Sunday, April 6, 2008

Now THAT was more like it!

Just watched the premiere of Doctor Who’s series 4, “Partners in Crime” and I will NOT spoil anything major about the episode for those who have not yet seen it. I can give some general reactions, though. MUCH better than the inconsistent (though entertaining) Christmas special of 2007.

Catherine Tate’s Donna was not HALF as annoying and/or insuffrable as she was in The Runaway Bride Christmas special of two years back. She actually has been reframed as a rather interesting character who is NOT “pining” after The Doctor (as I was afraid she would be looking at the previews for this season) – instead she wants the adventure and the opportunities that The Doctor offered her and that she (sttupidly) refused at the end of the Christmas special.

The “bad guy” of the episode was actually pretty well fleshed out, not being COMPLETELY EVIL as a lot of the Who villians are. The plot – to “help” a million Londoners lose a few pounds – was quite original and the “creatures” of the episode are, well… I wat a stuffed one right now. They are adorable.

Some GREAT laughs in this episode – much fun is had when The Doctor and Donna re-meet, in pantomime (you’ll know the scene when you see it). Some of the plot that separated the two character up to that point was WAY over-contrived but the sum total of the episode’s positives more than made up for it.

And DO NOT MISS the last two minutes. There be a HUGE surprise when one background character turns thier head towards the camera (hints of things – and series ending three-parter involving, well, everybody – to come).

Lots more reviews here, though there be MANY spoilers in both the reviews and the talkback…

And, of course, some MAJOR spoilers are (potentially) revealed here.

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And the list of the great movie stars of our time continue to get shorter…

Charlton Heston, star of stage and screen (and, most important to yours truly, the first two Planet of the Apes movies) has died at the age of 84. I have great respect for Heston both in his personal and professional work, and regret I will never have the chance to meet him and thank him for the hours of enjoyment his work gave me (not to mention the countless times I joyfully mocked his… acting… ABILITY!).

Mark Evanier’s reax.

Drew McWeeney (aka Moriorty of Ain’t it cool news) posts his reaction (he blames the damn dirty apes).

Harry (also from AICN) reacts as well.

One of Chuck’s best (OK, most memorable) scenes:

The trailer for you-know-what:

And finally, another memorable line-reading:

Rest in peace, sir.

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