One thing is true I could be outdoors doing stuff instead of wyling away the days in front of the TV and laptop, moaning about the lack of decent summer schedule programming and the over use of the 'back to school at ASDA' advert ( if I hear the little darlings angelic rendition of a previously perfectly decent Queen tune I may actually explode). But I am going through my lazy period, many would suggest this has lasted the last dozen or so years, and so I reserve the right to sleep till noon, watch oodles of TV and then winge about the content....It's what I do.
There are a few exceptions to the pantsness of the summer schedules. I'm catching up on season 7 of Stargate SG:1 which I somehow missed completely when it aired originally, though not Fallen...Made sure I saw that one for the obvious Michael Shanks minus his kegs factor. Two and a Half men is also highly entertaining, the kid isn't the completely obnoxious norm so associated with such comedy skits and it's nice to see Charlie Sheen back in regular employment.
But as far as non repeats go the pickings are extremely slim....My daily dose of Home and Away (I know but I just can't stop myself, it's habit) not withstanding, Weeds on Sky One is perhaps the most interesting....It's about as dark as a dark comedy drama can go with the whole 'mother turns to drug dealing after husband dies' concept, but as it often veers dangerously towards the, some would say, controversial 'weed is good' vain and yet it somehow still maintains the moral highground with is superbly written scripts. Though it is shamefully short half an hour per episode.
There is a complete drowning of reality it the schedules which is both shameful on the programmers front and ignorant on the viewers' behalf for watching such unitelligent rubbish....It's just not engaging television in my opinion. And it's the reason that there's a lack of decent dramas and innovative shows in recent years, which is also probably the reason that Lost is oh so popular amongst everyone's brother's, mother's, aunt's, son-in-laws, best mate's, sister. Is there really a highly intelligent and all answering story arc or are they just making it up as they go along until it gets cancelled two or three years down the line when people finally give up. It's the 'grr arg' factor of modern TV.
So apart from Weeds and A Town Called Eureka (which I've followed the last few weeks, interesting concept but not completely blown away by) the shedules don't have anything fresh to offer....roll on the Autmn and the new seasons. By which time I'll be back at uni and without Sky so I won't be able to watch them anyway....bah humbug!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Stargate SG: Done
After ten years of wormhole travel to distant planets, technobabble monalogues, superb special effects, witty dialogue and Michael Shanks (technically nine years and a bit on the latter), Stargate SG:1 has been given it's marching orders by the Sci-Fi channel. It's a great shame really since there are many shows which are currently trying to find their feet in the tough world of the Sci-Fi genre (mostly failing, see Invasion) and yet this far established, smart and funny show has been axed, just as it was getting a whole new lease of life.
Yeah, so Richard Dean Anderson had left and two actors (Ben Browder and Claudia Black) were brought in to add a new dynamic, even though they're still ever so slightly Farscape esque for my liking...but that's beside the point. I have been watching the new series via Limewire( have I said lately what a fantastic thing Limewire is....lots and new and old shows no waiting and no adverts!!) and the whole evil asended Oari foe with links to an ancient Arturian legend is very interesting and the banter between Vala and Daniel Jackson is highly entertaining.
One of the best episodes has to be the recent 200th edition. It was essentially a clip show but with a difference, and had me splitting my sides the whole way through with it's nods to similar genre shows, self aware references and fan recognition as well as the parody segments ( the highlight of which has to be either the Farscape or Team America rips...Richard Dean Anderson as a puppet, television gold!). How the powers that be think that this show no longer has a future is beyond me, especially with writers and directors such as the DeLuise clan....any episode by them is TV genius. I guess the likes of Lost and 24 are seen as the future of TV (struggle to see it myself but, enuh, i guess i'm just a minority viewer). At least Staragte Atlantis has been renewed for a 4th season and word on the grapevine is that Stargate SG:1 may continue is some other form (astro-projectional cerebral mind probes perhaps) so here's hoping.
In other news poor old Pulto has been demoted to a dwarf planet rather than an actual planet due to it's orbit, size, mass and other such scientific nonesense...utter pish if you ask me and i'm guessing the brains weren't thinking of the greater ramifacations here: The hundreds of Mystic Megs who advise on the influence of Pluto over Uranus who have apparently been talking out of their arse for years...who knew?
Yeah, so Richard Dean Anderson had left and two actors (Ben Browder and Claudia Black) were brought in to add a new dynamic, even though they're still ever so slightly Farscape esque for my liking...but that's beside the point. I have been watching the new series via Limewire( have I said lately what a fantastic thing Limewire is....lots and new and old shows no waiting and no adverts!!) and the whole evil asended Oari foe with links to an ancient Arturian legend is very interesting and the banter between Vala and Daniel Jackson is highly entertaining.
One of the best episodes has to be the recent 200th edition. It was essentially a clip show but with a difference, and had me splitting my sides the whole way through with it's nods to similar genre shows, self aware references and fan recognition as well as the parody segments ( the highlight of which has to be either the Farscape or Team America rips...Richard Dean Anderson as a puppet, television gold!). How the powers that be think that this show no longer has a future is beyond me, especially with writers and directors such as the DeLuise clan....any episode by them is TV genius. I guess the likes of Lost and 24 are seen as the future of TV (struggle to see it myself but, enuh, i guess i'm just a minority viewer). At least Staragte Atlantis has been renewed for a 4th season and word on the grapevine is that Stargate SG:1 may continue is some other form (astro-projectional cerebral mind probes perhaps) so here's hoping.
In other news poor old Pulto has been demoted to a dwarf planet rather than an actual planet due to it's orbit, size, mass and other such scientific nonesense...utter pish if you ask me and i'm guessing the brains weren't thinking of the greater ramifacations here: The hundreds of Mystic Megs who advise on the influence of Pluto over Uranus who have apparently been talking out of their arse for years...who knew?
Thursday, August 10, 2006
I'm Bored...Thank F**k for the Internet
Yeah so being a student is great and all that...Decent hours, interesting social events, nice people and a 3 month summer break. I tried to obtain some work for some spare cash, but when the heatwave kicked in I thought 'Nah'. So here I am halfway through the holidays with no money and in the grand tradition of British summer the weather has taken a turn for the depressing. It's August so one would assume hot and sunny, but what that actually translate to is wet, cloudy and several degrees lower than what I prefer. Even the weathermen are at it again.
Yesterday I was assured by the trusted fella at the BBC that the cloudy weather would clear by mid morning to give way to glorious clear skies and a respectable temperature of 24 degrees. Great I thought, I can get back on my bike and explore another local route and re-top-up my tan which I'm sure has been flaggin in recent days.
So I wake up at 9.30am eager to get out of the house, fresh air and countryside awaiting...I opened my curtains and what greeted me was a little different to the previous nights forecast...okay it was a lot different...grey skies, a stiff breeze and rain!! The weather girl on Channel five at midday even had the gall to say that the southcoast was enjoying another glorious day with unbroken sunshine and temps into the mid 20's?!? Which leaves me to conclude that she's either a.) blind, b.) deluded or c.) pre-recorded.
Due to the bad conditions and lack of me getting sunshine my hap-o-metre is on the decline, that and the fact that all three of my aunts forgot my birthday this year family eh? though I did have a bit of a DVD-a-thon which i haven't done in ages; randomly getting through Mr. & Mrs. Smith (love the action sequences), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (love Johnny Depp) and Warlords of Atlantis (God bless Doug McClure), oh and the entire collection of Eerie Indiana (why oh why was this show cancelled it was cleverly self knowledgeable, wacky and full of cameos....It would be in the top 10 if it were on TV now).
Oh I did manage to get out of the house a couple of days ago to a nice little area in Dorset called the Blue Pool....Which is an old quarry filled with water to make a pool which is....Well....Blue. Bless our ancestors for their 'as it says on the tin' way of describing things. Me and the rents had wander, took some pics, had an outrageously overpriced snack and then came home the scenic route, via the new forest, in which a horse bolted right in front of the car and came so close to crashing into my window that for the rest of the journey home I had two spots of snot from his nostrils partially obscuring my view, and an equally uncomfortable package in my undercarriage (joking...Or am I)
Yesterday I was assured by the trusted fella at the BBC that the cloudy weather would clear by mid morning to give way to glorious clear skies and a respectable temperature of 24 degrees. Great I thought, I can get back on my bike and explore another local route and re-top-up my tan which I'm sure has been flaggin in recent days.
So I wake up at 9.30am eager to get out of the house, fresh air and countryside awaiting...I opened my curtains and what greeted me was a little different to the previous nights forecast...okay it was a lot different...grey skies, a stiff breeze and rain!! The weather girl on Channel five at midday even had the gall to say that the southcoast was enjoying another glorious day with unbroken sunshine and temps into the mid 20's?!? Which leaves me to conclude that she's either a.) blind, b.) deluded or c.) pre-recorded.
Due to the bad conditions and lack of me getting sunshine my hap-o-metre is on the decline, that and the fact that all three of my aunts forgot my birthday this year family eh? though I did have a bit of a DVD-a-thon which i haven't done in ages; randomly getting through Mr. & Mrs. Smith (love the action sequences), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (love Johnny Depp) and Warlords of Atlantis (God bless Doug McClure), oh and the entire collection of Eerie Indiana (why oh why was this show cancelled it was cleverly self knowledgeable, wacky and full of cameos....It would be in the top 10 if it were on TV now).
Oh I did manage to get out of the house a couple of days ago to a nice little area in Dorset called the Blue Pool....Which is an old quarry filled with water to make a pool which is....Well....Blue. Bless our ancestors for their 'as it says on the tin' way of describing things. Me and the rents had wander, took some pics, had an outrageously overpriced snack and then came home the scenic route, via the new forest, in which a horse bolted right in front of the car and came so close to crashing into my window that for the rest of the journey home I had two spots of snot from his nostrils partially obscuring my view, and an equally uncomfortable package in my undercarriage (joking...Or am I)
Monday, August 07, 2006
If I Had a Time Machine....
I'd go back to the eighties most definitely.....I had my best times in the 80's and the summers were all long and hot (rose tinted my ass). Also I turned 10 years old in 1989 so I spent my most adventurous and inquisitive years in the 80's. The TV wasn't half bad either; The A-team, MacGyver, Airwolf, Magnum P.I., Knight Rider (though looking back The Hoff's acting ability was more stolic than the cars). So it is with much distained that I had comply with the rigors of time and 'celebrate' my 27th....yes 27th birthday, even if I still feel around 10 on the inside.
I wasn't a total loss my flatmates from uni came for a visit, no small journey for either since Nat's from Cornwall and Ally lives in N. Ireland. The weather held for some pleasant, though nowhere near as hot, sunny days and I gave the girls a whirlwind tour of the local areas. This didn't take long but a highlight must be the 'rowing' trip on Swanbourne Lake in Arundel.
For many years the lake has had little to no water in it as the local water company 'borrowed' drinking water in the times of drought. With this year being one of the hottest on record I was expecting the lake to be a desert but was pleasantly surprised when it was as healthy as it had been when I was a kid. Natty treated me and Ally to a rowing session and I took a seat to relax and enjoy the ride.....10 minutes later we hadn't even managed to leave the jetty area, even though the chap running things had kicked us out so many times I actually lost count! Poor Ally just doesn't seem to have the co-ordination for the complex equation of oars in water equals forward motion.
Oh well, it was highly entertaining and we even gathered a crowd....should have made a collection for the entertainment. When we eventually made it further than a few feet away from the jetty, as Nat took sole responsibility of the rowing, Ally decided she'd figured it out and had another go.....we spent the next five minutes going in circles! Finally, after nearly getting sandbanked on the island in the middle of the lake, we got back to the jetty. The poor guy who owned the boats couldn't believe that the three of us were not only University students (well let's face it they take just about anybody these days) but that one of us had just graduated in Marine Biology and was a lifeguard and representative of the RNLI....neh, you win some you lose some.
I wasn't a total loss my flatmates from uni came for a visit, no small journey for either since Nat's from Cornwall and Ally lives in N. Ireland. The weather held for some pleasant, though nowhere near as hot, sunny days and I gave the girls a whirlwind tour of the local areas. This didn't take long but a highlight must be the 'rowing' trip on Swanbourne Lake in Arundel.
For many years the lake has had little to no water in it as the local water company 'borrowed' drinking water in the times of drought. With this year being one of the hottest on record I was expecting the lake to be a desert but was pleasantly surprised when it was as healthy as it had been when I was a kid. Natty treated me and Ally to a rowing session and I took a seat to relax and enjoy the ride.....10 minutes later we hadn't even managed to leave the jetty area, even though the chap running things had kicked us out so many times I actually lost count! Poor Ally just doesn't seem to have the co-ordination for the complex equation of oars in water equals forward motion.
Oh well, it was highly entertaining and we even gathered a crowd....should have made a collection for the entertainment. When we eventually made it further than a few feet away from the jetty, as Nat took sole responsibility of the rowing, Ally decided she'd figured it out and had another go.....we spent the next five minutes going in circles! Finally, after nearly getting sandbanked on the island in the middle of the lake, we got back to the jetty. The poor guy who owned the boats couldn't believe that the three of us were not only University students (well let's face it they take just about anybody these days) but that one of us had just graduated in Marine Biology and was a lifeguard and representative of the RNLI....neh, you win some you lose some.
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