Three weeks today
To the start of NaNoWriMo 2007.
eek!
So I’ve uh, been watching some of the new season stuff - don’t ask, don’t tell right?
anyway here’s a brief run-through:
Flight of the Conchords
Stars: No one you’ll know - ok its Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie… See? You still don’t know them.
Plot: New Zealand band move to New York and try to break into the music scene.
Thoughts: I’ve watched the first three episodes. The re-curring joke ‘Are you English?’ ‘No we’re from New Zealand’ grows tired very quickly. The songs (yes, that’s right, I said songs) are like something French and Saunders would write on a bad day. The Monkees this ain’t.
Final Comment:: Put it this way, I’ve got 5 episodes and have only been able to watch three.
Bionic Woman
Stars: Michelle Ryan (ex-eastender) some other people, and Katee Sackhoff (BSG) wearing make-up.
Plot: Same as the original, Jamie Sommers is in a horrific crash gets bionic ear, eye, arm and legs.
Thoughts: Actually its not quite the same, there is a much darker reason for Jamies’ accident which - call me twisted - I kinda liked. Michelle Ryan has taken to the American accent quite well, there’s no trace of her eastender roots, and she’s also cleaned up pretty good as well. I’ve only seen the first episode and there were small touches of ‘Alias’ and ‘Dark Angel’ which I hope they don’t continue to pursue as I wasn’t really a fan of either of those shows. The CGI looks pretty good (although I kinda miss the original ‘cha-cha-cha-cha-cha’ when she jumps), fight scenes weren’t bad either.
Final Comment: Could be a slow burner, this was picked up by NBC so there’ll be money behind it. I guess they are hoping to continue the success they’ve had with Heroes.
Sarah Connor Chronicles - Pilot
Stars: Summer Glau (’Firefly’ and ‘The 4400′), Lena Headey (’300′ and some other stuff) and Thomas Dekker (Heroes - he was Clares ‘friend’.)
Plot: Begins after T-2 and messes with the storyline so that 3 never happened.
Thoughts: Ok, so I’ve only seen the pilot, but the first 10 minutes were excrutiating. I don’t know if Lena Headey was still struggling with her American accent or what, but it was stilted and awful. Then it settled down and became a pretty good action show, good pacing and the characters seemed to settle in a bit. They seem to have a great set-up for when the actual show premieres (I think its March in the states.) Sarah Connor is younger (in the pilot they mention she was 19 when Kyle knocked her up with John) and the timeline is arseways, but considering I’m not sure what the original timeline was anyway, that might not be such a bad thing.
Final Comment: Another one that could be quite entertaining if they don’t mess it up.
Reaper
Stars: Well it’s directed by Kevin Smith, but the actors are pretty much unknowns - at least to me. Bret Harrison (reminds me a bit of Jake Ghyllenhaal) plays the lead role of ‘Sam’.
Plot: Sams parents sell his soul to the devil, so in return he becomes a bounty hunter for escaped souls.
Thoughts: Given that this is a Kevin Smith thing there is plenty of twisted humour in the show. Sam is cute and likeable even if he is a slacker, his mates are quirky enough to not be phased (too much) when he tells them the truth and there’s a wee hottie for love interest.
Final Thoughts: Could be ok, if Smith keeps the adolescent humour to a minimum. Trouble is it’s on CW and they don’t have a great track record with some of their shows. Chances of us getting it over here? Pretty low, unless Channel 6 scoops in. Then again RTE might just surprise us, but I don’t think so. We’ll probably have to wait a couple of years before Sky catches on, or Channel 4 and by that time it will probably be cancelled in the States.
Edit: Thanks for the update Priscilla, I got it wrong. Only the first episode was directed by Kevin Smith.
Heroes, Season 2
Okay so this isn’t strictly a new show cos I’ve already devoured series 1 and I’m hooked. But I just wanted to stick it in here. Have watched episode 1 of season 2. Despite my reservations about the Irish accents, it’ll probably be another good season. Some good setups in the first ep, if they can keep up what they did for season 1 they’ll have another winner on their hands. Good, entertaining fun.
