Visit the official Doctor Who website

Visit the official Doctor Who website
Look to the future

Asylum seekers...

Asylum seekers...
Refuge of the Daleks

Doctor Who picture resource

Doctor Who picture resource
Roam the space lanes!

Explore the Doctor Who classic series website

Explore the Doctor Who classic series website
Step back in time

Infiltrate The Hub of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood

Infiltrate The Hub of Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood
Armed and extremely dangerous

Investigate The Sarah Jane Adventures

Investigate The Sarah Jane Adventures
Fearless in the face of adversity

Call on Dani’s House

Call on Dani’s House
Harmer’s a charmer

Intercept the UFO fabsite

Intercept the UFO fabsite
Defending the Earth against alien invaders!

Uncover the secrets of the Dollhouse

Uncover the secrets of the Dollhouse
Programmable agent Echo exposed!

Hell’s belles

Hell’s belles
Naughty but nice

Love Exposure

Love Exposure
Flash photography!

Primeval portal

Primeval portal
Dressed to kill or damsels in distress?

Charmed, to be sure!

Charmed, to be sure!
The witches of San Francisco

Take on t.A.T.u.

Take on t.A.T.u.
All the way from Moscow

Proceed to the Luther website

Proceed to the Luther website
John and Jenny discuss their next move

DCI Banks is on the case

DCI Banks is on the case
You can bet on it!

On The Grid with Spooks

On The Grid with Spooks
Secret agents of Section D

Bridge to Hustle

Bridge to Hustle
Shady characters

Life on Ashes To Ashes

Life on Ashes To Ashes
Coppers with a chequered past

Claire’s no Exile

Claire’s no Exile
Goose steps

Vexed is back on the beat!

Vexed is back on the beat!
Mismatched DI Armstrong and bright fast-tracker Georgina Dixon

Medium, both super and natural

Medium, both super and natural
Open the door to your dreams

Who’s that girl? (350-picture Slideshow)

Monday 18 February 2008

Terminus


This month sees both the third anniversary of TimeWarden’s Journal, hence the increased activity over the last few weeks, and the first anniversary of my music-clip blog, TimeWarden’s Jukebox, the latter originating as a Photo-log entitled “Editions of You” (after the Roxy Music song from their second album “For Your Pleasure”). But, as you can see, my transport is waiting so it’s time for me to depart. Six months ago, I decided to stop blogging but then, before you could say Russell T. Davies, I gave myself what has turned out to be only a temporary reprieve. That was on my 203rd post and here I am 58 posts later, writing my 261st, saying cheerio once again! My reasons for calling it a day are manifold but I won’t bore you all to death with going into every single one of them. The bottom line is, I don’t really know what the point is, of writing great eulogies that hardly anybody reads. I’ve never courted popularity, and absolutely detest cliques, which means I must’ve been writing primarily to entertain myself. If someone else enjoyed what I’ve written, along the way, that is an added bonus.

I set up TimeWarden’s Journal primarily to write about new “Doctor Who”. But, the tables finally turned against the programme with the content of last season’s finale, “Last of the Time Lords”, the worst-ever episode in the forty-five year history of the time traveller’s adventures. As if to compound the injury, it was immediately followed by the announcement of the return of Catherine Tate. I couldn’t really get a handle on what seem to me to be bizarre production decisions. It wasn’t just those two things, of course, but a continued lack of quality over three years culminating in the absolute garbage of wife abuse and mistreatment of the elderly as family entertainment. It proves to me, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that Rusty and his sycophantic cronies are beyond any truly creative narratives in the science fantasy department. I don’t want to spend a quarter of this year negatively reviewing a programme I no longer enjoy anywhere near as much as I once did. And, I certainly don’t want to post a further thirteen images of Catherine Tate, to accompany each critique, when I loathe the very sight of the woman. I can’t think of anything worse except being forced to watch Fiona Phillips, over my breakfast, on the so-abysmal-it-should-be-banned GMTV!

So, that’s it. This blog is no more. It ceases to be. It has expired and gone to meet its maker. Shame, really, as I rather like the TimeWarden moniker! There are many other things I could write about, important issues such as who on earth buys Bobby Billions and Barmy Bierkeller CDs when the pair are so bereft of any talent, musical or otherwise; why no-one should vote at the next General Election and why this country ever abandoned capital punishment. As if the latter needed debating! Still, returning to the trivial, now I might actually find the time to watch some of the television I despise so much but, somehow, I doubt it! A few words of wisdom before I take my leave. Never accept received opinion. Always consider something first hand. And, trust me when I tell you the Sylvester McCoy era is better than the David Tennant one. So long, and thanks for all the fish!

8 comments:

Steve said...

:-( So sorry to read you are going. Nevertheless I take my hat off and salute you, sir. I shall miss your precise erudition and encyclopeadic televisual knowledge. Take care and the very best.

Rol said...

That's a shame. You'll be missed.

Old Cheeser said...

Oh Tim, I'm very sorry to hear this is your second goodbye!! (Will it be third time lucky though and we'll see you regenerate Dr style yet again?! Mmmm somehow I don't think that's going to happen, eh? Shame!)Does this mean I have to do another Timewarden tribute on my blog again? Looks like it!

Well I enjoyed your "resurrection", and many of your posts were a "revelation"! You've definitely had your "day" from the "genesis" of your blog and when I think of you there'll be lots of "remembrance"!(Oh dear that was a bit naff wasn't it, but just trying to throw in a few apt references...)

Seriously it's been great reading your posts and I'm sorry to see you go again. As Steve says your knowledge is undoubtedly unsurpassed, not least that of DW! I have really enjoyed all our discussions too. I hope you'll continue to visit my own blog and post some more comments! Yes I WILL write that Space:1999 post some day...

I know what you mean about writing long posts that no-one reads. Sometimes you do wonder what the point is and it can seem like a real labour of love. But I think you'll find from your past comments that you DID have a loyal readership. And there are always the unsung readers who don't post anything (a bit hard to prove though). With your knowledge and awareness it would be a shame to see it all go to waste, I think you should write a book or set up another website or something!

As for DW, yes I know you and I have had diametrically opposed views before but that's made for some interesting debate! I'm so sorry that New Who has left you distinctly unimpressed, even I too have reservations as you know.

Anyway hope this isn't the last goodbye...take care.

Hugs from the OC.

TimeWarden said...

Thanks guys! I don't think I gave myself long enough when I decided to stop blogging first time round. A couple of weeks and I was posting again! It seems like the right moment to take indefinite time out, now, because I don't want to get bogged down moaning on about the Fourth Season of new "Doctor Who"!

I've always looked forward to new series of "Doctor Who", in the past, and can remember thinking, in my teens, how nine months seemed like a helluva wait for the next series when it had previously been only a six month break between seasons!

It's more than a little disappointing then, after a sixteen year wait, to discover that, from my point of view, "Doctor Who" is now "Doctor Who", but not as we knew it!

I'd taped every episode on first broadcast, since January 1985, but stopped after the travesty of "Last of the Time Lords" so this year's series will be the first full season I haven't recorded.

Appreciate all the apt Dalek references, Simon. More "Power" to your elbow as we each "Chase" our own "Destiny" on this insignificant, but often invaded, little "Planet"! I'll endeavour to keep up with all your blogs as often as time permits.

Michael Grant Clark said...

Hi, hope you won't stop for good. I've enjoyed going through your posts, although I can't agree on likeing McCoy! I've been with who since Pat and I think Tennant is much better than the wee guy with the funny hat.

You could always post reviews of the Terminator series. Just think of all the Summer Glau photos... I do.

TimeWarden said...

Pleased you've enjoyed reading the posts, Michael. For me, it's more a question of not really liking the present style of "Doctor Who" storytelling whereas McCoy's episodes still feel as though they belong to the same series that began all those years earlier.

I've already accumulated a fair few Summer Glau photos with that very purpose in mind! "Bionic Woman" is upcoming too. It's just that "Doctor Who" is in my blood. I'm sure you know what I mean. That makes it much easier to post on, when it's intrinsically part of you.

Michael Grant Clark said...

I know what you mean. Its a who thing. Even though the film company I work with is trying to make commercial films, we still find time to knock out a few old school who titles and the occasional tardis.

TimeWarden said...

Old school is good, far better than new! But, I know I'm never going to change anybody's opinion on that score. RTD is obviously reaching his target audience when my 11-year-old nephew tells me everybody loves David Tennant and that the chav moments, with Donna and Rose, are the best bits!!