Double take ads

If you live in the UK and watch TV, you may know what I mean by the ‘Sony balls’ advert and the ‘Honda choir’ advert. The first shows thousands of multi-coloured balls bouncing down the streets of San Francisco (real, by the way–they’re not computer generated). The second features a choir of people in a car-park providing the soundtrack to a car driving around.

Both are, in my opinioin, excellent ads. Well, thinkbox tv has produced ‘virals’ of these two ads. The Sony spin-off is for Tango and features raining fruit. The Honda spin-off is for 118 118 and has the two 118 men doing a soundtrack to a trip in their car. You can see the originals alongside them. Check them out– v cool.

24: It’s been a long day

WARNING: this post contains plot-spoilers

We watched the last double-bill of 24, series 5, last night– tense to the end and, as usual, lots of unresolved issues. So I've been left with the feeling that I simply have to watch the next installment– but we have to wait a whole year for it!

I am a complete 24-addict. Never mind that the plots are insane and sometimes downright silly (a nuclear bombing in Los Angeles, Kim getting kidnapped 3 times in 24 hours, nerve gas being released in a shopping mall to mention just a few). 24 has the perfect mix of tension and plot development that keeps me on the edge of my seat and aching for more.

In this series, like all the others, Jack has had his share of ups and downs– he's come back from the dead, lost his two best friends, almost lost his girlfriend, been disowned by his daughter, been on the run, watched most of CTU die, killed an ex-colleague and tortured a president. And then, just when you think he's in the clear– evil President Logan will be brought to justice, Audrey (and Senator Heller) have miraculously recovered from fatal injuries and Bill is back at CTU– he's carted off by the Chinese, tortured and left beat up and bleeding on the last boat to China!

What will become of him? How can I possibly wait until next year to find out? I hate cliff-hangers. Maybe I lack imagination, but I find it so frustrating when all the loose ends are left hanging.

Last year, Lewis gave me The Mystery of Edwin Drood for my birthday. I knew, of course, that it was unfinished, but I had it in my mind that it was only the final chapter or so that was missing and that, by then, everything would be so far down the line that the ending would be clear. As those of you who've read it will know, it's not just the last chapter that's missing– not even the last two or three. Nope. It's the last six! Out of a total of twelve! That's more than 'unfinished'. That's not even started in my opinion. You are left completely in the dark– what happened to Edwin? Did John Jasper slip him into the quicklime? Will Dick Datchery solve the puzzle? Will Neville marry Rosa? So many questions left unanswered–it does my head in!

Getting back to 24– I am consoled by the fact that leaving Jack facing such a totally bleak future means that at least they'll have to make another series. I'm counting the days- beep beep beepeepeepeepeepeeeeeeeeeep.