Severin

Something is one of those songs that is obviously briiliant from whichever angle I look at it but yet it somehow leaves me completely cold.

Johnny Cash's version is particularly good.

Cautiously optimistic about this, given the early reviews.

Just a thought - Pretty explicit mention of Susan. 'There's always a twist at the end' Actor Susan Twist has appeared in the last 4 episodes, each time as a 'different' character. Surely the obvious theory is far too obvious? I doubt it is (too obvious) and I'm not sure it would be a good idea but if it is please tell me Carole Ann Ford gets a final scene before regenerating

I think for me, there's a lot riding on this next episode. Given that it's written by Moffat and the concept has potential, if it's not at the least pretty good, then it may be another McCoy 1989 moment - In that I may basically stop watching the show again. Ironically the 1989 series was a big improvement on the previous two but the damage was done before it began and so I didn't watch it until years later. The show's on very thin ice for me right now, after years of poor returns. I want to love it as it's been a part of my life since I can remember and I've ridden the rollercoaster of terrible stories and seasons before. I just seems to have entered a serious decline from Capaldi's final year onwards (one or two exceptional episodes aside) and it's dangerously close to a death spiral right now. It has the budget but it needs good writers to craft strong stories and with RTD writing around 60% of the series it doesn't look good as frankly, he's no Robert Holmes.

Well, I thought it was better than the first episode but it was still an awful mess of incoherent ideas, where everything was bad; the acting, casting, costume design, script, concept and THAT ending. Even the character of The Doctor seems to have been completely re-written - I can't think of a single other incarnation so keen to run away from meeting their adversary. The fudged an explanation in Space Babies but didn't even try this time. What the hell are they thinking? This show is a mess. Aside from being aimed at 6 year olds it seems it being written by them too.

Went in open minded. First few minutes were ok. Hated the butterfly sequence but it's and early gag so we'll let it slide. Ruby seems ok but she's basically Clara personality-wise. Not sold on him but we'll see. He's charming but vapid so far. Got to the space station and it looks like we're in a cheap Alien rip off but I can roll with that. Then it really went down the toilet. The story was paper thin with zero characterisation, an awful premise and a monster whose concept would have been more at home on Red Dwarf. The show is clearly being written for 6 year olds now Aside from general indifference to the two lead performances, I hated everything about this. For me, it's up there with the worst episodes ever. Still the one with The Beatles has to be better, right?

Norwegian Wood is really very special for me as it holds some very specific memories, as well as being a gorgeous piece. I will never understand how We Can Work it Out is so high, though. I'm clearly in the minority but I just find it so bland and ordinary.

Depends what I'm looking for in the moment. Nobody is ever going to say The Prodigy write good lyrics, but sonically they can be incredible. If I'm looking to engage my brain rather than my body a great lyricist like Richey Edwards, Shane MacGowan, Bob Dylan etc will be an option. You don't always need both together. I don't mind dumb lyrics in the right context (The Trashmen's Surfin Bird or Taylor Swift's ME! are not a problem) but I do find that bad lyrics can be jarring in an otherwise lyrically good song. For example - 'Now you get to watch her leave out the window, guess that's why the call it window pain' - is a terrible line and not worthy of a writer of Eminem's skill.

It's not but I'm not gonna be fussy about it.

I thought the calls for Sainz were right in this case. Piastri never left the track, was ahead at the apex and had the right to the corner, despite Carlos getting very irate about it. So no issue there. Then later Sainz lost control of the back end and broke Piastri's car. A standard 10 sec penalty that he was lucky to have reduced to 5. If anything Sainz was lucky rather than hard done by.

Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? K - HA

Always good to see a first time winner and for a little better luck and timing Piastri could have made the podium at least. It may have taken Red Bull having an off weekend to happen, and I suspect Max would have won if he'd got the setup right, but at the end of the day Norris beat them on equal footing and deserved it. It will be interesting to see if these McLaren upgrades will work as well at most other circuits.

I've said it before and I'll say it again but the stewards need to issue a drive through in a situation like that and if the team ignores it, they should disqualify them from the race - both cars.

Alpine: Gasly vs Ocon [Q, R] Aston Martin: Alonso [Q, R] vs Stroll Ferrari: Leclerc [Q, R] v Sainz Jr Haas: Magnussen vs Hulkenberg [Q, R] Kick Sauber: Zhou vs Bottas [Q, R] McLaren: Norris [Q, R] vs Piastri Mercedes: Hamilton [Q, R]vs Russell RB: Ricciardo [Q, R]vs Tsuonda Red Bull: Verstappen [Q, R]vs Perez Williams: Sargeant vs Albon [Q, R] Pole Position: Max Verstappen Winner: Max Verstappen Fastest Lap: Norris

I think a lot of people seem to be overinflating Newey's ability to have an immediate impact at any new team. The Williams was already the dominant car when he joined in 1991 (only Senna could have beaten it in that, admittedly great, McLaren). His first design at McLaren took Hakkinen to the title but only Schumacher's injury in 1999 enabled Mika to win that championship and Schumacher then went on a 5 year winning streak, during which Newey left for Red Bull in 2005. It took 5 years to deliver the Austrian team their first title of four in a row before they were eclipsed once again. During those barren years from 2014 to 2021 Red Bull almost certainly had the best aero package but the importance of that aspect was far less than now and will likely become so again in the future. By the time he can start elsewhere should he chose to continue, (and I wouldn't rule out retiring) it will be 2026 and he'll be 67. And I'm not convinced Ferrari is so odds on as others think. Newey is not likely to relish to the idea of moving to Italy and may find the team dynamic too volatile and... passionate for his comfort. He's expressed an interest in working with both Alonso and Hamilton but who knows what kind of capability either will have in 2 years time and he may well decide to go wherever Verstappen wishes to go. Ferrari is obviously a huge draw but he's also been designing cars around Honda power units for a good few years and they have the best engine out there right now. Wherever he goes it will definitely be a works team but it won't involve Renault I'm sure.

The fans generally seemed pretty onboard with the idea of Amy Lee, before she denied it.

I liked this. It's well put together and has something to say, but the best part about it is watching people online getting really frustrated and angry because it refuses to take a side or spell it out for them, whist they completely miss the point it's trying to make.

Excellent idea, casting and production design, with a standout lead performance. Unfortunately, the ending is signposted from several miles away and it kind of falls apart in the last ten minutes.

April 30th - A song you like to listen to before bed Cranes - Inescapable OrJLw8Rtlws Not really a theme I can relate to as I don't do a specific type of music before bed, just whatever I'm playing as the time for bed approaches, It could be anything, BUT in trying to go with the idea behind it I've plumped for something pretty chilled out, rather than loud - Portsmouth's Cranes, who were bloody excellent right up until their first album. Day 1 – A song you like with a day in the title – U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday Day 2 – A song by someone who appeared on a TV Talent show – Nicole Scherzinger - Poison Day 3 - A song that makes you feel nostalgic – R.E.M. - Don’t Go Back to Rockville Day 4 – A song you like with a US state in the title – Beyonce – Texas Hold ‘em Day 5 - A song as your walk on music - Ministry - Thieves Day 6 - A song that reminds you of a vacation – Slayer – Hell Awaits Day 7 - A song with no lyrics – Link Wray & his Ray Men - Rumble Day 8 - A song with a planet in the title – Dandy Warhols – Not if you Were the Last Junkie on Earth Day 9 - A song recently discovered from the 20th century - Woody Guthrie – Tear the Fascists Down Day 10 - A song you like named after someone famous - Mojo Nixon - Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child Day 11 - A song you like from one of your favourite albums post COVID-19 – Allie X – Girl With No Face Day 12 - A song with a season in the title – Manic Street Preachers – Die in the Summertime Day 13 - A song you like that is a Country song – Johnny Cash - Hurt Day 14 - A song you like released from any year ending with 2 – Current 93 – When the May Rain Comes Day 15 - A song you would like to see a chart resurgence for – Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon Day 16 - A song you like with a school subject in the title – The Damned – History of the World pt1 Day 17 - A song you like with the same title as a UK #1 single – Birdeatsbaby - Mississippi Day 18 - A song you like that tells a story – The Boomtown Rats – Diamond Smiles Day 19 - A song you like that is all about food – The B-52s – Rock Lobster Day 20 - A song with a number in the title – The Sisters of Mercy - 1959 Day 21 - A song you like from the Top 40 on the week you were born - David Bowie – Starman Day 22 - A song you like with a capital city in the title - The Mobiles - Drowning in Berlin Day 23 - A song you like by someone who went solo from a band - Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day Day 24 – A song you like from the 90s by an artist who had a hit in the 80s - Echo & the Bunnymen - Nothing Lasts Forever Day 25 – A song you like that is about a famous historical event- The Cranberries - Zombie Day 26 – A song you like with a one word title – Witch Fever - Congregation Day 27 – A song you like that is all about a drink - The Searchers - Love Potion No. 9 Day 28 - A song you like that is about a journey somewhere - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat Day 29 - A song you like with a country in the artist name or title - Levellers - Belaruse Day 30 - A song you like to listen to before bed - Cranes - Inescapable

Personally, not an admirer of Now And Then to be honest. It's nice enough and was good to see them have a hit with it, but I didn't think the song was much cop. Same as I felt about Free as a Bird and Real Love. They sound to me like what they are - songs Lennon didn't think were good enough. Now and Then's the best of the three though.

A song you like to listen to before bed This is a bit of an alien concept for me. I don;t really do 'wind down' music as such. I'll think of something though

April 29th - A song you like with a country in the artist name or title Levellers - Belaruse Whilst I did consider trying to sneak in A Flock of Seagulls with I Ran, I thought that might be pushing it, rules wise. Also considered Dead Kennedys' Holiday in Cambodia by the country was used already so I avoided it. Instead, I plumped for this jolly ditty about the Chernobyl disaster. not my favourite Levellers track by a long shot but an underrepresented country (and no, I've never known why they spelt it that way) I-TDINESqmU Day 1 – A song you like with a day in the title – U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday Day 2 – A song by someone who appeared on a TV Talent show – Nicole Scherzinger - Poison Day 3 - A song that makes you feel nostalgic – R.E.M. - Don’t Go Back to Rockville Day 4 – A song you like with a US state in the title – Beyonce – Texas Hold ‘em Day 5 - A song as your walk on music - Ministry - Thieves Day 6 - A song that reminds you of a vacation – Slayer – Hell Awaits Day 7 - A song with no lyrics – Link Wray & his Ray Men - Rumble Day 8 - A song with a planet in the title – Dandy Warhols – Not if you Were the Last Junkie on Earth Day 9 - A song recently discovered from the 20th century - Woody Guthrie – Tear the Fascists Down Day 10 - A song you like named after someone famous - Mojo Nixon - Debbie Gibson is Pregnant With My Two-Headed Love Child Day 11 - A song you like from one of your favourite albums post COVID-19 – Allie X – Girl With No Face Day 12 - A song with a season in the title – Manic Street Preachers – Die in the Summertime Day 13 - A song you like that is a Country song – Johnny Cash - Hurt Day 14 - A song you like released from any year ending with 2 – Current 93 – When the May Rain Comes Day 15 - A song you would like to see a chart resurgence for – Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon Day 16 - A song you like with a school subject in the title – The Damned – History of the World pt1 Day 17 - A song you like with the same title as a UK #1 single – Birdeatsbaby - Mississippi Day 18 - A song you like that tells a story – The Boomtown Rats – Diamond Smiles Day 19 - A song you like that is all about food – The B-52s – Rock Lobster Day 20 - A song with a number in the title – The Sisters of Mercy - 1959 Day 21 - A song you like from the Top 40 on the week you were born - David Bowie – Starman Day 22 - A song you like with a capital city in the title - The Mobiles - Drowning in Berlin Day 23 - A song you like by someone who went solo from a band - Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day Day 24 – A song you like from the 90s by an artist who had a hit in the 80s - Echo & the Bunnymen - Nothing Lasts Forever Day 25 – A song you like that is about a famous historical event- The Cranberries - Zombie Day 26 – A song you like with a one word title – Witch Fever - Congregation Day 27 – A song you like that is all about a drink - The Searchers - Love Potion No. 9 Day 28 - A song you like that is about a journey somewhere - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat Day 29 - A song you like with a country in the artist name or title - Levellers - Belaruse

The first two songs I thought of were Japan (Ghosts) and Kim's Cambodia. Will have a longer think now

The German series Dark had phenomenal casting in this respect.