Enlightened - Episode 10 (Season Finale)

Amy is mad and she is not going to take it anymore. 

Sadly, DSTV has not given viewers much of an opportunity to fall in love with the self destructive reborn corporate hippie Amy Jellicoe. Screening double episodes of Enlightened late on Saturday evenings on M-Net Series the first season of this remarkable comedy drama was over so quickly that most viewers have probably never even heard of it.

Tonight, in the season finale, Amy has another spectacular work place blow out when she declares war on Abaddon Industries, busts out the gasoline, soaks the offices and drops a match. How is she ever going to recover from this one?  Or is her over the top breakdown perhaps all just a clever metaphor?

With a unique mix of touching drama and laugh out loud hilarity, Enlightened has not only earned Laura Dern a Golden Globe for her portrayal of a modern day corporate Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde, but it is definitely one of the best series to hit our screens this year.  

Watch Amy set fire to Enlightened on M-Net Series tonight at 22h30 and 23h00

Winners & Losers - Episode 22 (Season Finale)

What is it with season finales and weddings?  Quirky Australian comedy drama Winners & Losers comes to an end tonight when Bec and Matt finally get their dream wedding. But the happiness is short lived when Bec gets a nasty surprise.

Winners and Losers Season 1 concludes on M-Net Series tonight at 20h30

Enlightened - Episode 1

A raging corporate lunatic throws away her shampoo, dons a pair of sandals and becomes a zenned out modern day hippie in Enlightened.

After an over the top workplace meltdown, Amy Jellicoe (brilliantly portrayed by Laura Dern) finds her true voice and higher self in Hawaii and returns to her old job to spread love, serenity and utter confusion to "a corporate parasite that is raping the land and people and, like, drugging America's kids".

Laugh out loud funny, yet touching, Enlightened brings unexpected joy to M-Net Series on Saturdays at 22h30

Enlightened also stars Luke Wilson and Diane Ladd, Dern's real life mother. Dern won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the zen garden on a volcano that is Amy.

  

Jane by Design - Pilot Review

It's a well established fact that teenage girls can do anything: solve murders, battle vampires, save mankind, and yes, even take on the fashion world. After all, these things are much easier than being popular and getting a boyfriend.

Pretty Jane Quimby (Erica Dasher) is supposedly a plain and dateless high school student. She is also mistaken for being a twentysomething career woman and unintentionally lands a job at fashion house Donovan Decker as executive assistant to Gray Chandler Murray, a Miranda Priestly archetype played by Andie McDowell.  Even though she calls Jane by the wrong name, tells her she won't last a week and continuously puts the phone down in her ear, the only thing genuinely horrible about this ice queen wannabe is the acting.

But not to worry, Jane has many handsome love interests:  the stereotypical high school jock, the philandering head designer at Donovan Decker and maybe even her best friend Billy. Will Jane be able to make a success of her job? How long will she keep her age under wraps? And more importantly, will she finally get a boyfriend?

Quirky high school teen drama and Devil Wears Prada knock off, Jane by Design is a visual treat with lots of pretty people and pretty clothes but ultimately leaves much to be desired. Unless you are teenage girl.

Jane by Design airs on M-Net Series on Fridays at 19h30

DRAMA ALERT: Top Chef Just Desserts - Episode 4

Tonight, the creme anglais hits the fan, as in a dramatic turn of events, not one, but TWO contestants leave the show before Gail can politely ask them to leave. You won't believe the chaos that paper cups can unleash when mental disease is exploited on reality television.  Don't miss it!

Top Chef Just Desserts airs on M-Net Series on Saturdays at 19h30.

WHY WOULD YOU WATCH: Top Chef Just Desserts?

1. Desserts and more desserts

Top Chef Just Desserts is all about pastries and desserts. Part science, part arts and craft, the show introduces us to the joy of fabulous desserts. Featuring chocolate fudge cakes, banana cream pies, pralines, bombes and many more, these vivid and luscious creations are feast for all the senses.


2.  Gail Simmons

Scott Schafer / Bravo

The ever delightful Gail Simmons takes a step up from her role as judge on Top Chef and hosts the new show.  She is joined by Johnny Iuzzini, Hubert Keller and Dannielle Kyrillos as judges.

3.   Drama like you've never seen on Top Chef

From the self titled "Snow Queen" to the utterly disturbed Seth Caro, Top Chef Just Desserts dishes up a bevvy of delusion and crazy the likes of which we have never seen on a cooking show.  Last week Seth had a complete emotional breakdown in the Quickfire challenge when his sorbet did not set in time.  A mere mortal would have been annoyed or depressed,  34 year old Seth started ranting and eventually crawled in under a table, weeping uncontrollably and babbling on about his mommy. (If you are an avid watcher of the show, you would probably have noticed that Seth is missing from the promotional picture above.  Keep watching to find out why!)

On a different note, fellow contestant Morgan Wilson was arrested soon after the end of the show on allegations relating to child pornography.  Watch out for scenes where he waxes lyrical about the virtues of little children.

Top Chef Just Desserts airs on M-Net Series on Saturdays at 19h30.

Terriers - Episode 3

Must see TV, the Terriers are down and out but lovable ex cop Hank (Donal Logue) and ex-thief Britt (Michael Raymond-James), who run an unlicensed PI business from a beat up old truck to get by. 

In episode 3 less than honest Hank gets so desperate to secure a loan to buy his ex-wife's house that he takes on work from a loan officer, promising him a loan in return for proof of his wife's infidelity.  Poor Hank quickly realises that the wife is actually faking her affair in an attempt to satisfy her deeply troubled and masochistic husband, and he ends up helping her by concocting photos of a phoney motel interlude.  But when he ends up sleeping with her himself later, things go terribly wrong.  Meanwhile, Britt has to cope with a blast from the past when one of his criminal buddies comes knocking. 

Whilst the subject matter is a bit heavy, the approach is refreshing and light and the characters are warm and believable.  Clever, rich and engaging, Terriers is marvel in this day of hypnotic paint by numbers crime dramas and cop shows.

Terriers stakes out M-Net Series on Thursdays at 21h30.

Unnatural History - Pilot

It's the Harry Potter of history, Henry Griffin!  Unnatural History plots the adventures of young Henry (Kevin G. Schmidt) and his two side kicks, nerdy but loyal Jasper (Jordan Gavaris) and book smart and cheeky Maggie (Italia Ricci) as they creep around old gothic buildings, spout latin and solve historical mysteries.

A worthy protagonist, Henry is no ordinary teen.  His parents are travelling anthropologists, so he has been exposed to those mythical countries that are rumoured to exist beyond the borders of the US. As a result he has attained mysterious powers and can climb a wall like Spider Man, catch darts out of mid air and beat up adults with slow motion kung-fu.  He is a complete stranger to uniquely American institutions such as sarcasm and high school though.

Charming nonsense and harmless holiday fun, Unnatural History is fast paced, entertaining and educational: a history lesson with a Harry Potter dynamic for extra spice that is not just aimed at the tween market.

A live action product of the Cartoon Network, Unnatural History cleverly resides on M-Net Series on Wednesdays at 19h30 instead. 

Glory Daze - Pilot

An American coming of age college comedy that is for the juvenile and sex starved only.

This junk was cancelled halfway through the first season.  Honestly, rather read a book.


Glory Daze airs during prime time on M-Net Series on Saturdays at 20h30. 

What were they thinking?

Things to ponder this Christmas - no.4

Hounded by an insubordinate employee, attacked in their own home and living in constant fear.

So how come we don't hear them threatening to emigrate?

Don't forget about American Horror Story on M-Net Series on Fridays at 22h30.

American Horror Story - Pilot

American Horror Story comes from the stable of the creators of Nip/Tuck and Glee. Whilst the characters do not randomly break into choreographed song, it similarly tests the boundaries of television.   Every scene is a little horror movie on its own, crammed with images and techniques from every known movie or series in the genre.  And whilst there is very little originality in the various elements of the story, the end product is so concentrated and intense that the experience is totally unique.

The story. In 1978 two spoilt twin brothers die in an old haunted house.  In the current day, a family moves into the same house, which has apparently been lovingly restored.  They bring their own demons.  Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton) is still suffering from the consequences of a traumatic miscarriage, whilst trying to overcome the infidelity of her psychologist husband, Ben (Dylan McDermott).  Their chain smoking daughter, Violet (Tessa Fermiga) has to adjust to the new school and violent bullying from a female class mate.  

Some excitement comes when creepy neighbour Constance (Jessica Lange) invades their house in search of her vicious  Down Syndrome daughter.  Housekeeper, Moira (Francis Conroy) also forces her way into their lives, bizarrely manifesting as a young sex kitten to philandering Ben. Vivien is impregnated by a man in a gimp suit.  She thinks it's Ben, but the viewer knows it's not.

Dodging Moira's affections, Ben starts up his psychology practice from the house and encounters Tate (Evan Peters), a deliciously psychotic young man. Tate takes a liking to Violet, to the great distress of Ben.  Tate helps her to scare off the school bully by luring her into the basement of their haunted house.  But when, in the climax of the pilot, he unleashes terrifying and violent visions on them, she chases him from the house.

The story clearly needs time to evolve away from the cliched premise, but shows enough promise to keep our interest.  Rated 18, and littered with violence, depravity, deformity and sagging naked man ass, this is strictly late night viewing material.  Keep an eye out for Zachary Quinto in later episodes.

American Horror Story lurks on M-Net Series on Fridays at 22h30.