Doctor Who: The Snowmen - Synopsis and Trailer

Christmas means one thing - or rather, one thing in my Universe - and that's the Doctor Who Christmas special. Admittedly, there's all that stuff about family and friendship and peace and goodwill to all men etc., but it's mostly about Doctor Who.

This year's Christmas special, The Snowmen, is a chilling tale about  monstrous snowmen with razor-sharp teeth, and not to be confused with The Snowman, the heart-warming story of Aled Jones and his snowy companion.
Here's the BBC's official summary...

Christmas Eve 1892 and the falling snow is the stuff of fairy-tales. When the fairy-tale becomes a nightmare and a chilling menace threatens Earth, an unorthodox young governess, Clara, calls on the Doctor for help. But the Doctor is in mourning, reclusive and determined not to engage in the problems of the universe.

As old friends return, will the Doctor really abandon humankind or will he fight to save the world – and Christmas – from the icy clutches of this mysterious menace.

The Snowmen sees the introduction of Jenna-Louise Coleman as the Doctor's latest companion, Clara, and will also guest star Richard E. Grant and the voice of Sir Ian McKellen. The episode will also feature some new aesthetics, with a new title sequence, a new outfit for the Doctor and a sleek new TARDIS interior which harkens back to the style of the classic Doctor Who series (presumably as an homage as Doctor Who the year of its 50th anniversary).

The Snowmen is billed for the slightly earlier time of 5.15pm on Christmas Day, and the trailer can be found immediately below this sentence.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Latest News and Theatrical Trailer

"Is there anything you would not do for your family?"

If you were thinking that I have been slightly fixated with the upcoming Star Trek film, then you'd be bloody right! The past couple of weeks have been rife with updates and teasers for the much-anticipated film, with the initial teaser trailer, new promotional pictures, character reveals and now, the release of the official theatrical trailer.

Two of the film's characters have been revealed; the first, played by Alice Eve, is Dr Carol Marcus. Carol Marcus was the molecular biologist who featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and was the brains behind Project Genesis, as well as the mother to Captain Kirk's son, David Marcus. As Star Trek Into Darkness is set in an alternate timeline, and with the Enterprise crew at an earlier point in their lives than in the events of Wrath of Khan, it's safe to assume that Eve will be portraying Dr Marcus at the time she and Kirk first meet.

The second character to be named, and is the one that has been sending fans rabid with speculation for almost a year, is the villain of the piece, played by Benedict Cumberbatch; John Harrison, a "one-man terrorist, who does despicable things for a noble cause." Cumberbatch hopes that his character will elicit sympathies, despite being a one-man weapon of mass destruction and psychological warfare. "He is very ruthless … He is not a clearly good or evil character," said Cumberbatch. "He is a villain but the actions he takes have intent and reason. He is a complicated character not to be judged by white-or-black, or good-or-evil. But this is the appeal of JJ's works and [why] I felt challenged as an actor."
JJ Abrams added: "The character is a villain and scary, but I was looking for an actor with humanity who audiences can sympathies with."

So far, so tantalising!

And lastly, the latest theatrical trailer for the film has now been released, featuring new shots and a decidedly more sombre opening (although things get kicked into high gear about half-way through!). The new, 2 minute trailer can be seen below, and a special 9 minute preview of the film will be shown at IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

All I can say is, 17th May 2013 can't come soon enough!

First Trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness Released

"You think your world is safe... It is an illusion, a comforting lie told to protect you."

These are the somewhat Nietzschean opening words of Benedict Cumberbatch's dark voice-over for the latest release from the Paramount vaults. After a year of absolute secrecy, the first glimpse of JJ Abram's Star Trek sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness, is finally here (which can be seen below).

This minute-long teaser trailer is a web-only release, with previews of the first nine minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness to be shown at certain IMAX screenings of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey next week. A longer theatrical trailer is also expected to be released around the same time.

Cumberbatch is very much at the forefront of this trailer, darkly intoning an ominous monologue over shots of a peaceful Federation city, which soon gives way to some decidedly more explosive sequences.
Star Trek Into Darkness certainly looks set to be an action-packed spectacle!

"Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned to have my vengeance. So, shall we begin?"

Star Trek Into Darkness - Synopsis and Poster Revealed

This article can also be found on Step2TV and Media Gateway.

When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.

With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Chris Pine will reprise the starring role as Captain Kirk, with Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg returning as Spock and Scotty. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will also be starring in the film as the as-yet unnamed villain, although there's speculation he may be playing Gary Mitchell - a human who developed advanced psionic abilities and became a threat to the Enterprise in Star Trek: Where No Man Has Gone Before. Whatever the role, I have absolutely no doubt that Cumberbatch will provide an utterly superb and sublime villain for this much anticipated film.

The poster, which was released today, depicts a man - presumably Cumberbatch - standing amidst a mass of debris overlooking what looks like 23rd Century London.

Star Trek Into Darkness is scheduled for release in cinemas worldwide on May 17, 2013 - and I can't bloody wait!

Charlotte Campbell: The Southbank Songstress

This article can also be found on Step2TV and Media Gateway.

I first heard the lyrical voice of Charlotte Campbell a month or so ago; I was crossing Golden Jubilee Bridge in my usual insular bubble when her melodic voice caught my ear and drew me in. For a good ten minutes I stood and enjoyed her music. She is a truly unique and incredibly talented singer/song-writer.

Probably best described as having a quirky, folk-pop style, Charlotte’s music has her own unique stamp on it. From original songs written by herself to covers of works from other artists, she performs every song with her own personal interpretation. It’s clear that performing is close to her heart, every song is sung from the soul and her passion and her personality shine through in both her live performances and videos on YouTube.

Words really can't do Charlotte justice (I should know, I've spent half an hour trying to conjure the right adjectives to describe her and her music!), so here's a video of her performing Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks on the Southbank.

Charlotte has been composing her own material since she was 15, but has been singing for as long as she can remember. "I first started singing on long journeys and I was constantly being surrounded by music and singing as its a big part of our family life," she says, but it was when she wrote her first song at 15 that she really wanted to be a musician, “I felt like I was really saying something and people were listening. I wanted to keep doing that.”

Charlotte is also a graduate of the prestigious BRIT School (known for it’s notable alumni, such as Adele, Amy Winehouse and Kate Nash) and hopes to follow in the footsteps of the school’s former students. Her time at the school has lead to some fantastic opportunities too, having performed at Glastonbury Festival 2008 and Camden Roundhouse to name but two. She was also featured on Howard Goodall’s Class Acts show on BBC Radio 2 as one of the latest talents from the BRIT School.
More recently, Charlotte competed in the Mayor of London Presents Gigs competition, in which hundreds of young singers and musicians took part. Charlotte made it into the grand final, winning a scholarship at the Institute of Contemporary Music; certainly a well deserved award. Charlotte Campbell is definitely a name to keep an eye out for in the near future!

Charlotte can often be found performing on the Southbank, where she tends to draw quite a large crowd and a lot of new supporters - it’s absolutely well worth going to watch her perform live on the Southbank if you get the chance. She also uploads song covers to her YouTube channel every Saturday, which you can subscribe to here, and you can purchase her EP from her Bandcamp page here.

Check out her website at www.charlottecampbell.co.uk, and Like her on Facebook to subscribe to her latest updates.

Star Trek London: An Interview with Chase Masterson

This interview can also be found on Step2TV.

Whilst at Star Trek London, I had the great pleasure to meet and chat with Chase Masterson - known in the Star Trek Universe for her role as Leeta, the Bajoran Dabo girl, in Deep Space Nine.

Alongside her career as an actress, Masterson is a talented jazz singer - a number of her CDs can be found on her website - and a dedicated philanthropist, having been actively involved in numerous charities worldwide, including Caring for Babies With AIDS and Doctors Without Borders. She has also been mentoring children for over four years at Homeboy Industries, helping kids move away from gang culture.

She is currently working on a Big Finish audio series, Vienna, which is a spin-off from her character in the upcoming Doctor Who audio adventure The Shadow Heart, starring Sylvester McCoy. She is also working on a film adaptation of Karel Capek’s classic science fiction play, RUR.

Masterson is a genuinely lovely person, and it was an absolute pleasure to chat with her.

BJ: Hello, Chase Masterson! How’s it going?

CM: Very well, thank you, it’s been an amazing weekend.

BJ: It's an amazing event! What's the fan reception been like this weekend?

CM: It’s just a huge blessing to have this kind of support, and I want everybody to know how much we appreciate it.

BJ: And how was last night? I hear you performed at the 25th Anniversary for The Next Generation.

CM: It was a fun party! I sang for a really nice sized crowd, and it seemed very, very well received. I sang selections from my new CD, Jazz Cocktail, which is available through my website, and I feel very very very good about the whole thing!

BJ: Fantastic! Who would you say was most inspirational for your jazz career?

CM: There are several women jazz artists who I really respect. Julie London, Sarah Vaughan... Marilyn Monroe was a really great singer. Of course Ella Fitzgerald. Quite a few great female artists back in the day. That’s the music I love, golden era music of the 30s, 40s, 50s and early 60s.

BJ: It was a fantastic era for music.

CM: Yeah, sure was.

BJ: So yes, we’re here for the largest Star Trek convention to take place in the UK for over a decade, and it’s certainly drawn quite a crowd!
You’re known in the Trek Universe for playing Leeta in Deep Space Nine; how did you feel about your character’s development throughout the series?

CM: I really liked Leeta, I wish there was more grittiness in her storyline, but I loved what I got to do, and I think that it was a really great love story that she and Rom had. It was a pleasure to be a part of all of this.

BJ: In your opinion, what drew Leeta most to Rom? Was it the ears?!

CM: Haha, no not the ears! Rom was the guy who was pretty on the inside, and not on the outside but that didn’t matter. I think that’s something that the writers and producers wanted to make a statement with, and it’s an important statement; it’s what’s on the inside that counts. There wasn’t as much of an interesting relationship with Leeta and Bashir; it was more of a Barbie and Ken kind of thing. Boring. Leeta and Rom were more Lucy and Ricky, there was just more drama, more comedy and fun!

BJ: Yeah, there was a fantastic, comedic dynamic to the Leeta/Rom relationship. Now the show has had an undeniable impact on it’s fanbase, and on the world, and it means a lot to many people (as is evident by the Starfleet officers who are starting to queue up behind me!).
What does the Star Trek Universe mean to you?

CM: Well, the whole basic tenet of Star Trek; the infinite diversity in infinite combinations, the prime directive, everything that Star Trek has meant for the last 45 years is quite beautiful. I love that this audience appreciates that and sees it and loves the show for all the right reasons. It’s not a show that they love for sex or violence or anything gratuitous like that; there are really good messages here.

BJ: It makes my cold, misanthropic heart almost hopeful for the future of humanity!

CM: Yeah, almost! We’ll see...

BJ: We just need to get the world governments on board with this...

CM: You know, I think things are starting to happen in a way that is better than ever before in history. The Internet is making people feel more connected, and that will lead hopefully to more peace.

BJ: Absolutely, already through the use of cyberspace and social networking, people can be brought together, rally support and aid charitable causes greater than ever before.
I understand you do a lot of good work for charity, like with Homeboy Industries.

CM: Thank you! I’ve been mentoring kids at Homeboy Industries for about four and a half years, and it’s one of my favourite things in the whole world. They’re an amazing group that helps kids come out of gangs, and these are Los Angeles gangs that are bad, dangerous things to be a part of, and these kids get sucked in when they are very young and they are now turning their lives around. It’s really quite wonderful to be a part of that.

That’s at homeboy-industries.org.

BJ: It sounds like a truly fantastic cause.

CM: It really is.

BJ: And finally, I hear you’re also doing a Doctor Who audio series?

CM: Yes! I’m doing Doctor Who Big Finish, you can check that out at BigFinish.com. I did an episode opposite Tom Baker in the Doctor Who audio adventures, and did an episode opposite Sylvester McCoy. Then they spun off my character that I played opposite Sylvester McCoy - her name is Vienna - into her own series. It’s going into production next week, the series is called Vienna, and it’s going to be a huge amount of fun!

BJ: Can you share any details about Vienna, or is it completely bound by non-disclosure agreements?!

CM: Vienna is an incorrigible and charming assassin. She is a bounty hunter; she does what she does for a living - she’s rather dry and actually pretty fun about it. The whole thing is full of great english comedy, it’s got some good messages to it, and I just adore this project! I hope everyone tunes in.

BJ: Fantastic, I’m looking forward to it!

CM: I’m also doing a new project called RUR. It’s a beautiful piece of science fiction literature that we’re turning into a film. The original RUR is a classic play from the early 1900s, and it has been used as the basis for Metropolis, I Robot, Blade Runner, and a lot of other seminal, classic science fiction. It’s actually the first time we ever heard the word ‘robot’.

We’re doing the fundraising campaign on IndieGoGo.com/RUR, so check that out if you’d like!

BJ: Ah brilliant! The name rings a bell - think the original was written by a Czech playwright... Can’t think of his bloody name*! But yeah, certainly sounds like a fascinating project, I’ll be sure to check it out!
Thank you for your time, great meeting you. It’s been an absolute pleasure.

CM: Thank you! Great to meet you too.

Vienna is scheduled for release in February 2013, with Masterson’s character making her first appearance in the upcoming Big Finish instalment of Doctor Who: The Shadow Heart in November this year.
You can check out the RUR IndieGoGo page here, and Homeboy Industries here.


*It was a good 40 minutes later, whilst on the underground half-way home, that it hit me; Rossum’s Universal Robots by Karel Capek! My fellow passengers weren’t particularly excited about my revelation...

Destination Star Trek London: An Overview

This article can also be found on Step2TV.

Last weekend, the biggest Star Trek convention to be hosted in the UK in over a decade beamed down to London’s ExCel centre. With a wide array of guests ranging from every series in the Trek Universe - plus the momentous union of all five captains for the first time ever at a European convention - the greatly anticipated Destination Star Trek London promised to be nothing short of spectacular.

With the hall packed with a range of fantastic guests, rows of autograph signing booths, photo opportunities, talk areas, stalls stocked with merchandise, a prop museum and a stunt show, Star Trek London was like a particularly pollen rich flower to a hive of Trekkie bees. Over 17,000 Star Trek fans swarmed to the event to meet the stars of the show, hunt autographs and memorabilia, and indulge in two great British past-times; queueing, and tutting about the length of the queue.

Friday started off with a dedicated press hour; photographers, journalists and bloggers gathered inside the venue for the red carpet event, eagerly awaiting the arrival of some of Starfleet's finest. Headed by William Shatner, the stars made their way into the hall, pausing for photographs and interviews before being shown to what would be their home for the next three days. This is when the first defining experience of the event occurred, as Shatner shot past me on a golf-buggy yelling “warp factor 5!” If that doesn’t set the tone for the event, I don’t know what does! Of course, the monumental occasion of the first day was the opening ceremony, which saw the captains from each of the five Star Trek series take to the stage. Hosted by John Barrowman, the talk covered their experiences on the show, at conventions with the fans, the impression the series has made on the world, and generally all things Star Trek. It was a superbly fitting opening to this celebration of what Patrick Stewart most accurately calls “the absolutely unique phenomenon in the history of entertainment that is Star Trek.”

The first day of STL also played host to another first for the UK - a Klingon wedding. Held in the Klingon Zone (where else?!), Jossie Sockertopp and Sonnie Gustavsson were wed by Peter Wyllie in a traditional Klingon ceremony as seen in DS9: You Are Cordially Invited. The setting for the ceremony was complete with throne, faux-flames, and a 10ft Klingon statue, which I'm sure is something that not many other people can boast about their own wedding day. The wedding cake, created by Charlotte White of Restoration Cake, was composed of three Borg Cubes. As it turns out, Borg Cubes aren’t actually harbingers of destruction but are in fact primarily composed of delicious Red Velvet cake and fondant icing... Resistance was indeed futile (may the Prophets forgive me for this terrible cliche).

I wish Gustavsson and Sockertopp many happy years together, as I suspect Klingon divorces aren’t quite as pleasant.

Saturday was the day I had dedicated primarily to the Q&As with the five Captains (although due to the typical unreliability of London transport when you actually need it, I arrived mere moments too late for the Q&A with Avery Brooks, which I caught on the Sunday instead). Throughout the day, Scott Bakula, William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew took to the stage to talk about their experiences and answer questions from the fans. Highlights from the captains include (but are certainly not limited to) Stewart regaling the audience with tales about his friendship with Brian Blessed, a great many humorous anecdotes from Shatner, and Mulgrew’s views on “Mittens” Romney (“He’s missing a chip and needs to be removed from the country!”). In fact, each Q&A was a highlight in and of itself, and the many facets of each talk are far too numerous to list in this simple paragraph - I’ll have to write up dedicated articles for them soon!

Sunday - aside from catching up on the Avery Brooks Q&A - was focussed on the other talks being held at the event. The problem with an event such as Star Trek London is that there’s invariably at least three very interesting things going on at any given time, and this was very much the case for me, with the majority of the talks I wanted to attend conflicting with at least one other. In some cases the decision as to which Q&A I should choose quite literally pivoted on the toss of a coin. Once I’ve perfected my time machine, I’ll be travelling back to get to the things I missed!

Highlights from Sunday absolutely have to be Avery Brooks’ deeply reflective and insightful comments during his Q&A; he is a truly magnificent gentleman. In addition, there was a Q&A with the omnipotent Q himself, John de Lancie, a panel with a number of the stars of Deep Space Nine, and a session with renowned producers and writers Ronald D Moore and Ira Behr. It’s always fascinating to hear the guest’s views and experiences on the show, and the process the writers and producers go through to create it.

I was fortunate enough to meet and briefly interview Ronald D Moore whilst at the event; I’ve been a fan of his for quite some time, and it was a great privilege to chat with the man whose work has helped inspire some of my own writing. Moore has just started working on adapting the Outlander novels, written by Diana Gabaldon, which is definitely something to keep an eye out for!

It was also a great pleasure to meet Chase Masterson (Leeta on Deep Space Nine) and chat about her career. The interview (which will be published soon) covered her time working on Star Trek, her career as a jazz singer (her latest album, Jazz Cocktail, will be available soon at www.chasemasterson.com), and her charity work mentoring children at Homeboy Industries helping kids move away from gang culture. Masterson is currently working on her own Big Finish audio series, Vienna, as the impossibly glamorous bounty hunter Vienna Salvatori (who makes her first appearance in the upcoming Doctor Who audiobook The Shadow Heart, starring Sylvester McCoy), and is also working on a film adaptation of Karel Capek’s classic play R.U.R., which are certainly things to look forward to!

Overall, Star Trek London certainly did not disappoint; I felt that the event was indeed spectacular, with a great selection of talks and a fantastic array of guests. At times, the queues seemed a little disorganised (especially when it came to the captains) and some of the visitors I spoke to felt disappointed by the expense of the weekend, but I personally didn't experience this, and my overall sense of the event was remarkably positive and I sincerely hope that there’ll be more events like this in the near future.

Personally, the lasting impression I received from the convention was how the show had made an impact on it’s fanbase and on the people who had worked on it. Hearing how Star Trek had changed people’s lives, how it had inspired and taught them, and witnessing the power that this science fiction series has to bring so many people together... It’s that community, that collective dream for a better, brighter tomorrow and the innumerable ways it’s touched people’s lives; that’s the beauty of Gene Roddenberry’s vision.
May it continue to live long and prosper.

---

Check out my pictures from the event here.

London Film and Comic Con: An Interview with Ben Browder

This interview can also be found on Step2TV.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again – I bloody love Stargate! As such, it was beyond brilliant meeting with the man who portrayed Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell – Ben Browder.

Browder, probably best known for his role as John Crichton in Farscape, joined the cast of Stargate SG-1 (along with former Farscape co-star, Claudia Black) for it's final two seasons, leading the team after Richard Dean Anderson left the show. Although Anderson's role as Colonel Jack O'Neil was certainly a tough act to follow, Browder proved to be a fantastic addition to the cast.

From the moment I heard Ben Browder would be attending LFCC, I couldn't wait to interview him!

BJ: Hello, Ben Browder! How have you been enjoying the weekend so far?

BB: Well it's been fun, although I'm a little jet-lagged. My soul is still somewhere over the Atlantic.

BJ: I guess you arrived recently then, just for this event?

BB: Yeah, flew in on Friday, so I'm almost up to Greenwich Mean Time.

BJ: Well, give it a few more days! When do you have to head back to the States?

BB: I head back on Tuesday.

BJ: Blimey, so you don't have a lot of time to acclimatise!

BB: Nah... I might see a mate or two on Monday, and then head back home so... I'm not staying for the Olympics, not going to see the Wimbledon final...

BJ: Can't blame you for not staying for the Olympics! It's going to be rainy, all the transport's going to be delayed... Very British concerns!

BB: Ya know what, it'll be fun. The Olympics is a great event.

BJ: No doubt about that, but I bet you a fiver it's going to rain on the Opening Ceremony!

BB: You're on!

BJ: Anyway, you starred in both Stargate and Farscape, two very prominent SciFi series. What was it like working on such critically acclaimed shows?

BB: It was a brilliant experience, I loved it. It was great. Farscape with all the amazing things we had on set, the prosthetics and animatronics, the fact we were shooting in Australia which has a very free-wheeling sensibility about it. It was great. Stargate, by the time I got there, they'd been doing the show for eight years so they knew what they were doing, and my job was to fit in; basically getting along with the cast, and they're fantastic people! Chris is very, very funny, Mike's a consummate actor, Amanda's just lovely and Claudia came along for a bit of the ride as well. Both were really great shows.

BJ: And you actually wrote a couple of episodes for both series as well.

BB: I wrote two full episodes for Farscape, and for Stargate I had a story idea which I gave to the writers, and they used it – I didn't actually write the script for that one.

BJ: One of the great things about Stargate was how hands on the cast were with writing and directing episodes, which I think really strengthened the cast with their input and the show as a whole.

BB: Well, I think it was a very good cast. They're obviously a very talented group of actors, many of them multi-talented. … Star Trek did that as well; Jonathan Frakes is an excellent director, so it's not that unusual to see that kind of thing happen. But definitely, all of the Stargate cast are terribly talented.

BJ: Absolutely – personally I reckon Stargate is one of the best SciFi series out there! Now, on the topic of brilliant SciFi, you're also going to be appearing in an episode of Doctor Who in the upcoming series.

BB: Aha, yes.

BJ: Are you able to reveal anything about that, or would a sniper take you out if you said so much as a word?!

BB: I'd probably be deported if I said anything. I can't tell you anything. If I said one thing and then Matt Smith says another thing, or someone else says something, by the time it all gets put together you might have the entire setup.

BJ: You've foiled my plan!

BB: Ha! So, no, I can't tell you anything, other than that it's a Western and that it was a lot of fun – I had a great time.

BJ: Had you been a fan of Doctor Who before-hand?

BB: Yeah, I've actually seen all of the new series. My kids absolutely love it, so you know, it was a no-brainer. When the question came up “do you want to do Doctor Who?” it was immediately “when and where?!”

BJ: Well, I'm thoroughly looking forward to it and... There appears to be a queue forming, so we're going to have to wrap it up.

BB: See, you're stood here for more than three minutes and people queue up behind you... It's England!

BJ: Can't resist a good queue! Anywho, I'm thoroughly looking forward to that episode! It's been an absolute pleasure talking with you.

BB: Great, thank you.

London Film and Comic Con: An Interview with Chris Judge

This interview can also be found on Step2TV.

I've been a fan of Stargate SG1 for as long as I can remember, and it still holds the number one spot on my list of all-time favourite science fiction series. Naturally, when I heard that one of it's stars, Chris Judge, would be at London Film and Comic Con, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to chat with the man who so outstandingly portrayed one of my favourite characters!

Starring in SG1 as Teal'c – a Jaffa warrior who defects to join the people of Earth, and fights to lead his people to freedom – Chris Judge is very much a part of the show's DNA and is deeply ingrained in Stargate mythos, having been on the show since it's inception in 1997 to it's finale in 2007.
It was an absolute honour and a privilege to finally meet him.

BJ: Hello, Chris Judge! How are you enjoying this weekend?

CJ: It’s been great. The people are just nice, the energy’s good and everybody’s happy, and meeting with the fans has just been great. This is one of my favourite conventions. I never cease to be surprised by how many Stargate fans there are!

BJ: Fantastic, glad to hear it!
Obviously you’re probably best known for your role as Teal’c in Stargate SG1, having been there since the show’s inception. What was it like working on such a popular franchise?

CJ: We were so kind of insulated when shooting in Vancouver, we just got on and did our job and no-one made a big deal out of it or anything, and so when we started travelling I guess that’s when it really hit us that the show was that popular. It’s still mind-boggling that we stopped shooting it 2007, and it’s almost like there are more fans of the show now than there were when we were shooting it! But yeah, it was great.

BJ: In some ways Stargate has gone down in SciFi history much like Star Trek - it may not have been as long lived, but its legend is one that’ll be remembered.
And whilst you were starring in SG1, you also wrote quite a few Teal’c-centric episodes that further developed his character...

CJ: Well I had to! [He laughs] It was hard for the writers, because if you wrote a Teal’c or Jaffa episode everyone had to speak in that way, and they always involved a lot of armour, so they were our most expensive episodes. It was really nice that Brad [Wright] actually let me start writing, because the only people that really enjoyed writing Jaffa episodes were [Damian] Kindler and [Peter] DeLuise. So yeah, it was really cool that Brad let me do that.

BJ: To what extent were you involved in the scriptwriting process for those episodes? Did you write the whole thing, or was it the storyline that was then developed by the writers?

CJ: I wrote the whole thing.

BJ: Ah magnificent!

CJ: And Brad even let me do that outside the box, because... Well, there’s a writers’ room, and they have a bunch of pitches that have been accepted and they spitball stories, and I really wanted to know if I could actually write so he just let me go away and write. So it really was a boost to my confidence.

BJ: One of my all time favourite episodes was The Changeling...

CJ: Ah thank you.

BJ: I loved how it deviated from the normal formula of the show, and toyed with the concept of reality - flitting between the two very different versions of reality.

CJ: I was always a big fan of alternate reality shows, where you can’t keep straight what reality we’re in or what version of Earth we’re in. But that’s why we stopped doing them because we didn’t know which Universe we were in any more! So it was nice to go back to that for an episode.

BJ: And I noticed you have a role in the upcoming Dark Knight Rises - can you reveal anything that?

CJ: It’s going to be great!

BJ: Well, no doubt about that!

CJ: There is some crazy stuff happening. I don’t want to go out on a limb, but it’s going to be the best movie ever!

BJ: What was it like working with Christopher Nolan?

CJ: He’s a genius. Everything everyone says about him is completely true. The dude is a genius. He sees what works, what doesn’t work, he can see where the camera should be... And he doesn’t micromanage you, he kind of tells you what the big picture is and it’s up to you to play it how you want to play it. He really doesn’t micromanage actors at all. It was just really cool to work that way and have that much freedom; a little disorientating at first - at least, for me - because he didn’t really say a lot direction wise, so I was kind of asking “is this alright?” and he’s like “no no no, if it’s not I’ll tell you!” It was just great to work that way.

BJ Fantastic! Well, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing it. Have you been working on any other projects recently?

CJ: Well, after this I have a film called To Have And To Hold which comes out in February, I go to Cambodia in a couple of days to start a new movie, and a TV series that’s just going into prep.

BJ: Fantastic, sounds like you’ve got a lot on at the moment! Is there anything you can reveal about this new show?

CJ: What I can say is that it’s a SciFi show, and it’s going to be announced soon - maybe in the next month or so. We’ve signed a deal with a certain company, and we’re in negotiations with another company - they’re doing some of the best stuff in film right now - and this will only be their second foray into television. I can’t wait to let it out of the bag; the fans are gonna get a kick out of it!

BJ: I wait with bated breath! Thank you for chatting with us, it’s been an absolute pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

CJ: Thank you, you too.

London Film and Comic Con: An Interview with Alex Winter

This interview can also be found on Step2TV.

Alex Winter, probably best known as Bill S. Preston, Esq. in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, has an extensive CV as both an actor and a director, ranging from directing music videos for the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Helmet to co-writing, co-directing and starring in the surreal 1993 film Freaked. With his Napster documentary, Downloaded, recently completed and word of a third Bill and Ted film circulating the space-time continuum, I was thoroughly looking forward to talking with him at London Film and Comic Con.

BJ: Hello, Alex Winter! How’s it going?

AW: Not too bad, still conscious! There’s still some brain left in my head, but I can’t guarantee how much longer that will last.

BJ: Did you only recently arrive in London then?

AW: I got here yesterday.

BJ: Blimey, you must be bloody knackered!

AW: Yeah, yeah. Here, do a bit, go home.

BJ: That jet-lag’s going to be fun... But then again, you are used to travelling through time!

AW: Yeah, yeah. [He chuckles]  Well, I am used to travelling anyway, so it’s all easy.

BJ: Now this is probably a question you’ve been bombarded with since you arrived here, but, there’s been word about a third Bill and Ted film...

AW: Yeah, there’s a script and we’re playing around with it. It’s not definitive at this stage, but... That’s all I can say.

BJ: So you haven’t got producers, directors etc. signed up for it yet?

AW: Nothing I can talk about, nothing official. We’ll go official with it as soon as we can, but we can’t really say anything more than that. It may happen, it may not happen, we won’t know for sure, but we did have to do a script.

BJ: Did you and Reeves have a lot of input with the script?

AW: Oh yes, me and Reeves did, yeah.

BJ: Ah fantastic! I think with yourselves being so intrinsically part of the characters...

AW: Yeah, and with us and the script! It’s kind of all woven together.

BJ: Can you reveal anything about the script?

AW: I can’t because it’s not going. Once it’s going, I can say it’s going, but we’re not going yet. I mean, that’s not even a hint, that’s just the truth. We’re trying, it’s early, but it’s still moving.

BJ: Ok, well hopefully there’ll be official news somewhen soon!

And you’ve also been working on a documentary about Napster; Downloaded. What can you tell us about that?

AW: I’ve been working on that all year, just finished it about a week ago, and it’ll come out theatrically and on VH1 next year.

BJ: Ah fantastic.

AW: Yeah, so it’ll be a VH1 VOD Doc release, and then it’ll be out in theatres.

BJ: Have you got plans to hit any film festivals with it?

AW: Yeah, we’re just starting to put that together now. Definitely want to do some festivals here in England, because I love both the London Film Festival and Raindance.

BJ: Both are fantastic; I loved Raindance last year.

AW: Yeah, I love that festival. It’s a question of timing, so... But I’m aiming to do at least one of those, so that’d be good.

BJ: That’d be brilliant!

AW: Yeah it’d be great. Fingers crossed!

BJ: I’d love to see it at somewhere like Raindance; they certainly have a wide range of fascinating documentaries.

AW: I had a movie there eleven years ago, and they’ve done great things with that festival. They do good seminars and stuff for up and coming film-makers, helping new people get involved in the industry, I like that.

BJ: I don’t know if they ran this eleven years ago, but they’ve got this thing now where the festival’s winning film-maker creates the trailer for the following year’s Raindance - which I thought was rather cool!

I think with an industry that’s so hard to break into, it’s fantastic that festivals such as Raindance are supportive of rising talent, be it through the screenings, seminars, or newsletters.

AW: They’re incredibly good at nurturing new film-makers. Even in the states, they send out regular bits and they’re good with all that stuff. I’m on their newsletter, I like reading what they have to say.

BJ: There’s always something interesting, things like 25 Tips for Aspiring Writers or 5 Things Film-Makers can Learn from Andy Murray.

AW: Exactly, I love all that stuff. So yeah, we’ll be doing the festival run, and then we’ll go out digitally as well; iTunes, VOD, that kind of stuff - that’ll all be next year.

BJ: Well, I’m certainly looking forward to it, and best of luck!

AW: Thank you, yeah it’ll be good fun.

BJ: Thank you for your time, and enjoy the rest of your weekend!

AW: Thank you, you too. Take care.

London Film and Comic Con: An Overview

This article can also be found on Step2TV.

Last weekend, the Olympia Grand Hall in Kensington played host to the prestigious annual London Film and Comic Con. With over 90 guests from popular series such as Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars and Stargate (hang on, I’m seeing a trend in science fiction titles...), as well as renowned comic book artists and writers, and a plethora of guests from numerous other genres, this year’s LFCC promised to be one of the biggest yet! And with it’s array of guests from cult TV shows to blockbuster films, there was certainly something for everyone.

This year marked my one-year anniversary of convention going, with last year's LFCC being my very first experience of this unusual world of costume-clad fans and overly long queues. I had hoped to celebrate with a bottle of champagne, but the best I could do was a large coffee and a blueberry muffin... C'est la vie!

For the preview night, I had arranged to meet friend and colleague Josh Harris at Clapham Junction – a convenient mid-point for the both of us and a short Overground service to Olympia. This worked perfectly for the first night, but apparently the Gods of London Transport thought otherwise. Our plans to arrive early on Saturday were foiled by the Overground being closed between Clapham Junction and Olympia (how typical!). Not wanting to be any later than necessary, we optimistically chose to take the replacement bus service in the hope it would get us there not-that-much later. We were wrong. Buses are invariably a poor transport choice in central London, although they are a nice way to see the scenery (a dubious looking cafe, several closed post offices and a man yelling at a letterbox). We were dropped off at Earls Court station, so we only had a 20 minute walk ahead of us, but that was exactly the moment it decided to rain. Heavily. It took at least an hour for my hair to dry out!

But none of that was anything compared to my Sunday travel escapades... (Best sung to the tune of “Twelve Days of Christmas...”) Three replacement buses, two delayed trains and a one mile long walk! A mile's walk is normally absolutely no problem – that's literally a walk in the park! - but when a journey that should take me only 40-50 minutes from my front door ends up taking 2 hours, that little extra bit to walk is God's final insult to my “early start.” I'm thoroughly looking forward to trying to navigate the city during the Olympics...

Anyway, enough of TFL woes, on to the weekend itself! Aside from the misadventure of trying to get there, the event was really quite brilliant overall. With talks and Q&As with a number of the guests, meet & greet/interview opportunities and a couple of exclusive screenings, there was a lot on offer!

Dredd Panel

Saturday saw the very first, world exclusive preview of Dredd; a new cinematic adaptation of 2000 AD comic book character Judge Dredd, starring Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings, Star Trek) in the titular role, and Olivia Thirby (Juno, The Darkest Hour) as Judge Anderson. We were escorted in by men clad in the iconic Judge armour, and were treated to a few minutes from the film, along with a half-an-hour panel featuring Dredd himself, Karl Urban; producer Allon Reich (28 Days Later); concept artist Jock (Battleship) and screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later). There was also a brief competition to win one of five exclusive posters, but not being particularly familiar with Judge Dredd lore the questions that were being flung seemed to me as if they may as well have been asking about the implications of discovering the Higgs Boson and how it will influence the future development of the human race.

Anyway, having little to no knowledge of Judge Dredd, I could observe the preview from an unbiased position. Dredd looks futuristic in the dystopian kind of way; it's less shiny metal and skin-tight silver uniforms, and more crumbling, disused shopping centres, irradiated wastelands, screaming civilians, and ethical ambiguity in a totalitarian future state enforced by a super-soldier police force. In short; it looks like it has the potential to be brilliant!

I've always been dubious about the adaptation of comic book characters to the big screen, but in the case of films like the Batman/Dark Knight saga and The Avengers these have turned out exemplary. I should have more faith in the film industry when it adapts comic books (although I'm already feeling uncomfortable about the new Superman film, Man of Steel, and I know nothing about it except the title!), but with so many superheroes clamouring for my attention at the box office it's hard not to feel a little wary...

That being so, from the clip shown Dredd looks like it has the potential to be an enjoyable and action packed film. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what the rest of the film is like when it's released on 7th September this year!

Frank Spotnitz and Melissa George

Sunday treated us to another exclusive preview screening, this time for BBC One's upcoming contemporary spy drama Hunted, produced by the makers of Spooks and written by Frank Spotnitz (best known for writing nearly 50 episodes of The X Files). Starring Melissa George (Alias, Grey's Anatomy) as Sam, a highly skilled operative for an elite private intelligence firm, and Adam Rayner (Hawthorne, Mistresses) as her colleague and love interest, Hunted is the the story of a spy with a bull's eye on her back, a human target unable to trust anyone at any time, even the man she loves.

The 10 minute preview was certainly a tantalising glimpse of what's to come. It was remarkably tense and engaging, to the extent that I'd completely cut out the rest of the Olympia Grand Hall and completely immersed myself in this clip. It's certainly placed itself at the top of my must-watch list! Hunted will air 26th October this year on BBC One.

Hayden Panettiere

Over the course of the weekend, there were also many talks and Q&As, to the extent my schedule had a number of conflicts with an array of Q&As with the likes of Jewel Staite and Adam Baldwin, Jeri Ryan, Hayden Panettiere, and the cast of Game of Thrones. On the whole, these were enjoyable, but in some cases the huge gap between guest and audience led to a communications barrier. This was most noticeable during the Game of Thrones Q&A, as the guests couldn't hear the audience's questions, and nor could the audience hear the guests' answers! More often than not, even when one could hear what the other was saying, the sound quality was somewhat muffled (no small part due to the overwhelming volume of the packed-out venue!) - it's certainly made trying to transcribe some of the Q&As an interesting challenge! There was even a moment when a mobile phone caused quite chronic interference during one of the Q&As, but was masterfully turned into a brief Morse-code sketch by Adam Baldwin which came together so perfectly that one would think he'd staged the whole thing!

Chris Judge and I

I was fortunate enough to grab a couple of interviews with some of the people I'd most wanting to chat with; I briefly spoke to Alex Winter about his recent work on Downloaded, a documentary about online music store Napster, as well as the word going around about the hypothetical Bill and Ted 3. I also managed to catch a few words with Ben Browder and Christopher Judge in-between signings, speaking about their time on Stargate SG1, Browder's guest appearance in the next series of Doctor Who, and Judge's experience working on Dark Knight Rises, as well as a new show that's on the horizon which he wasn't at liberty to say anything about!

Sadly, I was unable to interview Hayden Panettiere, as whenever I walked past her stand she was either under a mountain of fans or on a break. I had been looking forward to chatting with her, especially about her work campaigning to save whales and dolphins, her involvement with the Whaleman Foundation, and – having met up with a friend on the Sea Shepherd stall – ask for her support for Captain Paul Watson, who was unjustly imprisoned in Germany over false charges (more on the matter can be found on the Sea Shepherd website and on my blog). Alas, it was not to be...

Overall, London Film and Comic Con 2012 was certainly an enjoyable experience; meeting and interviewing many fantastic people, watching some rather exciting previews, and just generally having a brilliant weekend.

More pictures from LFCC can be found on my website at www.bronjames.co.uk
Transcripts of interviews and Q&As will be posted during the coming week or two, and will be linked to below this line...

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An Interview with Alex Winter
An Interview with Chris Judge
An Interview with Ben Browder

Collectormania 2012: An Overview

This article can also be found on Step2TV.

For people across the nation, last weekend marked the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, but for me and many others it also marked the 18th annual Collectormania. Held at Milton Keynes stadium, the event saw hordes of collectors, fans and convention-goers flock for the opportunity to meet some big names in the film and TV industry. Armed with a dictaphone, press pass and sonic screwdriver, I too made my pilgrimage to Milton Keynes to try and catch a few words with some of the celebrity guests.

Still somewhat of a convention newbie, having attended my first two events only last year, I naively thought I knew what I was in for; I did not. The main thing about Collectormania is that entry is completely free for everyone and as such it gets a lot more passing trade. The stadium was absolutely packed when I arrived on the Saturday at 11am, comprised of hard-core fans and inquisitive casual visitors alike. It was the proverbial sardines in a can situation, with Daleks patrolling the halls seemingly as a kind of crowd control, but probably also part of some insidious plan to exterminate Tom Baker/Peter Davison/Colin Baker/Sylvester McCoy/Paul McGann (delete as applicable).

Along with friend and colleague Josh Harris and a handful of his mates (Michael, Leon and James), we formed a ragtag press party and ventured into the bizarre world of the convention. First port of call (simply because it was the closest) was the bar, which was shockingly lacking in single malt scotch, and from there we began our circuit of the stadium. We made several attempts to try and get an interview with Brian Blessed, so that he may regale us with tales of his adventures in that glorious voice of his, but alas his queue was so long it may as well have been measured in miles. We kept trying throughout the day, but the queue never really diminished. This was the case with a good many of the guests (particularly the likes of Jason Mamoa, Karen Gillan and Tom Baker) with both they and their agents wanting to try and make time for each visitor.

As is often the case with these events, we decided that attempting to chat to people would be best left until towards the end of the day when there was less of a swarm – provided the guests didn't go for an early dinner. In the mean time, we made our way to the conference room, where a number of talks were being held throughout the course of the day. As luck would have it, we were in time for the session with Karen Gillan. The first ten minutes or so comprised of Gillan answering questions, only to be continuously interrupted by an announcement informing the owner of a blue fiat that their car was about to be towed, but after a while the Doctor Who star was eventually able to get more than five words out before the announcement blared out yet again. Whether the owner of the offending vehicle ever moved it is a complete mystery...

When asked about her favourite moment working on Doctor Who, Gillan said, “it may well have been my final moment as this character, which you haven’t seen yet so that’s not interesting yet... But of what you have seen, it’s either being in the Pandorica and getting to say ‘ok kid, this is where it gets complicated’, that just felt really cool! Also, in the Eleventh Hour, running around Matt, all those scenes were quite fun.” As the next series of Doctor Who will sadly be Gillan’s last, she also spoke briefly about her dream jobs outside of Who and, if they were still in production, she would have loved to have been a part of Star Trek: Voyager or Star Trek: The Next Generation – especially if it meant she could wear a prosthetic horn. Evidently a woman after my own heart, although personally I'm more partial to Vulcan ears!

Gillan's talk was immediately followed by a Q&A with John Barrowman. Fantastically funny and frank, Barrowman was engagingly informal and personable, making it feel more like a casual chat than a Q&A. Unfortunately, Barrowman was unable to comment about a second series of Torchwood: Miracle Day, nor did he wish to talk about his upcoming projects for fear of jinxing things, but he was more than willing to share skincare tips (incidentally, his men’s skincare range HIM is available through QVC) and his coping mechanism to overcome his fear of flying. “The pilots who are flying the plane want to get home safely, so... For me, it’s a control thing. I’m a control freak. My biggest worry before getting on a plane is ‘what has that pilot been up doing all night?’ … Is he going to be really angry and want to crash the plane?!”

Afterwards was scheduled to be a Q&A with the five actors at the event who had played the role of the Doctor during the classic series of Doctor Who. However, the door opened and only Tom Baker walked in, so we listened to his majestic voice for a few minutes. Suddenly, the door at the back swung open, and in walked Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann. “Are you related to Colin Baker?!” boomed Colin Baker, as a way of announcing their entrance, with McCoy explaining how they'd been stood outside waiting to be shown in, unaware that Baker had started without them.

And thus ensued the most surreal 45 minutes of my life, as the five Doctors crossed their own timelines and risked causing a reality-rendering paradox to take the stage. It very quickly turned from them answering questions to a discussion amongst themselves about the show, the BBC, life, the Universe, and everything. From anecdotes of Tom Baker's days as an altar boy and Sylvester McCoy asking why his incarnation wore a jumper covered with question marks, to Peter Davison's celery stick, and how all five of the actors have also worked on the Big Finish audio productions of Doctor Who; it was a very extensive chat indeed!

Inevitably, the infamous Tom Baker stole the stage with his overwhelming presence and delightful madness! One of the main things that strikes you about these guys is that in person they are incredibly similar to their portrayal of the Doctor, which is an absolute pleasure to watch – especially when the five collide like there's been some bizarre temporal anomaly.

After the talks concluded, we hit the main convention again to try our luck for a couple of one-to-ones with the guests; and we were in luck! Josh talked at length with Finn Jones about Game of Thrones, whilst I stood by boggling intelligibly – unfortunately being a Freeview-er I haven’t seen the show, and have yet to read the books – and Josh concluded the interview with one of his patented hugs, lifting Jones to the Josh-like height of seven foot.

We then decided to try and catch a few words with the five Doctors – I had bumped into Paul McGann by the urinals in the men's toilets beforehand, but felt it was probably the wrong place to try and spark up conversation... I at least waited until he'd done his flies up before I introduced myself! We elected to take a more conventional approach for the others, and made our way to the booth with Sylvester McCoy and Peter Davison.

“Oh no, not you again,” said Sylvester McCoy jovially as I approached. Having spoken with him briefly about his role in The Hobbit at London Film and Comic Con last year, he hadn't been particularly forthcoming due to the secretive nature surrounding the production, so I hoped that as we were nearer the release date he may be able to reveal more. Unfortunately, he could not. “I can't even tell you the colour of my costume,” McCoy jested. As he's featuring in the film as Radagast the Brown, I think I can hazard a guess...

This was followed by a brief chat with Peter Davison, who spoke about his familial relationship with David Tennant, and how even before Tennant started seeing his daughter (Georgia Moffett) Davison's grandson ranked David Tennant as his favourite Doctor. “Well ok, who's your second favourite Doctor?” Davison had asked his grandson pryingly. After a moment of consideration, his grandson replied, “Tom Baker.” Apparently Davison’s rank on his grandson’s Doctor-o-meter fluctuates depending on whether he’s been particularly generous with pocket money that week or not!

We also managed to catch a few words with Christina Chong, attending her first large-scale convention and finding it quite an eye-opening experience! Chong featured as Lorna Bucket in the mid-series finale of the last series of Doctor Who, A Good Man Goes To War. Whilst Chong’s character was primarily used as the catalyst that in an inadvertent manner reveals the identity of River Song, there were numerous allusions to the fact that Lorna had met the Doctor a while ago in the Gamma Forests, but it was yet to happen in his personal timeline. I thought that this background, and her implication on the episode’s narrative, made Lorna Bucket more than the usual supporting character with the potential for future (past, present, really depends on your outlook!) adventures. Alas, Chong said that she has yet to be invited back to do more work on Who, so it seems unlikely we’ll be seeing more of Lorna any time soon. Mister Moffat, if you’re reading this, please consider expanding the story of Lorna Bucket; there’s a tale to be told about the Gamma Forests, and Christina Chong would make a fantastic companion! She may have died at the end of A Good Man Goes To War, but with a time machine, death is seldom an issue and very rarely permanent.

I’m not really sure what to say now; I think I’ve already rambled on for far too long, so I’ll leave it at this. It was a complete pleasure to have the opportunity to chat with some truly iconic actors from equally iconic series and films. My only regrets are that we were unable to talk with Brian Blessed about his adventures, and that I didn’t ask Christina Chong out for a drink...

Prometheus Has Landed

This review can also be found on Step2TV.

To say that Ridley Scott's latest movie, sci-fi epic Prometheus, had been the recipient of much hype over the past couple of months would be an understatement! Prometheus was set to see the famed director of Alien return to the Universe that had forged a classic piece of sci-fi horror, shedding some new light on the original film and endeavouring to tackle some bloody hefty existential questions... But after all the hype and anticipation, did it live up to expectations?

In short; yes. Impeccably.

Visually stunning, captivatingly written and sublimely scored, Prometheus is nothing short of a cinematic spectacular!

I'm not usually a 3D cinema goer (I don't really find that 3D adds anything of importance to a film at all), but when I went to see Prometheus at the Empire in Leicester Square I had very little choice; I had to don the ridiculous glasses. Did it look brilliant? Absolutely. Did the extra dimension add anything to the film? Not so much. Did I let out a slightly pathetic whimper when something flew out of the screen at me? Maybe...

Set in the year 2091, Prometheus tells the story of the eponymous exploration vessel on it's remarkably ambitious quest; to discover the origins of mankind, and to learn more about humanity's extra-terrestrial creators – dubbed “the Engineers”. Following a star-map depicted in a number of ancient pictograms from around the globe – discovered by doctors Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) in 2089 – the Weyland Corporation's starship Prometheus embarks on it's voyage of existential discovery, by special order of the company's aged CEO Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce).

Piloted by Captain Janek (Idris Elba), commanded by Weyland Corporations' head-strong representative, Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron), and maintained by David (Michael Fassbender), a deceptive android with a Lawrence of Arabia obsession, the Prometheus was inevitably going to be the stage for some good old fashioned human conflict and drama. But following the discoveries made on the distant moon of LV-223, there's something all the more sinister to worry about than an authoritarian businesswoman and a robot with a penchant for impersonating Peter O'Toole...

Wonderfully written by Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour) and Damon Lindelof (Lost), the premise for Prometheus is very reminiscent of the ancient alien/exogenesis theories, most notably in Erich von Däniken's book Chariot of the Gods. It puts forth the idea that perhaps life on Earth was created by an advanced race of beings from another world, whom humanity then mistook as supernatural gods. In Prometheus, these beings were the Engineers – first only briefly glimpsed as an ancient corpse in Alien as an omen of things to come – who seeded their own DNA to create mankind millenia ago, with subtle hints which point to them also potentially being the basis for Sumerian culture. It's an idea that could have felt gimmicky, but in the hands of Spaihts, Lindelof and Scott it's the spring board for a captivating and chilling narrative; the crew of the Prometheus set out hoping to discover Utopia and learn their place in the Universe, but what they find is a dark and twisted nightmare.

Bringing this interstellar horror to life is the fantastically stellar cast. Although the entire cast provide truly outstanding performances from beginning to end, the absolute run-away stars of the film have to be Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. As the tenacious survivalist, Rapace's character, Elizabeth Shaw, has to endure far more than anyone should have to, but against the odds she survives and continues to fight until the bitter end. Rapace is thoroughly gripping throughout; from her initial joy of discovery and exploration, to her pain and anguish as the expedition takes an unexpected turn, even down to her continued faith and determination to survive after all she's been through – every emotion is truly palpable. She is easily one of the best things about this film, and although Elizabeth Shaw is worlds apart from Ellen Ripley, Rapace's fantastic portrayal of a strong female character is one who can certainly stand shoulder to shoulder with Sigourney Weaver's original sci-fi heroine!

Although his emotional range is certainly not as varied as Rapace's, Michael Fassbender's role as the ethically-ambiguous android, David, is an eerie and calculated performance. It's a role that could easily rival that of fellow synthetic, Ash (Ian Holm), in Alien. In a similar vein to Ash, David is under strict covert orders and is programmed to carry out his mission whatever the cost, even if it means the loss of the crew. It's the cold detachment with which Fassbender delivers even the most sinister of lines that makes the character all the more creepy. He’s certainly earned his place in the synthetic hall of fame alongside Ash and Bishop (Lance Henrikson)!

And every other actor who has not thus far been mentioned may as well have “Victim” tattooed firmly on their foreheads, as one by one they meet their maker – and not in the way the expedition had originally planned! Rafe Spall and Sean Harris play Milburn and Fifield, who provide the proverbial red shirts for the film, as they decide to wander off on their own on an alien planet. Rookie mistake... Kind of sounds like a twisted and unfunny joke; “A biologist and a geologist walk into an alien ship. One has his face burnt off by acid, and the other chokes to death on a mutant snake.” And from there on out, the rest of the crew's days are numbered.

My only gripe is that Idris Elba and Charlize Theron's characters felt somewhat underused, and really could have used a bit more exposition (I mean, what film couldn't be improved with more Charlize Theron?!). Janek and Vickers have an interesting character dynamic which I felt could have been played on to greater effect. That being said, though, it could have made the film feel too packed, as Prometheus already has a lot of content to deliver – and yet there are still questions that need to be answered!

It is these many questions that create the film's intrigue... Who are the Engineers, and why did they create us? Why, after leaving invitations all over the Earth to come and find them, did they then plan to destroy us? Are they themselves also the product of another race? Is the Xenomorph the Engineers’ most prized creation, or a being that they revere, propagating it’s genetic code throughout the Universe? There’s a lot to speculate about, and although some say this makes the film feel unfinished, I believe this adds a layer of mystery and intrigue that couldn’t be achieved if all the answers were there. It sucks you into that Universe whilst the film takes you on the journey, as the audience find themselves in a similar place to the characters (albeit with markedly less danger), seeking answers. And with the final act left open to potentially pave the way for a sequel, I certainly hope that we’ll see more from this fascinating Universe in the near future.

If there is indeed to be a sequel to Prometheus, we can expect to see it deviate further away from Alien and more out into the Universe of new possibilities opened up in this film. In many ways, Prometheus is more of a spin-off than a prequel to Alien; it's got the same core DNA and is set in the same Universe, but it's certainly a film that can stand on it's own giant, bipedal legs. Whilst Alien was all about survival in a confined space with some fantastically tense moments, Prometheus focusses more on exploration and discovery – albeit exploration and discovery that goes terribly awry. However, this exploration does shed some interesting insight to the original film (including the unnerving truth behind the origin of the Xenomorphs), tying the mythology of the two quite nicely. It's safe to say that after the revelations of Prometheus, you won't see Alien in the same light again!

With an utterly outstanding cast, compelling narrative, sublime cinematography, fantastic visual effects and a superb soundtrack, Prometheus is an utterly phenomenal film. I left Leicester Square in a state of dumb-founded awe, and I don't believe any combinations of words I could throw together would truly do the film justice. It's another sci-fi great from the man behind Alien and Blade Runner, and certainly stands the chance of becoming another classic of it's genre. I hope that a Prometheus sequel is of a high priority for Sir Ridley Scott!

A definite must see.

BAFTA Television Awards 2012

This article can also be found on Step2TV.

Television's finest lined the Southbank last night to celebrate the annual BAFTA Television Awards, walking the disturbingly nationalistic “red” carpet that was so incredibly vibrant and Union Flag-esque that it was hard to take your eyes off of it. It was certainly an evening of great spectacle; Moriarty beat Doctor Watson as Andrew Scott took home the closely contested Supporting Actor BAFTA; Sherlock and the Doctor teamed up to hand the Special Award to head writer and executive producer of their two realities, Steven Moffat; and Dominic West couldn't see any of it because he'd forgotten his glasses.

A lot of the categories were packed with an array of fantastic nominees, and the competition was certainly close. With the supporting actor's category alone a heady mix of Stephen Rae (The Shadow Line), Birdsong's Joseph Mawle, and Sherlock co-stars Andrew Scott and Martin Freeman, it was inevitably going to be a bitter-sweet ceremony – someone brilliant would win, but someone equally as brilliant would not.

Appropriate Adult, the controversial drama about the Fred and Rose West murder investigation, dominated the BAFTAs, taking away three awards; Dominic West and Emily Watson for Leading Actor/Actress, and Monica Dolan for Supporting Actress.

The YouTube Audience Award once again made me question the sanity of the viewing audience, as the likes of Sherlock and Frozen Planet lost out to Celebrity Juice. Maybe it's just not my kind of humour, but I've never found anything particularly entertaining about Leigh Francis, nor his plethora of irritating characters – evidently someone, somewhere likes it though! It just strikes me as if he's adopting these façades as a thinly veiled excuse to behave like a puerile fifteen year old who refuses to grow up... But, as people say, if you don't like it, don't watch it – and I don't, so I don't; but it doesn't stop it winning awards instead of brilliant things like Sherlock, now does it?!

On that note, I feel there should be mention of television's unsung(ish) hero, Benedict Cumberbatch. Frequently praised for his fantastic performances, immortalised as one of the most iconic portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, and rapidly making his way into the lime-light with two inevitable Hollywood blockbusters later this year/early next (The Hobbit and Star Trek), Cumberbatch is often nominated for prestigious awards. His superb performance in Danny Boyle's National Theatre production of Frankenstein led to him being jointly awarded the Laurence Olivier award for Best Actor with his co-star Jonny Lee Miller (who, coincidentally, also plays a modernised Sherlock Holmes in CBS's Elementary... Small world, huh?), and is certainly a very celebrated actor. However, in some cases it feels as if his brilliant performances have been overlooked and not given due credit, nominated only to leave empty handed - but with John Simm, Joseph Gilgun and Dominic West also up for the Leading Actor award, it was a bloody close competition!

Ultimately, the Leading Actor award was presented to Dominic West for his performance of Fred West (no relation, thankfully!) in ITV's chilling drama, Appropriate Adult. West provided a touching speech as he accepted the award, saying “When I first met Janet [Leach], she said she hoped the film would bring some closure to the misunderstanding and pain she suffered. I hope she feels some closure and that we honoured the suffering she endured and the suffering of all of the West victims, living and dead.” West also mentioned the good work of Barnardo's Cut Them Free campaign, protecting children from sexual exploitation.

Fans of Sherlock and Doctor Who were treated to a surreal moment when the two characters shared the stage, as Benedict Cumberbatch and Matt Smith (who sadly was not nominated for his outstanding performances this year) presented the BAFTA Special Award to Steven Moffat, executive producer and lead writer of Doctor Who and co-creator of Sherlock. Renowned for his remarkable narratives and often mind-bending plot twists, Moffat is certainly revered for his contribution to television from both fans and colleagues, and evidently by the BAFTA Council too!

Finally, being awarded the BAFTA Fellowship was Rolf Harris, a very well deserved award indeed for such a talented man who has contributed so much to the media industry. And that was very much the theme of the BAFTAs – every award was incredibly well deserved (Celebrity Juice aside...), and the nominations themselves were great recognition of the truly outstanding work that has graced our televisions this past year.

Far be it for me to sound cliché, but to be nominated for a BAFTA is in itself an award, and every nominee was indeed well deserving of such an accolade.

To see the full list of this years nominees and winners, click here. A full list of the winners can be found below.

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Leading actor - Dominic West (Appropriate Adult, ITV1)


Leading actress - Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult, ITV1)


Supporting actor - Andrew Scott (Sherlock, BBC1)


Supporting actress - Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult, ITV1)


Entertainment performance - Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show, BBC1)


Female performance in a comedy programme - Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, BBC1)


Male performance in a comedy programme - Darren Boyd (Spy, Sky One)


Special Award - Steven Moffat


Bafta Fellowship - Rolf Harris


Single drama - Random (Channel 4)


Mini series - This Is England '88 (Channel 4)


Drama series - The Fades (BBC3)


Soap and continuing drama - Coronation Street(ITV1)


International - Borgen (BBC4)


Factual series - Our War (BBC3)


Specialist factual - Mummifying Alan: Egypt's Last Secret (Channel 4)


Single documentary - Terry Pratchett: Choosing To Die (BBC2)


Features - The Great British Bake Off (BBC2)


Reality & Constructed Factual - The Young Apprentice (BBC1)


Current Affairs - Panorama: Undercover Care - The Abuse Exposed (BBC1)


News Coverage - Channel 4 News: Japan Earthquake (Channel 4)


Sport & Live Event - The Royal Wedding (BBC1)


New Media - Psychoville (BBC Online)


Entertainment Programme - Derren Brown: The Experiments (Channel 4)


Comedy Programme - Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle (BBC2)


Situation Comedy - Mrs Brown's Boys (BBC1)


YouTube Audience Award - Celebrity Juice (ITV2)