Having created a stir by expressing an opinion, I now turn the spotlight of this esteemed journal on a matter of true importance: who will be the new Doctor Who?

David Tennant has announced that he is quitting the role after filming a series of four specials in January, ready for someone new to take the part in time for the fifth season to be broadcast in 2010. I have to say I'm a little disappointed - I thought the hiatus was to give them time to recharge their creative batteries (which they can still do) and to allow Tennant the opportunity to do something else for a while, but then he will still have done four years in the part.

Myself, I think James Nesbitt could do a job on the role, but whether he would be interested in tying himself down to three or four years in a role, I don't know, though he did play in Cold Feet for 33 episodes over 5 seasons. So who knows?

Edited to add: For those suggesting an actor from a non-white background, I reckon Paterson Joseph, the chap who played the Marquis de Carabas in Neverwhere would be a fantastic choice!

I made time last night to watch the first two episodes of Battlestar Galactica season 3. Set four months after the events of the season two finale, it’s off to a great start and I see precisely why pax_draconis suggests having a pillow ready for the end of episode two (the effect was a little spoilt in my case as the torrent I’d downloaded had a short trailer for next week’s episode, but it didn’t give too much away. I hope).

( I’m never quite sure who’s seen what, so here’s a spoiler-hiding cut. )

What else? Oh yes. Next time I leave work early to watch an England game again, on the grounds that they can’t possibly play that badly twice in a row, remind me that whilst that sentence is strictly true, it does not preclude them from playing worse, which is what they did.

Stupid own goals.

Still, Battlestar, eh? If you aren’t watching, you should be.

Last night the Athenaeum Club sat down to watch Serenity since yours truly cracked and shelled out the necessary shekels at HMV instead of getting it cheaper from Play.com or somewhere similar. Still, it’s only a couple of quid price difference.

I was rather surprised by how much darker the movie is compared with Firefly. There was still some throwaway humour, but by and large that got pushed to one side in favour of the action. It was also interesting that while it had been written so that it can be watched by the casual viewer with no knowledge of the TV series, some knowledge of the show is essential to understand the character of the captain, Mal. Taking Serenity in isolation he comes across far more driven by his dislike for the Alliance, much more focussed and very humourless (which is not to say that he doesn’t have his moments).

I liked the TV show better, and might have to watch it again quite soon to see if my view of the movie is confirmed.

Before going to bed last night, I watched Friday's episode of Battlestar Galactica.

After last week's mild disappointment, I am happy to say that despite being a little contrived, stopping just short of a deus ex machina resolution to a long standing story line the drama was back, and events are beginning to build up again.

Bad Gaius. No biscuit.

Mmm. Watched episode 12 of Battlestar Galactica season 2.

For the first time I have come away a little disappointed by the resolution of the story segment. Never mind; including the pilot and season 1, that's the first time in over 25 episodes. Hopefully it will be back with a kick next week.

I expect those of you in North America who are interested have already downloaded the bit torrents of the first season of the relaunched Doctor Who.

If you haven't you might be interested to know that BBC Worldwide have licenced it to the US SCI FI Channel who will air it on Friday nights at 9.00pm from March, with an option on season 2 to follow. Details on the BBC Doctor Who website. Don't have your speakers turned up loud when you go there, like I did.

Well I am now all (I think) caught up with Galactica. It continues to be the best straight up Sci-Fi out there and shows no signs of slacking.

There have been signs for optimism in the past couple of episodes; although things are no better for the crew, they seem not to be any worse. Then there is a positive development which shines the light of hope full and bright.

I forecast tears before the end of the next episode.

It's Sunday, I'm at home, so I must have been watching downloaded telly again.

Well, I haven't watched all of it; the first burn of SG-1 went wrong, and the episode stopped with 10 minutes to go. I've done a new burn but haven't had time to watch the last bit yet. I have watched Battlestar Galactica episode 4. Oh, crumbs. Colonel Tigh. What do you think you are doing?

It occurs to me that maybe I watched these in exactly the wrong order. I should have started with the lowest quality programming first, and worked my way up. Never mind; it's still all better than whatever terrestrial telly is putting out on a Sunday.

Having acquired a double DVD set of The Road to Perdition and Miller's Crossing for about £8 give or take a penny, we watched the former during the late afternoon. I rather enjoyed it, I must say. Tom Hanks in a much darker role than usual os quite welcome. Sometime later in the week I guess we'll try Miller's Crossing. These are both films I never made it to see in the cinema for some reason or reasons long lost in the mists of time and futility.

Beyond that, it's been a typically lazy Sunday. I think I'm over the test win now, so I think I'll nip and watch the last ten minutes or so of SG-1 before Top Gear comes on.

Don't worry. No spoilers, not a one.

I have to confess that I am immensely impressed. Thirteen episodes of season 1, and three now of season two. Each forty-five minutes leaves the protagonists just a little deeper in the shit, just a little more stranded and that much closer to the mincer.

Every time you think they are in the sausage machine, a veil draws back and you find that they are, in fact, in the fluffly antechamber to the mincer. Season two has a further seventeen episodes to run. Frankly, it has to let up at some point; there has to be a little respite. Perhaps.

One day, all SF - hell, all drama will be this good.

Ladies and Gentlemen, and geeks of all sexes.

The Tenth Doctor:



suitandtieguy got there ahead of me, but hey, I'm posting it up, too!

( minor spoiler )