Board of Excitement 5th December – 11th December 2010

By | December 4, 2010
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First of all, I have reviewed some more iPad apps:

Both of these are currently £1.79, and both have equivilent cheaper iPhone versions which are untested, but are probably exactly the same but in a bigger font.

Right, now that’s done let’s see what there is to look forward to this coming week:

  • Drop Zone – after coming dangerously close to prime time viewing last week, this week it’s back another five minutes. This week six teams get sunburnt whilst gallopping around Milos in Greece. (3:45pm, Sunday, BBC1)
  • The X Factor – only one week of this to go. The cast of Glee, Alexandra Burke and the Black Eyed Peas guest in this evening’s results show. (8pm, Sunday, ITV1)
  • Only Connect – First semi-final sees the Epicurians vs the Wrights. (8:30pm, Monday, BBC4)
  • Premier League Poker – Game three part 1 (1am, Monday night/Tuesday Morning, C4)
  • The Apprentice – the candidates become tour guides. I took a tour of Oxford once, the guide was either a good liar or quite ill-informed so this should also be a lot of fun. Especially as it looks like the candidates might be about to come to blows. (9pm, Wednesday, BBC1)
  • The Challenge: Cutthroat – I keep promising to put the theme up because it’s this year’s best reality theme. Fingers crossed I’ll do it this week. If I remember. (Wednesday, MTV US)

Anything else?

What does Alan Sugar say to his eggs at breakfast every morning? You’re fried.

By | December 2, 2010
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So.

As you may or may not have gathered, this is the first time I’m watching The Apprentice properly – I’ve always enjoyed the odd episodes I’ve watched, but I’ve never bothered watching it as a series before. I’m enjoying it very much.

But I feel I should make up for lost time – happily most of it appears to be on Youtube, and so I thought I’d start at the very beginning (warning, contains swearing):

Blimey, Alan Sugar used to be a lot more terrifying didn’t he? He’s just Dr Fun these days. His autobiography is a decent read, especially the bits about The Apprentice (two other people were considered for the job, one didn’t want it, the other suggested Alan do it, and he wasn’t best pleased with how the first Celebrity Apprentice turned out).

I love seeing how shows develop over a period.

It flashes and it makes a noise: this year’s HOTTEST GIFTS

By | November 30, 2010
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Well, today I’ve been to Westfield Shopping Centre, as made famous in TV’s The Apprentice a few weeks ago. Let’s take a look at this year’s HOTTEST ITEMS.

Mmm nom nom nom

As regular viewers will know, I’m “from” Cambridge. Cambridge does not have a Krispy Kreme, but London has loads. Krispy Kreme doughnuts are good. We have just had a Yo Sushi open though, so it’s probably only a matter of time. Yes I know they look a bit squashed but they’re all eventually going in my gob anyway.

British television's TOUGHEST DVD on television

I had no clue this was coming out (or perhaps it’s been out for a year – it seems a bit odd to be coming out now with no news of a third series), but it features over 1,300 questions and puzzles (including a slidey puzzle thing) and an insinuation that press-ups may be involved and is an actual board game with DVD element. I will try and give it a run through sometime. Debenhams had it for £20 today (£25 normally apprently) but Amazon are selling it for less. I bought a copy because I always like to support shows I like (couldn’t find any copies of The Cube or Pointless anywhere in Westfield) however I also saw copies of The Million Pound Drop going at WHSmiths for £30 apiece, the back shows off the drop table, you get 40 “bundles of cash” counters and 240 questions and a timer.

However, this year’s hottest gameshow gift is probably going to be this:

BUZZ

Part of a range of Britain’s Got Talent merchandise (i.e. a microphone, magic set etc) these also come in packs of three. Single ones are £6 each, and light up and make the sound and everything. Even if you don’t use it for judging talent contests, why not do what I intend to do and use it in an office environment, buzzing people whenever they say something really stupid or annoying?

Speaking of getting behind things, before the weekend I was introduced to Brett Domino’s Gillian McKeith song which is very likable and got to number 29 in the OFFICIAL Top 40 chart at the weekend. Buy it on iTunes, or watch the video:

Oh God! Oh Jesus Christ Noooo!

By | November 29, 2010
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Thanks to Kylie to alerting us to this – Endemol looking for teams of three for a new physical and mental challenge show for Saturday nights. Oh God. OH GOD OH GOD OH GOD (look for the 9th September).

Meanwhile in happier news, Peter Davey off of The Mole is working with Penn and Teller and Jonathan Ross on a new magic competition format. It’s practically a dream team.

Magic seems to be very ‘in’ at the moment, there’s another show currently in production called The Magicians fronted by Lenny Henry involving celebrities and magic for the BBC.

Board of Excitement 28th November – 4th December 2010

By | November 28, 2010
26 Comments

Come Dine With Me app review just coming (Edit: Whoomph there it is, as US rap combo Tag Team once sang) , in the meantime:

  • Drop Zone – The seven remaining teams are dropped off in Austria, where the weather is awful and they need to milk a cow. This starting fifteen minutes later this week, by the sixth and final week it’ll be primetime at this rate. (3:50pm, Sunday, BBC1)
  • All Star Family Fortunes – Not exciting per se, but now it’s in The Cube‘s slot it will be interesting to see what sort of ratings it gets. If you like that kind of thing. (7:15pm, Sunday, ITV1)
  • The X Factor – With the double elimination this evening I guess this week we’ll find out if Wagner is towards the top three or in fact just avoiding elimination Jedward style, if the two rival voting leaks are anything to go by. (8pm, Sunday, ITV1)
  • Only Connect – final quarter final: In-laws vs the Alesmen. Needless to say, disappointed by the lack of beards from the Alesmen, they probably aren’t proper CAMRA members. (8:30pm, Monday, BBC4)
  • A Question of Sport – Normally we wouldn’t bill this, but we’re intrigued by its new late night timeslot and the fact that celebrities will be regular panelists (Frank Skinner and Peter Jones are on this first ep). It’s sort of been going in a light-entertainment direction for a while, is it now going to go a bit crude? It’s also the first episode of series forty, so congratuations to them for that. New set as well. (10:35pm, Monday, BBC1 – 23:05 in NI and Wales, 23:45 in Scotland)
  • Premier League Poker – Match two, second half. Good old Phil Helmuth. (00:45, Monday night, C4)
  • The Apprentice – appears to be a bit of a scavenger hunt this week, except with buying things. I gather this is a regular task, but this is my first time watching the show properly, which I am enjoying very much. (9pm, Wednesday, BBC1)
  • The Challenge: Cutthroat – Sorry, I billed this last week but it wasn’t actually on because of being Thanksgiving Eve, presumably. (Wednesday, MTV US)