Popsicles, not ice lollies. But wonder what Captain Jack would call them?

Magnet #1285 - NYC Popsicle

Ages ago, I made the conscious decision to ignore all the Torchwood chatter until DCsis was able to drop it to DVD for me. It's actually been easy to ignore everyone talking about it, and Twitter's been unusually good about no spoilers these last two months.

What I haven't been able to avoid is how divided people feel about the show.

At our London tweet-up with @blogtorwho, I mentioned that based on the trailers the show already felt more American than its UK predecessor. And he responded with, but it's always felt more American, citing Captain Jack.

It was so odd to hear him say that, because for me, original!recipe!Torchwood didn't have an American feel to it. It was always way too dark for US television.

This week, I'm mainlining these episodes.

First, I didn't realize how much I so very much missed Jack and Gwen. So much. (And Ianto, Owen and Tosh, too, of course.)

Second, it's dark. Darker than I like my US television. Which means it kept its original voice, so that's something, I suppose.

Third, there really is something more American about it. Whether it's bigger explosions or American actors or scope of story or bigger budget or what, I'm not sure at all.

Fourth, I really did love the Babe, I mean, Esther translates Gwen scene. It was cute, and a little tongue-in-cheek. It's why I totally picked up this Popsicle at LaGuardia, because even the littlest things have different names across the pond, and those differences makes me giggle.

Last, I don't know that I like it. It's not pulling me in emotionally as previous TW series. But I think it's mostly due to the overarching storyline that I really don't like - so much so that like TW: Children of Earth, it's a heavy mantle of sadness on me with each episode.

Granted, I haven't yet seen the last three episodes, so maybe they'll figure out a way to draw me back in.

But for now, it's nice to revisit old friends.

3 Octopuses & An Otter World Tour - #makeithappen

Magnet #999 - Fezzes are cool

(I promise. This is the last Doctor Who magnet, at least until the Christmas Special.)

Here's the thing. I love the BBC. I even love BBC-America (even though I haven't a clue what's going on with their programing right now).

And lord knows, I love me some Doctor Who.

But, I've been puzzled over why the big U.S. push. Why now? Why not when David Tennant was being hailed one of Britain's national treasures?

There's a part of me that thinks that the BBC underestimated the American Doctor Who audiences until they brought David Tennant and John Barrowman together at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. And by then, it was too late to do anything more with DT.

I figure, post-SDCC, they all got together in a big room and said, dudes, there's a new team in place, we have a little money in the budget because we have new talent, so let's go raise that U.S. awareness even more, shall we?

Which is how we ended up with a huge push for Series 5 with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan - I'm talking actual advertising dollars, including outdoor advertising all over the place (at least here in NYC), they closed the gap between UK/U.S. airings, and they did a whole PA tour around the U.S.

The only gap in this media blitz plan is why the lull at both SD/NY Comic-Cons this year. Would have thought they'd have made it over, or fielded a panel or two. Perhaps they were saving up for the big U.S. shoot, just around the release of the DVDs?

Brilliant plan, I suppose. Because the shoot and the DVDs give young Matt Smith something to talk about - in his big profile piece in USA Today, his podcast with (the suddenly oh so cute, when the hell did that happen?) @nerdist, and now a whole Doctor Who-themed Craig Ferguson show today.

I wish I had the link for the whole show, but it just aired like an hour ago, so I don't have it, but I'm sure someone will upload it asap. It was freakin' awesome. From Craig's (real or fake, who knows) outrage at not getting Doctor Who themesong legal clearances, to the sonics to the male/female Dalek, to Chris Hardwick's audition for Twelve, to Matt Smith's stay at the Playboy penthouse and meeting a girl in Vegas, and his incredibly cute socks, and his secret ability to play the harmonica for the Three Octopuses & An Otter band. Great episode.

Truth be told, I'm well aware that it just seems like we're getting bombarded here, but it's totally nothing like the ubiquitous PR blitz on the cover of every magazine, every talk show, reality show, quiz show in the UK.

Not that I'm not complaining, folks. Really, it's more like professional awe for all the hits that the PR team's managed to get for the show and for Matt Smith. Way to go, BBC kids! (I kinda just mourn for all the might have been's with my boy David Tennant, had he had the same sort of media support. Sigh. What? Ya'll know, David's my Doctor.)

Anyway. Yes. I'm spending way too much time on Cafepress. Why do you ask?

Besides, fezzes are cool.

eta:
Heh. I just realized, it prolly should be octopi. Still. Cute. And I would totally go see them, if it meant Craig, Matt and Chris on stage together dancing.

eta2:
And so, my friends, behold, the lovely Matt Smith/Craig Ferguson interview.

"It's that spaceship-lookin' thing down by the Bay"*

Magnet #516 - Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru

Ok. Who here is surprised that after I magnetblogged on the other Millennium Centre magnet, that I totally bought another one?

Of course, I bought one. How could I not?

The other one's still my favorite - that's the one that my sister brought back for me from her own trip, just in case I flaked on my Cardiff daytrip. But, I love this one, because of how the building inscription is backlit. It's my favorite design element of this building.

I posted a link to the whole album below, but I didn't even realize that I recreated this magnet on my own. Hahah. Lookit!

And, I'm using this one for yesterday, because Captain Jack Harkness just blowed up Torchwood Cardiff with that bomb in his tummy! A big gaping hole, right here - narrowly missing the Millennium Centre, the Pierhead, and the National Assembly Building - Senedd, as well. What? You also know I totally just rewound to make sure.

During my Is there a Doctor in the House UK trip last December, I spent a very long day in Cardiff - wandering around Cardiff and Cardiff Bay. (By the way, LOVE the logo, Cardiff. Sorry, a little work distraction there.)

The one-on-one guided tour of the Millennium Center with my Welsh tour guide was totally the highlight of quite possibly the entire UK trip. I plan on going back to take the architecture-specific tour, but she was terrific, the loveliest guide ever. Very proud of the majesty of the building, and rightly so.

Because it was just the two of us, we got to roam around a lot more. She led me through corridor after corridor, dressing rooms, stages, and rehearsal space, explaining everything from design to facility details along the way. They used all native Welsh materials during the two and a half years to build it - five different woods (ash, beech, cherry, chestnut and oak), plus 1,200 tons of slate and 4,500 tons of steel. And, they have like seven companies in residence, including the Welsh National Opera.

The main theatre was absolutely gorgeous, and we got to see where the Royals sit during the performances. (Darn if they're not hosting Sound of Music with my favorite Connie Fisher, the winner of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Yes. That was a spoiler. You can't hold it against me - the show aired in the UK almost two years ago now.)

My two favorite places were the public space of the lobby, where it's big enough to hold public performances at lunchtime, and the upper floors, where you can see behind the giant inscription of the facade.

Absolutely. Spectacular. Seriously, you can see why this building is included on the 1001 Buildings to See Before You Kick It list.

Of course, I'm not going to lie - I reveled in walking the Doctor's footsteps - this was where they filmed the New Earth episode.

• So, like a dork, I totally stepped into the elevator and waited to get showered with antibacterial spray. (It didn't happen.)
• Like a dork, I totally went into their little shop. (Where I bought this magnet.).
• Like a dork, I totally took a picture of the TARDIS in the lobby. (No key to get in.)
• And like a dork, I totally lingered over the Doctor Who concept drawings exhibition on the mezzanine floor. (No, I didn't buy anything.)

Funnily enough, it took me a bit before I admitted to my guide being a Doctor Who/Torchwood fan. Even funnier, the guide, an actress in company at the Centre, is friends with Eve Myles, who by all accounts is the nicest person ever. I knew that, just from the Torchwood session at this year's NY ComicCon.

So...Cardiff. Wonderful place to visit. For more than a day. I'm planning on going back, the first chance I get. (I didn't get to do a tour of the Senedd, and, I missed the second Torchwood entrance! Three hours on the Bay and you'd think I'd done more than a tour and eating lunch at Wagamama's. Heh. And, don't even get me started on Cardiff Castle, which I missed as well - and I have a whole magnet for that one. Heh.)

Oh! One last thing - the tour guide (from Swansea) had a lyrical Welsh accent - it's beautiful! Mind you, the only Welsh I know is Nadolig Llawen which is Merry Christmas. And the only reason I know that, is because of David Tennant and Billie Piper doing the Blackpool Illuminations a few years ago, and then, only because there was a DT vid diary where they're desperately and cutely rehearsing the phrase for the lights.

Hah. Nadolig Llawen - there's your bit of Christmas in July, I suppose.


*What the visitors center representative at the train station told me I wouldn't miss, when I asked him for directions to the Bay.

eta:
Huh. Every so often, I remember that I'm a bit of a geek. That's ok. I'll own the hell out of this one.

When sharks attack

Magnet #484 - Long Beach Island

Shhhhhhaaaaaarrrrrrk!!!!!

Hahaaaha - actually, a friend of mine gave this one to me - I've never actually been to Long Beach Island. Truth be told, I thought the magnet was actually from Long Island, until I took this picture, and had to look up where Long Beach Island was. (It's in Jersey.)

Have ya'll seen those super, super, super, silly, silly, silly Shark Attack movies? Where something's off about a shark (or two) off the coast of [insert country here], and [insert hot guy scientist here] has to find out what's going on and eliminate the threat - parts one, two and three. Three even has a Megalodon! Hahaa.

You might ask why I've ever bothered to watch. (You might actually ask why anyone bothered to make not one sequel, but two.) I never watched Shark Attack with Casper van Dien, even though he was hot. But I own Shark Attack 2, because it has Thorsten Kaye, the superduper hot guy from All My Children. And of course, I had to Netflix the third, Shark Attack 3: Megalodon, has superhot John Barrowman, who all but admitted that he did the movie for the money.

Hahahaa, it's truly amazing what I'll watch - and own - all for the love of a hot guy.

This magnet's kinda scary, though - lookatit's teeth! Grrrrr. Hmmm, I wonder if sharks actually growl.