New Doctor Who

[bapmom]

Whovian.....I like it! lol

September eh? Wow......what a time to start an interest in the show! Well, maybe I can get caught up on back episodes then. I do get BBC America, I suppose it would be too much to think that they might be airing it new there like in England?

I'll be looking at the sites, thanks!

 

[ccrobinson]

My parents have BBC America, and the last time I was there, I saw previews for Eccleston season stories, so I expect you should be able to find those pretty easy. "Eccleston who?", you ask? Christopher Eccleston played the 9th Doctor in the 2005 season, which was the first new season since 1989, and the first televised episode of Doctor Who since the 1996 movie.

You definitely need to see them, because Eccleston's entire season is simply outstanding.

 

[Ed Edwards]

Do any of you remember Blakes Seven, it only had a short run and I was sorry that it was so.....

I taped all but two editions. I wonder if they are still around
after two moves?

 

[Pete]

You definitely need to see them, because Eccleston's entire season is simply outstanding.

I second the vote for Eccleston. In his 1 season he became my favourite Doctor, beating out the longer-running great Docs I grew up with.


Although....(Curiosity killed the cat and corrupted the cabbie.... ) I saw Runaway Bride though an...unofficial...source the other day, and Tennant gave an Eccleston standard performance. Hopefully he'll keep it at that level through the series. I even forgive him for Love & Monsters...

So with no major spoilers: My favourite scene in Runaway Bride - the build-up from the Doctor saying "I'm not from Mars..." and finally coming out with "Gallifrey".

 

[ccrobinson]

It isn't DT's fault that RTD had him say, "Elton, fetch a spade!" and dig up Pavement Girl. :smilewinkgrin:

Doomsday was enough for me to forgive RTD. :wavey:

 

[Pete]

cc, mate and self have been theorising about L&M. We think that Eccleston was planning to be The Doctor for 10 years or so, until he was reading through the scripts for what would have been his second season and saw Love & Monsters. He quickly resigned and we get Tennant, who (no pun intended) being a long time fan himself would put up with anything just to be The Doc :smilewinkgrin:

Actually can't say that I blame DT for doing the episode. Would love to have the keys to the TARDIS myself...But a fat bearded Aussie Doc would REALLY be a shark-jumping moment

 

[ccrobinson]

... and saw Love & Monsters. He quickly resigned...

Did the reason for CE leaving the show ever come out? My best guess is that maybe he was afraid of being typecast if he was on the show more than a year? I wonder if there's a precedent for that in the UK.

 

[Pete]

At the time I had heard that CE was worried about being typed, but just dug this up on net:

Source

BBC admits Dr Who actor blunder

The BBC failed to speak to actor Christopher Eccleston before revealing he was going to quit Dr Who after the first series, it has admitted.

It was originally claimed the actor feared being typecast if he stayed on.

Other source

"The BBC regrets not speaking to Christopher before it responded to the press questions on Wednesday 30 March," said BBC Head of Drama and Commissioning Jane Tranter. "The BBC further regrets that it falsely attributed a statement to Christopher and apologizes to him." Yahoo! News had another quote from Tranter, who said, "Contrary to press statements, Christopher did not leave for fear of being typecast or because of the grueling filming schedule."

 

[ccrobinson]

That makes more sense than being typed after only one season. Had he played the role for more than one season, I think he would top everybody's list as the best Doctor, surpassing even Tom. I have no doubts that he would have shined as much as DT did in the final scene of Doomsday. However, I don't think that Madame de Pompadour falling for 9 would have been as believeable as it was with 10.

There's a website that I've visited for several years that recaps TV shows and one of those is Doctor Who, for both of the last 2 seasons. The recapper for Doctor Who wrote something that really annoyed me, and I'd like to know your thoughts on it. Here's the paragraph, written during the recap of "Fear Her".

All alone, separated from your people, lost in time, and you find one girl in London that needs you just as badly. And you write her into your story and cut her off from her own mother for your own purposes, so that you won't have to be lonely anymore. Leaving behind the hard and the broken and the lonely; stealing children for more and more stories, leaving death in your wake. With a glorious sense of play and fun about the whole thing.

First, despite repeated pleas from Jackie, Rose chose to stay with the Doctor. It's not like the Doctor kidnapped her. In fact, between the choice of never seeing her mother again, or never seeing the Doctor again, she chose to never see her mother again. So, can someone explain to me how he cut her off from her own mother?

I don't quite understand the "hard, broken and lonely" comment either. While being in love with Pavement Girl isn't exactly my cuppa, Elton didn't across as hard, broken or lonely. In fact, other than Sarah Jane, please name a former companion who became hard, broken or lonely after traveling with the Doctor. And, I'd say that Sarah Jane had as much to do with that as anybody.

I have heard the "death comes with the Doctor" argument before, but I just don't buy into it. Does the TARDIS bring the bad guys with it, or are they already there and the TARDIS brings the rescuer? I vote for the latter. However, the unsettling stories "Silver Nemesis" and "Remembrance of the Daleks" are good arguments against my position.

BTW, I did say these things to the recapper in question, but haven't gotten a response. Since it's been several days, I doubt that I will. But, what say you?

 

[Matt Black]

You're not the only one who liked Liz. :smilewinkgrin:

If we're going for Top 5 Worst Companions, Peri lands at the top of that list. Adric wasn't half the whiner that Peri was.

Peri at least had a couple of...er...redeeming features (I'll get my coat!).

Ccrobinson, I think the quote was a reference to the girl in Fear Her being 'possessed' by the alien life form rather than about Rose.

Saw Runaway Bride Christmas Day - very good IMO. Catherine Tate was a bit annoying at the beginning as Donna (at least she didn't say "Am I bovvered?") but I gradually warmed to her and was glad she declined the chance to travel with the Doctor but said that he needed someone to '"stop him". Also very glad that the 'G' planet was mentioned for the first time since the classic series. What kind of gets me though is that London has been dramatically attacked several times on this new run - by the Slitheen, Cybermen and Daleks, the Sycorax and now the Racnos - and yet no-one seems to talk about it and everyone still seems startled when yet another crop of aliens materialise over the Thames (you would have thought that RTD would at least have someone say "Oh no, not another lot" or "Bloody alien invasion at Christmas again!" in a typically British fashion, but no).

 

[ccrobinson]

Peri at least had a couple of...er...redeeming features (I'll get my coat!).

And that's part of what I didn't like about Peri, because she was there to look pretty and to dress to accentuate those redeeming features. I don't remember if it was John Nathan-Turner's idea, or somebody higher up, but if Doctor Who has to stoop to that level to get ratings, there's a problem. Obviously, there was a problem during that period of Doctor Who. Oh, and I do understand that part of Leela's appeal was her sexuality, but the context of her dress was set appropriately. It wasn't entirely a ratings ploy while Peri was.

Ccrobinson, I think the quote was a reference to the girl in Fear Her being 'possessed' by the alien life form rather than about Rose.

Well, it's possible that I'm the one missing the boat here.

 

[Pete]

Ccrobinson, I think the quote was a reference to the girl in Fear Her being 'possessed' by the alien life form rather than about Rose.

Beat me to the draw Matt

Had he (CE) played the role for more than one season, I think he would top everybody's list as the best Doctor, surpassing even Tom. I have no doubts that he would have shined as much as DT did in the final scene of Doomsday. However, I don't think that Madame de Pompadour falling for 9 would have been as believeable as it was with 10.

CE made top of my list with just the one season. Although as great as he was I don't think he could have matched DT in that scene in Doomsday as it was written, however I also doubt DT could have matched the CE Doctor's own good-bye to Rose in The Parting of the Ways.

I think you are right about Madame de Pompadour and 9, but he would probably still have a better chance than 4

Also very glad that the 'G' planet was mentioned for the first time since the classic series.

I could be mistaken Matt (I usually am ) but didn't CE use it at the end of The End Of The World?

(Edit to add: Nope, just checked it on disc. He said everything but that...maybe I should try paying attention to these things....)

Oh, and I do understand that part of Leela's appeal was her sexuality, but the context of her dress was set appropriately.

Anyone daring to think about Leela like that would have to deal with that knife...I'ld probably prefer the bricks :tonofbricks:

 

[Matt Black]

Gallifrey is referred to in The End of the World but not by name; Runaway Bride is the first time it's been named since BCE (Before Christopher Eccleston). BCE, it was first named in The Deadly Assassin; previously it had just been vaguely referred to as 'the planet of the Time Lords' or words to that effect. Oh, I'm such a geek!

[ETA - oh, and I guess I agree about Peri; plus Nicola Bryant's faux American accent used to irritate me (a bit like Marina Sirtis' (from North London originally) weird accent in Star Trek:TNG).

 

[ccrobinson]

Anyone daring to think about Leela like that would have to deal with that knife

It's not like I'd say it out loud. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[ccrobinson]

"The Runaway Bride" appeared on my computer the other day, so I felt obligated to watch it last night. So many one-liners that I'll have to watch it again to pick up all of them. I promise to stay away from spoilers, but for a purist such as myself, there may be a big continuity error in regards to this story and a story from 3's era. I'm going to have go back and watch the 3 story and work out a satisfactory explanation. Yes, continuity matters to me, even if it's a science-fiction show about time-travel. I promise I won't be offended if you call me a complete geek because of this. :laugh:

 

[Pete]

cc, my theory is all the regular Whovian posters on this thread are geeks anyway...Although you are starting to skate closer to the line on the border between dedicated & addicted

Which 3 story? Planet Of The Spiders? Or something else you spotted?

(The Great One would have The Empress of Racnoss on toast....)

 

[Matt Black]

Inferno perhaps?

 

[ccrobinson]

cc, my theory is all the regular Whovian posters on this thread are geeks anyway...Although you are starting to skate closer to the line on the border between dedicated & addicted

It's a thin line. :laugh:

Inferno perhaps?

Yes. In that story, which is the best of 3's era, IMHO, drilling through the earth's crust causes the destruction of the Earth in the alternate universe. Here, drilling all the way to the core doesn't have any negative consequences. If I was more motivated this afternoon, I'd think about an answer, but I have some sim-racing to do. :thumbs:

 

[Matt Black]

Also none of those pesky Primords to trouble the Racnos; I guess that's Racnos technology vs Earth technology for you...

Details here

 

[ccrobinson]

You would have to post that link, wouldn't you, Matt? I just spent an hour reading about some of my favorite Who stories. :wavey: