[PoochJD]

Welcome one, Welcome all,


** THIS POST HAS HAD MAJOR AMENDMENTS MADE TO IT! **


I hope you have all had a good Christmas and New Year, and are now ready for all that 2008 may bring!

This is going to be a mini-update, as I've not had a chance to do a proper one, so you'll have to forgive me, for this. Anyway, here are just a few new shows, that you should keep your eyes out for, starting this month in the UK.


Sunday 6th January
NEW: Robin Of Sherwood - 4:20-5:30pm approx
The original, dark, brooding and - ultimately - best adaption of the Robin Hood myth, starts a complete rerun, from 1983. If you enjoy your stories well-acted, well-written, with a mature intelligence that is distinctly lacking from the current BBC1 travesty, then watch/record this series, as it's quite simply brilliant. Michael Praed stars as the son of Herne the Hunter, who is given the chance to become the saviour of Sherwood Forest, and takes on the role with gusto! This is how the story should be told: it's menacing, gothic fantasy, with a serious, ballsy set of heroes and truly evil villains. (Nicholas Worth plays the evil Sheriff, with real passion!) Highly Recommended, though the tone may be too dark for younger audiences. Contains some violence (sword injuries, battle scars/wounds, and mild bad language. Episodes premiere on Saturdays, and then repeated throughout each weekend. (ITV3)

NEW: Damages - 10:20-11:15pm
Brand-new US legal/thriller/drama series, fresh from its US premier on FX in the States, starring Glenn Close, Zeljko Ivanek, Tate Donovan and Rose Byrne. A very dark, and sometimes very adult series, that takes a peak behind the seedy world of dubious litigation cases, around New York. Close plays Patty Hewes, a no-nonsense, hard-as-nails litigator who takes no crap from anyone, friend or foe, as she makes it her personal vendetta to bring down a business mogul, played by Ted Danson! Coming from US channel FX, expect strong language, some violence and some sexual material! This is an amazing series, and its 13-episodes are worth catching! Thankfully, each episode is being repeated each Friday night as well, at around 11:30pm! Highly Recommended! (BBC1 - most regions)

NEW: Hammer House Of Horror - 11:25pm-12:30am
Repeat of the excellent 13-episode mini-series from the early-1980's, showcasing 13 seperate hour-long stories, all done with Hammer's own inimitable style and tone. The first episode "Witching Time" is not the best one, but the series does improve quite quickly, so I'd certainly recommend everyone sticks with it! Episodes do contain adult content, in terms of gore, violence or nudity, but little to no bad language. Episodes should air each Sunday night around the same time. (ITV3)


Tuesday 8th
NEW: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - 9:00-10:00pm
The controversial climax to the Miniature Killer storyline is likely to upset and enthrall many devotees of this excellent crime series, as we begin the brand-new Season 8! For those who don't remember, the Miniature Killer had been unmasked as a woman, and Grissom had received the final model showing a car crash, and CSI Sidel trapped underneath the car. Now, with Sidel genuinely trapped, will she be rescued or will the CSI's be burying one of their own, forever?! SPOILER: This Season, at least one character dies, and someone new joins the CSI team, which causes some internal squabbles! END OF SPOILER! Contains some violence. Highly Recommended. (Five)

NEW: Law And Order: Criminal Intent - 11:00pm-Midnight
Another new series, with another new Season - this time, it's Season 5 of the second "Law And Order" spin-off. Goren and Eames are back together, after Eames pregnancy (actually written in to the previous series, due to actress Kathryn Erbe's real life baby being due), and the squad find they have two new members on their team: Detective Mike Logan (actor Chris Noth, originally from the very first few years of "Law And Order"), and Detective Carolyn Barek (actress Annabella Sciorra). When a city health inspector murdered in a lift, the detectives investigation brings up the man's recently-widowed brother. But what makes the case interesting, is the new fiancee the brother has in tow... Australian-immigrant, ex-professor, and ultra-intelligent psycho Nicole Wallace (actress Olivia d'Abo) who comes back to make life difficult for Goren. Wallace was supposed to have fled New York at the end of Season 4, but her returns causes Goren, Eames and the rest of the squad far more problems than at first look, when she appears to have turned over a new leaf, and tries to help the detectives clean-up their case. Can she be trusted? What's her motive for helping the team? Is everything what it seems? Highly Recommended. (Five)


Saturday 12th
NEW: E.R. - 7:05-9:05pm
Oh dear, oh dear! Not only do C4 not trail this new 14th Season for terrestrial fans, but they've gone and rescheduled the show to early evenings on Saturday nights, meaning it's more than likely going to end-up being heavily-cut as well! A truly bad way to treat "E.R.'s" long-term fans, including myself! Not impressed at all! Tonight, we have an edited repeat of the finale to Season 13, before at 8:05pm, a (probably) cut first episode to Season 14. An excellent show, ruined by the a*holes that run C4 Scheduling! I am soooo angry about this! Nonetheless, the show is still very impressive, and beats the pants off of "Casualty" and most other medical dramas. (Channel 4)

NEW: CSI: NY - 9:20-10:20pm
The New York CSI's are back, for the start of a brand new 4th Season! Mac is back, having taken his trip to London with Peyton, and is feeling more like his usual self, but things go wrong very quickly! "Can You Hear Me Now?" is the series opener, and the team have to investigate one of their strangest crime scenes ever, when an unusual discovery is made on the face of the Statue Of Liberty! Fans will also note, that there are a new set of opening credits, and a major season-long plotline begins, as Mac discovers that someone is making life very disturbing, by stalking him. Is the stalker after him, Peyton, or is this related to the death of his wife in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre? It all goes pear-shaped, in this excellent, and highly tense opening episode, which contains violence and intense sequences from the start. Highly Recommended! (Five)


Saturday 19th
NEW: Law and Order - 10:10-11:10pm
It's the longest running US drama series, and it returns, with the first episode from an all-new Season 14, from 2003! This is the final season, in which Jerry Orbach appears before his untimely death just under a year ago now, so enjoy it whilst you can. The death of a young girl causes headaches for Briscoe and Green (Jesse L. Martin), as the two soon discover that other killings have a similar and distinct sexual trademark. But the real punishment comes, when the killer is put on trial, only to reveal that his lawyer was privy to the victims, and there whereabouts, which puts McCoy and Southerlyn to their biggest legal wrangle ever! Can they convict the serial killer, or will New York have to let free one of their biggest mass murderers ever?! Highly Recommended! (Five)


I'll add more shows and/or movies, over the next week or two! So please return here, every now and again throughout January, to see what else I recommend! For now, though...


Pooch

[Adderson]

Thanks Pooch, added to the planner, keep um coming

[Battle]

CSI New York actually starts on Saturday 12th January

[count zero]

Originally Posted by Battle

CSI New York actually starts on Saturday 12th January

I think he must of got the 2nd and 3rd shows the wrong way round because Law & Order: Criminal Intent starts on Tue 8th at 11.00pm.

cheers, count

[PoochJD]

Hi,

It seems that there are different listings for the "CSI: NY" and "Law And Order: Criminal Intent" shows, with some guides saying the shows start as per my postings, and others swapping the shows over. Sounds like someone at Five has been swapping the schedules about, and not all the listings guides (paper-based, internet-based) are up-to-date. I'll do some double-checking, and then get back to you on this issue.

There's also an additional programme I've inserted into the listings above.


Pooch

[Battle]

Originally Posted by PoochJD

Hi,

It seems that there are different listings for the "CSI: NY" and "Law And Order: Criminal Intent" shows, with some guides saying the shows start as per my postings, and others swapping the shows over. Sounds like someone at Five has been swapping the schedules about, and not all the listings guides (paper-based, internet-based) are up-to-date. I'll do some double-checking, and then get back to you on this issue.

There's also an additional programme I've inserted into the listings above.


Pooch

- the sky EPG says New York is on Saturday but thats not 100% reliable as we all know

[PoochJD]

Hi Again,

I've made corrections and amendments, as per Five's own TV listings on their website. This should now be completely accurate.


Pooch

[vic flange]

Will ER be in HD, or upscaled do you know?

Any news on Supernatural, Without a Trace and Criminal Minds. I have been checking digi guide but nothing on there yet...as far as i can see

[PoochJD]

Hi,

Vic:
"ER" should be in true HD format, as Season 14 onwards was filmed in Hi-Def for the US. So this is how C4 should air it on C4HD on Sky- but no guarantees.

Illeana:
Supernatural - ITV1 has suspended it's partial run of Season 2, for the time being, though no decisions as to why. (I suspect lack of viewers.) As for when or if Season 3 will air on ITV2, if ITV have bought the rights (which I think they have done, though they've not officially confirmed it), it should be back on around Easter-time, maybe a little earlier.

"Without A Trace" - C4 are currently part-way through Season 4. More4 will amost certainly air Season 5, later in 2008, though no dates have been announced, and knowing C4 in general, they won't announce it until you see it listed in a TV listings guide of some sort, bearing in mind C4's horrific track record in promoting any new US show at all.

As for "Criminal Minds", Season 2 is currently being repeated on Virgin1, and LivingTV no longer have the rights (as Virign1 have them instead, despite both stations both being owned by the same company - namely Flextech TV). Five have also just completed a repeat of Season 1, late on Saturday nights, so I hope that Season 2 will start in a month or two, though nothing has been confirmed yet.

Sorry I can't be of more help to you. As soon as I hear anything, I will post it!


Pooch

[robyoung]

Hi Pooch,

Cheers for all the excellent posts, very useful.

Would you know if Sky are going to do a Prison Break Catch up on Season 3, before they re-start it towards the end of this month(27th i think)?

Cheers Rob

[aprout]

Supernatural season 3 is due on ITV2 on Sunday 27th January at 9pm, according to Digitalspy.

[Battle]

New series Raines staring Jeff Goldblum starts on Monday 28.1.08 at 21.00 hrs on ITV3

Looks interesting.

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by Battle

New series Raines staring Jeff Goldblum starts on Monday 28.1.08 at 21.00 hrs on ITV3

Looks interesting.

It's actually very good despite the genre element probably putting a few people off.
It also helped NBC to win Friday night, not a bad achievement for any show.

[Battle]

Numb3rs series three starts on Monday 28.1.08 at 22.00 hrs on ITV3

[aprout]

Originally Posted by Starburst

It's actually very good despite the genre element probably putting a few people off.
It also helped NBC to win Friday night, not a bad achievement for any show.

Still got canned after only 7 episodes though!

[Starburst]

Originally Posted by aprout

Still got canned after only 7 episodes though!

Yeah it filled it's initial production order but didn't get an extension, luckily it wasn't a major arc driven story so you can enjoy what will be offered without the annoyance of a major cliff hanger.
One of the stranger decisions given how well it performed in it's slot for NBC/Universal as a whole (Friday is a show killer) but who knows exactly what Goldblum was willing to commit to a show that wasn't placed in a premium timeslot.

[dude1971]

Can't work out if it's worth committing to a series for only 7 episodes!