"Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead" Review, New CLUB DEAD Cover

I found the cover of the trade paperback edition of Charlaine Harris's Club Dead, to be released on September 1. Now what's interesting about this is that the book was originally released in mass market paperback (the smaller size of paperback) in 2003. The success of the series, catapulted by HBO's "True Blood," has caused the publisher to release more expensive editions of the books.

I like the original, very whimsical artwork, which reflected the humor and folky quality of the Southern Vampires series.

Flames Rising has a discussion on genre and asks the eternal question, "How can you tell if something is a paranormal romance vs. a true urban fantasy novel (and when it’s just vampire smut)?"

Author Catherine Karp, the new movie reviewer at Vampire Chix, lists upcoming vampire films. "Whether you like your creatures of the night sparkly, horrifying, romantic, or comedic, you'll have no trouble finding a film to suit your paranormal tastes."


"Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead" Review

I was very excited that the new season of "Doctor Who" was starting here in the US, and I set my DVR to record it "Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead." I expected it to be fab, as season openers should be. Instead...

The show started with a James Bondian/Catherine Zeta-Jonesian scene of a burglary at a museum. It had the Bondish music, the dark haired girl in black on a rope with a winch, blah, blah, blah. Yes, of course, she's Lady Christina (Michelle Ryan), an aristocrat and a genius burglar, because so many beautiful aristocrats like to spend time reading museum blueprints, studying computer security systems, learning mechanics, and stealing ancient artifacts.

The genius burglar doesn't actually have a plan to escape with her stolen goods and after about ten minutes of looking at the street where a big bus and cop cars are, she realizes that she should get on the bus. The Doctor (David Tennant) gets on with a thingamajig-gizmo that he's using to track something. At this point, the show goes into cuteness overload and it stay there for the next excrutiating thirty minutes.

The bus is sucked into a wormhole, into a planet of sand. But all the sand is dead people. Yes, it's even less exciting than that sounds. The dead people used to look like giant ants. Yes, that's even less sympathetic than it sounds. The Doctor and Lady Christina -- who seems as if she's attended the You Can Be Sassy & Klassy Academie of Acting!-- fix the damn bus so it flies and everyone goes "OOooooh!" I'm going to blame the director for her performance, not Michelle Ryan, because the role seemed to have been written that way.

Oh, did I mention there's a bumbling genius with fingerless gloves, who says cute things and bumbles and fumbles? The plot was pretty stupid, as was the resolution.

The whole thing ends with frickin John Williamesque "Raiders of the Lost Ark" music.

It was like a kids' show, which is fine, but put it on Saturday mornings. (I know that the original series was a family show.) In previous episodes, when a civilization has been wipes out, it is shocking and tragic. In this episode, it's just a throwaway line.

In previous seasons, the Doctor can be light-hearted, but he's dangerous under the smile; he's someone who will sacrifice many lives to save even more without hesitation. (I preferred Christopher Eccleston in this role.) In this episode, the Doctor is simply giddy and fun, and Lady Christina was giddy and fun, and isn't facing death giddy and fun? Let's do it again.

Not.

I was so disappointed, but everyone else seemed to love this episode. Go figure.

• "It's an exciting adventure story with all the humor and wit that can be expected of a Doctor Who story..." (Examiner)

• "Tennant's palpable energy and quirky charm are the engines that drive Planet of the Dead, and he's well-matched by Michelle (Bionic Woman) Ryan as his one-off companion..." (HitFix)

• "When the Doctor gets on the bus, handing out Easter egg chocolate and talking to Christina as if she's a long lost friend, its clear that this is going to be a fun romp, and that's what the show turns out to be." (DVD Talk)

• "It’s the combination of the fast pace, originality and happy go lucky style that makes Doctor Who: Planet of the Dead one of the best adventures that any of the Doctors has had." (PopMatters)
  

I miss Christopher Eccleston and I miss Billie Piper as Rose Tyler.




Daily Haiku

My contest for Mike Carey's Felix Castor series ends tonight, so you still have a chance to enter. Here are the latest haiku inspired by entry suggestions.

Morning Glow said "vampire bowtie."

He never treated
Drinking blood as casual
In bowtie and tails

Sweet Vernal Zephyr said "Magi miniskirt."

When casting a spell
Stand not over the air duct
In your miniskirt

Breia B. said "werewolf waders."

He wanted romance
Not wet fur stench, so he wore
Sensible waders


GRATUITOUS VIDEOS OF THE DAY

For the Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard) fans... I'm glad he's cut his hair so he doesn't remind me so much of my best friend from high school.



Something for Henry Fitzroy (Kyle Schmid) admirers.