Dracula — Episode 3 — The Dark Compass — A Review

6th January 2020.

*Spoilers*

Now, that’s odd … 

I’ve just double checked the pile of letters I’ve got.

And realised one of them?

Informing me I was supposed to be getting a visit from a gas safety chap: to check that my boiler was functioning safely.

Between one and five.

Guess what?

I had a no show.

Phoning them in the morning seems to be the thing, I think.

~≈¥≈~

At any rate … ?

At any rate, it’s been a quiet day.

With little to do, except take some books up to the various charity shops in Brentwood High Street*.

Oh … 

And watch TV.

Yes, you guessed it … 

Dracula: episode 3 … 

~≈¥≈~

Dracula — Episode 2 — Blood Vessel — A Review

4th January, 2020.

OK, it’s a Saturday … it’s quiet … 

And I’m doing what, exactly.

Well … 

Waiting for the delivery of something I ordered with my last bit of Christmas money.

Yep: I’m waiting for The Leopard from Lime Street to turn up.

In the mean time … ?

Yes: you’re right … I’ve time for the second episode of Dracula.

~≈¥≈~

Dracula — Episode 1 — The Rules of the Beast — A Review

3rd January, 2020

OK … 

It’s a Friday night.

You’ve possibly noticed that, haven’t you … ?

It’s a Friday night … where I’m indoors … and thinking there’s something I could be watching on TV.

There’s plenty, certainly.

But nothing that caught my eye.

However?

Something did catch my eye.

Yes: the Moffat and Gatiss cut of Dracula.

I fancied something … grim … 

~≈¥≈~

Dr Who — Series 10: Episode 9 — Empress of Mars

11th June, 2017.

Oh, now don’t you just HATE getting old?

You don’t?

I do.

If there’s money involved.

I managed to get to Brentwood High Street today: to a cash machine.

• Shoved my card in the thing.
• Check my balance.
• Requested a tenner.
• Took my card out.
• Walked away from the machine …

Having forgotten to take the money, when I took my card.

By the time I got back to the cash machine?   (A short fat guy running down the High Street was possibly quite a site.)

The tenner had — understandably — gone for a burton.

I’d kick myself.

Except I’d very probably miss.

~≈®≈~

Sherlock: The New Year’s Day Special — The Abominable Bride

You know, I have to admit to feeling vaguely grateful.

Vaguely.

I’m grateful to have some time off at the moment.

I’m grateful to have a fourth generation Apple TV: complete with an onboard version of the BBC’s iPlayer catch-up app.

I’m bloody annoyed at Amazon: managing to lose an internal hard drive I’d ordered from them.

That latter … ?   Is something for another post, maybe.   Quite probably in the morning!

At any rate, gratitude?

Yes, I’m grateful to have much I otherwise wouldn’t have.

You see, working on New Year’s Day … ?

Meant I missed the seasonal special of Sherlock.

Called The Abominable Bride.

And frankly?

I’m glad — and grateful — that I caught it.

~≈Â≈~

Dr Who Series 9: Episode 9 — Sleep No More

You know, I’ve seen good TV, in my time.

And bad TV.

Thankfully … ?   I’ve seen more of the former, than I have of the latter.

Although, frankly, that could well be a product of experience.

The experience, over the years, of learning about what sort of TV I like … 

Well, that experience is useful: if for no other reason than to have a shrewd guess at whether a given box set — House of Cards, say, or Penny Dreadful — will appeal.

I’m thinking last night’s episode of Dr Who — episode nine of the ninth series of the re-booted version of the show — may not be good TV.

But certainly isn’t bad.

~≈Ê≈~

Dr Who Series 8 Episode 3: Robot Of Sherwood

You know, technology changes … 

And yet STILL … ?

Still things stay the same.

I ’ve possibly mentioned before now that I’m happy to record stuff that’s on TV: and keep hold of those recording until such time as I’m able to get a suitable DVD box set.

And … ?

Well, up until a few years ago, I’d quite happily record those shows to a blank DVD: and then use HandBrake to transcode the results into something I could watch later: on whatever device I happened to favour.

There’s a FEW settings, before you ask.

At ANY rate, it’s still something I tend to do.

Even thought, these days, the ‘recording’ is on a USB flash memory stick.

I’m still using HandBrake: possibly the most versatile thing of it’s kind doing the rounds.

~≈®≈~

At ANY rate, you’re going to ask me, aren’t you … ?

Why on EARTH have I mentioned HandBrake … ?

Well, it’s my default ripper: for when I’m recording stuff from TV, to either watch later.

Or, at least, until I can get a version on DVD or from an OnDemand service, like iTunes.

The programme in question, of course, was today’s episode of Dr Who: the Mark Gatiss penned, Robot of Sherwood.

I think I can safely say there were no scenes of Daleks getting blown up by Ninja Turtles.

I think I’ll have a disappointed nephew … 

~≈®≈~

Sherlock — Series 3 Episode 1: The Empty Hearse

Right … !

Right now, I’ve got my eyes partly on the post I’m writing, partly on Twitter … 

And partly on my TV screen, where, as part of the newly returned Sherlock, writer, Mark Gatiss has just blown up the Palace of Westminster!

Although I’m ASSUMING it’s a brief scene, where Sherlock’s surmising what could happen, should he and John H Watson not find the bomb on the underground train carriage.

Which they just have, by the way: turn’s out it’s the whole carriage!

~≈†≈~

AHEM … !

I’m in excited burble mode, aren’t I … ?   Yes, I am!

With justifiable reason, I think.

You seen I’ve just been watching the opening episode of Season 3 of Sherlock: called The Empty Hearse.   And I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely excited to see the series on air.

It’s … 

Hmmm … 

Can I be honest … ?

I’m actually going to encourage you to go and see The Empty Hearse.

I don’t know that I can summarize it, right now!

See you in the morning!

Dr Who Series Seven Part Two — Episode 11: The Crimson Horror

Oh, now, wait, hang on … 

I think I’m going to have a Christopher Ecclestone Moment, here … 

And about tonight’s episode of Dr Who.

Hang on, altogether now …

FANTASTIC

Now … 

I suppose I’d better answers the Forest of Cheem’s question: and tell you exactly why I though tonight’s episode of Dr Who was fantastic, hadn’t I … ?

≈≈≈‡≈≈≈

Set in Yorkshire in 1893*, The Crimson Horror sees the return of the Paternoster Row Gang: Madame Vastra (Neve Macintosh), her wife, Jenny (Catrin Stewart) and their manservant, Commander Strax (Danny Starkey).

The intrepid threesome has been investigating the mysterious activities of Mrs Gillyflower and her blind daughter, Ada — played by real world mother and daughter, Diana Rigg and Rachel Stirling — who’ve set up an apparent utopian match factory in Yorkshire.

They’ve quietly become aware that all isn’t sweet in Sweetville — as the factory’s called — and head north to dig around.

When they get there … ?

The team find the place is suffering a rash of crimson covered bodies being found in the canal.

And on infiltrating Sweetville, itself … ?   Jenny finds that the monster in the attic … is an old friend …

Like we didn’t see that one coming … !

Didn't work THAT out! :) #TheCrimsonHorror
— Paul Downie (@Cuddy2977) May 4, 2013

≈≈≈‡≈≈≈

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I personally believe The Crimson Horror to be something of a … 

Well … ‘return to form’ isn’t the phrase, I think.

Instead, I’ll call The Crimson Horror the series seven highpoint to date: it revisits established — and popular — recurring characters, has a romp of a fantastic plot and some cracking dialogue: complete with a now obligatory Strax moment.

Personally … ?

Well, personally, if you missed this one, tonight, you  missed a blinder … !

Until this sort of time, next week, that is … !

Enjoy the rest of the night, folks … !

*        And written by Mark Gatiss: he’s been collaborating with Steven Moffat on Sherlock and has something of a taste — as his BBC documentaries about horror movies show — for the Grand Guignol: even if he’s not quite as blood-soaked as a certain Mr Holmes … 

Sherlock Series 2 Episode 3: The Reichenbach Fall

You know, I’ve GOT to admit, I’m breathing a touch easily …

Whilst also feeling a touch smug …

You see, I’ve JUST seen the last episode of series two of Sherlock, and, yes, I’m impressed.

Out and out blown away, I think.

And also wanting to see series 3, as and when it appears.

And, yes, I know there’s a series three, due.

I follow Stephen Moffat on Twitter, you know.

Comes in handy, when he kills off Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s best known creation … !

‹‹•››

Well …

He’s only doing what Sir Arthur himself did, all those years ago …

‹‹•››

Episode 3, Series 2 — The Reichenbach Fall —is loosely based on Cona Doyle’s The Final Problem and sees Sherlock testifying against a freshly caught James Moriarty, after the criminal mastermind is caught: simultaneously breaking into The Tower of London, HMP Pentonville and the Bank of England.

The only problem, there, of course … ?

Is that Moriarty manages to indulge in some discrete jury nobbling, to have himself declared innocent.

And let loose on London … ?

Let loose on London, manages to arrange a kidnapping and a couple of shootings: in order to work towards Holmes eventual death.

‹‹•››

I’m going to laugh, there, actually, in a gently knowing sort of way …

Because, of course, I — as both the producers of this series and anyone who’s Sir Arthur’s work — know that this isn’t quite the whole story, of course.

At any rate, I do know this.

This reworking of the Sherlock Holmes has been SUPERB: I’m not the only one to think so, going by the activity on Twitter!

Can I be frank … ?

I can’t WAIT for series three.

Despite having read the books …

I want to see what happens … !

Something I’ve Noticed …

You know, I’ve got to admit, I couldn’t help notice something, when I was happily writing up a post about Sherlock, on Sunday.

No, seriously …

And I can’t help but wonder if anyone else has, to be frank …

Actually, I’m convinced people have, but that’s the way it goes …

I do know that the ever-keen ComBom managed to catch a something he wanted to flag for our attention.

Which, after Sunday, I definitely rummaged through, I know that …

At ANY rate, I’m burbling, aren’t I … ?

Let me get to the point, shall I … ?

Yes, lets …

‹‹‹•›››

Right, now, where was I … … ?

Oh, yeah …

I was telling you I’d noticed something.

Well …

Noticed a similar scene.

Let me clarify, shall I … ?

One of the earlier scenes I noticed in the first episode of Sherlock — A Study In Pink — was one where Holmes and Watson are called into a crime scene, by Inspector Lestrade, to give their views on a an apparent suicide: the most recent in a series of four.

And it struck me that it reminded me of something else I’d seen: something ALSO penned by Steven Moffat …

Now, I know those two scenes are from very different shows.

But … !

But I’m thinking that the fact Steven Moffat is heavily involved with both gives a certain spin.

I mean, beyond the fact that we’re looking at two central characters who’ve developed their mental and perceptive powers to an acute level, or or have innate ones that quite advanced.

Now, did that sound incredibly snotty … ?

Possibly … !

But either way, I think you get my point, I hope … ?

‹‹‹•›››

At any rate, I’ve one last video to post up, courtesy of Grub, over at 100 Albums You Must Have.

Enjoy … !!