Dan's Media Digest

DOCTOR WHO, 7.13 – 'The Name of The Doctor'

2013-05-19T10:30:00.000+01:00

His stories aren't perfect, but Steven Moffat has so much confidence and ostentatiousness as a storyteller I can't resist his tent-pole episodes. A few stretches of "The Name of The Doctor" even made actual sense, until Moffat wanted to wring something extra from a scene and it resulted in the usual sense of illogic.

It's always been the case that Moffat's brain buzzes with big, bold ideas. You can sense the joy of them being realised on television. As big finales go, it doesn't beat "The Big Bang" because series 5's pay-off was tighter and the emotions felt purer, but this certainly a vast improvement over the cluttered and ludicrous "Wedding of River Song". It helped that it was tackling huge issues of mythology, which is like catnip to Whovians—so not only were we being forever teased by the possibility of The Doctor (Matt Smith) revealing his real name, but we also had the mystery of Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) to resolve, and a climax taking place in The Doctor's own tomb on the volcanic planet of Trenzalore...

If you were watching this episode expecting to be rewarded with The Doctor's name then you obviously don't understand the joy of that perennial enigma, or realise that any writer would never dare risk ruining a core part of the character. So no, we didn't learn The Doctor's name here, although it was fun to be reminded that he'll be known by future "names" (The Beast, Storm, The Valeyard) over the coming aeons. The way that Moffat teased us with The Doctor's moniker was good fun, because it never felt like a torturous cheat. I especially liked the moment River Song (Alex Kingston) must have said his real name in order to open the antediluvian TARDIS, but we couldn't hear her because she was psychically linked to Clara.

The mystery of Clara was half-explained in the frenzied teaser, before we came to fully understand how this 'Impossible Girl' could have been reincarnated across Time to interact with all incarnations of The Doctor. I even bought into the nature of how this happened, with Clara entering the Doctor's "remains" (a vertical scar across Time & Space, crackling away like a lightning storm in the centre of the ancient TARDIS console room), and erased the damaging efforts of the Dr Simeon (Richard E. Grant) in rewriting The Doctor's entire history for the worse. It's just a shame this whole notion stretched the limits of what the budget could achieve, because there were some rather laughable special effects shots of Jenna-Louise Coleman digitally-inserted into classic Who episodes. Still, the idea itself was rather wonderful in the show's 50th year, and was perhaps worth the chintzy treatment just to see the moment The First Doctor (William Hartnell) stole a defective TARDIS from Gallifrey. Who knew they resembled metal pillar boxes as a default?

The idea of Trenzalore being The Doctor's final resting place also lived up to the location's hype over the past few years, and it was beautifully brought to life as a hair-raising graveyard. Having the TARDIS itself become The Doctor's tomb, enlarged to enormous size on the outside due to a malfunctioning brought about by age, was also a really nice idea. It reminded me of what stars do after billions of years; expanding to enormous size.

However, this episode wasn't entirely successful in all respects. Victorian trio Madame Vastra (Neve MacIntish), Jenny (Catrin Stewart) and Strax (Dan Starkey) get less appealing with every appearance, having peaked in "The Snowmen", and at times it felt like they were only involved because it would help fill time. After all, when you reflect on events, the core storyline was surprisingly straightforward for a Steven Moffat instalment, which was part of the reason it worked so well. Although there were still a few areas that weren't fully explained, or were wilfully incomprehensible. It made a loose sense that River Song could be in psychic contact with Clara after their initial meeting (although she wasn't asleep, which Vastra told us was a requirement), but quite how The Doctor could see River is anyone's guess.

The return of saturnine Dr Simeon, possessed by The Great Intelligence, was a welcome one; mostly because I love Richard E. Grant in this role. Doctor Who has worryingly few villains that are just good actors doing a 'boo-hiss baddie', so it's a treat whenever one gets the chance to lock horns with The Doctor. And speaking of The Doctor, Matt Smith was very good throughout this episode, because it was a story that reduced his clownish antics to a brief scene playing blind man's bluff, and then gave him serious matters to contend with. I wish Smith was being given more storylines like this, where he gets the chance to emote and push himself into some darker areas. It's great he can shift gears, but a pity less writers seem willing to give him reason to.

Finally, the top secret ending was curious. It appears to reveal that an incarnation of The Doctor (the twelfth and final one?) is the "secret" the Time Lord will take to his grave. It's all too hazy to discuss with much authority right now, but will clearly form the linchpin of the 50th anniversary special. My rough prediction is that John Hurt is a future incarnation who make a bad decision in he name of "peace and sanity" that goes against The Doctor's ethics, so November's feature-length adventure will involve The Doctor having to vanquish a future incarnation with the help of a past incarnation (David Tennant). This will likely result in Moffat using the anniversary year to alter Who mythology and give The Doctor a fresh cycle of twelve regenerations, thus securing the show for another half-century, but that's a pure guess on my part.

Overall, "The Name of The Doctor" was a great finale once you accept some baffling aspects that don't withstand scrutiny, and accept that some things will be explained in future stories. (Well, we hope--not everything does.) The core sweep of the story and explanation of Clara's "immortality" worked well—even if it was essentially a better version of the series 1 finale when Rose Tyler was likewise scattered across time and could 'undo' the Daleks. Fans will have loved the many nods to the show's past, and it was clever of Moffat to have nipped some fan objections in the bud by using this penultimate episode to involve all the classic Doctors (through CGI, old footage, and body doubles). Oh, and the eyeless 'Whisper Men' were underused but marvellously scary on a visual level.

written by Steven Moffat / directed by Saul Metzstein / 18 March 2013 / BBC1

There is no 'Next time...' preview this week, but I thought you'd like to read this piece Steven Moffat wrote for The Guardian thanking fans for not spoiling the finale's surprises. If you're not already aware, the series 7 Blu-ray was accidentally sent to a couple hundred US fans a week early, but the international fan-base successful kept spoilers off the internet (unless you really went looking...)
As a thank you to fans for keeping the finale's secrets safe, the BBC released footage of Matt Smith and David Tennant talking about Doctor Who's impact on their careers, in-between filming scenes for the 50th special. Enjoy!

Letterboxd: MACGRUBER (2010)

2013-05-18T16:36:00.000+01:00

I've signed up to Letterboxd, which is a "social network for sharing your taste in film"; which basically means it lets people review, rate, and keep track of all the films they watch.

I encourage you to follow me there, or else follow me on Twitter where I'll be posting links to future Letterboxd reviews. Alternatively, you may have noticed a widget in the left sidebar of DMD, where I'll list my five most recent Letterboxd reviews.

By means of a special preview for people too lazy to click a link (they exist), below is my inaugural Letterboxd review of 2010 spoof comedy MacGruber:

My hope for an AUSTIN POWERS-style discovery of a comedy classic everyone ignored at the cinema was short-lived, with this laborious and unfunny '80s action hero spoof. Based on a Saturday Night Live character parodying MacGyver, Will Forte plays the eponymous hero who's called back into action, RAMBO III-style (or HOT SHOTS II-style?), to stop a terrorist played by Val Kilmer—whose name, Dieter Von Cunth, is probably the cleverest thing about this lame comedy.

Forte gurns and yells his way through a storyline that runs out of good jokes after 20-minutes, before the plot gives out 10-minutes later. It was a struggle to stay awake an hour in. Ryan Phillipe gives the film's best performance as MacGruber's reluctant sidekick, but all of its best moments are in the trailer, and the writing gets little mileage out of doing for '80s action cinema what AUSTIN POWERS did for '60s spy thrillers.

It doesn't even have a firm grip on its lead character; who's introduced as an all-American hero with the medals to prove it, but spends the entire movie being inept and infuriating the boss who lauded him. It's like a PINK PANTHER movie if Commissioner Dreyfuss went looking for the retired Clouseau, and had somehow forgotten what a clutz he is.

A weak SNL movie, which I guess is upholding a tradition rarely broken.

Trailer: CBS's INTELLIGENCE

2013-05-18T14:47:00.001+01:00

Here's the trailer/promo for CBS spy-fi drama Intelligence, about an ex-Navy SEAL implanted with a microchip that gives him a mental link to the worldwide information grid (i.e. the internet, WiFi, telephone and satellite data.) "Six Million Dollar Man for the information age" is how it's being sold, but it also feels like a straight dramatic version of NBC's Chuck. Josh Holloway's a good pick for the lead, but his character doesn't 'pop' in this trailer like Sawyer did on Lost.

It'll also be interesting to see how this show operates, because on most spy shows the hero needs other characters to be his 'eyes and ears' from a surveillance van parked close by, but Holloway's character has less need for that type of backup. Incidentally, I much prefer these types of promos, that have cast/crew 'talking heads' simply telling us what the show's about, with clips giving us a flavour and feel of things.

Intelligence premieres early-2014 as a mid-season replacement on CBS.

Trailers: Showtime's DEXTER (season 8) and Fox's SLEEPY HOLLOW

2013-05-18T10:00:00.000+01:00

After yesterday's blog about an effective 'Masterpiece' promo I enjoyed, Showtime have released the official trailer for Dexter's final season. It's a little bit spoiler-y and suggests some avenues the show may ultimately take to resolve itself. There appears to be a lot of character-based content for Dex and Deb this year, following the climax of season 7 (which is both appropriate and great to see), but not a lot else to get excited about... beyond the fact this show is building towards a definite ending, which is exciting in itself.

Of all the trailers that have been released for US network Upfronts presentations, I feel like I have to write about the one for Fox's Sleepy Hollow. God, this looks insane! Adapting Washington Irving's famous ghost story for television struck me as a difficult task, but the ways in which they've "broadened" the idea are plain ludicrous...

Ichabod Crane now travels 250-years into the future, to fight a resurrected Headless Horseman, who may actually be one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Oh, and Ichabod's now part of a mystery/prophecy that can be explained by reading President Washington's diary, National Treasure-style? I don't know what to say.

Only, here's the thing: the production on Sleepy Hollow looks first-rate, I already like Tom Mison as the English-accented hero, and he appears to have a nice rapport with Nicole Beharie as the town's modern-day black Sheriff. So there are positives here, based on the trailer. I've always liked the idea of historical characters finding themselves in the future too, because the reverse happens far too often to remain interesting. (It's just a worry this trailer already suggests Ichabod quickly adjusts to the extreme culture shock.)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Sleepy Hollow looks like stupid fun, but will likely struggle to keep going past a dozen episodes. I have a funny feeling I'm going to enjoy Mison/Beharie together as a potential romantic pairing and 'ghostbusters', but wish they were in a TV show with a concept that makes more sense, that you can visualize lasting five seasons or more.

Teaser: DEXTER - the final season

2013-05-17T17:58:00.000+01:00

How do you want to be remembered?

The eighth and final season of Showtime's Dexter is a little over a month away, so the publicity machine is awakening. We've already had a few brilliant posters (embedded below) but here's a clever promotion selling the idea of Dexter Morgan leaving a legacy. It's also a nice reminder of how enjoyable this show's been, for the most part. Yes, it made the unfortunate error of sticking to a successful formula for too long (i.e. Debra should have been made aware of her brother's homicidal tendencies around season 5), but I was very happy with the season 7's repair job. It'll be a challenge to end Dexter in a way that's both satisfying and surprising (haven't fans guessed every possible outcome by now?*), but I just hope the last leg of this show is a thrilling one.

Dexter returns 30 June. ( * I still think it should end with Dexter on Death Row, but considered a 'folk anti-hero' by the majority of the city's population. Anyone agree?)

HANNIBAL, 1.8 - 'Fromage'

2013-05-17T10:00:00.000+01:00

This show is already very serialised, but "Fromage" almost felt like a third part of the "Entrée"/"Sorbet" two-parter, continuing the idea that Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) is consumed by loneliness and sees a chance of real friendship with Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), who can adopt his perspective but is different enough to be of interest. The 'killer-of-the-week' storyline also got closer than ever before to Lecter's secret life, as his idolising patient Franklin (Dan Fogler) revealed his friend Tobias (Demore Barnes) recently spoke of playing someone's neck like a musical instrument, before a trombonist was found with the neck of a cello rammed down his throat in order to play his vocal chords. Yeah, icky.

Lecter helped Will realise the murder was a weird "serenade" to a fellow killer, while knowing the culprit is a Baltimore music teacher called Tobias; who's trying to get Hannibal's attention of. And it worked, leading to a compelling episode where Lecter made the acquaintance of a fellow psychopath and potential friend, but through therapy with Dr Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson) came to realise that Will's the person who stands the greatest chance of peering over the psychological wall he's built to protect himself. Of course, we know from the books and movies that when this does happen, friendship is not the outcome.

"Fromage" was a joy from start to finish. I particularly like how Hannibal remains sharp and intelligent without being too opaque and pretentious. It's not a dumb show, by any stretch of the imagination, but it has a great way of taking viewers on a journey while giving them just the right amount of information to inspire deep thought. There are always lots of little touches I really enjoy; like Lecter's plea that Tobias not kill Franklin during their dinner together (showing he does have a degree of fondness for his hero-worshipping client?), even though he's eventually forced to snap Franklin's neck when the situation with Tobias gets out of hand.

Dexter has done similar storylines where two serial killers become aware of each other, leading to a cat-and-mouse game—first with the Ice Truck Killer first season, but perhaps most notably when Dexter encountered John Lithgow's 'Trinity Killer' (which was a season also about friendship)—but Hannibal briskly covered much of the same ideas in a fraction of the time.

During the climactic fight sequence between Lecter and Tobias in his office, I was taken by how the show didn't take the lazy option and present its famous anti-hero as a 'superman' for whom Tobias was little more than a pest. Indeed, Tobias had the upper-hand for much of their painful-looking brawl, and it took a great deal of effort and luck for Lecter to eventually walk away victorious.

Besides this week's odd Lecter-Franklin-Tobias triangle, we also had more scenes where it's becoming clear Will's beginning to lose his mind (imagining the sound of distressed animals, hallucinating the dead Garrett Jacob Hobbs), and even the BAU's experts are starting to exchange worried looks about his mental state. This was also the episode where Will made a move on Dr Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas), who attracted Lecter's affections only last week. Upon being told of their kiss, Lecter was quick to rationalise it as Will's mind seeking stability, which certainly sound feasible... but maybe Dr Lecter's trying to dismiss the fact his potential "best friend" is making moves on his potential "girlfriend", which could cause some problems in their relationship. A weird love-triangle is starting to take shape.

Overall, "Fromage" was a fantastic episode, and one I keep replaying choice moments of in my head: the mesmerising performance of The Unit's Demore Barnes as the sicko musician who makes violin strings from human guts (whom we actually met last week, but I'd forgotten); the tete-a-tete between Lecter and Tobias over dinner, trying to figure each other out over a meal; and the mention that Dr Du Maurier retired after a patient attacked her (and she killed him?) Right now, the only thing about Hannibal that's beginning to bother me--only slightly--is the occasionally incessant soundtrack, which sometimes drowns scenes that need to breathe more. (Although this may be because I don't get to hear a 5.1 sound-mix, so it may very well sound more nuanced on DVD).

written by Jennifer Schuur & Bryan Fuller / directed by Tim Hunter / 17 May 2013 / NBC

Everybody loves Riddick, right? A defence.

2013-05-16T11:30:00.000+01:00

1999's Pitch Black was an inventive sci-fi actioner that introduced us to Vin Diesel, who mostly failed to capitalise on that promising start as a Hollywood action hero. I know he's part of the Fast & The Furious movies, which have somehow become box-office dynamite, but he only rejoined that franchise after solo projects xXx and Babylon A.D flopped at the box-office. And that's a pity, because I really like Diesel as an action star. He has a gravelly voice that could give Satan the willies, and is muscular without being too much of a Schwarzenegger-style cartoon.

More than that, I love the anti-hero character of Riddick he's played in the aforementioned Pitch Black and its poorly-received 2004 sequel The Chronicles of Riddick: a bald convict who can see in the dark, constantly hunted by bad-ass bounty hunters, whom we learned in Chronicles is the galaxy's last Furyan.

What sets me apart from the majority of people is my geek-love for Chronicles of Riddick, which wasn't considered a hit at the cinema (costing $120m and raking in around $115). I just don't get why more people don't like this space opera, which is essentially a dirty hybrid of Star Wars and Flash Gordon. The whole section with Riddick escaping a subterranean prison was worth the price of admission alone, and I love the climax where—spoiler alert!—Riddick defeats Colm Feore's fast-moving villain, slumps victoriously onto his empty throne, and in so doing becomes the next Lord Marshal in the eyes of his enemies.

While it wasn't a resounding box-office hit, I'm sure Chronicles has broken even by now. It may even have turned a profit after almost 10 years of DVD sales and TV deals. But the popularity of Pitch Black was definitely overestimated and writer-director David Twohy's plan for a Chronicles trilogy fizzled out.

Until now...

I'm not sure exactly why, but Universal was distributing a third movie in Twohy's invincible saga, imaginatively entitled Riddick. Maybe Vin Diesel has clawed back some brownie points after helping make the Fast & Furious into an unlikely money-spinner (a fifth sequel out now, a sixth is planned), but it's more likely it just makes financial sense. Riddick has a relatively low budget of $38m, although that's more than the $23m Pitch Black was originally produced for. But maybe they're fairly equal when you factor in a decade of inflation?

The trade-off is that Riddick won't delve into any of the story Twohy had planned for his epic Chronicles sequels. Instead, it's blending the two aspects of both previous movies most people agree were its strengths: so you get another gang of mercenaries trying to capture Riddick for bounty (like Chronicles), and it all takes place on a planet plunged into a darkness that comes alive with nocturnal nasties (like Pitch Black). The best of both worlds, you might say.

The first full-length trailer was released yesterday, which I've embedded above. I'm glad it doesn't look cheap (which was an early concern because of its independent funding), it's great to see Vin back in his best ever role, and there are some very cool-looking monsters scurrying around looking for lunch here. My only fear is that it's not going to give us anything new, because it almost feels like a glossier remake of Pitch Black. Oh, and the trailer commits the cardinal sin of (seemingly) explaining the whole damn movie. There also aren't many funny moments, and part of the reason I liked the previous movies was because of its dry sense of macho humour. I hope the actual film contains as many laughs as it does aliens.

Riddick premieres 6 September in the US and UK. Be sure to book your ticket. In the meantime, go rent Pitch Black and watch Chronicles of Riddick with a more open mind. It perhaps overreached at times and was sometimes a bit silly (usually whenever Dame Judi Dench was floating around), but it had more going on its cerebellum than the Star Wars prequels that were in full swing at the time.

MAD MEN, 6.7 – 'Man with a Plan'

2013-05-16T10:00:00.000+01:00

The merger of ad agencies Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and Cutler, Gleason & Chaough came with all the pain and power-struggles one could reasonably expect, with the empires of Don (Jon Hamm) and Ted (Kevin Rahm) groaning under the stress. Peggy (Elisabeth Moss) isn't happy she now has a smaller office, but is more indignant by Don's sly tactics in putting Ted in his place by getting him drunk in his office and sending him out to make a fool of himself in front of his staff, both new and old. The fact this only happened because Don was irritated a scheduled meeting wasn't deferred for 40-minutes because of his own avoidable absence just made it even more frustrating for viewers.

"Man with a Plan" was an hour about power and domination; both at the office as everyone tried to adjusted to changes and find their roles with the company, but also with Don's love life. The affair he's having with Sylvia Rosen (Linda Cardellini) took a rather unexpected turn in this episode, with Don relishing turning her into his 'submissive' sex slave. It was interesting how this all came about just as he's feeling less important at work, meaning he was perhaps seeking to reassert his masculinity in a sexual way. Unfortunately, while Sylvia was certainly aroused and intrigued by this new and exciting version of Don, it ultimately left her feeling cheap and used—becoming the catalyst for her deciding to end their liaisons through shame.

Even in the subplots there was issues of dominance and male ego at play; such as the scene where Pete (Vincent Karthesier) kicked up a fuss about not having a chair at an office meeting, prompting a receptionist to give hers up, which immediately led to Ted giving his seat up for the lady Pete's forced to stand. In one clever move, Ted came across as charming and gallant, while Pete was made to look like a petty misogynist. In fact, Ted proved to be something a brilliant tactician in this episode. He may have been humiliated by Don getting him drunk in front of his employees, but he had the last laugh by flying Don to a meeting upstate in his own private plane (an acquisition and skill that must have been almost unimaginably impressive in 1968), which had the desired effect of turning Don into a quivering wreck with the turbulence.

A lot of people, myself included, have criticised season 6 for repeating a few ideas we've seen Mad Men do before, but "Man with a Plan" suggested this was intentional. The episode ended with the real-life event of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated, five years after the same fate befell John F Kennedy, and that made this episode abundantly clearer. History was repeating itself for the characters, too: Peggy is back at SCDP and finding it difficult to accept this 'backwards step'; Burt Peterson (Michael Baston) was fired by Roger (John Slattery) for the second time; and Don's rejected by another lover, forced to return to his second hollow marriage.

Overall, "Man with a Plan" certainly gave me plenty to think about and contained some fantastic moments: from Don showing a less savoury side to his libido by bossing Sylvia around, to Roger's wonderful dismissal of Bert in his office. I even really like the surprise love story brewing between Joan (Chrisina Hendricks) and Bob Benson (James Wolk), who took her to an emergency room to remove what turned out to be an ovarian cyst. I had very little interest in Bob until now, but he works nicely as a pairing for Joan—who really needs a stable relationship in her life about now. I was less interested in Pete's issues with his mother, who has dementia, although anything that sends Pete into a meltdown is fun to watch.

written by Semi Chellas & Matthew Weiner / directed by John Slattery / 12 May 2013 / AMC

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN coming to TV

2013-05-15T17:55:00.004+01:00

Film-maker Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City) is launching his own television network later this year: the El Ray Network. It will be English-language, but target Latino audiences as a "home of kick-ass entertainment", according to Rodriguez himself. Spanish-language channel Univision will be handling the sales and distribution of the El Ray Network.

Anyway, the more interesting news is that Rodriguez already has two scripted dramas poised to launch his network: an action-adventure show by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci (Fringe, Star Trek), and a TV version of 1996 crime horror From Dusk Till Dawn (which Rodriguez directed from an early Quentin Tarantino script and Robert Kurtzman story).

From Dusk Till Dawn was a movie I don't mind admitting had me under its spell back when I was a teenage boy. I must have watched the climactic vampire attack in the Titty Twister brothel so many times it became unhealthy, and could recite most of the film from memory. In some ways it was my last big movie obsession, in terms of the number of times I've sat down to re-watch something. I still think it has some terrific scenes/dialogue, glorious so-bad-they're-good moments ("I love you too, Seth"), memorable side characters (whip-wielding Sex Machine, Vietnam veteran trucker Frost) and a very memorable "twist" (when the tone goes from indie-style crime drama to schlock horror mayhem and carnage).

As a fan I should be excited by the idea of a TV version, right? Well, not really, although I have an interest. I just don't have much confidence in this being a worthwhile endeavour; partly because it won't feature any of the original cast (beyond a probable Danny Trejo appearance), but also because the idea doesn't feel suited to long form storytelling.

I am glad Rodriguez is sticking to the original concept and using the same characters, ignoring the two horrendous direct-to-video sequels, but how will a TV version work exactly? Will it follow the adventures of the Gecko brothers (Tarantino and George Clooney in the movie) as they try to abscond to New Mexico with a preacher and his two children they've kidnapped, eventually chased by vampires? Is that a strong enough idea for a TV show? The idea is to "explore and expand on the characters and story from the original film, providing a wider scope and richer Aztec mythology", but is that achievable?

In terms of films that would make great TV shows, From Dusk Till Dawn appears very far down my list.

MSN TV: BBC1's FRANKIE

2013-05-15T16:24:00.003+01:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the premiere of BBC1's new medical drama FRANKIE, starring Torchwood's Eve Myles as a hard-working District Nurse...

The prospect of fighting more aliens after the wretched Torchwood: Miracle Day gets less likely with each passing day, so Eve Myles has wisely moved on, taking the lead in a new medical drama that plays more to her strengths. I know Eve has passionate fans in sci-fi circles but as Torchwood's Gwen Cooper, she was always a hair's breadth away from being a total embarrassment leaping around with twin handguns. Far more believable during Torchwood's down-to-earth scenes, she was allowed to behave more like a regular human being. Frankie gives Ms Myles a great showcase for her naturalism, and she's indeed very watchable as the flawed heroine of this new BBC drama.

Continue reading at MSN TV...

Trailer: ABOUT TIME (2013)

2013-05-15T10:30:00.000+01:00

Richard Curtis time-travel rom-com ABOUT TIME fuses TIME-TRAVELER'S WIFE (even casts McAdams) and GROUNDHOG DAY youtu.be/u2PUMA6nFWk
— Dan Owen (@danowen79) May 14, 2013

HBO's FAMILY TREE

2013-05-14T16:49:00.002+01:00

Christopher Guest is famous for writing, directing and appearing in many 'mockumentaries'; most famously rock spoof This is Spinal Tap, but also Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, Waiting for Guffman, et al. His work was a sizeable influence on Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's The Office, so in a roundabout way he's responsible for the faux-documentary style that's dominated small-screen comedy since the turn-of-the-millennium. Surprisingly, HBO's Family Tree marks his first TV project in an estimable career, working with Jim Piddock (who also appears as Mr Pfister), and it mixes many of the things you associate with Guest both personally and creatively.

Guest's half-British and the fifth Baron of Saling in Essex, so given his strong associations with the UK, it's fitting that Family Tree has such a strong English component. It tells the story of Tom Chadwick (Chris O'Dowd), an unremarkable Irishman living in London, who inherits a box of artefacts from a great aunt after she passes away. In this opening episode he decides to investigate a photograph of a Victorian gentlemen who could be his great-grandfather, with the help of perky best-friend Pete Stupples (Tom Bennett), and over the course of the show he'll meet many weird and wonderful relatives he never knew he had.

It's a lovely idea for a comedy and O'Dowd is excellent in the role of Tom; which is by no means a stretch for him as an actor, but nobody does quiet befuddlement quite like O'Dowd. There's a great scene where Tom's on a date with a pretty young woman who accidentally reveals she thinks dinosaurs still exist, that becomes hilarious purely because of O'Dowd's response to such idiocy: politely agreeing with her preposterous views to keep the dinner date civil.

Expert casting is the key to Family Tree. Regular cohort Michael McKean appears as Tom's couch potato dad Keith, and real-life ventriloquist Nina Conti transplants her stage act with simian puppet 'Monk' to play Tom's sister Bea—a woman who's learned to filter her private thoughts through the cheeky chimp. She's already proven to be the highlight of the show in most American critic's minds, but it'll be interesting to see what British audiences make of Bea and her cynical monkey sidekick—because Nina's act isn't anything new to us, so it loses that sense of first discovery. But she is very good, and at least she's found a fresh platform for an act she's been peddling since winning the BBC New Comedy Awards in 2002.

Overall, this premier episode is something of an appetiser, but there's clear potential here for something memorably eccentric and enjoyable. Guest has a good sense of British humour and people (a running joke involving spoofs of UK shows felt quite accurate), and even McKean's accent was largely convincing. More importantly, I love the simply concept of Family Tree because it opens up all kinds of doors as Tom explores his eccentric family's genealogy, and most likely learns something about himself and his place in the world along the way.

written by Christopher Guest & Jim Piddock / directed by Christopher Guest / 12 May 2013 / HBO

MSN TV: BBC2's THE FALL

2013-05-14T16:30:00.000+01:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the premiere of BBC2's five-part crime drama THE FALL, starring The X Files' Gillian Anderson as a London detective sent to Belfast to help catch a serial strangler...

The most notable thing about BBC2's five-part drama The Fall is how it immediately sets itself apart from whodunnits like Broadchurch, Sherlock, Endeavour and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher. We're immediately aware of who the culprit is because he stands in front of a mirror and takes a photograph of himself for posterity. This gives the show a different angle to most other crime dramas that are often propelled by a sense of mystery and audience's desire for the detectives to crack the case and unmask the villain.

Continue reading at MSN TV...

Fox greenlight 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY

2013-05-13T19:09:00.002+01:00

Fox have leaped at the chance to bring their long-running hit 24 back to life, after executive-producer Howard Gordon proposed a "limited event series" of 12 episodes, in the wake of the inability to get the long-awaited movie made. Kiefer Sutherland has agreed to reprise his role as Jack Bauer, in a story that takes place several years after season 8's conclusion. How old is Jack at this point? 60?

Similarly odd, the plan is to keep the show's signature "real time" format, but simply skip occasional hours to tell the usual 24-hour story in half that time. The rationale being that most seasons of 24 contained 12-hours of relevant plot and 12-hours of sub-plots and "filler". I guess this means the story can now take into consideration issues like transportation; so, for example, whenever Jack needs to take a flight somewhere they can skip an "uneventful" hour without having to create in-flight peril for him to deal with, etc.

20th Century Fox Chairmen Gary Newman and Dana Walden released a statement saying that "when Howard [Gordon] came to us saying he had an idea for a new chapter of 24, he quite simply had us at 'hello'. 24 is a signature series for this studio, beloved by critics and audiences worldwide. Howard's idea to revive the franchise as an event series couldn't be timelier, and with the brilliant Kiefer Sutherland on board to reprise his iconic role, we can't wait to get started."

Brian Grazer, Imagine Television's Chairman, added that he's "... both excited and proud that Howard, Kiefer, and I, along with ours partners at 20th and Fox, have this new opportunity to give 24 fans what they've been asking for--more Jack Bauer. It's been my experience that people love Jack Bauer because he's a guy who cuts through the red tape and gets the hardest things done. I am certain 24: Live Another Day will again have a huge impact on our culture."

Kiefer Sutherland himself has commented that "... the response to 24 is unlike anything I have ever experienced as an actor before. To have the chance to reunite with the character, Jack Bauer, is like finding a lost friend. The story ideas from Howard Gordon are exciting and fresh, and will not disappoint. Great thanks to 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television, and the FOX network for this opportunity. Make no mistake, my goal is to knock your socks off. See you soon."

Howard Gordon, the man responsible for bring the show back, added that "Jack Bauer has always been an exciting, thrilling character, and I confess that I've missed him. I think the audience has too. The character has evolved through the years, and this new and exciting event series format is perfect to tell the next chapter of his story and continue to reflect how the world is changing. Fans can rest assured that the Jack they know and love will be back."

24: Live Another Day is scheduled for a May 2014 premiere.

Trailer: Netflix's ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

2013-05-13T16:37:00.001+01:00

Fans have waited seven years for Arrested Development's return (or a year, if you're a late-comer like me), after it was axed by Fox after three seasons. It's now become the flagship resurrection for online rental service Netflix, who've taken the strange decision to release all 15 episodes simultaneously around the world on 26 May.

We've already had the discussion about the pro's and con's of such a delivery, when all 13 episodes of House of Cards was likewise made available together, but Arrested Development's creator Mitchell Hurwitz promises it makes more sense in this show's case. It apparently won't even matter what order you watch them each instalment in, which sounds... um, odd. We'll have to see how successful this little experiment is, but the good news is a very funny sitcom is making a miraculous comeback. Netflix's 'miniseries' is also a primer for a feature-length movie Hurwitz still intends to make, too, so the Bluth family are most definitely BACK.

Oh, and the above trailer looks very funny. Not quite hilarious, but funny. I need more context for some of these jokes, but it made me smile and I love a good underdog story. It's just nice to see all of these characters and actors back, and every so slightly bizarre only Alia Shawkat appears to have aged.

MSN TV: ITV's THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER - 'The Murder in Angel Lane'

2013-05-13T16:18:00.001+01:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the two-hour ITV crime drama THE SUSPICIONS OF MR WHICHER, a follow-up to their 2011 adaptation of Kate Summerscale's novel, starring Paddy Considine as the eponymous Victorian sleuth...

British drama has a tendency to produce Victorian-era dramas or murder-mysteries, so the temptation to mix the two must be hard to refuse. Just recently the BBC found success with Ripper Street, but ITV's The Suspicions of Mr Whicher actually pre-dates it by a few years. The 2011 TV adaptation of author Kate Summerscale's award-winning book (itself inspired by the real-life Constance Kent murder enquiry of 1860) was enough of a success for ITV to commission a follow-up. Only this time, the story is an original creation, as there are no literary sequels. In The Murder in Angel Lane, we catch up with Jack Whicher (Paddy Considine) after the events of The Murder at Road Hill House. He's now working as a 'private enquiry agent' after leaving the police force in disgrace.

Continue reading at MSN TV...

TV Picks: 13-19 May 2013 (Case Histories, The Dales, Eurovision Song Contest, The Fall, Frankie, Ice Age Giants, etc.)

2013-05-13T10:00:00.000+01:00

Below are my weekly picks of the most notable TV shows premiering/returning to UK screens...

MONDAY 13th

May the Best House Win (ITV, 2pm) New series where proud homeowners show off their houses to three judgemental strangers, in the hope of winning £1,000 at the end of the week. Narrated by Guy Porritt. (1/30)
Auction Hero (BBC2, 8pm) New series where antiques dealer Andrew Lamberty uses his skills to help various charities. (1/3)
The Dales (ITV, 8pm) Series 3 of the travelogue taking a look at the people and culture of the Yorkshire Dales. Hosted by Adrian Edmondson. (1/12)
Only Connect (BBC4, 8.30pm) Series 7 of the tough quiz show. Hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell. (1/13)
PICK OF THE DAY The Fall (BBC2, 9pm) New crime drama about a London detective sent to Belfast to catch a serial killer who strangles women. Starring Gillian Anderson, Jamie Dornan, Laura Donnelly, Bronagh Waugh & Ben Peel. (1/5)
Skint (Channel 4, 9pm) Documentary following the lives of Lincolnshire's unemployed. (1/3)

TUESDAY 14th

Eurovision Song Contest 2013: Semi-Final 1 (BBC3, 8pm) Coverage of the build-up to the Eurovision Song Contest. Hosted by Scott Mills & Ana Matronic. Continues Thursday & Friday. (1/3)
PICK OF THE DAY Frankie (BBC1, 9pm) New drama about a district nurse whose work takes over her private life. Starring Eve Myles, Dean Lennox Kelly, Derek Riddell, Julia Ford & Carla Henry. (1/6)

WEDNESDAY 15th

PICK OF THE DAY Playing Burton (Sky Arts 2, 9.35pm) Biopic of Hollywood legend Richard Burton, starring Josh Richards.

THURSDAY 16th

The Tube: An Underground History (BBC2, 9pm) Documentary on the world's first underground rail network in London, to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
PICK OF THE DAY Cutting Edge: The Murder Workers (Channel 4, 9pm) Documentary looking at members of the Victim Support's Homicide Service, who help people bereaved by murder or manslaughter.

FRIDAY 17th

Pappano's Essential Ring Cycle (BBC4, 7.30pm) Celebration of Wagner's birth with a guide to his four-part Ring Cycle.
PICK OF THE DAY Natural World (BBC2, 9pm) Wildlife special looking at why hundreds of leopards are being stoned to death in India.
Rock n' Roll Britannia (BBC4, 9pm) Documentary on the birth of British rock n' roll mujsic.

SATURDAY 18th

PICK OF THE DAY Eurovision Song Contest 2013 (BBC1, 8pm) Live coverage of the 58th annual singing competition's finale, where the UK is being represented by Bonnie Tyler.

SUNDAY 19th

Chelsea Flower Show (BBC1, 5pm) New series looking at the Royal Horticultural Society's centennial exhibition. (1/15)
Ashley Banjo's Dancing Darts Players (Sky1, 6.30pm) Follow-up to Ashley Banjo's Secret Street Crew in January 2013, showing how the winners did indeed join his Diversity dance troupe on-stage.
Ice Age Giants (BBC2, 8pm) New series where Professor Alice Roberts investigates creatures that dominated the Earth around 40,000 years ago. (1/3)
The British Soap Awards 2013 (ITV, 8pm) Annual awards ceremony.
PICK OF THE DAY Case Histories (BBC1, 8.30pm) Series 2 of the crime drama. Starring Jason Isaacs, Amanda Abbington, Zawe Ashton, Millie Innes, Victoria Wood, James Cosmo & Gary Lewis. (1/3)
Australia with Simon Reeve (BBC2, 9pm) Travel series looking at the people and wildlife of the enormous country Down Under. (1/3)

State of the Blog: 4 million hits!

2013-05-12T13:00:00.000+01:00

I've been forgetting to chime in with these situation updates, although I doubt they're anyone's favourite thing to read. But they do serve a purpose and let regular readers know what's going on with the blog.

Anyway, the big news is DMD has achieved 4,000,000 page hits since I started it back in March 2006. There's been a reduction in visitors over the past year, no doubt because there's generally less content because I've altered my reviewing habits. The days of 4-5 new posts every single day are sadly over, so it will probably take me much longer than 7-years to achieve 8 million hits. But hey, that's still a lot of people and I can't complain. I continue to be amazed we're talking in terms of millions here, as I still remember the days when cracking 100 hits in a day was cause for private celebration.

In other news, as you've undoubtedly realised, my work for MSN has really kicked up several gears in 2013. At times DMD feels more like a gateway to MSN UK's site, where I've been covering various TV premieres. This can't be avoided and I've enjoyed having a different outlet; particularly as it's taken me out of my comfort zone and made me look at more home-grown stuff. The trade-off is editorial decisions aren't mine, so reviews can be altered in odd grammatically ways sometimes. Nothing too serious, but I wonder if readers of DMD notice 'my voice' is different over at MSN. It's all about house styles, see.

However, while I've definitely made a conscious decision to limit episodic reviews because the workload was starting to take over my life, I like to think there's still good reasons to keep visiting DMD. There are still a number of shows I will review every week, I just won't risk wasting my time on things I'm not excited by or know people like reading about. Sometimes that means only Hannibal and Doctor Who is being reviewed with regularity, but things change throughout the year.

I've also made a bit more of an effort to write "features", like that Things Fictional Characters Never Do post (which was astonishingly popular), a brief revival of the old Where Are They Now? (focusing on American Gothic), and the new Argumentelly idea--which I'd love to continue after a three post trial, but is very hard to organise with other writers who are (a) very busy and (b) prefer to get paid. Understandably. And there were very few comments beneath each piece, so I'm not convinced readers liked it as much as I did.

I think all of those things are fun and stop the blog becoming simple a repository of reviews and occasional news. It's a bit strange, but non-review content actually tends to do a lot better in terms of page-hits here. I assume this is because not everyone watches the same shows I do, but everyone can enjoy a tongue-in-cheek argument, a list of amusing TV-related things, a trailer, etc.

Anyway, many thanks for visiting DMD over the years--particularly if you're a regular and tend to leave comments. It's the main thing that keep DMD going and keeps me interested. Here's to 4 million more!

DOCTOR WHO, 7.12 – 'A Nightmare in Silver'

2013-05-12T10:33:00.001+01:00

After his superb Doctor Who debut "The Doctor's Wife" (one of the best episodes of Steven Moffat's era), expectations were unreasonably high for the sophomore effort of renowned author Neil Gaiman (American Gods, Neverwhere). Sadly, "A Nightmare in Silver" was an episode overburdened with nonsense and whimsy; quickly becoming both repetitive and tiring. The only thing it did well was improve the design and logic of the Cybermen as callous villains; even if most of its improvements came from Star Trek's own cybernetic nemesis The Borg.

Neil Gaiman's approach to this episode was very much in the capricious style of Douglas Adams, with an abundance of wacky ideas spun together. It lacked the relative simplicity of his inaugural Doctor Who story and, for me, drowned under a weight of silliness rather quickly. The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Clara (Jenna-Louise Coleman) arrived at a derelict alien amusement park called Hedgewick's World; promising Angie (Eve de Leon Allen) and Artie (Kassius Carey Johnson), the children Clara looks after, to have some fun that quickly turns terrifying. After meeting showman Mr Webley (Being Human's Jason Watkins) who owns a Turk-style Cyberman (once the enemy of his people, defeated a millennia ago), the mechanical menaces soon awaken from hibernation to resume war.

There were a number of things I did enjoy about "A Nightmare in Silver", or at least felt must have worked on the page (where Doctor Who's budget is less of a concern). The ways in which the Cybermen were revamped were largely successful, even if most changes owed a debt to Star Trek's The Borg, who in turn owed a debt to the show's original Cybermen. Their silver suits were sleeker, voices creepier, body language more menacing, and Gaiman introduced the excellent idea of Cybermen now "upgrading" people by having earwig-like 'cybermites' burrow into host bodies to take over their minds. I also liked the idea of setting this idea in a decrepit futuristic theme park, which means it was also something of a loose Westworld remake. It's just a pity Gaiman's vision presumably had to be scaled back, with the majority of the episode taking place in and around a castle surrounded by coloured lights.

Unfortunately, too much of everything else contained problems of one kind or another. Considering Gaiman's brief from Steven Moffat was to make the Cybermen "scary again", the tone of the story was too madcap and goofy for any kind of tension to build or actual scares to be delivered. This was a particular shame given the galvanising episode title and the clear potential for these new-look Cybermen to be a dangerous and compelling threat at last. They're no longer just metal men marching around screeching "delete" in unison, thank heavens. So quite why Gaiman decided to put them in a story where Warwick Davies was running around dressed as a flying ace, joined by 'comedy soldiers' (the fat one, the ginger one), Mel from EastEnders, and two annoying children, is anyone's guess. I think we deserved something that felt more like the nightmare the title promised.

I also didn't like the execution of the interesting idea The Doctor had to fight for control of his own mind after he's been assimilated—sorry, "upgraded", by the 'Cyber Planner' using cybermites. This ultimately led to Matt Smith having far too many scenes where he was arguing with himself (sometimes in a nothern accent, sometimes not), in-between chintzy sequences visualising the 'good' and 'evil' Doctors having discussions within the Doctor's psyche. Smith gave it his best shot, but Gaiman's dialogue just wasn't strong enough in these scenes, and it soon became very undramatic and even embarrassing to watch him try and fail to make these scenes alternate between drama, comedy and horror.

On a similar note, I found Clara too bossy and annoying for large stretches, and it's increasingly clear non-Moffat writers don't know who they're writing for yet. (A common problem whenever a new companion joins.) Sometimes Clara's believably feisty, sometimes she's fearless and assertive, and occasionally she's the stereotypical damsel-in-distress. I just didn't accept Clara as the kind of person who would immediately step up to command an army of soldiers and fight hundreds of Cybermen in The Doctor's absence. Coleman's performance just hit a lot of wrong notes in general because of the writing.

Overall, "A Nightmare in Silver" is a good way to describe what Neil Gaiman went through with this script. He's a great writer with a fecund imagination (the literary version of Steven Moffat?), but he's equally guilty of letting his creativeness run away with itself. This story was too garbled and cluttered; lacking a firm narrative, while opting for an oddball tone that worked against making these tin men chill your blood. It was like inserting The Borg into Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

There were some fun ideas, a few cool visuals, and lots of excellent modifications to the Cybermen themselves, but I can't wait for another episode to use them effectively. Oh, and I'm overjoyed Artie and Angie have been dropped off home after one adventure, because they're even worse than Martha Jones's underused family.

written by Neil Gaiman / directed by Stephen Woolfenden / 11 May 2013 / BBC1

Next time...

'He Said, She Said' Prequel

Twitter'd: TAKEN 2 (2012)

2013-05-12T10:30:00.000+01:00

My live-tweets of bad movies continued on Saturday afternoon with action sequel TAKEN 2, starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace. (Also, a reminder that you can read previous live-tweets here.)

View the story "TAKEN 2 (2012)" on StorifyTAKEN 2 (2012)I live-tweeted the sequel to TAKEN, imaginatively entitled TAKEN 2. It stars Liam Neeson (voice of Aslan, face of Schindler) as retired CIA agent Bryan Mills, who has to snap foreign people's necks in Istanbul when baddies kidnap Jean Grey from X-MEN...Storified by Dan Owen· Sun, May 12 2013 02:51:04taken-2-posterImagínate el nombre que quierasAbout to watch #Taken2. If it's appropriately laughable, this might become a live-tweet.Dan OwenTheory: any film with an 'extended version' on the video release is bad. #Taken2Dan OwenHow did they miss the chance to call this TAKEN 2: THE EXTREME? #Taken2Dan Owen'Liam Neeson' backwards is Nose En Mail, which I think is French for 'nose and mail' #Taken2Dan OwenA funeral for the henchmen. That Austin Powers joke has gone dramatic and mainstream. #Taken2Dan OwenIt's Liam Neeson. The nightmare of 'cold callers' everywhere. #Taken2Dan OwenThe title refers to the loss of Maggie Grace's virginity? #Taken2Dan OwenIt's a live-action AMERICAN DAD in many ways, without the camp alien and German goldfish. #Taken2Dan OwenIt was ridiculous enough before, but is Maggie Grace STILL playing a teenager in #Taken2?Dan OwenIf you watch #Taken2 and #OlympusHasFallen as a double-bill, before going to bed after eating a block of Cheddar, you dream that 24 movie.Dan OwenNeeson and his buddies sure do love a barbecue. #Taken2Dan OwenAll of Neeson's characters feel the same lately. I half expect him to lose January Jones and fight a wolf in this hotel lobby. #Taken2Dan OwenWho goes to Istanbul with their parents, then to a nightclub with their dad? Maggie Grace's bizarre character, that's who! #Taken2Dan OwenYou always see washing lines suspended between high windows across streets. How do they peg clothes out that far? #Taken2Dan OwenHe's very quick to assume his family are going to be kidnapped. Correct, sure, but oddly quick to assume the worst. #Taken2Dan OwenA car just smashed a crate of fruit in an alley. NOW we have an action movie! #Taken2Dan OwenYou can't catch the voice of Aslan. Nobody can. #Taken2Dan OwenWhy do the villains allow him to make a phone call? Did they like that bit from the previous movie, too? #Taken2Dan OwenHide in the closet? That's the first place killers look! Just ask Michael Myers. #Taken2Dan OwenHis daughter's even called Kim. They don't even try to hide 24's influence, do they. I guess Famke Janssen's the "cougar"? #Taken2Dan OwenI remember this 'grenade location' scene being ridiculed, but it's the kind of crazy-clever I like. #Taken2Dan OwenThe certificate was lowered for #Taken2. By that logic, #Taken4 will be a U cert, where Neeson goes around giving baddies nipple cripples.Dan OwenShe has a habit of throwing grenades at very destructive targets. #Taken2Dan OwenIf I ever went to Istanbul, I really must visit their rooftops. It's the city's No1 tourist hotspot. #Taken2 #SkyfallDan OwenYou have instantaneous advanced driving skills if Liam Neeson's a passenger yelling "Go! Go!" and "Keep goin'!" #Taken2Dan OwenCan we have a prequel starring David Morrissey? #Taken2Dan OwenKim really need to get pregnant, so another family member can get taken in the next movie. #Taken2Dan OwenYou'd snap your wrist if you fired a sub-machine gun one-handed, upside down, around a corner! #Taken2Dan OwenI wish I'd played Jamie in #Taken2. Role of a lifetime.Dan OwenIn summation: a weaker sequel unable to catch B-movie lightning twice, but not as awful as feared. Just a tepid retread. #Taken2Dan OwenIt was directed by Olivier Megaton, which is the name Megatron uses when checking into the Ritz. #Taken2 #TransformersDan OwenThe 'alternate ending' extra is 25 MINUTES LONG. #Taken2Dan Owen

LOVEFiLM buy History's THE VIKINGS

2013-05-11T11:42:00.001+01:00

The History Channel's first serialised drama The Vikings has found a home in the UK. Unexpectedly, it's landed at the feet of Europe's biggest film rental company LOVEFiLM. After so much Stateside buzz about Netflix and Amazon getting into the "original programming" business, it looks like LOVEFiLM would like an online exclusive too. Who knows, they might make a few dramas of their own one day.

The Vikings is a Canadian-Irish drama following the exploits of legendary chieftain Ragnar Lodbrok (The Experiment's Travis Fimmel), who yearns to find undiscovered lands across the sea with his family and followers. He's helped in his endeavour to raid the south of England by craftsman Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard), his brother Rollo (Clive Standen), and shieldmaiden Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick), but there's opposition from local ruler Earl Haraldson (In Treatment's Gabriel Byrne).

The show is created by Michael Hirst, best-known for writing Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age, before creating Showtime's The Tudors. He's also produced Showtime's The Borgias and Starz's short-lived Camelot.

All 9 episodes of season 1 will debut on LOVEFiLM's streaming service on 24 May in the UK, and 15 June in Germany. LOVEFiLM is a subsidiary of Amazon.com.

Should 24 restart its clock?

2013-05-11T11:16:00.001+01:00

In the wake of Fox axing Touch after two seasons (the sci-fi drama starring Kiefer Sutherland as the father of an autistic boy who can predict the future), it appears the network's offering Sutherland the opportunity to reprise his role of super-agent Jack Bauer in a ninth season of 24, which was cancelled in 2010.

Original executive producer Howard Gordon is apparently on-board (having posited the idea of a return to Fox), along with fellow exec/writer David Fury. Talks are very early, but it appears to hinge on Sutherland agreeing to return to his most famous role, in light of 24 failing to make the hoped-for transfer to cinema. The reasons for that have been a mix of unsuccessful scripts, together with difficulty working around Sutherland's work schedule. Well, the latter isn't a problem now, but maybe those script issues were bigger than we thought. Did the writers struggle to create something that would work as a satisfying two-hour movie, bearing in mind the unique aspect of 24 was its "real time" format?

Interestingly, the plan for '24 redux' is to have it return as a "limited event series" of 12 episodes. Naturally that suggests 24 will have to alter its "real time" format: either telling a 12-hour story (and only keeping the 24 title for brand recognition), or perhaps stretching the show's signature gimmick by having each hour-long episode tell two-hour's worth of plot?

I also have to wonder why Gordon's so keen to resurrect 24 after three years. He doesn't need the money or additional workload. Maybe the success of Showtime's Homeland (which Gordon produces) has given him a cool idea about how to retool 24 for today's audience? The original was forged in the George W. era; almost as a right-wing fantasy response to 9/11. On a pop-cultural level, we needed the ruthless Jack Bauer on our screens as the threat of global terrorism dominated the headlines. He was our poster boy in the same way Rambo was in the 1980s, but has he outstayed his usefulness? The last few seasons of 24 felt oddly out of step with Obama-style politics, which is perhaps why something more cerebral like Homeland came along to replace it (an Emmy-winning drama full of erstwhile 24 crew).

So maybe this new 24 will be a touch more realistic post-Homeland? Then again, part of the show's appeal was its sense of preposterousness and anything-goes surprises. This was the first drama I recall detonating a nuclear bomb on US soil... twice. Would fans enjoy a version of 24 closer to the comparatively sedate first season nowadays? It's hard to gauge.

As a passionate fan of 24 from the moment it arrived (it famously became a UK phenomenon before US audiences started to take notice), I can't deny I'm excited by the idea of Jack Bauer making a return. The show ended with Jack on the run from the government, so purely as an unresolved cliffhanger it would be nice to continue the story.

24 gave me too many weekly thrills for me to feel unhappy about its potential return... and yet, we all know the show began to devour itself. Is there a way to keep 24 going without once again recycling its tropes and clichés, like the infamous number of 'moles' who keep managing to gain employment in a counter-terrorism agency? Are there any storylines and threats 24 didn't cover over 192 episodes, after so many variations on poison gas, killer viruses, and suitcase nukes? I have serious doubts.

I'd actually still prefer to see 24: The Movie, but I have a feeling 20th Century Fox think the moment has passed. They failed to strike while the iron was hot in 2011, so it's more likely to flop the longer they leave it. However, they apparently won't be retooling the aborted movie's script for use in this "event series", but will start again from scratch with a fresh story.

Maybe the issue is that 24's uniqueness always came from its narrative format (ideal for TV, perfect for DVD box-set), and you simply can't translate that to the big-screen without it being... well, Olympus Has Fallen (ironically directed by Antoine Fuqau, who was attached to direct the 24 film before he left the project, and a movie that used the 'White House under siege' plot from 24's seventh season).

COMMUNITY, season 4 finale – 'Advanced Introduction to Finality'

2013-05-10T19:05:00.001+01:00

This is the probable end for Community, unless the producers agree a deal with NBC to keep it on-air for another half-season*. But I'm not sure where you go now Jeff (Joel McHale) has graduated from college, unless they awkwardly backtrack in some unconvincing way, and I think I'd prefer to see Community disappear forever... safe in the knowledge we got two excellent seasons, one good season, and one well-intentioned misfire.

"Advanced Introduction to Finality" was clearly trying to appease fans of the show, as most of this season has done, by blending two of its most popular components: the Darkest Timeline imagined by Abed (Danny Pudi) from season 3's "Remedial Chaos Theory", and the return of paintball (introduced in season 1's "Modern Warfare"; widely considered the moment people sat up and started considering Community as a new geek altar).

Unfortunately, both ideas were used rather poorly. The moment Evil Jeff appeared in the Dean's (Jim Rash) office, Terminator-style, was prime 'shark-jumping' to me—because no matter how crazy Community got, it wouldn't dare do a story where inter-dimensional doppelgängers appeared out of nowhere. So for a large chunk of the episode, I was mainly very concerned a writers' room brainstorm had gotten out of hand. Of course, it was later revealed that the Evil characters were just a fantasy Jeff was having, as he decided whether or not to graduate from college and take an exciting new job offer, but that was arguably even more of an eye-roller. The 'it was all a dream' trope isn't anyone's favourite after decades of misuse, and it made no sense that someone like Jeff would fantasise in a style more befitting Abed.

The thing that almost rescued this episode at times was a certain perkiness to the dialogue and a few of the situations, which I haven't felt very often this season. There is something inherently enjoyable about Community when it's taking a risk, even if the risk doesn't really pay off too well. Megan Ganz is also one of the show's writers from the Dan Harmon days (starting with season 2's "Cooperative Calligraphy") and her 'voice' is probably the closest echo to Harmon's own. She also wrote the "Paranormal Parentage" episode earlier this year, which I quite enjoyed.

But overall, "Advanced Introduction to Finality" was a damp squib of an episode that isn't the series capper I'd have liked. In trying to please the fan-base, this episode (and this season), didn't evolve or take the show anywhere new and interesting. It just tried to create a facsimile of Dan Harmon's vision, when part of the show's appeal was the fact it was unpredictable and kept giving you new things to enjoy. There were very few storylines or ideas in season 4 that weren't extrapolations of things from Community's past, which was the main reason I grew bored of it.

I know the show's indefatigable motto has been 'six seasons and a movie', but I hope NBC close Greendale's college doors for good after this uneven reprieve, so we can enjoy the (mostly very good) memories.

written by Megan Ganz / directed by Tristram Shapeero / 9 May 2013 / NBC

Update: Community has been miraculously saved by NBC and will return for a fifth season. I'm disappointed, but marginally hopeful the writers will take note of what worked and what didn't about season 4, and make the necessary changes. Just try to surprise us!

HANNIBAL, 1.7 – 'Sorbet'

2013-05-10T17:17:00.001+01:00

There's a memorable shot in "Sorbet" when a disgusting and unrecognisable arrangement of flesh is gradually revealed to be the throat of a beautiful opera singer, as the view pulls out of her gullet. It encapsulated Hannibal for me; a show that's ultimately about the ugliness that inhabits seemingly normal and even beautiful people. The show is asking us to believe a character like Dr Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) wouldn't arouse any suspicion by now, but that's ultimately the fun of the show. It helps that we know Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) will expose and catch him one of these days, too, so until then it's just a fascinating game of cat-and-mouse—where the mouse is unaware he's befriended the cat.

He's the eponymous anti-hero of the show, but this was the first episode that truly focused on Dr Hannibal Lecter as a person, and Mikkelsen more than rose to the challenge. I already prefer his take on the character over Anthony Hopkins's (whose 'teeth-sucking' and iconic face-mask now feel quite silly when you try to imagine Mikkelsen's Lecter going down that path). He's taking a more realistic approach that I'm responding to, but that's not to say Silence of the Lambs itself has sunk in my estimation. It's a classic and remains the benchmark to compare this TV show to, in my mind.

One thing I loved about "Sorbet" was the insights into Dr Lecter and his life. He's lonely. When Graham didn't make his appointment, he actually sought him out. He gives the impression of being sociable whenever he's cooking with Dr Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas) and holding his renowned 'feasts' for the city's elite, but this is ultimately just part of his act. Certainly in the case of the sick pleasure he gets from serving human organs to his peers, although there's perhaps more of an argument for Bloom being someone he genuinely admires (she has an excellent taste palate) and wants to get closer to romantically. We'll have to see if he's actually capable of love and sex.

"Sorbet" also introduced Lecter's own psychiatrist, Dr Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson), who isn't quite at stupid as I thought she'd be written. Indeed, she's fully aware that Lecter only presents her with a "version" of himself because he likes to wear a "person suit", but hasn't yet twigged the sinister reason for this secrecy. I have to wonder what the long-term plan is for Dr Du Maurier, too: her classy French name and intelligence means she isn't one of the people Lecter tends to victimise, but I can't see Anderson sticking around on Hannibal for long (she has a new NBC show called Crisis to star in). Maybe she'll be the first to realise what Lecter is after a few more sessions, and pay the inevitable price for that.

Also interesting to note that Lecter clearly wants to be Dr Du Maurier's friend, and yet she shoots that possibility down in the same way he likewise had to with an over-friendly patient—who's following Lecter to opera and trying to ingratiate himself in any way possible (like revealing they share a passion for fine cheeses). There were a number of amusing scenes as Lecter visibly squirmed at the thought of this cordial oaf—but an oaf all the same—tried to toady up to him. I was quite surprise he lasted the hour without becoming part of Lecter's fridge. (Which reminds me that we also saw a potentially incriminating piece of equipment that Lecter owns: a case containing handwritten recipes about how to cook body parts. I have a feeling Graham will discover that at some point in the show's future—hopefully two seasons away.)

There was a storyline snaking through this episode, carried over from last week's "Entrée", about Graham and Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) trying to find the real Chesapeake Ripper, but it wasn't quite as strong as last week's. Once again they investigated various cadavers and crime scenes who might be the Chesapeake Ripper, eventually finding the culprit (a part-time ambulance driver who's been removing organs from his victims) without actually discovering the Ripper himself—whom we know is Lecter, taunting the FBI's incompetence and trying to humiliate Crawford in particular. I continue to enjoy how Lecter gets involved in their investigations; dropping the occasional insight to Graham in a manner that's almost playful. It's not enough to simply avoid getting caught, he has to almost rub it in their faces without them even knowing. However, there were signs here that Graham may be onto Lecter, or at least the possibility of a theory developing that Lecter could be a serial killer may start to take shape... but my guess is Graham will ignore his gut instincts because, well, he sort of likes and is intrigued by Lecter. Graham's a similarly isolated and lonely man, so it's funny that the possibility of friendship is clouding his thinking.

Overall, there was a great deal to savour and enjoy in "Sorbet", even if it perhaps wasn't as dynamic as the story's first half. But for the most part I actually preferred this, because it had a much greater focus on Hannibal Lecter and gave you some insights into his personality and behaviour. My only concern right now is how the Minnesota Shrike storyline has faded away over the past three weeks, because it felt that was going to be the big ongoing concern.

written by Jesse Alexander & Bryan Fuller / directed by James Foley / 9 May 2013 / NBC

MSN TV: BBC1's BRITAIN'S BIGGEST HOARDERS - Series 1

2013-05-10T16:40:00.002+01:00

Over at MSN TV today: I've reviewed the new documentary series BRITAIN'S BIGGEST HOARDERS, which is rather self-explanatory.

It isn't most people's idea of entertainment, but there's a curious fascination with hoarding right now. It started with How Clean Is Your House?, which would occasionally stumble upon someone with stacks of stinking rubbish touching their ceilings. Those discoveries have since become their sub-genre, and the latest is three-part documentary Britain's Biggest Hoarders. In each episode, Jasmine Harman (daughter of a mother she helped conquer a hoarding habit) tries to use her personal experiences and insight to help others suffering the same psychological condition.

Continue reading at MSN TV...