Ashes to Ashes
3x01 Episode 1
And so, the final series of Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes begins (yes, a week late for me). Plenty of questions still unanswered, plenty of new ones in this episode. It should be an exciting couple of months...
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Doctor Who
22x05 The Mark of the Rani Part One
22x06 The Mark of the Rani Part Two
I'm fairly certain that this is the first (proper) classic Who story I've watched that I'd never seen before since City of Death way back in June 2008. I ought to do this more.
You may also have guessed this was for Insomniac Whovian (it now has it's own real site/blog!) on twitter. Follow @I_Whovian and me for more such antics, and take a look-see at #MarkOfTheRani for comments on this story.
[Watch The Mark of the Rani (again) on msn video player or SeeSaw.]
Outnumbered
3x01 Programme 1
Outnumbered impressively retains its brilliance even as the kids age and it heads into a third run, thoroughly disproving the notion that if you want to make a good comedy series you can only do two rounds. Karen may just be the greatest TV character created ever. Though the Doctor (see above) and Gene Hunt (see above above) would run her close. Good day, good day.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Friday, 9 April 2010
Articles
Boyle blasted for Down's Syndrome gags by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
What this women's basically saying is, "I find Frankie Boyle's dark and un-PC humour really funny... until he makes nasty jokes about a condition I actually know about and then he's evil."
Jonathan Ross: Can I be honest with you? by Decca Aitkenhead
(from guardian.co.uk)
Absolutely fantastic interview with Jonathan Ross, ostensibly about his new comic -- and there is indeed some nice stuff in there about Turf and his general thoughts on comics -- but the interview ranges wider, to his attitude towards life, the press and certain controversial matters in his past. Well-written and insightful, this is actually an excellent example of how to do an interview-piece, and probably deserves to be read by everyone, whatever your opinion of the interviewee.
(from Digital Spy)
What this women's basically saying is, "I find Frankie Boyle's dark and un-PC humour really funny... until he makes nasty jokes about a condition I actually know about and then he's evil."
Jonathan Ross: Can I be honest with you? by Decca Aitkenhead
(from guardian.co.uk)
Absolutely fantastic interview with Jonathan Ross, ostensibly about his new comic -- and there is indeed some nice stuff in there about Turf and his general thoughts on comics -- but the interview ranges wider, to his attitude towards life, the press and certain controversial matters in his past. Well-written and insightful, this is actually an excellent example of how to do an interview-piece, and probably deserves to be read by everyone, whatever your opinion of the interviewee.
Thursday, 8 April 2010
TV
A Comedy Roast
1x01 Bruce Forsyth
Very funny. Hopefully this is a format that can now run and run.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins
3x04 (3/4/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
1x01 Bruce Forsyth
Very funny. Hopefully this is a format that can now run and run.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
The National Lottery: Who Dares Wins
3x04 (3/4/10 edition)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
Doctor Who - The Adventure Games by Marcus
(from Doctor Who News Page)
Announcement of a series of Doctor Who PC/Mac games, to be made available free from the official site later this year.
These aren't the tacky little Flash-built arcade-style games the site's always had, but Proper, 3D, Download-and-Install games with voice casts and writers and the whole works. They sound like the could be excellent, provided they really are old-school adventure games and not platformers/shoot-em-ups masquerading as 'adventure games'. Best of all (from a very fannish point of view), the screenshot of a Cyberman suggests we may have seen the back of the alternate-universe Cybus Cybermen...
Very, very exciting.
The greatest 9,331 movies of all time by Paul Hiebert
(from Film Salon)
Yes, nine thousand, three hundred and thirty-one. Madness! But fun madness.
Still Wrapped In Plastic: Twin Peaks Turns 20 by John Powers
(from npr)
Nice little piece on the importance, impact and greatness of Twin Peaks. Don't worry, there're no spoilers.
(from Doctor Who News Page)
Announcement of a series of Doctor Who PC/Mac games, to be made available free from the official site later this year.
These aren't the tacky little Flash-built arcade-style games the site's always had, but Proper, 3D, Download-and-Install games with voice casts and writers and the whole works. They sound like the could be excellent, provided they really are old-school adventure games and not platformers/shoot-em-ups masquerading as 'adventure games'. Best of all (from a very fannish point of view), the screenshot of a Cyberman suggests we may have seen the back of the alternate-universe Cybus Cybermen...
Very, very exciting.
The greatest 9,331 movies of all time by Paul Hiebert
(from Film Salon)
Yes, nine thousand, three hundred and thirty-one. Madness! But fun madness.
Still Wrapped In Plastic: Twin Peaks Turns 20 by John Powers
(from npr)
Nice little piece on the importance, impact and greatness of Twin Peaks. Don't worry, there're no spoilers.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
TV
Have I Got News For You
39x01 (1/4/10 edition; extended repeat) [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
3x11 The Gypsy and the Hobo
39x01 (1/4/10 edition; extended repeat) [2nd watch]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Mad Men
3x11 The Gypsy and the Hobo
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Monday, 5 April 2010
TV
Channel 4's Comedy Gala
In aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Most of the show was very good too, but can anyone tell me just why Lee Evans is so popular? Some of his stuff is funny, other bits fail miserably, and other bits are just old; there are worse comedians, certainly, but why does he get such huge gigs -- and, here, headlines with double the time of anyone else + an award (albeit a rather daft one) -- when there are other much better, and arguably more prominent, funnymen (and women) out there? It baffles me.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
In aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Most of the show was very good too, but can anyone tell me just why Lee Evans is so popular? Some of his stuff is funny, other bits fail miserably, and other bits are just old; there are worse comedians, certainly, but why does he get such huge gigs -- and, here, headlines with double the time of anyone else + an award (albeit a rather daft one) -- when there are other much better, and arguably more prominent, funnymen (and women) out there? It baffles me.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Articles
Download 700+ Free Scifi Books Onto Your iPhone by Cyriaque Lamar
(from io9)
Always good. (And it's legal, of course.)
Pope's immunity could be challenged in Britain by Paisley Dodds
(from Mail Times at mail.com)
Interesting article discussing the possibility of this happening. Sounds unlikely, but we can but hope. You can sign a related petition here.
(from io9)
Always good. (And it's legal, of course.)
Pope's immunity could be challenged in Britain by Paisley Dodds
(from Mail Times at mail.com)
Interesting article discussing the possibility of this happening. Sounds unlikely, but we can but hope. You can sign a related petition here.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
TV
Doctor Who
31x01 The Eleventh Hour
Fantastic start to the new series. It's beautifully shot -- incredibly movie-like, much more so than it has been before -- and wonderfully fast-paced, witty and exciting. Not sure on the new TARDIS set but I may be convinced; but the new theme is a too-busy mess and the new title sequence a little lacking, in my opinion: it's like the old one but with a more-complex vortex graphic and fewer unique moments (e.g. the time-freeze TARDIS-spin). I like the new episode title/credits font, and that someone's finally worked out how to make it different sizes in the post-titles opening credits, but it amuses me that, having gone HD, they've suddenly got massively bigger overall.
But these are silly fan-ish worries. The episode itself was wonderful -- the bit with all the previous Doctors, and #11 walking through the hologram, was simply glorious -- and the hints at the series arc highly intriguing. I'm unfeasibly excited for the rest of the season.
Job done.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Jonathan Creek
The Judas Tree [Easter special]
Hm. Well, that's not vintage Creek, is it.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
31x01 The Eleventh Hour
Fantastic start to the new series. It's beautifully shot -- incredibly movie-like, much more so than it has been before -- and wonderfully fast-paced, witty and exciting. Not sure on the new TARDIS set but I may be convinced; but the new theme is a too-busy mess and the new title sequence a little lacking, in my opinion: it's like the old one but with a more-complex vortex graphic and fewer unique moments (e.g. the time-freeze TARDIS-spin). I like the new episode title/credits font, and that someone's finally worked out how to make it different sizes in the post-titles opening credits, but it amuses me that, having gone HD, they've suddenly got massively bigger overall.
But these are silly fan-ish worries. The episode itself was wonderful -- the bit with all the previous Doctors, and #11 walking through the hologram, was simply glorious -- and the hints at the series arc highly intriguing. I'm unfeasibly excited for the rest of the season.
Job done.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Jonathan Creek
The Judas Tree [Easter special]
Hm. Well, that's not vintage Creek, is it.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
The Doctor Who Roadshow comes to Scotland by Jonathan Melville
(from ReelScotland)
I was in Edinburgh while this was going on. I missed it. To be honest, I'm quite glad I didn't bother taking the time to go.
The New TARDIS by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
Exec producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger chat a bit about the ethos behind the new TARDIS console room. Interesting.
Scott wants Robin Hood sequel by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
Hm.
(from ReelScotland)
I was in Edinburgh while this was going on. I missed it. To be honest, I'm quite glad I didn't bother taking the time to go.
The New TARDIS by Dave Golder
(from SFX)
Exec producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger chat a bit about the ethos behind the new TARDIS console room. Interesting.
Scott wants Robin Hood sequel by Simon Reynolds
(from Digital Spy)
Hm.
Saturday, 3 April 2010
TV
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
2x06 (2/4/10 edition)
Have I Got News For You
39x01 (1/4/10 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
2x06 (2/4/10 edition)
Have I Got News For You
39x01 (1/4/10 edition; extended repeat)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
Don't be fooled by the hype: This crime against cinema is twisted, cynical, and revels in the abuse of childhood by Christopher Tookey
(from Mail Online)
The Mail's single-star review of the excellent Kick-Ass -- as usual with a Mail article, this is so ridiculous it's just funny. It affirms my long-held view that the lower-rated the Mail's review, the better the film. Still, it's worrying how some people think.
(from Mail Online)
The Mail's single-star review of the excellent Kick-Ass -- as usual with a Mail article, this is so ridiculous it's just funny. It affirms my long-held view that the lower-rated the Mail's review, the better the film. Still, it's worrying how some people think.
Dinner
The Kitchin
I don't normally highlight what I eat -- obviously -- but I think going to a Michelin-starred restaurant (especially for the first time) counts as a cultural experience.
It was very nice, thank you very much.
I don't normally highlight what I eat -- obviously -- but I think going to a Michelin-starred restaurant (especially for the first time) counts as a cultural experience.
It was very nice, thank you very much.
Friday, 2 April 2010
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
18x11 (2/4/10 edition)
Aaron Johnson was great in Kick-Ass (and, apparently, in Nowhere Boy), but he's certainly uncomfortable in interviews. Needs some kind of training I think, especially if he has to do the American press junket yet.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
18x11 (2/4/10 edition)
Aaron Johnson was great in Kick-Ass (and, apparently, in Nowhere Boy), but he's certainly uncomfortable in interviews. Needs some kind of training I think, especially if he has to do the American press junket yet.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
This confounds my regular array of categories, but still, it counts...
City Sightseeing bus tour of Edinburgh
City Sightseeing bus tour of Edinburgh
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Films
Kick-Ass (2010)
[#39 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
It was a review cliché even before the reviews were published, but it's still true: Kick-Ass kicks ass. See it.
[#39 in 100 Films in a Year 2010]
It was a review cliché even before the reviews were published, but it's still true: Kick-Ass kicks ass. See it.
Articles
10/40/70 #1: Starship Troopers by Nicholas Rombes
(from The Rumpus)
An intriguing new series of columns, this, best explained by its own introduction:
First iPad Reviews Are In by Rosa Golijan
(from Gizmodo)
...and they're all shiny & good. Hurrah!
(from The Rumpus)
An intriguing new series of columns, this, best explained by its own introduction:
what if, instead of freely choosing which parts of the film to address, I select three different, arbitrary time codes (in this case and for future columns, the 10-minute, 40-minute, and 70-minute mark), freeze the frames, and use that as a guide to writing about the filmIt's a little bit film-school pretentious at times, but it's an interesting enough idea to make it worth keeping an eye on.
First iPad Reviews Are In by Rosa Golijan
(from Gizmodo)
...and they're all shiny & good. Hurrah!
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Articles
Pullman defends new book The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ
(from find-book.co.uk)
(from find-book.co.uk)
Pullman is no stranger to controversy. His previous books [depicted] the Catholic Church as a shady, corrupt establishmentWhat, he wrote the truth?
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