Sweeping Strings

I sort of had a handle on what was happening during the first 3 episodes, but got lost during the remaining 3. There's that 15-minute explanation video that Chibnall posted on YouTube, but frankly I didn't and still don't care enough to watch it.

I don't know of many B-movies that run for 4 hours, but OK.

The Radio Times (not produced in-house by the Beeb any more, but still very much the most 'BBC-friendly' listings magazine) saying of the Rosa Parks episode (only Whittaker's 3rd, if memory serves) 'This is less teatime fun and more a lecture' has stayed with me. Things got to the stage during the Chinballs era of me being pleasantly surprised when the Villa Diodati and Spyfall eps didn't label Byron and Bond respectively as 'toxic males'.

New Who villain idea ... one who kills via the medium of dodgy puns .

First 2 eps are going out as a double-bill on Beeb 1 on Sat evening, for those in the UK who still like their first viewing to be when the show actually airs. And it's been announced that Ruby's bisexual ... not much of a surprise with modern-day Who I suppose, but here's hoping the 'messages' don't overwhelm the sci-fi adventuring.

That Machete double-bill is looking good for this Saturday night, in a kind of 'Eurovision can fuck off' stylee.

Remember reading that the idea behind 'Batfleck' was that he'd reached a sufficient level of jadedness and cynicism that he no longer cared about not seriously injuring/killing adversaries, and it's certainly evident in that clip.

I like the 2 Keatons, bits of the Kilmer, all of the Bales and the '66 West (taken in the spirit intended, it's great fun). The Clooney ... oh dear God. No interest in the 'Vs. Superman', Joker or the 3-hour Pattinson gloomfest.

The Other Fellow - 2022 docu that talks to a disparate group of men from around the globe who are named ... James Bond. Some have leant into it, for others it's been a drag. An intriguing watch.

Cutthroat Island - 8 years before the first Pirates Of The Caribbean flick, this Renny Harlin pirate swashbuckler flopped. Hard to see why, as everything you would reasonably expect is here - hidden treasure, swordfights, ship-boarding, rum-swigging etc. With Geena Davis, Matthew Modine and Frank Langella.

I should clarify (Clara-fy?) ... I was referring to those being the options the Doctor gives his enemies, not new companions.

I like the 'If you stay, then whatever happens next is your own fault' aspect of the Doctor. There's something to be said for the 'core of steel' beneath the empathy and all that.

If the intention is lean even harder into the notion that the Doctor is a non-violent hero that makes having him effectively spear the Goblin King to death at Christmas Day teatime (presumably watched by many kiddiewinks) strange, no?

'You get as much pleasure from killing as I do, why not just admit it?' 'I admit killing you would be a pleasure'.

I have been 'Hmm ... REALLY?' about Disney allegedly having no creative control ever since their involvement was announced. 'What do I think about an American Doctor Who? I think it would be bloody awful' - Steven Moffat. That said, he did write one of the upcoming episodes. Time will tell ... it always does.