REFRESHED LINE-UP
WHAT’S that they say about the best-laid plans? Yes, that’s right: they often go awry.
Following a whirlwind trip to Joburg last week to learn more about M-Net 101’s fabulous new local content coming our way – and an exciting new extension to the Explora, the plan to write about that today has had to make way for lots of exciting new series on from tonight.
I will, however, urge you to watch Wingin’ It (M-Net 101, Sundays at 4pm) which is hilarious. Plus you get to see Siv Ngesi and Janez Vermeiren naked in the shower, and The Voice South Africa. I didn’t watch the first season but the clips from upcoming episodes (the blind auditions begin on Sunday at 5.30pm) have made me rethink things.
We have so much to get through, let’s begin with the housekeeping.
When Grey’s Anatomy returns to M-Net 101 from its production break on Monday at 7.30pm the show will no longer be broadcast Express From The US. This means the usual Express slot (Saturdays at 1am) will fall away. There is an explanation but it’s complicated, so just go with this and know it’s in our best interests.
The Big Bang Theory is on a production break until February 15 (Wednesdays at 8pm). Modern Family is also off M-Net 101 for a week, and back on February 15 at 7.30pm. The Blacklist is back on Wednesday at 9.30pm. Madam Secretary will go on a production break from Monday and resume on May 29 at 9.30pm. In its place is Australian four-part series Barracuda and the delayed broadcast of the Oscars on February 27, with further replacements to be announced later.
Blue Bloods was due back next Wednesday but episode 10 will be back only on April 12 at 8.30pm. Blindspot will return with new episodes on February 10 at 2am and in prime time on February 16 at 9.30pm, while Bull will resume new episodes on February 9 at 1.30am and 7.30pm. Lethal Weapon is back with a new episode on February 9 at 7.30pm.
On M-Net Edge, Homeland will go on a week production break and resume on Tuesday, February 14 at 2am and prime time at 8pm. Lucifer is off and his return hasn’t been confirmed; a selection of previous episodes of The Path and Masters Of Sex have been scheduled.
Over on Vuzu AMP, Gotham has been pulled and will return when Arrow concludes in May.
These changes were supplied by the channels, correct at the time of publication and subject to change. throughout the season so I think I will give this one a miss.
Riverdale (M-Net 101, 9.30pm): This one terrifies me even more. My comic book history is rooted in the stories of Archie Andrews and his love triangle with Veronica Lodge and Betty Cooper. That it’s written by Archie Comics’s chief creative officer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is little consolation as the comics have evolved and bear little resemblance to what I read. Greg Berlanti is the executive producer and while he has lots of experience with comic book adaptations, he worked on the failure that was Green Lantern. M-Net has covered itself by saying in the EPG that Riverdale was loosely based on the characters from the comics. It premiered in the US on January 26 and the feedback has been mostly positive. I’m still scared.
OZ (M-Net Edge, 10.10pm): This is one of the earliest HBO series (1997-2003) I can recall and one which set the bar high. I can’t recommend this prison drama highly enough. Among the cast are JK Simmons, Eamonn Walker (in Chicago Fire on M-Net 101 on Tuesdays at 7.30pm), Christopher Meloni (Law & Order SVU), Dean Winters (most recently seen in Divorce with Sarah Jessica Parker), Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), Kirk Acevedo (Band Of Brothers), Harold Perrineau (Lost, Sons of Anarchy), and Lee Tergensen, who since appeared in numerous television shows. It’s hardcore. It’s gritty. It’s terrifying. And it’s must-watch television. Ultimate Braai Master (e.tv, 4pm): A local and original award-winning reality competition series, which has been screened globally, returns for its fifth season. If you’ve been off the planet, Ultimate Braai Master is an outdoor cooking show that features various teams of two, each made up of a Braai Buddy and the Braai Master.
They travel to different parts of the country and compete against one another by cooking different dishes over the open flame or coals. The teams are given different cooking challenges and each week, the weakest team faces elimination. Hosted by Justin Bonello, this year’s judges are chef and chief executive of Kitchen Cowboys and MasterChef SA judge Peter GoffeWood, and fellow MasterChef judge, Tsogo Sun’s executive chef, Benny Masekwameng.
Planet Earth (BBC Earth, 4pm): The much-anticipated second season follows a decade after the first marked a milestone in natural history film-making, proving an intimate portrait of life on Earth. Ten years on, the unprecedented advances in filming technology and our understanding of the natural world means we can look at our planet from a completely new perspective. The series is presented and narrated by Sir David Attenborough. As it should be.
Mr Selfridge (BBC First, 9.20pm): Jeremy Piven plays Harry Selfridge, founder of the famous department store in London. I’ve been an avid follower of the series since it began, and not only love the era in which it is set – 1908 through to 1929 – but that it weaves in real life characters and events. For example, in last week’s episode two of season four, we saw the Dolly sisters (identical dancing actress twins) and the legendary singer Alberta Hunter. In episode three we’ll see Harry still grieving the loss of his mother but easing the pain by drinking and gambling in the company of Rosie Dolly.
The Magicians (M-Net Edge, Monday at 8pm): This Syfy series’s claim to fame is that Sera Gamble, one of the writers from Supernatural, worked on it. The dark fantasy drama, based on a book trilogy by Lev Grossman follows Quentin Coldwater (Jason Ralph), who enrols to be trained as a magician. At college he discovers the magical world from his favourite childhood books is real and poses a danger to humanity. Meanwhile, the life of his childhood friend Julia (Stella Maeve) is derailed when she is denied entry, and she searches for magic elsewhere. The series has been renewed for a second season.
Tina and Bobby (ITV Choice, Tuesday at 8pm): When England won the football World Cup in July 1966, Bobby Moore became a national hero. Swept up by the media frenzy and the nation’s adoration, he and wife Tina were the original “golden” couple. This three-part drama relates the story of the England and West Ham legend’s life with his childhood sweetheart, Tina Dean, from their humble beginnings to the dizzy heights of superstardom.
Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce (M-Net Edge, Wednesday at 8pm): Lisa Edelstein (House, M.D.) stars as Abby McCarthy, in this dramedy (still hate this word) about a best-selling author’s attempts at navigating life as a single woman in her 40s.
The show has been renewed for a fourth and fifth season, effectively concluding the series thereafter, but at least we still have that to look forward to. In the previous season, Abby’s ex Jake (Paul Adelstein, Private Practice) was literally left holding the baby as its mother did a runner so this is naturally going to cause all sorts of complications. Trivia: the late Carrie Fisher guest starred in two episodes as Abby’s agent.