"Flux" Capacity 2

 Once again, I find myself apparently in the minority among internet commenters on the current season of Doctor Who (but I've been in that position throughout Jodie Whitaker and Chris Chibnall's run). I thought episode 6 of "Flux" was a fine ending to the story, having wrapped up all the many threads from the first five episodes and leaving us with a satisfactory place to move on from.

I was pleased that the Doctor decided she didn't need (or didn't want) to know the information hidden in the watch...but at the same time did not irrevocably destroy it, either. Yes, leave it for another team to explore should they wish to do so.

Yes, Division's and Swarm and Azure's motives remain a bit murky, I'll admit, but villains do not always need clear motives--sometimes they just do bad things because that's the way their minds work. (Does anybody think Charles Manson's motives, as a real-world example, made any sense at all?)

I'm happy with things as they stand and a bit sorry we only get to see three more adventures from this team.

"Flux" Capacity

 I am now officially tired of the alleged Doctor Who fans who have been bitching about "Flux," the six-episode story that is tying up much of what show-runner Chris Chibnall has done in his previous two seasons of the show.

Episode 5, "Survivors of the Flux," did, I think, a masterful job of pulling together the various plot strains of this tale and of giving us greater insight to the Timeless Child, Division, and Chibnall's overall plan. Yet still I read complaints. If those complaints are about the very existence of the Timeless Child plot, I can almost understand--some people simply do not like to have long-standing canon toyed with. (And still, DW has done just that numerous times in its nearly six-decade history. For one thing, until the current version, with the glow and the blasts of light from the extremities, every regeneration was depicted differently--from the simple camera dissolves of One to Two, and Three to Four, to the mysterious figure merge of Four to Five).

And if "Flux" is confusing, why did so many of these same fans embrace Game of Thrones--which had enough plot lines and twists to fill four or five six-episode stories...and then clumsily tied them all up in one eight-episode final season?

I have never been confused by anything in "Flux"...perhaps because I've been paying attention and not just looking for things to carp about.

Unlucky Thirteen?

 

As promised, my thoughts on Doctor Number 13, Jodie Whittaker.

In my experience, whenever any group of mixed gender gathers for any length of time, one person--usually female--will emerge as the social leader: the organizer of parties, the consoler in times of trouble, the one the others look to for guidance. I have seen this phenomenon in science-fiction circles and in theater casts. I call this person the "den mother".

That is Doctor Number 13's role--"den mother". It is signified by her decision to call her traveling companions a family. And I think it is one of the reasons some fans dislike her characterization....it is distinctly female.

I think that some fans, when they heard the new Doctor would be played by a woman, expected someone who would portray this new incarnation as simply "a guy in a dress". She would have all the typical masculine traits of her predecessors....but Jodie Whittaker (and the writers) chose a different path. Number 13 is female all the way through...affectionate (given to hugs), maternal, sharing--even sharing decision-making. This has been the most democratic of all TARDIS teams; Number 13 is not given to barking orders to her family.

And she is at the same time dependable...and dependent. Imprisoned, she knows her family will rescue her, even as she knows she has to stay strong because they depend on her. I saw complaints on line that this was not "heroic"....that a true hero would have rescued herself. (I guess they never saw the Errol Flynn Robin Hood, in which Robin is saved from the gallows by Maid Marian's plan, not his own.)

I applaud Whittaker, Chibnall et al for taking this controversial direction.

An Even Dozen

 Some thoughts on each of the first 12 Doctors, leading up to a separate post about Number 13, Jodie Whitaker.

1. William Hartnell: The "grumpy grandfather," always finding his traveling companions lacking (even his own granddaughter), but not without affection for them.

2. Patrick Troughton: The "jolly grandfather," always good for a laugh, but ready to defend his companions to the death.

3. Jon Pertwee: The "daring uncle," full of tales about his adventurous past and taking his companions on equally exciting trips.

4. Tom Baker: The "madcap uncle," incredibly intelligent and incredibly wild, you're never sure if he's being brilliant or just crazy.

5. Peter Davison: The "big brother," just a bit older and wiser than his companions, but protective of them.

6. Colin Baker: The "critical uncle," his disagreements with his companions never seem to come from any sense of affection.

7. Sylvester McCoy: The "screwball uncle," not as physically wild as Number 4, but more given to absurdities as part of his plan.

8. Paul McGann: The "heartthrob," Lord Byron in an alien's body with a time machine.

9. Christopher Eccleston: The "reformed bad boy," ready to drag you into something you really aren't ready for.

10. David Tennant: The Doctor as "Mr. Darcy," the brooding, handsome guy every girl falls for...but who deliberately keeps them all distant.

11. Matt Smith: The "daft best friend," the one guy in every circle of chums who maintains a platonic relationship with all the girls--except for the one who he can never quite keep hold of.

12. Peter Capaldi: The "cranky neighbor," always on the verge of saying "Stay off my lawn," but in reality the neighborhood watchman, keeping an eye out for the dangers you don't know are lurking.

Next time, a more extensive look at Number 13, Jodie Whitaker and why she's so disliked by one very vocal segment of fans (and no, it's not entirely just because she's female).

Number 14?

 It is widely rumored that Jodie Whitaker will be leaving her role as the title character on Doctor Who at the end of the 13th season, currently in production and scheduled to be aired in the fall. That will mean that, in terms of number of episodes, Whitaker will have the shortest tenure as the Doctor in the show's 58-year history. (Of course, little of that is her fault--her first two seasons were cut to 10 episodes from 12 by budget restraints and her final one is reduced to eight because of the pandemic.)

Although the BBC has yet to confirm the rumors, speculation has already begun on who should succeed her in the role....so I've decided to put in my own thoughts. Admittedly, this has only jelled for me in the past couple of days, as I watched my candidate perform as a contestant on BBC's Celebrity Mastermind game show.

My choice would be comedian and panel show personality Stephen K. Amos. Why? Well, as I watched him on the show--which he won, by the way--I saw a mature man with a gravitas belied by a twinkling eye...precisely what I think the show needs right now. I don't think we need another very young person, such as Matt Smith or even Whitaker. I don't think we need another grandfather-figure. We need someone like Patrick Troughton or Tom Baker--someone who could be a leader but with the slightly off-kilter attitude of those men.

Here's a link to the Wikipedia entry on Amos. Read it, catch one of his appearances, and see if you don't agree.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_K._Amos

Traveling Companions

 With the departure of two companions over the weekend and the imminent arrival of another this fall, I thought this might be the time to talk about what makes a good partner for the lead character on Doctor Who and who I think have been the best ones (and I've seen at least a little bit of each of them along the way).

I think a good companion has to complement the Doctor they travel with, contribute something to the story and the team that the Doctor does not. A bland companion or one who simply echoes the Doctor's role and abilities is not as asset. That's why I never thought either iteration of Romana worked--we didn't need another Time Lord (or Lady), we already have one.

I also think the best companions are the ones who have shown an ability to work well with more than one Doctor. That's why I think the best companion of the classic series was Sarah Jane Smith. She came to the team with Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor and stayed through several seasons of Tom Baker's Fourth....and she was a fine partner to both. Sarah Jane's strength was her "down-to-Earthness"...though she was never thrown by the circumstances she encountered, she also never stopped seeing them through the eyes of a very human journalist (a trait that also made her character work in The Sarah Jane Adventures). 

A close second was Tegan Jovanka--her feisty attitude was an equally good fit with Tom Baker's somewhat manic portrayal and Peter Davison's laid-back approach. The absolute worst in that period? Undoubtedly, Peri Brown. Her aggressiveness and argumentative style was a nice challenge to Davison...but it simply ground the story to a halt when she confronted Sixth Doctor Colin Baker all the time.

In the reboot period, my favorite companion will be a surprise to many fans--Clara Oswald. During her time on the show, many fans complained that the stories were more about her than the Doctor...and my response is, "Yes, certainly." By the time Clara joined Number 11 (Matt Smith), we had already seen him with Amy Pond, Rory Williams, and a number of one-shot partners. We knew him quite well already--it was Clara we had to learn about. And when she had to switch to the Twelfth Doctor, in the very different guise of Peter Capaldi, she shifted her relationship well--from the flirty girl-buddy to the stand-up daughter figure. (And she showed an ability to relate to Number 10 (David Tennant) and the War Doctor (John Hurt) in the 50th anniversary special.)

Second place goes to Amy, even though we only saw her with Number 11. My feeling for her comes from the idea that she was the first companion to have a real romance and life during her time with the Doctor.

Who is your favorite?

Patrick Sees a "Who"

 So, what did you all think of the New Year's special episode of Doctor Who (assuming you watched it)? While I'm not a big fan of the Daleks, it's nice to see someone try to use them in a different way. It did lead to a question, though--by this time, in the long history of the show, the people of London have seen Daleks a number of times before, probably some within the lifetimes of people still alive in 2021. Why is it they never recognize this menace when they see it?

Jill suggests it's because the authorities always cover it all up, putting out stories that chalk it up to a hoax, a new technology gone awry, or even--in a case of meta-story--a TV or movie shoot. This one may be a touch harder to explain that way: The prime minister was assassinated on live TV by Daleks. Surely the TV networks kept tape of that!

Trying to avoid spoilers, I was happy to see that the departing companions (or "fam") were left alive, well, and happy...and even with the wherewithal to do some adventuring on their own in the future (leaving room for guest shots, I suppose). I'm not as pleased with the hints that Yaz's friendship with the Doctor may go deeper than that. We went through that with Rose and Martha, and it never plays well, IMO. (And the fact that it's two women this time only gives the incels and social-justice objectors more ammunition.)

Your thoughts? (And if you include spoilers, I will not publish your comments for at least another week.)

A Head Full of Stuff

 Some mornings it's tough to come up with something to write about...but I made a commitment to myself to post every day at least for the first year of this blog. That means this morning will be something of a mish-mash.

My head is full of what my wife calls "nickel-knowledge". I can sing the entire theme song from any number of old TV shows, among them The Patty Duke Show, Mary Tyler Moore, and Gidget. Speaking of theme songs, did you know you can sing "Amazing Grace" to the theme from Gilligan's Island--and vice versa? Or that virtually every poem Emily Dickenson wrote can be sung to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas"?

I can name all 13 Doctors (14, if you count the "War Doctor") in order. I know that Sean Connery was not the first actor to play James Bond (look it up). I know that Peter O'Toole is the only actor to be Oscar-nominated for playing the same character in two movies--one of which is not the sequel or prequel to the other.

See what I mean?

Fan Art: Modesty and the Doctor

More years ago than I want to remember (though I think it must have been about 1979-80) I wrote and illustrated a fanfic story about the Third Doctor of Doctor Who meeting and having an adventure with Modesty Blaise, the sexy criminal/adventurer created by Peter O'Donnell in a British comic strip and then in a series of excellent thriller novels. It was one of a series I was thinking of, with various incarnations of the Doctor meeting characters from comic books and comic strips. (The only other one that was ever finished involved the Fourth Doctor and a member of the Green Lantern Corps. I had planned on one with the First Doctor meeting the Fantastic Four early in their career, but never got around to it.)

Anyway, since I wanted the art to be similar for both the Doctor's characters and Modesty's, I had to "cast" actors to play Modesty and her partner Willie Garvin. (Obviously, I used photo reference of Jon Pertwee and Katie Manning for the Doctor and Jo Grant.) The art from that story is lost to time, but I decided to try and re-create it here and now. Modesty is "portrayed" by Barbara Bach (best known from The Spy Who Loved Me and as Ringo Starr's wife); Willie is David Warner (the number of movies and TV shows he's been in is countless, but you might know him as Jack the Ripper in Time After Time).

Fan Art 1

Some 30 years ago, I was very active in science fiction fandom, including writing and drawing for fanzines. As I got older and family took up more time, I drifted away from it. Then, a few years ago, I started working on some art pieces just for fun.

Here's one of the first ones I did:

Obviously, I did this before the casting of John Hurt, Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whitaker. Since I still have all the individual elements I used to make this one, someday I'll have to rework it to include those three...and whoever else plays the Doctor after they do.