The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio
The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio |
| Posted: Some characters on TV simply stand apart from the rest, for better or for worse. This week, the Sofa Spudniks have compiled a Top Five list of some of the TV characters they spend a lot of time with. Who are your favourites in this list? 1. Best bromance Indra: Forget about romances, bromances are way more fun and have fewer issues. Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) had a fantastic bromance going on for years on Friends. So did JD (Zach Braff) and Turk (Donald Faison) on Scrubs. In fact, I liked their bromance more than each of their romances. Also, who can forget Andy (Ian Gomez) and Bobby (Brian Van Holt) from Cougar Town? Sure, girlfriends are awesome, but sometimes – just sometimes – I wish I could be a guy and have a bromance going on with a best bud. So. Much. Fun. Ann Marie: Troy and Abed of Community (Donald Glover and Danny Pudi, respectively). When two men are so in sync they are willing to take over each other's place Freaky Friday style, there's no doubting their kindred spirit status. They even have a special handshake. Now, which other TV bromance duo has that, I ask you? Troy and Abed rock. 2. Most screwed up mother/family Indra: If you've watched Bates Motel (the TV prequel to the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, Psycho), you would realise that Norman Bates (played excellently by Freddie Highmore) never had a shot in Hell to be normal. Sure, the series hints that Norman has an inherent mental disorder – he snaps at people when he's angry, becomes violent and then blacks out – but it is his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga, how good is she?!) who is largely to blame for the "psycho" Norman grows up to become. Mothers smother their sons; that's a universal truth, but Norma's smothering that borders on being oedipal would have been more than enough to mess up a normal child, let alone one who is already disturbed. Ann Marie: When it comes to screwed-up mums, I always think of Ruth Fisher (Frances Conroy) on Six Feet Under. She had a new boyfriend for every season, believe it or not. That was one superb show, and Ruth was as dysfunctionally lovable as mums get. I always feel I have a bit of Ruth in me.  Freddie Highmore stars as Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates in Bates Motel. 3. The nicest bad guy ever Indra: Who else but Dexter (Michael C. Hall)? He's a serial killer, so yes, he is a bad guy. But the poor fella witnessed his mother's murder and was left to sit in a pool of her blood until the police found them. Anyway, he only kills bad guys, so maybe he's doing the world a favour. Right? Oh, I also have a fondness for Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) from Game Of Thrones. He's the only one in his family with a semblance of a conscience and let's face it, compared with Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), he's practically angelic. Ann Marie: By the end of Game Of Thrones Season Three, I even had some fond feelings for Jaime Lannister for crying out loud. And what about Sandor Clegane aka the Hound (Rory McCann)? Hero or villain? Don't you just love them when they're all tormented and neither clearly black or white? If we're really going for the truest nice bad guys, though, then I would have to include Robin of Loxley aka Robin Hood from Robin Of Sherwood. Oh my lord, I was in love with Michael Praed (who starred in the British TV series in the mid 1980s) for a long time. Nothing is forgotten! 4. Somebody please give this character a break Indra: My life isn't peachy all the time but there are many "silver linings" in my playbook – family, friends and TV. But some TV characters never seem to catch a break. Take Deacon Claybourne (Charles Esten) of Nashville. The guy's been down and out of luck since forever. He was in love with Rayna James (Connie Briton) but had to go into rehab for some serious substance abuse issues. While he was in rehab, she got married and had two children. Out of rehab, he is still pining for her while playing in her band (he's a guitarist and she's a big country singer). He gets tired of waiting for her (she's in a loveless marriage) and gets into several superficial relationships. Just when he and Rayna finally sort out their issues, he discovers she's been lying to him for years (they had a child that he knew nothing of). He starts drinking again and meets in a terrible accident. Tragic or what? Ann Marie: Okay, this is an open goal lah. I will have to go with Wile E. Coyote (of The Road Runner Show fame – Beep! Beep!) on this one. I've spent the last 45 years of my life watching the dude get blown up by Acme dynamite sticks. How cool if for ONCE they decide to let this "dog" have his day. I live in hope. 5. Forget about the food; the tastiest chef on TV is … Indra: Where do I begin? I used to think guys in uniform were hot, but these days, since the evolution of television food programming, I think a chef's jacket has to be the sexiest uniform EVER. MasterChef Australia seems to have the best casting directors of all when it comes to inviting hot chefs to the set. My favourites include British chef Darren Robertson who runs his own restaurant Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, Australia. Robertson is a little nerdy, but once he starts slicing, oh my, oh my! Also, the slightly scruffy and extremely serious Irish chef Colin Fassnidge who owns three restaurants in Sydney, Australia, terrifies me but he's so sexy! Ann Marie: Let's see. I think Curtis Stone is pretty dishy. Then, there's Adrian Richardson (Secret Meat Business) … okay, so he's not the best looking of blokes, but there's just something about that accent that gets me everytime. And hey, he makes the best sausages. |
| Posted: Ring in both Merdeka and Malaysia Day with exciting programmes on Astro. IN conjunction with this year's Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day, Astro presents almost 200 uplifting programmes for viewers. With the tagline "Negaraku, The Best Of 1Malaysia", the line-up of programmes can be enjoyed by Astro customers beginning today till Sept 16. From remembering the sacrifices of our patriots to reliving some of the nation's proudest sporting achievements, we are once again reminded why we call Malaysia our homeland. Here are some of the programmes: Back To The Streets (Aug 15, AFC / Astro Ch 703, 8.30pm): Chef Malcolm Goh and Zher Peen go undercover to search for the most authenthic street food in Kuala Lumpur. 1941: The Fall Of Penang (Aug 17, History / Astro Ch 555, 7pm): Relive that fateful day when Penang fell under Japanese forces in 1941. Crime Investigation Asia (Aug 19, CI / Astro Ch 723, 7pm): Crime cases often strike fear in our hearts, but it also unites us all. Beginning Aug 19, this one-hour documentary shows some of the most heinous crimes the country has ever seen, from the murders of beauty queen Jean Perera and IT analyst Canny Ong, to a military weapon heist and a drug bust. Rising Sun Over Malaya (Aug 24, History / Astro Ch 555, 7pm): Get first-hand account on the Japanese Occupation in Malaya which took the lives of tens of thousands of our countrymen. The Malayan Emergency (Aug 25, History / Astro Ch 555, 8pm): This two-hour special chronicles the Communist Party of Malaya's fight to make the country a Communist Republic. The documentary features original archive footage and photographs. Also, former intelligence specialists, policemen, soldiers and terrorists offer vivid accounts of the war.  A scene from 29 Februari starring Remy Ishak (third from right) and Jojo Goh. Ride & Seek (Aug 25, History / Astro Ch 555, 10pm): American travel host Jaime Dempsey takes her Harley Davidson to the streets of Peninsular Malaysia, exploring the breathtaking sites in Johor, Pahang, Penang, Malacca, Selangor and Kelantan. Konsert Kenangan Sudirman (Aug 30, Prima / Astro Ch 105, 10pm): Join some of the hottest artistes today such as Datuk Siti Nurhaliza, Jaclyn Victor, Misha Omar, Hafiz, Ziana Zain and Hujan as they take on the music of legendary performer Sudirman. AIM Chinese 2013 (Aug 31, AEC / Astro Ch 301, 6.30pm): After a 12-year hiatus, the Chinese Anugerah Industri Muzik is back to honour the best in local Chinese music. With more than 18 titles up for grabs – Best Male/Female Vocal Performance, Best Album and Best Song to name a few – see if your favourite local artiste will win big in the awards show. Settayo Settai (Aug 31, Vaanavil / Astro Ch 201, 8pm): Hosted by Malaysian funnyman Sathia and Kanchana Devi, don't miss some of the hottest talents in the Malaysian Tamil music scene such as Dhilip Varman, Rabbit Mac and Mista-G. Tastemakers (Aug 31, Li / Astro Ch 728, 9.30pm): Get the scoop on the nation's history-making Malaysians such as Kedah-born singer Yuna, F&B chain The BIG Group founder Benjamin Yong and designer duo Sereni and Shentel whose works have been donned by the cast of Gossip Girl and Desperate Housewives. 29 Februari (Aug 31, Citra / Astro Ch 131, 11pm): Dubbed Malaysia's first 3D film, 29 Februari centres on a man who is born on Feb 29 and only ages one year in every four years. As such, he witnesses the changing landscape of Malaysia, from its independence up to the present.  Catch designer duo Sereni and Shentel (left) in Tastemakers (Aug 31, Li / Astro Ch 728, 9.30pm). My New Village Stories (Sept 1, AEC / Astro Ch 301, 9pm): This documentary is back for a third season, shedding light on the cultural and economic aspects of the New Village community in Malaysia. Di Sebalik Kegemilangan (Sept 2, Arena / Astro Ch 801, 10pm): Revisit some of the nation's proudest sporting moments in this series, airing every Monday beginning on Sept 2. Prominent sports commentator Datuk Rahim Razali will take viewers back to the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup where Malaysia placed fourth; the Thomas Cup which tested the skills of many shuttlers from 1967 to 1992; and our national football team which qualified for the Olympic Games in 1972 and 1980. Merdeka Tournament (Sept 7, Arena, Astro Ch 801, TBA): Held in honour of Malaysia's Independence Day, the Merdeka Tournament or Pestabola Merdeka is back after a four-year hiatus. The Untold Truth About SuperMokh (Sept 7, National Geographic Channel / Astro Ch 553, 9pm): Learn the truth about the death of legendary footballer Mokhtar Dahari who was rumoured to have suffered from muscular dystrophy. Gadget Nation (Sept 13, Awani / Astro Ch 501, 8.30pm): Did you know that a local production studio was behind the Oscar-winning Life Of Pi's computer graphics work? Don't miss this special interview with the talented animators at Rhythm And Hues Malaysia. Lost Over France: Malaya's Unsung Hero (Sept 15, History / Astro Ch 555, 9pm): Get the scoop on a Malaysian family that fought for the British forces during World War II. 10 Things I Don't Know About Malaysia (Sept 16, History / Astro Ch 555, 9pm): Ezra Said lets viewers in on 10 little known twists and tidbits about the historical stories, figures and places you think you know. Wildlife Defenders (Sept 16, Discovery / Astro Ch 551, 9pm): Documentary crewmen go behind the scenes with Malaysia's Department Of National Parks and Wildlife as they combat illegal wildlife trafficking. Malaysia: Through The Decades (Sept 16, National Geographic Channel / Astro Ch 553, 9pm): Walk through the corridors of time as the documentary captures five decades worth of Malaysia's developments and achievements since 1963. For a full schedule of the Negaraku, The Best Of 1Malaysia programmes, visit www.astro.com.my/negaraku. |
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