That was my first inkling that no, things weren't going to pan out: Darling's happy 'We survived the Great War - 1914 to 1917.' I heard that second year and thought 'Oh, shit, no. . . .'

I was so glad David Sims mentioned 'Goodbyeee'. The first time I saw it I was so sure that Blackadder would get out of it somehow, or that Baldrick would, for once, actually have a cunning plan (as cunning as a fox that's Professor of Cunning at Oxford University), that when they went over the top it was like a punch…

"Mornin', Sam."
"Mornin', Ralph."

***crickets***

Yeah, that was my first thought too: "It's coming back, somehow, in some form!"

I was in the States a few years back, and AMC was on in the background, playing some less-than-stellar US television show. A friend glanced at the screen, then said "American Movie Classics. Well, one out of three isn't bad."

It's not just old people watching TCM. My teenage son, a couple of years back, said one night as we were looking for something to watch, "Turn it to TCM." I asked if there was something particular on he wanted to see, and he replied "No, but they always show good stuff." He's been introduced to movies as diverse as The…

I remember reading somewhere in the British press, when the series aired over there, that none of the actors knew who the killer was until near the end of filming, and as a result it was a surprise to Matthew Gravelle (Joe) to find out before the final episode that he was the murderer (he was actually told just before…

Try a couple of standalone episodes of Doctor Who, that don't depend on knowing years of lore, and aren't too heavy on the SF elements. 'Blink' is a great episode for this, really scary and also very moving (plus it stars Carey Mulligan before she became famous). Or 'Hide' from the most recent series, a fine ghost…

Loved Ripper Street, and wondered if I should give Copper a try. Might watch an episode or two and see how it goes.

'Props to Joe Sims, who plays Nigel, for switching from a doofus to a homicidal maniac in mere moments.'

Although you could make an argument for Ian and Barbara setting the stage for Amy and Rory; they weren't married (although we find out years later, from Sarah Jane, that they DID marry), but were near as dammit a couple on the show.

'Free fuckin' gratis'. (Al Swearengen) or

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau; funny, I've thought he (or his character, anyway) has got better looking as he's gone along. He was a bit too much the smarmy pretty boy in series one.

Gillette Castle, home of William Gillette, who wrote and starred in the massively popular play Sherlock Holmes in 1899, and continued reprising the role on stage for most of the rest of his life. And @avclub-b327ac90601ec5904ca8e539cba62638:disqus , the Inverness and deerstalker are mentioned in the canon, but…

In that case, here are Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., and Vasily Livanov's versions of Holmes, in the same piece. The Three Detectives, if you will, in Russian with English subtitles (the latter not brilliant, but you'll get the jokes). And it is very funny, with lots of nice touches and in jokes (the music…

From what I recall of living in England, a lot of British houses - especially older ones (which is probably most of them) - have their cold water tanks in the loft or attic, which is often only accessible through a hatch or trap door in the ceiling, usually in a hallway. These are only accessible by a ladder: either a…

He was a very private person, and maybe he thought that since the case was so different - it was a girl, he married her, they had a child, were happy - he didn't need to tell the police (although surely they would have known anyway, by running his name through their records). I'm not sure that even if they police had…

I thought the reveal about Jack was well done; until this episode, all we knew was that he'd gone to prison for sex with a minor, no gender specified. Given that he's single, works with the Sea Brigade (all lads, it looks like), and was burning the pictures of him with the boys, the suggestion was that it was sex with…

I don't see 'Discuss how post-apocalyptic scenarios create the need for a different style of parenting technique, and why "helicopter parents" - those who closely observe and monitor their offspring - might be the best model for ensuring the safety and survival of children, as well as other group members.' Guest…