Alan Ball is an impressive figure in both television and film making, winning countless awards that include Emmys, a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, as well as an assortment Guild of America awards. In making his mark on the industry, he has sparked a strand of cultural iconography (like the roses in American Beauty) and thus firmly established a cult following for his various TV series.

To commemorate the release of Banshee, available to own and watch instantly via blinkbox and out on DVD and Blu-ray on 2nd September, his most recent enterprise, we reminding ourselves of the gay writer/producer’s genius capabilities in continually entertaining (and the fact that everything he’s done has touched on mixed sexualities, even if it’s never been the main subject).

TRUE BLOOD (Creator/Writer/Producer) – True Blood, predominantly known for its toothier moments, is a triumph for Ball as the Creator. In the scene above from Season 1 Episode 8, Bill emerges out of the ground, reuniting him once again with his paramour, after he was believed to be dead. Much to the relief (and pleasure!) of Sookie, this is just one example of the kind of vampire-based viewing we sink our teeth into each week.

BANSHEE (Creator/Writer/Producer) – Reminiscent of Ball’s earlier work, Banshee is set in a fast-paced hyper reality, bursting with the type of explosive full-on-action enjoyed at the cinema. Centred on the rogue outlaw of a Sheriff that is Lucas Hood (Antony Starr), there is a tone of heightened insanity that manifests within the series. This shootout scene filled with violence from the Season 1 finale is just one example of the kind of the crime and brutality we are accustomed to in this series – and we love it!

AMERICAN BEAUTY (Writer/Producer) – Hailed as a ‘triumph of acting, writing and direction’ by Rolling Stone magazine, American Beauty is the most iconic venture made by Alan Ball, winning him three awards and a further nomination. Depicting the effects of a mid-life crisis, the film largely focuses on a father infatuated with an underage cheerleader. In this memorable scene, Lester (Kevin Spacey) fantasises about Angela (Mena Suvari) lying naked in a bed of falling rose petals, a visual masterpiece that has left a lasting impression on popular culture.

SIX FEET UNDER (Creator/Writer/Producer) – Comedic yet dark, Six Feet Under follows the lives of a dysfunctional family with the looming presence of death hanging over them. This opening scene from the Pilot episode was starkly brilliant! Within the first few minutes we were shocked by the sudden twists on TV show conventions, such as the death of the person who initially seemed like they’d be the main character (and he was, kind of, making appearances from the afterlife) and a fake funeral coach advertisement. Clever, witty and definitively unsettling; it’s no wonder it was so successful.

CYBILL (Writer/Producer) – The 90s sitcom Cybill was Ball’s breakthrough, as it was here he climbed through the ranks, eventually becoming co-executive producer. The series is based on a twice-divorced single mother (Cybill Shepherd) attempting to pave her way into the acting industry. Full of comedy, gossip and witty banter as insinuated in this screen shot, it was a sure-fire hit.

Banshee – Season 1 is Released on Blu-ray, DVD and available to own and watch instantly via blinkbox on 2 September 2013

Mayim Bialik plays Amy in the hit comedy, The Big Bang Theory. With the sixth season just hitting DVD & Blu-ray in the UK, we grabbed an interview with the talented actress to discover her thoughts on role models, being a science geek and falling for Sheldon…

Where will Amy and Sheldon’s relationship take them in the Season 6 of The Big Bang Theory?
Wherever this relationship is going to go, it’s going to move very slowly. I was talking to [executive producer] Bill Prady about this recently and I feel like we’ve brought the art of courtship back with their relationship. It’s incredibly sweet. There is a very limited but simple and honest communication about what each person wants, but it’s very slow and that’s fine. We saw some hints of where it might go during the last season. Obviously, dressing me in a Star Trek uniform was a nod to getting him to see things my way. And then Sheldon holds Amy’s hand in the season finale and I think that is really telling in terms of pacing.

What is the next step for the couple?
I don’t know exactly where they are going to go next, but I think it’s always going to be interesting, slow and gentle. I’m sure [executive producers] Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Steven Molaro know where they want to take it, but they are keeping quiet for now.

Where do you want them to go next?
I think the relationship could go any number of ways, but it will be something consistent with Sheldon’s character. We’re either going to see his personal evolution or him and his social circle accepting Amy more into his life. He’ll learn new things about himself or he’ll learn new limits to his boundaries or new boundaries. It’s going to be fun.

What do you like about their relationship?
I love the verbal sparring between Amy and Sheldon. I also love the non-romantics aspects of their romance. I think that’s really sweet. There has never been any mention of Amy’s attractiveness or lack of attractiveness to Sheldon. He likes her as she is. It’s so sweet that it’s irrelevant to him. He’s truly in love with her mind, which is why I like the way they verbally spar. When they spar intellectually, that’s their way of romantically connecting.

How would you like to see Amy grow this year?
That’s a hard question to answer. The last season was dominated by female plotlines, which was clever – but I don’t doubt that Chuck, Steve and Bill will have new ways to keep that fresh because there are a lot more places we can go with these fun female plots. Fans of the show tell me that it’s funny yet tender when Amy fails or when she’s left out, which is really sweet. Chuck Lorre is a master at delving gently into the deeper emotions, so let’s see where he takes us.

Do you enjoy watching the other relationships on the show?
I think we have a number of interesting romances and relationships on our show. There’s Amy and Sheldon and there’s Howard and Bernadette – but then there are the other fun relationships, like the Wolowitz and Raj intimacy, which is really sweet. Of course, it’s funny and it’s good for a laugh – but I also think it’s sweet that Amy has a real affection for Penny that seems to come out all the time. I’ve heard that there is a lot of appreciation for it in the lesbian and gay community; the fact that people appreciate the female form whether you’re a heterosexual or homosexual, or anything in between. I think that’s been really sweet for our show.

What was it like to meet Stephen Hawking and Leonard Nimoy last season?
I wasn’t working the week that Leonard Nimoy was on the show, which was horrible for me personally because I am a big fan of his. I also wasn’t due to work on Stephen’s episode, but I was able to go to his 70th birthday party, which was amazing. I went along with a bunch of writers and producers including Bill Prady and Steven Molaro, and it was thrilling to meet Stephen Hawking personally. And then Dr Hawking came to the set for a run-through, which was also exciting. I was told, “Stephen is coming in today, so come along to the run-through.” Again, that was thrilling.

Which other iconic guest stars would you like to see appear on the show?
Once you’ve had Stephen Hawking on your show, where do you go from there? How do you top that? That’s tough. There are a few neuroscience people that I would love to see, but I’ve got no idea what the producers have planned for this season. It’s Bill Prady’s personal goal to have the entire cast of every Star Trek series appear on our show. I guess that’s where we’re headed!

How much of a geek are you in real life?
I’m a total geek. I love our cast, but I am the one who reads comic books, who goes to comic bookstores, who loves sci-fi and all that stuff. Among the cast, I’m the one who is into things like Comic-Con more than the rest.

Do you feel a certain kinship with the producers because you share their geek tendencies?
Definitely. I don’t know if it’s my best-kept secret, but I belong much more with Bill, Steve and Chuck because they are much more into geek culture like me.

Given your highly scientific background, do you ever catch any scientific lingo being misused in the script?
I twitch when something is wrong in the script, but I try to keep it inside. I’m not just trained in neuroscience; I’m trained in chemistry, biology, anatomy and some physics, so I know when something’s wrong.

When was the last time you twitched about an error in the script?
Last year, there was a scene where Amy was teaching Sheldon how to give himself a massage. They were talking on the phone, but they described the wrong muscle in the script and I started to twitch. It wasn’t even my line, but I couldn’t keep a straight face. Chuck said to me, “Is this wrong? Could you just fix it and email us.” It’s hard to stand up to Chuck Lorre about things like that, but they want the anatomy right and I’m definitely there to help sometimes.

Do you see yourself as a role model for smart women?
In general, I think our show has really raised the bar for geek-dom. I think that’s been really special. However, it’s also been neat to be part of the scientific female force of the show, alongside Melissa Rauch. Kaley Cuoco’s character [Penny] is the main female presence on the show, but we’re now there, too.

Who were you role models when you were growing up?
I was a huge fan of Parker Posey. She was the quirky girl on screen when I was going to movies as a teenager. I think quirkiness has blossomed a lot more culturally since then, especially with clothes and fashion. Quirky clothes were unusual then, but now you see an entire store dedicated to funky, weird clothes and all sorts of permutations.

Did you enjoy your break during the show’s hiatus this summer?
I had a lot of work stuff to complete in the month of June, so I only had July off. I have two little boys, so it’s been hard – but I spent a lot of July at the beach, playing, cooking and doing the laundry regularly instead of only being home at the weekend. It was fun, but I’m also looking forward to getting back to work. We have a sweet show and we have a lot of fun putting it together every week. I’m having a blast.