that BBC announcement today

Honestly, I am not that excited about learning who will be playing the Twelfth Doctor. This is because most likely, I will have never heard of the actor. All of those casting rumors? I have read them, and I have no idea who any of these people are. They are all just a list of names. Okay, I do remember Peter Capaldi from Fires of Pompeii, but that's it, and I have no particular feelings about him other than "Sure, he seems like a good actor."

But everyone is talking about this special, so what the hell, I have set up my VCR to record it (since I can't watch it live). I fully expect to come home, watch a bunch of people ramble on about the role of the Doctor, then see this person I don't know anything about announced as the next Doctor and go "Okay, then."

It's possible that I will get spoiled for the name of the new actor before I get to watch the special, except that it's very unlikely that it will make the slightest bit of difference, as I will have no idea who the person is anyway.

(But perhaps I'm wrong? Now I am unreasonably hoping to be incredibly surprised by the announcement that the new Doctor is Hugh Laurie.)

BBC America has seriously pissed me off

So you know that "live around the world" Doctor Who announcement today? Not so live, here. We here in Pacific Time didn't get it until three hours later.

I've encountered "time zone bias" before -- all the major events here are geared towards Eastern Time, and we either get them three hours later (Saturday Night Live isn't ever live), or they start ridiculously early for us (the Oscars begin at 6 pm, despite the fact that they're being broadcast FROM CALIFORNIA).

But one thing I will say for our American networks -- when they promise us a live show, it is ACTUALLY LIVE. If it's going to be tape-delayed by three hours, then they say "live on the east coast" and we here in the west know we're going to get screwed again. But the major television events -- like the Oscars, and the Super Bowl -- that are advertised as live for everyone, are actually live for everyone.

BBC America, you suck. That is all.

(And no, I'm not mad because I missed hearing the announcement at the same time as everyone else -- I wasn't even home then. Nor am I mad because I recorded at the wrong time, because I checked BBCA's schedule and did record at the correct time. I am mad because WHEN YOU GO TO ALL THE TROUBLE TO ANNOUNCE SOMETHING WILL GET BROADCAST LIVE AROUND THE WORLD, THAT INCLUDES US, YOU JERKS.)