A Bargain of Necessity

Once again, global events conspire to make my meagre scribblings seem rather limp and apologetic.

Compared to war, earthquake, and tsunami, a robust defence of a much-maligned "The Android Invasion" would seem to some almost churlish in its lack of perspective.

Not here, though.

The main thing of note must be the absolutely glorious location filming. I'm always a sucker for the quaint English village scenario (until it was done to death in recent decades in the name of nostalgia), and anybody who has walked into a village pub as a "stranger in these parts" can appreciate the whole atmosphere that is evoked to fantastic effect in Part One.

And many other great things there are too. Mister Baker's take on the role is by now hitting all the right notes, and his occasional flashes of whimsy are much easier to take than in later years when he seemed to think that was the entire raison d'etre of the part.

Add to the mix yer whole doppelganger shtick and a Kraal officer that sounds uncannily like Zippy... Hellfire, what is there not to like about this show?

(Well, a lot of it doesn't make any sense if looked at the the harsh light of Oseidon, but that's hardly a reason to dismiss it so casually. You'll be telling me people don't like "Revenge of the Cybermen" next...)

Any which way you cut it, it's all just plain old exciting, that's what I say.

Roll on Serial 4K, when the man who acts with his teeth meets the woman who acts with her eyes...

Erm... Gilly Brown, if you were wondering.

Anyway, to Hull Truck Theatre last weekend, to see the 82 year old Mister Acker Bilk, with his Paramount Jazz Band, and probably the first time I've ever been to a gig with my mother. In truth, it was for her sake that we were there; it was a treat for us both and we both enjoyed it immensely. (She used to go and see him regularly before she was married, and is still a fan).

No banjo player though, which deprived me of some fine Tetrap mental images...

Made a nice change anyway, as I am currently listening mainly to late 80's Grindcore at the moment. Something I never really did at the time, for a number of reasons that I may pontificate upon at a later date.

And it's always a strange and exhilerating experience to be listening to an album while finding yourself walking past the place it was recorded, especially in such a (musical) backwater as this.

Yes, just for a brief period circa 1989/90, it was not unknown for me to pop into town for some deodorant, and end up in a local boozer carousing with the likes of Napalm Death or Carcass.

Heady days indeed.

Oh, and I still haven't got around to the ethically uncomfortable bargain of necessity mentioned in the title. At this rate, I'll be writing about prisoners of the Conciergerie next time...