A Man. And His Blog.

Okay, maybe the finale wasn’t so bad at all. Just predictable. And thankfully more open than anticipated. I was already thinking how bad the final minutes would look like creatively, when Hannah (Billie Piper) would have chosen Ben (Iddo Goldberg). But at the end it all went back to the beginning.

Thankfully the visualizations were missing this time. They wouldn’t have fit into the finale anyway, but here you could see and notice that the whole experiment basically failed. Yes, the daydream sequences were interesting at first, but they just didn’t fit with the series itself. And thankfully the writers unpacked a normal client as the last client of the series – despite I wouldn’t call him normal. But it was intriguing to let Hannah clash with her past and having a talk with school friends. The scene on the balcony didn’t just give flashes from earlier seasons (I didn’t really need the long clip with Alex and the “Previously on”-scene with Ben during that sequence though), but it gave some character moment for the heroine. Which, thinking of it, was the only real character development of Hannah’s in this season.

The rest of the episode was petty standard though. Hannah made her decision over her job, Ben and Harry (Paul Nicholls, I still don’t like Harry); Stephanie (Cherie Lunghi) is out of jail and back into business (the freedom party was over the top though); Charlotte (Gemma Chan) has a husband (I rofl’d); and all in all there seemed to be the theme of “not giving away everything” in the last episode, when it comes to Belle’s life. The writers probably held something back for the hopefully greenlit movie, and they didn’t waste any time in this episode. The main focus lied on Hannah and her decision, and for that the final scene was touching and gave me closure. But I really, REALLY, expected for the episode to end with Hannah saying “The last thing you should know about me is that I’m a whore” – it would have closed the circle to the very first episode, back to the book, and eventually to Belle herself. Hannah made the decision, because she loves her job. This is how the series opened, and this is how the series should have closed. Missed opportunity I’d say.

Satisfying finale, good episode, not so good final season. That wasn’t really strong at all – but was this to be expected after the strong third season? 7/10

That's how court rooms in England look like

"I wish nothing but the best for you"

I don’t know if the writers really knew what they wanted to tell with the final season. Hannah (Billie Piper) torn between her life and her job; Ben (Iddo Goldberg) torn between two women; and now there’s the former “threat” Harry (Paul Nicholls), who seems to be in love with Belle, but is still crazy as fuck? Somehow it doesn’t look good to the series, when those storylines are only dealt with in the last couple of episodes, and not as a theme throughout the whole season.

The episode was alright. With the Dracula client I had the feeling that the writers finally go back to the season three clients, whom I really liked, but then the visual stylization had to return again (it fitted for the first two episodes of the season, but now it just feels wrong for the tone of the show) and the whole thing went from “OMG, SECRET DIARY is back to old strength” to “OMG, please not”. Looks like I’m gonna have a problem with another final season after all.

But I liked that the client died after the session. It is another kind of story, giving the series a lot of drama and emotions, as well as some character development for Belle, if she should react to the death of one of her clients in another way. That she spent the day with Harry seemed fine at first (though I still wonder why she doesn’t see him as the creep I do), but the situation on the roof was just awkward. He tries to lure her into an adrenaline world she needs (how does he know?), and she probably thinks about Harry being a creep and a crazy guy like I do (I don’t hate the character, but he could have appeared in more than just two episodes for me to like him). At the end I even found the love thing between Hannah and Ben to be wrong. She kisses him, but thinks about Harry? That’s not the drama I imagined after a client died…

And now it’s official: I’m annoyed of Poppy (Lily James). She is nothing but the woman between Hannah and Ben, and though I accept it as a story device, Poppy unfortunately doesn’t get depth anymore. She’s just there, disrupting a relationship. I hate those kind of women.

I just hope the series finale will go back to an old form. Otherwise SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL is another series on the list of TV shows, whose final season is weaker than any other season before. *cough*LOST*cough* 6/10

Relationship #1: Between losing trust and winning hope

Relationship #2: Between adventure and breakdown

Well, at least this episode was better compared to the last one. And now I know that the London scenes in the New York episode were just there to prepare this episode, especially the closing fight between Ben (Iddo Goldberg) and Hannah (Billie Piper) – as if the last three minutes of the series so far were the result of what has happened in the 39 minutes before. In a half-hour show, this is kinda bad writing…

The episode was alright, but since it was only out for the Hannah/Ben clash at the end, it didn’t have much to give. The feud between Belle and Charlotte (Gemma Chan) was over the top and didn’t really have the outcome I wanted to have. In addition, a fight between two escorts over the clients could have been an excellent sub plot in the short season, but somehow the writers didn’t do that, and only managed to tease something like this happening in this episode. And I really can’t buy that Charlotte is impressed with Belle at the end, giving her something to smile. It doesn’t fit with Charlotte’s bossy character, who wants to have everything, but was beaten by Belle and her relationship to her client? No way I’m gonna buy that. In addition, look at this little factor: How surreal has the series become over the years? Practically an authentic and humorous look on the job, and now filled with overstyled episodes, where the drama is completely missing.

And the only drama part in the episode was the fight between Hannah and Ben at the end. I wanted to like it, but I couldn’t, since those two minutes were the only two, which were actually worth my time. All the stuff before was not worth my time. Somehow SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL became a waste of time, and I wanted it to go back to the unique clients of the week – outside of surrealism, inside the comedy genre – but that has changed obviously, and I don’t know why.

One more thing: How did Poppy (Lily James) become such a bitch? There is character depth and development missing, which is what I can’t understand… 6/10

Someone has too may toys here...

Someone is bored here...

Well, I was hoping a bit more from the US episode, especially since it was all about Belle (Billie Piper) wanting to sell the rights to her book, so she can feel like a movie star. But at the end it was all about Hannah finding out what she can’t get in the big world of money and fame. And for that, the scene where she found out, was empty of any good moments, and too short.

I would have wished for the episode to not have any scenes situated in London with Ben (Iddo Goldberg) and Poppy (Lily James). Though it was funny to see Charlotte (Gemma Chan) having Poppy “in training”, and to see the other side of the troubled relationship with Ben, it took some important and necessary time for some character development with Hannah. For like 18, 19 minutes she was the happiest woman ever touring around in New York for the big money, but when the big moment of the episode comes, there isn’t much time anymore for her. Instead she just escapes. Literally. She hops in a cab, to the airport, and is back in London. There really could have been something bigger in store for Hannah.

At least the first meeting with Belle, DK (Ty Glaser) and the director was hilarious. I had a big smile on my face, when the future movie-Belle and the director were doing it on stage, and how over the top it all was. Similar to the first scene of the movie, which was so over the top, it didn’t even work as spoof for Hollywood movies. Maybe how Hollywood misunderstands non-American products and mis-adapts them (kinda similar to the Showtime show EPISODES). It would have been great for the series to have some parody in it. SECRET DIARY OF  CALL GIRL was in New York for an episode, but what did the writers do? Literally nothing. Even the client of the week was boring as hell (well, I shouldn’t wonder, since DK and her director were the “client” of the week).

Not really an episode I liked. In addition Ben’s and Poppy’s kiss was really … stolen from the books of clichés. No, I didn’t wanna see that. 5.5/10

Some fucking every now and then

Some flirtations here and there

The episode was alright, but I’m starting to ave a problem with the show: It is getting more ridiculous. Similar to the bad acting of the last episode, I couldn’t believe what Billie Piper was acting together, when Hannah and Poppy (Lily James) were in front of the prison gates. And furthermore I couldn’t believe that the writers didn’t manage to convert the story into real drama, like the second season managed to do. Right now I believe that SECRET DIARY wants to be somewhat fantastic, dreamy and over-the-top funny, but I actually like this show, because of its emotional moments between the hilarious escort comedy. And the fourth season doesn’t have any of it.

It is really good that the writers focus more on Poppy now, and give her real character development, but the drama wasn’t working for me. I can buy that she is shocked about Stephanie (Cherie Lunghi) lying to her all the time, but it would be even more authentic, when the writing sees the whole development of Poppy done, instead of just some seconds of a tenth of her path to learning everything about Stephanie. First she’s scared about visiting her, then she confronts her about the lying, then she steals Hannah’s cab, and then she meets a guy in the pub and fucks him, just for Hannah to be the mother for Poppy in that particular scene? There is something missing…

The client of the week was alright too. First a bit awkward, then funny, then hilarious, when Belle had her daydreams of being a baby in a need of caring. Moreover, I liked Charlotte in the episode. I was laughing, when she was cooking her steak in her full whore outfit, though I was thinking that it was just Belle’s version of how she saw Charlotte (Gemma Chan) at the other end of the line.

By the way: No serial storytelling? Jackie was not in this episode (so what was her appearance in the last episode good for?), Harry was not in the episode (I’m expecting his return soon, but now that Hannah is on her way to the Apple, it could take a while), instead a new story was starting. Somehow, that doesn’t show of very good writing… 6/10

The only time where Belle can be an infant

Not the only time, where Charlotte can show her cooking skills

Surprisingly an awkward episode. I couldn’t figure out, if the first ten minutes were intentionally that bad, and I don’t know what to make of Harry (Paul Nicholls) as a new character, who is supposedly part of a bigger story arc now. Not that I have problems with SECRET DIARY having a main story arc (though kinda two episodes too late), but I seriously don’t know if this is going into a thrilling way, since Harry seems to know stuff, or if this is just a stone in Belle’s (Billie Piper) way to be completely Hannah at the end.

The first half was really bad. First the return of Jackie (Joanna Bobin) - and I thought the “Fuck… Jackie” were actually funny – then the very bad acting between the whole cast in the scene, where Jackie realizes (again) that she isn’t welcomed and when she realizes that Ben (Iddo Goldberg) and Hannah are an item (again: Has everybody forgotten that the two were a couple before the first season, or am I having memories of the show from the alternate universe?). I literally had to hide my face behind my hands, because the whole scenery was completely awkward. As if the writers didn’t know how to get Jackie back into the series and just threw her into the script. Moreover, the first session with Harry didn’t bring me much.

The second session between Belle and Harry was more interesting though. First the fake undercover work with split screen, which was really cool, and at the end I was surprised that Harry was about to turn to a good guy for a second, though we already learned from Kat (Allyson Brown) that Harry is not that nice. I’m somewhat intrigued of the storyline at the end, but I really don’t know where this one is going. And SECRET DIARY didn’t have such a storyline before, so at the end it was more awkward than helpful – especially since Harry is one of the main characters now.

That Poppy (Lily James) learned about Belle’s job and that Stephanie is a lady was a nice story, but awkward too. Here, the drama didn’t work for me. During the first two episodes, Poppy was just the supporting character, who lives with Belle and lifts up the charming heart of everybody. And now she learns in ten seconds everything about Belle and her mother, and is crushed about the revelation – I couldn’t buy it. So I hope the writers have something planned to show a bit more of Poppy and her relationship to her mother.

It was really not a good episode. The first half was really bad sometimes, and the second half more awkward. I wasn’t blown away at all. 4.5/10

Awkward reunion: Hannah, sister Jackie, her ex Ben

Now officially desperate: Poppy knows everything

“Fuck slowly” – Let’s get it on. This almost seems to be the motto for the final season, and I hope it is not a scam for the six remaining episodes. The writers of this show have had the habit to slow down every kind of ongoing character developments in the second half of the seasons, so I pray for it not to happen in the finale. And since the writers waited three seasons for Hannah (Billie Piper) and Ben (Iddo Goldberg) to come together, “fuck slowly” is hopefully the expression speeding through things – including a (and it’s not a spoiler) break-up in two episodes, a wedding after that, and a divorce in the finale. Just because it has to go fast.

It was a plain episode of SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL. Not really promising in its storylines, not really having taken all the steps with its characters. These are perfect examples why the series world work better in an hour-long format, or why the writers should take it a bit slower, when it comes to the characters. Fuck “fuck slowly”, let’s show all the steps of Belle managing the girls and letting her have problems with them – and I actually liked how the episode started with Belle’s new “job” first. The little rivalry between Charlotte (Gemma Chan) and Belle was interesting, and I’m waiting for a continuation. In addition I have to say that Kat (Allyson Brown) looked like Bambi (which is why I thought during last episode’s preview that Ashley Madekwe would return). But that’s already it. Charlotte’s bossy behavior wasn’t really funny for the storyline, and the episode didn’t do much with the rivalry between them. All of a sudden, Charlotte just wants to take over the business, and Belle finds the time to give it to her straight. And that’s why I want t see this story continued in the next episode.

Belle’s virgin/gay client Tim (George Rainsford) was not interesting though. I think we already had the whole virgin theme in the second season, and Tim’s little character development was neither interesting nor funny. Rather awkward, when he suddenly stood before Hannah and came into the house (and I actually couldn’t believe that Hannah would kill her date with Ben, just to give Tim life lessons in the world of love and sex). Moreover, the sex scene was actually bad. Again, the producers used a body double for Billie Piper; again, the editing was way too obvious and more annoying than anything else; and finally, that Tim didn’t want to fuck Belle was just … meh, I couldn’t buy it. Even though Tim just wanted to know if he likes kissing girls.

At least the little Hannah/Ben romance was nice. Hannah’s talk with Ben’s mother Anna (Suzanne Bertish) was intriguing, and I loved the fact that there are more people knowing about Hannah being a prostitute, or where Belle actually lives (those house calls during the first three seasons were always awkward: The clients knew where their prostitute lives, which seems absolutely wrong). Furthermore, Ben and Hannah are actually cute together, which I can’t say from the opening scene, where Hannah was drowned in an ugly business suit and a ton of make-up. But the pool scene made up for it, and Hannah offering Ben to move in with her.

Well, not really a great episode. It felt like a filler, and a reminder of Hannah and Ben taking a step further into their relationship. 6/10

How you spot a virgin: the porn magazine in his hands

Love is swimming in the pool

It’s the last season of the appreciated comedy series, it’s the last chance for the writers to give Hannah (Billie Piper) a real reason to live, and Belle a proper goodbye to the show (if they actually plan for Hannah to end her job). And how to start off the final season better than the already asked question of Hannah and Ben (Iddo Goldberg) being a couple? After everything they’ve been through the last three seasons, it will definitely be a payoff for their storyline. Even though I already expect for the relationship being rocked, thanks to Hannah’s job, and thanks to Ben realizing, he might not be up for it – similar to Alex in season two.

It was a good season opener with a few hilarious moments, a few emotional moments, a new character, and the showing of Belle in her job, and how she is still the best in her job. I liked that Belle was, again, helping her client Liam (Adam Astill) to appreciate life more, and that the story is not just about an escort having sex with a client. The third season worked well enough with those messages behind the client’s characters, and it looks like the fourth season won’t stop doing exactly that. But I would wish that the comedy part could be cut back a bit during the client scenes. Figuring that I was smiling first, when Liam couldn’t get him up during the first “sitting”, and that I was laughing, when Belle came as the old-styled judge with something to press (on Liam) while having sex, I was missing the drama part of the show during that moment, despite Belle telling Liam that it will be his challenge to find a solution for his problem.

The Hannah/Ben situation was alright in this episode.  It was predictable that Hannah doesn’t have an answer for Ben, and it was obvious she would either dream or being scared about the possibility of having a relationship with Ben. But I realized during the episode that the writers probably don’t go back to the fact that Hannah and Ben were already dating in the past. I wonder if something from their time back then will come up again (after all, there has to be a reason, why the relationship broke up back then), and I wonder if their already forgotten story will be included into the new one.

Moreover, I like the new story of the season. Now that Stephanie (Cherie Lunghi) is in jail (and doesn’t stop to be bossy in there), Hannah steps up and finally manages the business for a while. She came a long way from the first season, and I like the development of her life in the job. In addition, I kinda liked Poppy (Lily James) in her first appearance, but I don’t know if she is just a girlfriend replacement for Bambi, or if she is actually part of a bigger storyline. Remember, Bambi didn’t really work as a character in Hannah’s life in the second season, and had her own story (departed from Hannah’s) in the last season, so I don’t know what the writers have planned for her. The fact that she is Hannah’s roommate though is interesting for now. And yes, I already miss Hannah’s old London apartment. It had more character and style than the new house – maybe because the house was way too white-ish inside, while the apartment had color and a view of London.

What a shame that it’s the last season, and hopefully the planned movie will happen after the series. 7.5/10

The dream of a normal life with a loving partner

Introducing: Poppy, Stephanie's daughter

ITV2's comedy show aired in the early months of 2010

ITV2′s sexually charged drama follows the double life of a beautiful young prostitute working the streets of London. By day, Hannah (Billie Piper) is a respectable legal secretary, who works long hours to make ends meet. By night she is Belle, a ruthless, money-hungry hooker who will do anything to satisfy her clients’ basest fantasies. A professional in every sense of the word, Belle slips with seeming ease from the role of girl-next-door to high-heeled dominatrix, taking care never to become emotionally involved with her clients. But the constant pressures of keeping her two lives separate begins to take its toll, when she begins to date the editor of her released first and upcoming second book – which tells the life and experiences of an anonymous London call girl.

Episode 01
Excellent opener for the third series. Hannah is now a real author, and found her call in life, besides being a high-class whore, which is pretty nice. And her success of her book and the offer to write a second one gives a nice story for the third round, like it was shown in this episode: Hannah writes again and notes everything, what her clients have to offer – even though they don’t have anything interesting to offer. With this storyline on the run, they can tell pretty much more stories than they did during the first two series.
I was surprised to see Ashley Madekwe still in the main credits, I was kinda believing, she would be disappearing like Callum Blue. But now I am hooked on her character again and what Bambi will experience in this series. I just hope Bambi stays with Stephanie (Cherie Lunghi) a bit longer, because I like her character, and she is obviously still not over the mountain, after Hannah left her.
Ben (Iddo Goldberg) uses Hannah’s book to fuck a woman for himself, but I actually couldn’t understand, why he didn’t read her book by now. Until the end, I would have said, this would be a little plot hole, but Hannah mentioned it at the end, and therefor the writers didn’t use that story, just to get Ben a woman for a night.
I liked the episode, and I definitely will like this series. And I hope it will be successful for ITV2, so they can order a fourth series. 8/10

Read the rest of this entry »

Click here for season one.
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is a British half hour series and deals with the life of a high priced call girl named Belle, who’s real name is Hannah (Billie Piper). In both of her lives she tries to be the best, to be consistent – in the real life it rarely works, especially when she met Alex (Callum Blue) and falls in love with him.

Episode 1 This is one of the half hour series you can talk or write a lot about. The season opener was good, but nothing really special. With Alex and Bambi (hot: Ashley Madekwe) we have two new characters and with a politician being exposed for fucking with a prostitute we have a good story, but it wasn’t well executed. Interesting, that even the British news are nice enough to not expose Hannah. The little family meeting was in between hilarious, but not funny, and boring. Hilarious was the beginning with the “wrong Alex”. 7/10

Episode 2 The hilarious parts: Hannah’s “beard” and her freaking out, because she has a date with a real person (Alex) – these are the moments which make the series a highlight. The other great moment was Bambi in danger; she is a really good character, but she is missing some fine-tuning, which she will never get, because she is not the main character. At least the relationship between Hannah and Alex is growing and I like the soundtrack.
Good episode. 8/10

Episode 3 A good episode with a wife getting into Hannah’s apartment, after her husband left after paid sex. Interesting case and good that it was finished before the end of the first half. To waste a whole episode with that story wouldn’t be good. The rest was good, but Bambi had just one scene (her entry was OMG, I want to see more of her). The episodes definitely should have more minutes. 7,5/10

Episode 4 The weakest episode in the season so far. It is just about Hannah bringing Ben (Iddo Goldberg) to a lunch with Alex, with a hilarious threesome in the beginning and some great Bambi moments. The rest is not worth talking or writing about. Still a good series episode, but for Secret Diary total average and boring. 4,5/10

Episode 5 This is the best episode so far. Everything was harmonious, the story, the characters, the soundtrack. Even Belle’s client of the week had an own story and character, connected with Alex’ discovery that Hannah is a prostitute it gave a really great story twist, dramatic and emotion.
Definitely the best episode of Secret Diary and one of the best series episodes I have seen so far – full points. 10/10

Episode 6 An average episode. After the full points episode the main plot totally breaks down and instead gives us some moments between Hannah and Ben. I don’t know about the first half and the sex party. I should be funny, but it wasn’t, while the second half lacked on interest. I don’t really care for Hannah and Ben, not after the authors gave us for five episodes Hannah and Alex. And why should Ben sleep with her all of a sudden? This is somehow out of character. 5/10

Episode 7 A good episode, but not with an interesting story. Okay, Hannah tries to retire from the escort service and work a normal job (which works not really good, when she quits after the first day), but I want to see more about that, instead we saw Ben getting fucked and drunk at the end, separated from his girlfriend (we never saw, btw). It is nice to see Ben with an own little story, after he only was a face in the back, coming to the front to give Hannah some emotional moments, but this story was stereotype all the way. So, Ben loves Hannah, Alex tries to love Hannah, Hannah loves Alex and we have a threesome here… I missed Bambi. 7/10

Episode 8 Well, it was the perfect season ending, maybe the right end for the series. Hannah knows that she can’t live a normal life and Alex was right with what he said: Hannah loves her job more than she loves him. And that is why the last scene is the best. Hannah is a whore (not a prostitute, not an escort…) and this is what she can do best. Just the picture with Belle, Bambi and Ben (the three B’s) was a bit confusing. Is Ben now the buddy of Bambi and part of a dream team – the new escort service with Ben as manager and Belle and Bambi as escorts? It sure looked that way, but hopefully it is not.
It is just a shame that it was the last episode with Callum Blue (unlikely that he will be in the third series after his disappearance in this one), I just hope Bambi will be there. And I am waiting for the new episodes. 8,5/10

Season average is 7,19. This should be enough for now, I am waiting for the third series next year. Or a movie. By the way: I finally could start the first season of Doctor Who now, Billie Piper plays the second main role there……