Eleven Reasons I Love the Eleventh Doctor

I know I usually do a list of ten things, but to go along with the theme, I thought I'd shake things up a bit and do eleven reasons I love the eleventh doctor. Oh, and, a friendly reminder:

Let me know in the comments below who your favorite Doctor is and a few reasons why!



1. His personality shines through immediately



One of the first moments you meet the eleventh doctor is incredibly memorable. The TARDIS has crashed in a cute little lass's backyard, and when she goes outside to take a peek, out pops the Doctor, all smiles.

"Can I have an apple?" He says to Amelia Pond, who is, of course, gawking at him.



This initial interaction between this newly-regenerated Doctor and Amelia had me smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. In this one tiny instance, you get to see what side of the Doctor he will portray (for the most part): silly, whimsical, curious, adventurous, funny, and apparently, very hungry.



2. He can be very, very frightening



So, as sweet and silly as he is, Eleven can also be terrifying. Most of the universe recognizes the Doctor as a hero, the good guy. But those who are mistaken see him as a tyrant, getting to decide what species survives and which must be sentenced to death. Who knows the real story? But I believe in the Doctor. I believe he is good and does what's right. I believe he gives second chances, always, and just wants everyone to live.

Eleven is a no-nonsense kind of fellow, however. If you see him as the enemy, and you don't take the peaceful way out, he will become so powerful, so intensely god-like, that your kneecaps will crumble to dust and you'll become a trembling pile of goo.

He will not hesitate to give references and credentials.

And he can be quite unpredictable.

3. Alternatively, he is a kind-hearted soul.



Unlike the previous Doctors, Eleven is naturally friendly. He's always dancing, saying hello, giving out hugs and kisses. He's just adorable. How could anyone not enjoy his company?

He has no trouble spreading his contagious smile around to anyone near.

He can fit right in to any crowd and makes sure everyone is having a good time.

4. He is arguably the silliest/funniest Doctor



I'm going to let these hand-picked gifs do all the talking for me here.

aaaand one more

5. He is happy to become part of a family



Just for the sake of reference, not because I want to "compare" Doctors, Nine and Ten have specifically stated that they "Don't do 'family'.". So I feel it's worth mentioning that to Eleven, family is something he's very willing to participate in. Of course we see him, Rory, and Amy forming their little trio, which will often feature River Song and even Rory's dad, Brian.

But don't forget about Craig and Stormageddon (aka Alfie).

Aww.



6. He is clever in the most innovative fashion



Who else could deter a gang of newly-upgraded Daleks with a Jammie Dodger?

And of course, let's not forget when simply switching shoes with your doppelganger can solidify the loyalty of your companion.

7. He loves his companions intensely



Every Doctor to date has loved his companions. However, Eleven really focuses on friendship. As I mentioned before, his companions are his family, but they are also his very best friends. He would do anything for them. They are incredibly special to him, and he doesn't hesitate to let them know that.

He is always happy to see them.

He is always there for them when they need him.

8. He is adorably curious



The man just can't resist a good mystery.

Especially if there's a sign telling him not to investigate.

9. He is the oldest Doctor



Because Twelve is now the "oldest" version of the Doctor, the age I'm referencing here is the amount of years that occurred with just one incarnation. And, if we're going to get technical, any version of the Doctor could be "the oldest", because from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, time is like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey, stuff, as we all know. So what I mean to say is, Eleven is the longest-living version of the Doctor, making him the oldest incarnation.

He aged quite a lot while watching over the small town of Christmas.

10. He will always protect Earth and Humanity



The Doctor has always respected all species. He even says himself:

But humans seem to be his very favorite.

So whenever anyone tries to mess with Earth, he is always right there to protect us.

I'd feel much safer if I knew the Doctor would always be around.

11. He is 100% himself, no apologies



He's got his own cool style.

He's not afraid to ask for what he wants.

He's not ashamed to geek out like the rest of us.

And sometimes he's much more honest with you than you want him to be.

Don't forget to tell me who your favorite Doctor is, and throw in a few reasons why!

-Rachel




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Sherlock S03 is a Different Beast

This post contains SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

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Like many others I have been anxiously awaiting the return of Sherlock. It has been a long two years for fans, to be sure! Tumblr's cup has runneth over with theories, speculation, and near deranged frenzy to find out what really happened to everyone's favorite sociopath, as well as how Watson had been coping.



January 1st dawned bright, smelling of new, promise, and the premiere of season three. What we received was... strange.

 

Men once renowned for their deduction abilities are now just mustachioed foodies.

I went through a variety of emotions that continued to ping pong around during the second episode. The show is still well written, and astonishingly well filmed and directed as one could expect. The acting, sets, costumes... well, there's nothing to complain about. The characters though, they've become a bit odd. I keep asking myself if it's simply character development, which is perfectly reasonable and realistic because people DO change over the years, or is the show just being written differently?



Parts of the episodes are undeniably tumblr runoff. How could they not be? Participants of the Sherlock fandom on tumblr cannot escape the cries of love between Sherlock and John, the desired sexual tension between Sherlock and Moriarty, or the fact that we are all Molly and we tremble when He is near. But no, I enjoy these aspects, actually. I think that in this day and age of connectivity between fan and creator, it is benevolent of them to hear our collective wants, the depths of our souls, and throw us some well orchestrated, hair ruffling bones.

 

Women and men alike cried out around the world, and were silenced in the wake of fanfic fodder.

No, the tumblr fan service was well received by this particular viewer, even if it was a bit surreal. What I find strange about season three is its lack of tension. The first two episodes, at least, are almost entirely light-hearted, with laughs, jabs, and jokes around every corner. I would never have used those words to describe the first two seasons. Across the episodes I had many internal moments of asking myself, "Is this really the same show?" The answer is obviously yes, but I think it's also no. Clearly the dynamic has changed between Sherlock and John in the aftermath of Sherlock's pretend suicide and the fact that John is now married. So I ask myself, with those facts in mind, does it make sense that the show has a lighter tone? I don't actually think so.



Take, for instance, the scene where Sherlock reveals himself to be alive while in the restaurant. It doesn't make sense to me that Sherlock would be in hiding from John, and pretty much only John, for two years and then expect that he wouldn't be angry upon this sudden reappearance. If he didn't think it would be a big deal, then why not reveal himself sooner? I get that Sherlock is socially dense and absolutely clueless regarding interpersonal relationships, but this felt a bit far to me. I expected something more emotional, but what I got was a slapstick event that, while admittedly very funny, just felt wrong. The only upside is that it gave the audience a well-rounded look at Mary, and she's pretty great.

 

Adorable third wheel, but really more like a third leg. She makes the duo stronger.

Of course, by the end of episode two I was practically crying because of dumb-founded, sweet, sentimental, sad Sherlock. Is he a robot incapable of feelings, or is he secretly part Vulcan? He swings wildly between the those options from the first and second episodes, and the inconsistency leaves me wondering if there's something that I'm missing or if it's questionable writing.



Season three has still been enjoyable and full of mystery, I just wonder if it was the right decision for the show to incorporate so much fan service. It has been fun but ultimately seemed more like a fan fiction story than an official storyline. Perhaps the final episode will change my mind! What are everyone else's thoughts?



-MJ



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Sonic Screwdriver Paper Sculpt

My Whovian friend's birthday is today, and seeing as she's the emphatic soul responsible for my Doctor Who addiction it seemed only proper to give her something heartfelt and sonic for her special day.

Something sonic, and screwdriver-y.

Look at that great blue swirl on Ten's screwdriver. Oh yeah!

Initially I was going to make only Ten's, but once I was finished I was so pleased with the result that I decided to make more!

I was excited to use transparency material to make that weird tube thingie on the side of River's Sonic Screwdriver.

River's seemed like a good choice since she's connected to both Ten and Eleven, and her design was also a lot more intricate than Ten's. I was both excited and apprehensive to apply some splotch painting techniques to achieve the green that is spread around the gold plates.

But I was finished with it in one evening. I had a square frame to fill. Why not make Eleven's, too?

It was a real ordeal to decide if Eleven's Sonic Screwdriver should be opened, or closed. I'm happy with my decision.

To my great surprise, Eleven's was the most complicated to assemble! I went to the craft store and bought extra special shiny paper to replicate the metal shine of his sonic screwdriver. It was worth it!
The final product came together in an 8x8 shadow box frame, presented kind of like butterflies! Does that make sense? Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I was tempted to keep this for myself once all was said and done!

Eight inches by eight inches of papery, Doctor Who glory.

It's off to live in Colorado now. Perhaps if I ask my friend nicely she'll send me photos of its new living quarters!

To finish off the gift, I attempted to make her a card modeled after the invitations in The Impossible Astronaut. I even included her name in Gallifreyan!

Does this circular Gallifreyan word look like a sad frog to anyone else?

Gallifreyan paper cutting is a challenge. I... don't know if I'll be doing it again. Ever.

Does anyone else like these? I'm so proud of them!
-MJ

(Note: this was originally posted back in October of 2012 on abitofgeek.blogspot.com)

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