Monday, September 8, 2008

Doctor Who

Why, oh why did I take so long to start watching this show? The whole thing is stupendous. Okay, maybe the production values at the BBC aren't exactly what we're used to here in the states, but the writing more than makes up for the occasionally clunky special effects.

While I love every episode I've seen (which means Seasons 1-3, which are available on DVD) I've found that my favorite episodes all seem to be written by Steven Moffat. No real surprise to me, since I have every episode of Coupling memorized!) His episodes tend to have that little extra creep factor I love in a good Sci-Fi show. Case in point season 1 episodes "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances". A child in a gas mask wanders the streets during the London Blitz calling for it's mother, but the child was killed in a bombing a month previous. Anyone who has come into physical contact with him since has grown (yep, grown) a gas mask and other physical injuries to match, zombies who can walk and talk yet with no medical signs of life. I say these zombies can talk, but all they do is call for their mothers...super creepy. This is a double episode and the ending wraps everything up in a beautiful and uplifting way. Well worth a watch.

Another Steven Moffat penned favorite is "Blink" from Season 3. This is the episode they're forced to do once a year where there is very little of the Doctor or his companion (because they're busy filming other episodes!) The episode opens with a girl entering a closed up, spooky old house. She's there to take some pictures and discovers a room where the wallpaper is peeling and a message can be spotted underneath, she begins to peel it away, uncovering the message "Beware the weeping Angel.....Duck.....Sally Sparrow.....Duck NOW" Sally, as she is of course, ducks just in time. The creep factor never lets up and one of the scariest creatures I've ever seen on TV comes to the forefront. The Weeping Angels cannot move when watched, they turn to stone, covering their eyes and looking as any garden statue might, when you look away, or blink though, they can move astoundingly fast...again, the episode ends in a way that wraps up all the loose ends and leaves you feeling like you've taken a satisfying emotional ride.

I'm waiting with baited breath for the fourth season to hit the DVD shelves (Alas, not until November) and the newest season to hit the airwaves next spring, with Steven Moffat at the helm! If you're a Sci-Fi fan who, like me, put off checking out the Doctor's newest incarnation, don't put it off any longer!

2 comments:

  1. I got into Doctor Who last season. I was drawn in by a library setting for one episode. My husband's been a fan for a while.

    Re your comment: It's nice to know there are others as emotionally attached to their comics. I'm glad Lynn Johnston wrapped it up on Sunday so you know what happened to everyone.

    Peace and Laughter,
    Cristina

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oops. That was me. I didn't realize I was signed in on my son's account. *blushing*

    Cristina

    ReplyDelete

About Me

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I'm human, so I've got some issues, but all things considered I guess I'm reasonably normal. My parents are still married. My best friends are my sisters...okay, so I'm normal for the 1850's whatever. I'm opinionated and nerdy. I'm walking the line between tweener-style pop culture love (witness my ever-burning New Kids love and inexplicable Twilight obsession) and elitist culture snob (I can't seem to get enough 19th century British Lit and historical biographies) but, after 30 years, I'm finally learning not to give a crap what anyone else thinks about me. Oh, and those are my feet in the picture. The socks were made by a friend.

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