Doctor Who'ing

With my friends Beth and Wes, our marathon journey through Doctor Who has brought us to the beginning of the third season. Today we tackled four stories: The Time Meddler, Galaxy 4, Mission to the Unknown, and The Myth Makers.

The Time Meddler was a particular delight for Beth, who enjoyed the mystery of a time-traveling Monk up to no good in 1066. Unwilling to spoil my friends, I kept the Monk's identity of being another Time Lord a surprise. Beth agreed that she liked the Monk's mischievous machinations compared to those of the more evil Master. She even commented that it was probably more fun traveling with the Monk than the Doctor!

I was saddened that this was our last complete story to view for a little while. It's silly, I know, but I genuinely fretted over whether my friends could handle recon after recon.

We watched Galaxy 4 via the great recon that was intended as an extra on The Time Meddler DVD. This story fell into the "okay" category, which actually might be a first during our viewing so far. Beth's reaction to the Drahvin spaceship--"They live in a trailer?"--made me burst out laughing.

Maaga, leader of the Drahvins, missed her calling as a Dominatrix, we felt. Just look how much she loves punishing her drones, and those orgasmic monologues about bringing harm to others.

Steven's out-of-character behavior, with his background as an astronaut being forgotten when he finds himself trapped in an airlock, raised an eyebrow.

Mission to the Unknown was a surprising oddity for Beth and Wes. They were taken aback by the absence of the Doctor, Vicki and Steven, as well as the prospect of an ongoing Dalek series (which we all agreed would have failed). The Varga plants were noted as being especially unusual, and the make-up for the alien Malpha was praised.

On a personal note, I was horrified that the soundtrack of the Loose Cannon recon was so terrible. It's been a while since I last watched it and, if I'd've realized, I would have certainly dubbed the clean CD soundtrack over it.

Finally, there was The Myth Makers, which turned out to be the biggest hit of the day. It's a personal favorite of mine, and I was thrilled that Beth and Wes enjoyed it too. Wes liked that Donald Cotton's witty script was akin Monty Python, and I was pleased to find Beth smiling throughout.

Vicki's abrupt departure at the story's end came as a shock. After the adventure was over, I enlightened my friends to the circumstances regarding Maureen O'Brien's leaving the series, and how William Hartnell was absolutely furious with new producer John Wiles over it.

Although Vicki's goodbye is a nice one (especially compared to certain other companions) the decision to write her out was a rotten one. Today, even script editor Donald Tosh laments it. O'Brien and Hartnell had tremendous chemistry, and it would have been wonderful to see more of the First Doctor/Vicki/Steven TARDIS team.

So, my friends survived three recons in a row... Which, I'm relived about! Thankfully, there's at least three surviving episodes of The Daleks' Master Plan to enjoy next time.

Pic Spam

Just because I had to share the awesomeness that is Matt Smith.

Kingdom of the Dead, Parts 3 & 4

Finishing up the second season of Dark Shadows full-cast audio dramas, Part three of Kingdom of the Dead sees Lysette Anthony's villainous Dr. Rankin return and set her sights on the inhabitants of Collinsport. Having been drawn together, Barnabas, Angélique, Quentin, Maggie, Willie, and David are all assaulted by their worst fears. It's a harrowing an effective sequence, especially when an old telephone appears in David's hands and his trauma at the hands of Quentin's ghost returns.

Cleverly, Rankin is ultimately defeated by unleashing a creature upon her that cannot feel fear: the werewolf. Although I've often found that using Angélique to cast a spell and defeat a villain has been used too often in the audio plays, here her powers are put to clever effect. Having Angélique bypass the power of Quentin's portrait and transform him into the werewolf again is something I could easily see happening in the TV series.

Once the enemy is finally defeated, events hurtle to a climax in Part four. Quentin, having fallen in love with Susan Griffin, co-owner of the Blue Whale with her husband Ed, discovers she has become a victim of Barnabas'. Meanwhile, Angélique has enlisted Ed to be her servant.

Interestingly, as Maggie learned the truth about Barnabas earlier in the storyline, so David is also afforded the chance to discover that Angélique is, in fact, his former stepmother Cassandra. David makes a ruthless deal with her in order to rid Collinsport of the creature from the point between life and death that Barnabas and Quentin first encountered in Part one. Reverend Trask does the job for them, however, by murdering Susan and the being is banished.

With things back to normal--or as normal as they can possibly be at Collinwood--a distraught Quentin decides to leave town again just as Carolyn Stoddard returns. Barnabas, meanwhile, after a blistering confrontation with Maggie, also departs... Albeit not for good. His mission is to find Dr. Julia Hoffman with the hope that she might cure him of his vampirism again.

Kingdom of the Dead finishes on one hell of a cliffhanger as David and Carolyn are reunited, with the former carrying a familiar disembodied hand. Both Carolyn and David have been possessed by Count Petofi!

Over the second season has been a can't miss success. It's one hell of a ride, with the actors giving it their all and bringing these beloved characters back to life so brilliantly. I'm excited about the prospect of the malevolent Count Petofi returning, which was an idea bandied about for the final TV storyline. I do wonder if season three will see recasts for Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, Roger Collins, and Dr. Julia Hoffman, all hinted at to be coming back.

Also, it's worth mentioning that Kingdom of the Dead sees the first blatant continuity nod with the first Dark Shadows audio drama, Return to Collinwood, with Willie Loomis meeting his wife from that play, Jessica, portrayed by Marie Wallace.

Kingdom of the Dead, Parts 1 & 2

Having finally had a chance to listen to the second season of Dark Shadows full-cast audio dramas, I thought I'd post my thoughts about the story. The first part deals with the ramifications of the previous season's cliffhanger, in which the ship The Lorelei sank with Barnabas Collins and Quentin Collins still on board. The pair find themselves trapped in the halfway point between life and death, where a new villain awaits them. Angélique manages to find her way there, however she can only rescue one... and she chooses Barnabas. This creates a rift between Barnabas and Quentin, opening up old wounds and creating some very tense moments between the characters.

Meanwhile, Maggie Evans finds herself in peril after remembering the ordeal she suffered when Barnabas kidnapped her back in 1967. Her confrontation of Barnabas is a moment we were never granted in the TV series, and Kathryn Leigh Scott clearly relishes sinking her teeth into the wealth of emotion she's given to play. In order to protect her from Barnabas, Willie Loomis has no other choice but to hide her at Windcliff Sanitarium, which does not sit well with Maggie after having endured two previous stays there (first, at the hands of Barnabas, and then later, Roxanne Drew). But, Maggie finds herself in even more danger as the Sanitarium has been taken over by the sinister Dr. Rankin, played by Lysette Anthony, in reality a creature that feeds off of fear.

Maggie isn't alone, however, as she finds an ally in the mysterious orderly, Patient D, played by Alec Newman. In a surprising move, it turns out that Patient D is, in fact, an older David Collins, suffering from amnesia. David, having attempted to use magic in order to forget the horrors of Collinwood, has made himself vulnerable to Dr. Rankin's machinations. Although Rankin is seemingly defeated, things are not well in Collinsport, as a descendant of Reverend Trask appears on the scene, and, to put it mildly, all hell is about to break loose.

Halfway through the story, and it's been a fantastic ride so far. Part 1 largely deals with the aftermath of The Rage Beneath, and Kingdom of the Dead itself doesn't properly get going until Part 2. I've had a couple of minor quibbles while listening, most glaringly being why Angélique, determined to protect Barnabas at all costs, doesn't simply erase Maggie's renewed memory?

Looking forward to Parts 3 & 4 tonight!

Heroes of Sontar

The first in a second trilogy of adventures for the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, and an older Nyssa, Heroes of Sontar sees the debut of the Sontarans on audio. As with the most recent TV adventure, A Good Man Goes to War, this story makes novel use of the Sontarans by presenting the most inept platoon ever cloned. Although I'm not a fan of characters taking the piss out of baddies--particularly Tegan's constant putdowns here--it makes for some surprisingly humorous situations.

What I liked best about the play was the interactions of the time travelers with the Sontarans, especially Turlough, as well as the combined threat of Rutans and the terrifying-sounding Witch Guards. The only real downside was Nyssa's problem, which never felt as if anything terrible might happen to her.

Overall, it was a good story and a promising start to a new series of adventures for this reuinted team.

Curse of the Pharaoh

The first Dark Shadows dramatic reading to feature Nancy Barrett, she recreates her role of Carolyn Stoddard as if no time whatsoever has passed by. In this two-hander, she is joined by Marie Wallace, who plays a new part as the villainous Dr. Gretchen Warwick.

Set some time after we last saw the present-day characters (there is a reference to David Collins being away from Collinwood studying), things have been relatively quiet until Egyptologist Dr. Warwick, whom Wallace portrays with relish, appears on the scene. Warwick and her recently deceased husband have discovered a box which is frighteningly familiar to Carolyn: one which bears the seal of the Naga. Lured into aiding Warwick with promises of reuniting her with Jeb Hawkes, Carolyn finds herself an unwitting pawn of the Leviathans once again.

Although the Leviathan arc is often derided by many fans, I have a certain fondness for many aspects of it and tip my hat to the Dark Shadows writers for bringing a touch of H.P. Lovecraft into the series. Here, Curse of the Pharaoh plays on that storyline's strengths beautifully and actually adds to the mythos.

I was enraptured throughout, and I found myself pleased with how the plot tied neatly together in the end. It's an incredibly strong story for Carolyn, who, in many ways, finds peace and is able to close an unpleasant chapter of her life.

A superb release, which wins a well-deserved 10/10 from me.

True Blood: Season 3 Review

Having recently finished re-watching the third season of True Blood, I thought I'd post with my thoughts on it. Although just as enjoyable as the previous two runs, the third year is wildly uneven at times. I don't know if this is due to jumping from one character's storyline to the other, or something else entirely. But, it can be a little frustrating especially when you consider how more cohesive everything could be.

Sookie Stackhouse
Sookie goes through quite an emotional journey, picking up where the previous season left off with her determined to find the kidnapped Bill. Unfortunately, her quest borders on blind obsession with Sookie heedless of the danger she puts those around her in. Interestingly, the series decides to bring forward the revelation of Sookie's half-faerie heritage from the novels. And this actually becomes a far more interesting development than her rushing mindlessly into danger.

Bill Compton
As much as I want to like Bill, I find the character tedious and dull. At least there's the excitement of learning the truth about his pursuit of Sookie, and the betrayal she feels is powerful and intense. However, I do find it more than a little aggravating that she doesn't take him to task beforehand over not helping Tara during her imprisonment.

Sam Merlotte
Nice, dependable Sam is revealed to be not all he seems when flashbacks show him in a darker and surprising light. That's about the most exciting aspect of his character, as the story of him tracking down his seedy birth family could not be any more predictable.

Eric Northman
This really felt like Eric's season as we learn even more about his past, as well as seeing hidden depths only hinted at the previous year. Alexander Skarsgärd plays the role to perfection with his presence alone electrifying every scene he's in. Eric is a far more dynamic character than Bill, multilayered and mysterious. It is little wonder Sookie begins to think more of him throughout the season.

Jason Stackhouse
Poor Jason. He starts out tortured over having shot Tara's lover Eggs, only to find himself in the middle of an inbred Redneck soap opera when he falls for the enigmatic Crystal. I actually found the whole love story a bit on the boring side. The only time it perked up for me was when Jason discovered that Crystal was, in fact, a were-panther.

Tara Thornton
If Tara had a bad year being pulled into Maryann's malignant orbit, then nothing could have prepared her for Franklin Mott, a psychopathic vampire with designs on her becoming his bride. Kidnapped, raped, and on the verge of insanity, Tara actually comes out of her ordeal a much stronger character than we've seen previously. Her hatred of all things supernatural (and with good reason) and reeling from a truckload of emotional shit ultimately leads to her leaving Bon Temps.

Lafayette Reynolds
Strangely, it's the characters on the periphery of Sookie's story that get the most interesting plotlines. Here, we learn more about Lafayette (brilliantly played by Nelsan Ellis) including his ailing mother and that he might be supernatural himself. Introducing a love interest for him in the form of Jesus, who turns out to be a witch, leads him on a path that seems destined to open him up to powers he never realized he had.

Jessica Hamby
One of my most favorites characters (played by the lovely and talented Deborah Ann Woll) continues to impress and be more engaging as she and Hoyt Fortenberry finally reconnect despite the machinations of his mother, Maxine. I find Woll imminently watchable, with a charisma that few actors have to draw you in.

Alcide Herveaux
A standout addition to the cast, this hunky werewolf finds himself drafted into protecting Sookie and ultimately falling for her despite still having feelings for his cheating, white-trash girlfriend Debbie.

Pam Swynford De Beaufort
I always find myself wanting to see more of Pam, as Kristin Bauer brings the character to life so deliciously. Pam herself is put through the emotional wringer, first being tortured by the sinister Magister and then showing a rare tender side when it seems as if Eric might sacrifice himself in order to dispose of Russell.

Russell Edgington
Last but not least is season three's main villain, the King of Louisiana and a 3000 year-old vampire. He turns out to be quite a formidable foe, particularly after Eric kills his lover, Talbot, and Russell's mind snaps. Denis O'Hare is amazing in the role, as you really do believe he is capable of anything. And I have to make special note of the gruesome and realistic burn make-up utilized in the finale.

As I prepare for the fourth season, a lot of questions are left hanging: particularly the double cliff-hanger of Bill vs. Sophie-Anne, while Sookie disappears with Claudine...

Happy Birthday, Dark Shadows

It was 45 years ago today when my second favorite show, the Gothic cult soap Dark Shadows, aired its first episode on ABC TV.

Enemy of the Daleks

I usually approach any Dalek audio dramas with some trepidation as they're usually far too loud, with the screeching Dalek voices, death rays and explosions ramped up to ten+. Thankfully, this wasn't the case with Enemy of the Daleks, and I was actually able to enjoy the story.

The tale’s main hook is certainly an interesting idea to explore; even more so when the Doctor is to play a key role in the titular enemy of the Daleks’ fate. The Kesabia (Japanese for “parasite savior”) - creations of an unhinged scientist desperate to win an unremitting war - are the Daleks’ opposite numbers in every respect, save for, of course, their overriding advantage – they eat metal. And, as if that weren’t enough, once they’ve eaten their way through a Dalek’s casing, they lay the eggs of their young within the Dalek mutant.

The Kesabia are a dangerous breed; so dangerous, in fact, that the Doctor knows it’s only a matter of time before they will wipe out not only the Daleks but humanity too, to say nothing of any other races that they might encounter. One of this story’s central themes is the examination of how far one has to go to beat a monster. And so the scheming, controlling, and utterly ruthless Seventh Doctor reappears in order to wipe out the Kesabia.

Meanwhile, the natural warrior in Ace really shines through in this play, blending into the Valkyrie unit effortlessly. Encountering the Daleks for the first time, Hex is well and truly out of his league here. His witnessing the death and destruction the creatures cause evokes Tegan's similar feelings in Resurrection of the Daleks.

Overall, this was one of Big Finish Productions' better Dalek stories. Thought provoking and deliciously relentless, it maintains the high quality of the latest run of Seventh Doctor/Ace/Hex adventures.

The Magic Mousetrap

Another excellent audio play featuring the team of the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex, The Magic Mousetrap is a wonderfully dark story by Matthew Sweet, which features several twists and surprises along the way. Notably, the Doctor is kept guessing as to his predicament thanks to a bout of amnesia while, behind the scenes, Ace and Hex are pulling the strings on orders the Time Lord can't remember. It's a nice twist for this most manipulative of Doctors.

Probably the best moment is the return of a villain (which I won't spoil in case anyone who reads this hasn't listened to this adventure yet) who hasn't been seen since the Hartnell era, and it's pulled off beautifully.

The climax is a little rushed, but that's a minor quibble. Especially when there's so much to enjoy in this surreal and macabre tale.

Dark Shadows Title Sequence (Revival Series Style)

Because I love me some Dark Shadows!

Spoilers, Sweetie!

Which 'Doctor Who' Character Are You?

More on Doctor Who. Created by BuddyTV

Forty-Five

One of the best things to happen to the already brilliant pairing of the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) was bringing in a new companion, Hex (Philip Olivier) for them both to spark off of. It created a wonderful dynamic between the three characters, as well as offering a much-needed fresh perspective on Ace and this particular incarnation of the Doctor.

Big Finish has explored a few full-cast anthology releases before this, but I have to say that Forty-Five might well be my favorite. The only weak story of the vignettes was the second, Order of Simplicity, however it still had much to offer.

I particular enjoyed The Word Lord, which not only introduced the fascinating titular new villain - brilliantly played by Paul Reynolds - but also wove the overall story strands together effortlessly. Another release I heartily recommend.

Doctor Who'ing

Beth, Wes and I had another wonderful day continuing our marathon viewing of Doctor Who from the beginning. This time we watched "The Crusade", "The Space Museum" and "The Chase".

During "The Crusade", it was again lamented that the series doesn't take the chance of making historical stories anymore. Wes appreciated how the four time travelers were handled, and Beth and I commented on the rich depth of David Whitaker's Shakespearean script. Wes found it hard to believe anyone would mistake Vicki for a boy. Just wait till we reach "The Smugglers"! How any of those pirates could mistake Polly of all the female companions for a lad beggars belief.

"The Space Museum" was appreciated for its doing something different with time, and for the dilemma the Doctor and his companions faced. Vicki was again praised for being far more pro-active than Susan could ever hope to be. Beth and Wes were pleasantly surprised by a young Jeremy Bulloch (the future Boba Fett) appearing. The Moroks' badger-style hair produced a laugh, as did the fact that the planet Xeros seemed to be populated by twinks!

Of the three stories, I think "The Chase" was enjoyed the most. The opening sequence with the time/space visualizer was singled out as being particularly good. We couldn't help but draw comparisons to the different locations used throughout the story with those in Star Wars: Aridius (Tatooine), Mechanus (Dagobah), and the Mechanoid City (Cloud City)! Beth really liked the vignettes set in those myriad times and places, and she grew fond of Steven Taylor despite his brief appearance. She was happy when I hinted he just might have been able to slip inside the TARDIS.

Beth was also glad that Ian and Barbara had a nice send off. It always brings a lump to my throat watching the two schoolteachers part company with the Doctor who, after 16 stories, grew fond of these interlopers to the point where he didn't want them to go.

After "The Time Meddler" next time, we'll be heading into reconstruction madness. With so many episodes missing from Season 3, I hope it won't be too tough on my awesome friends.

Point of Entry

As I finally get a chance to catch up on the first series of Doctor Who Lost Stories audio dramas, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share my thoughts on them. When the series was first announced, I was incredibly excited as exploring the scripts that would have been produced if Doctor Who hadn't been forced into hiatus back in 1985 is something I've wanted Big Finish Productions to do from the start.

Point of Entry is an oddity as it was never fully commissioned, but was a fruitless unsolicited submission. As a result, it feels more like an original play than a bona fide Lost Story. It is easy to understand why Point of Entry never moved past a pitch. There's simply no way a script this dark and borderline disturbing would have ever been produced. How much of that originates from Barbara Clegg or Marc Platt is up for debate.

The adventure itself has a wonderful sense of atmosphere and a nice pace, despite the two episodes running over an hour each. Both the Doctor and Peri are given a nice slice of the action, with Nicola Bryant's performance as Peri masquerades as the queen a definite highlight. Using a demonic villain and connecting it with Kit Marlowe's Dr Fautus was inspired.

I applaud Big Finish for taking a chance and developing this unsuccessful pitch from the Eighties. As it turned out, Point of Entry was quite a gem.

The Five Companions

This excites me more than it decently should! The Fifth Doctor and Nyssa encountering four of William Hartnell's companions in a new audio drama which is touted as being "a really affectionate tribute to the era of the First Doctor".

Pictured are (from left to right): Anneke Wills (Polly Wright), William Russell (Ian Chesterton), Jean Marsh (Sara Kingdom), Peter Purves (Steven Taylor), and Sarah Sutton (Nyssa).

Prison in Space

A wonderful release! Of all the unmade Doctor Who stories, "Prison in Space" came the closest to actually making it into production. In fact, it was only a few weeks away from going in front of the cameras before it was dropped at the last minute.

The story is a genuinely amusing one, and the references to gender politics are definitely of their time - even the Doctor is not above making the odd caustic remark. The tiny cast is used really very well and are tremendously good. I loved hearing Frazer Hines and Wendy Padbury performing together again, as well as Frazer's brilliant and astonishing Patrick Troughton impersonation (you honestly believe you're hearing the Second Doctor!), and there's a good pace and rhythm to this serial.

Nice sound design and incidental music too, reminiscent to Don Harper's excellent score for "The Invasion".

If the script had reached TV screens, I don't think it would have aged well. The women subjugating men backbone of the story wouldn't go over too well when viewed today. But, taken as a bit of intentional comedy, there's a lot of fun to be had.

The Four Doctors

I was really looking forward to hearing this one. After all, you've got Doctors Five, Six, Seven and Eight in an adventure with the Daleks... What could possibly go wrong? Well, it's all a bit boring. The Doctors are in their own time zones doing things, while the Daleks rant and rave. Honestly, Nick Briggs' Dalek voices were so LOUD that it ended up giving me a headache. It brought back memories of the excessively noisy Sixth Doctor audio play "The Apocalypse Element".

Disappointing.

South Park Top 15

Doctor Who'ing

Continuing our marathon viewing of Doctor Who from the beginning, Beth, Wes and I tackled "The Rescue", "The Romans", and "The Web Planet" this month. Of the three stories, "The Romans" (one of my personal favorites) was the biggest hit. The historical romp in Ancient Rome was thoroughly enjoyed not only for its humor, but also for the way in which the plot gave all four time travelers a nice slice of the action. Beth and Wes have noted several times throughout our journey through the series what a shame that there aren't historical stories in the New Series. Also, their disappointment over how today's companions almost never dress up in costumes from other times and places.

I was a little worried about showing "The Web Planet", as it is almost universally hated by fandom. But, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much Beth and Wes enjoyed it. Although they both agreed that it was slow in spots and could have used better pacing, they both noted and appreciated the story's ambition and imagination, and we all agreed that it probably could have been something special in a more capable director's hands. The costumes for the Menoptra, while campy, were praised, as well as the insect choreography.

New companion Vicki, and Maureen O'Brien's performance,
were also a hit. Poor Carole Ann Ford did the best with the material and direction she was given, but overall Susan was a disappointment for my friends. Wes rightly observing that her main function seemed to only be to get hysterical and twist her ankle. Vicki, on the other hand, has had more thought put into her character. She's fun, pro-active, feisty, and actually has a much warmer relationship with Hartnell's Doctor than with his own granddaughter! As much as I adore Ian and Barbara, Vicki has always been my favorite First Doctor companion. And I was so pleased that Beth and Wes liked her, too.

Cobwebs

It's been quite some time since I last heard one of the full cast Fifth Doctor audio dramas. But, I really wanted to hear this latest trilogy as it featured Janet Fielding reprising her role as Tegan after years of being reticent about performing again. It really is a joy to hear her interacting with Peter Davison's Doctor again, and she slips back into the part as if she's never been away.

The atmosphere of Cobwebs was dark and haunting, and the sense of exploring a new planet was tangible. Part One's cliffhanger is brilliant, being reminiscent of The Space Museum. Where this play really works is the chemistry and interactions of the four leads. The twist of meeting up with an older Nyssa is very well done, and it's nice to hear her paired up with Turlough. Speaking of whom, the opening TARDIS scene in which Tegan rails at the Doctor over Turlough's treachery feels so right, and could almost be a deleted scene from the Classic Series!

A definite winner. 5/5 stars

The Jade Pyramid

Hands down my favorite (so far) of the Eleventh Doctor audio stories read by the fantabulous Matt Smith, The Jade Pyramid has a wonderful atmosphere and a very strong adventure in medieval Japan at its heart. Well told throughout, I liked the supporting characters, their interaction with the Doctor and Amy seemed natural and just right. Loved the opening descriptions of Eleven and Amy from the elder's cultural perspective; always great to have a different angle on things. Oh, and 'look behind you' in the middle of the story resonates with the recent Series Six promo and adds a tension to the scene.

Matt's reading barreled along, keeping things fast-paced and interesting. His Doctor is amazing, and it was a delight hearing him bringing the other characters to life with such verve; he hits the bullseye with Amy's Scottish accent.

8 / 10 Recommended!

Sailor Moon Live Action

Being a fan of the anime Sailor Moon (the Japanese version with English subtitles, not the horrific, dumbed-down, censored, and kiddified North American dub) I was interested in seeing how the Live Action series (made in 2003) was handled.

Although it was ever so slightly campy and reminiscent of Power Rangers with its monster-of-the-week, I was genuinely surprised by how good and addictive the live action series was.

What really made it work for me was the casting of the five leads, which was inspired. Particularly Sawai Miyu as Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon. She's instantly likable and fun, even managing to break your heart during the highly-charged emotional moments.

Although the series followed the original manga storyline more closely than its anime counterpart, it eventually headed off into a new direction, effectively placing its own stamp on the franchise. Where I think it failed is in not exploring the Chibi-Usa/Chibi-Moon storyline from the anime's second season (which was originally planned). Instead, Luna the cat is inexplicably turned into a little girl who can become a Sailor Senshi. Her style is that of Chibi-Usa, as well as her Soldier attacks. It feels like an enormous wasted opportunity.

Another disappointment is in not leaving things open to continue the series. It had a heck of a lot of potential to go on, and I'm surprised that further seasons weren't produced as it was ridiculously popular in Japan.

Those quibbles aside, I thought it was a brilliant re-telling of the well-known story.