16 Responses for "Ep 151: The Middleman, Top Gear (Aus), The Mentalist"

1. Brett Cropley October 7th, 2008 at 4:19 am

   The ABC Family web site has some great support material for The Middleman, including the Javi-Cast with the creator of the show talking about various aspects of the production.

2. Noodlez October 7th, 2008 at 10:58 am

   Cheers for talking about Middleman! Its been one of my favorite shows since it started and seeing as no one else seems to watch it, I thought maybe I was blinded into watching some crap TV

   More US TV reviews please!

3. gbsmith71 October 8th, 2008 at 12:21 pm

   I can’t believe that SBS are surprised about Crap Top Gear’s falling ratings.

   http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,24459517-5016681,00.html

   I really wanted to like it, but now that they have done the Ford v Holden battle and thrown a couple of P76 / 44 gallon drum references in, there’s really nothing left in the tank.

   The test track / airport is ridiculous (so much dust). Charlie Cox is just awful (makes Glenn Ridge on the Car show look good).

   Of course, if it was a choice between old top gear and crap top gear, I’d be inclined to go Two and a half men.

   Speaking of James, I’ve seen him in Europe more since they pulled the pin on the permanent posting.

   Cheers,

   Gavin

4. Brett Cropley October 8th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

   Just to make sure my view wasn’t clouded by my expectations of Top Gear, the universal mood in the comments on that news.com.au article has confirmed that it’s not just me. Read them all at http://www.news.com.au/comments/0,23600,24459517-5016681,00.html

   I absolutely could not believe the cop out at the conclusion of the Ford/Holden showdown. What a freakin’ waste of time. And the idiotic idea behind turning the Smart car into a hearse was just embarrassing.

   For me, now, the only tricky question is if this show format import is more or less bad than the Australian version of Survivor.

5. catbrain October 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am

   Very silly of SBS to be crowing about the ratings for TGA and going for another series on the strength of 1 ep. SURELY they must’ve known it was going to bomb this week? Perhaps they thought talking it up might encourage more people to watch again.

   ANYWAYS…

   I found this (just a little soundbyte)

   I reckon they might move 90210 to HD, rather than keep it for summer fill.

   Simon Baker was also the pretty-boy actor in LA Confidential, his wife Rebecca Rigg was also in E-Street and played his girlfriend (Amy). She got quite mixed up with MR BAD – he almost got her to kill her boyfriend. I think he played a cop in the show.
   He’s had a bit of an identity crisis over the years – Simon Baker, Simon Baker-Denny, Simon Baker Denny, Simon Denny…

6. Mike Beckham October 9th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

   Stan Grant hosted ‘Real Life’. Jill Singer hosted Today Tonight until she collapsed and then Naomi took over until Anna.

7. Mike Beckham October 9th, 2008 at 4:44 pm

   Of course I am talking about the Melbourne (then national) version…

8. lyndal October 9th, 2008 at 5:45 pm

   Snaps for Jill Singer. I had totally forgotten that she did that. And that she collapsed in some kind of stroke/pay negotiation deal.

9. Daniel D Boxcutter October 10th, 2008 at 9:09 am

   Big cheers for The Middleman. Wonderful rapid-fire humour, great homage/spoof combination, sensational straight acting by the two leads and maybe my favourite opening credit sequence of any show I’ve seen (excluding the Sopranos and Soap).

   I submit that there should be an Emmy for credit sequences. Makes more sense than “Reality Host” anyway.

   Back to topic – 6 episodes in, I love The Middleman! And so does the Lady D Boxcutter.

10. MordWa October 10th, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    @ Catbrain,

    funny thing is, I used to work with Simon-Baker-Denny(-Sangster-Renouf-Peacock)’s brother, who just stuck with the Baker surname and just haaaaated being asked about it…
    (Denny is his step-dad’s name, for those that didn’t know)

    But you forget SBD’s most memorable role – as shlepping around in the background of Melissa Tkautz’s “Read my Lips” film clip!

11. scalpel4hire October 11th, 2008 at 8:23 am

    Hi All

    Thanks for the pointer to The Middleman; just got it, have only seen the pre-credit sequence of Ep 1, but I think I’m hooked.

    It’s on ABC Family, right? Yet I’m sure M says to the girl “Of course, you could tell the truth, but then I’ll have to root you like a hog, and kill you…” Un-bleeped.

    Guess those American censors didn’t quite get the meaning of that, or did _I_ not quite get the meaning of that?

    Thanks again – great PodCast

    PS. big congrats to whoever talked John Richards into being a regular – he’s excellent value.

12. fourthof5 October 11th, 2008 at 8:57 pm

    [rant]
    Top Gear has had 11 seasons to get where it is, and it had some host changes. And people roast Top Gear OZ after two shows. Where oh where aunty are the “lets give the show a chance to develop” I hear every week about shows. Not there. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm double standards me thinks.
    [/rant]

13. catbrain October 13th, 2008 at 10:28 am

    @fourthof5: I’d agree with you about giving it a chance if it was trying to be its own show with its own style, but it’s not – which is the crucial point. If you try to make a carbon copy of something, of course the comparison is going to be made and if the original is clearly very popular then, again, any imitation is going to fall short. I think SBS and BBC/Top Gear Inc. have made a poor decision when agreeing to a set-in-stone formula.

    Plus, Charlie Cox is an arrogant tool who doesn’t possess the wit of Jeremy Clarkson.

14. alex boxcutter October 13th, 2008 at 11:09 am

    Rebecca Rigg. I had SUCH a crush on her when I was younger but hadn’t thought about her for years.
    She was so hot! probably still is.
    Thanks for mentioning her name

15. Daniel Kilby August 16th, 2009 at 8:46 pm

    W00t! My copy of The Middleman on DVD arrived today. I pre-ordered it through the You DO Buy It store and I'll probably be watching at least some of it at home tonight.

16. Daniel Kilby August 17th, 2009 at 11:46 am

    W00t! My copy of The Middleman on DVD arrived today. I pre-ordered it through the You DO Buy It store and I'll probably be watching at least some of it at home tonight.