Author: Michael Falkner

Culture on My Mind – Disney Investor’s Call 2020: Addendum

Michael Falkner1 Comment

Culture on My Mind
Disney Investor’s Call 2020: Addendum
December 21, 2020

Since it was just announced, I have one addendum to my post about the Disney Investor’s Call: The Book of Boba Fett.

The news was dropped at the end of The Mandalorian‘s season finale, and it was formally announced on December 21st.

Now, among things that shouldn’t need saying with the actual words being right there in the tweet and Facebook post, this is a new series, not the third season of The Mandalorian. A new series that Disney couldn’t talk about at the investor’s call because it would spoil the back half of a currently airing production.

Nevertheless, certain geek websites and YouTube talking heads insist that Temuera Morrison and Boba Fett are replacing Pedro Pascal and Din Djarin because of behind the scenes “drama” or some bantha poodoo.

Don’t give them the oxygen or the credit. They’re lying to you.

Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett is coming in December 2021. The Mandalorian is slated to return for a third season soon after that.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Continues

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Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics Continues
December 21, 2020

The folks at the Dragon Con American Sci-Fi Classics have been continuing to churn out content. It’s been a few weeks since I checked in with them, so here’s a bit of catching up.

On October 22nd, they celebrated Halloween with Tar Man, Bub, Barbara’s Brother, and More: Our Favorite Zombies! This panel included Jason Gilbert and Samantha Bryant.

On October 29th, Felicity Kusinitz and Rick Terault stopped by to discuss the 45th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Also on October 29th, Gary and Joe were visited by Beth Van Dusen and Lola Lariscy to chat about horrific children in Tender Lumplings: Our Favorite Evil Kids.

On November 5th, they took a dive into local children’s television shows from the age of youth on Jabberwock & Vegetable Soup: Obscure Children’s Shows. The panel included Kevin Eldridge, Felicity Kusinitz, Deanna Toxopeus, and Sherman Burris.

On November 11th, Keith R. A. DeCandido stopped by to talk superheroes on Talkin’ Tights & Capes with Keith DeCandido.

On November 12th, I joined in the fun as Gary Mitchel celebrated a birthday with the tradition AMA (Ask Me Anything) panel.

On November 19th, it was All Things V! Graciously Welcoming Our Lizard Overlords. Guests included: Charles and Adina, founders of CT:V, the Flagship of the Visitor Fleet, a dedicated group of costumers celebrating the original sci-fi classic “V”; The Irredeemable Shag from The Fire and Water Podcast Network; and Denise Lhamon.

November 26th saw the Turkey Day Potluck on the channel. Kevin Eldridge joined in to host the variety show.

On December 3rd, they hosted a huge panel on Elf, Scrooged, Muppets & Die Hard: Greatest Christmas Movies Ever Made! Guest included Elizabeth Jones, Bethany Kesler, Shaun Rosado, Alison Sky, and Chad J. Shonk.

The Christmas spirit continued on December 10th with Funny Christmas & Chanukah Music. Guests included Kevin Eldridge, Geena Phillips, Chris Cummins, and Metricula.

December 17th rounds out this batch with Moving the Stars for No One: A David Bowie Tribute Panel. Guests included Beth Van Dusen, Rob Levy, and Tom Morris.

So, I can’t make any promises, but I’m going to try to keep up with the promotion of this channel. It’s one of my home bases during Dragon Con and Gary and Joe are great people. I admire the work that they’re doing to keep these discussions going throughout the year.

Gary and Joe have a lot more fun discussions planned. Stay tuned to the YouTube channel and the group on Facebook. If you join in live, you can also leave comments and participate in the discussion using StreamYard connected through Facebook.

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Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 21

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December 21, 2020
Day 356 of 366

December 21st is the 356th day of the year. This year, today is the solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day of the year, typically regarded as the first day of winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, it is the longest day of the year.

Related observances include Blue Christmas (typically among modern American liberal Protestant groups), the Dongzhi Festival in Asia, Sanghamitta Day in Theravada Buddhism, Yule for neopagans in the Northern Hemisphere, and Ziemassvētki in ancient Latvia.

There are ten days remaining in the year.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as Crossword Puzzle Day, Humbug Day, National Maine Day, Phileas Fogg Win A Wager Day, National Flashlight Day (typically observed on the day of the Winter Solstice), National French Fried Shrimp Day, National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day (typically observed on the first day of winter), and Anne & Samantha Day (typically observed every solstice to honor Anne Frank and Samantha Smith).

Historical items of note:

  • In 1861, Public Resolution 82, containing a provision for a Navy Medal of Valor, was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. This was the first establishment of the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military award. The Department of the Army would establish their Medal of Honor on July 12, 1862, and the Department of the Air Force would follow on April 14, 1965.
  • In 1879, Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark.
  • In 1883, The Royal Canadian Dragoons and The Royal Canadian Regiment, the first Permanent Force cavalry and infantry regiments of the Canadian Army, were formed.
  • In 1892, English journalist and author Rebecca West was born.
  • In 1913, Arthur Wynne’s “word-cross”, the first crossword puzzle, was published in the New York World.
  • In 1914, Tillie’s Punctured Romance, the first feature-length silent film comedy, was released.
  • In 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the world’s first full-length animated feature, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Hollywood.
  • In 1948, actor and producer Samuel L. Jackson was born.
  • In 1950, screenwriter and producer Jeffrey Katzenberg was born. He co-founded Dreamworks Animation.
  • In 1966, British-Canadian actor, director, and producer Kiefer Sutherland was born.
  • In 1968, Apollo 8 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, placing its crew of Frank F. Borman II, James A. Lovell Jr., and William A. Anderson on a lunar trajectory for the first visit to another celestial body by humans.
  • In 1983, actor Steven Yeun was born.

In 1620, the Mayflower Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts after their voyage from England.

Forefathers’ Day was established in 1769 as a local annual holiday to commemorate the event, and is celebrated on either December 21st or December 22nd. The good-hearted dispute between the Old Colony Club and the Mayflower Society comes from the adjustment to the Gregorian calendar. This erroneously established the anniversary on both days. As a result, members of both societies participate in both celebrations.

The Old Colony Club begins the celebration at 6:00 AM with a march by members to the top of Cole’s Hill next to the statue of Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag confederacy. This is followed by a reading of a proclamation honoring the forefathers and a ritual firing of the club’s cannon. Both organizations include a succotash dinner to close out the celebrations.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 20

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December 20, 2020
Day 355 of 366

December 20th is the 355th day of the year. It is Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as Fête des Cafres, in Réunion, French Guiana.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Sangria Day and Mudd Day.

Historical items of note:

  • In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed at a ceremony in New Orleans.
  • In 1808, the original Garden Theatre in London was destroyed by a fire, along with most of the scenery, costumes, and scripts.
  • In 1939, actress Kathryn Joosten was born. She was the absolutely magnificent Mrs. Landingham in The West Wing.
  • In 1946, the popular Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life was first released in New York City.
  • Also in 1946, director, producer, and screenwriter Dick Wolf was born. Among other properties, he is best known for the immense Law & Order franchise.
  • In 1950, Harvey premiered.
  • In 1951, the EBR-1 in Arco, Idaho became the first nuclear power plant to generate electricity. The electricity powered four light bulbs. (Captain Jean-Luc Picard could not be reached for comment.)
  • In 1952, actress Jenny Agutter was born.
  • In 1955, Cardiff was proclaimed the capital city of Wales, United Kingdom.
  • In 1970, actress Nicole de Boer was born.
  • In 1989, the United States invasion of Panama deposed Manuel Noriega.
  • In 2007, Elizabeth II became the oldest monarch of the United Kingdom, surpassing Queen Victoria, who lived for 81 years and 243 days.

December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day, an international annual unity day of the United Nations.

The observance was established under the influence of the U.N. Millennium Declaration that determines the civil and political rights of an individual in the modern era by establishing the foreign relations between the member states and the United Nations. It promotes the importance of sharing and the culture of solidarity to combat poverty and to encourage governments, NGOs, and almost every individual to organize programs and debates, on either a national or international level, so that poverty can be reduced by spreading the awareness.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 19

Michael Falkner1 Comment

December 19, 2020
Day 354 of 366

December 19th is the 354th day of the year. It is Goa Liberation Day, commemorating the Indian Army’s invasion of Portuguese territories on the Indian subcontinent that they refused to surrender after India gained independence from British rule in 1947. On December 19, 1961, Operation Vijay resulted in the annexation of Goa and of the Daman and Diu islands into the Indian union. On May 30, 1987, the union territory was split, and Goa was made India’s twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining a union territory.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Hard Candy Day, National Oatmeal Muffin Day, and National Wreaths Across America Day (an observation that shifts dates annually).

Historical items of note:

  • In 1606, the ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery departed England, carrying settlers who founded, at Jamestown, Virginia, the first of the thirteen colonies that became the United States.
  • In 1714, astronomer and educator John Winthrop was born.
  • In 1825, violinist and composer George Frederick Bristow was born.
  • In 1924, the last Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was sold in London, England.
  • In 1932, BBC World Service began broadcasting as the BBC Empire Service.
  • In 1961, English actor and author Matthew Waterhouse was born. He played Adric in Doctor Who.
  • In 1963, model and actress Jennifer Beals was born.
  • In 1972, actress Alyssa Milano was born.
  • In 1974, the ninth James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun, premiered.
  • In 1975, Canadian composer Jeremy Soule was born.
  • In 1980, actor and producer Jake Gyllenhaal was born.
  • In 1986, Platoon premiered.
  • In 1995, the United States Government restored federal recognition to the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Native American tribe.
  • In 1998, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the United States House of Representatives, becoming the second President of the United States to be impeached. Andrew Johnson was the first, and Donald Trump was the third (and latest).
  • In 2013, spacecraft Gaia was launched by European Space Agency.

December 19th is National Heroes and Heroines Day in Anguilla. It is a day to celebrate and remember all those who have made important contributions to the nation.

As a British overseas territory in the Easter Caribbean, Anguilla was joined to St. Kitts and Nevis as an associated statehood in 1962. Resentment against this political decision festered, and in May 1967, the people of Anguilla marched on the Police Headquarters and evicted the Royal St. Kitts Police Force from the island.

On December 19, 1980, Anguilla fully seceded from the association. This date was marked by a public holiday called Separation Day, but in the years since, the Government of Anguilla has renamed the holiday to National Heroes and Heroines Day. The holiday became a general celebration of the people who have played an important role in the history of Anguilla and made significant sacrifices for the prosperity of this small but proud island nation.

The holiday also honors the revolution in 1967, including memorial services for those involved. The services are accompanied by parades and music performances and the whole day is observed as a joyous celebration rather than solemn remembrance.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 18

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December 18, 2020
Day 353 of 366

December 18th is the 353rd day of the year. It is United Nations Arabic Language Day, established by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010 seeking “to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six of its official working languages throughout the organization”. The date was chosen since it was the “day in 1973 when the General Assembly approved Arabic as an official UN language “.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Twin Day, National Roast Suckling Pig Day, Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, and Underdog Day. The last two are typically observed on the third Friday in December.

Historical items of note:

  • In 1271, Kublai Khan renamed his empire “Yuan” (元 yuán), officially marking the start of the Yuan dynasty of Mongolia and China.
  • In 1499, a rebellion broke out in Alpujarras in response to the forced conversions of Muslims in Spain.
  • In 1734, French conductor and composer Jean-Baptiste Rey was born. He remains the longest-serving conductor of the Paris Opera, with a tenure spanning from the last years of the monarchy to Napoleon’s Empire (1776–1810).
  • In 1777, the United States celebrated its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October.
  • In 1833, the national anthem of the Russian Empire, “God Save the Tsar!”, was first performed.
  • In 1865, United States Secretary of State William Seward proclaimed the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, thus prohibiting slavery throughout the country.
  • In 1892, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky premiered in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
  • In 1898, Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat set the first officially recognized land speed record of 39.245 mph (63.159 kph) in a Jeantaud electric car.
  • In 1938, actor Roger E. Mosley was born.
  • In 1946, director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg was born. He co-founded Amblin Entertainment and DreamWorks Pictures, where he has also served as a producer or executive producer for several successful film trilogies, tetralogies and more including the Gremlins, Back to the Future, Men in Black, and the Transformers series.
  • In 1950, movie critic Leonard Maltin was born.
  • In 1958, Project SCORE, the world’s first communications satellite, was launched.
  • In 1963, actor and producer Brad Pitt was born.
  • Also in 1963, the first film in The Pink Panther series premiered.
  • In 1964, The Pink Panther cartoons premiered.
  • In 1966, Saturn’s moon Epimetheus was discovered by astronomer Richard Walker.
  • Also in 1966, Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” aired for the first time on television.
  • In 1968, actor Casper Van Dien was born.
  • In 1969, the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, premiered.
  • In 1973, Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, was launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union.
  • In 1974, artist and television personality Kari Byron was born.
  • In 1976, Wonder Woman premiered on television.
  • In 1978, actress Katie Holmes was born.
  • In 1999, NASA launched the Terra platform into orbit. It carried five Earth Observation instruments, including the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), the Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT).
  • In 2006, the United Arab Emirates held its first-ever elections.
  • In 2009, Avatar premiered, eventually becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. It would eventually be pushed into third place by Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).

In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, establishing the foundations for International Migrants Day.

The day highlights the contributions made by the roughly 272 million migrants worldwide, including more than 41 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the challenges they face. In 1997, Filipino and other Asian migrant organizations began celebrating and promoting December 18t as the International Day of Solidarity with Migrants. Building on this initiative, with support from Migrant Rights International and the Steering Committee for the Global Campaign for Ratification of the International Convention on Migrants’ Rights and many other organizations, the observation’s supporters began campaigning for an official designation, which was finally proclaimed on December 4, 2000.

That was an important step for the migrant community and a rallying point for all those concerned with the protection of migrants. The United Nations invited all member states and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to observe this day by disseminating information on human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, sharing experiences, and undertaking action to ensure the protection of migrants.

International Migrants Day is seen as an opportunity to recognize the contributions made by millions of migrants to the economies of their host and home countries promotes respect for their basic human rights.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 17

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December 17, 2020
Day 352 of 366

December 17th is the 352nd day of the year. It is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Originally conceived as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle, Washington, the event has since evolved into a call to attention against hate crimes committed against sex workers worldwide, as well as the need to remove the social stigma and discrimination that have contributed to violence against sex workers, indifference from the communities they are part of, and the customs and prohibitionist laws that perpetuate such violence.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Maple Syrup Day, Wright Brothers Day, and National Re-Gifting Day (typically observed on the Thursday before Christmas).

Historical items of note:

  • In 497 BC, the first Saturnalia festival was celebrated in ancient Rome. Saturnalia was a festival in honor of the god Saturn. It was held on December 17th of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to December 23rd, with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, a public banquet, private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival atmosphere that overturned Roman social norms complete with gambling and masters providing table service for their slaves. It was seen as a time of liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike, and is believed to have influenced the later western European traditions associated with Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, and Epiphany.
  • In 1777, France formally recognizes the United States during the American Revolution.
  • In 1862, during the American Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant issued General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Grant issued the anti-Semitic order in an effort to reduce Union military corruption and to stop an illicit trade of Southern cotton, which Grant thought was being run “mostly by Jews and other unprincipled traders.” Jewish community leaders protested, and there was an outcry by members of Congress and the press. President Abraham Lincoln countermanded the General Order on January 4, 1863.
  • In 1865, the first performance of the Unfinished Symphony by Franz Schubert was conducted.
  • In 1892, the first issue of Vogue was published.
  • In 1903, the Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first controlled powered, heavier-than-air flight in the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
  • In 1908, chemist and academic Willard Libby was born. He was noted for his role in the 1949 development of radiocarbon dating, a process which revolutionized archaeology and paleontology. For his contributions to the team that developed this process, Libby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1960.
  • In 1938, Otto Hahn discovered the nuclear fission of the heavy element uranium, the scientific and technological basis of nuclear energy.
  • In 1940, Mexican actress, singer, director, and screenwriter María Elena Velasco was born.
  • In 1944, English actor Bernard Hill was born.
  • In 1945, actor Ernie Hudson was born.
  • In 1946, Canadian actor, director, and screenwriter Eugene Levy was born.
  • In 1953, actor Bill Pullman was born.
  • In 1957, the United States successfully launched the first Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • In 1964, the third James Bond film, Goldfinger, premiered.
  • In 1971, the seventh James Bond film, Diamonds are Forever, premiered.
  • In 1973, director, producer, and screenwriter Rian Johnson was born.
  • In 1974, actress Sarah Paulson was born.
  • In 1975, Ukrainian-American actress Milla Jovovich was born.
  • In 1989, The Simpsons premiered on television with the episode “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”.
  • In 2014, the United States and Cuba re-established diplomatic relations after severing them in 1961.

December 17th is Pan American Aviation Day, a United States Federal Observance Day that, according to According to 36 USC § 134, calls on “all officials of the United States Government, the chief executive offices of the States, territories, and possessions of the United States, and all citizens to participate in the observance of Pan American Aviation Day to further, and stimulate interest in, aviation in the American countries as an important stimulus to the further development of more rapid communications and a cultural development between the countries of the Western Hemisphere.”

The date commemorates the first successful flight of a mechanically propelled heavier-than-air craft, accomplished on this date in 1903 by the Wright brothers near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Timestamp #211: The Beast Below

Michael Falkner11 Comments

Doctor Who: The Beast Below
(1 episode, s05e02, 2010)

Timestamp 211 The Beast Below

It’s no disc on four elephants on a turtle, but it’s still home.

Behind-the scenes: Because Series Five started a franchise trend of related mini-episodes and prequels for certain stories, I’ll start including them where appropriate.

Meanwhile in the TARDIS, Part I

Shortly after departing Leadworth, Amy bombards the Doctor with a stream of non-stop questions. How does the TARDIS retain its air supply? Why did he label a time machine “police box”? Where are the other windows which are on the exterior of the TARDIS? What is a police box and is the Doctor a policeman? Has he seen his haircut? Does he ever need to change the bulb on top the TARDIS?

She also considers the bow tie to be a cry for help.

The Doctor answers most of the questions, which Amy follows with one more question: Is the Doctor an alien? He tells her that she’s the alien and that this is what he really looks like. He also opens the doors and shows her the depths of space.

When she says that they look more like a Hollywood special effects display, he throws her into the dark.

The Beast Below

On the Starship UK, children sit in class waiting to be graded by their instructor, a Smiler. A boy named Timmy doesn’t want to join, but when he does, he gets graded as a failure. Students who have a zero grade aren’t allowed to take the Vator lift with their classmates. Not wanting to take the stairs to the London deck, he sneaks onto the other elevator car, but this car takes him to Level 0 and a bottomless chasm into which the Smiler tosses him with an evil sneer.

Back at the TARDIS, Amy is floating in space with the Doctor holding her by a single ankle. He has extended the air shield so they can breathe while watching the cosmos. He spots the Starship UK, a refuge for humanity after the Earth was burned by solar flares, and sets a course.

While Amy watches the monitor, the Doctor appears on the screen and beckons her to join him. She’s surprised, but exits the TARDIS and wanders the starship in her nightgown. The Doctor takes a glass of water and sets it on the deck, proclaims that he’s looking for an escaped fish, and tells Amy to keep an eye open for secrets, shadows, and lives lived in fear.

As they wander, a cloaked figure calls a man named Hawthorne, who then relays the information about the Doctor’s presence to a woman surrounded by glasses of water. Meanwhile, the Doctor explains that they’re looking for a girl named Mandy, points out the Smilers as peculiar, and leaves Amy to pursue Mandy (Timmy’s friend) while he tries to stay out of trouble.

Amy finds Mandy, who tells her that they’re path is blocked by a hole at Magpie Electricals. Amy tries to pick the lock guarding the hole while talking to Mandy about herself. When Amy takes a peek inside, a nearby Smiler turns to the evil face as Amy finds a tentacle with a stinger on the end. When she leaves the tent, she’s surrounded by cloaked figures who gas her.

The Doctor descends into the engine room and finds the mysterious cloaked woman and a glass of water. When pressed, he explains that an engine the size of that needed to propel the ship would cause ripples in the water, but the surface is still. Additionally, there are no couplings in the electrical boxes and no engine whatsoever. The woman, Liz Ten, asks for his help before providing him with Amy’s whereabouts and vanishing.

Amy regains consciousness in a booth where her name (Amelia Jessica Pond), age (1,306), and marital status (unknown) are displayed before she’s offered the truth about the starship and two options: Protest or Forget. Should only one percent of the population protest, the project will be discontinued with consequences for all. She views the video and presses Forget, but then sees a video from herself begging her to find the Doctor and get off the ship immediately.

The Doctor opens the booth with Mandy on his heels and reveals that her recent memories were erased. They discuss the similarities between Time Lords and humans, as well as the remnants of his people. The Doctor decides to bring down the government by slamming the Protest button. The deck opens to the chasm below and he and Amy are dropped into a slimy pit full of biological refuse.

It turns out that it’s a mouth, as pipes have been surgically implanted they can use the normal path to escape, but the mouth is closed. To prevent being swallowed, the Doctor triggers the vomit reflex and the pair land in an overspill pipe. They find a Forget button, but when they refuse to press it, two Smilers approach menacingly. A maskless Liz Ten bursts in with Mandy and shoots the robots, but when they start repairing themselves, the group moves on.

Liz Ten muses about the Doctor and his history with royalty, revealing that she is Elizabeth the Tenth, the Queen. They spot more of the roots (the tentacles) behind barriers and retreat to Liz’s quarters. The Doctor muses to Amy that they shouldn’t be here. They are interrupted by the cloaked figures, Winders who are half-human and half-Smiler, and taken to the dungeons (the Tower) to meet with Hawthorne.

In the Tower, they find evidence that the starship is being propelled by a large, captive creature that is being tortured to keep them moving. Liz Ten demands that they release the creature with her authority, but Hawthorne doesn’t budge. The Doctor shows her the mask that she wears, noting that it’s an antique, and proving that her body clock has been slowed. She’s been on the throne for hundreds of years, forced over time to either Forget or Abdicate.

She watches a pre-recorded video of herself explaining that they lacked the resources to build a suitable ship, but they found the last of the star whales and decided to ride it to safety. Despite being heartbreaking, the choice saved them all. To abdicate would mean destroying the ship and killing humanity to save the creature.

This is what Amy chose to forget, a choice that makes the Doctor furious.

The Doctor is faced with three options: Leave the star whale in captivity, kill all of humanity, or turn the creature into a vegetable to save them all. The Doctor starts setting up option three while Amy sees Mandy reunited with Timmy (who doesn’t recognize her) and then caress one the tentacles like a pet.

Amy decides to force Liz to abdicate, but instead of destroying the ship, the vessel speeds up. Amy recognized that the creature had volunteered to save the children of humanity, comparing the star whale to the Doctor. Later, the Doctor gazes out at the stars as Amy arrives with Liz’s mask. There will be no more secrets on Starship UK, and the Doctor and Amy make amends to each other.

They return to the TARDIS, and Amy starts to reveal the reason that she needs to get back tomorrow morning, but they are interrupted by the console phone. On the other end is British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, asking for help as the shadow of a Dalek is cast on the wall of his office.

The Doctor sets a course, leaving the star whale and her wards to sail the stars, unaware of a glowing crack on the hull similar to the one that graced Amy’s wall at home.

We see an evolution of the Doctor in his first outing in this incarnation. Growing from the trauma of the Time War, we finally see hints of acceptance and resolve to never be cowardly or cruel, to never give up, and to never give in. In fact, when the resolution to this story seems to be the mental death of a magnificent creature to save everyone, he is ready to sacrifice the name of Doctor as a result.

In a similar story twist as The Doctor Dances, doing the thing that was supposed to end the world actually saves it. It was so good to see Amy take command of the situation based on what she’s observed. Smart companions are a winner with me. It’s also an extension of The Runaway Bride as a companion pleads with the Doctor to find another solution. In this case, the companion is successful.

Steven Moffat does take a serious shortcut here with easy entry points for the franchise: This story echoes The End of the World with a new Doctor taking a new companion to the distant future where they muse about the fall of Earth, the future of humanity, and talk about mothers while standing in front of large windows staring into space. Is it cheap? Sure, but it works.

We’ve also seen the hijacked brain story and clockwork androids before in the revival era.

I did love the rapid fire rush through the history of the Doctor and the monarchy, from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II and even a bit more of the story about a marriage to Queen Elizabeth I. I also got a kick out of some current events getting a nod with a discussion of Scottish independence, and I’m amused by the Doctor’s personality as he tries to be hip and modern. It’s very much “How do you do, fellow kids?”.

All of these things combined made for an exciting adventure that showcases the strength and abilities of Amy as a companion.

Rating: 5/5 – “Fantastic!”

UP NEXT – Doctor Who: Victory of the Daleks

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The Timestamps Project is an adventure through the televised universe of Doctor Who, story by story, from the beginning of the franchise. For more reviews like this one, please visit the project’s page at Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 16

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

December 16, 2020
Day 351 of 366

December 16th is the 351st day of the year. It is National Day, celebrating the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from Bahrain, making Bahrain an independent emirate in 1971.

In Christianity, it is also the beginning of the nine-day celebration, spanning December 16 to December 24, that marks the trials which Mary and Joseph endured before finding a place to stay where Jesus could be born. This includes Las Posadas in Latin America and the Simbang Gabi novena of masses in the Philippines.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Chocolate-covered Anything Day and Barbie and Barney Backlash Day.

Historical items of note:

  • In 1770, composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born.
  • In 1773, members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawk Indians dumped hundreds of crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act. The event became known as the Boston Tea Party.
  • In 1775, English novelist Jane Austen was born.
  • In 1907, the Great White Fleet began its circumnavigation of the world. The fleet, tasked to demonstrate growing American military power and blue-water navy capability, consisted of 16 United States Navy battleships divided into two squadrons along with their escorts. The nickname came from the stark white paint job on the ship’s hulls.
  • In 1913, Charlie Chaplin began his film career at Keystone for $150 a week.
  • In 1917, British science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke was born.
  • In 1928, philosopher and author Philip K. Dick was born.
  • In 1929, Egyptian-English actor Nicholas Courtney was born. He was best known as Brigadier General Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart from Doctor Who.
  • In 1937, Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe attempted to escape from the federal prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. Neither was ever seen again.
  • In 1941, journalist and actress Leslie Stahl was born.
  • In 1943, television producer Steven Bochco was born.
  • In 1944, the Battle of the Bulge during World War II began with the surprise offensive of three German armies through the Ardennes forest. It lasted for approximately one month.
  • In 1947, William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain built the first practical point-contact transistor.
  • Also in 1947, actor Ben Cross was born.
  • In 1950, child star Shirley Temple announced her retirement from films at the age of 22.
  • Also in 1950, actress Caroline Munro was born.
  • In 1963, actor Benjamin Bratt was born.
  • In 1967, actress Miranda Otto was born.
  • In 1971, the ceasefire of the Pakistan Army brought an end to both the Bangladesh Liberation War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. This is commemorated annually as Victory Day in Bangladesh and as Vijay Diwas in India.
  • In 1981, actress, musician, and model Krysten Ritter was born.
  • In 1985, Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti were shot dead on the orders of John Gotti, who assumed leadership of New York’s Gambino crime family.
  • Also in 1985, The Color Purple, the film by Steven Spielberg based on the novel by Alice Walker, premiered in New York City.

As mentioned earlier, December 16th is unofficially observed as Barbie and Barney Backlash Day, a day for parents to take a vacation from repetitive sing-a-longs and storytelling of children’s programming.

Of course, Barbie and Barney aren’t the only toys and television show of childhood, but the fashion doll and the sing-song dinosaur were the ones to strike a nerve when this day was created. It gives parents a reminder that turning off the television can be a good thing, replacing them with activities like reading and use of constructive toys.

Where did it come from? Who knows. But someone cared enough to make it a thing.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

The Thing About Today – December 15

Michael FalknerLeave a comment

December 15, 2020
Day 350 of 366

December 15th is the 350th day of the year. It is International Tea Day in tea producing countries like India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Uganda and Tanzania. Not to be confused with the United Nations day of the same name, International Tea Day aims to draw global attention of governments and citizens to the impact of the global tea trade on workers and growers, and has been linked to requests for price supports and fair trade.

In the United States, today is “celebrated” as National Cupcake Day, Bill of Rights Day, Cat Herders Day, and National Wear Your Pearls Day.

Historical items of note:

  • In 1025, Constantine VIII became sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire, 63 years after being crowned co-emperor.
  • In 1791, the United States Bill of Rights became law when ratified by the Virginia General Assembly.
  • In 1832, French architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel was born. He co-designed the Eiffel Tower.
  • In 1852, French physicist and chemist Henri Becquerel was born. He was the first person to discover evidence of radioactivity. For work in this field he, along with Marie Skłodowska-Curie (Marie Curie) and Pierre Curie received the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics. The SI unit for radioactivity, the becquerel (Bq), was named after him.
  • In 1906, the London Underground’s Great Northern, Piccadilly, and Brompton Railway opened.
  • In 1923, English-American physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson was born. He was known for his works in quantum field theory, astrophysics, random matrices, mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, and engineering.
  • In 1939, Gone with the Wind premiered at Loew’s Grand Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. The theater was extensively damaged as the result of a fire on January 30, 1978, and the Georgia-Pacific Tower now stands on the site. The film is the top-grossing movie in history (when adjusted for inflation) in the United States.
  • In 1948, Australian actress Cassandra Harris was born.
  • In 1949, actor Don Johnson was born.
  • In 1963, actress Helen Slater was born.
  • In 1965, Gemini 6A, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, was launched from Cape Kennedy, Florida. Four orbits later, it achieved the first space rendezvous, with Gemini 7.
  • In 1968, actor Garrett Wang was born.
  • In 1970, Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 successfully landed on Venus. It is the first successful soft landing on another planet.
  • Also in 1970, Canadian actor, screenwriter and director Michael Shanks was born.
  • In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association voted 13-0 to remove homosexuality from its official list of psychiatric disorders, the DSM-II.
  • In 1981, English actress Michelle Dockery was born.
  • In 1982, English actor Charlie Cox was born.
  • In 1983, English actress Camilla Luddington was born.
  • In 2001, the Leaning Tower of Pisa reopened after 11 years and $27,000,000 spent to stabilize it. The famous lean was maintained.

December 15th is Koninkrijksdag (Kingdom Day), the commemoration of the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on December 15, 1954 in Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten.

The charter was signed by Queen Juliana and deals with the relation between the Netherlands and the overseas territories, the Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands New Guinea and Suriname. The charter governs the relationships between the Netherlands, Aruba (since 1986), Curaçao (since 2010), and Sint Maarten (since 2010).

Since 2005, the Koninkrijksconcert (Kingdom Concert) is annually held on December 15th to celebrate the relationship between Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba. At the concerts, that were held in respectively Dordrecht, Amersfoort, Nijmegen, and Curaçao, musical artists from all over the kingdom have performed.

In 2008, Naturalisatiedag (Naturalization Day) in the Kingdom of the Netherlands was moved from August 24th, the day on which the Constitution of the Netherlands was signed, to December 15th, which has a symbolic meaning for all constituent countries of the kingdom. On Naturalization Day, newly naturalized citizens officially receive their Dutch citizenship.

When December 15th falls on a Sunday, the commemoration takes place on December 16th.

The Thing About Today is an effort to look at each day of 2020 with respect to its historical context.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.