Tales from the Cube V.3

Coming soon to Fox:

Attention all Browncoats and Eliza worshipers look and behold: The Dollhouse trailer!

Spaced Region 1 DVD arrives on July 22nd.

Wordpress 2.5.1 arrived and so far is working aok. It’s probably me but it seems as though the admin dashboard is faster.

Doctor Who’s 4th Season arrives on Sci-Fi with the return of The Runaway Bride, Donna herself as the Doctor’s Companion. After the dud that was Voyage of the Damned, the 4th season starts off fine and continues to get better and better.

Quick review of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse pilot script: Awesome. The science fiction is handled extremely well and down to earth. I’d highly recommend watching it.

For those patiently awaiting the arrival of Doctor Who on Sci-Fi, I can tell you the first two episodes are good stuff. Here’s hoping we don’t hit a rough patch like we did last year with the two parter yawner of The Darleks take Manhattan.

And, while some may see the writers falling back on the recycling of the taking the Companion back in time to see (insert historical figure name here) it didn’t seem like retreading since the story and the sets were really good. Creatures effects were nicely done too, I thought.

It would appear that Bad Wolf’s return will treated like Torchwood’s in Season 2, lurking in the background until the last four episodes when she arrives and probably bringing doom with her.

As for the dangling plot line of the Doctor’s real name, I wish they would pull back the curtain and show us Gallifrey in her glory before the Time War. Show Doctor and Master before they became enemies and just cement some history. This show has been going on for nearly 60 years and with all the books, comics and radio dramas, it would be nice to see an Origin Tale.

With each hammer home of the “I’m the last one left,” the ice of credibility begins to crack, imho, since, let’s face it, the crusty Time Lords really didn’t like the Doctor to begin with, right? So why would they tell him where they are, right?

With each new companion comes the odd question about time travel or how the TARDIS actually works and Donna while like a bull in china shop, she is starting to growing on me. Coming from the Baker Years of Sarah Jane Smith and Leela the current companions have ranged from mall rat to brain to smart aleck.

No sign of the Master’s Ring, although the phrase “something on your back” doesn’t explain much to me, I’m sure something is going to hunt down Donna sooner or later.

So, with the past behind us, the Ood are next week which means the far, far, far, far future. . . .

Red Right Hand (a good blog to bookmark, btw), in a recent post compares the Firefly situation we all endured to Joss Whedon’s next project with the lovely Eliza Dushku called Dollhouse.

Essentially, it boils down to this: the fans have to watch Dollhouse or else.And, I whole heartily agree with him.

In this new age, post-Writer’s Strike/Internet Content Download/Channel’s itchy trigger fingers, shows will need to be watched live instead of on DVR/Tivo/Torrent.

Jericho came back from the dead only because of the fans went “Nuts!” to CBS and we got a 7 episode second season out of it.

And, while it nicely done and didn’t have the soapy suds of the first half of the first season, ultimately CBS nuked the series in the end just as it was getting good.

This seven episode deal along with LOST’s shorten season of sixteen brings into sharp focus why BBC only does twelve to thirteen episodes. Cutting all the fat and getting to the plot is great way to keep the audience’s attention.

If Jericho manages to rises up on Sci-Fi Channel like Lazarus, we should ourselves extremely lucky.

Personally, I blame the 10pm timeslot. 10pm is meant for two things in my mind: Dateline and 48 Hours.

(Yes, ABC, I’m glaring in your general direction for putting LOST at 10pm. Grey’s Anatomy and Errrrrrr can go head to head with each other for all I care. Some of us have to work Friday mornings, ya know!)

Here’s hoping the Dollhouse gets a good timeslot.

Over the years, several UK Television Shows have been remade into US Television Shows.

The most popular right now is The Office.

So, with the US Version of the IT Crowd DOA they have announced a US Version of Spaced and it sounded like a good thing.

Come to find out, they hadn’t really talked to the original creators about it. You know, those guys from Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Doctor Who?

This should teach us two things: 1: Hollywood will continue to remake properties and make money. 2: Always check your contracts with lawyer before signing your life away.

Simon Pegg’s Official Statement.

For a show that manages to cover several themes that Highlander, Forever Knight and Angel (among others I can’t remember right now) already covered in spades, New Amsterdam is surprisingly open about it’s immortal character.

The trappings of the secret identity are left behind and some new ground is covered.

To the point of him saying he used to be this or that decades before and everyone thinks nothing of it. It’s not that the secondary characters are idiots it’s the fact they ignore the stupid workplace banter just like everyone else does in real life.

The fact he’s trying to get his problem looked at is another plus point. Vague themes from Blade appear for the better. It does not take the Star Wars Episode I route with trying explain the force and that’s a good thing since if it’s magic, and we’re talking normal magic we’re talking old Native American Magic, so why try to explain it?

And, the fact he has sired one or more of the main characters is an interesting step to take. The downside of immortality has always been: impotency. Like the Island on LOST, the Island will heal you but she will take procreation away.

All in all, if you’ve never seen New Amsterdam, I’d recommend it.

Currently, it’s on Fox, Monday Nights, 9pm. It’s Law and Order meets Highlander minus the swordplay  and the Immortal Trans-Dimensional Trench Coats.