Box-Eyed: What You Should Be Watching
By Dan OwenFirst, some orientation for readers. Box-Eyed is the new name for TV Week, so-named because it allows for a slightly broader approach to what I was doing on TV Week. As a keen blogger writing lots of TV reviews every week at Dan's Media Digest (DMD), it was becoming difficult to come up with fresh material here at Newslite.tv. So, rather than just repeat myself with abridged versions of days-old DMD content, Box-Eyed has come about. It will still feature reviews of shows I don't have the time to fit into my personal blog, but it will also allow me to take a different approach to the column when needs be. To kick-off, I'm going to highlight what I think you NEED to be watching every week, on British television:
Ashes To Ashes – BBC1, Mon @9pm
The Life On Mars sequel/spin-off appears to have found its feet, although I'm still a little cautious because we're only two episodes into series 2. The show, like its predecessor, still struggles to make the week's crime-mystery as interesting as the sci-fi trimmings, but there's now a welcome continuing plot-strand based on police corruption to ease the pressure. The always-enjoyable Roger Allam has been drafted in as recurring character, bent cop DS Mackintosh, and Keeley Hawes is toning down the histrionics as comatose "time-traveller" Alex Drake.
Heroes – BBC2, Mon @9pm
When did you give up on Heroes? Early in the snail-paced season 2? A short while into the convoluted third year? Well, perhaps it's time to give the show another chance. Yes, another one. Volume IV (i.e, the latter half of season 3) has actually been fairly decent, with its premise of the US government hunting "specials" to incarcerate them Guantanamo Bay-style. It hasn't fully lived up to early expectations, and there are still some problems with the series, but the volume has also seen some welcome improvements (like limiting certain super-powers, focusing on characterization, and limiting the overflow of subplots.) Now's not a great time to drop in as we approach the season finale, but I hope more people will give season 4 a final, final chance...
24 – Sky1, Mon @9pm
Also reaching its end is Day 7 of 24, which has been a huge improvement over the reviled sixth season. The pace is stronger, the new Washington D.C locale somehow makes everything feel fresher (even though they're still filming in L.A and adding CGI backgrounds), the new characters have been pretty good, it has a more ensemble feel (avoiding the "one man army" feel to Jack Bauer of recent years), and it's generally been good fun. Things are getting a little shaky just recently as we enter the home-stretch – thanks to a surprising but silly twist and obscure motivation for the villains, but how many other US shows do you know that are this strong in their seventh season?
Dexter – FX, Fri @10pm
It's frustrating that this series is on FX here in the UK, as I know precious few people who (a) can actually receive FX, and (b) actually subscribe to it if they can. But, if you're lucky enough to get the channel, you should definitely be tuning into season 3 of Dexter. Unless you haven't seen the far-superior first two seasons, in which case a DVD marathon is in order. It's a show about a forensic analyst who moonlights as a vigilante killer in Miami; a cross between CSI and American Psycho. The third year is easily its weakest yet, but it does begin to find some form around mid-season, and guest-star Jimmy Smits is undoubtedly a memorable highlight as the off-kilter Miguel Prado...
Robin Hood – BBC1, Sat @6.20pm
I wish it was pitched at an older age-group, and there's always the feeling the BBC are just killing time in-between Doctor Who whenever it's on, but Robin Hood is still enjoyable fluff if you're in the right mood. This third year's on thin ice thanks to some radical twists in series 2 (not least deciding to murder Marian), but it's not quite as terrible as a lot of reviews have you think. Sure, it could be a lot better, and the show will always suffer from casting problems they can't change now, but it's light and frothy adventure the kids will enjoy. And David Harewood as Tuck, Joanne Froggatt as gutsy villager Kate, and Toby Stephens as dandy sociopath Prince John have been excellent additions to the cast.
Primeval – ITV1, Sat @7.20pm
Another one for the kids on Saturday evenings, Primeval's going through major changes on many fronts every week: the concept has been developed so more than just dinosaurs come wandering through timehole "anomalies" (we now get mythical beasts), and two of the original cast have left -- stern Douglas Henshall died in an explosion, and pretty Lucy Brown decided to leave. They've been replaced by the altogether more dynamic Jason Flemyng and Laila Rouass. The FX are still the only real reason to consider watching, but I'd be lying if I said there hasn't been a more creative feel to stories and a few of the six episodes aired so far have been pretty decent.
Fringe – Sky1, Sun @9pm
I loved the Pilot, but then Fringe sank into freak-of-the-week repetition for about six weeks, until they started to realize people only really enjoy the mytharc began in episode 4. These days, it's a far more compelling mix of trashy sci-fi procedural with an imaginative "bigger picture" about an inter-dimensional war. It's great to see a show adjust itself so rapidly, and Fringe has definitely found some form of late. It still has some problem areas (Anna Torv is still a bit bland; Joshua Jackson's stuck dispensing one-liners; Lance Reddick is largely pointless), but it's mostly great fun.
Damages – BBC1, Sun @10.20pm
The year's biggest disappoint, I have to say. I devoured season 1 on DVD last year, but season 2 just hasn't lived up to that first year's brilliance. The show feels plodding and convoluted as a weekly drip-feed, while this year's storyline (stock market manipulation, big business pollution) just isn't as compelling as last year's. And I'm personally annoyed that season 2 decided to half-continue last year's plot, as it just feels like the writers had little faith in their new story, so had to bring back old characters and plot-strands to pad out the 13 episodes. Still, there have been some good moments and a few nice twists, and the show's competent enough to never be utterly boring... but next year should be a clean break, with a more exciting case for superbitch Patty Hewes to tackle.
.....
If you enjoyed Box-Eyed, why not head over to Dan's Media Digest for more entertainment-related news, reviews and musings?
The Life On Mars sequel/spin-off appears to have found its feet, although I'm still a little cautious because we're only two episodes into series 2. The show, like its predecessor, still struggles to make the week's crime-mystery as interesting as the sci-fi trimmings, but there's now a welcome continuing plot-strand based on police corruption to ease the pressure. The always-enjoyable Roger Allam has been drafted in as recurring character, bent cop DS Mackintosh, and Keeley Hawes is toning down the histrionics as comatose "time-traveller" Alex Drake.
Heroes – BBC2, Mon @9pmWhen did you give up on Heroes? Early in the snail-paced season 2? A short while into the convoluted third year? Well, perhaps it's time to give the show another chance. Yes, another one. Volume IV (i.e, the latter half of season 3) has actually been fairly decent, with its premise of the US government hunting "specials" to incarcerate them Guantanamo Bay-style. It hasn't fully lived up to early expectations, and there are still some problems with the series, but the volume has also seen some welcome improvements (like limiting certain super-powers, focusing on characterization, and limiting the overflow of subplots.) Now's not a great time to drop in as we approach the season finale, but I hope more people will give season 4 a final, final chance...
24 – Sky1, Mon @9pm
Also reaching its end is Day 7 of 24, which has been a huge improvement over the reviled sixth season. The pace is stronger, the new Washington D.C locale somehow makes everything feel fresher (even though they're still filming in L.A and adding CGI backgrounds), the new characters have been pretty good, it has a more ensemble feel (avoiding the "one man army" feel to Jack Bauer of recent years), and it's generally been good fun. Things are getting a little shaky just recently as we enter the home-stretch – thanks to a surprising but silly twist and obscure motivation for the villains, but how many other US shows do you know that are this strong in their seventh season?
Dexter – FX, Fri @10pmIt's frustrating that this series is on FX here in the UK, as I know precious few people who (a) can actually receive FX, and (b) actually subscribe to it if they can. But, if you're lucky enough to get the channel, you should definitely be tuning into season 3 of Dexter. Unless you haven't seen the far-superior first two seasons, in which case a DVD marathon is in order. It's a show about a forensic analyst who moonlights as a vigilante killer in Miami; a cross between CSI and American Psycho. The third year is easily its weakest yet, but it does begin to find some form around mid-season, and guest-star Jimmy Smits is undoubtedly a memorable highlight as the off-kilter Miguel Prado...
Robin Hood – BBC1, Sat @6.20pm
I wish it was pitched at an older age-group, and there's always the feeling the BBC are just killing time in-between Doctor Who whenever it's on, but Robin Hood is still enjoyable fluff if you're in the right mood. This third year's on thin ice thanks to some radical twists in series 2 (not least deciding to murder Marian), but it's not quite as terrible as a lot of reviews have you think. Sure, it could be a lot better, and the show will always suffer from casting problems they can't change now, but it's light and frothy adventure the kids will enjoy. And David Harewood as Tuck, Joanne Froggatt as gutsy villager Kate, and Toby Stephens as dandy sociopath Prince John have been excellent additions to the cast.
Primeval – ITV1, Sat @7.20pm
Another one for the kids on Saturday evenings, Primeval's going through major changes on many fronts every week: the concept has been developed so more than just dinosaurs come wandering through timehole "anomalies" (we now get mythical beasts), and two of the original cast have left -- stern Douglas Henshall died in an explosion, and pretty Lucy Brown decided to leave. They've been replaced by the altogether more dynamic Jason Flemyng and Laila Rouass. The FX are still the only real reason to consider watching, but I'd be lying if I said there hasn't been a more creative feel to stories and a few of the six episodes aired so far have been pretty decent.
Fringe – Sky1, Sun @9pm
I loved the Pilot, but then Fringe sank into freak-of-the-week repetition for about six weeks, until they started to realize people only really enjoy the mytharc began in episode 4. These days, it's a far more compelling mix of trashy sci-fi procedural with an imaginative "bigger picture" about an inter-dimensional war. It's great to see a show adjust itself so rapidly, and Fringe has definitely found some form of late. It still has some problem areas (Anna Torv is still a bit bland; Joshua Jackson's stuck dispensing one-liners; Lance Reddick is largely pointless), but it's mostly great fun.
Damages – BBC1, Sun @10.20pm
The year's biggest disappoint, I have to say. I devoured season 1 on DVD last year, but season 2 just hasn't lived up to that first year's brilliance. The show feels plodding and convoluted as a weekly drip-feed, while this year's storyline (stock market manipulation, big business pollution) just isn't as compelling as last year's. And I'm personally annoyed that season 2 decided to half-continue last year's plot, as it just feels like the writers had little faith in their new story, so had to bring back old characters and plot-strands to pad out the 13 episodes. Still, there have been some good moments and a few nice twists, and the show's competent enough to never be utterly boring... but next year should be a clean break, with a more exciting case for superbitch Patty Hewes to tackle.
.....
If you enjoyed Box-Eyed, why not head over to Dan's Media Digest for more entertainment-related news, reviews and musings?
