Professionally Incoherent Recommends: Fox’s ‘Fringe’

“What if?”. It’s a question that’s asked almost every episode on Fox’s sci-fi show Fringe, now in the middle of its fourth season. The question implies limitless possibilities, and I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve recently become hooked on the series. It follows a special division of the FBI who investigate strange phenomena, including cases of mind control, teleportation and supernatural creatures.

Starring a number of very talented actors, like John Noble and Lance Reddick, Fringe is cleverly constructed and unpredictable. Read on to find out why I think it’s worth checking out!

Professionally Incoherent Recommends: Doctor Who

If you’re familiar with this site, you might know that several months ago, I did a series of reviews on a BBC show called Doctor Who. The episodes I reviewed were the most recent ones that came to air, the first half of the sixth series (or “season”, as we call it in North America). I decided to write spoiler-free Doctor Who reviews partly to help inform Whovians (Who fans), but also because Doctor Who had become one of my new favourite shows. The program is now on hiatus until the fall, but it seems like a good time to explain why other viewers should start watching this fantastic show.

That means a return of my column, “Professionally Incoherent Recommends”. I use these articles to talk about TV shows and movie series that I think more people should check out. As with any of my posts, leave your thoughts in the comments section, including any suggestions for what I should write on next!

Professionally Incoherent Recommends: BBC’s QI

When was the last time you watched a half hour of TV and felt like you really learned something? Sure, the History Channel and Discovery Channel are geared around “education”, but a significant amount of their programming is more entertainment than information. Recently, I’ve become addicted to a British quiz show that makes me feel like a true scholar after every episode – all while being uproariously funny at the same time!

I’m talking about BBC’s QI (for Quite Interesting), a panel-style comedy quiz show hosted by Stephen Fry and featuring some of the funniest personalities of stage and screen. The show is going to be the topic of today’s edition of Professionally Incoherent Recommends, so read on to find out why it’s so awesome!

Professionally Incoherent Recommends: The Bourne series

It’s another entry in my column, Professionally Incoherent Recommends! I use these posts to offer my humble suggestions to you, O my readers, on how to make your movie and TV watching more enjoyable. Today, the topic is the gripping Bourne trilogy, based loosely on the novels of the same name by Robert Ludlum. These three movies number among my favourite films of all time – they are a rare example of big-budget Hollywood action flicks that are incredibly smart and exciting at the same time.

Read on for more on this series, including my thoughts on the directing, cinematography and writing. I’m also going to talk about a little-known connection between the Bourne movies and Gothic literature, and comment on the movies’ accuracy to the novels. Keep a level head, soldier, and push on past the break!

Professionally Incoherent Recommends: BBC’s Sherlock

Today I have a new entry for what will be a recurring column here on the blog: Professionally Incoherent Recommends. Last time I brought you an article on the fantastic NBC action/comedy Chuck. This time, I’m talking about another TV program: BBC’s Sherlock, created and written by Doctor Who alums Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.  It stars Benedict Cumberbatch (How’s that for a name?) as the titular detective and Martin Freeman as his frequently-bewildered sidekick, Watson.

Professionally Incoherent Recommends: NBC’s Chuck

We’re returning to the TV category tonight on Professionally Incoherent, because I wanted to bring you a post about a show that deserves a bit more attention: NBC’s Chuck. I’ve watched quite a bit of this spy-themed action/comedy over the past year – read on to find out why it’s so awesome.

Chuck premiered in September 2007, and while it has a pretty strong fan following, there have been concerns in the past about its possible cancellation due to low ratings. I first started watching it when it was nearing the end of its third season, and then went back and watched my way through the first two seasons before the fourth one premiered last fall.