Burnt Zombie Awards 2009

It’s been a hectic last few weeks here at BurnAllZombies: those of you who know us will know why it’s been a bit quiet on the updates, but with 2010 just around the corner, updates will be coming at you so fast, you won’t know what’s hit you.

New Year’s Eve is as good a time as any to look back over some of the best of what 2009 had to over. On that note, we bring you the inaugural Burnt Zombie Awards, a run-down of the finest movies, games, music, TV and comics had to offer this year. Of course, if you disagree, we can discuss below. It’s not as if we’ll send the zombies around if we don’t agree with you…

Who Wants To Go To Mars

For those of you wondering just how Russell T. Davies’ run in charge of Doctor Who will end, the penultimate special, The Waters Of Mars will be airing later this year. The first trailer didn’t really have me sold on watching it: after what could be considered an ongoing series of climaxes while the series aired regularly, the specials haven’t offered much in the way of interest, coming across with the same standard as the series’ standalone episodes rather than those that fit in with each season’s mythology.

That said, at least The Waters Of Mars looks like it might have a bit more meat to it, with the Doctor philosophising about not interfering with time at certain points (guaranteed death, methinks) and a promise of how David Tennant might leave the role. There’s a similar feel to this episode as with The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit, against which I have judged all Doctor Who episodes since and, to be honest, few of them have ever lived up to my expectations.

Have I Ever Been Lost?

Yet another day, another SDCC post, only this one doesn’t involve comics or video games, but rather everyone’s favourite TV show, Lost.

With the cliffhanger ending of season five in The Incident, viewers are still unsure exactly what’s going to happen with season six. If we belive some of the cast, they’re not really sure either. Show-runners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have already promised that we’ll see a lot of returning characters in season six, including Emilie de Ravin as Claire who hasn’t been seen since season four, but more importantly, rumours abound that “dead” characters will be returning to the series, with actors Dominic Monaghan, Ian Somerhalder and Maggie Grace being spotted around Hawaii or in talks with the production team. Of course, that doesn’t mean much with the show’s narrative structure so dependant on flashbacks and visions, so it could be something as simple as Michelle Rodriguez’s appearance as Ana-Lucia in season five.

The two videos below, however, lend some credence to those rumours, perhaps indicating that the “reset button” was indeed pressed with that fade-to-white the came at the end of The Incident and perhaps Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 successfully made it to Los Angeles. Otherwise, why would Oceanic be advertising their accident-free record or (under the link) how else would Hurley have bought a fried chicken restaurant?

Flashback Feature: X-Men (1992-1997) [Part 2]

In the first part of our Flashback Feature on the “X-Men” animated series of the early 90s, we looked at the series’ origins, along with the mutants that made up the core team of X-Men.

Now, in part two, we take a look at some of the villains and other characters featured throughout the series, along with the storylines adapted over its five season run, and how they fit into the bigger picture of the X-Men universe.

One of the highpoints of the X-Men animated series was its willingness to include characters from across the Marvel Universe: some were simple cameos, others had episodes dedicated to them and their origins, and others still were new characters, introduced, created and adapted solely for the series.

Flashback Feature: X-Men (1992-1997) [Part 1]

Anyone who watched cartoons in the early 90s should have fond memories of Fox’s “X-Men” cartoon which ran for five seasons between 1992 and 1997. Of course, it was a bit later than that by the time it hit shores outside of the US, and lasted longer than that in re-runs, especially when the success of the movies brought the animated series back onto TV.

This Flashback Feature is dedicated to a look at the 90s TV series, and most importantly, its ties to its comic book origins. But before we start looking at the show and its characters, why not remind yourself of the very first reason why the show was so beloved to begin with…?

The “X-Men” animated series has very close ties to the storylines of the comics at the time, right down to the cast of characters. Part of the reason it has proven so successful with the X-Men fanbase has been because of how faithful it remains to its subject matter, even adapting whole storylines for plot points, both large over-arching plots and individual stories. Over five seasons and 76 episodes, Fox’s series provided many people with their first introduction to the world of the mutants, in many ways paving the way for the movies to take over the box office (not to mention two further animated series that have followed in its footsteps.) But to appreciate everything that “X-Men” was, it helps to know what went before.

Flashback Feature: Masters Of The Universe (1987)

Nostalgia, retro, a refusal (and perhaps inability) to grow up: call it what you will, but we all have fond memories of movies, TV shows and games from our youth. If you’re honest, you probably find yourself watching/playing them occasionally, or at the very least, wishing you could.

To that end, welcome to a new (and hopefully recurring) feature on BurnAllZombies: the Flashback Feature is a look back at some of the games, movies and shows that hold a special place in my heart, jogging some memories, getting those subtexts you never quite got as a kid, and wondering what’s happened to the stars and the franchises since.

Suggestions for future Flashback Features are welcome, but for this, the inaugural entry, let’s take a look at Dolph Lundgren and 2009 Academy Award Nominee Frank Langella in 1987’s “Masters Of The Universe.”

Incidentally

Season five of “Lost” came to a close with a feature-length, two-part spectacular, “The Incident.” Quite a lot happened in the ninety minutes of screen time, but as always with “Lost,” there was much more of a tease of what’s yet to come.

I Can’t Do This All On My Own

Once upon a time, “Scrubs” was one of the funniest new shows on TV. Yes, even so funny that, for a short time, it threatened to knock the almighty juggernaut that was “Friends” from its top-spot. But at some point in the last eight years, “Scrubs” lost its way, and really ended up meandering about in circles and repetitive storylines (and, if we’re honest, characters who rarely ever progressed.)

Along with the series’ move to ABC, however, the show got a whole new lease of life, and things actually started happening with the characters, all with an end in sight. While “My Finale” might not be the series’ last ever episode (rumours abound that it will continue in some form, albeit without many of the creators and original cast), it certainly packed enough of a punch to bring eight years to a close and make sure that the series went out on a high note.

You Lead, I’ll Follow

So…what do I say about “Lost” that hasn’t been said before? 

Well, let me start with saying that I take back everything I ever said about it: I know I mentioned “Lost” before on this blog, but I should acknowledge the fact that I’ve only been feeling the “Lost-love for a little over a year now, and only really started watching it properly at the beginning of season four. All that said, thanks to the osmosis of the internet, I still know what was going on. I know everything, see?

So, “Follow The Leader,” also known as “the penultimate episode of season five” (when they’re showing the next two epiosdes together back-to-back, they’re not allowed to consider them two separate episodes.) Everything goes behind the cut to save you from the smoke monster spoilers.

A Doctor With An Easter Egg

In the spirit of Easter, we just got treated to the “Doctor Who” special (one of David Tennant’s group of specials before he steps down for the role.) This one, “Planet Of The Dead,” co-starring…well, we’ll use the term ‘starring’ loosely, but we’ve also got Britain’s favourite sweaty comedian Lee Evans trying to act and Michelle Ryan trying to be Indiana  Jones/Bionic Woman…hasn’t she already failed in that role?

The last special, “The Next Doctor” left me with a bit of a bad taste: in wasn’t terrible, but it was nowhere what I expected it to be from a ‘special’. It was a Christmas episode, same as the other Christmas episodes, and it lacked the epic feel that the seasons had.

“Planet Of The Dead” has much the same thing going on: the Doctor, Michelle Ryan and others get stuck on a London bus (the number 200, for those wondering) and gets sucked through a wormhole. So far, so typically “Doctor Who.” But turns out the planet’s being devoured by squid-monsters that eat metal (omnomnom) who might just end up finding their way back through the wormhole to start consuming Earth.

Dodgy effects and acting aside, it was typically “Doctor Who” nonsense. Nonsense being the operative word.  Latent psychic powers amplified by an alien sun, royalty who like to steal stuff and some interfering government bodies: it reeked of all the stuff the Russel T. Davies likes to throw into his episodes, including some forced pathos and moral lessons wedged in there to.

The only sense of anything epic we got was from the end: it’s not like we didn’t know it already, but apparently “your song is ending.” Maybe there’s some hope yet, and Davies will bring together all his different story elements for the big grand finale…again. Not like he didn’t already do that last year, is it…sigh.

Coming soon: “The Waters of Mars.”

The Incredible Journey

Billy Connolly’s journey along the north-west passage, recently on ITV, is on DVD. I just got a chance to review it and wow, some of the stuff (especially the scenery) is just…well, amazing.

My review’s below

Frickin’ Tease

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Lostwriter

I am writing this letter in relation to the behaviour of your recent episode. While it was fun, and highly enjoyable, you have presented your loyal viewers with, what we in the business, refer to as a “cocktease.”

Please do not do this again: next time, we will expect to get to at least second base, if not go all the way.

Regards

The Island Wants You Back, John

Q. How were my Sunday nights complete without watching LOST?

A. They weren’t.