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The Time Travelers (1964)
Genuinely fascinating 60s sci-fi
I saw this film on the Talking Pictures TV channel listings and decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. The fairly simple premise is that a group of scientists are experimenting with time travel short distances backwards and forwards. As tends to happen in these films, there is a malfunction. It throws them 107 years into the future where they discover a dead planet with mutants on the surface and the few remaining humans living below the surface trying to keep the mutants at bay and attempting to build a rocket to escape the planet.
That is the basic story and in that respect it isn't very different from the usual cheap 60s sci-fi films that I used to watch on TV as a kid. What sets this apart is the way that the science is respected. There is no deus ex machina way out of the problems they face. It is just human ingenuity that lies between them and their fate. As well as that, there are moral and ethical issues that are discussed with no easy answers forthcoming. Finally, the ending is one of the most original I have seen from a film of that era. You really should take the opportunity to watch it if it comes up on your channels in your area.
A Christmas Carol (1971)
The finest cartoon version and one of the best of all
This was my introduction to my favourite story. I first saw it in 1972 and that first viewing remains firmly in my memory. It is directed by Richard Williams, has the genius Chuck Jones on animation duties and Alastair Sim reprising his role as Scrooge having given us perhaps the definitive version in 1951. With those three on board it was always going to be good, but something as special as this shows some kind of alchemy at work. The love for the source material shines through and the use of scenes like Scrooge flying with the Ghost of Christmas Present shows the depth of understanding of the book. It was originally made for TV in 1971 but was entered for and won the animation Oscar the following year, the only time this happened. For reasons best known to the company that owns the copyright, this amazing piece of art has never had a Dvd release. It's a staggering oversight. In the mean time it is available on YouTube and I can't recommend it highly enough. It is a version of the story that will introduce your children to the classic story and will remind you of what is so special about the greatest Christmas book ever written.
Girl Meets World: Girl Meets the Forgiveness Project (2015)
A episode of rare quality and insight
This is quite possibly the best episode of Girl Meets World in its first two seasons. Cory sets the class a project that encourages them to forgive someone. For Lucas it is Farkle's insistence on predicting plot points and endings for movies. Riley attempts to forgive Auggie for biting the face off of her teddy. However, it is Maya who sets herself the hardest task, that of forgiving her father for leaving when she was 5.It is this final story line that provides the dramatic weight to the episode. Sabrina Carpenter, a talented actress who shines with the most mundane of material, absolutely nails the anger, confusion and guilt of a child who has been left by a parent. One scene with Cory is the most affecting heart-wrenching scene imaginable which left me, a father of four who watches this with one of my daughters, absolutely knocked for six emotionally. It is at times like this that Girl Meets World ceases to be a great children's programme and becomes a great programme full stop
New Tricks: Love Means Nothing in Tennis (2012)
Gerry hits a winner
As with most New Tricks episodes there are some really good cameos. First of all, the excellent Tamzin Outhwaite as a young tennis star's mother. There's a brittleness to her character that is underplayed and, as such, unsettles you more than the overtly unpleasant traits that some actors would have employed. The comedian Alexei Sayle is very believable as a slimy agent who may or may not be hiding secrets. The young actress, Martha MackIntosh, played the conflicted Fawn Brammall with sincerity and vulnerability. However, it is Dennis Waterman's Gerry who comes out of this episode as the most affecting character. The way he clearly cares about Fawn in a fatherly way is beautifully played and the scene where he lends her his coat perfectly captures the feelings of righteous anger and protectiveness shown by Gerry throughout the episode. It is his performance which lingers in the memory and gains extra layers on subsequent re-watching.
The Wonder Years: The Accident (1991)
Kevin encounters Winnie again, but is she still the girl next door?
Don't worry. There are no spoilers in this review, because it would be unfair on those people not yet lucky enough to see this episode to lessen it's impact. Suffice it to say, this is the episode where Winnie Cooper returns to the series. The two childhood sweethearts, Winnie and Kevin went their separate ways after Winnie moved schools. The episode starts with Kevin seeing Winnie in their old street for the first time since the school coaches went in different directions to the strains of 'God Only Knows' by the Beach Boys. What is she looking for? Obviously, Kevin hopes that it's him, but there is a brittleness about Winnie that hints at a girl who's missing something but isn't sure what. As Kevin gets drawn back in to Winnie's world he starts to worry that she's looking for what's missing in all the wrong places. Anyone who has encountered an old flame after a while apart will identify with this episode which is about as deep and full of impact as a 25 minute TV show could be. Be prepared to shed tears at the end when the final song and situation blend together as perfectly as any I've ever seen in this show or indeed in any other. It is a perfect episode and the highpoint of even this great series.
Doctor Who: Doomsday (2006)
What a great finish to a great series!
This was an episode that brought together everything that is best about the new Doctor Who. David Tennant, alternately comic and dangerous, has completely eclipsed Chris Eccleston despite Eccleston's brilliance in the first series. Billie Piper completed her journey from ingénue to the best assistant that the Doctor has ever had. Jackie, Pete and Mickey all reappeared as the Tyler family group proved its strength in the extreme situations that the Doctor has forced them into. The face off between Daleks and Cybermen was the best moment of the two series so far with the two races bickering hilariously. Finally, in a series that has never been afraid to explore the idea of the Doctor in love there was the most satisfying and tear-jerking ending possible to the great relationship of the last two years. The final teaser for the Christmas episode was as funny as it was totally unexpected and promises much for the programme's long term future. Long live the Doctor!!
ER: The Gallant Hero & the Tragic Victor (2006)
E.R. still has the power to shock and move
At the beginning of series 12 I thought that maybe the old warhorse had finally had its day. Then along comes an episode like this to remind long term viewers why they stay with the programme. From the shocking start to the emotional ending this had everything. Pratt returned from his stint in Africa a different man from the immature one that had left a few weeks earlier. His first case involving the victims of an apparent burglary gone wrong had a conclusion that no one could see coming. Clemente's problems finally took their toll on him, but not before he had proved once more what a brilliant instinctive doctor he was even with his mental health in jeopardy. There were some surprisingly vitriolic comments about the war in Iraq, a sure sign that even mainstream America is starting to have its doubts. Many series come and go, but after a sticky patch E.R. is definitely back on form.
Doctor Who: The Idiot's Lantern (2006)
A televisual feast
As David Tennant starts to get to grips with the role of the Doctor, he seems to have created the character anew in the same way as Patrick Troughton did following William Hartnell. All fans have to accept now that this shares a name and concept with the old series but nothing more, and that is a great strength.
The Doctor and Rose arrive in London in 1953 dressed for their expected visit to Las Vegas in 1958! It is a great visual joke with Rose looking like an extra from Grease and The Doctor sporting a superb DA hairstyle as he exits the TARDIS on a scooter! It turns out that someone is tampering with history. As Rose realises, there are just too many televisions for the following day's coronation. There are also people being dragged out of their homes by the police hidden under blankets. It turns out that the old tale of television sucking your brains out is all too true!! The Wire, played by a splendidly over the top Maureen Lipman, lives off of the mental energy of other lifeforms and intends to use the Coronation to feast enough to bring about the return of her corporeal form. The adventure is a typically odd Mark Gatiss story that plays like a restrained version of his own 'League of Gentlemen'. With humour and an ending with a definite nod to the Fourth Doctor this is great fun. This series just maintains its high standards. The supporting cast is uniformly good with Jamie Foreman giving an excellent performance as a typical 1950's father.
Doctor Who: The Age of Steel (2006)
The battle of London
The slightly overlong set up episode of the previous week paid off in no uncertain terms with an episode that hit the heights. There was a certain deus ex machina flavour to the resolution of the cliffhanger, but it was a good start for all that. As is now common with this Doctor the moral, ethical and emotional considerations of his actions were centre stage. They were always there in the classic series, but they were a side issue, to be glossed over when the Doctor was in the heat of battle. This regeneration even says sorry to a cyberman during the battle! This episode finally shows Mickey embracing the heroic side that had been hinted at in previous episodes. His journey from zero to hero is complete, and it has been an utterly convincing one. With scares, humour and scenes that brought a lump to your throat this episode had everything. After much consideration I can finally say that the new series betters the classic series in every single respect. Coming from a die hard Whovian you can get no better recommendation than that.
Doctor Who: School Reunion (2006)
Old friends in a welcome return
This could so easily have been a disaster. How many times have we heard the phrase, 'You can't go back'? When I heard that Sarah Jane and K9 were returning I couldn't see how they were going to fit in with the new series. They slotted in as if they'd never been away! The power of the emotional subtext and Sarah Jane's anger at having been left was quite breathtaking at times. Even better was the sparky relationship between Sarah Jane and Rose which was hilariously played out in a scene where the two were trying to outdo each other with the monsters they'd seen. It was telling that Rose had never thought about life after the Doctor. Sarah Jane was showing her the future and she was obviously concerned by it. The plot paled into insignificance with all the issues raised but Anthony Head was a great villain in his telling cameo. Taken with the following episode, 'The Girl in the Fireplace' this is the Doctor growing up and starting to acknowledge the real effect he has on his friends and companions.
Doctor Who: Rise of the Cybermen (2006)
The Cybermen return to send us behind the sofas again!
After a slightly uncertain start to this episode, featuring the long awaited return of the second most iconic Dr. Who monsters, it gets into its stride. The Doctor,Rose and Mickey find themselves in an alternate London, sending both Rose and Mickey on the trail of relatives that have long since died in their reality. Finally, we start to get an idea of what makes Mickey tick as his back story is filled in. Rose's desperation to see her father is a rerun of Father's Day from Series 1 and covers much of the same ground, which gave this episode a score of 9 rather than 10. The Doctor is almost a peripheral figure for most of the episode, but David Tennant makes the most of every line, look and gesture. The villain, Lumic, was a muted character compared to Davros but quite effective. When the Cybermen arrived, their previous risible portrayals in Doctor Who were completely removed from the memory. These are Borg like monsters. This, in effect, returns the favour as the Borg were originally based on the Cybermen, as their first appearance in the episode entitled 'Q Who' makes clear! They even have their own catchphrase to rival the Daleks' 'exterminate!!'. The new Who goes from strength to strength.
Doctor Who: The Girl in the Fireplace (2006)
David Tennant gets to grips with being the Doctor
After the third episode of the series 'School Reunion' where David Tennant started to get to grips with the part of the Doctor thanks to the reappearance of Sarah Jane and K9, he finally nailed it here. Although the quick changes of mood are still there, they are smoothed out by an increasingly roguish charm previously unseen in the portrayal of the Doctor. Dedicated, and narrow, Doctor Who fans may not like the increasing propensity of the Doctor to open his heart(s) to love, but his relationship with Rinette was beautifully played. Sophia Myles was utterly superb and made viewers believe that here was a mortal who was a match for the Doctor. The final scenes were as heart rending as the early scenes were playful. Now that he is into his stride, the rest of this series and the forthcoming third series will be classic Doctor Who.