The Doctor Who thread

EricTheWeary

I quite liked it, quite touching when we got to the truce bit. 
New Dr, new writers I think for the new year so we’ll see how that goes. 

ICBM

axisus said:

My big negative was the woeful casting of Mark Gatiss for the character we find out that he is.

I guessed who he was going to be straight away, but in fact he must be the Brigadier’s father or maybe even grandfather, since the Brigadier would have been born in the 1920s.

I thought it was quite good overall - and I actually thought Jodie Whittaker was excellent for the minute or two she was on, she seemed to have picked up some of Capaldi’s mannerisms.

Like everyone else though, I think it will only work if the quality of the writing drastically improves. It’s a shame that potentially the best Doctor ever had such poor scripts.

Jalapeno

Agree on the quality of scripts lately (since Matt Smith really), but the Two Doctors was a cracker (geddit) I felt !

axisus

ICBM said:

axisus said:

My big negative was the woeful casting of Mark Gatiss for the character we find out that he is.

I guessed who he was going to be straight away, but in fact he must be the Brigadier’s father or maybe even grandfather, since the Brigadier would have been born in the 1920s.

Ahhh, good point. Being a dozy twonk I didn't think of that, in which case no probs with the casting.

I have to admit I got a bit of a lump in my throat seeing the scene where they stopped fighting for the xmas truce.

AlexC

I have no inherent problem with Whittaker being the Doctor - she’s a good actor - but, unlike many of you, I’m more concerned about the loss of Moffat. I’m yet to be convinced by Chibnell as show runner... he’s a good writer and he did some decent Torchwood episodes, but sci-fi takes a certain world view which cannot be countered by contemporary concerns. Although it is the perfect medium to comment on contemporary attitudes. However - we shall see. 
As an aside and a name drop - wife and myself interviewed Capaldi just before he became the Dr and spent the afternoon with him. Very interesting, funny,  cultured man. and a good guitarist to boot.

stickyfiddle

AlexC said:

I have no inherent problem with Whittaker being the Doctor - she’s a good actor - but, unlike many of you, I’m more concerned about the loss of Moffat. I’m yet to be convinced by Chibnell as show runner... he’s a good writer and he did some decent Torchwood episodes, but sci-if takes a certain world view which cannot be countered by contemporary concerns. Although it is the perfect medium to comment on contemporary attitudes. However - we shall see. 
As an aside and a name drop - wife and myself interviewed Capaldi just before he became the Dr and spent the afternoon with him. Very interesting, funny,  cultured man. and a good guitarist to boot.

I can’t imagine Chibnall can possibly be worse than the last few years of Moffat, so I’m looking forward to it.

earwighoney

AlexC said:
 I’m yet to be convinced by Chibnell as show runner... he’s a good writer and he did some decent Torchwood episodes, but sci-if takes a certain world view which cannot be countered by contemporary concerns. 

I had quite a reasonable opinion of Chibnell as a writer until I saw the second series of Broadchurch which quite simply was an abomination. 

@ICBM, ;
Yeah it seems Gatiss was playing the Brigadier's grandfather.  Just having a look at the Wikipedia page and the Brigadier was in some absolute cracking story lines.  I totally forgot how much I love the Jon Pertwee era.  

axisus

Moffatt was a seriously poor show runner. He couldn't see rubbish whether he wrote it or it was served up to him on a platter from someone else. He wrote a few great scripts but he also presided over some real turkeys, real utter sh*te. I don't have the skills or ability to write scripts, but I sure can tell stinkers. 

I'm not at all convinced that Chibnall will be an improvement, but I haven't seen anything he's written. I'm going in to the new era full of optimism, I hope it will be as good as the show deserves.

Fretwired

I'm not sure the new direction of the show's a good idea (forget Doctor's now a woman). The characters who share the Doctor’s adventures have formerly been described as companions, but will now be known as friends and will be played by Bradley Walsh, Mandip Gill and Tosin Cole. It's looking a little contrived with an old white guy, handsome young black guy and bright Asian girl.  Don't think they need an old white guy.

Chris Chibnall said “I think if we hadn’t [had a female Doctor], we would have been behind the world — and Doctor Who has to be out front leading the world, showcasing all the amazing things out there”  .. not sure its done that since the 1960s. It's certainly been way behind some excellent US-made sci-fi shows.

He promised that Whittaker would be more approachable than previous Time Lords. “The 13th Doctor is incredibly lively, warm, funny, energetic, inclusive,” he said. “She’s the greatest friend you could wish to have as your guide around the universe.”

“If you’ve never seen Doctor Who, or want to introduce your family and friends to it, this series is the perfect point to start,” Chibnall said.

“It was really important to me that there’s no barrier to entry. You don’t need to know anything that’s come before.”

Makes it sound like an intergalactic version of Blue Planet ... he's obviously dumping the past which could upset the core Who fan base. Still it could be welcome if the Daleks are binned.

The stories haven't been that good for a long time .. I'm not convinced this reboot will be any better. I hope I'm wrong. I'm getting a sense that this may become more of a kids TV series.

The teaser hardly grabs you, although Jodie is easy on the eye .. ;-)

stickyfiddle

I have no issue with that write-up at all. They’re trying to win back people who gave up watching, and win more people who have never seen it. What else is he going to say? Saying “it’s just like before but now it’s a lady” is hardly going to convince anyone to give it a go! 

At least it’s not more bloody cyber men.

Fretwired

stickyfiddle said:

I have no issue with that write-up at all. They’re trying to win back people who gave up watching, and win more people who have never seen it. What else is he going to say? Saying “it’s just like before but now it’s a lady” is hardly going to convince anyone to give it a go! 

At least it’s not more bloody cyber men.

He could have said that there will be new monsters and some dark stories .. I have no problem with dumping the past but 'three friends' .. the first rebooted series with Eccelstone was good. Agreed that just changing the Doctor to a woman won't help.

The big problem with the BBC is that one person writes it. US shows have a team of people which is why the scripts are much better. I guess the BBC doesn't have the budget.

axisus

Fretwired said:

The big problem with the BBC is that one person writes it. US shows have a team of people which is why the scripts are much better. I guess the BBC doesn't have the budget.

yes, we are far behind America on quality of sci-fi scripts. 

I am FULL of optimism for the new series. Can't wait! 

Rabs

Yeah I dont know... That teaser was proper rubbish.....  TARDIS pizza delivery service  lol.......  I also don't really like the idea of three companions and hate that it seems so purposefully politically correct even before we have seen anything...  I will watch it before I make my mind up on anything though.

axisus

That wasn't a teaser, that was like going into a pole dancing club and some fully clothed woman flashes her ankle at you

darthed1981

Fretwired said:

The big problem with the BBC is that one person writes it. US shows have a team of people which is why the scripts are much better. I guess the BBC doesn't have the budget.

No argument that Moffatt interfered too much on the scripts, but on both US and British shows there is almost always a senior creative talent, a "showrunner", or a pair of them.

The famously trashed Brannon/Braga replaced by Manny Coto in the role on Star Trek Enterprise is very similar to the effect I expect we hope we will get on Doctor Who.

Though i'm not sure what the Who equivalent of a "shuttle crash" episode is, one of those ones crippled by a high concept that's underwritten, like that weird sand-in-the-eyes one?

Rabs

New slightly longer teaser... Still doesn't tell you much...

Fretwired

Rabs said:

New slightly longer teaser... Still doesn't tell you much...

That was rubbish ...

axisus

I like the look of the new teaser, it's a totally different vibe to what the show has been recent years - that could just be the trailer of course, but then again it is a new showrunner so why not. Really looking forward to this.

axisus

The BBC may have derailed the gravy train with casting a woman though - time will tell. I know of some long time fans of the show who aren't interested in even watching. Mrs A isn't interested in a woman in the role and my daughters who are both Dr Who fanatics seem to be less interested than when a man is playing the part. Bound to bring in some new fans as well though.

Fretwired

axisus said:

The BBC may have derailed the gravy train with casting a woman though - time will tell. I know of some long time fans of the show who aren't interested in even watching. Mrs A isn't interested in a woman in the role and my daughters who are both Dr Who fanatics seem to be less interested than when a man is playing the part. Bound to bring in some new fans as well though.

I guess it divides people. I was anti it as the Doctor was a rare good role model for young boys. The BBC could have been brave and just created an off-short series like the Sarah Jane Adventures to get a woman.

I don't think it will be a problem in the UK as the people that are lost could be replaced with new viewers. One annoying thing with the show is the constant references to things in the past like the Rani - if you're a new viewer you'll be lost. The fact the new show runner is binning that I think is positive. Not sure I like the new family friendly no shocks format though .. the Mumsnet effect I guess.