My Top 10 TV Series 2011

My Top 10 TV Series 2011


1. Breaking Bad S4 (AMC) True class. Maintain the quality in all 4 season. Will end at Season 5.

2. Game of Throne S1 (HBO) Awesome debut season. 'The Lord Of The Ring' of TV Series.

3.Homeland S1 (Showtime) The new '24'. Great acting and awesome finale.

4. Boardwalk Empire S2 (HBO) Aren't as good as the first one, but nevertheless, top notch.

5. The Borgias S1 (Showtime) Another epic-ish stuff from Showtime after 'The Tudors'.

6. The Killing S1 (AMC) A bit slow of burner, but great.

7. Boss S1 (Starz) Some say its the new 'The Wire'.

8. Suits S1 (USA Network) The lawyer version of 'House'. Smart and cute comedy.

9. Shameless US S1 (Showtime) Weirdly hilarious dysfunctional family..

10. True Blood S4 (HBO) Not as good as before, but still OK-ish..


Still airing and under consideration..

The Big Bang Theory S5 (CBS)
Revenge S1 (ABC)
Hell on Wheels S1 (AMC)
Once Upon a Time S1 (ABC)
Ringer S1 (CW)
Pan Am S1 (ABC)

Dexter Season 5 [2011]

Title> Dexter Season 05
Nation> US
Pilot Dates> 2nd October 2011
Genre> Drama, Thriller
Channel> Showtime (US)

The Miami charmest serial -killer is back with the premiere of 6th season was aired on 2nd of October 2011.

Season 01 [2006]
Main Plots: Dexter vs 'Ice Truck Killer'. Dexter digging deep about his past, his mother and estranged brother.

Season 02 [2007]
Main Plots: Dexter aka 'Bay Harbor Butcher' vs Super -agent Lundy. Dexter vs Sargeant Doakes. Dexter sleeping with arsonist psychopath chick.

Season 03 [2008]
Main Plots: Dexter befriend with influential DA Miguel Prado, and later they become a nemesis. 'Skinner' running wild in Miami. The marriage of Dexter and pregnant Rita.

Season 04 [2009]
Main Plots: Dexter struggling with his new family life. Dexter vs 'Trinity', but he want to learn from the old man on how to become a family man cum serial murderer. Rita is tragically dead at the finale.

Season 05 [2010]
Main Plots: Dexter meet new a soulmate and partner in crime, Lumen. Together, they hunting the group of rapist, torturer cum murderer of 'Barrel Girls' case, while Quinn chasing their shadows. Debra vs 'Santa Muerte'.

Season 04 are definitely my favourite. Unexpected ending, unexpected plots, and Dexter fucked up every now and then. Season 02 are quite boring, Dexter just spend his time to cover up his tracks from Lundy and Doakes. But still a good season.

Hopefully I will see more of Lumen (Julia Stiles) on Season 05, but until now there's no clear indication whether she'll come back or not.

Terra Nova [20]

Title> Terra Nova
Nation> US
Pilot Dates> 26th September 2011
Genre> Drama, Science Fiction
Number of Episodes> 13
Channel> Fox (US)

Its not as good I as expected. Basically a hybrid between Avatar, Lost and Jurassic Park. An early hype not helping much.

But after all, its still an early days. The series have an enormous potential. Big windows of timeline (2149 travel back to 85 million years) offers a limitless possibilities. Technologies beyond imagination, ancient creatures etc.

Nevertheless, its still a good stuff from a production associate to Steven Spielberg. After mediocre show of Falling Skies, this series will be a good remedy.

Synopsis

The show begins in the year 2149, a time when all life on planet Earth is threatened with extinction due to dwindling worldwide air quality and overpopulation. It has become virtually impossible for humanity to survive, and almost no vegetation exists. At Hope Plaza, a massive ring shaped structure in Chichago, scientists discover a rift in space-time that allows people to travel 85 million years back in time, but in an alternate timeline (thus avoiding paradoxes caused by reverse-flow time travel), offering a chance to save humanity. The Shannon family (father Jim, his wife Elisabeth, and their three children Josh, Maddy, and Zoe) join the tenth pilgrimage of settlers to Terra Nova, becoming part of the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway.

The Shannon Family starts a new life in Terra Nova while having to deal with carnivorous dinosaurs and the Sixers (a splinter faction that has been opposed to Terra Nova ever since arriving in prehistoric times during the sixth pilgrimage).

Curiosity [2011]

Curiosity merupakan program terbaharu Discovery Channel, mula disiarkan bermula 07 Ogos 2011. Setiap episod memfokuskan satu persoalan besar yang berkaitan dengan sains, teknologi dan kemasyarakatan. Yang membuat saya tertarik kepada siri ini adalah kerana ia memfokuskan topik -topik yang agak kontroversi disamping menampilkan selebriti terkenal sebagai hos jemputan untuk setiap episod.

Episode 1: "Did God Create the Universe?" Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking diakui antara ahli fizik yang paling genius yang masih hidup di zaman ini. Selami bagaimana pandangan pemikir genius (yang tidak mempercayai kewujudan Tuhan) terhadap permulaan alam semesta disamping olahan beliau terhadap 'The Big Bang Theory'

Saya tidak bermaksud untuk mengajak atau mempromosikan pandangan beliau, tetapi ia merupakan tontonan yang membuka minda kita dan membuatkan kita lebih bersyukur terhadap diri kita ini. Kita pasti tidak segenius Hawking, tetapi kita ditakdirkan dilahirkan di dalam kelompok masyarakat yang sedia mempunyai akidah, iman dan Islam. Sesuatu yang tidak ditemui lagi oleh orang segenius Hawking.

2: Alien Invasion: Are We Ready? Michelle Rodriguez
3: Why Is Sex Fun? Maggie Gyllenhaal
4: Titanic: What Sank Titanic? Bill Paxton
5: Parallel Universes - Are They Real? Morgan Freeman
6: What's Beneath America? Martin Sheen
7: How the World Might End? Samuel L. Jackson
8: What Destroyed Atlantis?
9: What Drugs Do To Our Bodies? Robin Williams
10: What Really Lies Beneath Egypt? Brendan Fraser
11: Testing the Nature of Evil. Eli Roth
12: Will Living As a Primitive Cavemen Improve Our Health? Morgan Spurlock
13: Can We Really Live Forever? Adam Savage
14: Hidden Live Organisms That Call Our Bodies Home. Mike Rowe

Setiap episod bakal menyentuh perkara yang sensitif dan mungkin 'agak mengarut' bagi majoriti pemikiran kita. Tapi ia merupakan suatu perspektif baru yang perlu dilihat secara positif, tetapi pastinya tidak boleh diterima bulat -bulat walaupun ia disokong oleh saintis dan institut tersohor dunia.

TV Series (US September 2011)

Numbers of possibly new great series, and old series resume this month. And all will be under my watch:

Old series:
Boardwalk Empire S2 (26/09/2011)
Modern Family S3 (22/09/2011)
Raising Hope S2 (21/09/2011)
The Big Bang Theory S5 (23/09/2011)
The Office S8 (23/09/2011)

New Series, possibly good or not. Just will give a try:

Pan Am (25/09/2011)
Revenge (22/09/2011)
Terra Nova (26/09/2011)
The Playboy Club (19/09/2011)
Unforgettable (21/09/2011)

Tahajjud Cinta [2011]: Kredit dan Kritikan

Kredit dan Kritikan (Setakat Episod 03)

Kredit

Tahajjud Cinta dilihat mengenengahkan isu yang agak berat, seperti:

• Isu hak -hak wanita /penderaan isteri dalam rumahtangga.
• Isu manipulasi agama dalam berpoligami.
• Isu Undang -undang Syariah lawan Undang -undang Sivil.
• Sedikit disentuh mengenai isu pelajar di luar negara yang aktif dengan kegiatan demonstrasi berbanding dengan memberi tumpuan kepada pelajaran.

Ia sudah pasti memberi sedikit kesegaran kepada drama TV tempatan yang selalunya meletakkan cerita cinta sebagai tema utama.

Kritikan 

Akhlak pemimpin /pengikut sekolah pondok:
Watak Ustaz Shauki dilihat memanipulasikan agama untuk kepentingan nafsunya.

Di dalam satu babak, beliau dengan selamba berjabat tangan dengan Seri, di hadapan kedua ibu bapanya. Babak yang begitu menimbulkan tanda tanya dari segi hukum dan realiti.

Watak bapa Seri (Tarmimi) /Isteri pertama (Erma) yang hanya 'samikna wa atokna' kepada Ustaz Shauki.

Akhlak wanita berpurdah /pelajar jurusan agama:

Watak Seri dan Citra dilihat agak janggal apabila dilihat berjalan berduaan dengan teman /rakan lelaki mereka. Mungkin ini kerana berpurdah hanya sebagai budaya (disebut oleh Seri dalam episod 03)

Watak 'orang agama' yang agak tercela bukannya luar biasa, tetapi ia perlu diseimbangkan dengan watak 'orang agama' yang lebih baik. Ini kerana ia bakal memberi tanggapan bahawa orang yang berpengetahuan agama tidak ada beza akhlaknya, atau lebih teruk berbanding dengan orang lain. Misalnya, kewujudan satu atau dua watak yang menentang /tidak bersetuju dengan Ustaz Shauki dan menjustifikasikannya (mungkin watak Remy Ishak?).

Setakat yang ditampilkan pada episod 3, imej sekolah pondok dilihat begitu naif dan diketuai oleh seorang Ustaz yang begitu teruk.

Jadi kesimpulan saya setakat ini, Tahajjud Cinta adalah sebuah drama TV yang baik. Tetapi ia hanya perlu dilihat sebagai sebuah karya kreatif, bukannya sebagai drama Islamik yang baik.

TV Series (US June-July 2011)

Falling Skies
The series picks up six months into a world devastated by an alien invasion. Not a new ideas, alien invasion, post apocalypse and bit of The Walking Dead [2010].
My Rating (after 4 episodes): 5.5/10, so-so but will continue watching it.


Suits
Brilliant college drop -out working under illustrious lawyer in New York. Think of handsomer looking House as a lawyer.
My Rating (after 3 episodes): 8/10, nice and will continue watching it.


Switched at Birth
Heart -warming and woman -ish series. Revolves around two teenagers who were switched at birth and grew up in very different environments.
My Rating (after 4 episodes): 6.5/10, decent and will continue watching it.

Abandoned series:
Love Bite (watched 4 episodes): 5/10, perhaps another version of Sex and the City. Too woman -ish for me.
Necessary Roughness (watched the pilot only): 4/10, the subjects are OK (sports mental -therapy) but the lead character (and the others) are unconvincing.
Teen Wolf (watched the pilot only): 2/10, meh.
The Nine Lives of Chloe King (watched 2 episodes): 2.5/10, bunch of catwoman /man chased by their arch enemies.

Tahajjud Cinta [2011]

Title> Tahajjud Cinta

Producing Nation> Malaysia

Debut Date> 08 July 2011 (Malaysia)

Genre> Romance - Religious

Channel> TV3 (Malaysia)

I saw the promo few days ago on TV3. I hope for some serious and heavy stuff. Not just an artificial and  cosmetic dakwah drama, romance story with some beautiful faces wearing tudung.

Synopsis:

Mengisahkan mengenai sahabat iaitu Citra Maisarah (lakonan Fazura), Seri (Fauziah Gous) tidak dapat lari dari cinta dan kasih sayang. Citra telah jatuh cinta dengan Azihan (lakonan Shah Jazle) seorang lelaki yang sangat berpegang teguh kepada agama. Emelda (kakak kepada Citra ) ada masalah dengan teman lelakinya dan dia sangat lemah untuk mengahadapi masalah dalam percintaan.

Citra dan Seri pulang ke Malaysia dan Citra berjanji kepda dirinya untuk membela hak hak kaum wanita dari ditindas kaum lelaki. Citra ingin membukti jugak kepada keluarganya yang dia akan berjuang demi hak kaum wanita yang tertindas di zaman sekarang ni. Citra jugak ingin memperjuangkan hak kakaknya yang ditindas oleh abang iparnya.

Manakala Seri yang telah jatuh cinta buat pertama kali tapi entah macam mana dan dia telah berkorban untuk berkahwin dan menjadi isteri keempat kepada seorang ustaz. Ustaz ni pulak bapa kepada Solahudin (Remy).

Dapatkah Citra dan Solahudin, menyelamatkan Seri ( Fauziah Gous) dari menjadi isteri keempat. Solahudin tidak mahu menjadi anak derhaka. Sampai bila Solahudin sanggup melihat ayahnya hidup dlm kemungkaran, menggunakan agama untuk kepentingan nafsu.

Cast

Fazura, Fouziah Gous, Eman Manan, Remy Ishak, Shahz Jaszle, Tiz Zaqyah, Aaron Aziz, Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Jins Shamsudin dan Neelofa.

The Killing [2011]

Title> The Killing
Producing Nation> US
Aired Dates> April - June 2011 (US)
Genre> Crime Series
Number of Episodes> 13
Channel> AMC (US)

I've watched The Finale of The Killing last night. The Finale are bit disappointing, but overall The Killing are very good series.

The basic are bit cliche, (teenage girl found dead, numbers of suspects appeared one by one, red herrings one after another, corrupted politician, etc)

But how they build up the investigation are nice and tense. Slow paced, every episode based on single day of investigation. No high tech investigation tools stuff like CSI, just conservative and old schools police methods, made it more realistic.

The series will be renewal for 2nd season. Definitely one of the best US TV Series I watched this year.

Jin 2 [2011]

 

I'm really anticipate this drama. Was began last 17th April (Japan).

Talented young surgeon trapping in Edo Ages. He practice his medical skills, improvise its due to poor technology.

Looking forward to enjoy this one.

The IT Crowd [2006]

I've got present yesterday from someone very special. She guaranteed me that I'll love it. A DVD box of The IT Crowd, a British TV series.

I watched the 1st episode, and I'm loving it. The show are about 2 IT nerd guys with one charming woman manager. There's a lot of nerdy IT jokes. The premise are quite similar to The Big Bang Theory, with a  strong British flavour. I'm looking forward to enjoy the series. Thank you.

Mad Men (Season 4)

I just watched the finale of 4th season of Mad Men (on AMC Channel).

The debut season are quite dire, but showed some promises. I've take a long break before resume the 2nd season, and surprisingly it's becoming more interesting and interesting. 3rd and 4th season maintained the continuity and it fast becoming my favourite series. I'll anticipate the 5th season greatly.

My prediction for 5th season.

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (SCDP)
This agency will rise and prosperous after disaster spell in the end of 4th season. Don geniuses will drive them forward.

Don
Don sudden proposal to Megan are shocked outcome to most audiences. Dr Faye seem the perfect match for Don, but Megan stole Don's heart when she nannying Don's kids during trip to California. I dont think Don-Megan relationship /future marriages will last longer. Megan didn't seem as a right woman to tame Don, but I don't mind to see this prediction goes wrong. I fond her character especially seeing her bonding with Sally (and Sally acting are really great)

If Don becoming more responsible and faithful man, this the sign for the end of this series.

Peggy and Joan
They seem to form good alliance. Woman's power to aid Don or to conquer SCDP for themselves. Peggy continue to rise and be an instrumental part for the company. Dr Harris die in Vietnam and Joan continue her life as a tough single mother.

Roger
He will fulfill his dream 'to die on 20 years old wife'.

Betty
She will realized no matter how bad Don to her, marrying Henry are not the right move for her and her kids. Betty will have an affair with another man or find her way to Don again.

Pete
He will quit SCDP and form /join another company. He'll be clash head-to-head with Don, and Don's dark secret will be at risk.

Ustaz Amirul [2011]

Its been quiet a while I watching local drama. The last drama series I watched are Nur Kasih (not on TV). Read a lot of hype about this drama, but to be honest i think it just so-so. What-so-called 'Islamic' only based on appearance of the few women characters, wearing a Jilbab. Other than that, it just a mediocre and stereotype Malay love drama, painted with Middle East background and tunes.

Last Friday, i made an effort to watch another similar kind on TV3. I dont think this one can surpass Nur Kasih, but jury still out. Maybe I expect too much though.

The Office and The Big Bang Theory

My two favourite sitcoms are back. Both began the new season yesterday (US airtime), The Office are in 7th Season while The Big Bang Theory are in 4th.

I already watched The Office. The opening episode aren't so good, but aren't so bad either. But certainly seem promising compare to last season, which is quiet dissapointing.

I'm behind in The Big Bang Theory. Currently in the middle of 3rd season. This series are much better and better every season.

JDrama: Shinzanmono

Aku merupakan peminat setia Abe Hiroshi. Aku telah menonton kebanyakan hasil kerjanya, terutamanya drama -drama pasca tahun 2000. Hasil lakonannya yang paling aku ingati adalah dalam Drama Kekkon Dekinai Otoko (Unmarried Man) dan juga Dragon Zakura.

Shinzanmono (Newcomer) merupakan drama terbarunya dan sedang ditayangkan di Jepun. Ketika rebiu ini ditulis, ia telah sampai ke episod ke 4.

Lost - Finale

Seminggu yang lalu, aku telah melengkapkan tontonan Drama bersiri Lost (Episod ke 16-17, Musim ke 6)

Drama bersiri ini merupakan drama bersiri yang paling menuntut 'komitmen' aku, dengan waktu tontonan keseluruhan lebih daripada 120 jam. Ia menjadi fenomena di serata dunia, dengan bajet yang amat tinggi di samping bilangan pelakon utama yang paling ramai pernah dicatatkan dalam sesuatu produksi.

The Office

The Office are my current favourite TV Series (Comedy genre). Just completed their 6th season last week. Its a comedy show adapted from UK TV Series (same title) lingering around daily Dunder-Mifflin office life (paper company turned to printer company in 6th season). It's a story about office politics, management, romance, clueless manager etc. Most of the characters are unique but typical looking of American.

Lost

Aku telah mengikuti siri ini sejak 2 tahun lepas dan tidak pernah terlepas barang satu episod pun. Lost telah memulakan tayangannya di US sejak 2004 dan kini berada di musim ke 6, pada episod ke 16. Ia akan menamatkan tayangan minggu depan (Selasa, 23 Mei)

Ia bermula dengan pengkisahan kelangsungan hidup sekumpulan penumpang yang terselamat daripada satu kemalangan kapal terbang. Penerbangan Oceanic 815 telah dijadualkan untuk terbang dari Sydney ke Los Angelas, tetapi terhempas di sebuah pulau misteri di selatan Pasifik. Cerita ini berevolusi dari menceritakan kehidupan mereka di pulau itu, sejarah dan latar belakang setiap watak utama, penghuni asal pulau tersebut, dan seterusnya merungkai setiap elemen misteri yang berada di pulau tersebut.

Setelah tayangan kira -kira 120 jam, terasa agak letih dan iaku ngin segera menamatkan segala rasa inkuiri yang wujud, seterusnya menyimpulkan segera kisah ini (I'm so into it!)

P/S: Siri TV US yang aku ikuti sekarang, CSI (Vegas), Mad Men, House dan The Office.

Jin: JDrama Terbaik Untuk 2009

Apakah yang yang mampu dilakukan oleh seorang doktor pakar pembedahan otak zaman ini apabila dia merentasi masa dan berada 150 tahun ke belakang? Adakah dia akan mengubah sejarah perubatan? Dia telah mendahului Alexander Flemming mencipta Penisilin, memperkenalkan pelbagai alat pembedahan dan teknik perubatan, mencari penyelesaian kepada penyakit siflis, kanser payudara dan kolera, melakukan pembedahan plastik dan sebagainya.

JDrama: Shiroi Haru

Shiroi Haru a.k.a White Spring (English Title)

Drama 11 episod ini mengisahkan Haruo (Abe Hiroshi), seorang bekas anggota Yakuza baru sahaja dikeluarkan dari penjara atas kesalahan membunuh. Wang simpanannya telah dicuri di sebuah restoran dan beliau terpaksa memohon ehsan rakan lamanya untuk kembali memulakan hidup barunya.