I enjoyed it, though it had a little bit of that "same old, same old" feeling I get from the contemporary episodes that introduce a new companion. They're the closest Moffat comes to doing something that feels like a Russel T Davies story, and even the villain's scheme veered awfully close to stuff we've seen before from that era.
Aside from that, though, it made for a great fresh start, more so than the Christmas special. Even though they're clearly planning something bigger for Clara, this felt solidly about the Doctor in a way we haven't had in recent years. For once, the companion is actually more mysterious than the Doctor, so we're actually experiencing things more from his viewpoint for a change.
I'm glad that I managed to avoid the spoiler of the villain reveal. It makes sense, and I'm surprised I didn't see it coming. It's an interesting choice, and between this and the Ice Warriors, it looks like there's a little bit of digging around in the Second Doctor era for ideas. Even Gaiman's Cybermen story is supposed to be an attempt to return them to the more frightening characters of that time. Not sure if all that means anything, but it's still nice to see that period of the show get some attention.
Who-a-thon report. I've just started the Key to Time. Goodbye Leela. Hello NURSE! Mary Tamm is one of my favorite companions. I like that Romana is the Doctors intellectual equal. And I really like that she's hotter then a 3 alarm fire.
Did you start from the beginning, or just dive into the color episodes? I've been watching from the very start, but not getting through them nearly as fast as you (I'm only halfway through Hartnell). I've been watching reconstructions of the missing stories, as well, which makes it a little more cumbersome.
Who-a-thon report. I've just started the Key to Time. Goodbye Leela. Hello NURSE! Mary Tamm is one of my favorite companions. I like that Romana is the Doctors intellectual equal. And I really like that she's hotter then a 3 alarm fire.
Did you start from the beginning, or just dive into the color episodes? I've been watching from the very start, but not getting through them nearly as fast as you (I'm only halfway through Hartnell). I've been watching reconstructions of the missing stories, as well, which makes it a little more cumbersome.
I started from the beginning. I do a lot of cooking, so I have the luxury of turning the laptop on and using it as background noise while I'm prepping. The "screenshot" episodes are hard to get through, aren't they.
Who-a-thon report. I've just started the Key to Time. Goodbye Leela. Hello NURSE! Mary Tamm is one of my favorite companions. I like that Romana is the Doctors intellectual equal. And I really like that she's hotter then a 3 alarm fire.
Did you start from the beginning, or just dive into the color episodes? I've been watching from the very start, but not getting through them nearly as fast as you (I'm only halfway through Hartnell). I've been watching reconstructions of the missing stories, as well, which makes it a little more cumbersome.
I started from the beginning. I do a lot of cooking, so I have the luxury of turning the laptop on and using it as background noise while I'm prepping. The "screenshot" episodes are hard to get through, aren't they.
Years ago, when I was still using Usenet Newsgroups, I managed to download every episode in some form, so I have all them saved on disc. It took a while, though, and I doubt I'd take the time to do something like that today. This was back when a lot of them weren't available on DVD, so it was the only option if I wanted to watch them all. Today, when I come to a story that's been released, I still look for the DVD, but in cases where that's been unavailable or hard to find, it's been nice to have those copies as back-up.
I was initially watching them on my iPod, because the novelty of watching video wherever I was seemed appealing at first, but after watching the first three seasons I stopped and decided I'd prefer to watch it on a screen large enough to actually make out what was happening. So I already watched most of Hartnell several years ago, which may be why I'm a little slow getting through it again. The first two seasons are fine, but that third season is a mess, and with most of it being missing it's going to be rough going. When the show goes through a half dozen companions in one season, you know something isn't right.
Doctor Who’s iconic police box is being axed after almost 50 years.
In a surprising development, it has been announced that the TARDIS exterior as we know it will be dramatically changed in time for the 50th anniversary.
And the reason for the change? The production team claim that the classic blue box just isn’t “street enough” any more, with audiences finding it old fashioned.
Steven Moffat said: “My goal for the 50th anniversary is to attract a whole new generation of fans. It’s time to look forward, not back. The old look just doesn’t cut it any more, quite frankly. Who uses police boxes now anyway! It’s something that has been a part of the show for far too long and it’s time to shake things up.
“Many casual viewers have been put off the show and want to see something hipper, cooler and sexier. That’s what we’ll deliver and what better time than the 50th year!”
The police box will make its last ever appearance in the Series 7 finale.
Back to the Classic Who-a-thon. I'm smack dab in the middle of Leela's adventures with the Doctor, and I'm remembering why I didn't like Leela. She's supposed to be this sexy huntress, but comes off as an awkward tomboy. At least she doesn't scream much. I will say that she was quite good in "Horror of Fang Rock". I think the cramped environment of the light house kept her awkwardness in check and her attitude was a nice contrast to the "very proper" secretary trapped in the lighthouse with them.
Lifewas great. Best chemistry between two leads that never once veered into sexual. As far as Leela, she was my favorite 4th doctor companion and Fang Rock was her strongest. I just never bought her resolution when she ended up on Gallifrey.
agree...love Leela! :^) And she worked perfectly w/Doctor #4. Only think I didn't like was the weak unbelievable departure for her, as you point out.
Back to the Classic Who-a-thon. I'm smack dab in the middle of Leela's adventures with the Doctor, and I'm remembering why I didn't like Leela. She's supposed to be this sexy huntress, but comes off as an awkward tomboy. At least she doesn't scream much. I will say that she was quite good in "Horror of Fang Rock". I think the cramped environment of the light house kept her awkwardness in check and her attitude was a nice contrast to the "very proper" secretary trapped in the lighthouse with them.
Lifewas great. Best chemistry between two leads that never once veered into sexual. As far as Leela, she was my favorite 4th doctor companion and Fang Rock was her strongest. I just never bought her resolution when she ended up on Gallifrey.
agree...love Leela! :^) And she worked perfectly w/Doctor #4. Only think I didn't like was the weak unbelievable departure for her, as you point out.
e L nny
I always felt like Leela needed another season to develop a good arc. The notion of a savage changing because of her time with the Doctor is interesting, but needed a stronger commitment from the writers. And less resistance from Tom Baker would have helped, as it's my understanding that part of her reason for leaving was that he didn't like the character and didn't make much effort to make her feel welcome. Her exit ended up feeling rushed and un-earned. She hadn't changed enough to warrant such a sudden shift.
For someone who only lasted a little over a season, though, she definitely made an impact. As a kid, the earliest images I remember of the show are those photos of the Doctor, Leela and K9. For the longest time, before watching the show, I assumed that was the regular cast all the time.
I was happy to see that the Fourth Doctor entry in the 50th Anniversary short stories that are coming out each month features Leela, not Sarah Jane. Nothing against Sarah Jane, but she's so frequently the companion they go to that it was nice to be surprised.
Of course, if they really wanted to throw a curveball, they could have done a Fourth Doctor/Adric story.
I loved the first episode of the second half the series. Great stuff. Is anyone reading the IDW Doctor Who story that celebrates the 50th Anniversary? I have read the first 3 issues and it's really quite amazing.
Rings of Akhaten I thought it was very sweet. Unfortunately, once they went "big bad", the train came off the tracks. They should have played it small and kept it a Clara centric story. How she deals with the problem and environment.
I enjoyed Rings of Akhaten, if just for the chance to finally see the new series visit a truly alien planet. The first half of this episode felt as close to Classic Who as I think I've seen with the new series.
Halfway through, it veered back into that new Who style, with monsters being defeated with emotions, beliefs, etc, rather than weapons, but it was interesting enough that I didn't mind.
If I could find fault, it's with the Moffatt style of a companion's first trip with the Doctor leading to them saving the day and even being more clever than the Doctor in some respects. We got some of that with Davies, but typically after the companion had some experience under their belt. It's so blatant with Moffatt. And maybe the leaf would have meant more after I'd gotten to know Clara better. It felt a little too soon for me, and if this hadn't clearly been her first trip into space, I might have thought the episode had been bumped up in the order.
I liked some of the individual moments from Rings of Akhaten, but honestly, that ending was only about a half-step short of the Doctor and Clara busting out the Care Bear Stare.
...If I could find fault, it's with the Moffatt style of a companion's first trip with the Doctor leading to them saving the day and even being more clever than the Doctor in some respects. We got some of that with Davies, but typically after the companion had some experience under their belt. It's so blatant with Moffatt. And maybe the leaf would have meant more after I'd gotten to know Clara better. It felt a little too soon for me, and if this hadn't clearly been her first trip into space, I might have thought the episode had been bumped up in the order.
I get the impression that Clara's cleverness hasn't gone unnoticed. In fact, I'd say it's quite deliberate. I'm assuming she has experience under her belt, though she may not be fully aware of it. I think Moffatt hints at this toward the end of the episode as evident by
Okay, so in Clara's 101 Places to Visit book, we see that there are two skipped years when it lists her age (not sure which one, exactly, but say ages 17 and 21 for instance)...
When we meet Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks, she has been "shipwrecked" for about a year. When we meet Clara in The Snowmen, she has been the children's governess since their mother died about a year before.
So maybe she's being plucked out of time by someone/something in order to attract the Doctor's attention, lure him into a trap, or something else? Kinda makes you wonder who'd have the power to do that. The Great Intelligence is powerful, but seems a bit beyond its capabilities. It'll be interesting to see if the real force behind all this ends up being something like the Black Guardian or the Celestial Toymaker (after all, why remind audiences that the Doctor has been subjected to worlds where the laws of physics were dictated by mad creators?).
I read that theory, or at least a similar one, this morning, and I think the years were 16 and 23. The difference in what I read was that they believed these were years in which she actually traveled with the Doctor, and neither remembers because however it ended resulted in her being taken from him and splintered through time.
I have no idea what the answer is. If it is someone powerful, though, I'd bank on the Black Guardian (or maybe Omega). As much as I'd love to see the Celestial Toymaker return (great character, but that actual story is one of the worst of the Hartnell era, so I'd love to see him used better), but I have a hard time believing Moffatt would resurrect him if he won't even touch the Monk or the Rani.
"First, a gentle warning. If you're the sort of person who doesn't want to know a single thing about the Doctor Who 50th anniversary mega-sode, click past this right now. Seriously, go away. There are no spoilers but there is plenty of speculative gossip and a few teasers being trickled by the BBC, so good luck avoiding all forms of media for the next eight months!"
Here's my nitpicks. The CGI was a bit wonky and why did the Ice Warriors develop armor that's so slow and bulky and "stompy" when they are so naturally quick and deadly? Why not make armor that would enhance those qualities along with protecting them from the brutal cold?
I though this was a great, old fashioned, base under siege story, right out of the Troughton era, but with enough modern touches to make it work for the new series.
Did anyone else feel like the Professor character, the one played by David Warner, had more going on than meets the eye? I haven't heard anything about him coming back for more episodes, but there was just something off about him. Not that I thought he was the Master or anything, but I had the same vibe I got when David Jacobi turned up a few seasons ago. Maybe it was just good acting on Warner's part adding depth to a supporting character, but I just kept feeling like there was some bigger mystery there.
Cold War was an odd episode. It failed to captivate the way most Doctor WHO episodes do, as evident by my eyes' willingness to be easily distracted by whatever else was transpiring in my bedroom (which apart from a spinning ceiling fan and a digital clock's display updating) wasn't much. At one point during the episode Clara sings something that sounded like lyrics from Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf. Did I hear correctly? I think I may have missed something.
Comments
Aside from that, though, it made for a great fresh start, more so than the Christmas special. Even though they're clearly planning something bigger for Clara, this felt solidly about the Doctor in a way we haven't had in recent years. For once, the companion is actually more mysterious than the Doctor, so we're actually experiencing things more from his viewpoint for a change.
I'm glad that I managed to avoid the spoiler of the villain reveal. It makes sense, and I'm surprised I didn't see it coming. It's an interesting choice, and between this and the Ice Warriors, it looks like there's a little bit of digging around in the Second Doctor era for ideas. Even Gaiman's Cybermen story is supposed to be an attempt to return them to the more frightening characters of that time. Not sure if all that means anything, but it's still nice to see that period of the show get some attention.
I was initially watching them on my iPod, because the novelty of watching video wherever I was seemed appealing at first, but after watching the first three seasons I stopped and decided I'd prefer to watch it on a screen large enough to actually make out what was happening. So I already watched most of Hartnell several years ago, which may be why I'm a little slow getting through it again. The first two seasons are fine, but that third season is a mess, and with most of it being missing it's going to be rough going. When the show goes through a half dozen companions in one season, you know something isn't right.
Re: The Bells of Saint John episode.
What are your thoughts on the...
Spoiler (hover cursor over this text to view).
e
L nny
e
L nny
For someone who only lasted a little over a season, though, she definitely made an impact. As a kid, the earliest images I remember of the show are those photos of the Doctor, Leela and K9. For the longest time, before watching the show, I assumed that was the regular cast all the time.
I was happy to see that the Fourth Doctor entry in the 50th Anniversary short stories that are coming out each month features Leela, not Sarah Jane. Nothing against Sarah Jane, but she's so frequently the companion they go to that it was nice to be surprised.
Of course, if they really wanted to throw a curveball, they could have done a Fourth Doctor/Adric story.
Rings of Akhaten
I thought it was very sweet. Unfortunately, once they went "big bad", the train came off the tracks. They should have played it small and kept it a Clara centric story. How she deals with the problem and environment.
Really looking forward to next week's "Cold War".
Halfway through, it veered back into that new Who style, with monsters being defeated with emotions, beliefs, etc, rather than weapons, but it was interesting enough that I didn't mind.
If I could find fault, it's with the Moffatt style of a companion's first trip with the Doctor leading to them saving the day and even being more clever than the Doctor in some respects. We got some of that with Davies, but typically after the companion had some experience under their belt. It's so blatant with Moffatt. And maybe the leaf would have meant more after I'd gotten to know Clara better. It felt a little too soon for me, and if this hadn't clearly been her first trip into space, I might have thought the episode had been bumped up in the order.
Good episode until the end.
Spoiler (hover cursor over this text to view).
SPACE FOR SPOILERS
Okay, so in Clara's 101 Places to Visit book, we see that there are two skipped years when it lists her age (not sure which one, exactly, but say ages 17 and 21 for instance)...
When we meet Oswin in Asylum of the Daleks, she has been "shipwrecked" for about a year. When we meet Clara in The Snowmen, she has been the children's governess since their mother died about a year before.
So maybe she's being plucked out of time by someone/something in order to attract the Doctor's attention, lure him into a trap, or something else? Kinda makes you wonder who'd have the power to do that. The Great Intelligence is powerful, but seems a bit beyond its capabilities. It'll be interesting to see if the real force behind all this ends up being something like the Black Guardian or the Celestial Toymaker (after all, why remind audiences that the Doctor has been subjected to worlds where the laws of physics were dictated by mad creators?).
I have no idea what the answer is. If it is someone powerful, though, I'd bank on the Black Guardian (or maybe Omega). As much as I'd love to see the Celestial Toymaker return (great character, but that actual story is one of the worst of the Hartnell era, so I'd love to see him used better), but I have a hard time believing Moffatt would resurrect him if he won't even touch the Monk or the Rani.
;)
Digging the dirt on the Doctor Who 50th anniversary episode
it's gonna be a long 8 months....
I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Anyone else yell, "Don't sit there!" at the tv?
Did anyone else feel like the Professor character, the one played by David Warner, had more going on than meets the eye? I haven't heard anything about him coming back for more episodes, but there was just something off about him. Not that I thought he was the Master or anything, but I had the same vibe I got when David Jacobi turned up a few seasons ago. Maybe it was just good acting on Warner's part adding depth to a supporting character, but I just kept feeling like there was some bigger mystery there.
At one point during the episode Clara sings something that sounded like lyrics from Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf. Did I hear correctly? I think I may have missed something.