Doctor Who and the Decent Two-Parter

I got a very nice phone call a few weeks back breaking the news to me that Stephen Moffat was stepping up as Doctor Who's show runner once Rusty Davies finally makes his step down. The call was made to me because the caller said of all the people she knew to make this announcement to, she wanted me to know if only to see what I'd eventually write. Then, of course, I didn't write, because it's been dang hard recently trying to actually sit down and type make words on screen without some form of interruption or distraction.

But Moffat taking over Davies' position? This can only be a good thing. This can only be a damned good thing. Even if, in four years' time, we're sitting around complaining of yet another formulaic Moffat script for Whoever-The-Doctor-Is-By-Then, the changeover will still have been a good and welcome one. I mean, at least Mr. M's formulaic tendencies don't run towards flatulent aliens camping it up, one-dimensional supporting characters, endless shots of crowds running outside and pointing at the imminent Threat Of The Week (or hugging with a hoorah once the threat has been neutralized) and "DO YU LIEK ME CHECK ONE [ ] YES [ ] NO [ ] OH GOD ANGST ANGST ANGST" soap opera bushwah.

Case in point: The most recent two-parter involving The Library (with capitals, yes). I'll say right off the bat this is good stuff, man, this is really good stuff. The second part was amazingly well done, and turned many conventions on their ear, conventions which I'd gotten quite tired of. I mean, let's compare what would have happened to this story had Russell T. Davies written it.

( Delve? Let's. )

Best Dwarf Fortress artifact ever

Sirab Rithz^m, "The Warmth of Bulwarks", an Alder ring This is a Alder [sic] ring. All craftsmanship is of the highest quality. On the item is an image of a dwarf in deer leather. The dwarf is dead.

If you've never played Dwarf Fortress (think a roguelike version of Dungeon Keeper) boy howdy is you missin out on some truly stoopid fun. Especially when you accidentally flood your fortress with magma, or when 75% of your settlement dies during the winter and one of the few survivors goes berserk and runs around the wilderness trying to get into fistfights with deer. This is the reason why DF's motto is "Losing is fun!"