Too Much Continuity

Here's a question I have about Heroes. If you've not been watching it lately, and you don't want to know, obviously stop reading.

But I'm puzzled by Adam's accent. When he was first introduced, as Kensei, I assumed he was a time traveller: his accent and dialect were decidedly modern-day English, which I assumed didn't exist in the seventeenth century. (I don't really know how I would check this.) Eventually I just assumed he wasn't.

Then he lived in Japan and America for four centuries, and hasn't picked up an accent at all? I for one think that's weird. Does his accent have healing powers of its own?

It would have been a nice touch if his accent had changed a bit between the 1650 and 2008. And the actor is American, so I assume he can do an American accent.

Everything You Need To Know About Next Week's Doctor Who Finale

Sorry to post a forth Doctor Who post in a row, but it comes around that time of year where people are searching for information about the show. Specifically, information about the finale. So, from my conclusive sources*, I can tell you everything you need to know!

American UNIT Guy: "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at war"

I can deduce from this sentence that there will be a war.

Doctor: "Can't Be"

I can deduce from this quotation that somebody says something that The Doctor doesn't believe.

Jack: "There's Nothing I Can Do"

There is nothing Jack can do.

Sarah Jane: "It's impossible!"

I can deduce from this quotation that somebody says something that Sarah Jane Smith doesn't believe.

Martha: "It can't be!"

I can deduce from this quotation that somebody says something that The Doctor doesn't believe.

Ooh! Sounds like a decent finale!

*The trailer that aired after tonight's episode

The Scary Thing Is that the BBC Three Repeat was On at Excatly the Same Time

Just because I feel I've been a little harsh on Russell T Davies from time to time, I feel I should mention that I thought tonight's episode, Midnight, was excellent. (It certainly didn't hurt matters that Catherine Tate was hardly in it, although I assume that means they're double-banking again and that all bodes ill for next week.) It was a good concept, with good dialogue, and a very good execution of an idea that looks simple on paper but is decidedly freaky to actually watch made it one of the most genuinely frightening episodes in a long— er, one of the most genuinely frightening non-Moffat episodes in a long time. Davies even managed to resist being frivolous and silly, at least after the first couple of minutes, which is good because it would have really ruined the feel of that episode, more so than most I think. I'm tempted even to compare it to Blink, but that would just seem needlessly cruel, like praising some great new film and then dismissively saying "still, no Godfather trilogy, eh?"

It was exactly what Doctor Who should be. Why can't we have this kind of thing more often?

The Stolen Earth

When the premiere of Doctor Who's forth series aired, Radio Times had a special that told us all about the series. Except Episode 12. Episode 12's title was being kept a secret for some reason. I can only assume it's because they read my previous rant on 'Episode Twelve Syndrome' and decided not to get my blood boiling. The official statement was that the title "gave away too much".

It's been announced now. The Stolen Earth it's called. That doesn't give much away at all. An Earth gets stolen. The Doctor wakes up one day and thinks "oh crap, the Earth's gone. What a bugger". Will it have people just floating, grumbling that the Earth's been stolen. How the hell does one steal an Earth anyway?

No Hype for Midnight

Just a quick thing... this Saturday's episode of Doctor Who (BBC1, 7.00PM) is entitled Midnight. Not only is it the fiftieth episode produced of the revied series, but it's also the two hundredth Doctor Who story... ever.

Then why isn't it being hyped up?

Did I Lie To You?

Right now, on Radio 4, there is a panel show where the celebrity contestants must determine if each other's statements are truth or lies. David Mitchell is on it.

Lee Mack is also on it.

It is a totally original concept.

You can play along, because I have hidden a lie in this post.

Fore Mour

More4, showing their late night repeat of Countdown, just had the continuity announcer say

"And now on More4, some train-braining with Dountcown..."

Really? Is that meant to be funny? Just because the announcers on Dave are retarded, doesn't mean these ones have to be.

The Fresh Limericks

A story that's all about how
My life got flipped; turned upside-down
So sit right there
It's all about Bel Air
And the story will start about now.

West Philly I was born and raised
The playground is where I'd spend days
Chilling, relaxing,
And all about maxing
And playing some basketball games

Two fellas, who're up to no good
Made trouble in my neighbourhood
I got in their sight
And they started a fight
Know the outcome? I know that I should!

I didn't think that it was fair
That when my mother got scared
What the hell was she proving
When she said that "you're moving
With your aunt and uncle in Bel Air."

I whistled, and a cab was near
License Plate: Fresh; Dice in the m'ir
I thought it was rare
But then I declared
"To Bel Air, Taxi Driver, and steer!"

I pulled up to the house about eight
(Could be seven, it wasn't too late)
Said fairwell to the cabbie
It's time for this laddie
To start his life in Bel Air. Great!

Double Entendre of the Month

Today, the first (and possibly only) Double Entendre of the Month goes to the most recent episode of Crimewatch, whose Number Four Most Wanted had a rather unusual name.



It's like something out of a pantomime, isn't it?

It Should Be Okay, Torch Wood

The Doctor Who News Page reports that Torchwood is coming back for a week.

I'm not kidding. The third series, at the moment, is comprised of five episodes to be shown within the same week. Not only that, it's a five-part-story.

I'm not so sure how to feel about this. Torchwood can be really naff at times, and rather excellent at other times. A five-part story of 50-minute episodes however... that's four hours and ten minutes worth of Torchwood. And what would the plot consist of? Will it be one monster? Will it be resurrecting Owen and Tosh and dealing with the consequences? I don't know how Torchwood can do this- they've never even done a two-part episode before. And, previous cliffhangers involve Captain Jack hearing the TARDIS (which wasn't even resolved in Torchwood, Owen dying (which was resolved by resurrecting him) and Owen dying a second time (which was a bit naff).

I guess I'll feel more about it when they announce what it's about.

Iσως, Iσως, Iσως

I've recently found out, mainly accidentally, that there is a sitcom called Coupling. It features three girls and three guys, and ventures through their love-lives via a complicated and often non-chronological way of storytelling.

Oh, what? You already knew this?

I highly doubt it.

Welcome to Greek Coupling. It's Coupling, but in Greek. Instead of Steve Taylor, we have Stephanos. It's the little differences I like. I love how the opening credits are the same, how the sets are the same and how the dialogue is the same. The DVD has a similar design too.

Having just watched Part One of the above episode (the first five minutes of a forty-five minute show), I can tell that it is Sex Death and Nudity, a Coupling episode from series one. In the clip, you can see Greek Jeff Murdoch explaining the giggle-loop. Watch it. It's the scene where Greek Jeff puts down an empty pint glass, and the explanation that follows. It seems quite serious, doesn't it? Now watch the scene from the UK version. That's pretty damn funny, isn't it? It makes you wonder why the BBC cancelled it. Maybe because Richard Coyle didn't return to do a fourth series, and they got Richard Mylan, who hasn't seem to do much since. Except star in Grown-Ups. And that wasn't very good at all.

Does Steven Moffat know of this translation of his show? It doesn't seem to credit him. Or maybe it does, but they credit him as Stephanos.