Which came first? The book or the film? It might look like the easiest of questions to answer since the book almost always precedes the movie (except in major franchise tie-ins but that is a different kettle of promotional and artistic fish entirely); but as with the much-discussed chicken Continue Reading
The Doctor Puppet: Solar flares, cracks in the universe and a helpful extravagance of Doctor Whos
SNAPSHOT In “The Twelfth Planet“, the final episode of Alisa Stern‘s wonderful stop-motion Doctor Who puppet series “Doctor Puppet“, the twelfth iteration of The Doctor (Peter Capaldi), alone on a littered planet, finds himself at the mercy of a perfectly aligned solar flare that causes a crack in the universe. As the crack grows Continue Reading
Eurovision update: Bulgaria in, Australia decides … and more
It’s just 7 months to the middle of Eurovision – yes my number of days to … work could do with a little finessing – and while that may seem like a lifetime away, if history is any guide, we’ll be having glitter and glamour and fabulous tunes rained Continue Reading
Could In the Flesh rise again? The series creator says possibly
As zombies series, the BBC’s In the Flesh was a cut above the usual stalk-em-and-terrify-em run of the mill. Thoughtfully examining what might happen if a cure could be found for the zombie virus reverting any affected people back to normal and able, in theory at least, back into Continue Reading
Weekend Pop Art: Bright Disney, Dark Burton
Life is all about the light and dark, the fun-filled and the horror-packed, the exuberantly sunshine-y and the bleakly maudlin. That’s why, much as I adore Disney and it’s cute and quirky take on things, I love it when someone like, oh say, artist Andrew Tarusov subverts those squeaky-clean, Continue Reading
Let your heart be light: It’s beginning to look like A Legendary Christmas
Christmas makes me happy. Very happy. And Christmas music makes me even happier. There is something ineffably beautiful and wondrous about it that makes me feel like absolutely everything is going to be OK; it may not be, but oh, it feels that way and that’s enough for me. Continue Reading
Spooked! Simon’s Cat thinks something creepy over yonder lies
SNAPSHOT Upon waking from a satisfying Halloween nap, a languid Simon’s Cat deliciously stretched the sleep out of his limbs while staring at a picture on the wall behind the bed. After he was fully awake, the relaxed kitty suddenly became pensive and suspicious all the while staring at Continue Reading
Oh Q! Star Trek gets a great big comic crossover and it’s all his fault
Can I be honest with you all? I have never much cared for Q. True John de Lancie was absolutely superb in the role, and many of the episodes featuring Q turned a harsh spotlight on humanity’s foibles or brought out something illuminating in one of the main characters, Continue Reading
Graphic novel review: Dan and Sam by Matt Watson and Oliver Harud
In amongst the joy and blissful contentment (yes, I am genuinely that happy) of my long relationship to the most wonderful man in the world, there is a niggling, barely-acknowledged thought – what if I ever lost him? It’s not something I actively entertain, of course, preferring to think Continue Reading
Childlike glee: How a female Doctor Who could change the portrayal of women in sci-fi
SNAPSHOT The Doctor has a gleeful, almost childlike personality. He’s a hero with a sense of humor – which makes the character fun and compelling to watch. But that kind of character complexity has been typically reserved for male heroes. Female superheroes are very much pressured to be taken Continue Reading