It's begun, right here in New Zealand, and it makes me sad.
I saw a Facebook post by a New Zealander, shared by someone I know, suggesting that New Zealand place a ban on Burka's. And why? Well, because France and the Netherlands have done it, so it must be the right thing.... right?
This is the start of the decline, people. All of a sudden anger, hatred and mistrust start to erode our tolerance for other cultures and for religion. But it's all so misdirected! Can't you see that these people, people who happen to follow the Muslim religion of Islam, are as innocent of the world's problems as you and I are?
The perpetrators that carried out the attacks around the world on Friday the 13th November (yes, there was more than just Paris) are NOT Muslim, they do not follow Islam. Oh yes, they proclaim to be, but the religion that they pledge their lives to is not one that you will see a church or temple or mosque for as you drive down any street in New Zealand. If you don't understand Islam, or simply know nothing about it I recommend you educate yourself. If you don't, if you choose not to, then you have no right to speak out about something you know nothing of.
Look, the answer is really quite simple. If we do not come together as a people - and I don't explicitly mean just New Zealand here, but the world - if we maintain divisiveness then we will surely walk down a dark and dangerous path. The same path that led America to civil war in 1861 (primarily over slavery and sectionalism), the same path that led to the persecution and extermination of millions of Jews in the 1930's and 1940's and brought the world to war. It's the same path that led to apartheid in South Africa and the violence that ensued for years in that nation.
Do you see the connection in all these things? Conflict.
The people who perpetrate acts of terror around the world, or perhaps more accurately - those who claim responsibility for them - want to incite conflict. They want to divide the world. Do you know why? Because unless the do they will lose. They do not have a large army. They do not have a massive military industry producing weapons for them. They do not have trillions or even billions of dollars with which to purchase weapons. They scrounge what they can. They raid areas where they believe they can win. Oh, they have some backers, sure, but how long do you think those backers will continue to support them if they are failing in their mission and while the well-equipped nations of the world are blowing them into yesterday?
It's just business for those backers and if business isn't good you invest elsewhere. But if the tide looks to be turning and the innocent Muslim population of the world are being driven out and persecuted then we have a very different picture.
The women who wear Burka's down your street are not your enemy. They don't even know you. They just want to get on with their lives, like you and I do. They want to raise their children right, like you and I do. They want to have financial security, like you and I do. And they feel pain at seeing innocent people killed, just like you and I do. Don't deny them their rights and don't deny them their religion.
Understand them and accept them. You'd probably be surprised by just how much you actually have in common. But if you can't do that, if your stubbornness runs that deep, then just ignore them because they're not doing you any harm. Get on with your own life and leave them to get on with theirs, if that's the best you can do. No one will blame you for that.
But do not hate them for wanting to choose their own religion and do not, for the sake of all that you hold dear, DO NOT teach your children to hate them. Set an example for your children of tolerance and acceptance as best you can because, one day, your children might be in the same position these Muslim people are in now - eyed suspiciously because they "look different", because they wear the same clothes as those killers did.
Well you know what, you wear the same kind clothes that Charles Manson did. Think about it.
Sunday 22 November 2015
Sunday 8 November 2015
Doctor Who: The Zygon Surprise - Part Two
My initial decision to write about the first episode of the Zygon two-parter was born out of surprise at how good it was. I think I pretty much encapsulated that in the post so I won't go back to it, just read (or re-read) my blog post on The Zygon Surprise - Part One.
Now, with the conclusion of part two of that story I am even happier that I made the decision to write about it. This story rates, in my opinion, as one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of the new era. There was no letting up of the tension and suspense in the second episode. As soon as it started, it felt like we hadn't been away for a week, we were pulled right back into the story and I was immediately re-engaged.
So, before I get on to the good parts of this episode, and the story as a whole, let's eliminate the one weak point (which I don't think was even all that weak). It was no surprise that Kate Stewart was pretending to be Zygon-Kate. It was blatantly obvious, otherwise she simply wouldn't have come back to Zygon HQ. To be honest, though, I really didn't care that this particular sub-plot didn't work. In fact I really think it worked better this way because it didn't detract from the overall story. And the way that it was resolved on-screen was pretty bloody excellent, too. Kate's no nonsense answer of "Five rounds, rapid" was exactly what I would expect from her and her delivery seemed to eerily channel her father, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, once played by the delightful Nicholas Courtney (rest in peace, Sir).
So, in hindsight, the weak point was even that. It was simply a predictability in a story that was anything but predictable.
As for the accolades... where does one begin?
Kate was, in spite of what I said above, was great and Jemma Redgrave deserves a rousing applause for her role. The return of Osgood felt by no means contrived. The story lent itself beautifully to her return and having a bit more focus on her character was a great addition.
Peter Capaldi was, as usual, brilliant. I enjoyed the fact that the Doctor, for once, wasn't telegraphed as being constantly ahead of the game. It really felt like, though he had a plan and was confident in it, the end could have swung either way. Previous stories have been made out like the end was a foregone conclusion and that can detract from what would otherwise be a great story. Not this time, though. This time the Doctor had to work to get the story to end well and, wow, did he work. The Doctor's speech at the pivotal point of the story was outstanding. Peter Capaldi's delivery was right on the mark; his anger, his sadness, his frustration - all bubbling to the surface at once and creating such a palpable sense of his pain and anguish... it was the best delivered speech in Doctor Who that I can remember. The nods and references to the Time War and to the Day of the Doctor were subtly and cleverly written in. None of this ham-fisted, jarring insertion of references to look clever. They were written and delivered in such a way that they felt completely natural and heart-felt. It was outstanding drama.
And on that point... the writing! The first offering by Peter Harness, Kill the Moon, didn't leave a lasting impression with me. It wasn't a bad episode, by any means, it just wasn't, in my opinion, a good one. It sat somewhere in the middle. But with his Zygon escapade, Peter Harness has not only put his stamp on Doctor Who, he has set the bar on writing a great story. Season 9 has been remarkably good so far but Harness' Zygon story leaves all the others in it's wake. This will quickly become one of the absolute classics of the new Doctor Who era, and deservedly so.
Did everyone catch Harness' references to the classic Who story Terror of the Zygons and the more subtle reference to Harry Sullivan, a companion of the fourth Doctor? The revelation that the Osgood boxes were empty wasn't too much of a surprise but a very clever way, regardless, to reveal who was willing to play the game and who would see the world burn to protect their way. The "today everybody lives" conclusion (without needing to actually say it) was refreshing and highly reminiscent of many great classic Who stories.
The Director, Daniel Nettheim, also deserves mention here for maintaining a great steady pace and atmosphere. Character direction was superb and his attention to lighting and location helped this story a winner.
The absolute stand-out performance to me, though, was Jenna Coleman's. Her portrayal of both Clara and Bonnie was brilliant. I never imagined that she could make Clara/Bonnie so beautifully bad! I simply can't pinpoint any specifics here because, in my opinion, her entire performance was flawless. I firmly believe that Jenna Coleman deserves a supporting actor award for her role in this story. Clara's character has really come into her own as Capaldi's companion and it's both a shame and great that we're seeing the very best of her on the eve of her departure. Despite the Clara haters out there, I believe Jenna Coleman will leave some rather large shoes to fill.
I've never given anything a perfect score, as I think there are always ways that something could be made better. I'm hard pressed to think what they could be with the Zygon Invasion/Inversion, however. Still, I'll stick to my guns and simply give this story a 9.5 out of 10 and say that, if anyone needs recommendation of which episodes to watch to get into Doctor Who, my first suggestion will be these two.
Now, with the conclusion of part two of that story I am even happier that I made the decision to write about it. This story rates, in my opinion, as one of the greatest Doctor Who stories of the new era. There was no letting up of the tension and suspense in the second episode. As soon as it started, it felt like we hadn't been away for a week, we were pulled right back into the story and I was immediately re-engaged.
So, before I get on to the good parts of this episode, and the story as a whole, let's eliminate the one weak point (which I don't think was even all that weak). It was no surprise that Kate Stewart was pretending to be Zygon-Kate. It was blatantly obvious, otherwise she simply wouldn't have come back to Zygon HQ. To be honest, though, I really didn't care that this particular sub-plot didn't work. In fact I really think it worked better this way because it didn't detract from the overall story. And the way that it was resolved on-screen was pretty bloody excellent, too. Kate's no nonsense answer of "Five rounds, rapid" was exactly what I would expect from her and her delivery seemed to eerily channel her father, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, once played by the delightful Nicholas Courtney (rest in peace, Sir).
So, in hindsight, the weak point was even that. It was simply a predictability in a story that was anything but predictable.
As for the accolades... where does one begin?
Kate was, in spite of what I said above, was great and Jemma Redgrave deserves a rousing applause for her role. The return of Osgood felt by no means contrived. The story lent itself beautifully to her return and having a bit more focus on her character was a great addition.
Peter Capaldi was, as usual, brilliant. I enjoyed the fact that the Doctor, for once, wasn't telegraphed as being constantly ahead of the game. It really felt like, though he had a plan and was confident in it, the end could have swung either way. Previous stories have been made out like the end was a foregone conclusion and that can detract from what would otherwise be a great story. Not this time, though. This time the Doctor had to work to get the story to end well and, wow, did he work. The Doctor's speech at the pivotal point of the story was outstanding. Peter Capaldi's delivery was right on the mark; his anger, his sadness, his frustration - all bubbling to the surface at once and creating such a palpable sense of his pain and anguish... it was the best delivered speech in Doctor Who that I can remember. The nods and references to the Time War and to the Day of the Doctor were subtly and cleverly written in. None of this ham-fisted, jarring insertion of references to look clever. They were written and delivered in such a way that they felt completely natural and heart-felt. It was outstanding drama.
And on that point... the writing! The first offering by Peter Harness, Kill the Moon, didn't leave a lasting impression with me. It wasn't a bad episode, by any means, it just wasn't, in my opinion, a good one. It sat somewhere in the middle. But with his Zygon escapade, Peter Harness has not only put his stamp on Doctor Who, he has set the bar on writing a great story. Season 9 has been remarkably good so far but Harness' Zygon story leaves all the others in it's wake. This will quickly become one of the absolute classics of the new Doctor Who era, and deservedly so.
Did everyone catch Harness' references to the classic Who story Terror of the Zygons and the more subtle reference to Harry Sullivan, a companion of the fourth Doctor? The revelation that the Osgood boxes were empty wasn't too much of a surprise but a very clever way, regardless, to reveal who was willing to play the game and who would see the world burn to protect their way. The "today everybody lives" conclusion (without needing to actually say it) was refreshing and highly reminiscent of many great classic Who stories.
The Director, Daniel Nettheim, also deserves mention here for maintaining a great steady pace and atmosphere. Character direction was superb and his attention to lighting and location helped this story a winner.
The absolute stand-out performance to me, though, was Jenna Coleman's. Her portrayal of both Clara and Bonnie was brilliant. I never imagined that she could make Clara/Bonnie so beautifully bad! I simply can't pinpoint any specifics here because, in my opinion, her entire performance was flawless. I firmly believe that Jenna Coleman deserves a supporting actor award for her role in this story. Clara's character has really come into her own as Capaldi's companion and it's both a shame and great that we're seeing the very best of her on the eve of her departure. Despite the Clara haters out there, I believe Jenna Coleman will leave some rather large shoes to fill.
I've never given anything a perfect score, as I think there are always ways that something could be made better. I'm hard pressed to think what they could be with the Zygon Invasion/Inversion, however. Still, I'll stick to my guns and simply give this story a 9.5 out of 10 and say that, if anyone needs recommendation of which episodes to watch to get into Doctor Who, my first suggestion will be these two.
Thursday 5 November 2015
Doctor Who: The Zygon Surprise - Part One
Before I say anything else, the post below contains spoilers (lots of them) for The Zygon Invasion. If you haven't seen it I recommend you stop reading now and go watch it.
You still here? Ok, I'll be honest and say I really wasn't expecting much from this first-parter. Actually, I really wasn't looking forward to it at all.
The Zygons have just never really had that kind of impact for me. Of course, 1975's Terror of the Zygons was a good story but in The Day of the Doctor I just felt they were... kind of average. The story involving the Zygons was kind of weak, in my opinion, and there were issues I had with their story and the resolution. The "decision moment" between the two Kate Stewarts towards the end was the highlight of the Zygon part of that episode for me. The rest was mediocre.
So when I heard that we were getting a two part story involving on the Zygons I felt a bit of a gnawing at my stomach. Season 9 has been blisteringly good to date, I think, and I really didn't want to see a story that would detract from that right in the middle of the season.
I'm very happy to say, I couldn't have been more wrong.
The Zygon Invasion was, on its own merits a masterpiece of tension, suspicion and intrigue. The Zygons, themselves, were menacing and actually scary. Part of that fear came from not knowing who you could actually trust. There were moments that had me scratching my head a little. These were the soldiers who just walked into the church after a little persuading from the (obviously)_ Zygon duplicates. The second was Kate Stewart, the head of UNIT, walking into Zygon occupied Truth & Consequence on her own. The first can be explained away satisfactorily but that second point... never, ever would the head of a para-military organisation like UNIT be allowed to march into a potentially hostile region with just a sidearm. No way.
That aside, and they are perhaps just nit-picky points, the rest of the episode was spectacular. The Sheriff in Truth & Consequences was kind of obvious as a Zygon plant but the obviousness of that didn't detract from the encounter. They played that out well enough to leave just the tiniest smidge of doubt, enough to make you go, "Yes! I picked it" when the truth was revealed.
The one that really got me was Clara.
Some of you will, no doubt, have picked up on her replacement but not me. I was totally shocked to see Clara in the Zygon pod. Looking back, there are signs, subtle ones perhaps, but they're there. But they're subtle enough to fool the likes of me. It was a surprise and it was brilliantly played out. Now, am I the only one who thinks Clara plays a magnificent "bad guy"? This is something that we've never seen of her character before and Jenna Coleman played it brilliantly. I'm really going to miss Clara.
It was good to see Osgood back too and they handled her return, post-death by Missy, just as I expected they would. Her being there felt seamless and natural. The Osgood Box has me a little perplexed by I have no doubt we'll see some resolution to that in the next episode.
Speaking of... I harbour a dreadful fear that the next episode will let down the first. This may just be a remnant of my initial misgivings but the name... "The Zygon Inversion"... conjures thoughts of a resolution to the whole story that involves a horrible deus-ex-machina "switching" of Zygon and Human counterparts. I sincerely hope I'm wrong. I want to see the second part be every bit as dark and tense as "Invasion" was.
Time will tell but, for now, I'm still basking in the awesomeness that was "The Zygon Invasion".
You still here? Ok, I'll be honest and say I really wasn't expecting much from this first-parter. Actually, I really wasn't looking forward to it at all.
The Zygons have just never really had that kind of impact for me. Of course, 1975's Terror of the Zygons was a good story but in The Day of the Doctor I just felt they were... kind of average. The story involving the Zygons was kind of weak, in my opinion, and there were issues I had with their story and the resolution. The "decision moment" between the two Kate Stewarts towards the end was the highlight of the Zygon part of that episode for me. The rest was mediocre.
So when I heard that we were getting a two part story involving on the Zygons I felt a bit of a gnawing at my stomach. Season 9 has been blisteringly good to date, I think, and I really didn't want to see a story that would detract from that right in the middle of the season.
I'm very happy to say, I couldn't have been more wrong.
The Zygon Invasion was, on its own merits a masterpiece of tension, suspicion and intrigue. The Zygons, themselves, were menacing and actually scary. Part of that fear came from not knowing who you could actually trust. There were moments that had me scratching my head a little. These were the soldiers who just walked into the church after a little persuading from the (obviously)_ Zygon duplicates. The second was Kate Stewart, the head of UNIT, walking into Zygon occupied Truth & Consequence on her own. The first can be explained away satisfactorily but that second point... never, ever would the head of a para-military organisation like UNIT be allowed to march into a potentially hostile region with just a sidearm. No way.
That aside, and they are perhaps just nit-picky points, the rest of the episode was spectacular. The Sheriff in Truth & Consequences was kind of obvious as a Zygon plant but the obviousness of that didn't detract from the encounter. They played that out well enough to leave just the tiniest smidge of doubt, enough to make you go, "Yes! I picked it" when the truth was revealed.
The one that really got me was Clara.
Some of you will, no doubt, have picked up on her replacement but not me. I was totally shocked to see Clara in the Zygon pod. Looking back, there are signs, subtle ones perhaps, but they're there. But they're subtle enough to fool the likes of me. It was a surprise and it was brilliantly played out. Now, am I the only one who thinks Clara plays a magnificent "bad guy"? This is something that we've never seen of her character before and Jenna Coleman played it brilliantly. I'm really going to miss Clara.
It was good to see Osgood back too and they handled her return, post-death by Missy, just as I expected they would. Her being there felt seamless and natural. The Osgood Box has me a little perplexed by I have no doubt we'll see some resolution to that in the next episode.
Speaking of... I harbour a dreadful fear that the next episode will let down the first. This may just be a remnant of my initial misgivings but the name... "The Zygon Inversion"... conjures thoughts of a resolution to the whole story that involves a horrible deus-ex-machina "switching" of Zygon and Human counterparts. I sincerely hope I'm wrong. I want to see the second part be every bit as dark and tense as "Invasion" was.
Time will tell but, for now, I'm still basking in the awesomeness that was "The Zygon Invasion".
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