OK, so, I guess as an example, sometimes when 30 Rock did blackface, they did it to make a comment about blackface, and what it means? So, whatever your opinions on the matter, there was a discussion to be had about the issue. But other times they did blackface as a punchline (the two black swans bit is one thing that…

*sigh* Sexlexia?

It may not be what the episode is meant to be about, but as it came out not long after Tina Fey had a similar online debacle, it was a pretty clear venting of frustrating from a white comedian with a fairly horrible track record on race (I love 30 Rock but oh god every time I rewatch it the racism gets more and more…

I didn't get as far as the episodes with her in. The one about how people of colour who criticise white women on the internet for being racist are the REAL villains made me turn it off and not want to turn it back on again.

Ugh, just remembered that I never finished season two, because after a handful of episodes it was so desperately unfunny and outright offensive in places (with an unhealthy dose of Tina Fey just airing her grievances in sitcom form) that it just became unwatchable. A shame, because the first series was pretty great,…

P. sure in Separate Ways it zooms in on a map of Spain?

She's the best thing about the show, followed closely by the kids, and then Ernie Hudson.

I think it's pretty heavily implied that his older mentor burned down one of his businesses for the insurance money which he gave to Wiseau when he died, isn't it? May have got that wrong. But there's definitely some shady stuff going on with the old dead guy that's listed as an executive producer on The Room.

The ending at the premiere was really touching, I thought. The way it ends just as the lights go down, with Tommy about to have all of his dreams come true. To dwell on how The Room was received would have felt a bit mean and cynical - for all their fallings-out, they were mates, after all.

I like this show a lot, mostly because I look at Lily Tomlin's character and see what my partner will eventually turn into. It works as nice precautionary viewing.

It's set in Spain, isn't it?

The second RE4 one on the video - the actual safe room theme, rather than the save menu theme - is definitely my favourite. Proper Selected Ambient Works vol II vibe to it.

"What was that new song you were playing? You know, the one that went "bing bing bing, bong bong bong?"

I loved Chamberlain Waits but really got completely bored of this band after that. My punk mates still love them and are raving about this record, kind of satisfying to see AV Club and Pitchfork united in turning in reviews concluding that it's a bit dull.

I liked Norwegian Wood, but I kept waiting for a cat to start talking, or for one of main character's love interests to disappear into another dimension. I mean, it's nice that an example of him writing a more straightforward tale exists, but I do think it sticks out like a bit of a sore thumb compared to everything…

Yeah I've only read Swann's Way, and I loved it - well, I loved the Combray sections and the epilogue, Swann's flashback draaaaaaggs and is pretty boring. But the good parts have that same dreamy quality that Murakami has, I think, but with plenty of sleepy French luxury rather than Murakami's comforting Japanese…

zing

Good shout, thanks! I think I'll dry Dance and After Dark as my next two. IQ84 is enticing, but I KNOW it'll take me forever to read because of the length, particularly if it's got any kind of padding that'll make me put it down and get my phone out on the bus. I might save it for later on because I've just got so…

Yes, exactly this! There is something so comforting about his writing, even among all the weirdness. You just wanna crawl inside the worlds he creates, and have some dinner.

Really? I loved it, it's probably tied for my favourite along with Kafka On The Shore. I loved the combination of the daily mundane with the supernatural and the historical, all winding together. Norweigan Wood was the let down for me because it lacks that vibe which most of his other books have.