kbailey-6 Reviews

Inside Man: Episode #1.4 (2022) Season 1, Episode 4

DIM INSANE

[3/10 · 5 October 2022]

As a fan of Press Gang I happily watch Steven Moffat's work. In the first episode I was delighted that Godelming Station appeared as Norbridge Station. In Press Gang it was Surbiton Station that was so renamed. Joking Apart was fun. Chalk wasn't. Doctor Who and Sherlock were better.

And now Inside Man!

Stanley Tucci's scene were engrossing. It was strong enough to warrant his own series.

David Tennant plot was farcical and tedious. Each new twist felt desperate.

Lydia West's journalist seemed to cross the Atlantic for a brief chat where an internet call would have been more believable. There must have been a couple of smart phones still working.

There was finally a sort of meeting of the two leads. Not a convincing coupling.

I stuck with the series expecting a smart ending. I was disappointed!

The Newsreader: A Step Closer to the Madness (2021) Season 1, Episode 4

Wasn't that a blast?

[9/10 · 6 August 2022]

This episode starts slow and rather dull. Helen is panicking at the upcoming meal with Dale and his mother. The news room are preparing items about a British royal wedding: Fergie and Andrew. As a Brit I wasn't the least interested in the wedding and found the items being prepared rather amusing and inept. A bar was offering a Fergie cocktail and a Diana cocktail.

Rob, Dale and the camera team head off to film a report. Once filmed Rob heads back to the newsroom leaving the others filming inserts. So far, rather silly.

And then everything changes. As the 'Storyline' reveals, a bomb goes off at the Russell Street Police Station. Dale posts live reports which are brilliantly staged.

As a Brit, I had to look up the bombing and found out that it did happen.

This is developing into an excellent unmissable series.

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill (2016 TV Movie)

Who was performing?

[10/10 · 1 August 2017]

Recently I saw the show in London and was mesmerised. Having been told that it had been filmed by HBO I managed to track down a recording. Such a wonderful reminder of a brilliant night! Was Audra performing or had Billie come back amongst us? I gave the cigarette and lit it for Billie (oops, Audra!) and she acknowledged me when she took her applause at the end. I was choked. I have seen her concert at the Leicester Square Theatre in 2016 and a more different show cannot be imagined, though also brilliant. Audra is such a great actor and singer.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1984 Video Game)

The Best Text Adventure(?)

[30 April 2005]

Having played quite a few text adventures, H2G2 stood out as the most user friendly.

Its understanding of language was the best I have encountered. There were some little problems: 'Lay down/Lie down' produced different results. Other reviewers claim that progress is only made when 'exact' phrases are used. This is nonsense. The program is well written and allows much variation.

The puzzles are great. Douglas Adams has said that this was the version of H2G2 that turned out most closely as intended. When I played the game in the late 80s, I didn't know where to get help with the puzzles. I had no choice - I had to use my brain. With the help of friends, the game was completed after a few months. It had been a great experience. Sadly I never got on with the other Douglas Adams' adventure 'Bureaucracy'. And the graphic adventure, 'Starship Titanic' is beautiful to look at and awful to play! H2G2 was written for many platforms. Some had graphics. Some had extended description.

The game is still available to play online. It can also be downloaded and played using an emulator. A fun way to treat text adventures today is to try using a speech recognition program such as Via Voice &c. There could be a future for text adventures using a speak/reply device – no keyboard, no screen. H2G2 would be the perfect game.