a show does that. Besides, "bad something gone bad" is a double negative

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 9th, 2009, 20:55

Baliame wrote:It managed to keep me locked to the screen, it's rare a show does that. Besides, "bad something gone bad" is a double negative

hehe...i noticed that when I typed it...but let it go

I guess it was doomed to me from the beginning since I was disappointed in Timothy Hutton's character and I was hoping for something more serious/realistic.

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 10th, 2009, 2:23

New series tonight...Castle

Short Version wrote:Nathan Fillion(Mal from Firefly/Serenity) is a mystery book writer helping a female-cop catch a copycat killer of his books. Comedy/Drama methinks...

blahblahblah wrote:Wildly famous mystery novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) is bored with his own success. Then he learns that a real-world copycat killer has started staging murder scenes depicted in his novels. Castle is questioned by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), a bright and aggressive detective who keeps her investigations under tight rein. Though they instantly clash, sparks of another sort also begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle steps in to help find the killer. And once that case is solved, he and Beckett build on their new relationship as they look to solve more strange homicides in New York - as much fun as one can have with death and murder.

Castle is kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother, Martha Rodgers (Susan Sullivan), and quick-witted teenage daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn). Also starring in the series are Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

"Castle" is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe (writer, "Air horse One") serves as executive producer/writer, along with executive producers Armyan Bernstein, Barry Schindel, Rob Bowman (who also directed the pilot) and Laurie Zaks.

review in about an hour...

First episode was good. Nice introduction to all the characters. Decent murder story. Looking forward to next weeks ep which should have more story to it. Fillion was quite funny and is likable. Cop-chick is nice...and serious. If they keep the drama a bit complicated as a "murder" novelist is the main character...I'll be happy...right until they cancel it.

btw...Dollhouse is terrible...

Post by **Roman Totale** » March 10th, 2009, 7:37

Ooh sounds interesting. May have to

that later.

Baliame · Post by **Baliame** » March 10th, 2009, 12:49

MORDETH LESTOK wrote:I guess it was doomed to me from the beginning since I was disappointed in Timothy Hutton's character and I was hoping for something more serious/realistic.

I know the feeling, if I haven't had recommendation, the fact it runs on TNT would've put me off. I don't like series going all serious business over their plots though, just look at Bum Notice, that series doesn't even take itself seriously, and it's all awesome.

MORDETH LESTOK · Post by **MORDETH LESTOK** » March 10th, 2009, 15:53

Baliame wrote:just look at Bum Notice, that series doesn't even take itself seriously, and it's all awesome.

It takes itself quite seriously when it needs to be. And Bruce Campbell is seriously funny...

I guess thats the key for me...to be serious when it needs to be.

amblin · Post by **amblin** » March 10th, 2009, 18:40

Post by **Dr. kitteny berk** » March 10th, 2009, 18:43

You fail at floor.

Mr. Johnson · Post by **Mr. Johnson** » March 10th, 2009, 18:45

Dr. kitteny berk wrote:You fail at floor.

But his brain isn't plugged into the internet.