Downton Abbey/Upstairs Downstairs - Battle Of The Period Dramas

Oh yeah, let the battle commence as both period heavyweights release tantalising spoilers for their 2012 episodes.While we have ages for Downton Abbey's third season to air, it's now been revealed that Shirley MacLaine has been cast as Martha Levinson, the mother of Lady Cora Grantham (Elizabeth Mcgovern) and we can expect her character to be clashing with Maggie Smith's Countess Violet of Dowager throughout the series. Filming for the third year...

Read More

Soap Discussion - January 2012

And here's my penultimate blog for the month and it's a soap discussion one.Coronation Street: After six years, Becky has finally left Weatherfield and while her exit was something of a mixed bag, at least it wasn't boring. The issues I have with her hooking up with a new bloke she barely knew, I can almost leave to one side in order to revel in her wrecking Steve and Tracey's reception by revealing when exactly the latter miscarried. The other interesting...

Read More

True Blood/Game Of Thrones - New Season Trailers

Okay, before anyone goes any further, there are SPOILERS here for both trailers/upcoming seasons of both True Blood and Game Of Thrones. You have been warned, okay?True Blood - Season 5: No actual clips in the 30 second trailer, but the caption of 'Nothing Stays Buried Forever' could mean a lot of things. Russell's not due for the first few episodes and Salome is the main villain for the new year, so perhaps it's her the trailer is alluding to more....

Read More

How To (Re)Solve A Problem Like Torchwood?

According to a recent interview with actress Eve Myles, apparently she wants to see a closure to Torchwood but has admitted nothing is happening with the show this year. Also considering that RTD is back in the UK and currently focusing his energies on upcoming CBBC series, Aliens Vs. Wizards and personal matters, it looks like we'll be waiting a while but the question is - how do you resolve a problem like Torchwood? Miracle Day wasn't the show...

Read More

My Review of Revenge's 1x08: "Treachery"

Written by Ryan ScottDirected by Bobby RothEmily: “You came.”Amanda: “I told you I would.”Emily: “People have a way of breaking promises when it comes to me.”Oh dear – what a pickle this is. On one hand, the presence of the real Emily Thorne posing as Amanda Clarke should be firing up all kind of alarm bells but at the same time, I can’t help but feel sorry for this girl in a way. She’s ultimately another in a long line of pawns in the real Amanda’s...

Read More

My Review of We'll Take Manhattan

Written And Directed by John McKayJean: “You don’t know anything about me.”David: “I know you’re posh.”Jean: “I’m not posh. I feed the pigs.”Okay, confession time – if Karen Gillan hadn’t been cast in this one-off drama for BBC4, then chances are I probably wouldn’t have watched this, let alone actually review it. Fashion is not my thing in the slightest and a lot of what happens in this 90 minute drama cements my reason why it’s an aspect of journalism/media...

Read More

My Review of Revenge's 1x07: "Charade"

Written by Mark B. Perry And Joe FazzioDirected by Sanford BookstaverAmanda: “You obviously know who I am, who are you?”Emily: “Emily. Emily Thorne.”As in holy shit – there’s an actual Emily Thorne out there and now she’s made her way to reconnect with the woman who’s been using her name for the last while and we can all thank Frank for this little reunion. Well, we could but sadly, he’s no longer with us thanks to the real Emily actually taking...

Read More

Doctor Who At NTAs 2012/Series 7 News

And the winners of last night's NTAs, well the ones that matter to me anyways ...Matt Smith and Karen Gillan both scooped Best Actor and Best Actress gongs for their roles as the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond and while Doctor Who lost out to Downton Abbey for Best Drama, this is still excellent. Maybe now the anti-Moffat brigade will finally get their heads out of their arses and realise that despite their mindless wittering, the show still is actually...

Read More

RTD's New Project

It's been a while since we've heard a lot from Russell T. Davies, apart from the news about his partner (get well soon, Andrew) and while it's hard to determine what the future holds for Torchwood or even that Cucumber series that was being discussed last year, RTD does have another project in the pipeline though.Called Aliens Vs. Wizards, the show for CBBC will focus on two young boys who are wizards and battle aliens. Writers for the series will...

Read More

True Blood - Season 5 Casting News

Haven't done this in a bit but here's some casting new for the upcoming fifth season of True Blood.First off all, the role of Claude has been recast. last year, Neil Hopkins played the role in the fourth season episode, She's Not There but this year, British actor, Giles Matthey will be taking on the role of the fairy stripper who encounters Jessica earlier in the season. There's been rumours that a supernatural strip club will appear during Season...

Read More

The Voice Of Ireland - Holy Crap, RTE1 Didn't Screw Up Alert

It's been three episodes, so I know I've given it a fair chance and it pleases me to admit that for once, RTE1 have produced a Sunday evening entertainment/reality TV series that hasn't made want to write an angry letter to Montrose/head for the sick bucket.I was delighted when I heard that The All Ireland Talent Show was getting the boot in favour of The Voice Of Ireland. It might have been a nice little ratings earner for RTE1 but it was the type...

Read More

Doctor Who - Series 7: 10 Characters/Monsters Who Could Return

Okay, Blogtor Who has done a similar list to this (a few actually), so I thought I'd do one more of 10 characters/monsters that I'd like to see return in the next two years on Doctor Who and possibly could. There's an element of humour in this but there's also some serious suggestions. Also, you'll notice there are obvious exemptions but they're not on the list because I assume that they're characters/monsters who will resurface during Series 7 and...

Read More

My Review of Revenge's 1x06: "Intrigue"

Written by Dan Dworkin And Jay BeattieDirected by Tim HunterTyler: “You might want to be careful with who you’re dealing with.”Emily: “I’m always careful and I know who I’m dealing with.”Oh, Emily and Tyler – you can just see the tension rolling off the pair of them, can’t you? I don’t think either of these two could make their hatred for each other any more obvious if they tried. Still, both of them would want to heed Tyler’s advice though, especially...

Read More

My Review of Revenge's 1x05: "Guilt"

Written by Nikki ToscanoDirected by Kenneth FinkDavid: “Never underestimate the power of guilt, Amanda. It can compel some people to pretty remarkable places.”Guilt, guilt, guilt – what an interesting and obvious theme for this show and respective episode. Everyone here had something or another to feel guilty about and at least one person really paid for it this week as well.Lydia – well, I expected her continuous presence in this show to come to...

Read More

A Proposal Or Two

And here's my first TV jumble of 2012. I was meant to do this last week but things keps coming up, so here it is.American Horror Story: Okay, an interesting selection of episodes here. I was certainly surprised with the reveal of what really happened to Violet more than I was about Tate being rubber man (I mean, who didn't see that coming?) but stories about Dahlias, Patrick/Chad's relationship and antichrist babies aside, what can the final two...

Read More

My Review of Sherlock's 2x03: "The Reichenbach Fall"

Written by Steve ThompsonDirected by Toby HaynesMoriarty (to Sherlock): “Every fairytale needs a good old fashioned villain. You need me. We’re just alike you and I, except you’re boring.”And if there’s one thing that I cannot accuse this episode of is boring. Can it be that the same who wrote both “The Blind Banker” and “The Curse Of The Black Spot” was really responsible for this episode? If so, then Steve Thompson is an adept hand when writing...

Read More

My Review of Revenge's 1x04: "Duplicity"

Written by Wendy CalhounDirected by Matt ShakmanMichelle: “Emily, we’ve been circling this theme for a year now. It’s time for you to stop playing the victim. Time for you to start an active role in your own happiness. Until you do this, the only thing you can expect in this new relationship or any other is that it will end badly.”Oh, Michelle and you should’ve expected that if you play a part in causing a young girl years of misery that one day,...

Read More

Doctor Who - The Next Companion Speculation Casting Male

Yesterday I did a list of potential actresses who could be the next TARDIS occupants on Doctor Who but seeing as male companions also exist, I thought I'd do a male list as well. It was harder compiling this one but here are some possible candidates for the new guy in the TARDIS.Craig Roberts: I'm not gonna lie here, the only thing I've seen this guy in is his guest appearance on Being Human last year and the online spin-off but if we're in need...

Read More