Today marks the one-month anniversary of the start of this project. In that month I have lost more than 10 1/2 lbs, walked more than eighty miles, and watched ten complete stories spread across fifty one individual episodes. How's that for a successful venture? I am really quite pleased.

Also, today marked the end of The Dalek invasion of Earth, as well as the first departure of a companion as well as perhaps the single most defining monolog of William Hartnel's time as the Doctor.

Let's talk about that.

Holy cow, what an excellent pair of episodes this morning. Big action scenes, flying saucer attacks, dramatic sacrifice... and, best of all, a record low weigh-in for me after the workout. Life is good (except for the human race in the rubble of the Dalek invasion.)

Let's talk about that.

As awful as the last story was, the start of today's story makes it all worthwhile. The Dalek Invasion of Earth is an instant classic on every level and significant for multiple reasons. This morning's workout flew by seemingly in minutes because the episodes were just so dang good.

Let's talk about that.

I am on vacation this week. Most people spend their vacations doing pleasurable things. I spent at least part of today sweating away on a treadmill while watching a truly awful episode of Doctor Who. The things I do in the name of better health! 

Let's talk about that?

Remember how much I complained about The Keys of Marinus? Oh, how I long for the kind of heady days when Marinus was as bad as it got. It would appear that the remit for the Doctor Who writers over the summer break was "Make the show as immeasurably awful as possible, in every possible way." 

I guess I have to talk about that.

The last episodes of the last story of the first season! And, I forgot to mention, the first story I have watched that uses animation to replace missing episodes. In this case, episodes 4 and 5 of The Reign of Terror are still missing from the archives, although the complete audio recordings remain. On the whole I thought the animation was well done, although some of the rotoscoping seemed a bit off to me. Anyway, today was the big finish (in more ways than one).

Let's talk about that.

I really didn't want to get on the treadmill today. I had a very late night of work with a recalcitrant software release, and this morning I just didn't feel up to it. It is only out of my commitment to you, my imaginary readers, that got me up and walking. So, thank you. You may only be a polite fiction I have created in my mind, but you surely do keep me motivated. 

As for today's viewing, let's talk about that.

I will readily admit that most of my knowledge about the French Revolution comes from The Scarlet Pimpernel. I would  have said Les Miserables, but I am at least geeky enough to know that is set during the June Rebellion several decades after the Revolution. Given how much I have enjoyed the First Doctor's historical episodes so far, I was quite looking forward to beginning The Reign of Terror this morning. Happily, I was not disappointed.

Let's talk about that.

So, right now I am doing this show at a local community theatre called Squabbles. I play a character named Sol Wasserman, and I have a tiny problem as an actor. I keep calling another character by the wrong name. His name is Abe Dreyfus, and I keep calling him either Drayfus, or (even worse), Wasserman. I tell you this in order to point out, I have a world of sympathy for William Hartnell every time he calls Ian Chesterton by the wrong name.

But it's still dang funny.

Anyway, today I watched the last two episodes of The Sensorites. Let's talk about that.

As of today I have walked the equivalent of two marathons. How cool is that? I also continue to be pleasantly surprised by The Sensorites, which is also pretty cool. Today's episodes included plot twists and intrigue galore, and even some genuine teenage angst. Also: Ian does a particularly awesome pratfall. It really is a good day all around.

Let's talk about that.