For many CultBox readers, Peter Cushing is instantly recognisable for a number of roles. For many he was Star Wars villain Grand Moff Tarkin, the ruthless Imperial Commander running the Death Star in the original movie who appeared to be Darth Vader’s boss. Like Sir Alec Guinness, he lent the film an air of credibility amid the laser bolts, droids and spiritual mumbo-jumbo.
We all love a bit of history, especially robot history, right? And there are few bits as fascinating as ‘The Turk’, an 18th century chess playing robot that amazed the folk of the time with its ability to beat a human at the game.
It was one of the first instances of man vs machine, and the concept of The Turk is something that writer Neil Gaiman clearly loves, for it’s embedded deep within ‘Nightmare in Silver’s’ programming.
‘Dreams of Empire’ is the second entry in BBC Books’ Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Collection. Written by Justin Richards, a long time contributor and creative consultant for the range, it features Patrick Troughton’s Doctor alongside companions Jamie and Victoria, pitching it in the earlier part of his tenure.
With the David Fincher/Kevin Spacey backed US version of House of Cards currently wowing critics and audiences alike on Netflix, now seems a perfect time as ever to revisit the classic BBC version on DVD and Blu-ray.
Lawks a mercy! That was a camp confection and no mistake!
As a writer, Mark Gatiss doesn’t so much wear his influences on his sleeve as parade them like a popinjay. So it should come as no surprise that he is singularly suited to assembling such a preposterous patchwork of period pastiche.
It’s difficult to say now how Spartacus will be remembered, but the members of its vocal fanbase are sure to keep recommending the show to anyone and everyone who’ll listen and it wouldn’t be surprising to see that legion of fans become something much larger as the series is exposed to a wider audience through DVDs.
The X-Files star Gillian Anderson returns to British TV, aided by Once Upon A Time‘s Jamie Dornan, in BBC Two’s brilliant new five-part investigative thriller, The Fall.
From writer Lucy Gannon (Soldier Soldier) comes Frankie, a new BBC One drama series set in the world of district nursing, starring Eve Myles (Torchwood) and Dean Lennox Kelly (Shameless).
A more sedate episode than last week’s barnstormer, ‘Kissed By Fire’ gives us a new insight into several characters, while the spectre of Ned haunts the Stark children.
We don’t know what’s more impressive: that Shakespearean stalwarts Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi are finally working together, or that it’s in an ITV sitcom which is actually funny.