Be Excellent To Each Other

I've just watched ep 1 and my thoughts are this, for what they're worth. It was entertaining and I was little disappointed in the fact that there were far fewer survivors and the motley crew they did assemble all seemed to be so, what, I don't know, straight out of a planning meeting of a new series of who would make a good drama about surviving a near extinction event. But it did intrigue me enough to watch the next episode. I'll give it the benefit of my doubt for now

The question I suppose is this? What could you bring to the party if you survived? I know how to secure fresh water, track, trap and kill and prepare animals, what flora is edible and how to build shelter and start fires. Yes, that's right, me=semi redundant alpha male

Well I have a bow and lots of arrows (at my mum and dad's in Yorkshire, but everybody heads North in these things anyway so no beef there) and know how to shoot them reasonably accurately. Does that help?

Also, I have three bottles of whiskey.

I could kill you all in your sleep.

Technically yes. But I don't believe you have the skill or the cojones.

Also the first thing I will learn is how to make mantraps.

I'd do it gently, like Mother would... to spare you from the pain.

Ah, see, bows and arrows I know how to make. Whiskey I don't

Your family are dead. Your children are dead. You're alone with just a ginger man and 3 bottles of whiskey. You know it makes sense. *passes the gun*

His logic is relentless. But there's a lot more whiskey out there. And I can dye my hair.

Admittedly Dimrill is creeping me out a little.

Usher in the world belonging to sentient moles.

Ha! Sentient moles! Things are looking up already. I can go with that.

I reckon I could beat a mole in a fight, sentient or no. They're gonna have to come up with something pretty special to get the better of Ol' Shovel Wielding Squirt.

Moles like these?

Malc

I quite liked this, if it was a one off 2 parter or something, not sure I CBA with a whole series, unless there is zombies.

The zombies are all dead. Just like everyone you love. Not enough anymore.

Dimrill versus the Ubermoles: Beyond Thunderdome

Couldn't we all go live on one of them Echo islands in the sun? They seem to be able to get by on coconut and used car tyres with the odd home made loo.

No. All the trees are dead, just like your loved ones. Besides, the tractor repairman would get jealous if you tried to cosy up to boat repairman. He'd kill you with syphilis. Might as well kneel at the ocean's edge and dunk your head in until you drown.

I watched this and didn't think much of it. The character played by that actor who looks a bit like Robbie Williams (the one that is in jail at the start) is just too far-fetched. the very end scene was interestin, though, which without spilling anything via spoilers, will probably make me watch again...

Well, it's on again tonight and then proceeds weekly on Tuesday nights as far as I can figure out.

Ah, I'll give it another watch tonight, then (I only saw the first episde last night, on iPlayer, so it is still quite fresh in my mind). If the Robbie Williams-a-like doesn't becomne a bit more believeable, though, it'll be a shame.

Just watched Survivors, thanks to Virgin Media's catch up tv 7 day free thing.

Pretty good - have to get used to Martha not screaming "Doctor!" will look forward to further episodes, cant blame the prisoner doing what he did.


For those who want to read a truly grim book of dealing with life after a nuclear holocaust, may I recommend Domain by James Herbert which is also book 3 of The Rats trilogy.

I caught up with this last night, and thought it was very good indeed. Pleasingly bleak, and all quite plausible.

I thought last night's episode was a big improvement on the first episode.

Was there any zombies?

I missed last night's as Mrs C and I were nattering. I shall iPlayer it ce soir.

JOHN SESSIONS??!?!

Not seen it yet but apparently it follows the plot of the original series much closer I'm told including a wholesale lifting of the "looter" scene.

NOT JOHN SESSIONS!

Phew.

Oh, this is good. Very good. Episode two is approximately 20 times better than one, and one was pretty good.

Pretty lady! pretty bottom!

NOT JOHN SESSIONS

Wots wrong with John Sessions? I liked him as Prunesquallor in Gormenghast and as the tutor in that BBC TV film about young Stephen Hawking that was acebest a couple of years ago. As long as he doesn't do comedy he's excellent.

Haven't seen this episode yet, but looking forward to it.

I thought it was JS, but it wasn't. *shamefaced*

I just watched it.

The problem for me is that the original series sits clearly in my mind and it makes it hard for me to like this. The actors don't quite seem able to carry it as well as the originals and the whole government conspiracy is just tacked on.

The woman playing Abbey is in danger of being out acted by the scenery

One of the biggest things for me is that thye decided against using the original theme tune. This might have been OK if they'd commissioned something half decent, but it's just a bland load of old crap. I just can't tell you how evocative the original was especially when it kicked it and the end of an episode. No matter how depressing the episode was (and believe me the original was bloody bleak compared to the shiny new series) the end theme lifted you but was still scary and ominous like the opening theme.

Here's a little bit of the original series I found on Youtube. It takes up the supermarket bit from tonight about halfway through.

I seem to remember renting this on VHS a long time ago, and thinking it was terrible rubbish.

Still, I'm tempted to go back for more and watch this on iPlayer.

Another post apocalyptic series is being brought back from the dead by the BBC.

This time it's The Triffids Hopefully it'll be good.

Hmm, a mix of glee-scowl.

On the one hand, I love Triffids. On the other, it's a setting that's been done to death. I'd far rather a little more imagination in choosing these adaptations. Remember when they did Gormenghast? I almost fell over with surprise when they chose that one.

It would be jolly nice to have something bonkers like 'That Hideous Strength', or some G K Chesterton, or something.

Chinny Fan: "It's awfully nice of you to take me on this scenic postal walk, Graeme. I'm all het up and my nerves are all jittery after what they did to The Survivors."

Graeme Friend: "Doon't worry, Chinny mate. Noone alive know you like ah do, an' ah reckoned this 'ere walk would be the most soothing, it being along a very scenic reet high cliff like."

Chinny Fan: "Ha ha, yes. Thank you Graeme. I only hope I don't receive any news of other favourite 1980's post-apocalyptic classics starring bearded, ugly people that unfolded at a tense, glacial-yet-thought-provoking pace being remade."

Graeme Friend: "Nay chance a' that Chinny! Why, we already got The Survivors!" An you, Chinny, ah reckon you'd survive reet well, if t'world turned against you."

Chinny: "Thanks Graeme. It is good to know that I'm prepared against all eventualities, and am level headed enough to know what to do in a crisis thanks to continued exposure to the works of Terry Nation et all. I'll be alive long after you're dead, Graeme! Ho ho!"

*Chinny's pocket beeps. He takes out his portable internet gizmo.*

Chinny: "Hullo, what's this?"

*Reads the Beeb site*



*Chinny hurls self off cliff.*

"AIEEEEEE!"

Graeme Friend: Dickens, the irony.

I didn't see that. I remember it being advertised, but just expected it to be 'just another period drama' I'll have to see if I can find it on the torrents, and give it a watch.

POTW. Oops, too late

Ta! But who beat me?

Not too late for next week's update!

That would then be POLW, though.

Cor. Episode 3 was pretty good. That blonde bird is going to be trouble, though. As is that ex-guvmint woman.

Not seen it yet. In the original she leaves her husband for dead, but he comes after her at a later date in a wheelchair. He then burns to death in the big fire at the start of season 2. I'm not counting that as a spoiler as the new series is deviating so widely from the old that it's unlikely to happen (and they aren't married this time).

910 bananas to nervouspete for expressing my thoughts.

Incidentally, although I quite liked the Day Of The Triffids series the BBC did in the early 80's, I did think it somewhat lacking.



Had Maurice Colbourne* though and any remake will be severely lacking in that department.


* Bonus Chinny points for anyone who knows what seminal 80's series he played the lead in. Clue "Always there".

When can we expect you to move on to the 90s?

When I'm DG of the BBC and they start to remake things properly.

I'd start by returning Eastenders to two days a week and axing that load of old shit on at 7 o'clock with that fat brummie who I sat next to in a canteen in TV Centre once while he munched his way through a Gingsters.

I'd commission the third series of Tripods and launch a new series called "Blakes Legend" which consists of 50 minutes of Paul Darrow sneering. Eldorado would get a re-run but with new CGI effects like those "remastered" episodes of Red Dwarf. I'd also run lots of terrifying adverts featuring people drowning kittens to get people to buy their TV license.

I would then re-imagine The Two Ronnies but with Russell Brand and Jonathon Ross, to be called "The Two Cunts".

I expect my reign to be brief but memorable.

Episode 3 was good. Abby is annoying though - reminds me of Gwen from Torchwood, but with less hilarious teeth.

So is that it?

Has it finished?