The Best TV Dramas of 2014

Christmas is but 6 days away and I can smell the panic in the air. Need some last minute gift ideas? Well roll up roll up for I, a recognised television connoisseur have drawn up a list of 2014's best British dramas. Head on down to your local Woolworths Megastores and pick up a boxset or five.

Out of The Blue - Christmas Single

Fancy an early Christmas present? Feast your eyes and ears on this - It's the annual festive cover version from The Optimist's favourite Oxford based acapella group Out of the Blue. The boys received some high praise earlier this year when their mash-up of Shakira songs went viral and got the seal of approval from the woman herself. Now they've tackled Mariah Carey's festive classic ' All I want for Christmas is you' and accompanied it with a suitably charming video filmed on location at their University.

It's for Charidee so if you want to download it you can, here

Check out OOTB's 2013 effort in the Optimist's advent calendar

The Killers - Joel, the lump of coal

It's the most wonderful time of the year folks, and once again The Killers are endeavouring to make it that little bit more wonderfulerer with the release of their annual Christmas song in aid of Product Red. This year they've teamed up with fellow Las Vegan Jimmy Kimmel to create this completely surreal and oddly poignant triumph of a Christmas song. Say hello to Joel, the lump of coal.

Download from iTunes to support the campaign.

The Imitation Game

It's been a tough few months waiting for this one but we made it through. The Imitation Game is one of the most highly anticipated films of the year - turns out it might also be one of the most important. Now The Optimist offers you less of a recommendation and more of a shove towards the cinema. Mark my words, you'll be glad you've seen this when award season comes around.

Shakespeare in Love

The Optimist has been living the high life in London again. This time I paid a visit to the Noel Coward Theatre, to see the newly opened Shakespeare in Love.

Lo Fang - You're The One That I Want

If it's good enough for Baz Luhrmann, it's good enough for The Optimist. Enjoy Lo Fang's gorgeous take on this Grease classic.

Pride

I don't want to come across as bossy, but you have to go and see this film, it's the best one you'll see all year! I'm about to use all of my powers of persuasion to convince you - get ready for a gush-fest.

Once - The Musical

The Optimist spent Saturday night watching Olivier award winning musical Once, at London's Phoenix Theatre. In the words of Iggy Azelia: I'm proper fancy - or something along those lines.

Ann Street Studio does New York

Today seems like a good day to drop in on one of my favourite blogs. You might've seen the work of Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg on The Optimist before - they're the creators of the cinemagraph and their blog Ann Street Studio, is brimming with gorgeous photography. They recently used cinemagraphs to document a day in New York - through the lenses of Jamie's Giorgio Armani glasses no less. Take a look ...

Doctor Who

The time has come for the Timelord to return ... Doctor Who's back, and The Optimist could not be more excited! With Peter Capaldi taking control of the TARDIS, now's a great time for those not acquainted with the 50 year-old institution to get involved. You've only got 800 episodes to catch up on - that's twenty-five days of back to back, uninterrupted Who - sounds like the dream to me! If your boss is refusing to give you the time off work though, you could just take a look through The Optimist's edited highlights; 50 years of TV history condensed into five carefully selected episodes that you need to watch RIGHT NOW!

Eddie Vs Benedict

Is it award season again yet? The Optimist's already getting a bit too excited about next year's Oscar-hopefuls. This past fortnight's seen the release of not one but two inconceivably gorgeous trailers - could one of our favourite Brit-actors be about to win a little gold man?

Boston Tea Party

If  TGI's is for Friday nights, Cheltenham's Boston Tea Party is for Sunday mornings, and, as Lionel Richie and Maroon 5 will attest - Sunday morning's are swell. I spent a leisurely AM in the cafe where there's tea on tap, burgers for breakfast and the eggs are Benedict-ified!

Begin Again

There are some films that you know you're going to love before you've actually watched them; 500 Days of Summer and Gatsby for example. When I heard the words 'New York', 'Musical' and 'Keira Knightley' I knew Begin Again would be the same. So here's a slightly redundant recommendation, for the new film by John Carney - Oscar winning director of Once (SOLD!)

Snugburys

As we all know - it's not summer until you've dripped ice cream on your shoes and today The Optimist is introducing you to a better class of ice cream: ice cream so moreish you'll just want to shove your face in it. If the picture above hasn't convinced you already, read on ...

Hello Sunshine

It's been Summer for all of an hour and I, a Brit, am already wilting in the heat. I'm hoping to subliminally bring down my core temperature with this blog, so join me for a glass of Pimms boys and girls, as I tell you about the season's most refreshing pursuits.

Costume Dramas

The troublesome fortnight between the end of "Winter Costume Drama Season" and the start of "Spring Costume Drama Season" has passed and once again, we're up to our knees in headstrong young women, smugglers and windswept moors - just the way The Optimist likes it. Excuse me a moment while I blow our national trumpet, and admit that we British are the masters of costume drama - we've been stackin' em up and knockin' em down for years and I have compiled a list of my all time favourites, along with where to find them, so that you too, reader, can bask in their glorious glory whenever you so choose. Doesn't that make you incandescent with happiness?

Central Perk

We're just a month away from the tenth anniversary of the final episode of Friends. It was broadcast on Thursday May 6th 2004 - can you believe it's been that long? Ten years since Rachel got off the plane, ten years since Chandler and Monica had their babies and ten years since the gang last met up for coffee. If you too are a fan of caffeine-laden beverages and you're still struggling to cope with your Friends withdrawals, The Optimist knows a place you might just want to visit.

Instagram

Ah Instagram how we love you. Your pleasingly square photographs, your array of filters - you turn our ugly duckling photos into beautiful, elegant swans. The Optimist just can't get enough, and, as the season of freshness and change is just beginning, it seems that now is the perfect time to introduce a few new faces to your daily gallery. Here are some recommendations ...

Spring

Rejoice ye all, for Spring is officially upon us! From here on out it's blue skies and blossom. Let us take a look at some seasonal highlights in another of The Optimist's Pinterest galleries. Hoorah!

The Oscars Are Coming ...

Selflessly and without hope of praise or adulation, The Optimist has been trekking back and forth to the Cinema in a bid to see this year's Oscars forerunners - so that you, readers, can enjoy this award favourites special. Please, don't thank me.

Two Door Cinema Club - Golden Veins

The Optimist has found your new favourite song. Turn it up, dance around the house - leave the curtains open - let the neighbours see!

Inside Llewyn Davis

First things first; this film is downbeat - no doubt about that. It opens with a song about a hanging and looks as if it was all shot on one long drizzly Thursday. If you're expecting a happy-go-lucky musical, you'll be disappointed. If you're in the mood for a thought-provoking, darkly funny, ultimately heart-warming bit of cinema, you'll love it as much as I did.

Today I am mostly listening to ...

Mark Beaumont of NME gave this album a 0/10 review. Not because it's bad you understand, but because it's destined to earn the talented musician a few more Brit Awards. The write-up actually contained the line "I wish I could say there's a place in Hell reserved for Tom Odell" - You'll be glad to know that The Optimist, like any other civilised human being, doesn't stand for that kind of misplaced bitterness.