Mr. Blonde

I really don't want to admit that I am currently glued to the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother... but I am! Although I have never been the reality TV show's biggest fan, for the last couple of years I have found myself sitting in front of my television eagerly awaiting each day's instalment.

However, I usually only watch the programme because of a specific "celebrity". I use the term loosely here, as it is hard to class many of the current participants as stars: Natasha Giggs is a prime example, and I had never even heard of Andrew Stone prior to the programme (and I'm still unsure who he is or what he does!).

Last year, it was Jedward that caught my attention. Granted, they are beyond annoying, with their constant okaying and hyperactive personalities. But they were highly amusing, and had me in hysterics on numerous occasions. I found the time when they were shampooing each other's hair the most surreal thing I have ever witnessed.

Alas, there is no more Jedward, but we have been offered someone even better. The only person in the entire house I would honestly say can be considered a bona fide celebrity: Michael Madsen. Mr. Blonde (for those who haven't seen the masterpiece that is Reservoir Dogs), is simply amazing.

I'm not sure what it is about him, but I find him genuinely captivating. His mannerisms are so endearing, and he has me in stitches with what he says about his fellow housemates. He also looks ridiculously cool in his cowboy hat. He won't win, but he should. My vote definitely goes to Mr. Blonde.

Black Mirror

This was a strange series. After viewing all three episodes of Charlie Brooker's satirical sci-fi concoction, I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. Part of me enjoyed the dystopian take on a future Britain, but I also found it somewhat pretentious.

It was only a matter of time before someone produced a programme critiquing our obsession with social media and reality television. These topics are very relevant to modern day society, and for the most part, Black Mirror covers them very well with its comedy-drama mix. Definitely recommended.

X Factor? What X Factor?

It was the final of The X factor this weekend, if you weren't fully aware. However, unlike previous years, I really was not interested at all in the contest's outcome. I have nothing against the contestants on the show. In fact, I really liked Little Mix and was glad that they won. But there was just no excitement, and my time watching the final was spent waiting for it to end.

Downton fashion

Fashion has undergone a subtle but significant change in the second series of ITV1's period drama Downton Abbey. Set during the first world war, the ladies of Downton appear to have left their figure-hugging evening gowns behind in favour of a more relaxed, boyish dress. With Lady Edith Crawley helping the war effort by driving a tractor and Lady Sybil becoming a nurse, practicality is key.

Downton fashion has also become increasingly popular on the high street, with Debenhams announcing a major increase in its sales of (faux) fur capes, elbow-length gloves and pearls. And achieving the feminine glamour of the time on a budget has never been easier, with only a few essential accessories needed to recreate the look.

Welcome back Sarah Lund

I don't think I have ever been so excited for a television programme. Ever since I witnessed the final episode of The Killing a few weeks ago, I have been eagerly awaiting the much anticipated second series of the cult Danish detective drama, The Killing II.

Slowly unraveling over the course of twenty hour-long installments, The Killing has become one of the most critically-acclaimed TV shows of the last few years. I've tried my hardest to convert skeptics into believers, using my limited marketing skills to encourage friends and family to buy into this crime phenomenon.

Many seem to be put off by the fact that the dialogue is in Danish and they would have to read those dreaded subtitles. Now, this didn't affect me as I actually prefer foreign films with subtitles to Hollywood blockbusters (I would also like to state, for the record, that this is not because I'm a pretentious culture hog. Films not in the English language are, for me, so much more gritty and real than their million dollar budget counterparts).

But The Killing is so gripping that after a couple of views, you forget all about the subtitles. Both the storyline and the characters pull you in, in a way I have never experienced before. It's like a book you cannot stop reading, wanting to turn the page but also never wanting it to finish.

Now Forbrydelsen II has hit our screens, with our heroine Sarah Lund back to solve another mystery. Unfortunately, this series is only in the form of ten episodes. I guess this means we'll have to savour every second that little bit more.

I'm a Nobody...

There's rubbish reality TV, and then there's 'I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!'. It is head and shoulders above the competition when it comes to absolute drivel. At least with the likes of Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor, the participants have some sort of talent and provide at least mild entertainment value. But with I'm a Celebrity, there is none of that.

In fact, I'm hard pressed to call the contestants celebrities at all. Granted, I'm not the most clued-up celeb buff out there (you definitely wouldn't catch me nose-deep in Heat magazine), but this crop of so-called stars are genuine nobodies. The fact that the most well-known person is Mark Wright from TOWIE, says it all. And with that, there's really not much else to say other than, for the next three weeks, I will be giving that sorry excuse for entertainment an extremely wide berth.

Save us Simon

As this year's series of The X Factor approaches the half-way stage, I feel now is a suitable time to evaluate the current crop of contestants beamed into our homes every Saturday and Sunday night. Unlike previous years, I can genuinely say I have not got a scooby-doo who will be crowned the 2011 winner. On the upside, this uncertainty does make the show a bit more interesting to watch. However, it also highlights the fact that this year, the talent is severely lacking.

Aside from Janet, I don't see any potential stars in the line-up. No doubt there are some great singers still in the running (Marcus in particular is becoming the dark horse of the competition, and no one can deny Kitty has a powerful set of lungs on her), but as reiterated time and time again by the judges, The X Factor is not just about the voice. It's about something more, and I have yet to see it.

The new judging panel has also affected my enjoyment of this series. At first, I like the fresh feel Gary, Kelly and Tulisa brought to the show. The format was beginning to feel a bit tired, and the new panel appeared to give the show the lift it desperately needed. But as the weeks have gone by, I began to realise that the programme is just not as good without Simon Cowell.

As much as I like Gary, he just does not have the aura of Mr. Cowell. Simon brought with him a real sense of authority; if he said someone was going to be a star, I believed it. Unfortunately, this year, without the words of Simon to take as my pop gospel, I don't see any stars in the making.