A New Record For Rifftrax Kickstarter, And The Secret Show IS.....

Well, they almost made it, but George Bailey is still safe.

The annual Kickstarter campaign by Rifftrax collected $430, 620 from more than 8600 backers. That's a new record for both, but some fans were hoping to hit nine thousand backers to get the next Star Wars movie riffed and ten thousand to finally take on It's A Wonderful Life. Considering the holiday movie has been a steady source of riffs from MST3K and Rifftrax over the years, people were really hoping the holiday classic will finally get the treatment. The Last Jedi may wind up being riffed anyway next year if Rogue One is still on the list of possible future riffs, but It's A Wonderful Life will stay a dream target for now.

Still, backers, even those who paid a buck, will get a nice bargain. Everyone will get ten shorts, and riffs on Batman V. Superman (just in time for Wonder Woman), Mothra, and the first episode of Westworld. The BvS riff will involve everyone who has ever riffed, kind of like a 40x4000 meter relay race. Considering how tragically bad this movie is as a missed opportunity (except you, Diana), it could be too much for three people anyway.
Others who gave 75 bucks will get "The Rains of Castamere" from Game of Thrones (now THAT is a challenge to riff) and Final Justice Redux (or the first time a SyFy-era episode of MST3K is re-riffed), while 100 dollar backers will get DVDs of the June live show and the best of the Riffing Housewives, Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl.

The only question is what will be the "target" for the August 17th show. Some Facebook fans have unearthed the name thanks to a movie theater and Fandango jumping the gun. In the special countdown show, the gang hinted it could be Ice Castles and La-La-Land (the latter very unlikely).

Actually, the movie will be.....

Remember when this was once considered a major PBS event? The TARDIS upgrade? Tegan's new look after a year in a stewardess uniform? Seeing a new guy be the original Doctor, #2 in color, and some companions we've never even met?

HOW????

Well, somehow Rifftrax used its connections with Fathom Events and BBC America to pull off this miracle after riffing on the two Peter Cushing movies, where the TARDIS looks like the basement of a Hewlett Packard building.
Not here, though. This must have been in the works for some time, because look where they make the big announcement....



For those who don't remember the story, "The Five Doctors" involves someone on Gallifrey grabbing the Doctor in all of his incarnations. They're all guided into something called "The Death Zone", where they figure out the main bad guy wants something very special from there. Thing is, the Master is not behind this for once, because the Time Lord Council asks for his help.

If you clicked the link, you'd know they had to rewrite the plot because Tom Baker, #4, decided not to be part of it. Technically, he is, thanks to use of footage of the famous unfinished episode, "Shada". The story is actually the first time people have seen certain characters from the show. Back in 1983, the Doctor had been a staple of PBS programming for ten years or so. Showing the episodes before Baker became #4 was still a rare treat for some stations. It was the first time for many to see Jamie and Zoe from the late 1960's or Liz Shaw, the Companion before Jo Grant. It was also a rare chance to see #2, Patrick Troughton, in color. That hadn't happened since "The Three Doctors".

When it was shown, this was considered to be a big deal, and was used as a pledge break feature. It's available on DVD, but in an interesting way. The 2008 DVD version has the original cut plus an upgraded version. As for me, I have the "special edition" and the broadcast version back when KTEH in San Jose was Who Central for me. (Update:  After that KTEH DVD no longer worked because of age, I got a newer version of "Five Doctors" which has lots more extras).

Now, it's going to be mocked  by three old fans.
Couldn't they have mocked "The Gunfughters"? Now THAT episode stunk on ice.
Well, it should be interesting to get Peter Davison's response to all this.

All we can do is quote the Doctor's farewell message to Susan in "Dalek Invasion of Earth" that was used to start the show:  "One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all you beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine."
If that's the First Doctor's message to what Rifftrax will do this summer, it's a lot better to what he thinks about his next two forms ("a dandy and a clown").

If nothing else, pulling this off proves Rifftrax has more than earned the right to go after sparkly vampires someday.

Bigger Than Lebron: BBC Unveils 12th Doctor In Worldwide Special

ESPN's overblown special on whether Lebron James will play for the Miami Heat had nothing on this.

Literally millions of people around the world tuned into the BBC and several other cable channels Sunday to find out who will be the next Doctor Who after Matt Smith exits the role on Christmas Day.
Speculation ranged from Helen Mirren (probably because of Red 2) to Idris Elba and everyone else in between.

The choice was Peter Capaldi, familiar to sci-fi fans as the reptilian Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth, or the foul-mouthed Malcom Tucker in The Thick of It and In the Loop. Some fans may also say, "Wait, wasn't he in "The Fires of Pompeii" as Lucius Caecilius?
He sure was:

It's the second time an actor played a different role on Doctor Who before becoming a Time Lord. Colin Baker, who was Maxil in "Arc of Infinity," was the other.
Oh, and he's an Oscar winner. He wrote and directed Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life, which won Best Short Film in 1995. He also was in a band with Craig Ferguson, which means Capaldi may find himself on The Late Late Show very soon.

The BBC special had some special guests including two past Time Lords, Baker and Peter Davison (who's also the father-in-law of David Tennant), some companions, and even Professor Stephen Hawkins. It was surprising to see Anneke Wills, who played Polly back in 1966, and witnessed the first regeneration to Patrick Troughton. It was also good to see old friends like Janet Fielding (Tegan), Katy Manning (Jo Grant), and Bonnie Langford (Mel, who's busy with the audio drama versions). Jenna Coleman was interviewed as well, and hopes Clara and Twelve can be good friends. That depends on how much "Malcolm" will be in the new Time Lord.

Already, some people are predicting what the transition will be like:

That will work for the first 15 minutes, but we may have to say so long to the fez and bow tie before too long.

The special was short and entertaining, and the final reveal was what a lot of people expected. Some had hoped to get a female Doctor, but the hopes of seeing Helen Mirren in the TARDIS will have to be set aside again. We can always hope she could be a Time Lady who didn't disappear along with Gallifrey, or maybe an older version of River Song. It's safe to say the special will find its way into the Blu-ray season set, or maybe part of the Christmas Special DVD.

It's not the first time the identity of the next Doctor has been done in a special interview. Sylvester McCoy was introduced in 1986 at several PBS stations. Back then, it included Jon Pertwee, plus a reminder for people to contribute to your local public TV station and keep Doctor Who on the air. It was a different time. Here's both halves of that interview:

One thing is for sure: the NFL draft, Heisman Trophy announcement or even the choice of the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics will never compete with what the BBC did to introduce a new hero, and keep Doctor Who in our minds for the rest of the year.



So Long, Matt, And Thanks For All The Bow Ties

Being a Doctor Who fan in the 21st century must be very difficult. Just when you're settled in with a quirky Time Lord, he suddenly has to regenerate.
Chris Eccleston lasted one year, David Tennant four years, and now we hear Matt Smith is hopping off the TARDIS for good at the end of the Christmas special. I remember when I saw his first episode at Wondercon in the spring of 2010. Here's a link to that. I wasn't sure a Time Lord in his 20's could actually fill Tennant's shoes. Well, he could, and more. Having a sharp Scottish girl in Karen Gillan also helped.

Now, Smith has announced he's calling it a day. However, there's still the 50th anniversary special, which will include a clone of the 10th Doctor (remember him?), Rose Tyler from the days of Nine, and John Hurt as...The Doctor. That was what the end of "The Name of the Doctor" said, right?
After that, we start the long good-bye under the Christmas tree.

You know, when I was a boy, I didn't have to worry about the Doctor suddenly regenerating, or how girls would comment about how handsome he was. I started with Tom Baker, and he, his afro, and really long scarf lasted with me from puberty to adulthood.
Then, Peter Davison, who I knew from All Creatures Great and Small, suddenly took over.  He was young and handsome, but still a Time Lord who had lived for centuries but had a lot to learn.  His tenure was shorter compared to Baker, and then Colin Baker, a Technicolor nightmare, showed up. I liked him better in the Trial of a Time Lord season, but bad special effects and BBC labor disputes made his time shorter than it had to be.

Sylvester McCoy restored my faith in the show, despite a terrible soundtrack. At least it included the return of the Brigadier, who was wise to quit while he was ahead. McCoy could have lasted longer, but the BBC pulled the plug for a very long time.

This was back when we could see new episodes through local fan clubs, mostly by bootleg VHS tapes. We also met the cast through local conventions way before Comic-Con became what it is now. Back then, we didn't hear about a new Doctor Who three nanoseconds after the UK did, then discuss who'll take over two seconds after that. It usually took a week for that process to happen 30 years ago, but that's technology for you.

So, what's next? Will Matt Smith arrive for his farewell tour at Comic-Con, even if a few fans REALLY WISH he doesn't leave?
Of course! We let David Tennant wave goodbye when he announced he was leaving four years ago. Same thing for Karen Gillan.
There will be a few fans moaning what will they do with their bow ties now. Answer: keep dressing like Eleven if that's how you roll, as will Who cosplayers who dress like Three through Ten. Maybe someone who dresses like Eight will be spotted at Comic-Con.
Just cheer for Matt Smith, thank him for all the bow ties, and let him head off for other things, just as Tennant and Eccleston did.

Then we spend the summer asking, Who's Next? John Hurt would be a great idea, if he is "The Doctor" in the next episode in November. Have him make it official, while, for the first time since 2005, he'll be inheriting a companion in Clara. Maybe that's why she was let in on the fact that the Doctor changes bodies every once in a while.
Of course, some are lobbying for a female doctor. Amy Acker has been nominated, as has Olivia Williams of Dollhouse. Why not a black Doctor, like Chiwetel Ejiofor?

Technically, David Morrissey has been The Doctor. If not for The Walking Dead, that would be a good choice. For those who want an older Doctor, you can't lose with Anthony Stewart Head (even though he was a slick alien headmaster in a previous episode). A few have nominated Eddie Izzard.

I have an off-the-wall suggestion: Mads Mikkleson, who has been the scariest thing to come to TV in years in Hannibal. Imagine a guy like that as a Time Lord. Yes, we know Hannibal will be back next year, but a Time Lord who has Hannibal Lecter's clinical personality, but not...well...the creepier side. Even the Cybermen would know to turn around. So would the Weeping Angels.

It is going to a cruel summer for Who fans. They'll have to say so long to Eleven, and hope Twelve will work out. I'm guessing the BBC may hold off on a choice until Comic-Con. With thousands of fans at one spot ready to send Matt Smith off, what better time is there?

Wondercon: A 26-Year-Old Time Lord? Sure!

Aside from Kick-Ass and Chistopher Nolan making a surprise appearance for his new film about stealing ideas from brains, Wondercon also featured the first U-S appearance of the 11th Dr. Who, Matt Smith.
Not him, of course (darn it!), but the episode "Eleventh Hour".
Folks, relax. This guy has the role down cold, and mainly because of how he handles the latest life-or-death situtaion while still recovering from his regeneration. Usually, first episodes with a new Doctor can be tricky, from Twin Dilemma to Christmas Invasion. Not here.

The way they intoduce her new sidekick, Amy Pond, is also brilliant. Let's just say they get introduced twice, but it's all because of the same problem: an escaped prisoner whose very presence threatens the Earth. Karen Gillan is quite a spirited redhead, and can certainly hold her own. They will guide the new era of Doctor Who quite well, with Stephen Moffatt as showrunner.

For those who couldn't make Wondercon, "Eleventh Hour" is coming on the 17th, with some additional footage. Americans will basically see the show two weeks after the UK does, which is still an improvement over even two years ago, when we had to see the Christmas Invasion in July. Smith and Gillan will actually visit the states next week at the Paley Center NY. Expect lots of interviews after that.
Ah, but if only they could come to Comic-Con, with San Diego in the 80's.