Gwynevere1

No, I don't know why I made the Fanworks Recs post a separate entry, either.

2008-09-04T22:25:56Z

FIC RECS:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Five Futures Full of Alcohol and Sex by Kyra Cullinan (NC-17) - I've mentioned a few dozen times before that I love "five things" fic. This one presents five possible post-"Chosen" future for Buffy. The Buffy/Faith one is my favorite and is completely what should have happened after Season Seven. Also, the future with Giles has stayed with me for years after I read it, and I'm not usually a fan of that pairing, particularly with this strong of a rating.

Doctor Who
Red Tape by dynapink (All Ages) - UNIT requires all its employees to fill out certain paperwork. The Third Doctor provides answers which he thinks are perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately for Benton, the Doctor's responses don't *quite* fit into UNIT's forms. The entire fic is giggle-worthy, but the final line is comic gold.

Object Impermanence by ponygirl (All Ages) - The Fifth Doctor comforts Nyssa after her home planet has been destroyed. This story is full of irony and, um, retro-foreshadowing, in light of the events of the new series.

Firefly / Whoniverse
Second Dance. Third Glance. by butterflykiki (PG-13) - River once met Jack when he was a Time Agent. She meets him again: three years in her future, and over six hundred years in his. River can sense that Jack has "changed," of course. She also understands how memory works, even over infinite time.

Torchwood
The Gwen Bashers by ghost2 (PG-13) - Superb send-up of Gwen-bashing fics. ghost2 parodies the extreme out-of-character-ness of these stories. This was actually a reaction to a Gwen-bashing challenge in a certain LJ community. No, I have no idea why someone would do that, either. Mocking is the best response.

gwynevere1 @ 2008-09-04T14:08:00

2008-09-04T19:15:49Z

sunnytyler001 has a poll on whether Doctor Who fans want Rose to return. I have mixed feelings. I haaaaaated "Journey's End" and felt that it did a disservice to the Doctor, Donna, and Rose. However, I can't really see where they would go from here.

If there were a Big Finish Audio or a tie-in novel about Pete's World, I would probably buy it (whenever I have money to spare, again), but I can't see an actual episode.

Who Watches Fandom Secrets? The final line is priceless.

lizbee offers articles on Secret Diary of a Call Girl in the Australian press over at dw_cast. I noticed that there is also a page on Billie Piper in the August 2008 issue of Marie Claire (US Edition), but I was in a waiting room, so I couldn't take it to scan it.

cleolinda has done recaps for 'Midnight Sun', the fifth book in the Twilight quartet. Even if you think you could not care less about Twilight READ THESE. Once again, with these recaps, my mother asked me why I was laughing so loudly--and she was two rooms away with the television blasting. Excerpt: I can't decide if it's horrible or hilarious. Hilarrible, maybe. bisty_icons made some great icons based off these recaps, too.

Also, someone should make a Doctor Who fanvid to this song

2008-08-26T22:14:41Z

nostalgia_lj has a poll on who was the most feminist New Who companion, Martha or Donna.

Yes, I realize who is not on that list, and, sadly, I have to agree with that omission.

I was originally so disappointed in Rose's ending, that I couldn't even muster the energy to to post an Internet rant (hence, the super-late response). I was absurdly happy when I read that Billie was returning to the show, because I hoping that we would see that Rose had moved on from the Doctor. Maybe she would always care about him in some way, but she was now happy, independent, more educated, and more mature -- that she was having a fantastic life in Pete's World -- and was only crossing universes since there was some crisis so severe that Alt!Torchwood couldn't handle it without the Doctor's help. Instead, we find out that Rose risked the integrity of two universes, because her life still revolved around some guy. I have trouble thinking of a more degrading--and less feminist--ending for Rose.

Although, about 50% of my bitterness might have been ameliorated if we had had some resolution between Jack and Rose, but that could still be rectified with DVD deleted scenes (although this is OT to the poll at hand).

FIC RECS:

Doctor Who
these are the echoes of stories never told by jeanne_dark (PG) - As cranky as I am about Rose's ending, I find the idea of Ten II/Rose very interesting as a plot bunny. I really like the idea that the half-human Doctor is willing to tell Rose about his past in ways that the original Doctor was too alien or too much of an asshat to reveal. I thought having the Doctor II draw his past selves and earlier companions was a nice touch, in light of the sketches in "Human Nature."

A Time and a Place that Shouldn't Exist by hllangel (PG) - I liked this attempt, set during "Turn Left," to fix the screwed-up continuity between Jack and Rose at the end of Season Four.
I found the image of Rose sneaking into the morgue to see the Doctor's body powerful. It stuck with me for days. I also think Rose not telling Jack the truth about his immortality being her fault (which she knows in the context of this story) both sadly and sincerely possible.

Yes, (Prime) Minister
A Completely Authorized Biography by lakester (PG) - doyle_sb4's search for fanfic from this show reminded me of this story: It is traditional that every Prime Minister should publish his memoirs on retirement. It is not traditional that he should write them. This fic captures the highly efficient insanity of the series.

Wait? I WHAT?

2008-08-23T18:38:12Z

Apparently, I am driving the crack_van for the Buffyverse in September. I'd forgotten I'd volunteered for that. Heh.

bethbethbeth is running a poll on people's fanfic writing and reading habits.

kinky_carter has a rather silly poll on what Doctor Who actors should do next. It cracks me up that the winning choice right now is "David should appear in an episode or two of Secret Diaries." Oh, *fandom.* When in doubt, you're answer will always be "porn." Don't ever change.

Unable to Accomplish Anything

2008-08-22T22:49:32Z

Why can I only reach voicemail boxes or automated e-mail replies: "Be Back in September"?

Is everyone but me at the beach? [/grr argh]

Sarah McLachlan's new single, "U Want Me 2," is available to stream on Spinner. It's beautiful and highly recommended.

Also, I'm increasingly convinced that Sarah Brightman watches Doctor Who, from her album covers alone:

Is Anybody There?

2008-08-21T22:24:17Z

No one is around. Apparently, the entire world is on vacation until after Labor Day.

bookishwench has bought a new car--and is toying with naming it "Elwood." Her last car was named Nora.

Am I the only one who find this strange (no offense meant to bookishwench)?

Outside of Lady Jane on Lovejoy calling her old car Miriam and Richard on Top Gear baptizing Oliver, I'd never heard of such a thing! (You will notice, I have never seen it in Real Life. Just on TV!)

Is naming a car common, and I'm the freak?

Then again, I was shocked to learn that people name their iPods. If I do ever buy an iPod, I'm naming it Tristan.

VID REC:

Doctor Who
Handlebars by flummery - This is the definitive Tenth Doctor vid. I kept thinking, "The lyrics and the images couldn't possibly get more in-synch...and, then, THEY DID." Ten does tend to ride through life without using the handlebars. The problem with that is that you tend to crash into people. If you love Ten, watch this vid. If you hate Ten, this vid will probably remind you why.

The Long Coat Is Rather Impractical

2008-08-11T00:15:31Z

Moffat wins his third Hugo Award, given further proof to my theory that I am the ONLY PERSON IN THE WORLD who hated "Blink."

The BBC wins my vote for best review of David Tennant in Hamlet:
Tennant also uses his hair to great theatrical effect. From the sleek combed-back style of his first scene, he ruffles it to display despair, rage and madness. It deserves a credit of its very own.

It usually does.

FIC RECS:

Discworld / Doctor Who
Death and the Definitely-Not-A-Maiden - Author withheld for dw_cross (12) - Oh, of course, Jack would get to know Death over the years. This whole fic is hilarious, and the dialogue between Jack and Death is priceless. My favorite exchange:

Jack had been chasing after the alien, jumped a bannister, started running down the stairs – then tripped on his coat, fell down the flight and broke his neck at the bottom.

THE LONG COAT IS RATHER IMPRACTICAL.

“That from a man who wears full length robes.”

Doctor Who / Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Worth the Monsters by radiantbaby (NC-17) - Yes, I *know*. I generally hate same-actor-different-role crossover fics, but this one works quite well. I liked how the author wrote Ten attempting to find a substitute for Rose, while simultaneously punishing himself for losing her and in denial over it. Basically, this worked, because Ten truly *is* that screwed up in the head! Oh, and because this fanficcer steered clear of any romance or schmoop between Ten and Belle.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell / Pirates of the Caribbean
Introduction to The Books of Caribbean Magic, 2nd Edition by jennyo (PG-13) - This is *such* a brilliant idea for a fic, it boggles the mind. In the late Eighteenth Century, naval and sailing memoirs were all the rage. jennyo imagines what Jack’s and James’s autobiography would have been like, if they had been written. After initial furor, both books fade into obscurity, until they are eventually rescued by the Friends of English Magic, who recognize the veracity and importance of the texts and combine them into a volume known as The Books of Caribbean Magic. jennyo flawlessly captures the tone of one canon and the characters of the other. Jack Sparrow would love to be remembered this way.

All the News that You May or May Not Be Able to Use

2008-08-06T18:26:56Z

Paige, Menzel, Barrowman and More to Be Part of Lloyd Webber's Birthday in the Park. The concert will be recorded and subsequently broadcast on Radio 2's "Friday Night Is Music Night" on Oct. 10.

Sarah Brightman to sing official Beijing Olympics theme song. Now, do I have to watch? Maybe I can wait for someone to put it up on YouTube.

cleolinda (she of m15m fame) has written the most hilarious commentary/recap of the 'Twilight' books. I had never even heard of this series until a few weeks ago, so, even if you have no interest in the books about sparkly vampires, I still sincerely recommend reading cleolinda's reviews. I was laughing so hard, my mother heard me on the other side of the house. The commentaries on Book 2, New Moon, and Book 3, Eclipse, were my favorites.

missmp has a Twilight-inspired naming meme based on the name the books' heroine, Bella Swann Cullen, gave her daughter, a portmanteau of the baby's grandmothers' names, Renee and Esme: Renesmee. No, really.

So, missmp asked If your mom was eighteen and got knocked up by a vampire, what would she have named you?

My answer: Franda or Yolances.

I'm not even sure how to pronounce the second one.

FIC RECS:

Doctor Who
Things that Stay the Same by goldy_dollar (PG) - I never actually thought Tennant was going any where at the end of "The Stolen Earth," but I think the possibility of what would have happened if the Doctor *had* regenerated at that moment is a really interesting plot bunny. goldy_dollar is the only author I've seen explore it.

Turnabout by jennyo (PG) - I've mentioned my love of jennyo's writing in other fandoms, so I was sincerely excited when she started writing DW fic. In this story, after putting up with the Doctor's asshaberdashery in "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood," Martha makes the Doctor take her to a location of *her* choice. jennyo's idea for just where and when Martha would want to visit is inspired yet in-character. Although, now it's the Doctor's turn to feel like a fish out of water.

The Music Man
Why by cyprith (K ) - Continuing my descent into Hell, this is the first The Music Man slash fic I ever encountered. I didn't know whether to love or to hate the author, either. I may have had nightmares about this fic. It was well-written, and I did enjoy it . . . in a kinda traumatizing way.

Slightly cracked

2008-08-01T12:59:35Z

I'm driving the Doctor Who crack_van this month. This is my first time driving for that fandom. I've taken the keys three times before for Pirates of the Caribbean.

FIC RECS:

Bones / Doctor Who
Nerd Alert (That time when Bones wanted to know how the TARDIS worked) (also available as a podfic) and its sequel The Hang of Thursdays by sophia_helix (G) - "Nerd Alert" is a Temperance Brennan/Tenth Doctor fic. That alone should make you want to read it. The author captures their voices spot-on, and their reactions to situations is perfect. "The Hang of Thursdays" occurs after the Doctor returns Bones to the Jeffersonian Institute--a week later than he promised. His driving never improves, does it? This could be a continuing series.

The Music Man
Watch by cyprith (T) - This is one of those times when it's a Good Thing that I'm already going to Hell for reading so much fanfic, because, otherwise, I'd be about to earn my one-way ticket: I'm reccing The Music Man slash. It's actually an interesting study of Marcellus, a character who's often overlooked in a fandom that doesn't have much fic in the first place. Plus, this story has the Best Disclaimer Ever: "If I owned Music Man, Marcellus would be the main character and River City would be made up of mostly gay men." This may be my new motto. Which would then cause me to lose all my friends.

The All-"Journey's End" Post (no, really, I'll get over it soon)

2008-07-22T19:41:13Z

A Teaspoon and an Open Mind now has THAT GUY from "Journey's End" as a searchable character, which makes finding post-JE fix-it fics easier. Thought I'd mention it.

META RECS FOR "JOURNEY'S END":

fan_eunice fixes everything. THIS IS CANON, especially as far as Rose is concerned.

heavenstruezest also has thoughts, which presume that Rusty knows what he's doing as a storyteller and isn't just pulling this out of ~~his backside~~ thin air.

FIC RECS:

The Rather Odd Couple by rosa_acicularis (Teen) - The problem I've had with most post-JE fics is how schmoopy and romance novel-y they are. *This story*, however, is exactly how I'd expect Ten II and Rose to go: all crack!fic and squeaky teddy bear and the Doctor's newly discovered human sex hormones and me wondering if the Tylers are going to have to stock up on hair gel.

Also, honorh's comment to this fic is right: Ten (in all forms) is an untrained puppy.

Her Doctor by spastasmagoria (PG) [WIP] - On the off chance that fan_eunice's meta is not canon, this fic is (look, I have a contingency plan). No, really, this is exactly how Ten II and Rose would get engaged and have a baby. Not with flowers and chocolate and rainbows and romance and more schmoop, but with the Doctor's petrifying fear of Jackie Tyler and a few holes in the universe. This whole story is so quotable, but this part:

Rose sighed. “My mother planned my wedding before I was even asked, and a certain gorgeous brown-eyed idiot told my mother I was pregnant.”

“You’re pregnant!”

Taking a portfolio out of her bag, Rose rolled her eyes. “Keep it quiet.”

“How long?”

Pulling some papers out, Rose handed them over to Toshiko. “Worst part? He tells my mother I’m pregnant yesterday morning. Going by the sales receipt on the ring—oh yeah, I’m engaged, did I mention that?” she flashes the rock—blue and silver and terribly practical. “Anyways, he tells her this some time before ten,” she goes on, Tosh twisting her hand around to look at the stone from every conceivable angle. “I was not impregnated until four fifty-five. And yes, I have an exact time, he kept a detailed log of all attempts.”

Tosh snorted. “So male. The little black book of conquests. But look at that. It’s gorgeous.”

“You’re not even going to ask about this impregnation thing?” Rose was disappointed.

Looking up from the ring, Tosh shrugged and went back to ogling. “OH no. He came by my desk two weeks ago to ask about the effects of a not-so-sonic screwdriver on the ovulation process. I just hope he didn’t overtune the thing and explode your ovaries. He didn’t do that, did he? Because I told him…”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Ok. I love him. But... there are times…You know, sometimes I hate him. I mean, really really hate him. I could kill him, chop him to pieces, and turn him into stew. And no one would notice. They’d say…hmm… this Doctor. He tastes like chicken.”

Nearly broke me.

ETA: VERY SPOILERY discussion of "Journey's End" now in the comments. Proceed at your own risk. ;)

E(again)TA: Link fixed for second story rec.

Did you know shouting "DO NOT WANT" at the screen does not, in fact, change what is happening?

2008-07-17T15:39:56Z

Oh, Andrew. Your first clue should have been that you needed to get your audience drunk first.

stefanie_bean responds with her horror at the cliche of Profaning the Sacred Vessel Worthy Only to Carry Erik's Very Special Sperm.

my_daroga responds with a Crack!fic Explanation (even if I'm now having the horrible and horrifying thought of this playing out with the Tenth Doctor, Rose, and THAT SPOILER from the season finale, instead of Erik, Christine, and Raoul).

Sarah Brightman possibly responds with a restraining order. Perhaps for Christmas.

ETA: Cross-posted to _vicomte_love_.

FIC RECS:

Doctor Who
When Luck Runs Out by wendymr (PG) - So, I hated "Journey's End." A lot. Like, to the point where I couldn't even make a coherent LJ post about it. To the point where I was going around swearing off Doctor Who for good.
However, wendymr seems determined to make me like this show again, by reminding me of just what I loved about it in the first place, with this wonderful Nine/Rose/Jack piece (so, no actual spoilers for Season Four in the story). Diabolical of her, really. I mean, how can I keep hating something that inspires wonderful moments like:
"Whatever you do when you leave me an’ go back home, don’t go back to workin’ in a shop.” His expression’s very serious, hands buried deep in his jacket pocket, eyes focused intently on her in a way that makes her breath catch. “Get some qualifications, Rose. Do somethin’ that makes you happy, ‘stead of just somethin’ to get by on. Do that for me. No, don’t do it for me,” he amends quickly. “Do it for you. An’ for your dad, and for your mum.”

Journey's Beginning by malicehaughton (T) - So, to manage my JE-induced anger, I asked over at dw_ficsearch for any fics where Rose and 10.2 don't work out as a romantic couple, and I was directed to this story. I liked that it's from Jackie's POV. She's an underused character in fanfic, and she's being burdened with 10.2 as much as Rose. (Seriously, at the end of JE, I was wondering whether 10.2 was going to be sleeping on Jackie's couch.) Her simultaneous instincts both to mother him and to slap him were right in-character. Also, the blue bunny just about killed me (even if it was not, apparently, a shout-out to donutsweeper).

Earth Hospitality also by malicehaughton (K) - The above rec lead me to read the author's other fic, and this one was my favorite. What a great idea for a story! Jackie being the first to teach the Doctor and Susan about tea and human hospitality. Also, Jackie not being phased when she figures out that her guests are aliens *and* then working out just who her guest-alien is! Plus, “Oh, no, my dear woman. We have no idea of our destination, or where we will end up next. So there’s no possible way we could be lost.” is *so* One.

Is it safe to come out of my wankshelter, yet? [Doctor Who]

2008-07-08T18:36:52Z

sparking_off has made a lovely Fifth Doctor/Tegan fanmix.

FIC RECS:

The Girl on the Horse by orange_crushed (PG) - This is my favorite "The Girl In the Fireplace" "fix-it" fic. I love a strong heroine Rose.

Life on Mars by dune_drd (None) - I *knew* someone would have to do Jack on Sontara. That was just too good of a plot-bunny to pass up--and dune_drd's solution is MADE OF AWESOME.

Maestro by honorh (All Ages) [WIP] - Rose meets Alt!Jacobi!Master in Pete's World (who eventually regenerates into Alt!Simm!Master, don't worry). I adore honorh's idea of the dynamic between and history of Alt!Doctor and Alt!Master. It's close enough to their "real" story to be believable but tweaked enough to make it interesting. The bit about the Doctor saving the Master, to be the Last of the Time Lords, was the best part.

Also, when the Master was talking about the end of all things, yet did something as mundane as reach for a chocolate biscuit, I giggled at the juxtaposition.

Also, wendymr finished Weaving. I mentioned it before here, but I wanted to bring it up again, now that it's complete, because I know some people won't read WIPs.

Journey's End

2008-07-03T15:36:00Z

To answer my question from the other day, Sci Fi will be broadcasting the full 65-minute season finale of Doctor Who, from 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

How is it still not Saturday?

2008-07-03T14:47:04Z

Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera Hits 8,500 Performances July 3 at the Majestic.

Lloyd Webber and Rice's First Musical, The Likes of Us, Released for Amateur Productions:
The performance rights for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's first musical collaboration, The Likes of Us, written shortly after they met in 1965, has been made available for amateur groups through the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA). . . .

The musical is based on the true-life story of Dr. Thomas Barnardo, whose 19th-century crusade to rescue abandoned or orphaned children living on the streets of London led him to set up homes to house them. The first "Home for Destitute Boys" opened in 1870, with a sign on the door saying, "No destitute child ever refused admission – Open All Night." For the amateur productions, the Really Useful Group . . . will donate a portion of its own share of receipts to Barnardos until the end of 2010. . . .

Eric Smart, Chairman of the Trustees for NODA, commented, "Andrew Lloyd Webber is our Patron, and we are most grateful to him and Tim Rice for agreeing to release The Likes of Us to the amateur sector before a professional release. That in itself is truly unique and this innovation deserves to be widely recognized."

ETA: Alan Cumming is playing Dionysus in The Bacchae at Lincoln Center. If I happen to win the lottery between now and when the run ends ~~and have any money left over from paying off my car loan and law school loans~~, I'm definitely going, and I'm taking stefanie_bean with me.

FIC RECS:

Doctor Who (to the surprise of no one who can't believe it's *still* not Saturday)
Composed of Nows by indiana_j (PG-13) [links to final chapter, which links back to previous parts] - At first, I thought this Jack-falls-through-the-void-and-ends-up-in-Pete's-World fic (which I found through available_very) was going to be too similar to doyle_sb4's They Came To Norway To Eat Our Brains (which is, easily, one of my Top Ten Favorite Doctor Who fanfics). However, I think the author distinguished this story enough, since doyle_sb4's fic had Rose and Mickey find Jack upon his arrival, since they were working for Alt!Torchwood, whereas indiana_j has Jack investigating Rose and her whereabouts, like a mystery.

My favorite bit from Jack's search for info on Rose:
The [newspapers] wrote about Pete's business with Torchwood and public works; how Jackie had been seemingly changed for the better by the escape from the Cybermen; what Rose was wearing (and in one case, what she wasn't wearing. Jack firmly approved and added that to his growing folder. For scientific reasons, of course).

How the Doctor Got His Friend by donutsweeper (G) - wintercompanion's current challenge is AU, and donutsweeper rises to the challenge by giving us one of the crackiest AUs of them all: The one in which they are all stuffed animals. No, really. Aunt Barbara gives Susan a teddy bear, dubbed Doctor Bear -- AND I AM OVERWHELMED BY THE CUTENESS OF IT ALL! Having the entire series be a child's imaginary adventure would explain a lot, actually. I have only one complaint: Why is Rose a pink bunny, when, obviously, she should have been a pink wolf? ;)

Untouched by Frost by dameruth (NC-17) [WIP - only 4/12 complete - links to the most recent chapter, which links back to the previous parts] - Yet another Rose-returns-from-Pete's-World OT3 fic. HOWEVER, what piqued my interest in this story was Rose's reason for returning now. Usually, in this genre of fics, Rose has been trying all along to get back or suddenly finds a deus ex machina gadget to slip through the void. In this story, however, Rose is visited in an evocative dream by a she-wolf, who guides her way. I love the imagery, and I also love that Rose finds Jack first, before the Doctor. I'm a complete sucker for Jack and Rose or Jack/Rose (as I've mentioned many times). Actually, when they're together, they tend to prove that I am, in fact, twelve-years-old and just pretend to be above the drinking age -- a pretense which might be useful come Saturday.

Summon New Entry

2008-07-02T16:55:23Z

According to The Stage: Plans for a concert performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, in which Lee Mead was scheduled to take a starring role, have been put on hold.

The concert, organised by BBC Radio 2, was being lined up to coincide with Lloyd Webber’s 60th birthday this year and was expected to include Mead as Raoul and American pop star Josh Groban as the Phantom.

However, it will not now go ahead as planned this year because Lloyd Webber is too busy with his other commitments.

Instead, it is understood that the proposal will be looked at again in the next year or so.

A spokeswoman for Lloyd Webber said: “The Phantom concert is a great idea but it is proving impossible this year, so we will revisit it in the future. Andrew is working on a sequel to The Phantom of the Opera as well as his Oliver search on the BBC, so his diary is chocka. With something at the Albert Hall, you can’t organise it at the drop of a hat.”

A spokeswoman for BBC Radio 2 declined to comment.

Oh, WHATEVER, Andrew. Surely, you could have given up American Idol for this -- or, better still, that idiotic Phantom sequel. Although I can't stand Josh Groban, so feel free to re-organize this any time, with someone who can actually emote in the title role. Not that I totally wouldn't have bought the album and/or recorded it off the radio, anyway.

cryptile re-creates the Doctor Who episode "The Stolen Earth" as a game of Magic: The Gathering. It is all sorts of brilliant. Needless to say, there are MAJOR SPOILERS for that episode in that post. Just to give you a sample:

Daleks: Summon Nick Briggs. While Daleks are in play, add +3 Emo Counter to any and all Time Lords. Daleks cannot be blocked or paintgunned.

Torchwood: Summon B-Squad. If played alongside Doctor Who Continuity Cross-Over, Torchwood gains +3 Competency Points but loses 2 Adult (Snort) No Really Counters for duration of finale.
...
Davros: Summon Stock Bastard. Davros can only be blocked by players who saw this coming last season.

Regeneration: Summon Ratings Ploy. Target Time Lord is unchanged. At end of finale, bury Regeneration.

Also, I'm curious to see how Sci Fi decides to broadcast "Journey's End," considering that its run time is listed as 65 minutes. Maybe it will show the season finale of SJA at 8:00 PM again and show "Journey's End" at 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM? Both Sci Fi's website and The Futon Critic still have it listed as between 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM. I hope it doesn't try to cut down a 65 minute program to a 42-ish minute broadcast. Did I just jinx it by asking this?

FIC RECS:

Doctor Who/Torchwood
I'd Rather Madness by sister_luke (R) - Oh, this is GORGEOUS. I mean, I knew from the beginning of this fic that *something* was out of whack with the world, because Jack's life was just *too* perfect, what with having Rose as his girlfriend/partner, Owen and Tosh together and happy, and Ianto still having a non-Cyberized Lisa. The universe just hates Jack too much to let that much happiness happen to him. However, I couldn't figure out *what* exactly was wrong, until I kept reading. Jack's pain at the end is visceral.

Affectionate Snark

2008-06-19T14:53:29Z

As I commented to artic_fox: We all know Rusty desperately wants to be Joss Whedon, but did he really have to give the Doctor his own Scooby Gang? (Casting spoilers for last three episodes of Season 4/30)

Open Letter to Whovians

2008-06-18T18:14:18Z

Dear Whodom:

Could you possibly refrain from burning Russell T. Davies in effigy until after you see the last three episodes of this season? While you are entitled to your opinions, there is no reason to threaten grievous bodily injury based on what you think is going to happen from a trailer, promo photos, or set reports, all of which are notoriously unreliable, as far as plot is concerned. At the very least, could you wait to purchase the tar and feather until Saturday evening?

Regards,
gwynevere1

ETA: Comments now contain casting spoilers for the last three episodes.

Is "Linkspam" TM cleolinda?

2008-06-13T15:31:43Z

Via artic_fox: An unintentionally hilarious article from the Daily Mail about David Tennant's love life, complete with amateur psychoanalyses of him and Georgia Moffett and highly reliable sources like a maid who once worked at a hotel where he stayed once saw him having coffee with, like, a girl!!1!

Via fabu: A post from jo_graham about "true love" in fiction and real life, especially interesting regarding its understanding of how women are often (unfortunately) portrayed when you adhere too strictly to that concept:
But in fiction at least if the female protagonist doesn't marry the first man she loves, she's either a Big Old Slut or "settling".
Fandom, I'm looking at *you*.

fauxkaren's review of "Silence in the Library"/"Forest of the Dead" cracks me up [Only MINOR SPOILERS for those two episodes under this cut, but MAJOR SPOILERS for the episodes in that link]:

What I mean by the lazy writing is well... This is how I imagine Moffat's writing process went. He had some ideas about an entire planet of books and carnivorous shadows. He sat down at his laptop to write, but he couldn't think of ways to make it all work, so he got a beer and put the Matrix in his DVD player. He finished the movie and opened a bag of chips, but he still wasn't feeling inspired. So he the rest of the weekend he watched the entire previous three seasons of Doctor Who. He had a good time and a few more beers, so perhaps he was a bit tipsy and laughed a little too much at some of his own writing.

We also finally have a title for Season 4 (or 30), Episode 12 [Press release spoilers in link; snarking on minor spoilers under cut]: Eh, I don't think "The Stolen Earth" is so spoilery that they had to be all MI-5 about it the whole time. I'd have understood if the foiler title of "War on Skaro" were true. Even "Daleks Do Davros" was better.

Also,
Earth's greatest heroes
I didn't know the Justice League were making a guest appearance.

Finally, via torchwood_tv: Torchwood executive producer Julie Gardner has confirmed that a third series of Torchwood will start filming in August. The new series will comprise one continuous story told over five one-hour episodes on BBC1, with episodes by Russell T Davies and other as yet unnamed writers.
http://torchwoodtv.blogspot.com/2008/06/turning-you-upside-down.html

So, Rusty is actually going to be writing for Torchwood this year, and episodes implies > one. Therefore, at least 40% of Torchwood next year is going to be Rusty. Any chance that the other 60% will be Catherine Tregenna?
ETA: honorh pointed out in the comments that the structure of that sentence could mean that there are episodes written by RTD and four other writers.

Doctor Who has eaten my brain [FIC RECS]

2008-06-11T19:49:14Z

...in that way that your fannish activities become consumed with one fandom, even though you still love your old ones and have a HUGE backlog of recs you want to make for those fandoms.

At Last by doyle_sb4 (All Ages) - Is the Doctor's complete inability to express his feelings a Time Lord thing or just a guy thing? In this fic, it's not that the Fourth Doctor doesn't know what to say to Romana II, it's that he doesn't realize he should actually say it. *sigh* Men.
Also, the Doctor should really know better than to expect K-9 to fetch sticks.

Blood From A Very Tall Stone by nostalgia_lj (PG) - The author labels the pairings for this fanfic as: "Doctor/Romana, Romana/Duggan, Doctor/Doctor's Ego," which is really the best description of it. This fic, told almost entirely in dialogue, is perfectly in-character for the Fourth Doctor and Romana II (again). They're, in equal parts, snarky and serious, with the Doctor (as always) failing to communicate on an epic level--but without his ego ever realizing that he could, in fact, fail at something.

A Cuddle for a Dalek by spastasmagoria (All Ages) - Craaaaaaaaaaack. A Dalek has a programming malfunction, and, instead of wanting to exterminate everyone, it wants to cuddle everyone -- and I do mean everyone, across space and time. It's victims include Ian, Mickey, Ace (well, it's more Ace's victim), Jack and Gwen, the Eleventh Doctor, and Peri's breasts.

(By the way, I found the above fic through isiscaughey's Multi-Era Doctor & Rose recs.)

Jack and the Princess by gilascave (PG/gen) - THIS FIC REDUCED ME TO CAPSLOCK OF FANGIRLY SQUEE! It is gorgeous, and gilascave captured the Nine/Rose/Jack dynamic perfectly, especially what Jack brings to the group. I giggled at the governmental library being the most amazingly tedious library ever invented and the forms it takes to get you out of slavery taking longer to fill out than just serving out your time. Jack and Rose's sojourn was wonderful, and Jack *would* have a completely improbable story about being sold into slavery that may or may not be true. Also, I totally did not see the ending coming, even though, reading it over again, gilascave (aka zortified) did set up the Chekhov gun in the first act.

Observations on Geometry by misscam (Adult) - I liked math in school. I actually miss math, at times. Some days, I consider chucking it all in and becoming a math teacher. Sadly, I still suspect that none of my classes could be like this fic, determining the various sexual positions in which three people could arrange themselves. Although, I do think that if more math classes were like this story, which somehow succeeds in raising itself above OT3 PWP, I think more students would come to enjoy math.

I'm going to try to work "predatory Scottishness" into every conversation.

2008-06-04T14:21:10Z

Fannish "News":

Five episode run for 'Torchwood' in 2009. I'm hoping the decrease in quantity means an increase in quality. Meanwhile, it's always interesting to watch fandom implode.

Lawrence Miles, who has written some tie-in Doctor Who novels (never read 'em) and once wrote a script set in a library, lets forth a deliciously insane rant against Steven Moffat. You have to love a fandom so old that the fanboys are running the asylum.
Some highlights:
I like Star Wars because of its dynamism, its scope, its technique, its sheer artistry. Moffat likes Star Wars because Han Solo's dead cool and there's lots of sexy hardware.
...
"Moffat"! Somehow, I find it impossible to think of him as "Steven". I can comfortably refer to the man who dropped my manuscript down the back of a shelving-unit as "Gareth", or the man who gave us Donna Noble as "Big Russell", and yet… perhaps it's his snarling, predatory Scottishness, but Moffat's name is one that has to be snapped.
....
To an extent, he's the Doctor Who version of Neil Gaiman, a writer who's prepared to contrive his storylines with near-clinical precision to make sure that (a) the right demographic groups are interested and (b) he gets to look like a rock star.

I, for one, don't know what "predatory Scottishness" is, but can I try it out with David Tennant or John Barrowman?

Fandom responds the best way it knows how: with porn (NWS).

Speaking of Tennant, he's apparently dating Georgia Moffett. It's not like I didn't already know Tennant was a slut, but this coupling amuses me for some reason. While the rational part of my brain is saying, "It's their business, not yours. As long as he's broken up with the previous girlfriend and not cheating on anyone, there's nothing wrong with it." Unfortunately, the louder, less logical part of my brain is screaming, "WHY ARE YOU DATING YOUR OWN DAUGHTER, DOCTOR!" The fiction/reality line in my brain is slowly evaporating.

FIC RECS and one other thing...

2008-05-30T19:37:28Z

I left my current theories on Doctor Who spoilers over at meddow's journal. Just thought I'd mention it.

FICS RECS:

Doctor Who
Delicate Condition by wendymr (unrated) - The TARDIS becomes pregnant...because of Jack.
I...really don't know what else I could possibly add!

NCIS
Fair Winds and Following Seas by iamsab (D for Death and Destruction) - This is such an original idea for a fic: the end of the world through Abby's eyes. I actually had a lump in my throat by the end.

I loved the in-character details in this: Bert the Hippo; Ducky having a random yet applicable story about pancakes; DiNozzo staying with Kate in the morgue all night; Ducky reading a eulogy; Abby synthesizing a caffeine drink while in quarantine; etc.

Although, is there actually something called Goodbye Kitty?
ETA: The author responded to my question in the comments, and, yes, Goodbye Kitty does exist.

Pirates of the Caribbean
A Suitable Distraction (For the Safety of Your Immortal Soul) by jadeddiva (PG-13) - James really is Elizabeth's bitch. Worst of all: he *knows* it. She's manipulative and selfish and uses men terribly. The author captures their dynamic so well. Make sure to read the Author's Notes for this one.

The Taste of Freedom by dreamlandburns (R) - "The Taste of Freedom" involves Jack, Will, Pintel, Barbossa, Ragetti, Elizabeth, and Tia Dalma locked in the same brig. This *can't* end well. Jack snarks; Pintel and Ragetti speculate; Tia Dalma and Barbossa snog. Things get worse when Elizabeth is called to Norrington's quarters, leaving a frustrated Will to get romantic advice from Jack and Barbossa. Heh.

Events then take a 180 in its companion piece The Taste of Defeat.

The Ties That Bind Us by artic_fox (PG-13) - In case you've been living under a rock or are just new to this LJ, I'm a sucker for good Norribeth *coughs*icon*coughs*, in general. What artic_fox expresses so well about them, in particular, in this gorgeous fic is their failure to communicate. These two need a Wonderfalls stuffed bass or chameleon puppet to help get their words out.

A totally separate RECS entry

2008-05-29T18:11:44Z

FIC RECS:

Angel
Future Imperfect by jennyo (R) - In which Lilah Morgan has meaningless sex, eats onion rings, has more sex, falls in love, commits adultery, has a catfight with Buffy, and watches "a damn hobbit movie." Jennifer-Oksana is *the* definitive Lilah writer (I may have mentioned that before), and she's said that this is one of her favorite fics that she's written.

Doctor Who
Passing Notes by adaliafic (Teen) - My favorite thing about New Who isn't the acting nor the plotting nor the dialogue nor the special effects nor the score: It's those little yellow Post-It notes on the TARDIS console. I just love that, despite having the move advanced technology in all of time and space, the best way to remind yourself of something is still a brightly colored note stuck some place you're bound to see it.

In this story, set in the popular post-LotTL AU, where the Tenth Doctor and Simm!Master are actually attempting to live together on the TARDIS, the Master decides to communicate with the Doctor only through Post-It notes, stuck everywhere around the TARDIS. What makes this fic distinct is that the author actually draws the Gallifreyan messages and photographs them in appropriate locations. Brilliant!

The Phantom of the Opera
Rosebuds by elyse24601 (K) - Basically, all the reivews for this fanfic were some variation of "Aw!" I agree with them--it's lovely Raoul/Christine fluff.

Torchwood
A Wise and Whirling Heart by kalliopeia (PGish) - I just discovered that kalliopeia writes fan fiction (under kallific), and I thought this was her best piece. I was surprised to see it hadn't received any other comments (unless, of course, it received comments when cross-posted to communities I don't frequent).

Anyway, someone would have to clean up the blood and gore in the Hub post-"Exit Wounds," and it makes sense that the someone would be Ianto. It's a plot bunny that seems like it should have been obvious and necessary--yet, I've never seen anyone else write it before.

X-Men
Somewhere To Be by likeadeuce (PG-13/T) - It's so rare to find a well-written Scott. Poor Scott gets so abused by fan fiction writers. Why do so many insist on making him whiny and foppish? (Scott:Raoul::Logan:Erik, yes?) Cheers to karabair for Strong!Leader!(but still Emo!)Scott.

VID REC:

Buffyverse
Remember Me by anr - The last set of recs I did, I mentioned my favorite vids by one of my favorite vidders, anr. Except, I forgot this one. Set to "Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles, this is a smart, well-paced character study of Faith.

gwynevere1 @ 2008-05-29T11:22:00

2008-05-29T15:31:56Z

View Poll: Another V. Important Poll

As for the poll from yesterday, I did end up volunteering to do an updatd fanfic recs list for my James Norrington/Elizabeth Swann essay, since that won't take me that long, comparatively (despite that choice receiving no votes). Four other ticky boxes are tied. Someone help me make up my (fannish) heart!

Poll of Srs Bizness

2008-05-28T18:25:11Z

ship_manifesto is looking for people to update essays, to include new canon and new fanworks.

View Poll: Check all that apply.

I've also thought about writing a ship_manifesto about Anya/Xander, but I've never been able to get my mind around "Hell's Bells," and I somehow doubt that an entire rant on "IT IS SO OOC FOR XANDER TO DO THAT!!!!" is exactly what they want.

RECS of epic sufferings and mushy breakfasts

2008-05-27T17:46:19Z

FIC RECS:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Whoniverse
Angels and Drums by mhalachaiswords (FR13) - First of all, while I can appreciate how parts of this fic could work as a cool standalone ghost story, even without the fanfictional elements, I see no reason why there had to be a ghostly stuffed rabbit. Anya would not approve!

Despite the bunny-induced trauma, I liked Dawn and Jack snarking on each other's fashion sense, despite being in a haunted house which was trying to kill them. I also enjoyed how the author captured Jack's voice, the explanation for why Buffy could remember The Year that Never Was, and Dawn being the Key to Jack's lost memories. Also, meta jokes about Tinkerbell!Doctor never get old.

Doctor Who
Domestic Bliss by calapine (PG) - So, in the new mid-season trailer, Rose is carrying around a Big Damn Gun and causing Big Damn Explosions. This lead me to the Perfectly Logical Conclusion that Rose's rumored New Significant Other in Pete's World *has* to be Ace, since you can't have Big Damn Guns and Big Damn Explosions without Ace. ::nods::
Hence, I went off in search of Ace/Rose fics . . . and, instead, found Jenny/Simm!Master fic. This is par for course for my fic searches in this fandom.

Yes, I know. Jenny/Simm!Master is DIRTY and WRONG and WRONG and DIRTY--which is, naturally, why I like it.
Although, I love the soggy cornflakes of emo!Time Lord loneliness even more.

The whole mess is the Doctor's fault, anyway: And the Doctor had invited the Master onboard so that they could all live together as a happy dysfunctional family. They'd managed the dysfunctional part quite well.

Also, Jenny does have a point that the Master is less genocidal than the Doctor--but isn't everyone less genocidal than Ten?

VID RECS:
For some reason, I've never recced any fanvids by anr, despite her being a wonderful vidder. I could probably go with anything on her site, but three vids that truly stand out to me are:

Do What You Have to Do (Angel) - This vid can be seen as either Faith/Wesley or as a character study focusing on Wesley, with him concentrating on his failure at being the Watcher Faith needed and how that's constructed the rest of his life. Also, I'm a sucker for anything off Surfacing.

Something Special (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) - Cordelia vids are rarer than they should be--and a Cordelia vid that focuses on her time in Buffy is a true oddity. Set to "Crash! Boom! Bang!" by Roxette (English language version).

For Love (Due South) - Here's something I never expected to find, let alone rec: a het Due South vid. This is Fraser/Thatcher, set to "For You" by Tara MacLean. Everything in life would be improved if it included mounties snogging on top of a moving train.