Friends don't let friends drink friends. Thats a tag line from part of the viral marketing campaign for this new series starting in America in September, genius.

It's the new project of Alan Ball creator of "Six Feet Under", kinda sticking with the death thing this series is set in a world were due to the creation of synthetic blood, vampires are integrating into wider society. Plus its HBO and those guys kick ass at making good TV.

Their based on a series of books by writer Charlaine Harris they focus on a Louisiana waitress called Sookie Stackhouse, who just happens to be psychic. Actually, don't think I can say she "just happens to be psychic" cause lets face it thats probably a key factor in the narrative.

Oh wait it is, friend of mine has read the books, highly recommends them too. You see being psychic ain't all roses, poor Sookie doesn't do so well socially what with being able to hear everyones dirty little thoughts, everyone but vampires. In particular a brooding male vampire that walks in her bar.

I've seen a few bits from the pilot, my friend tells me its a pretty damn faithful recreation of the books which can never be a bad thing. The other things I liked about was the kind of subtexts that were there such as issues with the integration of the vampires into normal society, and Sookie's social problems what with knowing what people are thinking. It reminded me of the kind of social commentary present in the amazing Battlestar Galatica, art telling the truth through lies type thing (thats pretty good, wonder were I got that from).

Keep your eyes open for this one, hopefully some smart people over here in the sunny UK will purchase it for our delectation. Kinda looks like a Channel 4 series, preferably not Sky, damn their black hearts.

Anyone hears anything let me know, if you want check it out at HBO.

OOH check out the amusing viral marketing thingy website TRUE BEVERAGE. Am I allowed to say it's viral marketing or does that devalue it as such a medium? I'll leave you with that one.

Sweet.

I'm learning to drive.

This is the car I'm going to buy.



Its a 1954 Vauxhall Wyvern.

Genius

Yo - this wont be too long a piece as I'm feeling deflated and pissed off at the moment. Partly because it's raining and is due to rain most of the weekend - greatly annoying as I'm going to a festival again for the first time in 8 years and I didn't want to have to contend with mud and wet and cold. Urgh. But largely because I'm feeling disenchanted AND discombobulated - plus various other 'disses' you can add in yourselve - as it looks like I've wound up in a new job that sounds better on paper, but seems to now be affording me fuck all to do.

As Geeky T and Saltydog would be the first to tell you, I'm as fond of dicking around and watching stuff/ surfing the web whilst pretending to do work with the best of them, but I'd reached a point where I actually wanted to be challenged and gain some meaningful responsibility. And whether or not it's down to budget cuts/ imminent takeover / recession looming (and yes, I should be damn grateful I have a job and hope to god I don't get made redundant), I feel like I'm sat here twiddling my thumbs and not learning or doing anything. Anyway - have resolved to take the initiative next week and try to work out how I can improve the situation for myself rather than just whinging.

So, what have I been doing? Well, I've been slowly working my way through Season 4 of Medium since the BBC never bothered to air it, and which I still think is great and vastly underrated. Patricia Arquette is lovely and beguiling, and it's the most affectionate, understated but marvellous portrait of family life I can think of. Well, at least one in which one parent is visited by dead people in her dreams and her daughters are also inclined to spooky visions and mind-reading. I think it's fair to say there has been a satisfying improvement in providing more of an overarching story arc to reward ardent viewers since former Lost writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach took over as showrunner aka exec producer, although each episode has its own mystery so you don't have to watch it obsessively to follow what goes on.

Which brings me to my other recommendation - The Middleman. Created by the aforementioned Grillo-Marxuach and based on his series of comic books of the same name, it airs on ABC Family in the US, which means it's family friendly viewing - so nothing particularly scary or obscene or adult about it. However, it's smart and witty, with its tongue firmly in its cheek, and peppered with knowing pop culture references. In essence, it's about a young female artist recruited by a secret agency to fight against evil forces. So sort of a telly Men In Black but quirky and cool. You can read some of Grillo-Marxuach's comments about it in this online piece and watch the trailer below (if you look around, there are full length eps online, but I aint posting them here. Not til I get made redundant at least).



At this stage, I have no idea when or if it will come to the UK, but if it does, I would imagine it would potentially air on the BBC as part of their youth programming (as with Kyle XY, another ABC Family show) or possibly on Trouble. But I think it's fab and as someone in their late twenties, I'm not ashamed to say that if this is kids telly, I'm absolutely still a fan.

Crabs posts about space dragons and Vikings. Were as I post up trailers with extreme cartoon violence in them, which makes me so much cooler.

Great work Sega, its about time the Wii grew up, GROW UP Wii, JUST GROW UP.

I will be keeping a close eye on this one. My only misgiving is that commentary could get really annoying, really quickly.

Where have I been skulking you may ask? I've been asleep so screw you.

Then the trailer for Outlander kicked me in the nuts and made a noise like a dying horse in my ear.

Vikings, Spacemen, dragons...no wait space dragons!?! You got to be shitting me!

But they ain't!

Sweet.

A brilliant piece of fan made fiction. I could watch these all day and so begs the question, why can’t I?

I demand more and hopefully The DuoGroup: Media (the guys behind this) will deliver.

So if MGS4 left you wanting more, then sit back, relax, and let this quench your thirst for a few minutes.

I think Sony have gone mad.

I’m a fan of new gaming ideas, but I thought the whole ‘taking photo games’ had died with that rubbish Pokemon Camera game.

Apparently not.

Afrika (with a K) gives you, YES YOU, the chance to roam the plains of Africa (with a C) taking photos of all the wildlife. Yup, photos.

Is it just me or does this sound REALLY mundane. I have a feeling that Sony thought so to so they slapped this Hollywood blockbuster soundtrack on it to liven things up.



Jesus, this is the equivalent of slapping a V12 engine on a Moped. You not out their trying to save the world, YOU TAKING PICTURES OF ANIMALS. I would understand if you could get out of your van and wrestle a lion or slap a Giraffe around the face, then I think the music would fit the bill, but YOUR JUST TAKING PHOTOS.

......sorry I'm listening to it while I'm writing this and it is really making me laugh.

Haha, actually good luck to Sony with this one, maybe they will pull it off. Either way, hopefully Crabs will buy so I can give it a go.

Dum dum dum dummm dum dummmmm do do do do do do

Sorry, it is catchy...lol