Misfits - Series 5 To Be The Last

If you believe in things coming in three, then this news probably won't be a shock to the system. In less than six months, both Merlin and Being Human promptly ended with their respective fifth series and it seems that Misfits is following suit as it's been confirmed that the upcoming fifth year that's being filmed at the moment will be the show's last one.

The upcoming series, comprising of eight more episodes will see the current gang of Abby (Natasha O'Keeffe), Finn (Nathan McMullen), Alex (Matt Stokoe), Jess (Karla Crome) and Rudy (Joseph Gilgun) dealing with the first anniversary of the storm while creator Howard Overman (currently working on upcoming BBC1 Saturday night drama, Atlantis) has promised a glorious ride for our gang who won't be going out quietly.

I can't really say it's much of a shock that Misfits will be ending this year. Like with Being Human and Merlin, I think most of us saw it coming and as fun as the fourth series could be at times, it did seem like the show was running out of steam a bit. I just hope that the upcoming final series we do get the send off  the show deserves though.

Press Release: http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/25057/misfits-confirmed-as-ending-after-series-5

Misfits fifth and final series will air on E4 from Autumn 2013.

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Slay Bells

Yes, this one is a little Christmas themed, but hey, appropriate given that we're a few days away from the big day itself.

American Horror Story: Asylum: I've been loving the sheer craziness of this season and with the Bloody Face reveals, the role reversal with Sister Jude as well as the deadly partnership with both Arden and Sister Mary Eunice but more importantly, Lana really is coming across as our main protagonist, especially with escaping the hands of a madman and even interacting with the angel of death (as did Grace and Jude) and the Christmas episode was certainly a joy to watch with Ian McShane as a deliciously twisted Santa in his own way. I can't wait to see where the last five episodes go.

Glee: Not the greatest selection of episodes. Even I am beginning to think that the show's balancing act between the newbies at McKinley and the old gang isn't working so well. Also, everytime we see someone like Santana, Quinn or Puck, I realise how much I miss them more as characters and it hasn't helped that Marley's eating disorder plotline hasn't been particularly well handled either. And did we really need something else for Kurt to be upset by? I really hope they don't get rid of Burt but I am glad that Blaine has taken a little backseat in the last few episodes.

Him & Her: I've been watching all of the third series (and am looking forward to the Christmas special on Sunday) and this show really has become a lot better than when it first began. Sure, Laura's nastiness has escalated since her pregnancy, Paul's suddenly got a secret life and Steve took a whole six episodes to actually propose to Becky but having the usually shy Shelley verbally annihilate Laura has been one of my favourite moments from the show so far. I don't know if this show will get picked up for a fourth series but I'm starting to hope it will now.

Misfits: This show really has improved. The last few episodes have been inspired and added a renewed sense of fun and mischief in the series, while neatly introducing Abbey who really does work a treat as a character. The finale did kill off Nadine a little too quickly for my liking and it might have been nice to have had more with the four cyclists of the apocalypse but they were better than the tedium of Jess/Alex/Finn and it's nice that Nadine managed to show a softer side to Rudy as well. Looking forward to seeing where this show goes next year.

The Vampire Diaries: I've enjoyed the last set of episodes, even to the point where the idea of an Elena/Damon relationship bothers me far less than it seems to with Stefan and Caroline. On the flip side, while it was nicely have a weirdly gory Christmas episode, would it hurt the show just once to actually have a scheme against Klaus succeed? And the fact that he decided to bump off Tyler's mother only makes me dislike him that tiny bit more but at least April and Hayley managed to get moments to surprise and I'm quite liking the Silas and Jeremy storylines this season as well.

- Rose McGowen has been cast as a younger version of Cora for an upcoming episode of Once Upon A Time.
- Chloe Bennett has become the final cast member added to Joss Whedon's upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. She'll play a superhero obsessed agent named, Skye.
- Showtime's The Vatican will explore the inner workings of the Catholic Church and it's pilot will be directed by Ridley Scott.
-The CW are doing a version of Robin Hood called Sherwood focusing on a female vigilante who teams up with Robin and his Merry Men.
- Fringe's series finale will be simulcast in the UK on Sky1 (1.10am) the same night US viewers can see it on FOX. It airs on January 19th.
- Davis Zayas will be appearing in the upcoming Kevin Bacon series, The Following as Tyson, a former operative who is friends with Bacon's character.
- Rosie O'Donnell will be making a cameo appearance in Smash.
- Oliver Kieron Jones will be playing a love interest for Kurt in the second half of Glee's fourth season. UK viewers can catch the new series at Sundays 8pm on Sky1 from January 6th.

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Misfits - Season 4 Review

With this current series just finished up on E4 and the promise of a fifth run, it's certainly been an interesting year as all our remaining originals have left the community centre and we've gotten four new characters over the course of the fourth year. Warning, there are spoilers.

Episode 1: I hate to admit but I found this opening episode actually quite horrible to be honest. Both Jess and Finn deserved a better introduction than seeing Curtis, Rudy and Seth going mental over a flipping briefcase. On the plus side, the last scene would effortlessly lead into Finn's backstory and aggressive probation worker, Greg is definitely an acquired taste.

Episode 2: Finn's probably my least favourite character of the newbies, so his whole storyline with his controlling girlfriend, Sadie wasn't thrilling but obviously was an improvement on the opening episode. This episode is probably more significant for exiting Seth and introducing sexy barman, Alex though.

Episode 3: A good character episode for Rudy, introducing us to another, more dangerous aspect of the guy but also the building up of Curtis's volatile relationship with the mysterious Lola as well. Importantly, it also gave us something of an insight into Jess as well.

Episode 4: It's the end of the line for the original cast as Curtis left in epic style in this dark and noir-esque episode. I really liked the final moments we got with the character, the reveal of Greg's sexuality as well as the reveal of Lola's whole backstory as well.

Episode 5: Another Finn centred episode (the writers really do love him, don't they?) but actually a rather good one for the character. Probably Finn at his most likeable as well, even if his jealousy over Jess and Alex's growing closeness can be a source of tedium as well.

Episode 6: Really, it's here where this season got so much better. Abbey is a fantastic character and the Killer Rabbit plot, along with Alex's plotline and Rudy meeting the saintly Nadine as well. It's definitely the show at it's subversive best and bizarre as well.

Episode 7: A good episode for Alex and Jess as the former's storyline is resolved and he's seemingly slipped back into his old ways. Rudy's burgeoning relationship with Nadine is rather sweet to watch and we learn that Abbey has no memory of her former life and she learns what happens when you pretend to be on community service.

Episode 8: This show really knows how to do finales and the arrival of overprotective nuns and cyclists of the apocalypse, courtesy of Nadine made sure that this episode was far from boring. Plus, the ongoing plotline with Abbey and Alex's end scene certainly set some interesting things up for the next year.

It's not the show at it's best and unlike Being Human earlier in the year with it's fourth series, Misfits transition from old cast to new cast didn't flow quite as naturally but by the second half of the series, the show certainly bounced back nicely.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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Spending A Storm Together

American Horror Story: Asylum: It's nice that we're not too far behind with US transmission with this show because the second season is pretty enjoyable so far. Narrative wise, I'm not sure where the logic is in having alien invasions, mutants, possessions, sadistic doctors in Arden (who keeps getting repugnant with each episode) and a crazed serial killer but it certainly makes sure the season isn't boring. I will admit though, I do think Jude's backstory was introduced a bit early than needed and the present day sequences add nothing to the show overall but the shocker of Shelly's fate was a moment I didn't see coming. Plus, kudos to Lily Rabe who is clearly having a ball as the possessed and homicidal, Sister Mary Eunice.

Arrow: It's been about five episodes into the series now and so far, it's still pretty in a similar format to Smallville. Not too challenging but amusing enough and I do continue to like Amell's portrayal of both Oliver and Green Arrow in equal measures. The arrival of John Barrowman as the mysterious Well Dressed Man as well in the most recent of episodes has been a good addition as well as the Deadshot storyline as well. Overall, a mostly good string of episodes from the new series.

Glee: Okay, the ratings for the fourth season haven't been great and while I think the idea of Finn running the Glee club is pretty ridiculous, the last two episodes have been entertaining enough, especially the one dedicated to Grease of things. The newbies may not have the same spark as our originals but I found Kitty's version of Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee amusing to the hilt and the return of Santana was a joy to be had as well. I could however do with less of Blaine and Marley feeling sorry for themselves and the forced Ryder/Marley/Jake/Kitty quadrangle and it would be nice if Cassandra's critiques of Rachel's abilities weren't marred with her unbridled hatred for the girl but overall, a good set of episodes.

Misfits: I have to admit as much as I like this show, this series isn't as fun as it used to be. So far, Jess seems to be the only bright spot and while the Lola plotline had some decent twists and turns, I was sad that it was used to write Curtis out in such a tragic way. I expected him to leave but not on such a downer though. It also doesn't help that I'm not really getting into the double act with Rudy and Finn as well. I don't know why but both of them are kind of annoying me this series. Hopefully we get more on the mysterious Alex though.

Some Girls: Ever watch a comedy and wonder how the hell it was commisioned in the first place? Watch five minutes of this show (or the first two episodes if you're a masochist) and you'll find yourself asking that question. An ill-conceived, broadly unfunny female version of The Inbetweeners, this witless sitcom is proof that at times BBC3 really do think their target audiences must be the biggest morons known to man. There aren't any characters in this one, just lazy caricatures with the four ladies - Viva, Saz, Holly and Amber who are just not strong enough leading ladies to make this comedy bearable. With any luck, this either improves or become a one series only show.

The Vampire Diaries: Why can't being a vampire make Elena into a stronger character and person? Six episodes into the fourth season, she's either been close to death or whinged a lot about being a member of the undead that the timely return of Katherine must have been a blessed relief for Nina Dobrev, who at least gets to have fun in that role. The fourth season itself has been okay enough so far but with Connor dead, only small morsels revealed about The Five and Klaus still be a pain in the ass, I can't help but think that this show does need to buck up it's ideas now.

- Both Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue have been cancelled by ABC and will end after 13 episodes each.
- Anna Chlumsky will make a guest appearance in the upcoming Hannibal series. Eddie Izzard will play a crazed inmate in the show as well
- Janina Gavankar has bagged a recurring role as a vice cop on Arrow.
- Lisa Kudrow's series, Web Therapy has been renewed for a third season by Showtime.
- Sky Atlantic will air the second season of Girls the day after HBO airs it. It returns in January 2013.
- Rebecca Mader will be appearing in one of 30 Rock's final episodes in it's last season.
- Amy Acker has expressed an interest in appearing in the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. series.
- Elementary has been awarded two more episodes by CBS, making 24 episodes for it's first season.

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Enter The Asylum

And here's the second TV jumble blog I promised ...

American Horror Story: Asylum: FXUK finally got around to premiering the second season of Ryan Murphy's eerily fucked up horror drama and going from a show about ghosts in a haunted house to a 1960's asylum with sadistic nuns and doctors, alien abductions and a plethora of interesting inmates and plot strands, this show hasn't lost it's edge. Already, I'm compelled by Bloody Face, rooting for our heroes in Kit and Lana, intrigued and horrified by Sister Jude (Jessica Lange on fine form again) and Dr Arden (James Cromwell exuding menace and then some) and being similarly grossed out during some of the more visceral scenes as well. Oh and poor present day couple in Leo and Theresa. One episode in and already they're regretting fooling around in Briarcliff.

Arrow: I just caught the pilot last week and I plan to try and watch the second episode tonight but so far, I am liking this series. If the CW wanted a natural successor to Smallville, they've got it with this show and Stephen Amell does make for a good Oliver Queen/Green Arrow as well. The backstory for Oliver does feel a little similar to what we've seen with Emily in Revenge but not by a whole lot. That being said, watching this opening episode, you can easily see why it's become a big hit for the CW.

Misfits: Like Being Human, I embrace the idea of a new cast and while both newcomers Finn and Jess seem like interesting characters, I really don't think they were well served in an episode like this. The whole plotline with the corrupting briefcase just felt unpleasant and I could've done without an infected Rudy getting hacksaw happy. Plus without Kelly, Seth really doesn't have a point on this show given that he really doesn't bond with either Curtis or Rudy. The new probation officer is interesting and the reveal with Finn at the end did raise an eyebrow from me. Overall, a disjointed opening episode but here's hoping it's a minor blip for the usually excellent show.

The Vampire Diaries: An interesting start to the fourth season. Hopefully though, as a vampire, Elena will eventually get into the groove of things because with the first three episodes, she's needed help and I don't want that to be a repeat plot thread. I do think there was a missed opportunity with the preacher from the first episode and while I still can't stand Klaus's continued presence on the show, at least we still have Rebekah and I'm intrigued by vampire hunter, Connor and The Five. So far, this year has started off rather well.

- Political Animals will not be returning for a second season.
- James D'Arcy and Chloe Sevigny will be appearing in the upcoming series, Those Who Kill.
- Brendan Fraser has quit his role in the upcoming Howard Gordon series, Legends.
- Stephen Merchant's series, Hello Ladies has been picked up for a full run on HBO.
- Michael Madsen and Jennifer Beals will both be appearing Mob Doctor.
- Both Scandal and The Neighbours have received full season orders from ABC.
- Grant Gustin will be reprising his role as Sebastian in a few episodes of Glee's fourth season.
- Hell On Wheels has been renewed for a third season but the creators won't be returning.

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Misfits - Series 4 Airdate Confirmed

Yes, the fourth series of Misfits is finally back on E4 in little more than eight days time and it's definitely all change for the cast with only Joe Gilgun and Nathan Stewart Jarrett being the only non new regulars as both Rudy (x2) and Curtis will be in the fourth series along with newbies, such as telekinesis fella, Finn (Nathan McMullen) and X-Ray vision girl, Jess (Karla Crome).

As for the handsome fella in the cast picture not wearing an orange jumpsuit - well, his name is Alex (Matt Stokoe), he's a barmaid and there's a love triangle of sorts between him, Jess and Finn. Also, according to an interview with SFX magazine with the new cast, we'll learn about Alex's powers and the reasons for his standoffish behaviour throughout the eight part season and this will be a season that also deals with the horsemen of the apocalypse and killer rabbits.

Meanwhile, fresh from his roles in the likes of Being Human and Monroe, Andrew Gower will also be appearing in the series fourth year. According to producer, Matt Stevens, Gower will appear in the fourth episode, playing a character named Jake. No further details have been given about the character but it's nice to see Gower crop up in this show, given how brilliant he was as Cutler this year.

Series 4 Trailer: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/72773897.html
Cast Pictures: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/72644300.html

Misfits Series 4 airs on E4, Sundays at 10pm from October 28th.

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Misfits - Series 4 First Look

And it's that time again where we're getting closer and closer to the upcoming fourth series of Misfits and like a certain show about a vampire/werewolf/ghost, it really is all change for the show ...

Following the departure of Robert Sheehan (Nathan) in an online minisode prior to transmission of the third series, the end of that particular run also saw the departure of Iwan Rheon (Simon) and Antonia Thomas (Alisha) as well as the rather public exit of Lauren Socha (Kelly) off screen as well. This means some new blood and low and behold, that includes Karla Crome (Hit & Miss) as Jess, Natasha O'Keefe (Lip Service) as Abby, Nathan McMullen (Corrie) as Finn and Matt Stokoe (Black Mirror) as Alex.

Not much seems to be revealed about the new lot, except that Alex is good looking but standoffish (and contrary to suspicion) not gay either as well as not being in the community service (but integral to the plot though) while Jess seems to be very similar in tone to Kelly in that she doesn't take crap from anyone else. Finn seems to have a childlike naivety about the world he's in while Abby will join the gang in a later episode. Both Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) and Rudy (Joe Gilgun) are still part of the series as well.

Other spoilers that have emerged for the upcoming fourth year include the fact that we will be getting more mini-episodes, a double act between Rudy and Finn as well as learning how many people the former has slept with through a special power. Elsewhere, Curtis will be getting a new love interest and the gang's families will be factoring more into the new series as well as a new probation worker named Greg (Shaun Dooley) with some anger issues as well as some interesting powers for the gang as well. So, question is - can this show do a Being Human and thrive with the influx of new characters? We'll learn for sure in a few months time, won't we? I hope so because I do like the look of the new cast.

Interview with Nathan Stewart-Jarrett/Iwan Rheon: http://www.afterelton.com/people/2012/07/misfits-iwan-rheon-and-nathan-stewart-jarrett
Series 4 Info: http://e4-misfits.wikia.com/wiki/Series_4

Series 4 of Misfits is due to air on E4 from October.

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Top 40 TV Characters Part 6

And here is the sixth part of this list. I was going to leave it until next week but now seems like a good time to post it.

11: Simon Bellamy (Iwan Rheon) - Misfits

In the first series, he was a weird sociopathic kid who murdered a probation officer (kind of standard in relation to this show) while the second and third series, he became a futuristic hero and had a timey-wimey relationship with Alisha that could outshine the Doctor and River's too. Weirdness aside, Simon was definitely someone you wanted as an ally rather than an enemy.


12: Merlin (Colin Morgan) - Merlin

Merlin has always been an interesting show to watch because for the most part, I've never had a definitive favourite character but for the intent and purpose of this list, I weighed up all the main characters and ultimately found myself picking the title character. What can I say? Merlin the character has for the most part grown throughout the four series we've seen and continues to intrigue at every turn.

13: Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) - Torchwood

Oh, Jack. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if having a spin-off has enhanced the character or sort of ruined him a bit. Jack works better as a more campy action hero than an intense, Doctor-like brooder at times and somewhere between the last two series of Torchwood, I think RTD lost sight of that. Still apart from a certain Time Lord, he's still one of the most unconventional leading male characters on a sci-fi/fantasy programme and that alone means he deserves to be on my list.

14: Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) - Angel

The most unbridled, meanest character on television or at least during her Sunnydale days anyways, though she still had her moments in LA. I'm going to be brutally honest - Cordelia was the best bloody thing about Angel and I hate the fact that we ended up losing her in favour of Spike in the show's last season and similarly uninteresting characters like Eve and Illyria as well. The comics tried a bit to redress the balance but Cordelia was the heart and soul of that show.

15: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) - The Sarah Jane Adventures

No list would be complete without the most iconic companion featuring on it and let's face it - Sarah Jane Smith is a bloody icon. This woman has seen most of the Doctors incarnations, has fought many a monster whilst travelling with the Time Lord and with her own team in Bannerman Road. Elisabeth Sladen may sadly no longer be with us but her iconic character will long live in people's hearts.

Part 7 will be up early next week.

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Misfits - Season 3 Review

Warning: Spoilers alert! You know the drill - you lose a big character, you hopefully can add a new one that will go down a treat. I think after eight weeks it was safe to assume that while Nathan might have left, Rudy more or less filled the void rather nicely.

Vegas Baby: This eight minute little scene pretty much shows us how Nathan actually left the show and it's a nice way of actually writing him out of the mix.

Episode 1: It's the debut of Rudy and he makes quite an impression, especially when we get to see more than one side to him. I'm not sure if the show needed to add a previous history with him and Alisha but it worked rather well and the gang's new powers are interesting enough.

Episode 2: Curtis has gotten some interesting episodes in the past and this was definitely an interesting one, especially when it comes to it's commentary on gender politics. Only this show would handle something like that in such an outlandish way and still do it well.

Episode 3: Okay, I suppose we had to have a comic geek obsessed with superheros at some point and Peter more or less is the epitome of that, right to the point of being a deliberate hindrance to Simon and Alisha as well.

Episode 4: Ooh, it's the Let's Kill Hitler and not succeed one. No, seriously, I know this episode generated mixed reviews but between Kelly and Seth's developing relationship and the former smacking Hitler one, it's actually one of my favourites from the series.

Episode 5: Another Kelly/Seth centred episode, only with the former spending most of the time in a coma. The only thing I learned from this episode more importantly was that it's just not worth the hassle being a probation worker on this show.

Episode 6: Rudy wronged a woman and nearly lost his manhood as a result while Curtis encountered a storyline that really shouldn't happen to a bloke before changing his powers for something else.

Episode 7: Zombie cheerleaders and Seth's not so dead ex-girlfriend. I think we all can guess the inspiration behind this episode but it's certainly amusing, especially for the reasons behind Rudy's aversion to cheerleaders as well.

Episode 8: Remember Rachel, Tony and Sally from the first year? Well, they came back and a series of chaos went down in it's wake. It was a hell of a way of ending this series and it'll be interesting to see where the next one goes as a result.

With impressive ratings and more innovative storytelling, it really does prove that this show can weather virtually any storm and come out the other side. I can't wait to see where the fourth year goes from here.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

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Long Live The Queen

And here's my last TV jumble blog of 2011. Only three more blogs and we'll be in 2012.

American Horror Story: Yeah, I still have a lot more to go with this series but this mid series episode was interesting enough. It was nice (and a little overdue) to get a backstory for Larry and Tate's hatred for Constance seems pretty understandable. Fascinating as she is, Constance is not an easy person to like at all. I also liked the scheming with Moira to save the house from demolition but how many more episodes do we have to go through with Vivian thinking she's carrying a devil child though?

Downton Abbey: I absolutely loved this episode, it might actually be my favourite one so far and while I wish we had seen Sybil, I do love the fact that the whole business with Carlisle/Mary/Matthew and Pamuk debacle is finally out of the way. I'm not a big Mary/Matthew shipper and even I thought the proposal at the end was great. The special managed to justify it's two hour length and used both the Christmas and New Year's backdrop beautifully - plus every character had something worthwhile to do and Violet was on fine form with her barbs. Series 2 might have been shaky at times but this was an excellent return to form. So glad I got into this show after months of resisting it like the plague.

Merlin: As a finale went, this was one of the best ones we've had. Okay, so once again, Morgana lost and got her ass kicked by magic but I did love her confrontations with both Arthur and Gwen at different points in the episode and the last scene where she got a new ally was fantastic. Oh and Agravaine is finally no more - I will not miss that character at all and Gwen as Queen - thank you, show. Series 5 is looking more and more exciting now, isn't it? Even the disappointing handling of Tristan and Isolde didn't deter this episode.

Misfits: Another muchly discussed finale, you can't help but praise this show's ballsy attitude when it comes to the characters. In this finale, we lost two main players but in retrospect, perhaps their exits weren't all that shocking after all, though certainly fantastic to watch. The returns of Sally, Tony and Rachel and even the flashback featuring Nathan however were surprising but effective. It's gonna be interesting to see where this innovative series goes next.

- Rutina Wesley has joined the cast of The Walking Dead. Expect to see her in the second half of Season 2 when the show returns in February.
- While Antonia Thomas and Iwan Rheon have left Misfits, the show has been renewed for a fourth series.
- Lenora Crichlow has apparently hinted that she'll be leaving Being Human after it's fourth series airs on BBC3 next month.
- Julian Fellows Titanic: Blood And Steel has released a trailer. The mini-series will air on ITV in April.
- Helen Mirren has provided a voiceover for the first episode of Glee to air in January. She's voicing a main character's innermost thoughts.
- American Horror Story will have a new cast for it's second season when it returns in 2012 on FX.
- Desperate Housewives eighth and final season will air on Channel 4, Tuesdays at 10pm from January 10th.
- The opening episode for Showtime's new show, House Of Lies has leaked online for viewers to watch.
- Jennifer Carpenter has mentioned she'd like to guest star in Modern Family. Hire her for an episode, producers.
- Channel 4 have the rights to Showtime drama, Homeland and will air it in early 2012.

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