Friday 26 August 2011

TV

Natural World
Heligan: Secrets of the Lost Gardens
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Rob Brydon Show
2x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Torchwood: Long Time Dead by Sarah Pinborough
Chapters 8-9
Two things: one, Pinborough seems to have an obsession with ageing geeky men who've never had relationships at all/of significance -- why? Two, how come everyone Suzie meets has met Torchwood in some way and now wants to kill themselves? Is this going somewhere -- everyone in Cardiff has been touched by Torchwood, that kind of thing -- or are we only seeing the ones who have and that's making it feel awkwardly coincidental that she keeps passing them? Fingers crossed these things have a reason or some sense to them, otherwise they'll just keep niggling...

Articles

Lots of exciting news today...

Charlie Brooker detective spoof Touch of Cloth arrives on Sky1 by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
Shame about the channel but, otherwise, this sounds like it's worth looking forward to. The headline pretty much encapsulates why.

Daredevil #1 Audio Edition
(from Marvel)
This is rather appropriate (considering the titular character is blind): the first issue of the acclaimed relaunch of Daredevil is now available as an audio edition for the visually impaired. It's all been done in-house at Marvel -- the writer describes the panels, various editors do the voices -- making it seem more like a pet project they've let out than a fully-commissioned idea, but hey, it's still good for those who can't see well/at all.

The Hour renewed for second series by Catriona Wightman
(from Digital Spy)
Didn't expect that, but it's welcome -- despite an iffy start, I thought it had got rather good by the end. And BBC Two's first recommissioned original British drama in over a decade?! Crikey!

Rock Version of Silent Film Classic Metropolis to Hit Theatres This Fall by Borys Kit
(from The Hollywood Reporter)
Never mind theatres, it's also coming out on DVD and Blu-ray in November! This is great news. Some consider the shortened, colourised, rock-scored version of Metropolis to be a horrible bastardisation, and they have a point, but considering we now have the most-complete-available version of the original film released in fantastic DVD and Blu-ray editions, it's nice to have a chance to see this '80s oddity as well -- and in full HD too, not to mention with a couple of worthwhile special features (a restoration documentary, Moroder introduction, original trailer and photo gallery).
No idea if there's going to be a UK release, quite possibly not, so I'll definitely be pre-ordering the US BD when I can.

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

This week, the complete Due South gives a nice boost to the totals of discs and TV episodes -- and means I can finally watch the 14 episodes the BBC didn't bother to show during their repeat run! Hurrah!

And a package full of Blu-rays from America that I wasn't expecting until next week at least (bonus!) is largely responsible for the boost to films and, again, discs. Hurrah!

Plus, the Sin City saga finally comes to an end as bee.com manage to provide me with a copy that has the full compliment of correct discs! Hurrah! (This shouldn't need to be such a celebration, eh.)

There's a couple of other things in there, too -- a big week all round, then, but I think it'll be a little quieter for a little while now. Probably for the best.

Number of titles in collection: 1,370 [up 11]
Of which DVDs: 1,132 [up 3]
Of which Blu-rays: 238 [up 8]

Number of discs in collection: 3,392 [up 31]
Number of films in collection: 1,444 [up 12]
Number of TV episodes in collection: 5,100 [up 73]

See you next week, faithful reader.