Then when the credits started showing up, imagine my surprise that this is from the Doctor Who people, specifically Stephen Moffat and Mart Gatiss. Now imagine me with my fist raised and shaking at the TV growling “Mofffaaattttt.”

I’ve had my issues with his handling of my beloved Doctor Who.

I’m as shocked as anyone that I actually saw a first episode that was all about character development and relationship development amidst a very exciting murder mystery. A cool, super-smart hero with a dark side coming to see the value of his brave, moral, stalwart human companion? However will it work?

Unlike their work over on Who, here, it does. There is chemistry. There is partnership. Yet each character stands on his own.

The pair must be the heart of the series, but so far, all of the crimes have been gripping as well. At 90 minutes, these episodes make me wonder if any of our crime procedurals can do better with an extra half hour. On the DVDs, one of the special features is the original 60 minute pilot. The actual 90 minute first episode is truly so much better because the creators were really able to ramp up the mystery and allow the final confrontation to simmer. The extra time also allowed the final confrontation to come down as a matter of Sherlock’s character rather than just being a more straight-forward adventure ending. Quite well done.

When I got to the comments, I was very surprised at what people were saying about Jacob, the recapper for Doctor Who at Television Without Pity. In case you didn’t know, I’m quite a fan (exhibit 1, exhibit 2, and exhibit 3) of his.

I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but the level of angry dismissiveness shocked and, quite frankly, angered me.

Really? You want TWoP further dumbed down and smoothed out? It’s still better than every official thing out there, but since going corporate, the site is certainly not what it was.

I’m not being pie in the sky about all that. I know the realities of web businesses but I, too, want my say.

So I wrote the following letter and sent it in to their Powers That Be (a phrase I started using thanks to TWoPers). And I’m making it public here to stake my stand.

[start letter]
Dear TWoP,

In reading through the comments to the Doctor Who mini-feature, I saw that there are several voices that advocate the removal of Jacob as the recapper for the show.

I wanted send you a note to say that I am very pro-Jacob.

One commenter has a good point that the pro-Jacob people tend to be fans of Jacob rather than of the show(s) he’s handling at the time. I think that’s valid, but I also think that TWoP has traditionally been about writers putting their stamps on coverage.

I’ve been around since the Mighty Big TV days. Specifically, I can cite Miss Alli as the person that practically taught me how to watch reality TV intelligently. She didn’t just reap; she analyzed. And that’s why I would read her, even for shows that I didn’t actually watch.

Like Miss Alli, Jacob brings something extra to his recaps.

I’m fond of saying that sci-fi is applied philosophy. As such, I find his offerings especially fitting. Yes, his recaps challenge me, but my viewing of shows like Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who have been enriched by his observations. I like his write up for the movie Serenity more than I liked the movie.

I can get summaries of episodes almost anywhere now. I come to TWoP for more.

Snark, to me, is not simply about ridicule. It’s about pointing out as stupid—the things that should and could be done better. TWoP is about a higher level of pop engagement.

I know that there are other considerations in play now, and that the old days are not coming back. But, TWoP built a fanbase based on things like Jessica having her Mulder and Scully dolls dialogue in the middle of her The X-Files recaps. I’ve noticed that the recappers today do not have as much freedom to nickname and play away like they used to do.

But Jacob remains unique, relevant, and valid. As such, I continue to be his fan, and I wanted to make sure that my voice is heard in this conversation.

Very sincerely,

Although I would have liked to see a lot of what happened play out over several seasons, the short order for only thirteen episodes did make for a really fun ride. I was especially pleased at how much character development they were able to do in such a short time for an action-oriented show.

That’s not to say that there are no problems with continuity and all the logic is sound, but I’ve found that knowing the final fate of a show while watching it allows for a much more zen-like experience. Just accept things and go.

Luckily, Whedon shows do tend to focus on the organics of what feels real and on emotional truths. I can’t help but think how much fun it would have been to be in that Epitaph world for at least a couple of episodes though. They always show such fun and creativity while creating the realities of different worlds. (Yes, I’m missing Firefly right here.)

I don’t know how Dollhouse is going to rate in the final tally of Joss Whedon’s oeuvre but this second season will certainly help it climb. I’m also very excited at the number of outstanding acting talents that are now members of the Whedonverse.

I don’t get it.

I mean, it just didn’t grab me. It didn’t make me think about it when I wasn’t watching. I didn’t want to rush home to put in the next disc.

This series was/is so acclaimed, and I just don’t see it. It doesn’t resonate with me for some reason.

Give me Deadwood or The Wire instead. Now that’s great television.

Vincent and the Doctor was a strong episode, and I was hearing nice things about the rest of the end run so I was very much looking forward to the DVD release.

Episode: The Lodger
Not too bad, but not too good either. The premise is sufficiently creepy: A voice comes over the intercom of a home asking passers-by for help. There’s been an accident… A little girl has lost her mummy…

The passers-by go in. Something horrible happens. They don’t come out.

That is one scary premise because while we would all feel cautious and uneasy, I still think most people would answer that call for help.

But the scariness is put in the background because the live and living people downstairs, of which the Doctor is one, is played for a lot of laughs. And that, while very enjoyable, also undercuts the sad and serious theme of Home that always runs through Doctor Who.

I don’t think this is a bad episode at all. The guest stars are charming. It is a smidge better than OK. I just had higher expectations, that’s all.

Episodes: The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang
It’s one of those stories during which you’re just not supposed to think too much. As an ending and a wrap-up to an otherwise unfulfilling season, it did fine. I was engaged while watching it, and emitted the appropriate gasps and what!?s.

But the main issue is that by the end, I wasn’t sure if any of it made any sense. And worse, I didn’t feel that I could rewatch or think about what I saw some more and be able to nitpick appropriately. (Besides the weirdness that River remembering doesn’t make any difference. Amy has to remember.)

I wrote about Moffat‘s tendency to throw everything into an episode just for effect rather than purpose back during Flesh and Stone. And that’s what I felt here.

It was too much all the time. After a certain point, that’s just the mark of a scared and unsure writer who uses manipulation rather than storytelling to get the drama across. Why does everything feel so shallow when the Who of Russell T Davis felt so epic and deep?

Spoilers below.

Did every single character have to die? Did we need all of the Doctor Who monsters? To achieve what?

The Crack is only coincidentally connected to Amy, who is only coincidentally connected to the Pandorica, which is only coincidentally connected to the Alliance because of the Crack.

I find it disappointing that they’ve built an entire season on coincidences. And the Doctor can talk about not ignoring coincidences all he wants but we still don’t have the answers we need.

The Crack is somehow connected to the Doctor and the Tardis but we don’t know how. Who is the Big Bad that wants this Silence? And why does the Crack make Amy God, creating the world from her memory?

See, don’t think too much.

I can definitely see why people were frustrated with Season 3 of Dexter. Here, Dexter is a new husband and father and the season deals with his inability to do what he does because of it.

The show loses the reverse thriller side of the program and becomes more of a police procedural.

Don’t get me wrong. John Lithgow does a chilling turn as a horrific baddie. I would cringe inside when I thought about watching the next episode because I dreaded his character’s next action.

But the season, the first half especially, got bogged down with too many Dexter-monotoned voiceovers and ghosty-ghost moments with Harry. The season also revisits much of the same ground as past ones and openly acknowledges this fact.

Season 3 was still interesting and worth watching but the show’s folks are going to have to come up with new and better rather than just rehashing the old.

Everyone will keep wondering where Scooby is though.

Style and me definitely do not mix. Thank goodness I live in the era of t-shirts and jeans.

I do better as a Simpson.

Want a go? Mad Men Yourself

• Psych (USA)—After a really strong season last year, the first two episodes of this season have been highly disappointing. The improved ambition and seriousness of last year are all gone. Instead, we have a premiere filled with not-funny racial insults and a second episode that kills the UST between Shawn and Juliet. Weird thing to do, show.
• Tour de France (Versus)—Even though I’m not watching this because I have no fancy cable, I’m excited that Andy Schleck is only eight seconds behind Alberto Contador with two stages to go. Go, Andy!
• Damages Season 2 (DVD)—I thought season 1 of Damages had prepared me for the non-stop surprises of this series, but I am now fully back into the “What!-The!” zone. For disc one, I actually managed to watch just one episode at a time, but I blew through disc two in a flash. I can’t wait to see how this season ends (even though I’ve been warned to not expect something as awesome as season 1).
• Doctor Who (BBC America)—I’m not watching this one either due to a lack of cable, but just look at Jacob’s blurbs over at Television Without Pity. Hurry up, DVDs!

• So You Think You Can Dance (FOX)—So the last few seasons have gone off the rails a little bit. Hey, the dancing and choreography have been great as usual, but the production, scheduling, and judging have gone really wonky. For me, I’m enjoying the all-star format mainly because three of my four all-time favorites are back.

Allison (season 2) was the first dancer that I really rooted for in the run of the show. I’m glad to see how much attention and fan recognition she’s getting this time around. If you saw Wednesday’s performance show, you saw how the choreographer tried to hide Jose’s limitations with a very specific routine that nevertheless had him dropping (when he should have been placing) Allison against the edge of the stage over and over again. Check out her bruising.

Augh, Jose really should not have been buoyed by the judges for so long. This is still a show about dance, right? Don’t spend six seasons teaching us about dance, and then try to sell us on personality. I can see that he’s not keeping up and needs to be voted off.

And the non-elimination yesterday was garbage, Nigel.

Glenn Close‘s Patty Hewes is a magnetic and powerful character. Sometimes when she came on screen, I would literally draw my legs up and curl into the couch to get away from her. She’s chilling.

That’s not really a spoiler because you’ll find out what the show wants you to know about Patty Hewes right off the bat.

Everything else though, now those are delicious and thrilling mysteries that get gradually revealed throughout the course of the season. And wonderfully, by the end of the season, your questions do get answered. What a welcomed change.

As the show begins, elevator doors open to reveal a shaken and bloodied young woman stumbling out into daylight. From here, we jump back six months to learn about the events that led up to that moment. To make things even more interesting, a third timeframe, days and weeks after that elevator exit, comes into play.

It may sound confusing, and if you don’t pay attention, it will be. This is a show that trusts in the intelligence of the viewer. I watched many of the episodes with a furrowed brow and a dull headache from trying to figure out character motivations and plot twists.

The main story is about Ellen Parsons, a first-year lawyer who is hired by Patty Hewes, the veteran powerhouse attorney. Patty Hewes heads up the class-action lawsuit against Arthur Frobisher, played by a Ted Danson that I think will surprise you. Frobisher is accused of defrauding his employees out of the legitimate value of their company stocks.

This white-collar crime will reveal once again that money=power, and the need to gain and keep power is more bloody and dangerous than any basis for a conventional crime of passion.

The story is tight and interwoven in just the right way. I will be very surprised if you’re able to watch just one episode at a time. This is definitely a oh-just-one-more show.

So just when I’ve actually caught up with TV, I’m doing a massive downgrade. No more fancy channels.

I’m going to miss the following shows that I’m actually watching in first-run. I think these are the one’s that I can’t watch online somewhere:

• Doctor Who (BBC America)—Ok, so this season’s not great, but there are so few episodes left. Now I have to wait and wait for the DVDs.
• Mad Men (AMC)—This show is awesome. Season 1 was solid enough and showed obvious potential. Season 2 had a bit of a drop off, but Season 3 came back strong and was the best yet. I finally caught up on discs and was greatly anticipating the July premiere of Season 4. D’oh!
• True Blood (HBO)—A very weird can’t-look-away show. Just when you think they can’t throw any more crazy at you…
• Entourage (HBO)—People say it’s slipped, but I’m still interested in how everyone’s careers progress. Besides, there is not a larger goal of the series is there? It is what it is.
• Tour de France (Versus)—le sigh

Now that I have fewer channels and no On Demand, I’m considering getting something that will stream Netflix. They’ve got a lot of instant viewing now. Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve tackled an AI. I miss it.

And there’s always RCN and AT&T. Perhaps they have something better going on.