Saturday, October 18, 2008

Am I Turning Into A Complete Jerk?

It's a good question. I mean, I wouldn't automatically know. I didn't notice my complete withdrawal from all human society, but that sure as hell happened. And it has happened before.

It was back in 1998ish, where I acted like a total bastard to a friend of mine called Johnny. Don't know why. One day, he became really, really irritating. Plus the fact I could always get the last word. I can't really defend it, except... it never occured to me as being 'wrong', or 'rude' or anything like that. It was as natural as breathing. Then, one day, the scales fell from my eyes and me and Johnny reconciled. Since then, of course, I've put my foot into it, gone too far and at least on one occasion I felt my hormones drive me to want to rip out the throat of a history teacher I normally got on great with. I just didn't want to go back to class after lunch. But 90% of the time I can at least console myself that I never deliberately set out to hurt anyone.

Apart from Johnny, of course, but I've kept to that.

Me and Sparacus, for example. What a baffling romance that is. Looking back, I can only cringe at some of the stuff I did, while other times scream "Why did I let you off, you asshole!". Yet our relationship is odd. He says something stupid, I eventually take offense, death threats are made... and then we move on. There are only three times though it's REALLY got serious. I mean, "be glad we're on different continents cause I might have knifed the fucker" serious.

1) Spara bragging he once punched one of his female students because she wasn't paying attention (though his later boasts of tormenting his pupils by inflicting Threads on them scares me too)
2) "Jackie is a chav who deserves to die"
3) When he actually broke the habit of a lifetime and insulted me. Or more precisely, my parents, claiming they're stupid, moronic chavs who keep me ignorant for fear of those with degrees.

What's funny was the mods never got involved in any of those occasions.

And it's odd, though. I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm a fairly mellow, calm bloke (admittedly with a tendency to panic and chronic futurephobia), yet I sometimes suffer Incredible Hulk rage fits, if only for a moment. I remember once pitching an episode of YOA to some comedy writer James Valentine was interviewing: "So this kid tries to seduce an HSC marker but DOESN'T actually fall in love with her and DOESN'T become a good, Hugh Grant sort of person. He's just an asshole..."

(Come on, tell me that's not better than Summer Heights High? Mind you Ben Chatham Nude is better than Summer Heights High...)

Anyway, the guy was far from impressed, more with me than the plot per se. "You're not angry enough," he tried to explain in a polite and constructive way. And I know that because I didn't want to throttle him, as sometimes happen when I get criticism (as one of my earlier jobs could have ended sooner with me breaking my boss's leg after he accused me of slacking off and complained to my employment agency). Quite simply, comedians need to be angry, and I was too damn mellow to have the edge.

Was that perhaps the reason I turned so aggressively on Spara when he threw my help back at me? Developing the rage I had been told I lacked? Yet I get on with Spara so much better than MLock or RichFlair or Lunarsea, or Sherringham, that little fucker. I tell you, if I could live my life again, I'd put that shit on ignore...

What's inspired me to ask this question is my sudden disillusionment with people. Specifically Doctor Who fans. Like Mad Larry. Can't stand the git, hates what he says, hate why he says it and hate that its all so freaking logical. Or Nyder with his chronic subtext justification of watching a kid's show. Or half the people who post on Doctor Who Ratings Guide, like Mike Morris.

Mike Morris! Dude, my guru! Pre-2005 you'd be hard-pressed to find an opinion of mine that differed from him, or a bit of writing creative or otherwise that wasn't somehow inspired from his essays and brilliant, intelligent, funny reviews. But like so many he seemed to be bodysnatched in 2006 and suddenly hated Doctor Who. Now, I don't rate Tennant's season particularly highly, but all the reviews suddenly seemed full of spite and hatred. Where once I would have chuckled and noted "that's so, so true," I now sneer "Oh, don't watch it, you oxygen-thieving jerks!"

Have they become complete and ungrateful dickheads whining and bitching and not doing a single fucking thing except moaning, "Oh, RTD, how we all hate you"? Or is it me? Am I somehow annoyed at that bad reviews because on a level I agree with them and childishly don't want to accept that New Who sucks? Yet, logically, my brain tells me my enjoyment - unlike theirs - seems to be able to cope with the loss of Eccleston. Reason dictates that THEY are idiots bitching about jumping sharks and chickening out. Yet, I'm always reminded of a line I read, "lies don't hurt; the truth does". They certainly bug me more than Spara's reviews, or Ron Mallet's, who are obviously bat shit insane.

I once held Alan Stevens in great stead, albeit a very wearying kind. Now I hate the bastard and dearly wish to be able to delete his blog. Did I realize the truth, did he stop being clever, or am I lashing out at him for telling me things I know to be true but don't want to know. Yet, I find my 'net illuminati' dropping like flies and few and fewer people I agree with or am willing to put up with if they don't. Jared's reviews of Turn Left and The Stolen Earth undeniably make sense, but I didn't like them. Is it that they just didn't agree with my opinions, or is it some kind of issue I have with everyone and anyone who challenges my world view.

Am I right to be disgusted and morally superior to this? Or am I lying to myself?

Are they all turning into assholes?* Or is it me?

In the meantime, a page from IDW's Doctor Who: The Forgotten as Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart doubles the fist:



*not Jared obviously. Just Mike Morris, Thomas Cookson, Alan Stevens, Fiona Moore, Lawrence Miles, and all sorts of people on OG.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're not turning into a jerk. I think the big problem is that you devote so much time and effort to these people and that so much needless energy is devoting to fighting these people at every twist and turn. Look at all the Chatham Parodies or the DWAD stuff you wrote. To be completely honest, if you're only writing this stuff to give the big two-fingered Churchillian salute to Fishface or the Hardcore Relgious Right Doctor Who Audio Drama's, then it's really a waste of your talents and if anything, simply serves to make you as spiteful and as dickish as the people you despise.

Maybe my atitude has come from my complete disolusionment with the Doctor Who Fandom (and indeed, Transformers and anime fandom before it) in that I've learnt that a huge majority of these people seem to dedicate themselves to bitching about the things they see wrong with the respective fandom than the things they enjoy.

Sometimes, I just want to scream at these people- 'Fine, not every single episode of New Who Season 4 was TV gold, but honestly, how much of your enjoyment of the UNIT-era 3rd Doctor is skewed by your obsessive, nostalgic love of the show?' Of course, with the Transformers fans, I want to scream- 'It's a storyline made to sell more cool toys to kids, get over it.'

Anyway, I honestly think you need to do what I do and merely enjoy the show for what you want to enjoy it for, not what Alan Stevens or Lawrence Miles or Fishface enjoy it for.

Youth of Australia said...

OK.

But my point was I WASN'T devoting any time to these people whose opinions I respected and agree with. Now I suddenly don't agree with them and everything they do seems to piss me off.

Yes, most of fandom can be full of dickheads, but I'm not talking about most of fandom, just individuals whom previously I held in high esteem.

I had no real agenda with my reviews or parodies (Spara was on the cusp, but I wrote them mainly because people enjoyed reading them and I officially and unofficially gave it all up with a clear end to CO blog). My reviews were more out of annoyance at the poorly-written Handbook, and long before I found out that the DWADs were in ANY way religious. In fact, when I found that up, I gave up the reviews.

I sometimes wonder if my varios 'FFS', blogposts show I'm looking for things to obssess over, but Nyder, Gabriel Chase et all don't ALLOW people to talk to them, comment on their sites, nothing. My venting on my own blog is pretty much all I have sometimes.

What I can say with absolute sincerity and conviction is that I don't dance with delight at people upset by me or my writings. I have absolutely no desire for that. One time, I was devastated to discover from a chain of coincidences that Rob Shearman thought I hated him. I didn't, it wasn't what I said, but circumstances made it look like I had. Yet, if I WAS shallow and looking for a fight, surely getting a PM from one of the most respected writers in DW wailing, "Why do you hate me so?" would justify my entire existence and fuel my passion?

Anyway, I've slept on this and come to a conclusion. My descent into jerkdom or otherwise doesn't excuse a certain unprofessional actor's rapid hate message. I at least can wonder if I'm in the wrong, which is more than he can.

Am I the better person?

No idea, but I'm definitely the more open-minded.

Cameron Mason said...

A clue: no.


Quite simply, comedians need to be angry, and I was too damn mellow to have the edge.


I think that statment rather depends on what type of comedy you want to write/perform.

Cameron

Youth of Australia said...

Thanks man. Mind you, I'm probably doing that guy a disservice as the conversation more like:

Him: What makes you angry?
Me: Uh, not much.
Him: Well, that might be your problem.

As for the DWADs, while LH continues his "we post any reviews without fear or favor", he says I'm "blinded by hate". Despite the reviews clearly showing I liked several of them, in particular the ones that LH wrote.

I mean, it's not MY fault they don't read them, is it?

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

Heh, nice little last-minute disclaimer there.

This all seems very, very true to me as I've been agonising over the Journey's End review. Because I think with the utmost sincerity that it is one of the worst DW episodes ever made, a horrible piece of television writing, and a posterboy of fanwank turned fucking Satanically evil through excess. BUT this opinion is worthless. It's been said with more vehemence than I could muster by Alan Stevens, Lawrence Miles and people unable to switch ALLCAPS off who've said the exact same stuff about every episode since 2005. Similarly, everyone who loved it also bigged up every episode that gets ratings of 7 million+ using this as their sole argument of quality. Can you believe this?

I feel like fandom now's just like a screaming match in a turf war, and negative views have been cheapened to the point where RTD can say that everyone who dislikes an episode of his is a man of a certain age "who just likes to complain". It sort of makes you say "What the fuck's the point" and not update your blog for a month.

I do feel like I've been a bit of an arsehole recently, though. I also happened to see that quote from RTD's book recently where there's a massive tirade about the poisonous attitudes of fans and how Helen Raynor was reduced to tears after reading negative reviews, which didn't help matters.

I think a big part of it, though, is that from 1990 onwards, DW belonged to the fans. Not professionals. I mean, yes, they were getting paid, but the idea seems to be fan first, writer/director second as can be seen by Big Finish - the spawn of some audio dramas that, I think it's safe to say, aren't that good. The us and them mentality has disturbingly continued, with most scripts from 'TV people', no matter how good, being savaged 9 times out of 10. A lot of people don't criticise as a TV show, but compared to how they would write iut, as they see themselves as equally qualified.

(Been listening to the AVs. Every plot = something goes wrong, Briggsy tries to fix it, fails. Briggsy gets his companion into danger, can't help them. Companion saves self or, slightly more likely, dies. Briggsy gets cock/pussy-whipped by guest villain of the week for an hour straight. Deus ex machina. Lame joke at the end. I now consider the quality of BF's Minuet in Hell astonishing given it's origins)

Looking back, I think the peak of my personal arseholdom was my review Sontaran Stratagem. *Sigh* It's like reading the average review of The Phantom Menace. I'm sorry, Helen Raynor.

Holy fuck that IDW comic looks awful. Why is the Brig calling Liz Shaw 'Miss Grant'? Why does the second Doctor have a mop on his head? Why is Terry Thomas filling in for the Brig? Why hasn't Terry Thomas taken his medication?

Looking closely at the last panel it looks like Ms Shaw's reaction is similar to mine, as she seems to be facepalming in embarassment...

Youth of Australia said...

Heh, nice little last-minute disclaimer there.
Literally last minute, as I realized I might have insulted you by accident.

This all seems very, very true to me as I've been agonising over the Journey's End review. Because I think with the utmost sincerity that it is one of the worst DW episodes ever made, a horrible piece of television writing, and a posterboy of fanwank turned fucking Satanically evil through excess.
Well. OK.

I mean, can I disagree? All I can say is I enjoyed it, and that doesn't change your point. I did a "if I had written" which as you know is not done on stories that don't need it.

I mean, I didn't review it, did I?

All I can say is that if there is NEVER another fanwankarama like that ever again, good. As a one off, I can more than cope with it, and all the signs are it's back to ripping off Big Finish/BBC Books/DWM comics...

BUT this opinion is worthless. It's been said with more vehemence than I could muster by Alan Stevens, Lawrence Miles and people unable to switch ALLCAPS off who've said the exact same stuff about every episode since 2005.
Pretty much, yeah.

Similarly, everyone who loved it also bigged up every episode that gets ratings of 7 million+ using this as their sole argument of quality. Can you believe this?
No. If I ever base my opinion of a story on ratings, I think I should be shot through the head. The only time ratings ever compare to quality is City of Death, a one-off where they was no other TV bar the best story of the season.

No, huge ratings may make NuWho a success, but it doesn't absolve it from crap episodes. Nor does the prior rep of authors. Right, Mr. Moffat?

I feel like fandom now's just like a screaming match in a turf war, and negative views have been cheapened to the point where RTD can say that everyone who dislikes an episode of his is a man of a certain age "who just likes to complain".
Not entirely a lie.

It sort of makes you say "What the fuck's the point" and not update your blog for a month.
Yeah. I get that too sometimes.

I do feel like I've been a bit of an arsehole recently, though. I also happened to see that quote from RTD's book recently where there's a massive tirade about the poisonous attitudes of fans and how Helen Raynor was reduced to tears after reading negative reviews, which didn't help matters.
Now, now, mate. Stay cool. Remember, these were blokes saying things like "You just WAIT, Raynor! DOWN A DARK ALLEY! YOU'RE DEAD, YOU TALENTLESS HARPY! DE-EE-DEE DEAD!"

By comparison you were chatting in a pub saying, "Helen babe, stick to what you're good at."

(Been listening to the AVs. I now consider the quality of BF's Minuet in Hell astonishing given it's origins)
Mmm. A lot of the remakes are an improvement, I'll agree. If you see More than A Messiah redone as a Sixth Doctor/Peri movie, you'll see how the writing is so variable, and how two actors can say the same lines and create completely different people...

Looking back, I think the peak of my personal arseholdom was my review Sontaran Stratagem. *Sigh* It's like reading the average review of The Phantom Menace. I'm sorry, Helen Raynor.
Come on! You were the one that told me to recognize her good points!

Holy fuck that IDW comic looks awful.
Well, you should really see it in context...

Why is the Brig calling Liz Shaw 'Miss Grant'?
Because it's Jo. I know, I know, I double took. The artist clearly thinks this is season 7, but the writer doesn't. Yates and Benton are similarly unrecognizable.

Why does the second Doctor have a mop on his head?
Heh. John Channing's TV Comic shorthand...

Why is Terry Thomas filling in for the Brig? Why hasn't Terry Thomas taken his medication?
Because this is a Third Doctor story retold by the Tenth with more than a dash of poetic licence.

The Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe story is even wierder as Jamie saves the day by singing Jon Pertwee's "I am the Doctor!" to defeat some alien slugs. "I hate that song," the Second Doctor confides to Zoe in the least-convincing-Troughton impersonation I've ever witnessed. Even though I laughed at the joke.

Looking closely at the last panel it looks like Ms Shaw's reaction is similar to mine, as she seems to be facepalming in embarassment...
LOL. Well, you don't actually SEE what the Brig is fighting:

greyhound dogs piloting HG Wells Martian war machines.

It's *very* DTF.

But at least I didn't show you the Third Doctor and the Brig's:
"I must reverse..."
"The polarity of the neutron flow. I know. You do this every time."
"I ACTUALLY meant these two wires."
...
"Just kill me now, Yates."

I do not josh. The Brig says that.

Anonymous said...

A clue: Yes

Fandom is full of jerks who are full of themselves and full of opinion that they feel are written by the finger of the gods...and you are one of them. RTD dismisses the opinion of fandom because it is full of bloated zealots who listen to no one else. He was probably thinking of you when he said that.

So you had a moment when you began to consider the universe went beyond your bellybutton. Didn't last long I see.

However, unlike a lot of wasted protoplasm, you at least hide on your blog, content to know that most anyone you attack will be unlikely to see it and respond. So not only do you represent the worst of fandom, you represent the worst of the cowardly part of fandom.

You asked. As they say, never ask a question you don't want to hear the answer to. But I suspect you knew the answer already. For the briefest of moments, you were uncomfortable with the answer. But you managed to pound that flicker of maturity back into its hole. Good for you.

At least you keep your thoughts on your own blog instead of in the light. Cockroaches don't like the light. So stay under the refrigerator where you belong until your mom tells you to get out of the basement and join the real world.

Oh, and since you hide on your little blog where you don't have to read what other people think about your "thoughts" (notice the use of quotations), I'll do the same and not read your response, if any, to this

Jared "No Nickname" Hansen said...

He was probably thinking of you when he said that.

Considering that Ewen hasn't posted any reviews on OG, that seems exceptionally unlikely.

So not only do you represent the worst of fandom, you represent the worst of the cowardly part of fandom.

So.. posting here under the name 'anonymous' and explicitly stating that you're not going to read any response in lieu of the fact that what you read might cause you to weep like a spurned little girl is NOT at all cowardly.

Stick to your day job, Jym. Whatever the fuck that is.

Anonymous said...

"However, unlike a lot of wasted protoplasm, you at least hide on your blog, content to know that most anyone you attack will be unlikely to see it and respond. So not only do you represent the worst of fandom, you represent the worst of the cowardly part of fandom."

As one of the people who's purportedly being attacked, I have to say that's the biggest load of horseshit I've read for some time.

I put my opinions out there on the internet for other people to read. I don't have to, I just choose to do it. They can express their opinions on my reviews to whoever they bloody well like. I've made them public, for christ's sake.

Secondly... he's got a point. I've hated writing reviews, this season, because I've been endlessly putting the boot in (weirdly, I've just sent in a review of The Unicorn and the Wasp, in which I talk about that very thing... days before stumbling across this blog and finding myself pulled up for just that) and I hate being one of those people. I'd love to be positive, I'd love to be loving it, but sorry; I've despised most of Series 4. I've liked four stories in total, and I've had reservations about three of those. I review the stories because I love Doctor Who, and I think it can be (and has been) so much more than it is right now. In so doing I'm fully aware that I'm coming across like a moany old git, so if someone announces that they find me a moany old git, then it's a fair shot.

I wouldn't have responded, 'cos it's obviously lame for a reviewer to respond to their critics... but to have some blithering halfwit interceding on my behalf, and tell someone how cowardly they are...? It's not "the cowardly part of fandom," it's the part of fandom with opinions. He's as entitled to express them as I am to say that I thought The Doctor's Daughter was so shockingly inept that I found it insulting. If you don't want your work criticised, then don't show it to anyone. Problem solved.

One person here has shown themselves to be a sad, pathetic little man. I don't know their name, though, 'cos they posted anonymously. How brave.

Youth of Australia said...

At last, blogger works! Good gravy. Ah. So much to say.

First - MIKE! Man, I am honored you post on this blog. You are, honest to God, up there with Mark Wright, Cav Scott and Rob Shearman as 'bloody brilliant writing inspirations I never thought would talk to me'.

The tone of my post may come across as slagging you off, for which I kind of apologise, as it was me I was talking about. Arrogant, I know. Your reviews, without exception are the best expressed, the best laid out, the best reasoned on DWRG. Your latest one for The Doctor's Daughter, well I can only differ on Catherine Tate. Every thing else, EVERY THING else in that review is a true fact, depressing as it may be.

Mind you, those titles you come up with for multi-part stories aren't good. I mean "Emergency Landing" for a story about a crashed spaceship that niether landed nor in an emergency?

Still, as this blog proves, no one's perfect. Onto the responses. Did I just mention I woke up?

Seriously though, Mike, you are welcome here. Post what you like, cause like Jared the calibre of your brilliance outweighs disagreement.

I'm not budging on Tom Cookson though.

Youth of Australia said...

A clue: Yes
Why do I get the feeling you're not going to leave it at that truly awful misquote.

Fandom is full of jerks who are full of themselves and full of opinion that they feel are written by the finger of the gods...and you are one of them.
But I don't believe in God. Nor am I full of myself. Have you read the rest of this self-pitying journal?

And who is the rest of fandom who aren't the messiah-jerks? Are you one of that... SILENT MAJORITY? Hmm? Is that it? That's it, isn't it? What did YOU say you were going to do with Helen Raynor? Huh?

RTD dismisses the opinion of fandom because it is full of bloated zealots who listen to no one else. He was probably thinking of you when he said that.
Well, obviously he was! A BAFTA winner is not going to go, "Alas, fandom is full of brilliant, courageous and intelligent people who know their place like Anonymous!" is he? Besides, he's got to put people off the scent he's sniffing around here ripping off my ideas!

Dear me, Anonymous (or can I call you Anon), tell us something vaguely interesting, why don't you? Do you post on other blogs with "the sky is blue"?

Tell you what, next time you feel like stating the bleeding obvious, scratch it onto the back of a frying pan and hang it upside down in your kitchen. OK? Ok.

So you had a moment when you began to consider the universe went beyond your bellybutton. Didn't last long I see.
That's a bit subjective, isn't it? I mean, I felt this BEFORE I posted it, I posted it and haven't posted anything since. If I was no longer interested in this topic, I could delete this post. I could delete everything you wrote and no one would be the wiser.

And why don't I?

(Seriously, go on, tell me. Self-realization is never something I've been good at.)

However, unlike a lot of wasted protoplasm, you at least hide on your blog, content to know that most anyone you attack will be unlikely to see it and respond.
Dear me, Mr. Useful Protoplasm, you missed the point, didn't you? I write these things SO PEOPLE WILL RESPOND! I WANT to KNOW what they THINK! I admit, surprised when Mike Morris replied, but no means uphappy about this. If any random blogger can cure my malaise, it's him...

So not only do you represent the worst of fandom, you represent the worst of the cowardly part of fandom.
So... I'm number one, is that what you're saying? Huh?

Or am I still lagging after the mysterious bitcher who doesn't even have a name or any ability to contact with?

I'm clearly in the presence of the One True Worst Cowardly Fan. But as we both know, better to be a coward than a killer, eh?

You asked.
...yes I did. Stop stating the obvious. It's irritating.

As they say, never ask a question you don't want to hear the answer to.
...yes! Christ, dude, is this going anywhere?

But I suspect you knew the answer already.
Show. Your. Working.

For the briefest of moments, you were uncomfortable with the answer.
Briefest? Seriously, how are you working out these time scales? I've been worried about this for TEN FUCKING YEARS! What are you, working on a geological time scale or something?

But you managed to pound that flicker of maturity back into its hole. Good for you.
You're giving me mixed messages here, Anon.

At least you keep your thoughts on your own blog instead of in the light.
HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!

Dude, this blog got me FIRED from my job! I've been blacklisted and unable to find work since! Oh, you are totally clueless, aren't you?

Cockroaches don't like the light.
They do, actually. They just don't like being stepped on. You're not that good with insects, are you? Did you know, for example, that cockroaches are bright white when they are born, but turn brown due to impurities in the air around them? Hmmmm? You didn't know that.

Don't bring cockroaches to a self-esteem fight, Anon. It's just asking for trouble.

So stay under the refrigerator where you belong until your mom tells you to get out of the basement and join the real world.

Oh, and since you hide on your little blog where you don't have to read what other people think about your "thoughts" (notice the use of quotations)
Yes. I'm not subnormal.

I'll do the same and not read your response, if any, to this
So, let's just summarize:

I am a complete jerk
You are not
I hide on a blog with all sorts of details about my life that is freely accessible to the entire internet and cultivate responses
You call yourself "Anonymous" and leave no forwarding address

What you're saying, basically, Anon, is that you can do whatever you like because you think I'M a jerk. You're using ME to justify YOUR actions. Despite clearly finding ME reprehensible.

So, you could beat up pensioners and kick puppies just because I'm a jerk, is that it? What the hell are you on about, dude? Take responsibility for your own life, don't run here, shout abuse and run off saying, "Oh well, at least I'm not HIM!"

Frankly, this childish irresponsibility is more annoying than your manifest terror of being identified. You scared of being identified with me or something? Not cool enough am I? Ashamed to post here?





...Johnny, is that you?

Youth of Australia said...

Slowly but surely.

Firstly, thanks for the defense Mike. And my main issue has been the fact that my suddenly, vehement disagreement with not only you but countless others who until recently I was chanting in unison like Sky Silvestry. Not because 'anyone who disagrees with me is crap'.

I've hated writing reviews, this season, because I've been endlessly putting the boot in (weirdly, I've just sent in a review of The Unicorn and the Wasp, in which I talk about that very thing... days before stumbling across this blog and finding myself pulled up for just that)
Synchronisity. Cool.

and I hate being one of those people. I'd love to be positive, I'd love to be loving it, but sorry; I've despised most of Series 4. I've liked four stories in total, and I've had reservations about three of those. I review the stories because I love Doctor Who, and I think it can be (and has been) so much more than it is right now. In so doing I'm fully aware that I'm coming across like a moany old git, so if someone announces that they find me a moany old git, then it's a fair shot.
Spose so. Why don't you, I dunno, review something else like the books or audios or something that has a better odds of not disappointing you?

I mean, as I may have mentioned, I once slagged off Scherzo and for various reasons this slagging off became far more noticed than the moment when I said, "Oh, THAT'S what it's about! No, I see now, it's actually great." People thought I was miserable and grumpy because one time I WAS miserable and grumpy was visible.

So, if you do say four reviews in a row being miserable, tongues wag.

I wouldn't have responded, 'cos it's obviously lame for a reviewer to respond to their critics...
Not in this case.

It's just, there seemed to be something about New Earth that turned the majority of fandom (particularly those who had nothing but praise of NuWho) against the whole show. While I don't doubt you were being honest, the total seachange makes you wonder how many fans on some level are going "Eccleston's gone, I'm not giving it a chance". Cause Christ knows there are plenty of THEM.

But no, thanks for this, Mike. You put a lot of things in perspective. That you genuinely feel that way rather than some strange and pointless rejection is good news. Seriously.

The Doctor's Daughter was so shockingly inept that I found it insulting.
Heh. Ooh, yep. Sad but true. Indeed, me giving it 10/10 was entirely for NOT leaving Jenny dead. Imagine a shot of morphine after 45 minutes of zero aneasthetic and you can say a lot of odd things.

See ya round, Mike.

If Mad Larry, Nyder or Cookson turn up, I might have to have a little lie down...

Cameron Mason said...

Query to 'Anonymous': Why copy me?

Cameron