General TV Wibble. Arse!

[erastes]

Well, my Carer’s Allowance has been approved – HURRAH!  I have to go and sign on on Tuesday (I think – probably better safe than sorry) and I’ll ask them about additional benefits there – I want to make sure they are still paying my Council Tax, and see what else I can claim for. This is such a relief, because it means I can write and keep an eye on Dad and we’ll see more of each other before he slips away for good.

I’m still watching Spartacus:Blood And Sand – don’t know why it has the additional title, perhaps each season is going to have a different name.

Spartacus: Love and Marriage

Spartacus: Bunnies and Flowers

Spartacus: Death and Taxes

and so on.

Spartacus: Order of the the Fiery Goblet.

However, talk about gratuitous violence!  It’s a bloody shame (no pun intended) because the fighting is bloody marvellous and all 300-matrix stylee and I’d really like to sit and WATCH it, but I can’t because there’s bloody arterially spurting from every single cut.  I am pretty sure that bronze swords can’t lop an arm off in one slice, and I’m sure that a belly cut wouldn’t arterially spurt. But I’m also pretty sure that most people aren’t watching it for the historical accuracy. Just the blood and the sex.  Me. I’m rather obsessed with Andy Whitfield’s arse because dayum! it’s mighty fine. (hee hee he’s Welsh!!!!) (I’M SPARTACUS – LOOK YOU!!)

But—and this is leading into other shows that I’m aware of right now – FOR GOD’S SAKE haven’t we got past the tragic gay plotline? (shuts up about Junction x….)

1. Eastenders. Long drawn out gay plotline concerning Muslim man who can't be brave about his relationship despite just about everyone but his Nice But Dim wife knowing. Angst and possible tragedy looming.

2. Emmerdale. Gay man who can't face up to his relationship and people finding out, is going to kill himself.

3. Coronation Street. Lesbian teens who can't face up to being bi.

4. Spartacus. Gay gladdie killed. Nothing to do with him being gay, but sheesh, they were so cute together yanno?

AND….I didn't think much of this week's Doctor Who episode, I'm afraid - written by Mark Gatiss, so I was surprised it was so frankly DULL. I wish sit here with folded arms and hope that it improves. I think it’s because i’m sick to DEATH of the Daleks. Nice twist to them, and it’s good to see them back with full Dalek DNA and all that, and I’m interested to see why Amy doesn’t recognise them, but enough already. There’s more in heaven and earth, Horatio, yanno?

Comments

[thistlerose.livejournal.com]

That was my reaction to "Victory of the Daleks" too. I'm so tired of the Daleks and the Doctor's passionate denouncement of them every. time. they. show. up. It really loses its bite after a while.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I mean - "thank you for the testimony, exterminate" would have made sense. but no. More grandstanding.

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

Men!

[beckyblack]

Yeah, but on soaps isn't everyone totally miserable and suffering the whole time? I don't really watch them except when staying with family. That's pretty much agony, between the soaps and the celebrity x-factor dancing on ice to find someone to play Maria presented by John Barrowman I go half insane.

Bloody Daleks. The fact they've used them so early and it was just a skirmish means that for sure they'll be back this series. Daleks offering cups of tea was quite... disturbing though.

And I can't take much more of the constant geeky references! It's Dr Who not Spaced, FFS!

Amy hasn't quite caught on with me yet. Donna had by the time of The Fires of Pompeii. Amy hasn't done anything comparable so far. Her main personality trait seems to be "Scottish". But at least she wasn't in her nigtie this week.

I hated the ending of this episode. It was completely idiotic and a complete cop out. If you wish hard enough you can foil the Daleks. Bollocks.

And every time the Daleks are too easily foiled they get a bit less scary.

Thing is... I am still watching. Just shoot me now! :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I suppose so - I don't watch them either (well, Corrie, I admit to...) I was so disappointed when the gay gladdies died in Spartacus. I hope it wasn't because people complained. :(

[beckyblack]

Yeah, I can just imagine the letters of complaint.

Dear Sir,

I was happily enjoying your televisual presentation Spartacus: Blood and Sand, when I was shocked to realise that some of the characters were homosexuals! This is not the kind of thing I expect to see in a program about well built men wearing skimpy leather outfits and sweating a lot!

Mr D Nial
Tunbridge Wells

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Oh - god - laughing SO hard - thank you for this!

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

*ahem stenders ahem*

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Nah, Barca died because Happiness=Impending Death.

Me? I'm just watching because Lucy Lawless can't keep her clothing on for more than twenty minutes. This makes me very happy.

(Although John Hannah sptting on his hand before sodomizing the servant girl is a bit of memory trigger I could live without. I have been staying far, far away from Mummy slashfic archives lately)

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

Spartacus: Return to Agador :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Now - you are the blood spatter person - have you seen this show? Does a cut to the belly splay out in a fan for 20 feet?

[vashtan.livejournal.com]

Uhm, no. Maybe femoral artery cut. :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I didn't think so. Thanks Sleevey! ;)

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched it but I know the show you mean - it depends where the cut is, what it's made with, and what the person is doing when he's cut. Arterial cuts tend to spray, so it *could* spray out in a fan if the person doing the cutting hits an artery - but I think 20 feet is pushing it. :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Is there an artery in the belly? I did not know that - thank yoU!

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

The aorta is back there - it's about as big around as a hotdog weiner - that would make a helluva mess...and there may be others that I've forgotten about... :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes, but it's not in the SKIN is it? I mean - if you were cut deep enough to cut the aorta your stomach would be all over the stadium fllor.

These guys are getting skin cuts to the stomach and spurting blood all over in a 180 degree fan.

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

Oh God, no - it runs down the centre of the body - if they're getting skin cuts, there's no way the blood would spurt like that...

Christ, imagine if one of them got a paper cut? "AHHHHHHHH! I'm bleeding to death!" :D

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

The most likely thing would be their guts spilling out onto the sand. They're not that firmly attached, and if you get a broad enough cut... *blorp-slither-slither* ;p

Plus, the smell would be awful.

The place where arteries come closer to the skin is in the groin area and at the neck. *Those* would be messy places to get a slash. Plus, you can't apply a tourniquet properly.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

*sporfle*

Pepsi is painful in the sinuses, dear.

[joannesopercook.livejournal.com]

Oh Agador! Agador Spartacus! :)

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Spartacus: Men in Leather Miniskirts

I was fed up with Daleks after about the second episode with Daleks. Okay, now they're ill-tempered dustbins that can levitate. Still not impressed.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Yes - I suppose the kids love 'em, though. but not me. I liked the very first epi with Ecclestone when he found them again, because I was as scared as him, all the childhood fear came back in a wave, but now - not so much.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I never saw them until I was an adult, in Jon Pertwee reruns in the US, but anything can be overdone. I mean--"ho-hum, here come the daleks to destroy Earth... again...." And since they can't really do that unless it's the end of the series, it gets tired.

[chris-smith-atr.livejournal.com]

But they are RAINBOW dustbins.

I spent the episode thinking of how Daleks would do "YMCA"

[erastes.livejournal.com]

the village daleks!

[tiggothy.livejournal.com]

There’s more in heaven and earth, Horatio, yanno?
Ooh, now if they had Hornblower in a Doctor Who ep., *then* I might watch it again :-)
(not the recent Hornblower though, someone who looks like Gregory Peck)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Peck is the BEST Hornblower

[raevgray.livejournal.com]

Didn't you know that gladiators are so badass they have high-pressure fountains in their veins? When cut, they spew blood for miles just so show how intense they are, even in death.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Its hilarious (although I wish i could watch more of it)

OH NOES

PAPER CUT!!!!!

SPURTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[raevgray.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure whether a firehouse or an airbrush is a more appropriate (or amusing) analogy.

[gehayi.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on getting your carer's allowance!

I think the tragic gay thing exists on soap operas because they're soap operas. I mean, those storylines could easily be rewritten as the Muslim man who has a girlfriend on the side that everyone knows about but his nice but dim wife, and the man who can't face up to people finding out that he's got multiple wives and is going to kill himself, or the male teen who can't deal with the fact that his girlfriend wants to play the field.

I am extraordinarily tired of Daleks. I was glad to see the end of them in Journey's End, and I still don't want to see them again. (Obviously, I will, since I love Doctor Who, but I'd rather have a brand-new monster.)

[cyane-snape.livejournal.com]

I think next season should be called Spartacus: Buns of Steel.

I just saw the season ender...wow...I had to look it up to make sure there was a season 2 in the works!!! But yay for gratuitous nudity and sex.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

That is a perfect title, I think! And very true!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

and now i need an icon

[muridae-x.livejournal.com]

I've been sick of the Daleks since the Jon Pertwee era, with an exemption for "Genesis of the Daleks" because it was gripping, scary, and about the human (well, Kaled/Thal) reactions rather than the Pepperpots and "Dalek" because, well, um, the same, plus a bit of added Dalek mindset.

The rest haven't even cracked open the armoured shell, and sadly this week's episode was no exception.

They get points for the jammie dodger as secret weapon, and that's about it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I did like that the bastard daleks didn't recognise the JD and the PUREBREDs did. That made me laugh.

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

Carers Allowance - Income Support as a top-up, which is a passport benefit to council tax and help with mortgage, also free prescriptions and help with dentist and optician. Don't go asking your loacl JCP, they appear to know nothing. Sheesh, why have me as a mate if you aren't going to take advantage of me???
Er.......you know what I mean.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

well i thought that JC issued the income support.... so where do i go for all that? I already get the council tax and cheap dentist and optician and i didn't know about the prescriptions - the ltter re CA didn't say anything about applying for extra help or where to do that. Nor does the Carers Booklet you pick up at the JC - surprise surprise.

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

Apply for IS by phoning 08000 55 66 88. You should also get a carer's premium of about 29 quid on top of the basic rate. Make sure you claim the IS from the day after your JSA claim was closed and notify the Council you are changing benefits or they will send you a big fat Council Tax demand.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

oo - thank you! :)

[jl_merrow]

Personally, I think it's quite sweet that the Daleks have finally embraced their inner Teletubbies...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

LOL!!!!

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

And super-congrats on getting the carer's allowance. I think that's a lovely way to support the people who are caring for their family. I bloody well wish we had something like that over here! My dad could have used that while looking after my mom.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

it's peanuts, but the same rate as unemployment (or it should be with allowances) but I've been managing on peanuts for 2 years now. And he's getting to the stage where i just need to be around more.

[spindriftdancer.livejournal.com]

Oh. Not as good as it sounded, then. Hmm.
But it's courageous of you, all the same, to be looking after your dad. Kudos.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

My view is that he supported me for 16 years, so the least I can do is to repay the compliment!