@blenkinsopthebrave    We have a white oak in our garden and if it is a good acorn crop there is a feeding frenzy, Everybody shows up to eat them, grey and red squirrels, blue jays and red headed woodpeckers and even the cottontail bunnies eat the grounders. The grey squirrels bury them all over and then forget them so we counted 17 small oaks gr…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent There are a couple of options. It could be males duking it out to prove their sexual prowess. It could be the habit of grey squirrels to rip off the bark for the sap (which is bad for the health of the  Garry Oaks). When the acorns appear, they are a prized treat (although it is a bit early for the acorns). Who knows? Drunken…[Read more]

@winston congratulations (now belated) on your granddaughter. I agree that the young generation are showing a lot of promise. They are growing up in a very different world, in some ways much more enlightened but also prone to frightening extremes.

@dentarthurdent When it comes to Christmas my partner and I buy our own presents and hand them over…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent    We use those plastic bags to line our wet winter boots if we can’ t wait to wear them before they dry. I have used a plastic shortening container for so long it is breaking apart but it is such a handy size! Like your bottles it has paid for itself.  I have a big metal thermos that I take everywhere, it is great for camping, hik…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent  I agree that the issue is very complex and since I don’t remember how the episode treated it I was only pointing out that there are micro-plastics everywhere. So much of it is caused by polluters who don’t seem to know where their garbage belongs. Single use water bottles (and other garbage) are on the side of the roads and in…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent the overall philosophy of the Chibnell era seems to be, “show and tell and tell again, and again, just in case they missed the message the first second and third times. The problem with that is no matter how much you agree with the message being hit over the head with it, over and over, makes anyone want to disagree. Praxeus could…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent  For some reason I barely remember this episode , I didn’t even comment on it. Maybe I didn’t like it? I will definitely have to watch it again before I comment. I do remember the micro-plastics though because they are very problematic. Researchers sampled oysters and mussels up and down the west coast of Canada and found no…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent hmm yes for me Survival always felt a bit incomplete I think in part because there was never a what happens next  as that was the last pre gap story before the  2000 Who  film and then Post Gap series start. But I agree McCoys final season did have a definite vibe with there being hints then that there was more to the Doctors pa…[Read more]

@devilishrobby Apologies for the error. I did not know they were made at Elstree. I lived just down the road for a few months, at Stirling Corner. Some of the “regulars” at the Pub had worked all their lives in the studios there.

@dentarthurdent. That is the one. The Canadian movie was not good. It doesn’t have the feel of Dr Who. McGann was…[Read more]

@Brewski and @dentarthurdent The Dr Who movies are British. IT was a thing the Brits did back then, make movies of popular tv series, usually just an extended episode. They were cheap to make and I guess had a guaranteed audience. I don’t think Kate’s comment was a reference to the Dr Who movies, nice though that would be, but to Hollywood movies…[Read more]

Thank you, @janetteb and @dentarthurdent! I too was amazed at the number of people who attended my mother’s funeral, not only in the choir, but also in the congregation. I got a nice surprise when I saw a good friend of mine there. I don’t think she knew my mother, but she was there to support me. Pretty wonderful!

My mom’s partner worried ahead…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent Well I finally finished reading the Dirk Gently books, in the wrong order but that seems oddly appropriate. The first book is very clearly taken from the scripts for the cancelled “Shada”. There are so many Dr Who elements in it. Now I want to re watch Shada to look for more influences. It is understandable that D.A. would want to…[Read more]

I just wrote up a long post and when I hit send i was logged out so it has vanished into the ether. I won’t attempt to repeat it but will try and capture the essentials.

@dentarthurdent just to clarify my remarks above. IT was not the pollies expressing those views but the voters and supporters. The Libs were so out of touch with the electorate…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent Another excellent review. Not sure what I thought of this episode but I feel that it was a bit of a let down after the promise of pt 1 however it is so often the case that the build up is better than the resolution so I have come to expect it with two parters. I often prefer the first half of films when the setting and characters…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent From memory I think the episode was filmed in South Africa, so a fair way from home so they are venturing ever further afield. They might get to Oz or N.Z yet..

Cheers

Janette

@dentarthurdent I scrolled back to check on what I originally wrote but does not seem as though I wrote anything. I have not re watched this episodes but have a favourable memory of it. Sacha Dhawan is great as the Master but I was disappointed by the casting as I’d rather set my heart on him playing the Doctor one day. He proved in this episode…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent Another great review. This was certainly more memorable than the previous couple of episodes, a 6.5 to a 7 out of ten episode. (maybe 7 is being too generous.) I do feel that Ryan and Graeme begin to feel overstretched as characters while Yaz has potential that is not tapped. (Maybe she finally gets to shine in the most recent…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent. I am enjoying your reviews more than the original episodes. I watched this one and recall absolutely nothing at all about it. The words, “totally forgettable” have never been more apt. I shared several of your comments to the general assembly here and they were much appreciated.

Cheers

Janette

@janetteb @blenkinsopthebrave  and @dentarthurdent     Thank you all for the good wishes. Our area has declared a state of emergency now due to all the damage and that should bring in some more help. It is really a big clean up job. Our neighbours  have another neighbours 50ft spruce tree resting on their roof waiting for removal. It was pushe…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent I think I remember reading somewhere the original concept for the show was to give a platform where science could be explored in a fictional story telling way. I can quite understand your frustration about historical set stories it’s much like when I watch medical based tv like Casualty as a nurse who’s worked in an A+E I groan at…[Read more]