What to Watch in 2014

January is mostly over now, so happily a lot of the shows we've been waiting for have returned. To break down every show I have on my #watchlist would be exhausting, and boring. Rather, I'll just post the shows that I try and catch each night of the week, and then talk about my favorite comedy, drama, and science fiction. Keep in mind that several of those shows are on break right now, and one of them won't be back until August of this year.

Sunday

Game of Thrones

The Walking Dead

Homeland

Once Upon a Time

Monday

Castle

How I Met Your Mother

The Blacklist

The Following

Mike & Molly

2 Broke Girls

Intelligence

Almost Human

Tuesday

NCIS

NCIS: Los Angeles

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Person of Interest

Brooklyn 99

Chicago Fire

Dads

New Girl

Wednesday

Arrow

The Tomorrow People

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Criminal Minds

American Horror Story

Psych

Revolution

Chicago PD

Thursday

The Big Bang Theory

Scandal

The Crazy Ones

The Michael J. Fox Show

Elementary 

White Collar

Glee

Community

Parks and Recreation

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland

Friday

Bones

Hawaii 5-O

Last Man Standing

Saturday

Saturday Night Live

Doctor Who

Keep in mind, some of these shows I only watch when I can't find something better to do (American Horror Story, Dads). Some of them are new to me, and I'm not sure if I'm going to keep up with it (Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Intelligence, The Tomorrow People). Some of them aren't back from break yet (Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Scandal, Glee). And there are even a couple I only watch because my wife likes them (2 Broke Girls, Parks and Recreation). That doesn't mean I don't enjoy them, just that sometimes I could take it, or I could leave it. Oh, and lest I forget, I've also started watching Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. I rarely watch it live, but it's pretty funny to catch it on Hulu. (That way you can pick which guest might be interesting, or read a review of how funny an ep might be.)

The Best Comedy on TV

This really wasn't close. I love The Big Bang Theory, but it's getting a little played out on syndication. Community is funny, but not nearly as funny as it used to be (adios Chevy Chase and Donald Glover). Instead, I confidently say #Brooklyn99 is the funniest show on tv right now. #AndySamberg is brilliant, and the rest of the cast is really good. Each episode is fresh and unique. Most recently, my new favorite character on television is #SergeantPeanutButter.

The Best Drama on TV

This is a tough one. #NCIS has consistently been my favorite show over the past 3 or 4 years.So far this season, a few shows have been better. #Scandal is so intense and amazing, but it's still on break. #Elementary is consistently brilliant, and if I was white, I'd want #JohnnyLeeMiller to play me in a movie about my life. #SVU has taken it up a notch, letting #CaptainCragen #DannFlorek and #SergeantMunch #RichardBelzer walk away. So it's with great difficulty, I have to say #PersonOfInterest has been the best drama of the season. I wish more people watched this, and the critics gave it more acclaim. They killed off a major character this season #DetectiveCarter, brought another to redemption #DetectiveFusco, and sent a main character into a spiral of depression and destruction #JohnReese #JimCaviezel. I thought the Reese/Carter romance was stretched a little thin, but it now has a little more realism the way #MrReese has dealt with it. I hope it stays strong for the rest of the season.

The Best Science Fiction on TV

I automatically want to say #DoctorWho. But Doctor Who isn't coming back again until August, and to be honest, #TheTimeOftheDoctor was a bit disappointing. I disliked it less, than much of the #DW fan base, and I've found myself defending it more than I think I should. Aside from DW, there isn't a whole lot more sci-fi to choose from. I'm not going to say #Intelligence after just one episode. So I guess I have to choose between #Revolution and #AlmostHuman. Revolution is good for post-apocalyptic fantasy, but this season has gotten a little bit wonky, and harder to watch. It's still good, but I'm afraid it's going to get cancelled. Grudgingly, I guess it goes to Almost Human. #KarlUrban is decent as a surly cop, but when I see him all I see is #DrMcCoy and Judge Dredd. I won't even hashtag Dredd because it was such a god-awful movie. #MinkaKelly might well be the hottest woman on tv. She was so hot in #FridayNightLights, I'm glad she looks like a grown (hot) woman now.It's also nice to see #MichaelIrby on tv again. I loved him as #Hammerhead on #TheUnit. But the real scene stealer is #MichaelEaly. His comedic sense is brilliant, and he totally sells it as an older model android than is used in the near future. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It's worth all 42 minutes.

As always, thank you for reading. I have to go now. It's almost 7pm on a Monday night. If you wonder what I'm doing, see above.

Peace, and out.

The Captains Close-Up

As I was reminded today and yesterday by my wife, I haven't written anything in almost a month. All of my reason for not having done so are personal, some of them good reasons, some of them not so good. First, I'll try and explain two good reasons, and then I'll tell you about what reminded me to #justwrite.

Even when I'm not being the best father I can be, or should be, my little #padawan dominates all of my thoughts and dreams. Literally, my dreams. I've been having lots of dreams lately that are all about fear. Just in the last two nights I've dreamt about falling through the sky to my death, dropping my son on his fragile neck, and a close family member being on his death bed. Apparently, no matter how much I like this little boy, I still have serious reservations about my role as a father. I understand that. I get it. I just hope that it all goes away before he's thirty years old.

My second reason is a lot more mundane. People that are into the arts will understand, more than others. When you get out of the habit of using whatever skill you may have, it diminishes. In addition, it becomes harder to get back into a habit of using it. I didn't write anything for a couple of weeks, and I forgot to just sit down and #blog when a great idea came to me. Don't get me wrong, I still have thoughts and ideas scribbled in one of my journals. But unless I'm #Beethoven or #Salinger, what I write in my journals is barely worth the paper it's scribbled on. It's kind of like my stove-top burners. If I don't use them, they stop working. And if I don't have food stored away, it's not worth the ingredients dying in the fridge, and it's not worth the non-stick pan I have in the cupboard.

So what reminded me? Tonight I watched "The Captains Close-Up", a companion mini-series to a #WilliamShatner documentary called #TheCaptains. In the first doc he interviews previous #StarTrek captains about the experience they had running through the Star Trek franchise. In the follow up, which is in five parts on #Netflix, he goes behind the scenes of the Captains' interviews, and adds commentary from previous #Trek cast members. It concludes with an interview of #Shatner, in addition to #ChrisPine. I can't vouch for anything past episode two, but I'll let you know.

#AveryBrooks #DS9 is a crazy, musical, genius. He's still, currently a tenured professor of drama and music at #Rutgers but he doesn't care about that, at all. Shatner asked him about his inspirations and heroes to learn and teach music, and about his role as the first black Star Trek Captain. Bill Shatner mention plenty of inspiring black heroes, but Brooks brushed them all off. "My heroes? My heroes were my parents." Avery goes on to explain that it was his parents that taught him about history, and music, and about being black in a world that didn't get it yet. As for being the first black captain, he didn't care about that either. Because of his education and upbringing he cares, more about the human condition. How do we treat each other in general? Not as a black person, or a white person, or a Jew, or a woman, or any other type of person we could be referred to as. We, as humans need to care about the stake of our spirituality as a race, rather than worry about what we call ourselves, or what others calls us.

I paraphrased his sentiments, but it made sense to me.

I was equally blown away by #KateMulgrew, who I've always said was my least favorite captain. For completely different reasons than Brooks, I was impressed with #Mulgrew. She struggled non-stop with maintaining her family as a mother, a daughter, and a sister. Her cast mates couldn't stop mentioning how hard she worked to maintain her relationships with her family, and her life outside of Star Trek. I can't imagine the task that must have been. She was the first female captain, on one of the most watched shows of all time, and a mother of three. And she still managed to remind her crew mates to not forget to maintain the important parts of their family lives. That's impressive. And also ridiculous.

Anytime I watch a show about an actor, or musician, or any other kind of artist "selling out", I crack up. I watched a #FamilyGuy before my wife and baby went to bed about Bryan selling out to #CBS on his sitcom. These two episodes of #TheCaptainsCloseUp remind me why I don't want to ever do that.

But don't be confused. Offer me a million bucks, and I'll do just about anything.

Over, and out.

A Real Outdoor Man

I have a challenge for the people that read this blog. All 3 of you. Write something sweet and heartfelt about the new love of your life, and follow it up writing about your random #BS and thoughts. It's damn near impossible. #NewBaby is everything. But I'm certainly gonna try anyway.

My neighbor, let's call him Lewis, is about 65-70 years old. I hadn't seen in for a few weeks, but I just assumed he was out scrapping. Literally, scrapping. His family grabs old appliances, refurbishes them, and then sell them for a lot more morons, like I, think they are worth. They do pretty well.

Apparently, when I hadn't seen him, it was because he had a stroke about 5 months ago. Understandably, he wasn't out back, working as much. His kids, whom I assume are in their thirties, were out cleaning, shoveling, and working on appliances. But the last couple of weeks, Lewis has been out there kicking ass and taking names.

I mean this as no slight to his kids. Anyone who knows Lewis would be out there doing the work for him. I'm not that great a person, or neighbor, but I'd do it myself if I could. But Lewis doesn't want that. He'd rather do it himself, correctly. I asked him why his kids weren't out there, taking a load off of his back. This is a direct quote. "Everyone else does a shit job."

I have so much respect for that. Even when acknowledging that I'm a lazy prick. That's a man, right there. #LastManStanding is a great show, and #TimAllen is brilliant. On the show he becomes a viral celebrity for his online video rants about being a man, an #OutdoorMan. It's great for his business, but that's not why he does it. He rants because a large population of male humans out there, have become sissies. Sissies that don't care of their spouses, don't care for their kids, don't care about anything but which Starbucks is closest so they can grab a latte.

I get it. And personally, I find Lewis to be inspiring. I'm not just saying that so he'll shake my hand and thank me. (He's too old to be reading #blogs anyway.) I'm saying it because it's right. I should have gotten my ass moving earlier today and shoveled the walkways. I should build something. I should walk the damn dog more often. Thanks, Lewis for reminding me.

Now, having said that, I'm gonna go make myself a latte. (I'm too cheap to buy one.)

Isaiah Jedi

I just wrote half of this post, and then accidentally deleted it. I kind of want to punch my computer in the face. Since I can't do that, I'm going to abbreviate my first post about my son, Isaiah Jedi Smith.

I posted it on Facebook, and I think he has one of the coolest names ever. Isaiah means 'Salvation of God'. Jedi is short for Jedidiah, which means 'Beloved by God'. But let me stop lying. I was thinking about Star Wars when I picked it out. My wife agree to it over a year ago. I spent the last year reminding her she agreed, and she spent the time trying to get out of her deal. She lost. A Jedi is also a guardian of peace and justice in the galaxy, as defined by George Lucas and Star Wars. Smith, is a generic name of a worker or craftsman. My son is 'saved by God', 'Beloved by God', and sanctioned to save and protect the galaxy. Go, kid. Go!

But that's not the first thing I think about when I look at my son. Most babies are really ugly. Their heads are shaped weird, they have a strange color, and they smell like hell. But not my son. I know everyone says their baby is gorgeous. I fully expected him to look like a #SNL #Conehead, but he doesn't. Everyone we talk to, says Isaiah is gorgeous, and better looking than their own babies. That's nuts. But true. He's my son, he's got to be a hottie.

I frequently look at Isaiah, and can't believe that I helped make this little person. We picked a name, and now he's gonna be called that for the rest of his life. It's crazy. I can't believe God let us have this responsibility. This little maniac is now not just my offspring. He's part of all of my family, and part of all of Kate's family. Nurses and doctors were waiting for his first passed gas, to make sure his digestion was healthy. He farted literally, 30 seconds after I did, in my sleep.How crazy is that? Even newborn and asleep, we fart together. And he sleeps the same way I do. Talking, flailing, and rolling around like a maniac.

It makes no sense, but I'm getting used to it, somehow. I don't understand how he knows me. I don't understand how he figures out how to nurse. I especially don't understand how he likes Kate and I. But he likes us, and he knows that he loves us. I'll take it, and I'll hug him until I squish him.

Poor dog. Pepper Potts is jealous..

#Arrow and The Hero's Dilemma

This may very well be my last post before the baby comes. I'm not sorry, because I'm more excited about being a father than I ever have been about writing. With that in mind, I'm also sorry I haven't written more about #Scandal as #ShondaRhimes has been blowing my mind over the last few weeks. We will see if I can watch the mid season finale, tomorrow, and NOT write about it.

First off, #Arrow. Last week was really good, this week's episode almost melted my face. I've been dying for Arrow to introduce more #DC heroes. I like how the producers have flirted with the idea of #BlackCanary while still not revealing whether it'll end up being Sara or Laurel Lance. A good friend of mine says it'll be Laurel, but I guess we'll just have to see. Same thing with #Speedy and #TheRedArrow. I like #RoyHarper as the Red Arrow, and I like Thea Queen as Speedy. I hadn't caught it before, but #OliverQueen referred to Thea as 'Speedy'. In the comics they are overlapping characters. I'm not sure if the producers have figured out how they are going to resolve that for the show's purposes. And finally, a real superhero, #TheFlash.

I was afraid they'd do something goofy to bring him in. So far, Arrow has tried to stay away from super powered heroes and villains. A very good idea, in my opinion. Especially after #Smallville, which was just freak-of-the-week during the early seasons. Instead, we got an origin story for the Flash. They hinted that he had some powers, but the explosion in the lab was true to comic book lore, and a great way to introduce the character. I see a spinoff series, in the future. But, how the hell can The Flash, who's superpower is speed, be late to everything? It makes no sense. Barry Allen's attraction to #FelicitySmoak is cute, fine. But I'm biased. If #EmilyBettRickards is going to have an on screen romance, I want it to be with Ollie. Or me. Actually, forget Ollie. Just me.

Slade Wilson's evolution into #Deathstroke has been an awesome story arc for this, the second season of Arrow. We already knew he was a badass. Now he's a badass with a grudge, and an eye patch. Only #SamJackson looks better with a patch #NickFury. And he's black, so I give him a leg up if the two were ever to meet.

My last thing about Arrow, is something I've been bitching about since the first episode. His disguise and alter ego are complete rubbish. How stupid could these people be? Detective Lance #PeterBlackthorne, Isabel Rochev #SummerGlau, Thea Queen #WillaHolland, and Roy Harper #ColtonHaynes all know that Oliver's personal assistant and his driver are familiar with #TheVigilante. Oliver is also about the same size, weight, and body mass as the Arrow. Put the pieces together, morons. Arrow doesn't even wear a mask. Until today. The Flash pointed how lazy the face paint was as a disguise, and even left him the new mask as a present. It was about damn time. "Even The Arrow deserves a Christmas present!!!" Thanks, #StephenAmell. I took that quote straight off of your #twitter.

#TheHerosDilemma is something that has been driving me nuts for as long as I've read comic books, or watched movies about superheros, which is my whole life. Whenever a villain wants to put a hero in a difficult situation they resort to the same old trick. "You must choose who I am going to kill, or I'll kill both." The Joker made Batman choose between Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes, and now Oliver was made to choose between #Shado and Sara Lance. Ultimately, it's all bullshit. Maybe it's all of the cop shows I watch. You are not responsible for what the #badguy does, the blame goes on him #SurvivorGuilt. Or maybe it's the #JimKirk in me that doesn't believe in no-win scenarios #StarTrek. Either way, I think the good guy should always just tell the bad guy to piss off. "I'm not choosing someone to die. You do it, criminal". I don't know if that's what they'd teach me at the police academy, or Starfleet Academy. But if our heroes started doing that, it would definitely take a playing card away from the enemy.

Hopefully, my next post will be about how cool it was watching my son be born. Lord knows, my wife is ready to get that kid out of her belly, and I'm ready too. If that's the case, I'll see you all next week. If not, I'll probably bitch on Saturday about how my son doesn't want to meet me. Either way...

"I don't believe in no-win scenarios." -James Tiberius Kirk

#DerrickRose #ChicagoBulls #NBA

If you're from #Chicago, you've probably done by now what we all have done. You've made a vow that you will not keep, to not watch any #ChicagoBaseball. You've removed the #Bulls and #Bears from your DVR. You are now hunkering down for the #Blackhawks, and you're planning a summer of camping, beaches, and generally staying away from sports. Because the old #ChicagoSports motto is back in play. "Here we go again. You just wait until next year."

For the second time in as many years, #DerrickRose season is over due to injury. The Bulls' 2012 season, what was optimistically supposed to be 'The Bulls Year', ended with a torn left ACL. There was reason to be hopeful, however, that Rose would be back in time to make a playoff run, should the Bulls qualify. They did qualify, but Rose wasn't ready yet to play. The fans and the media gave him a lot of shit, fair or not, for not coming back. They said he lacked heart, or mental discipline. They said that if he really wanted to be on the court he would be. 

Now, not yet 20 games into the season, I'm experiencing a serious case of dejavu. In a fluke injury on Nov. 22, Derrick turned around to head back down the court, and tore his right meniscus. We hoped it wasn't serious when it happened, but surgery on the 25th, belied those hopes. In a press conference today (Dec. 5th) Rose again, though less adamantly, said that he would return for a playoff run if all of the ducks lined up. Hats off to my baby brother. Before anyone knew any details of the injury, he told me that Derrick was not coming back for the rest of the year. After details of the injury and surgery were released he sent me a snarky text, "I told you so."

And the fans are pissed again. Last year #DRose signed a $250 million deal with #Addidas, and as of May, 2013 #SportsIllustrated lists him as the 7th highest earning athlete. He's now got deals with Powerade, Wilson Sporting Goods, Skullcandy, 2K Sports, and is even a part owner Giordano's Pizza. All of that, more than last year's complaints that he had no heart, have made some of the fans go a little bit nuts. "He doesn't care about the team, he just wants to get paid," is a very popular sentiment, here in Chicago. Just turn on a sports talk radio station, or check #Twitter or #Facebook. It's everywhere. It helped matters none whatsoever that when asked today about his frame of mind D-Rose mentioned his his rehab plans, his son, his business plans. He did say that possibly maybe God was trying to tell him something, but maybe you don't want to talk about your money, Derrick. 

I honestly am not sure how I feel about the whole situation. Like any fan, I'm disappointed. In Chicago we know how much it sucks to lose your franchise player. (#Cutler, I'm looking in your direction.) As a #WhiteSox fan, nothing drives me nuts more than hearing "Wait until next year" (now I'm looking in your direction #Cubs). But, I guess it is that time of year for the Bulls. Because regardless of whether or not the Bulls make the playoffs, which they won't, Rose will not be back again this year. Same as last year, he's got too much to lose by rushing. He mentioned in his interview that his career will be judged by #Championships. And he's right. Even right now, no one cares about MVP awards, or points per game, or triple doubles. All we want in this city, is rings.

Regarding his attitude, I'm not entirely sure about that either. I have to say, his tone now, sounds much different compared to last year's. He sounds more calm, more confident, and I have to say, a little bit defiant. When asked how he would respond to someone that said he was not trustworthy, injury prone, or that the Bulls should move on he responded, "What can I say to that? You can be a fool if you want to." He also talked about his new confidence in the rehab process, and all but guaranteed that he'd return to full form. [I play hard. That's just the type of player I am, and I'm never gonna stop.] To me all of that sounds like toughness.

I think he's a winner. The only problem with being a winner, is that you can't win if you don't play. I want to see him play basketball. Now. I'm not gonna hate on a guy for making money. But seeing these dumbass headphone commercials, and his face on the cover of video games is like a slap in the face. But I don't know him. Who am I to say he's tough, or mentally weak, or selfish. All I am is a fan, and all that matters to me are marks in the win column. So to Derrick Rose all I can fairly say is do your thing. Rehab. Get well, and get your ass back on that court asap. Chicago is thirsty for another winning team. 

#GoBlackhawks

#TheDayOfTheDoctor #DoctorWho50thAnniversary #SpoilersSweetie

Since the first time I cracked open my first book, watched my first video, or visited the theatre for the first time I have had no problem rereading or rewatching my favorite things. I've read the #Hobbit about fifteen times, watched #ThePrincessBride in the range of two-hundred times, and it's not unusual for me to buy multiple tickets in advance, to see the same movie in the theatre up to five times. So it should be no surprise that I waited to blog about #TheDayOfTheDoctor until I'd seen it at least three times. The first time, I was just in awe the entire time. The second time, I started catching details I had missed. And the third time, I was finally able to assemble the entire experience in my puny brain. I regret not seeing it in the theatre, but that's my only complaint. Mostly.

I'm not gonna give you a full recap. Honestly, that'd be a waste of my time. I'd rather rewatch it (again) than write a scene by scene breakdown. What I will do is mention some highlights, critique the episode as a whole, and share some of my favorite quotations. There are also some questions I'd like to discuss, and some complaints I'd like to address. A warning for the uninitiated. #Spoilers, spoilers and more spoilers. Also, I have three separate sets of notes for this, so at times I may jump around.

Right off the bat, I was hooked. Because I've watched so much of the newer #DoctorWho my brain couldn't help create dialogue I would have liked to have seen during this celebration episode. (All of my made up dialogue got a special "J" notation in my notes, and will be in brackets in this blog.) Clara rode her motorcycle straight into the #TARDIS for her first scene with #MattSmith. Right then, I thought it would have been cool if she'd have said something like, [I ride a motorbike now. Motorbike's are cool.]  Because of that absurd, amazing thought I missed something that blew my mind on my third viewing of the episode. The Doctor smiles but pretty much mock-ignores her until after he complains about the draft from the open TARDIS doors, AND CLARA SNAPS HER FINGERS AND THE DOORS CLOSE!!!  Holy crap, indeed. #RiverSong told The Doctor in season 4 episode 9 (4x9) he'd be able to do it, he starts doing it, and now, with no further explanation, Clara can do it. Well, she can close the doors, anyway. I don't know what that means, but then again, Clara IS 'The Impossible Girl'.

"Rose Tyler. No. Yes. No? Yes, sorry. in this form I'm called #BADWOLF. Are you afraid of the big bad wolf, Doctor?

I really wasn't thrilled with #BilliePiper returning as an artificial intelligence during my first viewing. I wanted Rose, and I wanted to watch her interact with Matt Smith and Clara. After I had some time to think about it (though not quite 400 years), I changed my mind. We've seen #companions interact before. Think of Donna and Martha, and Rose/Mickey/SarahJane/K9. I don't know that a Clara/Rose meeting would have added anything to the story other than shtick. It also allowed Rose to do and say anything without consequently affecting the story. Well almost. She did accidentally call two Doctors from different times. My #DW brain added a line to that scene. "Ok, I wasn't expecting that. [Oops, I've called too many Doctors.]" She also reminded the Doctors they were the same person with the same #SonicScrewdriver which was a pretty big deal story-wise. All in all, Billie as the artificial intelligence worked pretty well and I can't complain.

I'm going to gloss over the #Zygons, because for story telling purposes, it really didn't matter who the villain was. It could have been #Daleks, #Cyberman or #WeepingAngels and the story would have just needed a little tweaking. I did worry for a bit that the statues were Weeping Angels. #DontBlink those things are damned creepy. The Zygons did provide some entertaining exchanges with Queen Elizabeth I. #DavidTennant, thinking that Elizabeth was the alien changeling proposes marriage to her, and she accepts. "Oh, it was the horse! Oh. I'm gonna be King." A few seconds later she kisses him goodbye and tells him she needs him alive for the wedding. "Oh, good one, Doctor. Nice one. You've already agreed. So much for history." Oh, that Doctor. Such a #rulebreaker.

A lot of old school fans of Doctor Who (they weren't called #Whovians then) don't like Tennant and Smith because they believe they lack this thing called #gravitas. They think he's too goofy, never takes things seriously, blah blah blah. I don't agree. Watch enough of them, and you see how serious #TheOncomingStorm can be. Regardless, I don't think even those old schoolers can dispute the fact that #JohnHurt was bloody brilliant. He made us laugh without being 'funny'. He was sad without being depressing. Above all else he was the #WarDoctor while still being the #Doctor. When Hurt asks Smith and Tennant if they are the Doctor's companions (they get younger all the time), check out Tennant's face. I died. And when Hurt says to them both, "You're me? In the future? Even that one (Smith)?" I died again.

Surprisingly, people still had complaints about 'The Day of the Doctor'. I'll address what I can.

#Moffat threw fundamental rules of #DW out of the window. The Doctor can never cross his own timeline. There can't be more than 12 Doctors. First of all, it's not just the #haters that need a reminder. All of the #sciencefiction nerds that break down #StarTrek #OnceUponATime #Stargate #BackToTheFuture, and every other tv show or movie that deals with time travel need to remember. We're talking about something that's not real. It doesn't have to make complete scientific sense 100% of the time. It's pretend, and it's fun. Stop being a #buzzkill. Also, since you're going to break it down anyway, keep this in mind. Time travel breaks the laws of physics at a fundamental level. That, by the rules of science, implies that there are no rules. Only theories, hypothesis, and guesses. It's a #wibblywobbly kind of thing, and there are plenty of ways to adjust our precepts to fit canon. #Canon being, whatever the writers say is true, is true. Chill. Secondly, DW canon says there can be only 12 regenerations, NOT only 12 Doctors. The first Doctor was just the Doctor. Every subsequent Doctor being the result of a regeneration means there are 13 total Doctors at the end. I have no idea how #PeterCapaldi will be explained or where the story goes next. But it's not my job. My job is to set a block of time aside to watch and enjoy it.

Lastly, before I list my favorite quotations of the episode, I'd like to throw my thoughts and minor complaints into the hat.

1. I really would have liked to have seen #CaptainJackHarkness and River make an appearance. I don't know what more I would have liked, but I wanted more than those little #EasterEggs.
2. John Hurt as the 9th(?) Doctor should totally get a miniseries or something, chronicling some of his adventures as The Doctor.
3. My friend Hayley, and lots of other Whovians, insist you could see John Hurt regenerating into #ChrisEcclston. After three full viewings, and watching the clips repeatedly, I still don't see it.
4. "The Adventures of Galllifrey in the Pocket Universe" Enough said.
5. How did the 3D painting end up in the archive? #TomBaker made a vague reference to it being "..acquired under remarkable circumstances". I can't wait to find what those circumstances were.
6. I think Dr. Osgood would make a pretty cool companion. She's already got the scarf, and she's convinced the Doctor will save her. #SaveTheDay Plus, she yanks the scarf out from under a Zygon's foot. That would definitely land her in a #NHL penalty box for tripping. "I've always wanted to meet someone named 'Yes'."
7. I really wanted to hear one of the Doctors yell, "This planet is under my protection!"
8. This was hard to catch, and it may be pure speculation on my part. Tom Baker says, "Who knows? Who knows (tapping his nose)." I saw it during my first viewing as, [Who, if anyone knows? Doctor Who knows.] Pretty cool, huh?
9. Kate Stewart mentions to Clara that she has top level clearance from her last visit to Unit. Last visit? Um, what? Clara is as confused as we are.

I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, I loved it. If I keep speculating I could ruin the #DoctorWhoChristmasSpecial for myself, and everyone. I'm that clever. I'll leave you with just a few favorite quotations, in no particular order, and wait for you to contact me so that we can ruin it together. Thanks as always for your attention. Fanboy, out.

1. "Would you mind telling these prattling mortals to get themselves begone?!" -Smith
2. "Why are you pointing your screwdrivers like that? They're scientific instruments, not water pistols!" -Hurt
3. "Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light to flame, no matter the cost." -Hurt
4. "Alien technology plus human stupidity. Trust me, it's unbeatable." -Smith
5. "Timey Wimey?" -Hurt "I have no idea where he picks that stuff up." -Tennant
6. "Think about it. Americans with the ability to rewrite history. You've seen their movies." -Kate Stewart
7. "Dear God. Three of them. All my worst nightmares at once." -Timelord