Reviews

I saw Minority Report on DVD back in 2003 I think, and being a Steven Spielberg movie, I was looking forward to it very much, especially with Tom "Risky Business" Cruise headlining the stellar cast. So much has been written about Minority Report that I'm not sure there's really much more I can add, except that Max von Sydow's line about the common cold and the lack of a cure was absolutely hilarious and on point. Anyway, Minority Report also speaks to the pre-crimes notion we have, especially with how many people are locked up in a Bay for crimes that haven't even been put on trial for, so init.

Season three of 21 Jump Street opens with the introduction of Officer Dennis Booker, played by Richard Grieco (who is of Italian and Irish descent), and yes he is a complicated character at first, but the narrative is that over time he becomes much more likeable, and yes, he even gets his own spin-off series, Booker.

Anyway, Fun with Animals deals with graffiti that, and we wonder whose side Booker is on, so we are kind of left guessing throughout the episode. In real life, from 2009 Grieco took up painting as a job, so good for him. It's a shame that after Booker was axed, he wasn't able to return to 21 Jump Street.

I became a big fan of 21 Jump Street upon its debut, and the fact that it was from the genius of Stephen J. Cannell (his series The A-Team was broadcast on a rival network at the same time) piqued my interest. Anyway, one thing is I would like to see the pilot that starred Jeff Yagher as Tom Hanson, as he was the original actor cast.

Anyway, Dustin Nguyen is a standout for sure, and he was in four seasons before the ill-fated and languid fifth season which really turned me off. The cast dynamics is perfect, and certainly 21 Jump Street stands the test of time after nearly 40 years for sure init.

I've been a fan of Vera for over a decade after a work colleague highly and strongly recommended it, so I'm glad I became a fan. I managed to visit Newcastle-upon-Tyne for work a few years ago but unfortunately I didn't see any filming, but if I did, I would have been agog at seeing the stars and would have been desperate to get Brenda Blethyn's autograph. Anyway, so here in this episode we learn Vera has a sister, and ultimately we learn that Lester and Niall was murdered by Niall's mother's boyfriend. Anyway, I like the night scenes and the unique small houses that are in England compared to other countries.

I recently discovered Secret Life of the Lighthouse, and I've enjoyed watching the episodes I've been able to catch, and it's fascinating seeing the historical aspects and modern life and all, and I wonder what it would be like to live in a lighthouse where wi-fi may be unreliable, there's no instant meal deliveries, lack of cell phone coverage. But at least you don't have to worry about rowdy neighbors, pesky people knocking on your door trying to sell things,

Dr Anjana Khatwa makes several appearances and I find her insights very thoughtful and refreshing about lighthouses and their history.

I discovered Vera when one of my work colleagues highly recommended it, so I thought I'd check it out, and I became an instant fan. I managed to visit Newcastle-upon-Tyne for work a few years ago but unfortunately I didn't see any filming, but if I did, I would have been agog at seeing the stars. Anyway, here Sandancers is set in an army barracks, and there's a David and Bathshebaesque element to this, with binge drinking amok. Anyway, I'm enjoying reflecting on Vera and I remember when she was in Saving Grace, so it's good to see her in Vera.

Alex Price, who later became famous in Father Brown, guest stars as Lance Corporal O'Connor.

I know that yes, unfortunately Law and Order: Los Angeles got axed after only one season, but really the series was finding its feet. Anyway, so here we are with Echo Park, the second episode, and on reflection (and I'm not Law and Order expert by far), the lack of intros with the Order team (lead by Skeet Ulrich) and then the Law team (I think there was an episode of Friends that questioned why the series wasn't called Order and Law), well, I wonder if that kind of dampened the expectations on Law and Order fans. Also, I think the rotating nature of the Law Team was a bit jarring but still. Anyway, here we have a Mansonesque cult and also prosecutorial misconduct. Teri Polo makes the first of her three appearances as Casey Winters.

I remember seeing The People vs. Jean Harris back in the 1980s, and at the time the performance of Peter Coyote stood out, and I was remembering his role in The People vs. Jean Harris because I was watching him in Law and Order: Los Angeles and it reminded me of that.

Ellen Burstyn, who nearly 20 years after her role in this movie would appear in Requiem for a Dream directed by Darren Aronofsky, plays Jean Harris. Richard Dysart, who a few years later gained fame in L. A. Law, plays Judge Russell R. Leggett. Peter Coyote plays George Bolen. All credit to the actors who played the jurors for sure.

I was a big fan of season one of UnREAL, being a fan myself of Survivor, so really I was keen to get an insight into the behind-the-scenes of a reality show and the emotional manipulation that producers use to shape the narrative of the contestants. Really, we now know the tricks used, e.g. Plying contestants with alcohol, etc. Amy Hill is a standout as Dr. Wagerstein, who knows where the skeletons are buried in the lives of the contestants and then some.

A lot has been written about UnREAL, but I do wonder how the production was co-ordinated. For example, how were the actors playing the production crew distinguished from the real production crew, like did the actors playing the production crew wear vests when the camera didn't roll. Anyway, all credit to the production units for co-ordinating them.

I'm enjoying finally watching Silk Stalkings after having heard about it back in the 1990s. One curious thing though is that the episodes I see through social media do not not feature Fred Melamed as the announcer or narrator even though he was one up until the middle of season three. In fact, it's Matzi Kapture who narrates at the beginning, so no Fred.

Brian Trenchard-Smith, famous for directing The Man from Hong Kong, directs Blo-Dri. All up, Trenchard-Smith directed five episodes of Silk Stalkings. Anyway, sure, there's some cheesiness in Silk Stalkings, but it's fun and it is what it is.

I'm a big fan of DCI Banks, and like all the fans, I was outraged by the shock axing of DCI Banks after five seasons. I've sometimes wondered why, but maybe the network thought DCI had run its natural course once DCI Annie Cabbot (Andrea Lowe) was no longer a part of the series unfortunately. And indeed, and Steve Richards and Tamsin Richards, played by Shaun Dooley and Maimie McCoy, respectively, are a very central couple throughout this season five of DCI Banks and the fate of Cabbot.

Anyway, in this episode Ace Bhatti guest stars as Malik Nadir, and Bhatti had a key role in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody.

Steve Richards and Tamsin Richards, played by Shaun Dooley and Maimie McCoy, respectively, are a very central couple throughout season five of DCI Banks. To Burn in Every Drop of Blood: Part 1 is the first episode of season five, and at the time all the fans (and no doubt the actors and production crew) thought there would be a season six, but sadly not to be, and the Richards couple are key to the very tragic fate of DS Annie Cabbot (Andrea Lowe) at the denouement of season five. Anyway, Chief Supt Colin Anderson (Shaun Dingwall) tries to shake things up, and he certainly wants his way with DI Morton.

Nell Campbell, famous for her role in the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show, guest stars as Joanna Lomas in Nine Tenths of the Law from season one of Shoestring. I discovered Shoestring a few years ago when I read about it as being a possible inspiration for the TV drama Midnight Caller, which was set in a radio station as well. Anyway, here Shoestring is faced with a dilemma of doing his job to find the missing child and knowing that the mother is not exactly, as the English have the unique phrase, fit for purpose as a parent. Anyway, the father has returned from Australia to get custody of the child.

I was a big fan of season one of survivor, but for some reason I missed out on seasons two to four, so I have to finally watch them. Anyway, being a fan of reality TV shows like Survivor, I was fascinated by the faux reality show in UnREAL and the behind-the-scenes shenanigans. Much has been written about UnREAL, but I do wonder how the production was co-ordinated. For example, how were the actors playing the production crew distinguished from the real production crew, like did the actors playing the production crew wear vests when the camera didn't roll. Anyway, all credit to the production units for co-ordinating them.

What a very sad and tragic episode this was, A Little Bit of Heart: Part 2, because DS Annie Cabbot (Andrea Lowe) is murdered (quite unexpectedly may I add in my humble opinion), and I wonder if Cabbot's departure from DCI Banks pretty much meant the network decided no more season six for DCI Banks, which is a favorite series that sure, there's lots of shouting, but it was compelling and it was must see TV.

Annie experiences problems at home and she decides to return to Banks, but unfortunately this did not happen. Maybe DCI Banks can be revived for a new generation of fans that deserve this fine series.

I recently discovered the series Burger Land, hosted by ebullient and enthusiastic George Motz (Motz is a major burger expert who has written many books about burgers). I discovered Burger Land at the same time I discovered Burgers, Brew and 'Que hosted by another major burger enthusiast Michael Symon (who looks very much resembles Telly Savalas of Kojak fame). So here George Motz travels to Houston to check out the burger joints and catch up with the latest trends in this part of Texas.

Motz checkes out the burgers from Christian's, Tookie's, Blake's and Stanton's. I have to travel to Houston to check them out.

I recently discovered the series Burger Land, hosted by George Motz (a major burger expert who has written many books about burgers), along with Burgers, Brew and 'Que hosted by Michael Symon (who quite seriously very much resembles Telly "Kojak" Savalas). Anyway, here George Motz heads to New Orleans to check out the burger joints and catch up with the latest trends down south. Anyway, it's a shame there was only one season of Burger Land, because really it deserved at least three seasons init. We learn about Po' Boy Burgers, and that makes me want to go to New Orleans and check out the burger scene.

I really like DCI Banks, along with other English police or detective dramas such as New Tricks, Vera, Rosemary and Thyme, Death in Paradise, The Last Detective, Inspector Lynley. Anyway, A Little Bit of Heart is from season five of DCI Banks, and at the time there was no reason to think DCI Banks wouldn't be renewed for season six, but sadly that happened. Anyway, there's a lot of twists in the murder investigation of Xun Li (played by David K. S. Tse) who is a pillar of the Leeds community. Annie (Andrea Lowe) is conflicted big time, and wants to return to Alan, but what will happen with Annie.

Here in this episode of the Secret Life of Lighthouses, we travel to the famous Shetland, where of course one recalls the famous Shetland TV crime drama from England with its noir and all. In this episode we meet Julia Elton, who is famous for her research of literature of engineering and the images of the industrial revolution.

Dr Anjana Khatwa make another welcome appearance. I find her insights very thoughtful and refreshing about lighthouses and their history. Anyway, it appears this episode is the penultimate episode of the Secret Life of Lighthouses, but hopefully it will return for a fourth series.

I really like watching DCI Banks, even with all the shouting, but still worthwhile watching, and Stephen Tompkinson's DCI Alan Banks is such a far cry from his role in the 1990s sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey. Anyway, Ghosts: Part 2 sees the fallout of DS Martin Hexham's affair with DI Helen Morton (Caroline "Doc Martin" Catz), and anyway, in we also have the fallout and intrigue about the identity of the fetus of Melanie Thomas (played by Tanya Fear, who later had a role in My Dinner with Herve). Anyway, it's a shame DCI Banks wasn't renewed for season six because it was such a compelling series set outside the London bubble.

DS Florence Cassell (Josephine Jobert) returns (she made a brief surprise appearance at the end of the previous episode) and it's a major set-up for her declaring her feelings for DI Neville Parker (Ralf Little), especially with Parker finishing up to travel around the world to find love and all init.

Django Chan-Reeves almost steals the episode as influencer Cressida Dempsey, and it turns out she did the deed on Abigail Warner (Eve Ponsonby). Anyway, the part about Warner leaving the camera memory card on a tree was kind of far-fetched but it is what it is.

I've been a fan of Death in Paradise since it debuted, and with the impending departure of Parker, it's impressive this series continues from strength to strength.

Dr Anjana Khatwa appears again, this time in Beachy Head, the first episode of season three of Secrets of the Lighthouse, and I find her insights very thoughtful and refreshing about lighthouses and their history. Dr Khatwa is an acclaimed Earth Scientist who has appeared in many programs, and is also a university academic, so it's good to see she is a regular guest on the episodes of Secret Life of the Lighthouse, which is hosted by Rob Bell. I like how Rob talks to the experts, the historians and just gets all confused. Now this Rob Bell is not to be confused with the Rob Bell who was the former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church here in America.

Beachy Head lighthouse has the job of warning sailors of the Sailors' Graveyard.

Dr Anjana Khatwa appears in The Longstone, and I find her insights very refreshing and thoughtful and helpful about lighthouses and their history. Dr Khatwa is an acclaimed Earth Scientist who has appeared in many programs, and is also a university academic, so it's good to see she is a regular guest on the episodes of Secret Life of the Lighthouse, which is hosted by Rob Bell. I like how Rob talks to the experts, the historians and just gets all confused. Now this Rob Bell is not to be confused with the Rob Bell who was the former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church here in America. The Longstone is worth watching.

What a season finale, wow, now that's how a season finale should be written. But unfortunately for whatever reasons that really aren't convincing, the network has axed Quantum Leap, so unfortunately no season three. It's not too late surely, and maybe, just maybe, Scott Bakula can be encouraged to issue a social media post calling for Quantum to be picked up. This episode had an incredible twist, with Gideon being Jeffrey! Wow, that would have made M. Night Shyamalan proud. Anyway, Ian's line about the bumping off the baby leader of the world war 2 axis was a knowing wink to the ethics dilemma about changing time.

Still, even if there's no season three, then this episode ensured Quantum Leap ended on a high with Ben and Addison reunited truly.

I really like watching DCI Banks, even with all the shouting, but still worthwhile watching. Anyway, Ghosts: Part 1 has a Breaking Bad element to it, with a science student and supervisor manufacturing ecstasy. DS Martin Hexham (Cal MacAninch) rekindles a former affair with DI Helen Morton (Caroline "Doc Martin" Catz), so that's quite explosive, and we learn that Morton had an affair when she was married with children. Anyway, it's a shame DCI Banks was axed when it did because it could have lasted two more seasons with compelling crime stories in Leeds and the surrounding area for us to view.