Saturday 3 September 2011

TV

Doctor Who
32x09 Night Terrors
Gatiss' best episode since his first, I'd say. Brilliantly creepy, with a bit of a classic Who feel despite it being undoubtedly nuWho. Beautifully directed by Richard Clark, too. I'd say who knew a glum tower block could look so good, but I think Let the Right One In sort of got there first in a similar way. But hey, if you're going to take inspiration from anywhere, take it from the best.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]

Doctor Who Confidential
6x09 About a Boy
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]

Pointless
5x02 (30/8/11 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Fiction

Torchwood: Long Time Dead by Sarah Pinborough
Chapters 12-14
People are investigating things... problem is, we know what they're investigating. Oh, there are still mysteries -- what can't Cutler remember; what exactly is in Suzie, what does it want and how can it be stopped? -- but, for the minute, Suzie's up to something-and-nothing and Cutler's trying to find out stuff we already know.

Comics

Justice League #1 by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee

DC's New 52 starts here. It's come in for a lot of criticism in the fanboy reviews, but personally I enjoyed it. Could it have moved faster? Probably, in places, but crucially you don't notice while reading. Maybe it's a personal preference, but I'd rather have a story told in the time it needs, with space for characterisation, humour and action, than have it rushed through so everyone can feel they got a done-in-one starring all their favourite characters.

I think it strikes the right level for newbies, too, starting with the ever-popular Batman, in a world where these heroes have yet to meet each other (perfect for newcomers), featuring plenty of action and humour to keep it engrossing, and getting some plot in there too. I don't think it moves any slower than people would expect from TV or films these days either. It certainly left me wanting to read the next issue, and for a serialised comic that's surely the aim.

So maybe it isn't the greatest comic ever published, but it's an entertaining start to a new order.

Doctor Who theme... with lyrics

Started out thinking this was stupid and ridiculous... then, a little way in, I realised it's actually completely awesome.