TV Scoop

Katie Holmes to appear on Eli Stone

paulhirons — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:22:49 -0500

We may have just started Eli Stone over here, but over in the US it's already into its second series. If you didn't know, Eli Stone airs on Sci-Fi over here, every Monday night at 9pm. It stars Johnny Lee Miller as a lawyer who keeps having visions of George Michael because of something mad in his brain. I caught the first episode and, despite me looking forward to it, thought it to be a bit thin and quirky for quirky's sake. Anyway, looks as though George Michael has been replaced with Katie Holmes in one one of the episodes of the second series, judging by the clip over the jump. Yes, Mrs Tom Cruise turns her hand to song and dance with a weird haircut. Enjoy!

TV Review: Strictly Come Dancing Results Show, BBC One, Sunday 12 October, 8.15pm

Keris — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:06:59 -0500

I was wrong again and I'm thrilled about it. Either the BBC is fiddling the votes to avoid a repeat of the Gabby and Penny shocker of the last series* or the audience has finally wised up and started voting...

What's Cooking? (13 October 2008)

johnberesford — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:35:06 -0500

Halfway through his latest campaign, it appears Jamie Oliver has run out of steam. Which would be a problem if he was intending to broil or steam anything. Julie Critchlow said it would never work and it looks like she may have been right. Jamie deploys his secret weapon - Marguerite Patten, author of my very first cookery book and member of the original Ministry of Food - and realises he needs to

TV Review: Breaking Bad (...And The Bag's In The River), FX, Sunday 12 October, 10pm

paulhirons — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:35:05 -0500

Last week's episode in Breaking Bad was a masterful example of the art of dark comedy. Odd couple Walter and Penkman were dealing with the repercussions of getting involved in the crystal meth production business, and the whole episode featured the pair gearing up to dispose of the drug dealer they killed in the first episode (they decided to dissolve him in acid). Of course, this went horribly wrong and Penkman, fuelled by a few hits on a crack pipe, decided he would do the job himself against Walter's wishes, only for the bath he did it in to dissolve as well. So for the first few moments of this episode, the two of them were on their hands and knees, wearing gas masks and clearing up their bloody mess. And I thought Dexter was dark.

10 Things You Must Watch This Week (Monday 13 October-Friday 17 October)

paulhirons — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:35:05 -0500

Here we go then, for another fine week of television. It's rather good out there in television land at the moment and, over the jump, I've tried to find things that will appeal to everyone. There's a bit of comedy, there's a bit intense drama, there's a bit of cookery and there's a bit of this and, indeed, a bit of that. I've scanned the schedules so you don't have to, so have a look and see what you fancy...

TV Review: Britain's Got The Pop Factor And Possibly A New Celebrity Soapstar Superstar Strictly On Ice, Channel 4, 8pm

Anna Lowman — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:35:05 -0500

When I heard that Peter Kay was producing a new piece of television, I was pleased - he may have gone slightly out of fashion over the last couple of years stand-up-wise (where's his eyeliner for chrissakes?) - but there's no denying that Phoenix Nights is a really fantastic sitcom. But the topic he had chosen, reality TV shows, did worry me slightly. Everyone's been knocking reality TV for ages! He's about three years too late with this parody, and it would only work if the jokes and the satire were really top notch... Take a look at our Britain's Got The Pop Factor gallery...

TV Review: Fringe (Same Old Story), Sky1, Sunday 12 October, 9pm

paulhirons — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:12:30 -0500

There was so much hype surrounding Fringe it was inevitable that there was going to be a bit of backlash. I thought last week's opening episode was ok. Not brilliant, but ok. Very flash, fast-paced and already hinting at twisty-turny nonsense to come, but not brilliant. The opening episode brought our three protagonists together - a strong female FBI agent, a quirky and mentally unstable professor who specialises in re-animation and black-ops medical experiments and his estranged son. Together, the unlikely team have been hired by a secret bit of the FBI to investigate secret, strange and unexplained murders and goings-on. They call this spate of weirdness The Pattern.

TV Review: The X Factor (live finals, week 1), ITV1, Saturday 11 October, 7.15pm

johnberesford — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:51:04 -0500

Every year I think how hard it must be for the act who bites the big one after the very first live show. Having battled through all the previous rounds to make it to the finals, it must if anything be doubly painful to have to come to terms with the knowledge that the public aren't that bothered how much you want it, or whether it's your dream, or it's all you've ever wanted to do (etc). Have made close to zero impression on anyone, the act is condemned - almost certainly - to return to the oblivion from whence they came, the carrot of a career of cantabile snatched away almost before you

TV Review: Strictly Come Dancing, BBC One, Saturday 11 October, 5.50pm

Keris — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:48:26 -0500

It's the turn of the "ladies" again on Strictly this week and I finally got to watch it live, which meant I could vote... but would I be inspired to?...

Misty May Traenor out of Dancing With the Stars

Keris — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:17:21 -0500

I couldn't watch the show last night (I went to see Steve Coogan instead; it was not good), but I thought I'd share the big news anyway. Volleyball star, Misty May Traenor and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy are out of...

TV Review: Merlin (The Poisoned Chalice), BBC One, Saturday 11 October, 7.05pm

johnberesford — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:17:21 -0500

Not much of a disguise is it? Experienced sorceresses from days gone by have morphed themselves into crones, or different people, or even animals to avoid detection. Nimueh wraps a scarf around her head and is instantly undetectable by anyone in Camelot, despite her being Uther's nemesis. Still, that small conundrum aside, this week's story tripped along nicely enough, and at least we weren't subjected to another

What To Watch This Weekend

mofgimmers — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:56:47 -0500

Is it me, or has this week gone really, really slowly? A friend I used to work with would say things like 'this week has dragged like...

TV Tune Up: What's that tune from the Gaultier 'Madame' ad'?

mofgimmers — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:40:56 -0500

Have you seen the advert doing the rounds for the (adopts voice-over tones) new fragrance from Jean-Paul Gaultier? Madame? No. Well, when you do, you may well think...

Can anyone tell me, really, why the Cactus Kid commercials have been banned?

mofgimmers — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:25:16 -0500

Before we even start, the angle 'Commercial A has been banned and you're a mug for running the story because it gives them free press' is boring and doesn't offer much in the way of debate, so can we move on from it already? Thanks. So, presuming you've...

TV Review: Beautiful People, BBC Two, Thursday, 9 October, 9.30pm

mofgimmers — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:37:40 -0500

From the look of the trailers for Beautiful People (BBC Two, Thursday, 9 October, 9.30pm), it didn't really look like my kind of thing. Should that stop me from reviewing it? Absolutely not...

TV Review: The Restaurant, BBC Two, Thursday, 9 October, 8pm

mofgimmers — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:21:50 -0500

Heart. Heart is the one thing that The Restaurant (BBC Two, Thursday, 9 October, 8pm) doesn't lack, despite some quarters referring to the show as a diet-Apprentice (which, frankly, is...

TV Review: Blackadder - The Whole Rotten Saga, GOLD, Thursday 9 October, 9pm

Anna Lowman — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:45:07 -0500

When the first series of Blackadder (or "The Black Adder" as it was then known) was aired in the early 1980s, I doubt that anyone - creators, audience or critics - would have put much money on the idea that, 25 years hence, a channel would dedicate two whole hours of scheduling to that little show. But a lot can happen between series, (especially when there's a three year gap) and when Blackadder returned in the glorious Elizabethan age, it was a completely different show. It was, in short, an instant classic.

TV Gallery: Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice, behind the scenes

paulhirons — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:45:07 -0500

It's been a while, but Peter Kay is finally back with Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice this Sunday (10 October, 8pm). Having watched Peter on various stand-up DVDs and chatshow appearances, I know he loves a bit of singing and reality TV so I'm not surprised he's basing his TV comeback in the world of the TV talent contest. And, despite the preposterous title of the show, I'm pretty certain this won't be a merciless mickey take - it'll be funny and quite a gentle satire. Whatever it is it'll be long. There's an hour and a half for the first bit, then a Peter Kay documentary and then a Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice results show. A whole night of Peter Kay then! To get you in the mood I've pulled together some behind-the-scenes photos. Click on the image below to view them all!

Monkey Tennis: Bobski The Builder, Channel 4

paulhirons — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:41:43 -0500

We've not had a Monkey Tennis for a while - the category that is dedicated to Alan Partridge's outburst when desperately trying to come up with TV titles to a BBC executive - and I think that's because, recently, TV people seem to have calmed down a little bit. Until now. Bobski The Builder? WTF?! I sat there and chuckled when I saw this title, and then scratched my head trying to figure out what it all could mean. Go over the jump to find out...

Life On Mars USA: what the critics said

paulhirons — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:26:25 -0500

It's been a long a tortuous road, but Life On Mars USA finally got there last night. What I mean by 'there' is that it was finally broadcast and came out of the other end of the creative process. The first episode of the US remake of our beloved British original hit debuted on ABC last night, with people like Jason O'Mara, Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli and Gretchen Mol all in full effect. What I've seen and read, it seems the show has been very faithful to the original, with familiar lines and scenarios popping up all over the shop. I like it. I want to see it. Please somebody buy it and play it out over here. Please. In the meantime, let's have a look at what the critics said...

Why I Love... Vincent Simone

Keris — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:45:24 -0500

One of the funny things about Strictly Come Dancing is how some of the professionals have actually become more famous than the supposed celebrities. Each year, I look forward to seeing Brendan, Anton, Camilla, Lilia and, oh, yes, Ola (although probably not as much as some people). But my favourite, by far, is Vincent Simone.

Set The Video: Dawn Porter: Geisha Girl, Channel 4, Tuesday, 14 October, 10pm

mofgimmers — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:12:03 -0500

Dawn Porter gets so close to her subjects that sometimes, it's easy to think that a little part of her is lost forever to them. Be it...

Heroes ratings plummet and gets a critical mauling

paulhirons — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:12:03 -0500

I tell you, I'm starting to worry about Heroes. After I came in from the Dead Set press launch, I managed to catch the last half hour of the show and phooh... it was liking stepping into a hurricane! It was thrilling! There was so much going on. It was pretty amazing actually. We're pretty much for Heroes on this site, but our enthusiasm for the show isn't matched right across the net. In fact, it's not doing that well...

Set The Video: Shooting of Thomas Hurndall, Channel 4, Monday, 13 October, 9pm

mofgimmers — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:40:24 -0500

For those who aren't aware, Tom Hurndall was a British photography student and a volunteer for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and an activist against the Israeli...

Psychoville! And the return of The League of Gentlemen

mofgimmers — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:24:44 -0500

A while ago, we told you about Psychoville, which was supposed to be jolly, but ended up going all weird. With a name like that, it's hardly surprising is it? Well, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton...