Wednesday
Apr202011
Vampires, 1950's New York, and some detective work thrown in: It's TV Time.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 10:20PM
Most of the time, I don't really like watching TV. It's full of junk like terrible reality shows, shocking game shows, and irritable day time talk show hosts. Not having a TV really didn't bother me while I was at uni in the UK, or for the early part of the year here in the US.
In both the UK and the US, turning on live TV is usually just distracting. Hundreds and hundreds of channels, and there is just nothing I really want to watch. When I do find something, it's usually so bogged down with advertisements that it just isn't worth sitting through. At least in the UK I can watch some decent news on TV; here in America, that's generally not an easy thing to find.
Of course, I am generalizing here, and taking some liberties with the truth. For there are actually a number of high quality TV shows I enjoy, on both sides of the pond. (I probably do watch more US, than UK made shows, but do not ask me to compare or pick one over the other- the BBC has some fantastic programmes- perhaps a blogpost for another time.)
Thanks to the internet and websites like Hulu and Netflix- as well as these new found discs called DVDs- I'm able to watch almost all of those favourite shows whenever I want- and without the commercials. Better yet, I do not have to worry about the show clashing with something important.
I do have to make time with Nicole's hectic homework schedule though.
Recently, we have been watching three very distinct, completely contrasting TV shows, all of which have been very entertaining: True Blood, Mad Men, and Sherlock.
True Blood was first on my watching list, recommended to me by Nicole and my Mum. Though it has been described by some as "soft porn", it is actually a very engaging tale with an interesting spin on the ages old vampire myth. It also has a killer theme tune. You see the way True Blood is set-up, there is a reason why the myth of vampires continually reoccurs throughout the ages; they are real, but live in secret, with their own underground society. Yet in the tolerant, accepting, modern twenty first century, vampire leaders have finally decided the time is right to come out into the open.
The series revolves around a small town in the Deep South- Bon Temp, Louisiana- coming to terms with the reality of vampires , drawing parallels with the treatment of African Americans in the mid twentieth century. The story is very outlandish at times, but the actors all do great jobs with their characters, and it is really pretty hilarious at times. And it does get a little intense too. I particularly love the dumb nature of Jason Stackhouse.
As we finished season two of True Blood, and since the third season isn't available on DVD until next month, we have reverted back to watching episodes of Mad Men. This is another TV show which has been around for a few years now, detailing the everyday lives of the Madison Avenue Advertising men in the 1960s. I heard lots of good things about it, mostly from people I know are huge fans of the West Wing (one of the the best TV shows ever made). So, after I was advised to watch Mad Men to help get into character for the short film I did, we finally rented it from the library and sat down to watch.
Mad Men couldn't be more different from True Blood. It's pride is in the authenticity of its show, and its accuracy to history. And it's pace is a far cry from the high speed at which Sookie races through life. I'll admit that it took us a little while to get into, but once you sit through the first two episodes are so, you're hooked. Mainly just to see if these characters are actually for real.
You see for the longest time I really didn't like a single character on the show. All the guys are obnoxious, sexist ***holes, and the women are pathetically ditsy. But then you start to see some redeeming qualities, only to have them shattered by inherent flaws with these people. It really makes you wonder what it was like to live in 1960's Manhattan.
I think Mad Men's greatest quality is its subtlety. So many things are hinted at and alluded to, but nothing is ever made clear. It really does make for addictive watching. It has the strangest endings though; no cliffhangers here, just poignant moments. I do however love the different music they choose to play at the end of each episode.
Finally, there is Sherlock, a show made in good old Blighty by the good old BBC. So far there are only three episodes, but they are each "double episodes", an hour and a half long. As the name might suggest, they tell the story of Sherlock Holmes, only it isn't Baker Street in the 1800s. This miniseries re-imagines Sherlock for the twenty-first century, and they do a great job at it. Benedict Cumberbatch is outstanding as Holmes, really nailing the eccentricity of the character. Watson is also a great match,and the two make for entertaining watching. The stories are well written by two great British writers (who also write a lot of Doctor Who), and I am looking forward to the full length series which is in the works.
Thankfully, they should all provide many more hours of happy viewing, all with new seasons on the way. At least three separate shows to go at. Good job they are separate- I am not sure how well the Mad Men team could a create an ad campaign for Tru Blood, or how Sherlock would go about investigating vampire disappearances!
In both the UK and the US, turning on live TV is usually just distracting. Hundreds and hundreds of channels, and there is just nothing I really want to watch. When I do find something, it's usually so bogged down with advertisements that it just isn't worth sitting through. At least in the UK I can watch some decent news on TV; here in America, that's generally not an easy thing to find.
Of course, I am generalizing here, and taking some liberties with the truth. For there are actually a number of high quality TV shows I enjoy, on both sides of the pond. (I probably do watch more US, than UK made shows, but do not ask me to compare or pick one over the other- the BBC has some fantastic programmes- perhaps a blogpost for another time.)
Thanks to the internet and websites like Hulu and Netflix- as well as these new found discs called DVDs- I'm able to watch almost all of those favourite shows whenever I want- and without the commercials. Better yet, I do not have to worry about the show clashing with something important.
I do have to make time with Nicole's hectic homework schedule though.
Recently, we have been watching three very distinct, completely contrasting TV shows, all of which have been very entertaining: True Blood, Mad Men, and Sherlock.
True Blood was first on my watching list, recommended to me by Nicole and my Mum. Though it has been described by some as "soft porn", it is actually a very engaging tale with an interesting spin on the ages old vampire myth. It also has a killer theme tune. You see the way True Blood is set-up, there is a reason why the myth of vampires continually reoccurs throughout the ages; they are real, but live in secret, with their own underground society. Yet in the tolerant, accepting, modern twenty first century, vampire leaders have finally decided the time is right to come out into the open.
The series revolves around a small town in the Deep South- Bon Temp, Louisiana- coming to terms with the reality of vampires , drawing parallels with the treatment of African Americans in the mid twentieth century. The story is very outlandish at times, but the actors all do great jobs with their characters, and it is really pretty hilarious at times. And it does get a little intense too. I particularly love the dumb nature of Jason Stackhouse.
As we finished season two of True Blood, and since the third season isn't available on DVD until next month, we have reverted back to watching episodes of Mad Men. This is another TV show which has been around for a few years now, detailing the everyday lives of the Madison Avenue Advertising men in the 1960s. I heard lots of good things about it, mostly from people I know are huge fans of the West Wing (one of the the best TV shows ever made). So, after I was advised to watch Mad Men to help get into character for the short film I did, we finally rented it from the library and sat down to watch.
Mad Men couldn't be more different from True Blood. It's pride is in the authenticity of its show, and its accuracy to history. And it's pace is a far cry from the high speed at which Sookie races through life. I'll admit that it took us a little while to get into, but once you sit through the first two episodes are so, you're hooked. Mainly just to see if these characters are actually for real.
You see for the longest time I really didn't like a single character on the show. All the guys are obnoxious, sexist ***holes, and the women are pathetically ditsy. But then you start to see some redeeming qualities, only to have them shattered by inherent flaws with these people. It really makes you wonder what it was like to live in 1960's Manhattan.
I think Mad Men's greatest quality is its subtlety. So many things are hinted at and alluded to, but nothing is ever made clear. It really does make for addictive watching. It has the strangest endings though; no cliffhangers here, just poignant moments. I do however love the different music they choose to play at the end of each episode.
Finally, there is Sherlock, a show made in good old Blighty by the good old BBC. So far there are only three episodes, but they are each "double episodes", an hour and a half long. As the name might suggest, they tell the story of Sherlock Holmes, only it isn't Baker Street in the 1800s. This miniseries re-imagines Sherlock for the twenty-first century, and they do a great job at it. Benedict Cumberbatch is outstanding as Holmes, really nailing the eccentricity of the character. Watson is also a great match,and the two make for entertaining watching. The stories are well written by two great British writers (who also write a lot of Doctor Who), and I am looking forward to the full length series which is in the works.
Thankfully, they should all provide many more hours of happy viewing, all with new seasons on the way. At least three separate shows to go at. Good job they are separate- I am not sure how well the Mad Men team could a create an ad campaign for Tru Blood, or how Sherlock would go about investigating vampire disappearances!
Reader Comments (2)
It seems that the advertisers have already latched on to True Blood, the Mad Men would be proud but I don't think that Sherlock would be impressed !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoK7OEW5-lI
This orange, blood flavoured drink is supposed to be available in the US, perhaps you can try some.
I have just discovered that you can by this on Amazon but it is very expensive !