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| The hit new sci-fi series REVOLUTION, coming soon to the UK on SKY ONE HD. Image: WARNER BROTHERS. |
The Yuletide season is over and the beer cupboard is now empty, but there’s still lots to smile about and enjoy with these great new and returning series blasting their way onto worldwide TV screens in early 2013!
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| Hawaii's finest are in trouble and up against new dangers. Image: CBS. |
HAWAII FIVE-O: SEASON THREE
It’s anything but fun in the sun for our Hawaii based heroes, as major crime busting cop Steve McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin, now back to full health after problems part way through Season Two) finds his old nemesis Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) back on the loose, aided and abetted by corrupted and highly dangerous ex-cop (William Baldwin), and equally shocked by the cliffhanger revelation that his mother, Doris (Christine Lahti), is alive and well, and was never killed. The plot strands come together as Chin Ho (Daniel Dae Kim) tries to save his cousin Kono (Grace Park) from a watery death in the opening episodes of the series. Later on, expect guest star appearances from the likes of STAR TREK’s George Takei and film star Terrence Howard, the return of popular classic series veteran Ed Asner, and, in another nod to the original Jack Lord era that inspired it all: a remake of a classic episode. Oh, and Scott can will surely once again be as funny and great as ever as Danno’s bromance with Steve continues merrily along…
Returning to the UK’s SKY ONE HD from January 6th, series ratings have sadly started to decline a little this year States-side, despite a solid reception from critics. Here’s hoping that the shows gets a fourth years renewal.
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| The battle between Man and Skitter rages on. Image: TNT. |
FALLING SKIES: SEASON THREE
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, an old saying which the remaining battle scared heroes of the Second Massachussetts hope to discover for themselves with the arrival of a new group of aliens on Earth, supposedly a powerful and knowledgeable ally to help the human resistance win back their planet from its extra-terrestrial enslavers, in the new third season of FALLING SKIES, once again staring Noah Wyle as the brave historian tuned soldier Tom Mason, with the help of his equally determined young family (including alien altered youngster Ben (Connor Jessup)) coming later in the spring to the US TNT and spring/summer to the UK. Expect bigger action, more repulsive aliens and a few shocks: are the Skitters aliens now controlling older son Hal Mason?
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| Love and betrayal continues in DALLAS. Image: TNT. |
DALLAS: SEASON TWO
The legacy of that crafty and beloved JR Ewing, as played by the irreplaceable and sadly departed Larry Hagman, will be remembered and renewed in the upcoming second series of the hit re-imagining of DALLAS. Hagman was on fine form that previous premiere year, despite the cancer, which saw him depart for a couple of episodes. Indeed, before his passing, he even managed to film around five episodes of Season Two as the family feuding oil baron reclaiming his papa’s birthright, and in constant opposition against his loving and always faithful brother, Bobby (Patrick Duffy). The iconic character of JR will likely be killed off and there will be an episode that concentrates on the characters funeral, which will surely be genuinely emotional for the cast and audiences. Keeping links to the classic series, old-time series veterans Ted Shackelford and Joan Van Ark, who went on to star in their own spin-off KNOTS LANDINGM will also be returning for a few episodes, whilst Ken Kercheval as the wily entrepreneur Cliff Barnes, obsessed with getting one up on the Ewing clan, will hopefully get more prominence as the series antagonist alongside his now outed daughter, Pamela Rebecca (Julie Gonzalo).
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| Resurrection Man: SHERLOCK returns in 2013. Image: BBC. |
SHERLOCK: SEASON THREE
It’s been a tortuously long wait to see how the reimagined version of the complex Baker Street sleuth played by Benedict Cumberbatch will return from the dead, once more under the guiding hand of series creators Steven Moffat, no longer worried by the rival threat of the US re-imagining: Elementary, and Mark Gatiss later in the year on BBC 1, reunited with Martin Freeman as loyal Watson. No doubt Holmes’s Lazarus Rising moment will confound and delight viewers in equal measure. Classic Arthur Conan Doyle stories likely getting their distinctive makeover this season indicate The Noble Bachelor, His Last Bow, and possibly a tale involving the often quoted but never seen Giant Rat of Sumatra, of which, according to the Holmes of the Victorian Era, the world was not yet ready for its secrets. A re-appearance from Holmes intellectual love interest, “the woman” Irene Adler (sexily and proactively played by Lara Pulver, her character also having escaped a nasty demise), looks imminent. Moriarty, as previously and disappointingly OTT played by Andrew Scott, is still very definitely dead, though, but I’m sure that won’t stop the creative team finding an old or new nemesis to step into the man’s pathologically dangerous shoes…
This may well turn out to be the final full series of SHERLOCK now that Cumberbatch and Freeman have become bona fide international stars in films like STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS and THE HOBBIT. Getting them together for specific filming dates will get trickier over time: this new series hasn’t yet started filming, though everything is on course for summer/Autumn transmission.
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| A brother and sister at breaking point in DEXTER. Image: SHOWTIME. |
DEXTER: SEASON SEVEN
You can’t choose your own family-that’s a fact of life!- and Detective Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) is find that out the hardest way possible in the seventh and penultimate series of the dark comedy drama with a killer attitude, back this February on the new look UK FOX channel. The family man killer with a heart of gold and a twinkle in his eye, so well personified by Michael C. Hall, is going to feel the pressure of his life, career, and those he cares for when he soon comes into the firing line of several deranged newcomer baddies from Eastern Europe, as well as the police reinvestigating the previously thought case closed work of the Bay Harbour Butcher from the series recent past, which had shielded Dex from further police pursuit. It looks like Dexter’s handiwork and cover-ups will be coming to haunt him big time! With his confused feeing for his sister, and vice versa, plus the oncoming high body count, let’s hope that the series is firmly back on form this year.
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| Wanting revenge. A soon one eyed Governor wants to make a sharp point in THE WALKING DEAD. Image: AMC. |
THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON THREE - PART TWO
A thoroughly engrossing and can’t wait to see what happens next slice of TV heaven, the first half of the Zombie apocalyptic horror drama THE WALKING DEAD was certainly no show in its death throes. It was consistently excellent throughout-the best show on the air in TV’s final 2012 quarter, and far superior to its previous year, literally firing on all cylinders and never dull. Brilliantly plotted and written, with some genuine and often moving character moments amongst the blood splatting gore and well-staged action, acted with gusto (with the welcome return of sadistic Southern redneck, old Merle (welcome back, Michael Rooker!) and the equally brilliant introduction of the sword wielding survivalist, Michonne (Danai Gurira), alongside terrific piling on the atmosphere direction, and plenty of unexpected shocks and surprises approaching one of the all time great mid-season cliffhangers needing to be resolved. The crazy one-eyed governor (a quietly dangerous performance from Brit David Morrissey) is about to launch an attack on the prison, which an on the brink of madness Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his family, having so valiantly fought legions of zombies in order to make it their new home, is sure to valiantly protect. But first, there’s the little matter of putting Merle and loyal puppy brother Daryl (Norman Reedus) to the death through Zombie sport, watched by an enthusiast group of the Governor’s demented townsfolk (including a shocked and surprised Andrea (Laurie Holden), once more unlucky in love and finding out the hard way just what a vicious psychopath she’s been recently hooked up with!). I’m not saying I’m chewing my finger nails with anticipation-that way may lead to Zombiefication!- but hurry up FOX in February!
Now renewed for a fourth year (though sadly losing vital showrunner Glen Mazzara), THE WALKING DEAD returns to the UK’s FOX channel from February onwards…
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| Choices and responsibilities for Birgitte Nyborg in BORGEN. Image: YELLOW BIRD. |
BORGEN: SEASON TWO
Fans of Danish drama missing their weekend fix of Sarah Lund’s investigations in the killing (which ended the third and final season on a triumphant note), can look to another slice of political and family drama, THE WEST WING in Copenhagen, with the premiere UK screening of the excellent ten episode second season of BORGEN, created by Adam Price, commencing on BBC 4 and superior BBC HD from the first week of January. Possessing heart and fire, sexy supermom turned Prime Minister Birgitte Nyborg Christensen (a very natural performance from Sidse Babett Knudsen) has a lot of her plate eleven months on for the fallout of losing her husband and some of her key political players whilst maintaining the quality of life and business for her country. This time around she has to face up to new rivals vying for power, the continued terrors and fallout of war in Afghanistan and a boiling point situation of warring faiths linked to Danish concerns in Africa.
Meanwhile, the series equally lovely Danish news journalist Katrine Fonsmark (Birgitte Hjort Sorenson) has a new job and a conspiracy to uncover…
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| The cat and mouse game of PERSON OF INTEREST continues. Image: CBS. |
PERSON OF INTEREST: SEASON ONE - PART TWO
Ten great episodes into their best new US TV purchase in quite a while, FIVE unceremoniously pulled an unexpected mid-season plug on Jonathan Nolan’s excellent, high quality techno vigilante action thriller, and then said it would be back sometime in the new year! Still, it was a fine point to end it, what with the mysterious ex CIA agent “John Reese” (Jim Caviezel certainly proving himself worthy of being the next James Bond-if only he wasn’t American!) being critically wounded by an assassin’s bullet shot and rescued in the nick of time by the always excellent Michael Emerson, bringing a mysterious and tightly controlled aura to his performance as Reese’s underground paymaster and master of the worlds surveillance technologies, Finch.
Back in action for the next episode, Reese and Finch have new potential victims of the future predicting system to either save or stop, whilst the secrets of the duo’s past continue to resonate and have consequences for all that are interconnected with them, including pursuant lady cop Joss Carter (Taraji P. Henson).
With future guest stars including ALPHAS Malik Yoba, DOLLHOUSE’s Amy Acker and 24’s Sarah Wynter, expect PERSON OF INTEREST’s return early in the year on the UK’s FIVE channel.
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| Rogue figure Miles Matheson (Billy Burke) takes on some lethal opponents in REVOLUTION. Image: WARNER BROTHERS. |
REVOLUTION: SEASON ONE
That fantasy factory of J.J. Abrams and BAD ROBOT, teamed with SUPERNATURAL creator Eric Kripke, continues to churn out big idea concept fantasy series, and continuing the trend of giving them one-word titles!
Dealing with an Earth of the future now deprived of power, civilization has to get back to basics against a backdrop of unrest from warlords and militias, of which the Matheson family, possessing a mysterious pendant that may be the key to unlocking the mystery of what happened fifteen years earlier, sees them become fugitives from the powerful antagonist that is Sebastian Monroe, who wants to become the major ruling figure of the United States.
With the exception of TWILIGHT's Billy Burke and LOST/V’s Elizabeth Mitchell, who appears in flashbacks, the show has no relatively big name stars to its credit-again Abrams likes to discover new faces and launch their careers- but the overall ensemble is competent enough.
Directed with quality by feature film helmer Jon Favreau, the series pilot held the kind of subtle promise that will surely attract the kind of fan base that Joss Whedon’s FIREFLY had a few years back. Ultimately, what I’ve seen of it so far hasn’t blown me away, but reviews online States-side has indicated that the series is improving. It may perhaps prove long term to be more relatable to audiences than some of Abrams previous fantasy series efforts: ALCATRAZ bombed, despite a promise opener, whilst FRINGE survived five years mainly due to international sales success and a small but rabidly devoted fan base.
REVOLUTION comes to SKY ONE HD from early 2013.
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| Time and Space await for DOCTOR WHO. Image: BBC. |
DOCTOR WHO: SEASON SEVEN- PART TWO
In his beautifully realized, new-look TARDIS, that seemingly eternal Time Lord, as personified by Matt Smith, continues to conquer the airwaves in the UK and US after the success of the latest Christmas Special, which proved a relatively somber affair compared to seasonal specials of years past. The second half of Season Seven looks set to continue mixing the fun, horror and seemingly unending bonkers-ness of Steven Moffat and his writing teams, with a trip to Victorian London (with mother and daughter guest stars Diana Rigg and Rachel Stirling, in a script from Mark Gatiss), a classic base under siege scenario, a submarine infiltration, a ghost story, an urban thriller and an apparently spectacular new alien planet all on the cards. There’s also a new look to the Cybermen in what will surely be a classic script from popular writer Neil Gaiman, plus the rumoured return of another old monster from the series past (after the Great Intelligence's return recently, could it finally be something classic like the Zygons or Ice Warriors?) And let’s not forget the all-important, to be savored Fiftieth Anniversary Special, of which filming gets underway this April, probably under the tightest security conditions since the creation of Fort Knox. Old enemies and friends from the past will surely return, and possibly even an appearance or two from other modern Doctors Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant: part of a nostalgic, affectionate and surely over complex and ambitious script from modern series guru Moffat.
Doctor Who Series 7 Part 2 Trailer HD. - YouTube
The special’s imminent arrival in November will also surely see in one of the biggest and smartest merchandise blitzes and tie-ins ever for fans to celebrate and enjoy. There's bound to be a repeat season of classic episodes on BBC FOUR, and a special, all-new original one-off docudrama on BBC 2, An Adventure in Time and Space, written by Gatiss and focusing on the shows fascinating early genesis.
The genuine party time atmosphere and affection shown towards this enduring family favourite should be genuinely immense in 2013, backed up with a continued fine portrayal of the hero from the aforementioned Smith (his last full season in the role? Leading to a regeneration in Year Eight?), and what will surely be one of the modern era’s most promising new companions…
DOCTOR WHO fans have never had it so good.
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| NIKITA corners the mysterious Joshua in the upcoming Season Three. Image: THE CW NETWORK. |
NIKITA: SEASON THREE
It’s a whole new ball game for our lethal lovely with a heart, Nikita (played with confidence and kick ass ability by the sterling Maggie Q), and her loving and equally experienced spy partner Michael (the shadow eyed Shane West) must keep control of the restructured Division, no longer held in the corrupt iron fist of darkness held by terrific super villain Percy, whose death at the hands of Nikita was surely much savoured by audiences at the end of Season Two (kudos to Xander Berkeley for making so much from the part. He will be much missed, but, in all honesty, where else could the character now go?). Fortunately, not all of the gang’s old foes have been vanquished-Melinda Clarke’s devilish sexy and manipulative sadist Amanda is still out there, and you can bet her new alliances with some of the worlds worst villains (most notably a group called the “Dirty Thirty”) and other evil corporations (especially unfinished business in Russia) will continue to cause epic mayhem and even more ambitiously staged action sequences for our leggy heroine to go charging into…
Season Two of the CW’s always stylish/often exhilarating action drama suffered a little bit from a confused middle, but it regained its mojo for a spirited and spectacular, very James Bond’ish two- part action finale, courtesy of direction from Brit talent Danny Cannon. It’s going to be interesting to see where this new season ultimately goes in its reset button phase, for both the main cast and the numerous supporting characters that have appeared on and off over the last two years.
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| The terror of the White Walkers emerges in GAME OF THRONES. |
GAME OF THRONES: SEASON THREE
The clashing realms of Westeros are once again vividly realized by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss with the upcoming March start of Season Three of the eagerly anticipated adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s next book in the world popular, audience winning saga: A Storm of Swords, certainly one of the most popular and beloved of all the series so far, and certainly boasting an epic page length that will truly be a challenge to bring to the TV screen. Still, the producers/writers and HBO have indeed proved game and their previous epic results in realizing such epic storytelling speak for themselves. Even better, as if the series couldn’t get more lavish and detailed enough, these new Season Three episodes will also, much to the shows continued benefit, boast slightly longer durations, often taking them into full hours rather than forty five to fifty minute, as had been the case with the show’s first two years.
As the new series begins, the War of the Five Kings is still very much ongoing, but an even greater danger looms for the whole of Westeros with the emerging, en masses forces of the savage looking White Walkers, whilst the exiled Wildlings also plan havoc within their own frozen domain. As the courageous few of the Night’s Watch do their best to maintain order, the series building supernatural and fantasy elements come ever closer to the fore: those lovely dragons of Danerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) are growing up, and the princess’s own plans to sit herself upon the immense Iron Throne gather momentum. Amidst the fire and ashes of war, where old enemies make new alliances and nothing is what it seems, further new characters and environments continue to be introduced, as Ramin Djwadi’s mighty series theme will be pulling us back in to the show with its hypnotic and enthralling overtures of power, war and ambition: one of the greatest TV genre events ever made…
Season Three of GAME OF THRONES begins on the UK’s SKY ATLANTIC HD from March/April.
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| A last set of cases for our beloved Kurt Wallander. Image: YELLOW BIRD FILMS. |
WALLANDER: SEASON THREE (SWEDISH VERSION)
The fictional character of Kurt Wallander, whose run of crime chasing exploits has been such a relatable, international success for his creator, Henning Mankell, may have been consigned to a tragic fate in the recent and last of the originals novels featuring the grumpy but lovable detective: the in and out of Cold War history thriller that was The Troubled Man, but the character, supremely and comfortably played by the likable, sometimes curmudgeonly Krister Henriksson, will thankfully be returning (hopefully with his pet dog Jussie) for a new six TV movie episode run of addictive, darkly atmospheric and socially relevant adventures, working from newly conceived and surely dark plotlines from Mankell, currently shooting in Sweden, and now confirmed as the very last series, of which The Troubled Man will be adapted (so ready those hankies!), and, we’ve heard, will be getting a theatrical release in it’s home territory.
Look forward to this well-crafted series arrival some point later in the year on the UK’s BBC FOUR.
More on The Troubled Man: http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/yellow-bird-kicks-off-new-wallander-film-series/5042791.article
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| Road warriors! Anson Mount and Common star in HELL ON WHEELS Season Two. Image: AMC. |
HELL ON WHEELS: SEASON TWO
The long and winding journey through the physical and psychological railroad of revenge, retribution and redemption that is the spellbinding and bloodily violent American West gathers momentum for our cast of anti-heroes, corrupt businessman, and rag-tag vagabonds travelling along the HELL ON WHEELS, returning for its second season UK premiere on the TCM channel this Sunday, January 6th. Reliable star Anson Mount, as tragic yet determined Cullen Bohannon, keeps his steely eyed look out for the final man responsible for his wife's murder, whilst other old enemies see an opportunity to remove him from their commercial transport enterprise interests once and for all...
KOOL TV feature here:BACK ON THE PATH OF VENGEANCE! 'HELL ON WHEELS' SEASON TWO
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| Crime and punishment for Patty Hewes? The final season of DAMAGES awaits... Image: SONY. |
DAMAGES: SEASON FIVE
The days of the physical superbitch fighting of DYNASTY’s Crystal Carrington and Alexis Colby may be long gone, but that doesn’t mean that that such conflicts can’t be reinterpreted into the intellectual psyche, as titan lawyer with the ice cold heart Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) faces off against her one time protégé Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) during the fifth and ultimately final season of the hit legal thriller series damages, no longer being shown on UK TV but surely on DVD from SONY HOME ENTERTAINMENT by Spring/Summer.
Starting with the mother of all openers, the use of flashbacks and flash forwards once again prove a vital and critical trademark of the series outstanding visual style, as the two attracting opposites will once more be forced into joining their considerable forces to find those responsible for the murder of a financial supermole (Jenna Elfman), linked to a Julian Assange/Wikileaks type figure (Ryan Phillippe). The emotional triggers of past decisions and misdeeds, and their future consequences, will surely be pulled, the fireworks of corruption and death will detonate and more blood, this time even closer to home, will be spilt, as the emotional results of this case will likely affect Patti Hewe’s final career closing case forever…
