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I received Highlander the Series (complete) for Christmas so I'm working season one and misremembering the episode order. I had to check the episode guide as it seemes I skipped Duncan's big level up 2 parter and am going back to watch that again.

Xavier St. Cloud showed up in season one and a few episodes later a song by the Fine young cannibals is playing which cracks me up a little.

I always forget that the first time ST. Cloud meets Duncan he is wearing a gas mask which would explain why Duncan doesn't recognize him from an earlier time the crossed paths. Or I am not remembering correctly yet again.

I just remember season 1 being very rough as they were still figuring the show out. (I guess.)

I haven't really been in the mood for shows or movies in a while so this is a nice change of pace.

Ah man! Big boxed sets remind me I need to start S2 of Murder, She Wrote.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
The War Between the Land and Sea

So I decided to finish this. Oh my this is utter drivel.

The acting is more or less fine, I guess. But it’s standard RTD nonsense script and plot wise. Heavy handed unsubtle messages we kind of already know and few would dispute (polluting our oceans and waterways is a stupid thing to do).

I was more forgiving at the start, but it just fizzled away with each episode. There was no real ‘war’ to speak off. The dumping of all the rubbish in the sea back on land was cool, but that was it. A secret cabal of businessmen, politicians and military is the sort of thing that gets done in a 10 part spy drama but is done and dusted in an episode and a half. The cross species romance, well, ok. But how could Salt shift between genders and why/how did Russell’s character develop gills?

If it wasn’t for RTD we wouldn’t have Doctor Who, but these days he has trouble sticking a landing.

Stranger Things

Mmmm. Self Indulgent Ending.

Fallout S2

Every bit as excellent as S1.

MarkNorfolk wrote:
But how could Salt shift between genders

I mean, that is a thing that some fish can do. Clown Fish, for example, the male can change sex to a female clown fish.

And of course in the wider animal kingdom you have frogs capable of the same which played a key off-screen role in Jurassic Park.

The Sister Boniface Mysteries

Found this on iPlayer, and I believe it can be found on BritBox in the US.

Cosy Murder Mystery show. Like Murder, She Wrote. Set in the 1950’s English Countryside. A spin off from The Father Brown Mysteries.

Despite being quite a modern show (started in 2022), this managed to have a main cast without any established names. I don’t want to say nobodies, as they have all been in other things. But there’s no Big Name attached. Which is very nice, as I can just enjoy the characters as they are, without trying to separate them from previous roles.

Clocking in around 43 minutes? They’re a fun thing to have on, and might be ideal housework companion shows.

So you know how way back when people called Unlimited Blade Works 'Unlimited Budget Works?'

Well, I think we've got an anime that is looking to claim the title from the champ because Sentenced to Be a Hero's first episode is produced like no one is even remotely worried about the budget. It reminds me a bit of a very fantasy version of 86 for anyone who liked 86. The role of hero in this fantasy setting in a sentence for criminals where you fight demons, die, and get back up to fight more demons. There's a murder mystery in the background and the idk. The plot and such is a very generic anime plot that is fairly well executed but this series is mostly notable for the utterly ridiculous level of animation in this thing. I'm highly doubtly they can keep it up but damn just watch episode 1 I guess and marvel how much effort was put into this thing. The company is banking on this being successful.

Finally got around to making a start on The Witcher season 4 - We Have Geralt at Home.


Only one episode in so far, and my enjoyment is so far being over-ridden by my crankiness that in a show where magic is commonplace, they made no effort to provide an actual reason for the main character to suddenly be a completely different person.

 insaniak wrote:
Finally got around to making a start on The Witcher season 4 - We Have Geralt at Home.


Only one episode in so far, and my enjoyment is so far being over-ridden by my crankiness that in a show where magic is commonplace, they made no effort to provide an actual reason for the main character to suddenly be a completely different person.

I always liked the Daytime Soap Opera method of changing actors...

When there's an actor change you get a subtitle that reads something like: "The part of Charles is now played by David Winnebago."

It possibly wouldn't have been quite as annoying but they deliberately drew attention to it by introducing him with a whole scene where they obscure his face, making it seem like they were building up to something happening to change his face and then... nope, he's just a different guy now. Not even a haircut.

 insaniak wrote:
It possibly wouldn't have been quite as annoying but they deliberately drew attention to it by introducing him with a whole scene where they obscure his face, making it seem like they were building up to something happening to change his face and then... nope, he's just a different guy now. Not even a haircut.

So how do you handle it when a new guy takes over being 007 or something?
Or a new art team comes onto a comic book?

BTW, how many Witcher games are there? Is it important that Geralt doesn't look exactly the same between them?

ccs wrote:

So how do you handle it when a new guy takes over being 007 or something?

I treat it as a separate continuity and move on. Which is easier to do in movies that don't specifically follow on from each other in any meaningful way, and a little more difficult partway through a series.

Or a new art team comes onto a comic book?

Hate it with a passion. It's always bugged me that there is no consistency in how characters were portrayed in ongoing comics, and how many characters can only be identified by their costumes. Or when an ongoing title drastically changed their art style...

I'm fine with one-shots offering different takes on characters, but ongoing stories should have some consistency, so you don't need dialogue cues to figure out who is who in a panel. Something needs to be done about it. Grumble, grumble, old man noises.

BTW, how many Witcher games are there? Is it important that Geralt doesn't look exactly the same between them?

No idea, as I've not played the games. But if I were, yes, it would bug me if he suddenly turned into a different guy from one game to the next unless it was intended as a completely separate thing, or a reboot or the like.

Video game characters change all the time as graphics, style, and cultural norms change.

Look at Lara Croft over the years, she changes more often than Padme changes clothes in the Star Wars prequels.

I don’t think that’s the best example. Lara changes once into the scared dirty child version of herself. Her character design remains remarkably consistent over different hardware generations. Her clothes maybe change colour a bit, but the cut and silhouette are pretty much the same.

Yeah, Lara definitely evolves as hardware improves, but she's still recognisably the same character. Video games get a little more fudge room there, as well, just because they're a very different experience to watching a TV show or movie.

I fully accept that many people don't have the same issue, but I just find recasts jarring. I understand that they're sometimes necessary, but would prefer that they be avoided unless absolutely necessary (Andor season 2, for example, should have just rewritten Bail Organa's part so his presence wasn't required if the actor wasn't available to do it)... and where the story's setting provides a potential avenue to explain it, the people behind it should absolutely make use of that rather than just expecting the audience to roll with it.

Game of Thrones was particularly bad for that, especially in the early seasons.

 insaniak wrote:
Yeah, Lara definitely evolves as hardware improves, but she's still recognisably the same character. Video games get a little more fudge room there, as well, just because they're a very different experience to watching a TV show or movie.

I fully accept that many people don't have the same issue, but I just find recasts jarring. I understand that they're sometimes necessary, but would prefer that they be avoided unless absolutely necessary (Andor season 2, for example, should have just rewritten Bail Organa's part so his presence wasn't required if the actor wasn't available to do it)... and where the story's setting provides a potential avenue to explain it, the people behind it should absolutely make use of that rather than just expecting the audience to roll with it.

Haven't watched Witcher 4 yet, but going from Trailers they at least try to keep the same outlook despite a different actor. When they had to change the actor in Spartacus season 2(or 3? It's been a while) I found it more obvious because they didn't look anything alike. Also, being the Spartacus series, there wasn't any costume to stick to as anyone was running around basically naked so when the face of Spartacus changed, the only thing to recognize him in the bunch of naked guys changed

First episode of HBO Max’s It:Welcome to Derry

Been meaning to check this out since the mini series ended a month or so ago. Saw mixed to favorable reviews, and I’m a horror junkie and I don’t have anything to read or watch lined up, so for better or worse, here we go!

Probably the wildest cold open of a horror product, movie or show, I’ve seen in recent memory. And the last few minutes of the episode rams home pretty clearly that this isn’t Stranger Things. I had read some spoiler reviews so I knew what was coming, but damn was it rough. The military and racial drama portion of the show starts off interesting as well.

I’m sold!

I enjoyed Welcome to Derry more than the movies.

I've been enjoying the new Fallout season so far. They're really leaning into the new Vegas stuff. There are times where I wish the show took itself a little more seriously. But i'm curious to see where things are going.

Only ever played FO4, but I too am seriously enjoying the TV series.

The core tropes are all present and so far as I can tell, correct. So whether or not any liberties or tweaking is being done to the Mojave area? The show absolutely works as Fallout for me.

 Thargrim wrote:
There are times where I wish the show took itself a little more seriously.

Honestly, I think they've found a pretty perfect balance with the humour. The setting doesn't really lend itself to being too serious.


Thoroughly enjoying it, although I do have a weakness for anything post-apocalyptic.

Fallout has definitely never taken itself very seriously. It's about discovering how crazy people get when nothing really matters anymore.

I just started watching a samurai TV show called The 7 Swordfights. I have a feeling the character and stories are a common knowledge man of folklore/history in Japan. However, I am not from Japan.

That said, the first two episodes had an interesting moral dilemna and a very samurai way of solving it. Sometimes, these Samurai shows can be a bit too conservative in their leanings and morals for my tastes. However, I feel like this show delivers on the samurai sword fight front.

Count Arthur Strong

BBC Sitcom, about a delusional retired music hall star.

Don’t watch this. It won awards, but it’s dreadful.

If you’re in the mood for a comedy about a Never-was-been start of stage and screen, watch Toast of London instead.

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
I enjoyed Welcome to Derry more than the movies.

Having just finished It: Welcome to Derry, I agree with the above quote.

Solid fun horror with quite a few fun/interesting characters and all of the subplots tied up neatly.

Apparently, its Chapter 1 in a planned 3 Chapter project but its still waiting for approval from HBO. Hope we get more Pennywise and see more of his previous feeding cycles.

 Easy E wrote:
I just started watching a samurai TV show called The 7 Swordfights. I have a feeling the character and stories are a common knowledge man of folklore/history in Japan. However, I am not from Japan.

That said, the first two episodes had an interesting moral dilemna and a very samurai way of solving it. Sometimes, these Samurai shows can be a bit too conservative in their leanings and morals for my tastes. However, I feel like this show delivers on the samurai sword fight front.

There's a new series on Netflix called Last Samurai Standing that is pretty solid if you're looking for more samurai fiction.

Episode 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. HBO Max.

Based on a few novellas by George RR Martin, in the same setting as Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Set in a time well before the former and a few generations after the latter.

Its been a few years since I read the books, but everything looks true to the source material in this episode. Its not nearly as grand in scope as the two previous series, which is refreshing.

This was one of my most anticipated series going into 2026, and the first episode has me pretty excited.

In the UK you can catch it on NowTv. And I am doing just that.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Caught me off guard, as my telly somehow defaulted to Audio Described, which is with a Scottish accent.

Honestly thought the narration was part of it!

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:


If you’re in the mood for a comedy about a Never-was-been start of stage and screen, watch Toast of London instead.

Seconded, Toast Of London is a thing of mad beauty. Possibly Matt Berry's finest hour.