22 November 2007
"PLEASE ... DON'T LET ME BE THE ONLY ONE!"
Notes to EditorsThis originally appeared at the end of this but has since been snipped. A baffling bit of Chinese Whispers.
The architect behind the Daleks, Terry Nation is acknowledged as one of the creators of Doctor Who. Although he wrote half of the episodes of the first series, he left at the end of that series and launched his next BBC masterpiece, Blake's 7, about a mob of criminals on the run from the sinister Terran Federation in a stolen alien spaceship. Terry Nation died from emphysema in 1997.
Anyway - Survivors is coming back. What fun! Definitely a format applicable to modern times, how will the show be updated? I'm guessing it won't be a continuation at all, but if they did stick with the same characters who'd be taking on the short-lived Peter Bowles role? My vote: Peter Bowles! Abby would be played by Daniela Nardini, Greg by Matthew Macfadyen, Jenny by Jessica Hynes. Oh, and the cataclysm would have to be updated to play on current day paranoia. Is biological warfare too 2002? What do you think?
HOLDING OUT FOR HEROES
I'm conscious that last time I mentioned it on here, I was pretty hacked off with Heroes. I'm following the second season, currently airing Monday nights in the US.
Well, we're eight or nine episodes in now, and following a terrible false start (read more about that, here) I'm glad to say it's been worth my while sticking with the show. I won't go into details, but this week's episode was fantastic - rehabilitating the likes of Bennet, Parkman and Suresh, all of whom had been terribly served by recent storylines (the latter two in particular, becoming Molly's "gay dads"). I love the fact that Bennet - who has no super powers (at least for the timebeing) - is back to being the most formidable, feared character in the whole show.
That said, I think I'm still more excited by series two of Dexter which has done just incredible things in terms of progressing characterisation and plot. That's despite Jaime Murray off of Hustle turning in a rather gummy performance.
Well, we're eight or nine episodes in now, and following a terrible false start (read more about that, here) I'm glad to say it's been worth my while sticking with the show. I won't go into details, but this week's episode was fantastic - rehabilitating the likes of Bennet, Parkman and Suresh, all of whom had been terribly served by recent storylines (the latter two in particular, becoming Molly's "gay dads"). I love the fact that Bennet - who has no super powers (at least for the timebeing) - is back to being the most formidable, feared character in the whole show.
That said, I think I'm still more excited by series two of Dexter which has done just incredible things in terms of progressing characterisation and plot. That's despite Jaime Murray off of Hustle turning in a rather gummy performance.
21 November 2007
"MORE SPACE FOR NEW IDEAS"
The Channel 4 winter launch. Held - ominously enough - in the former Tycoon Towers on the South Bank. Julian Bellamy, the network's Head of Programmes did the honours. He began by reflecting on promises to overhaul the schedule, made back in August at the Edinburgh Festival. "This is the moment where you find out if we've delivered on those committments, or if they were just empty words".
And, definitely the changes are ringing. The only returning 9pm series in the first three months of 2008 will be Grand Designs. Otherwise, there's a slate of new stuff - the most interesting being a fortnight devoted to grub, featuring who Bellamy described as "The Three Tenors of Cooking". So Hugh's Chicken Run will see Mr F-W challenging the supermarkets to rethink their methods, Jamie Oliver reveals the "ruthless machinations" of the food industry in Jamie's Fowl Dinners and - best of all - Cook-a-Long-a-Gordon LIVE. The title says it all.
There's other stuff, of course, The Big Art Project, a new Peter Flannery drama, Stephen Hawking: Master of the Universe, a new comedy game show for Alan Carr ... But the other announcement that particularly excited me was news Cutting Edge's run has been tripled - we're getting 30 episodes this year.
"More space for new ideas". That's this season's slogan.
And, definitely the changes are ringing. The only returning 9pm series in the first three months of 2008 will be Grand Designs. Otherwise, there's a slate of new stuff - the most interesting being a fortnight devoted to grub, featuring who Bellamy described as "The Three Tenors of Cooking". So Hugh's Chicken Run will see Mr F-W challenging the supermarkets to rethink their methods, Jamie Oliver reveals the "ruthless machinations" of the food industry in Jamie's Fowl Dinners and - best of all - Cook-a-Long-a-Gordon LIVE. The title says it all.
There's other stuff, of course, The Big Art Project, a new Peter Flannery drama, Stephen Hawking: Master of the Universe, a new comedy game show for Alan Carr ... But the other announcement that particularly excited me was news Cutting Edge's run has been tripled - we're getting 30 episodes this year.
"More space for new ideas". That's this season's slogan.
19 November 2007
ALL TALKED OUT
So, ITV1 have announced the guest line-up for the last ever Parkinson. Prepare to fill in your bingo cards now: "Joining him in the studio for this final time are David Beckham, Billy Connelly [sic], Dame Judi Dench, Sir David Attenborough, Sir Michael Caine, Peter Kay, Dame Edna Everage with music by Jamie Cullum".
“They are friends who have made a particular contribution to the show," says the man himself. "They are also people of great talent and interest and what a wonderful way to finish”. The episode goes out on Saturday 15 December. The following Saturday there'll be another last-ever episode, in which Parky looks back at old clips. And then - hooray! - it's all over.
“They are friends who have made a particular contribution to the show," says the man himself. "They are also people of great talent and interest and what a wonderful way to finish”. The episode goes out on Saturday 15 December. The following Saturday there'll be another last-ever episode, in which Parky looks back at old clips. And then - hooray! - it's all over.
14 November 2007
"I CAN REVEAL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE I'M A CELEBRITY ... CAMP"
To the Soho Hotel in London, and ITV1's winter season launch. Taking to the mic - to no applause - Simon Shaps, now tentatively essaying a beard. He began with a few "messages" from the I'm a Celebrity ... camp, revelling in the fact this was a show that required no context-setting with the assembled. Lynne Franks had suggested we "all hold hands" apparently.
And then it was into the spiel - ITV1's had the best year-on-year in share terms since 2001 (what does that mean?); the top 225 programmes watched on commercial TV were all on ITV1; and with a 0.5% drop, "We're getting close to holding share". Nonetheless, he admitted there was "still a way to go" in turning the channel around. "An unprecedented number of new titles" in 2008 were set to do the job, though.
So, what were the headlines? Mainly that Marco Pierre White has signed a three-year contract with the channel, which will result in various programmes, but, most importantly, another run of Hell's Kitchen. "This deal with ITV will give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and to inspire people to want to cook," is the quote from the bandana-wearing chef, who was probably splodging HP sauce on something at the time.
Plus, there's Caught in a Trap a one-off which nabs 'Maria's Connie Fisher and casts her as a young woman obsessed by Elvis. The Changeling, meanwhile, features Ray Winstone in "a dark and dangerous tale of obsessive love". Aren't they all?
More obviously excitingly, Take That will usher in the New Year with Countdown to Midnight: With Take That and Guests Live at the O2.
To be fair, the teaser trailer we were shown for the season did look pretty strong, a decent mix of famous faces and high concepts, so let's see what comes of it all. It even drew a smattering of applause.
And then it was into the spiel - ITV1's had the best year-on-year in share terms since 2001 (what does that mean?); the top 225 programmes watched on commercial TV were all on ITV1; and with a 0.5% drop, "We're getting close to holding share". Nonetheless, he admitted there was "still a way to go" in turning the channel around. "An unprecedented number of new titles" in 2008 were set to do the job, though.
So, what were the headlines? Mainly that Marco Pierre White has signed a three-year contract with the channel, which will result in various programmes, but, most importantly, another run of Hell's Kitchen. "This deal with ITV will give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and to inspire people to want to cook," is the quote from the bandana-wearing chef, who was probably splodging HP sauce on something at the time.
Plus, there's Caught in a Trap a one-off which nabs 'Maria's Connie Fisher and casts her as a young woman obsessed by Elvis. The Changeling, meanwhile, features Ray Winstone in "a dark and dangerous tale of obsessive love". Aren't they all?
More obviously excitingly, Take That will usher in the New Year with Countdown to Midnight: With Take That and Guests Live at the O2.
To be fair, the teaser trailer we were shown for the season did look pretty strong, a decent mix of famous faces and high concepts, so let's see what comes of it all. It even drew a smattering of applause.
09 November 2007
ABSOLUTELY HOT OFF THE PRESS
Just been interviewing Gordon Kennedy, who tells me this afternoon he's going to be updating the ABsoLuTeLy (those crazy caps!) Productions website to announce the release of an Absolutely DVD box-set, collecting every episode of the show.
GOOD GAME, GOOD GAME!
Warning: Second Bruce-centric posting in a row.
I'm here at work, snowed under with things I need to get done, when I discover I've got a copy of The Generation Game: Now and Then - which starts on UKTV Gold Thursday 22 November - tucked under a load of other stuff. Well, that's it, I'm screwed, because I have to watch this. And from the off, my colleagues are interested too, keen to check out the reworked theme song which, I have to say, is ace. Bruce trilling away over an amped-up version of that familar theme. In short, they haven't ruined it. (Shame about the boring ITV1-style logo and set, though).
And then the man himself takes to the stage. After the usual "Nice to see you" business, we get: "It's so comforting to have an audience who can remember their lines. Let's just hope I can remember mine! Well, it's not easy when you're 55". Mocking laughter. "Oh, and a bit! And a bit!"
The clippage is admirably broad - there's stuff in here from the '90s run (when our host was experimenting disastrously with different hairpieces) as well as the classic '70s stuff. And Brucie proves he's still fantastic at being nicely insulting to members of the public ("35 years on and he still hasn't got any better", he quips about contestant Alan Ferguson, who reprises his attempted turn at ventriloquism). Plus Anthea Redfern provides some talking-head action ("I was just a hostess ... Rosemary Ford was so talented"), before Ms Ford herself makes an appearance with Bruce ("Beauty and the Beast they used to call us," he says, "which I always thought was a bit unfair on you") for a spot of off-the-cuff hoofing and aturn on the potter's wheel.
And of course, there's a conveyor-belt - a panini press, a luxury spa day for two, a drinks cooler fridge, a vacuum cleaner, a cuddly toy, an abdominal toning belt etc - which is inflicted on a contestant from the very first episode. From there, it's time for the goodbyes, everyone stood in front of all the items won as is the law.
"We'll see you next time, be there!". I can't think of a nicer way to spend 30 minutes.
I'm here at work, snowed under with things I need to get done, when I discover I've got a copy of The Generation Game: Now and Then - which starts on UKTV Gold Thursday 22 November - tucked under a load of other stuff. Well, that's it, I'm screwed, because I have to watch this. And from the off, my colleagues are interested too, keen to check out the reworked theme song which, I have to say, is ace. Bruce trilling away over an amped-up version of that familar theme. In short, they haven't ruined it. (Shame about the boring ITV1-style logo and set, though).
And then the man himself takes to the stage. After the usual "Nice to see you" business, we get: "It's so comforting to have an audience who can remember their lines. Let's just hope I can remember mine! Well, it's not easy when you're 55". Mocking laughter. "Oh, and a bit! And a bit!"
The clippage is admirably broad - there's stuff in here from the '90s run (when our host was experimenting disastrously with different hairpieces) as well as the classic '70s stuff. And Brucie proves he's still fantastic at being nicely insulting to members of the public ("35 years on and he still hasn't got any better", he quips about contestant Alan Ferguson, who reprises his attempted turn at ventriloquism). Plus Anthea Redfern provides some talking-head action ("I was just a hostess ... Rosemary Ford was so talented"), before Ms Ford herself makes an appearance with Bruce ("Beauty and the Beast they used to call us," he says, "which I always thought was a bit unfair on you") for a spot of off-the-cuff hoofing and aturn on the potter's wheel.
And of course, there's a conveyor-belt - a panini press, a luxury spa day for two, a drinks cooler fridge, a vacuum cleaner, a cuddly toy, an abdominal toning belt etc - which is inflicted on a contestant from the very first episode. From there, it's time for the goodbyes, everyone stood in front of all the items won as is the law.
"We'll see you next time, be there!". I can't think of a nicer way to spend 30 minutes.