New Discoveries!!!

Long weekend this weekend and I was moping around wondering what I could do that would be interesting.. have a sprained ankle so can't go out..so television it would have to be and .... I came across this... all I can say is WOW

The first episode is a bit slow but I was hooked by the second. The supporting cast is fantastic.. and I fell in love with all the characters... reminded me almost of my boarding school experience which was run by Irish nuns at the time. The first season is out as well as a Christmas special... there are only 6 episodes in the first season.. and I don't know if the male audience would love the show... but do give it a go... I am hooked...oh and PS. Yes a second season has been scheduled for March !

Another series that caught my eye because of my love for Downton Abbey, Michelle Dockery better known as Lady Mary Crawley from the series was in it. Though the major roles are with Haley Atwell and Rufus Sewell... This is a BBC Spy thriller ..its a two part series and a fun watch

Looks like I will be making some film discoveries over this weekend as well.... and shall continue to share as I come across these wonderful treasures. By the way if you haven't already seen this another production that I absolutely loved and recommend is 

I love the juxtoposition between the story of what was happening in the 40's and today... Its the first time I have come across a western production that tells the story of the Jewish settlers coming to Palestine with .. what I think is a more balanced view... the Jewish community may not agree... not sure... but regardless...its a fantastic series and a must watch for sure.. only 4 episodes though each episode is quite long...Channel 4 has done a fantastic job with this! 

Well that's it for this week...hope you enjoy the new year and as always..Happy Viewing :) you can leave a comment here or write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com

Christmas Delights

The Downton Abbey Christmas special finally aired!!

And yes there are wonderful surprises ... and no I will not give it away..watch it you must! But if you are ok  with a spoiler... read this hint to see what happens ... Could not find a trailer

Nigellissima came back with the 7th episode

And happy to report that finally it was a  good episode with some great recipes.. so worth watching 

I know that this is a busy season for everyone... but hope you get the time for some great TV viewing !! you can write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com or leave a comment here

Homeland Gets 4 Stars!!

Oh My God!!! just when I thought Homeland was going to get all sappy and was beginning to become anticlimatic and humdrum... the last episode was a game changer

The script just got better and we have gotten back to the state of wondering where the hell will the story go. I don't like to post plots on my blog as I feel it spoils it for people who are still catching up or want to see the show...if you haven't already... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? The trailer below is for Season 2 Episode 11 so if you are not there yet... don't watch this

Now I know some reviews have been out where they talk about Homeland spreading Islamaphobia ..Some critics say it is Not Islamaphobic and some say it is. I personally don't think it is..I think the show has some inaccuracies regarding Islam but its a show.. that is amazing...

Speaking of amazing shows... I cannot wait till the 17th of January 2013. Why you ask? Have you heard of Suits?

Another brilliant show that I am a huge fan of ... great scripting.. brilliant characters and great dialogue..all in all... an hour well spent if you enjoy legal dramas ... very entertaining! Suits is in its second season and is between episodes right now... the remaining 6 episodes are to be aired... too short a season in my opinion... LOVE the show... trailer below is for Season 1

And YES you need to catch up fast!!! well that's it for today folks... please feel free to recommend a show I may not have covered yet.. or a film... or a documentary... you can do that in the comment box or you can write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com. Happy holidays and Happy Viewing ! :)

Something New & Time to Cook!

A new entrant on the television circuit is Deception.. set to premier on the 17th of January 2013. Though the 1st episode is out there... NBC has the episode on their website too if you want to watch it now and not wait till the 7th! Watch Deception pilot

The show starts with the murder of a socialite and we get to meet all the characters as the plot slowly thickens

The pilot or first episode looks interesting and will be something I will be following... after the year of television for 2012 really hoping 2013 will be a better year.. considering how promising the first episode looks.. I may be in luck :)

You can also download the show in iTunes if you like... and you can watch the trailer on the NBC website... trying to find a link to upload the trailer here but haven't been able to yet...

Now onto a cooking show... I have been looking for a good Italian cooking show and finally found one done in the style that I like... 

Simply Italian is a Channel 4 production and really easy to follow.. and you can go to the Channel 4 website Simply Italian...and check it out...  it inspired me to actually go out and buy a pasta maker... but haven't quite gotten round to making any yet... but I have  plans and that is a start!

sorry no trailer for this show either.. there were just clips of recipes ... which you can find on the net if you are interested... but its a good show for those of you wanting to learn.. 

As always please feel free to leave your comments or you can write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com

Happy Viewing!!

Hate Christmas or Themed Episodes

So Christmas is upon us and its really tough for avid tv viewers as everyone seems to catch the bug and try to work in the seasonal themes and usually making the episode a miserable one to watch. I turned my attention to movies and of course... Life of Pi is finally here

I just absolutely LOVED it... The director Ang Lee has done a fantastic job... its not easy trying to make a film about a boy trapped at sea on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger for days interesting... yet the film is fantastic... the visual effects were absolutely stunning and deserve a special mention... and of course the fact that it earned 3 Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture-Drama and Best Director. But Life of Pi isn't for everyone... specially those who are not philosophically inclined...(my husband for example hated it)

Those of you who have started or following Scandal as per my recommendation... had a great week.. can't wait for the new episodes to come in... now for some comedy..

Now this is a fun quirky comedy.... naturally its light entertainment...but there aren't really any smart comedies out there ...

 in fact since we are winding down this year.. I really hope 2013 is better for films and television as for the most part it has been pretty humdrum save for a few..

 I will be putting up my tv series of the year list before the end.. we all love top whatever lists and I succumb.... till then... Happy Viewing :) Please feel free to comment or write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com

Films and Documentary

I had gone through all my tv shows and was bored so decided to try out a few films that I had heard a lot about and one of the recommendations was ...

The first five minutes were entertaining and I was hopeful.... hopes were quickly dashed to smithereens.  Admitedly I am not a Family Guy fan ... so I guess I should have known this wouldn't be for me... but those of you who are .. may enjoy this. Its kind of funny at places but I felt not worth my time or money.

So here is the UNCENSORED trailer for those who are fine with it

ho hum... I find this kind of stuff boring .....  I would not have expected this kind of film from Mark Wahlberg... but oh well.... then I remembered a documentary a friend had gifted me... so decided to turn that on... as you may have noticed.. I enjoy documentaries :) and this one is worth the view..

Iran Is Not The Problem... is an interesting view .. and something I would recommend everyone atleast watching it and then of course coming to your own conclusions after...

Now for me it was interesting to watch this documentary and then follow it up with another film I had heard so much about 

Of course I don't want to take away from the realities of what's happening in Iran... and with the US propoganda etc... if that story is to be believed... BUT it doesn't take away from this bizarre comedy Argo...I say bizarre because its not your standard hahahah kind of film ... but lots of dark comedy with Ben Affleck taking a poke at Hollywood.. This mission did actually exist but the film has of course taken great creative license... a fun watch for sure

A late edition to this post... found this clip on youtube from the show "First Person" ..an interview of Ex-CIA operative Antonio Mendez explaining how hostages were smuggled out of Iran

Hope you enjoy the recommendations ... as always please feel free to comment or mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com. Happy viewing :)

Ugh TV...

Had a terrible television week... had started watching a BBC One Production "Hunted" and was actually thinking of recommending it... but halfway through... it just kind of went Pfft...

Shame really as it starts off really well...and yes Pakistan is included in the plot... seems like Pakistan has become quite fashionable for many of the thriller series out there...

thus ... this will not be getting commissioned for a second season... I think the director suspected that and really did a bang up job specially in the last two episodes.. but up to that point.... it was looking really interesting... oh well. 

A series that I am looking forward to is The Borgias, and 2013 will bring the 3rd season. 

Jeremy Irons, one of my favourite actors stars in it... a show definitely worth viewing..

The series is set around the turn of the 16th century. It follows the Borgia family rise to the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church and their struggles to maintain their grip on power. 

This series is definitely on my MUST WATCH list... 

Now on to the last review for today

Now when this show first started... I was kind like ... ho hum... but it is interesting and it picks up... its in the middle of the second season right now... and it is good fun... gets my vote!!!!! Certainly an interesting insight into how situations can be spun by spin doctors... :)

Hope you enjoy my recommendations... please feel free to leave a comment... add your recommendations or you can mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com... Happy Viewing :)

WOW for Homeland

My husband and I loved Homeland from the moment it started...if you are not hooked yet... give it a try... if you are then you are probably up to speed... this week's episode was particularly good... Homeland has already won an Emmy for Outstanding Drama, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series...which should give you an inkling as to the quality of the show :) It is based on an Israeli series titled Hatufim (English title: Prisoners of War)

Now a show that started out with a lot of promise.. 

But Last Resort has gotten Lost... and will not be seeing a future .... therefore it shall run for 13 episodes before it gets dumped by the network.. why am I mentioning it on my blog then? Well since I am from Pakistan and the show started with the premise that Pakistan had been nuked... naturally my interest was piqued... If you have nothing else to do... and don't want to take on anything too long... this would be the one.. 

Well that's it for now folks... as always... if you like the shows I post here or have a comment... or would like to suggest something.. please feel free to do so..u can also mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com... Happy viewing :)

Great week of TV

The Channel 4 production SECRET STATE... one of the first shows I talked about on this blog is really fantastic. If you enjoy political wranglings and thrillers.. this is a show you will certainly enjoy. The show is still in its first season so try and catch up quick if you can ... it is only 4 episodes. 

This series is adapted from the book "A very British Coup" by British politician Chris Mullen. This novel has been adapted twice for television. The first version was adapted in 1988 by screenwriter Alan Plater and directed by Mick Jackson. Channel 4 screened that version as well and it won the BAFTA and Emmy awards. That series was titled like the book "A Very British Coup"

Now remember this is just good fun... and there are some implausible things happening... don't want to put any spoilers here...BUT... its television that is entertaining and takes you away to another world... delightfully feeds into the mindset of conspiracy theories...with a few heroic lines every now and then... expected of a political drama..... but all in all ... really good fun

Now on to the next show for today...

Private Practice... spin off from Grey's Anatomy... now to be honest I discovered this one late... and yes ... there are times when the script starts to go a little weak... but considering that this ABC series is now into its 6th year... I guess that is bound to happen at some point... but it still keeps one engaged enough to be patient enough to wait for the show to come back up. Like Grey's Anatomy I guess.. If you haven't checked this series out.. Please do... now it no "House" ... but if you like Grey's Anatomy... you probably will enjoy this one too.. the characters do crossover from time to time.. carrying on their stories on both sets of GA and PP... but its a fun watch... and like Grey's Anatomy... can be a tear jerker... last night's episode was good fun ... and yes.. am hooked again....am going to show you the trailer from Seaon 1 to give you a feel for the series in case you are thinking of giving it a go

And for those of you who already know and love (or hate) the show... thought we could have some fun today and I found a link for bloopers from the first season... 

That's it for today folks... as always please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions... you could also mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com. Happy viewing!!

You Have To Catch UP

Of course you MUST have heard of the Game of Thrones by now.. if not... where have you been living??? This is a MUST MUST MUST watch... absolutely brilliant... the premiere for Season 3 is all set for March 31st 2013 and a teaser was released which I am sharing with you here. If you haven't seen it yet... get your hands on the DVD's and set aside a weekend for a Game of Thrones marathon...yes its that good... HBO as usual... has done a fantastic job

Some of you may not like this genre... I personally have this show down as one of my favourites...but if you prefer something a little more contemporary...a show that I haven't really heard too many of my peers talk about... but I LOVE iT... is Parenthood. This is an NBC production, and slightly reminiscent of Brothers & Sisters, though more chaotic... (I still don't  understand why Brothers & Sisters was cancelled). 

This series is currently into its 4th season.. and be warned... Kleenex boxes should be close at hand as this is a show that will make you laugh and cry and grow to love the Braverman family. And now in its 4th season we have seen this family grow, watch the children growing up... it really is a treat

Now onto a show that is currently in its 9th season... and to be honest... I used to absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it... but its slowly kind of losing its charm... but the writers just always seem to hook me back as a viewer just when I thought I was going to stop watching it..

Now I have to say... 9 years is a long time to keep any show going... ABC has done a great job of keeping it going.and if you haven't seen it yet at all... this is one to watch... yes it starts to get a bit hmmm by the 9th episode...I'm still waiting to see if my verdict on this show is to stop watching by the end of this season or not... and will of course keep you posted... but... if you haven't seen it at all yet... it is worth a watch.. and you have plenty of seasons to keep you going 

Very well written for the most part... the characters are fantastic... but again.. keep that Kleenex box handy. 

Again... feel free to write a comment... or you can mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com

Lightening It Up

Fox Broadcasting Company has come up with a fantastic new comedy series "The Mindy Project". Like anything new it takes a few episodes to get into ... but its quirky, funny and certainly different from the kind of stuff out there and certainly worth your time if you come across it. 

Yes.... give it a go... !!Gets my vote anyway

The Wedding Band... another new comedy series.. about 4 friends... who have a .. you guessed it... a wedding band... and its fun light entertainment to balance out all the serious stuff I have been going on about in my blog

Do you have a show that you feel should be reviewed? What are you favourites that you have on your list of "must watch"? feel free to comment or write to me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com. Happy viewing!!!

Documentary Series worth watching and a Cooking show

If you enjoy documentaries... and you enjoy history...then this is an 8 part documentary series I would highly recommend. According to the tag line Andrew Marr goes on an epic journey through 70,000 years of human history, telling the story of how great forces of nature and individual genius shaped the world we live in today. It is beautifully done.. as one would expect from a BBC One production and its the kind of series that keeps your interest. I would rush out and buy the DVD and keep it to show to your kids as well, it may just get them interested in history as a result. I have included a clip from an interview with him about this show... but the documentary ...I promise you...offers many visuals and is worth taking a look at...

On the other side of the coin.. Oliver Stone has tried his hand a story telling documentary style. Now don't get me wrong.. I love Oliver Stone's work...but his series "Oliver Stones Untold History of The United States".. will take a lot more concentration and is not as easy to watch as Andrew Marr's work.

But if you enjoy history... again... some very interesting facts and information in this piece of work... and definitely worth your time if you are a history buff

Now onto cooking. I love cooking shows... but I am kind of picky. They not only have to be well presented.. have a likeable personality as the chef..but yes the food needs to be easy to replicate and better taste good too!! You already have my verdict on Nigella's new show but here is a nugget ... long been a fan of his but the title of the show kind of put me off...

15 minute meals ??? Ok so what is he going to do realistically.... pour some ketchup and other canned stuff together and voila .. one has a meal??? Big ya dooda!!!

I was wrong

I have every single one of Jamie Oliver's books... I think he is brilliant... and so I did take a look at this new show but to be honest ... wasn't expecting much... some recipes are simple as I would expect a 15 minute recipe to be. I don't know if you caught his 30 minute meal series which was fantastic as well... but this show.. is worth getting for sure. It is a Channel 4 production and there are a number of sites now that are selling the dvds. 

If you want to hear from Jamie and his team about the show.. take a look at this clip

Have fun cooking... shall be back soon with some more show reviews for you.. if you have any ideas or recommendations.. please do share them with me... you can email me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com. Please feel free to comment! Happy viewing!

Christmas specials and a new series worth watching!!

For those of you who are Downton Abbey fans... the final announcement has come for the Christmas Special... for those of you who have no idea what I am on about... you don't know what you are missing out on... This is a wonderful British show.. and each season is about 8 episodes... the third season just finished so hurry and catch up. The trailor above is for Season 3.  If you want to know about the Christmas Special you can find the details right here. A fantastic production by ITV. And... if you like the genre... I have another gem for you.

The Paradise..... what a pleasure to watch...this is a BBC1 production and again beautifully produced and directed. The Paradise is a British television costume drama series, which premiered on BBC One on the 25th of September 2012. It is an adaptation of the novel Au Bonheur des Dames by Emile Zole, relocating the story to North East England. The good news  that a second series has been commissioned by the BBC One in late October 2012. Again,

 If you haven't seen this yet... there is time to catch up as the first season just finished... NOT to be missed! Please feel free to comment or you can mail me at ayeshahalam@yahoo.com.

Next I have a great documentary series and another cooking show series that I will be reviewing and sharing with you... so please add this blog to your list so you can be updated when I add a new post... happy viewing! :)

Secret State & Nigellissima

The much hyped Nigellissima finally came and went. The first thing one notices is how many pounds Nigella has lost and she looks fantastic. But then again... she looked fantastic when she was slightly rounder too... she is a beautiful woman. Once I got over how much weight she had lost... a lifelong struggle of mine... I then settled down to the business of learning from one of the best tv chefs I have come across... and tragically I was deeply disappointed. The food and the recipes were mostly ... meh.... that's the only word I can come up with to describe the show. Needless to say I was heartbroken as I was looking forward to showing off some new Nigella recipes and pretend I am a great chef of sorts... but after shows like Nigella Feasts, Nigella Express and all her other cooking shows.. Nigellissima was a bit of a let down. What would have been nicer... perhaps something BBC1 can think about ... is a show where she shared Nigellesque recipes that are low in calories and help us get to losing weight the Express way Nigella style

But a new show that has just started on Channel 4.. a mini series titled Secret State has caught my attention. I just saw it pop up and figured I would give it a go. Gabriel Byrne stars as a deputy prime minister Tom Dawkins, who is thrust to the fore by catastrophic events, and ends up forced to take on the might of the establishment. The first episode has enough intrigue to make me continue to watch the series and to date there have been three episodes aired... so you can still quickly catch up. Should be interesting to see how the series develops but Channel 4 rarely disappoints