THE DISTURBIA UNIVERSE OF 'BLACK MIRROR'

The future's not bright, and it isn't orange! DARK MIRROR returns. Image: CHANNEL 4.

Popular British writer/satirist Charlie Brooker thankfully has no plans to be the next Rod Serling, but his edgy, futuristic and cautionary tales of a flawed humanity, as told within his often bleak and uncompromising anthology series, and TWILIGHT ZONE-ish tribute, DARK MIRROR, certainly keeps up the late playwright's bold storytelling and strong characterisation traditions-alongside the odd sting in the tail- whilst resonating with intellectual bravura and often grotesque bite.

Black Mirror Series 2 New Episodes (2013) - YouTube

This ambitious second run of three stories (all written by Brooker this time), after a previous acclaimed year, begins next Monday on Channel 4 and HD. The first tale, Be Right Back, sees a widow (star on the rise Hayley Attwell) trying to communicate with her dead husband via a new technology application- a reunion with surely horrific consequences. The third and final story is The Waldo Moment (about an animated bear on a children's TV show, voiced by a failed comedian (Daniel Rigby), that goes way beyond it's educational remit and turns out to be a subversive anarchist against the current political establishment). In the middle of the trio is White Bear- truly a modern-day ZONE-esque homage if ever there was one- about an almost amnesiac woman (Lenora Crichlow) waking up in a deserted city to discover its populace have entered a voyeuristic state of madness due to a mysterious transmitter signal. With its dark, obsessive technology core message, inside what will surely be a brutal and violent showcase, this looks set to be the most intriguing story yet, and one which also bears passing simlarities to that other fantasy master Ray Bradbury's classic novella, The Crowd.

Season One of BLACK MIRROR is now available on DVD: Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Rory Kinnear, Lindsay Duncan: Film & TV

NO PLACE TO HIDE? 'UTOPIA' IS HERE!

A dark future looms for our runaway young heroes, pursued by the mysterious and brutal Arby (Neil Maskell), in UTOPIA. Image: CHANNEL 4.

Being a devoted fan to a one-of-a-kind graphic novel can be fatal to your health, as five young and diverse background heroes (a fifteen year old slum housing tearway, a student nurse, an isolationist living in his dad’s basement, and a successful IT hothead) discover in the fascinating and uniquely different continuing drama series UTOPIA, of which its second episode (of six) on the UK’s CHANNEL FOUR continues tonight after an intriguing feature-length opener.

Created by Dennis Kelly, the series initiates a mysterious set of circumstances and a trail of bloody murder linked to a mysterious and lost graphic novel manuscript, conceived by its scientist creator who seemingly went insane with predictions of the end of the world and the birth of a strange new one: The Utopia Experiments. A small group of internet forum members, enthusiasts of the seemingly one and only first issue, are drawn into this terrifying world made real, embarking on a fugitive, perhaps revolutionary, course of future action whilst pursued by a mysterious agency of evil called The Network, whose two vicious agents (one a raisin eating babyface, Arby (played by Neil Maskell, who wouldn’t look out of place in a Harry Enfield sketch if he wasn't so cruel, the other his torture loving colleague) begin their brutal and sadistic hunt for them and the presumed lost second issue manuscript, whilst simultaneously mopping up any traces of their presence wherever and whenever the clues, and their victims, take them.

Beyond their killing associates, The Network also have equally shady links to the pharmaceutical business, influencing and corrupting British government and society through a weak willed Civil Servant, Dugdale (Paul Higgins), in a way that the comic book’s almost Nostradamus-like predictions have foretold…but can they be stopped before dark dreams take their ultimate form?

Trailers: Utopia - Features - Utopia Trailers - Channel 4

Best described as a conspiracy thriller meets urban fantasy, with a little twist of sci-fi (are The Network even human?), this is the kind of series format that will surely capture the attention of audiences who enjoyed such fare as alternative superhero drama MISFITS and the sadly one-off BBC 3 youth horror THE FADES. With a likable young cast of rising stars, the show weaves a visually inventive and atmospheric spell, too, intriguingly mixing a dark and twistedly surreal take on modern London and the UK as a whole, within a glossy colour palette that itself could literally have leapt from the pages of a graphic novel. Director Marc Munden mixes a little bit of David Lynch impressionism with the glossy bite shown by other Brit newcomers like Matthew Vaughn. Most importantly,though, the script stays dominant over the style, with UTOPIA surely revealing further plot twists that will keep viewers riveted (though, by the end of it, I'm not expecting all of the plot questions to necessarily have been answered).

In spite of the show’s often incredible amount of realistic violence- which left me feeling a little bit queasy after the premier episode: so be prepared new viewers!- and the obvious press controversy it will court, UTOPIA has on its side a bold and different story to reveal, standing out in a current sea of bland modern television as a genuinely intriguing and unique new series worth following, and thus making it essential KOOL TV.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM KOOL TV!

Friends reunited in THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG. Image: Channel 4.

What better way to celebrate the evocative wonder and splendid magic of Christmas for children and families across the world than with this terrific image from the eagerly anticipated Channel 4 Xmas Eve screening of the sequel to Raymond Brigg's classic and beloved children's book/animated tale, now in it's Thirtieth Anniversary, THE SNOWMAN: the surely equally charming and festive THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG.

Trailer: Video: The Snowman and The Snowdog trailer - Telegraph

KOOL TV wishes its friends and readers worldwide the warmest, safest and Happiest Xmas, and a prosperous 2013!

MURDER AND MADNESS: 'THE FEAR'

Brighton Rock! Peter Mullan is a gangster with severe problems in the new drama: THE FEAR. Image: CHANNEL 4.

One of Scotland's finest exports-the dark and intense talent that is actor/writer/director Peter Mullan makes a welcome return to British TV screens this week with the new four-part gangster drama given an unusual new storytelling edge: THE FEAR, showing on the UK's CHANNEL 4 Monday to Thursday, from tonight. The straight talking, hard edged, eyes seemingly ready for violence Mullan is Richie Beckett, once an old-time, ruthless crime lord of his Brighton beach patch now gone straight and seemingly respectable, running his now legitimate empire with his two sons, the highly strung and aggressively ambitious Cal (Paul Nicholls), operating their shadowy other world of profitable drugs and prostitution, and his more mature and reasoning brother Matty (played by GAMES OF THRONES excellent young rising star Harry Lloyd). But when a family of thoroughly evil Albanian gangsters- surely the modern world's most archetypal heavies these days (and tailor-made for use in film and TV!)- arrive on the scene and see a gap in the market ripe for exploitation, the Becketts, caught in an opening business negotiation turned sour, are quickly thrust into a street war against their edgy and equally dangerous new opponents. So far, it all seems pretty good plot-wise anyway (think BRIGHTON ROCK meets THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY!), and, from early trailers, this looks like quality stuff, especially with it's top drawer cast. But what's intriguing, and will surely add extra plot story and character dimension, is the revelation that Richie is beginning to have serious mental health problems whilst all this is erupting, affecting his memory, decision making, his relationships with his family and a sudden blurring of the lines between what is real, what's happened in the past, and what lies beyond in his already dark and fractured imaginings...

Trailer: The Fear Trailer (Peter Mullan - Channel 4 ) - YouTube
The Fear - Interviews - Peter Mullan Interview - Channel 4

Well supported by Richard E. Grant as one of Richie's old nemeses whom he turns to for medical advice, and Anastasia Hille as his bitter ex-wife with a secret, Mullan's performance will surely win further kudos. With its heavy violence and epic, cinematically glossy storytelling, mixed with the personal and affecting tragedy of dementia, THE FEAR looks set to bolster CHANNEL 4's reputation for unique drama just that little bit more, ready to lead viewers into Christmas with a darkly disconcerting, unsettling, paranoid and delusional bang!

THE POLICY OF POWER. INTO THE 'SECRET STATE'

Amidst the horror of an industrial explosion, Gabriel Byrne begins his quest to find the truth in the new thriller SECRET STATE. Image: CHANNEL 4.

Making a welcome, and long overdue, return to US shores after his two season critical success in HBO's psychiatry drama IN TREATMENT, Gabriel Byrne re-enters the political thriller genre with CHANNEL 4's latest glossy four part mini-series starting this Wednesday night: SECRET STATE. Based around former Labour MP Chris Mullin's popular and controversial eighties political thriller A VERY BRITISH COUP (which itself was also made by FOUR into a very successful 1988 series starring another fine Irish character actor, Ray McAnally), STATE sees Byrne playing Deputy Prime Minister Tom Dawkins, a thoughtful, good intentioned man- a rare breed who would be totally out of place in real-life Parliament!- caught up in a webs of lies, murder and political/establishment intrigue after the unexpected destruction of a small town in the Teeside area, caused by an industrial accident from a powerful international petrochemical company, whose links to the world of big business, enterprise and politics reaches into the very heart of British authority. A further horrific situation sees Dawkins becoming Prime Minister, where he soon finds himself in an isolated place as he tries to unravel and expose the huge cover-up taking place around him, and stop the escalating power games of the big companies and corrupt officials who ultimately have such frightening control over the country and the world we live in. Dawkins may be the ultimate player in the game against the almost overpowering capitalist threat, but are other forces manipulating him into a scenario of which even he has no control?

With the kind of storytelling that wouldn't be out of places in today's newspaper headlines, of which it's overall story looks unlikely of having any kind of happy ending for the crusading figure of Dawkins,  the idea of a modern remake of COUP looks interesting. In my book, Byrne's previous work in the excellent eighties British thriller set in Fleet Street during the end of the Cold War, DEFENCE OF THE REALM, will take a lot to beat, but despite a rather condemning review from THE GUARDIAN newspaper, which declared SECRET STATE as glossy tosh that's totally implausible and more like an hysterical episode of SPOOKS, I'm looking forward to seeing this. At least it's one more drama series with a top draw cast (including the always good value for money Charles Dance and Gina McKee) and behind the scenes team to help shore up FOUR's often inconsistent quality output, instead of more crappy reality TV!

THE GAMES THEY PLAY... 'HOMELAND' SEASON TWO

Opposing forces: Claire Danes and Damian Lewis return for more dark drama in HOMELAND. Images: SHOWTIME.

At the end of its first stellar, critically acclaimed, award-winning season, the emotionally spiky but intuitively brilliant and determined heroine of HOMELAND, CIA agent Carrie Mathison (skillfully played by Claire Danes) was having a very bad time of things: her emotional/ sexual involvement and investigation into charismatic solider and former Iraqi prisoner of war Nicholas Brody (a powerfully complex Damian Lewis), a hot political figure on the rise within the upper echelons of American power, had now been revealed to her unhappy superiors, whilst her strong beliefs in his being a traitor to an America she's sworn her life to protect have now been deemed compromised, her once thought talents seemingly on the brink of self-destruction: her credibility as an agent blown ever wider after almost being killed in an unexpected terrorist explosion. As the walls of madness and frightening unpredictability were closing in around her, Carrie, in a closing tragic sequence never to be forgotten by viewers, had to face her personal, inner demons and a true edge of darkness as the frightening final moments of her former life seemingly disappeared with a shocking but necessary electro-convulsive shock therapy, so as to curb her aggressive and manic bipolar disorder.

A life not ordinary. Claire Danes as CIA agent Carrie Mathison.

Vote Brody! Soldier turned politician Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) has never been more dangerous.

Meanwhile, Brody, having critically removed Mathison from the picture, has no hang-ups and problems in his life now, despite his own failed attempt to detonate a bomb in Washington, as he continues his sworn pact of dedication to both Al-Qaeda and his extremist Muslim faith conversion, aided by equally dangerous helpers/conspirators behind the scenes in American society and inadvertently by the protective outer circle of his loving but often troubled family and friends, ready to forgive and forget any further quirky occasional character and emotional fallibility's that might show through his normally calm exterior (blaming such problems on the stresses and anxieties of his previous eight years of incarceration). Brody seems invincible now, with the luck of the devil on his side, as his hidden dark side agenda, against his once US military and political paymasters for the death of the young child to his terrorist cell leader/guru Abu Nazir (a chilling Navid Negahban), stays silently true to his personal convictions despite occasional doubts, whilst his terrorist brothers enjoy their key converts rise to power: his clean cut and heroic looks as the true all-American hero poster boy, whose path to the White House centre seat looks unstoppable...

In bed with power. Brody makes his presence felt in politics and with the CIA.

Fortunately, for us and the series (surely one of the best and most innovative American shows of recent years with its high quality, silently compulsive storytelling and fine acting), Carrie isn't a quitter and will surely be back in some shape or form to trail and discover Brody's plans. Recovering from her treatment, with the protection and support of her family around her, she may thinks she's lost her abilities and edge, feeling out of her depth in handling any job within the CIA, a place of which she was once so dedicated and loved being a part of, but a critical series of events emerging from Beirut will soon put her back on the right path, awakened for action and duty alongside her old friend and mentor Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) and former lover turned antagonist superior, David Estes  (David Harewood). Whether an earlier and vital clue she discovered about Brody's conversion, which Carrie was on the brink of losing from her mind in last seasons finale, will return to her consciousness is an important plot element from series creators Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon that must surely and intriguingly be revealed soon, as the maelstrom drama of her emotionally charged, but also chilling, opposing forces reunion between her and Brody begins anew...

Trailer: Homeland - Homeland Season 2 Trailer - YouTube

Order and chaos. The brilliant sexual chemistry between the actors/characters continues...

HOMELAND Season Two airs in the US on the SHOWTIME channel. It begins its UK run exclusively on CHANNEL 4, weekly from tonight...

Previews: 'Homeland' Season 2 Spoilers: Executive Producer On Where Carrie And Brody Will Be, Plus Obama And More

Carrie Gets Her Mojo Back and 6 More Homeland Insights - Today's News: Our Take | TVGuide.com

Check out the official FACEBOOK page: Homeland

KOOL TV WANTS ON DVD AND BLU-RAY: 'HILL STREET BLUES'

"Let's be careful out there!" The award-winning ensemble cast of the classic cop series HILL STREET BLUES. Image: FOX.

It's hard to believe, I know, but the seminal seven year running eighties cop-show created by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bochco, which changed the face of episodic TV forever and inspired/launched a whole new approach to the genre (tough and uncompromising, yet also showing a lot of heart and humour) and bringing us innovative multi-arc story telling (both in its scripting and visual realisation), alongside beautifully conceived and acted characters, is not properly available on DVD or Blu-ray. All those dedicated HSB fans are most likely shouting at their screens whilst reading this article that the first two seasons of the show were released on DVD in the US and later in the UK, but I'm not counting those, especially the CHANNEL 4 UK releases which were very low quality conversions at best, often from VHS tapes (the transfers containing picture noise! Something you should never get on a DVD!) which were notably cut versions of the episodes then edited down further for violence (HSB never shied away from it and always commendably presented it in a non fantastical, realistic way) so as to make the release palatable for general viewers as a 12 certificate. And, with only one of the UK season releases having any type of extras (a cast and crew reunion special and cast commentaries), it's not unfair to say that British fans of the show would be poorly served compared to what was on the US releases (extra commentaries, deleted and alternate scenes, trailers).

Season Six titles: Hill Street Blues - Season 6 Intro (1) - YouTube

Episode trailers for Seasons One and Two: Hill Street Blues - Trailers (1) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - Trailers (4) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - Trailers (5) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - Trailers (6) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - Trailers (8) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - Trailers (10) - YouTube
NBC PROMO - HILL STREET BLUES - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - A Season 4 Roll Call and Intro (Phil Esterhaus Dies) - YouTube
Hill Street Blues - The Last Scene - YouTube

Despite the differences, though, one thing was sadly consistent with HILL STREET BLUES debut on DVD, and that's the fact that, for reasons I just cannot understand, the two individual box sets failed to sell enough copies in either territory to make it commercially worthwhile for the TV companies to release further additional box sets- a real shame of a situation. With the passing of time since those mid-2000's releases, the way series are now released on home DVD and Blu-ray has thankfully changed considerably-as lots of well known older and classic titles which prior captured high esteem with critics/audiences are now being sought out for audience viewing consumption, as have selected attempts by TV companies, desperate for profits, to seek out additional special materials to accompany them.

I think the time is both right and ripe for somebody out there in Hollywood/FOX to re-evaluate the award winning HILL STREET BLUES and put it in a fully restored, complete and unedited form, entire series box set. If released with clever marketing, alongside a solid but not bank busting price tag, plus a really worthy set of extras alongside it, I think it would sell very well.

As one of America's finest and iconic ever TV series, of which shows like THE WIRE, THE SHIELD and SOUTHLAND owe it so much, it deserves no less special treatment...

KOOL TV BABE OF THE WEEK: 'HOMELAND's MORENA BACCARIN

All American gal! The lovely actress/model Morena Baccarin. Image: ULIKE.

After two great years clearly relishing every second playing the evil queen of the alien visitors-the psychopathic Anna- in the successful ABC re-imagining of the hit eighties sci-fi series V, the lovely Brazilian-born/American actress Morena Baccarin, with a string of cult hits under her belt including FIREFLY and STARGATE, comes back down to Earth in a more accessible and vulnerable role than we've been used to seeing her play for quite a while, and certainly one more grounded in reality and emotional complexity, in the acclaimed and haunting new thriller series HOMELAND (developed for American SHOWTIME television by 24's Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, starting on Sunday night on the UK's CHANNEL 4 and HD). Here she plays Jessica Brody, an attractive and devoted suburban housewife/ mother finally coming to terms with her status as a widow to her heroic soldier husband Nicholas, long presumed dead in war-torn Iraq eight years earlier. But when its discovered that he's actually alive, and soon rescued by special forces, her life is quickly turned upside down by his return to the family fold and his integration back to life and society in general: a period in their new togetherness which proves both difficult and traumatic under such extraordinary circumstances, made even more complicated and strained by the fact that she's been having an affair with his best friend, and fellow military man, Mike Faber (Diego Klattenhoff) for several years.

As Jessica, the proud but emotionally daunted wife of war hero Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) in HOMELAND. Image: SHOWTIME.

As Anna, the truly cold hearted and determined leader of the alien visitors in V. Image: Jack Rowand/ABC TV.

HOMELAND trailers: Homeland - Trailer Showtime Series HD - YouTube and HOMELAND Promo/Trailer - Someone Is Lying - Sunday 10/9c On SHOWTIME - YouTube

It's not a showy part for Baccarin, in comparison to the heavyweight responsibilities that entail for the shows main leads, Claire Danes (as the bold and slightly off-kilter CIA agent Carrie Mathison) and Damian Leiws (as husband Nicholas), but the talented actress brings likability and believability to the nonetheless important role of Jessica, aware, but not truly wanting to face up to the fact, that somethings not quite right with her world-admired husband since his return to home soil, but summing it up as being part of his life as a tortured prisoner of war and the emotional stress he's been under ever since. With the shows evolving plots and sub-plots, where nothing is quite what it seems a lot of the time, or goes into unexplored and surprising avenues not expected by viewers, we look forward to seeing how things develop between the couple. Will she discover the truth behind her husband's conflicted personality? And is it likely that he actually is an undercover terrorist working against America for Al Qaeda? I'm not saying anything, you'll just have to find out for yourself. But I guarantee you'll be be thrilled and gripping your seat all the way through in finding out...

Damian Lewis and Claire Danes in HOMELAND. Image: SHOWTIME.

CONTINUING TO SERVE AND PROTECT: "SOUTHLAND" SEASON THREE

The cast of SOUTHLAND. Image: TNT.

One of US TV's best breakout shows of the past five years, the acclaimed SOUTHLAND, created by Ann Biderman and produced by John Wells-following the daily lives, trials and tribulations of Los Angeles finest police officers and detectives- is back for an exclusive third season on MORE 4 in the UK on October 13th and KOOL TV is keenly looking forward to its return, what with its promises of new dramatic shocks and surprises for the audience. If you haven't caught it before, all I can say is where have you been? And, even more importantly, WATCH IT NOW!

Saved from extinction by the US TNT channel, who re-screened the entire run uncut and then rescued the show from undeserved cancellation by NBC at the end of its second year, this new season (with a further fourth run coming in 2012) has unfortunately been a victim to some production budget cuts decreed by the new network, primarily affecting the regular cast member line-up, some of whom are now gone from it entirely or only returning on a semi-recurring basis. Fortunately, the main stars of Regina King (who shone in her role as Detective Lydia Adams), Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy (recently impressing fans in DEXTER's Fifth Season), Arija Bareikis and Ben McKenzie are back on the beat, whilst the overall semi-serial style nature of the series format looks set to remain uncompromising with regards to its intelligent scripting and impressive hand held documentary style direction, which, alongside the great acting from a dedicated team, gives SOUTHLAND the distinctive kind of edge, depth and raw vitality that few current competing series can match. This quality series, of which the new season time scale takes place six to nine months on from year two, boldly stands out like a beacon over so many badly made TV series currently hitting the airwaves, and in my book it certainly is Must-See-TV.

Watch out this Season Three preview has possible SPOILERS: Southland - Season Three Preview - YouTube

For new and old UK fans wanting to catch up on the characters and situations, the previous seasons are also being repeated on CHANNEL 4 late night from this Thursday 6th October (I'm afraid at the ridiculous time of 1.50 am- what is with the schedulers and their daft decisions making in showing quality overseas imports?). Check out our prior blog articles on the series in our LINKS below.

WARP SPEED AHEAD FOR THE RE-IMAGINED "STAR TREK"

An unbeatable cosmic duo: Mister Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) in the re-imagined STAR TREK. Images: PARAMOUNT.

Boldly going further than Man has been before would never be more interesting, or exciting, than in writer/film-maker J.J. Abrams re-imagined STAR TREK feature film from 2009 (showing on CHANNEL 4 HD in the UK tonight at 6pm (its terrestrial premiere)), a fast paced and complex time travel character drama/ action thrill ride hybrid that spectacularly put Gene Roddenberry's generation inspiring sci-fi series about the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Horatio Hornblower inspired hero character of Captain James T. Kirk (now played by the youthful Chris Pine), back on the map of success with not only fans of all ages of the original Classic Series, from which this new re-imagined character genesis movie was spawned, but also attracting millions of new followers and general cinema audiences around the world in the process-making it the most box office successful movie of the entire theatrical release series and putting warm profit smiles firmly onto the faces of PARAMOUNT Executives who had took a sizable risk of bringing the franchise back after it had seemingly stalled with audiences only a few scant years back-primarily due to the company's own greed in generating TREK series overkill on the small screen.

Trailers: Star Trek Movie 2009 (Trailer 1 / Trailer 2 / Trailer 3 / Tv spot) - YouTube

With a wait that seemed like forever, the lively and acclaimed new cast playing Kirk, Spock, Bones Uhura, Scotty et all will definitely back for filming the next TREK film Summer 2012, for release by at least Christmas 2013 (hopefully) and Abrams himself has finally ended months of speculation and worries by film fans by announcing that he too will be returning to direct the next movie, currently being crafted into a script by FRINGE/LOST's team of Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof, all of whom are well aware that they have to create a new adventure with heart and depth that lives up to the primary reasons why their first movie was so successful in the first place. They also have to stay true to Gene Roddenberry's legacy as well - an original and very human exploration format that has endured for so long. Still under top secret creation, there's still no real indication of what the big idea/plot for the sequel will be (arch enemies the Klingons, whose appearance in the previous film were cut, were rumoured to appear but it now looks unlikely, as is a future cameo from William Shatner as an older version of the original Kirk) though it has been officially released info-wise that the randy Captain will get a love interest (a new re-imagining of his lost love, Dr. Carol Marcus (seen in STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN), perhaps?). And will there be any truth to the rumours of the establishing of the new Vulcan, previously destroyed by nasty Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) in the last movie, playing a part in proceedings? We'll eventually find out...

On the colourful Bridge set of the Enterprise, populist film and TV series creator/writer/director J.J. Abrams goes through a scene with his stars.

To make up for the long wait between movies (sadly we never got to see a new film ready for the 45th Anniversary), the popular US comics publisher IDW, currently the home of all things TREK, have produced an original story that gives a new spin on the classic TREK episode "Where No man Has Gone Before' (the original William Shatner TREK pilot) and transferred it into this re-imagined TREK film Universe. The first issue, published a month ago, proved a critical success and was an immediate sell-out needing quick re-printing. Check out more info on the series here:
Star Trek New IDW Comic Series Debuts Tomorrow and Star Trek Orci, Johnson Talk Trek Comics, Movies And More

The movie poster for the most recent TREK movie.

A new sequel to the first movie book, by acclaimed sci-fi fantasy novelist and film/TV series novelisation adaptor Alan Dean Foster, previously delayed from release by US TREK publisher DEL REY, also looks set to materialize (sorry, couldn't resist it!) sooner rather than later...

KOOL TV WANTS ON DVD: "MICHAEL HAYES"

Serving and protecting New York: the cast of MICHAEL HAYES. L-R: Ruben Santiago Hudson, Rebecca Rigg, David Caruso, Hilary Danner and Peter Outerbridge. Images: CBS/SONY.

In between his starring role in the first season (and a bit of the second) of the controversial but equally ground breaking police drama created by Steven Bochco, NYPD BLUE (where he played the fiery abut vulnerable Irish-American Detective John Kelly) and his later stellar turn as the like him or hate him sun glasses wearing, cool demeanoured criminal tracking lead of Horatio Caine in CSI: MIAMI, now in its ninth worldwide highly popular series, actor David Caruso was the star of a sadly one season only "oddity" from 1997/98 called MICHAEL HAYES. Created by the talented, later Oscar winning, screenwriter Paul Haggis (who helped bring James Bond back to the big league for Daniel Craig's CASINO ROYALE in 2007), and John Romano (of MONK and HILL STREET BLUES work), the CBS shown series (later transmitted in the UK on Channel 4) was of a very high quality that should have  gone the distance seasons-wise (and probably would if it was made in today's TV environment), The show centred on former Detective Michael Hayes (Caruso) going into the legal system and, against all odds and hateful rivals, becoming Acting Deputy Prosecutor for the hustling and bustling individual universe that is New York city. Helping him in his complex and dangerous job (which completely dominates his time and will also go on to shatter what little he has of a personal life) is a core team of hand picked colleagues including CASTLE's Ruben Santiago-Hudson as streetwise Prosecution Court Detective Eddie Diaz, Hilary Danner as researcher/prosecutor-to-be Jenny Nevins, Rebecca Rigg as compassionate but determined prosecutor Lindsay Strauss, and 24/MILLENNIUM actor Peter Outerbridge as John Manning, who, at first, is Hayes antagonistic rival in the Prosecutions office, feeling he should have been the primary choice in the centre seat Hayes now occupies.

Fighting the odds, a pre-CSI: MIAMI David Caruso as Michael Hayes. 

With such a terrific locale as New York and its varying landscapes and peoples, backed up with gritty direction (from the likes of Thomas Carter, Allan Coulter, actor Peter Weller and Felix Alcala) and stylish cinematography, great guest casts (including Philip Baker Hall, ex-SUPERGIRL Helen Slater, and Dina Meyer), and some fine scripts (including contributions from NYPD BLUE's Gardner Stern) that covered a wide range of topics, mixing action with political intrigue, big and small time crime and fascinating legal/police procedurals in a step up from what had been seen in NYPD BLUE, Caruso, in his performance Michael Hayes, was almost like a prototype Horatio in many ways, especially in the way he trusted his team and was totally dedicated in the pursuit of justice-full of integrity, courage and honour as he faced off against some heavy hitting baddies and proving totally sympathetic to the victims whose rights and lives he's defending. Later episodes saw Hayes and his close circle of family (in his spare time he helps his widowed sister and her disabled child) and friends in danger from a shocking series of revelations that will affect both him and his position in the department, later putting him in the firing line of a lethal assassin in a season cliff-hanger that was sadly never resolved. MICHAEL HAYES proved to be a continuing series that US audiences didn't quite get into the way it was hoped they would by the show's makers...

Hayes and his Detective girlfriend, Rebecca Klein (Dina Meyer) survive a car bomb blast on the New York streets in one of the series opening episodes.

With the aforementioned success of CSI: MIAMI and David Caruso as Horatio Caine, now firmly front and centre in a strong and comfortable lead series that has captured TV audiences hearts and minds, I'm completely bewildered and surprised that MICHAEL HAYES hasn't been officially released on worldwide DVD by SONY TELEVISION (why not???!!) or repeated, as far as I'm aware, since 1999 by any UK digital satellite channels. You'd think someone out there would be shrewd enough to show it and catch on to the prior coat-tails of the Jerry Bruckheimer produced series and its now TV icon. I definitely think its about time MICHAEL HAYES 22 episodes got a much deserved re-run somewhere out there...

KOOL TV CLASSIC IMAGE: "THE SIMPSONS MOVIE"!

A legend reaches the big screen- Homer's belly!- in THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. Image: Copyright Matt Groening/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX.

Better late than never, the so far singular THE SIMPSONS MOVIE from 2007, based on the legendary television sitcom created by Matt Groening - the darling show of the George Bush senior household (Not!!!)- showing tonight on Channel 4 HD in the UK, is good fun for the majority of its lengthy, nearly 90 minutes, running time, and was a generally well received success with critics and with the bums on seats at the worldwide Box Office. The film, written by Groening alongside contributions from his usual scripting talents James L. Brooks and Mike Scully, has lots of funny moments whilst the general plot, involving that lovable family man/slouch/donut eating Homer becoming the enemy of the people- the entire town of Springfield- after he dumps dangerous toxic waste into the water supply that soon leads to the entire area being cordoned off from the world by President Schwarzenegger ("I was elected to lead. Not to read," he says determinedly, and in that droll German speech pattern, to one of his aides in a laugh-out loud moment!), with the help of his environmental protection agencies, is certainly memorable-I particularly like the scenes where, in a wonderful homage to the original FRANKENSTEIN movie's finale, the entire angry inhabitants of Springfield, burning torches in their hands, come out to hang, draw and quarter Homer for what he's done, as he and his family attempt a desperate escape and become exiles. As the film continues, cue in the obligatory smart dialogue, cute visual gags, pop culture references (how about that Spider-pig!), varying length appearances from the shows many iconic characters (though sadly not enough Mister Burns for my liking!), a few guest star voice overs here and there (like Tom Hanks and Albert Brooks) and a mayhem ensuing finale as Homer and son Bart lead the revolt to break out of the huge shield encircling their town (as well as getting rid of a big bomb about to detonate!), and you have a movie-despite the 18 year wait- that fans of all ages will enjoy, alongside some first class animation, proudly shown by their creators in 2-D (as the blurb said on the poster, anyway!)

Trailers:YouTube - ‪The Simpsons Movie Trailer HD‬‏ and YouTube - ‪Simpsons Movie Trailer HD 720p‬‏

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE is also available on DVD and Blu-ray, as are numerous seasons of the regular series.

"THE KILLING": A NEW US INTERPRETATION

The poster caption says it all. Discover the mystery in the US version of THE KILLING. Images: AMC.

Murder is a universal language and none more recognisable than by those clever people behind the scenes at the AMC network with their swift purchasing of the American rights to adapt the hugely popular and atmospherically complex, plot interweaving and character packed Danish crime drama/thriller series FORBRYDELSEN (also known as THE KILLING) into a new version set and made specifically for US audiences (though I still can't believe that the majority of American audiences can't or won't get involved in European series/films with subtitles. People can't be that inhibited, surely!), which has swiftly become a viewing sensation and highly compulsive, must see TV for them in much the same its been with the original version showing in Europe (with a hugely successful run on the UK's BBC 4). Now taking place in Seattle, the series centres around the murder of young school girl Rosie Larsen (whose disappearance would be the subject of a brilliant marketing campaign in the States that hasn't been seen since the likes of the shrink wrapped in plastic form of the late Laura Palmer in the early nineties TWIN PEAKS), and the subsequent investigation and pursuit of the culprit/s by two key police officers Sarah Linden (Michelle Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman). The case soon sends the pair into the darkest areas of the human condition as the twists and turns test not only their emotional well being and determination but also that of the deceased girls family (at first pictured as a palace of domestic and loving security, played by excellent character actress Michelle Forbes and Brent Sexton as parents Mitch and Stan Larsen, but soon fractured and revealed as far more complex with regards to inter-personal relationships and loyalties) and quickly enough everyone else around them, too, as the potential suspects grow larger and their interactions in such a tragic time become ever more inter-twined and diverted into unexpected paths and mystery, with important side links into the young girls educational and political interests (the latter's expanding sphere of influence represented by Darren Richmond, soon a prime candidate for Larsen's murder, as played by Billy Campbell-an actor once known in the eighties and early nineties for playing young heroes, but now comfortably settled into a career playing all kinds of memorable and seedy bad-guys!).

A terrible discovery for detectives Holder (Joel Kinnaman) and Linden (Michelle Enos).

A family devastated: Mitch (Michelle Forbes) and Stan Larsen (Brent Saxton).

Law and Order? Bill Campbell as politician Darren Campbell (centre) is a priority suspect in the murder case.

Truncated down from the Danish versions ambitious and always consistently well made/ produced 20 episodes to, for the US market, a more manageable 13-as it seems that, with the exception of 24 and, for the most part, LOST, most series with one over-arcing plot don't seem to sustain American viewers interest long enough- this new version of THE KILLING certainly seems to have comfortably made its mark straight from the offset with its opening episodes.

The case begins...

Trailer: YouTube - The Killing - Official First Look Trailer [HD]

On the kudos side, the new version does keep certain aspects of the 2007 original, too, like the series titles and music, the majority of its key characters (even if certain names/surnames have been changed), some of whom are similar looking and wear almost the same attire, and even skilfully recreating the brilliant and crucial to the show production design of the Larsen family house set. Critical reaction inside the US and from the aforementioned audiences, who have mostly never seen the Danish version, have been superior, and AMC have been very happy with such inspired and positive audience reactions and ratings figures-a second series is in the works. Overseas critics comparing the American interpretation to the Danish one have also responded favourably for the most part, though the foreign cast are still rightly regarded as the definitive, preferred versions of the characters, in particular original lead series star Sophie Grabol, superb as the fiery, straight-laced and very believable copper, Sarah Lund, and Lars Mikkelsen as the razor-sharp political maneuverer, Troels Hartmann.

Is there more to Mitch Larsen than meets the eye?

From the shielded safety of our protective and cosy armchairs, such horrors and danger, emotional loss and murder make for thoroughly addictive television, and as a huge fan of the original Danish version its going to be very interesting to watch and compare the first two episodes airing on the UK's CHANNEL 4 next week. And don't necessarily expect the US series resolution to match the original, either-this interpretation of THE KILLING may have a big and controversial surprise awaiting us at the end of its run!

Now on DVD, the original Danish version of THE KILLING.

The original Danish version-FORBRYDELSEN-is now available on DVD, and thoroughly excellent! Its second series is expected on the UK's BBC 4 later in the year.

POWER AND PRINCIPALITY: "CAMELOT"

High stakes for Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Morgan (Eva Green) in the new interpretation of CAMELOT. Image: STARZ

Just in time to cash in on the heavy dollops of sex and swordplay on offer in the hugely successful GAME OF THRONES HBO adaptation comes the US STARZ channel's ambitious new series CAMELOT to CHANNEL 4 this Saturday evening, based on, you guessed it, the birth and evolution of the Arthur legend (isn't it great that the UK has produced so many iconic characters and legendary heroes ripe for continual re-imagining? If there had been a publicist like Max Clifford back in the day when all these heroes, villains and myths were being formulated and perpetuated-passed through the generations- the film and TV purchasing rights would have been enormous!). It all looks glossy and enjoyable in its own way, with the fresh acting blood of Jamie Campbell Bower in the title role of the young man who will be king, and, as its produced by the people behind THE TUDORS, its more than likely to contradict, for its own story needs, everything that's ever been iconized about the character/saviour of the Dark Ages -if such a man could ever have existed- and his noble part in Ye Olde England's history. Whether such dramatic license will prove to be a good thing, and whether it can even top the likes of such quality works on the subject as John Boorman's superb and enchanting movie, EXCALIBUR, remains to be seen. I think we'll probably end up with a version of the tale one step up from Richard Gere and Sean Connery's 1995 attempt, KING ARTHUR, but with a bit more gritty realism, lots of gore and violence and the aforementioned bed hopping...

Watch your back, Arthur: that Morgan's a deadly lady!

There's definitely one major difference, however, between this and any other prior versions of the Arthur and Merlin legend: namely that it's got the rather lovely Eva Green in it, surely one of the most popular of James Bond girls in recent years after her performance as 007's doomed love Vesper Lynd in the hit Daniel Craig premiere CASINO ROYALE, and she's an actress with the kind of hypnotic and sexually beguiling, dangerous look in her eyes that's absolutely perfect for this kind of storytelling. She plays the important role of Morgan, the series principal antagonist, ambitious to claim the rightful throne that once belonged to her late father, King Uther. No doubt, as the series goes on, she'll make Helen Mirren's sultry and vindictive version of the role in EXCALIBUR look like a convent girl!

Joseph Fiennes as a slightly revised version of Merlin.

Arthur puts his point across to the masses...

The kind of all-star cast needed to propel this series into the public eye, described in the press publicity as being heavy on drama, politics and idealism, continues with the addition of FLASH FORWARD's Joseph Fiennes as a younger and more action heroic version of Merlin than we've been previously accustomed to, Claire Forlani as Arthur's mother Igraine, ROME's James Purefoy, lovely Tamsin Egerton as Arthur's tragic love Guinevere, Sean Pertwee and the always dependable action-hero Vincent Regan, so I'm sure they'll be enough eye candy to be enjoyed by both girls and boys as the story unfolds amongst the no doubt beautiful location backdrops of Ireland and Canada.

Trailer: YouTube - "Camelot" - NEW, long trailer STARZ

Fire and blood make their bedfellows with Arthur as he becomes King of England.

However many seasons it ultimately goes to, will CAMELOT make the kind of long term phenomenal impact that GAME OF THRONES has so quickly reached? Unlikely, I think (and English scripter Chris Chibnall, whose previous credits include LAW AND ORDER UK, DOCTOR WHO and TORCHWOOD, has hardly proved himself as one of the all-time great TV writers yet), but I certainly reckon it will have a good innings existence for the next few years at least across the world's digital TV platforms, their channels always desperate to have well made series in their schedules so as to bolster out their portfolios and viewing figures.

King Arthur remains an immortally interesting and enduring character across the world, and I have no doubts that this won't be the last time we'll see another romanticised series bearing either his name or legacy...