Did you watch the Christmas Special? Was it shown in Amerique?
EDIT: Oops... see Bella's post for explanation.
[ January 12, 2006, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: Teshi ]
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
I quite liked this series. Not as good as the old ones, but I'll take British Sci-Fi wherever I can find it.
For anybody who hasn't seen it before - there's some brilliant moral ambiguity about the Doc that is hard to resist. He's often manipulative and he actually really HATES his enemies and wants to kill them all, while being basically a hyper intelligent, sort-of-immortal, impulsive, dynamic, exciting kind of guy. There's something a bit Ford Prefect-y about him. His companion this time is reasonably amusing too, being a normal chav girl who lives in an innercity block of flats with her Mum until the Dr. saves her from leading a normal life. Even though the actress used to be a really awful pop star, she's a slightly better at acting.
Watch out for the Christmas special episode, which takes place after the normal series and is definately the best yet. I think I like the newest Doc a lot better than Chris Eccleston's, despite the fact that he looks a bit like a surprised stoat. He reminds me of Tom Baker, in a good way.
So, basically, watch it.
EDIT - Gah, how could I forget Capt. Jack? Coolest bi-sexual spaceman in the history of bi-sexual spacemen. Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Awesome!
I've heard some brits discussing the latest incarnation of the series, and it sounds good.
The latest version I saw (with Ace as sidekick) was pretty good too. I liked that Doctor pretty well. I still miss Tom Baker, though, and the scripts written during that era by Douglas Adams and others. The things that were so great were the subtleties, funny things they only hinted at that were so clever and delightful!
Like the fact that all the henchmen of Count Scarlotti in that one episode about the Jaggeroth had the names of Italian composers, remember that? Or that time when The Doctor and two others were captured by the cybermen and they were sitting dejected against the wall, and just happened to have their hands in the "see-no hear-no speak-no" positions? Or after the Doctor offed a cyberman once while they were being pursued, and he paused to recite "Out, OUT, brief candle..." before someone grabbed him and they both ran. The fact that they pinched King Henry V's speech from the Shakespeare play for the speech the badguy gave to the inhabitants of Atreos in their war against Zeos, "this blessed plot, this Atreos". Or when they had a whole episode about these bull-like creatures who invaded planets and built large mazes into which young men and women were sent as tribute, all alluding to the story of the Minotaur from greek myth, without ever connecting it to the myth in any way until the very end when the Doctor said something about "this time" when someone noted the returning spaceship was painted white, implying that he messed that up once before (obviously in ancient Greece) and made sure this time they wouldn't have that problem.
It was just so full back then of funny little in-jokes that they never made explicit. The whole show had that Douglas Adams insanity and wonderfulness. I wonder if the show now is still that good?
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Ah- this is the first season of the most recent Doctor Who! How exciting!
This season is a fantastic one. I was blown away by the intelligence, sensitivity and wit of the writing. I've extolled the virtues of this Doctor Who before so I shan't again. Suffice to say, I really encourage everyone to catch a few episodes!
Although I agree with almost all of what Bella said, I do disagree with her slight and subtle criticism of Christopher Eccleston... I thought he was brilliant in the part; unconventional and funny but also utterly and completely his own Doctor Who-ish self. The other characters are equally interesting, believable and watchable...
quote:Even though the actress used to be a really awful pop star, she's a slightly better at acting.
I think that she fits her role perfectly. In the whole season, I was never disatisfied. She's actually done quite a few roles on British television by now.
Don't miss it!
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
No criticism of Chris Eccleston intended, subtle or otherwise! He's a great actor and really sold the part.
I just happen like the new Dr. even more. Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Is that for aesthetic reasons?
I haven't seen enough of him to make a judgement...
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
quote: Is that for aesthetic reasons?
No, not really (see surprised stoat comment above). He's kind of cute, in a newtish sort of way, but if I had to pick between the two on aesthetic grounds, I'd probably pick Eccleston, to be honest.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Hm. So far I prefer Eccleston's character, because he's so distinct, but as I said I only the Christmas Special to go on.
Which I also thought was excellent. Dark, but excellent.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I get to see the new Dr Who series!? ALL RIGHT! It's about time.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
Totally OT here, did you get your DVDs Noemon?
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Oh! Yeah, I meant to PM you and let you know--I got them a week or so ago. Thanks for sending them back--wish you could have gotten some use out of them.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
*bump*
Starts on Sci-Fi Channel tomorrow night (Fri 3/17), 2-hour premiere, 9 PM EST/8 PM CST -- link
doesn't get Sci-Fi Channel
but a friend does and she'll record it for me
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
quote:Looks like Dr. Who is joining the SciFi Friday lineup starting this March.
Pardon my pessimism, but isn't this a sure sign that: 1) The show will have strong fan support, and 2) It will be cancelled after one or two seasons.
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
It's already been renewed up to and including season three by the BBC. So not to worry.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what American audiences make of this series, since it's so incredibly popular in the UK. This year they're selling Dalek Easter eggs in Marks and Spencer's.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Tonight! *dances* I hope I remember to watch! Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote:Pardon my pessimism, but isn't this a sure sign that: 1) The show will have strong fan support, and 2) It will be cancelled after one or two seasons.
I think you mean on American tv, neh?
But Bella's got a point. The episodes will exist, regardless of what American audiences or television stations think.
It's not all about America, you know .
quote:This year they're selling Dalek Easter eggs in Marks and Spencer's.
Darn! My father's in Britain right now but I have no way of asking him to bring me one! Do you mean big eggs or little eggs?
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
Normal, largish Easter egg sized. They're in dalek shaped boxes so you can't actually see them, but presumably there's a dalek shaped chocolate in there.
It made me ridiculously happy to see it.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz:
quote:Looks like Dr. Who is joining the SciFi Friday lineup starting this March.
Pardon my pessimism, but isn't this a sure sign that: 1) The show will have strong fan support, and 2) It will be cancelled after one or two seasons.
Nah, you're thinking of FOX. If it were to ever air on FOX spacetime would warp in such a way as to cause the all episodes after the 14th to wink out of existance.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I am so looking forward to this!
But I want to watch the old Dr Whos, too. I was just too young to get full appreciation for them when they were on PBS years and years ago.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
There are quite a few episodes available on Netflix, Theca.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
*bump*
Starts in 5 minutes! Posted by Anti-Chris (Member # 4452) on :
I had to call Jamie to have her record it for me. I'm actually excited. O_o
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
This was fun. I never watched any of the old ones, but if the humor's close, I'd probly like them. I love british humor.
The doctor is a little weasely looking, though.
Ni!
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
I think he'll grow on you. He certainly did on me. At first I thought that he wasn't terribly 'good' as the Doctor, but in the next few episodes I think he'll shine very brightly.
Posted by Theaca (Member # 8325) on :
I liked it! I'm trying not to like The Doctor TOO much, since there aren't many episodes.
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
I really, really, really liked Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. But David Tennant seems to be just as likable as Chris.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Loved it. Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Eeeexcellent. Resistance is futile!
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I enjoyed it very much. Will definitely try to watch it each Friday.
Posted by Anti-Chris (Member # 4452) on :
Loved them. Will get the DVD's, too.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Gah. Missed it. Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Looks like it repeats (for this week anyway) Sundays at 11:30 PM EST.
Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
As someone who HATES, and I mean aboslutely HATES, any incarnation of Dr. Who - I liked what I saw of this new one. It might be the first one I might actually like if last nights' episodes were any indication of what it will be like.
Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
Occasional, let's face it, the British will always be just a little bit quaint about the way that they do science fiction. They can be great at fantasy, but their science fiction always seems campy somehow. It's like they can't tell a science fiction story without being tongue-in-cheek about it.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Ron Lambert: I think that there's a certain element about Doctor Who, and all the Doctor Who that comes before it, that demands a certain tongue in cheekness in order to carry it off.
I agree that the older British Sci Fi (Blake's 7, Thunderbirds, Doctor Who) tends to be funnier than its American equivalents (Star Trek, the original Battlestar Galactica), although I think there's a leaning now towards more funny.
quote:Honey, you live in a space ship.
I think the humour of this Doctor Who is one of its strengths.
Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
There is tongue-in-cheek and then there is just silly or stupid. For me, Dr. Who was the last two. And before anyone goes off about how I just don't understand the British humor, I really liked Red Dwarf and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. There was something about Dr. Who, especially its low production values, that made me want to change the channel and forget the whole thing existed.
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
I know what you mean, only that that certain something is what caused me to watch it every time PBS would air the show.
But yes, there is something about the old Who that caused people to love it or think it was completely idiotic.
Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
Suspension of disbelief is important for a science fiction show to work. But how can you suspend disbelief about some kind of broadcast signal that makes all plastic suddenly come alive and move around and start attacking people? And what was the motive for sabotaging the viewing platform at the end of the earth? The back story is interesting--that the doctor is the last of his species, who lost a war. They were said to be Time Lords. Does that mean the war was a time war, to determine who was going to control time? That is a story worth its salt!
Yes, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was fun, but it was humor primarily, and science fiction incidentally.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by Ron Lambert: Occasional, let's face it, the British will always be just a little bit quaint about the way that they do science fiction. They can be great at fantasy, but their science fiction always seems campy somehow. It's like they can't tell a science fiction story without being tongue-in-cheek about it.
Someone should probably tell Arthur C. Clark. Or Brian Aldiss. Or George Orwell. Or Stephen Baxter. Or Aldous Huxley. Or Alastair Reynolds. Or John Brunner. Or any of the myriad other serious British SF authors out there. I'm sure they'll be interested to know that that's the case.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
Don't forget H.G. Wells.
One thing I loved about this series is how they updated the effects so that you knew you were watching a 21st century sci-fi show, but still made them just cheesy and unconvincing enough to reassure you that you were still watching Dr Who.
I only saw the first two episodes, but I think it's going to go on my regular Friday schedule now. I like the new doctor. His delivery of one line sold me and hooked me for the rest of the show.
"Nice to meet you, Rose. Run for your life."
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
"Someone should probably tell Arthur C. Clark."
...that people are forgetting about the silent "e" at the end of his last name .
Are there going to be any more repeats of the 1st episode? Also, which is the best Dr Who season to start with?
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:Originally posted by Occasional: There was something about Dr. Who, especially its low production values, that made me want to change the channel and forget the whole thing existed.
I'm sorry that the Talking Box is not pretty enough for you. What other aides does your obviously infantile imagination need to enjoy the moving pictures?
Posted by Chungwa (Member # 6421) on :
There's a pretty big difference between the new Doctor Who and classic Doctor Who. While most people who liked the classic also like the new one, they are not the same show. Of course, season three and season fifteen of classic Who aren't the "same show" either.
I'd start with the new Who and try out whatever you can find of the classic Who (listing a specific season to start with is pointless - though most on Hatrack will probably say a season with Tom Baker), but just don't expect it to be the same.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
quote:Originally posted by GaalDornick: "Someone should probably tell Arthur C. Clark."
...that people are forgetting about the silent "e" at the end of his last name .
Nah, we're trying to keep that one from him, actually.
quote:Are there going to be any more repeats of the 1st episode? Also, which is the best Dr Who season to start with?
I expect that there'll be repeats--scifi is usually pretty good about rerunning shows. I don't have any idea of their timetable though.
I'd start with the Tom Baker years, myself; I love Tom Baker. I've heard other people suggest other places to start though.
Posted by signal (Member # 6828) on :
bump, cuz its on now. Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
Am Watching for the first time. I still miss the campy old one from my youth. Not Bad. I'll keep watching.
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
At least they kept something similar to the old sound effects.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Got my kids hooked. All four of them enjoyed it. Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
I was watching a few of these on DRV and I was wondering..
Why doesn't the Doctor go back in time after he finds out who the bad guy is and stop them from killing everyone.
Have they established some kind of rule where you can't be in two places at the same time, or does have something to do with messing up the time line? If you stop the guy from killing everyone on Monday then you can't figure out who the killer is on Tuesday kind of thing.
I know lots of Sci Fi has covered the time travel thing, but I don't think I ever caught Dr. Who's reasoning.
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
I don't know if or how it was explained in the old series, but in the new one I seem to remember something being said along the lines that once the ship lands, they are effectively locked into that particular time line until it is resolved. There's an episode later on where the consequences of changing an historic event which you 'know' to be true, and which is the whole reason you happen to be in that place at that time in the first place, is explored.
Paradoxes are fun. Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
several explanations.
1)It would ruin much of the suspence and plot elements in the show.
(Like the time someone asked John Ford why the indians didn't just shoot the horses in the movie Stagecoach, thus stopping the people from escaping. His answer, "Then there wouldn't have been a movie."
2) Changing past time may change the future, or it may make an alternate future. So if Dalek A is killing 10,000 people, you could go back in time and stop Dalek A, saving that time-line's 10,000 people, but the 10,000 identical people on the other time line would be just as dead. It would be better to stope Dalek A from killing them all in the first place.
3) The TARDIS is semi-sentient, or at least its been hinted as such. It is extremely tempermental, not very accurate and has a tendancy to send the Doctor to where he is needed the most. As such, if he decided that he should go back in time and stop Dalek A before he kills 10,000 people he may end up somewhere or somewhen else, and have to save 30,000 Organians. WHile it seems he should have time enough to eventually go back and stop Dalek A, neither his memory nor his control of the TARDIS is accurate enough to insure he ever will get there.
Posted by Omega M. (Member # 7924) on :
I think the Doctor said once on the original show that the Time Lords voluntarily imposed laws on themselves against not changing the past too much, including against not stopping random disasters before they happen. Of course, a few episodes probably break that rule ...
The new series seems good enough, but the Doctor doesn't seem as funny as I remember him being in any of his lives in the old series. Part of this is probably that Christopher Eccleston acts a lot more lower-class than I think the Doctor would. The writers do deserve credit for making as dramatic a departure from the previous series as destroying Gallifrey and all the other Time Lords, though.
Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
OK, sure, there have been and are great British science fiction writers. But that is distinct from British cinematic or TV ("tellie") science fiction.
Star Trek was far from the best sf, hardly comparable to the real literary genre, but it was acceptable, and certainly far better than Dr. Who, which is pretty pathetic compared to those literary authors that were listed. Can anyone name any British movie or TV science fiction that was worth anything? What I am saying here is that British screen writers and producers seem to be incapable of telling a good, dramatic or action adventure science fiction story. I might surmise that this is because none of them take science fiction seriously.
I will answer my own question and note one exception: The movie version of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was directed by British-born Stanley Kubrick, and the screenwriter is listed as Arthur C. Clarke. I submit though that since Clarke is a literary sf writer, this is an exception that actually proves my point.
Dr. Who has its place, I will concede, if you are in the mood for something campy to the point of being silly. The original Batman starring Adam West is comparable to Dr. Who.
[ March 31, 2006, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Ron Lambert ]
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
On a lighter note than the topic above - BT has employed Tom Baker to record every known sound combination and they are now using his voice to read out text messages sent to landlines. So obviously, there are a lot of people (with way too much free time) who are using said voice in, um... interesting ways.
On the topic above - if you consider 'The Prisoner' to be sci-fi, I consider it to be pretty good. But, quite honestly, I don't see why something has to be earnest and serious in order to be good, dramatic, or indeed 'worth anything'.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
What about Red Dwarf? That's one of the best shows ever.
And have you ever seen A Clockwork Orange? Or the first couple of original Frankenstein movies? Or Brazil (yes, directed by an American, but everyone else involved, including great screenwriter Tom Stoppard, was English.) Or The Quatermass Experiment (courtesy of BBC-TV)? Or the original version of The Time Machine?
This is just what I can think of off the top of my head. I know there's more, but I don't think you can write off an entire culture just because you don't like Dr Who.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
And Doctor Who has officially pulled me back into scheduling TV into my week. That hasn't happened since Last Comic Standing two years ago. Unfortunately I must learn, once again, to deal with the dreaded "To be continued."
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
Oh, come on. That literary, relevant, significant stuff is wonderful. But, so is Doctor Who. I like both. Sometimes it is just as important to loosen up and have a laugh as it is to be all serious and analytical and highbrow.
Actually, Doctor Who reminds me of an old American tv show that never got any respect at all, The Monkees. On one level they are both almost kiddie shows, with laughs and clowning around and abundant silliness. On the other hand, if you pay attention and listen closely there is some fairly pointed social and political comment going on. This is true of the Doctor (or at least of the current series running of SciFi), just as it was true of The Monkees back in the late sixties.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I think that Doctor Who is actually quite intelligent and this series can be very moving and profound.
Just watch; there are some fabulous lines.
Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
I will not bash British Sci-Fi, as I am aware of some great work as mentioned by others. I will bash all incarnations of Dr Who and agree that Batman the 60s TV series pretty much personifies everything I hate about it. This includes over the top campy, bad acting, horrible almost non-existant production values, writing that a twelve year old could do, boring, unintelligable story telling, and etc. No amount of "pointed social and political comments" or "relavance" can salvage such gross problems. Seriously, what is it that people like about them? I just don't get it.
On the other hand, I am tending to like this new version. It is better on all the things listed as wrong about the old versions. My dislike of the other versions had me worried I wouldn't have anything to watch on Friday for a few months.
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
While I like Dr. Who, I never did like Batman. Not the 60s version, not the movies. Just not. Doesn't have anything to do with "campy", however, just never liked the character.
And I never saw that much of Dr. Who in previous incarnations to form an opinion other than that it was fun to watch. I'm really enjoying the current Dr. Who running on SciFi. I like the writing - lots of smart-butt remarks. I like the actor playing the Doctor - I'd already noticed him in the film "Elizabeth". I like that the Doctor is not too all-knowing, he's somewhat vulnerable, and he has a sort of childlike ability to take a gleeful pleasure in things that should be pleasurable. However, he also has that jaded edge that a 900-year-old would have to have developed - for instance in the way he was perfectly willing to have "her flatness" (can't recall the character's name) go splat despite Rose's plea that he help her.
Posted by Ron Lambert (Member # 2872) on :
Something very disturbing has happened to me, after watching my fourth episode of Doctor Who. I discovered that I am beginning to feel a certain fondness for the show! My literary taste has suddenly gone south! It started to get to me--the grating sound like a defective washing machine as the Tardis phases out or in; the wide, delighted grin on the Doctor's face in the midst of adventure; even the zany campiness and utter irrationality of the way people behave; not to mention the total nuttiness of the aliens. It's sucked me in! I seem to hear the voice of Patrick Stewart intoning, "Resistance is fu-tyle!" I'm doomed!
Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :
It'll do you good, Ron. All that highbrow stuff will rot your brain, you know. Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Oh, the Tom Baker episodes were mostly wonderful! You have to be cool to get it, though, which a few of you so painfully aren't. Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
Question - When do you know that you've become a total geek?
Answer - When you're watching 'Serenity' and immediately assume that the scene where Mal tries to fight the Operative with the screwdriver is a shout-out to Doctor Who. And then you remember that Joss Whedon said in an interview you once read that he's never watched Doctor Who, so it can't have been. And then you realise that you know and care about what Joss Whedon watches on TV. And then you go and post this on the internet.
Not that I'm talking about myself here. No... it was a friend of mine. In fact, it was a friend of a friend, really, I hardly know her... oh dear. Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I can't believe that Joss Whedon hasn't watched Doctor Who, it seems kind of along the lines of what he would/might (?) like.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Bella Bee
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Last nights episode was great. The guy who played Shaun in Shaun of the Dead was a villian, and made a pretty good one, too. Kudos to him.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
Yeah, I love Simon Pegg. I mean, Shaun of the Dead was great, but after seeing him play such a different character, and do it so well, I'm convinced he's a brilliant actor. I kind of want to see Mission Impossible 3 now just for him.
He kind of reminded me of Bud Cort in that episode. I don't know why.
Posted by DPerry (Member # 7882) on :
Wow. I've never seen a more off-base review than the one for the new Dr. Who on IGMS.
quote:I understand that Dr. Who has a fanatical following, and for those people, I expect the show will be very popular and will remain a hit. But while it'll please those fans, I doubt it's going to make many new ones.
Pretty much the opposite has gone on. Lots of people who never really liked the show seem to be pulled into this new version. Swing and a miss....
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Bella, have you seen the new Cybermen episode that's showing over in the UK? How're the "new" Cybermen?
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
They're shiny.
Well, actually we're only half way through the episode, since it's a two-parter. And the first episode was more about setting up the conflict, so they only appeared for a moment right at the end. Next week looks like there'll be lots of Cybery goodness, though. The costumes look pretty good, I think, although personally I'd say the borg are still scarier. And unfortunately the evil genius who created them is played by an actor who was in a very long running comedy show, so I'm having a bit of trouble taking him completely seriously.
The scene where the Cybermen were made from... (well, I won't spoil it if you don't know), managed to be incredibly funny and grizzly at the same time.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Just watched "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances." Fun!!
With the show's faster pace, it's harder to catch some of the dialogue bits (what with the English accents and all), when it's out on DVD I'll have to watch it with subtitles on...
A cute thing on the BBC's Doctor Who website = they have a panel of kids rate each episode for how scary it is (1 = Mildly Scary, 5 = Terrifying), here's a sample Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I like that, plaid.
I thought that The Empty Child was one of the creepier episodes of a TV show that I've seen in recent years. I had some issues with the episode as a whole, but it still gave me non-literal goosebumps.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I'm so glad to hear I wasn't the only one creeped out by that episode. Because I really was.
Enjoyed it, but it was creepy. that's one I didn't let my kids watch, and I'm glad.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I hid. I don't think I've ever seen the whole of those episodes.
And I too have seen the new Cybermen episode. And Bella's right- they're Shiny. Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
So, what's David Tennant's version of the Doctor like?
Posted by Jacen (Member # 9543) on :
I personally can't wait for the new episodes to show here in America. I never got to watch the original Doctors and I'm sorely dissapointed. I had some friends tell me about it and it sounded like something right up my alley. I'm glad that there are new episodes for me to get in on. I think my favorite quote from the new series (it's in my sig on another forum) is this:
The Doctor: You lot. You spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs, or beef, or global warming, or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible. That maybe you survive. This is the year Five billion... and today is, hold on... This is the day the sun expands. [Grins] Welcome to the end of the world..
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
Jacen, I too love that quote.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I am pissed. I got into this show, and now they have someone else playing the Dr!
Screw this.
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
But is he any good? I'm perfectly ok with a new doctor, if he's got the same intensity and charisma as the last one.
Ni!
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Grrrr! I move into an apartment complex with no Sci-Fi channel and they change the doctor on me! Evil people.
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
They change doctors with some regularity, Kwea! Whether or not the actor is any fun makes or breaks the show. My favorites of the episodes I've seen are the Tom Baker ones from long ago. Of course I haven't seen any since Sylvester McCoy, (whom I did like) so I can't say about all these newfangled Doctors.
Didn't he run out of regenrations yet? He's only supposed to get 12.
The quotes were always one of the greatest things about the show. Of course, Douglas Adams wrote some awesome ones for it. Posted by Vasslia Cora (Member # 7981) on :
From what I understand, this new Doctor is the tenth.
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
The new Doctor is good. He's a little more child friendly than nine - more hyper, louder, hugs people a lot, tends to bounce off the walls a little more. But Tennant is a good actor, IMO.
Of course... MAJORLY HUGE SPOILER!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Who knows what the new companion will be like? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! SPOILER OVER.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
I'm holding off on watching the last two until I have the pair.
*strained*
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I found a couple of episodes featuring the newest doctor posted on youtube, but that was a month ago, and there have been no updates since then. Whoever it was that posted them apparently isn't making a regular thing of it (this isn't a bad thing, but I wish he'd stuck it out just a littl longer--one of the episodes is a two parter, and he only posted the first one). From what I saw, the new doctor seemed pretty solid. Not the most brilliant portrayal of the character I've ever seen, but also far from the worst.
Posted by fil (Member # 5079) on :
Tennant is really good as the Doctor. The episodes this season are not as consistent as the First season but the highs were much higher while the lows were a bit lower. They experiment with the format a bit (an almost entire episode with only vague glimpses of the Doctor...he is the focus of the show but NOT the main character, if that makes any sense...very divisive...some like me loved it while others hated it). I hope SciFi picks it up this year. I hear it may run opposite the new Battlestar. That would be a good pairing, I would think.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
Sci Fi Channel's going to start airing season two on Sept 29th! Yeah!! link Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Oh, yea! I've been waiting to hear when this was coming back.
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
*bump*
Starts this Friday (29th), 8 PM EST Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I can't wait, because I am too cheap to buy the DVD.
Posted by Raventhief (Member # 9002) on :
OMG just saw the last two episodes of this season!
AWESOME!! There were those guys... and the other guys... and they were fighting... and he said... and she... then he showed up... and they... GAAAHHH!!
(head explodes) **pop**
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
*bump*
tonight! Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
::squeal::
Ni!
Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
*one last bump!*
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I liked the new doctor!
he's definitely got possibilities. I think he's cuter than the old one.
Mild spoiler
* * * * * "Oh wait, that's the Lion King" Posted by JonHecht (Member # 9712) on :
I actually cried a bit during the Christmas Invasian where they were like he is the only hope for mankind... I only cry like... once or twice a year. Odd that it was a television show that made me do it.
Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
In case anyone was wondering what the new Doctor Who spinoff series 'Torchwood' is like (I know that it's going to be shown soonish in Canada, not sure about the US), here are a few slightly spoilery thoughts.
It's basically 'Angel'.
That's not a criticism, it's an inevitable comparison. This is a much darker, more disturbing spin off of a far lighter series. The main character (Capt. Jack from the mothership) is a man living in a foreign country in which he has come to feel at home, with a dodgy and mysterious past, who became a hero through his association with (love for?) the main character of the original series. He now runs a small crew of maladjusted and slightly odd people who work to help the hopeless. Although in this case, they're saving them from evil aliens (in latex masks), not demons (in latex masks).
Said main character spends a lot of time standing on the edge of rooftops, walking through rain at night etc in a long dark coat. Scenes are intercut with flyovers of the city at night.
Having only seen the first two episodes it's impossible to say honestly how good this is going to be, although it's pretty good so far.
There's the same mixture of epicness and ordinary everyday recognisable from DW, but this is absolutely NOT a children's show. There's graphic-ish sex, violence and gore, although not more so than Battlestar Galactica. The main problem that most people (and probably the US networks) will probably have with it is the amount of swearing. To be honest, it's probably not really overdone, but it is noticeable and acts a useful clue to those who might have been hoping to let their little kids watch it, that they might want to think again unless they want to explain to little Amy why that man just got his head bitten off. And then there's the same-sex kissing - everyone in this show pretty much snogs everyone else.
Storyline - the misfits work for a secret organisation which uses alien technology to fight alien crime. A little like if the Men in Black were amateurs.
The best thing about the show for me so far, is that the glamorous city we're seeing in those flyover shots is... Cardiff, capital city of Wales (if you don't know, think of the most boringly normal city in North America - I won't say where, don't want to get flamed by loyal residents ). The fact that it's set in Britain’s most ignored city, widely believed to be incredibly dull, makes me want to love this show. Many of the characters are Welsh, accent and all, which makes a refreshing change from London and Manchester.
So far, so good. Posted by Bella Bee (Member # 7027) on :
If you post twice together on a thread, six months apart, can you claim that thread as your own?
Anyway, the new series started tonight on the BBC, in case anyone's interested. It was a good, self-contained story with quite a few laughs.
SPOILERS.... * * * * * Ep 1. A London hospital is kidnapped by alien police. The Doc's new companion is a med student. She seems more relatable than Rose, to me. She's different, in that, so far, she seems to actually think and reason things out more, and yet still takes risks. Her family are awful, but she seems to have more of an actually productive, important life to leave behind. She’s got exams, a career, and yet she's lured by the potential for adventure...
This is such a likable show.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
*sigh*
Waiting until July for it to be back on here....
I love the tenth Doctor, by the way. Perhaps it's a good thing it's not on all the time, since I'm married and all.
The actors and dialogue are what makes this show work despite the most ridiculous plots and even more ridiculous aliens. Whenever the aliens show up I just have to chuckle ... I actually like this show? But I do love the characters and the actors who play them.
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.![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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doesn't get Sci-Fi Channel![[Smile]](smile.gif)
but a friend does and she'll record it for me
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Bella Bee
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