Tuesday 15 June 2010

TV

Battlestar Galactica [2004]
1x10 The Hand of God
1x11 Colonial Day
1x12 Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 1
1x13 Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 2 [season finale]
Proof again of BSG's addictiveness -- I'd intended to watch my usual two episodes, but couldn't resist ploughing on through the finale. Which leaves me having got through the whole miniseries & first season in just one week. "Oops." A break before season two... maybe...
In these episodes we have examples of everything the series has been doing best: full-on action in Hand of God; full-on politics in Colonial Day; resolutions and more mysteries in both parts of Kobol's Last Gleaming; and throughout, issues of religion, torture, democracy, and more. And a great set of cliffhangers too, without losing sight of this being a serial: there are some answers and resolutions, but many plots are left mid-way. It's a confident series that doesn't opt for "wrap everything up + cliffhanger", or even "wrap everything up for now + cliffhanger", but pushes on as if this is just a midseason ep. Thank goodness their confidence was rewarded.

Damages
3x06 Don't Forget to Thank Mr. Zedeck

Dexter
3x08 The Damage a Man Can Do
Now there's a nifty cliffhanger! It doesn't feel like it -- probably because I've watched this season so broken up -- but I'm now heading into the final third of the season. Exciting times.

Articles

Christopher Eccleston talks about Doctor Who exit
(from BBC News)
On the one hand, it's nice someone's finally talking about it -- exactly why and under what circumstances Eccleston left the series has always been a bit of a mystery -- but, at the same time as adding a bit of clarity, it also muddies the waters. I mean, what exactly does
I didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in. I thought if I stay in this job, I'm going to have to blind myself to certain things that I thought were wrong.
mean? It gives his reasons better than before, but is still quite unclear -- what environment? What culture? Who imposed it? The show's producers? The BBC?
I suppose the wait for more revealing years-later interviews continues...

The Nintendo 3DS Is Real, and Doesn't Need Glasses
(from Gizmodo)
As you may well have heard. Highlights:
There is a 3D depth slider to choose a degree of 3D, to maximize or even turn it off entirely. ... two cameras on the outside. So you can take 3D photos. ... The 3DS can also play back 3D hollywood movies
Talk of what it's like to actually use here.