Space 1999 – Heroes Unmasked – Robin Hood – Lead Balloon – 24 Nov 2007

The first recording today is a repeat showing of a Space 1999 episode – Black Sun – which I looked at on one of my tapes.

Media Centre Description: Intergalactic adventures of the space-travelling Moonbase Alpha team. Danger looms for the Alphans when an asteroid burns out and becomes an all-devouring black sun.

Recorded from ITV4 on Saturday 24th November 2007 14:59

After this, there’s the start of You Gotta See This, a programme in which cameras are mounted to the heads and bodies of all sorts of people and celebrities as they do things like gymnastics, rollercoasters, trapeze.

The next recording starts with the end of a pop programme called Sound. I don’t know, do you think this is Dave Grohl off of the Foo Fighters? Shazam has no idea.

There’s another chance to see Chris Moyles on a rollercoaster. This is apparently all part of BBC Switch, which I’m guessing was some kind of Radio 1 thing.

There’s also a trail for Robin Hood and a trail for The Graham Norton Show.

Plus trails for Radio 1Xtra and Heroes.

Speaking of Heroes, it’s a repeat of Heroes Unmasked – Tomorrow’s World from a few days ago.

Media Centre Description: Behind the scenes secrets of the drama series Heroes. This week’s episode’s action jumps five year’s into the future- a challenge for the cast and crew to create realistically. Actors Jack Coleman (Mr Bennet), Milo Ventimiglia (Peter Petrelli) and Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura) discuss the complexity of portraying their characters five years on. This was particularly hard for one actor whose character became evil in the interim.

Recorded from BBC TWO on Saturday 24th November 2007 17:43

BBC Genome: BBC TWO Saturday 24th November 2007 17:45

After this there’s a trail for The Company

a trail for Lead Balloon.

A trail for Earth: The Power of the Planet and one for Cranford.

Then the recording ends after a few minutes of What The Papers Say.

The next recording starts with the end of Strictly Come Dancing, and when Brucie says “Coming up next, it’s Robin Hood” there’s a lot of arrow sound effects, and all the male dancers fall on the floor with arrows in their chests. “Thank you Robin” shouts Brucie.

There’s trails for The Omid Djalili Show, Radio 1Xtra and Cranford.

Then, the afore-mentioned Robin Hood with an episode called Get Carter! What was I saying about movie references in episode titles? This one’s just a movie title.

The eponymous Carter is the Sheriff’s new assassin, who we meet waving his swords around rather a lot. “So…you know what you’re going to do?” “Retrieve the Great Pact of Nottingham and kill Robin Hood. Believe me, my lord, nothing would give me greater pleasure. Robin Hood is as good as dead.”

Clun Village is being attacked by the Sheriff’s men. Isn’t Clun the sister planet to Raxacoricofallapatorius? Oh wait, that’s Clom.

Marian, now living in the forest with the Merry Men, gets stuck into the fight, against Robin’s advice. But she’s pretty good.

Robin however, doesn’t want her to be seen fighting so he ties her up. Okay then.

The assassin Carter comes riding in, but rather than attack Robin, he starts killing the Sheriff’s men, and shooting at the gallows to free a villager being hanged. So naturally Robin and friends see him as a potential ally. He also cuts himself so he can pretend to be wounded. On the way back to camp, Much is convinced that he’s seen him before but can’t remember where.

Marian complains to Little John that Robin won’t let her fight. “This is not how I thought it would be…living in the forest. I can’t breathe…in here. It’s worse than living in the castle.” He tells her “Come here.” and gives her a hug. “It’s not the here or there, is it? It’s your father. You’ve lost your father.” “And that’s why I want to get on with things.” It’s all about the hugs.

There’s a montage of Robin’s gang each getting captured, then Robin is walking through the woods and can tell something is wrong. He hears muffled cries and sees his gang bound and gagged, up high.

Carter appears, goads Robin for caring about his friends, tells him he’s going to kill him and get the Pact of Nottingham back, then there’s a remarkably short fight before Robin punches him out.

Rather than just kill him, Robin wants to show him why he’s wrong. They go to Clun, giving money and food to the people who lost family to the Sheriff’s men during the attack. “What’s your point, Locksley?” “My point, assassin… ..is there’s widows here today, all trying to comfort children who don’t understand why their father didn’t come home, and why their mother won’t stop crying.” “If you want me to feel sorry, you’re wasting your time.” “Am I? Because there’s a reason why you don’t like to look back, Carter. Because you don’t want to see what it is you do. Because you don’t like what you do. And d’you know how I know that? It’s because I used to be like you. I’ve killed in the Holy Land as well.” I don’t think the lesson is taking, as Carter just replies “Boo-hoo!”

Gisborne sends Allan to find Marian. He finds her and tells her Gisborne is still looking for her. “I mean, obviously I didn’t tell him you’d probably be here.” “Obviously.” “No, but I’m going to need to tell him something, right? So I was thinking, I’ll say you’ve joined the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Ripley convent.” “Would he believe that?” “Yeah. I was thinking, you could write a note. Just say you want to be left alone. A bit of praying, grieving or whatever.” “Why would YOU help ME?” “Look, I’m not all bad.” “And any letters from the convent have to be sealed by the mother superior.” “I can sort that. I’m good with nuns.” Which turns out means he’s prepared to steal a seal off the finger of one of the nuns. He does give her some money in return. “Buy yourself a new habit. Say a little prayer for me.”

In Clun, Carter gets away, and Robin goes to look for him. He finds him in a very picturesque barn that’s ideal for a big swordfight. As they fight, we learn Carter’s tragic backstory. His older brother was fighting in the crusades. Robin ordered him into a village. “He called for help, but you did not come. You let him die.” “I remember him. He was a good fighter.” “He was a war hero.” “Yeah. And he stopped listening. He thought he was invincible. He led the charge into that village. We told him it was dangerous. He wouldn’t listen. We tried to save him. I tried.” “You’re lying. I was there when they brought back his body. The stretcher bearers told me everything.” “I told them to make up the story, so his family would remember him as a war hero, not as a fool who got himself killed.”

Carter isn’t having it. “You think I believe this? You’re just frightened to die. You were a coward then, and you still are.” Robin tells him “He cried when he died.” “Liar!” “He cried…and he said, ‘Tell my family I didn’t cry. Tell them I wasn’t crying. I was laughing on the wrong side of my face!'” “That’s what he used to say – ‘Laughing on the wrong side of your face.’ How do you know that?” “I know, because I held him in my arms when he died.” “No. He was a hero. You killed him. You’re lying.” “If you really think I’m lying, you can kill me. If you think it’ll give you peace… ..then kill me now.”

Carter takes the sword, goes to kill Robin, but can’t. Robin tells him “He WAS a hero. Just not on that day.” Carter says “What am I doing here? I don’t know what I’m doing. Help me. My brother… ..I loved him so much.” He falls to his knees, Robin gives him a hug. “It’s all right.” (Yes of course I’m crying now.) Much and Djaq find them in the barn. “Are you all right? Why is he crying?” “He’s not crying. He’s laughing on the wrong side of his face.”

Robin hatches a plan. He’ll get Djaq to prepare a medicine that will simulate death for him, so Carter can return his body to the castle and collect his reward, which they can then distribute to the villagers of Clun. Sounds like a brilliant plan with no downsides at all. But it gave them a good shot of Robin dead for last week’s trailer.

Guy wants to make sure Robin’s dead, by cutting his head off. Luckily, Marian has gone with them, all in disguise, so she shouts for Gisborne. “Guy! What’s happening here?” “Robin Hood. He’s dead.” Deadpan: “Congratulations. I need to speak with you. In private, please.”

Marian ands up snogging Guy, to distract him when Robin’s band pass by a door.

In the Sheriff’s rooms, Carter revives Robin, Robin knees the Sheriff in the goolies, and they get the reward money.

I was half convinced that Carter would end up getting killed saving Robin’s life, but they both make it out of castle unscathed.

Carter says goodbye, and tells Robin he’s returning to the Holy Land. And that he’ll pass Robin’s warning to the king, after their last messenger was captured and killed by the Sheriff. And Robin and Marian agree to learn to work together a bit better. I like a happy ending.

Media Centre Description: Marian’s arrival in the gang distracts them from detecting the Sheriff’s infiltrator in their midst. But as Carter the assassin strikes his deadly blow, Robin discovers he’s concealing another secret: revenge for his dead brother. Rather than punishing the murderous assassin, Robin wins him over and persuades him to turn the tables on the Sheriff.

Recorded from BBC ONE on Saturday 24th November 2007 19:13

BBC Genome: BBC ONE Saturday 24th November 2007 19:15

After this, Brucie and Tess are back to remind us to vote for the dancers in Strictly. There’s a trail for ‘The New CBBC’.

There’s also a Spooks trailer.

Then, the recording stops with the start of National Lottery Who Dares Wins. I like the way they show some the previous quiz, to give us a sense of what the format is. Here’s Tom Hanks Films. What, no The Man With One Red Shoe? Bachelor Party? The ‘Burbs? Volunteers?

The next recording starts with the end of A Perfect Spy.

There’s trails for Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives, Earth: The Power of the Planet and Brasil Brasil.

Then, a repeat of Lead Balloon – Hero which we only saw a couple of days ago.

Media Centre Description: Sitcom about ex-celebrity comedian Rick Spleen. Rick becomes a local hero when he stops someone from committing suicide. He gets even more excited when, as a result, a TV executive agrees to come to dinner to talk about Rick’s career. Magda prepares a traditional dish from her country for the evening, but when the guests finally arrive, Rick gets an unwelcome surprise.

Recorded from BBC FOUR on Saturday 24th November 2007 20:58

BBC Genome: BBC FOUR Saturday 24th November 2007 21:00

After this, there’s trails for Brasil Brasil and Saturday Night Classics.

Then the recording stops with the start of Dawn French’s More Men who do Comedy featuring Bill Bailey.

Here’s the ad breaks from Space 1999.

Adverts:

• Post Office – Bill Oddie
• Gamestation
• First Direct – Matt King
• Asda
• Al Murray Live at the Palladium on DVD
• Churchill Insurance
• Horlicks Extra Light
• Argos
• Halfords
• trail: Jericho
• Becks
• Gamestation
• CK IN2U
• H. Samuel
• Direct Line
• Lovefilm
• Asda
• UBS
• trail: Every Which Way But Loose
• Nokia N81
• Need for Speed Pro Street
• Post Office – Westlife
• Barclaycard – Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt
• Prudential Car Insurance – Tony Hawks
• Lovefilm
• Citroen C-Crosser
• trail: Jericho
• Navman
• Gamestation
• The AA
• Asda – Julie Walters
• Halfords
• trail: UEFA Champions League
• trail: UEFA Cup Live