Everything old is new again: What's on TV?

Ron Grainer - Arrival

Ron Grainer

Everything old is new again. That's this week's theme, but it's also about television and movies.

THE PRISONER
amctv.com/originals/the-prisoner

I love the original series. Although it got a bit LSD-y towards the end with #1 and there were way too many #2 to keep track of. Still, the #6, played by Patrick McGoohan, maintained his sanity and desire to escape from The Village.

AMC Television remade the show into a six-episode miniseries, which aired November 15th to 17^th, tries to capture the weirdness of the original, yet updating it to a whole new audience.

I will start with what I dislike about the new series: the new village is massive (like at time it feels as if it's the size of Minneapolis), the iconic "Columbia" style bicycle is missing, and the Village's icon looks a bit like giving you the middle finger. Ian McKellen, who plays #2, is given too much screen time. To me, #6, played by James Caviezel, is your main focus.

What I like about the new series: people in the village does not remember the world outside and everything from cars and architecture has a weird style to them.

So far, I've only watched the first three episode, and the introduction of #6 to an old man #93, and the Village was handled very well. The "brother" of #6, not so much. Should be interesting to see how the mini-series ends. Until then, be seeing you.

GLEE
myspace.com/musicfromglee ♥ fox.com/glee

I did try to get into the Fox series Glee with the pilot, mostly because I thought the show would appeal to me. Think about it: outcasts, geeks, and nerds singing well-known cover songs.

My main complaint is the "reality" documentary style that's popular with modern comedies like The Office and Parks and Recreation. Despite losing me as a viewer, Glee certainly have their fans. Everyone I know that watches Glee tells me that I'm missing such a great show.

As a cover lover, I accepted to review Glee: The Music, Volume 1 simply based on their cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" (see also Covering Journey).

I thought all of the 80 power ballads songs works really well, but the more softer solo songs doesn't interest me. I also dug when the song is "reimagined". For instance, Queen's "Somebody To Love" is transformed into a cheery gospel song.

While I do not mind the random pop and R&B songs, they seem to be lumped together in blocks. The block of Kanye West ("Gold Digger), Rihanna ("Take A Bow"), Jazmine ("Bust Your Windows"), and Celine Dion ("Taking Chances") was almost unbearable.

Choice in cover songs goes back to The Supremes ("You Keep Me Hangin' On") to solid 80s hits. I do like the 80s songs, I will have to admit. The best covers are REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling", Heart's "Alone", and Young MC's "Bust A Move".

I feel, as much as some of these covers are pretty awesome, that they remain too faithful to the original songs in certain cases. I also feel that you may have an added value if you have seen the show and may enjoy the songs even more as a result.

Glee: The Music, Volume 1 is available now from Columbia Records. Fans, keep an eye out for Volume 2, out in early December. I was privy to "Lean On Me", which I did enjoy many vocals on it. It made the song sounds bigger than the original. Anyway, can't wait to hear Lily Allen's "Smile".

V
abc.go.com/shows/v

I grew up watching the original V. I loved it when I was a child, but re-visiting the show with a recent purchase of $10 for the complete series, I'll have to say that the show does not age well. It's cheesy by today's standards.

When I heard that they were remaking V, I was, of course, interested. I saw the teaser on Hulu, and have steadily watched the first three episodes. I'm hooked.

I like the idea that the visitors were here before they arrived in the sky - so that anyone around you could be a visitor. I also like the idea that the main character is now a woman (she's from Lost), and I suspect their base of operation is now in a church. However, there are some things that I think they could've handled better... like pacing. The reveal of a green person on the very first episode or that one of the main character was a visitor - well that could've been saved until later for that shock moment midway into the series...

Post-9/11, the new series takes on a different meaning from the original series. So far, I'm enjoying it.

 11/20/2009 00:04:12 ♥ vu () ♥weheartmusic.com♥twitter.com/weheartmusic♥news.weheartmusic.com