Sky Atlantic

I am a reluctant Sky subscriber. There, I've said it. I am in constant torment over my families Sky subscription as I do not want to line the pockets of the Murdoch Empire. I will admit though that this self righteousness is not as overpowering as the sheer amount of moaning I am subjected to if Spongebob Square-pants and MTV is not available as a choice. Me, I could always take it or leave it and the expense of Sky was next on the chopping block as soon as the contract is up.

Things have changed though, I have found it difficult not to get excited about the new Sky channel, Sky Atlantic HD for the terrestrial people out there. How can I not get excited, their deal with HBO brings all the programmes that we have normally had to wait months for or go searching on the Torrent sites with increasingly dodgy adverts on (Yes I am aware that research shows busty Russian girls are attracted to western men, especially from Glossop). Mad Men, The Wire, Six feet under, Treme, The Soprano's, Battlestar Galactica. The list goes on, they are even showing the X files from the beginning which I am determined to make time for.

The main attraction and selling point has been the premiere of HBO's multi million pound series Boardwalk Empire. I watched this on the launch night and found it to be everything that it had hyped up to be by critics on it's release it the states. Serious stuff with a great turn by Steve Buscemi and a shock (for me) appearance of Combo from This is England as a young Al Capone.

This momentous small screen piece was followed by what I can only assume was made as a dare. Blue Bloods focuses on an unfeasibly cop orientated family that crams in as many cop cliches as is possible in a hours worth of television.

Dead Cop Brother. Check
Scenes in dress uniform. Check
Girlfriend disapproving of cops choice to join the force. Check
Missing child. Check
Race against time due to child's illness. Check
Hard cop breaking the rules to save the missing child. Check
Morally justifiable police brutality. Check
Relative is the DA. Check
Retired Grandpa Cop. Check
Moral dilemma by young cop to betray crooked cop. Check
Tom Selleck's Moustache. Check

Now I may be being a bit mean to this so I'll watch it again next week. The shots of New York were great and the return of Tom Selleck's moustache to television may not bring about world peace but it does brings us a little bit closer.

If he wears a Hawaiian shirt next week I'll buy the DVD.



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