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Gallifrey One – 25 Glorious Years: Day Three

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I joked with a friend that today’s blog post would be short and sweet: “Sunday I spent all day in Program A. The end.” While that’s an accurate summary, though, it’s neither interesting to read nor anywhere near complete.

Because of the timing of our Tin Litter photo with Paul McGann on Saturday, we’d had to miss the Billie Piper interview panel. So around 9:30, I went down to see if I could get in to the repeat panel that started at 10. There’s no reason I should have expected anything else, but I was still slightly bemused to come across a huge line snaking around outside the ballroom and onto the patio. When I got in line, we were already up the ramp toward the driveway; by the time the line began to move, there were probably at least half as many people behind me as in front of me.

Seeing Billie was lovely. She didn’t take herself too seriously, told some fun stories, and just generally gave us all a sense of her real personality. Similarly, Arthur Darvill, whose panel followed, came across as a very real and approachable person, even if the conversation went off the rails pretty early on.

In the long tradition of poaching better seats as the ballroom clears, I’d moved up to the fourth row by the time the day’s third panel began. This one, called “Variations on a Theme,” was an interview with composer Dominic Glynn, who is responsible for the theme music for Season 23 (Trial of a Time Lord) and the incidental music for several Sixth and Seventh Doctor adventures. The highlight of the panel was the last few minutes, when he performed a live remix of the theme tune, never before performed, and created especially for Gallifrey One. I only wish I could have seen it from the stage side, to watch the screen of his Mac as he mixed.

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Gallifrey One – 25 Glorious Years: Day Two

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My Saturday was all about the cosplay. Almost since last year’s Gally, the same group of friends who brought you the TARDISpod has been planning our next group cosplay: the Tin Litter. We each had our own unique take on K-9, and planned to bring them together for a photo op with Paul McGann Saturday afternoon. Since I also wanted to get a photo with Colin Baker, and his photo slot was across the end of my panel, I had to get in costume before my 11 am panel.

This proved easier said than done.

When I first hatched the idea of a Kimono!9 costume, I didn’t consider the logistics. Especially for a gaijin like me who hasn’t even attempted a yukata in decades, donning a kimono is a complicated and involved undertaking. I’ll just say I’m glad I started early. By the time I went down to the Lobby to meet up with some of my fellow panelists ahead of the actual panel, I was already amped from seeing most of the rest of the Tin Litter in full costume.

The panel I was on was entitled “Geronimo!” and was about how one introduces a friend who’s expressed interest in Doctor Who to the show. We had some good discussion about styles of episode one might try depending on specific characteristics of the interested friend, about how to ease resistance to certain Doctors or eras, about how not everyone enjoys Who in the same way (nor should they) and you can’t make your friends appreciate all the same things you do, and about the pros and cons of specific entry episodes (notably Blink). It was a great discussion, and all the panelists were awesome. Many thanks to the wonderful Paul Cornell for moderating.

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Gallifrey One – 25 Glorious Years: Day One

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It feels very strange to be writing my first post this morning, after so much has already happened. Although only a single day of the official con has passed, Gallifrey One has been happening unofficially for many days now, a few of which I’ve been lucky enough to experience.

After a little travel excitement (though not nearly so much as many), I made it to LA on Wednesday night. All that travel combined with the two-hour time change (and in the wrong direction, dammit) kept me from being social, but the next morning I met up with some friends to have breakfast at our (non-Marriott) hotel and then drag all our stuff to the Marriott, where we’d all be staying for the duration.

The rest of the day was a slow ramp-up to LobbyCon, which is the socializing that happens outside con programming in the Marriott Lobby. Thursday night, the night before programming begins, is traditionally the night that LobbyCon begins (though as folks arrive earlier and earlier each year, it has stretched out well ahead of the con), and ribbon trading begins in earnest.

I also managed this year to get in on another Gally tradition: the run to In-N-Out Burger. Having never tried In-N-Out before, I figured it was worth a shot. However, because it’s a bit of a hike from the Marriott (25 minute walk) and the particular folks I was with didn’t have a car, I ended up blistering my feet on my not-a-good-fit-for-long-distances shoes. Frankly, the food wasn’t nearly good enough to make up for it. In other words, having done it once, I see no reason to trek to In-N-Out again. (I got ribbons, though!)

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You Have Been Warned

If any of you readers (regular or otherwise) either have no interest in news of the annual Gallifrey One convention or for some other reason don’t want to read about all the awesomeness that is about to go down at this year’s event, fair warning: look away now. Why? Because the annual squee-fest is about to begin. That’s right: I’m off to the wilds of Los Angeles to partake in the craziness of Gally!

Every year is a little different, not only in terms of the guests attending and the panels offered, but in terms of what the overall experience means to me. My first year, I knew only one other attendee; last year, I knew several from the previous year and from Twitter; this year, I feel like I know lots. Therefore, much of the experience will revolve around friends.

Sadly, the local friends I like to meet up with while I’m in town are unavailable this year, so I won’t have my usual out-of-con experience. Instead of meeting up with locals for lunch, I’ll be hanging out with other Gally friends. Maybe I’ll even help to set up the main ballroom, as there was a general call for able bodies along those lines. Might be fun.

Then there’s the cosplay. Last year was my first time, and I did three costumes, including the group cosplay TARDISpod dress. This year, all the effort (primarily on my hubby’s part, because he is awesome and also loves to make stuff) went into the Tin Litter (K-9) group cosplay costume. I’ll be wearing one of my costumes from last year one day, too, but the K-9 will be the major focus—including more Doctor pictures!

As I said above, I will be posting a lot about Gally over the next week or so. If it doesn’t interest you, come back in about two weeks; I’ll have a Nu-View or a DVD review for you then. If, however, you are interested in the glorious insanity that is Gallifrey One, then stay tuned! I’ll have my usual daily reviews of the con here, and Twitter will be awash with all the goings-on. (You can follow my Twitter feed or the official #Gally1 hashtag if that’s your thing.)

Let the games begin!

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Retro-View #15: A Gentle Passing

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The Caves of Androzani (Story #136, 1984)
Viewed 29 Jan 2014

Doctor/Companion: Five, Perpugilliam “Peri” Brown
Stars: Peter Davison, Nicola Bryant
Preceding Story: Planet of Fire (Five, Peri, Turlough)
Succeeding Story: The Twin Dilemma (Six, Peri)

Given that Caves is generally viewed as one of the (if not “the”) best stories in Doctor Who‘s entire fifty year history, I had really been looking forward to sharing it with G. That pesky “Real Life” (RL) thing keeps getting in the way of our viewing, though. Not only has it been three months since we last got together, but this may well be our last session for a good long time, due to other RL obligations. Good thing we had something meaty to tide us over.

As usual, I spent a few minutes updating G on the various changes in the TARDIS crew since she last tuned in. Tegan and Nyssa have moved on, as has a completely different Companion whose entire tenure was between these episodes (that’d be Turlough; I didn’t even bother with Kamelion). And when it came along, I mentioned how Davison himself had wanted an explanation for the dratted celery he’d been wearing these past few years, and that’s why we got the whole bit about if it turns purple.

Mostly, though, the first episode of the serial was spent getting back into the groove and noticing all the stereotypical details. There was an “Eew!” at the cave bat/magma creature/whatever-we’re-calling-it and a laugh out loud at the ensuing panicky gunfire from the humans. There was an “Ooh, that was weird” at our first sight of Sharaz Jek and a “Boy, those are some hairy fingers. … Got the wolfman going here” at a subsequent one. And there was the observation of the obligatory set up: “Every show starts out with a misunderstanding of who he is…” By the time we’d made it to the first cliffhanger, we were back in the swing of things.

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Confession #50: I’m a Cosplay “Cheater”

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Cosplay, the art and craft of dressing as a character from some fandom, has been gaining popularity here in the US in the last several years. In fact, last year cable channel Syfy even launched a reality show based on the practice, titled Heroes of Cosplay. The craft covers a vast array of skill levels and intentions, from screen-accurate reconstructions of favorite costumes down to a T-shirt with your character’s logo/costume printed on it.

I know some people don’t “get” cosplay; I certainly didn’t used to. (To be fair, though, I didn’t get Twitter at the time, either. My, how times do change.) Actually, though, there’s not a lot to get. It’s kind of like dressing up for Hallowe’en, except in a venue where one can really uncork all the geekiness one might usually keep bottled up, knowing full well that someone will appreciate even the most obscure reference or crazy execution.

Although I was aware of the practice, I’d never really been immersed in the culture until my first convention (yes, ever) at Gallifrey One 2012. It was an eye-opening experience, and I felt almost out of place in my street clothes. I was an outsider looking in, but what I saw looked like a lot more fun than I’d ever expected.

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Confession #49: I Can Empathize with Moffat

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Occasionally, I feel like I need to cut Moffat a break. Granted, he has a lot to answer for lately; many of the narrative choices he’s made have been self-serving, at best. However, to a certain degree I feel a little sorry for him; I can empathize with the problems he has.

Before anyone goes jumping down my throat, here, let me clarify. I’m not talking about the “problems” he has with fans calling him out on questionable scripting decisions (whether they be with plot, characterization, or representation). I’m talking purely from a creative standpoint.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, as I struggle to complete the latest revision of my first novel. (As an aside, if anyone cares, I also blog under my pen name about that creative process, though less regularly.) But it occurred to me, as I’ve been fighting to pull all the newly-adjusted plot threads together in the final chapters, that the issues I’m facing must be very similar to those Moffat faces every series, and I found myself suffering a pang of sympathy for the poor bastard.

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Confession #48: I Need to Be Among My People

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I had an odd, eye-opening experience this past weekend. My husband works for a company that revels in its employees’ nerdy/geeky passions, and actively encourages them both in the workplace and beyond. Last Friday was their annual holiday party, and for the first time I was able to accompany Hubby to the shindig (yay! for childcare!).

To give you an idea about what a seriously big deal this party is, I offer the following. As the company has grown, it’s opened branches in two other large, Midwestern cities. In order to ensure everyone the opportunity to indulge, they hired two busses (motorcoaches) to transport folks from these other two cities here, where an entire hotel had been reserved for the event.

At this point, those who frequent cons may begin to feel on familiar ground. While events like Gallifrey One don’t actually get the entire LAX Marriott (not for lack of trying, I’d bet), anyone not in on it is likely to feel a bit awkward. It was lovely, therefore, that the party in question didn’t have any outsiders to work around. You knew that anyone you saw there that night was a company employee, a “plus one,” or a hotel employee. (Or one of the bus drivers, I suppose…)

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Confession #47: I’m Burnt Out on Who

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I suppose it’s a good thing that Gallifrey One is coming up soon (only about five more weeks!), because I really need something to recharge my fandom battery. I’ve reached my quasi-annual burnout.

Do other fans get this? Is it just fatigue from trying to wrap my brain around Moffat’s tortured plot devices, a general malaise borne of the recent frigid weather, or is it because I blog?

I’ve often wondered about the effects of blogging on my enjoyment of the show. My self-imposed requirement of posting no less than once a week (which I’ve kept for three years running, as of this week) has occasionally led to feelings about Our Show more akin to obligation than to enjoyment, and it usually happens here in these bleak weeks between a Christmas special and Gally. I rely heavily on the excitement of the con and sharing the bits we all love with other fans to get me going again. I’m in desperate need of it this year.

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Confession #46: I’m Still Hopeful About Capaldi

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Last week the world got its first glimpse of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor at the tail end of what was arguably the worst episode since Moffat took over as showrunner. I’ve seen comment after Internet comment about how Moffat effectively jumped the shark with The Time of the Doctor, and I can’t say I completely disagree. And yet, I still find myself oddly hopeful that the upcoming series with Capaldi’s Twelfth* Doctor won’t suck the proverbial big one.

Given how many times I’ve been burned by Moffat (as mentioned last week, my enjoyment of his episodes has generally decreased over time), you’d think I’d learn not to let my expectations get the better of me. Despite experience, though, here I sit, cautiously optimistic that the show will undergo a positive change.

The rumor mill obviously has something to do with this attitude. Once folks started posting I-heard‘s and according-to‘s claiming Capaldi’s first series would trend away from the “fairy tale” motif Moffat ensured was infused throughout Smith’s run and toward a more “gothic” feel, that treasonous spark of hope rekindled.

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