Posts Tagged ‘predictions’

Who Will Play the New Doctor on “Doctor Who”?

Posted: January 27, 2016 in Living and Life, Predictions, Writing
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If you are as big a nerd as I am (and if continuing trends are accurate, you probably are, because the meek are inheriting the Earth and all that), you’ve probably heard a bunch of news about Doctor Who over the past week or so that has made fans of the show and just people in general who are friends of those fans freak out. These pieces of news boil down to three main points:

  1. Steven Moffat, showrunner for the show since Series 5 and writer since Series 1, will be stepping down from his position at the end of Series 10. The showrunner position will be taken over by Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall.
  2. Because of the Olympics and everything else happening in 2016 this year, we won’t get any new episodes of Doctor Who till the Christmas Special at the end of the year. Series 10 will start up in the Spring of 2017.
  3. Peter Capaldi, who play’s the Doctor’s 12th incarnation, may also be leaving the show at the end of Series 10, so as to let Chibnall start fresh with a new Doctor.

Okay, the first piece of news isn’t that big a shock. Moffat’s retirement has been rumored for a while now, and we can see that he’s leaving the show in good hands, seeing as Chibnall has written some pretty well-known episodes of both DW and its spin-off Torchwood. The second piece…annoying, to say the least, but considering that this year is going to be pretty crazy, perhaps a good call by the BBC.

As for Capaldi leaving…I know that the average Doctor stays around three series. That’s how it’s been since DW came back in 2005. But oh my God, doesn’t it feel a little too soon?! Even my dad is a little amazed that Capaldi’s leaving, and he only knows the show as that thing his kids are obsessed with and that he’ll have to check out if he ever has the time for Netflix. And yeah, it’s been too soon, and Capaldi’s Doctor has only had so much time! And let’s face it, while I liked Jenna Coleman’s Clara, she did at times overshadow the Doctor. I was really looking forward to seeing the Doctor grow and have adventures without having an appendage that took up so much of the story (there, I said it, are you happy?!).

But I’ve had time to calm down, and I have to say that if Capaldi does want to leave, then so be it. I’m not going to be too happy about it, but I’ll accept it if I have to. I just hope that Capaldi decides to stick around for two more series instead of one, or at the very least Series 10 is just the most awesome thing ever.

And now I’m thinking, “Who’s going to replace Capaldi?” Trust me, you’re all probably thinking it by this point as well. And I know that they won’t be announcing it until probably a few months before we see this new Doctor. Still, I thought I’d jump the gun and give my predictions for who would make a great 13th Doctor (technically 14th, but let’s not get crazy here). Heck, my Predictions post for Batman vs. Superman actually hit the mark a little, so maybe I could actually get this right.

And let me just say before I start that I will not be putting Benedict Cumberbatch on this list. Yeah I know, lots of his fans would love him as the Doctor, but seriously, the guy’s already playing a Doctor and Sherlock Holmes! He’s got enough iconic roles to fill up an IMDb page!

So here it is. The actors and actresses who I think would not only make great Doctors, but maybe take Doctor Who in an interesting new direction for a whole new era.

Hayley Atwell

Hayley Atwell

Not just my top choice, but the top choice of a lot of people. Her name’s come up several times already as a possible successor for Capaldi. Not surprising, considering she’s got quite the resume, most notably as bad-ass, takes-no-shit 1940’s secret agent Peggy Carter in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Atwell’s also done two DW radio dramas, so she’s definitely familiar with the franchise already. She would have no trouble taking the TARDIS key in hand, and Atwell’s already expressed interest in playing the Doctor, so why not?

Plus if the BBC decides to listen to the fans and give us our first female Doctor, Atwell would be a great actress to set the bar with.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor

12 Years A Slave‘s star was a name brought up back in 2013 when speculation about who Matt Smith’s replacement would be was at its height. Not surprising, considering the depth and strength he gave in that movie and in many other roles. Eijiofor would make a very great Doctor. And not only does he do dramatic roles very well, he can do funny and quirky (he played Lola in the movie Kinky Boots, if you need proof of that), so he could probably do some fun one-liners every now and then.

And in a show where the lead has always been a white actor, this could also be a very interesting and welcome change.

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall

In 2011 the BBC made a horror movie called The Awakening, which I thought was a weird little flick that tried to get into our heads and failed miserably. However, I thought the lead actress in that film, Rebecca Hall, did absolutely great. And Rebecca Hall has a great list of films to back her up: Frost/Nixon, The Town, Iron Man 3, Transcendence. She can do a lot of different roles, and I think a versatile actor is important for anyone who wants to play the Doctor.

And if she’s the only part I really enjoyed in a horror film, then you know she should be seriously considered.

Ace Bhatti

If that name sounds at all familiar to you, that’s because he played Principal Haresh Chandra in the DW spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, being both comic and serious at the same time in many different episodes of the series. Honestly, he was one of my favorite characters from that show (which I’m surprised that more DW fans haven’t seen). And apparently he’s got a very long resume outside of SJA, including a very big role on the show EastEnders (which I haven’t seen but I’ve heard good things about). He could make a very good Doctor, and considering that plenty of actors who had smaller roles in Doctor Who later went on to play bigger roles (including Capaldi and Sixth Doctor Colin Baker), this would be only continuing a well-known tradition.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris

Plenty of people know her as “oh, the actress who plays Moneypenny in James Bond, right?” but she’s done a lot more roles than that. In addition to Skyfall and Spectre, Harris has done 28 Days Later, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom as Winnie Mandela, for which the actual Winnie Mandela basically said that it was the best portrayal on film of her person.

With that sort of resume and endorsements, Harris might make a very good Doctor. I sort of imagine a warm and kind Doctor, who really hates getting violent but if she gets angry even Daleks will run away from her. Kind of like the Tenth Doctor with a mix of Third’s mentor-like charms.

Jon Oliver

Jon Oliver

Enough said. I know he probably won’t leave making fun of society while at the same time improving it on HBO, but the guy’s great. I’d love to see him as the Doctor.

And my final choice:

Mads Mikkelsen

Mads Mikkelsen

I know, I know. He’s not British. He’s not even Irish! He’s Danish! He’s practically not allowed to play the Doctor! But come on! Have you seen his resume? He was amazing as Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal, as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale, and he’ll be in Doctor Strange and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story later this year. And he actually does a pretty good British accent. Can you imagine him in some fancy 19th-century garb with a side of futuristic tech? He’d make a great Doctor, and I would love to see him in the role.

And I’m not afraid to say it!

 

So those are my choices for who should be the 13th Doctor. But tell me, who do you think would be a good fit for everybody’s favorite Time Lord? Do you think I’m on to something? Do you think I’m totally off? Is there a name I missed? Do you hope Peter Capaldi will stay a bit longer as well? Let’s discuss, my fellow Whovians.

And Steven Moffat and/or Chris Chibnall: if you happen to read this and you’re looking for some new blood to help you write kick-ass episodes of Doctor Who, give me a call. I’ve been keeping a long list of ideas for stories with the Doctor and I would love to write them for you. And these ideas could also work as novels, which I’ve plenty of experience writing, so I could do my stories that way as well if you want.

Like I said, give me a call. I’d be more than happy to head over to Wales to discuss the matter further.

What I’m Expecting From Man of Steel 2

Posted: August 23, 2013 in Living and Life, Predictions
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Don’t you just love the fans who make this stuff?

With Ben Affleck cast into the role of Batman for the sequel to Man of Steel, I thought I’d take some stabs at predicting what we could expect from this superhero mash-up that will try to rival the Avengers franchise. Now, I know my predictions aren’t always spot on, which is why I haven’t done any since the end of season one of Once Upon a Time (I think the only thing I got right there was Henry’s father). And I’m always afraid someone’s going to come back and tell me that I was off the mark by about 100%.

However, I really want to try again for Man of Steel 2, because for some reason this whole story sounds very familiar, and I want to get into the conversation on what we can expect from the film (which is likely going to be released summer 2015, if Warner Bros. has its way). So without further ado, here’s what I think will happen with various aspects for MoS2 (see what I did there?):

BATMAN. I’m pretty sure they won’t connect this Batman to Christian Bale’s Batman in any way, shape, or form. That trilogy is perfect the way it is, so why possibly spoil it by continuing it on in this new universe with Supes? Better to try and create a new Bats that will be as different from Bale as possible without being comical. I think a serious, more detective-like Batman would work, one who’s not overly violent but not afraid to use martial arts when necessary. That would be an original movie take, in my opinion.

VILLAINS. I’m predicting two villains will be used in the film, one from the Superman universe and the other from the Batman universe. For Supes, I’d go with the obvious choice of Lex Luthor, but if the filmmakers want to save him for the inevitable Justice League film, I’d say Brainiac will make an appearance. I still think Luthor is the likely choice though, so I’m going to throw out Dann Florek as the actor to portray him. As for Brainiac, I’d need more information on what sort of version of Brainiac they’d create for the movie. After all, there are so many versions of Brainiac, it’s hard to keep track. Unless I know more, I can’t recommend an actor (though with a little make-up James Marsters could possibly fill the role).

As for the Batman villain, I’m pretty sure it won’t be any of the villains from the Nolan trilogy, especially not the Joker (it’s too soon after Heath Ledger’s death). And quite possibly they won’t use villains from the Burton/Shumacher films due to the comedic natures of those villains. However if they do, I think cunning, sinister, and quite possibly much more dangerous versions of Penguin, the Riddler, or Poison Ivy could be usable.

If not though, then it’ll probably be a more obscure villain. I doubt that they’d use a crime boss as the villain, seeing as none of the crime bosses are memorable without a cool name and make-up. Perhaps the filmmakers could use a former Robin like Dick Grey or Jason Todd to be the Batman villain, both having come back in some versions of Batman as villains in their own rights. Under what form and in what capacity is a mystery to me, but if so, I’d pick Daniel Radcliffe or Mark Salling in a non-singing capacity.

And as an outlying vote for villain, I think Red Claw from the Batman animated series of the 90s would do great. She’s a feared terrorist with an accent who will do anything for her goals. And having Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis, or Cote de Pablo play her would work out just fine.

PLOT. Now this goes without saying, first Supes and Bats will be enemies or just not get along as they pursue the same goal, but eventually they’ll team up and actually work very well together. I’m not sure what the evil villains’ plot will be, because I don’t yet have any idea who the villains will be. However, I’m also sure that it’ll cause a lot of destruction (that goes without saying) and may involve alien technology, nuclear technology, bio-warfare, and/or Kryptonite. Any combination of that is just fine with me.

Also, depending on the relationship status of Supes and Lois Lane, we may either get them just fumbling about trying to see if they’re compatible without danger in their lives to cause them to have hormones raging for each other or we may see them well into a relationship where they have to struggle between each other and Supe’s duty to America and the world. Either way, it’ll be put into a 2.5 hour film, so there’s not enough room for character development.

I’ll have more when I know the actual villains for the story and can guess the plot. Until then, what are your thoughts on this sequel? I’d love to hear your predictions…and possibly make a bet with you.

Why the Revolt Against Morsi Doesn’t Surprise Me

Posted: July 3, 2013 in Politics and Leadership, Reflections, Social Activism
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A few years ago in January 2011, the people of Egypt began a mass movement for their freedom and for true democracy in their nation. The movement, the growing number of protests, and the backing of the military led to the ousting of Hosni Mubarak. Afterwards the military took control until a government of, for, and by the people could be set up.

In June of 2012, Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was elected to the Egyptian presidency. In hindsight, many said that Morsi was elected because his Muslim Brotherhood was better organized than other, newer political parties that wanted progressive reforms for the country. Almost as soon as Morsi took office, he took steps to solidify his power, passing a decree in November of 2012 that would allow for Morsi’s actions to be free of any judicial action, as well as imposing harsh Islamist policies on the nation.

Another dictator had been brought into power. But I wasn’t surprised. Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood had stated as such that they were anti-Zionist, pro-Islamist policies, and wanted a government with Islam at the center. Excuse me, but it’s very hard to have a true democracy with religion at the center of it, and the Muslim Brotherhood’s policies go against most of what Egypt wanted: more freedoms, including freedom of speech; women’s rights; protections for Coptic Christians; and more government accountability, among other things.

But when Morsi created trumped-up charges against a TV comedian often compared to Jon Stewart for criticizing Morsi and went back on a number of promises he made, particularly on those of free speech and government accountability, people noticed. And this is a country that has gotten used to fighting back against their government, even when faced with death.

So now demonstrations have taken hold of the country, the military is (quite wisely) backing the protesters, and Morsi has been given an ultimatum to leave office either by choice or by force. Of course Morsi has said he won’t leave office, saying that he was elected democratically and “will protect his legitimacy with his life”.

It’s when people in power say stuff like that you know they’ve gotten too big for their proverbial britches and need a reality check. Of course, with Morsi’s supporters, particularly those in the Muslim Brotherhood, saying they would gladly become martyrs to protect Morsi’s presidency, it looks like that reality check may take a while to come. And if the military does oust Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, things could be explosive in ways we have no way of predicting.

But whatever happens, I have no doubt that it won’t lead to a democracy similar to the United States (and to compare the US as stable when it comes to Egypt is saying something). Egypt is one of those countries that is still experimenting and trying to become a real democracy while power-hungry politicians try and secure themselves a large slice of the pie. If anything, what will result from all this will be a shaky leadership, and I doubt that whoever is in charge will learn from the lessons of Mubarak and Morsi.

But hey, let’s wait and see. I’ve been known to be wrong on occasion. We’ll just have to wait and see.

It’s The Day Before The World Will End (Not Really)

Posted: December 20, 2012 in Living and Life, Reflections
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So it’s about 24 hours before the Mayan calendar is supposed to wind down and the doomsday naysayers crap their pants with worry. Given the lack of scientific evidence that there is something to make the world end, the fact that the Mayans weren’t thinking about fire and brimstone when they created their long-count calendar, and the fact that prophecies of doom have come and gone without a hair falling out of place (most recently May 2011), I think it’s unlikely the world will end.

In fact, I plan to act like the world won’t end. I’ll get up, wonder if there’s still time to go to the Christmas party at work even though I’m not scheduled to go into work today and therefore slept in a little, write, remember the world’s supposed to end, shrug and get back to whatever I was doing, bring in the Sabbath, and laugh as nothing happens.

You guys get where I’m going with this, right? The world’s not going to end. There’s nothing to make it end. I know things have been crazy the past week in the USA because of all the shootings and attempted shootings. It’s enough to make you think the world might actually end. But it won’t; the world’s going to keep spinning, I’m going to keep writing, and on Christmas I’m going to order Chinese and watch a movie, as many Jews will do during the holiday season.

But if you’re still scared, please watch this music video by British artist Jay Sean, featuring supposedly-Trinidadian-but-possibly-from-outer-space artist Nicki Minaj. If this doesn’t convince you the world’s not ending, you’re a lunatic:

Predictions: Once Upon A Time

Posted: May 14, 2012 in Predictions
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I was a little hesitant to do another prediciton post, but the last one got a lot of views (over 20 in just two days) that I felt compelled to do another one:

(the following post contains spoilers, so if you have not seen the Once Upon A Time season finale, please skip this post or wait to read it until you have seen the finale)

So, I’m watching the season finale on Hulu this morning, and can I just say I did not see that coming? After slaying Maleficient underground in order to get the love potion Rumplestilstskin/Mr. Gold created, Emma barely manages to save Henry and restore everyone’s memories with the power of her love for her son. Afterwards though, Mr. Gold, reunited with Belle, throws the potion into a well and brings magic back to Storybrooke (whether for his own power or to find Baelfire is not made clear, but it’s probably a bit of both).

So here’s my predicitons:

First, now that magic is back, it won’t spread beyond Storybrooke, which will remain in the strange isolation it’s always been in; however, the magic will allow Regina to return to power and become an evil overlord hiding in the forest. Rumplestiltskin (his name is so hard to spell), will also return to power, but his evil ways will put some strain on his relationship with Belle, which may cause him to start to doubt himself and his goals. The fairies will regian their abilities, and Red/Ruby will be able to turn into a wolf again (that’s going to be a problem; where’s her cloak?), and others will tap into the magic that’s now returned (I’m pegging Henry to be a magical prodigy).

Second, we’ll still have flashbacks, like how Snow White and Charming/James took back the kingdom(s)–I have no idea whether King George’s or Regina’s kingdoms will be conquered or both, all I know is Regina lived in the same castle as always, and Snow White and Charming live in a different one. Also, I think we’ll find out how Regina gained her mother’s magic (I don’t think it was through her mother kindly teaching her), and how Maleficient and Regina became friends. Oh, and how about how Regina gains the dark curse and the sleeping curse? That could work.

Third, relationships: Pinnochio/August, restored thanks to the return of magic, may become a romantic interest to Emma, while Emma, Henry, Snow White, and Charming will adjust to being a family and living together (tough to do, especially when your daughter is around the same age as you). Regina will try to reach out to the few people she has left, and maybe learn a little bit about herself; Jefferson may become an ally to Emma once he has his daughter back (and maybe a 2nd love interest); Astrid/Nova and Leroy/Grumpy will try to resume their relationship (or whatever they had together); Henry’s father, falsely reported dead, may make an appearance (I don’t know why, but I think Henry’s dad might actually be Baelfire, turned bitter by his father’s betrayal. Talk about a plot twist, huh?), and rock the whole family; and in additon to the Rumplestiltskin/Belle thing I mentioned above, we may find out what happened to Baelfire and resolve the conflict between him and his father.

Fourth, interlopers and outsiders: remember when I said that magic would probably not extend beyond Storybrooke? I never said anything about new people coming in, did I? I bet we haven’t seen the last of Wonderland, and how long before somebody like the government noticing the strangeness of Storybrooke and sending in the troops to investigate and harness the force of magic for national security purposes? I can so see Regina and Rumplestiltskin wanting to get in on that for their own purposes.

Finally, minor points: new characters and backstories will be introduced; Jiminy Cricket will resume his grasshopper form; the blind witch from the Hansel and Gretel episode will return to wreak havoc; the residents of Storybrooke won’t return to the Enchanted Forest till near the end of 2nd season, at least; Prince Thomas/Sean may disappear again, right before his (re)marriage to Ashley/Cinderella; and maybe we’ll see how magic is possible, and perhaps primal forces, neither good nor bad, that are magic in and of themselves and may interfere with the events of the stories. Oh, let’s not forget, we’ll see more magical creatures out there! Count on it.

Thanks for the rant, I’m done till another season finale leaves me wanting to guess at what happens next.

Review: Castle Season Finale (Plus Some Predictions)

Posted: May 8, 2012 in Predictions, Review
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(The following post contains some spoilers)

Okay, so last night I’m watching the final episode of Season 4 of Caslte and–finally!–Castle and Beckett hook up! It was what every fan of the show has been waiting for over the course of four years! Along with that, Beckett has resigned from the police force after another near-brush with death and identifying the man who shot her (who I’m pretty sure played Paul in Dollhouse). The tension was unbearable, the confession scene was heartbreaking, and when they finally hooked up, ABC couldn’t show us that much because the FCC would fine them. Other than that last part, a great episode. 4.7 out of 5, with 0.3 taken off for leaving us on a cliffhanger ending!

Alright, now onto my predictions  for the inevitable season 5 that will occur(I do so love to rant about what I think will happen in a show, I just rarely get to do it):

Now first, Beckett off the force. I know I should cover the relationship of Castle and Beckett, but I have to cover this because Beckett and Castle’s relationship was founded on solving crimes. Well, Beckett will probably go rogue for maybe 3 episodes at the most, but she’ll be allowed back on the force by Captain Gates, with a few conditions. How it’ll happen, I’ll leave that up to speculation.

Second, Castle and Beckett’s relationship: obviously fans might get bored since the romantic tension isn’t there anymore, but I say that it’s fun to see a fledgeling couple who work together figure things out. Caslte and Beckett will have to get used to each other in a whole new way, and they’ll have to learn to work together as lovers and not just partners. Also, expect at least one or two fights along the way.

Third, the cliffhanger: either that Mr. Smith we finally met for the first time at the end of the episode is going to live and find some way to hold the men who want to kill Beckett at bay, or he’ll die, but his information will still be hidden, so we won’t find out who’s trying to kill Beckett till the end of the season at least. Annoying, I know, but they have to hold the best stuff for last or people will lose interest.

Fourth, new episode ideas (I had such fun coming up with these ideas for new cases):

1. A writer friend of Castle’s turns to his help when murders from his book start happening in the real world (Castle could be annoyed that Beckett’s paying so much attention to this writer).

2. A hard-core anime fan gets murdered, leaving a trail of questions, especially since some stuff in his collection gets stolen (so many jokes, so many anime fans to potentially offend, but it’d be worth it).

3. A powerful lawyer gets killed right before a big case, setting off a political maelstrom that impedes the investigation.

4. A new law prevents Castle and Beckett from investigating someone’s murder, which could be racially motivated (I’d love to see the characters’ views on a case like Trayvon’s).

5. A murder brings up an old case for Captain Gates, putting Beckett, Castle, and Gates in close proximity for this case (bullets will metaphorically fly).

6. A series of seemingly unrelated murders are apparently related, as all the victims seem to have connections to Castle’s mother, including her ex-husband and a former rival actress. Could this also mean Castle’s life in danger?

7. A murder leads back to the government, and Castle’s supposed father.

8. A murder brings up an old case of Captain Gates, and puts Castle and Gates in closer proximity than the latter would like.

9. The final showdown with 3XK.

And for minor plot points: Alexis will be around less and have college problems; Castle’s mother will be around more; Gates may actually come to like Castle, especially if he saves her life; Esposito gets a new girlfriend (and gets razzed for it); and old flames for Beckett and Castle keep showing up.

Those are my predictions. Thanks for reading my rant, Castle shippers everywhere. Have a good one.