What's on the idiot box... Part 2

[Nonek]

Rather disappointed with the anniversary episode, nice to see old smiley and John Hurt effortlessly outacting the entire cast, but that cast were what dragged the thing down for me. Guess the new series just isn't for me.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

I was disappointed in the Doctor Who special as well. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something made it seem just so....bland.

[Oerwinde]

Me and the missus really enjoyed the special. Opens up a lot for future stories. Doesn't it kind of negate The End of Time though?

[Walsingham]

We watched it, really enjoyed it. My only gripe is that YET AGAIN the writers use a magic deus ex machina solution to a complex goddamn problem. Dr Who's genocidal record is the only thing I thought was worthwhile in his bloody backstory.

 

Children neither like nor want "And they all lived happily ever after." Pathetically weak adults just think they do.

[Raithe]

So for 400 years the Doctor tortures himself over the fact that he believes he committed a mass act of genocide, when in actual fact it came down to a big sleight of hand that sealed Gallifrey away in a slice of time, hidden pocket dimension that's locked in that moment..

 

It's a classic "Moffat Special". There's a terrible thing that generally appears inevitable, the Doctor embraces doing something incredibly dark to save the day only to suddenly figure out a slight of hand to get around that, but leave everyone thinking it happened. With chunks of wordplay that you think meant one thing, but turn out to be something else. And the companion makes some offhand comment that inspires the Doctor's grasp at deviousness.

 

I think what partially seemed to disconnect it for me was how they hyped the aspect of the Time War being in it, but then....skipped it. We got a chaotic ruined city, a few Daleks going pew-pew and general innocents running around. We got no real feel for the Timelords being as bad as the Daleks, or the dangers to the rest of the universe. What about the Skaro Degradations? The Nightmare Child? The Army of Ne'erweres? Or the Could've-Been-King?

 

But John Hurt was pretty damn good in that role of war-weary Doctor deciding to embrace a horrible choice. And it was interesting to have him react to the "infantile" style of his future regenerations, "Timey-Wimey?!?". The whole play on them refusing to act like adults because they were horrified of how they acted when they were the 'adult' War Doctor.

 

 

 

 

http://youtu.be/yI5Py96KJ54

[Walsingham]

So for 400 years the Doctor tortures himself over the fact that he believes he committed a mass act of genocide, when in actual fact it came down to a big sleight of hand that sealed Gallifrey away in a slice of time, hidden pocket dimension that's locked in that moment..

 

It's a classic "Moffat Special". There's a terrible thing that generally appears inevitable, the Doctor embraces doing something incredibly dark to save the day only to suddenly figure out a slight of hand to get around that, but leave everyone thinking it happened. With chunks of wordplay that you think meant one thing, but turn out to be something else. And the companion makes some offhand comment that inspires the Doctor's grasp at deviousness.

 

I think what partially seemed to disconnect it for me was how they hyped the aspect of the Time War being in it, but then....skipped it. We got a chaotic ruined city, a few Daleks going pew-pew and general innocents running around. We got no real feel for the Timelords being as bad as the Daleks, or the dangers to the rest of the universe. What about the Skaro Degradations? The Nightmare Child? The Army of Ne'erweres? Or the Could've-Been-King?

 

But John Hurt was pretty damn good in that role of war-weary Doctor deciding to embrace a horrible choice. And it was interesting to have him react to the "infantile" style of his future regenerations, "Timey-Wimey?!?". The whole play on them refusing to act like adults because they were horrified of how they acted when they were the 'adult' War Doctor.

 

 

 

Totally agree. Besides which, WTF is up with the Wile-E-Coyote notion used to negate the Daleks? It presupposes that the little flying bastards are directly lined up facing each other, and that they'll kill each other before realising anything has happened. And that none will escape. It's utterly laughable.

 

I get annoyed by this because Dr Who appeals to smart kids. And we're using that open channel to 'teach' them complete balls.

[Raithe]

Heh.

 

The Five(ish) Doctors

 

 

 

Worried about which Doctors would and would not appear in the 50th Anniversary Special? So were some of the actors who portrayed the Doctor in the classic Doctor Who episodes. In the comedy short The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot, Peter Davison teams up with his fellow Doctors to take their rightful places in front of the camera.

 

Davison wrote and directed this sketch, in which he, Sylvester McCoy, and Colin Baker poke plenty of fun at themselves and the other folks behind Doctor Who. It also features some surprise cameos from outside the world of Doctor Who—and adds an Easter egg to "The Day of the Doctor." It's best enjoyed after watching the 50th anniversary special

[kgambit]

Finished Warehouse 13 season 4 - pity that it only runs one more season (and a shortened 6 episode season at that).

 

Started American Horror Story - Asylum   -   Season 2 is much creepier than season 1!

[Zoraptor]

I missed the simulcast showing of the Doctor Who special due to social commitments but knowing that they were reshowing it in prime time I wasn't worried. Then had a power cut half way through the reshowing... 

[ManifestedISO]

Almost Human: Die Hard Edition. Let me see if I can count all the similarities ... terrorists take over skyscraper, hold group of hostages, prior demands include release of jailed compatriots, the 25th floor, cops set up command post on street, cops disable city block communications, hero cop already inside building--unbeknownst to terrorist leader, girl hostage asks to use bathroom, hero cop engages in gun battle in stairwell/alternate floors, hero cop uses elevator shaft and air vent to re-engage terrorists, hostage double-cross--they were always going to die, act of terror was only a cover for grand theft, terrorist leader consoles henchman by mentioning post-heist beach activities, hero cop's first name is John, Almost Human hero cop's middle name is Reginald--same name as real-life Die Hard cast member, Reginald VelJohnson.

 

Anyway, kick-ass episode. I frickin love that "hard drive activity light" on Dorian's temple.         

[BruceVC]

Finished Warehouse 13 season 4 - pity that it only runs one more season (and a shortened 6 episode season at that).

 

Started American Horror Story - Asylum   -   Season 2 is much creepier than season 1!

 

I thoroughly enjoyed American Horror Story, I'm busy watching Season 3 - Coven.

 

Its good, I probably enjoyed Season 2 more but I'll wait till the end to comment properly

[Hurlshort]

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

[Walsingham]

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

 

Isn't that how US network TV is run?

[Amentep]

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

 

Right now its showing is good on TV By the Numbers Renew/Cancel index and they think renewal.  BubbleWatch on the same site (which uses the same number but tries to predict the ratings for a full season) puts it in the bubble but with only four episodes and one on a different night it may be difficult to predict at this point.

[Walsingham]

It makes me angry when supposedly white collar jobs are essentially just applying a simple - and let's be honest REALLY simple - mathematical algorithm. With a binary outcome.

 

I believe the only reason upper management tolerate middle managers drawing salary is:

a) so they can be fired if anything goes awry

b) so upper managers have incremental justification for their own salaries

 

It's all total BS. Management is a complex job, but we have the training, business science, and the culture to have it be done right. We shouldn't be hamstringing it. And we ought to blame it fairly when it produces crap.

[ManifestedISO]

I don't even want to speculate how long Ward and May have been ... assembling. A year, a week, doesn't matter I'm not jealous super stupid handsome, cut, chiseled features Agent Ward dumb head. 

 

Although if Agent May does/did invest emotionally with Ward, that would really inform his character. No matter what, it was great to get some background stories illuminated. I love that Coulsen cares about special things, like his timepiece: "I think they only made twenty ..."  

[kirottu]

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

 

Shhh, they can smell your fear.

[Walsingham]

 

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

 

Shhh, they can smell your fear.

 

And they find it ...nourishing.

[Amentep]

 

 

I'm terrified that Almost Human is going to get cancelled.  It's the best show I've seen in a long time.

 

Shhh, they can smell your fear.

And they find it ...nourishing.

 

Apparently the US network are secretly headed by:

 

ABC - Cthulhu

CBS - Azathoth

NBC - Yog-Sothoth

Fox - Nyarlathotep

CW - Shub-Niggurath

[Blarghagh]

I enjoy that all of those are just forces of nature who don't know or care about humanity in the same way most people don't care about stepping on ants - except for Fox, which is the only one that is truly and maliciously evil on purpose.

[Raithe]

Person of Interest.

The opening montage with Cash's rendition of "Hurt" worked damn well.

And that ending conversation from Elias on the nature of civilised man and debts... Before the "Me? Kill you? No. I'm not going to kill you. My friend is going to kill you. I'm just going to watch."

[Raithe]

Because it worked so damn well..

 

http://youtu.be/FPoBgW-3ysM

Edited November 28, 2013 by Raithe

[Oerwinde]

You know what Agents of SHIELD needs? Dum Dum Dugan.

[Blarghagh]

I watched the latest episode of Agents of SHIELD and I thought this was a pretty bad episode. Most of this show has had a bit of police procedurals with elements of Supernatural and Chuck - the last episode was pure Ghost Whisperer.

 

Also, it bothered me that they gave up so easily on the villain of the week who turned out to be not a bad guy. He wasn't dead, he was just somewhere else. Couldn't they, say, try to contact Heimdall and see where he went?

[Keyrock]

While not actually on television, I watched the Turkey Day MST3K marathon online yesterday, in addition to footbaw.  They had some terrific episodes too, including Werewolf Man (WARWLF), The Final Sacrifice (ROWSDOWER!), and Mitchell.  That show was so brilliant.

 

As for television television, I think Almost Human is surprisingly decent.  Agents of SHIELD has been a borderline trainwreck, though.  Blacklist is the only new show I'm at all invested in, and it's honestly not a good show, but James Spader is awesome and is carrying it.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Keyrock