Sci-Fi Smonday

So, since I don't have to go into work anywhere remotely early on Monday mornings, I tend to stay up a bit late and relax (and by relax, I mean stress out about how my lesson plans for that upcoming Monday's sessions aren't exactly completely and thoroughly thought out yet.. but still close enough for me to have put it on the back burner of my mind), by watching a little bit of late night television. Anyway, just recently, I have begun geeking out and watching Science Fiction television during the hours of the day that transform Sunday night into early Monday morning (and by watching I mean tuning in and out, hehe).

Now, when I say Science Fiction television, I don't exactly mean that I am watching the Sci-Fi network. Not that I have anything against it (which I do on some levels, but, that's a blog for another time...), but because I don't have cable TV or a satellite dish. I have a regular TV set attached to a pair of rabbit ear antennas and a digital converter box. Heck, I don't even own a DVR device! Yeah, I know... I'm still living in the 19-- whatevers.

Anyways, back to the point.

A local area broadcaster has recently started to once again air the syndicated episodes of both Stargate Atlantis and Stargate: SG1. I don't even know why or when they stopped these re-airings in the first place. A few years ago I remember that both of these shows had a stint on my local FOX station, and then, for some reason or another, they got moved to MyNetworkTV, which at the time, was still UPN. The switch would have made sense had it been changed from FOX to MyNetworkTV, because here, in Los Angeles, these two stations are sister stations. But, maybe, at the time of these airings it wasn't the independently owned UPN anymore, seeing as how FOX had bought out a bit of its programing... anywho, off track again...

Like I was saying, now Stargate Atlantis and Stargate: SG1, air back to back on a local station here. So, being a fan of these shows, I tend to watch 'em, even though I've seen the episodes before (back when I had cable...), but like I said, I tune in and out. After Stargate: SG1 ends, I switch over to one of the three PBS stations that we get here in Los Angeles, to watch Doctor Who.

I really enjoy watching these Doctor Who airings! Mostly because they are broadcasting *Series One, which stared Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. Now, like I've said before, Nine is not my all time favorite Doc (that would have to be Ten), but I've come to realize that I never gave Nine much of a chance. Even though Nine was the first Doctor that I ever saw. He really deserves a lot more credit since he was so brilliant, and I kinda wish he had stayed on longer than just though Series One.

So, yeah, like I said, I'm having a good time re-watching (and in some cases, watching for the first time) these Series One episodes. And not just because of Nine, but because the first time I ever saw these episodes, I saw them on their first American broadcast on the Sci-Fi Network, which I have now come to realize they had edited for content (something I still don't quite understand, but oh, well). Now I think I just finished watching the final American Public Broadcast rotation in my area... which sucks, because I should have recorded more than just the 3 episodes that I did. I say this because I was looking through the Best Buy catalogue that I got in the mail the other day, and the Series Four box set sells for a whopping $70.00! American! For 13 episodes! Wow, what's up with that!? Is it because it's imported????

Anyway, about the PBS run, it's funny, because when I first realized that this particular PBS station was airing Doctor Who, it was the one PBS station that came in extremely grainy. I'm talking, watching a show underneath digital snow grainy! But now that I have my DTV Box, it super clear! (If you don't have one of these boxes yet, I strongly recommend that you get your hands on that government coupon and get one for yourself [www.DTV2009.gov]! This DTV thing is going to be huge!)

So yes, Sci-Fi Smonday is pretty cool.

("Sci-Fi Smonday", is my so not creative play on how the Sci-Fi Network themes it's nights, into "Sci-Fi Monday," "Sci-Fi Friday," etc. So, since I was talking about TV that takes place on the bridge between Sunday night and Monday morning, I came up with "Sci-Fi Smonday." Yeah, told you it wasn't creative.)

Good Night, and have a pleasant tomorrow!





* Series is basically the British equivalent to the American Season, just so you know.

My favorite TV show... is a children's show...

Yeah, that's right, and what? A 22 year old girl can't love a children's show? You got a problem with that? Wanna fight about it? =) ('Family Guy' reference... hope someone got that...)

But yes, my favorite television show is a children's show. Don't worry, it's not a cartoon, there are no felt puppets and no educational purple dinosaur dancing and singing about. No. This weekly 45 minute children's show centers around the adventures of a 900 year old alien with no name from the planet Gallifrey, who travels about the universe fighting evil in his time traveling- phone box- shaped- spaceship called the TARDIS.

TARDIS = Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.

Cool, huh?

'Doctor Who' is probably my favorite television show... of the moment at least... and no, not just because of David Tennant... although, that point can be argued. But I loved the show way back when, when Christopher Eccleston played The Doctor (Yes, there has been more than one doctor... but i'll get to that in a second). At that time, I had no idea that 'Doctor Who' was such an iconic show in Britain. I think it has been on the air for something like 44 years now... the longest running television series in television history, I think I read once. Pretty cool feat if you ask me, especially considering that a television show now a days is considered a huge success if it can get past a few televised seasons... five being the huge milestone. Why? Because, five usually hold the coveted 100th episode, which means wonderful syndication rights.

But yes, 'Doctor Who.' What I love about his show is how freaking hilarious it is and how emotionally raw it can be. 'Doctor Who' can have me in stitches (check out the episode 'New Earth' or 'The Unicorn and the Wasp'), have me fanning my eyes at the sadness of it all ('Doomsday'), or have me wishing I wasn't watching the episode in the dark... alone... at night ('Blink' or '42'). Trust me when I say this is not your average children's show. The reason that it is categorized as a children's show is only because of it's narrative structure.

Good ol' 'Doctor Who'... I''m glad I stuck with it after Eccleston left. At the time, I had no idea that The Doctor had been played by nine different actors (including Eccleston), so when Tennant was brought on board as the tenth doctor, I thought it was the lamest, most stupidest recast in television history ('They look nothing alike!') At that point I hadn't seen the regeneration from Nine to Ten take place, haven missed a few episodes here and there, so I didn't know the face change was due to the fact that The Doctor cheats death by regenerating into a new body every so often. Anyway, I was against Tennant all the way, I hated him, and I hated his version of The Doctor... but now, I cannot imagine anyone else as The Doctor... he's brilliant. Though, I still miss Nine every once in a while... he was just... well... Fantastic!



Well, enough 'Who' talk... maybe I'll come back to it... him?.. it... at a later time, but for now, this is good. Check out the show if you ever get a chance... just, try to watch it on something good like the BBC or PBS, or one of its affiliates like BBC America, Sky, or even online if you can... just don't watch it on the SciFi network in America if you can help it. They butcher it on that network... I just don't understand why they feel the need to edit out key points... LOL, don't get me started on the SciFi Network... that's a rant for another time =)

Have a nice day, thanks for dropping by, and take good care! =)