Thursday 15 October 2009

TV Titbits Two; Flash Forward and Cougar Town

OK, so I haven't exactly fulfilled my mission of picking the best new US series on TV and reviewing them for future viewers in Britain.

I don't have a real excuse, other than that the Littleboys are still being bad about going to bed on time, so that there is often not time to watch much on TV. And I was going to review Flash Forward, and then I realised that in a rare moment of UK/US sychronisation, it's on Channel Five anyway. But, for the benefit of those not in the UK or US, can I just say that this one is a winner. A sort of mash-up of Lost, 24 and Heroes, it starts with the whole world blacking out for two minutes and having visions of their futures. Or, more specifically, of what they will be doing on a specific date in about six months' time.

It stars the rather gorgeous Joseph Fiennes (who I'm sure I once read an interview with saying he'd never sell out to Hollywood - times must be tough, Joe) and also Jack Davenport, Miles from This Life. (In fact one of the chief female characters is in a dilemma because she's married to Joseph, but in her vision of six months' time was having an affair with Jack. Hmmm - can't feel TOO sorry for her....)

Anyway, it's got it all - handsome hero, exciting premise, weird goings-on, philosophical debate (is what happens to us fated, random or of our own making, and does knowing the future make us make it happen?). I'm hooked.

What I can tell you - thanks to the New York Times -is that the series has been picked up by ABC for a full season, so it won't have to stop before we get to the date in question (which would have been a bit of a shame...).

The other series I was going to review was Cougar Town. This stars Courteney Cox as a fortysomething divorcee who starts shagging younger men. I thought it sounded like quite a laugh. And I've tried to like it, I really have. There have even been some funny lines in it. But, I'm sorry, Courteney Cox really annoys me in it. She's basically Monica from Friends on speed. I know it's supposed to be a comedy, but it's more like a cartoon - a kind of rollicking, thigh slapping cartoon about cartoon mums having affairs with young studs. Bring back The Graduate and Anne Bancroft as Mrs Robinson.

So I stopped watching Cougar Town. What else can I tell you? The new series of House is developing intriguingly, Mad Men series 3 is fabulous, Grey's Anatomy is dangerously close to jumping the shark (when they bring in a whole new lot of characters, you know things must be wobbly). I'm still vaguely pursuing the Julianna Margulies series, The Good Wife, and reserving my judgement. Other than that, I think the DVD section of the library might be doing quite well of me this winter....

3 comments:

Mom/Mum said...

Have you tried The Big Bang Theory? My hubs got me into it, and even though i dont want to, i can't help laugh along.

I was going to try The Good Wife, but it's still piling up on my DVR... Have you watched Glee? My friends here are raving about it, but again, it is stagnating on my DVR.

I'm all about The Rachel Zoe Show, The City, The Hills (though this one is pretty poor nowadays) Greys, and So You Think You Can Dance? Not exaclty award winning drama.

But, to redeem myself, I do have out all of my local library's collection of Inspector Lynley Mysteries at the moment.

Need a good UK murder/mystery fix!

Cassandra said...

I almost never see things when they are actually aired and I can never stay awake and I'm clueless. So I watched and LOVED Nip/Tuck on DVD (until it started getting too silly) BUT I couldn't hack The Sopranos beyond season 2 - just too much varlence! Flash Forward sounds fab though and I love Joseph Fiennes. Thanks for your lovely comment at mine, too. Have decided to abandon all attempts at anonymity and to only blog (when drunk) stuff that I wouldn't mind my parents reading. That is my nerw rule of thumb - it's all too stressful otherwise. So am myself on Facebook and Twitter - and may as well be called Francesca on the blog, too....Fx

nappy valley girl said...

Mom/Mum - haven't seen Big Bang but have heard it's good. I'm told Glee is good too, but haven't seen - think it's one of those 8pm ones which you have to remember to record (I never start watching anything till about 9.30...)

Cassandra - you're welcome and I look forward to many more random drunken blogging sessions. xx