Two Weddings

A roundup of some of the shows I've seen over the last few weeks.

Arrow: I'm on Sky1 pace and the second half of the third season has started well enough. It's nice that we've Oliver actually survive his confrontation with Ras but the sooner his team become privy to that fact, maybe the better. Other than that, the flashbacks have been fairly okay (just realised that Tatsu is actually Katana) and I'm actually enjoying Laurel's slow but gradual evolution as the Canary as well. However the less of Vinnie Jones on my screen the better - as Brick, he's just dreadful. Ray's journey to becoming a hero is also developing nicely enough too.

Broadchurch: Series 2 has largely been a bit too hit and miss for it's own good and while the trial was painfully dragged out and had a terrible result, I did like the community banding together to ex-communicate Joe nonetheless though. On the plus side, at least the Sandbrook stuff got resolved and Hardy and Miller continue to shine as a double act. I'm not sure if commissioning a third series is entirely wise, given how this series struggled but I can also see why ITV might want to keep this show going for a bit longer too.

Girls: In the real world, Adam dumping Hannah for someone who is less annoying (even if she makes pretentiously boring YouTube videos) would be seen as a good thing. In this world, we're supposed to actually sympathise with Hannah, even if yet again, Jessa proved to be an awful friend by her own admission in Adam's new lover. Other than that, there was some witty-ish one liners from Shoshanna and Marnie going on about her dull as ditchwater relationship with the reject from Mumford & Sons. I think Ray might have done something but it's hard to remember, considering he's about as riveting as paint drying.

Glee: The last two episodes have been interesting. First of all, we had the transitioning for Beiste and it was dealt with well enough (even though it's a storyline that deserved more care and preparation with it) and then we had the weddings of Santana/Brittany and Kurt/Blaine, which I actually really enjoyed seeing, even if the latter's could've been a series finale treat. I do think they're forcing the Rachel/Sam pairing though and the absence of Quinn in the wedding episode stuck out like a sore thumb.

Looking: I'm really liking this season a lot. I like that we're seeing some tiny bits of growth with some of the main characters and I like that even though Patrick and Richie are no longer a couple, there's an effort being made to still have them interact in ways that don't feel trite. While the last episode I watched didn't feature Dom, I do like the budding relationship between Agustin and Eddie more than the current one with Patrick/Kevin. Overall, while the show isn't gripping, it has somewhat improved a little this year.

Scandal: Dear show - I've somewhat tired of Olivia, Jake and Fitz. Honestly, Liv could do better than either of them at the moment and eventually one of them (Jake mostly like) is gonna have to stand aside and hopefully sooner than later. Aside from that, the rest of the recent episodes have been good - anything involving Cyrus/Michael, Mellie snapping out of her depression and of course Huck's desperate attempts of interacting with his son too. All of this though feels like it's trundling along until we get to a particular plot thread I've already been spoiled for.

The Flash: Arrow is excellent but The Flash is just that tiny bit better. The last two episodes saw a cold/hot team up of villains resulting in a Prison Break reunion and then we got the introduction of gay villain/eventual good guy, the Pied Piper and while Hartley is a massive jerk, he's also pretty fun to watch as well. I also like that Iris is now a proper journalist (betting she learns Barry's identity by the end of the season) and that there are tiny advancements on Harrison's past as well as Robbie lurking in the shadows as well.

- Calista Flockhart has been cast as Cat Grant, the Anna Wintour style boss for Kara in the upcoming Supergirl series.
- Joel Gretsch has left MTV's Scream series.
- UK viewers will be able to see the sixth season of Community on SonyTV from next month onwards.
- Jonathan Groff will reprise his role of Jesse for the series finale of Glee and an episode prior to it.
- Lucien Laviscount will be regular in the upcoming anthology series, Scream Queens. Also added to the cast are Niecy Nash, Skyler Samuels and Billie Lourd.
- UK drama Dates will air on the CW.
- Cuckoo will get a US remake with YouTube actor Flula Borg in the title role. It'll air on NBC.
- Christina Aguilera will be appearing in multiple episodes of Nashville.
- Jennifer Hudson and Rita Ora will be in the season finale of Empire.
- Lena Dunham will be appearing in an upcoming episode of Scandal.

Continuous Trial

It's been a few weeks but here's a look at some of the shows I've been catching up on.

Broadchurch: I'll admit that the second series has been a bit of bumpy road. On one hand, I'm not sure if it was so wise to try and overextend the aftermath of Danny's death by having Joe Miller do a turnaround and there's only so much of Mark and Beth I can tolerate as characters (i.e increasingly not much) but at the same time, both Alec and Ellie continue to be a fantastic team to watch and the Sandbrook storyline (particularly with the increasingly erratic Claire) has been interesting to watch. After the remaining two episodes air, I'm not sure if the show should come back for a third run and if it does, then it needs to be devoid of Latimer storylines.

Girls: A decent start to the season. The opening episode was fun and while I knew Hannah's time in Iowa wouldn't last the entire season, a part of me was actually surprised that Lena Dunham managed to get at least four episodes out of it before having her character rub her fellow students up the wrong way and eventually quit. Aside from that though, I don't really care that Adam has a new girlfriend or that Marnie is in a crappy relationship with Desi (who is even duller than Ray now) but I've liked both Shoshanna and Jessa in the last few episodes and Ray managed to be slightly interesting for all of one episode, which was unexpected.

Glee: Okay, there's a certain two parter with it's homages to Saw and commentary on Klaine shippers that would happily like to erase from my memory banks and then there was an episode focusing on Brittana that proves when the show actually bothers to make the effort, it can be great viewing. With so little episodes left, the last thing fans want or need are smart arse, unfunny super meta textual episodes. Other than that, it's nice that the show is keen to have Rachel find love again but I'm not sure if they're going about it the right way with her and Sam though.

Looking: It's almost not fair and sort of awesome that SkyAtlantic decided to bring this show back and air it on Thursdays (especially after catching up with Cucumber/Banana/Tofu) and while this isn't a show where a great lot actually happens on a weekly basis, it does feel like there's been a noticeable improvement of sorts with the writing. Agustin is slightly more likeable as a character, Dom and Doris are still their great selves and Patrick (when he's not panicking over bug bites) is actually pretty enjoyable with Kevin. Plus Richie is there too and some of the new characters are working well. Overall, definitely a good step up from the first year.

Scandal: I'll say it - the scenes with Fitz/Jake where the former was convinced the latter murdered his son and somehow both fellas love for Olivia was brought into the mix was some of the most tedious scenes from a series of great episodes. Maybe it's because I don't greatly care for this triangle but those scenes left a bad taste in my mouth for me. Fortunately there has been some great stuff - like Quinn calling out her friends for not noticing her going missing, Olivia and Abby calling a truce to their ongoing feud, Mellie finally deciding to wash herself and the Cyrus/Michael storyline, even if that one is particularly doomed.

- Mehcad Brooks has been cast as Jimmy Olsen for CBS's upcoming Supergirl series starring Melissa Benoist in the title role.
- Milo Ventimiglia will appear as the Ogre/Jason Lennon in the 19th episode of Gotham. He will be an original villain for the series.
- Penny Dreadful will now air on May 3rd and May 5th for US and UK viewers respectively.
- Carrie Anne Moss has join Netflix's AKA Jessica Jones.
- David Morrissey has joined the cast of Extant for it's second season.
- UK viewers will be able to see Outlander courtesy of Amazon Prime Instant Video in the near future.
- Megalyn Echikunwoke will co-star with Bradley James in the upcoming TV version of The Omen.
- Luke Mitchell will take on a role of an Inhuman in an upcoming arc for Agents Of SHIELD.
- Marcia Cross will be guest starring in an episode of Law And Order: SVU later in the month.
- Naya Rivera has bagged a recurring role on Devious Maids as Blanca, a woman whose life could change when she learns a terrible secret.

Away From The Beach

It's the middle of January and while some shows have yet to return from hiatus, there are a few that are back and covered briefly here.

Broadchurch: The most hyped about drama from ITV that isn't Downton Abbey is back for it's second run of episodes and I have to admit, it's been a mixed bag so far. I think Chibnall's decision to add more twists into the Latimer case wasn't a wise decision and it feels like it's now become an overextended story. It's a shame because there's already another mystery with Claire and Lee Ashworth that should be taking precedent and coming up with new ways to keep Danny's death a focal point of the show probably isn't the wisest of ideas. On the other hand, the new characters are all interesting and the rapport between Tennant and Colman is impeccable.

Girls: TV's most polarising actress is back on television with the fourth season of her hit show. Okay, I'll keep the Lena Dunham stuff to a minimum because while I find the whole 'voice of a generation' accolade awarded to this show completely undeserved, I will admit that this opening episode wasn't actually all that bad really. Being in Iowa has managed to make Hannah a little less annoying and I don't remember the likes of Jessa, Marnie or Shoshanna saying or doing anything too objectionable either. Maybe I'm softening towards this show.

Glee: Season Six may be the last season but it's nice that some life has been breathed into the show after the rather stagnant previous season. This episode, using music from both Alanis Morrissette and Carole King was pretty inspired and also rather a good one for Brittana fans and fans of Santana's acid tongue as well (even if Kurt was the recipient of it). The newbies are still settling in well enough but on the negative side - this episode had way too much Becky for my liking, it was hard to care about Blaine and Karofsky as a couple (which I get is intentional but even still) and the Beiste storyline while beautifully acted by Dot Marie Jones really could've done with some foreshadowing I think.

Mrs Browns Boys: I really enjoyed the Christmas special but the New Year's one was so much better. The plot with the alarm system courtesy of Buster was pretty hilarious and totally obvious from the start as was the outcome of the poker between Agnes and Hilary but Cathy's subplot proved yet again that the show can produce some rather solid bits of character drama as well. With the show guaranteed specials until 2020 by the BBC, I really do hope another full series is in it's future too.

Scandal: Good on SkyLiving for getting their act together and airing this as quickly as possible. The first two episodes of this political drama's fourth season have been superb to watch. I'll never be that fussed as to whether or not Olivia ends up with Fitz or Jake but I do like the exploration of Fitz and Mellie's grief for their son, the gang burying Harrison, Eli being his usual scheming self, the cases of the week and the arrival of Portia DeRossi's Lizzie Bear who wants to take down Cyrus if the ending for the second episode was anything to go by. Great start to the season.

- Gotham has been renewed for a second season. Rob Gorrie will also appear in episode 16 playing John Grayson while episode 14 will introduce the Scarecrow.
- CW shows Arrow, The Flash, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Supernatural to name a few have all been renewed for further seasons.
- A reinvention for American Horror Story's fifth season has been promised by creator Ryan Murphy.
- American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson will premiere in 2016.
- Rumours are circulating that either The X Files or Prison Break could be revived by FOX.
- Zachary Levi has bagged a leading role in the upcoming Heroes: Reborn.
- Richard Armitage will play Francis Dolarhyde in the latter half of Hannibal's third season. Expect a time jump in the series as NBC will air it during the summer months.
- In The Flesh has been cancelled by BBC3. Wizards Vs. Aliens future is also uncertain at the moment.
- Sheryl Lee, Dana Ashbrook and Sherilyn Fenn are returning for Twin Peaks.
- NBC have ordered a pilot from Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta called The Curse of the Fuentes Women.

Broadchurch - Series 2 Airs Tonight

So, I probably should've written something sooner, right?

As you know from reading this blog, I didn't really get into the hype for Chris Chibnall's eight part ITV1 mystery drama, Broadchurch as it aired in 2013 but when TV3 started airing it in early 2014, I decided to finally sit down and see what the fuss was all about.

Now while I kind of prefer BBC2/RTE1 counterpart, The Fall (and nope, I have not watched BBC1's The Missing), I'll admit that Broadchurch pulled me in. The mystery of Danny Latimer's death was handled well enough over the course of the eight episodes as bit by bit we learned more about the boy's grieving parents Mark and Beth, the detectives Hardy and Miller, played by David Tennant and Olivia Colman respectively as well as the wider community before the killer was finally unveiled.

We even had Tennant reprise the role of sorts, prior to filming the second series on the show's US counterpart Gracepoint (along with Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn taking on Colman's role) but while Broadchurch managed to have quite the impact on UK audiences, Gracepoint did not exactly capture US viewers in the same way and was cancelled after it's 10 episode run.

Now tonight is the night and whether you're watching the show on either ITV1 or TV3, both stations will be airing the second series of Broadchurch and let's be honest - Chibnall has become a master of keeping things schtum. Sure, there may be some new cast members with James Darcy, Eve Myles, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Meera Syal and Charlotte Rampling along with David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker, Andrew Buchan, Arthur Darvill and Jonathan Bailey reprising their roles from the first series but in terms of what's actually going to happen, we're still surprisingly in the dark about things.

While filming went on, cast and crew members took extra precautions to ensure that anything major wasn't revealed and while Chibnall did admit that even Tennant and Colman's characters might not make it out of this upcoming series alive, he hasn't revealed anything else.

However, reading some of the theories online and watching the trailer again, could the use of bluebells have a prominent meaning this series? In the trailer, Miller receives a crushed on in a letter and they've cropped up in the cast shots for the new series too. The bigger question however if whether or not the second series can have the same impact it's first one did. Personally, I think it just might. I'm certainly intrigued enough to find out.

Series 2 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isToG5_U1Ug

Broadchurch - Series 2 airs Mondays 9pm and 10pm on ITV1 and TV3 respectively from January 5th.

Gracepoint - Trailer/Airdate & Broadchurch Casting News

Well, it's been a rather busy news for all the various news about certain shows being picked up, cancelled and renewed that for fans of David Tennant, you get to be spoiled twice with both exciting new for Gracepoint and Broadchurch.

Gracepoint - well I caught the three minute trailer that FOX released and I have to be honest, it didn't blow me away. I know the show is going to deviate away from Broadchurch in terms of who the killer will turn out to be but the trailer was a little too shot for shot remake for my liking. Also, much as I adore Tennant as an actor, I have to admit his US accent did sound a little jarring in that trailer as well. Of course I will watch the series when it eventually airs on UK television and I do admit that Tennant looks like he'll have a great rapport with Anna Gunn in this series, though whether it will be as electrifying as the one he has with Olivia Colman remains to be seen.

As for Broadchurch itself, well ITV have confirmed that both Tennant and Colman will be returning along with Arthur Darvill, Andrew Buchan and Jodie Whittaker but on top of that, we're also getting Charlotte Rampling (last seen in the final season of Dexter) in a major role for the second season. Rampling's an excellent casting choice and I'm hoping she's one of many new and interesting faces to be added to the show's second series.

Gracepoint Trailer/News: http://www.spoilertv.com/search/label/Gracepoint
Broadchurch News: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/13/charlotte-rampling-broadchurch-itv-dramas

Gracepoint will air Thursdays at 9pm on FOX from the Autumn while the second series of Broadchurch will begin filming later in the year.

Gracepoint - First Cast Pictures

With filming nearly done for the 10 part US version of Broadchurch, titled Gracepoint near in completion, FOX have released two promo pictures of stars David Tennant and Anna Gunn.

David Tennant playing a similar role to the one he did in the UK version, only this time his character is being called Emmett Carver while Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn will be taking on the role of Ellie Miller as previously played by Olivia Colman in the UK version and the series will again look into the murder of a young boy, this time named Danny Lassiter with the setting being in a Californian town this time around.

With Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall writing the pilot episode and UK director James Hawes helming, this version will inevitably have it's similarities to the original source material but at the same time, Chibnall has mentioned that Gracepoint will also deviate from the original show as well. I have to admit it actually took me a while to get into Broadchurch and when I finally did, I got the fuss behind it. I'm still not entirely sure if Tennant is really needed for the US remake but I'll definitely give the series a go when it does air. As for a UK broadcaster, it might be nice to see ITV actually air it but I wouldn't be surprised if a digital channel ends up with it instead.

Gracepoint Pictures: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s218/broadchurch/news/a566829/gracepoint-david-tennant-in-new-pictures-from-broadchurch-us-remake.html#~oCUULja2OnpqNG

Gracepoint will premiere in the autumn on FOX.

Come To My Beach House

And a rundown of some of the recent programmes I've been catching up on ...

Arrow: I'll admit the first two episodes that have aired in 2014 seemed a little on the filler side with Slade mostly skulking around in the background and Sebastian discrediting Laurel in an extreme way but they've still been good fun to watch though. However last night's Sky1 aired episode did finally move things along with Sara returning to Starling City and Roy (finally) becoming privy as to whom the Arrow really is. Even with slightly lesser interesting episodes, this show is still miles ahead than Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. at the moment.

Broadchurch: TV3 in Ireland have finally aired the finale to this show and I have to say, it's been an incredible eight weeks. I wish I had caved in earlier and watched this show properly on ITV transmission but better late than never. Having Ellie's husband as Danny's murderer was certainly a shocker and as brilliant as David Tennant has been as the abrasive Alec Hardy, this really was Olivia Colman's baby with her sublime performance as Ellie Miller throughout the eight weeks, though part of this show's success was showing the effect one single death can have on a whole community and a slew of characters. While I'm still a little iffy on it's imminent American counterpart, Gracepoint, I am intrigued to see what creator Chris Chibnall will devise next though.

Girls: I'm sure there was a time when this show was a bit on the headwrecking side of things but with recent episodes, I've started to soften to it. The beach house episode was probably the best one of the bunch with Hannah, Marnie, Shoshanna and Jessa all taking each other to task in a pretty amusing way and Elijah is a decent enough recurring character while Adam continues to improve and is actually a rather likeable character nowadays. Still, Jessa's relapse at the hands of Jasper felt a little too random and Ray is so dull beyond belief that I am struggling to figure out why he's still on the show. Even his 'friends with benefits' thing with Marnie came to a swift end.

Glee: The first two episodes of 2014 for this show have been the definition of coasting. Aside from an amusing-ish feud with Rachel and Santana that at least thematically tied into their high school issues, virtually every other plot has sucked beyond belief. I'm at a point now where I'm convinced the writers hate Tina because her plots are getting more and more grating to watch. I just hope that post 100th episode, the rest of the season gets it's groove back.

Looking: The more I watch this show, the less addicted I am to it. Don't get me wrong, it's still enjoyable but it's really not gripping though. The episode focusing on Patrick and Richie connecting with each other was nice but then quickly marred with Agustin's snide dismissal of the relationship and Patrick's barely concealed lust for Kevin as well. Speaking of Agustin, it's amazing how he's gone from being likeable to an annoying git in six whole episodes but at least Dom's pursuit of Lynn is a little more interesting to watch. It's still not a bad show but it could with picking up the pace a bit now.

The Musketeers: Another show that's falling into the 'good but not great' category. It's six episodes and my investment in the show continues to wane a bit. I guess, it's down to the timing as well. While the last few episodes have explored more on Porthos and Aramis, I just don't think this show works in a Sunday 9pm timeslot and as excellent as Peter Capaldi is to watch, he's just wasted in this show as the Cardinal. Perhaps the final four episodes will inject something into this show but I'm starting to doubt it though.

True Detective: Every now and then, something comes along and makes you reassess a certain actor. I've never been a massive fan of Matthew McConaughey but his take here as the rather strange detective Rust Cohle and his rapport with Woody Harrelson's more straitlaced Martin Hart has made me see the guy in a different light. I've only seen the first two episodes of this show so far but it's a pretty absorbing series and the anthology format that the show is aiming will probably help sustain it as well. Why should American Horror Story be the show to have that advantage, right? Definitely worth watching and it certainly succeeds in making for uncomfortable viewing in a way that most detective dramas nowadays don't quite manage.

- David Morrissey's pilot for AMC has not been picked up for a series.
- Matthew McConaughey has also confirmed that he will not be returning to True Detective should it be picked up for a second season.
- An upcoming episode of Glee will focus on gay bashing in New York.
- Isaiah Washington will be returning to Grey's Anatomy as part of Cristina's exit for the series.
- Mary Louise Parker has been cast in upcoming NBC comedy, Feed Me.
- Patricia Arquette will be the lead in the upcoming CSI spin-off. Do we really need another one?
- Mila Kunis will play a love interest for Ashton Kutcher's character in Two And A Half Men.
- Lost Girl has been renewed for a fifth season.
- Riley Smith will play a rock and roll vampire named Keith in the final season of True Blood.
- Danielle Savre has been cast in Supernatural: Tribes along with Lucien Laviscount and Nathaniel Buzolic

A Violent Night In

And here's a rundown of some of the programmes I've been watching over the last few weeks.

Broadchurch: Continuing to watch this at TV3's pace, I've only two more episodes to go, even if I already know who the killer is and their motives. This still hasn't stopped me from enjoying the show and getting more and more engaged with the characters. The whole conversation in relation to Paul's faith and Hardy's weary cynicism was a delightful moment and although Susan continues to give me the creeps, she didn't deserve to lose her poor dog as a result though. Is it wrong that the dog's death bothered me more than most of the anguish/secrets from most of the characters?

Girls: I'm still sticking with the third season of this risible show for the time being (having it paired with Looking factors into it) and apart from Marnie and Adam, the characters are still horrible-ish people (except Ray, he's mostly boring). Of course it would take Hannah to make her editor's death about her (even if she has a right to worry about her book's future) and Jessa being flattered that someone would go to the trouble of faking their own death just so they wouldn't have to spend time with her is rather disturbing. Then there's Shoshanna, who just seems to spout inane lines nowadays but at least Adam's psychotic sister was given the boot in one of the rare moments where Hannah did something right for a change.

Inside No 9: Sometimes it really does feel like you're never too far away from another bonkers series from Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. It wasn't that long ago we had Psychoville and with Inside No 9, they've certainly delivered something great. The first episode felt pretty basic but the second episode - a silent episode with the cheeky title of A Quiet Night In, featuring the likes of Oona Chaplin and Kayvan Novak was something else altogether. Probably one of the most genius pieces of comedy the BBC have done in the longest of whiles, I can't wait to see where the remaining four episodes (and commissioned second series) will go. Definitely worth a watch.

Ja'mie: Private School Girl: You know the drill with Chris Lilley by now - he does a show, it lasts a series and then it's onto the next creation of colourful characters. Except this time around, he decided to reprise his role of spoiled antichrist, Ja'mie and give her a series for herself, centering on her exploits at Hillford High and trying her best to out mean Mean Girls too in the process. Ja'mie's even got her own set of Plastics (I mean prefects) at her beck and call and her torrent of abuse is casually tossed at her family and rivals, the borders with little effort as well. It's a fun enough series but the second episode did lack some of the bite that the first one had in spades and it does make me wonder if Ja'mie and her bitchy antics are enough to sustain the remaining episodes. Other than that, pretty quiche. I'll stop now.

Line Of Duty: I didn't watch the first series of this and I'm not sure if I'll watch more than the opening episode but then again, I just might given the wealth of acting talent in this series. Keeley Hawes alone is pretty great as the surviving/possibly bad cop Lindsay Denton and it does genuinely seem to be hard to predict where she'll go in the next few weeks. Also this show's rather casual way of bumping off seemingly prominent characters like Jessica Raine's Georgia also means that no-one is safe. Yeah, I can see myself watching more of this alright.

Looking: Three episodes in and I think this show is getting it's groove. It helps that three main characters are still more likeable than the ladies from Girls but more to the point, it's also nice to see Russell Tovey make his US television debut and not play an overly stereotyped British character as well. That being said, I can't imagine that it will be too long before Patrick and Kevin actually do go beyond their working relationship though. On the flip side and maybe it's because of the general structure, it does often feel like not a great deal actually happens as well. That could also be a consequence of me perhaps watching far more fast paced shows too.

The Musketeers: Four episodes in and I'm still in that phase where I'm enjoying the show but I'm not overly in love with it either. I mean, it's hard to deny that the writing for this show is somewhat better than Atlantis (though not by a huge margin) and the last few episodes alone have actually fleshed out our leading men pretty well. Still a few more ongoing arcs (aside from the Cardinal's scheming) might actually help proceedings a bit more though.

- There are rumours that White Collar's sixth season will be it's final one.
- The CW have renewed Supernatural, Arrow, The Vampire Diaries, The Originals and Reign for further seasons.
- Sarah Jane Potts has joined the cast of Gracepoint as hotelier Gemma.
- Michelle Fairley will replace Judy Davis in 24: Live Another Day.
- John Wesley Shipp will appear in The Flash pilot episode in a mysterious role.
- Sunny Mabrey has been cast as Glinda for the third season of Once Upon A Time and will debut later in the year.
- Both Anna Chancellor and Richard E.Grant will appear in the fifth series of Downton Abbey.
- Juliette Lewis and Ryan Philippe will appear in upcoming ABC drama, Secrets & Lies.
- Alyson Hannigan has joined new comedy More Time With Family for CBS, which will be produced by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
- Channel 4 will be airing the second series of Utopia from June.

Looking For The Right Show

And here's a look at some of the shows I've been watching the last while.

Broadchurch: It might seem unusual talking about this show, nearly a year since it's original transmission but it's recently aired on Irish television and I thought I'd see what the fuss was really about. Three episodes in and it's not bad. It's not hard to feel for the Latimers, given that their son has been murdered and the double act with the more straitlaced Ellie Millers and the abrasive Alec Hardy works well enough with both Olivia Colman and David Tennant on fine form and there's a good mix of characters within the community as well to add to things. That being said, it's not particularly original and it's influences (The Killing, anyone?) are a bit too obvious at times. I will watch the remaining five episodes, despite already know who the killer actually is.

Devious Maids: I caught the final two episodes a while ago and forgot to mention them in my previous TV jumble blog. Overall, I've enjoyed this series as much as I did Desperate Housewives not so long ago. The reveal and wrap up of Flora's murder mystery, coupled with Rosie winding up into some legal bother thanks to a vengeful Peri means the show at least has some good plotlines for the second season but I do hope that like it's predecessor, Lifetime doesn't try to extend this show beyond it's natural life.

Girls: If there was an award for polarising show with often awful female characters, this show would always win it. Lena Dunham's baby is back for a third season and while I've mostly liked the first three episodes, not a whole lot has really changed. Hannah's still self absorbed as ever, Marnie is still a whinger (lovely singing voice aside), Shoshanna's still terminally annoying in her female Sheldon style way and Jessa's still a raging sociopath. Business as usual, along with Ray being a background character (minus a piss poor fight scene with Hannah's editor) and Adam being slightly less crazy than in previous seasons. On the plus side, the show can still attract decent guest stars with both Richard E.Grant and Rita Wilson popping up in the first two episodes and being somewhat more interesting than the main characters.

Looking: I've been somewhat unfairly comparing this show to Girls more than Queer As Folk and after watching the first episode, I probably should knock that right off. For one thing - all three main characters - lovelorn Patrick and his friends Agustin and Dom are a hell of a lot more likeable than Hannah and company and while this series isn't particularly groundbreaking, it was something of a breath of fresh air to watch as well. Patrick's quest for love is certainly a nice draw and Jonathan Groff makes for a likeable leading man but while Patrick is instantly likeable, I do think both Agustin and Dom might arguably overshadow him as the series progresses though. Definitely one I'll be watching for the remainder of the season.

The Musketeers: Anyone else think it's a bit weird this show is airing in a Sunday 9pm timeslot? Despite the fact that it's doing well there, rating wise, it seems more like it should be in the same Saturday slot previously occupied by Doctor Who/Robin Hood/Merlin/Atlantis etc. Having watched the first two episodes, so far it's pretty decent if not spectacular stuff. The four leads are likeable and engaging enough as the Musketeers in question and Peter Capaldi makes for a decent antagonist with his take on Cardinal Richelieu. Watchable stuff but not mind blowing. At least not yet anyways.

The Spoils of Babylon: I watched the first two episodes of this miniseries and I've got to be honest, I'm not entirely sure I really want to continue beyond that. I don't mind the spoofy nature of the show but there are times when it's a a bit jarring and I'm not sure if I want to care about the 'love' story between 'siblings' Devon and Cynthia Morehouse, despite some great performances from Toby Maguire and Kristen Wiig. Maybe the next few episodes will keep me glued but somehow I doubt it.

- John Simm, James Fraim and Mira Sorvino will be starring in the upcoming BBCAmerica drama, Intruders.
- Rose McGowen will reprise the role of Cora for the 18th episode of Once Upon A Time's third season.
- Danielle Panabaker and Rick Cosnett have signed on for The Flash.
- Starz have ordered ballet drama, Flesh And Bone, starring Sarah Hay in the lead role of Claire.
- J. August Richards's Mike will be transformed into Deathlok in an upcoming episode of Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Family Tree and Hello Ladies have been axed by HBO.
- PBS will not move Downton Abbey's transmission closer to the UK's.
- Episode 20 of Supernatural's ninth season will serve as a backdoor for a spin-off series. Jared Padalecki has described it as a reward for the show's more passionate fans.

Broadchurch - Another Cop Show For ITV

Well, it's kind of true and it's one being made by Chris Chibnall, a guy who seems to generate a great division amongst a certain fandom. Not me, I judge him fairly I like to think.

David Tennant, recently seen in the likes of Playhouse and True Love will take on the role of DI Alec Hardy in the 8 part series, Broadchurch where his character is newly promoted and moves to a local coastal town of the same name, following the mysterious death of Danny Price while Peep Show's Olivia Coleman plays colleague DS Ellie Miller, who ends up clashing with Hardy, due her own personal involvement in the case. Also featuring in the series will include This Is England's Vicky McClure as well as Andrew Buchan (Garrow's Law) and Jodie Whittaker (Black Mirror) as the grieving parents Mark and Beth Price.

Also in the cast as the town priest, Paul Coates is soon to be former Doctor Who companion actor, Arthur Darvill as well. Filming for the eight part series is due to go from August to November in Portishead as Chibnall promises that the events of Danny's death will have consequences for all the main characters involved in the series. Here's hoping this fares better for Chibnall better than Camelot did and having rewatched that show recently, it really wasn't that bad. 

More Details: http://tennantnews.blogspot.ie/2012/07/david-tennant-confirmed-for-broadchurch.html

Broadchurch is due to air on ITV1 from 2013.