An Announcement Heard Around the World...if You're a Geek

It was announced yesterday that this man, Peter Capaldi, would be the 12th doctor to take the keys to the Tardis from Matt Smith.  It's been a firestorm of guessing and betting since Matt Smith announced he'd be leaving.  After weeks of suspicions and discussions it was announced in a quickly produced shiny one-off special simultaneously telecast all over the world.  Now, as a bit of a geek, I was pretty invested in who'd be the next Doctor, but that's not why I'm writing about it.

The most fascinating part of this whole ordeal, was seeing how many people got involved and just how amazing the technology we use today really is.  Somehow, a giant corporation, was able to keep a secret this big from the entire world for weeks without a single leak.  The second someone is cast here in the states, it hits Entertainment Tonight immediately.  But in the UK, they've got this down to a science.  Then there was the one-off show produced in about 48 hours and simulcast around the world.  How in the world were they able to pull this off? Most Hollywood productions take weeks if not months to produce.  The BBC was able to pull this spectacle off in 2 days.  Pretty impressive!

The best part of all this is the fans.  The same fans that have been debating for weeks on end on Pinterest and Tumblr and any other sites, all seemingly united to watch the special then praise the new casting with fan art or graphics or GIFs on Pinterest and Tumblr and any other sites they frequent.  The fans of this show really are fascinating and really invest in the whole spectacle, not just the show, which I think is pretty cool.  In an age when some shows don't often make it past the first season, this show has been around for 50 years and has remained pretty much unchanged.  It really is a testament to the whole shabang the BBC has invested in.  

As for me, I'm skeptical of #12.  On one hand I like the guy.  Everything I've seen him in, he's been marvelous in.  But his characters are mostly shifty or just plain mean, not to mention a bit blue.  Not really qualities you want in the tenant of the Tardis.  But I'm willing to give him a chance.  I hated Matt Smith there for a while and he's grown on me, so I suppose I'll give him a shot; if for no other reason than to listen to that beautiful Glaswegian accent he has : )