Tuesday 30 July 2024

Films

Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob (2021)

Audio Drama

Doctor Who: The Third Doctor Adventures
13x01 Revolution in Space Episode One

Having finished Colony in Space and Frontier in Space (and Planet of the Daleks), it's time to move on to the thing that inspired me to watch them in the first place — the supposed "third part of the trilogy" — Revolution in Space.

(Series 13 Episode 1, eh? Well, Big Finish numbering has always been a slightly iffy thing, but these days it seems to be worse than ever. Case in point: this is the 13th release in the Third Doctor Adventures series, and the spine of the CD case does have "13" at the bottom; but it's also the 5th release since a redesign/rebrand, so the spine of the cardboard outer box has a prominent "5" at the bottom. So, er, it's the 5th release and the 13th release, in the same series. You wot?! Fundamentally it doesn't really matter (and there are other lines, like the 8th Doctor ones, that have been more confusingly affected by this), but it does kinda bug me a little.)

Fiction

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes [the end]

I read most of this short story collection back in July 2019. Not sure why I never quite finished it, but I always intended to — and now (obviously) I have. (And the fact it's five years to the month since I both started and last read it is a bizarre coincidence, not my reason for reading it today — which was just on a whim. Weird.)

Videos

Critical Role
2x43 In Hot Water [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Monday 29 July 2024

TV

X-Men
3x01 Out of the Past Part I [2nd watch]
3x02 Out of the Past Part II [2nd watch]

Videos

Critical Role
2x43 In Hot Water [1st half]
"Matt, we have played this game for hundreds of hours together. That was two of the best hours of this game ever. That was so much fun."
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Saturday 27 July 2024

TV

Friends
2x18 The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies [5th or so watch]
2x19 The One Where Eddie Won't Go [5th or so watch]
2x20 The One Where Old Yeller Dies [5th or so watch]

The Rookie
5x10 The List

The Rookie: Feds
1x10 The Silent Prisoner
The second Rookie / Feds crossover.

Films

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
[#56 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2024 #7

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

Two new additions this week... though one was a BD-to-3D upgrade that changes absolutely nothing in the stats (because the BD had a redundant DVD copy that the 3D release doesn't, so the addition of the 3D disc doesn't even change the disc count).

Number of titles in collection: 3,328 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 1,002 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,326 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 374 [up 1]

Number of discs in collection: 8,040 [up 1]
Number of films: 4,102 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 391 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,742 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,148 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

Tuesday 23 July 2024

Videos

Critical Role
2x42 A Hole in the Plan [2nd hour]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Monday 22 July 2024

Sunday 21 July 2024

Saturday 20 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x20 Planet of the Daleks Episode Six [2nd watch]

I watched this whole serial with the updated special effects turned on, because I often enjoy that feature. It was barely noticeable in previous episodes (aside from a CGI shot of the TARDIS in flight from Episode One), but this instalment is where they're put to most use... and, sadly, they’re a bit of a failure. The low-budget CGI just looks dated in a different way to the original effects, which are at least dated in a way in-keeping with the rest of the production. Oh well.

Films

Gone Fishing (2017)
A "mini-movie" on the Moana Blu-ray, which just feels like a deleted scene they'd already fully animated.

Inner Workings 3D (2016)
Short film included in 3D on the Moana Blu-ray.

Moana 3D (2016)
[2nd watch]
[#54 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]

Comics

2000 AD #2386

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

A mass of new additions this week, thanks to a big order from the US prompted by the Criterion sale — though only three of them are Criterion titles, the rest being other things I just wanted and bundled in to spread the postage cost. Plus one new UK release too, for a total of nine additions (one an upgrade from DVD) — and over three-quarters of them in 4K!

Number of titles in collection: 3,327 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 1,002 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,325 [up 9]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 373 [up 7]

Number of discs in collection: 8,039 [up 13]
Number of films: 4,101 [up 11]
Number of additional cuts: 391 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 9,742 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,148 [no change]

See you next week, faithful reader.

Wednesday 17 July 2024

Tuesday 16 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x16 Planet of the Daleks Episode Two [2nd watch]

Videos

Critical Role
2x41 A Pirate's Life for Me [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Monday 15 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x14 Frontier in Space Episode Six
10x15 Planet of the Daleks Episode One [2nd watch]

Although I was watching Frontier in Space because it's retroactively been dubbed part of a "trilogy" (along with Season 8's Colony in Space, which I watched earlier this month, and Big Finish audio drama Revolution in Space, which I'm going to listen to soon), Frontier actually leads directly into the following serial, Planet of the Daleks. I have seen that one before (I was less fussy about such continuity matters when I was a kid), but it seems sort of weird to skip it now (because I'm more fussy about such continuity matters as an adult). Kind of breaks up the "trilogy" vibe (especially as other commitments mean I'll have to take some time off between finishing Planet and starting Revolution), but I'm sure I'll live.

Fiction

The Once and Future King by T.H. White
The Sword in the Stone Chapters 10–12

Videos

Critical Role
2x41 A Pirate's Life for Me [1st half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Sunday 14 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x13 Frontier in Space Episode Five

Videos

Between the Sheets
1x01 Taliesin Jaffe
They've been pushing this interview series for weeks on Crit Role and Talks (probably not weeks my time... although it's a seven-episode first season, so maybe), and I eventually gave in and watched it, and it is rather good. I get why they removed all BWF-starring content from their official channels, but it is a shame when stuff like this was so insightful. Anyway, definitely going to watch the rest of the episodes about the Crit Role cast, but not sure I care enough about any of the people interviewed in seasons two and three to bother with those.
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

Critical Role
2x40 Dubious Pursuits
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Talks Machina
#89 'Dubious Pursuits'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

Saturday 13 July 2024

TV

The 1% Club
3x06 Episode 6
[Watch it (again) on ITVX.]

Doctor Who
10x12 Frontier in Space Episode Four

Films

Ticket to Paradise (2022)

Videos

Critical Role
2x39 Temple of the False Serpent [2nd half]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Talks Machina
#87 'Temple of the False Serpent'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

This week: those Australian titles finally turn up; all being Blu-ray upgrades that don't replace their existing copies, for one reason or another. Then there were two new releases — one from this week, one from next week, both preordered via HMV. Are HMV inconsistent, or are Royal Mail? Who knows! Finally, DVDs go up by one, thanks to a CD box set with a DVD of behind-the-scenes extras. Fun times.

Number of titles in collection: 3,319 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 1,003 [up 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,316 [up 5]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 366 [up 2]

Number of discs in collection: 8,026 [up 15]
Number of films: 4,090 [up 6]
Number of additional cuts: 391 [up 2]
Number of TV episodes: 9,742 [up 22]
Number of short films: 1,148 [no change]

Speaking of "fun times", it's also time for the monthly running time update...

Total running time of collection (approx.):
564 days, 2 hours, and 28 minutes.
(Up 2 days, 4 hours, and 47 minutes from last month.)

See you next week, faithful reader.

Friday 12 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x11 Frontier in Space Episode Three

Videos

Critical Role
2x39 Temple of the False Serpent [1st half]
"I can certainly say this is, uh, the most entertaining bunch I've travelled with in some time."
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Wednesday 10 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
10x09 Frontier in Space Episode One
On to the second serial in the newly-christened Pertwee space trilogy.

Videos

Critical Role
2x38 Welcome to the Jungle [3rd hour]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Tuesday 9 July 2024

Videos

Critical Role
2x38 Welcome to the Jungle [2nd hour]
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Sunday 7 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
8x19 Colony in Space Episode Five

Films

Like Stars on Earth (2007)
[#51 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2024 #6

I often end up leaving Blindspot and WDYMYHS films until the end of the month, but I'm currently slightly behind on both, so I'm trying to get ahead of myself and hopefully catch up.

Videos

Talks Machina
#85 'Dangerous Liaisons'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

this week on 100Films.co.uk

It's easy to forget because so much has gone on since, but the new month only began at the start of this week, which means there were the usual monthly columns at 100Films.co.uk.

First up, the general monthly review...





Then, my "failures" from June...





More next Sunday, hopefully.

Saturday 6 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
8x18 Colony in Space Episode Four

Comics

2000 AD #2383,2384,2385

Articles

Doctor Who boss opens up about that surprising Richard E. Grant cameo that made an obscure Doctor canon
by Emily Murray & Darren Scott (from SFX)

Interesting to get some more info on this, considering it was a pretty monumental thing to just chuck in there, which I don't think has been discussed by anyone involved before now.

Videos

Critical Role
2x37 Dangerous Liaisons
Can't believe I've, almost voluntarily, waited a week between Crit Role episodes! It's a combination of factors: after-work work events; watching live election coverage; and knowing this episode had a poor recording, so I'd need to give it 100% attention throughout to read the subtitles (which aren't present on the Twitch version, unfortunately, so I've switched back to YouTube and endured its adverts just for this episode). Plus, as a live show, it feels Special (based on how much I enjoyed the last one), so I kind of viewed it as a treat to be saved rather than just another episode to burn through (otherwise I might've watched it in bits and pieces over the last week).
[Watch it (again) on YouTube, or Twitch, or Beacon.]

Collection Count

Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.

I thought there was going to be a bit more to report this week, but the Australian titles I mentioned last time have spent most of the week sat at an airport waiting to be loaded. Still, some newer domestic purchases managed to make their way through the postal network, giving me three new additions this week. They're actually all BD-to-4K upgrades, though two aren't directly replacing anything (one because my BD copy is in a box set, the other because the BD has more special features).

Number of titles in collection: 3,313 [up 2]
Of which DVDs: 1,002 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,311 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 364 [up 3]

Number of discs in collection: 8,011 [up 3]
Number of films: 4,084 [up 2]
Number of additional cuts: 389 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 9,720 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,148 [up 2]

See you next week, faithful reader, when those Aussie titles should definitely be here — just in time for the monthly running time update.

Thursday 4 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
8x16 Colony in Space Episode Two
The Season 8 Blu-ray comes with a choice of restorations for this serial: the one done for DVD back in 2011, or a new one for the Blu-ray release, completed in 2021. I remember them explaining why both were included back when the set came out, but I forget now and they don't bother to explain in the booklet (maybe there's an explanation attached to the older restoration, but I haven't looked). Anyway, I've plumped for the newer restoration, because I remember thinking at the time that it sounded preferable and the previous one was included for completion's sake. Also, surely if the team hadn't thought the new one was better in some way, they wouldn't have undertaken or included it.

Wednesday 3 July 2024

TV

Doctor Who
8x15 Colony in Space Episode One
I recently bought one of Big Finish's Third Doctor adventures, Revolution in Space, which its writer, Jonathan Morris, describes thus: “If you think of Colony in Space and Frontier in Space as the first two thirds of a trilogy... then here's the final third.” So, as I've never seen either of those serials, I thought I ought to watch them first. (If I do my usual daily thing, which I'm intending to, that's the next three weeks or so of Who viewing/listening sorted.)