What was probably the heaviest (and last) episode of the week saw the crew from The Feed tackling pig hunting, sexual abuse, Olympic hanky panky and nudist churches. Just another evening on SBS2! The lead headlines are always the least fascinating part of the show, yet Marc Fennell manages to get the show cooking with…
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When Cleaver Greene was sent to prison at the end of Season 2 of Rake, I have to admit that I was pretty dubious about how the next season would play out. Surely they’d have to think of some legal fandangle that would have Cleaver waking up to find it was all a bad dream— a…
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Any episode entitled “Birthday” is probably going to have an aspect of significance to it, particularly when the birthday in question is that of Jess. Within the very first minute it was established that Jess has unrealistically high expectations for her birthday, evidenced by a flashback of Cece gifting her a sweater made in China,…
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Last season The Walking Dead kicked off their second half of season 3 by introducing Tyreese, a character which hasn’t yet made the impact he does in the comics, and hasn’t yet been developed properly. Despite this, it was still a big moment in the series and kicked the mid-season off with a finale-quality feel….
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As if it needed anything to prove at all, The Feed easily showed that its success and ease in the half hour format was no flash in the pan with its second 2014 episode. The Feed has clearly got its format down-pat with an opening few minutes dedicated to what’s gone down in the day’s…
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A new year and, thankfully, a new season of SBS2’s The Feed. After making its debut last year in 15 minute format, the current affairs/news review program has now returned to the airwaves in extended 30 minute version and was clearly in no mood for time wasting. Kicking off with its trademark wrap up of…
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Bringing together two giants of Hollywood; Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey, True Detective is the latest offering from quality television provider HBO (broadcast on Showcase, Foxtel in Australia). The story, told across eight episodes in this first season, moves the viewer from past to present as ex-detectives narrate their investigation into the murder of a…
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We finally arrive at the big event the season has been hinting at, the “Seven Wonders” witch trial. If you’re expecting a thrilling build up of tension, ambitious witches sabotaging each other or anything that’s generally exciting in anyway you’ll be disappointed. It’s less like watching the end to a triathlon and more like watching…
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After such a strong previous episode, there was a module of apprehension about this episode. Would it reach the newly set New Girl standard or would it fall short? With the first mention of Caroline, Nick’s ex-girlfriend who he nearly left the gang for back in season one, it was clear this was going to…
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Despite repeating structural felonies, I was impressed with the ending to this episode. I didn’t see it coming and it definitely had a shock value that put new motions into practice. The Seven Wonders Witch trials loom, but there isn’t much preparation or focus on them. Instead, the episode prefers to tread on already explored…
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Who doesn’t love an episode that begins with a spot of impromptu vocals by Nick? Completely unrelated to the episode, it seemed, as the plot centred around two primary storylines: Jess’ desperation to have Coach regard her as more than just ‘his buddy’s girlfriend’, and Winston’s decision to look in on Schmidt’s life of marketing…
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For anyone waiting for the macabre and gore to amplify are about to have their wishes fulfilled. Episode 11 steps up the suspense and blood levels to create a more engaging episode. This being said, there are still issues with script including scenes that should be tense but aren’t. As far as plot construction goes,…
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We’re nearing the end to American Horror Story: Coven and episode 10 throws some new tricks into the equation. It starts where episode 9 left off, with Marie Laveau being sheltered by the Coven. The truce that was once over seems to be back, joining forces to tackle Witch Hunters known as The Corporation. Meanwhile,…
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New Girl was back with a bang with a surprisingly original episode that really brought out the best of the gang. The episode was essentially a flashback episode, formed under the guise of Jess needing advice concerning the possibility of taking on a new job. Jessica Day, not a teacher? I’m not sure if any…
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If you’re a Doctor Who fan, “The Time of the Doctor” was more than just your usual Christmas Special. It means the end of the Matt Smith era and the beginning of our time with Peter Capaldi. Before we get to those eyes who appeared quickly in “The Day of the Doctor” (the 50th Anniversary…
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The season has been hinting at Witch-hunters for a while but now they finally become a prominent part of the storyline. This steers the narrative into an interesting direction bringing with it fresh characters and conflicts and pushing the possibility of an alliance between Marie and Fiona. Meanwhile, Queenie educates Delphine on racial prejudice and…
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Homeland is back for another year. I will be chronicling the journeys of Carrie, Saul and Brody throughout the third season of the best show currently on television. Spoilers within so don’t read before viewing the episodes! *SERIOUS SPOILER ALERT* Previously on Homeland… Brody (Damian Lewis) has managed to assassinate Javadi’s boss, and Carrie (Claire Danes) is doing…
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Homeland is back for another year. I will be chronicling the journeys of Carrie, Saul and Brody throughout the third season of the best show currently on television. Spoilers within so don’t read before viewing the episodes! Previously on Homeland… Saul (Mandy Patinkin) has been successful in his plan to use Carrie (Claire Danes) as bait in…
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More secrets are unveiled in this episode and things begin to look interesting again. In episode 7, Queenie and Delphine’s friendship grows as Zoe and Cordelia attempt to discover Madison’s murderer. The turning points in this episode are quite dramatic but, as observed in previous reviews, the lack of effective characterisation has decreased their impact. Unlike previous seasons where the…
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Sad to say I was a little disappointed when this week’s episode of New Girl began. It was worrying to see it turn down a cliché Thanksgiving/camping ‘everything goes wrong’ path that most sitcoms seem to have gone down at one time or another. New Girl is usually quite consistent in its originality, and while…
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The zombie sub-genre can produce gory fun and easy thrills but the incorporation of the undead in Episode 5 of American Horror Story: Coven is nowhere near the standard of a George A. Romero picture. The zombie encounter is the highest point of the episode and it concludes half way through. Following on from the…
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The Iris meets Steve Carrell on the red carpet of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues in Sydney, Australia. We talk about his experiences in Australia and about how his character Brick Tamland handles having a new love interest (Kristen Wiig) in the film! Interview: Chris Singh Camera: Nathan Atkins Edit: Larry Heath Filmed at the…
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Three cheers for the return of Ferguson! Winston’s intense love of that cat remains a very amusing theme of this season and it was nice to have it brought to the forefront yet again. Winston also took on a bigger role in this episode, although he still seems the odd man out of the gang….
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Most people would have heard of, or at least recognise actor Bryan Brown, he’s an iconic part of Australian film, prolific in the 70s and 80s. There’s no doubt he’s brilliant, but it’s his daughter Matilda Brown who’s come into her own acting, writing and producing, that deserves kudos for creating this gem of mini-series….
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We’ve really got to give kudos to New Girl for still coming up with the quirkiest plot ideas without getting too off-track or repetitive. This was a really solid episode, ticking all the boxes for amusement, development, and character airtime – Coach and Cece included. That being said, in the aftermath of last week’s episode,…
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This week’s episode brought the whole gang back together with the arrival of Coach (Damon Wayans Jr), and, let’s be honest, was anyone really expecting that plot? Strip clubs, crying, getting drunk (we probably expected those last two), and Taye Diggs saying ‘rubber baby buggy bumpers’. All signs of a great episode. It was nice…
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Forget the Big Brother finale or the latest instalment of Underbelly, Australia’s television event of 2013 comes with the return of everyone’s favourite (or least favourite) polarising comedian. Chris Lilley’s Ja’mie: Private School Girl essentially picks up where we left off after Summer Heights High – it’s Ja’mie’s last year of high school, she’s the ‘quichest’ girl…
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The fruits of plot and character seeds are beginning to flourish. Episode 4 illuminates character history and sets the foundation for war between the witches of Salem and the voodoo witches. Although a step up from the state the series began with, it is still unsubtle in conveying information. If you haven’t seen the last…
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Homeland is back for another year. I will be chronicling the journeys of Carrie, Saul and Brody throughout the third season of the best show currently on television. Spoilers within so don’t read before viewing the episodes! Previously on Homeland… So the whole ‘Saul betraying Carrie and having her put in a mental institution’ scenario…
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Accompanied by the news this week that the show will live to see a season two, Thursday’s Masters of Sex brings us just one episode shy of the freshman season’s halfway mark. The show has fast established itself as the new kid on the cable drama block and here’s what we’ve seen so far….
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