Charlie Brooker

My lovely friend Adam who is quite possibly the only reader of this blog is a big Charlie Brooker fan. I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t really know who he was until one day; Adam told me he’d watched a show called ‘You Have Been Watching’. You Have Been Watching is a tv panel game where the contestants and host – Charlie Brooker – pretty much just rip television shows to shreds.

Brooker started life as an internet site editor where he used his wit and humour to express how much he didn’t like things. It was such a hit, that he was asked to create his TV show, NewsWipe which was followed by ScreenWipe. He also writes for the Guardian and created the Dead Set television series.

Back in September I wrote about the Media Guardian event I went to, and we were lucky enough to have Charlie Brooker come and do a masterclass for us. He was hilariously dour and miserable. I liked him a lot.

A few weeks ago, Adam bought me ‘Dawn of the Dumb’, a book which is a compilation of Brooker’s Guardian columns. The articles are bascically an attack on anything pop culture at the time of writing and they’re greatly entertaining. I don’t know why, but I love when people complain about stuff in a dry, witty manner. I sometimes think it would be so much easier to write a ‘It annoys us when...’ blog.

So if you feel like revelling in a little bit of misery and agreeing that really, a lot of stuff is shit, go and buy Charlie Brooker's book and join in with his disdain.

Obviously he would hate this.

Posted By: Cat

The JAM wedding

Nicci and I are both Office fans and I think I speak for us both when I say that the wedding of Jim and Pam has been the TV moment we’ve both been waiting for.

I watched as Jim loitered by reception a little too long in season 1 and made puppy dog eyes at Pam while she left at 5pm each night with Roy. I was on the edge of my seat when the twenty two second silence between them on the Booze Cruise pointed toward a shift in their relationship. My heart lept into my throat when Jim announced ‘I’m in love with you’ and Pam answered with ‘I can’t’. My hopes were dashed when Jim went to Stamford and a new voice in background answered the phone with ‘Dunder Mifflin, this is...’

Then Jim came back! But he had a Karen! I cried a little with Pam in the corridor and wanted to comfort her but Dwight got there first and talked about PMS. I felt pleasure in Karen’s misery when Jim admitted that he still loved Pam but booed loudly when Pam went home with Roy at Phyllis’ wedding. Then fancy new Beesley got up in front of the Office after walking over hot coals and admitted that she missed Jim. It was bye bye Karen, hello PB & J. The tears in Pam’s eyes when Jim asked her out to dinner were mirrored in mine.

I longed for my own Jim while Pam fell more in love with hers. A few fake-out proposals later and they got their perfect moment in the rain and Pam got a ring on her finger. Pam came back the wrong way to be with Jim and he bought her a house. Now they’re knocked up and proud and just had the wedding (or two) of the year. Getting married under Niagra Falls is an epic topper to an epic relationship.

Not only that, but this happened:

Love.

Posted By: Cat

The Network

Last weekend, I was in Edinburgh to take part in The Network, a scheme devised by the Media Guardian to sit alongside its International Television Festival. The scheme is aimed at young people eager to launch careers in the media, providing masterclasses, workshops and talks with people in the industry.

I can’t begin to explain how great this experience is. There is no way you would get an opportunity to meet and question such a wide range of media professionals in one place in any other forum. In four days, I have been to talks by MTV and BBC bosses, Q&A sessions with Russell Howard and a team of TV station high levels, had masterclasses with the hilarious Charlie Brooker and Inbetweeners writer Damon Beesley and stars of the show Simon Bird and James Buckley.

I had the opportunity to be part of a workshop team working with Sky Creative to devise a 360 digital media campaign for the Sky Arts show Songbook (one of our campaigns will actually be used by Sky). We were lucky enough to get to listen to the (now infamously controversial) McTaggert lecture by James Murdoch, attend the Television Channel of the Year awards hosted by Michael McIntyre, attended by media professionals and actors such as Dominic West (McNulty! McNulty from The Wire!), plus lots more. Not only all this, but all the while the Fringe Festival is taking over the city and any spare time we had could be spent seeking out quirky, hilarious, off kilter performances in the most random of venues.

The Network is free. You have to get yourself to Edinburgh, but from then on, food and accommodation is free and there’s even some free drink thrown in for good measure. You have to apply for the scheme by providing a short TV show pitch and other such questions, and from these applications (three thousand this year), they chose one hundred and fifty people to participate in the scheme. Its exclusive, but it’s amazing. If you have any interest in a career in television, or the media in general, you should get yourself on the Network.

Posted By: Cat

Inbetweeners

Four losers who just want to get laid – sound familiar? The Inbetweeners isn’t breaking new ground with its subject, but it is the funniest thing on television. And yes, I did just use italics to stress my point.

Will’s Mum can’t afford to send him to private school anymore, so off he goes to the local comprehensive. Here he meets Simon, Neil and Jay, three sixteen year old boys who you would never date and who you would never want to be friends with...well Jay at least.

Series one followed the boys on their random adventures which included losing a car door at Thorpe Park, hitting a disabled girl in the face with a Frisbee and trying to get laid at caravan club.

Season two comes to an end this week on e4 in the UK, and I’m gutted. How is my Thursday night between 10pm - 10.30pm going to be spent now? How can I cope without hearing Jay’s imaginative and never ending words for the female anatomy? Will Simon ever get Carly to sleep with him? Will I ever find out if Neil has a brain?

If you haven’t seen inbetweeners, try it, you’ll like it. Probably best to leave your moral integrity at the door though. 

Catch up with the show at e4.com

Posted By: Cat

Flight of the Conchords

New Zealand folk-rap-electro-rock duo Bret Mckenzie and Jemaine are 'The Conchords', although they bill themselves as: "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo a capella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo." Their HBO series follows the band as they try to make it big in New York with only their hapless manager Murray guiding their careers. Lone fan/stalker Mel provides an audience for the boys’ less than popular gigs.

This show is hilarious. Its second season is underway on HBO in the States and is to be shown on BBC3 here in the UK soon. Jermaine and Bret’s comedy is quirky and subtle but the highlight is Rhys Darby who plays Murray. He is hilarious. Try watching it without adopting a New Zealand accent and calling out ‘band meeting’.

Catch up with Flight of the Conchords:

Posted By: Cat

John Mayer being funny

CBS announced last month that they have optioned John Mayer to create and present a musical variety style show for them. The show will premiere sometime this year.

I have mixed views about this. I think that Mayer is fun-ny. Other people think that he’s an egomaniac, a douche, an attention whore.... I think he has a touch of all these things, but they are what make him witty. I’m worried though, the guy hasn’t made an album in almost three years and I’m bored to waiting while he gets distracted with one thing (read: woman) after another.

So in the spirit of Mayer’s comedy talent, and my anticipation and hope that his show doesn’t suck, here is a video that I like.

Makin' Music with John Mayer from John Mayer

Posted By: Cat

Gossip Girl

Hey Upper East Siders (and everyone else),

Word on the street is that Gossip Girl season two has been continuously freaking awesome. The impossibly beautiful cast have done a great job of wearing fabulous clothes, ignoring Taylor Momsen’s awful, awful hair and delivering first class soapy drama.

Honestly though, it’s Chuck and Blair (Bluck? Chair?) and their amazing chemistry that keeps us all watching. Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick continue to pull off emmy worthy performances each week leaving us asking, Dan and Serena who?

So thank you privileged Manhattan-ites for progressing when so many other shows fail and hit a sophomore slump. Gossip Girl is gripping, hilarious, emotional and awesome.

You know you love it,

xoxo

Gossip Girl season two started this month on ITV2 in the UK this week, and continues in the US on the CW. Catch up by buying season one here: Gossip Girl Season 1

Posted By: Cat

Holidays are coming

For years, I've measured the countdown to Christmas from when I first see this advert on televsion:

I saw it this week. It makes me feel all Christmassy [note: not a word] and excited.

Posted By: Cat

Entourage

I love Entourage. I also love this picture because it has the cast of Entourage and Kanye West. Anytime I can combine Kanye with anything is a good time to me.

Moving on...

Once upon a time I was a loyal Entourage viewer. This was when I was home from school on breaks, and my parents had not decided to forego the Direct TV package that had HBO in favor of some package that has every sports channel known to man. Why we need the Big Ten network is beyond me.

That being said, I've missed a few seasons, but this is why I love Netflix. I'm currently catching back up with the show, and while I've only gotten through Season 1, which I've seen like a billion times, this show never fails to deliver the laughs.

I don't think I could ever live in LA, but sometimes I wish I could act like Ari Gold. You know, funny, offensive one liners, (not that it is my goal in life to offend people), cool catch phrases and super cocky. I mean, I even have a shirt that says, "Let's hug it out". But I'm not, and I won't ever be, but whatever. A girl can dream.

Sure, Adrian Grenier is beyond amazingly goregous with his too good to be true blue eyes, and his amazing, amazing head of curly hair, but I think I really watch for Ari, Turtle and Drama. They make me laugh. I want to kick E off the show, because sometimes, to be quite honest, he pisses me off.

I think the season finale was last night, and Michael Phelps had like a 3 second cameo. I still don't have HBO at home, but the second I strike out on my own, that'll be the first thing I do.


Posted By: Nicci

Never Mind the Buzzcocks

This show has been running for years and I've been a casual viewer since I was allowed to stay up past 9pm (a whole two years now. Ba dum dum!). Now I'm hooked. For those not in the know, Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a music based panel quiz show with two teams who don't really care about the scores, or the questions, but instead, who can be funnier while answering them. It's shown on BBC2 in the UK.

In my humble opinion, the show has gotten better since Simon Amstell took over from Mark Lamarr. I don't care what they say, sarcastic = funny. I just watched this weeks episode and laughed so loud I could be heard throughout the house. That is not a common occurrence.

The show is funniest when an egotistical, self absorbed musician can't laugh at themselves and wears sunglasses the whole way through. Even better when they walk out and are replaced by an audience member a la Preston from the Ordinary Boys.

You can watch it online at BBC iplayer.

Posted By: Cat

Zach Gilford

What a cutie Zach Gilford is. He stole my heart playing reluctant quarterback Matt Saracen on the TV adaptation of the movie Friday Night Lights, shown on ITV4 for about three episodes in the UK before it was taken off the air (buy the boxset!).

Wikipedia tells me that Zach spends his summer hiatus from the show leading youth expeditions to places like Alaska and Hawaii. Not only does that show that he has no ego, but it makes me want to be an American youth so I can follow him up a volcano or something.  

Friday Night Lights is finally back for a third season showing exclusively on Direct TV. I for one cannot wait to see more hot, sweaty boys playing American Football.

Posted By: Cat

Fringe

Lost and X-Files got drunk, one thing led to another and this little bundle of joy appeared. It borrows heavily from the X-Files case load of paranormal happenings and unresolved sexual tension, along with the production scale of Lost, and it’s habit of providing more questions than answers.

The brain-child of JJ Abrams (creator of the aforementioned Lost), this show is part of Fox’s fall schedule and just got a full season order. The first episode is a feature length 90 minutes and sets us up with a plane landing itself at Boston's Logan Airport with everyone on board reduced to a pile of rotting flesh hanging off bones. Awesome! The rest of the episodes so far are an entertaining mix of spooky, crazy, witty and quite frankly idiotic writing. I love it. None of the science stuff really makes an ounce of sense, but it doesn’t matter, because you’re already hooked.

 

The cast includes the ever wonderful and cute Joshua Jackson who is basically Pacey Witter all grown up (with a few extra IQ points and having cut annoying Joey Potter free). His crazy daddy is a mad scientist who messed around with too much in the eighties and subsequently ended up in a mental hospital. Add in the flawless Olivia, FBI super agent and a few scary bald guys and you have yourself a hit!

Posted By: Cat

The Office

Britons don’t seem to have discovered The Office en-mass yet. Sure, we all know the ground breaking Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant original with goatee beard sporting, terrible dancer David Brent. But while we will flock to the cinema to see Steve Carrell’s movies, we seem hesitant to follow him to the small screen.

Perhaps we just don’t like it when someone does something we invented better than us (see: Cricket, Rugby and Football). Yes, I’m going out on a limb by saying that the American version of The Office is better than its predecessor. The writing is wittier, paying attention to the subtleties as well as the broader comedy moments. The ensemble cast allows for thorough back stories, quirks and great interaction.

Steve Carrell’s Michael Scott is a more sympathetic character than David Brent, but still a complete idiot. Jim and Pam are the heart of the show and the reason I love it so completely. Dwight...well there are no words for the genius of Rainn Wilson’s creation of Dwight Schrute. Who else on television can boast a family tree that merges Amish ancestors with Nazi war criminals?

I have introduced the people I love the most to The Office; my family, best friends, and boyfriends. They’ve all become converts. 'Thats what she said' is now an over-used phrase in our household.

The Office is out on dvd today, with season 5 starting later this month. Watch some, you'll see why its awesome.

Posted By: Cat

Long Way Round/Down

In 2004, Ewan McGregor and his best mate Charley Boorman decided to ride their motorbikes from London to New York, the long way round. The journey took them across Europe, into Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, back into Russia along the Road of Bones and then across to Alaska where they made it to New York by travelling through Canada and the US. Because they had such a great time, three years later they decided to ride from John O’Grotes (The UK’s northernmost point) down to Cape Agulhas (Africa’s southernmost tip).

There are books and DVD’s of their journeys which were life altering for both Ewan and Charley. I only just got into watching Long Way Down when it began repeating on TV few months ago, and brought Long Way Down on DVD soon after.

I can’t describe exactly why I love this idea so much. Best mates, on a journey of a lifetime (or two journeys), meeting amazing people. As they ride through some of the poorest places in Africa, the people they meet are astounding in their generosity. These people have nothing, they life off their land, yet they invite the boys in, not knowing Ewan McGregor is Obi Wan Kanobi or any of that superficial crap, and they share what they have with them. A lot of misconceptions I had about certain countries have been quashed by this programme.

It makes me want to buy a motorbike and take off. Too bad I hate motorbikes.

Posted By: Cat