Indian Summers Addiction

There a few ingredients on TV that rock my boat: period drama, excellent fashion and style, architecture and politics. Mix all of these ingredients together and the outcome is INDIAN SUMMERS on Channel 4.

From the opening scenes of a sprawling villa in the Indian hills with indulgent hanging flowers and vines, you could almost inhale the heat and fragrance from the screen. After making me sickeningly envious of this property, we are slowing introduced to the characters who will keep us company at 9pm on Sunday evenings. 

The Honourable Woman

Summer is fun but you are invariably saving up for a holiday or have recently spent over your budget on one. This is how my sister and I came to find ourselves one evening in London. Water water everywhere and not a drop to sip. (Change “water” to “champagne” and you will have our general mood).

“This looks a bit shit,” one of us murmurs “but shall we watch it?”. Yah, we have nothing better to do. Enter episode one of the Honourable Woman, which I have to admit did not really impress me. Yet I found myself returning week after week to watch it.  (I have not religiously watched a weekly series since Twin Peaks and I’m not exaggerating).  I believe it was because of the women.

When was the last time you saw a tv series filled with older women in strong roles with excellent dialogue?

Deciphering Dreams

A guilty pleasure of mine is to watch This Morning while I hit the treadmill some weekday mornings. There is just something about Eamonn Holmes and his chubby squirrel cheeked banter that makes me momentarily forget the increasing searing pain through my thighs as we nudge up to running 5k.

They were doing a dreams analysis slot. How tacky! But! I actually learned something…

A woman called in to say she would suddenly and regularly wake up at 2am. 

Dull Passage Through India

Whilst channel hopping last night I happened across BBC4’s programme, Caroline Quentin: A Passage Through India.  It was the dullest and most patronising narrative that could have been written at the height of the Raj.

There are elephants in India!

Roots: The Great British Story

There is a wonderful TV series showing on the BBC called The Great British Story: A People’s History I just watched the first programme over a cuppa last week.

It was insightful learning about how important and beautiful some towns and cities used to be, particularly as one suburb of Glasgow, Govan, once loved by the Romans is now junkie heaven and infamoulsy connected to its fictional comedy resident, Rab C Nesbitt.

As the programme moved across Britain 

Nerdbusters

One of my favourite childhood TV programmes, Blockbusters, has re-launched on Challenge TV aimed at an older audience.

I do wonder if it was only one of my favourites as there was little after-school choice for teenagers. 

Sink Your Ambition

British people love success but not too much of it.  Is being overly successful vulgar?  Don’t worry though, the British critics will get their knives out to cut you down to an acceptable level.  This is what I believe is happening to Julian Fellowes and his new TV drama about the Titanic.

New York State of Mind

New York was the fifth best friend in Sex And The City and who didn’t fall in love with it?  Well, for $9.65 million Carrie’s apartment can be yours.  It’s only £6,171,654.21 with today’s exchange rate

TV Times Up!

A new study in Australia found that watching TV for an hour a day can reduce our life expectancy by 22 minutes per hour! Is this a silly season story or should we be worried?

The researchers from the University of Queensland found

Fabulous Darling!

Word on the street is that Absolutely Fabulous is making a come back with filming due to start pretty soon.  This is still one of my most favourite programmes of all time, my sister and I recently watched the old series and were crying with laughter.

I love the mainly female cast, wit, stories and of course fashion. 

Sesame Street Gets Visa For Pakistan

A much loved childhood fave has been given funding by the US government to produce a version of Sesame Street in Urdu.

That is good news especially for Ernie and Bert

Special Friendship Indeed

The Guardian reported today that the BBC World Service is to receive US State Department funding