I've seen threads like this pop up before when our random thread becomes a little too on-topic, people start discussing something in the Tavern, or another thread is threatened with hijacking. I figured it was about time to do this, for the first reason stated.
This thread is for the discussing of Doctor Who.
EDIT : (04/25/11) I changed the title of the thread from Doctor Who Discussion to Doctor Who Discussion (All Forms, Spin-Off Series Welcome) to openly expand its purpose.
David Tenent is the best doctor ever and Rose was his best companion. :)
I tend to agree, though I like how angry Christopher Eccleston could get.
I love the show but I tend to be divided in terms of episodes. I love the episodes where they either go to some exotic locale in space/time or at least face some particularly odd monster... I'm not so big a fan of the episodes where the Daleks/Cybermen/Master invade present-day London. I also like the more claustrophobic episodes, where the Doctor and some ragtag bunch are stuck inside some kind of ship/space station/base.
Favorite episodes of mine:
Blink
The Girl in the Fireplace
The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit
The Shakespeare Code
The End of the World
Tooth and Claw
The Waters of Mars
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
Midnight
42
The Doctor Dances
Least favorite episodes:
Rise of the Cybermen/The Age of Steel
Sound of the Drums/Last of the Time Lords
The Stolen Earth/Journey's End
The Christmas Invasion
Aliens of London/World War Three
Anyone seen any of the Matt Smith episodes yet? We're torrenting the first episode of the 5th season as I write this...
I'm rather behind. We lost our cable, so no BBC America, and our antenna isn't picking up PBS or really any local channel with reliability.
We own season one (the Christopher Eccleston season) on DVD. I have also borrowed season two and three of Dr. Who and season one of Torchwood from the library.
I rather like David Tenent's take on the Doctor. Manic seems to be the word most frequently associated with him and that makes for entertaining TV.
Rose was cool, but in a way I liked Martha better because of the whole unrequited love angle, and also because being an M.D. she was a competent individual in her own right.
I was never really a fan of eccleston as the doctor, he was far too angry and I think him leaving the show was for the best. Tenant's doctor was far more interested and entertaining. I do think that what really limited Tenant's doctor (besides the writing) was his last two companions Martha and Donna. I found Martha to be rather bland and Donna was annoying.
Just got done watching the new ep.
[spoiler]
The episode is good, but not great. It does do a good job of introducing the new companion, but I think that the writers could have found more a subtle way to set up the season long story arc.
so far I like the new doctor, but it worries me that he is still acting like the old doctor. at least that is the impression that I got. I am really hoping that they begin to move away from Tenant's Manic doctor and really give this new doctor his own personality.
I do not like the new tardis set, it looks so incredibly campy and lame. The design style looks like a mixture of the 60's series, the 8th doctors from the TV movie, and the last set. none of it seems to really go together.
[/spoiler]
Personally I get kind of bored with those episodes where they go back in to earth's history and meet important people of that time period (like the Shakespeare episode (yuck!).
My favorites tend to be the episodes that are off on far flung worlds, deal with difficult issues or involve the Daleks, Cybermen, Captain Jack, the Master or Rose (dunno what it is about her but I really enjoy her character). So... In reality I typically really like 3/4s - 2/3s of each season and just enjoy the rest.
A lot of people say they hate Donna Noble. Well, all I can say is stay far away from the Cathrine Tate show, lol. I thought she was a good companion because she was so very different that kick butt rose, romantic Martha and Captain Jack.
Eccleston... Yeah he was a weird one. Tenent is by far his superior but Eccleston wasn't that bad. Sure he was dark, brooding and couldn't dance but, he was alright. Having said that, XXsiriusXX is correct, him leaving was for the best, though the season endings of season 1 were some of the best of the entire series (Can't beat poking fun at the BBC and having Daleks as the enemy!).
For whatever reason the Cybermen annoy me. They just feel like campier versions of the Borg... obviously they came before the Borg but the Borg are much scarier, IMO.
Just saw the new episode:
[spoiler]Undecided about the new TARDIS but don't mind Smith... I like the sort of ragamuffin thing he has going on, versus the suaveness of Tennant. He also feels a lot ruder (stealing the laptop) and more full of himself, which help to distinguish him. Tennant was great, but he got a bit brooding and dark towards the end.[/spoiler]
Quote from: SteerpikeFor whatever reason the Cybermen annoy me. They just feel like campier versions of the Borg... obviously they came before the Borg but the Borg are much scarier, IMO.
I loved the Borg until I found out they were originally supposed to be an Insectoid species but due to budget constraints, they (essentially) copied the Cybermen and used more money to make them cooler visually.
(I still LOVE the Borg (I'm a trekkie/Trekker at heart!))
I agree with Steerpike about the episodes. It's that Russell T Davis... he always writes these big overblown epic things with the fate of (at the very least) the world at stake, but the more intimate and/or creepy plots that other writers come up with tend to be, IMHO, a lot better and more fitting for a show like Doctor Who.... there's plenty of blockbuster films that do "epic", but Doctor Who brings me something different :)
I really like the Cybermen. Usually when they're around, they end up dealing with issues of conformity / noncomformity and I usually enjoy that in such an extreme setting.
My favorite thing about Doctor Who is that there really isn't anything else quite like it.
Eccleston's Doctor was supposed to be a post trauma kind of thing. He was still closer to the Time War and trying to deal with that. And he DID dance!
I think Mat Smith is going to make a pretty good Doctor and I really wasn't expecting that.
[spoiler=XXsiriusXX]Aww, c'mon, what isn't subtle about chanting "doesn't know! doesn't know! doesn't know!" or were you referring to zooming on the wedding dress with loud music trying to make you think it was Batman?[/spoiler]
I have high hopes for this season because of Stephen Moffat... looking at some of the episodes he's done (Blink, The Girl in the Fireplace, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, the Empty Child) makes me optimistic. A lot of body horror and creepiness but still inflected with plenty of whimsy. Plus he wrote the first episodes with Captain Jack!
I really, really, really did not like Captain Jack on Doctor Who. In Torchwood, I was really looking forward to seeing him get killed repeatedly. Then they changed Jack on Torchwood...then did it again...and again...I don't know what is background is supposed to be anymore.
Have only seen it sporadically, since it doesn't air often here, but I do like what I've seen.
I really like that episode with the child with the gasmask. And the Impossible Planet/Satan Pit were pretty neat as well. Doctor Who is just generally enjoyable because so much can happen. So what if you have buddhist monks and werewolves in the same episode.
I don't know how I feel about Rose exactly, though. And Torchwood didn't really catch my attention.
Exactly - on Doctor Who, anything can happen.
My favorite thing about Torchwood is that they do, show, and say things that just wouldn't fly on TV in the US.
They're making a US version of Torchwood...
So I've heard. That's been said for well over a year now, though, and nothing has come of it yet. Fox is working on it and if it were on FX, I think it could go well enough. It would probably be short lived or more X-Files like.
I'm very surprised by this but Matt Smith may yet become my favorite Doctor.
I've never watched Torchwood, probably because I find the idea of spin-off shows is usually a little off-putting. Is it good? Is it like Doctor Who or very different? Should I give it a try?
Quote from: KindlingI've never watched Torchwood, probably because I find the idea of spin-off shows is usually a little off-putting. Is it good? Is it like Doctor Who or very different? Should I give it a try?
Its a good show, very enjoyable. It does have a different tone, its darker but still good.
My take on Torchwood is that it's a lot like The X-Files would have been if it were set in the Doctor Who universe (Whoniverse?).
I recommend it.
Forgot to post on saturday.
Love the new Doctor, he's awesome. Will be watching every episode!
I have about zero knowledge about Dr. Who, but just in case you missed it, a new poster started this thread: http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?79377.last a few days ago.
Quote from: Light DragonI have about zero knowledge about Dr. Who
'Dr. Who' relates to the movies that are based on the series but are not a part of it. They are about a man (that is, not a timelord) who has built a TARDIS and they are much like the television series but are meant to kind of stand alone.
'Doctor Who', however, is the name of the television series. Those get crossed often but I try to keep them straight.
It does make a bit of sense because Dr. Who is assumed to be some kind of professional scientist, though I don't think they ever actually stated of what in the one movie I have (Dr. Who and the Daleks). The main character of the television series, on the other hand, isn't actually a doctor or scientist like that in any official sense. He, for reasons that have never been made totally clear and are up for debate, has taken 'Doctor' or 'The Doctor' as his name. Doctor Who works for the name of the series because introductions will often go like this:
"I'm [insert companion name here] and this is the Doctor."
"Oh, Doctor who?"
At that point I cringe and the show moves forward. When the Doctor does need to take a name for some reason, he goes by 'John Smith'. It is clear that this isn't actually his name, though his true name has never been revealed on the show. At least one other person knows it, though.
Anyways, what do you guys think of River Song? After the first angel episode, I really thought she was a future incarnation of the Doctor. I have yet to be fully swayed away from that but the second episode in the two-parter seemed to indicate that she will one day murder the Doctor. The actress that plays her has yet a different theory. She thinks that River is the Doctor's mother. The general consensus from fans and actors is that Stephen Moffat (the producer and writer of many episodes) has in mind who she really is but has also left room to go a different way with the character.
Alright, season five (the second one, that is) has now been and gone in every part of the world and is even on DVD in the United States. That means we all could have legally watched it.
What did everyone think of Matt Smith as the new Doctor?
Personally, I was afraid he was going to be terrible. After watching his first season, I can say he is my favorite Doctor yet (though David Tennant is pretty close, followed by William Hartnell and Christopher Eccleston).
I thought he was going to be meh but he turned out to be AMAZING! He's just so fun and cool, which contrasts nicely against the dark nature that Tennant's Doctor morphed into towards the end of his run.
I really only disliked the second Silurian episode (Cold Blood). The addition of a narrator and the obvious idiocy of giving representation of earth to Amy and the other chick were dreadful. I loved the ending though, it was quite a tear jerker.
The best episode of the season was definitely The Time of Angels ... No wait it was definitely Vincent and the Doctor... No... Drat I can't choose both are amazing (and for very different reasons to boot)!
The two part season finale was everything I hoped for and more!
I can't wait to see more River-focused episodes, I find her character quite fascinating!
I couldn't agree more about Matt Smith, I think he's my favourite of the new Doctors so far (by new I mean Eccleston onwards). It seems like he has somehow synthesised pure Doctor-Who-ness and exudes it constantly when on screen, lol. I'm really looking forward to the Christmas special.
I too am waiting with baited breath for the Christmas special. The preview makes it look quite entertaining! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98x9FwsqzHQ)
I hadn't seen that yet, thanks for sharing.
Now that the Christmas special has come and gone, what did everyone here think of it?
I think it was some of Matt Smith at his best. It seemed like the 11th Doctor from his first episode, The 11th Hour was back (I felt he was a bit different after that episode, not really for better or for worse, just different) and that made me happy. The trailer the special included for the next season looked good, too. I guess a lot of it was filmed in Utah, here in the United States. At least that's what Matt Smith said on Craig Ferguson's show, and from the trailer I believe it.
By the way, for anyone that didn't see it, here is a link to the "lost" opening of Craig Ferguson's Doctor Who episode (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4). It's entertaining and I enjoyed the entire episode. We considered changing our band name to Three Octopusses and an Otter because of it but that was taken on Facebook and such within an hour of the show airing.
Quote from: Ninja D!Now that the Christmas special has come and gone, what did everyone here think of it?
I really enjoyed the Christmas Special. It was everything you wanted out of an episode and more. The acting, the story and the drama were spot on as well as the forlorn love shared between the two characters (facilitated by the Doctor of course). In all honesty, it was a refreshing change to see the Special not focus on some grave threat that could destroy/conquer the Earth. I have to say, this was probably my favorite Christmas special ever.
Quote from: Ninja D!By the way, for anyone that didn't see it, here is a link to the "lost" opening of Craig Ferguson's Doctor Who episode (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9P4SxtphJ4). It's entertaining and I enjoyed the entire episode.
:huh: OMG awesome!!! :whoa:
Apparently the woman that played Sarah Jane Smith had cancer that she was keeping secret from the public...aand now she's dead. That sucks.
New season starts this Saturday! It looks like they are targeting an American audience that they don't understand. Revolvers! Cowboy hats! Aliens! Government! Jamy dodgers and a fez!
[size=36]I cannot WAIT for Saturday! It can't come soon enough!!!!!! [/size]
How do you feel about their push to expand their American audience?
This includes; They filmed a portion of this coming season in Utah. It is also, apparently, largely set in the US. Revolvers and plaid and cowboy hats. Airing episodes in the US on BBC America at the same time they air in th UK instead a multiple week delay.
The end result could be, as a BBC rep has said they want......DOCTOR WHO LEGOS AND A LEGO DOCTOR WHO VIDEO GAME! Lego told them they need a larger American audience first.
I think its a nifty idea, Dr. Who has been very, very focused on Britain since the reboot, I think it will be a nice change of pace to see them focus on the a different country, even more so since its my country ^^
Honestly, Dr. Who doesn't visit America very often, I can really only think of two episodes where they've come here (both involving Daleks oddly enough).
To be honest, I love Dr. Who, especially this Dr. Who, so no matter where they go, I will be happy! :)
Doctor Who isn't an American show. American shows rarely go to Britain. I'm fine with it if it doesn't become a regular thing and it isn't too obvious that they're doing to for an American audience. I'd also be fine if they never left Wales, as long as it's good.
The Christmas special told me that the Grand Moff understands that people really liked Matt Smith in The 11th Hour and that he will behave more like that...which I like. I watched that episode twice within a day of when it aired.
Quote from: Ninja D!Doctor Who isn't an American show. American shows rarely go to Britain. I'm fine with it if it doesn't become a regular thing and it isn't too obvious that they're doing to for an American audience. I'd also be fine if they never left Wales, as long as it's good.
The Christmas special told me that the Grand Moff understands that people really liked Matt Smith in The 11th Hour and that he will behave more like that...which I like. I watched that episode twice within a day of when it aired.
He's a space & time traveling Alien, he can center his adventures any where he wants! Just because its set in America doesn't mean its going to become an American show. its still Dr. Who and its still quintessentially British. Like I said, I will watch the show regardless of where it goes.
That's not what I mean. It's the style of tbe promotion for this season. It's clearly aimed at Americans.
Oh I gotchya. Yeah the adverts are definitely targeting an American audience but that's a good thing. The more people get into the show, the better.
I wonder if the ads are the same in the UK.
The ones coming from the Doctor Who fan page on Facebook are that way, and that directs things at the native audience, most of the time. So I'd say it's safe to say "yes".
The hat didn't last long and the revolver was quickly, and meaninglessly, emptied. It was mostly for promo shots. Good.
The episode wasn't bad. It had some high points, though I had hoped for better after the wait. They focused too much on setting up a season-long arc that I'm not sure I will enjoy.
That underground room...wasn't that the same set from The Lodger, last season?
The Doctor is dead. Long live the Doctor!
I disagree, I think this was an amazing episode, even better than 11th Hour, IMO. Sure there was a lot of focus on the season-arc because its going to factor in more prominently than Amy's crack (which was more of a mystery that slowly came to a point in the finale).
I really liked (though it made me feel very sad) was when River discussed how she believes it will be the death of her when finally she meets the doctor who never knew who she was.
The underground room is indeed from the Lodger, which I think is awesome (I love multi-season plot threads). While we're on the topic of multi-season plot points, I hope we see more from the Dream Lord. He was a very interesting character that wasn't given his full due. Additionally, I really hope they dive into River's character this season. I have so many questions that I want answered!
My biggest disappointment is that the episode ended quite suddenly and really felt like they should have treated us with a double feature. I'm all for cliff hangers but I've waited, what, 8 months(?) for the new season to start, I expected a bit more show. Also I really, really hate how BBC America chopped the show up, practically every five minutes there was a commercial break, and every other break contained those lame "Dr. Who insider" things, which I think are just terrible. I don't want commentary before I've even finished the first episode!
While River was quite dramatic, even depressing, I think that statement was almost comedic. We've already seen when the Doctor first meets her and she does die, though not directly from it.
I hadn't considered that reusing that set may be part of a cross-season plot. That's a good point. I had figured it was just to save money. I like your idea better.
I'm not really a fan of River, myself. I really don't know how I feel about the Doctor having a companion that carries, and uses, a gun...and he's pretty much okay with that. I think that's wrong for the character. At least it's now pretty much cleared up that River is a romantic interest. Now that I think about it, River may have been the person in the space suit at the begining.
BBC shouldn't overdo advertisements. They need to pick between winning over a larger American audience or cashing in on the one they have. Doing both at once will probably fail. They should just air Doctor Who Confidential in the US, right after each new episode.
I've thought through it a bit more and don't think that was River. While I believe that she does eventually kill the Doctor somehow, I think she gets caught and goes to prison for it.
She dies on the inside the moment she sees the 10th doctor, it just takes to the conclusion of the episode for her body to die (that episode depresses me even more now that we've seen how cool River is!).
I always thought the Loger was a very weird episode, we never really saw who the aliens were and their ship just leaves once its fixed. These new aliens are stuck and can't leave, have the same style ships and use memory altering abilities - so the only conclusion I can draw is that they are one in the same... At least I hope so :)
I don't think River is a companion in the same sense than Amy and Rory are. She is a romantic interest, which I think gives her more leeway as to what she can do around the Doctor. Plus, the implied threat of the Doctor just dumping her off at home and ending their adventure together is meaningless because no matter what the doctor does, she will come back. It changes the dynamic quite substantially. Plus, she isn't the first "companion" to use a gun, Rose toted that cannon around towards the end of her arc.
Last season I emailed BBC America about the issue and they said the problem was that in Britain, they can air their shows for as long as they want (so you could have a 35 minute show and no one would bat an eye) but here in America everything works like clock work, you can only begin and end a show at the top and bottom of an hour (usually). Due to this the BBC tries to stretch or cut Dr. Who down to fit into an hour and some times that means it gets a lot of commercials. They had no response to the suggestion about making a fewer number of breaks but making each break longer (which leads me to believe they are getting good money on the ads).
I don't think the Astronaut was River, though it would be kind of funny given the outfit River and her friends were wearing in her first episode (i.e. Space Suits). I think the Astronaut might be the little girl, or even Nixon! :P
If anything, the romantic interest bit should make River having a gun more of a problem.
Oh yeah, I'm sure we won't see the Dream Lord again (the dickless traitor! -- if you haven't seen Your Highness, do it now) but Moffat does love to explore the Doctor's darker side so I'm sure that we'll see more of that. Hopefully it just doesn't come in totally illogical form again, like Rory's speech in Vampires of Venice.
I'm still not a big fan of River. It's hard to pull off being a total badass and being aware of it without coming across as a prick. The Doctor does it but both River and Jack rub me the wrong way, though Jack was greatly improved in Torchwood.
Quote from: Ninja D!If anything, the romantic interest bit should make River having a gun more of a problem.
But it makes sense in terms of how they meet each other. They're going in opposite directions - River gets older as the doctor gets younger and the Doctor gets older as River gets younger. The Doctor meets badass River over and over again, thus by the time he meets a River that has never met the Doctor, he has grown to accept her as being a badass. He can't change her personality because that would cause a paradox.
Quote from: Ninja D!Oh yeah, I'm sure we won't see the Dream Lord again (the dickless traitor! -- if you haven't seen Your Highness, do it now) but Moffat does love to explore the Doctor's darker side so I'm sure that we'll see more of that. Hopefully it just doesn't come in totally illogical form again, like Rory's speech in Vampires of Venice.
Yeah illogic is the worst! Still, I hope the Dream Lord shows up again and has a fun episode, maybe with a bit more depth than his previous showing.
Quote from: Ninja D!I'm still not a big fan of River. It's hard to pull off being a total badass and being aware of it without coming across as a prick. The Doctor does it but both River and Jack rub me the wrong way, though Jack was greatly improved in Torchwood.
Jack and River don't annoy me, they just handle their badassery in different ways. The Doctor does it by showing off his brilliance, Jack did it with swagger and River does it with charm. Charm is the hardest because it can easily be misinterpreted as overconfidence, which is annoying.
The Dream Lord was formed by a hallucination, the source of which was thrown into space.
Yeah, that doesn't seem like charm to me.
Honestly, I liked River Song the best in her first episode. She didn't come off as annoying to me in that one. It's another case of Doctor Who's (and Steven Moffat's) revising history, though. In that episode there was no indication that she was a time traveler without the Doctor. It is even suggested that she isn't. After all, she says that she in an archaeologist, the Doctor says he is a time traveler, and she doesn't mention that she is also one of those. That says something to me.
Moffat also changed the weeping angels a bit. At least, that's how it seems. There is another possibility that Grand Moff fanboys are probably more willing to accept. It's possible that in those older episodes (Blink for the weeping angels, Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead for River Song) those elements were intended to be what they are now but were altered by someone other than Steven Moffat. After all, he wrote them but he was not Executive Producer at the time, Russell T Davies was. I believe Moffat was being groomed for the role at the time but he wouldn't have had all that much power yet. This idea is a bit of a stretch for what was done with the weeping angels, though. Notice that they didn't try to send anyone back in time when Matt Smith's Doctor encountered them. Maybe someone has the DVDs of that season and could confirm if there are commentaries? Or maybe someone has just heard? I haven't really researched it.
I watched a couple of commentaries from last season this morning. I can't believe that I didn't notice this before; Both of the female (at least, I assume that they are female based on their biology being similar to that of humans) Silurians with speaking parts last season (from The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood) were played by the same person. She wore different makeup for the different roles and spoke a little differently but once I knew it seemed obvious. Even when they're together, near the end of second episode of the two, they don't show both of them at the same time. Did anyone catch that before?
HEY LOOK, I CHANGED THE TITLE OF THE THREAD! I know there are at least a couple of Torchwood fans about here. I love that show. I wanted to see an American version made but I don't want that to replace the original. There is stuff on the BBC version of that show that would never make it to air, even on a cable network, here in the States.
I was wondering if we should take an official stance on spoilers in this thread. Any thoughts? I think that anything should be fair game once it has aired, especially now that episodes are aired in the UK and the US in the same week (though one day apart) but if others feel differently, I'll listen. I'd also like this thread to remain open to broader discussion even though it will probably usually be focused on the most recent episode and things related to it.
Quote from: Ninja D!Honestly, I liked River Song the best in her first episode. She didn't come off as annoying to me in that one. It's another case of Doctor Who's (and Steven Moffat's) revising history, though. In that episode there was no indication that she was a time traveler without the Doctor. It is even suggested that she isn't. After all, she says that she in an archaeologist, the Doctor says he is a time traveler, and she doesn't mention that she is also one of those. That says something to me.
One word - Spoilers. You can explain any and all inconsistencies with River's various appearances as spoilers. Having re-watched the first bit of River's first appearance, she was being a bit cheeky when she said she was an Archaeologist (the Doctor said he disliked Archaeologists because he's a time traveler, River, being very cavalier and obviously flirtatious, stated she her self as an Archaeologist). River didn't need to introduce herself as a time traveler because she believed the Doctor already knew her. It was only after she tried to compare diaries that River realized the Doctor had never met her.
Quote from: Ninja D!I watched a couple of commentaries from last season this morning. I can't believe that I didn't notice this before; Both of the female (at least, I assume that they are female based on their biology being similar to that of humans) Silurians with speaking parts last season (from The Hungry Earth and Cold Blood) were played by the same person. She wore different makeup for the different roles and spoke a little differently but once I knew it seemed obvious. Even when they're together, near the end of second episode of the two, they don't show both of them at the same time. Did anyone catch that before?
I listened to a podcast back then that mentioned the fact. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have noticed.
Quote from: Ninja D!I was wondering if we should take an official stance on spoilers in this thread. Any thoughts? I think that anything should be fair game once it has aired, especially now that episodes are aired in the UK and the US in the same week (though one day apart) but if others feel differently, I'll listen. I'd also like this thread to remain open to broader discussion even though it will probably usually be focused on the most recent episode and things related to it.
So long as you post after the 10 Pacific time on Saturdays and we only discuss what has aired (not what will air) then I don't see a problem lifting the spoiler ban.
I couldn't remember if we had actually stated there was a ban on spoilers or not. It doesn't matter much to me, personally. The joke will always be better when delivered by the Doctor and the plot isn't set in stone (time travel, duh).
Did anyone see last week's episode? I thought it was great, classic Mat Smith.
And the ending - so very sad. I feel horrible for River. It does, however, explain quite a bit.
I forgot to post here. Last weeks episode ranked right near The Unicorn and The Wasp among my favorites.
For the record, I think The Unicorn and The Wasp is the worst episode of the new series and possibly up there for the 33+ seasons of the franchise.
Of course, even in the worst of episodes Smith plays a brilliant Doctor. The bit with the video of the aliens you forget in the blank spot of the moon landing was VERY clever. I'm also glad that they stated for sure that that was the same kind of ship from the Lodger, not just lazy set design.
The feel of the last couple of episodes has also said to me that they are reaching for a different audience and I don't like that. Doctor Who is like pizza, though, even the very worst is still pretty good when compared to other things.
The did not like the end bit with River and the Doctor. I was still holding out weak hope that they wouldn't go there...but they did. I'm glad that they at least adressed the gun thing. He said something about her shooting things and, "I know I shouldn't like that but I kinda do."
The best part of the episode, by far, was:
"This person you want to marry...black?"
"Yes..." long pause "HE is."
"I think the moon is far enough for now."
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the whole Silence thing. It seems clear that they didn't know what the Silence would actually end up being last season. That or we are still missing a major part of the puzzle that isn't obviously not there.
The Silence being a race makes, "SILENCE WILL FALL" seem like a bad play on words or cheesey foreshadowing (spoiler: the Doctor wins), though that doesn't make perfect sense. Again, we could be misssing something that we don't know we're missing.
I feels oddly like that story is done but I hope it isn't. That would be painfully anticlimatic.
Though they played with their power nin a pretty cheesey way, I think that the Silence were great monsters and perfect for Doctor Who. While that made those episodes even more disappointing, it still makes me hope we haven't seen the last of them.
I'm also still dreading the "game changing cliffhanger."
We haven't seen the last of the Silence, there was on on the hill in the first episode. Plus, I'm sure they aren't going to take the Doctor's revolution sitting down.
In addition to that, the Silence are connected to the girl, who is in some way connected to Amy.
Speaking of that girl, [spoiler=Theories about the girl]there's four possibilities, that I can see, for who she is - She's the Doctor, she's the love child of Amy and the Doctor, she's the love child of River and the Doctor or she is the Doctor's Daughter (from the episode "The Doctor's Daughter").
The first is iffy at best. We did see the Doctor die and there was a Silence dude on the hill, he could have helped her regenerate and gone back in time... Seems implausible, especially considering the fact that the Doctor has never regenerated into anything except a full grown man. River and the Doctor's love child is also implausible given that River and the Doctor are going in opposite directions, thus River would already know about the girl (and thus probably would have acted differently during the episodes). Amy and the Doctor's love child is a good bet given her feelings towards the doctor but its still "out there." So, to me, the only plausible explanation, based on the information we have at hand, is that she is the Doctor's daughter. However, very few threads seem to be being pulled from the pre-Matt Smith continuity, so there's a fair chance this girl is something entirely new. [/spoiler]
As for today's episode [spoiler=today's episode] MEEEEEEEEEH! I'm sure there will be an element from this story that's carried through to the finale but... Man, this episode was not nearly as good as the last two. It obviously had a low budget (most of which was spent on the boat, I'm sure) and the plot was fairly boring (and once again showcased a common plot hole of people from pre-electronic times instantly recognizing technology for what it is and accepting it as wondrously mundane (seriously, if it were real, the captain probably would have killed the doctor right off the bat, he does use "witchcraft" (i.e. technology) after all)).
/end rant
I hope the next episode has a larger budget and a more expansive and interesting story. The season is 2 for 3, which is not bad at all. [/spoiler]
What about [spoiler]the 'Schrodinger's foetus' Amy is carrying? Do you think it's possibly the past version of the girl we see later? A different character altogether? My memory of last season is a little hazy, but isn't Rory actually some kind of android? Could he even impregnate Amy??[/spoiler]
On the subject of the Silence, they seem a little close to the Weeping Angels to me, with the whole "keep looking at them" thing. Still, it's better than an endless sequence of Daleks/Cybermen.
EDIT: Oh, and on the subject of America, do people think it was stereotyped and overblown a bit, with the whole gun-toting paranoia thing? On the upside, BADGER!
Hey, Steerpike. I was hoping you'd make an appearance as the first couple of episodes seemed like ones you would enjoy.
We don't know for sure that the little girl was in that space suit at the beginning. I'm guessing that it wasn't. I also think that the girl is something new. If they were going to bring the Doctor's Daughter in again, they would have done it by now...and I really wish that they had. David Tenant is marrying that actress, by the way.
I think last night's episode was the best of the season so far. And that note :-p Doctor Who has always been full of stuff like the technology acceptance...it always will be.
I had forgotten the Silence on the hill.
What about the woman with the eye patch? That is at least one element from this week's episode that will show up in the finale.
I agree with Steerpike that the America stuff was too much. Their entire image of this country must come from watching our movies and mostly westerns.
The Silence and the Weeping Angels may both be "keep your eye on them" kind of enemies but what they do when you're not looking is completely different.
I wonder if the girl could grow up to be the woman with the eye patch in the portal/opening/thingy. She's shown up twice now, i fully expect to see her over and over again.
One thing I am really, really happy about is that they're actually playing with time travel and using the TARDIS within episodes rather than just as a way of conveying the characters to a given episode's location. There was some fun time-bending stuff in Tennant's time but less than in Smith's.
What do the Weeping Angels really do when you're not looking at them? It seems to have changed. Both creatures came from the mind of Moffat so maybe he isn't that creative.
Don't they move at preternatural speed? What aspect changed?
Their methods are similar (hypnosis, images of the race utilizing racial powers, possession of "super powers" (speed, lightening, etc.)) but they differ in motive (one wishes to feast, the other dominate).
I'd also argue that the real danger of the Silence is while you're looking at them. That's when they are able to plant the ideas in your mind. Of course, that danger doesn't really show itself until you look away and you have ideas in your had with no idea where they came from.
This morning I finished devouring all of the extra content on the series 5 bluray set and the Christmas special bluray. I guess that with the interviews I've watched and read online must make me a semi-expert on Steven Moffat / Matt Smith Doctor Who. It has also made me VERY sick of Karen Gillan. I don't mind Amy Pond but Karen Gillan annoys me a bit.
I watched an episode of Graham Norton where she was a guest... Yeah she can be very annoying and weird.
Hm. Dr. Who. I don't know if this was mentioned yet:
http://comics.shipsinker.com/?id=16
But a 272 page fan comic on the Ten Doctors; done by the fellow who does Yet another Fantasy Gamer Comic.
Cool, thanks for sharing.
That was pretty funny. Makes me wish I could get a hold of the older Dr. Who episodes.
They're around, if you look. There are VHS releases for all or most of the complete stories and the DVD releases are catching up. For the incomplete stories, you can find some things online.
What'd everyone think of the Gaiman episode?
I think it was the most original episode of the entire new series. At the beginning, I thought I wasn't going to like it. In the end, I was please with it.
Loved last week's episode! Really awesome! Wish "Sexy" could be around more, sadly she can't.
Yeah, I thought it was really inventive. I really loved the sets, and the fact that we finally got to see more of the TARDIS. Apparently the episode was originally going to feature a TARDIS swimming pool, but due to budget they had to cut it.
Quote from: SteerpikeYeah, I thought it was really inventive. I really loved the sets, and the fact that we finally got to see more of the TARDIS. Apparently the episode was originally going to feature a TARDIS swimming pool, but due to budget they had to cut it.
I agree, it was really cool finally seeing what all the character see - the hallways, the rooms, the etc. I wish we could have seen the pool. I did find the corridors to be rather drab, not very becoming of the doctor and his eccentricity.
The corridors were awful looking but on Confidential they suggested that that was because of House.
Anyone else notice that this episode seemed strongly connected to The 11th Hour, like it was written just after watching that episode?
I think I read somewhere that it was originally intended to air in the last season but got rewritten pretty extensively for this one (Rory was added, for example).
According to Wikipedia, the Doctor's Wife was originally meant to be in the slot where the Lodger was. That's very, very interesting given that the Lodger was the first episode where we got to see a Silence ship.
I remembered that there was supposed to be an episode by that author last year.
Enjoyable episode of Dr. Who.
Can't wait for part 2!
[spoiler=]I think this episode, barring anything crazy in the next, essentially confirms that the girl from the first two episodes IS the Doctor's Daughter. Not only did the Doctor say he had experience with the goo BUT if you remember back to the Doctor's Daughter, "Jenny" (as Donna called her) was created from goo fully clothe with a full personality and all within a few short minutes, just like the goo from this episode! [/spoiler]
I don't remember the Doctor's Daughter being made from goo. I think this explains the Doctor's death in the first episode.
Quote from: Ninja D!I don't remember the Doctor's Daughter being made from goo. I think this explains the Doctor's death in the first episode.
I thought it was goo but I guess it wasn't. /sadness. Looks like this is the "dead Doctor".
I can't say for sure. I still hope we see a return of the Doctor's daughter, eventually. Hopefully with the same actress.
I really need to watch some more Dr. Who... If only they'd show it here or NBC would at least keep their programs on schedule so I could record it. Argh.
Also, what I have read about the weeping angels remind me of this guy:
http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-173
(from a webpage that circulated in the tavern for a few days/weeks last year, I believe)
I remember that site! So much for sleeping...
Fake Amy = splat. Real Amy = have baby. There was no logical reason for those two flesh people to stay behind. Thoughts?
GAH! I hate BBC America, they didn't air a new episode this week. Now America will be 1 week behind the UK!
Oh, they didn't? So there's at least an extra week before seeing the conclusion of The Rebel Flesh, then? That sucks. There is only that and one more episode before the mid-season break, though. Good thing I was fairly vague in what I said.
To be honest I didn't even read your post for fear of [voice=River Song]Spoilers[/voice] :)
Still, It makes me crazy that BBC America aired an entire day-long marathon of Dr. Who and didn't cap it off with a new episode!
Well, I've managed to... obtain... the first season of the revival, and seasons 2-6 are on their way. This is my first experience with The Doctor, and I must say... Not bad. Are the special effects always this bad?
I liked this Doctor. He really had balls. He has a certain decisive way with his plans of action that, yes, may involve killing if necessary, that's really fitting for a war hero(?).
Captain Jack Harkness, at least in that last episode, reminds me a bit of Charlie Sheen in Platoon. That man is just too good-looking to be that badass, and yet... Somehow, he pulls it off. Smooth.
Billie Piper is gorgeous as Rose. An absolute joy to watch. [spoiler=The most interesting thing I found about her] ...is that, for all the times she's completely lost with all of what's going on, there's just as many times when she can and does take charge. You don't really get that with American shows. Usually sidekicks of any sort are just barely incompetent enough to emphasize just how cool their partner is, and usually women are only competent if they're a housewife that needs to be, just to take care of their man-child husband. It's either that or damsel-in-distress, really. Rarely do you get to see a female character fumble and shine equally.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=That ending was quite well-done, too.]So, it turns out Rose was the Bad Wolf, after all? But only when she has the TARDIS's... Time Vortex thingy inside of her? Also, that kiss was an interesting cop-out. After an entire season of will-they-or-won't-they, the one genuinely romantic moment between the two characters... Was really just saving her life from danger. Which, admittedly, is still a big thing among non-adventuring types, but it was really his death that made the act anything more than the other times he saved her life.
And a new Doctor, huh? I've already given my thoughts on the one that I've seen, so I'll see where this new one goes. He might be interesting.[/spoiler]
So. Barcelona, then?
Tennant is pretty awesome, I think - hopefully you'll enjoy his portrayal. I'm getting pretty fond of Matt Smith, too.
The effects really vary. Sometimes they're halfway decent, especially when they're subtler (creepy makeup and that sort of thing). They seem to have mostly gotten better as the revival has progressed.
I shouldn't say the effects were bad, exactly, but some of them were clearly pretty cheap. The acting and directing managed to work the effects into something more impressive than the budget would've otherwise allowed. Oftentimes the creative use of a budget can outweigh the size of it.
Tennant looks potentially goofy so far, but I think he could do well. This is the first Regeneration for me, so I'll get to discover exactly how different of a Doctor he is. I'm trying to reserve too much judgment until I actually see him in action, and then I'll decide what I think of him.
The effects have become quite amazing, actuallly. They do all kinds of CGI stuff that I don't even notice until watching the Confidential. Big American movies have yet to even pulll thatt off.
Season 6 isn't really finished yet. There will be more inn the fall. I'm sure the big finale will fall on 11/11/11.
The effects have become quite amazing, actuallly. They do all kinds of CGI stuff that I don't even notice until watching the Confidential. Big American movies have yet to even pulll thatt off.
Season 6 isn't really finished yet. There will be more inn the fall. I'm sure the big finale will fall on 11/11/11.
Tenant is widely regarded as being the best Doctor in recent memory... That is before Matt Smith, who seems to be gaining as much, if not more, popularity.
At any rate, the effects vary wildly as the series progresses episode to episode, season to season. Generally the season "meta-plot" episodes receive a higher budget, or at least look that way. I agree with Steerpike's assessment that the effects team pulls off subtle better than grandiose, though that is not always the case.
In general, however, each season's effects get better and better.
...and they've gotten to be impressive. The last episode was what Star Wars should have been.
I won't spoil any of it until the episode airs in the States. But damn. Seriously, damn. If you thought you'd seen the Doctor angry before, that was nothing.
DANG IT! I hate the BBC!!! I want my Who Episodes NOW!!!!
The BBC has done just fine. It's their American child that has problems. There are ways to get them now. Also, I think the DVD set is supposed to be out next month.
I don't think I've ever actually watched an episode on TV...
Latest episode was pretty interesting. Lots of info on River Song.
Quote from: SteerpikeI don't think I've ever actually watched an episode on TV...
I watched a marathon at my mother's once. Also, when I first met my girlfriend, she had BBC America. Otherwise I use the internet and DVDs. I'm buying everything they release on Bluray, even at their crazy BBC prices so I don't feel the least bit bad about previewing before that. If they would bring BBC America to a lower cable package in my area, I'd pick it up. Right now we only have basic cable because it comes with our internet for about an extra $10 a month. To get BBC America, we'd had to go two packages up and that would cost us at least another $40 per month. I can't justify that for one or two shows when I know I'm going to buy them on Bluray, anyway and I don't keep a normal sleep schedule (DVR would cost even more still...)
Cable packages are the stupidest scam ever. It makes no sense. I don't watch 90% of the channels on my TV, yet to get the 2-3 channels I'd actually like to watch I'd have to pay something like $40-50 more per month. Eventually that system is just going to collapse in on itself.
/end rant
Saw the charity special, Christmas Invasion, and New Earth. Tennant can be downright scary as the Doctor.
I was right, though; He is a little goofy. Not in a bad way, but in more of a don't-steal-this-man's-caffeine sort of way. It's definitely an interesting combination of traits.
Quote from: SDragonI was right, though; He is a little goofy. Not in a bad way, but in more of a don't-steal-this-man's-caffeine sort of way. It's definitely an interesting combination of traits.
Tennant is definitely different than Eccleston. Eccleston was more dark and brooding where as Tennant is much more jovial. That joviality, however, belies a fairly dark and scary man, as I'm sure you have no doubt seen.
I adore Tennant's catchphrase (if you can even call it that)... "Allons-y!"
Jovial: "I just needed a cup of tea!"
Scary: "No second chances. I'm that sort of man."
I suppose I see the scary side a little bit more, because everyone seems to describe Eccleston as "dark", which I didn't really see. I saw him more as a Doctor that took his adventures seriously, employing pragmatic solutions. Like I said earlier, he was perfect as the major war veteran.
Tennant, on the other hand, has a cold, seething anger under his fragile playfulness. In his first full episode, he gave the above scary quote, two equally intimidating warnings, and then, with calm deliberation, said Just Six Words. I wouldn't want to mess around with a guy like that, even if he wasn't a Time Lord.
Oh just wait until you get to the end of his run. He gets really scary in Waters of Mars. Almost too dark for him.
None of that can hold a candle to the wrath of a pissed off Mat Smith, though, even if he still presents his darkness in a light-hearted manner.
Just watched Tooth and Claw. People say the historicals aren't as good as the sci-fi stuff, and I can see that in episodes like that Dickens one, but I thought this one was really good. Queen Victoria was a total badass.
Also, about the preview for the next episode: RUPERT GILES?! I can't wait!
Edit-- Just watched that episode, and I gotta say... mixed feelings about it. I think a large part of it was aimed at the fans that already knew Sarah Jane Smith and K-9, and I have no real attachment to the characters. On top of that, whether intentionally or otherwise, it felt like a really big Take That at British schooling systems. [spoiler=Im surprised the more obvious jabs were left implied]The food is horrible, the Headmaster is evil, the teachers-- except for that One Cool Teacher-- are soul-sucking vampires, the children are overworked into mindless automatons...
Really, the only thing that was actually commented on was the idea that maybe the best solution really is to blow up the school.
Of course, all of this could be applied to American schooling, as well...[/spoiler]
That said, I've been a fan of Anthony Head's work as Rupert Giles on Buffy, and he doesn't disappoint here, either. I've already seen him as a stuffy British librarian, ass-kicking "papa wolf" Watcher, rebellious punk occultist rock star, and now I get to see him like this.
Ok just saw the mid-season finale:
[spoiler=] OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JUST OMG!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O.M.G.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blown away. This episode was a game changer. Everything is different.
I love it!
[/spoiler]
Just finished up Season 2. :(
Yeah Season 2 has a very sad ending.
There was no cliffhanger in the midseason finale and it was not at all "game changing". I'm glad for both of these things.
Quote from: Ninja D!There was no cliffhanger in the midseason finale and it was not at all "game changing". I'm glad for both of these things.
[spoiler]It was game changing because it solved a riddle that had been there for 2 seasons - Who is this River Song? One mystery solved, more to come.
I can't wait until all the River episodes have completed because it will be so fun to go back and watch them in order from River's perspective.
I was disappointed that there wasn't a mid-season cliff hanger, though the bumper at the very end of the episode really has me pumped for the next half of the season! [/spoiler]
just started season 3. SO glad that Donna didn't stay.
Edit-- That was, hands down, my favorite take on Shakespeare. Dude's like a freakin' rockstar!
[spoiler=To NinjaD]SDragon is in for a shock come season 4! hahah! [/spoiler]
Lazurus Project: THOSE are the special effects I'm talkin' about!
The Episode That Follows: It could be the beer, but this is probably the most epic episode ever! It somehow escalated from Martha needing to know who sold more pre-download albums between Elvis and The Beatles, to wondering if the Doctor was going to regenerate, and the intensity only continues from there!
I really liked 42, it was a great episode.
It was good, but I'll have to watch it again in order to follow it properly.
The two-parter, though... That one I managed to follow. Just finished up The Family Blood. What he did to them was exactly the sort of scary that I'd expect from Tennant. Touching ending, though. I liked the whole thing.
I wasn't big on The Lazarus Project or 42. The Lazarus Project was actually the first episode I saw and I saw it twice before any other. After that, it took my girlfriend a while to convince me to give the show another chance...
Eventually I did and I'm very glad that I did. Even that episode was better when watched in context.
You would not believe the amount of Doctor Who stuff here at Convergence. There's so much great stuff and I can't decide what is worth the money. I would love a TARDIS USB hub but is that really worth $40? The same goes for a Matt Smith sonic screwdriver. There is a sweet dalek clock but it has exposed hands and I think my girlfriend's cats would destroy it.
Quote from: Ninja D!You would not believe the amount of Doctor Who stuff here at Convergence. There's so much great stuff and I can't decide what is worth the money. I would love a TARDIS USB hub but is that really worth $40? The same goes for a Matt Smith sonic screwdriver. There is a sweet dalek clock but it has exposed hands and I think my girlfriend's cats would destroy it.
You should haggle the guy down to $30 on the TARDIS USB, that thing would be so awesome to walk around with!
Quote from: Ninja D!You would not believe the amount of Doctor Who stuff here at Convergence. There's so much great stuff and I can't decide what is worth the money. I would love a TARDIS USB hub but is that really worth $40? The same goes for a Matt Smith sonic screwdriver. There is a sweet dalek clock but it has exposed hands and I think my girlfriend's cats would destroy it.
BUY EVERYTHING!
*ahem*
Sorry, my wallet hates cons, almost-- but not quite-- as much as I love them.
I've already gone through nearly $200 so I feel your pain. I bought a bag of holding.
Post pics!!!!
So, I started out on Torchwood. I didn't get the first two episodes, but I'll catch up on those as soon as I can.
My impression? Like Doctor who, only with less time traveling, more humans, more guns, and more Barrowman-on-guy kissing.
Torchwood is much, much darker. It's brilliant.
Ok, so I watched the first two episodes, and two thoughts occured to me while watching Day One:
First, apparently the best way to threaten a gaseous life form is with a gun. Yep.
Second, where's the fanservice in this show? It doesn't have nearly enough fanservice. I demand more fanservice.
What sort of fanservice? They are an attractive bunch...
I just watched the first episode of Miracle Day. Russel T Davies said this would be even darker but it only was for a moment. A bit slow but pretty good.
It was sarcasm; That episode featured an orgasm devourer trapped in an attractive young woman's body that made out with Gwen (for the guys), and stripped Owen completely naked (for the ladies). If anything, that episode was made of pure fanservice.
One thing I'm really appreciating about Torchwood is how well it can do without any real special effects. I first noticed this in The Ghost Machine, which just used a prop and some clever cuts, and then again in Out of Time, which didn't even use that. The closest that episode came to special effects was some technobabble about temporal portals and such. It's actually quite refreshing to watch sci-fi that doesn't try to dazzle you with the latest CGI wonders.
Yeah, I know, I've taken over the thread. This is only until I catch up to more recent stuff, honest.
Watching The Santaran Stratagem right now. Apparently, you can judge your level of intoxication by how well you can follow the average episode of Doctor Who. 42, I couldn't follow. After four unusually quick beers (I normally drink at a decent pace), I'm just now starting to pause to remember what happened earlier.
I still don't get 42, though. What did Elvis and the Beatles have to do with anything?
Dear Steven Moffat,
Thank you very much. i rather enjoyed sleeping before you entered my life.
Sincerely,
Me
Moffat is pretty cool. The trouble is, he seems fully aware of that. He comes across as being just as much of a fan as anyone else but also as knowing how good he is. I guess the Doctor is his role model.
Torchwood is brilliant for being lower budget. There's a lot of fanservice in that show, too. Also a lot of comedy.
How far along in both shows are you now, SDragon?
A few episode of Season 2 of Torchwood, but I put the rest of that on hold until I finish Season 4 of Doctor Who. The comment about Moffat was re: Silence in the Library / Forest of Dead, and I watched Midnight yesterday. I'm definitely coming along!
Edit: DO WANT! http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Who-Adipose-Stress-Toy/dp/B003X2W2US/ref=pd_sim_t_2
[spoiler=The last thing you ever want to hear a sobbing WWII vet say]"labor camps". That's what they called them last time. It's happening again...[/spoiler]
Turn. Left.
What. The hell. Is going on with Owen? Seriously. This is freaky.
(Just finished Dead Man Walking.)
I remember what happens with Owen, just not why or how. Owen is dead, long live Owen!
The first half of series 6 of Doctor Who is out on DVD now.
Apparently, they don't give any more details about Owen's... condition, after Dead Man Walking.
Anyway, I've finished season 2 of Torchwood, and I just finished The Waters of Mars. All I have left before the official start of season 5 of Doctor Who is both parts of The End of Time.
Yeah. Owen was just...special.
Waters of Mars is the most amazing-looking thing I own on Bluray. The Martian landscape from that in high-def is mind blowing.
The End of Time is solid.
The End of Time really was solid. He will knock four times... Indeed. And seriously, James Bond as a Time Lord? It makes so much sense!
I've seen picture of both the eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond before, but... for some reason, my impression of either of them wasn't very good. Amy has far exceeded my expectations (to the point where I can no longer figure out what I didn't like about her pictures), and Matt Smith is off to a good start.
I can tell you what it was that made me nervous about Matt Smith, though: He looked too youthful; Between the babyface skin, the haircut, and the suit, he just looked far too young to be wielding a sonic screwdriver like that. Now that I've seen him in action, though... Not sure how I'd pin him down, but he does look promising.
Most people, before seeing the first episode, were VERY skeptical of Matt Smith. Then they saw him in action and fell in love.
Obviously James Bond is a time lord. There is no other explanation. Daniel Craig is just the one that will get the series canceled...
Also, this:
Quote from: Elemental_ElfMost people, before seeing the first episode, were VERY skeptical of Matt Smith. Then they saw him in action and fell in love.
I'm sure there is evidence of my Smith hatemongering around here somewhere from before I saw him. I still think he is probably younger than should have been cast and he has stupid hair...but he is also now my favorite Doctor.
For those who are interested: http://antipaladingames.com/Door_to_Infinity.pdf
The serial numbers have been filed off for legal reasons, but we all should be able to tell where the inspiration for that came from, right?
Quote from: SDragonFor those who are interested: http://antipaladingames.com/Door_to_Infinity.pdf
The serial numbers have been filed off for legal reasons, but we all should be able to tell where the inspiration for that came from, right?
Oh my God. This is hilarious. The Maestro. The Timeless, who look remarkably like Paul McGann in a long coat with a blurred face (but perhaps DW fans just see Paul McGann everywhere). It's just a barely concealed rip-off.
As a huge fan of expressionism and art history in general, I absolutely loved Vincent and The Doctor. This was possibly my favorite episode. The scenery was beautiful, And I couldn't help but chuckle at Bedroom in Arles hanging from a corner while wet. Also, as much as the term "proper art" makes me cringe, I did appreciate the nod to the controversy of expressive abstractions in art; Gainsborough, while impressive in his own way, was most certainly not Van Gogh.
Art geekery aside (believe me, I could go on), I also very much appreciated the way they incorporated emotional health issues into the story. Vincent's depression was depicted (both in writing and acting) with applaudable accuracy. I was glad that the Doctor attempted to offer comfort while Vincent was painting, but also glad that he was cut short before he got... Well, anvilicious. The ending was a much better approach, and beautifully touching. During the credits, I noticed that BBC also mentioned a website they had in support of mental (and emotional) health issues. This was yet another nice touch.
By the way, I'm currently in a Who Binge; I'm hoping to finish the seventh episode of season 6 by mid-afternoon Wednesday. That means one more episode today, and three episodes a day to the end, at minimum. Wish me luck!
Quote from: SDragonFor those who are interested: http://antipaladingames.com/Door_to_Infinity.pdf
The serial numbers have been filed off for legal reasons, but we all should be able to tell where the inspiration for that came from, right?
And it uses the D6 system! I love it!
How went your binge?
Doctor Who returns soon!
Quote from: Ninja D!
How went your binge?
Doctor Who returns soon!
It ran into a severe roadblock, but I'm playing catchup again. I just finished A Good Man Goes to War.
OH. MY. GOD.
Oddly enough, though, I remember getting that impression in River Song's first 5th season appearance, but then promptly dismissed it for whatever reason. It vaguely came back at the beginning of this episode, but there was just so much going on, that that didn't stay at the front of my mind.
Quote from: SDragon
Quote from: Ninja D!
How went your binge?
Doctor Who returns soon!
It ran into a severe roadblock, but I'm playing catchup again. I just finished A Good Man Goes to War.
OH. MY. GOD.
Oddly enough, though, I remember getting that impression in River Song's first 5th season appearance, but then promptly dismissed it for whatever reason. It vaguely came back at the beginning of this episode, but there was just so much going on, that that didn't stay at the front of my mind.
That was a great episode! I too had an inkling as to the twist early in the season and again during the episode but disregarded it as being too audacious and crazy (like Vader being Luke's dad).
It sounded about right to me. I can't believe I didn't get the name sooner, though.
New companion just announced. The name of the actress is Jenna-Louise Coleman (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1982510/) and she is absolutely not a ginger. She's no Bernard Cribbins (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0187754/) but she is *ahem* a bit, uh, nicer on the eyes.
Wow, she's pretty attractive. I think I will like the new season!
She's not in this coming season. Amy and Rory start the season and then exit in episode 5, involving the Weeping Angels. They say "not everyone gets out of this one alive". I guess we then have 9 episodes either with River or no real companion. This new girl will be introduced in the Christmas special for this year.
I could see the doctor not having a companion for a time, he needs a break to heal the wounds from the experience with River, Rory and Amy (especially if one dies).
They would never really do the Doctor with no companion. They could, however, do like Tennant's last few where there was a different companion every "episode" or two. I'm crossing my fingers for the return of Bernard Cribbins.
I wouldn't mind seeing Jackson Lake or Lady Christina de Souza return.
Wilferd Mott could be fun though I think he is more of a Tennant companion, plus he had a good ending. It would have to be a cool episode for him to come back.
Quote from: Elemental_ElfLady Christina de Souza
Yes. Yes, this. A thousand times this. Her dynamic with the Doctor (Tennant, at least) was quite good and if we're still on the subject of eye candy...
I don't know how they would go about bringing David Morrissey's character back, though. He's also apparently pretty well known over there so that might be a bit expensive.
Wilfred Mott was sort of a Tenant thing since he kept coming back in his Christmas specials. They sort of missed the chance not to continue him with Smith but he was just so cool. They could make a Wilfred Mott spinoff series and I would watch it.
I've been on another binge, introducing LQ to the good Doctor. We're already up to School Reunion, and she's begging to know what happens to Rose.
Hey, awesome, I'm watching it at home and I'm at the Idiot's Lantern, so only a few episodes ahead. But this is the first time I have been watching it in order, before I only watched it sporadically when it was on TV.
Idiot's Lantern was a good one. LQ is noticing the mentions of Torchwood more than she was with Bad Wolf, but she was expecting an arcword by then, and she already knew that "Torchwood"-- whatever that may be-- existed.
Just finished The Satan Pit.
The Satan Pit and Impossible Planet were two of the more legitimately creepy episodes to me. I blame the Ood.
Found this picture on the web. I think it's totally awesome that Dr. Who gets to jog around with the Olympic Torch!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/s720x720/537605_471298192884213_127031120644257_1952132_521700022_n.jpg)
There's a petition to get David Tennant, dressed as the Doctor, to light the flame at the Olympic games, just like he did in the episode "Fear Her".
Yeah, they are name-dropping Torchwood a lot throughout the second season. Just watched the second season finale yesterday. Overall, I think the three arcs of the second season are really good. The finale is genuinely sad, and yes, the Impossible Planet/Satan Pit are creepy as hell. Freaking Ood. They are lovely monsters though.
In fact, those two might be some of my favorite episodes so far, together with the Empty Child arc from season 1. The girl in the fireplace is also pretty great in my opinion, the twist at the end is superb. I didn't like Love and Monsters though. I don't mind the alternative setup, but the monster was just too damnably silly.
This year, at CONvergence, I will absolutely be taking part in the Dalek Poetry Slam (http://schedule.convergence-con.org/event/f342bb029c481ee697f6cabe3a6d4201). I welcome any suggestions for material.
Quote from: Ninja D!
There's a petition to get David Tennant, dressed as the Doctor, to light the flame at the Olympic games, just like he did in the episode "Fear Her".
YES! YES! YES! DO IT BRITAIN! DO IT!
Quote from: Elemental_Elf
Quote from: Ninja D!
There's a petition to get David Tennant, dressed as the Doctor, to light the flame at the Olympic games, just like he did in the episode "Fear Her".
YES! YES! YES! DO IT BRITAIN! DO IT!
Very much this.
We're into season (series?) 3, now. Daleks in Manhattan is our next episode. Also, apparently the word "Daleks" warrants a squiggly red line. How odd...
Quote from: SDragon
We're into season (series?) 3, now. Daleks in Manhattan is our next episode. Also, apparently the word "Daleks" warrants a squiggly red line. How odd...
I love that episode!!!
What happens to the Doctor when he goes to Comic Con?[spoiler](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/524013_396135963782058_1142171037_n.jpg)
He gets an upgrade! [/spoiler]