Departures (2008-2010)

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A travel show that is more than a tour guide. Departures combines the strange, endless features of the Earth and the disheartening reality of our limitations and freedom for an exhilarating hour of TV. This show is as real as it gets. Although originating from Canada and featuring a trio of Canadians, Justin, Scott, and Andre, Departures is extremely diverse. The breathtaking visuals, arduous endeavours, and social and political interactions from across the world will leave you angrily envious. Shaping the confidence and stamina of the group while inserting the travel bug deep in the viewers loins. The obscure and sometimes dangerous destinations prove to be the most rewarding. With Departures you’ll find that there is something for everyone. Touching down on every continent, odds are you’ll be exposed to something new and discover your next destination.

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Season 1: Canada: East and West, Jordan, India, Ascension Islands, Japan, Cook Island, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, and Northern Canada.

Season 2: Morocco, Libya, Brazil, Cuba, Mongolia, Iceland, Zambia, Madagascar, Chile, Antarctica.

Season 3: Russia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Greenland, North Korea, Indonesia, Australia.

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From mountain climbing, scuba diving, and bungee jumping, the crew of Departures don’t know the meaning of intimidation. Never backing down from a challenge, Justin, Scott, and Andre regardless of illness, climate, or safety give it their all to bring a unique perspective of our planet. Whether it may be falling from great heights or entering an active volcano that is spewing lava, smoke, and poisoning the air, Departures is truly something else. The devotion, quality, and dedication of the show is never in question when the crew literally puts their lives in danger to concur their fears and accomplish their dreams. On top of the often ludicrous journeys and patience to acquire the picturesque grace of our cosmic home, the cast deal with their own turbulence outside of the airplanes. Gaining and losing relationships, altering careers, and times of severe homesickness, the Departures crew put it all on the line. Watching Departures you’ll get the strong urge to give yourself more of an identity. Become one with what you want and strive towards it. Departures is the spawn of realized dreams and we should all be more aware of what that feels like. The musical score sets the mood and adds a sense of eternity to a finite space.  Enlightening, funny, and richly atmospheric. Departures will cause you to reassess your life.

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Departures: 10 out of 10.

Shameless (2011-)

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Surprisingly still running when series have been cancelled for a lot less, Shameless comes out swinging in its third season. The most derogatory, unpredictable, and raunchy show currently running, Shameless is not for those who are weak or easily take offence. With Shameless, nothing is safe. Every possible topic, whether you think it’s untouchable or not is dissected and displayed with a foul twist. And Although at times Shameless is down right filthy, the concern, passion, and devotion at the core of the series is endearing. Leading Shameless’s cast is William H Macy, Emmy Rossum, and Joan Cusack along with a concrete supporting staff. Full of sex, addiction, immaturity, and moral disregard, Shameless will unhygienically take you places your mind would never go on its most darkest day. I’ll issue a warning as Shameless will pump scum and soot into your veins. However, the drama and unconditional love and support will shoot your heart full of warmth.

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Fiona is a young, uneducated yet intelligent provider and guardian of her 5 siblings, Lip, Ian, Debby, Carl, and Liam. She can always count on her family and occasionally gets help from her friends Veronica, Kevin, and her love interest Steve. Lip and Ian are wrapping up high school, Debby and Carl are still in grade school, and Liam is an infant. Their mother Monica has run off and abandoned them while their father Frank is a drug addict, an alcoholic, and has essentially disowned his kids. Living in a small house in a poor neighbourhood in Chicago. The Gallagher clan steal, con, and take odd jobs just to get by. Each member weaves in and out of their own peculiar and shady story lines each episode. Encountering numerous shifty characters much like themselves. Dealing with increasingly polluted circumstances, financial struggles, personal dilemmas, and growing up, the Gallagher’s always remain loyal to one another.

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Showing the abhorrently dark side of life on a consistent basis. Shameless is a contaminating look at the harsh world beyond the Gallagher’s grimy pane. Borrowing from every aspect of unkempt, unsightly situations and subjects. Shameless pokes fun at life and leaves nothing pure. The strength, loyalty, and love between the Gallagher’s and their friends is unheard of. Being constantly knocked down and then driven into the dirt, they remain banded and help one another not only to get back up, but hit back harder. Watching Shameless you become one with the Gallagher’s, a part of their family. Whatever they achieve, whenever they suffer, you sympathize an unhealthy amount for a fictional TV family. Shameless proves that nothing runs deeper than blood and nothing comes between family.

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Shameless: 10 out of 10.

Sherlock (2010-)

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With the third season set to begin filming on March 18th, 2013 and word breaking recently of the fourth season signed and ready for 2014. Sherlock is safe, its future secured while we are left waiting impatiently for its long anticipated return. There has been no new episodes aired in over a year and none scheduled for release until late 2013 or early 2014, now would be the ideal time to catch up on what you’ve been missing. Leaving all embellishment, gadgetry, and exaggeration behind, this adaptation of Sherlock Holmes isn’t your grandfathers Conan Doyle. Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as John Watson. The clever scripts merged with Doyle’s ingenious tales which are transposed into modern format have the resourceful duo to undertake the fragile endeavour that is bringing classic literature to the modern masses.

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Season 1:

Episode 1: A Study in Pink. The police hire the help of Mr. Holmes when they fail to find the culprit who forces his victims to commit suicide by taking a poisonous pill.

Episode 2: The Blind Banker. Holmes and Watson are offered a job investigating a break-in at a Bank in the city.

Episode 3: The Great Game. Holmes is offered employment by Mycroft researching the suspicious death of a government employee.

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Season 2:

Episode 1. A Scandal in Belgravia. Mycroft hires John Watson and Sherlock Holmes to recover embarrassing photos of a minor royal which are held on the camera phone of Irene Adler.

Episode 2: The Hounds of Baskerville. Sherlock and Watson are reached by Henry Knight who wants the dynamic duo to investigate the death of his father by a monstrous hound.

Episode 3: The Reichenbach Fall. When Holmes and Watson become celebrities for their work on high profile cases, Moriarty conducts several heists and allows himself to be captured. Upon encountering Holmes, Moriarty reminds Holmes of his intentions and provides one final problem for Watson and Holmes to solve.

Season 3:

To be announced.

Packing staggering amounts of witty banter, emotion, clever one liners, and intelligent plots with heavy twists and huge payoffs into every episode. Sherlock’s hour and a half runtime is more entertaining than most television series in their entirety. Having an eccentric, cultivating cast to absorb the priceless material on which the show is based. Cumberbatch, Freeman, and company perform desirably injected with the essence of Conan Doyle’s incalculable masterpieces. Sherlock is by far one of the most complete and entertaining shows presently running. The humour levels might be an unorthodox addition but the effectiveness of it is pure. In order to create the complete experience, every aspect of reality must be authentic. There is very little rise and fall between episodes, rather, the show gently pulsates. The best episode of the show to date is “A Scandal in Belgravia.” It may not be the most elaborate episode, but the performances, interactions, and overall cohesiveness is far beyond that of any of the other episodes. Its two leads performing their characters inconceivably wicked with the writing and direction to set them up, Sherlock is perfection.

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Sherlock: 10 out of 10.