The Dr Who thread

Harlequin · Post by **Harlequin** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:07 pm 0

May I suggest the inclusion of Life Scanners and penalties for using Fuel Scoops in certain systems to the next version of Oolite?

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:20 pm 0

Has any sci-fi actualy established what a life scanner is anyway? :p

Flabio wrote:If you're going to pick fault with the physics of a sci-fi show we'll be here all night

~sigh~

Harlequin · Post by **Harlequin** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:28 pm 0

Darkflame wrote:Has any sci-fi actualy established what a life scanner is anyway? :p

Of course, silly. It is a device which scans for signs of life.

Darkflame wrote:
Flabio wrote:If you're going to pick fault with the physics of a sci-fi show we'll be here all night
~sigh~

Especially in Doctor Who.

H. (reversing the neutron polarity of the cricket ball propulsion system)

XOR · Post by **XOR** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:41 pm 0

Not sure about all these aliens manifesting themselves as parasites in humans...this is at least the third time isn't it?

Good ep apart from that though.

Darkflame · Post by **Darkflame** » Sat May 19, 2007 9:52 pm 0

Well, I just see science gaps as things to be avoided.

Its ok if its a technology we dont understand, as long as its not a technology we do understand used wrong.

I think one of the best examples of how sci-fi should be done was on Farscape.
Some of the charecters are shrunk down in a tube, and they are discusing all the points about how whats happening to them is "impossible".
(eg, how can they we breath? the oxygen particals would be too big for our lungs! ect).
The other charecter points out that it dosnt mater, because it is happening to them, and they got better things to worry about then the 'how'.

In sci-fi, the impossible (to us) is allowed because we can safely assume its just future or alien technology. Just because we dont understand something, dosnt make it magic.

But when technology that isnt impossible to us is used, with words and ideas relateing to present day technology, then it should be made to fit in as best as possible with ideas we have today.
I cant offhand remember any occasion in Farscape were they misused 'earth-science' concepts or terminology. (

It isnt sci-fi's job to educate, but its a nice bonus if it does.

And, when a sci-fi makes a slight cock-up, either to do with real science,
or relateing to its own self consistancy, then pointing it out is part of being a fan of the show.
For me at least.

Flabio · Post by **Flabio** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:18 pm 0

I've never once seen a sci-fi show where everything in space is utterly silent.

I don't let it bother me. If I wanted to pick on stuff in todays I could go into...

1) theres no way they were only 42 minutes away from that star, based on the opening shot they were a very long way away. Unless it was a very small star.

2) People not in pressure suits going outside a ship will pop messily, not drift romantically.

But I don't. Cause it's sci-fi and I expect it to be a bit economical with what science it chooses to use.

anon76235 · Post by **anon76235** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:25 pm 0

just got to get into it dont you?

PVB · Post by **PVB** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:31 pm 0

Not bad, but was too much like the one of the ship going into the black hole.

1. Spaceship plummeting towards 'certain' doom.
2. Crew turn into murderous 'zombies' controlled by other entity.

I'll give it 6/10.

Edit:

Oh, and in Confidential RTD stated that it was the first episode based soley on a space ship.

Flabio · Post by **Flabio** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:39 pm 0

PVB wrote:Oh, and in Confidential RTD stated that it was the first episode based soley on a space ship.

It was, of the new stuff. The two parter last season was on a space station plumeting into a black hole. It was on a moon.

Harlequin · Post by **Harlequin** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:46 pm 0

Hardly any DW story for over 42 years has been hard Science Fiction, despite the series' original brief. It has mostly been Sci-Fi, fantasy with SF concepts and trimmings; more Star Wars than 2001: A Space Odyssey.

If one requires consistent accurate representations of proper science then I am afraid that one is watching the wrong family adventure show.

Sir_LANs-a-lot wrote:
HGFB wrote:
Sir_LANs-a-lot wrote:What was the significance of the "42" title?
The episode took place in real time across 42 minutes. Didn't you notice the countdown going on? It started at 42 minutes and a few seconds.
Ah. I thought it was some kind of homage to Hitchhikers.

I think that is was both, in part, along with the reversal of digits from a popular U.S. series featuring 'real-time' clock watching.

Flabio wrote:The two parter last season was on a space station plumeting into a black hole. It was on a moon.

Are you two referring to The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit which was set in a station on, as the title of the first part suggests, a planet orbiting a black hole?

PVB · Post by **PVB** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:47 pm 0

Flabio wrote:
PVB wrote:Oh, and in Confidential RTD stated that it was the first episode based soley on a space ship.
It was, of the new stuff. The two parter last season was on a space station plumeting into a black hole. It was on a moon.

I thought it was a ship against a large rock.

I just wanted to be Petty, okay?

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Sat May 19, 2007 10:56 pm 0

PVB wrote:I thought it was a ship against a large rock.

I just wanted to be Petty, okay?

If you want to be anal you should try to be accurate

Bog · Post by **Bog** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:01 pm 0

Yay! Not Cardiff!

I rather enjoyed that. Now if we can just send someone around to drag Stereotypical Meddling Mother-Unit off to a nice, safe broom-closet for the rest of the season. I mean, really - the Gubment types who were there. Who the smeg would be around people like that and not just spontaneously realise they were Utter, Utter Bastards(tm)?

CarlBillen · Post by **CarlBillen** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:05 pm 0

I wasn't set afire by that episode...

I found that it was all 'very shouty'. At one point I wasn't able to understand what they were shouting about

. This made, however, the silent bit in the middle stand out more...

For me the episode can be described by 'shouting and running and shouting some more'

. It was probably very exciting for the kids, but it didn't work for me.

But after I've seen it, I thought 'time to watch Buffy's Hush episode again'...

Governmentyard · Post by **Governmentyard** » Sat May 19, 2007 11:06 pm 0

/me taps foot impatiently and curses torrent stuck at 30kbps