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As is customary I start this edition with an apology for Tube Talk's tardiness. This time the culprit is T4 on the Beach and an agonising seven-hour coach journey back from Weston-super-Mare. Still, it was worth it just to see Sarah from Girls Aloud flash the press. (Click here for lots of video bits from the day).
This week marks the start of the first season of Heroes on BBC Two - Wednesday, 9pm, folks! - but for the majority of you reading this column, season one is old news. Well I've got news for you, this week's spoiler spot (in the absence of anything else) is a Heroes season two special. Page three is the place to be for all the latest snippets on what's to come. In yet another pathetic attempt to outshine me, soaps supremo Kris Green has served up
First thoughts on Bionic Woman and Gossip Girl
I've started working my way through the pile of preview tapes showcasing next season's new US series and it's time for some first thoughts on two of the shows we had high hopes for.
First up, Gossip Girl, from OC creator Josh Schwartz. If you're hoping for something to fill the void left by Seth and Ryan then - and it pains me to say it - you'll be sorely disappointed. Wooden characters, even more wooden dialogue (yes, it still fails to fill the Ryan-shaped hole) and a completely uninteresting plot.
Next up, Bionic Woman, which already has a lot of buzz surrounding it. While the preview is an excellent tease, the full thing actually falls short by some margin. The storylining is obvious - there are no Lost or Prison Break-style twists - and a lot of it has the "so what?" factor to it. The good news is that Michelle Ryan is superb in it, American accent and all, and that NBC is planning some major improvements before it actually goes live. So there could be hope yet.
More in-depth reviews coming soon!
FX got game!
Did you see the news about FX getting its wallet out? The channel will now be the new home for the (reportedly) final season of Nip/Tuck, which is good news for non-digitallers, as they are more likely to surrender the terrestrial rights than Sky. They also have season one of 24, the full Buffy library and more Family Guy.
And on a related note for all those who have asked, the Alec Baldwin comedy 30 Rock has at last found a UK home on Five.
A quick mention for...
If you love stand-up comedy and you love reality TV, you're in luck. Last Comic Standing, a US series that melds the concepts beautifully (think American Idol for stand-ups and you're there), has now traversed the Atlantic. Catch it Monday nights at 9pm on TMF.
Bonus Clickables
> Watch this space for the revolutionary new TV Centre!
> Tube Talk MySpace
> Premiere List page - now actually updated!
> RSS Feed - add Tube Talk to your desktop, browser or website
> Upfronts scorecard - who got what at the LA screenings
> Interview with Jekyll star Gina Bellman
When is Kyle XY back? Has anyone picked up The Sarah Connor Chronicles? What the hell is Portia de Rossi up to? All those questions and more answered over on the next page!
