20 February 2008
"FUELLED UP AND POWERED ON BY SUBWAY!"
NBC enjoyed - well - something like four hours of power this Sunday, courtesy of two TV revivals which have been doing fantastic business. And I've been watching both.
First up was the "Grand Finale" of the new American Gladiators, a show which originally hit the mat back in the mid 1990s. Now hosted by Hulk "Awesome, brother!" Hogan and Laila "Good answer!" Ali, the comeback has proven such a success, it's prompted Sky One to revitalise the British brand. As a fairweather fan of that version and with vague memories of catching the US series during ITV nighttimes, I was interested to get back in touch with the show.
What can I say? It's stupidly entertaining. There isn't enough variation in the games, but as a spectacle it's always satisfying. Granted, the limited vocabulary of all concerned is mildly depressing, contenders and presenters cycling through limited variations of the same bits of trash-talk: "Bring it on", "I'm going to bring it", "I've got your back", "Awesome", "I've got game", "I'm going for it", "[insert name here]-mania!" and, bizarrely, "This is my house". Plus, there's the odd smattering of self-improv doctrine, culminating in one finalist explaining, "It's an awesome visualisation and I'm going to make it come to fruition!" Oh, and lots of dedications to God or departed parents, and much guff about being a role model and inspiring the poor ...
But that's all part of the fun, right? American Gladiators is a big, silly, enthusiastic firework display. It's got game, alright, and I'll be there with my over-sized inflatable hand when season two pops up. Plus, their Wolf is much better than our one ever was.
Shameless in squeezing promotional spots into every corner of the show (replays sponsored by Subway and Toyota, contestants glugging power drinks with the label turned to camera), the final came to a slight pause for the commentator to note the stars of the new Knight Rider were in the audience. Their show followed next ...
Dunno why I decided to catch this other revival, as I was hardly a devotee of the '80s original. And yet, when that theme tune kicked in, I grinned ... until it morphed into a nasty, aimless spot of guitar wankery. This is Glen A Larson to the next level. Our new Rider (named Mike Traceur) is introduced having enjoyed a ménage à trois with a couple of "hotties", he's got a geeky vaguely ethnic sidekick, and is later matched with a fairly straight re-imagining of Bonnie/April. The FBI get a look in courtesy of a nubile lesbian agent - also introduced awakening from a one-night stand - and Devon's counterpart has the most ridiculous hair of the year.
Worse still, the new KITT - a Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500KR, apparently - is just plain ugly. It's a big fat car, the camera all too often perving over its cobra badge, and it sports the rubbish attribute of being able to change shape! Perhaps it could opt for the form of a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am?
There's a weird subtext running through this pilot about parental relationships, with all the young cast seemingly estranged from their moms and pops. Not sure what it all meant, but it afforded David Hasselhoff a cameo late in the day, as Mike's missing-in-action dad. It was nice to see him.
Throughout, you can feel the programme-makers straining to think of how they can develop upon elements from the original series. This really made me chuckle at the end as, the gang all assembled, Mike got ready to reverse KITT onto the road from the inners of the Knight Industry truck ... except that as he emerges, it's revealed said vehicle is now a big old plane. Yeah! Bigger and better!
Bet they drop that innovation quick-smart when the inevitable series follows.
First up was the "Grand Finale" of the new American Gladiators, a show which originally hit the mat back in the mid 1990s. Now hosted by Hulk "Awesome, brother!" Hogan and Laila "Good answer!" Ali, the comeback has proven such a success, it's prompted Sky One to revitalise the British brand. As a fairweather fan of that version and with vague memories of catching the US series during ITV nighttimes, I was interested to get back in touch with the show.
What can I say? It's stupidly entertaining. There isn't enough variation in the games, but as a spectacle it's always satisfying. Granted, the limited vocabulary of all concerned is mildly depressing, contenders and presenters cycling through limited variations of the same bits of trash-talk: "Bring it on", "I'm going to bring it", "I've got your back", "Awesome", "I've got game", "I'm going for it", "[insert name here]-mania!" and, bizarrely, "This is my house". Plus, there's the odd smattering of self-improv doctrine, culminating in one finalist explaining, "It's an awesome visualisation and I'm going to make it come to fruition!" Oh, and lots of dedications to God or departed parents, and much guff about being a role model and inspiring the poor ...
But that's all part of the fun, right? American Gladiators is a big, silly, enthusiastic firework display. It's got game, alright, and I'll be there with my over-sized inflatable hand when season two pops up. Plus, their Wolf is much better than our one ever was.
Shameless in squeezing promotional spots into every corner of the show (replays sponsored by Subway and Toyota, contestants glugging power drinks with the label turned to camera), the final came to a slight pause for the commentator to note the stars of the new Knight Rider were in the audience. Their show followed next ...
Dunno why I decided to catch this other revival, as I was hardly a devotee of the '80s original. And yet, when that theme tune kicked in, I grinned ... until it morphed into a nasty, aimless spot of guitar wankery. This is Glen A Larson to the next level. Our new Rider (named Mike Traceur) is introduced having enjoyed a ménage à trois with a couple of "hotties", he's got a geeky vaguely ethnic sidekick, and is later matched with a fairly straight re-imagining of Bonnie/April. The FBI get a look in courtesy of a nubile lesbian agent - also introduced awakening from a one-night stand - and Devon's counterpart has the most ridiculous hair of the year.
Worse still, the new KITT - a Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500KR, apparently - is just plain ugly. It's a big fat car, the camera all too often perving over its cobra badge, and it sports the rubbish attribute of being able to change shape! Perhaps it could opt for the form of a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am?
There's a weird subtext running through this pilot about parental relationships, with all the young cast seemingly estranged from their moms and pops. Not sure what it all meant, but it afforded David Hasselhoff a cameo late in the day, as Mike's missing-in-action dad. It was nice to see him.
Throughout, you can feel the programme-makers straining to think of how they can develop upon elements from the original series. This really made me chuckle at the end as, the gang all assembled, Mike got ready to reverse KITT onto the road from the inners of the Knight Industry truck ... except that as he emerges, it's revealed said vehicle is now a big old plane. Yeah! Bigger and better!
Bet they drop that innovation quick-smart when the inevitable series follows.
12 February 2008
"MY WIFE LEFT ME ..." AGAIN
A mail from Craig Robins, who was the one-man band behind the release of Steven Moffat's sitcom Joking Apart. And it's good news ...
Hi there,
It's always nice to be able to do a follow-up report on a success story.
I thought you might like to know that the DVD of the first series was successful enough for me to be granted a further licence from 2enetertain for series two which will be released on 17th March on the Replay label. I'm also currently working on plans for other future releases. Details can be found online here.
If you would like any further information, please feel free to email either myself or my PR Richard Leon on richard@richardleonpr.co.uk for a press release.
CHERYL WEEDY
I mentioned ages ago how, while I still think Curb Your Enthusiasm is extremely funny, I can't always enjoy it as much as I'd like because I get frustrated by the supporting characters behaving in totally illogical and unreasonable ways. I know the whole concept of the series is that we're supposed to laugh at Larry's ineptitude, but he'd such an appealing character that you often can't help but root for him and take his side in arguments.
The same is true of the current series, currently being shown on More4, but I think there's another problem now - what on Earth has happened to Cheryl? Previously, Cheryl played an important part in the show - she was as embarrassed and appalled at the worst excesses of Larry's behaviour as everyone else, but the series always pointed out the pair had a great relationship and she would be smart and witty enough to help dig Larry out of most holes.
In this series, though, she seems to have become a humourless, rather unpleasant individual who seems to be in the show purely to start arguments and disapprove of Larry's behaviour. In fact I don't think she's even smiled once, in between chastising Larry for buying forbidden toilet roll, banning Jeff from their house or shouting at Larry without even waiting to hear his side of the story.
At the moment I'm actually rather relieved when Cheryl isn't on screen ready to show him up or cause problems. Does this carry on throughout the whole series?
Either way, for now, who'd have thought Susie would become the most appealing female character on this show?
The same is true of the current series, currently being shown on More4, but I think there's another problem now - what on Earth has happened to Cheryl? Previously, Cheryl played an important part in the show - she was as embarrassed and appalled at the worst excesses of Larry's behaviour as everyone else, but the series always pointed out the pair had a great relationship and she would be smart and witty enough to help dig Larry out of most holes.
In this series, though, she seems to have become a humourless, rather unpleasant individual who seems to be in the show purely to start arguments and disapprove of Larry's behaviour. In fact I don't think she's even smiled once, in between chastising Larry for buying forbidden toilet roll, banning Jeff from their house or shouting at Larry without even waiting to hear his side of the story.
At the moment I'm actually rather relieved when Cheryl isn't on screen ready to show him up or cause problems. Does this carry on throughout the whole series?
Either way, for now, who'd have thought Susie would become the most appealing female character on this show?
11 February 2008
FRESH FIELDS FOR MARPLE!
Fun news from ITV ...
JULIA MCKENZIE ANNOUNCED AS NEW MISS MARPLE
ITV today announced that Julia McKenzie has taken over the iconic role of Miss Marple. Julia will begin filming A POCKETFUL OF RYE at the end of this month.
Geraldine McEwan, the last actress to take on the nation’s favourite spinster sleuth, retired last month after three hugely successful series. The hugely popular Emmy Award nominated ITV films have been sold to over 100 territories worldwide and peaked in the ratings at 10 million viewers.
Star of stage and screen, Julia McKenzie most recently appeared in Cranford as Mrs Forrester and the critically acclaimed Notes On A Scandal. Earlier credits include Fresh Fields, Bright Young Things and Blott On The Landscape. On stage Julia recently starred in The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, and has many award wins and nominations to her name, both on Broadway and in the West End. She won an Olivier for her performance as Mrs Lovett in the National Theatre production of Sweeny Todd.
Julia McKenzie said:
I’m very excited but also slightly daunted by the enormous responsibility that comes with taking on such an iconic role. Just about everybody in the world knows about Miss Marple and has an opinion of what she should be like, so I’m under no illusions about the size of the task ahead. And I suppose I’ll have to remind myself how to knit!
Laura Mackie, ITV’s Director of Drama, said:
Although the Miss Marple brand is one of the strongest in British television, the character herself is always open to interpretation. Julia McKenzie will bring another dimension to a classic character, and I hope the public are as excited as I am to see her bring her own unique interpretation to one of fiction’s most well loved detectives.
Mathew Prichard, grandson of Agatha Christie and Chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd said:
Everyone has their favourite Miss Marple from past series and films, and it would be unfair of me to reveal my own favourite at this time – but I will say that I can imagine Julia McKenzie playing Miss Marple with exactly the right balance of sympathy and intelligence, and I confidently predict that she will become a Miss Marple to rank with the very best!
Phil Clymer, Executive Producer of Marple, and Chorion’s Director of TV and Film, said:
Julia McKenzie has been the outstanding candidate ever since we learned that Geraldine McEwan felt it was time to step down from the role. For me, Julia McKenzie ticks just about every box when it comes to playing the Marple character, and I’m thrilled that she has agreed to take on this new challenge.
Rebecca Eaton, Executive Producer, WGBH/Masterpiece Mystery!, said:
We know that Miss Marple is as popular in the USA as anywhere in the world. We are sure that Julia McKenzie will build on this remarkable heritage and bring in a whole new generation of American Marple fans.
Geraldine McEwan first appeared in Agatha Christie’s Marple in The Body In The Library in 2004. Since then she has appeared in a total of 12 films, 10 of which have been shown on ITV1; Towards Zero and Nemesis are still to be shown. Geraldine was the sixth actress to take on the much-loved character on screen, following in the footsteps of Gracie Fields, Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes and Joan Hickson.
Agatha Christie’s Marple is co-produced by Granada, Agatha Christie Ltd and WGBH Boston. Granada International, who brokered the US co-production deal, holds worldwide distribution rights. Michele Buck; Damien Timmer; Phil Clymer, Chorion’s Director of TV & Film and Rebecca Eaton of WGBH are Executive Producers. American audiences watch the Marple series on Masterpiece Mystery! on PBS.
An all star cast for A POCKETFUL OF RYE will be announced later this month.
08 February 2008
SWALES MUST GO NOW
As of this week, ITV4 are broadcasting 24 hours a day, and one of the programmes in the new afternoon schedules every Thursday is something called The Big Match Revisited. As a football anorak, this did of course sound very tempting, although I assumed we'd have to suffer some smart-arse narration from Ned Boulting or someone about bubble perms.
But no, as yesterday's first programme turned out to be nothing but an old football programme shown its in entirety from beginning to end. One thing it wasn't, however, was The Big Match. Instead it was an episode of Granada's crapply-titled equivalent Match Time from exactly 25 years ago this week, during the last few months of the old ITV regional system whereby each of the main regions would mount their own highlights show, with extended coverage of a local match and then edited highlights of the games covered by the other regions.
As well as the end for that system, in 1983 it looked like it was nearly the end for football full stop, and the programme gloomily reported on Blackpool and Wigan enjoying their lowest ever attendances, and Everton welcoming just 14,000 people through the turnstiles (such a momentous figure it was superimposed over a crap library shot of Goodison Park to emphasise this).
Perhaps the oddest aspect from a modern perspective was that reporting on these numbers as part of his news round-up was Denis Law, one of the most charismatic and popular players of his generation, who spent the whole programme sat next to main anchor Elton Welsby reading out results and introducing black and white photographs of goals that hadn't been filmed. This seems a real waste, it'd be like Alan Hansen's only role on Match of the Day being to read out the league table.
Still, it was a fascinating and evocative show, with Elton referring to "Yorkshire Television's outside broadcast unit", hoardings at all the grounds about saving water and even a late result from Torquay United, who for some reason played most of their home games on Saturday nights at the time. The football action was all the more nostalgic being surrounded by cardboard graphics and hideously stilted interviews.
Judging by the trailer in The Championship last week (and it says a lot about ITV Sport's current portfolio that this was the only football they were able to promote), during the run - which is apparently going to cover each week 25 years ago for the rest of the season - we'll be gallivanting across the country and dropping in on other regions' programmes. We certainly got a clip of Fred Dinenage, so that'll be one to watch.
So well done to ITV4 for what's bound to be the best series they've ever screened. And maybe by May I'll work out just why so many people took bog roll to matches to throw on the pitch.
But no, as yesterday's first programme turned out to be nothing but an old football programme shown its in entirety from beginning to end. One thing it wasn't, however, was The Big Match. Instead it was an episode of Granada's crapply-titled equivalent Match Time from exactly 25 years ago this week, during the last few months of the old ITV regional system whereby each of the main regions would mount their own highlights show, with extended coverage of a local match and then edited highlights of the games covered by the other regions.
As well as the end for that system, in 1983 it looked like it was nearly the end for football full stop, and the programme gloomily reported on Blackpool and Wigan enjoying their lowest ever attendances, and Everton welcoming just 14,000 people through the turnstiles (such a momentous figure it was superimposed over a crap library shot of Goodison Park to emphasise this).
Perhaps the oddest aspect from a modern perspective was that reporting on these numbers as part of his news round-up was Denis Law, one of the most charismatic and popular players of his generation, who spent the whole programme sat next to main anchor Elton Welsby reading out results and introducing black and white photographs of goals that hadn't been filmed. This seems a real waste, it'd be like Alan Hansen's only role on Match of the Day being to read out the league table.
Still, it was a fascinating and evocative show, with Elton referring to "Yorkshire Television's outside broadcast unit", hoardings at all the grounds about saving water and even a late result from Torquay United, who for some reason played most of their home games on Saturday nights at the time. The football action was all the more nostalgic being surrounded by cardboard graphics and hideously stilted interviews.
Judging by the trailer in The Championship last week (and it says a lot about ITV Sport's current portfolio that this was the only football they were able to promote), during the run - which is apparently going to cover each week 25 years ago for the rest of the season - we'll be gallivanting across the country and dropping in on other regions' programmes. We certainly got a clip of Fred Dinenage, so that'll be one to watch.
So well done to ITV4 for what's bound to be the best series they've ever screened. And maybe by May I'll work out just why so many people took bog roll to matches to throw on the pitch.
07 February 2008
COOKING DOESN'T GET TOUGHER THAN THIS!
Inevitably, I'm obsessed with Masterchef. So, I was excited to get details of how the final week is going to stack up. Read on (and worry not, there are no spoilers regarding who gets through)...
For immediate release
Monday, 4th February, 2008
MASTERCHEF FINAL HOTS UP
After six weeks of heats and a week of gruelling semi finals, the 132 contestants have been whittled down to three exceptional finalists.
As the primetime BBC TWO series moves into its final week, judges, John Torode and Gregg Wallace, have the difficult task of deciding which passionate cook will be crowned MasterChef Champion 2008.
Half-hour programmes will be broadcast at 20.30 on Monday 25th, February and Tuesday 26th, February. Then hour-long programmes will be broadcast at 20.00 on Wednesday 27th, February and the final episode Thursday, February 28th at 20.00.
John and Gregg have seen more than 130 contestants and tasted their culinary creations but for these three finalists the final tasks are more challenging than anything seen on the series before.
On Monday they must cook for the entire cast and crew members of BBC’s television drama, Waterloo Road.
Tuesday sees the determined trio fly 12,000 miles to Belize, Central America to prepare meals for the British Army in the sweltering heat and humidity of the jungle.
In Wednesday’s hour-long episode, the finalists have to become the sole caterers for a luxurious wedding at Blenheim Palace – the responsibility for the most important day in two people’s lives is literally in their hands.
Then they return to London to cook for the ultimate chef’s table at the Dorchester - seven chefs who between them hold 17 Michelin stars. This includes Michel Roux Sr - The Waterside Inn 3* , Yannick Alléno- Le Meurice 3*, Andrew Fairlie - Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles 2*, Mark Edwards - Nobu 1* and Nobu Berkeley 1*, Michael Caines - Gidleigh Park 2*, Marcus Wareing - Petrus 2* and Savoy Grill 1*.
Finally on Thursday night, it’s the moment of truth and the ultimate final tests – including working at three of the top 3* Michelin restaurants in France.
Then they must return to MasterChef Headquarters to prepare a three-course meal for judges, John and Gregg. This must be an exceptional meal that will showcase everything they have learnt on their journey - only one can impress the judges enough to be crowned MasterChef 2008.
"HELLO. I'M BULGE TEMPTINGLY!"
I'm enjoying the repeats of Whose Line is it Anyway? on Dave, although there has been some quite brutal editing done for watershed purposes; the type which Canadian and American audiences used to suffer even in more appropriate later slots when the episodes were first aired. This was not what Hat Trick nor Channel 4 intended ...
The comedy hasn't dated, and neither have the games. I read through my OTT history of the show and still feel generally happy with it despite these retrospective viewings. Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie still make me laugh really, really hard; Greg Proops is still on autopilot and Josie Lawrence is still bloody awful, awful, awful. I think I was harsh on Tony Slattery though; maybe his ubiquity and eventual decline within the trappings of celebrity contributed to my lack of sympathy for him or his skills. Or maybe I've mellowed.
The only things to have really dated are Steve Frost's floral shirts.
It seems inevitable, as interest returns through these repeats and the forthcoming DVD releases, that some form of revival may be in the offing. But is this brand of genuinely clever comedy which suits a family audience any good to a TV channel any more?
The comedy hasn't dated, and neither have the games. I read through my OTT history of the show and still feel generally happy with it despite these retrospective viewings. Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie still make me laugh really, really hard; Greg Proops is still on autopilot and Josie Lawrence is still bloody awful, awful, awful. I think I was harsh on Tony Slattery though; maybe his ubiquity and eventual decline within the trappings of celebrity contributed to my lack of sympathy for him or his skills. Or maybe I've mellowed.
The only things to have really dated are Steve Frost's floral shirts.
It seems inevitable, as interest returns through these repeats and the forthcoming DVD releases, that some form of revival may be in the offing. But is this brand of genuinely clever comedy which suits a family audience any good to a TV channel any more?
06 February 2008
SCHOOL'S OUT FOREVER
It won't surprise many to read that two days shy of its 30th birthday Grange Hill has been axed. Increasingly out of place on BBC1 - in fact, the last series didn't even graduate from the CBBC channel to terrestrial - it's perhaps a mercy killing, what with the revamped "The Grange" media centre-led series currently in production at Lime Pictures, awkwardly shoe-horning primary school kids into the format.
Well done Phil Redmond who got in a pre-emptive bitch about the series a couple of weeks back "Mortar boards", though? Been reading too much Bash Street Kids, Phil?
Well done Phil Redmond who got in a pre-emptive bitch about the series a couple of weeks back "Mortar boards", though? Been reading too much Bash Street Kids, Phil?