tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84751025524151153502024-03-13T04:58:12.687-07:00The DoctorLongscarf BlogBlog on topics relating to Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Pop Culture, Comic Books, Television and MoviesDoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-6763514778828335442017-05-31T14:11:00.003-07:002017-05-31T14:11:34.517-07:00The Doctor's Relationship with River Song is not a Love Story. It's a Tragedy.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5vWt2vE2UY/WS8xT5GxseI/AAAAAAAAAOk/4Uo4XKoLql0RVnN1Uy1Tsi51QJcY193bACEw/s1600/River%2BHusbands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5vWt2vE2UY/WS8xT5GxseI/AAAAAAAAAOk/4Uo4XKoLql0RVnN1Uy1Tsi51QJcY193bACEw/s1600/River%2BHusbands.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Doctor did not love River Song. He felt sorry for her.
Their relationship wasn’t a romance, it was a tragedy. If you thought of River
Song as the love of The Doctor’s life, here is an argument to give you pause.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think about it from The Doctor’s perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He meets River Song. He doesn’t know her, but
she is madly in love with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then
sacrifices her life to save his. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Doctor is burdened with the guilt of River dying for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it’s not the first time someone The
Doctor barely knows has sacrificed their life for him. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He moves on.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then he meets River again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Still clearly in love with him – and know he knows she will die to save
his life out of love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He can hardly keep
her at arm’s length, doing so would alienate her and create a paradox. So he
humors the flirtation.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some part of The Doctor must feel guilty that he is leading
River on so she will sacrifice her life for his in the future.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then The Doctor discovers River is actually the daughter of
someone he cares very much about: Amy Pond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>More guilt. Note that The Doctor never tells Amy that River will die for
him.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then she sacrifices all of her remaining regenerations to
save his life, again.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twice this woman, the child of a woman he loves, has
sacrificed herself for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And The
Doctor NEEDS River to be in love with him to preserve the timeline and keep him
alive.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those who will argue that The Doctor does love River will
point to The Doctor staying with River at Darillium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, remember that their stay at
Darillium was foretold by River. It was a fixed point in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Doctor was forced to be there (<em>regardless
of his wishes</em>). </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not saying The Doctor didn’t have affection for River; she’d
saved his life, was the daughter of his friend and good company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am saying that The Doctor’s marriage to River was one of
obligation and sympathy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The sad thing is that River understood that The Doctor did not truly love her. She says as much in 'The Husbands of River Song': "When you love The Doctor, it's like loving the stars. You don't expect the sunset to admire you back". She knew.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A story about a
marriage of obligation is nothing new, their story just has more timey-wimey in
it than most.</span></div>
DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-47355456912689825082013-05-22T06:43:00.001-07:002013-05-22T07:32:07.983-07:00The Most MIND BLOWING REVELATION from 'The Name Of The Doctor' Everyone Missed ...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g54N6jGnqdE/UZzLSr83jnI/AAAAAAAAAKs/nE2dlUwSDL4/s1600/Gallifrey+Clara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g54N6jGnqdE/UZzLSr83jnI/AAAAAAAAAKs/nE2dlUwSDL4/s320/Gallifrey+Clara.JPG" width="320" ya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Before I share, what I believe to be, an interesting insight on Clara from the Doctor Who finale ‘The Name of The Doctor’, I want to make sure we are all on the same page as to the mechanics of Clara’s “Impossibility”.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Mechanics of Clara's "Impossibility"</span></strong><br />
<br />
Clara upon entering the Doctor’s timeline (<em>or corpse, depending on your point of view</em>) is splintered in time. What we see (<em>and have experienced to date in S7</em>) is not one Clara at multiple events, but many individual Claras born in different points in time and unaware of each other. <br />
<br />
Clara-Prime (<em>the original Clara, though the 3rd we’ve met. Timey-Wimey</em>) by stepping into the timeline on Trenzalore is splintered. Thus there are multiple Claras born in multiple timeperiods, including the Victorian era. The Victorian era Clara helps The Doctor and dies.<br />
<br />
Now for us to continue, you have to wrap your head around the fact Victorian Clara is a <strong>COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON</strong> than Clara-Prime. Are we on the same page?<br />
<br />
Clara-Prime also splinters into Oswin from Asylum of The Daleks. She is also a <strong>COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON</strong> than Clara-Prime and Victorian Clara. She also dies helping The Doctor. <br />
<br />
So the premise you need to walk away from, the concept that needs to be understood, is that what makes Clara “Impossible” is that she is born in multiple timelines. Born of different mothers. Different lives, but compelled to help The Doctor in each. <br />
<br />
That’s why The Doctor is intrigued, mind you. <br />
<br />
He’s met the same person in different historical eras (<em>i.e. River Song</em>). There’s nothing impossible about being in Victorian England and in a Starship named Alaska (<em>at least not in the Doctor Who universe</em>). <br />
<br />
What made Clara impossible is that there were “copies” of a woman scattered throughout time, splinters. All people are born unique, but here was one person born over and over again, who was not.<br />
<br />
So, if we agree on this, then I can share with you my insight on 'The Name of The Doctor'. <br />
<br />
An insight that is potentially more mind-blowing than Hurt revealed as an unknown incarnation of a past Doctor.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">INSIGHT</span></strong><br />
<br />
We agree that all the Claras we have observed in ‘The Name of The Doctor’ are not a single Clara travelling in time, but rather many different Claras. <br />
<br />
Different Claras, born in different timelines, waiting to meet The Doctor (<em>the way Victorian Clara is a different person than Clara-Prime and Asylum Clara</em>). The Clara that chases after the Second Doctor <strong>IS NOT</strong> the same Clara that yells for the Third Doctor. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">*Drum Roll*</span></strong><br />
<br />
So who is the Clara who tells The First Doctor which TARDIS to choose? <br />
<br />
They’re on Gallifrey!!<br />
<br />
Gallifrey, during a period where humans were not allowed on Gallifrey (<em>see Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin</em>).<br />
<br />
Clearly, the only assumption that can be drawn is that ... <strong>A VERSION OF CLARA WAS BORN ON GALLIFREY!</strong><br />
<br />
A Clara-Splinter, born on Gallifrey. <br />
<br />
Think about it …<br />
<br />DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-61534785735648701012013-05-07T14:33:00.004-07:002013-05-22T07:32:22.565-07:00RANT about the last 5 minutes of The Crimson Horror<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mG-UTYx0zw/UYlvY2YGI4I/AAAAAAAAAKA/-PGWkgZJP6k/s1600/CrimsonHorror1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0mG-UTYx0zw/UYlvY2YGI4I/AAAAAAAAAKA/-PGWkgZJP6k/s320/CrimsonHorror1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Now that enough time has passed that everyone has seen The Crimson Horror, can we talk about the last 5 minutes?<br />
<br />
<br />
I HATE the last 5 minutes of TCH. Probably the laziest, most insulting piece of writing in Modern Who. Two children came to the realization their nanny is time traveling with an alien from Google Images. Really!?!<br />
<br />
They found a random picture of people on a Russian submarine, DURING THE COLD WAR, and spotted Clara? Really?!? <br />
<br />
Forgetting the odds against stumbling on that image, we’re to believe the Soviet Union released images of a Russian submarine that had TWO aliens on it and nearly caused WWIII? That’s not classified info? They found an image of a random nanny from 1892 that looks like Clara? Really?!? What Google search terms were they using? <br />
<br />
I understand that the point of the scene is to give the children the leverage needed to demand a trip on the TARDIS -- leading into Neil Gaiman’s episode. <br />
<br />
There were ways to get there that would have been less insulting to the audience’s intelligence.<br />
<br />
How about if the children had approached Clara and said “Hey we’ve noticed you walking into a Blue Box, on our front lawn, with some strange man and then box disappears? What’s the deal with that?”<br />
<br />
Simple, logical and gets you to the same set-up for Nightmare in Silver. <br />
That took me less than a minute to come up with. <br />
<br />
It irks me when a silly scene is written when a logical one would have been just as easy.<br />
I expect better from Moffat and crew. <br />
<br />DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-16233529266989557022013-04-15T06:30:00.001-07:002013-04-15T06:30:15.622-07:00Insight from Cold War Every Reviewer Missed<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTS5HaA2SCg/UWwAqNG-YZI/AAAAAAAAAJg/jNHwn3_MvlQ/s1600/Cold+War+Poster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="257" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xTS5HaA2SCg/UWwAqNG-YZI/AAAAAAAAAJg/jNHwn3_MvlQ/s320/Cold+War+Poster.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The great thing about Doctor Who is that even the episodes you’re not fond of usually have a moment that’s worth the price of admission. <br />
<br />
<br />
There was one such moment for me in Cold War I’ve not seen any reviewers mention, so I’ll share it with you. It was a subtle moment that provided great insight into the character of The Doctor and connected back to an older adventure with the Ponds – Vampires of Venice.<br />
<br />
Now Vampires of Venice is probably one of my least favorite Series 5 serials but it contained one of the greatest character insight scenes in the series.<br />
<br />
Remember this quote from Rory?:<br />
<br />
“<em>You know what's dangerous about you? It's not that you make people take risks. It's that you make them want to impress you. You make it so that they don't want to let you down. You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you're around</em>.” <br />
<br />
This revelation about The Doctor made sense in the context of The Doctor’s entire history, both Classic and Modern series. Especially in Classic Who (<em>where companions weren’t always extraordinary folks who slept next to cracks in universe or lived multiple lives in different time periods</em>) companions were ordinary everyday people who took incredible risks to travel with The Doctor. <br />
<br />
So how does this all connect with Cold War?<br />
<br />
Watch Cold War again and think about Clara in the context of Rory’s quote. She volunteers to single handedly confront a Martian Warrior (<em>a monster in her eyes</em>). <br />
<br />
The Doctor protests: “<strong>You?! No. No, no way! You’re not going in there alone, Clara. Absolutely not. No, no, never.</strong>”. (<em>Clara goes in alone</em>). It’s clear he doesn’t mean it. He wants her to go.<br />
<br />
After it’s over Clara asks The Doctor, “<strong>How did I do</strong>?”, Clara is looking for The Doctor’s approval.<br />
<br />
Uncharacteristically, The Doctor responds, “<strong>It’s not a test , Clara</strong>.”.<br />
<br />
Is The Doctor thinking back to Rory’s comment at that moment? Does he realize he manipulated her into putting herself in incredible danger?<br />
<br />
Clara persist and asks again, “<strong>How’d I do</strong>?” and The Doctor responds with an approving touch and “<strong>You did fine</strong>.”.<br />
<br />
It seems to me this was an intentional call back to Vampires of Venice. Is The Doctor trying to have a different relationship with Clara based on his experiences with the Ponds but falling inevitably back on old habits?<br />
<br />
It’s an intriguing thought and one that makes you reexamine The Doctor and Clara’s relationship. Remember that The Doctor has already met two different versions of Clara and has been the catalyst for her death both times. <br />
<br />
Then there is a second character insight scene for Clara in Cold War. For 50 years The Doctor has been telling companions to stay put:<br />
<br />
The Doctor: <strong>Stay here.</strong><br />
Clara: <strong>Okay.</strong><br />
The Doctor: <strong>Stay here, don’t argue.</strong><br />
Clara: <strong>I’m not.</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The Doctor: <strong>Right. Good.</strong><br />
<br />
Clara stays put. Something 50 years of companions have rarely done. What does this say about Clara-Prime? <br />
<br />
She’s not reckless or fearless, in the way Amy was. She wanted to travel and see the universe (<em>who wouldn’t</em>) but she may not have signed up for the carnage and constant fear of death. It ceased to be a game for Clara when she saw the Russians torn to shreds by the Ice Warrior. <br />
<br />
She’s not an adrenaline junkie the way Amy was … but she wants to please The Doctor. <br />
<br />
So when you read other reviews that tell you nothing really happened in Cold War to advance the story of The Doctor and Clara, remember they’re wrong. <br />
<br />
DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-89708691960612068932012-06-01T07:53:00.001-07:002013-05-09T14:09:57.369-07:00Where Should Fans Of Modern WHO Start If They Want To Try Classic WHO?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--niurb95Ekg/T8jG-Dz5HfI/AAAAAAAAAI8/zlK2_7UR3YQ/s1600/Genesis+Of+The+Daleks+DVD+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" rba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--niurb95Ekg/T8jG-Dz5HfI/AAAAAAAAAI8/zlK2_7UR3YQ/s320/Genesis+Of+The+Daleks+DVD+cover.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Believe it or not there are superfans of Modern Doctor Who that have never seen the classic series. It's true!<br />
<br />
I imaging the hesitation to try the classic series is - where to begin? Normally the correct answer is - at the beginning. However, for Doctor Who I would recommend a more unorthodox approach. Let's start in the middle. <br />
<br />
What could be more appropriate then approaching your viewing of Classic WHO with a 'timey-wimey' approach? <br />
<br />
I've given this a lot of thought (too much actually). My recommendation for what the first classic series serial<br />
a modern Who fan should watch is - <strong><span style="color: blue;">Doctor Who: Genesis Of The Daleks</span></strong>.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>Why "Genesis of The Daleks" ?</strong></u><br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Familiar Mythology: </strong>Just watching this one Classic WHO episode of Doctor Who will increase your appreciation of Modern WHO as you obtain the backstory and mythology upon which all future Dalek stories are built.<span style="font-family: Courier;"></span></li>
<li><strong>Familiar Faces:</strong> For some, part of the hesitation in starting to watch Classic Who is jumping into a show with decades of backstory and completely new characters. However, Modern WHO ties into the mythology of Genesis Of The Daleks (GOTD) so strongly, new viewers may be suprised how many faces they recognize.</li>
<ul>
<li><strong>Sarah Jane Smith</strong> - Modern WHO fans were introduced to Sarah Jane Smith as a previous companion of The Doctor who he was particularly fond and close with. She is the companion in this adventure. Find out why the Doctor (and WHO fans alike) loved Sarah Jane.</li>
<li><strong>Davros - </strong>Davros is introduced in Modern WHO as a major enemy of The Doctor and the creator of the Daleks. This is the very first introduction of Davros. </li>
<li><strong>The Daleks - </strong>Modern WHO fans are very familiar with the Daleks. This is considered by most one of the greatest Dalek stories ever told in either series. It also tells the tale of the origin of the Daleks. Great backstory for new fans.</li>
<li><strong>The Time Lords-</strong> Modern WHO fans have heard a lot of mention of The Time Lords in the new series and even caught a minor glimpse of them. This episode will show new fans what The Doctor's relationship with the Time Lords was before they disapeared. </li>
</ul>
<li><strong>The Fourth Doctor: </strong>It can be argued that the Fourth Doctor was the greatest Doctor of Classic WHO. What isn't debatable is that he was the most popular of the Classic Series and the most iconic. If you're going to dip your toe into Classic WHO, you can hardly go wrong with Tom Baker as your first Classic Doctor.</li>
</ul>
Genesis Of The Daleks is really the 'Empire Strikes Back' installment of the Time War. It's a great bridge between the Classic and the Modern series. It features characters, themes and enemies that have crossed over into the modern series. <br />
<br />
<strong>Bottom Line: </strong>In my opinion, if your a fan of Modern Who and you watch 'Genesis Of The Daleks' and it does nothing for you - you can probably save yourself some time and come to the conclusion Classic WHO is not for you. Genesis Of The Daleks is one of the greatest serials of the classic series. If you're not impressed with GOTD, there's no pleasing you.<br />
<br />
However, if you love it. Tweet me and I'll tell you what to watch next !!!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: blue;">GENESIS OF THE DALEKS TRAILER</span></strong></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/lqg-HWztMWg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-62585611440761594482011-10-09T18:47:00.000-07:002011-10-09T18:50:03.751-07:00What It Really Means When We Ask "Doctor Who?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oiC79Cegsvk/TpJCrJNXfII/AAAAAAAAAIg/IXsCnVY8PBY/s1600/7mystery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oiC79Cegsvk/TpJCrJNXfII/AAAAAAAAAIg/IXsCnVY8PBY/s1600/7mystery.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Silence Will Fall when the Question is asked "Doctor Who?" but what does the question mean? A lot of people have interpreted the question literally, what is The Doctor's true name. I think that misses the point entirely. What good would it do us to know that The Doctor's real name is Elbin Smartleportal? Would it enhance your understanding or appreciation of The Doctor in any way? No.<br />
Can that really be all that Steven Moffat is building up to? I don't think so.<br />
<br />
It is my theory that the question is not what is The Doctor's name, but literally "<em>Who is he</em>?". What is The Doctor's true role in the universe? Is he really just a renegade Time Lord who grew tired of life on Gallifrey? Or is there more to The Doctor than we've been lead to believe? Does The Doctor have secrets he's kept to himself that have only been hinted at? Classic Who began to hint at greater mysteries right as the show was cancelled. <br />
<br />
Towards the end of The Seventh Doctor's run script editor Andrew Cartmel felt mystery needed to be restored to the character of The Doctor. Cartmel felt that years of explanations about the Doctor's origins and the Time Lords had removed much of the mystery and strength of the character of the Doctor, and decided to make the Doctor more than a mere Time Lord. Elements of this effort were liberally scattered through Series 25 & 26.<br />
<br />
When Doctor Who was cancelled that effort, known now as "Cartmel's Masterplan" was cut short. It was revived to some extent in the New Adventure novels. Perhaps Moffat plans to see Catmel's vision to completion as New Who faces some of the same challenges. <br />
<br />
So what was the masterplan? What was the mystery regarding The Doctor? It was the implication that The Doctor was one of the three founding fathers of Time Lord society, the mysterious The Other.<br />
<br />
The Other was a shadowy figure in Time Lord history, one of the founding Triumvirate of Time Lord society. The other two members of the Triumvirate were Rassilon and Omega.<br />
<br />
Of the three, the Other's origins are the most obscure, with the circumstances of his birth and appearance being a mystery. Like Rassilon, various contradictory legends surround the Other, some hinting that he had powers surpassing that of Rassilon or Omega, and some even suggesting that he was not born on the Time Lords' home world of Gallifrey. Even his name is lost to time, which is why he is simply referred to as "the Other". <br />
<br />
Could it be Moffat plans on revealing The Doctor's true nature? I believe so. It may not be the exact fufillment of Cartmel's plan, but I think it will be a fufillment of his vision, to introduce a new backstory to The Doctor and reintroduce mystery.<br />
<br />
I look forward to seeing how it will all play out. Let hope it's more that just finding out the Doctor's name is Roger.<br />
<br />DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-17384563790586797582011-09-21T16:46:00.000-07:002011-09-21T16:51:11.040-07:00A Counter-Arguement For The Ponds Are Bad Parents Crowd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AVY6VMoeO9U/Tnpq6eEJZYI/AAAAAAAAAIc/B54zYFBSTsU/s1600/amy-pond-mommy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AVY6VMoeO9U/Tnpq6eEJZYI/AAAAAAAAAIc/B54zYFBSTsU/s320/amy-pond-mommy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
There's been a lot of chatter online arguing that Amy & Rory have been horrible parents for accepting the los of their child so quickly and continuing seemingly unphased on their romp through time and space.
I'd like to take a moment to inject a lttle calm into this debate and consider context.<br />
<br />
<b>First Point:</b> <b>Amy Never Experienced Her Pregnancy</b>.
Amy may have been pregnant but she never experienced the pregnancy. Her mind was in a ganger evading well dressed invaders, fighting pirates and running for he life down hallways. She never became attached to the thought of being a mother. She never bonded with the child in her womb.
<br />
<br />
<b>Second Point:</b> <b>She Only Ever Held Her Baby For Less Than 3 or 4 Hours</b>
<br />
Flying right past the pregnancy Amy has the baby in the 52nd century. One has to assume 52nd Century medical science has advanced significantly from 21st Century obstetrics have made pregnancy a pretty quick and painless process. In no time Amy is holding a baby in her arms she didn't even know she was having.
Except how long did Amy really spend with baby Melody? From Demon's Run the amount of time Amy spends with her child before her rescue seems neglible. Rory holds Melody for even less time. I've held coworkers babies at the office longer than Rory held baby Melody.
<br />
<br />
<b>Third Point:It Wasn't Even Their REAL BABY!</b>
<br />
Forgetting the fact that neither Pond had much time to bond with their baby, it wasn't even their baby! The baby they held at Demon's Run was a ganger baby. Did Amy ever hold her real baby in her arms or was the switch done immediately? We can be pretty certain that Rory never held his real child in his arms.
<br />
<br />
<b>Final Point: Timey-Wimey</b>
<br />
Considering the Ponds experience alternate realities and timelines 3 times before breakfast, is it possible the idea of a baby as a hypothetical might be easy for them to accept? Especially considering points 1-3? Technically Amy and Rory spent more time with AARP Amy, the girl who waited. AARP Amy had more an emotional impact on the Ponds because they actually, you know, spent actual time with her.
Then there's the fact that they know what happpened to their child (River Pond) and they did spend their lives (unbeknownst to them) with young Melody. So given all these factors, is their calm acceptance of Melody's disapearance all that odd considering the context of their lives?
DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-83919552777215135692011-06-20T17:28:00.000-07:002011-06-20T18:44:30.436-07:00Why Stealing A TARDIS Is Not Like Stealing A Car ( or Why The Doctor Is More Of A BADASS Than You Thought)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HY-BMq1CW04/Tf_mMymdDGI/AAAAAAAAAGE/enzEpIagF1w/s1600/hartnel%2Btardis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 256px; height: 320px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620463967397547106" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HY-BMq1CW04/Tf_mMymdDGI/AAAAAAAAAGE/enzEpIagF1w/s320/hartnel%2Btardis.jpg" /></a>I think people overlook how significant it is that The Doctor 'stole' the TARDIS.<br /><br />TARDISes aren't like cars in Time Lord society. They're not accessible to all. Every Time Lord doesn't get the keys to a TARDIS from their parents when they turn 16.<br /><br />TARDISes were used by the Time Lords to observe places in time and space in person, only when absolutely necessary.<br /><br />Time Lord society, at the time The Doctor lived on Gallifrey, was isolationist. They were content to simply observe from The Citadel on Gallifrey. They did not interfere in events, much to the frustration of The Doctor.<br /><br />The TARDISes were under the control of the Time Lord ruling body. They required several Time Lords to pilot it. Possibly due to the complexity of travelling through Time & Space. Possibly as a safety measure to prevent a renegade from absconding with a TARDIS and causing havoc with timelines preserved by the Time Lords.<br /><br />The TARDISes were heavily gaurded. Stealing a TARDIS wouldn't at all be like stealing a car. Stealing a TARDIS, to put it in contemporary terms, would be closer to stealing a nuclear powered submarine.<br /><br />Keeping the analogy, of an equivelant in our society to what The Doctor did, it would be as if a Senator plotted, and successfully executed a plan to steal a nuclear powered submarine on his own! Then used that nuclear powered submarine to travel the globe sightseeing, all the while avoiding persuit of his former government trying to reclaim their stolen property.<br /><br />However, The Doctor didn't just steal the TARDIS, he also stole The Hand Of Omega ( <em>as told in 'Rememberance Of The Daleks</em>). The Hand Of Omega was a remote stellar manipulator, invented by Omega, which produced supernovas and black holes. So to continue my analogy, The Doctor didn't just steal a nuclear powered submarine, he stole one with a nuclear warhead!!<br /><br /><strong>Side Note about the Hand Of Omega:</strong> Seeing as when The Doctor was finally caught during his second incarnation (and every subsequent trial) no mention was made of the theft of The Hand Of Omega, it is feasible to assume that The Doctor stole this from Gallifrey without any knowledge of The Time Lords. It has been demonstrated in several serials of Classic Who that, by The Doctor's time, Time Lords had lost track and meaning of some of the technology from the time of Rassilon and Omega. How The Doctor knew about the Hand Of Omega when others did not may be explained by the theory that The Doctor may be The Other ( a topic for another post).<br /><br />Classic Who supplies hints that The Doctor was able to steal a TARDIS because the TARDIS he stole was a old model, close to being decommissioned and in need of repair. It stand to reason that perhaps the security around a TARDIS about to be decommissioned, a model that was already old when The Doctor was young, and one in need of repair - would have lessened security. Still, even decommissioned submarines that are only on display for tourists, have enough of a security detail that an average citizen on his own (or let say a man with his grandaughter) would have a lot of dificulty running of with one.<br /><br />Niel Gaiman's '<em>The Doctor's Wife</em>' also states that the TARDIS was looking for a Time Lord to steal herself. The TARDIS has always been described as 'sentient'. Perhaps the TARDIS did so out of a sense of self preservation. Knowing that it was likely to be decommissioned or stuck in a museum never travel in time and space again. Perhaps that is why The Doctor selected that particular TARDIS as the one to steal. He would require a 'cooperative' TARDIS.<br /><br />Think of the sheer audacity and risk it would take for The Doctor to steal the contemporary equivalent of a nuclear powered submarine and a nuclear warhead!! This isn't the story of a silly man who ran off with a time machine...it's the story of a clever son of a bitch with balls the size of Pazithi Gallifreya (<em>the copper moon of Gallifrey) </em>who ran off with two of his governments most powerfull weapons.<br /><br />For a Time Lord to do all that, well he'd have to be a 'Madman'.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-49610728443555360822011-06-18T17:37:00.000-07:002011-06-18T18:37:40.570-07:00The 'Uncanny' Similarities Between X-Men and Doctor Who Series 6<div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9jpSfrfJGEU/Tf1LV6WTYmI/AAAAAAAAAFc/4Opd9g1oS7Y/s1600/xmentriangle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 226px; height: 320px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619730749840384610" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9jpSfrfJGEU/Tf1LV6WTYmI/AAAAAAAAAFc/4Opd9g1oS7Y/s320/xmentriangle.jpg" /></a><div><strong>Stop me if you've heard this one already:</strong></div><div><strong></strong> </div><div>Gorgoues ginger has boyhood friend who adores her. This boyhood friend grows up to be 'A Good Man' that eventually wins said ginger's affection. However, the good man is insecure about their relationship. He thinks he may love the ginger more than she loves him.</div><div> </div><div>Enter a new man into their relationship. He's a 'bad boy'. He's a hero with a dark side. The ginger and the good man get engaged but the attraction between the ginger and the badboy seems palpable. </div><div> </div><div>The three travel together and enter many dangerous situations. However, when things seem bleakest it's always the bad boy that comes to the ginger's rescue.</div><div> </div><div>The sexual tension between the ginger and the bad boy becomes an issue in their relationship. The bad boy will not allow himself to entertain a relationship with the ginger. He is hundred of years old and will never age. When he's injured or near death he 'regenerates'. The bad boy has entered into relationships with human women before and lost them as they aged or left him.</div><div> </div><div>The ginger and the good man get married. At some point the ginger is lost and replaced with a doppleganger who is identical to the ginger in every way. At some point they have a child that is taken from them. A child is taken due to it's genetic potential. </div><div> </div><div>The child is taken to the far future and raised there as a gun-toting warrior. The child returns</div><div>to the present and interacts with it's parents. The child is now much older than it's parents. It keeps it's identity from them for quite some time until 'their darkest hour'.</div><div> </div><div>Is this the plot to Series 5 & 6 of Doctor Who? No, it's a history of the love triangle between 'ginger' Jean Grey, 'good man' Cyclops and 'bad boy' Wolverine. The child? It's not River Song - it's Cable.</div><div> </div><div>The similarities between X-Men and Doctor Who? Uncanny.</div><div> </div><p><strong></strong> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><strong><div><br /></div></strong><div> </div></div>DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-69563603829180130462011-06-15T18:12:00.000-07:002011-06-15T21:02:38.802-07:00Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Regeneration (but were afraid to ask)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHUhd6p4KlU/TflqL-gnFhI/AAAAAAAAAE0/1-YVgOM5Ovk/s1600/11-doctors.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHUhd6p4KlU/TflqL-gnFhI/AAAAAAAAAE0/1-YVgOM5Ovk/s320/11-doctors.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618638764112287250" /></a><br /><br />Doctor Who has introduced us to the concept of Regeneration. However, it has left it to the fans to parse through nearly 50 years of programing to piece together the clues and hints left throughout the series to try and understand this mysterious and alien ability.<br /><br />Regeneration allows Time Lords,when mortally wounded or old, to undergo a transformation into a new physical form. The new form is usually accompanied with a slight change in personality.<br /><br />The different personalities of The Doctor and his radically different appearance occassionally leads fans to ponder: is this a new man who just has the memories of previous Doctors?<br /><br />I would argue that, to quote the 10th Doctor after his regeneration, It's "..the same man, new face. Well, new everything."<br /><br />The change in personality is probably caused by alteration of the Doctor's brain chemistry. It's not a stretch, we see that in nature today. Why are some people perpetually depressed without cause? Occassionally it's due to body chemistry. If the Doctor is inhabiting a completely new body, it seems plausible to think that the body chemistry differences from body to body might affect changes in personality. He has the same knowledge and memories but the physiological changes affect his personality, energy levels, etc.<br /><br />There is also the impact that appearance has on how people relate to the Doctor. Since the Doctor doesn't control the appearance he obtains after he regenerates he has to accomodate to how people react to his physical form (and the assumptions people make about him based on his appearance).<br /><br />Perhaps the Doctor, for example, at his core has always been a ladies man. However, due to his physical appearance he hasn't always been able to act on those urges. It seems unlikely that 20 year old blonde shop girls or medical residents would be throwing themselves at a Doctor who looks like Hartnel or McCoy. So the Doctor takes the attitude of wise old man or father figure based on how people are reacting to him.<br /><br />A clearer example of this concept, of the Doctor manipulating (or adapting), to peoples perception of his appearance is Troughton's Doctor. We all accept that the Doctor is no fool. However, the second Doctor often appeared and acted the part of the clown. The second Doctors greatest weapon was getting his enemies to underestimate him. Once he regenerated into the third Doctor, his aristocratic, dignified appearance no longer allowed him to rely on that bag of tricks.<br /><br />So I would argue that at his core the Doctor is essentially the same man. His soul, and moral center are not altered. He maintains his core personality traits: insatiable curiousity, wanderlust, sympathy, heroism, intolerance of injustice.<br /><br />Any changes in personality are the result of a number of factors: physiological changes to his brain chemistry, the effect a change of appearance has on his attitude (younger body - more energetic, etc), and a conscious decision on the Doctor's part to utilize others perceptions of him to his advantage.<br /><br />Finally, I would argue that even if the Doctor was not changing physical form, life events would cause changes in personality. When we first meet the Doctor he is about 200-300 years old. He is now over 907 years old. How many literary characters have we followed for over 600 years of their life? The Doctor is unique in this regard.<br /><br />Have you maintained the same personality throughout your entire life, or has it evolved? Do people have the same personality in their teens than in their 30s? The answer obviously, no. So changes in the Doctor's personality could also be attributed to his aging. While televised portions of the Doctor's life occur within a decade of real time, withing the Doctor's chronology occassionally hundreds of years have passed. While in New Who the Doctor's adventures appear to be occuring in real time (the Doctor appears to have only aged the amount of years the show has been on the air) in Classic Who hundreds of years were said to have passed between regenerations. The fourth Doctor for example claims to be less than 500 years old while the 11th Doctor is now said to be about 907. Obviously, 400 years haven't passed since Tom Baker donned his long scarf so Classic Who allowed for gaps in time between televised adventures.<br /><br />Beyond simple aging, life experiences affect personality as well. Much has been made of Eccleston's Doctor being darker than Tennant's as proof that the Doctors are different men. This doesn't account for the fact that those the Doctor was in different places in his life. Eccleston's Doctor was fresh out of the Time War. He had emotional wounds that had yet to heal. He was bitter.<br /><br />Rose changed that. Rose brought hope and joy back into his life. Rose helped the Doctor heal. So it's little wonder that Tennant's Doctor was more joyful and lighthearted than Eccleston's Doctor. He wasn't a different man, he was just in a different place. In the same way someone a week after the death of a parent would behave much differently then they would 5 years later.<br /><br />How do the Doctors differ per regeneration? I would say it's the same man, just at a different point in his life. The fact that his life evolves different than ours is what makes him alien and fascinating. <br /><br /><strong>A Brief History of Regeneration</strong><br /><br />The first regeneration, though it was called renewal at the time, occured at the conclusion of <em>'The Tenth Planet'</em>. The first Doctor collapses from exhaustion and comments that his body was "wearing a bit thin". He then regenerates into the second Doctor Patrick Troughton.<br /><br />In the second Doctor's first episode, <em>'The Power of the Daleks'</em>, the Doctor draws an analogy between regeneration and a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.<br /><br />When the second Doctor underwent regeneration it was forced on him by the Time Lords at the conclusion of <em>'The War Games'</em>. In <em>'The War Games' </em>it was referred to as a "change of appearance". This suggested at the time that it was a superficial change. The second Doctor protests "you can't just change what I look like without consulting me!". Here the change is discussed as superficial not as the death of the second Doctor as an individual.<br /><br />The first official use of the term "regeneration" occurred during the regeneration from Pertwee to Tom Baker (third to fourth Doctor). This is also the first time the personality shift is mentioned. In <em>'Planet of the Spiders' </em>it was explained that the Doctor's brain cells had been shaken up in the process. That his behavior would be erratic for a time.<br /><br />In <em>'The Deadly Assasin'</em>, a fourth Doctor episode, it is stated that a Time Lord can regenerate 12 times before dying. A total of 13 incarnations per Time Lord. In 'Mawdryn Undead' the fifth Doctor explicitly states that he has 8 incarnations left.<br /><br />The Master is an example of a Time Lord that has exhausted his regenerations. When The Master finds himself at the end of his cycle of lives he escapes death by taking possesion of another body, transfering his mind.<br /><br />In <em>'The Five Doctors' </em>The Master is offered a new cycle of regenerations, implying the 12 regeneration can be circumvented. It also may imply that the regeneration process is achieved through science and is not a biological ability (my theory has always been that it is achieved through nanites - check one of my other posts in this blog for more on that topic).<br /><br />The only time the Doctor makes a distinction between his death and the death of a particular incarnation is during <em>'The End of Time'</em>. The Doctor makes it clear he regards regeneration nearly as bad as death because, as he claims, "he dies and a new man walks away". On a smaller scale though, I would say that humans experience that as well as they transition from major life events (graduating from college, turning 30, the birth of a child, middle age, etc). How many of us at times have felt that the person we used to be is dead and another person has taken their place? Are you still the carefree partier you use to be in college or have you become someone altogether different, someone with a job and responsibilities?<br /><br />In the end isn't that what good science fiction is supposed to do-give us an allegory for our own lives and experiences?<br /><br />In conclusion, I believe The Doctors are all the same man, so should you. <br /><br />P.S. Don't judge him based on his evolving wardrobe either, I'm sure you have some pretty questionable outfits in the back of your closet.<br /><br />DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-29802130860350419402011-06-12T13:14:00.001-07:002011-06-12T13:36:13.853-07:00Why Amy Pond Might Be Able To Produce A Baby With Time Lord DNA<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v5vCKie9Azw/TfUeJOCil6I/AAAAAAAAAEc/39pzxdcU020/s1600/agoodmanamy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617429253950969762" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v5vCKie9Azw/TfUeJOCil6I/AAAAAAAAAEc/39pzxdcU020/s320/agoodmanamy.jpg" /></a> <em><strong>'Amy Pond is not an ordinary girl. She grew up with a Time Crack in her wall, the universe pouring through her dreams every night.'</strong> ~</em> The Doctor in 'The Big Bang'.<br /><br />The big question in every fans mind is "How can Amy have a baby with Time Lord DNA?".<br />Moffat may have been dropping hints since Series 5.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#000099;">What makes Amy special? Here's a list:</span></strong><br /><br /><ol><br /><li>Amy grew up with a Time Crack in her wall, the universe pouring through her mind and body. This point was made in the Series 5 finale 'The Big Bang' by The Doctor himself.</li><br /><br /><li>Amy Pond has traveled through time in the TARDIS. In the episode 'Flesh and Stone' Amy asks The Doctor how she can remember the Weeping Angel that was in her head if it ceased to exist. The Doctor answers that she is different now that she has traveled through time in the TARDIS. She can remember altered time lines.</li><br /><br /><li>Amy was locked in The Pandorica's regenerative field for 2000 years. The same Pandorica The Doctor was previously imprisoned in. Amy was ressurected by the regenerative field of The Pandorica. Perhaps it altered her DNA as well with DNA of the previous inhabitant (our favorite Gallifreyan).</li><br /><br /><li>She conceived a child while traveling in the Time Vortex. An event that may never have occurred before, given the fact that Time Lords didn't travel in TARDISes for long periods of time and as a race 'quickies' seem uncharacteristic.</li><br /><br /><li>And then there may be an event that Moffat has yet to share with us as we still don't know when Amy was taken.</li></ol><br /><p>So in conclusion, it seems unlikely that humans just having sex in the TARDIS would result in a 'Time Lord' child. However, as The Doctor has stated on many occassions, Amelia Pond is 'the girl who didn't make sense'.</p><br /><br /><p></p>DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-32500341040393425772011-06-05T13:03:00.000-07:002011-06-14T19:52:41.690-07:00Moffat Quote from 1995 Regarding The Origin Of The Word Doctor<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3MJpt-IjV0I/TevhcGFObEI/AAAAAAAAAEU/wZJ46dM5Qrg/s1600/moffat%2Badult.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614829233232571458" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3MJpt-IjV0I/TevhcGFObEI/AAAAAAAAAEU/wZJ46dM5Qrg/s320/moffat%2Badult.bmp" /></a><br /><br /><br />"Here's a particularly stupid theory. If we take "The Doctor" to be the Doctor's name -even if its in the form of a title no doubt meaning something deep and Gallifreyan - perhaps our earthly use of the word 'Doctor' meaning healer or wise man is a direct result of The Doctor's multiple interventions in our history as a healer or wise man. In other words, we got it from him. This is a very silly idea and I'm consequently rather proud of it."<br /><br />Stephen Moffat Quote from January 8th 1995DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-71385200036891274122011-05-07T10:45:00.000-07:002011-05-07T11:29:17.572-07:00The Significance of the 51st Century in Doctor Who<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YSFj03StdF0/TcWHdwwQq-I/AAAAAAAAAEI/PGiCyIlJ6qM/s1600/Maldovarium.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 178px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604034256705727458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YSFj03StdF0/TcWHdwwQq-I/AAAAAAAAAEI/PGiCyIlJ6qM/s320/Maldovarium.jpg" /></a><br />The 51-52 Century has been a significant time period in the chronology of Doctor Who. It also seems to have captured the imagination of Steven Moffat.<br /><br /><br /><ul><br /><br /><li>The 51st Century is the start of "The Great Breakout<strong>"</strong><em>,</em> an expansionistic period where mankind headed for the stars. First mentioned in the Classic Who episode <em>The Invisible Enemy.</em></li><br /><br /><li>The 51st Century is the era where K-9 was created.</li><br /><br /><li>The 51st Century is when humans begin early expirements with Time Travel.</li><br /><br /><li>The Time Agents are established in the 51st Century.</li><br /><br /><li>The 51st Century marks the rise and fall of the villainous Magnus Greel from the Classic Who episode <em>'The Talons of Weng-Chiang'.</em></li><br /><br /><li>The epsiode <em>'The Girl in the Fireplace'</em> (written by Steven Moffat) took place in the 51st Century.</li><br /><br /><li>The <em>'Silence in the Library'</em> and <em>'Forest of the Dead'</em>, which introduced us to River Song (also written by Steven Moffat) took place in this era.</li><br /><br /><li>The <em>'Time of Angels'</em> and <em>'Flesh and Stone'</em> (written by Steven Moffat) also take place in this era.</li><br /><br /><li>The Stormcage Containment Facility, where River Song is imprisoned, is located in the 51-52 Century.</li></ul><br /><br /><p>So every time you hear a Doctor Who episode mention the 51st or 52nd Century , you should take note. It's probably relevant.</p>DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-46587986734085303402011-05-07T10:16:00.000-07:002011-05-07T10:33:34.068-07:00Jack Harkness, The Time Agent who Arrests River Song?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z84OOXoxiaQ/TcV-kFRmzGI/AAAAAAAAAEA/3rj6O2v_Tms/s1600/harkness.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 253px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 304px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604024469688863842" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z84OOXoxiaQ/TcV-kFRmzGI/AAAAAAAAAEA/3rj6O2v_Tms/s320/harkness.bmp" /></a> If the events in <em>'The Impossible Astronaut'</em> indeed show River Song killing The Doctor (in the astronaut suit), if this is the event that leads to her impisonment in The Stormcage - how did she end up in a 51st century prison for a crime committed in 2011?<br /><br />Wouldn't it be appropriate if she was followed back in time by a Time Agent and arrested?<br /><br />The Time Agents we are told in <em>'The Empty Child'</em> are based out of the 51st Century.<br /><br />Is it a coincidence that the century River Song is imprisoned in is the same century the Time Agents are based out of?<br /><br />Also keep in mind, <em>'The Empty Child'</em> was written by a writer named - Steven Moffat.<br /><br />What if the agent that arrests River Song is our favorite Time Agent, Jack Harkness. Jack Harkness, a character introduced in a Steven Moffat episode. Jack Harkness, a characted Steven Moffat stated he'd like to bring back to his series of Doctor Who.<br /><br />Also, one of the mysteries introduced in <em>'The Empty Child'</em> was that Jack Harkness quit the Time Agent because he had lost two years worth of his memories. Were these memories of The Doctor that needed to be removed so he wouldn't recongnize The Doctor when he met him in his future during <em>'The Empty Child'</em>?<br /><br />Wouldn't this just bring Steven Moffat's story arc full circle.<br />Time-Wimey. All speculation on my part, but I'd pay to see it happen.<br /><br />You read it here first.DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-40269117213257377812011-05-07T09:50:00.000-07:002011-05-07T10:08:53.371-07:00River Kills a Good Man, The Best She's Ever Known<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8YbzlRHPdls/TcV4gLVk6RI/AAAAAAAAAD4/uAh81EB77TY/s1600/river%2Bgun.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604017805526886674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8YbzlRHPdls/TcV4gLVk6RI/AAAAAAAAAD4/uAh81EB77TY/s320/river%2Bgun.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>A lot of theories after the airing of <em>'The Impossible Astronaut' </em>that the Astronaut is River Song and we have witnessed her kill "the best man she has ever known", The Doctor.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>The theory also goes that this is the event which leads to her arrest and imprisonment in the Stormcage.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Good theory. I tend to believe it myself.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>One logic issue that Moffat will have to deal with. If that is River Song in the Astronaut suit, she killed The Doctor in 2011. She is in prison in the 51st Century.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>How is it that the 51st century would hold River responsible for a crime committed in 2011?</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><em><strong>Unless...</strong></em></div>DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-59194623622939147622011-05-05T18:19:00.000-07:002013-05-03T07:25:34.628-07:00Regenerations: Science or Genetics?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSkbGTZ5030/UYPGgIZSxpI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/CpeNS4orSZ4/s1600/regen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" lua="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSkbGTZ5030/UYPGgIZSxpI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/CpeNS4orSZ4/s320/regen.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Before we begin, I would like to agree on some basic assumptions:</strong><br />
<br />
1) If there is a contradiction between Classic Who canon and <em>New Who</em>, Classic Who is the trusted source. Over 40 years of back story should outweigh 4 years of RTD.<br />
2) If New Who introduces a concept that was never covered in <em>Classic Who</em>, then it is canon.<br />
<br />
Now my first contention is that not all Gallifreyans are Time Lords. There is ample evidence for this premise in <em>Classic Who</em>. However, that is a discussion for another post. I would argue, based on Classic Who, that only Time Lords are able to regenerate, not all Gallifreyans. The ability is granted to Gallifreyans who join the exclusive fraternity of Time Lords.<br />
<br />
<strong>Position Statement:</strong> <strong><span style="color: blue;">Regeneration is a scientific accomplishment of The Time Lords and not a genetic trait they are born with.</span></strong><br />
<br />
Which episode supports this theory? The episode I would quote is <em>'The Five Doctors'</em>.<br />
<br />
In <em>'The Five Doctors'</em> The Master is summoned to Gallifrey. The Master has used all of his 12 regenerations (<em>yes, Time Lords can only regenerate 12 times</em>) and is nearing the end of his life. The Time Lords request The Master assist The Doctor against a major threat. In return the Time Lords promise The Master a fresh cycle of regenerations.<br />
<br />
It would seem obvious that if The Time Lords can grant The Master a fresh cycle of regenerations, then the ability is likely based on science and not genetics.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">What if the Time Lords just have the ability to obtain an unlimted number of cycles?</span></strong><br />
You might ask if this doesn't just imply that the batch of regenerations are easily obtainable on Gallifrey. I believe the same episode proves that is not the case.<br />
<br />
The premise of <em>'The Five Doctors'</em> is that President Borusa is attempting to obtain immortality. Obviously, if a Time Lord can just take extra cycles of regenerations at will they would approach near immortality. If anyone could obtain them it would be the President of the Time Lords. <br />
<br />
So we can probably conclude that the cycles are difficult to obtain. Perhaps obtaining the new cycle took approval of the entire senate of Time Lords. Or perhaps there is a limit to how many cycles a Time Lord can take before they cease to function.<br />
<br />
<div>
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Conclusion:</span></strong></div>
<div>
</div>
* Regenerations are granted to Time Lords through science.
* The cycle of regenerations are difficult enough to obtain that they are beyond the casual reach of even the President of Gallifrey.<br />
* There must be a limit to the number of cycles a Time Lord can consume or Borusa would not have needed to go through so much trouble to obtain immortality.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">Fanon: Regeneration Trivia</span></strong><br />
Before <em>New Who </em>was back on television it was generally agreed upon by fans that Gallifreyans are not born with two hearts. It was argued that they were born with a single heart and upon their first regeneration they obtain the second heart.<br />
<br />
The thought was that regenerations might be triggered by nanites which then adjust the Time Lords physiology to an optimal configuration (not one which they were born with). Again, this was fan speculation but it was pretty mainstream for decades.<br />
<br />
I must admit I'm fond of this theory although there is nothing concrete to support it (other than the fact it was never mentioned that the first Doctor had two hearts).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-56477383634092623482010-07-11T17:56:00.000-07:002010-07-11T19:04:03.350-07:00Ranking The DoctorsThinking today about which incarnations of The Doctor are my favorite.<br /><br />It's a tough question because you can enjoy a version of The Doctor but not enjoy the writing on the episodes he was featured in. The Sixth Doctor is a good example of this dilema. I enjoyed the Sixth Doctor but by an large the episodes he was featured in werent of the same quality and imagination weve come to expect from Doctor Who.<br /><br />So Im going to judge The Doctors not by the episodes they were in but by how they were portrayed and wether I would want to read them in a original novel.<br /><br /><strong>The following is my list of favorite Doctors in order:</strong><br /><br />1. <strong>Doctor 11 </strong><br /><br />I must admit Ive fallen in love with The Doctor as portrayed by Matt Smith. I <br />love the constant reminder that there is an old man behind the youthfull appearance. Moffat has successfully reminded us of that by dressing him in an old mans clothes and providing more glimpses of William Hartnel than any series that didnt actually feature Hartnel.<br /><br />I love the doctor as a slightly more alien character. I believe that has been the case during this portrayal than previous incarnations.<br /><br />I will admit that placing 11 on the top of the list after only a single season may be premature. However, he is the Doctor of the moment and he is the Doctor who I am most enamoured with right now. Whose character I am interested in seeing evolve. <br /><br />When a new Doctor takes his place and he becomes on of the former incarnations of the Time Lord we will see how he stacks up to his peers. For the time being though Im of the philosophy you should love the one your with.<br /><br />2. <strong>Doctor 4</strong><br /><br />I love this Doctor. Love the toothy grins, the long scarf, the wordplay this Doctor was famous for. This Doctor also was a bit more alien than many of his counterparts.<br />Theres a reason this Doctor is often at the top of everyones list. Doesnt hurt that he had some of the best scripts of the series.<br /><br /><br />3. <strong>Doctor 10</strong><br /><br />You have to love Tennant. His enthusiasm, his great outfit (love seeing the Doctor in trainers wether in a suit or tux). The most emotional of all the Doctors. Tennant was able to smoothly transition in a scene from loveable clever goofball to menacing ancient power. Tennant will remain on the top of everyones lists for a long time..like Tom Baker he will endure as a fan favorite no matter how many more men take over the role.<br /><br />4. <strong>Doctor 7</strong><br /><br />This version of The Doctor brought back mystery to the character. This version hinted that there might be more to The Doctor than wed previously led to believe. This Doctor was more of a schemer and a planner than previous incarnations.<br /><br />This wasnt a Doctor who things happened to this was a Doctor manipulating and pulling the strings always two steps ahead of his advesaries.<br /><br />My love for this Doctor is also heavily influenced by his original novels published after the show was cancelled. Though the current novels are being written for young adults the 7th Doctors novels were written for adults. They were usually dark, complicated, involved science fiction. These were stories that could never have been told on television and that dared to explore some of the backstory and mythology of Doctor Who. Great Books.<br /><br />5. <strong>Doctor 9</strong><br /><br />While Im not a fan of the writing the season that featured Doctor 9, I do appreciate the thought that RTD put into crafting this version and the way he was portrayed.<br /><br />RTD refers to this Doctor as the Clint Eastwood Doctor. World weary, traumatized, angry Doctor redeemed by a wide-eyed, cheerful companion.<br /><br />Love the leather jacket and the mystery behind this Doctor. How did we get from 8 to 9? What guilt is he bearing for the Time War? Its a wonderful, complicated, emotional Doctor.<br /><br />6. <strong>Doctor 2</strong><br /><br />I must admit I have not seen many episodes of the 2cnd Doctor. My knowledge of him comes mostly from novelizations and clips. However, I love how Troughton portrayed the Doctor. This was the first glimpse the show gave us of the Doctors alien nature.<br /><br />I love the how the Doctor acts as the doting uncle to his companions and as the fool to his advesaries. This Doctor allowed his enemies to underestimate him to win his battles.<br /><br />7. <strong>Doctor 8</strong><br /><br />This is a tough call. Only one episode of screen time. However, McGann had the right look for the Doctor, I loved the outfit and calm otherworldlyness.<br /><br />The 8th Doctor also had several novels that helped solidify his character even if they were off screen.<br /><br />8. <strong>Doctor 6</strong><br /><br />I like to think of this as the mid-life crisis Doctor. Half way through his regenerations hes saved the world enough times and defeated the Daleks and Cybermen enough times to become a bit cocky. This Doctor also didnt seem to care what others thought of him. This was also the first Doctor I was really exposed to and I must admit at the time I thought the plaid jacket was cool.<br /><br />Horrible seasons but interesting Doctor.<br /><br />9. <strong>Doctor 1</strong><br /><br />This Doctor is interesting to me cause he was the first. This is the incarnation that decided to steal a TARDIS and go into exile. This is the Doctor that who though he appears old is actually the Doctor at his youngest, most desperate and inexperienced. <br /><br />10. <strong>Doctor 5</strong><br /><br />This was the a Doctor settling into his life in exile. Similar to Matt Smith it was interesting to see the old man in a young mans body.<br />Though at times I found him flat and a bit boring on screen<br /><br />11. <strong>Doctor 3</strong><br /><br />I know a lot of people love this Doctor, but to me I cant get excited about an earth bound Doctor who didnt have access to his TARDIS. This Doctor was written to be an older James Bond. While I enjoy all things Doctor Who, this has to be my least favorite version. I prefer my Doctor a little bit more Time Lord a little less secret agent.<br /><br />So thats my list. Whats yours?DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-43849473952495701502010-07-09T05:32:00.000-07:002010-07-09T05:36:28.216-07:00Maligned T. Rex eyesight the best in animal history?In the 1993 movie Jurassic Park, one human character tells another that a Tyrannosaurus rex can't see them if they don't move, even though the beast is right in front of them. Now, a scientist reports that T. rex had some of the best vision in animal history. This sensory prowess strengthens arguments for T. rex's role as predator instead of scavenger. <br /><br />In modern animals, predators have better binocular vision than scavengers do, agrees Thomas R. Holtz Jr. of the University of Maryland at College Park. Binocular vision "almost certainly was a predatory adaptation," he says.<br /><br />Scientists had some evidence from measurements of T. rex skulls that the animal could see well. Recently, Kent A. Stevens of the University of Oregon in Eugene went further. <br />Tyrannosaurus rex's cheek grooves (below the eye sockets) and narrow snout cleared its sight lines, giving it impressive vision, according the new study.<br /><br />He used facial models of seven types of dinosaurs to reconstruct their binocular range, the area viewed simultaneously by both eyes. The wider an animal's binocular range, the better its depth perception and capacity to distinguish objects—even those that are motionless or camouflaged. <br /><br />T. rex had a binocular range of 55°, which is wider than that of modern hawks, Stevens reports in the summer Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Moreover, over the millennia, T. rex evolved features that improved its vision: Its snout grew lower and narrower, cheek grooves cleared its sight lines, and its eyeballs enlarged. <br /><br />"It was a selective advantage for this animal to see three-dimensionally ahead of it," Stevens says. <br /><br />He found that T. rex might have had visual acuity as much as 13 times that of people. By comparison, an eagle's acuity is 3.6 times that of a person. <br /><br />Moral of this story - if your ever in a Jurassic Park with T. Rex's on the loose and someone tells you to stand still ... screw him and run!DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-45021062702160342202010-06-01T12:33:00.000-07:002010-06-01T12:58:10.578-07:00Empire Of The Jurassic and The Angels of The Cold EarthCollected Tweets by DoctorLongscarf<br /><br />The Doctor and Amy followed the tour group as the enthusiastic bearded older man exclaimed "Welcome to Jurassic Park"<br /><br />The Doctor and Amy stared up at the caged T-Rex. "Oh this is bad" The Doctor whispered "This is very, very, not good"<br /><br />"You promised me an island" Amy whined "Well" The Doctor shrugged "This is an island, technically, albeit full of dinosaurs"<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />The Doctor and Amy were surrounded by velociraptors. The Doctor reached into his tweed jacket and slowly pulled out his sonic screwdriver.<br /><br />"Hows that going to help" Amy said staring at the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor glanced over at her and winked.<br /><br />"The thing about dinosaurs Pond" The Doctor lectured as if their lives were not in imminent danger " Crap eyesight but amazing hearing"<br /><br />The Doctor activated the sonic screwdriver and all hell broke loose. The velociraptors as one roared in pain and scattered as if drunk.<br /><br />Amid the confusion of the pained and disoriented velociraptors The Doctor grabbed Amy’s hand pulled her to him and yelled "Run Pond, Run!"<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Amy, out of breath, leaned against the cabin wall and began to wipe the mud off her bare legs. She had fallen running from the velociraptors<br /><br />As Amy took a breath and wiped the mud from her legs she looked up and caught Dr Malcolm ogling her lecherously.<br /><br />"You ok Pond?" The Doctor leaned down to make eye contact with Amy and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />The six foot tall green scaled creature lunged at Amy but was stopped short as multiple bullets pierced its armor plated chest.<br /><br />Smoke escaped the barrels of Grants shotgun as The Doctor reached for Amy and she exclaimed "Worst Vacation Ever!".<br /><br />Dr Malcolm and the others leaned over the body of the creature which had attacked Amy. It was bipedal, green, scaled with yellow eyes<br /><br />"I’m no expert" Dr Malcolm said breaking the silence staring at the lizard like man "but that doesn’t look like a dinosaur to me"<br /><br />"It’s not a dinosaur" The Doctor said "It’s a Silurian, I believe we have discovered the saboteurs of your Jurassic Park."<br /><br />"Things just got much, much, worse" The Doctor said adjusting his red bow tie absentmindedly as he scanned the jungle.<br /><br />"How could things possibly be worse?" Sattler asked<br /><br />"You been running scared from dinosaurs" The Doctor explained "The Silurians used to keep them as pets. Imagine the masters"<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />"What do these creatures want with my park?" John Hammond enquired puzzled and out of breath.<br /><br />"You may have set out to make an amusement park Mr. Hammond…" The Doctor called back as he scanned the cabin for equipment.<br /><br />“.. . but what you have actually done is recreate their old home and given the Silurians a reason to return" The Doctor said ominously.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />Cautiously, The Doctor, Amy, Dr. Malcolm, Grant and Sattler crouched towards the outskirts of the Silurian base.<br /><br />In the distance Amy could observe armed Silurians riding on the backs of multiple Tyrannosaurus Rex.<br /><br />The Doctor and Amy hid behind trees and brush and observed the Silurians releasing the remaining dinosaurs from their cages .<br /><br />"We are all going to die" Malcolm said in a resigned accepting tone as he stared at the host of armed Silurians and released dinosaurs.<br /><br />The Doctor patted Malcolm on the back "Cheer up Malcolm" he said with a grin "Wait here I’m going to say hello to our new neighbors”.<br /><br />Before anyone could react he stood up walked through the brush and approached the armed Silurians with a casual wave and a friendly "Hello, I’m The Doctor" .<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />"This island, Isla Nublar, shall be the capital of the new Silurian Empire!" the Silurian leader exclaimed to the cheers of his people.<br /><br />"Excuse me" The Doctor interjected "If this is the capital how far will this empire extend?". The Silurian Leader responded "Over the entire Earth!"<br /><br />"Ahh" The Doctor sighed running his hand through his mop of hair "well then I’m afraid I can’t allow that”.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />As Amy waited in the brush with Malcolm and the others a large explosion rocked them off their feet.<br /><br />Moments later a blur of legs and tweed came busting past them. The Doctor circled back long enough to say "Run!" and continued on his way.<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />"If the Silurians leave this island w an army of cloned dinosaurs all of humanity will be lost, we must contain them here" said The Doctor<br /><br />"How do u propose we do that?" Malcolm asked. Tugging on his red suspenders The Doctor responded with a tap to his nose "I have a plan”<br /><br />"There are far worse things on this island than Silurians and Dinosaurs" The Doctor supplied as he lead the group through the jungle.<br /><br />"I didn’t actually come to this island looking for Silurians and Dinosaurs. I came to stop something of unimaginable evil"<br /><br />"Now instead of stopping it we are going to unleash it on the Silurians. This plan should appeal to you Malcolm. It’s pure chaos!"<br /><br />With a frown The Doctor added "Then we’ll worry about getting the genie back in the bottle".<br /><br />* * *<br /><br />"Where are we going?" Sattler asked as she rushed to catch up to The Doctor<br /><br />"We are heading to main complex to unpack some of Hammond’s decorations" The Doctor said leaping onto a overturned tree trunk<br /><br />Amy climbed up beside him as the Doctor looked around to gain his bearings. "Explain" Amy said<br /><br />The Doctor looked over at Amy "Seems Mr. Hammond has a taste for rare antiquities. He bought four rare statues to place in his lobby"<br /><br />The Doctor jumped down of the trunk and continued on his way "Were going to unpack them for him".<br /><br />"Why in God’s name are we doing that?" Hammond asked<br /><br />"This has nothing to do with God at all Mr. Hammond" The Doctor responded "It has to do with Angel’s".DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-67897305328177112012010-05-09T20:20:00.001-07:002010-05-09T20:30:19.683-07:00Ranking The First 6 Doctor Who Series 5 episodes in Terms Of Re-WatchabilitySo 6 episodes in I feel like ranking the episodes in terms of which episodes are the most rewatchable. Keep in mind that doesnt mean they are the best episodes but they are the ones you reach for when you have 45 minutes to kill. (Example: Though I think BLINK is a brilliant episode, it doesnt even feature The Doctor prominently, so one or two showings is probably enough for me.)<br /><br />In my opinion, in terms of getting played on my iPad, this is the order of most rewatchable:<br /><br />1) Time Of Angels<br />2) Flesh and Stone<br />3) The 11th Hour<br />4) Victory Of The Daleks<br />5) The Vampires Of Venice<br />6) The Beast Below<br /><br />How about you?DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-57440178074752389882010-04-16T19:23:00.000-07:002010-04-16T20:11:55.516-07:00In Great Popcorn Sci-Fi, Its All About The Ship<em><span style="color:#3333ff;">" I want the Doctor out there having adventures. For kids its all about Narnia not about the Wardrobe."</span></em> ~ Stephen Moffat<br /><br />I respectfully disagree with Stephen Moffat. For me, It is about the wardrobe. Or rather its about the fascination of the Wardrobe that could transport you to a place like Narnia.<br /><br />Half of my love for the Franchise Doctor Who is the TARDIS. The TARDIS is the Robin to The Doctor's Batman.<br /><br />The perfect Doctor Who episode, for me, begins in the TARDIS and ends in the TARDIS. Nothing annoyed me more than the trend during the 7th Doctor's run of not even showing the TARDIS during an episode.<br /><br />All great Popcorn Sci-Fi includes the relationship of a hero and his transport.<br /><br />Think Star Wars. Sure the Jedi were cool but does anything really top a man, his Wookie and a ship that can make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs?<br /><br />Most fans agree that the best Star Wars film was The Empire Strikes Back. Is it any coincidence that Empire Strikes Back is the film that features Han on the Millenium Falcon the most?<br /><br />While there is some debate about the best Star Wars film uninamously all fans agree that Return of the Jedi was the most disapointing. Was it the ewoks? Possibly, but I will argue that its the only film of the original trilogy that doesnt have Han Solo on the Falcon.<br /><br />Star Trek is another favorite Sci-Fi staple. Again my least favorite episodes where the ones that took the Enterprise out of the action. Sure, on those episodes where the focus was on the principles on some planets surface there were the glimpses of the Enterprise orbiting the planet. To me however, thats like having a Ferrari parked in the driveway. My favorite episodes are those where the Enterprise is a part of the action. Give me Balance Of Terror over Shore Leave any day.<br /><br />Firefly is another great popcorn sci-fi show. One that consistently made good use of its ship. Whedon understood, better than most show runners, that the Serenity was as much a character on the show as Captain Malcolm Reynolds.<br /><br />The Doctor, Captain Kirk, Malcolm Reynolds - great heroes all. But where would they all be without the TARDIS, ENTERPRISE and SERENITY? Nowhere.DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-8102433081938908752010-03-09T19:09:00.000-08:002010-03-09T19:57:29.187-08:00Genetic Transfer, Travel In TARDIS or Fixed Point in Time<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">The hottest geek game since "Paper, Rock, Lizard, Spock"</span><br /><br />Its an easy game. Name 3 celebrities and determine if , as a Time Lord, you would perform a casual Genetic Transfer, take them with you to Travel In the TARDIS, or since the celebrity is a Fixed Point in Time you leave them to die.<br /><br />If your unfamiliar with the Doctor Who terminology, a brief explanation.<br /><br /><strong>Genetic Transfer (GT)</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Occasionally the Doctor takes a fancy to a woman and will share some romantic time with her but at the end of the episode hes done with her. Example: Lady Christina in The Planet of the Dead .<br /><br />Sometimes the Doctor will even state that he was forced to french kiss a woman to perform a "Genetic Transfer". Yeah, OK.<br /><br />I assume a Genetic Transfer would be even more effective if other bodily fluids were exchanged.<br /><br />Regardless, they may have had chemistry but these girls dont make it to the TARDIS.<br /><br /><strong>Travel In TARDIS (TIT)</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Sometimes the Doctor becomes infatuated enough that he brings the young lady back to the TARDIS for a longer relationship. One assumes the ladies are visiting a Dimensionally Transendental bedroom. Examples: Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith<br /><br /><strong>Fixed Point in Time (FPT)</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Then there are the ladies the Doctor just wants to be rid of all together. He will justify this death by stating "She was a Fixed Point in Time. Trust me she had to die."<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">SAMPLE GAME</span></strong><br /><strong></strong><br />So a sample game would go like so -<br />GIT, TIT, FPT: Rose Tyler, Kate from Lost, Susan Boyle.<br /><br />I would perform a Genetic Transfer (GT) with Kate, Bring Rose Tyler for some Travel In the TARDIS (TIT) and unfortunately Susan Boyle is a Fixed Point in Time (FPT) so shes gonna have to die.<br /><br />hashtag #DWgameDoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-66122039057393818752010-03-01T20:22:00.000-08:002011-05-05T17:04:39.341-07:00"Looking Time Lord" - Its A Rank Not A Race<strong><span style="color:#333333;">Not all Gallifreyans are Time Lords</span></strong><br /><br />The new Doctor Who series breezes over a fact somewhat established in Classic Doctor Who - Not everyone from Gallifrey is a Time Lord.<br /><br />Much like US Senators are Americans but not all Americans are US Senators. Time Lords are a handfull of Gallifreyans who achieve a level of learning and pass certain requirements who are then allowed into an elite brotherhood. In the episode <em>'The Deadly Assasin'</em> the dialogue mentions a plebian class, implying not all Galifreyans are Time Lords. <br /><br />It can also be implied from <em>Classic Who </em>that the ability to regenerate is not a genetic trait of Gallifreyans but a scientific achievement granted to Gallifreyans who become Time Lords. The fact that regeneration is a scientific achievement rather than a genetic gift is demonstrated in the episode <em>'The Five Doctors'</em>. In that episode The Master, having run out of his 12 regenerations, is offered a fresh cycle by the Time Lords for his assistance.<br /><br />I believe the clearest arguement for both of these theories is demonstrated by the character of The Doctor's grandaughter, Susan.<br /><br />It is clear that Susan was a Gallifreyan but not a Time Lady like Romana or The Rani.<br /><br />This could also explain some of the actions taken by the first Doctor.<br />The Doctor stole the TARDIS from his people and brought his grandaughter with him as he fled.<br /><br />It has often been mentioned both in <em>Classic</em> and <em>New Who </em>that the Doctor is a lonely man. That he brings companions with him to help abate the loneliness. If Susan had the ability to regenerate she could have traveled with him forever.<br /><br />However, the Doctor left her behind on a planet so she could make a life for herself. Probably, because he knew she would grow old traveling with him while he would regenerate and become younger watching her age and die. Something which the Doctor would not have been able to endure.DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-59043577840016453002010-02-28T14:08:00.000-08:002010-02-28T14:18:05.773-08:0011th Doctors costume was originally much differentAccording to an interview with Steven Moffat the costume we currently see on the 11th Doctor was completely different than what was originally planned. Apparently Matt Smoth was uncomfortable wearing the original outfit and the new costume was arrived at last minute based on Matt's recomendation.<br /><br />The original costume for the 11th Doctor was ".. a bit more piratey, big long coats and all that stuff- and Matt hated it all".<br /><br />Supposedly there are several pictures of Matt wearing the original outfit.<br /><br />I would love to see what the original outift looked like.<br /><br />Matt grew fond of the bowtie after watching the 2cnd Doctor in "Tomb of the Cybermen" and recommended the tweed jacket with the elbow patches.DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8475102552415115350.post-44831043649267027722010-02-22T08:24:00.000-08:002010-02-22T08:39:44.191-08:00Why the 11th Doctor's outfit, while not iconic, may work for the character as played by Matt Smith<span style="font-family:arial;">As a disclaimer, I must admit I love the 10th Doctor's outfit. The combination of the blue suit wearing red trainers with a brown trenchcoat just works. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Walk around a Comic Con and you will find two versions of the Doctor walking amid the vendor booths and fans dressed as storm troopers: A certain jelly baby loving Doctor sporting a long scarf and a red converses peaking out below brown trenchcoats. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />My initial reaction to the pictures of Matt Smith wearing the Doctor's new outfit were lukewarm. Over time however it has begun to grow on me. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Matt Smith will be the youngest actor to ever play the Doctor at the point were the character is at his oldest. Its important to note that while the Doctor was always old from a human viewpoint, he began the story as a very young Time Lord. Even the 1st Doctor, as played by an ancient looking William Hartnel, was young by a Time Lord's measure. He had not even undergone his first regeneration. From the first episode of Doctor Who to the current 11th Doctor, the Doctor has aged over 500 years.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So that is the Doctor Matt Smith will be portraying - an old man in a young mans body It is an aspect of the character that RTD touched upon briefly, upon occasion, that I hope Stephen Moffat will delve into further.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This is why the 11th Doctor's new outfit makes sense to me. It visually communicates something about the character. The clothes he is wearing are old fashioned. An old man's clothes. The disconnect of a young man in an old mans clothes are symbolic of the old soul in a young man body. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />It is my hope that Matt Smith will play the Doctor as an old man entering the final years of his life. A Time Lord who has more days behind him than ahead of him trying to accomplish as much as possible in the days left to him and taking advantage of the youth and energy of his new regeneration to help him get it done.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong><em>follow me on Twitter:</em> Twitter.com/DoctorLongscarf</strong></span></span>DoctorLongscarfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05750810165097201408noreply@blogger.com1