Make me a Hero. I love the flamethrower, the outfit and the patch. But I’m really not sure about that name as a Superhero or rather in my case SuperVillian. Given that I’m off to see Watchmen this afternoon, I thought it a rather timely post. 
I’ve been watching Demons, cos apparently I have some sort of masochistic tendencies which make me watch any old crap on the telly (see ‘Fringe’, ‘Leverage’, and uh, ‘Greys Anatomy’) Also Philip Glenister is in it, which made me think ‘well it can’t be that bad - can it?’ I’d read some reviews before the show started which really should have raised the alarums. Comparing anything to a Whedon creation is as good as sounding the death knell, hell comparing Whedon to Whedon is dodgy as well, given his apparently toxic relationship with Fox (Please let Dollhouse be good not cancelled) especially when the comparison is made with everyones favourite kick-ass blonde.
- oh dear.‘Demons’ is the ‘British Buffy’
1. Buffy is a young girl from California who finds out that she is the Chosen One of her generation - ie. the Slayer.
Luke is a young man from London who finds out he is the chosen one of his generation - ie. the last Van Helsing.
Ok, an unoriginal premise, average joe finds out they are anything but average - theres lots of shows you can say that about. Fair enough, lets move on.
2. Buffy was a 16-year old high-school student.
Luke is an 18 year old college student.
Ok, so thats a difference says you, except that Buffy started out as an 18 year old in the movie version. No, I’m not clutching at straws - well, maybe a little, but point 3 more than makes up for it. Its an utter CLANGER.
3. Buffy has an English Watcher named Rupert Giles. Giles is referred to by his last name, is single, and plays English folk guitar in coffee shops.
Luke has an American Godfather named Rupert Galvin. Galvin is referred to by his last name, is a widower and listens to American country and western music.
Giles and Galvin are both responsible for training their respective charges to fight vampires, demons and anything else that happens along from the Sunnydale Hellmouth (Buffy) or possesses half-life blood (Luke). People, LOOK AT THOSE INITIALS, and the first name. Seriously, they used the SAME first name and the same initials. Seriously.
4. Buffy is an only child who lives with her Mother.
Luke is an only child who lives with his Mother.
Both characters have lost their fathers - Buffys parents are divorced, Lukes father is dead. Neither mother is aware of their childs extraordinary calling - although Joyce later became aware of Buffys calling and boy was she pissed at Giles.
5. Buffys best (male) friend is Xander.
Lukes best (female) friend is Ruby.
Xanders role in early episodes was to provide comic relief, exposition and also he had a crush on Buffy. Ruby also provides comic relief, exposition and she also has a crush on Luke. There’s no ‘Willow’ character in Demons, however if Ruby becomes an Adept who decides to destroy the world after her girlfriend is killed (or a builder)in a future ep I’ll eat my Hand of Glory.
6. Buffy and the Scooby Gang had their HQ in Sunnydale High Library.
Luke and his gang (no cutesy nickname yet) have their HQ in an underground library \ vault called ‘the Stacks’.
After Sunnydale High was flattened when the Mayor turned into a massive serpent and ruined graduation for everyone Giles bought the Magic Box. I expect that the Stacks will cave-in in some equally horrific event in Demons leaving Galvin to become a genial sex-shop owner in Soho.
7. Buffy was a Slayer. Luke is a Smiter
oh dear, oh dear, oh dear - Phil Glenisters American accent is bad enough but hearing him slur ‘First we Grade ‘em and then we Smite em’ is possibly the worst sound in the world. EVAR. Also SMITE? I understand they couldn’t use the word SLAYER due to copyright infringement or whatever, but SMITE just sounds - well lets be honest - its too close to SHITE isn’t it?
8. Angel is a ‘good’ vampire who helps out the Scooby Gang.
Mina is a ‘good’ vampire who helps out Luke, Ruby and Galvin.
Angels excuse for not going all fangy on the Scooby Gang (except for the times when he did) is due to a gypsy curse which gave him back his soul many years ago. Mina was bitten by Dracula but gets her blood cleaned to stop her from going fangy on Lukes gang. No word yet on how she lost her sight.
Angel and Buffy had the whole ‘tortured’ love affair thing going on and I kind of get the feeling that the Demons folks are trying to do the same with Luke and Mina. I can’t see it happening myself - Angel was tortured, depressed and moody (apparently girls like that) Mina is just a bitch.
Ok, so I only got 8 points of comparison and not the normal ‘Top 10′ list - but I think the evidence here is pretty damn obvious. There are another two eps to go and yes, I will watch - partly because I don’t think it can get very much worse - but I’m also a glutton for punishment.
From Neil Gaiman’s blog today:
(Which reminds me: Jameson Dublin Film Festival. I’ll be there on February the 15th, when they will be screening Coraline. And, for anyone in Dublin — or indeed, in Ireland — who missed the signing last year, I will be doing a reading and signing in Chapters in Parnell Street on Feb the 17th at 5pm. Perhaps with an as-yet-unnamed Special Musical Guest.)
woot!
For those of you who haven’t already heard the 11th Doctor will be played by Matt Smith. Who? sez you.
Exactly.
Seriously though looking at imdb.com he was Jim in the TV versions of Philip Pullmans ‘Sally Lockheart Mysteries’. I only saw the Ruby in the Smoke, but I do remember thinking at the time that he was noticeable, despite the rather small role. He’s the youngers ever Doctor (26) which makes me feel dead old as I was already a fan of Tom Bakers’ Doctor and was only starting to watch Peter Davidson when Smith was born - 1982 for those who want to join me in my nostalgia.
So Ten is gone (and we’ll weep appropriately when the times comes) and Eleven has yet to appear. I’ll hold my breath - but not for too long.
I signed up for Blip a while ago and I’m slowly adding tracks to my playlist.
It’s pretty much like a Twitter for songs, but I’m not sure how the legality of it works. After all Muxtape provided a similar service, but was taken down a few months ago and is now planning on relaunching as a service exclusively for bands.
I like the search functionality in Blip, which is pretty damn robust and allows you to find stuff you’ve never heard, stuff you’ve forgotten about or stuff you didn’t even know existed. Anyway, here’s my playlist so far. 25 rather mellow(ish) tracks, all just A Little Bit…
25. Milosh - Your Taste
24. The postal Service - The District Sleeps Tonight
23. Peter Murphy - Your Face
22. Slowdive - Like Up
21. Kate Bush - Army Dreamers
20. Depeche Mode - A Pain That I’m Used To (Goldfrapp Remix)
19. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - Song For Jesse
18. Mogwai - Hunted By A Freak
17. The Delgados - Coming in from the Cold
16. French Kicks - England Just Will Not Let You Recover
15. Air France - No Way Down
14. Joy Division vs Bauhaus - Love Will Tear You Apart
13. Julian Cope - Head Hang Low
12. Sugarcubes - Birthday (Justin Robertson Remix)
11. Cut Copy - Hearts On Fire
10. Spiritualized - Run (single version)
9. Chemical Brothers with Mazzy Star - Asleep
8. Camouflage - That Smiling Face
7. Snow Patrol(feat. Martha Wainwright) - Set The Fire To The Third Bar
6. The Go! Team - the icestorm
5. Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains
4. The Presets - This Boy’s In Love (Life Like Remix)
3. Our Broken Garden - Watermark
2. Tori Amos - Not David Bowie
1. Midnight Juggernauts - Into The Galaxy (Architecture In Helsinki remix)
Anyone around here this morning may notice some changes on the blog (unless you are using RSS feeds - in which case carry on.) Messing about with css at the moment. Blogsome only has a certain amount of ‘themes’ you can use although you can edit them somewhat which is good.
I’ll try to keep the tinkering to a minimum anyway.
TV
- Looks like Pushing Daisies has been cancelled. TVgasm reports ABC has decided not to produce anymore eps of the series.
- David Tennant is leaving Dr. Who soon. Digital Spy gives its suggestions for the 11th Doctor. I could see Chiwetel Ejiofor, but Dexter Fletcher? Really?
- LOST is back on US stations on January 21st. Which means we’ll probably get it on Network 2 the week after.
- Wired has word that part 2 of season 4 of BSG will be streamed on scifi.com on April 4 and then broadcast that night.
- And finally in the Whedonverse ‘Dollhouse’ is set to premiere on Fox on Feb 13. Why does Joss always go with Fox? They seem to have a pretty toxic relationship.
Movies
- New (bootlegged) trailer for JJ Abrams ‘Star Trek ‘ is up here. Lets hope he’s left the screaming cellos at home for this one.
- First (proper) trailer for Watchmen now on Wired.
- Neil Gaiman’s ‘Coraline‘ is due for Feb 2009.
I’ve noticed recently a number of UK and Australian actresses taking on leading roles in the newer American shows - some of these have been successful, some well, not so much.
I wasn’t sure about Yvonne Strahovski (AUS) in Chuck for the first few episodes of season 1. She was extremely stiff, like reinforced cardboard, but I’ve warmed to her somewhat and now in season 2 she seems to have settled into her role as Sarah Walker. Gone are the awkward pauses in dialogue and the squinty eyes to signify happy, sad and angry. She’s also got the cutely geeky Zach Levi and wonderful Adam ‘Jayne’ Baldwin to play against.
Lena Headey (UK) is another actress who had a rocky start. The pilot episode of Sarah Connor Chronicles had me cringing as she grimaced her way through a variety of emotions - fear, anger, rage, with naught but a furrowed brow. She’s still a bit bolshie in season 2 and I’m not sure she’s entirely at ease with her body or the physiciality of the role as she walks like a man - all shoulders and crotch - wearing high heels. However she too has settled into her role and maybe one day I’ll forget Linda Hamiltons’ excellent Sarah. Ok, no I could never forget Linda-Sarah. (Aside - is anyone else HATING the voiceover guy at the beginning of each ep who explains the role of each of the main characters?)
Anna Friel (UK) is possibly the only one who has jumped right into her role as Chuck in Pushing Daisies in an entirely natural way. Pushing Daisies is more fantasy that sci-fi and maybe that’s part of the charm. Friel trips through the candyland coloured world of Daisies like she belongs there. That’s in stark contrast to Michelle Ryan (UK) in the very short lived remake of Bionic Woman. The premise of the new BW was darker than the Jamie Sommers we all remember (and not just her hair colour) and could have been good but Ryan wasn’t strong enough to carry it off. Every line she uttered seemed like a fight in her larynx, the ‘North Atlantic’ accent just didn’t suit her. Added to the fact she was playing against Katee Sackhoff (BSG’s Starbuck) and the girl just didn’t have the acting chops to hold the viewers interest.
The most recent Non-American Female in a Leading Role is Anna Torv (AUS) as Agent Olivia Dunham in the hilariously terrible Fringe. Torv is a complete automaton in the role, her eyes are dead and her lines are delivered in a low-pitched monotone that makes her sound like a post-op trannie. That’s the least of her problems with the role though. Where the other ladies have the benefit of decent writing and support cast the dialogue and plotting in Fringe is cringeworthy. Her cast-mates are equally abysmal - Joshua Jackson is making a career out of being Pacey Witter, John Noble is playing Denethor again and I can only assume things are slow after The Wire to have Lance Reddick involved in this muck.
Finally, oh finally there is Gabrielle Anwar (UK) in Burn Notice. I had to replay the first scene I saw her in a couple of times to convince my ears I was hearing what I thought I was hearing. Could someone PLEASE tell me where she got that atrocious Irish accent? She is a decent enough actress but is so focused on getting the accent right that you lose sense of her character. (If ‘Oirish’ actors don’t speak like a lead in an Irish Spring or Lucky Charms advert, Hollywood - and America - won’t believe they are Irish) For shame Gabrielle, an ex-IRA ‘operative’ who sounds like she just fell off the back of the turnip truck on its way from Limerick to Cork via Tyrone. The last time we heard such a mismatched abomination was the family from ‘Cork, Ireland’ in season 2 of Heroes.
Contrast UK and AUS Actresses - er, sorry Actors - with their male counterparts. I was in season 3 of BSG before I saw an interview with Jamie Bamber (Lee Adama) and realised he wasn’t American. So too with Idris Elba (Stringer Bell) and Dominic West (McNulty) in The Wire. The guys seem to fit in a lot easier than the women. Why is that? It can’t be just the accent can it? The women are competent actors in their own country. Why do they tend towards cardboard when they jump the Atlantic?
Priscilla has been concerned about the price of drink in Ireland lately. In fact, he’s been so concerned that he designed a website to keep track of how much he’s spending in the pubs. Go and take a look. You can rate bars, add comments, work out how much a round will cost - or if your favourite pub isn’t there you can add it yourself.
At the moment Cafe en Seine is the most expensive place in town - can’t say I’m surprised really.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Oct | ||||||
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | ||||||
