The first recording today is a repeat of last week’s Primeval.
Media Centre Description: When a young man holidaying at an adventure park is found savaged to death, Cutter and the team are called in to investigate. At first Cutter suspects a present-day animal is responsible, but later comes face-to-face with a vicious sabre tooth tiger, who, he realises, has developed a taste for human flesh. Not only must the team race to catch it before it kills again, but they must also discover who has been harbouring the big cat and hiding it from the authorities.
Recorded from ITV1 on Saturday 2nd February 2008 14:03
After this, the recording ends with the start of A View to A Kill.
The next recording is this week’s new episode of Primeval. It opens with a brief appearance by Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm off of Game of Thrones) as a boy called Lucien who is dragged down into a flooded sewer by an unseen creature.
The anomaly detector at the ARC goes off, identifying an anomaly near the river.
The creepy spy Caroline is still hanging around. She fiddles with Connor’s blackberry, and gives Abby some martial arts tips. When Connor and Abby have to leave for an emergency work thing, she calls Oliver Leek. “You were supposed to delay them.” “I put them off as long as I could.”
The team are looking for something in the river (although they keep calling it a canal, possibly because that lets them pretend that whatever creature is there can’t have got out anywhere. Jenny who is on the boat, despite her job being PR and spin doctor, falls into the water, somehow is then yards away from the boat and has to swim (very badly) towards safety as something is approaching through the water.
Jenny’s rather pathetic attempts to swim, and everyone else just standing in the boat shouting at her to swim faster is starting to annoy me, but then Cutter arrives in his boat, drags Jenny on board, and Stephen kills the creature swimming towards them with a machine gun, and suddenly I’m really enjoying it again.
Cutter opens up the strange shark-like creature to see what it has eaten. Both I and my daughter immediately wondered if he was going to pull a number plate out, as this was definitely a strong Jaws reference. But all he finds is a still inflated basketball, and one running shoe. No sign of poor Lucien’s dead body, so they conclude he wasn’t eaten by this creature.
Cutter and Stephen disagree on next steps. Stephen thinks whatever took Lucien is still in the canal. Cutter thinks it’s an aquatic mammal and can get out of the water so they have to widen the search. Lester tells them to concentrate on the canal.
Abby and Connor get back to her flat. Caroline has waited there, but she’s asleep. Abby opens the fridge to find her flying lizard Rex in there. At this point, Abby should have told Caroline to leave, and told her not to come to the flat again, but I guess she has to consider Connor’s stupid feelings. But there’s literally no explanation for how Rex got there than Caroline put him there. Such a red flag.
Cutter still thinks the creature could be around the canal site so, against Stephen’s advice, he goes looking. He spots a familiar looking man, who runs when he calls him. He follows him to a boat, where the man punches him unconscious – it’s the cleaner from the first episode who Connor saw in uniform at the ARC.
Later, Cutter is listening to something the sounds like whalesong, so definitely not the shark-like creature they found before. He’s heard it several times now.
They play the recordings back in the river. Connor thinks they’re wasting their time and should be helping Stephen search the canal. But then, suddenly, despite Cutter listening to the underwater sound, a creature appears from nowhere and grabs Abby, taking her away.
Lester arrives, blames Cutter for disobeying his instructions, tells him to go home and puts Stephen in charge. Stephen asks for a remote control submarine to search the canal.
Abby’s not dead. She’s trapped somewhere, blocked by a large grille, and finds young Lucien there too, not actually dead after all.
Wherever they are, the creature that took them is also there, not letting them get out from the water they’re in.
Cutter gets a tip from Jenny about a possible search location, and enlists a grieving Connor to investigate. They find the place where Abby and Lucien are, but something grabs Abby underwater before they arrive, so only Lucien is there. The creature brings Abby up into another part of the building. Abby doesn’t waste any thing, and uses her newly developed martial arts kick to take it out. So I guess Caroline was good for something. I laughed out loud at this bit. Because I loved it.
Another of the creatures appears where Cutter and Lucien are. Lucien grabs a big rock and uses his basketball skills to knock the creature out. This is the best episode ever.
Then another one comes flying out of a pipe and knocks Cutter into the water.
It’s about to attack Cutter when there’s suddenly a lot of bubbling from underwater, and Stephen’s remote controlled underwater camera vehicle appears, giving him a good look at Cutter and the creature before the creature whacks it.
Now an even bigger creature is menacing Abby. Connor’s there and tries to reach her but it bats him away complete with the Wilhelm Scream sound effect.
Cutter and Lucien are surrounded. Looks like they’re done for.
But Stephen rises up out of the water, having swum there from the canal, and starts shooting at the creatures. I mean, this is pushing all my action movie buttons.
Connor goes through the anomaly to look for Abi, and tries to help her get away from the creatures. It’s a struggle. “I’m pulling you over, Connor. Just leave me.” “No. I’m not letting you go. I’ve lost you once, Abi. I’m not leaving you again, okay? Come on. We can do this.” “There’s no point in us both dying. Just let me go. Let me go.” “I can’t. I love you. I am not leaving you here.”
They’re really milking the hands slipping down as Connor struggles to hold her. Is she really going to die? No! Cutter appears, grabs Connor’s other hand and helps them. “Time to go.” Have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying this episode? Although her hand had slipped down to Connor’s thumb by this time, so well done to Abby for still holding on long enough to get pulled up.
The action movie beats don’t stop there. Stephen arrives, shouts “Cutter!” and throws a machine gun to him in slow motion, before the two of them unload on the creatures. I presume that because these creatures come from the distant future there’s no chance of disrupting their timeline.
Lucien gets a last scene, and slightly puts his foot in it. “Abby. Your mates. They came. No bother. I reckon your boyfriend did a good job.” “He’s not my boyfriend.” Connor doesn’t look happy about that.
“Has the anomaly closed?” “No. Still there and it’s likely to recur.” “You know what, Leek? I think this whole area could benefit from a government redevelopment grant. We’ll start by sealing the anomaly site with a few thousand tons of concrete. That should do the job.”
Abby and Connor almost get to talk about what Connor said on the other side of the anomaly, but of course they’re interrupted by Caroline.
Leek is talking to the mysterious not-cleaner. “You realize you might have compromised this whole project?” It was a mistake. Cutter wasn’t meant to be there. Won’t happen again.” “Well, I hope not. Because the consequences for you could be very bad. Now, please try and stay out of sight in the future.”
But not only that. Helen Cutter is with him. “I hope this isn’t going to go wrong, Oliver. I’d hate to think I’d put my faith in the wrong man. Now that I see people very rarely, it’s hard to know if my judgement is as good as it used to be. I hope you can deliver what you promised.” “I can. I can. Remember, I have a lot riding on this as well.” “Then I’m sure everything is going to be just fine.”
Media Centre Description: An anomaly opens underwater, dragging a teenage boy into a flooded drain. During a frantic search for the boy, the team are confronted by some sinister creatures from the future – strong and intelligent, the mermaid-like beings are a formidable bunch, giving the team their toughest challenge yet. Will everyone survive?
Recorded from ITV1 on Saturday 2nd February 2008 19:10
The recording stops with the start of Dancing On Ice: Make Me A Star.
The next recording starts with the end of Brecon Jazz Festival.
There’s a trail for the World Cinema Award 2008.
Then, it’s the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I mentioned this briefly when I looked at the 2007 ITV adaptation starring Sally Hawkins, so I’m glad I’ve got an excuse to watch this one again.
John Woodvine plays Admiral Croft, the naval man who takes residence at Kellynch Hall when its owner, Sir Walter Eliot, finds himself not able to maintain his preferred standard of living.
Corin Redgrave plays the said Sir Walter. He’s a great character, a quite awful snob, and Redgrave has a lot of fun with it.
Susan Fleetwood plays Lady Russell, the closest thing this story has to a villain.
Phoebe Nicholls plays Elizabeth Elliot, very much her father’s daughter.
Amanda Root plays Anne Eliot, our heroine. She spends much of this story fairly unhappy.
Sophie Thompson plays another of Anne’s sisters, Mary Musgrove, a terrible hypochondriac, and another fun character. I do confess, this is one of those programmes where the makers’ attempts to cast actors who look convincingly like sisters in the same family does give me a struggle to recognise them sometimes.
Judy Cornwell plays Mary’s mother-in-law Mrs Musgrove.
Simon Russell Beale plays Mary’s husband Charles.
Fiona Shaw plays Admiral Croft’s wife.
Victoria Hamilton plays yet another Eliot sister, Henrietta. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said their family resemblance was strong.
Ciaran Hinds plays Captain Frederick Wentworth, the man with whom Anne was briefly engaged when she was younger, but whom her family, and particularly Lady Russell, thought was not a suitable match, so she was persuaded to break off the engagement.
Isaac Maxwell Hunt plays Henry Hayter, a cousin.
Robert Glenister plays Wentworth’s friend Captain Harville.
Richard McCabe plays Captain Benwick, who was engaged to Harville’s sister Phoebe, before she died while he was away at sea.
Samuel West plays Mr Eliot, another cousin who will inherit Kellynch Hall if Sir Walter has no sons. He’s the requisite bad ‘un although we really only find this out near the end.
Darlene Johnson plays Lady Dalrymple, the person in Bath everyone wants to be around, because of her status. And she knows it.
Felicity Dean plays Mrs Clay, a ‘friend’ of Sir Walter’s who might possibly be a future wife.
Helen Schlesinger and Jane Wood play Mrs Smith and Nurse Rooke, Anne’s friend in bath and her nurse, who give her all the gossip from around town.
The final scenes in this adaptation have a little less running through the streets of Bath than the 2007 version. Anne and Wentworth’s first kiss is underscored by the music from a passing circus which seems like an odd choice, and does undercut the emotion of the scene.
Their final scene is them on Wentworth’s ship. Just a shame they didn’t do the Titanic thing. Although that would be weird given that this was two years before Titanic.
I felt this adaptation was a lot more reserved than the 2007 version. It didn’t quite make me cry. But there’s plenty of good performances from actors having fun with Austen’s great characters.
Media Centre Description: Adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel. England, 1814. Several years earlier, Anne Elliot was persuaded by her friend to reject the proposal of a naval officer who is now a prosperous captain. He returns to find Anne’s family on the brink of financial ruin and his own family tenants in her home. Amid the stiffening etiquette of social arrangements, their reunion gradually gives voice to some long-buried emotions.
Recorded from BBC FOUR on Saturday 2nd February 2008 19:28
BBC Genome: BBC FOUR Saturday 2nd February 2008 19:30
After this there’s a trail for The Art of Spain, then the recording stops with the start of The World Cinema Awards 2008.
The next recording starts with the end of Duel, my first look at the game itself. It looks a bit annoying. Who Wants to Be A Millionaire crossed with some kind of poker betting system.
Then, it’s another episode of the Paul Merton celebrity improv show Thank God You’re Here. I’m genuinely surprised I have these, as I don’t think I watched any of them when they went out.
It features guests Vernon Kay, who I am amazed didn’t get bitten when he was improvising with dogs.
Kirsten O’Brien almost whips a man’s towel off. “That’s real!”
Phil Nichol plays a very manic kids science presenter.
James Corden is a morning DJ.
Here’s the whole episode.
Media Centre Description: Improvisational comedy show presented by Paul Merton in which star guests are forced to rely on their wits after they are thrust into a set-up which they know nothing about. Today’s guests include TV presenter Vernon Kay, stand-up comedian Paul Nichol and ex-children’s TV presenter Kirsten O’Brien.
Recorded from ITV1 on Saturday 2nd February 2008 21:38
This recording ends with the start of The Big Fight Live.
The final recording today starts with the end of Factory: Manchester from Joy Division to Happy Mondays.
There’s a trail for Pulling, the Terry Wogan Radio 2 promo, and a trail for Lily Allen and Friends.
Then there’s a movie, Dawn of the Dead, George Romero’s sequel to his own Night of the Living Dead. I’ve come across this twice, first here, and then later here.
I can only repeat what I said both times, which is that this is a movie I appreciate, but I just don’t love because it’s just not for me. Although I really like the frantic opening in the TV studio, which features Romero himself as a director.
Media Centre Description: Gruesome horror story in which the deceased return to life to devour the living. As the rampaging zombie population multiplies, four people barricade themselves in a shopping mall in a desperate bid to survive. A sequel to the horror classic ‘Night of the Living Dead’.
Recorded from BBC TWO on Sunday 3rd February 2008 00:38
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Sunday 3rd February 2008 00:40
After this there’s a trail for Wonderland and one for Around the World in 80 Gardens.
Then the recording stops just as The Culture Show starts.
Here’s the first Primeval ad breaks.
And the breaks from the second Primeval.
Here’s the ad breaks from Thank God You’re Here.
Adverts:
- DFS
- Learndirect
- Digital Switchover
- O2
- The Water Horse in cinemas
- Apple MacBook Air
- Colour Catcher
- Renault Twingo
- Learndirect
- MFI
- Surf Small & Mighty
- trail: Dancing on Ice: Make Me A Star
- Alcohol – Know Your Limits
- Kingsmill
- DFS
- Oust
- Dreams
- Lloyds TSB
- Bath Store
- Ford Fiesta Zetec
- trail: The Big Fight Live
- Audi R8
- Boots Opticians
- Sky
- Persil Small & Mighty
- Train to Gain
- Toshiba
- trail: Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach
- BT Total Broadband – Kris Marshall
- Muller
- Citroen
- Specsavers
- DFS
- Maybelline XXL Curl Power
- Abbey
- trail: Repossession Repossession Repossession
- Renault Twingo
- Sky
- Huggies DryNites
- Egg Card
- Lynx Dark Temptation
- Learndirect
- Virgin Atlantic – John Hannah
- trail: Dancing on Ice: Make Me A Star
- Penelope in cinemas
- DVLA Car Tax Rules
- Mail on Sunday – Lenny Kravitz
- DFS
- Batchelor’s Soupfulls
- L’Oreal Elvive
- Toyota Yaris
- trail: Coleen’s Real Women
- Hiscox
- Abbey
- L’Oreal Lash Architect
- Look
- T-Mobile
- Sudafed
- Ford Fiesta Zetec
- Sunday Express
- Currys
- trail: Dancing on Ice: Make Me A Star
- trail: Kingdom
- O2
- HSBC
- Apple MacBook Air
- EDF Energy
- DFS
- L’Oreal Men Expert – Pierce Brosnan
- Fabulous magazine
- trail: The Big Fight Live
- trail: Repossession Repossession Repossession
- itv.com catch-up
- trail: Weekends in February on ITV1
- trail: The Big Fight Live
- Fabulous magazine
- trail: The South Bank Awards 2008
- trail: Weekends in February on ITV1
- trail: Repossession Repossession Repossession
- VW Tiguan
- trail: Trial & Retribution
- itv.com catch-up
- trail: The Big Fight Live
- Persil Small & Mighty
- Act on CO2
- itv.com catch-up
- trail: Trial & Retribution
- trail: The South Bank Awards 2008
- trail: Weekends in February on ITV1