JRM is an old friend of Michael Hirst's, from The Tudors days. I look forward to his voracious appetite for scenery being exercised on this show.

Congratulations happy revelers, may Annual Gift Man descend from his moon palace to bestow upon you kitchenware and sensible socks.

Poor old Alfred got a noseful of really bad Old Man Ragnar stink right there. No wonder he hated Vikings later.

I don't really play a lot of games these days but the standout for me this year was the completion of Inkle Studio's Sorcery! series. As a kid I had a passionate love for the original gamebooks and was very nervous about how these games would work out. But to my elation they did a superb job in the adaption, keeping…

Revved up like a douche?

Canada was just too polite to ask for independence.

Michael Caine on Jaws: The Revenge: "I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible. However I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."

He's a good-looking boy. Do you mind if I keep this picture?

Did you call moi a dipshit?

Their adventures are officially the worst "take your kid to work day" in history.

Eva owned Penny Dreadful but I think honorable mentions should also go to Rory Kinnear and Billie Piper, who blew me away with their turns in the third season.

Black Sails had a magnificent third season back in Jan-March, finishing off with my favorite finale of the year. Sadly the next season (in the New Year) will be the last, but they have brought all the relevant plots to their natural conclusions, so at least it will be satisfying.

I prefered Duckman's version.

Now he just needs Jackie Earle Haley to commit a hate crime, and he's golden!

Is it anything like the War of the Porcelain Bowl? Because I survived three of those.

I can only think of two reasons why there was a bloody emu in the opening market scene. One, is that it was a joking reference to Travis Fimmel's homeland, and Ragnar's bemused reaction seemed to suggest that. Or two, the Vikings traveled to Australia. Either way, that and the 'stock tropical bird' sound effect…

Zombies vs Aliens vs Cowboys vs Aliens vs Godzilla vs Mothra vs Aliens vs Alien vs Predator vs Kramer

Luisa Ferida is an iconic doomed figure from Fascist Italy; Monica Bellucci played her in a 2008 movie called Wild Blood.

Poor old Joe passed away the other day.

I wanted the Haughty Courtesan but always got the Brazen Strumpet.