Monday 25 October 2010

TV

Ask Rhod Gilbert
1x04 Episode 4
I think I must've misunderstood something: I thought Russell Kane was a comedian, but I've seen him on several programmes now and it's not just that I don't find him funny, the studio audiences never seem to laugh either.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Band of Brothers
Part Four Replacements [2nd watch]

Due South
1x02 Free Willie [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss
Part 2 Home Counties Horror
Mark Gatiss' excellent personalised history of horror films continues into the '50s, '60s and '70s with the rise and fall of Hammer horror, not to mention other British, British-inspired and gothic horrors. Plus, 'folk horror' films, a term Gatiss seems to have coined (at least, that was the impression the programme gave), covering the likes of Witchfinder General, The Wicker Man and Blood on Satan's Claw.
The series is so good, it's almost a shame it's so short and focused -- a couple more episodes dealing with pre-Universal horror and where the genre has gone in more recent years (as I believe tonight's final part only covers US horror in the '60s and '70s), done with the same level of insight and quality, would be most welcome.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Spooks
9x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Articles

New Eighth Doctor costume revealed by Chuck Foster
(from Doctor Who News Page)

Considering he now exists solely on audio, and therefore in stories of dubious canonicity and outside the mass public consciousness (arguably, even outside mass fan consciousness), the reveal of a new costume for the 8th Doctor might just be considered an irrelevancy. Or, if like me you still love McGann's incarnation, it's a little bit interesting and perhaps even exciting.

I like where they've gone with it -- it echoes the TVM costume while being new, though the bag seems unnecessary. The retro sonic screwdriver is also nice -- it would fit neatly with the TVM-stlye console room, I feel.

Still, there's no denying this revisionism comes too late. Back when Big Finish did their second 'season' of 8th Doctor audio and the promo photos had a shaven-headed McGann, I felt they should've officially restyled the 8th Doctor with short hair and a more modern costume... more-or-less exactly the look the new TV series gave Chris Eccleston just a few years later, in fact. At this point, it's rather a last-ditch attempt to drum up more interest and make the 8th Doctor's adventures still feel current -- which Big Finish naturally want to do, as he's the most recent Doctor they're allowed to use.