Doctor Who 2023

[CNT36]

I think I hate the sonic screwdriver now and I'm starting to hate the TARDIS. The sonic is just made by the Tardis. I used to like the idea the Doctor made it. It wasn't just another piece of Gallifreyan tech it was a bit of kit he came up with to do this and that then added to over the years. That was one of the glimmers of hope in the first Chibnall story. The Doctor knocks one up in a garage, shed or something. Great.

I don't like how the Tardis style is now just a thing the Tardis does to suit the Doctor. I used to like the idea of the Doctor having some conscious impact or even input in to how it looks. Redesigning, tinkering or fucking about on the fly with a fancy machine nicked from the Time Lords.

 

[danny la rouge]

The Goblin Song is number 1.

 

[danny la rouge]

I'm interested to see how the more fantasy seeming direction is explained in-universe. I’m not in any way a “hard science fiction” fan. I don’t read science fiction: I’m a fan of Doctor Who (and Star Trek) because of my childhood affection for the shows. I like old 50s sci fi b-movies. But that’s because I like old 50s b-movies. So I don’t mind my fiction being fictional. Or entertaining. And I always suspend my disbelief when I’m invested.

But there have been Doctor Who moments over the years I’ve hated. The Robin Hood episode was a real nadir. I’ve wiped it from my personal canon. I’ve never watched a full episode of the Sylvester McCoy Doctor, but I’ve seen pictures of the Liquorice Allsorts monster. As far as I’m concerned, that didn’t happen.

And unlike most of you on the thread, Wild Blue Yonder isn’t my favourite of the three specials: the Giggle is.

However, a flying goblin ship? Hmm. Let’s see…

 

[Wilf]

The Goblin Song is number 1.

Poor Shane.

 

[Chz]

but I’ve seen pictures of the Liquorice Allsorts monster. As far as I’m concerned, that didn’t happen.

That gets a lot of hate, but it's just a bad costume. It's actually one of the better stories.

 

[danny la rouge]

That gets a lot of hate, but it's just a bad costume. It's actually one of the better stories.

I’ve not ventured into 80s Who, really. I’m more 60s and 70s. And even then it’s often a labour of love.

 

[PR1Berske]

80s who really is a graph going in a sine wave and it's to the BBC's shame that they didn't have the balls to keep it going for one last heave.

 

[danny la rouge]

I started Tales of the Tardis Earthshock, but didn’t get very far in. I laughed a lot at the unintentional comedy, but in the end I couldn’t keep my interest levels up. I see from the iPlayer I have 84mins left to watch of it. I’m not sure I’ll ever get any further.

I’m delighted Classic Who is freely available now, but on balance it’s probably best if it’s hidden better from potential new fans.

 

[8ball]

I’m delighted Classic Who is freely available now, but on balance it’s probably best if it’s hidden better from potential new fans.

How long would you say is the cutoff til the current shows get deleted for embarassment factor?

 

[danny la rouge]

How long would you say is the cutoff til the current shows get deleted for embarassment factor?

Which are the current shows? The specials? I can’t really predict how well they’ll age. But of New Who, I’m still a fan of the Ninth Doctor season. I think it stands up well. I like the balance between character and plot. When RTD is on form, he does that well. (When he isn’t, he seems to go on too long after the climax of the story, and really needs an editor to tell him 2 minutes is probably enough for post climax stasis).

 

[Wilf]

I’ve not ventured into 80s Who, really. I’m more 60s and 70s. And even then it’s often a labour of love.

It was amazing the BBC took so long to bring Who back, but the 80s were pretty rubbish from what I remember. It was a pity Michael Grade and others who made the decision to bin it didn't decide to sort it out instead, given the potential of the show. But the decision itself probably wasn't all that unreasonable, at least in the way these calculations are made by telly execs.

Further random interjection: McGann would have been great.

 

[lazythursday]

I started Tales of the Tardis Earthshock, but didn’t get very far in. I laughed a lot at the unintentional comedy, but in the end I couldn’t keep my interest levels up. I see from the iPlayer I have 84mins left to watch of it. I’m not sure I’ll ever get any further.

I’m delighted Classic Who is freely available now, but on balance it’s probably best if it’s hidden better from potential new fans.

I did much the same thing with Earthshock. I remember a lot of 80s Who fondly - especially the Mara episodes, the Rani ones, some of McCoy (the Kandy Man story is actually really very good) - but I don't think I can watch any of it now just because of the production values. I think that reading some of them as novels would be really satisfying though, and that's perhaps the best way to consume 80s Who (and perhaps earlier).

 

[8ball]

Which are the current shows? The specials? I can’t really predict how well they’ll age. But of New Who, I’m still a fan of the Ninth Doctor season. I think it stands up well. I like the balance between character and plot. When RTD is on form, he does that well. (When he isn’t, he seems to go on too long after the climax of the story, and really needs an editor to tell him 2 minutes is probably enough for post climax stasis).

Yeah, I really liked the Eccleston stuff too. I put that as the start of the "new shows" after the long hiatus.

 

[Santino]

I'm interested to see how the more fantasy seeming direction is explained in-universe.

The Doctor spread salt at the edge of the universe, letting in innumerable myths and legends (including the Toymaker and bigeneration).

 

[8ball]

The Doctor spread salt at the edge of the universe, letting in innumerable myths and legends (including the Toymaker and bigeneration).

But presumably not slugs.

 

[danny la rouge]

The Doctor spread salt at the edge of the universe, letting in innumerable myths and legends (including the Toymaker and bigeneration).

Ah, OK, that was the Disneyfication moment, then. Fair enough.

 

[QueenOfGoths]

Well I rather enjoyed the last two episodes, much more than the first of this new batch.

Really liked Neil Patrick Harris, the dolls were creepy as were the elongated arms etc.. in the second episode.

The bi-generation was okay. I'm not a big fan of it but I'm willing to see how it pans out.

Ncuti Gatwa was great!

 

[CNT36]

A turn towards fantasy and then meeting the fucking Beatles. It feels like RTD is making this personal.

 

[krtek a houby]

A turn towards fantasy and then meeting the fucking Beatles. It feels like RTD is making this personal.

It's never been afraid to move across genres over the decades and The Beatles made an appearance in the 60s...

The show delights and upsets throughout the duration. Long may the irking continue!

 

[Gromit]

Well I rather enjoyed the last two episodes, much more than the first of this new batch.

Really liked Neil Patrick Harris, the dolls were creepy as were the elongated arms etc.. in the second episode.

The bi-generation was okay. I'm not a big fan of it but I'm willing to see how it pans out.

Ncuti Gatwa was great!

The third 'special' was my favourite of the three.

We've had Non-binary and Bi nods. I wonder if RTD is going to try and cover the whole LGBTQIA+ spectrum?
He does it well unlike the previous writers and their endless 'yes I'm a woman' pokes.

NPH is always Legend... wait for it... dary.

Gatwa was good but OH kept asking is he ever going to put trousers on or is that his outfit forever?

 

[CNT36]

It's never been afraid to move across genres over the decades and The Beatles made an appearance in the 60s...

The show delights and upsets throughout the duration. Long may the irking continue!

Yeah, space/time visualiser. Not seen that one for 30 years.

Hopefully Paul McCartney gets replaced with a Zygon. I don't know what will happen in the episode though.

The Beatles is a minor gripe for me. The doctor has always met wankers from throughout history. I know there has always been a fair bit of magic posing as science in Doctor Who but for it to drop the science part of the fiction will genuinely piss me off. Hopefully it will not be as big a change as I've been led to believe.

 

[krtek a houby]

Yeah, space/time visualiser. Not seen that one for 30 years.

Hopefully Paul McCartney gets replaced with a Zygon. I don't know what will happen in the episode though.

The Beatles is a minor gripe for me. The doctor has always met wankers from throughout history. I know there has always been a fair bit of magic posing as science in Doctor Who but for it to drop the science part of the fiction will genuinely piss me off. Hopefully it will not be as big a change as I've been led to believe.

Doctor Who has done, over the years,


Sci-fi
History
Multiverse
Horror
Satire
Ecology
Politics
Sexualities
Comedy
Pantomime
Musical interludes
Superheroes

And many more avenues of art, storytelling and drama... Fantasy is just another place to explore.

It may last a season or two... like Pertwee's Doctor Earthbound. In the grand scale of thingy wingys, it's not that big a deal.

 

[8ball]

It may last a season or two...

Before becoming an animated series on Disney+

 

[PTK]

A turn towards fantasy and then meeting the fucking Beatles. It feels like RTD is making this personal.

The Beatles? Were the Beatles in it? I did not notice.

 

[CNT36]

The Beatles? Were the Beatles in it? I did not notice.

Not yet

 

[PTK]

Not yet

Are the Beatles going to be in Dr Who? Where was this announced?
Is there any chance of Emerson, Lake and Palmer making an apearance?
And Marie Lloyd?

 

[ginger_syn]

Doctor Who has done, over the years,


Sci-fi
History
Multiverse
Horror
Satire
Ecology
Politics
Sexualities
Comedy
Pantomime
Musical interludes
Superheroes

And many more avenues of art, storytelling and drama... Fantasy is just another place to explore.

It may last a season or two... like Pertwee's Doctor Earthbound. In the grand scale of thingy wingys, it's not that big a deal.

So far they have done three fantasy inspired episodes according to russell, which is not to much even with the reduced episode count. Russell has also said that there is a hard sci-fi episode coming up, so i think we shall still get a fair mix of genres per season.

 

[8ball]

Russell has also said that there is a hard sci-fi episode coming up...

Ooh! Guess he didn't say who had written it.

 

[CNT36]

Doctor Who has done, over the years,


Sci-fi
History
Multiverse
Horror
Satire
Ecology
Politics
Sexualities
Comedy
Pantomime
Musical interludes
Superheroes

And many more avenues of art, storytelling and drama... Fantasy is just another place to explore.

It may last a season or two... like Pertwee's Doctor Earthbound. In the grand scale of thingy wingys, it's not that big a deal.

All of which have generally made a vague nod to it being real world natural phenomena. There's always been hints of a time of magic before the Time Lords but when we have actually seen evidence if this it has been a different type of technology or Aliens eg witches, loch ness monsters and vampires. Those genres IMO have always been within that framework of a universe with a basic scientific order. If that's abandoned I'll be iritated. If RTD wants to do that stuff he'd be better off writing a god awful Lord of the Rings spin off or something.

 

[danny la rouge]

And Marie Lloyd?

Cher Lloyd by Cher Lloyd.