Thursday 20 October 2011

TV

Joanna Lumley's Greek Odyssey
Episode 1 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

The Jury
Part 2 (of 6)
This is almost 10 years old now, which makes it an interesting one for considering how TV drama has changed in the last decade. In many respects, not much -- it doesn't feel as old as a 10-year-old drama felt as little as three or four years ago, I don't think. In terms of things like camerawork, acting, pace, and so on, I wouldn't be surprised if this was new. You wouldn't get that similarity if you compared a production from 1991 to one from 2001.
That said, there are chunks of the story you'd have to change if making it now. Take the juror who's spent two episodes searching for someone he used to know, for instance: never mind phoning round old friends and employers, now he'd get her in a few seconds on Facebook. But these a minor points (and there aren't many of them) compared to that general stylistic one.

Spy
1x01 Codename: Loser
An original comedy… on Sky?! Starring someone from (ugh) My Family?! Oh dear.
But no, not oh dear -- it's actually really good. Because to say Robert Lindsay is "from My Family" is to underrate him; and it actually stars Darren Boyd, who's had supporting roles in all kinds of things for ages and deserves a lead role; and there's The One You Remember From Horrible Histories to provide some able support. Super.

Articles

Akira? A caricature, more like by Ben Child
(from Film Blog at the Guardian)
On why the US remake of Akira is a bad idea. It's not a fundamentally impossible proposition, but the way they're going about it -- with a hack director and Z-list cast -- is what will kill it.

Cool Tintin Concept Art by Helen O'Hara
(from Empire)
What it says on the tin.