Hannibal

Network - NBC
Genre - crime, drama, thriller, prequel
My rating - 4 stars out of 5

It's another prequel series, they seem to be popular at the moment.  Also popular at the moment are shows with more than your average amount of blood and gore.  Hannibal definitely doesn't shy away from this format.  So much so that the show was in fact pulled from one regional channel due to it's violent content.

Characters are well written and the story line keeps you guessing.  I'm only 4 episodes in but I will be interested to see how the season develops.  Interestingly should the series get renewed then all seasons will only consist of 13 episodes, unlucky for some.

UPDATE - I got slightly further into the season and sad to say I lost interest.  I still haven't managed to finish the season and it's now January 2014.  I'm not sure where it all went sour for me, I just didn't find the storyline compelling enough to compete with some of the other stuff out there vying for my time.

The Following

Network - Fox (US) Sky (UK)
Genre - drama, crime, thriller
My rating - 4 stars out of 5

I hadn't heard positive things about this show. Mostly that it should have just been a movie not a series. I agree to some extent, in that it would have made a good film but story development really does have the pace of television.

Unfortunately, and as with many shows of this genre, you are left wondering where the FBI manages to find such unintelligent agents who are really slow on the uptake. I think this is as a result of the storyline being somewhat predictable in places.

Worth a watch.  Oh and it's been renewed for a second series...

Bates Motel

Network - A&E (US) Universal (UK)
Genre - drama, thriller, prequel
My rating - 4 stars out of 5

The prequel series to the well known movie that needs no introduction...
I'm 4 episodes in to season 1 and so far I'm quite impressed. The storyline is fast paced and there is plenty to hold your attention. There are some well thought out twists that mostly haven't been at all predictable.
I'm giving this only 4 stars for now as it's still in it's infancy and I fear it could go end up going either way for me.

So far there had been some award worthy acting from the main characters playing really well developed characters. Let's hope it continues...

Revolution

Network - NBC (US) Sky1 (UK)
Genre - Drama, Action, Adventure, Sci Fi
My rating - 2 out of 5 stars

After just one episode I expected to be hooked, unable to wait for the next installment.  I expected a programme of epic proportions much like its predecessor, Fringe.  I was disappointed.

It's all a bit stilted and samey (as a lot of other shows in this genre). Personally I have not rushed to watch any further episodes however, I will at my leisure and should I find that the acting and storyline improves then I may revise my rating.  Although I don't hold out much hope from my first experience, I do keep reminding myself, "but it's J. J. Abrams!".  Is that enough to pull it back?

Nashville - as if you didn't know already!

Network - ABC (USA) - More4 (UK)
Genre - Drama
My rating - 4.5 stars out of 5

I think we all know this show is good by now don't we?  If you don't or haven't heard of it then, seriously, what rock have you been living under for the past 6 months?!

I like the way this show is different from other shows on tv, and not just other shows that are on right now, I mean that have been made, ever.  Yes ok, it has the same storylines as other shows that are about relationships and love and sex and blah blah blah, but with this show it's also about MUSICIANS rather than doctors or lawyers.

As someone who is not a pop/country or rock star I haven't a clue whether the way the show portrays the world of music is correct or if it is grossly dramatised, but it is keeping me tuned in each week.

Defiance

Network - Syfy
Genre - Sci Fi/Drama/Fantasy
My rating - After watching the pilot only 3 out of 5 stars

It is important to remember that this show comes with an associated MMO game as well.  I have not however had any experience of the game when reviewing the show!

Considering I am basing my review on only one episode (as I simply haven't had time to watch anymore yet), I wasn't entirely disappointed.

The characters appear to be strong as is the storyline starting out.  There are some familiar faces (albeit they may be slightly altered in appearance as they're probably an alien of some kind in this show), Julie Benz (Rita Bennett, Dexter) is the Mayoress of Defiance, Jaimie Murray (Hustle, Dexter, Ringer) plays some alien woman with as much a personality deficit as all the other characters she has ever played previously, Tony Curran (This Life) plays Jaimie Murray's husband.  Now that I think of it there is quite a lot of home grown UK talent appearing in the show....

Anyway, the storyline was quite fast paced.  The pilot was a double episode and I didn't really notice the length until over an hour in which has to be a good sign!

I can't really comment too much more until I have seen more than one episode but I will update my rating should it not continue to live up to expectations.  Needless to say I will be continuing to watch this show so I can recommend it on that basis alone!

UPDATE - I watched a few more episodes and sad to say I stopped there.  Another show that couldn't compete for my time.  I'm sure more diligent and hardcore sci-fi fans would happily stick with this however.  Oh and another thing Jaimie Murray, well she gets on my nerves in just about everything I've ever seen her in.  Maybe that was a factor, who knows.

Orphan Black

Network - BBC America
Genre - Science fiction/drama
My rating - 4 stars out of 5

The show centres around Sarah, a bit of a loser who is on the run from her drug dealer boyfriend and attempting to get her daughter back.  Sarah witnesses the suicide of a woman at a train station and so begins the tale....

I think there is a little confusion in the series (well up to episode 3 at least as that's as far as I am into it) about where the story is taking place.  At first you are lead to believe we're watching the story unfold in New York, but then there are several references during the episodes to the characters actually being in Toronto (where the series is apparently filmed).  If you can get past that, and a couple of dodgy accents (namely the English ones that sound, at times, more Australian) then the story is actually quite a good one (so far!).

I will definitely be watching episode 4.

There's something for most people in this show.  There is a bit of violence, blood, crime fighting, science, less romance but relationships are definitely explored.  Be prepared for a few naked bottoms (back view only so far lol).

Monday Mornings

Network - TNT
Genre - medical drama
My rating - 2.5 stars out of 5

A new offering from David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal). It's a tv show based on a book written by Sanjay Gupta (MD)... Yes the one from CNN.

After only 2 episodes I feel the storylines have all been done before, by the likes of House or even Grey's, and they have been done better in the past.

The acting is leaving something to be desired and feels as though even the actors don't believe their portrayals.

I can't relate to a single character or support any of the decisions they make. It feels like I'm watching a 12 year old have an argument with their parents.  Characters all feel immature, selfish and otherwise hollow, with no endearing quirks so far.

All in all disappointing thus far.

The State of Television - The Post

I'm sure many of you have noticed the new direction the blog has been gradually taking over the last year.  I am concentrating more on blogging about some of the great television shows I have been watching.  By doing this I hope to inform you, my readers and anyone else who may stumble upon these pages, about the great television shows that ARE still being made.

Television can be and should be once again, a great institution in the home.  It should not be dressed up in a cheap mini skirt and heels, stuck on the street corner that is the Saturday night 8pm reality slot, and told to dance, sing or fake anything for it's money.  It's time to say we have had enough cheap thrills.  We want more.

More already exists!  Television is not just a world of reality shows where orange Z-list celebrities get semi naked and have fake "some scenes have been dramatized" relationships.  Television is still about good old-fashioned storytelling, in the most, and the GOOD part.  Don't be a slave to reality shows that leave little to the imagination, and send your brain cells into a deep coma.   Rather stimulate them into a frenzy with impossibly imaginative twists and turns of thrillers, such as "Scandal".  Test them to their intellectual limits with political dramas such as "House of Cards".  Make them feel alive with joy and the laughter provided by comic genius from shows like "Community" and "New Girl".

Sadly, some of these shows do not get the press the reality shows are afforded and as a result I regularly see decent shows getting cancelled and replaced by yet more low budget television.  "Ringer" cancelled after 1 season, "Fringe" cancelled after 5 seasons, "Zero Hour" cancelled during the first season.  These are just three off the top of my head!  There are many, many more and these are mostly shows that people haven't had the chance to even get to hear about yet.  That's where I am hoping this blog will begin to help fill the information void!

So if you are interested in finding out about some shows that I think you will enjoy, please feel free to subscribe and I will try to keep you all updated.

Thanks

NB - this post can be seen as a page on tangerine dreams at all times.  It remains there as a reminder of my mission!  Please feel free to access it by going to the tab at the top of the page.

House of Cards

Genre - Political drama
Distributor - Netflix or online
My rating - 4 stars out of 5

This is a political drama rather than political thriller (as I would probably describe Scandal).
It isn't so much fast paced as fast talking. If you know nothing about American politics then you may struggle with some of the concepts and less so, the storylines (the same way detail can be lost in The Newsroom to a foreign, i.e. non American, audience).  Lets face it, the American writer does not write with a non native audience in mind, selling to other territories is just a bonus to them.
That aside, this is a fairly gripping tv show. I am yet to finish the season but I am liking what I've seen to date.  I'm finding myself recommending it, but I fail to be convinced if that is just because there are few shows separating the wheat from the chaff so far this year....

Red Widow

I plan to blog about this soon so watch this space!

I have decided that this poor effort of a show really isn't worth 2 posts.  I don't even think it is worth this one revised post!

Network - ABC
Genre - Boring sorry I mean drama?
My rating - 1 star out of 5

Bad acting, bad and predictable storyline, bad, bad, bad.

GIVE IT A MISS!

G-dog millionaire

Love this hound!