Smallville: Shield preview

For those of you looking forward to episode two of the final Smallville season please see below the trailer for this Friday's episode 'Shield'.




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What ITV Does Best: Downton Abbey

ITV has struggled recently to produce great television, Daybreak is a prime example. I recently discovered however that Come Dine With Me, one of C4's hit shows is actually an ITV produced show, so why have they not put this on their channel instead of the awful Dinner Date? But, as with all period drama's ITV produce (Lost in Austen is one of my favourites) Downton Abbey is an enjoyable step back in time. The show has a great mix of Brit actors and of course Dame Maggie Smith is her usual brilliant self.

If ITV made shows like this more often I'd stay tuned in!


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Better With Joanna Garcia

ABC's just pulled out a new sitcom from its sleeve starring the wonderful Joanna Garcia (star or Priviledged). Following a family of parents married for 35 years, eldest daughter and her longer term partner (nine years) and younger sister and her new fiance (7 1/2 weeks dating) the show plays on the difference between each couples relationships.

As with any sitcom this has your typical characters, the dumb guy, the neorotic woman but for a pilot it was quite funny and gave you a good opportunity to get to know the characters.

I'm not sure its a show I can see going for many years, and if it can compare to How I Met Your Mother but we shall see.


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And so the end begins

When I first read in one of my sci-fi magazines 10 years ago that a TV series about Superman's early years I thought that would be an interesting concept for a show. Little did I know that it would shape my love for all things Superman and my passion for sci-fi grow. Why do I love Smallville? It's not just the storylines and characters, but the little details from how they use colours, what Clark wears (he started in red/blue flannel shirts, wearing white when he lost his powers and black when he became 'bad Clark', slowly moving into solid red or blue t-shirts with a blue or red jacket) and of course the amazing special effects.

This week the final ever season premiere of Smallville aired, marking the start of the end. And what a brillaint start it was, if you refer to my review of the season nine finale you will recall I was excited by the glimpse of the Superman costume through Clark's eye, well in this episode you actually see it for yourself. If you've seen Superman Returns then you will have seen a very similar costume. This episode also saw a return from Jonathan Kent and Lex Luthor (but not Michael Rosenbaum).

I can't wait to see every episode of this season leading up to the epic finale when, I hope and expect Clark Kent to wear the suit and fly off to become the infamous Superman we all know and love.

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This Ain't Some Funny $#*!

I'm a bit fan of the shitmydadsays Twitter, so when I heard it was being made into a TV show I was really impressed how social media has managed to take that next step to the screen. My worry however came when I started to spot that it was being called (in print) $#*! My Dad Says, here in the UK it would just be printed as Shit My Dad Says. Wait, it gets worse. When I saw the trailer and the voiceover called it Bleep My Dad Says I thought if they can't even say the title how the hell are they going to take the Twitter content and turn it into a sitcom?

So I've watched the pilot episode, and perhaps if you haven't seen Justin Halpern's Twitter feed about things his father says you might find the show funny, but I didn't. Perhaps as a fan of the cult Twitter feed I had high expectations, but it just didn't grab me and the jokes just weren't funny. Saying that however, I never one to give up so easily, I will be watching the next episode or two and will let you know if my thoughts change. At the moment though I'd say if you want entertainment in the form of a foul mouthed father, then just check out Twitter.

If you've seen it I'd love to know what you think.

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Who's your Grey's Anatomy Boyfriend?

Yes it's another one of those posts, I love these quizes by Buddy TV but I usually get a random result (see my True Blood result), but this time I got the lovely McDreamy!

Who is Your Grey's Anatomy Boyfriend?

More on Grey's Anatomy. Created by BuddyTV

The Trauma Continues at Grey's Anatomy

One of the season premiere's I have most been looking forward to has at last arrived! Following the epic season six finale of Grey's Anatomy (after the season five ending which I thought could not be topped the season six was a real shocker) this opening episode is of course mellow while we see how each of our favourite surgeons are coping with the trauma they went through. All of course are coping in very different ways.

But it seems the gunman has helped to bring things back to how they were, the right chief is back, will Meredith become all dark and twisty again, or is that who Lexie will become? I think Shona Rimes is giving us a soft welcome back, but I expect it won't be long before we are hit with some brilliant and unexpected drama again.

Right now for Private Practice. If this is a show that you are yet to start watching, you must. One thing that makes these two shows better than they could possibly be is when they cross over. The work for those who only watch one show, but for those who watch both they give you soooooo much more!



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An Event-ful Pilot

Now as a sci-fi geek I'm a big fan of shows such as Smallville, Supernatural, True Blood, etc. But the shows that really got me excited were Lost, Heroes and Flash Forward. So when I saw the trailer for The Event I knew it was a show that I had to watch. And it didn't dissapoint. As Lost did with the black smoke and polar bear, The Event proves within the first episode that there is more to this story than what the trailer shows you (if you've seen the trailer you will know it doesn't show you what is the event, but what isn't).

From all of the season premiere's I have seen so far (there is still a few to go) it is easily the one that has left me sitting eagerly awaiting the next episode the most. I only hope that it doesn't go down the route of Lost, Heroes and Flash Forward and try and stretch something into a long running show which is never meant to be more than one or two seasons long and ruin it. Sometimes there is a great idea for a show but there just isn't enough legs for it to be long running. That's ok, let it end after six episode or two season, at least it will be end on a high and always be remembered as a cult hit!

What did you think of the first episode?


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Alex O'Loughlin finally finds his calling

I have finally had the chance to watch the Hawaii Five-0 premiere and what a great opening episode it was. Now I admit I'm a big Alex O'Loughlin fan (from his days on Moonlight - like all fans I'm still hoping that one day it will come back), so I was always going to approve of the leading man, but I think Scott Caan also plays a brilliant Det. Danny Williams to Alex's Det. Steve McGarrett. He is funny to Alex's 'sexy' and they make a great double act. It's also great to see Daniel Dae Kim, if he hadn't already with Lost I guess he has certainly set up a permanent home now on the island now!

I'm pleased that with over 14 million viewers in the US on the first night, it looks promising that Alex O'Loughlin has finally been cast in a show that won't get cancelled before its time (Three Rivers excluded). And with his success in The Back-Up Plan could he also have a popular movie career on his cards too?

I look forward to watching the next episode and hope that the ratings continue to dominate Monday nights.



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A Gleek State of Mind

Luckily it feels like the return of Glee to our screens has come around quickly (perhaps as I've been singing along to the soundtracks to the first season in my car to pass the time). And it has returned with a bang, or should that be slushie? With a guest appearance from Charice who at a tiny 4'11" is smaller than Lea Michelle! I'm not entirely sure who Charice is, but have been aware that she would be making an appearance, and boy what a voice she has!

A great mix of songs (and the perfect amount) and new cast members have made sure that this new season starts off as funny, exciting and entertaining as season one.

Next week is the Britney Spears episode, I wonder what songs they will do...any guesses?

Teri Hatcher Finally Answers Smallville's Call

When Christopher Reeve took up a guest appearance as Dr. Virgil Swann in Smallville back in 2003 I hoped that it would be the start of fellow Superman alumini signing up to follow the Superman legend. And they did, Margot Kidder and Dean Cain followed but the one who has not ever taken up the post of 'special guest star' is Teri Hatcher...until the final season!!!

The last ever season of the long running Superman series Smallville starts this Friday on the CW network and news released today announced that Teri Hatcher has finally agreed to sign up to the show before it comes to an end. And what part will she be playing? Only Lois Lane's mother, a character that is not alive, but the EW reports that Lois stumbles across some videos of her mother, so perhaps this and flash back moments will be how they mix her in.

All I need now is the return of Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor and I can die a happy woman!



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How I met an awesome season premiere

How I Met Your Mother is a show that I got into late (but not as late as British television), but its a show that I'm so glad I stuck with as I love how the writers keep stories running across the seasons. Take the slap bet, Marshall had five slaps for Barney, and over about three seasons four of those have been taken (the fourth had a countdown and a song). There is one slap to go, it could be at anytime (the suspense is killing me) but when it happens it will be legen...(wait for it)...dary!

The new season kicked off with a bang, an old girlfriend of Ted's appears with a friend (the one who's flatmate we know will be the mother), but could this friend be 'the one'? All I will say is you will have to watch, the answer may come to you before you see it, but it certainly won't before you watch the episode!

Marshall (played by the brilliant Jason Segel of 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' fame) & Lillie's plans to start a family don't get the best start, I expect this will bring some entertainment through the season, and as I always happily see from HIMYM, in a different way to Friends. Many people compare this show to Friends, and yes it follows a group of friends, but what it does that Friends failed on is to remember everything they have mentioned and never run a conflicting story (think the episode where Chandler cries at everything and later in the season there is an episode where he can't cry, as he's not a cry guy?!)

What am I looking forward to in this season? The return of Barney's black gay brother - awesome!

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Chuck Vs. the fourth season premiere

At last Chuck has returned! Although not with the high ratings that everyone hoped for (had higher viewers than the season three finale and had very little promotion for this premiere). Chuck is the sci-fi geek's ultimate show...about a sci-fi geek who somehow becomes a spy. It seemed during season three that Chuck might become a 'real spy' but its great to see in this season that he is still Chuck, a geeky, wimpy, clumsy guy with the intersect (the ultimate spy knowledge) in his brain.

The season four premiere throughs Chuck right back into the action searching for his mother, played by Linda Hamilton (aka Terminator's Sarah Connor) and his enemy of the episode is Dolph Lundgren (Master of the Universe He-Man).

I hope this latest season is full of cameos of sci-fi heroes past and present.



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Scorsese Sunday

I've always been a fan of Martin Scorsese, so when I heard he was producing a new television drama I was excited. When I heard that it was set in the 1920's I was even more excited. And Finally that show, Boardwalk Empire has hit the screens. Starring Steve Buscemi (unless he has lost his crown, I believe he has starred in more films than any other actor) and Michael Pitt (who has been rather quiet since The Dreamers and The Village). Set in Atlantic City, 1920 around the prohibition, this show is touching on a very interesting part of America's history which I haven't seen before. With Scorsese and Mark Walberg (also producing) behind this I'm sure its set to be a hit.

Scorsese also directed this pilot episode and from what I've seen so far, it looks promising to be a show that I will add to my 'must watch' list. Airing on Sunday evenings on HBO, it is going to rival fellow period drama Mad Men, but as they cover very different eras of the 20th century I believe there is room enough for both (although I expect as the show continues we will be able to spot similarities, mwn vs. women, scandal, drink, etc). I hear the Emmys calling...

Oh and did I mention the soundtrack, you really feel like you're stepping into the 20's, look for the drop waisted dresses and head jewellery, will next season's catwalk be Boardwalk Empire?



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Photograph: Abbott Genser/AP

The Smallville Countdown begins

Only a week to go until the epic final season of Smallville returns to the small screen in the US (sadly here in the UK season nine hasn't even finished yet!). I love this promo which, although it doesn't give much away about the next season, it does show memories from the last nine seasons and a 'blink and you'll miss it' sneak peek at the Superman uniform.






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From Superhero to Cheerleaders

Tom Welling is already preparing to hang up his cape as Clark Kent (Not that we've seen him wear it yet) by producing new CW Network show Hellcats. I have to say I expected your typical cheerleading drama, but I was pleasently surprised.

Firstly it focuses around colleague students rather than high schoolers, and the 'bitch fight' at the start between the head cheerleader and indie chick does not follow the preticability of them becoming arch enemies. I'm not sure however if Ashley Tisdale's character will get annoying

It won't fill the void that Smallville will leave at the end of this epic final season, but for a seaon pilot I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the next episode.



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