The Day of the Triffids (2009)

I wanted to like The Day of the Triffids, I really did. It looked fantastic, and the effects were amazing for a television two-parter, but... The script wasn't really up to much, and, apart from the wonderful Eddie Izzard's evil (but motivation-less) bad guy, there were no characters I cared much about. 

Joely Richardson was quite good, although she spent a lot of time talking absolute bullshit on the radio or making gasping noises as she escaped from somewhere yet again. Dougray Scott is a charisma-free zone, and I couldn't warm to him in the slightest - in his narration he just sounded bored. Vanessa Redgrave was wasted in a superflous sub-plot that served to pad out a second part that needed more space for its conclusion, and Brian Cox wasn't much better served in his extended cameo. And just what was Jason Priestly's Coker supposed to be doing? He got whipped in the eye by a Triffid at one point, poision clearly clouded his eye, but no more mention was made of it. 

The latter is just one of the dangling plot points: What happened to Coker? What happened to Vanessa Redgrave's naughty nun? How did everyone keep escaping? How did Eddie Izzard survive a plane crash? And most importantly of all - how exactly did squirting Triffid poision in the eyes of the leads help them to just waltz straight passed the massed throngs of killer plants to safety? This last question was key, but no attempt at an explanation was even attempted - I think we were supposed to take Dougray Scott's irritating, repetitive flashbacks as an excuse for the resolution - it didn't help in the slightest. I found myself looking at the clock, seeing they had only 10 minutes left to save the world from Triffid attacks and thinking 'they'd better come up with something quick!' It turns out the best the write could do was an unexplained squirt in the eye followed by a bit of preposterous flim-flam narration about everyone moving to the Isle of Wight, with no suggestion that they could or did kill off the Triffids! How's that for an ending to the conundrum of the Triffids? The characters did absolutely nothing to save the world, they just lived on an island and ignored the problem. This sort of bleak ending may have worked in 28 Days Later, but I actually gave a crap then. 

On the plus side, the Triffids themselves were well designed and creepy. I'm ready to accept that they could move, were different sexes and ate meat, but how did they see where they were going? And how exactly did Vanessa Redgrave's community survive being attacked? Through offering sacrifices to the Triffids? That doesn't seem likely given that understanding the nature of sacrifice would require just that - understanding - the Triffids didn't seem to be blessed with anything other than the urge to kill. 

Given a few more episodes to play with, to allow dangling plotlines to resolve, questions to go answered and characterisation to take place, this would have been good, as it was, it passed the time. And Eddie Izzard was great.

Christmas TV (2009)

Another Christmas, another collection of Xmas TV specials. Here's a run-down of what I watched around the big day this year:

On Christmas Eve there wasn't a lot on, but I was rather excited about Victoria Wood's Midlife Christmas as there's not been a Victoria Wood comedy show on TV in years! It was a mildly amusing affair, never reaching the heights of the As Seen on TV series, and I think it would've been better as a series of different sketches instead of dragging out the Lark Pies to Cranchesterford parody. I was bemused by the gay postman character in this parody, and also by the gay vicar - what was Victoria Wood trying to say? Was she trying to just be inclusive? Neither character sat well with me. Maybe I didn't enjoy it because I'm not in midlife? The best bit was the updated classic song at the end, The Ballad of Barry and Freda (Let's Do It), and any scene with Julie Walters in it.

Our Christmas Day viewing began with Top of the Pops Christmas. Christmas is often synonymous with a sense of disappointment, and what could be more disappointing than having to watch Reggie Yates and the talent-vacuum that is Fearne (I'm feeling bored as I type this) Cotton for the chance to see a bit of music on BBC1. It was quite a good line up this year, a mix of dirge and decent tunes - the later covered by The Saturdays, La Roux, and the fact the X-Factor wasn't number 1. The crap was made up of Robbie Williams and the dodgy dance act Diversity - the first time I've seen them, and they really are poor. 

After TOTP we stood for The Queen, well ok we stayed seated, but I like watching Her Majesty's annual broadcast. I don't know why. I like the royals, maybe that's it? 

The Gruffalo, although supposedly a family/kids treat for Xmas was actually rather enjoyable. Since I'm 25 the book passed me by, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The plot was a lovely, poetic tale, and the animation was wonderfully bright and bold - it looked quite different to Pixar, for example, without coming off as a cheap, kids-TV series. The voice cast were great too, even James Corden suited his role as the mouse. This was a pleasant surprise that I had no expectations of before watching, so perhaps that's the best way to approach these Xmas shows.

There was a LOT of expectation over the Xmas Doctor Who, the penultimate episode to feature David Tennant as the eponymous Doctor. After a beginning in which the Master escaped through the use of some unintelligible mumbo-jumbo that I'm not entirely convinced by, I allowed my disbelief to suspend itself almost to breaking point! The rest of the episode was top notch - the X-ray skeleton-like effects used on John Simm's the Master were scary, June Whitfield was delightful, and Bernard Cribbins continues to be the heart of the show, weirdly enough. The climax, with the Master having created a genuine Master race was thrilling! I just hope that the concluding part on New Year's Day will resolve everything satisfactorily, as Doctor Who has the habit of setting up an amazing evil before defeating it incredibly swiftly and/or conveniently. We'll see. 

During the making and eating of chicken sandwiches we watched the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas. I wouldn't have watched this if I hadn't somehow got into the non-festive edition 3 or 4 weeks ago - I even watched the entire 2009 finale last week. I've usually been against these populist reality shows, but I realised that there was actually a lot of skill and humour involved in Strictly and I enjoyed the shows I've seen. The Christmas programme was as camp as, well, the proverbial, and a nice time to spend while having tea.

The Royle Family special turned out to be hilarious and pitch perfect, as the recent specials have tended to be. Moving outside of the Royle's living room has done wonders for the series, allowing Caroline Ahern to expand her explorations of this very British family to a caravan holiday in the Pearl of Prestatyn this year. We cringed as the Royle's sang along to the theme tune to The One Show, as we do exactly the same thing! Although we then tend to switch off. This was one of the highlights of Christmas Day's offerings, the cast are all just fantastic, and it was great to see the return of Ralf Little and Jessica Hynes to the show. I can't wait for the next special! 

Following a non-festive Gavin & Stacey (which I'll cover when the series ends) we stayed awake for Catherine Tate: Nan's Christmas Carol. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I found the Catherine Tate Show tailed off as it went along over its 3 series, but again I was pleasantly surprised at how funny and well-plotted this special was. And it really was a special - Catherine Tate was a joy to watch (as she was in Doctor Who, earlier in the evening) and the ghosts that visited Nan were hilarious - Ben Miller as an inept ghost of Xmas past, Roger Lloyd Pack as a non-scary ghost of Xmas yet to come, and the best of all, an uber-camp, uber-Scottish turn from David Tennant (whose never off the screens this year) as the ghost of Xmas present. An absolute cracker!

And finally, after a day of watching BBC1, on Boxing Day we watched Harry Hill's TV Burp Review of the Year on ITV1. Maybe not quite as comprehensive, offensive or funny as Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe Review of the Year, it was still essential viewing. And the only programme worth viewing on ITV1 all Xmas - no wonder the BBC won the ratings war. I think the very worst programme ever made was shown on ITV1 on Boxing Day - Ant & Dec's Christmas Show. I didn't watch it, and I wouldn't, even at gunpoint, for the guests included: Piers Morgan, Amanda Holden, Robbie Williams, and I'm sure there was someone else, but my brain is crying out for mercy at having to think about this dross. 

There are a few more shows to look forward to our the Xmas / New Year period, including the concluding parts of Doctor Who and Cranford, the Outnumbered special, and Hamlet, but they're for another day and another post or two.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Since 'tis the season and all that we watched the non-more festive The Muppet Christmas Carol today. Naturally I've seen it  before, and it's only now after reading the entry on Wikipedia that I realised I wasn't going mad. I remembered a ballad that was sung by the young Scrooge and his fiancé from the last time I watched it (on video), but there was no such scene here (on DVD)! Turns out the song was chopped from the theatrical release, put back into the video release, and then chopped out of the (Region 2 ) DVD again! Humbug!

Anyway, that aside, I enjoyed the movie lots. Watching it as an adult I was surprised as to how much this version of the story adheres to Dickens' original, right down to quotes from the text. Impressive from something that could have been just a collection of half-arsed Christmas Carol cliches as several versions I've seen are guilty of. There's much to enjoy here - the Muppets are as hilarious as ever, and Michael Caine is genuinely moving in his portrayal of Scrooge. I think it's a brave move for the film's makers to sideline such Muppet greats as Miss Piggy and Fozzie to supporting roles and concentrate so much on the human Scrooge. The three 'new' Muppets who appear as the ghosts of Christmas past, present and yet to come are effective, especially the latter, a terrifyingly mute vision in black. 

This movie ranks up there with the greats - The Great Muppet Caper, Muppet Treasure Island, and It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie! I can't wait for Christmas day, for more Muppet-filled fun when Andrew opens his presents...!

True Blood: Season 1 (2008)

Last night Spooks ended its 8th series, while True Blood's 1st season came to a conclusion - with another cliff-hanger! Hopefully, since the USA got the 2nd season this year, Channel 4 might get round to showing it sooner rather than later? Wishful thinking I suppose.

I'd heard about True Blood months before it came to terrestrial TV in the UK, mostly because I'd seen many shots of Ryan Kwanten wearing, well, bugger all! So naturally, I was curious about the show, and more so when I learned it was a HBO production. That explained the copious nudity too. 

After an initial slow-burn of 2 or 3 episodes, which seemed to leave plotting at the expense of exposition by way of explaining this show's vampire lore. That's not to say that the first few episodes were boring, just that by contrast, the rest of the season featuring more exciting incidents and plotting. It made sense to set out what happens to vampires in True Blood as opposed to, say, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here the vampires are a lot bloodier, more 'realistic' (if possible), and as a few episodes later proved, a lot messier when killed. 

I like that True Blood doesn't just confine it's supernatural leanings to vampires, and includes a telepath and a shapeshifter - the revelation that Sam, who I'd assumed was the obvious killer, can turn into a dog was handled brilliantly and made for some great comic moments with Sookie. It's impossible not to see the parallels that are made between vampires and how they're treated by human society and the way the experiences of gay society and the prejudices it faces. This isn't a new parallel, but it's explored a lot more in True Blood than in anything I've seen before, I guess since Alan Ball, the creator, is gay himself. It's a shame that the stand out gay character in season 1, Lafayette, is a bit underused though. 

Andrew gave up watching True Blood with me as he'd had enough of vampires on TV and movies lately, and I can understand what he means, they do seem to be everywhere. True Blood is more than just a vampire show though, as with many HBO dramas the setting (like the wild west in Deadwood, or funeral home in Six Feet Under) serves as a jumping off point for explorations of the complex characters and their relationships. I found Tara's relationship with her alcoholic mother more intriguing than Sookie and Bill's 'romance', and the former had no real supernatural elements (turns out the exorcism was fake). Actually, I found Bill to be a bit of a bland vampire, because as Angelus proves, vamps are much more interesting when they're evil.

I'm keen to see the 2nd season of True Blood now, even if just to find out where exactly Lafayette has got to - and what made Sookie and Tara scream so much when they saw the body in Andy's car?!

Spooks: Series 8 (2009)

I think I can confidently say that Spooks is the best drama that the BBC currently produces. And now I've got to wait a whole damn year to find out what has happened to Ros and Lucas! Aargh! Nearly every year Spooks does this to me, leaves me with a massive cliff-hanger and then waits months (during which time I've usually forgotten the circumstances of the last episode) to resolve it. But I keep going back every series, it's like a drug! 

Last series, when they killed off the beautiful Adam (Rupert Penry-Jones) I thought Spooks would never be the same. Hermione Norris' Ros, a stone-cold bitch in earlier series, turned out to be an icy, dry-humoured revelation when she took over from Adam, and she's easily the best thing about the show, although Harry Pierce (Peter Firth), stalwart head of MI5 since series 1 runs a very close second. Spooks has a difficult job when it kills of it's leads when it comes to filling their shoes - it took me a little while to warm to Richard Armiage's Lucas North, but now he's as integral to the show as Malcolm. Oh wait - Malcolm retired earlier this series!! Actually I've not missed him as much as I thought I would, probably because I'm distracted by his replacement's beautiful eyes. Tariq (Shazad Latiff) was introduced quickly and it's testament to the writing on Spooks that he feels like he's been there for years. Ruth (Nicola Walker) came back this year too, for more frustrated flirting with Harry, and I guess to replace poor Jo (Miranda Raison) who never really reached her potential as a spy - she should have been chief of section some day! 

Spooks always keeps me gripped from start to finish - even when I've no idea what's going on, which can be frustratingly often! I love the preposterousness of some of the situations and dialogue, and can't help a small chuckle every week when Harry declares that if they don't solve this week's disaster the UK will be a third world country, or there will be World War III! Of course it's ridiculous that this same handful of characters can save Britain from ruin so often, but it's hard to care about such inaccuracies when the stories and the characters are this good. Where Spooks wins out over other dramas is that none of the characters are safe - lead characters can be killed off in any episode, deaths are not just saved for episode finales as Jo and Adam would tell you. Well they would, if they hadn't been shot and blown up, respectively. This means that when the spies are put in harms way, you genuinely fear for them - unlike in The X-Files for example, where you know Mulder isn't going to die mid-way through a season (well, bad example, 'cos he died a couple of times, and had a funeral mid-way through season 8, but anyway...). 

I hope that if they ever decide to get rid of Harry that Spooks will end then too, because all though it has survived many a cast change over the years, Spooks without Harry would be like Ugly Betty without Betty or Ashes to Ashes without Gene Hunt. It's going to be a long wait to find out whether Ros and Lucas are still alive... And I'd better not find out that Harry was killed in that explosion or I'll have to give up watching. 

Screenwipe Review of the Year (2009)

As promised at the end of my last post the last show I watched was Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe Review of the Year on the BBC's iplayer. It was a hilarious round up of the weird and weirder bits of telly that have mostly found their way into Charlie's Screenburn column this year. Most of the shows I've never seen, and for good reason - a lot were either from ITV1/2 or the depths of the digital channels, and I'm a snob when it comes to both. I think ITV puts out some truly awful programming, which the 'general public' seems to love, eg Britain's Got Talent, The X-Factor, I'm a Non-Entity Get Me Out Of Here. I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than sit through these. There's only a small number of watchable ITV shows, with Harry Hill's TV Burp at the top of the list. Anyway, Charlie has a great way of deconstructing these shows with a healthy dose of cynicism that I can appreciate. 

Rather than review a review show, I thought I'd take the chance to think about what I look for and like in the TV shows, movies, etc that I've experienced this year. I've thought about it, and in writing these reviews for my blog I keep returning to familiar touchstones. 

So these are the things that most of the cultural stimulus I observe/experience share:

1. Humour - hard to define but integral to most of my viewing pleasure
2. Heart - I want to care for characters, to feel something while I watch
3. Intelligence - I don't like to be insulted, I want to be made to think
4. Involvement - linked to heart and intelligence, I don't like to be a passive viewer, hence the blog I suppose
5. Hotties - I appreciate an attractive guy or two to satisfy my shallower side
6. Homos - gay themes and characters intrigue me and I like it when they're part of the experience

Those factors are often what drive me when I'm finding something new to watch (or read), whether it be a comedy or a drama, science fiction or animation. Not everything I experience involves the above aspects, but the more a show/movie has, the more I like it. For example: Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives are massive favourites of mine, and they easily fit into every single category above. 

I'm thinking about doing my own review of 2009, but I always think it's a bit premature to do one in December, after all, the year's not over yet and, judging by the Radio Times, there should be a few gems to come over the Xmas period.

Comedy panel shows in 2009

I’m a fan of a comedy panel show or two, as the list of those I’ve watched this year illustrates. I love to laugh, and due to the dearth of really good (new) sitcoms on TV the best place to find something to tickle my funny bone is usually to be found in the format of a panel show, whether dedicated to current events, music, polls, TV, or trivia. All of the shows below share the ability to have me laughing out loud, and there can be no greater joy than that I reckon. I can’t review everything about these series, as the joy of them is often transient due to the topical nature of the panel show, but here’s what I like about each:

Have I Got [A Bit More] News For You (Series 37 & 38)

I always try to watch the extended edition – I like the fluffed lines and the extra material, it all adds to the experience, although sometimes a tighter show can be an improvement it’s not often the case. It’s amazing how long the show has been running, and it has the occasional dip in quality, but these last two series have been great. Paul Merton and Ian Hislop complement each other nicely – Paul with his out-there observations and Ian with his rants about politicians or obliviousness to popular culture have me in stitches. The guest presenters format works well too, for the most part, although there hasn’t been a Bruce Forsyth or a Boris Johnson this time to really shake things up and provide something extra special. I enjoy the topical aspect of HIGNFY, and I learn a lot from it, but I think they get most of their stories right out of The Week magazine, which I read!

Never Mind the Buzzcocks (Series 23)

Another panel show oldie, unlike HIGNFY, Buzzcocks is rather patchy, particularly in this recent series now that Simon Amstell has left presenting duties to a random selection of guest presenters. The first show started the series on a poor note with James Cordern in the host’s chair. Now I like Gavin & Stacey, but Cordern on his own is just not funny. Thankfully the series improved with Claudia Winkleman and Frankie Boyle presenting, yet I don’t think it’s as good as it once was. Phill Jupitus is always reliable, however too much time each show is devoted to Noel Fielding and his bizarre sense of humour. And by bizarre I mean, hit and miss. Come back, Bill Bailey! The Doctor Who special is freshest in my mind – what was Catherine Tate on?? She was hilarious though. Buzzcocks needs better musical guests too, and more emphasis on the quiz, less on the crappy guests. Or perhaps it needs to end before it all goes to crap the way They Think It’s All Over did.

8 Out of 10 Cats (Series 8)

This is one of the few non-BBC panel shows I bother with, and it’s only really good when it’s not on at the same time as HIGNFY or Mock the Week as they tend to cover the same stories! Sean Locke is the best thing about Cats, and he always has been, although I’ve grown to like Jimmy Carr a lot more over the series. Jason Mansford I can take or leave. Cats is one of the few shows where I don’t mind if I miss the odd one or two, perhaps I wouldn’t like it as much if Sean Locke was somewhere else on TV, like doing another series of 15 Storeys High.

Mock the Week (Series 7)

The focus of Mock the Week is heavily on comedy, and it’s really just an excuse to let some of the best, and newest, stand ups to do their thing. The quiz show element takes a back seat as Dara O’Briain awards points for the funniest performers rather than right answers. Dara himself is fantastic, Hugh Dennis has the occasional sparkle, and Andy Parsons cracks me (and seemingly the studio audience) up with his manner before he even opens his mouth. I’m less keen on Russell Howard who I think of as the class clown who’s always trying to get attention with his funny voices and quirky/irritating comedy stylings. My favourite is usually the miserabilist that is Frankie Boyle, although lately he’s been a bit over exposed, what with his appearances on Buzzcocks, Would I Lie To You and You Have Been Watching, to name just those I can remember. Next series there will be no Frankie though – hopefully they won’t get smug-faced Michael MacIntyre to fill his place. Frankie’s very-very-very close to the bone observations have me cringing or in open-mouthed awe at what he gets away with, before eliciting laughs. I do believe there’s no subject that should be off limits to comedy, and Frankie tests those limits almost to breaking point! I think they should cut the panel down to 2 on each team next series and rotate Russell Howard out, and then the weekly guests get more of a chance to get a word in. There have been many great guests on Mock the Week, but I can never remember their names.

QI (Series F & G) 
I can’t believe QI is already up to G, and that there are still 19 series left to go! At this rate I’ll be in my mid-40’s when they get to Z, and I don’t like to think how old Stephen Fry and Alan Davies will be! QI is one of the few shows (and HIGNFY is another) that informs as much as it entertains, it doesn’t dumb down and revels in its intelligence. It also manages to get some fantastic guests and shows a different side to them, allowing them to show off their knowledge. Some of my favourites are Sean Locke, Bill Bailey, Jo Brand, Rob Brydon, Sandi Toksvig, Ben Miller and the late, great Linda Smith. I’m always astounded at the knowledge that Stephen Fry can retain, and I’m never sure if he’s reading his answers from the cue cards or whether he’s drawing on his own vast stores of information.

Would I Lie To You? (Series 3)

Now that Rob Brydon is presenting Would I Lie To You it has swiftly become one of my favourite comedy shows on TV. It’s basically Call My Bluff, but the lies are more far ranging than definitions of words. David Mitchell makes this show unmissable with his curmudgeonly manner and tendency to get rather excited about certain issues. Lee Mack’s great too, I especially like it when he’s given preposterous lies to run with. They’ve had some random but good guests, such as Ken Livingston, Reginald D. Hunter, and the panel-show stalwart, Jamelia, who I adore on these series.

You Have Been Watching (Series 1)

I’m not sure if this is a panel show really, but Charlie Brooker’s sort-of-quiz on some of the weirdest TV on the box has most of the ingredients, including a trio of celebrity guests. I’m a big fan of Charlie Brooker and he’s been on a few of the above shows lately too. My first encounter with his masterful wit was his Screenburn column in The Guardian. Unfortunately I’ve not seen many of his BBC4 Screenwipe series, what I have seen has been just fantastic. He deservedly won a best newcomer award at the Comedy Awards this year and I can’t wait for the next series – first there’s a Screenwipe special to catch on iPlayer.