2017 - A Year in TV

TV in 2017, for me, was a mix of a couple of new shows and new series of returning shows that varied greatly in quality. Whilst some series showed an uptick in quality, and new shows started well, there were a couple that, based on their current UK runs, no longer have the appeal they once had.

Starting off with the Marvel TV universe, this year saw Iron Fist, The Defenders and The Punisher carrying the torch for the small screen Marvel Universe, and each to varying degrees of quality. Iron Fist was a disappointment, the acting was stilted, the pacing all wrong and the story didn't really do anything. Indeed, the casting of Finn Jones is the worst of the shows issues, his delivery of lines is limp and insipid and even his appearance in Defenders is remarked upon with disdain and sarcasm. There is to be a second season but it will need to improve massively. 

The Defenders was the long-awaited meeting of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Daredevil. Did it live up to the billing? Well, kinda. Again, as with other Marvel TV series, pacing was an issue along with what can only be described as budget issues - at times, the show looks cheap and seems to put the characters in situations that feel they were dictated by production budget concerns rather than following the story to its logical conclusion (that lift crash for one!). Still, it was decent, and Sigourney Weaver added a touch of class. 

The Punisher was, to be honest, the best of the Marvel series released this year (I have not seen Inhumans and given the reviews, not likely to either). It's a harsh, bloody, violent tale of revenge, redemption and survival, and it does not hold back. Indeed, some scenes, particularly in later episodes are very hard to watch but they do serve the story so fall just short of being labelled torture porn, but only just. The story itself is well thought out and for once, the pacing matches the episode count. Previous shows feel like that even though they only have 10-13 episodes, they run out of story for 8 and stretch the rest out. The acting is uniformly good and I only hope that Jon Bernthal gets a chance to play the character again.

Another new show this year was Star Trek: Discovery. Some Trek fans do not like this show, its tone and delivery are too different from previous Trek shows and the message it delivers is all wring. Well, no, I think they are wrong. Trek, from the tail end of TNG to the limp ending of Enterprise had become safe, stale and formulaic. Ratings were an issue for pretty much every show in that period, even if DS9 and Voayger completed their seven season runs. What the brand needed for a re-launch was something different, and Discovery delivers that in spades whilst remaining familiar enough to mostly keep within the established continuity. Changes to that continuity look like they will be explained in the second half of season one due in January and a second season has already been ordered. The cast are excellent and I will say that Jason Isaacs as the ship's captain looks like he is having a ball every time he is onscreen. Add to that a decent line of scripts and production values that let the universe shine (rumoured to be $8 million per episode), Discovery is a show that I eagerly look forward to returning to.

Final new show, well, limited series, was Gunpowder, a drama based on the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. I watched the first episode and and forgot the rest. Seriously, after 60 slow, supposedly tension building minutes, I found I couldn't care less. Well made, certainly, but it just did not grab my interest and I felt the first episode could have been cut to 40 minutes or less due to the lingering camera shots alone.

Existing shows with new seasons this year were a mixed bag. For one, Gotham, I didn't even bother starting. Season two felt overly long and convoluted. The premise of Gotham was always promising but it never really delivered on that promise. For me, no more.

Scorpion season three was another disappointment, where a previously kooky, light hearted and fun show became simultaneously more serious, illogical and comedic. I think they ran out of stories so started plucking random stuff out of the air to fill episodes. The season opener, a two parter partially set in Bulgaria (a very dark back lot but you can still see the sand covered streets(!), was just bad, and the rescue of one character by a supersonic bomber pilot plain horse poop! When the fourth season gets its airing on Netflix, I'm not sure I'll be joining Walt and the gang again.

Stranger Things 2 was a highlight for me after a slow, but stellar first season last year. This time round, they started on all cylinders and improved from there. This season, introducing new characters and a bit more background to Eleven and the Upside Down, was brilliant. Yeah, it played on nostalgia for the 80's that people of a certain age have (and those younger pretend were cool but I lived through it and it wasn't all He-Man and Ghostbusters...), but I look forward to season three whenever that arrives (hopefully late 2018, more likely 2019).

The last two series did get better, though one was bittersweet. Sense8 has been a tremendous show from the beginning and the second season hit the ground running, going full pelt until the cliff-hanger ending that begged for a third season. However, the show's strength of global scale meant that it was expensive, too expensive for Netflix who felt the viewing figures were not worth the estimated $100 million budget per season. There is a silver lining - although no one picked up the show for another season, Netflix have okayed a two hour special to finish the story and I hope they do it in style. It's a shame that a show with vision, scale and sheer story telling chutzpah did not get the viewing figures it deserved.

Last show in this post and my show of the year, The Expanse season two. It took its time arriving on Netflix (it's produced by SyFy in the US, whilst Netflix have international rights), but when it did, oh boy! Continuing the story of James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante, season two brings more threads of books 1 to 3, ensuring that the third season will tie these threads up. Production values are immense, the acting great and the scripts and story intelligent. Where does it fall down? Well, possibly in the lack of viewers. SyFy haven't released figures and Netflix rarely release any. Finishing after three seasons would be sad, but would tie up the story book-wise. However, having read books four and five, and half way through six, I can only buy hope that the show gets picked up for more. We'll have to see but I, for one, am looking forward to it greatly. 

That's it for TV shows, and yeah, it's a pretty similar list to last year but there just isn't the time or the inclination to watch that much, hence why some shows will drop by the wayside.

Next up, books...

Of Things To Come

So a new year has begun and I feel it's time to take stock as to what is to come this year. Naturally, this year will involve some wargaming, with the aim of a Saturday game once a month, shows permitting. We actually have one today where we should hopefully have a good turnout for the delayed TWATS Tiny Tactica Tournament.

Show wise, I am hoping to get to the usual suspects, York (Vapnartak), both Partizans, Edinburgh (Claymore), Falkirk, Derby and possibly Newcastle (Border Reiver). Transport depending, the Battleground show in November is also a possibility, but we shall see. Last year's shows were mostly pretty good, though I have doubts about the Newcastle show this year. And Battleground for that matter. Both are medium regional shows, and last year, Newcastle seemed to follow a trend of being quieter than the previous year. Also take into consideration that Battleground's organisers actually release customer numbers for their show and it has been taking a 10% drop year on year. I get the impression that both shows have uncertain footing. Part of me really hopes they continue, but with declining attendance, how can you keep a show going if fewer people are spending money with traders? And let us not forget, without the traders paying for stands, the economics of a show are very dicey(!) indeed. We shall see...

When time permits (and the mood takes me), there are a couple of decent TV shows that have new seasons this year. Firstly, Sense8, which had a two hour special released over Christmas to tide fans over before the full second season arrives in May. I have written about the show previously and I am really looking forward the the new one.

Another show that gets a second season release very shortly is The Expanse. Based on the novels by James S A Corey, the show is set a couple of hundred years in the future in a divided Solar System. There is political intrigue, action and more than a little drama. Sort of a cross tonally between the Battlestar Galactica re-boot and Babylon 5, the show has a pretty good handle on realism and my good lady and I got through the first season in pretty short order. It even prompted me to buy the first three books of the series and they don't disappoint.

Gaming wise, the slate is a little bare - there is Mass Effect Andromeda coming in March and that's about it. I still have a ton of games to get through so that's possibly no bad thing. I am not even overly bothered about the release of the Nintendo Switch. It's a tad pricey for the two games I would want to play before the end of the year and not even the thought of portable Skyrim is enough to tempt a purchase. I am hoping the price either comes down or there are pack-in bundles that give a bit more value for money.

So that appears to be that for now. I shall, of course be adding to the blog on a more regular basis than last year, and be adding a few show reports as and when they happen. Toodle pip for now.

2015 - The best bits

So, here we are, the beginning of a new year. It's a cliché, but as the years progress, they seem to pass by at a proportionately quicker rate. Jeez, I must be getting old!

Anyhoo, as it's a new year, I thought I would have a look back at 2015 and let you know what films, games, TV shows and books I enjoyed.

Films: 

Now I don't know about you, but I made a concious effort to go the cinema with my good lady a bit more this year, nights out and all that. We did discover that the local cinema offers a discount Tuesday offer where tickets are just £4. Since most local services seem to operate on a "use it or lose it" basis, we decided to do our bit (and the cheap ticket prices help!)

The film we enjoyed the most was Kingsman: The Secret Service. I liked the premise and we had heard good reports, so off we went. It takes the spy genre and runs with it as a self aware, hyper kenetic, fun packed two and a bit hours. From Colin Firth's suave action hero to Mark Strong's pitch perfect "Q"-alike, Kingsman ticks every box. Even Sam Jackson's lisping bad guy works a treat. It was one of those films that we bought on day of DVD release. I just hope the sequel doesn't spoil that feel.

Honourable Mentions:

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. The fifth film in the series, it had the usual mix of action set pieces, double crossing, convoluted plot twists and buddy humour. And the most visceral vehicle chase I have seen in a long time. Love him, loathe him, or just meh, Tom Cruise can still carry the series. He can also take the piddle out of himself and his age, to brilliant comic effect. It's a great continuation of a film series that continues to adapt and get better.

Spectre: You may think this is controversial, but Skyfall wasn't the be all and end all of Bond films for me. Don't get me wrong, it was good, one of the better Bond films, but it lacks that spark. With that in mind, I approached Spectre with an open mind. The opening did it for me, a long tracking shot through the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico City. The rest of the film held up that promise, with the exception of Christoph Waltz, who wasn't in it enough. Other than that, I haven't enjoyed a Bond film this much since Goldeneye.

Games:

Funnily enough, as a fan of games, I didn't play that many new games during 2015. With a combination of work, house moves and life in general, there hasn't been the time. However, the year did see me join the current console generation so it wasn't entirely a game free year.

Batman: Arkham Knight is my favourite game of the year. The final game of the Rocksteady developed Batman games, Arkham Knight is, in my eyes, nearly perfect, from the free flowing combat system to the pacing and game design. Even the addition of the Batmobile added to the mix, even if some did find it more of a nuisance. On the downside, the actual Arkham Knight was a bit of a disappointment, but even so, as a culmination of the trilogy, it hit almost all of the right notes. Let's not dwell too much on the Season Pass though, over-priced with poor additional story missions.

Honourable Mentions:

Rare Replay was a pleasant surprise, chocked full with 30 games from developer Rare (and it's previous incarnations). From the early 80's Spectrum hits like Sabre Wulf and Jetman, to the halcyon Nintendo 64 days of Blast Corps and Banjo Kazooie, to the more recent Perfect Dark Zero and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, the only disappointment was the lack of Goldeneye 007 and the Donkey Kong series, but as they don't hold the rights to the titles, their omission was to be expected. Overall though, a lovely reminder of how gaming has progressed over 30 years and how good game design never ages.

Tomb Raider: Rise of the Tomb Raider added to and surpassed the excellence of the Tomb Raider re-boot of 2013. The combat was more refined, the look and feel benefiting from two years of increasing familiarity with the X-Box One hardware and generally a more confident outing. This was a fun game.

TV Shows:

As with films, TV shows tend to get missed out as life tends to get in the way. However, as the winter months closed in, we had a chance to see what TV shows were out there.

Sense8 was the killer TV show for me. Well, the good lady picked it and after two episodes, I was hooked too. From the Wachowski siblings (The Matrix) and J Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5), the pedigree was impressive. A story following 8 characters linked mentally and emotionally across the world, it is initially a tad confusing and more than a little graphic (the first episode sets the tone and sticks with it from there), but as the back stories are revealed, and the strands come together, the show reaches a crescendo that meant binge watching became the norm. There is a second series coming, and the plan is for a 5 year arc (familiar for Babylon 5 fans...) so I would definitely recommend this to anyone (over the age of 18, obviously).

Honourable Mentions:

Jessica Jones was a series I had reservations about, but like Sense8, after a couple of episodes, it became binge-watchingly good. With a flawed central character and a villain that was selfishly anarchic with massive parent issues, the show was well produced, plotted and acted. Purely for the lack of scale in story telling and reach is this a honourable mention.

Two more shows caught our attention: Scorpion, following a band of super intelligent, socially stunted individuals working for Homeland Security, is formula television, but formula done well, and we watched the first season on Netflix in just over two weeks. Just don't Google the real Walter O'Brien, it'll spoil the show... Gotham was also a must watch, telling the tale of a young Jim Gordon a good 15/20 years before Batman makes an appearance. With a superb cast of villains and enough twist, turns and geek spots for future enemies, it turns a police procedural into an exciting origins tale for the Batman universe. And Sean Pertwee is brilliant as Alfred. Just saying.

Books:

Sad to say, only one book stood out for me this year. The Silent Deep is a history of the Royal Navy Submarine Service post 1945. Well researched and written, it is a must for anyone with any interest in the period, detailing the operational and political machinations that defined the Royal Navy and Britain's role in the Cold War.

What I haven't done is list a favourite wargame played. There is a very simple reason for this. I'm not picking one. For me, each game played with the TWATS is an event in itself and each is as enjoyed as the others. It's not just about the game but the atmosphere of a groups of friends enjoying a hobby, whatever they individually take out of it. And it's the fine ale and food too!

Let me know what you think of my list, and what your favourites of 2015 were too.