This episode of Doctor Who has all the makings of showing just how dangerous a pair of Daleks are than just one.
Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the Doctor is almost at an end, and with another New Year’s Day Special, Eve of the Daleks instead of Revolution, I have to wonder if this enemy will ever cease to amaze? Nearly every appearance manages to upgrade them somehow, and that’s when I watch Doctor Who.
The previous year’s holiday episode was good, because John Barrowman returned as Captain Jack Harkness. Flux was a season I more or less ignored. If all the seasons of the Doctor Who had to be ranked, I’d have to say this latest is not in any top ten. That season is more about bringing back the classic enemies and giving them a chance to shine one more time.
BritCon is designed to fill the void left behind by the other. Anglicon folded due to many reasons.
Aug 14-16, 2020 Hyatt Regency Bellevue 900 Bellevue Way NE Seattle, Washington
The popularity of British media in America is at an all time high. It’s not just because of Doctor Who, but also with news of Red Dwarf getting the big screen treatment. And it’s not just about talents from across the pond making that successful transition to Hollywood–namely Karen Gillan. From a companion to leading lady in the upcoming Jumanji: The Next Level, who else can we expect?
To keep up with news leaves fans wondering where can they get the latest updates? The Internet can only offer so much. Not many followers of this world are aware of the importance of PineWood Studios and many British actors played when Star Wars original trilogy was being filmed. Michael Sheard (Admiral Ozzel of Empire Strikes Back) made an appearance in the Pacific Northwest a long time ago, but since then, appearances of these fantastic talents depends–is it even possible to convince John Cleese to appear at a convention? He certainly loves putting on shows in Victoria, BC but that’s besides the point.
Fortunately, in the Pacific Northwest–specifically in Seattle, Washington–we have BritCon to fill the void left behind by the other. Anglicon folded due to many reasons.
After a successful week since BritCon launched on KickStarter to raise funds, I had the opportunity to correspond with Dawn Shaw, one of the co-founders of BritCon. She is part of a very special team whose knowledge goes beyond running a typical sci-fi convention. On this list is Abie Ekenezar (guest relations), Shannon Reagan (Vice-chair . programming). Together, they want attendees to know that their voices are being heard to make this convention the best and most inclusive in the Northwest.
Getting into the yuletide spirit is not tough these days. There’s plenty of Streaming Holiday Season options for those counting down to the holidays online.
By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)
Getting into the yuletide spirit is not tough these days. There’s plenty of Streaming Holiday Season options for those counting down to the holidays online.
These days, that means putting a film, special or television program in the queue to watch via Netflix or iTunes. Even YTV has its own app, and I can have them playing in the background. This Canadian station has fond classics dating well back to the 90s. Here, I’m tackling the difficult choice of wading through what’s available for streaming.
Online services offer a mix of old and new shows to enjoy. This list includes both and these are programs which made an impression on me. These shows are or will soon be easily accessible on services like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Crave, iTunes or Hulu.
The idea of a female version of Doctor Who was suggested a long time ago. Not everyone will know the comedic skit created by celebrated Rowan Atkinson for Red Nose Day charity telethon. The Curse of Fatal Death is not canon, but it had people talking. Officially, the idea in “Hand of Fear” (1976) set the concept in motion. The Kartrian Eldrad talked about the transition from one gender to another. Throughout the New Who years (2005 onwards), the notion has been tossed around. The most notable transition was Missy revealed herself to be a The Master!
Whatever the real world reason was for giving the role to a woman, audiences were more or less prepared. Giving this highly beloved character a makeover was not done to raise ire of misogynistic fans. Instead, it’s to keep this character refreshed so newcomers can jump in. When the media attention is this big, people are most likely to tune in.
There’s not much I need this year. You helped set the wheels in motion to help deliver a few items from the list I made last year. I received Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition some months ago, but the score is seeing Pulp Cthulhu and the out of print Fall of Cthulhu Omnibus arrive before the big day! My dreams have been fulfilled.
Though, with virtual reality (VR) still being the talk of 2016, I still like to see how this technology will grow in the coming year. It leads my list of items I’d love to see under my tree.
While the jury is still out in deciding if VR is the future of entertainment, out of all the three contenders (HTC Vive and PlayStation VR being the other two) I’m placing my bets on this device to get my Matrix-style illusion on. The amount of varied software that’s soon to be offered is the main selling point for me. Of course, a fully decked out gaming computer from Alienware to ensure I can play Star Wars: Battlefront VR expansion pack will be great too!
Thankfully, not every item in my wish list is not expensive. My coffee mug featuring this cat from Alice in Wonderland has the ink literally being worn out from repeated washings from other family members in the home who does not know how to treat a designer cup well — if there’s a version which layers a thick clear finish over it, I’d love to own this cup again.
Every time I drink from the mug, I can not help but grin back at the cat. He always comes back when the cup gets cold.
Jodie Whittaker’s tenure as the Doctor is almost at an end, and with another New Year’s Day Special, Eve of the Daleks instead of Revolution, I have to wonder if this enemy will ever cease to amaze? Nearly every appearance manages to upgrade them somehow, and that’s when I watch Doctor Who.
Aug 14-16, 2020
By Ed Sum
