Deep Space Nine - The Passenger

Theres not a lot to say about this episode, coming into it I had no memory of it and doubt I'll remember anything in a weeks time. Its another ensemble episode showing off various members of the cast that we're still getting to know. We get some good character stuff such as Sisko backing Odo against Starfleet security which has the extra flavour of Odo being so used to working with people who are against him he's endlessly trying to confront Sisko despite him backing him up. We also see Quark in both his fluffy and criminal mode which is fun. 

In terms of plot this is a story that swings for a boundary but at best goes for ones or twos and at worst loses its stumps. All the way through I'm enjoying the episode but there was a lot of muttering along the lines "oh no" or "don't do that." Due to the character stuff I'm behind this episode and will give it 6/10 as there is still novelty in watching an early DS9 episode as it becomes DS9. 

I'm going to have to turn into a fan producer for this one as this episode could have been saved so easily. Have the cold open shown from Kira's point of view, showing it from Bashir's gives to much away. Also towards the ending they should have let Alex Siddig go proper OTT.

I Care About Aston Villa?!?!?!?!!

Aston Villa for me has always been a strange club, I've never had a strong opinion of it be it positive or negative. Its always been a club that's hung in the background for me and bar a bonkers high scoring midweek game against Liverpool I can't summon a single memory of them. They've always been there - often finishing 8th or or fighting relegation - until they weren't but then they came back again. 

But things are changing, back in November Steven Gerrard took over the management reigns from Dean Smith and this raised an eyebrow from me. After a couple of seasons in Scotland managing Rangers I finally get a chance to see how good a manager is, no offence to Scottish readers but its hard to tell how good an Old Firm manager is at times especially up against Neil Lennon and the other guy. Now that he's managing in a league I'm familiar with him I can properly give him the once over. He's got off to a decent start and now he's getting involved in the transfer window - putting his mark on the Villa side.

Not only that he's signed Philippe Coutinho! One of my favourite Liverpool players of the last ten years. Although he's not done a lot in the last two seasons due to injuries but he's racked up the trophies. A lot of people have said he's underachieved since leaving Liverpool but his first season and a half for Barcelona was good stuff as was his loan at Bayern. He still has his pace, an eye for a pass, the ability to score and create a goal.

This is a good move and if Coutinho can keep himself fit he can do some good stuff on loan at Villa this season. Its also the best time for him, we're getting out of winter Spring is coming and he has a World Cup to motivate himself for. Also the transfer window isn't over yet Lucas Digne has also been signed and there is still time for Steven Gerrard to do more.

All I know is with the introduction of Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho to the saga of Aston Villa I'm keeping a closer eye on that club in the background. 2022 January isn't over yet and you've already got me caring about Aston Villa, you are already more intriguing  than the last two years.

Thoughts on Game of Thrones: The Watchers on the Wall

My viewing of Game of Thrones is swiftly reaching the tail end of season four and the show continues to surprise. After the previous episode I expected things to pick up in Kings Landing but what I got was a welcome to the "one plot line" and "massive battle" format last seen in the legendary Blackwater episode two seasons ago. 

Its a very different battle as the Knight Watch are undermanned and under matched against the Wildlings - something that this season has set up well as the Wildlings south of the Wall have been getting closer. Not only that when the previous battle had the resources of two mammoth armies and would be kings we're in desperate last stand territory akin to the Battle of Helms Deep. One of the key areas where this episode differs is that the Battle is multi layered, we have the top of the wall, Castle Black, tunnels below and the North side of the wall. Its rather like a Russell T Davies Doctor Who chase scene. Characters are constantly changing positions as the battle turns and from an action point of view its very satisfying. We're told the Wildlings objective and we know how The Watch need to defend the wall, even if this was you're first episode the battle is clear to follow.

There are characters on either side of this battle that I care about, in particular Jon Snow, Ygritte and Sam. The show has done well to get me invested in these as well as characters like Gilly, the baby and a few Watch members. However there are a lot of vaguely familiar faces that I don't care about in the Watch, mainly Jon Snows mates 1-4. We've seen them throughout the show however they've always been side characters to Jon Snow, plus sadly a lot of the more memorable characters from the Watch have been killed - in some cases earlier this season. The battle is lacking a final twist as throughout the series the "White Walkers" have been slowly built up and I thought they'd make their presence felt in this fight, as a result we don't get a final twist that Blackwater had.

Ygritte's death is a highlight of the episode, it did feel like she was building up to a face turn at points this season but just as it looks like we're about to find out she's taken out by an arrow. For one harrowing moment I thought it was Sam that killed her - although he is indirectly responsible - and was aghast until the camera panned to the lift boy. This is the money shot moment of the episode, my favourite romance in the show is over and this is where the heart of the episode lies. Other characters get there moments such as Grenn holding the gate, the appearance of the Giants & Mammoths, the ice scythe etc and I wouldn't be surprised to find out that this is one of the most highly regarded episodes. Its a 9.5/10 for me and I look forward to the end of the season.

The Big Finish Catch-Up January 2022

For those of you new to this section of the blog, I started listening to the Big Finish Doctor Who releases when they started back in 1999, getting them as they were released up to mid 2002 and release No 33 Neverland. At that time I left Uni and due to being a bit busy with life and what not I only heard one or two releases over the next few years. I started getting back into them around 2008 and was 6 years behind at that point. Due to wondering off into the Lost Doctor range and a relaxed listening pace I fell further behind. In order to catch up I'm listening to two releases a month (or more when its a 60 min single disc release, plus without seeing the cover or knowing anything about the story) and my mission to catch up continues; 

However as I've fallen behind its time for some snap reviews of the last years of my Big Finish listening, these contain first time listens and relistens to old favourites: 

Faustian - The first story in the Eric Roberts Master boxset. After listening to this disc I'm of the opinion that this is going to be more of an over arching story split into chapters rather than a number of interlinked stories. As such we have a very atmospheric opening chapter, it picks up where things left off on TV for this incarnation of The Master (or certainly feels like it) as we get a story involving experiments and temptation as The Master from the side lines engineers an escape from the Vortex. The main character is Lila Kreeg who is given a fine performance by Laura Aikman as we're introduced to her situation. I look forward to seeing these characters move forward and how their relationship develops, 8/10.

Technophobia - Hear we are with the first story in the first boxset from David Tennants 10th Doctor along with Catherine Tate as Donna. Its a fun breezy little story set in near present day London with loads of good fluffy bits for the regulars to do. Its fun enough but uncertain in tone as it tries for most of the story to be fun and fluffy but then wants to do a bit of horror which comes across as out of place. What we get is fun but it feels a bit bite sized and for the 10th Doctors debut for Big Finish I wanted something completely OTT. It does feel a bit rushed in places and I wouldn't have been adverse as a full length two disc release. 6/10 but will get a higher mark from me on a re-listen down the road when its not the big flashy debut of the 10th Doctor.

Liverpool draw Cardiff in the 4th round of the FA Cup

 "I'll be with you in a minute I just need to check the FA Cup draw."

"How did Swansea and Cardiff do?"

"Cardiff got through but with the stadiums shut in Wales I need them to get an easy win in the next round and a home draw in the next so I don't miss out on another shift because of Mark Drakeford."

- and the next name out of the bag is Cardiff City and they will play away at Liverpool -

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

The Big Finish Catch-Up September 2021 - December 2021

For those of you new to this section of the blog, I started listening to the Big Finish Doctor Who releases when they started back in 1999, getting them as they were released up to mid 2002 and release No 33 Neverland. At that time I left Uni and due to being a bit busy with life and what not I only heard one or two releases over the next few years. I started getting back into them around 2008 and was 6 years behind at that point. Due to wondering off into the Lost Doctor range and a relaxed listening pace I fell further behind. In order to catch up I'm listening to two releases a month (or more when its a 60 min single disc release, plus without seeing the cover or knowing anything about the story) and my mission to catch up continues; 

However as I've fallen behind its time for some snap reviews of the last years of my Big Finish listening, these contain first time listens and relistens to old favourites: 

The Maltese Penguin - A lovely subscriber special from the early years with a big helping of Frobisher 8/10.

Sympathy for the Devil - An interesting twist as we see a "what if UNIT faced all those invasions without The Doctor" with two melancholy performances from David Warner and Nicholas Courtney. A release where the performances and ending are more engaging than the story 7/10.

Brave New Town - A well plotted "twist story" that is always engaging and has some memorable characters 8/10.

Exile - A rare wrong turn for Big Finish that comes over as transphobic, unfunny and nasty -10/10.

45 - A combination of four episodic stories with a joint theme featuring the 7th Doctor, Ace and Hex. Absolute fun as the regulars are thrown into some fast paced short stories 9/10.

Out of Time - A fun fast paced story as the 4th and 10th Doctors are paired up for some fun with the Daleks 8/10

Return of the Krotons - Fun subscriber special with a notable guest appearance from Philip Madoc 6/10.

Legion of the Lost - First story of the War Doctors second box set, John Hurt is immense but the story feels unsatisfyingly Doctorish 6/10.

Full Fathom Five - Another "unbound" story that gets better with a re-listen as no attempt is made to hide the stories twist 7/10.

Thoughts on Game of Thrones: The Mountain and the Viper

I've decided to put some thoughts of some notable Game of Thrones episodes as I go through them for the first time so obviously beware spoilers. There's a wonderful structural form to this episode as we start off in the North and as we catch up with different characters events take us further South. Also we start with a Wildling from the furthest North we've been being unexpectedly saved and end with someone from the Southernmost point of Westeros being unexpectedly killed after it looks like he's about to win a trial by combat. A very different start to finish and an episode that takes us on a journey where possibly the most engrossing scene is the finale.

The Wildlings are getting closer and closer to Castle Black. They're taking their time but due to Gilly and the baby being in the town they sack we finally have a raid that has a stake in it for the viewer.

Over the narrow sea one of the constants of the show from the very start is taken away as Jorah and Daenerys part ways. This is a pivotal moment for the series as they have been together from the start and for a long time Jorah was the only practical resource she had. Its rather heart breaking to see Robert Baratheon's signature showing that Jorah's treachery stems from so early in the show. The visual of allies who joined later preventing Jorah from reaching Daenerys is both powerful and a visual representation of how far she's come since episode one.

At Arryn we get a little bit of politics as Littlefinger passes his murder of Lysa's off as suicide. Sansa's assistance is most interesting as is the prospect of Arya arriving at the castle with The Hound. Arya herself provides some amusement at her reaction to Lysa's death.

Theon continues to show how he's regressed as he betrays more of the Iron Islanders. The Bolton's now look like they have control of the entire North. Ramsay continues to be my most loathed in a panto villain like character - a position he took from Theon - although it is lovely to see him rewarded by being officially inducted as a Bolton.

Finally the titular fight as Oberyn Martell takes on The Mountain in Tyrion's trial by combat. Coming at the end it did feel like we weren't going to visit Kings Landing this episode. However we get the moment that I expect this episode is remembered for as we get a fight scene with a shocking swerve at the end which takes it up to 10/10. This fight is expertly directed and is beautiful, it is reminiscent of the fight scenes from the film Troy with an unexpected flavour of The Princess Bride. Memorable as a scene in its own right it is also tide firmly to the plot as we're thrown into the end credits things don't look good for Tyrion and I look forward to seeing what happens next.