Devs

We were recommended to watch Devs, a strange science fiction series produced by FX. Finally watched all the episodes and what a fantastic trip that was! Enjoyed everything about it, from the brilliant photography and music to the wonderfully underplayed but thoroughly effective acting. It was one of those series that had a really well written storyline that reached a satisfying conclusion, with some unexpected but logical twists along the way.

Fauda - season three

Finally watched the last episode of the current season of Fauda. The tension in this series is the most intense I think I have ever come across in the TV program. Nail-biting doesn't come into it. I have no intension of giving away any of what happens in it, but it certainly didn't pan out as I expected and had one of the most stunning climaxes I have yet seen. Thoroughly recommended.

The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp

Just discovered The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp on amazon prime, a TV series from 1956. It's surprisingly good, with some excellently written scripts, some good acting and, probably unusual for that time, a continuous story that moves along and develops, with occasional references to previous episodes.

At the beginning of the series Earp becomes marshall for the small, unruly, cattle town of Ellsworth, Kansas. Several episodes later, when his reputation as a lawman has started to spread, he is offered the job of marshall in the city of Wichita. I dimly remember watching this program when I was a kid, though it was probably by that stage up to the sixth series in 1961.

I very much doubt the strict historical accuracty of the series, but I don't mind that. It's still great television - and much better than many western series that came later.

Peaky Blinders

Just started to watch Peaky Blinders on DVD. What an amazing series. Somehow I missed this when it was shown on TV. I never thought a gangster series set in 1919 Birmingham would be not only interesting but atmospheric, violent and gritty.

The first episode sets the tone, with the main power struggles in a Satanic-looking Birmingham being between the well established gangster family, the Peaky Blinders (with their distinctive habit of hiding razor blades inside the peaks of their flat caps), the IRA, and the police. Other criminal outfits besides the Peaky Blinders are the Chinese and the Italians, though how big they are has yet to be shown. The new head of police has made his name in Belfast, where he wiped out the IRA presence there with ruthless means and is bringing men from over there into Birmingham to help him stamp out the Peaky Blinders and any other threat to law and order. Against him we have the Shelby family who run the Peaky Blinders, who are hard, equally ruthless and cunning. 

Ripper Street No Longer Axed

The great news is that one of the BBC's better programs is due to return for a third series after it was originally axed. Amazon Prime Instant Video and the BBC will work together to produce a third series.

Inside No 9

Inside No 9, written Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, is shaping up to be the best horror series of short stories on British TV for years. We're three tales into the series now and each has proved to be totally different and in many ways even better than the last. This week's episode, Tom and Gerri, had perhaps a little less humour, but more than made up for it with growing chills, especially as twist followed twist towards the end. The acting was superb.An immediate classic.

The good news is that a follow up series has already been commissioned by the BBC.

Hannibal - The TV Series

Halfway through the first season of Hannibal and am loving it. No attempts to make Lecter a likeable character with some screwy but positive virtues like those with which Dexter became increasingly burdened. It pulls no punches and is definitely not something to watch while eating - well, not unless you share a taste for Lecter's culinary delights! (He does like his livers, kidneys, lungs, brains, spleens, etc) And Jack Crawford spends too much time having meals at his house. I'm sure he'll be in need of therapy when the secret behind them is finally revealed.

Inside No. 9 - "Sardines"

I very much enjoyed Inside No 9 last night, with its opening episode "Sardines". An amazing cast list - and a genuinely scary climax. How is it that some of the best horror on TV these days is comedy? Last night's episode was written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, both of whom appeared in it.

IMDB

Dexter - the final series

 

Unlike a lot of people I really liked and appreciated the dark nihilism of the final season of Dexter. It was never going to have a happy ending - and the one it had - full of false hopes, bleak, ongoing - was as near perfect as you could get.

I think Gary McMahon, on his blog, summed it up better than I possibly could. Check this out on the following link: Dexter - Remember the Monsters.

An Adventure in Space and Time - the Start of the Doctor Who Story

I can't claim to be a Whovian these days, though I probably was when the series first started in 1963, but I certainly enjoyed Mark Gatiss's dramatisation of the beginning of the series last night on the BBC. The recreation of the period looked spot on, and the performances of all those concerned really couldn't be faulted. I know that the end, when William Hartnell is compelled to bow out of the role, brought a tear to my wife's eyes. David Bradley gave a remarkable performance as the irascible Hartnell. I wish all TV dramas were as good as this.

The Walking Dead

I watched the penultimate episode of the second series last night and was struck by just how great this show has become. Last week saw one major character go - traumatically - and this week saw another. Not only that, but at the end we could see just what an apocalyptic episode the series finale is going to be next week! That is definitely going to be an edge of seater!

The Woman in Black -1989 TV Dramatisation

As a result of temporarily not having cable (till Virgin get round to replacing our box with one that actually works!) we watched the 1989 TV production of The Woman in Black on the computer last night. What an incredibly brilliant dramatisation (by Nigel Kneale) this was! I haven't seen the new Hammer version yet, but if that is only half as good I'd be satisfied. This TV adaptation is the second first rate ghost story we've watched this week, after the equally marvellous The Awakening.

Although, coming through Youtube, the picture quality was far from what you would expect via DVD, it was still more than well worth watching. One scene actually sent an ice cold shiver up my spine!

Dexter - Series 5

I've now watched the final episode of the fifth series of Dexter - and what a brilliant finale it was!

I can't believe how the writers and everyone else involved with this series has managed to maintain such a high standard. Series four was great enough, with the Trinity Killer and John Lithgo, and had a final episode that left more than just me in stunned silence. I knew nothing could ever quite equal this, but the final episode of the fifth series certainly had enough twists and turns and never let the viewer down in any way with high tension, drama, poignancy, sadness and, oddly enough, a feel good factor too - not something you would necessarily expect from a series about a serial killer!

It is still one of the best series ever on TV and head and shoulders above anything British TV has produced for a long time, in my opinion at least.

Interesting news about Hammer Films and TV

The BBC have a report about plans for Hammer to embark again in producing a TV series, like The Hammer House of Horror and Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense in the 1980s.

That's great news, after their first film venture in Let Me In and the DVD release of Beyond the Rave.

I must admit I have always been a keen fan of the Hammer films. I have virtually every single one of their horror, thriller and even crime films on DVD. It will be nice to add more new ones to my collection!

The Walking Dead

Going from this trailer, this new TV series looks good. I just hope that if it is as good as it looks that it runs its full length. Too many great series have been axed partway through their story arcs recently, which is really annoying.

Moonlight - No Series 2

Now, I'm not a big fan of the newfangled vampires who twinkle and don't scare people or do evil things. Twilight can stay in the twilight for all I care. But I did get into Moonlight. I can't say why. Perhaps it was the main characters or the storylines. I know when one main character was abducted, then killed quite randomly, I was shocked - and  impressed. Whatever the reasons may be, I did enjoy this series and was looking forward to its return with a second. Unfortunately, this never happened. The show was cancelled. Which is a damn shame. There are few enough good programs on TV these days.

At least I can rewatch my DVDs of the first series.