[Craig @replies Emperor]

@miapatrick Happy New Year! No, it wasn’t just you – just me forgetting to renew the domain as usual. A few people thankfully spotted it earlier and all is right with the world again.

Apologies to all those who tried visiting this morning.

They do email me a month in advance and I say to myself “I must do that in the next few weeks” and then always forget! Will try harder next year.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@kharis Your wish is my command. I meant to do it yesterday but ended up rather busy. Enjoy.

http://www.thedoctorwhoforum.com/forums/topic/sherlock-the-six-thatchers/

[Craig @replies Emperor]

I’ve been using the holiday period to catch up on some of the TV I’ve missed over the last six, or even twelve, months. The only thing that really sang “quality” was Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror episode “San Junipero”. Black Mirror is a bit hit and miss, and I didn’t like much of it, but “San Junipero” is a work of art and knocks it out of the park. It made me cry.

If you have Netflix you really should watch. I read some reviews and the consensus seems to be that it’s one of the best hours of TV this year. Do yourself a favour – it’s a beautiful sci-fi love story. I can’t tell you anymore without spoilers. Just trust me.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

So I was kinda more upset by the death of Debbie Reynolds than I was by her daughter Carrie Fisher, even although both are a great loss. I’m not that much of a ‘Star Wars’ fan, but ‘Singing In The Rain’ is a genuine masterpiece and I can’t believe she was only 19 when she made it (same age Carrie was in the first ‘Star Wars’ movie). What a superstar she was. If you’ve never seen ‘Singing In The Rain’ because it’s a musical, because it’s old, or whatever, do yourself a favour and watch it. It is an eternal classic.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

The BBC released a clip from the Christmas Special for their charity ‘Children in Need’ night.

Here it is if you want it:

[Craig @replies Emperor]

One more Frank Turner before I go to bed and hope to wake to hear that Trump has been soundly beaten. “I won’t sit down. And I won’t shut up”. And the video is so cute, shot in his Mum’s school.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

P.S. @Thane15 If you like Billy Bragg you might want to check out Frank Turner, who was a Heavy Metal artist and lead in Million Dead, who then discovered a liking for Billy Bragg himself and turned to folk when he went solo. He’s got quite big now but I used to see him when he played down the road from me and drew about 50 people. Get me!

This is one of my favourites – about being too old to be bothered protesting anymore (we all get there).

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@whisht @cathannabel @thane15 @pedant Have always loved Billy Bragg and when I bought my guitar I bought the “Back To Basics” chord book (which included ‘It says here’). I think the lack of studio reaction is because they didn’t realise he would say “tits” at 8am! He’s as good a comedian as a musician and the book came with a ‘learn to play guitar’ record (yes, I’m old) with him giving tips. It ended with him saying something like “and that’s as much as I’m going to tell you or you’ll all be strapping on false noses and pretending to be me”.

But one of my favourite gigs, although bitter sweet now given what happened afterwards, was seeing him on the night of the 1997 General Election when Labour finally won power after so many years of Tory rule. It was at the Power House in Kilburn, which wasn’t very big, and he played for several hours in front of a big screen as the results came in. He’d be half way through a song and then something would happen, another Tory gone like Portillo losing his seat, a huge cheer would go up and he’d just turn and watch the screen, and do an instrumental and crack some jokes, then continue with the song. That was a magical night. Scotland went Tory free – not a single MP – and I got to chat to Billy in the bar about it as we watched the rest of the results come in after the gig finished.

This isn’t from that night but I love this song about unrequited teenage love, and it shows how he can sing, or just crack a joke, and start and stop the song whenever he wants, and it reminds me of that night.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson @pedant My take on it is that Ness is using all the expected tropes (or cliches) on purpose but getting them all in early so he can then subvert them. We’ll have to wait and see, but I think a big clue was having the Prom in the first episode. Usually everything in teen drama builds up to the Prom.

Already we’re seeing that one dork is the last of his species, the other now shares a heart with an alien shadow thing, and the jock has possibly lost the one ability (skill at football) that made him popular.

I do hope that son’s predictions, as brilliant as they are, were meant to be addressed quickly so that we could move on from them.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

For those who may have missed it – it was fleeting.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson Your post quoting that the “latest song sounded like something she’d heard many times before” reminded me of this article:
http://popbitch.com/home/2016/08/14/all-mapped-out/

It argues that the first song below is the foundation of all modern pop and is “the single most influential song of the 21st century so far” as it lead to the song below it and many imitators since. Would be interested to hear what the musical ones of you think.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson I know you’re all great, because you’re here. Of course you are! But Class isn’t going to be shown in the US until roughly the same time as Doctor Who in 2017 (or so I hear). So that’s a long time.

The upside of that is the US is much more likely to be spoiled by the rest of the internet than by this site as I will try my hardest to set up warnings etc. The downside is I have to work out how to set it all up so that people that like using this site (because I love you all) aren’t spoiled.

Maybe instead of an episode title and a description I just put “Class – Episode 1 (spoilers)” and continue that way. Will be a bit boring but will keep everyone happy. I’m just thinking out loud. I’ll work it out. 🙂

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Cheers. *raises a glass* Feels good to be back. The Cloven Hoof is now on my list, as gonna run out of “Who” pubs shortly.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Hey @puroandson, it’s good to be back.

I know. YouTube is its own Hellmouth. It does look like it could be good though. Do you know when Class will be shown in Australia? I’m trying to work out how to handle it on this site.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Hey everyone, I’m open to suggestions on how to handle “Class” as it’s not going to be shown at the same time around the world.

I can set it up so each episode is treated like the Spoilers topic. Seems the best solution to me. But if you have better ideas please let me know.

By the way @lisa has posted the three trailers released today in the BBC Approved Spoilers thread – two for “Class” and one for the Doctor Who Christmas special. Check them out if you don’t mind a mild BBC spoil. They look great.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Hi all, I’m back. Apologies for being away. Will try to back on more regularly.

@pedant @blenkinsopthebrave new pub has been started, in outer space.

@nerys @missy @ichabod and others, the lovely Soniya has been dealt with.

@badwolf11 @cathannabel and others. I too sometimes have trouble logging in and have to wait. It’s not anything you have done. It is a site-wide, user-wide security feature that activates if someone is trying to hack it. Even I can’t then get in. No one can. It’s annoying but it means the site should be safe from brute-force attacks.

If you wait ten minutes you can usually log in. Unfortunately it seems the site has been the focus of more attacks recently (or more people just forgetting their passwords all at the same time). I’ll keep an eye on it and let me know if it keeps happening.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Hi all, apologies for being away and busy for a while. The launch of some trailers for Class and the Doctor Who Christmas special today knocked some much needed enthusiasm and excitement back in to me.

This pub is well past closing time, last orders was a page ago. Time to drink up and leave. But no need to go home. We have a new pub, an intergalactic one at that. You can find it here:

http://www.thedoctorwhoforum.com/forums/topic/the-maldovarium/

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@pedant @puroandson Thanks. They’ve been dealt with. Please let me know of any more. I may not be able to react instantly at the mo (health wise much better but now kinda busy again), but will try to do so as soon as possible.

Craig

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Thanks @pedant. Dealt with as usual. Sorry, been busy recently and not very well either. Normal service will be resumed, but glad you keep me informed.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson Many thanks. Dealt with.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@pedant Thanks. Dealt with.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@juniperfish @pedant Just watched this, which is an interview with RTD and Maxine Peake from yesterday at the Hay Festival. Very enjoyable. The production was done by the Doctor Who team. Am looking forward to seeing the result tonight.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

I’ve asked this before and most were not in favour in the past, but as we’ve had a rash of Romance Scam messages in the last couple of weeks, what do people think about closing the Private Message option for a while.

Please let me know here.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@blenkinsopthebrave I have floated that one before and the general consensus was that it was nice to have even if it gets abused occassionally. But as the site is quiter at the mo, and we seem to have had a rash of these maybe we should shut it for a while. I’ll post in website comments to see what people think.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Thanks @pedant Spammed again. @blenkinsopthebrave Loved Barcelona, hate these Romance Scams.

@mersey Thanks for the advice but I was actually just going to bed. Had free tickets to teh hotel’s club so it would have been a shame not to use them. 🙂

@stitchintime They are real people unfortunately. If they were computer bots there would be a way to stop them.

Everyone should heed the advice here: http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-az-romance-scams

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Spammed again, from my phone at 2:30am from Barcelona. Oh how I dislike this. Let’s hope it stops now.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

I watched some football, just for you. Here is the new companion/assistant.

I don’t think she’s an impossible girl. I’m getting Donna vibes. Yeah!

[Craig @replies Emperor]

For a rare and very funny insight into Prince I’d recommend you watch this. It’s long but it’s good.

I’m hoping to resume normal service on this site next week. Have a conference in Barcelona on Monday and Tuesday that I’m preparing for (I know, poor me) then my life returns to almost normality.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@blenkinsopthebrave @nerys Many thanks. Have spammed them, as usual.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@whisht @bluesqueakpip Am beginning to think there’s some sort of slow Rapture going on with all the best people going first (Lemmy being No. 1 of course). I may make the encore if I’m lucky. Save a drink for me.

This will probably be deleted as quick as it was posted…

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@stitchintime Unfortunately this happens sometimes. It’s not a bot, a real person signs up and then sends these messages out. The only way to stop it would be to turn off the messaging function but the consensus seems to be that it’s a nice function to have, even if spammers sometimes abuse it. Always comment here or email me if you receive something dodgy and I will spam them immediately.

In the past I’ve found out that the same spammers have been posting the same things on forums for Doctors. Think they may have us confused with lonely, rich men who work in hospitals.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Thanks @mersey have spammed them. I got the same. As usual, to everyone else, do not reply to the lovely lady in the United Nations Army. Is she in UNIT? More likely some prince who also has $1 billion he needs to deposit in your bank account.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@pedant I remember watching that when it first aired and convulsing in laughter. And let’s not forget this great tribute. She was a true British icon and will be sadly missed. I saw a post on Twitter that just said “Five Years, four candles and two soups. What a terrible year.”

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@pedant Many thanks. Now spammed.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson Great to be back. You watching Daredevil? Enjoy, I loved it. But not sure how old “son” is. Not sure my friends 13yr old should watch it. What do you think?

[Craig @replies Emperor]

I have probably posted this before. But it’s my birthday today (no biggie) and this was number one in the UK when I was born (Easter Saturday – I’m so almost Jesus (sorry if that offends anybody – just a joke)). It always makes me want to reach out to those people who need a helping hand.

I wanted to share that the people at Den of Geek (great website – much better than this one) do a great job. If you need a hand, and everybody needs a hand sometime, check them out: http://www.denofgeek.com/geeks-vs-loneliness

If you’re absolutely fine, just enjoy a track written 46 years ago that is still incredible.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson @ichabod @mudlark @janetteb @pedant @whisht @fatmaninabox @arbutus @jimthefish @phaseshift and all of you who I’ve forgotten or don’t have time to include. Happy Easter to you all too. I fully intend to be back to normal service after this little seasonal break, which has allowed me to get my breath back. Tomorrow night I’m going to see whether Batman can beat Superman. And once that’s out the way, it’ll be back to the real world of the Doctor. Love you all. My Easter:

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson Yeah, sounds great, doesn’t it? Sometimes the quiet life is much more appealing. Be back properly soon.

Biggest kindest to you.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@ everyone also. Just thought I’d drop you a line to explain my absence. I’m still kinda here but haven’t had much time recently to do much on the site. Was in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago, Pittsburgh last week and am back to Pennsylvania, this time Philadelphia, on Saturday. Thankfully my world should calm down after that and we can get back to our retrospectives, and rewatches of BG Who. The only good thing about all this is I’m now a British Airways Gold member so get to use the lounge and sometimes get upgraded. But can’t wait for the end of next week and to be back with all of you.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@jimthefish @phaseshift @puroandson @bluesqueakpip

Dealt with – thanks for the alert.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@blenkinsopthebrave You read my mind.

@bluesqueakpip @whisht @ichabod @jimthefish @arbutus and everyone else. The first entry in our Chris Chibnall retrospective is now up.

http://www.thedoctorwhoforum.com/forums/topic/42/

I’m sticking to Doctor Who first but we can do Torchwood as well if there is interest. We gotta do something to fill in the time before “Class” starts – and Christmas!

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@allonsy @ob-wan Please see above re Hulu. Looks like it’s just going to be the BBC Store.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@jimthefish Looks like you were right. Hulu has now lost the rights to Doctor Who too.

http://news.drwho-online.co.uk/Hulu-Also-Lose-Rights-To-Stream-Doctor-Who.aspx

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@ob-wan It now makes even less sense than I thought it might. Why make money out of a growing fan-base when you can just shut the whole thing down and nobody makes a penny?

I fear there is a lot going on behind the scenes of the BBC and the UK government, and there are many vested interests, perhaps SKY or US corporations such as FOX.

I’m kinda treating all this news flippantly because Doctor Who has survived everything thrown at it. But a little bit of me is slightly scared. Not for Doctor Who – it’ll live for ever (there may be breaks). I do fear for our BBC though.

These news reports are actually little cracks in the wall, or the dam, depending on your metaphor of preference.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Aaaaaarrrghhhh….

Moffat gone. Netflix gone. No episodes in 2016. Conspiracy anyone?

I’m writing to my MP (Member of our Parliament, for those not from the UK) tomorrow, and I shall tell them that I am very annoyed. I shall stamp my foot. I shall demand that something be done! That’s kinda what we Brits do.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@jimthefish @allonsy If Jim is correct (and of course he is) then it may be that they are just dropping Capaldi’s episodes, as they say “promise to care for David and Matt”. As Jim says, Capaldi’s first series is not available on UK Netflix. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

Hmmm… One can’t help begin to wonder what is going on. All the US people I know who’ve heard of Doctor Who have become massive fans. This makes no sense. Is the BBC making it too expensive for broadcast at the behest of a Government that doesn’t want it to make popular programmes? If someone has real information I’d love to hear it.

@DrWhoOnline Good and bad news. Doctor Who is staying on @NetflixUK, but our dear Doctor will be departing on Feb 1 from the US. (1 of 2)

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 26, 2016

@DrWhoOnline Content comes & goes-a variety of factors are considered. It's goodbye to an old friend, but a promise to care for David & Matt

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 26, 2016

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@jjpt The address of the image (which you can get by right-clicking on it is:

https://i.chzbgr.com/full/8676260608/h2C794D98/

If you’re on the “Visual” tag you need to click the Mountain icon to add an image. If you’re on the “Text” tag you need to click the “img” button.

Hope that helps. But here is the image you wanted, I expect.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

@puroandson @ichabod @allonsy @arbutus

Please don’t bother with our new ‘friend’. It’s always best to ignore. Am tempted to delete the posts but if we can show that we can take it, ignore, and move on I think that’s probably better.

Don’t waste your precious time – if you do they win.

[Craig @replies Emperor]

I have a weekend at a friends and everything changes! Moffat’s leaving and Chibnall’s in charge. I like Moffat but I also like change (so does Moffat as far as I can tell), and I may be one of the few who liked 42. I look forward to seeing what Chibnall will do.

@puroandson Your change is much more important to me. Please send your Mum all my best wishes and I hope she is back out of that hospital as soon as possible. Next episode is Christmas 2016? Tell her I look forward to hearing her comments on it.

Send her lots of love.

Craig

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