Doctor.... Who? Spoilers! Really, don't read if ur not up to date.

[The Wiser Hatter]

[video=youtube_share;8UqJIenf3o0]http://youtu.be/8UqJIenf3o0[/video]

Knew it would be happening this fall. New Doctor on the way. Exciting times can not wait till the fall shows.


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[Formeruser012523]

Read this earlier today. Yet to be extremely upset, but know I will be.

He's been my favorite since Tom Baker.

 

[PADDY]

Shame Matt is moving on.

 

[Edward]

Fingers crossed this means Moffat is going too. Smith I like, but I'd have happily waved off even Tom Baker if it means getting rid of Moffat before he kills the show completely.

 

[Formeruser012523]

Moffat's staying. From what I read somewhere.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Edward who do you thing should run the show.?


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[Edward]

I'm not really sure who is in the frame. I was up for Neil Gaiman, but it would have to be the version that wrote The Doctor's Wife, not the recent themepark episode (to be fair, it might have been Moffat demanded the inclusion of those pointless and annoying children). I'd like to see them move away from the "showrunner" concept - it seems to me it was better in the old days when they didn't have a single, heavy hand on the tiller pointing it towards a predetermined plot point. Worth noting that all the very, very most inexcusable ideas (Rose is Badwolf, a Peter Kay cameo, Rose coming back, most of the last series...) came at the hands of the person in the showrunner chair at that point. Whoever it is, they need to take more risks. Moffat's biggest sin is his over-reliance on being safe - formulaic, carbon-copy assistants, no-one ever truly dies or leaves with no way back, far too many deus ex machina turns which conveniently wind up a plot in the last five minutes....

Hmn, I tell you who I really would like to see give it a go: the boys behind Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. Now they really played a blinder both in terms of overall story arc and good, well written individual episodes.

 

[Formeruser012523]

Don't agree with all of this, but do agree with most.

http://whatculture.com/tv/how-steven-moffat-has-ruined-doctor-who.php

 

[W-D Forties]

Well, I know this is a perennial question, but Who would you have as Doctor Who?

I too, would like to see an older Doctor. And much, much scarier stories, I repeat, the best Who episode ever (for me at least) has to be The Empty Child. Scary as hell. If you can get through the odd episode on the couch rather than behind it, it's not working!

If Hurt would do it I'd be over the moon.

 

[esteban68]

It's not just me who thought the children were annoying and pointless then Edward! +1 John Hurt.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

https://www.facebook.com/The.Doctor.Who.Tardis/posts/601488843217356

We should know within the month.


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[Edward]

It's not just me who thought the children were annoying and pointless then Edward! +1 John Hurt.

I'd put money on them having been shoe-horned in to facilitate a kiddy spin off a la the Sarsh Jane Adventures... except that SJA was better written than Moffat's execrable last series.

 

[W-D Forties]

I'm not really sure who is in the frame. I was up for Neil Gaiman, but it would have to be the version that wrote The Doctor's Wife, not the recent themepark episode (to be fair, it might have been Moffat demanded the inclusion of those pointless and annoying children). I'd like to see them move away from the "showrunner" concept - it seems to me it was better in the old days when they didn't have a single, heavy hand on the tiller pointing it towards a predetermined plot point. Worth noting that all the very, very most inexcusable ideas (Rose is Badwolf, a Peter Kay cameo, Rose coming back, most of the last series...) came at the hands of the person in the showrunner chair at that point. Whoever it is, they need to take more risks. Moffat's biggest sin is his over-reliance on being safe - formulaic, carbon-copy assistants, no-one ever truly dies or leaves with no way back, far too many deus ex machina turns which conveniently wind up a plot in the last five minutes....

Hmn, I tell you who I really would like to see give it a go: the boys behind Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. Now they really played a blinder both in terms of overall story arc and good, well written individual episodes.

GENE HUNT FOR THE NEW DOCTOR! Now, I'd pay good money to see that!

I too would like the death of the overly complicated, vaguely ridiculous, eeeelonnggated story arcs. Let the stories run for 2 or 3 episodes, like they used to in the 70's, or keep 'em short and snappy.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

So, after a disastrous end to the Matt Smith era, we are now gifted with Peter Capaldi.

I was wondering what my fellow Doctor Who fans thought of him as The Doctor so far?

Doctor Who has been such a roller coaster of excellent to miserable episodes as of late. the 50th anniversary special was amazing and then there was the last of Smith's reign "The Time of The Doctor," which was dreadful and ----------------------SPOILER -------------------- somehow featured the Time Lords being able to gift extra lives while being trapped in an instant of time! So poorly written.

Now we see a return of a more mature cantankerous Doctor. Although I was disappointed to see some tired characters returning in "Deep Breath" and initially I couldn't quite keep up with his dialect, and neither could my English wife and so I didn't feel as bad, but once he gave the speech about his eyebrows succeeding from his face, I was won over.

I like the edge, I like the intelligence, I like the unpredictability, I like the gravitas.

I don't like the insecurity. "Clara, am I a good man?" What? You don't need to ask that. You're The Doctor. You have battled with gods and monsters, saved the universe countless times...

Regardless, I am enjoying a more seasoned actor crafting a very compelling Doctor.

One last note, Mark Gatiss, you're very talented both as an actor and writer, what were you thinking? Episode three threw off the momentum a bit.

Thoughts?

 

[Formeruser012523]

Tired characters, indeed. I groan every time those three show up. There are many who think they need their own series. I say yes just to get them off my screen.

This last episode reminded me a lot of the classic series. He even threw in a karate chop like the 3rd Doctor.

Moffat had to include the scene with the extra lives to be able to continue the series. On short notice, I don't know how else he would have been able to write it in. In any case, it was a moment for Clara's character to come more to the forefront, finally.

I'm really enjoying Capaldi as the lead, though I do miss Smith's silliness. It's nice to see Clara given more personality & becoming more of her own character. I was sad to hear that she may be leaving come Christmas. Hope that's just the rumor mill churning.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Agreed, Mae, they are finally turning Clara into a character fully formed.

As for the extra lives bit, I may have gone for a regeneration with little explanation and that would have kept up a certain tension as in, will he be able to regenerate again? Or it could have had something to do with Trenzalore or visiting his time stream. Moffat's solution was just so deus ex machina that it strained all credibility.

Remember, it was The Doctor's new mission to find Gallifrey and to go home, so why didn't the frozen Time Lords also impart that bit of knowledge?

And if frozen and lost, how does one know where or what The Doctor is up to?

BTW, The Doctor seems to be searching for Gallifrey in the same manner that OJ was searching for Nichole's killer.

In any case, we must overlook the bits of nonsense we don't like to enjoy the larger show, I suppose.

Smith was great, especially in the earlier episodes. He seemed to go a bit stale at the end along with the writing.

 

[Edward]

So, after a disastrous end to the Matt Smith era, we are now gifted with Peter Capaldi.

I was wondering what my fellow Doctor Who fans thought of him as The Doctor so far?

B Plus.

Capaldi - A+

Writing - B-

Continued presence of Clara - F

That about averages out as a B plus.

Doctor Who has been such a roller coaster of excellent to miserable episodes as of late. the 50th anniversary special was amazing and then there was the last of Smith's reign "The Time of The Doctor," which was dreadful and ----------------------SPOILER -------------------- somehow featured the Time Lords being able to gift extra lives while being trapped in an instant of time! So poorly written.

With maybe one or two exceptions at the early part of the second half of the last season, it was uniformly appalling. Moffat needs to get overf himself and his ego, stop trying to make his mark on the show, stop trying to show off his "me so clever" nonsense, and just write something good. Or preferably, get lost and hand the show over to someone who respects it. It's even money which was more appalling - the risible fiftieth aniversary episode, so concerned with being the Fiftieth! Anniversary! Episode! that they forgot to make it any good (some appalling plot choices, apparently built around who was available. There's never an excuse for Billie Piper, but even that aside her inclusion was stupid), or the execrable curtain cll for Smith. Sad, really - he was quite a good Doctor, but he was given such rubbish with which to work latterly.

Now we see a return of a more mature cantankerous Doctor. Although I was disappointed to see some tired characters returning in "Deep Breath" and initially I couldn't quite keep up with his dialect, and neither could my English wife and so I didn't feel as bad, but once he gave the speech about his eyebrows succeeding from his face, I was won over.

I like the edge, I like the intelligence, I like the unpredictability, I like the gravitas.

I love Capaldi, but they're really giving him some tripe to work with. Much of his dialogue in that first episode was almost as monumentally awful as that fish-finger-custard idiocy. The "look, I'm Scottish, me" stuff is so pathetic it's actually vaguely insulting to the viewer, butg then if you also watch Sherlock you'll notice that ego-tripping and insulting the viewer has become Moffat's stock in trade these days.

I don't like the insecurity. "Clara, am I a good man?" What? You don't need to ask that. You're The Doctor. You have battled with gods and monsters, saved the universe countless times...

That I do like. I'm bored of a goody-goody, cuddly Doctor. I want the return of the dangerous Doctor, the Doctor who, when he wore Hartnell's face, considered murdering a dying man to escape himself. The Doctor who recognised how far beneath him humans truly are... That's he's also insecure - unsurprising, given the disorientation of the regeneration process - is rather a bonus.

One last note, Mark Gatiss, you're very talented both as an actor and writer, what were you thinking? Episode three threw off the momentum a bit.

It was a fun parody of the Errol Flynn style of actin,g and I think it rather hilarious, the idea tha Robin Hood really existed but was simply so preposterous histroy thinks he was a myth... There was a beheading scene cut atthe last minute for political reasons, given the news of late; rumour has it that the Sheriff was beheaded and this revealed him to be a robot too - if true, a major plot point which makes much of the rest of it make sense.

Agreed, Mae, they are finally turning Clara into a character fully formed.

I'm desperately hoping they turn her into blood and a pile of ash as soon as possible. They ran out of ideas for her at the end of the last series. Had she jumped inot the vortex to be split up, save many versions of the Doctor, and not be seen again in our timeline, that would be fantastic. Sadly, Moffat being utterly unable to commit to finality, we're still lumbered with her. Once again, too, the story suffers at the hands of show mechanics: just as the Ponds stayed around half a season after they'd run out of ideas for them in order that them leaving could provide the big hook for the mid season finale, we're lmbered with Clara until the Christmas special. Ho hum. I desperately hope forf her to die in the goriest way possible... though no doubtg evne if that happened Moffat would fairy dust herf to safety and mothball her for a spurious plotpoint return in years to come. Moron.

As for the extra lives bit, I may have gone for a regeneration with little explanation and that would have kept up a certain tension as in, will he be able to regenerate again? Or it could have had something to do with Trenzalore or visiting his time stream. Moffat's solution was just so deus ex machina that it strained all credibility.

Regeneration started off as a crafty way for the beeb to preserve a popular show while getting shot of Hartnell- I suppose nobody foresaw Who running long enough for him to run out of regens. It was inevitable they'd magic the limit away, but I agree that it was extremely poorly written in - again, a Moffat trademark.

Remember, it was The Doctor's new mission to find Gallifrey and to go home, so why didn't the frozen Time Lords also impart that bit of knowledge?

Please, let's forget that. Stupid, stupid, stupid idea to bring Gallifrey back Let it remain destroyed, a result of the time war and the Doctor's act of genocide.

BTW, The Doctor seems to be searching for Gallifrey in the same manner that OJ was searching for Nichole's killer.

That whole plotline, and its associated writing, is about as credible as OJ's book.

In any case, we must overlook the bits of nonsense we don't like to enjoy the larger show, I suppose.

Sadly, as long as Moffat remains at the helm, the nonsense will drown any good left in it.

Smith was great, especially in the earlier episodes. He seemed to go a bit stale at the end along with the writing.

Smith was fine... the material with which he had to work, however.... if Moffat had any sense of decency, he'd have retired to the library with a service revolver long ago.

 

[Zombie_61]

So, after a disastrous end to the Matt Smith era, we are now gifted with Peter Capaldi.

I was wondering what my fellow Doctor Who fans thought of him as The Doctor so far?

I never really warmed to Smith as The Doctor--too quirky and animated for my tastes--so they could have replaced him with almost anyone and I would probably have been pleased. That said, I really like Capaldi so far, but three episodes really isn't enough to make a definitive judgement. And, as Edward commented on above, the writing for those three episodes wasn't great, so that makes it more difficult to compare Capaldi to his previous counterparts.

I also agree with Edward's views on Moffat's performance as the "showrunner". Moffat tries too hard to come across as brilliant and innovative, and I think that has been detrimental to a show that could be brilliant in more capable hands. In fact, I can't help but wonder if I would have liked Smith better in the role if Moffat's predecessors hadn't left. I'm convinced some of Smith's "quirkiness" was caused by the chemistry between him, Karen Gillan, and Arthur Darvill, because he seemed to calm down somewhat when they left and Jenna Coleman joined the cast. But I also wonder if Russell Davies wouldn't have reined him in a bit instead of "letting him run with it" the way Moffat appeared to.

Speaking of Jenna Coleman, I like her and her character Clara Oswald, but Coleman and Capaldi don't appear to have quite the chemistry that most previous Companions and Doctors have had. Given Clara's uncertainty about the "new" Doctor this might be intentional since it plays into the current storyline, but it gives the show a different "vibe" in my opinion. I suppose time will tell.

And speaking of "different", I was a little surprised by the "Scottish" thing. Scottish actors have played the doctor before (Sylvester McCoy and David Tennant), but they played The Doctor as a "Brit". I could be wrong, since I never watched the original Doctor Who series (it never played on television here in southern California as far as I know), but aren't they breaking with "tradition" by doing that? I don't have a problem with it, I just find it curious.

So that's my assessment. Capaldi, good (so far). Coleman, good. Moffat, really really bad. Writing, could be better.

 

[Edward]

McCoy used his own Scottish accent as the Doctor. Tennant instead spoke as a Sassenach, though he always said in interviews that this was an unconscious character thing rather than a deliberate decision to not be a "Scottish " Doctor. (He grew up as a fan with Peter Davidson as "his" Doctor.... now, in reality, his father in law... so he may have in part been aping Davidson's vocal mannerisms). I like very much hearing Capaldi using his natural Weedjie tones, but I do wish they didn't keep gonig on about it. Moffat obviously thinks he's being meta and hilarious, but enough already...

They dealt far better with Eccleston's accent in a beautiful little throwaway one-liner in the very first episode of the reboot -

Rose: If you are an alien how come you sound like you're from the North?

The Doctor: Lots of planets have a North.

I don't miss RTD.... he made some real howlers. Rose - Badwolf, overuse of the Daleks, bringing back Rose et al (and thereby losing the poignancy of her initial separation from the Doctor) because he wanted to work with them before he left, not because it served the story, Peter Bleedin' Kay in a Halloween costume... Some truly awful moments. Moffat, however, hasturned out to be far from the show's saviour that we all hoped, and during Smith's last season rendered it unwatchable.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I don't miss RTD.... he made some real howlers. Rose - Badwolf, overuse of the Daleks, bringing back Rose et al (and thereby losing the poignancy of her initial separation from the Doctor) because he wanted to work with them before he left, not because it served the story, Peter Bleedin' Kay in a Halloween costume... Some truly awful moments. Moffat, however, hasturned out to be far from the show's saviour that we all hoped, and during Smith's last season rendered it unwatchable.

Overall I'd say there were far fewer...let's say "not so good" episodes...during the RTD/Eccleston/Tennant era than during the Moffat/Smith era, and even those were still better than most of what was on television here in the U.S. at the time. In fact, somewhere during the second or third season/series of the Moffat/Smith era I lost interest in the show and didn't really care whether I watched it or not. I'm hoping Capaldi will reinvigorate the enjoyment I felt while watching the show during the RTD/Eccleston/Tennant era, but as I wrote above it's too soon to tell.