Doctor Who 2022

[lazythursday]

God no it all got a bit worthy with really loud ambient music.

I'd welcome a return to "time traveller finds themselves in a variety of historical settings" territory. I don't like the long story arcs, or the feelings between the Doctor and his companions. I especially don't like his companions being "special" in some sort of cosmic way.

FFS just accidentally have a history teacher walk into the TARDIS and have some episodes that are historically interesting without every single last fart being of cosmic importance.

Partially agree - I don't think the companions should be 'special' - that was done to death with Clara - and I don't think the entire universe should constantly be in jeopardy either. But 13's first season which basically had zero arc was just boring - I don't think it's possible to tell a decent story in just 45 minutes, you either need a series arc or 2-3 episode stories to make it interesting and want to come back for more.

 

[Epona]

I agree with all of that except the emphasised.

It's like watching me mum and dad get a bit steamy though, ick no...

 

[danny la rouge]

Partially agree - I don't think the companions should be 'special' - that was done to death with Clara - and I don't think the entire universe should constantly be in jeopardy either. But 13's first season which basically had zero arc was just boring - I don't think it's possible to tell a decent story in just 45 minutes, you either need a series arc or 2-3 episode stories to make it interesting and want to come back for more.

I partially agree: I think development is good. If you take Star Trek OS, there's none: you can watch the episodes in any order. Spock learns nothing in his quest to juggle his Vulcan and human sides (until the films). The relationships are as painted in episode one. Nothing develops.

I think a series-long subplot can be good, too. But having something "significant" as an arc just for the sake of it is bad writing.

 

[T & P]

I was so wishing for a lesbian kiss to happen, if only to enjoy the meltdown that would ensure at the Daily Mail…

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Has this been posted yet? A nice video anyway

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Watch from this time for the theme tune

 

[Cloo]

I just feel sadly rather unconvinced by Doctor and Yaz, which is a shame as I'd like it to be a thing that worked plot-wise. It did feel like it was thought of as an afterthought, not an arc that was in mind when Yaz was introduced (when she was very boring and flat for the first season but then got a bit more interesting) - you could see from early on, for example, the intensity of how the Doctor felt for Rose, but this seemed to have come out of nowhere, there's no sense of quite why the Doctor should fine Yaz so special compared to other companions, IYSWIM?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I just feel sadly rather unconvinced by Doctor and Yaz, which is a shame as I'd like it to be a thing that worked plot-wise. It did feel like it was thought of as an afterthought, not an arc that was in mind when Yaz was introduced (when she was very boring and flat for the first season but then got a bit more interesting) - you could see from early on, for example, the intensity of how the Doctor felt for Rose, but this seemed to have come out of nowhere, there's no sense of quite why the Doctor should fine Yaz so special compared to other companions, IYSWIM?

Exactly. It's the biggest problem I have with that plot point.
The second biggest is that I don't like the doctor having feelings in that way in return. I can excuse an assistant feeling something for the god like doctor, but I would rather they were dropped like a stone as soon as they mentioned anything of the sort.

 

[danny la rouge]

the god like doctor,

I don’t like the Doctor being god-like.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I don’t like the Doctor being god-like.

Me neither, but that's how the doctor is always being set up these days. It's annoying.
However, what I really meant is that it is understandable that a puny human being whisked away on an exciting adventure by a superior being with crazy skills and technology might develop a crush. Not something I really want to watch unless it's dealt with in an interesting way. Just being a lesbian or Billie Piper isn't interesting enough. Preferred Doctor two and Jamie good solid affectionate relationship on screen, not just something scribbled into a script as an afterthought to get press mileage.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Delia Derbyshire

 

[CNT36]

The worst part of the episode for me is that the Sea Devils could have been any enemy of the week. Nothing about the episode needed or really dealt with the fact they were among earth's original intelligent species. Previous stories have had this at their core.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

The worst part of the episode for me is that the Sea Devils could have been any enemy of the week. Nothing about the episode needed or really dealt with the fact they were among earth's original intelligent species. Previous stories have had this at their core.

Indeed. It was mentioned by the doctor, and I thought this would lead off into something, but nobody seemed to care.

 

[lazythursday]

Despite its flaws, Flux was ambitious and generally well made, and Eve of the Daleks was great fun if derivative and felt worthy of being called a 'special'. But this was truly terrible, you need to use a scale last used in the Colin Baker era to measure just how stinkingly bad. If it hadn't been for the trailer at the end I think I'd have ritually burned my Tennant-era remote controlled dalek and banished all mention of the doctor for the rest of time.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Despite its flaws, Flux was ambitious and generally well made, and Eve of the Daleks was great fun if derivative and felt worthy of being called a 'special'. But this was truly terrible, you need to use a scale last used in the Colin Baker era to measure just how stinkingly bad. If it hadn't been for the trailer at the end I think I'd have ritually burned my Tennant-era remote controlled dalek and banished all mention of the doctor for the rest of time.

I thought it was bad, but I thought the flux was just as bad. . . actually I don't think I managed to watch all of it, which is very unlike me and Doctor Who.

 

[danny la rouge]

Despite its flaws, Flux was ambitious and generally well made, and Eve of the Daleks was great fun if derivative and felt worthy of being called a 'special'. But this was truly terrible, you need to use a scale last used in the Colin Baker era to measure just how stinkingly bad. If it hadn't been for the trailer at the end I think I'd have ritually burned my Tennant-era remote controlled dalek and banished all mention of the doctor for the rest of time.

I think some perspective is needed. I'm on Matt Smith era at the moment. There are some great episodes, but some truly terrible ones. I've just watched A Good Man Goes To War, which I hadn't seen in a decade. It's terrible. There's absolutely no point in anything that happens. Things are built up to be significant and then aren't. And Stephen Moffatt has by this point already long established his penchant for resetting the universe, so there's never any jeopardy. The Doctor even makes a speech to that effect in the episode! You just feel you're wasting your time. It felt like the only idea they had was that River Song would be revealed to be Melody Pond, and nothing else mattered, so no plot was needed.

In comparison Sea Devils is a passable episode, with an underwater Tardis bubble and some jokes. At least the Sea Devils was a better pirate episode than the Curse of the Black Spot! You'd forgotten that? Lucky you.

 

[Chz]

I want Sophie and Janet to have a great show - Aldred was great in her BF work; but I agree with whoever said "It's going to be shit, isn't it?".

 

[lazythursday]

I think some perspective is needed. I'm on Matt Smith era at the moment. There are some great episodes, but some truly terrible ones. I've just watched A Good Man Goes To War, which I hadn't seen in a decade. It's terrible. There's absolutely no point in anything that happens. Things are built up to be significant and then aren't. And Stephen Moffatt has by this point already long established his penchant for resetting the universe, so there's never any jeopardy. The Doctor even makes a speech to that effect in the episode! You just feel you're wasting your time. It felt like the only idea they had was that River Song would be revealed to be Melody Pond, and nothing else mattered, so no plot was needed.

In comparison Sea Devils is a passable episode, with an underwater Tardis bubble and some jokes. At least the Sea Devils was a better pirate episode than the Curse of the Black Spot! You'd forgotten that? Lucky you.

I am blessed with a very poor and selective memory that means I can quickly move on from moments of grief and trauma, but I must admit that phrase 'the curse of the black spot' has made me hyperventilate a bit.

 

[danny la rouge]

I want Sophie and Janet to have a great show - Aldred was great in her BF work; but I agree with whoever said "It's going to be shit, isn't it?".

Come on, we're Whovians! We place hope above evidence.

 

[CNT36]

I think some perspective is needed. I'm on Matt Smith era at the moment. There are some great episodes, but some truly terrible ones. I've just watched A Good Man Goes To War, which I hadn't seen in a decade. It's terrible. There's absolutely no point in anything that happens.

Times change.

You hated the Hitler one last time so maybe you'll enjoy that!
I looked back to see what I thought of it at the time but found what you thought instead.

 

[danny la rouge]

Times change. View attachment 320163

You hated the Hitler one last time so maybe you'll enjoy that!
I looked back to see what I thought of it at the time but found what you thought instead.

I quite often change my opinion on an episode or series on subsequent viewings, never mind more than a decade later. I reserve the right to continue to do so.

 

[danny la rouge]

I loved Matt Smith's portrayal of the Doctor at the time. I hadn't noticed how much his mannerisms remind me of Bill Nighy, though. And to be honest I'm finding that quite intrusive and unsettling this time around.

 

[CNT36]

I quite often change my opinion on an episode or series on subsequent viewings, never mind more than a decade later. I reserve the right to continue to do so.

I've softened on a lot of the older episodes to be honest. It might just be a case of accepting them for what they are rather than the disappointment some of them were after the build up at the time.

 

[lazythursday]

I'd quite like to rewatch the Matt Smith era I think. As at the time, while I liked his portrayal, I found Moffat's Who less engaging than RTD's and I drifted in and out a bit, which wasn't particularly helpful when the whole thing was so damn complicated. Still have no real idea what that crack was all about.

 

[danny la rouge]

I'd quite like to rewatch the Matt Smith era I think. As at the time, while I liked his portrayal, I found Moffat's Who less engaging than RTD's and I drifted in and out a bit, which wasn't particularly helpful when the whole thing was so damn complicated. Still have no real idea what that crack was all about.

Yup, lots of over-complicated stuff going on. But on the other hand some great stories. Van Gogh, the first of the two James Cordon ones (I know, but it’s a good episode).

 

[CNT36]

Less said about the last ten minutes of the second the better.

 

[danny la rouge]

Ncuti Gatwa: BBC names actor as next Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa: BBC names actor as next Doctor Who star

 

[cupid_stunt]

That's going to send the anti-woke lot into meltdown.

 

[danny la rouge]

That's going to send the anti-woke lot into meltdown.

Another Scot? Yup, they’ll hate that.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I don't know him, I hope he can bring some eccentricity to the role. Can't really get much from that picture. Fingers crossed. Ecclestone looked like a starey shaved bovver boy in pictures so who knows. I'm not excited yet though.