So this week’s biggest television event worldwide was obviously Michael Jackson’s memorial service, held on Tuesday at the Staples Center in L.A. Pulling in close to 31 million viewers in the US alone, this figure is approximately 2 million fewer viewers than those who tuned in for Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997; which ironically, wasn’t anywhere near the car-crash TV that the Jackson memorial was.

To me it was more like the Oscars than a Memorial Service; and I just got the feeling that if all these so-called ‘friends’ were around for the previous few years then maybe they wouldn’t have had to perform at such an event. But then that wouldn’t have resulted in such good PR. Although, getting away from cynicism and seriousness for a moment, watching the brothers carry the coffin did for a split second remind me of ‘Cool Runnings’. Always brings a smile!

The remaining Jacksons at this week's memorial

Ok, Geek news!

Sci-fi movie ‘Alien Nation’ is to return as a television adaptation, with Tim Minear attached to pen the series!

The former ‘Firefly’ and ‘Angel’ writer is developing a new take on the 1988 James Caan and Mandy Patinkin vehicle, in which a human cop partnered with another from outer space; after aliens attempted to assimilate into human society – the cheeky monkeys. The film was also made into a 1989 short-lived series on Fox, while the remake will appear on the Sci Fi Channel in the US.

Minear told ‘Variety’ – “It’s genre mixed with procedural mixed with funny and mixed with big, giant scary,” “I love serialized stuff, but this is also a cop franchise. That ‘Starsky and Hutch/Lethal Weapon’ buddy cop comedy is absent from TV right now.”He added: “Twenty years (after ‘Alien Nation’), TV as a whole has evolved, and you can explore issues and go deeper with subject matter than you ever could before. On cable, you can play with ambiguity. This is a place I want to be.” The new series will be set in the Pacific Northwest sometime in the 2020s, and will pick up 20 years after the aliens first landed on Earth.

Feel free to post your considerations for Human/Alien cop buddies – I’m going with Cheech Marin and ALF as a pretty tasty duo.

Talking of remakes – check out this really weird idea – bring back ‘TJ Hooker’? Not even Justin Lee Collins would think that’s retro ironic. Producers Ryan Heppe and David Foster decided to make a movie of the 1980s cop show which starred William Shatner as a detective that hits the street again after his partner is murdered. Now, all I can remember about the show is Shatner looking pretty tubby and old running really slowly but amazingly catching up with and apprehending criminals. That and Heather Locklear being in her prime.

Apparently the big screen version will be an action comedy along the lines of the ‘Duke’s of Hazzard’ and ‘Starsky and Hutch’ films which, although they were supposed to come across as ‘look how fun we are taking the piss out of retro stuff’, actually sucked.

Casting is not yet underway, but Chuck Russell, who directed ‘The Scorpion King’ and ‘The Mask’, is in talks to apparently to get the hot seat. A Shatner cameo will be its only saving grace.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7S6JW5EfD8

Sky1 has announced the cast list for its next adaptation of a Terry Pratchett novel, ‘Going Postal’.

Richard Coyle and Claire Foy have landed the lead roles of arch-swindler Moist Von Lipwig (think I had a touch of that after Thailand) and Adore Belle Dearheart respectively. They will be joined in the production by David Suchet as Reacher Gilt and Charles Dance as Lord Vetinari. Additionally, Steve Pemberton, fresh from his ‘Psychoville’ role, will portray Drumknott, Andrew ‘thank god for politically correct over-reaction’ Sachs will be Groat, and Miss Crisplock will be played by Tamsin Greig.

“Following the Sky1 HD successes of Sir Terry Pratchett’s ‘Hogfather’ and ‘The Colour of Magic’, we’re thrilled to now be bringing ‘Going Postal’ to life,” said head of Sky1 drama Elaine Pyke.”Adapted by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle, ‘Going Postal’ is a hugely enjoyable epic adventure story guaranteed to delight audiences across the country next Easter.”

Production has now started on the two-part series, which is due to broadcast in spring 2010.

Terry Kinney has landed a recurring role on my favourite show at the moment (now ‘Dexter’ is finishing), ‘The Mentalist’, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Kinney will appear in the CBS/Channel Five crime drama for at least seven episodes of the show’s second season, playing Agent Sam Bosco, a policeman with deceptively sharp intelligence – should be a good foil for Patrick Jane, and should really wind him up.

It has also been reported that he shares a dark past with Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney).

Kinney has previously appeared in ‘Law & Order’, ‘CSI: NY’ and ‘The Unusuals’.

Living TV has acquired the rights to air ‘Medium’ in the UK, pinching it from BBC1; just in case you think you lost it. Like under the sofa or something.

The channel plans to air the fifth season of the supernatural drama, which stars Patricia Arquette, from September. BBC One has previously had first-run rights to the first four seasons.

‘Medium’ will slot in quite nicely alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ‘Ghost Whisperer’, ‘Most Haunted’ and ‘Ghost Hunters’ in the Living schedule; which means the channel is almost exclusively about ghosts or hunting said ghosts. Makes the ‘Living’ name kinda ironic really doesn’t it?

So ‘Torchwood’s return is making waves at the moment. The third installment of the five part series on BBC 1 pulled in an impressive 5.87m (27.1%), making it the most-watched show during the 9pm hour this Wednesday in the UK. The audience figures have been pretty similar for each showing since Monday’s initial episode. I’ve been less than impressed with what I’ve seen to be honest but it’s doing well and bringing more sci-fi to mainstream viewers which is always good – as opposed to Britain’s Strictly Ice Dancing or whatever else would be shown.

In non-Tv news, after the death of the wife of Dave Peacock, Chas and Dave have split up – with Chas going solo. I look forward to seeing sold out shows to see ‘Chas’, and even more so the prospect of him singing ‘Rabbit’ on his own. I tried to contact the bands’ management to confirm whether Ms Peacock had gone ‘snooker loopy’ but they declined to comment.

See you next week!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BliAPzEsao0

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