Best Casting Ever - Doctor Who/Torchwood Spoilers

Um, excitement for both Doctor Who and Torchwood's upcoming seasons is reaching fever pitch right now, especially with casting for the latter ....

DWM Issue 430 have given us these little nuggets in relation to Season 6 ....

- Mark Gatiss's episodes has been pushed from episode 4 to episode 9.
- Steve Thompson's episode will now be episode 3.
- Neil Gaiman's episode will be episode 4.

Recent set pictures for the opening two-parter have indicated that Rory too is covered in tally marks along with Amy and River, so I'm wondering if the Doctor gets infected at some point as well in that story.

Steven Moffat has also written several endings for episode 7 so that the plot isn't given away. With any luck, they'll all be filmed and included on a Series 6 DVD as well.

Episodes 3 and 7 are the episodes currently being filmed in the same block as well.

Karen Gillan has also said that Amy is "going to be involved in the most traumatic thing - like, emotionally traumatic. She's been quite guarded, and doesn't like to show vulnerability, but we're going to see that start to crack in a massive way".

It's also been hinted that it will be episode 7 that will be featuring Cybermen and that they will NOT be in Steve Thompson's episode after all. A poster on GallifreyBase has also suggested that the new-series Cybermen might be foot soldiers of an old-series officer class of Cybermen and that they will be scary, they won’t say “delete” or “upgrade” and they may look different.

Even better than that is that Torchwood have Six Feet Under actress, Lauren Ambrose in the role of PR girl, Jilly Kitzinger, who happens to be a 'sweet-talking PR genius with a heart of stone who's just concerned the most important client of her career..and maybe all of time'. As for the client - Oswald I presume but either way, I am so stoked to be seeing her on this show. Lauren will appear in seven out of the ten episodes for the new season as well.

Exciting times, yeah?

Skins - Season 5 Trailer 2

With two weeks to go, a second trailer for Series 5 of the UK version of Skins has been released and it's certainly promising a lot. In the space of a minute, it really does indicate that Franky will be a big focus on the series, especially given her scenes with both Matty and Mini in the trailer. It also seems that Mini's little clique isn't as solid as she likes, Nick's not averse to vandalism, Rich/Grace seem to be an attraction waiting to happen and some stuff on Alo and Liv as well.

Character Spoilers: http://community.livejournal.com/skinsfans/1887688.html
Trailer 2: http://www.e4.com/blog/skins-news/post/40lwkuth2s4z0bfyxzbiyc/view.e4

Series 5 of Skins starts on E4 Thursday at 10pm from January 27th.

Skins US Character Profiles

So four days left until Skins US hits MTV and here are the comparisons/contrasts that the US version of Generation 1 have on their UK counterparts.

Not much differences here between Sid and Stanley or Anwar and Abbud. Even their character trailers give that impression.

Again little differwnces between both Chris's apart from hair but with Jal and Daisy, there are some. Daisy having a sister and working in a burger joint but both of them are still the sensible (not boring) ones from Generation 1.

I'm going to be controversial (or not) but I actually think Tea is a shit load more interesting than Maxxie. It seems like we really could have a fantastic lesbian character on our hands with her (to be honest, Tea's the biggest selling point for the US version for me) but it seems that Eura will be every bit as enigmatic/mute as Effy if her character is anything to go by.

I agree with the write ups here. US Tony seems far less nasty than the UK version but both Michelle's pretty much seem the same to me.

Cassie and Cadie, hmm? I loved Cassie and Cadie seems to be pretty likeable too from her trailer. The eating disorder isn't an arc for her but I'm sure something else will surface in it's place.

Character Trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C1qr_lIugA

Skins US begins on MTV from January 17th at 10pm.

More TV Families

11 days into 2011 and here are some of my highlights for the year so far ...

Parenthood - Given that Brothers And Sisters future isn't looking too promising at the minute, could this show end up filling a respective void? Possibly. It's certainly has the same type of tropes as the Walkers with the Bravermans being eerily reminiscent to them in ways and it's certainly got an impressive cast with Peter Krause, Lauren Graham and Craig T. Nelson to name but three. The opening episode saw Sarah moving back in with her parents and dealing with an unruly daughter while older brother Adam found out his son had aspergers and younger brother Crosbie learnt he fathered a child from a previous relationship while flying mother Julia is definitely Sarah Walker by another name. Overall, definitely worth looking into.

Primeval - I've never been into this series and watching the first three episodes of the fourth series made me realise why. It's not particularly awful but for some reason, it just lacks spark and even though I generally don't mind the characters and the new setting with The Ark, I'm not that emotionally invested in the series. Connor/Abby are okay, Jess is a bit too perky, Becker's just there and I'm not sure what's up with Matt but I don't think he's a baddie. Lester is probably the most standout character with Philip being the least interesting of the bunch. On the plus side, I am enjoying the time travel lady that appeared in the last episode I watched.

Mrs Browns Boys - Ah, Brendan O'Carroll. It's amazing how well he plays the role of an older Dublin woman with a dysfunctional mouth and a potty mouth to boot. If you've never seen this live on stage or any of the DVDs released, then you're in for a treat with this series. The humour is typically Irish, so it'll be interesting to see how it fares on the BBC when it airs but it's definitely one to watch.

Come Fly With Me - Another show from Matt Lucas and David Walliams, it's not a bad effort but some of the jokes aren't as original or as funny as they might have been seven years ago. The characters are a mixed bunch and none of them would've been out of place on Little Britain either, which is possibly not the greatest thing either. On the plus side, it's better than their last show and I do like Lindsay Duncan's narration as well.

This Is England 86 - I meant to get back to this one at some point. I watched the rest of the episodes over the Christmas and I really have to admit that even though it's not the best thing I've seen on TV, it was definitely a good series. The ending was a bit dark for my liking but here's hoping that Channel 4 commission another run of the series soon.

- Brothers And Sisters Season 5 airs on More4 from January 20th at 10pm. However the series has not been renewed for a sixth season. It hasn't been officially cancelled either.

- Glee's superbowl episode will feature an unique performance of Thriller and while an upcoming episode will (unfortunately) feature a song from Justin Bieber, an episode won't be dedicated to him. Plus Gwyneth Paltrow's back for two episodes to romance Will.

- Paola Tubay has signed up for True Blood, playing a recurring character Antonia.

- ABC has renewed Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Modern Family, The Middle, Cougar Town and Castle.

- Adrian Pasdar has landed a two episode arc on Castle.

My Review of Dexter's 5x02: "Hello Bandit"

Written by Scott Buck
Directed by John Dahl

Harry: “I thought the kids were your number one responsibility.”
Dexter: “They are.”
Harry: “But here you are in the middle of the night.”

You got to give Dexter something – he’s trying. It’s just shame that trying for Dexter is largely unorthodox at the same time. For Dexter, being a good father also means being able to kill at the same time, so the hell with Elliott and his patronising speeches about sacrifices. Even I wanted Dexter to stab the dolt during that scene.

The one thing I love about Dexter’s coping with grief is not only how in character it is for him but how it’s not bogging the series down in any respect. He genuinely wanted to do his best by Astor, Cody and Harrison in this episode and he was met with far too many obstacles to succeed.

Astor’s anger towards Dexter kept momentum this week and the girl made some rather valid pointers as well. She didn’t want to leave her family home but Dexter wanted to move somewhere else and staying at Deb meant that everyone was literally boxed in. There’s a reason why apartments aren’t meant for families this big.

But there was also the moment where Astor and Cody then snuck off school and went back to their home to see Rita’s bathtub. It’s definitely one of the strongest scenes in the episode and it was at this point that Dexter realised that he was fighting a losing battle with Astor. For me, because of that, it made more than enough sense that he let her and Cody move to Orlando with their grandparents.

I don’t know why but I actually hope it’s not the end of Astor and Cody as characters. I don’t need Dexter’s internal thoughts to tell me that he’s better with them and Harrison in his life but it did help and unlike last year where Harry’s berating got on my nerves, I find myself agreeing with him about how much Astor and Cody are needed in Dexter’s life.

Not to mention the fact that Dexter obviously feels a responsibility for them as well. Cody might have been more open with Dexter than Astor but it’s clear that from their last scene together, Astor doesn’t completely hate Dexter even if she does blame him for her mother’s death nonetheless. In other words, I hope we do see them again in the season.

As for the FBI strand from the first episode – it’s amazing how quickly that one was wrapped. I was almost surprised with how the two agents interviewing Dexter weren’t at least a tiny bit suspicious of him in relation to Rita’s death but I suppose that’s where Quinn is going to come in handy, right?

That’s also the thing that worries me. Thanks to Maria, Quinn’s got the perfect sketches of Kyle Butler and it can’t be long until he matches the pictures to Dexter and begins his own investigation. Much as that will obviously spell bad news for Dexter, I actually love the fact that the Arthur Mitchell is still lingering about the place, even if the character is no longer with us.

Of course, it’s not just Arthur Mitchell that’s giving Miami Metro work to do, there’s also the Santa Muerte cult and the decapitation of a young woman. The thing with her eyes and tongue being gouged out as well was surprisingly effective and was it me or am I sensing a slightly adversarial but friendly dynamic between Deb and that female cop on the case as well? As long as she doesn’t turn out to be another Yuki, I’ll be happy.

Speaking of Deb, the good sister thing might be tiring her out but damn, she deserves points for giving it a bash. For a girl who’s usually so emotionally explosive, Deb has been absolutely fantastic for Dexter and the kids in the past two episodes and I kind of wish that she would cut herself some slack. Deb’s not perfect but she’s definitely someone you’d want fighting your corner nonetheless.

As for the sex thing with her and Quinn, I’m still on the assumption that a relationship isn’t far off. I like that she’s actually being a little resistant and that Quinn’s not acting like a total dick but it’s pretty damn obvious that there’s going to be a repeat performance, even if Deb is trying to keep Quinn on his toes.

Something else that’s worth keeping us on our toes was creepy ass dead animal pick up guy, Boyd Fowler. I’m gonna assume here that’s Boyd’s just a side baddies until the real big bad of the season enters the fray but he’s certainly disturbing enough. Those girls in the water filled barrels? If experience has taught Dexter anything, its best not to prolong a kill, so here’s hoping that Dexter doesn’t feel he needs to learn anything off Boyd anytime soon.

Also in “Hello, Bandit”

The title comes from Boyd’s little dialogue about the dead raccoon that Dexter used to get to meet him.

Dexter (to himself): “They say there are seven stages of grief. I suppose killing a man with my bare hands in the men’s room was my way of working through the anger stage.”

Michael C. Hall has previously worked with Shawn Hatosy (Boyd) in Six Feet Under. Amazing how many guest stars from that series have appeared on this show, isn’t it?

Masuka: “We miss you brother.”
Dexter: “How’s handling the department by yourself?”
Masuka: “it’s a breeze.”

Elliott: “Forget about any free time, you just have to be there every morning, every evening, every weekend. Are you ready to do that, Dex? For the kids?”
Dexter: “Yes, Elliott, I’m ready to do that. For the kids.”

On the Maria/Angel subplot this week, I don’t see anything wrong with her having her own account but I do think maybe she should’ve told Angel at some point. How long have they been married for?

Cody: “I like it here. It’s like camping.”
Dexter (to himself): “Exactly. Boys are easier.”

Deb (to Quinn): “I came over here to sleep, not to have your fat little sausage fingers all over me.”

Santa Muerte means Holy Death and Deb/Masuka/Quinn seemed to think the husband killed the wife before killing himself. Chances are, it’ll be something or someone else responsible.

Dexter (re Astor/Cody): “While they’ll be seeing the grief counsellor, I’ll be getting my own kind of therapy.”

Speaking of therapy, that voice that kept shouting “Take It” (from Boyd’s self help tapes) sounded bloody familiar.

Angel (re splatter): “How’s it going on in there?”
Deb: “Masuka said he really likes working with blood.”

Astor: “I thought coming here would help but that was stupid.”
Dexter: “Well, I understand.”

Angel’s bar fight with the guy who accused Maria of being a sugar mama is definitely going to have repercussions next week.

Dexter (to Harry): “Just give me a minute.”

Chronology: None directly specified since the events of “My Bad”.

Definitely a strong second episode here. “Hello, Bandit” continues to tackle the fallout of last year quite nicely but apart from the Boyd and Santa Muerte plots, which are likely to be short terms ones, nothing is as yet developed for the next big bad for Dexter to face off with. Perhaps that’s a good thing for a few episodes at the moment.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

Torchwod - The New World Becomes Miracle Day

As of tomorrow, Series 4 of Torchwood begins filming and contrary to previous reports, the header is now Miracle Day instead of The New World. Not really keen on the title but here's a general synopsis nonetheless ....

One day, nobody dies. All across the world, nobody dies. And then the next day, and the next, and the next, people keep aging -- they get hurt and sick -- but they never die. The result: a population boom, overnight. With all the extra people, resources are finite. It’s said that in four months’ time, the human race will cease to be viable. But this can’t be a natural event – someone’s got to be behind it. It’s a race against time as C.I.A. agent Rex Matheson investigates a global conspiracy. The answers lie within an old, secret British institute. As Rex keeps asking “What is Torchwood?", he’s drawn into a world of adventure, and a threat to change what it means to be human, forever.

Nobody being able to die? That's a TV trope that's been done to death (pun so definitely intended) but if RTD can manage to not kill off any other major characters I love (Rhys better make it out of this season alive) and there's some humour along the way, this could be a very enthralling series. I loved Children Of Earth but it was so bleak that I really don't want another misery fest throughout Miracle Day. Also some other bits - Gwen/Rhys's baby is called Anwen, Esther's surname is now Drummond, Oswald's surname is Danes, Vera's life becomes entangled with Rex, a lot of the action through the 10 episodes takes place in the US, Shanghai and Cardiff (filming in Wales is due later) and at some point, Jack has a tryst with a bartender. Thoughts anyone?

EastEnders SIDS/Baby Swap Debacle

Usually I don't do a big soap blog unless it's something really big and the whole debacle surrounding EastEnders SIDS/baby swap storyline with Kat and Ronnie and the now announced departure from actress Samantha Womack means that even I can't help but not get involved in the debate. Or at least voice an opinion.

In the space of a week, the storyline has sparked over 8000 complaints to OfCom (coupled with over 10 million watching the episodes) and various organisations from FSID groups have also voiced opinions of concern and disappointment. It's also been heavily speculated that Samantha Womack herself has dropped out of the series because of the storyline and the woman has also gotten abuse on the street from viewers alike, which in my opinion is wrong, regardless of how you feel about the storyline. So, what's the hubbub about?

EastEnders has done cot death related storylines in the past but I think what's left a nasty taste in people's mouths was coupling a cot death plot with a baby swap storyline because even if Ronnie's actions weren't pre-meditated, it still put her in an unsympathetic light and painted the character in a dangerous corner and instead of the story feeling poignant and harrowing as it should do, it just feels cheap and silly.

I know soaps are renowned for sensationalism and always will be but there are times in which they go too far and without sounding like someone who works for the Daily Mail, I felt this plot was/is going too far in places. The acting is fantastic from both Samantha Womack and Jessie Wallace, whose character Kat Moon is convinced her son Tommy is dead but for once, I wish that the writers had actually listened to their actors (Womack allegedly voiced opposition over the storyline) instead of trying to be shocking all the time.

Yes, the writers added the usual 'if you've been affected by these issues' warnings/numbers at the end of each episode and while I normally find myself laughing at people who get this animated over a storyline they don't like, I feel that if the plot had been left with cot death and that issue had been dealt with poignantly, there wouldn't have been a problem. It's the unneccesary addition of a baby swap that's riled viewers. Sometimes being sensationalistic isn't a smart idea.

There's a lot of people baying for producer Bryan Kirkwood's head over the storyline and the departure of Samantha Womack but as badly conceived and executed this idea was, is it really worth having the man losing his job over? I don't think so. Kirkwood might have gravely miscalculated public reception to this storyline but if a writer was fired everytime a storyline didn't work or generated the wrong level of controversy, then perhaps there would be very few people working on television.

As a viewer, I can't bear this baby swap saga and I'm looking forward to it being resolved (which it should be by April/May, according to spoilers) but I also advocate freedom of speech as well and while the show should be allowed to push boundaries, perhaps some sensitivity and actual thought to the next plot would be best for Kirkwood and the EastEnders staff. If this storyline proves anything, it's that sensationalism can go wrong.

Lost - Season 6 Review

US Airdate: February 2nd – May 23rd 2010

It’s The End: But the moment has been prepared for? Okay, wrong show but the truth of the matter is that the moment in some ways had been prepared for. We always knew that the show would end with a sixth year and after the previous two seasons; this one certainly proved that it was time for the show to part ways with TV land.

I don’t mean that in a negative but the series transition from flashbacks to flash forwards and in this year alone, flash sideways, it has proved that the writers were running out of steam with storylines for the characters off the island as well as on the wretched thing as well. Don’t get me wrong, there are amusing alternatives given to us here – Jack and Juliet have a son together, Ben’s a teacher, Kate’s still on the run, Sawyer and Miles are both cops, Sayid murders Keamy and rescues Jin and Hurley after a series of mishaps reunites with Libby but at the same time, they’re padding in a way too.

Throughout the 18 episodes on offer here, you have these sideways being a distraction and for the most part, an amusing one because much as I hate to grumble, the stuff on the island isn’t as great as it used to be I’m afraid.

Locke’s death in particular feels like a nasty rub and it made sense for the Smoke Monster to permanently take his guise from “LAX” onwards but as a result, the monster in some ways loses his effect than when he was just smoke. With a human body, he’s able to be nasty and manipulate the likes of Sayid and Claire when he isn’t destroying Dogen’s camp by “Sundown” but he also becomes rather annoying in the process.

Similarly, the stuff involving Dogen’s camp for the first few episodes isn’t all that great either and then the arrival of Widmore’s people in the latter half of the season is just more fodder to be killed off by the Smoke Monster. There’s a rather odd ball scene where the criminally underdeveloped Illana is blown to smithereens in “Everybody Hates Hugo” as well but the deaths of Jin, Sun and Sayid in “The Candidate” certainly packed an emotional wallop.

As for the characters themselves, Jacob might have manipulated everyone on the island but he’s given a short shrift during the season (probably because Mark Pellegrino was on another extremely popular show at the time) and it’s also a year that sees everyone nearly cropping up all at once.

Claire’s finally back and spent most of the time on the island being crazy, Juliet’s death is prolonged throughout the first two episodes, we finally learn Richard’s back story and it’s predictable, Michael’s unable to move on in the afterlife while Boone, Shannon, Ana-Lucia, Charlie, Daniel and Charlotte are cropping up in flash sideways and Desmond is having the misfortune of being an experiment for Widmore. Bitching aside though, he’s also instrumental in getting everyone together at “The End”.

That finale was always going to be a tough one to pull off. Some viewers would be satisfied, others would freaking hate it but as for me, it was a divisive. Emotionally, it was incredibly satisfying and I got a kick out of seeing nearly every main character from the show’s beginning reunited but logically, it was kind of all over the place and the less that’s said to do with the resolution of the island nearly going kaboom, the better to be honest, even if it was disappointing.

Still though, “The End” did make up for a series of meandering episodes and a few pointless ones too (“Across The Sea” being the biggest offender) and it was hard not to sit through it without a tear in my eye. So what if they’re all dead? Most of us had guessed that would be the outcome since the first season and while the show has had it’s ups and down as a series, it was still a sad day when it ended, especially that it’s only in a small handful of truly definitive sci-fi/fantasy programming from the 21st century.

DVD EXTRAS: The one thing I’ve always loved about this show was the extras and for a final season, there’s a good selection. The commentaries are fine, the location features are interesting and the bloopers amusing but it’s the other stuff that really hits the spot. “The New Man In Charge” does it’s best to tie up some loose ends with the island stuff while “The End: Creating A Final Season” more or less lives up to it’s title as the producers and cast discuss what went into crafting the last year. The other features “A Hero’s Journey” and “See You In Another Life, Brotha” covers the mysteries of which characters are genuinely heroic and the antics of the sideways stuff this year.

EPISODE RATINGS FROM 1 TO 10

6x01: LAX Part 1 = 8/10, 6x02: LAX Part 2 = 8/10,
6x03: What Kate Does = 7/10, 6x04: The Substitute = 6/10,
6x05: Lighthouse = 8/10, 6x06: Sundown = 9/10,
6x07: Dr Linus = 7/10, 6x08: Recon = 8/10,
6x09: Ab Aeterno = 7/10, 6x10: The Package = 7/10,
6x11: Happily Ever After = 8/10, 6x12: Everybody Loves Hugo = 9/10,
6x13: The Last Recruit = 7/10, 6x14: The Candidate = 9/10,
6x15: Across The Sea = 5/10, 6x16: What They Died For = 7/10,
6x17: The End Part 1 = 9/10, 6x18: The End Part 2 = 9/10.

Season Six is currently available on DVD.

Torchwood - Season 4 Latest Castings

And with filming set to begin in five days, we've got two more pieces of casting for Season 4 of Torchwood.

All My Children actress Alexa Havins has bagged the role of CIA Watch Analyst Esther Katusi and while I've never heard of the actress before, I'll be intrigued to see how Esther fares as a character. Is it weird that I get Owen/Toshiko vibes off both Esther and Rex?

Former Dollhouse actress, Dichen Lachman has also bagged a role on the new series and while there's no official word on who she's playing, we do know that her character is in the CIA as well. As disappointed as I am that Enver Gjokaj didn't get to play Rex, I'm delighted that Dichen will be on the series.

Season 4 begins filming on January 11th with an airdate for both Starz and BBC1 due for July 1st. Yay for a confirmation.

Being Human - Season 3 Cast Picture/Trailer

An airdate still hasn't been confirmed but there's a trailer and it's seriously a fucking brilliant one. Annie going apeeshit in a library, Mitchell on the tube about to bite a pretty girl and George and Nina at the supermarket going gaga over meat. Even if Series 3 isn't the best season, it's definitely going to be a more focused one and one thing I should've mentioned in my last blog for the UK series is that we'll be meeting George's father this year. Now all we need is an airdate.

Season 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucXsL8wVp-4

Skins US - More Cast Pictures/Interviews

It's gonna be another 12 days but the US Skins is gaining promotional momentum and here are some of the small bits.
A cast shot with the main characters - Chris, Daisy, Abbud, Tea, Tony, Michelle, Stanley, Cadie and Eura which doesn't look all that dissimilar to how the UK version cast members have posed several times in the last five years.

There's also an interview with Nylon magazine that gives off some spoilers. It seems that both Toby and Chris's episodes will be similar but others will differentiate themselves from what was done back in 2007 on E4. I'm still not overly sure but it looks decent and I actually wanna praise one of the actors for slagging off Gossip Girl in an interview linked below. The show begins on MTV from January 17th. No UK broadcaster has snagged it yet.

DS Interview: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s144/skins-us/tubetalk/a295921/skins-us-meet-tony-michelle-and-stanley.html

NYLON Interview: http://community.livejournal.com/skinsfans/1881137.html

Season 1 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-SCidqj-lQ

My Review of Dexter's 5x01: "My Bad"

Written by Chip Johannessen
Directed by Steve Shill

Dexter (to Harrison, re Rita): “Lucky to have me. I wouldn’t say so. She trusted me and now she’s dead. Like your sister said, I’m toxic. You’d all be better off without me.”

And TV would be a slightly less interesting place without this show. I debated for a few weeks as to when I was going to review the fifth season of this show and after realising that FXUK would probably delay it for summer, I decided that I might as well just get in there and review it now. After watching this episode, I’m glad I made that decision.

When it comes to grief, there are plenty who will sob and shout their hearts out and then there are people who are so quiet that the likes of Quinn will suspect them of not caring or being responsible for their loved ones death. Dexter, naturally of course fell into the latter category, which wasn’t a good thing when Quinn is involved.

Dexter’s total lack of emotion made a shit load of sense to me as a viewer. He’s capable of feeling and we’ve had enough reminders over the previous four years that his feelings for Rita were real but at the same time, Dexter was able to vocalise his feelings in a way that people expected of him in this episode.

Even Elliot from next door was more openly sad about Rita’s death and the technical manner in which Dexter’s described Rita’s death when he made his 911 call certainly raised Quinn’s alarm bells but overall, Dexter had more than just reacting to Rita’s death to deal with and this was a week where he didn’t want to deal with anything.

He delayed telling Astor and Cody about their mum’s death and when he did, it went typically wrong. Even though, I’ve found Astor annoying in past episodes, I actually didn’t blame her when she lashed out at Dexter. Dexter himself felt like he failed/abandoned Rita and Astor was the only one to vocalise that as well.

Even when it came to funeral arrangements, it was Deb doing all the work there – picking a casket, arranging a burial date, funeral home and even getting a selection of dresses for Dexter to choose for Rita. It made sense that when Dexter snapped out of himself that he chose the dress that he first saw Rita in.

And that led to another interesting thing – their first date. I wasn’t really all that surprised that Dexter cut it short to tend to a victim but I was charmed by the fact that in spite of his seeming indifference to her at first, that Dexter did want to know more about Rita. Even back then, he was probably falling in love with her without realising it of course.

It was also a nice way of utilising Julie Benz in the opening episode, other than having her just play dead for a few scenes. The funeral scene itself served as a satisfying but emotionally potent coda for the episode. The big stuff from Dexter was less to do with his eulogy and more to do with him finally snapping.

I guess even an episode as downbeat as this one needed a killing but the attack on that asshole in the bathroom was definitely savage and unlike Dexter as well. It’s not the healthiest way for Dexter’s grief to have spilled out but it was certainly the most believable and after spending most of the previous season frustrated with Harry’s appearances, I was grateful for him being there when Dexter needed him the most.

However as for the consequences of Rita’s death – everyone mostly thinks that Trinity did the deed so that storyline isn’t entirely resolved either. The only person who believes that Dexter killed Rita is Quinn and it does seem that he’s going to be a further nuisance than Doakes ever was in trying to expose Dexter, especially that thanks to Masuka, he also knows about Rita and Elliot.

Whether or not this means that Quinn’s destined to be added to a slide collection in the next eleven episodes is anyone’s guess but overall, much as I dislike him, there’s a part of me that hopes he does learn more about Dexter for some reason. As for sleeping with Deb, it didn’t actually bother me but geez, couldn’t they have picked somewhere that a murder didn’t take place in?

Despite Deb’s protestations, it’s pretty obvious that the writers are intending her and Quinn to become an item this season and if she can make him a lot less annoying than he usually is, then more power to Deb. Otherwise, I’m not really that fussed about them as a couple. And I’d also like to hope that apart from being a support system for Dexter, Deb also has other storylines this year to be getting on with.

As for Maria and Angel, I really hope the honeymoon period isn’t over for them just yet because the lengths they went into becoming an official couple, it’d just be annoying for them to break up. I did actually see both their viewpoints with Rita’s death – Maria had a point with wanting the FBI to deal with it and Angel had a point with wanting Miami metro to tackle it. Either way, between the FBI and Quinn, Dexter had better watch his back because it certainly seems like being associated with Trinity could come to bite him on the ass again.

Also in “My Bad”

Have the writers been watching Joss Whedon shows over the summer because the episode title sounds like something a character of his would utter?

Dexter: “I’ve watched 67 people die and in the moment of truth, I’ve looked in their eyes and they knew and I knew they got what they deserved but what if that’s not what happens if you don’t get what you deserve?”

After this episode, Dexter can add 68 into that impressive collection, can’t he? Also Arthur killed Rita at least eight hours before Dexter discovered her body.

Deb: “FBI? Fucking bunch of idiots.”

Dexter (re Rita): “This is what she would’ve wanted – a grieving spouse. For once doing what a normal person’s supposed to do.”

Not so surprisingly, Dexter ran away from the FBI debriefing and nearly skipped town until his own moment of truth happened.

Dexter (re Deb): “She admitted the fact that I’m an axe murderer?”
Rita: “No, no, she said you were a blood stain pattern analyst, which I have no clue what that is.”
Dexter: “Believe me, I don’t either and I do it forty hours a week.”

Astor (re Rita): “She’s dead and it doesn’t even matter with you.”
Dexter: “How can you say that?”
Astor: “Cos it doesn’t. I can tell, just by looking at you. You don’t even care. Where were you? Where were you when someone was killing her?”

Astor and Cody being told about Rita’s death while they were all wearing Mickey Mouse ears/hats was definitely one of the most unforgettable things of this episode.

Dexter (re Rita): “I was never really honest with you. I’m a serial killer, that’s what I am. I know I led you to believe I’m a human being but I’m really not.”

Rita: “So you know all about me?”
Dexter: “I’d like to know more.”

Julie Benz’s name was out of the opening credits for this episode and no special guest stars were added either.

Dexter: “I thought you left me.”
Harry: “I’m here.”

Chronology: Exactly from where “The Getaway” left off.

As an opener goes, “My Bad” is definitely the darkest and most uncomfortable one that the series has done but it’s also the strongest one since the “Pilot” and while no new big bad was set up in this one, there was more than enough going on.

Rating: 9 out of 10.

Being Human US - More Cast Pictures

Yesterday I gave you something on Season 3 of the UK version and today, it's some more cast shots of the US Being Human to feast your eyes on.

The first one has Josh, Sally and Aidan with Bishop (Mark Pellegrino) in the mix as well. It'll be interesting to see how similar the Aidan/Bishop interplay is compared to the Mitchell/Herrick one that's about to renewed in the third series of the UK show.

As for the second picture, it's a bit generic but it does the job. Another thing that will differentiate both versions a little is that we'll be meeting Josh's gay sister, Emily (Allison Louder) in the second episode and her girlfriend, Jackie played by Rhiannon Moller-Trotter as well, who'll be in two episodes. The series will premiere on SyFy from January 17th. I'm actually optimistic the more I read about this series, even if it's on SyFy.

Cast Pictures: http://www.spoilertv.com/2011/01/being-human-us-season-1-cast.html

Blood On The Cobbles - Soaps December Review

Okay, this is my last blog for 2010 and I might as well end the year with a soap one. It's been an interesting TV year for the most part and here's hoping 2011 maintains that in every TV medium.

Coronation Street - Tracy Barlow is a woman who certainly knows how to turn an entire cast against her, isn't she? Less than a week back on the cobbles, she's managed to insult everyone, bed David Platt (yuck) and got her head caved in as well. I think it's obvious to assume that Steve and Becky aren't guilty of this one, even if the next few weeks will keep them in the frame. Apart from that, Gary's PTSD storyline as well as Sally and Tyrone turning on Kevin have been the only other strong storylines going, post-tram. Oh and if Leanne can stop berating Nick for five minutes that would be nice too. I also have to admit to enjoying the presence of Claudia during tonight's New Year's Eve episode as well.

EastEnders - Every now and then, a soap writer gets the idea to ACTUALLY allow someone to get away with murder and despite Janine's best efforts over the Christmas, Stacey Slater managed to leave Walford without Ryan but with her baby and enough cash from Max to escape the coppers. As frustrating as I've found Stacey a lot of the time, a part of me was pleased that she did get away with killing Archie. However tonight's episode pleased me less with Ronnie's one day old son dying and her taking Kat's baby. I'm not a sensitive viewer but even I think this upcoming baby swap storyline is a little too cruel, despite the fact that I'm confident with both Jessie Wallace and Samantha Womack being able to deliver. On the plus side, Kim is still bags of fun and the less I focus on Carol/Connor or Ian/Glenda/Phil, the more bearable certain episodes are to watch.

Emmerdale - Ooh, I like a good wedding, especially if it's one where Chas finally got her revenge on Carl and Eve before the latter scurried off. As storylines went, the build up to this one has been great and the pay off was fun but in spite of all her hatred for him, I'm still betting that Chas will get back with Carl in 2011. Other highlights of the month have been the return of Eric's other son, the arrival of Declan's father Dermot and Aaron and Jackson actually getting some scenes together where it isn't an angst fest. Any chance things can be lighter for the pair next year?

Hollyoaks - For a soap aimed largely for teens, this has definitely been a darker and more hard hitting month for it. India got murdered in the most horrible way going, thanks to crazy Silas and Jasmine/Jason's GID storyline has finally become public knowledge with some predictable reactions from her family (and some humorous ones as well, courtesy of Mitzee). On the plus side, the show's also making progress in trying to develop Brendan as a character as his dyanamics with Danny, Ste and Warren have all taken interesting turns. I'm not sold on him still but he's definitely improving as a character.

Doctors - I rarely watch this show and with an episode called The Living Gaylights, I have to admit that I've probably seen better acting in panto but even I find Simon Bond rather cute. The episode where he was dreaming about being a gay James Bond, replete with hot scantily clad men and being tied up was definitely one of the sillier soap storylines done in a while. On the serious side, they also tackled a near suicide attempt with the character as well but luckily, there's still a hot gay guy in this soap.

Being Human - Season 3 First Trailers

Okay, an airdate still need confirming but there are some small bits for the new season to behold.

First up, Lacey Turner is appearing in the first episode of Season 3 of Being Human, playing a character called Lia that's instrumental in helping Mitchell locate Annie and it'll be interesting to see how she fares as this is her first role after leaving EastEnders. It'll be interesting to see what lays ahead for Mitchell, Annie, George and Nina this year.

Elsewhere, Michael Socha (This Is England 86 and brother of Misfits actress, Lauren Socha) will be part of a father/son werewolf duo. His character, Tom and father McNair (played Robson Green) will be hunting vampires but over the course of the season, Tom apparently bonds with Mitchell and this year, the villains are many and different. Expect Herrick to be different than the character we knew in the first year and also expect a zombie in the mix as well. I'll do another blog when an airdate for the new season and some proper promotional caps surface.

Trailers: http://www.spoilertv.com/2010/12/being-human-uk-season-3-3-promos.html

2010 - A Year In General

Best Show (UK): Misfits. Spent the last five months catching up with this superlative series. So glad a third season is coming.

Worst Show (UK): The Deep. Just terrible to be honest.

Best Show (US): True Blood. Because both Seasons 2 and 3 kept me hooked like no other show.

Worst Show (US): The Event. More like non-Event to be honest.

Best Villain: Arthur Mitchell in Dexter. Honorable mentions go to Dream Lord in Doctor Who and Russell Edgington in True Blood.

Worst Villain: Smoke Monster in Lost. Much as I liked Season 6, I grew tired of that fecking monster.

Best TV Death: Um, everyone's in Ashes To Ashes. Not many TV deaths affected me this year.

Worst TV Death: Freddie's in Skins. I was never a big fan of the character but he deserved better.

Shocking TV Moment: Bill being revealed as a total bastard in True Blood. Also Rita's death in Dexter.

Sexiest Male On TV: Matthew Rhys in Brothers And Sisters. Just cos.

Sexiest Female On TV: Going with Karen Gillan in Doctor Who. Even I'm drawn to Amy Pond.

Best Finale: Dexter's fourth season finale, The Getaway.

Yes, Kids Are Annoying: Cooper and Paige in Brothers And Sisters. Sorry, but they irritated me this year.

Neither Use, Nor Ornament: Holly Harper and Ryan Lafferty in Brothers And Sisters - again. Though at least one of them is long gone and forgotten by all.

Good Reality TV: The Apprentice. Both Irish and UK versions this year.

Bad Reality TV: Big Brother 11. Well, the parts that were the John James and Josie show.

Best Gay Couple: Kevin Walker/Scotty Wandall in Brothers And Sisters. Emily and Naomi from Skins come a close(ish) second for the second and last time.

Worst Gay Couple: Bob and Lee in Desperate Housewives. Shockingly dull those two.

Best Straight Couple: Dexter Morgan and Lumen Pierce in Dexter. It shouldn't have worked but damn it did.

Worst Straight Couple: Jason Stackhouse and Crystal Norris in True Blood. Something lacks with those two.

Best Guest Appearance: Julia Stiles in Dexter. Though she was practically a regular in Season Five.

Worst Guest Appearance: Will Young in Skins. I like the guy but I found his cameo in Freddie's episode jarring for some reason.

Killed Too Soon: Ivan in Being Human. I liked him towards the end.

Difficult Season: Heroes. Even with it's fourth season, this show couldn't get it's act together. A shame really.

Best Male Character: The Doctor in Doctor Who. Because bowties, stetsons, fezzes and everything else is cool according to him.

Worst Male Character: Dave Karofsky in Glee. Just go away please.

Best Female Character: Sue Sylvester in Glee. She might be cartoonish but she is fun to watch.

Worst Female Character: Beth in Desperate Housewives. Dull, dull, dull, dull.

Most Improved Show: Misfits. Season 1 was fun but Season 2 was sublime TV.

Least Improved Show: Desperate Housewives. Season 7 has been all over the place to be honest.

Best TV Partnership: The Doctor/Amy Pond in Doctor Who. Amy might not sit well with certain viewers but damn, I like her.

Worst TV Partnership: Sean and Christian in Nip/Tuck. In the end, they went their seperate ways. Doesn't say a lot about friendship, eh?

Best Use Of Music: Skins. One of the best things of Season 4.

HoYay Award: Sherlock/Moriarty in Sherlock. The hoyay went stratospheric during The Great Game when these two finally met.

2011 Hopeful: Boardwalk Empire, which looks awesome.

Happy New Year everyone.

Skins - Season 5 Trailer/Character Thoughts

And here I thought we were going to have to wait until 2011 to see the Season 5 trailer of Skins. Nice one of E4 to get a move on, eh?

I don't have screencaps of the trailer but if you've seen it, all our main characters are falling from the sky naked and hit the ground fully clothed to an Arcade Fire song in the background. It might be well the best trailer since Season 2 from an artistic standpoint and if you watch it, it might also give us clues as to how each character interacts with each other as well.

In terms of the characters, a couple of brief thoughts from what I got from their profiles on the E4 site ... Mini's clearly a mashup of Michelle/Katie but if she veers more towards the latter, it could be fine. Nick's definitely the Tony/Cook of this group so I can't imagine warming to him all too quickly. Franky is probably the most unique one of the bunch if they're going into the gender identity root. Matty's profile seems to indicate that he's a less zany version of Cassie but possible a more interesting version of Freddie. Also how many teen lads have My Own Private Idaho in a list of fave movies?

As for Grace, I think she is definitely the Jal of the bunch on a musical front if not a logic one. Liv, I'm not too sure - a female Chris or a slightly less damaged Effy? Alo is definitely another Sid type of character, except he's into Victorian porn rather than the Asian variety and Rich sounds like a moody git to be honest but maybe he'll be better on screen perhaps.

Season 5 starts on E4 from January 27th at 10pm, so there's only four weeks to go and with the American version also looming around next month, it will be a very interesting time for the Skins franchise.

Season 5 Credits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhD7548i0VM

Season 5 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWFeSWaAdcg

Monsters Are Real - Doctor Who Series 6 Trailer 1

Well, now that A Christmas Carol is out of the way, massive thanks to BBC1 for airing the first official trailer to Series 6.

A future raggedy version of the Doctor (Matt Smith) is chained up by the government from the looks of it and he's recruited his current self and gang to help out with something that hasn't been specified yet - the Silents perhaps?

Now I bet there were a lot of male fans who'll be looking forward to seeing River Song (Alex Kingston) in the nude but what exactly causes her wardrobe malfuncition here? In the opening two parter, both her and Amy are affected by some strange markings and Amy learns something about the mystery woman she can't tell the Doctor.

The Doctor's on another planet, a period setting one and the mysterious Idris (Suranne Jones) is also there too. Doesn't she look radiant? If Idris turns out to be Romana (still thinking of that Gallifreyan clue from The Brilliant Book), there are going to be a lot of pleased people this year. Either way, Neil Gaiman's episode looks unmissable.

Plus something must be going in order to bring the Ood back. This time, they're glowing green/yellow eyes and if the creepy dolls weren't enough for the Mark Gatiss episode, the Ood being back is definitely a worrying thing. Last time one of them showed up, the Doctor regenerated.

Rory (Arthur Darvill) seems to be coming more into his own as well if the trailer clips are anything to go by. There's rumours of a pregnancy plot for Series 6 flying about as well. Also I noticed in the trailer, the return of that other TARDIS from Series 5, so it's interesting that plot point is resurfacing again.

Also apart from the massive reveal that the Doctor is placing his life into Amy's hands, we don't exactly know who or what the Silence/Silents are but either way, Series 6 cannot come fast enough for this fan.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpe1Ywz8azM

My Review of Doctor Who's 5x14: "A Christmas Carol"

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Toby Haynes

Kazran: “Think about it, Doctor – one last day with your beloved. What day would you choose?”
Abigail: “Christmas. Christmas Day. Look at you, you're so old now. I think you waited a bit too long, didn't you?”

Last year, there wasn’t a whole lot for the Doctor to be cheerful about with the Master inciting chaos and the end of his tenth incarnation abound but this year, we’ve got a special that’s little bit cheerier by comparison but still laced with plentiful of emotional content and poignancy.

When Steven Moffat brazenly decided to called this Christmas special, “A Christmas Carol”, it would’ve be almost a cop out for it not to be a timey-wimey version of the Charles Dickens classic. And before naysayers get a word in, the show waited until now to spoof it and to be honest, it’s actually a decent effort.

Michael Gambon might have been the kindly Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films but as Kazran and Elliot Sardick in different parts of the episode, he’s not a very nice fellow at all and at point, even the Doctor commented on how difficult Elliot himself was to love, given his contentment with using human leverage for those unfortunate enough to borrow money off him.

But even a miserly character has to have a spark of humanity and it seemed that the episode found a good way of getting it out of Kazran. The Doctor’s become even more of an idol for children in this incarnation and having him imprint himself throughout Kazran’s life was a genius twist.

As a boy, all Kazran wanted to do was to see the fish in the fog of his home planet and thanks to the Doctor, he got a couple of memories involving sharks along the way. The genius part was having Abigail’s voice play a big role in the story – it being the thing that calmed the shark and stopped the Doctor and Kazran being eaten by it as well.

It’s also Abigail that’s the humanity that Kazran is rejuvenated with as well. Through Elliot’s coarse treatment, Kazran became a nightmare in Sardicktown and with Abigail and the yearly Christmas visits that the Doctor and Kazran bestow on her, it’s wonderful to watch Kazran soften as a character.

I know the obviousness of Kazran’s affections for Abigail are overly telegraphed but it’s really hard not to fall in love with the pair as Kazran became a handsome young man and Abigail got the chance to see her family for one Christmas meal before another year revealed that she hadn’t long left to live.

Surprisingly enough, I had little reservations when I heard that Katherine Jenkins was cast as Abigail. This might have been her first acting gig but throughout the whole thing, she doesn’t put a foot wrong and Abigail is so damn lovely, it’s actually hard to find single fault with Katherine Jenkins at all.

And for the singing – well, I’ve never bought a CD from Katherine Jenkins but this episode is making me change my mind. The choice of music she had for soothing the whale and also becoming the solution to the Doctor’s other problem of the episode worked brilliantly in my opinion, that it actually sucks a lot that Abigail probably died shortly after her last trip with the older Kazran in this episode.

I did like that throughout the episode, Kazran softened more and more but it was also neat that when both Amy and Rory didn’t succeed, the Doctor managed to use Kazran as a boy in order to get the old man to have a heart and save the spaceship from crashing into Sardicktown after all.

The ship plot of the episode was vital for the Doctor’s whole mission – prevent over 4000 deaths by sparking the humanity back into a miserly old man but if the episode has only one thing that doesn’t work in it’s favour, it’s actually Amy and Rory.

They’re not in any way awful in the episode but it’s kind of disappointing that for a Christmas episode that had all regular crew members, that the newly married Ponds weren’t as utilised as they could’ve been. Okay, Amy tried her hand at appealing to Kazran’s better nature but Rory was incredibly underused and that’s the only thing about the episode that I would’ve changed.

However as underused as they were, I did find the last moment between the Doctor and Amy at the end of the episode to be rather telling. Amy looked sort of suspicious of the Doctor and he did of her too. Now that’s definitely one way of getting me excited for the upcoming season in 2011.

Also in “A Christmas Carol”

Arthur Darvill’s name were added to the opening credits but (and taking a different route for a Christmas special) Katherine Jenkins and Michael Gambon’s weren’t.

Amy: “I’ve sent for help.”
Captain: “Who the hell are you?"
Amy: "Look, there's a friend of mine and he'll come."
Captain: "And what are you wearing?”

For this episode again, Amy was in her policewoman outfit and Rory was a Centurion. Apparently they lost their luggage.

The Doctor (to Kazran): “Christmas Eve on a rooftop, saw a chimney. My whole brain just went 'what the hell'.”

The Doctor: “Merry Christmas, Mr Sardick.”
Kazran: “I despise Christmas.”
The Doctor: "You shouldn't. It's very you."

For a town/planet like Sardicktown that’s also rather Victorian-like, is it really shocking that there wouldn’t be anything like the lottery?

Amy: “Are you lying?”
The Doctor: “Yes I am.”
Amy: “Don’t treat me like I’m an idiot.”
Rory: “Is he lying?”
Amy: “No, no, no.”

Kazran: “Who are you?”
The Doctor: “Tonight I’m the ghost of Christmas past.”

Even I got a little shocked in this episode when I saw Kazran being hit by his father and the fact that Kazran came close twice to smacking children himself – one of them being a past him.

Kazran: “There’s a shark in my bedroom?”
The Doctor: “Oh fine, focus on that.”

Abigail (re the TARDIS): “This is amazing.”
The Doctor: “Nah, this is transport. I keep amazing out here.”

The Doctor finally told a lie to the psychic paper that didn’t work; he got married to Marilyn Monroe and half his sonic screwdriver got swallowed by a shark. Oh, and we saw a fez again.

Kazran: “When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?”
The Doctor: “I have absolutely no idea.”

Amy (to Kazran): “You didn’t think it was over, did you? I’m the ghost of Christmas present.”

There’s a CD soundtrack for “A Christmas Carol” coming out in February 2011. I also noticed that silence appeared a lot during Abigail’s song.

Amy: “Time can be rewritten.”
Kazran: “You tell the Doctor. Tell him from me, people can’t.”

Kazran: “Everybody has to die.”
Amy: “Not tonight.”
Kazran: "Tonight's as good as any night. How do you choose?"

There was a trailer for Season Six at the end of this episode showing us a future Doctor, Amy being put in an interesting predicament, Ood, creepy dolls, a surrounded Rory and River in the nip. Spring can’t come fast enough.

Amy: “He did it, the Doctor did it.”
Rory: “Yeah, he gets all the credit, which is actually fair enough when you think about it.”

Amy (re Abigail/Kazran): "It'll be their last day together, won't it?"
The Doctor: "Everything's gotta end sometime, otherwise nothing would ever get started."

Chronology: No idea. We don’t know what time or planet we were actually on and nothing time wise has been specified since “The Big Bang”.

As Christmas specials go, “A Christmas Carol” definitely leaves you with the imagery of a shark being an interesting substitute for a reindeer but as a special, it holds up nicely, does a reasonably clever take on a classic and left me anticipating 2011 all the more.

Rating: 8 out of 10.

It's The Afterbirth You Dickhead

Okay, this is probably the last TV jumble blog for 2010 and here are the end of a few shows I've been watching over the last few weeks.

Ugly Betty - Yes, Season 4 has finally finished up on E4 and while it continues to show us that Vanessa Williams was better here than in her new gig, I have to admit the last few episodes have been fun - Betty getting rid of her braces, Hilda getting married, Justin finally coming out, Wilhemina and Cliare burying the hatchet, Amanda finding her real father and of course, Betty leaving for London and Daniel going after her. The series wasn't perfect but it was a fun, feel-good antidote that will be missed.

Misfits - I loved the last two episodes of this show. The finale might have pulled something of a reset after the consequences of milk guy nearly killing everyone but it certainly made for a fun episode and it's incredible that even with a rubbish power, Brian could manage to be a fairly credible threat as well. As for the Christmas special, well, it certainly won't go down as too schmaltzy anyways. You had Marnie giving birth with Nathan stamping on the afterbirth for gore along with Nikki's swift death, a guy pretending to be Jesus, Simon and Alisha's reltionship developing and the gang losing their powers only to gain some new ones. Thank goodness this show is due for a third run.

The Vampire Diaries - Three episodes in a row and I've finally finished off the first season and it was fun. I liked learning more about Stefan and Damon first few hours as vampires, Isobel's brief entry into Alaric and Elena's lives was amusing enough and the writers have made sure I don't feel an ounce of compassion for John Gilbert. Heck, even when Katherine in the final minute chopped his bloody fingers off, I couldn't muster any empathy for the guy. Damon had some nice moments of decency, Jeremy lost another girlfriend with Anna and Tyler was also effected by the noise of that device, which can only mean there's something supernatural about him. Here's hoping TG4 don't waste too much time and air Season Two pretty sharpish.

Desperate Housewives - I was waiting for one episode this season to truly blow me away and I actually got it. Okay, so event episodes are all spectacle and I'm still not sure how Paul's storyline can be sustained for the rest of the season but at least someone had the freaking sense to shoot him. I'm betting it'll be someone like Mitzi or even Lee if they want to be a tad risky. As for the riot, it felt devastating enough and here's hoping that the remainder of the season will finally get the show back on track too.

The Apprentice - Irish/UK Versions - Ah, it's an all girl victory on both sides. Michelle predictably bagged it for the Irish and Stella (less predictably for me) won the UK one but either way, both versions had some enjoyable moments and sure, it won't be too long before the seventh series of Alan Sugar's version hits our screens again.

- Along with Caprica, SyFy have also pulled the plug on Stargate Universe. Wow, it's really not good to be a spin-off nowadays.

- The producers of Smallville have been trying to get Michael Rosembaum to reprise his role as Lex Luthor for the show's final run.

- Ian Somerhalder has revealed that Klaus in The Vampire Diaries will make Damon shake in his boots. Sounds like my kinda character, then.

- Damien Lewis, David Harewood, Mandy Patinkin, Claire Danes and Laura Fraser have all joined the cast for new Showtime series, Homeland.

- John Corbett has landed a multi-arc role on Parenthood.