Falling Stars

I'm hyped! A murder mystery set in the goldfields of Ballarat in the 1850s. European, Chinese, and Indigenous characters! Revisionist western! Deadwood in Australia!




Mini docos:

Making the Show
The Untold History
The Director
The Cast
The Look

It's not like my own ancestors were here during the gold rush. But it's so exciting to have an Australian period drama where people are speaking Cantonese. Represent!

I just hope it's good.

New Gold Mountain is a four part series airing on SBS (and SBS on Demand) on 13 October, 14 October, 20 October and 21 October.

I've been trying to write this review for a few weeks, because the thing that hooked me happens at the end of the first episode, and does that count as a spoiler? Or is it basically the premise of the show?

But hey, it turns out they reveal it in the official trailer, so I figure it's supposed to be the thing that hooks you.

Anyway, Secrets of Sulphur Springs is a mystery show for kids, currently available on Disney+. Griffin moves to the town of Sulphur Springs when his dad buys a rundown old hotel there. According to local legend, the hotel is haunted by the ghost of Savannah, a girl who disappeared thirty years ago. Griffin makes a new best friend, Harper, and the two of them start to investigate the hauntings.

It's all very suspenseful and intriguing. And then! Near the end of the first episode, Griffin and Harper make a shocking discovery in the basement of the hotel -

A secret portal back in time.

Thirty years back in time, to be specific. Right before Savannah disappeared. So now they have a chance, not only to solve her disappearance, but to stop it.

This is totally my jam. I love, love, love time travel stories, and this show hit a lot of my favourite tropes. The suspense is genuinely spooky, but it was also kind of reassuring to know that, as a show for kids, the solution to the mystery wouldn't be too dark or gory. Griffin and Harper were great protagonists, active and smart and likeable.

One more thing I have to mention. That thirty year time travel? In Back to the Future, they went from the modern day of 1985 to the olden days of 1955. In Secrets of Sulphur Springs, they went from the modern day of 2020 to the olden days of - *drumroll* - 1990.

!!!

This is how you feel old. When the 1990s are a historical era someone can time travel back to. But to Griffin and Harper, who are kids, it actually is the distant past.

Secrets of Sulphur Springs was recently renewed for a Season 2.

Posted 4 June 2010:

"What happened happened. It all matters."

A little over five years ago, I sat in the summer heat with a group of friends, watching the pilot episode of a show called Lost. And six seasons later, in the autumn rains, after a long and unimaginable journey, we come to the finale.

It's kind of strange to think of everything that's happened since then, in my own life as well as on the show. And so many people I know have quit watching along the way - not surprising, since Season 1 was brilliant, but Seasons 2 and 3 dragged, and I almost quit myself. But then the word came down that it had been decided, the show was going to be six seasons, and boom, with an endpoint in mind, everything started falling into place. Seasons 4, 5 and 6 were payoff after payoff for all the setup that had taken place before, and towards the end, the impact of six seasons of setup is one hell of a spear behind the spearpoint.

---

And now it's been ten years since the finale! In some ways, the memory is still fresh, and in other ways, it feels so distant in time.

Most of my opinions haven't changed. I loved Lost - its occasional flaws outshone by its breathtaking moments - and I'm still deeply fond of many of the characters. And I'm pleased whenever I see one of the cast members show up in something I'm watching.

Lost was a gamechanger even during its run, and ten years later, its position as a television icon is still solid. Like The X-Files before it, Lost is a show now embedded in popular consciousness. (Polar bears! The hatch! "We have to go back!")

Weirdly enough, I never got fannish about Lost. I think I spent all my energy talking about it with family and friends, analysing every episode and speculating on the plot. It was mainstream enough that I could do that. For a show that left such a big imprint on my memories, it left a light footprint on my fandom activity. I never joined any discussion forums. I cannot remember reading a single fic. All I can find saved on my computer are two fanvids: La Maree Haute by Buffyann and Skullcrusher Mountain by kass. The only other show I can think of where I felt the same way is Farscape. Somehow, canon was enough.

David Tennant and Michael Sheen join forces again, in this British sitcom about actors in lockdown trying to rehearse a play over Zoom, along with their nervous director, their exasperated producer, and some surprising guest stars.

They're playing fictionalised versions of themselves, which is fun - I love that David Tennant is the insecure pathetic one, and Michael Sheen is the cranky diva one. Though it does feel a bit weird when their real life partners appear and when their real life kids are mentioned - like, suddenly the fourth wall is kind of wobbly?

It's funny and relatable, especially seeing famous actors lounging around the house in tracky dacks and bad haircuts, scrounging up dinner ingredients from the fridge, and dealing with the frustrations of technology.

I think it'll be interesting to look back at the shows created during this time, both as a snapshot of the moment, and the creativity of the format.

Staged is six episodes in total. Available on ABC iview until 21 October 2020.

The complete series on iView (until 27 February 2018)

( Musings on Episodes 7-10 )

* I really love these characters! Their dynamic is super heartwarming, and I feel like we've just scratched the surface of the possibilities. I kind of want seven seasons and a movie. But I'll settle just for renewal.

* Bonus extras! The website has six short episodes of behind the scenes.

The complete series on iView

If you grew up in Australia in the 1980s, chances are you grew up with Monkey Magic. You know exactly who was born from a rock on the mountaintop, and that Gandhara, they say, it was in India.

So the proposed reboot of a beloved cult classic was met with some scepticism, especially when articles popped up about whitewashing the characters. But the trailer looked promising, so I decided to check it out. I'm very glad I did.

It reminds me of a cross between Monkey and Avatar and Xena. A cheesy fun adventure with a lot of heart. And I love hearing Australian and New Zealand accents in a fantasy show.

It's actually pretty multicultural: the main characters, the supporting cast, and the background extras. Tripitaka is played by a Tongan-New-Zealander (Luciane Buchanan), Monkey by a Thai-Australian (Chai Hansen), Sandy by a French-Australian (Emilie Cocquerel), and Pigsy by a Tongan-New-Zealander (Josh Thomson).

( Musings on Episodes 1-3 )

It's definitely a fusion, not a pure adaptation. But as someone who grew up in an immigrant family in a multicultural society - not completely fitting into either culture - a fusion speaks to me more than the original. It feels like a story made for me. I really like that this exists.

I'm not just way behind on these entries, but also way behind on TV - these shows all have second seasons I haven't finished or, in some cases, even started yet.

Legend of Korra (Season 1)
I love Republic City. I love Korra the hot-tempered teenage action hero. I love Lin Bei Fong who will not put up with your nonsense. I do not love the shipping. I love the moments of "whoa did that just happen on a kids' show?" I love that we get to experience more of this world.

Elementary (Season 1)
I had my reservations about the premise of the show (another Sherlock adaptation? and in America?), but they were quickly overcome by how well the characters worked and how fun the show was to watch, even though the mysteries could be a bit improbable. And it was so rewarding to see the characters change and grow, and their relationship change and grow, during the arc of the season.

Hannibal (Season 1)
I was totally not planning to watch this show, because serial killers and gory violence, and then I heard things that made me go OMG I HAVE TO WATCH, and I did (often through my fingers), and I meant to make several long posts with raving and meta and speculation. And then time got away from me. And then all of Season 2 happened, and I still haven't gotten around to watching it. *facepalm*

The Bletchley Circle (Season 1)
I was hooked when I heard the premise: during WWII, these four women worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park. Now, post-war, they've returned to their normal lives. But when one of them notices a pattern in a series of murders, she gets the gang together again and they start to investigate.

So, after literally years of waiting for this to happen, how was it?

Well, I did get the very Eurovision experience of witnessing my country's performance and cringing with embarrassment. There was nothing actually wrong with DJ Brown's singing. But why the four dancers gyrating about the stage in black corsets and garters? I mean, really?

It especially stood out because most of the other countries went classic and conservative, with soulful ballads that were probably love songs. I have no idea what they thought of Australia.

The knockout performance of the evening was Indonesia, who was dressed like a queen, with even a jewelled eyepiece, and delivered a magnificent power ballad. Other interesting moments: Japan's cutesy pop idol trio in pink, Afghanistan's traditional string instrument and message to fellow citizens far from home, Korea's hip-hop dance moves and dramatic plumes of smoke and flame. Also, Korea being the host nation meant we got to see some special performances highlighting their music and drama.

It wasn't until the end that I discovered that it wasn't a song contest, but a song festival. So, no voting! Which might actually be for the best, considering regional tensions are still a live thing, and fits the theme of promoting harmony among the nations. So we ended up with all the performers coming back on stage to sing "Heal the World" together. Which is not a bad way to end things.

Ugly Betty (Seasons 3-4)
Season 3 flagged a bit, but as we headed into the home stretch of Season 4, the show hit its stride again, reminding me why I loved it so much to begin with. It dares to change, and Betty dares to change, evolving like a butterfly, and we head into new territory, and new challenges, as well as a graceful sweeping up of all the loose ends.

Glee (Season 2)
It's bizarre that this show can be so progressive in some areas, and then smack you in the face with something so offensive the next moment. I'm really not sure what to expect from Season 3. Except that I'm fear everyone is still inexplicably in love with Finn Hudson, the most uncharismatic guy on the show.

Doctor Who (Season 6)
I love that River Song got her story arc. Who would have thought, back in the days of "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead", when they seemed like a complete story already? Kudos to Alex Kingston for bringing this character to life. I cannot imagine her being played by anyone else. The Eleventh Doctor continues to be awesome, and I'm relieved to be farewelling Amy and Rory. Roll on the new season!

Supernatural (Season 3)
I finally finished this season, after grinding to a halt a couple of years back. It gets better from here, I gather. Looking forward to meeting all these angels and demons people keep going on about.

Hajime no Ippo (complete)
A solid shounen series, with a modest hero working hard for his dreams. Inspiring and motivating, despite me not generally being a fan of boxing. Also, it is somewhat amusing how deliberately blokey it is at regular intervals.

What I've been watching the past year.


( My top recommendations )

( My other favourite shows )

( My biggest disappointments )