Peter Falk (1927-2011)

I’ve been meaning to post this for a week about Peter Falk passing away with complications of Alzheimer’s disease. I loved watching him play Columbo as a child. You the viewer saw the crime take place at the beginning so it was not that you were trying to figure out the murderer, you enjoyed Peter Falk asking the questions and starting to walk off then turn around and say “Oh, there’s just one more thing.” It was priceless watching him needle the who’s who of television stars who were the suspects. Of course he was great in his film roles like Princess Bride and Murder by Death as well. I say that’s pretty good for a guy with only one eye.

Oh, there's just one more thing....

Stephen J. Cannell

We lost another great today. Stephen J. Cannell producer and writer of such great television series as Rockford Files, A-Team, 21 Jump Street, Greatest American Hero, Hunter and Black Sheep Squadron passed away from complications of Melanoma. I just mentioned a few of his series, but these are the ones I grew up watching and still watch on reruns. What I think is amazing is that he had dyslexia but that did not stop him from being a writer. I will always remember him typing at the typewriter and pulling out the paper to create his logo. He will be missed.

Book Him Danno

Looking at the new fall line up I was very excited to see that they were bringing back Hawaii Five-0. Of course I was familiar with the classic that starred Jack Lord and James MacArthur (ah, the oldest son from Swiss Family Robinson the main reason I watched the show) so I didn’t know if I was going to like the remake. My verdict- love it. The chemistry between Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan is perfect. Add Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park and you have a great team. Action and humor, you got me hooked. Kudos for keeping the classic theme song.

The New Doctor Who

This week I caught up on the three new episodes of Dr Who with the new Doctor played by Matt Smith. I love that over in Britain they air the new season or special episodes on big holidays like Christmas or Easter as this time being the case. In America we just have reruns because they don’t think we are going to sit down and watch TV on holidays. But if you are like me that is really the only time you can sit down and watch TV because you do not have to go to work. Sorry, I digress.

Now for my thoughts on the season opener:

I quite liked it. Surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did (though I really do miss David Tennant, sob).

What I really liked was the establishment of the Amelia Pond character (played by Karen Gillan) with the Doctor. That she knew him since a child. Brilliant! I also like that she is a strong female character. I never really liked Billie Piper. There I said it. I know; how can I like Tennant but not the love of his life? I keep digressing sorry.

The Tartis (that’s his time traveling space ship for those who have never seen the show) is pretty cool this time around. It’s still a police call box on the outside (let’s hope they never change that) but the inside they updated it to the new character. I liked how they antiqued it for the stuffy professor look the Doctor is now going for. I think it is cool how there are now passage ways in the ship so maybe we will see other rooms. Also I like their new Doctor Who logo. I would post a picture but that would require some thinking and I am not in the mind set for that right now.

The season trailer looks so intriguing and I am way excited that the “Weeping Angels” are coming back (see my last Dr Who post about the “Blink” episode being my favorite).

The only problem I am having is that I didn’t quite enjoy last night’s episode (#3). It didn’t hold me. It could be that I was distracted by the Doctors too short pants and cheesy bowtie but I think it comes down to that he doesn’t have a presence that says “Trust me I’m The Doctor.” His madness seems juvenile not funny like Tennant. But maybe I just need time to adjust. The theme it looks like for this season is “the crack” if you watch closely it is everywhere. So we will see as the season plays along how the new Doctor fits. Here’s hoping!

Dr Who

Yes, I am a nerd. I love watching Dr. Who (and living in a basement has nothing to do with it either). I should say I love watching David Tennant play Dr. Who. When I was a child and my father would watch the old Dr. Who episodes and I saw a man with crazy hair fighting aliens that look like they were created out of materials from the janitors closet, I thought I would never sit down to an episode. Then one day my sister was watching the episode “The Girl in the Fireplace” and I saw this quirky man in a sharp stripped suit and converse sneakers and my entire opinion of the show changed. I started watching Dr. Who every Saturday night on PBS.

The show still has the British feel like you are on set and I still laugh at some of the aliens but there are some great episodes. My favorite is “Blink.” Watch it late at night and you will never look at a statue a same way again. Another good one is “The Shakespeare Code” when the Dr travels back in time and meets Shakespeare. The show was perfect for Tennant since he was in the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Then this past Saturday night, David Tennant said farewell to his role of Dr. Who. The episode was touching. It brought tears to eyes (and if you know me that is a feat.) His final words of “I don’t want to go” says it all. But as you know the Dr. can regenerate and so we have a new guy to follow in the adventures, but I thought the way they wrote the script as if the Dr. was dying since he was leaving one life behind made it seem more real and acceptable and not just having a new face.

I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to share spoilers. But I have to put in a bit for Timothy Dalton who did a perfect job as the ruler of the Time Lords. And I loved the Star Wars feel in two scenes and when you see it, you will know what I mean you can not miss them.

Good luck to Tennant on his new adventures.