TV

Emma
Part 4 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

With the next Doctor Who special, The Waters of Mars (brilliant title), screening for the press yesterday, the net is naturally awash with stories relating to it. And quite right too. Here are a few of the best/most interesting/etc that I've seen...

Be warned, all articles contain spoilers.

Ten Waters of Mars teasers by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Does what it says on the tin, and naturally is spectacularly spoilersome.

Transcript: Doctor Who press conference by Neil Wilkes & Philippa Warr (from Digital Spy)
and
Doctor Who: It’s Time by Ian Wylie (from Life of Wylie)
Both claim to offer a full transcript of the post-screening press conference. They're similar, but still amusingly different, in some cases missing whole questions (and answers, obviously). Clearly journalists have a different definition of "full" to the rest of us... but then that should be no surprise.

And in Who DVD news...

The Mind of Evil In Colour (Just Not Yet) and More! by Graeme
(from The Doctor Who Blog)
Some good news, some bad there -- I seriously hope "no incomplete story is currently on the DVD release schedule" means "in the immediate future", because there are some brilliant and very releasable incomplete stories left. Even if they're scheduled for November 2013 (when the range will end) to allow time for animated reconstructions to become viable, they deserve a release.

And in other news entirely...

Blog sparks mass council walkout
(from BBC News)
Hurrah for the power of the blog!

Fry ponders leaving Twitter site
(from BBC News)
Because of one stupid comment, the article implies, but it seems to have been building for a while -- too many news sources seem to think Twitter's Opinion and Stephen Fry's Opinion are synonymous, and that understandably irritates him.

Paranormal Activity breaks Witch record by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
"Paranormal Activity has surpassed The Blair Witch Project to become the most profitable movie ever made. The film, directed by Oren Peli on a budget of $15,000 (£9,059)... has now made $65.1m (£39.5m) and has reaped a 433,900% return on its initial investment"

new review at 100 Films

Saw IV (2007)

After the overly gory third film, Saw IV returns to the franchise’s roots by playing more like a thriller than a horror film — even more so than the previous instalments, one might argue, as aside from a couple of jumps and a few instances of gore, the story and its key sequences move forward via police investigation, endless flashbacks and copious twists. The Saw franchise should be applauded for trying to be more than just another slasher series, but needs to learn the value of restraint in other areas.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 19 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

The Armstrong and Miller Show
2x02 Episode 2
Yes, last week's.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Criminal Justice
2x01 Part 1
2x02 Part 2
Finally catching up with this. It's grim and depressing, as promised, but also utterly brilliant. Marvellous performances all round, particularly from Maxine Peake.

How I Met Your Mother
2x17 Arrivederci, Fiero
Oops, skipped one again. Fortunately this was entirely standalone.

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x06 The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part Two
Another brilliant episode -- SJA is really excelling this series -- with a moving send-off to David T.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

High Anxiety (1977)
[#65 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
[#66 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
On 4HD, though the D didn't look very H to me.

Articles

The Thief of Bagdad (1940) by Roger Ebert
(from Great Movies at rogerebert.com)
Lovely review/article on 100 Films' #66.

Collection Count

Last week I started my new Collection Count series, tracking my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics. You can read the whole initial post here.

This week most numbers have gone up (as is generally the case; though, occasionally (very occasionally) I do sell titles and they might go down), which is as exciting as ever. And statistic of the week is truly fascinating. Oh yes.

Number of titles in collection: 1,066 [up 9]
Of which DVDs: 1,031 [up 7]
Of which Blu-rays: 35 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 2,625 [up 9]
Number of films in collection: 1,102 [up 8]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,653 [up 1]

Statistic of the week:

Number of titles produced in the '00s:
589
(55.3% of the collection)

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

Ooh, lots today...

Argumental
2x09 (27/10/09 edition)

Defying Gravity
1x03 Threshold
Dear God, please save us from "sci-fi for women". (Not that there's anything wrong with women liking sci-fi, but foisting Hollyoaks-level soapy plotting onto a promising sci-fi/fact idea is incredibly disappointing.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
17x08 (23/10/09 edition)
If anyone knows where I can get hold of Tim Minchin's specially written song, please let me know -- it was brilliant!
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x15 Lucky Penny
The kind of episode HIMYM does so well. Here, the story jumps increasingly far back in time to outline a months-long chain of cause and effect that stems from a penny to Ted losing out on a major job.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x05 (28/10/09 edition)
Frank Skinner makes for the most laid-back host yet. Not sure if that's good or bad...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ross Noble's Australian Trip
Part 4 (of 6)
Part 5 (of 6)
"Landrover on a Pole." Ah, Australia.
[Watch Part 4 and Part 5 (again) on Demand Five.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x05 The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith Part One
One of the best yet, packed with wonderful humour. Though the best bit is surely to come tomorrow, of course.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

Generation Kill
Part 4 Combat Jack
Along with @Generation_Kill, of course.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

House
6x04 The Tyrant

How I Met Your Mother
2x13 Columns
2x14 Monday Night Football

Films

Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
[#64 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
It was made in '64... and it's #64! Such amazement...

Articles

The Five Scariest Episodes in TV History by Richard Lawson
(from tv.com)
Some good picks, though the omission of Doctor Who's Blink is a serious oversight.

TV

Argumental
2x08 (20/10/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.
Proof if proof were needed that this isn't series three: managing to discuss Michael Jackson with reference to his upcoming gigs at the O2 -- and, obviously therefore, not mentioning his death -- clearly shows it was filmed a good while ago. I'm fairly surprised they broadcast that round, actually.

How I Met Your Mother
2x12 First Time in New York

Articles

It's Question Time for the Daily Mail by Media Monkey
(from guardian.co.uk)
The Daily Mail are liars -- look, here's proof.

The Only Tobin Bell Interview You'll Ever Need by Kyle Buchanan
(from Movie|Line)
Normally I find articles with such self-important titles to be objectionable, but for once it's not undeserved. The star of the Saw series has an awful lot more to offer, as demonstrated by this interview that is fascinating but barely mentions those films.

Paul Haggis Renounces Church of Scientology in Blistering Letter by Kyle Buchanan
(from Movie|Line)
You may've heard this story -- it's such a damning letter that it's been quite widely reported. Be sure to stick around for page two, that's where the best bits are (not that I don't approve of what he's saying on the first page, but someone in the media being pro gay marriage and a church being anti it has all the surprise value of the latest X Factor single going straight to number one).

new review at 100 Films

Saw III (2006)

the point at which the franchise finally tips over into the justly reviled “torture porn” category. That’s not to say it’s solely focused on its gruesome deaths — as with the previous two films, there’s a thriller-ish plot to work through as well — but Jigsaw’s traps this time round are shown in excruciating detail... Along with it, the gore feels less justified. The traps have an element of invention about them, but the punishment doesn’t fit the crime in the same way it did in the first tw

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 17 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Have I Got News For You
38x02 (23/10/09 edition; uncut repeat).
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x11 How Lily Stole Christmas

It's Only a Theory
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)
[#63 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

TV

FlashForward
1x04 Black Swan
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Life
Part 2 Reptiles and Amphibians
Crikey this looks stunning in HD.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Life On Location
Part 2 Chasing the Dragon
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Russell Howard's Good News
1x01 (22/10/09 edition, extended repeat)
Faintly topical, rather lewd, very BBC Three.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Saw IV (2007)
[#62 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Hmm... remember this? by Anton Vowl
(from The enemies of reason)
One of the best articles you will ever read, showing both the hypocrisy of papers like the Daily Mail and Daily Express, and how they might just be to blame for the rise of the BNP. My favourite bit is where the Mail has a headline that's word-for-word identical to BNP protest placards.

Saw 7 - Sequel Plans by Sheridan Passell
(from Movie Moron)
Odd things are occurring in the world of the Saw franchise -- just look at those Rotten Tomatoes scores!

TV

Emma
Part 3 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x09 Slap Bet
2x10 Single Stamina

Merlin
2x05 Beauty and the Beast Part 1
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine #414

DWM finds itself in a slightly awkward position at the minute, it seems to me. It can't start reporting on Matt Smith's era because David Tennant's is far from over (there's three Who specials, a full-length animation, two eps of Sarah Jane, and a surprise 'Project 3' still to come), despite reports covering the web with titbits from filming; but as Tennant's era is all in the can, with broadcast still a month or two away, it has no news on that front either. Russell T Davies' Production Notes are particularly meaningless these days because of that -- we want to hear what Mr Moffat has to say about work on the new series, not Davies' endless (almost literally, it seems) musings on leaving.

It leaves the whole thing feeling a bit neutered, quite frankly, a problem it didn't have in the run up to Chris Eccleston's era beginning -- with no exiting Doctor, the mag was free to publish bits of news and whatnot about the forthcoming series. Same for Tennant's, actually, because serious work (well, filming) didn't commence until after the regeneration was shown on screen. Surely they don't really think fandom are dumb enough to not realise Smith's era is already underway? Where's the news of writers, directors, which episodes have been/are being filmed?

While celebrating it's 30th anniversary this month, it seems DWM has finally hit a production team-enforced nadir. One can only hope that things return to their previous high standard once the new team take over properly.

TV

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
17x07 (16/10/09 edition)
Yes, last week's.

The Graham Norton Show
6x03 (19/10/09 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x04 The Mad Woman in the Attic Part Two
Makes a nice change to have aliens without a malicious purpose, but to still craft an interesting and worthwhile story around them. It's especially suited to the kiddy-centric Who spin-off, actually
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

October Filming Roundup by Chuck Foster
(from Doctor Who News Page)
They're currently filming episode one of Series Five (or Series One, as Steven Moffat will be rebranding it), so beware spoilers in this piece. Not too many, actually, though it does reveal Amy Pond's job and her dad-friendly initial costume, among one or two other intriguing titbits -- including our first blurry partial look at the new TARDIS console room.

Collection Count

As some readers will be aware, I have a rather large DVD/Blu-ray collection. It's by no means amongst the largest in the world, but to any sane person it's big. Insanely big. Huge, one might say. And it's increasing all the time. Daily, at times.

So, in the interests of... well, nothing, really... I've decided to post a weekly Collection Count. Every Friday, a little list of some of the statistics from my collection. These will include a few the same every week, but, in case there's little variance (or, indeed, interest) I'll bung in one different stat every week. (If that makes no sense, hopefully it will in practice).

My collection has just been through quite a solid period of expansion, so it's a shame I didn't think of this earlier, and it probably means I'll now cut back and the numbers will barely shift at all... but we'll see.

Here's this week's numbers:

Number of titles in collection: 1,057
Of which DVDs: 1,024
Of which Blu-rays: 33

Number of discs in collection: 2,616
Number of films in collection: 1,094
Number of TV episodes in collection: 3,652

And statistic of the week is...

Total running time of collection (approx.):
179 days, 16 hours, and 53 minutes.

See you next week, faithful reader.

TV

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x04 (22/10/09 edition)
Jack Whitehall makes the first rubbish host of this guest-hosted series, and consequently this is the most lacklustre episode so far. Still, even below-par Buzzcocks is worth watching.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Question Time
22/10/09 edition
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x03 The Mad Woman in the Attic Part One
Interesting framing device, though it's not very reassuring to know that mid-teen boys will still have that annoying helmet-like haircut (as sported by three in this episode) in 50 years' time. All round a good episode though, which at times I thought was going to be an SJA version of Torchwood's Greeks Bearing Gifts, if you know what I mean. Guess not. Anyway, much promise for tomorrow's second half.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Saw III (2006)
[#61 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Gately's label complains to PCC
(from BBC News)

Boyzone's record label, Polydor, has filed an official complaint with the Press Complaints Commission over a Daily Mail column about Stephen Gately... More than 25,000 people have now contacted the PCC about the article. The PCC has already written to the Daily Mail for its response to the complaints received so far - the most ever made about a single newspaper article.

Marvel: 'Batman & Robin was important film' by Tim Parks
(from Digital Spy)
Hopefully you can see where the Marvel-man making this comment is going with such an apparently ludicrous assertion, but in case not:

[It] may be the most important comic book movie ever made. It was so bad that it demanded a new way of doing things. It created the opportunity to do X-Men and Spider-Man adaptations that respected the source material and adaptations that were not campy.

TV

Defying Gravity
1x01 Pilot
1x02 Natural Selection
I've loved the miniseries that inspired this (the BBC's Space Odyssey) ever since it first aired, always thinking it would make a good basis for an extended-length series... which this is. Unsurprisingly, it can't wholly live up to expectations. There are some good bits, and some wonderful special effects, but there's also plenty of soap opera-level melodrama and horribly cheesy dialogue, not least the voiceover narration. Ouch.
It's been called "Grey's Anatomy in space". I've never seen Grey's, but I can guess what people mean, and think they should've just stuck with the realistic sci-fi angle of the original miniseries. Certainly, the most obviously sci-fi element of all -- whatever the mystery in Pod 4 is -- is the most irritating part of the show for me (yes, even more than the voiceover), because it drags would could almost be science-fact into out-and-out science-fiction. And while I do love out-and-out science-fiction, I want a series with this premise to have a greater grounding in reality.
Still, I'll be sticking with it -- there's some promise. (As much as anything, I want it be successful enough to run for as many seasons are needed to show us the whole darn mission.)
[Watch Pilot and Natural Selection (again) on iPlayer.]

Generation Kill
Part 3 Screwby
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
1x06 Thrilla in the Villa [season finale]
Despite a poor showing in the US leading to co-production partner Comedy Central pulling out, I hear UK production company Hat Trick are still pursuing a second series with the BBC (who haven't ruled out the idea). Reports say that, to make it affordable, the budget would be slashed by half, reconfiguring the series to focus more on Matt Lucas' character, with fewer special effects and filming in the UK. The series wasn't half bad and still has promise, so hopefully it'll be given another shot.

Last Chance to See
Part 5 Kakapo
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Dave wants more Red Dwarf by Robin Parker
(from Broadcast)
Says it all, really. Apart from that scripts are in development and that "filming is pencilled in for next year".
Additionally, for an interview with the head of Dave talking about how pleased they were with Back to Earth, look here.

new review at 100 Films

Saw II (2005)

the climax produces a final round of twists that are almost equal to the first film’s triumphant reveal. I won’t give it away, but it’s entirely in keeping with both the games Jigsaw might play and the flashback-driven style of the first film, not to mention that — as the insistent concluding recap shows — there are clues seeded all the way along. If it’s not as audaciously memorable as the twist in Saw, that’s through no fault of it’s own.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 15 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

The Force
Episode 1 (of 3)
Excellent new documentary series which follows a real-life police case from beginning to end (assuming there is one), with full access to every element of the police's activities during the investigation. As well as being fascinating in its own right, it neatly shows up the veracity (or lack thereof) of the many TV shows about criminal investigation.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

How I Met Your Mother
2x08 Atlantic City

Articles

INTERVIEW - Charlie Brooker by Ben Parfitt
(from MCV)
Interesting three-part interview with Charlie Brooker relating to his recent Gameswipe TV programme. An interesting read for both gamers and those baffled by gamers -- for the former, it might explain why non-gamers find it all so odd; and for the latter, it might help explain it a bit. Maybe.
In particular, Part Three's discussion of violence in games is definitely worth a read, as Brooker has several objective, intelligent and worthwhile points to make.

TV

The Armstrong and Miller Show
2x01 Episode 1
That rarest of things, a sketch show that's consistently good. Nice to finally have it back.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

House
6x03 Epic Fail
After the highly irregular events of the opening two-parter, House takes another episode to put things back on track. Yes, we're back in Case of the Week territory, but at least it's with an interesting patient.

How I Met Your Mother
2x07 Swarley
Nice Friends reference. Nice Cheers reference. Nice to see yet another Joss Whedon chum turn up in this show. Nice episode all round.

It's Only a Theory
1x02 Episode 2
It seems I completely forgot to mention watching the first episode of this new series. Oops. It's an odd'un, part panel comedy part discussion of concepts, which I suppose is why it's on BBC Four. It has some potential, but it's not ever going to be a breakthrough success.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Disney predicts 'profound changes' for films by Oli Simpson
(from Digital Spy)

the DVD business continues to decline by double digits annually... the advent of high definition Blu-ray discs has not halted the slide, noting that the average family already owns around 80 movies in their libraries but are not replacing their older discs with Blu-ray equivalents.

...in order to bolster the home video business, the window between the time a movie is released in cinemas and on DVD must be shortened. ... the long delay from cinema to DVD has given pirates an opportunity to capitalise. "In South Korea, it obliterated the secondary market so much so that we [Disney] closed our home video operations"

If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one to hear it, can Carter-Ruck ban all mention of the sound? by Charlie Brooker
(from guardian.co.uk)
Another current major news story beautifully deconstructed by Mr Brooker.

TV

The Graham Norton Show
6x02 (12/10/09 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Have I Got News For You
38x01 (16/10/09 edition; uncut repeat)
It's back! Hurrah! And the extended repeat is still the only way to go.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

House
6x01 Broken Part 1
6x02 Broken Part 2
A couple of weeks late in starting the new season, due to an intensive season five catch-up. But that's fine, because this is actually a two-hour season premiere that was cut in two for the UK broadcast -- so I win.
It's also an excellent episode. Entirely unlike any other episode of House ever (which is something you very rarely get to say with total honesty about any TV programme), but all the more brilliant for it. It probably relies on having spent five seasons getting to know the character, so it's hard to recommend it to everyone, but it's nonetheless a great hour-and-a-half of drama. Not flawless (some of the protocols followed by staff were more lax than they would be in reality; the happy endings for almost anyone stretched credibility), but still great.

How I Met Your Mother
2x06 Aldrin Justice

Films

Saw II (2005)
[#60 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles

Edge Of Darkness Trailer Now Online by Helen O'Hara
(from Empire)
"It's all based on the 1985 BBC TV series of the same name, but before you throw up your hands in disgust and dismiss it as just another remake, it's worth noting that this is directed by Martin Campbell, who also made the much acclaimed series. That makes it less like Gus Van Sant's Psycho and more like Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 remake of his own film, The Man Who Knew Too Much."

The Future Of The X-Men Franchise by Nick de Semlyen
(from Empire)
Producer Lauren Shuler Donner reveals all about the four (four) X-Men films currently in development. All sound promising.

New Harry Brown Poster by Phil de Semlyen
(from Empire)
Michael Caine killing hoodies? Sounds bloody brilliant!

new review at 100 Films

Saw (2004)

Despite being credited with birthing the entirely risible ‘gorno’ genre, Saw isn’t really a good example of it. There are nasty, vicious murders — or, technically, deaths — but there’s no serious sexual element and it’s all underpinned by a half-decent plot. In fact, I’ve heard it called “a thriller with sadism” rather than a horror movie.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

There are currently 15 films in the review pipeline at 100 Films. As ever, updates here as and when they're posted.

TV

Ross Noble's Australian Trip
Part 2 (of 6)
Part 3 (of 6)
[Watch Part 2 and Part 3 (again) on Demand Five.]

Films

Saw (2004)
[#59 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Articles: more Jan Moir

Jan's paper, the Daily Mail, absolutely adores it when people flock to Ofcom to complain about something offensive, especially when it's something they've only learned about second-hand via an inflammatory article in a newspaper. So it would undoubtedly be delighted if, having read this, you paid a visit to the Press Complaints Commission website to lodge a complaint about Moir's article on the basis that it breaches sections 1, 5 and 12 of its code of practice.

Daily Mail column on Stephen Gately death provokes record complaints by Robert Booth
(from guardian.co.uk)
"• Protests crash PCC's website and flood internet
• Companies rush to pull advertising from website"

Why there was nothing 'human' about Jan Moir's column on the death of Stephen Gately by Charlie Brooker
(from guardian.co.uk)
Another excellent blow-by-blow dissection of Moir's article, which shows what a mockery her 'apology' is.

Yesterday by Derren Brown
(from All Your Minds Are Belong To Us)
"Moir issued a statement saying she was a victim of an orchestrated campaign. Moir’s interpretation was wrong, and betrays a misguided notion about the nature of Twitter and similar forms of networking. There is no orchestration – just the rapid spread of information."
Brown's view of the Moir affair, and the power (for good) of twitter.

A Day at the Office

Five brave workers decide to record themselves simultaneously at their office doing something... unthinkable...

TV

How I Met Your Mother
2x05 World's Greatest Couple

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x03 (15/10/09 edition)
Alex James looked nervous as anything, but actually did a great job as this week's guest host of another hilarious edition. Those viewers who are trying not to enjoy Buzzcocks now that Amstell's left are really missing out.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Ross Noble's Australian Trip
Part 1 (of 6)
The frequently surreal comedian conducts a tour of Australia on his motorbike, in a cross between the Ewan McGregor/Charley Boorman series and, well, any recorded stand-up gig. Like most of his work, it's a mix of the hilarious and the lacklustre.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
3x02 Prisoner of the Judoon Part Two
A strong second part, showing off even more of the things that made the first so good. Next week's looks promisingly spooky too.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

Twitter and Facebook outrage over Jan Moir's Stephen Gately article by Mercedes Bunz
(from PDA at guardian.co.uk)
The Daily Mail post an even more hate-filled and ridiculous article than usual, and face the wrath of the Internet for it. If that doesn't sound too scary, it's resulted in over 6,000 complaints to the PCC, in the process crashing their website. Read the article for more details.

Why there is nothing 'natural' about the life of Jan Moir by Anton Vowl
(from The enemies of reason)
And also this one, which is an excellent rebuttal to Moir's stupidity.

TV

How I Met Your Mother
2x03 Brunch
2x04 Ted Mosby: Architect

Last Chance to See
Part 4 Komodo Dragon
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sarah Jane Adventures
2x12 Enemy of the Bane Part Two [season finale]
3x01 Prisoner of the Judoon Part One
Despite reaching the end of SJA season two way back in December, I never got round to the final episode. And knowing the new series was coming for the past few weeks, I still didn't get to it. Until today, of course, with season three just beginning.
The first part of the new season was excellent, incidentally. Looking glorious in HD, Liz Sladen was given a real chance to shine once possessed by the Evil Alien Type, and the Judoon made for some brilliant humour. If the whole season is up to this standard then SJA is now better than ever.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 57 - 72 [the end]

Dead and Alive -- and, by extension, the whole of the Dean Koontz's Frankenstein trilogy (probably) -- reaches its conclusion. And it seems somewhat rushed, as if Koontz got fed up with his creation and its multitudinous plot threads so just brought about the quickest ending he felt he could get away with once he crossed the 300-page mark. It's not wholly flawed -- in fact, much of it is very good -- it's just incredibly brief compared to the long, winding, frequent-aside-taking style of the rest of the novel (and series).

My final impression is that Koontz should have either condensed the whole trilogy into a reasonable-length, reasonably-plotted storyline (i.e. lose the asides and the waffle), or expanded all his various ideas into proper, fully-developed motifs and arcs, rather than discarding each after their one over-written scene. As it stands, the novel has its moments, but doesn't live up to their full potential.

Koontz also concludes the novel (and, probably, the series) with both a cliffhanger and a fully-resolved-sounding final chapter. Will there be more or won't there? Maybe he just wants the option. Maybe he's planning a sequel trilogy -- these three make such a connected trilogy that a lone fourth book would seem odd. I suppose those of us who've enjoyed the series to date (more or less) will have to wait and see...

Edit: After some moderately thorough web-searching, I found just one tiny article that confirms the series will continue and it shall indeed be a new trilogy. (Even the series' official website implies Dead and Alive is the final end and makes no mention of books four to six. To be fair however, the news story is only dated today.)

The most relevant details: "The first new volume, Lost Souls, will be published in May 2010 and begins a new story cycle that will continue with the two subsequent books, to be released in May 2011 and May 2012... Lost Souls will pick up where Dead and Alive left off, with the setting moving to the American West and a new villain arriving on the scene."

Articles

Ridley Scott to remake C4's Red Riding by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
"the film will move the action from Britain to the US."
Missing the point much?

TV

Argumental
2x07 (13/10/09 edition)
Series two resumes after a five-month gap (as suspected). Rufus Hound made an argument that certainly showed he has some balls (ho ho!)

FlashForward
1x03 137 Sekunden
I can see why this episode prompted TV.com to suggest we all just give up on FlashForward now. It's riddled with so many holes, inconsistencies and plain old flaws of logic that I don't even feel capable of listing them here. Disheartening.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

Generation Kill
Part 2 The Cradle of Civilization
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

House: An Insider's Guide
Sky1's attempt at a season six preview. Bit of nothing, really.

TV

House
5x23 Under My Skin
5x24 Both Sides Now [season finale]
Twist-tastic closing episodes, Under My Skin showing off Hugh Laurie's finest detox acting and Both Sides Now managing a genuinely interesting Case of the Week at the same time as letting the arc plots take over more than ever. Still, it did make for a damn fine episode, with a highly unusual ending. Looking forward to the much-hyped feature-length season six opener.

How I Met Your Mother
2x02 The Scorpion and the Toad

Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire
1x05 Succubi: The Dawn's Early Light
A handy BBC HD repeat means I can finally catch the last two episodes of Kröd, only four months after I last saw it (I can't even remember why I missed these last two episodes any more).

TV

Emma
Part 2 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Harper's Island
1x11 Splash
Now that was a better twist. Last week's reveal has certainly rejuvenated the series though, providing one of the best episodes. Next week, it all comes to an end...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Harper's Island Unsolved
Half-hour behind-the-scenes special looking back over the first ten episodes, which rather makes you wonder why BBC Three didn't just wait until before episode thirteen and cover the whole series. Still, it was a surprisingly decent effort, in spite of Fearne Cotton's inane commentary.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Life
Part 1 Challenges of Life
The BBC's latest natural history epic, not that Damian Lewis cop show. Looks stunning in HD.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Life On Location
Part 1 Ice Alliance
Behind the scenes of the BBC's latest natural history epic.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

House
5x21 Saviors
5x22 House Divided
The first episode here is nothing to write home about, but the second was brilliant, the return of a familiar face -- though in an unusual way -- making for an excellent twist that works magnificently. The only downside is some poor CGI, the opening shot to Saviors looking no better than a bad computer game and the fire in House Divided having all the reality of a child's painting. That said, it did make for a hilarious scene in the morgue -- not something you see very often. Except in House.

How I Met Your Mother
1x22 Come On [season finale]
2x01 Where Were We?

Merlin
2x04 Lancelot and Guinevere
Wetter than a rainstorm on a river with a wet blanket floating down it.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

The Graham Norton Show
6x01 (5/10/09 edition)
Worries that Graham would be neutered by his move to BBC One prove to be unfounded, thankfully, but the show has been affected in other ways. Primarily, the number of guests: yes, he technically had two in 30 minutes before, while this new format is 50 minutes; but the uncut editions lasted 45 and worked fine with two guests, so upping the number to four just crowds things. Jonathan Ross has lots of guests because he simply interviews them; Graham does lots of silly audience things and other asides, and they're lessened by the too-many-guests issue. Maybe things will settle as the series progresses...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

House
5x20 Simple Explanation
The one in which you-know-who does you-know-what (if you've seen it, you'll surely remember; if not, I won't spoil it). It's another in a run of beautifully complex episodes for House -- complex in terms of its regular characters and their lives rather than the Case of the Week. Again, it marks this year out as an exceptional one for the series. Also worth noting in this episode is the way it's been shot, gaining an unusually cold, grey palette after Foreman and Thirteen discover... well, you know.

Films

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982/2007)
[#58 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Numbering this may be bending the rules slightly (I've seen the 1992 Director's Cut before). But come on, this is Blade Runner -- in its final form after 25 years! The rules are justifiably bent.

DVD Extras

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner
[1st half]
At just over 3½ hours long, this is a seriously in depth look at the making of Blade Runner, found on disc two of both the DVD and Blu-ray releases (in each case, the disc's a DVD). You'd think at that length it would be complete, but the five-disc editions of the film include the same again in further featurettes and interviews -- not to mention the four audio commentaries, 46 minutes of deleted scenes and five cuts of the film.
The four segments that make up this first half cover screenwriting & funding, casting, pre-production (with a focus on design) and some of the filming and atmosphere on set.

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 51 - 56
Pieces move into place as the final end draws near. They do an awful lot of moving into place though...

Articles

Barry Letts (1925-2009) by Anthony Weight
(from Doctor Who News Page)
Sad news indeed as one of the key figures in the history of Doctor Who passes away (ironically, the same day as his autobiography was announced). Letts worked on Who as a director, producer, writer, executive producer, novelist and DVD commentator, and in his time guided the programme through significant change in the Jon Pertwee era, helped create Sarah Jane Smith, and cast Tom Baker in the lead role. His influence can't be underestimated.

TV

House
5x18 Here Kitty
5x19 Locked In
First, a cat that can predict when people are going to die; second, House remakes The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (but with a happy ending). The writers are certainly experimenting a lot more this season, perhaps a bit tired of identikit Case of the Week episodes -- even if the majority seem to involve dialysis, brain surgery or both. not to mention the constant quitting and rehiring of team members. Whatever the reasons -- and in spite of these similarities -- it's paying off: this season has contained several of the show's best-ever instalments.

Never Mind the Buzzcocks
23x02 (8/10/09 edition)
Rhod Gilbert takes the chair this week, proving himself to be a different but adept host. Not a bad choice if they want a permanent replacement next series, then.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 47 - 50

Articles

Defying Gravity Press Pack
(from BBC Press Office)
"Defying Gravity was inspired by the BBC drama-documentary series Space Odyssey: Voyage To The Planets broadcast on BBC One in 2004."
I loved Space Odyssey and always thought it would work brilliantly as an extended series, so I'm very much looking forward to this. It's not revealed in the press pack, but the BBC's Programme Information confirms it starts on Wednesday 21st October, with a double bill, on BBC Two and BBC HD.

Hacker refused extradition appeal

from BBC News.

Computer hacker Gary McKinnon has been refused permission to appeal to the UK Supreme Court against his extradition to the US. The High Court ruled the case was not of "general public importance" to go to the UK's highest court.

Mr McKinnon is accused of breaking into the US's military computer system. Mr McKinnon, who has Asperger's syndrome, insists he was just seeking evidence of UFOs... Mr McKinnon faces 60 years in prison if convicted in the US. His lawyers have said they may now take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. They argue that extradition of their client would have "disastrous consequences" for his health, including possible psychosis and suicide.

Mr McKinnon had challenged the refusal of Keir Starmer QC, the Director of Public Prosecutions, to put him on trial in the UK on charges of computer misuse - which would have allowed him to avoid extradition. Giving the court's decision on Friday, Lord Justice Stanley Burnton, who heard Mr McKinnon's latest appeal earlier this year, said extradition was "a lawful and proportionate response" to his alleged offending...

Reacting after the latest ruling, his mother Janis Sharp said no other country would offer its citizens to the US so readily "as sacrificial lambs" just to safeguard the special political relationship. She said: "To use my desperately vulnerable son in this way is despicable, immoral and devoid of humanity."

Mr McKinnon's solicitor, Karen Todner, said... "Why is our government so inhumane as to allow this to happen to someone, particularly someone with Aspergers, a form of autism? This is the wholesale destruction and bullying of a small individual by the United States and now our own government. Our extradition treaty with the US is unfair and prejudicial to UK citizens and should be repealed or amended immediately."

Sabina Frediani, campaigns co-ordinator for Liberty, which supported Mr McKinnon's case, said: "Never were justice and the law so out of sync as in the case of Britain's rotten extradition arrangements."

The Tories also criticised the UK's extradition arrangements with the US. Backbench MP David Davis said: "The reason this decision has been arrived at is because the British government created a set of laws and agreements which, masquerading as anti-terror laws, actually disadvantaged a whole range of British citizens. This is why the courts find themselves having to dispatch this young man to America, when he should face a proper trial in British courts. It is long past time that this travesty of justice was put right."

Read the full article here.

Poem of the Week: A Good Poem

by Roger McGough

You may have noticed (though, probably not) that the once-regular Poem of the Week has disappeared for the past couple of months. This is primarily due to my general disillusionment with poetry following a Creative Writing Masters degree -- whatever they might try to teach or tell you, it seems the 'poetry establishment' (if there is such a thing) is just as elitist and pretentious as it appears from the outside. I had no aspirations to 'break in' to poetry, but I was prepared to enjoy reading and writing it for my own entertainment. Both of these activities have been damaged, rather than encouraged, by my course.

As such, Poem of the Week is no more. But here's one final entry; one that captures some of my feelings about poetry, not only in its content but also with its light, readable style. There's a reason poets like McGough are well-known and well-loved beyond just the world of poetry itself, and perhaps some of the people stuck in that world would do well to remember it.

I like a good poem
one with lots of fighting
in it. Blood, and the
clanging of armour. Poems

against Scotland are good,
and poems that defeat
the French with crossbows.
I don't like poems that

aren't about anything.
Sonnets are wet and
a waste of time.
Also poems that don't

know how to rhyme.
If I was a poem
I'd play football and
get picked for England.

Cheerio.

new post at 100 Films

Alien vs Predator - Part 3

And that’s it. Except not for long, because Robert Rodriguez is working on a Predator continuation/reboot, not to mention the much-discussed Ridley Scott reboot/remake/prequel of Alien.

Read the full post at 100 Films.

TV

House
5x15 Unfaithful
5x16 The Softer Side
5x17 The Social Contract
This season of House has come in for criticism in some quarters for lacking the humour that made previous seasons so popular. I disagree. Perhaps it's more serious overall, but the characters' storylines are on the whole quite well interesting and well-done, especially in that they ebb and flow -- there's not a Single Huge Arc that takes all season, gradually building in every episode, but rather a variety of stories that come and go, arcs that last only an episode or two. It's more like real-life and, in my opinion, makes for more rewarding drama. Within these, they've pushed the show and its characters further than ever, and all without losing the humour -- it may appear less often, but House's biting wit is still there.
And, occasionally, the Case of the Week is good too. Shocking.

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 45 - 46
Not quite a third, is it?

Articles

Apple to Indie Labels: iTunes LP Is Out of Your League by John Herrman
(from Gizmodo)
Some days, it's hard to remain an Apple fan. Read the article for the full rather-hypocritical details.

Super-Social Networking: Superhero Facebook Status Updates by Chris Sims
(from Comics Alliance)
Very well observed. (It helps if you're a comics fan, or at least have a passing knowledge.) Superman's my favourite here, because of all the replies underlining what happens when you have too much continuity and too many 'original' ideas.

new review at 100 Films

AVPR - Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

Over-dark cinematography and typically choppy editing obscure every action sequence. Why is it that in an age where special effects are so improved and there’s a preference for real actors over stunt doubles, action sequences have become harder to follow?

Read the full review at 100 Films.

Tonight, I'll post a short overview of the franchises.

TV

Generation Kill
Part 1 Get Some
"What The Guys Who Made The Wire Did Next" gets off to a decent start. Perhaps the obvious comparison is Band of Brothers - -a lofty comparison, but one Generation Kill can just about weather. As with that series, this may need some time to bed itself in, but there's promise. The closing sequence in particular -- where American troops are ordered to 'unsurrender' Iraqis, in breach of the Geneva Convention -- shows the kind of reality and drama you'd hope for, and was the bit that convinced me GK is worth sticking with.
Incidentally, if you've watched the show but are unaware of @Generation_Kill on twitter, be sure to check it out -- there's a very handy glossary tweeted during the broadcast, plus additional info and links.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]

House
5x13 Big Baby
5x14 The Greater Good

How I Met Your Mother
1x21 Milk

Films

For Your Consideration (2006)
[#57 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
At this point I have exactly 43 films to go and exactly 86 days to see them in. 1 film every 2 days? Oh dear.

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 19 - 44
Or, a little over a third of the book. A good reading day, then.

new review at 100 Films

AVP: Alien vs. Predator (Extended Version) (2004)

Characters make leaps of logic that would be reasonable if they’d seen the preceding six films, but make no sense whatsoever given what they know in context... There are actually some very inventive ideas scattered throughout — like the captured, frozen Alien Queen — but, in storytelling terms, their reveals are poorly handled, occuring too early and too far from the protagonists.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

Tonight, I'll post a review of Aliens vs Predator: Requiem.

TV

...sings The Beatles
Culled from the BBC's extensive archives, a selection of Beatles covers from across the decades. They ranged from truly great to truly bizarre, but at least were never less than interesting -- just like the group being covered then.

The Beatles On Record
A rather nice documentary (as in good, not saccharine), covering the Beatles' work album by album. It largely leaves aside the oft-covered hype and media reaction that permanently surrounded them, and instead focuses solely on the music, a surprisingly rare occurrence for such a documentary. Another welcome rarity is the choice of narrators: the only voices we hear (aside from the odd reporter or somesuch) are the Beatles themselves, plus producer George Martin. No other voiceover narration to guide us through the 'story', no semi-qualified semi-famous (for now) people offering their semi-interesting opinion (and that's being generous) -- just the Beatles themselves, looking back on their own work. It's this undiluted, well-informed focus that makes this such a worthwhile effort.

See also the BBC's Beatles Week page.

FlashForward
1x02 White To Play
Fans of 24 with a good memory for the names of guest stars may've had fun with this episode. Not wishing to give too much away, but the actor in question was excellent at a similar role in 24, so that bodes well here. As does the developing mysteries, though the constant reminders and flashbacks of things we've already seen are too heavy-handed. Please, FlashForward writers, assume your audience has some memory.
[Watch it (again) on Demand Five.]

House
5x12 Painless
It's funny: in the early days of House most of the regular characters were a tad bland and even add to differentiate, with the clinic patients and Mystery Ailment Of The Week providing most of the humour and drama. Now, however, the 'main' plot takes a backseat (in the interest stakes at least) to the developing character arcs. This isn't a criticism, just an observation -- House now is a surprisingly different show to the one it started out as.

new review at 100 Films

Predator 2 (1990)

It’s a bit like all the time, effort and money went on creating a good lengthy climax, then any-old hour-long urban crime movie was bolted on the front to create something feature-length. In fairness there are some good bits earlier on, but the final half-hour (or so) feel like it’s from a slightly different, slightly better movie.

Read the full review at 100 Films.

Tonight, I'll post a review of Alien vs. Predator, and tomorrow, one for Aliens vs Predator: Requiem.

TV

Emma
Part 1 (of 4)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Harper's Island
1x09 Seep
1x10 Snap
Well, that has to be one of the least-surprising Great Big Twists ever attempted. The main thing to wonder is: how's there another three episodes' worth of plot left?
Cunningly, the BBC have got around the odd-number-of-episodes-in-double-bills conundrum by airing a behind-the-scenes special before episode 11. One has to wonder if it would've been better placed before episode 13, but there you go.
[Watch Seep and Snap (again) on iPlayer.]

TV

House
5x09 Last Resort
5x10 Let Them Eat Cake
5x11 Joy to the World
It's funny seeing House do clinic duty in Joy to the World -- his enforced clinic hours used to be such a major part of the show, and one of its best sources of humour, that putting him back there for a bit this episode just reminds you what's lost. These days, I suppose, it's been replaced by the detailed story arcs afforded to almost every regular character.
Also nice to see was the criticism of America's wealth-based healthcare system in Last Resort, which is also one of the best House episodes ever for reasons far too numerous to list.
(For those interested (but also somehow missed it...), season six started on Sky1 tonight. At my current rate I should be caught up in time for episode two, as planned.)

How I Met Your Mother
1x20 Best Prom Ever

Last Chance to See
Part 3 Aye-Aye
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
[#56 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]
Recorded from BBC Four, who appear to have cut seven minutes out of the middle -- it was that much shorter than the listed PAL running time and the ending didn't make much sense. That said, the only detailed plot description I could find didn't mention anything I hadn't seen, so who knows?

Fiction

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein - Book Three: Dead and Alive by Dean Koontz
Chapters 12 - 18

Asides and little details are all well and good for fleshing out a world and its characters, but you do have to wonder if the reader really needs whole chapters like the one describing an obscure, little-known restaurant and what two characters eat there while waiting around for something to happen. Of course, said restaurant and/or said food may be of importance later, rendering this as important foreshadowing or set-up rather than time-wasting, pointless detail, but unfortunately I don't think such usefulness is guaranteed.

Presumably such unrelated asides spring from Koontz feeling the need to regularly remind his reader about each of the half-dozen (or so) plot threads he has running currently, even if there's nothing to report from that particular thread yet. But perhaps he'd be better off trusting the reader to remember the characters until they actually have a role to play, rather than merely reminding us of their continued existence through an unnecessary bit of nothing, especially when there are several other characters and situations where interesting -- and relevant -- events no doubt continue to unfold.