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Time and Space

Time and Space

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Doctor Who: Which New Doctors Are Now Canon? - Den of Geek
The Different Faces of the Doctor (1-11)

It’s time (haha, get it?) for me to tell you about one of my absolute favorite shows. I’m sure it will take me a few posts to fully encapsulate the wonder of this series, so bear with me.

A friend first introduced me to Doctor Who in 2013, right around the time of the show’s 50th anniversary. Because I had never seen it, my friend Shannon decided to start from the episode she had left off on- Doomsday. If you’re familiar with the show, Doomsday was the worst episode she could have started me on. Major spoilers in that one, but I digress.

Doctor Who is one of the longest-running sci-fi shows around. This British show first aired in 1963, and was so successful that it is still running today. As a way to keep the show going throughout the generations and still maintain the protagonist, the show writers found a creative way to keep it going. The Doctor, a species of alien called a Time Lord, has the ability to regenerate when he dies- that is, he can change his face into a new person. The new Doctor keeps all of the same memories, history, and friendships, but his personality traits and physical features will differ.

After a hiatus or two, the show was rebooted in 2005, much to the excitement of fans old and new. Christopher Eccleston played the 9th Doctor, and his human companion was Rose Tyler (played by the actress Billie Piper). This rebooted series is the “Doctor Who” that I started with, and I still have not had the chance to watch all of the “Old Who” episodes.

My Love for Doctor Who

So, why do I love this series so much? Well. Buckle in for a wild ride, here.

One of my favorite things about books, shows, and movies is that they allow me to disappear into a completely different universe. From my other blog posts, you know that my life is a little… wonky. I’ve grown up in a broken family, which has led to a desperate desire for me to escape the life I’m in. Back in 2013, when I first was introduced to Doctor Who, I had been going through an exceptionally rough time with my mental health. This show was my way to completely distract myself and get lost in the world of the Doctor.

In one of the episodes I recently watched, “The Next Doctor”, there was an interesting exchange between the Doctor and another character that resonated with me.

The “New” Doctor: Think of it, John. Time and space.

The Doctor: The perfect escape. Do you ever wonder what you’re escaping from?

Planet Claire

As the Doctor is using his travels through time and space as an escape, I am also using his adventures as an escape of my own. And I have been, since 2013. Eight years of escaping my wild life through the lives of all of the characters of Doctor Who. Traveling through time and space, exploring history through the eyes of the Doctor and his companions.

The Different Doctors

As I mentioned, there are multiple actors who have held the role of the Doctor. It’s hard for me to choose a favorite, but if I HAD to choose, I would choose the 10th and 11th Doctors, portrayed by David Tennant and Matt Smith, respectively. Both of them bring a personality and character to the role that is hard to beat. Of course, David Tennant was also the first Doctor that brought me into the show, so I have a little bit of favoritism toward him.

Jodie Whittaker, David Tennant and Matt Smith talk Doctor Who
Matt Smith (left) and David Tennant (right) in the 50th anniversary episode

David Tennant is a very popular Doctor to a lot of the viewers of the show. According to Syfy in a recent poll, David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor) received 10,518 votes (21%). Following close behind was Jodie Whittaker, the first female iteration of the Doctor. While some fans love Jodie because she gives females an icon to look up to, others do not like that the Doctor changed genders. For me, I think that Jodie Whittaker (the 13th Doctor) gives an interesting change to the personality of the Doctor that is a welcome difference.

As the Doctors have changed throughout the years, I think that the show has become more diverse in its companions, as well. For the most part, the companions have been female, with the odd temporary male companion getting thrown in there. Let’s take a look at some of the companions of the Doctor.

The Companions

The companions of the Doctor make the show, really. I mean, in David Tennant’s tenure as the Doctor, he had a companion named Donna Noble who saved his life several times. In one of the episodes, “Turn Left”, viewers get the chance to see how different the world would be if Donna had never met the Doctor. As seen in the episode, without Donna to keep him wrangled, the Doctor does not survive. And, as the savior of the world several times over, losing the Doctor drastically changed the future of the Earth.

Companions are the friends of the Doctor, but they often are his balance. Companions like Donna keep the Doctor in check, to make sure that he doesn’t go too far. Rose Tyler, the first companion in the reboot of Doctor Who, comes into the Doctor’s life immediately after he loses his home planet in a massive war. She is the one who helps him return to some sense of normalcy, and helps him to become a better person.

My favorite companions, though, are the ones who travelled with the 11th Doctor, portrayed by Matt Smith. The entire Pond family- Amy, Rory, and a certain other someone who I won’t name- bring the show a whole new meaning. Their family dynamic makes the Doctor remember his time as a father, and it brings more character development, in my opinion.

As a long-time viewer of the show, however, it is incredibly hard to choose one particular companion as a favorite- just as it is very difficult to choose a favorite Doctor. I think that’s what makes the show so relatable- having different characters that remind me of different times in my own life.

Donna Noble (portrayed by actress Catherine Tate) is seen as sassy, with her attitude being her most defining characteristic. This attitude comes from her own belief that she is unimportant, so she feels the need to remind others that she is simply there. Her mother is often berating her and nagging her for several different things, so traveling with the Doctor gave her a sense of purpose and belonging that she never felt at home. While rewatching the series, it almost makes me want to cry.

So many times in my life, I’ve felt simply “less than”, unimportant. Not special, no one would notice if I were to disappear. However, as the Doctor reminds Donna’s family in “Journey’s End”,

“And for one moment… one shining moment… she was the most important woman in the whole wide universe.”

Taken from IMDB

I think I needed that reminder, as well. And although I did not save the universe, or anything so noteworthy, I try to find reminders in my daily life that I am important, too. Even if it means that I am important to one person, or even just myself,

I. Am. Important.

A True Modern American Story

A True Modern American Story

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American Horror Story - FX Anthology Series - Where To Watch
TV Insider

For someone who loves horror movies, American Horror Story is definitely one of my favorite shows. With season upon season of twists, horror, and heartbreak, I’ve found myself going back to rewatch different seasons multiple times. Let’s take a jaunt into a couple seasons of this anthology.

Season One: Murder House

A lot of people claim that Murder House is the best American Horror Story season by far. Why? Well, according to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, “It has a great story, packed with interesting characters and some true scary moments and surprising twists.” -Christoffer B.

I would have to agree with this critique. AHS brings some very interesting characters into the show immediately, setting the stage for a truly attention-grabbing show. After watching the first season, I found myself grateful to have Netflix so that I could continue straight on to season two.

Murder House focuses on the Harmon family, and the events following their move into a creepy mansion in LA. Adequately named, their home got its name due to the many tragic stories surrounding previous owners of the house. I won’t spoil anything for you, but you know how I like a good plot twist. Murder House has several.

Season Two: Asylum

Season two of AHS definitely took a creepier turn, in my opinion. Although all American Horror Story seasons include a lot of gore and blood, Asylum took it up just a notch. On Rotten Tomatoes, another critic had something to say about Asylum. “American Horror Story: Asylum is filled with plenty of dark secrets, sinister twists, and unexpected turns- but unfortunately the one thing this psychologically invading season lacks is thoughtful explanation.” -Matt Donato

I don’t think this comment is a fair representation of Asylum. To give Matt Donato some credit, I do think the season is full of secrets, twists, and turns, but I also think that the writers of the show pulled off the plot in a very effective manner.

Asylum focuses on Lana Winters, a journalist investigating a murderer known as Bloody Face. There are jumps between the past history of the asylum and the present day conditions, which makes it even more interesting. We see the history of Bloody Face, along with the history of the people working for or committed to the asylum.

Overall Views

I think one of my favorite things about American Horror Story is the recurring actors/actresses. It has some very talented people such as Evan Peters, Jessica Lange, and Sarah Paulson who make appearances in nearly every season. As an anthology series, the show can technically be watched in whatever order one chooses, although I would always recommend starting with Murder House.

AHS is also famous (or infamous) for its many twists. Each storyline has at least one or two massive plot twists that really add to the grandeur of the show as a whole. Especially once the seasons start connecting! As an early AHS viewer, I often consider Murder House to be my favorite season. However, two of my top seasons seem to be the worst-rated by critics.

Season 5, Hotel, is a personal favorite of mine due to the storyline itself. Bring in Lady Gaga and vampires, too? I’m sold. However, it scores a measly 64% on Rotten Tomatoes– the lowest out of all of the AHS seasons.

Season 7, Cult, also tops my list because of the storyline. A little too close to these modern times, which reminds me a lot of the show Black Mirror. Also eerily reminiscent of the Purge movies, but I’m a fan of those and Black Mirror, so that’s a win in my book.

Overall, though, there’s something that I find very, very important that American Horror Story does well: representation. In Murder House, we’ve got Adelaide- a character with autism. In seasons two and three, Asylum and Coven, we have characters supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Actually, support for the LGBTQ+ community is something found throughout the show. Season five, Hotel, is a great representation as well. Freak Show in itself provides a great season to talk about bigotry and overt discrimination.

Not only do the writers of the show bring in characters that are in the LGBTQ+ community, they also highlight racial issues. In season three, a lot of what takes place in flashbacks is riddled with racism. Through different characters’ actions, the writers share their viewpoints by denouncing and punishing the blatantly racist character.

This show continues to impress me with its plotlines, plot twists, and amazing character development throughout. It’s one that I continue to come back to watch, simply because the writers made it so enjoyable. With so many seasons out now, there’s a great variety to choose from. You’ve got stories in different eras, different themes, and different concepts.

I think, overall, seeing representation for marginalized groups of people was super important to me. In today’s world, a lot of different groups of people are constantly overlooked, mocked, scorned, and ignored. Seeing characters in a show like this is a way to say: “We’re here. We matter. We’re important.”

Go watch the show if you haven’t already! What’s your favorite season so far?

Devils and Demons… Oh My!

Devils and Demons… Oh My!

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Lucifer: cancelled or season 3 on FOX? (release date) - canceled + renewed TV shows - TV Series Finale
https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/lucifer-fox-tv-show-cancelled-renewed-season-three/

As I continue on with my review of some of my favorite television shows, let me jump back in time a little bit. Growing up, I was raised in the Christian faith- taught to believe in God, the devil, angels, and demons. It was structured into Sunday school, Wednesday night church services, and throughout my young life. As I grew older, these characters have played more of a “fantasy” role than the real-life creatures my church would have me believe.

I have always been a “doubting Thomas”- that is, I find anything hard to believe until I have had my own personal experience with it. For example, chemistry was always one of my favorite classes, because I could see the reality of the science playing out in front of me. Things that didn’t make sense always intrigued me: space travel, technology as a whole, different inventions… the list could go on. “How It’s Made” was one of my most-watched shows as a kid for that same reason. However, the concept of religion was always expected to be taken as fact. I grew up being taught how to be a decent human being, but also being told that I needed to believe in some higher power.

In some ways, I still believe that there is something greater than the human race out there (stay tuned for my Doctor Who blog), but believing in an all-powerful God seems like a bit of a stretch to me these days. And with the show we’ll be exploring today, you’ll see how these ideas go hand in hand with some of the characters’ ideologies as well.

Everything’s Coming Up Lucifer

Lucifer is a fantasy-based television show starring Tom Ellis as Lucifer. The character was created by Neil Gaiman- one of my favorite screenplay writers. Gaiman is a well-established author, as well as a writer for the BBC for shows such as Doctor Who. Whenever his name pops up before an episode of Doctor Who, I know it’ll be a great one.

Back to Lucifer, sorry. Tom Ellis’ Lucifer is exactly what you are thinking: King of Hell, Prince of Darkness, the whole nine yards. And in the show, he does not hide that from anyone. In fact, he so blatantly tells the truth about who he is that people (including his therapist) believe that he is talking in some sort of elaborate metaphor.

The plot of the first season really focuses on Lucifer’s time on Earth and his connection with an LAPD detective named Chloe Decker. As always, Lucifer is blatant about who he is, but Chloe refuses to believe him. Lucifer’s normal supernatural “powers” (pulling out peoples’ desires) have quite the effect on other humans, and he is perplexed when they do not work on Chloe. While he strives to understand his connection to the Detective, the two of them slowly begin to solve crimes together.

This show is a great mix of your classic crime fighting and supernatural/fantasy shows put together. You get the normal banter between the two protagonists, and every episode opens up a new can of worms to be examined throughout the season.

I think that this show was so interesting to me because of my Christian upbringing. Now that I’ve been in college for a few years, I’ve definitely fallen from my faith in a sort of similar sense to Lucifer in this show. There are several times throughout the multiple seasons where Lucifer is angry at God, and I definitely relate. Despite my drastic differences from the main character, I think that Lucifer is relatable on a whole different level. Perhaps that is what the writers of the show were trying to draw on, I’m not sure. All I know is that I find myself drawn to the characters, the story arc, and ultimately the writing itself.

Stay tuned for another show!

Timeless

Timeless

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The Good Place Season 4 Reviews and Episode Guide - Den of Geek

Retrieved from: https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-good-place-season-4-news/

What to write about?

When thinking of a blog topic, I had to think long and hard about what interested me enough to write about. I pondered writing about different music that I enjoy, thought writing about ADHD would be interesting, and even contemplated writing an entire blog about my relationship. However, I knew that all of those topics would not be able to be talked about for weeks on end.

I needed something that could change each week- something that could evolve along with my blog. Something… timeless. 

And what have I decided on? A blog dedicated to television shows. For as long as they have existed, TV shows have provided a source of entertainment for people young and old. I enjoy disappearing into the different realities that television shows create, as well as delving into the communities that the audience members create themselves. When I have truly fallen in love with a show, I am quickly able to find fans of the show to share information and inside jokes with. My goal with this blog is to highlight some of my favorite shows- and to talk about what they mean to me.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s TV show: The Good Place. 

Welcome. Everything is fine.

The Good Place was created in 2016 by NBC, and it aired for four years before finishing up in January of 2020. It starred Kristen Bell, who is also popular in the Frozen franchise. The premise of the show comes from the idea of the afterlife. At the beginning of the show, Kristen Bell’s character (Eleanor Shellstrop) is welcomed into the Good Place- seemingly the afterlife reminiscent of heaven. She is introduced to her “Good Place approved” soul mate, Chidi, soon after realizing that she does not belong in the Good Place at all. The first season follows Eleanor’s journey of learning to become a good person in order to earn her spot in the Good Place. Chidi, a moral philosopher, agrees to train her and Jason. Jason, believed to be a monk, was actually a petty criminal from Jacksonville, Florida. 

Jason and Eleanor attempt to become better people, in order to not be found out by the architect of the Good Place, Michael. 

What do I love most about this show? I think that the conversations between the characters about morality and philosophy really stood out to me in a new way. Of course, everyone tries to be the best person they possibly can be, but what is it all for? This show gives meaning to the actions we take on Earth. It brings up questions to ponder in our everyday lives. How do we become the best possible versions of ourselves? Are we taking action to become better people for the right reasons? 

Tune in next week to talk about a different show! 

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