tv review
Reviewing insightful and thought provoking science fiction TV and technology.
Review of Travelers
The premise of Travelers -- people from the future coming back to save our world from devastation, by changing the past, and traveling via insertion of their minds into the 2016 bodies of people who are on the verge of dying -- is something we've seen before in time travel, notably in 12 Monkeys (save the world), Quantum Leap (mind from the future jumping into present bodies), and Air Raid/Millennium (bodies on the verge of death). Travelers even feels a little like Trancers (1984) -- which is to say, very welcome, since Trancers is one of my all-time favorite low-budget time-travel series of movies -- but the actual story and stories of the new Canadian series, streaming since late last year on Netflix, has twists and turns and an appeal all its own. And, in the end, it's altogether outstanding.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Review of Sense8 2.4-5
One of the most significant secondary themes of Sense8 is the personal relationships our sense8s have to sapiens, as we humans are now increasingly known and referred to in the series. These range from significant other partnerships, as in Lito and Hernando, Nomi and Amanita, and Kala and her devoted but lackluster husband, to lifelong friends such as Wolfgang and Felix, to mortal enemies as in Sun and her monster-in-sheep's-clothing brother.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Review of Sense8 2.2-3
I realized a while ago that binge-watching, like all human activities, isn't the perfect strategy for all television watching. It's almost never preferable to wait a week before the next episode of a compelling series is available, but sometimes watching a complete season in one or two seasons is not the best way to go, either. Sometimes you want to savor each episode a little longer, let it slosh around in your mind a little, until it settles into some place or maybe keeps quietly percolating.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones - Part 4
Saturday 29 April 1967 The production team on Doctor Who clearly like pilots at the moment. The last story (The Macra Terror) had a character called Pilot and there weren't even any aircraft in that one. This story however has an airport, aircraft, and is therefore chock full of air-based staff.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Looking Back at Sense8 Season 1
With the complete second season of Sense8 about to debut on Netflix in just two days -- the first two episodes of the second season were a December 2016 special -- I thought it a good time to look back at the first season, as prelude to a review of the 2nd season in a few days.
By Paul Levinson9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones - Part 3
Saturday 21 April 1967 I'm very disappointed that Ben and Polly are nowhere to be seen this week. We don't even see Michelle Luippi, who's been packed off on a flight because nosy humans have been asking too many questions. The fake air traffic controller, Meadows, gets to remain at Gatwick though, despite the Doctor being onto him.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones - Part 2
Saturday 15 April 1967 Ooh, the theme tune's changed! Just a bit. Some new 'twiddly bits'. I like it. Unfortunately the picture's gone again this week so I'll have to make do with audio and occasional images...hopefully televisions will be more reliable when they introduce colour later in the year!
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Star Trek: Operation -- Annihilate!
Thursday 13 April 1967 Here in 1967...actually let me recap. For those of you who've just joined (hello!), my 'gimmick' is that I'm trapped 50 years in the past, writing about all the tv I'm watching, occasionally browsing through contemporary newspapers and magazines, seeing the odd film, and looking at how it all fits together. A lot of it I've actually seen before, but some I'm genuinely watching for the first time. Sometimes (as in tonight's episode) I'm not even sure if I've seen it before or not. "Rewatching" is not always strictly true but it's a good umbrella title anyway. I'm not always accurate regarding plot minutiae, nor do I strive to be. I'm just telling it as I see it. When I feel like it I'll be able to jump forward 50 years so I can make observations about 'modern' things, or reviewing 21st century television. Don't question this, don't look for logic, just go with it.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
Rewatching... Doctor Who: The Faceless Ones - Part 1
Saturday 8 April 1967 This one gets off to a cracking start with the TARDIS materialising on an airport runway just as a plane is taking off. There's lots of airport-related hustle and bustle, a grumpy Commandant, uniformed staff, police motorcyclists... This is so unusual for Doctor Who - really 'urban'! The Commandant has received a report about the obstruction on the runway, which has left him less than delighted, and he's sceptical when told it's a police box. I'm not sure if the Doctor and friends legging it across the runway to avoid the plane was the best idea. Wouldn't it have been better to get back inside the TARDIS and dematerialise again? Still, I'm glad they didn't as this is shaping up to be an exciting episode.
By Nick Brown9 years ago in Futurism
