A quick thought on last night’s Elementary. Specifically, the final scene with Mycroft as portrayed by Rhys Ifans. I really like Ifans. I’ve watched and enjoyed a film I was certain I wouldn’t like — Anonymous — purely because of Ifans. I think he has great rapport with Johnny Lee Miller. I have absolutely noContinue reading “The Problem of Mycroft”
My Philcon 2013 Schedule
This weekend is Philcon, a science-fiction convention held annually in the Philadelphia area. This year, like recent years, it’s being held in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. And this year, like recent years, I’ll be at the convention and participating on panels. For those attending, here’s what my schedule this weekend looks like: Saturday MOFFAT ONContinue reading “My Philcon 2013 Schedule”
Adventures in Off-Brand LEGO: Stargate SG-1 Deathglider Attack
Yesterday I went to Big Lots. It wasn’t the reason I went out — I needed to go to Kohl’s to buy a new pair of shoes for work, as the pair of shoes I had was utterly blown out — and since Big Lots is in the same area as Kohl’s I made aContinue reading “Adventures in Off-Brand LEGO: Stargate SG-1 Deathglider Attack”
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave!
Last week NBC debuted a new Dracula mini-series, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the sanguinary count. My immediate reaction, last week, was mixed. Other than the names of characters, the series has nothing in common with Bram Stoker’s novel. It was gorgeous to look at, from the costumes to the sets. Meyers held the screenContinue reading “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave!”
The Return of Rutlemania
In December the Rutles are coming to Blu-Ray. The Rutles, the legend that will last a lunchtime! The Rutles, the Prefab Four! The Rutles — Ron, Dirk, Stig, and Barry! The Rutles, four loveable moptops from Liverpool who conquered the musical world and discovered tea! The Rutles were the creation of Eric Idle and NeilContinue reading “The Return of Rutlemania”
The Year of Two Doctors
The Radio Times had a curious article this morning. As we know, Matt Smith is leaving Doctor Who at Christmas, to be replaced by Peter Capaldi (The Thick of It). It turns out that Smith had a plan to continue with the series, and it turns out Steven Moffat said no. Matt Smith had workedContinue reading “The Year of Two Doctors”
Plotting with a Forecast of Zombies
I have to be honest — I don’t get the whole zombie zeitgeist. I’d have thought — no, wait, did think — five years ago that we had reached the peak, that zombies were a fad and their day was done. Millions of viewers of The Walking Dead would beg to differ. Despite my firmContinue reading “Plotting with a Forecast of Zombies”
Untold Tales of the Beatles in Hamburg
Later this month, Tune In, the first volume of Mark Lewisohn’s three volume biography of the Beatles, The Beatles: All These Years, comes out. I’ve been awaiting this book for five or six years. Lewisohn, the writer behind The Beatles Recording Sessions and The Complete Beatles Chronicle, the the world’s foremost expert on the Beatles,Continue reading “Untold Tales of the Beatles in Hamburg”
The CW’s Reign: Initial Thoughts
I loved Showtime’s The Tudors. When it debuted I didn’t have Showtime (indeed, I never had Showtime during the run of the series), and when I saw the first season box set at Wal-Mart one evening I bought it on a whim and blitzed through the first season in a weekend. Utterly ahistorical, but slicklyContinue reading “The CW’s Reign: Initial Thoughts”
Steven Moffat and the Difficult Second Album Theory
A band will come out with a kick-ass debut album. Acclaimed, inventive, groundbreaking. Then they come out with a second album, and it’s… well, it’s disappointing. Some of it feels like a retread of what worked before. Some of it is unique, but it’s not as well thought out as the original album was. (MumfordContinue reading “Steven Moffat and the Difficult Second Album Theory”