New Doctor Who. How was it for you?

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:34 pm

Fantastic.

I was nevrvous while waiting. Was it me or he they forget ads after come dancing to ensure it played on time (they should have told Graham Norton to shur the f### up before hand) and had Cliffy's previous criticism of the main talents running through my mind as well as other doubts. Title intro was a mess but once the autons appeared I'd forgotton them.

Eccleson is very different to what he normally plays. Manic like Tom and human like Peter but different to both. Mysterious and most imporantly I didn't think of him as Chris and thought he was the Doctor through out which is a good thing. A very different Doctor (I'm glad they adressed his accent) but different with flavours of the past and so he should be.

I don't know if he will be a fav Doctor but I'm certain I'm going to enjoy this series which is pretty well written so far.

Telling the story through Rose's eyes was a great idea to start off. Eccleson (like most of the Doctors) is just still finding the right Pitch at which to play him but hes close to a good or great interpretation. I enjoyed the conspiricy bit but thats a moment I'd like to see a UNIT reference (That clearly the Doctor's longest continious period in recorded history) or a hint of what previous Doctors left behind. Wtached BBC 3 after. It loooks like UNIT appears in a later episode.

Sure there was a load of chavs throughout but that makes the reality of it being 2005 far more realistic and feel real.

In summary the Doctor's future is looking good.

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:40 pm

I saw it a while back, did you also catch that golden dalek in the special?

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:47 pm

I was actually really pleased with it. I'd resisted watching the download of it, but had unfortunately heard about it. But i have to say, i found it quite enjoyable, it had a couple of low moments (that whole thing with the wheely bin was a bit naff) the special effects had their moments too (again the wheely bin bit), but on the whole it was great. There was no spitting in the face of the old series (which i was worred about) infact there was a number of nice touches in there, which they didn't need to have(The Doc questioning his 'new' ears (a recent regen perhaps?) is i think i nice tip of the hat to TomDoc's comment about his new nose) and i though Christopher was good too (there were moments i thought they'd swapped him with Ade Edmonson tho!) Billi was alright too, i thought she might've been really ****, but she wasn't. and it was a good idea to have the first ep from her point of view, hopefully the general audiance will have been allowed to get into it more this way.
There was, i think, a hint at previous docs (apart from the ears comment) when Clive was talking to Rose and he mentions that The Doctor's "title" being hereditory, he clearly doesn't beleive that the Doc is the relative of those seen with the Titanic family (for example) as he later mentions that he beleives the Doc to be immortal...

I think that we can surely say that Who is back, and if this series progresses like the average TV series does, then it will get even better, but i think it's got a really strong basis to start from.

Other Who fans are probably screaming sacrilege at stuff i didn't think twice about or notice ("how are the Doctor read Heat magazine! bah!")

"It's a 1950's telephone box... it's a disguise!" brilliant.

I'm won over i think. Can't wait 'til next week!

Post by **Kaylee** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:57 pm

Very enjoyable. It's good to see that some people are still capable of producing light entertainment that doesn't take itself too seriously. Not too dramatic, not too silly but with moments of both without going too far in either direction.

It's so easy to turn Dr. Who into a farse or into something so dramatically up-tight it disappears up its own backside.

Chris Ecclestone is surprisingly entertaining, and to my mind has great potential with his surface countenance of friendly good-humour but deep mystery and a strange agenda underneath. He's definitely been studying William Hartnell if no-one else.

Billie Piper's character develops well, it's nice to see such a common 'brat' type character develop through and realise the state her life is in and take the initiative to throw it all away and do something amazing.

Wow. Character development? In the first episode? On the BBC? Pinch me, I might almost think the licence fee value for money at this rate...

Title sequences and music I thoroughly enjoyed also. Effects worked well- enough computer animation to make it work and high-quality animatronics/makeup to bring it home. Again, it's easy to use CGI too much and have it (again) disappear up its own rearend.

Shame about that ******* pillock Norton talking over the top of it for the first 10 minutes. Bravo BBC. Flagship new saturday night entertainment series and your 'star purchase' from Channel 4 screws up opening night. Genius. (Sorry, I'm not a fan of Graham Norton).

It's looking good. If it continues to get the balance as close as this it could finally be what Dr. Who has been missing for years. Kudos to the director (who also gave me the much loved Queer as Folk) the man knows his stuff.

I'm almost in shock. Entertaining light entertainment which isn't pretentious or condescending, which is well written and well acted with strong leading performances and scope for character development! With a budget! Bloody hell.

What did they do with the REAL BBC?

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:07 pm

I got no Norton. Thank God

The mysterious element has appeared with sevceral Doctor's. Having his own adgenda and not seemingly bothered abou the humans along with him is defently Hartnell. But Troughton and Baker often dropped these hints under their flippant, clownish exteriors. Sil McCoy was the king of having an agenda to defeat the villian all along. It's good we all see different elements of previous Doctor's in his performance with out him copying any particular one. McGann was good but to aviously referencing the previous Doctor's but that shopuld be the s####y script that had to overtly explain everything and repeat that explaination to "make it accessable to americans". How many times did they reference '2 hearts' in the TV movie? The new series defently doesn't appear like it wil insult our inteligences.

Eccleson can only get better. I can't empahise enough alowing him to get to grips by telling the story through Rose mostly is a bit of clever thinking. Gives him time.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:18 pm

I thought it was really cool. Funny in all the right moments, exciting in others. Could've been scarier, but I'm sure the Autons scared the kiddies. Eccleson is great (loved the bit when he shook the bomb). There was only one bit in the episode where I got fidgety - the Doctor seemed to be wrestling with those mannequins at the end for ages.

Slightly disappointed with the end credits music - I was expecting the 'bridge' of the theme, my fave bit. Oh well.

So is this going to take off? Didn't they start working on this 2003? Do we have to wait 2 years for each new series? If they do continue onto future series it would be nice if McGann came back for a 'Two Doctors' type episode.

It deserves to do well. And its way overdue.

Dylan · Post by **Dylan** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 10:16 pm

Sounds good. I'll have to try and catch it sometime.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 11:04 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:
Slightly disappointed with the end credits music - I was expecting the 'bridge' of the theme, my fave bit. Oh well.

Mine too. It wasn't present in much of Tom Baker's run (though it appear now and again). However the current theme is slightly too over done. It gets lost in itself.

Master_Fwiffo · Post by **Master_Fwiffo** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:21 am

Of course, I dl'd the first episode a couple weeks ago, but nonetheless, I loved it all the same. Great show!

I would love to see this on the TV screen tho. Any word on if/when the US is getting this?

Darth Aux · Post by **Darth Aux** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 1:11 am

It was so cool, my uncle lives on the dust bin attack street.

The bridal dummy attack was around the corner from where I work.

Episode 6 I believe is filmed in the church I went to as a child. BTW the priest was recently convicted as a pedofile. Was a massive shock to the community.

Even showed the shop where I bought my leather jacket.

All the wow I live there stuff aside though, I really did enjoy it.

and Billy Piper phwoar!

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 8:58 am

I loved it, it wet my appetitte for more!

Nosecone · Post by **Nosecone** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:31 am

I just saw a trailer for next weeks Dr Who - It looks really good - can't wait for it

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:35 am

was OK for me, thats about it.
Ill watch it for mrs Piper running about.

Darth Aux · Post by **Darth Aux** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 5:20 pm

Nosecone wrote:I just saw a trailer for next weeks Dr Who - It looks really good - can't wait for it

Reminded me of the restaurant at the end of the universe.

Post by **Best First** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 8:05 pm

it put a big silly grin on my face.

Most stuff has been covered off.

The only thing i thought was a bit gash was the 'action' at the ending - the struggling wasn't particularly convincing - it looked like the doctor could have escaped, or at least kicked the Auton with the fluid into the pit, quite easily, it seemed q bit forced so that Rose (who i liked a lot) could save the day.

Will miss cliffhanger endings as well, but this looks way promising.

Lots of planets have a north!

Amen brother.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sun Mar 27, 2005 10:57 pm

Best First wrote:
Will miss cliffhanger endings as well, but this looks way promising.

I believe there at at least 2 2-parters planned for the first series so cliffhangers may not be totally gone

Post by **Best First** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:55 am

i was 'oping they would do something along those lines.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:01 pm

"Have you seen this man?"

"His constant companion... is Death!"

Only real gripe is how would you get from whoever to Eccleston, regeneration-wise? Did he really regenerate, change his outfit, do all the running around and exploding things, and only then check to see what he looked like?

Hmm, actually, considering where we first saw him, he probably could have.

Hound · Post by **Hound** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:18 pm

i'm glad the whole regeneration thing was skipped. It's incredibly tedious, at least this way we didnt have to put up with him asking questions about who he was and going a bit loopy, in the first episode

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 7:56 am

With it being a holiday and I not getting paid until thursday, I spent a hour choosing what film mags I'd buy from W.H.Smith (Hotdog vs Total Film, Empire is a given due to it's informativeness but I do hate their lick arse populist reviews-"Spielberg made it so it must be good even it it felt like watching paint dry" was pretty much their A.I review).

I peaked inside the daily express because they said Who's ratings where good on the cover. Apparently it got 10.5 million viewer sor so comapred with Ant and Dec's 7 odd million. Not bad. Fantastic infact.
If the series keeps it up, and all the indications were that people enjoyed the first one-though I expect a drop off (Though the Dalek episode mid way through the series will rehype it up for a bit

), then the indication's for a next series look's good, especially if the BBC produce a profit raising boxset for the modern sci-fi audience

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:12 am

I'm sure ITV will do their best to kill it with a variety of popular light entertainment programmes. Could get dicey.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:23 am

spiderfrommars wrote:I'm sure ITV will do their best to kill it with a variety of popular light entertainment programmes. Could get dicey.

Hmmmm ITV have only 1 plan for saturdays. Put all their eggs in Ant and Dec's or Divina MacCools basket. They haven't had a success without them for several years. Their entire light entertainment plan is stuff one or more of those in with evil Simon in a relity TV show of some kind. If that doesn't work then ITV are stuffed as they have no other plans for light entertainment at all.
Doctor who has an advantage in which every few years they can switch Doctor and story style or switch to a 'kwell" companion (or even 2) to keep it fresh.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:28 am

Yeah but stick something like X Factor against it and it could stiff.

At least the Beeb seem to care more about Who these days. Hopefully it has a prosperous future (though I don't see much evidence of a long term plan).

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:41 am

spiderfrommars wrote:Yeah but stick something like X Factor against it and it could stiff.

At least the Beeb seem to care more about Who these days. Hopefully it has a prosperous future (though I don't see much evidence of a long term plan).

I think the beeb might stragitically reschudal Who. With 13 episodes it would be easy to avoid. The shows been ready for a while, it was rpumoured taht Jan was going to be the broadcast date but the BBC looked for the right moment so it's against sat night takeaway not pop factor or whatever.

Bouncelot · Post by **Bouncelot** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:03 pm

Speaking as a confirmed Doctor Who fan, I have to say that I really enjoyed it. The first ep is definitely not the best Who story of all time, but it's damn good, and Chris is well on the way to becoming my second fave Doctor. There are a few scenes that aren't brilliant, but nothing's appalling, especially given that the show needs to draw in the family audience.

Anyway, to address a few points made that I'm probably in a better position to know about than anyone else on transfans:

[quote=Master _Fwiffo]I would love to see this on the TV screen tho. Any word on if/when the US is getting this?[/quote]

Last time I checked, they still hadn't confirmed a US broadcaster (apparently the Sci-Fi channel turned it down. Fools.) But it may be closer to being sorted.

[quote=Legion]There was no spitting in the face of the old series (which i was worred about)[/quote]

All of the new series writers are Who fans. All of them are well-known amongst fans for their (very good) original Who novels/audios (except Steven Moffatt, but then he has written the best Who short story ever). So I don't think there was ever any real danger of that happening.

[quote=Jetfire]I think the beeb might stragitically reschudal Who. With 13 episodes it would be easy to avoid. The shows been ready for a while, it was rpumoured taht Jan was going to be the broadcast date but the BBC looked for the right moment so it's against sat night takeaway not pop factor or whatever.[/quote]

The dates for the series were decided several months ago, because it had to tie in with book release dates which have to be set months in advance. Oh, and they only recently finished filming episode 13, and they still haven't announced the title for episode 12.

[quote=spiderfrommars]So is this going to take off? Didn't they start working on this 2003? Do we have to wait 2 years for each new series? If they do continue onto future series it would be nice if McGann came back for a 'Two Doctors' type episode. [/quote]

Yes they did start back in 2003, but creating a new show from scratch requires a lot more time than creating the second series because you have to get your writers, production crew, and leads in place before you can even think about starting to film. They're currently working on the scripts for the second seasion, but are waiting to see the ratings for more than the first ep before it can officially be re-commissioned. It looks like the second series will be commissioned unless the ratings suddenly drop down.

I'd like to see a regeneration flashback myself, but it seems unlikely. It's definitely good for the show that they didn't try to cram the regeneration in there, so that it'll catch all those kiddies who've never seen Who before.

Autobloke · Post by **Autobloke** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:09 pm

I read today (can't remember where - I read alot of stuff - I think it was a telly magazine) that the bloke who plays the new Doctor (can't remember his name either - forgive me again: name retention is NOT my strong point) isn't coming back for a second series. Can anybody confirm this? The fact that it was in a TV listings publication (I think) would imply more truth to it than rumour.
If the Doctor bloke ISN'T coming back, let's start the speculation early:
Who should be the next Doctor? WHO?
Wasn't Joanna Lumley once touted as a possibility for the role? That would bring a new dynamic to the show. How about a fat Doctor? Or a gay one? Or a black one? Or one in a wheelchair? Or a midget/dwarf (whichever is socially acceptable)? What about a child Doctor? (kids never screw up the enjoyment of watching a show

).
I must admit that I'm not much of a Doctor Who fan - I'm just watching the current show 'cos there's bugger-all else good on the box these days, but there doesn't seem to be much going on with the other boards so - what the hell - why not?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:31 pm

See here.

After watching tonight's episode, I've come to the conclusion that there are at least 2 regenerations between McGann and Eccleston and that would be why the regeneration was not shown. In it, we learn that the Doctor's world is no more, although we don't learn who caused it.

However, if anyone has ever come across an audio story called Deadfall (as opposed to the possibly greatly different-scripted book of the same name), then they will know where I'm going with this.

Otherwise, it makes no real sense at all.

Post by **Denyer** » Sat Apr 02, 2005 10:06 pm

Rebis wrote:However, if anyone has ever come across an audio story called Deadfall (as opposed to the possibly greatly different-scripted book of the same name), then they will know where I'm going with this.

http://www.geocities.com/willbswift/docwho3a.html
http://www.geocities.com/willbswift/docwho3b.html

Does that fit in with the Enemy stuff?

Bouncelot · Post by **Bouncelot** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 12:35 am

It may fit in with all the enemy stuff from the books, the faction paradox spin-off, and the eighth Doctor himself destroying Gallifrey in the book The Ancestor Cell.

However, informed fan opinion is that it's more likely that it fits in with the war stuff from the first episode. This might mean that the final eighth Doctor book, the forthcoming The Gallifrey Chronicles will restore Gallifrey, only to see the Time Lords wiped out by the events mentioned in the new series.

Oh, and this audio story "Deadfall" Rebis mentions. I'm pretty sure it's not a Doctor Who story. Or at least not a licensed one. Would you care to elaborate or point me towards some reference. The only Who-related story of that name I can think of is a Bernice Summerfield spin-off novel, which doesn't touch on the fate of the Time Lords.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 3:33 pm

DId the Darleks do it?

I think its really cheesy, I would have prefered somthing darker,, and a better budget, its got that real BBC kids show feel to it.

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New Doctor Who. How was it for you?

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