There is something oddly comforting about special features, so much so that they are at times a greater deciding factor in whether I’ll be inclined to buy a boxset than how much I liked the show or film in question. So when Doctor Who’s Season 8 boxset arrived, I armed myself with a nice cup … >
It might make it easier to sleep at night, to be less afraid of dripping taps in the kitchen or the ceaseless drumming of rain on the window, reflecting the blackness outside back in, but dammit, it’s still a shame to reach the end of Remember Me. It’s rare enough to find such an exquisitely … >
In the aftermath of last week’s proposal, it is was mere moments before the decidedly dodgy Prince Telemon (Clive Standen) was confirmed as being in Pasiphae’s employ, his dastardly purpose cemented by a torso swipe of her magical chicken blood. While the former Queen had faith in his allegiance, driven by a desire to return … >
With the festive season almost upon us, CultBox despatched a couple of its Munchkins to sample the magic of musical theatre. Wicked is billed as ‘The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz’ and frames the original tale, best known for the 1939 film starring Judy Garland, by delving back into the past and showing … >
As predicted, this week’s episode of Babylon is all about the fallout from last week’s shock ending. And once again, the show veers more towards the dark drama side of the spectrum, with less black humour and witty putdowns than in previous weeks. However, unlike last week, this time the lack of comedy seems to … >
For those of us who like our televisual escapism grim and stressful, The Fall has once again provided plenty to get stuck into. It’s so refreshing, in many ways, to have a crime show where the tension and complexity of a single story arc is given so much room to breathe, and it takes full … >
After last week’s dark discoveries, 2006’s Tony is trying to literally and metaphorically wash the blood from his hands, Emily’s visions of Oliver are becoming more frequent and we’re starting to see the beginnings of a relationship between her and Mark Walsh. In the present day, Tony, Emily and Julien are tracking down the mysterious … >
With a wonderfully temporal twist at its heart, this is the second in a trilogy of post-Trial stories for Peri and the Sixth Doctor. Materialising in the Scottish Highlands of 2163, the time travellers discover they are on an Earth under the Dalek control – the very same regime which the First Doctor helped to … >
Although there aren’t quite as many jump-out-of-your-seat-screaming-for-mummy moments as last week, the second part of this surprisingly creepy drama by Gwyneth Hughes maintains the incessant sense of claustrophobic dread that haunted its predecessor. While detective Rob Fairholme (Mark Addy) begins the search for Tom Parfitt (Michael Palin), the missing pensioner’s former care worker Hannah Ward (Jodie … >
With the trailer promising a fight contest, we have to admit that our hopes were not particularly high for this episode. Atlantis provided two such contests last year and Merlin was renowned for them. However, when we spotted it was coming from the pen of Richard McBrien, hopes were raised. His episodes ‘Twist of Fate’ … >