A Geek Joke Too Far

Sorry, I know I was meant to get this done during the weekend, but I ended up getting caught up with some other things but here's my second TV jumble.

Grey's Anatomy: I've always had a love/hate relationship with this show - the actors are brilliant but the characters are often badly/inanely written and most of the time, this show comes across as chick-lit set in a hospital. If the first few episodes of the eighth season are anything to go, by maybe it's time ABC decided to bring this show to an end because the episode where a bunch of geeks attending a sci-fi conversation had every offensive cliche chucked out for any geek's belittlement. Thanks, Shonda Rhymes. You really are the producers who keeps on giving - rubbish!

Him And Her: This show has started to improve quite massively, despite the fact that apart from Steve and Becky, I actually don't like most of the other characters. Laura and Paul especially are two horrible individuals, who I wouldn't mind chucking in front of a bus and Dan is the type of person I hope I'd never have for a neighbour. Actually, only poor Shelly seems the most sympathetic character from the entire show and she seems to be belittled (mostly by Laura) at nearly every turn. Still, the episodes surrounding Steve and Becky's parents and a fight between Paul and some unseen fella does show that the quality of the show has picked up from it's less than impressive first year.

Pan Am: This show can't seem to do right for doing wrong. Not only does it look like it's going to be a one season wonder for ABC, but most critics seem to be taking joy in pointing out that it's not as good as Mad Men (I can think of 20 shows more enjoyable than that one). The last two episodes centring on the girls antics in both Berlin and Jakarta were amusing though. I'm going to enjoy this show while it lasts. I have to catch up with episodes five and six on Thursday.

The X Factor: Damn it, Janet. You leave and I feel bad for you. I blame Twitter. Some people are a bit too nasty (and no, Alan Sugar, contestants aren't axed because you don't like them) on there but like Craig the week before, Janet messed up and unfortunately for herself got the boot in the process. So I guess, it's gonna be a Marcus or a Little Mix win. Misha B might be talented but I can see her going next week and I'm not sure if Amelia can win (though she's a dead cert for the last week).

- Justin Hartley will be guest starring in the same episode of Castle as Hilarie Burton, playing her character's boyfriend.
- Hart Of Dixie will air for UK viewers on Really while Alcatraz will air on Watch. Both shows will air over here in early 2012.
- Will Young, Jessie J, Will I Am and Tom Jones are rumoured to be the judging panel for the UK version of The Voice, set to air in January 2012.
- Jennie Garth will star in ABC Family pilot, Village People, playing a career woman who adopts a baby.
- Frances Sternhagon will be appearing in Parenthood, playing the mother of Zeke.

How Bad Are We?

And here is the first of two TV jumble blogs to look forward to during the week.

Pan Am: If I needed a reminder that there was no more Brothers And Sisters, then the arrival of ABC's new air stewardess drama on Irish TV was a nice way of doing so. It'd be easy to dismiss the series as a Mad Men for ladies but actually, it's a bit more interesting than said show to be honest. The most interesting character to emerge out of the ladies is Kate and the fact that she's working for the FBI. It's hard to tell if this show will be a long runner but I'm intrigued enough to give a few more episodes a go.

Shameless: The last two episodes of the eighth series ended the show on a reasonable enough note. Okay, I'm not a fan of Mimi and Billy as a couple, so their wedding wasn't that much of a highlight but Carl's out of nowhere decision to become a policeman and the breakdown of Kelly and Shane was surprisingly a lot more effective. Frank was still his unfortunate useless self (why is this character still on this show?). Here's hoping that Series 9 next year is better paced. The series certainly suffered from pacing problems.

Spy: Sky1's latest take on comedy is thankfully a lot better than their last few efforts. Spy will not win points for originality and Robert Lindsay's hammy acting does rear it's head but Darren Boyd is excellent as the hapless Tim who accidentally became a member of MI5. Also oddly funny is the Stewie Griffin-ish son Marcus, whose pithy observations might not be realistic for a nine year old but they are entertaining to watch. Definitely one of Sky1's better efforts.

The Apprentice (Ireland): I've been relegating this to a Sunday afternoon repeats but blimey, I wasn't expecting Eoin to actually leave. Typical. One of the most irritating contestants and we're denied the satisfaction of actually seeing him getting fired. Oh, and didn't Bill fire yet another female contestant? Any chance he can stop doing that so frequently because even I don't this series to be a boys club.

The Vampire Diaries: I really love this show and the last two episodes have made me so glad I actually took up watching. The flashbacks and reveals galore in relation to Klaus have been fun to watch and even more so, the renewed alliance with Elena/Damon and Bonnie being crafty enough to fake her own death while Jenna finally became privy to vampires and Klaus got his own body back. Of course, there's a few downers - Katherine largely being underused and Damon acting like his usual petulant/violent self when Elena took control of the Klaus and tried to find other ways of defeating. Gotta love the girl's gumption. Damon on the other hand, can just do one.
Threesome: Yay, another new comedy that I actually found myself enjoying. If this Comedy Central's attempts of doing flagship shows, then it's off to a terrific start. Even though I wasn't sure I needed to see yet another show where a gay man fathers a kid for a straight couple (during an awkward three-way during Alice's birthday), I can't help but enjoy this series. Alice, Mitch and Richie make for an interesting troika and Alice's mother in the second episode was fun to watch as well but that might be down to my soft spot for Pauline McLynn. Can't wait to watch the next few episodes.


- Jamie Bamber will be appearing in Body Of Proof as a love interest for Dana Delany's character.
- E4 have the rights to both Charlie's Angels (which was cancelled) and New Girl. Both are due to air on the channel in the next few weeks.
- Chord Overstreet will be returning to Glee after all, reprising his role as Sam in the eighth episode, due to air in December. Matthew Morrison will also be directing the Christmas episode this year.
- Marc Cherry is developing a new series for ABC called Devious Maids.
- Lena Hedly has said that the second series of Games Of Thrones will be even crazier than the first one.
- Catherine Tate will be reprising her role as Nellie in the second half of the eighth season of The Office.