On the Box:12 TV shows to put on your radar

There are a lot of new shows available at the moment, but just because something is new doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worth wasting 30 precious minutes of your time. I realize the ones I select won’t be to every-one’s taste, but seeing as I have penchant for streaming niche US shows, at least your attention will be drawn to a wider variety. I tend to favour eclectic, eccentric shows, that are clever, insightful, and if there’s a little bit of fantasy in there as well, so much the better.

The new ones:

These have either just been released in the UK, or are on Season 1 in the USA.

Glee

A high school show based around musical numbers may sound like your idea of hell, but let me explain! This is no soppy High School Musical spin off, it’s a cynical satirical look at a high school Glee club, complete with bumbling energetic teacher and OCD therapist. It’s sharp, smart and witty, and yes, there is some singing and dancing. Enjoy watching stereotypes disintegrate (the chaste cheerleader becomes pregnant and plans to sell the baby) and they even have Joss Whedon on board to direct an episode. Yes, the WHEDON man, creator of Dollhouse and Buffy. The cheerleaders are called the ‘Cheerios’, there’s a fabulous gay kid, and somehow the show manages to really hit home with tangible points. Should be coming to the UK soon, but the first 5 episodes or so are available online *cough*. Read more…

Tags: Being Erica, Burn Notice, Dexter, Dollhouse, Flash Forward, Glee, Gossip Girl, Greek, Hung, Joss Whedon, Mad men, My name is earl, New TV shows, True Blood

Ten Embarrassing childhood crushes that used to adorn my bedroom walls

We all have some embarrassing skeletons from our childhood, and the ones that used to be plastered all over our walls are a good reminder of how far we’ve come. Here are the childhood crushes that make me blush- feel free to share yours!

Number 1: Zack Morris a.k.a Mark-Paul Gosselaar

Zack Morris was my reason to get up early every Sunday morning. His goofy smile, gorgeous blonde locks and cute quiff made Saved by the Bell a riveting watch, and I grew up wishing I could be Kelly so I could take him in my arms. I could forgive him anything, even his rather stupid name, and the fact that his acting skills never quite matched up to the perfection of his face. At 35 he’s now kinda off the radar, but I’ll always have a soft spot for him.. and that great theme tune! Read more…

Guilty pleasures: Paris Hilton’s British Best Friend TV show

There’ s something about trailer trash TV that makes it incredibly appealing . No matter how much you argue abut the social consciousness portrayed in shows like Big Brother caters to the lowest common denominator, essentially your highly laudable  existential debates just relate to pandering your own ego and placing your voyeurism in a socially acceptable context. Forget your high ideals and pretend aspirations on social commentary, essentially you’re just getting cheap thrills  at celebrities revealing lumps and bumps,  vacuous backstabbing and hair extension chaos. I’m sure at some point you’ve expressed that you only watch shows of this nature  to understand the celebrity culture that we live in, but do you really believe that?

Of course not! You get home at the end of the day and want to switch off and there’s nothing better than some mind numbing vacuous show that lets you feel morally superior whilst wondering how on earth a programme like this got commissioned.  Paris Hilton’s BBF is the worst kind of TV as it’s not particularly entertaining, will have no real winner, and any kind of unity within the group is ruined by the fact that every week they have to say why each other should leave. Read more…

Tags: British Best Friend, Paris Hilton