Smith and moans

At the turn of the year there I finished Zadie Smith's 'On Beauty'. Smith's own version of E. M. Forster's 'Howards End' about two families seperated by class and beliefs, each with their own lives complicated by gender and personal morals. A good book but slightly underwhelming in the end. Too many main characters. There were nine members in the two families, causing the characterisation to be too thinly spread, in my measly opinion. In the end it felt like a relief to finish the book.
Since the new year the news and newspapers have been pretty depressing seeming to contain nothing but death, conflict and war, mostly to do with the Gaza conflict adding to the chaos in the Middle East. Peter Sissons only managed a smile on Saturday night with the news of the casting of the eleventh Doctor, taking over from David Tennant in Doctor Who. Some young guy called Matt Smith. The only role I've seen him in was in 'The Ruby and the Smoke' a dramatisation of Philip Pullman's book. Apparently fans all over the internet are outraged at such a young actor being cast. Why are fandoms like that? Why can't people just wait and see what happens? Give the guy a chance! Okay, he's no Jon Pertwee, but we've all got to move on. This is exactly what happened to Daniel Craig when he got the Bond role. Bond fans all over the web were screaming for blood because a blond guy had been cast in the role. Give us a break! Look what a great Bond Craig has turned into. Certainly not the worst (Roger Moore anyone?) What are these weird people like? Sitting at home, at their computers, typing away, moaning and ranting... believing themselves to be right about everything... in the hope that someone will read their thoughts and opinions......(cough)
Anyway, I did not have far to go in my hunt for a new book to get on with. In the end I went for a book I received as a present for Christmas. Jonathan Ross' own book, fittingly titled "Why do I say these things?". It was released before Christmas and as Ross said himself, was perfect for not only exploiting the Christmas market, but for "the relative that was difficult to buy for". Which I found slightly strange as I've always been told how I'm easy to buy for? Obviously Ka's Mum does not reckon so. I'm only three chapters into it (I started it late last night) but am quite enjoying it so far. It's not an autobiography but a collection of tales (perhaps verging into the tall department) from different times throughout Ross' own life. In fact, it's very much like reading a blog. I wonder if any of our blogs will ever make it on to bookshelves for the Christmas market? Or even the Barrowlands market? Okay, maybe Paddy's Market? If Ross can do it, so can we!

Renovation

Anyone watching Dead Set on E4 at the moment? It's a rather entertaining drama horror based around the premise of a Big Brother rudely interupted by a zombie outbreak in the best George A. Romero fashion except with a more 28 Days Later atmosphere to it all. It's actually surprisingly better than I thought it would be and a lot more dramatic with a lot less comedy. Charlie Brooker is the man behind it all. He usually writes for The Guardian and does a show on BBC four called Screenwipe in which he reviews and snidely slags of tv. Like Harry Hill except without the stupidity and a ladelfuls more sarcasm (and when I say Harry Hill, I mean the TV one, the one with the big glasses and collar, not the one that I go hill climbing with!). We've also been watching more of The Mighty Boosh, 'The Legend of Old Gregg', to be precise in which our hero Howard Moon has a scarring encounter with a strange, transsexual merman who likes watercolour. Brillaintly weird as always.
Talking of brilliantly weird what's all this about David Tennant leaving the TARDIS? Gawds sake. Gutted! Who could possibly replace the mighty Tennant as the Doctor?! It just cannot be done! When Tennant first donned the suit I wasn't so sure but his sheer enthusiasm and brilliance in the role got me hooked again (more than Eccleston's personification did). Steven Moffat is taking over the writing duties as of 2010 though (a great tv writer), so that should breath some new life into it. Was never a major fan of Russell T Davies' arc building and then disappointingly demolishing...
Passed Crystals in EK the other day. The other night my sister claimed it was being demolished and replaced with a very similar building. It is in fact being renovated and is now surrounded by scaffolding. Ah shame... those sticky floors always made those Crystal nights memorable. It was a bit of a dive. It got so bad that at one point, earlier this year, Ka, Chaz, Kenny and myself opted for Centre Point instead... and that's saying something.

The Stolen Earth

Last night's Doctor Who was a great 50 mins of tv. Fantastic! A total return to the edge of y'er seat Doctor Who excitement of old. The return of Davros and his Daleks with The Doctor and Donna gaining the help of friends old and new but the cliffhanger had to be the cruelest cliffhanger of them all! Half zapped by a extermination ray from a Dalek prowling in the shadows. Could this be the end for the tenth Doctor?