Lie To Me: How to spot a bank robber

First posted last year but re-posted now as Sky1 have generously decided to start the series from the beginning again.

(Series 3, Ep.1)  I think I may have a new favourite programme. I can’t think how Lie To Me has escaped my attention so far, considering it stars Tim Roth, who is one of my all-time favourite actors, but I’m glad I’ve belatedly found it (I might have to hunt down DVDs of the first two series now as well).

Dr Cal Lightman is an expert in body language and reading people’s faces. He uses this skill to help solve crimes – not only can he tell if you’re lying, he can tell if you’re really smiling at him even if you’re trying hard not to. It would be hard not to smile at Lightman – he’s rude, obnoxious, twitchy and completely charismatic. His work colleagues find him exasperating and a little bit scary – think of a blend of Malcolm Tucker, Alan Shore from Boston Legal, House, Al Pacino and Damon Albarn (looks- and accent-wise) and you’ve got something close.  I like that the character has an English accent though it’s an American programme.

The whole area of body language and non-verbal communication is fascinating, and it makes for a good twist on the standard crime-solving drama, and Tim Roth is fantastically watchable. I’m looking forward to the next episode already.

Posted by PLA

Glee 23: Rachel knows from a crackhouse?

Glee’s back. And it’s exactly the same! Which is to say, it’s still very enjoyable but never quite as good as it could be.

Emma, we miss you.

Actually it isn’t exactly the same. Big-eyed Emma wasn’t there and to my surprise I missed her. She does often bring some kooky kind of centre to proceedings, and when she isn’t doing that, she’s totally rocking a pretty blouse-and-cardi combo. I don’t think she died (oh, my memory), so I hope she comes back soon.

Tina’s now going out with Other Asian instead of Artie, and Santana’s apparently had a boob job, though while everyone seemed to notice them instantly, I thought she ought to have demanded a refund. Not that I have the exact before and after measurements.

And someone called Matt has left the school, but I couldn’t tell you who he was if my life depended on it.

Holby City: Farewell Joseph Byrne, the world’s most beautiful heart surgeon

(Series 13, Ep.13) Yet another “end of an era” for Holby, and a personal tragedy for me, as Joseph Byrne, The World’s Most Beautiful Heart Surgeon (Luke Roberts), decided to become Joseph Byrne, The World’s Most Beautiful GP, and move to Cumbria with baby Harry.

As if to underline what we’ll be missing, the episode was packed full of Joseph goodness. He performed ninja-level surgery (the fabled and risky “elephant graft” procedure); he smiled several times; and he took his shirt off quite a lot. To top it all, there was a scene of him with his shirt off, holding the baby, and smiling all at the same time. Fabulous.

He started the episode by asking Hanssen (who was on top form throughout this episode – sarcastic, witty, odd, almost telepathic occasionally) if he could work part time. Hanssen instead offered him Connie’s job.

Sadly there was a patient around who was just ready to speak Joseph’s brains and remind him that what a boy really needs is a fully present parent. Elliott had heard of a nice GP job in Penrith which would be absolutely perfect for a young family: all that nice country air etc etc. Joseph could just picture what a lovely life he and Harry and Jac would have.

Jac? Well, can you really imagine Jac living a Doc Martin kind of life? Especially when she’s just invested in a pair of “Connie Beauchamp shoes.” Obviously she was going to say no, but you could see how much they love each other and how much it cost her to let him go. “I’d give up my life, my career, my identity, for a man who’ll always put me second,” she said, and asked him to stay. But of course he’ll always put her second, because baby Harry comes first. So Joseph drove away (after first giving the door handle of his car a little polish – his OCD does come back at odd times) and Jac was left at the Window of Regret (the one overlooking the car park), in tears.

Meanwhile, Goth Nurse Frieda was made redundant, and also had a very difficult shift thanks to new registrar Malick, who’d decided she was lazy and incompetent. He’ll have to eat his words, though, as Frieda has now decided to apply for an F1 position – meaning that I’m going to have to start calling her Goth Dr Frieda from now on (yay!). As one era ends, another begins.

Posted by PLA                   (more Holby here)