The cast of Friends.

So a few weeks ago, Channel 4 announced that it was going to stop airing episodes of a small sit-com that lasted a while called Friends. You may not have heard about it. And through the internet saying they will no longer watch E4 because all they watch is Friends (bet they got the DVDs), I guess it’s time to just slightly reflect on the show. Because it was actually quite funny.

The thing with Friends, was that it managed to graft six fully-realised characters mixed in with some stories that do thunder on with some decent pace. This is because the majority of episodes manage to give all six characters a story so the episode can flip between stories when things get boring. Then things escalate and jokes set-up pay-off incredibly well.

It’s when you get infected by these characters is when you start to really care for them. It’s then when you get some of the memorable moments which stick with you and TV history. So what’s some of my personal memories of Friends? Well let’s have a look…

“Maybe I’ll Dance For You…”

That episode where Phoebe finds out about Monica and Chandler, and over-competiveness takes over in a game of trying to get one over the other. Phoebe pretends to hit on Chandler to try and coax the relationship out of him but they don’t back down. It contains some hilarious moments – especially in the seduction scene where Phoebe ends up showing her bra.

“Mine is the red one!”

“You used my tooth brush.”
“Only because I used the red one to unclog the drain.”
“MINE IS THE RED ONE!”

For some reason I always remember that one.

…Yeah I can only recall those two at the moment. There’s probably more. Oh! Drake Ramoray. Joey’s ‘dying’ with Jean Claude Van Damme.

More will probably come to me.

But in all seriousness, it is an end of an era for E4 come 2011. But it is for good reasons. The channel does dominate it’s schedule with the show at times, and it’s always guaranteed to help fill out the schedule. But the only problem is that after a while channels can get over-dependent on a show and while it gives a sense of identity, it doesn’t allow it to grow and help new shows to blossom. That’s what this announcement is doing, it’s giving the channel space to breathe and to focus on a new generation of shows.

Friends is over fifteen years old! It is time to move on. E4 is no longer showing shows that were on at the same time as it! (Well, bar perhaps Smallville – but that will survive a zombie apocalypse when it would do). All those people who say they won’t be watching E4 again – if it is because all you watch is Friends then perhaps you should just keep watching the DVDs and not embrace new comedies and new characters and branch out. The show will always be there in history – but things have to come to an end.

*hint* Smallville *hint*

Russell Tovey, Lenora Crichlow and Aidan Turner

Welcome to a revelation of sorts. Being Human, built on the current rise in genre programming, is another positive example of the British renaissance in drama. The series is the story of three housemates that happen to be a ghost, vampire and a werewolf as they try to live life. It’s a human drama surrounded by supernatural elements that affect the way that they live.

At the end of the first series, werewolf George had killed the closest thing the vampires had to a leader: Mitchell’s mentor Herrick. Ghost Annie also managed to come to terms with her fiancé killing her. Now as we start the second series George was beginning to suffer a breakdown in his relationship with Nina, Mitchell was starting to get close to a new doctor and Annie tries to get a job now people can see her. But Mitchell is also trying to get more vampires off blood put also has to deal with rogue vampire killings and a police chief not wanting to cover things up, George tries to live his life and Annie starts to hear the afterlife trying to get her.

The series is the year where the characters are becoming to terms with what they are. Mitchell has to find his true nature and whether he can escape it in some tense scenes, George tries to start a new relationship and Annie learns to control her abilities. It’s tense, tragic as well as funny as George gets a new job and ends up having his inner-wolf try to break out when he thinks he’s beaten it after locking him in a cage. Annie finally gets to speak to her mother after meeting an incredibly sweet physic and Mitchell reverts.

The series has the running thread of an organisation run by a Priest called Kemp who wants to rid the world of vampires. It’s this priest who ends up being the series ‘villain’ and ends causing a lot of pain and anguish along the way. Cumulating in a finale where Mitchell has to rescue George and Annie from the clutches of Kemp but not without a few shocking surprises and some kick-arse moments of bad-assery from Annie at the end.

It leaves with some closure but also with a new direction for the series to take and explore in series three. But the final shot of the resurrection of Herrick is initially shocking…but is it the correct way forward for the series? Unless it will deal with the afterlife…bit of a double-edged sword that one.

Nevertheless, this is a great series with some great characters. Russell Tovey is an amazingly talented performer and should really be going to do a lot more things in the future. Same with Lenora Crichlow; who’s becoming a regular fixture of British TV.

It’s time the series really took off – perhaps a move to terrestrial? BBC2 perhaps…

Just to let you know that once again, we have a new theme. If you haven’t noticed.

It’s a new era. High School is over and the characters are entering a new chapter in their lives. It’s time for the College Season. Buffy will gain a new boyfriend, Willow undergoes a complete change whilst other characters deal with lives changing. Giles is now unemployed whilst Xander is directionless. These all combine with a greater force finally taking an interest in the war against demons – but their interest grows larger than just fighting them…

The Freshman

I quite like The Freshman. It does have a nice similar feeling to it, like a pilot but it twists the setting and grows the characters up a bit. The dialogue still is good to listen to, but the masterstroke is switching Buffy and Willow around so that Willow’s the confident one. It’s a decent twist on things and it gives Buffy a good start to her season arc. The enemies in Sunday and the loser vampires are actually quite entertaining, but it’s a bit of a shame that Sunday is staked as it may have been good to have her in a recurring role for a bit. But the ending is also incredibly mysterious – who are the army guys?

Living Conditions

Ugggh. This is quite possibly one of, if not the, worst episode of the show ever. I try to not watch it when I can, but this takes the proverbial biscuit and cake. Just poorly done and shoddily unsubtle in a Season One stand-alone kind of way.

Harsh Light of Day

The first real cross-over with Angel, with Spike throwing in his own little final hurrah as a villain before real changes for his character. There’s some integral development here that features in some early character arcs – Xander/Anya start around three seasons of plot-lines whilst Buffy aims to be a bit impulsive and ends up sleeping with a guy she only met a few days ago. Unfortunately this dominates a lot of the future episodes and makes her extremely sour…but it’s great to see Spike again.

Fear Itself

Characters face fears that echo their problems at the moment in a house which falls on Halloween. The characters dress up in an excuse that gets them in that scenario. It’s also full of some good moments including the ending which is a great take on the show. As well as the brilliant closing line.

Beer Bad

Scratch what I said about Living Conditions. This is what you call an absolute mess of an episode which boarders on belief that it even survived the breaking process. Incredibly unsubtle, the bad message that it puts across in regards to guys that use young women for sex and how to deal as well as the clearly bad anti-alcohol stance that kicks off. Plus as an apparent Xander-led episode it’s just not funny bar a few one liners.

Beer bad? Episode bad, more-like.

Oz and Veruca are too much like Buffy and Faith in places – and it doesn’t fully settle right. Oz was bound to meet another wolf and it to cause friction between him and Willow – but it also just doesn’t feel quite right. It’s also the send-off for Oz in his last episode as a regular cast member. It’s a bit iffy an ending – but heart-breaking as well. Hanningan gives it her all and it is sad – though retrospectively it’s probably because I know what’s who’s coming and I don’t want them to be there…

Points for the great opening though with Spike’s siloquey being interrupted by the mysterious army guys.

The Initiative

A great episode that reveals a lot about the army people, including that Buffy’s ‘love interest’ Riley is one of them and her professor is in charge. I think it may have been because I was not spoilt by it but a lot of the episode shocked and misled me. It also is the start of Spike’s eventual new arc and direction as a character with the invention of the ‘chip’ in his head that stops him from killing humans. It leads to a fantastic scene between him and Willow that doubles as a metaphor for impotence. In a comical way.

But yes, a great episode. Quite a personal favourite.

Pangs

The appearance of Angel (allowing for a sweeps crossover event) is sweet, but mainly set-up for bigger events and character work in the sister show. The general conflict in the episode of the vengeance demon however is not so good or subtle and does leave a bit of sour taste in the mouth. The fight scene at the end is quite action-packed though, juggling suspense and the usual balancing of humour and drama. There’s also a great little smirk-worthy ending.

Something Blue

Another story of spells gone awry – but a comedic twist on the Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered spin on things. Willow has her ‘getting over Oz leaving ‘ episode and whilst the things that happen to some character’s aren’t funny – it is fun to see Buffy and Spike arrange their wedding. There’s a lovely moment where Buffy asks Giles to give her away and the sense of gratitude on Giles’ face before he starting moaning is priceless. Plus the moments with D’Hoffryn is a nice little spin on expectations and such.

Hush

So after all that witty dialogue that Joss Whedon has written in previous episodes – he goes and challenges himself by writing a silent episode. And by gawd it’s one of the strongest episodes of the entire series. It’s creepy, tense and contains some brilliantly dramatic and funny moments all through the actions of the character. It’s a testament to Whedon how he manages to craft a brilliant episode and some great characterisation from the actions of the characters. From Xander phoning Buffy and Willow, Spike’s ‘V’ sign, Giles’ presentation, Xander thinking Anya is dead (and the resulting ‘let’s have sex’ request) and the brilliant ending where Riley and Buffy try to talk…but can’t.

A masterpiece, one of the best episodes the show has ever done.

Doomed

A bit of a mixed bag and a mess. A lot of writers here and there trying to write another end of the world story which tries to be a hint back to the school years whilst bridging the relationship between Riley and Buffy. It shows they can work together and about the ‘workplace relationship’ problems that Buffy had. Spike steals the episode with his suicidal tendencies to the discovery that he can hurt demons.

The New Man

Finally. Giles gets something to do in an episode that highlights how superfluous he’s been all season. It’s a nice episode with some great characterisation and banter with Spike, with a great moment where he gets Spike to stop his car just to scare Walsh. Priceless.

It’s good to see Ethan again in his last appearance in the show.

The I In Team

It’s the mid-season plot-twist time. The real big-bads and allegiances are starting to show and things are revealed. Buffy gets access into The Initiative and then ends up trying to be killed by them as her relationship with Riley reaches an even deeper level. The theme of detachment in the season also begins to become more apparent as everyone else is left with a sub-plot involving a tracking chip in Spike whilst Buffy goes it alone. In the long term it’s a decent idea, it just feels like a bit of a waste.

Goodbye, Iowa

Now like Consequences last year, the second of the not-exactly-a-two-parter-but-is mid season is missing more than hitting. It’s wrapping up some stories whilst also introducing the character of Adam. The real Big Bad this year. A cool concept which in hindsight doesn’t exactly feel like it’s been thought out properly. But an experiment going amok still is a better idea on paper than it is…

This Year’s Girl

Faith returns! The episode is a good one, but is still set-up rather than anything. There’s also a huge running habit throughout the season in that it takes a while for the episode plots to really get going – only really kicking in around the halfway mark and this has that sort of plodding feel which is building up to the cliff-hanger. Some cool images are all really just laying down pavements towards…

Who Am I?

Whedon takes over again in an episode which plays further on the relationship between Buffy and Faith as Faith gets to experience things she really hasn’t experienced before as she tries to destroy Buffy’s life. The episode is all building towards a fight in a church which allows for development on the Adam plot as well. Gellar and Dushku also manage to play each other’s characters quite well – particularly when Buffy tries to convince Giles that she’s her. Buffy’s tendency to ramble innocently is caught spot on.

Superstar

A lovely little distraction of an episode which actually holds quite a few key arc developments in regards to the Adam story and the Riley/Buffy relationship. Buffy’s abilities as a leader allows for some exploration as her role as the Slayer is limited here. Moments where Buffy shows her initiative comes as a shock to other characters – but it shows how naturally it comes to her.

Also – title sequence edited to have shots of Jonathan? Masterstroke.

Where the Wild Things Are

An episode which tries to balance things out to give the Scoobies something to do by having Buffy and Riley stuck…um…doing stuff. There’s plenty of dodgy stuff happening with orgasming walls and bottles exploding in faces but it’s mainly to cement Anya and Xander’s relationship as they battle a frat house with a lot of demonic sexual energy.

Yeah – demonic sexual energy. I said it.

New Moon Rising

Oz is back! The drama in the season begins to get going as The Initiative capture Oz and Riley’s view of good and evil begin to get blurred. The Willow/Tara relationship kicks off but it’s the build up towards the finale that makes the episode. Again Angel starts to overshadow the series as he and the events surrounding upandcoming episodes of that series dictate some conflict coming up. But all-in-all, it’s finally time to say goodbye to Oz.

The Yoko Factor

Spike tries to break the gang up, playing on the metaphor of College and the disillusionment that’s been growing between the friends all season. Using Yoko Ono as a reference point it eventually comes to a head in a climax that’s actually quite difficult to watch as the friends all break away and Riley enters Adam’s grasp.

Primeval

So the gang gets together. Storms the Initiative. Beats Adam. They do it in an actually cool way of combining essences together into a ‘Super-Buffy’. Though the final action scenes and escape seems to be written and rushed in a final montage with a Creepy Government Guy doing exposition voice-over.

Adam’s the only Big Bad to be killed in an episode that’s not the season finale. But the episode does

Restless

The black sheep of the show’s finales; it’s a standalone dream episode which both hints and wraps up storylines in regards to the characters but also reveals a bit more on the Slayer mythology. Its primary focus is to kick-start Buffy’s fifth season arc, but there’s plenty of its own merit to go round as well. The dialogue is strong, as well as the characterisation. Plenty of call-backs to older episodes (and a cameo from Seth Green) and a running gag with a guy with cheese. Not to mention The Exposition Song is a fun little ditty.

There’s plenty here to enjoy, even if the atmosphere of the episode is weird to get around.

Overall

The episode Pangs pretty much sums up the slow gradual decline of the series for me. The dual scheduling with Angel leaves it with a slight taste of opening to a main event on the sister (or is it brother?) show. Pangs is mainly an excuse to eventually get Buffy to LA for a bigger character episode for Angel. The later end of the season is another sweeps event which is surrounded by references to events in LA.

It’s a shame, because the season in retrospect is a lot better than it was originally. The season does contain some tough to watch episodes and scenes with the characters breaking away, and Riley does verge on the case as being a bit bland in places. It’s tough when you have to be compared with Angel though. It doesn’t help that the Big Bad is an interesting concept gone poor with execution who’s killed by a removal of a core. You can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if they had the plot of Primeval as the season finale.

It’s a season of experimentation, of trying to go back to basics but the show’s been so complex in the past its metaphors just aren’t fully working right. Not as strong as seasons two or three, but not completely weak.

Personal history has been made. I have my first TV series on Blu-Ray, Mad Men. There should be something fitting, as of the first four episodes that I had already seen (when writing this intro), there was a slow yet beautifully shot series on display. This is a series that quite possibly deserves to be seen in the highest quality possible. Set in the 1960’s and depicting the world of ruthless cutthroat advertising, the series aims to show changing attitudes and technology whilst just being cool in the process.

Now having caught up with the show up to the end of season two…it’s an interesting series to say the least. Coming up with words to describe it – I could only muster: beautiful, involving, lethargic and cerebral.  Because it’s not a show for the low attention span, or those that like to switch off whilst watching – because you do need to keep focused when watching. I found this out the hard way as I seemed to watch half the episodes whilst either nodding off in bed over my Christmas holiday or whilst surfing the internet or writing. I had no real clue what was going on half the time.

It then hit me that it’s not a show that expresses its feelings. It’s like someone made a show and was dared not to spell out things for the audience, and the audience has to work things out for themselves. On the one hand it makes for a much richer viewing experience. On the other it’s the most frigging frustrating programme this side of Lost and Battlestar Galactica (re-imagining).  Whether you have to figure out what you’re watching is a flashback, and trying to crack the puzzle that is Donald Draper and his complex past and personality. Where you have to watch the often uncomfortable informality of subjects that seem quite taboo at the time. Marvel at how people don’t react when people hit other people’s children, have no seatbelts and engage in the odd bit of casual racism, sexism and homophobia.

At times it’s does feel as if it goes a bit too clever. Not the Skins-up-it’s-own-arse kind of clever, but the kind where you have to decrypt and hear-between-the-lines about a lot of things. The storyline that highlights this is the ascension of Peggy Olsen – who was pregnant but didn’t know it and gave the child away. It’s only highlighted at certain points, but you have to sort of read into the subtlety of the writing to fully grasp the effect it has on her career. The links between the themes and some of the products used need a bit of a head scratch but it does leave you both scratching your head and captivated.

This is down to the performances from the cast. Jon Hamm is utterly sublime as Don, and he’s backed up by some brilliant displays from Vincent Kartheiser as the slightly wet yet opportunistic Pete whilst Christina Hendricks gives a bitchy yet vulnerable shine to office manager Joan Holloway. I also have a massive crush developing toward January Jones. It’s worrying. But only just. Honest.

You want a show to watch and to challenge you? Then Mad Men is quite possibly the show for you.

Buffy ran away in the season two finale after killing her lover and sending him to a hell dimension to stop the world being sucked into Hell. So the next season should naturally follow what would’ve happened if she’d kept running away or didn’t have that support system of family, friends or Giles. This is done by the slayer Faith, played by Eliza Dushku, and the character is one of the key arcs of the season.

This season is generally seen as the strongest season, and personally I’d always thought season two to be stronger. Mainly because I originally watched it out-of-order. I’ve since watched them in order, but after a few years away it’ll be interesting to see how I take it…

As always, episode by episode…

Anne

“Hi I’m Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, and you are?” The episode is a simple lead up to that line, as Buffy finds herself in an unnamed city (later to be confirmed as LA). As her friends and mother try to cope without her, Buffy ends up being dragged into the world she tried to run away from, realising that she can’t run away from who she is. There’s also some nice little set-up (and stock footage for the title sequence) for Angel in terms of the character of ‘Anne’ and the darker tone for the spin-off.

Dead Man’s Party

“Look at my mask, isn’t it pretty? It raises the dead! Americans…”

Buffy’s absence has all its feelings unravelled in the midst of a zombie attack. Typical Buffy. Usually episodes after the premiere suffer, but in the whole show this is probably the exception as it’s a really good episode. There’s some painful scenes in where everyone seems to gang up on Buffy, though her friends won’t really know why until later in the season. But a functional episode that succeeds.

Hope, Faith and Trick

Enter Faith. Thus the cult of Dushku was born. To be honest, Dushku is a great fit for the role of Faith, and she casts a cool yet tormented and troubled slayer quite well. She mirrors Buffy as she’s supposed to and the relationship between the two starts here. It also introduces Scott Hope, Buffy’s new boyfriend, and Mr. Trick – the supposed original Big Bad of the season. Not as cool as School Hard, but it’s different. And Faith’s different to Kendra. Which is also good.

Beauty and the Beast

Single episode metaphors ala Season One…for some reason the episode just seems like it doesn’t actually work. What the show did a lot; it now seems it can’t do without being hammy. Maybe perhaps the show has been capable of exploring more complex themes with the whole Angel thing, because this isn’t really good. It feels heavy handed, subtle, badly written (Buffy’s discovery of Mr. Platt comes to mind) and the guest characters come across as idiots.

The episode does showcase strong character development though, especially with Buffy’s discovery of Angel being back – but all-in-all, bit of a weak episode.

Homecoming

Cordelia really doesn’t get that much of a chance to shine, and this is probably her strongest episode as she is pitted against Buffy in a battle for Homecoming Queen. The first half is a funny banter as Buffy declares war and finds a formidable opponent in Cordelia. The episode continues to have fun as Cordelia is mistaken for Faith and they’re caught in Slayerfest ’98. There’s a nice build-up with some technology-based Germans and Cordelia with a spatula. Lyle Gorch actually has better use here as well. Wonder why he was never seen again…

Band Candy

An important episode this one, mainly because it’s the first one to be credited with Jane Espenson as a writer, and what a lovely episode it is too. The Mayor begins to cast a sinister presence, Ethan Rayne returns and Kristine Sutherland, Anthony Steward Head and Armin Shimmerman have far too much fun. Adults become kids, and it’s up to the kids to be the adults as chaos reigns supreme. Some scenes have to be seen to be believed (Joyce and Giles…police car) but it’s Snyder that steals the episode with his turn as a temporary Slayerette.

Revelations

The Everyone-Finds-Out-About-Angel episode, but also one that starts to seed a little bit of doubt between the Buffy/Faith relationship.  They come to blows over Angel, and Faith is manipulated by another untrustworthy authority figure. A key arc episode then, which features a very tough-to-watch scene as Buffy’s friends stage an intervention about Angel and there’s some iffyness between Buffy and Giles brewing.

Lover’s Walk

Spike returns! And what an impact he makes in an episode that is both funny and quite emotionally tragic as the Willow/Xander indiscretion is placed in the spotlight. There’s a great Spike/Willow scene, a great Spike/Joyce scene (which has to be watched to be believed) and a very well done cop out with a sudden cut to a funeral moments after a badly-injured Cordelia loses consciousness.

Not to mention there’s a fast paced action scene where Buffy, Angel and Spike take on twenty vampires.

The Wish

Cordelia makes a wish that Buffy never came to Sunnydale and the world goes to hell. A ‘What if’ episode that has a little bit of fun with characters and makes a dark, more action orientated story which shows just how much a difference Buffy makes to Sunnydale. In retrospect, there’s an under-running theme throughout the season which does question the difference that Buffy makes – and this episode does contribute to that. There’s definitely a serious key placement for this episode in the season which makes it more important than first thought.

It’s fun to see The Master again, with Xander and Willow as vampires and Buffy as a to-the-mission soldier that suggests that Giles’ much-criticised methods and her support base help ‘our’ Buffy. Good episode.

Amends

I think this episode, aside from getting Buffy and Angel back together again, is more of a set-up of Angel more than anything else. It sets up his purpose, his destiny and the nature of his relationship with Buffy. Functional, but the ending feels quite trite.

Gingerbread

Mixed bag this one. A good, solid idea that gives Joyce something to do, but it’s never really confirmed whether it’s mind control or direct manipulation of the populous and why the Scoobies seem to be unaffected.

Helpless

Buffy reaches 18, and also gives her an excuse to feel like a normal girl. It also brings the Giles/Buffy relationship in accordance with the Council, but solidifying the Father/Daughter relationship they have as Giles is fired. Nothing overly special or flash, but definitely an important episode.

The Zeppo

A funny Xander-led episode, and one of my personal favourites as the show genuinely spoofs itself rotten. As Xander goes on his own adventure and grows up, loses his virginity and prepares to actually sacrifice his life to stop a zombie gang member, the rest of the gang prepare for their greatest fight yet which we hardly see. In fact it’s only really with Xander we see these developments – but the story he’s involved in is great on its own. Plenty of witty one-liners…and Faith and Xander get it on.

Class.

Bad Girls

The mid-season two-parter in Buffy in which the true season villains will be revealed kicks in with Faith’s influence on Buffy reaching a breaking point when a new Watcher turns up and a demon comes across looking for an amulet. BUT when Faith kills a man…the episode is average really, another functional one. Wesley is painted as pretty much Giles in season one, but I quite like him as the comic foil.

You also have to smile at Mayor Wilkins’ to-do list:

Meet with PTA
Become Invincible
Haircut

Consequences

Considering the subject matter…this episode is absolutely dull. It’s boring. Lethargic. Snoozeville to the extreme. Things just slowly plod and don’t feel that exciting for an episode that is treading water to the next arc point. Bit of a shame, really. I also don’t get why the hell Willow ends up being upset about Xander…

Doppelgangland

Written by Joss Whedon, the characterisation and dialogue here is (obviously) top notch. It’s just a flimsy excuse to bring Vampire Willow back, but in the background you have some crucial development for Willow in terms of her feelings towards being ‘old reliable’. It’s also the first real signs of her future development and relationship with Tara, and the more confidence Willow that she’ll be.

Enemies

Basically a more exciting version of what Consquences should’ve actually been. We get to see the return of Angelus and the descent of Faith and the growing relationship between her and the Mayor. But it’s mainly because we get more of Angelus again, who’s always fun to watch.

Earshot

Considering the subject matter, and the fact that this episode actually got pulled and held back because of school shootings, the episode is quite light and fun for the majority. Jane Espenson proves to be a witty, funny and matching very closely with the show’s style in juxtaposition with the darker elements of school shootings and eventually teenage suicide. But the main thrust of the episode is that comedic elements do take precedence.

“You had sex with Giles? You had sex with Giles? On the hood of a Police car? TWICE?”

Choices

The first meeting between Buffy and the Mayor, resulting in Snyder and police coming in thinking it’s a drug bust. Willow’s developing magic use (staking with a floating pencil = genius) and the establishing of Wesley’s place in the show as the antagonistic ally. But the season is really kicking into the final arcs, the Ascension looming every closer as well as talk about colleges and applications and such. The Willow/Buffy scene where Willow says she wants to fight evil is quite the character growth for her, hinting towards what she’ll become.

Prom

A beautiful episode. Some painful moments where the Buffy/Angel relationship breaks down – but the episode is surrounded a lot more between the whole ‘Buffy gets a perfect High School moment’ ideal, as well as what she does appear to sacrifice. It leads to the best moment in the whole series where Jonathan reads out a speech written by the committee and awards Buffy with the ‘Class Protector’ award. It’s an incredibly touching moment that does signal the up-and-coming end of an era – as well as the nice little sight of Angel turning up in a tux. Other little moments litter the episode, such as Xander learning Cordelia’s secret and Wesley asking Giles’ advice in asking Cordelia to dance.

Graduation Part I

Ever closer, the excitement begins to kick in with things starting to slowly get the ball rolling in probably the best finale the series has. There’s actually a decent conclusion in the climax which does give the episode its own identity in the brutal Buffy/Faith fight. Buffy also manages to grow up further, managing to quit the Council in the process. If anything, the episode contains some lazy plotting in the guise of Anya having conveniently being to one before, but all-in-all it’s still generally a good strong episode.

Graduation Part II

If Part One was dealing with Faith, the second part is dealing with the Mayor and the eventual final battle, and what a final battle it is. There’s plenty of iconic imagery to go around, and there’s plenty of action and end of season arc development. In terms of the show, this is also the final ‘two-part season finale’ in the whole show, and it’s also quite sad to see that. In future seasons it’s a case of trying to do something different, while in others it’s because of the more serialised elements. It’s telling how they’re not as good as this season’s finale.

Generally though, the iconic images show the best the series has. The erotic scene between Angel and Buffy when he feeds off her, the twist of the sexual tension between Cordelia and Wesley, the mirror relationship that Faith and the Mayor have which flips the Giles/Buffy relationship, all the school kids revealing a bunch of weapons and the death of Snyder. All this is wrapped up with characterisation and great dialogue from everyone and the supporting characters get a lovely little chance to shine.

It ends on a happy note as well, no cliff-hangers but with an optimistic glance towards the future.

“Guys…we survived.” “Yeah that was hell of a battle.” “Not the battle…High School.”

Overall

A strong, strong season. It has its duds, everything does but generally as episodes go its quite a strong solid season. Beauty and the Beasts and Consequences are the only real dud episodes, and when you consider that’s only two out of twenty-two, that’s a good statistic. Characters continue to be fleshed out and developed to the point that the show can actually both parody itself and show growth. I.e. Wesley is to show how Giles has developed under Buffy’s influence, whilst vice-versa Faith is what Buffy would be without Giles. The previous season was the loss of innocence and the grasps of the adult world, this is the mantle of taking responsibility and knowing what your strengths are.

The Mayor makes a good Big Bad. He’s actually quirky and quite likable and a joy to watch, in that he’s not exactly a corrupt politician, just evil. There’s a difference. There’s a lovely sense of ending as well as the school chapter in the character’s lives begin to end – and some great symbolism in blowing up the Library and the School. Nothing will be the same again for Buffy and pals.

Now I’ve always said that the show never gets as strong as it did. Mainly because from memory the show couldn’t translate to college what it did for High School – and thus the show begins a weird tangent as the heroine grows up. Was this because of Angel being stronger? Well that’s for other reviews to decide…

The Cast for the fnal season of Lost...

And thus last Friday, Lost returned to Sky1. Not only was it a mixture of plenty of what-the-deuce mixed with mind-fraks, but also the sense of a slowly brewing conclusion on the horizon. It also gave us a twist on the flash fowards/backs/parallels or whatever they’re called.

So if you haven’t watched LAX Parts 1 and 2 yet – LOOK AWAY NOW!

So for some reason flight 815 has landed in LAX whilst the main characters who were stuck in the seventies end up in the present. Not only that there’s the strange ‘Not-Locke’ who is revealed here to actually BE the smoke monster (an answer!). There’s a greater sense of mystery and supernatural building and there’s also the end of Elizabeth Mitchell’s contract coming to the end. Plus some good cameos of characters we haven’t seen for a while.

There’s a sense of…well, I’m not exactly sure what the sense is but I remember actually thinking in the season three finale that it may have been a parallel universe we were watching with a different Jack (the flash-forward was a complete surprise). But now we actually have that – and while it’s fun and interesting to see what actually happened, the whole point of them is just hard to comprehend. Though the interesting thing about it was the appearance of Desmond speaking to Jack on the flight. What does that mean? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

The strange people and the stewardess (who’s disappearance is now apparently explained) in the temple raises more questions, but hopefully it all begins to ravel and make sense. Though I’m wondering what scope it has as well as the whole Widmore thing in tandem with the Non-Locke wanting to go home. But what I think

Though there’s nothing on WAAAAAALT’s appearance. Nor was there any Michael on the plane. I guess that’s just one of the losses that we’ll have to cut.

It’s all beginning to end now. *sniff*

One of the most successful British Sit-Coms, Only Fools and Horses followed the adventures of ‘independent trader’ Derek ‘Del-Boy’ Trotter and his younger brother Rodney as they scrimped and saved in Del’s quest to become a millionaire. The characters became part of British culture, everyone felt like they knew them. They felt a part of their lives – and grieved when Granddad died. The nation felt a huge cheer during the 1996 trilogy where the brothers finally achieved their dream…and sort of felt bad when Albert died. But wished the story ended earlier.

Rocks and Chips is the story of revelations revealed in the final episode – that Rodney and Del are half-brothers. Ex-con Freddie ends up seducing Del’s mum and changes the Trotter family forever. Characters we’ve seen before like Del, Boycie and Granddad are there – but they do take second place to the story of Freddie and Joan.

After watching it, I personally was left with a strange duality. The fan in me wanted to see a bit more set-up and in-jokes with the future; but the other half of me was impressed that John Sullivan didn’t go down the route of basically laying down clear foundations ala the Star Wars films. I.e. we didn’t see Del first seeing Rodney. There were plenty of references to stuff that happened before (like the Margate Trip) and we met people referenced in conversation. But Sullivan has to be commended on not going the injokey route for the majority of the ride.

In terms of style – it’s not a three-camera sit-com with three-walled sets. It’s a proper single-camera drama shot on digital film with no studio audience. There’s moments of comedy which work and some that don’t – but they mainly come from seeing characteristics that we have seen later on. In fact the golden moments here are Kellie Bright and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Joan and Freddie. Lyndhurst completely removes all trace of Rodney (mainly due to him looking older) and should play villains more often. Whilst Bright has come a long way from The Upper Hand and being the girlfriend of Ali G. She’s the star here, and she plays it to perfection and creates a multi-layered complex character that is the personification of the things we’ve heard from Del Boy over the years.

Kudos must go to James Buckley, who manages to stave off being Jay from The Inbetweeners and has some brilliant cameo moments that highlight the guy he is, and the guy he’ll become. There’s two moments in which I saw Buckley show the man David Jason would become. The first was Del standing up to his dad on his mum’s behalf, and the second was a wonderful moment where he basically scolds two of his friends for having drugs. It’s those moments which actually remind you that whilst he might be someone who does sell possibly stolen goods – he has a pure heart and a strong moral centre.

From something that was met with scepticism, this little one-off actually proved to be something a little more involving – which was a good thing. I don’t think we need to return to Peckham any more as the Trotter story has run its course – but it was a lovely and touching ride.

Working in IT Support myself, I can automatically see a lot of the funny side of jokes and the attacks on the usual stereotypes that occur with IT. It’s also being a slight fan of geek-humour that there’s a lot of the references and hidden slight gags I can get straight away and start laughing like a loon. T-Shirts with ‘RTFM’ on it and the bemusement of people thinking the internet is a black box: it’s all incredibly funny stuff.

The IT Crowd, from the guy who did Father Ted, is a slightly absurdist comedy with some quiet unrealistic situations and visual humour. It’s along the lines of the left-field stance to comedy that Ted took, but manages to get itself a strong and solid identity of its own. It features the adventures of laid-back Roy and the tech-geek Moss and their manager Jen who knows nothing of PC’s(she only got the job by lying she could use a computer on her CV).

It took a bit to get there, as it didn’t know just how absurd it wants to be – but once it does it has a lot of fun. The first season tinkers with the characters, but the second series just nails it all. The first episode of the second series where the team end up trying to figure out whether Jen’s date is Gay (and ends up taking everyone to a musical called GAY!)  is one of the funniest things seen today. The introduction of Douglas is a great step, though it does sacrifice Chris Morris, and the use of Noel Fielding as Richmond is also good stuff.

The third series doesn’t have Richmond, but it does have refined characters to play with. As the characters get hooked on social networking and try to be football fans – the scenarios are incredibly funny and just fun to watch. Once it gets it’s way it never lets go.

The hit E4 teenage drama series returns next week, and it’s quite possibly the last of the second generation of characters. So it’s eight episodes of Effy, Cook and Freddie before they end up shutting shop. Unless they are back for a fifth…

But anyways, Skins is going for a fourth series. Will this bring the series back to the heights of its first? Or will it stumble like the sophomore series of its predecessors?

The first series was a brilliant masterclass in plotting, layering and unravelling the depths of characters; leaving its main character as a complete unlikable cretin but as the series went on, it started to show what drove Tony (Nicholas Hoult) and the series rewarded re-watching to pick up all the hints and subtle foreshadowing of the characters. The character-focused structure of the episodes were a breath of fresh air, and the order they focused on the interesting characters was well selected. There was an intelligent approach to the show, and it was a nice hip breath of fresh air if very stylised.

The second series had a few brave approaches to its overall arc in having a mentally disabled Tony, and having a few strange creative choices (Sid/Michelle). The arcs weren’t fully figured out properly and episodes ended up going on weird tangents or being extremely too clever for the target audience. It ended on a sour note which left it far too open with threads left dangling and with a lack of audience satisfaction.

With the third series, there was a brand new cast (bar one) with plenty of strangeness. The mysterious strange kid arc was given to a supporting character and the main arc was the main character’s effect on the friendship of two lads and how it fractures it. It was a double-edged sword due to the comparisons to the first generation, but also because of some characters being very annoying. Cook an example. The hyper style and the weirdness is apparent, with some very strong episodes and characters but again it was littered with some bizarre ideas that didn’t fully work.

And Cook was very very annoying.

So what’s been revealed about series four? Well at the time of writing, only that JJ gets a girlfriend with a nine-month-old baby. Not really much, amongst rumours of Pauline Quirk and Will Young guest starring. But with eight episodes (shortest series yet) have the writers planned what they need? Or will they end up trying to explore secondary characters and leave the most popular relationship unresolved (this case it’s young lesbians Naomi and Emily).

And will Cook befall a nasty accident?

Honestly what I hope series four will bring is a definite conclusion to Effy’s character, basically meaning that she actually grows up, and stops Freddie and Cook from bickering. I’m actually hoping for Naomi and Emily do get a nice satisfactory ending and for JJ to prove himself as good as, better even, than Cook and Freddie.

Thinking about it, I think I’ve clocked on what the recurring problem Skins has: it finds it quite hard to conclude a story. The first series ended with a song, the second…yes, well. The third was more-or-less a two-part cliffhanger…the show really needs to go and learn how to give a proper conclusion. Hopefully they’ve learnt this by the time they reach episode eight in March.

So let’s hope.