Tom Salinsky

A fascinating history of motion pictures through the lens of the Academy Awards, the Best Picture winners, and the box-office contenders.In Best Pick: A Journey through Film History and the Academy Awards, John Dorney, Jessica Regan, and Tom Salinsky provide a captivating decade-by-decade exploration of the Oscars. For each decade, they examine the making of classic films, trends and innovations in cinema, behind-the-scenes scandals at the awards ceremony, and who won and why. Twenty films are reviewed in-depth, alongside ten detailed “making-of” accounts and capsule reviews of every single Best Picture winner in history. In addition, each Best Picture winner is carefully scrutinized to answer the ultimate question: “Did the Academy get it right?” Full of wonderful stories, cogent analysis, and fascinating insights, Best Pick is a witty and enthralling look at the people, politics, movies, and trends that have shaped our cinematic world.

Return to 1960's Britain for more espionage with John Steed and Tara King! Contains three more thrilling episodes; 7.1 The Fabulous Sky Beam Dilemma by Nigel Fairs. Tara gets the cream and Steed has it licked. A visiting royal finds themselves caught up in a bizarre assassination plot where finding the method will be Steed and Tara’s greatest challenge. 7.2 A Tale in Tartan by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky. Tara captures the castle and Steed crosses the border. A kidnapping leads Tara into Scotland where she finds herself with a suspiciously familiar sidekick… 7.3 This Train Terminates Here by John Dorney. Tara steams ahead and Steed goes off the rails. A series of railway-based crimes are occurring across the country and it would appear to be the work of a sinister station-master… Cast: Julian Wadham (John Steed), Emily Woodward (Tara King), Christopher Benjamin (Mother), Janet Amsden (Betty Grudge), Kenny Blyth (Professor Braithwaite / Reverent Utterson), Amerjit Deu (Said Ghabul / Cruikshank) Abi Harris (Bonnie Braithwaite / Clarrisa Kincaid), Harry Hart (Freddie / Terry), Damian Lynch (Colin Collins / Cyril / Railwayman), Paul O’Grady (Septimus Crump), Bridgitta Roy (Miss Sprogg), Andrew Spooner (Rupert). Other parts played by members of the cast.

Based on the adventures of Steed and Tara King in the TV comic strips, this full-cast audio drama is brought to life with eerily engrossing sound design and a brand new cinematic score. Starring Julian Wadham, Emily Woodward and Christopher Benjamin. Contains four adventures; 3.1 It’s a Wild, Wild, Wild, Wild West by John Dorney Steed is quick on the draw, Tara gallops away. After reports suggest a series of robberies in the New Forest were committed by cowboys, Mother sends the Avengers into action.The trail leads to the Western style ranch known as The Lazy J. But will it be high noon for Steed and King? 3.2 Under the Weather by Phil Mulryne. Steed is put on ice, Tara is blown away.Steed, Tara and Mother visit an air show to see a demonstration of a new aircraft. But the plane is stolen from under their noses... and seemingly... by a storm! Something strange is in the air. And it needs the Avengers to sort it out. 3.3 Spycraft by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky. Steed meets his equal, Tara gets the cream. When a visiting dignitary is kidnapped on British soil, Steed and King have to leap into action. But with questions of diplomatic immunity getting in the way, they may need help from an unusual pair. 3.4 ...Now You Don’t by John Dorney. Steed finds things get tricky, Tara takes the stage. A strange gift leads to Steed and Tara King spending a night in the theatre. But who brought them here? And why? An old enemy of the Avengers is on the scene. And he will stop at nothing to get his revenge! Starring Julian Wadham, Emily Woodward and Christopher Benjamin, this full-cast audio drama is brought to life with eerily engrossing sound design and a brand new cinematic music score. CAST: Julian Wadham (John Steed), Emily Woodward (Miss Tara King), Christopher Benjamin (Mother), Hywel Morgan (Cody/ Jim), Daniel Easton (Billy / Sam), Karina Fernandez (Jessie), Leighton Pugh (Flight Lieutenant Tudor / Volkov), James Joyce (Flying Office Halliwell / Melnyk), David Sibley (Doctor Weatherby), Edward Dede (Miles Yeboah), Natalie Simpson (Ruby Sesay), Jude Owusu (Charlie Okonjo / Kasim), Ewart James Walters (General Babatunde), Nicholas Asbury (Margrave the Magnificent / Sir Godfrey Thorpe), Maggie Service (Circe /Mina). Other parts played by members of the cast.

In 2014, Big Finish started a new range of Doctor Who stories, bringing back original cast members from the 1960s eras in order to tell new stories: they're audio tales in black and white!

Red Dwarf is virtually unique among British sitcoms. It began in 1988 and was still releasing new episodes in 2020, making it one of the longest running sitcoms of all time, but the core cast has remained largely unchanged. And its science fiction flavour contrasts strongly with the drawing rooms and sofas which were the norm when it launched, and the fast-cut mockumentary style which is popular today. And yet, this is a show which nobody wanted to make, and which only barely made it to our screens at all. In this work, Tom Salinsky will look at exactly how it came to be; who was considered for the cast but didn’t make it; how it was radically reinvented for the third, sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth seasons; how it survived the breakup of its key creative partnership, the loss of the original spaceship models, BBC strikes, the departure of a major cast member, and the seemingly self-defeating rules which the writers imposed on themselves. But this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes account. It’s also a detailed critical analysis, examining why the best episodes succeed and why the less impressive episodes struggle, while also finding time to ask just how a hologram made of light can smell burning camphor wood, why a creature evolved from a cat is familiar with Wilma Flintstone, or just how long Lister and Kochanski were dating for. How can all this possibly be contained in one book? It can’t! Volume I will cover the first six series and Volume II will conclude the story of Red Dwarf on television as well as looking at the novels, comic strips, computer games and more.

How well do you know Star Trek? Lifelong science fiction fan, podcaster and author Tom Salinsky decided that the answer was “not well enough”, and so at the beginning of 2022, he embarked on a two-year mission to watch everything from the start of The Original Series to the end of Enterprise, at the rate of one episode per day. This book is the third and final part of that odyssey, covering the last five seasons of Voyager and the whole run of Enterprise plus the last two Next Generation movies. As well as having fun saluting the show’s triumphs, cringing at its lapses in taste, and admiring its willingness to swing for the fences, there’s lots of fascinating behind-the-scenes information here. Did Jeri Ryan and Kate Mulgrew really hate each other? Was the Temporal Cold War always part of the plan? How did Brannon Braga and Rick Berman write so many scripts, and was that wise? And whatever happened to Stuart Baird after Star Trek: Nemesis? You’ll also get the benefit of a complete overview of these properties, which spurned the successful syndication model of Next Generation and Deep Space Nine and instead propped up the UPN channel which made them vulnerable to boardroom pressures and shareholder jitters. Whether you’re a die-hard fan, a casual viewer, or just someone interested in the history of television, you’ll adore coming on this daily journey though the highs and lows of one of the most significant and much-loved media properties in the world.

Unbelievably, Red Dwarf came back. Its first six series from 1988 to 1993 were quite an achievement, and it’s likely we would still be remembering it fondly if the story had ended there. But it didn’t. Tom Salinsky has been looking at exactly how this show came to be, how it got on the air, and how it stayed there. But in 1993, when Volume I ended, it was thought that Red Dwarf was gone for good. In Volume II, Tom will look at how it was relaunched, rebooted and reconceived in 1997 and again in 1999. And then how it came back from the dead in 2009 with a supposedly one-off mini-series, which instead launched three more series and a feature-length special. Along the way he’ll look at why star Chris Barrie wanted out and then wanted back in again, the perils of having or not having a live studio audience, the wisdom of trying to remake the show in America – or as a movie – and whether or not there’s life left in the show yet. It’s also a detailed critical analysis, examining why the best episodes succeed and why the less impressive episodes struggle, while also finding time to ask whether the rules of time travel really allow JFK to assassinate himself, should you really rock out with Hitler, do you have the universe on speed dial, and of course whether Series IX really deserves its reputation as the best by miles. And we’ll look at Red Dwarf beyond broadcast television and into unmade episodes, novels, computer games and more besides.

How well do you know Star Trek? Lifelong science fiction fan, podcaster and author Tom Salinsky decided that the answer was “not well enough”, and so at the beginning of 2022, he embarked on a two-year mission to watch everything from the start of The Original Series to the end of Enterprise, at the rate of one episode per day. This book is the second part of that odyssey, covering Deep Space Nine, and the first two seasons of Voyager plus the first two Next Generation movies. As well as having fun saluting the show’s triumphs, cringing at its lapses in taste, and admiring its willingness to swing for the fences, there’s lots of fascinating behind-the-scenes information here. Was Morn really such a chatterbox? Why was Deep Space Nine allowed to do so much serialisation? Did Star Trek need Michael Dorn more than Michael Dorn needed Star Trek? Just whatever happened to Geneviève Bujold? How is Nicholas Locarno related to Tom Paris? But you’ll also get the benefit of a complete overview of these hugely successful and beloved spin-offs, which expanded and extended the Star Trek universe to new quadrants, new eras and new modes of storytelling. Plus there are contributions from notable fans, writers, authors and experts, giving their own perspectives on these classic episodes. Whether you’re a die-hard fan, a casual viewer, or just someone interested in the history of television, you’ll adore coming on this daily journey though the highs and lows of one of the most significant and much-loved media properties in the world. **Praise for Volume I: ****The Original Series, The Animated Series and The Next Generation** “Funny, absorbing, perceptive and a fine reminder of the wealth of work that Star Trek has produced through the decades.” – Critical Popcorn “Even if you’re not the world’s biggest Star Trek fan, the way this book is written will certainly keep you entertained.” – Total Entertainment “Whether you're a devoted aficionado or a casual viewer, this book offers an immersive experience.” – Kuriositas.com “An honest labour of love from a lifelong sci-fi specialist, and even gives the episodes that fail a fair hearing.” – Lou Reviews

_Red Dwarf_ is virtually unique among British sitcoms. It began in 1988 and was still releasing new episodes in 2020, making it one of the longest running sitcoms of all time, but the core cast has remained largely unchanged. And its science fiction flavour contrasts strongly with the drawing rooms and sofas which were the norm when it launched, and the fast-cut mockumentary style which is popular today. And yet, this is a show which nobody wanted to make, and which only barely made it to our screens at all. In this work, Tom Salinsky will look at exactly how it came to be; who was considered for the cast but didn’t make it; how it was radically reinvented for the third, sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth seasons; how it survived the breakup of its key creative partnership, the loss of the original spaceship models, BBC strikes, the departure of a major cast member, and the seemingly self-defeating rules which the writers imposed on themselves. But this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes account. It’s also a detailed critical analysis, examining why the best episodes succeed and why the less impressive episodes struggle, while also finding time to ask just how a hologram made of light can smell burning camphor wood, why a creature evolved from a cat is familiar with Wilma Flintstone, or just how long Lister and Kochanski were dating for. How can all this possibly be contained in one book? It can’t! Volume I will cover the first six series and Volume II will conclude the story of _Red Dwarf_ on television as well as looking at the novels, comic strips, computer games and more.

How well do you know Star Trek? Lifelong science fiction fan, podcaster and author Tom Salinsky decided that the answer was “not well enough”, and so at the beginning of 2022, he embarked on a two-year mission to watch everything from the start of The Original Series to the end of Enterprise, at the rate of one episode per day. This book is the first part of that odyssey, covering the 79 television episodes which started it all, the animated series which briefly brought it back in the 1970s, the first six original movies and the full run of The Next Generation. As well as having fun saluting the show’s triumphs, cringing at its lapses in taste, and admiring its willingness to swing for the fences, there’s lots of fascinating behind-the-scenes information here. Why were salt-cellars unchanged in the 23rd century? Was Gene Roddenberry really not allowed to show a woman’s belly button? How many characters get killed during the run of The Animated Series? Who actually wrote the script for Wrath of Khan? How did Paramount get Next Generation on the air when no network would touch it? But you’ll also get the benefit of a complete overview of this landmark series, watching it unfold and familiar elements appear – often much later than you think. When’s the first mention of the Federation? Of Kirk’s time being the 23rd century? Of there being no money in the future? And some elements appear rather earlier than you might think – which episode is the first to feature a Holodeck? Whether you’re a die-hard fan, a casual viewer, or just someone interested in the history of television, you’ll adore coming on this daily journey though the highs and lows of one of the most significant and much-loved media properties in the world.

A new Tory PM must unite his party’s warring factions with his masterful plan for a final Brexit deal. Just... what was it again? A new satire by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky.

On the planet Cicero Prime, the kingdom of Cardenas is divided, with the whole population forced to swear allegiance to either the effete Duke or the fiery, hard-edged Duchess. What use is half a kingdom when, thanks to a carefully engineered murder, you could have it all?

The Improv Handbook is the most comprehensive, smart, helpful and inspiring guide to improv available today. Applicable to comedians, actors, public speakers and anyone who needs to think on their toes, it features a range of games, interviews, descriptions and exercises that illuminate and illustrate the exciting world of improvised performance.First published in 2008, this second edition features a new foreword by comedian Mike McShane, as well as new exercises on endings, managing blind offers and master-servant games, plus new and expanded interviews with Keith Johnstone, Neil Mullarkey, Jeffrey Sweet and Paul Rogan.The Improv Handbook is a one-stop guide to the exciting world of improvisation. Whether you’re a beginner, an expert, or would just love to try it if you weren’t too scared, The Improv Handbook will guide you every step of the way.

The Improv Handbook is the most comprehensive, smart, helpful and inspiring guide to improv available today. Applicable to comedians, actors, public speakers and anyone who needs to think on their toes, it features a range of games, interviews, descriptions and exercises that illuminate and illustrate the exciting world of improvised performance.First published in 2008, this second edition features a new foreword by comedian Mike McShane, as well as new exercises on endings, managing blind offers and master-servant games, plus new and expanded interviews with Keith Johnstone, Neil Mullarkey, Jeffrey Sweet and Paul Rogan.The Improv Handbook is a one-stop guide to the exciting world of improvisation. Whether you’re a beginner, an expert, or would just love to try it if you weren’t too scared, The Improv Handbook will guide you every step of the way.

"The Improv Handbook" is a great new guide that covers the history of improvisation and includes chapters on spontaneity and the fundamentals of storytelling.Although there are already several successful books on the market about the theory and practice of improvised theatre, there's nothing comprehensive, helpful, fun and full of experience and advice."The Improv Handbook" is a great new guide from a husband and wife team who have years of studying, performance and teaching behind them. Beginning with a history of improvisation, the book works through different types of format and performance including TheatreSports and the inventions of Keith Johnstone and Del Close. The core section of the book is called, simply, "How To Improvise" and includes chapters on spontaneity, the fundamentals of storytelling, working together, upping the ante and characters.Having established the fundamentals, the two authors go on to elaborate on more advanced techniques and skills. The book concludes with sections on how to improvise in front of an audience and - just as crucially - how to attract an audience in the first place." The Improv Handbook" should become a standard book in the field - it's smart, fun, helpful, and inspiring, and it's on a mission to bring Improv to a much wider audience.