23 Sunday Feb 2020
Posted in Blogging Questions, Television Opinions
I’ve recently begun watching the iconic series The Twilight Zone and now can most definitely say I’m a fan. It shall be reviewed on this blog shortly once I finish Season 1. I can’t wait to review it as I’m only a few episodes in, but completely hooked. So who else is a fan of the Rod Serling series that took us to the fantastical but also held deep messages and themes?
16 Saturday Feb 2019
Posted in Television Opinions
I was asked to write a piece by the lovely Gill for her blogathon on Angela Lansbury . I too adore Angela Lansbury and wanted to highlight this by writing about why I love Murder, She Wrote. I’m happy to do this tribute to such a national treasure and mainstay in movies and television.
Here are the reasons why I love Murder, She Wrote:
1. Of Course it has to be Angela Lansbury:
The biggest reason the show is so effective and entertaining is the incomparable Angela Lansbury at the centre of it. 
She’s the perfect choice for the role of amateur sleuth and successful crime writer Jessica Fletcher. She blends observational tendencies, gentle humour and moments of deep strength to form this beloved woman who has a nose for murder. Lansbury is so good that it’s impossibke to imagine anyone else playing the part. I just love how radiant but firm she is and how she is a likeable character. It wouldn’t be successful without the talent of Lansbury.
2. There’s a certain level of coziness to it:
Now that may sound strange considering the show is about someone solving murders, but please let me elaborate. While the content of the show is Jessica attempting to unearth murderers, it has a lightness of touch to it. It’s not dour and overly serious, but rather. Yet it does have strong emotional moments in it, it’s the episodic nature and knowledge that Jessica will succeed in her sleuthing that really makes Murder, She Wrote.
3. The vast array of guest stars:
Sometimes watching Murder, She Wrote is like playing spot the celebrity, given the amount of famous guest stars that have featured on it. From seasoned pros of Old Hollywood to stars just on the cusp of recognition, Murder, She Wrote has them in spades. You’ll be surprised how many big stars had early roles on this show.
But the biggest reason of all is Angela Lansbury who’s incomparable.
13 Tuesday Nov 2018
Posted in Television Opinions
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I’ve always been a lover of crime shows and those of a procedural nature. When I was in high school, I religiously watched NCIS and CSI. Recently, I’ve seen quite a bit of Law and Order and it’s many spin off. It appears that there’s no stopping the success of such shows. But do you have any love for them?
08 Saturday Sep 2018
Posted in Television Opinions
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No not the superhero movie franchise, but the classic 60’s spy show that I’ve finally got around to seeing some of. This is in large part due to the television airing episodes again. I remember my Grandfather being very fond of the show and decided to view it. Well I love watching the suave John Steed, him of the bowler hat and umbrella, and his succession of female sidekicks battle nefarious villains. But what do you think?
04 Wednesday Jul 2018
Posted in Television Opinions
I admit to being a lover of comedy when it’s done right. Two of my favourite comedy series are Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. Below I will list why I love them so.
Everybody Loves Raymond:
Frasier:
24 Sunday Sep 2017
After the fine response to my last royalty post, I thought it good to feature another one. Historical drama can sometimes feel too formal, which is why I’m sure things are often sexed up. And sometimes it is in keeping with various scandals of history involving royalty, which is even more fun. So which depictions of real life monarchy where the sexiest for you on television of in film. I have a feeling The Tudors is going to get a deserved mention.
And on a related note and after discussion with the fabulous Gill, I think that I should host a blogathon on celluloid versions of monarchy. Royalty in movie and television should make for fine posts. At the moment, I’m busy but in the nearby future, I promise to do a blogathon.
07 Monday Aug 2017
Posted in Television Opinions
Many television shows showcase eventful places for the characters to occupy, but there are some more eventful than others. There’s no shortage of drama or mayhem in the following roads, streets or towns. These are only a few examples as there are too many to list.
Sunnydale- Buffy the Vampire Slayer:
Many people may proclaim that where they live is hellish, but fancy residing in a town where you are right about the mouth of hell. For Buffy and pals, things that go bump in the night and monsters are a day to day occurrence as frequent as going shopping. Much supernatural peril and ass kicking commences in the ironically named Sunnydale.
Wisteria Lane- Desperate Housewives:
Beneath the pleasant mask of suburban bliss is a very dark hotbed of affairs, murders and bitchiness. Seriously, how much stuff has gone down in Wisteria Lane for the eponymous ladies? It’s no wonder the emergency services are an almost constant presence on the seemingly sleepy street given all the drama unfolding.
Coronation Street- Coronation Street:
The long running British soap boasts one of the most event laden streets in television history. For such a small street in Manchester with only a few houses, Coronation Street’s small size shouldn’t fool you as its played host to all number of tragedies, disasters and squabbling. Scrapping in the street is a given, bed-hopping is a go to and drinking in the pub is mandatory. Is it any wonder there’s so much going on?
Those were three examples that spring to my mind. So which places in television would you say had enough drama to last a lifetime?
19 Sunday Mar 2017
Posted in Birthdays and Tributes, Television Opinions
As many people will know, Buffy the Vampire Slayer celebrated its 20th anniversary on the 10th of March. I was planning on doing a post, but the house move got in the way. Never fear, as I’ve decided to still do a post about the greatness of the show, just in belated yet graceful fashion. I love Buffy so much, it has to rank as one of my favourite shows ever. Watching as the eponymous warrior fought the powers of darkness while grappling with her personal life was entertaining television of the highest. As I could about the show for hours, I thought it better to condense my feelings into something more concise. So without further ado, here are the five reasons that Buffy the Vampire Slayer rocks like no other.
It knew how to scare you:
As a show that delved into the supernatural, it was only right that many things that our sarcastic heroine would battle would be creepy. And when I say spooky, I’m talking nightmare inducing at times. The villains and forces of darkness where never dull and had just the right amount of fright to creep you out.
It can make you laugh:
The sarcastic and often darkly humorous aspects of the show where always in high supply. In a show that was dark, laughs were generated frequently due to the comic timing of characters and the often outrageous things they would have to battle.
And just as quickly break your heart:
The amount of times I felt emotional watching Buffy are too many to count. It really knew how to get you emotional because of how well written it was. Tragedy and death formed large parts of the show, yet where always searing and ready for the tears to fall.
It’s highly innovative:
From the musical episode ‘Once More, With Feeling’ to the creepy and largely silent episode ‘Hush’, Buffy was always a show that was willing to take creative risks and challenges. And a lot of them largely paid off, which resulted in the show being a force to be reckoned with.
And of course the amazing title character:
Smart, sassy and kick ass to a fault, Buffy Summers has to be one of the strongest women warriors to hit television screens. Played to perfection by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy is a girl you can gravitate towards on a lot of levels. In the beginning, she just wants to be a normal teenager though her destiny is what stops that. Over the course of the show, she grew into a woman accepting her destiny and learning how to embrace it. In short, Buffy Summers is a feisty and relatable heroine of steel and heart.
There are many other things I could list, but I’m trying to be concise as I know I’ll ramble given half the chance. All I have left to say is that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a show that will never get old.
19 Thursday Jan 2017
Posted in Television Opinions
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My other recaps on older movie reviews have gone down a storm with all of you wonderful followers out there. And it occurred to me that I hadn’t done any recap on television reviews, now is my chance. I love television just as much as movies and most followers will know that I really commit to watching a television show when I’m reviewing it. So in case any of you missed them, here are some of them:
15 Thursday Dec 2016
Posted in Television Opinions
I am a huge fan of the legendary Angela Lansbury. I mean her work ethic and quota of stage, screen and theatre appearances is staggering. For many people, they remember her for playing the amiable mystery novelist Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, who solved various crimes with her knack for detail and peerless observations. Now I love the show and I like how it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Plus, you have the delightful Lansbury as excellent as ever playing the sharp-minded Jessica, who always seems to be two steps ahead of everyone else. I don’t think I’ve come across anyone who doesn’t love Murder, She Wrote. I mean, what’s not to love? I continue to watch the show on re-runs because it just has that nostalgic quality to it. Please let me know your opinions on the show.
vinnieh 