How About A Smile?

It's been over a month since I've last done a TV jumble blog and for my last hit in this month, here's one for you.

Agent Carter: Season 2 of the not exactly a rating juggernaut but still good show has arrived and while UK viewers are only an episode or two behind, things have gotten off to a promising enough start. The action has moved to LA this time around with most of the first season cast back and the rapport between Peggy and Jarvis is as wonderful as ever (we even met the latter's wife). The main storyline in the first episode, surrounding a mystery mystery worked pretty well and it does seem like there's an interesting arc being set up for the rest of the season as well.

Beowulf: You wait ages for ITV to do some more genre television and then all of a sudden, you've got two of them in less than a few weeks from each other. Unfortunately, just like Jekyll & Hyde, it does look like this is going to be a one and done only series, given the lacklustre ratings for it. It's a shame in a way because while it did seem a little too heavily influenced by Game Of Thrones (the title sequence practically rips off the HBO hit), I found the opening episode enjoyable enough. I'll admit I haven't seen subsequent episodes so I don't know if things took an upturn, quality wise or the very opposite. I do hope that if this show does get axed (and I'll be surprised if it doesn't) that ITV aren't discouraged from trying more genre drama though.

Jessica Jones: Okay, I finished this show up a few weeks ago and I can honestly say that it is without a doubt, it's Marvel's best TV offering at the moment (or streaming offering, whatever). The second half of the first season gave some brilliant insight into all of the characters, truly upped the ante between Jessica and Kilgrave, alluded towards Luke Cage's inevitable solo show and even showed some great character growth for both Malcolm and Trish as Kilgrave caused a lot of carnage before being taken out of the question. If there was a weak point, it usually involved Simpson but even he couldn't deter the overall excellence of this show. Thank goodness it's coming back for seconds.

Supergirl: With the second half of this season yet to air on Sky1 (along with Arrow, The Flash and Legends Of Tomorrow), the first three returning episodes were certainly excellent to watch. While I thought the show copped out a bit with Cat learning about Kara and Supergirl being the same person and then having her tricked into thinking she was wrong, I did like the introduction of her other son, Adam and the episode that focused on Winn's Toyman father was brilliant too. However the best bits were the focus on Martian Manhunter/Hank's harrowing backstory and Maxwell becoming more than aware of Supergirl's identity, making him into a bigger problem than he had been in previous episodes.

The X-Files: And it's back. Fourteen years since the last series (and eight since the second movie), the show has returned to TV screens and I have to admit, I didn't realise how much I had actually missed seeing Mulder and Scully. While I enjoyed the show when it was on the air, I wasn't as religious about watching it as I had been with other shows but The X-Files has always been a classic series and one that's heavily influenced so many modern shows and with 20 million viewers returning to catch up with the FBI's most infamous of agents, I bet FOX will be desperate to get Chris Carter, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson back for more episodes. The first two episodes themselves felt both like a reboot for the series and an actual continuation from where things had last left off with Mulder and Scully investigating more alien and government conspiracy, brooding about their son William and encountering talk show hosts like Tad O'Malley (Joel McHale) for starters. I know the episodes generated some mixed reviews but I honestly thought they were a return to form compared to some of the shakier seasons and hopefully the remaining four will also deliver as well as the opening two did.

- Jada Pinkett Smith will be reprising her role as Fish Mooney for multiple episodes in Gotham's second season. The second half of the season has title of Wrath Of The Villains.
- UK viewers can catch The X-Files, Mondays 9pm from February 8th on Channel 5.
- American Horror Story's sixth season will not be focusing on Slender Man despite recent rumours.
- Vixen will appear in episode 15 of Arrow's fourth season. Stephen Amell will play an older version of Green Arrow in an upcoming Legends Of Tomorrow episode.
- Gilmore Girls is officially coming back for an eighth season, courtesy of Netflix with the original cast.
- Mike Colter revealed that Iron Fist has been cast. A Punisher spin-off is also being considered by Netflix ahead of the character's appearance in the second season of Daredevil.
- Ricky Whittle has been cast in the lead role of Shadow for Starz's upcoming adaptation of American Gods.
- Corey Hawkins and Miranda Otto have been cast as the leads for 24: Legacy.

Country Vs. Country

A bit of a catch up on some of the stuff I've been watching prior to literally everything else returning from next week onwards.

Celebrity Big Brother: I've dipped in and out of the regular and celebrity versions of this since it's move to Channel 5 with the latter pulling me in more than the regular version nowadays, though not for the right reasons. Personally I think Channel 5 have oddly encouraged a sense of mutual xenophobia as both the US and UK contestants seem to be increasingly at odds with each - particularly Farrah and Jenna, who are taking the damn show too seriously that it's not even mildly amusing now. Then again, the sort of bromance (I really do hate that term) between Austin and James is one of the brighter spots in a very hostile house this time. And I thought Katie and Perez were bad earlier in the year.

Daredevil: An impressive ending to a great first season. The show really hit it's stride in the last two episode with some more deaths and a rather glorious showdown between Matt and Fisk, with the former finally getting his own costume as well for good measure. Equally as important was that we seemed to get Matt, Karen and Foggy back on track as friends and there was enough to set up the show's second season as well. Netflix really did prove that like the CW, they certainly know how to do a superhero series.

Marvel's Agent Carter: A solid finale for a great first season. I might not have loved this show as much as everyone else but I did enjoy it and I do like that we had some familiar faces like Stark in this one, along with Peggy and Dotty going to head to head (the latter has been a decent antagonist). However it was the end scene that really made the episode and set up something that could be fantastic for the upcoming second season.

The X Factor: Back for a 12th series and surprisingly one with no Louis Walsh, this current run seems like half of the decks being swept while the rest remained and not a lot else have changed. Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw aren't bad additions but have yet to really prove their mettle while Olly and Caroline are decent substitutes for Dermot. Simon and Cheryl themselves seem to be going through the motions a bit and the first two weeks alone hasn't exactly produced anyone yet who is destined to do any better than past contestants. Maybe there's just a genuine sense of fatigue to things this year in spite of the partial revamp to proceedings.

- Freddy Stroma will be playing Dickon Tarly, Pilou Asbaek will be playing Euron Greyjoy while Richard E. Grant will be playing a mystery role for the sixth season of Game Of Thrones.
- Dennis Haysberth and Sophie Okenedo have been cast for upcoming BBC series, Undercover.
- UK viewers will be able to see Quantico on Alibi and Code Black and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders on Watch shortly after their US debuts.
- Meghan Ory will be returning to Once Upon A Time.
- American Gods will premiere on Starz in 2017.
- NBC are planning a Brides Of Dracula series from from comic book writer and playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.
- Both Kermit and Miss Piggy will have new partners in The Muppets.
- Iddo Goldberg will be playing Red Tornado and the villainous TO Morrow in Supergirl.
- Penny Dreadful's third season will have Patti LuPone playing Vanessa's therapist, Dr Seward as well as Shazad Latif as Dr Jekyll.
- American Dad has been renewed for a further two seasons.

ABC's Marvel Universe - Spoilers

Yesterday I discussed casting for Luke Cage and today I finished up Daredevil and with this blog, I'm also doing a rundown of spoilers both Agents Of SHIELD and Agent Carter (the finale which will air Sunday on FOX UK).

- Going by the haircut it looks like Skye's transition into Daisy Johnson is more or less completed at this stage. Actually the character will now be referred to as Daisy this upcoming season.
- Luke Mitchell will be a regular this season and Blair Underwood will be returning for several episodes.
- Constance Zimmer will recur, Andrew Howard will have a recurring role and Matt Willig will be playing villain Lash.
-  Coulson is again trying to put the pieces of his once revered organization back together while also dealing with the loss of his hand.
- Fitz is obsessed with discovering the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Simmons.
- Grant Ward has a personal mission to take down Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D.

- Season 2 will be ten episodes instead of eight and will be set in Hollywood. 1947 to be specific and set six months after the events of the first season.
- Jarvis's wife will be introduced this season. Jarvis has also been helping Howard in LA.
- Madame Masque will be the villain for the second season, though the role has not been cast yet. A  1940s version of that villain.
- Due to comments from fans in relation to the first season, the producers will be more diverse with casting for this season.
- Chad Michael Murray will reprise his role as Jack for the second season. Dominic Cooper meanwhile will also be returning as Howard Stark.
- Filming for the new season begins in September.

Meanwhile it seems that if Netflix can have multiple connected Marvel shows then ABC will too as the network have ordered a pilot script for a Mockingbird spin-off featuring Adrianna Palicki as Bobby Morse and Nick Blood as Lance Hunter. This was announced a few months ago, then dropped and now seems to be back on. I guess if it goes through we lose two good characters from the main show but I'm not sure if there's enough of a USP for another spin-off really. It'll be interesting to see how this one pans out over the next few months.

Agents Of SHIELD Spoilers: http://www.spoilertv.com/search/label/Agents%20of%20SHIELD
Agent Carter Spoilers: http://www.spoilertv.com/search/label/Agent%20Carter

Agents Of SHIELD's third season will air on ABC, Tuesdays at 9pm from September 29th while Agent Carter's second season will premiere in January 2016.

In Synth With Each Other

A brief run down of some of the other shows I've recently seen.

Daredevil: I've watched quite a lot of this show since the last time I've blogged about it and things certainly got so much more interesting. The flashbacks/backstories for Stick, Fisk and Matt and Foggy's friendship have been all fantastic to watch with Fisk emerging as a wonderfully complex villain as Matt's mission to take him down has rightly intensified over the last few episodes. I also liked that we went down a darker path with Karen (whose determination to do the right thing has been noble and reckless). I definitely can't wait to see where the remaining two episodes will go with this series.

Humans: A brilliant end to the first and thankfully given the cliffhanger with Niska, it's a good job that Channel 4 and AMC renewed the show for a second series. It was nice to see the Synths all come together, to have Voss/Beatrice kind of help them out and even to see the Hawkins progress as a family unit and individual characters. It's a bit of a shame we lost George in the penultimate episode but perhaps not that shocking though. It will be interesting to see what another batch of episodes will provide next year for the Synths though.

Marvel's Agent Carter: I'm not going to lie - I really like this show but I am also not really addicted to it. It might a consequence of not watching it back in January when it first aired or just generally preferring Agents Of SHIELD but either way while things are moving along rather nicely (a female assassin after Peggy, Howard occasionally popping up, any scenes with Jarvis or Daniel) - including Peggy's double life getting exposed, it's just not exciting me as much as I thought it would. The show is still a lot of fun though.

True Detective: Well, that was a bit of an anticlimax, wasn't it? I didn't hate the second season as much as others did, but undeniably at times I did find myself drifting away from it. I hated Paul's death and everything about his storyline ultimately sucked while the main conspiracy plot despite some efforts never really caught on for me. I did like Ray and Antigone for the remainder of the run but even they weren't enough to ignite the remaining episodes of the season. Hopefully the third season (assuming there is one) can recapture the stronger elements of the first year.

- Netflix have renewed Sense8 for a second season.
- Lauren Ambrose, Robbie Amell, Annabeth Gish and Vik Sahay will also be in episodes of The X Files.
- Anne Hathaway is heading to television for an adaptation of The Ambassador's Wife.
- Matt Cohen has bagged a recurring role as Levi for How To Get Away With Murder as has Famke Jannsen.
- Britney Spears will be appearing in an episode of Jane The Virgin.
- CBS are developing a Facebook inspired comedy.
- Syfy have cancelled Haven after five seasons.
- Rosario Dawson will be taking her Daredevil into Jessica Jones.
- Shannon Esper will recur in the fourth season of Orange Is The New Black.
- Chris Brochu has joined the cast of Shameless for it's sixth season.

The Masked Vigilante

A look at some of the shows I've been watching over the last few weeks.

Daredevil: Having watched both recents seasons of Orange Is The New Black and Sense8 prior to this, I decided to go and check it out and while I don't think it's the most amazing superhero show yet (think Arrow/The Flash still have that down) but the potential is definitely. Charlie Cox is perfect as the upcoming Daredevil (we so need to see that costume) and I'm loving the subtle menace of Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk while the supporting characters of Foggy, Karen and Claire work particularly well too. Some of the mobster stuff though is a bit boring though.

Humans: This show has been consistently amazing throughout it's first season and the penultimate not only reunited all of the Synths together but we finally found out the connection that Voss had with them and it certainly packed a punch as did the cliffhanger leading into the finale. This series has been an absolute triumph for Channel 4 and while the Hawkins were initially hard to connect with as a family, the last few episodes made me start to care for them as much as Mia and company. I really hope a second series is imminent.

Marvel's Agent Carter: I'm enjoying this series quite but not more than Agents Of SHIELD (is that controversial to say?). Airing it during the summer when there hasn't been as much on was probably a wise move for FOXUK. The banter between Peggy and Jarvis is certainly a highlight of each episode as are the Alias style missions leading to the bigger conspiracy plot. I also like the continued but not too forced references to Captain America as well and as per usual, Hayley Atwell continues to deliver.

Orange Is The New Black: Season 3 has not been the show's strongest season but it still has been a hugely enjoyable one though. While Caputo and Aleida didn't get the most engaging of flashbacks, at least Daya finally gave birth, Piper got revenge on Stella (who stole from her), Alex's fate was left rather unknown and the brilliance of Doggett and Big Boo's friendship shone through. The finale itself was a good way of ending the series but for negatives, Sophia's storyline disappointed me and I don't like the idea of a Healy/Red romance for next season.

True Detective: We're heading towards the end of the season and a part of me is wondering if this show has become a victim of it's own success? Season 1 wasn't particularly straight forward television but it managed to bewitch viewers in a way that I don't think the second season has done. I'm also not sure if having a time jump midseason was particularly needed as well but at least it's helped to slightly advance things with Ray, Ani, Paul and Frank even if the main plot is struggling to engage. Hopefully the last two episodes will bring the season to a satisfying close.

- MTV have renewed Scream for a second season. A UK broadcaster has yet to pick up the series.
- Banshee will end after four seasons. The last one will air in 2016.
- Michael Chiklis will be a regular in the second season of Gotham.
- Sense8's chances of renewal are optimistic but nothing has been confirmed yet.
- Katie McGrath will be in a Canadian eight part horror series called Slasher.
- Ed Sheeran has bagged a recurring role in upcoming series, The Bastard Executioner.
- Chris Browning has been cast as Reactron for Supergirl.
- Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige have joined NBC's The Wiz.
- Andrew Howard will be playing an agent in Agents Of SHIELD.
- Riley Smith will play a band's frontman in the next season of Nashville.

The Business Of Selling Used Stuff

A catch up on recently watched shows.

Humans: This has been an excellent summer series and quite easily the best original drama that Channel 4 have commissioned this year. Five episodes in and things are progressing beautifully with Voss being revealed as a Synth (did not see that coming), Niska hiding out at George's and learning more about her origins and both Leo and Matilda trying to help Anita remember her past as Mia. I'm still not that invested in Joe and Laura's marital woes (or Pete's for that matter either) but other than that, this show deserves a second season.

Marvel's Agent Carter: Just like Empire, I did wonder what took so long for this show to get a UK home (Irish viewers, RTE2 from July 25th) and I also wonder if the show might not have lived up to the hype but watching the first episode, it more than did. Hayley Atwell is absolutely terrific as Peggy Carter once again and the partnership with her and James D'Arcy's Jarvis is going to be a blast to watch throughout the series. Some of the commentary on sexism in the work place was far from subtle and while there was a moment or two that riffed off Alias a little, this show already has me watching to keep with it.

Orange Is The New Black: Season 3 has not been the show's best season but some of the backstories have been great though. Both Norma and Leanne in particular got some surprising ones while Alex's current paranoia for her safety has done a lot to derail her relationship with Piper (along with Stella's growing influence on the latter too) but the flashbacks to Tiffany's past and her current situation with an abusive guard though was pretty shocking along with SoSo's increasing isolation. The rivalry with Gloria and Sophia though has been a source of tedium, even if it's finally given the latter more to do.

Selfie: I was a little harsh the last time I talked about this. This time, while I'm not particularly sad that this show was cancelled months, the last few episodes have been better. In fact I actually really enjoyed the fifth episode where Henry and Eliza were at their boss's home for a retreat and again, the chemistry that Karen Gillan and John Cho have is infectious. The writing still isn't great at times but has improved slightly since that awful pilot episode.

True Detective: Okay, I'm going to say it out loud - the main story is boring the crap out of me and I honestly am starting not to care who killed Casper or why. On the plus side, I am enjoying the dynamic between Ray and Ani a lot while Frank has mostly been an interesting gangster. Paul's story on the other hand is polarising. On one hand, Taylor Kitsch is doing an amazing job with the self loathing character but on the other hand, it feels massively dates. More importantly with four episodes left to go, the main story would want to pick pretty fast though.

- Fans of Kingdom will be pleased with the development for Nick Jonas's character in it's upcoming second season.
- Kelly Rowland will be playing the mother of Lucious in flashbacks for the Season 2 premiere of Empire. Marisa Tomei will also be appearing in the show and E4 will air the new season close to US transmission.
- Peter Krause has replaced Damon Dayoub in Shonda Rhimes's upcoming series, The Catch.
- Michelle Dockery has been cast in the lead for upcoming TNT drama, Good Behaviour.
- Both Aquarius and Hannibal's remaining episodes have been pushed to Saturdays by NBC.
- Isaac Hempstead Wright will reprise his role as Bran Stark for Season 6 of Game Of Thrones.
- The Vampire Diaries will be adding a lesbian vampire couple for it's upcoming seventh season.
- Amy Manson, Elliot Knight, Joann Metra, Luke Garrigan and Andrew Jenkins will be playing Merida, Merlin, Guinevere, King Arthur and Percival respectively in the fifth season of Once Upon A Time.
- MTV have renewed Scream for a second season and Teen Wolf for a sixth one.
- Cornelius Smith Jr will be a regular in the upcoming fifth season of Scandal.

2015 - Five Anticipated Shows

It's the last day of 2014 and to end the year, I decided to have a look at five new shows that I will be looking forward to in 2015.

1: Marvel's Agent Carter (ABC/UK channel TBC)

With the much improved Agents Of SHIELD not returning until March, the first eight weeks of 2015 shall see spin-off, Agent Carter taking it's place and given how popular Hayley Atwell's heroic character has become, I'd be surprised if this wasn't a hit for ABC, especially considering that the cast will also bring in the likes of James D'Arcy, Chad Michael Murray and Enver Gjokaj as well as Dominic Cooper reprising his role as Howard Stark. (Tuesdays 8pm from January 6th)

2: Daredevil (Netflix)

With shows such as Arrow and The Flash flying the flag for DC on the small screen for the CW, Netflix are getting into the act themselves with 13 episode series, Daredevil as Charlie Cox takes on the titular role with a cast also boasting Deborah Ann Woll,  Rosario Dawson and Vincent D'Onofrio for good measure. The show is also executive produced by Steven S. DeKnight, best known for creating Spartacus and working on shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Smallville. (April 10th 2015)

3: Jekyll & Hyde (ITV)

Now this one is a little tricky to talk about. So far we know that it's going to be a 10 episode series, due to film in 2015 by comedian and writer Charlie Higson and that it's set forty years after the original. In terms of casting, we have yet to find out who's playing who and given ITV's past history with genre television, I do hope that this upcoming adaptation fares a lot better than what's gone before. Last thing we need is another Demons, right? The series will follow Robert, grandson of the original Dr Jekyll, as he battles ghouls, zombies, werewolves and vampires, as well as his own inner demon. (Mid-Late 2015)

4: London Spy (BBC2/BBCAmerica)

A five episode one-off series (I think) starring both Ben Whishaw as reckless romantic spy Danny and Edward Holcraft as his lover, Alex, this series by Tom Rob Smith will also feature both Jim Broadbent and Charlotte Rampling (also due to be seen next week in the second series of Broadchurch). The spy series will also see Danny dealing with the disappearance of his lover and having to decide whether he’s prepared to fight for the truth. (Spring 2015)

5: Scream Queens (FOX/UK channel TBC)

This one might have yet to shoot even it's pilot episode but like Gotham, it seems that FOX are confident enough in both Ryan Murphy as a showrunner and leading ladies Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis to already commission a first season of 15 episodes. I'll admit this could end up being just a network attempt of American Horror Story (especially as the serial killer on a college campus plot could easily be done on that show) but I'll also admit that this series is intriguing me more than Murphy's other upcoming TV project at the moment. (Autumn 2015)

Those are my five anticipated shows for 2015 - what are yours? Oh and to everyone who's peeked at my blog this year, Happy 2015. Here's hoping it's a good one.

ABC & CW Pick Ups/Cancellations

It's May and with certain shows ending with their current season finales, both ABC and the CW have announced which shows will be coming back, which ones won't and which ones will be joining them in the fall schedule.

Fans of Agents Of Shield can not only take comfort for knowing that the show will return for a second season but it will also be joined by Agent Carter, a show centering Hayley Atwell's popular character from the Marvel movies. Elsewhere stalwarts at ABC such as Once Upon A Time, Revenge, Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family etc have all been renewed for further seasons amongst a slew of new shows that will also be joining the roster as well.

Karen Gillan's Selfie has been one of the new series to be picked up along with the likes of American Crime, Forever, Manhattan Love Story, The Whispers and Galavant to name a few. However shows such as Mixology and Trophy Wif have been axed. Since writing this Nashville's current fate is that it's been renewed for a third season. I can't say that there's many new shows from ABC's schedule that intrigue me, except maybe two perhaps. The rest aren't exactly bowling me over.

As for the CW, the good news is that shows like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, The Originals and Arrow were all confirmed a while back for renewals and surprisingly enough the likes of Beauty And The Beast and The 100 have also been renewed as well. Pleasantly though, while Bloodlines was passed over, it seems The Flash will be making his return to television in the fall though.

In terms of axings, both The Carrie Diaries and The Tomorrow People will not be returning for further seasons and mid-season show, Star-Crossed was also dropped from the CW. There are some new shows on the horizons but with titles like Jane the Virgin, The Messengers and iZombie, can you really see any of them being good or going the distance?

Overall, something of a mixed bag really. I'm still surprised the likes of Grey's Anatomy and Supernatural are still on television as both of these shows have had their day but some of the axings are less surprising and not many of the newly commissioned shows are inspiring to be honest. Only Agent Carter and The Flash seem the most tempting and Selfie might be a laugh, despite it's dated sounding premise. At the same time though, it's nice to see some current favourites renewed though.

More Information: http://www.spoilertv.com/#