TV - Antikythera Mechanism - 11/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

FRIDAY 11TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is quick mention of a great TV show on at the moment -

THE TWO-THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD COMPUTER.


This TV series is probing the secrets of a mysterious device found in what is believed to be a Roman shipwreck - nearly lost for thousands of years.


When the divers found the fragments of this device, they noticed small cogs and inscriptions in the rusted metal - vastly more intricate and complicated than any other contemporary artefact.

Due to the island near where the artefact was found, this is now known as the Antikythera Mechanism - one of the earliest mechanised calculation devices ever discovered.


Scientists, physicists, astronomers and mathematicians have spent years studying the fragments of the device - and through X-Ray imaging, 3D photography and other digital techniques they start to build some understanding of what the mechanism was for - and the findings are astounding.


It's on BBC 4 this week and next week -
so will be on the BBC iPlayer for the next fortnight.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are kindly provided by: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hlkcq

TV Show - Dirk Gently - 14/03/12 [DAILY DOSE]

WEDNESDAY 14TH MARCH 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Dirk Gently - Series 1 Episode 2

Dirk Gently - Series 1 Episode 1

Today's DAILY DOSE is a TV show that is currently being shown on the BBC iPlayer (and I'm sure will be available internationally soon) - DIRK GENTLY!

For those not familiar with the character, Dirk Gently is a "holistic private detective" created by the late Douglas Adams - the author of Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Adams only got the chance to write 1 and a 1/2 Dirk Gently books before he died - the last book being finished off and released posthumously.

This new TV adaptation takes the character, dialogue and themes and writes them into all-new scenarios. The plots tread the line between gritty intrigue and daft humour - and the language still sounds very Douglas Adams.

Stephen Mangan (Doctor Guy Secretant in Green Wing) does a great job of being an eccentric, charismatic detective and it is possibly the only role I've seen him play where he hasn't annoyed the crap out of me.

The rest of the cast includes Dirk's partner, MacDuff (played by Darren Boyd - of Hippies, Smack the Pony and Green Wing fame) and MacDuff's fiancee (played by Helen Baxendale - Emily off Friends).

The cast is enjoyable, the stories so far have been witty and gripping, and it feels like a homage to the genius of Douglas Adams rather than a rip-off.

Only 2 episodes have been shown as yet - so only time will tell if it keeps me gripped for the whole series.

Give it a watch and let me know what you think!

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!

Any images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are sourced from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wqfl2