I'm back! hmmm, and what's on now TV ratings are back?

After an hiatus, I'm back. I was very busy and lost motivation frankly. But it's a new year, and although I was thinking of canning the blog, I find myself with some interest still. So to start the year the way I mean to go on, a list of the new shows to TV I plan to try out (new to us Aussies that is).

(A brief pause while I retrieve the TV guide from the black hole that is Bhaer's side of the bed)

ABC
Angry Boys - latest Chris Lilley - who I find funny though I find myself spending too much time cringing -there is an unpleasant side to the humour. So we will see.

Art Nation - weekly wrap up

Kevin Mcloud's Grand Tour - oh love my architecture mediated through Kevin.

Life at 5 - well I've got one, so I will want to compare with other 5 year olds...
Poh's kitchen - Masterchef runner up cooking show.
Strictly speaking - public speaking contest. Public speaking is an underrated art.

SBS
Gourmet Farmer - ex SMH food critic goes rural.

9

Winter Olympics

10
The Good wife - Us political scandal - like my US political shows!
Hawke - our own ex PM bio series. With some politicos this would be boring, but Hawke lived as if he was wanting a biopic.
Masterchef and Junior masterchef - the addiction continues!
Modern Family - twisted comedy

Lifestyle (which I don't have!!!! what will I do???)
Grand Designs Australia - love the UK version, so will take a gander at this on the in laws TV.

Check out http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/ - I just discovered this site and have found it great for the latest on TV and film.

Gleek alert

Let me confess:

I am a gleek.

Lost in Austen

It was delightful watching the whole plot of Pride and Prejudice get subverted by the introduction of a contemporary character - I'm going to spend the entire week in anticipation of the second installment. Whether you like it or not might come down to whether you are the kind of person, as per Room with a View*, who likes comic songs or - not. I like comic songs. And I like this.

Now, did I blink and miss it somehow? Or did they NOT show the actual rendition of Downtown at the Bingley's house for some reason?

Well, here it is :


* one of the key moments in deciding that her fiance, Cecil, is after all, completely wrong for Lucy Honeychurch, is that he does not appreciate comic songs.

Cranford

I am very much looking forward to watching this BBC series fromn this Sunday. I have reread my copy of the novel, Cranford, and have been moved anew by the sweet humility of Miss Matty (played by Judi Dench in this series). The series also interwines the stories from other Gaskell works, namely Lady Ludlow (novella), Mr Harrison's Confessions (short story) and the Last Generation of England (a non fiction essay). I did not own these, and have found them difficult to obtain hard copies of immediately, but fortunately they are long past copyright and so copies can be found online at either the Project Gutenberg or at the Nagoya University site (this is too difficult to link to because of japanese language pages, the books themselves are in English and can be found by a simple google).

Picture of DVD cover taken from Amazon, from which it is available to purchase

One for the West Wing fans

I know you are out there! Byron over at nothing new under the sun had a link to Aaron Sorkin's account of what happened when Barack met Jed. Come on, what are you waiting for? don't worry about me, click on over straight away.

What I'll be watching

2 things have me thinking about what I'll be watching.

One, non ratings period is about to finish. At the start of ratings period every year, I always get very excited about new programs. This is despite the fact that usually about 3 weeks in, I decide only about 1 of these new programs are worth watching, and the others are only "new" in the most superficial of senses. But hope springs eternal.

Two, Owl having reached the advanced age of one, we have already gone to more movies over the holidays than we did in the preceding year (2 as opposed to 0). We hope to see more this year. This hope may have a better chance than the first.

So, without further ado -

New TV I wish to try:

ABC - see here for new stuff

documentary In the company of actors tomorrow night

drama series East of everything - great cast

jane Austen Fourplay - 4 Austens!! billy piper as fanny price? intriguing or bizarre?....(see piccie above)

10 - see here

not thrilled with anything so far - will check out latest reality offerings such as biggest loser, idol.

May try Back to you with Kelsey Grammer - preview I saw only so-so

9

pushing daisies - I wasn't that keen, but then I watched the preview. Worth a go.

may try Cashmere Mafia - or this may really really bug me. But aussies in it (Frances O Connor and Miranda Otto) mean I will give it a whirl.

7 whats new

may try Samantha Who - not sure

SBS - will have to wait as I couldn't get on to website.

Films I wish to see: see next post!

Top Christmas movies meme

I have never participated in one of these before. But here goes. See the original post by John.
My top 4 Christmas movies (I have stretched the definition to allow Tv specials)

I hope these qualify as movies but I love the old rankin bass kid's ones - 2-4 are those:
4. the little drummer boy - always made me want to lay my gift before the king - in fact probably still has that effect!
3. santa claus is coming to town - who knew Santa started off as a cute red head Like the one below, both are about having open generous hearts.
2. It was a year without a santa claus - fantasticly camp music numbers
1. Its a wonderful Life Yes, it is sentimental but in the best of ways. Like the idea that each person can have an amazing difference in the lives of others.

Here are the rules:
Write down your four favorite Christmas movies in descending order.
Tag the first ten people who respond in your comment section saying they want to participate. (I doubt I will get ten!!!)
(Optional) Include a link to this post (John see above) and encourage others to place a link to their completed meme in the comments section of this post so we can keep track of the meme.

tv versus internet

Only a few years ago, i was astounded that the gen yers that i knew really didn't watch Tv and instead spent time on the net. I didn't use the net until I was an adult, at my first job post uni - in 1996 - and didn't get it at home until 1999.

i have enjoyed it from the start, but as i grew up on tv not net, i didn't see tv watching getting taken over.

but i have to admit, the net is drawing me in more and tv is drawing me less. Surfing, ebay, facebook, blogs, email - on the net i can direct what I am interested in a lot more, rather than being stuck with the very few options of today's free to air tv.

As a relational kinda girl, I am interested though in how it affects these - I think it is good for relationships outside my family - instead of sitting watching tv i am often on the net interacting. but i think it isn't as good for my r/ship with my husband - tv watching can be a shared activity, but with the net we sit in different rooms - even now we are watching tv, but i am also on the net.