Gambit’s Blog

I read an article on BBC today, about Disney’s plans to put some of their TV shows (including Lost and Desperate Housewives) online for a free download. This could be really good news (longterm) as it could mean that there is no more missing tv shows that you really want to see, and people will no longer have to break the law to watch shows that they really want to see!

There are however a few problems in the way at the moment. For a start, its only going to be launched in the US for the time being (using IP addresses), so that means that we’re going to have to wait until the UK companies get themselves in gear. Not only this, but because the adverts are going to be non-skippable, that is going to mean a specialist player, probably laden with tons of DRM software and potentially spyware, which nobody wants.

This is excellent! The Simpsons intro, with real people. Well done to those who produced this, it’s near perfect!

I’m with Serenity… YAY!!

I scored as Serenity (Firefly). You like to live your own way and don’t enjoy when anyone but a friend tries to tell you should do different. Now if only the Reavers would quit trying to skin you.

That could be the TV Licencing’s campaign in the future according to this article here on the Register.

Personally, i find this less than exciting. I resent having to pay a TV licence as it is - there are 2 programs i watch regularally on the BBC - Neighbours and Top Gear - and i dont think that watching them adds up to £120+ a year. Having to pay a PC tax, while is some ways better (i use my PC a hell of alot more, so seems more worthwhile), scares me a little.

They can’t monitor whether you are using a PC (according to the article), so how are they going to know a) if you have a pc, and b) if you are using one without a PC licence.

Simple… spyware. If this is the route they choose to go down, how long before it is compulsary for every new PC to have a little piece of software installed (or even a small piece of hardware to avoid re-formats) that reports your activities to the governing body? That doesnt appeal to me at all. Nor will it to many others.

I really hope that this doesnt come down to this, but if it does, i hope it’s they don’t go down the route of monitoring users activities.

In between learning my lines, i managed to find time to watch the Royal Rumble last night. I havent watched WWE in a while as i’ve moved on to TNA more recently, so wasnt sure how much i’d enjoy it.

I actually thought it was an extremely enjoyable event! And what a great outcome… I must admit, i thought it was a tad predictable when HHH and Orton were in the last three left, and was expecting a relatively predictable outcome (as i have come to expect from the WWE). I was pleasantly surprised. And good on the WWE for paying homage to Eddie Guerrero RIP
The surrounding matches were fairly average, and I dont think many people watch the rumble for those, and never understand why the Rumble isnt the Headline event! And how Mark Henry ever ended up in a headline slot i’ll never understand - ah well… at least Angle can carry a match with anybody!

All in all, an event well worth a watch (as usual).

Pick up last year’s Royal Rumble here.

Just watched a really interesting program on Channel 4 called the Root of all Evil.

It was a (i must say) pretty biased, opinion on religion from a very athiest Oxford University lecturer about how he believes that religion is the ‘root of all evil’. I must say, he raised some extremely valid points, and while it was incredibly biased, and he seemed quite arrogant about his ‘beliefs’, some of the things that the religious people came out with were laughable.

I’m still not sure of where I lie in the religion states, but this was certainly food for thought! Catch the next episode (of this two part series) next Monday @ 8pm on Channel 4

Just read John’s post on his favorite TV this year, and thought i’d give my own opinions. All of these choices were very difficult to make as there has been some great TV this year!!

Best Newcomer
Prison Break - this show is the best show i have seen in a long time. Suspense, action, drama, and a thrill that keeps you coming back for more each week. Top Stuff!

Runners Up: Rome, Invasion

Best Sci-Fi
Smallville - Season 5 of Smallville has really been enjoyable. Smallville started as an average bit of fun for me, but it has really improved, and come out of its shell this year! Funny thing is, Tom Welling is now older than Brandon Routh who is playing the adult Superman in the new film!

Runners Up: Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica, Invasion, Lost, Hex, Doctor Who

Best Comedy
Joey - I never really followed Friends, but enjoyed the odd episode! However, when Joey started, I decided to follow it from the start. After a very shakey start (the first 8 or so episodes were, in all honesty, crap) Joey improved to become one of my favorite comedy’s from the last few years!

Runners Up: Extras, Stacked, The O.C.

Best Informative Show
MythBusters - humor and information all at the same time, busting or confirming Myths. What could be better?!

Runners Up: Top Gear, Egypt

Overall Winner of BEST TV SHOW of 2005
Prison Break - I just hope they can keep it going when (and if) they do actually escape!

So, there’s my rundown of 2005’s best TV! If you watched some of it, I hope you enjoyed it, if not, why not check them out next year!