Scorpion Season 4 Premiere Review: It's Back!

My favourite show is finally back! To say I was excited for the return of Scorpion is an understatement, and so of course I am going to write a review of the Season 4 Premiere episode. That I wanted to blog something and I could not think of anything else. I will do a quick catch up for those of you who don't watch it, so spoilers ahead!

For a more general show summary, see my Top 5 Favourite Shows on TV right now

So at the end of Season 3, they will-they-wont-they couple Paige (Katherine McPhee) and Walter (Elyes Gabel) finally got together, after the team were rescued from a desert island which they survived on for two weeks (yes this show is a bit far-fetched). Toby (Eddie Kaye Thomas aka Finch from American Pie) and Happy (Jadyn Wong) got married and all seemed right with the world.

So Season 4 picks up hours after Season 3 ended, with a musical number. This was built up heavily in marketing for this season, because it's a musical number in a show that's not Glee! I should have loved it, but I didn't! It just seemed and jarring, and I was impatient to get the show going after five months of hiatus.

The main focus of this episode is the return of villain Mark Collins (there's a LOT of backstory on him) and his help needed in a case. Of course I don't trust him, and his promise that he's not a crazed psychopath anymore. Since we have Part 2 to come, my theory remains that something will happen and Collins will die. Morbid, yes. Intense, very! Just what this show needs!

Not suprisingly, Walter and Paige are already seeing problems, with genius Walter not understanding how to treat Paige. Is she a girlfriend or a team member beneath him? Hopefully they don't drag this out too far, because we had a bit of this at the end of last season, and I'm ready for it to end. 

But, as always, newlyweds Happy and Toby are classic selves. Bickering as always, while still affectionate. They provided some lighter moments, and from what I've read, I am very excited to see where their storyline goes this season.

So I enjoyed the episode, but in the scale of episodes it's average. Maybe I will like after seeing some more of the season. We shall see!

Victoria Series 2 Episode 5 Review: Entente Cordiale

Yes another Victoria review! And it was a happy episode, much less soapy angst this week that I very much enjoyed!

I think I've happily entered a stage of ignorance as to how historically inaccurate the show is at this point. I know people moan that it's a bit out of order, but I don't care, because it's not like we are watching Victoria in 2017 getting Ubers to France and taking phone snaps of Albert in the lake.

So while it was nice to see Victoria meet foreign sovereigns and try to establish international relations, the main thing I enjoyed about the episode was the fact they were in France! It's so different to England in so many ways, but also it felt more like today. Girls being catty about Her Majesty, wearing makeup, and getting busy with Ernest in the hedges, it was like watching a reality show!

I'm glad they have not dragged out Albert's father storyline, because it was a real downer, and made the character a bit of a downer. Seeing Victoria accept him in that way, was probably a bit TV-esque, but touching all the same. Tom Hughes and Jenna Coleman have the best chemistry.

And I can't skim over the skinny dipping scene, because it was skinny dipping and it was funny and a bit random but I still loved it.

Also I felt really sorry for Miss Cook, because she blatantly had feelings for Ernest, and he's off doing dalliances with the French ladies. She looked so upset! I don't like that she's so heavily belittled by her aunt. Hopefully she will have a spine by the end of the series, and if she gives some epic speech, I will go all Braveheart and shout FREEDOM!

Was I surprised their trip was all for nothing?! Not really. It keeps things interesting in TV-land, and I don't actually know how much of that is history, so as I previous mentioned, blissful ignorance!

I'm happy to watch a lighter episode, which is back up in the levels of the first episode in terms of quality. Once more unto the breach onto next week!

Victoria Review Series 2 Episode 4: The Sins of the Father

Yes my review is a bit late! But still, better late than never! Although it will be briefer as I have another review I want to do!

This episode was very uneasy, which isn't surprising considering the subject matter it covered. Victoria's suffering of post-natal depression after the birth of her son was very sad, and I can see why it's been praised on social media. 

And Albert's history, or alleged history, was very surprising, although the whole introduction of it did take the show away from it's historical roots. It felt very soapy. Hopefully though that will the end of it for now. The show is stretching its historical roots more and more, and so far each episode hasn't topped the premiere yet.

Also, I was so glad Miss Skerrett was allowed to keep her job, considering her cow of a cousin ratted out her story to the press. She was trying to support her family with the job, and they threw it back at her. I hope she cuts all ties with the cousin now. And I was sad to see that the blame was pinned on the chef because he had treated himself with his pay rise. Lahzen is the worst housekeeper ever! She clearly wants to look good in front of her seniors and I just find her character annoying. 

So yes a very brief review, but there was nothing in particular from this weeks episode that truly stood out for me. Hopefully next week will be better!!

Emmys 2017: The shows I'm rooting for

The Emmy's host for this year aka Stephen Colbert aka Late Night star

IT'S THE EMMY'S TONIGHT aka the Oscars of TV (or US TV at least). I am extremely excited about the awards this year, because there are shows that I have actually watched that are nominated for awards! 

So I thought it would be fun to write about the shows I am supporting, and actors that I really want to win awards.

I won't be doing it category-by-category because there are a lot of awards, and in some I do not have any show or actor to support.

Let the showering of TV fan praise commence:

The Crown
This one has to go first because it is up for the most awards, and has the best chance of a big win, with five major nominations.
It's basically a shoe-in for John Lithgow to win Best Supporting Actor in a Drama, because his performance as Winston Churchill was stellar, so this is their best shot. Claire Foy is also in with a shot for Best Actress due to her Golden Globes win, but I am a bit conflicted on this one as there is another actress I am rooting for which I shall get to momentarily. 
I loved The Crown, and it's one of a lot of 'new' shows getting nominations, instead of the repeat winners. But it is a very 'critic-friendly' show, which could help it get a win! 

Sherlock
OK so now my TV fangirl is showing a bit. Sherlock is just one of those shows that I love regardless and I will root for in any awards show.
It has won nine awards in previous years, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman winning in 2014 after the third series. Although neither were there to accept so they better be there tonight, especially since it looks like Sherlock will not be returning to our TVs. Or at least have Steven Moffat there, he gives really nice acceptance speeches.
This year it is up for two major awards and two technical ones, so it has a decent chance for a win. One episode is classified as a 'TV movie' making it a cut above some other TV movies! Fingers crossed!

Stranger Things
I am seriously rooting for the Netflix brigade this year! I love Stranger Things (Season 2 needs to hurry up!) and its been a bit of a surprise in the awards circuit. It's up for four major awards, including Best Drama, and has had Golden Globe nominations and won the SAG as well (shoutout to Winona Ryder's facial expressions during that speech!). 
I'm already eager to see the kids walking the red carpet together, and if this show wins it will be so huge for supernatural shows in terms of their awards pedigree!

Viola Davis
Because Viola Davis! She is one of the best actresses working in the business, and she has an Oscar already! She has won the Emmy before, but the past season of How to Get Away with Murder was so good I think that she can win again! She is a total badass! But Best Actress in a Drama is a very strong category so it could go to anyone. The Handmaids Tale is a bit a of a force to be reckoned with this year. Fingers crossed!

So who's going to win? Who knows? There are very few repeat noms this year, so it's been made wide open. We shall see! 

Strictly Saturday: Predictions!

Yes I know Strictly Come Dancing isn't back until next Saturday, but since there is little to watch this weekend (until Victoria tomorrow at least) I thought it would be nice for me to post my predictions for this years lineup! I am beyond excited for Strictly's return! 

I am going to split my views into two separate areas: Should do well, and rooting to do well. Sometimes I love a dancer that I know may struggle slightly, so I like to show my support for them as well. Although last year I was glad to see my favourite dancer take home the crown. Go Ore! Here's his famous jive if you fancy a trip down memory lane! 

Now I want to precede this with the note that these predictions are in accordance with my opinion on the celebs, mainly from watching Strictly for over a decade, and what many others are saying about the lineup. I'm not a dance expert, so I'm going on how similar celebs have done in previous years. There could be wildcards in there. No one pinned Ore as a winner, along with Jake Wood doing so well a few years ago!

So without further ado here are my Strictly predictions:

SHOULD DO WELL
Gemma Atkinson
Gemma is very fit with the kind of body that could easily take up dancing. She's been partnered with Alijaz, and I can see them making a very nice pair. He's won before with Abbey Clancy. Also her actress background means that she can 'act' the dance very well. She's got the cha-cha first, which is a nice one to start on, so we shall see. Also her acting past, mainly Emmerdale, will get the public voting for her.

Aston Merrygold 
We all know JLS can dance, and while some people like to moan that Aston's background means he has an advantage, JLS dancing is different to the Strictly kind. But the experience will definitely help, and so I can see him taking to the faster dances quite easily. I am not so sure about ballroom, but with a foxtrot as the first dance I could be proven wrong! And I am sure I do not need to say that JLS fans will want to vote for him, so he has the fanbase behind him.

Alexandra Burke
This is kind of the same points as Aston. She can dance from her music and stage career, and that will always help on Strictly. However, I would say it is more helpful in the Latin routines, so with a waltz first, I am very excited to see how it will be performed. I can see her being very delicate in ballroom, like Abbey Clancy again.

Mollie King
People are already pinning her as a good dancer, because of her performing background, and the fact that Frankie Bridge was also stellar when she competed. I cannot hugely elaborate much else, except that she is doing a jive first. I LOVE a jive! I can see high scores for her from the outset.

Davood Ghadami
The only reason I am including Davood here is because he has a similar build as Danny Mac, who was amazing last year. His samba blew me away! He could be very very good, but we have also seen similar guys struggle. A cha-cha could go either way. 

All of the above celebrities have established fanbases from their main works that can be very vocal in their voting. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes it isn't. It can save them on a bad week, or keep them in the running when better dancers are voted off. Obviously we cannot call anything yet until we see them in action!

ROOTING TO DO WELL
Ruth Langsford
Hands down my favourite celebrity this year. I love Ruth on This Morning, and I was over the moon to see her paired with Anton! Ruth could be a good dancer, and I am so desperate to see Anton do well again after so many duds. He's one of two OG pros from the show, and it's clear he is an amazing teacher. I can see him putting together fabulous routines for Ruth. And with a waltz up first, I am very excited! Also I will be Eammonn spotting in the audience each week.

Simon Rimmer
Me and my Mum are both on the same page with Simon, as he could be a dark horse a la Ore, Jake Wood and Chris Hollins. He's been partnered with Karen Clifton who has done well in the past with Mark Wright. That and I just like him in general!

Brian Conley
Yes I squealed a bit with delight when Brian was announced. It was a shame to see him leave I'm a Celebrity so early, so I am already buzzing to see how he gets on. I can imagine him going the 'entertaining' route with his routines, which I am OK with as long as it is not overdone. Judge Rinder did something similar last year, and I loved him!

Jonnie Peacock
I am team Jonnie all the way! Mainly because I love his appearances on The Last Leg. He's been partnered with Oti who put together some amazing dances with Danny Mac last year (back to the samba again! And the jive! And the Charleston!). I am a fan of his, so fingers crossed!

----------------------------------------------

So that's my main Strictly predictions. I haven't mentioned everyone, as I wanted to focus on the main people I can see doing well or I will be supporting. Strictly is such a fun show, so whoever does well I will root for, but these are my thoughts ahead of the first dances next week.

I am not sure if I will be blogging every single week, but I will try to live-tweet @bylauramfox if I am watching it live! 

So watch this space, and in the meantime....keep dancing! (sorry couldn't resist!)

Kindle Chronicles: Top 5 weird books!

So I've been reading a lot about Darren Aranofsky's new film mother! which comes out this weekend. I have no desire to watch that film, since Black Swan was enough Aranofsky for my liking. That film was weird. One of my favourite critics online called it 'horror ballet porn'!

While I am sure his films have some amazing deep meanings, the main result of this internet binge is that it got me thinking about some of the weirdest books I have ever read! As a former Lit student, there are some books I have read that just made my brain hurt, or were just plain weird but I loved them anyway. So what else could come of these musings but a blog post?

So, in my objective opinion (MY opinion! Obviously read the books yourself to see what you think!) and no particular order, here are the top 5 weirdest books I have ever read in my life!

1.The Golden Notebook (1962) by Doris Lessing

This book is the story of Anna, and the four notebooks she uses to record her life. I think the main issue I had with this book is that the narrative is very erratic, in the way it floats from one notebook to another, without much of an actual plot! And it's a long book too! Since I'm not sure what the novel was supposed to be about, I couldn't even analyse what sort of meaning it was supposed to put forward!

2. Crash (1973) by J.G. Ballard

This was a divisive book in terms of me and some of my friends. They really enjoyed it, mainly because it's pretty filthy. Now I am not a prude, but some of the stuff in this book just made me think 'what is the point in all this?' It could be interpreted in how people try and express their sexual desires, but some of is just so weird I wanted to smack my head against the wall!

3. Trainspotting (1993) by Irvine Welsh

Now I understand the film is a bit of a 90s classic, and I love Danny Boyle because of Slumdog Millionaire and the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. But the book was just a bit confusing for me. I get that it's about drugs and is trying to show the effect of drugs on the human psyche, but I just couldn't grasp this one! I think I found the narrative a bit jarring as well.

4. Poor Things (1992) by Alaisdair Grey

Now this book was weird, but I LOVED it! Yes really! I read the whole book in a day, and was very passionate about it during theory lectures. It was about this woman Bella Baxter, and provided all these different themes of life, identity and memory in a Victoria setting. The Victorian element is what sells me on it. Bella is quite an erratic person, and the plot doesn't really have a start and end point. In this case, it worked for me, although when I finished the book I laughed as to how absurd the entire novel was!

5. The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) by James Joyce

I remember seeing a statue of James Joyce in Dublin and wincing a bit. I get that he's one of the iconic authors of Irish literature, and the above book is a biographical one in some sense. I may be bending my own rules here as well since its not so much weird, but I just found it a bit confusing. I couldn't even finish the novel! I think if I want to learn about James Joyce I will read a bio about him. I did learn a bit about him when I visited the Irish writers museum in Dublin as well!

I would be intrigued to see if my views are shared in terms of some of these novels. None are substantially modern, so it would interest me to see if they all have a legacy still today, regardless of film adaptations. The novels have to be considered on their own (hence why people moan about film adaptations so much and how they don't do the book justice). 

I think I prefer my Victorian classics at this time, and I plan to re-read Pride and Prejudice soon!

TV Review: Liar Episode 1

Yes I know this is a poster for the American broadcast, but it's quite slick and I like it!

It's days like today that I love social media! I saw the memedom go to town on Liar after it aired last night on ITV. So of course I had to watch it to see what all the fuss was about (in between my Call the Midwife marathon. That will be reviewed when I catch up!) 

For those of you who do not know, Liar is a drama starring Joanne Froggatt (Anna from Downton Abbey, and she played a serial killer in Dark Angel last year) and Ioan Gruffudd (Captain Fantastic in Fantastic Four, or the really dishy one who almost seduced Beckett in an episode of Castle) as Laura and Andrew, a teacher and a surgeon who meet for a date, and the ensuing events lead to two VERY different accounts. Laura accuses Andrew of rape, while Andrew denies anything happened.

So the million dollar question, and the main plot line, is who's lying? And I am sure the writers (who wrote the Missing too) will have us flip flopping between the two over the next six episodes.

Bottom line, did I enjoy it? Well yes, as much as one can given the subject matter. The episode blatantly sets you up to believe Laura, until a thing at the end (no spoilers don't worry). And her originally idyllic supportive sister isn't so perfect by the end. I kind of guessed that beforehand. After Broadchurch (RIP) I kind have to over-deconstruct every character in a show like this. 

Right now, the show feels like it is laying on extra elements to make the show worthy of a six episode run. With just the main story, I would have made it three or four tops. I will be interested to see where the side plots go. Also I'm a bit rubbish at pointing out the real culprits in these 'who is it?' format. But I am on a mission to get this one right.

I'm not sure if I will review this every week at the moment, but I will definitely try if each episode has enough to write about. I have a lot of my TV back in the next few weeks so I might have to prioritise! 

If not, I try to live tweet when I watch things live (or as close to live as I can) so drop me a follow @bylauramfox! 

TV Review: Victoria Series 2 Episode 3 'Warp and Weft'

Victoria was emotional this week...RIP to Lord M

It's that time of the week again! Time to review Victoria. This time I actually pre-warned I wasn't going to write my review until today because of two reasons. One: It was late and I was in the midst of a Call the Midwife marathon and Two: That stuff was emotional and I needed time to grieve

So now I'm a bit more composed, time to review! Spoiler alert of course! 

Well I'm glad that they are not shoving Victoria's second pregnancy down our throats. We got the jist with her first, and we all know she had eight more children, so just let it happen and deal with the new little one when it arrives. And by the looks of the synopsis for next week they are speeding up the process nicely.

But can we talk about Lord M? That was emotional! I know he doesn't die for a few years after the point the series is at, but by the looks of it, this is the last time we will be seeing him on screen. I teared up a bit when he got his little canary contraption. 

And I don't care that it's not historically accurate, I wanted him and Victoria to get together so badly! Rufus Sewell plays a handsome PM as well! I couldn't believe how old he was when I Googled him as well! 

And for the second death of the episode, Victoria's dog Dash, I can understand why it sent Twitter into absolute mourning, but I'm not a dog person so I just went 'aww' and that was that. 

I have one big gripe about this episode though, and it's about Victoria. She's meant to be a strong independent woman who doesn't need male advice to rule, but the idea of throwing a lavish costume ball was just a bit dim. If she was a proper queen, she would know about the problems with the people, and she didn't need a dramatic look out of the window to figure that out! The mirroring to problems today did make me laugh (MP expenses/extravagant spending anyone?) 

So I felt the emotions this week, but they laid the political stuff on a bit thick for my liking. There were some weird montages of people eating and all the food that just didn't seem to fit with the tone of the show. I suppose we shall have to see where it all goes, but Lord M you will be missed! 

Soap Sunday: Who won and who lost

So this week was a week in soapland which some would rather forget. And I'm not just talking about the characters. 

Now I want to start this post with a disclaimer that I will not be talking about one of the 'Big Four' soaps since I don't watch it. But I wanted to talk about the other three because it was such a mad week, and not all of it was good. 

And it goes without saying SPOILER ALERT! I'm basically going to deconstruct what happened throughout the week in Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale! And I will define characters by their names and not their actor names so feel free to Google if in any doubt.

So let's start with my winner of this week: Emmerdale! I know my demographic are not huge fans of this Yorkshire soap, and that in generally appeals to the older generation. But the past couple of years, it's really stepped up its game and I've become a big fan!

Some of the highlights are the huge stunt last October with the motorway pile-up, Ashleys dementia storyline, and one my personal favourites is the Robert and Aaron relationship (I am crossing my fingers they will reunite).

This week was set up to be a fairly standard week in soap land. No big stunts, twists or dramas, and Emmerdale didn't tease anything like that in advance. Their big stunt week is coming again in October.

But far from it! So many bombshells this week, particularly in Thursdays episodes. Not only did Leyla find out about Pete and Priya's affair, which led to some epic speeches by Leyla, but the Nell twist came out of nowhere.

I just assumed her whole pregnancy thing would implode and she would leave. But I had no idea that her entire past was made-up, and the fact that Jai spotted it with that photo in the department store blew me away. Since it's already been confirmed that Nell is leaving soon, I can't wait to see how it ends!

Emmerdale didn't tease any of this from the outset, so rather than building it up to fall short, like another soap did this week, it seemed better than expected. 

Second up is Corrie. It wasn't a particularly groundbreaking week plot-wise, because the show is building up to the start of a sixth episode a week, with the climax of Eva's revenge. I am immensely excited about that, so this week didn't overreach, or provide any shocking twists, so I'll keep my thoughts brief.

And last up is Eastenders. They teased this week as '24 hours that will shatter the square' and dragging it out over the course of a week just made the whole thing feel like overkill. It's become very over the top as of late (that Abi scene that set Twitter off had me in stitches too!). And after red herring after red herring, the anticipated death was the one that everyone called beforehand because the exit was already announced! 

I found the whole thing a bit over the top, like the bus debacle at the beginning of the year.

So we shall we see where the soaps go in the next few weeks, but I mainly wanted to gush about Emmerdale in this situation.

Victoria Review: "The Green Eyed Monster"

After I loved the season premiere of Victoria so much, I was worried that the following episode would be a let down. And while I still prefer the previous episode, I cannot deny that I enjoyed this episode too.

And that is for one reason, and the reason Twitter rejoiced. Lord M (Rufus Sewell) has returned! He was one of my favourite parts of the first season, despite the historical inaccuracies, and while I was worried that his return would be forced, since historically at this point he was no longer Prime Minister, they have implemented it into the plot nicely.

Seeing how Lord M is still able to help Victoria (Jenna Coleman) with some of the most difficult decisions in her marriage is fascinating. Due to her sheltered upbringing, she has little experience in the obstacles of marriage. Her and Albert feel more and more like a real couple, with bumps in the road (some bigger than others! No spoilers don't worry.)

Considering Victoria takes place a century before any idea that could eventually become computers, and as a bit of a tech geek, I found the inventions of engines and early computer programs fascinating. The fact that it stems from a woman, Ada Lovelace, makes it even better. After a bit of research on the real Lady Lovelace, I am a fan. Seeing Albert (Tom Hughes) attempt to push these new advances is welcome in an era grounded in tradition and historical values. Just think, without these ideas, there would be no hub of knowledge and technology that we are so reliant on today.

If I had to give a negative for this episode, I just cannot grasp any interest in the 'below stairs' characters. I understand how the writers are trying to boost interest in them in an attempt to copy Downton Abbey, but it's just not working. Maybe the series needs to run for a bit longer but right not I'm not sure.

And finally, while I like the humour in Victoria, I find Dame Diana Rigg's character (Mistress of the Robes) a little bit tiring at this point. Her one-liners come across as general complaints, from an old woman so desperate to maintain her ways. I love her niece, especially as she is so passionate and intelligent, but the Duchess just ties her back. I frustrates me, as a lover of the passionate female in Victoria literature.

So, good episode as a whole, though not as good as episode 1. And with Lord M returning next week, the series is heading in the right direction!

An Ode to Iris Murdoch

I wanted to write a blog post for today, and I've sat for ages thinking about what I could write the post about. There hasn't been any massive celeb news for me to write (or rant) about. And Victoria is on later so I can review that tomorrow.

And then it hit me. My literary queen! I should write about her! 

For those of you who don't know, my literary queen is Iris Murdoch. The 20th century writer of fictional stories with philosophical ideas about being good, morals, religion, relationships and women (believe me, that list could go on!)

I could write a very long paragraph about why I like her novels, and hows it deeper meanings led me to think very hard about life and why is lived and how one should be good to others. That's kind of true.

But really, it's the romantic element of Murdoch's novels that I love. Some are not even romances and yet I feel the emotions (or 'feels' in Tumblr speak) between characters. A lot of her novels are first person, and it is these ones where I can understand exactly how the characters are feeling. Some of the titular characters have particularly mundane lives, in small country towns, and yet they are still made to be interesting. There are all kinds of relationships in Murdoch novels, some good, some bad, but the good ones are SO GOOD! You feel the passion.

I will add at this point, Murdoch is the not the most morally clean of authors. There are affairs, a bit of incest, and some other stuff as well. But it's all in the best taste it can be! The 20th Century Britishness covering it means you are not cowering or wincing at all.

My favourite, and the first, HAS to be The Bell. A mid-1950s novel set in an Anglican religious residence overlooking an enclosed nunnery. It came across as slightly cult-like at the start, but I warmed to it, and how it can show a woman that decides to leave her husband and how it didn't mean the end of their life. Considering the social stigma of divorce at the time, it's fascinating. I sped through the book in a couple of days, although me and my friend clashed heavily about it! But then, she loved Virginia Woolfe! I wrote a 1000 word essay on the novel in my first year of uni, so I remember it fondly.

And, of course, my third year Special Study at uni was Iris Murdoch. I have this notebook which I used to record the novels I wrote, reviews, notes and general musings. I got a first for engagement, and I still have it. There was a 6000 word essay as well but it killed me a bit!

Murdoch has stayed my favourite author since I first read her novels three years ago. I've read ten of her 26 books so far. I wish there were more adaptations of her work out there, for film etc. to widen the audience. But never mind. She's still great!