Television Review | The Cutprice Guignol

February 21, 2017

On Breaking Bad, The Second Time Around

You’ve probably seen Breaking Bad by now. I mean, you are a person, with eyes, and a face, and an internet connection, and at least a passing interest in TV. If you’ve somehow avoided the avalanche of hype that surrounded this show in the eight years since it’s first season aired, welcome back from that enormous rock you were presumably trapped under. I certainly watched it, and loved it, like everyone else. But I always had this nagging feeling that perhaps I’d been swept along on the unstoppable Breaking Hype Express, that it wouldn’t look so good outside of the hysterical enthusiasm that everyone (myself included) seemed to buy into. When we rewatched the series four years after it finished early this month, I was prepared to be at least a little bit let down by what is, by popular agreement, one of the best TV shows ever made. So, how does Breaking Bad stand up outside the buzz?

Read the rest of this entry »

3 Comments

February 9, 2017

Legion, Or, The Problem With Premieres

I noticed that in the last few months this blog hasn’t had nearly enough non-recappy TV stuff on it. And since TV, like prawn cocktail crisps, is my first and true love, let’s talk about it some more! Mostly, let’s talk about Legion, and the problem of premieres as dazzling as this one.

legion-dan-stevens-aubrey-plaza

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

February 7, 2017

Riverdale, or In Defense of Trash TV

I love trash TV.

I love trash TV so much that, when my boyfriend and I finished watching this first episode of Riverdale, I turned to him and said “well, I loved it, but then I guess I like trashier stuff,” and he gave me a look that was the very epitome of “well, duh.” I have been criticised in the past for following every compliment of a show I love with “…but it’s a bit shite.” I have seen every show Ryan Murphy has released in the last few years. Every. Single. One. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I love prestige television as well, but I have this sick, twisted desire to subject myself to TV with a heavy streak of sticky, seductive bullshit through it’s core. Life is a bit shit- TV should be too. That’s my justification, anyway.

riverdale-header3

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

January 16, 2017

Sherlock Review: The Final Problem

Right. Okay. One last time. Let’s do this thing!

We don’t know whether or not The Final Problem will be the, uh, final problem, but the season four closer really felt like an ending. And if it was, Sherlock died (mostly) as it lived- pretentious, overblown, and, despite it all, a little bit compelling.

sherlockfinal-xlarge_trans_nvbqzqnjv4bqnuhzxaamnmhdqk-ykswrz2o-ymlyyqukcawpydow254

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

January 13, 2017

Review: A (First) Series of Unfortunate Events

You know, in some ways, I’m quite disappointing. Because the fact the Netflix’s new Series of Unfortunate Events adaptation is nigh-on perfect, I don’t get to write a gloomy review a la Lemony Snicket’s classic series.

a-series-of-unfortunate-events-review-netflix-story_1484209888492

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

January 3, 2017

Sherlock Review: The Six Thatchers

Happy new year! Sherlock was terrible.

Sherlock, as I have articulated a couple of times before, is not my favourite show on TV. In fact, I’d go as far to wager that it’s one of the shittest, most overrated shows of the last ten years. Well, in the last few seasons, at least- what started out as a slick adaptation of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories turned into a teeth-grindingly smug exercise of Martin Freeman yelling “we’re not gay!”. Last year’s Christmas special, The Abominable Bride, was one of the most strikingly misguided episodes of a high-profile, critically acclaimed TV show I’d ever seen- so, in my masochistic mind palace, I found myself looking forward to what unmissably bad delights Sherlock would cook up for us this time around with season four premier The Six Thatchers.

the_cast_of_sherlock_on_filming_that_heartbreaking_closing_scene_in_the_six_thatchers

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

December 11, 2016

The Crown: A Pleb’s Review

As you’ve probably noticed by now, Netflix recently released a new show to add to it’s enormous roster; The Crown. The most expensive show the streaming service has backed to date, it promised to tell the story of British history from the nineteen-forties onward, all filtered through the eyes of the royal family and, particularly, Queen Elizabeth II. Trailers promised money-shitting lavishness, sweeping drama, quality acting, and more British history than you can shake a stick at. Even if they did cast an American as Winston Churchill. Whatever- the reviews came rolling in, and they were phenomenal, praising the cast, the direction, the writing, every little aspect they could get their grabby little pleb hands on.

the-crown-matt-smith-claire-foy

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

December 3, 2016

Vikings: Season Four So Far (And What’s Yet to Come)

So, my apologies for the delay between blog posts- it was my birthday on Sunday, and, despite having very little planned, I ended up doing a lot more and seeing many more people than I had initially intended. Then I was down in London for two days, and then I had to spend quality catch-up time with the cat on my return, etc, etc.

Excuses aside, it’s time to talk about a show that I’ve been aggressively ramming down your throats for the last two years: Vikings. Yes, in case you weren’t already tired of me twatting myself silly over Travis Fimmel’s amazing lead performance as Ragnar or the show’s killer fight scenes or what have you, it’s time to talk about the second-best historical show on TV (yo, what’s up, my fellow Outlander fans?).

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

November 21, 2016

Why is The Walking Dead Shit Now?

Yeah, yeah, so I rag on The Walking Dead a lot. Get over it, fangirl/boy. This is it: my Magnum Opus, the article I’ve had brewing in me (and no doubt written over the course of many drunken rants round at my friend Ellie’s house, sorry Ellie) since halfway through season four of this godforsaken show: why, and how, The Walking Dead became one of the biggest and most disappointing shows on television.

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

August 30, 2016

So, Who Died in The Walking Dead?

Yes, this question, the very same one I address Twitter after every episode of everyone’s favourite zombie-exterminating TV show, carries a particular relevance after the last episode of season six. And, for no particular reason other than the fact I was reason a hilarious article about what NBC originally wanted The Walking Dead to be, I think it’s time to talk about the cliffhanger that I liked and everyone else wanted to feed to the Governor’s zombie daughter- who Negan killed at the end of season six.

the-walking-dead-negan-jeffrey-dean-morgan-last-day-on-earth

Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a comment

Category: Television Review