Make believe TV Star.

Holy crap, I was on Confidential!

Yeah, it was a few weeks ago, but I only just remembered to write a blog about it. Some guy, Karen Gillan... ME (nursing the autograph she had just signed for me). This makes me happy, for hopefully I will be included in the Doctor Who Confidential Cutdowns on the DVD Box Set later this year... please BBC, please?

The Eleventh Doctor

The Eleventh Doctor, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The New Guy

So we're just a few days away from the 13th (and final) episode of the 2010 Season of Doctor Who - possibly the most important series for the revived show since... well... the launch in 2005. And I want to talk about Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor.

I remember sitting up the night before the official announcement was made - worrying about who it would be. Then that special episode of Confidential came on... and after a bit he was just suddenly there. No great reveal... he was just there.

That's pretty apt, as Smith isn't a crash-bang-wallop in your face Doctor. He has his moments, but in general he's a quieter more restrained Doctor than his immediate "pouty-shouty" predecessor. He didn't need a fanfare - that's not who his Doctor is.

So we've seen him in twelve different episodes now, and I'm left eagerly awaiting The Big Bang (the only reason I'm writing this is because I can't get Doctor Who out of my head) and I want to talk about Smith, and why I like The Eleventh Doctor so much.

There's something very "Original Run" about his Doctor - so much so that he often feels like a 1963-89 Doctor trapped in an episode of the revived series. The furious pace of the post-2005 episodes is maintained... but Smith slows everything down. He makes me enjoy the journey, rather than feeling like I'm part of a furious race to get somewhere.

Smiths Doctor is also very alien - not completely comfortable with mankind and human behaviour (his attempt to replicate human social interaction in 'The Lodger' is one of the best moments for the Eleventh Doctor this series) - a far cry from the Lion King quoting, Blockhead loving Tenth Doctor. He says the wrong things at the wrong time and finds "waiting" to be very tedious - no matter what he may be waiting for.

He also has heart - the end of Vincent and The Doctor is all the evidence you need for this - despite being very, VERY Alien he is still very, very human when it counts.

I feel like I would trust him - in The Eleventh Hour when Amy has him trapped (by the tie in a car door) and he asks her to trust him I think "I would trust that guy." he emanates goodness.

He moves strangely and looks uncomfrotable in his own skin - which works for The Doctor. Changing bodies must be a massive shock and a big adjustment to be made. Whilst this awkwardness is apparentely an everyday thing for Smith, it certainly works in the context of the show - without ever being laboured upon.

He has a great voice, a voice filled with authority (without having to resort to shouting like a lunatic) - that's not to say he doesn't get upset, but he sounds like a patient, kind and wise old man. He just happens to be trapped in the body of a 27 year old.

There's something to be said for the way he dresses. Not a great fashion choice but they do tell us something about the character. Smith has stated that the Doctor is someone who "isn't cool but thinks he is" - the tweed and bow tie are the Eleventh Doctors approximation of cool - and it just reminds me of William Hartnells costume being his approximation of 20th Century dress.

It does feel like someone at odds with the culture of the day, trying and failing to fit in - just like Hartnell.

The Eleventh Doctor is trustworthy, he's slow, he's fast, he's completely alien and completely human, he doesn't get "humans" and yet understands them completely - he's a mass of contradictions just as The Doctor should be. Long may he reign.

Project X

A few days ago American Author Jeffery Deaver was announced as the new Bond author. In a time where the cinematic Bond seems to be hanging in the balance, this is exceptionally welcome news. More Bond - New Bond! Ever since reading the original Fleming novels, I have considered the books to be my favourite version of the character and of course the definative one.

Whilst the continuation novels (in general) have never lived up to the original books, I consider them to be interesting. Even if the are terrible, it's still interesting to read them - as they reflect the changing attitudes and perceptions of Bond as time has passed. They are certainly worth owning. The main exception would be Kingsley Amis' effort, Colonel Sun. A book which I think lives up to the Fleming novels.

The last continuation novel, Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks, ignored all previous continuation novels, being a direct sequel to Ian Fleming's The Man With The Golden Gun. To be honest, I didn't think much of it. It returned Bond to a Cold War Period setting, which I had previously thought to be his rightful place. A concentrated attempt was made to make the book feel like a 'Lost Fleming' novel.

However, I think the experiment failed. Faulks was an inspired choice, but the decision made to write the novel in therpersona of Ian Fleming left the book feeling like a cheap imitation. And so I'm quite releaved to see that Deaver will be doing his own thing with Bond, whilst promising to remain true to what makes the original novels work so well. Of course, it could all go wrong - but I'm encouraged by what he's saying.

Now, we don't know many details yet. Not the title, not the story... nothing. Except that it's out next year and will follow the pattern of previous continuation novels (bar Devil May Care) of bringing the literary Bond into the modern day.

Personally, I've never been overly bothered by whether the continuation-Bond novels were period pieces or not, because in my eyes only the Fleming novels count. Sure, I have each of the other novels sitting proudly on my bookshelf - but I see them as ultimately disposable 'bonus feature' books, whilst Fleming is the main attraction. As I said, I would exclude Kingsley Amis from that though - Colonel Sun is an excellent entry into the franchise.

There are several rumors going around that this book will be a full 'literary reboot' - ignoring all novels that have gone before it. I have to say, I'm in favour of the idea. The movie version of Casino Royale did exactly this, and was able to built its own world from the ground up. The Fleming novels would still be there for anyone to read - but the new books would not be bound by the continuity - it really opens up the playground. However, if it's not a reboot I'm just as excited. I want to see where Deaver takes Bond, and how he works with the established continuity. Basically, if the book is good... I'll be happy. If not, then I won't be. Couldn't be any simpler.

Why yes, I am fucking awesome. Thank you.

Nice glasses, huh?

This photo was taken a couple of days ago, out in Aberdeen with my girlyfriend Vicky. Afterwards I tried on pink straw hats - rather fetching methinks.

The Spider-Man shirt I'm wearing is covered in sparkles i never noticed when I bought it. His eyes are surrounded by fake diamonds and his webs are all... glittery. Love it.

So anyway it was a good day - albiet a short one. Started late, finished early - loved it though. I was however forced to go to the Beach - in the sun.

Now, I don't like the sun. I really don't - I skip the whole tanning thing and go straight to burning. A few minutes in that fiery bastard and I look like Freddy Krueger.

But the real reason I love this photo is that almost everything I'm wearing in it is a size smaller, in general I'm down one X in my clothing. Which makes me pretty happy - although it's getting harder and harder to maintain weight-loss - especially since I'm not attending Uni that often (just exams now) I'm not doing that four mile walk every day. Trying to make up for it with dog walks, but it's hard to keep motivated.

This pic shall be my motivation.

Eleven!

Today I met Matt Smith. And Karen Gillan and the incredible Steven Moffat. If you look at my previous entry, I mention Matt Smith coming to Inverness. That was today. I went, I enjoyed. I was surprised at how quiet it all was. Hardly anyone showed up (who wasn't invited to the screening) but it wasn't greatly advertised. They let those of us who just turned up on the off chance mull around a bit whilst the Tardis Team were otherwise engaged. Anyway, eventually they came out. There was no time for posed photos (they had to catch a plane afterall.) Mr. Smith was very apologetic to everyone about this - he seems like a really nice guy. Hopefully one day I'll get more of a chance to chat to him. Anyhoo, he signed autographs - I got two, as I do with Doctors. Also managed to get an 8x10 of "Amy" signed by Karen and Steven Moffat signed my Whographs book. It was all very brief, but no less awesome for it. There was obviously a bit of a crowd (just not as many as I expected) so even getting a photo of the crew was dissicult. I got a couple of the top of Matt Smiths head though...
It was awesome.