Friday, 19 April 2024

TV

Doctor Who
6x35 The War Games Episode One

I always intend to watch more Classic Who, then sort of forget to and just... don't. Well (spoilers for a 30-year-old niche TV tie-in book incoming), after it turned out that Timewyrm: Exodus was a sequel to this TV story, I decided it was about time I got round to watching it. I read the novelisation decades ago, and enjoyed it a lot, which I think is part of why I've put off watching it — sometimes the actual episodes struggle to live up to their book counterparts; and, having read it, this was a story I'd 'experienced', whereas there are so many (many) others that I haven't 'experienced' in any form. (Saying I've "experienced" it sounds a bit wanky (hence the speechmarks), but what other catch-all term is there for something I might have watched, read, or listened to?) Anyway, let's hope it lives up to all those expectations...

Also: this is the first Classic Who I've watched since it's all been available on iPlayer. (Well, except for K-9 and Company, which is a spin-off, and a random accidental rewatch of the TV Movie, which isn't really Classic Who, is it? So, yay iPlayer! Of course, I actually watched my DVD copy.)

Oh, and today is the 55th anniversary of this episode’s original broadcast. Not at all why I decided to watch it, so what a coincidence! It’s a ten-parter, so back in 1969 it would carry on until late June. I’m aiming to finish it before May begins.

[Watch it (again) on iPlayer.]

Films

The Inspector Wears Skirts Part II (1989)
[#27 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]

Fiction

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Chapters 5–9

Games

The Leaf Riders of Wrenwood
19 April 2024

Videos

Critical Role
2x11 Zemnian Nights [1st half]
"Some... unique excursions into the city today."
[Watch it (again) on YouTube.]

Thursday, 18 April 2024

Comics

Spawn: Origins Collection, Vol.1 by Todd McFarlane
#6 Payback Part 1 [the end]
As mentioned when I read #5, my very next issue of Spawn is also an ending, because I've switched to a different series of graphic novel collections (a digital one). Yes, they chose to end the volume on a "Part One". I guess nothing says "all of the books in this series will contain the same number of issues and we're assuming you're just gonna buy them all" more than that.

Spawn: Origins Collection, Vol.2 by Todd McFarlane
#7 Payback Part 2
Feels kinda silly splitting a two-parter that I read in one sitting like this, but this is technically how I read 'em, so that's how I list 'em.

Fiction

Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow
Chapters 1–4

Games

The Leaf Riders of Wrenwood
17–18 April 2024

Wednesday, 17 April 2024

Films

Hellraiser (1987)

Fiction

Doctor Who: The New Adventures
Timewyrm: Exodus by Terrance Dicks
Part 3, Chapters 11–15
Part 4, Chapters 1–2
Epilogue + Coda
[the end]

Far be it from me to criticise the wonderful Terrance Dicks, but that epilogue... it's not an epilogue, it's a chapter; a proper, concluding part of the story. It bugs me a bit whenever books do that. Especially as then there's a "coda" too, for a bit which is an epilogue.

Ah well. It's an enjoyable read overall, and a small bit of misnaming at the end can't undermine that too much.

Videos

Talks Machina
#58 'Waste and Webs'
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

Tuesday, 16 April 2024

Monday, 15 April 2024

Fiction

Doctor Who: The New Adventures
Timewyrm: Exodus by Terrance Dicks
Part 3, Chapters 7–10

Games

The Leaf Riders of Wrenwood
15 April 2024

Videos

Critical Role
2x10 Waste and Webs [1st half]
At some point maybe I'll tire of watching this relentlessly and get back to a greater mix of viewing; but right now, I just want to spend most of my time watching Critical Role, so...
[Watch it (again) on YouTube.]

Talks Machina
#57 'Steam and Conversation'
Watched this first, obv, but still listing things alphbetically.
[Watch it (again) on Internet Archive.]

Sunday, 14 April 2024

Films

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
[#26 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2024]

Fiction

Doctor Who: The New Adventures
Timewyrm: Exodus by Terrance Dicks
Part 3, Chapter 6

Games

The Leaf Riders of Wrenwood
5–14 April 2024

Videos

Critical Role
2x09 Steam and Conversation
Yay, a Doctor Who reference! (Yes, that fleeting moment is my primary takeaway from this near-four-hour episode. Would you expect anything else?)
[Watch it (again) on YouTube.]