I mention him here now because tomorrow, he'll have finally written on every story of the classic era and about as much on the expanded universe as he can stand, and will begin talking about the Russel T. Davies run that started in 2005--which, I know, is the bit most people care about. So, while I advise you to read his older stuff, I'll just be glad if you read him at all. I for one am looking forward to what he has to say, and I hope all of you do too.
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Promoting Philip Sandifer
Hey, folks. I'm a big fan of analyzing Who, almost as big a fan of it as I am on the show itself, and few people do it better than Philip Sandifer of TARDIS Eruditorum. His blog is about placing the entire show into a historical context and seeing how it was influenced by attitudes of the times, discussing how the show reflects world politics as well as popular and internal opinion on the show itself. ("It's astonishing how many Robert Holmes scripts make sense if you hypothesize them as deliberate insults," he quips, just as an example.) He manages to acknowledge the inherent brokenness of Who's continuity while still arguing that many things make sense on a thematic rather than logical level, and in that sense he's a big believer in symbolism with regards to the power of storytelling. All this can make him come off as a bit pompous, but he manages to keep a level head and a cool wit that makes his approach not only insightful but an absolute joy to read.
I mention him here now because tomorrow, he'll have finally written on every story of the classic era and about as much on the expanded universe as he can stand, and will begin talking about the Russel T. Davies run that started in 2005--which, I know, is the bit most people care about. So, while I advise you to read his older stuff, I'll just be glad if you read him at all. I for one am looking forward to what he has to say, and I hope all of you do too.
I mention him here now because tomorrow, he'll have finally written on every story of the classic era and about as much on the expanded universe as he can stand, and will begin talking about the Russel T. Davies run that started in 2005--which, I know, is the bit most people care about. So, while I advise you to read his older stuff, I'll just be glad if you read him at all. I for one am looking forward to what he has to say, and I hope all of you do too.
Book Review: Summer Falls by Amelia Williams
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| I think we all know that Amelia Williams didn't actually write this book. The name of the real-world author is James Goss. But that doesn't mean that when you read it it isn't in Amy's voice. |
Firstly, the overall quality of the book:
I read the book on my Kindle, (and I believe that that is the only format that it is avalable on for now) so I'm not sure how many pages it has. For those of you who speak Kindlese, it has 1,004 locations. It took me less than two hours to read, so it's pretty quick, although I've always been a fast reader. I found the language rather passive, but I think that may have been done on purpose to go along with the quaintness of the town. Most of the words used in it are relatively basic, although I found myself using the dictionary function two or three times. The book is appropriate for anyone--if I had kids, I would read it to them.
General Plot:
It's the 1950s Kate's just moved to Watchcombe, a sleepy destination town in the English countryside. A week before school is to start, a grey cat leads her into the yard of the Curator of the local museum, a strange man who "loves a little shoppe." It's not long after that that Kate intercepts a strange old painting of two people on a beach, one holding a key and the other a ring, from being donated to orphans in Africa. She brings the piece to the Curator, and the adventure of a lifetime ensues.
Summer Falls by Amelia Williams (James Goss) is avalable here.
If you don't have a Kindle, the app can be downloaded to Mac, PC, Android, and iPod/iPad/iPhone for free.
General Plot:
It's the 1950s Kate's just moved to Watchcombe, a sleepy destination town in the English countryside. A week before school is to start, a grey cat leads her into the yard of the Curator of the local museum, a strange man who "loves a little shoppe." It's not long after that that Kate intercepts a strange old painting of two people on a beach, one holding a key and the other a ring, from being donated to orphans in Africa. She brings the piece to the Curator, and the adventure of a lifetime ensues.
Summer Falls by Amelia Williams (James Goss) is avalable here.
If you don't have a Kindle, the app can be downloaded to Mac, PC, Android, and iPod/iPad/iPhone for free.
An Adventure in Space and Time
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| To be novelized as Doctor Who vs. the Cameramen. |
I mean, I'm a sucker for origin stories AND behind-the-scenes trivia, so this thing is like a gold mine for me. Plus, Marco Polo playing Donald Baverstock. MARCO POLO PLAYING DONALD BAVERSTOCK.
I mean, what more could you want?
Okay, I should calm down. For those not in the know, An Adventure in Space and Time is a docudrama (a term which here means "film based on a true story but truer than that usually implies") about the William Hartnell years of Doctor Who, and more specifically about the show's origins. It's been written by Mark Gatiss, who you know for writing "Victory of the Daleks" and "Cold War", so I've got pretty high hopes for this.
Other reasons I'm excited:
- William Russel and Carole Ann Ford (who played companions Ian Chesterton and Susan Foreman respectively) will both have cameos. (Meanwhile, Jamie Glover will be playing Russel and Claudia Grant will be playing Ford. Here's a recent interview from Ford herself in which she discusses, amongst other things, how weird it is to see someone playing Ford playing Susan.)
- Nicholas Briggs, the current voice of the Daleks, will be playing Peter Hawkins, the original voice of the Daleks. Which is just so wonderfully meta.
- As mentioned, Mark "Marco Polo" Eden will be playing Donald Baverstock, the man who commissioned the show from Sydney Newman which would eventually become Doctor Who. So that's three classic-series cameos on the actual 50th's none. Step it up, actual 50th.
- Here's some pictures from the set of an immaculate recreation of Peter Brachacki's original TARDIS set being shot with immaculate recreations of 1960s BBC cameras OH MY GOD YOU GUYS IT'S ALL SO PERFECT
- And here's some pictures of their recreation of the '60s BBC offices and Brian-Cox-as-Sydney-Newman and Jessica-Raine-as-Verity-Lambert chilling together SQUEEEEEEE
- And here's Mark Gatiss recreating the famous Daleks on the Westminster Bridge scene from The Dalek Invasion of Earth with authentic Dalek props
I CAN'T WAIT
I'M GOING TO CRYOGENICALLY FREEZE MYSELF UNTIL THIS THING AIRS
BYE NOW
Monday, 29 April 2013
"The Doctor's Wife" 6x4
Original Air Date: 14 May 2010
Oh, look, an Ood!We just got a
We just got a
We just got a
I wonder who it's from?
Sorry. Blue's Clues was my childhood.
Uncle's voice sounds like Craig Fergeuson's German accent.
OH MY GOD. The Timelords were all like: "I don't know where I am." They're in the internet!
Okay, so in An Adventure in Space and Time, he better stroke the console and say "you are the most beautiful think I have ever known." Or I will be rather cross.
Yes, he pushes to open, BUT what the sign is referring to the cover on the phone thingie >.<#
Oh, look. Rory died again.
How did those Ood tentacles feel? Are they all smimey.
It's the DT (and Eccleston) console. I literally waved my hands in fangasm. Which is now deleted :(
IDRIS: Doctor, are you there? It's so very dark in here.Remember--the only water in the forest is the river.
DOCTOR: I'm here.
IDRIS: I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word, but so sad. I've found it now.
DOCTOR: What word?
IDRIS: Alive. I'm alive.
DOCTOR: Alive isn't sad.
IDRIS: It's sad when it's over. I'll always be here, but this is when we talked, and now even that has come to an end. There's something I didn't get to say to you.
DOCTOR: Goodbye?
IDRIS: No. I just wanted to say hello. Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you.
DOCTOR: Please. I don't want you to. Please.
"The Curse of the Black Spot" 6x3
Original Air Date: 7 May 2011
Okay, I really hate this whole "when I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend" opening. It's stupid and annoying. You, Amy Pond, are kinda like Harriet Jones: we all know who you are.
Rory. What are you on? More importantly, where did you get it from? We established that the Doctor is not a dealer...Amy...?
AMY you're doing the CPR wrong! You have to hold his nose closed! Doctor, you're a doctor, how can you not know that!?
Okay, I really hate this whole "when I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend" opening. It's stupid and annoying. You, Amy Pond, are kinda like Harriet Jones: we all know who you are.Rory. What are you on? More importantly, where did you get it from? We established that the Doctor is not a dealer...Amy...?
AMY you're doing the CPR wrong! You have to hold his nose closed! Doctor, you're a doctor, how can you not know that!?
"The Lodger" 5x11
Original Air Date: 12 June 2010
I wonder where the Doctor slept that one night before moving in with Craig....
The Vincent van Gogh flyer on the fridge...
Love you too, Doctor.
Doctor, what is in your ear? You know things like that are all Cyber Earpods.
That omlet he's making looks really good...be right back.
Back. And with eggs according to what the Doctor put in, plus what I read in an article for Omelette Fines Herbes: Ham, Pepper, Mayo, and Cheese from the Doctor, and tarragon and basil.
It's really good.
The Doctor said "fondle"...
Yes, Sophie, the Doctor is a dealer.
Wow, I think my 13 1/2 year old brother has more body hair than Matt Smith.
The jersey number is 11!
Did you know, that, had Matt Smith not suffered a back injury, he could have become a pro football/soccer player?
Did any one else half expect the door to be like "are you my mummy?" right after the football/soccer game?
That was a really good omelette.
I shall recruit a spy!!!
What's that rotating strainer?
This Eleventh Doctor's quite the linguist. Talking cat.
The stain on the ceiling is people...ew.
I wonder where the Doctor slept that one night before moving in with Craig....
The Vincent van Gogh flyer on the fridge...
Love you too, Doctor.
Doctor, what is in your ear? You know things like that are all Cyber Earpods.
That omlet he's making looks really good...be right back.
Back. And with eggs according to what the Doctor put in, plus what I read in an article for Omelette Fines Herbes: Ham, Pepper, Mayo, and Cheese from the Doctor, and tarragon and basil.
It's really good.
The Doctor said "fondle"...
Wow, I think my 13 1/2 year old brother has more body hair than Matt Smith.
The jersey number is 11!
Did you know, that, had Matt Smith not suffered a back injury, he could have become a pro football/soccer player?
Did any one else half expect the door to be like "are you my mummy?" right after the football/soccer game?
That was a really good omelette.
I shall recruit a spy!!!
What's that rotating strainer?
This Eleventh Doctor's quite the linguist. Talking cat.
The stain on the ceiling is people...ew.
History Repeats Itself: Doctor Who and the Silurians vs. "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood"
Hey folks, Seth again with the first in what will likely be a series of posts comparing old-series serials to their modern descendants. The series proper has never outright remade stories, per say, but they occasionally come near enough as make no odds.
In 1970, the Third Doctor and UNIT investigate odd power disturbances at a new atomic power plant, where it turns out ancient creatures called Silurians are leaking energy in order to resurrect their frozen ranks and reclaim the Earth in the infuriatingly titled Doctor Who and the Silurians.
In 2010, the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory investigate odd power disturbances at a new drilling site, where it turns out ancient creatures called Homo reptilia are leaking energy in order to prevent their colony from being dug into, and have decided to resurrect their frozen ranks and reclaim the Earth in the kinda stupidly titled "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood".
The differences go far beyond the superficial: in both cases, the elder Silurian leader is one of the few voices of reason, while it's some militant upstarts that decide to mutiny and wipe out us apes. In both cases, we're brought to the brink of war because the Silurians feel entitled and strike first, and the humans see retaliation as the only option. In both cases, hostilities early on breed resentment on both sides that makes brokering peace difficult. In both cases, negotiation sessions come to the conclusion that Silurian tech could benefit Earth and that our lizard brethren would be just fine living in the Sahara. And, perhaps most importantly, both stories end with the Doctor putting the Silurians back in cryogenic freezing to negotiate peace later--though here, there are crucial differences that'll need to be addressed.
While things play out largely the same way both times, it's far easier to see where the humans in the 2010 version are coming from. UNIT ultimately fights the Silurians for reasons of world security, without even trying to negotiate with them, whereas here the Silurians make things personal and emotions get heated. It's a small difference, but it makes the humans much more sympathetic. They're not being bullheaded, they're being vulnerable.
The 2010 version also makes the Silurians much more sympathetic. In Doctor Who and the Silurians, the Elder Leader was sympathetic, but the rest of the Silurians were just straight-up species-ist dickweeds with no redeeming features and no reason to sympathize with them. The addition of the physician helps with that immensely, and even the human-hating Silurians have humanizing characteristics in their familial connections.
And then, of course, there's the ending. Three refreezes the Silurians so that they'll wake up one at a time, and can be reasoned with one-on-one without fear of war breaking out. Eleven pins the blame solely on the humans, and decides to reawaken all of Siluria at once in the future so that humanity has time to get ready. You can debate which approach works better, but ultimately we'll never know--the Brigadier blows up the old Silurians in the end, not trusting Three's insistence that negotiation is possible. (Ultimately, Three forgives him for this surprisingly quickly, but he kinda had to or the premise of his era breaks down. It's a memorable ending, but one that only works if you pretend this serial exists in a vacuum.)
Now, that's not to say Doctor Who and the Silurians is all bad. It does have one major, solid advantage over its successor, which is that the 1970 Silurians are legitimately alien and freaky and slightly unknowable. They don't look like us, they don't sound like us, they have powers we don't. Which makes it very powerful and very meaningful that the Doctor almost immediately accepts them as a sentient race worthy of respect in a way that no one else really does. In "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood", the Silurians are much easier to connect to, with their human faces and normal voices. There's very little of the outsider in there, which makes it seem like the humans that accept them now when they didn't before because they're suddenly palatable.
Neither is bad, per say, but I think the new series is the clear winner this round, with its stronger characterization and more natural flow of storytelling. It also manages to be, despite all the human-bashing, much less cynical than its predecessor, if only because no one here is a complete jerkwad.
Still, I'd check out Doctor Who and the Silurians. It's a good example of the dynamic between the Brigadier and Three (if you ignore the genocide) and worth it for the unique (and kinda silly) Silurian designs of the era. (Seriously. They have lasers in their heads that can rebuild walls. It's great.)
Doctor Who and the Silurians is available on DVD, with a commentary from almost the entire cast plus the showrunners; a documentary on the political climates of the time that shaped the story, a look at the (seriously bombastic and kinda irritating) soundtrack, and a making-of documentary, amongst other neat things.
"The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood" is available on DVD with Series 5, with commentaries, a look at the monsters, and other neat things.
And, of course, Ley has her own take on "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood" here.
 |
| Before and after L'oreal's new facial cream. |
In 1970, the Third Doctor and UNIT investigate odd power disturbances at a new atomic power plant, where it turns out ancient creatures called Silurians are leaking energy in order to resurrect their frozen ranks and reclaim the Earth in the infuriatingly titled Doctor Who and the Silurians.
In 2010, the Eleventh Doctor, Amy and Rory investigate odd power disturbances at a new drilling site, where it turns out ancient creatures called Homo reptilia are leaking energy in order to prevent their colony from being dug into, and have decided to resurrect their frozen ranks and reclaim the Earth in the kinda stupidly titled "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood".
The differences go far beyond the superficial: in both cases, the elder Silurian leader is one of the few voices of reason, while it's some militant upstarts that decide to mutiny and wipe out us apes. In both cases, we're brought to the brink of war because the Silurians feel entitled and strike first, and the humans see retaliation as the only option. In both cases, hostilities early on breed resentment on both sides that makes brokering peace difficult. In both cases, negotiation sessions come to the conclusion that Silurian tech could benefit Earth and that our lizard brethren would be just fine living in the Sahara. And, perhaps most importantly, both stories end with the Doctor putting the Silurians back in cryogenic freezing to negotiate peace later--though here, there are crucial differences that'll need to be addressed.
While things play out largely the same way both times, it's far easier to see where the humans in the 2010 version are coming from. UNIT ultimately fights the Silurians for reasons of world security, without even trying to negotiate with them, whereas here the Silurians make things personal and emotions get heated. It's a small difference, but it makes the humans much more sympathetic. They're not being bullheaded, they're being vulnerable.
The 2010 version also makes the Silurians much more sympathetic. In Doctor Who and the Silurians, the Elder Leader was sympathetic, but the rest of the Silurians were just straight-up species-ist dickweeds with no redeeming features and no reason to sympathize with them. The addition of the physician helps with that immensely, and even the human-hating Silurians have humanizing characteristics in their familial connections.
And then, of course, there's the ending. Three refreezes the Silurians so that they'll wake up one at a time, and can be reasoned with one-on-one without fear of war breaking out. Eleven pins the blame solely on the humans, and decides to reawaken all of Siluria at once in the future so that humanity has time to get ready. You can debate which approach works better, but ultimately we'll never know--the Brigadier blows up the old Silurians in the end, not trusting Three's insistence that negotiation is possible. (Ultimately, Three forgives him for this surprisingly quickly, but he kinda had to or the premise of his era breaks down. It's a memorable ending, but one that only works if you pretend this serial exists in a vacuum.)
Now, that's not to say Doctor Who and the Silurians is all bad. It does have one major, solid advantage over its successor, which is that the 1970 Silurians are legitimately alien and freaky and slightly unknowable. They don't look like us, they don't sound like us, they have powers we don't. Which makes it very powerful and very meaningful that the Doctor almost immediately accepts them as a sentient race worthy of respect in a way that no one else really does. In "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood", the Silurians are much easier to connect to, with their human faces and normal voices. There's very little of the outsider in there, which makes it seem like the humans that accept them now when they didn't before because they're suddenly palatable.
Neither is bad, per say, but I think the new series is the clear winner this round, with its stronger characterization and more natural flow of storytelling. It also manages to be, despite all the human-bashing, much less cynical than its predecessor, if only because no one here is a complete jerkwad.
Still, I'd check out Doctor Who and the Silurians. It's a good example of the dynamic between the Brigadier and Three (if you ignore the genocide) and worth it for the unique (and kinda silly) Silurian designs of the era. (Seriously. They have lasers in their heads that can rebuild walls. It's great.)
Doctor Who and the Silurians is available on DVD, with a commentary from almost the entire cast plus the showrunners; a documentary on the political climates of the time that shaped the story, a look at the (seriously bombastic and kinda irritating) soundtrack, and a making-of documentary, amongst other neat things.
"The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood" is available on DVD with Series 5, with commentaries, a look at the monsters, and other neat things.
And, of course, Ley has her own take on "The Hungry Earth"/"Cold Blood" here.
"Vincent and the Doctor" 5x10
Original Air Date: 5 June 2010
Oh, look! DW's turned into a documentary on wheat!
Ah, addressing the sensitive topic of suicide.
This guy's accent sounds a bit more Irish than Dutch.
Is this how time usually passes? Really slowly...in the right order....?
Oh, the Doctor in a confession box...that would be funny.
This episode is just so tragically beautiful....
Well, look around. Art. It seems to me there's so much more to the world than the average eye is allowed to see. I believe, if you look hard, there are more wonders in this universe than you could ever have dreamed of. It's colour. Colour that holds the key. I can hear the colours. Listen to them. Every time I step outside, I feel nature is shouting at me. Come on. Come and get me. Come on. Come on! Capture my mystery!
-VincentOh hai dere rabid giant chicken.
Ah, addressing the sensitive topic of suicide.
This guy's accent sounds a bit more Irish than Dutch.
Is this how time usually passes? Really slowly...in the right order....?
Oh, the Doctor in a confession box...that would be funny.
This episode is just so tragically beautiful....
"The Hungry Earth" 5x8 and "Cold Blood" 5x9
Original Air Dates: 22 May 2010 and 29 May 2010
They're reading The Gruffalo!
Yeah, stick your hand in the huge mysterious hole in the ground. That's safe.
They can't come back to see themselves....the feels....
I, personally, really don't like these episodes. It would be better if it was just one episode. It's hard to tolerate it for a while. And, sure the Silurians do make appearances in the future, but they're not that important. I'm sure they could have made it into one episode.
That sting doesn't look good, Mister. You should really get a Doctor to check that out.
~~~~
Did you catch the refence to Five's celery and its Time Lord stablization proprities?
....did you just kill her with a stun gun?
Aaaand Rory's gone.
WAIT. How can River Song have been at the Pandorica if her father got erased from history?
They're reading The Gruffalo!
Yeah, stick your hand in the huge mysterious hole in the ground. That's safe.
They can't come back to see themselves....the feels....
I, personally, really don't like these episodes. It would be better if it was just one episode. It's hard to tolerate it for a while. And, sure the Silurians do make appearances in the future, but they're not that important. I'm sure they could have made it into one episode.
That sting doesn't look good, Mister. You should really get a Doctor to check that out.
~~~~
Did you catch the refence to Five's celery and its Time Lord stablization proprities?
....did you just kill her with a stun gun?
Aaaand Rory's gone.
WAIT. How can River Song have been at the Pandorica if her father got erased from history?
"Amy's Choice" 5x7
Original Air Date 15 May 2010
Love how Rory walks into the flower.
No, Doctor, I'm not pregnant. I legitimately swallowed a planet.
That awkward moment where the Doctor implies that Amy has a history of self-harm....
And Amy checks for Rory's ponytail.
Well that took long enough to get to the Theme Music!
You threw the manual in a supernova!?
Let's go and poke it with a stick!
Bow ties are NOT cool!
Did he just say that sofas can read? I checked the transcripts I refer to, and yeah, he did.
They said the title!
You do have a history....of being very lovely.
Did you know that Karen Gillian is like 6 feet tall?
Psychic pollen....so were they all like on a trip?
Well this is all dark....
They said the title....again!
Love how Rory walks into the flower.
No, Doctor, I'm not pregnant. I legitimately swallowed a planet.
That awkward moment where the Doctor implies that Amy has a history of self-harm....
And Amy checks for Rory's ponytail.
Well that took long enough to get to the Theme Music!
You threw the manual in a supernova!?
Let's go and poke it with a stick!
Bow ties are NOT cool!
Did he just say that sofas can read? I checked the transcripts I refer to, and yeah, he did.
They said the title!
You do have a history....of being very lovely.
Did you know that Karen Gillian is like 6 feet tall?
Psychic pollen....so were they all like on a trip?
Well this is all dark....
They said the title....again!
"The Waters of Mars" 4x16
Original Air Date: 15 November 2009
Okay, Mr. Time Lord Victorious, please calm down. You're scaring us all.
I knew she was gonna do it. Kill herself, that is. It was almost the only thing she could do to get things right.
Yes, yes you have gone too far.
Oh hai dere, Ood Sigma.
And that's a wrap on the Tenth Doctor for now. I'll be revisiting "The End of Time" later.
What is scary in this one isn't those water monsters. It's the Doctor.
Ten in the space suit! Squee!
The Doctor...Doctor...FUN!
I hate carrots.
Adelaide was born the same year as my brother. It's strange to think of him as 60.
Adelaide was born the same year as my brother. It's strange to think of him as 60.
If you really should go, Doctor, then I suggest you LEAVE.
DOCTOR: I've read all that stuff about you, Captain Adelaide. But one thing they never said. Was it worth it, the mission?
ADELAIDE: We've got excellent results from the soil analysis.
DOCTOR: No, but all of it. Because they say you sacrificed everything. Devoted your whole life to get here.
ADELAIDE: It's been chaos back home. Forty long years. The climate, the ozone, the oil apocalypse. We almost reached extinction. Then to fly above that, to stand on a world with no smoke, where the only straight line is the sunlight? Yes. It's worth it.
Okay, Mr. Time Lord Victorious, please calm down. You're scaring us all.
I knew she was gonna do it. Kill herself, that is. It was almost the only thing she could do to get things right.
Yes, yes you have gone too far.
Oh hai dere, Ood Sigma.
And that's a wrap on the Tenth Doctor for now. I'll be revisiting "The End of Time" later.
"The Next Doctor" 4x15
Original Air Date: 25 Dec 2008
I love his smile in the very begenning!
Allons-Y!
Ohhh, the companion's Rosita...like Rose. Didn't catch that the first time round.
That cyberman's head exploded!
Tethered Areal Release Developed in Style--that's why we're TARIStyle!
One thing cybermen do not have? Stealth.
Allons-Y!
Ohhh, the companion's Rosita...like Rose. Didn't catch that the first time round.
That cyberman's head exploded!
Tethered Areal Release Developed in Style--that's why we're TARIStyle!
One thing cybermen do not have? Stealth.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Hey, I'm Seth. (and The Regenerations Box Set)
Hey folks. This is Seth, and I'm gonna be chipping in here and there, probably mostly talking about classic Who. Not that the new series isn't something I like, but Ley's already doing such a good job doing that.
So let's start by talking about the Regenerations Box Set that was announced recently, and coming out in June. It's not so much a box set as it is a coffee-table book that happens to contain DVDs, being touted as containing "superb photography from across the era and features detailed and informative accounts of every regeneration", which is to say screencaps from episodes and behind-the-scenes minutia anyone interested in this probably already knows. There's no mention of how new any of this content is, which is odd. I'd think that'd be a selling point. As it is most trivia worth pouring over is already on featurettes in the individual releases these serials got.
The set itself contains all the swan-song regeneration episodes, which is to sayyou get to see each Doctor's life end. (The only exceptions are for 6 and 7, because neither of their final serials contain the regeneration. This is the only reason Paul McGann is in the set at all.) I'm not entirely sure why you wouldn't want both ends, and it seems odd to release a collection of finales rather than a collection of premieres. (Well, mostly finales, as mentioned.) It also means that Matt Smith is here for about two minutes, and it seems odd that they would go the route that would mean ommitting a Doctor with a fairly big fanbase.
So, now that I'm done whining about the gimmick, let's get down to the actual contents. What serials is this thing giving us? For one thing, we'll be getting The Tenth Planet, complete with an animated reconstruction of the final episode, preempting its individual release later this fall. No doubt some die-hards will want this set just so that they can get this well in advance of everyone else. Me? Well, I'm not overly fond of it. Due to health issues William Hartnell isn't even in most of it. It's a decent story but an exceedingly (and unavoidably) poor send-off.
In addition to that, we'll be getting some of my favorites--The War Games, Planet of the Spiders, and The Caves of Androzani, in addition to a variety of others that range from "meh" to "why would I spend a dime on that crap"? And the thing is, these are all available individually. Why would I pay $70 for three serials that I could get for...oh. Huh. The War Games alone is $50.
I mean, in fairness, The War Games is also a three-disc set studded with bonus features--including, cough cough, a documentary on regeneration--but I suppose if you're fond of most of the stories in the Regenerations set and don't care a lot about extras, than that might be the one for you. As near as I can tell, the book is the only extra here (made exceedingly likely be the presence of only five discs.) So, yeah. If you really just want info on this one topic, and don't mind getting a little crap mixed with the series highlights, this might be worth your money. Go for it.
I'd probably wait if you just want The Tenth Planet, though. I can't see it costing more than $25.
You can find Seth's Tumblr here. He reblogs a lot of Doctor Who stuff. You should follow him.
Doctor Who: Regenerations Box Set will be available June 10th in the UK and can be pre-ordered here.
 |
| Ah, yes, the black and white Tom Baker era and its infamous sepia-toned scarf. |
The set itself contains all the swan-song regeneration episodes, which is to sayyou get to see each Doctor's life end. (The only exceptions are for 6 and 7, because neither of their final serials contain the regeneration. This is the only reason Paul McGann is in the set at all.) I'm not entirely sure why you wouldn't want both ends, and it seems odd to release a collection of finales rather than a collection of premieres. (Well, mostly finales, as mentioned.) It also means that Matt Smith is here for about two minutes, and it seems odd that they would go the route that would mean ommitting a Doctor with a fairly big fanbase.
So, now that I'm done whining about the gimmick, let's get down to the actual contents. What serials is this thing giving us? For one thing, we'll be getting The Tenth Planet, complete with an animated reconstruction of the final episode, preempting its individual release later this fall. No doubt some die-hards will want this set just so that they can get this well in advance of everyone else. Me? Well, I'm not overly fond of it. Due to health issues William Hartnell isn't even in most of it. It's a decent story but an exceedingly (and unavoidably) poor send-off.
In addition to that, we'll be getting some of my favorites--The War Games, Planet of the Spiders, and The Caves of Androzani, in addition to a variety of others that range from "meh" to "why would I spend a dime on that crap"? And the thing is, these are all available individually. Why would I pay $70 for three serials that I could get for...oh. Huh. The War Games alone is $50.
I mean, in fairness, The War Games is also a three-disc set studded with bonus features--including, cough cough, a documentary on regeneration--but I suppose if you're fond of most of the stories in the Regenerations set and don't care a lot about extras, than that might be the one for you. As near as I can tell, the book is the only extra here (made exceedingly likely be the presence of only five discs.) So, yeah. If you really just want info on this one topic, and don't mind getting a little crap mixed with the series highlights, this might be worth your money. Go for it.
I'd probably wait if you just want The Tenth Planet, though. I can't see it costing more than $25.
You can find Seth's Tumblr here. He reblogs a lot of Doctor Who stuff. You should follow him.
Doctor Who: Regenerations Box Set will be available June 10th in the UK and can be pre-ordered here.
Moffat on "The Name of the Doctor"
Steven Moffat on Doctor Who series 7 finale:
To the dismay of many fans, its seems we may actually learn the name of the Doctor. I think the biggest problem I have with this is that there isn't a name that could do it justice. Part of his anonymity is what I really like about the show. In a way, it gives us the message that he can really be anyone, and that you don't have to be an alien to be able to save the world. Thoughts?
Q: What can you tell us about the finale?
SM: It’s full of surprises and questions that have never been answered in the history of Who, including the Doctors greatest secret. We’re not pretending, we’re not kidding, it’s actually going to happen. The episode is called "The Name of the Doctor" and involves our hero in a conflict that is very, very personal to him. Usually he’s saving other people, but this time he might be the one who needs to be saved. We’ll also find out what makes his new companion so impossible and there’s a surprise that no one has got right so far, and one that will change the Who forever!
course of
"Hide" and "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS"
Hide
Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS
I was seriously enthralled by "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS". As well as being absolutely horrifying at some parts, it was extremely high-stakes, threatening to kill Clara again. I have a friend who will be very disappointed that it doesn't feature the wardrobe room. I thought we would see more of the TARDIS, as I'm sure most people did, but it did feature parts of it that I hadn't even thought of, like the library. By far, I think this episode was the best in the season thus far, rivalling "The Angels take Manhattan". The plot was clear and easy to follow, although complex; it was explained well. It featured many emotions and evoked many emotions. Each of the actors were showcased very well. Don't you wish more things had a big friendly button?
Happy Birthday, Jenna Coleman!
Happy Birthday, Russell T. Davies!
Russell T Davies celebrates his 50th birthday today. He is largely responsible for the return of Doctor Who in 2005. His pitch included a Doctor who was "your best friend; someone you want to be with all the time", the nineteen-year-old Rose Tyler as a "perfect match" for the new Doctor, avoidance of the forty-year back story "except for the good bits", the retention of the TARDIS, sonic screwdriver, and Daleks, removal of the Time Lords, and a greater focus on humanity. Read more on his involvement in the show here.
Friday, 26 April 2013
Bad Wolf Day
Bad Wolf Day is Monday, 3 June.
Here is the link to the Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/440513236043497/
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
"Turn Left" 4x11
Original Air Date: 21 June 2008
I almost hate this episode enough to not want to watch it again. I hate it because it is what would be without the Doctor!
Always go left....
I think they make that bug thing in like a backpack-y thing.
Did you pick up on that in "Fires of Pompeii," Lucius Petrus Dextrus said to Donna that there was something on her back?
This episode is invalid. Timelords have respatory bypass and therefore cannot drown.
The person in the stretcher wasn't DT. DT doesn't even know who it was.
Well, isn't that wizard?!
Is that like a sequel?
And Rose literally just disappears.
Its playing with Donna's hair!
It's more in a state of temporal grace than flux....
This...is to combat dehydration.
The music from this episode is particularly awesome. The released ones are: Turn Left, A Dazzling End, and The Rueful Fate of Donna Noble.
And the Doctor's all like...IZ MAH ROSE!
Always go left....
I think they make that bug thing in like a backpack-y thing.
Did you pick up on that in "Fires of Pompeii," Lucius Petrus Dextrus said to Donna that there was something on her back?
This episode is invalid. Timelords have respatory bypass and therefore cannot drown.
The person in the stretcher wasn't DT. DT doesn't even know who it was.
Well, isn't that wizard?!
Is that like a sequel?
And Rose literally just disappears.
Its playing with Donna's hair!
It's more in a state of temporal grace than flux....
This...is to combat dehydration.
The music from this episode is particularly awesome. The released ones are: Turn Left, A Dazzling End, and The Rueful Fate of Donna Noble.
And the Doctor's all like...IZ MAH ROSE!
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