New Doctor Who

[Matt Black]

OK, we're in the middle of a very scary two-parter in Season 2 over here. Someone's described it as "Dr Who does Event Horizon" and I think that sums it up very accurately - themes of demonic possession, the Beast, 666 and, to cap it all, Saturday's 2nd part is called The Satan Pit

I'm really really hoping they come up with a non-supernatural explanation in Part 2...raying:

 

[ccrobinson]

I'm really really hoping they come up with a non-supernatural explanation in Part 2

I'm sure they will. I can't think of one Dr. Who story that was resolved with a supernatural explanation. The story that came the closest to one was when Jon Pertwee was The Doctor, in a story called The Daemons.

Tomorrow night is "Parting of the Ways". I will be sorry to see Eccleston go as The Doctor. He has been excellent.

 

[Matt Black]

Ah. *Spoiler alert*



You get 'Bad Wolf' explained to you too.

 

[Aubre]

I wanted to try to watch Dr. Who back in the Tom Baker days but I had so much difficulty understanding his English that it kind of kept me from enjoying it. I wonder if I could watch it with subtitles now?

 

[ccrobinson]

I would guess it depends on whether the DVD, VHS tape, rebroadcast of the particular shows have closed captioning or not.

I don't really know how UK and/or European viewers felt about him, but I think most of us in the states, when we think about the Doctor, think of Tom Baker first. I do know that Tom was The Doctor the longest of all, 7 years.

As I said before Parting of the Ways, I am sorry to see Eccleston depart as The Doctor. He was so good and he and Billie Piper were simply excellent together.

I loved Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways. I loved the Doctor's speech about rescuing Rose at the end of Bad Wolf. I loved how he threatened the Daleks and they moved away from him in fear. I love how Rose saved the Doctor (because she did it to save him first and foremost). I love how she just obliterated the Daleks. I love what Bad Wolf meant. I love that Jackie and Mickey came through for her, that they finally realized that after living the life she did with him, she couldn't go back to the mundane life she had before the Doctor. The Earth had become way too small for Rose Tyler.

I was very surprised at how young the new Doctor is. He looks younger than Davison did.

 

[ccrobinson]

I've gotten my hands on "Christmas Invasion" and "New Earth". It's always nervous time when the Doctor regenerates. You don't know if you're going to get a Tom Baker or Chris Eccleston, or whether you're going to get Colin Baker.

After a mere 2 episodes, a big thumbs-up to David Tennant as The Doctor. :thumbs:

 

[Pete]

We just got "Christmas Invasion" on idiot box tonight in Oz. With the bit of screen-time Tennant had (taking out the passed out-getting over regeneration scenes) he really put it to use. Roll on the rest of the series

 

[ccrobinson]

When I first heard about the new Doctor Who series, I was concerned that they were really going to mess it up. After having seen the entire season with Ecclestone and half the season with Tennant, the TPTB have done quite the opposite. There hasn't been one episode that I would consider bad.

As a comparison, I saw "Revelation of the Daleks" a few weeks ago, and it was truly terrible. Colin Baker's Doctor spends the entire first part rambling about in the wilderness; Peri does nothing but whine (as she usually did) and the second part doing virtually nothing to stop the Dalek threat. The mercenary stopped the Daleks, not the Doctor. Horrible story.

Anyway, I just watched "The Girl in the Fireplace" last night. If Rose has been paying attention, then she would have realized that TGITF was a total fulfillment of what The Doctor said in School Reunion about watching those he loves grow old. I don't recall seeing somebody get to him quite like Madame de Pompadour did. I don't know if TPTB intended it or not, but it brought to my mind the reason why the Doctor loved Romana so much, because she was somebody who was capable of "growing old" with him.

 

[Pete]

We get School Reunion here in Oz this week, looking forward to seeing Sarah Jane and K9 again ...(said one of the old time Pertwee/Baker fans )

I think Tennant has been ok, but not to Eccleston's standard of the Doctor as yet. I'm not giving up on him though because as mentioned I think he was great in Christmas Invasion

 

[ccrobinson]

Sorry, Pete. You said on 7/8 that you just saw Christmas Invasion, so I figured you had seen School Reunion by now. I'm sorry if I spoiled it in any way for you.

After you watch it, you could make a solid argument that Anthony Head, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame, nearly steals the show from Tennant. Tony is that good as the Headmaster.

Do you remember why Sarah Jane left in The Hand of Fear? That comes up, so if you don't remember, you may want to reacquaint yourself with that story.

I agree that Ecclestone was fantastic, and maybe Tennant isn't there, but I like him quite a bit and think he's proving himself a worthy Doctor.

 

[Pete]

cc, not a problem, I've read the walkthoughs and reviews of all the Tennant series at gallifreyone anyway

My memory of Sarah Jane leaving is shot, I'll dig up a review for that story and refresh memory between now and when it screens on Saturday night.

While not to Eccleston's standard yet, I can't see Tennant flying the TARDIS over the Gallifreyian equivalent of a shark any time soon

 

[Matt Black]

At the end of the (Tom) Baker story The Hand of Fear, the Doctor gets an urgent summons from the Time Lords on Gallifrey (which leads neatly into the next story, The Deadly Assassin (the one with the cadaverous Master). Because humans are not allowed on Gallifrey, the Doctor has to drop Sarah off on Earth, the idea being he'll come back for her after he's sorted out whatever's wrong on Gallifrey...and of course he never returns for her.

More theological homages in School Reunion, don't you think? Head's...er...head offering the Doctor immortality and power is akin to Satan's temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness, and Sarah Jane's response to that is a commentary on the problem of suffering and death.

 

[ccrobinson]

Glad to hear. I hate it when somebody spoils things for me.

I was thinking about my post the other day criticizing Colin Baker as the Doctor. I don't think the problems the show went through during that time were entirely his fault, and perhaps none of those troubles were his fault. For example, he didn't write "Revelation of the Daleks", so it's not fair of me to criticize him for it.

Ancient history I know, but I love to talk about all things Doctor Who. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Pete]

Just had The Girl in the Fireplace here tonight, Tennant is getting better

Was cool having Rose and "Ricky the Idiot" in.....(deep trouble for those who haven't seen it yet) and the Doc just walks in and.....(does what the Doctor does)

AND CYBERMEN NEXT WEEK!!!! YEEEEEE-HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

They're really looking after us old codger fans

 

[ccrobinson]

Everything I want to say about the Cybermen story is in the 2nd half, Age of Steel. In fact, I don't remember much about the first half other than it gets us to AoS.

#1, The look on the Doctor's face when he learns some information about "Ricky the Idiot" is awesome.

#2, You may not believe this now, but you will actually feel sorry for a Cyberman in AoS.

#3, Finally, Rose says something very significant to "Ricky the Idiot".

 

[Matt Black]

#2 is the poor woman who got 'upgraded' on her wedding day:tear:

[ETA Hand of Fear is just out here on DVD, so naturally I've bought it! Brought back quite a few memories]

 

[ccrobinson]

Pete,

Have you seen "Fear Her" yet? The Doctor says something that we've never known about him before. You won't find it on Gallifreyone.com (I just looked), so I won't spoil it. It makes me wonder if we're being setup for something for the next season.

 

[Pete]

cc, nope. Up to Love & Monsters tomorrow night, Fear Her the next week.

I just read the reviews at Gallifreyone and think I saw the "something" The Doc says. If it is the line you are refering to the reviewer says it's a flashback to the original Doctor (1963) Although you're right that could provide a very interesting situation next season...If the writers are brave enough to play around with it.

I'm still finding Tennant to be a bit of a hot and cold running Doctor. Occasional flashes of brilliance but can't seem to sustain it at that level. Oh well, the great bits make up for the rest

Will miss Rose after this season. I think Billie has worked her way up to second in my favourite off-sider list, just slightly behind Sarah Jane.

 

[ccrobinson]

I didn't much care for Love and Monsters. Fear Her is pretty good though I tire of being beat over the head with the theme of the season. Yes, Russell Davies, I got it. The Doctor is lonely. I got it in "School Reunion" and I got it even more in "The Girl in the Fireplace." So, enough already. Less is more. As in, less beating about the head is more enjoyment. :wavey:

Regardless, the Doctor made a comment about having been a father once and I thought that was something new until I realized that Susan was his granddaughter and I had totally forgotten about her. I'm such a big fan and I can't believe I forgot about her. Sheesh.

I am curious what you saw that I didn't catch. Apparently, I don't catch as much as I think I do. :smilewinkgrin:

But, I thought that, given the loneliness theme of this season, that the Doctor would see about doing something about that next season. I've always found it difficult to believe that at least 2 Daleks could make it out of the Time War alive and no other Time Lord could do the same.

In my order of Doctors, Tennant is 3rd behind Tom Baker and Christopher Eccleston. I know Jon Pertwee was the favorite of many, but I never really warmed up to him and like Tennant better.

Billie is definitely one of the best actresses to be a companion and she ranks up there as #2 to Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) in my book as well.

 

[Pete]

....the Doctor made a comment about having been a father once....I am curious what you saw that I didn't catch.

Thought that would have been the line you meant when I saw it It's at bottom of Eddy Wolverson review at Fear Her reviews page. If the writers decided to have a go at it next season they could produce one of the greatest Who moments ever......Or crash and burn the TARDIS while jumping it over a shark...:tonofbricks:

Thought just hit me though that they'ld have a lot of explaining to do if they did try that. Last season the Eccleston Doctor said he was the only Time Lord left after the Time War, and he would have felt it if there were others, To spring Susan on us they would have to make her "adopted granddaughter" or something. Boy wouldn't Who canon have to be re-written again if they turned her into Sarah Jane's long lost twin sister :laugh: