Tag Archives: The Big Bang Theory

The Best Television Shows On Right Now

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We live in a golden age of television. Film and Television used to be completely separate, but now Martin Scorsese is producing Boardwalk Empire and movie stars frequent TV. The quality just keeps getting higher. Frost did a survey of our readers for the top television shows on right now, and here they are.

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is crack in television form, and aptly so as it is about a chemistry teacher who starts to sell meth after being diagnosed with lung cancer. It is by far one of the best things on television. I have never met someone who had a bad word to say about it.

Homeland

Like most people I was addicted to Homeland and I am already excited about the new series. Homelands big advantage is the chemistry between the characters. Brody, played by Damien Lewis, was supposed to be killed off in the first season but the chemistry between Lewis and Claire Danes’s Carrie was too good and he was kept on.

The Good Wife

One of the finest legal dramas. Julianna Margulies is brilliant as Alicia Florrick. The Good Wife is now in it’s fourth season and still going strong.

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is exciting and original. It is also not scared to kill of it’s lead characters. It is brilliant television and I am not just saying that because some of my friends are in it.

Boardwalk Empire

Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City, New Jersey during the Prohibition era. It stars Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson and Kelly MacDonald as Margaret Schroeder. It is produced by Martin Scorsese and you can tell. Every scene is beautiful and the costumes are great. Has a great mixture of real and fake characters.

Dexter

The show about a serial killer who only kills other serial killers is genius. The next season will be the eighth and possibly last. All of the characters are amazing. Michael C Hall as Dexter is brilliant, and real life ex-wife Jennifer Carpenter plays his sister, Debbie. Who is possibly one of my favourite characters on television.


Covert Affair

Season Three of Covert Affairs was my favourite yet. Piper Perabo plays the CIA operative who falls in love easily. Season three had you on the edge of your seat. A show that has come into it’s own.

Revenge

Trashy TV at it’s best. It is like Dallas, but with a grudge.

Whitney

Hilarious comedy from comedian Whitney Cummings. It may not be well known in the United Kingdom but it deserves a wide audience for its cracking scripts that leave you laughing so much it hurts.

The Killing

I have to admit I have not seen this yet but promised to put it in as everyone else I know loves it, and is jealous that I have never seen it and have it to look forward to.

Suits

Brilliant legal drama now in its second season. On the run from a drug deal gone bad, Mike Ross, a brilliant college-dropout, finds himself a job working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City’s best lawyers. The relationship between Mike and Harvey is brilliant and, like The Good Wife, it has a strong female lead as one of the partners in the law firm.

The Big Bang Theory

The show is now the most watched show. It is funny and smart and the characters of the awkward physicists are likeable, lovable and rich in depth. Endlessly watchable.

How I Met Your Mother

Getting ready for its ninth and final season, where we will finally find out who the mother is. It is both popular and a cult classic. Ted searches for the woman of his dreams in New York City with the help of his four best friends. The cast of Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris are all brilliant.

True Blood

Sexy, naughty, violent. In a world where vampires have “come out of the coffin”, Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress, discovers a new world of different creatures when she meets Bill Compton, a vampire.

Mad Men

A drama about one of New York’s most prestigious ad agencies at the beginning of the 1960s, focusing on one of the firm’s most mysterious but extremely talented ad executives, Donald Draper. This show is a big hit and the costumes have sparked a thousand fashion trends.

Sherlock

A modern update finds the famous detective and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliant as Sherlock. The last episode of the last season was endlessly debated.

Downton Abbey

Beginning in the years leading up to World War I, the drama centers on the Crawley family and their servants. This was a runaway success on both sides of the Atlantic, making huge stars of all of the cast.


Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23

Chloe is a New York party girl with the morals of a pirate who bullies and causes trouble for her naive small town roommate June. Krysten Ritter and Dreama Walker are brilliant and James Van Der Beek sends himself up beautifully.


New Girl

After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Zooey Deschanel is deserving of her own show.


Suburgatory

A teenage girl moves from the city to the suburbs. Jane Levy is brilliant and sarcastic, the script is amazing. Witty and brilliant.

Agree or disagree? Comment below.

Stefans TV Picks: 24th May 2010

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Monday 24th
Ignoring the annoying script and its bum-numbing runtime, Titanic did give us the pairing of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, a pair able to convey the feeling of adventure and love in an otherwise pretty mediocre movie. We get to see this partnership once again on Sky Movies Drama and Romance at 22.10 in Revolutionary Road. Join the Wheelers in 1950’s suburban America as boredom and a failing marriage start to take over their façade of a perfect happy home life. Winslets performance is absolutely worthy of her Golden Globe win and Oscar Nomination, she acts everyone off the screen in her flawless portrayal of housewife April as she struggles to keep up the appearance of doting wife and mother while the desire to escape gnaws away within. If you can’t be in to see it, set it to record, you won’t be sorry.

Tuesday 25th
Hmmm, Tuesdays….I’m not sure what happens on Tuesdays but there’s never anything on that really says WATCH ME WATCH ME! So once again I shall resort to my favourite hobby, watching films, and once again I shall turn to Sky Movies Drama and Romance for Once, playing at 16:45 and again at 23:30. If you do take my advice and watch this, have a box of tissues ready, I unashamedly admit to crying every time I watch this film about the growing relationship between Czech immigrant girl (played by Marketa Irglova…if your anything like me, you’ll fall in love with her a lil bit) and Irish busker boy (Glen Hansard). With an outstanding original soundtrack, mostly written by Hansard and Irglova, Once is one of those films that make you so happy and really sad at the same time. A masterpiece of independent cinema.

Wednesday 26th
I’m finding it difficult to suggest anything this week that isn’t movie related, I mean today on Sky 1 at 20:00…Dogs in Frocks (yes its exactly what it suggests) or the tedious Justin Lee Collins ranting and raving in his ‘wacky’ way about trying to enter the Eurovision Song Contest (Eurovision, Channel 5, 22:00) I cant think of any reason to watch these and I’m not a fan of repeating recommendations like The Big Bang Theory at 23:05 on Channel 4 (although everyone should defiantly watch this), so back to movie related programmes it is. Today it’s thanks go to ITV. The National Movie Awards at 20:00 will bring us glitz, glamour, beautiful people and a sneaky peek at the much anticipated (by me anyway) Toy Story 3.

Thursday 27th
BBC2, 19:00, The Culture Show…A-HA I hear you cry, in a week of movie related Picks you are choosing a TV show, but await dear Reader; I am merely suggesting this programme due to one of its segments. In today’s episode, as well as delving into the history of Westminster Abbeys gargoyles, a visit to the funny folk at The Onion and a preview of the new Mostyn gallery in Wales which promise to be pretty interesting, Mark Kermode and Miranda Sawyer debate the choice between Movies and Theatre. I’ll be backing Kermode!

Friday 28
Lost…..I’ve never watched a single one episode, but apparently it finishing and it’s a big momentous thing, my Lost Fanboy friends would probably tell me off for not saying it so Sky 1 from 20:00 onwards sit back and watch the two and a half hour double episode finale that’ll answer all the questions that need to be answered, maybe after I can continue in a conversation instead of it turning to ‘oooo what’s the smoke monster about?’ ‘What about that polar bear?’ ‘What’s down the hole?’ ‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN ON?’ and maybe where on earth the folk on the island got access to toothbrushes, razors and hair products? (keeping in the movie theme…a two and a half hour episode is more than most movie runtimes, so I count it as a film)

Saturday 29th
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like The Rolling Stones, even those who say they don’t probably like their songs but don’t know it’s them playing it, which is why I’m suggesting The Stones in Exile: An Imagine Special on BBC2 at 23:10. This documentary presented by Alan Yentob chronicles the bands recording of their 1972 acclaimed record Exile on Main Street. This revealing account shows their chaotic lifestyle while taking up residence in the French Riviera after fleeing the UK for not paying taxes. Should be an interesting programme for fans and non-fans alike (and will probably have you asking the question…why are we lumbered with musicians like Justin bloody Bieber these days?)

Sunday 30th
Imagine a flat round world, now imagine that world resting on the backs of four elephants, now imagine those elephants standing on the shell of a giant turtle that swims through space….that turtle is the Great A’Tuin, and that world is the Discworld. It’s on this bizarre world that Terry Pratchetts novel (the 33rd in a series of 38) Going Postal takes place, and which has now been made into a two part series for Sky 1 and will be shown at 18:00. Magic, action and almighty cons are rife in the story of swindler Moist Von Lipwig as he takes on the job of PostMaster, in a not so much ailing as decrepit Post Office, in a bid to escape the Hangmans noose. After some disappointing previous Discworld series’ (why they cast David Jason as Rincewind still confuses me) I’m hoping they make up for it with Going Postal, casting Tamsin Grieg is a step in the right direction. As an owner of a majority of the Discworld books this is one I’m looking forward too!

Next Week's TV Picks

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Monday 17th
George Clooney is an odd one. He can go from an out an out blockbuster that everyone in the world will see (even those without TV’s had Ocean’s 11 beamed into their brains via satellite) to little movies that still cost as much but not many know about, and he still holds his credibility. I am speaking, of course, about Welcome to Collinwood on BBC 1 at 23:20. Clooney plays the wheelchair bound old acerbic Safe Cracker hired by a motley band of crooks who share a goal of obtaining the biggest score of their lives, their ‘Bellini’. With a brilliant cast including Sam Rockwell, William H Macy and Michael Jeta, Collinwood is a silly yet excellent crime caper that’ll make you late for work on Tuesday but is absolutely worth it.

Tuesday 18th
Music Award shows annoy me, filled with prancing posing idiots fuelling themselves on champagne for a night of self indulgence, Damon Albarn worship and dancing on tables because their “so mad”. The Classical Brit Awards 2010 (ITV, 22:35) will be oh so different. Presented by classical crumpet Myleene Klass, this event will be full of brilliant performances (one of which by Bryn Terfel…..awesome) so get a glass of good wine and turn the volume up. But before this make sure your watching BBC 1 at 21:00 to see our fair Editor Miss Catherine Balavage committing acts of violence upon Paul McGann in Luther.

Wednesday 19th
YAAAAAAYYYYY THE BIG BANG THEORY IS BACK!
Finally after a weird disappearance from our screens for two months the rest of season 3 is continuing on Channel 4 at 22:55 (why it’s on so late confuses me). After a double date with Howard and Bernadette, Leonard and Penny’s relationship suffers a blow after Penny tells of her belief in psychics. Meanwhile Raj recruits Sheldon as his wingman as the pair attend a University Mixer in an attempt to score!…….I love this show.

Thursday 20th
I wasn’t expecting to like Forgetting Sarah Marshall (showing at 20:00 on Sky Movies Comedy), but one day after finding nothing else to watch I decided to give it a go and found that it’s surprisingly entertaining. I thought this lighthearted, sweet story of a man trying to get his ex would be overshadowed by Russell Brand overtly parodying himself, but his performance is believable and down to earth, and with a very good if small role by Jonah Hill this is my recommendation for the 20th. Oh and at 22:00 turn over to Channel 4 to hear Charlie Brooker yell about the TV that none of us should watch in You Have Been Watching.

Friday 21st
I missed The Wrestler when it came out at the cinema, and this annoyed me. So I’m definitely going to be tuning into Sky Premier at 22:00 to see this award winning film. The story of an aging pro-wrestler trying to come to terms with hanging up his shorts and living his life outside the ring, re-patching his role as father to the daughter he abandoned, attempting to tell a stripper how he really feels for her and having to work a dead end job while struggling with his deteriorating health, The Wrestler is one to watch.

Saturday 22nd
I don’t know if I like Michael Moore, his films give good messages and highlight problems that might otherwise go ignored to anyone not experiencing them, but he uses cheap tricks and propaganda to deliver them. Case in point, in Sicko he tells of the UK’s brilliant health care system by interviewing a well paid and very well off GP…and that’s it, he doesn’t share the information about the lack of Mid-Wives, the struggling NHS, the MRSA debacle etc etc. But all this said, like I stated, it’s the message he delivers that’s important, and Capitalism: A Love Story on Channel 4 at 22:15 tells us of the capitalist tendencies of major US corporations and lets us know how the rich stay rich and how the poor are kept poor. Sure to be insightful, shocking and entertaining…but beware the propaganda!

Sunday 23rd
It seems I’m ending this week with a bunch of movies, but seeing as that’s how I spend the most of my time (when I’m not playing Half-Life2) it’s appropriate. Sunday’s choice is the outstanding Frost/Nixon on Sky Movies Crime and Thriller at 15:15. This dramatisation shows the series of interviews given by David Frost to ex President Richard Nixon, which came very close to the ex Oval Office dweller admitting guilt for the Watergate Scandal and uttering the shocking statement of ‘When the President does it, it’s not illegal’. Strange to think that that bloke off Through the Keyhole went up against such a formidable foe and came out on top! Make sure you don’t miss this.