Lewis: Generation of Vipers

Previous: The Soul of Genius.

Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Remember me to one who lives there
She once was a true love of mine

— Scarborough Fair | Simon & Garfunkel

Is that a dislike for the two resident poets on the meadow I sense there, Sergeant? Be that as it may, and disregarding the probability of me inhaling rosemary any time soon while putting Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme on repeat, let’s talk about how this series of Lewis has already upped the ante, again. Production values have always been high, but this series is something else, because cinematography and set designs tie in with what I feel is producers, writers, directors, and, most importantly, actors raising their game once again, beyond the excellence we’ve already come to love them for.

Lewis: The Soul of Genius

Previous: The Gift of Promise.

Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.

— Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Impossible Quest

The premiere episode of Series 6 has so many red herrings dangling around it’s basically set in a pond, and at first watching it felt a bit as if, perhaps, one or two might have been better left out, but on second thoughts, no, it’s fine the way it is. It all comes together nicely in the end, which is as heartbreaking as it is inevitable. Hathaway was right—there was no motive, no reason for Alex Falconer to kill Michelle Marber’s son. He did have a hand in all the other murders, but Stevie’s mother will have to live with the realisation that her son wasn’t who she’d convinced herself he was.

While the first victim, Murray Hawes, was obsessed with Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark, the resident Miss Marple and Falconer himself are on impossible quests of their own. Michelle is desperate to piece together the last moments of her son’s life, trying to find another explanation than the obvious one. Unable to bear that her son might have been a drug addict and died entirely by accident, wasting all that genius and potential, wasting himself away, she seeks someone to blame, a reason that she can accept, though not understand. Alex Falconer is searching for a cure for his wife’s cancer, using the Doctrine of Signatures—an impossible quest if there ever was one, and lives are destroyed by it, and relationships torn apart.

Lewis, Series 6 teaser trailer

Starring Kevin Whately, Laurence Fox, Rebecca Front and Clare Holman, ITV’s Lewis is due to return to our screens May 16th, 2012.

Doctor Who Adventure Calendar 2011: Christmas episode prequel

The Doctor thinks he’s going to die, because he’s blowing up a spaceship while he’s still on it, with no chance of escape. Let me rephrase that: with no apparent chance of escape. He’s going to get out of it, it’s a prequel, dammit—but how? A consequence of River using up her regeneration cycle to save him in Let’s Kill Hitler, making him explosion-proof, justifying the line RTD (who, by the way, our hearts and wishes go out to in the light of his boyfriend’s illness) put in in The Sarah Jane Adventures: the Doctor stating that, oh, Time Lords can live forever? Or perhaps the TARDIS saves him, stubborn, sexy girl that she is. And, all questions aside, how does this connect to the Christmas Special itself, being set in England in 1941?

What’s your name, Doctor?—DW: The Wedding of River Song.

Previous episode: Closing Time.

I told you. He can’t possibly not have a plan.

This is how the universe does it, boys and girls. In another reality, London has changed a bit—it’s April 22, 2011. It’s the day the Doctor dies, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, and time’s so messed up that in a parallel universe, the War of the Roses is still going on, cars are up in the air, suspended by hot air balloons, and Charles Dickens (Simon Callow) is on the telly, giving clues about the next Christmas special, The Unquiet Dead, while there’s hot Roman soldiers outside, in carriages. Oh, and pterodactyls are the new doves. Oh, and Churchill is the New Roman Emperor, and Malokeh‘s his doctor. It’s nice to have so many people put in a guest appearance, but… Eh?

The Noticing Face, Stuff of Nightmares—Doctor Who: Closing Time.

Previous episode: The God Complex.

Two men and a baby, Cybermen, and time is running out. Fasten your seatbelts!

Forget your faith in me, Amy Williams.—Doctor Who: The God Complex.

Previous episode: The Girl Who Waited.

There’s a room here for everyone, Doctor. Even you.

I’m gonna pull time apart for you—Doctor Who: The Girl Who Waited.

Previous episode: Night Terrors.

Right. Get your mental split-screens, because this is going to be one hell of a ride.

Monsters are real—promise. Doctor Who: Night Terrors.

Previous episode: Let’s Kill Hitler.

Sometimes, when you just ask for help strongly enough, the Doctor makes a housecall.

The Making of River Song—Doctor Who: Let’s Kill Hitler.

Previous episode: A Good Man Goes to War.

Oh, dear. At the end of this episode, I am trying to find a sense of accomplishment, as I always do. Something to take with me, something that happened—in this case, there is a lot to take in, emotionally, but as for stuff happening: difficult. In the end, Hitler is still in the cupboard, the Doctor’s still alive, and Amy and Rory are still bewildered parents. Which is fine, basically setting the universe right again is what the Doctor does, it always reverts to a state of status quo, if you will, but this episode celebrates it. Or maybe the episode doesn’t have any other ideas?

‘My friend, you have never risen higher’—Doctor Who: A Good Man Goes to War.

Previous episode: The Almost People (2).

Right, this bit is (almost) all you’re gonna get, because I’ll go off quoting the entire episode. Because, oh, this script. These lines:

I wish I could tell you that you’ll be loved, that you’ll be safe and cared for and protected. But this isn’t a time for lies. What you are gonna be, Melody, is very, very brave.

But not as brave as they’ll have to be. Because there’s someone coming. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing, but trust me, he’s on his way. There’s the man who’s never gonna let us down and not even an army can get in the way. He’s the last of his kind. He looks young but he’s lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however scared you are, I promise you, you will never be alone because this man is your father. He has a name but the people of our world know him better as the Last Centurion.

Time Lord Weasley twins—Doctor Who: The Almost People (2).

Previous episode: The Rebel Flesh (1).

Oh, good God. This is shaping up to be breathtaking.

Trust me. I’m the Doctor—Doctor Who: The Rebel Flesh (1).

Previous episode: The Doctor’s Wife.

Can I just say: they were listening to Muse on the TARDIS. While Rory and Amy were playing darts. MUSE. ON THE TARDIS. Hipsters in space, hooray!

Well, this was… confusing. Basically, everyone was disoriented—including the plot.

I love you.—The Doctor’s Wife.

Previous episode: The Curse of the Black Spot.

This is the longest and most exciting elopement in the history of the universe. And it’s glorious.

Yohoho!—Doctor Who: The Curse of the Black Spot.

Previous episode: Day of the Moon.

Make no mistake, this is going to be a relatively short one.