On Doctor Who Viewing

Last night BBC America showed the third season Doctor Who two-parter, “Human Nature”/”Family of Blood,” in a two-hour long block. If you missed it last night and you have BBC America, have no fear — they’re repeating it again this afternoon. Watching the two-parter in a single sitting last night, it occurred to me howContinue reading “On Doctor Who Viewing”

On House and The Beatles

Let’s rewind a few days. Back to Tuesday. House returned to FOX on Tuesday for its final three episodes of the fourth season with a Very Special Christmas Episode. Unlike previous Very Special Christmas Episodes, Dr. Gregory House didn’t OD himself into oblivion. He had case. He had his new team. He had new mindContinue reading “On House and The Beatles”

On Blackadder Vocabulary

It is no secret that one of my all-time favorite television series is Blackadder. I go back and forth. Sometimes Blackadder II (that being the Elizabethean Blackadder) is tops. But usually, it’s Blackadder the Third (that being the Regency Blackadder). And my top three episodes — though all six are simply sublime — would be:Continue reading “On Blackadder Vocabulary”

On Shrek the Halls

ABC repeated their new holiday special, Shrek the Halls this evening. I hadn’t watched it on its original broadcast. Several friends of mine, all of whom whose opinions I respect, admire, and often agree with, described Shrek the Halls variously as “a train wreck,” “this generation’s Star Wars Holiday Special,” among other descriptions. Since itContinue reading “On Shrek the Halls”

On a Television Meme

Seen on several friends’ pages in the blogosphere: Post a list of seven TV shows you love (current or canceled). Have your friends list guess your favorite character from each show. When guessed, bold the line and write a little bit about why you like that character. Post in your own journal. Seven television shows,Continue reading “On a Television Meme”

On Video, Charlie Brown!

Charles Schulz’s Charlie Brown characters are some of the most visible pop-culture icons in the world today. The comic strip ran for fifty years and is being reprinted in a comprehensive edition by Fantagraphics. A series of forty-some animated specials have won multiple awards over the past forty years. Snoopy advertises MetLife. These characters areContinue reading “On Video, Charlie Brown!”

On a Torchwood DVD

When people at work cleanse their cubicles of unwanted books, comics, DVDs, and other detritus, there’s a table in the employee breakroom where stuff is invariably piled high. It’s not uncommon to find magazines mixed with manga, comics mixed with catalogs. The table is nothing but a mess. Sometimes there’s something interesting on the table.Continue reading “On a Torchwood DVD”