Friday, October 26, 2007
Stand Up For Martin Jol
Yet another manager fails at Spurs.
Martin Jol arrived as an assistant to the short-lived Santini 3 years ago, and guided the team to their three best league years in recent memory (in fact I think he was the FIRST Spurs manager to get European football based on league position two years running EVER).
The season has started badly (as it did last year), and the whispers started. The board acted foolishly by being caught sounding out a new manager, and basically Martin’s position was untenable.
At all times he acted professionally, and honestly – possibly at times to a fault.
I am sure all Spurs fans will wish Martin well.
His legacy however if going to be hard to follow – the club NEEDs European football, and tradition requires a cup. Jol may have set the standards a wee bit too high.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Dr Who Episode 3.11 Utopia/Episode 3.12 The Sound of Drums/Episode 3.13 Last of the Time Lords
Bit of a cheat maybe - but these three episodes really do work as a single piece of work.
We finally get the Master story that we have had hinted about all season (and in some respects has been hinted at since season 2). We get a great old actor in Derek Jacobi, and a wonderful new actor in John Simms playing the best villain in the Who ouvre.
We also get the return of Captain Jack - which to me is fine - they use the appearance to good effect, clearing up a good deal of Jack's character, allowing him to move on (no more moping, waiting for the Dr to come and get him). Shame they did not tie up the last scene of "Torchwood" with this mind you - which was a little lame!
The story itself? Well, possibly not the best of the season, but certainly amongst the better one. "Utopia" does not make an awful lot of scientific sense (the Universe is dying, so they are going somewhere else...). Additionally, someone needs to go and read what a Utopia is. I suspect they really wanted Paradise. But them I am being picky.
And yes, I do so hate it when the cosmic reset button is used, but they story went so far, I guess they had no choice. But it did feel a bit like a Mark Waid "Flash" (look it up) story - where love and chanting save the day. But I can get over it.
All in all, really rather enjoyable - roll on season 4!
8/10
Dr Who Episode 3.10 Blink
Brilliant
10/10
You want more? Well you know everything that was wrong with Episode 3.3? Reverse it and multiply by 100. It was that good. Brilliant concept, well delivered. And even the almost absent Dr and Martha were hardly missed.
And everyone has a happy ending - even those pushed through time.
Dr Who Episode 3.8 Human Nature/Episode 3.9: The Family of Blood
Looks like I have gotten behind again.
Of course what is different this time is that I have watched them all. Just been too lazy to write up all my thoughts.
Another strong pair of episodes here. Whilst I was unsure about the "turning off the Timelord" plot device (although it does come into play later), but putting that aside this one was excellent.
It felt like an Old Tom Baker - wonderfully claustrophobic, evocative of the time period.
And the always watchable Jessica Stevenson (I know she has changed to her married name, but to be honest she is lucky I am not calling her Daisy), was just a bonus.
So is there a downside? Yes - the Scarecrows. They looked fabulous - they just made little sense. But that is all I have to complain about!
9/10
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Dr Who Episode 3.7 42
Finally we get back on track.
This one had pace, excitment, danger and character development.
It was not perfect - I do not like the call-anywhere-anytime mobile phone (it suggests Martha is always on her own individual time-line), but at least the TARDIS did not pull some deus ex machina. On a similar note, the "pub quiz" part will always date the show.
Also - the physics on display I believe were somewhat suspect, but that was the Maguffin - this was about the claustrphobic spaceship, a race against time. Even the quiet moments that could have thrown the pace off worked well.
8/10, probably the best episode so far this season.
Dr Who Episode 3.6 The Lazarus Experiment
It feels as though this season has been weak. I have posted the last few episodesin a digest format because I am so far behind on watching them. And after some initial high hopes, the stories have been poor.
This is another limp episode. Yes it was well acted, and the general concept was interesting, but turning it into a CGI monster of the week diluted any enjoyment I got from the first 15-20 minutes.
The advancement of the Saxon plot was interesting, but not enough to save this one from a 4/10
Monday, July 02, 2007
Dr Who Episode 3.4/3.5 Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks
You know sometimes you can go back to the well too many times. Tom Baker only ever had two Dalek episodes in all his time as the Doctor, this is the third Dalek-based arc in as many years - and I know that there have been two Doctors in this time, but I think you get the point!
Now don't get me wrong - there was some good stuff in the two episodes.
The New York setting was well realised.
Martha and the Docotor were well played.
And.....
Well that is it!
The Pig-Men not only made no sense, but they were fundamentally a stupid idea.
The "evolution" of the Human-Dalek was like the worst kind of fan-fiction - it just made no sense with all we know about the Daleks. Eugenics - 'nuff said.
i'll average it out for a 4/10 - my daughter loved it all!
Dr Who Episode 3.3 - Gridlock
OK, I have to be honest, I am miles behind on the episode watching. So I am going to whizz through the next batch of episodes, a quick yay or nay with a minor critique.
So Gridlock.
A short story about this episode.
No.
2/10
OK, maybe a little more :
The basic idea is stupid
The cat-person and human having kittens is stupid.
And the Face of Boe dying bit at the end? well it keeps a general story-arc going, but that is it.
No More New Earth stories ever please.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Change Time
I have started a myspace page. Not because I want to run 1,000 blogs, (heck I can barely manage one - how do you think 2 will go?!?!?). I just wanted to try out another mechanism, but I have no inherent issues with Blogger at all (well apart from the whole Google account thing).
So here is the plan. Blogger for reviews (such as they are), myspace for general thoughts and notes and bits and pieces.
So come be my friend:
http://www.myspace.com/elpeevio
So here is the plan. Blogger for reviews (such as they are), myspace for general thoughts and notes and bits and pieces.
So come be my friend:
http://www.myspace.com/elpeevio
Friday, June 08, 2007
LOST Season 3
I have been enjoying a number of US imports recently, with the old SKY+ getting rather backed up. One show I always do try and keep on top of however, is LOST.
Season One was excellent, concentrating on the Characters from the crash, with losts of mystery about what exactly was going on. Every character was given lots of screen time, and frankly if it had ended then I would have been satisfied.
Season Two was not as satisfying for some reason, many mysteries unfolded, and the wonderful Mr Ekko character was a delight. However, I feel the show lost a certain something part way through the season, maybe it was fighting to stand still too much. And then when certain characters (I am thinking Libby and Shannon in particular) were killed off with their stories somewhat incomplete, I was annoyed. Michael as the traitor was also something I could not get behind.
Season Three started of brilliantly, showing us the "Others", but then got too concerned with Jack, Kate and Sawyer being held hostage. The stories of the other characters got sidelined, and even when something exciting (such as Sun killing one of the Others) happened, it was inconsistently carried through. In fact the Sun incident really rankles - we have never found out what happened on the boat, or even how she got back. And she has never had to deal with her actions.
So the season started to meander, until "The Man From Talahasee". Suddenly we had some mysteries opened, and one hell of a final couple of scenes. Now we know how Locke got into the wheelchair, and the cliffhanger suddenly opened up a whole new world. Desmond's "Time Travel" episode was also a delight. Clare being Jacks' half sister is a great twist (although yet to be followed up on) I believe the appointment of Brian K Vaughan as story editor absolutley fixed the season.
I thought the story was magnificent after that (the progression of Sawyer has been a delight), and the season finale was just what I wanted.
However, there are still a couple of criticisms. Too many characters have not had their backgrounds investigated this season. I can only remember a single episode for Clare, Sayid and Charlie. Juliet has has two, and even Ben has had a dedicated episode. Sayid is the one that really hurts - since Shannon's death he has been little more than a cypher, he is certainly (along with Jack and Sawyer) one of the 3 male leaders, and he seems to have been relegated to a second string character.
There is also the "Flash Forward" of the final two episodes. The story works for Jack - he was in a mess before the crash, and leaving the Island has only worsened his situation. I can absolutley see that life on the Island is the only was he can really survive as a person (i'll ignore his comment about getting his father down from his office - he was either talking metaphorically, or there is still something the Island has to deliver Jack). And does knowing Jack and Kate survive to the end ruin the story? Not really - if LOST has two invincible characters, then these are the two (and maybe Sawyer makes up a third). And of course we also know that Desmond has mentally lived and relieved the past and future, so who knows what it really means.
There are only two seasons left now, and tellingly, they are only going to be 16 episodes each (rather than 24, and with the trend for double season openers and finales, this probably only means 14) - the writers are going to be able to tread less water, and be forced to work towards some characters story arcs. For me Jacks' Father is the key - he links so many of the Characters (Jack, Clare, Sawyer, Anna Lucia), I am looking forward to seewhere it goes...
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Spider-Man Monday
Completely by accident, I managed to have a Spider-Man Monday. I started the day by reading Matt Fraction's Sensational Spiderman Annual. I had picked this up on a whim, mostly due to some good vibes I had read on the internet, but also due to my new love of Fraction's work.
Now as far as I can see, this is a love letter to Peter and MJ's relationship. Which must not go down very well with those at Marvel who hate the story-telling limitations that their marriage has placed upon Spider-Man. Although one could argue, they should be story-telling opportunities. After all a married super-hero is relatively unique, and let's face it - in 40 years Peter has not exactly had a whole host of women (MJ, Gwen, Felicia, maybe Betty Brant) - there is not much mileage to be made from Peter meeting other women.
Anyway - this was (and Fraction admits it on his own blog) a romance story, dressed up in a post-Civil War framing story, touching various points in Peter and MJ's relationship. And it was good. Not brilliant, but shows that Fraction would be an excellent long term writer on one of the books.
Which is interesting, as I then decided to join the crowds and go see Spider-Man 3 at the cinema. And it was ...... OK.
MJ gets a really bad press in this film. She appears selfish, petulant, cheats on Peter and shows nothing of the character that we saw in the previous movies. Heck she is also made to seem dowdy in comparison to the glowing Gwen Stacey (really underused here).
We also get some really ill-judged comedy scenes (too many to mention, including a pointless JJJ scne in the middle of the final battle). Yes Spidey can be funny - but it is usually in his mid-battle quipping - which was used only once.
The effects were great - the Sandman and Venom looked fabulous - but we hardly see them. Too much time is wasted in the Harry/New Goblin storyline - the first half of which should have taken place in the previous movie.
In fact we see very little of Spider-man at all, and in 2 hours and 20 minutes, I would regard this to be a failure.
But all is not lost - it is quite enjoyable - and never felt over-long. Yes there are too many plots going on, and the ending is rushed, but it does all look good, with good acting by all involved.
So after all is said and done - I'll be getting the DVD, but it was no Spidey 2, and certainly no X2 (the highpoint of modern comic book movies).
Finally, I decided to read my collected version of Spider-Man Reign. I got it purely for Kaare Andrews art, as I had heard the story was a knock-off of "Dark Knight Returns".
What I got though was something quite different. The art was good, but I felt it looked "off". It should have been gorgeous, but merely looked great. I wonder if being printed in a bigger (say Absolute) format. I think also that shiney paper may have hurt it.
The story is actually the opposite of "Dark Night". Miller's vision was of a state where Law and Order had broken down. Here the opposite was true. Law and Order was fascitically enforced. Spider-Man was the catalyst to freedom.
There were some wonderful pieces of work here. I loved the crazy JJJ, I loved the dead Doc Ock - his limbs keeping the corpse going. I loved Sandman, and his redemption. I loved the way Cement Girl DID die. I loved the shell of Peter, cursed by his part in the death of MJ.
The rest of the plot was not so good - I felt too long was taken on the reveal of Venom - even though it was obvious many pages earlier. I did not fully get Venom's motivation either. The pacing was off - it almost felt that the story should have been given much longer to breathe.
But it was the best of the three.
And all were tied together by the line "Go Get Them Tiger". Which in the end is respectful to the character...
Now as far as I can see, this is a love letter to Peter and MJ's relationship. Which must not go down very well with those at Marvel who hate the story-telling limitations that their marriage has placed upon Spider-Man. Although one could argue, they should be story-telling opportunities. After all a married super-hero is relatively unique, and let's face it - in 40 years Peter has not exactly had a whole host of women (MJ, Gwen, Felicia, maybe Betty Brant) - there is not much mileage to be made from Peter meeting other women.
Anyway - this was (and Fraction admits it on his own blog) a romance story, dressed up in a post-Civil War framing story, touching various points in Peter and MJ's relationship. And it was good. Not brilliant, but shows that Fraction would be an excellent long term writer on one of the books.
Which is interesting, as I then decided to join the crowds and go see Spider-Man 3 at the cinema. And it was ...... OK.
MJ gets a really bad press in this film. She appears selfish, petulant, cheats on Peter and shows nothing of the character that we saw in the previous movies. Heck she is also made to seem dowdy in comparison to the glowing Gwen Stacey (really underused here).
We also get some really ill-judged comedy scenes (too many to mention, including a pointless JJJ scne in the middle of the final battle). Yes Spidey can be funny - but it is usually in his mid-battle quipping - which was used only once.
The effects were great - the Sandman and Venom looked fabulous - but we hardly see them. Too much time is wasted in the Harry/New Goblin storyline - the first half of which should have taken place in the previous movie.
In fact we see very little of Spider-man at all, and in 2 hours and 20 minutes, I would regard this to be a failure.
But all is not lost - it is quite enjoyable - and never felt over-long. Yes there are too many plots going on, and the ending is rushed, but it does all look good, with good acting by all involved.
So after all is said and done - I'll be getting the DVD, but it was no Spidey 2, and certainly no X2 (the highpoint of modern comic book movies).
Finally, I decided to read my collected version of Spider-Man Reign. I got it purely for Kaare Andrews art, as I had heard the story was a knock-off of "Dark Knight Returns".
What I got though was something quite different. The art was good, but I felt it looked "off". It should have been gorgeous, but merely looked great. I wonder if being printed in a bigger (say Absolute) format. I think also that shiney paper may have hurt it.
The story is actually the opposite of "Dark Night". Miller's vision was of a state where Law and Order had broken down. Here the opposite was true. Law and Order was fascitically enforced. Spider-Man was the catalyst to freedom.
There were some wonderful pieces of work here. I loved the crazy JJJ, I loved the dead Doc Ock - his limbs keeping the corpse going. I loved Sandman, and his redemption. I loved the way Cement Girl DID die. I loved the shell of Peter, cursed by his part in the death of MJ.
The rest of the plot was not so good - I felt too long was taken on the reveal of Venom - even though it was obvious many pages earlier. I did not fully get Venom's motivation either. The pacing was off - it almost felt that the story should have been given much longer to breathe.
But it was the best of the three.
And all were tied together by the line "Go Get Them Tiger". Which in the end is respectful to the character...
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