Hotel Babylon.

Wow, so I completely forgot to write yesterday.  Also, school will be starting for me next week so I may be writing less.  I will try to continue every other day but I may get bogged down in too much school work.

Now on to more important things.  Hotel Babylon is my new favorite show.  I cannot even describe how much I love this show.  It's a British series that ran from 2006 to 2009.  It stars a bunch of people that look familiar but I have no idea who they are.  The show is just so great!  I was hooked from the first episode and have been exclusively watching it for the past few days.

I'm in the second season right now and there are four seasons.  Normally I like to watch an entire series before I write about it but this one couldn't wait.  I have slightly ruined it for myself by looking at IMDB because now I know a couple of the current main characters will be leaving the show soon because they're only in half the episodes that the other main characters are in.  I can see how they're giving the long-term characters more responsibility and air-time as they prepare for others to leave.  So that's interesting to watch.

The show is about eight staff at the five-star hotel Babylon who get into trouble, get out of trouble, have fun, and help their strange guests.

• Rebecca, played by Tamzin Outhwaite, is the hotel general manager.
• Charlie, played by Max Beesley, is the deputy manager.
• Tony, played by Dexter Fletcher, is the concierge.
• Jackie, played by Natalie Mendoza, is the head of housekeeping.
• Anna, played by Emma Pierson, is the lovely and scheming head of reception.
• James, played by Raymond Coulthard, is head of waitstaff I think.  His title is not clear but he does wait tables and he's in charge of ordering wine.
• Ben, played by Michael Obiora, is the token gay man of the show.  He works reception with Anna.
• Then there is the head bartender Gino, played by Martin Marquez.  Now, when I first started watching the show I thought he was Spanish.  According to his last name and IMDB profile, he is Spanish!  But for a while on the show they made him seem Italian.  Then, on the last season they clearly state that he's Spanish when a Spanish boxer stays at the hotel.  I'm not sure why there was confusion but he's definitely Spanish, don't let the name Gino fool you!

I believe there will be other main characters as the show goes on but these are the current stars.  They started in the series so they're most important.  After Rebecca leaves as Managers, Charlie takes over for a while.  Then he decides to leave as well and some other young guy, they slowly introduced, takes over.  But only for a few episodes and then he suddenly is gone and some lady is in his place.  So, once the main characters leave it gets a little dicey on who exactly is in charge.  Still a great show but I can see why it ended after four seasons.

Each episode focuses on one main theme.  The voice of Charlie usually introduces the episode while scenes of guests coming in are playing, then the opening theme song plays.  One great episode was about how guests should never pick-on the employees as employees will get revenge.  The episode featured a group of soccer (or football as they say in England) players who completely disrespect all the staff and in the end they learned a BIG lesson.  Somehow, the staff never get into trouble for their shenanigans.  I guess that's poetic license, huh?

Hotel Babylon gives an interesting look into management and hotel life.  Of course, I have no idea how much of the show is factual but I'm sure it is truthful on some level.  Within the series you learn about staff, guests, guests of guests, and how a hotel is run.  Hotel Babylon is funny, dramatic, and well made.  It has music that reminds me of Charlies Angel's, it's kind of fantastical.

I highly recommend  you check out Hotel Babylon!  It ran four seasons so there is a good chunk of show to watch.  It's always sad when you get into a show and then realize it only ran for one season so don't fear this one!  Check out this hilarious clip of Gino showing off his "gay walk" for Charlie and Ben.  Gino wanted lessons on how to act gay so that he could get better tips at the bar from a customer.  Always trying to make money on this show!