Monday, July 20, 2009

Monday Odds & Ends: Who-vian outfits, periodic tables and cupcakes

+ It's a big day for "Doctor Who" fans: the first photos of Doctor Eleven in his new costume have surfaced. I'm just giving the link in case anyone considers it a spoiler. Count me in as liking the new look. What do you think?

+ Don't forget, "Torchwood: Children of Earth" debuts on BBC America tonight. Here's an interview with John Barrowman to tide you over.

+ Although I don't think there's been any word on when the final "Battlestar Galactica" offering, "The Plan" will air on SyFy, Universal has announced a release date for "The Plan" DVD...and it's going to be Oct. 27.

+ RiffTrax, one of the two Mystery Science Theater 3000 spin-offs, will be tackling the classic Ed Wood opus, "Plan 9 from Outer Space" on August 20 during a national cross-country screening at local theaters...much like what Ira Glass did with "This American Life" recently but probably with more jokes about cheese.

+ Have you seen this Periodic Table of Awesome? Anything that includes penguins and bacon on one beautifully illustrated chart is art to me.

+ Speaking of art, someone in Minnesota baked a 150-pound cupcake with 15 pounds of fudge filling and 60 pounds of yellow icing. And yes, it's been certified by Guiness as a world record cupcake. And yes again, it's on display at the Mall of America. Anyone else wish they'd been baked inside and could currently be eating their way out of it? Just me? Okay then.

19 comments:

Michele said...

The Eleventh Doctor's costume looks like a vain attempt by the execs to make baby-faced Matt Smith look older than 16. For me it doesn't work...

But I HATE the new look TARDIS - it's far too shiny for a ship that's been racketing about the universe for centuries. GIMME BACK *MY* TARDIS NOW, MOFFAT!

Liz said...

Yeah, the Tardis is super-shiny, isn't it? Is it just them trying to make it look better for HD? I'm a little bit worried to see what the inside will look like -- I heard that was getting a revamp as well.

Michele said...

Yes I suspect it is too accommodate filming in HD.

And yes, the interior's apparently been redesigned too. Boo! (I love the Coral desktop theme!)

Michael J. Narlock said...

Most probably I'm an idiot, but where have you seen new pics of the Tardis????

Michele said...

Here. I don't think they're actually up on the official BBC DW site yet...

Anonymous said...

I love the new Who outfits. Eleven's is kind of a throwback to Patrick Troughton, who also wore a bow tie. It's a little more muted than Ten's, but it's also comfortable, practical, and while it has a bit of an eccentric flourish, will still enable the Doctor to blend in with the crowds. (Go back and look at the gallery of classic Who costumes, and you'll know how truly blessed we are that the current producers have abandoned the fruity excesses of yore). That tweed jacket is just gorgeous.

I also love that they've costumed Karen Gillan to resemble a six-foot tall version of Willow Rosenberg. Seriously: the hip length tunic-sweater, the short skirt, the tights, the Converse basketball shoes. It's vintage Willow, circa season three of Buffy.

For anyone who'd like to check out Matt Smith's acting chops, I highly recommend the BBC series Party Animals. If you have a multiregion DVD player, you can order the set from Amazon.uk for about $22, including shipping. Matt was also in a cop/ mystery series called Moses Jones (with the uber-awesome Shawn Parkes), but his role is smaller, and it's quite a brutal production to sit through to get a bit of Matt. The plot is also very muddled and gives away its major twist like 20 minutes into the first episode.

Matt's role in Party Animals is much bigger, and you get a good sense of his range (it also helps that the entire drama is well-written, like a UK version of the West Wing). Matt Smith IMO will have no problem handling the demands of the Doctor's role.

You can also check him out as the adorable Jim Taylor in The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North, both of which are available on region one DVD. His role is a small but VERY colorful supporting character.

Liz said...

Oh my God, she IS a six-foot tall Willow Rosenberg. That's hilarious!

jessi said...

I LOVE the bowtie. And the rolled-up trousers. I'm curious about Amy Pond; am I the only one who hates when there's romance between the Doctor and his companion?

I'm sad I missed TAL in theaters, but I'll definitely be watching the in-theater Rifftrax. And that periodic table of awesome is great - thanks for sharing! :)

crone51 said...

outfit is fine. I just wish David Tennant was inside it.

crone51 said...

wait a minute... a 150 lb cupcake is by definition *not* a cupcake unless there is a very large cup involved. Right?

agent57 said...

My first thought about Eleven's look - I was reminded of a skit that referred to Ten's look as "Jarvis Cocker in space"... I think they've managed to top themselves on that count. But I also think I like it! I'm kind of excited, a feat which honestly the last few DW trailers haven't accomplished. A couple of people on LJ are hoping that the companion is wearing Ten's old shoes, too. I don't know, I think that would be cute.

Jessi - I loved Doctor/Rose when I first got into the show, but I am kind of burnt out after sitting through it, Doctor/Jack, Doctor/Martha, and Doctor/Rose AGAIN. I'm really hoping this relationship's platonic. (I was kind of hoping the companion wouldn't be a young girl to begin with, but whatareyagonnado?) I still miss Donna.

Michele said...

Doctor/Martha? There was NEVER any Doctor/Martha unless you're referring to that idiotic unrequited love they imposed on Martha and with which they then painted themselves into a corner.

Harper13 said...

I love his new look. I don't see what people all over the internet are complaining about. The doctor is SUPPOSED to look weird. if not a little goofy. I mean, lok at the past doctors. Hell, ten was wearing sneakers with a SUIT. Four had a fifty fool long rainbow Scarf. Five (or was it six?) wore a friggin' bit of vegetable on his lapel. Eleven puts on a tweed suit and a bow tie and everyone is lamenting that the show is RUINED FOR ALL ETERNITY AND OMG THEY WILL NEVER WATCH AGAIN.

I know people here aren't getting their panties in a knot, its mostly at the who livejournal. Haha, but I can't comment there.


On the side, does Matt kinda look like Alex Delarge from A clockwork Orange?? He reminds me of his for some reason. I guess they have a similar litso.

And I wonder how old the companion is, she looks EXTREMELY young.

Michele said...

Karen Gillan's 21. Don't suppose her character's much older than that.

agent57 said...

Michele - I was taking into consideration all RTD's Companion-loves-the-Doctor relationships, requited or not. It's just getting old.

Alexis - Strangely, all the reactions I've come across have been "Oh man I love it!" I guess I have a smaller overlap in my friendship/fanbase, though.

today's word verification: cyperms... hairstyles by droids, for droids?

alexis said...

Angent57 - Check out the Doctorwho livejournal community, They're acting like its the end of the world. Hahaa, but thats just a first impression.

Harper13 said...

That is to say, I've seen people vowing to not watch the new season because of Matty's CLOTHES. Are we so shallow as a fandom??

*crickets*

Probably. lol

agent57 said...

Alexis - I had to give up the main Who LJ comm... probably a year ago. The fanwank was just off the charts, about everything! I understand 40-some years of a show garners some expectations, but really! There seemed more crit than support on what was supposed to be a fan community.

I admit, I have an unnatural (some might say perverse) love for Ten's brown suit, and I'm gonna miss it, but tweeeeed. The greatest thing about the Doctor is he can turn into a completely different character while still being the Doctor! How else could the show survive for so long?

agent57 said...

Of course, I say this after being sad about them adding the blue suit to Ten's wardrobe. >_> But it didn't stop me from watching.