britification

Holidays are ‘ere! Except well, first semester in French public universities never really allows for a proper holiday. Oh come on, who bloody schedules exams on the first week of January? Bollocks I say, dog bollocks.

Blimey. I’ve gone and turned Brit on meself, haven't I?

The top reason for this can only be Doctor Who, otherwise known as the culmination of my geekiness. This English nirvana of Sci Fi, the zenith of British popular culture, this portal through space and time in the form of a very retro blue police call box. Its occupant being the last existing Time Lord, known simply as the Doctor. The. Doctor. Doctor What? Doctor Who? Exactly.

He’s a bit daft really, loopy face, one eyebrow almost constantly cocked and the goofiest smile ever - just this skinny geek battling evil, anywhere from the 18^th century to the year 5 billion at the end of the world or modern day on a parallel universe.

Among the villains so far:

Daleks, essentially robot pepper pots with one eye stalk, a plunger for a hand and a laser for the other;

Cybermen, ‘upgraded’ humans reduced to brains in cybernetic suits and emotional inhibitors;

A werewolf, (or as the Doctor puts it, a lupine wavelength haemovariform) worshipped and protected by a band of pale, bald, white Shaolin-esque monks;

Slitheens, a lumpy family of convicts from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius (I love that word) who kill humans, wear their skin with a zipper on the forehead and pass a ridiculous amount of gas.

Ah, you can’t help but love the Brits.

A spin-off called Torchwood (which incidentally is an anagram of Doctor Who. Smashing stuff.) has me hooked as well, centering around an institute created to investigate extraterrestrial activity on Earth and prepare the humans for the future. The series is set a shade darker, in terms of personal agendas, skeletons in the closet, alien encounters and sexuality. Apparently the creators wanted to break all monosexual stereotypes, ‘quaint human categories’, and well, by the 7^th episode, every character has already shared a same-sex snog.

The show is not nearly as captivating though, a lot of it is more affected and in a way bogged down by the need to be realistic in its contemporary settings. There’s a general opinion that the large fan base is loyal not to the show but to Captain Jack. Ah but of course. Captain Jack Harkness, a Time Agent-turned-con artist-turned-faithful sidekick to the Doctor-turned- leader of Torchwood Three, a 51^st century omnisexual being (‘so many races, so little time’). Captain Jack Harkness, played by Scottish-American actor, John Barrowman: Gorgeous bloke, perfect smile with perfect teeth, humorous and affable, a jolly good actor with a few bad movie choices (I’m talking Shark bloomin’ Attack III: Megalodon bad) and a lyrical baritone who’s performed in over a dozen West End musicals. Brilliant brilliant voice. In short, my dream man come true. Number one, ranking even above Seth Green and Wentworth Miller, and well, he’s gay. *SIGH* and getting civil union-ised end December. *SIGH* So this is how it’s like being in love with a gay man. I’m feeling right helpless.

OH! Take That! They’re back together after 10 years with a new album! I was chuffed to bits when I heard. A Take That fan and not bleeding ashamed of saying it. I caught a video of them performing at the Royal Variety this year and it’s just gobsmacking to see them together again. They look EXACTLY the same, still the same cheesy dance riot for ‘Pray’ and as usual, it seems like the other poor sods just gaze emotionally somewhere off-camera while Gary Barlow anchors the group. Another dishy chap I adore. They still sound brilliant, still that magic touch of instant success, with a lot less cheese and a more mature feel to it. Check out the beautiful first single ‘Patience’.

Ok, so Brit telly, Brit bloke, Brit music… Cor, I just love Britain and everything Brit right now. After all, they’ve had running water for over ten years, an underground tunnel that links them to Peru and they invented the cat.

Oh, and. Raxacoricofallapatorius.