A disarming little story that, in setting itself up as a comedy, appears to make one point about men, women and the human condition, switches as if to make another, then turns out to have been about robot sentience and master/slave dynamics. #RobertSheckley #HumanMansBurden

A plotless short story likening career spacers to lovelorn young men grown old in service to the Foreign Legion. Russell pitches this as a SF fairy tale, but the framing narrative is awkward and the voice offers nothing of his usual personality. #EricFrankRussell #TheDoor

A glorious plethora of puns and running gags, built around the conceit of Cacofonix the bard being kidnapped as a gift for Caesar. The physical humour is delightful (as always), and all the characters brim with personality, the historical setting exquisitely realised. #AsterixtheGladiator #Asterix

Not as coherent as some of the later Tintin stories, nor as sublimely threaded with humour—though the Thom(p)son twins do offer some light relief from the conspiracy plot and death-defying Boy’s Own antics. Hergé’s attention to artistic detail continues to amaze. #Tintin #KingOttokarsSceptre

While Gatiss taps his usual vein of humour, Moffat mainlines a bestial, genuinely horrific reworking of the Dracula legend—an entirely non-romanticised embodiment to which Claes Bang fully commits. Still more defining (and triumphant) is Dolly Wells as Sister Agatha Van Helsing. #Dracula #VanHelsing

This has a distinct ‘Chimes of Midnight’ feel, and it’s nice to hear Big Finish try something other than run-of-the-mill. That said, some of the story elements are a little too affected in their oddness, favouring strangeness for the sake of it. #DoctorWho #TheMagicMousetrap #CelestialToymaker

This six-episode miniseries serves almost single-handedly to rehabilitate the prequel trilogy, affording it weight and relevance through Kenobi’s character arc. The scripts do justice to Ewan McGregor’s acting talent. The peril feels real, despite that we know what happens to the protagonists.

A remarkably satisfying feature, given that it’s mostly set-up for Return of the Jedi. The few thematic developments seem rushed, but the crises are compelling and the action and humour remain on-point. Yoda debuts as one of the all-time great film characters. #TheEmpireStrikesBack #StarWars #Yoda

Wentworth cheats a little by employing an expurgated omniscient narrative to deflect attention. The ever-coughing Miss Silver is like a cuddly Miss Marple, and has the distinction of solving the murder as she goes, rather than keeping mum for a big reveal. #TheClockStrikesTwelve #MissSilver

The manipulative, ‘hands off’ serial killer offers a point of difference (Andy Serkis, smilingly psychopathic). Still, Luther’s move from series to feature-length offers little to compensate for a pervading bleakness. Idris Elba is mostly consigned to staggering. Dermot Crowley brings some finesse.

What begins as a purely extraneous season, pulls itself into shape (through the addition of Rory and all the thematic strings her presence allows for) to become a surprisingly moving 10-episode finale, offering heart, humour and closure for characters and viewers alike. #Lucifer

Kellen remains resourceful (and de Castell ingenious in flipping him between frying pan and fire), but in the absence of Ferius Parfax becomes rather too insistent on self-sabotage. His inner bleakness adds a darker, more adult tone at the expense of escapism. #Queenslayer #Spellslinger

More, more, more of the same, adding a blind swordsman who might as well not be, and close-quarters gun battles made magically palatable (the director hopes) by talk of physics-defying Kevlar formalwear. Wick’s epitaph should have read ‘Wished he’d tried disguising himself.’ #JohnWickChapter4

King presents an earnest and edifying depiction of women’s struggle for recognition, rights and self-governance after the First World War. This backdrop, however, comes rather at the expense of Mary, who exchanges precocious Sherlockian competence for a dubious arc of emotional growth. #MaryRussell

A novella-length Discworld offering that seems to have been written more as a showcase of Josh Kirby’s artwork than as a narrative of any great purpose or coherence. Rincewind is well past his sell-by date. The story comes across as leftover brainstorming. #Discworld #Eric #TerryPratchett #Faust

Objectively not as good as nostalgia would suggest but still a trailblazing masterpiece. Star Wars is oddly paced, surprisingly dark, yet also straightforward (a forgotten virtue) and packed with character humour. A dramatic, action-packed audio/visual extravaganza, perfectly cast and very quotable.

St Mary’s babbles along happily, its collective personality again submersed within Max’s narrative brook. The missions incorporate both genuine suspense and frivolous light relief (indistinguishable in advance). The upshot is quirky chaos and an overriding, flatpacked plot arc resistant of assembly.

Francis Ford Coppola dreamed an idea for a small-town gothic horror film. Only wisps of substance stayed with him when he awoke, but he made the film anyway (employing some artful cinematography to almost no dramatic effect). Only Elle Fanning emerges unscathed. #Twixt #FrancisFordCoppola

A diverting enough romp that achieves what it sets out to, introducing Martha as the Doctor’s new companion. Freema Agyeman makes a strong first impression. The militant bureaucratic Judoon are sufficiently ridiculous that Davies can take walloping great liberties with the plot. #SmithandJones

A bit of hodgepodge, plot-wise, though still highly bingeable on an episode-by-episode basis. Wednesday’s dark snark is overdone—the writers enjoying themselves too much—but the bodyswap episode does at least allow Jenna Ortega (and Emma Myers) to mix it up some. #WednesdayAddams #Wednesday

The written equivalent of a b-sides collection. Anthony Boucher and Julian Symons are worth reading, but mostly the author biographies prove more diverting than the stories. John Bude’s only ever novella ‘Murder in Montparnasse’ is a laborious slog through the patently obvious. #BodiesFromtheLibrary

While impossible to pigeonhole (there’s no doubt it left the Universal Pictures marketing team perplexed), The Frighteners remains a creepy, funny, offbeat and overdone treat for those on its wavelength. The effects stand up well without ever constituting the be-all and end-all. #TheFrighteners

Quirky historical crime series pairing Harry Houdini (irreverent sceptic) with Arthur Conan Doyle (gentlemanly believer in the paranormal) alongside London’s first woman police detective (a capable foil to both). Highly enjoyable and therefore, unsurprisingly, canned after this first 10-episode run.

A humorous if inconsequential short story from that once-thriving SF subgenre wherein civilised Earth crews in their advanced spaceships go rocketing about the galaxy, abjectly messing up first contact with more primitive peoples. Funny enough, without rising to any great heights. #RobertSheckley

A young man from disadvantaged circumstances develops a near-minuscule superheroic talent, but can’t immediately think of any better use for it than to become a boxer. There is, of course, and so he finds the (self)respect he craves. A gentle short story. #TimothyZahn

Sporting no fewer than nineteen musicians(!), Melbourne Ska Orchestra brought the energy and the brass to Brisbane; the feelgood vibes and swinging grooves of reggae ska Mexican fusion. Highlights included ‘He’s a Tripper’, ‘When Bootsy Came to Town’ and ‘Bom Bom Bom’. #MelbourneSkaOrchestra

A suitably twisty novella that takes grim delight in picking apart the logic of divine punishment. Saloninus, for once, appears not as the viewpoint character (and therefore can be afforded a rare victory). The actual protagonist suffers the usual, ill-fated Parker spelunking. #KJParker #Saloninus

Affable and almost determinedly unpretentious. Neill leans towards good-natured anecdotes, revealing of himself and others. He reminisces about life and work, his childhood(s) in Ireland and New Zealand, family, friends, wine, illness. It all breezes by, diverting and chummy in the moment. #SamNeill

A slight volume that hints at a more complicated story but doesn’t come close to delivering one. In fact, the plot is little more than its MG protagonists lining up for a SF adventure ride that will (presumably) begin with book two. #StarKaat #AndreNorton #DorothyMadlee

While the animals (Kiki plus Micky the monkey) allow for chaos and key plot progressions, Blyton writes herself into a corner where adult intervention is the only way forward. Nowhere is her off-hand approach more evident than in Bill and Allie’s insta-engagement. #TheShipofAdventure #EnidBlyton

The broad sweep of the mystery is predictable, the mechanics of the murder left improperly explained, yet this remains an oddly compelling read, full of nuanced characterisation and gently poetic depictions of post-war British country life (or the elite horsey subsection thereof). #BratFarrar

Though capturing some of the original series’ swagger (transplanted remarkably well to the murky streets of Detroit), this Justified reboot stakes a little too much on clickbait characterisation and mano-a-mano gunslinger prefiguring, at the expense of having anywhere much to go, plot-wise.

Queuing debacle, early sound fluctuations and patronising MC notwithstanding, singalong nostalgia surged to the fore! Standout act: the slick and supremely assured, cowboy-leather, keytar-toting Pseudo Echo (duckwalking to glory through a masterful extended rendition of Funky Town). #PseudoEcho

The usual hijinks, predictable in outline but spontaneous and delightful in the detail. While Jeeves may have lodged more firmly in the public consciousness than has Bertie, the latter presents as the more quintessentially Wodehousian character, frothing over with witter and wit. #ThankYouJeeves

Heavily descriptive, albeit the slathered-on imagery (a poet throwing herself at prose) does serve as a tracing agent in charting mental illness. An unsatisfying novel, difficult to separate from its affecting autobiographical content. Gyllenhaal’s audiobook reading renders it somewhat accessible.

The premise is beguiling—a cold war waged not between nations but between diverging multiverse iterations of the same nation. We’re given murk and intrigue. Actors play disparate versions of themselves. At season’s end, however, all remains predictably abstruse (pending a continuation). #Counterpart

Father Brown survives its first major cast shake-up. With Sid absent, ‘Bunty’ replaces Lady Felicia and joins Mrs McCarthy in open, (double)active support of Father Brown’s no-longer-even-remotely-clandestine investigations. Inspector Mallory’s behaviour goes beyond parody and into god knows what.

Agaton Sax once again comes up against The Boss and his ineffectual, scramble-talking gang. While the Swedish detective’s much-vaunted mastery doesn’t really hold water on this occasion, the pseudo-portentous, faux-mysterious comings-and-goings will nonetheless keep young readers amused. #AgatonSax

Second Form introduces new characters and shifts the viewpoint away from Darrell (embracing an omniscient narrative). While the plot mirrors that of First Term, the girls have turned thirteen and the colouring is less innocent. Thus the series grows alongside its readers. #MaloryTowers #EnidBlyton

Christie dollops out distinct, often irreverent personalities, and fashions an engaging murder mystery, albeit the scenario hangs on an unnaturally compressed timeline (to which the reader is only belatedly made privy). The omniscient narrative allows for different angles of sleuthing and deception.

The odd typesetting gives this a fanzine appearance, as if Dicks has cut-and-pasted his material from elsewhere. Includes a potted Dalek history, random Dalek puzzles and photographs (B&W), and a truly amateurish (more nonsensical than ever) MG story courtesy of Terry Nation. #DalekSpecial

Gallagher’s first novel—an adaptation of his own radio series—is a ropey SF piece that displays none of the writerly craft or voice so evident in later works. The grim societal pessimism is there but even this element lacks for subtlety. #TheLastRoseofSummer

This collection of detective novelettes holds up quite well, though their virtue lies more in the refined telling than in the mystery element (which often relies on highly improbable concatenations) or denouements (which generally lack catharsis). Violet herself makes a memorable impression.

A remarkable life, given a diligent if workmanlike treatment. While doing justice to Nancy herself, Fitzsimons abandons most of her contemporaries once they pass from her orbit. Stephanie Daniel brings echoes of her Phryne Fisher narration, elevating the audiobook beyond its prose. #NancyWake

Feature-length documentary unpacking Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell’s design partnership plus the zeitgeist in which they created their iconic album covers. Suitably artistic (shot mainly in black-and-white, the better to emphasise bursts of colour) but rather perfunctory once it hits the 1980s.

For those who appreciate a slice of stay-in Saturday night spine-chill, the latest episode of horror podcast Scary Stories Whispered in the Rain features no fewer than three strange tales of shuddering delight! #EJDelaney #TonyPisculli #AllanKipyegon #horror www.buzzsprout.com/2438585/epis...

A decidedly mixed bag, ranging from enjoyable pastiche through tenuously related meh efforts down to faux-clever, rather failed experimental narratives. John Lescroart’s “Dunkirk” is the pick of the bunch, albeit more a war story (plus elderly Sherlock) than a traditionally Holmesian piece.

Kenneth Bulmer returns to the house pseudonym and churns out a two-story tie-in novelisation as lopsided as its predecessor (by Robert Holdstock). Very shoddy prose and the second episode is barely an afterthought, though the first is a diverting enough, action-packed instalment. #TheProfessionals

The rural setting leads to a more substantive, higher-stakes mystery, albeit one deepened by the strategic overlooking of at least two obvious lines of inquiry. Withoos’ audiobook reading captures the Australian flavour, while Hogarth the Irish Wolfhound again brings plenty of heart. #AlexClayton

The mystery is mostly a snooze-fest, unearthing itself to no great interest or enlightenment amidst the tangle of university life (laboriously depicted). The chief—indeed, only real—appeal lies in Sloan’s self-aware musings and stoically borne verbal exchanges with Crosby and Leeyes. #PartingBreath