The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2023
[Watch it (again) on Channel 4.]
The Famous Five
1x01 The Curse of Kirrin Island
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Friends
1x07 The One with the Blackout [many-th watch]
1x08 The One Where Nana Dies Twice [many-th watch]
Ghosts
5x07 A Christmas Gift [series finale]
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Rick Astley Rocks New Year's Eve
Part 1 (of 2)
[Watch it all (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 31 December 2023
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
Here we are, then — the final tally of the year! Which means a bunch of bonus stats looking back at the whole of 2023. Fun. A few things that should have turned up before the end of the year didn't, which is irritating, but doesn't make a huge difference to the sheer scale of increases on the whole...
Number of titles in collection: 3,211 [up 4 this week; up 220 in 2023]
Of which DVDs: 1,021 [no change this week; down 18 in 2023]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,190 [up 4 this week; up 238 in 2023]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 321 [up 3 this week; up 99 in 2023]
Overall, not as big an increase as the last couple of years (titles went up 241 in 2022 and 240 in 2021), but it's my biggest year for 4Ks yet (vs 81 in 2022, 48 in 2021, 56 in 2020, 28 in 2019, and 9 in 2018). Shame it didn't quite get to the lovely round 100, but there you go (it should have done. Damn Parcelforce...) And in the time that 4Ks have gone from 0 to 321, DVDs have dropped back by 145 — and that's (one of the reasons) why my overall collection stays growing!
Number of discs in collection: 7,835 [up 8 this week; up 438 in 2023]
Number of films: 3,947 [up 4 this week; up 298 in 2023]
Number of additional cuts: 350 [up 1 this week; up 54 in 2023]
Number of TV episodes: 9,668 [no change this week; up 160 in 2023]
Number of short films: 1,109 [no change this week; up 84 in 2023]
Unsurprisingly (given what went on in the first block of stats), most of these are slightly down on last year. The most noteworthy drop is probably TV, where 2022's increase was 282 episodes, up from 2021's all-time low of 244 — so sinking below 200, whew. Proof if proof were needed that a lot less TV gets released on disc nowadays.
Total running time of collection (approx.):
552 days, 7 hours, and 37 minutes.
(Up 20 hours and 32 minutes from last month.)
(Up 24 days, 7 hours, and 51 minutes from last year.)
That's my lowest yearly running time increase since 2019; the past three years have all been over 30 days. I don't know what that tells us, but there it is.
See you next week for a new year to begin, faithful reader.
Here we are, then — the final tally of the year! Which means a bunch of bonus stats looking back at the whole of 2023. Fun. A few things that should have turned up before the end of the year didn't, which is irritating, but doesn't make a huge difference to the sheer scale of increases on the whole...
Number of titles in collection: 3,211 [up 4 this week; up 220 in 2023]
Of which DVDs: 1,021 [no change this week; down 18 in 2023]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,190 [up 4 this week; up 238 in 2023]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 321 [up 3 this week; up 99 in 2023]
Overall, not as big an increase as the last couple of years (titles went up 241 in 2022 and 240 in 2021), but it's my biggest year for 4Ks yet (vs 81 in 2022, 48 in 2021, 56 in 2020, 28 in 2019, and 9 in 2018). Shame it didn't quite get to the lovely round 100, but there you go (it should have done. Damn Parcelforce...) And in the time that 4Ks have gone from 0 to 321, DVDs have dropped back by 145 — and that's (one of the reasons) why my overall collection stays growing!
Number of discs in collection: 7,835 [up 8 this week; up 438 in 2023]
Number of films: 3,947 [up 4 this week; up 298 in 2023]
Number of additional cuts: 350 [up 1 this week; up 54 in 2023]
Number of TV episodes: 9,668 [no change this week; up 160 in 2023]
Number of short films: 1,109 [no change this week; up 84 in 2023]
Unsurprisingly (given what went on in the first block of stats), most of these are slightly down on last year. The most noteworthy drop is probably TV, where 2022's increase was 282 episodes, up from 2021's all-time low of 244 — so sinking below 200, whew. Proof if proof were needed that a lot less TV gets released on disc nowadays.
Total running time of collection (approx.):
552 days, 7 hours, and 37 minutes.
(Up 20 hours and 32 minutes from last month.)
(Up 24 days, 7 hours, and 51 minutes from last year.)
That's my lowest yearly running time increase since 2019; the past three years have all been over 30 days. I don't know what that tells us, but there it is.
See you next week for a new year to begin, faithful reader.
this week on 100Films.co.uk
I promised more from 100Films.co.uk this Sunday, to bring 2023 to a close, but... well, I do plenty of "year in review" posts over there, it's just I do them in the first week of January — and that doesn't start 'til tomorrow.
So, nothing this week. Not a jot. But next week... oh, next week...
Yep, more next Sunday. Lots more.
So, nothing this week. Not a jot. But next week... oh, next week...
Yep, more next Sunday. Lots more.
Saturday, 30 December 2023
TV
Friends
1x05 The One with the East German Laundry Detergent [many-th watch]
1x06 The One with the Butt [many-th watch]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x07 Week 2: Tuesday
2x08 Week 2: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
5x02 Labor Day
1x05 The One with the East German Laundry Detergent [many-th watch]
1x06 The One with the Butt [many-th watch]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x07 Week 2: Tuesday
2x08 Week 2: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
The Rookie
5x02 Labor Day
Films
Mildred Pierce (1945)
[#92 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2023 #12
And that's almost certainly the last film I'll watch for my 100 Films Challenge this year. It means I complete WDYMYHS, but end the overall challenge eight films short. Still, that's better than last year.
[#92 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2023 #12
And that's almost certainly the last film I'll watch for my 100 Films Challenge this year. It means I complete WDYMYHS, but end the overall challenge eight films short. Still, that's better than last year.
Friday, 29 December 2023
TV
Friends
1x04 The One with George Stephanopoulos [many-th watch]
Ghosts
5x06 Last Resort [season finale]
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
1x04 The One with George Stephanopoulos [many-th watch]
Ghosts
5x06 Last Resort [season finale]
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Games
The Dragon Staff of Maladoria
30–31 December 2021
My copy of the 2024 calender arrived today (complete with all kinds of bonus swag — fun times), so I thought I'd finish this one off, ready to start a brand-new adventure on Monday. It's a slightly underwhelming ending, because (as predicted) it sets up "next year's" (i.e. 2022's) calender, but there you go. (I got 2021's as a discount add-on when I bought 2024's — maybe if they do the same for 2025, I'll get 2022's!)
Overall, it's been fun — I'll kind of miss my character and this world — but that also means I'm excited to experience a new one in the 2024 calendar. That said, playing multiple days at a time felt about right, so I'm slightly worried dropping down to a day-by-day pace will feel a bit slow. On the other hand, having read a little of the forums, it seems they acknowledged some pacing issues with this calendar (their first), so perhaps a couple of years of adjustments will have addressed that. We'll see.
30–31 December 2021
My copy of the 2024 calender arrived today (complete with all kinds of bonus swag — fun times), so I thought I'd finish this one off, ready to start a brand-new adventure on Monday. It's a slightly underwhelming ending, because (as predicted) it sets up "next year's" (i.e. 2022's) calender, but there you go. (I got 2021's as a discount add-on when I bought 2024's — maybe if they do the same for 2025, I'll get 2022's!)
Overall, it's been fun — I'll kind of miss my character and this world — but that also means I'm excited to experience a new one in the 2024 calendar. That said, playing multiple days at a time felt about right, so I'm slightly worried dropping down to a day-by-day pace will feel a bit slow. On the other hand, having read a little of the forums, it seems they acknowledged some pacing issues with this calendar (their first), so perhaps a couple of years of adjustments will have addressed that. We'll see.
Thursday, 28 December 2023
TV
Blankety Blank
3x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Friends
1x03 The One with the Thumb [many-th watch]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
31x10 Christmas Special [season finale]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x06 Week 2: Monday
It's called "Monday", but it went out on a Tuesday, and Osman pointedly describes it as "Day One" because they clearly had no idea what day it would air.
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
3x09 Episode 9
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Friends
1x03 The One with the Thumb [many-th watch]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
31x10 Christmas Special [season finale]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x06 Week 2: Monday
It's called "Monday", but it went out on a Tuesday, and Osman pointedly describes it as "Day One" because they clearly had no idea what day it would air.
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Films
Out of the Past (1947)
[#91 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2023 #11
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
[#91 in The All-New 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2023]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2023 #11
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Games
The Dragon Staff of Maladoria
27–29 December 2021
This, more than anything else, is making me realise how close we are to the end of the year! Well, I guess that is part of the purpose of a calendar. (But my 2024 one hasn't arrived yet. Oh no!)
27–29 December 2021
This, more than anything else, is making me realise how close we are to the end of the year! Well, I guess that is part of the purpose of a calendar. (But my 2024 one hasn't arrived yet. Oh no!)
Wednesday, 27 December 2023
TV
Friends
1x01 The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate [many-th watch]
1x02 The One with the Sonogram at the End [many-th watch]
Here we go, off on another rewatch — coming up on four years since I happened to comment I needed to "soon", and over 10 years since I last actually did. No wonder bits were unfamiliar.
Ghosts
5x05 Carpe Diem
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Murder Is Easy
Part 1 (of 2)
Part 2 (of 2)
Murder may be easy, but making high-quality Agatha Christie adaptations clearly isn’t. I've seen worse, but, sadly, this could've been better.
[Watch the series (again) on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
31x09 Episode 9
The Rookie
5x01 Double Down
1x01 The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate [many-th watch]
1x02 The One with the Sonogram at the End [many-th watch]
Here we go, off on another rewatch — coming up on four years since I happened to comment I needed to "soon", and over 10 years since I last actually did. No wonder bits were unfamiliar.
Ghosts
5x05 Carpe Diem
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Murder Is Easy
Part 1 (of 2)
Part 2 (of 2)
Murder may be easy, but making high-quality Agatha Christie adaptations clearly isn’t. I've seen worse, but, sadly, this could've been better.
[Watch the series (again) on iPlayer.]
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
31x09 Episode 9
The Rookie
5x01 Double Down
Tuesday, 26 December 2023
TV
Blankety Blank
3x10 Christmas Special [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x04 Week 1: Thursday
2x05 Week 1: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Shetland
8x04 Episode 4
8x05 Episode 5
8x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
[Watch series 8 (again) on iPlayer.]
3x10 Christmas Special [season finale]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x04 Week 1: Thursday
2x05 Week 1: Friday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Shetland
8x04 Episode 4
8x05 Episode 5
8x06 Episode 6 [season finale]
[Watch series 8 (again) on iPlayer.]
Monday, 25 December 2023
TV
Doctor Who
40x00 The Church on Ruby Road [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Not Going Out
13x08 Wilfred [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x03 Week 1: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
40x00 The Church on Ruby Road [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Not Going Out
13x08 Wilfred [Christmas special]
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x03 Week 1: Wednesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Sunday, 24 December 2023
TV
Blankety Blank
3x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Ghosts
5x04 En Français
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x01 Week 1: Monday
2x02 Week 1: Tuesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
17x00 At Christmas
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
3x08 Episode 8
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
Ghosts
5x04 En Français
[Watch the entire series (again) on iPlayer.]
Richard Osman's Festive House of Games
2x01 Week 1: Monday
2x02 Week 1: Tuesday
[Watch various episodes (again) on iPlayer.]
Would I Lie To You?
17x00 At Christmas
[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]
this week on 100Films.co.uk
No, your eyes do not deceive you: it's a 100Films.co.uk post that isn't at the start of a month!
Don't get too excited, though — there are no new reviews here. Rather, just a bit of site housekeeping before the end-of-year palaver kicks off.
936 days late, it’s a new Directors banner!
More next Sunday, as 2023 comes to a close.
Don't get too excited, though — there are no new reviews here. Rather, just a bit of site housekeeping before the end-of-year palaver kicks off.
936 days late, it’s a new Directors banner!
the header image at the top of my Reviews by Director listings page features the top 20 directors featured on this blog — not my 20 favourites, but the 20 with the most films I’ve reviewed — pictured in alphabetical order. Obviously, sometimes the lineup changes; but rather than modify the image every time it does, I’ve always intended to update it about once a year. The last time I did was May 2020, so a new one has been overdue for about two-and-a-half years — or 936 daysRead more here.
More next Sunday, as 2023 comes to a close.
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