The Dr Who thread

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:07 am 0

GeeZa wrote:What's peoples' current thinking about Tennant so far?

When he's being serious he's very good. But when he's not he reminds me too much of Richard Hammond from Top Gear.

grue · Post by **grue** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:21 am 0

Dio wrote:
GeeZa wrote:What's peoples' current thinking about Tennant so far?
When he's being serious he's very good. But when he's not he reminds me too much of Richard Hammond from Top Gear.

Too bad he is not serious more often.

I hate the fact that he insults my intelligence by explaining the obvious again and again. Or by finding the solution to everything without breaking a sweat.

This season misses the Wow! moments of the previous one. I don't care if it's leaps and bounds better than the 80's series, I got spoiled by the quality of last year's and this one doesn't even come close.

Remember the "I am talking!" moment in the first ep? Or the "through the fan walk" of the 2nd? Or the possesed corpse sitting among the audience in the 3rd?

Almost all the episodes of last year's season had some tension to them. And the two-parters actually left you sweating with the cliffhangers.

It might be the writers' that got bloated but the protagonist could save it a bit and he is not even trying. Sorry but that's my humble opinion.

nik · Post by **nik** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:08 am 0

Snakey wrote:
mightyzim wrote:I would have prefered if the rocket had materialized inside the tardis, just to show how big it is. Would have made a nice end to the Impossible Planet.
Nah. Already did that last series with Captain Jacks ship. No point repeating yourself ;)

Nope. The TARDIS appeared on Jack's ship in that ep.

We're talking about having the TARDIS appear around the rocket.

zip accident · Post by **zip accident** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:40 am 0

Driller wrote:

manicness. (I know that's not a word).

"mania" is. And, IMHO, would fit grammatically.

phattslagg · Post by **phattslagg** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:43 am 0

zip accident wrote:
Driller wrote:

manicness. (I know that's not a word).
"mania" is. And, IMHO, would fit grammatically.

'Maniacal behaviour' would probably be the corrrect way of saying it though.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:57 am 0

Insania!

Post by **RiK** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:36 am 0

Mysteria

Ollie · Post by **Ollie** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:58 am 0

GeeZa wrote:What's peoples' current thinking about Tennant so far? I must say I'm quite genuinely in two minds about him. Sometimes I think he's perfect, sometimes I think he's absolutely terrible. He's certainly a good actor, but I can't help feeling he's a little lightweight. Or maybe his somewhat over-bearing love of humanity (whereas previous Doctors appeared cynical but protective) and the less-than-subtle relationship with Rose has kinda boxed him in script-wise. I dunno, I really enjoyed The Satan Pit a lot (especially the Pyramids of Mars link) but the Doctor actually annoyed me this time.

As far as Tennant's interpretation goes, I think he's better at the comedy bits than Eccleston, but Eccleston was better at the emotional bits. Overall I liked Tennant better at first but am going off him as time goes on.

As far as the writing goes, I can't see where they're going with Tennant's Doctor. I thought his tendency to rush in without considering the consequences was going to get him in trouble sooner or later, but they've just trashed that bit of characterisation by having him decide (initially) to retreat from the pit and eventually go down it only when he got bored with the alternative. I think Eccleston's Doctor was better written, I have a feeling they're trying to be too clever with Tennant's and it's not really coming across. Rose's character doesn't seem very consistent this season either.

Frankly the impression I'm getting from RTD in the Confidentials is that his relationship with Doctor Who is like George Bush's relationship with God, in the sense that whatever he decides to do with it is somehow divinely inspired and therefore right and brilliant, because it's Doctor Who, so how could it not be?

Viscount Charles · Post by **Viscount Charles** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:10 pm 0

Well, we had an interesting excercise in comparing the old & new at the weekend. My daughter (almost 4) is a big fan of the new Doctor Who - whether it be "scarey robots" (Daleks to the rest of us) or "the delete people" (Cybermen). So, I stuck some classic Tom Baker on (Genesis of the Daleks). Her verdict? "Boring".

I'm in complete agreement with her. The exciting bits were few & far between, and the "subtle and interesting" bits werre completely overwhelmed by the "dull & boring" bits.

zip accident · Post by **zip accident** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:14 pm 0

phattslagg wrote:

'Maniacal behaviour' would probably be the corrrect way of saying it though.

I'm not convinced.

I think it may be understandable that people want to add bits onto words to change their meanings. However, frequently, this is not the best way to go about things. If you go back to the root of the word, you will often find there is an existing extension of that which fits.

The Collins papereback English Dictionary (1986 edition) wrote:

Mania ... n. 1. a mental disorder characterized by great excitement and occasionally violent behaviour. 2. obsessive enthusiasm or partiality.

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:09 pm 0

Firefox wrote:
HGFB wrote:An entire episode of Lexx season 4 was a game of chess between Kai and Prince.
I remember that one, it was bloody excellent!

Second!

It was one of those key moments that says "screw convention THIS is cool". Wonderful concept, and well executed too.

Ditto for the musical episode of Buffy.
Or the Loony-toons episode of Farscape. (maybe also the documentary style talking heads in unrealised reality)

Dr Who has yet to do anything on the same level, imo.
But I have hopes.
Maybe season 4 or such when normality of the adnormal is well estbalished, then they can do a off-the-wall eppisode.

It appears that so many people (including myself) expected the TARDIS to materialise around the ship that I wonder how many would have complained, had it happened, that it was too predictable

I dont think new viewers would have expected it though would that?

And everyone would agree it was bloody cool.

c64audio · Post by **c64audio** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:33 pm 0

Darkflame wrote:
Firefox wrote:
HGFB wrote:An entire episode of Lexx season 4 was a game of chess between Kai and Prince.
I remember that one, it was bloody excellent!
Second!

It was one of those key moments that says "screw convention THIS is cool". Wonderful concept, and well executed too.

Ditto for the musical episode of Buffy.
Or the Loony-toons episode of Farscape. (maybe also the documentary style talking heads in unrealised reality)

Dr Who has yet to do anything on the same level, imo.
But I have hopes.
Maybe season 4 or such when normality of the adnormal is well estbalished, then they can do a off-the-wall eppisode.

It appears that so many people (including myself) expected the TARDIS to materialise around the ship that I wonder how many would have complained, had it happened, that it was too predictable
I dont think new viewers would have expected it though would that?
And everyone would agree it was bloody cool.

Actually, it looks like the next episode of Dr. Who may be the madcap episode you're after!

Chris

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:35 pm 0

Maybe.
But map cap is slightly different thing....I am more thinking of breaking conventional formulas of how an episode works.

Its very hard to do right, and quite rare.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:38 pm 0

Darkflame wrote:Maybe.
But map cap is slightly different thing....I am more thinking of breaking conventional formulas of how an episode works.

Its very hard to do right, and quite rare.

Everything I've read says this is that episode. The Doctor is only in it for 10 mins.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:47 pm 0

That is not a good sign.