Two recent disappointments...

[Cal]

Sinbad (Sky 1 HD)

It's a family friendly show, so I understand it's never going to have the same violence, sex and harsh language as something like Game of Thrones or Spartacus, but even so this was still a very tepid affair, failing to live up to its billing in almost every respect. The light-weight script is probably the biggest culprit, followed closely by some casting issues. Sinbad himself, played by Elliot Knight (a good-looking young fella), just about scrapes through, but the supporting cast are a pretty vapid bunch at best, all of whom seem almost totally lacking in enthusiasm for the plot (such as it is). I also took issue with some of the wardrobe decisions - Sinbad in a nice v-neck T-shirt and a pair of espadrilles..? Really?

I'll give this one another go, but it's not off to a good start. Too many bum notes.

The Newsroom (Sky Atlantic HD)

This one had promise - scripted by Aaron Sorkin, it promised much and early trailers seemed to suggest it might actually deliver. Alas. The opening feature-length episode was a clunky business - a bit by-the-numbers even for Sorkin and his scattershot scripting. Jeff Daniels inhabits the character of middle-aged disillusioned prime-time news anchor Will McAvoy pretty well - and it's a character with great potential; sadly little if any of that was on show in this opening episode. McAvoy has issues and sees himself grown soft and apolitical in the fast-moving word of modern 24-hour US broadcast news. His estranged partner, played by Emily Mortimer, promptly reappears in his life (and his newsroom) as his new Executive Producer on a mission to bring him back to 'real' reporting, 'real' journalism. It's a motif that was played out to Oscar-winning effect back in the 70's in the truly excellent Network in which Peter Finch plays the prototype for Daniels' character - a well-known news anchorman on the verge of a nervous breakdown and a devastating intellectual crisis.

I usually enjoy Sorkin's scripts - that punchy, fast-moving word-play he's made his trademark - but here his plot stumbles, even repeats itself, and his characters seem more like cyphers, less like people you actually want to care about. Daniels puts in a spirited performance (the opening scene remains the best in the entire episode), but the whole thing soon degenerates into liberal hectoring almost too easily, whilst the focus on side-characters and their trivial relationships is a constant irritation, getting in the way of the story and leading to some cringeworthy moments.

Again, this is early days - but some reports from the States predict things don't really get any better as the series progresses. I'm hoping they are wrong.

[Skippy]

HarrisonFord.gif

[Vermin]

The Newsroom (Sky Atlantic HD)

This one had promise - scripted by Aaron Sorkin, it promised much and early trailers seemed to suggest it might actually deliver. Alas. The opening feature-length episode was a clunky business - a bit by-the-numbers even for Sorkin and his scattershot scripting. Jeff Daniels inhabits the character of middle-aged disillusioned prime-time news anchor Will McAvoy pretty well - and it's a character with great potential; sadly little if any of that was on show in this opening episode. McAvoy has issues and sees himself grown soft and apolitical in the fast-moving word of modern 24-hour US broadcast news. His estranged partner, played by Emily Mortimer, promptly reappears in his life (and his newsroom) as his new Executive Producer on a mission to bring him back to 'real' reporting, 'real' journalism. It's a motif that was played out to Oscar-winning effect back in the 70's in the truly excellent Network in which Peter Finch plays the prototype for Daniels' character - a well-known news anchorman on the verge of a nervous breakdown and a devastating intellectual crisis.

I usually enjoy Sorkin's scripts - that punchy, fast-moving word-play he's made his trademark - but here his plot stumbles, even repeats itself, and his characters seem more like cyphers, less like people you actually want to care about. Daniels puts in a spirited performance (the opening scene remains the best in the entire episode), but the whole thing soon degenerates into liberal hectoring almost too easily, whilst the focus on side-characters and their trivial relationships is a constant irritation, getting in the way of the story and leading to some cringeworthy moments.

Again, this is early days - but some reports from the States predict things don't really get any better as the series progresses. I'm hoping they are wrong.

You might like this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/09/aaron-sorkin-verbal-tics-technical-impossibility-self-plagiarism

[Tafdolphin]

I've heard nothing but bad things about The Newsroom, which is hugely disappointing considering it's from Sorkin.

[Vermin]

[Scotticus Erroticus]

I hope you're wrong because Sinbad looked very promising

[tomvek]

Been looking forward to 'The Newsroom' but haven't had time to watch it yet. Trailers looked great so it's a shame it isn't quite as good as everybody was expecting. I'll be watching it all anyway as it'll be better than most of the crap on TV.

[Crimson]

The Newsroom is getting pretty harshly treated in the media, a bit unfairly so I think. Most of the articles about it have amounted to 'strawberry float Sorkin', it's like everyone has a vendetta against him. It's really nowhere near as bad as people are making it out to be; sure it's overly preachy and transparent but that's Sorkin for you. The other elements of the show (of far) have gotten off to a mostly great start.

[Cal]

I hope you're wrong because Sinbad looked very promising

Opening episodes can be notoriously hit-and-miss. Sinbad's got a nice enough fella playing lead; he's got charm and certain engaging mischievousness necessary to the part. Let's see how this one goes...

[Bigerich]

Won't be the same without

[Skarjo]

Prometheus.

Clunky, blunt, silly, nonsensical, meandering, cod-philosophical tosh.

Chernobyl Diaries

Not bad, per se, just a disappointment given the potential of the premise.

[Vermin]

Prometheus.

Clunky, blunt, silly, nonsensical, meandering, cod-philosophical tosh.

Totally agree. Idris Elba was also bloody awful (was it meant to be Texan?), and the music was a punch in the groin.

[Tafdolphin]

Prometheus.

Clunky, blunt, silly, nonsensical, meandering, cod-philosophical tosh.

Totally agree. Idris Elba was also bloody awful (was it meant to be Texan?), and the music was a punch in the groin.

Urgh. Why did no-one mention this in their reviews: the main theme was strawberry floating atrocious. Gave the film completely the wrong backdrop.

[Vermin]

Prometheus.

Clunky, blunt, silly, nonsensical, meandering, cod-philosophical tosh.

Totally agree. Idris Elba was also bloody awful (was it meant to be Texan?), and the music was a punch in the groin.

Urgh. Why did no-one mention this in their reviews: the main theme was strawberry floating atrocious. Gave the film completely the wrong backdrop.

Had an almost Star Trek feel to the music.

[Tafdolphin]

I thought it sounded like something off a David Attenborough doc.

[TheTurnipKing]

Sinbad (Sky 1 HD)

It's a family friendly show, so I understand it's never going to have the same violence, sex and harsh language as something like Game of Thrones or Spartacus.

By all accounts it doesn't even have the violence, sex and harsh language of Doctor Who.

A shame. Seems like a lot of wasted potential, but there's something just not quite firing.

[Eighthours]

Prometheus.

Clunky, blunt, silly, nonsensical, meandering, cod-philosophical tosh.

Totally agree. Idris Elba was also bloody awful (was it meant to be Texan?), and the music was a punch in the groin.

Urgh. Why did no-one mention this in their reviews: the main theme was strawberry floating atrocious. Gave the film completely the wrong backdrop.

Did it even have a main theme?

[Tafdolphin]

Well, the music over the opening credits then. I think it replayed at the end too.

Awful.

[Ario]

So far I've really enjoyed the newsroom

[HSH28]

I think that Newsroom is getting better, also not like it was terrible to start with.

Its automatically better than most of the TV out there at the moment.