Tuesday 15 November 2011

TV

Death in Paradise
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]

Pointless
3x36 (2/11/10 edition)
I do wish some contestants didn't feel the need to give their life story before each answer.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Romanzo Criminale
1x01 Episode 1
Having just discovered I actually get both Sky Arts channels on my TV package now (I certainly didn't before -- I know, because I wanted them), I'm catching up on this vaunted Italian crime drama (described as "the Italian Killing" by Radio Times), which fortunately they repeated the first half of in two triple bills last weekend. It's quite grim and complex, but what else would you expect from a European drama about '70s Italian gangsters?

Comics

Animal Man #3 by Jeff Lemire & Travel Foreman

Lemire's story continues to be excellent, balancing Buddy and his daughter inside The Red with a substantial storyline for his wife and son out in the 'real world'. This role for Buddy's family remains Animal Man's strongest point, in my opinion, and based on the plot I imagine it's going to stay that way -- there are certainly some interesting developments this issue.

Foreman's art I'm less sure of. It's disgusting -- I mean, it's meant to be, but wow those beasts and deformed people are horrid. I don't know much about the comics rating system but I'm surprised this passes for Teen+ -- surely there's a Mature category, and this belongs in it? Nonetheless, while it's not pleasant, it's at least meant to be; but as the issue goes on I get the sense the art's becoming hurried -- there are less detailed backgrounds, a much less clean style (one of the defining characteristics in the first issue, I'd say), a kind of grubbiness that suggests it's not been tidied up. Maybe it's deliberate, but the fact it seems to slide throughout the issue also makes me wonder if he's struggling with DC's newly strict deadlines.


Batman and Robin #3 by Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
I found the first two issues of this to be middling, but I felt it hit its stride a bit more here. That might just be because, after two issues leaning on the crutch of backstory, this builds on that a little more. Still certainly not the best Batman book, but I enjoyed it.

Detective Comics #3 by Tony S. Daniel
Still going fairly strong, this one. Not as great as Batman is turning out to be, but a good tale nonetheless -- being "the second best Batman book" when there are four on the market isn't too bad.

Resurrection Man #3 by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning & Fernando Dagnino
After the slight blip of the second issue, really enjoyed this one again -- putting its great core concept to inventive use. And an excellent cliffhanger, calling back to a throwaway line from issue 2. Wonderful.

A daily dose of sci-fi - Day 2

Favourite sci-fi TV series

Well, this one's easy...


There can be only one.

Well, 11. So far.

But in terms of TV series, it's Doctor Who. I'm British, it's practically the law. And nothing else can beat this series' inventiveness, excitement, humour, daftness, life-affirming-ness, or sheer brilliance-ness. There are many contenders for second place, of that I'm sure, but there is only one winner.


Read about a daily dose of sci-fi, with links to the rest of the series, here.