Episodes

Episodes is the story of two English writers, Beverley (Tamsin Greig) and Sean Lincoln (Stephen Mangan), who move to Hollywood to remake their hit UK TV series. 

Having won an award in the UK for their series they are approached at the after show party and offered a lucrative deal to remake it in the US. Sean can't wait but Beverley is reluctant to move.

They arrive in Hollywood and it seems that the studio can't do enough for them but when Matt LeBlanc is cast in the lead role they realise that they have little or no control over their programme. Things between Beverley and Sean deteriorate as he embraces the lifestyle and becomes friends with Matt LeBlanc (who insists his character should be more like Joey from Friends).

There were seven episodes and it ended last night with the studio commissioning the series.  Hopefully this means that there will be another series of Episodes itself.

This has been a great series.  Mangan and Greig have a chemistry that comes over on screen and their Englishness is the perfect contrast to the over exagerated characters of Matt LeBlanc and John Pankow (Studio Executive Merc Lapidus).  For once an Anglo American comedy that works!

Fire In Cairo

Last night I watched the protests in Egypt (along with a TV audience of millions).  The January 25th movement seemed to have achieved their goal.  A speech by President Mubarak was expected to be his last, in which he would say he would stand down. 

As the crowds in Tahrir Square waited the rest of the world watched.  Twitter was alive with rumours that he was about to step aside.  Eventually Mubarak appeared on state TV. As he spoke it became clear he wasn't going to go.  He would stay until fair and open elections could be held. It seems that he had been set to go but then changed his mind.

Today, the crowds are still there (their 18th day) and it looks like there will be further blood shed (300 dead since the protests began).  Mubarak has been in power for 30 years but the people have had enough. Unemployment and poverty seem to have been the catalyst. Western leaders talk of democracy but behind the scenes are worried as Mubarak has kept Egypt stable. 

In the late 80s and early 90s there was a growing sense of change.  In the space of a couple of years we had the 1st Gulf War. The end of apartheid  which saw Mandela released after 25 years in jail. The fall of the Berlin Wall and, here in England, rioting on the streets helped see an end to the Poll Tax and with it Margaret Thatcher.  As events unfolded last night I felt that same sense of change in the air. This time the war is in Afghanistan and regime change in Egypt and Tunisia. At a time when there is unrest amongst the British public over government spending cuts it could be a very interesting couple of years indeed.

The Week So Far

It's been a quiet week with not much to report.  As the temperature outside drops my motivation to get out and about falls with it and so it has been a succession of cosy nights in in front of the TV.

Last night saw the launch of 10 O Clock live,  Channel 4's new topical satire programme.  Scheduled to go up against Question Time and Newsnight the show is a satirical look at the week's news. 

Jimmy Carr, David Mitchell and Charlie Brooker provide the comedy aspect and Lauren Laverne adds the glamour. 

After Lauren Laverne opened the show Jimmy Carr delivered a monologue about Alan Johnson who had resigned from the Shadow Cabinet earlier in the day. So far so good.

As the show progressed it seemed that a lot of the material could have been written weeks in advance and although the topics are still relevant (Banker's bonuses, Sarah Palin and so on) it sort of lost the cutting edge feel.

The highlight for me was most definitely David Mitchell's interview with David Willetts (Higher Education Minister) on the subject of tuition fees.  He was spot on in his questioning and it made you wonder how lesser MPs will fair against him.

The hour passed quickly and although the show wasn't perfect it was a good first effort.

Promises and Lies

So the Conservative / Lib Dem coalition government voted to raise tuition fees as expected and also to be expected was the reaction of the student protesters in Parliament Square. 

This was the fourth demonstration against the rise in tuition fees, all of which have resulted in some disorder. This is to be expected as the politicians sit in their ivory towers putting their careers and big business in front of their constituents.  The protesters have no voice and are frustrated.  Heavy handed police tactics just serve to inflame the situation.  Yesterday was a good example of this. Students were told to leave Parliament Square via a certain route. As they did so the police blocked their path. Obviously this heightened the students anger and as they tried to break through the mounted police charged into them. 

Don't get me wrong, I understand the police have a job to do but having done many demos over the years (and having spoken to a Met Officer at a party a couple of years back) I know they like nothing more than a good punch up themselves.

Yesterday's violence was not the worst I have seen but the fact they managed to attack Prince Charles and Camilla's car as they travelled to the Royal Variety Show has meant that the story has gone around the world. Not only is this embarrassing for the government but also for the police as well.

So as the coalition government trot out the same tierd rhetoric about the need for cuts and tough decisions the younger generation have been deprived of higher education.  Made all the worse by the Liberal Democrats who signed a pledge prior to the election saying they would oppose any rise in fees. Now they have had a whiff of power they have back tracked and 21 Liberal Democrats voted for the rise.  So much for principals and so much for election promises.  People have been disaffected with politics for some time, that is why they turned to the Lib Dems.  It turns out they are even bigger liars than the other two parties.

There are a couple of silver linings.  Firstly, it is good to see our students out on the streets protesting about something they believe in.  Apathy has reigned for too long.  Secondly, once this short coalition is over Nick Clegg's political career will be washed up and the Lib Dems a spent political force for at least a generation.

I bumped into a mate not long ago.  He was handing out leaflets against job cuts in the public sector. As we chatted I noticed he was wearing a badge that said "I Still Hate Thatcher".  People don't forget and although I would never compare Nick Clegg to her, so far he will be remembered for being a liar and for selling out the party and his voters for his 15 minutes of fame.

I haven't demonstrated for years but watching yesterday's TV coverage of the protest and watching the debate in parliament perhaps it's time I stood up to be counted once again.

The Trip

The Trip, BBC2's Monday night comedy written by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon came to an end on Monday night but as I was out I only got round to seeing it last night. 

Playing themselves (or versions of themselves) they embark upon a culinary road trip and over the course of six meals at six different restaurants in and around the Lake District, Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales, they find themselves debating the big questions of life, such as how did I get to be here and where do I go next, over a series of culinary delights.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Cock and Bull Story, Welcome To Sarajevo and 9 Songs) the programme is visually stunning, informative and very funny.

Apparently it is being released as a film in the New Year but as a series I've really enjoyed it and hope there is more to come in the future.

That Was England

Last night I watched the final episode of This Is England.  I had been really looking forward to the series and even raved about the first episode on this blog.  However, by the second episode I started to feel as if I was missing something.The back drop, clothes, music and characters are all perfect but it just fell a little flat.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but it seemed the storyline had run out of steam and at times the acting seemed wooden.  It's a shame because when the cast are on form it's great. Last night's episode  proved that, particularly the scenes with Woody and Milky. 

World Cup 86 provides the back drop and the series ends with Maradonna's "Hand of God" goal. Combo's return was neatly tied up but how and why he stumbled into Shaun's house in the first place is still a mystery. It seems that Shaun and Smell are together and Woody and Lol are back on track.

Shane Meadows has said that if there are to be any more then it will be done at 4 year intervals. Despite my criticism it was good to have the gang back on the screen and for that I say "Roll on Italia '90".

A Quiet Night In

Having spent the previous four nights watching bands last night was a quiet night in front of the TV.  First we had the football and then what the continuity announcer said was "one of the must see TV events of the year" This Is England 86.

England's Euro2012 qualifying campaign is off to a good start.  Two wins out of two and top of the group.  I missed their opening match against Bulgaria as I was at Moseley but last night I sat down to watch them beat Switzerland 3-1.

A strong England performance with Wayne Rooney, Adam Johnson and Darren Bent (his first goal for England) on the score sheet.

Theo Walcott was injured in the move that lead to the first goal and had to be taken to hospital. Jermaine Defoe was also stretchered off as the game went on.

With England in the driving seat at 2-0 and Switzerland down to 10 men, after Lichtsteiner was sent off for a second bookable offence, a fantastic strike by Shaqiri gave Switzerland a fighting chance before Darren Bent sealed England's victory.

A good England performance but nothing more than what we should expect given the opposition. 

After a short break it was time to settle down for This Is England 86.  The new Channel 4 mini series that reintroduces us to the characters of the 2006 film This Is England.

If you've not seen the original film it centres around a young lad called Shaun who falls in with a group of skinheads.  When an older skinhead, Combo, returns following a prison sentence he takes Shaun under his wing.  Combo is a racist and eventually attacks the only black skinhead in the group. Shaun becomes disillusioned with Combo and walks away from the group following the attack.

It is here where last night started.  The series catches up with Shaun and the group 3 years later.  The first episode was mainly an introduction of the characters with Shaun running into his former friends and girlfriend following a trip to the hospital.

The show is what I would expect from Shane Meadows. The bleak Yorkshire landscape, the clothes and the music all blend to give a great snapshot of life in the mid 80s.

The hour flew by and the disappointment of having to wait a whole week before the next episode is something I haven't felt  for a long time.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable night in.

Bye Bye BB

So, Big Brother 11 has ended. Josie came out on top beating the likes of Dave, JJ, Andrew and Mario to first place.  She has now re entered the house for Ultimate Big Brother, battling to be the best BB contestant of all time and is up against the likes of Ulrika Johnson, John McCririck and former contestants like Makosi and Nikki Grahame.

It's been an odd final series and seemed to have a lot more outsider contact than previous years. Proof, I suppose, that it is running out of steam.

I won't know whether or not I'll miss it until next summer. To be honest, I probably won't but it was fun while it lasted.

Half Year Report

So as July arrives and June is confined to history it's time to look back on the first 6 months of 2010.

The weather over the last couple of months has been lovely and so I have spent a lot of time outdoors. Some things I've already written about, but prior to starting the blog I've had some lovely days out with Clare. We have been to Warwick quite a bit and on one occasion did the Castle. Thoroughly enjoyed it too, despite my fear of heights on the ramparts. We have also been to Dudley Zoo and Castle. I'd not been there since I was a child and again had a great day out. A day out at Whixall Moses with friends, wandering the streets of Cheltenham, or just spending time in the park or on the canal tow path. I've enjoyed it all

A day at Packwood House which was spoilt by over zealous staff who seemed to think we could not be trusted to be left alone in a room.  Despite paying to get in and then being the only ones on the guided tour, and obviously showing an interest, they seemed to think we had bad intentions.  It's a shame as the house and gardens are lovely but I was made to feel as if I shouldn't be there.

Outings to Warwick consisted of going to the market, stocking up on food (bread, cheese, fruit etc.) and then eating it by the river.  On one occasion we went with friends and, following the food, we hired a rowing boat which I nearly capsized.  My oar missed a stroke and I fell off my seat. This started the boat rocking and at one point the side of the boat was actually level with the water.  After we had spent time on the river we climbed St Mary's Tower. The highest building in Warwick. This was against the Church Warden's advice as one of our friends was 9 months pregnant at the time. 

A trip to the NEC for an antiques fayre.  Luckily somebody gave us free tickets as would have been extremely upset if we had paid the 12 pound admission price.  The flyer said something for everyone. What it should have said was something for everyone with over 500 pounds to spend!  Despite my lack of wealth I did quite enjoy it.

A disappointing day at Birmingham Mac's opening weekend. Lot's of people milling about but ultimately not much to do. The building itself is OK but I was a bit underwhelmed. For 15 million pounds I'd hoped for something more. Oh, there was an exhibition about defining Birmingham but it seemed to do nothing more than reinforce stereotypes or include phrases and sayings from the Black Country.  I couldn't be bothered to find out who the artist was because whoever it was couldn't be bothered to find out about Birmingham.

Exhibition wise, I enjoyed Ron Terada's Who I think I Am but that was mainly down to the vinyl album that was given away. With tracks by Jens Lekman, Beirut, Magnetic Fields, The Walkmen and Vampire Weekend to name a few he couldn't go wrong. Brigit Riley's Flashback was also good. Susan Collis' Since I Fell For You didn't really work for me although I liked the idea. Coventry Open and West Midlands Open Exhibitions had some really good stuff. Had some of the pieces been within my price range I would have definitely come away with something.

Another really good exhibition was Tom Murray's The Beatles A Mad Day Out, comprising of 23 unseen photographs of the band. There were limited edition prints for sale and at around £400 were quite reasonably priced. I did actually consider buying one for a short time.

It's been quite a quiet year on the gig front. I've managed a few. Half Man Half Biscuit at Leamington Assembly were fantastic. Finlay Quaye at The Rainbow was better than expected and British Sea Power at The Glee Club were excellent. I have also seen local band Hinge play a couple of gigs. Once at Academy 3 when I had a terrible headache and again at the Old Wharf where it was that loud that during the support bands I stood outside. Even from there I could here it perfectly. Little Girl Screaming, a band from Coventry I think, sounded very good.

Have had a couple of trips to the theatre this year. I have already mentioned Noises Off! on this blog. Clare and I also had a trip to Leamington Spa to see The Russian Ice Stars perform Snow White. It was a cold, snowy night in January which actually added to the whole evening.  The performance was amazing.  The way they throw themselves around such a small stage has to be seen to be appreciated.  A nice pub opposite the theatre provided a great place to sit and have a brandy to warm us up.

A very odd night at The Old Rep for The Enchanted Burlesque Show.  Not what I was expecting at all.  There were a couple of turns who I thought were very good but the girl who thought dressing up as Margaret Thatcher and stripping to Rule Britannia should have a re think!

 

I've seen a few films at the cinema. Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop and Chris Morris' Four Lions were my favourites but also enjoyed Alice in Wonderland 3D and Avatar 3D.  Iron Man 2 was entertaining but can't see it making any best of lists.

TV has mainly been The World Cup, Cricket, Big Brother and Pineapple Dance Studios.  I have no idea why I took to it but I didn't miss an episode. I also enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Going Postal.

Whilst on the subject of TV, I thoroughly enjoyed Election Night. Watching the TV coverage and having Twitter on the go along with texts from friends made the night a bit of an occasion.  The debates were also good although I became bored with hearing the same rhetoric by the third one. I voted for the first time in years and was glad I did  as my local MP scraped in by less than 200 votes. 

Books and Music.  As I've mentioned before I'm always behind with reading although I have just finished Start The Car, The World According To Bumble.  It is still in the best sellers list!   If you have an interest in cricket then it is definitely worth a read.  Then again, if you have an interest in cricket you would already know that.

Another good book I've read  (thanks to Clare) is Emergency Sex (and Other Desperate Measures): True Stories from a War Zone. Written by by Heidi Postlewait, Kenneth Cain and Doctor Andrew Thomson it is their accounts of their time with the UN during the early 90s. It is a few years old now but is a good read, track it down on Amazon.

LCD Soundsystem's new album is a good listen.  Brought to my attention by their performance on Jools Holland.   Also liking Art Museums. If School Of Seven Bells' new single, Babelonia, is anything to go by I can't wait for the new album.  Lanterns on the Lake have also been a good discovery.

Finally, I must admit that I haven't been very good with the football. I've only managed one trip away with Blues this year.  A trip to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.  It was a freezing cold day, rain, snow flurries and trecherous under foot.  Blues were terrible and could only manage a 0-0 draw.  Will have to make more of an effort in the coming season. The cricket is even worse.  Despite pledging to go to more games I'm yet to make it to Edgbaston this year. Must try harder!

So, that's it then.  Chuck in a few meals out and a few drinks with friends and family and that has been the year to date. Not bad eh?

That's That Then

I suppose I should get the football out the way first.  I really haven't got much to say. 

We were beaten by a better side.  Prior to the competition, the pundits were saying that this was the team with the best chance in years to win the World Cup.  I never agreed with that.  I thought we were a mediocre team at best. 

Yesterday, I watched England suffer their biggest defeat ever at a World Cup Finals, at the hands of Germany.  England were outclassed and the game finished 4-1.  Yes, Lampard had an obvious goal disallowed, as neither the ref or linesman saw it cross the line, but I doubt that would have made much of a difference to the over all result.  However, FIFA really do need to review their policy on goal line technology.  It is becoming ridiculous.

On the plus side, our cricketers put on another good performance to go 3-0 up in the ODI series against Australia.  Although, in the final few overs, they made hard work of it!  Bollinger bowled a great over.  Taking 2 England wickets and giving away no runs.  In the end it was left to Tim Bresnan to notch up the required 8 runs off the last 8 balls.  A tense but thoroughly enjoyable end.

The Big Brother eviction on Friday night saw Govan evicted.  He had 72% of the public vote. Very high.  He deserved to go as he didn't come across well, a bit of a stirrer by all accounts.

So with the TV stuff out the way, what else have I been up to?  Well, on Saturday I went to Birmingham Rep.  Not for a show but for a sale!  It is due a refurb and they were selling off costumes and props.  I came away empty handed but there were some fantastic things on offer!  There was quality furniture being sold for £5.  Clothes and costumes were selling for between 1 - 5 pounds. There were a lot of am dram people buying all sorts of weird and wonderful things.  It was like the most interesting jumble sale you have ever been to.  Have a rummage and who know what you will find!

After the sale we headed to Moseley where we bought fresh bread, cheese and olives and headed for Highbury Park.  We sat under a tree and ate our food. After, we wandered the park and found a beekeeper looking at her bees.  As we watched the secretary of Birmingham Bee Keepers Association came over for a chat.  A very nice fellow.  Did you know that there are up to 16 exams to be taken to become a qualified bee keeper?!

Having walked the park Clare went for a drink at Kitchen Garden Cafe while I nipped off to a friend's daughter's birthday party.  I met Clare at the Kitchen Garden a couple of hours later when, after a quick drink, headed home.

Yesterday, was a trip to Solihull Nature Reserve, just to get out for a few hours as the afternoon would be spent in front of the TV watching the football.  We walked for a couple of hours but ,as it was  the hottest day of the year so far, was shattered by the end. 

Finally, Glastonbury weekend has sort of passed me by.  I have recorded a lot of the coverage but haven't watched it yet. It was nice that they got good weather for their 40 year anniversary.

Here are Muse covering U2's Where The Streets Have No Name.  Complete with The Edge on guitar.

Big Brother, Football and the Grand Union Canal

It's been quiet of late. As the weather was fairly nice, at the weekend we decided to walk the tow path again.  Each time we do, we go a little further. We made it to Knowle. Roughly 7 miles. No kingfishers this time but plenty of herons and some lovely scenery. 

If I'm not walking then I am watching the World Cup.  Slow starter this one.  There haven't been many stand out performances.           Germany's 4-0 win over Australia is the best result so far.  North Korea played well against Brazil, despite them losing 2-1, they can hold their heads up high.  The Dutch also look good but didn't really set the world on fire against Denmark.  I'm hoping that, after today, when everyone has at least one game under their belts, that things will kick into life.

Something else I have been watching is Big Brother.  This is something that, over the years, I have dipped in and out of.  In the ten years it has been going I have watched some series and some have past me by completely.  As this is the last one I thought I'd give it a go. It's been about a week now and it has been quite good so far. Already, the housemates seemed to have ganged up against one particular person (Sunshine) and, there are allegations of bullying! I haven't got a favourite yet but as there is another 3 months to go I'm sure someone will stand out eventually.