Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11-2-2020: SFTV

11th February, 2020.

Yep: I officially need to clean my socks.

Strange: but true!

Frankly, you can tell the lack of a job’s getting to me.

When the most exciting thing I have to do … ?

Is laundry!

~≈†≈~

Well … 

Apart from my bedtime reading.

Orwell’s The Lion and the Unicorn, since you ask.

Granted, I’m taking my time with it: the last time I mentioned it was at the end of January.

What caught my eye, last night?

Was simply Orwell’s description of government officials.

He said they had ‘prehensile bottoms.’

Well … it made me smile!

~≈†≈~

As another quick thought?   One that seems appropriate, given the theme of today’s Teaser.

Was simply the most recent episode of Dr Who, Can You Hear Me?

I mentioned one scene, in my review: where Ryan (Toisin Cole) and Yas (Mandip Gill) end up discussing their travels with the Doctor: whether they the going the right thing in staying.

Which got me wondering all sorts of things.   I wondered if — given how similar that scene seemed to others* — whether the pair would be staying on, beyond this season.

I didn’t make much of it: beyond publicly speculating when any pay off would come.

I’m not the only one wondering about that … 

It’s seems the Daily Express has been thinking the same way.

We’ll have to see what happens, won’t we?

~≈†≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Debbi† putting in her answers: with both scoring five out of five.   The day also saw Olga‡ leaving us a message, here.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) The BBC aired their first science fiction TV show on 11th February of which year?

Q2) The show was a 35 minute version of which play?

Q3) The BBC aired the adventures of which (fictional) rocket scientist?

Q4) That character’s creator was Nigel Kneale.   He also wrote The Year of the what Olympics?

Q5) Kneale also worked on a 1956 version of which science fiction tinged Orwell story?

Q6) According to the Guinness Book of Records, what’s the world’s longest running science fiction show?

Q7) Which UK science fiction show was on Channel Four, is now on Netflix?

Q8) Which Spanish science fiction series sees an elite group of agents travelling through doorways in time … ?

Q9) David McCallum and Joanna Lumley appeared in which SF series?

Q10) Finally … ?   Stephen Mangan played the main character in which Douglas Adams derived series?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 10th February 2019, saw the death of Jan-Michael Vincent.   He played Stringfellow Hawke: in which TV series?

A1) Airwolf.

Q2) 10th February, 1983, saw the Metropolitan police launch a murder investigation: after human  remains were found in a drain in Muswell Hill.   Who was charged with six counts of murder, as a result?

A2) Dennis Nilsen.

Q3) 10th February, 1898, saw the birth of Bertolt Brecht.   Which of his plays feature a characters called Azdak?

A3) The Causcasian Chalk Circle.   (I saw Sylvester McCoy play the character at the Young Vic: back in the mid-80s.)

Q4) 10th February, 1258, saw Baghdad fall to whom: the Mongols, the Huns or the Ostrogoths?

A4) The Mongols.

Q5) Finally … ?   Ras Al Khaimah joined what, on 10th February, 1972?

A5) The United Arab Emirates.

Here’s some thoughts …

“Science fiction is [or means] what we point to when we say it”

Damon Knight.

“Someone once said that a good science-fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile but the traffic jam. We agree”

Frederick Pohl.

“Science fiction is something that could happen—but you usually wouldn’t want it to”.

Arthur C. Clarke.

And a playlist …

Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.

*        I’m thinking, specifically, of The Power of Three, Amy and Rory’s penultimate episode.   One — purely co-incidently — written by show runner, Chrisbnall. One early scene sees the Ponds discussing their travels … in a very similar way to how Ryan and Yas also discuss theirs …

†        Isn’t it always the way, Debbi?   At any rate, Catalina’s OK … but does have issues ….  (I LOVE that quote from Frederick Pohl!)

‡        OK, we’ll see you when you’re back, Olga: I hope the funeral goes well.