The Doctor Who thread

EricTheWeary

Apparently Glasgow was one of the last places to use police boxes (until 1994). Originally painted red they repainted them blue in the late 1960s as people only really knew what they were from Dr Who. There are supposed to be some non functioning ones still in place ( I found some on Google but pics from 2004 so they may now be gone I suppose). 

So, The Guardian not realising that they aren’t such an anachronism to people in Glasgow. 

And children can accept the idea of body changing time travellers but not that there were once telephone boxes?

 maltingsaudio said:

Heads up Doctor Who and the Daleks with Peter Cushing is on Horror bites ….perfect post gig entertainment 

I like the two Cushing films but completely out of canon. Although maybe they are the way forward - just a bit of a romp with no interest in long story arcs. 

RocknRollDave

maltingsaudio said:

Heads up Doctor Who and the Daleks with Peter Cushing is on Horror bites ….perfect post gig entertainment 

There’s a great bit in the novelisation of The Day of the Doctor where Matt Smith’s Doctor, and David Tennant’s Doctor find the Peter Cushing films and find them great fun. They even mention going back in time to get Peter Cushing, so he can star in modern films after his own death (a nod to his ‘appearance’ in one of the newer Star Wars films.)

axisus

It's irrelevant that the TARDIS is shaped like a police box. It owns that look. Show a pic to anyone in the world and they won't say 'police box' they will say TARDIS.

Hurling_Fruitmig

EricTheWeary said:

Apparently Glasgow was one of the last places to use police boxes (until 1994). Originally painted red they repainted them blue in the late 1960s as people only really knew what they were from Dr Who. There are supposed to be some non functioning ones still in place ( I found some on Google but pics from 2004 so they may now be gone I suppose). 

So, The Guardian not realising that they aren’t such an anachronism to people in Glasgow. 

And children can accept the idea of body changing time travellers but not that there were once telephone boxes?

Police boxes are all over Edinburgh too, although they have a different design to their metropolitan cousins, looking like the were designed in the style of Alexander Thompson's Glasgow architecure.

Fretwired

axisus said:

It's irrelevant that the TARDIS is shaped like a police box. It owns that look. Show a pic to anyone in the world and they won't say 'police box' they will say TARDIS.

In the US they say phone box which is why the Guardian made the comment. The police box is pretty stupid IMHO. Everything else about the Doctor has been updated. Time for a new shiny ship. The programme only got it as the original show had a low budget and the only thing in the prop room was a police box from Dixon of Dock Green. To be fair to the scriptwriters their imagination created something special (bigger on the inside than out).

Grangousier

Aren't most of the Edinburgh ones coffee kiosks now? That would be an interesting sideline for the Time Lord. 

EricTheWeary

Why is this mammoth Discussion so hard to find when I search The Fretboard for it? 

Anyway. Engaging, witty, lots of ideas. Okay nonsensical but I think that’s just the territory now. Best episode for years probably. If Chibnall had always worked at this level perhaps he’d still be in a job. 

And the daleks are the Tory party? I think so Mr C, I got that. Except daleks are more loveable. 

Anyway, I await those hated it. 

AustrianJohn

EricTheWeary said:

Anyway, I await those hated it. 

Ok, I hated it. Lots of flashy special effects and no story. Why can't someone write a story that is more than running around a lot and sometimes doing something with a sonic screwdriver?

slacker

It was OK but the ending was good.

thumpingrug

I had it on in the background while watching the F1 on headphones.  It seemed to make perfect sense without any dialogue.  

darthed1981

I thought that was a great episode, nice nodd to the lesser referenced parts of the old show as well, nice to see some of the old Doctors back.  I'm guessing they are saving more Tom Baker for the 60th next year.

I'm currently feeling rather smug as predicted a Tennant regeneration several years ago!

Shame that Chibnall took so long to get his feet under the desk with Who, as if he had kept that kind of standard all along, he would have been remembered much more fondly.

bloodandtears

I enjoyed it...  another manic and easily solved escapade granted but it's light hearted TV now..  very heart-warming moments throughout too, unsurprisingly given the "special" nature of the episode.

It does make me laugh reading posts by folk who clearly don't like it any more but insist on watching...

darthed1981

bloodandtears said:

It does make me laugh reading posts by folk who clearly don't like it any more but insist on watching...

Think that's funny watch Trek fans get going!

The problem is part of the appeal of both shows is that they have such broad, rich "canon" they can almost feel real, people buy into them personally.

So it can't be for example that you wanted any new TNG show to be a re tread of TNG, you have to be actively offended by what was done on Picard.

Not saying creative mis-steps weren't made, they always were (see Trek TOS episode Turnabout Intruder and cringe..) but they are sometimes almost nostalgia in themselves now so get away with it.

Trek TNG did an episode called "Sub Rosa" which is so fantastically bad its genius...

Philly_Q

I don't watch the programme, haven't for years, but I saw the regeneration scene on the BBC website.  I don't know if it had been leaked in advance, but it genuinely surprised me!

Offset

I've avoided the JW tenure after watching a couple of early ones.  It's been really poor.   However, I watched last night and enjoyed it.  I nearly fell off my perch at the regeneration scene at the end!!!

stickyfiddle

I watched it at lunch. Still planned & scripted like an average kids show but with attempted-hollywood visual style, which is very jarring. 

Not at all complaining about the regen though - great way to show they're listening without committing to any long-term backwards steps. Roll on the next phase! 

maltingsaudio

Thought we’d lost it but apparently not in the UK
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/26/doctor-who-bbc-deal-disney-plus-outside-uk-ireland-abc-australia-loses-rights

RocknRollDave

Too many ideas packed into one episode, so none of them were given room to breath.

darthed1981

maltingsaudio said:

Thought we’d lost it but apparently not in the UK
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/26/doctor-who-bbc-deal-disney-plus-outside-uk-ireland-abc-australia-loses-rights

The problem is it costs a fortune to make the show so the BBC needs a partner, Disney will show it worldwide on the same day that the BBC screens it in the UK, which seems fair.

axisus

OK, so I finally saw the last Jodie episode. I thought that it was really good! 

Well, minus the first scene. I HATE those dumb 'action' scenes that Chibnal likes. The three of them jumping from the tardis to land on a 'space train', them almost flying away to death but hanging on to each others feet - all garbage writing. However, it got better from there on, I found the story engaging and fun, especially with all the nods to the past.

Two things I didn't like. First off I have to say, yes, it's sci fi so you can kind of do anything, but .... my logical mind usually kicks in at some point. 1) Tegan in the cellar. She pulls out one ethernet cable and suddenly all cybermen where ever they are in the building get electrocuted!?!?! 2) It takes a metal planet, an almost mythical creature/power source and a Tardis plugged in to said planet to create enough energy for a 'forced regeneration', but then 20 minutes later 'oh lets use a sonic screwdriver to redirect this energy from a few regenerating cybermen to power up the device again!?!?! Yeah, I know, I'm Mr Pedantic.

I've said it before, but Mandip Gill was excellent as Yasmin. She played her part superbly, full of emotion and character. Also Sacha Dhawan was brilliant as the Master. 

I loved the 'surprise' ending, although I had already read about that.

Am I looking forward to the new series???? Hmmmn, well I really can't see Ncuti Gatwa in the role at all, it is the most underwhelmed I have EVER felt over a new actor in the role. Usually I am excited about what someone new brings, but not this time. Having said that, I will be watching and I intend to give him a full chance to prove me wrong and impress.

Thank goodness Chibnal has buggered off, I'm Hoping that Russell T can redirect Doctor Who to the glory days.