3 posts tagged “secret diary of a call girl”

I am so not used to seeing Billie Piper on a major US network. OK, so Showtime isn't your ABC, NBC, CBS, or Fox, but it's still bigger than Sci-fi or BBC America. All these commercials for Secret Diary of a Call Girl are making me feel both awkward and happy. I mean, awk because it's Rose Tyler in her skivvies, but excited because it's ROSE FUCKING TYLER. Oh I hate the fangirl in me.

In other news: new Doctor Who this week. I have some hope for "Midnight", and then... ROSE! Hurray! So here's what I'm wondering: We know that there will be those specials next year, so who will be the companion? Martha's got her own life, but she could pop up when the Doctor visits Earth. Donna may or may not be around for it. Billie's got her own show, though I don't know what's going to happen past the second series. I think she's filming it now, so ostensibly she could come back for a special, but don't hold your breath. So... new mini companions? Jack? I guess maybe it'll be more obvious after the finale, where I'm sure Davies will tack on a completely unnecessary "cliffhanger" which will interrupt the emotional end and my post-Rose crying.

Ugh, Sci-Fi: please stop putting BSG on giant hiatuses: No new BSG until 2009. OK, to be a little more fair, it seems this is because of the post production needed for each episodes, which are kind of CGI-heavy.

So, I think I'm going to get the iPhone. I just need to jump, get it over with, you know? Stop thinking, stop ruminating, just do it!

I love plurk! It's like twitter, but with more interacting with users. It's hard to meet people via Twitter, but with Plurk it's really easy.

One of the first things I thought when I heard about the US version of Life on Mars was, "I gotta watch the English version." So the other day I finished up the first series, and it was amazing. John Simm <33 . But it also got me thinking: Will this work in the US? Well, there are a few factors that play a part in the success in these translations.

One is how relateable is it? Well, a show about a man transported back to the 70's? That could work in the US. It would actually be interesting to see the US thirty years ago and how someone would react to that. One of the things about The Office is that it can be adapted to any culture because it relies so heavily on the office dynamic. The US verion of The Office worked because it developed its own style and voice and stopped trying to be a carbon copy. If Life On Mars defines itself using a US culture and maybe a different plot, it has a shot. If they carbon copy the UK's plot, that could be tiring and open itself up to criticism and comparisons. If I'm constantly comparing the US and UK versions of The Office without any identical plots, imagine how critical I'll be with identical plots.

The next factor is casting, the cast needs to stand out and be different. I know the translation will keep all the characters from the UK one, but if the writers can add their own editorial touches on them, it'll have a shot. I keep bringing up the US Office because it's a rare instance where a UK show has successfully morphed into a wonderful US program. The Office developed background characters that were never really touched upon in the UK. If Life on Mars devotes time to the personal lives of the background players, it will not only fill up some of the 20 hours in the season, but it will also add something new.

This leads me into the most important factor: longevity. Well, Life on Mars doesn't quite have that. The UK show only had two series, and one of the most powerful parts of the first series was the frustration. Watching it, I just wanted him to wake up, like on the verge of yelling at the TV. But the brilliant thing was Sam felt it, too. He was just losing it, being so close to consciousness, then having it slip away. The viewers were right there with him. I'm downloading the second series right now, but I'm guessing this'll happen through the second series and it'll maybe end with him waking up. *ps, don't tell me how it ends, I'm just speculating* Now, the major problem with UK to US mutations is the length. For some reason US viewers love 20-24 episodes of a show, at least on the major networks. The UK has a powerful belief in less in more. Some shows run for two series, 16 episodes total, and end on a high note, not overstaying its welcome. I loved that about The Office and I'm loving that about the UK Life On Mars. Imagine five seasons, 22 episodes a piece, of Sam Tyler wanting to wake up. That'll get old, annoying and won't work. So the show pretty much has an expiration date, which is never good. Personally, this is my biggest concern, because the first season of the US one will contain more episodes than the entire run of the UK show. If the writers don't head in a different direction, the show will have some serious problems in the long run.

OK, on a side note, I'm kind of excited for Secret Diary of a Call Girl to air on Showtime. I know I watched it and was completely weirded out by nekked, whore Billie Piper, but I saw a huge billboard in NYC advertising it and I was just, "ZOMG BILLIE PIPER." I wonder if she'll do any press for the premiere? I'd kind of love it if Billie were on some late night show, I'd kind of die. Before I didn't think about press for the UK import, but a big billboard with that show and Weeds is a pricey investment. Showtime must have a lot of faith in the show.

I have no real reason for not posting... I guess I just kept putting it off. Well, I got a new desktop, because my old gal Lucy (her name) had to go and semi-die/someone called me out on her oldness. So I went and bought a new one. Naturally, I had to go and do some internal tweaking which damn near killed me (and my fingers). But she's working! The name? Sam. But a female Sam. I know this is sounding nerdy, but she looks like a Sam. Verdict's still out on Vista, my Dad had the worst Vista experience ever, so he was especially bitter about it.

Oh, and I bought a Macbook... Yeah, I'm that hardcore. Call me old school, but having a laptop as my main computer just doesn't feel right. I think it will take a long time for me to accept that as anything other than a secondary computer. Anyhoo, I've already picked a name for him. It's become a pattern of mine to name the desktops female and the laptops male. So he's going to be Dexter. And yes, I got the idea from the show (which has been frickin' amazing). I told this to my mom, who jokingly freaked out and told me "NOOO! The FBI will think you're up to no good!" I think it's mildly poetic me naming my white Macbook Dexter, because I think Dex(the character) is a much better person than he gives himself credit for. Hence the white, it's sort of a pure, good color. Yeah, I'm that nerdy.

Doctor Who Series 4 Stuff
It's weird that the last time I posted here, it was over my super, excited, pumped glee over the return of Rose. I did all this talk about Rose meeting Martha and Rose meeting Donna, but I don't think I actually talked about Rose meeting the Doctor. How could I? That's damn near blasphemy. OK, so I think it's pretty clear how Rose being trapped killed the Doctor's soul. He was all mopey and distant, and couldn't really open up to Martha. Poor gal, met the Doc at the wrong time.

But wow. It's so intense thinking about them reuniting. First off, the circumstances. This may be more spoilers so beware: Some reports have this as Rose and the other two companions having to save the Doctor. If that is the case, we'll be having lots of pushing back of their reconnection, due to the Doctor's peril and what-have-you. I totally want him not believing it's her, so we get some amazing Billie Piper crying and some story of convincing, which will happily make me cry. I can't see the Doctor believing off the bat that it's Rose. He's way too into the "That's impossible" to handle that easily. I hope she's the one who rescues him, or she's the one who sees him first, before the other two. I kinda want their moment to not have Martha and Donna awkwardly off to the side. I think they deserve this to themselves.

There's no doubt in my mind that this will be of the utmost amazing. Of course when Rose leaves, my soul will clearly implode. Saying goodbye twice? GAH. I mean, let's be honest, Billie's got that hooker show which has another series. I feel like Davies won't do another horribly tragic departure, at least nothing as epic as "Doomsday". Still, the simple act of Rose leaving the Doctor will leave me a sobbing mess. Especially if she chooses a life on her own over a traveling life with the Doctor. Any sort of parting will wreck me. Doesn't mean I can't wait for this arc.

Between Martha on Torchwood and Rose on Who, I have actual reasons to watch these shows again. Cool.