Surviving SNOWMAGEDDON: Assorted You Tube Goodies

...and now, to cap off this Friday night,

a little something something from the news portion of Comic Related:



A little piece of genius forwarded by Radio Free Skaro's Twitter account:



Two Marvel movie trailers posted by pal Rich:

And finally, proof that the Replacements improve anything:

Gift Suggestion For My March Birthday (Although I'd Need A Bigger Model)

(via Buzzfeed and BBC America on Twitter)

Chicago TARDIS Post-Script Report: Part Two

First, it's still hard for me to believe that a week has gone by since the end of Chicago TARDIS; with the recent feature on Craig Ferguson's show...well, I wish I could go back and tell my 15 year old self that his obsession with Doctor Who is not a waste of time (and that other people share my teenage obsession); here are some bullet pointed "highlights" and thoughts from the convention.

• This year, I opted to do the full weekend, as well as commute from home. In 2011, I think I'm going to splurge and stay at the Westin. Although I loved socializing in line with my fellow fans, quite frankly, I often felt disconnected. Granted, personal issues were at play (Mom had to go into the hospital for some tests), but it would be nice to check out some of the later evening parties.
• As a classic series fanboy, I have to say - Louise Jameson and Frazier Hines are two of the most charming people you could encounter (Hines, especially - he really is that cool, especially encouraging me to "run through the jungle" as I nearly knocked over some foliage to get a photo). I was - and am - extremely impressed (especially since I never blurted out to Ms. Jameson that I had her photo as Leela in my high school locker in public....and to quote Homer Simpson, "D'Oh!"
• Personal highlight - Friday, coming back into the Westin after a quick trip to a nearby Target, and casually nodding my head and saying "Hello" to Terrance Dicks. After a five minute pause, I thought to myself, "I just casually said hello to (expletive) Terrance Dicks - the man responsible for a lot of what I love about Doctor Who".
• One of the things I love about Who fandom is that, even when you violently disagree, it doesn't get obnoxious. At a time when people will come to blows over Kirk Vs. Picard, it's nice that two Who fans can disagree about the show...and walk away glad for the conversation.
• Toby Hadoke's Saturday night presentation of Moths Ate My "Doctor Who" Scarf was simply brilliant. Go ahead and order the CD, since I don't know if Mr. Hadoke will ever present this live again.
• I've said this before and I'll say this again - Tony Lee, who writes the Doctor Who comic for IDW, is a crazy mad genius. In a good way.
• Thanks to Sunday's podcast panel, I now have another entry in my coolest Doctor Who podcasts  ever - the New Who Podcast. Daniel and his daughter Nicole talk about Who, and that's very heartening - I love the fact that Doctor Who is crossing generations. Give them a listen. You'll thank me later.
• One of the hosts of Radio Free Skaro expressed a wish to attend Chicago TARDIS one day. You really should, if only to cruise Chicago's lovely, scenic suburbs.
• Based on the number of fezzes and bow ties, I think Matt Smith's Doctor has caught on, possibly even more than David Tennant when he took over the role.
• Random Opinion Poll: Most of the people I talked to agree with me - if the BBC ever animates any missing episodes, they should really consider doing so for this story. Unfortunately, costs and standards will mean that we may not get another release. 
• Proof I'm a geek - sitting in on the North American DVD panel (or, "What's coming out when"), I found myself taking out my small notebook and pen...and taking notes.
• Thanks to Nicholas Briggs' comments in the podcast panel, I will never, ever torrent any product by Big Finish. Head there and buy stuff.
• Thing I am proudest of saying: "Four words describe why I liked Victory of the Daleks: Winston Churchill fights Daleks. That's all I need."
• I missed the Torchwood guests...and caught the tail end of the Ian McNiece interview. Guy can't have everything, but at an event like Chicago TARDIS....better to miss one or two things than have a potentially boring convention.
•  I was fortunate enough to serve on the "There's a Blog For That" panel with writer Simon Guerrier (who's written for Big Finish), Tammy Garrison (contributor to Chicks Dig Time Lords), and Mary Jo Chrabasz. Although we never answered the question listed in the program - "Does having a blog make you an actual writer, or is it simply the equivalent of scribbling something in a notebook?" - we had a very lively discussion about various matters around writing in general. Plus, Simon pointed me to this George Orwell essay which I will be reading within the next week.

In his "lost" cold open, Craig Ferguson describes the appeal of Doctor Who as about "the triumph of intellect and romance over brute force and cynicism". One of the great things about Chicago TARDIS is that, if anything, it shows that Who fans share in some common values: a willingness to be open to new experiences, new people, and new ideas. Everything that I loved about the series as a teenager...well, it's there in spades now that I'm an adult.

Definitely doing this next year. Who wants to share a room?

Chicago TARDIS Post-script Report: Part One

Was going to write about Chicago TARDIS, but first, remember that "cold open" from the Craig Ferguson Doctor Who episode?

It's been leaked via TV Worth Watching.

Ladies, please begin calling me because I am now officially "super-sexy" rather than just "sexy"

Doctors and Companions

WARNING: Minor spoilers

"Ventilation shafts! That takes me back...or perhaps, forward..."

One of the advantages of being ill and laying around the house is that I have ample time to catch up on television watching. Yes, I had read numerous hype around the Death of the Doctor two-part episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures. Granted, unlike many fans, I don't watch the show - it's enjoyable, to say the least (although I thought last year's The Wedding of Sarah Jane seemed an unnecessary stop on the David Tennant Farewell Tour® - good, but not enough to warrant a non-Doctor watch).

But Death of the Doctor is a lovingly crafted ode to 1970's Doctor Who, especially at a time when both 60s and 80s Who are celebrated.

Much of it could be seen as Russell T Davies' version of School Reunion - only with the added bonus of a second companion, Jo Jones (formerly known as Jo Grant, portrayed by Katy Manning). If School Reunion served as a meditation on what happens after leaving the TARDIS,  Death of the Doctor provides another perspective - that instead of waiting for the Doctor's return, some companions may choose to run in the opposite direction.

Granted, there is not much of a plot, but then again, that really isn't the point of this episode. It may be geared towards the younger set, but quite frankly, I think (in a non-ironic way) this is one "for the dads" - the ones who may have seen reruns of classic Who long before the 2005 revival, and who remember these characters in a way that many other fans might not. There are even some great "resonating concrete" talks (as per Chip of the Two Minute Time Lord podcast), that allow Matt Smith to develop layers of the 11th Doctor.

(Speaking of which, there's been some controversy on the Interwebs about whether RTD is retconning the Doctor's ability to regenerate...you know, that line. Seriously, dudes, it's done in such an offhanded, obviously jokey way that to even debate it is an act of a desperately lonely individual. Honestly, get over it. It's a TV show. Nobody cares except you).

Except for the last five or so minutes, Davies' script is a mixture of grand adventure and extremely touching moments. (I thought the whole "companion" speech at the end was slightly over the top), but otherwise, this is one episode worth watching.

When it comes out on DVD, be sure to rent the disc with this on it. Or at the very least, does anyone know if BBC America shows this?

Because quite frankly, I would rather a young person watch this than anything currently on television. It's that good.

5 Things To Know About BRIAN BLESSED

Like fellow comics blogger Rich, I strongly admire and revere the myth, the legend the force of nature known as BRIAN BLESSED.

But, you're thinking, why should I elevate BRIAN BLESSED to the pantheon of pop culture icons?

(And by the way, as a rule, you must always speak of BRIAN BLESSED in all capital letters and boldface font wherever possible. He is that impressive)

Taking my cue from another, better blog, here are five things you need to know about BRIAN BLESSED:

1. His professional career is wide-ranging: examine his entry in IMDB. Any actor who can work in Shakespeare, Doctor Who and Blake's 7 deserves the accolades. But quite frankly, let's focus on why we worship him so:
2. BRIAN BLESSED pretty much stole the Flash Gordon movie single-handedly: Having recently re-watched the moviey, I began to realize...I had only heard of one other name in the cast. And I had forgotten completely that Timothy Dalton was in this movie. Brian Blessed simply dominates the movie with two key scenes.
3. If Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, & Edgar Wright really loved us, they would cast BRIAN BLESSED in their next movie: OK, they've had Timothy Dalton, and Edward Woodward - BRIAN BLESSED just oozes British pop culture. He's big, bold, and friends with Patrick Stewart (meaning - he eats punks like William Shatner for breakfast) And he's no pushover, either, in fact:
4. BRIAN BLESSED takes guff from no one, and is full of flannel - just watch these YouTube clips from a documentary about I, Claudius. Then, go Netflix or purchase I, Claudius
5. BRIAN BLESSED is to acting what Queen was to rock music: Yes, I did type that out loud. For him there is no over the top...because there is no top for BRIAN BLESSED. Or Queen. Just watch this previously linked-to sequence and tell me you disagree.
   

But don't take my word for it - this Thanksgiving holiday, give yourself the gift of BRIAN BLESSED. There's nothing that even comes close to the power of this great man, except perhaps this:


MIKE STERLING. WITH POWER RINGS.

(Image taken from Mr. Sterling's blog without his permission. If you want it pulled from my blog, Mike, just say the word).