Recently in Television Category
Easter. Wanted to travel, but everywhere was too wet, too cold, too dear. And so I am rewatching Battlestar Galactica, Season 1, for the fourth or fifth time.
Shepard himself is a fan of he series, he called it 'the most political show on television' in a Q&A session last year and practically begging Ron Moore, the show's creator, for a part. His love for the material shines through in his performance.
I'm bloody tired of those Taiko drums though.
Starbuck: Now, if you were human, you'd be just about ready to start offering up some false information about the location of the nuke. Some tiny thing that might get you a reward and maybe spare you a few minutes of this. But then I keep forgetting, you're not human. You're a machine.Battlestar Galactica is a weird show for me. I stopped watching it back in 2003 when the first season was in progress, finding it too dark for my mood back then. I like darkness a lot, but at the time I wasn't up for it. When my head was in a better place, I started re-watching everything and now think it's fantastic. I can't wait for more and I am sad it's ending, but happy it will end before it starts to suck. I'm also pleased a spin off, Caprica, will be made.
Leoben: I am more than you could ever imagine. I am god.
Starbuck: Permission to speak off the record, sir?The strange thing is I don't like anybody in the show. 'Like' on lots of levels. I am not a fan of any of the actors, I don't find anyone particularly attractive, I don't care much for them as individual characters... they're all bastards. But I love the show, love the ensemble, love how they interact, love the way everything looks and I love how smart the show is and how it touches on various political and religious topics.
Tigh: Granted.
Starbuck: You're a bastard.
Romo Lampkin: There is no greater ally, no force more powerful, no enemy more resolved, than a son who chooses to step from his father's shadow.If I had to pick a favourite on the show, it would probably be Romo Lampkin, who only appears in a handful of episodes in Season 3. Played by the always charming British actor Mark Shepard (Firefly, Medium) Romo's presence managed to make me forget the utter drudgery of the Starbuck/Anders relationship, if only because I kept wondering why Shepard was putting on an Irish accent for the part.
Shepard himself is a fan of he series, he called it 'the most political show on television' in a Q&A session last year and practically begging Ron Moore, the show's creator, for a part. His love for the material shines through in his performance.
Baltar: Congratulations... You're not Cylon. 100% human, and very, very bright green as well... You couldn't be more human if you tried.BSG in ways is like the West Wing, another show so dense I can watch it again and again and again and never get bored. What's so good about Battlestar Galactica is that it's not about the scifi, just like the West Wing wasn't about the President. It's about us. Which everybody who is watching the show already knows, but now you know too.
I'm bloody tired of those Taiko drums though.
I'm sorry, but the first scene made me laugh so hard I couldn't take the rest of the story seriously at all. Because Barrowman running in and shout-acting 'Stop, nobody touches him until I get back, is that clear...'? That wasn't television. That wasn't a musical. That was the local elementary school's 6th form's first rehearsal of the drama teacher's play.
Verdict: Really, really bad Buffy, without the making sense.
Verdict: Really, really bad Buffy, without the making sense.
Was I looking forward to a double bill of Torchwood last night? Hell, yeah! But when I switch on the computer my brain just goes *poof* and it was midnight before I looked up and realised I'd missed both episodes. Still, ve haf vays and means... it was 1am when S2e05 came in, and 1.45 am when 06 automagically arrived. So no live blogging this time, sorry folks, I'll try to do better next time.
Holy mackerel, 'Adam' was good. This was the first episode of Torchwood that I don't feel like bitching about. How can it possibly be written by the same person who wrote the previous dirge of an episode, ' Meat'?
Barrowman! Way to tone down the musical theatre vibe. Yeah, he was still over the top, but it fit right in with the madness of the episode. Great to get a bit of Jack back story. Ianto... he's still got an ugly cry on him, but when he channeled the psycho killer he was truly frightening.
I must be starting to care for this bunch of oddballs, because I felt genuinely creeped out by the fact that the alien had messed with their memories and screwed up their personalities and relationships. I wanted the old team back, stat! Poor Rhys, I felt so sorry for him. Toshiko and Owen's personality switch was comical more than anything else, though Naoko Mori showed her vamp is far more convincing than her geek.
The guy who played the monster of the week, living off of the memories of our heroes, did a great job, particularly in the final scenes with Jack. He had a real genuine old school tragic villain vibe about him, sort of a throwback to older episodes of Doctor Who or Blake's 7 that I enjoyed as a kid.
So... creepy, funny, poignant... a big fat A from me. Yeah, I really prefer this series when it's mostly about human behaviour and doesn't have to rely on cheap CGI.
Holy mackerel, 'Adam' was good. This was the first episode of Torchwood that I don't feel like bitching about. How can it possibly be written by the same person who wrote the previous dirge of an episode, ' Meat'?
Barrowman! Way to tone down the musical theatre vibe. Yeah, he was still over the top, but it fit right in with the madness of the episode. Great to get a bit of Jack back story. Ianto... he's still got an ugly cry on him, but when he channeled the psycho killer he was truly frightening.
I must be starting to care for this bunch of oddballs, because I felt genuinely creeped out by the fact that the alien had messed with their memories and screwed up their personalities and relationships. I wanted the old team back, stat! Poor Rhys, I felt so sorry for him. Toshiko and Owen's personality switch was comical more than anything else, though Naoko Mori showed her vamp is far more convincing than her geek.
The guy who played the monster of the week, living off of the memories of our heroes, did a great job, particularly in the final scenes with Jack. He had a real genuine old school tragic villain vibe about him, sort of a throwback to older episodes of Doctor Who or Blake's 7 that I enjoyed as a kid.
So... creepy, funny, poignant... a big fat A from me. Yeah, I really prefer this series when it's mostly about human behaviour and doesn't have to rely on cheap CGI.
Aw Rhys. I like Rhys. He's driving a car and gets a call from his secretary saying there's an accident involving someone he knows and... meat. Rhys drives up to the accident spot.
'Dense flesh,' says Jack. Huh?
Torchwood have arrived on the scene of the accident and Rhys looks on unbelievingly as his odd-looking girlfriend Gwen strides in in sexaaay slomo.
I didn't know Rhys was in the meat business. Mmm, meat. Although that alien slab doesn't look too fit. Well, at least it's not peepul...
Sorry. Gwen's sporting a Nokia N95. Good girl.
The Welsh accent gives me problems sometimes. Can't follow the bit between Rhys and his secretary. Can you imagine if Barrowman were using his Scottish accent? They'd never be able to sell the show on BBC America!
Awkward meeting between Gwen and Rhys, Gwen so obviously lying. This scene is dragging on a bit. He's going to follow her, good man Rhys. It's about time he knew what Gwen's involved in. Oh no... he catches her just when Jack's being flirty (when is he not?) with Gwen.
'You have to do as I say.' Oh yes, Captain Jack. Gwen's a silly cow. Is this scene meant to be sexy, or not. Is he really pushing her up against the wall for that long or is that just awkward editing?
Why is the meat making whale sounds?
Ah, the big fight. Are you fucking him? No, but she did Owen, the little skank. Aliens? In Cardiff? Well, where else would they be?
This is all very Pobol y Cwm, isn't it. They did say it was SciFi with soapy elements. You know, this argument is pretty realistic, full of stupid things people say when they're angry.
And so she takes him down the invisible lift. Hello, Myfanwy!
ROTFLMAO. 'We could feed the world.' 'We could release a single!' Take that, Sir Bob.
Aha, now Rhys becomes part of the team. This is really well written. And funny! And so badly acted. There, I've unearthed the problem with this show. They managed to find a group of actors who have problems finding the chemistry four shows into the second series.
Poor Tosh. I hope they don't go on and on and on with this stupid crush thing. It makes her look pathetic.
Owen thinks the blog is crying? This is the guy who didn't think twice about drugging two human beings to have his way with them, but now winces at offing a smelly alien?
Talking about pathetic... Jack's flirting with the secretary never feels natural.
'Imprisoned, chained and drugged, welcome to Planet Earth,' says Jack. And who was keeping a Weevil in a cell again? Hypocrite.
This episode feels very Star Trekky with that big blob of smelly, sentient meat making whale sounds. Captain Jack's the 21st century's omnisexual James Tiberius Kirk.
Can't they keep their characters straight for one second? In the one episode Jack's totally anti alien and wants to kill them now all, now he's all boo hoo hoo the poor sad thing, what have they done to you?
The grand finale, a shoot out in a warehouse. The sound in this episode's all over the place, between the music and the alien and the dialogue, it's not good. I wish they'd spend more on production.
'It came through a rift in time and space...' Good title for a movie. OMG they shot Rhys. Noooo.
Owen's making a cocktail for his pet.
Ianto! In his lovely dress coat. Wow, that was... Bond-worthy, the way he took down the evil brothers. Yes, definitely need more Ianto.
Lovely piece of Barrowman overacting. The big blob opens its eye one more time and dies. Jack... waves at it?
And the meat monster dies by Owen's hand and suddenly he's all emo, wtf?
Finally some peace and quiet. Gwen and Rhys are eating an ice cream while she ponders whether or not to remove his memories with the handy little pill we know from the very first episode of season one. Looks like the end of this epi... but, no....
Here comes Gwen running into Torchwood and she's shouting again, for no reason at all and would somebody please explain why Jack is close to crying? His pining over Gwen makes no sense at all when he's doing the office boy all the while. Here check it out:
What are we supposed to think is going on between them?
Oh, in case you missed it:
"Have you eaten Alien meat"
"Yes"
"How was it?"
"He seemed to enjoy it."
'Dense flesh,' says Jack. Huh?
Torchwood have arrived on the scene of the accident and Rhys looks on unbelievingly as his odd-looking girlfriend Gwen strides in in sexaaay slomo.
I didn't know Rhys was in the meat business. Mmm, meat. Although that alien slab doesn't look too fit. Well, at least it's not peepul...
Sorry. Gwen's sporting a Nokia N95. Good girl.
The Welsh accent gives me problems sometimes. Can't follow the bit between Rhys and his secretary. Can you imagine if Barrowman were using his Scottish accent? They'd never be able to sell the show on BBC America!
Awkward meeting between Gwen and Rhys, Gwen so obviously lying. This scene is dragging on a bit. He's going to follow her, good man Rhys. It's about time he knew what Gwen's involved in. Oh no... he catches her just when Jack's being flirty (when is he not?) with Gwen.
'You have to do as I say.' Oh yes, Captain Jack. Gwen's a silly cow. Is this scene meant to be sexy, or not. Is he really pushing her up against the wall for that long or is that just awkward editing?
Why is the meat making whale sounds?
Ah, the big fight. Are you fucking him? No, but she did Owen, the little skank. Aliens? In Cardiff? Well, where else would they be?
This is all very Pobol y Cwm, isn't it. They did say it was SciFi with soapy elements. You know, this argument is pretty realistic, full of stupid things people say when they're angry.
And so she takes him down the invisible lift. Hello, Myfanwy!
ROTFLMAO. 'We could feed the world.' 'We could release a single!' Take that, Sir Bob.
Aha, now Rhys becomes part of the team. This is really well written. And funny! And so badly acted. There, I've unearthed the problem with this show. They managed to find a group of actors who have problems finding the chemistry four shows into the second series.
Poor Tosh. I hope they don't go on and on and on with this stupid crush thing. It makes her look pathetic.
Owen thinks the blog is crying? This is the guy who didn't think twice about drugging two human beings to have his way with them, but now winces at offing a smelly alien?
Talking about pathetic... Jack's flirting with the secretary never feels natural.
'Imprisoned, chained and drugged, welcome to Planet Earth,' says Jack. And who was keeping a Weevil in a cell again? Hypocrite.
This episode feels very Star Trekky with that big blob of smelly, sentient meat making whale sounds. Captain Jack's the 21st century's omnisexual James Tiberius Kirk.
Can't they keep their characters straight for one second? In the one episode Jack's totally anti alien and wants to kill them now all, now he's all boo hoo hoo the poor sad thing, what have they done to you?
The grand finale, a shoot out in a warehouse. The sound in this episode's all over the place, between the music and the alien and the dialogue, it's not good. I wish they'd spend more on production.
'It came through a rift in time and space...' Good title for a movie. OMG they shot Rhys. Noooo.
Owen's making a cocktail for his pet.
Ianto! In his lovely dress coat. Wow, that was... Bond-worthy, the way he took down the evil brothers. Yes, definitely need more Ianto.
Lovely piece of Barrowman overacting. The big blob opens its eye one more time and dies. Jack... waves at it?
And the meat monster dies by Owen's hand and suddenly he's all emo, wtf?
Finally some peace and quiet. Gwen and Rhys are eating an ice cream while she ponders whether or not to remove his memories with the handy little pill we know from the very first episode of season one. Looks like the end of this epi... but, no....
Here comes Gwen running into Torchwood and she's shouting again, for no reason at all and would somebody please explain why Jack is close to crying? His pining over Gwen makes no sense at all when he's doing the office boy all the while. Here check it out:
What are we supposed to think is going on between them?
Oh, in case you missed it:
"Have you eaten Alien meat"
"Yes"
"How was it?"
"He seemed to enjoy it."
Yay, it's started. Oh look, a fish in a car.
God almighty, the scene with the granny is edited. So. Slow. Ly.
Jack's not here. It's like the Scoobies without Buffy.
That Blowfish is straight out of the RSC. Is that a gun which I see before me?
Ah, Jack's back. Ianto's jealous of the Doctor, poor thing.
Oh. The Marsters. Not a fan. Not of the cheeks. Not of the acting. Sorry.
Hee, just when you're thinking that's so 'help me Obi Wan Kenobi'... there it is.
Yeah, yeah, kiss already. Why not fall through the floor as well?
... campy banter, blah blah.
Intimate scene between Gwen and Jack. For a second there I thought he was going all Roy Batty on us. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate...
You know I'm really starting to doubt Barrowman's ability to act a lead (drama) part. Perhaps if they did a musical episode?
Aw, Rhys proposed. He's sweet.
See? Once a rapist, always... oh sorry, wrong 'verse. Heh.
Talking about rapists... this verse has got its own. Oh hi, Owen. When's he hooking up with Tosh then?
Run, Ianto, run.
Has Marsters had some work done? The eyes look weird.
Oh noes, he's killed Jack. Good old... immortal Jack.
How fast did the Scoobies drive to get back to Jack so quickly?
Ooooh, there's the stopwatch. Get it?
Huh, what, rift? W'happen?
Hey, he can't go out in the sunlight, he'll go woosh!
I have no idea what's happening.
What did he say? He found who?
Hmm.
God almighty, the scene with the granny is edited. So. Slow. Ly.
Jack's not here. It's like the Scoobies without Buffy.
That Blowfish is straight out of the RSC. Is that a gun which I see before me?
Ah, Jack's back. Ianto's jealous of the Doctor, poor thing.
Oh. The Marsters. Not a fan. Not of the cheeks. Not of the acting. Sorry.
Hee, just when you're thinking that's so 'help me Obi Wan Kenobi'... there it is.
Yeah, yeah, kiss already. Why not fall through the floor as well?
... campy banter, blah blah.
Intimate scene between Gwen and Jack. For a second there I thought he was going all Roy Batty on us. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate...
You know I'm really starting to doubt Barrowman's ability to act a lead (drama) part. Perhaps if they did a musical episode?
Aw, Rhys proposed. He's sweet.
See? Once a rapist, always... oh sorry, wrong 'verse. Heh.
Talking about rapists... this verse has got its own. Oh hi, Owen. When's he hooking up with Tosh then?
Run, Ianto, run.
Has Marsters had some work done? The eyes look weird.
Oh noes, he's killed Jack. Good old... immortal Jack.
How fast did the Scoobies drive to get back to Jack so quickly?
Ooooh, there's the stopwatch. Get it?
Huh, what, rift? W'happen?
Hey, he can't go out in the sunlight, he'll go woosh!
I have no idea what's happening.
What did he say? He found who?
Hmm.
Fan-made docu of Mutant Enemy Strike Day. Great little interviews with fans, writers and actors.
Buffy and BSG writer Jane Espenson says:
That's for every person I've met in my life who told me 'Ugh, I don't like SciFi, it's not real.' And for every person who isn't watching Friday Night Lights or Battlestar Galactica, and should.
"First off, is life in Jane Austen's England any less exotic and strange than life on Galactica or Serenity? But the real parallel is a set of characters who seem completely fresh and real and identifiable no matter how alien the world they're inhabiting.
You know what current show I also see as having this quality? Friday Night Lights. It's a gorgeous show that consistently reminds me of Battlestar Galactica and Firefly -- it creates/reflects a real world filled with lots of real and complex characters with consistent but constantly-changing relationships, shot as if the camera just happened to be catching slices of real lives... the fact that FNL is set in small-town Texas instead of on a spaceship doesn't matter one bit to me. Both worlds are a little bit strange to me -- what does it matter that one requires artificial gravity and other artificial turf?"
That's for every person I've met in my life who told me 'Ugh, I don't like SciFi, it's not real.' And for every person who isn't watching Friday Night Lights or Battlestar Galactica, and should.
Psst... wanna see my new website?
Um... that's 'our' new website. DAG Media bv, my employers, launched Zie.nl today.
Zie.nl is a new smart TV and web video guide, which makes use of collaborative filtering. Tips are presented in a flash application, the 'kijkwolk' (viewing cloud). Viewers can influence their personal cloud by voting thumbs up or thumbs down on individual programs. The engine tries to predict and present other shows a viewer might want to see, based on their voting and other behaviour on the site as well as some other stuff behind the scenes.
I've been part of the Zie.nl team since I started work at DAG Media back in September.
It's all in Dutch, beta, but it's live, baby.
(Zie is the Dutch word for 'see')
Um... that's 'our' new website. DAG Media bv, my employers, launched Zie.nl today.
Zie.nl is a new smart TV and web video guide, which makes use of collaborative filtering. Tips are presented in a flash application, the 'kijkwolk' (viewing cloud). Viewers can influence their personal cloud by voting thumbs up or thumbs down on individual programs. The engine tries to predict and present other shows a viewer might want to see, based on their voting and other behaviour on the site as well as some other stuff behind the scenes.
I've been part of the Zie.nl team since I started work at DAG Media back in September.
It's all in Dutch, beta, but it's live, baby.
(Zie is the Dutch word for 'see')
Joss Whedon posts more about the writers' strike:
More Whedony quotes:
"It’s necessary, though. We’re talking about story-telling, the most basic human need. Food? That’s an animal need. Shelter? That’s a luxury item that leads to social grouping, which leads directly to fancy scarves. But human awareness is all about story-telling. The selective narrative of your memory. The story of why the Sky Bully throws lightning at you. From the first, stories, even unspoken, separated us from the other, cooler beasts. And now we’re talking about the stories that define our nation’s popular culture – a huge part of its identity. These are the people that think those up. Working writers."In the meantime, Supernatural fans have followed Whedonesque's lead.
More Whedony quotes:
"None of the writers – or anyone – I’ve spoken to have ever heard of fans organizing and supporting a strike the way you guys have. Supporting our right not to entertain you. Seriously, that’s rare."
"When I showed my wife the banner that went with the pizza scheme, she just said, “These people are gonna be running the world.” Man, I hope she’s right."