A stitch in time ..... Hurts my head

So it has been a while since I sat down with my keyboard, a cup of coffee as my sweet angel sleeps and written a blog. It's been a strange few weeks to say the least, lots of high points and a big low one, but the low point isn't really something for a blog. It's funny how a day evolves in my world, how some things remain the same and others are just completely wild, it's what makes life interesting and unpredictable I guess, but even when things seem dull it's also exciting at the same time. For example one minute your listening to music, loosing yourself in the melody of a soft tune and picturing a world of so many wonders unseen by the rest of the world as they have been created by you, the next your grooving in your seat and singing as loud as you can ... and if your me completely out of tune... to something like Sweet Home Alabama. Unpredictability .... so much fun.

However what was predictable was the awesomeness that was the Doctor Who 50Th Anniversary special which aired on Nov 23rd in over eighty countries simultaneously, in regular, HD and 3D as well as being shown in 3D in Cinemas .... what an event for a TV Show ...... well actually lets step back, not juts a TV show, the longest running Science Fiction TV show in television history with more fans than Star Trek and Star Wars Combined..... that should tell you something. And of course it's that awesome ... it's British sci-fi ...... ok that's enough patriotism for now.

The Day of the Doctor, which featured the return of David Tennant and Billie Piper and with special guest star John Hurt as "The War Doctor" saw an audiance of over 12 million, thats not counting those who recorded it to watch the next day or tuned in to watch it online via the BBC and BBC America Website ... wow huh ? The Day of the Doctor was certainly a thrill-seeking ride with sweeping shots of London much like in The Bells of Saint John. If fans were calling for a Doctor Who film then this is it. The Day of the Doctor celebrates not only all that is Doctor Whobut all that is British. The show is quintessentially British and everything is celebrated. It is all richly interwoven.
Saying this, the episode was more for the fans than the casual viewer. While it is certainly a lavish production with a raft of special effects, it is somewhat alienating (if you’ll pardon the phrase) for someone who has not seen the show before. The location captions are tries to provide clarity but it is not enough.

But putting the casual viewers to one side, this hit the spot for fans. It satisfies the needs of the fans and feeds their hunger, as well as consolidating some of the show’s mythology. When the show was brought back in 2005 it was said that the Doctor was the last of the Time Lords and this episode addresses all of that and the 16 year gap when the show was off the air which was great. 

I loved the references from the original Sixties intro to the fourth Doctor’s scarf. Tom Baker comes back right at the end and it is a delicious little addition and well played on Steven Moffat’s part. While the inclusion of all the incarnations – including Peter Capaldi’s Doctor-in-waiting – saving Gallifrey was magical. It was one of my favourite reveals and ties 50 years ofDoctor Who past and present together.

Watching the tenth and the eleventh Doctor on screen was rather marvellous and what we’ve all been waiting for. They poke fun at one another and it is great to watch. Tennant is straight off the mark and it’s like nothing has changed, it is wonderful to see him return. They bounce off each other and have a strong dynamic, diverging at some points in their performance and at other times playing it the same, But it is John Hurt who steals the show. He channels William Hartnell’s Doctor who is a grumpy, irritable old man. He is so watchable and not at all what we thought he was going to be. There is so much sympathy for him. There is also some great chemistry between Hurt’s incarnation and Billie Piper’s ethereal interface character.

We were given a slightly eccentric performance from Piper. She is a woman grown and not at all like Rose Tyler, Piper plays it like Suranne Jones’ version of the Tardis in The Doctor’s Wife. She is oddball and off-the-wall in her performance. She gives a mature turn that redeems those who did not like Rose Tyler. Overall it is 75 minutes of crazy, fantastical Doctor Who and a fitting tribute for fans, so if you are a fan and still haven't watched it ...... WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!


Well with the Doctoe Who stuff safely out of the way, the other things happening in the Weird and wonderful world of a nerd are vast and varied, for instance, the world of Star Wars The Old Republic saw it's newest digital expansion released for free "Galactic Starfighter".

The new content has been opened for Subscribers only and includes 12v12 PvP dogfighting where experience can be earned to unlock new weapons and powers to customise the ships. BioWare Austin’s Jeff Hickman had this to say about the launch. “We are so excited for players to experience all the incredible new content in Galactic Starfighter, while still gaining additional XP and credits to give their ground game characters a boost. Free-flight space combat is a feature the fans have been asking for, and Galactic Starfighter really delivers on that feeling of heart-pounding fast-paced dogfighting action that you expect in a Star Wars game.”

Anyone can take out a subscription now and jump into the action otherwise the content won’t unlock for “Preferred Status Players” until 14 January. The general public will have to wait until 4 February. Ouch!
I have to admit I’m actually seriously impressed with this expansion and can foresee many many many tired, coffee stimulated hours playing this :D

So with this now being my longest blog to date .....

I guess for now, this is all in the Weird and Wonderful world of a nerd .........