Via Retronaut loveliness, Police Boxes where they once stood, overlaid on images from today:

http://www.retronaut.co/2012/05/ghosts-of-the-tardis-1930-2011/

Real and, actually, also quite magical.

If you’re bothered by Skarosian menaces and/or have little better to do on a grubby, wet Sunday morning, then you could do worse than seek help online. The history of Dalek destruction is long and noble, and everyone has a favourite from the classic and new series (baseball bat- no, Rock and Roll!- no, Milk Float!!) But, you ask, is there not a place listing some of the most effective means of Dal despatch, not to mention some of the most up-to-date and original? Reader, I’m happy to say, yes there is. Presenting  Something Awful’s 49 Ways to Kill a Dalek, accompanied by some of the most horrific fan art (actually I’m still hoping it’s faked) you ever might see. We had some scary things in Eighties fandom, but we never had a Furry Matt Smith. But I digress, and re-present to you SA’s list. My favourite? The distinctly non-lethal number 48.

At long last, Freakytrigger’s Popular series chronicling the UK’s number one singles of the past fifty or so years reaches An Important Cultural Signifier For Our Generation.

Crikey – did you just see the Shortland Street finale for the year? They only ended on the gunning down of a leading character… a DOCTOR… to the climax of that aria from Madam Butterfly.  It’s like 1996 all over again, we swear. And if that isn’t enough to make you think all of your Christmases have come at once, don’t worry, there’ll be another along in just over five days. In the mean-time, here are five baubles of our own from the Zeus Blog tree…

First, let’s look at what we’re all fighting for with a glimpse to Christmases past – namely a not-untypical reaction to Voyage with the Stars- I mean, of the Damnered. Was he right, folks? Eh, it’s a year on, already. Let’s go back further…

Mr Bean improves The Christmas Invasion no end.

hat’s better! Now back to blogs:

Nestled warmly for the winter in his House of Awkwardness  Paul Cornell is currently ‘doing’ the 12 days of Christmas via a series of ‘best of’ lists with his various (and impressive) multimedia chums. You don’t actually need to have a Doctor Who angle to this, especially if you’re already a Kate Bush fan, but for those who might (and anyone interested), here are the Favourite Christmas Songs of the Doctor Who Writers.

And having done blogs and the past, let’s look at the future:

Digital Spy has seen The Next Doctor and is duly revealing some bits of tids. Click here if you’d like to spoil yourself in the privacy of your own home.

And now a sidestep into a parallel universe where each Doctor sort of sounds like himself, but looks like a badly made-up comedy impersonator:

Sure, it’s as old as the gags in a Warehouse cracker (the ones that made it without having their snaps pulled out in the interests of national security that is), but let’s hear it again for Christmas at Doctor Who’s House.

Whew! Speaking of last-minute presents, who’s for a quick purchase?

For Five Dollars YOU could own your very own blurry photoshopped montage of recent Doctor Who monsters on a piece of folded card that wishes its observer both a ‘Merry Christmas’ as well as a bonus ‘Happy New year’. Only 2 available so bid now!. Go!! Now!!!

Okay that was a bit cheap – but there’s a credit crisis on, people! Back to your homes – we’ll be back with a Crystal Ball next week!

It’s all over bar the squeeing (and probably not a small amount of screaming). We have roughly four Doc-less months before the as-yet-unnamed Christmas special reaches UK televisions, and shortly thereafter, the torrents, probably. in the mena-time it’s as good a time as any to be pausing for breath and taking stock.

Over on the Doctor Who Forum they’re busy assessing the 2008 series and pointing fingers debating the dynamics of Moff and RTD’s influence over where the programme will go from here.

‘Mad’ Lawrence Miles offers some very good and reliably opinionated analysis, plus his 25 suggestions for future Who. The side-bar mathematics is strangely convincing, too.

And over on Kasterborous there’s RTD whistling a merry tune as he strikes matches over the good bridge Fandom. Or perhaps it’s just for the ‘Ming-Mongs’.

So, plenty to talk about, and lots doing it. Excellent. Meanwhile on this side of the world, the terrestrials among us are just now tuning into series 4 and Torchwood 1. Good luck everybody!

MIchele Hewitson’s NZ Herald review of ‘Voyage’ is here, already linked to over at NZDWFCMB.

And Wellington blogger Poneke offers his ten cents on the new series and its influence (outing himself as more than a casual watcher in the process), and the scheduling of Torchwood. Discussion ensues  -hi Morgue!.

Read. Enjoy. Join in!

PA