Topic: My PILOT Marathon

[richierich]

CSI: NY: The Complete First Season

Blink
The team finds three young women, all of whom appear to have been brutalized in the same way. With a possible serial killer on hand, the only witness they have is the one of the three who survived, but she can only communicate through blinking. Photographs found at one of the crime scenes lead the team to a couple that had sponsored one of the victims, the boyfriend who claims he hasn't spoken to her in weeks, and the owner of one of the buildings a photo was taken from.



The third edition of the "CSI" franchise sets up shop in the Big Apple, where taciturn Detective Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) and his partner, Detective Stella Bonasera (Melina Kanakaredes), lead a crime-solving team. Like his counterparts in Las Vegas and Miami, Taylor knows that people may lie, but the evidence rarely does.

A vast improvement over the CSI Miami 1st episode, this felt slicker, and the major improvement was a convincing lead actor in Gary Sinise backed up by some good support cast.
The downside is what I found in the other pilot, the solving of the case was just too easy, quick use of lasers to re-fingerprint, and the killer confesses up with no pressure at all, in a Hollywood version of "it's a fair cop guv, you got me banged to rights". In fact I'd go as far as saying based on the 2 pilots of CSI viewed that the suspense and mystery is akin to a scooby doo cartoon. Neither have I warmed to the cast as I did with shows such as NCIS.
But as this is such a popular show with so many people, I am sure that it must develop and the characters become more interesting, so i will definately give the whole series a try in the near future.
 

[DJ Doena]

I watched 8 or 10 episodes of it but none of the characters were in any way interesting. And the plots were somehwo very repititive, the professor seemed to have worked on every secret project the government had. Every episode was like this "Yeah back then I worked at this secret project to manufacture XYZ, I have to get back to the lab". The guy must be 200 years old if he seriously worked on so many projects for a decent amount of time.

Still I can overlook such things when I like the characters but I didn't care for any of them. But then again, I've never seen more than 20 X-Files episodes in my life.

[richierich]

I watched 8 or 10 episodes of it but none of the characters were in any way interesting. And the plots were somehwo very repititive, the professor seemed to have worked on every secret project the government had. Every episode was like this "Yeah back then I worked at this secret project to manufacture XYZ, I have to get back to the lab". The guy must be 200 years old if he seriously worked on so many projects for a decent amount of time.

Still I can overlook such things when I like the characters but I didn't care for any of them. But then again, I've never seen more than 20 X-Files episodes in my life.

Didn't the scientist who had been locked up in a mental institution interest you? I thought he was good quality, but of course I am only basing this on the 1 pilot episode viewed.

[DJ Doena]

Didn't the scientist who had been locked up in a mental institution interest you? I thought he was good quality, but of course I am only basing this on the 1 pilot episode viewed.

That is exactly the guy I mean. He was locked up for 17(?) years, is in his end-fifthies (at least John Noble is), but he seems to have worked on countless secret projects before his 40th birthday.

And no, his character didn't hold much interest for me, sorry.

[richierich]

Game On

Big Wednesday:
The course of true love doesn’t run smooth, especially with Matthew, Martin and Mandy running their own courses.



Join Matthew (the agoraphobic, self obsessed, macho man); Martin (the wimpish, sex-starved underdog) and Mandy (the gorgeous blonde, who always seems to end up dating the wrong men), in this outrageously funny flat-share comedy that is anything but politically correct!

Pretty tacky, unoriginal mush served up for the masses.
The characters are ordinary, the acting atrocious, specifically in terms of their comedy timing, and the storyline of this pilot boring.
Designed for 14-16 years olds I expect, this has been vastly surpassed by more recent series.
 

[richierich]

Futurama - Season 1

Space Pilot 3000



This collection presents the entire first season of Matt Groening's Futurama in all of its absurd, sci-fi glory. After accidentally freezing himself in 1999, pizza delivery boy Fry (voiced by Billy West) wakes up in New York City at the beginning of the 31st century. There he meets the fiesty, one-eyed Leela (voiced by Katey Sagal), the beer-swilling robot Bender (voiced by John Di Maggio), and other strange characters. Together they embark on ridiculous journeys as part of a interplanetary delivery service.

Never going to be a favourite show of mine, but my son is a big fan and probably the target audience in terms of age etc.
Personally I am glad to have now seen the original episode which explains the whole concept, how Fry got there, how he met up with the other characters. It helps make sense of the few random episodes I've seen over the years.
There are a few laughs to be had, but to be honest I was glad this finished so quickly.
 

[richierich]

Kingpin

Pilot
As the family leader Tio Jorge deteriorates in exile, the next generation of a powerful drug cartel family strategizes to take over 'La Corporacion', a multi-million dollar business. Stanford-educated Miguel Cadena is poised to take the reigns, but Jorge's son Ernesto presents a challenge that requires the efforts of Miguel as well as his brother Chato and wife Marlene to confront. Meanwhile, DEA agent Delia Flores faces setbacks as she works her contacts within the drug world to close in on the massive cartel.



After the death of his drug lord uncle, Stanford-educated Mexican-American businessman (Yancey Arias) finds himself in the position of the leader of his criminal family. Throughout their dealings, he and his wife (Sheryl Lee) attempt to keep the facts of their business away from their 8-year-old son while they dodge the efforts of relentless U.S. authorities who want to take them down. Originally aired on US television, this six-part mini series, from NYPD BLUE writer/producer David Mills, received critical acclaim.

Overly glitzy, Hollywood glamour taken to mexico gangsters, this felt a bit too unbelievable and the leads were much too clean and perfect.
It was pretty graphic in places, the violence stronger than I anticipated, and the backdrops expensive and locations varied.
Unsure whether this is a stinker or a hit, will need to view a few more of these and see how the finale from the pilot evolves.
 

[Jimmy]

Never going to be a favourite show of mine, but my son is a big fan and probably the target audience in terms of age etc.

I'm 39 and I love this show... I always have a lot of fun watching this with my 6 years old niece (of course with her it's the french dub version ) and we always laugh a lot... not for the same reason of course

But on the other hand the ex-girlfriend of my father had always said that I was immature, so maybe you're right

[richierich]

Never going to be a favourite show of mine, but my son is a big fan and probably the target audience in terms of age etc.

I'm 39 and I love this show... I always have a lot of fun watching this with my 6 years old niece (of course with her it's the french dub version ) and we always laugh a lot... not for the same reason of course

But on the other hand the ex-girlfriend of my father had always said that I was immature, so maybe you're right

It is also me, I just don't watch a lot of animated series.
In fact the only one I have ever really got in to was King of the Hill, which I love.

Futurama carries a certificate of 12 in UK, so I guessed target audience was teenagers

[Najemikon]

Game On

Big Wednesday:
The course of true love doesn’t run smooth, especially with Matthew, Martin and Mandy running their own courses.



Join Matthew (the agoraphobic, self obsessed, macho man); Martin (the wimpish, sex-starved underdog) and Mandy (the gorgeous blonde, who always seems to end up dating the wrong men), in this outrageously funny flat-share comedy that is anything but politically correct!

Pretty tacky, unoriginal mush served up for the masses.
The characters are ordinary, the acting atrocious, specifically in terms of their comedy timing, and the storyline of this pilot boring.
Designed for 14-16 years olds I expect, this has been vastly surpassed by more recent series.
 

This was name-checked in an interview with the Spaced lot the other day. Basically they wrote it because they were sure they could better.

Who couldn't, I thought!

[richierich]

Title: Fat Friends: Series One

Certificate:15
Year:2000


Plot:Series 1 of ITV1's BAFTA nominated comedy drama Fat Friends has finally arrived on DVD.

Meet Betty, Kelly, Lauren, Alan, Val, Jamie, Aysha and Joan. They are all shapes and sizes and come from all walks of life but there's something which unites them all - a constant struggle with their weight. Every week, the group meets up at 'Superslimmers' for the all-important weigh-in. Will it be euphoria at the loss of a couple of pounds - or desperation when the scales reveal that elusive target weight is slipping further away?

Written by Kay Mellor (Girls' Night, Playing the Field, Band of Gold) and starring Alison Steadman (Abigail's Party, Shirley Valentine), Gaynor Faye (Coronation Street), Josie Lawrence (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) and Janet Dibley (Eastenders).

1 Love Me Slender


My Review:
Family friendly comedy, focussing on the current fascination of dieting and fat clubs, with the obvious jokes associated with such.
Some good laugh out loud moments, but generally not enough to inspire immediate further viewing of the series nor anything but an average rating.
Interesting to see Ruth Jones and James Corden (writers and stars of Gavin & Stacey) in early roles. plus Alison Steadman who plays Gavins mum.
 

[Dragonfire]

Never going to be a favourite show of mine, but my son is a big fan and probably the target audience in terms of age etc.

I'm 39 and I love this show... I always have a lot of fun watching this with my 6 years old niece (of course with her it's the french dub version ) and we always laugh a lot... not for the same reason of course

But on the other hand the ex-girlfriend of my father had always said that I was immature, so maybe you're right

I love Futurama.  I still watch The Simpsons..I still go to animated movies.  I don't think that animation automatically means a show or movie or just for kids.

[richierich]

Title: Life Begins: The Complete Series 1


Certificate:15
Year:2004


Plot:From the creator of Cold Feet comes Life Begins the award-winning drama starring Caroline Quentin.

Maggie thought her 2.4 family life was fairly perfect until her husband runs off with a younger model and all of a sudden she's got to start all over again.  But she soon discovers that what in sales may not be able the worst thing that's ever happened to her.

Episode 1 - Maggie and Phil
Maggie is soon discovering that your life takes a rather sudden tumble when your husband drops the bombshell that it's time to split up.

My Review:

Not a lot of comedy in this pilot episode, which deals with the painful break-up of the couples marriage, it's effect on their children, and the hopelessness felt by the spurned wife as she is left to deal with everything after her husband leaves.
Caroline Quentin is a convincing lead, one who I can imagine will provoke great sympathy in future episodes. The support cast works well, with Alexander Armstrong especially noteworthy as the husband. The writing is superb, as the scenarios, subject matters raised and problems faced are wholly realistic.
This is definately a keeper, and one which I am sure will develop into an interesting drama/comedy.
 

[Achim]

But on the other hand the ex-girlfriend of my father had always said that I was immature, so maybe you're right

Some people say that to me sometimes so I take it immature means "young-at-heart". How can that be a bad thing

[richierich]

Title: Sledge Hammer!: Season One

Certificate:NR
Year:1986


Plot:In the fall of 1986, an unsuspecting TV nation met a new kind of comedy hero who made Rambo look like Pee Wee Herman. David Rasche starred as the trigger-happy lawman whose hatred of criminal scum and yogurt eatin' creeps was matched only by his love of excessive force and a .44 Magnum. Over the next two seasons, this hilariously deranged lampoon of DIRTY HARRY and plenty of other targets became one of the most notorious series in television history and launched a rabid cult of fans that grows to this day. This is SLEDGE HAMMER!

The complete first season of SLEDGE HAMMER! is now newly re-mastered (including removal of the laugh track) and loaded with an arsenal of exclusive extras that features uncensored footage, all-new interviews with stars David Rasche, Harrison Page and Anne-Marie Martin, audio commentaries and more, all given the "Hammer" seal of approval by Series Creator & Executive Producer Alan Spencer.

Episode List:
1. Under the Gun (Pilot)

My Review:
Great series that begins with this pilot as it meant to carry on, slapstick and stupid, Naked Gun meets Dirty Harry.
The pilot deals with the introduction of Sledge and the gorgeous Dori Doreau, and despite being over 20 years old it feels current in its style and laughter inducers. It takes the piss out of many cop shows, and in Sledge you get a comical hero that you have to love.
Belly laughed all the way through this opener, and it took me back to when we used to view this series on ITV late on Friday nights  after the pub.