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Peter Capaldi Sent a Touching Letter to a Young DOCTOR WHO Fan

After four years in the TARDIS, Peter Capaldi‘s stint on Doctor Who has come to an end. Even though he’s leaving the series in the able hands of Jodie Whittaker, Capaldi hasn’t let go of his love for the franchise. And when one young Doctor Who fan expressed his dismay that Capaldi was departing Doctor Who, the veteran actor sent him a very kind note just in time for Christmas.

Via Mashable, Doctor Who fan Brian McGilloway shared a photo of the letter that Capaldi sent to McGilloway’s nine-year old son as a way to comfort him about the Twelfth Doctor’s regeneration. It’s not exactly a house call, but it’s a gesture that the McGilloway family is very unlikely to forget.

#PeterCapaldi is my 9 year old son’s fav #DoctorWho and he was dreading his regeneration. And then he got this letter with some words of comfort from the Doctor himself among his Santa presents. Such a kind man. pic.twitter.com/Dki37Wt6Er

— Brian McGilloway (@BrianMcGilloway) December 27, 2017

After McGilloway shared the letter, other Doctor Who fans came forward with stories about their own correspondence with Capaldi.

When he was cast 4 the part, my kids wanted to send him a good luck letter. I wrote too & mentioned that 23/11/13 was my birthday as well as him having inspired me as an artist . Anyway, when the day came I received this birthday card. Absolutely floored me. My doctor pic.twitter.com/5lKUHaywV9

— Catherine Smith (@CatherineHSmith) December 27, 2017

Love this! My daughter wrote for his autograph at age 10. She told him of her love for dinosaurs & his 1st episode. He drew a dinosaur! We met him in Oct at NY Comic Con. He explained how lucky she was. He scoops up as many requests as he can from the pile. Not all get answered. pic.twitter.com/5dJY8YGDJ9

— Lorri Caffrey (@LorriCaffrey) December 28, 2017

It’s no secret that Capaldi is a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, and he’s been a lovely ambassador for the show. Even now, he still embodies the role and he’ll always be the Doctor to us.

What do you think about Capaldi’s letters to his fans? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Image: BBC

RICK AND MORTY’s Theme Song Gets Jazzed Up with a Postmodern Jukebox Cover

We might be stuck in the interminable period between Rick and Morty seasons with no idea of when we’ll get new episodes, but there’s reason to rejoice yet! It’s time to get schwifty again, but instead of hitting a beat on a synthesizer,we’re going old school with a squanchy version of the show’s theme song played on a jazz piano.

We came across this super snazzy little cover at LaughingSquid, and it’s performed by Scott Bradlee. If this reminds you of those great Postmodern Jukebox songs it should, because he’s the band’s founder. This great rendition of his, which includes “a little bit of ‘Get Schwifty’ thrown in for good measure,” sounds like it came right from the universe where 1920s Rick lives. (We imagine in that dimension, Jerry is an unemployed chimney sweeper.)

We’re not optimistic our local piano bar will know how to play this for us when we request it, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to try. We love the show’s theme song, but this sounds way better than we would have imagined. Seriously, who would have guessed the Rick and Morty theme would translate so perfectly into a jazz number?



And now we’d like to hear some other Rick and Morty songs get put through the Postmodern Jukebox filter. It might even make this one less depressing:



What other song from Rick and Morty would you love to hear a jazzy version of? Give us your best suggestions in the comments below.

Featured Image: Adult Swim

Bizarre States #170: Goodbye 2017 with Jonny Loquasto!

Bowser and Jess are closing out the year with one of our favorite guests, Jonny Loquasto! They talk some weird of the week and listen to some EVPs. See you in 2018 Bizarros!

Be sure to check out Bizarre States Los Angeles on Alpha!

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You can watch the podcast episodes live Wednesdays at 4pm PST on Alpha and YouTube, or catch up on all the episodes you missed on Alpha.

Keep up to date by Liking the Bizarre States Facebook page! Watch Nerdist News!

Show Your Wakanda Pride with BLACK PANTHER Jewelry

Black Panther‘s February 16 release date is getting closer every day, so it’s officially time to start thinking about your outfit for the premiere, as well as other ways to show off your Wakanda pride in your everyday wardrobe. While some may opt for some all-out cosplay for the premiere, others may want a subtler way to pay tribute to T’Challa and the citizens of Wakanda.

Thankfully, Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Douriean Fletcher has got you covered. As Black Girl Nerds first reported, Fletcher was the special jewelry costumer for Black Panther, and she has released an amazing new officially licensed jewelry line for the film. The collection has expertly crafted and gorgeous necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to help you subtly add some Wakanda love to every outfit.

And if straight-up jewelry isn’t quite your thing, don’t worry. Fletcher has also designed a gorgeous Black Panther mask snap back hat.

Each piece was designed to help the wearer feel empowered and beautiful while also wearing some of the raddest fan gear around. Fletcher has travelled around Tanzania and South Africa to learn from and collaborate with the women from those cultures, and those experiences led to her creating such stunning pieces of wearable art. She uses her work to empower the wearer and help them tell their story. Her Black Panther collection certainly does just that! Check out the gallery below to get a closer look at the entire collection.

Fletcher’s Black Panther line is available for pre-order through January 6, so you still have some time to snag a piece of Wakandan history. Even better, she’s even offering free shipping and a discount code through December 31, so head to her website to be sure you don’t miss out!

What do you think of the new Black Panther jewelery line? Which ones are your favorites? Tell us in the comments!

Featured Image: Marvel/Disney

Images: Douriean Fletcher/Marvel

How Medically Serious is The Joker’s Infamous “Magic Trick”?

Heath Ledger’s version of the Joker was absolutely spellbinding in The Dark Knight. He masterfully captured a kind of sadistic and calculated chaos that never let you know what the villain was going to do next. That’s probably why when Joker asked the heads of Gotham’s underworld if they wanted to see a “magic trick,” they had no idea it was going to be so serious. But was it really all that serious after all?

In my latest Because Science, I’m taking the Bat-vator down into the Bat-archives of Bat-medicine to figure out just how dangerous getting a pencil disappeared in your face really is. Although it is a very rare injury, doctors have an acronym for it: TIPI, or Transorbital Intracranial Penetrating Injury. That’s when an object pierces the skull at the back of the eye and makes its way into the brain, where I’m assuming the pencil ends up in The Dark Knight.

There have been dozens of recorded TIPIs over the last few decades, which means there is hard data on just how deadly Joker’s trick might be. But you’ll have to watch my latest video above to find out! HA Ha ha.

After you watch the new episode above, check out my last video on why stormtrooper armor does in fact make sense, subscribe to this playlist to stay current with the show, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, hat, or collectible pin, and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on Instagram where I’m now posting extra mini-episodes.

Want Because Science days before anyone else? Subscribe to Alpha for early access to the show and peep my new show The S.P.A.A.C.E. Program!

More Batman Nerdery!

How big should Batman’s cape be?
What is the Joker’s “venom” made from?
12 ways Superman could kill Batman instantly, but won’t

Hound Tall #40: Top Science Stories of 2017

The top science stories of 2017. Crspr! Artificial Wombs! Eclipses! Wild Fires! The seven words you can’t say at the EPA! With returning guest expert Cara Santa Maria and comics Natasha Leggero, Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel enjoy and pray that 2018 is a better year for science…

Follow @MosheKasher on Twitter!

LEGO STRANGER THINGS 2 Revisits the Highlights of the Second Season

Earlier this year, Netflix invited fans back to Hawkins, Indiana for the second season of Stranger Things. And while the first season was a tough act to follow, Stranger Things 2 lived up its predecessor and left viewers eagerly awaiting the inevitable Stranger Things 3. The third season may not come along until 2019, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun in the meantime. Bookshelf Productions has released a new LEGO Stranger Things 2 video that looks back at some of the best scenes from the second season, including Sheriff Hopper’s visit to the Upside Down tunnels that he found beneath the corrupted crops.



The creators behind this video also created the LEGO Stranger Things recap that was released last year. The events chronicled in the video are largely in order as they played out during the season, but it’s far from a complete retelling of the story. We do get to see the LEGO incarnation of Hopper perform his dad dance and share a few waffles with Eleven. Almost all of the major characters make an appearance in these clips, including newcomers Bob and Billy. It’s basically a primer for the second season, and it even includes Eleven’s epic confrontation with the MindFlayer.

And of course, this video just wouldn’t be complete without the team up of Steve and Dustin, including the moment when Steve shared the secret of his hair style.

You can find a few additional videos on Bookshelf Productions’ YouTube page.

What do you think about the LEGO Stranger Things 2 video? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Bookshelf Productions

Half Hour Happy Hour #171: Drunksmas Day 8

Nothing could go wrong when Heath Corson the man who coined Space Wolves drops by… right?

Follow @HalfHourHappyHr and hosts @alisonhaislip, @alexalbrecht on Twitter

Pro You Podcast #185: Following The Feel Good

Hello, Happy Holidays, and Happy Thursday! On the last episode of 2017, Tom goes over his gratitude list for the year #followingthefeelgood. He shares his top ten and what each means to him. What the podcast, his guests, his listeners, and certain Pro You people that had an affect on him and how much it means to him. What he is so passionate about, why he does what he does, lies within his ability to be consistent. He is ever so thankful that “he gets” to be him and that he “gets to” share his experience, story, and success with those who will listen. Enjoy and as always, thank you for listening!

Like Pro You on Facebook, follow @ProYouPodcast on Twitter and visit the website!

*Not all exercises are suitable for everyone and this or any other exercise program may result in injury. Any user of the exercise program assumes the risk of injury resulting from performing the exercise. You should always speak to your doctor before you change, start or stop any part of your healthcare plan, including physical activity or exercise.*

A FINAL FANTASY VII Ride is Coming to Universal Studios Japan

While the long-awaited remake of Final Fantasy VII is still on the horizon, fans of the franchise have something to look forward to in the near future. Universal Studios Japan has revealed that it is temporarily bringing a Final Fantasy ride to its theme park in early 2018. The first look at the attraction appears to be heavily inspired by the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children film, as Cloud Strife and his deadly rival, Sephiroth, engage in an aerial duel. But the female fan in this video doesn’t seem to be suitably freaked out by her face-to-face encounter with the iconic villain who inspired the “One-Winged Angel” theme.



Via Kotaku, the Final Fantasy XR Ride is essentially a redress of the VR-enabled roller coaster called Space Fantasy: The Ride. Final Fantasy XR Ride will make its debut on January 19, 2018 as part of Universal Studios Japan’s annual Cool Japan event. However, it will only be in the park until June 24, 2018, which is just a short six-month window for fans to experience the ride. The video offers a brief teaser of what gamers can expect, from the expanded world of Gaia to the beloved Chocobo birds. It’s not clear if the ride will only draw from Final Fantasy VII or if the other games and characters from the franchise will be used as well.

While this attraction will only be temporary, Universal Studios Japan is currently building a Nintendo-themed expansion that includes experiences based upon Super Mario and other iconic video game characters. Perhaps that may eventually lead to more games like Final Fantasy becoming fixtures of future theme park expansions in Japan. That’s certainly something we’d like to see in the U.S. as well!

What do you think about the first look at the Final Fantasy ride? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Universal Studios Japan/Square Enix