Category Archives: Film and TV Reviews
V is for… Vampire Diaries #AtoZChallenge
V is for… Vampire Diaries
Like the Secret Circle, The Vampire Diaries is based on a book series by L.J. Smith – again the TV series differs from the books (and now someone else has taken over the book series – be careful with the early deals you make writers) but hopefully we’ll get a few more seasons together and maybe some of the book plots will come in.
This series isn’t just vampires, we have werewolves, witches, hybrids, hunters. Everyone is conflicted – there is no clear good vs evil.
Although the entire cast is gorgeous the big draw for me watching The Vampire Diaries has to be Damon Salvatore (played by Ian Somerhalder). I definitely ship Damon and Elena (Delena!). Damon is the ultimate bad boy but Elena does bring out the best in him – he can still be an arse though.
Image by hm14 on fanpop.com
I have only recently learnt what shipping means – ‘Shipping, derived from the word relationship, is the belief that two characters, fictional or non-fictional, are (or will be, or should be) in a romantic relationship.’
I refer you to Team Edward vs Team Jacob (I was on Team Jacob)
Harry/Hermione vs Ron/Hermione – It was always Ron
Stefan/Elena vs Damon/Elena – I think in the books this is more balanced for me but in the TV series Damon all the way.
Doing this challenge made me realise I hadn’t yet bought season 3 on DVD. That has been rectified.
And a quick nod to Vampire High
26 half hour episodes 2001-2002. A set of vampires are sent to school to control their thirst. By day the school is for humans. A fun series.
Are you a Vampire fan – which series/films do you like?
WHat about shipping – any strong views on fictional relationships?
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U is for… Um there are no ‘U’s so let’s go for numbers – 666 Park Avenue #AtoZChallenge
U is for… Um there are no ‘U’s so let’s go for numbers – 666 Park Avenue
I can’t think of any supernatural, sci-fi or fantasy TV shows that I’ve seen that begin with U so as numbers don’t have their own category in A-Z I’ve decided to go with that instead.
The show I’ve chosen to look at is a current one – 666 Park Avenue. This is very very very loosely based on a series of books (I have them waiting to read). In fact so loosely that the descriptions of the two different formats would be difficult to match up without the titles.
I also started watching this knowing it had already been cancelled in the states – so there is only one short 13 episode season only (unlucky in this case and I have to comment that I find 13 episodes really annoying because 12 fit on 2 discs perfectly!).
What I’ve seen so far I’ve enjoyed and I’m interested enough to see it through to its conclusion but worried it might not have been given a proper one.
Terry O’Quinn (Lost’s John Locke) is particularly sinister in it.
Why do lots of the shows I like get cancelled too early? Do I have particularly obscure taste?
What you think of TV shows that are similar to books in name only?
(Oops just found this in my drafts – Sat 27th April – it was written so I don’t know how I forgot to post it).
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T is for… Teen Wolf/Tru Calling #AtoZChallenge
T is for… Teen Wolf/Tru Calling
Teen Wolf is the second TV series in my list that derives from a somewhat fluffy movie start (the first being Buffy). I loved the Michael J Fox Teen Wolf movie (not as fond of Teen Wolf Too though). When I saw there was a series starting I had to watch it.
Teen Wolf is much more serious, with better special effects and lacrosse (which I’ve wanted to play since reading Malory Towers) instead of basketball.
Basic premise – Scott gets bitten by a werewolf and turns! Werewolves and teens mix well because of the parallels with raging hormones. Throw in some hunters, one of which is a gorgeous girl and you also get a Romeo and Juliet feel of forbidden love.
My favourite character though is Stiles (Scott’s best friend who he confides in) – who does provide much of the comic relief.
Ned Vizzini who I interviewed for the House of Secrets blog tour at the weekend has also written for this show – I asked him about the difference between scriptwriting and writing novels.
This is a current show, I’ve seen the first two seasons and there is a third on its way.
Tru Calling is the fourth show in the list to star Eliza Dushku – Angel and Buffy as Faith and Dollhouse as Echo. This is not a Joss Whedon show though and I just read that she turned down a Faith spin off to star in Tru Calling.
Eliza plays Tru Davies who is a wannabe medical student who works in the morgue and discovers that when a corpse asks her for help that she repeats days to change their fate.
This ran from 2003 − 2005 and had two seasons (the second only 6 episodes, the first 20). The second season was never shown on TV in the UK so I only got the chance to see it on DVD.
Looking at the cast list now I see a lot of familiar names, A.J. Cook – Criminal Minds (JJ), Matt ‘White Collar’ Bomer, Jason ’Beverly Hills 90210’ Priestly and Zach ‘The Hangover’ Galifianakis.
A few stand out episodes here.
Putting Out Fires – Season 1 Episode 2
Tru tries to save a young firefighter who died saving a child.
Brother’s Keeper – Season 1 Episode 3
This time it’s Tru’s brother who asks for help.
Haunted – Season 1 Episode 5
Medical students performing dangerous experiments – reminds me of Flatliners.
The Longest Day – Season 1 Episode 11
Tru’s Groundhog Day – each repeated day someone different dies – will Tru get out of the loop and solve what she needs to.
And a quick nod to True Blood
Interestingly for a vampire fan I’m still not 100% sure about True Blood and am now a season behind. I have bought some of the books the series is based on but not read them yet. This is darker in tone than most shows I watch and the opening credits freak me out.
So which is it for you, werewolves, vampires or day repeaters?
kirstyes 