Return Of The Matt: Doctor Who, Series 7 Part 2.

As an avid Doctor Who fan, I was beyond excited about the return of the show after Series 7 was (stupidly, in my opinion) split into two parts.
Series 7, Part 2, Episode 1 witnessed the return of not only the Doctor, but Clara, who is forever there and forever dying without becoming a 'proper' assistant. Is this the episode where she will finally join the tradition of the female assistant?

Series Round Up: Lightfields.

I've just finished watching ITV's compelling supernatural drama Lightfields, and wow I am impressed.

I enjoyed the prequel - Marchlands - but felt that it dragged on a bit too long and the 'big twist' wasn't worth the wait. The grandad was being a saucy buggar, who cares.

But ITV managed these ailments by packing much more action and drama into their episodes; not once did I feel bored or even the slightest desire to fast-forward the show. And, the ending is considerably better than Marchlands!

Plebs: The Orgy.

A friend of mine has just recommended this show to me as she was undecided on it. I had heard of it but it had completely slipped my mind, what with college and revision, so I'm very grateful I was reminded! As you probably already know, I love a good ol' comedy, so was hoping to be impressed by ITV's new offering despite them not being known for their comedy (that is definitely still Channel 4's stronghold).

The opening scene made me laugh simply because it was so strange having the whole nightclub/bouncer scenario set in Rome in 27 BC, especially the ridiculously long recounting of names to try weasle their way onto the guestlist! Nowadays, all you have to do is 'drop someone an inbox' if you want to be on the guestlist of a club night; it does actually seem forever ago that people actually had to sweet-talk bouncers (or flash some flesh) to get in on the cheap. The contrast between the modern day behaviour and speech - there's at least one mention of "the hood" - and the historic setting seems to exaggerate this, although maybe a tad too much, ITV!

Our Girl: Our Reality.

I've just finished watching BBC drama Our Girl, starring former 'Eastender' Lacey Turner, and all I can feel is an overwhelming warming of the heart.
The show depicts the maturing of typical teenager Molly Dawes, starting with her 18th birthday and consequent 'piss-up'. We've all experienced it: the shots, the laughter, then the downfall of the arguments and screams of "you slag". It seems Eastenders was brilliant training for Turner, she hit them high pitched screams perfectly.

Is Bridesmaids Really The Female Version Of The Hangover?

Firstly, I'm fully aware I am way behind everybody else by only watching Bridesmaids tonight, and so apologies that this post might not fit exactly into the niche of 'newest TV/music/film'; yes, it's probably false advertising, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to write this post. As per, I have a lot to say. 

Prior to watching Bridesmaids, I'd heard A LOT of comparisons between it and The Hangover. Whilst I recognised some similarities (which seemed to suggest Bridesmaids was just ripping off The Hangover concept for ensured success) I don't even think they belong to the same film genre and so can't really do an in-detail versus review. 

All I know is this: The Hangover beats Bridesmaids. Hands. Down. 

Twitter Find Of The Day: Parrington Jackson.

I spend a lot of my time on social networks, particularly Twitter. Twitter is a fantastic platform for small bands to promote themselves and increase their audience, which is one of the reasons I love it so much.
Earlier today, I was followed by Parrington Jackson (find their Twitter page here), a little band from Bristol who provide "waves of harmonies, guitars and synths with their brand of electro rock". 

Caught Live: Little Comets.

Little Comets first came to my attention last summer when they performed in Middlesbrough during the Olympic Torch relay. I've seen them live twice now, and both times they've thoroughly impressed me.
I feel a duty to promote this band, because they're reside not too far from where I live. This isn't the only reason I'm doing it though, they do deserve more recognition for their sound. I feel they will start getting this after their position supporting Biffy Clyro on their Opposites tour (even if this was just for the Newcastle date).

In The Flesh: Dead Good.

First of all, apologies for the awful pun in my title, but I couldn't resist!

In The Flesh is a new three-part drama broadcast on BBC3. I first caught wind of it on social network sites last month, and so have been eagerly waiting for its premiere. And I have to admit, I wasn't disappointed!
I did have some worries that it would be cheesy-supernatural, a la Warm Bodies, but thankfully BBC3 avoided this more modern stereotype of the supernatural, whilst at the same time humanising it.

Youngers: Painfully Stereotypical.

I've just caught new E4 teen drama Youngers on the Channel 4 website, ahead of its start date of Wednesday 20 March. I can't quite decide if its better that I wasted my time now rather than then. All that really matters is that it was an utter waste of time.

The show follows two teenagers, Jay and Yemi, fresh from school and juggling the pressures of results day and aiming to be the next big thing on the urban music scene.

There's something painfully cringey about the depiction of teenagers on TV nowadays: Skins, Misfits, and now Youngers represent my generation in such a bad light it's no wonder society is so dead-set against us having any kind of responsibility. But at least Misfits and Skins (barring both shows' last series) were enjoyable to watch. Coincidentally, one of the writers of Youngers is Georgia Lester, who also co-wrote Skins; when I discovered this, I had high hopes. But they were soon dashed.

A New Heart-Warming Comedy: The Mimic.

I like to keep up-to-date with all the latest comedy shows, and so was intrigued by the announcement of The Mimic, described as "a heart warming comedy" by Channel 4.

Now, it wasn't 'laugh out loud' funny, but it was entertaining and it certainly was "heart warming".The show pivots on likeable central character Martin (who you may recognise as 'Terry Wag-wan' from Very Important People), a deeply unsatisfied man tries to better himself after discovering he could be a father. We like him because he's a bit odd; he doesn't seem to mind showcasing his remarkable talent for impressions in the middle of the street, risking a few funny looks from passers-by. These impressions are genuinely brilliant, and entertaining, which is a success for the show in itself.

Adam Geraghty: A Haunting Introductory EP From A Remarkable 14 Year Old.

Earlier today, I was tweeted by a young Irish musician by the name of Adam Geraghty, asking me to check him out and let me know what I think. I always try and check out any new musicians who follow me on Twitter, 'cos you never know what talent you could discover by a simple click of a mouse.

After listening to Geraghty's EP 'Resolve', I can safely say this young musician shows promise in a difficult industry. I think I made the wrong decision in listening to 'Sticks and Mud' first, as I wasn't keen initially and it is my least favourite on the EP! However, I endeavoured to listen to the full EP a few times, and I am now so glad I did! Even 'Sticks and Mud' has become easier listening after a few runs through; I have this innate system which renders me put off by anything too out the ordinary, so the vocals initially triggered this, yet I can now appreciate the musicality of the piece and the interweaving of the main and backing vocals which gives it a more emotional edge, I feel.

Busking Heroes: The Glass Caves.

I first came across The Glass Caves on a daytrip to York in 2012; they were busking in the city centre, flogging free EPs and corrupting my exploration of the city due to the crowd they had amassed. This was a short-lived annoyance, however, as I soon paid attention to their music (and that afro!) and realised they were worth the attention they were gaining. Unfortunately, this interesting band completely slipped my mind after my day in York, until the powers of Facebook 'pages' ensured they were on my NewsFeed earlier today. Listening to them again, I am confident that this band needs to be supported and will develop and progress to great things.

The sound of The Glass Caves is unique. Although it does have an American indie/alternative edge, this is consolidated by a Britishness from the soaring vocals and intricate guitar sets, which are reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club in many respects. This, along with the powerful percussion in 'Muscle' gives them a summery sound ideal for major festivals in the future. Although they've only featured at small festivals so far, such as the Crooked Ways Festival in their hometown in 2012 and Barwick Music Festival (possibly the smallest festival in the country, ever), it's not so far-fetched to imagine The Glass Caves at Reading & Leeds in years to come if they gain the right exposure.

My New 'Go-To' Music: Imagine Dragons.

Imagine Dragons, from Las Vegas, are fast becoming a sensation across the Atlantic. Yet not many people seem to know who they are over here.
I first stumbled across the band on Spotify a few months ago, and have since become obsessed with probably their most popular song, 'Radioactive'.

Introducing The Talks.

Mindlessly searching through YouTube earlier, I stumbled on a BBC Introducing feature for Yorkshire band The Talks. And I must say, I enjoyed the feature so much, I clicked on The Talks' YouTube channel and listened to the rest.

In some songs, like 'Can't Stand the Rain' (which the band have performed live in a Hollyoaks episode) they have a Paolo Nutini vibe about them. 'Can't Stand the Rain' is one of those songs you will have heard before. It's so cheerful and 'pencil full of lead' that you can't help but humming along by the end of it.
Their sound is very much a hybrid between the reggae genre and a punky edge, which is particularly prominent is 'Killer Sinner'. I found myself being reminded of Madness in some respects, because of the fun musical tones they add to their songs. You'll know exactly what I mean if you listen to 'Politricks'.

Anna & Katy. Proving Women Comedians Are NOT Funny.

Last night saw the premiere of Channel 4's new "comedy" sketch show Anna & Katy. 

As you can gather from the use of quotation marks, it really was not funny at all. I failed to really heartily laugh even once. I did childishly snigger at their take on Countdown however. But only the first time. And not because the sketch was funny; the show was called "Kuntworts" and I'm prone to immaturity when it comes to that particular rude word. Even the novelty of the 'C word' had wore off by the second sketch of "Kuntworts" though, rendering me unsatisfied and certainly not amused.

Tom Odell: A Worthy Critics' Choice Winner.

I've just got tickets to see the BRITs Critics' Choice, Tom Odell, in Newcastle in October. Here, I explain why you should grab the opportunity to see him live in such intimate venues while you can.

I was introduced to the sound of Tom Odell a few months ago through friends and BBC Radio One, and instantly fell in love with his raw talent and the passion he conveys in each of his songs. I can't think of anyone comparable to Odell in his sound or the sheer effort he puts into the emotion of his performance, which makes him the obvious choice to receive the acclaimed BRIT award of Critics' Choice.

Why I'm Giving Broadchurch A Chance.

Broadchurch. A fictional seaside town where nothing is as it seems. In my opinion anyway.

After watching the first episode of ITV's new mystery drama last night, I have to admit I'm intrigued to watch this plot play out.
The boundless list of recognisable faces first drew me to this new drama;  I couldn't resist not tuning in to Broadchurch simply because I was suffering withdrawal symptoms from my favourite Doctor, David Tennant. So you can imagine my disappointment when, 10 minutes into the hour-long episode, Tennant had still not graced my screen! Thankfully, he was just round the corner, after the scenic, dark, tension-building bit.

Les Miserables.. Don't Even Bother.

Last night I finally allowed myself time away from college work to relax and watch multi-award winning Les Miserables. I've been beyond excited to see this film since it was released, and therefore cannot even begin to describe my sheer disappointment at the resulting 2 and a half hours of boredom.
The plot was okay, but each individual plot line seemed to be over in minutes leaving you feeling greatly  underwhelmed at each "climax".

AlunaGeorge: My Sound Of 2013.

AlunaGeorge, most famous for their recent collaboration with Disclosure, are fast becoming one of my favourite artists of 2013, despite gaining 0 marks for originality of name - their blend of members Aluna Francis and George Reid has fake echoes of that X Factor audition:

"Hi I'm John. And I'm Edward. And together we're John and Edward"

What they lack in group name, they certainly make up for in their music.

Black Mirror, Catch It On 4od. Now.

2013 has witnessed the magnificent return of the satirical, grumpy, piss-taking Charlie Brooker. And it's a double whammy. Not only do we have Weekly Wipe on BBC2 (which I personally shocked at, Charlie Brooker seems a bit  too opinionated to be trusted by the BBC) but also the phenomenal series that is Black Mirror.

Hello!

This is my first ever blog  post on my first ever blog, so please bear with me!
I'm an 18 year old aspiring journalist, and will (hopefully!) be studying English Literature at Newcastle University next year.
I'm hoping that through this blog, I will introduce at least one person to something new and something enjoyable; I'm going to be reviewing all kinds of things and recommending them to you all. TV shows, music, films, products, absolutely anything that I like and think others will too!
So over the next few days, I'm going to be keeping my eyes open for things that I think need to be exposed and 'plugged' as it were, hope you enjoy reading my upcoming blog posts!

Ellie x