And you'd show me off to your friends at the pier

[sovay]

Tonight spatch and I performed our civic duties by voting for the second time in this ward and precinct without having to provide Kafkaesque corroboration of identity. We had still brought a utilities bill out of gun-shyness.

My new measure of the lousiness of last summer is the fact that I just tonight discovered the music video for Chappell Roan's "Casual" (2023). I had heard the song and its incredible hook. No one had communicated to me that the video involves the singer's romance with a man-eating siren. I have strong folkloric feelings about the ending.

I heard the first season of Vigil (2021–) had lesbians and submarines and have thus just finished watching the first episode. So far the ratio is in favor of submarines, but the f/f is not nil. Still haven't watched Gentleman Jack (2019–22) despite envying Suranne Jones her waistcoats since before the last glaciation.

Elsenet, context self-supplied: "I will die on the hill of Vengeance on Varos. I will just not actually die on Varos. That would be awful."

Comments

[sovay]

That one does sound good, though! Although I don't do well with subs, if it's actually set much on one, because I get all claustrophobic watching.)

As of the first episode, I am enjoying it a lot! It is set about half on a sub (the protagonist does not appreciate this development in her life) and half ashore where the rest of the mystery is obviously unfolding (investigated by her ex-partner with whom she is still close in some complicated fashion not yet elucidated by the show). Plotwise it is a conspiracy thriller and so far seems reasonably pitched as such, the atmosphere is maritime in the extreme and some of the photography is just really nice. The fact that the action is not confined to the sub interests me both because it breaks up the claustrophobia and suggests the plot might throw runners out beyond the national insta-scandal which the death which the protagonist is investigating seems to have been committed to cover up like you do in conspiracy thrillers. Character-wise, I like the protagonist and have inclinations of the same toward her ex-partner and appreciate that it is not immediately obvious whether they are going to get back together romantically or just be good exes. Most of the cast is new to me, but the random actors I recognize are fun.

I do hope it proves good. XD I may have to check the iPlayer because I see they brought in Romola Garai for s2, which also does not have submarines (sorry).

Thank you! Of course. If you watch the second season, I'll be interested to hear what you think.

But the punch in appreciation ratings would be good!! What was the context, I will stand on the hill right next to you.

I am afraid the context was ashlyme, but I believe I provided a cogent counter-argument, i.e. Martin Jarvis.

(When I left this comment originally on FB, the person who replied to it did so in a written imitation of Sil's voice.)

(Btw, I cannot remember if I have said this, but I think I haven't because it won't be available to you currently without Disney+ and also because I assumed at least 5 other people will have got there first, but talking of DW, whenever access to the latest series ever turns up somewhere for you, you need to watch "73 Yards." It's one of the most brilliantly inexplicable episodes DW has ever done; full on S&S mode. I think you'd love it. But I do realise that you won't be able to right now!

You linked me a gif from this episode some months ago, but have not otherwise recommended it to me! I haven't been following the latest series at all! My parents have Disney+ for my niece, which I could take advantage of while sleeping out of my own house! I see it was not written by P.J. Hammond and did not think of Sapphire & Steel as Russell T. Davies' wheelhouse.

This is what I'll be like when I'm standing on the Varos hill next to you: "Have you also watched Kinda? We can go stand on that hill afterwards!" lol, sorry.)

So what else is new? Tell me the case for that one. I have minimal experience of the Fifth Doctor beyond his highly entertaining memoir.

[thisbluespirit]

As of the first episode, I am enjoying it a lot!

Aw, good! And thank you for the further info. <3

When I left this comment originally on FB, the person who replied to it did so in a written imitation of Sil's voice.)

Ha, are we absolutely sure they weren't Nabil Shaban?? XD

My parents have Disney+ for my niece, which I could take advantage of while sleeping out of my own house! I see it was not written by P.J. Hammond and did not think of Sapphire & Steel as Russell T. Davies' wheelhouse.

OH, cool! I mean, obv, I know you have limits to TV watching, but, yes, "73 Yards" is a fascinating piece of TV. It's sort of Welsh folk horror, but at the same time it is what it is and commits to refusing to explain itself with a determination that's rare outside of S&S. It isn't RTD's usual style, but he does come up with some brilliant one-offs sometimes. (All of the DW pro writers of that era were heavily influenced by S&S; it's all over the novels, the audios especially, and the new series, and indeed, the latter end of the old.) So, in the spirit of that, I'll say no more, other than it was the Doctor-lite episode, and therefore filmed first because of Ncuti's availability, so kudos to Millie Gibson for pulling that off so well the first week on the job.

(If you like it and would understandably want to actually see Ncuti Gatwa in action for more than about two minutes, that little run from Devil's Chord to Dot and Bubble (through Boom & 73 Yards) is a helpful set of really great and different standalone eps - Devil's Chord is very weird very DW, but v lovely about music; Boom is a Moffat ep that's essentially a bottle piece where the Doctor is stuck in one place on a countdown; and Dot and Bubble is also another RTD at his one-off best in a look at an overly-online future society with a twist, so take your pick.)

So what else is new? Tell me the case for that one. I have minimal experience of the Fifth Doctor beyond his highly entertaining memoir.

I knew you would be unsurprised by now. /o\ Kinda needs us on a hill less, but the 70s fans are always having a go at the 80s, even now, and it's one of the ideas-heavy scripts which are always divisive. It's Rob Shearman's favourite classic serial (and it might be Steven Moffat's as well; certainly it rates highly with him) - there's a really well done nightmare dreamscape in it, and it's a sort of anti-colonialist SF fable, with a strong guest cast. (They're all good and include Nerys Hughes, Richard Todd, and Mary Morris, but the standout in terms of performance here is Simon Rouse as Hindle.) Snakedance from the following season, is a sequel, which is also lovely - bit more in the usual mode, and slightly messed about a bit by Eric Saward (mid 80s script editor who unfortunately did not get metaphors; it was commissioned by Chris Bidmead, his predecessor, who was all weird SF ideas and metaphors), but with some excellent world-building context for the nature of the enemy who turns up in Kinda.