Saturday, September 29th, 2007
07:50 Big Shots
08:40 Dirty Sexy Money
09:20 Moonlight
10:10 October Road
11:00 Babylon 5
11:50 Corner Gas
Big Shots. Episode 1. Light-hearted drama about four male friends who are very successful in the world of business, but totally at the mercy of the women in their lives. One is caught beween his wife and mistress, one is caught between a grown daughter, an ex-wife he still loves/wants, a reporter out to ruin him, and a she-male he had an "encounter" with. One finds out that his wife was cheating with his boss, and he has a female co-worker might might take his job, or might just get him into bed. And, finally, there's a running around like crazy to please his unseen wife. Hmmm. I'm not sure what to make of this. It's light cheerful nonsense, but it's far from being laugh-out-loud funny. It may, or may not, have something to say about the state of the sexes today. I can say that it has a great cast, and all four guys are great fun to watch. But, at this writing, I'm not sure I'll watch it again. (If I don't, then the one thing I'll remember is Jessica Collins, who I've always been a fan of. But I've never seen her looking so amazing.)
Dirty Sexy Money. Episode 1. A very similar type of show to Big Shots, but with a tad more bite. This one revolves around a lawyer who has to work with a rich and somewhat eccentric family. He spends his time sorting out their OTT problems, and one of their sub-plots is the exact same as one featured in Big Shots. Hmmm. I'm not sure what to make of this either. It's got a great cast, and some of the characters are interesting enough to make me want to see what happens next. (But, if I don't, the one thing I will remember is Glenn Fitzgerald as a very agressive Reverend. Hilarious.)
Moonlight. Episode 1. Have we reached a stage yet, I wonder, where most of the vampires in television fiction are heroic detectives? Let's see: there's Nick Knight, Vachon, Angel, Henry Fitzroy and Julian Luna (who I don't think solved crimes, but was still heroic). The novelty of having a vampire as good guy diminishes somewhat when you consider that there are hundreds of nice vampires running around TV. Well... six, if you add Mick St. John to add to the list. Mick is exactly the same as the others. And the show is... exactly the same as the others. Forever Knight was the first and best, Blood Ties has already made it's mark as the 2007 version, so I'm not sure we need Moonlight. (If I don't watch it again, the one thing I will do is dig out my Forever Knight tapes and watch some of the best episodes again.)
October Road. Episode 1. Finally, after an evening of new TV shows, one that I fell in love with. Instantly. It's about a writer to returns to his hometown and the people he screwed in a famous book. He meets all his male friends (including the one who can't forgive him) and he meets the woman he loved and lost (who now has a son, the exact same age as the time he was away. Hmmm.). There's nothing in this show I haven't seen before, but I really liked it and I want to see what happens next. Can't say that about any other pilot this evening.
Babylon 5. Voices In The Dark. Babylon 5 was a sci-fi series that ran from 93 to 98 and - rather than doing a big reunion type of thing - this project seems to be an attempt to create 'mini' adventures that are like lost episodes, and put them out on DVD. Dirt cheap. Or something. Taken as such, then the project is a great success. The first story here features only three characters. Only one of whom was a show regular (during the final TV season), the other two being a priest and a man possessed by a demon. There is a strong story, almost no action and a lot of talk. But, thanks to the strong hand of the writer, and great acting from all three actors, it totally feels like a new episode of the show. I'm hooked. And I loved this.
Corner Gas. Season 3, Episode 19. The last episode of the season is one of the best. There is an abundance of one-liners, the usual criss-crossing of plot-lines and a wonderful final scene were all the regulars appear together at the same time. Oscar, my favourite character, is central to the episode as he: (a) loses sunglasses that then find their way to various other characters, and (b) strives to buy a suitable anniversary present for his wife Emma, who terrifies him. Some of the funniest lines make no sense out of context, but suffice to say I'll be laughing about about the idea of a "deaf monkey" for months to come.
Highlight? Having a new, and very good, Babylon 5 to watch.
Big Shots, Dirty Sexy Money, Moonlight, October Road, Babylon 5, Corner Gas
