1313 Mockingbird Lane

A week or two ago NBC aired their pilot for Mockingbird Lane as a tv movie/special. Originally I wrote it off as a horrible idea, why remake a show like the The Munsters? It seems like it’s an idea that would only work on the campy level of the original from the 60’s.

I’m not sure why or how but after I originally wrote off the show it popped back up on my radar, but after a little while I started to get interested in the show. Eddie Izzard (Dressed to Kill, The Riches) as Grandpa Munster, Jerry O’Connell (Joe’s Apartment, Sliders) as Herman Munster, Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development) directed by Bryan Singer (dir. X-men, House, THE USUAL SUSPECTS) and written by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies).

Really the two that made me want to try this show were of course Eddie Izzard and Bryan Fuller. Izzard is in my top 3 comics and I really enjoyed The Riches. Fuller wrote one of my favorite shows Pushing Daisies.I was still hesitant going in to the show , the Munsters that we know and loved are campy.

But by the end of the episode I’m hooked. I love this show, there are things that can be fixed, but what pilot episode has been perfect? It is a fun and witty show that keeps some of the campiness of the original but doesn’t over do it. It’s a fresh take on the characters that works well.

You can watch the pilot on Hulu for free or just click here. I’ll be genuinely disappointed if NBC doesn’t pick this up, they’re still moving around the premier date for Community’s 4th season.

Quick touch up on Doctor Who.

Quick little thing before I start on this weeks post. Last week I got tired and rushed the post towards the end. Doctor Whos companions are very important they are great (except for Donna Noble) and even save The Doctor every now and than but kick ass in most episodes. They are not just there to be saved by The Doctor.

Doctor Who?… EXACTLY!

For my first post I’m going to talk about every ones favorite Time Lord.

First a little back story for those who don’t know Doctor Who is an hour long program on the BBC. It’s first season was in 1963 and ran until 1989. A new series started up in 2005. With books, radio shows, comics and a feature film. It’s about the last Time Lord who travels through Space and Time to “fight” against evil, in his spaceship, usually with a companion.

I have to admit I’m not a fan of the original series. It started out as a kids show and you can tell. Not to mention the fact that the didn’t have a lot of money to put in to the sets and costumes. The villains outfits are as bad, sometimes worst then the villains in Power Rangers. Even in the new series and with computer effects they aren’t as good as they could be, but they fit and give it a different but nice feel. Also I’m not sure what they do with the camera but with every BBC show I’ve watched (Doctor Who, Torchwood, Prime Evil, Survivors, and Sherlock) you can tell it’s not American. It has a different feel.

Unlike James Bond movies the explanation for different actors playing the same character is written in to the plot. Time Lords can regenerate instead of dying. Even if shot or stabbed in both (yes time lords have 2) hearts they can still regenerate. That is not to say you can not kill a Time Lord. If a Time Lord explodes or the injuries happen to fast for the regeneration cycle to start the time lord will die. A Time Lord can also choose not to regenerate which will cause him to die.

With the new series season one is the hardest to get through but it is worth it. You meet great characters like Captain Jack and see how The Doctor regenerates. Christopher Eccleston plays The Doctor in the first season. He is the 9th actor to take on the face of The Doctor. David Tennant takes over in seasons 2-4. And Matt Smith is our current Doctor. David Tennant is amazing as The Doctor he is witty, quick, and as he says “Rude but not Ginger”. Because of how much I enjoyed David Tennant I was worried about Matt Smith taking over but he is amazing, and trying to bring Bow Ties back. Time Lords are only have 12 lifes so I assume that when they started up again that Christopher Eccleston is playing the doctor in his first life. I believe I read some where that he is The Doctor that survived The Great Time War in which The Doctor killed all the Time Lords and Daleks.

A couple things that are amazing about The Doctor are his spaceship or T.A.R.D.I.S (Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space.  The Tardis takes it’s surroundings and picks something in that time/demension/place to replicate so it wont stick out. Problem is awhile ago it got stuck as a 1950s police box and The Doctor likes it so he didn’t fix it. It is said that a TARIDS is not made but grown. It’s also known that The Tardis is “bigger on the inside”. But my favorite thing about The Doctor he describes best when told that he couldn’t leave the Tardis cause the aliens out side had guns and were going to kill him he simpley says

“And I haven’t, which makes me the better person, don’t you think? They can shoot me dead, but the moral high ground is mine”

He rarely kills because of his past, The Tardis has no defenses or weapons, the only thing The Doctor carries is a Sonic Screwdriver. The Sonic Screwdriver is not a weapon but still very useful as it is seen repairing electronic equipment; re-attaching materials such as barbed wire; detecting, intercepting and sending signals; remotely operating the TARDIS; burning, cutting, or igniting substances; fusing metal; scanning and identifying substances; amplifying or augmenting sound; modifying mobile phones to enable universal roaming; disabling alien disguises; resonating concrete. It is sometimes used to disassemble robotic enemies or turn other objects into weapons; healing cuts and wounds. So basically he is against evil aliens and just armed with his wits and Sonic Screwdriver.

He rarely travels alone. He usually travels with a female companion. Rose Tyler starts this series and then it goes to Martha Jones, Donna Noble and finally Amy Pond. Sometimes their boyfriend or husband comes along for the ride. And you even meet his robotic dog K-9 (from I’m guessing the original run). Really not much to say about the companions except that they usually have something to do with the story arc. And when the arc is done they leave shortly after. The arcs are pretty good and there are some pretty good monster of the week episodes.

The villains are pretty good. With the best being Cybermen, Weeping Angels, and of course Daleks. Cybermen are cyborgs made from humans. Basically the only thing human about them is the nervous system. Here is a great video of Captain Jack explaining the Cybermen. Weeping Angels are a terrifying race. They are summed up beautifully in this Doctor Who Monster Files Weeping Angels. Delaks are amazing they look like a salt or pepper shaker but don’t let that fool you. Watch this video about the Daleks and hopefully you never hear EXTERMINATE!!!