Just finished watching this week's episode of Doctor Who, "The Empty Child," a WWII-era horror story written by creator of the award-winning relationship sitcom, Steven Moffatt. And, with all due respect to Mark Gatiss' Victorian ghost story episode, "The Unquiet Dead," this is the one that's going to screw up an entire generation of kids.

Las Vegas SUN: Editorial: Library porn? For children?

So, how was your work this weekend?

So, today is my birthday (and I guiltily point out my Amazon Wish List to family members), and in about 2 1/2 hours, I'm heading out to see the new Star Wars movie. Which I might not have gone to see opening day, except that it did happen to fall on my birthday, so I figure that's a sign. So expect a nerd-tastic post later in the day.

Already, all signs point to a good day. I got the three new Doctor Who novels based on the new series in the mail yesterday--they were scheduled to be released today--so that's a nice birthday present, albeit one I paid for. Ditto the DVDs of the first season of the wonderfully surreal Nickelodeon The Adventures of Pete and Pete. Classic stuff.

And speaking of classics on DVD (or, well, stuff I like) I found a site selling DVDs of 80s and 90s TV shows I like that haven't been officially released on DVD. It's someone I had ordered a set of Tales of the Gold Monkey from in the past, and the quality was okay, considering that the source were VHS recordings of episodes off someone's TV. Apparently, she's branched out, and theoretically, I now have on the way The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr, a weird western comedy adventure starring Bruce Campbell, Bring 'Em Back Alive, which premiered the same year as Gold Monkey, also capitalizing on the success of Raiders of the Lost Ark, not as good as Gold Monkey, but co-starring Cindy Morgan, who I had a crush on at the time, and, finally, the holy grail of lost TV for me: QED. This was a very short-lived series about a wacky inventor in pre-WWI Europe, starring a fairly young Sam Waterson, now on Law & Order.

What to write about... Well, I finished Silverfin, the first Young James Bond novel. Most of the reviews I had read agreed that it was a well-written book, but "wasn't James Bond." Well, I can now say that they're absolutely right, but it's not James Bond, it's Young James Bond. He isn't a spy yet, he isn't a womanizer yet, he's just this kid. I thought it was a good, tense, thrilling adventure story, and the character did feel like he could plausibly grow up into the hero I knew and loved from the Ian Fleming books. So, you know, mission accomplished. Reviews from the hardcore Bond fans seem to indicate that they'd rather have something closer to the originals, which is fine, but those need to be taken for what they are.

Now, I'm reading Zorro, a literary novel by bestselling novelist Isabelle Allende telling the story of the classic pulp adventurer. Not too far into it yet (just into Diego de la Vega's teen years, a la Young James Bond), but it's pretty good so far. According to what little I can find online, the Zorro folks asked her to write the novel, and will use her fleshing-out of Diego's childhood as the basis for a trilogy of Young Adult novels coming out next year (coincidentally around the same time as the new Antonio Banderas movie...). So, we'll see. (Me, I've always liked Zorro and James Bond, so new books about them--as long as they're well-written--are definitely of interest.)

The final issue of Green Lantern: Rebirth came out last week, and I finally have something good to say about the series: it's over. Oh, and the art was nice all the way through. Shame about the story. I don't even want to complain about it any more. I'm just glad it's finished.

Speaking of appalling ends, I also watched the final epsiode of Star Trek: Enterprise. Now, I realize it's just TV, and just Star Trek, but that's no reason to screw it all up at the end. Especially since the series had managed to become so improved by this season, it was challenging Deep Space Nine for the title of my favorite Trek series. But the final episode... It's not just that the story was a fairly pedestrian hour, as opposed to the two-hour conclusions the other shows all got, which gave them all a certain sense of closure. No, this was just another Enterprise adventure, distinguished only by setting it on the day Enterprise was due to be decommissioned.

But what really screwed it up was the conceit that, instead of showing us the final voyage of Enterprise, we saw it in the guise of a holodeck story being watched by Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis as their characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation, set during an episode of that series. How pathetic, and somewhat condescending, that the cast of Enterprise didn't even get to star in their own finale. The drama was constantly being undercut by the intrusion of the Next Gen characters into otherwise tense scenes. But by far, the greatest slap in the face to those of us who will miss Enterprise and--speaking for me, anyway--who don't care about Star Trek: The Next Generation, would be allowing the Next Generation characters to cut off an emotional moment at the end of the episode, and giving them the final words. I understand that the producers wanted to give the whole broad spectrum of Star Trek a farewell, as this is the last TV episode of any series for the forseeable future. However, to do so at the expense of drama is just sad. (And, by setting this framing story inside an existing episode of Next Generation, and making constant references to it without explaining the whole story, just shows that the producers expect that the viewers of this episode to be completely familiar with that one. Which, really, would be one of the problems with Star Trek reaching a larger audience these days, wouldn't it?)

Meanwhile, the new episode of Doctor Who, Father's Day, written by nicest man in the universe Paul Cornell, was fabulous. And I've already read one comment, posted on David Howe's web site complaining that the episode is too much soap-opera and not enough sci-fi/fantasy. And it's an episode about Rose Tyler going back in time, saving her father, and the creatures from beyond time who are unleashed and devour the planet as a result of her time-altering actions, and if that's not sci-fi/fantasy, I'm not sure what is. Once again, I think what we're seeing is the need for fans (Doctor Who fans, in this case) to put things in neat, specific boxes, and a desire for only specific elements. Science fiction fans seem to be much more interested in plots filled with artificial twists and bullshit technobable, and less in stories that deal with an emotional core (hence the popularity of the soulless Star Trek: The Next Generation over it's considerably more complex and interesting spin-off, Deep Space Nine. So, to have an episode of Doctor Who that deals with the emotions of the characters... it must be soap opera. (Never mind that, if the show didn't deal with fully fleshed-out emotional characters, it probably would only be attracting an audience of hardcore nerds, instead of the mass popularity it has achieved. Never mind that, as Russell Davies points out, there's a difference between a story that deals with the emotions of the characters, and soap opera. No, it's obviously either/or in some people's minds. Thank goodness they're in the minority.)

BBC - Radio 4 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Forgot to mention this in time for the first episode, but the new radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is now being broadcast, and each new episode is available for one week on the BBC's web site.

Young Bond

I'm about halfway through the first Young James Bond novel, and it's great. But I can see why it's getting the mixed reviews it's been getting, but--as usual--that has more to do with the expectations of the reviewers than anything to do with the book. More later.

Okay, so I read Whales on Stilts, the first book in what appears to be a series called the Amazing Worlds of MT Anderson, by (wait for it) MT Anderson.  I say "appears to be," because the book is a parody of juvenile fiction series like (very specifically) Goosebumps or Tom Swift.  So regardless, it's going to read like an installment in a series.

 

Anyway, it was okay, but I wasn't completely overwhelmed.  (Friends have been recommending another of his novels, Feed, for a while, and that's probably better.)  I mean, it was funny.  Really funny.  Almost laugh-out-loud funny in places, along the lines of Tom Mason and Dan Danko's Sidekicks series.  But the plot and characters weren't really all that gripping, and as funny as it was, it really felt very Lemony Snicket in terms of writing style.  (Only, you know, more jokes and less of the "Let me tell you a story about a bunch of people who died" thing.)  And despite the cover, designed to look like a worn-out, retro series cover, it didn't really have the same sort of old-school feel.

 

So, as someone who had read the adventures of the Hardy Boys and similar series as a kid, and was expecting a post-modern homage to those sorts of books, I felt a little let down.  Which probably has more to do with my own expectations than any weaknesses on the part of the book.  Which means, if this were an actual review, I'd essentially be saying, "That's not the way I would have done it."  But, since this isn't a review, just my thoughts about reading the book, I can say whatever the heck I want.  And so I have...

 

Speaking of reviews, the next book on my list is Silverfin, the first Young James Bond novel by Charlie Higson.  I'd been looking forward to this, and even bought a copy rather than wait for the library to get it, but it's getting some so-so reviews.  Me, I wanted it because I like James Bond, I liked the Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) TV series that Higson produced, and I like the idea that it's a juvenile period adventure series.  (These books are written as if the original novels took place at the time they were written, in the 50s and 60s, which would place Bond's teen years in the 30s.)  And I'm undaunted by the mixed reviews, because--if it's not apparent at this point--I don't place a lot of stock in them.  Those reviewers won't necessarily be bringing the same things I am to the book, so they'll respond in different ways.  For example, School Library Journal wrote that the Alex Ryder books by Anthony Horowitz are a more exciting series of teen spy novels.  (And I hear lots of good things about those, so I'm going to read the first one of those and see how I like it.)  But the Ryder books are contemporary thrillers, and part of what excites me about the Young Bond ones is the period setting.  So... We'll see.

The Dukes of Hazzard - Yahoo! Movies Exclusive Trailer

Aaaaannnd... it looks like another childhood favorite has made it to the big screen intact. And just when I'm thinking it couldn't possibly look any better, Lynda Carter shows up. I'm so there!

Just finished Scrib, and it's great. Find it and read it.

Otherwise, it was a good weekend for "British Telefantasy That I Like." As posted earlier, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was number one at the box office, beating XXX-2. (Double-triple X?) A friend had told me he had heard this wasn't going to be the case, that Hitchhiker's wasn't going to break $20 million (it did, it seems), so I'm glad to hear it turned out to be otherwise.

Me, I actually managed to haul myself out to the theater to see Hitchhiker's Guide for myself. I mean, this is a story (or set of stories) I have loved since I was a kid. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this was my Lord of the Rings. And I thought it was great. I had read some early reviews that indicated it might be otherwise, but those reviewers were clearly hopped up on the goofballs. The movie felt completely true to the spirit of the original material. I had never really pictured the characters or settings in my head looking quite like they do here, but when I saw them, they felt so completely right, and the tone of the movie is so perfect, I felt completely at home.

Some of the reviews I had read complained that too much was cut from the original radio series or books or TV or whatever, but anyone paying even half attention would notice that Douglas Adams changed things when adapting the radio series into books, and then again into the TV series, and computer game, and whatever. Of course he would have made changes in turning it into a movie. (And I'm not interested in playing the game of what parts of the movie were written by Adams and which parts were by Chicken Run Karey Kirkpatrick. It doesn't really matter, because the script is good all the way through, and Chicken Run is a great movie anyway.) I had read articles and interviews where Adams talked about one of the problems with the movie being his not being interested in telling the same story over again in quite the same way, so it never would have been just like the radio series (which wasn't like the books, which weren't like the TV series).

And, really, the negative reviews which focus on what has been lost in translation ultimately just seem like people whining that their favorite bits have been left out, rather than judgments about whether the story still works. I mean, the audience I saw the movie with laughed at all the jokes just fine, so it's hardly a case of them being gutted. Part of the problem, I think, is that a lot of people's favorite bits come from the Guide entries, which are voice-over narration in the radio series and prose asides in the books. Well, voice-overs work great in an audio medium, but less so in a visual medium. (The TV series has plenty of them, but it's so completely cheap, it's really almost radio on TV anyway.) The movie, unsurprisingly, focuses more on big, beautiful images that look great filling the huge screen.

And it does, indeed, look great. As I said, at no point did I find myself thinking that this isn't the way things should look. (My favorite stupid review complaint comes from Douglas Adams freak-nerd MJ Simpson, who complained that the movie had completely changed the appearance of two-headed, three-armed Zaphod Beeblebrox. And, I suppose the freak-nerd has a point, because, as portrayed by Sam Rockwell in the movie, Zaphod does, indeed, look absolutely nothing like he did on the... radio... God.)

In the end, between the Simpson review and SFX Magazine--as well as the freak-nerds who write comics reviews at TheFourthRail.com and the ones who do Doctor Who fan reviews at Outpost Gallifrey--I've created a couple new rules/reasons to discount reviews completely. (As if I needed more.) First, I now place absolutely no value in reviews written by folks who are too close to earlier versions of whatever they're reviewing. (Here, I'm talking about movie or TV revivals, adaptations of anything, or long-running series like comics or whatever.) Those reviews inevitably aren't about the actual movie, or book or whatever. They're about the reviewer's memories of the earlier version or source material, and how the new version compares. Which, you know, means something if I felt exactly the same way about the original version. But, generally, I seem to be a little more flexible in my views, and more willing to accept the new, as long as it creates similar feelings as the old. The reviews seem to be more fixated on details, like specific lines, or the genders of characters, or whatever. So, since I'm almost never coming from the same place as the reviewer... useless.

Then there are the reviews written by folks who are intimately familiar with the material, who proclaim something as being inaccessible to people who aren't. I mean, get over yourself. How would you know? A review is all about your opinion, period, so just speak for yourself. The minute you start doing more than that, shut up. You've run out of things to say.

So the other great British telefantasy event this weekend would be the new episode of Doctor Who: Dalek. Written by award-winning playwright and TV writer--and Doctor Who fan--Robert Shearman, the episode loosely adapts his Big Finish Doctor Who CD, Jubilee. I loved the original, but it's been long enough since I heard it that this episode felt completely fresh.

For those not in the know, the Daleks are the arch-enemies of the Doctor, and probably completely responsible for the show's early success back in 1963/4. They're these mutated creatures inside these armored travel machines which, as Doctor Who Confidential points out, are basically personal tanks that are all the more terrifying because, unlike a full-sized tank, this is a tank that can come into your house and kill you. They're absolutely not human, but because--externally--they're devices, not creatures, they aren't obviously men dressed as monsters.

Having said that, I never really found myself scared by the Daleks in the way I did watching this week's episode. Too often, in the old series (see, now I'm doing it), the Daleks were just mobile guns motivated by hate, a virtually unstoppable army that--unsurprisingly--only the Doctor can defeat. This time, however, we meet a lone Dalek who has been held prisoner for 50 years, the last of its kind. The Dalek is treated as a character, aided tremendously by a fantastic vocal performance by Nick Briggs, and the audience feels sympathy as well as fear. The Doctor, too, isn't simply there to defeat the Dalek. For perhaps the first time, we see how his experiences with the Daleks have affected him. Yes, insisting that the Daleks are bad guys is an obvious response, but this Doctor is absolutely terrified, and that fear colors his reactions in a way we've never seen before. But, having said that, while this episode maps out new emotional territory for the characters and series, it does so in a way that never feels out of place. Fantastic.

Again, watching Doctor Who Confidential, it's clear just how much the new technology available to the production team helps this episode (as well as a generous budget). In the past, the Daleks have always had certain jerky, wobbly quality to them. This would be because the single operator inside the Dalek had to move it around the studio, operate the two front arms, turn the head, and move the eyepiece. And flash the lights in the dome in time with the lines being spoken by another actor. The new Dalek has a remote controlled head, including the eye stalk and lights, so the actor inside the thing only has to move the body around and operate the arms. Another actor operates the head. So this new Dalek moves more smoothly and confidently than any we have ever seen. Additionally, because the lines are being delivered on-set by Briggs, and the head operator can see him, the lights on the head are perfectly synchronized with the speach, for the first time ever. The end result: a Dalek with smooth, confident motion, who truly does seem like an implacable foe.

And then, the end... Not to give too much away, but the idea that I'd be watching an episode of Doctor Who and feel a lump in my throat or a tear in my eye... Okay, not unprecedented in this series: there was the cell phone scene in End of the World, the final scene of the same episode, the Doctor telling Charles Dickens his works would live forever in The Unquiet Dead, and the death of the pig-alien in Aliens of London. But that it would be a Dalek who would make me feel that way? Fantastic!

"Hitchhiker's Guide" Galactic - Yahoo! News: "Don't panic. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was the
biggest movie in the galaxy this weekend.

Despite some so-so
reviews, the sci-fi comedy trip got a thumbs up from moviegoers and
easily topped the weekend box office, debuting with $21.7 million,
thumping the weekend's other top newcomer, the Vin Diesel-less sequel
XXX: State of the Union, which stalled in third place with $13.7
million, per studio estimates Sunday"

So, last night, completely unable to get to sleep, I started reading Scrib, the new book by David Ives. I had loved Monsieur Eek, his first novel, and had no idea he had written another one until this turned up at the library. This one's another humorous historical, a Western this time, and I got through maybe half of it before making another attempt at getting to sleep (which failed, and I ended up reading half the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine instead).

Just wanted to point out that it's not just Star Wars on my reading diet...

So, as I write this, my Dad is in the hospital again, and I'm so upset, I can hardly think. I just came home from visiting him yesterday, and I can scarcely process the news.

It's weird; he's so excited about the new Star Wars movie, it's like he's... well, me, some 28 years ago. In fact, he had such a burning desire to find out what happens in the next movie, he bought the novelization and read it, weeks before the movie is due to come out. (It comes out on my birthday, by the way, and I've already bought my ticket.) He tried so hard to keep from giving any of the story away, but he's so excited and enjoyed it so much, he couldn't help himself. And now I'm excited about it in a way I hadn't been before, because now it's something we can share. (He even joined the Star Wars Fan Club so he could access the Hyperspace parts of the Star Wars web site, and hearing him talk about that, it made me want to do the same thing.)

When I went out, I brought the DVD and videotape of Cartoon Network's Clone Wars cartoon, which he hadn't seen. I wasn't sure if he'd like it; he's not a big cartoon fan, and he's not particularly interested in Star Wars stories beyond what's actually in the movies. But he really seemed to like these ones, and I'm glad we got to watch them together.

He gave me his copy of the novelization to read, after I've seen the movie, but in a strange way, that ended up prompting me to read another Star Wars novel myself, Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno. I had stopped at Dark Carnival, the sci-fi/fantasy bookstore I worked at in high school, and saw the book there. It's a prequel novel, set right before the new movie, and I thought he might get a kick out of reading it. He hadn't been feeling so good that day, and I thought he might appreciate a get-well present. And it was a book club edition that they were selling for only $12, which was a good price. However, once I got it back to the house and started reading it, I decided I wanted to finish it myself first, before I passed it on to him.

Now, it should be no secret to folks who know me that I don't mind reading books based on TV shows and movies and stuff. However, I've never been particularly interested in the books based on the various Star Wars movies. To me, the original three movies tell a nice, rounded-off story, and I'm not particularly interested in what happened next to Han Solo or Luke Skywalker or Princess Leia. (This, from someone who used to make up Star Wars stories all the time with his action figures. But that was between the movies.) And I'm not too interested in reading the Clone Wars novels that tell the wartime adventures of the characters between the current movies, either. At least, my interest isn't particularly piqued by the descriptions of the novels I've seen. But this one... I think it's because I saw how excited Dad had gotten by reading his new Star Wars book, and I wanted to feel some of the same thing. Only I didn't want to read the story of the new movie, so this was as close as I could get, reading this prelude. And, you know, it wasn't half bad. I'm still not overly interested in reading any of the other books--although maybe slightly more than I had been before--but I had fun with this one.

So, you know, thanks, Dad. Get well soon, okay?

And, to change the subject slightly, I also read this new graphic novel called Four Letter Worlds from Image Comics, an anthology based around four themes: Love, Hate, Fear, and Fate, done by all sorts of my favorite creators. (Folks like Joe Casey, Steve Lieber, Jeff Parker, Scott Morse, Chynna Clugston, Jamie Rich, Andi Watson, J. Torres... Can't be bothered to look up the links, but feel free to Google them if you like.) Not every story was a winner, but enough of them were to justify the purchase. Oh, and Jay Faerber and Steve Rolston's one about noisy neighbors... Complete slice of my life.

Not sure if I'm going to go see Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy tomorrow or not. May need the excuse to get out and be distracted. We'll see.

Once and Again - Press Release: Once and Again Season 2: "If you thought the idea of Once and Again season 2 actually being released was a dream, then this press release should be the pinch you need; you're not dreaming. Don't forget that this title is already available for purchase, along with season 1. Check out our Release Info page for more information.

Emmy Award Winner Sela Ward and Bill Campbell Star In
ONCE AND AGAIN
SEASON TWO

BURBANK, Calif., April 26, 2005 - Buena Vista Home Entertainment presents ONCE AND AGAIN Season 2, on DVD August 23. From Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, the creators of the acclaimed TV series 'thirtysomething' and 'My So-Called Life,' ONCE AND AGAIN stars Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Sela Ward ('The Day After Tomorrow') and Bill Campbell ('Enough,' TV's 'The O.C.') in the acclaimed drama series that follows the relationship of a divorced dad (Campbell) and a separated mother (Ward), and their ties to their extended families. Season 2 features the unforgettable proposal and marriage between the two stars and includes all 22 episodes from the show's second season in a 5-Disc DVD box set. Also included is episode commentary with creators Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz."

Longtime readers of this journal--both of them--will recall how much I loved Once and Again. When they put out the first season on DVD, I was overjoyed, only to have my heart broken (well, sort of) when not further seasons materialized. So, this is great news. Better news would be that the third season is guaranteed, but I'll take what I can get.

Apparently, one of the determining factors for releasing TV series on DVD is they need to appeal to a youthful demographic, because that's who buys TV shows on DVD. Which is why something like The OC gets released almost immediately, while there's still no sign of thirtysomething or JAG, two popular series that aren't "hip" choices for DVD release. Well, here's an idea. Maybe the sort of people who would buy JAG, or thirtysomething or Once and Again would be more likely to buy TV shows on DVD if the shows coming out on DVD were the shows they enjoyed? I mean, isn't this something of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Tru Calling - Best Buy exclusive season 2 set: "Reader Steven Serridge emailed us last night with the news that Best Buy had Tru Calling: Season 2 up for preorder, which was listed as an exclusive to the chain of stores. We tried to get more information from Fox, since Best Buy doesn't list much information, but we came up dry.

Here's what we know: the 6 episode set, which contains an unaired episode, will sell for $29.99. It'll be available on August 2nd. Hopefully we can dig up more information next week."

And while we're on the subject: thank you so much, Fox, for renewing the series for a second season, then truncating that second season to make way for series with better prospects (the almost instantly canceled North Shore and Pointless Pleasant), and then, not even running all the handful of second season episodes you did produce. So, yes, I will be buying this set.

'Jim,' 'Videos' in at ABC; NBC Drops 'Dreams' - Yahoo! News: "Meanwhile, word is that the fate of NBC's 'American Dreams'
has now been sealed, and the period drama, long considered a
long shot for renewal, will not return next season. NBC
declined comment Thursday."

One day a florist goes to a barber for a haircut. After the cut he asked about his bill and the barber replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The florist is pleased and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money; I'm doing community service this week." The cop is happy and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open up there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Later a Democrat comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Democrat is very happy and leaves the shop. Next morning when the barber goes to open, there is a thank you card and a dozen different books such as "How to improve your business and becoming more successful".

Then a Republican comes in for a haircut, and when he goes to pay his bill the barber again replies: "I'm sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Republican is very happy and leaves the shop. The next morning when the barber goes to open up, there are a
dozen Republicans lined up waiting for a free haircut.

Because I firmly believe you can never spend enough money or buy enough crap, I bought an iPod tonight. Sort of an impulse purchase, although with some thought behind it: I have to go home to visit the family next week, and I've got some Big Finish CDs I haven't listened to yet. The little, tiny low-memory MP3 player I had that would plug into my Handspring just doesn't hold enough. So, I got me an iPod. How hip I am! And, instead of listening to ... well, whatever I'd be listening to at home, I get to listen to The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, or the new Doctor Who story. Although, the thrill of listening to new Doctor Who stories on CD has paled considerably, now that we have new Doctor Who stories on TV...

As if the return of Doctor Who wasn't enough, I recently learned of another childhood Brit TV fave revival: Basil Brush. As a kid, during our year in New Zealand, the year that fatefully brought me into contact with Doctor Who, Blakes 7, The Tomorrow People, and Sapphire and Steel--which was so scary I couldn't watch more than the first episode--I remember watching The Basil Brush Show faithfully with my family. It was this sketch comedy show, hosted by a small fox puppet with the personality of Terry-Thomas. It was, I suppose, no Muppet Show, but Basil's pun-riddled, borderline-ribald wit had us all in hysterics. So, upon learning that there had been a revival, naturally, I bought the DVDs to catch up. (Sadly, the original is only available as a one-hour "best of" clips collection, which doesn't really do it justice.)

I've only seen one episode of the new one so far, and I'm not sure how I feel. I enjoyed it, and Basil seems very much the same character that I remember from 25 years ago. But the format has changed from a variety/sketch comedy show to a more standard sitcom setup, with a stable setting and cast of characters. (At least, that seems to be the case.) I still enjoyed it, I still laughed at Basil's jokes, but seeing him in the context of a 23-minute extended story, as just this guy interacting with the other regular characters (except he's, you know, a fox puppet) took some getting used to.

And I wonder whether you could make a variety show/sketch comedy show for kids any more. I can't think of any contemporary examples. Nickelodeon used to have some, like All That and The Amanda Show, starring the lovely Amanda Bynes, now star of the big screen and, well, the smaller screen. Maybe for a new Basil Brush show to exist, these are the changes that had to be made? And this brings us to the latest episode of Doctor Who.

SPOILERS FOR DOCTOR WHO: ALIENS OF LONDON FOLLOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.





In a lot of ways, this week's episode, Aliens of London represents the greatest departure from the original series. I mean, there are fans bitching about how the show's 45-minute long episodes lack the depth of plot and character of the original stories. (The original stories were usually told over the course of four 25-minute episodes, and "depth of plot and character" apparently means running around, getting locked up, and escaping multiple times.) For me, who tries not to get hung up on fiddly details, the biggest difference between Old and New Who is that, for the first time ever, the Doctor and his companion are presented as characters. By that, I mean they exist to do more than for the companion to say "Explain the story to me, Doctor," and for the Doctor to save the world. There's a difference between character and personality quirks, and that's a pretty handy example of the difference in what audiences expect from their TV shows between the 1970s (probably the last time Doctor Who was universally acclaimed) and today.

So far, the show has only hinted at the greater depth it has given its characters. In the first episode, tellingly titled Rose, after the new companion, Rose Tyler, we get a picture of her life, including her mother, home life, and boyfriend. This is to be expected; the old series usually made a token attempt at giving a background to the companions, which would be instantly ignored as soon as they went away in the TARDIS. In the second episode, however, the show introduces a device--a modified cell phone--that allows Rose to contact her mother from five billion years in the future. This is the first time I can recall where the companion's lives before meeting the Doctor were actually revisited and factored into the story. It was a touching moment, unlike anything the series had done before, and I loved it.

This week, the Doctor and Rose return to her home. It's only been a few days for Rose since she left, but on Earth, a whole year has passed. And we actually see how her mother has been dealing with the fact that her daughter has been missing without a trace for the past 12 months. Her boyfriend has been a suspect in her disappearance. For the first time ever, we get a--relatively--realistic view of what it might be like for the people who get left behind when the Doctor takes someone with him. In the context of contemporary drama, where the action and adventure stories play out against a backdrop of ongoing character interaction and development, this makes perfect sense. And it's freaked some longtime Doctor Who fans out.

I've read comments that complain about the intrusive nature of the "soap opera" elements in the latest episode. And this, from a Doctor Who critic/fan whose work I enjoy. (Also a heck of a nice guy, and a publisher of some pretty cool books.) And I haven't even bothered reading any of the messages on the forums at Outpost Gallifrey, because the subject headings are off-putting enough. To be honest, I think any fan criticism needs to be taken with this grain of salt: this is easily the most character-oriented episode of Doctor Who ever (or at least to date). As a result, this is the one that may feel to some the least like the show that they remember from anywhere from 15 to 41 years ago. And that's a long time to have loved something, and to find that it's changed... sometimes it's hard. To me, it's still a Doctor Who story, because Doctor Who has never been specifically this or not included that. It's still a show about the Doctor, and he's still fighting monsters, and, for me, at the end of the day, that's what still matters.

And it's still really, really good. I accidentally came across a photo of a pig-headed alien on the official web site, and thought it looked a bit silly. Who would have known that when I actually saw the scene involving the pig-thing, I would almost cry? Again, another first for the show. It's ironic that fans who are somehow under the impression that Doctor Who was ever aimed exclusively at adults, like it was a forerunner to the new Battlestar Galactica or something, accuse the new one of being too childish, because of burping killer trash bins or farting aliens. For my money, this version is the most emotionally mature version of Doctor Who ever.

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel: "SCI FI Reveals New Series

SCI FI Channel announced a slate of new original series for the 2006-07 season, adding projects from luminaries in film, television and literature to its roster of scripted dramas, miniseries and alternative series. The new shows will incorporate the mainstream appeal of fantasy, adventure and alternative reality.

The following scripted series are currently in development:

•An untitled project executive-produced by Academy Award-winning actor/producer Michael Douglas, based on the work of the late author Shirley Jackson (The Haunting of Hill House). Storylines and themes from Jackson's catalog of supernatural short stories will be woven into her real life experiences transitioning from urban mom to small-town matriarch.

•Heroes Anonymous, a live-action series based the comic book created by Scott Gimpel and Bill Morrison which follows a group of 20-something aspiring superheroes who form a support group to help them discover their own identity while carving out their secret identity. The series will be executive-produced by Lawrence Bender (Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction), Kevin Brown (Legend of Earthsea, Roswell) and Karl Schaefer (The Dead Zone). Gimpel and Morrison will write the pilot.

•Those Who Walk in Darkness, a drama based on John Ridley's (Three Kings, Third Watch) best-selling novel of the same name about an expert team of S.W.A.T. police whose primary mission is to hunt down and capture people who genetically possess super powers. John Ridley will write and executive-produce in association with NBC Universal Television Studio."

There are more series listed, but the one that interests me the most is Those who Walk in Darkness. I read the novel, thought it was great, and wanted more. The novel seemed to be setting some things up for a sequel anyway, so it's already tailor-made to be explored as a TV series. Plus, it's incredibly dark and humorless, which makes it a perfect fit with another new SciFi hit series, Battlestar Galactica. (Don't get me wrong; I love the new Galactica, but saying it's dark is like saying my cat, Penelope, is slightly fuzzy and enigmatic.)

Of course, the gutters of Hollywood and Canada are littered with TV series in development for SciFi that never make it to air (wither the proposed TV series spin-off from Chronicles of Riddick/Pitch Black, although that was tied into a failed movie...) so I'm not holding my breath.

Okay, so yesterday, I was disappointed at the news that DC Comics had discontinued its line of graphic novels reprinting strips from 2000AD. Today, I'm in a better mood, because, according to 2000AD Review, Rebellion (the company that publishes 2000AD) will be continuing the books on their own.

However, realizing just how much the possibility of the 2000AD books ending upset me has caused me to think even more about the comics I currently buy. And I don't want to fault DC here... okay, yes I do. This situation with the 2000AD and Humanoids (a French comics publisher distributed in the US by DC, also dropped due to low sales, which, until recently, were not promoted at all by DC) is pretty irritating. DC claims they're ending the deals with Rebellion and Humanoids because the books weren't selling. Well, as I've said, they didn't promote the books at all. I didn't see them reviewed in trade journals (not the ones we get at the library, anyway; obscure journals like Publisher's Weekly and Booklist and Library Journal), I didn't see ads aimed at bookstore stock buyers in those journals... Hell, I didn't even see ads in other DC comics. I mean, call me crazy, but since most of the big-name writers working for DC's Vertigo line got started in 2000AD, perhaps advertising their early works in Vertigo comics might have been a shrewd move? But no, they opted to not tell anyone that they were publishing these books--at the rate of three a month, mind--and then were surprised that sales failed to materialize. And then, instead of trying the bold step of attempting any marketing campaign, they canceled the lines.

(To be fair, I had seen house ads for the Humanoids books lately, but obviously, too little, too late.)

So what this says to me about DC is that despite being better than Marvel (the other big company in the US) at publishing diverse material, they don't actually know how to sell anything besides superhero comics. Which would be fine, if sales figures didn't indicate that the audience for superhero comics is shrinking, and that new readers aren't coming into the market. But what bothers me is that they're not willing to try to figure out how to sell other kinds of comics; they're apparently willing to just continue marketing a specific genre to a shrinking audience.

Well, maybe I've just done too much growing up in the past few years, but I'm no longer interested in superhero comics quite the same way I was, not even a year ago. So I'm pretty much dropping every ongoing DC superhero title I was getting. Not every single one; I've been a fan of Legion of Super-Heroes since I've been reading superhero comics, and it's finally good again, so I'lll keep reading that. Ditto Birds of Prey (huge Black Canary fan). And Gotham Central, the comic about the police department in Batman's home town, is still pretty keen. So is Superman/Batman, but when writer Jeph Loeb leaves the book in seven months, I'm going with him. But every other ongoing DC superhero comic I was getting is pretty much off the list, due in a large part to the fact that they've pissed me off. That, and these are the comics that just aren't exciting me the way they used to. Other comics from other companies seem new, exciting and different, while DC is making a big deal about restoring old characters to their old lives in really bad stories (yes, Green Lantern: Rebirth, I'm talking about you). They aren't telling stories about characters any more, and, more importantly, they don't seem interested in even trying. So, I'm out.

(Of course, there are exceptions. I'll keep getting miniseries from them, because those, by their very nature, are story-oriented, and finite. I'll keep getting stuff from their Wildstorm and Vertigo imprints, because those tend to feature new ideas, or non-superhero ones. And if it lives up to the previous work of the creative team, I'll get the new Supergirl comic, because I like the creators, and I've always liked the character. But that's it.)

Sorry if this is rambling a bit. Got some other stuff going on in my real life that I'm trying to distract myself from.

NEWSARAMA - DC SHEDS 2000AD/REBELLION & HUMANOIDS: "Their absence in the July solicitations was duly noted by the respective fans of the UK and France-based publishers, and DC late today issued an explanation for the missing 200AD/Rebellion and Humanoids solicitations: the publisher has ended its relationships with the European publishers, and will no longer publish their material in North America."

Considering that the 2000AD reprints were some of the comics I most looked forward to each month, this is really disappointing news. But really, you have to wonder just how much better the sales might have been if DC Comics had advertised them. At all. Ever. Even once.

And people wonder why comics sales are down...

Yahoo! News - 'Ronin' Mercenary Drama Headed to Small Screen: "CANNES, France (Hollywood Reporter) - 'Ronin,' John Frankenheimer's 1998 mercenary spy drama, is headed to the small screen as an hourlong TV series under development by Canada's Incendo Prods. and German-based Action Concept.

The series, announced by the two companies at the MIPTV conference on Monday, will follow the adventures of an international team of freelancing agents who take on jobs too hot for regular spies to handle."

I've actually seen the movie, and it's pretty good, but mostly for the really cool, really expensive European car chases. (Between that and the Matt Damon Bourne movies, I've decided it should be illegal to set a car chase in the US.) Can't see them matching that action for the TV series, and without the star power... I have visions of John Woo's Once a Thief, which I loved, but lacked the expensive look and feel of La Femme Nikita...

Boston.com / News / World / Australia/Antarctica / Handler punished for donning camel costume

This would be why I never check luggage when I fly...

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel: "Lost Finale Is Super-Sized

Javier Grillo-Marxuach, a writer and supervising producer on ABC's hit series Lost, told SCI FI Wire that the much-anticipated season finale will clock in at three hours and give fans everything they love about the show. 'In terms of epic storytelling and shocking destiny, you ain't seen nothing yet!' Grillo-Marxuach said in an interview. "

The New York Times > Arts > Television > Directions | Pilot Watch: Desperate Hours: "'Fathom' (NBC): Four characters around the world (including one played by Lake Bell, pictured) encounter a species of beautiful sea creature no one has ever seen. The characters' stories intersect over the course of the series, and viewers find out whether the creatures are nice or mean.


'Threshold' (CBS): Alien life forms land on a naval freighter at sea, but there's no sign of them. So where did they go? And will their friends be joining them? A team of scientists and agents (Carla Gugino, Charles S. Dutton, Brent Spiner) prepare for a possible invasion as they investigate the evil influence the absent E.T.'s appear to exert.


'Invasion' (ABC): Something strange happens in a Florida town during a hurricane. The kind of strange that involves aliens.


'Triangle' (UPN): On their honeymoon in the Caribbean, a young doctor (Ivan Sergei) wakes up to find his wife has disappeared from their yacht. He searches the islands for her, uncovering secrets as he goes.


'Supernatural' (WB): Two brothers whose mother was killed in mysterious circumstances drive around the creepy countryside hunting evil creatures."

Obviously, I'm thrilled that Carla (Sin City/Karen Sisco) Gugino has a new pilot, but my favorite title of these proposed new Lost-a-likes? Supernatural, about two brothers who investigate the... well, the supernatural. (This one comes from McG, the vowelless director of the Charlie's Angels movies who also produces the successful TV series The OC, as well as TV failures Fastlane and The Mountain.

And for the record, I've never been able to get through a whole episode of The OC, I made it five minutes into The Mountain before giving up, and I watched the whole first episode of Fastlane, because it was created by John McNamera, the genius behind Profit, Spy Game, and new fave Eyes. Clearly, with Fastlane he had just plain given up...

Thanks to cable movie channels, I watched Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed last night and Van Helsing this morning. At least, I think that's the order I watched them in; they're really the same movie, as far as I can tell. The one with Sarah Michelle Gellar, I watched last night, and the one with Kate Beckinsale, I watched this morning.

Ah, I make the joke, of course. Truth is, they were both fun. Not movies I would have cared to pay to see in theaters (which I didn't, so that's all right), or even movies I would have gone out of my way to rent, but when they show up on the movie channels, and all I have to do is have the DVR record them (in HD, no less) to watch at my leisure later... Well, that's why I pay for those channels, to be honest. (Well, that, and Deadwood, I guess.)

Van Helsing was probably the lesser of the two, partly because it was over two hours long, partly because my expectations had been raised by Stephen Sommers' earlier movies (the two Mummy movies and Deep Rising), and partly because Scooby-Doo had Linda Cardellini (ER, Freaks & Geeks, The Lot) as Velma. Scooby also had the advantage of deliberately choosing to use classic monsters from the TV show, whereas Van Helsing chose to give us updated versions of the classic Universal monsters. (Not that Universal Studios created Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman, but they do own the copyright to the most recognizable versions.) But while the monsters may not have caused the same echoes of nostalgia, the movie was still good popcorn fun. And it had a twist at the very end that I hadn't expected from a movie like this, which caught me off guard.

Having said that, I don't think the world needs a sequel to Van Helsing, so I'm not too crushed that it failed at the box office. And it's not as good a Kate Beckinsale monster movie as Underworld, I think. (Partly because, attractive as she was, the sight of her running around in a lacy bustiere fighting vampires while everyone else in her village is dressed in rags just looked silly. At least everyone else in Underworld was wearing tight leather outfits...) But if, as is rumored, Stephen Sommers' next project is a revival of Flash Gordon, this movie shows it might be fun. Here's hoping...

Okay, I had heard that Hugh Laurie had bowed out of the upcoming Superman movie--he was to have played Perry White--in favor of Frank Langella. I just read that it's because Laurie is too busy shooting the second season of House his Fox medical drama, which I watch and enjoy. That's unexpected good news.

(Except that Tru Calling was renewed for a second season, too, and look what happened there...)

CNN.com - Has Cookie Monster given up sweets? - Apr 7, 2005
Or have parents just given up parenting and setting boundaries for their kids? You make the call.

Police Impound SUV That Rolled Over Toddler

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy :: The Official Movie Website

April 29. Counting down...

(I've said it before and I'll say it again: what Lord of the Rings seems to have been for so many of my friends, and Harry Potter is to the current generation, Doctor Who and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy were/are to me.)

So, another fast food restaurant is now on my "no-go" list: Taco Bell. Now, don't get me wrong; Taco Bell was already on the way out for me anyway. It's the only fast food restaurant near my house where I have to ask for napkins at the drive-thru. But the other night, I just wanted something quick with melted cheese, so I went inside (the drive-thru was pretty packed, and, as noted, they pretty much suck). So I'm waiting for my food, and while I'm waiting, I'm listening to one of the kids in the kitchen crack one racist joke after another. Not going to repeat them, but the punch line for one was "Afroturf." I was getting ready to ask for the manager when my food came, and I decided not to let my food get cold over this. But when I got home, I called and complained, and explained that I wouldn't be coming back.

I mean, seriously, even though we're talking about some high school kid, if the restaurant doesn't have enough sense to explain to its employees how those sorts of comments can offend people with brains, and how they shouldn't be making those sorts of jokes over and over and over again within earshot of customers, that's their problem. And considering how ignorance and closed-mindedness is pretty much the cause of so many of the world's problems, I think it's worth clamping down on it wherever it's found. So I need to also write a letter to the corporate offices, because I'm just that irritated. (And, because they're all run by the same company, I'm also taking KFC and Pizza Hut off the list, too. At least I'm not going to be disappointed by no longer being able to go to places that are good...)

So, TV... Had DVR problems last week, which resulted in my missing the final (probably) episode of Carnivale on HBO (but it'll be rerun this weekend). Also missed last week's Deadwood, Project Greenlight, House, Blind Justice, probably Judging Amy, and I can't remember what else. Some of them (Greenlight, The Shield) I'll be able to catch in reruns. And at least I no longer have so much unwatched TV on the DVR...

Because of this, I didn't see the pilot of USA's new Kojak series, starring Ving Rhames, until yesterday afternoon, followed in the evening by the first hour-long episode. I liked it, because I like Rhames, but it's got an interesting tone to it. In ways I can't quite explain, it feels sort of retro, which makes it reminiscent of the original '70s series, but it doesn't feel old-fashioned. Doesn't blow me away, but certainly enjoyable.

I also finally saw an episode of Gray's Anatomy, after the first one was eaten by the bad DVR. It's a hospital show, and doesn't bring too much to the table, but the cast and characters are likeable, and it's only on for two more weeks, so I'll keep watching it. If only for Sandra Oh and Katherine Heigl.

And this morning saw the premiere of Cartoon Network's new series, Krypto the Superdog. As a kid, I always had a soft spot for Krypto's appearances in the old Superboy comic (the adventures of Superman when he was a boy), so I was looking forward to this. And, brought to us from the brains behind the Batman, Superman, and Justice League cartoons, this did not disappoint. I mean, I'm sure there are reviews on the 'Net bitching about how this isn't the dark, gritty, serious adventures of Krypto the Superdog, but, you know, screw 'em. I give those critics the same respect as the 'Net critics who can't deal with the notion that the new Doctor Who series is aimed at a general family audience, as if the original one wasn't. There ought to be more to criticism than "I wanted it to be something else," and I don't think there's enough of that on the 'Net.

I also managed to haul my @r$e out to the movie theater to see Sin City. I'd been reading Frank Miller's Sin City comics since the very first installment was published in the Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special. The movie adapts three of the graphic novels, and the biggest complaints I've heard relate to the fact that it contains three separate stories instead of one big one. Which, you know, overlooks the fact that if you faithfully adapt the Sin City books, none of them has enough story for a two-hour movie. So, again, we're back to the "This isn't the way I would have done it" criticism. Whatever.

And as much as I loved the first new episode of Doctor Who, the second takes it to the next level. The first was great, but needed to introduce Rose, and reintroduce the Doctor, the TARDIS, and the whole concept of the show. This week, we get the first regular adventure for the Doctor and Rose as a team, and it's fantastic. Taking place five billion years in the future, at the end of the world, it's a visual spectacle. But clearly, the producers understand that just because they can achieve images the original series couldn't even begin to dream of, all that needs to be in service to the story. Because that's what made the original so great, the fact that aside from the cheap production values and dodgy special effects, the writing and acting made you believe.

Forgot to mention before now that tonight saw the return of Tru Calling on Fox. This would be the severely truncated season of six episodes, because they thought they'd attract a bigger audience with stuff like Point Pleasant and North Shore. Whoops.

Anyway, as I mentioned again and again and again last year, Tru Calling is certainly better than it had any right to be. The central conceit (a young woman is able to help people by going back and reliving days, using her experience to prevent tragedies) ended up being handled nowhere near as trite and cliched as one would imagine. Plus, the ongoing character stuff is pretty interesting, especially after the introduction of Jason Priestly towards the end of last year as Tru's "opposite number" (she tries to save lives, he tries to stop her). I mean, yeah, it's just TV, but it's not too bad. It deserves better than it got, certainly. (From Fox? Who'da thought?)

BBC - Doctor Who - Eccleston quits: "David Tennant likely to be replacement for second series.


Ninth Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston has decided to quit the role, it was confirmed last night.


'The audience's response for the new Doctor Who has been incredible and I am really proud to be part of it and I hope viewers continue to enjoy the series,' said Eccleston.


Fears of typecasting, and the gruelling nature of the series' filming, have prompted his decision to leave the role. His last appearance as the Doctor will be in a sixty minute Christmas special. Billie Piper will be staying on as the Doctor's companion, however."

BBC - Doctor Who - Eccleston quits: "David Tennant likely to be replacement for second series.


Ninth Doctor Who actor Christopher Eccleston has decided to quit the role, it was confirmed last night.


'The audience's response for the new Doctor Who has been incredible and I am really proud to be part of it and I hope viewers continue to enjoy the series,' said Eccleston.


Fears of typecasting, and the gruelling nature of the series' filming, have prompted his decision to leave the role. His last appearance as the Doctor will be in a sixty minute Christmas special. Billie Piper will be staying on as the Doctor's companion, however.


Squarely in the frame for the role of Doctor number ten is David Tennant, currently starring in Russell T Davies' Casanova, and about to appear as Dr Briscoe in BBC Four's live broadcast of The Quatermass Experiment on Saturday.


Talks are in progress with the actor, although a BBC spokesperson said that other names might still be put forward.


Blimey - It's all go, isn't it?"

BBC - Doctor Who - Second season is go!: "BBC commissions second season and Christmas special.


According to the Guardian, Jane Tranter has commissioned more Doctor Who. 'I want to make Doctor Who again,' she said. She claimed to be shocked by the first episode's popularity."

Okay, now that it's appeared in the UK, I feel more comfortable talking about the first episode of the new Doctor Who. A preview version had been leaked out onto the Internet, and a friend sent me a copy. Not that I wasn't trying to download it myself, but I do have some extremely mixed feelings about that.

On the one hand, I really wanted to see it. Doctor Who is, without a doubt, my favorite TV show, my favorite fictional character, of my entire life. When I was a kid, ten years old, seeing the show for the first time (Deadly Assassin part two, Robots of Death part four, and Talons of Weng-Chiang part six, for those keeping score at home; perhaps some of the best first episodes anyone could see) it made an immediate impact. Here was this hero who wasn't a typical tough guy, who wasn't a maverick stuck trying to make his own way in an established organization. He was smart, he was funny, and he always outwitted rather than outfought his enemies. As a kid who wasn't all that physical myself, easily victimized emotionally by playground bullies, a part of me saw most two-fisted action heroes as not all too far from the bigger kids who treated me badly at school. Here, though, was the sort of hero I felt like I could comfortably aspire to being.

On the other hand, though, downloading stuff, in general, is something I find it hard to encourage. I think there is a difference between making a copy of a CD or a movie for a friend, and posting it online for millions of people to download for free. I won't download movies that I can rent or buy on DVD or see on TV, and I won't download music that I can buy on iTunes or whatever. And I don't think the Doctor would approve of it at all. But there's nobody going to show the new series in the US for the time being, and I'll be getting Doctor Who Magazine every month with previews, reviews, and articles about the new episodes, and I don't want to just set those aside for the next six months or more until all the episodes come out on DVD in the UK. So, I'm compromising my morals, but I do plan on buying the DVDs to make up for it. (Besides I do want nice, crisp copies to watch on my TV the right way; I can watch the computer files on my DVD player, but they're all compressed and relatively low quality.) So Doctor Who will eventually be getting my money; I'm not using the downloaded version as a replacement for that.

And I still feel guilty.

Anyway, that aside, I have to admit, I loved the episode. This was absolutely, 100% the show I've loved all my life, and still doesn't look or feel anything like that show at all in terms of style. It's as if the producers had decided to bring back this 40+ year old TV series as if it were something they expected people to want to watch. At its heart, it's absolutely true to the spirit of the original, but it is a completely contemporary production, not spending a second openly acknowledging that it is continuing a series that started in 1963, ran for 26 years, and has been off the air for the last 15 (not counting a TV movie in 1996 which now looks like a textbook example of how to fail at bringing Doctor Who back). It's lightining-paced, without an ounce of fat on its bones, and that seems to be the biggest hump for longtime fans to get over. Christopher Eccleston is fantastic as the Doctor, and Billie Piper is every bit as good as his companion, Rose. And while the script is, indeed, fast-paced, it gives the viewer all the information he or she needs, does it in a way that doesn't feel like forced exposition, and manages to keep things funny along the way without turning it into a parody.

In a lot of ways, it's a shame that every review I've read about the show (by people whose opinions I respect, not just random fans posting on Outpost Gallifrey; more on that in a moment) is colored by the fact that the reviewer has seen Doctor Who before. As a result, as much as they try to distance themselves from it, the reviewer can't avoid comparing the new series to the old. For what it's worth, I loaned the first episode to a coworker who had never seen Doctor Who, and she loved it. She's eagerly awaiting the next episode (whenever I can get my hands on a copy), and that, to me, is the strongest possible recommendation. Because reviving a show just to appeal to the fans is a losing game right off the bat. Just ask the producers of Star Trek.

(And it would appear that the revival is something of a success, winning its time slot against heavy competition. Hopefully, that will bode well for the future.)

I had decided that I didn't want to hear what Doctor Who fandom in general, as represented on the message boards, had to say about the show, but yesterday, I risked a quick peek at the boards. As expected, most people thought it was great, a few thought it was stupid, and neither side seemed to have anything particularly meaningful to say beyond that. There are probably valid criticisms to be made of this episode--I'm obviously too close to judge--but most of them weren't being made. Instead, people complained that it was too rushed, that there wasn't enough plot (as if those don't contradict each other), that it was too childish, and on and on. Again, criticisms that, I believe, come more from loving the show's past and being unable to separate that from the new series. Yes, the story does focus on Rose meeting the Doctor, getting caught up in the wake of his fight against an invading force. But it's told from her point of view, so she only sees the bits of his struggle that involve her. Does this type of story give us a full picture of the Doctor's battle against the Nestene Consciousness? No, but then, the episode is titled "Rose," not "Doctor Who Saves the Earth from the Nestenes for the Third Time." It's a great introduction to the Doctor's world through Rose's eyes, but for the fan who has known nothing but Doctor Who stories told from the Doctor's point of view, and who has been waiting 15 years for a new one, it's going to be disappointed. There's a difference between plot holes and expectation holes, and it would be nice if fans could recognize the difference. And that's why I'm staying away.

(In a lot of ways, I think the critics of "Rose" are similar to the fans who are giving so much love to the abysmal Green Lantern: Rebirth miniseries. They love the one because it returns a beloved character back to the way he used to be, so they'll overlook the fact that it's awful. They're upset by the other because it isn't exactly as they remember, so they'll overlook that it's good.)

And, ultimately, with over ten million tuning in to this first episode in the UK alone, it doesn't really matter what a handful of people out of a few thousand fans posting on an Internet message board have to say. What's important is it's back, it's good, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Easter Hip Hop! - FLOWGO.com

Happy Easter!

Yahoo! News - Schiavo Parents Beg Florida Governor to Intervene: "The FBI (news - web sites) arrested a North Carolina man for sending an e-mail offering a bounty of $250,000 dollars to anyone who would kill Michael Schiavo and $50,000 for killing a judge who has ruled in favor of the husband in the case.

The man, Richard Alan Meywes of Fairview, North Carolina, was charged with solicitation of murder and sending threatening communications and could face up to 15 years in prison, said the U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa, Florida."

And I suppose he's making a statement about Terri Schiavo's right to life?

Yahoo! News - Easter Bunny Gets Pummeled by Boy at Mall
: "BAY CITY, Mich. - The Easter Bunny is hopping mad. Bryan Johnson, who portrays the furry character at the Bay City Mall, says he was pummeled in an unprovoked attack on the job. Police say the attacker was a 12-year-old boy who sat on Johnson's lap the day before the March 18 incident."

Growing ever more frustrated and depressed by the ongoing attempts to subvert the American judicial system through the Terri Schiavo case, I found this story to be fairly refreshing.

A fairly cogent summary/overview of the Terri Schiavo case can be downloaded and read here, if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader. For me, this is a really frustrating situation, watching the government and president get very publically involved in a situation that the courts have already decided time and time and time again, just because they don't like the results. As I've said before, it's embarrassing, shameful political grandstanding at the expense of the dignity of this woman and her family, and that's pathetic. (The president will fly back to Washington from one of his many vacations to get involved in this, but not for any other issues? What an @$$.) Fortunately, the country in general, Red and Blue states alike, if you subscribe to that sort of thing, seem to be seeing through that crap for what it is. But just when I start to calm down, I read something like this:


Yahoo! News - Schiavo's Health Wanes As Parents Appeal
: "A perimeter around the federal courthouse was evacuated during the hearing after a suspicious backpack was found outside. The hearing was not interrupted, and the package was safely detonated using a remote device."

Because, of course, nothing says Right to Life like planning to blow people up.

Sci Fi Wire -- The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel: Davis Conjures Zatanna

Goodness, I've been a fan of Zatanna forever. (Once again, for everyone who made me listen to how excited you were about the Lord of the Rings trilogy... Stuff like this is payback, because these stories are my Lord of the Rings.)

Yahoo! News - NBC's 'Third Watch' Ends Shift

It's not like it was NYPD Blue, but I did watch this one faithfully (no pun intended). I do think it was reaching the end of its run, and wasn't really expecting it to come back next year. But it's still a shame.

Still no news about American Dreams...

Yahoo! News - U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Schiavo Case

In any reasonable world, this would be over now. (In fact, it should have been over long before now, but not for some shameful political grandstanding which shows total disregard for the people involved.) But apparently, governor Jeb Bush (again, lower case title is deliberate when it comes to the Bush family) still won't stop trying to interfere.

Expect to hear me bitch about this more this weekend, probably.

news: "The Mighty Boosh is to be shown in the U.S.A. BBC America has bought the Boosh and will be showing it soon, sandwiched between reruns of Benny Hill and The Office. Dates and times to follow."

Oh, thank God.

Let's see, it's been a while, so I have some catching up to do. But what I really want to talk about is TV, of course.

First, my freaking DVR has been randomly erasing programs for no apparent reason. The cable company asked me all sorts of questions designed to get me to confess that I didn't know how the thing worked. Fortunately, I do understand that I can set the box to automatically delete things after a certain point in time, and I also know how to keep that from happening. After much to-ing and fro-ing, I even managed to convince him of that, and it appears that the only sure remedy would be to either replace the box or reformat the hard drive, which would involve me losing what programs it hasn't already erased on its own. So I'm trying to watch what's left as quickly as possible, to allow that to happen.

Last night saw the first halves of the season finales of Stargates SG-1 and Atlantis. The SG-1 episode was pretty dull, I have to admit. Most of the time was spent in an alternative timeline where Daniel Jackson and Samantha Carter were embarassing stereotypes of nerds. Much talking, much trying-too-hard cuteness, no real drama. And no real suspense about whether everything will be eventually restored to The Way It's Supposed To Be, either.

Meanwhile, on Atlantis, we got a pretty dark, suspenseful build-up to the climactic Wraith attack (which has been a danger since the very first episode). There was conflict, there was drama, there was humor that wasn't childish, there were ships getting blown up, and a recurring character was killed. This one, I'm honestly not sure how it's going to turn out. I really enjoy both shows, but it's become clearer and clearer as the season has worn on that I really prefer Atlantis. Maybe it's the thrill of the new, maybe it's that SG-1 is the pulpier, more fun one, while Atlantis is a bit darker and edgier (as befits their respective timeslots, I guess), but this is a rare case where the spin-off is every bit as strong as the original. (Sort of like Deep Space Nine vs Star Trek: Next Generation, only I like SG-1 so much better than Next Generation...)

Meanwhile, Battlestar Galactica continues to be as dark and nasty as ever. And I think I may be falling in love with Mary McDonnell.

And there are two episodes left for American Dreams. NBC is saying it's two episodes left until the end of the season; I'm betting that it'll be the end of the series as well, sadly. So please, while Lost is in reruns, watch American Dreams while you can. Probably won't do any good at this point, but still...

The Mighty Boosh - Shiny Shelf
I have a new radio comedy passion, and it's all the fault of this review. Because we share a mutual loathing of Green Lantern: Rebirth, I feel that the folks at Shiny Shelf and I are sympatico, so I took a chance on the CD of The Mighty Boosh based on their recommendation. 2/3 of the way through, it's genius. (And, God help me, it's now a TV series, with the first series due out on DVD in the fall.)

Yahoo! News - 'Buffy' Creator Lassos 'Wonder' Helm for Warners
I'm not sure, but I may have just heard the geeks of the world having a collective orgasm.

SFX - FEATURE: Doctor Who episode two picture preview

More pictures, this time from the second episode of the new Doctor Who. Of course, it's possible they'll look lousy when actually moving, but they certainly appear to be a far cry from the papier-mache/cardboard/duct tape of the original...

Entertainment News - [TV Guide Online]: "WHERE'S THE HATE?: Ah, here it is: A music video for 'We Are Family' featuring whippersnapper faves ranging from SpongeBob to Miss Piggy is being distributed to more than 60,000 schools to promote tolerance of diversity — and of course, conservatives are freaking out. The editor of the American Family Association's journal has asserted that 'one of the differences being celebrated [by the project] is homosexuality.' And as everyone knows, gay kids are not to be accepted but rather mocked, cast out or beaten. Nice."

SFX - REVIEW: Doctor Who, episode one

Okay, I just saw the first episode of the new Doctor Who series and wrote an extensive, heartfelt entry about what Doctor Who means to me, and why I can't be objective about it or anything. And then freaking Blogger lost it.

So, instead, here's a review that pretty much says what I thought about the episode (almost verbatim, really), and I'll maybe try to reconstruct the blog entry later. Although it won't be the same.

BBC - Doctor Who - Homepage

Okay, the official BBC Doctor Who site has posted these tiny little teasers for the new series, and in them, we get a glimpse of the TARDIS interior (designed by comics artist Bryan Hitch). Which probably means nothing to most of the folks reading this, but I'm pretty excited.

Apparently, a copy of the first episode leaked out onto the Internet last weekend, and all sorts of negative reviews are being posted to Ain't It Cool News, clearing house for All Things Loser. Me, I've only read excerpts of one professional media review, which was apparently quite positive, and read the review Warren Ellis put out on his mailing list, which was also quite positive. (And he tends to hate everything; hated Farscape, hated the Battlestar Galactica miniseries, liked the first episode he saw of House, but doesn't think there's enough variety... I think he may have hated Firefly, too, but who knows?) Me, the impression I get of the great, steaming geek-fest that is AICN is that it's a bunch of fat, sexless losers who still live in their mothers' basements (all metaphorically speaking, of course), who are so desperate to not be seen as, well, what they are, that they try to put on an air of sophistication and disinterest by hating almost everything. Having said that, it's the crowd that loved box office (and, in my opinion, artistic) failure Sky Captain and the Pretty, but Dull, Plotless, Uninvolving, and Personalityless World of Tomorrow, so that shows how much their opinions affect the rest of the universe...

Last night was an HBO night: Season premiere of Deadwood and a new episode of Carnivale. Deadwood, of course, was insanely wonderful. It's almost like they've taken the success of the first season as license to go even further, and I don't mean with the coarse language and violence everyone knows the show for (although that's certainly there, and makes The Sopranos look like a tea party). No, it's like the dialogue is even more stylized and highly crafted, like some mutant old west hybrid of Shakespeare and David Mamet.

Carnivale is headed firmly into the final quarter of the season, which hopefully won't be its last (although I'm not holding my breath; ratings have plummeted calamitously... Crap, now David Milch has me talking like that...). This week featured a particularly disturbing tar-and-feathering sequence that I won't soon forget. Definitely like nothing else on TV, that's for sure, which is probably why so few people are watching it.

And they ran an ad for a new series coming this fall: Rome. From the brief clips shown, it looks gorgeous. Can't tell who's in it, don't know who created it, nothing, but it stands more than a chance of being great. (I mean, I'm not a fan of all HBO's shows, but I won't deny their qualities, even if they don't appeal to me.)

And I managed to download a couple of episodes of the New Captain Scarlet TV series, only to discover they won't play on my computer, or on the ones at work. They do, however, play on my DVD player. Well, sort of. One of them plays without sound, which is weird, because you'd think they'd both have that problem... Anyway, so I remain optimistic that I'll be able to watch the New Doctor Who fairly close to its broadcast date. Which is all I really want, really.

And I can't comment on the Captain Scarlet episodes, because I haven't actually watched them yet.

Another Friday night and I was too goddamned tired to watch TV. Thank goodness for the DVR (assuming it's working).

What I did watch this morning, having recorded it last night, was the second episode of Law & Order: Trial By Jury, the twenty-seventh consecutive L&O spin-off series. (Seriously, it's only the third, making a total of four prime-time hours a week NBC devotes to Law & Order, not counting the nights they rerun it, plus the reruns of all the shows on various cable networks...)

Yes, you heard right: I watched two whole episodes of a Law & Order spin-off. How did NBC force me to do that which I hate? They cast Bebe Neuwirth in it. That's right; Fraser Crane's ex-wife, Lilith, is now a NYC prosecutor. And she's such a fantastic actress--like so many of the L&O cast members--that she manages to rise above the incredibly wooden lines flying around her. And, of course, like any L&O show, the dialogue continues to be crap. It's the same stilted, trying-too-hard dialogue that continues to drive me away from the CSI family, the school of writing that insists that if someone is killed by decaptitation, someone has to say something like, "He'll never get ahead in life." It's the kind of stuff that you expect to hear with an Austrian accent in an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, but not coming from folks we're expected to believe are real people.

Still, it's got Bebe Neuwirth as Robotrix Prosecutor, and that's just fine. (And Amy Carlson, who starred on Third Watch and the underrated series Peacemakers (or CSI: Deadwood), rerunning on CMT, of all places.) And it featured Jerry Orbach's last performance--making lame cracks about his ex-wife, still; who'da figured?--so it's kind of bittersweet.

Anyway, not recommending it, but I'll probably stick with it as long as it's replacing Medical Investigation, and not adding something to my schedule.

And I got the new Doctor Who Magazine yesterday, the first with tons of new photos and previews of the new TV series. March 26, it's supposed to premiere in the UK. And they're saying the DVDs may come out as soon as October. (Hopefully, I'll be able to catch it online before that, otherwise I won't be able to read my magazines...) I'm all giddy with excitement.

Not to harp on Green Lantern: Rebirth again, but here's another "critic's" non-critical view:

NEWSARAMA - JOURNEY INTO COMICS: GREEN LANTERN'S RETURN AND SHORT TAKES: "DC relented and with Green Lantern: Rebirth (DC, $2.95) Jordan is coming back as Green Lantern in a six-issue series followed by a regular monthly title.

Writer Geoff Johns and artist Ethan Van Sciver came up with a perfect vehicle to explain away Jordan’s insanity, sacrifice, death and resurrection. The series, now up to issue 4, is a thing of beauty."

Perfect vehicle? Thing of beauty? Again, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the story that takes away a human emotional response and replaces it with the yellow fear alien.

Lest it appear that I don't do anything besides watch TV, I just finished a book the other day: The Nimble Man by Christopher Golden and Tom Sniegoski, both authors whose work I've enjoyed in the past. This is the first in a new "dark fantasy" series, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle as the immortal magician leading a team of ghosts, vampires, and other mystical beings in a bid to defend the Earth against... well, other mystical, creepy stuff. All very Buffy, really, which makes sense, because Golden is perhaps best known as the author of about a million Buffy novels. (He also cowrote the Ghosts of Albion webcast series with Buffy actress Amber Benson, also soon to be a series of novels.)

Anyway, as I said, this first novel featured a story that felt straight out of Buffy or Angel, with some big, horrible Power From Beyond Time menacing the planet. And the novel fell a bit flat for me, partly because the plot did feel so familiar, and partly because this is the first time we've seen these characters, and they're up against what is reportedly such a huge threat. Time and time again, Doyle tells his people (and the readers) that this problem is far greater than anything they've ever faced before. Trouble is, we haven't seen how they've handled anything else before, and when (surprise) they win here, it doesn't seem all that hard, either. Very much ado about nothing, really. (And then, the book sets up future stories when we're told that there's something even worse coming down the pike, but again, if the fairly generic Ultimate Evil Monster they face in this book was supposed to be such a challenge, then how bad are we supposed to believe the next one to be?)

The next book comes out sometime this spring, I think, but it's not a high priority. (A higher priority is the first full Ghosts of Albion novel in the fall, because the web series has been a lot more fun.)

So last night was, of course, the series finale of NYPD Blue. I think it may take some time for that to sink in. I mean, the show ran for twelve years, and I watched it all the way through, from the first episode to the last. Okay, I may have missed the occasional episode here and there, but that's different from, say, drifting away completely, as I did with Law & Order, or joining partway through, like Stargate SG-1, or even leaving and coming back, like ER and Judging Amy. In fact, I think the only show I watched so faithfully for so long has been Doctor Who. Funny how one leaves the air mere weeks before the other comes back...

Anyway, it was the perfect conclusion to the series. Andy Sipowicz--the only character to stick around through the whole series--has entered a new phase of his life and career, so there was a sense of completion and closure. But there's also the sense that life, and the world, goes on. For the most part, the story was just another episode, with very little to distinguish it from the rest, and that's the way it ought to be. Only at the end, when all the characters, one by one, stopped by Andy's new office to say goodnight, did it feel like something was coming to an end.

And the whole thing was preceded by a retrospective hosted by former cast member Jimmy Smits (who almost makes me want to watch The West Wing this year, but not quite). It reminded me of how much I had consistently enjoyed the show for the past 12 years, and how much I'll miss it. The first two seasons have been released on DVD, and, of course, I own them. (I own freaking One Tree Hill, Wonder Woman and The Greatest American Hero on DVD; you think I'm not going to buy my favorite show?) And when I watch those early episodes, I am reminded of how groundbreaking and different the show was when it premiered and, although quite honestly, as time passed, it did grow to look more like the rest of what was on TV, it remained very good right up until the end. I hope, hope, hope, the remaining ten seasons get released on DVD, because it's a series I don't want to let go of.

Of course, last night also saw the premiere of The Amazing Race 7. It appears to be off to a great start, although I already hate Survivor vets Rob & Amber. They're just so freaking smug, and they really don't need to be on another show like this. (And they're using their fame to get the advantage, which just sucks.) I was sorry to see that the first team to be eliminated was the redneck friends, because I would have liked to have seen if they were more than the stereotype. Teams I already don't like: the really annoying gay couple, and the on-again, off-again couple. I do like the mother-son team (although she's already showing some irritating traits), and I like the war "hero"/beauty queen couple. In a lot of ways, they remind me of the previous race's Jon & Kris, who almost won by remaining calm and competent throughout, and only lost through sheer dumb luck. This couple seems similarly nice, only they're not as bright, and they're letting other teams walk all over them. I'd really like to see them grow a spine and start taking charge.

Oh, and my stupid DVR, which has been giving me my share of problems lately (the other week, it deleted a bunch of WB shows for no apparent reason) failed to record the first two episodes of the new Gordon Ramsey series, [B]Boiling Point[/b], and I didn't realize it until it was too late.

So it hasn't been officially announced by the producers yet, but apparently, Lexa Doig has joined the cast of Stargate SG-1 as the new medical officer (and possibly the daughter of Beau Bridges' new character). Now, I'm a huge Lexa Doig fan--she was the only reason I was watching Andromeda, until even that wasn't a good enough reason--so that's good news, as far as I'm concerned.

(Beau Bridges? Doesn't he have an Oscar, too? Or is it just the other new recurring cast member, Lou Gossett, Jr?)

So, despite my earlier comments, I find myself watching the Oscars after all. (Which is odd, since I haven't seen any movies this year, really.) And they just had the tribute to people who passed away over the past year, and I felt a lump in my throat when they showed Christopher Reeve.

Okay, so the Oscars are on tonight, and before anyone asks, I only care to the extent that there's no new episode of Desperate Housewives.

According to SciFi.com, the New York Post is reporting that Joss Whedon, who hasn't even officially been confirmed as making a Wonder Woman movie, has two actresses in mind for the lead part: either Jessica Biel, the young female lead of Seventh Heaven/Blade: Trinity/Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame, or Kim Bassinger, who is pushing 40 (pushing it right back into 50, at this point...) I wonder which one of these names seems more likely?

Trying to get caught up on stuff (okay, TV) that I didn't get done over the weekend I was at the convention. So I don't want to take the time to write a long entry right now. Besides, Penelope seems to be too happy to see me for me to want to ignore her while I type away.

She's sitting on my lap right now, purring away. Actually, now she's standing up, making it a little difficult to type... Anyway, I talked to her vet last night, and it turns out her latest thyroid level test results were lower than the last time, so Dr Suzuki is inclined to believe that we don't have to worry about hyperthyroidism after all. (Which means no radiation therapy. This is a good thing.) Also, while it's raining again outside, it stopped for most of the day, and my house failed to float away or acquire a brand-new carpeting of water. Good things, all.

How's this for irony? After the rainy drive home, after the flood warning, after discovering my DVR mysteriously erased episodes of Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, and Smallville that I hadn't seen yet, and after getting far too many phone calls from my parents in the space of an hour (I love my dad, but after spending the weekend away, and after driving five hours through non-stop rain, I'm just not in the mood to talk about the latest opera he listened to, you know?), I listened to the latest Tomorrow People CD from Big Finish, ironically titled A Living Hell. Actually the perfect way to end the day, having met so many folks from Big Finish over the weekend. This particular CD wrapped up some ongoing threads from the previous couple of year's worth of stories, and felt very much like a season-ending cliffhanger for a TV show.

Anyway, I just wanted to point out that BBC America has a bunch of new stuff either on or coming. The new season of Monarch of the Glen premieres this Saturday, although they ran the Christmas special this past Saturday, and I watched it then. It's obviously a made-for-the-tourist-board romanticized, isn't-the-landscape-pretty series, like Ballykissangel, but in both cases, I enjoy them for the characters and humor, not because I'm looking for a documentary about the region. And Gordon Ramsay has a new show, Boiling Point, coming March 1. I really enjoyed Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (all four episodes), so I'm looking forward to this one.

Just got back from Los Angeles (okay, Van Nuys) to find that my neighborhood is under a severe flash flood warning. Figures. It was pouring down rain all the way from Southern California to here, and I'm pretty seriously hoping that my house doesn't float away.

Anyway, I was in LA for Gallifrey One, the big West Coast Doctor Who convention. I'll write more about it later, probably, but right now, I'm still all excited about having met Elisabeth Sladen, an actress from the show who was an early adolescent crush. (She played the lovely Sarah Jane Smith.) I had decided fairly early on that I wasn't going to try to get any autographs this year, and had resigned myself to the idea that I would only be seeing her when she was up on stage. The final night, though, after the closing ceremonies, I saw her talking to someone in the hall just as we all came walking out of the big room, and asked her if a con-friend (someone I had just met at the convention) could please take a picture of me and her. She said yes, so I actually have a photo of me with a childhood heroine, and I managed to completely fail to say anything completely embarrassing. So I'm pretty much still walking on air.

untitled

I'm looking across the library at a woman wearing this had with a huge, wide brim decorated with (silhouetted against the back windows, and at a distance) appears to either be a phenomenal feather boa, or a caribou hide.  I wasn't aware they made hats like that any more, and was even less aware that people wore them.

 

This may be the first time ever that I've wished I had a cell phone camera.