Skins UK: Okay, so far, I really do believe that this series is showing so much improvement. So, why are ratings and Twitter hits less big for the series then? It's a puzzler. The new generation continue to be interesting and both Mini and Liv had some pretty damn interesting episodes between them. Much as I found Mini's double standards towards Nick and Liv frustrating, I hated her for the way she chose to deal with it in regards to Liv. As for Matty and Nick being revealed as brothers - nice one. We were lacking siblings and with that taken care, we can see where their dynamic develops in the next four episodes. The trailer for the second half of the season certainly promised a lot of awesomeness to come our ways. Ratings or not, this show is certainly back to being it's fine self.
Glee: In the space of nine days, I've managed to see three of the current US aired episodes of the series and this one was a bit weird but good. I hated every bit of Justin Bieber related nonsense in this one and if I never heard a song from that kid, it'll be a moment too soon. On the plus side, I did enjoy the breather from Kurt/Blaine, loved Sue's attempts of sabotage before she headed off to join Aural Intensity, the diva-off between Rachel and Mercedes was amusing and I did like Sam dumping Quinn, though I can't see him and Santana lasting long. Only thing I had issue with was that Rachel raised a good point about doing an original song and everyone shot her down without giving her a chance. That was definitely a sour point in this episode.
The Big C: Okay, it's been airing on More4 for the last fortnight and I wasn't sure about watching this show but I'm kind of glad I gave in. Laura Linney is a fine actress and her character Cathy's plight with cancer is certainly tackled in interesting enough ways - kicking out her husband, making new friends, attending weird support groups and riding tandem bikes (a plot that was better done on The Simpsons many moons ago) but while the series has a sense of humour not too dissimilar to Weeds, it's probably going to take some more episodes for this show to 'wow' me if I'm being honest.
Shameless UK: As I continue to watch this current eighth season on and off at different times, a thought occurs to me - it's seen better days. Even though the writing/acting still outclasses it's American version (hardly a difficult task), I don't think there's much else the show can really go to be honest. How many times do I need to see carl shagging every available within breathing distance? How many loonies are going to appear to cause trouble for an episode (in the last few for Libby, Patty and Lillian)? And how many more fecking times are the writers going to treat Mickey's sexuality as a joke? I keep hoping that Mimi's latent homophobia was either a bizarre from her to get Mickey to open up about being gay or it would be something for him to man up against her but that's never going to happen. Five seasons in and it's no longer funny. How can anyone in the Maguire family not know Mickey is gay? Are they brain dead or something? And new neighbours the Powells aren't shaping up to be that interesting an edition to the series.
- Amber Benson is returning to Supernatual but it's not known if she'll be reprising her role from 2006 in the series or playing a new character.- Adrianne Palicki has been cast as Wonder Woman for an NBC pilot.
- Expect Santana's bisexuality to be a focus in an upcoming episode of Glee. Blaine is also set to question the nature of bisexuality in an episode too.
- Jennifer Carpenter has admitted that she's ready for her character Deb to find out about her brother's dark side in Dexter.
- BBC are moving sci-fi drama, Outcasts to a late Sunday slot after the series began to slip in the ratings.
- Ioan Gruffud has joined the CBS pilot, Ringer, featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Nester Carbonelli. He'll play the husband of Siobhan.
After seeing some adverts of Skins (for episode 4 I think) I decided to give it a go and like you said, the show is showing much improvement. I've only seen the first episode but it was highly enjoyable and I'm definitely going to continue. The characters are already a lot more fully formed, than the ones in the last cast.
ReplyDeleteI really like that it doesn't show signs of all characters being in the same group like last series where they were forced into the same grouping; this feels a lot more realistic.
Shame that the ratings have declined.
Have you seen any of the US Skins at all, Nat? It's not the worst thing I've seen in my life but even Gen 2 are more interesting than the US crowd Gen 1.
ReplyDeleteI am liking the Gen 3 crowd this time around and the writing is somewhat better as well. Let me know what you think of the characters and episodes in the next couple of blogs.
No I've not seen the US version, hardly seems worth it when the first few episodes are direct copies. Plus I watch/seen enough US tv shows about teens, so even Skins couldn't add much new.
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