Archive for the ‘City Of Vice’ Category

Trailer Trash: 1066: The Battle For Middle Earth, Channel 4

Friday, May 15th, 2009

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1066 is one of events in history that never seems to be talked about much these days. It’s no wonder really – it happened 943 years ago and I would imagine first-hand testament is pretty thin. But Channel 4 has constructed a drama from what there is available, and re-imagines the Norman Conquest through the eyes of the ordinary men and women who fought for the battle of what they called ‘middle earth’. It’s written by the chap who did City Of Vice (which was very good), and the whole thing looks rather good in a Lord Of The Ringsy way. There’s a clip after the jump, and you can watch it on Monday 18 May on Channel 4, at 9pm.

Related: For our City Of Vice news and reviews, go here.

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Our favourite sweary City Of Vice phrases

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

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If you read the review earlier, you’ll know that City Of Vice has come to an end. I really enjoyed it, and it was only a few notches below being brilliant. What I’ll take most from the series is the extraordinary array and combinations of swear words. Words that would be frowned upon today as the worst-of-the-worst were spoken with gusto and historical accuracy in COV – because they were used sparingly and imaginatively, and several centuries ago they sounded somehow right and proper (Shameless, Gordon Ramsay take heed).

Over the jump I’ve compiled TV Scoop’s very own City Of Vice dictionary. Impress your friends with new swear words and phrases from Georgian London!

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TV Review: City Of Vice, Channel 4, Monday 11 February, 9pm

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008

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And so we come to the last episode of City Of Vice, the series that follows brothers Henry and John Fielding in Georgian London, as they create the city’s first-ever police force. Georgian London, as we’ve seen in previous history series, is full of grime, extreme poverty, contrasting and fabulous wealth, vice and low morals. Men wore wigs and women wore dresses that pushed up their bangers like no one’s business. It looked like a crazy time.

The promise was an ‘extraordinary historical drama series’ and, on the whole, Channel 4 was right – it was an excellent exposé of what life might have been like at the time, and there was some dramatic stories told in the series. However, Channel 4 pulled a surprise in last night’s series finalé episode – it went all the way back to the beginning, before episode one was set, to explain how the Bow Street Runners was formed. A prequel, if you will.

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TV Review: City Of Vice, Channel 4, Monday 4 February, 9pm

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

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Here we go for episode four of City Of Vice and, after last week’s corker, I was hoping that it would continue its fine form. Up until last week, I was enjoying COV true enough, but felt it wasn’t quite pacy enough and a bit too clunky. Last week episode – where the brothers Fielding set a trap for a cutthroat band of Irish thieves – was the first time it seemed to concentrate on drama instead of historical fact.

We got a glimpse of what was to come this week at the end of last week’s episode – the Irish gang was tooling up for some serious revenge – and I couldn’t wait to see what happened.

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Trailer Trash: City Of Vice, Channel 4

Monday, February 4th, 2008

I really enjoyed last week’s episode of City Of Vice – for the first time in the series it got the mix between dramatic tension and historical authenticity just right. Last week, the brothers Fielding did battle with a gang of Irish ‘f***sters’, and it seems this week that gang are out for revenge.

Are the Fieldings’ fledgling police force ready to handle bloodthirsty revenge? Check out tonight’s episode – Channel 4 at 10pm. There are more clips from the channel right here.

TV Review: City of Vice, Channel 4, Monday 28 January, 9pm

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008

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“London… my city. It is a monstrous place…” By now, we’re used to this foreboding voiceover at the start of City Of Vice. It’s a good way to start because it sets the scene, and you just know that there will be a murder of some sorts for the brothers Fielding and their Bow Street Runners to sort out.

Already in the series, we’ve seen them investigate cutthroat goings on in a whore house, and erm, some more cutthroat goings on in a molly house. What’s in store for us this week? While they are reminded of their duties to protect the rich by their patrons, it doesn’t stop them hunting down a murderer in the Irish shanty towns of Covent Garden.

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Trailer Trash: City Of Vice, Channel 4

Friday, January 25th, 2008

City Of Vice has already been pretty great already, and and has introduced us to all kinds of fantastic Georgian swearing combinations. As well as intriguing murder mysteries, of course. In this clip from Monday night’s show, (look out for the phrase: “medley of distressed domestics”), the brothers Fielding get to grips with another murder.

TV Review: City Of Vice, Channel 4, Monday 21 January, 9pm

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008

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Last week’s opening episode of City Of Vice was a heady mixture of history, crime, drama and some of the fruitiest language you’ll ever hear on the telly. It told the tale of how Henry Fielding, celebrated author of Tom Jones, became so disgusted with the moral filth in Georgian London he set up the city’s very first police force.

Ian McDiarmid plays Henry, and one commenter to this site said that while watching the opening episode, his girlfriend just couldn’t get the image of the Emperor from Star Wars out of her head. What she made of this episode is anyone’s guess – it guest-starred ex-EastEnders hunk Nigel Harman as as screaming queen.

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Ex-EastEnder Nigel Harman in City Of Vice next week!

Thursday, January 17th, 2008

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This, ladies and gentlemen, is a picture of Nigel Harman. The ex-EastEnders beefcake is almost hidden under layers of make-up and a big, fancy wig. He’s guest starring in City Of Vice next week (we liked the first episode very much, as a frequenter of molly houses (where like-minded men people get together and, erm, enjoy each other’s company) and the chief suspect in a murrrrder.

Not what you’d expect from the Harman, and you should see what he gets up. Definitely playing against type. The episode is on next Monday.

TV Review: City Of Vice, Channel 4, Monday 14 January, 9pm

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

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I know these are famous last words, but I was really looking forward to City Of Vice. It had all the hallmarks of a cracker. I saw one preview describe it as a mix between Deadwood and Inspector Morse, which is a heady mix indeed. But what also interested me was that Channel 4 very rarely – outside of Shameless and Hollyoaks – do drama series, so it must have had some big-style faith in this.

It stars two actors with Shakespearian credentials – Ian McDiarmid and Iain Glen – and is based on true events. C4 has been trailing it to death, calling it an “astonishing new historical drama”. It basically follows the adventures of the Fielding brothers, and the very first incarnations of the police force. Henry Fielding (McDiarmid) is a novelist and is so appalled at the state of 18th century London, he decides to do something about it, and starts the Bow Street Runners – a Motley crew of men (one of them the sweary Northern Irish guy who was in No Angels) out to rid London of sleaze and filth. A picture will be coming – I’m having trouble uploading one at the moment.

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Trailer Trash: City Of Vice, Channel 4

Friday, January 11th, 2008

The voiceover says “an astonishing new drama” and in some ways City Of Vice is. It’s astonishing because it’s got a great cast (Ian McDiarmid and Iain Glen), an interesting premise and it’s so unusual that Channel 4 makes a drama series that isn’t Shameless.

It looks very good too – very, very stylised – and the storylines should tap into the whole costume drama/cop show loving groups. I’ve seen episode two (featuring ex-EastEnder Nigel Harman as you’ve never seen him before), but I’ll hold my tongue and let you decide what to make of it. It’s on Channel 4 next Monday at 9pm.

Coming Soon: City Of Vice, Channel 4

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

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Costume dramas are coming thick and fast, and you won’t find us complaining too much on Le Scoop. We’ve had the excellent Cranford, we’re in the midst of Oliver Twist and can look forward to both The Old Curiosity Shop and Sense And Sensibility over Christmas. Hot off the Channel 4 press is this new period drama with a difference – it isn’t based on a literary masterpiece… it’s all new!

New Channel 4 dramas are, apart from Shameless and the odd one-off special, quite rare these days, but this looks juicy. It tells the story of a pair of crime-fighting brothers set in the dirty, rotten, vice-ridden streets of Georgian London.

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