TV

The Wire
1x03 The Buys
For my thoughts on this episode, look here.

Articles

Lots today, on all sorts of subjects, so let's get going...

Checklist: Fad Wars! by Bonnie Burton, Pete Vilmur & Pablo Hidalgo
(from Star Wars official site)
There's been a helluva lot of Star Wars tat produced over the years, and here's a catalogue of some of the worst. No, younger readers, it's not an April Fools -- all this stuff really was made.

Quint has seen the first footage from Neill Blomkamp's District 9 at ShoWest! by Quint
(from Ain't It Cool News)
This sounds brilliant -- I am now massively more hyped for it than I was before and can't wait to see the trailer. Also, I personally really enjoyed Cloverfield, enough to put it in my Top 10 of 2008 (which you'll see is relevant if you read the article).

Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation To Get UK Premiere In London
(from Fan Cinema Today)
But sadly not a wider release.

Tauntaun Sleeping Bag
(from Think Geek)
This started out as an April Fools joke, but clearly proved too popular: "Due to an overwhelming tsunami of requests from YOU THE PEOPLE, we have decided to TRY and bring this to life." Yup, really.

Top Hollywood classics get advertising makeover by Cal
(from Heroes of the East)
Amusingly satirical April Fools article on putting product placement into classic films.

Wallpaper sparks transphobia complaints by Daniel Kilkelly
(from Digital Spy)
I guess you had to be there...

We Don't Want Your Wolverine Reviews!!! by Beaks
(from Ain't It Cool News)
You've probably heard about the Wolverine leak by now -- the "April Fools that wasn't", as I like to call it -- but here's a bit from AICN just in case.

The Wire 1x03: The Buys

Three episodes in and The Wire is definitely growing on me. It's also becoming much clearer why people refer to it as "a novel on TV".

Other shows will often wrap up subplots within an episode, or handily remind you of them in a recap -- even ones that are also one long story, like Damages (I think I'll be making this comparison often through the series). The Wire, on the other hand, merrily plays little things that seem to have resolved themselves within a scene, but are actually setting things up for a future episode. This is done without a single opening recap to jog the memory. Perhaps best of all, many of these little things aren't absolutely essential to understand the ongoing plot, but do deepen character and events considerably.

For example, take the opening of this episode, in which D'Angelo argues against the violent way Baltimore's drugs trade is run. All his points are directly lifted from the police interview he had in the previous episode. You can understand the scene just fine without remembering this, but it's so much richer if you do. Similar little moments play out throughout the episode(s). I suspect this is one of the main reasons it's attracted such a devout following.

While I'm still not convinced it's the Best TV Series Of All Time Ever, the way its true quality is revealed gradually means I'll be reserving final judgement until at least the end of the season, perhaps even the end of the series.

24: Unaired 1994 Pilot

This clip has done the rounds around the 'net a couple of times now, so figured it was about time I shared it.

It's probably a bit too long, and if you've never seen 24 you won't get it, but otherwise it's very funny.