Sherlock - Series 3 Details

Filming for the BBC ratings juggernaut, Sherlock may not start filming until March but it does seem some more information is leaking about the forthcoming series.

First of all, for those of hoping that perhaps Sebastian Moran may be the main antagonist for the third series, following the death of Andrew Scott's super baddies, Moriarty, it seems this might not be happening. Co-creator Mark Gatiss has stressed in a recent interview that the show is keen to invent some new villains for Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) to deal with it. Personally, while I'm for some newly made baddies, I do hope we do see Moran at some point in the series.

Another important factor into the upcoming series will not only be explaining how Sherlock survived that fall at the end of the last series but also Sherlock himself hiding in plain sight before revealing himself to Watson. Gatiss has mentioned that Sherlock's disguise will be more subtle compared to past incarnations but his latest interviews pretty much confirmed that the opening episode for Series 3 will be The Empty House (or something very much based on it). I just can't wait to see who we get as guest stars for this upcoming series though.

Mark Gatiss Interview: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-30/mark-gatiss-on-new-villains-and-sherlocks-series-3-return
Radio Times Photoshoot: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-02-01/sherlock-stars---exclusive-picture-gallery

Sherlock Series 3 begins filming in March and will air on BBC1 at some point in 2013.

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Soap Discussion - January 2013

Last blog for January but enjoy nonetheless ...

Coronation Street: So it was the wedding from hell with Tyrone and Kirsty. I don't know why but the fact that now the street seem convinced that Tyrone is the abuser in their relationships doesn't seem that shocking. In fact, it's rather unfortunately predictable but it'll only be a matter of time before Kirsty gets her comeuppance though and this storyline (in spite of a needless affair subplot with Tyrone/Fiz) is still the best storyline on the show at the moment. Anything involving Gail's surprising gullibility surrounding Lewis or the bratty Faye just doesn't cut the mustard to be honest. Even the plotline with Sophie and Jenna could be a lot better to be honest.

EastEnders: Well, Dot came back, everyone seems to mostly know about Lauren and Joey, Denise snogged Ray and Ayesha seems to be hot for Masood while Alfie and Roxy are making a go of things despite Kat still being around the Square. Then there's also the Kirsty/Max/Tanya triangle which has been interesting enough and frustrating in equal measures. I actually don't mind Kirsty as a character but I still kind of wish she had been a character brought in who wasn't connected to the Brannings. Speaking of Brannings - how anticlimatic has the (lack of) fallout with Derek's demise been? I never liked the character but I thought killing him off would've made more of an impact. I guess not.

Emmerdale: Not exactly the most exciting of months, was it? Chas seems to be hated by everyone in the village, especially Carl's son who took to stalking her for about a week, Debbie is quickly morphing into her own father with her attitude, Charity and Jai's marital problems aren't exactly making either of them sympathetic and I couldn't be bothered with that whole Alicia/David/Priya triangle either. Overall, a pretty uneventful month for watching the show.

Hollyoaks: I've already covered the bullying plotline with Esther in a previous blog, so you all know that it was the most important plot in this show during this month but there were a few other gripping ones. I'll never like Ste and Brendan as a couple but with the returns of Seamus, Walker and Doug, at least the writers are setting up some interesting plot strands for Brendan's inevitable departure. That being said, I'll be sadder to see Mitzeee go than Brendan, although I've liked their friendship and their scenes together in the last few episodes have been better than Will/Dodger/Texas/Theresa, Bart and Joel's anticlimatic exits and the McQueens plots ranging from financial problems, Mercedes/Browning getting engaged and that embarrassing rubbish when Myra thought she had the 'shadow'.

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An Adventure In Space And Time Casting Announced

With filming for the 90 minute biopic from Mark Gatiss due to start filming, the casting for An Adventure In Space And Time has been announced by the BBC and it's bloody good.

David Bradley will be playing First Doctor actor William Hartnell and his was the first casting announced, leaked by writer Mark Gatiss at the Radio Times covers party last night. Bradley has already appeared on Doctor Who recently, playing the role of ruthless smuggler, Solomon in Dinosaurs On A Spaceship, so it's going to be interesting to see him take on the role of Hartnell for this special.

The role for BBC head of drama's Sydney Newman will be played by Brian Cox, who most fans will remember as playing the Elder Ood from David Tennant's final story, The End Of Time. Newman was instrumental in the show's creation but he wasn't the only influential person working behind the scenes of this show.

There's also Verity Lambert, the show's first female producer back in 1963, who at the age of 27 was responsible for producing the series. She will be played by Call The Midwife's Jessica Raine, who will also be appearing in an upcoming Series 7 episode, rumoured to be titled Phantom Of The Hex.

The last casting announced for now (because casting has yet to be confirmed for William Russell, Carole Ann Ford and Jacqueline Hill) is Sacha Dhawan, best known for his roles in both The History Boys and The Mystery Of Edwin Drood. Dhawan will play director Waris Hussein, the very man responsible for helming the show's first story, An Unearthly Child. The 90 minute special will be directed by Terry McDonough (Breaking Bad) and will be produced by Matt Strevens (Misfits) and being made along with BBCAmerica as well. I have to admit that casting wise, there are some great choices here. I can't wait to see this biopic.

BBC Press Release: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/articles/David-Bradley-to-play-William-Hartnell-in-Celebration-of-Doctor-Who

An Adventure In Space And Time will air on BBC2 around November.

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Game Of Thrones - Season 3 Pictures/Spoilers

It might not be back for over two months but HBO's best television show (sorry, Girls, not you) - Game Of Thrones has released some pictures and videos for the upcoming third season. Warning: spoilers for the upcoming season and the books.

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) has managed to get out of Qarth and assuming that Season 3 remains faithful to the third book, A Storm Of Swords, we'll be seeing Daenerys going to Astapor along with her army and doubting the use of slaves. We definitely know that she'll be getting a new ally in Missandei as well as another love interest in the mix as well.

Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) and Margaerys Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) look quite the couple and while Joffrey seems uncharacteristically sweet to his latest betrothed, don't think his cruelty towards Sansa (Sophie Turner) is going to die down any time soon. It seems that having two women in his life and bed appeals to the little tyrant.

One of the new characters I'm looking forward to in the third season will be Diana Riggs's formiddable Olenna Tyrell - grandmother to both Loras and Margaerys and having read some of her exchanges with Sansa, it's definitely to be interesting to see how of her reputation as the Queen Of Thorns this upcoming season is really going to deliver on. I'm looking forward to any scenes between her and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) as well.

And the other character I'm looking forward to is the rather enigmatic and dangerous, Mance Rayder played by former Rome actor, Ciaran Hinds - a character central to many of Jon Snow's (Kit Harrington) stories in the third season. In terms of promotion, HBO have been giving us some nice behind the scenes looks at the third season, including a rather inspired trailer for Season 3 with the three eyed raven. This new season really can't come quick enough.

Season 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN7e_Oo0Bis
Behind The Scenes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQI8XcxmLfk
Season 3 Pictures: http://www.digitalspy.ie/ustv/s151/game-of-thrones/news/a454011/game-of-thrones-first-look-at-season-three-in-new-pictures.html

Game Of Thrones third season will air on HBO, Sundays at 9pm from March 30th and SkyAtlantic, Mondays at 9pm from April 1st.

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The Vampire Diaries Gets A Spin-Off

You can't be a successful fantasy show nowadays, unless you've got a spin-off or are being remade and it seems that while we're unlikely to see a UK version of Elena/Damon/Stefan etc, we are going to get a spin-off based on one particular character that's been causing them problems for a while.

The Originals - a series featuring Joseph Morgan's relentless vampire, Klaus Mikaelson will focus on him and his family of Originals as they return to the supernatural crucible that is the French Quarter of New Orleans, a town he helped build centuries ago. It will be here where Klaus  is reunited with his diabolical former apprentice Marcel. The show will also feature some human and witch characters, including one named Cami, who seems intrigued to learn what exactly makes someone evil in the first place. The spin-off itself is also rumoured to be co-starring Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley, a werewolf who is also currently appearing in the fourth season of parent show, The Vampire Diaries.

A pilot episode for this spin-off episode, produced by Julie Plec will air as part of the parent show's current fourth season during April (not dissimilar to what ABC did years ago with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice). Season Four's 20th episode will introduce the new characters for fans to see and the series, if picked will air for the 2013-2014 television season. I've got to admit that given that Klaus is my least favourite character, I'm a little hesistant of this spin-off but I like Hayley and if it means getting to see more of her (if not in the parent show), I guess I could give it a whirl. Though, can a character as polarising as Klaus really hold off a spin-off show? On the plus side, it seems that Daniel Gillies will be making appearing on it as Elijah, so there's another incentive to give this one a go.

Press Release: http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/62996/confirmed-elijah-will-be-joining-brother-klaus-originals

The pilot for The Originals will air on April 25th on the CW as part of The Vampire Diaries fourth season. UK viewers should be able to see it shortly afterwards, depending on ITV2's scheduling.

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Being Human - Series 5 Airdate/Cast Pictures & Interviews

Well, the fifth series is finally due as BBC3 decided to get off their backsides and release a trailer and some promotional material for Being Human and it's certainly looking good. So what does the season hold for each of the main characters?

Hal Yorke (Damien Molony): He's still tied up at the start of the series and it seems that Hal getting off the blood is going to be a lot harder, especially with the presence of a new vampire named Crumb (Colin Hoult) around the block as well. Hal will also be getting a job as a Manager at the Barry Grand Hotel when one of the owners takes a shine to him. Also for the most enthusiastic of fans of the OCD vampire, we'll be getting some flashbacks with him as well as developing his continued relationships with both Tom and Alex throughout the six episode fifth year.

Alex Millar (Kate Bracken): She's adjusting to life as a ghost and if anyone thinks she's going to be like Annie, you're mistaken, though Alex has adopted both Hal and Tom as her family now. In the trailer, it definitely seems like her and Hal are having some strong conversations about feelings and she even cheekily kisses Mr Rook (Steven Robertson) on the cheek as well. I am hoping that we actually get to meet her father and brothers at some point in the series but no spoilers so far have indicated that happening.

Tom McNair (Michael Socha): Like Hal, he's got a job at the Barry Grand Hotel but at the same time, when they're not fighting baddies together, it does seem there could be some conflict with both Tom and Hal as well. Also reading on some spoilers, it seems that Alex will be helping make Tom a little cooler around girls and there's rumours from Sci-Fi Now magazine that Allison (Ellie Kendrick) may be returning for an episode as well.

Captain Hatch (Phil Davis): He's the devil! No, really, he is and with Phil Davis playing him, you just know that Hal, Tom, Alex and virtually everyone else (human or supernatural) are basically screwed. It seems that Hatch will go from a decrepit old man residing in the Barry Grand Hotel slowly gaining his foothold over humanity and also throwing things at our supernatural trio without them even knowing it at first. He's the main villain of the season, although Mr Rook, the Men In Grey and Crumb will also be causing problems for our main characters as well.

And here's the main cast shot with Crumb, Tom, Alex, Hal, Captain Hatch and Mr Rook all inside the Barry Grand Hotel (anyone else think it's the same place Doctor Who used for the Whithouse penned episode, The God Complex?). Apparently the first three episodes of the new series have the titles of The Trinity, Sticks And Ropes and Pie And Prejudice. I can't wait to find out what the remaining three episodes will be called but with the rather apocalyptic feel to this upcoming series and the fact that creator Toby Whithouse also seems to penning an upcoming spy drama for the BBC, could Series 5 be the last we see of our new favourite vampire/werewolf/ghost trio? I hope not but it is a possibility though. Also, tiny plug but the US version of Being Human has been picked up by Watch for those who want to give it a whirl.

Series 5 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gk9TmICVJ6o&feature=player_embedded  
Toby Whithouse Introduction/Cast Interviews: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/beinghuman5/

Series 5 of Being Human airs Sundays at 10pm on BBC3 from February 3rd.

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First Look: The Americans

I know I've already done a blog about this show but it's been a while since I've last discussed it and given that American Horror Story has finished up, well The Americans is very much due now ...

The concept for the show has already revealed that Keri Russell (Felicity) and Matthew Rhys (Brothers And Sisters) are playing a band of Russian agents pretending to be an average American couple (Elizabeth and Philip Jennings) but their cover does from a lot of the recent trailers look like it could be blown any minute.

Having watched the trailers quite a bit, I get the impression that in some ways, FX's latest success story (come on - I will be genuinely shocked if this flops) could be something of a mash up of Homeland and Alias and both Rhys and Russell look like they've got tonnes of chemistry to boast as well. This could definitely be one of the most talked about new shows of 2013 and the trailers definitely suggest it's worth getting invested in.

Season 1 Trailer: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/12/the-americans-season-1-2-new-promos.html
Season 1 Credits: http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/01/the-americans-opening-credits-video.html

Season 1 airs Wednesdays at 10pm on FX from January 30th. ITV have bought the rights to the series and will air it shortly after US transmission.

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