‘Red Dwarf XI’ Episode 2 review: ‘Samsara’ doesn’t quite live up to its premise

The second episode of the long-running sci-fi sitcom’s latest season doesn’t quite live up to its premise. In ‘Samsara’ the crew find an escape pod, but discover that its two human passengers, Barker and Green, have been mysteriously vaporised just moments earlier. They explore a nearby crashed ship in search of answers, only for Lister … >

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‘1984’ play review: Andrew Gower brings fireworks to Room 101

An adaptation is always going to differ from its source material. A play can’t be the book, and neither can a movie; what’s necessary is to capture the mood and essence of the story and transplant it to a different medium. Jonathan Glazer’s remarkable film Under the Skin, for example, is such an abstracted adaptation … >

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Tom Baker

Big Finish’s ‘Doctor Who’ audio stories: September 2016 reviews round-up

In another busy month from the Doctor Who audio producers, the main range brought the Seventh Doctor back to face the consequences of a previous adventure, while the third ‘Early Adventures’ season kicked off with a space-faring epic for the First Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara. The second volume of ‘Philip Hinchcliffe Presents’ tales saw … >

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‘Victoria’ Episode 6 review: ‘The Queen’s Husband’

If there’s anything that goes to show quite nicely that politics are a load of old nonsense, it’s that in this episode of Victoria, a good deal of fuss is kicked up over who gets to walk into a dinner party first. As if there aren’t more pressing matters to concern oneself with, such as … >

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‘Poldark’ Season 2 Episode 4 review: Hold on to your oranges, folks

As welcome as a free orange to a scurvy-afflicted local, Poldark comes along to cheer up viewers with a resolutely feel-good hour of TV. It might not seem that way at first: Wheal Leisure’s workers are feeling rather unWheal (unWheal…unwell?…nope, you’re right, I’ll get me coat) and Dr. Enys can’t figure out why. You may … >

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‘The Great British Bake Off’ 2016 recap: Week 5

Week 5 and we’re half way through. We’re down to just eight bakers (although if you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’ll know that’s a better result than Channel 4 have, having paid £25 million for Paul Hollywood in a tent). Andrew declares, sweetly nervously,  that he’d like to make Star Baker before he leaves the … >

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