I caught a bit of New Homes from Hell(?) earlier - whilst I was cooking my tea - and there was a block of new houses that where built over an old mill pond that had cracks of over 2 inches in the brick work.

The housing company initially tried to pass it off as "natural settling" . . .

It's scary how little protection you have when you buy a house, especially when you compare it to the fact that you get a full refund if you buy a faulty toaster . . .

Just remembered that the first episode of Pushing Daisies starts on ITV1 on Saturday at 9pm. One will have to set one's wideo wecorder.

Hope you did set your wideo wecorder, Ade, because it was rather good. Jim Dale made me very happy. Just hope it can keep up momentum over the coming weeks.

Gah, I wish I had remembered. It does get much better, trust me (I've *ahem* already seen it, but wanted to commit it to VCR format for the meantime). Well worth watching religiously. It's a rather sweet, original little series.

Was Pushing Daisies meant to make me all teary? It was like a metaphor for my whole flaming life.

And I didn't think I could fancy Anna Friel any more. I was wrong.

I hears ya, Guv, I hears ya.

I'm looking forward to the Medieval season on BBC4 this week. I like a bit of middle age stuff.

I caught up with Pushing Daisies today and I was very impressed by the opening episode. I've been looking forward to this show ever since I saw a trailer for it in the US over the summer and it delivered exactly what I was hoping for; lush visuals, fairytale ambience and a strong central premise. Everyone was great in it, particularly Anna Friel, the voiceover wasn't as annoying as it could have been, especially since it often helped to sell the jokes, and the whole thing was great fun. I was charmed by it and very much look forward to the rest of the truncated first season.

I was equally surprised and pleased when I discovered the narration was by none other than Carry On film star Jim Dale - I honestly wouldn't have been any the wiser if I hadn't spotted his name in the credits.

The real Indiana Jones is on tomorrow night, Channel 4, looks good.

Skins

I only saw a few of the first series, and a lot of this series, and now it's come to an end, I think I can saw I'm actually going to miss those kids!

I've especially enjoyed the casting of the adults. Mark Heap and John Thomson being the latest (last editions) yesterday.

I didn't watch Skins properly (I just couldn't get fully into it) but I would like to know how Chris died.

I don't watch it, but from the trails I'm betting drugs. He had the Uma Thurman style nose bleed.

A brain haemorrhage

Peggy is showing them how to present an award.

I've become quite enamoured of The Big Bang Theory, it manages to combine being mindless and a bit cerebral with ease, and Jim Parsons is quite brilliant as Sheldon.

I've caught a few episodes of that and been suitably impressed. I initially thought it would be shit, mainly thanks to Channel 4's odd advertising technique of 'selling' all their US imports by making them sound like crap, but it's really quite funny. I wish I'd seen a few more episodes and not listened to the loud, garish E4 announcer.

You mean it wasn't as rubbish as the shouty man made it seem?

Argh.

Yeah. Looks like the formula of Volume = Truth needs some revision.

It's not great, but it's a solid and smart show.

With some great guest stars.
Mainly from Roseanne.

I see Ade Edmondson continues to get ever more intimate with the bottom of the barrel in that ghastly ITV sitcom.

I caught a small part of that. It made we physically sick.

Poor jokes even more poorly acted does not make a good sitcom...

I'm pretty sure that was on Radio before it made TV. It was awful then too.

The one about the ex-punk star?

If so, that was terrible on the radio. I'm glad I didn't see it.

Yeah & he lives with his kids or something after a divorce.

That's the feller. Yikes. Is Ben Elton still in it? That's usually a sign of something being terrible, these days.

Oh I couldn't possibly watch enough to find out.

Wise man.

I made the mistake of leaving the volume up, and being occasionally distracted by its crapness.

I attempted to give it a chance and began to watch an episode the other week. I lasted until the commercial break. Embarrassing awfulness.

Agreed.

Dexter tonight. Although I watched all of the episode sonline I feel I must not have been paying much attention to tonights installment as I can't remember what I have read happens.

Ahh, morning repeats of Frasier on Channel 4 whilst doing the ironing. Glorious.

Just got round to starting on Pushing Daisies. Me loves.

Heh, this season of My Name Is Earl sure is crazy! I've been humming Darnell's song all morning.

Brian Blessed to host HIGNFY next week.

Splendid.



That's brilliant.

*writes note in diary*

I want to see Catalina's telenovella. It looked ace.

Caught up with episode 1 of Season 4 of The Wire. Sooooo good. The cold open, in particular, was a stroke of sheer genius, as was all the stuff of Carcetti on the campaign trail. Having McNulty shift from being a central character to a fairly minor one seems like an odd shift in focus and I'm not sure how long it'll take to acclimatise to it, but I've every confidence in those involved.

I have a feeling that was done to let him film '300'. You'll get used to it; season 4 is my favourite overall, although we're only four or so into the final season at the moment.

I'm not sure about the 300 connection; 300 was filmed in early 2005 so it wouldn't have impinged upon filming for Season 4, but imdb says:



I'm really looking forward to seeing how this season develops, though. I've heard nothing but good things.

Edit: i removed one that is sort of spoiler-y but was to do with McNulty's personal situation during the Season.

Holes, now, on BBC1. Never seen it before. That's my afternoon sorted.

Philip Glenister is on the Paul O'Grady show right now

I was in the same boat, Ade.

Wasn't it good?

Poor guy.

Sarah and I watched this and enjoyed it although felt like idiots when it wasn't until the end credits that we made the link between Zero and Madame Zeroni. There was a collective forehead slap and "Durrrr."

Who, Paul or Phil?

Much as I love Gene Hunt, whenever I've seen Glenister interviewed he seems terribly 'actor-y' and a bit grumpy.

Excuse me?



Yes, for ostensibly family film fare, it were really rather good indeed. I liked.

Ooh, Desperate Housewives is getting really good again. It's crazy, dark and funny in roughly equal measures.

But ... but ... i like McNulty. *sniff* Oh well. Season 5 I guess.

I've been catching up on Season 3. It's bloody farking marvellous. And I remember now how much I like Aidan Gillen. Even when he is a nasty wee weasel.

Omar is the man.

He's brilliant, easily one of the top three characters in the show (Stringer jusssssst pips him in my opinion, based one having seen three and a bit seasons of the show).

Season 3 is my favourite so far, though I have high hopes for Season 4.

Clay Davis is one of my favourite characters because he's just such an immoral, corrupt character yet you can't help quite liking him. He has the best catchphrase ever too.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttt!

I finished Season 5 a few weeks ago. You will not be disappointed. McNulty's storyline is especially strong, the show definitely benefits from scaling his role back in season 4.