Sat Feb 25 12:21:12 PST 2006
Doctor Who Comes to SciFi Channel
The SciFi Channel begins
broadcasting the first season of the new Doctor Who series on
Friday, March 17 with a two-hour, back-to-back broadcast of the
first two episodes: "Rose" and "The End of the World." I think this
is a very smart programming decision, for a couple of
reasons.
Firstly, while I liked "Rose," it doesn't really do enough to introduce all the major characters and plot devices on its own. It's only when paired with the second episode that the scope and characterization, as well as the nature of the Doctor Who universe, really begin to come together for the non-Whovian.
I plan to record the entire run on my ReplayTV 5500 so that I can watch them over and over--and perhaps even do a little cavorting to the theme music.
Now that brings back memories better left repressed. :)
Firstly, while I liked "Rose," it doesn't really do enough to introduce all the major characters and plot devices on its own. It's only when paired with the second episode that the scope and characterization, as well as the nature of the Doctor Who universe, really begin to come together for the non-Whovian.
I plan to record the entire run on my ReplayTV 5500 so that I can watch them over and over--and perhaps even do a little cavorting to the theme music.
Now that brings back memories better left repressed. :)
Sat Feb 25 12:05:31 PST 2006
Looting at Gallifrey 2006
Glindy and went to Gallifrey 2006
last weekend. We had a good time overall. I saw a number of
celebrity panels, including a stand-out interview with Louise Jameson,
who also did a very funny monologue at the end, and some witty
on-stage repartee from Noel Clarke, who plays Mickey in the latest
Dr. Who television revival.
A real highlight for me was when Mary Tamm and Pamela Salem came up to say hello to Glindy. They thought she was outstandingly cute, and both seemed quite happy to feed her a small bit of buffalo jerky.
I didn't really make any new friends, or get to get as much socializing or celebrity glad-handing as I had expected, but I did manage to come home with some very cool loot:
A real highlight for me was when Mary Tamm and Pamela Salem came up to say hello to Glindy. They thought she was outstandingly cute, and both seemed quite happy to feed her a small bit of buffalo jerky.
I didn't really make any new friends, or get to get as much socializing or celebrity glad-handing as I had expected, but I did manage to come home with some very cool loot:
- a 17-foot Tom Baker-style scarf,
- a complete set of the BBV audio and video adventures,
- a complete set of Bernice Summerfield audios from Big Finish,
- some hard-to-find MP3-CDs from the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton eras, and
- five shirts in various styles, with several different Doctor Who logos embroidered on the pockets.
Sat Feb 11 16:41:52 PST 2006
Gallifrey 2006
Glindy and I are headed to Gallifrey 2006 in
Los Angeles this weekend for the 17th annual Doctor Who convention. I've
always wanted to go to one of these, but never made the time until
now.
Part of the draw, of course, is that Doctor Who is once again in production over at the BBC. Without new shows, I'm not sure I would be as excited about going as I currently am.
While I'm a Doctor Who fan from way back, I've never been a typical fanboy. I'm not excited about dressing up as the Doctor (although I've always wanted a Baker-era scarf), or wandering around convention floors discussing the finer points of TARDIS console design. I do, however, have embarrassing memories of cavorting in front of the TV, doing the happy dance to the show's theme music. I also remember being very depressed when our stone-age VCR from the early 80s--which had manual channel tuners, if you can believe it--slipped out of alignment and cost me a clean recording.
The 2005 season of Doctor Who was fabulous. The production values were high, the characters were great, and the writing was very emotional. The science sucked, of course. As a SF&F geek, I find it hard to forgive the occasional--but inexcusably bad--science faux pas in this show; anyone else remember "The End of the World," where Rose was decidedly not burned by super-heated air as the sun's radiation poured in?
Still, warts and all, I love the updated take on the Time Lord mythos. Christopher Eccleston and David Tenant are both enjoyable as the Doctor, and Rose is destined to be one of my favorite companions of all time, right alongside Leela and Romana #2.
Meanwhile, I'm off to see Mary Tamm (Romana #1) and Louise Jameson (Leela) at the convention. And who knows...I might even find a Baker-era scarf to bring home in my loot bag!
Part of the draw, of course, is that Doctor Who is once again in production over at the BBC. Without new shows, I'm not sure I would be as excited about going as I currently am.
While I'm a Doctor Who fan from way back, I've never been a typical fanboy. I'm not excited about dressing up as the Doctor (although I've always wanted a Baker-era scarf), or wandering around convention floors discussing the finer points of TARDIS console design. I do, however, have embarrassing memories of cavorting in front of the TV, doing the happy dance to the show's theme music. I also remember being very depressed when our stone-age VCR from the early 80s--which had manual channel tuners, if you can believe it--slipped out of alignment and cost me a clean recording.
The 2005 season of Doctor Who was fabulous. The production values were high, the characters were great, and the writing was very emotional. The science sucked, of course. As a SF&F geek, I find it hard to forgive the occasional--but inexcusably bad--science faux pas in this show; anyone else remember "The End of the World," where Rose was decidedly not burned by super-heated air as the sun's radiation poured in?
Still, warts and all, I love the updated take on the Time Lord mythos. Christopher Eccleston and David Tenant are both enjoyable as the Doctor, and Rose is destined to be one of my favorite companions of all time, right alongside Leela and Romana #2.
Meanwhile, I'm off to see Mary Tamm (Romana #1) and Louise Jameson (Leela) at the convention. And who knows...I might even find a Baker-era scarf to bring home in my loot bag!