Today, December 16th, is #WearStarWarsShareStarWars Day, because a little girl named Katie was hassled for the clearly unforgivable sin of being a girl who likes Star Wars.

If you and I have ever met, you know I can sympathize.

I was the only girl who played in Little League in my hometown. I was the only girl who took the test to get my “computer license” so I could play with the computers in the library. I was the only girl who…a lot of things. And I lived in a VERY small town, so every single one of those things is amplified because there was no way for me to be written off as “one of the weird kids”. I was THE weird kid. And it sucked. It sucked rocks. It sucked out loud.

Instead of spending all my time feeling sorry for myself, I decided to use it to my advantage. I developed a thicker skin, and I realized there was a whole wide world outside that wide spot in the road, and who cares what these people think of me anyway? I’m not staying here! Did I cry because my feelings were hurt? Oh heavens yes. I was unhappy a lot, I mean, sometimes it would be really nice to just be a normal person and fit in.

It seems like fitting in would just be easier. I’m just not wired that way. So I had to have a sense of humor about it. I have a badge, and if I must wear it, then I choose to wear it proudly: The Exception To The Rule. I’m lefthanded. I’m a girl in tech. I’m much louder than my size would lead you to believe. I’m a reasonably fit American. Pick a rule, I’m violating it in some way. And I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I had shut up and listened to people who said I should go along to get along, just fit in, be like everyone else.

So today I’m wearing my Star Wars shirt, and my R2-D2 wrist cuff, and I’m off to go flaunt my Star Wars Girl-ness in public. Much like Katie, this isn’t exactly a special occasion for me, I’m pretty Star Wars-y most of the time anyway, and have been for virtually my entire life. (A childhood compromise: My mom bought me a 12″ Princess Leia. She thought it was good I was playing with dolls, and I got to play Star Wars. Everybody won.) And if you don’t like it, well, that’s too damned bad. Because if you liked me before, and now you know I like Star Wars and you don’t like me, well, the only thing that changed there was you.

May The Force Be With Katie.

This episode is the Christmas Special episode of Season Six (or Thirty-Two depending who you ask), called A Christmas Carol. BBC Page

Ooh look, a planet. And an active one at that.
This looks crashy. And that’s a VERY odd outfit.
Christmas Cancelled right off the bat?
And Geordie can’t help them out? Come on LaForge!
Who’s in the Honeymoon Suite?
Wait what?
Rory! Nice outfits you two…
Ah, and Rory helpfully explains. Thanks for that.
Come along, Pond… cute.
(credits)
WTF? Oh it’s cute? I rather like this mashed up world.
Richard Harris! Ah, Dumbledore. Now I can listen to what he’s saying now that I placed his voice. (:
Oooh!
Looks a bit Scroogey.
Wireless old style phone. I love it.
Oh I know that noise.
I love it. Quite the entrance.
“My brain just went…what the hell?” Hee!
Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them. (:
I’ll never understand how he “reads” any information off the sonic.
Daddy? What IS he missing? What’s all this then?
Fish what now?
I love the running lights on the carriage.
Oh that’s a giant shadow behind him.
A Christmas Carol, eh? So the old man will get three ghosts?
Oh he got himself! Nice! Did the Doctor do that?
Everyone at school has seen the fish? WHAT?
Quantum enfolding and a paper clip? Nice!
Is he gonna show up back in the video? I hope so.
Hey look!
There isn’t any lottery! Hee!
“You’re twelve years old so we’ll stay away from under the bed.” Hee!
Mature and responsible adult and it’s too big a lie. I LOVE THAT!
Funny, I thought boys laughed in the face of danger.
“I wear it and I don’t care.” (:
Uh oh. This won’t end well will it?
AHHHH!!!!
Big color? Hahahahaha!
Ahh!
Within reach? !!!
!!! Half a screwdriver? Oh my.
And now it’s dying? Oh no!
An icebox? Oooh! Really?
Tell me this works. Please oh please!
“Just what I was after! Thank you!”
Hey it’s her. I kinda figured.
Hello Abigail Pettigrew.
How does he know she talks about the fish?
Why are they getting a signal from the shark?
Oh noes.
!!!
Later I bet it’s awesome to look back at. Chased by a shark, bowtied babysitter…
Cute homage to Jaws there in the score.
She sings? It’s beautiful.
She’s singing to the shark!? What the-!?
Nothing seems to be biting him.
The fish like the singing? I like that explanation better too.
What a nice song.
And the painting changed?
Look!
My reaction to all that was the Ninth Doctor’s voice in my head saying “fanTAStic!”
Pictures? Pictures!
What!?
Every Christmas?
Her number goes down? Uh oh.
Nuh-UH!
Mad. Absolutely mad.
I love it. Honestly, how much fun is that!?
Fezzes! Hee!
!!!! The scarf!!!!!!!!!! (twitch)
Oh NO! Her number keeps going down, what happens when it gets to zero?
She can’t go inside? That’s terrible.
“I have absolutely no idea.” At least he was honest.
Oh Doctor! That’s wonderful. (:
You’re doin it wrong! Hee!
Crackers! I love crackers!
Those are the best Christmases, aren’t they? A bit rambunctious.
Doctor, for the love of Pete, TAKE A HINT!
“I THINK you’re right.” Cute.
I like their friendship here.
“It’s this or go to your room and design a new kind of screwdriver, don’t make my mistakes!” tee hee!
Oh my.
Oh they’re lovely! Look at all those photos!
“The Doctors is gonna do a duet with Frank!” I love it.
The truth? Oh noes!
Accidentally got engaged to Marilyn Monroe?
Good night? Is this the last one? Is that what she told him?
Yup. Her number is one. So what now? She can’t ever come out again?
Oh no, it’s like the Doctor said, “not as much as I had hoped”.
Oh man, the picture is his dad again.
Sound waves were right, that’s why it looks like an organ…
Make a change, make a change, make a change…
Hit it Kazran, please!
Oh man. Shut the curtains?
He sounds like the same guy as before.
“As a very old friend once took a very long time to explain to me, life isn’t fair!”
I had hope for him. I thought he’d change.
How does this planet in this whole other place so far away know Silent Night?
Holograms?
How do you choose which day?
Sad.
“Better a broken heart than no heart at all.” “You try it!” Oh he has, Kazran. He has.
Please let this work. I know there’s a good guy in there or he wouldn’t have cared about Abigail.
Oh work!!
Use the boy version! That will work won’t it?
No, they’ll need her to sing won’t they?
Yup.
Oh I rather like her.
Snow!
A bit carnivorous moon? All right?
Halfway out of the dark? Huh.
Look! OMG!

Overall I loved it. Awesome. Fun. Impressive. Charming. Clever. Wonderful. Mad. Sweet.

This Doctor is definitely growing on me. In the good way. I liked that episode a lot. Christmas ain’t the same without Grampy Wilf, sure, but you can’t have Grampy Wilf EVERY Christmas. (:

• I was on The Sci-Fi Cast for their fiftieth episode extravaganza! We played “The Geek To Beat”, a Jeopardy-style game. It was AMAZING. We had so much fun. And I blurted out a new nerdy swear, “STACK OF FRACK!”, of which I have grown particularly fond.
• I managed to guest on a lovely podcast, Angry Mac Bastards at the last minute since one of their regulars (and my favorite AMB, but don’t tell anybody) Peter Cohen, was unable to make it. I was nervous to be on the show, but all the feedback I saw was positive. My favorite was “Can Peter be sick again next week?” (: (NOTE: As you may have deduced, the AMB podcast is, to put it mildly, a salty/NSFW/Long Shoreman style show. You have been warned.)
• I also spent some time playing one of my friend Jeff Gamet’s favorite games, which is Keep Stu Off Balance. We were on the International Mac Podcast together, doing what we could to fluster our host, Stu Helm. Stu is a very good sport. (:
• I can also occasionally be found hosting the TUAW Talkcast, which is one of my favorite things to do. If you meet me in person, you’ll be able to tell how much I love it because I get really excited when I talk about it. I love my community there, and it pleases me to bits every single time someone besides me shows up to record. If you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend it. I’m not biased or anything! In case you need it, here’s a link to everything I do for TUAW.

So there’s some of what I’ve been up to in the meantime.

Short term that means TONS of phone calls, time on the elliptical trainer my mom gave me (THANK YOU!!), and squeezing a rewatch of Torchwood in the margins. Then I’ll start in on Season Six of Dr Who, and in the meantime you can always catch me shooting my mouth off on Twitter if you prefer me in small measured doses.

When I have more to update here, I promise it will happen. (:

This episode is the thirteenth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Big Bang. BBC Page

(recap)
That silent bit at the end is creepy all over again.
1894 years later!?
???
Amy’s house!
So what’s wrong with Amy now if she never had her run-in with the Doctor?
No such things as stars?
What the WHAT!?
We never met Amy’s adults before.
Richard Dawkins. Hee!
Who was that then?
How does that brochure have a Dalek and such in it?
Who’s handwriting is that?
Who sent her there?
Who took her soda?
She stuck around and dodged them all. Good for her!
Nice boots. (;
Yup. Even in petrified form, Daleks are creepy.
She’s unlocking it just by touching it?
HOW???
At least she still meets the Doctor when she’s young.
Wait, what?
WHAT!?
1894 years ago…
Eek.
“So the universe ended. You missed that.”
I’m liking Rory more all the time.
That’s a ridiculous miracle I think…
Fez? Mop? What!?
So Rory got him out. OK.
“I’ve got a future, that’s nice.”
So Rory isn’t Rory?
Yup. I like Rory.
So we put Amy in the Pandorica?
The Nestenes?
Mostly dead? I’ve heard that before.
OMG!
Complicated. Heh. How is Amy gonna sort this?
Rory is heartbreaking and wonderful.
Oh Rory.
What the what!? How is it alive?
“Come along Ponds!” Hee!
!!!!
Oh good, it’s brought back to life.
Oh this is hurting my head a bit again.
Oh that’s him with the notes and the soda. HA!
My brain. Again. Hear it melting?
Where’s Amelia?
Restore? Thaaaaat’s not a…good sound…
At least it’s not the voice saying “Silence will fall.”
Can’t River shoot it with that obliterator thing?
Reboot the universe? Oh yeah!
Go big or go home. This is why I like the Doctor.
!!!!!!
Ooooh. River Song: Making Daleks beg since time immemorial.
History is…vanishing. Oh no.
Wow. He really does go big, doesn’t he?
How is he going to fly anything anywhere? He’s unconscious!
All the cracks will close? So no more Doctor? This isn’t ok with me either!
“He doesn’t really know me yet. Now he never will.” Tragic.
Why DID he take her with him?
Where was everyone? I wondered that then too but we never covered it.
That crack took her family? Oh no!
At least her Doctor is actually Raggedy now.
GOTCHA!?
Oh that’s not right or fair or anything. WTF?
Don’t text and drive, Doctor!
Geronimo? Hee!
My brain is a bit melty now.
I can buy a fez?
That’s Amy’s voice…
Space Florida?
At least the crack disappeared, that’s good right?
We’re back another episode. And that’s the one that didn’t have the crack! So does it now or not? (:
All the way back!
He stole the TARDIS?
So sad. I can’t type because I just keep watching him.
No more crack…
Stars!
!!
“Are you just saying yes because you’re scared of me?” Hee!
River!?
Why would River leave her book?
What now?
Please work. Oh Amy, I hope this works.
!!!!!
Good call, leaving the kissing to Rory.
Mister Pond. Hee!
Is she married? And married to whom?
Was he asking?
Goodbye!? Yeah, goodbye to their Earth, right?
HAHAH!
Nicely done Amy!
Goddess? Loose on the Orient Express? In SPACE!? Oh how I wish I got to see that.

This episode is the twelfth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Pandorica Opens. BBC Page

France 1890…
Vincent!
Sunflowers behind him…
What’s wrong Vincent?
What’s that painting? Hmm…
Ooh, Churchill eh?
!!!
THIS is why he called the Doctor, innit?
Stormcage Containment Facility? 5145!?
Dr Song is talking to Winston? My brain hurts.
She got to keep her lipstick?
“Your tricks don’t work in here Dr Song.” Hee!
The Royal Collection?
Not very…well, not very Royal, is it?
Is she walking off with a Van Gogh?
Liz Ten! “And I”m the bloody Queen.” Nice!
Maldovarium!? What in THE hell?
Oh he looks familiar….
A handsome Time Agent? Jack? The Doctor’s hand in a jar?
Microexplosives? What on earth!?
Oh she’s good.
Planet one?
Translate, eh?
Hello Sweetie!? My brain. It hurts.
Hail Caesar? They know what he is?
Oooh! Look at that. Smeary lipstick huh?
“You wouldn’t answer your phone.” Hee!
Oh my. It’s what happens in the crack, innit?
(credits)
Horsies?
Date and map on the door sign? Whoa.
The Pandorica Opens?
A Pandorica is a fairy tale?
Oooh! This could be good.
Now I’m recalling Eddie Izzard’s bit about Stonehenge. Hee!
Um. Wait. Wht?
Oh my.
Underhenge? Underhenge is the name of my Jefferson Starship Cover Band. (;
Oh that’s bad!
And that’s worse.
Mmm, torchy!
Is that the Pandorica or is it inside?
Oh there it is.
How is River dressed for this? She was wearing prison clothes.
He saw an arm. Hrm.
I would think it would be a bad idea for him to touch it.
“Soaked in the blood of a billion beings.” Is this the one from the pit a couple seasons back?
Worse yet…is it the Doctor?
“I hate good wizards in fairy tales, they always turn out to be him.” Hee!
How did this all line up? She has a point. Vincent isn’t to be born for quite awhile.
She’s right, who else is coming? Oh yikes.
Um. Oh no.
We saw Cyberman shrapnel and now Daleks too?
I like when he really gets going.
That’s like. ALL the aliens.
Holy crap.
I don’t think I’d leave the torch.
“Everything that’s ever hated you is coming here tonight.” YIKES!
Whatever is in the Pandorica is what made the crack, right?
A volunteer? What?
“That’s a memory. Friend of mine, someone I lost.”
Does he really think she can bring Rory back if she remembers him?
“Hey look I’m a target!”
She can’t hear it? OH CRAP!
Ahh!
That’s a bit weird even for me. Eeek!
And now she got stuck with a dart? Oh noes.
The rest was intact? Oh noes!
Where is she now!?
Safe for now maybe. What’s in there with her?
Um.
What the WHAT!?
My brain. It hurt before. Now bits are melting.
“She’s fine Doctor, just unconscious!?” So Rory is actually…Rory?
Therrrrre we go. He figured it out finally, eh?
Distracting? You could say that.
Oh no. I think it’s acutally getting out.
What’s in there? Is it the TARDIS?
Is he really going to do this?
He just declared he has nothing to lose?
Are they really going to leave?
They really do clank when he walks, don’t they?
You know what I want from the next episode of Confidential? “River Song’s Hair.” It deserves it’s own episode!
Why doesn’t she remember him? If he still exists…
What exploded? The TARDIS, right?
But how?
“…I’m not sure history can take it.” I hope someday someone says that about me. (:
Silence will fall?
There’s the crack! IN THE TARDIS!
What came to Amy’s house? Is it still the needly toothed thing? Cuz…yikes.
“Why do I let you out?”
Something seriously bad is going down just there, and I don’t know what but I know it’s bad.
She’s crying again without noticing?
It’s the Pandorica that is using her brain isn’t it?
Is this real?
Why does she have to leave?
Silence will fall. WHO IS SAYING THAT!?
So they are all done. What about Rory? Is he fake too?
So whatever is in the Pandorica is controlling them? And Rory is fighting too? Oh good.
They are going after the Doctor?
Rory Williams! She knows him!!
KISS HIM AMY!
Is she gonna have to blow up the TARDIS to get out?
Ohhhhhhhhhh no.
OMG. I was right! It IS the Doctor in the Pandorica!
But…but…humanity!
Saving the universe FROM him?
They are the work of the Doctor?
How are they the work of the TARDIS?
Oh crap.
So it did explode after all.
And Did Amy actually die?
Oh CRAP!

Well that was a fine how do you do. At least I don’t have to wait a week for the next one!

This episode is the eleventh episode of [Season Five](http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Series_5_(Doctor_Who)_stories) (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Lodger. [BBC Page](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sr4bm)

Oh look, England. I’m shocked.
WTF!? He fell out of the TARDIS? Oh crap!
One Day Later?
Weird. I would freak out. I’d probably try to help but I’d freak out a little and call 911 first. Or whatever it is in the UK.
NO! Can’t you hear the music? He’s gonna getcha!
Does he know what it is in the ceiling? He had an odd look on his face.
Pizza booze telly. Hee!
They are an odd match I think.
Yikes. Very much yikes.
Cute postcard on the fridge.
Awwww. He’s adorable. “Dunno if you know…”
You sure about that chief?
What’s in his ear?
(credits)
Less of a young professional and more like an ancient amateur…
O hai sack o cash!
“I call me the Doctor too.” Heh.
Rotmeister?
His room? Nice.
A reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?
Eggs? Huh.
Oh, “phone drone”, I like that.
Is the thing in his ear connected tot he TARDIS somehow?
“You’re weird and you can cook, that’s good enough for me.”
This might be fun.
Oh crap.
That woman has bigger issues, she shouldn’t stop.
Scary big? Oh yikes.
A bowtie are you serious? Tee hee!
Oh good Lord. What on earth is he up to?
NO NO NO don’t go upstairs!! I like you Craig, don’t go upstairs!!
How very Flock of Seagulls, Doctor. (:
He’s gonna fix it with a toothbrush?
Oh Craig. Come on. Do something!
Heh. Football. This should be fun.
Wow it kinda was fun to watch.
Poor Craiggers though.
Now it’s a girl voice?
Oh goodness. I thought there was a glitch in my video!
All 5s? Hrm.
What does she see?
Space? He has no idea what Craig is talking about.
Oh come on Craig! SAY IT!
On switch? Heh.
Craig can’t see the point of much can he?
Lead them down the path, Doctor. Someone’s got to.
What the crap is that thing!?
Seriously, what’s with the rot?
Don’t touch it Craig!
Eek!
Oh noes! Why didn’t he answer?
Tea right from the pot. Heh. The Royal Wedding. Hee!
I’m glad the Doctor was there to take care of him.
Whoa!
Never worked anywhere. Hahahaha!
Custard cream? Heh.
Sophie Sophie Sophie. Either make a move or call it a day, you can’t wait for him to do it, you are at least that smart aren’t you?
OMG!
Headbutt eh? I guess that’s one way to do it.
Oh noes! No Sophie! NO NO NO!
So for once he got someone who actually knows who he is? Well. Huh.
Sophie!
Who is this!?
There is no upstairs?
Stop yelling at him Amy!
Geronimo? HAHAHAHA!
FINALLY!!!!!!!
Awww. Finally Craig!
Oh noes!
Did the ship leave a crack in the wall?
That was nice of Craig, letting him keep the keys. (:
Hey look a crack.
“Find me a fella?” He shouldn’t have to.
Uh oh…is she going to remember or is it just going to freak her out?

I liked the human element of this one but I wish we’d discovered who’s ship it was and why it was there and such. I like a bit more explanation. I am rather looking forward to the last two episodes. I hope the rest of this one makes more sense after I watch the last two.

This episode is the tenth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Vincent and the Doctor. BBC Page

Wheat? OK…
NICE establishing shot!
Oh this guy at the Musee d’Orsay is wearing quite the lovely bowtie.
Why are you being so nice to me?
Arcadia? The Trojan Gardens? What are THOSE stories like?
Wow. I don’t know a lot about Vincent, but this is all very sad.
Hee! Lovely bowtie moment!
“We need to talk to Vincent Van Gogh!” Another of my favorite type of ANY story, playing in the margins of history.
They keep saying “van goff” and not “van go”. Hrm.
So Vincent isn’t all that popular eh?
“He’s drunk, he’s mad, and he never pays his bills.” Oh my.
I like this “OMG!” moment between the Doctor and Amy.
Nicely done Amy. (:
From Holland? Huh.
Watching them flirt is making me giggle.
Churchy paintings! Heh. I like watching the Doctor squirm.
Ack! Screaming? This won’t end well.
Seriously? 1890 and they’re acting like it’s the Dark Ages!
I like Vincent’s hat quite a lot.
“Nice night. Very starry.” Subtle, Doctor.
I love it.
This is cool!
I’ve never been much for art, but I am getting more interested in Vincent all the time.
“What IS it with you and the church!?” Good point!
“He’s a strange one.” BETTER point!
“There are more wonders in this universe than you could ever dream.” Oh I do like him.
Oh Amy, what now?
What’s Vincent doing?
WTF?
OMG!
That’s twice it creamed the Doctor!
Holy crap!
LOL! Crazy guy fighting an imaginary creature thinks the DOCTOR is the crazy one.
!!!! Oh noes!
Yeah I like this Doctor. I think it’s official. He’s mad and ridiculous and amazing.
Can he get to the TARDIS in time?
What on earth is that thing?
Print ready?
Another nod to previous Doctors. I love it.
Krafayis?

Screen:
Krafayis
(Kra-fay-iss)
Summary: Planet of orgin uncertan

Social structure:
Nomadic pack animals
Strict dominance hierarchy
Huge territories, several solar systems wide
Preferred Habitat
Planets with oxygen and nitrogen based atmospheres

Abandoned thing? Uh oh. Alone and afraid and terrifying is a bad mix on Earth.
So now he has to run navigating by rearview mirror? Yikes!
The living daylights? Who says that anymore?
Sunflowers? Nice move, Amy.
So how does Vincent see him if nobody else can?
Vincent doesn’t look happy at that news.
Oh wow he’s right, this could be bad.
“Vincent, can I help?” He sounds so kind.
Hahaha! Vincent just told a 907 year old man that his experience is incomplete.
???
That’s some crazy mood swinging right there.
“I hear the song of your sadness. You’ve lost someone I think.” Goodness.
That was…interesting. Amy really doesn’t remember.
“It’s a thing, it’s like a plan, but with more grayness.”
Yup. Still digging the hat.
“I’m working.” Cute.
Watching the Doctor fidget is fun.
“Is this how time usually passes? Very slowly, and in the right order?”
“Overconfidence, this and a small screwdriver, I’m absolutely sorted.” And there it is. He’s won me over.
“Of course!” “I love you.” (:
Odd scene depicted over the doorway there. I wonder how long these things live.
You know he always looks at the side of the screwdriver, but I have never seen a readout or anything on it like it gives him information somehow.
And now he can’t see at all. Lovely.
Into the confessional. Nice.
Yikes!
Seriously how does Vincent see that thing!?
Now they’re locked in a room? How can that turn out ok?
Talking to it? OK…
Round the edges? It’s blind!
“I’m stupid and I’m getting old.” Oh no.
And it’s afraid.
I’m sad for it. And I’m sad for the Doctor too.
“Like the villagers who scream at me.” Really? Again, so much less than the best of humanity. Makes me sad.
“Hold my hand, Doctor. Try to see what I see.”
“Everywhere we look the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes.” Oh that’s lovely.
I like him. Dammit. I know he doesn’t live.
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Uh oh.
He has an idea.
“Brace yourself Vinny.” Hee!
OK, where are they going?
Oh they are at….
!!!!
Oh they’re not.
They ARE!
!!!!
Nice shot from the poster to the man.
I totally need to go there.
“You were nice about my tie.” (:
“To me, Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all.”
Please look over there. Vincent and I got something in our eyes.
“Sorry about the beard.” (:
What a nice moment.
Not really te marrying kind? Did the crack do Amy a favor?
Is he a fixed point in time? Doesn’t change?
Ohhhh, from Vincent to Amy this time.
Wait, it didn’t change? Aw, damn.
“We definitely added to his pile of good things.” I want that to be on my tombstone. “Here lies Kelly, she added to the pile of good things.”
Oh Doctor. This sucks for you. I’m sorry.
Damn.
Exquisite and heartbreaking. My favorite type of story though, seriously, the stuff that happens around the edges of parts we already know. This is why I also loved the Churchill episode.
Wait. No crack! WTF?
Overall I did like this one. First one this season that made me cr…first one this season where I got something in my eye. And being number 10 of 12 I think I’m doing pretty well.

This episode is the ninth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Cold Blood. BBC Page

Part two!
So we’re reviewing what happened. Wave at future us, Amy in the hole, we got an alien, it says one of them will kill her, Amy gets a shot, Doctor says “nobody dies today.”
(credits)
“This is the story of our planet Earth…It is the story of our past and it must never be forgotten.” Interesting.
I do like Nasreen. She’s got a bit of Donna’s attitude, how this is all interesting and such.
Oh, the warriors are awake? This could be bad…
Too early in the episode for them to actually harm Amy.
“You never picked a lizard man’s pocket?” Heh.
Elliott! Oh noes!
Weapons? Oh good. He and Ambrose really are a matched pair aren’t they?
Maybe Rory should remind Ambrose that someone he loves is down the hole as well.
What’s with decontamination? Why is it bad for the Doctor?
Oh, all the germs, oh that’s how it works? Yikes!
“Got any celery?” Hee!
“There’s always a military isn’t there?” I wish he was wrong.
“I don’t negotiate with apes.” HE’S NOT AN APE!
I bet the point is that humanity is like these creatures; some are kind and lovely and some are awful and set in their ways.
“Door at the end.” “You sure?” “Nope!” That’d be me. I’m going for it but I have no idea if it’s right.
Oh good, Ambrose is about to get another reason to hate them. Wonderful.
Interesting. So they were here when the Earth and the Moon lined up? Wow, that was long ago.
Oh yay, Ambrose and the taser. This will end well.
Yup. There it is.
“I thought sooner or later she’d break.” Oh after two minutes? Please.
O HAI AMY!
I like Malakay, or however you spell it.
“I didn’t know it would go like that Dad.” HOW THE HELL ELSE DOES IT END WHEN YOU BLOODY BUGGERY TASE SOMEONE???
Speak Rory!
Oh goody. Ambrose shot her mouth off. Annnd all of humanity is brought down by a horrible woman.
STOP! Who was that?
O hai elderly fellow!
“We’re not monsters and neither are they.” I hope so.
Nice little message. “Gotta dash!” Heh.
“Who has more fun than us?” Hee!
There are fixed points in time where things must stay the way they are…this is NOT one! Cool!
What is it she wants him to do? Sounds…shady.
“I never meant to harm your child.” Oh I rather love him too.
I do like that the Doctor apologized to Elliott.
What’s Malakay up to?
Oh what’s Tony Mack up to?
“What benefit does humanity get?” What does it matter? Fair is fair, innit?
I do hope his “first session” is correct.
Oh no no no. Don’t end him!
Dammit. I need to stop liking characters, they always get the axe.
Oh look, speaking of “so much less than the best”…
This is what she did? Started the drill and this is how it works? This is awful.
In a chamber, impossible odds, how can this possibly work? Oh wait. The Doctor.
Squeaky bum time indeed.
Eldane? Is that his name?
I am sad that he has to do this. Kill his own people.
A thousand years. Oh I hope this works Doctor.
I like that idea. The planet is to be shared.
What about Tony Mac?
Awww. I hope Tony Mac makes it. Maybe Nasreen will stay with him! She could stay down there and do awesome stuff!
Poor Eldane. I hope he’s right too.
Nasreen is staying!? AWESOME!
“Come and look for us.” I hope he does. I’d like that very much.
Another crack! And another flashback?
It’s the same crack. Again.
He’s right, WHY DOES EVERYBODY KNOW!
I love that he has a hanky for it.
Rory! Again? NO!
He’s right, they were on the hill, how’s that work?
I’m sorry? Oh noes.
It’s taking him away? Oh yikes.
This time it’s true, huh? That’s not fair!
Can she hold on to him or not? Uh oh.
Make him the best of humanity in a way you couldn’t be.
Too bad the ones I liked best are all gone now.
Oh no! It’s her and…just her.
That was awful. I’m actually going to miss Rory. Quite a lot. I hope she does too.

I liked this story because it was a bit of what I particularly like about Star Trek: An alien race reflecting humanity back at itself. For those in other countries, when you watch this episode and you feel a bit sad and embarrassed for humanity, and you know in your heart that it could have gone SO much better than it actually did, this is a little bit of what it has felt like to be American for the last decade.

This episode is the eighth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Hungry Earth. BBC Page

2020 AD? Hrm.
Hory Clap I swear that was Felicia Day for a minute.
Cute kid. I wonder why he has trouble.
Further than anyone’s drilled into the Earth before? That won’t end well.
Storeroom’s out? Oh all the cameras are out?
They couldn’t be more obvious if Mo was wearing a red shirt!
Oh look, the hole got him. This here is my shocked face.
(credits)
Rio? No.
Why is Amy wearing a coat if she is “dressed for Rio”?
It’s them!?
Weird.
Oh I love a big mining thing. Hee!
He’s worried about the ring? Aww.
So bossy little Ambrose called…the cops for something?
No body in a grave? Hrm. And not from above?
“How is that possible”? I’m pretty sure Rory knows a guy who can help. (:
Of course Amy went to help. And of course it got her too.
Shutting down the drill doesn’t seem to help.
And there she goes. What’s he going to do about it?
Oh and Elliott is a cute kid with an adorable accent and headphones. This could be bad, or maybe not.
Bioprogramming? Interesting.
Still hearing drilling? Thaaaat’s not a…GOOD sound…
Hoo boy. This looks serious.
What is WITH the sky!? That looks….creepy.
Oh good, everyone’s trapped.
I have to say, I do like Rory and the Doctor a bit. This might be fun.
Covering with sensors eh? I guess we’ll see what these are, huh?
Ambrose is better than this? Oh I doubt it.
I like Elliott better when he’s not making his serious face.
“They’re scared of me.” I like that. He does not appear to be pleased about it. Much.
He let the kid leave? Oh here we go.
Smooches! You go Tony!
DON’T DISS THE SONIC! Good advice.
More shaking? And no power. Lovely. They’re learning aren’t they?
Please tell me the don’t want the kid.
So it’s a Predator?
AH!
What is it?
And it got him.
Oh good. Ambrose wanted to shoot/tase them, and now they’ve got her son, and her husband and injured her pa. It is SO on.
Hostages? That’s not usually the Doctor’s MO either…
So they’re keeping her asleep? Why keep her at all? It’s not for information.
Wow. And it’s a mask?
Hey look a face!
“No, because I’m the last of my species and I know how it sits in a heart, so don’t insult me!” Beautiful sentence.
Warrior class?
What will he sacrifice? His entire species if I recall.
So they were here first? Interesting. I rather like this.
“If she lives, so do Elliott, and Mo, and Amy…” She’s so dead. And Ambrose will be the one who kills her.
“We return their hostage, they return ours…” I was waiting to hear “EVERYBODY LIVES!” http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/The_Doctor_Dances
If you are the best you can be. Oh Doctor. You put such faith in humanity. And you get shafted every time, don’t you darling?
Nasreen applauded him. Oh I do like her.
“It’ll be dangerous.” “Eh, so’s crossing the road.” Yes. I like her a lot.
Oh I like her better now that she didn’t exclaim it was bigger on the inside. (:
At least she gave me a “Fantastic!”
Hijacked? Oh noes! Sucked into the Earth? At least they’ll get a good look round, right?
“One of you will kill me.” She’s right. I’m sad for her because it’s true.
Ack! He’s green!? That’s where Alaya got him right?
I think I’d like Nasreen as a companion. She’s fun like Donna was.
Is that Mo? It is! And he got dissected? YIKES!
A dozen? Oh it’s worse. The music tells me it’s a LOT worse. And the music is SO right about it!

I like this one overall. Creepy, funny bits, and humanity. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

I am liveblogging each episode of Doctor Who as I watch it. This is more or less a raw stream of consciousness list of things I am considering and wondering about as I watch. (Sometimes I add links later for reference, but otherwise it’s all exactly what I typed at the time.) In the interest of not spoiling anything for anyone I am putting all of it behind the jump.

This episode is the seventh episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Amy’s Choice. BBC Page

Cute little house.
Hi Amy!
Hi the rest of Amy! Goodness.
I do like that Rory rings the bell for the geese.
False alarm. Heh.
Rory that’s a terrible haircut.
Five years later and you haven’t changed a bit apart from aging. (:
He really CAN be thick. Almost as thick as Amy!
Is it snowing? Sun was out a moment ago…
Out cold? What in the world?
I like that Amy and the Doctor both checked for the ponytail. (:
Oooh, I like a tricky one! As a spectator, anyway.
(Credits)
Oh yes, kicking things will help.
Threw the manual in a supernova? Nice!
Cross. That’s definitely a phrase I need to adopt.
I’d be freaked out by a dead time machine too.
If it’s snowing why aren’t they wearing proper coats?
Knitting. Nice! She is an odd one though.
Dream lord?
He dares mock the bowtie?
So he’s a hologram or something? Whoa! How IS he doing that?
Gooseberry? Hee!
Why is he making Amy choose?
Amy hasn’t chosen at all, that’s clear.
Tawdry quirks? What makes them tawdry?
Mocking the Doctor? Why?
Two worlds and pick which one is real. OK. Hrm.
Where are all the old folks from the old folks home?
That’s quite the sweater.
Always?
Oh Amy caught that too. Heh.
Ha! “You die, stupid, that’s why it’s called reality!”
It was a trick? Nice one Amy! I liked watching him try to play catcher though.
Is no one going to mention the elephant in the room? Heh.
This is a tricky one. I say the TARDIS is real. But I am fully guessing.
Of course Rory wants the regular life.
“Why would we give up all this? Why would anyone?” Excellent question.
Another good question, why is the Dream Lord picking on him?
The children are all sand?
Here Rory goes again “oh yay for a tranquil life” oh please.
So what’s with the elderly?
Elizabeth the First? Sarah Jane was a redhead too. Hrm.
Ick! Smack in the mud!
An eye? EW!
Why ARE they hiding?
So they are turning people into sand? Yikes!
Chubs? Oh he’ll pay for that.
I can’t blame him for having a hard time hitting an old lady, but she did just try to kill him…
Why is he staggering about?
Oh noes!
Oh here comes the dream lord. Lovely.
This is bad! If sleeping in a freezer is a good idea, YIKES!
They have to agree which is the dream? Ok. Pick the RIGHT one, not the one you want, RORY!
Sofas can read?
Competing? DUH!!
Nice ponchos. (:
I like that he’s apologizing for each of the steps.
Poor Rory. I know this is the world he wants but I think he’s wrong.
All he can do is wait. That’s sad.
Boy they’re a chipper bunch.
Why did the light make them swallow their eyeballs?
I like that he’s picking people up. Not going down without a fight in either world.
WOW he’s a creep.
And a jerk besides.
Look at that van go!
Why doesn’t he just run a few over? Wouldn’t it help?
Scissors? What??
OMG he cut it off! Awww.
You do have a history of-being very lovely…
OH NOES! RORY!!!!!
Oh that was sad. Poor Amy.
She never told him she loved him? Sad.
At least Mickey the Idiot had a bit of charm. I dunno about Rory. I only care about him because Amy does.
OK, so…what now? Who IS he? Why did he do this? And he’s just going to leave?
Was it something I said? Can you tell me what it was so I can use it in emergencies and maybe birthdays? (:
Blow up the TARDIS? What?
This is a dream too? What?
You know who he is? TELL US WHO!!!
And it worked?
He made up that bit about the pollen didn’t he?
No he didn’t, oh that’s sad too.
A question is about to occur to Rory?
NOW can she say it?
Of course I’m distracted by his vest…
Oh that was clever.

This was a pretty good episode I think. I wish we’d had the big reveal sooner though, I would have liked to have known it earlier on to see how he dealt with it. I did enjoy the “Rory’s version” vs “Doctor’s version” of Amy. Enlightening.

This episode is the sixth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Vampires of Venice. BBC Page

Picture it…Venice, 1580… (:
This lady has a school? Whatever she has, I don’t like her.
I like the boatbuilder.
Who is that creepy guy in the weird cap and beard? Is he from the first ep this season? The one with the dog?
Goodbye now? That’s sad.
YIKES! Nasty sharp pointy teeth!
Oh boy a drunk dial! Kinda sweet though.
Um. Wait, what? What? WTF? OMGWTFBBQ!
How has he spent SO long as the intergalactic champion of the human race and yet still hasn’t figured out ANY of the basics?
(credits)
So he scooped Rory up and hauled him off to the TARDIS!?
“It’s either this or tokens.” Huh?
Ha ha ha! “I like when someone says ‘it’s bigger on the inside’, I look forward to it.”
I kind of like that Rory was over it.
Listening to him I hear bits of the last doctor still. I like that.
You owe Casanova a chicken? I certainly hope we get to hear THAT bet.
How do they see out of those veils? They look rather thick. And why do they need them?
AHH! The girls have those teeth too? WTF?
Calvieri school huh?
Are they turning the girls into vampires? Do they sparkle? Dear Gord I hope not.
Hydrating? That’s just water though. Huh.
His brothers? So she really is his Mum? Hrm.
Did she miss him though? I don’t know that she did. Well. Why would she? She wasn’t going to be gone for any time at all right?
I do like that Amy would just charge off into an alley to find out what happened. That’s probably what I would do.
Nice diversion, Mister Boatbuilder! I do like you.
“Hello handsome.” Heh.
AHH!
Hee! His psychic paper is the first Doctor’s library card. Lulz. I haz them.
Tell me the whole plan! One day that’ll work. (more lulz)
“This is how they go.” Who?
Oh for corn’s sake Rory, that’s all you’ve got?
Carlo is his name. I’m totally looking him up later.
He likes her? EW EW EW EW!!!!
Uncle Doctor. Hee!
They come at night? Mostly? (;
She’s got marks on her neck.
Snazzy shirt, Boatman!
Nosy Amy is nosy. What is that noise?
Psychic paper? She knows!? Who IS this woman?
I dunno I sort of like Rory and the Doctor together.
Yikes, what are they doing to Amy?
“You have no idea how dangerous you make people to themselves when you’re around.” He’s right, but I think Amy was like this before.
So it’s a blood transfusion? Hrm.
Ten thousand husbands in the water? Hrm.
Did she just kick that lady in the junk?
AHHH! Worse than in the junk!
Oh Isabella, please run too!
Oh noes! AHH! Now he’s been tazed?
He’s not dead.
I am heartbroken for the boatman.
“Those lost to the silence?” What’s the silence?
Seems extra cruel to kill a Venetian by drowning them.
Sister of the Water? He figured it out!
“We ran from the Silence” Seems like it should be capitalized now.
There were cracks!? Oh here we go.
“We can build a new society here as others have.” Have they? Does she mean humans or other alien races?
“I will tear down the house of Calvieri stone by stone.” Oh yes yes yes.
“You didn’t know Isabella’s name.” Oh hurrah. It’s on now!
I didn’t know the screwdriver could heal stuff. Wow!
Watching him think is kinda fun.
He is right about that being a bit “ew.”
I knew he was gonna say that…. hahahaha
Fish from space. Hee!
Oh I like him. But I’m sad for him.
ka-BOOM!
Hory clap that was a lot of gunpowder.
HOW is she doing that!?
What is the son up to? Is he going after Amy?
She’s really going to stare down the Doctor and talk smack about him?
And she just…leaves?
And here we go. Your mum? Now it’s on.
Good luck with that Rory.
Come on Amy clock him with a candle holder! Or something!
Nice work Miss Pond!
Numpty? Looking that up later.
Oooh, at least there were smoochies. (:
Pouring rain as Carlo escapes with the nicer table settings.
Hit it with a stick. Heh.
How did nobody notice the bell tower full of weird cables and whatnot?
Yes, scaling wet marbile, that’s a treat. And totally safe.
Nice little switch.
O hai sunshine!
She’s killing herself?
Just not THIS city, Rosanna and you would have been FINE.

“There were cracks. Through some we saw silence and the end of all things.”

Creepy!

I liked this one. Nice work!

This episode is the fifth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Flesh and Stone. BBC Page

(Previously)
Yeah yeah we know. Get on with it! (:

Jump!
OK, here we go again, shooting the grav globe. And…
Look up? Where are they?
OH! No way up indeed.
Interesting. Fixed the gravity and we’re off!
How are the angels getting in?
AHH! That angel in the crawlspace is creepy as all hell.
“We’re being attacked by statues in a crashed ship, there isn’t a manual for this!” Hee!
What did River do that the Doctor won’t like to find out about?
Ten? What’s that about?
AHH! OMG OMG OMG!
Hey look, the bridge!
Magnetized the door and it’s still turning? Yikes!
Why did Amy say nine? She said ten before. Eight’s next…is she counting down?
Galaxy class? What do they need? What is it? WHAT?
They need to breathe? So they packed a forest?
OMG they did!
And there’s the eight! Why is she counting? Is it the angel?
Better than trees?
A forest in a bottle on a spaceship in a maze. Beautiful.
Angel Bob, o hai!
What’s in Amy’s eye? It’s the angel and it did get her.
Yikes, is that the angels?
They are LAUGHING!?
It’s the crack!
Why does the crack keep following them? That’s what they want, innit? That’s some sort of serious raw energy for them to feast on. Explains the lulz.
“Never let me talk.” Hee!
What happened to Amy? Is it the angels getting her?
Come on Doctor, work it out!
WHOA. That effect is cool and creepy, the angel in her eye.
Nice job, Doctor. At least he saved Amy.
Respect the thing! I like it.
That was a nice moment between the Doctor and Amy. But what DID he tell her when she was seven?
Oh this isn’t gonna end well.
Storm Cage Containment Facility? Oh my.
When the crack begins? It’s…Amy’s time? What’s that mean?
They are sticking their hands in the trees? Oh noes!
What if time could run out? Is that the crack? The end of time or something?
What is it they’re checking out?
So they’re down to two clerics?
Hey look the crack in the wall! SHUT YOUR EYES!
Cute sound effects on doing the math there.
So there’s no Crispin or Phillip? And no Pedro?
They were just there!
Good question: Why can’t he remember them?
Better question: How come Amy can?
There’s worse here than angels? I doubt that. Yikes! And so does the angel.
Oh yes, let’s leave Amy all alone.
Why was River in Storm Cage? “She killed a man.” Was it the Doctor?
Poor Bishop. This is sad.
Teleport is dead? What can she do? Maybe it will work after all.
Time energy, huh? Get a move on Amy!
Wow, when you have bigger problems than weeping angels, hoo boy.
Complicated time event huh? Eek!
That display in front of River keeps looking like there’s an eyeball in it like the first episode, in the crack, looking for prisoner zero.
I don’t know if I could walk around like that.
OMG surrounded! AHH!
Walk like you can see!? YIKES!
OK watching them move is even more creepy than just seeing them suddenly showing teeth.
So River got it working eh? Cool!
Shields are off now eh? What’s THAT mean? Oh. Oh my.
That’s a lot of angels…
Get a grip. Hee!
So the crack is now eating the angels? Hey, that means the Doctor beat them right?
I guess so.
He fed it all the angels?
Very nice. I’m freaked out by the angel in her mind too though. They will be back I think. I’m betting Steven Moffat created his own Dalek.
“Octavian said you killed a man.” Was it the Doctor? I think so.
When the Pandorica opens? What’s that?
“I look forward to it.” “I remember it well.” (:
Time can be rewritten? I thought only some of it could and some parts have to stay the same.
She’s getting married? In the MORNING!?
Alone in the dark and it made me think…
Oh noes. This won’t end well.
WOW he’s thick.
I’m glad she’s not all hung up on him, that’s what made Rose so tedious.
Ooh! Me! He can sort me out! Well. OK no, I’d rather the last Doctor sort me out. If I had to pick.
But what’s the deal there? What happens when it’s that day? What’s it got to do with the crack?

I like a good two parter, and I like when it’s a bit scary. This was a bit scary. I’m glad it turned out ok, but I sort of figured it would, we’re only midseason! (:

This episode is the fourth episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Time of Angels. BBC Page

Nice lawn.
Oooh! Smoochy smoochy!
Dude, in a tux in the park? With a security detail?
How can he tell it’s hallucinogenic lipstick by looking?
Rowr! Beautiful shoes, darling!
It looks like her sonic screwdriver has a trigger. (:
TWELVE THOUSAND YEARS LATER!?
“final resting place of the Headless Monks” now what’s THAT story like?
Heh. How he keeps score.
I liked all the “wrong!” going on.
A home box? Hrm.
High Gallifreyan? Oh my.
There were days these words could burn stars, and raise up empires, and topple gods? Wow!
Hello Sweetie? Hee!
She’s winking at the camera?
That’s River Song, innit? It IS River Song!
Pretty good looking video for TWELVE THOUSAND YEARS OLD! I’ve got VHS doesn’t look that nice.
Who’s Alistair, anyway?
Where can I get a watch with coordinates on it like that?
I must admit, she’s pretty nervy to attempt that exit.
Wait, why don’t I recall that she can fly the TARDIS?
Blue Boringers? Hee!
It’s not supposed to make that noise? Oh my! I like that noise too.
I like when he does that too. (:
She got lessons from the best? So who was that? Was she teasing or not?
“Time is not the boss of me!” Heh!
You did promise her a planet, Doctor.
Oh my. Crashy ship. You sure she’s not dragging you Doctor?
She tried to warn them? Sabotage?
She seems a bit obnoxious now. I don’t like this River very much at the moment.
Can you sonic me?
Where do I get a diary like River’s diary? It’s beautiful.
I do like that this vexes him. He’s always good with a problem.
Bishop Second Class!? Clerics?
How was she helping with a covert investigation if she was TWELVE THOUSAND YEARS AGO a minute ago?
Yeah I think the weeping angels are REALLY scary. Blink was a way creepy episode.
Nice move, Moffat: Yes. You’re right…I am definitely Mister Grumpy Face today.
Father Octavian? “The Church has moved on.” Yikes.
Yeah these are creepy. I like that conversation, nice introduction.
“I’ll never get done saving you.” He’s definitely pleased about it. (:
Heh. “Anybody need me?”
Oh goody, Amy looked at it.
OH CRAP
It’s moving. I am super freaked out by these things.
“So you don’t know who I am yet.”
She needs the spotter’s guide? Is there one for him? I bet there is. That would rule.
She turned off the Angel video and it didn’t help? YIKES!
AHHH!
DON’T QUIT LOOKING!!
That which holds the image of an angel becomes itself an angel. eek!
Wink at it Amy! One eye at a time!
Oh man it keeps coming.
Oh good at least she figured out the winking.
She can’t turn it off? AHHH!
I do like that she wants to know.
“The eyes are not the windows of the soul they are the doors. Beware what may enter there.” Yikes.
Hory Clap she did it!
“River, hug Amy.” “Why?” “Because I’m busy.” Heh.
Oh noes! What is in her eye? Something about looking the angel in the eye I bet.
Grav globe?
Maze of the Dead?
“No, yours is fine.” Heh.
Who and what you are? Who and what is she?
Prison!? What the crap?
Ahh! All that sand? What did the angel do to her!?
A labryinth with people buried in the walls? Jebus!
I like River better when she isn’t trying to be impressive.
Lava snakes? Yikes to that too!
Oh, flashlight going out. That won’t end well.
AHH!! OMGANGELOMG!
Ew, that was a crunchy noise. Ick.
Bob is a sacred name? Huh.
They’re two headed? The statues have one head. Why?
OMG I GOT IT RIGHT!
How am I ahead of the Doctor? Hory Clap!
That means all of them are…oh crap.
Don’t you dare go look scared sacred Bob!
(crunch)
ew. again.
How is Bob talking if they got him?
Oh they got him. Oh crap.
It got him and now it’s headed their way. Oh bugger.
I feel a bit bad for the Bishop just there.
Amy can’t run?
Stone hand? WTF?
Can she really just concentrate and move her hand?
“Have you got space teeth?” “Alive, all I’m saying!” Very nice.
Angel Bob!
“The angels will be with you shortly.” How English.
Gimme your gun? That’s not very Doctorly…
Well!
I hope they jumped.
Maybe he’s right about the trap. I certainly hope so.

Well I need to know how this turns out. I’m glad I don’t have to wait a week! I don’t know how fun this is, but I definitely need to know what happens when they jump. I am actually freaked out by the angels, I’m glad this is a two parter. Mostly I just want to go back and watch Blink to see what I’m forgetting!

This episode is the third episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called Victory of the Daleks. From the TARDIS Index File: The Doctor and Amy are called to London during World War II by an old friend of the Doctor: Winston Churchill.

We’re in a bunker, ok…
Reg’s squadron? Is that our human interest here?
WOW! Look at Mister Churchill!
Secret weapon?
Smiling about it?
HORY CLAP!
(credits)
(I wonder if they ever sold a little pewter Dalek like that. I’d SO buy one.)
O Hai TARDIS!
Oh my. That’s some welcome, innit?
This might be fun…
“Changed your face again…” Heh.
Type 40 TARDIS? What are the other 39 types like? Are there two more types? (:
Are we showing that Winston cares about everyone?
I like him waving off the cigar smoke. (:
Oh noes. This is gonna be bad.
Ironside project? Oh crap.
What’s up with Bracewell? He’s brainwashed or something?
Wait, he just lasered those up? Oh noes!
Oh good, the Doctor agrees with me, this was never human technology.
Hang on a tick…That Dalek just “looked” the Doctor in the eye and didn’t know him?
“To win the war…” Which war? This is bad.
Bracewell invented them? What’s his deal?
(I totally want one of those Dalek “To Victory” posters.)
What DOES Amy know about the Daleks?
Oh right, they DID show up awhile back…
Ooh, calling her Amelia and it didn’t work…
I understand Winston’s resolve, but come ON! He’s the Doctor!
“If Hitler invaded Hell I would give a favorable reference to the Devil.” Brilliant sentence.
When I look at a Dalek objectively, I know it’s a plunger and some scrap metal and a few lights, but all put together I still feel my neck hair stand up.
Hypersonic flight? Gravity bubbles? Cool!
He’s right, whatever they promised you it’s not enough.
WTF?
Wow, I’m still being impressed by Doctor XI.
Review testimony?
What testimony? Oh crap.
Of course there were more.
Progenitor? Oh that sounds bad.
And two Marines down. Yikes.
OMG!
Bracewell is a robot?
They just beamed away? Oh noes.
I have to admit that’s pretty impressive as a plan, to show up and get his attention that way.
Phase Two?
I wish he’d told her she was a lot safer under the London Blitz than up against Daleks.
KBO? I like it.
I don’t know why but there’s something sad to me about the gray haired fellow in uniform.
TARDIS self-destruct? It looks like a…what are they called? Jammie Dodger? A cookie with jam in it.
One ship survived?
OK, I remember a Dalek opening up and there’s a little alien creature inside. How does this progenitor build the little guy and the armor at the same time?
Oh crap, what are they doing?
Oh noes, there he is again. Maybe it’s that in my mind he has grandkids or something.
Ten minutes? Yikes!
What have we got Amy? A gift? Bracewell?
Stalemate? Ah. Extinction is not an option? DO IT DOCTOR!
DNA reconstruction is complete?
New Daleks? They’re white now? That seems…hard to keep clean.
Blue? Yellow? Orange? Red? WTF? Fashion colors? I don’t know what I think of this…
Mighty Morphin Dalek Rangers? Where’s the pink one?
Jolly good use Bracewell is at the moment.
“I don’t give a damn if you’re a machine, Bracewell, are you a man?” Nice work Winston!
Amy is always wearing a nail polishi that’s a bit odd. Cool.
Watch Winston get the chills over a missile. Boys.
Inferior? Oh noes!
…and there they go.
Seems a bit odd, though, the “inferior” ones bred the new ones, they should keep them round I’d think. They’re pretty good at serving tea. (:
I’ve never seen anyone threaten with a jammy dodger before. Nice work. Sweet’art.
“It’s a jammy dodger but I was promised tea!”
Projectiles? Oooh!
You go Danny Boy!
Yeah, I was wishing for an “allon-sy!” from Danny Boy or one of the other pilots.
Oh come on Danny Boy!
“Good show, Doctor!” Hee!
YAY! It worked!! With Mister Moffat at the helm, you never know who comes out on top.
Hey, my buddy Sergeant Granddad!
Bracewell is a bomb!? Oh noes!
“…there isn’t a bone in your body…” Are you sure? One of them opened up before, right?
Destroy the Daleks or save the Earth? Hmmm…
Tell Amy to defuse him! Stay there and throw down! Amy can do it, right? RIGHT?
WHOA! He just like, popped open like a breadbox!
Prove you’re human? Talk about the girl you loved. Y’know, or guy, we don’t judge on Doctor Who. (:
Oh Doctor, that’s not working. Try love!
There you go! Amy nailed it.
Kind of a good hurt…
Dorabella is a lovely name indeed.
Damn. Now they’re gonna get away, aren’t they? I guess they have to, they made more episodes didn’t they? (;
Damn damn damn.
But the Daleks didn’t win all time, did they?
I wish the Doctor had complimented Winston on his bowtie. (:
Oh noes, her young man? Why are we talking about this? Is it important later?
Interesting idea, winning the war in 24 hours. I guess he has a point about not helping though.
Oh noes, turning off Bracewell. I haz a sad.
“You’re gonna be…SO deactivated.” heh.
Urgent thing. Oh Bracewell, PAY ATTENTION!
Oh Dorabella. What a lovely name.
What she forgot? Ohhh, that she didn’t know the Daleks. Hrm.
Is there a crack in that wall?
Oh look! A crack!

Overall: I like this one, it’s a nice episode. Aside from the fashion colors on the Daleks. I like stories where they muck about in the margins of history.

This episode is the second episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Beast Below. From the TARDIS Index File:

So we’re on a spaceship of England?
It looks a lot like…is it Bioshock?
Kids in a line, look at those olden desks.
Weird robot voice they’re all waiting for.
What the-!?
Timmy was bad? Yikes!
They’re talking to a fortune teller booth guy thing?
He can’t get in the vator?
Twenty decks seems far.
What’s around the vator operator’s neck? Some sort of key?
McClintock’s Candy Burgers? What’s a candy burger?
!!! He was just a kid! What’d he do to deserve that!?
(credits)
Amy in her PJs huh?
Holding by her ankle? Dude!
That looks awesome.
29th Century, solar flares roast the Earth…hm.
Starship UK. I was right!
A whole country, living and laughing and…shopping.
He never gets involved, huh?
Hee!
“Oh lovely, you’re a cheery one.” Heh.
What’s wrong with this picture? ENGINES! There’s no engines.
Well if there is an engine I don’t hear it.
Escaped fish. Hee!
“I think a lot, it’s hard to keep track.”
How is a crying little girl a police state?
Who is THAT lovely gentleman in black with a key?
What thing did he do? Put water on the ground?
Why does “She” have all that water on the ground too?
I like the tile.
Are you a parent? Heh.
Smiling fellas in the booths. Creepy.
“What I always do, stay out of trouble. Badly.”
Well at least she a smart little girl.
Where did Amy get a bobby pin?
I like her rebel streak though.
How is the face in the booth half the head but it has three faces?
Oh now what the crap is that thing???
Looks spiky on the end….oh and it is.
And now they have Amy. Oh please don’t let her be a Martha companion messing about and getting captured every episode.
Where’s he off to? Engines?
More water!
I really wish he had a nicer fitting jacket.
No engines, eh? That’s the impossible truth?
What kind of help can he give? Helping figure out the engines?
I am Liz Ten? How many are there? Is this like Caprica Six?
Ahhh! Creepy booth guys!
She’s 1306 huh? Heh.
Unburdened by the knowledge? That doesn’t end well, I’m sure.
Amy recorded a message to herself that she’s ignoring?
“Once every five years everyone chooses to forget what they’ve learned. Democracy in action.” Hee!
“No, you look Timelord, we came first.” Ha!
“It’s only me.” How does she know Liz?
A tongue? EW!
“This isn’t going to be big on dignity.” You ain’t just whistling Dixie, bub!
That sounded…moist.
Oh, they can get out and walk around? Oh crap!
!!!
Well helLO Liz Ten!
Her whole family was brought up on these stories?
AND DOWN! Holy crap I need to see her do that again.
“I’m the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule.” NICE!
I don’t think it’s nefarious. I think those things bursting through are it reaching out.
What if it’s just hurt and not an enemy?
She’s been at this for ten years?
She’s 50 now? DAAAAAAAAMN.
But that mask is so very old.
“So everything”??
You’ve expressed interest in the inner workings of Starship UK?
She has to go to the Tower?
What are they doing to it?
Lasers and pounding, this is bad.
It spared the children?
What are they doing to it?
It IS a torture chamber. Of the creature that spit them out.
Oh that’s awful. It’s hurting so.
I am so sorry for this creature.
How does she not know?
It’s an antique that fits her EXACTLY?
The last of the Starwhales? Oh noes.
Why is he turning on her?
He’s going to turn the starwhale into a vegetable?
This is really hard for him, poor Doctor.
Oh man. He’s really….wow. I think he just won me over.
What are the kids doing?
It heard the children screaming and showed up on its own, didn’t it?
It’s making friends now…
Oh noes! Abdicate button!
Curse you Steven Moffat! Making me feel bad for humanity even though they were awful!
“It’s always a big day tomorrow, I’ve got a time machine, I skip the little ones.”
What did he run away from?
People phone him? That is a bit odd.
Prime Minister? Holy…
Winston Churchill? And the Doctor calls him “dear”? Hee!
OMGWTFDALEK!

In bed above or deep asleep,
While greater love lies further deep,
This dream must end, this world must know
We all depend on the beast below

OMG There’s the crack!

Overall:
I like this one. A bit weird, but fun. Sort of sad but also some funny moments, as any good episode should have. Certainly more emotional range here from the Doctor. I think Eleven is done growing on me, I officially like him.

A long time ago I took a picture. It was something I thought was cute and fun and super creative. My friend Mike and I were out and about on Photo Safari and we went to Beaverton Mall. They had an empty area (Last time I was there it was Claire’s, for the locals) that was full of Lego creations. It was glorious. There were even local things in there, like KOIN Tower and Oregon Convention Center. Then I took a photo of a Stargate made of Lego, made by the Greater Portland Lego Railroad Association.

You’ll notice I didn’t link to them.

This makes me sad. I want to link back, believe me I do, but I can’t. You can Google them if you really want to track them down. I know I am not the finest example of regularly updating sites, but their site goes directly to a news page last updated in August 2008. I have also tried to email them a few times to let them know about this photo and how well it’s done for them, but I never get a reply. I wish if nothing else they’d get back to me and tell me to take the photo down, or tell me thanks for leaving it up for people to see, or tell me to please quit stalking them, they got my mail and that was plenty, thanks, but I get nothing. I’m disappointed I have no mechanism for sharing this awesome bit of info with them. Maybe someday someone will see this who knows someone over at GPLR and they’ll point it out and someone at GPLR will get back to me. I sure hope so.

In the meantime, I’ll just smile every time I get another email from Flickr.

On a recent morning while carpooling, Madhatter and I were chatting (as we do), and I said “Last night during Lost, I was watching and I blurted out ‘Christ with a Constant!’ and I was pretty proud of that, so I’m sharing it with you.” This led to invocation of the phrase “Jesus H Christ” and curiosity about where the H comes from. After some speculation about it standing for Herbert or Howard, I decided I needed to know and pulled out my phone to check. I said “I’ll just Google it since it isn’t like Wikipedia is going to have a page about Where The H Comes From In Jesus H Christ.” So I googled it. Hit Number One? Wikipedia.. So (after a little giggling) I read the entry to Madhatter. He too gets a little chuckle, and then I saw there was as link to Straight Dope who, it should come as no surprise, answered this question, so I hit that link as well. In that case, the question was “Why H? Why not Jesus Q Christ or Jesus R Christ or something?” So now Jesus Q Christ is making ME giggle, but I read the answer and thought it was interesting, so I have pasted the relevant bits below:

The H stands for Harold, as in, “Our Father, who art in heaven, Harold be thy name” (snort).

Actually, I’ve heard numerous explanations for the H over the years. The first is that it stands for “Holy,” as in Jesus Holy Christ, a common enough blasphemy in the South, abridged to H by fast-talking Northerners. Other colorful Southern epithets include Jesus Hebe Christ and Jesus Hebrew Christ, which abbreviate the same way. The drawback of this account is that it is so boring I can barely type it without falling asleep.

Wikipedia says:

…the most widely accepted derivation is from the divine monogram of Christian symbolism. The symbol, derived from the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus (Ιησούς), is transliterated iota-eta-sigma: IHS, ΙΗϹ (with lunate sigma), JHS or JHC. Since the transliteration IHS gave rise to the backronym Iesus Hominum Salvator (Latin for “Jesus, savior of men”), it is plausible that JHC similarly led to Jesus Harold Christ,[3] Harold coming from the mispronunciation of the word “hallowed” of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name.” The H has also been said to stand for “Holy.”

This episode is the first episode of Season Five (or Thirty-One depending who you ask), called The Eleventh Hour. From the site: The Doctor has regenerated but is thrown into danger before he’s able to recover. With the TARDIS wrecked and the sonic screwdriver destroyed the new Doctor has just twenty minutes to save the world… but he has a young woman called Amy Pond to help him.

Oh, the earth, that looks promising.
Oh look, London, I’m shocked.
My goodness, he certainly looks like he’s in for it eh?
OK, the close call over Big Ben was kind of a cheap shot.
I sort of like the lightning tunnel intro.
Oooh! New font, a bit serify and all slabs. VERY nice!
I like the new logo too.
Hello typical garden and house.
What an adorable little girl.
Crack in the wall, eh? Interesting.
She put praying on hold, hee! It was to Santa, but still.
Oh noes. Poor TARDIS!
Nice music cue there for the new Doctor’s grand entrance.
“I’m still cooking.” heh.
Nice little hop up there. I might like him.
“If you’re a doctor, why does your box say police?” Nothing gets by her!
“New mouth, new rules.” Hee!
“You’re Scottish, fry something.”
Wait what? He ate bacon and thinks she’s trying to poison him!? Maybe I don’t like the new one after all…
How did he break something with bread and butter? Maybe that’s why he didn’t like it.
Fish fingers and custard? How was there custard in a box? Is this normal in the UK?
No mum and dad? Awww.
Helluva scary crack in your wall…
Cute little apple she gave him…
Wibbly wobbly timey wimey. Nice callback…
A split in the skin of the world? Ooooh.
Prisoner Zero has escaped.
Oh Doctor I hope this works.
The corner of his eye? uh oh.
“How can a box have engines?” I kinda like her.
Awww. “Am I people?” hehe
I hope it’s only five minutes, I want those two to have adventures!
Oh now she’s packing. He won’t be back in five minutes.
Wait that door is open it wasn’t before. Uh oh.
Can Amelia even see that door?
Oh no she’s waiting for him. My heart is breaking for her.
Well he’s back, anyway.
!!!!
Who cracked him on the head? Mysterious aunt?
Now we’re at hospital?
What’s going on?
Oh they aren’t calling her, they’re calling “doctor” which is something else again.
Oh no. She’s Amelia. I know it.
Conversation? Rory?
Pictures on his phone?
Why won’t she uncuff him?
If she’s the police how does she not have a key?
A face nobody listens to? Hehe. I have one too, Doctor.
Oh this won’t end well.
Ew. His screwdriver is covered in goop. Ick.
He said get out. GO!
AHHHH!
THAT THING IS CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What’s the bad alien done to you?
“It’s an inter dimensional multiform from outer space, they’re all terrified of wood.” hahaha
A kissogram? Oh my.
It’s a guy and a dog?
And the guy is barking. Not bad, actually barking.
AHHHHHH
I had no idea needly teeth were as freaky as they are now.
“Safe apart from…you know, incineration.”
Twelve years late!
SEE? I TOLD YOU SHE WAS AMELIA!
Ohhhhhhh no. I think they mean “the human residents” of EARTH, not just the house.
That eyeball is a little weird too.
“Also crimes.” I like him still.
A nurse? Oh no…hahahaha
“I dabble!” lol!
“You were a little girl five minutes ago!” I might forgive the bacon thing…
“I’m the Doctor I’m worse than EVERYBODY’S Aunt!” OK I like him more…
Twenty Minutes?
I KNEW IT! All of Earth!
Snowflakes with eyeballs? This is WAY weirding me out.
What is wrong with him? Too soon for what?
Hey that’s the guy from the hospital! Rory right?
Why would she delay him?
Oh there’s the apple.
Oh noes.
“Believe me for twenty minutes.”
I’m glad he kept the Chucks. Nice callback.
Nice! I have GOT to get me a Sonic Screwdriver.
Oh noes!!!! No more screwdriver!? Yikes!
That needly teeth thing is still creeping me out.
Come on Rory, get with it! Stop being hung up on who he is.
“Blimey, get a girlfriend, Jeff!” Liking him better all the time.
Oooh, bossy Doctor. “Two diagrams AND a joke!” I forgive the bacon thing now.
Oh my. Look at Amy go in that Mini!
“Patrick, behave.” hee!
He came back to tell him to delete his internet history? OK I like him. I don’t know what bebo or whatever it is is, but I want to know now!
He’s driving a firetruck. Does everyone who drives a firetruck make that face? I like to think so. I bet it’s awesome.
It is official needly teeth are SCARY!
Not this time, eh?
“I did not open the crack.” oh?
“The cracks in the skin of the universe, don’t you know where they came from?”
“The universe is cracked. The Pandorica will open. Silence will fall.” I have a feeling that’s the season, right there.
“I’m never saying that again.” Oh good.
She’s gonna become Amy? Oh crap.
Oh no. It’s Amelia.
“Silence will fall.” Again with that. Oh crap.
What happens to Amy?
“The sun is back to normal, right?” How do you know in England?
“I’m saving the world, I need a decent shirt.” Excellent plan.
I notice Amy doesn’t turn round.
WHOA! Those were some old villains.
OLD DOCTORS TOO!!!
I just watched that bit again. It was awesome.
OK he’s kind of a badass. He made the Atraxi flee while wearing a bow tie. I think that counts.
Not sure what I think about Amy just yet.
That dumb normal looking key still bothers me. (:
“Oh you sexy thing.” Hee!
“Bowties are cool.” “Are you from another planet?” “Yeah.”
“I grew up.” “Don’t worry, I’ll soon fix that.” Take me! I’ll sign up! Stop buggering off to England and come to the US!
OMG the new TARDIS is beautiful. Weird and wonderful.
“You’re the Scottish girl in the English village, and I know how that feels.” So do I.
What’s tomorrow morning?
Nice new screwdriver! Oh I love the typewriter…
That screen is showing the crack. That’s probably bad.
“I am definitely a madman with a box.”
Oh look, a big white dress. Tomorrow morning, huh?

So far I have some ambivalence about Amy, but I like this Doctor some. I’m still suspicious of his bacon aversion, but he is overcoming it. On to the next one!

Now a coming soon clip for the series:
Hey, River Song!
OMG DALEKS
OMG ANGELS
OMG FANGS
CYBERMEN!
Pew pew!
Van Gogh? Rory?
River out the airlock?

I meant to write this when Johnny Carson passed away, but I never did. Now that Ed’s gone too I feel like I have another sad opportunity to talk about this.

When I was very small, I had earaches very badly. In fact, one of my eardrums still bears scar tissue from this rough patch near the beginning. It was very hard for me because I wasn’t able to understand what was happening, or why, or that it would eventually go away. Mostly it was scary and I was miserable because I was in pain, sometimes up till all hours of the night. I spent a lot of my early nights sleeping with my hurty ear on a heating pad laying on the couch, one parent (or sometimes both) up with me: My mom would sit at the end of the couch by my feet, my dad in his chair. I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as I remember it, but they are some of my earliest memories and I think the painful part is why they are still in my brain. Anyway.

With an earache I could be up until midnight or even later, laying on the couch, tired, achy, cried out, just being still and trying to sleep (which I wasn’t good at even without an earache). Like any reasonable adult in the late 70′s, if you were up after the 11:00 news you’d watch Johnny Carson. So I saw a fair amount of Johnny and Ed and Doc and guests. It was total nonsense at the age of four, but I didn’t care. It was something I could do with my parents that my (recently acquired) brother was no part of. Even though I didn’t understand, I laughed when my dad laughed and I saw Art Fern and Carnac and others. This was also one of the few times I can remember my parents doing something together that it appeared they both enjoyed.

My parents split up when I was 6 so I don’t have a lot of those memories. When I wanted to remember a nice time in my life during some of the less pleasant times, (I think some people call them “high school”) I could sit down and watch Johnny and feel a little better. Then Johnny retired right about the time I graduated from high school, and basically dropped off the planet. I was sad to see him go, he was a real class act. When he passed away, I hadn’t realized how much I would miss him. With Ed McMahon passing too, it really feels like the end of an era for television. There’s not an Ed or Johnny out there now to look to, showing how it’s done without making a big deal of it. I think the biggest difference between them and current television is that for the most part, they weren’t mean. Sure they made jokes, and sure people laughed, but it wasn’t always at the expense of a person in a mean way. They liked people, and loved what they did, and it showed every night.

Like I said on Twitter initially: RIP Ed. There’s a spot on the couch for you. Now that Johnny can get a proper introduction he can finally start his big show in the sky.