Tuesday 30 April 2013

TV

The Job Lot
1x01 Episode 1
The second half of ITV's big new Monday night comedy double bill, which was fine but in many respects is just the latest in a long line of Office imitators. And The Office is 12 years old now...
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player].

The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins
6x06 (27/4/13 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Playhouse Presents
1x11 Psychobitches [season finale]
Having sat through six of these to this point and not especially liked many of them, I've decided to be both less linear and more selective with my viewing going forward. So I've completely ditched the tenth episode, starring the irritating Trevor Eve and almost-as-bad Richard E. Grant; and also jumped ahead to this one, because I fancied something lighter.
Unfortunately, it's essentially a half-hour-long adult-rude Horrible Histories sketch, but not as funny.
Still, the remaining three episodes from the first run, as well as the two thus far shown in the second, all sound quite interesting. Fingers crossed...

Vicious
1x01 Episode 1
The first half of ITV's big new Monday night comedy double bill, with a big starry cast and 'cutting edge' setup (it's about an old gay couple!), but very traditional live-audience production. It was a little stagey, but had enough good lines to carry it. Room for improvement, but shows promise.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player].

Watson and Oliver
2x01 Episode 1
A lot of people really didn't like the first series of this. It might be fairer to say many hated it. But I quite enjoyed it, so I was pleased (if surprised) to see it recommissioned. I thought this was a little more consistent than the first series, but it's still a sketch show so it's still hit-and-miss.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer].

Podcasts

Nerd Poker: Dungeons and Dragons with Brian Posehn & Friends
Episode 6 Swim Toward the Light

Five episodes in eight days then nothing for a month? Such is my way. But hey, they took a year off at some point -- I can pick it up again after a few weeks.

Non-Fiction

JN-T: The Life & Scandalous Times of John Nathan-Turner by Richard Marson
Chapters 13 - 14
Epilogue
[the end]

A fascinating book, all told. Don't think it's going too far to say it's a must-read for anyone with an interest in the behind-the-scenes goings-on of this era of Who. I hope we get similar on the RTD and Moffat eras someday, because I sense there are some juicy untold stories lurking there too.