More TV Stuff, and News

As I write this, there are 121 comments to my last entry. You people are insane.

By the way, I read every single one of these comments, my minions. I know what you’re saying. I know what you’re planning. And I will stop you.

In this Blog entry, I shall be reacting to your viewing suggestions. I was quite pleased that no one watched a show I absolutely LOATHE- although two of you DID have the audacity to defend Charmed, which was a brave, if foolhardy, move to make... I now mock you, Avotica and V! I MOCK YOU!

Okay, mocking over.

When Dr Who started back, with Eccleston, I missed the start of the series, and so the first episode I saw was when those blobby, gaseous aliens took over 10 Downing Street. I was looking at a TV show where, apparently, the height of humour was to have flatulent monsters running around. I turned it off at the end and thought to myself, “Right, well, I’m not watching that again.”

And then Tennant turned up, and I caught a glimpse of an episode, where this hyper-intelligent space-detective runs around being all egotistical and funny, kind of like Skulduggery in a way, and I said to myself, “Hey, this isn’t bad at all...!”

I still don’t like it when it gets too silly, but on the whole it’s a fantastic return to form for a series I loved when I was younger. I didn’t think Matt Smith would be able to fill Tennant’s shoes, but he’s doing a great job, and I think Amy Pond shares best-assistant status with Martha (was never too taken with Billy Piper, I have to say...).

Sally Sparrow, however, remains the best assistant-who-was-never-actually-an-assistant.

Merlin has its ups and downs, but I do watch it, primarily for Morgana, played by Katie McGrath. Katie’s the best friend of my cousin’s wife, and I got talking to her at the wedding. Lovely girl- genuinely nice.

I liked Veronica Mars, but kind of lost interest once the main mystery of the first season was solved. I haven’t watched the second season of Being Human yet, but the first was surprisingly good. I occasionally watch House, and Chuck (mostly for the moments when the nice blond girl smiles) and I love Fringe and The Mentalist, which is basically a less-jokey version of the hilarious Psych. Castle shares similarities, but if it wasn’t for Fillion I don’t think I’d be watching. He makes that character what it is. I never got into Monk, but I might give it a go, and Pushing Daises was wonderful. Dead Like Me, also. Scrubs makes me laugh, and Red Dwarf used to make me laugh, when I was in school. Blackadder Goes Forth is my favourite Blackadder.

Spaced, by the way, is fantastic, as is The Office and Extras. The American Office isn’t half-bad, either. Haven’t watched Ashes To Ashes yet, but I liked Life On Mars. Glee really divides people- to either love it or hate it. I love it. It’s fun and funny, and always puts me in a good mood.

I’ve been a big Star Trek fan- all the way up to Voyager, where I got annoyed by the increasingly smug Captain Janeway. I really don’t know what she was feeling so smug about, either- she’d managed to get her entire ship lost, for God’s sake. And then there was her astonishingly grating VOICE...

But I digress.

I loved Knight Rider when I was a kid, in all its cheesy goodness. Also loved Six Million Dollar Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Hardy Boys, The A-Team, Wonder Woman, and Manimal. Yes, Manimal. Look it up.  

And for those of you whose favourite Holmes is Jeremy Brett- you have excellent taste.

The cartoons I like are The Simpsons, South Park and, increasingly, Family Guy. I had dismissed family Guy early on, but once I gave it a chance, it grew on me. Like fungus.

I’m working my way through Criminal Minds and Lie To Me, two fascinating shows that have avoided the CSI trap of just becoming incredibly boring.

Oh, and for those of you who are recommending Firefly and other Joss Whedon projects, let me just say- pfffffft. Do you not think I have already championed these shows to anyone and everyone I know? Angel was excellent, Dollhouse was occasionally brilliant, Dr Horrible was hilarious, and Firefly, dear Firefly... I will never forget you.

And now, some non-TV related responses...

I occasionally listen to Johnny Cash, but hadn’t heard of "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart" until you recommended it, Skyril. One of my favourite songs growing up was “A Boy Named Sue”, because it was just so funny, and this one shares the same sense of humour.

Oh, and Avotica, the picture of my eyes at the top of this accursed Blog is not “lame”, as you put it. If you look again, I think you will realize it is amazingly cool. I wasn’t trying to look creepy or freaky- I was just trying to convey the sheer soul-crushing horror I felt at being told I had to write a Blog...

Inferno-Joe, unfortunately, comments-for-the-sake-of-comments do not work on ME. You will cease and desist this activity, or I will track you down with my ninja-leprechauns and STRIKE.

I will have your head, young minion. I will have your HEAD.

Oh, and now some news. A few days ago, I was sent the cover for Book 5 in its finished form. This is, quite simply, my favourite cover yet. Artist extraordinaire Tom Percival sent me a rough version a few months ago, and I think this has been circulating on the interweb recently. Basically, because of the rough sketch, I knew it was going to be good- but even I wasn’t prepared for exactly how good it turned out.

And you, you lucky people, will be able to judge for yourselves on Monday, when I post it HERE.

It’s going to be turning up everywhere, actually, on a few Facebook pages, probably on the website too, but I’m going to see if I can be the first one to release it on this Blog thing.

I guess it does have its uses...