Category Archives: Drama

Broadchurch – a review

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Image: ITV.com

Dear ladies and gents,

I think there is a new UK crime show on the telly right now that you might enjoy (and as always if you don’t like it, you are free to come here and call me a silly cow).

Broadchurch is a crime series produced by ITV and staring David Tennant as Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, a disgraced officer who comes to Broadchurch and is looking to lie low for a while after a scandal (everyone keeps mentioning Sandybrook, but two episodes in we are yet to learn what the scandal was about). Anyhow Hardy is an outsider and gets partnered up with Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (played by the brilliant Olivia Colman), who is also a tad bit resentful since Hardy got the job that was technically hers.

Without giving too much away – Hardy’s first case is a murder of a 10-year-old local boy Danny and the small community is thrown into disarray.

I should say that Broadchurch is not revolutionary, it is after all a classic crime drama that ITV usually does so well. But the script, humming along nicely two episodes in, together with two strong leads Tennant and Colman makes it in my opinion worthy of your time investment (unlike lets say Mayday, which just… no).

Make no mistake – Broadchurch is all kinds of sad and wretched, a little boy has been murdered (the juxtaposition between the gorgeous seaside town and the crime scene is particularly jarring), but with a tight script and beautiful direction by James Strong, it is a solid crime drama that will have you hooked.

The trailer is below.

UK shows to check out in January

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Dear ladies and gents,

here is a short selection of UK shows you might want to check out in January. By all means – if you have any suggestions of your own, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Blandings

Blandings is based on P. G. Wodehouse’s Blandings Castle stories and it is about Lord Clarence Emsworth (played by Timothy Spall aka as Wormtail from the Harry Potter movies). Lord Emsworth lives at Blandings Castle together with his sister Connie, his dimwitted son Freddie and his prize winning pig the Empress. All Lord Emsworth would like is some peace and quiet, however a constant stream of visitors make that impossible. This is P. G. Wodehouse after all, how bad can it be?

Utopia

Ah now this show looks really promising. Written by Dennis Kelly, Utopia is a story about five strangers who meet through online comic book forum. They come into the possession of a comic book called the Utopia Experiment, which supposedly predicted some of the worst events of the 20th century. Almost immediately they find themselves targets of the rather shady governmental organization called the Network, whose members start to take them out one by one.

Ripper Street

Ah Ripper Street. It’s like CSI meets Whitechapel meets Sherlock Holmes. Ripper Street is set in Whitechapel (area of East London) just six months after the notorious Jack the Ripper murders. Matthew Macfadyen (who you might remember from Spooks – the early years) stars as Detective Inspector Edmund Reid, the inspector in charge of the H Division, police department responsible for keeping the peace in the area. A bit intense, just a tad bit gross, Ripper Street is not half bad. It bares saying that it can be seen on BBC America (in case any of our American readers are interested).

Spies of Warsaw

Spies of Warsaw is another period mini-series and based on the novels written by Alan Furst. The series is set in Warsaw just before the start of World War II. It stars David Tennant as Colonel Jean-François Mercier, new French military attache at the embassy in Warsaw, who gets involved in the world of mystery, intrigue and betrayal.

Great Night Out

Great Night out is a new ITV sit-com about four blokes who get together every week for a night on the tiles in Stockport. Have not seen this one yet so I can’t vouch for it, but it sounds a bit hm… bloke-ish?

Way To Go

Way To Go is a new BBC Three sit-com, about two half brothers and their friend who due to some odd circumstances start an illegal assisted suicide business. Hm yes.. I’ve got nothing.

UK shows to check out in September

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Dear ladies and gents,

down below you can find the selection of some of the new and returning UK series this September.


Returning show


Doctor Who

Doctor Who returned with a bang on September 1st.


A Touch of Cloth


A spoof comedy that pokes fun at all the UK crime drama series. It stars Suranne Jones (of Scott & Bailey) and John Hannah who you might know from the Mummy (also he was the original Rebus).


Downton Abbey


Downton Abbey returns on September 17th for the much anticipated third series and Shirley MacLaine guest stars. Hmmm dying to see her and Dame Maggie Smith sharing the screen – it should be interesting. Also for no reason at all but to share – got an invite for the screening. Which was scheduled in London 3 days before the Olympics were about to start. Who does that? Oh don’t mind me – I’m just endlessly bitter I couldn’t go and I had to get it out of my system since most people I know are Downton what?


The Great British Bake Off


The Great British Bake Off is back. And allegedly there is a dishy baker this year?!


New shows


Parade’s End


Ah Parade’s End, the latest Cumberbatch series. I’m afraid I am a bit conflicted about this one. Sure it’s Cumberbatch and all, playing a toff (once again) and his wife is a horrible bitch and he meets a young suffragette and is all conflicted between loyalty to his cheating wife (hm ok) and the feelings he has for this other lady. And allegedly there is some nudity as well (it’s not a proper TV series if Cumberbatch doesn’t show off his bottom).
The thing is – I’ve read one of the reviews and there are some animals sadz. Will Cumberbatch’s naked bottom be incentive enough? I hate animal sadz. I know, I know, I’m getting soft in my old age. But I’m sure it’s quite good and all.


Good Cop


Good Cop is a crime drama series set in Liverpool that follows a young police officer named Sav whose life goes to shit after he tries to protect his colleague from a vicious attack by some gang members. It stars Warren Brown, a gent who has been popping all over the place of late – you might have seen him in Luther, Inside Men or the Dark Knight Rises.


Hunderby


Hunderby is a dark comedy series produced by Sky Atlantic that follows the story of a young woman named Helen, a shipwreck survivor who gets washed ashore a small English village in the 1830s. She soon marries the local pastor and widower named Edmund who also has a dragon of a housekeeper named Dorothy. Now Dorothy is obsessed with pastor’s late wife and thinks Helen is not a suitable match. And Helen has a dark past she tries to hide from Edmund. You might remember Dorothy (Julia Davis) from Gavin and Stacey.


Bad Education

Bad Education is another sitcom on the list (but produced by BBC Three). It stars Jack Whitehall as Alfie, the “worst teacher that has ever graced the British education system”. Matthew Horne (of Gavin and Stacey) plays Fraser, the school’s headmaster who has a bit of a guy crush on Alfie. It seems the series is not so bad since it has been renewed for second season.



John Barrowman’s Dallas


I’ll admit it – I thought what the hell is this, John Barrowman is doing porn now? Obvs I have a dirty mind. But no, John Barrowman has been sent to the set of Dallas to get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the making of the new series. Meh. Now if it was Dynasty redux I would be all over it.

And soz the clip is geo(cock)blocked so I cannot post it.

BBC Two Drama – or bring in the big guns

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Image: Stock.xchng

Dear ladies and gents,

let me tell you about last week.

Last Sunday in my infinite blond wisdom (read stupidity) I have decided to paint the bathroom. Sure, I knew it will take a while and I could only do it after work and lets ignore the fact I don’t even paint my nails let alone any walls all that often but surely it was doable. I can do this. I can.

So let me tell you how it went:

On Sunday I was a bit sickly and headachey from the fumes but it was nothing some ibruprofen couldn’t help.

On Monday it took me like an hour to cover everything and then about 3 hours to do the base paint.

On Monday night/Tuesday morning I woke up because my arm hurt – pardon my French – like a bitch.

On Tuesday evening I wanted to curl up in a fetal position and die because it was that point when a) you cannot understand what on Earth possessed you to actually do this and b) it seemed like there is no end in sight.

On Wednesday I was cursing like a fisherman’s wife and bitterly regretted the fact I wasn’t born in a parallel Harry Potter universe where I could just use my wand, cast a spell and have the bathroom done (although knowing my luck even in this parallel universe I would have been born a muggle). Also I managed to tip over about half of pot of paint all over myself.

On Thursday I almost fell off the ladder. But the end was near.

On Friday when the time arrived to clean up and mop up and put everything in place I was ready to weep the tears of joy because I was so happy I could toss the roller and just clean. Because cleaning? Easy. Painting? Ugh. And if you want to scare me? Just show me a roller. I will run away screaming.

But it’s done and it looks fine. Just fine.

What does this have to do with television?

At some point last week I saw a trailer for new BBC Two dramas and it featured Cumberbatch. He stars in Parade’s End (based on the novels by Ford Madox Ford), some World War I costume drama and he plays some buttoned up Englishman with a bitch of a wife or whathaveyou (you can check the trailer below).

Ladies and gents – the moral of this story is:

1. Hire a painter if you can and spare yourself.
2. There is nothing Cumberbatch won’t make marginally better. Me thinks it’s the odd face. Watching Leverage made me feel a bit better too.

So you know, these are my recommendations if you find yourself in your own DIY hell.