h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh, for heaven's sake, Jar Jar, you're getting 'using the sonic to advance the plot' (by providing information, opening a door, fixing a gadget) mixed up with 'using the sonic to switch the plot off' (by blowing away the villain, etc)... which has never happened! I can think of at least four episodes off the top of my head where the sonic isn't used at all.

I thought Partners in Crime scored points for giving the Doctor a new and different blob-monster detecting gadget rather than just fishing out the sonic screwdriver again. Lost them for using the Deadlock plot device though, swings and roundabouts...

Haven't seen the Pompeii one yet, will be rectifying that now!

Right. I thought that was a terrific episode. I anticipate complaints about some gratuitous sonic use and I would agree with them, as the bits in question could have been resolved just as easily with a cricket ball and a penknife. Using the sonic to rewire the energy converter seems to me an entirely reasonable use of it, and it didn't detract from the central dramatic crux of the episode at all.

Any dissenters?

He did use it to knock over a shelf, but that's about the only time he used it for the sake of using it. When it's used as a screwdriver (like to rewire something) it's fine - it's just the bits when he uses it as a magic wand.

Don't think I saw any sonic screwdriving going on at all in the Agatha Christie episode, though no doubt someone will correct me...

No, me neither.

I did like that one, but that could have been due to the fact that the Doctor's Daughter was bloody awful.

Yeah, I fully agree - depressingly Star Trekky, with an unconvincing plot. The Cornish accent of the villain was rather distracting too. The series doesn't need any more bolshy teenage blondes, either...

(It's 35 degrees here in Italy. No-one seems to understand the concept of air-conditioning either. Can't wait to get back to the UK.)

Sounds uncomfortably warm...

Well, we've had torrential rain and bright sunshine in fairly strict rotation ever since Wednesday morning, so everything's a bit more tolerable at the moment.

That's like Manchester. Only we're not having any bright sunshine...

Back now. Crikey it seems cold.

Have discovered an interesting talent not dissimilar to the Rain King from SL&TFATF - I was in Italy on monday night when they lost to Holland (now I know what the sound of 100,000 people groaning simultaneously is, and it's creepy). Then, I was in Stuttgart for a bit yesterday and while I was there they lost to Croatia. Clearly I am a jinx and could perhaps make money in some fashion by influencing the results of matches...

A weekend for you in Paris would make me laugh.

Hmmm. I see three problems with the idea of going to France for the weekend:

1. It's a bit short notice.

2. I haven't properly been to the pictures in over five months so you can guess what I've arranged to do tonight (I'm just annoyed I can't watch Indiana Jones und der Konigsreich der Kristallschulen and the new Hulk simultaneously).

3. It would involve going to France for the weekend.

From what I've heard, both of those films are awful. Do I detect a 24LAS in the making?

Um, I'm not sure there would be any demand for it. I'm a bit rusty and didn't have my reviewing hat on at the cinema.

Thought Indy 4 was a bit more SF (for want of a better word) themed than I expected but still, it had everything you would want.

There'd be a huge demand for it!

From whom!?!?

Me?

Unless you've put on weight, and with the greatest consideration for your ego, that doesn't really qualify as 'huge'...

Well, I put on about a stone when I quit smoking...

Hmm. I lost three and a bit stone in Japan, but how much was due to the local diet and how much to me just not being bothered to eat enough I'm not sure. Sashimi's nice either way.