Review: Doctor Who, Episode 4.8, "Silence in the Library"

This is the second best episode of the fourth season to date (behind only "The Fires of Pompeii"), courtesy of writer Steven Moffat (the soon to be showrunner as of 2010) and director Euros Lyn (who previously directed Moffat's "The Girl in the Fireplace" in the second season among other episodes). Intriguing concept, great sets, suspenseful, even disturbing at times, and it sets up what's sure to be a thrilling conclusion next week. Wow. Moffat never fails to impress me.

Guest stars Alex Kingston (formerly Dr. Corday on ER), Colin Salmon (MI6 agent Charles Robinson in three of the Pierce Brosnan 007 films), Eve Newton, and Talulah Riley are good in their respective roles. I can't wait to learn more about certain characters in the next episode, "Forest of the Dead", and to see how the Doctor and Donna get out of yet another fine mess.

Reviews: Lost and various comics

Review: Lost, Episodes 4.12/4.13/4.14, "There's No Place Like Home, Parts 1-3"

I have to admit that I was beginning to lose some interest this season, but the three-part season finale written by showrunners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof has me hooked all over again. To describe some of the events as mindblowing would be an understatement. Now I can't wait for the fifth season to begin in January 2009.

Review: Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1

No spoilers, but wow, what a way for writer Joss Whedon and artist John Cassaday to end their four year run on Astonishing X-Men. Though I only kept up with it the past year through online issue summaries, the ending is still a kick in the gut. What a typically Joss way to end his run on something. Bravo!

Review: Final Crisis #1

This was the release that I most anticipated and made me want to read comics again, so I was a little underwhelmed by it's actual content. As the supposedly final chapter in a loose trilogy of Crisis events (including 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths and 2005's Infinite Crisis, or alternatively Infinite Crisis and 2004's Identity Crisis), there's nothing that really grabs you right from the start. It seems muddled so far and I don't have a good feel for where it's going. Writer Grant Morrison can be brilliant, but he's at his weakest when writing mainstream superhero comics. We'll see which way this miniseries eventually goes.

Review: Angel: Revelations #1

Writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa serves up an interesting take on the life of Warren Worthington III before he grows a pair of wings, but it's nearly undone by the hideously ugly art of Adam Pollina. Oh, my bleeding eyes.

Re-watching all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly since January has allowed me to pick up on the one theme that they all have in common: family. Not necessarily the one you're born with, but always the one you choose and chooses you. At their cores, the shows created by Joss Whedon are all about families of choice, from the Scoobies to Angel Investigations to the crew and passengers of the Serenity, outcasts all but outcasts who come together as families. I think this is where a great deal of the emotional power in Whedon's work derives from.

Just got back from the comic book store, making my return to reading new comics after over a year away from doing so (except for picking up DC Universe #0 last month).

This week's haul: Final Crisis #1, Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1, Batman #677, Uncanny X-Men #498, Angel: Revelations #1 (the X-Men character, not the Buffyverse character), Fables #73, Infinity Inc. #9, and Justice Society of America #15.