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Reviews
Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
Every episode better than the last.
The further I get into this series the more I like it, it looks great and I am finding the storyline intriguing. I know it's fashionable to denigrate everything online these days, but I am not following the crowd. Enterprise was easily the worst of these series, closely followed by Voyager, but they are still all better than so many other programmes.
Haters gotta hate right?
Star Trek: Voyager: Warhead (1999)
Star Trek writers have seen Dark Star shock!
My review would give them 3 out of 10 for originality, anyone who has seen the 1974 indie film Dark Star would recognise the part of the story line that John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon wrote all those years ago. Then it was written as a black comedy, this story tried to make it a serious subject, it doesn't work.
Z Nation (2014)
Updated review - Season 3
Rip off? maybe, but it adds more than it steals. When I saw this series appearing during other searches, I initially ignored it as a TWD ripoff. Then one rainy day I was at a loose end and gave it a shot. You know what? I ended up really enjoying it, of course there are huge rips from TWD but that's almost inevitable, but what it lacks in complete originality it makes up for one big way and that's humour. I have always enjoyed dramas that can mix in humour without losing the overall effect and this show manages that. I am pleased to see that they have retained the show for a second series, (although, how they will manage that is going to be interesting!) because I have come to like these characters as much as Rick and his band of less than merry men.
UPDATE. Does anyone still think this is just a cheap rip off of TWD? The first episodes of season 3 have shown more imagination and variety in characterisation than many programmes currently on air. It has reached the point where I am looking forward to the next episode of this show more than any other. The mixture of real tension with some utterly surreal moments keeps you on your toes for the whole time. Season 3 Episode 1, might just be one of the best things I have ever watched, it had a "Firefly" feel to it and I am sure Josh or JJ would be proud to have produced something of this quality. Many shows out stay their welcome on TV, this just gets better and better.
Broadway Stories (1994)
One of the great unsung works of TV genius
Stories by the great Damon Runyon told with complete authenticity by the excellent Mike McShane. I have always loved these stories but now when I read them I only hear McShanes voice. The cadence, the beat, that strange sentence structure, it's all brought to life by him.
The extra conceit of having a small story taking place around him as he tells the story to the camera, is beautifully done too. None more so than in the story "Neat Strip" which takes place in a lift.
How are these stories not available to buy? If you are intrigued a trawl through Youtube will reveal at least some of these.
SO far I have found Neat Strip, The Old Dolls House, Johnny One Eye and Dancing Dans Christmas.
I hope this becomes a more popular piece of work. As Damon Runyon himself said "You can keep the things of bronze and stone and give me one man to remember me just once a year".
This deserves to be remembered.