TALK NERDY TV - MAY 28th 2016

Peaky Blinders

The season came to a stunning climax and I can’t express enough how much of a gear up this whole season felt. This was the series which truly catapulted it into the category of one of the best TV shows you can ever watch. It was truly at its gritty, dark and seductive best. For me this has been why 'Thrones' has been in the villains so much. I used to love 'Thrones' because it would excite me at every turn, even in so called “slower” episodes, well now that baton has been well and truly passed to Mr. Thomas Shelby and his band of Peaky Blinders. The series was stunning from start to finish and left us with an ending that leaves so much open, that I am literally sat here salivating for what could come next in series 4.

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (by JB)

This man can do no wrong. He is quite possibly the most relevant, satirical comic across the water right now and is doing Britain very proud. He talks about issues that no-one seems to know are even happening. Thanks to him laws are being re-evaluated involving religious groups being exempt from paying tax. The man interviewed Edward Snowden in mother Russia. He opens your eyes to so much you hadn't seen before whilst at the same time, splitting your sides at how fucking ridiculous the world is and how easy it is for us to change it. This week he broke a world record and gave away the biggest cash prize since Oprah gave a car to every audience member on her show that day. How? Watch, learn, laugh and cry.

Billions

Last week we got an episode which featured Metallica, that in itself was probably worthy of a mention. I am a truly biased man who would probably say anything was totally amaze balls as I turn into a massive fan boy at the sight of the awesome James Hetfield, but this show is really starting to strut its stuff as well. I was intrigued but not convinced by episode 1, slowly and forcefully as we have got here to episode 5 i find myself fixated in a storyline that seemed distant to me at first. I wasn’t interested in stocks or billionaires, but this has gripped me more than I thought it could and i find myself drawn to it. Once again i feel the need to mark out the two main lead performances in this, as they are about as good as it gets, watching Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis go at each other in this titanesque battle of acting is making for memorable and essential watching each week.

Preacher (by JB)

This show is like a super-natural 'Breaking Bad' in its tone. It is very dark but the humour is still there to crack a smile between the looks of horror on your face. Dominic Cooper has become my man-crush. Is it his chiseled good looks and bad boy swagger, or is it because he is a man of the church and I can never have him? Who knows. All's I know is that there are not many shows where you can refer to a scene using only a noun. All's that I will say is, the Chainsaw scene. Wow.

Top Gear (by JB)

Was it as bad as last week? No. Is it an entertaining motoring show? No. My father and I sat there and laughed at the trip to Africa, "Ooooooh"-ed at the supercar and enjoyed some of Matt LeBlanc's quips. We still had the same problems though. A voraciously loud Chris Evans who began the show wheeled out in a coma before unfortunately awakening. Then we had 4 guests being interviewed. FOUR! Graham Norton you are not Mr Evans as a section I deemed messy last week became a mighty shambles! Afterwards my dad turned to me and asked "What did you learn from that show about cars?" I couldn't really tell him anything. He then pointed out that whilst Clarkson and co did indeed fuck about, they talked about motoring. "THE NEWS!!" Clarkson would exclaim and tell us about upcoming models, current issues and changes in the law or driving standards. "This is meant to be an entertaining, motoring show and at the moment it is neither." My thoughts too dad.

Game of Thrones

I made the statement last week I felt this was the weakest season yet. I stick by that. It just doesn't seem to be exciting me anymore. I feel like I am just waiting...and waiting… and waiting for the ending where suddenly something interesting happens and everyone is supposed to forget how dull the episode has been. This is a long way away from the thrones which gave us the Red Wedding. I know not every episode can do to us what that did yet we are being sauntered through this season at such a pedestrian pace that I find it hard not to complain. I feel there have been good moments this series, more often than not involving our favourite blonde Khaleesi. On the other hand a lot of the other plot lines are simply soooooo dull. I know there are many out there thinking I am being harsh on this and I am willing to listen to that, but for me, I used to get to Monday and be so excited to get home from work and I have simply lost that feeling. This series needs to take a massive gear shift up and immediately.