Watching Doctor Who

Cast your mind back. Back to the beginning of the new series of Doctor Who. While we are waiting for the next special to air this weekend, I was thinking that it would be nice to go back to where we started. Ponder, if you will, series one. Which episode(s) do you prefer? Are you all about the Autons? Do you prefer Space Pigs? If you have a wee bit of trouble with this task, please consult the list below. Please remember rule one, however, and don’t wander off.

Run!
1. Rose
2. The End of the World
3. The Unquiet Dead
4. Aliens of London
5. World War Three
6. Dalek
7. The Long Game
8. Father’s Day
9. The Empty Child
10. The Doctor Dances
11. Boom Town
12. Bad Wolf
13. The Parting of the Ways

My favorite ninth doctor episode is Father’s Day. Maybe it’s the theme of willing sacrifice, or the sudden understanding of where Rose came from. You look at her father and you think, “Ah! I understand now. This is where Rose gets her wild intelligence and ability to adapt to The Doctor’s lifestyle.” Pete Tyler looks at Rose and knows who she is, completely ignoring the fact that her presence there is impossible. He even manages to save the day, The Doctor, and everyone else by understanding the whole unbelievable situation and seeing what he needs to do. This episode also contains one of my favorite images of the season. It’s later in the episode, The Doctor is gone, and Rose’s despairing profile is immobile to the left of the screen. She seems to be carved out of stone for a moment. It’s such an interesting image. Something that lingers in the mind. Whatever the reason, Father’s Day is my favorite episode.

So, what is your opinion?

Doctor Who, ninth doctor, Rose, The Doctor

This week I have a question for you on the subject of music. What song makes you think of Doctor Who? No, I don’t mean songs from the soundtrack. In fact, I will specifically say a song other than one that appears on the soundtracks. Do you have a piece or classical music, pop song, or filk that makes you think of the show? You don’t need to confine your answer to just one song. Go ahead and give me several. And I’ll even try making a playlist for us when all the suggestions are in. Sound like fun?

As usual, I’ll get you started with a few suggestions.

A few musical suggestions:
1. Snow Patrol - Make This Go On Forever
2. Holst - The Planets
3. Muse - Map of the Problematique
4. Ian Dury And The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
5. Wilco - How to Fight Loneliness

Honestly, I have a whole list of songs that make me think of different parts of the Whoniverse. I mean, there are the ones that were used in the episodes and don’t appear on the soundtracks. How can we forget Rogue Traders’ “Voodoo Child” and Scissor Sisters’ “I Can’t Decide”? Occasionally, I run across bands that are rife with Who connections. Snow Patrol is a big one in that sense. I could do a whole playlist of just their stuff. Anyway, I’ll offer three songs for my contribution. 1) Snow Patrol - Make This Go On Forever, Muse - Map of the Problematique (I was beyond happy to hear this one in one of the Confidentials), and This Picture - All I Believe In.

Your turn.

Hello folks. My question for you this week is going to require an extra bit of thought and creativity. If you could create your own baddie for an episode of Doctor Who, what sort of baddie would that be? Think about it. What sort of baddie would you go with? Would you go with a plain, everyday, garden-variety Earth-based human villain? The sort of person that has no idea that aliens exist? I tend to refer to these sorts of stories as the “Earth Lobby” stories, as they drop our fantastical crew into normal, everyday situations. Are you partial to strange alien societies that must be stopped from world or Universal domination? I suppose that these sorts of villains, like the Daleks, Cybermen, and Sycorax are just generally seen as “bad as a whole.” It’s rare to encounter a truly sympathetic member of such races. Do you prefer the “one bad apple” scenario, in which we encounter one naughty member of an otherwise polite species? Perhaps you’re like a certain Mr. Moffat, and you’ve thought of some basic human fear to exploit?

Now that you’ve chosen your basic scenario, will you choose to start fresh with a new species or offer a new twist on an old adversary? If you’re going with an entirely new species, what are their strong points and what do they look like? Don’t worry, you don’t have to know what their plan is, you just have to know who they are. So…who are they?

As for me, I’ve always been fond of the Earth-based baddie (for example, Mr. Van Statten) who gets caught up in something way beyond them. Perhaps I just like to see mean annoying humans get their comeuppances. But, if I were to design my own baddie, I’d probably approach the problem in the style of Mr. Moffat and take a look at common item to make scary. It would be easier to do this sort of baddie for Torchwood, come to think of it. In any case, I think I’d go with a being made of light in some fashion. Perhaps, in their quest to claim the Earth for their own, they spend a lot of time trying to hide in lamps and such. With such an enemy, I suppose that darkness could be your friend.

There’s my lame attempt. What have you all come up with?

By this point we’ve heard about the companions chosen for for the first two of the 2009 Doctor Who specials. My question for you all this week is: If you could chose one of the companions for the specials, who would you choose? Bearing in mind that the Doctor could theoretically have anyone for a companion, I advise you to go with your first instinct for a response. Mind you, they should probably be alive unless you have a plan where, for example, you want the Doctor to have Charlie Chaplin (as played by Robert Downey Jr.) as a companion. So, who’s it to be? Anne Hathaway? Daniel Radcliffe? Perhaps Shah Rukh Khan? (Why not? We’re dreaming big here. You may chose whomever you wish.) As per usual, I offer you a few suggestions to get you thinking.

Who should travel with the Doctor?

• Viggo Mortensen (Just think of what he could do with a role on the show.)
• Michael Shanks (He can be just about anyone.)
• Kate Winslet (She’s had a lot of quirky roles. I’d like to see her in something on the small screen.)
• Diana Rigg (She’d help to save the day with a smile, no matter how old she gets.)
• Gillian Anderson (Is she naturally ginger? Either way it would be fun to see what she could do.)

I really had to think about this for a while, which is part of the reason I’m posting this so late. Finally, I decided, at least at this moment, I’d love to see Kate Winslet on our show. She’s a brilliant actress who’s done all manner of roles. Why not the Doctor’s companion for an episode?

So, who is your choice?

Erik and Colin

Yay! I can post again! I don’t know what was up with my browser/computer/site interaction last night, but I couldn’t seem to get here. Sorry. But now, here I am with a very important question for you all. How much would you like to hear about my epic trip to Gallifrey One? (For the record, I am obsessed with Twitter, so you can follow my tweets @calliope while I’m on my trip…or any time, actually. ) I’m heading down to Los Angeles on Thursday, and I’m on my way back on Monday. At least that’s my current plan. I’ve actually pulled stuff to have folks autograph this year, in stark contrast to the two previous years I’ve attended.

So…What Is Your Vote?

• I just want a quick overview.
• One post per day of the con is good for me.
• I desire in-depth con info.
• In-depth con info with pictures, darn it!
• I want you to post reaction videos at the end of each day using your terrible web cam.
• Everything. All of it. With chips. Also? What did you have Colin Baker autograph?
• What did you order at Pea Soup Andersons?

I’m not sure that my vote should count here. I mean, if it’s left up to me you’ll get a random multi-media extravaganza. I’m more interested in what you all would like to see here. An event by event breakdown? A photo of myself with a certain Rob Shearman? A list of the most random things found in the Dealer’s Room?

Well?

Gallifrey One

(I’m the short one on the left.)

It’s that time of the year again! The Gallifrey One 20 to Life convention runs from February 13-15 at the Los Angeles airport Mariott hotel. Are you going to Gallifrey One this year?

Haven’t decided yet?

Have you heard who’s going to be there? I mean, seriously, check out the list.

Scheduled to appear (at this point):
Phil Collinson (Producer of the first four series of Doctor Who)
Colin Baker (The Sixth Doctor)
Nicola Bryant (Perpugilliam Brown)
Wendy Padbury (Zoe Heriot)
Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones)
Kai Owen (Rhys Williams)
John Levene (Sgt. Benton)
And that’s just the beginning.

There will be writers such as Paul Cornell, James Moran, and Robert Shearman. (Mr. Shearman, I’ll see you in the autograph line. You’ve been warned.) Folks from the Big Finish Doctor Who audios will be rubbing shoulders with people from NASA JPL. Some of the guests will be from other fandoms, such as Babylon 5 and Elfquest. Oh, and I’ll be there, as you had no doubt gathered by now.

So, who’s with me?

Gallifrey One

We’ve been given four series full of wild adventures, wicked baddies, and dropped hints in Doctor Who. It’s been quite a ride. So, this time I am not asking you to come up with one favorite episode for the whole show so far. Mind you, if you do have a clear favorite feel free to expound upon its charms. For the rest of us I ask: What are your favorite new series episodes so far? Everything we’ve seen so far is game, even the Children in Need specials if you so choose. Let’s hear it! As usual, I’ve provided you with a list to jog your memory.

The story so far:

Season 1

1. Rose
2. The End of the World
3. The Unquiet Dead
4. Aliens of London
5. World War Three
6. Dalek
7. The Long Game
8. Father’s Day
9. The Empty Child
10. The Doctor Dances
11. Boom Town
12. Bad Wolf
13. The Parting of the Ways

Special: The Attack of the Graske
Special: Children in Need
Christmas Special: The Christmas Invasion

Season 2

1. New Earth
2. Tooth and Claw
3. School Reunion
4. The Girl in the Fireplace
5. Rise of the Cybermen
6. The Age of Steel
7. The Idiot’s Lantern
8. The Impossible Planet
9. The Satan Pit
10. Love & Monsters
11. Fear Her
12. Army of Ghosts
13. Doomsday

Christmas Special: The Runaway Bride

Season 3

1. Smith and Jones
2. The Shakespeare Code
3. Gridlock
4. Daleks in Manhattan
5. Evolution of the Daleks
6. The Lazarus Experiment
7. 42
8. Human Nature
9. The Family of Blood
10. Blink
11. Utopia
12. The Sound of Drums
13. Last of the Time Lords

Special: Time Crash
Christmas Special: Voyage of the Damned

Season 4

1. Partners in Crime
2. The Fires of Pompeii
3. Planet of the Ood
4. The Sontaran Stratagem
5. The Poison Sky
6. The Doctor’s Daughter
7. The Unicorn and the Wasp
8. Silence in the Library
9. Forest of the Dead
10. Midnight
11. Turn Left
12. The Stolen Earth
13. Journey’s End

Christmas Special: The Next Doctor

I need to start by saying that I love all of Steven Moffat’s episodes. This is a darn good thing considering that he’s taking over. Apart from those, I am a huge fan of Idiot’s Lantern and The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit. A few of my other favorites are: The Shakespeare Code, Father’s Day, and The Next Doctor. Really, it would be much easier to come up with episodes I don’t like.

Which episodes come to mind for you?

Doctor Who

Now that you’ve had a chance to peruse the Big List of Scriptwriters I have a question for you all. If you could choose a scriptwriter from the list (excluding the once and future showrunners Russell T. Davies and Steven Moffat) who would you choose? Bear in mind that the gap year specials would provide the writer with a bit more time and/or scope for their script. I’m thinking that they may have a slightly larger than usual budget as well. They could take us to another alien planet or give us an exotic locale…or both! I’ve included the short version of the list below to help you ponder this question.

They Write the Scripts:
1. Chris Chibnall (Former head writer of Torchwood)
2. Paul Cornell (Reminded us that the Doctor is an old and powerful being.)
3. Mark Gatiss (Writer of quirky historical pieces.)
4. Matthew Graham (Father of the Scribble Monster)
5. Stephen Greenhorn (Falls the shadow…)
6. Matt Jones (Gave us the Doctor’s statement of belief.)
7. Tom Macrae (Zeppelins!)
8. James Moran (Smoke on the water, fire in the sky…)
9. Helen Raynor (Daleks and Sontarans, oh my!)
10. Gareth Roberts (Close encounters with Shakespeare and Agatha Christie)
11. Robert Shearman (Writer of the episode where the Doctor loses it.)
12. Keith Temple (How very Ood…)
13. Toby Whithouse (Writer of the Smith-filled episode.)

This one was difficult. There are so many possibilities! I finally decided that I would be most interested in seeing what Matt Jones could do with more time and money. His Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit were quite the pair of episodes. If I got to choose two writers, I would also choose Paul Cornell. I like his stuff, too.

So, which one would you choose?

Jelly Babies!

Over the weekend, I wrote a guest post for Gillian over at Food History (it should appear tomorrow, if you’re interested) and it got me to thinking about the relationship between Doctor Who and food. For me, the major relationship between food and Doctor Who is Jelly Babies. But I’ve seen all kinds of things out there on the web. From Gingerbread Daleks to a Doctor Who cake.

Actually, come to think of it, the food item that I associate most with Doctor Who is tea. It’s good for what ails you, right? And I recently discovered those Doctor Who-related teas, remember? I still wonder what the Doctor’s favorite kind of tea is. Something common and tasty like PG Tips or something more exotic?

This brings me to the crux of this post. What sort of Doctor Who-related foods have you encountered? K-9 cookies? Cybermen cakes? Sonic Screwdrivers made of tootsie rolls? (And please let me know if you know where I can find recipes. I need something to go with my tea.)

Yesterday we looked at the first of the classic episodes. Today we’re back with the new series of Doctor Who. This week’s question is: Who is your favorite new series director? Just to help you out I’ve actually made a list off all of the directors so far, and all of their episodes. For the record, Graeme Harper has directed the most episodes with twelve to his name. There are a few folks who have only directed one episode so far. Who do you like the best?

The New Series Directors:
1. Joe Aherne - (Dalek 1.6, Father’s Day 1.8, Boom Town 1.11, Bad Wolf 1.12, The Parting of the Ways 1.13) - 5

2. Keith Boak - (Rose 1.1, Aliens of London 1.4, World War III 1.5) - 3

3. Richard Clark - (Gridlock 3.3, The Lazarus Experiment 3.6) - 2

4. Andy Goddard - (The Next Doctor) - 1

5. Brian Grant - (The Long Game 1.7) - 1

6. Graeme Harper - (Rise of the Cybermen 2.5, The Age of Steel 2.6, Army of Ghosts 2.12, Doomsday 2.13, 42 3.7, Utopia 3.11, Time Crash, Planet of the Ood 4.3, The Unicorn and the Wasp 4.7, Turn Left 4.11, The Stolen Earth 4.12, Journey’s End 4.13) - 12

7. James Hawes - (The Empty Child 1.9, The Doctor Dances 1.10, The Christmas Invasion, New Earth 2.1, School Reunion 2.3, Evolution of the Daleks 3.5) - 6

8. Euros Lyn - (The End of the World 1.2, The Unquiet Dead 1.3, Children in Need Special, Tooth and Claw 2.2, Girl in the Fireplace 2.4, The Idiot’s Lantern 2.7, Fear Her 2.11, The Runaway Bride, Silence in the Library 4.8, Forest of the Dead 4.9) - 10 (if you count the Children in Need Special as an episode, and I do.)

9. Hattie MacDonald - (Blink 3.10) - 1

10. Douglas MacKinnon - (The Sontaran Stratagem 4.4, The Poison Sky 4.5) - 2

11. Charles Palmer - (Smith and Jones 3.1, The Shakespeare Code 3.2, Human Nature 3.8, The Family of Blood 3.9) - 4

12. James Strong - (The Impossible Planet 2.8, The Satan Pit 2.9, Daleks in Manhattan 3.4, Voyage of the Damned, Partners in Crime 4.1) - 5

13. Colin Teague - (The Sound of Drums 3.12, Last of the Time Lords 3.13, The Fires of Pompeii 4.2) - 3

14. Alice Troughton - (The Doctor’s Daughter 4.6, Midnight 4.10) - 2

15. Ashley Way - (The Attack of the Graske Interactive Special) - 1

16. Dan Zeff - (Love and Monsters 2.10) - 1

Once again, I have to choose Euros Lyn, just as I did after the first two series. I was so glad to see him back this year. I have enjoyed every episode he’s directed. Perhaps it’s just that everything he directs seems to have a certain mood to it. A bit of extra depth. If I’m very lucky, perhaps he’ll direct a special or some of the episodes for series five.

Doctor Who, Joe Aherne, Keith Boak, Richard Clark, Andy Goddard, Brian Grant, Graeme Harper, James Hawes, Euros Lyn, Hattie MacDonald, Douglas MacKinnon, Charles Palmer, James Strong, Colin Teague, Alice Troughton, Ashley Way, Dan Zeff

Last year at this time I posted a list of Wishes for the Whoniverse in 2008. Before I move on to my wishes for this year, let’s have a bit of a review of the past two years’ worth of wishes (and thus help me get over my shock at how long I’ve been doing this. More than two years! Good Heavens!)

The Wishes for 2007:

Wish #1: I wish that Torchwood will be picked up by a channel in The States. - Granted! Boy howdy is it popular!

Wish #2: I wish that The Sarah Jane Adventures and behind the scenes shows like Doctor Who Confidential would actually make it across the pond. - Granted in 2008! Well, the Sarah Jane part anyway. The short Confidentials are on PBS and the DVDs at least.

Wish #3: I wish that we find out what happened to The Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan. - Still no word on Susan in 2008. It’s probably safe to assume that she’s dead, but I’d still like to know for sure.

Wish#4: I wish that we will actually get to see another room in the TARDIS beyond the Control Room and a few seconds of a Dressing Room. - Still nothing on this front. Sigh. Perhaps in the specials?

Two out of four for the 2007 wishes. Let’s see how we did for 2008, shall we?

Wishes for the Whoniverse in 2008:

Wish #1: I wish that they will handle the return of Rose well. Let’s just leave it at that. - Well…I suppose this one is up to interpretation, but in my opinion it could have been far worse. Imagine if she’d died or something? So, I’ll count this wish granted.

Wish #2: I wish that Steven Moffat will pen another episode this series. I’ve heard that we have Helen Raynor is writing a two-parter, Gareth Roberts is writing the Agatha Christie episode, and obviously Russell T. Davies is writing the first episode. I haven’t heard any other names as yet, so I’m hoping for Mr. Moffat. - Not only one episode, but two! Granted.

Wish #3: I wish for episodes by Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss as well. Hey. It’s my wish list. I may wish for whatever takes my fancy. - Sigh. Nope. Perhaps in series five?

Wish #4: I wish for a more even series of Torchwood. I just want it to remain well written, consistent, and interesting. Is that too much to ask? I suppose I’ll find out soon. - Actually, I felt that series two was a bit stronger and more consistent than series one. I’ll count this one as granted.

It seems I did a bit better for my 2008 wishes. Three out of four!

So, that brings me to my 2009 wishes for the Whoniverse:

Wish #1: I wish that one of the specials will feature the Eighth Doctor. Hey. It could happen.

Wish #2: I wish that one of the specials will touch on the Time War.

Wish #3: I wish that the next series of the Sarah Jane Adventures will include an appearance of The Doctor. I can dream. It’s my list, right?

Wish #4: I wish that I will like the shortened 2009 series of Torchwood. After losing Tosh and Owen, I’m a bit worried.

I’ve told you about my wishes, now it’s your turn. What are your wishes for the Whoniverse in 2009?

Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Steven Moffat, Paul Cornell, Mark Gatiss, Torchwood

(Image: Simon James/WireImage) Patrick Stewart

The next Doctor Who special is due on Easter 2009 (it’s called The Planet of the Dead. What is it with Doctor Who and episodes with “Planet” in the title?) Anyway, as we have a few specials coming up during the next year I thought I’d ask you: Who would you like to see as a guest star in one of the 2009 Doctor Who specials?

I mean…they’re “Specials,” right? Wouldn’t it follow that they’ll spend a bit of extra money on them? Yes? So, imagine that the sky’s the limit. Your only limitations being that the actor in question needs to be currently alive and hasn’t previously appeared in Doctor Who. No John Cleese as he was in “City of Death.” I’d love to include Phyllida Law, but she was over on The Sarah Jane Adventures. Perhaps that wouldn’t matter as much. My suggestions are below.

People I Would Like to See in the Doctor Who Specials:

• Patrick Stewart
• Michael Praed
• Eric Idle
• Diana Rigg
• Christopher Lee
• Ian McKellen
• Sean Bean
• Judi Dench

That’s the group that I came up with off of the top of my head. Who do you suggest?

Doctor Who

Once upon a time, back in November of 2007 I gathered up all of the questions that I’d asked you all so far into a Reference Post for ease of retrieval. It has been a little over a year since then, so here is the round up of questions that I’ve asked since then. If you happen to see a question that tickles your fancy, feel free to go back and add your thoughts on the topic.

* 11/25/2007 - A Question for You All

* 12/4/2007 - Question: Favorite New Series Episode so Far?

* 12/11/2007 - Question: What do you want for Chrismahanukwanzica?

* 12/18/2007 - Question: Favorite New Baddie?

* 1/1/2008 - Question: Wishes for the New Year in the Whoniverse?

* 1/15/2008 - Question: What Sort of Creature Can’t You Wait For Torchwood to Encounter?

* 1/22/2008 - Question: Who Would You Most Like to See at a Convention?

* 1/29/2008 - Question: Favorite Episode of Torchwood Series 1?

* 2/5/2008 - Question: Are You Going to Gallifrey One?

* 3/3/2008 - Question: Favorite Torchwood Series One Scriptwriter?

* 3/11/2008 - Question: The Why Behind the Gap Year

* 3/18/2008 - Question: Classic Companion Costume?

* 4/1/2008 - Question: What are you doing for the Doctor Who Premiere?

* 4/16/2008 - Question: Which Doctor’s Costume Would You Wear?

* 4/21/2008 - Question: Favorite Episode of Torchwood Series Two?

* 4/29/2008 - Question: Favorite Torchwood Episode of All (So Far…)?

* 5/20/2008 - Question: What are you doing instead of Watching Doctor Who this week?

* 5/26/2008 - Question: David Tennant for how much longer?

* 6/10/2008 - Question: Favorite Christmas Special?

* 6/16/2008 - Question: Strongest Doctor Who Memory?

* 7/8/2008 - Question: What does Steven Moffat have in store?

* 7/14/2008 - Question: Least Favorite Torchwood Series One Episode?

* 7/21/2008 - Question: Least Favorite Ninth Doctor Episode?

* 8/5/2008 - Question: Favorite Series Four Baddie?

* 8/11/2008 - Question: Favorite Series Four Episode?

* 9/2/2008 - Question: Favorite Doctor Who Spoof?

* 11/25/2008 - Question: 11th Doctor?

* 12/8/2008 - Question: Has Doctor Who Influenced Your Clothing Choices?

* 12/14/2008 - Question: Doctor Who Stuff for Xmas?

Yep. It’s that time again. ‘Tis the season for Chrismahanukwansica. Which leads me to this week’s question: Which Doctor Who-related thing do you want for your chosen holiday party this year? There’s all sorts of stuff out there (not the least of which is the t-shirt I got last year, pictured above.) What’s it going to be?

A few things to jog your mind:
1. The Doctor’s Fob Watch
2. A DVD - For Example, Doctor Who Series 4, The Infinite Quest, or the Five Doctors (25th Anniversary Edition).
3. USB TARDIS Hub
4. A Plush Adipose
5. Something from CafePress - Perhaps a Keepsake Box, a Time Traveler Journal, or some nice Gallifreyan Note Cards?
6. Doctor Who Laser Battle Set

If I can’t just wait for the Future Sonic Screwdriver or the Doctor Who Series 4 Soundtrack (both coming early next year), then I suppose I’ll have to choose a remote-control Dalek. Yes, that’s right, I still don’t have one. Failing that, I’d choose the Doctor Who Series 4 DVD set. I’m dead curious about the extras.

What about you?

Doctor Who

(Behold my red trainer and pinstriped leg!)

I’ve got a question for you all. Has Doctor Who (and the other shows in the Whoniverse) influenced your personal style and clothing choices in any way? When I was at Gallifrey One back in February, it was amazing to see the sheer amount of Converse shoes on the feet of the people around me in lines. It’s not just the Doctor who wears this particular brand of trainers, though. Gwen also has a few different pairs. Seriously, the BBC should secretly buy some stock in the company.

I admit that I had my pinstriped suit before the Tenth Doctor appeared on our screens. My two pairs of converse, though…well, I have to admit that I was a bit influenced in my decision to purchase them by my love for the show. The bits of my Rose costume from series one were all in my closet before the show started. Honestly.

So, what about you? Did you go out and buy new shoes? Have you taken to wearing leather jackets or brainy specs? Did you start wearing just a tad more mascara?

Spill!

Doctor Who