Friday, August 13, 2004

BBC - Cult Television - Sapphire and Steel: "Big Finish announce the new Sapphire and Steel.
Steel will be played by David Warner and Sapphire by Susannah Harker in a new series of Sapphire and Steel audio dramas."

Okay, let's go to the map... I like the original Sapphire & Steel TV series. I like just about everything Big Finish produces. And I pretty much fell in love with Susannah Harker at a Doctor Who convention last February. (Yes, I was at a Doctor Who convention. Don't judge me.) So this is all good.
BBC - Cult Television - Hitchhiker's audios: "BBC Audiobooks have announced plans to release the new audio adaptations of the final three Hitchhiker's books on CD and cassette.
The new production of Life, the Universe and Everything has been recorded by Above the Title Productions Ltd, and reunites most of the original radio cast. The series will air from Tuesday 21st September at 6.30pm on Radio 4, with the CD and cassette versions released on 28th October."

Between this, and the new movie next year, I'm set. (Particularly if they don't screw up the movie. Again, I had to wade through years of Lord of the Rings hype. Now the rest of the world can put up with me being enthusiastic about the return of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Doctor Who.)
Zap2it - TV news - 'Schmos' Make Peace with Faux-Reality Fame

Watched the season finale last night. It was a little heartbreaking, because it was clear by the end that Tim (the "schmo") had gotten a little more emotionally attached to "Piper" (the bachelorette) than had perhaps been intended, and the ultimate reveal would only lead to some hurt feelings. But mixing in real people, seeing their genuine reactions, is what makes this show better than just a scripted parody of reality shows. It keeps things human, and that's why I kept coming back. And why I'd come back for a third season, if they make one.

Thursday, August 12, 2004

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel creator Joss Whedon told SCI FI Wire that he's ready to return to the Buffyverse with television films once he receives a green light from The WB, home of Angel, or another network. 'We haven't really heard anything,' Whedon said in an interview. 'Obviously, there's been a regime change at The WB. The fans are interested. I'm interested. I don't think either [Buffy star] Sarah [Michelle Gellar] or [Angel star] David [Boreanaz] would want to do it. But I think there's about 10 other characters I could name who would be totally worthy of movies. And I'm just waiting for somebody to say yea or nay.'"

Okay, I don't want to seem all populist here, and it's not like I don't like the other characters, but even I'm not particularly interested in Buffy or Angel TV movies that aren't about Buffy or Angel. And if I'm not, why would a network be interested in producing them?
Yahoo! News - Cruise Halts 'Mission,' at 'War' with Spielberg

So this is how it all shakes out: Tom Cruise is making War of the Worlds with Steven Spielberg, and then Mission: Impossible 3 with JJ Abrams. And I loved Minority Report (the last movie Cruise made with Spielberg) and my fondness for all things JJ Abrams is the stuff of epic poetry. So... cool.

Sunday, August 08, 2004

Have determined to finish writing stuff for the NLA presentation today, plus watch some of the movies I've DVRed over the past week, in order that I may go see Thunderbirds tomorrow with a clear conscience. (Chances of this happening are slim; I've already paused last week's Foyle's War twice in the first ten minutes. Still, we live in hope.)

Started two new books in the last couple of days. One is the last Judge Dredd paperback I'd received: Black Atlantic. So far, so good. About as deep as the comic strip, but it's small and light. That's the take-with-me-to-read-while-I-wait-for-things book. The other is Charles de Lint's Medicine Road, illustrated by Charles Vess. It's de Lint's usual stuff, mixing magic and the real world seamlessly, although instead of his usual urban setting of Newford, this one is set in and around Tucson, AZ. Lots of familiar sights described therein, and he's obviously in love with the place. (Hey, I thought it was pretty, too, but after a year, I was ready to move on.)