Since the modern series of Doctor Who started in 2005, there has been a Christmas Special every year. The first special, “The Christmas Invasion” was the introduction of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor. This year’s “Twice Upon a Time” is Peter Capaldi’s last story as the Twelfth Doctor, as well as the final episode for show-runner Steven Moffat. When Doctor Who returns sometime next fall, Chris Chibnall will helm the show and Jodie Whittaker will be the Thirteenth Doctor.
In a time travel twist, the Twelfth Doctor who is refusing to regenerate after the events of series 10’s finale, finds he is not alone in the South Pole. The First Doctor, portrayed by David Bradley and also refusing to regenerate, stumbles upon the Twelfth Doctor. The First Doctor doesn’t believe he’s with the Twelfth incarnation. Mysteriously time stops. Even the snowflakes are frozen. Interrupting the Doctor fest is a World War I captain who has been pulled from his timeline and dumped in the south pole. A glass figure soon approaches, disturbing the captain. The First Doctor invites him into the TARDIS and is surprised to find the Twelfth Doctor’s console room. Suddenly the TARDIS is rocked. There is a much larger ship above that has seized the capsule and begins lifting it into a grand chamber.
Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor and David Bradley as the First Doctor
On Sunday the BBC announced via its Social Media channels that the Thirteenth Doctor has her companions for Series 11. For the first time since the series revival, three companions were announced simultaneously.
Yasmin (Mandip Gill), Graham (Bradley Walsh), The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and Ryan (Tosin Cole).
There are still very few details known about Series 11, other than a new show-runner, Chris Chibnall and the first female Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, who will make her first appearance in this year’s Christmas Special.
Mandip Gill graduated from university in 2009 with an acting degree. She’s a year or two younger than Jenna Coleman. She is best known for a three-year stint on the soap Hollyoaks, which she left in 2015. Interestingly, she’s guest starred on three separate medical dramas before being cast on Doctor Who.
Bradley Walsh is a former footballer turned actor who had roles in soap Coronation Street and Law & Order: UK. He has also presented for ITV game shows. He is currently 57, which makes him one of the older actors cast for companion roles.
Tosin Cole also starred on Hollyoaks, from 2010 to 2012, meaning his time on the show overlapped with Mandip Gill’s. Before that he was on an internet spin-off of the soap EastEnders. He also had a small role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as an X-Wing pilot.
In the BBC announcement the network also revealed that Doctor Who Series 11 will be a 10-week run of 50-minute episodes premiering in the Fall of 2018. Whether that means the end of August or 10 weeks before Christmas is unknown, but at least we have a general idea of an air date. With such a diverse TARDIS it’s hard not to get excited for Series 11!
On the evening of January 27th (for those of us on the western side of the Atlantic), it was announced that beloved actor, John Hurt, had passed away, aged 77. Hurt is not the first major celebrity death of 2017, but his loss is keenly felt by these Geekettes, who had grown to love him in a variety of roles over the years.
Sir John Hurt was knighted in 2015 for his services to drama, and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that same year. In a career spanning six decades, Hurt was nominated for two Oscars, and won four BAFTA awards and a Golden Globe. He is survived by his wife of 12 years. As of this writing, there is no official statement regarding cause of death.
Winter has finally decided to show up in New England by causing crazy snow storms. People have lost power, parking bans were placed, schools were closed, and all around chaos ensued on the roads. In honor of Mother Nature showing us her love (in a very complex, weird, and dangerous way), I bring you: The Nerd Survival Guide To Winter.
Item One: Salt
Why salt? Regular table salt is great for melting ice. I’ve been stuck at work the last few storms and the area around my car is pretty slick. Salt helps. It also helps against demons, ghosts, poltergeists, and other nasties. If you are in the Supernatural family, the Winchesters taught you to ALWAYS GRAB THE SALT. Lights flicker? Salt. Weird noises or smells? Salt. Traces of sulfur? Grab the salt. Salt is essential for the nerd’s survival.
Item Two: A Sonic Screwdriver/Flashlight
Flashlights are very handy if the power goes out. Why waste the battery on your phone using that light when you have external light that won’t drain your precious? Keep a flashlight handy. Are the lights flickering? Along with potential ghosts and demons, it could be any number of extraterrestrial beings coming to Earth to cause some mayhem in the snow. Always have a Sonic Screwdriver handy (model option is up to you). Flickering lights could be the Vashta Nerada, The Silence, or Weeping Angels (to name a few). My brain goes to the Angels because they TERRIFY ME. A Sonic is not only a great way to identify what is possibly approaching, but it can substitute as a flashlight if you have the working model. Sonic Sunglasses WILL NOT work in this case. You are trying to AVOID the dark, not be in a perpetual state of darkness.
If the power goes out and you have no landline, you need a phone! It is how you communicate with your loved ones, scroll through Tumblr, READ FANFICTION! I have bad service at my job, so my battery drains easy. I usually keep it plugged in, but if there is no power how can I charge it? External battery packs come in handy. They are part of my convention bag and now part of my winter bag. How else am I going to read fanfiction all day?
Item Four: Warm Clothes/Warm Food
Some employers don’t let you leave right away in the event of a power outage. Things will get cold. Make sure you have an extra sweatshirt and some gloves. Bundle up if you get cold.No need to get sick because your employer cares more about business than your health and safety! Make sure you also have food that doesn’t need to be thrown in a refrigerator or a microwave. The fridge needs to stay closed so the items inside don’t perish, and, well, the microwave has no power. Try to plan ahead.
Item Six: Entertainment
You may be sitting there for a while. Bring a book, or three, to keep you entertained while you wait for the okay to safely trek home. No need to use your phone while it’s charging; that will just slow down the process (however, time checks are okay). Bring crossword puzzles or something! You could be stuck for a couple of hours and that is never fun. Bundle up the best you can and read.
http://www.chrisgcomics.com/the-day-after/
There you have it! My Winter Survival Guide. This will work well if you are home without power, and (obviously) stuck at work like I was. Stay safe this winter and until next time! If you have any survival items you think should be on this list, comment below! Let’s discuss.
With coloring books saturating bookstore shelves, and articles popping up about their calming nature, coloring is clearly gaining in popularity. Hey grown ups! It’s cool to color now! That’s super cool for everyone, whether you believe in the psychology of not, but it’s ESPECIALLY cool for the geeks.
From Disney to Game of Thrones, specific fandom coloring books have been popping up everywhere! These one-time use books range from affordable to fairly expensive. Here are some reviews of the nerdier adult coloring books available:
One of the plot threads of the 50th Anniversary “The Day of the Doctor” was the Zygon invasion that started with Queen Elizabeth I in 1562. When Kate Stewart discovered UNIT was compromised, she was prepared to detonate a nuclear bomb to destroy London and take out the Zygons. The Doctors were able to facilitate a peace treaty by momentarily wiping everyone’s memory so they couldn’t remember if they were Human or Zygon.
The Series 9 Zygon two parter is a followup to the 50th Anniversary special. As a result of the treaty, twenty million Zygons have been living as disguised humans on Earth. Vital to maintaining the peace is Osgood, who bonded with her Zygon double as a sister. But the peace is threatened when Missy kills Osgood. The surviving Osgood is left to grieve, while a splinter group of Zygons who are unhappy with the status quo revolt.
Welcome back, TV Lovers–and welcome to Winter Finales! Doctor Who ended its series 9 run with “Hell Bent.” Once Upon a Time wrapped up its Dark Swan arc and set the stage for a rescue mission in the Undeworld. Meanwhile, The Librarians confront the idea of appearance while investigating at an elite club. Agents of SHIELD actually killed off a major character, and The Mindy Project seemed headed towards a huge break-up for its main couple. The Flash and Arrow ended their holiday-themed winter finales on very different notes.
Series 8 premiered in August 2014, a year after Peter Capaldi was announced as the next Doctor. The main arc revolved around a mysterious woman who called herself Missy. She would greet people who recently died and welcome them to “paradise” or “the Nethersphere.” Throughout the series Doctor Who fans speculated about her identity. Some thought it was another incarnation of River Song, since she called the Doctor her boyfriend. Others thought she was the Rani, a villain who appeared during the Sixth and Seventh Doctors’ eras.
Welcome back, TV lovers. In Doctor Who, the Doctor is reeling from the loss of Clara, and is trapped in a nightmarish castle. In an episode with double the guest stars, The Librarians face Faustian deals with a devilish John de Lancie. On Once Upon a Time, Hook has literally gone to the dark side and Emma must stand against him. The Flash and Arrow had their epic crossover this week, and it was a story that successfully filled the two episodes with lots of excitement. Jane the Virgin was, sadly, off this week. Agents of SHIELD set the stage for what’s sure to be an explosive mid-season finale. And The Mindy Project revealed that Danny and Mindy’s relationship might actually be set to fail.
Welcome back TV lovers. The last quarter of Doctor Who started with a bang with “Face the Raven” as we said goodbye to Clara. There was no Once Upon a Time this week, but The Librarians hit us with some surprise feels. Jane the Virgin gave us the rare Black Friday episode of television. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. also took a break, but The Mindy Project showed just how serious things have gotten with Mindy and Danny’s relationship problems. Continue reading This Week on TV: Nov 21-27→
With coloring books saturating bookstore shelves, and articles popping up about their calming nature, coloring is clearly gaining in popularity. Hey grown ups! It’s cool to color now! That’s super cool for everyone, whether you believe in the psychology of not, but it’s ESPECIALLY cool for the geeks.
The Daily Geekette 