Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah or have a nice weekend; whatever flavour you fancy, dear reader. You may have noticed a distinct lack of posting of late,  I've got a lot of recordings that need watching! I'll tell you in the new year. Have a safe one.

xx

Where was I?

I was going on about mid-season stuff that’d already ended during my absence. I’ll continue with 2 SyFy favourites – Eureka and Warehouse 13.

Eureka ended it’s fourth season in September under a very dark cloud, with most fans Knowing that the next season, starting with a December, Christmassy, episode, and concluding in the new year, will be it’s last. The general reaction is of utter dismay, though as the network that failed to pickup Firefly, no-one’s terribly surprised, just saddened. It’s had it’s scheduling mucked about with so much even TiVo’s don’t know when it’s on. I’ve found reactions to Eureka are a little like Marmite – you either love it or hate it. Some folks just don’t dig a town full of geniuses, inventing stuff and getting up to all sorts of mischief. Others, including myself, love it. The upcoming season 5 premiere on Dec 6th sees the entire town transformed into animated versions of themselves. Watch this preview. .

 

Warehouse 13 ended it’s third season in October, and returns for it’s  “holiday special” on December 6th.

Sidebar: Christmas is A holiday, not THE holiday – so it’s a Christmas special, not a holiday special. OK, I’ just had to get that off my chest. The Christmas special sees the return of an old enemy, watch the preview.

 

Looks like a great episode to whet your appetite for season four, all I know so far is that 13 episodes have been ordered for 2012.

It’s a shame they’ve decided to shit-can Eureka – I really enjoyed the crossovers between these 2 shows. Well done SyFy

There are bound to be loads of show’s I’ve neglected to mention – a combination of pain meds and MS causes me to forget things very easily, so don’t be surprised if I bring the subject up again. I’m planning another entry soon – either tonight or tomorrow detailing some of the new stuff I’ve been watching. About time, eh?

TTFN.

Now Playing: R.E.M. - Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011 - (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

Face-Off?

Instead of going to bed at a reasonable hour, last night/this morning I wrestled with Blogger and my new template, trying to change the default fonts. There’s still one – the date – which is using Arial/Helvetica – but it took so long getting the rest done, by the time I’d learned enough CSS to realise what I was doing wrong, I was too tired to fix it .

So I now know the name of the offending class – just need to change it’s properties, but adding custom CSS doesn’t work, looks like I have to actually edit the template directly.

OK, enough about the facelift – gonna write a lot of rubbish about telly stuff in an hour or so – just watching Life’s Too Short from Thursday night on BBC – very funny stuff.

TTFN

My Cat’s a Dog

I was planning a post on my usual televisual nonsense this weekend; there’s always Sunday. Meanwhile I thought I’d properly introduce Bob.

My old cat died in August. Lily was 14 and was sorely missed by all. So much so we decided, as one, that a new cat was to be sourced as soon as possible – days later Bob entered our lives.

It’s become clear over the few months we’ve had him that he’s completely bonkers. His main aim in life is to eat the hamster, Boris (Natasha had to be renamed for, er… obvious reasons :P)

The above pic was taken on the first day Bob spent with us :)

One of his favourite games is to play fetch. Seriously. I’d video it but if I’m in the room I’m the one he brings the toy back to, regardless of who throws it. Pisses Sarah off no end but then again, I feed him, change his shit-box, etc.

Bob has to be kept out of the bathroom for several reasons. Firstly, he can unravel a toilet roll faster than the Andrex puppy. Secondly, he chews toothbrushes. Thirdly, he steals cotton buds, 20-30 at a time, strips them of cotton – one assumes he eats it as I’ve never found any. Finally, and this is the most recent development, he drinks from the toilet. He follows me everywhere. Wakes me up by licking my eyes and ears, watches me avidly when I’m doing bathroom things. The other morning after I’d flushed, I’d left the seat up (yeah, yeah) and was brushing my teeth when I turned and saw Bob straddling the toilet bowl. My first thought was that he was going to use the toilet. I was calculating how much I’d save on kitty litter already. Alas, no. I then saw him delicately bow his head down into the bowl to reach the water in the bottom. I quickly grabbed him before he could fall in – he’s to small to reach the water – it was a disaster waiting to happen. I checked his bowls; he had no food but plenty of water. Later that day he managed to get in the bathroom and succeeded in reaching the water by putting his paws inside the bowl. Really need to work on putting the seat down AND closing the door.

So, my kitten plays fetch and drinks from the toilet – hence the title. He’s also an indoor cat. I like the fact we now have tits and sparrows in the garden, something we never had when Lily was around – even though she was about 7 years past her hunting prime. I’m not keen on having a shit-box in the hall, but at least my kitty is safe, the birdies are safe, and he’s not off making mini-Bobs since he still got his nads; they’re coming off next month, poor bugger :)

That’ll do for now. Bob’s been battering the shit out of my arm whilst typing this – luckily it’s my left so I can’t feel it :P

TTFN

Now Playing: Sara Bareilles - iTunes Live from SoHo - Breathe Again (Live)

Let Me Entertain You?

I spent hours installing dozens of free apps and games on my iPod in order to earn free chips to buy new armour in Buddy Rush – so much so that I ran down the battery and didn’t get a chance to play with my new armour, so I’ll bore my reader with more telly musings whilst it charges.
I previously touched on a couple of the shows that aired during my absence. I’ll continue, I think, with Combat Hospital. 13 episode first season broadcast on Global which I think is Canadia (little maple leaf on the parental rating box in the top left gives it away). It was also broadcast by ABC but they skipped episode 11. So far no word on whether there will be a season 2 – it is, as they say, on the bubble, which is a shame as I enjoyed the show. The show is about a Role 3 military hospital in Kandahar and is set in 2006. The hospital is staffed by ranks from many of the allied forces fighting in Afghanistan, but primarily USA, Canada, UK and Australia (main cast). In the first episode we join newcomers Bobby Trang (Terry Chen) and Rebecca Gordon (Michelle Borth) as they join the team and find their way around. It’s most definitely not a 21st century M*A*S*H, but I don’t think it’s trying to be. The show has faced a lot of criticism from the US media, but from what I’ve seen on TV guide sites such as TVRage.com and TV.com viewers generally like the show, rating it 7.2/10 and 8/10 respectively. However, viewer appeal alone is not enough to save a show – Jericho was adored by the interwebs – but it wasn’t enough to save it.
Just a quick mention for Breaking Bad which has just finished it’s 4th and final season. I’ve only discovered the show this year and am partway through the second season – so no spoiling me on that plx!
In March this year Southland finished it’s third season, and it will be returning to TNT in January 2012 for a fourth. I find Southland to be very gritty and raw; I’m not familiar with the inner workings of LA cops, so I can’t vouch for their authenticity, but it is definitely good telly!

OK – gonna end this for now – need to eat, and my iPod is charged – time to play Buddy Rush
Now Playing: Regina Spektor - Far (Special Edition CD & DVD) - Wallet

Christmas Episode - Haven-This December

Christmas Episode - Haven-This December: Haven is wrapping up for the season, but an all-new Christmas episode will be unwrapped this December.

Just saw this - wonder where this fits in with the showdown on the Cape Rouge and whether Nathan is the tattooed man that brings about Duke's Downfall? If they're in Chronological order, then obviously not. This also ruins 6 months of semi-suspense. Mind you, it is Haven - it could be someone's dream/trouble. Also it is SyFy - maybe they'll rope in WH13 and Eureka for a mega mindf**k crossover episode? :P

Back, for good?

I’m bored. Can’t play World of Warcraft due to an argument with a flight of stairs (I lost) on top of which I have a cold the week after my GP performed a miracle and managed to enable me to experience sensation in my left arm; unfortunately the sensation was intense agony, the method was a flu jab.
I usually babble about current telly stuff and other nonsense, and I will, but I’ve missed babbling about a good many shows I enjoy as they have been and gone for this year – in particular Haven. Oh how I love thee, Haven. Or is it just Emily? No, It’s the show as well. The season one cliff-hanger was a doozy, two Audrey Parkers? ZOMG? How!!!111 Season two’s cliff-hanger is less so – Duke & Nathan fighting on boat, camera  cuts to boat exterior, gun goes off! Oh noes!! Who is dedded!! Well, neither IMO – they’re both main cast & important to the story – killing either would be a mistake. Besides a wild shot inside a metal hulled ship would be lethal for both, but they never let physics stand in the way of a good story on th’telly.
Another SyFy show that’s been and gone whilst I was away was newcomer Alphas. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed the show, I had my doubts as to whether it would be picked up for another season, especially after an eleven episode first season, but it would appear that SyFy have more confidence than I and have picked it up for a second season. Pictured to the right is Afghan-born Azita Ghanizada who plays Rachel Pirzad, one of the two major reasons for watching Alphas; the other being Laura Mennell, who plays Nina Theroux. There’s some blokes in it too supporting them, of course. If you’ve not seen Alphas, think Heroes, but more believable, and also done on the cheap. That’s not fair. It doesn’t look cheap, it’s nowhere near as far fetched as Heroes was – and usually each of the Alphas has to pay a price for using their gift. For example, Rachel can enhance one of her senses by an incredible amount, at the expense of her other senses, which leaves her vulnerable – something you’d think they’d take into consideration before utilizing her, but then that wouldn’t be good telly would it?
Another show I really enjoy came back in July, Rizzoli & Isles. It took an early break in September but returns to complete it’s second season run in late November – so far 15 episodes are on order so there are another 5 to watch. I was introduced to the show via a friend just after the first season started. I’ve since read quite a few Tess Gerritsen novels on my Kindle – very enjoyable books, but there’s something about the on-screen chemistry between Angie Harmon & Sasha Alexander that goes beyond any dark or dry humour in the novels. As well as being a fan of the show, an avid read of the books, and an admirer of beautiful women, I have to declare an additional bias here: I am still mourning the sudden death of Caitlin Todd, so frequent doses of Sasha Alexander in any show helps to soothe the loss.
Since I’ve been droning on for well over 500 words, to avoid TL:DR I’ll finish this post. I’ve got lots more boring telly stuff to bore you with in future posts – but even I’m getting fed up of my own voice (in my mind!).
TTFN

Now Playing: Regina Spektor - Begin to Hope – Lady

Watch this space

Possible updates coming soon, but not from an iPod as this is cool but taking ages!!!

Meanwhile you may stare at the beauty that is Bob :-)