TV REVIEW: Downton Abbey - Episode Two

The pace at Downton has slowed of late, what with the passing of Matthew and the transformation of Mary into a beautiful walking corpse. Thankfully, the show itself isn't entirely lifeless, though it's still a little lacking in the madcap plot twist department.

I'll mention the Ivy-Alfred-Jimmy-Daisy-possibly now Rose polygon briefly because it happened but still failed to get me caring about it. I'm not even sure who likes who really, just that there seems to be a lot of furtive glances and whispering about it. I also add Rose in now because Jimmy accompanied them to the dance and then caught her dallying with her bit of rough before dinner. Jimmy was an interesting character last series when he was the target for Thomas' affections, but he seems to have been reduced to wallpaper so far. Maybe a fling with Rose will liven the place up? Give them both something to do? Romances on Downton have certainly started for less and yes I'm totally grasping at straws here because the episode left me very little to go on ok?

Speaking of potential romances, might there be a possibility of a Mary-Branson relationship in the offing? Or a Mary-Tom relationship... I'm with the Dowager, it's too difficult. Anyway, now that Dame Maggie has instructed Tom/Branson to be Mary's instructor in the ways of the estate, the pair are about to spend a lot of time together and in TV Land, that's tantamount to getting engaged. Not to mention all the knowing grins that Tom/Branson was exhibiting throughout the episode. 

Well there's that and the fact that it would royally get up Lord Grantham's nose, a man already campaigning fervently for 'Git of the Year'. I'm aware it would have been completely anachronistic for Mary to chuck her no doubt expensive Sauvignon Blanc right in his face at dinner, but I was totally gunning for it. However, whilst Lord Grantham may have given a wonderfully contradictory speech (remember when he was campaigning for Mary to inherit the estate?), it was left to the deceased Matthew to steal the show in the most convenient plot development since Miss Lavinia Swire felt a bit ill.

From the moment Lord Grantham began reading the letter, I knew it was going to be a moment of pure Downton gold. And it did not disappoint. "I suddenly realised..." Did you now Matthew? How very prescient of you. Speaking positively, whilst it may have been hilariously convenient, it also wrapped up the whole issue of Mary's inheritance neatly and quickly because I don't think anyone could have been bothered with another Series One entail plotline running all the way through it. On the other hand, it was terrible writing. Just terrible. Nuance has never been one of Downton's strong points, but if there was ever a moment for it, that was it.

It was left to the below stairs crew to get the nice storylines this week as Carson finally came around to forgiving his old friend in a lovely station-set scene with Grigg (though I was half-expecting a 'Daddy! Oh my Daddy!' moment a la Jenny Agutter). The story of Alice was quaint stuff, the type of story you'd expect to hear over tea and scones and therefore proper Downton stuff. I also enjoyed the Molesley-Mr Baaates storyline though Thomas' meddling with the Baaates family is getting a tad dull. Where's Miss O'Brien when you need her?

Oh and Edith is well on her way to become 'the other woman'. Brilliant. There's never a dull moment is there?

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of the previous episode here.

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TV REVIEW: Atlantis - The Earth Bull

Over the past few years, the BBC has carved a bit of a niche in folklore-related entertainment, bringing back Robin Hood and Merlin to Saturday night television and introducing a whole new generation to these stories. Or the closes approximation of these stories anyway. This time, they're taking on Greek mythology in Atlantis, as in the Lost City of, which seems to be some sort of melting pot for just about every Greek myth you've ever heard of. Well, cleaned up for family audiences of course (the Minotaur was not just a cursed man - Den of Geek did a great look at the real myths here).

Opening in the present day with Jason (Jack Donnelly) on the hunt for his father in a submarine, Atlantis finds our hero returned back to the a time when gods and monsters roam and the famed city still exists above the ocean. After angering the local guards, Jason goes on the run until he is aided by Pythagorus (Robert Emms) and Hercules (Mark Addy). When he visits the Oracle (Juliet Stevenson), he discovers some shocking news about his past and his family, but he, Pythagorus and Hercules soon find themselves involved in a local ritual in which residents are chosen to be sacrificed to the Minotaur in the Labyrinth while Jason has the help and the eye of Ariadne (Aiysha Hart).

The time travel device was an odd way to go with the opening episode. I can think of plenty of different ways in which Jason could have found himself on Atlantis that might not have been quite so surprising. Then again, it is a handy device through which to introduce people to figures such as Pythagorus and Hercules without endless exposition for a younger audience who may not be aware. It certainly adds an interesting dynamic to the proceedings because at its centre is a character who already knows what is going to happen to a large majority of occupants and Atlantis itself. 

At this stage, I'm willing to be optimistic and say that this could be building into a theme surrounding the idea of destiny, a big thing in Greek mythology. There's certainly a lot of this going on. The big hook is the mystery about just who Jason is, why he's travelled back in time and just about everyone who knows Jason already keeps going on about what he's destined to do. It's not quite the same as the thru-line with Merlin of Arthur going on to become King, but it's a start. In the myths, Jason went to fetch the Golden Fleece with the Argonauts (coincidentally, also involving Heracles - Greek spelling of course). I'm hoping they do take this story on because it would be a shame not to and there's already been a brief reference to Colchis in there.

As openings go, it's all fairly standard. There's a nice wailing woman score and the sets look stunning with lavish costumes and sun-baked exteriors. Comic beats are hit well and timed to near-perfection with Mark Addy in particular giving us a reason to stick around with his drunken, not-quite heroic version of Hercules. In this first episode, Donnelly certainly has the chops to be a leading man, as well as gamely fulfilling the torso quota left empty since the departure of Eoin Macken's Gwaine from our screens. It is the supporting cast that intrigues most though, particularly Alexander Siddig as King Minos and Juliet Stevenson, all quivering lips and doom-mongering as the Oracle. And then there's Sarah Parish who makes more of an impact in a two-minute scene than the rest of the cast put together.

I can't deny that Atlantis was entertaining and the cast is likeable enough to keep me watching. I'm also aware that it took a while for Merlin to bed in properly and start really using the mythology effectively for its characters. The real test for Atlantis will be when it comes to the more serious episodes in which it can't use light humour in place of character development.

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Pilot

To say that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was highly anticipated is something of an understatement. Not only is it following in the wake of one of the biggest movies of all time, but it is also created and the pilot directed by current man of the moment, Joss Whedon, finally in the spotlight after years as a cult favourite. 

Those expecting to be instantly blown away by the show or expecting all the best bits of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a TV episode might be disappointed. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. does not immediately hit the ground running with fully formed characters, a cohesive team or the atmosphere that Marvel have garnered in their films. And nor should it because this an expansion, not a recreation. Thankfully, it is a solid start to a television show that has the unenviable task of emerging from the shadow of the MCU, but also of ensuring that it belongs in that world of superheroes, operating on a much smaller scale than an Iron Man movie. 

A neat introductory montage quickly establishes the shifts that have taken place in this Marvel universe since the Battle of New York with flashes of Thor, Captain America, The Hulk and Iron Man all making a very brief appearance. The biggest connections though are the shiny insignia of S.H.I.E.L.D. itself and its agents, Maria Hill (a guest appearance from Cobie Smulders) and the returning Coulson, first name Phil (Clark Gregg who is just great). The longstanding connection across the MCU, Coulson's death in The Avengers was the galvanising factor and a suitably gut-wrenching moment. When it was announced he would return, I thought it would cheapen this but thankfully, there seems to be much more going on then he was dead for a little bit/held his breath. Also, his entrance was immediately my favourite moment of the episode. I may have guffawed.

The scale of S.H.I.E.L.D., when compared to what has gone before, is much smaller, but this is not to the detriment of the unfolding action which takes on a more individual focus through the figure of Mike, played by Whedon stalwart J. August Richards, who finds himself blessed/cursed with super-strength. With his backstory of being made redundant due to an injury and unable to find a job despite his new powers, Mike is a product of the economic climate; an everyman who can't catch a break. He's also very aware of his place in the story; rather than go for the moral black-and-white of 'he's about to explode = bad guy", Mike is placed firmly the grey area, capable of being the hero or the bad guy. The MCU may be dealing with gods, aliens and monsters, but the television branch has firmly set out to tackle the human story, those dealing with the knowledge that they are no longer the most powerful beings on Earth.

In the middle of it all is S.H.I.E.L.D., the agency tasked with preventing these situations from getting out of hand, tracking down Chitauri technology (if you haven't seen the Marvel one-shot on this theme, Item 47, track it down) and contain any threat. Now if you're familiar with Whedon's work, you'll know that shady corporations causing problems for our heroes are a fairly standard theme; think The Initiative, Wolfram & Hart or the Alliance. The thing this, now S.H.I.E.L.D. are the shady organisation, something which Mike is quick to point out to Coulson in their confrontation. It's an interesting dynamic and following on from Nick Fury's meddling in The Avengers and the shadiness surrounding Coulson's resurrection, it's clear that the upper echelons of S.H.I.E.L.D. may still not entirely be the good guys.

We also have potential antagonists, The Rising Tide, who we are introduced to early and meet one of their members, Skye (Chloe Bennett) who also serves the function of our introduction to S.H.I.E.L.D. Every science-fiction show seems to have this; the new recruit discovering this world for the first time and thus allowing the audience to do so too (think Dana Scully, Olivia Dunham, Gwen Cooper - I'm now noticing another pattern here...). However, in S.H.I.E.L.D., we got two of these and it was perhaps the only aspect of this episode that felt very clumsy. First up, there was Ward (Brett Dalton) and his assignment to Coulson's new team and then Skye herself, who for someone so against S.H.I.E.L.D., was remarkably quick to sign up. Convenient for the pilot yes, but just a little jarring.

The characters do look promising though and I particularly loved Ming-Na Wen's performance as obvious badass Melinda May whose backstory I am already desperate to know. Currently fulfilling the nerdy comic relief requirement, the combination of Fitz (Iain de Caestecker) and Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge) also promises a great deal while Ward fills the action man requirement nicely. Much of the episode kept the team apart so whilst they had moments to individually shine, there's not much to go on just yet as to how they gel as an ensemble though I'm looking forward to learning more about them as the show progresses. It is, as expected, Clark Gregg who steals the show. All of the affability and then badassery that makes Coulson so great was present and correct and so too was the gravitas that makes him such an effective thru-line in the Marvel movies.

A promising start then from the men and women in dark suits and sunglasses. There is enough of a hook to keep everyone interested and it's going to be fun to get to know these characters and find out what place in this Marvel world they will possess.

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: The Guilty - Episode Two & Finale

WARNING, THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS.

After an interesting but not wholly lapel grabbing start, The Guilty (ITV1) has now wrapped up its trilogy of episodes. All three hour shows had a fair amount to offer, but the programme sadly suffered somewhat from what I shall henceforth be referring to as Broadchurch 2 Syndrome right through until the end.

Episode 2 saw progressively more aspersions cast as to the moral turpitude of the chocolate box cul-de-sac of the show’s setting (not a sentence I thought I’d be writing this week), with bluffs, double bluffs and presumably triple bluffs galore to boot.  Daniel Reid (Darren Boyd), father of the victim, began to act distinctly shiftily, forcing his wife Claire, played by the marvellous Katherine Kelly, to doubt not only their marriage but everything she had so far gleaned about the death of her son. Meanwhile, in a plot arc I’m still not entirely sure of the point of, despite its obvious merit in terms of subject matter, the son of DC Maggie Brand (Tamsin Greig)  is put under scrutiny as potentially being on the autism spectrum, putting a strain on both her professional life and her marriage. Putting all this to one side however she still manages to interview both the former nanny of the Reid boys, as well as deal with this series’ ‘slightly odd villager’ stock character.

This, naturally, brought us on to the finale. It would be fair to say that it did not have anywhere near the level of closure hype as the finale of Broadchurch or even the inferior MayDay, due at least in part to it being such a short run. I, at least, still found myself intrigued as to who the murderer wold turn out to be, ever unable to resist a good old fashion whodunit. By this point DC Brand had a confession on her hands, but unfortunately not one she believed. Running out of options, she is forced to consider the possibility that the answer may lie a little closer to the deceased boy’s home than anyone would like to believe, especially as Daniel Reid’s alibi begins to unravel through the unwitting handiwork of former lover Teresa (Ruta Gedmintas). As the show reached its, actually rather chilling climax, the focus began to fall on the Reid children themselves, as well as upon the condition of young Sam, as his autism symptoms took a dramatic turn for the worse. 

 

Again, whilst nothing about this mini-series felt new and exciting, the big reveal at the end certainly did pack a punch. Not in the same league as Broadchurch, no, but it did have its own shock factor to bring to the table. All in all the ending felt far more resolved than its ITV Drama predecessor, which I think it’s fair to say will come to work both for it and against it in terms of posterity. From episode one, it has been the central performances of Katherine Kelly and Tamsin Greig which have held the show together, with Kelly’s raw emotional exposure and vulnerability as the victim’s traumatised mother clashing nicely with the measured, uptight career lady next door of Greig’s DC under pressure. This remained the case throughout, and the show was all the better for it.

The Guilty could just have benefited from the elusive ‘little bit more’ in so many areas. More twists, more suspects, particularly as it only ever really felt like there were two, heck perhaps even more episodes, just to allow what was a genuinely strong and well-constructed script the space to develop.

It all needed a chance, really, and it’s just a shame it didn’t get it.

-          Jen

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TV REVIEW: Downton Abbey - Episode One

First of all a quick recap; if you remember the Christmas Special, one that was lacking in cheer or you know, anything that happened, there were a few clues as to where this series was headed. The big issue, and practically the only thing that happened in the special, was Matthew Crawley's rather horrific and graphic death at the hands of bad driving and an ill-timed fork in the road. Oh the symbolism. Mary had just given birth, Branson had to deal with advances from a wayward housemaid and the family had visited Scotland and Miss O'Brien manoeuvred her way into a new job. I can't really remember if anything else happened, but if it did, it's probably not important. That or one of the characters will tell us explicitly what we need to know.

Was Downton always so obvious? So neon-lit "here's an upcoming plot point/historical reference/danger on the horizon" flashing neon sign obvious? I mean, I know it's always been less than subtle and that's part of its charm, but this episode just seemed determined to whack you across the head with one of Mrs Patmore's copper ladles every time something significant cropped up. Some of my favourite examples included "he's in the workhouse and yes, it's every bit as something you'd read in a Charles Dickens novel". Thanks Mrs Hughes. There was also Edith's speech about how everyone hated the Germans, Mrs Patmore's statement about her being the old and Daisy being the new and just about anything that the Dowager Countess said. 

This may have just been me noticing how obvious everything was in this episode, but it did just seem a tad more telegraphed than usual. Like I said, it's always been par for the course in Downton and Julian Fellowes throws more than enough at us in this series opener to keep us occupied. Grieving was the major theme in this episode with Mary moping around and doing even less emoting than usual, Isabel Crawley was doing something similar and Branson was doing his level best with Carson and Mrs Hughes to get everyone back and functioning again. Branson (I should really start calling him Tom soon) and Mary look like they're set to be quite the team and I'm intrigued to see where that goes.

Below stairs, we had Thomas doing his usual scheming. With Miss O'Brien gone, I was worried that Thomas wasn't going to have to scheme all too much, but it's good to know he's back with a sneer and some casual manipulation. Only this time, it turned out he was actually right about the villainous Nanny West who happened to casually abuse baby Sybby when she thought no one was looking. Elizabeth McGovern's Cora was particularly fierce in this moment and I liked seeing her do something other than placate the rest of the family, which she seemed to do a lot last time around. 

The dynamic between Daisy and Mrs Patmore continues to be one of the highlights with this episode seeing them get to grips with an electric whisk. Also, Mrs Hughes and Carson continue to dance around the romantic question, but let's face it, if this series doesn't end with at least one of them acknowledging the other, Fellowes may have a mutiny on his hands. The rest of the romance in the episode was confined to the Ivy-Alfred-Daisy-Jimmy love quadrangle continues but I must admit, I switched off whenever they came on screen. I don't know enough about the new people to care just yet, but I did like the Mrs Patmore reveal.

We also seem to be getting a more feminist angle going in Downton this time around and not anachronistically considering we are now in the 20s. Though we're yet to hear a big hint of rebellion, Edith is well on her way with the prospect of 'living in sin' with her publisher chap. Oh just go for it Edith, you deserve it. Even if it does mean moving to Germany. Elsewhere, there's another hoo-ha about Mary's inability to inherit because of her gender, not to mention the return of the manipulative Edna Braithwaite to Downton. I love MyAnna Buring, she's a great actress, but Edna was a terrible character in the Christmas special and I'm not holding out much hope for the future.

Largely the usual Downton intrigue, if just a little more obvious about its context than it ever seemed before. I didn't really miss Matthew, something which I'd never thought I'd say, but at least we still have Branson.

- Becky

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FEATURE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - When She Was Bad

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Buffy moved to Sunnydale and quickly made an impression on the locals, picking up some best friends, falling in love with a vampire and taking on a really old vampire called The Master. Oh and she died. Only a little.

In this season opener, Buffy must deal with her return to Sunnydale from LA and her recent death-by-drowning at the hands of the Master. She doesn't really do either very well. Yes the title refers to when Buffy goes bad which means returning with some razor-sharp insults and a 'Joan Collins 'tude'. Thanks Cordelia for that one. Over the course of the episode, she's mean to just about everyone, teases Xander with a sexy dance as the jealous Willow and Angel look on with increasingly angsty expressions. She also makes a fairly big error in walking into a certain trap only for it to be revealed as a method of getting her out of the way, putting her friends in danger.

There are a lot of things going on this episode which all seem to serve the purpose of getting back up to speed and introducing new people to wacky concepts like the Hellmouth and banana-coloured platform shoes. Ok, maybe not the last part (though who didn't want a pair of those in the 90s?). The exposition is frequent, but not overwhelming and actually slots into the conversation without holding up a sign saying "THIS EXPLAINS WHAT IS HAPPENING". You can also tell this particular episode was written by Joss Whedon; the dialogue zips (picking just one quote proved impossible) and the characters are welcome and familiar as well as progressing nicely in their respective roles.

Sarah Michelle Gellar clearly has a lot of fun here, revelling in being a bit nasty to all her friends. While Buffy's behaviour may look like a traditional teenage passive-agressive tantrum, it also carries shades of post-traumatic stress. After all, she did die at the hands of the Master and is clearly still feeling the effects with nasty dreams and pensive staring at his grave. I also really enjoyed the interaction between her parents in this episode - it's the final appearance of Hank Summers and they share a great moment of 'I don't understand my child', punctuated by afore-mentioned banana shoes.

However, the big thing I noticed on this rewatch was just how much foreshadowing there is in this episode for the season ahead. Snyder predicts that Buffy will get kicked out, Buffy begs Angel to take her on in a fight, knowing he wonders whether he can take her or not, Buffy falling for the bait, only to discover it's so the bad guys can get to her friends (yep, Angel remembers that) and even Xander and Willow for the third season; it's all in there. On first watch, this would completely pass you by, but returning to it now, it's probably the first time in the series that we see Whedon forecasting what is to come, something which will become more common and more apparent as Buffy progresses. One for the nerds to look out for.

I haven't even got round to mentioning the bad guys yet, but I shall do that now as we are re-introduced to the Anointed One who plans to bring back the Master with the help of new poetry-spouting Absalom. Of course, the Scooby Gang handily only buried the Master's bones and didn't salt and burn them Winchester-style as they should have done. Dean and Sam may ask what Buffy would do occasionally, but they were right on this one. Absalom is icky. I don't like him - didn't then, still don't now. It also reminds me of how bland some of the monsters-of-the-week can be, which is why I'm only just talking about him now and brief. Then again, this episode isn't about the villain; it's about our central character overcoming her own personal demons. 

A good start to Season Two then. Pity about the next couple of episodes...

Next Week: Some Assembly Required

I'm introducing a new feature into these post-episode nuggets in honour of the creative ways in which various characters are dispatched. So here we are...

Inventive Kill of the Week: It could have been the moment in which Buffy uses a free-standing torch to kill two vampires at once. However, she also roundhouse-kicked a vampire into a tree and on to a branch, dusting him in the process. A freakin' tree.

Quote of the Week (I've cheated with this one - they were all too good):

Willow: I mean, why else would she be acting like a B-I-T-C-H?
Giles: Willow, we're a little too old to be spelling things out.
Xander: A bitca?!

Snyder: There are some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense.
Giles: No actually that would be one of the five.

Buffy - Cordelia's ransom note: "Come to the Bronze before it opens or we'll make her a meal."
Xander: They're gonna cook her dinner?!

Who's Who in Sunnydale: Cibo Matto, the band at the Bronze, has none other than Sean Lennon, son of the late Beatle, on guitar.

- Becky

You can read Becky's look at Prophecy Girl here

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INTERVIEW: Jay Brown: Actor; Big Bad World

Clockwise from left: David Fynn, Seann Walsh, Rebecca Humphries, James Fleet, Blake Harrison, Caroline Quentin

I arrived for my interview  with Jay Brown,  a 30 year old actor currently starring in Comedy Central’s Big Bad World alongside James Fleet, Caroline Quentin, Seann Walsh and Blake Harrison,  to find the room also inhabited by two cosy looking leather armchairs, an ungodly sized bowl of popcorn and several beer  bottles. 


This set the tone for what transpired to be a relaxed, rewardingly informal chat with a very down to earth, generally chilled out guy. He also didn’t mind at all that due to some audio recording issues, I had to ask him to hold my girly pink leather-covered iphone to his face for a good fifteen minutes. 

Lovely to meet you Jay. To kick things off, would you mind telling us a little more first about the show, and secondly about your character, Dean? Big Bad World is about Ben, played by Blake Harrison, who has just finished uni, gone back to his home town of Great Yarmouth and it’s very much the same. He has to move back in with his Mum and Dad, and finds they’ve knocked down the wall between his bedroom and theirs, to make it into one giant room. 

Sort of open plan? Exactly yeah, and they’re really happy about it, and he’s not so much.

Understandable really! Especially when his Mum starts talking about love letters and the like. It’s really not the sort of conversation he wants to be having when he’s just come out of uni.

So your, character Dean. Tell us more about him. Dean is the pub chef of The Old Cock Inn. He’s the sort of chef you really don’t want to walk into a kitchen and find cooking your food- you don’t know what he’s going to put in it! He throws stuff in the microwave and just mixes it all up. He’s a pub chef…but he’s not a great pub chef!

        From left: Jay Brown and Blake Harrison

How does your character feed into the overall plot of the series? Well Ben and Dean work together at the pub, Ben gets an internship and does a work scheme with Dean, who just harasses him the whole time and makes his life difficult. Dean is the guy in the show who generally pops up and causes mischief. You know he’s not really going to amount to much in life. He’s the sort of guy who wears a hoodie in the middle of Summer.

What was it like working with veteran comic actors like James Fleet, Caroline Quentin and Blake Harrison, as well as comedian Sean Walsh? There are a lot of big names in this show! What sort of influence did they have on set? It was amazing. With comedy, you very much have to play it straight, if you play it for laughs it’s not going to happen. James, and Caroline as well, are absolute masters of that. James is just hilarious. Even when we were doing the reading, we were all sitting there just wetting ourselves. He very much embodies the character. Every single take is interesting, he’s just playing. Unfortunately we didn’t actually have any scenes together, but it was so interesting just to watch him work.

How about Seann Walsh, what it was it like working with a stand-up? Seann was hilarious. He hadn’t done any kind of acting at all so he was very nervous. He’d never been on a set before, but he took to it really easily. He was great, especially for a first time. But again, you’re just playing it straight, you’re not playing it for laughs. You deliver the line, and you just have to take whatever it is. You’re responding to what the other actors are giving you, and you just have to give it back. But Seann just created magic, he was really good. Actually on the first day, we all went to have breakfast, and I told Seann that we had to pay, and to make sure to leave a really good tip or for the rest of the shoot he’s just going to get at you. So then he went over and tried to give him some money, and the chef just looked at him and said ‘what are you talking about? The food’s for free mate’. I was just wetting myself. He was really embarrassed!

Sounds like you had a good time on set. We really did! We had a great time. It’s such a great, fresh cast, with some really good names in there, as well as some unknown and up and coming names.

It’s a lovely mix of talents. Yeah, and you can really see that it’s not all about the names, it’s about the script, which in itself is very funny and well executed. With the actors on top, it was just a dream.

                                                     

                 From left: David Fynn, Blake Harrison and Seann Walsh

Without giving too much away for anybody who hasn’t watched the show yet, do you have a favourite moment or scene? Perhaps that you particularly enjoyed filming? If you can narrow it down! I like Episode 4. Blake and I had a great time with that one. Episode 7’s great, too. Ben wants to do something new to The Old Cock Inn and mistakenly puts Dean in a responsible position, which isn’t a good move. All I can say is crabs.

I’ll make a note of that! As we’ve discussed, the show is primarily about Ben, a guy who returns from university struggling to get a job, and finding life much the same. What was your post-university life like? Can you relate to Ben’s story? Well personally I didn’t actually go to uni. I did Performing Arts at college, then I went straight off really. I was doing a lot of dancing, and a lot of music videos, that’s how I got into the industry really. My Dad actually owned a beauty salon on Oxford Street, and I used to help out, doing the odd manicure here and there! But that’s actually how I met my first agent. Letitia Dean who played Sharon in Eastenders used to come in to get her nails done, and she brought in my first ever agent. We had a chat, I showed him my CV and he pointed out that I’d actually done quite a lot of work. They took me on, and I haven’t really looked back since.

What a great story! So looking back on your career before Big Bad World, which of your roles or projects are you proudest of? I’m going to that really corny thing and say all of them! All of my projects I’ve loved in their own special way. This show, I actually came in just for the Pilot, and Dean wasn’t meant to be such a big character, and what they brought to the table with the small amount I actually had, the writers saw something and decided to make him a bigger part of the show. I also did a film called Fit, which tackles homophobic bullying in schools. It used to be a play, and we toured it. But the Director, Rikki Beadle-Blair, who I’ve collaborated a lot with, really wanted to make into a film. We got the green light and then shot it. It did superbly well, we took it to the Director’s Guild of America on Sunset Boulevard which was just mind blowing. We had a standing ovation at the end. It’s a great film which really does tackle the issue of homophobic bullying. It was brilliant. 
  
And finally, what are the people who haven’t tuned into the show yet missing out on? You’re missing belly laughs on a Wednesday night. Who needs Orange Wednesday?
 

Big Bad World is on Comedy Central, Wednesday nights at 9pm.

http://www.comedycentral.co.uk/shows/featured/big-bad-world/

Jen

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FEATURE FRIDAY: Reminiscences on Edinburgh Fringe 2013

Hello, it’s been a while. For those of you who don’t remember me, I’m Jen. I’ve been gone for a little while. Unfortunately I must have blinked and missed all of the parades of weeping Buffery readers wailing in the streets, but I thank you all for your support nonetheless.

The  reason I have been gone a little while, and was also gone around the same time last year, as the sharpest amongst you may have twigged (well, probably not, I’ not actually that self involved) , is because for the past two years now I have spent most if not all of August working up at the Edinburgh Fringe festival. And for two years and two weeks now, I have been fully intending to write an Assorted Buffery piece on my experiences. This year, thanks to Feature Friday (via one small delay) as well as the tireless support of my co-ed, Becky, this has finally happened. Still two weeks late, but what are you going to do?

Unfortunately, as I spent the majority of the month running around like a fly with an unusually colourful rear end (again), I didn’t actually have the opportunity to see a great deal of shows, aside from the ones I  worked on,  whilst up there. In light of this, I have opted to take a lighthearted little look at the shows I did manage to see, as well as the overall mood, and word on the street of this year. 

Perhaps you saw some of the shows, or can check them out next year or at a venue near you, and this article will have some take home value after all.

I presented to you: a fringe, on the Fringe. Apologies for all the hair puns in advance, couldn’t help myself.

Shows seen by myself – 2013

Title of Show

Charmingly, catchily bonkers, Title of Show, based on the original off-Broadway production, tells the story of two young writers and their cast, as they attempt to submit an original musical to a local competition. Plot wise, that’s pretty much all you need to know, as the show they eventually write is just a collation of their experiences whilst writing this exact show. It’s meta gone mad. As one of the actresses says, “if the finished script is in that envelope, why are we still talking?”. The extreme post-modernism of this show makes a little hard to get into at first without giving yourself a headache but, thankfully, once you’re in, you stay in, going home to promptly download half the original soundtrack if you’re me. It’s a surprisingly powerful, relatable show, especially in a room full of luvvies, and you can catch it in London soon.

http://www.landortheatre.co.uk/

Brett Goldstein – Contains Scenes of an Adult Nature

Having briefly worked with the talented Brett last year, his show was a must for 2013. He is  a comic on a philosophical and moral mission, but with the emphasis still very much on the comic. This, I think, works both for and against him during his routine. Contains Scenes of an Adult Nature is a follow on from 2011’s ‘Brett Goldstein Grew Up In A Strip Club’ , with the focus this time being the damaging nature of the porn industry. Again, funny but also clever, it was touching to see a male stand up proudly identify as a Feminist just a few short minutes into an Edinburgh set. I wanted to applaud, but I think I may have caused a scene. Which is an achievement at Edinburgh, I’ll admit. Brett’s skill with callbacks as well as anecdotal style made this an enjoyable hour’s entertainment. I couldn’t help wishing he’d gone a little further with the porn discussion, however, as I think he has more of value to say than he is perhaps aware.

The Showstoppers

The gold standard of Edinburgh improvised musical theatre, no trip to the Fringe is complete without at least three visits to Showstoppers.  Working together since 2008, the award winning troupe are always entertaining, always slightly mad, but above all always talented.

Richard Herring – We’re All Going To Die

We’re All Going To Die – perhaps not the most cheerful of premises from the Fringe veteran (in hair terms, would a fringe veteran have a very long fringe, sort of like a beard for your forehead? I can’t be sure).  This show, however, showed Herring to be a member of the ever growing club I’m entitling ‘comics with a message’. His personal calling in this instance, as it were, was to get us all thinking, and ultimately talking about the prospect of our own demise. I can already feel the doubt radiating from my screen, but my God was it fun. Surprisingly uplifting, inspiring and delivered with all the usual charisma fans old and new have come to expect from Herring’s stand up, radio show and Metro columns,  We’re All Going To Die more than delivered. All hail the King of the Fringe.  

Sandi Toksvig – My Valentine

My Valentine, the ever delightful Toksvig’s love letter to life itself, is packed full of tender anecdotes, and sharp observations, really drawing her audience in to her living room style set. Delivered with her trademark sparkle and friendly wit, it felt rather more like the audience had popped round for tea than paid ten quid a ticket. A lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Tom Wrigglesworth - Utterly At Odds With The Universe

Comedian and storyteller Tom Wrigglesworth’s set was undoubtedly the best thing I saw this year. He also had the best hair, unbeknownst to him, in keeping with my pun based theme. Reminiscent of the style and subject matter of Alan Bennett’s work, Wrigglesworth, a talented weaver of words in his own right, tells deliciously detailed anecdotes mainly focused around his late granddad, with tenderness as well as humour. The show is a rare combination of poignancy and hilarity, and it is indeed rare to witness a show which makes you laugh and cry with equal intensity.

Adam Kay – How To Be A Bogus Doctor

This was an utterly mental presentation of character comedy as Kay’s character, with cameo from my better half, attempted to teach the audience how to become, you guessed it, a bogus doctor. The dizzyingly hilarious hour of bonkers bogus props, real life medical horror stories, terrible advice as well as some good old fashioned let’s make the audience feel as uncomfortable as possible fun was impossible not to become swept along with. It’s also worth noting that it was sold out for its entire run, a real rarity this year. I’d like to say it was all down to the cameo, but I think Kay’s alter ego, not to mention his own genuine talent would quite rightly have something to say about that.

Finally, The buzz (cut) shows this year as far as I heard deserve a wee mention: Bo Burnham, Blam, The Confessions of Gordon Brown, The Play That Goes Wrong, Snakes the Musical. 

I highly recommend that you go forth and Google all of the above.

All that is left to say is roll on next year! Only, not too quickly, I need some time to recover…

Jen

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TV REVIEW: Peaky Blinders - Episode One

Set in post-war 1919 Birmingham, Peaky Blinders follows the exploits of the titular gang, so-called due to their custom of sewing razor-blades into the peaks of their flat caps, and their role in a time of industrial and social upheaval. Cillian Murphy stars as Tommy Shelby, leader of the pack and scarred war veteran who is looking to move his criminal organisation up in the world with a stolen arms shipment. However, Winston Churchill (Andy Nyman) is looking to crack down on the lawlessness in Birmingham and brings in Chief Inspector Chester Campbell (Sam Neill) to help as well as Protestant Northern Irishmen to bolster the corrupted police ranks.

As openings go, it's near-perfect and by the fourth minute, it's fairly clear if you're going to love it or not. This isn't so much staid period drama as it is Western set in the Midlands with Murphy entering the proceedings astride a horse and to the strains of Nick Cave's Red Right Hand. It's not a new technique by any stretch, but the inclusion of the Western genre influences gives Peaky Blinders a unique look and feel, especially when compared with recent BBC dramas from this inter-war period such as Upstairs Downstairs. The anachronistic music lends an edge to the unfolding narrative and works well to mesh with this world of strikes, gangsters and blustering policemen.

With the need to establish this world quickly and effectively for the audience, it is rightly left to the actions of the characters and not reels of exposition to do so and it arguably results in two brilliant entrances. The afore-mentioned entrance of Murphy's Shelby quickly sets up his presence with barely a word spoken as people scatter from him in the streets. In fact, Shelby isn't the most talkative anyway but Murphy plays him like a coiled spring and there's a steely reserve that remains calm whilst other characters resort to shouting and gesticulating. Despite his laconic way, there's clear ambition and drive behind it conveyed in only a look, often in response to his elder brother Arthur, who takes a much more gung-ho approach to the proceedings.

So, it would seem, does Sam Niell's Chester Campbell, a man given to speechifying and puritanical policework. His journey through the streets occupied by the Peaky Blinders on his arrival to Birmingham was my favourite scene in the opening episode, a dimly-lit, hellish nightmare of debauchery and violence narrated by Benjamin Zephaniah's scripture-spouting Jeremiah. The Revelation-themed Day of Judgement speech about an all-knowing God passing his judgement cutting to shots of Campbell observing the proceedings wasn't subtle, but it was brilliant, perfectly establishing the character, again without him saying a word.

When Campbell does speak, it is in similarly scripture-themed sermons of hellfire and damnation for those who stand in his path. His speech to the other officers, all low-angled shots and imperious expressions, was suitably foreboding especially when contrasted with Shelby's quiet reserve. The prospect of seeing Neill and Murphy in a scene together is really quite tantalising and one gets the impression it will be a case of a rock meeting a hard place. 

Elsewhere, the recent Great War overshadows the proceedings, a connection that is made clear visually with Shelby's dream and the final lingering shot of the canal as Danny Whizz-Bang leaves for his new job in London. It's a backdrop for each character and for the society as a whole as men deal with the psychological trauma and the women are forced to give up the liberty they once had whilst the men were away. The way in which it permeates each scene, politically, socially and psychologically, binds each of the characters and their situations together in a cohesive whole. It's a world that is still rebuilding itself, much like the characters are forced to do.

Steven Knight has achieved something here; the opening episode of Peaky Blinders is a brilliant exercise in how to establish a world your viewers might be unfamiliar with and do it well. Next week already seems so far away.

- Becky

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