Colin Baker at his best
927868
Everyone's least favorite doctor shines in one of the best stories in his run. A must have for any serious fan of the classic series.
325128
When it comes to film renderings of Sherlock Holmes, there is absolutely no better than the English television company Granada's tasteful, historically accurate and wonderfully casted versions.
In the role of the detective himself, Jeremy Brett (who sadly passed away in the aftereffects of his manodepressiv illness, and barely managed to complete the last episodes) is THE most memorable Sherlock Holmes of all times, with his outbursts and brilliant face expressions. Sometimes he acts out like a madman, portraiting Holmes as quite an original character (but never disrespectful or exaggerated), sometimes working with very small means. Anyway, he never leaves you unaffected by his performance and practically steals the screen away from his fellow actors.
The series are also well known for their creative portrait of Dr Watson, played by either David Burke (as he is in this story) or by the more grumpy, but equally marvellous Edward Hardwicke -- miles from the gasping fool as he is usually portaited. But even the other roles are casted with pain-staking care and of course  brilliantly played. In this story, I will among others point out the very good performance of the lovely Barbara Wilshere as the pursued young, cycling woman and Michael Siberry's unforgettable portraying of the red-headed ruffian Woodley.
The environments -- the exteriors as well as the interior Victorian details -- have never been made better than in the Granada Sherlock Holmes series, and this puzzling and very thrilling episode is no exception from the rule. I think it is one of the best, although almost every one of them are of high quality. I have all of them and couldn't live without them. Watch it and enjoy good acting, beautiful English panoramas and excellent movie craftmanship to the fullest!
1323987
Running just under eight hours, in 30 minute doses, the BBC's television adaptation of  Charles Dickens' mammoth novel BLEAK HOUSE is a stupendous success.  Though it has been cast to perfection and is gloriously crafted, its chief asset is a brilliant teleplay by Andrew Davies that makes a 1000 page novel exciting, engrossing, and fully understandable.  And co-directors Justin Chadwick and Susanna White make the action move furiously fast.  This is television at its finest, and Dickens would be enthralled.

At the center of BLEAK HOUSE is the court case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce, which has been dragging on for decades.  Three very sympathetic young people are potential heirs to a vast estate:  Ada Claire (Carey Mulligan), Richard Carstone (Patrick Kennedy), and Esther Summerstone (Anna Maxwell Martin).  Esther has mysterious parentage, hence a need for a true and up-to-date family will.  The young heroines are staying with likeable and wealthy John Jarndyce (Denis Lawson).  Family lawyer Tulkinghorn (magnificent Charles Dance) deals with an unpleasant money lender named Smallweed (Phil Davis), who may or may not have the original will in his possession that could hold the key to the whole case.  Tulkinghorn sets about comparing handwriting in all the documents he can lay his hands on, while Smallweed berates his timid clerk Mr. Guppy.  Lady Dedlock (the fabulous Gillian Armstrong) is also a key figure in the action.  Is she guilty or not guilty of a major murder that takes place 2/3 of the way through?  And what is her relationship to Esther?

The audience knows more than the characters, so we have a lot of suspense.  But even the audience is caught off-guard when the mysterious past of Lady Dedlock is finally revealed.  Writer Davies is also superb at focusing major attention on the important characters and keeping the lesser characters in the background.  These include the timid law clerk Mr. Guppy, a nasty French maid who is a key murder suspect, police inspector Bucket (Alun Armstrong), and bird lover Miss Flite (Pauline Collins). Warren Clarke (A CLOCKWORK ORANGE a long time ago) has a small role.  The cast is mostly unknown to me, except for the never-better Charles Dance and Gillian Armstrong.  The ending is a very ironic, yet also happy one.

As stated above, this is the 15 part British television version of BLEAK HOUSE, in convenient 30 minute segments in case you want to do one a night after work and dinner.  I got caught up in the exhilarating and atmospheric story fast and did the whole thing in three nights.  It comes in three equally convenient parts in the DVD boxed set--175 minutes, 145 minutes, and 145 minutes.  You can even hit "Play All" and do all three hours or two-and-a-half hours without moving from your chair or bed, except for a bathroom or food break as an episode break.  For "Masterpiece Theatre" on American public television, I believe it was in 60 minute doses with recaps at the beginning of each episode.  Those recaps are not on the DVD, seemingly were not shown on the BBC presentation, and could be helpful.  But watch this whole supremely watchable and glorious Dickens adaptation in three consecutive nights, as I did on DVD, and you should have no problem in following the intricate story.  It is all an irresistible invitation to tackle the huge novel.  Don't let the eight hour length scare you off.  This is as exciting and gripping as mystery television gets.  And the entire cast is fabulous.
3757517
Just finished reading it (little hard to find copy) and once again Colin Wilson doesn't disappoint. I'm truly amazed at the amount of research the author put in. Recommended to readers who like true crime.
There are others who have said the same thing but Wilson's perspective makes all the difference.
3495326
I just listened to this one, and absolutely loved Colin Baker's "I am the very Model of a Gallifreyan Buccaneer".  Check at bigfinish.com for a downloadable version.
189876
As far as Scan noir and police procedurals go Jo Nesb is at the top of his game, and at the top of his genre. Clearly the release of all the other books in the states has been in response to the growing legion of fans Nesb has accumulated through his Harry Hole series. And though this one is a bit dated now, as it was originally written in the late nineties, it was a joy to read just to get all the background and everything that comprises Harry's eccentricities. It's also a really good tale set in the sweaty environs of Thailand. Nesbo's writing is also quite good and you can read some of the early inklings of his greater mastery of prose too come.
2238621
Chet Baker is my favorite jazz player. I have always been into cool, melodic West Coast jazz. This album is fabulous. The two solos first by Chet and then Bob James are the best back to back solos I have ever heard. I have listened to this recording perhaps close to 100 times. The closer I listen to the minute details, the better it gets. And Having Paul Desmond on the album certainly helps a lot!
2324931
Here's hoping primo cover designer Chip Kidd's superb designs for the paperback reissues of the Dalziel and Pascoe series bring Reginald Hill the larger audience he deserves. Hill's British mystery is as stunning as the  stark cover.
I enjoyed seeing the action flit back and forth between past  and present and amongst the different characters. Hill truly keeps you  guessing until the end, and somehow it all makes sense at that point thanks  to his tight plotting. He is also at times very funny, with superb  dialogue. Looking forward to the next novel in the series.
1517154
Detective Sgt. DC Smith is rapidly replacing Morse, Lewis, and Poirot as my all-time favorite detective.  Peter Grainger has developed him as a complex and fascinating, yet realistically human and fallible character.  In addition, each novel is filled with gems of what I think of as "GI humor" - the dark, sometimes brutal jokes that soldiers, cops, and emergency medical staff use to keep their morale up and to keep the horrors they witness at bay.  Smith is a master at using this kind of humor and Mr. Grainger weaves it into his stories in a fashion that adds to the realism, in addition to sometimes causing me to spray coffee over my Kindle.  This book, like his others I have read, lacks high speed chases, shootouts, and terrorist bombings, but you won't miss those tired old cliches.  Instead, you will get something much closer to real police work, made fascinating by the treatment of the characters that people these books.  I am already well into the next book in this series.  You should join me.
1155844
Mr. Baker has given us a wonderful tale of life's vissisitudes at the very limits; slavery and freedom, defeat and triumph, woe and blessings. You will thrill in the journey of the young 17th Century English aristocrat as he clings to the life raft of his Christian faith in the brutal tempest of Muslim bondage and culture, where mutual trust, and the realization that all men are brothers, loosens his physical and psychological fetters. This is a story of fortitude and forebearance, calamity and courage, and as always with Mr. Baker, redemption through suffering.
3806316
As usual for me I am not going to go over the plot in any great detail check the Doctor who BBC website or fan sites for that.  I will tell you that this is a really well done story.  the writing is very good and the actors do a fair job of not making it too over the top.  Patrick Troughton's portrayal of the Doctor is mischievios and clever.  Special effects are rough due to the low budget and quick shooting schedule of the series when it was made.  Unlike the later Tom Baker onward Cybermen these ones seem more sinister despite the low budget costume ( let's face it a Rubber wetsuit tubing and a construction helmet isn't scary) but the characterization of the controller is very good and the actor is very tall making him tower above not only the Doctor Jamie and Victoria but also the other cybermen.

The extras are terrific as has been the case with all the recent BBC DVD releases we have a 30-45 minute panel discussion with all the surviving cast telling some very funny stories about the filming ( the info text option & commentaries on screen repeats a lot of the same info so watch the extras first).  If this is indicative of the level of the 2nd Doctor era it is sad we don't have more
853823
As insane as this sounds, Colin and Rod are still at the top of their game. I won't name names, but I get the impression that a lot of their contemporaries just go through the motions. These tunes are great, the arrangements are creative and well thought-out, and Colin's voice is still fabulous. If you like the Zombies, Steely Dan, classic rock, or even soul music, this is one you need for your collection.
1877326
This serial from the Tom Baker/ Sarah Jane years is an absolutely brilliant one. The serial's first two episodes resemble the classic horror movie, "The Thing." After that it resemble a sort of pre-epidemic 28 Days Later. The acting is awesome, and the characters are powerful. One of Tom's best!
1795613
This album is Colin's best collection.  Several of the songs here can be found on his other solo albums, but in acoustic form they have a wonderful new sound and I find them much more enjoyable.
3818314
An Amazon.com reviewer of July 10th has written a superb review of this episode of the extensive series of Morse mysteries and I won't go over ground that he or she has ably covered.  For those viewers who are convinced by his/her review to begin watching the Morse mysteries with The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn, I would like to add that the mystery begins with the opening credits.
We are introduced to the deaf Nicholas Quinn, an examiner at a Board based in Oxford, England.  He is standing by himself reading the lips of the various people talking with one another at a wine party.  We see the obvious concern on his face that something is desperately wrong, but, like him, we can't hear what many of the guests are saying.  He does not need to hear; his facility reading lips is evident.  He tells another reviewer that the examinations conducted by the Board are compromised and he walks out of the party in distress.
In the next scene, still while the credits are playing, we watch a fire drill at the Examining Board.  We don't see Nicholas Quinn leave the building even though we are told that everyone is accounted for.  If you watch this scene a second time carefully, many of the clues to unlock the mystery are contained in this first few minutes of the program.
My guess is that most people who view this mystery like solving complicated puzzles and will enjoy watching each clue that Morse uncovers right to the last scene.
John Thaw, unfortunately now dead, was a superb English actor and he found an ideal character to play in the crusty Chief Inspector Morse.  Kevin Whately is almost equally as good as his long suffering sidekick, Sergeant Lewis.  Viewers who like this early installment will have a chance to watch Morse and Lewis in action many more times in this outstanding and long running series.
2988948
It is no surprise to me, that Patrick Whitehurst is absolutely wowed; turned on by the BBC TV series Sherlock. As an avid reader of Sir Arthur Conan Doyles work and since childhood, an irrepressible fan of the detective genre, I would have allowed Patrick the right to be picky. He is intuitive to the characteristics in the template of the great detective that Conan Doyle gives his readers and using that template Patrick sensitively builds his own detective; the enigmatic, charismatic, homeless, unattainable Barker.
 In Monterey Pulp, Book Two, Barkers tale continues and as in the first novel of the Barker Mysteries, a three dimensional character steps onto the stage of the readers imagination. Patrick Whitehurst has devotedly crafted his creation to be unforgettable in the readers mind.
But what is really important, is that the reader is already seeing this strange, elusive figure, crafted carefully and carved with precision, as a fully rounded character.
 And as a reader, I am wondering about this strange man who deliberately chooses to live in the margins of society. Will I know any more about him by the end of the book? I wonder!
  Barker can make anywhere a home; he is as resourceful as the pack of hounds that are his devoted companions. Barker has become a Cause clbre in Monterey due to his skill in solving a famous kidnapping case. Barker has no time for the media and its nonsense; he prefers obscurity and he takes refuge in the peace and quiet of the woodlands. But mystery has a way of following Barker around. A camper tells Barker a strange tale of a nightmare and an abduction.  The reader sees Barkers intuitive response in action. In stylish, leisurely prose Patrick Whitehursts Barker quietly, precisely averts a heinous scheme of double dealing and destruction.
 And this first chapter, this tale sets the pattern for the book. Barkers instinct never fails him, neither do his dogs; loyal, and as intuitive to Barker, as he is to them. They can read each other and they are never wrong. Murderers, thieves, kidnappers, the unscrupulous; none of them escape Barkers incisive, insightful gaze. He cuts through appearance and reality, explaining patiently what actually happened, not what we are meant to think happened.
 Barker is a worthy successor to Sherlock Holmes; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would not be disappointed; neither will any fan of the detective genre.
 Patrick Whitehurst is an elegant and economic writer. Words are never wasted. He understands language and conveys sentiment, atmosphere and character, with an ease that other writers will envy. This novel will delight and intrigue the reader.
 If youve read the first book in the Barker series, youll be hungry for more. If you are new to Barker you will soon be as addicted to him, and his pack of hounds as I am. I hope that Patrick Whitehurst doesnt make us wait too long for the next book in this captivating series.
2521985
Having enjoyed Baker's wonderful story, I am so pleased that it is available as a trade paperback. Now reading groups and students of all ages can delve into this compelling history.