The Fallen Empire

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I haven’t blogged about swtor since April, when I said that the 12x boost was coming into effect for subscribers. I thought that I would be playing a lot of swtor this past summer. I only wish that could have been true. Instead I was rather ill and not in a good way, the sort of illness where you feel too bad to even play games.

In my post about the 12x boost I said I was “wary but excited” as I worried what the boost would mean for the games longevity. I thought that if I played through all the class storylines, then I would be ‘done’ with what I loved most about the game.

I need not have worried. I only took one class through their storyline – Imperial Agent. I started another – Jedi Consular – but I’m only level 21. That is all I managed. I have yet to touch the classes of Sith Inquisitor, Smuggler or Trooper and my Sith Warrior is still on level 17 and due for a restart as it’s been so long. I didn’t even max my Jedi Knight, which is now on level 47 so very close to the end.

The release of the next expansion reminded me it’s been a while since I played. I actually forgot to cancel my sub so I have another six months as it renewed by accident. So what are my current thoughts on the game?

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His Greatest Weakness

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The Broken Kingdom, episode 4 of season 5 was added to Netflix yesterday.

I reached the end and had the exact same thought as a friend of mine – next episode please! It almost felt like it was paced as a two-parter. The credits started to roll and I couldn’t believe that was the end already, a lot had been covered but so much more was just set up and teased for what was coming next.

One of the things that I really like about this show, I think I’ve said this before, is it’s capacity to surprise me. I’ll see the promo, or I’ll see the live tweets which have pictures and quotes. This will form a picture in my mind, I’ll add it to my theories of what I think will happen. I then watch the episode and something totally different happens, but it’s not wrong, it makes as much sense as my theories.

I’ve never watched a show that seemed to encourage speculation as much. I am worried though because the ratings aren’t as healthy as I’d like. They are still winning the timeslot but it’s an expensive show, and this season will reach the magic number 100 for syndication.

With the numbers much lower than in the past, I could see ABC wanting to save the money. I really hope not though because I want this show to go on forever, or at least much longer than just the rest of this season! It’s too awesome, just like Stargate, and there needs to be a healthy amount for rewatching.

Ok so I’ve rambled on enough to now go to the cut.

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Best of British: Indeed Not

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I want to say upfront that this post is purely my opinion, based on my own personal perspective. Obviously all posts are just my opinion. However, I wanted to make that doubly clear with this one because it might turn out to be a bit of a rant.

Now, I’m a bit of a vocal critic when it comes to British drama. Most of my complaints are on the basis that we don’t make enough of it. We produce very few drama series. Honestly open up TV guide, and the bulk is reality, soaps (which I don’t count as dramas), quiz shows and property programs. Scripted dramas are thin on the ground.

With what we do make, I don’t expect everything to be my cup of tea, different people like different things. However, even when we do make something of quality we don’t make very much of it. The largest episode order per season seems to be 10 episodes, less than a half season (or mid-season replacement) of a US series.

Despite this there have been a few British shows I have enjoyed over the years. Hustle was amazing, and it just makes me sad how few episodes there were in the end. It lasted for 8 seasons, but at 6 episodes a season, that only made for 48 episodes. That’s basically 2 seasons of a US drama, possibly part of a third depending on how many episodes were ordered.

I watched the last episode of New Tricks last night, which is what prompted this post. I’ve watched that show since the beginning and I saw it through to the end.

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A Seat at the Table

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The third episode of Once Upon a Time’s season 5 was put up on Netflix last night. I had read the live tweets and seen a couple of preview clips courtesy of the official twitter account. One of those clips I thought was for next weeks episode, so I was very pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be the ending of this one – and wow what an ending!

This is a show which I believe encourages speculation about where plot lines are going. However, it seems every time I come up with a theory the writers take a totally unexpected turn. The turn might be unexpected but it also makes perfect sense, it’s just a plot twist that never occurred to me. It keeps the show surprising and makes me count down the days to the next episode.

Right, usual disclaimer though surely I could dispense with that by now? Spoilers under the cut …

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All Magic Comes With a Price

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Episode two, season five was put up on Netflix last night. It was entitled – The Price and the episode surrounded the price of magic. Both for previous events and for events that are yet to come.

I don’t entirely know what to say above the cut because of spoilers. Perhaps I could make a confession, it’s unusual for me to watch shows live. I usually binge watch because I have the DVD, waiting each week for the next episode is a little bit torturous.

Just randomly, I’m actually dictating this post using Dragon NaturallySpeaking. I usually type, and I have to say this is really weird, it’s almost a different process like my brain and my mouth aren’t connected the same as my brain and my hands. I have a shoulder injury at the moment which makes typing painful. If it isn’t fixed by next month then this will be good practice for NanNoWriMo.

I think I’ve rambled on long enough now. As always, consider this a warning of spoilers under the cut.

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Dark Swan Rises

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There is no savior in this town anymore.

Season five of Once Upon a Time has started. Thanks to Netflix picking up distribution for the UK I only have to wait three days from the US broadcast to watch. That is just brilliant and makes me wish all my shows could work like that. I mean seriously in the days of the internet, I don’t see why it can’t. I’m permanently 18 months behind on some of them, not getting the previous season until they are halfway through the next one. However, that is probably a rant topic for another day.

I know I was going to post my thoughts on season three and four. Quite frankly I just haven’t got round to it yet and now I don’t know whether I should do it at all. The last post I made to wrap up season two was rather difficult, as I was halfway into season four at the time.

Perspective is everything and watching what happens later, does change my opinion about what happened before. I’ve been rewatching season one lately. First time through I hated Regina and was cheering for Emma. Now Regina is my second favorite character, I’m cheering for her and thinking Emma is the mean one. Perhaps I should do a post about that. I know, I know, I find it way too easy to ramble on about this show. It’s not my fault the show is so damn awesome.

Anyway, this post is supposed to be about season five, the premiere episode. Obviously, there will be spoilers for that episode under the cut.

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When do you get hooked on a TV Show?

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On my Facebook feed today there was an article from Netflix. They have apparently analysed the viewing habits of their subscribers, to determine how many episodes it takes before someone is hooked. They defined being ‘hooked’ as the episode where 70% of those who watched it, went on to watch the rest of the season.

The numbers varied from episode two for a couple of shows, to up to the fifth episode for Marvel’s Daredevil. Obviously Netflix are trying to promote their model of business, where they give people access to the entire season at once. The binge watching model vs the new episode per week model. It’s no surprise that they would find the pilot couldn’t hook people, and that people needed more as that supports their business model. However, it did make me think about my viewing habits and at what point I get ‘hooked’.

You see I disagree with Netflix, I think people are far too different in their viewing habits and opinions, that something like this really can’t be quantified. There are shows that I couldn’t care less about, where I’ve watched entire seasons. I wouldn’t say I was hooked on them, I could never watch it again and not think twice. I watched them because I had a compelling reason to keep going back.

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Age of Ultron

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Avengers: Age of Ultron was released yesterday on DVD. First thing in the morning I went to Tesco’s and bought a copy. I used to pre-order them from Amazon but after the last Avengers film got lost in the post, on release day I go and buy a copy to have in my hand. It’s literally the one thing I don’t wait for, release day is the day I get the film and the day I re-watch it.

Yes – re-watch. I know I didn’t post a review of Age of Ultron back in May. I did see the film at the cinema but I was physically unwell at the time. By the time I felt better it had been a while since I’d seen the film and I couldn’t remember half of what I wanted to say. Therefore I decided to wait until I saw it again before writing a post.

Age of Ultron, the end of phase two, the end of the road that Tony Stark/Iron Man started us on. At the end of the film things are different, it’s evolved and it’s not going to be the same from here on out.

What did I think?

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Never Thinking of Consequences

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I haven’t blogged in a couple of weeks which was probably a bit of a mistake. In my last post about Once Upon a Time I was on episode 2.15, I’m now on episode 4.10, so I have nearly two seasons worth of comments swirling around in my brain, I don’t even know where to start. I can’t decide if it would be better to go by character, or chronologically – so much happened!

Best bet is chronologically in the hope I don’t forget anything. Not that if I do, that matters to anyone but me but then that’s kinda the whole point. The title of this post comes from a line of Regina’s in the season three finale. It’s oddly apt given that I clearly didn’t think of the consequences of not blogging about this show for so long. I was going to write everything today, in the one post. Given I’m at over 4500 words and I haven’t started season three yet, I figured I better split the posts.

Nearly two seasons of perspective have completely changed my view of Regina, I was starting to see her differently when I wrote the last post. Now? She’s my second favorite character. In my own words I’m on ‘Team Bad Guy’ which is funny as I don’t really see Regina or Rumple as out and out bad guys. They are complex characters but I’ll get back to this later on.

I was speaking with my friend the other day and we had an interesting discussion about character motives, and the writers opinion of characters vs the readers/watchers. This will probably be a topic of it’s own one day, but I’m going to mention it here too.

Get comfortable, this might take a while.

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A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

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When I watch a show, I watch for the characters really. If the characters don’t get under my skin, then the show doesn’t either. I might still watch it but I won’t care, I won’t think about it afterwards, I won’t ever be desperate to watch more. Characters are compelling, plot happens but characters make it worthwhile.

Rumpelstiltskin has got under my skin.

I’ve watched up to episode 15 of season 2 now. I’m further on than I was when I wrote the last post on Once Upon a Time. I have some vague awareness about what’s happening next, but no real context to go with it. For me, that’s about as unspoiled as I ever really get, so I’m learning about the characters as I watch.

My last post was mostly about Rumpelstiltskin because, for me, he’s the most compelling part of the show. From the time of my last post to now I’ve watched another ten episodes, which include some pretty big revelations about Rumple’s past, plus some very difficult current events for him.

Yes I’m probably going to try and talk logic again.

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