On the sofa

[wolfweed @wolfweed]

Batten down the hatches…

[ScaryB @scaryb]

@craig

I will try to be your guardian (with a small g) … I think one of the burdens of running a forum is that you WILL see spoilers, but if you can keep them from others you’re doing your job.

Aw, Craig! That’s why we love you! (and @phaseshift and @jimthefish )

I agree, I think we’d be low target compared with press blogs (you mods will have a better idea of that), but I think @pedant‘s suggestion is a good one, just till the broadcast.  Other caution for those of us still dipping in here is probably not to check the activity feeds, but rely on the recent posts (which don’t give previews) and people we know unless we see 1 or more of our mighty mods is around. (Craig – maybe you could add a wee note to the welcome page just to apologise but say that we’re not taking any new registrations till after Sat, but open for business again then)

@chickenelly Of course, plenty of room behind the sofa – and in the fish tank (aka @whohar‘s luxury bath)

@Shazzbot, @blenkinsopthebrave (peace people, it’s been a stressful day!) and @jimthefish I haven’t seen Broadchurch yet either – couldn’t access 1st episodes for ages but was plannng to download the whole series once 7.2 is finished. So as a general rule don’t post about endings of books, films, TV etc unless it’s in a discussion specifically about the ends. If I’m recommending something I would expect that not everyone who reads my post would have read or watched, but might want to in the future.

[Craig @craig Emperor]

@scaryb Thanks. 😀 The signup page now says:

This site is currently closed to new subscriptions. It will be open again after the final epiosde of this series airs.

I’ve also said they can email me (and left my email address) if they really want to sign up before next Saturday. Hopefully that’ll be enough.

[SatsumaJoe @satsumajoe]

@Shazzbot Other than being a total dick just because they can be?  Because being a total dick was an option with the Olympics, and they stifled their bollocks.

I wouldn’t want to piss off Olympians either.

[Anonymous @]

The butler did it.  (ibid bloody everything)

Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.  (The Catcher In The Rye)

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.  (The Great Gatsby)

Famous last literary lines.  For your delectation.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@Shazzbot – in other news

Hamlet dies

Beatrice and Benedick get together

Odysseus finally makes it home

😀

 

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

And in other news, who was doing the subtitles for the BAFTA’s? They are the most incredibly surreal subtitles; they can’t even manage to get the spelling of BAFTA right 😕

[Timeloop @timeloop]

I agree, “the butler did it” is a very common line. A also think everybody got it, clam down @Shazzbot , everything is fine.

@all As much as I am astonished such a major FAIL did happen in the first place- I really like the way the BBC handles it. (And how fast they did react to it) Moffat talking to dedicated Whovians is a nice move. (I am studying Communication and Media Management 😉 and as such particularly interested) That is some very good communication with fans.

Since the DW community is interested in details and finding clues and also sticks together  there should be a huge wall of silence out of respect (hope trolls dont catch up on this – making a sport out of it. Better reading no comments on Youtube…)

The real battle is the temptation as mentioned by others. Within your grasp, if you want to… GAH! Torture!

[ardaraith @ardaraith]

@bluesqueakpip – Hamlet dies???? NO!!!!

[Craig @craig Emperor]

@timeloop The only problem is that there is a large part of the community that loves spoilers. There will probably be many on Gallifrey Base thanking whoever posted the whole plot to the final episode. I don’t get it myself, I think they should be burned at the stake, but if that’s what rocks their boat…

[Anonymous @]

@Bluesqueakpip  – WTF?!?  Beatrice and Benedick get together?

I have to go lie down now.  You’ve RUINED a classic for me.

🙂

 

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@craig Like your open mind! (“if that’s what rocks their boat”) We need more people like that all over the world. A lot of them here though (which is nice)
I can understand it as far as – they have not grown up with it. And there are not so much TV-Series around where you have to proactively think about the plot. You are just in for the ride. DW is the first series in a long time, if not ever where I actually took notes (nevertheless because of the  influence of this place). The growing DW-community is joined by younger people [I would be really interested in y’alls ( 😉 ) age – stong opions sometimes seem to grow from age (has always been like that) – as the comments prove in “the graun” (why do you call it that?). they are not willing to adapt to new concepts. It is not as it was when they were a child. They forget that they are not what they were when they were a child (have I lost you?) ]. When I watch/read something I dont REALLY like I have no problem going on a spoiler-hunt. I want to know the end but I am not interested in the way they got there.

@Shazzbot Julia and Romeo both die *mock horror*

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@timeloop – Desdemona wasn’t unfaithful after all. That bastard Iago was lying.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

http://cheezburger.com/5764372480 ( guaranteed spoiler free)

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@Bluesqueakpip Eh, Faust does not loose his battle and dies peacefully.

[Anonymous @]

@timeloop – the Guardian was infamous for published spelling errors, so attained the moniker ‘The Grauniad’ and many have shortened that to, ‘the Graun’.

BOTH?!  Romeo AND Juliet die?!  You unspeakably nasty troll, you.  How did you acquire the Blu-Ray before everyone else?  Have you a mole inside Stratford-upon-Avon?  😉

[Anonymous @]

@pedant – Is that the definition of ‘anti-spoiler’?  Because with only one exploding Tardis, your Critic-Cats are obviously reviewing a forgery.  Possibly planted on t’interwebs by that Gallifrey crowd.

[Timeloop @timeloop]

Nah, I dont think so. It is already painted and framed and all. Just a fan? I am not a fish would not do that…

@Shazzbot Yep. Both gonners. Funny I would not post the end of HP . But I have no problem saying that Nemo will be found.

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

the Guardian was infamous for published spelling errors

@timeloop – a tradition proudly upheld only last week, when some subeditor published Dan Martin’s blog on ‘The Crimson Horror’ as ‘Journey to the Centre of the Tardis’. 🙂

 

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

Faust does not loose his battle and dies peacefully.

@timeloop According to Goethe. Now, Marlowe, he told me Doctor Faustus got dragged down to hell.

(Off to bed now) 🙂

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@Bluesqueakpip I saw that and was wondering what they were thinking? I know how it came to be (theoratically)… but it just makes you go *facepalm* or *headesk* (pick your favourite – is it favorite in the uk?)

[Craig @craig Emperor]

@bluesqueakpip @timeloop They eventually corrected it, but the URL is still:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2013/may/04/doctor-who-hide-series-33-episode-11

How much wrong could you do with one post?

[Timeloop @timeloop]

Lol had to laugh at that!

[Lula @lula]

@Shazzbot –a few weeks ago, while at Disney World, we met the nicest family from Lancashire and struck up a conversation with them while on a bus between theme parks.  (Because Americans, particularly southerners, do this–we’ll talk to anyone,  anytime, any reason. I’ve been told a Londoner would look at me as if I’d lost my mind, and to never start a conversation with anyone on the Tube.  Duly noted!)  At some point in conversation I used “y’all,” and the wife/mother remarked, “We didn’t know ‘y’all’ was really used as much as it is here–we just thought that was in movies like Sweet Home Alabama!”  I assured her that yes, “y’all” is a word I use many times a day, just as my Yankee friends say “you guys.”  But isn’t y’all so much prettier?  I think so.

Regarding iPlayer and your TV license fee (thanks for that explanation!), is this why y’all don’t have commercials during your shows?  Because we have no such fee here, but we certainly have commercials.  Far too many commercials. The greatest invention of the past ten years, for me, is the DVR.  (And the iPhone, but I digress.)  We don’t watch anything as it airs–all of our favorite programs are set to record via the DVR, so that we can wait a good 25-30 minutes after their initial broadcast–to fast forward the commercials.  Premium channels, such as HBO (True Blood, Game of Thrones!) and Showtime (Dexter!) don’t have commercials, (we pay for those channels, obviously) so I don’t mind to watch live.  And because my daughters watch Doctor Who with us, we do it live, too–and endure the endless BBC promos every 7-9 minutes.  A small price to play for our favorite traveler in time and space!

 

[Anonymous @]

@lula – US Southerners are akin to UK northeners.  For example, when I was moving to ‘the North’ from London (aka ‘the south’ here – even though its latitude is above Canada) I was told by everyone ‘You’ll live there 30 years and no-one will say hello to you’.  Yet within a week of moving to [a tourist village in] rural North Yorkshire, I had already parsed the locals and the visitors – because the locals would look you in the eye and say [the northern England equivalent of] ‘Howdy y’all!’ and the tourists would ostentatiously not make eye contact.  Quite the reverse of the north-south divide stereotype of America.

And, for the dear love of Mike … DON’T do conversation on the Tube in London.  Unless it’s late at night and everyone can excuse their heinous conversation sin by their copious amount of alcohol intake.

Yes, the BBC television license fee / tax is why we are blissfully free of commercials.  Well, on the BBC channels 1 & 2, that is [and BBC3 and BBC4, but this is where it gets complicated … ].  Then there are the OTHER, commercial (i.e., with adverts) channels, including Broadchurch’s ITV [ 3 ], and also Channel 4 (broadcast on … wait, you’ll get it in a moment … want another guess on which channel it’s on? … yes, it’s … FOUR!); and the less said about 5, the better.

I had a really long rant about the value of the BBC for the current license fee of under £150 per year (especially when compared to cable TV fees), but I self-edited for reasons of space, sanity, and avoiding political discussions on this comfy sofa.  🙂

The last time I was in the States, I couldn’t believe how many commercials interrupted everything I was watching (including the news!  the news!  egads!).  But then, I haven’t had a TV in years and have only been watching programmes on-line, and even Channel 4 now does on-line broadcasts of its programmes sans adverts.  But suffice to say that Doctor Who will never, now that it’s found its feet globally, go beyond 45 minutes — because it needs to sell a one-hour slot globally and that extra 25% running time must be filled with local adverts / commercials.

[WhoHar @whohar]

@lula. I worked in the US for some time and every evening, a guy from the South (sorry, can’t be more specific) used to leave with a “G’night y’all”. As I sat near to one of the doors, this must have stuck in my head and it was something I repeated for many months in my next (non-US) job. I got some funny looks I can tell you.

@bluesqueakpip – And on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead.

Understandably, people are a little bit nervy regarding the last ep. In fact, I can see it killing off speculation on this board as we all become a little Spoiler-averse. However, I can’t imagine that anything on the official BBC website is a spoiler as such. It may tie-in with one of the many bonkers theories on here but that’s not the same. In fact, if it is in the trailer, it is unlikely to be what it seems come the episode.

If you are really worried, best to keep away, if only for your own sanity.

 

[WhoHar @whohar]

@ardaraith, @phaseshift @everyone_else_on_the_board

You know what’d be f’in hilarious – if you couldn’t watch the last episode on that dvd without having a passcode that you could only get from watching the episode when first broadcast on the BBC.

Or, if it turns out the episode is just a five second clip of River Song saying “Spoilers.”

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

And, for the dear love of Mike … DON’T do conversation on the Tube in London

In fact, don’t even make eye contact. Or look at any part of them. Or … um, well, the ceiling’s okay.

You are allowed to converse with members of your immediate family and friends, but for the love of Mike, don’t be too LOUD. Otherwise the entire carriage will Not Stare In Your Direction. 😀

[thommck @thommck]

Can’t believe people in the U.S. got their DVDs early and I have to wait until at least the 20th! I’ve just seen my order contains some “art cards” of all the movie-style posters which is pretty cool

Very nervous about being spoiled but I can’t resist this forum so hoping I can still make last-minute bonkers theories! Shame that the NiS page is so quiet as I think there were lots of clues in there.

I can stay away from the TV trailer spoilers pretty easily but knowing my luck, I’ll see a newspaper headline or some person in the office will mention something spoilerific. Maybe I should just walk around in a spacesuit all week 🙂

[SatsumaJoe @satsumajoe]

I wrecked The Sixth Sense for someone about a month ago; I try to avoid blabbing now.

@lula Because Americans, particularly southerners, do this–we’ll talk to anyone,  anytime, any reason. I’ve been told a Londoner would look at me as if I’d lost my mind

@Shazzbot the locals would look you in the eye and say [the northern England equivalent of] ‘Howdy y’all!

Isn’t it brilliant? It’s maybe the same in Ireland, never met a Southerner who wasn’t chatty though so maybe it’s nothing alike! I didn’t know the mad-eyed Londoner thing when I visited the place so that was interesting 😀

[ardaraith @ardaraith]

@satsumajoe – Come here now, you in Ireland, too? I’m down in the Rebel county, but himselfs from Donegal. Extreme ends but chatty all round. I’ve heard it’s the midlands you’ve to watch out for! 😉

[SatsumaJoe @satsumajoe]

@ardaraith I am indeed! Our take on the Lake District 🙂 Been to Errigal years ago, gorgeous place.

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

With more members of our little home, I can’t help remembering when we entered this period on the “Closing Time” blog for series 6, as we related our methods, preparations and rituals for watching a finale. Do you have any you’d like to share? My contribution was:

I think I’ll just stick largely to my usual routine.

After bathing in the Blood of Innocents*, I will don my finest rotting vestments and descend into THE LAIR. Seated in my throne, my slaves shall adorn me with the Holy Regalia of Who. The Fez of Rassilon, the Bow-Tie of Omega, and the Replica Sonic Screwdriver of Harmony.

My slaves will activate the televisual reception equipment. For a moment, my mind will enter the endless void-space between reality and imagination. My soul will feel weakened and ghastly apparitions will appear before my eyes. I will hear myself croak “What is this?”

“The last few minutes of Strictly Come Dancing”, will be the inevitable reply.

After a seeming age, the welcoming tones of the continuity announcer will bid me to enter the realm of imagination and I will lose myself fully to the experience.

Wine will be consumed in plenty. Cheesy snacks will be passed around, and the tongue torn from anyone else who dares munch loudly.

I shall then connect myself to the internet, read Dan’s review, and no doubt read many entries extolling the virtues of the finale, and how suddenly, like a Road to Damascus conversion, even trolls now see the value of the last two series. This last paragraph, for the uninitiated, is a joke. The previous ones are pretty much spot on.

* “Blood of Innocents” bathbombs are available from Lush.

[ardaraith @ardaraith]

INT. @phaseshift ‘S WC – NIGHT (18 May 2013)

The Master eases into a warm tub filled with bathbombs from Lush. Fizzing is heard.

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

the Replica Sonic Screwdriver of Harmony

Harmony you say?

[ScaryB @scaryb]

@phaseshift – good point. I’ve had a bit of a regeneration since the last finale, so will need to have a think. A wee polish of the chains at least. (Anyone wanting to nip back in time to check out previous episodes, just let me know. Shame I can’t send anyone forwards tho!)

Just occurred to me that there’s been very little talk of River (in story) this season… Hmmm. If there’s timey wimey stuff going on she’s going to be part of it I would hope!

Re the map of Hedgewick’s park – there are some interesting rides mentioned, including Eyeball Terror which seems to feature giant eyeballs.  There’s a Boating lake (with a piratey looking ship), Sky Ridge, which may or may not include a rocket), Fireball,  a Port, the Garden, a Hotel…  Combined with the various artefacts from previous episodes in the museum inside it did make me wonder, but I can’t match it to every story just a few tenuous links eg Fireball (Rings of A?).

 

[ScaryB @scaryb]

Just a thought re length of episodes – I’ve thought the pacing has generally been better in 7.2, but a little more time for could make a huge difference, and it’s nice when there’s a mix during the run, with some 2-parters.  Interestingly the episode which most people seem to rate highest this series was Asylum – and that clocked in at 50 mins, so it doen’t need a lot of extra time. (Wouldn’t an hour each be just delicious?!) The classic series was sometimes a scant 20 minutes, which is something to remember when talking about how it used to run (often with a dip in pace in the 3rd episode as it was setting up for for finale).

[Timeloop @timeloop]

@scaryb  re Website comments (relocated it since this wasnt really about the website) Oh, wow! Your imagination has just gone wild! =D Made me laugh =) “bathe in the blood of innocents” glad he put a * right there. First I was like “what the heck….?!”

I will be sitting on the edge of the sofa for the final episode (trying to tune out kitchen noises), bouncing on the spot and hopefully interact with the screen [“nooooooo” “really?!?!? …. are you serious?! you’ve got to be kidding” “lol (literally)” “*facepalm*” “*trying to get other people to empathize with the expierience*”] I like those best. I might try to catch details but since @htpbdet is so much better and has an perfect article written minutes later [how do you do it anyway? have you already written several versions beforehand and just pick the one that fits best and just adjust little things? Do you write it while watching?] I dont see a point even trying.

[SatsumaJoe @satsumajoe]

@scaryb Fireball=The Big Bang? An hour could be interesting. Perhaps it’ll change once this film is shown?

[WhoHar @whohar]

@phaseshift

I seem to recall that, for last year’s finale, I was oiled up and naked, save for two bow ties and a fez. But I am a year older and 6 months wiser now, so….

Currently I’m in a hotel room, waiting for Fortescue and WhoHar hall to arrive, so celebrations will be a little low key. I’m going to have to borrow the bath back from @scaryb – I’ll need to commence filling it immediately if I’m to be ready to tNoftD, although I do have another few hours on the UK. Then its bubbles and bubbly. Oh, and a packet of Jammie Dodgers.

[Anonymous @]

@htpbdet – I’m madly researching various things in order to get another Only Connect Fan Wall up on the BBC site (I already have two up there … yay me!) and in researching popular mnemonics, I found this:

To remember all of the actors who have played the Doctor in the BBC show “Doctor Who” in chronological order. (Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker, Davison, Baker, McCoy, McGann, Eccleston, Tennant, Smith.)

How to punish bad Daleks before many million earthlings truly see.

Of course, for you (until you see the light on Matt Smith!), it should be:

How To Punish Bad Daleks – Ex-Terminate!

[ScaryB @scaryb]

@whohar – tipped the fishes back on to the floor (with enough water of course!), sorted the ramp (over the water) to the sofa, and your bath is en route back to you, via trans-mat. should be plenty of time, but it did take 4 days to fill up here. Just keep an eye out for any of @juniperfish‘s fishy-nanobots in case there’s a couple still lurking about

<tries hard to blot out too-vivid image of WhoHar in the bath!!!>

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@whohar

Hasn’t Fortescue managed to swim over with all those bricks yet? He may need help. Or you may need bigger whips. 🙂

I take your suggestion of Jammie Dodgers. I feel they should be added to my “Holy Regalia of Who“.

Jammie Dodgers of Fear, or Jammie Dodgers of Doom? Decisions….decisions.

[Anonymous @]

Just be careful of my dam with all this rearrangement nonsense… 🙂

Jammie Dodgers of Jeopardy?

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

Why am I now knee deep in fish? 🙂

[ardaraith @ardaraith]

Oiled-up, naked, fez…what? What?

[Anonymous @]

No, @ardaraith, that was TWO bow ties and a fez on naked oiled-up @whohar.

I think I saw him in the gym last week.  Or maybe on a porn site, I seem to get the two mixed up nowadays.  (well, a work-out is a work-out, eh?)  😉

[blenkinsopthebrave @blenkinsopthebrave]

@phaseshift, @et al,

Preparations for watching the season finale in the Blenkinsop abode are now reaching their final stages.

No being able to arrange an international flight, for that date, has required that Mrs Blenkinsop and I fit out the Blenkinsop apartment in the style of the Qantas Club Lounge. Various bottles of alcohol (wines and spirits are in plentiful supply) have been set out on the counter, a buffet of cold cuts has been arranged, and the second TV has been set to play the day’s news programmes (but with the sound down so as not to interfere with the show).

Mrs Blenkinsop has finished recording the boarding announcements, which are set to play at regular intervals throughout transmission. The sound has not been turned down on these, as we are aiming for verisimilitude, you understand.

A lot of thought was given to the other question of other passengers, who are an unavoidable, although quite often undesirable, element of any Club Lounge. It was decided, after some considerable thought, to resist the temptation to crowd the Blenkinsop apartment with examples of actual humanity. Rather we have arranged our life-sized cardboard cut-outs of all 11 Doctors, a sample of Companions, and, as the Club Lounge is often crowded, a few cardboard Klingons from the hidden Next Generation collection we keep in the wardrobe, and of course, the treasured life-size Counselor Troi cut-out.

All in all, preparations are proceeding satisfactorily.

 

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@blenkinsopthebrave

A damn fine idea. The home-from-home actually IN your home.

You see it’s valuable advice like this, to get the most out of an episode, that is sadly lacking on other forums. I believe that younger members of the community will be able to take these ideas on board, and truly dare to dream.

[HTPBDET @htpbdet]

@Shazzbot   Bless!  X

[Author]

Posts