Ruth Wilson in JFK movie (maybe) and Luther episode 2

Just a quick alert that www.imdb.com is reporting a potential Ruth project about JFK with her playing Jackie!

Now, on to Luther...

Last night's second episode was very interesting. Ruth wasn't in it as much as she was in the first episode because the story focused on Sean Pertwee's son assassinating police officers in revenge for his dad being locked up. However Alice Morgan was around and clearly up to no good. In one scene she's disguised as a hospital volunteer and chats to Luther on the phone while sitting next to the serial killer he put in a coma.

Later in the episode Luther's wife and boyfriend hear a noise downstairs and investigate. There's Alice at the kitchen table drinking a glass of wine and chirpily enquiring if Mrs Luther knew her husband put said serial killer in the coma. Zoe's silent rely speaks volumes and Alice happily lets herself out with a cheery goodbye.

My favourite moment in the episode was the scene at the end when Alice and Luther meet up on the bridge where they had a Dramatic Confrontation at the end of the previous episode. I think Luther's last line was something like "one cup of coffee doesn't make us friends" and off they went practically arm-in-arm! I guess no one else "gets" him and they've made a connection. Bless.

This is not your usual cop show...

Lara Pulver in True Blood

A number of sites including digitalspy.co.uk are reporting the news that Lara Pulver will play the recurring role of Sookie’s fairy godmother Claudine in the third series of True Blood.

This is of interest to me as I became a big fan of Lara when she turned up in the third series of the BBC's Robin Hood this time last year playing Gisborne's sister Isabella.

I've not seen much of True Blood beyond the first couple of episodes, but I guess I'll be making an effort!

Doctor Who "The Vampires of Venice"

In this week's installment we get exactly what it says on the tin, i.e. vampires in Venice. Sort of. It turns out they are alien fish people that are disguising themselves as humans.

I'm a bit in two minds about the episode. It was fairly enjoyable but I didn't feel much a threat from the fish people. I was also a little disappointed that the vampires didn't turn out to be, well, vampires. I had assumed the episode would be about a humanoid alien race with big teeth that were responsible for vampire legends. Oh well.

We did get a reason for why vampires cant be seen in mirrors. It's because their "perception filters" don't work on reflections. So now you know.

Good comic timing from Matt Smith, nice vampire ladies slinking around and a new companion Rory (Amy's fiancee) added to the mix for bickering possibilities are all positives.

My favourite moment in the episode was probably when the Doctor holds up what he thinks is his psychic paper to someone. It turns out to be his library card, complete with photo of William Hartnell!

Luther Episode 1

Episode 1 of Luther was on BBC1 last night and seeing as Ruth Wilson was in it I made a special effort to watch it. Actually it did require a bit of extra effort as BBC1 Northern Ireland broadcast the episode almost two hours later than the rest of the country. This was because we in NI had the dubious pleasure of watching the Northern Ireland Leaders Debate.

Please note I use the words "pleasure", "leaders" and "debate" in the loosest possible sense of the words. But I digress...

On his first day back on the job Luther is given the task of investigating the murder of a husband and wife. The only witness is their daughter Alice Morgan played by Ruth Wilson.

Luther early on realises Alice must have committed the murders but he cannot prove anything. However he is sure that the chink in her armour is her intelligence and she will be too arrogant to stop letting something slip eventually. After she is released he confronts her in an attempt to try and provoke her. This in turn reveals his own arrogance at thinking he can outsmart her.

Ruth's character Alice promises to be an unwelcome presence in Luther's life in future episodes. Ruth as always is a revelation. Alice looks likes she is having too much fun and Ruth gives her a presence that puts me in mind of a cat lapping up a particularly delicious bowl of milk, especially when sparing with Luther.

To be honest not a lot happens in the first episode but I think it's very much a setting-the-scene type of episode and the series probably should be assessed as a whole. For example I wonder what Alice has in mind for the serial killer in the coma...

Writer Neil Cross wrote the following on the BBC website:

I love John Luther, naturally. But I also love unreservedly the character of Alice Morgan. In fact, on that first night out with the cast I seem to recall telling Ruth Wilson (who plays her) that in many ways I considered Alice to be the perfect woman. She looked at me, it has to be said, with a degree of horror.

Alice was a formidable role - chilly and flirtatious, murderous and vulnerable, high-minded and caustic, sometimes in the same sentence. But Ruth makes her absolutely real, and utterly riveting. There's a moment in episode four where she truly frightens me.

I was on set when Idris and Ruth filmed their first scene together. It was a spine-tingling event - but I don't think it's good for me to hang round on set, because that's just not where a writer belongs. So I made myself scarce and let them get on with their jobs.

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tv/2010/04/introducing-luther-with-love-t.shtml

News on the first ratings can be seen here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/may/05/tv-ratings-luther-idris-elba

PS There was also a good scene where he kicks the crap out of an innocent door.

The Prisoner on DVD and Luther update

I was a little surprised to see the The Prisoner is out on DVD in the UK this week, exactly half-way through ITV1's broadcast of the six-part series. Normally TV DVD's are timed to appear the Monday after the last episode of the series has been shown.

In any case it's out there for those who can't wait to see how it all turns out. Here's the Jim Caviezel-shaped cover art:


In addition to the six episodes the DVD contains the following special features:

• Deleted scenes
• The Making of The Prisoner
• Character profiles
• The Prisoner read-through
• Jamie Campbell-Bower interviewing Ian McKellen
• Comic Con 2009: The Prisoner panel
• Inside The Prisoner

In other Ruth Wilson developments we have episode 1 of Luther on BBC1 tonight. I had assumed that Ruth was only in the first episode but looking at the Radio Times today I was very pleasantly surprised to see her name listed in episode 2's cast list. Can we hope for Ruth in all six episode I wonder? If so I give a resounding "yippee".

Doctor Who Flesh and Stone

This episode continues from the cliff-hanger at the end of previous one. The Doctor and gang make their way into the ship with the angels in pursuit.

While they make their escape the Doctor notices Amy "counting down" from ten, although she remains unaware of it. He discovers that an angel has got inside her and will take over when she gets to zero. The only way to stop it is for her to close her eyes. But the only way to stop and angel is to look at it...

Also the crack in Amy's bedroom wall in episode 1 makes another appearance. It appears to be following her...

There are some creepy moments in the episode such as Amy's countdown and the soldier forgetting that his comrades ever existed after they go to investigate the crack.

Also we discover that River Song was in prison for killing a "good man". Methinks the next time the Doctor and River meet will explain who that was.

This was not a bad episode by any measure, but it did feel like it was just a smaller part of the "season arc" rather than a stand-alone episode.

Ruth Wilson's Luther in Radio Times

Just two weeks ago the Radio Times contained a Ruth Wilson article for The Prisoner. Now she is on the cover of the new issue promoting the BBC's new crime drama Luther along with Idris Elba from The Wire.

Above is the cover image I scanned and I have left it extra large. Below are the interior page scans, mainly focusing on Idris Elba but Ruth gets a mention and there are a couple of photos of her. Looking typically stunning I might add.

Episode 1 of Luther is due to air on BBC1 on Tuesday 4 May 2010.