Two thousand and heaven

I’m currently working through this year’s Off The Telly review of the year. The piece is a collaborative effort, so not all the opinions espoused therein are mine. That being the case I thought it might be a bit of fun to post here a list of my entirely own favourite programmes from 2007 – feel free to add yours to the following: Read more

To the Manor Born

“We’re hearing far too many foreign voices around here,” opined Audrey DeVere, née fforbes-Hamilton. Much of a sentiment for Christmas Day? Probably not. Read more

Doctor Who

If ever an episode of Doctor Who was designed for a specific space and time, this was it. Read more

Right to reply

Well, Merry Christmas everyone. Read more

The advent frown

Everyone must have a piece of Christmas television that’s become a tradition in their house - The Snowman, The Queen, Top of the Pops. For me, it’s always been the Christmas edition of Blue Peter. Read more

Brushing® up a classic

So it is all true. This, from PR firm Henry’s House … Read more

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Anyone in need of a sappy Christmas would have turned away from the last episode of this series blinking not from tears, but disbelief. Read more

“Is it true you’re bringing back the Master?”

‘The Voyage of the Damned’, then. Lots of fun, not the most cerebral slice of Who ever, but terribly exciting, and with one real groaner they could only get away with on Christmas Day. That’s what I reckoned, anyway.  Read more

Name that Who-ne

Ouch, that’s a shocking pun. Sorry everyone. Read more

“You’ve just eaten the baby Jesus!”

Apropos the time of year, five of television’s greatest ever Christmas episodes: Read more

The Liverpool Nativity

The Liverpool Nativity was rather better than anyone expected. In the run up, cynical writing and comment abounded with some questioning the casting – any scouser with an equity card – and the setting, which could potentially have led to another airing of the usual stereotypes Read more

“All them programmes is recorded in August!”

Broadcasters have been ripping off millions of viewers through phone-ins. The Controller of BBC1 was forced to resign over media pressure. Thousands of viewers risk being disenfranchised by digital switchover. And what’s Liberal Democrat broadcasting spokesman Don Foster doing? Counting up all the repeats on Christmas telly again. Read more

Great to be back, so it is!

Jim McDonald’s return to Coronation Street has been long overdue, and for once I’m actually not speculating nor pondering the plotlines ahead for Charles Lawson, though one can imagine that something isn’t quite going to go to plan when Liz and Vernon (a fantastic character) tie the knot in two weeks. I’m just glad the ex-con, ex-Army patriarch with the temper from hell is back. Read more

Be seeing you

Lark Rise to Candleford is a splendid period drama, which will be livening up Sunday nights on BBC1 from mid-January. And I’m just back from the press launch at London’s Soho Hotel. Read more

That happy day

The Extras Christmas special (most probably the last ever episode of the series) is on BBC1 Thursday, December 27. Read more

Review of the Year time

So with 2007 winding to a close with Manors Reborn and Doctor Whos preparing to disembark TARDISes, the time has come to solicit contributions for this year’s OTT Review of the Year. Read more

Heroes

It’s been a while since I’ve been this apprehensive about the broadcast of the finale to a US import – and it’s been a while since a series has been trailed by this much critical acclaim from professionals and bloggers, professional bloggers and people with access to broadband saying in unison, “Great series, shame about the ending”. Read more

“I’ll just wank off Ianto”

Those words spoken, of course, by John Barrowman at this morning’s press launch for series two of Torchwood (TX-ing from mid January on BBC2). This was as he sat down next to Gareth David-Lloyd in the screening room. The first actual words spoken in the second series, though? Oh, go on then – “‘Scuse me, have you seen a blowfish driving a sports car?” Read more