Monday, December 24, 2007

The true meaning of Christmas, courtesy of WetheRobots.com:

Monday, November 19, 2007

In case folks didn't see these Children in Need bits last Friday:



Thursday, November 01, 2007

Cinematic Titanic

Cinematic Titanic

New thing from Mystery Science Theater 3000's Joel Hodgson. No idea what it is. Stay tuned.

Father Awarded Millions for Funeral Protest - New York Times

Father Awarded Millions for Funeral Protest - New York Times: "The father of a fallen Marine was awarded nearly $11 million Wednesday in damages by a jury that found leaders of a fundamentalist church had invaded the family's privacy and inflicted emotional distress when they picketed the Marine's funeral."

You know, I'm against the war as much as anyone, but I say, "Good." Because there's a time and a place to protest appropriately, and this just isn't it.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Watch with Kristin - Best News Ever! Joss Whedon Spills Exclusive Deets on His New Series

Watch with Kristin - Best News Ever! Joss Whedon Spills Exclusive Deets on His New Series: "Whedon's new Fox series, called Dollhouse, stars Miss Eliza Dushku, best known as Faith to you Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans. And this show isn't just a pilot. It's already been given a seven-episode commitment by Fox. Woo!"

Comics Commentary: Scorchy Smith

Comics Commentary: Scorchy Smith: "On the subject of future projects, since we've already sent the solicitation info to our book distributor, I can announce that in June 2008, I will release an oversized, 11' x 11' hardcover: SCORCHY SMITH AND THE ART OF NOEL SICKLES through IDW. It will contain the complete Sickles Scorchy for the first time ever, plus about 60 pages of Sickles's magazine and other illustrations."

Yet another classic comic strip collection I must have.
If anyone is curious about why Kate Mulgrew replaced Genevieve Bujold in Star Trek: Voyager...

Friday, October 26, 2007

Daniel Craig Signs For Four More Bond Films - James Bond 007 - CommanderBond.net - James Bond At Its Best

Daniel Craig Signs For Four More Bond Films - James Bond 007 - CommanderBond.net - James Bond At Its Best: "Daniel Craig has been signed on for four more films as James Bond, according to trade paper, The Hollywood Reporter. MGM chairman and CEO, Harry Sloan yesterday revealed the news at the Forbes MEET II conference."

Of course, Timothy Dalton was signed for three films, but his deal lapsed after two, so nothing is ever guaranteed. And while Casino Royale seemed to signal a turning point in terms of quality for the James Bond series, so did For Your Eyes Only.

But it's not like I'm not going to go see a new James Bond movie, so fingers crossed.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

E! News - Prison Break for Girls?

Ha ha! I had been joking that after being sent to a Panamanian prison to break someone out for the mysterious "Company," Prison Break's Michael Scofield might soon find himself being forced to break yet another person out of another prison. The twist this time? It's a women's prison!

And then I read this...

E! News - Prison Break for Girls?: "Fox is reportedly plotting a Prison Break spinoff that would take place at a women's penitentiary and follow a new character who's expected to make her debut later this season on the serialized thriller."

I've also joked about Scofield having to break out of a space prison made out of an asteroid. Let's see if that one comes true.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Pushing Daisies Picked Up for Full Season

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Pushing Daisies Picked Up for Full Season: "Fellow pie lovers, rejoice! I'm hearing from a few reliable sources that ABC is officially extending the Pushing Daisies party! Rumor has it the back nine episodes were just ordered, which means the show is going to enjoy a full season! Let's all have a slice of lemon meringue to celebrate, 'kay?"

Monday, October 15, 2007



Trailer for the live action Ben 10 movie on Cartoon Network.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Okay, now that we're well into the new fall TV season, here's the new shows I'm finding myself watching:

First, the only new show I think I'd miss if it was canceled is Pushing Daisies. According to E! Online, it's doing well, and stands a good chance of surviving, which is great. It does push the charm and whimsy-o-meter right up to the line, but not quite to the breaking point. I would say it almost feels like a Tim Burton TV series, only it's nothing like Family Dog at all, which is the one TV series Tim Burton produced, off the top of my head. But it's fun, it's sweet, it's clever, and if their attempts to expand the envelope of what prime time network TV drama can be don't always work, at least they're not just producing the same old stuff.

And still, the best show on TV right now continues to be Friday Night Lights.

Comedies: I'm watching Aliens in America, The Big Bang Theory, and Back to You. All I ask from a comedy is that it make me laugh, and all three have. Big Bang Theory was probably the biggest surprise, since I was expecting it to be a "Look at the funny nerds" show. But I watched the pilot, thanks to a free iTunes download, and I liked it. I give it a lot of credit for allowing the hot blonde chick to treat the nerds as if they are normal people, and not looking down on them or treating them as stereotypes. Aliens in America is pleasantly low-key, a good follow-up to Everybody Hates Chris. And Back to You, starring sitcom vets Kelsey Grammer and Debra Heaton, is about as traditional as it gets, but it's still funny.

Oh, and I'm watching Curb Your Enthusiasm again, and am finally on board watching 30 Rock. None of these shows, new and returning, have grabbed me the way shows like The Office, Everybody Hates Chris, or My Name is Earl have, but I'm enjoying them.

Dramas: Journeyman is kind of a low-key Quantum Leap. I appreciate that the main character's wife has already accepted that he's traveling through time, and we don't have to watch episode after episode of him trying to explain his "mysterious" disappearances to her. Beyond that, I like the whole idea of him helping ordinary people instead of getting caught up in big events. Not watching anything new on Tuesdays, except for the gripping and soon-to-be-ending Damages.

Wednesday, it's the aforementioned Pushing Daisies and Private Practice and Bionic Woman. Again, both entertaining enough to bring me back next week, neither shows that I'd miss if they got canceled. In particular, Bionic Woman seems like a bigger-budgeted version of SciFi's dead series, Painkiller Jane, which I fell behind on and eventually stopped watching after four or five episodes. Michelle Ryan, as Jamie Summers, is just fine, but overall, the show is just a little too dark and heavy. That works okay on producer David Eick's other show, Battlestar Galactica, but since Bionic Woman isn't an allegory for the war on terrorism, it's an uncomfortable fit here.

I think it's also interesting that of the three shows set in San Francisco this year (Journeyman, Bionic Woman, and Women's Murder Club) Bionic Woman is the only one set exclusively in the parts of San Francisco that are dark, shitty, rainy, and look exactly like Vancouver. And since almost every TV show and movie try to pass Vancouver off as someplace else, Bionic Woman looks like it's set in the same place as every other TV show or movie. No real sense of place at all. (Heck, Nash Bridges did a better job of feeling like it was really set in SF.)

Private Practice is the much-anticipated Grey's Anatomy spin-off that is really just an okay medical drama. But that doesn't mean Amy Brenneman, Kate Walsh, or Kadee Strickland are in it any less. (Or Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, or Paul Adelstein, but the attraction isn't the same.) And just because it isn't groundbreakingly brilliant doesn't mean it's bad.

Don't believe I'm watching anything new on Thursday, beyond the fantastic, almost-finished-for-this-year Mad Men. Oh, and I've decided to check out Law & Order: Criminal Intent again because Alicia Witt has joined the cast. Been a fan since Cybill, created by the man behind The Big Bang Theory.

Friday is the home of the one new show I sampled and decided to pass on: Moonlight. The idea of a vampire detective sounded very Angel, and, in fact, Angel cocreator David Greenwalt worked on Moonlight briefly. In fact, it turned out to be more Forever Knight, without all the supernatural weirdness that made Angel interesting. Having said that, Sophia Myles was totally hot, and great, and almost enough to get me to watch the show if there wasn't anything else in that time slot.

But there is something else in that slot. Two somethings, in fact. There's the aforementioned Friday Night Lights--best show on network TV, and better than most cable--and the new Women's Murder Club. Like Private Practice, it's a good, solid traditional genre show (cop show instead of doctor show) that's quite well made and acted. On its own, it's just fine, but compared to something truly great, like Friday Night Lights, it pales a bit. However, I enjoyed it better than Moonlight, so I'll watch it over the vampire detective thing.

And I'll write about Sunday's new shows tomorrow.

Monday, October 08, 2007

I've stumbled across this picture in a couple of places now...

The Spice must flow

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Pushing Daisies - Comic Book - ABC.com

Pushing Daisies - Comic Book - ABC.com

I was already looking forward to this new series from Bryan Fuller, creator of Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me and former producer of Heroes. So this was fun, finding an online comic for the show (which premieres in 11 days, according to the countdown clock on the site) actually written by Fuller and drawn by some of my favorite artists, like Zach Howard and Cameron Stewart.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Monday, September 17, 2007

THE BEAT � Blog Archive � RIP: Phil Frank

THE BEAT RIP: Phil Frank: "San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist Phil Frank creator of FARLEY died this week at age 64. He had announced his retirement due to illness only a few days before."

I really loved Phil Frank's work. I had drifted away from reading Farley on a daily basis, but just came back to it. And I just discovered Elderberries, the new strip he was drawing.

First Marshall Rogers, then Mike Wieringo, now this. Very upset indeed.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Slitheen For Sarah Jane

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Slitheen For Sarah Jane: "New CBBC series The Sarah Jane Adventures will feature the return of some familiar Doctor Who enemies when it debuts later this month. The Slitheen, a family of scheming monsters first seen in Aliens of London / World War Three are back - and out for revenge."

SFX

Thank you, SFX Magazine. (Now where's my copy of the lastest issue?)

SFX: "Because it's Thursday and because you're worth it, we've got a little treat for you to pass a few minutes today. Thanks to the lovely people at ITV, we've got an exclusive video interview with Primeval co-creator Adrian Hodges in which he gives us some tidbits about the next series (due to hit screens in the new year). But enough of our yakking - it's over to Adrian..."

Monday, September 03, 2007



BBC's Robin Hood site now says the show is coming back in the fall!

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Series Five

Time for some Doctor Who news...

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Series Five: "Series Four, which went into production in July 2007, will hit UK screens in Spring 2008, followed by a special episode for Christmas 2008. In 2009 Doctor Who will return with three specials starring David Tennant, with Head Writer, Russell T Davies. The full-length fifth series will transmit in 2010."

Monday, August 27, 2007

Blog@Newsarama � Ennis to write Dan Dare series for Virgin Comics

Blog@Newsarama � Ennis to write Dan Dare series for Virgin Comics: "Virgin Comics is bringing Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future out of retirement to star in a new line of comics and a big-screen adaptation. Variety reports that the classic British science fiction character is a favorite of Virgin's Richard Branson, who spearheaded the effort to acquire publishing, film, television and video game rights to the Frank Hampson creation. The new comic, which debuts in November, will be written by Garth Ennis. "Dan Dare is the quintessential British hero," Ennis tells the trade paper. "He's our Captain America, our Superman, our Batman; he's all of them rolled into one.""

Thursday, August 23, 2007

ComicMix.Com

ComicMix.Com: "Disney Adventures, the monthly supermarket digest magazine containing a huge chunk of original Disney-related comic strips, will be ending its 17 year run with its November issue. "

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

As a telefantasy fan, I feel like I should write up something about just how disappointing SciFi's new Flash Gordon series is. About how they've taken a story about an ordinary man going to another planet to save the Earth, and turned it into a story about a guy who lives at home with his mom and waits for stuff to come to him. About how the show didn't even name one of it's main characters, Zarkov, until a third of the way through the second episode.

But, it turns out that Lance Parkin has already written it for me.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

SCI FI Wire | The News Service of the SCI FI Channel | SCIFI.COM

SCI FI Wire | The News Service of the SCI FI Channel | SCIFI.COM: "Moviehole.net reported that the upcoming sequel film The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian is set to begin shooting in South Africa on Oct. 1 and is casting for a hero to fill the shoes of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, who won't be reprising the title role."

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Grace Saved: Holly Hunter's TNT Drama Renewed!

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Grace Saved: Holly Hunter's TNT Drama Renewed!: "Good news for Holly Hunter and Saving Grace. Faring better than Treat Williams' Heartland in the post-Closer time period on TNT, the show has execs at the cable net mighty pleased. Just three weeks out of the gate, the series has received a 15-episode second-season order. Or so I'm hearing from show insiders. Stay tuned for official confirmation..."

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Burn Notice Will Be Back!

Watch with Kristin - Breaking! Burn Notice Will Be Back!: "USA has ordered 13 additional episodes for a second season of the fabulous Burn Notice."

Tuesday, August 14, 2007



Woo hoo! Just read in TV Guide that on Sunday, August 26, Jennifer Finnigan will be returning to The Dead Zone as psychic/occasional girlfriend to Johnny Smith, Alex Sinclair. It was seeing her on this show that led me to watch her in lawyer show Close to Home on CBS two years ago. I stopped watching it after the first season, not because she wasn't good, but because it really was just another lawyer show. So I'm happy to see her back here.
Okay, so it's been a while since I've written anything new. And, instead of talking about that, I'm just going to jump right in and talk about new stuff.

First, I saw Stardust over the weekend. It's been a number of years since I read the book, by Neil Gaiman, so I can't say how exactly faithful it is to the original. But it feels like I remember the book feeling, so that's a good thing. I like the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean movies just fine, but while Stardust is similar to those in that it's a historical fantasy/adventure, it's way better. I loved it.

On to television...

Saw the season finale (and apparently series finale) of HBO's John From Cincinnati. Wish I could say it made sense at the end, but no, not really. Maybe I'm just thick. But it was still well-acted, the dialogue was great, and it was fascinating to watch.

The 4400 and The Dead Zone continue to be reliably entertaining. Sort of the good, solid mainstream programming that networks don't produce any more. Not that they're old-fashioned, but sometimes you want good, solid, straightforward storytelling with likable, human characters. Not edgy or experimental, just fun to watch.

Over on TNT, Heartland came to the end of its first season. Not a spectacular show, but one I watched because I like the cast. If it comes back, I'll watch it again, and if it doesn't, I won't shed a tear.

Saving Grace stirs mixed feelings in me. I really enjoy watching it, but when I think about it, the cop show stuff isn't really any better than any other cop show, and the stuff with the angel trying to bring Grace back to God doesn't have any connection to the cop stuff, so it's almost like it's shoehorned in. So what makes it so special? Holly Hunter, obviously. Twelve feet of pure sex shoved into a five foot woman. Apparently, it has been renewed for a second season, and I'm glad.

A new favorite is Kyle XY. It's almost like a low-key Smallville, and maybe that's what I like about it. (More about a superkid discovering his powers while trying not to become an outsider, less of the whole beating-up-women thing that Smallville had seemed to focus on for a while. Although, to be fair, they seemed to get away from that in the 2/3 of the most recent season that I've seen.) And Kyle XY is less melodramatic.

Meanwhile, over on Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay made the right choice by picking Rock to win. Admittedly, I wanted Bonnie to win, but only so she'd be working down the street from me and I could go stare at her in a way that wouldn't be stalker-ish at all. Still haven't tried Terra Rosa, the restaurant run by last year's winner.

Another new favorite is My Boys on TBS. (Which surprises me, because the part of The Bill Engvall Show I caught on the same network was supremely unfunny.) It's a bunch-of-friends-hanging-out-together sitcom, along the lines of (obviously) Friends or Sex in the City, but it makes me laugh. Not as hard as Psych, but still.

And I watched the first episode of ABC Family's new cartoon, Slacker Cats. Not as funny as My Boys, not by a long shot. It sort of reminded me of the sort of cartoon we got in the early 90s, when everyone was trying--and failing--to duplicate the success of The Simpsons. Maybe it's because there's a Simpsons movie out. Or maybe it's because shows like Family Guy strike me the same way, but it seems to be doing okay. Anyway, I laughed once or twice, so I'll give it another shot.

Monday, August 13, 2007

NEWSARAMA.COM: MIKE WIERIGNO PASSES AWAY

NEWSARAMA.COM: MIKE WIERIGNO PASSES AWAY : "The comics industry lost a luminary this weekend - Mike Wieringo passed away Sunday of a sudden heart attack. Details are still sketchy as of this time, but according to close sources, the acclaimed artist had chest pains at some point during the day and called 911, but the responders did not make it in time."

One of my favorite comics artists. Very sad.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH NEW INDIANA JONAES COMICS - NEWSARAMA

DARK HORSE TO PUBLISH NEW INDIANA JONAES COMICS - NEWSARAMA: "Lucasfilm's celebrated action/adventure hero, Indiana Jones, the forerunner of popular characters such as Lara Croft, will be making a triumphant return in 2008 with the yet-to-be-titled fourth installment of the Indiana Jones film series. Starring Harrison Ford and directed by Steven Spielberg, the film is slated for release in May 2008. Dark Horse Comics is excited to announce that it has acquired the comic book rights to the world's most famous adventurer and will launch a new series in 2008. Fans can plunge themselves into the adventures of the fedora-wearing archaeologist well before then. In February 2008, Dark Horse Comics will publish the first of two Indiana Jones Omnibuses collecting Dark Horse's previous entries in the saga. Then April sees the release of volume one of Indiana Jones Adventures--a digest-sized graphic novel designed for the enjoyment of young readers as well as adults. The Indiana Jones Adventures volumes and the Omnibuses will continue on a quarterly basis--including Omnibuses for the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and the original Marvel run of Indiana Jones comics.

A comics adaptation of the film will be released simultaneously with the motion picture, followed immediately by an all-new Indiana Jones comics series."

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Donna says "I do!"

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Donna says "I do!": "Catherine Tate is set to return to the TARDIS for the complete 13 week run of Series Four of Doctor Who.
Award winning comedian Tate will reprise her role as Donna, the runaway bride from last year's Christmas special, despite turning down the Doctor's invitation to travel with him at the end of that adventure."

I don't think I want to go near a Doctor Who message board for, oh, the next year or so...

Thursday, June 07, 2007

From a press conference about the new Speed Racer movie:

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Multimedia message

The children were nestled all snug in their beds...

Monday, May 28, 2007

Star Wars: Video

Star Wars: Video

Preview of the new CGI Clone Wars cartoon. I'm looking forward to it.

Monday, May 14, 2007

Here's the first episode of a new web series by a bunch of former Stargate producers. It's only the first of eight installments, but it's enough to make me want to come back for the next part...

Friday, May 11, 2007

Paul Cornell's House of Awkwardness: British Summertime in the USA

Paul Cornell's House of Awkwardness: British Summertime in the USA

Can I just say, I love this book?

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Hammer horror films set to return

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Hammer horror films set to return: "Cult Hammer horror films will return to the big screen after the company behind the movies was sold to a group headed by Big Brother creator John de Mol."

(This would excite me more if there didn't seem to be an announcement of someone reviving the Hammer brand every 24 hours...)

Monday, April 16, 2007

Okay, I had started blogging about this week’s episode of Doctor Who, but had to stop for a work-related project. After I was done with that, I went out to dinner, and the restaurant had big TVs on all the walls. And that’s where I heard about the Virginia Tech massacre today.

Thirty-three people dead, and the gunman shoots himself. What’s up with that? What sort of person decides to just go out and kill 33 innocent people, and then kill himself? I mean, if you’re going to kill yourself anyway, why drag others along with you?

And yes, okay, I know, this is probably a crazy person. Or, you know, not. Still completely appalling, no matter what.

And every time something like this happens, and even when it isn’t happening, I think of those whiny anti-gun control people who will come crawling out of their caves and log cabins and out from under their logs, spitting out a mouthful of tobacco juice, moonshine, and wood grubs. They’ll take a break from picking ticks and fleas off their mates to remind us that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. And yes, it’s true that it takes a person to point a gun at someone else and fire it.

Having said that, it’s not often that you hear about someone bursting into a classroom or school building, stabbing 33 people to death with a knife, injuring more, and then turning his blade on himself. Because, seriously, maybe it’s not the guns, maybe it’s the people doing the killing, but when they do it with guns, they seem to do a lot more of it. And maybe if it were that much harder to get guns, then the number of people who are killed by them would drop a bit. And, yes, I do understand that if someone is well and truly determined to get a gun, the laws probably won’t stop them. But, you know, maybe it would stop those who aren’t quite so determined, who could be steered from the path leading to the worst school shooting in American history if only they encountered a little more resistance?

But, you know, we live in a country where Quakers in Idaho are now requiring all the people in their town to arm themselves against a possible invasion by Hurricane Katrina victims. So, sense? Out the fucking window.

Friday, April 13, 2007

FDA's Response to Tainted Pet Food Assailed - washingtonpost.com

FDA's Response to Tainted Pet Food Assailed - washingtonpost.com: "A Senate panel took the Food and Drug Administration to task yesterday for its 'inexcusable' response to pet food contamination and a month's worth of expanding recalls that have left Americans fearful about what to feed their cats and dogs."

Sunday, April 08, 2007

So, okay, last night, Doctor Who, The Shakespeare Code. How cool was that?

I admit, I am predisposed to liking my Doctor Who stories with historical settings. Maybe it’s because one of the first episodes I ever saw was the last part of Talons of Weng Chiang. Maybe it’s because the BBC just was more comfortable making period costume dramas than science fiction, and so were able to handle those stories better. Maybe because it’s something that more naturally suits Doctor Who than, say Stargate or Star Trek. Regardless, the idea of the Doctor and Shakespeare versus witches pretty much sums up what I love about Doctor Who.

I thought Dean Lennox Kelly’s Shakespeare-as-rock-star performance was a clever twist on the usual portrayal, although it’s not like the precedent hadn’t been set by productions like Shakespeare in Love. So often, though, it seems like the thinking is, “He’s a writer, and we don’t know much about him, so he must be quiet and shy and bookish.” Whatever. This version works just as nicely, I think.

And how great was Christina Cole as Lilith? The snooty edge that kept me from warming up to her as the heroine of Hex served her just fine as this week’s monster. And it was nice to see fairly traditional witches, and magic being dealt with in a fairly straightforward, Doctor Who kind of way (just a different type of science, really).

And I’m still really liking Martha.

So, next week, a return to New Earth, with the Cat Nurses (and other cat people, it looks like, so Penelope should get a kick out of it) and the foretold final appearance—presumably—of the Face of Boe. And lots and lots of traffic.
For some reason, Blog This won't post a link to this entry. So, here's the old fashioned way:

"Exciting news from BBC AMERICA's press department hit the wires this morning: the entire channel is undergoing a "radical makeover" later this year. The channel will now "focus exclusively on bringing U.S. audiences the very best in contemporary British programs - including a greater emphasis on our world renowned news coverage," according to our new head honcho, Garth Ancier. Lots of great acquisitions to announce, including MI-5 (Spooks to you UKers), the long-running youth soap Hollyoaks (which I love), Hotel Babylon, the new Jennifer Saunders comedy The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood, and new seasons of Hex, Life On Mars, and Doctor Who. "

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Press Releases

Peabody Award Press Releases: "Friday Night Lights NBC No dramatic series, broadcast or cable, is more grounded in contemporary American reality than this clear eyed serial about the hopes, dreams, livelihoods and egos intertwined with the fate of high-school football in a Texas town. "

There's one new episode left in the season, and previous episodes can be viewed at NBC's web site and purchased from iTunes. And this really is one of the best American TV series on right now, and it's a shame it isn't getting the audience it deserves.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

So I just got the news this morning that Penelope is just fine. I was more than a little anxious overnight; there was a message from Doctor Claws when I got home last night asking me to call him to talk about her blood work. And I was worried that if it was just fine, he would have said so on the message. But, no, it turns out all is well. We’re going to try a different cat food, one formulated for seniors, and see if that produces more regular results.

(And, no, his name isn’t really Doctor Claws. It’s Klaus. But it sounds the same.)

So now I can talk about Doctor Who, even though I’m not a huge fan of discussion about television on the Internet. So much of it seems bitter and negative and mean-spirited. Either people are focused on discussing what they’re not watching, or they’re talking about how they watch something week after week after week, and it never gets any better. Me, if there’s something I don’t like, I don’t watch it. And if I’m not watching something, and am watching something else, I’m more interested in talking about what I am watching.

The thing, I think, about reviews and criticism in general, and amateur net-reviews in particular, is that a lot of entertainment isn’t meant to be picked to pieces in the first place. I’m not saying that’s a license for careless or shoddy production. But if you hold anything up to close enough scrutiny, you will find flaws, particularly if you are predisposed to look for them. And I think that most amateur critics are predisposed to look for them, because pointing out flaws really proves how intellectual you are. (Just look at how fans at Outpost Gallifrey point out how Doctor Who Magazine’s reviews aren’t well-written because they are too positive.)

But despite the rise of TV-on-DVD and so forth, most TV is meant for this level of critical analysis: “That was good, I think I’ll watch it next week, what’s for dinner?” And that’s pretty much where I come from. If I like something enough, I may want to watch it again, maybe buy it on video (well, probably buy it on video, but that’s me). But if I watch it again, it will be to appreciate the things I like, not start focusing on the things I don’t.

Which is a long, roundabout way of saying that I liked the first new episode of Doctor Who’s third series, Smith and Jones. It isn’t as plot-heavy as some of my favorites, like The Girl in the Fireplace, but I think it’s important to look at the function of the episode. This is the story that introduces Martha Jones, the Doctor’s new companion. While School Reunion dealt heavily with the idea that the Doctor has had companions before Rose, and that he sometimes has to leave them and move on, for a lot of the audience, Rose was as much a part of the show as the Doctor. (Certainly, this is the case with my friends who have only seen the new show.)

Martha couldn’t just happen to be just any other character in a typical Doctor Who story who ends up traveling with the Doctor. Her first story needed to make the audience absolutely fall in love with her, and to do that, the focus needed to be on her. As an audience, we should be watching her, and paying attention to who she is and what she does, not having to worry about the twisty machinations of a complex plot.

Fortunately, Russell T. Davies gives us exactly what we need: a suspenseful, Die-Hard-in-Space story with big exciting effects and a really cool-looking monster, which never takes the spotlight off Martha. It gives her problems to solve and situations to react to, but doesn’t force the audience to devote attention to trying to remember twists and turns. It’s simple and straightforward without skimping on the emotional content we need to see what a great companion Martha will make.

So it looks like a great start to a new season. A great debut for a new character, and her supporting cast. And next week’s episode, with William Shakespeare and witches looks to be fantastic (and Paul Cornell says it’s pretty much Gareth Roberts bringing the style of his fantastic novels to the screen). So totally looking forward to the next twelve weeks. Just don’t try calling me on a Saturday night!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Just how much fun is it reading through my RSS news feeds on April 2, the day after April Fool's Day? Oh, the inanity...

Saturday, March 31, 2007

So, today, it was announced that Hill’s Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry food is being recalled because it’s tainted with rat poison or whatever crap was affecting the Menu Foods products that have been in the news. And Penelope’s food is Hill’s Prescription Diet t/d Feline. Which means that this news is about six inches to the left of my worst fucking nightmare. And while they haven’t announced a recall of the t/d variety, I can’t help but notice that it took them a week or so to figure out the m/d variety was tainted. Not wishing to wait around for them to discover that they make the food at the same place (presumably) I’m taking Penelope to the vet tomorrow.

But that’s tomorrow. Tonight, I watched the season premiere of Doctor Who, introducing his new companion, Martha Jones. Has it really only been two years since I sat down in front of the TV to watch Rose for the very first time? I remember being absolutely spellbound. It wasn’t just the flashy new opening title sequence (although seeing the TARDIS flying through the space-time vortex as never before was pretty exciting). No, when the show opened with that flashy, fast-paced montage of Rose in London, accompanied by the almost surf-rock sound of Murray Gold’s music, the whole thing looking nothing like Doctor Who had ever looked before, it was apparent that this childhood favorite that I knew like the back of my hand was a whole new, fresh, exciting, different thing. Something I wouldn’t just be watching as a piece of nostalgia.

And then the Doctor showed up. And it was so immediately apparent that he was the Doctor from my childhood, but also fresh, new, and different. And that was it. I was ten years old again.

So now it’s a new Doctor and a new companion. And it’s still a fantastic show.

Upcoming Pixar :: A Pixar Animation Studios Blog :: The Latest Pixar News and more

Upcoming Pixar :: A Pixar Animation Studios Blog :: The Latest Pixar News and more: "Pixar will delve into the area of VFX and live action with Brad Bird creating his first live-action feature length film, from the John Carter of Mars series. Pixar will provide the visual effects for the film with Brad Bird directing and Mark Fergus will co-direct and write the script."

Thursday, March 29, 2007

iTunes Introduces Complete My Album

iTunes Introduces Complete My Album: "Apple today announced Complete My Album, a groundbreaking new iTunes service that allows customers to turn their individual tracks into a complete album at a reduced price by giving them a full 99 cent credit for every track they have previously purchased from that album."

About Gruddamned time...

Monday, March 26, 2007

MARSHALL ROGERS DIES - NEWSARAMA

MARSHALL ROGERS DIES - NEWSARAMA: "Comics have lost another luminary. Details are still sketchy, but word came earlier today that Marshall Rogers died yesterday or Saturday. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. "

Very upset at this news. The first actual Batman comic I ever owned was--I discovered years later--Marshall Rogers' first full-length Batman comic.

So, so sad.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

ICv2 News - IDW to Publish 'Little Orphan Annie'

ICv2 News - IDW to Publish 'Little Orphan Annie': "Dean Mullaney, who is editing the new reprint edition of Milton Caniff's classic Terry & the Pirates comic strip for IDW, has informed ICv2 that his next project with IDW will be a similar reprinting of Harold Gray's Little Orphan Annie."

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Series Four confirmed

BBC - Doctor Who - News - Series Four confirmed: "octor Who will return for a fourth series in 2008, executive producer and lead writer Russell T Davies confirmed last night."

Monday, March 19, 2007

Comic Book Resources - CBR News: NYCC, Day 1: %u201CWhiteout%u201D Returns! Rucka & Lieber Talk

Somehow, I had completely missed this...

Comic Book Resources - CBR News: NYCC, Day 1: Whiteout Returns! Rucka & Lieber Talk: "Since then, little has been heard from Carrie, but that all changes in the fourth quarter of 2007 as Rucka and Lieber reunite for the third chapter of Carrie's story, Whiteout: Thaw, once again from Oni Press. Like the two previous series, Thaw will likely debut as a four issue mini-series (Rucka, Lieber and company are still finalizing their plans) in black and white once again."

Saturday, March 17, 2007

IDW TO COLLECT TERRY AND THE PIRATES - NEWSARAMA

IDW TO COLLECT TERRY AND THE PIRATES - NEWSARAMA: "Celebrating the centennial of Milton Caniff %u2019s birth, IDW Publishing will publish a fully authorized six-book series collecting the entirety of Caniff %u2019s groundbreaking newspaper adventure strip Terry and the Pirates. The Sunday pages will be reproduced in their original color, alongside the daily black-and-white strips."

Okay, now if only somebody would do Barnaby and Little Orphan Annie life would be many more degrees closer to perfect.

Oh, and Alex Raymond's Rip Kirby, which I've become a huge fan of thanks to King Features' Daily Ink.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Matt Madden's blog: Moomin and Lost: the revelation

Matt Madden's blog: Moomin and Lost: the revelation

Two of my favorite things show eerie parallels that I completely failed to notice. Because, apparently, I am very stupid.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Went to the NYC Comics convention this past weekend, about which more later. But I managed to completely miss this exciting announcement about childhood fave, Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew. Admittedly, it should come as no surprise that I didn't like their Geoff Johns-penned appearance in recent issues of Teen Titans, and I'm a bit concerned that this may be too much in keeping with those appearances. However, I do have faith in Bill Morrison (creator of the much-missed Roswell: Little Green Man) and original Zoo Crew co-creator Scott Shaw! So I'll definitely be ordering this.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Multimedia message

How embarrassing! Showing up wearing the same outfit as someone else...

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Masterpiece Theatre | The Ruby in the Smoke

Masterpiece Theatre | The Ruby in the Smoke

Just two weeks until the American debut of the adaptation of Philip Pullman's Victorian adventure story starring Billie Piper!