Doctor Who
Season 4 Episode 13 - Journey’s End

If you are currently watching Doctor Who on the Sci Fi Channel stop reading this now, because this is my review of the 2 part season finale, and it will contain spoilers.

PUT THAT BOOK DOWN, SPOILERS!

To read my review of part one, The Stolen Earth click here

Come on, you knew he wasn’t going anywhere, didn’t you. Let’s be honest about that. And you also knew that that hand was going be involved, I mean why else has it been sitting there under the console all this time, and not under the decks in trunk H for hand. This is an example why Doctor Who is much more Fantasy than Science Fiction, while the universe has set rules, it doesn’t mind bending them a bit to tell the story, and it doesn’t get bogged down into the hows and whys with pages of dreadful technobable to explain it. One rapidly spoken sentence, from the Doctor explains it all away, and lets us get on with the adventure.  And while The Doctor has escaped regeneration, he, Donna, Rose and Captain Jack are still trapped in the TARDIS, which has been transported to the ominious and vaguely Death Star looking Dalek Crucible.

A few more old faces coming back, Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler join the family reunion. Two of the better extended family characters the RTD has brought into the mythos. (Let’s face it we never saw much of what happened to the families companions left behind in the original series) I think that Mr. Davies got it right on with these two, the mother left to worry and fret, and the boyfriend, jealous and upset of being left behind. Mickey and Jackie arrive in the nick of time to save Sarah Jane, (We Smiths have to stick together) Only to have the three of them surrender and be taken up to the Dalek ship so they can find the Doctor, and the TARDIS. Meanwhile, Martha has gotten herself to Germany with the mysterious Osterhagen Key, has a mysterious conversation with a woman with a gun, and then descends down a hidden elevator. Captain Jack gets himself shot by the Dalek Supreme, so that he can be taken off, presumed dead (but we all know Jack can’t die) and be an ace in the hole for the Doctor. The Daleks have the technology to disable and destroy a TARDIS (something they have gained fighting the Time War) and they attempt to do just that, having disabled all TARDIS defenses and chucked it down the trash chute and to the fiery power source of the Crucible, but Donna is still trapped on board, and death seems certain for her and the TARDIS.  When Donna, hiding under the console, seeking protection sees the Hand jar glowing with regenretive energy.  One touch and it explodes, and vooosh! from the hand a whole new Doctor grows.  This new Doctor – identical to the current incarnation manages to get the TARDIS out of danger and quietly slips out beyond detection. At last the Doctor and Davros meet again, (not doing the nostalgia tour tho) the Doctor presses for information. The Dalek’s have taken 27 worlds from across time and space, and brought them to a time pocket in the Medusa Cascade, and these 27 worlds will bring about the power the Dalek’s need to power their super weapon and destroy everything.  The Daleks are assured of success too because Dalek Caan’s here too, all crazed and making dire predictions (The mad mutant was truly a sight to behold, Nick Briggs’ sing songy delivery of Caan’s ramblings was pitch perfect.)  As Davros goes on about the plans of the Daleks -  the unmaking of all things not Dalek with the power radiation from the Crucible’s main weapon, the reality bomb. (which apparently unrealizes things)  Twist and turns the Children of Time move into position.  Jack finds  Mickey, Jackie and Sarah Jane, and Sarah reveals her hold card, a bomb given to her by an alien fortune teller, a very powerful bomb inside a diamond.  Martha  has taken the Osterhagen Key  and with two other UNIT members, has threatened the Dalek’s master plan, by threaten to destroy the earth with 26 sub surface Nuclear Devices that will crack the planet open (Osterhagen = Earth’s Gone) and then Jack and Co also make their presence known – threatening to destroy the Crucible with the Warpstar bomb in their possession.  The Daleks transport everyone to Davros’ lab, thwarting all the attempts to stop their plan.  But the arrival of the TARDIS and the newly born Doctor and Donna arrive,  and together the Children of Time step up and save existence.  I want details a surprise for those of you have not seen it, and the revolutions revealed about Donna, the Doctor and the other Doctor (as Jack says.. “3 doctors –I cant tell you what I’m thinking right now”) Unlike the previous episode, which dragged out the re-introductions and was intended from keeping the Doctor and Rose apart as long as possible, this episode flys by, which is interesting because t runs a good 20m longer than the average Doctor Who episode. There were times where I wished they took a bit longer on things.  The goodbyes to Martha, Jack, Mickey and Sarah Jane seemed extreme rushed.  (Mickey fans, I have a feeling you will want to keep your eyes out for Torchwood Series 3).

RTD was really saying goodbye here too,  I know he still has 4 more specials coming down the pipe, but I have a hunch they will all stand alone, even from each other.  He was really out there to give fans what they wanted (or thought they wanted)  I have a friend, Thomasin who will squeal with delight when she sees what happens on the beach back in Bad Wolf Bay.  Donna however,  Donna made an incredible journey since we first met her that Christmas all dressed in white.  It was sad to see Dalek Caan’s perdiction come true in such a horrible way, but it doesn’t really come true either.

There are few moments that I loved more than others in this episode

-          David Tennant channeling a fantastc Catherine Tate impression,

-          Anything with Davros,(not doing the nostalgia tour)

-          Donna Noble Time Lady

-          At 36 minutes in and everyone is finally together

-          Donna throwing Sarah Jane off of Capn Jack

Some of the things I really didn’t care much for

-          I’m so sorry, (If I ever hear that line again…)

-          Happy ending/ bit of a fanwank  for Rose in Pete’s world returning to Bad Wolf Bay (although I loved Jackie sassing the Doctor with the name of the baby)

A fairly satisfying end to it all I would say,  giving almost everyone an end to a journey.  Jack and Sarah Jane pretty much go through mostly unscathed, of course due to their series.   And setting a pretty clean table for Steven Moffatto begin work on Series 5 in 2010.

hey there blog buddies -

Thank you thank you thank you for all your support again,  so many of you have given me so much in the ways that you all could, and I am eternally grateful.

But that doesn’t make up for the lack of COUNTDOWNS. So….

RETURNS!

So  lets quick catch up, I am temping and I hate it, but I knew I would when I started.  So I sally forth.

Things are slowly coming together for me on the homefront, as I catch up after 8 months of touring.   I am looknig into the possiblity of getting a roommate,  now since I have a 1 bedroom, that means I may need to move, unless I become very close to a single female anytime soon (no don’t have one in particular in mind). That being said, I have shared my place short term with friends before,  folks who needed a place to stay while they were in town for a week a month ever a couple of days, and I will continue that offer as long as folks need it.  (think of it as staying at Dave’s Bronx B&B)

I know many of you have expressed concern about my mother.  She is still in chemo, but responding as well as we could have hoped.  Her spirits are strong, and positive, and she is looking forward to the family vacation she had planned before she became ill, in August, when she will go with my sisters and their families to Myrtle Beach, SC for a week.

GEEKSVILLE -  its coming back don’t you worry, I have 2 reviews sitting on my desk that need proofing,  A comic and that second half of the Doctor Who finale.

LOST LOVE -  Well I said in the last one, I think I am done with that now,  I have been looking to my past to figure out what I had been doing wrong there, and It has served me well -  I do have a new series planned to follow up on it.  I think if you like to read the MISSED CONNECTIONS on craigslist.org  yo may like this. LOL

JOB HUNT -  That is the next project,  I am temping yes, I have no intentions of staying in the place forever tho, so expect to hear about what it takes to re-invent yourself in today’s job market.

Ok  much peace to you all -

The Countdown continues…..

Doctor Who Season 4 Episodes 12
The Stolen Earth

If you are currently watching Doctor Who on the Sci Fi Channel  stop reading this now, because this is my review of the 2 part season finale, and it will contain spoilers.

PUT THAT BOOK DOWN, SPOILERS!

So lets talk about what has come before first.  The fourth series of Doctor Who has been very good, if some what uneven,  I was glad to see the Sontarans, but thought the story was a bit stretched over 2 parts.  The Doctor’s Daughter was full of promise, but didn’t fully deliver (but wasn’t she just cute as a button, always running)  I knew from the beginning that I would like Donna Noble as a companion, unlike many others who openly slammed the idea of the Donna Noble’s return to the series.  She brought a freshness to the Doctor/Companion relationship, someone who wants to be with the Doctor, not out of some gooey romantic motivation, but out of love simply of the life, she has truly been a match for the Doctor, a companion more in the mold of Tegan Jovanka (another companion who did not originally choose to travel with the Doctor, but someone who stumbled into the TARDIS.

Now Lets talk about these episodes - The Stolen Earth was really just setting up for Journey’s End, and there was a lot to set up - Torchwood in Cardiff, introducing Gwen and Ianto to the pre-watershed audience, Sarah Jane and her son, Luke to the parents, reminding everyone who Harriet Jones is (Former Prime Minister)  and then getting everyone together in to find the Doctor, who has gone of to the Shadow Proclamation to find help (and the Judoon! Ma Ho!)  The Subwave Network, financed by the Mr.Copper foundation (so much for laying low, eh Mr. Copper?) brings together everyone who can help find the Doctor.  I was kind of disappointed,  by it, because it could have been a nice nod for older fans-  maybe a display screen that listed former companions that could not be reached (Tegan in Australia? Harry Sullivan?  The Brig?  Jo Grant? Ace?  Even their names on a screen would have been a nice touch.)  The reveal of Davros, was a fairly poorly kept secret - but Julian Beach was fantastic at recreating the character, and bravo to the production team. The real surprise came at the end, just as the Doctor and Rose finally see one another and they are about to re-unite, tradgey strikes in the form of a lone Dalek, and a single shot fired, and it appears that David Tennant’s time as the Doctor is coming to an abrupt stop as his body coarses with yellow energy and the words come out of his mouth “I’m regenerating….”  Then the three most obivious and at same time frustrating word….  “TO BE CONTINUED”

On to part 2, and on to the Journey’s End tomorrow…..

Ok -  I bet you read that and thought I was going to say something about reality TV -  well  you  would be wrong, since I don’t really watch too much reality TV.  Oh I may catch a bit of Extreme Makeover Home Addition, because I enjoy seeing how they make some of those things.  And some of the other renovation shows (going all the way back to “This Old House”)  cause even though I am not a home owner, I like to know how to do things around the house.  And sometimes sitting in a hotel room you have nothing to watch but some of the trainwreck celebreality shows on VH-1, but that is not reality…  my reality is on CBS and its called “The Big Bang Theory“

This week’s episode, entitled “The Nerdvana Annihilation” once again made me laugh at myself and at times scared me a little too much of what I am. This week’s episode brought up the issue of choosing to put away nerdyish things, to become a more mainstream member of society.

It is a delimna I find myself in - There are things going on in my life right now, important things, that I need to face, and I have to put aside some of the things truely make me happy for a time.

So the Geek has been gone - read the blog for the story - I don’t want to get into that now - Lets talk about the Arrival of Spring and what it brings with it, warm weather, baseball, women in central park wearing sun dresses and the new seasons of Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica!

First up- DOCTOR WHO - SERIES 4 He’s back again, the Last of the Time Lords, and his new season begins with a rip roaring extended adventure. once again on Christmas Day, though this time most of the story takes place above Earth, and not on it, on the Max Capricon Cruise Lines, Space Luxury Liner Titanic visiting Earth to observe primitive culture. What comes about tho - is more Posiden Adventure than Titanic, as the ship is damaged in a meteor shower and is hurtling towards London. The Doctor must lead a motley group of survivors through the ship and restart the ships Nuclear Storm drive before it hits the planet below and the resulting wiping out all life on Earth. What I love most about Doctor Who is its a show that never takes its self too seriously. It knows its fun, and David Tennant as the Doctor is the epitome of fun. Never have I seen an actor just happy to be part of something.

Doctor Who is a show that has had to continually re-invent itself over its 45 years. Sometimes its a action adventure, sometimes its science fiction, sometimes its camp fantasy, but it is always true to its internal nature. It is the story every little boy wants to be - Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland, with his Wendy in tow. This time the role of companion is filled by cruise ship waitress Astrid Pith, played by the vivacious Kylie Minogue. Her performance will not replace the memory of Rose for those Whoshippers out there, but she does give some great moments. Those of you who are fans of the Britcoms you see on PBS, you will see some familiar faces as well. Douglas Adams’ fans will also see nods to various works by the late brillant writer.

This episode airs tonight on SCIFI, as the Doctor Who Season Premeire, but it actually was a holiday special airring on Christmas Day last year, while the 4th season proper just began on April 5th on the BBC, and will begin next week on SCIFI. When the Doctor says “Allons-y!” you will gladly follow where he leads. One thing we did not get to see in America is DOCTOR WHO:TIME CRASH - A 8 minute special that appeared on the “Children in Need” a full day telethon on the BBC that helps raise money for, well, children in need, sick kids in hopsital. This short is shoehorned in between last years final moments and before the Titanic actually hits the TARDIS - and it does something I never thought I would see in this new series, but something I was very excited to see - I found it on youtube, and put here below for you.

On the other end of the SCIFI universe we finally rejoin the rag tag fugitive fleet of Battlestar Galactica as they begin their 4th and final season and continue their search for Earth. Its been a while since BSG has had a new episode, not quite sure what was going on at the end of season 3 - then take the next 8 minutes to remind yourself “What the frak is going on?”

All caught up? Good. Season 4 began on April 4, and after 2 epsiodes I realized I love this show for the exact opposite reason I love Doctor Who. This is a show that takes itself very seriously, but does so with out being preachy, It just tells a good story, and does it very well on every level, writing, directing, acting, this show has been consistantly one of the most challenging dramas on TV. Morally ambiguous, real people inhabit the Galactica. Even the artifical lifeform Cylons are more real than 85% of the characters on network drama. The talented actors who play the 7 models of Cylon often find themselves having to play multiple versions of themselves - In particular, the number 8’s Sharons and the especially the number 6’s make you believe they are really different people. And we now have met 4 of the final 5 (have we? have we really?) What do they have to do with the Temple of the 5 of ancient Colonial religion? What is going on with Baltar? Has he found his calling, becoming the prophet of the Cylon God? Given healing abilities? I don’t know. But I can’t wait to find out!

Here is my look back at Geek TV in 2007.

    It was the year of the geek in 2007 on TV.  So many new shows this year
Geeks crossed over into the mainstream this year in a big time.  It was not just the continued castaway adventure/fantasy hit LOST.  New shows, like NBC’s HEROES really came into its own in the second half of its first season. These shows, other hits  like 24 proved to the networks that there is an mainstream audience for well written serialized action/adventure drama.  Then the new TV season began this fall and geeks are everywhere, and Scifi and fantasy moved out front and center.

CHUCK - you can’t take this show seriously, but it is a lot of fun.  What “nerd herd”er hasn’t dreamed of his life becoming a video game adventure, being protected by a sexy CIA agent pretending to be your girlfriend.

BIG BANG THEORY - The breakout character of the year can be found here - and his name is Sheldon. Played by Jim Parsons,  he is the fussy, OCD, nebbish physicist roommate of Leonard (Johnny Galecki), in a year of great sidekicks/second bananas (Morgan on CHUCK, Sock on REAPER, Ando on HEROES) he is the heir apparant to David Hyde Pierce’s Niles Crane.

PUSHING DAISIES - This is show is a modern fable. The bastard child of Amiele and Edward Siccsorshands.  It is visually distinctive, full of quirky characters all defty played by a wonderful cast, Anna Friel is a delight as the recently resurrrected  lonely tourist Charlotte “Chuck:” Charles,  and Kristen Chenowerth gets to showcase all of her talents, as the Pie Hole’s resident singing former jockey, short skirt wearing waitress Olive.

             

Other Highlighs this year
- Doctor Who (Return of the Master!, Kylie Minogue)
- Battlestar Galactica (Who is the final Cylon?)
- Life on Mars (Will Sam find his way home?)

and things I’m looking ahead to 2008

With the WGA strike continuing on into the new year, who knows when we will get to see new episodes,  lucky for us the BBC is still in business

Torchwood - Series 2 of this Doctor Who Spin off, begins on BBC2 on Jan 16 and then airs on BBCAmerica on Jan 26, lets hope we get more eps like Countrycide and Out of Time, and less like End of Days.  Things start with a Bang when James Marsters (Angel, Buffy, Smallville) guest stars. Season 1 comes to DVD on Jan 22.

Ashes to Ashes - Different decade, Different city, the same Gene Hunt.  In this spin off of Life on Mars, sees another modern police officer finding herself in another time (this time its the 1980’s and its London)

Doctor Who - Season 4 - Sontarons, Agatha Christie, Donna, Martha, and the return of Rose.

Heard someone say that the other day –  it doesn’t have much to do with this blog, but it got you here.  – Bait and switch, sue me. Another Late update – been busy on the road – so just some highlights for right now Finishing up tour this week – One more show on Friday in Cedar Grove, NJ. YEAH!  While on tour in Indiana, I discovered that my show today was a town over from a very old friend of mine, who I don’t think I have seen much of since 1990.  We got together for some food and catching up.  He is still as mild mannered as unassuming as ever.

Married, 4 kids all boys and 5th child on the way in the spring – they are hoping girl.  I told him 5 boys make a great basketball team.   Our conversation however, did not include any mention of the fact that his sister and I have been getting together from time to time, in a no strings sort of way. (that got your attention didn’t it)

Starting Saturday I begin rehearsals on a TYA show for TWUSA called THE MYSTERY OF KING TUT

King Tut will star LOU STEELE as Howard Carter, the archeologist who found Tut’s Tomb.   Of course Lou and I have worked together 2 summers at the Weathervane Theatre, in 2005 and 2006.

B

Barn Bat 2006

Of course Christmas is coming up -  I still need to find gifts for Mom and Dad.  And I wouldn’t mind one more thing for my neice.   I have spent enough money on her.  More than I did on my nephew.  He just as 3 or 4 little things and she has 2 boxes.  Trying to find something for a 7 year old girl that is not a Barbie doll or stuffed animal (she has too many of both)  I like to get her something intellectually stimulating as  well as fun. So I will be in NYC from Christmas through 1/7 at least – I don’t know my touring info for TUT yet.  But I have a hunch it will be similar to what I did with Quimby last year. Midwest/south east -  hopeful a lot of south east in the winter moving north in the spring

Ok that its for this -  look for a Geeksville special blog this week recapping a year in geekdom.

Peace in the Middle East

Rain in Spain

Knave

I never thought it would be hard to keep this on schedule - but I am already falling behind 3 weeks in.

I have been taken copious notes tho, about my life and things I want to talk about.  I did a lot of laundry this past week (and still have more to do, but that’s another story).  And I realized that when it comes to getting dressed, I still dress like I was in college.  I have so many black t shirts, the majority of which express a sarcastic funny thought, or a cartoon/comic character. (all very geeky stuff)

Now wearing black is an occupational hazard, but I think I would really like to update my wardrobe some.  I don’t want to loose my sense of style (geeky as it maybe)  But I think there should be a way to dress geeky and still be fashionable.  I believe a man should dress with a sense of timelessness.  I hate trends.  I would like to be able to walk onto the set of any movie in hollywood, set in any period in the 20th/21st century.

While on the subject of fashion.  When exactly did men stop wearing hats?  I mean real hats, not ballcaps?   I like hats.  I have considered starting a hat movement.  More on this to come.

• “A goal without a plan is just a daydream”

• “Failure to plan is planning to fail.”

So last week I set down some ambitious goals for myself to accomplish over the next 51 weeks. So now what? How do I stay on course to succeed? Where do I begin? Now its time to break it down, and make it happen.

The things I have set out to do are either things I want to do to improve myself or my personal life, the others are professional goals.Where do I begin?

My biggest day in/day out concern has been money – so my job search has been on my mind a lot,I have work through the next 2 months or so, and a temp agency that will probably get me something to tied me over as I search for work that I want to do.Its getting that job that seems to be problematic tho

On the personal front - loosing weight – well there are three things I can do right away that well help start the process.

• 1)Stop drinking sweetened beverages (soda, pre sweetened teas and lemonades etc) I am going to try for the next three months (for starters) to give up soda completely
• 2) Drink Water – Lots and lots of water. This is something I have already begun to do. Just need to do it better and more.
• 3) Hold the Mayo - I am going to try to switch from mayo to mustard as my condiment of choice on sandwiches (which is also something I am going to try to eat less off)

These three simple things, coupled with a fairly active work life should see a dramatic start to any weight loss.

Oh and I said I was going to begin, so here is my first video blog!

Kissing a geek?

It’s almost 4 am, and I am up again getting ready for another day of work, so this will be brief, and may not be very funny.

I wanted to do a special blog for today - (later today I mean, not this one) I have been toying around with some ideas that I was thinking of annoucing. I don’t want to be premature on it tho. I do have a habit of starting things and not finishing them. So I am working on a 53 part plan. Hope I can bring you up to speed on in it soon.

Oh yeah, in case you hadn’t heard I turned 36 today

some other folks celebrating today

• Raina S
• Jim B
• Bianca B

oh and….

• 1452 - Richard III of England (d. 1485)
• 1737 - Francis Hopkinson, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence (d. 1791)
• 1798 - King Charles Albert of Sardinia (d. 1849)
• 1800 - Nat Turner, American leader of slave uprising (d. 1831)
• 1852 - William Ramsay, Scottish chemist (d. 1916)
• 1869 - Mahatma Gandhi, Indian politician and spiritual leader (Father of the India) . (d. 1948)
• 1871 - Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (d. 1955)
• 1879 - Wallace Stevens, American poet (d. 1955)
• 1890 - Groucho Marx, American comedian and actor (d. 1977)
• 1895 - Bud Abbott, American comedian and actor (d. 1974)
• 1911 - Jack Finney, American author (d. 1995)
• 1914 - Jack Parsons, American rocket scientist (d. 1952)
• 1928 - George “Spanky” McFarland, American actor (d. 1993)
• 1937 - Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., American attorney (d. 2005)
• 1938 - Rex Reed, American movie critic and actor
• 1945 - Don McLean, American songwriter
• 1948 - Avery Brooks, American actor
• 1948 - Donna Karan, American fashion designer
• 1949 - Annie Leibovitz, American photographer
• 1951 - Sting, English musician and actor
• 1955 - Lorraine Bracco, American actress
• 1960 - Robbie Nevil, American singer and songwriter
• 1967 - Bud Gaugh, American musician (Sublime)
• 1970 - Kelly Ripa, American actress
• 1970 - Maribel Verdú, Spanish actress
• 1971 - Tiffany, American singer
• 1972 - Tara Dawn Holland, Miss America 1997

Want to find out some interesting things that happened on this date?
CLICK HERE

Have a good one