OMFG! Gossip Girl is Back.

What do you get if you take The OC, remove all the quirks and the few likable characters, add a ridiculous voice over by Kristin Bell and set the whole thing in New York. Yep Gossip Girl. I never thought anything would ever make me nostalgic for the O.C, but some how Gossip Girl manages to do just that; When i see the ridiculously good looking ambiguously aged actors cast in half light pouting their way through meaningless scripts, i actually yearn for Ryan's predictable fist fights and the obligatory appearance by the music worlds flavour of the month.

To be honest this is the first episode of Gossip Girl that i have ever watched; and i probably won't go back for my second slice; and lets face it, this program isn't aimed at me; its aimed at 13/14 year old girls who use txt speak and bitch about girls at school all day using internet lingo; the script is so contrived it even references the culture it knows is watching (The voiceover at the end says "xoxo," i mean come on) And anyway the O.C definitely wasn't aimed at me and i still watched that.

This program goes to far, and at the same time doesn't go far enough; it wants so desperately to be edgy yet can't have any swearing or any real sexual scenes for fear of alienating its audience; characters will reference things like "getting drunk," and "hooking up" but i only saw one sip of alcohol drunk and the actors pouting lips got in the way so it just dribbled down his chin and on to his 10,000$ suit. 

For some reason despite the characters in the O.C being ridiculously spoilt, rich brats, i still found time for them; in Gossip Girl i just want to kill them, they prance around in designer tat (sex and the city lite) and play croquette at lavish dinner party's. The problem is the interest in all this opulence is lost as soon as they open their mouths; lest we forget all the characters are complete "bitchaes" to each other anyway and that grated. 

Best bit of this episode had to be when an English "Lord" revealed his true identity, after posing as a yank. Of course his adorable British accent gets him laid. (yes i've just booked a one way ticket to new york on expedia in case your wondering) 

Lame, Lame, Lame. xoxo

Greatest Moment in TV History

There are no words that can do justice to this clip. Quite simply, it is funny.

Superbowl Preview

This sunday sees the greatest show on earth come to our screens as the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Florida.

The most feared D in football take on the surprising offensive powerhouse in this years NFL final spectacle.

The Cardinals have defied all expectations after coming out of the weakest division with a 9-7 record and going on to the superbowl. It is their first visit in the playoffs for well over 50 years and if victory is the result it will be a true cinderella story.

The Steelers can make their own bit of history as Mike Tomlin the second year coach would become the youngest coach to lead his team to a superbowl victory.

For those in the U.K. those with out Sky television will be treated to the ineptness that is the BBC's coverage of a sport they show no interest in bar the showpiece event of the infamous superbowl. If you have Sky watch it their with the legend that is Kevin Cadle.

LOST "Because You Left" (Sky one Sunday 9PM)

As season openers of Lost go Because You Left, the long awaited season 5 opener, ranks highly, though having being spoilt by previous opening scenes this one was less than thrilling it has to be said.  The revelation that Daniel Faraday is a Dharma worker attempting to drill through to the mystical wheel that 'moved' the island was interesting; but didn't evoke the incredible thrill i felt after watching the superb season 2 opener which revealed the inside of the hatch. 

The episode catches us up with the Oceanic Six who have been, it is revealed, off Island for three years, and are still struggling with their various afflictions, when Ben demands they all return to the island or risk an incredible catastrophe. We see Hurley and Sayid team up to disastrous effects; and an unlikely pairing of Jack and Ben doesn't go a whole lot better; though disappointingly it leads to the shaving of Jacks infamous "junkie beard.' 

Kate is still living a lie, looking after 'son' Aaron though one plot point for the future is revealed when lawyers demand she give a blood test causing her to baulk and leave home.  Who is behind the law suit will surely drag on throughout this season (someone representing Claire?) 

The real interesting stuff happens on the island; where Sawyer et al realise the effects of the islands move; they are now stuck within a series of 'Flashes' which transports them to various times in the islands history, or indeed, future. The writers now have infinity to play with, a clever move; expect to see the islands transported back to when the four toed statue is complete in the near future. 

The episode certainly sets up the rest of the season nicely; and it was lovely to see a television heavy weight back in the fray; but i can't shake that feeling that it didn't quite have the 'punch' of previous season openers. 

Your Country Needs You (Saturdays BBC One)

There's something about the BBC one "talent" shows that make them incredibly difficult to connect with; with X Factor and the admittedly terrible Britans Got Talent, there is a distinct knowingness inherent within the show that what they are doing is ultimately a money making exercise slapped on the screen to give gorping saturday night pizza munchers something to laugh at while they order their meat feast.  With BBC one everything is just a little to serious, and in turn a really painful watch. 

Last nights episode of Your Country Needs You, (why? i don't know!) was definitely the worst yet. The show revolves around the concept that if Andrew Lloyd frog face writes the Eurovision song England can somehow manage to win; despite the fact that the whole thing is a complete un-winnable farce. 

The acts were plucked from various arenas; the streets, panto, the stage, the pub circuit; and let me stress it really shows. Never have i seen a talent show where the acts have less talent that the audience watching; in fact, the wooping and screaming from the audience is actually more in tune that the singing that went before it. 

The worst of all the acts is definitely the above pictured "Twins" (yes thats really the moniker they've chosen) They look like two brain dead actors playing bit parts in a Paris Hilton film, and their singing is as flat as Andrew Lloyd Webber's face.  What's more annoying than the terrible fair served up is the wooden and lying judging panel, who sit with moronic smiles smudged across their faces hailing the talentless schmucks as the next Tom Jones or Sugababes. 

Your country needs you! As the weeks go by I'm starting to see why! Because they NEED some singers with talent, so they can ditch the signing face aches they've already aquired. 

One to Avoid! 

Friday Night Lights

Some shows we discover through the high profile advertising campaigns used to draw in viewers, some we discover through word of mouth and then there are some we discover by complete accident.  I recently found Friday Night Lights, now this is a show that has been on U.S. screens since 2006. However I was more familiar with it predecssor the Peter Berg Directed and Billy Bob Thornton starring film of the same name. 

As has become a common theme in the UK every year a handful of shows from the U.S.A. get picked up that fly and do really well. There are those shows that get picked up that are awful. Then there are those that the powers of be clearly have no idea how to market or use in their schedule, Friday Night Lights is one of those.  As I think back now and after researching this I can confirm, FNL was picked up in the U.K by ITV, but they really didn't know what to do with it. FNL was broadcast on 4th string ITV channel ITV4, now a male skewed channel bring sporting highlights and anything with an Andy Mcnabb and Ross Kemp soul. So the thought process must have been as follows: we have a serious drama based around sport this will be perfect for our male skewed audience. Wrong! If someone had took the time to actually watch this show they would realise that the sporting side of this drama, the American football is merelya narrative flux for each season. Football isn't the story the people and their lives around it are.

FNL is an adaptation of the original book and 2004 film of the same name. The TV show is set in the small town of Dillion, Texas where the small community come together every friday night to support the high school football team. In this part of Texas football is life and those past and present earn a prestigious status akin to the gladiators in Roman times.They are the stars and the heroes of the everyday folk in Dillion.

We are introduced to the show as new Coach Eric Taylor is taking on a team with great history. THe local community unsure as to whether this new comer is capable to take over a team with such a proud tradtion as the Dillion Panthers. We are introduced to the Back up quarterback Matt Saracen, a supposed loser never going to grace the field, he lives with his grandma and has to resort to getting lifts from his hyper intelliigent friend Landry. Landry wonders out loud as Matt reads the local paper featuring star quarterback Jason Street. Street as he is known is set for a bright future and is ranked as the best high school quarterback in Texas and is being scouted by top college teams like Notre Dame.  The other star of the team is Brian "Smash" Williams the fast talking brash loudmouth running back of the team. Hi nemesis of sorts is fellow panther and full back Tim Riggins. Three things Tim loves are beer, football and women normally in that order. One thing he doesn't like is Smash. As Tim says " That dude could be Santa Claus and I still wouldn't like em".  Tim lives with his brother good hearted who looks out for Tims best interest. Tim dates Tyra Collette Tim likes the simple things in life and declares that he wants to 1 percent of best friends streets NFl earnings and run a ranch in Texas for them He sees life in Texas in the future as a good one and toasts to Street "Texas forever". Street dates Lyla Garrity, cheerleader and daughter of car dealership owner and Panther fanatic Buddy who is one of the boosters who raises money for the team and harbours a great amount of influence and power for everything Football in Dillion.

Coach Taylor is supported by a doting wife and daughter who Matt takes a shine too, though she vows she never dates football players. Coach Taylor who has coached Street at all levels of his playing career is under great amount of pressure as expectations are incredibly high for a team with the top quarterback in the state. 

When Friday Night arrives things get off to a good start as the Panthers score. However they struggle against the counter plays, the trick plays of changes of direction and cannot contain the offence of their opponents Westerby. At halftime Street displays his excellent ability by relaying to the coaches the defences they are facing and what the team is struggling with In the second half as Westerby take a ten point lead 24-14, Street forces a pass and it is intercepted, the Westerby player is returning the ball for a touchdown, only Street is between him and the potential winning touchdown. Street attempts to make a tackle. 

This is where the real depth of FNL begins and instigates the dramatic storylines that make this show great. In the tackle Street makes he takes a big hit he forces the ball free and the Panthers recovers it but he lays prone on the ground unable to move. Everyone rushes onto the field an ambulance is called. Street has broken is back he will be unable to walk again. A once bright carreer is ended and everyones life is sent into turmpooil. Coach Taylor is now without the star player that makes his team tick, the pressures on him now even greater and his families livelihood.

Jason has to deal with his new found disability. His girlfriend Lyla try's to hold on to the future they had planned together. Riggin's feeling unwarranted guilt blames himself. Tyra who has shown affection towards Street in the past starts to question her life and where it is going, she doesn't want to end up uneducated like her Mom and stripper sister Mindy. Smash still with bravado but deep down worries that a failure of the Panthers will see him fail to move on to a top college and then a pro career and hence not being able to provide for his family. Matt Saracen is confronted with being thrown into the spotlight of being QB1 and dealing with the expectation and pressure from a baying crowd, he has to follow in the footsteps of a giant.

The journey that the show takes us on is vast heartfelt and harrowing but never leaves the viewer feeling unsatisfied. Everything is stellar about this show and it wouldn't be amiss from being held up there with pantheon of shows like The Wire. It is a shame that due to the ineptness of ITV that only series 1 has been shown on British TV. Just because the sport is American Football shouldn't override the fact that this is an incredible drama series. It should have been given a prime time or popular slot, if so I have no doubt it would have done well. It is a shame not as many people get to enjoy this show. I pray for fourth season in the U.S. it all depends on ratings of course. Perhaps HBO may take kindness on this series if NBC/DirectTV refuse to continue the show. HBO as seen with The Wire, never fails to support talent and quality.

LOST is Back... Big 'Time'...

Rejoice! Lost has finally found its way back on to our screens after what seems like a ridiculously long hiatus; the length of which was no doubt influenced by the frustrating writers strike which caused a complete shut down of most quality American dramas and thus in turn destroyed the lives of many a fan; me included.

Lost was back last night in the states (airs on SKYone in the UK later this week) with a two hour season opener which reacquainted us with our favourite losties, on, and off the island. 

The First of the two episodes dealt mostly with on island shenanigans, while the second part was a slower more concentrated look at how the "oceanic six" have coped with "lying" about the true nature of their island exits. 

Was i impressed? Yes... Both episodes we're thumbs up all round, with the first hour just slightly ahead in the entertainment stakes. There were also a couple of nice surprises with an on island reprise for Ethan, and a great Cameo appearance by the long lost Ana-Lucia.

A proper "blow by blow" review of the two episodes is upcoming, but for now, its great to see one of TV's heavyweights back with a bang.