"Bates Motel" Final season - the best bits

This frustratingly inconsistent show is going out in style.

• Episode 1's opening sequence was masterly, thanks to writer/producer Kerry Ehrin (eps 2-5  have different writers). There's even a shower curtain reference, with tongue firmly in cheek.
•  The show is at its best when Norma and Norman duke it out (e.g. the scene in the woods with them both brandishing flashlights).
• Chick's viking funeral in Episode 3 was just plain weird. No kimono needed.
• The cheerily lit Bates house with dining room table elegantly set for dinner, contrasting with the reality of Norman's squalid existence.
• Marion Crane (Rhianna) walks past a sign for real estate: "R. A. Bloch" (shout out to the original novel by Robert Bloch).
• Episode 6 was a clever reinterpretation of  key "Psycho" scenes. Not a dud scene. The series most consistent episode. Respectful of its source material, then improving upon it. Producers Ehrin and Cuse scripted this episode. Note: "Sam Loomis" was John Gavin's character in the original movie.
• Episode 7 (scripted by Freddie Highmore) demonstrates Highmore's black sense of humour (see early scenes - bathroom clean-up and dumping Loomis in the well: "Make a wish").
• The intrepid sheriff (Brooke Smith - so good in "Ray Donovan") has some great scenes with Norman in Episode 8.
• Episode 9 had one decent scene - Emma visiting Norman in jail - the rest was tedious padding.
• Episode 10's climax was more like a Greek tragedy. Max Thieriot acted his socks off. The dinner table scene was truly macabre. The show went out in style. (Small gripe: If you were Emma - 30 mins into episode - wouldn't you ignore Dylan and ring the police yourself?)

Has "Da Vinci's Demons" run out of puff? Season 2 finale, Episode 10

Season 2 of "Da Vinci's Demons" has been all over the shop. Running half way around the world in search of The Book of Leaves, Leo's momma, the fall of the House of Medici and the naughty Labyrinth boys popping up to enlist Risario.
Risario saw a nifty salt water torture device, this time on (especially his eyeballs) the receiving end (shades of "A Clockwork Orange"). It was fun to find out that chubby young Nico will become sanguine, political strategist Niccolo Machiavelli. In reality, he was 17 years younger than Da Vinci, both from Florence and later did work with Leo (see the Borgias and for fun, "Assassin's Creed"). Machiavelli would make a great mini series.
The finale (with Leo about to demonstrate his latest military invention) was merely a warm-up for Season 3.

"Banshee" Season 2 finale, "Bullets and Tears", Episode 10, Cinemax

By the first 10 minutes, all the boxes have been ticked. Nasty murder (check). Sex scene (check). Drag act/fight scene (check).
This show resembles a graphic novel, helped by the way it is shot. Note the use of colour, lighting and the Tarantinoesque shootout in the church.
The cutting between past and present was effective. Job frocked up as Marie Antoinette was welcome comic relief. RuPaul, eat your heart out.
Interesting to spot the Twin Towers in the Soho scene. Bit of a gore fest ("I am the ThunderMan!") in the last 10 minutes. Don't mess with little Rebecca.
The add on scene: the return of the Indian warrior (Chayton)  in the New Orleans fight arena was gratuitous and sloppy. Sheriff Hood's Season 3 nemesis is one dimensional, unlike Proctor (next season, he looks like he's going to have his hands full with his naughty niece, if you get my drift).
I think the producers are pushing their luck with Season 3.
3 words - jump/the/shark.

PS Remember that nice British/Jewish chap (played by Mr Rabbit, Ben Cross) in "Chariots of Fire" (1981)?

"Dracula" Episode 10, finale, NBC TV series, 2013, spoilers

"Dracula" went out with a bang, literally. Bye bye to wireless electricity.
 Lots to like in the final episode (with possibly no Season 2 due to low ratings). The creator, Cole Haddon, was the writer for this finale. Although Harker and Van Helsing (love his nifty crucifixes) seem to be geared up for a vampire hunt in the last scene (shades of  the final scene of 1979 version of "Salem's Lot".
Van Helsing goes postal - mayhem in his lab, knifing good one Renfield (I'll miss that big dude) and a creepy revenge scene (kids putting the bite on daddy in the cellar). As Nigel Powers told Austin, "Never trust the Dutch, son."
The Italian seer was underused (loved his cool specs). The Jane/Grayson fist fight could have been much longer (a la "Banshee" fight scenes).
It's been a fun (and sumptuous to look at) ride - Victorian melodrama, bodice-ripping, dismemberment, blood lust, steampunk, a spot of lesbianism, secret societies, revenge and eternal love.

Farewell "The IT Crowd" Channel 4

After the lukewarm reception of "Count Arthur Strong", Graham Linehan's sublime series goes out on a high. It was like nothing had changed in the basement. Great to see Noel Fielding again. Check out his 'Vlad' exit.
Women's trousers make superheroes, the limitations of Twitter, Anonymous revealed and Jon Snow's cameo. So much to savour. Closing credits are not to be missed.

Why I enjoyed "Ray Donovan" more than "Dexter"

By Episode 6 of "Ray Donovan" I was won over, after a few patchy earlier eps. My reasons:

• Some great Bunchy scenes this week. Dash Mihok is a great actor - to upstage Jon Voight takes something.
• Elliott Gould in a hospital johnny showing his tush on the L.A. streets
• The acid scenes with OCD, "Star Wars" figurine-loving FBI Agent Miller were inspirational
• The 5 star hotel sperm bank. Puts a whole new meaning to 'room service'. 
• Lampshade obscuring the guy's junk in said hotel room. A tribute to Austin Powers' lampshade/naughty bits schtick?
• Introducing James Woods in the final scene. Good move, Showtime.

The final season of "Dexter" was all over the shop. I've stuck with him for eight seasons. Bringing the serial poisoner back into the mix was silly. Dr Vogel became a bore as was ghost dad.
The final episode of "Dexter" was a change in tone and helped to redeem the series. The scenes on the Dexter's boat, heading into the storm were haunting and surreal. The mute, numb lumberjack .... who saw that one coming? I have my doubts about Harrison in Buenos Aires, though. That kid has been pushed from pillar to post ... must be a resilient little tacker.

Whereas "Ray Donovan" Series 1 has been consistently engrossing as well as good fun.

Episode 10, "Fite Night", was dynamite. In Episode 11, the scene in the gym with Ray and the priest knocked my socks off.  The look on Abby's face when she sees the priest said it all. I also liked Conor playing video games with Avi, the ex-Mossad agent.
This series went from strength to strength.
Episode 12, a totally satisfying conclusion to Series 1. The marina shootout was stunning. Final scene on the beach with Ray's family, a delight. What a coup getting Michael Apted (master documentary director - "7 Up" series) to film the final episode.
Series 2 has much to live up to.
Apology: this is the crappiest post I have written, jumbled and haphazard. Written too late at night.

Best shows on television in 2013? "Les Revenants" ("The Returned") & "In The Flesh" BBC

One's French! One's English. Both about the undead.
"Les Revenants" ("The Returned"), originally shown in late 2012 on Canal +. Now we get the English (well subtitled) version in 8 parts on Channel 4. It's so good, I'm gobsmacked - makes "Top of the Lake" look like "Home and Away". Beautifully filmed, intricately structured and creepy as Hell. Less is more. Only seen two eps so far.
I will not give anything away. This is no zombie opus. A teenager is scary and unpredictable, so what would a dead teenager be like? Relationships, rather than horror, is the focus here.
Watching the opening titles should be enough to confirm that this is television drama as good as you get.
UPDATE
Watched the final episode. It posed more questions than it answered. After 8 episodes I felt a bit cheated. Have to wait until next year for Series 2.

On the other hand....
The BBC's excellent zombies (or should I say "PDS persons - Partially Deceased Syndrome") mini-series "In the Flesh" was an economical three parter. Highly recommended. Intelligent, poignant and beautifully produced. It deserves to be repeated. Streets ahead of US cable's "The Walking Dead".

"Top of the Lake" Episode 7 series finale review some spoilers

Beware of pregnant teenage mothers hissing and brandishing a hunting rifle (c.f. Episode 6 review).
No dead spots in this episode. Heaps of revelations and complications. I knew that Parker was an evil bastard. The framed photos of the teenage 'baristas' was a giveaway. No wonder Jamie (Luke Buchanan) was so damaged, collecting bones and talking about the serpent in paradise and "the darkness" in ep 6.
Robin's biological father - didn't see that one coming. I knew Mitchum had the local police in his back pocket but didn't expect one to be his daughter.
As to newborn Noah's father, Parker had DNA proof it was Matt Mitchum. But can Parker trust him? Tui's "NO ONE" comment was true. Could have been any of the porn making paedophiles from Parker's luxury pad. Mitchum probably provided the rohypnol. The bit about Johnno's real father was a bit convenient, but I suppose there was enough depravity in Laketop without the incest angle.
Two nice bits: the shot of the Paradise containers, dwarfed by the towering mountains and GJ's (Holly Hunter) final scenes. Consulting her ipad for her latest investments, telling her tribe they were "crazy bitches" before washing her plate and fork, giving Tui some motherly advice and skipping off to Iceland.
Why didn't the Australian Broadcasting Commission want to show this series? Bad call, Auntie.
Was this series worth sticking with?

P.S. 

RE  Robin's lakeside booze scene. Why do people bother drinking liquor out of shopping bags, you know it's not 7up they're sipping.

"The Mimic" TV series Episode 5 (final) review

A bittersweet final episode. This series never outstayed its welcome - 5 eps was about right. I doubt there will be a second series as all was resolved. It was always pretty clear this was never going to be "A Star is Born"/Martin makes it big time. The scene of self-doubt in the woods/nursing home with Martin spewing out his voice characters was inspired ("I'm not a patient, I'm a mimic").
Larry the mutt, fridge opening Internet sensation, was obviously the winner of the tacky television show. Another jab from Matt Morgan about how vaccuous the Internet and social media can be. Did Martin use the Fire Exit at the last minute? Probably. But it doesn't matter either way.
This series has been full of quiet humour and warm characters. No 'laugh out loud' moments - we didn't even get a manic Wogan routine in this concluding episode. The bit about Martin being mistaken for a Greek waiter was priceless. And Neil's senile, girlie-mag-reading dad (Ralph Brown) was delightful.

Mr Morgan skilfully juggled tragedy and comedy in the scene with Martin's parents and Dionne's cancer. "The plant (a gift) will outlive her" and buying a "Get well soon" card. The final shots of Martin's family and friends in Bournemouth on the dad's digital photo frame was poignant and the key to the series - the important thing is friends and family.

Banshee Episode 10, Season 1 finale, review - no spoilers

So much to enjoy in the season finale. From Hood's Sherlock-like deduction tricks with the attractive prison psychologist (flashback) to the assault on Rabbit's compound (the rocket launcher bit is a stunner). Lots of juicy stuff hinted at for the second season. Job done up like Pris (Darryl Hannah) in Blade Runner was a bonus. Proctor is becoming my favourite character.
'More is more' is the mantra for the makers of Banshee.  Let's hope they don't drop the ball in Season 2 (like what happened to Smash).
Enjoy.