The Doctor Is In

I used to be a television addict. When I was young, you couldn't drag me away from television. But now, as I look back at what I used to watch, I shudder in shame. Certain shows just don't hold up with time. (See: animated series from the 80s.) However, some hold up quite well. Go back and watch some episodes of Night Court, Barney Miller, and the Benny Hill Show (a guilty pleasure, but he was an absolute genius with wordplay...even if you think the ladies in scanty clothing was sexist.)

So what do I think of television today? There is still some good stuff on, but I tend to be more selective. I don't watch much, even though from time to time I will look in on a series. Here is a list of some of the shows that I think are good, or even great:

NCIS (both series)

Castle

Mythbusters

Leverage

Eureka

Psych

Top Gear (Absolutely the show I can watch over and over again!)

And leading the pack for over 40 years on the air: Doctor Who.

I know, I'm a geek, right? Well, hear me out.

Doctor Who has been on the air a long time, with props and costumes ranging from the cheap to the silly in the old days of Tom Baker. Special effects have improved dramatically with the newest incarnation of the series, but two things have remained consistent throughout the run of the show: the writing and the Doctor.

The writing has been imaginative, clever, and thought-provoking. It never shies from staring down the bad in humanity, while still expressing hope for what can be good. It also takes us to worlds and times beyond imagining and throws in humor to boot. I love the work that has been done on this series. (Want a great episode? Look for "Blink". You'll never look at a statue the same way ever again!)

But despite the age of the series, it remains fresh thanks to the men who have played the title role throughout the years. In a bit of forethought that remains unrivaled in television, the writers of the early series thought that when the time came for a lead actor to leave the series, the series didn't need to end or even have a new actor try to play the role in the same way. Instead, the Doctor would regenerate, having the same memories but a different face and personality. So, we could have Tom Baker followed by Peter Davison and believe that either one is the Doctor.

Moving to our day, when David Tennant decided to leave the series, many thought it might be the end. Next to Tom Baker, Tennant was probably the most popular Doctor ever. The powers-that-be had the gall to choose the youngest man to ever play the role, Matt Smith. He is young, thin, rather goofy looking...and a fantastic choice to play the Doctor (Geronimo!)

If you have never watched the series, and want to understand it, it's fine to start with Christopher Eccleston (the first man to play the Doctor in the new series) and go from there. If you can get past your pre-conceived notions of what the show is, I'm sure that you will find it to be one of the best things on your television.

For me...my television viewing re-starts on Saturday, April 23, as the Doctor's TARDIS materializes in my television on BBC America. Allons-y!

I Stink At This

OK. Did you ever get the feeling that your entire blog consists of apologies? That's all I seem to do. Still, if it means anything...I'm sorry. I've been very busy.

My topic of the day is the Sacramento Kings and the demise of the Maloof public image. For the longest time, the Maloof brothers, owners of the Sacramento Kings, swore up and down that the team was in Sacramento for the long haul; that they would never move the team. Then, the downhill slide began. The team started losing, the economy soured, the arena got old, the local government couldn't or wouldn't come up with a solution for a new arena...and the Maloofs forgot what made them popular owners.

These brothers began to think that they were the star attractions, making lame Carl's Jr. commercials and thinking they were the be-all and end-all of popularity. They stopped caring about their image with the fans and cared about their image of themselves. They wanted a new arena, but didn't act as though they wanted to help with the plans. Instead, they expected city leaders to hand a new arena to them on a platter. "Here are the keys, Misters Maloof. Enjoy your new playground."

Sadly, the public couldn't justify spending hundreds of millions of dollars of tax money on an arena while teachers were being laid off and thousands of people were losing their homes. What a surprise. Instead of being patient, enthusiastic, or even giving the impression that they cared, the Maloofs instead began losing money themselves; selling their beer distributorship, watching their casino start a slide into the negative category (losing money on a casino??), and putting a poor product on the floor in Sactown to save money. They experienced a new surprise there...fans stopped filling the seats.

Anyway, I digress. The Maloofs showed their final bit of scorn for the fans in Sacramento by not attending the final game of the season against their bitter rivals, the Lakers. Instead, they were winging their way to New York to try to convince the powers-that-be to let them move the team that they swore they would never move.

What is my point? I don't really know. I only feel scorn and disdain for the Maloofs right now. I feel they are cowards and liars. They think that being the worst team in a three team city will be better for them than being the only game in town in Sacramento. What a joke. Wait a few years, Anaheim, and the Maloofs will be moving somewhere else. They will act as though they are in Anaheim to stay, and that they have the best fans in the world. Then, the Pond will get older and the shine will wear off, fans will stop paying to see a third-rate product when they can see their beloved Lakers win and win again, and the Maloofs will have to find somewhere else to park their toy.

Well, begone miscreants! We still have hope for the future. Perhaps Kevin Johnson's plan to bring in financial angels will work. Maybe we will have another team to join the Sac State Hornets (the Sacramento Hornets?). But that just means that New Orleans - a city that has suffered more than any should ever have to - will lose their team. At least they have a Super Bowl championship. All Sacramento has right now of memories of being a jilted lover.

Joe and Gavin...you are the worst kind of cowards. Not just lying to a city, but not even daring to state your case to the fans, or say "thank you" on the last night of the season.

Just go away. I'm done with you and any teams that may have the misfortune of calling you owners.