Considering how much I hate "AI" in real life, I'm awfully protective of robot characters.

Sadly, only a few. But they are so much better than the theatrical cuts. Only way to see Saruman get impaled!

As a Chibnall hater, I think he's generally quite good when working with established villains in a self-contained story. His approach to the Daleks, in particular, always felt fresh and unique.

It was a year filled with art, exploration, and beauty. Despite everything. I plan to make 2026 the same.
Happy New Year!

Place: Sedleç Ossuary in the Czech Republic. An absolutely beautiful shrine to death in its proper perspective. I've been wanting to visit ever since I first heard about it, and I'm so glad I finally did!

Live theatre show: Little Shop of Horrors at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. A pitch-perfect performance of an always-delightful story.

Album: Tsunami Sea by Spiritbox. My tastes in music are terribly basic, so this was one of the few new albums I listened to. I also saw the band in concert, which was awesome!

TV season: Can't decide between Andor S2 and Interview with the Vampire S1-2. They're both incredibly well-made works of art in their different ways. Andor had the best dance scene of the year; ITWTV had the best piano-playing scene.

Best graphic novel: Hunger's Bite by Taylor Robin. Just a super fun anti-capitalist horror story with striking artwork and yet another cool vampire (this time a legitimate good guy!).

Best middle-grade book: It Came from the Trees by Ally Russell. Takes its horror seriously at a level well-suited to tweens, and uses it to deftly explore racism and the importance of allyship.

Favourite YA book: Don't Let the Forest In by C.G.Drews. A complex Gothic romance with monsters and asexual rep. Not necessarily the best-written YA book I read, but the one that left the most lasting impression on me.

Favourite grown-up book: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. This was very much the Year of the Vampire for me, and this book's protagonist was the most interesting vampire I encountered in any media.

I'm not hot enough to make a go at either profession successfully, but I'd definitely have fun!