A Passenger In My Body

And a look of some of the recent things I've seen ...

Cuckoo: I remember kind of watching the first series of this BBC3 comedy series and finding Andy Samburg's titular character (the actor who has now since moved onto Brooklyn Nine Nine), both amusing and somewhat annoying in equal measure. With his departure from the series, I wasn't expecting the show to return and I was rather surprised to see that we now have Twilight actor Taylor Lautner sort of taking on a similar role. I think what's more shocking is that he's actually pretty funny in parts, even if he's playing more or less the same sort of character his predecessor did.

Scandal: Season 3 has continued to be pretty promising so far but the addition of Lisa Kudrow as a potential presidential candidate in the last two episodes has been fun to watch. I've always liked Kudrow as an actress and here she played a character so likeable that you want her to beat Fitz, especially after her own scandal ended up having the country falling in love with her. Speaking of Fitz, the whole triangle with him, Mellie and Olivia took an interesting turn in the fifth episode and I'm rather enjoying the team up with Huck and Jake as well. If both of them manage to take down Liv's father, then fair play to them but I can't see this ending well for either of them.

Siblings: Another month, another new BBC3 sitcom and not strictly a bad one as such but they have produced better (Him & Her, the returning Bad Education etc). This one revolves around two 20 something siblings - office worker Hannah (Charlotte Ritchie) and layabout Dan (Tom Stourton) who seem to spend each episode actively ruining someone's life. Whether it's an employer, work experience students, complete strangers or even a former friend and her new spouse, the episodes see the disastrous duo unleashing their own brand of havoc wherever they go. It's funny in some parts and both Ritchie and Stourton are likeable enough leads but if you haven't seen it by now, then you're not really missing out. Diverting for a half hour but not overly memorable though.

The Vampire Diaries: With the sixth season a month away from viewing on both the CW and ITV2, TG4 are two thirds into airing the fifth year and the recent episodes have been a mixed bag. On one hand, I've been enjoying the Katherine as Elena plotline and even the Matt and Nadia scenes but Tyler's presence in the recent episodes have made me realise how little I longer care about the character (though I understand he was furious about Caroline sleeping with Klaus) and Damon's latest bout of self-destruction is more tedious to watch, even with the pairing with Enzo (who I don't mind, character wise) and the continuing plot strands with the Travellers, Wesley and the Augustine vampire stuff. However, the more scenes with Stefan and Caroline banding together and figuring things out, the better though.

The X Factor: Yup, it's back for it's 11th series and given that the US one was sent packing, the Dark Lord himself, Simon Cowell has returned along with 'nations sweetheart' Cheryl Cole, not so Scary Spice Mel B and that 'we can't get rid of him even if we wanted to' Louis Walsh. Okay, snarking aside, the first two episodes had some decent acts (Italian guy with the pugs jumper etc), some atrocious ones (the female Jedward) and of course, the polarising novelty ones (that posh girl), along with the usual sob stories, pointless gimmicks etc. It's alright stuff but eleven years into this show, does anyone really believe or care as to whether or not this show can produce a superstar?

Under The Dome: I sort of enjoyed this series when it aired back in 2013, so giving the second season a peek, it does seem like it's a little more or less the same. The dome is dangerous, people are getting killed (two female characters), new characters are emerging (a mystery girl, Jim's brother and school teacher Rebecca for example) and of course, there's also Big Jim who continues to be as volatile as he was in the previous season. As a series, it's probably being a little stretched out but overall, it's harmless fluff though.

- Greg Finlay will be appearing in The Flash as former high school bully Girder in a two part episode. The series has been picked up by Sky1.
- Hemlock Grove has been renewed for a third and final season.
- Kristin Bauer Van Straten will reprise her role as Maleficent in Once Upon A Time.
- Ioan Gruffud's Forever has been picked up by Sky1.
- Shutter Island is being made into a TV series for HBO.
- The Omen is being made into a TV series for Lifetime.
- NBC have cancelled Wizard Of Oz based drama, Emerald City.
- Kathryn Prescott has joined CBS miniseries, The Dovekeepers.
- Lost Girl's upcoming fifth season will be it's final one.
- Bryan Fuller believes that American Gods will begin filming next year and will air in 2016.

Learning Is Easier When You Don't Ask Any Questions

And here's a catch up on some of the stuff I've been watching just of late ...

Bad Education: I sort of misjudged Jack Whitehall's comedy series when it aired last year. Like Him And Her, I wasn't initially impressed with the first series of this show but the first two episodes of the second run have actually been enjoyable to watch. Alfie Wickers might be a terrible teacher (because competent ones are not allowed to exist on TV) but he's actually become an enjoyable character this year, especially with his rivalry with Michelle Gomez's insane Head Teacher and the student characters are being better written this series as well. Definitely an improvement from the first run.

Bates Motel: I literally caught this last night by accident and I am certainly glad I did. I've heard some great things about this modern take on Norman Bates and his possessive mother taking over a certain motel and if the quality of the first episode is anything to go by, I'll definitely be watching the rest of the season. A gripping opening episode, drawing some sympathy for both Norma and her disturbed son as their descent in darkness began with bumping off a rather nasty piece of work and disposing of his body. You know, the sort of thing that bonds the average family nowadays.

Orange Is The New Black: I'm nearly at the end of this series but the last few episodes have been a blast to watch. So much that I kind of want to prolong watching the final three just a little longer. As for the episodes I've seen, it's nice to see more of a connection with Piper and Alex (especially considering that Larry is hardly excitement central), the Thanksgiving episode was by far the best we've had, we've lost at least two different prisoners and both Healey and Mendez have shown their nastier sides. On the flip side, the pregnancy plot with Bennett and Daya seemed a little too predictable but it's a minor quibble in an overall fantastic run of episodes.

Orphan Black: It might be starting up on BBC3 this Friday at 9pm but I've done all my viewing of the first season and again, some impressive episodes. It was nice learning more about the origins of the Clones, Sarah's family, the ups and downs of Cosima and Delphine's relationship (plus the former being ill), the identity of Alison's handler and the introduction of pre Clone Rachel. All of which are excellent material for the second season as well in terms of development.

Under The Dome: A few weeks ago, this debuted on Channel 5 and last week, Irish viewers got it as well. Having watched the first two episodes again, I can say that it's a decent show. As an adaptation of a Stephen King novel goes, we've had better and we've certainly had worse. It's got a likeable enough cast and most of the characters are interesting enough but I'm not sure if it's something I'll watch week in and week out and while it's been picked up for a second run, I'm also not that sure if it's a premise that can be sustained for too long either. Still, it's a diverting enough show.

- Breaking Bad will be giving viewers a spin-off with Better Call Saul, focusing on one of the show's popular characters. It will also be set before the events of the parent show too.
- Penny Dreadful will air on SkyAtlantic for UK viewers in 2014. Harry Treadaway has been cast as Frankenstein and Reeve Carney as Dorian Gray.
- Bob Newhart will be appearing again in the upcoming season of The Big Bang Theory.
- Eliza Coupe has bagged a recurring role on Showtime series, House Of Lies.
- Expect a Homeland spoof in an upcoming episode of The Simpsons.
- Erinn Westbrook will be playing a new Cheerio named Bree in the fifth season of Glee.
- Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. will air on Channel 4 from September 27th.
- The Originals will air on SyFy for UK viewers.
- Paul Adelstein will be appearing in an upcoming episode of Scandal.
- Cynthia Nixon will be playing an FBI agent in the second season of Hannibal.