BBC Dramas Autumn 2012

Another day and a trailer for some of the upcoming BBC dramas to expect over the next few months have been released too.

Benedict Cumberbatch continues to be the man of the moment and while he isn't playing famous sleuths and villains in Star Trek movies, he's also appearing in the upcoming Parade's End, playing a soldier while imminent companion Jenna-Louise Coleman is Dancing On The Edge with Anthony Head and Angel Coulby in a five part drama. That looks a lot more fun that seeing Sienna Miller's Tippi Hedrin being terrorised by birds and Toby Jones's version of Hitchcock in The Girl. No, that one I really do want to see.

Elsewhere, The Hour is gearing for a tense second series with Hector (Dominic West) being in a peculiar spot of bother as Bel (Romala Garai) and Freddie wonder if they really know their colleague after all. Other highlights from the trailer also see Gillian Anderson (The X Files) and Karen Hassan (Hollyoaks) in crime drama, The Fall and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) in the rather creepy looking, Top Of The Lake. Well, it beats the likes of Strictly Come Dancing but I'm kind of disappointed we didn't get some footage from two shows that are also returning around the same time as many of these will be airing.

BBC Drama Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zIyLWcZcNhE

Man's Best Friend

And here's another TV jumble for you all to feast on ...

Angry Boys: It's been a fortnight since the last episode aired on BBC3 but it was certainly a good one to end the series with. It might have been predictable that all the legends wound up arriving at Nathan's leaving do but it worked perfectly with ending the season. It'll be interesting to see if this show is picked up for a second run, I hope it is but it's hard to say where it'll go if it does continue.
Smallville: An interesting selection episodes. The one showing us a parallel world with Clark and Tess as lovers and parallel Lionel slipping into our world was probably the best. The other two, dealing with further attacks on vigilantes and Chloe's return also kept the pace a going but the time jump at the end (five years, really?) took me by surprise. But more on Alexander soon and parallel Lionel too, please show?

The Hour: The second half of the series hasn't been perfect but it's been enjoyable. The reveal of Clarence being a Soviet spy should've been more shocking but it seemed to peter out a little and you didn't have to be a genius to see Bel getting screwed over by losing her job and Hector in one fell swoop. Freddie was still his doggedly determined self but if this show gets a second run, it does need to focus with it's conspiracy plotting a little better. Still, this was a great bit of telly. Mad Men it may not be but it was worth watching.

The X Factor: Don't shoot - I'm still watching this and while it's going to crucify both Doctor Who and Merlin in the ratings for the next four months, this series is starting off well. No Simon/Cheryl double act of naffness to contend with, though Louis's determination for novelty is ever present if Goldie is anything to go by and the show's attempts of staging drama is also a constant if George was anything to go by. As for the new lot - Tulisa and Kelly are actually pretty decent and while I admire the fact that Gary is trying to take the damn show seriously, he's trying to be Simon a little too much for my liking. Other than that, a good start, some decent potential with certain contestants as well as some rubbish ones too.

The Vampire Diaries: I still have to watch the episode dealing directly with Tyler's transformation, the last two I did watch were fun. Loved the flashbacks into Katherine's lurid past almost as much as I loved Stefan getting entombed with her. Other highlights have been Damon's rapport with Rose, the Jeremy/Bonnie/Luca triangle, Elijah's return and learning more about the mysterious Klaus. Yeah, this series is definitely shaping up as a good one.

Wilfred: When one comedy ends on BBC3, another begins and it's funny how their funniest ones nowadays seem to be the imported ones. The US version of a hit Aussie comedy has been a joy to watch with Wilfred being the most incorrigible of mutts you could possibly meet. Elijah Wood is really excelling as the repressed Ryan and characters like Jenna and Spencer work reasonably well too. Definitely worth catching.

- Billie Piper and David Tennant will be appearing in a five part BBC1 drama next year called True Love. Also featured as Gemma Chan, Jane Horricks and David Morrissey.
- Charlie Brooker and Daniel Maier have written a two hour crime spoof called A Touch Of Cloth starring Suranne Jones, Julian Rhind-Tutt and John Hannah.
- BBC have bought the rights to upcoming ABC drama, Pan Am.
- There's a possibility we'll be getting another time jump in the eighth and final season of Desperate Housewives.
- Game Of Thrones will film in both Iceland and Croatia as well as Belfast and Malta this year.
- A gay character will feature at some point during the first season of Ringer.
- Jamie Lee Curtis will be guest starring in NCIS as a love interest to Gibbs. Great coup there.

Why We Don't Kill The Duplicate

And here's my second TV jumble blog of the week ...

Angry Boys: The finale has to air on Tuesday but I've loved the last two episodes of this show. Gran's Alzheimers storyline has been handled wonderful and it's nice that after weeks of Skype-ing that we'll actually see her interact with Daniel and Nathan in next week's episode. Also well handled was giving Smouse a sense of humanity but writing that song for the squashed Aborigine kid and having Tim get rid of his mother as a manager. Kind of gratifying considering how monstrous that character was, isn't it?

Camelot: Well, that was certainly an interesting finale. For a moment there, I actually thought Morgan's plan to take over was going to succeed but er, I guess Arthur is harder to kill after all. Stripping Morgan of her power and her nun (nice slicing skills there, Gawain) should've ended her chaos but erm, the ending means that she won't down without a fight. However, there were some hiccups. Merlin literally did nothing of interest at all in this one and Igraine's death lack something. Too bad we won't get a second run of this show.

Smallville: Teri Hatcher playing the mother of Lois Lane is one of the most exciting things this show has done and this show has always used Superman people throughout it's ten years. But seriously, an episode delivering some much needed backstory on both Tess and Granny Goodness was a winner for me. Too bad the next episode where Aquaman and Green Oliver were nearly killed by another bunch of anti-vigilante wasn't half as interesting.

The Hour: Okay, I am hooked to this show, so the less than impressive ratings that it's getting on BBC2 are slightly worrying. The episode at Hector and Marnie's country home was actually the best one we've had and that's despite Kish's death and Hector/Bel's affair being predictable as well. Still utterly loving Freddie as a character. He might be patronising at times but he certainly is charming and I bet I can guess Adam's secret as well. Only three more to go.

The Vampire Diaries: Two solid episodes in a row and also two that seemed to further stuff. Katherine may be entombed but I doubt she's going to remain that, especially considering the emphasis she put on her not killing Elena. As for Rose and Elijah, definitely two promising characters and ones that hopefully won't be bumped off so speedily. Unlike Damon, I want some actual badass vampires on this series. Oh and I loved the stuff with Tyler/Caroline and Jeremy/Bonnie in the last two episodes as well.

- It's been confirmed - Desperate Housewives will end in 2012 with it's upcoming eighth season. Both Marcia Cross and Vanessa Williams even confirmed it on their Twitter pages.
- Lara Pulver has been cast as Irene Adler in the second series of Sherlock, due to air in 2012.
- Wilfred, Louie and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia have all been renewed by FX.
- The US X Factor will start on September 21st on FOX. TV3 will be airing it a day later for Irish viewers.
- John Stamos and Jenny McCartney will both appear in Two And A Half Men's ninth season premiere. Ashton Kutcher's character is called Walden Schmitz, a billionaire with a broken heart. Er, okay then.
- Ricky Gervais will be appearing in one season of Family Guy, playing a dolphin called Billy Flinn who moves in next door to the Griffins. Oh, joy!

No I Won't Cry

And this week, I'll be doing two TV jumble blogs, so here's the first one ....

Camelot: Okay, these last two episodes I have absolutely loved to bits. Morgan as Igraine for an entire episode made me reassess Claire Forlani's acting performances but even after the chaos she caused, I still had to admire how Morgan managed to turn the situation to her advantage. Even though I've had no issue with Arthur personally, his recklessness does seem to be biting him in the backside, doesn't it? The situation with Guinevere and Leontes couldn't have come at a worse time and even Merlin can't seem to outsmart Morgan, can he? Looking forward to seeing how this short lived series actually ends on Saturday.

Mildred Pierce: Am I the only one disappointed with this series? It started so well but I think it ended up running for two episodes too long and funnily enough, the last two weren't that thrilling. Did I really need to know that as an adult that Veda would still be an unbearable anti-christ? Probably not but at least Mildred tried to strangle her at one point and the bitch fecked off to New York. Mildred, count your blessing if you really do never see the brat again.

Sirens: Good set of last few episodes. I really hope this show is picked up for a second run. It's not exactly a series that reinvents the wheels but it's thankfully nowhere near as juvenile as it could've been. And the characters have developed a little - Stuart confronting his father issues, Ashley his issues with relationships and Rachid's own issues with the job itself. Even Maxine has progressed some since the first episode. Please Channel 4, another run?

The Hour: I caught up with the first two episodes and I think I'm in love with it. The Mad Men comparisons aren't totally justified but I do understand where they come from but controversially enough, I'm finding this show more enjoyable than the antics of Don Draper and company. The running of a topical programme, the characters of Freddie, Bel and Hector, the social and political elements and the murder mystery with the creepy Kish. If you're not watching this show, you should catch it.

- Justin Breuning has been cast as a love interest for Bridget in Ringer.
- Felicity Huffman has revealed that the opening episode of the new season of Desperate Housewives will revolve around the women getting rid of Alejandro's body.
- Tom Everett Scott has joined the cast of Good Christian Belles in a recurring role of a former high school nerd turned millionaire.
- Alan Ball will be returning to work on the fifth season of True Blood. It hasn't been decided what the next season big bad will be though.
- Sean Hayes will be starring in a new sitcom for NBC, scheduled to air on the station in 2012.
- Grey's Anatomy's new season will pick up five days after the seventh season finale.
- Jack Coleman will be appearing in the third season of The Vampire Diaries.