I don’t like to write about TV much. Not because ‘I don’t watch much TV’ (yeah, yeah) but because Charlie Brooker is the only person who should ever write about television. FACT.

But seeing as I have invested a substantial portion of my life in TV since returning to Sheffield this September, I feel like it would be an injustice not to at least mention some of my most important personal aides and confidantes, who have seen me through several turbulent internal meanderings into the very depths of my soul. Or at the very least, kept me mildly entertained and provided a valid reason not to do any exercise or uni work.

My Thanks go to:

Misfits

It is endlessly frustrating to hear people describe Misfits as ‘freshingly young’ and ‘in touch’ because yes, all young people have (or know of people who have) committed several criminal offences and are now lost somewhere in the bureaucracy of the penal system. We all take part in copious amounts of drug taking, fighting with psychopaths, sex in public places and liberal use of the word ‘cunt’. Yes, we ‘young people’ are depraved, socially ignorant and ‘gagging for it’ and that is why we just cannot take our eyes away from Misfits! It’s just so goddamn relatable! And don’t even get me started on the magical lightning storm powers.

Surely it can’t be the fact that the characters have real depth and humour, the actors can actually act (See: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson) and the plotlines continue to surprise and stun the audience?

In all seriousness, every episode is original, dynamic and progresses in a way that is easy for us to follow (See: Lost, Heroes). Misfits doesn’t patronise the viewer and it challenges just enough to sprout the little seedling of TV addiction that leaves you wide-eyed at the end of almost every episode.

Besides which, Robert Sheehan is a veritable star in the making and ‘Future Simon’ has set hearts a-flutter all over the shop. Even the thought of series 3 is making me want to go out and smash public property with excitement.

True Blood
I feel like I’ve been forced to imbibe the idea of ‘Sexy vampire’ into my very soul this year and frankly I’m starting to feel nauseous. Pass the Rennies please.

The idea has been over-sold, extorted, twisted and ‘teenager-ised’ into Consumerist oblivion.

But then, there was True Blood.

The fictional town of Bon Temps welcomes the viewer in to a rag-tag community of complex characters, some destitute and others thriving; each with their own agendas and desires. Each series so far has had a coherent main story to it, whilst also dealing with the day to day squabbles of the citizens of Bon Temps.

The themes are dark and disturbing, the world setting fantastically fantastical, and again, we have actors that can actually act. And, yes, I’m forced to admit that the cast are sexy. And some of them are vampires. But who cares when at least they’re all having raucous on-screen sex?

Ugly Betty

Just a quick note to mark the passing of a programme I have greatly enjoyed. Despite the fact that a couple of series have been a bit…well a bit rubbish, the last and final series of Ugly Betty was quite addictive. The situations the characters find themselves in are relatively ludicrous but each character has a personality that you can’t help but become at least a little attached to. R.I.P. Ugly Betty, you were pretty in the end.

How Not to Live Your Life
There’s something darkly enthralling about watching a train-wreck character. Y’know, a character who is a complete asshole and ruins everybody’s lives and makes everything turn to shit…but still somehow you cannot look away and you harbour a strange fondness for them (See: Larry David).

Dan Clark’s Don Danbury is one of those characters. He lives in his dead Nan’s house and wears his dead Nan’s dressing gown; he inherited his dead Nan’s carer who does everything for him; he’s vain, egocentric and stupid. I love him!

The series follows Don’s un-enviable meanderings through life, occasionally flipping into the fantasy realm of Don’s mind i.e. ‘5 things Don would like to do right now’ and with episode titles like ‘Don Dates a Homeless Girl’ you pretty much know you’re in for at least one full-bellied chuckle per episode.

The Event

Enthralling American series involving aliens, government conspiracies and ’24’-style action sequences. So far it has been interesting but let us wait and see if the producers can keep the screenwriters in check for series 2 – no weird plotlines please!

The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret
Created by Shaun Pye (co-creator of the terrifying Monkey Dust) and the fabulous David Cross of Arrested Development fame, this short series has been providing me with lots of chortles of late. Each episode is around 20 minutes long and packed full of storyline.

Todd Margaret is an ill-fated (yes, another ‘train-wreck character’ here folks) temp who is mistaken for a hard-headed business man and sent to England on a business trip selling ‘Thunder Muscle’, a dodgy energy drink. Hilarity ensues.

 

PM