TV in 2015: Toast of London, Community, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead and more!

I've watched a hell of a lot of TV this year, especially for me! Getting Neflix might have something to do with it. Here's what I watched:

Utopia Series 1
This could and should have been brilliant. Stylish and violent, but fell a little short of what I was hoping for.

Toast of London Series 1, 2, 3
Surreal and silly, frequently juvenile sitcom starring Matt Berry. The best bits are always in the booth.



Green Wing Series 1 and 2
Re-watched this sitcom set in a hospital. Another surreal one. Still don't get why Mark Heap isn't a huge star.



House of Cards Series 1
This is a bloody slog. A bit too mature for me. That is until people start getting murdered. Then it see-saws into becoming too far-fetched. Picky bastard aren't I? Well, they're all bastards in the show as well. Drive me fucking nuts.

The Office Series 1-7
Had a go at the American version, despite not wanting to tarnish my memories of Ricky Gervais' Slough-set original. It's decent. But it's made me go back to the original again. Very difficult to decide if Dwight or Gareth is the better creation. I love them both so damn much. The worst thing about this is that just as I was getting close to finishing the entire show, Netflix removed it.

Better Call Saul Series 1

Not Breaking Bad. Fun enough, but I don't think this is ever going to get close to its big brother.

Community Series 1-5

Or the Amazing Adventures of Abed. Can't believe they span this out to five seasons. I raced through them. Sometimes it was very easy to switch off while watching. Whole episodes would go by and I'd feel as though I had seen nothing. But then other episodes were so full of creativity, imagination and excitement, that it makes the show all worthwhile. Was gutted when Troy left though.



Game of Thrones Series 5

A bit frustrating. Lots of changes from the book that felt unnecessary. I wish they would just slow down and draw this out. Allow George to get his books written so we can enjoy them first. And why the fuck have we not got a little lady named Stoneheart yet? Seriously? Why change that? Why?

The Walking Dead Series 6
Good so far. Alexandria has been action-packed and the whole Glenn thing was awesome. Also, Morgan's episode of backstory was brilliant. Excuse me while I go and sign up to an Aikido class.

This is England 90

Without doubt, my favourite TV show of the year. Such a brilliant end to a brilliant saga. Tragic, yet also hopeful and incredibly bittersweet. The best performances and direction of the year. I've just got the 86-90 boxset for Christmas so I'll be putting myself through it all again. Shane Meadows and his wonderful cast nailed it. I will miss these characters, but this is the way it has to end. As much as I'd love to see them return, This is England 90 was the perfect send-off.

What did you watch? Any recommendations for me this year?

Could The Walking Dead go on without the original cast?

‘The Walking Dead’ showrunner Scott Gimple has suggested that there may be life in the zombie apocalypse TV series even after the current cast of beloved characters have all become corpses. Despite fans caring far more about characters like Rick, Michonne and Daryl than about watching the undead shuffle around biting people, Gimple reckons that ‘The Walking Dead’ could go on without its primary protagonists still in place.

Speaking at the Envelope Emmy Round Table discussion with other showrunners, Gimple mentioned shows like ‘The Wire’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ as influential shows that have either taken new series in new directions with new casts or have killed off major characters but kept their loyal fan base. 

The end?

So many shows don’t have clear endings mapped out from the start (hello ‘Lost’) that they can sometimes disappear into insignificance or become ridiculous in their attempt to wrap up loose ends. ‘The Walking Dead’ is a show that has no clear ending and with the source comics still being rolled out year after year, there is no real ending in sight. This is good news for fans, particularly as Gimple seems certain that there is some sense of design to the series, even if there is no destination yet. He says, ‘it’s knowing thematically where you're going, knowing what you want to achieve, but almost accounting for expansion from that — having an end in mind that’s flexible’.

New cast?

However, if the show’s popularity continues to rise, will there ever be a need for the show to stop? Even without the current beloved cast, there is a rich world of ‘The Walking Dead’ open to exploration. Fear the Walking Dead is already a successful spin-off. But Gimple believes that the main show could continue even if they killed off more of the main characters saying, ‘our show could keep going as a story, but it would be a new story. Meaning the characters that we have, we would tell all of their stories but use the environment to tell new characters’ stories. But that’s wishful thinking that things would go on and on and on and on.’ 

New show?

Gimple argues that ‘The Walking Dead’ is consistently reinventing itself as a new show already. He states that ‘I would say our show, and you know, the source material it's based on, has just evolved so much every season that it's a new show every eight episodes.’ Gimple says of season 4; ‘I think the audience enjoys it... The ensemble is broken into all these different groups, and generally, each episode, we focused on one of those groups. And, you know, the main character, Rick Grimes, was in four episodes, in half of the back half, and one of those episodes, in one scene. But he was always present.’ 

So is this a way of getting fans used to having Rick around less? Can the show kill off Rick and still continue? Would that be too much of a deviation from the comics for many fans?

TV in 2014: Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, True Detective, Fargo and Sherlock

2013 was the year that I decided to jump on the TV bandwagon and stop being a film snob who dismissed most of the stuff that hit the small screen. Smashing through Breaking Bad, Dexter, Homeland, The Walking Dead and more in 2013, I delved into 2014 with a renewed appetite for the best the gogglebox has to offer.

That meant mainly focusing on catching up with Game of Thrones for a start which I also started reading the books of in 2013. So I started this year by hitting HBO's fantasy series hard in order to be caught up by the time season 4 aired. I ploughed through seasons 2, 3 and 4 during 2014 and am now eagerly awaiting the beginning of season 5 with everybody else. I've also finished A Storm of Swords bringing me right up to date with the books so there are quite a few moments I'm gagging for and quite a few more I'm dreading. A few other writers and myself also did these cool profiles for Filmoria of all the different areas in the world of GoT:

‘Game of Thrones’ Profiles: Across the Narrow Sea

‘Game of Thrones’ Profiles: The North and Beyond

‘Game of Thrones’ Profiles: King’s Landing

I also watched True Detective this year starring Matthew Wonderboy McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. I had very mixed feelings about this show as while I really liked McConaughey's character, I also thought both the stars overacted their chops off. I also felt that despite it's incredibly brooding atmosphere, the story never went as dark or as deep as I had hoped it was going to go. Don't get me wrong, it was pretty dark but I'd hoped for a more crazy cult and carnage type ending, even if the last episode was awesome. Here's a catch up review I wrote near the end of the first season.

I finished The Walking Dead season 4 this year and started season 5. Season 4 was incredible and season 5 has been pretty decent  so far. I think I probably stand in the minority here but I think this show just keeps getting better and better after a seriously shoddy start with the first two seasons. Even without The Governor and the prison, things have been increasingly tense as the characters got split up out in the open and then had to fight their way out of Terminus in season 5.

The Walking Dead review: Reaching Terminus 

The Walking Dead: how will season 4 end? 

Will Carol make it to the end of The Walking Dead season 4? 

The Walking Dead review: A death in the family

Fargo was the show that really blew me away this year. I loved every minute of it. Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton absolutely nailed their brilliantly written and incredibly fun to watch sociopaths. I hope they don't screw this one up by messing up a second season, though it sounds as though creator Noah Hawley is heading in an interesting direction.

Fargo review: Malvo and Lester finally face off 

Will Fargo return without Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton? 

Fargo review: Malvo goes after the new and improved Lester 

Fargo review: Did Lester and Malvo get away with murder? 

I also finally started watching the BBC's Sherlock so that means more Martin Freeman for me. I enjoyed the first season even if I have a bit of a love/hate thing going on with Cumberbatch. I'm more excited to see more of Andrew Scott's Moriarty who seemed hilarious in his brief appearance in season 1.

What else should I get stuck into in 2015 anybody?

More 2014 lists at I Love That Film:

Best Books I Read in 2014

Top 10 Blockbusters of 2014

Top 10 Music Performances of 2014

Top 10 Best True Stories of 2014

The Walking Dead Season 4 Episodes 9-12 recap and reviews

I've been covering 'The Walking Dead' over at Yahoo since it returned to screens a few weeks ago for the second half of season 4. Here are links to my recap and reviews of episodes 9-12.

The Walking Dead recap: Daryl and Beth drink moonshine (episode 12)

With the latest episode, titled ‘Still’, there is no cutting back and forth between characters whatsoever; it is solely focussed on Daryl and Beth as they get hold of moonshine and attempt to drink their worries away.

The Walking Dead recap: Dead under the bed  (episode 11)

Wondering who the hell those three people were at the end of episode 10? Wonder no longer as episode 11, titled ‘Claimed’, introduces us to the three new main characters in the world of ‘The Walking Dead’.
 

The Walking Dead recap: Escaping convicts everywhere (episode 10)

After last week’s episode focussed solely on Rick, Carl and Michonne, ‘Inmates’ takes the time to catch up with all the rest of the survivors of the prison massacre who are now scattered on the wind.

The Walking Dead prank terrifies New York City

‘The Walking Dead’ returned to American screens on Sunday with the second half of season four kicking off a day later in the UK. A video of walkers lurking beneath city streets in order to terrify passersby has gone viral.

The Walking Dead recap: Carl and Rick seek new shelter (episode 9)

The Walking Dead’ is back! After two months of waiting to find out what happens after the fall of the prison, episode nine picks up pretty much right where we left off with Rick and Carl escaping the remains of the prison.

Walking Dead season 4 returns tomorrow

The Walking Dead returns to TV screens in America tonight and instead of having to wait a whole week, us lucky British fans are now only having to one day until we get out Walking Dead fix. Season 4 continues on Fox from 9pm and will pick up straight after the shocking events of episode 8 which aired in early December. It's been a long wait but it's finally back. To tide you over, here's what I've been writing at Yahoo since the first half of the season ended.

Walking Dead Season 4 returns to answer fans’ burning questions
 Here are the biggest burning questions on everybody's minds as we move in to the second half which will air on UK TV on Monday 10th February.

Will cannibals The Hunters join The Walking Dead season four? 
The Walking Dead’ season four is set to resume in just a couple of weeks now and fan speculation as to what will happen is at an all time high. Speculation suggests that we might be about to meet cannibal group The Hunters.

Did The Governor really die in The Walking Dead?

In the last episode of ‘The Walking Dead’, The Governor appeared to be killed off by first being stabbed by Michonne’s sword and then finished off by a bullet to the head. However rumours have circled that The Governor did not die at all.

What to expect from new characters in Walking Dead season four

With ‘The Walking Dead’ fans currently enduring season four’s mid-season break before the show returns to screens in February, many people may be wondering about the new characters that have been confirmed to join the cast in the second half of the season

Three characters who must return to The Walking Dead

'The Walking Dead' season four has been constantly eventful with deaths aplenty and other characters that have gone missing, often but not always presumed dead. Below are the three characters I most want to see return in the second half of season four.

 

Missing moments from 'The Walking Dead' comic books

With season four taking a mid-season break until February, it is time to take a look at some of the biggest and best moments of the comics that have not yet made it into the TV series.

 

The Walking Dead mid-season 4 recap

Season four opened with Rick enjoying a rare moment of relative peace, farming in the prison garden. By the mid-season break, The Governor had returned and wreaked havoc. Along the way, sickness, walkers and murder made it a rocky ride!

 

Are you excited for the return of The Walking Dead?

TV in 2013: Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Walking Dead, Homeland and more

I watched a crap load of TV in 2013. Films have always been my big thing and even with The Wire, The Sopranos and 24, I still didn't jump on the loving TV bandwagon. But this year, that really changed. I'd been slowly but surely getting stuck into a few TV shows and this year, two of my favourites finished forever; Breaking Bad and Dexter.

Helpfully my friend also showed me a way to keep up with TV shows without having to subscribe to ludicrously expensive TV services. More importantly I got sent a few TV boxsets to review for Filmoria and I also got lots of work writing for Yahoo on both The Walking Dead and Homeland.

These are all the TV shows I watched in 2013. If I reviewed them, then just click the titles to see my reviews:

TV shows I watched in 2013:

Unit One Season 1

'Unit One might not reach the heady heights of other recent Danish crime exports but has plenty to offer fans of the genre and will certainly please fans of both Mads Mikkelsen and Nordic noir with a healthy feminist streak.'

Jack Irish

'Jack Irish is a cut above many TV movies, injected with plenty of Aussie charm amidst the occasional stereotypes and distracting subplots, but shot, edited and scored very effectively. While Irish is the focus, the supporting cast offer just as much fun and help to illuminate the central character. Guy Pearce is a very welcome presence to the small screen and makes further Jack Irish adventures a welcome prospect.'

The Killing Season 1

'What I loved about The Killing is that there was a thick web of characters surrounding the case. They all felt very real and provided a great deal of interest and suspense into the events after the murder. The family of the victim, a politician and his campaign crew and more and more assorted suspects keep clotting up the case and providing fresh intrigue and fresh suspects throughout the 20 episodes.'

The Walking Dead Season 2

Better than the first season but I still hadn't fallen in love with the series yet despite loving the premise.

Black Mirror Season 2

The second episode of this season, White Bear, was one of the best bits of TV I'd ever seen. Check out my reviews of White Bear and The Waldo Moment here. 

Game of Thrones Season 1

Loved it so much, I started reading the books on holiday in Thailand. I got half way through the second season and then stopped so I could read the second book first. Now I've just finished A Clash of Kings, I'm going to finish watching the second season and then move on to the third books.

Arrested Development Season 4

Disappointing but still had it's moments. I also got a perfectly timed second free trial month from Netflix to watch it all. Not enough Job, not enough Tobias and a bit too convoluted and clever-clever for its own good!

Breaking Bad Season 4

Best season of the series yet. The dynamic with Gus Fring went to another level and dominated this season and I loved every minute of it. Ended with an absolute shocker too. Walt had descended to his absolute lowest and scummiest and suddenly I found myself caring for Jesse again.

Unit One Season 2

'Unit One series 2 furthers the drama of the first series and has a consistently fascinating array of mysteries and murders. The increasingly challenging relationships of the team might at first appear to take a back seat but by the end of the series, the members of Unit One are still the ones audiences will warrant worthy of further investigation in future series.'

Breaking Bad Season 5

Even better than the fourth season, this was pretty much perfect TV. Episode 14: Ozymandias was literally unforgettable and was the pinnacle of the show for me. Read how excited I got about it here. Then I wrote a piece for Yahoo on saying goodbye to two of TV's greatest anti-heroes, Dexter and Walter White. They will both be sorely missed although White went out on a massive high whereas Dexter kind of over stayed his welcome.

The Walking Dead Season 3

'It was an incredibly eventful season with Michonne getting to kick ass, The Governor becoming a truly terrifying threat and supporting characters like Glenn and Daryl finally really getting a chance to shine. With the deaths of Lori and Andrea, it even tugged hard at the heartstrings before all out war made for an action packed final episode. Season four will have a lot to live up to.'

Homeland Season 1

I had to race through this as I had to catch up with the whole show before season three started and I began my writing for Yahoo on the series. Loved season 1 but kind of wished it had ended with Brody blowing himself up and then that would have been that!

Dexter Season 6

The Colin Hanks starring series was ok but ended with the mother of all cliffhangers; Deborah finding out about Dexter. That was enough to keep me watching the next season.

Dexter Season 7

It all started losing the plot a bit here with Deborah knowing about Dexter's secret life. However, again it ended with an absolutely gobsmacking climax; Deborah killing LaGuerta. I personally think that would have been a pretty brilliant and bleak way to end the show.

Homeland Season 2

Not nearly as good as the first but much better than the third season. 

Low Winter Sun Season 1

'Low Winter Sun sits in the very long shadow cast by other far better dramas but is a success on its own terms, acting as an autopsy of a dying Detroit that would soon be declared bankrupt.'

Homeland Season 3 

Opening episodes recap 

Episode 3 Review: Tower of David

Episode 4 Review: Game On

Episode 5 Review: The Yoga Play  

Episode 6 Review: Still Positive

Episode 7 Review: Gerontion

Episode 8 Review: A Red Wheelbarrow

Episode 9 Review: One Last Time

Episode 10 Review: Good Night

Episode 11 Review: Big Man in Tehran

Episode 12 Review: The Star

I am still currently watching:

The Walking Dead Season 4 which we are half way through and will start again in February.

Game of Thrones Season 2 which I am about half way through and intent to finish now that I have read A Clash of Kings.

Dexter Season 8 which I just have the final ever episode left to watch!

In 2014, I intend to get through Game of Throne season 3 and hopefully 4 when it comes out, finish The Walking Dead season 4 and watch Homeland season 4. I'm also tempted to start on Boardwalk Empire and Under the Dome.

What TV have you been watching this year?

Why don't you stay awhile? More 2013 lists from I Love That Film:

World Cinema in 2013

Best books I read in 2013

2013 List of Shame or 25 films I should have seen this year

2013 Top 10 Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction

2013 Top 10 So Far (written in July)

Best British Films of 2013

Top Documentaries of 2013

Top 25 Films to see in 2014

 

More popular posts at I Love That Film:

TV in 2013: Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Walking Dead, Homeland and more

Analysing La Haine

5 MUST SEE films at the BFI London Film Festival 2014

Valentines Day; Time for Romance

The Femme Castratrice in Horror

Why I Love The Hunger Games

Using Critical Approaches to Study Fight Club

  

Short Story: LIVING FOR THE WEEKEND

The Walking Dead Season 4 Part 1 Recap

The Walking Dead has had an incredibly eventful first half of its fourth season. I've been covering it every step of the way for Yahoo from the relatively quiet and calm opening to the action packed finale. Who knows how they are going to top this in the second half of the season? If you want to relive the highs and lows of the season so far in a quick and easy way, then please check out my The Walking Dead mid-season 4 recap . 

If you want something a little more nourishing or you missed any of the 8 episodes so far, then feel free to have a browse at each of the below episode review and recaps:

The Walking Dead Episode 1: A sickness is spreading
 
The Walking Dead Episode 2: A virus in the cells
 
The Walking Dead Episode 3: Bring Out Your Dead
 
The Walking Dead Episode 4: What comes next for Carol the killer?
 
The Walking Dead Episode 5: Walkers breach the fences
 
The Walking Dead Episode 6: Live Bait
 
The Walking Dead Episode 7: Your move 'Brian'
 
The Walking Dead Episode 8: Prison break

I've also been busy wondering if any of these Missing moments from 'The Walking Dead' comic books  are actually going to ever end up being included in the TV series. Don't read on if you are afraid of any spoilers.

It's going to be a long wait until February and the return of The Walking Dead but I'm certain it will be worth the wait. I'm bloody sad to see both the prison and the Governor go as I'm sure both the setting and the character were ripe for further exploration and though they have been fixtures for a season and a half, I think the storyline was wrapped up too soon. On the other hand, looking at what happens in the future according to the comics, things are going to continue to be surprising, shocking and riveting.

What were you favourite moments from season 4 so far?

More on The Walking Dead:

More Walking Dead Season 4 News and Reviews

Latest Walking Dead Season 4 News and Reviews

Walking Dead Ratings Rise as Homeland Hits a Rough Patch

Walking Dead Vs new virus and Homeland Vs Muslims

The Walking Dead and Homeland Return

More Walking Dead Season 4 News and Reviews

The Walking Dead climaxed this week with episode 8 of the fourth season. That means fans have to wait till February for more walker action and to find out what happens next. Here are my reviews of the season so far:

The Walking Dead: A sickness is spreading (Episode 1 Review)
The Walking Dead: A virus in the cells (Episode 2 Review)
The Walking Dead: Bring Out Your Dead (Episode 3 Review)
The Walking Dead: What comes next for Carol the killer? (Episode 4 Review)
The Walking Dead: Walkers breach the fences (Episode 5 Review)

The final few episodes of the season brought The Governor right back into the action and led to a stunning conclusion with all hell breaking loose at the prison. I really liked that our heroes had finally found a decent home but now it looks like it will be time to move on. The possibilities for the rest of the season will be endless and I am very excited to see where it is heading now. Here are the rest of the reviews of the first half of season 4 and also one news story I wrote for Yahoo.

Frank Darabont on what went wrong with The Walking Dead

 

It has been a long time coming but Frank Darabont, director of the pilot episode of 'The Walking Dead' has finally spoken out on what occurred and why he had to leave the show, despite finding it devastating to move on.

The Walking Dead recap: Live Bait

 

This is my review of episode 6. After five episodes of wondering where the big bad wolf has been lurking, The Governor finally returns in an episode entirely devoted to filling in his absence from season four so far.

The Walking Dead recap: Your move 'Brian'

This is my review of episode 7. In the latest episode of 'The Walking Dead', the pieces are moving into place. There are knights and pawns and one Governor who does not know exactly where he fits but is determined to be the last piece standing on the board.

The Walking Dead recap: Prison break 
 

This is my review of episode 8. It was a truly explosive episode of 'The Walking Dead' this week so do not read this review until after you have watched 'Too Far Gone', the final instalment in the first half of season four.

Where do you think The Walking Dead will go from here?