Measuring up
A lone Spudnik produces a report card of sorts of these (relatively) new TV series that were much hyped about even before they aired.
Arrow Overall score: Plot development:
Lead actor:
8/10
In Season One, Oliver Queen survives a deathly shipwreck that claims the life of everyone on board, including his father. Queen is stranded on a strange and dangerous island for five years where he has to learn to fight for his survival. The pansy, spoilt jock has to man up and he does. He escapes and comes home to Starling City as a changed man with a vision: to rid the city of bad men. His father left him with a list of people who have “failed the city” and the Arrow is out to cross each one off the list by shooting them down with his weapon of choice: the arrow. The story develops and in Season Two, the Arrow meets several new and worthy adversaries.
Stephen Amell Hubba, hubba, hubba. OK, apart from the obvious visual appeal of Arrow’s lead actor, Amell is actually very convincing as Arrow, the hooded vigilante who punishes (he has almost stopped killing them!) bad guys. The Canadian plays billionaire playboy Oliver Queen who becomes a vigilante after a shipwreck leaves him stranded on a dangerous island, thus giving him lots of time to look back upon his life. Amell carries the action scenes (many of which he does himself) rather well. The only minus point? He is completely hung up over ex-girlfriend Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Yawn.
While a lot of the supporting cast are strong (I love Felicity Smoak played by Emily Bett Rickards and Manu Bennett – who is Deathstroke – kicks a$$ ), I really think Cassidy is a let down with her one dimensional acting and weak character. She drags the score down somewhat.
Supporting cast:
mental drug that causes him to transform into a “beast” when he gets angry. Kreuk is very pretty, but unfortunately, that’s about all I can say. She is bland (as she was in Smallville) as the lead and her co-star, Ryan isn’t much better – not at all convincing as a beast or a tormented man.
Well, compared to the leads, the supporting cast, namely Catherine’s partner, Tess (Nina Lisandrello) shines (almost) brightly.
Supporting cast: Bates Motel Overall score: Plot development:
8/10
This is a “contemporary prequel” to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic 1960 film Psycho. The series tells the back story of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the film. The setting is different – the TV show is set in White Pine Bay, Oregon, while the film was set in Fairvale, California, and the timeline of the series is current. It is intriguing, of course, as we are curious to see the makings of a psycho killer like Norman Bates.
Freddie Highmore and Vera
Lead actors:
Farmiga Oh, my god. These two shine – Highmore as the troubled and sensitive Norman Bates who is cuckolded by his mother and Farmiga as the mother whose obssesive love for her son borders on being inappropriate, at times. However, so good are their portrayals that you actually feel some sympathy for them, amidst the horror.
It’s hard to live up to the standards set by Highmore and Farmiga but most of the supporting cast do a pretty good job. A special mention to Max Thieriot who plays Norman’s stepbrother Dylan.
Supporting cast:
Nashville
8/10
The story centres around reigning “Queen of Country” music, Rayna and young upstart Juliette as well as the struggle for up-and-coming musicians to get a record deal in Nashville. Apart from the main story – Rayna is facing competition from Juliette who is garnering the support from the younger fan base. Her record label wants her to collaborate with Juliette but Rayna isn’t too keen as she dislikes Juliette’s brand of music. Juliette resents Rayna and is hell bent on being number one. It’s Nashville and country music so be prepared for lots of drama. Thankfully, there is also lots of good, original music too.
Connie Britton and Hayden
Lead actors:
Panettiere In the first place, I had no idea these two ladies could sing so (well, they ain’t no Dolly Parton, but ...) well. Britton is ace as the older, more mature, successful Queen of Country who is fighting to stay current and in the charts without compromising her style while Panettiere is super convincing as Juliette – the sexy, young starlett who is fighting to take Rayna’s place on the throne.
This show is choc-a-block with talented actors who can both sing and act (and they are super good looking, both the male and female). Standouts are Jonathan
Supporting cast:
Jackson as Avery Barkley and Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott.
Indra is flying solo today as Ann Marie Chandy hasn’t been very strict about her television schedule lately.