Geek Steep: Tea & Fandom Podcast! (Now in SEASON THREE!)

Episode Ten – Squirrel Girl

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a typical superhero. You can probably see a physically strong, Greek god type body forming in your mind’s eye. Fierce determination set in the jaw, chest puffed out, piercing look in the eyes, fists clenched, muscles taught, head held high, sturdy legs at the ready to break out into a leap, bound or run at a moments notice. In the last century, these characteristics defined most superheroes, from Batman to Spider-Man, Black Widow to Black Panther. The superheroes listed above also a proclivity for borrowing their names from animals both scary and deadly.

It is for those reasons that The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl was such an original and satisfying read.

Unless you have walked into your storage space to find a family of squirrels nestled in your boxes (summer 2017, a girl doesn’t forget), these precociously adorable creatures do not evoke any terror into the hearts of a major super villain the likes of Thanos or Galactus. Cute and ubiquitous, they simply seem to co-exist with us, to the point that one may be forgiven for even noticing they are there.

Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, does not seek to strike heart into those that would seek the destruction of Earth. She simply knows that these Big Bads must be defeated. And if the Avengers are not available, well then, hell, she’ll just have to do it herself.

That confidence, gumption, earnestness, honesty and courage are the qualities we try to teach our kids, qualities that we appreciate in our friends, emotions that make up the great moments in life. Most superheroes are built like tanks and more brilliant than Steve Jobs. They have more in common with the gods of old than they do your average Joe. Squirrel Girl defeats the big bad by not only embodying these qualities, but also with an honesty about who she is and her capabilities. She is overt about them. She is earnest about what she can accomplish. And she has an unabashed optimism that in the end, she will be victorious.

Her fierce humour, her speedy intelligence and her loyalty to her friends completely eclipse any of her physical attributes, and for this reason above all else, I highly recommend further investigation. We can defeat evil with optimism and humour and honesty.

I don’t know where along the line in the world of superhero comics we forgot that the perfect body and mind do not make the best heroes, but I am grateful to Doreen for reminding us that at heart, any of us can be the hero we need in our lives. Just know that you can be.

Geek Steeped:

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Issues 1-8

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly & Marika- Huang Da Cha (Zhen Tea)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Peanut Butter Cup (DAVIDsTEA)
Marika- Forever Nuts (DAVIDsTEA)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Is this the first fandom takeover!? We’ll be exploring the first season of She-Ra and The Princesses of Power – a fandom picked my Marika that ended up being more of Kelly’s fandom!?

Post written by Marika

Episode Eleven – Shera and The Princesses of Power

I usually like to use the platform that is this blog as an opportunity to discuss topics we did not have the time to cover in our podcast. But I find myself unable to discuss anything other than the refreshing representation of diversity found in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

I grew up with She-Ra, loved her strength, her loyalty and how she stood up for what she believed in. Yes, the original She-Ra was little more than an extended toy commercial, but 3 year old Marika did not know that, nor would she have cared to know. In a child’s world of Saturday morning cartoons, She-Ra was the only show to have a strong bad ass princess as the main protagonist. She was my hero. She had the power.

This new iteration of She-Ra however, is far more powerful than anything I experienced as a child. Aptly renamed She-Ra and The Princesses of Power, this Netflix/Dreamworks production has something seldom seen in children’s programming: a diverse group of women, from all racial and sexual backgrounds, working together to support the other and achieve greatness.

The stories are more fleshed out, the characters have more depth and although I am certain there is a line of toys out there waiting to be purchased, there is something more earnest about the world presented in She-Ra 2.0.

You see, She-Ra is not the only princess with power. Her queer, BIPOC, curious, adventurous, brave, intelligent, open hearted, open minded gang of cohorts offers a new vision to today’s children: it’s not about one person having power. It’s about the collective strength we find when that power is shared.

Much in the way that another beloved Geek Steep show ended (Buffy the Vampire Slayer spoilers ahead!), true power is the ability to recognize the strengths that lie in the diversity of our collective. Harnessing that power towards a cohesive outcome can make us all better. It’s not about the individual, it’s about all of us. Buffy ended her run by sharing the power of the Slayer with all the potential slayers on the planet. She-Ra unites all the princess from the far corners of Etheria to defeat the evil Hordak. Both are successful. Both recognize that supporting your fellow women not only empowers yourself, but brings balance and peace to us all.

I’m so happy that my daughters have this show to watch. They may not see the importance of the message it is trying to convey, but that does not matter. What they will see is the normalization of diversity. It’s strength. It’s beauty. It’s necessity. And hopefully, it’s inevitability.

We have the power. No one gave it to us, it was within us the whole time. Let’s take on the world.

Geek Steeped:
Season 1

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Jasmine Rainbow Punch (Dessert by Deb)
Marika- Aniseed Balls (Bird & Blend)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Cotton Candy (The Necessiteas) & Juniper Joy (DAVIDsTEA)
Marika- Aquamarine (Chroma Tea)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Our first anime! Join us as we talk about Attack on Titan, and how it get our adrenaline going and pushed our stress levels waaayyy through the roof!

Post written by Marika

Episode Twelve – Attack on Titan

I don’t like white tea. A delicate tea, often made from the buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, this tea is simply dried (not oxidation process to speak of) and drunk. Low in caffeine, delicate on the palate, steeped at a low temperature…it has all the qualities I actively avoid in my tea time. If you have ever heard our podcast, you may have picked up on my almost constant intensity, a quality I have grown to tolerate in myself, and one that is greatly exacerbated by a good, strong, hot cup of tea. White tea is a more contemplative cup, best prepared with a patience and a sense of alignment with the universe I am all too aware may never truly be within my grasp.

But as a firm and famous member of the tea family, I accept white tea for what it is: delicious and simply not my cup of tea.

And that is exactly how I feel about this week’s geek, Attack on Titan.

Those who get it, love it. They can talk about it endlessly. The themes, the nuances, the creativity, the heartbreak, all on display in a highly choreographed analysis of what is left of the human experience when all we have left is our instinct for survival. Its value and contribution to the world of dystopian fantasy is undeniable. And I never, ever want to be subjected to it again.

On face value, white tea and Attack on Titan are as diametrically opposed as can be. One, and ancient tea once reserved for emperors and kings, the other, a violent and brutal anime with a tale told at such breakneck speed one may develop whiplash simply trying to keep up. Yet, both have one thing in common: I don’t really want to learn more about it.

I often take issue with the dismissal of any subject unless you have really steeped it (pun intended, I could not help myself) given it the good old college try, and have taken copious notes about why you like or don’t like it. But sometimes in life, you come across something that is so contrary to every cell in your being that really diving in would only leave you scarred.

The study of what is left of us when our homes, families and way of life are stripped away from us make for riveting story telling. The search for meaning after horrific loss is a quest I truly hope never to find myself on as it is one made for braver souls than mine. That type of deep introspection is exactly what happens to me when I drink white tea. I start really searching for the meaning behind it, for the notes and flavours that are not there, of what could have been, of potential lost and seemingly found.

It’s all a bit heavy for an afternoon cuppa, yeah?

Watch Attack on Titan at your own risk. Drink white tea and peer into the very depths of your soul. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Geek Steeped:
S1E1 To You in 2000 Years – The Fall of Shiganshina Pt1
S1E2 That Day – The Fall of Shiganshina Pt2
S1E25 Wall: Attack on Stohess Pt3

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Gore of the Forest (White2Tea)
Marika- Ceylon Black Orange Pekoe with Cinnamon (Tea Plus Ceylon)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Chai Apricot (Tea Desire)
Marika- Jin Jun Mei (Maison Chayi)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Winter is Coming, and so is an episode that might feature some of our heaviest conversation and most divisive opinions yet!

Post written by Marika

Episode Thirteen – Game of Thrones

I have very mixed feelings about Game of Thrones. Thoroughly captivated during the first three seasons, I loved watching the intricately built world of Westeros and Esos with it’s myriad and large cast of characters battle it out for domination and control of the Iron Throne. Nothing of it’s scope had ever been attempted on television, and as a fan of immersive world building, I was an ardent and vocal fan.

When Sean Bean’s character died at the end of the first season, I was surprised, but not entirely shocked. His character Nedd Stark may have been a surprise death in the book series, but we have watched Sean Bean die on screen more times than I can count (Goldeneye and The Lord of the Rings come first to mind), and no one, no one, dies better than Sean Bean.

But the deaths just kept on coming. I won’t spoil all of them here, but trust me: no one is safe in George R.R Martin’s universe. The battle for the Iron Throne destroyed the good, the bad, the virtuous, the heinous, the innocent, the valiant, the brave, the decrepit and the morally corrupt as fodder in an seemingly unquenchable thirst for blood.

By season four, watching favourite characters get poisoned, drawn and quartered, throats slit, and blown up became…well tiresome. The violence once shocking and somewhat thrilling became commonplace. Torture seemed unnecessary, and things as disturbing as rape became disturbingly habitual.

The world that at one time seemed so immersive and compelling became a place where no one you cared about seemed likely to survive. So I stopped caring. No amount of detail, plot twist, cliffhanger or even full bodied dragon could get me to start caring again.

Game of Thrones is a thrilling ride. Fraught with controversy and problematic story lines, but quite the ride all the same. I only wish I still cared about it now that it is over.

Geek Steeped:
S3E9 The Rains of Castemere (The Red Wedding)

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Butter Beer 2.0 (Cuppa Geek)
Marika- Candy Cane Crush (DAVIDsTEA)

Teas drunk while geeking:

Kelly- Black Fusion Port Barrel Scented Doke (World Tea House)
Marika- Dracarys (A Quarter to Tea)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

We’re diving back into anime (pun intended) with Princess Jellyfish! This anime is a fun exploration of fandom and what it means to be a “geek” – and one of Kelly’s personal favourites!

Post written by Marika

Episode Fourteen – Princess Jellyfish

I found Princess Jellyfish at a time when I most needed it. Over many rewatches and throughout reading the manga my connection to it has only gotten stronger. However rewatching it for the podcast challenged me to look at it more critically than I had previously…

The anime opens with Tsukimi and her mother watching jellyfish at an Aquarium. They’re beautiful and the long tentacles that gracefully trail behind them look like lace. The moment feels serene, calm, and sad all at once – and it prompts Tsukimi’s mother to tell her daughter that she will make her a wedding dress that looks like the jellyfish. It’s supposed to be sweet.

When Marika first watched this scene she was frustrated – and I understand why. The notion of a woman’s wedding day being the best day of her life is an outdated one. Even when you factor in the context of this opening scene (which is provided fairly early in the anime) the anime seems to still be building towards a romance between either of the two brothers – the culmination of which will surely lead to Tsukimi standing at the alter in a jellyfish wedding dress. In an anime that seems to want to celebrate found family and the beauty in being different there is a bitterness to the feeling that it’s story will conclude in such an outdated and traditional way.

As we see through Tsukimi’s memories, the aquarium trip was the last good day she experienced with her terminally ill mother before she passed. It’s heavily implied that the jellyfish wedding dress was meant to be a way for Tsukimi to feel like as if she was present on her wedding day and for this last happy memory to continue to be a part of her daughter’s life. It’s likely that this was also the turning point that fostered Tsukimi’s deep interest in and love of jellyfish.

If you’ve watched the anime but not read the manga then I wouldn’t fault you for seeing the early stages of Tsukimi and Kuranosuke’s developing jellyfish fashion line and her budding romance with Shu and assuming that the obvious convergence of these two storylines is Tsukimi marrying Shu in a wedding dress from her own fashion line. Hell, even if you have read the manga it’s easy to assume that’s where the story is going – after all Tsukimi does get engaged to Shu and the fashion line does continue to grow. The thing is… It’s never been about the wedding.

As Marika so wisely pointed out during our recording for this episode – even when Tskumi fantasizes about her wedding there is never a specific man attached to those fantasies. The fantasy is purely about the dress and what is represents – connection and family. Princess Jellyfish is not a love story. It is a story where love exists but the power of this story is in how our interests, no matter how niche or geeky, are a vehicle for connecting with others.It’s left in the air whether or not she’ll choose to continue her relationship with Shu, but one thing that is very clear at the end of Tsukimi’s story is that there will not be a wedding.

Tsukimi’s need to fantasize has ended. She has already found family and connection through The Sisterhood and the jellyfish inspired dresses that she creates with them and Kuranosuke. Through the jellyfish dresses they create, Tsukimi is able to not only honor her mother and that treasured memory but to celebrate it – and not just on her wedding but every day.

I fell in love with Princess Jellyfish because it allowed me to connect to something in a deeper way than I had in months. Yes, there are some rough edges to the anime and some commentary and themes that feel a little unfinished – but my conclusion is that “connection” is actually not only this story’s biggest strength but also its greatest message. It’s not about the wedding – it’s about the dress.

The dress might be a jellyfish. Sometimes the dress is a train or meat. Maybe a cup of tea or even a podcast… and sometimes the dress is an anime named Princess Jellyfish.

Geek Steeped:
Season 1

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Dean’s Apple Pie Life (Sew Geek)
Marika- Seaberry Spa (DAVIDsTEA)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Pistachio Ice Cream (Butiki)
Marika- 2017 Waffles (White2Tea)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Well… you can’t! We’ll be taking a holiday break, but not to worry – there will still be an mini episode featuring some of teas we deemed most memorable or significant throughout 2020!

Post written by Kelly

Holiday Episode – “Steep”

What a year! What a ride! Tired of hearing that yet?

This is the time of year when all blogs and publications like to take a moment to muse about what the past year has meant to all of us, and here at Geek Steep, it is no different. Not only was this the year that Kelly and I launched our weird passion project, but it was the year when reflecting on life purpose and meaning became all too prevalent. Tea is a wonderful companion to such musings.

Our love for tea knows no bounds, and began long before 2020 reared its ugly head. But boy oh boy, were we both grateful to have our cups full of this delightful beverage this year. In the year that everything changed, having a warm cup of comfort, an excuse to try carbonated cold brewing, finally start that Kombucha, bring the Matcha whisk out of early retirement and reflect on all the things that were invariably forced upon each and everyone one of us, I can firmly state that 2020 is the year when I have never been more happy to have tea as my chosen career path and obsession.

To me, tea brings people together. It allows you to ponder your existence in solitude. It provides a moment of tranquility and peace in the chaos. It energizes you and allows you to get on with the given task at hand. It provides you with a fantastic excuse for self care. It makes you reflect on the bigger picture. This highly adaptable beverage ignites the mind yet calms the spirit. It can be, through its more than millions of permutations, the most adaptable beverage on the planet. It has been the second most consumed beverage on the planet after water for a reason: there is a tea for every situation, moment and person. Need a moment to yourself to relax? There’s a tea for that! Need to impress your future mother-in-law at brunch? There’s a tea for that. Need to find a reason to get out of bed and get the day started? Yup, you guessed it, there is definitely a tea for that.

This year, each of us has undoubtedly had more than a few moments filled with trepidation, fear, loneliness, discovery, joy and upheaval. Each of us has dealt with it in their own way. And I truly believe that many of us are looking to 2021 with excitement at all the possibilities.

We hope that our top picks for teas will allow you to reflect on what has been, help determine where to go and really appreciate what you already have. Here’s to you dear readers and listeners, we wish you all the best for 2021. Raise your mugs and may your cups runneth over.

Teas drunk during recording:
Kelly- Mistletoe (Soocha Teas)
Marika- Jasmine Black Pearls (DAVIDsTEA)

Kelly’s Top Tea Picks for 2020:
Cranberry Pear (DAVIDsTEA)
GABA Oolong (QNTM Leaf Tea)
Seahawk (Adagio Teas – Fan Blend)

Marika’s Top Tea Picks for 2020:
Salted Caramel Oolong (DAVIDsTEA)
Nadeshiko Organic (Camellia Sinensis)
Matcha Lattes

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Well… you can’t! We’ll be taking a holiday break, but not to worry – there will still be an mini episode featuring some of fandoms that helped up get through 2020!

Post written by Marika

Holiday Episode – Geek

As children, we are encouraged to dream. Children’s literature is brimming with tales of far off lands, dragons to be defeated, trials to be endured, friendships to be cherished and concepts so fantastical that one may be tempted to contemplate which drugs the authors were on when they came up with places like Narnia, Oz and the like.

And then, sometime around our 16th birthdays, we are told, most unceremoniously I might add, to “grow up”. Abandon the fantasy. Start a 401K.

As a life long addict of the tales of Luke Skywalker, Captain Kirk, Bilbo Baggins and Storm, I never grew up in the way that was expected of me. Sure, I started a career, got married, had children and started a myriad assortment of projects that would ensure that I could be seen as a responsible adult in the eyes of others, but I never, not for one minute, stopped dreaming.

Why do we encourage children to dream big, beyond themselves and their circumstances, and as soon as they come of age, dash their hopes and force them to adhere to a dark, somewhat dystopian view of their lives. What is wrong with us???

Some of the most productive, respected adults in this world were dreamers and fantasists. Steve Jobs dreamt of a hand held computer that allowed access to a wealth of information at everyone’s fingertips. Jim Henson took some socks and told us that we were all on a quest to find the Rainbow Connection. George Lucas took us back to our childhoods to explore a galaxy…well, you know the rest. These dreamers have touched us all in some way, either directly or peripherally, and connected us to the themes and stories that shaped who we are today. When did we forget that?

Well, I am thankful that I am not alone. The past 20 years in the world of geek have proved that these notions, these fantasies, are very very real to millions of people around the world. The capacity to dream, open ones eyes to the possibilities is one of the greatest assets we have. They make us more empathetic, smarter, kinder, braver, and more willing to continue to explore the very depths of the human soul. They have made us the dominant species on this planet. They have propelled us out of our stratosphere. They have pushed us to fight for equality for all. They have made us something to be proud of.

The geeks that Kelly and I chose for 2020 may not be the geekiest. They reflected a need to laugh, to create and to discover. Watching my children play all day long during this lockdown has reminded me that most children do those three things better than any adult. And I for one intend on taking that lesson into 2021 with me.

Keep dreaming, keep laughing, keep creating and keep discovering what makes the human race tick fellow steepers. Happy New Year to you and yours from us here at Geek Steep.

Top Fandoms of 2020:

Marika:
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Schitt’s Creek
30 Rock

Kelly:
Rupaul’s Drag Race
Fruits Basket
The 100

Teas drunk during the episode:

Kelly- Oh Christmas Tree (A Quarter to Tea)
Marika- Hojicha Powder (The Tea Practitioner)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

We had a lovely holiday break, but we’re bouncing right back to our usual episode format next week with the dark and oh so political “V for Vendetta”!

Post Written by Marika

Episode Fifteen – V for Vendetta

Politics can be very discouraging, especially these days. Between the ideological divides that seem larger than ever, the never ending news cycle and the general dumbing down of political discourse…look, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

It therefore leaves very little meat on the bone for me to delve into this week, as our geek has transcended the world of comics and the silver screen, into our very real world politics. The Guy Fawkes mask popularized by this comic is now worn by anarchist groups around the world, a clear symbol of “I’m not gonna take it anymore” politics. As I mentioned in our episode this week, this geek is bigger than any of us at this point.

I find it interesting though that of all the themes explored in the graphic novel (and the many questions it raises) I am left wondering one thing: was it worth it?

Not my reading of the comic (which I highly recommend) but that of the main characters journey. Spoiler alert, he gets his revenge. He becomes a hero to the people. He becomes a symbol more than he becomes a man. He becomes an idea. He becomes stronger in his victory than his enemies ever were in theirs. He wins. But I can’t help but feel empty as he takes his final breath. All I was left with was the great sense of loss. The immensity of waste. Waste of talent, empathy, human life, all of it. It just seemed so pointless, even in victory.

Maybe I am an idealist. Maybe I am naive. But…nobody wins when so much is lost. Nobody can claim victory over ashes. Never seeing another sunrise does not give you the moral high ground. Waste is pointless and bereft of meaning.

So let’s not get bogged down by politics, and let us not be divided by it, most certainly in these insane times. Let’s learn from V. “Remember remember the 5th of November…” so that we never, ever have to resort to such violence ever again.

Geek Steeped:
V For Vendetta Graphic Novel

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Hound on The Hunt (Arthur Dove Tea Co.)
Marika- Charcoal Roasted Jin Xuan Oolong (Espirita Tea)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Tangerine Turmeric (DAVIDsTEA) & Azure (Chroma Tea)
Marika- Royal Blend (Fortnum & Mason)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Next week we’ll be diving headfirst into the intense and at times convoluted world of Dune, through the highly divisive 1984 film, to see just what exactly is the big deal with “the spice”.

Post Written by Marika

Episode Sixteen – Dune (1984)

Citizen Kane. Forrest Gump. The Apartment. All About Eve. Ghostbusters. Let’s face it, some movies are just perfect. Every scene is iconic, most lines are highly quotable, the acting pushes you to cry. They light you up, they make you think and feel better. Or worse. As one moment flows perfectly into the other, you are comfortably held in the embrace of good storytelling. So many great movies have helped shape who we are as individuals, who we are as a society. Great movies are one of the best experiences to share with those we love. I love a good movie.

But I love a bad movie more than anything in the world. And Dune (1984) is a doozy.

I love seeing the cracks. I love seeing the missed opportunities. I love the hyperbolic acting. I love the nonsensical plot points, the inappropriate humour, the lazy writing, the obvious gaffes. I love the attempt to make something great and falling flat on one’s face. I love the gaul of trying something and missing the point completely.

I never liked bad movies as a younger woman, but as I got older I started appreciating the imperfections of life, and actually preferring when things didn’t go as planned. I like seeing the mistakes. If you can see the imperfections, then you are one step closer to making things better. If you can see how easy it is for things to go wrong, you can start to make things go right. 2020, and the start of 2021 has been the worst movie ever. And I don’t know about you, but I have seen our shared imperfections in a harsh, honest light. Oddly enough…it has made me feel like we actually have a shot at fixing stuff, because at least now they are all laid bare for all to see.

Bad movies are honest. They show that we are not perfectly lit, we almost never say the right thing, most of us never look cool, Gary in sound design really fucked up that day and as per my last email should be re-directed to sound editing. They are so real in their inept attempt to entertain that they cannot help but make me smile. They are just…so us. We are so flawed and that’s so beautiful. Have a laugh at yourself and try again tomorrow. You can be great after a stumble. Davis Lynch is still doing cool shit, right?

Yes, I am laughing at Dune, but honestly, I LOVE Dune. Stop what you are doing, watch it. Have a laugh. We get to try again tomorrow, enjoy the imperfection of today.

Geek Steeped:
Dune (1984)

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Blueberry Matcha (DAVIDsTEA)
Marika- Mastic Black Tea (Mastiha Shop)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Saffron Premium Masala Chai Tea (Vahdam Tea)
Marika- Homemade Chai

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

Get ready for some wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff as we dive into a fandom beloved by us both – Doctor Who! We’ll be talking all about the 50th Anniversary Special, as well as why this fandom is so beloved and great in general!

Post Written by Marika

Episode Seventeen – Doctor Who

Go anytime, anyplace. Meet anyone, do anything. Nothing matters because you can always go back to THAT moment, and make it better. The universe in all its diversity is your playground. Who wouldn’t be tempted to join the Doctor in his many adventures? WHO??

Doctor Who is a fandom that shows all the endless possibilities that free us and imprison us simultaneously. We can run and discover all the universe has to offer, but what are we running from? We can talk to anyone, be anything, yet we remain alone and isolated. We may never be truly able to run away from our problems, because no matter where or when you go, you take yourself and all your baggage with you.

Doctor Who posits that one can never truly run away from life, but wouldn’t it fun to try? And if that journey to wide unknown brings you closer to understand how you can help others, fix yourself and bring some joy to the universe, is it not worth it to try? The sheer optimism and cleverness of this show is what has kept viewers enthralled for over half a century.

I think we need the Doctor more than ever. We need to explore outside of ourselves in order to right wrongs and make the universe a better place. I could go on and on about what makes this show great, but truly, you must experience it for yourself. We have compiled a list of go-to episodes for you to peruse, in the hopes that you take your mind of the daily drudge, but more importantly, have a little faith that in the darkest of nights, the Doctor will save us.

Episodes to get you into Doctor Who:

S1: E1 Rose, E2 The End of the World, E12 Bad Wolf, E13 The Parting of Ways

S2: E1 The Christmas Invasion

S3: E1 The Runaway Bride, E5 Daleks in Manhattan, E6 Evolution of the Daleks

S4: E1 Voyage of the Damned, E4 planet of the Ood

S5: E1 The Eleventh Hour, E2 The Beast Below, E10 Vincent and the Doctor, E12 The Pandora Opens

S6: E1 The Impossible Astronaut, E2 Day of the Moon, E14 The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe

S7: E7 The Bells of Saint John, E15 The Day of the Doctor, E16 The Time of the Doctor

S8: E5 Time Heist, E8 Mummy on the Orient Express

S9: E1 The Magician’s Apprentice

S10: E2 Smile

S11: E1 The Woman who fell to Earth, E3 Rosa

Geek Steeped:
S7E15 The Day of the Doctor (AKA The 50th Anniversary Special)

Teas drunk while recording:
Kelly- Mount Gray (Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea)
Marika- Cranberry Pear (DAVIDsTEA)

Teas drunk while geeking:
Kelly- Thymey Limey (Geek + Tea)
Marika- Hello, Sweet-Tea (Geek + Tea)

Want to get ahead of next week’s episode!?

we’re diving right back into the comic universe with one of Kelly’s favourite ongoing comic book series – The Runaways! We’re super excited to explore this fandom, which embraces diversity and so skillfully subverts many tropes!

Post Written by Marika