The US television remake of the critically acclaimed Danish crime thriller series The Killing began its UK premiere on Channel 4 last Thursday with a double bill. For those not familiar with the original series, The Killing revolves around the murder of a teenager girl. Various sub-plots weave a gripping storyline which will have you guessing to the last as to who may have been involved, as much as to blame for such a heinous crime.
The US version is based in Seattle, the victim is Rosie Larsen and the Faroe Island jumper wearing detective in charge of solving the mystery is Sarah Linden. The names and places have been altered but going by the first two episodes, the storyline is very similar to the original, Forbrydelsen, which was aired in the UK earlier this year.
As a big fan of the Danish version I was not sure whether I would enjoy the US remake of The Killing. However, if the first two episodes are anything to go on, my concerns were unwarranted. The dark brooding atmosphere is still present, as is the mood-driven electronic soundtrack; and Seattle looks like the perfect replacement for Copenhagen.
The Killing masterfully entwines three stories around a single murder: the dysfunctional personal life of detective Sarah Linden, the family’s grieving, and the various suspects including a boyfriend, teacher, a candidate for local Mayor, close friends of the family and employees of the family-run business.
If you missed the beginning it would be wise to catch-up before you watch episode three, not only to get the complete picture of events but to add to the gripping suspense.
The first two episodes were shown last Thursday and can be viewed on the Channel 4 website and various ‘Catch-Up TV’ services while the third of 12 episodes will be shown on Channel 4 on Thursday 14th July at 9pm.
The latest British magician to hit the scene is a street magician called Dynamo and UKTV’s Watch will be showing his brand new series, Magician Impossible starting on Thursday 7th July at 9pm.
The TV show will feature star celebrities including the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Noel Fielding and David Haye as Dynamo shows off his amazing talents as an exciting, vibrant magician.
It looks like this is well worth a watch as it includes some of the best close up magic and stunts you may have ever seen.
Honda has announced they will continue to sponsor Channel 4documentaries. ‘Documentaries on 4, sponsored by Honda’ will be used as the strapline tin 2011.
Martin Moll, Head of Marketing at Honda (UK) said, ‘”I am very excited that our continued relationship sponsoring Channel 4 documentaries allows us to focus on our customers, highlighting their warm – sometimes quirky – personal experiences of Honda products either for fun or as a necessary part of their daily livelihood. We hope that this campaign will unveil further examples from our customers, one of which will be nominated to be brought to life on TV for a final set of idents later on in the year”.
The new 2011 sponsorship deal will include films with real-life Honda customers and showcase how they use their vehicles in the most interesting ways. The first of four films introduces a Honda owner called Philippa who uses her Honda ATV to tend to the alpacas on her Oxfordshire farm.
The films were created by Hollie Newton at Wieden + Kennedy and include a unique website link relating to its story allowing viewers to see extra content online.
Honda will also be using social media with Facebook and Twitter campaigns to accompany the TV sponsorship deal linking to an online hub at www.honda.co.uk/stories – www.honda.co.uk/stories – where the videos will be available in full along with articles and other interesting stories.
There’s also a competition in the ‘Take Part’ section of the website, where Honda owners can upload their own stories and photographs, explaining the unusual ways in which they use their own Honda products. This doesn’t have to be a car!
W+K will select their favourite story and make it into the final mini-documentary to be shown later in the year as part of the Channel 4 campaign.
Is it just me or is time going faster? Maybe it’s a part of my old age creeping in. But before I know it, it’s the weekend again and I have a list of chores to do before I even consider sitting down to watch the programmes I have recorded on my trusted satellite box.
But with so many television channels now available it’s common to miss a programme or worse a series that everyone starts to rave about after a few episodes.
At the beginning of the year BBC4 began showing The Killing, a Danish crime thriller and it was nowhere to be seen on my radar. By the time I decided this was something I must see, the first episode was no longer available online or as part of the Catch up TV service from my cable television provider.
At this point I decided to wait for the DVD release but was shocked at the price. £48 for a 5-disc 20 episodes box set was more than I wanted to pay for something I was more than likely only ever going to watch once.
With the added incentive of a one month free trial I opened an account with lovefilm.com and within days received the first disc. I began watching the first four episodes and immediately realised why everyone was raving about this series. The disc was soon winging its way back through the post in a prepaid envelope via my local letterbox.
A few days later, the second of the five discs arrived. The process was simple and the cost much cheaper than buying DVDs.
The Killing was absorbing, dark, intriguing and had more twists than a curly wurly in a way that Nordic crime thrillers do best. It is therefore with some delight I hear the BBC will be showing The Killing 2 later this year but it’s with some trepidation to know that a US version of The Killing is on its way.
Similar to the British remake of Wallander starring Kenneth Brannagh I find that as disturbing as the storyline itself. I’m intrigued to know what the US version will be like and will have to take a look. But like Kenneth Brannagh’s version of Wallander, I think it will probably be more for those who haven’t watched the original or find watching foreign films with subtitles distracting.
The hit celebrity game show, Scream If You Know The Answer returns to UK TV’s entertainment channel – Watch (Sky 109, Virgin Media 124), for a 2nd series from 7pm Sunday 8th May.
Imagine a quiz show where contestants are hurled full-speed on a rollercoaster, while completing stomach-churning challenges and mental agility tests all at the same time. Throw in celebrity contestants, lots of theme park fun and barrels of laughs, and you have the second, exclusive series of Scream If You Know The Answer!
Presented by West End star and Blue singer Duncan James, this unique, hair-raising show returns exclusively to Watch with even more celebrities, thrilling rides and quiz show amusement.
This year’s celebrities include the reunion of Noughties boy band sensation and Eurovision hopefuls Blue, Gavin And Stacey star Joanna Page, Pineapple Dance Studios über diva Louie Spence, Welsh rugby favourite Gavin Henson, Denise Van Outen, Vanilla Ice, Janice Dickinson and many more.
Each episode sees two members of the public paired up with a celebrity team mate to compete head-to-head on gravity-defying rides at Thorpe Park, and the team with the highest score goes through to the fifth and final game to play for a cash prize of up to £5,000. This is hilarious, must-see TV.
For more information or to view exclusive content from the show visit www.facebook.com/watchscream. You can also win two adult Merlin Annual Passes allowing you entry into the UK’s top attractions such as Thorpe Park, Madame Tussauds and Legoland by taking part in a specially developed Facebook game, ‘Queasy Peasy’.
