Got some great feedback and interesting comments from part 1, so here’s part 2, followed by the shows I ought to be watching!
Fringe Final Season
Fringe –Entering its final season, Fringe has survived by continually reinventing itself: each season has a clear premise which differs from the last, while remaining true to the heart of the show – great characters, sharp writing and mind-boggling, devilishly inventive sci-fi. It’s precisely the kind of unconventional show that troubles studio execs and could have fallen by the wayside (think Firefly), so being given the chance to wrap up in style with a full fifth season is a just reward, though I’ll be sad to see it end.
Hunted – Hurrah, a British show! This one started last week on BBC 1 with an excellent pilot that I’d highly recommend finding on I-player. The premise is that Sam Hunter (Melissa George), is a spy working for a private firm. An attempt on her life leads her to uncover a network of lies and deceit as she attempts to discover who betrayed her. I’ve missed her on the small screen since her explosive season on Alias several years ago, and she’s lost none of that combination of toughness and vulnerability that make her perfect for the role. It’s a tense, intelligent opener, and airs on Thursdays at 9:00. Check out George’s interview with the telegraph here.
Once Upon a Time – Meant to start watching this show ages ago, won over by my friend Matt’s review, so with season 2 just starting, I finally downloaded the pilot and thoroughly enjoyed it. The show focuses on Emma Swan, a loner with a troubled past, who is drawn into a small town which is populated by fairy tale characters…who have forgotten who they are. I’ll admit that the first five minutes left me skeptical, with the marriage of Snow White and Prince Charming, the evil witch and the curse feeling a bit too ‘Enchanted’ for my liking. My interest was grabbed when the setting abruptly shifted to real world USA, and the introduction of Swan and a boy claiming to be her son. I was eager to see how these two settings would be reconciled, and hooked from then on.
Melissa George in ‘Hunted’
Girls – Empire magazine calls it ‘Awkward Sex and the City’, and that’s pretty much spot on. It centres on four girls (check), living in New York (check), who have complicated sex lives (check). That’s where the comparisons end though. Unlike SATC, Girls has real characters whose concerns are less about ‘which of my five apartments should I keep my favourite T.V.’ but more like ‘what the hell am I doing with my life?’ The opening, where Lena Dunham’s Hannah, 24, is outraged by her parents’ announcement that they are cutting her off financially, sums up the tone of the show: you might not like the protagonists, but that’s o.k. – they’re funny, they’re fascinating, and most importantly, they’re real. Oh, and there’s not a high heel in sight.
T.V shows I should watch – Everyone’s got a show or few they mean to watch, but have never got round to. On my list are: Dexter, Breaking Bad, Entourage and Boardwalk Empire, to name a few. What else am I missing out on? Love to hear your thoughts!
Tig
Tig in Real Life 