Dear faithful readers – happy Stephen Fry Appreciation Monday (well Tuesday but just pretend)!
Anyhow I have a few assorted bits and pieces that I would like to talk about.
First – Kingdom is doing well in the ratings (I so am keeping my fingers crossed we will get another season because I think this one is quite the best we have seen so far).
Kingdom put in a strong 4.83m (21.2%) at 9pm, helping ITV1 to first place during the hour.
Technically that does mean diddly all in today’s world of broadcasting because other shows have been canned without rhyme or reason but hope does spring eternal.
Second order of business – have you listened to the third installment of The Dongle?!
I did and I actually managed to figure out the clue. All by myself. Being blond and all. I was so smug it was unseemly then I realized it was really quite easy to figure out
But anyhow yes I did figure it out all by myself although I will be honest with you the first time I listened to it I couldn’t make head or tails out of it – who is the first first, the last tycoon and the lone eagle and whathaveyou – I mean that Mr. Fry he does go on a bit doesn’t he?
But I was determined to figure it out so I took out my notebook and Hello Kitty pen, made notes and figured it out all by myself. I am STILL unclear whether or not we are supposed to just figure out the clue or watch the movies too and I still don’t have a clue about the paintings from the second installment but at least I have managed to figure out one piece of the puzzle. Do let me know how are you getting along!
And third order of business – do you remember Mein Handy from QI? Oh how I love that clip I’m still trying to figure out how to turn it into ringtone for iPhone (yes I am technically challenged).
If you don’t know what I’m talking about it here it is.
Since Mr. Fry is currently in Germany and I guess by popular demand this is what was posted on Twitter yesterday
were you as shocked as I was when you heard? Love him or loathe him it goes without saying he did shape the music scene in the 80s and a whole generation of artists. And when he was on top form Michael Jackson was unbelievable.
I never was much of a fan however a lot of his songs did mark my childhood and adolescence.
One of my bestest friend in the world (yes I know it’s not even a word) was a huuuge fan. Ever since she was in 6th grade of primary school. She loved him to bits. She even got tickets for two of his concerts but they were later canceled and she was devastated. She tried to get a ticket for one of the London gigs but those sold out in matter of minutes. Unfortunately she will not get a chance to see him in concert ever again. And my heart breaks for her because I know how much she wanted that.
So this is for my friend Vlatka – one song that she would always badger DJ to play at the end of every night out we had together.
nah don’t worry I haven’t gone bonkers (not yet anyway). And yes I am reluctant to believe that 2012 will be the doomsday for humanity. Wasn’t that supposed to happen at the turn of the millennium?
But I will willingly admit I am a sucker for a good movie trailer. And these nature disaster movies. For whatever reason. I was captivated by The Perfect Storm first time I have seen it. And The Day After Tomorrow (bows head in shame – I know how uncool of me).
But there is something so visually compelling about this trailer I just can’t tear my eyes away. Sure it’s Roland Emmerich and it screams big money and Hollywood blockbuster and the whole premise is doodah but seriously just look at it.
Do you know I was actually so naive that before I clicked this particular link at Digital Spy I honestly thought House producers will apologize for crappy fifth season? I know – how blond am I?
But this is (in my opinion) what happens when writers and producers start to cater to a particular group of fans.
David Shore said
I don’t think we cheated them [but] I do think we teased them. And I apologise for being a tease. But I don’t think we cheated fans because that was a legitimate storyline that made sense. And we will follow up on it… It’s not like it didn’t matter. The fact that House had that hallucination is extremely significant. It was not like he woke up in a shower and all of last year was just a dream. It wasn’t what you might have thought it was going to be, but it was big. That was a glimpse into what House desires.
You know if he did wake up and it was all a dream, well not a dream but something that could be explained rationally – actually here is the link to the discussion we had over at Give Me My Remote after the House finale. I love Erik’s recaps and if you scroll half way down a commentator under the username timo has the best possible spin for season 6.
Ah if it wasn’t for Hugh Laurie I think I would have given up on this show 2 seasons ago.
you know we are all about the frivolous here. In fact we embrace it since we all need a bit of frivolity and fun in our lives.
But what is happening in Iran is far from frivolous. And this time around it really isn’t about CNN and BBC anymore. It is about Twitter and YouTube and facebook. This is the only way first hand accounts are trickling through to the rest of the world.
Now I really do not mean to get political (that is funny given the choice of my degree but there you go). Politics make me go ewww.
But we are the generation that has seen the Berlin wall come crumbling down, Dessert Storm and 9/11. And if you have ever in your life experienced that kind of fear be it for yourself or a loved one that paralyzes you, that turns your brain into flight or fight mode, that literally stops you in your tracks – well you cannot be immune.
I do have a theory about this – Iran reached it’s tipping point. It always astonished me how much abuse a human being can take. Whether as an individual or as a group. You adapt. Abnormal becomes normal. But it comes a point when you slam your fist and shout “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” That is a tipping point. In my country we had our own tipping point years ago. And it wasn’t pretty. And it wasn’t peaceful. And maybe that is why I can sympathize.
People are being killed. If the only thing you can do is spread the word, then spread the word.
Here is where you can follow all the latest details on Twitter – #iranelection
we have established already there is absolutely nothing worth watching these days (apart from True Blood). Well I have established that since it does feel like I’m talking to myself here.
Be as it may I did find something to keep me occupied (for a bit at least). It is a BBC crime series State of Play.
Yes I know you must be thinking of State of Play the movie, but the movie was actually based on the series.
Without giving too much away it does start off innocently enough – a journalist from The Herald Cal McCaffrey (played by John Simm of Life on Mars fame) starts investigating what seems to be a drug related murder. Then an MP’s researcher chucks herself under the Tube. But we learn soon enough that the two incidents are actually related and the story is far too more complicated (and intriguing) then it seemed in the beginning.
Series was written by Paul Abbott (for his first attempt at a thriller this was really excellent work), the cast includes a number of prominent British actors – such as David Morrissey, Bill Nighty, Kelly Macdonald and my personal favorite Philip Glenister and they all did a superb job.
Although I am half way through it (there were only 6 one hour episodes) it has just the right amount of cliffhangers, fast paced action and connect-the-dots moments to keep me eager for more.
I haven’t seen State of Play the movie so I cannot really tell how much did they stick to the original but I am once again reminded why I like BBC series so much – they are bloody good!
Well this one isn’t my dear readers. This one falls under the WTF?!-it-is-soooo-bad category. I know I am a complete and utter blond sometimes but how does even use this thing? It simply boggles the mind.
I do apologize if you have seen it before (it is making rounds on the Internet) but honestly I simply had to share.
Dear faithful readers – happy Stephen Fry Appreciation Monday!
Did you watch last night’s Kingdom? Did you, did you? I hope you did
Anyhow this post isn’t about Kingdom (which by the way did attract 21% of the rating share, which is an improvement from last week’s 19%) but about Dongle.
I love Dongle. Love.It!
I thought it was going to be a story in installments which delighted me to no end because in a way (even though it is an audio) it does remind me of that feeling when you watch a telly show and you are really, REALLY eager to find out what happens next (usually Lost will do that to me).
But when it turned out it was a whole quest thing… well I was tickled pink.
Mind you I am blond after all and I still don’t have a clue who is the author behind those two paintings. I got this silly idea in my head that it might be something out of Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Don’t ask me why, I know it would make more sense if the author behind them was British.
I am a great fan of Dalí, Miro, Picasso, Klimt with an occasional interest in Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Gauguin. So it is no wonder I don’t have a clue who is the serious looking man with a dead pigeon on his head. And the other one leaves me baffled as well.
I should get cracking and do some research but frankly it’s awfully hot and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot is begging for my attention (I think managed to get a mild case of sunstroke today because I went for a stroll point A to point B around noon for 45 minutes with no hat on and no water – how blond of me eh?)
So tell me dear readers – have you unlocked the mystery of the two paintings?
Oh and on the side note our lovely Mr. Fry just tweeted this – for one pound you can be a movie producer and get your names on the closing credits. Check out Buyacredit.com.
What a neat little idea – I do wish I came up with it myself
Unfortunately I never was much of a talent when it comes to music (I can only dabble at the piano my one and only hit being the theme for Twin Peaks) although a pianist friend once told me I was musical (for whatever that means). Fact of the matter is and I won’t lie to you my dear readers – I sing so out of tune as if an elephant farted in my ear
Don’t worry I haven’t gone mental, not yet anyway there is a point to this post.
With production slated to resume next week, House is looking to cast an actress in her early 20s to mid 30s who is proficient at playing the cello. Sounds like a run-of-the-mill patient-of-the-week, right? That’s what I thought. But then I read the fine print on the casting notice: Interested parties must be available from June 15 through July 15. (Rumor has it this could be another one of House’s fellow cuckoo nesters.)
So do you play cello?! Or maybe you are good on the drums (tried that once too but couldn’t coordinate myself sufficiently)
Answer me this: How are you on the drums? Producers are currently on the prowl for an older actor who “stomps to his own beat” and is a “real percussionist” to play one of House’s fellow patients. They’re also looking for a young actress who can play the cello if that’s a better fit for you. Let me know and I’ll see if I can set something up. Given your history, you may have to audition via closed circuit camera from the McDonald’s across the street from the studio. It’s nothing personal. It’s just a safeguard in case you lunge at Katie Jacobs with a hammer. BTW, all of these casting calls have me thinking House is going to form his own loony bin pit band. Hugh Laurie has already established that he can sing as well as play the piano, guitar, harmonica and saxophone. Call me crazy, but I think I’m on to something here.
And there you have it – it seems my favorite curmudgeon is going to form his own loony bin band. And the season premiere has been extended to 2 (TWO!) hours.
