I like crappy reality TV. Especially in the summer months when most of my favorite shows are in hiatus. Jersey Shore is the pinnacle of trashy, car crash television. You spend most of an episode in awe of how vapid these individuals are and marvelling at what they do and say. So transplanting these real life caricatures in one of my favorite Italian cities is a can- -not-miss event. And the long awaited rumble between The Situation and Ronnie? Roll on August 4th!
For the last few weeks these two campaigns have been putting a smile on my face. On the bus stop obliquely opposite my work place I get to see these two images every day. The stack of trainers in the JD Sports ad makes me want to abandon my budget and splash out on a pair of high tops. I love trainers. Ideally pure white in any brand makes me excited. I sincerely believe there is a trainer for every occasion.
Now I know that the main objective of the Tiffany and Co ad is to make me focus on the exquisite rings but it is the last thing I notice. The couple’s clasped hands and her gentle touch of his arm reminds me that love can at times be that secure and gentle and so very sweet.
Two completely different stores who are arguably appealing to opposing groups but they both get my undivided attention everyday. They remind me of the carefree tomboy me and the other part that is a hopeless romantic. It is amazing what journeys an image can take you on…
I am stomping my feet right now. Yes quietly but stomping nonetheless. I want to show the scene in this week’s The Good Wife where this cute lil lion speakerphone played the voice of the menacing Glenn Childs. Scenes, (like the one I can not show you because we are not in the correct region, Grrrr!) are the reason I heart this show. It has only gotten better in this second season. Every character has evolved, for the better or not, we the viewer have been able to witness excellent writing as the story grows and weaves and is NEVER predictable. I have no idea how this second season will end! And I love that. It can go in so many different directions. Whatever happens there is change ‘afoot’. Our good wife has confident lawyer and a wife and mother who is no longer afraid of her shadow. She is even becoming selfish with herself and I love it. And the batch of recurring guest actors that have become so familar and enjoyable is a testament to how seamlessly these epsiodes are written.
This show is excellent people! Please watch it. Even if its just to see my future birthday/Christmas pressie – Mr Lion Speakphone 
You can find it on both BBC4 and Channel 4!
I turn on the TV first thing every morning to Sky News. Then I spend the next hour getting ready for work and switching between News channels. On Friday the first bit of news, a break from Gaddafi’s madness, was the earthquake in Japan. Watching the subsequent Tsunami crash through everything in its way felt so surreal. It resembled footage from a disaster movie but as I kept having to remind myself, this was 100% real. Todays technology makes breaking news literally a blow by blow, video and verbal account of an real time breaking event. People, cars, houses, everything was being churned up that rapid, tumbling, dark water. Death and pure destruction while I sat on my bed being a voyeur.
I checked all the online news I could when I got into work and did a quick scan (secretly yearning to be in my living room clicking through the news channels instead). This is where I discovered an equal parts interesting, informative and downright scary visual graph, (called a seismic monitor) of the number of earth quakes that have happened in the last two weeks, all the way up to today.
Check it out fully on the live map
The earth truly quakes all day, every day. The odds are thay though we may never feel or see the level of destruction that japan did we will feel an earthquake one day. It is not a great feeling – you feel like it would never stop though it only lasted for a miniute or two. My heart can only imagine what it felt like on that Friday afternoon that felt like any other up until that moment.
Paul Keens-Douglas was one of my earliest memories of a story-teller and comedian.
I have always wanted to write that!
But jokes aside be warned. I have seen the finales for all my favorites and some may not have been broadcasted on UK TV yet. When I lived in New York this time of the year always felt like torture. All my shows would end and the summer loomed with no TV satisfaction in sight. This is the time for silly reality shows and re-runs. Thank God that in 2010 some shows are just beginning (eg True Blood) and the Internet makes it possible to catch up on past seasons. Amen for technology!
My thoughts on some of the finale episodes:
Cougar Town – I have grown to love the band of neighbor-friends on this show. It is funny and sweet and the finale reflected all the traits I like. We’ve seen relationships grow and blossom and mature. It will be lovely next season to see how Jules and Grayson tackle a serious relationship and watch Travis navigate college.
Justified – A great shot-em-up season ender. Enough twists and action to keep you satisfied. And questions left unanswered for the next episode. I feel like I understand Raylan Givens so much more but without doubt there are a few more layers to him.
Glee – Left me feeling fuzzy inside. Laugh if you wish but that feeling is why I love this show. Even the episodes where the story lines are lazy, the music never is. There is guaranteed to be one song that makes me smile and one line that is funny. Mr Schuster is my 2010 crush, yes, but Sue Sylvester is by far my favourite. She is the most human bad guy ever. I can’t wait to see what new wonderful plots, lines and layers await her.
90210 – Hmmmm, I had abandoned this new version by the end of the first season. But when it started its 2nd season run on E4 I began to watch it again. There have been improvements – Annie got more dimensions to her character; we saw that Liam was much more more than the generic bad boy and Silver started to get back to the original chick she was. The rest can pretty much disappear in my opinion. It ended with an explosion and the start of a new romance. Almost enough to get me watching when it starts again.
Gossip Girl - This post is not big enough to fully express how terribly this show ended. In an hour we got to see how the writers have annihilated the perfection that was Chuck and Blair. They sucked the life out of this two delicious characters and turned them into puppet versions of their previous selves. The continued emphasis on Serena and her wooden mother is infuriating. Serena is all legs, blond hair and whispers. Why she still seems to be the focus is baffling. The spotlight should be Blair’s but they have whittled her to nothing. The closing scenes could have been written by a ten year old because it was that melodramatic. To get me like this show again the overhaul will have to be epic. As far as I am concerned GG just needs one more season to get back a fraction of its sparkle and should then be put to rest.
Lost – I was an avid fan for three years. I held on up until they went to the cabin and spoke to a empty chair. My attention evaporated almost instantly after that. The greatness that was Sayid and Sawyer was reduced to rubble. Did I watch the over hyped final episode? No. Reading a recap was more than enough. Purgatory? Really? What a gigantic waste of, well, everything.
The Good Wife – I got scared a few episodes near the end. I was afraid for Alicia’s job and her taste in men but thank goodness it was all a diversion. She got the ‘balls’ I always knew she had. Mrs Florick can sometimes be frustrating. I want her to shout more and stop being so mute at the worst of times. But she is beginning to prove me wrong. The 2nd season promises to change the ‘game’ a little. I hope Alicia’s bad side comes out more and she proves she more than just a good wife.
Modern Family – I love it. Every episode is on point for me. No one can convince me otherwise! The finale showed us just why this family is the most loving, dysfunctional, strange mish mash of people ever. I can wait to see what the new year brings them.
24 – Jack I am going to miss you! Yes this day had its full of predictable twists and boring moments but it redeemed itself in the last eight hours. It felt like the good days of 24 with enough action and edge of the seats moments that make your heart race. I was afraid for Mr Bauer, genuinely convinced that this was the end for him. I am glad the show has ended because it really had no where else to go. But I am still sad. 24 was the most original concept on TV. It was like an action film condensed into an hour. I encourage everyone to go out and watch the first four seasons It was unstoppable. I shed a tear watching the final scenes. I will miss it. I truly hope that a film version is in the works. I have no doubt it will be amazing!
GG has not been great this season. The writing has been lacklustre with the characters becoming more ridiculous by the week. Serena, her mother and her brother for that matter could all just go a long holiday because each week their acting abilities seem to get worse. But just when I was prepared to watch the highlights (if any) via youtube, episode 21 got interesting, even good! The old gang was scheming away again trying to solve a mystery silly Serena was blind to. Even the real stars Chuck and Blair began to get their sparkle back.
What makes the finale so juicy is the two different promo floating around the net. The first was shown on ITV then ‘mysteriously’ disappeared (according to EW.com the producers were livid) and the second is the US version. Both push the story in different directions but one breaks ‘Chair’ fans hearts.
Cynically this could just be a great tactic dreamed up by the show to generate the present excitement. Either way it is fun, fun, fun!
UK promo:
US promo:
The name is apt. Alicia Florrick is the epitome of the good wife. Her husband, a powerful District Attorney, is accused of sleeping with high end call girls and taking bribes. He loses his job and is jailed for his alleged crimes. Alicia’s life as she knows it, changes at a speed she has no control over. She is forced to go back to work as a corporate lawyer. This is after thirteen years of being a stay-at-home mother.
These events fuel this hour long drama. Alicia’s children, her mother- in- law and her work colleagues are also major players in the story.
Why is it good? The turmoil that Julianna Margulies’ character is going through with her marriage and her family is only part of the weekly story. It could very easily have been a soap opera about her life but instead these events become the backdrop. Every episode Alicia and her colleagues fight a new court case. Each case is unique and its outcome is never predictable.
We watch her confidence growing as a working mother and the turmoil and embarrassment she feels as the wronged wife.
Chris Noth is perfect as her politician husband Peter Florrick who is trying to get his life back. He exudes the charm and ego and remorse with just enough balance. You start to see him as Alicia does and wonder whether or not he can be trusted. The mutual attraction she experiences with her boss and old friend Will Gardner (Josh Charles) is subtle but very endearing.
My critiques are minor nuances. Sometimes you wonder where the children are in the later episodes. I assume we are to believe they are asleep as it is usually late when Alicia comes home. But after having them as such major characters in the first ten episodes, I find myself missing their presence. I am sure this will soon change. Also, and feel free to laugh, Alicia’s hair become an obsession. Has Julianna Margulies thick hair been tamed into bone straightness? I have my doubts because her hairstyle on this show often looks like a wig. Yes very minor and silly observation…but I have become obsessed with solving the mystery!
Julianna Margulies has already won an Emmy for her portrayal and the show continues to get great reviews. American TV is notorious for getting rid of great shows because of viewing numbers. Fingers crossed this will not be the case with the Good Wife and 2nd season can be expected.
So start from episode one (should be on 4OD) and see if you too get caught up in the world of the Good Wife.
Where to find it: Channel 4 Thursdays 9pm
Preview:
This video manages to combine two of my favourite things. Sesame Street and Law and Order SVU!
A Sesame Street love fest post is still to come but I will say this, is it not amazing the way they teach children about a letter? It is one of the many beautiful shows from my childhood.
Enjoy the comedy created with muppets, SVU characters and the letter M!
Who does not love Betty White? She was one of my favourites on ‘Golden Girls’. She such a naturally comic lady that watching this makes me want to spend a day with her. You know she would have you in constant stitches with her one liners and flirting. Lovely to see her still going strong!
