Life Unexpected, E4

Premiering last night on E4 (7pm), US drama Life Unexpected follows the story of Lux, a 15-year-old (soon to be 16) who wants emancipation from the foster care system.

After being given away at birth Lux (Brittany Robertson) has bounced around foster homes. But with her 16th birthday approaching she goes off in search of her birth parents so they can sign a form that will hopefully grant her emancipation from the state. Lux first finds her dad, layabout and bar owner Nate "Baze" Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha) before meeting her birth mother, morning radio host Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby).

Predictably there are complications and instead of being granted emancipation Lux finds herself in the joint temporary custody of Cate and Baze. And that is where the story really starts, a emotional tale of reconnection and family.

With a Juno/Gilmore Girls feel, Life Unexpected is a heart-warming, gentle and funny hour of television that will one moment make you laugh and the next cry.

The show is mainly character-driven and while Cate does not look old enough to be Lux's mum (even though Cate had her in high school), the chemistry and connection between Cate, Lux, Baze and Cate's co-host/secret partner Ryan (Kerr Smith) makes this dysfunctional family dynamic work. The plot to the show feels honest and natural, a US drama with a simple premise written and performed well.

Without ruining the next 12 episodes Life Unexpected follows how everyone slots back into each others lives and deals with the issues this brings, whether it be Cate and Lux, Baze and Lux or Cate and Baze (plus the romantic complication of Cate's partner Ryan). With the Juno-type style there is plenty of teen angst as Lux yearns to be a normal teenager whilst her parents struggle with their own angst as they are forced to grow up.

And if you do enjoy the first season of Life Unexpected you can look forward to a second, which has just begun airing in the US.

Picture from Tv Fanatic

Kat & Alfie's return

The first promotional pictures have been released of the long-awaited return of EastEnders golden couple Kat and Alfie Moon.

The pair have not been seen since they departed in 2005 for a new life in America. But Kat (Jessie Wallace) will make her return to Albert Square this Friday whilst husband Alfie (Shane Richie) will be seen again on screen on Tuesday, September 21st.



From the picture above viewers can see Kat will return heavily pregnant but all other secrets about their return are being kept under wraps.

With Peggy Mitchell's departure last week Kat and Alfie will take charge of the Queen Vic when it is re-built after last week's blaze. Their return is a welcome one with Kat following in the footsteps of feisty Queen Vic landlady's including Peggy and Sharon Rickman.

After being away for five years viewers will be left wondering what the pair have been up too. Are they still as happy as they were when they left?

Pictures from Digital Spy

The Vic on fire!

The first pictures of the spectacular fire in EastEnders that is going to destroy the Queen Victoria pub and change Walford forever have been released and drug addict Phil Mitchell is to blame!

The dramatic shots from scenes due to air next week show Phil (Steve McFadden) fighting with his mum and pub landlady Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) before he sets fire to her beloved boozer.

Phil's dangerous actions soon put local lives in danger, including trapped couple Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Vanessa Gold (Zoe Lucker). Will the pair survive and who else is trapped in the inferno?

It has been widely speculated that the blaze, which allowed EastEnders to rebuild the Queen Vic set for the show's move to HD, may see the demise of the Peggy. Windsor announced her departure earlier this year and if Peggy were to perish in the blaze it would certainly be a dramatic and emotional exit for the legendary soap queen.

Other well-loved characters including Minty Peterson (Cliff Parisi) and Charlie Slater (Derek Martin) are also due to depart the show soon and could be set for exciting exits if they were to perish in the fire.

As the inferno rips through The Vic, can anyone escape or will local lives be lost?

The scenes air on Thursday 9th September at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Pictures from Digital Spy and Digital Spy

EastEnders tackles drug use

EastEnders has never been a show to shy away from controversial storylines and the latest plotline to shock viewers is hardman Phil Mitchell's (Steve McFadden) crack cocaine addiction. Scenes showing Phil's drug binge have already received over 200 complaints, so is the hard-hitting plot too much for the pre-watershed timeslot?

Yes, it is too much too early - With a large audience that ranges in ages EastEnders does have a responsibility to its viewers to not cross the line and be seen to glamorise drug use. Certain scenes where both Phil and addict Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) are in possession of drugs or talking freely about taking drugs risks upsetting many viewers. The violent and manic effects the drugs have on both characters can also be uncomfortable to watch.

Since her return the character of Rainie has only been used as a vehicle for Phil's story and so it makes it hard for the viewers to feel any sympathy for her character or see her as anything more than a drug addict.

No, EastEnders is highlighting an important issue - Whilst it might be uncomfortable and at times slightly frightening to see Phil fly into a drug-induced rage the acting from all involved as been superb. McFadden has brilliantly depicted Phil's rage and out of control behaviour whilst also showing a fragile and sensitive side that is behind Phil's drug use after the loss of his kids (you couldn't help but feel terribly sad for Phil as he lay crying in Shirley's arms last night).

The supporting cast of ex-girlfriend Shirley (Linda Henry), mum Peggy (Barbara Windsor) and drug addict Rainie have made this storyline realistic, showing the effects Phil's downward spiral has on those closest to him.

EastEnders have been careful never to show any character taking drugs and by doing so have avoided further complaints and any criticism of glamorising the storyline. But at the same time they have not held back with showing the physical and emotional deterioration of Phil as he struggles to cope.

The storyline may be hard to watch with its painful level of realism but the disastrous consequences drugs has had on Phil highlights the negative and dangerous effects of drug taking. This ongoing plot is a strong piece of storytelling and an accessible way to raise awareness.

Picture from Virgin Media

EastEnders, Denise isn't dead!

Warning!! I mention next week's spoilers below.





Whenever any character in soapland cautiously walks down into a dark basement alone you just know something isn't quite right. Especially in the case of murderous preacher Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet), who in EastEnders last night visited his 'dead' wife Denise (Diane Parish) and offered her food from her own funeral!

In a spoiler-free twist but a twist-that-you-could-still-see coming crazed Lucas (who often gives a darker rendition of Dot's Bible-quoting ways) popped to see his wife Denise after presiding over her funeral.

A dishevelled Denise appeared from the dark after being held captive in a basement by her husband Lucas for weeks. What she (and the audience) don't know is that poor Denise is currently hidden away next door from her own house!

But this twist surely raises the question how exactly did Lucas get his wife from the canal, through the Square and into the basement of the house next door to his own without anyone seeing?

Lucas has already killed a man and buried his body in the middle of the gardens without anyone noticing! The residents of Walford must be so used to suspicious activity that they simply close their curtains and go to bed when they see the local priest dragging a body through Albert Square.

But onto next week where Denise will make an unlikely return to her family. Spoilers say that Denise wants to try and fix her broken family, how exactly she hopes to do that when her current husband and father of her eldest child tried to kill her, killed her previous husband and father of her youngest kid as well as letting the mother of her step-son die. That is a complicated family tree even for soapland!

But the return of Denise will also inevitably lead to the sad departure of evil holy man Lucas, whose magnificent reign of terror has made Walford a much more dangerous and exciting place over the last two years.

Picture from bbc.co.uk/eastenders

The Bionic Vet, BBC1

Turning over for the last 20 minutes of The Bionic Vet (BBC 1) I wasn't sure quite what I was going to be watching. An over-the-top Animal Hospital remake maybe? Instead we got Animal Hospital on surgically implanted metal paws. A heart-warming and fascinating programme about Dr Noel Fitzpatrick, a inspiring vet who performs miracles.

At his specialist clinic in Surrey we watched Dr Noel, a neuro-orthapedic surgeon, save the lives of Mayo the golden retriever and Oscar the black cat. But he does not save them the easy way. Owners visit Dr Noel when all hope looks to be gone and using technology, never before heard procedures and a slice of genius he saves them.

After arthritis left Mayo crippled in one paw Dr Noel implanted metal rods similar to those of Wolverine's from the X-Men films into Mayo's foot and built a metal frame and shoe. The idea is mad and never should have worked, especially when you see Dr Noel cutting up a human shoe and taping it to a base for Mayo to walk on. Yet it did work. Mayo's owner rejoiced as Mayo cautiously started to walk again and so did I. After only ten minutes I had fallen in love with Mayo the dog and the programme itself.

Next up was Oscar, a lovely black cat who had both his back paws ripped off by a combine harvester. Poor little Oscar looked lost dragging his bandaged legs around so in stepped Dr Noel. Whilst I could have lived without seeing the flesh peeled back from Oscar's mutilated leg it all seemed worth it when, on two new implanted paws Oscar (picture above) immediately started bouncing around. I think Dr Noel was close to tears and so was I. What makes this procedure more amazing is that it is the first operation of its kind in the world. Ground-breaking doesn't even come close.

Only briefly do they ever mention how much Dr Noel's work cost (we are led to believe very expensive even though no figures are mentioned). But seeing Mayo and Oscar up and walking again thanks to six metal spikes and artificial paws makes you think that it is worth every penny.

Picture from cbsnews.com

One last hurrah as the Big Brother circus comes to town again!

For the last time 14 fame-hungry unknowns walked into the Big Brother house last night and in true BB style they were a mix of the oddest people you are ever likely to meet.

In a twist (not the last twist of the series we can assume) all 81 hopefuls were left standing outside the house, staring at their route into 15 minutes of fame.

The live open air auditions were an attempt for something different but the audience were merely left with watching the surprise on the wannabes faces (and the jealousy on those around them) rather than a completely new process of picking housemates.

One by one Big Brother called out the names of the lucky (some would say unlucky) 13 who were to enter the circus for the summer. These included bubbly country girl Josie who I was happy to see enter the house just so the ear piercing screams would stop and trainee doctor Sunshine (who is the first and only person I know to enter the house, and by know I mean sat in the same university class as me - my small and sad claim to fame this summer).

They were joined by Beyonce lookalike Rachael and the British version of a celebrity lookalike Corin, who looks like Jordan.

The men include New Age monk David, Australian John James and former Soldier Steve who lost his legs and an eye in a bomb blast. They were joined by Ben, the token posh guy who got such a bad reaction from the crowd outside the house that I am surprised he didn't run away screaming.

With 13 inside the house (a house where if the people inside it don't give you a headache, the decor sure will) an over-excited Davina announced that one of the 68 who was deemed not crazy, weird or attractive enough to be chosen to enter automatically would get the luck of being picked by a lottery draw.

That honour fell to Mario, who got to celebrate by putting on a unflattering mole outfit and being told to sabotage the housemates' tasks without being found out. How long will that last? Not long I suspect.

In an effort to prolong the inevitable it was announced that this series of Big Brother will be followed by Ultimate Big Brother, a 2-week show where the best housemates from former series re-enter the house to compete against this series' winner.

Big Brother's final twist could serve as a trip down memory lane for the hardcore fans but it is more likely a precautionary measure from the producers to make sure that the Big Brother brand ends on a high, whatever happens over the next 13 weeks.

Picture from The Guardian