Comics Opinion - Doctor Who: The Eleventh Doctor #3

The Eleventh Doctor comic stories are vast becoming an improvement to the televised adventures. While not as exciting as the last issue, this is still a decent edition to this growing series. The time travel element with the Doctor taking Alice to meet her two favourite singers intrigued me most. What makes the story so poignant is how, without giving too much away, Alice’s reaction to one of the singers is disappointing. His vacant characterisation is the polar opposite to the eccentric singer who her mother was a fan of and loved so dearly. This makes us as readers question what it would be really like to meet someone from history and see whether expectations could ever be met.

The new companion Alice is perhaps my favourite since Donna Noble and I think had she been a TV companion she would have become a fan favourite. She’s feisty, yet vulnerable, and mixed with her backstory thus creates a multi-dimensional character. A treat in this issue is one hard-core Whovians will appreciate as there is an appearance made by a certain car from the Jon Pertwee era.

Simon Fraser continues through his artwork to capture the mood and colour of the series and of this particular story. Once again, Rob Williams writing demonstrates an awareness of the Eleventh Doctor’s characterisation and the snappy dialogue make for some good comic moments. Furthermore, the story-arc that is slowly developing in this series is worthy as any TV plot and thus keeps readers hooked and entice them to read the next issue.

With intriguing characters, quick dialogue and a growing story-arc, these adventures are improvements over TV episodes. My only true criticism is that they won’t be properly embraced by TV viewers who may like the series as a TV event, but won’t go all out for further adventures in other medium formats. Their loss really.

9/10

Robin Williams Tribute - The cross-generational entertainer

As a 19 year old, the tragic death of Robin Williams has affected me as much as those who grew up watching him in the 70’s sitcom Mork and Mindy. For me he accompanies many aliases and characters. He is the Genie from Aladdin (a movie which was practically on a loop in my house during the late 90’s), the maternal Mrs Doubtfire and showing off his incredible improvisational skills as Adrian Cronaur in Good Morning Vietnam.
 
Amongst his many other movies, he showed off his versatility with roles that went beyond audiences immediate association of him as a gifted comedian. While his quirky voices and impressions are clearly a trade mark (it’s a shame he never became a regular cast member of Saturday Night Live), he was also an emotive actor who starred in very poignant and dramatic movies such as Good Will Hunting (which won him an Oscar), Dead Poet’s Society and Insomnia. He is a true inspiration to anyone who wants to be an actor.
 
The movies I immediately associate with him are Aladdin and Mrs Doubtfire, which remain popular family favourites and most of it is down to his involvement. His sheer enthusiasm as the voice of the Genie makes for a memorable character that may not have struck a chord had he been voiced by another actor. The role of Mrs Doubtfire for me shows off his talent as a character actor. While he brilliantly portrays the role of Daniel Hillard as a loving but generally irresponsible father, once he puts on the prosthetics and big lady suit he immediately transforms into the lovable Mrs Doubtfire. Again, the charm he brought to that character made the movie memorable, something which may not have happened had the role been given to someone else.

From a young age I knew the name Robin Williams. When I was 10, I came across my parent’s old VHS copy of Robin Williams Live at the Met. As a result of its 18 rating I was not allowed to watch it, but even at that age I realised just what a long standing entertainer he already was. If you were a teenager in the 70’s, you probably remember Mork and Mindy and if you were born in the 90’s (like myself) you remember his family oriented movies like Jumanji and Flubber. The appeal of his family films lies in the bringing together of generations; the parents who grew up watching his earlier work and their children who at a young age enjoy the talent of Robin Williams. In recent years his popularity has remained strong with roles in the Night at the Museum franchise, lending his voice to Happy Feet and last years The Butler. Again, very different movies highlighting his versatility but also the appeal they have on his long term generation of fans.

His recent death at the young age of 63 has resulted in an outpouring of grief from fans around the world. For many people, he was a constant figure in their lives and was probably one of the first actors they ever came across. His persona made him instantly recognisable and the sheer love people have for him and the characters he portrayed meant they felt like they knew him.

The word legend is an often overused word, but there’s simply no other label that perfectly sums up Robin Williams. How many entertainers can honestly say their appeal and popularity has spanned the generations? In terms of his legacy I honestly believe that was set in stone before he died. As a result of TV showings and high DVD sales, his movies are already heralded as cinematic classics and will be discovered by future generations who will be introduced to Robin Williams. He was a true talent, loved by audiences of all ages and will be sadly missed.

Bruce Willis Day - TV Opinion - Moonlighting

Bruce Willis? With hair?! That was my first reaction when I stumbled across the feature length pilot of Moonlighting nearly a year ago on YouTube. For many years I attributed Bruce Willis as a bald, action hero and all round tough guy. However, this cult 80’s detective dramedy is what first put him on the map way before his days in the Die Hard franchise.

Whilst I enjoy watching contemporary shows, thanks to online subscriptions like Netflix and YouTube, I have been able to consume many classic programmes like Moonlighting. What makes the show such a rewarding watch is the chemistry between Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd who play David and Maddie, two private detectives who run an agency called Blue Moon Investigation. A precursor to Mulder and Scully, the series appeal came as a result of viewer’s obsession with whether the duo would ever become romantically involved. Whilst the will they, won’t they, element is a factor to the couples popularity, I personally find their comic timing the main feature. I’ve always seen Bruce Willis first and foremost as a talented actor. His comic timing in particular has recently been reaffirmed with a role in an advert for Sky Broadband. Between him and Cybil Shepherd (another brilliant comic actor), both portray a couple whose bickering and snappy come backs kept viewers hooked.

In terms of its impact on TV in general, Moonlighting is particularly significant and influential. It became one of the first programmes to blend two distinctive TV genres by becoming one of the first dramedies. Furthermore, while many consider Twin Peaks to be an early example of a series that dared to break the mould, Moonlighting is often overlooked in terms of how ground-breaking it was. It pretty much introduced the now over used TV gimmick of dream sequences, and was particularly daring by breaking the fourth wall with characters often talking directly to the audience or the actors even breaking out of character.

Don’t be fooled though, Moonlighting is a very strange show and an example of TV marmite; you either think it’s a stroke of genius or the TV equivalent of a drunk night out. However, if you want to see Bruce Willis at his early best and with hair, you can either discover the show on Netflix or fork out a decent amount for the boxset of this classic series. And also, you will not get that theme tune out of your head!