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Vultures, the story of three private detectives who run an investigation agency in small town Ireland, Vulture Private Investigations. They specialise in divorce cases, fraud, missing persons, animals and plants and occasionally, just occasionally, they’ll be served up something that approximates a mystery.

“I wouldn’t be caught dead with a lad with sandals and socks. No offense like.”

The fourth episode of the online sitcom, The Case of the Poisoned Dates, went live last week on VulturesPI.com, seeing the arrival of the Transition Year student, Janine Drew, into the V.P.I. office for work experience.

Nuns could be watching me frisk a schoolgirl.

An episode full of romantic entanglements that degenerate into a potential powder keg of social embarrassment and comic violence, my favourite episode so far sees Dan McGrain, Jim Vultour and Niall Tennyson, the hapless gentleman detectives joined by Inspector Leeson, Isabelle Vultour, Tom Moriarty and give-him-his-own-spin-off-show Jack Street (played by Ross Costigan who also has his directorial debut). As each episode progresses the performances get stronger and funnier and the show’s storyline starts to take shape. Threats from the rival agency, Pinkertons, hint at a big series finish and the hope of a second series.

Though the leads, played by David Thompson, John Morton and Sean Hackett, have settled into their roles perfectly now and give their best performances so far, it is Suzanne O’Brien as the brash, intelligent chav, Janine Drew, who steals the show. Funny, sharp and bitterly sarcastic, she has to become a regular part of the show.

The series has built a strong following locally in Kilkenny and, indeed, nationally, with interest continuing to grow. You can view all previous episodes along with production material for the series such as trailers, promo videos, character profiles and development work on VulturesPI.com or check out Ross Costigan’s blog for more, including behind the scenes Director’s Diary, photography and video podcasts.

Vultures is also available on iTunes. If you enjoy The Case Of The Poisoned Dates, please spread the word and support the Vultures and all the work they have put in to make this great series.

And if you want to see some more of Janine, check out her video profile:

I guess I’m back properly now. I have a few posts planned and half written, I have caught up with most of my ‘regular’ reads and am making headways into other stuff. I’m still missing New York, but I’m dealing with it one day at a time.

So, what have I missed? Anyone have any interesting or exciting news?

Maybury informs me that Tony Hart has passed away. That’s a sad loss – he was a big part of my childhood television viewing.

So many people are thrilled to herald the innauguration of Barack Obama. It’s a hugely important moment not just for America, but for the world. I’m looking forward to hearing his speech – his victory speech in November was truly awe inspiring.

The Internet’s Ben Kenealy was not always so cool and suave. Once upon a time, he was a Young Scientist Competition nerd.

Look, look, look, Grandad’s book is out. How do I go about getting a signed copy?

There’s a fierce amount of prepping being done for the Blog Awards at the end of February. Ken asks what advice we’d give to the newbies. Hmm? Get out now…run…

One of the biggest things that’s been going on is 2FM’s destruction of Rick’s radio show. There’s a Facebook group, a good few posts on the subject and even a fancy caricature. Also, check out the book of posts.

Maxi is trying to corrupt the blogosphere even further than he already has. He has teamed up with SexToys.ie to offer a monthly award to the author of the filthiest post. If your mind is a cesspit, if you like the smut, if anal fisting is your thing, then maybe you can win a Filthy Butt Fun Award.

B’dum has convinced me to go watch Crimes and Misdemeanors, a Woody Allen flick I have somehow missed.

Twenty came back. I knew the cunt couldn’t stay away.

Oh no! Zaniac has a blister on his thumb!!! He also offers some video blogging tips.

I don’t quite understand what’s going on in Gaza at the moment. I’m not sure anyone does to be honest. Allan seems to have summed it up though:

And in wonderful, wonderful news, Willow has landed on planet Fústar.

Just a snippet of what’s been going on. What else have I missed?

Also, I think I need to buy a new side unit – I need the chair.

A couple of weeks ago, Darragh interviewed One Day International in Le Cirk. I took a few photos and managed to purloin a copy of their album, Blackbird.

I threw it onto my iPod last week and listened to it on the way home on the DART. The first track, Closed Doors, was nice. It was simple and sounded like a lot of middle-of-the-road pop songs out today. Though not overwhelmed, I enjoyed it and looked forward to an album I could right a pleasant review about.

Then I heard the second track, Little Death, and my opinion completely changed. Quirky, with an upbeat melody fused with a melancholy lyric, I was excited to hear what would come next.

I wasn’t disappointed. Track after track of great tunes makes Blackbird one of the best albums I’ve heard in years.

Lead Balloon is a theatrical number, reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright‘s prime, while Sleeping on Trains is a dark and moody track, like a lullaby for a very bad child. Like many of the tracks on the album, it has a slow, wistful beginning which escalates to a damning crescendo. Maybe not unique, but certainly ahead of the game.

Miss Your Mouth, one of the most marketable singles on the album, is another beautiful tale of lost love. It’s a delicate with a memorable melody, without being a repetitive pop tune.

Shiver begins as an instrumental piece showing the perfect collaboration between Cormac Curran on piano, Eimear O’Grady on cello and bassist Danny Snow. It makes you think that this entire album could be a great movie soundtrack; this piece would be a flawless score even without the introduction of the simple and glorious vocals of Matt Lunson.

Not Over You has some of the finest lyrics on the album. Like much of the album, it speaks of loves lost but not forgotten.

Do you remember the moment we met?
I can remember we spoke about shortness of breath.
Do you remember not showing for work
And sleeping together late on in the afternoon?

Black is the Bird is the title track and deservedly so. It captures all that is great about the band. Beautiful piano sounds, haunting melodies, memorable tunes and gorgeous vocals.

As I listened to the first half of the album, I began to draw comparisons between One Day International and acts such as Duke Special, Cathy Davey, Lisa Hannigan and Divine Comedy in particular. I was then pleasantly surprised to reach track 9, Aliens, which I already knew from Neil Hannon‘s version on The Cake Sale. I actually thought it was a Hannon penned track and I was delighted to discover that Lunson is the writer. A tiny bit of research told me that the Cake Sale’s producer, Brian Crosby, also had a hand in Blackbird.

Big Surprise and Darken Your Door close out the album on a downbeat and sad note. Further evidence of the theatrical nature of this album are in the lyrics of Big Surprises.

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise.
They’ve taken all of the trees away, right before our eyes

Darken Your Doors continues the melancholic lost love theme and as it ends I find myself clicking the buttons that bring me back to start all over again.

One Day International are playing The Button Factory on 18^th December and tickets are available here. The album, Blackbird, was released in October and is available on iTunes here. For more information on the band, check out their blog.

I watched BBC’s Culture Show’s documentary and interview with Baz Luhrman on Tuesday night and was in awe of a great man. Intelligent, funny and seemingly down to earth, Luhrman came across so well and has now been catapulted to the top of the table at my fantasy dinner party. Stephen Fry will have to shimmy down a bit.

He is responsible for the quirky, shoestring budgeted smash hit Strictly Ballroom, arguably the greatest Shakespeare movie adaptation, Romeo and Juliet, the movie which is widely credited with the resurgence of musicals on the big screen, Moulin Rouge, and now the as yet unreleased period epic, Australia, which is already heralded in some quarters as the new Gone With The Wind. Both Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet appear on my to ten movies list – It is understandable then that I would develop a fascination with the man.

Born Mark Anthony Luhrman, his nickname Baz would be given due to an unfortunate resemblance to Basil Brush. Growing up in the small town of Herons Creek, child of a father who ran a petrol station and local cinema and mother who was a ballroom dancing teacher and dress shop owner, it isn’t hard to see where his first film Strictly Ballroom was inspired. Originating as a 20 minute play, directed by Baz, he eventually fleshed it out into a feature length film. When it first screened in Australia, it was not received well, but a midnight screening at Cannes made it hot property and it rapidly became a worldwide smash.

Trying to make a film about ballroom dancing in small town Australia was seen as a crazy venture, but attempting to pitch a modern Romeo and Juliet maintaining Shakespeare’s original dialogue was sheer madness. Even after proving himself with this, he was still viewed sceptically when he set about making a musical. Bare in mind, this was before Chicago, Hairspray and Mamma Mia! The result was the remarkable Moulin Rouge, which saw Oscar nominations in 8 categories and wins in two. Bizarrely, there wasn’t even a nomination for Baz for Best Director. On Oscar night, Whoopi Goldberg sarcastically remarked, “I guess it just directed itself”.

His new project is Australia, starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman and is an ‘outback epic’ set in the early 1940′s against a backdrop of World War II events such as the bombing of Darwin in 1942. With a running time of almost 2 and ¾ hours, it is truly an epic event. I am nervous and excited to see if he can add a third film to my top ten list. Australia is released on 26th December, just in time to escape your family on St Stephen’s Day.

If you are in the UK (or are skilled with computers) BBC are making The Culture Show’s documentary available for UK residents to view online for 6 more days. Click here for more. And here’s the trailer for Australia:

The Apprentice is finally coming to a close. We have reached the final week and the only two left standing are Brenda and Nicky. David went home first (remember him?), Shane walked out, Joanna ‘cheated’, Mark fell apart, Stuart survived an atrocious week 5 but got the chop last week. So who will be Bill Cullen‘s new apprentice…

Brenda and Nicky have to run a charity event and “present their charity in a novel and interesting way”. Join us this week, where we will be running the live blog from Le Cirk on Dublin’s Dame Lane where we pick apart the two hopefuls’ decisions and discuss who will hear the line – “You’re Hired”.

Or click here to open in a new window.

Just some stuff that I’m happy about:

• Laurence Fishburne in CSI – this is gonna be great…

• Condoleeza Rice’ piano recital at Buckingham Palace for the Queen. Nifty!

• Wantsies – oh so very wantsies…

• Lost Season 5 sneak preview (it’s back on January 21^st):

• Oldest lolcat found…

This week, Gav over on EveryDayIsElectionDay is running the live blog. I’ll be there, wearing bells. Will you?

Reminder: this week’s Apprentice starts on TV3 at 10pm, which means if you are planning to watch 24: Redemption tonight on SkyONE, you’ve got a problem. I say root through your attic and find some old dusty VHS tape and see if that video recorder still does its job. Of course, you could also try using that new fangled SkyPlus remote you got last year but are afraid to touch in case you break something…

I may have mentioned Hugh Laurie‘s House M.D. before. It’s a US TV show where Laurie plays the head of the diagnostic department in a training hospital. Each week, he and his team must find out what ails this week’s patient before they die. It’s very formulaic, but the characters are so strong and funny that it doesn’t matter. It really is one of the best shows on TV at the moment and has developed a considerable fan base. One of dem did this:

It seems to be a creative hotbed. There’s so much fun stuff going on there all the damn time. And here is the latest episode in the Ventures series, The Mystery Of The Night Time Refuse.

Vultures is the story of three private detectives who run a small scale private investigation agency in small town Ireland. The moderately successful business is called Vulture Private Investigations and specialises in dealing with divorce cases, fraud, missing persons, animals and plants and occasionally, just occasionally, they’ll be served up something that approximates a mystery.

The wonderful, stupendous, delightful, phenomenal, sensational Grannymar:

I‘ve been watching and participating in the live blogging of The Apprentice since the show started 6 weeks ago. This week Gav on EverydayisElectionDay hosted the live blog and I think it’s fair to say we were none too impressed. Perhaps it was because we already knew the outcome, but the whole show just felt so contrived and scripted.

This weeks show, where the two teams had to organise a recycling drive, was the dullest so far. The previous two weeks saw upsets in the Boardroom, but thanks to TV3′s media drive, we knew exactly who was going this week before the show even began – Joanna Murphy. A long drawn out show where it was difficult to see who was doing what and how well, the show seemed to making every effort to paint Joanna as the bad guy. And in the end, they did show that she had cheated by contacting friends and family to help her out. The only genuinely entertaining part of the show was after the Boardroom when Joanna was in the car gloating about her cheating ways. Some people in the live blog hated her – I loved her and thought it was TV gold. Shame the rest of the show was so poor.

It was also revealed this week that last weeks show left out a confrontation that Mark (who was Fired) had with one of the Renault dealership’s customers. Fingers crossed that next weeks show will be better and more honest to the viewer. Join me on DarrenByrne.com to be part of the Live Blogging event.

Welcome to the live blog for week 6 of The Apprentice. For those of you who have been part of previous weeks blogs you know the drill, so let your fingers do the walking and give us your opinions as the show unfolds. For those of you who are new, here’s a recap of the last few weeks of The Apprentice Ireland.

Week 1 saw 14 hopefuls (7 women and 7 men) broken into two teams, Phoenix and Dynamo, led by Joanna Murphy and Mark O’Rourke respectively. They battled it out to see who could make a larger profit selling fresh fruit on Moore Street. The girls’ team, Phoenix, had a close win and after a very polite and friendly day, David Neary went quietly into the night.

Week 2 kept the two teams together to be run by Orla Power and Ronan Whitty. Once again, Phoenix won out in a task which saw both teams stage a launch party for a new EA game. Phoenix impressed EA execs enough and Dynamo’s Ronan was joined by Derek Ramsey and Mark O’Rourke in the boardroom. Bye bye Derek.

Week 3 mixed the teams up a bit. No longer is it men vs women. Avril Daly took leadership of Phoenix and Shane took over Dynamo. Running a 30th birthday party for Supermacs, Dynamo had their first win. Avril brought Stuart Butler and Ronan Whitty into the boardroom and Ronan went home.

Week 4 was run by Orla McAdam (Phoenix) and Brenda Shanahan (Dynamo) and they were tasked to design a “Personal Loan Card” for Blue Cube Loans, and sell the concept of the Card to three retailers. The team who most impressed was Dynamo again. Avril was back in the boardroom, along with Joanna Murphy and Orla McAdam. Avril was fired.

Week 5 was a controversial week. The live blog was sure that Stuart was going home, but in a surprise turn Bill Cullen sent Orla McAdam home because Stuart is “a fighter”. The task was to shoot and edit a 45 second TV commercial for “The Elysian” development in Cork City. Dynamo won (despite two very flawed ads from both teams) and Shane joined Orla and Stuart in the boardroom.

So…what’s to happen in Week 6? The teams will be going back to Bill Cullen’s roots – they’ll be selling cars. To join in, use the live blog below or click here to open it in a separate window. I’ll get things going around 8.45. See you then.

We started watching The Wire a couple of weeks ago and were instantly hooked. Set in Baltimore, it is a police drama like no other. Unique in it’s realism, slow plot, attention to detail and focus on urban life and the problems associated with it, The Wire may be the greatest TV show ever made.

On Thursday Lottie picked up Season 4, the penultimate season and we finished that yesterday. So, naturally, I had no choice but to run down to Xtra-Vision to pick up the final season. With 10 episodes in total, we’re all set for a marathon Wire day. Wish us luck!

AJ over on leCraic has been chronicling the Irish Apprentice and each week we’ve been live blogging the show. AJ kicked it off and then Debz picked up the reigns. The Lovely Lottie (ably assisted by her sidekick, eh, me) did a fine job before passing it over to Gav. We had a lot of fun on Anto‘s blog last night and next week it’s my turn to attack it.

I hope you can join me.