James Bow's Blog, page 2

First Patreon Post

This post is also available on my Patreon Page. If you want to support my writing, or simply receive these posts in your e-mail, rather than schlepping your way to my blog, https://www.patreon.com/posts/first-patreon-137201704. It's free!

This photo, incidentally, was taken earlier this month at the Route 401 Diner, at the intersection of Kipling Avenue and Robson Drive in Etobicoke. It is possibly in the most cursed commercial location that could exist in Toronto, tucked up against Highway 401, almost beneath the Kipling Avenue bridge, in the midst of a sprawling industrial park, with planes overhead coming in for a landing at Pearson Airport.

And yet it's been here and functioning as a diner since at least 1969. So, yes, the food and interior ambiance were excellent.

Anyway, let's see if this Patreon gig works...

As a writer, I want to be read. It's been my privilege to write well enough to be read for over thirty-five years, including fan fiction, professional fiction, non-fiction for kids, business journalism, freelance communications pieces and more. And, since 2002, I've been blogging.

Of course, the biggest challenge to writing is finding and keeping your audience. I watched blogging grow into a revolution of engagement before fading into history thanks to corporate social media and their pervasive algorithms. Through it all, I have kept blogging because I keep control over my writing, and it remains all in one place for review and discovery. But with everybody sticking to social media, it seems the challenge of having your audience find you remains.

I've suggested that people search out still-active blogs outside of corporate control, like Blogography and Daring Fireball, and download RSS feed readers like NetNewsWire to keep in touch, but with limited success. Some writers, like Arthur Slade and J.M. Frey, have successfully engaged their readers through newsletters, and I think if I want to engage more readers, it's time I invest in getting my writing out through newsletters as well.

After cancelling an attempt at using Substack due to issues with it platforming Nazis, I've decided to try using my Patreon account. Creators like David Gerrold and Jessie Gender have built successful paying platforms, but I'm nowhere near as popular. However, I can still offer free memberships to encourage people to stay in touch, and receive my posts in their mailbox.

I plan to write regularly, trying to keep a schedule of at least one post each week. I'll update you about my writing projects, and I may repost older posts and fiction (like the Dream King's Daughter) while also unleashing some new stuff, and I'll probably be talking politics (Canadian and urban transit-related) when the mood takes me or I need the therapeutic release. Whatever happens, I hope you'll find my work interesting and enjoyable and, if so, that you'll support my work by signing up for a free membership.

When Words Collide

I flew in to Calgary early Friday morning (and I mean really early; I got up at 3:45 a.m. to grab a taxi into Region of Waterloo International Airport, and the line-up for the WestJet, FlairAir and Air Canada flights out were huge!) to attend When Words Collide.

I hadn't expected it, but When Words Collide was much more of a writers' craft and connection convention than something related to an appreciation of science fiction and fantasy. Those elements were there (and there was a strong SFF contingent, including Robert J. Sawyer, Candas Jane Dorsey, R. Graeme Cameron and more), but the seminars were more about how to improve yourself as a writer, tropes to avoid, and marketing skills to use rather than a study and appreciation of science fiction and fantasy books, movies or television series. Fortunately, When Words Collide is a conference that rewards people who jump in with both feet, which I did.

One of the things I took part in was a Live Action Slush event. That's where people submitted the first 250 words of their story (be it short fiction, mystery, romance, sff, YA -- there were separate sessions for each genre) and that submission would be read anonymously in front of three judges (often editors of various publications or publishing houses). The reader would read the submission until two of the judges raised their hand, indicating the point where they'd stop reading. The judges would then comment on the things they liked, and what pushed them out of the story.

That sounds terrifying, and it is, except that everybody makes a point of noting how brave people are to submit themselves to such scruitiny, and there's something to be said about pushing outside your comfort zone. My own submission got about halfway before getting two hands raised, and the comments that I received were fair and useful.

One reason I was able to attend was I pitched a seminar of my own, entitled The Names of Things, talking about how we go about naming our people, places and things in our stories, and how that can impact what we write. They accepted the submission, and brought me on as a panelist alongside authors Konn Lavery and Onyx Shelton, with Erik D'Souza moderating. Publisher R. Graeme Cameron showed up, initially thinking that this was a session he was supposed to attend (it was scheduled for the hour after us), but we welcomed him in, and he added some great flavour to the discussion. I'll talk a bit more about The Names of Things at a later date.

I was also attending When Words Collide as a sort of soft re-launch of my urban fantasy novel The Night Girl. It was complicated when my publisher unfortunately broke his ankle (get well soon, Ed!) and couldn't attend, but he gave me enough warning so that I could contact the convention and ask to be allowed onto the Shared Author Table. I'm grateful that the organizers were able to accommodate me, in return for volunteering about an hour of my time to staff the table, which I was more than happy to do.

The presence of people eager to write, from all ages, all walks of life, and all stages of their writing careers, was a invigorating and reenergizing experience. I came away there newly eager to sit down and write, and do what I can to promote my writing so that more people can read it.

Thank you all for your time and attention. Let's see where this thing goes...

First Sub, and When Words Collide

So, this is the first post of my Substack. I'll be running it concurrently with this blog, but this way you can have entries e-mailed to your address. Please subscribe, and I'll add some extra fiction along the way...

I flew in to Calgary early Friday morning (and I mean really early; I got up at 3:45 a.m. to grab a taxi into Region of Waterloo International Airport, and the line-up for the WestJet, FlairAir and Air Canada flights out were huge!) to attend When Words Collide.

I hadn't expected it, but When Words Collide was much more of a writers' craft and connection convention than something related to an appreciation of science fiction and fantasy. Those elements were there (and there was a strong SFF contingent, including Robert J. Sawyer, Candas Jane Dorsey, R. Graeme Cameron and more), but the seminars were more about how to improve yourself as a writer, tropes to avoid, and marketing skills to use rather than a study and appreciation of science fiction and fantasy books, movies or television series. Fortunately, When Words Collide is a conference that rewards people who jump in with both feet, which I did.

One of the things I took part in was a Live Action Slush event. That's where people submitted the first 250 words of their story (be it short fiction, mystery, romance, sff, YA -- there were separate sessions for each genre) and that submission would be read anonymously in front of three judges (often editors of various publications or publishing houses). The reader would read the submission until two of the judges raised their hand, indicating the point where they'd stop reading. The judges would then comment on the things they liked, and what pushed them out of the story.

That sounds terrifying, and it is, except that everybody makes a point of noting how brave people are to submit themselves to such scruitiny, and there's something to be said about pushing outside your comfort zone. My own submission got about halfway before getting two hands raised, and the comments that I received were fair and useful.

One reason I was able to attend was I pitched a seminar of my own, entitled The Names of Things, talking about how we go about naming our people, places and things in our stories, and how that can impact what we write. They accepted the submission, and brought me on as a panelist alongside authors Konn Lavery and Onyx Shelton, with Erik D'Souza moderating. Publisher R. Graeme Cameron showed up, initially thinking that this was a session he was supposed to attend (it was scheduled for the hour after us), but we welcomed him in, and he added some great flavour to the discussion. I'll talk a bit more about The Names of Things at a later date.

I was also attending When Words Collide as a sort of soft re-launch of my urban fantasy novel The Night Girl. It was complicated when my publisher unfortunately broke his ankle (get well soon, Ed!) and couldn't attend, but he gave me enough warning so that I could contact the convention and ask to be allowed onto the Shared Author Table. I'm grateful that the organizers were able to accommodate me, in return for volunteering about an hour of my time to staff the table, which I was more than happy to do.

The presence of people eager to write, from all ages, all walks of life, and all stages of their writing careers, was a invigorating and reenergizing experience. I came away there newly eager to sit down and write, and do what I can to promote my writing so that more people can read it.

With that in mind, I hope you enjoy my new Substack. I've seen a few of my fellow writers, such as J.M. Frey and Arthur Slade, take on this medium to good effect. The writing for it has a similar feel to writing on a blog, and more than a few authors are writing on their Substacks and blogs simultaneously. So, my blog's not going to go away. But if you want my writing sent to your e-mail, rather than having you step over to visit, please join the list. I'll be adding some stray fiction, updates about my writing process, and discussion about Canadian and transit politics.

Thank you all for your time and attention. Let's see where this thing goes...

The Night Girl Comes to Calgary (and Edmonton!)

The image to the right, entitled Skyline of Calgary, is courtesy Wikipedia and is used in accordance with their Creative Commons license.

With the re-release of The Night Girl, there comes promotion, and I'm excited to get working on giving this book the best re-launch it can have. I've already invited you all to the afternoon mingle (with cake!) at Words Worth Books on Saturday, August 30. Next Friday (the 15th), I'll be flying into Calgary to attend the When Words Collide science fiction and fantasy convention.

Look for my books at the Shadowpaw Press booth, and I may be along to sign copies, and I have an autograph session of my own, and I will be a panellist at a presentation. I'll be speaking alongside Konn Lavery and Onyx Shelton in a panel moderated by Erik D'Souza entitled The Names of Things.

As is stated on the panel promotion: "You have a story idea, you have a plot, you have characters, but what are their names? What's the name of the street they live on or their hometown? Or the neighbouring town? Or the other continent in their fantasy world? Names are important. They suggest a history and a unique set of characteristics that add spice and background to your tales. Learn about different approaches, benefits and potential pitfalls." So, if you want to hear our thoughts on how we name things, whether we explore the languages behind the names, or just wing it, come on out at 9 a.m., Mountain Time on Saturday, August 16. We'll be in the Sheraton East room.

While at When Words Collide, I'll be supporting Edmonton's bid to host WorldCon in 2030. I'll be taking part in their bid party, reading alongside Brendan Myers and Regina M. Hansen online in the Daspletosaurus Zoom Room, 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday, August 16. For more information, check out Edmonton's Virtual Bid Party page here. I must say, I love the dinosaur theme of the online party.

Finally, on Sunday, August 17, starting at 2 p.m. Mountain Time, I will be signing copies of my books alongside author Kelly Siskind, so if you're at When Words Collide, I hope you'll stop by and say hello.

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to checking out the other panels and activities at the convention, and exploring Calgary a little. It's been a while since I've visited this fair city, and I'm looking forward to the camaraderie and creative atmosphere that conventions like When Words Collide provide.

Join Me for Cake at Words Worth Books to Celebrate the Re-Release of The Night Girl

If you are reading this before Saturday, August 30, you are all invited to come out for cake and conversation at Words Worth Books. We're celebrating the re-release of my Toronto-based urban fantasy entitled The Night Girl, and Words Worth Books has kindly agreed to be our venue. They're a fantastic bookstore who has been serving Waterloo Region for decades, and they've been fantastic supporters of Erin and myself in promoting our books.

Our get-together will happen between 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 30 and will be an informal affair. I will do a reading, but this is about mingling and conversing and enjoying each other's company. There will be snacks, and (no lie!) I will be bringing a cake.

I'm biased, but there are few better things I enjoy doing than spending an afternoon in a bookstore and, if you're in any way similarly inclined, I invite you out to do the same. Come welcome Perpetua and her friends back into publication, and enjoy the cake!

Further details can be found at the Facebook event page here.

Sleepwalking Towards Union: Missed Opportunities on the GO Train from Kitchener

(I snapped the picture above at Weston Station, looking southwest, on November 21, 2017)

I rode the first revenue GO Train to depart Kitchener station for Toronto's Union Station back on December 19, 2011. At the time, the train was the first of only two rush-hour GO Trains that offered service. The line was slow, and the total journey was just over two hours long, stopping at every stop along the way. VIA offered more comfortable seating, evening departures, and fewer stops. But as a first step, the GO Train extension to Kitchener offered tremendous promise to Waterloo Region residents looking to commute, shop or visit Toronto, avoiding a knuckle-whitening trek on Highway 401.

Since then, Metrolinx has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the line. They've bought the tracks outright (save for a section between Georgetown and Bramalea), upgraded the rail, sped up service, and added trains and express services so that, today, Kitchener residents have a choice of up to 10 trains heading into and out of Toronto, at all hours of the weekday, with journeys as short as an hour and 40 minutes. Bus shuttles operate when the trains do not, connecting passengers not only to midday, weekend and evening trains in Bramalea, but also to services along the Lakeshore all the way to Niagara Falls via bus links to Hamilton, Burlington and Aldershot.

The money spent on the airport shuttle, UP Express, running between Union Station and Pearson Airport, also included upgrading the rails southwest from Bramalea, adding capacity and removing grade crossings to let all the trains fly. Work is finally starting on building a new GO/UP stop at Woodbine Racetrack (improving Kitchener's connection with Pearson Airport), and tunnelling a direct connection between Bloor GO/UP station and Dundas West station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line.

But the story of Metrolinx's investment in service northwest of Toronto to Brampton and Kitchener includes many frustrating missed opportunities. These have ranged from slipped deadlines due to governments' reluctance to spend needed funds, to confusion and uncertainty over how the Kitchener GO Line should function as a whole, including is UP Express spur.

The UP Express has a strange history (which I detailed here). It started on a federal transport minister's whim to produce a showcase shuttle line ahead of a possible 2008 Olympic bid for Toronto, and it somehow survived changes in government to be shoehorned into provincial transit expansion plans when there was very little demand for this route from local transit activists. It was conceived as a premium express between Union Station and Pearson Airport, catering exclusively to business clients who'd pay extra for the privilege of checking their bags downtown and clearing security before being whisked to the airport. The trip was supposed to take just 22 minutes, with an intermediate stop to connect to the Bloor-Danforth subway at Dundas West. It wasn't designed to improve the commute for residents in northwestern Toronto.

That was, until the residents of Weston loudly objected to the construction work that would bring UP Express trains through their neighbourhood, including closing down three level crossings and splitting the residential community from their shops and services on Weston Road. To assuage the mountain of opposition that sprang up (and it was a mountain; where public consultation sessions in Parkdale and Malton drew about 250 people in total, the Weston event had to shut down when the over four-thousand people who showed up quickly overran the fire safety capacity limits of the venue provided), designers dug the line underground through the Weston community, keeping two of the three grade crossings open, and maintaining the third as a pedestrian bridge. They also added a Weston stop on the UP line.

As a premium airport express service, UP Express bombed. The fares were too high, and the passenger counts were too low. In the end, UP Express got rolled into Metrolinx's operations alongside GO Transit, and GO fares were charged from Union to Weston, with only a mild premium charged to go to and from Pearson. This significantly increased ridership, to the point that the trains are often full. However, the passengers using this line aren't just going to the airport; they're getting on and off at Bloor to bypass overcrowded subway transfers, and they're getting on and off at Weston because the service is the fastest way by far for Weston residents to travel to and from work, shopping and other attractions downtown.

In other words, UP Express is succeeding not as an airport shuttle, but as a local transit service -- a service that is often duplicated by Kitchener/Brampton GO Trains stopping at Bloor and Weston. And while the service is popular, it often doesn't perform well. The shorter trains are often down for maintenance, and the fleet is barely large enough to run three-car trains every fifteen minutes -- barely enough to meet the line's demands. More cars are needed to ensure that the 15-minute trains are all three cars long, and more should be bought to bring service frequencies down to every 12 or 10 minutes.

With Metrolinx and the provincial government starting construction of a UP/GO station at Woodbine Racetrack, this confusion over which service should do what on the Kitchener GO line only increases. The Woodbine Racetrack stop provides a better transfer between trains from Brampton and Kitchener to trains to the Airport than Weston station, shortening the journey to the airport for passengers from the northwest. The stop also replaces Etobicoke North station, whose demand is largely fostered by a parking lot, and where UP Express trains can't stop.

Indeed, this arrangement raises the possibility of having Kitchener and Brampton GO Trains stopping only at Woodbine Racetrack to allow local passengers to transfer to UP Express trains, before running express to Union, speeding up travel for those at the far end of the line. The new Mount Dennis stop at the end of the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT can also serve both UP and GO Trains, making it easier for UP to transform itself into a rapid transit service for the northwestern corner of the City of Toronto.

Except that Metrolinx is building or considering building new stations on the route, such as the St. Clair-Junction station, and Liberty Village station, both of which will serve GO Trains only, not UP trains.

This, in my view, is a mistake. The UP Express line was a bad initial idea that evolved and grew into a useful piece of transit infrastructure by adapting itself into a completely different niche than what it was built for. The design flaws inherent in adapting its initial design to its better use are clear, but opportunities exist for investments to be made on the line which reduce the flaws and further enhance its usefulness. As a regional rapid transit line serving the northwest of Toronto with trains running every ten minutes, the UP Express (which should probably be renamed the Airport Regional Rapid Transit Line) would provide faster ride for thousands to the northwest of Toronto that couldn't be offered by competing automobiles. By allowing Kitchener and Brampton GO Trains to run express southeast from Woodbine Racetrack, thousands of people travelling in from the northwest would enjoy a much quicker trip into Toronto. Everybody wins -- if Metrolinx and the provincial government could just seize upon the potential.

It's also past time for other investments to increase train service along the line, especially during weekends. There are now as many as three GO buses leaving Waterloo Region each hour to connect with trains heading into Union Station from Bramalea. Additional buses connect Waterloo Region residents and attractions to Square One in Mississauga, and even Lakeshore trains to Niagara Falls. The demand is there, but there is little sign of the increase of train service to hourly every day that was promised for 2024. The Central Terminal at King and Victoria in downtown Kitchener that would link Waterloo's LRT and buses with GO and VIA Trains is also years away from opening. And what about that Breslau stop? Or extending service to Stratford (which could provide a great service to people attending the Stratford Festival)? As much as we appreciate the investments that have been made over the past fifteen years, our governments need to get off their butts and spend some money to break ground on these necessary improvements, otherwise the work to increase service between Waterloo Region and Toronto is only half done.

Lets seize this opportunity to speed up construction, and help thousands upon thousands of Ontarians move faster every day.

The Revised Night Girl Book Trailer and other Promotions

As the re-release of The Night Girl approaches, I had my friend Damian Baranowski do a quick revision of his book trailer for the new adult urban fantasy novel. Please view and enjoy, and help an author out and share it if you can.

As is the case with this industry, there were some revisions to the release date after the revisions were made to the book trailer. With luck, the book will now ship on August 12, but will likely appear in bookstores some time after. However, Shadowpaw Press and I will be at When Words Collide in Calgary from August 15-17. Ed will be selling books and I will be signing them, so those attendees can be the first to receive the new editions!

In addition to this promotion, I was privileged to participate in an episode of Brook Wright's She Blurbs podcast, discussing The Night Girl and the work that went into it. Be sure to check it out! And while I'm on the subject of podcasts, while this relates to The Sun Runners rather than The Night Girl, I'd like to thank Jeff Lippman for hosting me as part of his Garden of Thought podcast. Check it out as well.

I'm also working on some promotional events in September to celebrate the re-release. Bakka-Phoenix will be hosting an Evening Mingle for The Night Girl at their Toronto store on Thursday, September 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., where there will be snacks and conversation, and I'll be sure to bring cake. Look also for announcements for a similar gathering at Words Worth Books in Waterloo.

I'm delighted that The Night Girl is back in print and with Shadowpaw Press, who will give this a good push throughout Canada. While I will always be grateful for the work my original publishers put into the book back in 2019, it's nice to have the book come home, and I hope htat Canadians will welcome it with open arms.

Most Fantasy Novels have a Fantasy Map. Here's Mine.

I am an unapologetic transit fan, and as The Night Girl is an unapologetic Toronto novel, the two are linked. Indeed, the inspirational incident that launched The Night Girl back in 2003 was my wife Erin suggesting that I write a story about Toronto subway builders "digging to greedily and too deep", to quote Tolkien. The story took a very different shape, over time, but the link to Toronto's underground and its underground city remains.

I'm also an unapologetic fan of maps. Paper maps are as much a work of art as anything. The way that they show you the way, without the help of GPS, is a miracle, and this is not to disparage online maps which let me explore the world from my desktop, finding roads less travelled that I might travel someday.

And fantasy maps are a big part of any transit fan or advocate's life. When we advocate for better transit, we draw maps, because we want to see where we might be able to go in the future, if only our governments would get off their tufts and get building.

And given that many fantasy novels have maps of their own, it only seems right that The Night Girl place itself in this intersection. So, early on in the development of The Night Girl, I had fun putting together a fantasy map of what the Toronto subway was turning into over the course of the story, thanks to the work of the goblins and trolls.

In styling this map, I had to tread carefully. I wanted to ape the style that the Toronto Transit Commission took with its subway maps in the 1980s (and still takes, with modifications, today). For Torontonians, the look of Toronto's subway map is iconic. Back in 2006, writer Cory Doctorow said the following:

I grew up riding the TTC, and the map is burned into my subconscious. It's part of every Torontonian's experience of the city, a part of the cultural fabric.

Cory said this after the TTC's legal department prodded a transit fan who had remixed the Toronto subway map, changing each station's name into funny anagrams. Cory questioned the merit of this move to protect trademark, noting "Culture gets remixed -- that's what happens with it. Trademark is supposed to protect rightsholders from competitors who use their marks to confuse the public in the course of commerce. No one who saw RobotJohnny's genius map would have confused it for a second with a real TTC map and sent him a subway token." He'd use similar phrases to defend me when the owners of the C.N. Tower sent me a cease-and-desist letter on The Night Girl for its legal use of a photograph on its cover depicting that building.

Since then, the TTC has been a lot more relaxed with the presence of fantasy maps, though many are still careful to ape, but not directly copy the colour-on-black background look the TTC used. It's one reason my fantasy map is purple.

Either way, I had fun putting this map together, and thought (not seriously) about paying to have it placed as an advertisement on the Toronto subway -- or installing a version, guerilla-style. Instead, I share it with you here. Enjoy!

And while we're here, below please find an image of Toronto's Underground City -- it's PATH Network -- as dug by. goblins and trolls as well...

How a Pilot Project Hurts Service Rather than Improves It (On the failure of Metrolinx's GO Train Extension to London)

Roughly two years ago today, Metrolinx announced that it would end its pilot project of running one GO Train in both directions between Toronto and London, effective October 2023.

Two years on, I'm annoyed that the end result of this pilot project has been worse service from VIA Rail.

Before the London pilot project, VIA ran two trains a day, each way, between Toronto and London via Kitchener. One left Sarnia at. 6:10 in the morning, passed Kitchener at around 9:20, and got into Union at 10:50. A second train departed London at 7:51 in the evening, stopped at Kitchener at 9:45, and arrived in Toronto at 11:15 at night. Return trains from Toronto departed Union at around 11 a.m. (admittedly this train was kind of useless) to London, and at 5:40 in the afternoon, getting into Sarnia at 10:20 p.m.

Today, that's only one train, leaving Sarnia later in the morning, passing Kitchener at noon and getting into Toronto at 1:40 p.m., with the return trip departing Union at 5:40 p.m. This had the effect of reducing train service between Kitchener and Toronto on the weekend from two trains each way to one. And while I have no proof that the Metrolinx pilot project caused VIA's cutback, the fact that this change at VIA happened just weeks into the launch of the Metrolinx pilot project suggests a considerable cause and effect.

By all accounts, the Metrolinx pilot project was something of a failure. Ridership was low. The problem was, the trip was an excessively long run for a so-called commuter train. At close to four hours, the seats were uncomfortable, and tthere were no provisions for snacks and drinks. At least there were washrooms in every car. People in London wanting to commute to Toronto had faster and more comfortable VIA Trains operating to Toronto via Brantford. However, the service still provided an important second daily link between Toronto and the communities of Stratford and St. Mary's. Now they have only one. Similarly, Kitchener has lost the opportunity of an evening trip home after visiting London.

Whoever is responsible, it's shameful that an attempt to improve public transit in southwestern Ontario has ended up making service worse, and I call upon the Ontario government to step in. I believe there is a demand for improved train service into southwestern Ontario and if Ontario wants it, Ontario should pay for it. However, they should pay VIA to provide it.

Train travel to southwestern Ontario won't be commuter-based. It will be intercity based, and the equipment should reflect that. The trains should have more comfortable seating for those longer journeys. There should be a cafe car for snacks and meals on these journeys. This is the sort of service VIA runs, and Ontario should help out with funds to purchase the equipment needed for VIA to expand. You could add to the Siemens Venture order that Ontario Northland has already piggybacked off of for its restored Northlander train. Or GO's bilevels could be retrofitted with the long-distance seating and cafe car equipment which is already available from Bombardier.

There is plenty of precedent for this sort of arrangement in the United States, where states can top up Amtrak's subsidies to run increased state-based service. Just as there is Amtrak California, we could use VIA Ontario.

At the very least, let's restore the missing VIA services that Metrolinx left behind as it pulled its train out of London. The communities enroute deserve nothing less.

Creativity on Command Doctor Who: The Reality War Reviewed

This image above is courtesy the BBC.

So, did he do it? Did Russell T. Davies stick the landing?

In a word, yes.

In four words, he did stumble somewhat.

In several hundred more workds: well...

Although some of The Reality War was a word salad, and while the almost comedic number of cameos and reunions made me wonder if Russell T. Davies was using this to distract from the flaws of his story, for me The Reality War followed up well on Wish World, addressing most of my concerns, and resolving most of the outstanding plot threads in an exciting and twisty fashion. While it remains, in my opinion, the weakest episode of Disney Series Two, that's largely due to the sterling quality of the remaining episodes of the season, and it certainly satisfied me more than The Empire of Death last season.

But now that the events behind the scenes in the making of Reality War have been revealed, I can't help but be concerned about the future of the program as well as Russell's ability to tie up significant plot threads now left dangling, while at the same time being in awe of Russell's true abilities.

I'll try to explain as best I can. Please note that spoilers follow...

So... explaining the plot of The Reality War may be a bit of a challenge here (not a good sign), so I'm going to assume that you've viewed the episode yourself and are still processing things. I will say that Reality War addressed many of my concerns I had from Wish World. For instance, the Rani wasn't doing this out of revenge or spite. She stayed true to her character of amoral explorer, seeking to break reality and find Omega, the First Time Lord, to try and restore Gallifrey. While she has some respect for the Doctor, he's a means to an end and, once he performs his function, she tries to end him as the threat that he represents to her work. Archie Panjabi and Anita Dobson do a good job playing this character, making her believable, charismatic, and full of her own righteousness.

And I was right in my prediction that Omega would be revealed to be something other than what the Rani wanted. Now totally corrupted by his continued existence in non-existence, he has become a grotesque parody of himself, collapsing the Rani's dreams of restoring Gallifrey. The Doctor dispatches him ridiculously easily, and some longtime fans are outraged by Omega's decayed appearance and character, but I think it fits the story. Could or should Russell have used Omega better? Maybe. But what we got worked for me, even if it wasn't how I would have done it (I would have played up Omega's sympathetic side. In his previous two appearances, his main goal has been simply to go home and, incidentally, have a parade. I would have liked to see him more at peace with the fact that he can't, shutting the door on the Rani's plans himself without the Doctor's interference. This would have forced the Doctor to deal with the Rani directly rather than leaving Omega to do his dirty work).

The Reality War also ties up some (but not all) of the plot threads of the past two seasons, and makes some surprising links to the earlier stories. There are reunions galore, starting with Anita from Joy to the World. Most of UNIT is back, including Rosie who has an especially good moment when her reappearance shows us that Conrad's misogynistic and anti-trans perception filter is crumbling. Ruby Sunday returns, as does Mel. Hey, hey, the gang's all here, and it just feels good.

But there were parts of this story that I did not feel good about. While I found the mysterious appearance of Poppy in Space Babies and The Story and the Engine compelling, the initial revelation that she was a baby conceived by the Doctor and Belinda Chandra in Conrad's reality field squicked me out. There is no consent here. The fact that Poppy stayed real as the reality field collapsed, and Belinda remained firmly devoted to this toddler that she's had for about a day just did not sit right for me. Russell may not have had time to build up the emotional connection between Poppy, Belinda and the Doctor, and that's to this epsiode's detriment. We're told to have this emotional response for this character on trust alone and, I can't bring myself to do it. And this is nothing against the hard work that Ncuti Gatwa and Verada Sethu put in to sell this.

But then Poppy disappears in the moments after the Doctor sets reality to right and, in a marvellously creepy scene, only Ruby is able to notice. Millie Gibson does a great job in conveying the weight of this moment, and I believe it when Ruby convinces the Doctor that something still isn't right, and he must make one more sacrifice to make it right (and it's a big one).

(On the other hand, I did find the moment where all the UNIT characters in play declare their devotion to the Doctor as a parental figure to be somewhat overwrought. But nobody's perfect, and this moment is quickly overlooked).

The fact remains that the Doctor would absolutely sacrifice himself to save one more individual, even if that individual had been sacrificed to bring reality back in order. This is the perfect way for Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor to leave the series, and the surprise cameo by Jodie Whitaker manages not to be superfluous by highlighting how the Doctor has grown under Ncuti, while staying true to all the Doctors' core values.

So, Poppy returns as Belinda's own child (not the Doctor's), and as somebody who was always there, but rendered missing throughout the series because of the after effects of collapsing Conrad's reality field. This instantly made me feel better about Poppy's creation, and added weight to Belinda's desire to forego time and space to get back home. To those few who complained about Belinda "just being a mother", I would say that there's nothing just about being a mother, and nothing precludes Belinda heading out in the TARDIS again with her daughter in tow -- or having words with her daughter about sneaking off in the TARDIS behind her back.

And so the Ncuti Gatwa era ends, far too soon, but in a blast of joy. Thank you Ncuti! I wish we had more time with you, but you gave us so much in the time you did have. And, holy heck, what the heck is Billie Piper doing here?!

So, wow. Any Doctor Who episode that can explode fandom the way this one has, has a lot to recommend it. Except, that's not the way The Reality War was originally to end. That's not the way the episode was originally shot.

A lot has happened at the Doctor Who production office these past few months. While Disney initially agreed to co-producing 26 episodes with Gatwa's Doctor, they are slow-walking approval for a third series. Their funding is not make-or-break; the BBC can proceed with a reduced budget by toning down the special effects spectacles, but this lack of approval has forced a hiatus to production. We won't have a Christmas Special this year, and Doctor Who may not return until 2027.

In the meantime, Ncuti Gatwa's talents are clear for all to see and Hollywood is calling. The man has his career to think about, and it's not fair to expect him to hold back numerous projects while he waits to hear when his third season will enter production. Late in 2024, under strict secrecy, he and the BBC agreed to part ways, and this left Russell T. Davies in a quandary. How was he going to write out Ncuti when the end of The Reality War had already been filmed?

According to reports, there exists a cut of the episode which, from the point where Omega is sealed back up in his pocket dimension, the story comes to a quicker close. Poppy does not disappear, and the Doctor doesn't have to sacifice her regeneration to save her. Instead, after a bunch of explanations, the Doctor, Belinda, Ruby and UNIT party like it's 1999, as they celebrate the restoration of their original (albeit imperfect) reality. We then pull back to see Poppy, and the Doctor's granddaughter Susan (who has been seen or referenced numerous times these past two seasons), looking down on the crowd and smiling indulgently. Poppy tells Susan that it's time to go, and Susan says, "Yes, Mum." Cut to credits.

This would have led into a third season that would have pursued and resolved the Susan storyline, as well as dealing with the mysterious "Boss" referred to by the Meep, and by Anita, employee of the Tijme Hotel.

And this is where I come to my long delayed point. I've not been afraid to praise and criticize Russell's tenure on Doctor Who. When he's on his game, he is one of the best writers in the business (see Midnight and The Well, The Devil's Chord and Dot and Bubble). As a showrunner, he has a tendancy to overpromise and underdeliver when it comes to his season spanning stories and season finales (See The Empire of Death, The End of Time and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End). Spectacle comes at the expense of coherance, questions are left unanswered, plot points are dropped, and the end result is less than the sum of its parts.

When I and others go in and armchair quarterback Russell's showrunning skills, there is a temptation to believe or imply that we could have done a better job, somehow, ignoring the fact that whatever masterpiece we could return would be unlikely to arrive before the deadline to film. Look at the way I critiqued The Next Doctor, talking heavily about what Russell should have done, while casually ignoring that Russell wrote that particular episode while fighting a nasty bout of influenza.

And the fact that The Reality War is what it is, given what we now know about the behind the scenes reasons for why it is what it is highlights perfectly the fact that, if you think you could do this any better than Russell, you're dead wrong. Dead wrong. There is no way anybody could have pulled anything this good off given the pressures Russell was under.

What, realistically, were Russell T. Davies' choices when he learned of Ncuti's Gatwa's departure? Clearly the hope that Ncuti could return at some indeterminate time amidst all his Hollywood commitments was a non starter, so what to do? Introduce a new Doctor from scratch out of nowhere a la Time and the Rani? Rely on an unknown and learning character to carry off his sense of fatherhood with Poppy and resolve Susan's storyline? Or do you madly rewrite and reshoot the last few minutes of The Reality War to give Ncuti Gatwa a proper and heartfelt goodbye, and provide a jolt at the end to keep fandom interested in the months to follow?

The second path is incredibly risky -- potentially almost impossible to conceive: rip up and rewrite resolutions, insert a whole new plot thread for the Doctor to respond to, and produce a finale that not only is exciting in itself, but manages to connect at least peripherally with the portions of the old story you're keeping.

I don't believe that's ever been attempted in Doctor Who history, and I believe it's only rarely been achieved anywhere in the industry.

I've had people who, while upset at the direction Doctor Who has taken, suggest that I would be better taking on the show -- a suggestion I've thoroughly laughed off. I'm proud of the work I've done, but one reason my stories are as good as they are is because they take up to ten years of writing, editing, rewriting and more editing. Today's showrunners have to be more than just talented, they have to be talented on command. They have to be talented to deadline.

And in Russell's case, that ability includes taking a finished product, ripping it apart and putting it back again differently, on a limited budget, with a handful of sets and a bunch of actors called in at a moment's notice, and making it all hang together, however shakily. By doing this, Russell ensures that, even if the series does not return, it does, at least, have an ending. And if it does return, the return has been prepped by a shock to the system that have many fans salivating for what comes next.

That ability is simply a talent that I do not have. That's simply not a talent that most of us has. We are lucky to have someone of Russell's skill and delight for the program at the helm.

Fantastic work Russell.