TV

Demons
1x01 They Bite
My God, that's one of the worst title sequences ever! A dreadful -- and dreadfully inappropriate -- song stuck on animation that would barely pass as a DVD menu. Oh dear oh dear. And Christian Cooke needs a better agent -- he's ostensibly the star, yet his name comes third? Ha! And Philip Glenister's accent is variable and a bit am-dram; which is a shame because, obviously, he's great otherwise.
Still, the first episode did alright in the ratings (and by "alright" I mean it didn't do as well as Merlin (created by some of the same people, incidentally) or Primeval -- or Doctor Who, obviously... or even the Doctor Who Confidential announcing the 11th Doctor, which was on earlier that evening -- but still beat what was on BBC One at the time); and the concept, albeit all nicked from other places (mainly Buffy), has legs.
[Watch it (again) on ITV Player.]

Eurovision: Your Country Needs You
Episode 2 (of 5)
And so it becomes your bog-standard talent show. Except, it must be said, with less talent than usual.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Gilmore Girls
5x13 Wedding Bell Blues

Live at the Apollo
4x05 (9/1/09 edition)
So what if nearly all the guests are regulars on Mock the Week? It's still funny. Also, an appearance by Lenny Henry, which seems to be something of a rarity these days.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sandbaggers
2x02 Enough of Ghosts
Bloody Germans, eh?

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapters Twelve - Fifteen
Nineteen Days Later...
Appendix 1 & 2 [the end]
Including the first drafts of Journey's End and The Stolen Earth, featuring the original conception of the Shadow Proclamation -- so, so, so much more glorious than the couple of Judoon and pasty-faced woman we ended up with on screen. Plus, the alternate ending to Journey's End and an alternate open to The Next Doctor.
As I said before, this is a great book and a definite must-read for all Who fans and all aspiring writers. "If you still want to be a writer after reading this," says Steven Moffat, "then you probably will be." I guess I must be halfway there then...

Magazines

Doctor Who Magazine #404
DWM's 30 this year -- happy birthday, DWM! Though that's proudly emblazoned across the top of the cover, there's no mention of it inside (that I noticed anyway), so perhaps they have a big feature coming up. Then again, they only just did something for issue 400, so maybe not just yet, eh?

Torchwood: The Official Magazine #13
An even more uninspiring issue than usual, with absolutely no news on the forthcoming third series (to be fair, there's an interview with the new producer that features a couple of new piccies). In fact, the best bit is a teeny tiny news box-out, announcing three new radio plays to come later in the year (more news next issue folks!) Thankfully, the last page promises a great big revamp next issue, as the mag switches format to be 100 pages bimonthly. Let's hope that gives it a much needed kick up the arse, eh?

TV

The Diary of Anne Frank
Part 5 (of 5)
An appropriate end to what's been an excellent series.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

No Heroics
1x05 Origin, Toxic
Sex. Ob. Sessed. Also, they've just started repeating it on ITV1, if you're interested.

QI
6x03 Flotsam and Jetsam
QI's back! Hurrah! But oh my, isn't it filthy? I wonder if that's a deliberate reaction to the move to BBC One...
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Vicar of Dibley
2x05 Dibley Live [3rd or so watch]
Ah, random Dibley. Isn't it brilliant?

Articles

Producer: Dark Knight sequel a mystery by Lara Martin
(from Digital Spy)
It's amazing how thoroughly "there's no news" can be reported, isn't it? (Note another silly article from the same authoress later in this post.)

Ross 'lining up Cruise for chatshow' by Alex Fletcher
(from Digital Spy)
"Stephen Fry [yay!], comic Lee Evans [never mind] and Scottish indie band Franz Ferdinand [meh] have already been confirmed for the first show back on January 23 [but] Jonathan Ross is reportedly lining up an appearance from Tom Cruise to boost his chatshow's ratings."
It'll be interesting to see how the show's ratings fare at the start -- will they be huge, as people tune in to see what he says; massively down, as people avoid him following the fuss; or just normal, because his fans weren't the sort who complained in the first place? Personally, I think the first or last of those are most likely, as the majority of complaints were by people who don't even watch or listen to his programmes.
Additionally, "Film 2009, also fronted by the star, will return to BBC One two days later" (source). Yay!

Suchet wants to complete Poirot series by Lara Martin
(from Digital Spy)
"David Suchet has revealed that he wants to continue playing Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot until he has filmed the novelist's "complete works"."
Revealed? Revealed? "Yet again reiterated" more like! Still, with only 10 to go -- and four of those being shot this year -- let's hope he can do it.

Poem of the Week: A Farewell

by Charles Kingsley

By the author of The Water-Babies and Westward Ho!, for those who are interested.

My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to skies so dull and grey:
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.

Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not dream them, all day long:
And so make life, death, and that vast for-ever
One grand, sweet song.

Poem of the Day is dead, long live Poem of the Week!

TV

The Diary of Anne Frank
Part 4 (of 5)
Who knew Anne was so sexed-up? (Well, anyone who read the uncut version of the book, I suppose. But still!)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Sandbaggers
2x01 At All Costs
Hurrah for more Sandbaggers! (The fact that this was broadcast 28 years ago this month does not stop me hurrahing watching it.) Still excellent -- why is this not remembered as one of The Best Shows Ever? I only heard about it last year, by fluke, and it's not like that was as part of some "oh, look at this!" big revival thing -- which, incidentally, it deserves.

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapters Ten - Eleven

Articles

British talent up for Bafta prize
(from BBC News)
"Three British actors have made the shortlist for Bafta's Rising Star award recognising emerging talent. Noel Clarke [yes, Mickey from Doctor Who!] and Rebecca Hall, who is starring in Woody Allen's Vicky Christina Barcelona [sic], are nominated. Film actor Toby Kebbell is also in the running, along with Irish actor Michael Fassbender and Canadian Michael Cera."
As writer, director and star of the immensely (and surprisingly) successful Adulthood, it seems only fitting that Noel Clarke should walk away with it. Failing that, vote for Rebecca Hall, who is also excellent. Or Michael Fassbender, because he is too.
Anyway, place your vote here. The rest of the BAFTA Film Awards nominations are announced next Thursday.

Doctor Who: Dalek War - DVD Boxset by Steve Roberts
(from the Doctor Who Restoration Team Website)
"it's only fair that this article devotes the majority of its space to discussion of the fascinating story behind the episode's return to full colour." Quite technical, but also fascinating.
Just one of many exciting Classic Who DVDs out this year. For more, look here.

More Recognition For The Dark Knight
(from WENN)
I mention this primarily because, based on various sets of nominations for various gongs, it looks like these five films are emerging as the frontrunners in this year's round of awards ceremonies. That doesn't guarantee Oscar noms, of course, but it all helps.

Warner Bros. Asks For Quick Decision Of Watchmen
(from Studio Briefing)
This is dragging on much longer than I -- indeed, I think, anyone -- expected. Bloody Fox, always have to ruin everything.

TV

The Diary of Anne Frank
Part 3 (of 5)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Lark Rise to Candleford
2x02 Episode 2
Things actually seem to happen now in Lark Rise...! It's quite astounding.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapters Six - Nine
Now covering most/all of the first draft of Partners in Crime. I wonder how much shorter this would be if they took out all the scripts? Not that they need to, really, as if one wasn't interested in reading them they could easily be skipped over.

TV

The Diary of Anne Frank
Part 2 (of 5)
Despite an excellent cast all doing great work, Ellie Kendrick still shines as Anne (born in 1990, she's actually playing much younger as the 13-year-old titular girl). Her agent obviously did a good job getting her an "Introducing..." credit too, considering she's been in Waking the Dead, Doctors, Lewis, and the final Prime Suspect.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapters Three - Five
This book is really brilliant. In today's reading, Russell begins to write Starship Titanic -- or, as it will eventually be renamed, Voyage of the Damned, the Kylie-starring 2007 Christmas special. Packed with script excerpts (seems to be most of the first draft, in fact; quite possibly every last word of it), it's amazing to see how close this initial vision is to the final product -- having seen the episode a couple of times myself, I wouldn't argue if you told me what we read in these chapters was the final shooting script.

TV

The Diary of Anne Frank
Part 1 (of 5)
BBC One's new dramatisation of the famed teenage war diary, showing on consecutive nights this week -- the BBC's new favourite way to show drama, it seems, after Criminal Justice last year and Torchwood: Children of Earth later this, among other examples.
Well made, and well scheduled at 7pm too -- a good time for family viewing.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Eurovision: Your Country Needs You
Episode 1 (of 5)
This is certainly a... slightly different way to choose a Eurovision entry. Will it be any more successful? I highly doubt it. At least this is entertainingly camp at times though.
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

The Graham Norton Show
4x13 (30/12/08 edition) [Christmas special; season finale]
Michael McIntyre is amazingly good, I say. Plenty of (mildly) festive fun with Graham, though it does feel a bit belated at this point. Christmas is rather over now, isn't it? (Still got Christmas TV to catch up on though. And Christmas chocolates.)
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapter Two
This book is brilliant. A must read for both Whovians and any aspiring writers, especially if they want to work in TV.

Articles

A Shot-By-Shot Analysis Of The New Wolverine Trailer
(from Empire)
Packed with spoilers, and -- much to my surprise -- mutants! There's all sorts of new-to-film ones here (and plenty of shots of them too, including a certain Cajun), plus cameos from younger versions of main characters from the trilogy. So much for it just featuring Wolverine and a couple of others, eh?
As for the trailer itself, look... oh, um, they didn't provide a link... (It can be found here.)

TV

Gilmore Girls
5x12 Come Home
Oh Emily! You do something good, and then you have to toddle straight off and do something bad. Typical Gilmore.

Midsomer Murders
9x08 Four Funerals and a Wedding
I haven't watched Midsomer by choice for the best part of a decade, and this has done little to change my mind. Apparently it's the highest-paid writing gig on TV though.

Films

The Kite Runner (2007)
[#3 in 100 Films in a Year 2009]

Non-Fiction

Doctor Who: The Writer's Tale by Russell T Davies & Benjamin Cook
Chapter One
Including RTD's initial episode-by-episode breakdown for Who season four, which reveals some interesting things -- for example, Mark Gatiss' original WW2-set episode three (sounds like a corker), the long-gestating Tom MacRae-penned episode eight (nifty also), and that the excellent Turn Left began life as little more than "Doctor-lite, I'll try to keep it cheap."

The Eleventh Doctor

After yesterday's announcement -- which drew 6.1 million viewers (despite its early slot, it was the second most-watched programme of the day) -- there have naturally been a flurry of articles and whatnot about the rather shocking casting.

Courtesy of the BBC Press Office (via Outpost Gallifrey), here are the first pictures of Smith 'in character' -- though as that's the same outfit he was wearing in the interview I'm guessing it's not his costume, and I hope to God he gets a haircut.

Click to expand.

Naturally articles abound. You can find the official press release here (plenty of comments from Official People on the Who staff and at the BBC), and the official site's exclusive interview here. Typically, Outpost Gallifrey have a nice summary of some major reactions from the press, which can be read here.

Personally, I'm still not convinced. The comment that he looks like "the Twilight choice" seems worryingly spot on. Many fans will take comfort in that he's Steven Moffat's choice, as Moffat is seen as Who's best and most consistent writer. I'm sorry to say, not me. The Empty Child is still one of Who's best ever stories, and Blink is one of the scariest things in anything ever, but Moffat's most recent work -- Silence in the Library and the separate miniseries Jekyll -- has been too barmy, unfocused, and of dubious quality, in my opinion.

Still, we'll see... in about 15 months...