The first recording today starts with the end of Tommy Zoom.
There’s an Eco Beebies trail, and Andy plants some bulbs.
Then, a repeat episode of Charlie and Lola – I Spy With My Little Eyes. I saw that in 2006.
Media Centre Description: Children’s animation. Join Lola and Charlie, a brother and sister, as they deal with topics that affect their everyday lives. Meet along the way Marv, Sizzles, Lotta and Soren Lorensen. When Charlie goes out with Marv, Lola decides to play spies with her imaginary friend Soren Lorenson. When the two intrepid detectives spy a removal van outside the flats they are convinced that an ogre will be moving in. Charlie comes home and tries to persuade them that they can’t possibly be right.
Recorded from CBeebies on Wednesday 10th October 2007 08:23
BBC Genome: CBeebies Wednesday 10th October 2007 08:25
After this, there’s a trail for The Large Familyand another Eco-themed song about picking up litter and reusing things.
Then the recording stops after a minute or two of The Tweenies.
The next recording starts with the end of The Restaurant.
There’s a trail for Classical Star. I guess Young Musician of the Year wasn’t downmarket enough.
There’s also a trail for The Peter Serafinowicz Show.
Then, a new episode of Heroes – Distractions. I think I’ve missed eight episodes, so I’m going to be very confused.
First surprise – here’s Christopher Eccleston all of a sudden, playing a man called Claude Rains. He’s also invisible. Ho ho, I see what they did there. (Claude Rains played the Invisible Man in James Whale’s 1934 Universal movie.) Peter seems to be wanting him to teach him how to control his power. He can mimic the powers of any super-powered person he’s around, but only when he’s near them. “Right now, your abilities only show up as a reflex. Autonomic, like swallowing. That’s a dog’s trick. Making it a conscious choice, using it, that’s what makes you more than poodle.” “Is insulting me gonna help me learn?” “Listen, you’re the one who’s a bomb set to blow up me and everyone in this city unless I can get you housebroken.” So I assume Peter has now seen the future, and that it’s him who causes the huge explosion that we’ve seen in previous episodes, hence his need to control his powers. Claude tells him he’ll teach him how to remove the powers, so he doesn’t overload.
Niki is in a psychiatric hospital, under restraint, talking to a psychotherapist. She warns her that it’s not a good idea, as her other half, Jessica, might appear and be very dangerous. Which proves to be the case, as Jessica is easily able to break the restraints when she emerges.
Mr Bennet has caught Sylar, but (according to the Previously On) he’s died. So Bennet makes the rookie mistake of going to see the body, and guess what. He’s not dead, and proceeds to lock Bennet in his cell, and leaves to destroy his family. He’s not a nice man.
Sylar makes good on his threat and goes to Bennet’s house. His wife returns home, finds a random man in her kitchen. When she asks who he is he says (in a southern accent, which I guess is supposed to make him sound safe, but actually makes him sound creepy) “I just came from the paper factory. I’m makin’ a delivery for your husband. And I saw… this little guy… in the street. (giggles) Now, somebody must have left the back door open. Oh, I hope you don’t mind. I took the liberty.” Her reaction to this is not to scream, insist he leaves, or call the police. It’s “Well, aren’t you sweet?” She even asks if he wants to stay for dinner.
Claire has found where her real mother lives and goes to visit her. She shows her her powers, and in return her mother shows her that she has powers too.
Just as Sylar reveals himself to Mrs Bennet and is about to kill her when Mr Bennet finally arrives, having escaped from the cell. But Sylar escapes. Then Mr Bennet gets his colleague, “The Haitian” to wipe her memory.
Simone and Isaac look like perhaps they might be reconciling. It’s a pity they’re reconciling at exactly the time that Peter and Claude have arrived to see what Simone is doing.
Hiro’s recent behaviour has shamed his father, played by George Takei. He’s told Hiro he must return to Japan and be a Vice President in his corporation, training to replace him as CEO. Hiro obviously doesn’t want to do this (despite having apparently lost his powers). He knows his sister is far better qualified for the job, but their father is a man, so he doesn’t consider her suitable. So Hiro tells them what his plans are for the company, and his sister tells them that those plans are a disaster, and when the father asks if she has a better idea, she reels off all the things she would do. The father asks her “What’s gotten into you?” She apologises. “I didn’t mean to.” But Hiro says “Yes she did. Kimiko is smart and dedicated. You don’t need me. You have your successor right here.
Peter and Claude argue about what Peter needs to do. Claude wants him to cut out all the people from his life, Peter disagrees. Then Claude tries to prove the point that Peter could remember how to fly by pushing him off a building. He doesn’t fly. But he also doesn’t die, impaled on a bit of the car he fell on to. Instead he pulls himself up, and the wounds heal. So Claude proved his point, just not quite in the way he intended.
But Peter says it was remembering that triggered the power, and then he starts overloading. So Claude punches him in the face. “Well, it’s a start.”
Isaac has painted a picture of Peter at the taxi, and he phones Bennet to tell him he thinks he knows how to stop him. He mentions that he can be invisible and asks “What does that mean?” “It means an old friend isn’t quite as dead as we thought he was.”
Hiro says goodbye to his father. His father’s response: “I should never have read him those stories.” But it’s all about the hugs.
Niki is unexpectedly released from prison, because a prisoner on Death Row has confessed to the murders. So the mob have probably got her out for their own purposes. When she gets home, suddenly, Jessica takes over.
In another frankly brilliant cliffhanger end scene, Claire’s mother telephones her real father to tell him that Claire is still alive. And it’s Nathan Petrelli.
Media Centre Description: Drama series in which people all over the world deal with the newly-discovered superpowers they possess. Hiro struggles to make his father and sister understand his new heroic path. Niki has a chance to be with DL and Micah again. Claude attempts to teach Peter to harness his abilities, but the process could shatter Peter’s faith in those closest to him. Determined to find her birth mother, Claire makes her way to Texas. Meanwhile, Sylar makes a shocking move against HRG – and his family.
Recorded from BBC TWO on Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:00
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:00
After this, there’s trails for The Tudors and Spooks.
The next recording is the next episode of House of Cards which is missing a few seconds from the start.
There’s an emergency cabinet meeting, at which the Prime Minister Henry Collingridge, while denying any wrongdoing and asking for an inquiry into the allegations of insider trading by his brother, has announced he’s going to step down as leader. “Having held the post the shortest period of time of any Prime Minister this century.” Echoes of another recent Prime Minister.
Mattie practically propositions Urquhart. “I think you know I’d like to do anything you asked me to.” “Hardly the words of an independent young woman, Mattie.” “Oh, but they are. I’m not anyone’s toy. I don’t get chosen. I choose. And I’m not interested in anyone’s taboos about age. I wanted you the first time I met you.” This really does read like the fantasies of an older male writer, trying to dress it up as some kind of empowerment. And then she tells him she wants to call him Daddy. Yuck.
Mattie’s computer. I’m not really familiar with DOS era software. It’s probably Wordstar.
Newspaper Proprietor Ben Landless is keen for Urquhart to run, as he’s promised him an easy ride with media acquisitions.
Mattie thinks that the whole insider dealing accusations are a set-up, so she finds where the Prime Minister’s brother is being ‘looked after’ and gets to talk to him. He has no recollection of ever buying shares, and doesn’t know anything about the address in Paddington where the newspapers say he receives conservative party material, and there’s a bank account registered to his name there. James Villiers is very good as Charles. Quite vulnerable, a bit pathetic, like a lost dog.
Urquhart is informed about Mattie’s visit to Charles. He makes a call to Roger O’Neill, and a bit later, Mattie’s car is vandalised.
Someone throws a brock through her window. I think someone is trying to send her a message.
Her co-worker (maybe her editor, it’s hard to tell) comes over to comfort her. But he’s very firmly friendzoned. “It wouldn’t work with you. Sex, I mean. You’re easy to be with. You’re not dangerous. You’re my best friend, John. I couldn’t have it off with my best friend. It would be embarrassing.”
And anyway, next day, she’s over to Urquhart’s for some comfort.
With the help of a friendly nerd in the Conservative office, they find Charles Collingridge’s records which say he was receiving party literature, but it all looks a bit fishy. “He’s never paid for the literature service. He’s only on the distribution file. Not on the payment file.” “Can you find out when he first appeared on the distribution file?” “Two weeks ago.” “After his brother resigned. When he was already in the clinic, so. Somebody in this building?” “It would have to be.”
But her managing editor won’t run the story, and worse than that, suggests a sideways career move for her. “Now, 20 things you never thought you could do with a wok. That’s where an imagination like yours could really make its mark.”
Perhaps he’s been leant on, because the paper comes out and endorses Urquhart for the leadership, despite him not having announced he’s standing. “I’ve read this morning’s Chronicle with quite a little bit of interest and surprise. As I think most of you know, I’ve always been happiest as a backroom boy, serving the government behind the scenes. However, it would be unpardonably arrogant of me to disregard the urgings of so many of my colleagues. This has all come as a great surprise to me. I hope you forgive me if I take a little time to consider my future course of action.”
Despite being off the story, she’s still digging. She tries Roger O’Neill’s office, because she’s met him at Brighton, and Penny, his assistant, answers. She’s very disturbed that Mattie is calling O’Neill, so she asks to meet her outside. She tells him it was Roger who smashed up her car and threw the brick with the message. She had thought Mattie was a man, and had accompanied him to make sure he didn’t get hurt. She really spills the beans. “Look, Mattie, I’ll tell you how it is. The state he’s in now, if you go to the police with this, he’d kill himself. I really believe that.” “Why is he in such a state?” “I think he blames himself about that share business. And that wasn’t his fault at all. He idolised Henry Collingridge. He’d have done anything to help him.” “So why should he blame himself?” “Charles Collingridge wanted an address for his private mail. Roger and I fixed it up for him. And then it turns out that the old bugger was using it for his iffy share deals as well. Roger thinks he’s all to blame.”
Dutifully, Mattie reports all this back to Urquhart, who acts like it’s all news to him. He tells Mattie about O’Neill’s cocaine problem. he offers to talk to O’Neill. “Would you like me to have a word with him, Mattie?” “Would you?” “It might take a few days before he’s ready to cooperate completely, but I believe he will. Would you be prepared to leave all that to me, Mattie?” “You know I would. You’re the only person I could trust to do it.”
Media Centre Description: Andrew Davies’s adaptation of Michael Dobbs’s best-selling satirical novel about the corrupt and cynical world of British party politics. Urquhart’s plans to undermine Collingridge reach their conclusion. But Mattie Storin continues to investigate the story, and Urquhart must decide how to stop her.
Recorded from BBC FOUR on Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:00
BBC Genome: BBC FOUR Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:00
After this, there’s the Fanny Hill promo we saw a couple of days ago.
Then the recording stops during Stoyville Why Democracy? Part 8: Dinner with the President.
The next recording starts with a trail for Spooks, and the Russell Brand Radio 2 promo.
Then, an episode of Heroes Unmasked.
This one looks at the creation of the series by Tim Kring.
Comics writer Jeph Loeb was immediately on board.
Jack Coleman talks about his character changes.
His character is referred to as “Horn Rimmed Guy” in the scripts. And in the Media Centre descriptions, I see.
Tawny Cypress talks about how the actors love changing their lines.
Masi Oka: “Everybody is chipping in because they’re all so passionate about the show.”
Greg Grunberg: “Every character is going through something the audience can relate to.”
Greg Beeman talks about the different colour palettes they used for the different locales the show is set in.
John Aronson picks up the colour theme.
Mark Kolpack talks about the visual effects.
That’s where this recording ends, though.
Media Centre Description: Behind the scenes of the drama series.
Recorded from BBC TWO on Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:45
BBC Genome: BBC TWO Wednesday 10th October 2007 21:45
The next recording starts with a trail for Drop Dead Gorgeous, and a trail for It’s Adam and Shelley which I don’t remember at all.
There’s 60 seconds of news.
There’s a star-studded trail for Children in Need.
And a trail for Leave Us Kids Alone.
Then, another episode of Heroes – Run!
Claire’s mother is basically shaking down Nathan for money. So that’s a political candidate paying a woman hush money over an affair, and the shortest serving British Prime Minister in history. Is my collection trolling me?
Mohinder is still chasing down potential superpowered people. He’s contacted by someone called Zane Taylor.
Hiro and Ando are back in Las Vegas. Hiro is looking for a sword, and the man it belongs to is Linderman – the big crime boss that everyone seems terrified of but whom we haven’t yet seen. As they’re wandering around, they see a woman crying, so naturally Ando wants to help because he’s just a sucker for a woman. She’s played by Missi Pyle, and tells them that she left her bag in her boyfriend’s hotel room, and she’s scared to go and get it because he hits her, so naturally Ando wants to help. It sounds like a scam.
Hiro gets into the room in a Room Service trolley.
But then he finds a very big gun in the closet, and wants to get out. Ando wants to keep looking for the bag, because he wants to be a hero. Or rather, he fancies the woman. So he pushes Hiro out of the door and carries on looking.
Zane Taylor is waiting for Mohinder. But when the doorbell rings, it’s not Mohinder, it’s Sylar.
Hiro goes downstairs to see Hope, the woman they’re helping, and hears her on the phone. “No, I got these two Chinese guys to help me out. Turned on the waterworks, and they were mine. Yep. They’re getting the suitcase as we speak.” He tells her she’s a bad person. She punches him in the face.
Matt Parkman isn’t a cop any more, he’s got a job as a bodyguard. Just his luck that his first client is the target of a hit, and it’s Niki’s alter ego Jessica who’s coming after him. Matt gets the upper hand for a short time.
But when he gets back to his client, she’s got out of his handcuffs, and she throws him out of a window.
When Mohinder arrives at Zane Taylor’s house, he finds Sylar there pretending to be Taylor.
He’s absorbed Zane’s powers, and he demonstrates them to Mohinder. He can melt anything.
Claire goes back to her mother, wanting to see her father, but she tells her that her father won’t want to see her, and he’s just going to pay the hush money to keep them quiet. But Claire hangs around and listens to their conversation, and it sounds a bit like Nathan would like to see Claire, but when she asks if he wants her to call Claire back he says no. So Claire thinks he doesn’t want to know her.
Ando finds the bag and brings it back to Hope. He asks where Hiro is, and Hope tells him he went off to meet a guy who could introduce him to Linderman. Ando wonders why he didn’t wait for him, and Hope persuades him by kissing him. He’s such an idiot.
Meanwhile, Hiro is locked in a cupboard, and only gets out when the door is opened by the man whose room they broke into, who also happens to be an officer of the State gaming commission.
Claire comes home to find her mother throwing things at their dig (called Mr Muggles). She doesn’t remember the dog at all. And she doesn’t know who Claire is. Clearly the mind wipe from the last episode was one too many.
Jessica gets a new target for her to kill. It’s Nathan.
Media Centre Description: Drama series in which people all over the world deal with the newly-discovered superpowers they possess.
Recorded from BBC THREE on Wednesday 10th October 2007 22:00
BBC Genome: BBC THREE Wednesday 10th October 2007 22:00
After this, trails for Drop Dead Gorgeous and Spooks.
Then the recording ends after the start of The Real Hustle.