Torched Out
Last night I did something that I've never done before.
After watching The Ghost Machine, I sat down to write a review and as usual checked Outpost Gallifrey just to see what the general fan reaction had been, especially since I'd spent the I spent the closing minutes with my head hidden under a pillow trying to block out all sound and vision. I clicked across the rating forum and began to read overwhelmingly positive reviews. Third time lucky, some said, better late than never said others. The little bar charts were showing high ratings and I began to wonder what I'd missed. I turned off my computer, and watched the episode again. And although I could see the second time around that there were things to admire it was still fundamentally a disappointing experience.
Tonight I sat down for the fourth time trying and write a review and found myself looking at the screen, and the little curser blinking in and out. As the minutes passed by, something dawned on me. I didn't know what to write. I actually have writers block. I'm so indifferent about the episode that I simply can't craft that indifference into words. I actually wrote down some notes on viewing the episode the second time around and considered simply posting them, but they're really not that interesting. On one line I've written enigmatically 'director Colin Teague'. Yes, and? On another: 'Tales of the Unexpected'. And finally Jack's closing dialogue: 'A million shadows of human emotion - we've just got to live with them...' which looks good on paper but didn't quite work on screen.
The search for Bernie worked quite well. And I continue to enjoy the performances and some of the writing was very good indeed. But eventually I realised that this was the most exciting moment....
And there's not much more you can say about that really ... [picture via]
There's nothing worse than browsing an OG forum poll you disagree with. Actually, no, there's nothing worse than *posting* on an OG forum poll you disagree with.
Posted by: Drew Castalia | Oct 30, 2006 at 23:01
Do you know, it's taken me over HALF A WEEK to notice that UNIT logo on Owen's ID card.
Posted by: Dave Sanders | Nov 03, 2006 at 04:36
So it is!
Posted by: James Coleman | Nov 03, 2006 at 11:26
I still haven't noticed it in the episode itself. Having said that, for some people that brief moment was the highlight of the whole episode.
Posted by: Adam | Nov 03, 2006 at 19:19
The wo problems that show is facing is that it doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be, and it's only really effective when its trying to be Doctor Who. Perhaps in this boxset age when you can enjoy four episodes in a row, I'm just not used to the slow way and I'm expecting far too much from just three episodes.
Posted by: Stu | Nov 03, 2006 at 21:40