Category Archives: Reviews

The Twilight Zone: The Invaders

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Roger Pocock

I think it’s safe to say that anyone who has ever watched The Twilight Zone has seen The Invaders.  It’s up there with those other classics like Time Enough at Last or Eye of the Beholder.  But let’s pretend it’s … Continue reading →

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Sherlock Holmes: The Mazarin Stone

Posted on December 1, 2022 by DrAcrossthePond

How do you ruin a Sherlock Holmes story?  That’s a loaded question which deserves a loaded answer.  For one, you take out the main character.  Brett was ill at the time of filming and has less than 30 seconds on … Continue reading →

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The Avengers: Death a la Carte

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Roger Pocock

On the same evening that a Dalek first waved a menacing sink plunger at one of the Doctor’s companions, over on the other channel The Avengers offered Death a la Carte, later the same evening, written by future Doctor Who … Continue reading →

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Space: 1999 – Devil’s Planet

Posted on November 29, 2022 by DrAcrossthePond

Last week I made the observation that a Koenig-free episode was excellent and Koenig himself may play a part in why some episodes are especially weak.  This episode comes along and features only Koenig from the main cast (with no explanation of … Continue reading →

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The Andromeda Breakthrough: Storm Centres

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Roger Pocock

The audience research reports for The Andromeda Breakthrough in 1962 indicated that viewers felt the series was slow to get going, but this episode finally picked up the pace with some exciting developments. I’m paraphrasing, but I think the viewers … Continue reading →

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Episode Two

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Roger Pocock

In the first episode, Edmund made the ironic comment that, “in the country, nothing ever happens.” This week he learns how wrong he was, becoming the second of the children to meet somebody in Narnia, but whereas Lucy was lucky … Continue reading →

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Homecoming

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Roger Pocock

After a run of four high quality episodes to start the season, Homecoming feels like a throwback to Season One. Cordelia is social networking, literally buying votes in an attempt to become Homecoming Queen, Buffy is getting upset about not … Continue reading →

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The Twilight Zone: The Whole Truth

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Roger Pocock

I guess I can’t fault Rod Serling for aiming for some comedy from time to time.  I spend a good deal of my time being whimsical and playful.  Why should Serling only write dark drama?  He’s as entitled to humor … Continue reading →

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The Avengers: Don’t Look Behind You

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Roger Pocock

In the introduction to this episode on the DVD, Patrick Macnee describes it as “the best television show of the entire series”, and that’s despite having very little to do with the story himself. He can’t have formed that opinion … Continue reading →

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Space: 1999 – Dorzak

Posted on November 22, 2022 by DrAcrossthePond

Here’s an observation: Koenig is utterly absent from this episode and it’s excellent.  Call me a cynic, but that stands out to me.  He’s apparently exploring asteroids that might be habitable.  I say: stay there. This episode has an alien … Continue reading →

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The Andromeda Breakthrough: Azaran Forecast

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Roger Pocock

The third episode of The Andromeda Breakthrough takes us on a journey from bad guys being in charge of alien technology, to very bad guys being in charge of alien technology. Most of the episode is concerned with a revolution … Continue reading →

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: Episode One

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Roger Pocock

Last Christmas I wrote about the 1984 BBC adaptation of The Box of Delights, in a popular episode-by-episode series of articles. The obvious follow up to that is another series that captivated me as a child, the spiritual successor to … Continue reading →

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Beauty and the Beasts

Posted on November 19, 2022 by Roger Pocock

So far this season every episode has taken an issue facing Buffy and dealt with it by translating a metaphor into a literal monster to fight. This week it is Faith’s turn to supply the metaphor: “all men are beasts,” … Continue reading →

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The Twilight Zone: Back There

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Roger Pocock

Really though, what’s the likelihood that The Professor from Gilligan’s Island (Russell Johnson) would be in another time travel episode of The Twilight Zone?   Well, clearly the likelihood was quite high because he’s back for that very thing.  Last time, … Continue reading →

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Sherlock Holmes: The Red Circle

Posted on November 17, 2022 by DrAcrossthePond

I couldn’t recall what The Red Circle was about until I’d started the episode.  Then it came flooding back.  Could this have a stronger impact than the written version?  The answer is yes!   Opening with a murder on the doorstep … Continue reading →

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The Avengers: The Golden Fleece

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Roger Pocock

A few weeks ago, The Gilded Cage blurred the lines between heroes and villains. The Golden Fleece goes even further down that path. Between 1945 and the end of the decade UK armed forces personnel were reduced from nearly five … Continue reading →

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Space: 1999 – The Séance Spectre

Posted on November 15, 2022 by DrAcrossthePond

It’s a title one expects to find in a ghost story, but there are no ghosts.  This isn’t a horror story or anything of the kind.  We only lose a single crewman, so it doesn’t even come close to falling … Continue reading →

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The Andromeda Breakthrough: Gale Warning

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Roger Pocock

In the first episode of The Andromeda Breakthrough, Fleming was very much the master of his own destiny, on the run with Andromeda and successfully evading capture, even foiling the plans of gunmen who arrived at the hermit’s cottage where … Continue reading →

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The Edgar Wallace Mysteries: Dead Man’s Chest

Posted on November 13, 2022 by Roger Pocock

The idea for this film takes some believing. John Thaw plays David Jones, a young journalist who decides to fake a murder in order to generate a hoax story to make headlines. He is after “interviews, syndicated rights, television”. It’s … Continue reading →

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Faith, Hope & Trick

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Roger Pocock

Faith, Hope and Trick. Let’s deal with those three in reverse order, as that approach will take us on a journey from least to most interesting. Mr Trick is presumably going to be around for a while, so it’s too … Continue reading →

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