The British Comedy Awards 2010
A deserving bunch. Worked fine live on its new home too.
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
No Ordinary Family
1x01 Pilot
1x02 No Ordinary Marriage
This has been going since last year in the States (of course), but started over here on Watch a week or two ago. I don't get Watch, so... yeah...
Quite a good start, I thought. Lots of potential. Poor Tate Donovan though -- originally set to be a regular, cut down to so little you didn't even see his face properly, with no proper dialogue. Unless he's set to make a Shocking Return, of course...
Primeval
4x05 Episode 5
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]
Saturday, 22 January 2011
Friday, 21 January 2011
TV
The Graham Norton Show
8x12 (14/1/11 edition)
Why do the /programmes department of the BBC website (as I believe it is actually called) so often struggle to get things like episode numbers right on their own series?
(I say "so often", I mean "sometimes". But really, with so many semi-OCD people in the world, surely you should be employing them to do stuff like this? People like me, f'rinstance...)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Great Outdoors
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Magicians
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
22x13 (dropped 30/10/08 edition)
Ah-ha! At last! The infamous missing Buzzcocks episode featuring Russell Brand as a team captain, which should have aired in October 2008 but was canned due to the Brand/Ross/Sachs phone call scandal (remember that, eh?) Clearly someone at the Beeb thinks two years (and three months) is an appropriate amount of time to have waited.
Worth it though. It's like a little previously-undiscovered gem to have Amstell back in the host's chair, and just generally new Buzzcocks is always a joy.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
8x12 (14/1/11 edition)
Why do the /programmes department of the BBC website (as I believe it is actually called) so often struggle to get things like episode numbers right on their own series?
(I say "so often", I mean "sometimes". But really, with so many semi-OCD people in the world, surely you should be employing them to do stuff like this? People like me, f'rinstance...)
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
The Great Outdoors
1x02 Episode 2
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
The Magicians
1x03 Episode 3
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
22x13 (dropped 30/10/08 edition)
Ah-ha! At last! The infamous missing Buzzcocks episode featuring Russell Brand as a team captain, which should have aired in October 2008 but was canned due to the Brand/Ross/Sachs phone call scandal (remember that, eh?) Clearly someone at the Beeb thinks two years (and three months) is an appropriate amount of time to have waited.
Worth it though. It's like a little previously-undiscovered gem to have Amstell back in the host's chair, and just generally new Buzzcocks is always a joy.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Articles
Craig Charles: 'New Red Dwarf next year' by Christian Tobin
(from Digital Spy)
Yes, it's true: Red Dwarf is coming back in 2012, and for a proper new six-episode series too. It's taken them long enough -- it's nearly two years since Back to Earth aired, so it'll be three by the time a new series reaches our screens!
A little bit more info -- indeed, all that is currently known -- via the blog of Kryten actor Robert Llewellyn, here. (Nowt on the official Red Dwarf site yet.)
Personally, I enjoyed Back to Earth -- not the greatest Dwarf ever, true, but pretty good -- so fingers crossed series 9/10/whatever-they-call-it can be at least as good.
Robert Webb to host Channel 4 panel show by Catriona Wightman
(from Digital Spy)
(from Digital Spy)
Yes, it's true: Red Dwarf is coming back in 2012, and for a proper new six-episode series too. It's taken them long enough -- it's nearly two years since Back to Earth aired, so it'll be three by the time a new series reaches our screens!
A little bit more info -- indeed, all that is currently known -- via the blog of Kryten actor Robert Llewellyn, here. (Nowt on the official Red Dwarf site yet.)
Personally, I enjoyed Back to Earth -- not the greatest Dwarf ever, true, but pretty good -- so fingers crossed series 9/10/whatever-they-call-it can be at least as good.
Robert Webb to host Channel 4 panel show by Catriona Wightman
(from Digital Spy)
The show sees three celebrities nominate their favourite things from Earth, such as landmarks, possessions, guilty pleasures or humans. Webb will consider whether the things deserve to be preserved and will choose whether or not to put them on a spaceship to keep them safe.So, essentially, it's the exact opposite of Room 101. How has it taken someone 17 years to come up with this idea?
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Except this week, there's nothing to report. Nowt. Zip. Nada. If you look at last week's edition and imagine "no change" written where it says "up 1", you've got this week's numbers.
Normally there'd be a statistic of the week, but I'm pausing that for good reason. And by the old cycle this would be a running time update week, but as the last one was only a fortnight ago -- and I've only gained one new title since then -- I'm going to continue it as four-weekly from the last update, rather than where it used to be.
So nothing to report here, then. See you next week, faithful reader.
Except this week, there's nothing to report. Nowt. Zip. Nada. If you look at last week's edition and imagine "no change" written where it says "up 1", you've got this week's numbers.
Normally there'd be a statistic of the week, but I'm pausing that for good reason. And by the old cycle this would be a running time update week, but as the last one was only a fortnight ago -- and I've only gained one new title since then -- I'm going to continue it as four-weekly from the last update, rather than where it used to be.
So nothing to report here, then. See you next week, faithful reader.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
TV
The British Comedy Awards Nominations Show
Because they never seem to have enough time to present the nominations during the show itself, here's a whole hour-long special dedicated to them. Surprisingly, it works. One thing that seems daft, though, is that every category featured an abundance of potential nominees in clip form… but then only three nominees. Why not the standard four, or even five? Daft.
Also, The Inbetweeners still looks dreadful to me. Why do people like it?
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Fast and Loose
1x01 Episode 1
The BBC's new improvisational -- but, as it turns out, not topical -- stand-up comedy show. Quite funny.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
James May's Toy Stories
1x01 Airfix
These were on in the run up to Christmas-before-last (i.e. in 2009) and at the time I only managed to catch three of the six episodes. Thanks to Dave (where else?), however, I'm now getting a chance to see two I really wanted to see -- first, the one where he built a 1:1 scale Airfix Spitfire. Such fun.
Just Good Friends
2x03 The Evidence/Or His Bottle Went
Because they never seem to have enough time to present the nominations during the show itself, here's a whole hour-long special dedicated to them. Surprisingly, it works. One thing that seems daft, though, is that every category featured an abundance of potential nominees in clip form… but then only three nominees. Why not the standard four, or even five? Daft.
Also, The Inbetweeners still looks dreadful to me. Why do people like it?
[Watch it (again) on 4oD.]
Fast and Loose
1x01 Episode 1
The BBC's new improvisational -- but, as it turns out, not topical -- stand-up comedy show. Quite funny.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
James May's Toy Stories
1x01 Airfix
These were on in the run up to Christmas-before-last (i.e. in 2009) and at the time I only managed to catch three of the six episodes. Thanks to Dave (where else?), however, I'm now getting a chance to see two I really wanted to see -- first, the one where he built a 1:1 scale Airfix Spitfire. Such fun.
Just Good Friends
2x03 The Evidence/Or His Bottle Went
Films
The Invention of Lying (2009)
[#6 in 100 Films in a Year 2011]
Well, that was better than anything I've seen by Judd Apatow.
[#6 in 100 Films in a Year 2011]
Well, that was better than anything I've seen by Judd Apatow.
Articles
X-Men: First Class Teaser Poster Arrives by Silas Lesnick
(from SuperHeroHype)
After hearing nothing about the latest X-Men movie for a while, there's been a flurry of news and images in the last few days. So you can also see the first cast photo (in hi-res), some more publicity shots, and some "we're sorry the first photo went down so badly" photos too. Personally, I think it all looks rather promising.
(from SuperHeroHype)
After hearing nothing about the latest X-Men movie for a while, there's been a flurry of news and images in the last few days. So you can also see the first cast photo (in hi-res), some more publicity shots, and some "we're sorry the first photo went down so badly" photos too. Personally, I think it all looks rather promising.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
TV
Yes Minister
1x04 Big Brother
It's both amusing and depressing how much of Yes Minister is still so true today.
Zen
1x03 Ratking
As entertaining as the others, even if the title is meaningless. I've very much enjoyed this series -- more please, BBC.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
1x04 Big Brother
It's both amusing and depressing how much of Yes Minister is still so true today.
Zen
1x03 Ratking
As entertaining as the others, even if the title is meaningless. I've very much enjoyed this series -- more please, BBC.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
Articles
Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Tom Hardy as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises by Dan Goodswen
(from Total Film)
Headline says it all.
Doctor Who enters the Construction Toy Market by Marcus
(from Doctor Who News Page)
Or, to put it another way, Doctor Who LEGO! Not actual proper LEGO, but the same kind of thing. I think. Could be brilliant...
(from Total Film)
Headline says it all.
Doctor Who enters the Construction Toy Market by Marcus
(from Doctor Who News Page)
Or, to put it another way, Doctor Who LEGO! Not actual proper LEGO, but the same kind of thing. I think. Could be brilliant...
Games
Nintendo 3DS Exclusive Preview Event
Two huge press conference / launch shows were held today for Nintendo's latest handheld console, the 3DS: one by Nintendo of America in New York, the other by Nintendo of Europe in Amsterdam (neat choice of cities there). While NoA just announced some of their news on twitter and what have you, the full Jonathan Ross-hosted European event was streamed live online -- and is still available to view now, if you missed it and you're interested.
Both announced release dates -- 27th March in the US, two days earlier on 25th March in Europe -- though only the US announced a list price -- $250. Which didn't go down that well with some... though they should bloody well stop moaning because, after the European event announced the price would be dictated by retailers, UK shops are selling it for around £220 -- equivalent to over $350! Why is it that the gaming world so often seems to think the exchange rate is £1=$1? (I appreciate not precisely in this instance -- £1 would be $1.14 in this case -- but, hey, you know what I mean.)
Anyway, it looks rather nifty... though at that price tag, I shan't be getting one.
Two huge press conference / launch shows were held today for Nintendo's latest handheld console, the 3DS: one by Nintendo of America in New York, the other by Nintendo of Europe in Amsterdam (neat choice of cities there). While NoA just announced some of their news on twitter and what have you, the full Jonathan Ross-hosted European event was streamed live online -- and is still available to view now, if you missed it and you're interested.
Both announced release dates -- 27th March in the US, two days earlier on 25th March in Europe -- though only the US announced a list price -- $250. Which didn't go down that well with some... though they should bloody well stop moaning because, after the European event announced the price would be dictated by retailers, UK shops are selling it for around £220 -- equivalent to over $350! Why is it that the gaming world so often seems to think the exchange rate is £1=$1? (I appreciate not precisely in this instance -- £1 would be $1.14 in this case -- but, hey, you know what I mean.)
Anyway, it looks rather nifty... though at that price tag, I shan't be getting one.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Articles
The King's Speech leads Bafta field
(from BBC News)
Just in case you missed it, the BAFTA nominations were out today. All largely to be expected, though the Rising Star noms are barmy: most of those names are already established -- "risen", if you will.
(from BBC News)
Just in case you missed it, the BAFTA nominations were out today. All largely to be expected, though the Rising Star noms are barmy: most of those names are already established -- "risen", if you will.
Monday, 17 January 2011
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
3x02 Precipice
3x03 Exodus Part 1
3x04 Exodus Part 2
Helluva cliffhanger on Precipice! Luckily, watching on Blu-ray means I can rush straight on to the action-packed Exodus two-parter. Shiny.
The South Bank Show
37x04 Ian McKellen Revisited
Yes Minister
1x02 The Official Visit
3x02 Precipice
3x03 Exodus Part 1
3x04 Exodus Part 2
Helluva cliffhanger on Precipice! Luckily, watching on Blu-ray means I can rush straight on to the action-packed Exodus two-parter. Shiny.
The South Bank Show
37x04 Ian McKellen Revisited
Yes Minister
1x02 The Official Visit
Articles
James Bond book called Carte Blanche
(from BBC News)
"The new James Bond book, written by thriller author Jeffery Deaver, will be called Carte Blanche." The cover was also revealed and can be seen in the photo below. A couple more details -- though not a proper plot description -- can be found in the news article, or on the book's official website, or by following the book's official twitter.
Universal and Sony to change singles release policy
(from BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat)
Singles will now be released to download on the same day they're first played on the radio. A very sensible, piracy-inhibiting tactic. You wonder why they've not done it sooner.
(from BBC News)
"The new James Bond book, written by thriller author Jeffery Deaver, will be called Carte Blanche." The cover was also revealed and can be seen in the photo below. A couple more details -- though not a proper plot description -- can be found in the news article, or on the book's official website, or by following the book's official twitter.
Universal and Sony to change singles release policy
(from BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat)
Singles will now be released to download on the same day they're first played on the radio. A very sensible, piracy-inhibiting tactic. You wonder why they've not done it sooner.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
TV
Battlestar Galactica [2004]
3x00 The Resistance [webisodes 1-10]
3x01 Occupation
It's now, shockingly, almost six months since I last watched any BSG. I was getting through it so fast too! Time (overdue) to dive back in, then, and this is what's next: The Resistance, a series of ten webisodes totalling 26 minutes, detailing some events that occur between seasons two and three. They may still be available for free online to the US, and they're on the US DVDs, but not the UK DVDs, but they are on the Blu-rays everywhere (on disc two of season three -- common sense does not prevail). In case you wondered.
As for the new series proper, bold of the producers to continue their Iraq war analogy by having the Cylons become the occupying force and the sympathetic human characters become insurgents. Can't imagine that went down too well in the US...
Episodes
1x01 Episode One
This has been soundly slagged off in some quarters (coughRadioTimescough), but I rather enjoyed it. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to more -- so that's rather good too then.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
QI
8x16 History (extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
3x00 The Resistance [webisodes 1-10]
3x01 Occupation
It's now, shockingly, almost six months since I last watched any BSG. I was getting through it so fast too! Time (overdue) to dive back in, then, and this is what's next: The Resistance, a series of ten webisodes totalling 26 minutes, detailing some events that occur between seasons two and three. They may still be available for free online to the US, and they're on the US DVDs, but not the UK DVDs, but they are on the Blu-rays everywhere (on disc two of season three -- common sense does not prevail). In case you wondered.
As for the new series proper, bold of the producers to continue their Iraq war analogy by having the Cylons become the occupying force and the sympathetic human characters become insurgents. Can't imagine that went down too well in the US...
Episodes
1x01 Episode One
This has been soundly slagged off in some quarters (coughRadioTimescough), but I rather enjoyed it. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to more -- so that's rather good too then.
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
QI
8x16 History (extended repeat) [season finale]
[Watch it (again) in HD on iPlayer.]
this week on 100 Films
2 new reviews were posted to 100 Films in a Year this week, and they were...
Iron Eagle (1986)
Odd Man Out (1947)
More next Sunday.
Iron Eagle (1986)
an American pilot is captured by Qatar due to flying into their airspace, even though he was hundreds of miles outside it. When he’s sentenced to execution and the US Government refuses to do anything practical to get him back, his teenage son — who he’s been illicitly teaching to fly fighter jets — resolves to steal one and go get his dad. Hells yeah! Or something... daft and implausible.
Odd Man Out (1947)
The consciously episodic story... facilitates the depiction of a cross-section of Northern Irish life, and particularly their reaction to “the organisation” — it doesn’t take a genius to guess what that means... concerned “only with the conflict in the hearts of the people when they become unexpectedly involved”, by leaving out detail of the politically contentious background it perhaps robs the characters’ indecision of any basis.
More next Sunday.
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