Bagatelle

I watch endless hours of TV shows over the internet, but haven't owned a TV in years. Point being, I am pretty out of touch with what is actually on TV (in Australia).

What I DO know is that we have had some pretty kick-**** series over the years, I just don't know where to start.

To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, some of the series I have really enjoyed include:

- Underbelly (all of the seasons)

- Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

- House Husbands

- Jessica

- The Slap

So any suggestions of great Aussie drama series past or present would be really appreciated. Thanks!

I am a huge fan of musicals, but have been finding it really difficult lately to discover new stuff.

I much prefer the more 'serious' ones, my all time favourite being Phantom of the Opera. Anything involving chorus lines, dancing girls or curly read wigs makes me want to punch kittens.

My other favourites include:

- Les Miserables

- Sunset Blvd

- Love Never Dies (say what you want, the music is fantastic and the Australian production was amazing)

- Jekyll & Hyde

All recommendations will be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

I am a huge fan of musicals, but have been finding it really difficult lately to discover new stuff.

I much prefer the more 'serious' ones, my all time favourite being Phantom of the Opera. Anything involving chorus lines, dancing girls or curly read wigs makes me want to punch kittens.

My other favourites include:

- Les Miserables

- Sunset Blvd

- Love Never Dies (say what you want, the music is fantastic and the Australian production was amazing)

All recommendations will be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

One of my best friends has decided to make his 21st birthday apocalypse themed and I'm stuck on costume ideas.

I've considered zombie of course, but that's a bit over-done. Robot, Mad Max and Cockroach have already been taken. I'm willing to put in a decent amount of effort, but I would much prefer it to be home made. Oh, and I'm female, btw (...because my avatar is so ambiguous).

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

I just got given a set tickets to see of Chris Botti (with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) in March. He sounds fascinating, but I'm not at all familiar with his work. So I was wondering where I should start.

Do his albums have different 'feels'?

What is your favourite?

While watching Castle the other day I was reminded of just how absolutely fantastic Nathan Fillion is in the role of Richard Castle. This got me thinking...

Now and then you come across certain roles that have been so brilliantly cast you simply can't imagine any other actor in the role. You have one of those, 'Oh man, he/she was born to play (insert name of character)' moments.

Some that spring to my mind include:

- Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter

- Neil Patrick Harris as Barney in How i Met Your Mother

- David Tennant as the Doctor in Doctor Who

- Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly AND Richard Castle in Castle

- Dylan Moran as Bernard Black in Black Books

So: What are your favourite 'they were born to play' actor/character combinations?

Also, do you agree with the ones I listed, or could other actors have filled those spots?

While watching Castle the other day I was reminded of just how absolutely fantastic Nathan Fillion is in the role of Richard Castle. This got me thinking...

Now and then you come across certain roles that have been so brilliantly cast you simply can't imagine any other actor in the role. You have one of those, 'Oh man, he/she was born to play (insert name of character)' moments.

Some that spring to my mind include:

- Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter

- Neil Patrick Harris as Barney in How i Met Your Mother

- David Tennant as the Doctor in Doctor Who

- Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly AND Richard Castle in Castle

- Dylan Moran as Bernard Black in Black Books

So: What are your favourite 'they were born to play' actor/character combinations?

Also, do you agree with the ones I listed, or could other actors have filled those spots?

While watching Castle the other day I was reminded of just how absolutely fantastic Nathan Fillion is in the role of Richard Castle. This got me thinking...

Now and then you come across certain roles that have been so brilliantly cast you simply can't imagine any other actor in the role. You have one of those, 'Oh man, he/she was born to play (insert name of character)' moments.

Some that spring to my mind include:

- Michael C. Hall as Dexter in Dexter

- Neil Patrick Harris as Barney in How i Met Your Mother

- David Tennant as the Doctor in Doctor Who

- Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds in Firefly AND Richard Castle in Castle

- Dylan Moran as Bernard Black in Black Books

So: What are your favourite 'they were born to play' actor/character combinations?

Also, do you agree with the ones I listed, or could other actors have filled those spots?

I just finished the first season of Boardwalk Empire and was reminded of how absolutely brilliant HBO is.

I don't have anything to watch at the moment though and was looking for some suggestions. I really enjoy the more 'sophisticated'/ boundary pushing shows that you find on channels such as HBO, AMC or Showtime.

Some of my favourite shows include:

- Breaking Bad

- Deadwood

- Dexter

- Mad Men

- Six Feet Under

- United States of Tara

- The Walking Dead

- True Blood

As well as

- Buffy

- Angel

- Firefly

- Skins (UK version)

- Sherlock

I've heard some good things about 'The Killing', so I'm thinking about checking that out.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

I'm going to be moving into a share house at the end of the year and am trying to gather as much info as I can about what to expect.

I'd love to know your experiences, opinions and advice. Especially about the unexpected things - unanticipated costs, dramas, personality clashes, couple issues and so on.

Here's a little info about my situation:

I'll be moving into a four bedroom house with my best friend, her boyfriend, and one other guy. We all get along well, though my best friend and her boyfriend have a penchant for melodrama.

We're all currently studying at university (2nd and 3rd year), though there is potentially another couple moving in who are not. The situation surrounding this other couple is a little tricky. They are friends but have more difficult personalities and don't do much other that work at a grocery store and party. As the rest of us are students, we're not too keen on turning it into a party house.

The rent will be about $400 a week for the house, so it will vary per person depending on how many people move in.

Thanks!

I'm going to be moving into a share house at the end of the year and am trying to gather as much info as I can about what to expect.

I'd love to know your experiences, opinions and advice. Especially about the unexpected things - unanticipated costs, dramas, personality clashes, couple issues and so on.

Here's a little info about my situation:

I'll be moving into a four bedroom house with my best friend, her boyfriend, and one other guy. We all get along well, though my best friend and her boyfriend have a penchant for melodrama.

We're all currently studying at university (2nd and 3rd year), though there is potentially another couple moving in who are not. The situation surrounding this other couple is a little tricky. They are friends but have more difficult personalities and don't do much other that work at a grocery store and party. As the rest of us are students, we're not too keen on turning it into a party house.

The rent will be about $400 a week for the house, so it will vary per person depending on how many people move in.

Thanks!

I'm currently awaiting the 4th Chew volume to be released, and am looking for something to preoccupy myself with in the meantime.

I'd really love something with a similar focus on character and development of story line. I'm not really too big into the super-hero thing, so probably something you would see on the Vertigo/Dark Horse/Oni/Image shelf.

To give you a better idea of my taste, I've also just finished Preacher (brilliant!), am in the middle of Wasteland and Transmetropolitan.

Thanks!

I was buying tickets online to see Danny Bhoy at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in April and accidentally purchased 4 extra tickets (no refund or exchange). So now a ridiculously stupid mistake has left me $136 dollars down.

What should I do with the extra tickets?

I considered ebay, but I'm not sure about the legality of that. To complicate matters, they are concession tickets, so I can't just give/sell them to anybody. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

If you haven't heard any of it yet:

All Hell - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djR-MEB6foE

I have to admit, upon first listen I was rather disappointed.

Felix's voice sounded kinda flat, the songs seemed either incomplete or too popish, there weren't enough tracks with Harry on vocals, and it didn't have any of the classic Cat Empire party anthems.

HOWEVER, over the last week, I've come to really really like it. It is different (probably what I reacted to), and I maintain that there are not enough Harry songs, but all in all it is a great album.

What do you think?

BQ1: Favourite Cat Empire song or album?

BQ2: Have you ever seen the Cat Empire live?

BQ3: Are you Australian?

If you're not familiar with them, they're a very cool Melbourne (Australia) based jazz/funk/pop/rock band - go check em out.

But if you are a fan, have you heard the two new tracks ('Beyond All' and 'Feeling's Gone') from the up and coming album, 'Cinema'?

http://www.myspace.com/thecatempire

What are your opinions of them?

My observations:

1. VERY different vibe to 'So Many Nights'. One of the primary criticisms of 'So Many Nights' was that it was far too over produced (which I have to agree with, though I still do like the songs). These new tracks seem to have gone the opposite direction. I can't decide if this is a good thing though, or if they just sound incomplete.

2. 'Beyond All' - Very cool track.

'Feeling's Gone' - okay, but not fantastic.

3. Where is the party track? I'm a fan of laid back, but the party tracks are what make the Cat Empire the Cat Empire.

BQ: Favourite Cat Empire album/track

BQ2: Are you Australian?

It was released quite a few months ago, but I got around to giving it a good listen a few weeks ago, and I have to say, I am totally blown away.

Like all their releases it is a grower, but definitely worth the persistence.

If you haven't yet heard it, here is a teaser:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j4rsUpxGlg

It has been hailed by many critics as Katatonia's masterpiece - do you agree?

BQ: Favourite track off Night is the New Day

BQ2: Favourite Katatonia album and/or song

BQ3: Sweden or Finland - who do you reckon has the superior metal scene?

Have you ever been watching How I Met Your Mother, and just thought, 'Man, I have got to try that!' ?

For instance:

The 'Sandy time' game (Mary the Paralegal, S1 ep19) where Marshal and Ted stick hats and mustaches on the TV screen during Sandy Robers' morning broadcast of "In Today's Paper" to make him look rediculous.

I'm trying to think of any games or activities that are either done or referenced in the show, that could be carried out in real life (preferably in a party situation).

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Every now and then you come across an independent or 'unknown' artist/band, take one listen, and just think, 'Wow, why aren't you famous?'

I've noticed this recently with a lot of prog artists. It seems like the genre is slowly making its way out of strictly geek territory and some really great bands have started to emerged from the woodwork.

One that really made me stop in my tracks was the Australian band Arcane.

The Seer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT9vvRstg-g

So, what are some prog (metal preferred) bands, either old or new, who you think deserve a lot more attention than they get?

BQ: What do you think of Arcane?

BQ2: What is your favourite prog artist?

I've always felt that the best covers are those which are completely different to the originals, particularly those which manage to change the entire genre without butchering the song.

Take for instance Rodrigo y Gabriela's spanish guitar cover of Orion by Metallica:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MP1cO948Ek

or anything by Apocalyptica.

So - do you know any non metal covers of metal songs

BQ1: Which do you prefer: covers that stick to the original, or covers that really change the song (ie instrumentation, genre, lyrics etc)

BQ2: Best cover you've ever heard

BQ3: Worst cover you've ever heard

Valentines day is coming up and I am completely stuck for gift ideas. I've always felt that valentines day should be a time to show appreciation by giving a token of affection as opposed to a meaningless but expensive present (eg ipod, gaming console etc), but price isn't a big issue.

My boyfriend and I are both 18 and Valentines day will also coincides with our 3rd anniversary. In the last three years I've exhausted just about every idea:

- watch

- wallet

- picture frame

- engraved keyring

- engraved dog tag

- decorative pillow (I painted a portrait of us on it)

- numerous boxes

...plus more I can't recall

Anyway, I'm trying to think of something new while avoiding cookies, chocolate, scrapbooks, and cologne.

The only thing I can think of is some kind of fancy liquor (he recently got a liquor serving license and is interested in cocktail making). Do you think that is a good idea, and if so, what kind of liquor?

(we live in Australia, by the way, so the legal drinking age is 18)

Any other ideas?