Rose

On March 26th 2005 we were treated to the long overdue return of Doctor Who.  Rose brought the Doctor back to our TV screens for the first time since 1989.
He was a new Doctor, and soon had a new companion in tow, bringing us a sense of familiarity.  Christopher Eccleston seemed to relish the challenge, whether he was pleading with the Nestene or belittling Rose.  By the end of the episode we found he had softened towards Rose and was ready to bring her into his TARDIS, and begin their turbulent relationship.

The Doctor blew up the shop where she worked and ripped her boyfriend's head off, so why did Rose leave in the TARDIS at the end of the episode?
The answer is simple; Rose was introduced as a very basic character who had a job that didn't fulfil her, a boyfriend who didn't challenge her and no specific prospects.
By the end of the episode we have been brought in and shown that this character is definitely not content but has never known how to 'escape' Then, when she is offered the opportunity to develop herself, she takes it albeit at the second time of asking.

But what about the new Doctor? There are indications that he is relatively fresh from his regeneration (Ahhh could have been worse) and also that he has been involved in war (I was there, I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault) but in every other way he is the Doctor. 
For me, having been brought up on the classic series, it felt like he'd returned and yet for millions he was something new and different.  They reached out to both audiences at the same time, and with success.

So what else was there in the episode? There was Clive who was used to tease out the fact that the Doctor is someone who has been around on Earth in the past, and then there was Mickey and Jackie.  These two would become regular characters and even become embroiled in later stories as main players, right up to the end of the 10th Doctor's 'reign'.
All we saw of Mickey was that he was a rather pathetic individual who offered Rose no reason to stay other than a need to mother him.  Jackie, based on this one episode, is a feisty, yet vulnerable, single parent who was on a path very similar to her daughter.  Both characters would develop, mainly through the introduction of 'Pete's World' in series 2.

It will never be the best episode of Doctor Who, not even being Eccleston's best episode.  It is possible however, to argue that it is one of the most important episodes ever in the history of Doctor Who.  The fact that this episode was on was the most important factor.

So, 12 days from now, blow up your job, keep an eye out for those shop dummies and most importantly...run!!

I knew it...

I was getting started on this blog and really happy with the way it looks and then my life takes over and gets in the way.

I have had a crazy few weeks and therefore not continued with my ambition to catch up on the classic series. In addition to this I have not been enjoying the BBC3 re-runs of series 8.
However, I have been watching some 'old' new episodes and finding myself really enjoying watching Christopher Eccleston in role, and also cementing my belief that eleven was/is my Doctor.

Talking of Eccleston, can you believe its nearly been 10 years since Rose first aired?
It's moments like this where I start to feel my age!

Anyway, time for life and hopefully to find some room for a little more Doctor Who!

Plot Holes

I've always seen people pick up on and bemoan plot holes. They are always there.

However, in a show such as Doctor Who you have to accept that there are 'timey wimey' effects that mean things don't always follow in the most natural order and there are often times when you have to fill in the gaps to suit your view of a scene or situation.

My biggest issue is when people create plot holes that aren't there and just want to find fault because it fits their previous thoughts on that actor/director/writer/showrunner! 

I love a bit of mystery when I watch Doctor Who and the marvel of the show is that it entertains but also makes you think.

So stop looking for problems and enjoy it 'your way'

My new discovery

I am planning (hoping) to post here on a daily basis so to keep that up I thought I would share this:

These were discovered in a second-hand shop today and represent a good day!

I don't know if I will ever collect every DVD but it's always good to increase the collection!

Clara Oswald

This was the news I was hoping for!

Having enjoyed another excellent episode I faced the anxious wait to find out whether Jenna would still be with us next year.

It was a very clever trick that Moffat played and had me ready to say goodbye! 

I can now look forward to another series with Jenna alongside Peter. 

Merry Christmas!!!

Treasure Find

I couldn't believe my luck when out shopping the other week I came across these little treasures:

I can't bring myself to actually open the boxes, let alone actually drink from them! Can't believe the total cost was under £20 too!

Only 3 days to go!

Withdrawal Symptoms

Why do I have to be so busy? Why do I not have the time to sit down and review Capaldi and the impact of Series 8?

I guess it will have to wait. I guess I will have to see out the Christmas special before I get the chance to fully absorb myself in what Series 8 meant to me and where I would like to see the next series going.

So for now I must get back to finishing my work and maybe sneak a little peek on the forums at Gallifrey Base. Then before I know it we will be there and Nick Frost will bound on to the screen and we will enjoy another festive dose of Who :)

Branching Out

I have a new branch to my online adventure!

I have joined the craze that is Instagram! I have very little idea what I'm doing but I have at least got started.  If you want to join me then you can by following @whovian_with_a_lightsaber

As you will notice from my name It is reflecting both Doctor Who and Star Wars

I just need a decent profile picture now :)

Learning New Skills

I am hoping that this works now.

This is my first proper attempt at video editing. All I have done is removed the original audio and replaced it with a music track.  I then replaced part of the original audio and was fairly happy with the outcome:


The End? by 5791ydnA

I hope that you enjoy :)

A Whovian without Who

The title of this post suggests a situation that we all fear.
A time when Doctor Who is no more...and we all walk around wondering how to survive.

Alternatively it could be a strange parallel existence where Doctor Who never existed and yet we all know there's something we're missing...something in the corner of our eyes...

However, I am simply referring to that annual gap between the end of a series and the Christmas Special!
Yes, there is a large volume of classic Who for me to catch up on but this year we have a much shorter gap than previous years I'm struggling to establish a viewing routine.
I have watched a few Tom Baker stories and the usual batch of Smith/Tennant re-runs but I am finding it particularly tricky this year as I'm not sure of a few things regarding the future.

The first is my reaction to Series 8 and Capaldi himself.  I did find myself watching each episode a number of times and found that I was enjoying how things were moving.  I am planning a pre-christmas Series 8 marathon where I will look to see how I feel about Series 8 as a whole.

The second is the Jenna Coleman issue. Is she staying? Is she going?
I have enjoyed watching Clara, especially with the 11th Doctor and feel that if the Doctor was to re-discover Gallifrey then Clara would be the ideal companion for that journey.

So, what does a Whovian do without Who?
He simply doesn't.
It's impossible.
It does not compute.

I cannot wait for the 25th, and hopefully by that point I will have a resolution to both of my points.
Until then, Merry Christmas!

The Eternal Dilemma

As someone who grew up watching Davison, Baker and McCoy I feel a sense of loyalty towards them.
I have since been treated to the delights of Eccleston, Tennant, Smith and now Capaldi.  They seem like different shows yet still contain the same key elements that allow them to remain as two parts of the same thing.

Should I prefer one to the other?
I certainly have felt it much easier to appreciate and take in the new series, but this is only down to my age and the fact that I'm no longer 10!  
But I do feel I'm not getting everything out of the new series because I'm not 10 any more! Those magical Saturday afternoons are consigned to the distant memory.

I prefer to think of Doctor Who as a continually changing constant :/ in that my favourites are constantly changing as often as the desktop on the TARDIS!

So, the eternal dilemma is just that.....eternal! I will never make a decision, I will just always enjoy whatever episode I choose to put in front of myself.

And there are over 800 to choose from....

...to Trenzalore

In order to maintain my commitment to regularly using this blog I thought it would be sensible to add a second post on this most special of days.
I happened to stumble upon a bit of a Doctor Who marathon on Watch tonight and have been dropping in and out. 

Interesting to see The Name of the Doctor followed by The Runaway Bride....

I haven't got the hang of how I will allow people to see this so if you are reading these words it probably means you have followed a link on Gallifrey Base. If so, thank you and don't forget to let me know you were here.

I have been spending the last 18 months, sporadically, viewing Doctor Who from the beginning and will keep this page updated with my latest viewing treat.

Anyway, time to watch the Racnoss form the centre of the Earth.....Allons-y!

From Gallifrey...

It certainly doesn't feel like a whole year since I tasted fish fingers and custard for the one and only time, whilst eyeing the bowl of jelly babies.

Yes I went for 'themed food' on the 23rd November 2013, whilst awaiting the biggest single episode of Doctor Who in its magical 50-year history. For the record they didn't taste bad but safe to say I haven't ventured back down that road since.

So, it has been a year since that day....
Matt Smith has left us, Peter Capaldi has established his Doctor and the Master is now a woman! seems like a fairly standard year to me!

Ok, here is the basics to my story....
I have been watching Doctor Who for as long as I can remember, and without revealing my age I can tell you that I enjoyed many a happy Saturday afternoon with Mr Davison!
I have twice started a blog, and twice just failed miserably to add to it.  My hope is that the significance of this blog starting on this date will help me to maintain it.  I also intend to use the fact that we have 32 days before the next episode to give me a chance to get my feet sorted.

So for now I welcome you here and hope that you don't mind a word of advice from me.....RUN!