The only other time I'll discuss this show and you've got to wonder about the power of same sex snogging for sweeps episodes in America. Except isn't it usually a heterosexual female character making out with another girl for ratings? Oddly, Gossip Girl decided to have the avowedly straight Chuck Bass make out with a guy in order to benefit Blair's insane attempts to become queen bee at university. Okay, the snog scene is pretty brief and there was interesting moment where Chuck alluded to the fact that he's had some past experience with men but given that Ed Westwick seems to whisper everything he says, it took me a while to make it out. As for the rest of the episode, I'm sure something happened but it wasn't interesting enough for me to pay attention to it.
After last week's triumphant first part of the Justice League saga, I thought Smallville was on fire in spite of the icy villain we got here. The second part was actually as solid as the previous one and I'm liking the plot involving Checkmate and Pam Grier's Amanda Waller. We've been lacking a decent villainess for a while now and Wallers has the potential to be a lethal force as well and it's nice that the ninth season isn't solely relying on Zod for obstacles with Clark stepping up to the hero template. However, I wasn't remotely shocked to see Tess being a part of Checkmate, though at this rate she's still veering between good and evil without picking a side. Also if Doctor Fate's words are anything to go by, can we hope that a) Lex isn't dead and b) that Michael Rosenbaum at some point will reappear in the series?
As Nip/Tuck continues to reach the end (last episode in two days, people), it seems that returning Ava is the way to go. Since Teddy met her end with a serial killer, the sixth season hasn't had any villains and Ava's probably the biggest success story the show's had on that front. Famke Janssen has barely changed that much since her last appearance and Ava certainly can tug all the strings going. She nearly got Sean to operate on her disease laden baby and even managed to manipulate Matt into bed and away from his own wedding. I do hope that she's more interesting in the last episode as well. As for Julia, um, yawn. I hated watching both Sean and Christian professing their love for her because she was getting married. At least she had the sense to tell them where to go on that one.
Okay, I am giving The Vampire Diaries a reasonable chance here but I am still being fairly hot and cold with it. Neither Damon nor Stefan are emerging as anything beyond caricatures and no offence to Ian Somerhalder, but I just don't find him remotely threatening/dangerous as Damon and the voice over stuff with Stefan and Elena was something I could've done without. Luckily though, there's a lot I do like. Elena's brother isn't that bad, Aunt Jenny is actually more likeable than expected, Bonnie's the most interesting character on the show, Matt's sympathetic and rightly suspicious of Stefan and the ending with Damon biting into Caroline was pretty effective. Still not a threat to True Blood however.
- Denis O'Hare has revealed that Russell will revert to Pagan way in the final four episodes of True Blood but that his storyline will not be wrapped up. Expect to see him next season then.
- David Tennant's abandoned pilot, Rex Is Not Your Lawyer has had a clip of it leaked online. I'll reveal it in the next blog.
- Greg Berlanti has revealed that his new series, No Ordinary Family will feature gay characters in it. The series debuts on ABC in September.
- Five actors have already been cast for Alan Ball's new pilot for HBO, All Signs Of Death, based on the novel by Charles Hueston. These include Mercedes Masohn, Ron Yuan, Jeremy Ray Valdez, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali and and Kelsey Ford as well as previously casted Ben Whishaw and Clayne Crawford.
- ABC are developing their own version of Spooks. Given that they fucked up Life On Mars, you have wonder why they'd bother.
Tuesday, I'll cover Big Brother, Misfits, Mistresses, The Good Wife and Ugly Betty.
