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Unspoilered
Jan. 27th, 2020 09:45 pmYoungest Sister texted me this morning advising me strongly to stay off the internet until I had seen Doctor Who, which I've only been watching sporadically for past couple of series. I'm very glad that I did.
Spoilers, sweetie
Jun. 26th, 2017 07:32 pmSome recent media viewing
Versailles
It's absolute tosh, but it's fun tosh. There's a 10 minute section after each episode in which they tell you which bits are actually vaguely connected to reality, and which aren't. For someone with very little knowledge of the history of the period it manages to be quite educational. I certainly had no idea that in 1672 the Dutch Prime Minister was set upon by a mob in The Hague who not only killed, but possibly ate parts of him.
On another note, Wikipedia led me to this portrait of Louis XIV showing an early example of the contorted breasts and bum figure so beloved of bad film posters and novel covers.
My Cousin Rachel
Did Daphne de Maurier have an ill-advised affair with someone she met at a continental holiday resort? It would explain a lot. I enjoyed this very much, and finally found out the ending having somehow managed to avoid spoilers for about 20 years since I heard the first half as a radio play. I should like to read the book; the film maintained the ambiguity well, but I wonder how much the story relies for its depth on a certain interiority that is hard to maintain on film, but I can imagine being there in a novel.
Doctor Who
I've enjoyed this series very much in a low-key kind of way. I've really enjoyed Capaldi, and Peal Mackie is excellent as Bill. It's been nice to have a companion with no particular mystery or backstory to her, just someone going round the galaxy having adventures with the Doctor, and Mackie portrays a combination of cheerful friendliness and curiosity that works very well. Not to mention added fun from Michelle Gomez as the Master.
( Read more... )
Versailles
It's absolute tosh, but it's fun tosh. There's a 10 minute section after each episode in which they tell you which bits are actually vaguely connected to reality, and which aren't. For someone with very little knowledge of the history of the period it manages to be quite educational. I certainly had no idea that in 1672 the Dutch Prime Minister was set upon by a mob in The Hague who not only killed, but possibly ate parts of him.
On another note, Wikipedia led me to this portrait of Louis XIV showing an early example of the contorted breasts and bum figure so beloved of bad film posters and novel covers.
My Cousin Rachel
Did Daphne de Maurier have an ill-advised affair with someone she met at a continental holiday resort? It would explain a lot. I enjoyed this very much, and finally found out the ending having somehow managed to avoid spoilers for about 20 years since I heard the first half as a radio play. I should like to read the book; the film maintained the ambiguity well, but I wonder how much the story relies for its depth on a certain interiority that is hard to maintain on film, but I can imagine being there in a novel.
Doctor Who
I've enjoyed this series very much in a low-key kind of way. I've really enjoyed Capaldi, and Peal Mackie is excellent as Bill. It's been nice to have a companion with no particular mystery or backstory to her, just someone going round the galaxy having adventures with the Doctor, and Mackie portrays a combination of cheerful friendliness and curiosity that works very well. Not to mention added fun from Michelle Gomez as the Master.
( Read more... )
The silver lining of having a cold is that I have finally managed to start watching this series of Doctor Who (haven't seen the last two episodes, no spoilers please). I'm enjoying it quite a lot, but I did spend the first episode imagining what it would be like to be the Head of Department in a department with the Doctor in it...
------
'We're supposed to have an agreement. I give you an office, a lecture slot, and an admittedly modest salary. In return, you teach what you like with no questions asked, and give me four REF-able articles. Four 4* REF-able outputs that I can actually submit, unlike the ones you emailed me last week.'
'What's wrong with them?'
'They're on medieval Armenian poetry and we're the philosophy department.'
'Where's your imagination? I'm sure you can find a use for them. They're very good articles.'
'I know , I had them read by someone who can actually read Armenian. She said that they were the best work she'd seen in her career, and incidentally wherever did you find that new manuscript?
'I know that you don't like the REF, Doctor. Most of your colleagues don't like it either. As the person who has to deal with everybody else not liking it, I inevitably hate it. But until you give me four articles in a subject relevant to an existing University department or, if you prefer, invent time travel and stop it happening in the first place, I shall continue to nag you to ensure that you adhere to the terms of our agreement. Here's a list of departments. Four outputs, or time travel, Doctor, it's up to you.'
[worp worp]
'Of course we can add medieval Armenian poetry to the lecture list next year. Now if you could just remember that I will need your entry for the Great University Bake-Off Biscuit Challenge by Friday that would be great.'
-----
Meanwhile in the real-life department of Be Careful What You Wish For Studies, this gem from the Wikipedia article on the RAE:
The committee received submissions of research statements from 37 subject areas ("cost centres") within Universities, along with five selected research outputs.
[...]
A subsequent research assessment was conducted in 1989 under the name "research selectivity exercise" by the Universities Funding Council. Responding to the complaint of the Universities that they weren't allowed submit their "full strength," Swinnerton-Dyer allowed the submission of two research outputs per every member of staff.
And so the madness began.
------
'We're supposed to have an agreement. I give you an office, a lecture slot, and an admittedly modest salary. In return, you teach what you like with no questions asked, and give me four REF-able articles. Four 4* REF-able outputs that I can actually submit, unlike the ones you emailed me last week.'
'What's wrong with them?'
'They're on medieval Armenian poetry and we're the philosophy department.'
'Where's your imagination? I'm sure you can find a use for them. They're very good articles.'
'I know , I had them read by someone who can actually read Armenian. She said that they were the best work she'd seen in her career, and incidentally wherever did you find that new manuscript?
'I know that you don't like the REF, Doctor. Most of your colleagues don't like it either. As the person who has to deal with everybody else not liking it, I inevitably hate it. But until you give me four articles in a subject relevant to an existing University department or, if you prefer, invent time travel and stop it happening in the first place, I shall continue to nag you to ensure that you adhere to the terms of our agreement. Here's a list of departments. Four outputs, or time travel, Doctor, it's up to you.'
[worp worp]
'Of course we can add medieval Armenian poetry to the lecture list next year. Now if you could just remember that I will need your entry for the Great University Bake-Off Biscuit Challenge by Friday that would be great.'
-----
Meanwhile in the real-life department of Be Careful What You Wish For Studies, this gem from the Wikipedia article on the RAE:
The committee received submissions of research statements from 37 subject areas ("cost centres") within Universities, along with five selected research outputs.
[...]
A subsequent research assessment was conducted in 1989 under the name "research selectivity exercise" by the Universities Funding Council. Responding to the complaint of the Universities that they weren't allowed submit their "full strength," Swinnerton-Dyer allowed the submission of two research outputs per every member of staff.
And so the madness began.
Very short Who-fic
Sep. 30th, 2015 09:28 pmHair! Not bald! Pity, baldness is cool. Long hair! Lots of hair, that's good. Different, but good. Face all there, lots of bones, nice jaw. No beard, but you can't have everything. Hands! Bit small, actually, might wear gloves. Oh, etheric beam locators! That's useful. Ah. Not in fact etheric beam locators, breasts. Haven't had those in a while, and not for very long then. You were running through regenerations rather fast, and now you think of it you never met him in that body. Oh, this could be fun. Need a new outfit, of course, and perhaps the name. Disguise it a bit, so it takes him time to guess. If the Doctor has a fault - what are you saying, he has hundreds of them - but fairly close to the top of the list is a lack of imagination when it comes to what his friends might be thinking.
Oh, so many opportunities. So much fun.
Oh, so many opportunities. So much fun.
Home from holidays
Sep. 15th, 2012 09:28 amI have not got a tan, have got chocolate orange spread, a litre of vodka, very tired feet, and a new jacket. I also have extremely disturbing news: the Dalek invasion is well under way.
Even in the heart of the Vatican, their influence is blatant:
Is the truth about why Galileo Galilei was imprisoned for heresy suddenly more disturbing than we had suspected?
Even in the heart of the Vatican, their influence is blatant:
Is the truth about why Galileo Galilei was imprisoned for heresy suddenly more disturbing than we had suspected?
Doctor Who
Oct. 1st, 2011 07:57 pmHow, HOW, did that go completely unguessed?
Also, people under the rain band, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Also, people under the rain band, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Doctor Who
Jun. 4th, 2011 09:06 pmIf x is z, does that mean y?
( spoilers )
That really was a fun episode. I have new favourite character and two new favourite lines (only one spoken).
( spoilers )
That really was a fun episode. I have new favourite character and two new favourite lines (only one spoken).
Minor thought on Sunday's Doctor Who
May. 3rd, 2011 12:38 pm( Cut for spoiler )
Also, I think I need to do a post about the BBC’s editorial guidelines and how they relate to children’s programming, general programming, and the watershed, for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
doctorwho.
Also, I think I need to do a post about the BBC’s editorial guidelines and how they relate to children’s programming, general programming, and the watershed, for
doctorwho.Minor thought on Saturday’s Doctor Who
May. 3rd, 2011 12:27 pm( Cut for spoiler )
Also, I think I need to do a post about the BBC’s editorial guidelines and how they relate to children’s programming, general programming, and the watershed, for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
doctorwho.
Also, I think I need to do a post about the BBC’s editorial guidelines and how they relate to children’s programming, general programming, and the watershed, for
doctorwho.Parallel Presidents
May. 15th, 2006 09:08 amI enjoyed Saturday’s Doctor Who immensely*, but next time please could we not have a Default Future/Parallel Virtuous Black President. It isn’t an original statement that the parallel world is Different; it’s been a Hollywood cliché for years. A (British) Indian president, possibly one who wasn’t the embodiment of all that’s good, now that would be different. Doctor Who should not fall back on the Morgan Freeman role.
Or how about being really radical: make the president female. We only make up more than 50% of the adult population. She could be black as well. Or Irish. A female Irish parallel president would be a hell of a lot more suggestive of difference than the standard 50+ black male actor with lots of gravitas we had here.
* Especially In the Jungle, or whatever the song is actually called, and the fact that the cybermen were not extras in spray-painted diving suits.
Or how about being really radical: make the president female. We only make up more than 50% of the adult population. She could be black as well. Or Irish. A female Irish parallel president would be a hell of a lot more suggestive of difference than the standard 50+ black male actor with lots of gravitas we had here.
* Especially In the Jungle, or whatever the song is actually called, and the fact that the cybermen were not extras in spray-painted diving suits.
