Where the devil are you, DM?

So what it is, right, is it's this, right. I was going to come back from the latest of my little hiatuses with an in depth and insightful discussion of that most venerable of 80's cartoons, Dangermouse. I felt that this would be a treat for you all that would be sufficiently exciting as to make you forgive the shameless lack of content recently.

I make no apologies. 'Tis a work of genius.

Sadly, this plan was kicked into touch by the THEFT of my Dangermouse 30th anniversary boxset. By the same person, I feel compelled to point out, that stole my Dangermouse 25th anniversary boxset. Back then, it was to sell for drug funds. These days, it was to watch. So while I can compliment him on his ability to leave behind his self destructive lifestyle, and on his taste in retro secret agent goodness, I feel that a better use for my time and the wear and tear on my vocal chords would be to swear at him, loudly and with much vigour.

"I only borrowed it, I didn't know you were in the middle of watching it", he says when confronted. Oh, well that's all right then, isn't it. It's not as if there was any way you could have ascertained whether I was watching it before you walked out with it, is there? No, no way at all. I mean, asking for permission to borrow it, at which point I would have told you that I was in the process of watching it; that's clearly just fucking crazy talk, am I right?

Anyway, while I wait for the miscreant to return that which he has stolen, what am I going to talk to you about? What? Eh? WHAT? Well, howsabout a little round up of what I've been watching that isn't a seminal 80's cartoon whose narrator is one of the greatest comedy creations of all time?

Sheer class

Much of my viewing of late has been a rewatch followed by first watch of the later episodes, of Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip; another show I thought I'd seen all of but have been proved wrong by a DVD set; and Murder She Wrote on ITV1. I have to say, some of the episodes of the latter have really thrown me with just how clever they actually are. I've gotten some right, and I've gotten some wrong, but only once has the culprit been obvious from the outset. I've been surprised by how much I've genuinely enjoyed the show. I'm now wondering how much of it's mammoth run ITV have the rights to repeat, and when it's going to disappear; they have S3 at least, because that starts this week.

As good as they are though; and Studio 60 is one of my favourite dramas of all time; neither of those shows qualify for the Quest. So instead let's talk about... Primeval and The Walking Dead, both of which aired months ago for those with a half decent TV package and both of which are now FINALLY airing for those of us relying on basic TV. Except you can add, both of which I've managed to get even further behind on by recording them and not watching to the extent that by my count I'm now 4 episodes late on both of them. Because I'm shit. So let's not talk about them after all. Thwarted again!

Once Upon A Time is still trundling merrily along, doing it's own thing and not holding truck with any of those old fashioned concepts like heroes who aren't dicks or plots that show some signs of progression from week to week. It's picked up the pace slightly in the last two episodes I've watched; what with the whole 'Heart buried in the box/people remembering the fantasy world/Sheriff pulling her head out of her arse and actually starting to acknowledge that something weird is happening; so I'm  quietly hopeful the last few eps should be belters. Seriously though, can you believe we're 17 weeks in and the protagonist is only now starting to maybe believe in the premise of the show? There's slow burn, and there's, well... I'm not sure what this is.

So all in all, my first post back after yet another long break has turned out to be a bit of a damp squib. Not to worry though, because LOOK WHAT I'VE GOT!

Isn't it lovely?

Yes, after all my many trials and tribulations I finally managed to get hold of a copy; I only had to sacrifice 4 virgins in the end, which was two less than I was willing to stretch to; and now I'm merrily chugging my way through. By all accounts it's a bit of a weak season by Supernatural's own standards but to be honest, it's taken me long enough to see it, so right now I'm just glad of anything I can get. Not sure how critical I'm going to be able to be, that being the case, but what the hell. Expect a full round up of my slavish fan-ish thoughts next week.

Until then, then, I shall bid you adieu and once more trundle my way into the sunset. I hope I'm not leaving you feeling too disappointed.

Dino Power

So, my last entry before Christmas was a lengthy whinge about how the Doctor Who Christmas specials were always crap and a plea for this years (or last years now, I suppose) to, well, not be crap. Did the Gods heed my prayers? Did Santa see fit to grant the world that most wondrous of gifts that is a decent episode of festive Who?

Depends on who you ask. I think the simplest way to put it is that if you enjoyed the Davies specials this wasn't for you but if, on the other hand, you are sane, it was.

With that settled, on to other business. Since last I posted I have watched lots of bits and pieces of things. A Forever Knight here, a V there, a The Event or two. You know the drill. No major finales, no huge format shattering episodes, no major character deaths or allegiance shifts. All fairly run of the mill stuff. So much so that I was almost lost for something to write about. Saved at the last moment though, because what should come galloping across the horizon, trumpets blaring and pistols firing wildly, to save the day and slaughter a few indigenous tribes? Er, that analogy kind of got away from me there but you get the gist.


PRIMEVAL! Yes, Primeval, the briefly defunct but now very much alive and kicking ITV time travel drama about big nasty dinosaurs eating inept soldiers before being brought down by a geek, his hot girlfriend and their stuffy but hilarious boss. Plus a few other interchangeable blandos.

The show returned this past weekend weekend with 2, count them, 2 episodes. The first suffered slightly from having to explain away the cast changes that have occurred offscreen between seasons but other than that it was vintage Primeval. Truth be told, in the shows relatively short life it has never had the most stable of casts (although departures have usually happened in-story and on-screen) so it's not to much of a leap to ask fans to accept the newcomers quite quickly.

From This

To ThisAnd we're only on Season 4

From there it's business as usual with creatures coming into our time from the past and the so called 'elite' military forces getting their arses handed to them before the civilians save the day. Often in ludicrous circumstances, although while I can accept that some people don't like that kind of self referential stuff I I have to admit that Abby distracting a creature with an S Club track had me grinning like an idiot.

The slightly ridiculous notion that Connor managed to get mixed up with a creature on his own time within hours of getting fired (5 minutes on the internet and a bit of a wander were all it took) would seem to make the huge multi-billion pound government department seem a tad superfluous but it didn't matter because all it really did was highlight the fact that despite the constant changes at the top of the bill it's he and Abby who have always been the core of the show.


I've heard tell that a number of ex regulars will be making return appearances this year. While this should serve to further undermine the lacklustre current crop I really don't care because one of the names mentioned has been Lucy Brown, playing Jenny (yes, here comes another embarrassing infatuation confession) who is really rather lovely and was very much my obligatory crush on the show (gotta have at least one on every show) before her rather abrupt departure during the revolving door S3.


I'm not sure when she's coming back or for how long but I'm just grateful for whatever they give us. I just hope they don't forget the lessons learned in S2 when they suddenly started making her up to look like a cheap hooker doing night classes at clown school. Less is more people.

We're pretty lucky to be getting this season at all of course, after cost cutting measures at ITV forced its cancellation and a hodge podge alliance of various broadcasters had to be pulled together to finance a revival. This kind of reprieve is rare in television and those involved are to be applauded for their perseverance but it would all be for naught if the end result were substandard. On the evidence of this opening weekend though(and the hope of more Jenny, who aside from what I said above about fancying her was actually a decent character as well) I for one am very happy with what we are getting. Sometimes good things really do come to those who wait.