Alright, so I never really considered myself a nerd until I started watching Doctor Who. And that happened…oh gosh, maybe 2009? It hasn’t been that long so it hasn’t really sunk in quite yet. Doctor Who is one of those crossover shows that can hook anybody, the way Pushing Daisies did back in 2007. The thing about Pushing Daisies was that the surreal aspect of the show was done whimsically (as the current Doctor does) and subtly (not a viable option on Doctor Who) and most importantly, didn’t involve any CGI or monsters. The monsters in Pushing Daisies were other people. It was just weird enough to turn off the traditional TV viewer, and not odd enough to capture the imaginations of the sci-fi fan. For me it was lobbed perfectly down the middle and I loved it. Apparently, I was the only one, since it was cancelled the next season.
The thoughts expressed in the paragraph above should have been red flag enough for me to realize what a nerd I was. But I was in bands, I played the drums, I had tattoos and plastic glasses. I was a scene kid, not a nerd. Haha! Doctor Who, what’s that?
Then came The Girl Who Waited. Damn you, Amy Pond. The 11th Hour, the very first episode of the 11th Doctor’s life, was struck through with whimsy, beauty, and a light smattering of monsters. The story wasn’t overly complex, the visuals and music were completely captivating, Adam Smith as director knocked it all out of the park and Matt Smith, the new Doctor, was perfectly cast. I fell in love right away.
For all you Doc 10 die-hards, don’t get me wrong. I loved me some David Tennant, but you have to admit, Moffat and Adam Smith did an amazing job introducing us to the man no one thought could ever, EVER fill David’s shoes. It was a line in the sand. That was 10, this is now; all aboard.
So what’s a nerd like me going to do this Christmas? Watch the Doctor Who Christmas special of course (interspersed with many episodes of A Christmas Story), and watch The Nerdist Live on BBC America to see none other than David Tennant sit around with Hardwick and the gang. I think Simon Pegg will be there too. It’s like a nerd stampede over there. I long resisted Nerdist culture. Twitter kept suggesting it. Facebook did too, when Facebook was still a thing. Didn’t give in till I happened to hear a Nerdist podcast and thought…that sounds like that asshole from MTV when I was a kid. So I looked it up, and there he was. Well, huh, if he could strip off the awesome and reveal his real persona, so could I. So here I am. I love Firefly and Serenity, I love quantum physics and abstract ideas, I love Doctor Who and might jump in front of a train to save Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, Matt Smith or David Tennant. C’mon, the world shouldn’t be without Tennant.
Speaking of, not sure how that Nerdist group will (or DID; believe they taped the special already) get through an interview with #10 just sitting there. I predict about two minutes of absolute silence, with three guys staring at David with starry eyes and open mouths. Or maybe that’s just how I would react. What can I say? I’m a giant nerd. So currently, Nerdist Live: That’s What’s Up.
That's What's Up. 