Torchwood, Doctor Who and the Hugo Awards...

[fajrdrako]

Back when I went to the Science Fiction World Con on a regular basis, I used to make it a point to read the novels nominated for a Hugo award, and vote. It was fun. I discovered some great authors that way. But more and more I found the books disappointing, and I stopped going to world cons, and now I take only a vague interest.

But this year there is something that interests me: the Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form category, i.e., TV shows:

• Battlestar Galactica "Razor" written by Michael Taylor, directed by Félix Enríquez Alcalá and Wayne Rose (Sci Fi Channel) (televised version, not DVD)
  
• Dr. Who "Blink" written by Stephen Moffat, directed by Hettie Macdonald (BBC)
  
• Dr. Who "Human Nature" / "Family of Blood" written by Paul Cornell, directed by Charles Palmer (BBC)
  
• Star Trek New Voyages "World Enough and Time" written by Michael Reaves & Marc Scott Zicree, directed by Marc Scott Zicree (Cawley Entertainment Co. and The Magic Time Co.)
  
• Torchwood "Captain Jack Harkness" written by Catherine Tregenna, directed by Ashley Way (BBC Wales)

So: of five nominations, I've seen four - I don't even know what Star Trek New Voyages is.

I thought Battlestar Galactica's "Razor" was brilliant. But so was the "Human Nature/Family of Blood" story on Doctor Who, and I liked "Blink" even more. And then there's Torchwood's "Captain Jack Harkness", the best TV romance I've ever seen. I didn't think there was any chance it would ever be nominated for a Hugo. It never even occurred to me.

I had hoped that Steven Moffat's "Blink" would be nominated for a Hugo, and it would have my (uncast) vote. But "Captain Jack Harkness" being up against it - woo! I had to take maybe three seconds to actually think about that one.

No contast. Even if I wasn't already biased, I think the writing, pacing, acting, staging, direction, and everything else about "Captain Jack Harkness" is so good that it deserves the award on all those considerations. Add to that a quasi-political factor, that it's a same-sex romance presented without apology or cliché.

Yes, really. Even against "Blink", there's no contest.

Comments

[cionaudha.livejournal.com]

WEER IN UR SCI FI, SUBVERTN UR DOMINENT PARADIME


God, I hope it wins. I hope it wins because it was lovely. I hope it wins because it's another chink in the heteronormative wall. I hope it wins because I love this show like I love my wonderful, goofy, slightly retarded dog.

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

The first thing my grandmother said when she say clips from "Captain Jack Harkness" was that couldn't have happened. At least the kissing and dancing in public part.

I explained the part where Jack was dead in less than 24 hours, and that Jack disappears into a ball of light.

She went "oh." and went with it. = )

I just hope that the decider ignore the bad science with Toshiko thinking the photo would last better than the original inked document. And that no one thought to lumional the blood document to see if they could extract the letters that way - or any other way to extract the letters besides looking at it. They have to had at least watch one episode of CSI!

But everything else was wonderful.

...I think I have time before "Fragments" to watch it again, I think? *goes to do so*

[takhys]

Star Trek New Voyages is a ridiculously enjoyable fan-made series that plays online.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

God, I hope it wins.

I do too. Stuff I like often doesn't. But. I really hope.

I hope it wins because it was lovely.

it certainly was.

I hope it wins because it's another chink in the heteronormative wall.

Yes! That too!

I hope it wins because I love this show like I love my wonderful, goofy, slightly retarded dog.

That also is true.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The first thing my grandmother said when she say clips from "Captain Jack Harkness" was that couldn't have happened. At least the kissing and dancing in public part.

Maybe, maybe not. I've heard a lot of people say that. But I've also read historical accounts that make me think it could happen. Anyway, the show is a fantasy... and they were stuck in a time rift. Anything can happen.

Toshiko thinking the photo would last better than the original inked document.

Which was strange. Not a big deal, but not really necessary in the first place - and absurd to make a deal of it when it's wrong.

...I think I have time before "Fragments" to watch it again, I think? *goes to do so*

Enjoy!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh - thank you for the link!

[fl-zed.livejournal.com]

CJH, win? Ahaha, as if. Why not? Umm...

..ohgodyou BASTARD. You've made me hope! =(
Even though I keep telling myself that no way would something from the bastard child (which s1 was a lot like) of Doctor Who win over DW, since DW has decades worth of followers and surely that will influence the verdict (even if only slightly), in spite of this being about single episodes. Even thought Blink is easily my favourite episode of new DW, CJH seems more fitting for the award.
_{....why did you have to make us feel hopeful... =(}

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Hee - you sound like Nicky in "Adrift", living on hope!

"Captain Jack Harkness" will win or it won't - personally, I think it's a real kick that it was even nominated, which I didn't expect. And I do think "Blink" is heavy competition and it will probably win, for a dozen reasons, including that it was very well written, and a lot of people voting will be men who don't like emotional romance in stories unless it's really light, as in "Blink".

But we know how worthy of an award it is.

[fl-zed.livejournal.com]

Eh. I have to disagree with Nicky, a lot. She was horribly stuck. Not that the truth won't slowly kill her from the inside, but at the same time it did set her free and hopefully make her stronger. Some want the blue pill, some want the red. For my values and opinions in life, I prefer truth over being stuck and unable to move on, even if it's going to make parts of me slowly die (having to be emotionally invested in a frustrating lose-lose situation involving someone you deeply care about is horrible).

It being nominated is awesome, but then you wrote on, and suddenly there was a spark of hope in my withered dark heart. (Okay, so maybe my heart isn't withered and I'm just a giant softy on the inside, but still!) Blink was great, and even if it wins over CJH I'm gonna be pretty pleased. I'll just be more pleased if CJH wins. The slim chance of CJH winning just hadn't occurred to me before.

Fandom knows, indeed :-D

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

Maybe, maybe not. I've heard a lot of people say that. But I've also read historical accounts that make me think it could happen.

I kinda... hit the highlights when I gave her the explanation. I was playing a fanvid so Mama could hear John sing, so I decided that going into gay history was a bit deeper than the situation called for. But since she liked his singing - and when I showed her and my aunt pictures she pronounced him a doll - I consider it a win. ( The slightly more risque pictures were also a success including the accidental glance at this icon in stride, and they both declared that Scott was pretty handsome as well. )

The second time I watched "Captain Jack Harkness" was with my dad, who helped his dad run a photography shop when he was younger. He recognized the camera, when it was made, why it didn't take a picture of the whole page, and how much more degraded the image should have been.

So, the camera part bothers me a lot more than it should. = )

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree with Nicky, a lot.

Yes, me too. Nicky needed to have the courage of her convictions. She couldn't have things back the way they were again. What she did have back was her son's love, and she needed to see how valuable that was, and how much she could do for him.

I am a person who chooses truth at any cost, realizing that my truths aren't always other people's truths.

having to be emotionally invested in a frustrating lose-lose situation involving someone you deeply care about is horrible

Yeah - been there, done that.

Okay, so maybe my heart isn't withered and I'm just a giant softy on the inside, but still!

I dare not judge. My own heart is sheer mush.

Blink was great, and even if it wins over CJH I'm gonna be pretty pleased.

Yes. Against other claimants, "Blink" is worthy in many, many ways. It is emotionally much more superficial, but it has a great script, plot, action, suspense, excellent characters, and it's very original. (Of course, so is "Captain Jack Harkness" - I've never seen anything like it on television!)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I kinda... hit the highlights when I gave her the explanation.

That works.

since she liked his singing - and when I showed her and my aunt pictures she pronounced him a doll - I consider it a win.

Oh, yes. Well done! Spread the Jack-love!

they both declared that Scott was pretty handsome as well.

And so he is. He's gorgeous.

So, the camera part bothers me a lot more than it should. = )

Well - I thought the camera part was totally fantasy - shows what I know!

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

Well - I thought the camera part was totally fantasy - shows what I know!

Only a touch. That type of camera was made after the forties, so Billis had to pick it up in the future - but since he can walk though time that got handwaved pretty quickly.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

And this is why I love time travellers so much!

[raissad.livejournal.com]

Did you notice they nominated S1 of Heroes in it's entirety in the long form category? They saw all 23 eps. as one long narrative. I'm rooting for "Blink" myself. I'd like a Moffat sweep, but as long as something from the Whoverse wins in the Short category, I'll be happy.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't look at the "long form" category - must do so. Yay for Heroes!

I just looked at the long form list... I think Heroes is by far the best thing there.

[filkferengi]

Not only that, but "Blink" inspired some incredible costuming at the Nasfic masquerade last year, so lots of folks have heard of it.

[filkferengi]

Best of all about this category, is that everything in it is worthy. Unlike, say, the year when the Rowling novel won the Hugo over Lois' infinitely superior novel.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Unlike, say, the year when the Rowling novel won the Hugo over Lois' infinitely superior novel.

That was mildly annoying.

But it's a popularity contest, not necessarily a good assessment of writing quality.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

"Blink" inspired some incredible costuming at the Nasfic masquerade last year

Oh - I wish I'd seen that! How wonderful.

[filkferengi]

There'd be photos somewhere online, surely; it was the Archon Nasfic 2007, if that's any help.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have a notion I saw a picture somewhere, but I can't remember where. A quick Google search hasn't helped me; I'll try again later.