Life on Mars

[altariel]

Happy New Year! Frankly, 2005 was a bit: "This is not life, this is sickness", but my plan is for 2006 to be all: "This is a fightin' hand!" Check in during June to see how the project is progressing!

If Rose was all about we-are-not-worthying Robert Holmes, and the Daleks did the same for Ray Cusick (oh all right then and Terry Nation), then The Christmas Invasion was all about Douglas Adams. Giant spaceship blocking out the sky, man in dressing gown and jimjams plus the healing power of tea... what else could I want on the tellybox on Christmas Day?

Not seen this anywhere else on the friends' list: Serenity won the Film 2005 Viewers' Poll for film of the year - go concerted fan action! Imagine if we used our powers for evil. JW recorded a nice and funny little 'thank you' message: "It was a labour of love, which means it was a box office disappointment."

I'm hoping for good things from the forthcoming Life on Mars: not just because it has been using 'The Immigrant Song', and not just because it's from-the-people-who-brought-you-Spooks-and-Hustle but also because they have already quoted Callan in one of trailers.

But watching telly can be dangerous: some misplaced viewing over the festive season means I now have a medley of indistinguishable Kaiser Chiefs songs on a constant loop in my head... Curse you, Kaiser Chiefs! Why do you torment me with your stripey-betrousered sub-Jam stylings!?

Comments

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Not seen this anywhere else on the friends' list: Serenity won the Film 2005 Viewers' Poll for film of the year - go concerted fan action! Imagine if we used our powers for evil.

Well, vocatus_fortis mentioned it, but I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Talking of using our powers, I note that it is still possible to vote Captain Jack kissing the Doctor our Favourite Moment of 2005 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/bestof2005/) until Friday. I want this. I want it so badly...

Oh, that's what that trailer with John Simm is? I've seen it once or twice but couldn't work it out.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I note that it is still possible to vote Captain Jack kissing the Doctor our Favourite Moment of 2005 until Friday.

I have gone and done my public duty.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! A thousand thanks!

Daft thing is I don't even like Jack all that much, I just want to live in a society where men kiss each other goodbye in a relaxed and friendly manner.

[gair.livejournal.com]

Just voted too, and I know exactly what you mean (though I did think Jack was a wonderful foil to the Doctor - I can't imagine how he could be the central character, but my love and respect for RTD is so huge that I am looking forward to Torchwood with curiosity rather than disdain).

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I've finally done that vote thing

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Yes! Yes! We can do it! Or at any rate, tip them off that we'd like more of the same.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

May 2006 be as fightin' as you could desire...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I read The Eagle of the Ninth over the holiday - thank you so much for a superb recommendation.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Ooh yes! And all the other Dolphin Rings!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm planning a happy year tracking down the rest of her books. (Say what you like about Rome, but it's done wonders for my interest in ancient history!)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

What else do you recommend? Apart from Eagle, I've only read some of her young children's novels.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

It's so long since I read them, I can't even remember the names any more. I think I read and enjoyed pretty much everything. There's one set round Buttermere where the Norse are holding out against the Normans... that turns out to be a very late Dolphin Ring, eventually...

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

A little research suggests the Norse v Norman one is The Shield Ring. But if you've just read Eagle, I think that, The Silver Branch and The Lantern Bearers are generally regarded as a sort-of trilogy.

I'd completely forgotten she did one on Alkibiades, The Flowers of Adonis.

Just read the lot. I can't remember any I regretted.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The Eagle sequels seem like an obvious place to start.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

So glad you liked it! The recent fanfiction has really been rekindling my love. (If you haven't already, I can recommend both The Centurion's Hound by Jay Tryfanstone & Forodwaith's Fox and Hound, set in the same universe.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Excellent recs, thank you!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I've been loving the Vorkosigan saga; thank you all for reccing another series I've never discovered. [writes down titles] Ancient Rome comes second to my passion for SF but it's still way up there.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

So cool you're loving the Bujold books. Has Rome been shown in your part of the world yet? I'm loving it to bits, but it's a sort of secret shame.

Keep an eye on the post, BTW.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I just finished Mirror Dance which was excellent: intriguing, complex, and rather disturbing too. I have Memory on order at the library.

No, Rome hasn't been shown here. Does it mangle history too much, because that'd put me off. My secret shame is Desperate Housewives which Greg loved too.

Ooh! [bounce!] And what can I send you in return? Do you like paua? Which chocolate was your favourite?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Mirror Dance was the one that made me think, "Woaahh, this writer is good!" and Memory was probably the one that turned me into a zealot. I really hope you enjoy that one.

I'm not clued up enough about the history to know whether or how badly it's mangled in Rome. Things seem to be heading broadly in the right direction, but I imagine if I knew more I'd be irritated by changes. (I know much more about Gondor in the Third Age than I do about Rome and its actual history...)

Please don't worry about sending anything in return! It's just the one DVD and it was nothing more than postage, which was next to nothing.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

If Memory is like Mirror Dance, I'm sure I will. That was powerful.

What they did to history in Gladiator annoyed me enough and it's not even the period I'm most interested in: the Julio-Claudian emperors. But if it's entertaining enough... I do like a bit of colourful Roman excess.

Thank you so much. :-D [virtual hug]

[altariel.livejournal.com]

But if it's entertaining enough... I do like a bit of colourful Roman excess.

Colourful Roman excess it delivers in spades. Entertainment? I thought it was hugely entertaining, but other people have found it dull.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'll give it a go if it comes here.

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

I voted, thanks for the heads up!

And I was scraping my jaw off the floor at the Serenity thing when I watched it the other day. Yay!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

'Serenity' came as a complete surprise to me as I was watching - I hadn't even thought about it winning the poll.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

All power to your fighting hand! May 2006 be all you need it to be.

And here's to the healing power of tea. I was having loads of delighted Douglas Adams moments during it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Mr A. got A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down from Santa! It is brilliant!

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year! Glad you're coming out fighting.

That's very surprising about Serenity - I guess I'm not the only one spending Xmas vouchers on the Official Visual Companion.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year!

I was fondling the Visual Companion in FP just the other day... Very tempting...

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

It was an impulse buy and you're welcome to fondle mine if you want to.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I would love a fondle. Does it have the script in it?

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Yes. I've only had a quick look through as yet. I think there might be a few scenes which were cut from the film.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think a deleted scene with Inara was put online somewhere, but I didn't find it.

Is Mal's last line clear now?

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Yep *sigh*. I'm at work at the moment but I can e-mail it to you when I get home.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Eeee!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Hurrah! Good luck to you and your fightin' hand!

I loved the Douglas Adams homage. And thanks for news of the poll result. It's a shame that Joss seems to be planning to move on, but I guess it's difficult to do much else.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It is a shame Joss looks set to move on, but I think the story's told. I just wish it had taken three seasons of telly to get there.