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The Doctor Who Thread.....


Greg1138

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Thanks for the comments on the Christmas ep, guys. Sci Fi has announced that we'll be getting Series 3 this summer, so fortunately the wait won't be as long this time.

Now that Series 2 has wrapped up over here I can finally review the whole year. First off, the finale was as good as I expeced. Rose gets a nice departure, and a nice closure to not only her story but her parents and Mickey as well. And who knew the Daleks and Cybermen could be so witty? :wave:

As for the year as a whole, it was good, but not as consistently good as Series 1. The highs were just as high, but the lows were much lower. I enjoy every ep in Series 1, even the Slitheen 2-parter, my least favorite. But I found almost all the single episodes to be a disappointment to one degree or another. I only really enjoyed the perfect School Reunion and Steven Moffat's The Girl in the Fireplace (which wasn't as good as the now legendary Empty Child/The Doctor Dances). In particular I thought that Love and Monsters and Fear Her were the two weakest episodes yet of the new series. Fortunately, all the 2-parters, as well as the Christmas Invasion, were wonderful. I would rank my series 2 favorites:

School Reunion

Army of Ghosts/Doomsday

The Christmas Invasion

Cybermen 2-parter

The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit

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The new series in general does seem to be at it's best when it's segmented....of course, all of the Classic series was filmed as 2, 3, 4 or 6 parters (occasionally more in the very early years....)....

Let's hope that the good Doctor's battle with the Daleks in 1930's Manhattan carries on the tradition!

:wave:

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Let's hope that the good Doctor's battle with the Daleks in 1930's Manhattan carries on the tradition!

They're bringing the Daleks back again?

That makes THREE times they've fully got rid of them (pointlessly), and they need to invent some stupid plot twist to bring them back. Someone's not planning ahead. :roll:

I think that if they fired him, we would lose the series for good....he almost single-handedly brought the good Doctor back to the small screen where it belongs......plus we would also loose Torchwood, which just wouldn't be acceptable!

I disagree. There are plenty of other much more talented writers who could carry on the series, and who would be able to respectfully follow the classic series, rather than blowing it a kiss and then promptly shitting on it. Which is, unfortunately, what I feel Mr Davies is doing. :cry:

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Rob - the daleks have been in Doctor Who for over 40 years! They are as much of a part of the series as the Tardis and have been battled by almost every incarnation of the Doctor - including Rowan Atkinson!......Trust me - they ain't going away.....

Greg - who watched Runaway Bride again tonight - and enjoyed it much more this time, perhaps because the anticipation was no longer there?

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The new series in general does seem to be at it's best when it's segmented....of course, all of the Classic series was filmed as 2, 3, 4 or 6 parters (occasionally more in the very early years....)....

Yes, that was something I was thinking about while watching The Impossible Planet. The first 20 minutes or so felt so much like part 1 of a classic 4-parter, slowly introducing the setting and the characters.

And rob, I couldn't disagree more about how Davies has treated the original Who. He's done it with both class and respect, acknowledging the original when appropriate but not afraid to do something new either. And the Daleks are at their best right now since before they became all about Davros. Sure I have some criticisms for Davies' writing, just about everyone has, but overall he's been an excellent showrunner.

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Rob - the daleks have been in Doctor Who for over 40 years!  They are as much of a part of the series as the Tardis and have been battled by almost every incarnation of the Doctor - including Rowan Atkinson!......Trust me - they ain't going away.....

I know that, and I didn't object to that!! What I object to is the fact that they kill them off at the end of every Dalek story now - first they had the "last Dalek" dying, then they had Rose "permanently" destroying the Daleks, and then they had them locked away for all eternity in the vortex... only to bring them back later. And as a result have to come up with an incredibly contrived plots to bring them back.

That's what I'm objecting to, not the presence of the Daleks (which I agree is essential), but the stupid and illogical twists that are required to bring them back because of their being killed off. Solution? Don't kill them off at the end of every episode.

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Get used to it - it's kind of a "Tradition"......!! Even Davros himself was killed at one point....only to return for several more appearances.....

Though I shold point out that near the end of "Doomsday" it is made explicit that a Dalek escapes....now work in the Time Travel aspect and the history of the Daleks themselves and - well - they were always going to come back....

Greg - who hoes that their revived popularity doesn't lead to things like Movies again....Dr Who and the daleks both belong firmly on the small screen....

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Indeed, the Borg would do well to be in the series. Just imagine the cliffhanger of the second last episode - the Doctor (or his companion) and the TARDIS are assimilated. Though that would probably result in some deus ex machina or another. Still, it would be bloody good watching.

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Actually the Cybermen from the Original series were quite a lot like the Borg....their own planet was destroyed, along with many of their species, so they used drugs and cybernetic implants/exo-skeletons to physically and mentally alter beings from other planets into the Cyberman form to continue and improve their species....

Now we know where Star Trek nicked it from!!

LOL

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Well - the first season of "Torchwood" has just finished overe here.....and I gotta say the show has been great......apart from the one naff episode it has been a consistently cracking series with just the right amount of human stuff as well as the alien bullshit.....

Very, very good, and though the closing moments of the final episode were predictable in the extreme, I can't wait to see where it all leads......

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  • 2 months later...

Hmmmm.....maybe. Similar armor and helmet, but that might not mean much. If they were bringing back the Sontartans we probably would've heard something by now.

Besides, the rumor mill is swirling that the classic villan being brought back for Series 3 will be (don't highlight unless you really really want to know now and spoil it all):

The Master

.

John- who likes the Sontarans, but in small doses

Well it looks like our resident Brits are either not watching Series 3 or not posting (where's Greg gone?). But, came across this little tidbit and thought it was interesting:

The official website has pointed out the fact that Gridlock will be the 727th episode of Doctor Who, which breaks the record previously held by Star Trek for the total number of episodes.

The website says, "Gridlock is the 727th episode of Doctor Who. This will break the record held by the various series in the Star Trek franchise. They amassed a combined total of 726 episodes between them."

Of course, the vast majority of those episodes are in Who's old style: half hour eps that made up (usually) 4 or 6 part serials, rather than 45 minutes/hour longs.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Greg is very well ta! I am still alive and enjoying season 3 immensely......but have been very busy of late with various - erm - things! The Real Greg1138 will return soon I hope, but for now you will have to make do with this pale imitation, who hopes that the football on Saturday does not go into extra time so that my recording of episode 3 (since I will be doing much nicer things at the time) does not bugger up!

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Gridlock.....illogical, pretty badly conceived, some damned poor effects, occasionally idiotic script. and probably the most thoroughly entertaning episode for quite a while! Nice to see the *AHEM* back - in a somewhat more realistic guise! Actually - the *AHEM* effects were the standout for me here.....shame about much of the rest! And so the Face of Boe gives his final secret - and hands up anyone here who does not know to whom he was referring?!?!?!??

Greg - believing Season 3 to be the most consistently excellent season so far........so far........

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Ah, so no socc...er "football" delay, then. Good deal. Thanks, Greg. I knew the Face of Boe's secret would be about you know who. Just out of curiosity, what were the exact words he used?

Series 3 has definately gotten the most consitently good reviews thus far, I get the feeling that Tennant and the show are really hitting a stride, especially after Series 2 was a bit more "up and down" than Series 1 IMO. I can't wait to actually see it, early this summer is the tentative starting point over here.

BTW- like my sig? :blink:

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What were the exact words he used?

The Face: I have seen so much....perhaps too much.....I am the last of my kind, as you are the last of yours, Doctor....

The Doctor: That's why we have to survive....both of us.....don't go.....

The Face: I must....but know this, Timelord....You are not alone......

A scene follows where the Doctor tells Martha all about the time war with the Daleks.....increasing the anticipation for the coming 2-parter!!!! It's quite a while since I've felt this kind of anticipation for the coming episodes....it appears that The Runaway Bride was a bit of a blip, and regular service has been resumed! The next episodes can not come quickly enough for me now...

Oh - and yes - I did spot the sig!!!!!!! hmmmm.....wonder what that might all mean, eh??

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Damn it all! I love this thread but I've had to stay away from it for the last few weeks. My "source" still hasn't got the first few episodes of season 3 to me yet. I should be getting them soon and of course then I'll read all the posts I'm avoiding right now. I'll be back!

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I've been away from this thread for some time too....but season 3 is great.....so far......the first 2-parter is nigh!!!!

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Two parters can be rather mixed, can't they? If you don't like episode 1 much (Aliens of London) then it's a bummer that you have to wait 2 weeks before getting a brand new story. Having said that, two of the best episodes (IMO) of the new series of Dr Who have been part 1 of a 2-parter: The Empty Child, and The Impossible Planet.

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Daleks in Manhattan: One of the best - if not THE best - episodes of the last 3 years. Superb in every way.

A couple of observations (no spoilers):

1) The character of Tallulah (that's 3 L's and 1 H!) looks very much like Fay Wray.....and the story is set around the Empire State Building in the 1930's.....cool!

2) Another Star Wars alumnus (after Silas Carson muscling his way in last year) appears - Hugh Quarshie.

3) Although the new series has done it's best to distance itself a little from Old "Who"....but not too much....this episode was actually very reminiscent of the old series....certainly some of the later Tom Baker ones....story structure, plot line (Doctor joins the rabble to fight the Masters) - even the cliffhanger itself - felt like I was watching an old friend....

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Lazarus Experiment......Hmmmmmm....not really a low point of the season so far, just not as good as it has been....The final scenes just didn't have that....ya know.....kick......but a brilliantly realised creature and that final phone message from Mrs Jones where we realise that we have finally met - albeit briefly - a certain Mr Saxon....leave this episode with a satisfying taste in the mouth.

Here's looking forward to "42", which will be shown in the UK in 2 weeks as it makes way for Eurovision next weekend....the teaser for 42 is barmy, but it will be nice to say hello to an old friend from the first season once more....

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I'm also looking forward to 2 week's time, not only because John Barrowman returns, but because John Simm (of Life on Mars fame) appears. Wonder if he will still have the northern accent.

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the teaser for 42 is barmy, but it will be nice to say hello to an old friend from the first season once more....
I'm also looking forward to 2 week's time, not only because John Barrowman returns, but because John Simm (of Life on Mars fame) appears. Wonder if he will still have the northern accent.

That was actually a teaser for the whole rest of Series 3, a "special treat" since the show is being delayed next week. Jack doesn't return until the third to last ep I believe, and John Simm shouldn't fully appear until the final 2-parter. I think most of those clips were from the coming 2-parter based on Paul Cornell's 7th Doctor New Adventure novel Human Nature, and Steven Moffat's "horror story" Blink.

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That was actually a teaser for the whole rest of Series 3, a "special treat" since the show is being delayed next week. Jack doesn't return until the third to last ep I believe, and John Simm shouldn't fully appear until the final 2-parter. I think most of those clips were from the coming 2-parter based on Paul Cornell's 7th Doctor New Adventure novel Human Nature, and Steven Moffat's "horror story" Blink.

This did occur to me after I had posted, since I had heard previously that John Barrowman would be in the final 4 episodes of the season before returning to Torchwood....but thanks for the confirmation! It did all look a bit frantic!

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Heh, how often is it an American is telling a Brit what's what about Who? ;)

And Jack's in the last 4, OK, I can never remember what the exact number is. And I hadn't mentioned before, if there are any other American Who fans lurking here (and please reveal yourself/selves if there are) it's been confirmed that Series 3 will start here on July 6.

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Incidentally, the next Classic Who DVD's are apparently going to be "Timelash" with Colin Baker - which was shite - and Time-Flight/Arc Of Infinity (possibly a double pack) with Peter Davison - these were both pretty crap too, but I know that many fans of that era have a soft spot for both stories....me included....probably because of the identities of the main villains in each story.....Time Flight is often considered the worst Who adventure of all time (Davison himself ripped it to pieces on several TV specials - especially in the 30th anniversary programme) - but it just ain't all that bad!!!

Not very GOOD, mind you, but just not that bad....

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I read that it was going to be a Time Flight/Ark of Infinity/Snakedance triple pack packaged as the "Tegan Trilogy". I forget where I saw that now..

Still haven't received my DVDs of season 3 yet though my source tells me he's putting them in the mail sometime over the next few days (right...).

Speaking of American vs English Dr who fans, I've been a fan ever since I was 4 (last season of the Pertwee era). To show how old I am, I remember being upset that Belaal didn't join the Doctor at the end of Death to the Daleks! I moved to America in 1998 to study, and I'm still here. Everyone I've shown the new series to has become an addict! My fiancee loves it, and her (American) bridesmaid's entire family loves it (including three kids aged 10-15). Admittedly they are not into classic Who, but they love the new show. I wish more people in the US watched it! They might be surprised how good it is. It certainly beats Lost and Heroes. Heroes is a pretty good show, but seems to be stretching itself rather thin these days, which Lost did about a year ago. Dr Who has the advantage of being completely new and fresh every episode! There is literally the whole of time and space to choose from when the writers tackle a new story, and the overall "arc" is minimal at best, allowing far more creative freedom.

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Time Flight? Arc of Infinity? Timelash? Hoo boy, crap crap and crap. Snakedance is decent, but you'd think they'd package it with the superior Kinda. I'm still looking forward to getting the New Beginnings set (Keeper of Traken/Logopolis/Castrovalva), and I still haven't gotten around to picking up Inferno (a Pertwee classic) and The Invasion (really looking forward to seeing the animated missing eps) yet.

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You MUST get The Invasion. It's excellent, and they did a great job on the animation. It's a shame it looks like there won't be any more missing stories given the same treatment. Cosgrove Hall have said they will only be doing "new" animated adventures from now on. I'm a bit gutted about that to be honest. I was really looking forward to them working through all the classic missing serials. It seemed like there was finally a way for those stories to be completed again.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I finally got the DVDs of the season 3 episodes up to date (until Lazarus Experiment). I'm impressed so far. Gridlock was very unusual and quite creepy. The Macra beasts were a little like the Langoliers from the Stephen King book, in that you can hear them but can't see them until the climax. Great. Smith and Jones was fun but nothing amazing. Shakespeare Code was very good. The Dalek 2-parter looked amazing. Shame about the acting of certain characters (the awful showgirl, her boyfriend, and a couple of others). The city views were incredible. The Lazarus Experiment was one of the best, very well done IMO. I wish the Doctor had explained a little more what he was trying to do with the organ (oo-er missus) as it all seemed a bit random, and lucky. Still, an excellent episode and VERY well acted by everyone. The monster looked incredible.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well - season 3 continues to be the best season so far - "Blink" was just plain scary, and coming after the Human Nature 2-parter (which, for me, was the high point of the season so far) I'm sure there have been a few sofas hidden behind over the past couple of weeks....so here's to the final few of the season, and finally the return of Captain Jack!

Greg

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Well - season 3 continues to be the best season so far - "Blink" was just plain scary, and coming after the Human Nature 2-parter (which, for me, was the high point of the season so far) I'm sure there have been a few sofas hidden behind over the past couple of weeks....so here's to the final few of the season, and finally the return of Captain Jack!

Greg

I had a wild thought the other day. There's been some rumors lately that Russell T. Davies is starting to think about stepping down. When he does, I can't think of anyone better or more qualified to hand the show over to than Steven Moffat, lifelong Who fan and writer of some of the best episodes since the show came back. Hopefully the BBC will see that as well.

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RTD has put a hell of a lot of time and effort into Doctor Who, but it would not surprise me to learn that he is stepping down to concentrate on other projects....and they could do a lot worse than Moffat, I agree....

In the meantime, he has been confirmed as the writer of this year's Christmas Special, and will write 4 episodes of season 4....as will Moffat, who is writing his first 2-parter since The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances....

Greg

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You start - quite frankly - but forgetting the movie with Eric Roberts (although given what we know is going to happen in the next couple of weeks of the new series, I may be a bit hasty with that....we'll see....)....it was good, but it just wasn't Dr Who despite Paul McGann doing his bloody best and ending up being the best part of the movie and a perfectly acceptable Doctor....you don't really need to watch any of the classic series to catch up with things - part of the beauty of the writing - although I'm sure people here would recommend a list of 5 DVD's to rent out before you embark on the new series....I for one would suggest The Beginning, Terror od the Autons, Genesis of the Daleks, Black Orchid and The Curse of Fenric.....just to give you a bit of a taster and a heads-up with one or two things.....

....then start renting the new series starting with Christopher Ecclestone's season....you soon catch up with things......and enjoy the ride.....

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Utopia.......Oh yes....oh yes.....oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes...............didn't get the story, and I don't care..............but welcome back to an old friend.....

.......and a very old enemy.......You Are Not Alone indeed.....

Dig the sig, mortals!

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Surprisingly, I got most of the story this week. A few details I didn't quite catch, like some business with Rose.

But anyway - what an episode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great story, great performances, great music, and Captain Jack!!!!

Can't wait for the season finale :(

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Utopia.......Oh yes....oh yes.....oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes oh yes...............didn't get the story, and I don't care..............but welcome back to an old friend.....

.......and a very old enemy.......You Are Not Alone indeed.....

Dig the sig, mortals!

So he's been revealed already, has he? I cannot friggin wait for this to start over here, everything I've been reading has just been too much.

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Can't wait for the season finale :P

There is another episode to go before that!! And I have a feeling another old "friend" may turn up once more, too.....

So he's been revealed already, has he?

Yes - and if ever Oscars were given out for acting on the small screen, Derek Jacobi would deserve one for that performance..........absolutely, gobsmackingly incredible.........and you will LOVE this season........even the low points have been great........

BTW - it was a little unnecessary, but I loved the way they worked a bit of the "Torchwood" backstory into this episode....as well as some of the music from it!

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I know there's one more to go, but I'm treating it like a 2 parter finale as this story is clearly going through to the end.

And I completely agree about Jacobi, he completely owned and blew away in that role. I also loved John Simm's small cameo (great to see him after his wonderful performance in Life on Mars) and I just can't wait to see how the Doc is going to get out of this one.

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