Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

Doctor Who (The Second Series): “The Pilot”

Geez, to listen to some people's reactions to this episode, one would think that biracial lesbians traveled with the Doctor all the time. If so, they really need to show those episodes because I always thought that Bill Potts was the first one to do so.

Anyway, ten or twenty years ago, this episode would have had audience members gnashing their teeth. Now it barely merits a yawn. So I should consider that progress?

Oh, well. At least Steven Moffat hasn't forgotten that dark-skinned girls like to have adventures too.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños, Rita Hayworth!

AKA Margarita Carmen Cansino Hayworth.

Born October 17, 1918. Died May 14, 1987.

She was one of the most famous Latina stars of her time even though few audience members in her time probably knew she was Latina. She was born the daughter of a Spanish flamenco dancer and a showgirl of Irish and English descent.

As a brunette, she played some minor roles but she did not become a real star until after she became a redhead for the title role of the 1941 movie The Strawberry Blonde. Ironically one of her most famous roles after that involved being the second most famous pin-up girls of World War II, this despite her photo being shot in such a way that she might easily look either brunette or auburn depending on one's bias. Then again, her most famous role -- her title role in Gilda (pictured above) -- was that of a redhead. Fortunately, actresses no longer have to dye their hair to get such recognition today. Just ask Winona Ryder and Zooey Deschanel.

Pop Song of the Week: “Shakin'”

Who says gentlemen prefer blondes?

Pensamientos Acerca de Televisión

Doctor Who (The Second Series): “Smith and Jones”

I really really really really liked the Doctor's new assistant Martha Jones.

Whether or not I like her better than Rose Tyler is another question.

But it's nice to see that in the Doctor Who universe, dark-skinned English girls get to have as many adventures as light-skinned English girls.

And yes, the show's writing staff is determined to not let us forget that this latest version of the Doctor Who series was initially inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Does this mean the Tardis will be travelling to Sunnydale at some point in the near future?

Pop Song of the Week: “Your Woman”

One of my favorite songs from the late 1990s. Granted, White Town's “Your Woman” is not the cheeriest of tunes, to be sure, but it sums up the lives of some people I've known -- not any of my former novias, natch, but other people -- more than I'd normally like to admit.

If nothing else, you really have to feel for that brunette.