Doctor Who Update

I am HOOKED. Matt Smith has nailed the character. He is confident, fun, and full of energy. Above all, he is confident. Some of the writing is simply spot on! Samples:

• "No, they're scared of me."
• "Don't dish the sonic!"
• "I know what I am doing. I will be fine."

Pratchett on BBC

Disclaimer: Although not a groupie, I am a Discworld fan.

As a part of my continued Netflick addiction and early summer break, I have been watching Hogfather (2006) and The Color of Magic (2008). The Color of Magic has some wonderful casting--Jeremy Irons as The Patrician, Tim Curry as Trymon, Christopher Lee as the voice of Death. And for a television production, the fx suprisingly capture Pratchett's wackiness.

The two flounder, though. The actors and the director (Vadim Jean) are too aware of the humor; they know that they are being funny. The knights and peasants of Monty Python's The Holy Grail never realize the absurdity of their behavior; it is everyday, commonplace.

In the Discworld movies, though, everyone is aware of the joke; as a result, the absurdity becomes overstated--if that is possible--heavy handed, tiresome, and even worse--just silly.

Because I am a fan, I will probably finish up, but I am glad that I did not float a dollar at the Redbox or five at Blockbuster.

Bayard

Zimm's 2 Cents on Dr. Who - Season 5

I was finally able to catch up on the newest rendition of Dr. Who, and I have to thank Time Warner. I really like the 'on demand' feature. I was able to watch all 5 back episodes in one day - with EXTREMELLY limited advertisements. A new feature that I don't have back home.

But I digress.

I have to admit, I loved David Tennant's take on the character. He brought certain personalities, traits, and characteristics that made him one of the best Dr. Who's of all time.

Yet - when a show makes a drastic change, I give it a chance. Or at least, I try to. In this case, it was worth it. The new actor is no David Tennant, but I don't want him to be. I want something different. Yes, he does carry-on certain characteristics, but at the same time, he is still developing his own.

In one of the first episodes, he failed to stop the Daleks from escaping into the future, but he saved the human race. He could have stopped them, but he chose the human race.

And then there were "Vampires in Venice". The name alone is worth saying a couple of times.

After a day of non-stop catch-up, I like the new Dr. Who. I could have watched several more episodes, which is always a good sign. Had I not liked it, I would not have made it through the first 5 episodes in one day.

Zimm's recommendation: Watch the series, and if you haven't seen the old series, then you need to catch up.

By the way, a news special named the top 10 characters of all-time. Can you guess who was number 3? (Clue: It wasn't Dr. Who, but it was one of my ALL-TIME favorites.)

BBC: Survivors

I really can't say much about this series. I neither hate it nor love it. The only thing that really captivates me is the concept.

Since I was about 12, I have always planned and prepared for an emergency. Something that very few people have realized over the years. In high school, I carried an emergency can opener on my key chain. In college, I had my "Batman" emergency tool belt. (It included everything from a water filtration straw to a hammock.) Today, I have a 72-Hour emergency kit.

So while the BBC: Survivors series interests me, I really haven't connected with any of the characters.

While there a couple of underlining plots, the ones that I have been forced to endure include:

• The corporation that created the virus.
• The convict who is part of the "Family" and hasn't told anyone. Yet.
• The mother trying to find her son - who may or may not be dead. Yawn.
  

Positive: Villain is a mighty corporation, which supports some of my theories.

Negative: Characters. I can't latch onto any of them. Tom Price, the convict, is about the only interesting one, as you are constantly waiting for him to "show his colors".

Overall: It is scheduled on the DVR, so I will be watching it.

Torchwood Season 3

Season 3 is set for a Summer 2009 release; however (and here is the bad news), it is scheduled to be only 5 episodes long. I hope that I am wrong, as this has been one of the few Dr. Who spin-offs that I have followed.

Robert: So, Zimm, exactly how many Doctor Who spin offs have you watched?

This is a mini series all supposed to run in one week. It's meant to bridge the gaps between seasons and give them time to figure out the direction Torchwood will take in the future. There were rumors that Martha Jones and Mickey would join the team, but with Agyemon taking a role in the ITV version of Law & Order, that's unlikely now.

Also, Captain Jack's role is rumored to be diminishing in the future. Not sure why, Barrowman really seems to enjoy the role and how many omni sexual characters are there?