The Dr Who thread

TFO · Post by **TFO** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:26 am 0

HGFB wrote:I think Russell has a plan

Maybe the new companion could be a Welsh screenwriter who has had some previous success with a series about the gay community...

aureole · Post by **aureole** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:40 am 0

Well, I liked it. I was disappointed to see two decent actors be apparently written out, but what can you do?

Anyway.

HGFB · Post by **HGFB** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:41 am 0

Which two were written out? Freema is going to be in 3 episodes of Torchwood and probably six of series 4 of Doctor Who. I doubt they did this on a whim. There'll be a story reason for it that we'll find out about next year.

There's also nothing stopping John Simm coming back if he wants to. This is the Master we're talking about remember. He's like Monty Python's Black Knight. He's had worse.

xav · Post by **xav** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:02 am 0

For me it was a bit rubbish. Yet another end-of-season finale resolved by someone being given magical glowy powers. The basic idea of turning The Master's satellite network against him was okay, but it would have made more sense to me if it had been used directly against him, rather than by transforming The Doctor.

I quite like the idea of Jack being the Face of Boe, but I wish it hadn't been made quite so blatant. I love the idea of The Master ageing him enough to give a hint as to who he becomes, but even in the context of the way it was shown I would have preferred him to have said "they called me 'The Face of Boeshane'", leaving the viewer to work out how the name could be abbreviated, and the implications that carries.

Of course Jack being the FOB does at least explain the "You Are Not Alone"=="YANA" work of the week shenanigans... though it doesn't explain why Jack/FOB didn't spare everyone a lot of grief with a much more useful four-word final message: "Yana is The Master".

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.

Dio · Post by **Dio** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:14 am 0

xav wrote:For me it was a bit rubbish. Yet another end-of-season finale resolved by someone being given magical glowy powers. The basic idea of turning The Master's satellite network against him was okay, but it would have made more sense to me if it had been used directly against him, rather than by transforming The Doctor.

Yes, it would, and then it would have dovetailed really rather nicely with the whole Time Lord telepathy thing.

But that would have given them the conundrum of getting the Doctor back to normal without regeneration (which is what would obviously have happened if Tennant hadn't wanted to continue). Hard, although a more logical method could have been found without too much effort I reckon. But in the end, rubbish Deus Ex it was.

xav · Post by **xav** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:35 am 0

Dio wrote:But that would have given them the conundrum of getting the Doctor back to normal without regeneration (which is what would obviously have happened if Tennant hadn't wanted to continue). Hard, although a more logical method could have been found without too much effort I reckon. But in the end, rubbish Deus Ex it was.

Not that difficult - they could have just changed the settings on the laser screwdriver, had The Doctor doing his speeded up disco dancing routine again, and before you know it he's back to normal.

clovis · Post by **clovis** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:01 pm 0

for what it's worth, I enjoyed this last episode and so did my kids. I know there were plot holes you could drive a car through but get over it and just explain them away somehow.

They really like Tenant as the doctor and didn't want Martha to leave, glad I can tell them she'll be back. Not letting them watch torchwood though.

They haven't seen LOTR so the aged doctor was quite fascinating for them too.

I've been teasing them about the Master coming back and that it was really the woman in the red dress ot could have been. At one point she comes back to the main flight deck with the Master and seems to have a black eye, was that a hint at hidden violence or something else?

so it's been a good series overall. They just don't understand why they have to wait until Christmas for another episode.

Col · Post by **Col** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:04 pm 0

Rumour has it that the guy who played Thomas Milligan in the LOTL is gonna be the next companion. They've got nothing to back it up though, but would make it interesting when Martha comes back.

WiteWulf · Post by **WiteWulf** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:06 pm 0

xav wrote: Not that difficult - they could have just changed the settings on the laser screwdriver, had The Doctor doing his speeded up disco dancing routine again, and before you know it he's back to normal.

Indeed...The Master pointed out that the screwdriver was based on the tech that made the mad professor blokey younger in the first place so why not just reverse the electron-flow or summat sci-fi sounding and flip-reverse the whole process?

kalmar · Post by **kalmar** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:09 pm 0

Reverse the polarity perhaps?

amanset · Post by **amanset** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:09 pm 0

Hell, I'm still not entirely sure what went on with the "Doctor Doctor" thing. I guess it broke the Master's psychic control gubbins but quite why that turned The Doctor into a glowy floaty Jesus is beyond me.

phattslagg · Post by **phattslagg** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:20 pm 0

amanset wrote:Hell, I'm still not entirely sure what went on with the "Doctor Doctor" thing. I guess it broke the Master's psychic control gubbins but quite why that turned The Doctor into a glowy floaty Jesus is beyond me.

The Doctor said it had taken him all year to tune into the right frequency of the psychic network, (no doubt relying on the idea that a transmitter is also a receiver) so I'm taking it that as a result of his success, the combined effect of everyone in the world calling for his return was more than enough to bring him back to his former self - the surplus giving him the temporary floaty power.

I must admit that that bit felt a bit too 'power of prayer' to me though

Harlequin · Post by **Harlequin** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:27 pm 0

clovis wrote:I've been teasing them about the Master coming back and that it was really the woman in the red dress ot could have been. At one point she comes back to the main flight deck with the Master and seems to have a black eye, was that a hint at hidden violence or something else?

It was to hint at her violent relationship, as discussed in the episode commentary.

SimSimSan · Post by **SimSimSan** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:30 pm 0

I was hoping for more and it didn't arrive.

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. Don't get me started on the 'Jesus bit'. It started so well with the world ravaged for a year to create that post apocalyptic feel that we go for in this country (shared with Japan, island fever perhaps) but didn't take long for hopes of a blinding end to the series to be dashed.

Aimed at kids or otherwise, all too cliched and tacky. A mixed season for me but I'm still interested to see what can be done with a character I liked in my childhood so I keep watching. Ho hum.

phattslagg · Post by **phattslagg** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:39 pm 0

SimSimSan wrote: 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.

Overall, I still managed to enjoy it, but I enjoyed this week's Jekyll more.