Doctor Who – Victory of the Daleks

*INSERT USUAL SPOILER MESSAGE HERE*

When last we saw The Doctor and his lovely companion, they were getting a phone call from Winston Churchill saying he might need their help. Apparently the TARDIS still has some kinks to work out yet, because The Doctor doesn’t actually show up until a month after that call takes place. By that time, Churchill has already put into place a new secret weapon: the Daleks?

Wait, did I just see Winston Churchill working with the Daleks? That can’t be right… can it?

That is how it in fact seemed to be. Except they weren’t calling themselves “Daleks”. Instead they were called “Ironsides” and were created by a Professor Bracewell. It is all very confusing for The Doctor, especially the part where AMY DOESN’T REMEMBER THEM?! You mean AT ALL?!

So that was another thing that seemed off about this whole situation.

Also, their new purpose was to win the war for Great Britain. The Doctor isn’t buying any of this and even says to “Exterminate them” – Hey, Doc, that’s their line.

Another great line from The Doctor – “What does hate look like? It looks like a Dalek, and I’m going to prove it.” We all know The Doctor hates the Daleks, but for good reason. They destroyed his home and tried to destroy Earth (which is like his second home). You would hate them too, if you were him. Even still, it is amazing to see the level of emotion that they bring out in him (a combination fear, hate, and anger).

After enough words are shared between the two species, we finally get some explanation as to what is going on. It turns out the Daleks found this “Progenitor” that contained pure Dalek DNA, but did not recognize them as Daleks (because of mutations that happened in a previous episode). They needed The Doctor’s testimony to get the progenitor working. This created a whole new race of Daleks. First task: exterminate the old “inferior” models. Next they turn their sights on their old enemy: The Doctor. How will he escape this time? With the help of Winston Churchill of course!

Churchill sends Spitfires to blast the Dalek ship. The Doctor lowers their shields long enough for the planes to get a clear shot. But there is a slight complication. Seems old Bracewell is really an android created by the Daleks as part of their plans, and he is set to self-destruct. The Doctor now has a choice: stop the Daleks from escaping or keep the bomb from going off and taking all of planet Earth with it. He chooses to save the Earth, which the Daleks criticize him for. “His compassion is his greatest weakness,” they say. I disagree. I believe that is is actually one of his greatest strengths and what sets him apart from the rest of the world (besides, you know, the whole “Time Lord” thing).

The Doctor proves this in saving Bracewell. He tries to get Bracewell to remember how it felt to be human in an attempt to stop the bomb from going off. This is a great idea, but needs help from an actual human. Yet again we see the companion helping The Doctor in a crucial way. This time she asks Professor Bracewell if he has ever been in love with someone he shouldn’t have been. As he starts telling the story of a girl he knew once, the bomb is deactivated, thus proving that love is our greatest strength. Unfortunately, the Daleks use this to complete their time jump and escape. When Amy proclaims that they won (because the Daleks are gone and nobody died), The Doctor questions this. Was it really the right thing to let them escape, considering how much harm they could do to the Universe? The phrase, “Live to fight another day” came to mind here, for me.

Things that still needed answering at the end of this episode: why couldn’t Amy remember the Daleks? My second “open-ended” item might be connected to this – what is the deal with the cracks appearing everywhere? First we saw one in Amy’s room, then in the side of the ship in “The Beast Below”. Now we saw one in the wall as the TARDIS was disappearing. These are supposed to be cracks in time, so I am thinking this will be connected to Amy’s memory being apparently altered. Maybe something happened to “break” time somehow and caused history to be altered. We will have to continue watching to find out more.

As always, after the episode finished we were treated to another edition of Doctor Who: Confidential. This week gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the Churchill cabinet war room. The writer (Mark Gatiss) went there for research purposes. We also see how the “Spitfire in space” scene worked. Some very cool stuff worth having a look at, if you haven’t already done so.

Next week we get part 1 of the two-part episode with the Weeping Angels. This is the one I’ve been most excited to see, so you can be sure I will have lots to say once it’s over.

Things Americans Can Learn From British Television

The title link today is from theTVaddict and discusses a few things American TV can learn from Doctor Who. I have actually discussed the ways in which British television (specifically Doctor Who and Torchwood) are superior to what you get on this side of the pond, just never on this blog. Methinks it is time to rectify that.

The first thing that jumps at me with these shows is the writing. Since they have a 13-episode season instead of 22 or more like there is here, it forces the writer to work harder at every script. There is no longer room for “fluff” episodes that don’t move the plot along. At the same time, there always seems to be a good balance between humor and drama. Know how 24 says, “Every second counts”? It really is true with these shows.

Moving on to the acting side of things… the acting is superb. This is true of every actor involved, not just the big name stars. Honestly, the only big names I can even think of are David Tennant and John Barrowman. (Is JB even a big name, or am I just overly obsessed with him?) No matter how famous the actor is though, they always seem to give it their all and bring their character to another dimension. This isn’t to say that there aren’t American actors who are equally talented. I just mean that British shows don’t always need big names to make big things happen.

Next I’d like to talk about the special effects. More specifically, how surprised you might be at the budget some of these shows get. Americans seem to think that the more you spend, the better it will be. (Capitalism in action!) In reading interviews with Steven Moffat on Doctor Who, I found it especially interesting how low their budget is and how much they are able to accomplish for such a small amount. It just goes to show, you can get quality programming even on a budget.

Finally, I would like to speak on the creativeness some of these shows offer. In a way this goes with the things previously mentioned (writing, working on a budget) but there is more to it than that. Take, for example, Doctor Who. The premise for that show seems simple enough, and yet it has an intricacy to it that makes it one of the most unique shows in television history. The character of the Doctor is both simple and complex at the same time. At times he seems almost childlike, but when you take a deeper look you see many layers and the burdens underneath. Then look at Torchwood, which is possibly one of the most successful spin-offs of a show ever. Rarely do you see the same level of excellence in a show that the original had. With Torchwood, you get the connection to Doctor Who while also developing a whole new world to explore. And yet again, the acting and writing for this show are just as sharp as the series it was spawned from.

There are many reasons why British television can be more appealing to American viewers. All elements of the series I have mentioned make for excellent programming. (Plus, the accents don’t hurt much either). If you don’t want to take my word for it, I suggest you watch an episode of Doctor Who and decide for yourself. (Another great thing is you can watch almost any episode and it won’t matter if you have no background in the series to start with). So go check out what you have been missing. Once you do, you may never look at television the same way again.

Doctor Who – The Beast Below

The Doctor constantly has some tough choices to make in his travels, but “The Beast Below” may have given him one of his toughest yet.

*Spoiler time, kids*

At first all we know is something big and bad is happening on the Starship UK, but that is all. Oh, and it is something big and bad enough that Amy sends a message to herself telling her to stop The Doctor from investigating the goings on of the space-age British Empire.

Then we find what is at the center of it all, and it is rather quite sad.

It turns out there is a creature guiding the ship, and it is being tortured to keep it going.

Once The Doctor finds the Beast, he has to decide what to do with it. Does he let it keep being tortured to protect the people onboard, set the creature free and kill an entire civilization in the process, or lobotomize the creature so it no longer feels the pain it has to endure? The Doctor is ready to set into motion option number three, but in the final moments Amy gets a realization that changes everything.

“Open your eyes,” The Doctor had told her when they first arrived in the ship. Thank God for everyone that she listened to him. For she was the one who noticed how the creature behaved around the children. And, looking at The Doctor, she remembered what Liz Ten said about when they first found the creature. And she was the one who realized that they didn’t need to torture the Beast for it to continue moving the ship.

“If you were that old and that kind and the last of your kind, you couldn’t just stand there and watch children cry,” she told them. (Quote of the night)

This episode showed the hard choices The Doctor has to make in his life. It also reminded us that sometimes he doesn’t have all the answers and needs someone to show him the right path. Funny that another red-head teaches him this lesson, as Donna was best at doing this for him (as demonstrated by the Series 4 episode “Turn Left”). This season looks to be just as much Amy’s story as it is The Doctor’s.

As always, BBC America gives us a behind the scenes look at the latest episode with Doctor Who Confidential. This gave us a behind the scenes look at everything from cast reactions to set design.

Next week we’re going to get the return of the Daleks and… Winston Churchill? That should be interesting. So tune in next week at 9pm on BBC America for another great adventure with The Doctor and his companion, Amy.

Happy Birthday, David Tennant

News on Shuffle would like to give a great big birthday shout-out to the talented Mr. David Tennant. He has been in a number of things (both television/movies and on stage) but is mostly known for his role as the 10th Doctor on the British Sci-Fi series, Doctor Who. (We swear that it is merely a coincidence that this happens to fall on the day after we start blogging avidly about the joys of Doctor Who).

Tenannt’s portrayal of the Doctor has been held by some to be the greatest of all. To many he is “The Doctor”. This is why Matt Smith was going to have his work cut out for him. He would be replacing the man who brought many new people into the fold and defined who the Doctor was for them.

While his time as the Doctor was certainly memorable, Tennant has done many other extraordinary things as an actor. He was recently in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet as the title role, and he was also in the the docu-drama Einstein and Eddington, as Arthur Eddington. Oh, and fun fact: he played Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

The more things I see David in, the more I come to realize his acting is a lot like the Doctor: mad but brilliant. To celebrate, here is a David Tennant/10th Doctor Tribute. Song is “I Gotta Feeling”

Trust Him, He’s The Doctor

Amy: Who are you?
Doctor: I don’t know yet, still cooking.

Sizzling is more like it.

After weeks of speculation as to whether or not Matt Smith would be a suitable Doctor, I can honestly say that we need not worry. Matt makes the character his own from the moment he jumps out of the TARDIS and into the life of his new companion, Amy Pond. Speaking of the TARDIS, it’s new and shiny too, as is the sonic screwdriver. Even the opening titles have a slightly new theme, although it is essentially the same tune we have grown to love over the years. If anything it is just slightly edgier and darker than what we are used to. Overall I would say stop worrying about Matt Smith and Steven Moffat and just let the show be what it is: a timeless adventure that will make you feel as if you had been running right alongside your beloved Doctor.

Every episode is followed by a special Doctor Who Confidential, which can be found on the BBC America website along with other behind-the-scenes features.

So, all of time and space. Everything that ever happened or ever will. Where do you want to start?

How I Fell For the Doctor

I was going to title this post “Why You Should Be Watching Doctor Who” but I didn’t want to presume to tell anyone what their television viewing habits should be. Instead I thought I’d regale you with a tale of my experience with The Doctor, and why I would describe it as love at first sight.

As a senior in college I have not had the experience with Doctor Who that, say, my father had. I can’t say I grew up with him my whole life or anything like that. Likewise, I cannot talk about how it is an institution here, since the US is really playing catch-up to the level of fandom that the UK has for the show. For that matter, we may never reach the levels of attachment that its homeland has for the series. But that only seems fair.

No, I was first introduced to The Doctor 4 months ago. I met enough people who were obsessed enough with the show that I decided to give it a try during my winter break. Being a lover of sci-fi, I figured it was a good bet I would like the show as well. I was wrong.

I didn’t just like Doctor Who; I loved it. From the moment The Doctor grabs Rose and tells her to follow him I knew this was going to become one of my favorite shows of all time. With each new episode I fell even more in love with every element of the show. The acting is superb, as is the writing. Russell T. Davies and Stephen Moffat never seemed to have a shortage of new and exciting adventures for the Doctor and his companion to enjoy.

Yes, from the moment I started my journey with The Doctor, I was hooked. Countless times the words “One more episode” would be uttered, only to be said again 50 minutes later. By the time I was finished, I had forgotten what a world before meeting the Doctor was like. It was as if I had known him my whole life.

It feels appropriate to share my love for Doctor Who now that the 5th Series premiere is scheduled for tomorrow (April 17th) on BBC America. Even if you haven’t watched a single episode before today, I still highly recommend giving it a chance tomorrow. BBCA will be airing the second half of Series 4 all day tomorrow as well as the specials that aired in between seasons. If nothing else, try to watch The End of Time, as it leads in to the new episode (and is possibly one of the best stories in the series. Russel Davies definitely went out on a high note).

*if you don’t have time to play catch-up, this scene is all you really need to know*

Now is the perfect time to start your adventure with The Doctor for a number of reasons. The show is seeing a new Doctor (Matt Smith), new companion (Karen Gillan), and new producer (Stephen Moffat). Moffat wrote one of my favorite episodes in the series (Blink), so I look forward to seeing what he does now that he is in charge of the whole thing. If I haven’t convinced you Doctor Who is worth checking out, maybe Matt Smith can:

AVC: Doctor Who has always been more of a cult sensation here in the U.S. than in Britain. How would you describe the series to someone here who has never seen it before? What would you say it’s like?

MS: I’d say it’s about a 900-year-old alien who travels around time and space in a blue police box, which is called the TARDIS, having adventures, saving the world, and defeating evil. It’s not bound by space or time or logic or genre, and therefore creatively it can go anywhere and do anything. You can be in the past with dinosaurs one week and in the future the next week, as the world is about to explode. I think it’s full of heart and humor and wit and invention. I think Doctor Who improves your life. And I mean that. It’s not just, like, my mission statement. I do, as a man who’s come to it late on, as well. It’s never too late to get into it. I think we’ve got a new team and a new show, and I think now is the time to start watching.

-excerpt from an interview between AV Club and Matt Smith, the new Doctor (the rest of the interview is the title link for today)

If that doesn’t convince you that Doctor Who is worth your time, then I don’t know what will. I hope you will share in the magical journey with me. I will be posting reviews of the new series as it airs here in the US. I’m sure it will be brilliant.

Doctor Who Countdown

As the US premiere of Doctor Who comes ever closer, Americans everywhere are just trying to not get spoiled. BBC America offers a countdown widget to keep track of the date (as if we weren’t doing that on our own anyway).

The widget also offers a videos, interviews, and a photo gallery to have fun with while you wait. Speaking of fun, did you hear about the new DW game that they are making? It’s going to be four interactive episodes, the first of which will be available in June. Especially cool for those of us who ever wanted to be the Doctor (or his companion).

*Doctor Who Series 5 premieres April 17th on BBC America. Leading up to that all day will be the end of Series 4 starting with The Doctor’s Daughter all the way through to Journey’s End, followed by all the specials (The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, Waters of Mars, and The End of Time).*

Doctor Who News

Lots of Doctor Who related tidbits with the new series ready to debut soon.

For those of us in the US, we have two events to look forward to. One is Monday April 12th at The Paley Center. This is going to be offered to members of the Center first before the general public is allowed in. The event is free but seating is limited so they ask you to reserve a seat. Details can be found here. If you can’t make it to this smaller event, there is a bigger one happening at Village East Cinema on April 14th. This is also free but you’re going to want to get there early as it is first come, first served. Details courtesy of BBC America.

In other news, Doctor Who Magazine has won a Guinness World Record as the Longest Running Magazine Based on a Television Series. It joins Doctor Who as the longest running Sci-fi series and most successful Sci-fi series in 2009. The show is brilliant and deserves all the recognition it has been getting recently. Congratulations!
Doctor Who Series 5 premieres April 3 in the UK and April 17th in the US.

Happy Birthday + News Roundup

Lots of music and television news to share today. But first…

A happy birthday shout-out to Robbie Coltrane. Coltrane is best known for his portrayal of Hagrid in theHarry Potter series, although he is in a number of other films as well. He turns 60 today.

Moving from movies to television, it has already spread pretty quickly that this is officially the last season of 24. There was talk about it moving to NBC, but that is definitely not happening. The movie is in the works though, and will likely follow chronologically the events of the current season.

And in music, RXP’s Experience Next presents: One Eskimo. This show is free to all and will be at Brooklyn Bowl on March 31.
Last, but certainly not least, MGMT‘s video for Flash Delirium is online for your viewing pleasure.


Bonus round:
For Doctor Who fans, here is an interview with Stephen Moffat.

The new season of Doctor Who premieres this weekend in the UK and April 17th in the US.

The Doctor Is In

Doctor Who has been voted the greatest screen doctor in a recent poll. The runner up was Doctor Brown from Back to the Future.

Doctor Who has been around for generations, but has had a recent surge in popularity with David Tennant’s portrayal of the iconic character in the new series.
Other doctors on the list include Dr. Spock from Star Trek, Dr. Cox from Scrubs, and Dr. Watson from Sherlock Holmes.
Top 10 Doctors:
1. Doctor Who
2. Dr. Brown (Back to the Future)
3. Dr. Kennedy ( Neighbours)
4. Dr. Evil (Austin Powers)
5. Dr. Spock (Star Trek)
6. Dr. Gellar (Friends)
7. Dr. Doolittle
8. Dr. Cox (Scrubs)
9. Dr. Ross (ER)
10. Dr. Watson (Sherlock Holmes)
Who knew going to the doctor could be so much fun?