Doctor Who or Doctor Woke?

The most recent episode of Doctor Who, Praxeus may have been the straw that broke the camels back for me. Since the return of the show in 2005 the decline in great and memorable stories has continued to out way those that I could really watch over and over again. The last truly amazing/masterpiece episode for me was back in season 9, Heaven Sent (2005) Since then it’s been either a pleasant bit of fun or truly awful with great production values and performances being let down by poor idea being poorly told. Before it was even shown, I had some real concerns about season 11. (2018) A great actress in Jodie Whittaker taking over a historically male role didn’t feel me with glee. I’ve always felt that male characters should remain just that and if female characters/ heroines roles fail to be represented, then they should be created. I certainly wouldn’t want strong female roles to be replaced with men just because it suits an agenda.

Doctor Who 2020

Now that season 12 (2020) has started, I had high hopes with for this season with the opener, Spyfall that was dynamic and gave each character great exposure along with some great shocks and reveals. However it’s now going down hill fast. Once again, not in production values, CGI standards or performances but in political correctness overload. Episode 3, ‘Orphan 55’ started this with a climate change story that is clearly very topical given the almost daily messages of planetary doom from Extinction Rebellion and the likes of Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg. I get why that would be an idea in a writers head while struggling to come up with a fresh new story.

Greta

Then came episode 6, ‘Praxeus’. This was the ultimate lesson in the BBC’s agenda of political correctness. I want be clear about something before I continue. I have no problem with any race, gender, sexual orientation or political view being represented. Soaps are historically the vehicle for exploring all manner of social awareness, however the most important thing that soaps do is convey the message in a non-didactic manner. People on the whole don’t like to be told what to do and and think. If EastEnders Dot Cotton gets broken into, the police telling her character to get a better locks on her front door is more likely to resonate with the viewer to do the same for themselves, where people would reject or resist some government official telling you the same thing. This is the real problem I have with the Chris Chibnall’s era of Doctor Who and especially this season. As head writer and Executive producer, he has been responsible for adding layer after layer of representation that is now so overt, the show should now be called Doctor Woke.

Doctor Who 2020

All the layers, concepts and representations in themselves are quite rightly areas and ideas that viewers should be exposed to, however, in my opinion, ‘Praxeus’ took this too far, ramming yet another environmental message down our throats and the science fiction being once again being sidelined. I thought the Third Doctor spent loads of time on Earth. This doctor has the only Tardis that travels in time but not much space and despite the Tardis being bigger on the inside, the cast for this episode was far too big to really make the most of each character or gain any feeling towards them. When they died, I really knew nothing about them enough to become invested in their story. The characters being represented so far and in particularly the ones in this episode seem to be there just for the sake of being represented, that in turn undermines their representation. Subtle characterisation has been replaced by the BBC handbook on political correctness and Chibnall happy to play the nodding dog.

I wonder what Eco-story will feature next? Sorry Doctor, the Mayor of London says you will have to pay an ultra low emission zone congestion charge as you have an old polluting type 40 Tardis. Why not walk or maybe cycle instead? I would really love The Doctor to travel to an alien planet, fight the evil monster of Wokeism and save us all.

Moli Ships, bikes and Snails…

I’m starting to wonder if my blogging world is broken. Along with my Facebook updates I’m struggling to celebrate, lament and comment on my life. I think I know why and I need to deal with it as I really do enjoy writing my blog.

Facebook however, I’m not missing as much. It seems that its mostly videos of people popping 20 year old spots and less than inspirational memes. It’s certainly a far cry from when Facebook started out and friends shared thoughts, pictures and status updates of their own. I guess Facebook has become lazy.

So, what’s been going on with me? Some of you might be interested even if we don’t speak to each other any more or actually never met in the first place.

This year the defence show was at Excel again and as usual I took some pictures of the arrivals that included,

• Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Iron Duke
• Royal Navy River Class HMS Tyne
• Royal Navy Hunter Class MCMV HMS Hurworth
• Royal Canadian Navy Halifax Class HMCS Winnipeg
• Belgian Navy Costal Patrol Vessel BNS Castor
• German Navy K130 Class Corvette FGS Ludwigshafen
• Indian Navy Talwar Class INS Trikand
• Sea Owl Naval Training Ship VN Partisan

All of these ships have to pass through the lock next to my home and some of them sadly arrived at silly O’clock that meant I wasn’t able or willing to take any pictures. I only ventured out once to catch an arrival at 3am that turned out to be a bit of a farce as the bridge that rises to let them into Victoria dock wouldn’t open. So, not very much happened beyond me being very tired and cold.

VN Partisan

HMCS Winnipeg FFH338

HMCS Winnipeg FFH338

HMCS Winnipeg FFH338

HMCS Winnipeg FFH338

HMCS Winnipeg FFH338

HMS Iron Duke (F234)Having really got into cycling this year I’ve been slowly getting more and more distance as my strength and fitness improve. I’m not like those nutters that can do 150 miles before breakfast but I have managed to get to around 25 miles and I’m proud of myself as I’m mostly made of lard, unfit and with a broken spine. Don’t get me wrong, my legs afterwards are like jelly but I always feel great. Moli

Moli

Recently I did a ride from my home in the Royal Docks to Westminster and back. The route used the Greenway to Stratford, Bow to Whitechapel, Tower Bridge to Southbank. Big Ben to Embankment, Tower Hill to Canary Wharf and then back home. Along the route we did get to see Christopher Werkowicz playing a tuba which shoots out fire! Christopher Werkowicz playing a tuba which shoots out fire

I went to see a play recently called, ‘The curious case of the dog in the night-time’ at the Gielgud Theatre.

Curious incident of the dog in the night-timeIt’s a great story and the staging was very different to anything I’ve ever seen. The set was surrounded on all sides including the floor with LED lights that create movement and spaces that the performers can work within. The ticket I had came with restricted view that was fairly restricted unless I hung over the balcony in a way that didn’t feel very safe. It should have also read restricted leg room that made The Royal Court or Easyjet look like luxury. After the interval I moved to an empty seat which gave me direct views of the stage and this made things much more enjoyable. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you any of the plot but I would certainly recommend going to see this play but you really need to be careful with the seating. I would certainly argue that being higher in the theatre would give a better experience than the stalls.                   Sunset at London City Airport

I recently took this picture while walking to the station during a lovely sunset. Hope you like it?

I would love it if readers of this blog left some comments on the writing, the pictures or asked me questions. At the bottom is a little used comments section. Say something nice!

One good thing. Doctor Who is back on TV.

One bad thing, I keep stepping on snails in the dark.

M

Doctor Who – Series 9. 18th Sept 2015

I had to share! Can’t wait.

Follow

Moli takes a Deep Breath and goes to Germany…

Boy, oh boy. I’ve been meaning to write my blog for such a long time now. I’ve been so very busy and distracted that I just couldn’t do it. I need to be in the mood to write and get my thoughts together. I started a new job recently that has taken up my energy, focus and most importantly time. It’s basically the same job I already do but with a new team that need my help to put processes into place to make their job easier to do, to coach and develop the sales team to success and ultimately deliver a successful business. The challenge is bigger than I was expecting and will also take longer to achieve but I also know that I can make a difference. The hardest part for me isn’t to do with the job itself, that for the most part I know what I’m doing and have a plan. But the commuting and 7am start times are already more than my body and soul can handle. I’ve been very lucky for the past few years having such a short journey to work, so I guess it’s going to feel very different. Certainly having a 5-minute commute makes you lazy and complacent. So, this change in working arrangement should give me the kick up the bum I need to think about my career and future. So, literately watch this space. Should I actually get around to writing about it of course.

So, what have I been doing? I was lucky at the end of August to attend the Leicester Square premiere of the Doctor Who episode ‘Deep Breath’. Arriving at the square a couple of hours before the start, I was greeted with the sight a glowing big blue box, The Tardis. It was joined with a lone Dalek along with people dressed in various Doctor Who related costumes. Anyone who’s been to Leicester Square will know it’s a disgusting tourist trap full of very odd people, Hen and Stag groups and the drunken and broken of society which made me think that someone dressed as a Cyberman or 2000 year old Timelord really didn’t look that out of place.

Moli & TARDIS - LEICESTER SQUARE

Doctor Who - Deep Breath Screening

Cyberman - Deep Breath Screening

Cyberman - Deep Breath Screning

I’m not going to go into detail about the first episode of new Doctor, Peter Capaldi as some time has passed now. All I can say is I enjoyed it very much and a large audience of Whovian’s cheering along will always make things more enjoyable. I wonder how a terrible episode like “The rings of Akhaten” would have faired with a cinema release? Oh, I know. It would still be bloody terrible!!! The most enjoyable part of the night was the appearance of Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman and Steven Moffat for an after screening Q&A hosted by presenter Zoe Ball.

Doctor Who - Deep Breath Screening

Doctor Who - Deep Breath Screening

Doctor Who - Deep Breath Screening

Seeing the new Doctor in the flesh was fantastic and the crowd went wild when smoke filled the room and the Doctor lifted out of the floor. That was one hell of a dramatic entrance. The Q&A was by the numbers and many of the questions having already been asked wasn’t going to shock but it was still engaging and great fun. Frankly at this point Capadli could have read the phone book and I would have had a smile on my face. The whole experience was very enjoyable and I was very lucky to be one of the few that got to attend and it was a great way to start my holiday.

The next day I flew out from London City airport to Frankfurt to begin a 10 day driving tour of southern Germany. That blog is coming soon. Promise.

M

Moli and the 50th…

November was really a count down to the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who.  Having attend the Proms in the summer and recently visited the set in Cardiff, it made sense that I attended the official celebration in London’s docklands.  It had been sold out about an hour after the tickets went on sales several months before and I had high hopes.  The event was very well attended and must have had 5000 or more dressed up as The Doctor or other characters from the show. 

Matt Smith

Various monsters were seen walking about and the production stands were very interesting.  The talks were fairly unrehearsed and awkward, especially the SFX talk which felt very random.  However, all that was overshadowed for me as I had the opportunity to meet The Doctor himself, Matt Smith. 

Matt Smith

Moli & Matt Smith

The day passed quickly and then it was onto the main event, The Day of the Doctor.  An episode that had to please fans and still be entertaining for those that don’t watch on a regular basis.  The story fulfilled everything I wanted and could expect.  Watching my favorite TV show in a cinema with other fans all dressed up and cheering and laughing together was an amazing and magical experience which served to enhance the story and celebration.

Day of the Doctor
Day of the Doctor

The surprise of Tom Baker’s appearance towards the end was very emotional for older viewers like me and a huge cheer went up when new Doctor Peter Capaldi’s eyes appeared.  The story delivered in the most part with John Hurt really standing out as The War Doctor but the Zygon’s were a little wasted and actually forgotten in narrative terms.  However, I loved it and have watched it 5 times so far. Roll on Christmas…  Allonsy.

M

 

 

Moli and the TARDIS…

Those that know me well are clear that I’ve been a Doctor Who fan since I was knee high to grass hopper. When I used to play with a friend at the tender age of 5 or 6 I would play The Doctor and she would be the companion. Lots of running around the house or down the street shouting, “Doctor!!!” and pretending that the hallway was the TARDIS. However the hallway was just a boring hallway and it wasn’t bigger on the inside, no matter how much imagination we had. We even had to make the Worp Worp sound ourselves.

So can you image the feeling I got today when I visited the BBC in Cardiff and opened the doors to the real TARDIS set.

Doctor Who - Cardiff

My face beamed with delight as the door opened and I was seeing the actual console room in front of me, all lit up. It was a dream come true.

Moli & Tardis

Moli & Tardis

Doctor Who - Cardiff

Doctor Who - Cardiff

Also the sheer size of it took my breath away. I was like a kid in a sweet shop and couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate my love of this show and the 50th Anniversary. I also decided to do some running down corridors for good measure…

Doctor Who - Cardiff

I even got to say hello to a Weeping Angel and a Dalek!!!

Doctor Who - Cardiff

Doctor Who - Cardiff

Doctor Who - Cardiff

Doctor Who - Cardiff

The 6-hour drive there and back was very tiring but for me it was well worth the once in a lifetime visit.

M

 

Moli goes Inside Llewyn Davis…

I’ve had a long standing fascination for the directors, Joel & Ethan Coen.  Ever since Fargo in 1996 their writing and directing has always interested me.  Their characters are full of depth and always have a real sense of history and life in them. The stories they tell are often quirky and captivating and their 4 Oscars are a testament to their critical acclaim.

Inside Llewyn Davis

I was really excited to attend the screening of their new movie, Inside Llewyn Davis featuring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake and John Goodman. The film surrounds a folk singer that struggles to get his break as a solo artist. Isaac’s performance in both acting and singing are fantastic. The film has been described as a love letter to folk music, however, I’m not a fan of folk music and it wasn’t long before I found myself looking for the X Factor red buzzer. The film is very well photographed but the story just doesn’t go anywhere and has no real point of conclusion. I actually felt like I was given a window into a world, which I really didn’t care too much about and left me a little depressed that no matter how good your talent and potential, life will knock you down. Not a happy tale or one that ends with any satisfaction. The irony is that John Goodman’s talent is wasted on a character that brought nothing to the story and is easily forgotten which is a shame as his role ended as it was getting interesting. I’ll always have a soft spot for Carey Mulligan, ever since she stared in the fantastic Doctor Who episode ‘Blink.’ Her role was mostly abusive, cute and wasted once again.

Carey Mulligan

However, finally meeting her was a dream come true.

Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan & Oscar Isaac

As you can tell, I wasn’t impressed with the movie, which left so much unresolved and had no real point. The Coen Brothers reputation for making great and stunning films would allow them to get funding and make a deep and meaningful film about reading the telephone directory. However, if they get Carey Mulligan to read it, I’d probably watch that too.

M

The Twelfth Doctor is Peter Capaldi…

Couldn’t be happier that the 12th Doctor will be played by the fantastic Peter Capaldi whom at 55 years old is the same age as William Hartnell was when the adventure started 50 years ago…

Peter Capaldi

My only concern at this stage is the quality of scripts that that he will be given and the stories that he has to tell. Please Moffat, make them worthy of this great actor who has been nominated for 7 BAFTA’s and won twice. He deserves the scripts you didn’t give Matt Smith…

Like a child, I can’t wait till Christmas but for now… Roll on the 50th Anniversary special.

M

Moli goes to the Proms…

Last night I was one of the very few lucky people to attend the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, London.  The music from the TV Series was performed by the London Philharmonic Choir, The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conducted by Ben Foster.

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Before proceedings began I managed to get a picture with Composer Murray Gold.

Moli & Murray Gold

As is customary with Sci-Fi fans, loads of people dressed up as The Doctor that I think looks really good but I did feel sorry for one man who dressed up as Tom Baker’s Doctor complete with long scarf. Given that Saturday was 32c and the inside of the Royal Albert Hall was hotter than the sun, I’m shocked he didn’t die from heat exhaustion.

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

I also loved seeing all the Monsters and Aliens running around to the music and not forgetting an amazing looking TARDIS. The time passed all too quickly and it was all over.

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Doctor Who Proms 2013

Afterwards a large crowd moved to the stage door where I managed to meet the cast and composer Ben Foster who signed my TARDIS shaped programme, at one point a fan shouted, ‘Wear my Fez’ which he kindly did.

Doctor Who Proms 2013 - Ben Foster

Doctor Who Proms 2013 - Ben Foster Signed Programme

Doctor Who Proms 2013 - Ben Foster wears a Fez

All in all an excellent night for a Doctor Who fan like me.

Doctor Who Proms 2013

I can’t wait to watch it again on TV. Roll on November for the Actual 50th birthday celebration.

M