Stranger Things — Series 5: Chapter 8 — The Rightside Up — A Review

27th March, 2026.

“The Rightside Up”.

An Introduction.

Right … It’s officially Friday, again … !

Which means several things.

First … ?

I’ve backed some blurays up: and taken the things to an old friend.

Which reminds me — as ever — that I really need to write about HandBrake, and MakeMKV.

Or, at least, how to use that to turn those apps to copy optical discs, and turn them into the sort of digital files one can play on … 

Well … 

Devices … !

~≈🐙≈~

At any rate … it’s Friday?

And?

Tonight I’m going to be watching “The Rightside Up”, the last episode of Stranger Things, series five … and of Stranger Things, itself.

Hopefully … ?

And as of 18·30 on Friday, 27th March, 2026 … ?

This will be worth it.

But, as ever and always?

I’ll be letting you know what I thought, by this coming Tuesday.

~≈🐙≈~

Star Trek Picard — Series 3 Episode 10 — The Last Generation — A Review

21st April,  2023: ‘The Last Generation’.

*Spoilers*

Right … it’s Friday, again: and I’m hoping like hell that my chips haven’t burnt.

I’m having fish and chips, again.

So you know.

Frankly?

I’m looking forward to it.

As … ?

Once I’ve eaten, I’ll be watching ‘The Last Generation’, the last episode of Star Trek Picard.

We’ll have to see how it goes!

~≈🖖≈~

House of Cards — Series 6: Episode 8/Chapter 73/Finale — The Review

13th January, 2019.

OK … you’ve possibly guessed that I like showing off, haven’t you … ?

You haven’t … ?

Well, OK, here’s a statement …

I like looking more capable than I am.

Which can be nightmarish: especially playing backgammon.

I’m OK at the game.

But do try and show off, playing what’s called a back game … is where I usually trip up … 

I’ve long since learnt to shut up about computers: there’s WAY more knowledgeable people out there than me.

Although, saying that … ?

I’ve long like showing off what I CAN do with my favourite operating system.

Granted, I’m not going to developing, or compile — build — software.

But, if nothing else?

I know how to use the Terminal to erase awkward files.

AND know how to hook two Macs up to the same router, logging into, and operating, one from the other.

I’ll be damend if I could explain the technology behind it … but at least I can do it.

So that, in this case?

I can wipe an external hard drive, with my MacPro: the older model the observant will see behind me.

And get on with doing what I’m doing on my main iMac.

Thankfully?   I’ve enough on my electricity meter to keep this lot going, for now.



And plenty of ventilation.

Otherwise, police helicopters, the oh-so-wonderful ones with infrared sensors would be sending officers to ask what I’m growing in a one bedroom flat!

~≈¥≈~

At any rate, that’s not what I was going to tell you about.

No.

Nope.



I’ve been watching telly, again … 

And, yes: I’ve caught the last episode of series six of House of Cards.

The last one of the entire series.

That’s something of a git … 

I want to see how Claire Hale-Underwood gets out of this … 

~≈¥≈~

Episode 8 — Chapter 73 — opens with President Hale (Robin Wright) — as the former President Underwood is now styling herself — announcing a new era of government transparency … 

Whilst siblings Bill and Annette Shepherd (Greg Kinnear and Diane Lane) vie with each other for control of the family fortune, they both agree that Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly) … is their man in the White House.



The pair hope the unstable former Chief of Staff could do anything: especially as it seems he killed Frank Underwood.

To a vulnerable President, several months pregnant, little realising this President has a nasty side … 

A nasty side that sees Claire Hale-Underwood fatally stabbing Doug Stamper to death: in the Oval Office, itself, and, right at the end of the episode … ?

Staring at the camera — at us — as the camera fades to black on quite an episode.

~≈¥≈~

Now … 

I’ll make a confession, if I may?

Chapter 73 was a very good conclusion to both this last ever season of House of Cards … and to the show itself.

About my only complaint?

Is possibly the obvious: that the show would have ended very differently, had Kevin Spacey not ended up in a sexual scandal.

I get the impression that it would’ve been Frank Underwood on the floor of the Oval Office, rather than Doug Stamper.

Which is what happens in the original UK version of the show: Frances Urquhart kills Stamper, then gets killed by his wife, Elizabeth: at least on her orders.

That’s what annoys me about the Spacey affair: he’s ruined a good TV show, being involved in a scandal*.

Combine that?   With one or two patchy episodes, this season … ?

And the show has gone out sparkling: rather than being the full-on fireworks display it could have been.

Equally, though … ?



The cast, crew and writers have done a very good job, over all.

And, although I know the US version of the series is following — very broadly! — the UK version, I have to admit, I’d like to see more.

I’d like to see how Claire Underwood gets out of this …

*        Although, obviously, my sympathies are with those who he’s assaulted.

Merlin Series 5: Episode 13 — Diamond of the Day - Part 2: Now, THAT’S a way to go …

Merlin
Colin Morgan

Arthur
Bradley James

Mordred
Alexander Vlahos

Guinever
Angel Coulby

Gauis
Richard Wilson

Morgana
Katie McGrath

Wow … 

Just Wow … !

Now, you’ve possibly worked out I’m something of a fan of genre TV.

You’ve not been paying attention, then … !

And, as you’re probably no doubt aware, I’ve been following Dr Who since I was a child, and Merlin, ever since it started, five years ago.

And it’s been a hell of a fun ride, right up until tonight’s episode.

The last one of Series five: and, indeed, ever.

And from where I’m sitting … ?

From where I’m sitting, the BBC made a very good investment in Merlin.

—————

Episode 13 — Diamond of the Day - 2 — sees the conclusion of the Battle Of Camlann.

Where the forces of Camelot are saved by with the timely help from Merlin, in his Emrys disguise.

The army is saved.   But with its forces scattered and only slowly heading back for the citadel.

And the prophesies that Merlin had been given, coming true.

The saxons are defeated … 

The Dragon, Aifusa, seen off.

And that Arthur is fatally wounded.

Which isn’t necessarily all bad … until Arthur finds out that the help on offer — to get to the Isle of Avalon, where he can be healed — comes from a place he’s trusted for years, but been taught to abhor … 

Merlin … 

—————

Now … 

I have to admit, I’ve mixed feelings about this last episode, I REALLY do.

On the one hand … ?   On the one hand, I feeling  much saddened that a fully made piece of genre fiction — one that’s breathed so much new life into the UK’s old Arthurian myths — is now finally over.

Merlin has been one heck of an entertaining ride and been — arguably — stronger, sometimes, than my usual choice, Dr Who.   From talking to fellow sf/fantasty fanboi, Grub, it’s something I know he broadly agrees on.   (From what he’s said over the years, he’s not one for Merlin: but felt that Misfits, on Channel Four, has been the stronger entry in British genre TV.)

On the OTHER hand … ?

Phew* … !

On the other hand, Merlin has not only been one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen on TV … 

But one that’s kept me and many others glued to their sets for the past five years.

It may not be high art … ?

But its producers — Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps, all of Shine Productions — writers — too many to mention — and cast — Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon, Angel Coulby as Guinevere, Katie McGrath as Morgana, Richard Wilson as Gaius, John Hurt as the voice of The Great Dragon, Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon and Colin Morgan as the show’s central character, Merlin, himself — have managed to set the entertainment bar to a very high level.

I can but wish ALL of them well: based on the evidence, so far … ?

I’m convinced they’ll shine, whatever they do.

*        I may just have to use the Microwave, in a second, to re-heat my cocoa …