Fandom Fun

So here we are: my catch-up post on latest telly excitement. Let’s not beat around the bush:

‘Doctor bloody Who: The Sontaran Stratagem’. At first glance this was very old skool and fun – and why not? Bring back a favourite old baddie, dust him down, give him a fab make-over (but keep the same voice?) and you have a really fun villain. His no-nonsense approach is ace, and I loved the whole Sontaran strutting around thing. Brilliant. And I loved his jibe that “words are the weapons of womenfolk!”. Yeah, they really are. Nice observation! Of course, Martha being back (and then er, being back twice, not to spoil owt) is just too fab for words – and the fact that she gets on wi Donna is ace. Donna’s “he’s too skinny! You hug him, you get a paper cut!” had us in stitches, and she did so well in the scenes where she ‘says goodbye’, and also goes back to see Granddad. I loved her and Doctor ‘saying goodbye’, especially her parting shot. Oh Donna, you are ace. Speaking of the Doctor – loved his little wisecracks (“An intruder? How did he get in, then? Intruder window?”) and his little barbs (“A place full of geniuses? I’ll have to go there – I get lonely”), and of course, his treatment of General Staal and that gobby little shite Rattigan. Nice.

Oh! Oh! Oh! My two favourite bits! The Doctor saying “With all this stuff, you could travel to another planet,”, and Rattigan replying, “If only that was possible,”, and the Doctor going “Were. If only that were possible. Conditional clause,” and the consequent ‘and you call yourself a genius’ bit being silent. Bloody marvellous! I have a long and twisted personal history with conditionals and suppositions, but I have corrected a fair few students of the English language on this very point – and then there was that time I was being assessed by Cambridge for my teaching exam and the bird from Cambridge insisted you could use ‘was’. I insisted otherwise, and to this day it’s been a pet hate. Yeah, I know I’m a geek – it’s my job. Anyway, that was great, and then gobby shite Rattigan pulling the Doctor up on calling it ‘ATMOS System’, when the S already stands for ‘System’. How many times did we do this to people at school when we had a SPUD? Not a SPUD Day, a SPUD (Sponsored Personal Uniform Day). I laffed my arse off. Well and truly.

There was so much good stuff here – but what was that, Doctor? The fifteenth broken moon of the Medusa Cascade? Why is this important? Just think he’s mentioned it before somewhere. Maybe it’s me just seeing things where there isn’t, but… No, never mind. That and planets disappearing, Gallifrey being mentioned, and other people coming back… Oh! That’s where all the planets are disappearing to then! The same place a certain someone is coming back from! Just joking. As if I know… We’ll have to wait and see…

Just hoping all is not lost for Wilf, Donna’s granddad, cos he is the God From My Childhood, the great Bernard Cribbins, and they must find a way to save him! Or there will be Trouble… Still, gives us summat to mope about till next week, eh?

Well, yeah but no but yeah but no but though… Cos I have to admit, all excited and a little worried about next week’s ep I might be, but I’m more worried about next week’s ‘Supernatural’ episode, ‘Long Distance Caller’. The caller in question is none other than Dad (A.K.A. John Winchester), who is calling Dean, even though he’s dead, gone to Hell, escaped, then apparently melting into oblivion before the purr wee Boys’ very eyes. So what’s he doing calling Dean and giving him earache cos he sold his soul for Sam? How is he able to contact him, how is calling anyone, and more to the point, how did he get Dean’s new-new-new phone number? Let’s face it, The Boys change their phones and numbers more often than they change their flannel shirts, the last time being to avoid Gordon Walker, am I right? Somewhere around episode 3.7 ‘Fresh Blood’, methinks. Anyway, joking aside, what worries me more is two things: that, one, John is calling to tell him THEE demon that holds Dean’s contract is in town, and two, he loves him. Hmm… Since when has John ever used the L word in connection with anybody, much less Sam and Dean? Sure, he’s been dead a while, and maybe that changes a man. But come on, Dean, are you really going to believe it’s him? This is your Achilles heel, your family, and if you don’t listen to Sam, you ain’t going to live long enough to bitch about it.

Anyway, getting back to last week’s ep, ‘Ghostfacers’. It’s had a mixed reaction (cos 90% of it were shot on handcams to make it look 'real'?), but I loved it. The whole thing was like an ‘Ocean’s 11’ moment – you know the bit where George Clooney is doing his justification to Brad Pitt scene, after taking the plans from the office at night, and they’re waiting by the lifts, and he ends by saying summat like “Was that ok? Did that seem rushed to you?” etc., and Brad Pitt’s telling him he thought maybe he rushed it a bit but it was good, like he’d been practising it. It just doesn’t feel like they’re acting, but that they’re after scenes, just talking between themselves as real people. The whole SPN episode felt like that – it freaked me out cos it were almost like behind the scenes footage, but not. The very end scene in the Impala was all back to normal though.

Honestly, if Sam and Dean Winchester were real people, then this would the part of the regular day that we weren’t meant to see. It was freakier than actually seeing the creepy janitor ghost dude, having Sam and Dean swear, chat, argue and ridicule as if it weren’t live on film. (Note to self: Ask The God That Is Eric Kripke how much of the dialogue were scripted.)

The fact that the characters were at their most essential without being caricatures, that they were accomplishing things cos they had just the right mix of personalities that they needed, that things came out in the wash without ignoring the things we had to be told or being left behind – all this should be no surprise when you remember that the episode were written by the criminally talented Ben Edlund, whose previous writing triumphs include not only some of my favourites from ‘Supernatural’ – ‘Tall Tales’, ‘Hollywood Babylon’ (the ‘Evil Dead’ send-up!), and the seminal ‘Bad Day At Black Rock’, but also two of my favourite ‘Firefly’ episodes, ‘Jaynestown’ and ‘Trash’. (In fact, the very concept that an ex-‘Firefly’ writer / co-producer also works on ‘Supernatural’ is more than enough incentive to watch this show, buff brothers aside!)

Final verdict? How can you lose with The Boy’s naughty words bleeped out, and pure comedy gold moments like Dean’s one-fingered responses pixelated out, The Boys having to explain the obvious to dumbass Ghostfacers (cos obviously they don’t watch the show), proper creepy ghosts, and of course Sam in a party hat? So The Boys didn’t actually ‘solve’ this one themselves, but hey, you don’t win them all. And it would have probably given the Ghostfacers enough mis-placed incentive to go do another crazy piss-take of ‘Most Haunted’. But not during the seasons of SPN that we have left, but then that’s ok. We have much more pressing problems to solve, and solve well: Dean’s Deal. Cos if he’s left to go down, there will be Trouble within the SPN fanbase and general SPN community. Still, it’s going to be nail-biting stuff during these last three episodes, that’s for sure!
That’s shallot. No, onion. Always get those two mixed up. Stay tuned, loyal viewers, for exciting accounts of how I manage to fill my days when I’m sober. Or not.

Soopytwist!

Tags:
Doctor Who ~ Martha Jones ~ Freema Agyeman ~ Donna Noble ~ Catherine Tate ~ Sontarans ~ Supernatural ~ Dean Winchester ~ Sam Winchester ~ John Winchester ~ Firefly ~ Ben Edlund

It Must Be Love…

Time, Time, Time. Always in the wrong places. I haven’t even seen last night’s ‘Doctor bloody Who’, so I’ll have to (1) watch it and (2) think about it in all its majesty and (3) get round to blogging about it. I promise I will do it before Wednesday. Promise. Cos I also have new-new ‘Supernatural’ to blog about too. Oooh, it were really, really ace! I mean in a proper back-to-basics, humour + action + reminders of plot arcs but not stupidly so kinda way. I loved it. And judging from the trailer fer next week, I’m going to love that too. Supposedly dead and Hellified, then dead-deadified so he’s even not eligible for Hell anymore John Winchester calling Dean’s cell phone to demand what the hell he thought he was doing, selling his soul to save Sam? REALLY? Can we wait? Can we bloody hell as like! This is heading towards some season finale…

Anyway, moving right along…

He’s slim but very, very powerful. And he’s kinda cute, too. He’s not arrogant, even though everyone thinks he is. And he’s fun. And I like to have him around. Really, really like to have him around.

I only met him Thursday, so praps all this chick-talk is a bit premature. But really, he’s ace. So far he’s just been so much fun, and I haven’t found owt that’s going to go against what I want, so he gets bonus points there too. He even likes it when I keep poking and stroking him! Imagine!

I’m talking, of course, about Bob. Or rather, iPod Bob III, to give him his full name. Purchased at The Ultimate PC and Mac Gallery in Sheung Wan, he accompanied me on my Friday off wi’ a Girl Cold (that’s Man Flu to half the readers here). He’s been a bright, shining example of an iPod Touch just when I were ready to throw meself from me seventh storey building cos I couldn’t quit coughing.

Anyway, more on him later, I’m sure.

What I really wanted to mention is that ‘American Idol’ sucks. Not out loud, not just yet. They voted off Michael Johns. I mean come on people, are you insane? Are you off your meds? Did you SERIOUSLY believe he deserved to go over Brooke the useless one, or that other bird whose name I can’t spell? REALLY? Shame on you all! Michael Johns would have won the whole damn contest if you lot hadn’t gone for POPULARITY over TALENT. But no, you couldn’t resist, could you? You short-sighted, narrow-minded, sheep herd of voters. Well ta very much, all of you, for voting this season’s winner off before it even got down to the last six.

Never one to hold a grudge (when she could be holding a vodka bottle), I tuned in again to see what travesty would unfold this week. Sadly, I were not disappointed. They voted off Carly Smithson. Yeah. The only bird who could have won. And you voted her off, people. What is wrong with you? What did she ever do wrong, apart from piss over the other bird contenders, talent-wise? Just makes me want to stop watching the last few weeks. But I can’t – cos I’m waiting for the last person with any hope to be voted off. I know it’s going to happen this coming week, I just know it. David Cook. Yeah, the rocker guitar dude that’s done absolutely bloody smashing bang-up jobs every week – he’s next. I know for certain. And do you know how I know? Cos he’s good. Anyone wi any real talent gets booted, in favour of insipid, dreary Carpenters wannabes or the next Gay Icon. I’m telling you man, if David Cook leaves next week, so do I. It’s not on. Screw’ em. And after I voted for Michael Johns SIX TIMES while I were on holiday in LA!

That’s yer onion, I’m off. Have to get a life check on my application to add Wi-Fi to my telly and net package. I do love technology.

Tags:
Doctor Who ~ Supernatural ~ Dean Winchester ~ Sam Winchester ~ John Winchester ~ iPod Touch ~ Michael Johns ~ David Cook ~ Carly Smithson ~ American Idol

Life!

Don’t panic! Cancel the state funeral, tell the King to stop blubbing: I’m not dead! Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated, actually.

I’ve just been doing, er – stuff. Really! First there was going to Big Bad Kowloon to see see Duran Duran live at some swiftly knocked-up outdoor stage affair, 12th April. Nice. Got rained on a little – the first rain I can remember this year, I think. Bloody good show, though. Simon le Bon is still a god, and it was all good.

Saw ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ too last week – absolutely fab!

Then there was a new series that you lot in Blighty have probably already seen, but we’ve only just got on Star World over here – the Damian Lewis thing, ‘Life’. Very funny, very well written, and it’s got another Brit in the title role. Marvellous. Oh, and that Woman In White bird from the pilot episode of ‘Supernatural’ as his partner. Loving it so far.

We had a typhoon 3 warning last week an’ all, so that kinda messed me Saturday night plans up. But hey, caught a nice cold out of it. How you can catch cold when it’s in the high twenties Celsius every day and the humidity regularly hits the high end of the seventies I don’t know. Summat to do wi the air-con on buses and in buildings, praps?

Then there was the feverish attempt to watch all of season one of ‘Supernatural’ before 24th April (tomorrow), as that’s when the last four episodes of season three start airing on the CW, 9pm LA Time (PDT?). Mission accomplished, no sweat. Was going to push for all twenty-two episodes of season two, too, but it’s just not going to happen. I know I’ll be doing season two and the sixteen eps of season three while we wait for season four to start filming, and of course showing. This all snowballed into me dreaming up a way for Dean’s deal to get settled, one way or the other – and lo, another ‘Super-bloody-natural’ fanfic was born. It’s not finished yet, am desperately trying to get it polished ready to let loose on the forum over at ‘Supernaturalville’ before, yes, 24th April. Which is kinda cheating really, cos they’re about fifteen hours behind Hong Kong. Which gives me an extra fifteen hours to get it all posted. Bonus!

I did finally get around to posting the last fanfic up though. Called ‘Walk The Prank’, and concerning Prank Wars between the brothers, the whole story of 4,000 words is here for your amusement. At least, hope someone finds it funny…

Very annoyed with AXN Channel right now. I e-mailed them to ask when we’re to expect season three of ‘Super-bloody-natural’, seeing as the rest of the world already have it (ITV2, int UK, apparently). They mailed me back to say they had no plans as yet, but would let me know as soon as they did. (I have actually seen all of season three so far, which is to say episodes one to twelve, but that’s beside the point. I should be able to see it on the channel that I pay for, not have to scrounge around for alternative means.) The next thing I know, their new spin-off channel here in Asia, AXN-Beyond, is showing the season on Monday nights. Riiiiiight. So, one: why didn’t you advertise this to the fee-paying customers on the other AXN channel int hopes that they might want to subscribe to this new channel, and two: why didn’t you mail me to tell me where I could see it, int hopes that I’d subscribe to the new channel? I mean, come on people, laziness is one thing, but surely new subscriptions is another? Looks like reliance on good old-fashioned greed in the market place is not going to work any more.

Just time to say, I’m loving New Who series four and it’s looking pretty solid right now. Saturday’s ‘Planet Of The Ood’ was fab, although just a little slightly under the complete fabness that was ‘The Fires of Pompeii’. After watching episodes one and two back-to-back, have realised the ‘we lost our planet’ theme could be a biggie this season. (How do you lose a planet? Have they checked down the side of the settee? You find all kinds of stuff down there: bus tickets, a pound coin, Toglafane...) First the Adipose family claimed to have lost theirs (although the word ‘politics’ was mentioned by Super-Nanny Foster), and then the Pyrovile thingies also claimed to be homeless. And of course, purr wee Davey Doctor has mentioned to Donna that he’s not only the last one, but also homeless too. (And in a nice aside, Donna’s doing a very good job of pointing out how alien he is without apparently realising it.) They’ve even named his planet too, so she should know it again if and when the time comes. Anyway, getting back to the planet thing, who knows if this is going to part of the season ender, or just a lead-up to the Sontaran fun of next week? And so nice to see Martha back!

So then, ‘Planet Of The Ood’ fun moments: a full-on Flash Gordon rocket! And Donna’s ‘Now that’s what I call a spaceship! You’ve got a box, he’s got a Ferrari!’ Loved it – no Captain Jack and his Space Hopper to be thrown in to make the TARDIS look more like a Ferrari, then? Bloody funny stuff. Loved the ‘Bad Ood!’, and of course Captain Darling Mr Tim McInnerny doing his evil bit. The creepy bloke controlling the huge toy-grabber was, er, creepy, but got what he deserved in the end. But that Sigma bloke, at the end… telling the Doctor “I think your song must end soon”… gave me all kinds of uncomfortableness. Coupled with the Roman Dude’s visions last week, telling the Doctor “she is returning” (except we think we know who this is, not to put spoilers in this post) and that Donna has “something on her back” (A monkey? Her mother? A secret tattoo of a road map from a prison? We’ll have to wait and see…), I’m a little worried about the state of Doctor Ten. But hey, this is what keeps us watching, right?

Also have to mention that my Doctor bloody Who Wallpapers of the Week have been updated. I will get to this week's Ood papers, and some more Winchester Wallpapers soon, too.

That’s it, I’m done. I need another Strepsil and some hot tea. And praps two days off to sleep properly. Not going to happen though, is it?

So soopytwist everyone, and I’ll try to catch up much more often from now on. It’s just laziness, after all.

Tags:
BBC ~ Doctor Who ~ David Tennant ~ Donna Noble ~ Catherine Tate
~ fan-fic ~ Supernatural ~ Dean Winchester ~ Sam Winchester ~ Jensen Ackles ~ Jared Padalecki ~ Hong Kong

Fire In a Nutshell

Just enough time to say

‘Doctor Who: The Fires Of Pompeii’?
BEST. EPISODE. EVER.

Ok, maybe ONE OF the best episodes ever. Bloody fab stuff, though. Still giggling over the Spartacus, Celtic, ‘Nice little bit of allons-y!’ and ‘I bloody love you!’ moments.

Loved it.



Got to go. Sorrows to drown. Although this episode, and Catherine Tate especially, have done so much to lift my spirits. I have to go sort my life out so I can be lifting more spirits later on. Preferably in shot glasses.

Soopytwist.

Tags:
BBC ~ Doctor Who ~ David Tennant ~ Donna Noble ~ Catherine Tate

L.A. Convention Fun ~ 2

So I went to LA a few weeks back to attend a two-day ‘Supernatural’ convention. In case you blinked, my Friday 28th and Saturday 29th March coverage is here. So, The Soupdragon proudly presents ‘Sunday Convention Shite’, starring none other than Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki. Here we go…

Sunday 30th March, 9am. Leaving the hotel to make the short hop to the other Marriott. Queuing up for photos with The Boys (A.K.A. Sam and Dean Winchester). I’m pretty blasé about this now, cos I’ve done my fair share of meet-n-greet with a few famous bods, but I was surprised by both Winchester actors. Jensen Ackles was first, waiting patiently and perching on his stool, taking endless shot after shot with people whisked on to stand with him, then whisked off against to allow the next person their Touch Of Fame. What surprised me about Mr Ackles is that he was quite nervous, or self-conscious, or perhaps just not understanding why so many people were lining up to take photos with him in particular. I appeared to surprise him by simply saying “thanks for making the trip down from Vancouver [where they’re currently filming the end of season three] and hello from Hong Kong”. I got a double eyebrow-raise of surprise, coupled with a sudden appreciative if little-boy-lost smile, and a “Hong Kong? Well that pisses over my flight from Vancouver, huh?” which made me giggle like a small child, and then a “Thank YOU for coming here”. Then it was over and I joined the queue for Jared Padalecki shots.

Little did I know, my sister had already been through Jensen, said the same thank you (except she was coming from Blighty) and got pretty much the same surprised response. She had also got her ‘Winchester Sandwich’ photo too (her and both actors). Then it was Jared Padalecki for me and I stepped up to the plate willingly. Conversation forbidden to keep the queue short, I did manage a “hello from Hong Kong”, to which I got a shocked face, and “you’re kidding, right? Wow! That’s amazing!” and a large humble grin. A quick photo flash and again I felt it only polite to thank him. Again I got a surprised “er – no, that’s fine – thanks for coming all the way over!”

What was very interesting about the two exchanges is that they showed that both the lads are markedly different from the characters they play on TV. Anyone will tell you that this is true of just about any actor. But I was surprised just how much. Jensen Ackles is Mr Shy and Retiring Cos I Don’t Know You, whereas Jared Padalecki is Mr I Can Boom Out A Conversation With Anyone. It’s a reversal I hadn’t expected.

Anyway, we barely had time for a sandwich and a Coke (still no tea anywhere!) before we took our seats for the main event – The Boys on stage.

So we sit down and Mr Padalecki is first. He’s funny, full of anecdotes and one-liners, and bemoaning the fact that his mother is an English teacher and is going to whup his ass later for the incorrect object pronouns he’s just used, and for making up the word ‘miserablosityness’. Nice word, Jared. He had announced earlier that morning that he had proposed to, and become engaged to his girlfriend Sandra McCoy (the Crossroads Demon, last seen in the season three episode ‘Bedtime Stories’, ironically enough when you remember what happened to her character therein), and was duly congratulated by his adoring fangirls (who also congratulated Sandra McCoy later on). He spoke about being Sam, how hard it was to film ‘Mystery Spot’ cos he basically had to be teary and angsty for an entire week while shooting, and did some great anecdotes. He even did one of his best Sam one-liners ever – “I lost my shoe!” to the raucous applause and wolf-whistles of the assembled fanbase.

When asked his favourite “cuss-word” he went with ‘starts with S and ends in Hit’, and managed to look very little-boy cute when admitting to it, too. Awww, bless. And when asked what he wished Sam could have a chance of saying in an upcoming season or episode, he went with “son of a bitch!”, making us all laugh, and then “Dean? My ass!” (in a ‘yeah right / my foot’ kinda way). A look of abject mortification cross his face as he realised what a million fangirls (and boys) would make of this quote for the years to come. Very, very funny.

He was trying to wind down his set when a familiar voice called, “What a bunch of crap!” The room went nuts as Jensen Ackles got to the stage and ousted Jared from his stool. Jared promised to be back later and waved a gracious goodbye to the applauding fanbase.

Jensen Ackles propped himself on the stool and we found he was quicker on the draw, much quieter, and very sarcastic in a spectacularly witty way. He seemed more serious and quite frankly, a little scared of being trapped on that stool in front of five hundred adoring fans all watching him so intently. However, he answered all of his questions easily enough and did get his own little quips in there. I noticed the foreign contingent, mostly English including our row of visitors, instantly processed his brand of brittle-dry sarcasm for what it was and it sounded like we were the first to laugh – perhaps others weren’t sure whether he was joking or not. Perhaps I was just paying him far too much attention and ignoring the crowd. When asked his favourite “cuss-word”, he opted for “Shit – not too offensive, and always gets your point across” in a very big man being a gent cos it’s in his nature kinda way.

He was joined on stage by Jared Padalecki after his set, and suddenly he came out of his shell more. Perhaps it was the arrival of moral support, perhaps it was knowing his Best Mate was there too, which also halved the number of eyes studying him. For whatever reason, he seemed much more relaxed to be there.

Mr Pep, Jared Padalecki, fielded some of the questions and they proved to be a very funny double-act of show in-jokes, sarcasm and buddy-humour. When asked the ubiquitous ‘body-swap’ episode question, Jensen obligingly got up off his stool and did a very accurate yet hilarious send-up of how he’d pretend to be Sam in Dean’s body. When asked to perform his ‘Blue Steel’, he was completely mystified as to why people went nuts for it. “It’s just a face! It’s a rip-off of a film! What’s so special about it anyway?” Cue lots of banter between the two of them, Jared claiming that if Jensen had known the fandom response (and that they’d end up having a fandom one day) Jensen never would have agreed to do it in the episode, or the Nick Nolte ad-lib afterwards.

All too soon time was up and they had to go to prepare for autographs. We howled and stomped on the floor to show our appreciation, and I’m sure that’s why they left so quickly.

Autographs were strange – Jensen seemed almost embarrassed to be important enough that people queued to get his scrawl. I got in a thank you and then he appeared to be keeping his head down as much as possible and simply getting through it. Poor lad. Jared Padalecki was Mr Sparkly, giving everyone eye contact and big smiles. He completely stage-frightened one of our party, Weenie Deanie Groupie (as she’s become known) by asking her for her name. Her trembling response earned her a “that’s a purdy name”, and she gratefully ran off to find Mum. (And yes, Weenie Deanie Groupie, in twenty years’ time I will still be teasing you about that moment!)

An SPN and sci-fi show auction later, during which I donated a substantial amount of money to Doctors Without Frontiers by buying a large ‘Serenity/Firefly’ promo still signed by all the cast, and everyone was thinking of a hot cup of tea and a refuelling, food-wise. While the rest of our party retired to the hotel room, I stayed to see Steve Carlson answer some questions on stage and sign some autographs. When asked his favourite word, I thought of my mate Granny W and her favourite, ‘serendipity’. And yay, he said it! How bizarre, how bizarre. When asked his favourite swear word, again I thought of Granny W and our in-joke about The C Word. And you know what’s coming next, right? Yeah, The C Word. Weird how you just have something in common with people you’ve never even met.

That changed when I got to the autograph table. He elevated himself to deity status by virtue of being left-handed too. So let me see – that’s Jason Manns, Steve Carlson, and me, all left-handed. Must be a genius thing. Anyway, one tiny moment at the autograph table has been one of the most memorable of the entire weekend, The Boys on stage notwithstanding. I asked him one question about writing his stuff and the answer I got has done more for me than any other piece of advice and/or views on writing than anything else in my entire life. For this I will be eternally grateful.

That evening was filled with mixed emotions – we’d done everything we’d wanted to, seen some amazing times, “been there” at important moments, and basically loved it. Satisfaction, excitement, hilarity, the freedom of being on holiday and that basic but thrilling fun of being on a different continent. And then you feel it all catching up with you and you’re tired. Then the realisation that it’s all over and you won’t be needing your pass or your wristband any more sets in, and you start to come down from your three-day high.

But you’re in LA, right? So the next day you go out to Universal Studios and do the tour, the shops, the whole experience. And then that same evening everyone else in your little party goes home. You go back to your hotel in El Segundo (without a monkey) and try to come to terms with everything you’ve achieved in the past few days. It’s a tall order: personal photographs with Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, autographs from Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Frederic Lane (Lehne), Chad Lindberg, Eric Kripke, Jason Manns and Steve Carlson, and auctions, Q&A with so many delightful, funny, friendly, warm people from a show you love to watch.

It was just such a spectacular experience – I think we’ll do it all again next year. That’s assuming season four doesn’t kill off purr wee Dean Winchester. If it does, there’s going to be Trouble…

That’s it, I won’t bore you much longer. I promise that’s the last I’ll bang on about the weekend!

So peach and lube, everyone – lots and lots of lube – and I’ll see you all again very soon… After ‘Doctor bloody Who’ on Sunday (for me), methinks…

* many thanks to my sister for all the pics used today *

Tags:
Supernatural ~ convention ~ LA ~ Sandra McCoy ~ Jensen Ackles ~ Jared Padalecki ~ Steve Carlson

Doctor What?

I have to pass comment on ‘Ashes To Ashes’ at some point, and also finish my ‘Supernatural’ LA convention waffle, but first things first people: last night’s series four opener of ‘Doctor bloody Who’.

WARNING! WARNING! SPOILERS, WILL ROBINSON!
There are series four spoilers ahead…

A mixed bag, really. I really enjoyed some parts – not least of all the teasing about the Doctor and Donna just about missing each other for the pretty much the first half of the episode. I liked the heads bobbing up and down while investigating the Adipose company, the silent conversation through the door and window as they first meet, and lots of little moments that surely mean we’re going to get some brilliant sublime comedy from the two leads in the next thirteen weeks. I’ve got to say I were quite impressed with Donna all over really – managing to infiltrate a company, having the balls to fake her way in, having brains enough to realise all she has to do is follow the strange alien stuff and she’ll find her strange alien friend again. I liked the premise that she’d seen all that splendour with the Doctor way back when, and now everything else paled in comparison and she wanted it back. I like the whole ‘regret not going with him’ thing, and what I really, really like is that she’s wanting to see new places and go do exciting stuff in the TARDIS and planets and aliens and faraway worlds and – oh yeah, she needs the Doctor to do it. She’s not following him around like a love-sick puppy (Rose, anyone?) and she’s not going with the excitement but hanging on in the hopes of a favourable glance (Doctor Jones), she’s just there for the fun. Which, let’s face it, everyone would be first, men after, right? Or is that just me?

Anyway, got a lovely performance from Catherine Tate – liked her serious moments, she handled them well. Sarah Lancashire was good as Evil Super-Nanny, but at times I swear she was just doing her best with some gruelling, cringe-worthy dialogue. (Really, really liked the nice squelching sound as Evil Super-Nanny hits the pavement at the end. Well done effects team!) Liked the sonic pen – but Doctor, why oh why did you throw it away? Why not keep it and add it to the mountains of junk you already horde in that TARDIS of yours? Or is that going to be useful later on…?

David Tenninch Tennant is as ebullient as ever, twice as bouncy and back with a vengeance after the slightly disappointing Christmas episode. Not that he ever disappoints, but at least here he had something to get his teeth into without the whole thing being too pretentious. He appeared to take to Donna again quite well, and I did like the conversation by the mainframe for Adipose between the two of them. Nice moment too as he’s talking to himself and then realises it in the TARDIS. I doubt it had ever looked so large than right then. And thank you, Russell T. Davies, for the ending scene. Donna’s trying to get into the TARDIS, and he’s standing there looking like the most uncomfortable man on Earth, trying to support just some of her incredible array of luggage. And here comes the moment we’ve all been waiting for – or at least I have. Him putting his foot down to try and make it clear that, just for once, he’d like a Companion who doesn’t fancy him - he should just get himself a nice lesbian, that would do it. And no doubt boost ratings, too. (And I did really like Donna's crack about Martha fancying him out of madness, blindness or just plain charity. Ace!)

So here we are at the end, and it’s been the usual rollercoaster of fun and laughs. Not sure if it measured up to series three’s opener, ‘Smith and Jones’, but it was still miles better than the Christmas 2007 edition. And then, just when you think it’s all over, we get the kick in the arse that not all of us saw coming – Rose, disappearing back to what is presumable her own dimension. Several million questions raised there, especially pertaining to the look on her face and the way she moped off afterwards. Does anyone else feel like slapping her and telling her to get a life yet? No? Ok, I’ll save that for later. When apparently Donna, Rose, Martha, Captain Jack Harkness and perhaps even Sarah Jane will be back in the TARDIS. Thankfully, Martha will be back around mid-season for the two-parter, popping out and then back in again for the finale. The rest are unconfirmed.

And the music – once again they’ve mixed so many pieces of good stuff in there. Murray Gold is a genius. A little bit of stuff harking back to the old series two (28) re-workings of ‘Song For Ten’ (goes with the theme so far), some of series three’s ‘This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home’, a little of ‘Doomsday’ for Rose’s mysterious re-appearance, and some beautiful re-workings of ‘The Doctor’s Theme’. Fantastic stuff. And this new theme music – not sure if it’s as good as series one, two and three’s, but we’ll see. Shouldn’t be so attached to the past, should just get on with it, eh.

Poster alert: Did anyone else clock the rather garishly-coloured poster slapped on the bin/oil drum thing, as the Doctor’s talking to Donna while handling her luggage? No? Hmm… Just me then. Not that I think they’d pull that one again, slipping in clues to the series finale (to which, actually, I really DO NOT want spoilers), but it just seemed odd that the poster stood out so strongly. Naw, I’m sure it’s just me…

Looks like I’m done here. And it also looks like I’ll be back to posting twice-weekly for a change – one for the good Doctor, and one for normal life. Yeeee-haaa, it’s back to summer blogging! Well it is a beautiful sunny day, about 25 degrees C and 80% humidity over here. Sorry all of you lot int UK, but there we are.

Right, that’s yer onion. I’m off to enjoy the day. Peach and lube, everyone, peach and lube!

Tags:
BBC ~ Doctor Who ~ David Tennant ~ Donna Noble ~ Catherine Tate ~ Sarah Lancashire ~ Murray Gold ~ Billie Piper ~ Rose Tyler

L.A. Convention Fun!

So I’ve landed in LA and spent Friday 28th March getting my bearings and falling asleep to iPod Bob. Seem to have caught the sun a little. Make that raging sunburn. I’m here for a ‘Supernatural’ convention (don’t laugh) of mammoth proportions, with famous faces from the cast and crew and so much stuff to do. We’ve got two days and one evening of Eric Kripke, creator of the series and genius, Frederic Lane (Lehne), the amazingly evil Yellow Eyed Demon, Chad Lindberg, the Lynyrd Skynyrd roadie Ash, Sandra McCoy, Crossroads Demon, Jason Manns, über-talented singer-songwriter, Steve Carlson, spectacularly good singer-songwriter. Oh yes, and of course the two main faces from the show, the brothers! Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester) and Jared Padalecki (Sam Winchester). Can we wait? Can we bloody hell as like…

Let’s start with Friday night, and the concert added onto the billing at the last minute.

Jason Manns in small-room gig. How fab was he? Answer: very. Really very very. He did all my favourites from his first album, and also brought us CDs of his live tracks, and one very special recording. This is one of himself doing a proper studio version of the Van Morrison song ‘Crazy Love’, and this time roped purr wee Jensen Ackles into not backing vocals (this time) but full-on singing the second verse. Now if only my room here in the Marriott included a player, I could have heard it by now. Never mind – that’s what going home’s for.

Ok, Saturday now. Frederic Lane (Lehne) was on first and yay, he was ace. Kicking off with his infamous acoustic rendition of ‘Sympathy For The Devil’, he then answered a shitload of questions from us fans. He was witty, urbane, and really fab. He was full of energy and a fantastic show-opener for thos of us who had never been to a convention before. He had some interesting anecdotes about working with Robert Redford and making ‘Con Air’, as well as explaining just how hard it is to act when you can't see (cos of the yellow contacts you've got in!), and was just so much fun to listen to.

Jason Manns was back for some more Q&A and a little Steve Miller cover, and then next up was living legend Chad Lindberg. More people may recognise him as Jesse from ‘Fast and Furious’ (1), but us ‘Supernatural’ fans know him very well as Ash (“Business up front, party in the back!”). He was tremendous - funny, off-beat, witty and a strangely Beavis-like giggle/snigger that was very good at setting the rest of us off into fits of giggles. We complained about his character dying in the series, he joked about how he’d like him brought back to the show if he could, and we all backed him up on his little daydream that Sam and Dean would be getting their asses kicked, and Ash would turn up with a crossbow of sorts and save the day. Yes, we liked that idea very much.

A very quick pee and Coke break later (no tea!) and it was the God Who Is Eric Kripke on stage. He was fantastic. I can neither remember nor jot down all the things he came out with; suffice to say he was quizzed to within an inch of his life by so many fans. It yielded a lot of surprises, and a few minor spoilers, as to what the remaining FOUR episodes (yes, just four, not the ten we would have had before the Writer’s Strike happened) will hold for the Winchester brothers. He also let slip a few spoilers re season four and story arcs, but again, it’s complicated to explain. He did answer the three burning questions to which we really wanted to know the answers – his favourite word (“Renewed!”), his least favourite word (“Cancellation!”) and his favourite swear word – or “cuss word” as it seems to be called here in the States (“Any minors in the audience? No? Then my favourite cuss-word is ‘fucking shit’!”). When he asked us what we would like to see in season four, he immediately pre-empted that with: “We can’t get away with full-frontal male nudity, I’m sorry!” Just a fantastic, all-too-short amount of time with someone who is genuinely committed to what he wants to achieve.

Then came the signings. Eric first, who was surprised and humbled that I’d made the gig all the way from HK. Then Jason Manns, who signed his CD for me to reveal he was as left-handed as me. Could he be any more amazing? Then the irrepressible Chad Lindberg, who kinda giggled his way through a few questions and adoring comments in that cute, infectious way he has. Last but not least, Frederic Lane (Lehne), who was amused both at my beetroot sunburn and my assertion that he’s been the ‘acest bad guy on TV’. He commented that he’d not been called ‘ace’ in about 20 years, and then released me from his bewitching stare.

We left the convention halls and there I was, in a hotel room drinking expensive coffee to keep me awake, as it got to 8.15pm and jet-lag kicked in again. I only had to stay up till 11pm for Steve Carlson. Who was fantastic! Live, warm, friendly, funny, and infectiously devoted to having a good time. He played a lot of my favourite tunes, did one or two new songs and was really fun to jump up and down to. I cannot describe how much fun it was to see him and his band members live. Another unforgettable experience. Until the next day of course – it would be an early start: The Winchester Boys are in town!

And that’s where I’ll leave it for today – I have a whole Sunday of fun and excitement to write about, and it’s going to be long.

Peach and lube everyone. I’ll be back very, very soon.

Tags:
Supernatural ~ convention ~ LA ~ Eric Kripke ~ Frederic Lane ~ Chad Lindberg ~ Sandra McCoy ~ Jensen Ackles ~ Jared Padalecki ~ Jason Manns ~ Steve Carlson