Has any sensible #journo rung round other uni debating societies to check it wasn't just #Bangor #reform tried? Were they just gagging for one student soc to take the bait to go full Trump/Harvard on them, geeing up the usual suspects to forget words like "russia" and "epstein"

Loving him citing free speech as a reason. Wonder how SLAPPs correlate to that.

May have missed it elsewhere, but @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social are showing the truly wonderful performance(s!) of the late #stanleybaxter in Crooks Anonymous tonight. Right up there with Guinness and Sellers.

I think Google AI is celebrating New Year early ,(checking as thought it'd been finally agreed)

Cruachan Power Station evacuated after smoke detected An investigation has been launched after emergency services were called to the power station near Dalmally.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Let's hope noone is copying Brookmyre #abigboydiditandranaway #blackspirit

Some episodes are sublime, some schlock. But when you watch old Who and the brilliant creativity in runs of writers like Robert Holmes you tend to stick. And get brilliant epis like Blink or a pitch perfect description of a dictatorship in a couple of lines in an epi about an enslaved space whale.

terrestrial TV and new streamer content being almost entirely American.

Empire polls seemed to trend American in both TV and Film - it was one of the reasons we had some UK focussed polls in Lists. I remember a lot of discussion around actual differences, like writers' rooms = longer series vs single (ish) writer being shorter. Now I assume factors will be not watching

.@theguardian.com Something odd about the Guardian's University Guide if top Medical School in Scotland doesn't, till coming year, fully teach students but sends them in 3rd year to other Schools with actual clinical placements, from which they graduate. Not St Andrews.

Reading the precis of the new Lanthimos, Bugonia, and thinking 'that sounds bloody familiar'. Save the Green Planet is brilliant - I'm really not sure about a 'remake'.

Other half has Now 70s Love Songs on - only one of the last 4-5 songs actually qualifies. Some eejit is confusing it with slow songs. As an aside, the lyrics of Where Will the Children play are utter gobbledegook.

Here's hoping #bbc4 rolls out a double bill of The Hit and The Limey. And the joyous Priscilla for good measure #terencestamp

I'll give it a look but I just don't understand how the new #AlienEarth series can predate the 1979. It might ignore Prometheus etc al but what about Aliens?

Looking through options for the #edinburghfilmfestival and the most noteworthy thing is what seems to be missing, unless I keep skipping past it. Showing the Ranown films but not including the best - Seven Men From Now? I know Criterion didn't, and I can understand skipping Westbound, but honestly!

Claire Balding "and the best two players on the planet will walk out". Pretty sure Andy Murray would be interjecting a "male" in there #Wimbledon

Also, 2 AIs recently taken off-line for lying (this and the one trying to copy itself externally to avoid shutdown) and tech bros still don't get concerns?

So did the tweak Grok because Musk etc al didn't like it's "left wing narrative" I.e. responding with facts, and it just tipped way the he'll the other way?

Who can also shoot tigers! Such a great character in Endeavour

After the odd courtroom scene #DepartmentQ was actually very enjoyable. Great chemistry in the leads. Was worried as I like the original films but this was a good adaptation.

5 minutes into #DepartmentQ and you wonder if thd writers have ever been in a Scottish courtroom.

#doctorwho Spoiler if you've not seen the last epi but I did guess 'x' when they mentioned 'y'. That aside, Anita Dobson has been absolutely fantastic this series. Really brilliant.

Folio Society have just sent me an email as 'tis the season of gifting" and referring to everyone on your gift list. Is this the earliest Xmas promo ever or is someone weak in their copy/pasting marketing game? :D

#americas So - now the orcas are another step closer to getting us on land. Next wildlife series will probably be the ones who disguise themselves as fisherman and take out beachgoers.

Bit of a stretch on the word 'literature' there, #pointless

When he passed the estate were really definite it wouldn't be one of those that had other writers do pale copies, adding more stories. I guess their get out clause is the announcement of graphic novels - there were some quite adamant declarations at the time. I'd prefer a TV Going Postal sequel

Penguin have released a Modern Classics version of @terrypratchett.bsky.social magnificent Night Watch, arguably his best. A very accurate Guardian quote on the back. Released like this you have to think Booker would have woken up. But, y'know - dragons. Muppets.

On epi4 of #newtopia , kdrama on Amazon and getting a very odd Grabbers type vibe!

Has someone dialed up the orange/red/gold dial on this week's #Americas?

I get he's done well jn Succession but that doesn't make MacFadyen any less poor casting for George Smiley. Doesn't give good vibes for the new series.

#truthaboutlendeighton I like Deighton but the thesis of some of these talking heads, who only reference Le Carre and Fleming, is blown out the water IMO because they're ignoring Eric Ambler, master of the form. The only real difference is possibly the lack of a single character focus, really