The Worlds of Doctor Who

     If my last, so very long ago post focused more on what we sometimes laughingly call “real life” then this one, will hopefully light a fire under my ass and get me writing more about my other focus on this blog, Doctor Who. There has been a lot of Who stuff going on, so I’m just going to review, pontificate and generally rattle on in roughly chronological order. So, if you’re not here for nerdy stuff, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry…

Series Ten

          I didn’t review each episode as I did with Series Nine, but I couldn’t go without some comments on Peter Capaldi’s last season (barring the Xmas episode). This was EASILY my favorite Capaldi season in terms of strongly consistent stories, characters and performances. Pearl Mackie, oh my goodness. I adored her as Bill and am now kicking myself for not taking the chance to go to Philly Comic-Con where she was guesting. Such a great companion arc for her, and a tremendous foil for the 12^th Doctor this season. Speaking of, Capaldi has never been better. I liked the prickly Doctor he started as, and as he mellowed the role became more and more his. He may have become less tetchy but still never warm and snuggly. I’ve never really ranked my favorite Doctors, my general response is that my favorite is whomever I’m watching at the time. But I’m leaning towards changing that response. I’m not blindly in love with every story of his, but let me just say that when he fires on all cylinders in a story that plays to his strengths, no one has been better.

          “World Enough and Time” is far and away my favorite episode this season. I’ve always come down firmly on the Cybermen side of the Daleks/Cybermen debate, and this is the best Cybermen story in simply ages. The Mondasian Cybermen are so low tech as to almost be laughable, if they weren’t so flat out frightening. I hadn’t been properly creeped out by a story in ages, and this one just ticked all the boxes for me. As for THAT character reveal… yep, should have seen it coming a mile away. But I didn’t and that was a refreshing change of pace. As for the OTHER reveal one episode later at the end of “The Doctor Falls” – well, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to kinda getting a little choked up. I may be WAY behind on my Time Stream entries, but my recent rewatch of Hartnell just reinforced how much I love that era of the program. Which, prompts me to jump *slightly* ahead to…

The 2017 Christmas Special (“Twice Upon a Time”)

          If you haven’t seen it, watch the trailer here. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve watched this thing already, and I love it to bits. David Bradley! Double the TARDISes! And yes, Mark Gatiss! (I’ve been a fan of his since his New Adventure “Nightshade” and dammit he just always seems to have fun when he shows up in Who). Christmas can’t come soon enough, and that’s not a sentiment I normally express. Speaking of Christmas, there was one other recent bit of Doctor Who news that may have gotten your attention. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you…

Jodie Whittaker as the 13^th Doctor

          Um, wow. Just, wow. Again, if you didn’t see the official BBC video announcement (and in god’s name why on earth are you bothering with my blog if you HAVEN’T) take a look-see right here:

The 13^th Doctor

They actually did it. They cast a woman as the Doctor. I’m beyond thrilled for this, really. There’s never been a legitimate reason why the Doctor couldn’t have been a woman before now, and I think it’s the perfect time. I feel like this deserves a longer essay than I’m affording it here, but damn this thrills me.

          I’m still trying to get my sea legs back in terms of writing and updating this little site of mine. But there was just SO much going on in the world of my favorite program, that I really felt the need to put in my few pennies worth. Thanks for sticking in there with me, and PLEASE  feel free to comment and get in touch about all the goings on in the Worlds of Doctor Who.  It’s a great time to be a fan!