Here are a couple of promos for the season-opener of CSI. Interesting use of Kate Bush and quite gripping, too. Will Sara survive? Ooh...

Via CSI Files

Here's odd. Highlander: The Source, sequel to Highlander: End Game, is going to be on tele on the US SciFi Channel in a fortnight. It's not even gone straight to DVD - it's now a 'Sci Fi Channel original movie'. There's an official trailer (below) and I have to say, it doesn't look fantastic, which might explain the shift.

Apparently, they're all off (Duncan and Methos, that is - at least some of the semi-original characters are in there) to find out what makes immortals immortal, even though it's explained in Highlander 2, which apparently we're supposed to ignore completely these days - they even did a re-edit of the movie to get rid of every reference to the Planet Zeist.

The grunge-o-matic atmosphere is probably something to do with their killing Connor before the events of Highlander: The Quickening took place, meaning we're all going into post-apocalyptic, Ozone layer-free, East European hell since he wasn't around to fix things. Even though he was. But we're ignoring that now.

I'll reserve judgement until it airs, though.

Doctor Who

• RTD says series three wasn't fun enough - more fun for series four!
• Lionel Blair up for a role in Doctor Who

Film

• Tarantino grumpy over Casino Royale still and turns down Hawaii Five-O
• Helena Bonham-Carter back for the next Harry Potter film

British TV

• BBC2 will 'definitely' air Heroes: Origins

US TV

• Apple and NBC squabble about why NBC isn't providing TV to iTunes any more
• Goonies: The Animated Series?
• Heroes will be faster next season [spoilers]
• Hiro's ex- gets a job on Pushing Daisies
• Pictures of Jerry Seinfeld on 30 Rock
• And a picture of Isaiah Washington on Bionic Woman
• Final BSG season split into two?

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Slightly geeky this, I know, but I was a-pondering because I was just marvelling to myself at how much I liked the last three episodes of the last series of Doctor Who.

As we all know, Time Lords can regenerate. The Doctor, who is a Time Lord, has regenerated many times. Each time he regenerates, his personality changes, yet there is some intrinsic “Doctor-ness” that remains the same from incarnation to incarnation. And as viewers, we accept each different incarnation, even if we prefer some (David Tennant) to others (Sylvester McCoy).

The Master is/was a Time Lord, too. He, too, regenerates and has changed personality with each regeneration.

But, he recently regenerated into John Simm, as you all know. But many people thought he did not have enough “Master-ness”. Problems ranged from the trivial (he didn't have a beard) to the not so trivial (he lip-synced to Scissor Sisters).

So, the question is either (depending on your point of view):

1. Why is it that viewers are more able to accept the changing character of the Doctor with each regeneration than they are with the Master? Is it because we have more time to get to know him?
2. Or, how much does a Time Lord have to have in common with his previous incarnations for us to recognise him as being the same person? Why do some regard Simm's Master as being sufficiently different from Delgado, Ainley, Roberts and co that they can't accept him as the Master?

Alternatively, what is “Doctor-ness” and what is “Master-ness” - that is, what characteristics does someone have to have to be recognisably the Doctor or The Master (assuming they have the same memories as well)?

And just for luck, I throw in the Valeyard to really complicate things. Answers on a postcard or below.

So much room for twisting and turning, but:

After months of media speculation, the BBC can confirm that the BAFTA award-winning Doctor Who will return for a fifth series in Spring 2010.

Viewers are in for a treat this Christmas, as a special episode starring David Tennant and Kylie Minogue will be broadcast on BBC One in December 2007.

Series Four, which went into production in July 2007, will hit UK screens in Spring 2008, followed by a special episode for Christmas 2008.

In 2009 Doctor Who will return with three specials starring David Tennant, with Head Writer, Russell T Davies.

The full-length fifth series will transmit in 2010.

No one's saying not nothing about who's around for the 2010 series though.

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Doctor Who

• BBC now saying it's 'too early' to tell if DT will be back in 2010, but the general expectation is that he'll be back
• Enough people voted Torchwood 'best new drama' at the TV Quick awards for it to win. Really
• Another Hugo for Steven Moffat

Film

• Brian Dennehy and John Leguizamo join de Niro and Pacino in Righteous Kill
• The French honour George Clooney's 'irresistible charm'
• Cusack's Stopping Power stopped

Art

• Francis Bacon's rent painting up for sale

British TV

• CGI Magic Roundabout ready to launch
• Dara O'Brien a replacement for Parkie?
• IT Crowd gets a million more viewers thanks to Big Brother
• BSkyB avoided phone-ins because they 'felt grubby'
• The Teletubbies are ten. Shouldn't they be speaking properly by now?

US TV

• David Schwimmer says no Friends reunion
• Sara Gilbert to guest on The Big Bang Theory

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Read other posts about: Big Brother, The IT Crowd, Torchwood

Doctor Who

• James Marsters may return for another Torchwood episode and have sex with a car
• David Tennant to appear on Christmas Extras?

Film

• Sacha Baron Cohen to do Bruno and Dinner for Schmucks
• Pinewood does well from tax credits
• Ooh. Dé jà vu. Ben Kingsley to star with Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba and The Daily Show's John Oliver in The Love Guru as?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ an Indian guru
• Tron pioneer finally sells script

US TV

• Annie Wersching to play the main female lead in 24
• CW previews Aliens in America to muslims
• Former ER doctor Michael Michele to appear on House?
• Craig T Nelson to guest on My Name is Earl
• Rebecca Romijin to guest on husband's Carpoolers
• The Wire finishes filming
• Writer Jason Smilovic talks Bionic Woman, Kidnapped and more

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Read other posts about: 24, House, My Name is Earl, The Wire, Torchwood

Film

• Lots of villains for Batman 3
• I, Claudius film rights bought; Leonardo DiCaprio to star?
• Highlander-inspired slacker comedy Jeff the Immortal acquired
• Mail on Sunday to premiere The Riddle, with Vannessa Redgrave, Vinnie Jones and Derek Jacobi, on a covermount DVD

British TV

• Talkback developing comedy set in Heat-style magazine office for ITV2

US TV

• Why and how Joe Mantegna will replace Mandy Patinkin on Criminal Minds
• Eureka likely to be renewed, Flash Gordon not

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In the US: Wednesdays, 10/9c, NBC. Starts September 26
In the UK: Not yet acquired

I foresee this is going to run into problems. I say this, not because it's bad, because it's not, but because I suspect NBC doesn't quite know what to do with it.

The premise is interesting: a cop gets sent to jail after being framed for a crime he didn't commit. Twelve years later, he's finally vindicated and released. As part of his settlement, he gets to return to the police department that he used to work in where he works alongside people who resent him, think he doesn't belong and so on. His wife's divorced him, his mother's died because his father refused to let her see him while he was in jail and he's had over 200 stitches from the beatings he's got while he's been in jail. And just about the only person who rates him is his new partner, who basically drew the short straw thanks to being a recovering drug addict.

So it could be quite dark. And indeed, most of the time it is.

But he's also got $50 million (or some equally sky-high amount - no one's saying) from his settlement, so he lives in a mansion, drives a very nice car, and owns an orange grove. His financial advisor, whom he met in prison, now lives in a room above his garage. And after reading The Path To Zen during his stay inside, he's now trying to achieve oneness with the universe and is a touch whackier than he was before he went to prison.

So how will NBC's marketing department pitch it? Drama? Comedy? Comedy drama?

Oops. They went for comedy.

Continue reading "Preview: Life"

Doctor Who

• A certain new Who monster will appear in The Sarah Jane Adventures, as will Jane Asher, Phyllida Law and Floella Benjamin [minor spoilers]

Film

• Steve Coogan to star in high school comedy Hamlet 2
• Journeyman's Kevin McKidd may be Thor. But probably not
• Set footage from The Hulk

Commercials/Music

• Brian Ferry appears in a Carling ad

British TV

• Wall to Wall up for sale
• BB8 had to play it safe after Celebrity BB fall out

US TV

• Glen Morgan quits Bionic Woman because of creative differences
• Apple would like to cut iTunes TV prices to 99?Ǭ¢
• Alyssa Milano to join My Name is Earl as a love interest for Earl
• Edie Falco to appear on three episodes of 30 Rock
• Californication renewed

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Read other posts about: 30 Rock, Big Brother, My Name is Earl, The Sarah Jane Adventures