The Dr Who thread

[kalmar]

Why is Kylie a gay icon? I've never understood that. Is it just like a meme with them?

[bcass]

Hasn't Pullman said he's happy to have all the references to religion taken out of his movie?

There's been a lot of misinformation regarding this aspect of the film. Latest I heard is that it's been toned down yes, but not removed.

[xav]

But thank fuck we didn't, because it's called Doctor Who

And Blake's 7 was called "Blake's 7", despite Blake being absent from nearly half of it. The absence of Blake allowed Avon's character to develop, despite - or perhaps because of - Blake's whereabouts being a recurring theme. I.e. the idea of Blake was ever-present, despite the continued absence of the character.

Similarly it would be possible to have a story that keeps Martha separate from The Doctor for a while without having to ignore the existance of The Doctor entirely. In fact I never even suggested that The Doctor wouldn't appear at all, just that I would have liked to have seen the post-apocalyptic part stretched out across a couple of episodes.

when it's not about the Doctor it's boring shit, particularly since RTD took charge.

That might be the case, but as I'm speculating about what I would like to have seen, then I think we can take it as read that I would like to have seen a few post-apocalyptic episodes that were not, in fact, "boring shit".

[HGFB]

Hasn't Pullman said he's happy to have all the references to religion taken out of his movie?

There's been a lot of misinformation regarding this aspect of the film. Latest I heard is that it's been toned down yes, but not removed.

The kids accidentially kill God in book 3. How toned down will the suits want it?

[Dio]

That might be the case, but as I'm speculating about what I would like to have seen, then I think we can take it as read that I would like to have seen a few post-apocalyptic episodes that were not, in fact, "boring shit".

Well, if we're talking what I'd like to see, I'd prefer 'em to do a whole series without companions and force 'em to write the Doctor better, but there you go. But they'd have to write it fucking well to get away without the continuous doses of Mr. Exposition.

[WiteWulf]

The kids accidentially kill God in book 3. How toned down will the suits want it?

Now, either you're taking the piss or that's the biggest spoiler evah.

Care to inviso-text it if it's the latter? Oh, and wipe my memory of reading it, too, while you're at it.

[SimSimSan]

Yep, just about to post the obvious but I'll post it anyway, gay icon time.

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking this...

At least if the story is crap there's some eye-candy whatever your sexual bent
(Supresses images of her leaning over the tardis controls...)

Oh yes....I'm not a huge fan, generally, but the image and music style from the Confide In Me era worked for me

img-snip

Mmmm, raw and dirty. Looks vaguely like Bonnie Langford there. Sorry, damn, stuck with an image of a Kylie/Langford hybrid in early 1900's clothes. Damn my brain.

[bcass]

The kids accidentially kill God in book 3. How toned down will the suits want it?

Well, like I said, we'll have to wait until the films are released before we can pass judgement. Bit silly to do otherwise.

[HGFB]

The kids accidentially kill God in book 3. How toned down will the suits want it?

Now, either you're taking the piss or that's the biggest spoiler evah.

Care to inviso-text it if it's the latter? Oh, and wipe my memory of reading it, too, while you're at it.

We're you planning on invisotexting your quote too?

It's not like it's of huge importance anyway. Just one step along their journey to an extremely anti-religion ending It's *filthy*. Them being kids 'n all.

[WiteWulf]

The kids accidentially kill God in book 3. How toned down will the suits want it?

Now, either you're taking the piss or that's the biggest spoiler evah.

Care to inviso-text it if it's the latter? Oh, and wipe my memory of reading it, too, while you're at it.

We're you planning on invisotexting your quote too?

It's not like it's of huge importance anyway. Just one step along their journey to an extremely anti-religion ending It's *filthy*. Them being kids 'n all.

Heh, ok, fair enough.

[juice]

I've been watching Full Metal Alchemist and hats off to the Japanese for not insulting their children's intelligence. Complex plots, death of minors, questionning of religion and state. Why can't we westerners treat our children with the same respect?

Oooo - FMA starts well, but goes majorly wobbly at the end, IMHO. But yes: a lot of japanese anime is aimed at teenagers, and generally does a reasonable job of respecting their intelligence. Admittedly, they're seriously hamstrung by the standard Anime conventions, but still...

(Edit: quoting trimmed down)

[juice]

RTD annoys me. I know the fucker can write good sci-fi. I've read it. I also know the fucker can write good children's sci-fi. I've seen it. So why the fuck is he so shite sometimes at writing Doctor Who?

Quote FTW!

I think the main problem is that he's still trying to target way too many groups. My respect has gone up for him with the latter half of this series, but he lost a chunk of that with the Gollum/Jesus Christ stuff. I still maintain that it would have been far more interesting to see the Doctor regressed to a previous incarnation - though that obviously wouldn't have had the same potential for a plastic toy line.

Another thing that annoyed me was the Doctor's defense of the Master. He's not had any problems with sacrificing people before, for the greater good - witness the battles at the end of the first series, where Jack died. I'd have accepted a "he's the only other time lord left" explanation, but a cheesy tiemcock moment and a "you're better than him" justification left me very cold.

The extermination of the human race may not have happened, thanks to a bit of magic-wandage, but as Martha's mum said: the Master still did all those things.

The Doctor's ethics are something he's very rarely called to task on - Joan in the Family of Blood had a go, but he just walked away.

[seibu]

As for the Flash Gordon ring scene... what can I say. It would have been much better to just have the woman in red shown just sitting in a cafe somewhere thumbing at an old, heavily engraved pocket watch.

That's awesome. I wish you'd script edited the final ep.

[Ollie]

The whole music and dance routine bit to imply 'madness' was a terrible idea and should have been dropped after ep 12.

From what RTD said in the podcast, it wasn't meant to imply madness. It was what he would want to do if he ruled the world. Which I take to mean it's what he thinks kids would want to do if they ruled the world. Which somewhat misses the point that the Master is not a kid. Or an over-enthusiastic middle-aged gay bloke.

[seibu]

The whole music and dance routine bit to imply 'madness' was a terrible idea and should have been dropped after ep 12. Having music play over the end of episode 12 as the orbs began their descent to Earth ruined what was otherwise a good moment.

Yes. These bits made me cringe more than any other.

I've gotta say, I'm 100% in favour of pop music in Doctor Who, and have loved it right since we first got Britney in the second ep.

Remember, as John Nathan-Turner not so famously said, Doctor Who at its best should be "The Morecambe and Wise Show with monsters". And as Lawrence Miles said: "Babylon 5 it ain't".