The Directors Chair

It’s different but yet the same. No American Dad or Family Guy again this week so I can only bring you Heroes and Desperate Housewives. I think it should also be noted that I now have a Blu Ray DVD player and it is freakin’ amazing. I could not believe the difference this thing makes, it’s incredible. I urge you to upgrade to the future if you haven’t done so already.

Episode: 5.05 – Mirror, Mirror
This week we went all Tarantino as we saw the end of the episode first and then through a series of flashbacks found out how we got to this point. We learn that Gabby could be pregnant again and her previous two were a bit of a shock. Carlos lied to her, saying he got a vasectomy when he really didn’t. She forgives him though as he really wants a son and Gabby obviously does too.

Lynette and Tom are fighting, as usual. We learn that in the past five years Tom died in the pizza parlour for a few minutes and from that point on all he has wanted to do was capture life. This time he wants to take the kids out of school, sell the shop and go around America in a camper van, Lynette obviously sees sense and “crushes” his latest dream. They don’t make up in the episode, is a potential Tom and Lynette split on the cards?

Jackson and Susan break up after Jackson pushes too far and asks Susan if he can move in. Susan still only wants the sex and not a relationship which forces Jackson to leave. In the flashbacks we learn that Susan never really wanted to be divorced from Mike but it was him who took the step and ended it. Now Susan is single again, I wouldn’t be surprised if she tries to lure Mike back.

Orson asks Bree for a divorce! It seems that Bree regrets her decision to take him on board as a partner because she knows it will upset Kathryn. Orson can’t understand why until Bree breaks the news that on the day Orson left for prison, she started drinking again and it was Kathryn who helped her fight her addiction. Overcome, Orson apologises and goes to speak to Kathryn, saying he is not going to be a partner but an employee until Kathryn thinks he is ready.

The interlinking stories come together at the surprise 70th birthday party being held for Mrs. McClusky although Dave is planting the seeds of her dementia. Whilst she is out for drinks with Edie, Dave breaks in and moves things about in her house. Mrs. M storms into the party with a baseball bat and takes a swing. She starts accusing Dave of sending her crazy and everyone believes she is ill. She is carted off to hospital but gets a final goodbye from Dave who apologises that it had to be her. Finally we learn that Dave is now one step closer to getting revenge on the person who ruined his life.

I actually enjoyed the episode this week, new things were learnt, more story is told and the Tarantino twist and interlinking stories actually made it quite fun to watch.

Y2Rating: 8/10

Episode: 3.07 – Eris Quod Sum
Yet again, more confusing plot and lack of killing people off. Honestly Heroes, you’re lucky I come to expect it of you now!

Daphne is called to see Mr. Peterlli, he is unhappy she didn’t bring Matt to him, she apologises but Papa P has had it and now wants him dead. Maury is obviously distraught and pleads with him to reconsider, he doesn’t but does snap Maury’s neck, killing him. Daphne goes to Matt, she can’t kill him and he tells her he’ll think of something. The two argue as Knox appears and shouts at Daphne for not being able to do her job. Matt then says he isn’t afraid of Knox but really his is as the fear allows Knox to smash his fist right through his chest and then knocks out Daphne. Knox leaves, content. Then Matt and Daphne appear, it was all a mind game – then why not trap Knox in his own head rather than leave him to wander off?

Hiro and Ando are still with the precog, Ando thinks Hiro should go back in time to find out the villains weaknesses but Hiro refuses instead opting to eat the precog paste to see into the future. That’s all we get of Hiro this week.

Claire comes home to find the house in ruins, Elle is there, she needs Noah as she can no longer control her power. Claire tells her of Pinehearst and the two head off there, the first time we ever see our heroes in transit, Elle almost crashes the plane until Claire absorbs her electricity. When they reach the facility they learn the truth that they are about removing powers, Claire runs but Elle goes in.

Mohinder takes Maya to Pinehearst where Arthur Petrelli removes her power, she leaves but gives Mohinder the cold shoulder. Arthur tells him he can do good by helping him amend the formula. Mohinder agrees but will need a test subject, Arthur gives him Peter.

Angela visits Sylar in his mind and tells him he needs to help Peter, so he lets himself out of incarceration and heads to Pinehearst where he is confronted by his father. Arthur tells Sylar the “truth” about Angela and how she tried to kill him as a baby and when Peter confronts them both Sylar throws him out a seventh floor window. Peter crashes into the arms of Claire and has survived, how? Peter thinks Sylar used his abilities to cushion the fall, giving Peter the chance to escape and recoup his powers.

Nothing really to cliff hang on here. The family is getting a bit messed up with Peter now powerless, Claire unable to feel anything, Nathan off to Pinehearst to confront his Dad and Sylar on the borderline of good and evil. Still exciting stuff. The future visions and future Peter are no longer, too much has changed in the present that must alter the future, therefore surely the world might no longer be ending? Hiro should go check. Peter no longer has his abilities – how will he get them back? This would mean the dead Future Peter would never have had his powers and therefore unable to travel back into the past to shoot Nathan who would never have found God and thus this whole series would be avoidable?

Confused? Try not to be and just enjoy it. I do.

Y2Rating: 8/10

ABC have released the first teaser promo for Lost season five!! I’m so excited!! Click below to view it, but if you’ve not seen season four yet…be warned!!

I’m actually on holiday, but I’m finding the time to come here and write my wrap-ups just especially for you, dear reader. OK, shall we start with…

I must be a precog because I said last week there was no way they’d have killed off Ando and low and behold, they hadn’t! Just as I predicted, Hiro would freeze time and just so happen to stumble upon a fake sword and blood in the bar he was in. This allowed Hiro to get in with the bad guys who tell him he must go and find the African dude who has been helping Parkman find his way.

Parkman has made his journey back to the US and is greeted by Daphne at the airport he tells her they need to be together but she doesn’t believe him, he name drops her grandmother and she starts to show an interest. Parkman is feeling the love and asks her to do what is in her heart, so she does, and runs off.

Knox has taken Adam Monroe to see Mr. Petrelli, Adam is surprised he’s still alive, something which thankfully Adam isn’t anymore! Mr. P takes his abilities and can breathe again as he gets out of bed, preparing to run the world his way.

Claire and her mum go off to save Meridith, Sandra says Noah taught her “one of us one of them” so Claire accepts she needs to go, only Doyle easily cottons onto their plans and forces the family to play Russian roulette…can you see what’s going to happen? After Claire fires a blank at Meridith, Sandra picks it up and points it at Claire who tells her mum to fire. She does, Claire goes down and Doyle is impressed, but with his back turned Claire is up and knocks him out. Noah arrives to clear up the mess but Claire still isn’t talking to him.

Tracey and Nathan head to see Mohinder, Daphne also pays him a visit to try and recruit him but when she stumbles upon his experiments she bolts. Mohinder promises he can help his two friends only he injects them with something to knock them out. Tracey, tied to a table tries to freeze Mohinder and buys herself some time to get free of her shackles only for Mohinder to show his rage and trap them again.

Daphne – the busy bee – now frees Sylar and another inmate of Level 5, Sylar refuses to go with her but free’s Peter, telling him their mother is in trouble. Peter tries to get in her head but is blocked and can only see the logo for the facility where Daphne is taking everyone. Sylar and Peter have a fight about controlling his rage only for Peter to end up trapping Sylar again in the facility.

Hiro and Ando try to capture the African Mr. Issac but being a precog this isn’t easy. They finally do and he tells them that they have passed the test. He tells them they could take him to the facility or they could just see the villians they are after by looking at one of his paintings.

Peter arrives at Pinehurst and confronts his father, he wants answers but Papa P wants a hug. Peter gives one to him but his dad sucks out all his powers!

Overall a good episode, lots going on and a little predictable at times but solid. Finally someone died – Adam – but I wish they’d just focus on the characters they have rather than keep introducing new ones. Once again Peter has lost his powers…well I suppose this is the first time he’s lost them as opposed to last time when he just forgot them. I wonder how he’ll get them back this time?

Y2Rating: 7/10

Bree is going to be famous and it’s causing some resentment with the other housewives. Her cookbook is out and she’s been voted Businesswoman of the Year! Lynette wants to get in on the action so does some mock ups for a PR campaign but Bree wants to keep what she’s got.

Orson is caught by Bree, he has been lying about going to work, he was laid off after they found out he’d been to prison but too ashamed to tell his wife. After being unable to find a job anywhere he turns to Bree in the hope she’ll hire him, but she refuses which only furthers the gap between them so Orson sleeps in the guest bedroom.

Gabby and Carlos want some time alone, they palm Wanita off on a friend for a playdate and get down to some love-making. Only Carlos’ description of blind sex makes Gabby want some too, so she puts on a blindfold and they go at it, only to be walked in on by Wanita! They have to then discuss the birds and the bees with her daughter who then blabs it to all her friends, getting her kicked out of the playdate. When Gabby and Carlos go to apologise, Carlos lets slip there is no Santa and they’re back in the doghouse once again.

Susan feels MJ is being neglected by his father, they both want to spend more time together and Mike fears Jackson is moving in on his son. To win over MJs affections Mike buys him a bike, but isn’t there to teach him ride it and so Jackson chips in, taking off the training wheels. This causes Susan to panic and she asks MJ to fall so his Dad can help pick him up. All this comes out at the hospital when he falls awkwardly.

The answers to Mike’s prayers could be helped by Dave who wants him in the garage band with him and Tom. Edie wants to buy the old Hudson house which has come on the market but Dave snaps at her and says no which frightens them both and forces Dave to take a pill. Later he is talking to Mike who reveals he wants to be closer to his son so Dave agrees to buy the house and rents it to Mike, but doesn’t let Mike know who his landlords are.

Bree caves and gives Orson the job with her after Lynette apologises for wanting in on her success. She realises that she is losing everything and the one thing she wants more than anything else is her husband.

Nothing to hang on this week other than the creepy Dave and we’ll still not really seeing any major storylines develop. Each week its a new story for each couple but contained in that episode, we aren’t being given a bigger picture.

Y2Rating: 6/10

Stan is jealous of Jackson who is Bullocks number one guy, that is until Stan is promoted but with that promotion comes trouble as Francine is left looking after Avery Junior. She begs Stan to stand up to his boss but he can’t as the privledges of being number one are too great. Finally he cracks and goes to rescue Bullocks wife but three years in Iraq has turned her into an Islamic radicalist. By the time Stan and Francine return her to normal Bullock has found a bit on the side. Stan then has to look after the other woman whilst away on his romantic break but finally says no to his boss after Roger, who has been jealous of Francine giving all the attention to AJ attempts to kill AJ by driving him off a cliff by Stans cabin retreat. Roger then plots a plan which brings everything out in the open.

Quite a boring episode this week, no laugh out loud moments, it felt like I’d seen it all before too.

Y2Rating: 5/10

This was another “Road To” special, this time we’re on the road to Germany after Mort steps into a time machine in Stewie’s bedroom. Brian and Stewie must go back in time to save him after he winds up in Nazi Germany.

There are a few funny moments, like when Stewie bumps into Hitler but again this feels like its all been done before. Nothing really stood out for me.

Y2Rating: 5/10

Whilst other shows may be floundering, Heroes picked up the pace again this week and amazingly, stayed in one place too! We didn’t jump to the future, we didn’t go to the past, we were in the present and we learnt some huge facts.

Both of Claire’s mothers are upset with her for lying and running off to do good. They wonder where she could have got to and worry she’s gone to see a man who can create vortexes and send objects to the beyond. Meredith goes in search of her daughter only to wind up in a spot of bother with a villain who can seemingly control your every move.

Noah and Sylar are on another mission together, they are off to see Stephen Canfield, the guy who creates vortices, although Claire has got there first. Stephen gives a sob story to Claire on how all he wants is to see his family again, he killed a man in error when he couldn’t control his powers and Claire believes him. Noah and Sylar turn up onto to anger Stephen who creates a vortex which threatens to suck them all into the void. Claire is saved by Sylar and Noah, whilst thankful, hates him so much.

When Noah lies to Claire in order to track down Stephen, she finally sees the monster in her Dad. Stephens family never showed up so he is depressed, Noah holds a gun to his head and tells him that if he sends Sylar into a portal everything will be over and he’ll let him go. Stephen refuses and Claire tries to get her Dad to stop. The pressure is on, Noah threatens harder which sees Stephen open a portal and send himself into it. Claire can no longer trust her father.

Hiro and Ando have unearthed Adam Monroe, looking a bit fatter than before, which is strange considering he was buried alive all those years, and not even got a beard or longer hair…still. Adam agrees to help find the villain who has the formula but during a bar-room scuffle Hiro gets punched out and Adam escapes only to be bundled into the back of a van by Knox who then, with Daphne, confronts Hiro and Ando. Knox gives them a choice, Hiro can join them and meet the villain if he kills Ando, which he does! Surprisingly quickly.

Nathan and Tracey confront Angela Petrelli about the powers they’ve been given, Angela apologies to Tracey and said they were young and didn’t know better but now they must find that formula in order to stop this happening again. Nathan is furious and it doesn’t help that he too was injected with his power when he was a baby. Angela then gets a glimpse of the future, Nathan and Tracey are both lying dead in the hallway, Peter staggers in, blood on his hands, Angela asks her son if he killed them only for Peter to fall down with a pipe in the back of his head. Angela wakes and looks long and hard at a file in front of her.

With Hiro on board, Daphne is on a mission to recruit other heroes to the cause, she too is seeing Linderman and he is telling her what to do. She realises that he isn’t real but still plans on doing his bidding. It is then revealed that the visions of Linderman are being planted into Daphne and Nathans head by Maury Parkman who is working for the chap who was in Angela’s file. One Papa Petrelli!!

Quite a rollercoaster of an episode this week and one that certainly got me excited again. It raises yet more questions, with Ando dead, does that mean the future is changed again? Is Ando really dead? We know what this show is like for bringing people back from the dead, why didn’t Hiro just stop time and bring in a fake Ando to kill or dress him in something to make it look like he died? Perhaps Hiro only stabbed him in a place that wouldn’t hit any organs, afterall he is the Great Takezo Kensei. How is Papa Petrelli still alive and what is his power? How will Peter and Nathan feel knowing their Dad is alive? Angela has had a couple of visions now with her family being destroyed, will any of these actually come true?

Your thoughts?

Y2Rating: 8/10

You all know my stance on remakes and sequels for sequels sake, well how glad was I when I read these two news stories this week?

Richard Donner confirms that a Goonies sequel is once again dead. The last script attempt involved a new group of kids, as the daughters and sons of the original Goonies gang, going off on a new adventure. Most of the original cast members have expressed interest during interviews, in returning for a second film, if it were to happen. But Donner tells Variety that the most recent attempt “simply didn’t work out.

“We tried really hard, and Steven (Spielberg) said, ‘Let’s do it.’ We had a lot of young writers submit work, but it just didn’t seem to call for it,” Donner explained, before giving a slight update on the proposed Goonies musical we told you about in March 2007: “I’m in the process of trying to get it done as a musical on Broadway. Wouldn’t that be great?”

In more Richard Donner news:

Last we heard, Joel Silver was waiting on Mel Gibson to approve Shane Black’s treatment for Lethal Weapon 5. Now word comes from original series director Richard Donner (via: the Los Angeles Times) that Gibson turned down the idea and the project is dead.

“Mel turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn’t involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be,” Donner said. “It’s too bad, actually, because Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren’t given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver.”

Whilst I’m happy that the Goonies won’t get ruined with a remake – at least for another year or so until the rumours come flying again – I was a little sad I won’t get another Lethal Weapon as I’m a huge fan of that franchise…but then I was also relieved that they’re finally going to let it be. Take that Hollywood – give us something new for a change!

Speaking of something new, how freaked out am I that Thorpe Park is going to open a Saw themed rollercoaster in 2009? The ride will last 1.30mins and 30% of it will be indoors, it will be the first horror themed ride in the UK.

This has to be a restricted age ride, no? Just that dolls face is enough to freak me out!

Something a little more pleasant but not for all is ‘Zack & Miri Make A Porno’. Funnily enough some executives don’t like the word ‘porno’ in the title and have forced it be removed from some advertising after complaints. I think this is actually going to have more of

There was no Family Guy or American Dad this week – can anyone tell me for why? So all I had to watch last night was Desperate Housewives, not that there is any shame in that. So lets crack on.

I know you can’t expect fireworks every week, but at the moment, we’re not even sparking a match. Another weak episode, focusing mainly on the new younglins in Wysteria Lane. Susan and Mikes son MJ is a victim of bullying, but he’s being bullied by Wanita, Gabriel’s giant daughter. When Susan speaks to Gabby about this she laughs it off which causes the two to have a fall out. Gabby is having problems of her own, her and Carlos are running out of money and so need to sell their car, the one they’re replacing it with is from Andrew who admits full disclosure and tells them they’re buying crap.

On her first ride in her new car the radiator goes and Gabby has to pay to have it repaired, Andrew refuses to help her out as he admitted full disclosure so Gabby has to threaten to ram her car into the back of his new shiny one for him to pay up.

Meanwhile Orson and Bree have guests coming for the weekend, Danielle, her new husband and Benjamin. It’s taken them three years to agree to this and Bree manages to ruin it in a day, much to Orson’s anger, after disapproving how her (now) grandson is being raised. After feeding him meat when Danielle has expressed he is a vegetarian, Benjamin brings it all up and Danielle leaves. Orsons anger with Bree grows as he can’t believe she’s ruined this reunion and its unlikely he’ll ever see his son again.

Karen and Kathryn are still trying to find out more about Dave, Edie knows nothing about her husband either after they grill her so Edie asks him for some answers at a public party, Dave uncomfortably gives them to her and then complains back at home that Edie has embarrassed him. Edie apologises saying it was Mrs. McClusky who had made her feel she didn’t know her husband which clicks with Dave and he gives that sinister glare out the window.

Finally Dave has been up to his evil manipulative tricks after Tom is being forced by Lynette to clear out his garage. He is told to throw out his bass guitar, but Dave wants to jam with him as Dave has a drum set. Lynette destroys the bass in order to stop the music but Dave buys him a new one, telling Lynette that he is saving her marriage.

Everyone seems to learn a lesson about bullying in this episode, but again, we are no further in the story. Yes, Dave is becoming more mysterious, but no seeds are really sewn or watered. Everyone faces tension in their relationships and who is Dave after? Not many laughs this episode either which meant it didn’t have much going for it at all. Hopefully we can get this train back on track soon! The show was the most-watched non sporting related event of the evening in the US with numbers of 10.1/15.

Y2Rating: 5/10

So the weekend has come and gone, wasn’t that quick? I blame myself, I was wishing the weekend away so Monday could get here quicker so I can listen to

Hey folks, apologies for the delay in posting this and I’m also sorry that this is just a really quick recap of this weekends USTV. I promise to be back on form next week!

This was a Roger-centric episode, after the family start by trying to cause an intervention on Rogers drinking and multiple personas he walks out on them and tries to buy something to make him happier. His card has been maxed out and by a co-signer he never authorised so Roger sets about destroying this persons life. Turns out that the other person was just another persona of Roger afterall and he was living a double life. Meanwhile the rest of the family are addicted to the simple game Simon and can’t be free from its clutches until Klaus rescues them in the only funny bit of the episode.

Y2Rating: 4/10

When watching this episode of Family Guy I thought it was incredibly weak, there weren’t really any laugh out loud moments and the repetition of that song was unnecessary. However, the following day I find myself constantly singing that blasted song, I’m playing pranks, much like Rick-Rolling, with this and I can’t get it out of my head. But still, this isn’t a marketing tool, this is supposed to be a comedy show.

The Griffins go to an authentic fifties diner and ‘The Birds The Word’ comes on the jukebox, this is Peter’s favourite song and he breaks into a dance routine. Alas, this song is from the sixties so the owner is set to destroy it but Peter gets him to give it to him. When he gets home Peter plays the track over and over and over again until Brian and Stewie have enough and destroy it. Peter goes to look for another copy but can’t find one, he does however find Jesus Christ. Peter sets about making Jesus famous again but he becomes a party-animal and cuts Peter out. He ends up in jail and decides Peter was only looking out for his best interests so decides to leave Earth again and gives Peter a new copy of his record.
Pretty darn weak.

Y2Rating: 4/10

What does Edie’s husband want with Wisteria Lane? This week we were teased with Dave’s darker side. You’ll remember we were left with a video of Dave saying he wasn’t a harm to himself and that he needed to check in with a doctor every month. Edie has been upset by a comment from Mrs. McClusky and Dave asks her to apologise, Mrs. M refuses as that’s how her and Edie talk so Dave threatens her, then Toby the cat goes missing and its not until after Mrs. McClusky apologises that he returns. The show ends with Mrs. M asking Kathryn if she can use her computer in order to do some research on their new neighbour.

For the rest of the residents Bree is still trying to deal with her busy life but at the same time she is alienating her husband and doesn’t seem to acknowledge him anymore. Orson is upset, it is revealed he did go to jail in order to be with Bree and he believes she is ashamed to have him as her husband now. What confused me was in the last episode Orson understood that “cooking” was “Brees baby” yet in this episode he’s angry she’s spending so much time doing it.

Susan’s new boyfriend, Jackson, has bad timing, he finds himself exposed to Mike and her son MJ. Mike threatens to take Susan to court unless he is allowed to assess the man sleeping with his ex-wife so takes him to a bar. They get on well, so well that Mike lets out a few saucy secrets that Jackson uses on Susan that night which freaks her out. They all seem to get along by the end of the episode though.

Lynette has the biggest chunk of the episode, she’s upset Porter doesn’t talk to her anymore so she signs up on the website “Silver Fox” which is a bit like Facebook or MySpace and begins to talk to him as ‘SaraJ’. This backfires as whilst she’s learning a lot about her son and enjoying talking to him, he has fallen for her! Lynette tries to let him down gently but finishes her ‘Dear John’ letter with “love mom” and her cover is blown.

Gabby is invited to a fancy party but then uninvited when Carlos starts work at the club. She sneaks in and finds an empty table, but Bree, who is catering, pulls her away and the funniest part of the episode sees Bree and Gabby arguing behind a door and every time the door opens Carlos is seen at the table getting in more awkward situations as he doesn’t know what’s going on.

Enjoyable episode, are we going to see another Bree and Orson’s relationship on the rocks? There is obviously more to come with Danielle and Benjamin which could play a part in perhaps Bree’s downfall or step down from the cook-book spotlight. Gabby’s story was pretty much the same as last week, dealing with the change her life has taken, sorted out by a soppy Carlos chat.

Y2Rating: 7/10

If you were confused easily by the previous three episodes, things aren’t getting any easier here I’m afraid. This week we were jumping about through time like a kangaroo on a space hopper. Future Peter takes Present Peter to the future to show him that people with abilities now run about in the open but they also use their abilities to cause terror. Only Sylar can help him. Future Peter is then shot by Claire and taken to a facility. Present Peter goes to Sylar who has a son, he takes his ability and learns that they’re brothers. Claire and her posse have arrived, they start tearing up the place and in the fight Sylar’s son is killed. This makes him go supernova and Costa Verde is destroyed.

Parkman, still on his spirit walk sees all this future and it is Daphne who he is married to and has a baby daughter. They are also looking after Molly.

Mohinder has turned into some kind of ape, much like all the Fly comparisons that have been allured to. I had hoped he’d die.

Present Tracy isn’t a robot, she is part of a triplet that were given powers when they were younger. Dr. Zimmerman can’t remember much else, he’s been had by the Haitian. Tracy can’t deal with her problems and goes to kill herself, but Nathan saves her and they form a bond over their similarities.
Present Peter, trapped in the future, now with Sylars abilities gets a visit from his brother, now the President! Sylar warned Peter that his power came with a price, a hunger for murder, and Peter ends up killing his Future Brother!
Mama Petrelli has told Hiro he is the only one who can save the world, but to do it he needs help. Hiro goes to get it in the form of Adam Monroe!

So we jumped around a lot but a lot has been said too. The formula will give anyone powers but not everyone deserves these powers and can use them. Practically everyone ends up dying in the future which means they’ll all be in this season for the long haul. Everyone seems to have a story which runs exactly the same…save the world…I’m still hooked on this and looking forward to how it continues to run.

Y2Rating: 8/10

Not much in the way of major news coming out over the weekend, I was about to sit down and watch Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull however I didn’t but it seems the need to watch it is growing more and more as Harrison Ford is keen to do a sequel sooner rather than later.

“Really, [another sequel] comes from the ethos, from the ether. It’s natural. It’s a way of nature, of course, success breed opportunities … also we don’t stay as closely in contact as have in the last year, that’s part of it.”

George Lucas is currently swimming in the think tank of ideas at the moment, he can’t come up with anything worse than Crystal Skull right?

Talking of plots, it would appear the storyline for Captain America has been leaked. Production Magazine has the article:

“Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy’s earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment… Operation: Rebirth. After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the ‘Super-Soldier Serum’ and bombarded by ‘vita-rays.’ Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and leader of the Avengers.”

Perhaps its just me but aren’t all origin stories getting the same, I mean, I know there isn’t really much else you can do with them but we live in a world where comic book heroes have been around for years. Do we still really need origin stories when the material has been around for years and everyone knows and accepts these heroes as fact? I understand the point of having them but do we really need to cater to those people who have never heard of Captain America or Iron Man?

Not a huge deal to talk about today but I’m so sick to the back teeth bored I decided I’d post something rather than see how far I can shove a biro down my ear canal before I doodle on my brain. It’s cold in the office today, Winter’s coming. Time to crack out the jumpers and cardigans, luckily back in March I bought an incredibly warm and cuddly cardigan for my trip on the canal boat so it’s going to come in handy this year.

Speaking of The Office I watched a couple more episodes of season three, I’m almost done with this season and it’s been good, I’ve been laughing. There are some parts when you wonder “why would a documentary crew be allowed to film this” but you can overlook that for the benefit of the humour. I really am looking forward to finding out how the rest of this is going to continue, I’m aware season four is shorter thanks to the writers strike, but is The Office just going to do arbitrary office situational humour or is there going to be any sort of storyline there to see all the episodes through to some sort of conclusion? Nevertheless I’m keen to find out.

I have no plans for the weekend, I may actually get some more work done on the Wheatus project. Whilst we’re on the Wheatus topic something strange has been happening over at wheatus.com and you’re led on a little quest to find out what’s going on. Ultimately it just says more information will be released this Sunday but I have to question some things. The whole premise looks at presumably a missing person on Halloween, a girl I believed. Considering the negative press Bungie received for including a “Maddie, where are you?” reference in their campaign for the Halo 3 add-on I have to wonder if anyone finds this a bit tasteless?

Wheatus will be touring the UK in two weeks, starting October 12th. I’m going to be going to a fair few of these shows and will be filming them and giving you the scoop as always.
Fifa 09 was released today, hopefully my copy has arrived and I’ll get a chance to play that tonight although there are plans afoot to go to the Evesham Mop with Kaye, Matt and Ida so my gaming could get scuppered. Regardless I intend to get a review up soon…whatever happened to my Star Wars review? I’ll have to get on that!

I’m working on a number of projects at the moment, one of those being y2neil.com/shop, where you’ll soon be able to buy lots of Y2Neil and Wheatus merchandise. The other is a database project that I’m working on for Xbox News, Rumours & Speculation.com. That one has come along pretty well so far, but now I’ve hit a brick wall where the tricky parts have actually stumped me. More on these as they develop.

Think that’s it for now. I plan on watching Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull over the weekend so I’ll let you know my thoughts as ever. I’m looking forward to The Dark Knights release on December 8th because I’ve already ordered a copy on Blu-Ray! I don’t even have a Blu-Ray player yet but I’m that confident I’ll have one by December and when play.com is selling the two discer for only £14.99 how can you say no?

Until next week…