I love British TV: ITV The Fixer

[alexandral]

Admittedly, I watch and love too much TV that isn't produced in the British Isles: HBO's "The Wire" aka the Greatest show of our time, Japanese and Korean shows that share the winning concept that a TV show MUST have a definitive ending instead of lasting indefinitely until it is dead of old age, Russian shows that are realistic, tragic and serious like "Idiot" or "Children of Arbat". I love them all.

British TV for me reigns in period costume drama adaptations. No-one in the world makes costume dramas as good as BBC or ITV. What else? Of course, Doctor Who and it's spin-off are fabulous. Forget my current disapproval of the Doctor number Ten and his facial expressions. Any show that has lasted as long as Doctor Who and is still collecting one of the biggest wide age range fandoms on and off the Internet must have something going for it even if it not my personal cup of tea of the moment.

The Fixer
But sometimes a non-costume-drama British show comes along that deserves to be noticed in a serious way (yes, "Spooks" seasons 1-4, I mean you too). This year it is "The Fixer" by ITV (first recommended to me by the_grynne, thank you!). For anyone who watched and liked "La Femme Nikita", "The Fixer" is a no-nonsense male Nikita set in London. It is all about John Mercer, a man who was serving a life sentence for killing his uncle and aunt, people responsible for the physical abuse of his sister. But one day a nice man Lenny Jameson came along and told John that he can be free. It wasn't apparent at the start but John's freedom is nothing but a bigger cage and his job is to be the government's hit man for it's black ops. And of course, Lenny is not that nice at all. Throw in a femme fatale played by Tamzin Outhwaite. The result is a realistic and hard show I can't wait to watch the fifth episode of.





Meet John Mercer,



A man that loves his sister,



Knows how to hold a gun,



Lives in a council flat with interesting wall-papers,



Broods in a perfect English-man manner,



Has a pair of blue eyes,



Wears a vest (when he is not off shooting members of British mafia, of course!),



And has an OTP with a lady too strong to handle.

Comments

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

oooh! I like the look of this. Especially the "brooding in an English manner". To be honest it sounds a bit like Nikita mixed with Jason Bourne. hee. I think I must check this out. ;D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really hope you'll like it. It is very British so Jason Bourne didn't spring to my mind at first but now you mentioned it.. John Mercer looks slightly as Bourne-in-a-vest.

(The show has some nice music :D)

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I've been pimping it at friends using a paraphrse of The Grynne's description, "La Femme Nikita meets British Gangster Films"

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

That what "got me" too, the same description. ;D

[embitca.livejournal.com]

Okay, you convinced me. I will look for this *g*

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I hope you like it - I particular like the blue eyes bit, I must say but it is a very good show.

[embitca.livejournal.com]

I do love the blue eyes :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Especially blue, but also green and black. :D

[wistfulmemory.livejournal.com]

That looks like an interesting show. I look forward to reading your commentary on it. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

He!! I am never able to stop talking about something I like. :D You yu ever watched and liked "Spooks" (I think it was called "MI-5" in USA ) I would rec this . :D

[wistfulmemory.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of "Spooks" or "MI-5". I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

It is very good series, but if you like realistic shows about British spies, terrorism, British government, these type of things. Though it is more about personal lives of spies and the way they cope with the pressure than about the cases themselves. Matthew McFadyen (from the latest Pride and Prejudice film) is in the first 3 seasons and Rupert Penry-Jones (latest Persuasion) is in the rest.

[soniag.livejournal.com]

OMG, that actor looks so familiar so I had to look him up, and OF COURSE he was St. John Rivers in Jane Eyre.

I wish I could watch this!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

OMPH! OMPH! I must finish "Jane Eyre" ASAP. I never got to the scenes with St. John Rivers.

I have a strong feeling you might like this. :D Hopefully DVDs for the first season (6 episodes) will be out soon. Today was the 5th episode.

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I ALSO LOVE THIS SHOW MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY!!!!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

And IT IS SO UNFAIR that it only has 6 episodes!!!! I have already watched the first four twice each!

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

ME TOO! And then I tracked down Cranford and Party Animals for more Andrew Buchan. And I'm watching ep 5 RIGHT NOW. But in 5-10 minute bites because the awesome is too much and I don't want it to end.

*flail*

SO GOOD. MAKE THERE BE MORE!!!! They have to have a second series.

Except, I'm kind of nervous because british shows are never shy about killing everyone I love and ripping my heart out.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am going to finish "Jane Eyre" for more of Andrew Buchan. I haven't watched the episode 5 yet but I am going to RIGHT SOON.

SO GOOD. MAKE THERE BE MORE!!!! They have to have a second series.

Oh, I have strong hopes there will be second series. British TV is kinder to my favourite shows - they haven't canceled any yet. :D

Except, I'm kind of nervous because british shows are never shy about killing everyone I love and ripping my heart out.

I know! Or they can just change it all like in "Spooks" and bring a new actor in. Though this is not so likely (as well as John's demise) as the shows' title is "The Fixer". But Rose - I fear for her safety. They can kill her off in a manner of "Bourne". :D

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I am definitely worried for Rose. I also am very protective feeling toward Callum, but he's so integral, I doubt they'd off him. Still, I want some confirmation that there's more Fixer going to be produced. VERY BADLY.

I *highly* recommend tracking down Party Animals, where he plays a cocky, at times smarmy, sort-of slutty lobbyist and it's just SOOOOO not John Mercer it's not even funny.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I hope they'll leave Rose alone and give us another perfect OTP ( I loved Nikita and Michael ). Today's episode = I screamed when Lenny came in A VERY BAD MOMENT. Oh, and Callum broke my heart again, with the cat story. No, this show will be coming back! I want it so badly!

I can't resist! PArty Animals it is!

[svilleficrecs.livejournal.com]

I was ready to shoot Lenny in the head myself. JOHN NEEDS SOME STRESS RELIEF LOVIN'!!!

Especially after he Made The Right Choice re: Callum's slutty Columbian GF. HE NEEDS TO BE REWARDED FOR THAT.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

** absolutely agrees **

Especially after he Made The Right Choice re: Callum's slutty Columbian GF. HE NEEDS TO BE REWARDED FOR THAT.

Oh my! And what a strong man he is! After so many years in prison! He broke my heart too the way he was so vulnerable when talking to Rose. he is such a boy and such a hard man at the same time. Vulnerability in a man is so my thing.

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

Gracious, it's Andrew Buchan! *Sighs* He was brilliant as St.John in Jane Eyre and as Jem Hearn in Cranford! Plus, of course, there are all those things you mentioned... :P

(By the way, forgive me, but what's OTP?)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I must finish "Jane Eyre" now. I stopped watching it because it wasn't as good for me as the 80-s adaptation but now I have a good enough reason to endure.

(By the way, forgive me, but what's OTP?) OTP stands for "One True Paring. From "Urban dictionary" : "Used in fandoms to express what characters you ship. (put together romantically)".

[himmapaan.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh... Thank you!

There were a few things I wasn't wholly sure about the latest Jane Eyre, but upon the whole, I like it.

And yes, you have a very good reason now. :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

There were a few things I wasn't wholly sure about the latest Jane Eyre, but upon the whole, I like it.

I meant to re-watch it for ages and now I should.

[the-grynne.livejournal.com]

This entire post makes me so happy!!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am so glad! But it was you who made me so HAPPY because I was a bit low on non-Asian shows after the writers strike and THIS SHOW IS GREAT. John/Rose are my eternal OTP of British-ness. I couldn't sleep after yesterday's episode.

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

a new Jason Bourne has born? It sounds good. I'll give him a try. Plus:
Lives in a council flat with interesting wall-papers
and this deserves ALL of my attention :D

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I totally rec this. I have watched 5 episodes now and it is excellent.

[cyberducks.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for these pics - I love this show!

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed - I love this show too. It is all in the blue eyes of John Mercer. or his dead-pan humour. Or everything else. :D