I occasionally like to mention the podcasts I'm listening to. Podcasts primarily rely on word-of-mouth, so hopefully these choices will influence a few people, one way or the other. In a slight change, they're in descending order (1-10):
1. Mark Kermode (Five Live) I love this podcast. It's become a sign that the working week is over for me. Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode make for an enjoyable double-act (Mayo pricking film critic Kermode's ego, elitism and pretentiousness) as they run through the box-office top 10 and review the week's new releases. The specials (interviews with directors, writers and actors) are also very good. Lots of quirkiness and injokes, such as the alternate names for bad actors (Ikea Knightley, etc.) Good fun, a popular film podcast, and listened to be celebs like Jason Isaacs ("hello!"), David Morrissey, Stephen Fry, and others. So good that Mayo and Kermode have recently started doing their shtick as a ten-minute segment on BBC's The Culture Show.
2. /Filmcast. I've only started downloading this in the past 5 months, or so, but it's definitely one of the best podcasts around for film fans. Every week, David Chen, Devindra Hardawar, Adam Quigley (and a different guest) discuss movie news, what they've been watching, and the week's big film release. It's an easy listen, pretty funny, quite informative at times, and the guest reviewers (other online critics or celebs) are good value. They also flag spoilers, helpfully. There's also a follow-up podcast called After Dark, which is arguably better because it's more freewheeling and includes television.
3. Adam & Joe (Six Music) Their '90s show was great fun, but this double-act never got the break they deserved. Their brand of homespun comedy is all the rage 10 years later, thanks to YouTube. On radio in the '00s, they're just as good, and put a phenomenal amount of work into each episode. The "Song Wars" feature alone must take days for them to compose and record, and they even accompany some of their spoof songs with animated videos. Check out the Quantum Of Solace and Australia ditties. Oh, and: Stephen!
4. Scene/Unseen Movie Reviews. I sometimes find myself irritated by this podcast, actually, because the American reviewers (Chris and Jimmy) have opinions and tastes I don't always agree with (both hate fantasy films, Jimmy won't watch animated "talking animal" movies). But, the concept of the podcast is very good: Chris watches a movie, Jimmy doesn't, and they create a film review based on their differing vantage points. L.A-based, it's also attracted a few celebs their way (David Lynch, David Fincher, Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith) and is always quite informative. Although I do kinda prefer it when Jimmy goes on holiday and they get some guests to replace him! Sorry, Jimmy.
5. Scott Mills Daily (Radio 1) This wouldn't be so high if I listened to Scott Mills' drive-time show, as it's just a highlights package, but it's one of the more enjoyable podcasts if you haven't heard the content. Scott, Chappers and Becky are the trio behind a mix of games, interviews, and banter. Typical Radio 1 fluff; good fun, hilarious at times, with plenty of recurring gags/catchphrases ("a horse for one bin!") and a few inventive ideas.
6. The Official Lost Podcast/The Lost Initiative. The oficial ABC podcast (presented by Lost execs Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof) is very good, but suffers slightly from the fact the creators are wary of revealing too much, and certainly won't go into speculation about the show (for obvious reasons!) The Lost Initiative is UK-based, presented by Iain Lee, and I find it more entertaining in many ways. Each episode is torn apart and picked over at the Sky1 pace, with interesting theories, enjoyable banter and phone calls. Both great podcasts for fans of the show -- although, technically, the Initiative is now a vodcast and only available through the Sky1 website.
7. Iain Lee (Absolute Radio) A two-hour phone-in show that takes awhile to get into, but can provide dumb, silly entertainment. It's mainly an outlet for oddball listeners to call up and spout inane nonsense; it's the audio equivalent of the X Factor auditions round, in that enjoyment comes from laughing at numbskulls. And there's not as much singing. It's so weird that even a fake regular (octogenarian Bob From Watford) fits in perfectly, and has become a cult character in his own right with stage appearances and an occasional slot on Radio 2's Steve Wright Show.
8. Chris Moyles (Radio 1) Another highlights package of the week's morning shows, so it's rather tedious if you're a regular listener to BBC Radio 1 every day. But, as the flagship show, there are big-name guests and an enjoyable zoo-style from Chris and the gang. Interestingly, the intro and outro's for the podcast are the worst bit, and those are new content.
9. The Now Show / The News Quiz (Radio 4) Both shows are part of the "Friday Night Comedy" strand on R4, and can be pretty good. I'm not a big fan of The Now Show, really -- but The News Quiz is the audio equivalent of Have I Got News For You (not as funny, but more on-topic), so it's worth listening to.
10. Collings & Herrin. The least polished podcast on this chart (and perhaps anywhere in Podcastland?), writer/critic Andrew Collins and writer/comedian Richard Herring basically waffle on for 66 minutes about current affairs. It's uneven in quality, but that's part of its grubby charm. It's just two blokes, sat in an attic, putting the world to rights, taking the piss out of each other, venting their spleen, and occasionally delving into dark-but-cheeky territory. Infantile and increasingly meandering, but oddly compelling.
It's been revealed that Karen Gillan's character in the new series of Doctor Who will be called Amy, and it's likely the 21-year-old Scottish actress will be keeping her native accent. Filming on Doctor Who's fifth series, the brainchild of new showrunner Steven Moffat, begins this Monday. Therefore, the BBC will be releasing a photo of The Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy next Tuesday.
The 61st Emmy nominations have just been released. The full list can be read here, but here are the noms that pricked my interest, because shows I enjoy, admire or review were included:
Outstanding Art Direction for a Mini-Series or Movie:
Generation Kill
Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series:
Heroes: "Cold Snap"
Mad Men: "The Jet Set"
Pushing Daisies: "Dim Sum Lose Some"
True Blood: "Burning House Of Love", "Cold Ground" & "Sparks Fly Out"
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series:
Damages
Mad Men
True Blood
Outstanding Cinematography for a One-Hour Series:
Breaking Bad: "ABQ"
Life On Mars: "Out Here In The Fields"
Mad Men: "The New Girl"
Outstanding Comedy Series:
Flight Of The Conchords
The Office
Outstanding Costumes for a Series:
Mad Men: "Meditations In An Emergency"
Pushing Daisies: "Bzzzzzzzzz!"
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series:
James Bobin - Flight Of The Conchords: "The Tough Brets"
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series:
Michael Rymer - Battlestar Galactica: "Daybreak: Part 2"
Todd A. Damages - "Trust Me"
hil Abraham - Mad Men: "The Jet Set"
Outstanding Directing for a Mini-Series, Movie or Dramatic Special:
Philip Martin - Wallander: "One Step Behind"
Outstanding Drama Series:
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
Lost
Mad Men
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series:
Ted Danson - Damages: "They Had to Tweeze That Out of My Kidney"
Jimmy Smits - Dexter: "Go Your Own Way"
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Jemaine Clement - Flight Of The Conchords
Steve Carell - The Office
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall - Dexter
Jon Hamm - Mad Men
Simon Baker - The Mentalist
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or Movie:
Kiefer Sutherland - 24: Redemption
Kenneth Branagh - Wallander: "One Step Behind"
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama:
Glenn Close - Damages
Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
Outstanding Main Title Sequence:
Lie To Me
True Blood
Outstanding Mini-Series:
Generation Kill
Outstanding Music Composition for a Mini-Series, Movie or Special:
Sean P. Callery - 24: Redemption
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series:
Sean P. Callery - 24
Robert Duncan - Castle
Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie Or Special:
Generation Kill
Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series:
Battlestar Galactica: "Daybreak: Part 2"
Fringe: "Pilot"
Heroes: "The Second Coming"/"The Butterfly Effect"
Outstanding Stunt Coordination:
24: "5:00PM - 6:00PM"
Burn Notice: "Lesser Evil"
Chuck: "Chuck Versus The First Date"
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
William Hurt - Damages
Michael Emerson - Lost
John Slattery - Mad Men
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Cherry Jones - 24
Rose Byrne - Damages
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series:
Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof - Lost: "The Incident"
Robin Veith & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men: "A Night To Remember"
Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men: "Six Month Leave"
Matthew Weiner - Mad Men: "The Jet Set"
Kater Gordin & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men: "Meditations In An Emergency"
One of the most humourous sequences is when Cooper demonstrates to Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean), his deputies, and receptionist Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) his unique style of detective work, based on a dream he had about Tibet. Having gathered them in the woods and explained Tibetan history of the Dalai Lama being exiled from his country by the invading Chinese, Cooper has a bottle positioned on a tree stump many yards away. He then tries to smash said bottle by throwing rocks at it, each one representing a suspect who could be "J" -- the person mentioned in Laura Palmer's final diary entry. A rock named for Dr. Jacoby strikes the bottle, but the bottle is only smashed by the rock evoking trucker Leo Johnson's name. The strange thing is, Truman and his men hardly bat an eyelid at this insane deductive method of Coop's! But will it be proven accurate?
As a series with an intention to parody Richard Sirk's infamously cheesy melodrama's of the '50s, that truly gets underway here between Donna and James, two youngsters brought together over their shared grief for Laura as her best friend and secret lover, respectively. It's no coincidence that Twin Peaks' show-within-a-show (tacky soap "Invitation To Love") is more prominently seen in this episode for the first time, either.
By far the most memorable scene, and perhaps the iconic moment of Twin Peaks itself, is the climactic dream Cooper has after retiring to bed. It features a Red Room with crimson curtains and a zigzag-patterned carpet, where he finds himself sat in an armchair, middle-aged, across from a sofa where a sharp-suited dwarf (Michael J. Anderson) and Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) are seated. Both talk in peculiar semi-coherent English, requiring subtitles, answering Cooper's simple questions with surreal phrases like "I feel like I know her, but sometimes my arms bend back." Eventually, jazz plays and the dwarf starts a stilted dance as Laura leans over to the wrinkled Cooper and whispers the name of her killer in his ear. Upon waking, Cooper (his gelled-back hair now stuck up, antennae-like from this "broadcast") immediately calls the Sheriff and reveals he knows who killed Laura Palmer...
This week's situation kicks off when Chuck bumps into his ex-girlfriend Jill (Jordana Brewster), who cruelly dumped him while he was at Stanford University, after she found out he cheated at a test (which he didn't), and went on to date his best-friend/nemesis Bryce Larkin. Five years later, Jill's now a high-flying exec for a cutting-edge bio-science company, while Chuck's still scratching out an existence as a lowly electrical store assistant.
Plus, with Chuck and Jill becoming an item by the end, there's now the juicy prospect of Chuck getting into even knottier problems at home. He now has to pretend Sarah's his girlfriend in front of his friends and family while secretly dating Jill (a woman his sister Ellie despises because she broke her brother's heart.) It's a great way to reinvigorate the show's premise, which sometimes gets stuck in a rut with the Sarah/Chuck relationship. The Chuck/Sarah/Jill triangle (which could be further complicated further if Bryce returns, as he's bedded both women in Chuck's life) is an excellent new development.As one of their customers myself, I'm pleased to hear that Virgin Media are finally beginning to pull their weight when it comes to high-definition. As promised a few months ago, four HD channels are being added to their XL package: Living HD, FX HD, National Geographic HD and MTVN HD (at no additional charge to XL subscribers). You will, of course, need a Virgin+ box to receive them. These new channels will start to rollout at the end of July, with Living HD first on the line-up. Negotiations are also ongoing with UKTV to launch a HD version of the Good Food channel.
Neil Berkett, Virgin Media chief executive:"As more homes become HD-ready, the launch of four new HD channels marks the next stage in the evolution of our pioneering TV service. Our lineup of HD channels and hugely popular on demand content is a unique and winning combination and we'll continue to bring more sport, films, entertainment and documentaries to our customers."
This is certainly a step in the right direction for the cable operator, who in the past have favoured video-on-demand content over HD, enabling rival Sky to dominate high-def in the UK. I'm still not convinced a total of five HD channels (including BBC HD) is worth buying a Virgin+ box for, compared to Sky's plethora of high-def content, but at least they're not charging customers for the HD channels themselves (a la Sky's fixed £10 p/month charge ontop of your existing subscription.) Or is the fact you only get these HD channels if you have a XL subscription with Virgin a stealth charge?
I'm officially on holiday now until next Sunday (19 July), but I'm not going anywhere special (i.e, abroad) so there will be some updates. My reviews for Chuck and Twin Peaks won't be affected, but there will probably be delays for everything else (particularly True Blood, but also Mitchell & Webb and Psychoville.)
Also, I'm still at the mercy of a BBC America publicist when it comes to that Russell T. Davies interview I mentioned last week, but he's trying to arrange something for Monday or Tuesday. Ain't It Cool News have first dibs on the piece, but I'm going to try and squeeze in some additional questions for British fans who have seen Children Of Earth, and then repost the interview here (unabridged, transcript style.) I have a decent list of questions that covers most bases now, but if you have a great question you want me to ask RTD, now's your last chance to send me it (via Twitter is best.)
"Day Five" split its characters up after the Thames House gas attack, with Jack (John Barrowman) and Lois (Cush Jumbo) jailed in London, while Gwen (Eve Myles) and Rhys (Kai Owen) return to Cardiff to help the late Ianto's family protect their neighourhood's children from the government – who have sent the military to frogmarch riffraff kids out of school and hand them over to the alien 456. To maintain plausibility when 10% of the world's children are abducted, the Prime Minister (Nicholas Farrell) orders Frobisher (Peter Capaldi) to turn his own daughters over to the authorities, as a way to help convince the public that the kids are being taken for mandatory injections to prevent their chanting and to placate any concerns.
I guess this could mean the end of Torchwood, but something tells me the BBC will commission more after this special's stellar performance in the ratings (averaging just shy of 6 million every weeknight), so it won't be long before Cap'n Jack comes back reinvigorated and keen to revive and re-staff a new Torchwood Hub.
For the second episode in a row, it was noticeable how Torchwood remained on the periphery of this adventure, with the team stuck inside their makeshift Hub2 for the majority of "Day Three", watching events unfold on a laptop while other characters spearhead the drama. Fortunately, this holding pattern wasn't as obvious as it was in "Day Two" and the storyline was robust enough to cope. Once the world's children started pointing towards London and a column of fire punched a hole in the clouds, heralding the arrival of "the 456" into the atmospheric chamber the government had built, "Day Three" hit its stride and began delivering some fun Quatermass-style sci-fi.
Overall, "Day Three" was pretty good stuff, particularly in how it successfully handled the 456 (one of the few genuinely mysterious and threatening aliens in the Whoniverse), and the fun espionage of Lois sneaking into Floor 13 so that Torchwood can eavesdrop on the diplomatic meeting with the aliens, who have apparently returned to demand that 10% of the world's children be handed over to them (that's 220 million kids, fact-fans.) I'm guessing the consequences of refusing will be terrible and that someone in UNIT is kicking themselves for not getting The Doctor's number on speed-dial.
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