Doctor Who Watch A Thon Season 2x1 “The Christmas Invasion”

As an effort to justify our somewhat obsessive T.V watching Meghan (Of Coffee and Wizards and @MegTao on Twitter) and myself have decided to undertake a Doctor Who Watch-a-long. We'll be starting with the beginning of the 2005 relaunch and will be posting about one episode every Wednesday and Friday, on our respective blogs. We hope you'll join in – whether as a re-watch or to discover the Doctor for the first time!

*just a heads up each post may contain spoilers for that episode and then ones before it*

Episode Summary

Written by: Russel T Davies Directed by: James Hawes

The newly regenerated Doctor travels to present day London and Rose is happy to be home. Her mother is happy to see her, her protestation to the contrary. The Doctor isn't well however suffering from what he describes as a surplus of energy. While he is in a coma-like state, the people of the Earth are threatened by the Sycorax who threaten to destroy one-third of the planet's population if they don't surrender. The Prime Minister, in the apparent absence of the Doctor, asks for assistance from Torchwood but it's slow in coming and the end is fast approaching.

Thoughts on the Episode

This episode has a very special place in my heart. It is the very first episode of Doctor Who I ever experienced. Back before I knew who Rose was, or how much David Tennant would rock my sock. Back before Tardis, Dalek and Sonic Screwdriver were a part of my regular vocabulary.

Beyond that, what this episode really comes down to for me is getting to know the new Doctor. He’s still the Doctor and there’s a lot of affirming that he hasn’t changed that much. He’s still very loud, very vocal and very honest  blunt. All characteristics that I love about him. But David Tennant brings some new qualities to the Doctor. Meg mentioned this in her post as well, but he’s very human. He can get way more emotional. Which I think can be a good thing, but it can also be a little too much sometimes. His decision to destroy Harriet’s career was pretty extreme but I understood where it was coming from.  

Also can we just take a moment to enjoy how nice to look at he is…

*Sigh* I will never get tired of looking at that face.

I swear I’m the only person that likes Mickey. Ok maybe like is a strong word, but I care about his character. And I was incredibly pleased with his actions in this episode. He’s a lot braver/smarter than Rose gives him credit for. So let’s all just give Mickey a pat on the back – because he never gets one! 

Anyway - new doctor, new season. I am very excited for the episodes ahead!

Favourite Moment

Obviously it would have to be the spinning Christmas tree.  This tree is spinning so fast it goes through walls. As I mentioned this was my very first Doctor Who episode so at the sight of this killer Christmas tree I may have burst out laughing – and my love of this brilliant show was formed.

Doctor Who Watch a Thon Season 1 Episode 13 "The Parting of Ways"

As an effort to justify our somewhat obsessive T.V watching Meghan (Of Coffee and Wizards and @MegTao on Twitter) and myself have decided to undertake a Doctor Who Watch-a-long. We'll be starting with the beginning of the 2005 relaunch and will be posting about one episode each Friday, on our respective blogs. We hope you'll join in – whether as a re-watch or to discover the Doctor for the first time!
*just a heads up each post may contain spoilers for that episode and then ones before it*

Episode Summary

Written by: Russel T Davies
Directed by: Joe Ahearne 

As the Dalek fleet approaches Earth, the Doctor and Jack land the TARDIS on the Dalek othership to rescue Rose Tyler, using the tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator to protect themselves from the Dalek weapons. The Dalek Emperor, who describes himself as a god, explains that he managed to survive the Time War in a crippled ship, and rebuilt the race by harvesting genetic materials from the humans such as those delivered from the Game Station. The Doctor observes that the Daleks have gained human traits and emotion by this process and have, because of their creed and resulting self-hate, become deadlier than ever. After bringing Rose aboard, the Doctor returns the TARDIS to the Game Station and works with Jack and the remaining humans aboard to prepare for the Dalek attack.

Thoughts on the Episode
I have so much love for this episode. I'm going to have to break it down into points.

1) Giant Emperor Dalek. Say what you will about this evil giant Dalek but part of me thinks he's totally awesome. He is a survivor. All his people died so what did he do? Got some new people! I can't say I approve of his methods but at least he didn't give up. Also his creation of a new race of Daleks brings to light some interesting questions about god, religion and beliefs. As a former Religious Studies major I was in philosophical heaven! (pun intended)


2) Jack being a hero. When we first met Jack he was an intergalactic cowboy. He had his own charm and charisma. He was amazing all on his own. But the last few episodes he's totally been living in the Doctor's shadow (to be fair it is the Doctor's show - but still). This episode however he really takes charge and is a hero in his own right. I was so proud.

And then they leave him there. But we'll talk about that later...

3) Rose saving the day (or refusing to be a bystander) When Rose got sent back to her own time and gave that speech about standing by and doing nothing while the world ends, I wanted to cheer. I love when Doctor Who touches on some more serious issues and this episode does it twice! Once with the Daleks and religion and now with Rose and the idea of standing by and doing nothing. This is where my love of Rose becomes set in stone. She goes back to the Doctor knowing full well she could die - but she goes none the less. If that's not bravery I don't know what is.

4) They finally kiss! After a whole season of sexual tension filled hand holding it was about time! "I think you need a Doctor" *fans self*

5) Mr. David Tennant I may have sushed everyone in the room when he started to transform. David Tennant is not only a talented and gorgeous man, but he is by far my favourite Doctor. I look forward to posting about him :)

Favourite Moment
All the moments! This episode is amazing. It's exciting, everyone is a hero, at times it actually breaks my heart.
I FEEL ALL OF THE FEELINGS!!

Doctor Who Watch a Thon: Season 1 Episode 12 "Bad Wolf"

As an effort to justify our somewhat obsessive T.V watching Meghan (Of Coffee and Wizardsand @MegTao on Twitter) and myself have decided to undertake a Doctor Who Watch-a-long. We'll be starting with the beginning of the 2005 relaunch and will be posting about one episode each Friday, on our respective blogs. We hope you'll join in – whether as a re-watch or to discover the Doctor for the first time!

*just a heads up each post may contain spoilers for that episode and then ones before it*

Episode Summary

Written by: Russel T Davies
Director: Joe Ahearne

The three TARDIS travellers find themselves separated, waking up with temporary amnesia in various reality television and game shows. The Doctor finds himself in a Big Brother house, Rose on the set of The Weakest Link hosted by the "Anne Droid", and Jack facing the female androids Trine-e and Zu-Zana who offer to give him a brand new image, à la What Not to Wear. All three find out that the shows are more fatal than their twenty-first century counterparts. On The Weakest Link and Big Brother, losing contestants are seemingly disintegrated, while on What Not to Wear, participants undergo major cosmetic surgery. Jack and the Doctor escape from their shows, the Doctor bringing along a contestant called Lynda, and discover they are on the former Satellite Five, which the Doctor previously visited in "The Long Game", now under the control of the Badwolf Corporation.  

Thoughts on the Episode

There is some bizarre stuff going on in this episode. All three characters, find themselves on some crazy adaptations of famous reality TV shows. I felt very thrown into this episode, as it immediately starts with the Doctor being thrown into the Big Brother house, but once I figured out what was going on it was a lot of fun.

Captain Jack as always is a joy to watch. Transported into What Not to Wear, he's in his element. Showing off in the different outfits they dress him in, pulling a gun out at the last minute (from where? Well that's better left to the imagination). Things are quite serious/dire for the Doctor and Rose, so it's nice to have Jack provide some comic relief and lower the tension of the episode. 

Was I the only one shocked by the return of the Daleks the first time they saw this? How did they survive? How did so many of them survive. Their voices are so creepy, they always give me the shivers. It's quite the elaborate plan they've orchestrated here, having the entire Earth be potential game show contestants, where losing means death. It also blows my mind how this has been hinted at so many times. I caught a few of the Bad Wolf references throughout the season but no where near all of them.

I'm super excited for next week to see how this all works out and what the Doctor intends to do to save Rose. Are they all going to make it? AHHH maddness!!

Favourite Moment
All the fabulous one liners throughout this episode. Especially when they're playing the games. Two of my favourites are:
" She was the weakest link - she got disintegrated."
"You have 10 second to say your farwells and then we're gonna get you!"

I know it makes me a little dark, but I actually laughed out loud at some of these lines. Those Daleks have a sense of humour ;)

Sailor Moon Photo Challenge (1)

It all started one night over some Bellinis...

My friend Angel (Of Mermaid Visions) and I share a love of Sailor Moon. In order to spread that love she dared me to take (and post) 25 photosin the Sailor Moon pose. And thus the Sailor Moon photo challenge was born.

My Goal: 25 photos, 25 locations, 6 months.

After being a total slacker for the first month, I realized I better get my butt in gear and take some photos. Fortunately this was right around the time I attended the Toronto Comic Art Festival, which was full of photo taking opportunities.

I took two pictures (thanks to Michele from Just a Lil Lost for being my awesome photographer), but I'm only counting it as one because they were in the same location.

In front of a crazy awesome 3-D comic rectangle

With this awesome pencil - who also look's like he/she is doing the pose!

1 down! 24 to go!

If you have any suggestions for locations for me, feel free to leave them in the comments!

Doctor Who Watch A Thon Season 1 Episode 11 "Boom Town"

As an effort to justify our somewhat obsessive T.V watching Meghan (Of Coffee and Wizards and @MegTao on Twitter) and myself have decided to undertake a Doctor Who Watch-a-long. We'll be starting with the beginning of the 2005 relaunch and will be posting about one episode each Friday, on our respective blogs. We hope you'll join in – whether as a re-watch or to discover the Doctor for the first time!

*just a heads up each post may contain spoilers for that episode and then ones before it*

Epsiode Summary

Written by: Russel T Davies
Directed by: Joe Ahearne

The Doctor has landed the TARDIS in Cardiff, using the energy of the Rift to recharge the time machine. He, Rose, and Jack, along with Rose's boyfriend, Mickey who has met them there, spend the afternoon relaxing, until the Doctor recognises the photo of Margaret Blaine, a Slitheen in her human suit, who has become the new mayor of Cardiff. The four track and capture Margaret, suspecting her of nefarious deeds after escaping the destruction of the other Slitheen ("Aliens of London"/"World War Three"). The Doctor observes her scale model plans for a new nuclear power plant, but identifies it is purposely flawed to cause a meltdown that would open the Rift and destroy the Earth. He also discovers the model contains a functioning tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator that Margaret would have used to flee the Earth. The Doctor decides to take Margaret back to her home planet Raxacoricofallapatorius, but Margaret laments that she is considered a criminal there and will be executed

Thoughts on the Episode
First off - Sorry about last week and my lack of post on "The Doctor Dances". I hadn't forgotten to write about it and then I did write about it and blogger ate the post. So just as a quick summary - love this episode. Everything that's great about "The Empty Child" is echoed here and then some. It's frightening, there's more Captain Jack and you get to see some real sentiment from the Doctor in his interactions with Rose. A+

Poor Mickey

Now onto this week's episode - "Boom Town". This episode brings us the return of our friends (or at least one), the Slitheen. Margaret Blaine escaped the explosion at the end of "World War Three" and has become mayor of Cardiff. Still up to her old tricks however she has concocted a scheme that will destroy the Earth. I found the"science" of this plan a little hard to follow. It doesn't really matter, but it's one of those things I'll turn over and over in my mind, as I try to figure it out.

I loved the continued presence of Captain Jack. He adds an interesting dynamic to the Rose-Doctor relationship, mixing it up so there's not as much strange sexual tension between. Instead they've graduated into a mutual polygamous union and it works for them. I have affectionately begun calling them "Team Tardis". We also see the return of Rose's boyfriend (if we can call him that?) Mickey. A lot of my posts ask about Mickey - every time Rose meets a new guy I wonder about him. As goofy as he is, watching him get his heart broken makes my heart break. He really cares about Rose and, though I love her, it bugs me the way she forgets about him when she's out travelling.

There are some really serious questions put forth in this episode, which is always a plus for me. After they capture Margaret, there's a lot of arguments about who gets to decide who lives and dies, and when mercy should be shown. It's heady stuff but important nonetheless. I like that you get to see some of the Doctor's inner turmoil - as he starts out firmly believing that Margaret deserves what she's going to get, to questioning whether he's making the right choice, to essentially giving her a second chance.

Favourite Moment
I love the scene where the Doctor takes Margaret for her last meal. The dialogue between the two of them is great. She pleads for her life, they talk about morality but there's plenty of funny moments thrown in too. Like when she attempts to breathe poison on him and he gets her with the breath freshener.

Love it.