Monday 18 October 2010

TV

Due South
1x01 Pilot Part 1 [2nd watch]
I used to love Due South when it first aired -- about 15 years ago now! It's always worrying revisiting something you once loved after so long. While it undeniably looks dated now, it's still good fun, and I'm sure will improve once it settles down into the series proper. BBC Two are repeating it weekdays at 1pm (though it seems to be constantly pre-empted by stuff this week), and making it available on iPlayer too.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss
Part 1 Frankenstein Goes to Hollywood
This has come under fire from some for not being a particularly complete history. Did they not actually watch it? Gatiss sets out his stall early on: this series both covers three specific eras of horror and is based around his personal predilections. However much the whole of horror cinema may owe to something like Nosferatu, it was a more-or-less isolated example, not part of a significant Horror movement. Besides which, the clue's in the title: it's A History of Horror, not The History of Horror. And, actually, a bloody good programme it was too.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Sarah Jane's Alien Files
1x01 Episode 1
I'm not certain to what degree this can be classed as "pointless". Essentially, it's a glorified way of recapping previous Sarah Jane Adventures stories: new scenes show Sarah Jane and Mr Smith creating a database of aliens, entering details they learnt from previous encounters. In practice, this mostly means a lightweight fact file and a couple of plot recaps. It's not even very thorough though: this edition covered the Trickster, an enemy Sarah Jane as encountered thrice (so far), but they only covered two stories. I fear my completist nature will see me watch the rest of the series, but I really shouldn't bother.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Spooks
9x04 Episode 4
"Should we discuss the illegal act of breaking into another country's embassy?" "Debate? What? No, just do it! Action action action!"
Oh Spooks, you used to be so good...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Story of England
Part 3 The Great Famine & The Black Death
Cheery.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]

Articles

Snyder explains Sucker Punch 3D axe by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
First Harry Potter 7 Part 1 drops its 3D, now Sucker Punch... The Hobbit next, please?

Steven Moffat teases Sherlock series two by Tara Fowler
(from Digital Spy)
"The critical words, I’d say, would be - Adler, Hound, Reichenbach," declared Moffat.
I can't think of three other words Mr Moffat could have chosen that would've gotten me more excited. Can't wait.