SciFi Weekend: A Split Season for Doctor Who; Implications of Rita’s Death; Merlin Promo; Jessica Alba in Spy Kids

Doctor Who Christmas Special Matt Smith

In recent  years Doctor Who has concluded with big stories which are wrapped up in two episodes, but they have not concluded with big cliff hangers due to the long wait for the show to return. Steven Moffat had decided to change the schedule to have seven episodes with a big cliff hanger and then return three months later for the second half of the season:

“The split series is hugely exciting because viewers will be treated to two premieres, two finales and more event episodes. For the kids it will never be more than a few months to the next Doctor Who! Easter, Autumn, Christmas!!”

The BBC press office describe the split transmission as the result of a request from Steven Moffat to write a new Doctor Who story arc which involves a big plot twist in the middle of the series. “By splitting the series Moffat plans to give viewers one of the most exciting Doctor Who cliffhangers and plot twists ever, leaving them waiting, on the edge of their seats, until the autumn to find out what happens.”

The Guardian has a video of Moffat discussing this change. In another video Steven Moffat and Karen Gillan responded to accusations that the last season of Doctor Who was too sexy.

In other Doctor Who news, the first official picture from the Christmas special was released, but it doesn’t reveal any information.  Matt Smith was interviewed about an upcoming tour and other topics.  Sylvester McCoy is trying for a role in The Hobbit.

Above is the promo for Season 3 of Merlin.

The cast of Dexter talks about Rita’s death in this post at Buddy TV.  If you want to search for clues as to what happens next, Screen Rant has several pictures from the upcoming season.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has been signed to star in Spy Kids 4.

The new movie centers on Alba as a retired spy who has been reactivated. The actress, mother of a toddler in real life, will be playing the mother of a baby and two preteen stepchildren.

The actors cast in the preteen roles will be the new Spy Kids.

Other roles seeking to be filled include Alba’s husband, a slightly nerdy investigative reporter, and the villain, known as the Time Keeper, whose goal it is to stop time.

I imagine this will be another unrealistic movie. A nerdy investigative reporter married to Jessica Alba? Not likely. I wonder if any of the movie takes place on MILF Island.

More actresses who have appeared in genre shows will appear in Scream 4 including Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars & Heroes), Anna Paquin (True Blood), and Hayden Panettiere (Heroes).

Cristina Hendricks London Fog

Christina Hendricks of Mad Men appears in an ad campaign for London Fog (above). I bet Don Draper would approve. In response to the Japanese businessmen in last week’s episode, I won’t even try to explain what keeps her from falling over.

GOP Policies Will Further Increase Both Unemployment And The Deficit

Republicans, excited to find that many voters have forgotten that it was Republican policies which caused our current economic problems, are promising to increase employment and decrease the deficit. Actually many studies demonstrate that GOP policies would do the opposite:

…the things that Republicans have said they want to do won’t actually boost employment or reduce deficits. In fact, much the opposite. By combing through a variety of studies and projections from nonpartisan economic sources, we here at Gaggle headquarters have found that if Republicans were in charge from January 2009 onward—and if they were now given carte blanche to enact the proposals they want to—the projected 2010–2020 deficits would be larger than they are under Obama, and fewer people would probably be employed.

Going through the math in the article demonstrates that those who are nostalgic for a return of the Republicans are as delusional as Russians who now wish to return to Stalinism.

Obama’s stimulus plan was insufficient to correct all economic problems (and it is doubtful any government action can) but it did leave the economy in far better shape that it would be without such action. Further economic stimulus would make far more sense than to see both unemployment and the deficit increase further under GOP policies. There’s little chance the Republicans would support any policies which would actually help the economy as opposed to providing tax cuts for their wealthiest supporters.