Posts tagged drwho
Reboot Destroys Starbase
Aug 12th
Oh, poo. Here I am partway through putting together one epic scene. It’s getting late so I hit Render just so I’ve got a work-in-progress shot and walk away, leaving my little netbook chugging to itself.
Of course, I forget to save the scene. After all, I’m coming back to it in the morning, and nothing’s going to happen to it before that, right?
Wrong. Windows &^*()*&ing goes & runs an Update overnight and reboots without warning. The least it could have done is stopped and waited ’till I woke up, gawdammit! There’s a setting in there somewhere to fix that. I’ll find it.
Hey, at least DAZ Studio had the common decency to auto-save the render for me so I’ve still got the work-in-progress shot I wanted, even though the scene itself has been lost. Ah well. I may well remake it. I’d planned to add about another 40 or so characters in there from different films and TV series. So far I’ve got a few robots, aliens and vehicles in from Doctor Who, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Aliens, Babylon 5 (Cyclon kneeling to a Vorlon ftw!) & Black Hole and have barely begun to stratch the surface. I’d just started adding the spaceships before moving onto the characters – I was going to put Luke hanging from one of the base’s antenae while the Doctor (Tom Baker incarnation) was passing down his scarf. Something like that, anyhow.
See what Windows Update has done? Damn you!
Ah well. Back to the drawing board.
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Oh my god! They killed Rory!
Jun 27th
Jake’s comment that Rory is Doctor Who’s version of Kenny from South Park (and he so is – how many deaths can one character have in a single series?! He’s like Captain Jack’s skinnier brother) got me thinking. And laughing. Ok. Mostly laughing. But thinking too.
How about a Doctor Who cartoon from the makers of South Park?
Yeah. I’d watch that.
(created with the nifty SP-Studio)
Oh, and the final episode of the series was BRILLIANT! Den of Geek said everything you need to know about it. And yes, Christopher Eccleston is definitely the better dancer. No question.
River Song is…..
Jun 19th
If you’ve not watched the mind blowingly amazing latest episode of Doctor Who, don’t worry. I’m not going to spoil it for you! (And if you have I don’t need to, right?). My theory about the identity of River Song still holds though, with a few tantalizing lines confirming it even more in my mind.
River Song is…….
The TARDIS.
More accurately, she is the TARDIS from the future (after….. y’know… that THING happens) regrown from Amy’s Ring. That’s why she can fly the TARDIS, write Gallifreyan and keeps a dairy (her “memory bank”) that looks an awful lot like the ol’ Police Box. As she is regrown, her Chameleon circuit is working too, which is why she looks amazingly like Alex Kingston. And yes, that does mean that River Song is bigger on the inside than she is on the outside.
Don’t go there.
Want more proof?
Add an L from somewhere (I’m sure they’ll invent a middle initial or something) and River L. Song is an anagram of Lover’s Ring. Ok, it’s a stretch, but worse anagrams have been made in Doctor Who :D
In this episode she says to herself “Oh Doctor. It’s amazing I let you out” – something only the TARDIS can say!
The TARDIS is The Doctor’s constant companion, friend, ally, and has proven time and again (no pun intended) that she is utterly devoted to him. In a way, she IS his wife. The TARDIS has demonstrated her ability to create Sonic Screwdrivers which explains how she got one in Silence in the Library.
As to what on Earth she is up to, and what’s going to happen next episode, I haven’t the foggiest idea.
But I do know one thing.
It will be amazing.
In Moff, we trust.
Who is River Song, part two
Jun 19th
A while ago I posted my own theory about who the mysterious River Song is in the current run of Doctor Who. I was wrong. I was wrong in the same way that everyone who has suggested everyone from The Rani to Rose Tyler, from The Master in drag to The Doctor’s Mum to The Doctor’s Daughter is wrong. We are all wrong.
I’m say that because I have a New Theory. And it’s a good one. A doozy. It’s the only solution that fits. Unless Steven Moffat proves me wrong (again), of course :D
As with any mystery, it’s all a case of asking the right questions.
- Who is The Doctor’s constant companion more than any other, by a mile?
- Who knows more about The Doctor than anyone else, and keeps a record of all his incarnations?
- What is the significance of River Song’s diary?
- What is the significance of Rory’s engagement ring?
- Who did River Song kill? If it’s the Doctor, how?
- Who gave River Song her sonic screwdriver?
- Who should be able to fly the TARDIS better than anyone?
- What is an anagram of River Song? (I think there’s a letter missing, maybe more – if she gains a name badge saying Lt. Dr. River Song next episode, I’ll know for sure)
Out of respect for our Stateside cousins, I’m not going to spoil things and answer those questions until the end of the next episode. By then a few more pieces of the puzzle will have fallen into place, and perhaps even the answer revealed.
Pretty sure you should be able to work it out though. My blog readers are clever like that.
Like I said, it’s a doozy.
Watch this space!
Who is River Song?
Apr 25th
There’s a lot of theories out there about the mystery of River Song. Is she The Rani? Is she a Time Agent and worked alongside Captain Jack in the 51st Century? Is she human, Time Lord, or something else entirely? And is she really the Doctor’s wife?
Here’s my theory, to add one more onto the heap. River Song is Lucy Saxon, wife of The Master.
Here’s my thinking. Alex Kingston revealed a teaser in an interview that River “killed the best man she ever knew” – something which Lucy Saxon did when she shot The Master in Last of the Time Lords, and she was taught how to fly the TARDIS by someone else other than The Doctor (he was busy that day, as she put it).
Lucy was last seen in The End of Time when she apparently died after sabotaging The Master’s return. But what if she didn’t die, but instead was thrown through the time-stream or captured at the last moment by Time Agents to serve sentence for the murder and re-animation of The Master. The diary she owns wasn’t originally hers, but belonged to her husband, an obsessive tome about his arch enemy – she has merely added to it over time.
She is also most likely the one who took The Master’s ring from his funeral pyre at the end of Last of the Time Lords, having travelled back in time to reclaim it. If I’m right – and that’s a big if – then it will likely have major significance in the future.
Of course, it’s equally likely that she is someone entirely new, and really is a future companion and wife of The Doctor. Only time, as they say, will tell.
Food for thought, eh?
UPDATE: I got a whole new theory, right here!
Victory of the Daleks, a review
Apr 19th
It’s not often that I write reviews of Doctor Who episodes – other people do it much better and more comprehensively than I ever could. I’m making an exception though for two reasons: first, this was a cracking episode which is being unfairly (and wrongly) slammed over on Twitter by folks who know nothing. And secondly, three episodes is enough to form an opinion of The Doctor and Amy Pond.
Insert obligatory warning about spoilers here.
But first, let’s start at the beginning.
The first episode of any new Doctor is bound to be tricky. There’s a new face to introduce, a new style and this time around, a new companion and new-look TARDIS too. The Eleventh Hour managed this brilliantly, and even managed to squeeze in a small but perfectly formed plotline as well. The Doctor is presented as eccentric, confident and (after David Tennant’s glorious introspective moping in the later episodes) very upbeat. Matt Smith’s Doctor reminds me oh-so-much of Patrick Troughton that I’m expecting him to pull out a penny-whistle any minute. I was sold on the very first episode.
Then there’s Amy Pond. Oh, Amy Pond. She’s sparky, sexy, clever, outspoken and every bit the equal to the Doctor when it comes to solving problems. We saw that especially in The Beast Below where Amy out-Doctor’s the Doctor, in style. Both in that episode and in Victory of the Daleks we see the contrast between Amy & The Doctor’s personalities. In both, The Doctor focused in the pain of life (wanting to end the Star Whale’s suffering, and to convince Bracewell of his humanity) whereas Amy saw the love in life, and used that. There’s a whole ying-yang thing going on between them, and this Wulf approves.
If Matt Smith’s Doctor is akin to Patrick Troughton’s portrayal then Karen Gillan’s Amy Pond is right up their with Lalla Ward’s Romana. This is a Companion who looks the Doctor straight in the eye, and beyond. They’re an utterly winning combination together. Best companion so far? Quite possibly.
I just wonder what will happen when (and if) she meets Captain Jack. Pregnancy, probably.
The first episode was “all-action and introduce the characters”. The second was “we can do nice and gentle too” with a mystery to solve. The Beast Below is good solid filler Doctor Who story which further developed the relationship between The Doctor and Amy, but did not a lot more. I like these more low key episodes as they’re always a prelude to something big.
And big, it was! Victory of the Daleks (see? I got there eventually!) is a cracking boys-own yarn about WWII, Churchill, Spitfires in Space (frickin’ Spitfires in Space, people! This is Dan Dare territory!), the Blackout and the bombing of London. Oh, and Daleks. Mustn’t forget those.
Anyone – anyone – who didn’t like this episode needs to watch it with a couple of kids by their side. I saw it for the second time with my boys and they were utterly sold on it, from start to finish. I swear there was no eye movement at all while they watch the screen. They cheered and whooped for joy when the Spitfires appeared. They ooh’d at the shiny new Daleks (I’ll come onto those in a mo’) and they laughed like crazy at the Doctor threatening to blow up the Daleks with a Jammy Dodger.
For them (and for me) this is Doctor Who at its finest.
Well ok, I have one criticism. It was too short. This story would have been much, much, better as a two-parter. It needed more room to breath than a mere hour allows. We needed more time to empathize with Professor Bracewell, more airtime showing The Doctor and Ian McNeice’s fantastic Churchill. I’d have liked a scene with Amy Pond and the gal who lost her beau over the Channel. End part one on a climax (say, just as the Daleks blackout all of London) with the ominous words of Churchill “It’s just a matter of time…..” and we’re all set for part two.
Talking of time, it’s ironic that for a show about time-travel, it rarely handles the passage of time very well at all. This isn’t just a fault of Victory of the Daleks, but is common to almost every episode in the latest incarnation of the show. The impression is that everything that happens in the hour we’re watching the show really does happen in just an hour, or thereabouts. That became especially apparent in this episode where Bracewell somehow manages to kit out a whole squadron of Spirfires to make them space-worthy in under ten minutes. How hard would it be to have said “The Nazis will strike again tomorrow night. We have only 24 hours!” and add in a scene of the Doctor and Amy bunked down in a shelter, giving Amy her first true impression of life in the Blitz. But no.
It’s not a major thing – indeed, my boys missed that plot drop entirely – but I would like to feel that the Doctor sticks around for more than just an hour at a time before moving on.
I’ve been watching some of the Doctor Who Classic Series (and so should you), and the more I do the more I think that Doctor Who is infinitely better when it’s split into four or six thirty minute episodes per story. That gives room for the story to really take shape with highs (climactic endings!) and lows (time for proper acting, people!) to help bring the stories to life. It’s easy enough to empathize with The Doctor and his Companions when they’re on screen most of the time, but we scarcely get time to feel anything more about the other characters in the stories.
Food for thought, anyhow.
Oh, and the new/old Purebreed multi-colour Daleks? I love ‘em! In the words of my eldest “Wow. They’re Eeeeeeevil!”. The Daleks are back, and on top! Gone are the Daleks learning to be human and/or using human DNA (much as we loved them). These are retro bright and shiny, and have utterly no soul. More!
Then there’s the final crack in the wall, and the ongoing story arc. I have my theories, and maybe I’ll share ‘em sometime. Let’s just say I don’t think we have quite seen the last of David Tennant.
Overall, I’d give Victory of the Daleks 9/10. Best new Who so far.
Next on Doctor Who: They’re back. Don’t blink!
What would your TARDIS console look like?
Oct 16th
Over on the BBC Website there’s a competition (open to 6 to 12 year olds only) to design one of the consoles for the TARDIS interior. Here’s hoping that goes better than the Absorbaloth episode which dare not speak its name from a few years back, eh?
But anyhow. It got me thinking.
How would I redesign the TARDIS interior? Given that the current one is pretty curvy funky and tentacular, why not continue that theme and go full-on Lovecraftian with ancient tomes covering the walls, and have candles, skulls and other mystical paraphernalia littering the place.
In fact, something a bit like this……….
That’s my humble effort.
What would you do? Just askin’.
Say hi to the new Doctor Who logo
Oct 6th
So. What do you think?
Me, I don’t like it. It’s too “clever” in a thought-up-by-marketing kind of way. Someone said “I know. Let’s make the new logo look like the Tardis!” and because he was probably the highest paid ad-exec there (or it was lunchtime) they all thought it was a great idea then pissed off down the pub.
It’s like every other BBC-created logo from the past five years: plasticky faux 3D. I mean, compare the logo above with the previous one for Three:
Or how about the ones for BBC Two from a few years back……….
Both of these (and countless others) were fun in their day but things have moved on, and so, it seems, has the marketing team who thought them up. Straight to Doctor Who.
I mean – since when has making a logo look like the thing you’re selling ever worked? Imagine if the Star Trek logo had the text shaped to look like the frickin’ Enterprise, or the letters KFC somehow morphed into a greasy chicken.
And I don’t care how drop-dead gorgeous his new companion is; if she ever called him Dee Dubyah, I will kill someone.
The thing is they could have made it much, much better by just replacing that faux plastic abomination thingy with a simple shot of the battered old Tardis. Nothing fancy. Simple.
See?
Anyhow. That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
Spot the difference: Doctorin' the Twilight
Jul 21st
Kudos goes out to Robertson Games for catching this over on twitter..
Here’s Matt Smith as the good Doctor Who and his lovely companion Karen Gillian. She’s playing the unfortunately named Amy Pond. With a name like that you just know that at some point in the series the Doctor is going to shout out “Duck, Pond!”. Probably more than once. Maybe a lot.
They make such a lovely couple. You know you’re getting old when a 900+ year-old Time Lord looks younger than you.
And here’s a poster for a certain movie.
“When you can live forever, what do you live for?” indeed.
Me, I’m more than eager to see what Matt Smith can do with the role. Russell T Davros and the rest haven’t let us down yet, and if they see something special in him that’s all I need to know. From what little we’ve seen so far, I see echoes of a certain other incarnation of the Doctor…………
Maybe it’s the bow tie. but if he pulls out a penny whistle remember you saw it here first!
UPDATE: Good to see I’m not the only one to see the link between Matt Smith and Patrick Troughton :D
The Ten Doctors: Best thing I've read for a long time
May 28th
From the short and sweet dep’t:
Love Doctor Who? Want to read a Doctor Who graphic novel that’s 10,000 times better than anything you’ll see in an “Official” Doctor Who comic, ever? What if it’s funny, sympathetic, shows mastery of the whole Who mythos and is also a darned good yarn to boot? And free? (though donations are gratefully accepted)
Thought so.
Download The Ten Doctors by Rich in it’s 247-page entirety and say goodbye to a few hours of your life as you’re drawn into a story that ties in all of the Doctors, his companions, all major enemies and more than a bushel of cameos from pretty much everyone else.
Rich has completely nailed the different characters and personalities of the Doctors and his allies, and it’s drawn in a style that that at first feels crude and unfinished, but ends up being perfect for the tale. By the end, I’ll bet you can’t imagine it having been drawn any other way. It’s superb from start to finish.
This is one 10 that gets 10 out of 10.
