Superwheels

Hey Yo! Well I finished season one of Hell on Wheels, and in the end I was really impressed, as well as cursing that there were only 10 episodes in the season. I really had my doubts about this show as I mentioned in a previous post. Yet it ended up delivering in a big way around episode 5 and 6. The pace of the story really picked up as well as the intensity. As the characters back-stories were revealed, Anson Mount who plays the lead role Cullen Bohannan has really stepped up his game in a major way. The show is also providing some very memorable quotes: 

Bohannan: You want revenge?

Durrant: I want justice! 

Bohannan: Different words for the same thing.

Mrs Bell: Mr Bohannan has anyone every told you what an insufferable ass you are?

Bohannan: Yeah.

10 episodes weren't nearly enough for the first season, and I feel that's why we didn't get great back-stories till episode 5 as the writers wanted to try and cement the main story first. AMC has renewed the show for a second season. Hopefully the show's creators (The Gayton Brothers) will acknowledge the first seasons short comings and come back bigger and better later in the year.

Supernatural

 

Supernatural is another of my all-time favourite shows. It's one of the shows that my wife and I always watch together (Not because were scared! It's because we're both massive fans!). The best thing about Supernatural is the way it mixes Drama and Comedy; no show in my opinion does it better. It really is a wild ride that makes you feel like you're right there, with the Winchester brothers and the crew. 

I've mentioned story archs previously and this is another show that uses them really well throughout a 24 episode season. As a viewer it is made clear what the main storyline is in the first few episodes. Then you are taken on the aforementioned wild ride. The writers and creators do a great job to mix up the tone of episodes, also to take you off the beaten track every few episodes so the main story line doesn't pound you to death and you feel refreshed and ready to get back to it.

Could you imagine anyone else playing Sam and Dean Winchester other than Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles? No? I didn't think so. Ackles and Padalecki have done such a fantastic job making these characters their own, that if I'm watching another show and happen to see either of them in I'll yell out "Hey that's Sam!" or "Holy shit that's Dean!". They are probably the best current acting duo on television.

 

Supernatural fans that I have come across are dedicated and fanatical. There's a reason for this and it's simple! It's a bloody good show! 

The most underrated aspect of the show I feel is the supporting cast. Jim Beaver who plays Bobby Singer (also the name of one of the producers of the show) is brilliant and provides a great counter point in the episodes he appears in. Misha Collins who comes in the series around season 4 playing the Angel Castiel. Collins I feel is a vastly underrated asset to the show; he has a great acting range and is able to deliver on the dramatic aspects as well as the comedic side of things.

I've told you this before, but if you haven't seen it get out there and watch it!

That's from me today.

MADMIKE OUT!!

 

Bad Cops!

Hey Yo! Just got done watching the new The Big Bang Theory episode, it never gets old and will be the blueprint for all sitcoms to come. I will go further in depth on it down the line. I also watched the new episode of Jersey Shore! Hey don't judge me! Everyone has a crappy show that they just enjoy for some reason or other. For some it's soap operas, for others it's shows like the Biggest Loser, The Apprentice, or The Bachelor and so on and so on. I like to call it TV fast food, it's cheap and greasy and for some odd reason very tasty.

Today I'd like to talk about my third favourite show of all-time.

The Shield

Before Kurt Sutter brought us Sons Of Anarchy, he was one of the lead writers and producers on The Shield (many of the old cast members of The Shield now either have main or guest starring roles in SOA). I remember the first time I saw The Shield on TV. I was so blown away, I went out the next day and brought the first two seasons on DVD, and from there on I was addicted.

The main thing that got me hooked on the show (apart from the brilliant stories, acting and writing) is my second favourite TV character of all time Detective Vic Mackey, played by Michael Chiklis. Chiklis describes Mackey as "a cross between Hannibal Lecter and Dirty Harry." Chiklis does such a wonderful job playing and won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, in 2002. Mackey and his strike team have the best arrest record in "the Barn", but they also dabble in corruption drugs, murder and theft.

Mackey always has a way to justify his tactics and corruption, his mentality is we do more good then bad. Having said that Mackey is more often then not the hero at the end of the day, as he consistently closes big cases and uses his "questionable" tactics against the worst kinds of criminals being rapists, child molesters and mass murderers etc. 

His personal life is, as to be expected, extremely rocky. Mackey is a man who loves his three children very much and would do anything for them, which he also uses to justify making some money on the side. I could go on and on about Mackey for hours, but the best thing to do would be to watch the show and I'm sure you would agree with me that he's one of the best Television characters of all time.

Back to the show. One of the best things about this show is not just stories, it's the story archs. There is always the one main story line which is the main stay throughout the seasons, then there's a minor story line and then there's pretty much a new case for Detective Dutch Wagenbach and Detective Claudette Wyms (played by Jay Karnes and CCH Pounder). These stories always suck you in emotionally, and have you hanging on every interview or break in the case. Karnes and Pounder are a great acting combination and really bring their characters to life on-screen and are able play off each other really well. The best comparison I can come with would be Riggs and Murtaugh from the Lethal Weapon franchise minus all the silliness.

I've recommended this show to quite a few people and all of them have loved it. So if you haven't already seen it get out there and watch it!

That's all from me today, I've got a few movies lined up to watch and some more Hell on Wheels will be back soon with another post!

MADMIKE OUT!

The West and The Wild West

Hi! I'm back! Back in the New York groove! Grrr get out of my head you brilliant Ace Frehley song you (Also the theme music to NY Ink). 

Last night, I finished watching episode 5 of Alcatraz, and it was the best episode yet. It's gotten to that great point in a series where the intensity is picking up and the story is about to be blown wide open. They have me eagerly anticipating there next move.

Also last night I resumed watching a show I discovered whilst viewing America's Fall lineup preview on youtube. It's called Hell on Wheels.

Hell On Wheels

I hope you all watched the trailer other you'll have no idea what I'm talking about. I've just watched episode 4 and what I have found so far is that this show is solid, not spectacular but solid. I judge every show set in the Wild West by a very high standard. I compare it to Deadwood, and whilst this is a very good show, it doesn't have the same in your face attitude or the grittiness of Deadwood. I know not every show will have the same feel, but really this show so far doesn't really have anything unique about it. It's just a solid wild west revenge story so far. Hey it may prove me wrong and I hope it does. 

The two best things about this show is the acting of Colm Meaney (you can find his long list of excellent work here) who plays Thomas Durant, a ruthless man who will stop at nothing to see his railroad built, and the beat out all competitors. You can tell he is totally invested in the character, and in my opinion is currently out-acting both of the lead roles. Now the second best thing is also an actor, Christopher Heyerdahl (Sanctuary, Supernatural and Stargate: Atlantis). He plays Durant's ruthless and corrupt head of security The Swede. Heyerdahl has done a brilliant job with this character adding little quirks the character making him appear very obsessive and won't stop at anything to prove he's right. He makes a great antagonist for the main character Cullen Bohannan.

This show has potential to be great and I get the feeling around episode 6 will be the jump off point for me. But I hope it can do enough to keep me watching past that point.

Deadwood

 

If you have never seen this show, go now and buy it (or obtain it somehow)! Trust me you won't regret it, and if you do there is something wrong with you, please see a doctor. 

Deadwood is my 2nd favorite TV show of all time. Unfortunately there was only three seasons made, but those three seasons are a masterpiece. I could bang on about this show for hours on end. My mate, who will be known as Dangerous Dave, and I did just that we'd talk about this show and never get bored. The best thing about this show is that it has one of the best casts ever assembled on television and they all play their roles brilliantly. Many of them you may have noticed in your other favourite TV shows, and there's a reason for that because they're awesome! 

Two of my all-time favorite actors in Ian McShane and Brad Dourif are the stand-outs amongst this terrific cast. McShane plays saloon owner and town standover man Al Swearengen (it's appropriate that he has the word "swear" in his last name). Al Swearengen is my third favorite television character, (you know number one from my last post and number two will be revealed in my next post) - if anyone else apart from McShane played the role, it would not have worked. 

Dourif plays Doc Cochran, who is haunted by the ghosts of his past from the civil war. He carries the weight of all the patients he's lost, which somewhat makes him hate what he does and who he is. But on the other hand he will be there to help around the camp as much as he can or is allowed to.

If you do end up watching the show, I have no doubt you be blown away by Timothy Olyphant doing what he does best playing the badass Seth Bullock. Olyphant doesn't have a wide character range, but the one character he does play best is the badass. This is further shown in Justified which is a show I will get to at some stage. But seriously people, if you haven't already, watch this show.

That's all from me today.

MADMIKE OUT!

Welcome to my strange but wonderful world!

Hi! My name is Mike and I am a TV show addict and a movie buff. There are many things that I have a passion for in life like music, sports and eating and drinking etc etc. But all of them are over shadowed by my love of TV and Movies. I can think of fewer things I like to do than sit in my chair or lay in bed and watch a great TV show or an excellent movie. It's somewhat odd but it's my idea of a great time and has been as long as I can remember.

I've decided to start this blog (I have never blogged before so this is all completely new to me) to share my passion and opinions with the big wide world of the Internet. I thought for my opening post I'd share some of favourite TV shows of all time with you, and why I find them so awesome. I'll start off with my all time favourite.

The Sopranos

I have recently gone back and re-watched The Sopranos for about the ninth or tenth time from start to finish and it never gets old. James Gandolfini is just spectacular in his portrayal of New Jersey Mafia king pin Tony Soprano. In my humble opinion, as a whole, it is the best performance by an actor in a television series. A big call I know, but I have no doubts about it. The entire cast is brilliant and really make the script come to life and get you emotionally invested in what is happening to their characters which is a must for me if I'm going to watch a show. I know the ending was controversial but part of that was because I don't think people wanted the show to end, and I don't blame them. David Chase is my favourite TV writer because of this show.

Here is one of my favourite scenes:

I'll post more of my all time favourite shows as I continue with the blog.

Alcatraz

Currently I'm watching many shows, as you can imagine. It's an addiction and I don't want help! I've taken a particular liking to Alcatraz so far - I have just started episode five and it's fair to say it's got me intrigued - very intrigued. The premise behind the show is solid, basically Wikipedia gives a good synopsis:

 "On March 21, 1963, over three hundred inmates and more than forty guards disappeared from the Alcatraz island prison without a trace. To cover up the disappearance, the government invented a cover story about the prison being closed, due to unsafe conditions, and the inmates were transferred. As a young guard in 1963, federal agent Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) had been one of the first to discover the inmates missing. He now runs a secret government unit dedicated to finding the prisoners. In present-day San Francisco, the "63s" (as the inmates and guards are called) begin returning, having not aged at all. To help track them down and capture them, Hauser enlists police detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) and doctor Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia), an expert on the history of Alcatraz. The 63s appear to be returning without memory of where they have been and with compulsions to find certain objects."

My favourite character by far at the moment is Dr Diego Soto. Jorge Garcia is doing a fantastic job in bringing his character to life and getting you emotionally invested in him. His goofiness and innocence adds a great balance to the very serious natures of Rebecca Madsen and Hauser. Sarah Jones gives very solid performances as Rebecca Madsen but nothing spectacular - it's almost like she hasn't completely embraced the character. The most disappointing aspect of the show for me is Sam Neill who is usually a very good actor. But here, it just feels like he's going through the motions and that the role isn't really inspiring him. Hopefully he picks up as the season goes on. Nonetheless I will be watching this show with great interest - there is potential for a spectacular show here from what I have seen so far, but one wrong turn could end in disaster.

Anyways that's all from me today - I'll be back soon with some more ramblings.

MADMIKE OUT!