Category Archives: Spinoffs

Mrs Columbo: Off the Record

If we were unsure of Kate’s marital status, she makes it clear in this episode. She is Kate Columbo no more: “I went to court and got my maiden name back.” Oddly, Mike expresses surprise at hearing Kate introduce herself … Continue reading

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Angel: City Of

I can’t believe it!  I was so happy when Doctor Who came back to our screens in 2005.  It seems I wasn’t alone either; the show grew in popularity in ways we classic fans could never have expected.  Then 2006 … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: It Goes with the Territory

What goes with the territory? For Kate, it’s danger, and that’s an element that differs very much from the parent show. Once again Jenny is imperilled as well, so having a daughter also adds to that element of risk. You … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: Ladies of the Afternoon

What’s this? Mrs Columbo isn’t Mrs Columbo any more? There have been some odd ideas floated around as to why this happened, and in the absence of a detailed interview with somebody connected with this show we can only really … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: A Puzzle for Prophets

You’ve got to hand it to this show: they tried to choose interesting people as the killers. We had a retired police officer in Murder is a Parlor Game and a ventriloquist in A Riddle for Puppets. Now it’s the … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: Caviar with Everything

The first episode of Mrs Columbo was about 90 minutes, but every subsequent episode has been around the 45 minute mark. This is significantly shorter than a Columbo episode, despite still showing us the murder first and then having Kate … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: A Riddle for Puppets

We start this episode with a lot of shots of disembodied ventriloquist dummy heads, which had me on edge right from the beginning. The story centres around ventriloquist Noel Abbott, who is a recognisable, famous entertainer, but takes the trouble … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: Murder is a Parlor Game

Mrs Columbo is still hanging on the coat-tails of the parent show, but unlike the first episode this one could easily have worked as an actual Columbo episode, with minimal rewriting, so let’s return to a review format that regular … Continue reading

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Mrs Columbo: Word Games

To say this series has a bad reputation would be an understatement. As a Columbo fan, I have been aware of the existence of a spin-off show for many years, but have never seen a single episode. Everything I have … Continue reading

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Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club (Season One)

Both Love Live! and its sequel Love Live! Sunshine!! followed basically the same storyline, with an idol group with nine members being assembled, with the goal to make their school famous and save it from impending closure. There were different … Continue reading

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Daleks (The Time Lord Victorious series)

It seems appropriate to take a pause from Big Finish after last week’s adventure, The Juggernauts, to go to another of those special Doctor Who extras that may have slipped past your respective radars.  In November of 2020, while we … Continue reading

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Love Live! Sunshine!! (Review)

I made a bit of a silly mistake with this series, because it’s a sequel to Love Live! and I had somehow failed to realise that. I ended up watching the first season of Sunshine!!, going back to watch both … Continue reading

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Class: The Lost

Perhaps it makes sense but all the episodes seem to lead very smoothly to this moment.  The relationships had to go through the first few episodes to establish their bonds, the last few have focused on the paranoia and insecurities … Continue reading

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Class: The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did

One of the advantages of being a science fiction fan is that we tend to develop active imaginations.  I imagine the call between Patrick Ness and the “governors” of the BBC when this show was being produced. BBC: Pat, sorry … Continue reading

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Class: Detained

It looks like episode 6 might be another unofficial two part story.  Detained separates Ms. Quill from the rest of the class but based on the final scene of this story, it looks like episode 7 will reveal what she … Continue reading

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Class: Brave-ish Heart

Episode 5 picks up where 4 left off creating the first unofficial two-parter of the series.   I say unofficial because it’s not considered a two-part story, but that doesn’t change the basic premise that this episode is directly connected to … Continue reading

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Class: Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart

Episode 4 of Class looks like we’re going to be getting to know April a bit better.  April is conflicted; her heart is in two places.  I mean that literally.  The Shadow King and April share a heart.  But that’s not … Continue reading

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Class: Nightvisiting

Class resumes and this week looks like we’re going to get some backstory around Tanya.  Tanya is missing her dad.  He died 2 years ago.  She’s sad and just before going to bed, gives his picture a little kiss.  When … Continue reading

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Class: The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo

Class is back in session, this time focusing largely on Ram, the school sports king.  I haven’t warmed to the characters yet, but I think that was the point: introduce us to some that are hard to like and slowly … Continue reading

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Class: For Tonight We Might Die

If you ask me, the Brits are superb storytellers.  They have an idea, and they tell it, length be damned.  If that means 8 episodes will tell the story, that’s what they  will do.  No need to drag an 8-episode … Continue reading

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