10 Years of New Doctor Who!

Tomorrow marks ten years since Doctor Who burst back onto our screens.  I remember it well.  The TV advert campaign had been building, excitement surrounded the return of one of the BBC's flagship shows from days gone by and I decided, despite only having seen one or two episodes from the original series - and not being overly fussed about them, if I'm brutally honest - to give it a go.

By the end of that first episode, I was hooked.  

There was something utterly magical about the show for me, right from the get-go.  It was fast-paced, it was a bit silly at times (plastic Mickey and the living wheelie bin didn't make me want to hide behind the sofa; it made me laugh then and still does now), it was intriguing and it felt fresh.  After years and years of rubbish gameshows and Casualty dominating the Saturday night TV schedules, this felt like something much-needed.  It felt like something for me.

The show felt strangely welcoming.  That might seem like a bizarre thing to say, but it's the only way to describe it, really.  I was watching something that didn't feel entirely like passive viewing.  It was like being grabbed by something and told: "FIND OUT MORE.  THIS IS YOUR THING."

And so a love affair began.  From that day onwards, I knew where I had to be on a Saturday night.  Going out?  Pah!  No way.  I needed to be there when the Daleks made their inevitable comeback.  I had to be on my sofa when the TARDIS travelled back in time to the Second World War (and in doing so, increased my weird fear of gas masks by 100%).  I couldn't miss the next adventure.

I couldn't find the copyright details for this photo - please don't sue me if it's yours, just let me know and I'll credit you!

The "first" (actually 9th) Doctor was played by Christopher Eccleston.  I was already a fan of his, having watched him in other things and it was actually his presence that made me determined to tune in for that first new episode.  He didn't disappoint - I loved his slightly cheeky comic timing and I adored the way that he played the Doctor as having a dark, almost tortured side.  It felt real - of course he'd seen some horrendous things over the course of his life, so he was bound to be carrying a fair bit of emotional baggage!  I fell in love with Eccleston's "fantastic" Doctor and his regeneration at the end of the first series was an absolute hammer-blow to my fledgling relationship with the show.

  

I knew about regeneration.  I knew someone else would come along and hopefully be just as awesome as my Doctor, but I still didn't want it to happen.  By the end of series one of new Doctor Who, I'd watched a few more of the original episodes and appreciated them far more,  So I was aware that there had been many Doctors and that if the show was to continue, there would be many more.  But losing my beloved Eccleston?  That was unthinkable.  How could the show possible carry on without him?!

That's how.

(Photo borrowed from Spoiler TV)

I wanted to hate David Tennant.  I wanted to think he was terrible in the role.  I wanted to cry out that the 9th Doctor was far better than the 10th, but...  What can I say?!  David came along and brought a new charm to the role.  An even greater level of almost childlike enthusiasm.  An eye for the ladies.  A deeply vulnerable side...  He was pretty much perfect.

His relationship with companion Rose Tyler is often talked about - David even recently confessed that in his eyes, Rose was the Doctor's girlfriend, not merely his travelling companion - but for me, his best sidekick - and the best sidekick, whatever criticism she gets from some fans - was the fabulous Donna Noble.

Credit to the BBC.  Seriously though, good on you.

By the time Donna joined, however, most of us knew that David was leaving.  It made their fantastic union all the more poignant, because we knew it couldn't last.  Their comedy, their friendship and their ultimate, tragic separation (death would have been easier than what happened, to be honest...) made for utterly compelling viewing.  I defy anyone to watch Donna's last episode (bar the final one, in which David regenerates) and not cry.  Her desperate pleas to the Doctor not to send her back to her old, hum-drum existence are frankly devastating.  She knows he's really saving her life, but in her eyes, he's ending it.  

As viewers, I think the companions are vitally important for us.  They play the role we would love to play.  They are whisked off on wonderful adventures, fighting terrible foes and exploring incredible new worlds.  We see everything through their eyes - the good and the bad - and we wonder what it would be like if our lives were turned upside down by the arrival of a strange, blue box.  So to see Donna sent back to her life pre-Doctor, not by choice, but by horrible necessity, was genuinely heartbreaking.

Speaking of which...

All good things come to an end.  And so it came to be that David Tennant hung up his sonic screwdriver, in an episode that tugged so hard on the heartstrings, you felt emotionally drained by the end of it.  It had everything - the Master, monsters, Bernard Cribbins begging to be allowed to sacrifice himself in place of the Doctor, whilst the Doctor spits venom about how unfair it is that he's got to die.  The ecstasy of thinking the Doctor had miraculously survived, followed by the crushing realisation his regeneration was, well, just something of a slow burn...

I know a huge number of fellow Whovians who cry at David Tennant's "long goodbye," as he goes around, visiting his former companions from a distance, saying a silent farewell.  But for me, the moment where I become almost inconsolable every time I watch it, is when the Ood softly says: "The universe will sing you to your sleep" and you know the inevitable has come.  David's final words: "I don't want to go" were just the final stab in the chest for us fans.

Credit: MTV.

I'm not crying.  It's just been raining.  ON MY FACE.

Nobody could replace David Tennant.  Nobody.  There couldn't possibly be anyone I could love as deeply as him in the role.  The Doctor was ruined.  RUINED, I TELL YOU.

Sorry... What was I saying?!

(credit: BBC)

Every Whovian has "their" Doctor.  The one above all others.  The one nobody - in our eyes, at least - can ever better.  I thought Christopher Eccleston was mine.  Then I thought it was David Tennant.  David is a hugely close second, but my Doctor?  Is Matt Smith.

At first, though, I was too busy mourning David's exit from the show to let Matt's Doctor in.  I didn't give him the chance he deserved, until I watched his first series again and was blown away.  He's a phenomenal actor.  

Matt's Doctor was funny, a bit zany, childishly enthusiastic, warm yet with a dark side, passionate, fiery and fallible.  Matt's Doctor made mistakes and - usually - wasn't afraid to admit to them, when he did.  He was the absolute king of big speeches and quotable quotes, too.  It's a Matt Smith era quote that I have inked on me as part of my Doctor Who tattoo:

And the reason for that choice of quote?  Well, that's what Doctor Who means to me, really.  the companions are often people who dream of a better, more exciting life than the one they live (even if they don't realise it, until the Doctor comes along).  Doctor Who teaches us to reach for those dreams.  To be optimistic in the face of doubt and to fight for what's right, even if dreams of peace and unity seem a little far-fetched, at times.  And I'm a dreamer, for sure.

We're now ten years into the triumphant return of Doctor Who and the show is still going strong, still changing and still capturing the imaginations of new viewers.  For people like me, who grew up watching Buffy, the show was a perfect extension of what we already knew.  For some kids, the show became an extension of the brilliant CBBC show, The Sarah Jane Adventures, which featured the late, great Lis Sladen.  Children getting into Doctor Who today are finding something that encourages them to explore, believe and hold onto something.  Doctor Who is more than just a TV show, for many of us.  It's something to belong to.

Of course, my Doctor has gone, now.  In his place, we have Peter Capaldi, whose Doctor is darker, less zany, a little harsher and seemingly still has many layers we've not reached, yet.  I'm enjoying finding out more about him and seeing where he - and his relationship with companion, Clara - will go next.

EYEBROWS.

Some people say that liking a sci-fi show makes you nerdy, as though that's a bad thing.  Me?  I'm proud of my nerdiness.  I'm thrilled to have found a show that delights and devastates me in equal measure.  It's something I can be passionate about and I have absolutely zero shame over that.  When you find something you love, who cares whether people laugh at you for it?!

Not me, that's for sure.  Happy birthday, new Who.  Here's to the next ten years.

PRESENTING: Emma's Top Ten Celebrity Crushes...

One has a mother-flippin' top TEN.

There are some questions that are just your average conversation pieces.  "How was your day?" For example.  Or: "Does my bum look big in this?"  But today during lunch, my best friend asked me a question which I've come to realise is something other people probably don't get asked quite so often:

"So, just who is your number one celebrity crush at the moment?"

Lydia asked me the question because I'm pretty much known for my celebrity crushes.  They are many and varied.  I've blogged about having crushes before, but during my lunch with Lydia today, we decided it would be hilarious if I actually came up with my current top ten celebrity crushes, along with reasons for them, in a chart-countdown kind of blog which will hopefully be just charming and witty enough to not make me seem like a massive, massive pervert...

So, greetings pop-pickers!  It's time for the top ten!

10. Ricky Wilson

Oh, Ricky.  So have I.

Ricky ticks several of my boxes (not a euphemism, people - keep it clean!).  He has a Northern accent, which I'm a bit of a sucker for, plus he's in a band.  It's definitely safe to say that over the years, I've had more crushes on singers or members of bands than I've had on actors or sports personalities.  Why?  I guess because of the confidence and charisma you've got to have to get up on stage and rock out.  And because music is so universal and such an important part of my life, that people who create it are just instantly more attractive in my eyes.

Speaking of eyes, Ricky has a pair.  You might have noticed them.  They're a lovely shade of blue and they're framed by eyelashes I would kill for.  Actually, I don't know whether I fancy his eyes, or whether I'm just a bit jealous of them.  Perhaps it's both.

9. Iwan Rheon

That hair, though.

Now, here's the thing.  When I have a crush on an actor, it's quite often originally based on a character they've played.  Such is the beauty of acting, I suppose...  Anyway, I was a huge fan of channel 4's Misfits, in which Iwan played a shy, slightly awkward character called Simon, who eventually became a superhero.  Yes, it was very realistic and totally plausible.  Anyway, I had a crush on Simon before I had a crush on Iwan, if that makes any sense.  But it turned out that Iwan plays guitar and sings.  He writes his own songs and... Well, as I said, that makes him instantly more attractive.  He's also Welsh and I'm a Manics fan, so you do the maths...

8. David Tennant

Oh, to be brave enough to use that as a chat-up line...

Remember what I said about crushes on actors coming primarily from the characters they play?  David Tennant was the FREAKING Doctor.  Characters don't come any cooler than a dude who travels through time and space, saving the universe like it's no big deal.  And this incarnation of the Doctor did it all whilst having amazing hair and a ridiculously cute, cheeky grin.

David's not just on this list because of his role in Doctor Who, though.  You see, this is where I get a bit weird... My biggest celebrity crushes have never been simply based on looks.  I've always been someone who likes people more based on their personality than their facial features.  So whilst it's not exactly a hindrance that David has big, puppy-dog eyes, just the right amount of stubble and a cute smile (and did I mention the amazing hair?!), one of the things that keeps him in the top ten is his general awesomeness.  He's funny, unafraid to take the piss out of himself (and the shows he's starred in), charming and unashamedly nerdy.  And that's basically my type in a nutshell.

7. Graham Coxon

Graham?  The camera's in front of you... Graham?  Oh, never mind...

Remember what I said about personality being just as important as looks, when it comes to my celebrity crushes?  Well if David Tennant is Exhibit A, here's Exhibit B.  Graham is sensitive and I have a major thing for a sensitive guy.  Basically, if you're not afraid to cry at Beaches, call me.  I have no idea whether Graham weeps at friendship-movies starring Bette Midler, but I do know that he's a sensitive soul.  He's also a musician/singer, so...  Yeah, there's that.  Plus, we all know I have a bit of a weakness for nerdy guys and Graham was always the nerdiest member of Blur (not that that stopped me from also fancying Damon Albarn...).  Graham was definitely the Richey Edwards of the band - the sensitive lyricist, who kind of made you want to protect him from the world.  

Which leads me nicely onto...

6. Richey Edwards

I'm not even going to attempt a witty comment.  He's too pretty.

Some people might think it's weird to have a celebrity on this list who's quite possibly (and certainly legally) dead.  But...  Bear with me.  It's my list and if I want a missing person on it, then damnit, I'm having a missing person on it.

Richey is one of those people who's not only here because of his looks, but we should probably address his looks, because... Damn.  Richey had huge, Bambi-like eyes, often ringed with perfect eyeliner, making him look like a slightly more masculine Audrey Hepburn.  Prior to shaving his head just before his disappearance in 1995, he also had what I would boldly refer to as PERFECT hair.  I mean seriously.  The hair.

*Attempts to ruffle the screen*

But my crush on Richey is, as I mentioned, about much more than his (admittedly near-bloody-perfect) looks.  He was hugely intelligent, deeply sensitive and incredibly passionate.  Yes, he also had more issues than you could shake a copy of The Holy Bible at, but he was always honest about them and that encouraged many people to speak out about their own emotional troubles.  And of course, his emotional troubles caused him to disappear almost exactly twenty years ago, never to be seen or heard of again, meaning not only that he will always be a beautiful twenty seven year old, bathed in mystery, but that I will always look twice at random beardy guys on the street, in case they look familiar.  Because you never know...

5. James Dean Bradfield

Why have ONE member of the Manics on my list, when I can have two?!

James Dean Bradfield is the lead singer of the Manic Street Preachers, the band from which Richey Edwards went AWOL back in 1995.  He's one of the most down-to-Earth celebrities I've ever met, one of the most incredible guitarists of his generation and he's responsible for writing the music to some of my favourite songs in the world.  If that doesn't explain his inclusion on this list, I don't know what does.

Oh and he's not tall.  I'm only five feet tall and I have a penchant for shorter guys, because they make me feel less like a total midget.  James fits that bill nicely.  I can stand next to him and look normal-sized:

Almost.

On stage, JDB exudes a level of charisma that has me merrily changing the lyrics to Manics songs in order to make them more about his general handsomeness.  I have no guilt.

More importantly, James is not just a celebrity crush.  He's my musical hero.

4. Danny Jones

I screen-capped a video and I am not ashamed.

Speaking of on-stage charisma, McBusted's Danny Jones has it in spades.  He also has a Northern accent and awesome guitar skills, so his place in this list is pretty much cemented.  I've had a "thing" for Danny since way back when he still had too much hair and fewer tattoos.  His ability to get an entire crowd singing his band's lyrics back at him and generally losing their minds with excitement is definitely something to do with that, as is his sense of humour and general "cheeky chappy" persona.  After seeing McBusted in Weston-Super-Mare, I unashamedly sung "Oh Danny Boy" to myself as I was getting ready for bed...  The thing is, you take someone good looking and funny, put a guitar in his hands and I'm pretty much done.

DONE, I tell you.

3. Matt Smith

Doctor, I feel faint...

My crush on Matt crept up on me, somewhat.  It's been around for at least 18 months, probably two years, but I never expected it.  I was a Tennant-fangirl and it broke my heart when the 10th Doctor regenerated into the 11th.  For most of Matt's first season as the Doctor, I kind of resented him and his floppy hair.  He wasn't David!  WHAT WAS A WHOVIAN TO DO?!

Then I decided to re-watch all of "new-Who" and when I got to Matt's first series, I finally gave him the time and appreciation he deserved.  And his acting in some scenes absolutely floored me.  It wasn't just prancing about like a giraffe, flipping his hair around.  He was good.  So good, in fact, that Matt piggy-backed over David Tennant and became my favourite Doctor ever.  His emotional speeches are second to none and he can do light and shade in a way that still takes my breath away when I watch certain episodes.

Plus, Matt always comes across as a funny, genuinely nice guy when you see him in interviews etc.  He's also in touch with his emotions - anyone who's seen the cast read-through of his final episode of Doctor Who, where he breaks down as he reads his last lines, can attest to his sensitive side.  That said, he has a silly side, too  - ever seen his mini Doctor Who episode, filmed with James Corden?!  Have a look on YouTube.  It'll make you giggle. 

And then there's the fact that he's unspeakably gorgeous.  That probably helps, too.

Yeah.  It helps.

2. Johnny Galecki

I have a tendency to get into things well after everyone else has.  Such was the case with The Big Bang Theory.  Once I did get into the show, I originally had a bit of a crush on Simon Helberg, who plays Howard, because he's just rather lovable and also cute.  But within a week or two of that crush forming and fading, I had switched allegiance.  Colour me Galecki.

Let's get the shallow bit out of the way first:  Johnny is gorgeous.  Those eyes, that jaw-line, his curly hair, that smile...  Even the lack of height (he's only 5'5") is a turn-on for me, what with my own short stature.  He has broad shoulders and he just looks like he'd be amazing to cuddle.  And I won't lie:  I definitely have "ability to give good hugs" on my crush-checklist.  Maybe I should have included Olaf from Frozen on here...  He likes warm hugs, right?!  Anyway, I digress...

Johnny is also intelligent and funny and a talented actor.  I recently read an interview in which he talked in depth about the emotional content of the sitcom he's most famous for and it was all I could do not to endlessly sigh, as he spoke about his affection for the series and for the characters within it. My brain just went: "Oh, he's so lovely and smart and emotionally intelligent..."

If you watch full cast interviews, he's also often the one who chips in with a slightly sarcastic, witty remark, rather than hogging the opportunity to talk.  Witty chip-ins have always been something I am a total and utter sucker for (if I'd written this list a couple of years ago, it would have featured at least 3 or 4 comedians), so that was a bit of a clincher, too, as was the fact that in those group interviews, you can tell he's honestly listening to what his cast-mates are saying, rather than twiddling his thumbs and waiting to get away (or at least, if he is waiting to get away, he's masking it pretty well - told you he was a good actor!).  He also has a rather enigmatic quality; every now and then, he'll smile to himself in a manner that makes me want to cry: "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, OH GORGEOUS ONE?!"  But I manage to keep that in, because... I'm not ready to entirely embrace insanity.

And I guess I probably have a crush on Leonard in The Big Bang Theory, too.  He's definitely my favourite character and, as Lydia and I agreed at lunch, the funniest person on the show.  

1. James Bourne

Can't. Handle. The cuteness.

 So why is James my number one?  Well, firstly, he's an incredibly talented (and frankly, underrated) songwriter.  Not only did he pen most of Busted's songs, but he's had a hand in a lot of McFly's as well, plus numerous other artists' singles have been either fully written or at least co-written by James.  Talent like that is a definite aphrodisiac.  Show me a cute guy and I'm happy.  Show me one who can also sing and play the guitar and I'm in Heaven.  James can do both (and I do believe he plays piano as well...) and he does them brilliantly.

He's also delightfully silly, wonderfully nerdy (he can quote so much of Back To The Future, I find myself wishing he'd just re-film it, playing every role himself...) and has a stage presence that makes me swoon.  James is just all kinds of awesome; one of the people on this list I think I'd genuinely get along with in real-life and someone whose Twitter page is well worth a follow.  I always say, slightly tongue-in-cheek that I can't just fancy a celebrity because they're hot, they have to be someone I think is a nice person as well.  I say it semi-jokingly, but the sad fact is it's true; I can't swoon over a gorgeous dickhead.  So it's handy that whilst he's lovely looking, James always comes across as just being lovely with it.  He has a sense of humour, he's clever and he's cheeky with it.  I think my biggest celebrity crushes have always been on people I reckon I could go out for a drink with and have an awesome time.  James fits that bill; I think he'd definitely make me laugh.

And on a shallow note... Look at those big blue eyes and that gorgeous, blonde, curly hair...  

SWOON.

And so there we have it.  Possibly the most shallow blog I've ever written, but after the last one being on such a deep, personal topic, it was kind of nice to write about something shallow!  

This list is, of course, subject to change (EDIT: And the top two have changed places at least twice since I wrote this blog originally...), but for now, the question asked of me at lunch time has been answered.  Who's my current number one crush?  Well, let's just say I could have called this blog "The Bourne Supremecy." ;-)

American Psycho Review

Judge not, lest ye be judged.  Or something.

I am a Whovian.  I am unashamed.  In fact, I wrote a whole blog about my love of Doctor Who just a couple of months ago.  I also have an enormous crush on Matt Smith.  And as the cherry on this particular Emma-cake, I am also a huge lover of musical theatre.

So, when it was announced that Matt Smith was to star in a musical adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' American Psycho once his time in the TARDIS was over, it was less a question of shall I go, more "WHEN CAN I GO?!"

And so, on Friday 3rd January, I found myself sitting in the tiny Almeida Theatre, desperately double and triple checking that I had switched off my phone.  Nobody needs to hear the Doctor Who theme tune going off at a pivotal moment, least of all Matt Smith, I'm sure...

The show starts with a bang.  There's no soft dimming of the lights whilst a pretty overture plays - it's a loud bang, sudden darkness and clever use of lighting and stage design to make you feel almost as though you're in a computer game - nothing feels real.  Whilst cast members are dotted around the audience to sing the show's opening number - Clean - Matt Smith appears on stage, rising through a trap door wearing nothing but a very small pair of white Y-fronts and an eye mask.  Note to self:  You're asthmatic.  You must remember to breathe when confronted with things like this...

Can  I make HIM my New Year's Resolution?!

If you're wondering how the hell anyone could make an enjoyable musical out of a story about a murderous psychopath, then you're not alone.  I warned my friend Lizzie (who not only came to see the show with me, but spent over four hours desperately trying to buy tickets online before she was finally successful) that it might be "gory, possibly disturbing and a bit weird."

Words I didn't use were "funny," "slick" and "massively entertaining, yet rather thought-provoking."  The truth is, I should have used those words, because that's exactly what American Psycho is.

"Funny?" I hear you cry (I should probably see someone about those voices in my head).  Well, yes.  The fact is, Ellis' original novel was a satirical tirade against consumerism and society's shallow obsession with things like looks and social standing.  So it's no surprise that this musical production takes those themes and cleverly weaves scenes and songs around them, to create humour amongst the blood and gore.  From the frankly hilarious ode to the humble business card (Patrick Bateman is not impressed to meet a rival whose card is better than his), to the deliberately witty portrayal of Luis and his unrequited love for Patrick, there are plenty of giggles to be had.  Duncan Sheik's clever lyrics manage to both mock the characters and their shallow lives, whilst somehow making them more real and understandable.  The girls may be somewhat vacuous, but there is "nothing ironic about (their) love of Manolo Blahnik."

The score is relentlessly catchy - all 80's electro-pop, with classic songs from the era thrown in amongst original numbers.  If you're struggling to picture it, think of a typical 80's music video with a serial killer randomly placed amongst the shoulder pads and you probably won't be far off the mark.  The era has been perfectly captured through the music, as well as the costumes and the set.  Early on in the show, Matt's Patrick Bateman lovingly points out his top of the range Sony Walkman, which gets a big laugh from the modern audience, with their smart phones and mp3 players sitting snugly in their bags.

The story is excellently told through Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's writing; the lines are sharp and witty.  The cast are clearly enjoying themselves on stage and why wouldn't they be?  The show is so cleverly put together that frankly, I wanted to join in.  Don't listen to Lizzie when she tells you I only wanted to be involved in the sex scenes...

Which brings me to Matt.  Aherm. 

I am well known for being a Matt fan girl.  I'm not even going to deny it.

This is the point at which I want to basically just go "OHMYGODHEISTHEBESTACTORINTHEWORLDANDHEISSOGORGEOUSANDHECANSING."  Instead, I will attempt to be slightly controlled...

Matt Smith is an incredible actor.  I knew this already (not only from Doctor Who) but this show proved it beyond all reasonable doubt.  Let's think about the character Matt was playing:  Patrick Bateman is a delusional, immoral, shallow individual who harbours murderous fantasies about his family and friends.  It's hard to like someone like that, at least at face value.  And yet Matt presented us with a version of Bateman that it was impossible not to feel something for.  He made him human.  Here was not simply a psychopath, but a rather frightened and deeply troubled individual who, for all his swagger and charm, had very little real confidence in himself and found that the world in which he lived left him feeling empty and anxious.  It was impossible not to harbour a little sympathy for him.  

Matt's portrayal was in a class of its own.  There were several layers to his Patrick Bateman - not an easy task, when the character seems, on the face of it, incredibly shallow.  Not only was Matt cold and calculating when he needed to be, but his delivery of the wittier lines was spot on; he could make me laugh one second and have me wanting to hide behind a cushion the next (maybe that's the Whovian in me).  

I may be biased, but this fan girl was thrilled with what she saw.  But in truth, the whole show was excellent.  I can't praise it highly enough.  It's a testament to it that my analysis at the end was: "I'd love to see that again; even if Matt wasn't in it."

So if - WHEN - this fabulous visual feast transfers to the West End, I implore you to buy a ticket.  Otherwise I'll have to cut you into tiny pieces and hide you in a bath tub...

Oh and to answer the question you may have in your heads...  No, I didn't get to meet Matt Smith.  I know.  I was gutted too.  But he did wave at me and smile and it was enough to make my day.  Thanks Matt.  :-)