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.

The X Factor - Rita Ora/Nick Grimshaw Are The New Judges

What? It's not the first time I've blogged about The X Factor and the news has been breaking enough for me to discuss it here.

Following the now confirmed departures of Melanie B and Louis Walsh (I'm still shocked with that one), ITV have confirmed that singer Rita Ora and radio DJ Nick Grimshaw will joining both Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini on the panel for The X Factor's upcoming 12th series. Earlier this year, Ora was a part of the fourth series of BBC1 rival The Voice and has also appeared in the first season finale of Empire and in 50 Shades Of Grey. I have to admit, Ora is a good choice for the panel and it's not the first time Cowell has swiped a judge from a rival show (Alesha Dixon, anyone?) but Grimshaw seems more of a divisive choice. I don't mind him as a DJ but I'm not sure he's going to appeal to an older crowd though.

As for Simon and Cheryl, I think the new additions could help the pair of them up their game. Cheryl in particular in the last series (as with 2010) seemed like she was sleepwalking through the whole thing and it'll be interesting to see how Simon is able to bounce off Grimshaw as well and if he can replicate the previous successes he's had with both Louis Walsh and David Walliams on Britain's Got Talent.

Keeping with the replacements, following the departure of Dermot O' Leary as presenter, the role this year will be shared by both Caroline Flack and Olly Murs. The duo, who previously hosted two series of The Xtra Factor together will now have the task of hosting the main show. While I do think this show's best days are probably behind it and that it's unlikely to create a massive superstar, this clearing out of the decks may help to revitalise the series a bit. I still think it'll be neck in neck between this and Strictly Come Dancing though.

Press Release: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s103/the-x-factor/news/a653097/nick-grimshaw-and-rita-ora-are-officially-joining-the-x-factor-judging-panel.html#~pfM68wwjY0W3fU

The X Factor returns to ITV from late August.

A Passenger In My Body

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benevolent Lesbians?

It's a provocative title but if you've seen one of the five programmes I'm talking about here, you'll get the joke, lol. Here goes nothing ...

A Touch Of Cloth 2: Undercover Cloth: I know I dedicated a blog to the first two parter last year but while I enjoyed the second two parter almost as much (mainly for Anna Chancellor's delightful villainous lesbian mayoral candidate, Hope Goodgirl), I just felt I should talk about it here for now. It was fun enough two parter with Cloth going undercover to stop a nefarious plot surrounding a Telethon for Blameless Kids and there's no denying that both John Hannah and Suranne Jones are excellent but at times, it did feel a little too similar to the first two parter, especially with the ending. Still, I am looking forward to the third installment with Karen Gillan in 2014 though.

Orange Is The New Black: By watching two episodes a week, I've gotten at least halfway through the season with six episodes now watched. Each episode has managed to be better than the last with backstories for Sophia, Miss Claudette, Daya and Nikki as well as the further developments between Piper, Alex and Larry and the former's survival in prison as well. If I had to pick a favourite episode at the moment, then it's obviously going to be the one with the chicken. The last five minutes of that particular episode were some of the funniest I've seen in any show this year.

Orphan Black: It might be coming soon to BBC3 but I'm six episodes in and man, this show has been a gripping watch. The government conspiracy plotline with the clones might not be particularly original but the interactions with Sarah, Alison, Helena and Cosima and the more they invade each other's lives has certainly been fantastic to watch over the last few episodes. Tatiana Maslany really has managed to make each of her roles as different as the other and while she's been a revelation in all of her parts, I also have to praise Felix as well. As right hand men go, he's also been a joy to watch as well. I can't believe I've only got four episodes left to watch. I really don't want this show to end.

The Americans: As finales go, the first season ender to this mostly enjoyable show was a good way of ending things. The cliffhanger route is always a good way of getting audiences to come back, especially when the show itself is coming back and having both Philip and Elizabeth meeting the Colonel worked as an ending too. I've enjoyed this show a lot but I've hated the timeslot and I still think ITV have been a bad fit for the series overall. Also the cynical part of me won't be that surprised if the second season is relegated to the digital equivalents as well. It's a shame because had ITV had more foresight, this easily could've been a success for them like Homeland has been for the UK. At least RTE2 in Ireland treated the show better.

The X Factor: Don't expect this in every TV blog jumble but yes, I am watching the 10th series of ITV's mostly ratings juggernaut. So far, the new series seems to be doing better than the previous year and Sharon Osbourne so far has been far less annoying than expected but having it on two nights from the start seems like too much overexposure and the talent so far is hardly inspiring stuff. Once again, there's too much of an unhealthy emphasis on sob story and while the likes of Sam the prison officer do have talent, I wouldn't hold my breath on her winning it though. Bieber tribute act, Luke was surprisingly decent though. As for The Xtra Factor - still amusing, though I'm not sure of new presenter Matt Richardson just yet.

- Demi Lovato will be playing a character named Dani, in six episodes of Glee. Her character will be a love interest for Santana.
- JJ Abrams will be remaking Westwild as a series for HBO.
- Les Miserables could be a legal drama. It seems that Rob Thomas is spearheading the project. Ugh.
- A&E have axed The Glades after four seasons.
- Leslie Jordan will be appearing in American Horror Story: Coven.
- Bethany Joy Lenz will be appearing in the 300th episode of CSI.
- Channel 5 have bagged the rights to upcoming ABC drama, Betrayal.
- Lisa Kudrow will play a powerful politician in the new season of Scandal.
- David Morrissey will play the lead role in AMC's sci-fi series, Line Of Sight but will still be committed to the upcoming season of The Walking Dead as well.
- Alexis Denisof has joined the cast of Grimm, playing the cousin of James Frain's character, Eric Renard.

Catching Up

Not the most imaginative of titles but between actually catching up with one show before it's next season arrives and watching opening episodes, mid-season finales and actual finales, I've been well, catching up.

Downton Abbey: ITV1's ratings juggernaut may not have bagged many of the 16 Emmys it was nominated over the weekend (though congrats to Maggie Smith for her win) but it did manage to make Sundays back into must see TV once again. I'm not gonna pretend the writing for Series 3 is perfect but it's certain an improvement compared to last series. Granted, the finance problems of Downton and Bates jail time are both storylines that need to be clipped rather sharpish but it's nice to see Edith get some attention, Mary and Matthew quickly married and the fun banter between Violet and Martha as well. Overall, a few niggles aside, the new series is actually a lot of fun.

Glee: Sequels are rarely as good as their originals and for this show to do a second episode about Britney Spears (sorry, I mean Brittany S. Pierce), the point remains valid. The songs apart from maybe 3 and You Drive Me Crazy/Crazy mash up didn't click as well as they could've and while the balance between Kurt/Rachel's New York antics and the new(ish) McKinley lot are still good, I'm not yet sold on the triangle of Marley/Jake/Kitty and I really want to see more of Puck and Santana than the 30 seconds of both we managed to get in this episode. And no more Justin Bieber songs, show. I don't care how young your audience is, the older viewers don't need that torture.

Once Upon A Time: The last time I talked about this show, I had seen eight episodes. Now I've seen eighteen of them and I've gone through all the backstories of the likes of Sidney, Hansel/Gretal, Belle, Jefferson, Red/Ruby and now Regina and this show has still managed to impress me at every turn going. I'll admit there are times when the Mary Margaret/David storyline can drag a little and it does seem annoying that Emma is constantly outsmarted by both Regina and Gold but with four episodes left to watch of the first season, this has definitely become one of my new favourites in such a short space of time.

Sinbad: I've been dipping in and out of the last three episodes because while the show started off intriguingly enough, certain other episode did seem to lag a bit, especially the werewolf themed episode. The finale was decent though, giving us a believable enough backstory for all of Taryn's previous actions, so if the series does get a renewal from Sky1, hopefully it will improve on it's mistakes. It hasn't been a bad series but it could've been a lot better though.

White Collar: Okay, any excuse to post a picture of Matt Bomer in all his boxing glory but the last few episodes of the first half of Season 4 have been full of fun, haven't they? I did like the scenes with Neal and Peter together at the conference (though their partnership has always been the core of this show) and the reveal about Sam's real identity was pretty obvious but effective nonetheless. Just a few months until the second half but least this batch of ten episodes from the first have left us wanting more.

The X Factor UK: I've been watching both of the US and UK versions of this show and on both sides of the Atlantic, I can't help wondering if this franchise is really dying on it's arse. The ratings for either show aren't worrying but they're hardly spectacular either. I guess maybe, it's because at this rate we know this show isn't going to produce an international global superstar (and no, One Direction do not count). Still, it's judges houses in the UK version this weekend, so it'll be interesting to see who we're reduced to by the end of Sunday's episode.

- Annabeth Gish will be playing the role of Anita, a leader of a wolf pack in an upcoming episode of Once Upon A Time.
- NBC are planning a modern update for Wuthering Heights under the title of Napa. Oh Jesus - why?
- NBC have also renewed The Voice for two more season as well.
- Henry Ian Cusick will be appearing in an upcoming episode of Hawaii Five-0.
- Matthew Broderick will be appearing in an upcoming episode of Modern Family.
- White Collar and Covert Affairs have been renewed by USA Network for a further year.
- Bernadette Peters will be returning as Ivy's mother for the second season of Smash.
- Fans of Max Adler will be disappointed to learn that the producers do not intend to bring back Karofsky for the latest season of Glee.
- Although not yet confirmed, AMC are planning a fourth season of The Walking Dead.
- Andrew Leeds has signed on for a mysterious role in the upcoming season of Grey's Anatomy.

Some People Shouldn't Teach

2 Broke Girls: I think I'm losing it with this show a bit. The stereotyping of anyone who isn't a white female aside, the last episode I watched seemed like a ridiculous endorsement for Law And Order. I get that Max is a fan of the show but did she need to mention it about twenty times throughout the episode though? I did however get some amusement from Caroline predictably succumbing to the side effects of a clinical drug trial. The show is still a guilty pleasure but even I can't deny that it's the two leads and not the writing that makes it watchable.

Bad Education: I literally think that Jack Whitehall is one of these comedians who really shouldn't stick with the acting lark for too long. Not because he's awful (he's okay for the most part) but because, while watching this programme, I couldn't help but think his character from Fresh Meat just became a teacher. A pathetic, posh one who mostly doles out bad advice, is generally incompetent, easily bullied by his own students and is generally rather annoying. There are some laughs here and there and it seems to be a ratings hit with BBC3 but it's not actually really worthwhile viewing.

Once Upon A Time: I am getting seriously into this show that I've now seen as far as the eighth episode of the first season. The revelations keep coming thick and fast, that surprise death really floored me and the growing rivalry between Emma and Regina has been an absolute joy to watch. There are times when Henry is a little too twee but he's not that bad and the 'will they, won't they?' antics between Mary Margaret/Snow White and David/Prince Charming have been interesting to watch. However, it's still Mr Gold/Rumplestiltskin that has proven to be the most compelling character of them all. Overall, this show is definitely better than I thought it would be.

Sinbad: We've had a tiny bit of a game changer in this series in the last few episodes. Getting rid of Akbari and making Taryn into a slightly more interesting character was a wise move and if Nalla really is gone, then Tiger does seem to be a decent replacement for the character. The rest of the characters seem to be developing nicely enough (Anwar especially) but Sinbad himself could do with a bit of a shake up at times though. The show is still a little lacking in some parts but it's actually nowhere near as bad as other critics are making out. I just hope the last three episodes end the first run with a satisfying punch.

The X Factor: Yes, it's back, yes, the ratings are down, yes, the sob stories are still lame and yes, for a ninth year, it ain't gonna produce a global superstar but it's still watchable enough fluff nonetheless and while the guest judges have been a mixed bunch (Mel B - too bitchy, Rita Ora/Anastasia - dull), the regular ones have been adequate enough. To be honest, it's been pretty thin on some true standouts so far, so hopefully in the next few weeks we get some interesting folk.

- France Conroy is returning to American Horror Story, playing an angel of sorts. Not a literal one I think.
- True Blood's sixth season will only have ten episodes instead of the usual twelve with production due to start in January.
- Sinbad will air on SyFy for US viewers from January 2013.
- Hit & Miss has been cancelled after one series. It's a shame but somehow, I'm not surprised.
- Expect songs from Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber (vomit) and Jennifer Lopez in the first two episodes of Glee's fourth season.
- Robert DeNiro is working on a TV version of his 2006 movie, The Good Shephard.
- Joss Whedon will be doing a S.H.I.E.L.D series for ABC.
- Tricia Helfer will be appearing in the fourth season of Community as Lauren.
- Grey's Anatomy's ninth season will feature an episode that will only feature Meredith and Cristina.
- Dowton Abbey's third series will air on ITV from September 16th.

The X Factor UK Bags A Winner, US Bags Controversy

And we have a winner at long last. Anyone not see this victory coming a mile off?

I called it a few weeks and during last night's overlong finale (really, two hours is not justified, especially some of those hours mean that we had to put up with Westlife and Michael Buble), Little Mix were finally declared the winners with a cover of Damien Rice's Cannonball being their Christmas single. Personally I would've rathered their version of Silent Night or Don't Let Go. It's nice that a group finally won it after eight series and out of the judges, Tulisa irritated me the least. Whether or not these girls have a bright future ahead or will be a flash in the pan remains to be seen though. The less good news about the finale was that it was 3.5 million viewers down from last year. Have viewers finally tired of The X Factor or is this press just overreacting to ratings like they've done with Coronation Street and Doctor Who this year?

Meanwhile the US X Factor has finally generated something worth talking about with the surprise axing of Rachel Crowe (even I didn't see it coming) when Nicole Scherzinger put the girl's fate to deadlock. Rachel's axing was surprising and seeing her meltdown wasn't pleasant but she'll get over it and those idiots out there calling for Nicole's head need to lighten up and realise it's only a TV show after all. Nicole hasn't endeared herself as a judge but I'm not sure she deserves to lose her job because of this either.

The X Factor 2011 - Final Three

Okay, so Misha B's been kicked out and we've been left with these final three people for The X Factor 2011.

Amelia Lily: I like her but I'm not crazy about her, though Gary's comments on her shouting her songs are sounding increasingly ridiculous. I'm not sure I'd like to see her win the show though. That being said, she's been a strong enough performer and if the show was ever going to bring back someone in the first week, Amelia was always going to be the wisest choice.

Little Mix: Tulisa - please stop harping on about them being like regular girls/best friends/etc. If I was going to vote for them, I'd do it on the basis that I actually enjoy them musically. Actually, I do like them and it might be nice to see a group win for once.

Marcus Collins: I like him, he's definitely been the best of a dire bunch of lads we've had this year. Whether or not he wins though is up in the air. I don't think I could take Gary's ego if he did win but at the same time, Marcus is an all rounder, performance wise. Then again, it really doesn't matter who wins because all three of them (plus Janet and Misha B no doubt) will have released singles and albums by 2012 anyways.

The X Factor final airs Saturday and Sunday at 8pm on ITV1/TV3.

A Geek Joke Too Far

Sorry, I know I was meant to get this done during the weekend, but I ended up getting caught up with some other things but here's my second TV jumble.

Grey's Anatomy: I've always had a love/hate relationship with this show - the actors are brilliant but the characters are often badly/inanely written and most of the time, this show comes across as chick-lit set in a hospital. If the first few episodes of the eighth season are anything to go, by maybe it's time ABC decided to bring this show to an end because the episode where a bunch of geeks attending a sci-fi conversation had every offensive cliche chucked out for any geek's belittlement. Thanks, Shonda Rhymes. You really are the producers who keeps on giving - rubbish!

Him And Her: This show has started to improve quite massively, despite the fact that apart from Steve and Becky, I actually don't like most of the other characters. Laura and Paul especially are two horrible individuals, who I wouldn't mind chucking in front of a bus and Dan is the type of person I hope I'd never have for a neighbour. Actually, only poor Shelly seems the most sympathetic character from the entire show and she seems to be belittled (mostly by Laura) at nearly every turn. Still, the episodes surrounding Steve and Becky's parents and a fight between Paul and some unseen fella does show that the quality of the show has picked up from it's less than impressive first year.

Pan Am: This show can't seem to do right for doing wrong. Not only does it look like it's going to be a one season wonder for ABC, but most critics seem to be taking joy in pointing out that it's not as good as Mad Men (I can think of 20 shows more enjoyable than that one). The last two episodes centring on the girls antics in both Berlin and Jakarta were amusing though. I'm going to enjoy this show while it lasts. I have to catch up with episodes five and six on Thursday.

The X Factor: Damn it, Janet. You leave and I feel bad for you. I blame Twitter. Some people are a bit too nasty (and no, Alan Sugar, contestants aren't axed because you don't like them) on there but like Craig the week before, Janet messed up and unfortunately for herself got the boot in the process. So I guess, it's gonna be a Marcus or a Little Mix win. Misha B might be talented but I can see her going next week and I'm not sure if Amelia can win (though she's a dead cert for the last week).

- Justin Hartley will be guest starring in the same episode of Castle as Hilarie Burton, playing her character's boyfriend.
- Hart Of Dixie will air for UK viewers on Really while Alcatraz will air on Watch. Both shows will air over here in early 2012.
- Will Young, Jessie J, Will I Am and Tom Jones are rumoured to be the judging panel for the UK version of The Voice, set to air in January 2012.
- Jennie Garth will star in ABC Family pilot, Village People, playing a career woman who adopts a baby.
- Frances Sternhagon will be appearing in Parenthood, playing the mother of Zeke.

Just A Little Tap On The Nose

Sorry, I was meant to do this earlier but I got delayed with stuff but my second TV jumble is here now.
Him And Her: I watched the opening episode of this last year and I wasn't particularly blown away but I gave the first series a second chance and it's sort of improved. Catching up with the first two episodes of the second series, it's still not a perfect show but it's definitely become likeable, even if a little trite that all the action seems to take place in Steve and Becky's flat. Still, with characters like Laura around, you can almost feel sorry for Steve a little, right?

Mongrels: Confession time - I've not seen the first series of this and I only caught the first two episodes of the second year last night and I'm bloody hooked. Politically incorrect puppets are funny, whether it's a pigeon killing a man with a rickshaw, a female dog singing songs about domestic abuse (really wrong but horribly funny), a cat striking a friendship with a fish or a fox inadvertently killing five Beagle dogs. I think I'm bloody hooked.

Smallville: It's been ten seasons in the making and for a finale, I think this show ended on a high. There were some lovely character moments - Clark/Lois marrying, flash forwarding into the future, Lex's brief return and of course that final moment in the two parter. Overall while this hasn't always been a perfect series, this was a perfect way of ending ten years of Clark Kent's storyline.
Threesome: Good set of episodes. I liked the one dealing with Mitch's irresponsibility (after all, we did see Alice and Ritchie's) and the one focusing on Ritchie's birthday was pretty nice too. Five episodes in and this has proved to be a fun series, even if the scenes with Ritchie and the hunky Dave are a little lightweight. I still hope that this comes back for seconds though.

The Vampire Diaries: Finally saw the last two episodes of Season 2 and will start watching the third season in early 2012. As an ending went, I felt the penultimate episode which seems to be more of bloodbath than usual was the stronger episode and probably should've been the ending but complete with Stefan in Klaus's thrall and Jeremy's new ability, the second year did end on a rather interesting note.

The X Factor: Ah, we've lost Johnny, The Risk, Frankie and Kitty thanks to the powers of votes and someone's stupidity and regained Amelia Lily in the process. The most shocking thing was The Risk exiting the competition. Any other year, the boyband would've been a shoe in for the finale but maybe we've finally reached saturation point with the boybands. As for the judges, time to tune out with their pointless arguing.

- Joe Manganiello has said that Alcide will have a bigger role in True Blood's fifth season. Dale Daley will be appearing on the series as Marcus's mother.
- Misha Collins will appearing in the 14th episode of Ringer, playing a man called Dylan with a past to both Bridget and Siobhan.
- Paul Bettany is in talks to appear in a series for Showtime called Masters Of Sex.
- Weeds has been renewed for an eighth season.
- David Anders will be playing a patient in an upcoming episode of House.
- Nicholas Lea will play real life lawman Elliot Ness in an upcoming episode of Supernatural.