I am writing this post instead of revising for my exams...

Tomorrow morning I am getting up at 6am to go and study. This is wrong on so many, many levels. However needs must. Because in the wildlands of the Highlands (not really that wild. Or high.) Scottish teenagers all over are gearing up for Prelims (which are our version of Mocks, as I believe those south of the border call them?) This is not pertinent to anything in particular, aside from the fact that I might have a nervous breakdown...

Time, I think to distract myself with a review! Unfortunately, I've reviewed all the Primeval episodes that have come out so far, albeit in my own rambling way. So instead I'm going to review (albeit in my own rambling way) Syfy's Alice.

Most people who are of the same mind as me will have already seen this on the Syfy channel when it came out in 2009. However, my funds only run to one cheap freeview box, and I can't afford all your fancy channel nonsense. And up until recently the only DVD available on Amazon was USA region encoded. Even the internet failed to deliver on this occasion, and until last month I basically gave it up as a bad job. Then, one day by chance, my Amazon account suggested to me... A region two DVD! At last! Drawback. It was from Holland. However, as I am a determined young lady I didn't let this phase me, and the removal of some strange Dutch subtitles finally got me watching the miniseries as it was meant to be seen.

The original attraction to Alice was, I fully confess, curiosity. I've only seen Andrew Lee Potts (Connor Temple to Primevelians!) in Primeval, and some odd drama about a woman who has an affair. I was intrigued to watch him flex his acting muscles, and he didn't disappoint - he is an excellent Hatter, perching on just the right side of deranged. And Hatter was already my favourite character in Alice in Wonderland anyway...

It might (or might not) have done Alice some good in coming out not long before Tim Burton's extravaganza, but that's by the by. This Wonderland is very different to the Victorian hallucination we're used to. The show fully takes into account the fact that 150+ years have gone by, and Wonderland has well and truly grown up. Alice is no little girl either - she's a black belt in karate who fell through the looking glass by chance after chasing a man called the White Rabbit who was mugging her boyfriend (SPOILERS: Jack isn't what he seems). Before she knows it, Alice is off trying to rescue Jack and somehow bring down the Queen of Hearts who rules Wonderland through Casinos and instant pleasure.

If there's one thing which never fails to draw me into a story, it's colour. Maybe that's a little childlike, but it's true. If something is richly coloured, vibrant, has good production values, I'm there already. And Alice has all these things in spades. Add to that, compelling characters, funny moments and intriguing ideas and I'm in entertainment heaven! If you're a total stickler for tradition, this might not be a Wonderland that you would want to indulge in, but personally I got really involved in connecting the modern slant to the original Lewis Carroll story (and they aren't all as obvious as you might think). It's a 5/5 from me on this one.

Sassy xx

PS Why is a raven like a writing desk?

PPS Did I mention ALP was excellent?

THE FOLLOWING IS BASED ON AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH A REAL PERSON

Me: Guess what?!

Friend: *Wearily* What?

Me: I just ordered a Primeval ARC shirt!!!

Friend: Lucky you...

Me: I will be an actual ARC employee. And I can run around waving a scientific calculator like an anomaly detector during EVERY SINGLE FIRE DRILL! Gear up for fun!!!

Friend: ...

Me: You're just jealous because now I can get close to Lester.

Friend: ... Yes.

Me: I know how you just long to rip off that tie!

Friend: ... Of course.

Me: They only ever shoot him from the torso up, so the shots never catch you escaping from under his desk!

Friend: -___-


Just a little sketch from the world of the real life non-internet based people!

Episodes 4 and 5 of Primeval have been and gone, and Series 4 is really beginning to find its feet. I'm interested in the way the show... I guess you could say format... Has been for these past two episodes. Ep 4 was a really Series 2 vibed episode - right down to an action hero jumping on desks to escape a predator, a la Stephen and those "worm things". I loved this episode, particularly the two teenage boys, who were a foil to the team and allowed for a bigger comedy injection. It's nice to see Connor getting back to his jokey ways after a serious post-Cretaceous moping session. Incidentally, the boy Darren was so much like a younger Connor that it could NOT have been coincidence. I just picture Andrew Lee Potts bursting into a casting session yelling "he's mine!" A little mini-me to bring him drinks, haha.

I loved the school setting for this, but it caused problems for me (my only issue with this episode). A) I have never seen a school that big or modern, making me think it was shot in a college or uni outside of termtime. And B) I dunno whether this is in fact THE RICHEST SCHOOL IN THE WORLD, but in my school we have classrooms which the teachers lock, and front doors which the janitor locks and thats it. There are about 4 security monitors on the exterior gates and doors, and that (again) is it. We sure as hell don't have computerised locking systems which would be at home in a prison. Nor do we have CCTV cameras in ever corridor and classroom. That jarred a leetle.

Episode 5, again was a bit of a harking back point. This time everything felt very Series 1, which was nice. I particularly enjoyed seeing the team losing their frigging great guns (which my mum says look like toys - MUM PERSPECTIVE!!) and having to work off their wits, something we've not seen much of since the start. Especially (and this is a reference only a committed nerd would notice) that Connor is once again a hero with the prime weapon of an oar. Can't help but feel that Abby driving a big prehistoric thingy around on top of a mobile home might've drawn more attention than it was worth, but I guess needs must. This ep also had some priceless moments, such as Lester trying to be Jess and failing miserably (she looks better in a miniskirt, too). And maybe I'm childish but I laughed at the name of the pub! I really only have one bugbear about this story... at no point did we see a little boy on a porch playing a banjo!

Kudos to this series, for keeping so many balls in the air at once. I've a feeling that this Series' finale is going to be epic - so far we have three main story ARCs (see what I did there?!) there's the riddle that is Ethan. Then there's the sinister beardiness of Philip Burton. And finally there's mysterious Gideon, who seems nice but a bit mad and driven at the same time - I guess imminent death can do that to a person. Whether all of these elements can be explained into the finale? Perhaps not. More likely, some things will get resolved and others will become the central concern of Series 5.

So there we have it. A Series 2 vibed story and a Series 1 vibed story. And between them they've racked up the highest TV ratings of the Series so far. (Thanks to Primeval Anomalies once again for providing genuine hard facts which I am too lazy to get for myself!) Surely this isn't a coincidence? Personally I liked Series 3 a lot, but I know for a fact that after Cutter's death and Jenny's departure, a lot of folk decided that this was no longer for them. My theory is that these nostalgically vibed stories are a real attempt by the writers and producers to call back the glory days of Primeval's early success as a top drama. And personally I think they're doing a pretty damn good job!

Sassy xx

These Old Chains Won't Let Me Go, Let Me Go... OH MY GOD I'M SITTING ON A TIMEBOMB!!

Ten points to those of us who recognised the reference in my title!*

Shame upon me. Thrice shame, for there has now been three episodes of Primeval and no comment from me, even after my "squee"ing in the last post. I have no excuse but that my braincells were fried from the sheer awesomeness of the past three episodes.

It's back baby. And it's got just as much bite as ever. So here goes my reviews

Episode 1 was more of a jumping in point. Despite the webisodes, there was still a lot of background to fill, and we spent quite a bit of time in the Cretaceous with Abby and Connor talking about forks. I'm in love with the sets and effects Impossible Pictures (is it still them or am I tripping?) use to show the past. Those harshly brown and grey lights, with Connor's red jumper sticking out amongst them, they kill me (in a good way)! I've got to take my hat off to Andrew-Lee Potts and Hannah Spearitt for the really great portryal of people who are basically historical castaways. And obviously to see Connor and Abby finally sorting their relationship out was great. Poor Captain Becker got owned with Matt's shocky shock gun, but I'm loving the dynamic between those two. The creature incursion was pretty standard, not anything to light the heather on fire - This episode was carried more by the characters than the action: the return of old friends, the introduction of new ones, and the laughs. My favourites were Connor's blunder with the anomaly, and the cheeky S-Club reference - poor Hannah!

Episode 2 - Perhaps my favourite of the three, I'll just come out and say it - Duncan, I heart you! Seeing Connor's hapless old mate from the ancient days of series one really highlights the changes in Connor. I love the thought that through series 2, 3 and interim gap, Duncan was out on the streets, imagining he was fighting the good fight, when really he just had no clue! Poor Duncan, he's a bit of a bumbler, but a very sweet one. Another plus point, the flushing of a cute little lizard down the loo, aaand... Five years later, flipping great scary dinosaur! Incidentally, at the start of the episode, did anyone TOTALLY think it was Jenny? Cause I did, and it took quite a lot of squinting for me to realise it wasn't. Which was disappointing, I miss Jenny and her efficiency! And after seeing a rather power-neutered Lester, it was nice to see him stand up and take charge again.

Episode 3 - Who'd be a time traveller? It's not all pretty blue boxes you know! At least according to Lady Emily and her mildly mental pal Ethan, anomaly nomads who remind me of Helen Cutter. Not to mention Charlotte. Poor, dead Charlotte who barely made it 5 minutes in. RIP. The idea of Victorian adventurers travelling through time sold this episode to me. The creatures, on the other hand... I have no idea if "tree raptors" exist, but they looked fictionalised to my eyes. This would be fine, if they were from the future, but that didn't seem to be the line. There was no official species name given, or anything official at all about them other than a few wee nicknames. Shows like Primeval need at least some grounding in fact, or else they'll just drift into lala land. So that's my one bugbear. Liked the lockdown, though I'm slightly convinced they stole my idea! On my fanfic page, I'm writing a Primeval story called Quarantine, set just after Series 2, where the ARC is locked down because Connor brings in potentially infectious slime on his gloves. It's pretty similar in a few aspects to the Lock Down plot... I'm considering asking for royalties (joke). Jess has won me round, with her perky ways. I no longer want to stand on her, you'll be pleased to hear! Philip Burton and his "New Dawn" are mysterious. I don't like him. Nobody with a beard like that is good news. Then there's Gideon, whose days are apparently numbered. In his scenes with Matt, I was struck that he reminds me a lot of Stephen Hart or Professor Cutter. But that is just stupid plot-mongering from me, not any kind of real spoiler. They're dead. This has been established. But Gideon means something, and I'm damned if I know what... Connor's password *CUTENESS SPOILER ALERT* "Abby Temple", was the sweetest thing I've heard in a long time. And I don't know if anyone enjoys squinting as much as I do, but if you look closely at the ARC monitors, the logo on there is the same one the team found in the Apocalyptic Future of Series 3. Something to ponder there...

I pre-ordered the DVD on Amazon last week. Hooray! Also, ordered the syfy TV movie Alice (starring Andrew-Lee Potts) which has finally come out in region 2 DVD. So I've got that to look forward to.

BTW, the blog Primeval Anomalies told me that ratings for Series 4 haven't been too great so far. So please tune in and get them rising, keep Primeval on our screens! Tell your friends (as I've told mine) to turn on for Primeval. They don't even have to watch if they don't wanna, just have it on in the background. But, of course, if they do watch, they'll be enjoying some quality viewing.

How do I sign off?? Geronimoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Sassy xx

*It's the song from the Primeval trailers, called "Time Bomb" by Educated Animals, and it's very good. Go to itunes and get it, it's only 79p for a well good track!

New Year of Squee!

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year (well not yet, but you might be reading this post a bit late). Now pleasantries aside, to business!

We waited. We watched. We blogged. We bitched. And now, the moment has come, to make it all worth it...January 1st. Primeval. Is. BACK.

And now if you will forgive me, I feel like using everyones's favourite online exclamation. Squee! *Coughcough*, now I feel better.

Well everyone knows the story of how fans worldwide couldn't bear a world without Primeval in it. We complained until the eardrums of ITV executives burst, and their email inboxes melted. Mammoths were loosed on the motorways, and top government officials found socks in the breadbin (it's possible I may be exaggerating slightly). Anywhoo, long story short, we, the fans, beat those faceless execs down.

Chances are you know this. And chances are you've also been following such admirable blogs as Primeval Anomalies, who have been keeping us up-to-date with any tiny tidbit of news that trickles through. If so, you'll now know all about new characters, Jess and Matt (So far, incidentally, the jury's still out for me - Jess has a cool wardrobe, but she's almost offensively perky, reminding me of a small woodland creature which is beseeching you not to step on it. As for Matt, the whole "Bad or Good, Is he or Isn't he?" thing has kind of been done. Helen in series 1, Caroline in series 2, even Danny was portrayed as a mysterious potential enemy at one point!)

And now to the webisodes - five taster scenes available exclusively from itv.com, each lasting around 5 mins. Frankly, I'm amazed at ITV's foresight about this - so far they've been pretty clueless about Primeval fans' needs (cancellation, ITV, we do not forget!) But in an unusual blast of sense, some top bod somewhere has seen that a jump of a year might be too hard for even the best of fans to keep up with. These little clips show the events which bring Jess and Matt to the ARC, help us get to know the previously aloof Becker (I don't care what Sarah/Becker shippers say, I never considered him a proper ARC team player before) and just fill in some of the background. For example, the new 50/50 management split between Lester and some chappy called Philip Burton, or the new (and, I think much uglier) ARC building. I just hope they don't change their logo before I get a chance to buy my T-shirt! In all seriousness though, if you like Primeval (which I assume you might, if you've persevered with my ramblings thus far), check out the webisodes. The new content, references to old friends, and future happinesses will really get your TV tastebuds juiced. Less than a week to go my friends, less than a week to go...


Elsewhere, In The World of Doctor Who

It's here! The trailer for Doctor Who series 6 has landed. Critically, because it moves flipping fast (I suppose this is the point to keep us guessing), I had to grab my impressions as I watched, and they flew by quick. So here goes (this is not necessarily in order of appearance, but in order of memorable-ness) a greater historical focus - nazis, pirates, etc; a naked River Song; A beardy Doctor; another fez craving; the Doctor wearing a stetson now (stetsons are cool); what looks like the Whitehouse; a quite epic western landscape; an Ood (or perhaps two) and the fact that monsters are real.

Now if that doesn't whet one's appetite, what will?

Something I've noted with interest in this trailer, and in yesterday's Christmas Special, was the almost Gothic feel there's been. At the start of series 5, the Moff made a bit of noise about making Doctor Who darker, more of a fairytale. I also believe that comparisons to Tim Burton were made. Well I love the work of Burton, so I was well into that idea... Yet (to my mind) it just didn't materialise. With the exception of a few brilliant scenes like the young Amelia's house, and Liz Ten's masked wandering, Doctor Who remained unchanged - still brilliant, but definitely not living up to it's Burtonesque hype. However, yesterday's A Christmas Carol was finally in the promised new vibe. A victorian planet, where people wear velvet jackets, white lace dresses and flying goggles. Little boys are got up in stripy pygamas, old men grouch around in tall towers, and beautiful ice maidens hang out in the basement. The lighting was darker, richer, as were the concepts. And, from the teasing trailer, Series 6 seems set to be cut in the same cloth. Perhaps this change (if, it sticks around, that is) won't be to everybody's taste, but I'm loving it!

Oh yes, 2011's going to be a very good year for entertainment.
Sassy xx

Good Poster for the ARC?

I can completely picture one of the Primeval team posting this, with wonderful irony. *Giggle*

David Tennant in Primeval! (But Not Really...)

Hey all, sorry about the rather shameless headline-grab! I was watching an old episode of Derren Brown: Trick or Treat, and guess what I saw?

David Tennant and Derren Brown, taking a walk outside a building which looks suspiciously like the ARC... Here they are again in close-up:

Am I crazy or is that totally the ARC, there?! We usually see it from a different angle, but if you look at it, the shape's the same, and that funny rising-up effect... compare with the ARC as shown in Primeval:

The building's been CGI'd, and filmed from a different angle, but it's sure similar, huh? Especially in the shot with the ARC explosion... DT in Primeval, eh? A fangirl's dream!

Just a lil thought from the infinitely random mind of Sassy (I may not look too bright, but my head...? It's bigger on the inside!)

Keep the Blue Light Flashing!

Sassy xx

Whirly Stuff

Finally I get what the Tenth Doctor is on about when he yells "Oh, my head, my head!" At the moment my head is full of the eponymous whirly stuff; I have far too much to think about and not enough space to do it in.

First is image. At the moment I am in desperate need of a summer wardrobe, but have no time or money to go shopping. I find that I literally have a file on my internet favourites which is simply called Clothes I Want, and is full of links to everything I desire, and cannot afford. I am also in need of a haircut - not desperately, but moderately. I am beginning to find hairs in irritating places like the washing up or clogging the vaccuum, which is never a good sign. Plus, as mentioned I have no money...

Which leads me to another train of thought. I have no money because it's all being saved for Frenzy! As previously mentioned, I am extremely excited about my visit to this Christian rock festival, in the town of Edinburgh on June 12th, in part because it'll be a chance to bag some cool Switchfoot merchandise. And I'm thrilled about that. Having said that, it is kinda getting on my nerves that my cash is all tied up in the "Frenzy Fund" as I call it.

Thirdly, there's revision. At this point I'm taking exams, so a fairly large part of my day is spent trying to cram knowledge into a reluctant brain, which would rather be thinking about clothes, hairdos, science fiction and good looking men...

Talking of science fiction (and perhaps also good looking men, depending on your taste) my brain is also full of Doctor Who, and other sci-fi. Random thoughts include:

How can I ever send in feedback to the various Doctor Who podcasts I listen to, when they update faster than I can catch up? And why do they all insist on audio format?!

Man, I really want that book, Chicks Dig Timelords (No Sassy, no! You have no money!)

Why is there Doctor Who and Torchwood magazines, but no Primeval magazine? It would really fill the gap between now and 2011... Also, why has nobody thought of a Primeval graphic novel... I draw Primeval art (badly), what's stopping more talented cartoonists?

- A thought for anyone who draws Primeval art!

I has brainy specs (£1 from Primark, with clear glass. See above): "You don't even need them , you just think they make you look a bit clever!"

Does the fact that I can very, very rarely find fault with any Doctor Who episode make me a better or worse fan?

What little part of my brain that's left is occupied with the other miscellaneous shenanigans of life - If I had a Tennant-style mop of hair, I'd be ruffling it right now, with gusto... I realise anyone who reads this is probably crying out for me to get to the point and do some reviewing of the last few episodes, but I find my head is too Wibbley-Wobbley, Timey-Wimey to do it... And , as I've said, I find it hard to review after watching an episode just once, or even twice... MY advice? Download the Doctor Who Podcast, or the DWO Whocast, for extensive reviewing, and come to me for the more frivolous side of fandom...

Keep the Blue Light Flashing!

Sassy xx

PS - The Pandorica will open, and Silence will fall... and when it does, try not to leave the handbrake on!

In Which Sassy Has a Good Old Ramble

Disclaimer: this Blog will have no specific news, but will mostly consist of random ramblings.

Parents, eh? You can't live with them, and you can't afford to live without them. Yesterday I went on a wee day out with my Dad, to cement the whole "Father-Daughter Bonding" thing. What a drag... Not that I don't love my Dad but he can be a bit of an old fart, as well as pretty damn embarrassing. Anywhoo, we headed to a bookstore.

I purchased the new edition of the Writer's Tale, a 700-plus tome, composed of correspondance between writer Russell T Davies and Doctor Who journalist Benjamin Cook. What a book! It really is freaking comprehensive... For example, I've learned that the Series 4 companion came perilously close to being Penny Carter, not Donna Noble! Who knew? And, if you want to hear the words Doctor Who and Primeval uttered in the same sentence, The Writer's Tale is the place to go. RTD is a fan of Primeval! This has shot him even higher in my estimation.

Talking of Primeval, amongst fans of the show it is pretty old news that it will be returning in 2011, but God, how I 'm missing it! I bought the last Primeval Book, to complete my collection - The Lost Island by Paul Kearney, if you're interested - and am now acutely aware that it's the last piece of new material I'll get for nearly a year. Ouch, that stings. Hurry back Primeval, I miss you - you were about the only thing worth watching on ITV!

Anyway, back to parents. D'you know what mine said to me? Not just once, but twice (in relation to Doctor Who and Primeval respectively):

"Aren't you getting a bit old for all that?"

I ask you! The obvious answer to that question is NO, and they know it. They ask, not because they genuinely feel I will grow out of this "phase", but because the fear I will not is growing in their hearts. I was joking about the idea of going on Mastermind - specialist subject: Doctor Who, 2005 to Present Day. I could answer every question they put to me, all bar one.

What IS the "T" in Russell T Davies, by the way?

I think what they fear is that I will be a horrifically stereotypical nerd - you know the type, spotty, messy, lonely and fat - when I am older. But truly, I don't think that's gonna happen. Scifi is a hobby, albeit a passionate one, and if New Who has proved anything, it's that Science Fiction can attract a wide range of fans and age-groups. Long gone are the days of spotty teens dressed up in makeshift Cybermen costumes. Let me have my passions - anything's better than the endless episodes of Coronation Street my Dad watches!

One last message, before I go - The Eleventh Hour? Loved! I literally applauded at the end. When I heard about all the changes ( The logo, title sequence, reset to "Series 1", TARDIS interior AND exterior, to say nothing of the Kissogram companion) I was a little apprehensive. I actually trusted Matt Smith to be a great Doctor, it was Stephen Moffat I was wary of - he seemed to be changing too much!

However, the new episode made me eat my words. Amy Pond was a great partner to the Doctor; the logo and title sequence were logical evolution, rather than a radical about turn; the new TARDIS complimented the new Doctor, and still held elements of the old (plus, let's be honest, who didn't love the "sexy thing"?) and, most amusingly, I noticed the BBC Iplayer have Doctor Who marked as Series 5. Guess the Moff can't get his way all the time!

Some have said that Matt Smith was trying too hard to be like the Tenth Doctor, and I did see some mannerisms that lingered at first. However, as the story progressed, it became clear (at least to me), that what Smith was doing was portraying a character regeneration as well as a physical one. By the time he had stripped off - yummily - and changed into his bow tie 'n' braces attire, he was very much his own man. This theory of mine was backed up in The Beast Below, in which, from the start, the Doctor felt like a very new character who we were getting to know. And I was loving it!

Keep that Blue Light Flashing
Sassy xx