Doctor Who Theme

7" Single, released in 1980

Doctor Who Theme (A-Side)

The Astronauts (B-Side)

Those Brits and Their Talents

Not sure what to make of the results of Britain's Got Talent which finished tonight. Like many people, I was expecting Susan Boyle to win it, based on her nationwide popularity. Just goes to show, it all depends on what happens on the night. I have a feeling she'll be alright, though. I don't think any solo artist in recent memory will have such an eagerly awaited album. She could probably sell out Vegas tomorrow, but just like any other artist her long term prospects hinge on whether she has the drive and desire to perform at the highest level. I'm starting to think she should release either a single of "I Dreamed A Dream" or an album of Broadway standards and then relax for a bit before doing anything else. Hopefully the BGT concerts will be successful for her.

I also found myself rooting for the grandpa/granddaughter act 2 Grand based on their semi-final performance. While I though in the finale Sallie produced a very good vocal, I think the pressure got to John a little bit but I thought it was great to watch them sing together, very inspiring.

While I enjoyed watching the dance troupe Diversity, I would have to echo some other comments in that I've seen many comparable dance routines here in the States. I've mentioned my daughter performs ballet and jazz routines, so I've got to see quite a few amateur performances this year, and I would say several of those were at least as well choreographed with dramatic props and costume changes. Of course, I'm not sure if there is quite a similar high school dance/cheerleader tradition in Britain so it may seem a little more novel to people there.

Next up is America's Got Talent - but as everyone knows those yanks can take themselves a bit too seriously. I'm not sure we'll get to see chubby middle aged men in tight pants and patriotic waistcoats singing "It's Raining Men" - but there again maybe that's a good thing.

No Income Tax, No VAT, No Money Back, No Guarantee

Being a miserable old sod is what we Brits do better than anyone. Recently, without really noticing, I have begun using Victor Meldrew, Stephanie Cole in Waiting For God, and Father Jack as my role models. I attribute this to several factors: a deficiency of Vitamin D, an impending birthday, the state of the US economy, and an increasing amount of jealousy towards young, fit, wired, connected, trendy people who make me look in the mirror and go "how the hell did that happen?"

The tipping point came on Sunday, after a tense visit to Church. I went because my daughter had been nagging me for a while, and I was kind of proud of her for that. At the same time, I would say that my life has become in many respects based around a lack of faith - in the Church, in Government, in people generally - so I had to do the 'happy act' thing which I don't really enjoy. Still, that's no excuse for spending the rest of the day acting like someone had crapped on my geraniums, so I decided to pull out a comedy DVD to lighten my mood. I selected the first ever episode of Only Fools And Horses, a show universally known by Brits and unknown to everyone else except the most dedicated Anglophiles. It was the kind of show I had not watched in quite a while - there is a reason why, in the US, "British TV" is a genre unto itself - and I was just getting into it when my stepson came upstairs and asked what I was watching.

I will be incredibly honest here and say that it is part of the national character (I think) to be a little embarrassed and sensitive about our own culture, especially when you live in the land of fast-everything, bigger is better, and reality show purgatory. For that reason, I often watch some of my favorite British TV shows by myself. My stepson (who is in his twenties now) normally likes shows like Family Guy, South Park, and The Simpsons. Stuff he grew up with, basically. So I guess, in a moment of snap judgment, I was unsure what he would make of Del-Boy and Rodders, of the Council Flat, of the Nag's Head and all the "ducking and diving", as Del himself would say.

By the end of 30 minutes, however, we had both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I correctly predicted that the "hooky" briefcases were locked from the inside and he predicted that Rodney would not be able to get to Hong Kong. I was explaining words in every other sentence - "khazi", "plonker", "dipstick", "bit of alright" - and in the end it was an enjoyable family moment. And I realized more clearly than ever that we all have our "culture" - parts of our history we are afraid other people will reject, or laugh at. And that's what makes us unique.

Now I have to hunt down some more OFAH episodes on DVD.

Probably the funniest bit of the show ever - the famous bar-fall

Trigger gets a medal

It's Not Over 'Til The Fat Alien Sings

From Alphaville to ALF. I was a fan of the TV show back in the day, but I had never heard of this single until recently. Produced by Ben Liebrand, originally for Belgian TV.

1. Stuck On Earth
2. Stuck On Earth (Club Mix)
3. Cruisin' On Melmac Interstate

Download

In case you need reminding, check out ALF's music prowess here or just some good clips from the show here. Oh yeah, and this is pretty cool too.

Cold Case

I've been intending to blog about Cold Case (CBS, Sundays 9pm ET) for a while now, but tonight was the final straw. For those who don't know, Cold Case is a police procedural with a couple of twists. Fronted by a charismatic detective (Kathryn Morris, whom I'm forever mixing up with Kyra Sedgwick) and a solid support team of dedicated officers, the group specializes in investigating and solving homicide cases that are many years old. The genius of the show is to fully immerse the viewer in the world and time that the crime occurred, be it in the swinging sixties, the rock 'n' roll fifties, the roaring twenties or more recently. Also refreshing is that the crimes are usually true to life and close to home - reflecting issues of bigotry, xenophobia, prejudice and the mores of the time period involved.

It's probably the best edited show on (US) television, effortlessly switching between the present and the past and - very effectively - showing young protagonists morphing into older suspects and vice-versa. Watching the transformations, you can't help but be struck by the impact of crimes and experiences on young lives as they carry their burdens down a long and lonely road.

My favorite aspect of the show, however, is the use of music. One episode featured Bruce Springsteen songs exclusively. Other episodes use modern artists such as KT Tunstall in creative settings. Classic rock 'n' roll tracks soundtrack a '50's episode. Today, for a murder dating from 1982, artists included Joy Division, Psychedelic Furs and - awesomely - the sublime Cure track "Secrets" from the underrated 17 Seconds album. Whoever puts these together is one heck of a DJ. At the end of every episode, there is a closing montage where the ghosts of the past find peace in the present, all soundtracked like an alternative MTV video with much more emotional impact. Tonight's episode, based on the murder of a serial rapist at a university campus, ended to the swooping synths of Duran Duran's "Save A Prayer". Previous show enders include Paul Westerberg's "A Good Day", Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror", and KT Tunstall's "The Other Side of the World". Here's an example of a typical ending montage:

A full list of the show's sountracks is here

Do yourself a favor and watch this show first chance you get.

Tenuous BSG Follow Up

Diary of a Battlestar Commander:

XO: 'Commander, there's a toaster on the recreation deck!'
Commander: 'Oh, frak! Quick, send in a squad of highly trained marines and lots of guns. And someone expendable.'
XO: 'No, commander, I mean there's a toaster. The crew were tied of eating Frosted Flakes.'
Commander: 'My bad.'


Later that very same day!

XO: 'Commander, there's a toaster in your private quarters!'
Commander: 'Thanks for your concern, but I prefer jelly donuts!'
XO: 'No Commander, you don't understand. There's a toaster in your quarters. And she's lying on a rug wearing not-very-much clothing!'
Commander: 'War is hell. Take over the con, Mr. Sulu!'
XO: 'Sir, my name is Tigh. As in Tigh one on.'
Commander: 'Well, either way, I'm interrogating the babe. I mean, toaster. Sheesh, this sci-fi stuff is blowing my mind.'

Well, which would you rather find in your kitchen on a Saturday morning?

Either way, I'm glad the Cylons lost the skirts - remember those back in '78?

So Say We All

Just got time to give props to my fave TV show, the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica. I just discovered the show about two months ago and have been working through the first three seasons episode by episode. Just about every one either has me holding my breath, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, or both. It's a classic drama, with great acting, fantastic production and a real sense of pay-off. After the embarrassing thud of the final X-Files episodes, here's hoping the upcoming final season will be more The Return of the King and not Matrix Revolutions.

BTW, if you haven't already, check out the five minute version of the BSG miniseries - it's a riot.