Tonight Doctor Who fans will be treated to a an old fashioned thriller of an episode. We haven’t had any scary episodes lately that haven’t featured the Angels or Cybermen, so this is a treat.
I would love to know what your thoughts are on Peter Capaldi as the Doctor. You know from earlier posts that I think he’s fantastic.
But, please, tell me what you think! Are you enjoying the Capaldi Era of Doctor Who?
I’ve been planning for my 200th post to be something special. I think it’s only fitting to discuss my opinion of Peter Capaldi’s 12th Doctor during this special occasion.
I adore Peter Capaldi’s Doctor. This is the first regeneration I’ve experienced as a Doctor Who fan. I started watching the show during Matt Smith’s first season, and I was too distracted by Amy Pond’s story to really appreciate him. (In the interests of full disclosure, I am not a fan of Amy Pond. I don’t like that Stephen Moffat essentially hijacked the show and made it into the Amy Pond Show. It’s nothing against the character or Karen Gillan; my frustration lies with the writing and the decision-making)
When I heard that Matt Smith was leaving, I was very interested to see who would take his place. The BBC had a huge task to find someone who would not only appeal to the British masses, but who would be able to perform on a global stage, given the show’s surge in popularity around the world.
Peter Capaldi is a lifelong Doctor Who fan, just like David Tennant. He is well aware of what happens after taking on such an iconic role, and he was ready to embrace it. The interesting thing is that Capaldi, like Tennant, is Scottish, but unlike Tennant, Peter Capaldi’s Doctor was allowed to keep his Scottish brogue and his Scottish demeanor. This is interesting given that the good people of Scotland are currently awaiting a vote that could lead to their separation from the UK. Could it be that the decision for Capaldi to retain his accent was also a nod to Scotland? Perhaps, and perhaps not. It is just interesting to think about.
I see Peter Capaldi’s Doctor as a Renaissance Man. He is the sum of the eleven men who came before him. Periodically you can hear Ten’s boisterous exclamations of “Oh!!”, and we frequently see Nine’s darkness in his eyes. And I believe that Twelve is constantly trying to find Eleven’s innocence and inherent goodness: “Am I a good man?” he asks Clara. (He also displays a great deal of Ten and Eleven’s goofiness, as seen in “Robot of Sherwood” when he exclaims “I’m already free!” and waves his hands maniacally) Even the TARDIS reflects this, with it’s modern gears and antique books. Both the TARDIS and the opening credits have a Steampunk flair to them. Peter Capaldi is a Renaissance Doctor.
I appreciate the storytelling we have seen in Series 8. I think it will allow Peter Capaldi to shine as the Twelfth Doctor. He faces a huge challenge, however, in that many of the young American fans fell in love with Matt Smith’s Doctor, and they won’t understand the nuances of the *character*, because true Doctor Who fans know that the Doctor makes the actor, and not the other way around. The Doctor is the sum of the men who portrayed him.
I am thoroughly enjoying this season and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Thank you so much, Peter Capaldi, for being my “first” Doctor. I’m excited to go on this journey with you, and thank you for sharing my 200th post with me!
Once again I’m listening to Clive Lewis’ Ground Zero radio show. He’s talking about the hidden messages in the Super Bowl. The multiple appearances of the number 12, the word “prepare” during Bruno Mars’ performance…. Prepare for what? The next big world war? The symbolism is everywhere. It’s like the movie 21, which is a great movie.
This nerdy girl is going to return to her nerdy roots. While the people on the radio show are talking about the Antichrist and all of the religious symbolism, I am recalling a dream I had in college whereby aliens arrive on Earth and take the form of Jesus and other major religious figures from religions all over the world. Everyone goes nuts and thinks it’s the second coming, and the aliens take over with little to no resistance. Think about it: It’s the best way to take over a planet. Mimic the religious leaders (especially, in the case of Jesus, a religious figure who is forecasted to return at some point).
For all we know, we could be under attack from the Daleks or the Borg. Or the Cybermen. Doctor Who and Star Trek teach us great lessons about why the human race needs to be wary of getting too comfortable. We lose sight of problems and forget to be mindful of what is going on around us. Ground Zero is talking about something possibly happening around February 15 or the Ides of March (March 15). For my sake, I don’t want anything to happen on those days. They are the 6th and 5th birthdays of my cat and dog, respectively. Of course, last year around this time, we had the huge fireball over Moscow. And now we have the Olympics in Russia.
I know I’m rambling. This is all a lot more esoteric than the snow that won’t melt, which has been a favorite topic of mine the past few days. All I know is that we have to pay attention to what’s going on around us. Don’t read too much into everything, but be mindful.
To quote Spock: “Live Long and Prosper.”
Random Readings 