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Official Doctor Who New Series Discussion (spoilers)


The Shadow
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What? What? Bad episode, Doctor Who. Bad episode.

Poorly written dialogue, poorly plotted story, poorly just about everything. It's nice that they tried with the Hath, though.

And why did they go through the trouble of creating an episode twist where the incredibly long-lived conflict was actually incredibly short and then have to search for a reason to kill off Doctor Juniour? Come on. She's got a limited lifespan, just like the rest of them! Right! Right! Oh, hell.

A couples things which were interestingly albeit awkwardly done : examining why the Doctor's pacifism ain't really all that. Also, showing how Martha has basically adopted the Doctor's methods and outlooks.

Also also also : does the show make no distinction between the terms Timelord and Gallifreyan or have I been wrong all the time with the assumption that all Timelords are Gallifreyans but not all Gallifreyans are Timelords?
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Also also also : does the show make no distinction between the terms Timelord and Gallifreyan or have I been wrong all the time with the assumption that all Timelords are Gallifreyans but not all Gallifreyans are Timelords?

 

I remember wondering the same thing back in the 80's and a trip to wiki tells me that they've never made it very clear. Though you have to think that not all Gallifreyans are timelords what with what we've sen. I recall computer technicians, guards, and other suck meanil jobs on home trips to Galifrey. You telling me if you could be a timelord you'd take a crap guard duty job?

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Despite the cop out origin of Jenny, I thought "The Doctor's Daughter" was very good. Lots of neat ideas surrounding the conflict. And the Hath were cool with the liquid in their breathing masks. I mean, they're fish!

 

About Gallifreyans vs. Time Lords:

 

"Lord" is typically a title that is bestowed on someone. It would seem likely that the Time Lords are a subset of Galllifreyans. Also, the 4th Doctor story "Invasion of Time" features some Gallifreyan outcast called the Shobogans (sp?) who live outside the citadel and live a pretty simple life. But then, I think they refer to them as Time Lords as well, so...

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You know...i'm as big a fan of Rose as anyone and look forward to her return......but...what happens once she's back? A clever scripter could take her relationship with the Doctor in any direction, but if the PTB give in to certain fan desires for the big hearts 'n' flowers romance (which is appealing to a point), just how long can this run before it sails into the "okay, now what?" zone? Will the PTB dip into TV romance gimmicks of the past (infidelity--in any sense of the word, breakup, death, etc.)? I fear the return could prove that old Spock line true regarding fans and the Rose/Doctor romance: "Having is not so a pleasing thing after all, as wanting."

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Piper's return to the show [even for just three episodes] strikes me as kind of scrambling to recapture lost viewer attention/hype - a ratings stunt.

 

It's not I'd expect in a show that's supposedly 'healthy' [TV business-wise]. And unfotunately with Rose's return - since Davies is persistent in his silly & tiresome "Female companion X loves the Doctor, but the Doctor may/may not know it" routine - the Doctor will undoubtedly be stuck into a Love Rectangle/Rhombus/pick a 4 sided shape.

 

I think S4 is going to be RTD's last and he wants to go out with a bang. The ratings are great in the UK and fine in the US, so that's not the reason. So it's more about spectacle for the sake of spectacle. Nothing wrong with that! (sometimes)

 

Yes, but in a recent article, RTD says this (2009 may not be the only hiatus planned), ratings stunt or genius, you decide:

 

"He [RTD] plans to be writing for the chattering cyclops for decades yet. "I don't have any big ambitions except to carry on writing stories for telly." Including Doctor Who? "Yes. We've set it up in such a way that it should be around for 20-30 years yet. Within that timeframe there will be year-long hiatuses to give it a chance to get its momentum back."

 

Taken from:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday/story/0...rticle_continue

 

Just to quantify a bit, yes, there is going to be a full S4 in 2008. And then Who is going to be gone for quite awhile and then only return in fits and starts in 2009 (the plan is for S5 to consist of something like 3 longish stand alone stories, something like that). So in a *way* S4 is the end of and era and I think there is a perception that you might like to send it off with a pageant.

 

RTD may stay after that abbreviated S5, but the rumor mill is strong that the producer's torch will be passed. Moffat has been mentioned.

 

Moffat is taking over for RTD in S5!!!

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The BBC version of the news confirms that Season 5 will be four or so episodes that are a bit longer in length ala the Christmas specials, and that season 5 will be back to a full 12 episodes.

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I’ve really enjoyed the new Who. But, I do think it’s time for RTD to go. The current season has been pretty much bleh. After three and a half seasons, RTD’s style and penitent for story arcs have become pretty predictable. Also, his introduction of starry-eyed companions (Donna being the exception) is getting old too. I won’t even go into his social commentary. Yes, we all agree interracial couples are not bad things, but dude, you’ve made your point already.

 

I think the general consensus is that Moffat’s stories are some of the fans’ favorite. Not sure where I read this or if it’s true, but Moffat wanted to make longer stories more in the style of the classis series and RTD nixed this. This is one of the few gripes I have about the new series. The stories are just too fast. I grew up with Classic Who and since the revival I’ve been reintroducing myself to a lot of the older stories on DVD. I’ve come to realize that I really like the slower paced and more character driven style. I hope that Moffat reintroduces this and instead of having ten or eleven stories per season, we get between four and seven.

 

So, I really don’t dislike RTD and am forever thankful he brought back the good Doctor and he created some great stories, it’s just that I’m ready for Moffat’s reign.

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Last nights episode was very interesting. First of a two parter called Silence in the Library.

 

Lots of questions raised, most interesting of which is who Professor River Song is, if indeed she has a secret other than that she knows an older version of the Doctor. My immediate thought was that she's an older version of Rose (she knew about the emergency protocol in the Tardis that sends the occupant home, which Rose experienced in the last episode of Ecclestone's reign), but it could be any number of other ideas.

Reminded me of the book "The Time Travellers Wife" where a couple keep meeting each other at various points in their life.

 

Good cliffhanger as well with Donna - I can't see an obvious quick solution, so am really looking forward to part 2 next saturday.

 

I like the sinister skeltons in the suits as well. Something very creepy about the device retaining the deceased people's residual memories and repeating sentences "Hey, who turned out the lights?". Very similar to the "Are you my mummy?" which he also wrote. Good stuff.

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From the mouths of babes:

River Song talks privately to the Doctor and begins to look through her journal. "Hey!" yells Harry. "That book looks like a TARDIS!"

 

It pisses me off that there's content on that site unavailable to those outside the UK. But I guess you guys across the pond get the same thing with content here.

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