Ariel: Happy Crabby Day
Ariel
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Ariel, is a young mermaid learning that her power lies in using her voice to speak up, sing out, and make waves. And when she does, she can change her world!
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Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Doctor who? Why Ncuti Gatwa flopped as the Time Lord
The Doctor has just been exterminated – but not by Daleks. After mounting speculation that leading actor Ncuti Gatwa would be leaving Doctor Who, Saturday's series finale saw him regenerate into the Time Lord's next incarnation sooner than planned. Fan favourite Billie Piper returned to inherit the starring role, having previously starred as companion Rose Tyler. Such a surprise plot twist still can't paper over the cracks. Gatwa becomes the first Doctor to depart without a prior announcement in the show's 62-year history. Piper is the first to be unveiled onscreen, rather than trumpeted in advance. It smacks of desperate decision-making and an ignominious end for a 15th Doctor who once promised so much. This was supposed to be a brave new era for the venerable sci-fi saga. Respected showrunner Russell T. Davies – who masterminded the show's blockbuster reboot 20 years ago – returned to take the reins ahead of the show's 60th anniversary. Streaming giant Disney+ pumped in plentiful cash to boost the budget. One of the hottest young actors around inherited the sonic screwdriver. Whovians were abuzz with anticipation. Early signs were positive, but the expected resurgence didn't come to pass. Ratings have nosedived, averaging 5 million for Jodie Whittaker's last series but a mere 3 million for Gatwa's latest. Loading It's predicted Disney won't renew its deal to bankroll the series. Rumours are rife that production will be paused for the first time since the cult show went off-air between 1989 and 2005 after a previously unbroken 26-year run. Gatwa's Tardis tenure has been a flop of intergalactic proportions, putting Doctor Who firmly back in the doldrums. What went wrong? For a start, his portrayal has missed the mark. Gatwa's time traveller has been the most emotional yet – prone to tears and petulant outbursts. He lacks the authority and gravitas to convince as an old soul who has lived for thousands of years and seen it all. It's not about the actor's age (Peter Davison and Matt Smith were younger), it's about screen presence. With bright colours, plots that included space babies, singing goblins, and a bogeyman made of snot, plus his tendency to use the word 'babes', this Doctor feels overly kid-focused. Disneyfied, if you like. He has been too passive, frequently outwitted by foes and failing to impress until the last moment. Offscreen, Gatwa has appeared hesitant to embrace the ambassadorial side of the role, rarely taking on the extramural duties that are part and parcel of being the Doctor. The clearest indication came in May, when he belatedly backed out of being the UK jury's spokesperson for the Eurovision Song Contest. As one of the BBC's highest profile faces, his last-minute withdrawal is said to have angered bosses. It's rumoured that a row erupted after he allegedly refused to take part when Israel made it to the final. The official line was that he'd dropped out due to 'unforeseen circumstances', but it's been seen as the final straw. There is a feeling that Gatwa never fully fell in love with Doctor Who in the way that his predecessors did, never taking on the plethora of extra duties and personal appearances that other former leads embraced. David Tennant and Peter Capaldi were already life-long fans who dreamed of one day playing their boyhood hero. Whittaker and Matt Smith became passionate devotees during their stints, won over by the franchise's treasured status and loyal fan base. By contrast, Gatwa seems to belong in the same category as one-series wonder Christopher Eccleston – appearing to be a reluctant Doctor, never entirely comfortable in the role. Guesting on a themed edition of Mastermind shortly before his series debuted in 2005, Eccleston pointedly replied, when being introduced as the Doctor, 'Well, for now'. When Gatwa was cast in 2022, he said: 'This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself.' However, those fans have largely been let down. In addition, Gatwa was reportedly not universally popular on set in Cardiff, where the series has been filmed since Davies took over. Rumours circulated about difficult behaviour during production. 'I think he has sights beyond [ Doctor Who ] … I think it was a stepping stone for him, rather than wanting to do it,' an insider claims. 'Nobody particularly knows him.' Having tasted Hollywood in the Barbie movie and Steven Spielberg's Masters of the Air, Gatwa's ambitions appear to have always stretched further than Tiger Bay. Neither does he have the mainstream recognition of previous incumbents. Gatwa could probably walk down the street relatively unnoticed. It's partly his prior CV – his breakthrough part was a supporting turn in Netflix teen drama Sex Education – and partly down to his Doctor lacking a signature onscreen look. Changing costume (and even hairstyle) for each adventure has been a mistake. From Tom Baker's scarf to Matt Smith's bow tie, the best Doctors had a sartorial trademark. Gatwa's Doctor never settled on one. Lastly and most crucially, Gatwa has been ill-served by the scripts. Davies might be one of our most decorated screenwriters, but when it comes to the Whoniverse, he's lost his golden touch. Overcomplicated storylines have paid off poorly. Rip-roaring thrills have been in short supply. Self-reflexive writing and fourth-wall breaks, with meta-references to the show's fan base and the villainous Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) whispering asides to camera, are symptoms of a show increasingly in thrall to its lore and impenetrable for newer viewers. Davies has deliberately swerved classic monsters this time around. Daleks and Cybermen haven't appeared during his current stint. Instead, we've been underwhelmed by the baffling return of obscure old enemies – The Rani, Omega, Sutekh, the Toymaker – who mean nothing to most viewers. The show has entered the realm of fan fiction, rather than primetime entertainment with broad appeal. Anybody who hasn't been watching for decades won't have a clue as to what's going on. Scripts have forgotten ye olde maxim of 'show not tell', with too much proselytising and expositional dialogue. Naysayers believe Davies has focused far too much on identity politics and culture wars issues, rather than family-friendly fun. Plots have featured incels and imperialism, coercive control and conspiracy theorists, non-binary aliens and discussions of pronouns. Crowbarring those topics in has sparked a backlash, with the series being dubbed 'Doctor Woke'. At times, watching it has felt like being thwacked around the head with a progressive pamphlet. Loading Doctor Who hasn't just lost its way. It has lost much of its audience. Overnight ratings for the BBC have plummeted to 1.6 million, down a whopping 10 million from their 1970s heyday. The Tennant era recaptured those glory days, averaging 8.3 million and often hitting 10 million. Even with catch-up viewing taken into account, recent figures have struggled to reach 4 million. Uncertainty about the show's future has increasingly crept into coverage, resulting in a depressing death spiral. You can't blame Disney for wanting to cut its losses after a reported £100 million ($208 million) investment. Gatwa lasted a mere 18 episodes, putting him behind only Eccleston as the shortest-serving full-time Doctor ever. Did he depart of his own accord or was he pushed? Three months ago, tabloids claimed he had 'quit' to pursue other projects and would be written out. A generous reading is that Piper's return was a well-kept secret. A more cynical one says it's a desperate last roll of the dice. Either way, with Gatwa now exiting the Tardis and Davies' crowd-pleasing touch deserting him, the 62-year-old show is in critical condition. Somebody call a Doctor.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Doctor who? Why Ncuti Gatwa flopped as the Time Lord
The Doctor has just been exterminated – but not by Daleks. After mounting speculation that leading actor Ncuti Gatwa would be leaving Doctor Who, Saturday's series finale saw him regenerate into the Time Lord's next incarnation sooner than planned. Fan favourite Billie Piper returned to inherit the starring role, having previously starred as companion Rose Tyler. Such a surprise plot twist still can't paper over the cracks. Gatwa becomes the first Doctor to depart without a prior announcement in the show's 62-year history. Piper is the first to be unveiled onscreen, rather than trumpeted in advance. It smacks of desperate decision-making and an ignominious end for a 15th Doctor who once promised so much. This was supposed to be a brave new era for the venerable sci-fi saga. Respected showrunner Russell T. Davies – who masterminded the show's blockbuster reboot 20 years ago – returned to take the reins ahead of the show's 60th anniversary. Streaming giant Disney+ pumped in plentiful cash to boost the budget. One of the hottest young actors around inherited the sonic screwdriver. Whovians were abuzz with anticipation. Early signs were positive, but the expected resurgence didn't come to pass. Ratings have nosedived, averaging 5 million for Jodie Whittaker's last series but a mere 3 million for Gatwa's latest. Loading It's predicted Disney won't renew its deal to bankroll the series. Rumours are rife that production will be paused for the first time since the cult show went off-air between 1989 and 2005 after a previously unbroken 26-year run. Gatwa's Tardis tenure has been a flop of intergalactic proportions, putting Doctor Who firmly back in the doldrums. What went wrong? For a start, his portrayal has missed the mark. Gatwa's time traveller has been the most emotional yet – prone to tears and petulant outbursts. He lacks the authority and gravitas to convince as an old soul who has lived for thousands of years and seen it all. It's not about the actor's age (Peter Davison and Matt Smith were younger), it's about screen presence. With bright colours, plots that included space babies, singing goblins, and a bogeyman made of snot, plus his tendency to use the word 'babes', this Doctor feels overly kid-focused. Disneyfied, if you like. He has been too passive, frequently outwitted by foes and failing to impress until the last moment. Offscreen, Gatwa has appeared hesitant to embrace the ambassadorial side of the role, rarely taking on the extramural duties that are part and parcel of being the Doctor. The clearest indication came in May, when he belatedly backed out of being the UK jury's spokesperson for the Eurovision Song Contest. As one of the BBC's highest profile faces, his last-minute withdrawal is said to have angered bosses. It's rumoured that a row erupted after he allegedly refused to take part when Israel made it to the final. The official line was that he'd dropped out due to 'unforeseen circumstances', but it's been seen as the final straw. There is a feeling that Gatwa never fully fell in love with Doctor Who in the way that his predecessors did, never taking on the plethora of extra duties and personal appearances that other former leads embraced. David Tennant and Peter Capaldi were already life-long fans who dreamed of one day playing their boyhood hero. Whittaker and Matt Smith became passionate devotees during their stints, won over by the franchise's treasured status and loyal fan base. By contrast, Gatwa seems to belong in the same category as one-series wonder Christopher Eccleston – appearing to be a reluctant Doctor, never entirely comfortable in the role. Guesting on a themed edition of Mastermind shortly before his series debuted in 2005, Eccleston pointedly replied, when being introduced as the Doctor, 'Well, for now'. When Gatwa was cast in 2022, he said: 'This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself.' However, those fans have largely been let down. In addition, Gatwa was reportedly not universally popular on set in Cardiff, where the series has been filmed since Davies took over. Rumours circulated about difficult behaviour during production. 'I think he has sights beyond [ Doctor Who ] … I think it was a stepping stone for him, rather than wanting to do it,' an insider claims. 'Nobody particularly knows him.' Having tasted Hollywood in the Barbie movie and Steven Spielberg's Masters of the Air, Gatwa's ambitions appear to have always stretched further than Tiger Bay. Neither does he have the mainstream recognition of previous incumbents. Gatwa could probably walk down the street relatively unnoticed. It's partly his prior CV – his breakthrough part was a supporting turn in Netflix teen drama Sex Education – and partly down to his Doctor lacking a signature onscreen look. Changing costume (and even hairstyle) for each adventure has been a mistake. From Tom Baker's scarf to Matt Smith's bow tie, the best Doctors had a sartorial trademark. Gatwa's Doctor never settled on one. Lastly and most crucially, Gatwa has been ill-served by the scripts. Davies might be one of our most decorated screenwriters, but when it comes to the Whoniverse, he's lost his golden touch. Overcomplicated storylines have paid off poorly. Rip-roaring thrills have been in short supply. Self-reflexive writing and fourth-wall breaks, with meta-references to the show's fan base and the villainous Mrs Flood (Anita Dobson) whispering asides to camera, are symptoms of a show increasingly in thrall to its lore and impenetrable for newer viewers. Davies has deliberately swerved classic monsters this time around. Daleks and Cybermen haven't appeared during his current stint. Instead, we've been underwhelmed by the baffling return of obscure old enemies – The Rani, Omega, Sutekh, the Toymaker – who mean nothing to most viewers. The show has entered the realm of fan fiction, rather than primetime entertainment with broad appeal. Anybody who hasn't been watching for decades won't have a clue as to what's going on. Scripts have forgotten ye olde maxim of 'show not tell', with too much proselytising and expositional dialogue. Naysayers believe Davies has focused far too much on identity politics and culture wars issues, rather than family-friendly fun. Plots have featured incels and imperialism, coercive control and conspiracy theorists, non-binary aliens and discussions of pronouns. Crowbarring those topics in has sparked a backlash, with the series being dubbed 'Doctor Woke'. At times, watching it has felt like being thwacked around the head with a progressive pamphlet. Loading Doctor Who hasn't just lost its way. It has lost much of its audience. Overnight ratings for the BBC have plummeted to 1.6 million, down a whopping 10 million from their 1970s heyday. The Tennant era recaptured those glory days, averaging 8.3 million and often hitting 10 million. Even with catch-up viewing taken into account, recent figures have struggled to reach 4 million. Uncertainty about the show's future has increasingly crept into coverage, resulting in a depressing death spiral. You can't blame Disney for wanting to cut its losses after a reported £100 million ($208 million) investment. Gatwa lasted a mere 18 episodes, putting him behind only Eccleston as the shortest-serving full-time Doctor ever. Did he depart of his own accord or was he pushed? Three months ago, tabloids claimed he had 'quit' to pursue other projects and would be written out. A generous reading is that Piper's return was a well-kept secret. A more cynical one says it's a desperate last roll of the dice. Either way, with Gatwa now exiting the Tardis and Davies' crowd-pleasing touch deserting him, the 62-year-old show is in critical condition. Somebody call a Doctor.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
What we know about the suspected 'terror attack' at the Boulder mall
It happens every week in Boulder, Colorado. A group of volunteers from the Run for Their Lives organisation silently march through the streets to raise awareness of the hostages still held in Gaza. About 20 or 30 had turned up this Sunday, stopping at the courthouse where they usually read the names of those hostages. "There was somebody there that I didn't even notice," participant Ed Victor told CBS News. "Although he was making a lot of noise, but I'm just focused on my job of being quiet and getting lined up. "And from my point of view, all of a sudden, I felt the heat." Lynn Segal, 72, was also among the group gathered when a "rope of fire" shot in front of her and then "two big flares". She said the scene at the popular Pearl Street pedestrian mall, a four-block area in downtown Boulder, quickly turned chaotic as people worked to find water to put out flames and find help. "There were people who were burning. I wanted to help but I didn't want to be associated with the perpetrator," said Ms Segal, who said she was wearing a pro-Palestinian T-shirt. The FBI said the suspect allegedly shouted "Free Palestine" while using a makeshift flamethrower at a crowd of people. FBI leaders in Washington said they were treating the Boulder attack as an act of terrorism. The Justice Department said the attack was a "needless act of violence, which follows recent attacks against Jewish Americans". However, local police in Boulder were cautious about describing the incident as a terror attack. Chief Redfearn said authorities received a call at 1:26pm on Sunday, local time, that indicated a man armed with a weapon was setting people on fire. Six people, aged between 67 and 88 years old, were injured. He said the injuries were consistent with reports of individuals being set on fire. They were taken to the Boulder Community Hospital with injuries ranging in severity from "very serious" to "minor", and some were later transported to other hospitals. At least one of them was in a critical condition, authorities said. The Boulder Police Department evacuated the pedestrian mall area. Law enforcement officers with a police dog walked through the streets, securing the area and examining a "vehicle of interest". Brooke Coffman, a 19-year-old at the University of Colorado who witnessed the incident, said she saw four women lying or sitting on the ground with burns on their legs. She said one of them appeared to have been badly burned on most of her body and someone had wrapped her in a flag. Ms Coffman described seeing a man who she presumed to be the attacker standing in the courtyard, shirtless, holding a glass bottle of clear liquid and shouting. The FBI has identified the suspect as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman. He was taken into custody at the scene and transported to hospital, but authorities did not elaborate on the nature of his injuries. Officials did not immediately announce any charges but said they expected to hold him "fully accountable". Chief Redfearn said he did not believe anyone else was involved in the incident. Mark Michalek, the FBI special agent in charge of the Denver field office, said the federal law enforcement agency was investigating the attack. The incident came just weeks after the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington DC. In that case, authorities allege a Chicago-born man opened fire on a group of people leaving an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee, an advocacy group that fights anti-semitism and supports Israel. FBI director Kash Patel described the latest incident as a "targeted terror attack". His words were echoed by the bureau's deputy director, Dan Bongino, in a post on X. "This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts," Mr Bongino said. "We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it." However, Chief Redfearn called for caution, saying it would be irresponsible for him to speculate on motive so soon after the incident. "We've got dozens and dozens of people here working through this to work out exactly what happened." Colorado Attorney-General Phil Weiser, meanwhile, said the incident appeared to be "a hate crime". "My thoughts are with those injured and impacted by today's attack against a group that meets weekly on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of the hostages in Gaza," Mr Weiser said. "People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer to settling differences. "Hate has no place in Colorado. We all have the right to peaceably assemble and the freedom to speak our views." Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 hostages. More than half the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israel has rescued eight and recovered dozens of bodies. Israel's ensuing military campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead are civilians or combatants. The offensive has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced about 90 per cent of its population of roughly 2 million Palestinians, according to the United Nations estimates. ABC/wires
