I’m confused. The Doctor decides to take a trip to Mars, we see the return of the red spacesuit (and I was halfway expecting Donna to follow him out of the Tardis until I remembered she’s no longer there), but why does he land the Tardis in the middle of nowhere and takes a hike over to the bas…[Read more]

The mister was watching series 7 of A Canadian comedy called Letterkenny  when during their table talk one guy says “Everyone loves Doctor Who , right?” the others all agree “Yep” ,”for sur…[Read more]

I think it was made abundantly clear the doctor couldn’t recog Clara. the symmetry co…[Read more]

I hope you are all getting through. It is easy to forget here that Covid is still happening to the rest of the world. It is like a kind of nightmare that we read about and feel a bit guilty as we get on with our ‘everyday” lives and now it seems as though we are reaching a…[Read more]

I hope you are all doing well. Life for us is very quiet, and far too many purchases arrive via Amazon. However, fortunately, we have a local bookshop that calls me up when it is time to go and pick up my standing order of the NYTimes Review of Books and Private Eye…[Read more]

As @arbutus reminded me, a good commercial-free option is to purchase it on iTunes for $4. It is there for repeated viewings, and it is mercifully ad-free (and I agree with you, the intrusive commercial breaks are just the worst).

As for my dad’s recovery, we think this is his last day of isolation. But now my stepmother is faced with the task of finding him a…[Read more]

Which streaming service will allow me to watch the New Year special? (p.s. I do not have cable)

Dad continues his slow progress. He was moved to a rehab hospital, then another ailment popped up, so he was briefly transferred back to the main hospital. Then, last week, he was moved back to the rehab hospital. He believes…[Read more]

@janetteb, you are very fortunate that the restrictions are as relaxed as they are for you. I cannot imagine a Christmas party on the scale you describe being allowed for either @arbutus in Vancouver or myself on the island.

This week we had a film crew making a movie down the…[Read more]

We have been…[Read more]

and all the South Aussies (&, as always, the Sydney siders) we’re feeling your pain in Brisbane. We’ve been insanely fortunate in many cases. “cases” had a different tone to it now.

Thanks to those who got in touch when I mentioned my late mum. I realise it looked as if Puro had passed away but nope, I’m still here & we’re doing…[Read more]

And yes, we do live in a beautiful country. My little neck of the woods, along Nova Scotia’s south shore, is especially exquisite. I’ve been driving to our local beaches and watching…[Read more]

Happy Canada Day to all!

As you know, I am an immigrant. And a very happy immigrant. Where I live, neighbours haven’t simply hung out Canadian flags, they have hung out flags with the heart instead of the maple leaf to show support–not simply for those on the covid front line, but for all of us.

I would not want to…[Read more]

I wonder if the modern show would be allowed such a departure from the usual tropes of the show?

Well the Torchwood episode Countrycide famously didn’t have an alien or non-human villain, so I’d say it is possible for Doctor Who post-2005 to do the same.

Chamber pots. I always remember a brilliant sketch done by Alan Bennett in a comedy sketch show back in the 60s (It might have been Beyond the Fringe, but I think it was another show that I cannot recall). In it, he plays an antiques dealer, and a clueless, but pretentious, couple come into his shop, and their eyes focus on a Victorian…[Read more]

My own mind still defaults “brothers” or “school mates”, whereas if either of them had been a woman, I would probably have gone straight to “former partner”, based on Jake’s reaction to the news story.

As someone who looks most unlike her brother, I can assure you that it works the other way round as well. That is, if you have two peop…[Read more]

One of the best videos I’ve ever seen, from back when they put some thought into the stuff.

Directed by French film director Michel Gondry.

Best comment?

“Don’t forget to watch Tank Girl !…. Kiddies”

Just brought it back around to Doctor Who with the Rachel Talalay mention…..   :D…[Read more]

“I didn’t know that was Pearl Jam. Cool! And Tom Petty, so beloved and so missed.”

Oh yes he’s missed.

Nobody knows that’s Pearl Jam because I don’t think they are listed on the liner notes or anything. But you can tell it’s them from the playing style.

Here’s the guitarist for Pearl Jam…[Read more]

@peacefrog – thanks for the Deep Pu…[Read more]

I think I might be on to something here…

Timeless Child equals a Child in Time?

Maybe not.

You guys do realize that it was me in the “It takes you Away” episode. The BBC blew their budget on fancy new cameras and big name guest stars.

Couldn’t afford to get their first…[Read more]

@Arbutus – awww Ella – smoky precision. And yes, I’m overly happy with that description. What tone.
@Craig – Maps is a great song; LOVED Mura Masa (reminded me of Sleaford Mods!).
@Phaseshift – that is an amazing mashup! I loved the Slayer one t…[Read more]

@thane16  @whisht @mudlark  @arbutus

But first I have to take care of my new friends…anybody that I’ve tagged thank you so much and I’ve probably left out somebody. Sorry if that was you. I’ve been up since 4am trying to shovel all of this ice out of my driveway. We have a good 3 inches of a slushy m…[Read more]

I can’t be the only one who is grateful that Roy “The Voice” Orbison had the chance to hook up with these other dudes before he was gone, Tom Petty too.  🙂

@thane16

This one is for me because…I don’t need no stinkin’ reason to post this. Just enjoy the madness.

Young Thane needs to hear th…[Read more]

As you are presumably aware how ancient I am it will probably not come as a surprise that the music which is most evocative for me is of the period roughly from the late 1950s to the early 1970s so, off the top of my head, including Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Dusty Springfield, the whole Folk revival scene, The Animals,The Kinks, The…[Read more]

Drummer here so….Levon Helm. Any drummer that also sings is amazing in my eyes. I can’t do it. Already doing 5 things at once trying to play the drums. And the vocals and rhythm track don’t always match well. Usually they are on different beats.

Do your thing Levon… R.I.P.

Great minds think alike because I was on my way here to post this. Dr. Demento anyone? These are both from his show.

Also…this! Can’t believe I found this one. God, I remember watching this when MTV first showed it back in the early 80s. Talk about bringing a smile to some…[Read more]

I’ve managed to wrest the Forum from The Younger who’s in argument mode. Awesome, I second @arbutus, the  Kraftwerk connection is solid & you’ve sold me. Brilliant.

I loved this episode too. It has a ….different focus than previous episodes. To me, at least.

Also @arbutus thank you for the lovely Lau. It’s inspirational & the be…[Read more]

Hmm…I watched the episode last night and besides really liking it overall, my favorite part was when Graham called Edison and Tesla “AC/DC”.  😀

I put on my finest thinking cap and then had to toss it when it caught on fire from the very stuck and grinding gears in my head. Thankfully I’ve slightly recovered since…[Read more]

These two bands always remind me of each other. Not an exact match in musical style, but in musical spirit they are congruent.

Remedy – The Black Crowes

Up on Cripple Creek – The Band

Sad news for fans of American folk music, David Olney passed away peacefully on stage during a performance at a festival in Florida last night. It was reported that he collapsed on stage but fans said that the singer said “I’m sorry” and lowered his head.

Never dropped his guitar.

This is what the l…[Read more]

Hello there young Thane,

I think you are ahem….”dead” on with your thoughts about what your Mom would say. 😃

It’s 4am here and I should be asleep but when duty calls, I must be there to be a new version of  the Merry Pranksters. I must spread the message… The good word, if you will.

If you enjoy the Grateful…[Read more]

@thane16

@whisht

@arbutus

I don’t have to tell you things are bad, everyone knows things are bad….

Miss Polly Jean Harvey ladies & gentleman….Rid of Me.

…. good luck with that. 😀

@thane16

@whisht

@arbutus

Thank you kind sir.

I live in Illinois where last week we went from 55F to 20F the next day. Also got 4 inches of rain in less than 12 hours that changed into snow as the temps dropped. So I had 1/3 of my backyard covered in a good 2-3 inches of standing water with a few inches of straight ice on top of it.

Pretty sloppy out there…[Read more]

The teacher one is far more readable if you don’t have a science background.

Me, I find them optimistic – in the sense that there are indeed things we can do…[Read more]

One fun lecture down and bakery to go (long story).  So, I loved it. But Mum cried because our gen has to remove all your mistakes. I saw that in the young mechanic: confident, but scared -when hiding silently from the herd of predators -As kids we’re told to be silent.

Like @arbutus I felt it contained  waay too much stuff? but then I…[Read more]

Always great to hear good choons – its a great Violent Femmes song and I do love the mixes on that Beastie Boys track and there’s even a Daniel Johnston cover!

@Arbutus – wow – Not heard Lau before and that’s really piqued my interest!
I really enjoyed how its folkiness is welded to…[Read more]

Sorry, this is off topic, but I’m the Emperor. 🙂

Tim Minchin is a world treasure! I’ve never gone to one of his gigs but I’m now going to make peter3110 jealous (sorry about that). I once went to a small comedy club in Crouch End, London and half-way through the night Tim Minchin turned up (unannounced) – he was a friend of…[Read more]

I hope your holidays are good and filled with l…[Read more]