Little Storping-in-the-Swuff

My Airport Express, at around two years old, seems to have lived longer than most of these units (which seem commonly to fail at 12 to 18 months because, apparently, of a defective power supply) but that’s not much comfort. The music’s stopped, and I can’t access my file server.

I’ve registered the death at macbidouille where over a thousand AEX failures have been reported. I’m not sure what to do now. I feel a bit cheesed off with Apple, but I want AirTunes. I also fancy Airport Disk and 802.11n, but the new Airport Extreme, which features these, doesn’t (for some reason) do AirTunes. Only the original, aging Airport Express will, and it’s still pretty pricey even at £65, and I’m now somewhat suspicious of it.

And so we get the next spin-off (“eat my dust L&O”). A 13-part animated Doctor Who series will be voiced by Tennant, Agyeman with Anthony Head (in a new role), reports The Mirror, remarking (quite wittily, for them) that the 2D cartoon sees the Doctor going “into a different dimension”.

The webcasts and the radio series (not to mention Big Finish turning out the equivalent of a half hour episode every week for the last 7 years) show that animated/audio series are quick and cheap to do, requiring minimal commitment from the actors. The current BBC7 series demonstrates the BBC’s interest, and since they’ve prevented Big Finish using the 9th or 10th incarnations, it’s no surprise they’ve got their own plans.

I’d have predicted a webcast, but this will be shown during Totally Doctor Who (the children’s “behind the scenes” show). Actually, I’m still betting it’ll go on the web, too.

Update: The BBC’s Doctor Who website has gone all animated, with some more detail about Infinite Quest. It’s to be written by Alan Barnes (Storm Warning, Neverland, Zagreus, The Next Life) and directed by Gary Russell (lately of Big Finish now a script editor on the TV Series). Intriguingly, it also states “animation will be crafted by Firestep, the creative team behind previous Doctor Who animated adventures for the BBC”. The original animation BBCi The Scream of Shalka and the recently reconstructed episodes of The Invasion were animated by Cosgrove Hall. Other previous animation projects, the Big Finish webcasts Shada and Real Time, and Death Comes to Time, were drawn by Lee Sullivan.

Who are “Firestep”?

We are the source of all religion. We are the afterlife.

“The X-Files meets This Life” was how Russell T. Davies described Torchwood to the media when it was first announced, back before the last series of Doctor Who began. But just under a decade ago, the show that actually was The X-Files meets This Life was shown on Channel 4, right down to casting This Life’s Jack Davenport as one of the leads: Ultraviolet.

At the time, I only saw a couple of episodes (my flatmate, who had far better taste in television than me, was a fan). But almost every discussion of Torchwood suggests Ultraviolet is the show it should have been, although Ultraviolet itself only lasted one short, six episode run. So I picked up the DVD.

After The X-Files, any show about paranormal investigation risked unfavourable comparison. But a show that concerned an organisation more akin to the Area 51 Men-In-Black than the FBI could explore moral ambiguities that Mulder’s holier-than-thou quest could encompass. This was what I though TW would do (especially when, in The Christmas Invasion, Torchwood’s destruction of the retreating Sycorax ship attracted the Doctor’s disgust). Unfortunately, TW the series failed to deliver.

In Ultraviolet, by contrast, we are presented with an (unnamed) organisation, frequently described as a death squad, somtimes compared with Nazis. As in TW there is a team rather than a duo. A doctor, a soldier, a priest, they are also hard to like, but the characterisation is consistent and convincing. The tensions between them concern whether the ends justify the means rather than the mere tantrums of TW. A zeal verging on fundamentalism gives them their drive, inspired by an equally driven and infinitely resourceful enemy: its relevance is only heightened watching it post 9/11.

In the opening episode, a police officer encouters the covert organisation, and becomes curious about their credentials. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? But in Ultraviolet there is a clear remit and the kind of backing that ensures heavily armed troops are available on call (where TW has… Ianto Jones). Rather than driving around in an SUV emblazoned with their secret identity, they use other government organisation’s cover, using the authority of CIB or Special Branch or whatever best suits their convenience.

On the This Life side of things, Michael, our police officer, doesn’t have a girlfriend to deceive. Instead, his equivalent to Rhys are the two girls in his life: he lies to Kirsty, who he fancies, and who is his best friend’s fiance; whilst his brittle ex Frances is an ex NCIS officer who understands the pressures of working on covert operations. Each of these relationships therefore have the scope to develop even over the relatively short run.

In Ultraviolet there is only one enemy to face. The mythology of vampires is well developed in popular fiction to the point where it could alienate the casual viewer, but the word vampire is not used once. It’s a multilayered approach; if you get the references you’ll appreciate them, but threat of the Code V infection doesn’t require any prior knowledge. TW too faced the burden of 43 years of Doctor Who mythology, and references wedged in to plots were frequently unnecessary, wouldn’t have made sense if you hadn’t seen DW and often didn’t even if you had.

Finally, Ultraviolet delivers with some acting muscle. The wonderful Susannah Harker is just outstanding, as is The Wire’s Idris Elba. Davenport is always watchable, and Philip Quast carries an air of the sinister that gives his character an intriguing edginess.

Joe Ahearne, the writer and director of Ultraviolet, was born the day the first episode of Doctor Who aired, and has directed several episodes of the Christopher Eccleston series.

It’s so quiet.

Does my Mac support 802.11n?

These Mac computers support 802.11n in the new AirPort Extreme Base Station using the included enabler software:

iMac with Intel Core 2 Duo (except 17-inch, 1.83GHz iMac)
MacBook with Intel Core 2 Duo
MacBook Pro with Intel Core 2 Duo
Mac Pro with AirPort Extreme card option

http://www.apple.com/wireless/80211/

Bizaarly, it seems I must buy the new Extreme base station to get the software to unlock the capabilities of my laptop. But the Airport Expresses on the network will still slow it down to “g” speeds anyway, so I think I’ll wait until there’s an AirTunes supporting “n” product from Apple, too.

Steve hasn’t mentioned it, but there’s a brand new 802.11n Airport Extreme base station on sale in the Store, and it’s priced at £119. It’s flat like the Apple TV, and it’s got 3 LAN ports rather than just one like its predecessor. No AirTunes, though. Instead it has AirPort Disk – essentially bring your own HD NAS:

Now you can share an external USB hard drive over your wireless and wired network by simply connecting it to the USB port on your AirPort Extreme Base Station. Called AirPort Disk, it’s perfect for sharing files, making backups, and more. You can even connect multiple drives and printers using a USB hub (sold separately). (See system requirements.)

Available from February. http://www.apple.com/airportextreme/

5.17. Arrive home out of breath. Right, let’s head off to San Fransisco and see what magic is in store: http://www.macrumorslive.com.

5.44. iTV. Well, pretty much as expected, though confirmation of 802.11n is good (what’s that, Aiport Ultra?) and so’s HD, but why cripple it with a limit on the number of PCs it can stream from? Not clear why it needs to sync, either, unless the streaming’s not so good… Still this next thing sounds good…

6.47 iPhone. Look, I don’t want to quibble – it’s a fab little device (get me one now!) but what about iChat? Does this thing integrate, show your buddies online, allow you to video chat over the ‘net will folks sitting in front of their MacBook? That’s far more interesting to me than a regular phone….

6.52 Can’t help noticing there’s only 8 minutes to go, according to the schedule. Hello Leopard? iLife?

7.10 It’s all but over. One product isn’t available till Feb, the other until June (US) or Dec (here). So why did they take the store down?

Despite some carping, then, I’ve got to admit I’m gobsmacked. The Apple TV looks a pretty decent product despite the deliberate limitations (crap name, though) and the iPhone just blows me away, it looks fantastic. I want one NOW!

That Is Your Hair, I Take It?
Blood of the Daleks makes a pleasing appetiser – Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller turns the tables on the Doctor by being entirely unphased by him and hiding a mysterious secret of her own. Plus a nicely underplayed Dalek conspiracy to unravel…

Torchwood Triple
Oh dear. After a couple of half decent episodes, we got a really turkey (well, it was Christmas) to finish off with. Easily the worst episode since the dire Cyberwoman, rounding off a show that has frequently disappointed and rarely even compared to a Slitheen episode – just been one collosal missed opportunity.

Is That Good Or Bad?
As a palatte cleanser, Invasion of the Bane is needed after that indigestible Torchwood finale, and it’s bland an pleasant enough to do the job well. It plays like an Earth bound Pertwee era story, though with the notable absence of the Doctor, and an injection of kids. Lis Sladen is, simply, wonderful still as Sarah Jane (that’s good). K9 is stuck in a safe with a black hole (that’s bad) and there’s a computer called Mr Smith (I suppose we’d have to assume K9 built that) and Sarah Jane has a sonic lipstick (that’s er…)

Give Me Pockets!
Ah, that’s better. The one thing the spin offs lack: The Doctor. The Runaway Bride has a cracking first half, with a stunning TARDIS set piece (we’ll forgive the blue screen, as there’s just something too magnificent about high speed TARDIS chase). There’s also two beautiful scenes with the Doctor and Donna looking out on space through the open doors of the dimensionally transcendental police box. The second half is a bit flat, with writer Russell T. Davies resorting to a rather feeble plot twist. Also there are some daft gags (enterntainingly, gridman’s done the maths on draining the Thames). Still, Catherine Tate (who I’m not familiar with) puts in a good performance as the Doc’s matrimonially challenged sidekick. And I love her self delusion over the Sycorax and Cyber invasions… Tennant is on top form. Can’t wait for Season 29.

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The Smoking Quill of Maestro Murray Gold
A rich desert to finish with: a broadcast of the Children in Need Doctor Who concert. Having received the Murray Gold CD just before Christmas I can confirm it’s an absolute corker. There are some classics there, such as Doomsday and The Impossible Planet but Westminster Bridge sounds even better than I remember it, the guitar reminiscent of John Barry’s spy classic themes for Dr No and The Ipcress File. The concert includes live performances of all these and more plus a suite from The Runaway Bride. It’s cracking stuff.

I’ve reconnected with the internet after a festive trip abroad. Although Little Storping requires registration for comments there seems to be have been a spate of spam on some old posts, to my surprise. I’ll need to look in to how that happened.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to catch up on all festive Who. Today I’ve met the 8th Doctor’s lipply new companion (“this Doctor of yours? He’s a bit rubbish”) caught up with Sarah Jane and found out who Captain Jack actually is, although I haven’t actually seen The Runaway Bride yet.

“Twelve things mmm thinging,
Eleven maids a milking,
Nine geese a leapin’,
Eight maids a milking,
FIVE GOLD RINGS!”

What they lack in tunefulness, a small group of revellers make up in enthusiasm as they amble from one course to the next through an East Devon village towing a drinks trolley, adorned with coloured lights and this year upgraded with optic brackets to dispense measures of whiskey and G&T as an alternative to swigging Cava from the bottle.

I rather like New Years Eve.

Appraisal of 2006 Resolutions:

1. Learn to Like Coffee. The aim here was to learn to appreciate good coffee, and the pleasure of rounding off a good meal, rather than becoming a caffeine fiend who will resort to instant if deprived of his daily fix. This was a taste quickly aquired, and I haven’t become an addict. Achieved .
2. Learn to Like Beer. The aim here was to learn to appreciate good beer (the pleasure of a glass of foaming nut brown ale on a hot summer’s day) not to become a lager swigging maniac. Time to be honest, I didn’t really make much of an effort here, I’ll have to do better in 2007. Failed.

Here’s the resolution for 2007:

Make Positive Food Choices. This is about ethical eating, and it’s about choosing to eat free range, organic meat, rather than simply avoiding it altogether, as I have been for a couple of decades. It’s also about sourcing fish, fruit and vegetables more carefully. I want to find a way to support local farmers, the provenance of whose produce is known, when most food is factory farmed. Trying eating meat may be an odd experience. I’ve no idea if I like it.