Mini Reviews- September 26th

As you can see from my About Me section to the right of the page, my TV watching has severely increased over the last week, with many of my favourite TV shows starting recently. I will try and blog mini reviews about them every week- time permitting. I also watched a couple of pilots this week, that I will continue with as the season progresses. I will try to watch a few other pilots and review them over the next couple of weeks.

90210- 3x01/3x02 "Senior Year Baby" and "Age Of Inheritance"
The third season kicked off last week, mostly dealing with the events of the finale and how they would impact on the characters. The biggest storyline is perhaps Naomi's who is not dealing well with her rape at the hands of Mr Cannon. She attempted to talk to the police about it, but when this didn't work a stream of booze, sex exploits, flirting with Teddy and throwing a big birthday bash ensued, none of which went well.
The writers wisely got rid of Adrianna's brief fling from last year, Javier, in a dramatic car crash. Her stealing his songs was obviously a bad move and I'm just waiting to see how it will crash and burn around her.
Annie and Liam continue to tip toe around each other which is frankly a little boring. Liam's half brother doesn't necessarily make this love triangle more interesting, though I am intrigued to see his history with Liam. Other yawnsville storylines include Ryan and Jen, who quite frankly no-one cares about any more.
Ivy, now a full time character, is now lusting after new bad boy with a bad accent Oscar, who deliciously and in true 90210 style is sleeping with her mother. Can't wait to see this one blow up!
Silver has rather swiftly broken up with Teddy who after injuring himself has taken to drinking. Though I understand her own history with alcoholics, considering he's basically lost his career, she's being very judgmental. That makes it a little harder to care therefore when Mr Cannon has set his eyes squarely on her. As a villain goes he's pretty effectively and I almost hope they don't do away with him too soon.
NB After 7 years of having others play themselves with him in character Adrian Grenier had to play himself as his and performed at Naomi's birthday- he proved that playing yourself, is a lot harder than it looks.

Chuck- 3x16/3x17 "Chuck versus The Tooth" and "Chuck versus the Living Dead"
The show is definitely kicking it up a few gears with now pretty much everyone bar Ellie in knowledge of Chuck's secret and Ellie get caught up in the spy game too. It makes for a much more interesting show, but I can't help that feel that the show is marking it's own ending date by doing this, as it's changed the show forever. Chuck going mad is an interesting way to go with the Intersect and it makes sense, but it seems underplayed and not really like it's taken seriously. However I do like that Morgan knows as it's much more satisfying watching him be the geek in the spy world.


How I Met Your Mother- 6x01 "Big Days"
The creators promised us a return to form and I think we got it. Set primarily in McLarens, we saw the gang get up to their usual shenanigans, but in a funny and heartwarming way, with all characters getting ample screen time. The flashforwards that bookended the episode which revealed that Ted would meet the Mother at a wedding in which he was a best man were exciting though I don't think the commonplace theory that this is Barney and Robin's wedding day. Though it would make sense and the clues were obviously placed there, I hope it's not as I really can't see the couple getting married, much less in a all the frills church service!

Modern Family- 2x01 "The Old Wagon"
I'm happy to say that the show hasn't allowed it's success to go to it's head (though admittedly this episode was shot pre Emmy win) and this was another funny and endearing episode of the show. It was a fairly quiet episode, not necessarily one where a lot happened, but it was funny and very true to the characters. Good to have you back, Modern Family.


The Inbetweeners 3x01/3x02 "The Fashion Show" and "The Gig and The Girlfriend"
And finally not to forget this incredibly funny UK comedy, the show has proven they are one of the funniest things on TV period. Though the first episode got off to a rocky start, the second was hilarious throughout and very much classic Inbetweeners. Though I can't personally identify with the drugs storyline in the second episode, it was very true to life and very funny.

Dexter- 4x01/02/03/04 "Living The Dream", "Reamains to Be Seen", "Blinded by the Light" and "Dex takes a Holiday"
I finally managed to begin Dexter and the best thing about starting it late is that I was able to watch a few episodes all at once. A lot has happened this season already, what with Lundy being shot in the fourth episode. I've enjoyed Dexter's family stuff as it's been very fun to watch him grapple with being a dad. I love that finally Dexter is realising that he does enjoy being a dad and having family around; it's about time he realises what we already know. The Angel/Maria storyline has also been enjoyable though most people don't seem to think so. The Trinty killer stuff is completely terrifying and creepy though, not surprised John Lithgow won an Emmy for the role.

Pilot Watching 2010 Part 1

Here are my reviews for a couple of the new shows to hit US screens this week. I'll watch and few over the next few weeks and give my thoughts.

Running Wilde

There have definitely been mixed reviews for this one. It has a pedigree cast and crew and is a clear descendent of Arrested Devlopment, this time a story about a overly roch and selfish guy, in love with an activist from his childhood. Along with her daughter she moves into his mansion to make him a better person.

The plot doesn't blow me away and whilst there were some funny jokes, it wasn't laugh out loud funny. There were some clear throwbacks to AD (bleeping out the swearing, "huge mistake", having a narrator) but the show feels quite different in style- as well it should. The romantic edge to this story does mean it has a very different tone so perhaps making it so similar wasn't the best idea (though I must admit, some of the AD influenced stuff was the funnest). AD's own pilot isn't that funny and it was definitely a show that got funnier as it went on, so I will probably stick this one out for a few more episodes to see if it improves. (Pilot Score: 7/10)

Mike and Molly

Again, this isn't the best plot in the world and as a romance story there is perhaps a limit to how far it can go. This was vastly different from Running Wilde. Mike and Molly are an overweight couple who meet at Overeaters Anonymous.

The thing about thins sitcom was that it wasn't very funny at all. Most of the jokes were very one dimensional and pretty crude. However what this show did have was a lot of heart. It was incredibly endearing and I loved the scenes where the two leads discussed their weight issues with the OA group as they were both very heartfelt moments. Both leads are very strong and likable, but the rest of the cast is less so. Again I will probably stick with this one to see if it gets funnier. (Pilot Score: 6.5/10)

Entourage Season Seven Review

Entourage Season 7

It was a bit of a mixed season for HBO's longest running show. It was actually the season that perhaps had the most depth as it showed all the boys with separate and specific arcs, something which the show has been criticised for not having. However not all of these storylines worked as well as they'd hoped. This was perhaps a crucial season in that it is the penultimate one and they are now only going to have a limited amount of episodes to round up the story.

Ari: Ari dealt with the fallout of Lizzie Grant wanting a promotion and him refusing to give it, considering her affair with his best friend Andrew Klein in the previous season. She took her wrath to Ari's long term enemy from season 3 Amanda Daniels. This led to some damaging details about Ari's behaviour being released to the press, which in turn lost him the NBA deal he was eying. In addition a foul mouthed and misogynist public rant at Amanda and in front of his wife, resulted in Mrs Ari walking out on Ari.
Considering some of Ari's behaviour over the years, it could be argued that it was only a matter of time before his foul mouthed rants and behaviour towards his wife landed him in hot water and honestly it was fun to watch, especially towards the end of the season where the outcome became a little more visible.I fully expect the couple to patch things up in the shows final season however.

Drama: Drama was mostly in the background this season; there were quite a few episodes where he had very little to do which was a little disappointing. His main storyline though was enjoyable. He had just a month to find a show for his holding deal with the network (the CW I think). He eventually found a show in which he was a lead; cartoon Johnny Bananas. He was reluctantly agreed to this idea and I can't wait to see some footage from the show- even if it's just viral as it will be a brilliant tie-in for the show.

Eric: As usual, E's storylines were mostly tied up in supporting the other members of the Entourage, specifically Vince and more recently Drama. However E also had his own personal storylines- a rivalry with Scott Wick at his company and Sloane, who was mostly a background character this year. This actually worked quite well, as at least we didn't have to deal with the drama of their relationship, which is when they are most enjoyable. E definitely grew in confidence and has come a long way from the season 1 playing at manager character he used to be. He should've dealt with the Vince issue a lot sooner though.

Turtle: This was probably the worst storyline of the season. After trying for so long to get his limo business off the ground, this was swiftly dropped in favour of the Avion Tequila storyline which pretty much went nowhere. It felt that they didn't really know how they wanted to wrap up the storyline and not wanting to go the predictable route of having Carlos be defrauding Turtle, they came up with a celebrity buyout that petered into nothing. This whole storyline was a real shame as I really wanted to see Turtle's Limo business go somewhere- instead he became a slacker again depending on Vince. His relationship with Alex was probably worse though as she was very annoying and I hope she doesn't return next season.

Vince: This was the main story for the season and it charted Vince's decline into drugs and self destructive behaviour. An excellent analysis I read elsewhere on the web (read the comments not the actual review), said that this downward spiral didn't just originate from Vince's car crash in the season premiere but from last season where he is effectively abandoned by the other members of the entourage as they pursue their own lives. Vince has always been a co-dependent character and take away his friends and he starts to fail.
Vince bad a series of bad choices over the course of the season, from daredevil stunts to taking prescription drugs, and from the porn star girlfriend to snorting coke and getting punched out by Eminem.
It's an interesting subject to watch and it's something that many Hollywood actors have gone through, so I liked that they looked at this with Vince. It also changed up his character a little which made it more fascinating to watch. As for Sasha Grey, she wasn't too awful, though she is clearly not a good girlfriend for Vince so I'm hoping she doesn't return next season, no matter how much creator Doug Ellin may love her!

I'm sad that we didn't see more of Lloyd this season, especially in the finale, though I do see how it would be hard to organically work him into the storyline. I must say I quite liked the return of a sober Billy Walsh, who was a lot more palatable than the drugged one.
I think that the premise underlying the season- the gang falling apart- is ultimately what hindered the show as there so few group scenes, only substantially in the premiere and and finale episodes I think. For a show that is based in this, it's obvious when the gang aren't all together. Whilst I appreciate the risk and the necessity of this to the storyline, I would like to see more group scenes as the show heads towards it's final episode next year.
I would also like to see less of the random celebrities- whilst some work (the the final for example Eminem and John Cleese), some really do not (e.g those sports stars Turtle calls) and feel forced into the show. With so few episodes left, only meaningful cameos would be nice, not just stars trying to get their faces on the show.
Overall this was definitely an uneven season, which definitely saw improvement once the storylines took hold and the end was in sight. It was a slightly shortened season and it definitely felt concentrated because of that; perhaps extra episodes would've given back the comedy injection needed this season. However there it wasn't all bad and mostly I did like the darker direction the show took as it showed that this show is more than just celebrity fluff.

How I Met Your Mother Season 6 Preview

After the difficult season 5, season 6 will be more Ted centric and we will get a big Mother clue in the first episode!

Though Ted is often cited as one of the less interesting characters, he is obviously the heart of the show- I don't think it's a coincidence that season 5 struggled and it's the only season in which Ted did not have a long term girlfriend or any substantial romantic prospects. Thankfully the shows creators realise this and are putting the show back on it's path.
I'm excited to see the show move forward considerably, in terms of Ted's romantic life and Marshall and Lily's baby making. I'm also excited to see Barney meeting his dad for the first time and for more Robin Sparkles history to emerge!

EDIT: I also want to point out that they are releasing The Playbook from the season 5 episode of the same name- it sure to be another funny installment from that now prolific author Barney Stinson (and of course the excellent actual writer Matt Kuhn!) This clever piece of advertising is one of the reasons by HIMYM is so damn good!

Grey's Anatomy Season 7 Preview

Season 7 will of course kick off dealing with the aftermath of the dramatic shooting at the end of last season. I think this plus the evolved new cast will give the show a shot in the arm and allow it to stay fresh, something which is obviously difficult in a shows seventh season.

You can see some sneak peaks of the premiere here and below is the gorgeous new cast shot of the cast:

The PTB behind the show also ran a savvy Facebook campaign allowing fans to choose the best fan artwork to accompany the show. The one I chose won!

Grey's Anatomy starts on 23rd September on ABC in the US and will most likely kick off in January 2011 on Living in the UK

90210 Season 3 preview

90210

This rebooted show returns for it's third (and given the ratings quite possibly last) season. Last season finished off dramatically with Harry and Debbie's divorce and Naomi's rape, the consequences of both we will continue to see in the upcoming season.
Storylines include:

The much publicised Teddy going gay storyline. According to spoilers this may happen as early as episode 3. A new love interest will also be introduced for him in the form of Kyle Riabko

“90210” — (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)
“2021 Vision” (TV-14, L) (HDTV)

SLEEPING PILLS AND DRUNK HOOK-UPS — Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) has constant flashbacks to her rape and begins taking sleeping pills in order to sleep through the night. Mr. Cannon (guest star Hal Ozban, “Californication”) invites Silver (Jessica Stroup) over to his apartment to watch his new documentary and secretly slips something in her drink. Meanwhile, Teddy (Trevor Donovan) wakes up from a night of drinking and realizes he hooked up with someone. Dixon (Tristan Wilds) learns that, despite what he assumed, Ivy (Gillian Zinser) is a virgin. Annie (Shenae Grimes) confronts her boss, Katherine (guest star Lisa Waltz, “General Hospital”) about her awkward behavior and is shocked when she makes her an offer she may not be able to refuse. Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes) sings a new stolen song at a memorial service but she soon regrets her decision to do so when the video goes viral on the web. Lori Loughlin, Michael Steger, Ryan Eggold and Matt Lanter also star. Millicent Shelton directed the episode written by Tod Himmel (##303).

Read more: http://www.spoilertv.com/2010/09/90210-episode-303-2021-vision-synopsis.html#ixzz0zJPcoOQd

Liam and Annie will also likely get together but not before a love triangle springs up with Liam's half brother. I'm not that excited by this storyline as I don't really see the chemistry between the pair (probably due to Shanae Grimes acting skills) and a half brother springing out of nowhere seems like a retread of season 1 (don't even get me started on Annie dating another one of Naomi's ex's)



More celebrities! In a bid to boost ratings, the Kardashian sisters and Adrian Grenier's band will appear in the first few episodes. I'll be interested to see how Adrian deals with playing himself since he's so used to being the one in character whilst other actors play themselves in Entourage.

Here's the promo for the new season, I absolutely adore the use of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream, so perfect for the show!



90210 starts Monday 13th September on the CW. I will be watching US pace and reviewing as the season goes along.

Mini Reviews- September 12th

Leverage 3x13- The Morning After Job

Leverage ended it's summer season with another great episode which is really the only 'arc' episode there has been since the premiere. However as a finale episode it lacked a little and whilst I understand why TNT might want to keep a few episodes back till the Winter, the 13/3 episode split is frustrating and a more even split would've been better. However, there may be some creative reasoning behind the split so I'll reserve judgment until the winter. (exact return date tba)
This episode is a little different to many of the episodes Leverage usually do. Though there was the usual victim, this one was really about going after Moreau, the mastermind criminal, the Italian wants the gang to go after in exchange for releasing Nate from prison.BI agent rather well. Eliot and Hardison did their usual and very funny double act which works so well because of their ability to vibe of each other. Sophie disappointingly had very little to do, I hope her role in season 4 increases because we haven't seen her do a whole lot since Gina Bellman went on maternity leave in season 2.

Chuck 3x15 Chuck versus the Role Models

A fairly good Chuck episode. With the state of their role models marriage as it was, I was curious to see where the show was going in terms of lesson for Sarah and Chuck. They didn't really come to any conclusion and honestly I found the vague 'we're different' platitudes followed by a swift moving in to be a little irritating. I did quite enjoy the Casey/Morgan stuff and whilst I enjoyed the Ellie/Awesome in Doctors Without Borders I was a little sad to see their journey end so quickly; it would've been nice to see them there a little bit longer.

Mad Men 1x10/1x11- Shoot & The Long Weekend

Very good episodes. The first definitely saw conflict rising, with Peggy gaining new found confidence to stand up to Joan and Don squashing Betty's dreams of being a model. I'm not a huge Betty fan, but it was easy to feel her pain at having her dream snatched away. I'm not sure I totally blame Don for not taking the job; it is his career after all and he has to do his best not just for himself but his family.
In the second episode we saw a few souls laid bare; Sterling's after his heart attack, Joan's roommate as she confessed her feelings for Joan and Don as he revealed a small part of his childhood to Rachel. It's almost a relief that the latter have slept together now as it's been brewing for weeks. I also found both the company's and Joan's reactions to Sterling's heart attack to be very interesting (telegraph's in the middle of the night?! A different world perhaps). Also the Nixon and Kennedy storyline is brewing nicely.


I'm quite annoyed to realise that after playing the last 3 episodes of season 1 tonight (Sunday 12th) the BBC don't seem to be continuing with their reruns, perhaps due to the clash with ongoing season 4. I hope we won't have to wait very long for season 2

Page now up for Buffy and Angel Rewatch

Even though it's been quite a while since I finished my Buffy and Angel rewatch blog, I've pnly just got around to fully updating my page for the blogs.

All links including episodes names to each rewatch blog are now conveniently linked on the following page:

http://natstvblog.blogspot.com/p/buffy-and-angel-rewatch.html

Take a look and let me know what you think and of any incorrect links!

The Inbetweeners Series 3

It's been a long time coming (the last series aired over 15 months ago) but the boys are returning for one final series of this incredibly funny show. The movie is already underway, but in anticipation of the new series, they have done a quick little prequel:



Feels like nothing has changed and that's definitely a good thing! Can't wait!

The Inbetweeners starts 13th September E4 10pm.

Brothers and Sisters- season 5 spoilers

After reading recent B&S spoilers which made me feel a little bit queasy (Luc becoming an underwear model) and shock horror, miss Rob Lowe (Kitty having another identity crisis and Balthazar Getty not appearing at all), the latest press release and premiere photos have made excited for the start of season 5.

I like that the family have been estranged for a little while- this was similar to in the pilot so hopefully we can see a spark of the old B&S back. I hope we get some flashbacks at some point to find out what happened during the year though.

Justin looks way cool with his shaved head, though admittedly I have no idea what he's doing in military uniform as last we heard he was off to Haiti to be a doctor. Kitty's son also looks mighty big for a 3 year old