Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Merry Christmas everybody. I'm sure that you've all had plenty to drink and are still working your way through the leftovers. I've just got back from seeing the first of Disney's Star Wars spin-off films, Rogue One.

Taking place not long before A New Hope, we follow Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, an independent-minded rogue hastily recruited by the Rebel Alliance. Jyn is the daughter of Galen Erso, played by Mads Mikkelson, a scientist who works for an Imperial weapons development team. Working with a Rebel Intellegence officer Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, she has to find plans for the superweapon her father is working on.

I have to say that the beginning of the film seems rather rushed, but it does pick up to deliver a long but exciting climax. I also think that Jyn and Cassian aren't very interesting characters. It's a shame, because I found the opening scene with her backstory to be very gripping. Her father had resigned from weapons development until he is forced out of retirement by his old boss Orson Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn.

While our two main heroes aren't interesting, it's the supporting characters who steal the show. My favourite is the droid K-S20, played by Alan Tudyk. He kicks a lot more arse than C-3P0, and delivers a lot of snarky lines, like a cross between HK-47 from Knights of the Old Republic and Wash from Firefly (even though he is Wash from Firefly). There's also a blind monk played by Donnie Yen, who is a really good fighter. Mads Mikkelson is also pretty good, as he's repentant despite working on a secret weapon. His boss is suitably ruthless too, but there's not much to him.

One thing that did seem to stand out was the number of times the film panders to the fans. This includes a CGI Peter Cushing. He gets a lot of screen time and looks...off. But I can''t really fault that. And it was great to see Darth Vader again, with his special retreat for suitably dramatic entrances.

They've certainly tried to make the film darker than the rest, and they do end up succeeding. You'll have to see it for yourself to see where though.

Overall, it's no Empire Strikes Back, but it certainly is worth it for the blazing action.

Oh, advance warning; there's no opening crawl. But that shouldn't dissuade you.

Favourite Shows #1: Firefly

I like to stand up for the underdog. And one such underdog is this short-lived sci-fi western hybrid from the mind of Joss Whedon.

The Earth has been rendered inhabitable, so humanity terraformed and colonised planets in another galaxy. The Union of Allied Planets (The Alliance) was formed to rule this new galaxy, but their authority is challenged by the Independents, also known as 'Browncoats'. There was a civil war, but the Browncoats lost. Since then, many of them drifted to the outer planets where the Alliance has less control and people survive with the most basic technology.

We follow Nathan Fillion as former Browncoat Malcolm Reynolds, the captain and owner of the Firefly-class transport Serenity. Unable to fight the Alliance but unwilling to live under them, Mal travels around the frontier in Serenity, and makes his living outside the law as an amoral Jack-of-all-trades. He's seldom fussy about who hires him, but he is humane and follows his own code.

The rest of Serenity's crew is comprised of an excellent cast: Gina Torres as Zoe, another Browncoat who serves as Mal's unconditionally loyal second-in command; Zoe's husband Wash, played by Alan Tudyk, the lovable and goofy ship's pilot; Adam Baldwin as Jayne Cobb, a thuggish and crude mercenary who provides security; Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, the laid-back and optimistic mechanic; Inara Serra, played by Morena Baccarin, a high-class escort who gives the crew a degree of legitimacy and respectability; Dr Simon Tam, played by Sean Maher, a socially-awkward trauma surgeon on the run for theft of Alliance property; Simon's sister River, played by Summer Glau, a mentally unstable teenage prodigy; and Shepherd Book, a devout preacher with a questionable past, played by the late Ron Glass.

The characters all work off each other brilliantly, and the dialogue is full of memorable quotes. I also love the imagination behind the melding of Eastern and Western culture. But I think my favourite aspect is the fact that all the characters seem realistic. They don't want to save the Galaxy or boldly go where no man has gone before. They just want to get by. 

It's such a shame that the show was cancelled before its time by some corporate tools. But it was great to see the cast bite back and reunite for the feature-length film, Serenity.

They did the impossible, and that makes them mighty.

Favourite TV Shows #2: Game of Thrones

I've not read many of George R. R. Martin's books, but the HBO adaptation makes me want to consider them.

Game of Thrones is an epic fantasy with a massive cast, with three crisscrossing stories. The main plot is about the noble houses of Westeros and Essos vying for control of the Iron Throne, and thus control over The Seven Kingdoms, following the death of King Robert Baratheon. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryan, the last surviving blood relative of the previous ruling family is leading her own attempt to establish her own empire while in exile, hoping to reclaim the Iron Throne herself. Finally, an ancient evil is amassing in the frigid lands to the north of Westeros beyond the giant wall of ice which keeps the Wildlings at bay.

While a lot of people might object to the high levels of violence and nudity, there many fascinating characters who work off each other very well. The first series predominately follows Lord Eddard Stark as he accepts a position in Robert Baratheon's court. He soon finds himself enveloped in the political intrigue of Baratheon's consort Cersei Lannister, and learns of a secret that his predecessor may have been killed to protect. Did I mention that he's played by Sean Bean? You can probably figure out what happens next.

Once Sean Bean goes the way of...well...Sean Bean, we have other protagonists to follow. Emilia Clarke plays Daenerys Targaryan, initially a frightened child married off to a warlord by her brother. But she soon earns the respect of her husband, stands up to her brother, and later becomes a conqueror not to be trifled with. In the north, we follow Kit Harrington as Jon Snow, an illegitimate son of Lord Stark as he serves in the Night's Watch who guard The Wall.

But if there's anyone who steals the show, it's Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion is shunned by his father due to being a dwarf, but he is nonetheless an incredibly savvy politician. And he gets some of the best lines in the show.

Favourite TV Shows #3: Breaking Bad

I've already stated how much I enjoy American dramas, and this is another one. On top of that, it's great to see a comedic actor being recognised for a dramatic role. In this case, it's the dad from Malcolm in the Middle.

Bryan Cranston plays Walter White, a struggling high-school chemistry teacher in Albuquerque. After being diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, Walter tries to secure his family's financial future by making crystal meth with the help of his former student Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul. Soon, Walter finds himself having to make his product while contending with the competitive elements of the criminal underworld, not to mention trying to keep his double life a secret from his family, especially his DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader, played by Dean Norris.

Once again, the characters are memorable. Bob Odenkirk plays Saul Goodman, a sleazy lawyer who gets people off the hook by any means necessary. Working under him is 'Private Investigator' Mike, played by Jonathan Banks, who serves as an enforcer for the affable kingpin Gus Fring. Saul ended up being so popular that he got his own spin-off with Better Call Saul. It's good, but it's no Breaking Bad.

The show excels at mixing the gritty and heartbreaking elements with some of the funniest black comedy around. The bathtub incident in the first series is the classic example of that. Ultimately, it is about moral consequence, and how good and bad are not clearly cut.

Favourite TV Shows #4: Blackadder

Yep, another British sitcom, and another one by Ben Elton. Blackadder is a historical comedy following four different incarnations of the eponymous anti-hero Edmund Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, and his sidekick Baldrick, played by Tony Robinson.

The first series is an alternate history where the House of York won the Wars of the Roses and the throne is assumed by King Richard IV, played by Brian Blessed. Richard's reign is shown from the perspective of his slow-witted second son Edmund. Calling himself the Black Adder, he schemes and plots to take the throne with the aid of his more intelligent but lowly servant Baldrick and his dim-witted and foppish hanger-on, Lord Percy Percy, played by Tim McInnery. While the series does have some laughs, it gets overshadowed by the later seasons.

After the first series the roles were reversed so Blackadder is more intelligent but still scheming and cynical, while Baldrick is the main stupid character. In Blackadder II, Lord Blackadder is a member of the London aristocracy trying to maintain his favour with Miranda Richardson's childish Queen Elizabeth I, while competing with her grovelling Lord Chamberlain Melchett, played by Stephen Fry. Blackadder the Third follows Mr Edmund Blackadder as his family has fallen on hard times and he is forced to work as butler to the Prince Regent, played by Hugh Laurie. Finally, Blackadder Goes Forth takes place during the First World War, following Captain Blackadder's attempts to avoid being killed in a final assault.

I'd have to say that my favourite series is Blackadder Goes Forth, as it presents the most human version of Blackadder. Rather than the Germans, his enemies are the pompous and eccentric General Melchett, played by Stephen Fry, and his adjutant Captain Darling, played by Tim McInnery.

There are plenty of laughs and a ton of funny lines, while the fourth series even has some truly poignant moments.

Oh, and we can't forget Lord Flashheart.

Favourite TV Shows #5: Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra

I know it's cheating a bit, putting down two shows, but they do take place in the same universe, so I might as well discuss both of them.

For both shows, the premise is this: There are four nations based on the elements of nature, and people within each nation who can manipulate the elements with the physical motions of martial arts - a power known as 'bending'. Peace between the nations is maintained by the Avatar, one person originating from any of the nations who can bend all the elements and periodically reincarnates.

With that in mind, we'll look at The Last Airbender. The Avatar is a twelve-year-old Airbender named Aang, who has been stuck in an iceberg for the last century, during which time the imperialistic Fire Nation has wiped out the Air Nomads and are waging war against the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. Aang has to travel the world and learn the other elements before the summer solstice, when the Fire Lord carries out his final reckoning on the world.

Aang is aided in his quest by a compassionate Waterbender named Katara and her goofy non-bending older brother Sokka. While travelling the world on Aang's flying bison, they are later joined by a trash-talking blind Earthbender named Toph. Hunting them is Prince Zuko, the exiled son of the Fire Lord who seeks to capture Aang so he can return home.

I think that Zuko is an interesting villain. He's short-tempered and angst-ridden, but he's also sympathetic. However, it's his uncle Iroh who steals the show. He's a kind and gentle mentor and father-figure, but he has his goofy side too. It's impossible not to like him.

The Legend of Korra takes place seventy years after the end of The Last Airbender, in which Aang has died and reincarnated as a brash Waterbender named Korra. While Aang is depicted to fear his legendary status, Korra embraces it, but has to learn to become more spiritual in a drastically-changing world. Her 'Team Avatar' includes the brothers Mako and Bolin, a brooding Firebender and jovial Earthbender, respectively. Rounding the team out is the non-bending inventor and martial artist Asami Sato.

Both shows have stunning animation which create a beautiful world and fast-paced action, with engaging stories and memorable characters. I recommend both. I especially like how Legend of Korra took the fans of the original show into consideration, who would likely be in their late teens or early twenties at that point. This gives them the opportunity to look at more mature issues and themes. However, I still favour The Last Airbender for the epic journey it puts the characters and viewers through. While this does mean you have to watch from the beginning, that's not really an issue and provides many opportunities for character development.

Favourite TV Shows #6: Red Dwarf

Another British sitcom, this time by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor.

The series takes place aboard the eponymous mining ship, in which the entire crew was wiped out by a radiation leak. The sole survivor is the unkempt and lazy Third Technician David Lister, played by Craig Charles, who was serving eighteen months in suspended animation for smuggling a cat on board. He emerges to find that the ship has been drifting in deep space for three million years.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), Lister has some company: Chris Barrie as Second Technician Arnold Rimmer, a hologram of his deceased (and despised) superior; Danny John-Jules as a humanoid who evolved from his cat; and Holly, the increasingly senile ship's computer played by Norman Lovett and later Hattie Haybridge. Robert Llewellyn later joins the main cast as the service mechanoid Kryten.

The show mainly follows the skeleton crew's interactions as they try and make their way back to Earth while trying not to succumb to cabin fever. Lister and Rimmer provide a good contrast. Lister is a self-described bum who does little in the way of work, but at times displays a good head for machines, with his sole desire being to return to Earth. On the other hand, Rimmer is more interested in furthering his career, but is completely incompetent and neurotic.

The science fiction aspects are minimal at first, but as the series goes on, the crew deal with numerous external threats. However, none of these threats are aliens. Anything they do encounter is always explained as being man-made. The most notable encounter is with the Polymorph, a Genetically Engineered Life Form (Gelf) which feeds on negative emotions and can alter its physical appearance to anything. That creates a story very similar to Alien, but here it's played for laughs.

Life forms aside, a lot of people will hate me for this, but my favourite episode is Queeg. After the crew loses their faith in Holly, the ship is taken over by Queeg, a backup computer whose rule is a lot less lenient than Holly's. There's plenty of funny lines with some physical comedy as well.

You can get the first eight seasons on Netflix UK, and I highly recommend it. I think the third and fourth seasons are the best.

Favourite TV Shows #7: The Wire

My general preferences for TV are British Comedies and American Dramas, and this show is one of the origins of that.

Taking place in Baltimore, the series plays out like a police procedural. However, it is unique in two ways. Firstly, it follows an over-arching investigation rather than a different case per week. Secondly, it looks at life on both sides of the fence, both in law enforcement and in organised crime. What follows is an ensemble piece with many complex characters.

The show begins with Homicide Detective Jimmy McNulty, played by Dominic West, as he persuades a judge to arrange an investigation into the empire of Avon Barksdale, played by Wood Harris. What follows is a social commentary and critique of the numerous institutions of Baltimore, and how the rigidly structured systems hinder effective enforcement more than they help. The first series initially looks at the police and the drug trade, but the scope expands to the docks and trade unions, the city government, the schools, and the newspapers.

McNulty would be regarded as the protagonist at first. He's a good detective, but his skill is overshadowed by personal problems and insubordinate tendencies. On the other side of the fence, Avon Barksdale is a ruthless kingpin, while his right-hand man Stringer Bell, played by Idris Elba, is more of a businessman who favours profit over power. There are hundreds of other characters in the series, but there are no real heroes - everybody is flawed in one way or another.

However, I would have to say that my favourite character is Omar Little, played by Michael K. Williams. He's a stick-up man who frequently antagonises the city's drug dealers, but he also adheres to a strict code of honour, never targeting those who are not involved in the drug trade.

One thing to note though: There's a lot of slang used, which can be difficult to comprehend at times. I recommend subtitles. And some kind of phrasebook.

"It's all in the game, man. It's all in the game."

Favourite TV Shows #8: Father Ted

I'm not a religious man by any stretch of the means, but I still enjoy this Anglo-Irish sitcom by Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews.

Dermot Morgan plays Father Ted Crilly, a shifty and opportunistic Catholic priest who has been banished to Craggy Island, a remote parish off the west coast of Ireland. If that's not bad enough, Ted has to share the island's parochial house with two other priests: Father Dougal McGuire, an idiotic man-child played by Ardal O'Hanlon; and Father Jack Hackett, a foul-mouthed elderly alcoholic played by the late Frank Kelly. The priests are served by their tea-making obsessed housekeeper Mrs Doyle, played by Pauline McLynn.

The show mainly follows Ted as he tries to resolve issues within the parish. At the same time, he has to avoid incurring the (further) displeasure of Bishop Len Brennan, and often gets involved in contests of one-upmanship with Father Dick Byrne from the neighbouring parish of Rugged Island. The theme of isolation plays a big part in most of the comedy outside the parochial house, while all the main characters get some brilliant dialogue.

Well, maybe. Ted, serving as the straight man, delivers plenty of snark, often to Dougal's often well-meaning but inappropriate questions and remarks. Meanwhile, Jack's vocabulary simply consists of the words "Drink!", "Feck!", "Arse!", and "Girls!".

My favourite episode is probably 'The Passion of St Tibulus'. After being banned everywhere else, the eponymous film is being shown on Craggy Island, and Bishop Brennan instructs the priests to make a stand against it. What follows is one of the most good-natured protests ever, which naturally goes horribly wrong.

While you might need some knowledge of Catholicism to understand the more subtle jokes, it's easily accessible, and definitely worth a watch.

Favourite TV Shows #9: Cowboy Bebop

I've got a lot of anime to catch up on, but out of the ones I have seen, my favourite has to be Cowboy Bebop. It's a science fiction, a western, a film noir - it crosses so many genres that the show itself even boasts that it's "a new genre unto itself".

Taking place in a late 21st century setting where the Earth is uninhabitable following a disaster, and humanity has colonised the rest of the Solar System. Due to the rise in crime, the ISSP (Inter Solar System Police) have established a scheme where licensed bounty hunters (Cowboys) can bring in wanted criminals for rewards. 

One such Cowboy is Spike Spiegel. Once an enforcer for a syndicate on Mars, Spike is now a laid back bounty hunter leading an aimless life aboard the Bebop, a converted trawler operated by Jet Black. Formerly a police officer, Jet also hunts bounties, but fancies himself a Renaissance Man and serves as an interesting foil to Spike. As the show goes on, Spike and Jet are joined by three more characters: Faye Valentine, an amnesiac con artist; an eccentric teenage hacker known only as 'Radical Edward'; and Ein, a genetically-engineered Welsh Corgi who possibly possesses human intelligence.

The show follows these characters as they travel the Solar System in search of lucrative bounties, while also trying to avoid the threat of starvation and the individuals' troubled pasts - especially Spike's nemesis Vicious.

There is a great mix of comedy and drama, the animation brings out fast-paced action, and I love the imagination behind the sci-fi concepts. Not to mention the jazz and blues-dominated soundtrack bringing it all together.

My favourite episode is probably 'Cowboy Funk', in which Spike pursues the bounty on a villain known as 'The Teddy Bomber' but ends up feuding with Cowboy Andy, a rival bounty hunter who embraces the Cowboy aspect of his work.

The series is currently available on Netflix UK, and I highly recommend that you watch it. Whether you prefer to watch anime in Japanese or English, both versions are fantastic. In fact, I'd say that English version is superior, thanks to the fantastic voice of Steven Blum as Spike.

See you, Space Cowboy...

Favourite TV Shows #10: The Young Ones

Although I'm not a university student, I still find this a very enjoyable series. Ben Elton's sitcom follows the lives of four undergraduate students living together: The violent punk Vyvyan, played by Ade Edmondson; the hypocritical, self-proclaimed anarchist Rick, played by Rik Mayall; the depressed and long-suffering hippie Neil, played by Nigel Planer; and the smooth-talking con artist Mike, played by Christopher Ryan.

The characters have some great chemistry. Vyvyan and Rick are always quarrelling with each other when they're not picking on Neil, while Mike remains neutral in all the conflicts and is respected by everybody else - especially Vyvyan, who refers to him as Michael and serves as his right-hand man.

In order to receive a bigger budget, the series is also a variety show, featuring a musical act in every episode, along with a stand-up from Alexei Sayle - who plays the boys' landlord Jerzei Balowski or one of his many identical relatives.

The show's humour is predominately based on slapstick, but there is plenty of surreal humour as well as many fourth wall jokes. Especially with the strong anti-Conservative sentiment it brings out during the height of the Thatcher years. In fact, the series was written as an alternative to the Oxbridge-dominated mainstream comedy of the time.

My favourite episode is 'Bambi' in which the boys are picked to represent their college on University Challenge, playing against an Oxbridge team comprised of Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, and Ben Elton. It also features a disastrous trip to the launderette, and the answer to important questions such as the world record for most marshmallows stuffed up one nostril.

If you're not a big fan of slapstick, then this isn't for you, but it's one I like to revisit every once in a while.

Favourite TV Shows

I came out of employment recently, and was planning to use it as an opportunity to spend more time on my writing. Unfortunately, that has been kind of slow as well, mainly because I'm a notorious procrastinator (what writer isn't?).

Since I've been spending most of my time on Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, I thought I might do a countdown of my top ten favourite TV shows. Yes, I know I should be getting back to work, but blogging is still writing.

I'll be posting these over the next couple of days, so watch this space.