Watching more TV
Life on Mars I liked but I think I wanted to like it more than I actually did. There was some great acting and dialogue both funny and serious. I loved the camerawork and the overall look, (seedy hyper seventies-of-memory), the music was fab and the concept (Policeman in a coma wakes up in 1973, the Sweeny years) smart and original. Maybe that concept was the problem though, there's a very fine line between the postmodern metaphor and the "then I woke up," story. The episodes that worked best for me (2 and 7) played both sides of that line by making waking up seem as scary as staying. And they both had comedy police chases and Philip Glenister telling Sam he wanted to be there, with all the we-chose-our-own hell implications.
Seen the first three episodes of BSG S1 now and definitely want more if there's ever time. The stories for each episode are pretty minimalist so far, it's more about set up, the characters and the universe. So far I'm impressed by Roslin and Adama but don't quite get Starbuck or either of the Sharons. Lee is a little cardboard but his demanding there be elections in the denouement to Bastille Day a good piece of show not tell heroics (I liked that episode and the Zareck chracter has potential, I hope he recurs).
The real draw is the whole Gaius/Six thing. I think I said before he's more a magician than a scientist but that's TV. At first I couldn't understand how anyone could take him seriously as either, with all the permanently strung out jittering and babbling (here I suffer from not having seen the mini-series perhaps) but he was starting to bullshit effectively in the last scene with Adama so let that pass. It's the Six hallucinations/memories that stand out. Partly the contrast with the relentless grime of the real world is a relief but the way her religious fanaticism is so much more confidently rational than his materialist scepticism is fascinating. And she herself so more than human, I'm really intrigued.
The Troy DVD was on sale at Tesco, and we watched the first half hour of so last night. First impression? This is the Gay War Porn movie to trump all gay war porn movies. Standout scene in amongst the general thrusting and pouting is the one where Brad Pitt's homies do the Roman shield tortoise thing, shields held to reveal as much thigh as possible as if modelling a new line in jailbait hooker-wear.
In other DVD news the Serenity one came at last. Now can finally see the 10 minutes missed by being late to the movie showing. Also have a vid idea which is probably way beyond my capabilities but I want to try. Having cut the song this morning I know how it ends and how it begins and three things to weave together for the middle. Will see how it goes.