Would you believe it, I haven't actually watched any TV worth commenting on for a while! I seem to have rediscovered reading for pleasure, something that I lost interest in when I realised that my uni course consisted almost entirely of extremely unpleasurable reading. I may throw a few book posts into my blog in the future.
So, Never Let Me Go (for a fuller summary of the plot, follow this link).This book is written by Kazuo Ishiguro, a Japenese-British author. I read Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day (also a not-very-well-done film starring Anthony Hopkins that leaves all of the best bits of the book out) for A Level English. I can't say it was a favourite of mine at the time; the book is full of so much subtle symbolism that you find yourself thinking 'did the author really give so much significance to so and so glancing out of a window'? The protagonist who narrates the book is also somewhat irritating throughout most of the novel, although I think this is the whole aim of the book, as we begin to feel more sympathy for the character as the story progresses, and it is only once I had finished the book that I realised I had enjoyed it.
Never Let Me Go is pretty different to The Remains. I was expecting symbolism galore and artsy messages like with the other book, but symbolism was not the main theme of the book as far as I could tell (although of course there were plenty of symbolic elements). The book is centred around an adult called Kathy reliving memories of her youth and looking at them again with adult eyes, with the added dimension that Kathy and the other characters are clones whose sole purpose in life is to grow up and 'donate' their organs to the rest of the population. This book isn't remotely sci-fi though; the clone and donation aspect is only really discussed in terms of how that affects the lives of the characters, not in a science fiction sort of way, and it works really well (as I'll come back to later).
This book feels like it is written quite simply, with the narrator's style flowing casually through the story. I felt pretty detached from this book until near the very end; like The Remains, I don't think I realised how good it had been until I'd finished it off, and then I wanted to read it again almost immediately, feeling I would appreciate it much more the second time round. Having said that, this book is weirdly addictive. Even though there isn't even that much of a gripping plot line with no real major events, there is always the feeling that over the next few pages you will find out something totally integral to the plot.
It's the clone dimension that makes this book a real page turner. That the characters are clones is hinted at throughout the book, and it is easy for the reader to work out their true purpose in life from fairly early on. However, within the story anything to do with their destiny as organ doners is shrouded in euphemism, and the characters seem to live a pretty normal life. Kathy and her friends are puzzled by aspects of their lives and make guesses as to what different things mean, and this curiousity is passed onto the reader, leaving me desperate for answers by the time I reached the final section of the book. As I said earlier, the ending makes the book and it is during this part that we get the answers to the questions that Kathy has been alluding to throughout her story.
The ending also makes you realise how attached you had become to the characters. The main voice of Kathy holds little emotion in my opinion, almost as if she has resigned herself to her fate and wants to factually record the musing of her earlier life. Because of this, the emotion that I felt at the end of the novel really surprised me. I won't say anymore so that I don't ruin the ending for those of you who read it, but this is a truly brilliant book that I urge everyone to read, even if it doesn't seem that way to start off with. I can't really express how much I enjoyed this book so read it yourself and see if you agree!
Never Let Me Go has also been turned into a film which I haven't yet seen but I'm sure I will feel the need to write about as soon as I have watched it judging by the trailer:
Monday, 23 January 2012
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Emmerdale
Instead of doing dissertation research or perhaps reading about Ginzburg or crime in early modern pubs, I am going to write about Emmerdale.
What I like about Christmas Emmerdale is that there was no unecessary tragedy, violence, death or depression to dampen our day... All of that came a few weeks ago with Cain's attack and is now just a standard underlying theme.
So the main event in the village is the revelation that Zack was Cain's attacker... dun dun duuuunnnnn!! If I'm honest, I'd kinda guessed; he was the only one with motive who wasn't being fixated on, and it's always the one that no one expects. There was a nice little emotional exchange between the father and son which invoked two seperate emotions within me.... The first was wonder at Zack's accent. Let's be honest, he's a character with few words so suddenly hearing him speak for over thirty seconds solid made me notice his accent. Is it real? Does the actor who plays him actually come from somewhere up Nawth? Either that or this man is a genius......
The second thing I felt (after my wonder had subsided) was that I actually felt a bit sorry for Cain. This episode was very well written so that it made us do that, and it also threw up interested questions when Zack kept saying stuff like 'I'm your father, I had to be the one to stop you.' But then we probably shouldn't read too much into Emmerdale, I should probably write more stuff about how with a hat on Cain actually looks passably attractive.
Other Emmerdalian developments: Debbie and Andy. This whole thing just makes me go 'ew'. It's always only mentioned in passing as well, so it's a bit like everyone is kind of thinking 'this is pretty strange, if we need to have a story line on it let's just skim over it'. They've moved now from turkey baster type arrangements to actually having sex to attempt to conceive another kid. Debbie doesn't seem pleased (but then when is she pleased about anything?) and gets some wine to get things on the move. I read in the TV mag that next week Andy starts to have feelings for her.... Urgh here we go...
Just to end with another gross story line, Laurel and Ashley making out in Leeds followed by her whispering to him 'I'm just going to nip into a rather interesting lingerie shop..' Seriously woman, get back to Marlon!!
What I like about Christmas Emmerdale is that there was no unecessary tragedy, violence, death or depression to dampen our day... All of that came a few weeks ago with Cain's attack and is now just a standard underlying theme.
So the main event in the village is the revelation that Zack was Cain's attacker... dun dun duuuunnnnn!! If I'm honest, I'd kinda guessed; he was the only one with motive who wasn't being fixated on, and it's always the one that no one expects. There was a nice little emotional exchange between the father and son which invoked two seperate emotions within me.... The first was wonder at Zack's accent. Let's be honest, he's a character with few words so suddenly hearing him speak for over thirty seconds solid made me notice his accent. Is it real? Does the actor who plays him actually come from somewhere up Nawth? Either that or this man is a genius......
The second thing I felt (after my wonder had subsided) was that I actually felt a bit sorry for Cain. This episode was very well written so that it made us do that, and it also threw up interested questions when Zack kept saying stuff like 'I'm your father, I had to be the one to stop you.' But then we probably shouldn't read too much into Emmerdale, I should probably write more stuff about how with a hat on Cain actually looks passably attractive.
Other Emmerdalian developments: Debbie and Andy. This whole thing just makes me go 'ew'. It's always only mentioned in passing as well, so it's a bit like everyone is kind of thinking 'this is pretty strange, if we need to have a story line on it let's just skim over it'. They've moved now from turkey baster type arrangements to actually having sex to attempt to conceive another kid. Debbie doesn't seem pleased (but then when is she pleased about anything?) and gets some wine to get things on the move. I read in the TV mag that next week Andy starts to have feelings for her.... Urgh here we go...
Just to end with another gross story line, Laurel and Ashley making out in Leeds followed by her whispering to him 'I'm just going to nip into a rather interesting lingerie shop..' Seriously woman, get back to Marlon!!
Monday, 9 January 2012
Christmas TV
I've not written here for longer than I would have liked, and there has been so much TV since! Christmas nowadays obviously means TV specials and if I was more cynical I'd say this spoils the fun of the holiday... But I'm not and I have Sky+ so I can spend Christmas day with my family and then the next few days catching up!
I shan't bore you with a whole post for each show I watched over the holiday season, I'm just going to comment on a few of the mains ones instead.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas thing
I actually really enjoyed this. I feel like Michael McIntyre has been around for years now but it's surprising how much new material he can come up with.. I suppose it is his job. To be fair I'm a bit rubbish about comedy and I would have preferred it was just an hour or however long of just Michael McIntyre, but he did manage to get some really good (I say good because they're pretty famous rather than because I like them that much) guests like Jack Dee, Rhod Gilbert and some other people I can't remember. Miranda was on, usually I loathe this woman, I think she is so annoying and just makes me want to run away and become a man so I don't have to share a gender with her, but she did a little skit thing with Smithy from Gavin and Stacey and it was actually bearable. It's great that Michael McIntyre's still doing TV like this, I thought once he'd been a judge on Britain's Got Talent he wouldn't do much more stand up, but I read an interview he'd done and he said that he intends to continue, which I think is great. I know a lot of people find him really annoying but I think that's one of his charms, especially when he bobs about and his flops around comically. So yeah, loads of laugh out loud moments, lots of great guests if you like lots of different people, good show! Oh apart from Pixie Lott.. Is it just me or did anyone think she kept missing her cues and was out of tune?
Agatha Christie's Poirot
This I enjoyed again, Poirot isn't something I've ever really sat down and watched, rather it's been on while I flitted in and out, so this was new for me. As usual whenever I watch a murder mystery, I spent the first half totally confused (and this was a confusing one with loads of outside references and an extra plot line going on) and the second half trying to guess whodunnit (and I was actually right with this one!) The actual story of the murder was good, if predictable as you kind of know by now how these kind of things are written, and you can spot who's going to get bumped off a mile off. Nevertheless there were some clever bits, and as I said there was an extra plot line going on to do with Germany and Hitler and the War that was thrown in there to confuse you a bit. My favourite part of this show though is by far the little tottery walk that Poirot does, and the way he talks half in Belgian and half in English.
Endeavour
This was the Morse prequel, sort of like Morse's first case. I've never actually watched Morse, only the sequel to it (weirdly), so I can't really compare it, but then I don't think comparing it to the Morse series was really the idea. Again, I think the plot was fairly predictable; there was a bit of romance, some brooding and moping around and a young Morse briefly being kicked off the case for so-called bad behaviour. Of course, in the end (and after a few false starts), it's Morse who cleverly works out who did it (which I guessed correctly again by the way!), and collects the baddie to take them to prison. Like with Poirot, it was quite a complicated story with an extra bit to it, and some bent coppers thrown into the mix as well. I'm sure there were probably links to the Morse series we all know, but as I haven't seen it I wouldn't know! The only thing that bothered me about this was the guy who played Morse kept doing something funny with his hand, like over-gesturing or over pointing at people.... I'm sure I am the only person that ever notices stuff like this.
Outnumbered
Usually I love Outnumbered but this was actually pretty forgettable I think, especially after the end of the last series. So it's Christmas day and the family are going on holiday and 15 year old Jake has a hangover... 15, really?! They start them young these days apparently! I could be wrong actually, maybe he's 16, that would make it slightly better. I think Outnumbered has lost something as the kids have got older; they're actually acting now rather than sort of messing about like they did when they were younger. As I said, this episode was pretty forgettable, so much so that I can't think of anything else to write about it!
I shan't bore you with a whole post for each show I watched over the holiday season, I'm just going to comment on a few of the mains ones instead.
Michael McIntyre's Christmas thing
I actually really enjoyed this. I feel like Michael McIntyre has been around for years now but it's surprising how much new material he can come up with.. I suppose it is his job. To be fair I'm a bit rubbish about comedy and I would have preferred it was just an hour or however long of just Michael McIntyre, but he did manage to get some really good (I say good because they're pretty famous rather than because I like them that much) guests like Jack Dee, Rhod Gilbert and some other people I can't remember. Miranda was on, usually I loathe this woman, I think she is so annoying and just makes me want to run away and become a man so I don't have to share a gender with her, but she did a little skit thing with Smithy from Gavin and Stacey and it was actually bearable. It's great that Michael McIntyre's still doing TV like this, I thought once he'd been a judge on Britain's Got Talent he wouldn't do much more stand up, but I read an interview he'd done and he said that he intends to continue, which I think is great. I know a lot of people find him really annoying but I think that's one of his charms, especially when he bobs about and his flops around comically. So yeah, loads of laugh out loud moments, lots of great guests if you like lots of different people, good show! Oh apart from Pixie Lott.. Is it just me or did anyone think she kept missing her cues and was out of tune?
Agatha Christie's Poirot
This I enjoyed again, Poirot isn't something I've ever really sat down and watched, rather it's been on while I flitted in and out, so this was new for me. As usual whenever I watch a murder mystery, I spent the first half totally confused (and this was a confusing one with loads of outside references and an extra plot line going on) and the second half trying to guess whodunnit (and I was actually right with this one!) The actual story of the murder was good, if predictable as you kind of know by now how these kind of things are written, and you can spot who's going to get bumped off a mile off. Nevertheless there were some clever bits, and as I said there was an extra plot line going on to do with Germany and Hitler and the War that was thrown in there to confuse you a bit. My favourite part of this show though is by far the little tottery walk that Poirot does, and the way he talks half in Belgian and half in English.
Endeavour
This was the Morse prequel, sort of like Morse's first case. I've never actually watched Morse, only the sequel to it (weirdly), so I can't really compare it, but then I don't think comparing it to the Morse series was really the idea. Again, I think the plot was fairly predictable; there was a bit of romance, some brooding and moping around and a young Morse briefly being kicked off the case for so-called bad behaviour. Of course, in the end (and after a few false starts), it's Morse who cleverly works out who did it (which I guessed correctly again by the way!), and collects the baddie to take them to prison. Like with Poirot, it was quite a complicated story with an extra bit to it, and some bent coppers thrown into the mix as well. I'm sure there were probably links to the Morse series we all know, but as I haven't seen it I wouldn't know! The only thing that bothered me about this was the guy who played Morse kept doing something funny with his hand, like over-gesturing or over pointing at people.... I'm sure I am the only person that ever notices stuff like this.
Outnumbered
Usually I love Outnumbered but this was actually pretty forgettable I think, especially after the end of the last series. So it's Christmas day and the family are going on holiday and 15 year old Jake has a hangover... 15, really?! They start them young these days apparently! I could be wrong actually, maybe he's 16, that would make it slightly better. I think Outnumbered has lost something as the kids have got older; they're actually acting now rather than sort of messing about like they did when they were younger. As I said, this episode was pretty forgettable, so much so that I can't think of anything else to write about it!
I'm sure I've probably missed out an amazing bit of Christmas TV and I'll have to do another post on this but I'm lacking the brain power to think about it right now and this post is long enough already, so there you, Christmas TV!
Friday, 23 December 2011
Insidious (scary horror movie)
I don't usually watch horror movies, and haven't for years but I was coerced by some friends, and so we spent an evening watching Insidious.
This movie stars Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne (two of Hollywood's new up and coming beautiful people) as the parents in a family that move into a new house. Once they move in, strange things start to happen..... I know what you're thinking, that sounds like a pretty standard, boring horror movie plot, and that's what we thought before we watched it.
For a bit, stuff goes *bump* and people run about screaming. There's also a lot of scary, tension building music and tons of those 'don't go through that scary looking door/up those stairs/ladder/leave the house/leave the baby in there you total idiot. Once the story kicks off though (and to be fair, it takes a while; the film seems to keep its options open about which direction to go in for the first half of the film), it actually very much surpasses the boring bio.
This film is scary as well. Ok, I am a total wimp and spent most of the scary bits hidden behind a pillow, but I got the general gist, and if I was accidentally watching and something scary happened there was plenty of screaming. The scares are based on building up tensions and suddenly showing something (most of the time), resulting in me feeling like I'd run a marathon or something once we had finished watching it. It's my favourite kind of scary though, keeping you interested and freaked out throughout the film, but not too traumatised afterwards.
The storyline helped with this too. It did start off a bit weak as I said, but once it got started, it leaves you guessing and working things out until, dropping gentle hints until the 'big reveal'. After the 'big reveal', it all got a bit odd and unrealistic, but nonetheless was still entertaining, possibly for less scary reasons now though. The effects/costumes/looks of some of the evil folk are a little bit dubious as well once you get close up, but that just gave us something to giggle at and take a break from being freaked out.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this film if you like scary stuff, or even if you just fancy something different. It is enjoyable on its own without being classified as scary, and manages to hold together a fairly decent plot line throughout, but still has plenty of scary bits to keep you on your toes!
This movie stars Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne (two of Hollywood's new up and coming beautiful people) as the parents in a family that move into a new house. Once they move in, strange things start to happen..... I know what you're thinking, that sounds like a pretty standard, boring horror movie plot, and that's what we thought before we watched it.
For a bit, stuff goes *bump* and people run about screaming. There's also a lot of scary, tension building music and tons of those 'don't go through that scary looking door/up those stairs/ladder/leave the house/leave the baby in there you total idiot. Once the story kicks off though (and to be fair, it takes a while; the film seems to keep its options open about which direction to go in for the first half of the film), it actually very much surpasses the boring bio.
This film is scary as well. Ok, I am a total wimp and spent most of the scary bits hidden behind a pillow, but I got the general gist, and if I was accidentally watching and something scary happened there was plenty of screaming. The scares are based on building up tensions and suddenly showing something (most of the time), resulting in me feeling like I'd run a marathon or something once we had finished watching it. It's my favourite kind of scary though, keeping you interested and freaked out throughout the film, but not too traumatised afterwards.
Scary lady woman thing from the film :O
The storyline helped with this too. It did start off a bit weak as I said, but once it got started, it leaves you guessing and working things out until, dropping gentle hints until the 'big reveal'. After the 'big reveal', it all got a bit odd and unrealistic, but nonetheless was still entertaining, possibly for less scary reasons now though. The effects/costumes/looks of some of the evil folk are a little bit dubious as well once you get close up, but that just gave us something to giggle at and take a break from being freaked out.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this film if you like scary stuff, or even if you just fancy something different. It is enjoyable on its own without being classified as scary, and manages to hold together a fairly decent plot line throughout, but still has plenty of scary bits to keep you on your toes!
Friday, 16 December 2011
Arrested Development
I seem to have become slightly addicted to this blogging lark already, hence the amount of posts I have written already! But oh well, this time I am rambling about Arrested Development.
Arrested Development aired between 2003 and 2006 and ran for three seasons (though for some reason the last season was cut down to 13 episodes). I know it's old, but I was recently introduced to this show by my good friend Joe who has so much American comedy on his computer that it needs its own hard drive! Jason Bateman stars in the series (there's a picture below, for some reason whenever I say Jason Bateman to people, no-one knows who he is despite me thinking he is really famous... Maybe I just happen to watch a lot of movies that he is in!), along with Michael Cera (guy from Juno, Scott Pilgrim, some others I can't remember..) and a lot of other really good people who aren't really that well known as far as I can tell.
I know it is far from current but Arrested Development is a pretty recent discovery for me and it is one of the best comedies that I have ever seen. It takes a while to get going, with the first season starting slowly while the relationships between the characters are put into place. It is definitely worth perservering through the warm up episodes because as the second season kicks off, it all comes together. I don't know if it because the actors have got to know their characters and one another, or whether the audience need some time to get to know the family, but the second season feels much more together and is much funnier than the previous one.
The comedy in Arrested Development takes many forms. There is obvious stuff and obvious jokes as well as subtle jokes that run underneath the main dialogue and sometimes take a while to pick out (is it just me or are those the most satisfying though? Whenever I 'get' a hidden joke, I always feel really proud of myself). Some jokes refer back to earlier moments in the show and some run pretty consistently throughout, so it really is a series to watch from the beginning if you want to get the most out of it. There are some brilliant characters including a lawyer played by Henry Winkler (the Fonz from Happy Days) and a guy called Bob Loblaw (whose name sounds like Bla Bla Bla... lots of jokes about that..). The other great thing is that there is never any seriousness to this show. I hate it when you turn on a comedy wanting to be cheered up and then it hits you with a serious theme or message or something. Not with Arrested Development. It is all about the laughs and sometimes self depricating characters. I can't describe how good I think this show is, watch it and you will see!
The great thing about this show, in my opinion, is the mix of story line and comedy. There are moments when you just have to watch the next episode to find out what is going on, while at the same time there is loads of funny stuff slipped in. The story gets really interesting in the third seasons, and the season finale answers all the questions and ties up all the loose ends that have come up throughout the show., with lots of *gasp* moments. Unfortunately the ending does feel a little rushed, which is probably due to the show being cancelled and having to fit everything in to the last couple of episodes. It is still a brilliant show finale though.
The best thing about Arrested Development? It's coming back! It has been confirmed that there will be a mini-series of about 10 episodes to proceed an Arrested Development film, both are said to coming out in the next couple of years. So I guess it is kind of current.....
Arrested Development aired between 2003 and 2006 and ran for three seasons (though for some reason the last season was cut down to 13 episodes). I know it's old, but I was recently introduced to this show by my good friend Joe who has so much American comedy on his computer that it needs its own hard drive! Jason Bateman stars in the series (there's a picture below, for some reason whenever I say Jason Bateman to people, no-one knows who he is despite me thinking he is really famous... Maybe I just happen to watch a lot of movies that he is in!), along with Michael Cera (guy from Juno, Scott Pilgrim, some others I can't remember..) and a lot of other really good people who aren't really that well known as far as I can tell.
I know it is far from current but Arrested Development is a pretty recent discovery for me and it is one of the best comedies that I have ever seen. It takes a while to get going, with the first season starting slowly while the relationships between the characters are put into place. It is definitely worth perservering through the warm up episodes because as the second season kicks off, it all comes together. I don't know if it because the actors have got to know their characters and one another, or whether the audience need some time to get to know the family, but the second season feels much more together and is much funnier than the previous one.
The comedy in Arrested Development takes many forms. There is obvious stuff and obvious jokes as well as subtle jokes that run underneath the main dialogue and sometimes take a while to pick out (is it just me or are those the most satisfying though? Whenever I 'get' a hidden joke, I always feel really proud of myself). Some jokes refer back to earlier moments in the show and some run pretty consistently throughout, so it really is a series to watch from the beginning if you want to get the most out of it. There are some brilliant characters including a lawyer played by Henry Winkler (the Fonz from Happy Days) and a guy called Bob Loblaw (whose name sounds like Bla Bla Bla... lots of jokes about that..). The other great thing is that there is never any seriousness to this show. I hate it when you turn on a comedy wanting to be cheered up and then it hits you with a serious theme or message or something. Not with Arrested Development. It is all about the laughs and sometimes self depricating characters. I can't describe how good I think this show is, watch it and you will see!
Chicken dance montage: this is a running joke through the whole show and makes some of funniest moments.
The great thing about this show, in my opinion, is the mix of story line and comedy. There are moments when you just have to watch the next episode to find out what is going on, while at the same time there is loads of funny stuff slipped in. The story gets really interesting in the third seasons, and the season finale answers all the questions and ties up all the loose ends that have come up throughout the show., with lots of *gasp* moments. Unfortunately the ending does feel a little rushed, which is probably due to the show being cancelled and having to fit everything in to the last couple of episodes. It is still a brilliant show finale though.
The best thing about Arrested Development? It's coming back! It has been confirmed that there will be a mini-series of about 10 episodes to proceed an Arrested Development film, both are said to coming out in the next couple of years. So I guess it is kind of current.....
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Soaps
And now for something not quite so Christmassy and festive... Soaps. Actually, when I say 'soaps', I really just mean one 'soap', Emmerdale (wow, now I've written it too much and the word soap has totally lost all meaning..). I used to watch them all, Corrie, Eastenders, Neighbours etc., but I had to give up my soap addiction when I went to uni in favour of actually having a life. I'm back into Emmerdale again at the fault of my mother, who has recently become addicted to it, despite it previously being my least favourite in this genre, but it seems to be quite good entertainment at the moment, so I'm sticking with it for now!
The current shocker is that village 'ard man Cain Dingle has been done in with a blunt object. Of course, as always in soap-land, there were weeks of tensions leading up to this moment, leaving us with a whodunnit worthy of a murder mystery series, or at least a game of Cluedo. So we have the possible attempted murderers all walking around looking shifty; Charity, Jai, Moira, John, Amy and probably half of the rest of the village as well. I can't decide who I think is the culprit, and I'm hoping they won't drag it out as long as they did 'who shot Phil Mitchell' in Eastenders back in the day.
I've decided who I definitely don't think it is, and that's John. Speaking of John though, is it just me or is it looking like he is more and more stoned each day? I don't think the guy who plays him deserves an Oscar any time soon, unless moody, wooden, out of it and slightly constipated was the look he was going for with this character.
But anyway, bashing the acting skills of people in soaps is always easy, so let's move on from that and back to the 'gripping' story line. It would all be so much easier to follow if it wasn't for the fact that most of the characters are at least a little bit interbred. Seriously, what is going on with the Dingles? Somehow, Chas is Cain's sister despite them seemingly not having the same parents; Cain and Charity are cousins but also have a daughter together; Zak and Lisa have a child that is basically the same age as Cain's grandaughter and now Cain has another daughter than is younger than his grandaughter... And then Marlon is thrown in as a cousin as well, along with people like Sam and god knows who else. I'm sure if I had watched Emmerdale loyally for all of my 20 years it would be a bit clearer to me, but as I've been watching for approximately two weeks, it's gone a bit over my head really.
The other mystery worth talking about in the village is why so many people agree to get into bed with Cain. Maybe it's the 'ard man vibe but out of all the unrealistic things that go down in Emmerdale, I find this one the hardest to believe. Mind you, Moira had to put up with John the constipated broom, so I'm not surprised she fled into the arms of someone with a bit more personality and a bit less 'urgggggh'.
The current shocker is that village 'ard man Cain Dingle has been done in with a blunt object. Of course, as always in soap-land, there were weeks of tensions leading up to this moment, leaving us with a whodunnit worthy of a murder mystery series, or at least a game of Cluedo. So we have the possible attempted murderers all walking around looking shifty; Charity, Jai, Moira, John, Amy and probably half of the rest of the village as well. I can't decide who I think is the culprit, and I'm hoping they won't drag it out as long as they did 'who shot Phil Mitchell' in Eastenders back in the day.
I've decided who I definitely don't think it is, and that's John. Speaking of John though, is it just me or is it looking like he is more and more stoned each day? I don't think the guy who plays him deserves an Oscar any time soon, unless moody, wooden, out of it and slightly constipated was the look he was going for with this character.
But anyway, bashing the acting skills of people in soaps is always easy, so let's move on from that and back to the 'gripping' story line. It would all be so much easier to follow if it wasn't for the fact that most of the characters are at least a little bit interbred. Seriously, what is going on with the Dingles? Somehow, Chas is Cain's sister despite them seemingly not having the same parents; Cain and Charity are cousins but also have a daughter together; Zak and Lisa have a child that is basically the same age as Cain's grandaughter and now Cain has another daughter than is younger than his grandaughter... And then Marlon is thrown in as a cousin as well, along with people like Sam and god knows who else. I'm sure if I had watched Emmerdale loyally for all of my 20 years it would be a bit clearer to me, but as I've been watching for approximately two weeks, it's gone a bit over my head really.
The other mystery worth talking about in the village is why so many people agree to get into bed with Cain. Maybe it's the 'ard man vibe but out of all the unrealistic things that go down in Emmerdale, I find this one the hardest to believe. Mind you, Moira had to put up with John the constipated broom, so I'm not surprised she fled into the arms of someone with a bit more personality and a bit less 'urgggggh'.
Jamie's Christmas with Bells On
So let's kick off with something seasonal and festive, Jamie Oliver's latest Christmas cook show. It was shown for the first time last night (14th December) on Channel 4 and features loads of recipes to make on Christmas Eve, so you get ahead and are ready for Christmas the next day!
I love all cookery shows like this, especially the Christmas themed ones. I wasn't even feeling particularly festive when I put it on, but within 5 minutes I was excitedly looking up recipes and planning to make them for Christmas. There are some great recipes in this show too; my favourite is Griddle Pan Waffles and Epic Hot Chocolate, literally mouth-watering and they look so easy! Some of the recipes were a bit beyond me though and seemed like they needed rather a lot of preparation which, unless you are actually Jamie Oliver and could do it in the recommended time of a morning, would take about 3 days (ok, an exaggeration, but you know what I mean).
As well as all the yummy looking food, there was the typical Jamie Oliver banter with his Italian mentor Gennaro, Jamie's family getting involved and just general Jamie Oliver being a bit of an idiot in a funny, lovable sort of way. I wanted to find clips of some of the funny moments to put in, but it seems no-one has uploaded any so you'll just have to watch the show if you want to see them! To sum up, there's a nice shot of Jamie getting into his 'Christmas groove' whilst blending up some stuffing, as well as Gennaro dressed up as a giant Christmas turkey complete with a little turkey dance and Jamie playing practical jokes on him. Jamie's mum, wife and (I assume) daughters all make appearances too to add to the family feel of this Christmas special.
The only criticism I have of this programme is the awkwardness that is felt when certain people are 'helping out' on camera. For example, when Jamie's wife Jools comes in with their baby daughter to help out, she doesn't seem very comfortable or happy, and she certainly doesn't match her husband's cheery and jokey personality. To be fair though, she's only on for about two minutes, so I wouldn't let it spoil what I would call a brilliant, entertaining and yummy Christmas special!
This programme has it all as far as I'm concerned. There are great, helpful recipes, Christmas jumpers galore, comedy moments and a generally lovely festive feeling surrounding the whole show!
Trailer for Jamie's Christmas with Bells On
I love all cookery shows like this, especially the Christmas themed ones. I wasn't even feeling particularly festive when I put it on, but within 5 minutes I was excitedly looking up recipes and planning to make them for Christmas. There are some great recipes in this show too; my favourite is Griddle Pan Waffles and Epic Hot Chocolate, literally mouth-watering and they look so easy! Some of the recipes were a bit beyond me though and seemed like they needed rather a lot of preparation which, unless you are actually Jamie Oliver and could do it in the recommended time of a morning, would take about 3 days (ok, an exaggeration, but you know what I mean).
Nom nom nom
As well as all the yummy looking food, there was the typical Jamie Oliver banter with his Italian mentor Gennaro, Jamie's family getting involved and just general Jamie Oliver being a bit of an idiot in a funny, lovable sort of way. I wanted to find clips of some of the funny moments to put in, but it seems no-one has uploaded any so you'll just have to watch the show if you want to see them! To sum up, there's a nice shot of Jamie getting into his 'Christmas groove' whilst blending up some stuffing, as well as Gennaro dressed up as a giant Christmas turkey complete with a little turkey dance and Jamie playing practical jokes on him. Jamie's mum, wife and (I assume) daughters all make appearances too to add to the family feel of this Christmas special.
The only criticism I have of this programme is the awkwardness that is felt when certain people are 'helping out' on camera. For example, when Jamie's wife Jools comes in with their baby daughter to help out, she doesn't seem very comfortable or happy, and she certainly doesn't match her husband's cheery and jokey personality. To be fair though, she's only on for about two minutes, so I wouldn't let it spoil what I would call a brilliant, entertaining and yummy Christmas special!
This programme has it all as far as I'm concerned. There are great, helpful recipes, Christmas jumpers galore, comedy moments and a generally lovely festive feeling surrounding the whole show!
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