An Appreciation of Val Kilmer, 1959-2025

“I’m your Huckleberry.”

Val Kilmer passed away on April 1, 2025.

Doctor Who: The Ice Warriors

But sssssoft, what light thru
yonder window breaksssss...

Mars attacks!

Series Five, Story Three (Story Code OO)

Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor
with Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria)

Dexter Original Sin: Kid in a Candy Store

"Homicide looks good on you."

It was Dexter's first day at Miami Metro, and he absolutely loved it. Yes, the equipment was outdated and his new workmates hassled him, but he almost immediately saw Miami Metro as a solution to his problem – a treasure trove of possible victims for his Dark Passenger tied up in a big red bow. A kid in a candy store, indeed.

Andor: Narkina 5

"Oppression breeds rebellion."

From the first few seconds of this episode there was a sense of deep unfairness and oppression. That unease continued as we delved deeper into the Empire’s utter contempt for just about everyone.

Resident Alien: Radio Harry

Harry: You cannot golf with that ball.
Sahar: Maybe you can't because you're a bad golfer, but he got a hole in one, and in that hole was bird poop. So now your silver alien ball is covered in bird poop.
Harry: I changed my mind. I am going to tell my people to save everyone but you, and when you are dead, I'm going to freeze you and make snow cones out of your gross, dead ice and add the worst snow cone flavor to it – papaya.

Episode description: “Is Harry building another bomb? Asta is going to find out as they go camping on the reservation.” For once, Resident Alien's episode description is fairly reasonable.

Slow Horses: Season Three Review

“Clear the board.”

Although every season of Slow Horses takes place in just a few days, Season Three makes the most of the compressed timeframe, with the bulk of the action (excepting the cold open) taking place in about 36 hours.

Andor: The Announcement

One half reset and one half emotional rollercoaster, this episode wasn’t a part of a story arc that I can tell. But it did set up things for more stories to come.

This review will also talk about the series Star Wars: Rebels with some spoilers for that show.

Dexter Original Sin: And in the Beginning...

"Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life."

I feel bad for Michael C. Hall. He created a character so memorable that the suits refuse to let it go.

Andor: The Eye

What an absolutely fabulous episode, full of tension and real consequences. It played out like a heist gone bad, complete with in fighting, double crosses and the bittersweet satisfaction of success.

Fallout: The Beginning

“War never changes.”

Yellowjackets: Season Three, Part One

“How's this story for you? Once upon a time, a bunch of teenage girls got stranded in the wilderness... and they went completely fucking nuts.”

(This review covers episodes one through four of Yellowjackets season three, and contains spoilers).

Doctor Who: The Abominable Snowmen

"He followed us home, mom, can we keep him?"

"Well, Tibetans are ethnically distinct from Chinese, and who's gonna know if the accent's right anyway?" --the production team, probably

Season Five, Story 2 (story code NN)

Starring Patrick Troughton as the Doctor
with Frazer Hines (Jamie) and Deborah Watling (Victoria)