Big news! Today BBC Three announced a new Doctor Who spin-off entitled “Class”. Scripted by YA author Patrick Ness, the series is set in contemporary London and executive producer Steven Moffat says it focuses on “growing up in modern Britain - but with monsters!” Look for it to air next year!
FYI, The image is linked to the official BBC announcement.
This was one of three pumpkins that I "carved" for Halloween. The Funko Pop 12th Doctor figure that I won at Friday's Legion of Rassilon meeting (a S.F. Bay Area Doctor Who club that meets monthly at a local IHOP to watch Doctor Who) came in handy.
So far I'm finding this to be one of the strongest seasons yet. I'm hesitant to say so, because I said the same thing last season, but a weak finale and episodes not holding up as expected on a second viewing diminished it some for me.
It's interesting to see Capaldi shift his performance so much. It's as if they took a look at the "dark" Doctor they presented us with last year and decided he was much better suited to play a funnier Doctor, and I think it works. I think the shift started with the Christmas Special, but we got a little bit of it in Robots of Sherwood. I think at the time some (myself included) thought he was too silly in that episode, but in hindsight I think that portrayal holds up better than the non-hugging asshole we got leading up to it.
I'm just starting the Eccleston run with my son, who's 8. He seems to be the right age to start, though a few of the episodes have been a bit too scary for him (particularly The Unquiet Dead). I grew up watching the classic series and held off watching any new ones until he was of age.
So far it's been great. Production values are like 1,000 times higher than in my childhood and the stories are still compelling.
I want to like Peter Capaldi, and I think I'm warming up to him a bit, but I don't think I ever really enjoyed Jenna Coleman (Clara) as a companion. She always seemed brash and impulsive and contrarian to what the Doctor was trying to accomplish. I suppose that's a good fit for the Doctor. I can't say I'm happy about the developments though. However, maybe it's because of the longevity of Donna and Amy/Rory, but I felt more when they left the show than with Clara. In the world we live in, I also find it difficult to think this is the very end. However, I remember reading somewhere that Jenna stated this would be her last series.
I wonder if Dr. Who is on its way back into the recesses of fandom? I'm actually okay with that. I jumped on with the most recent stuff, and I'll likely stick around, but I think much of the fanaticism of DW has been all the fan girls and their crush on Matt Smith and David Tennant. It didn't hurt that they made for eye candy locker posters. Now that there's this guy who is as old as their dad, I wonder if DW doesn't hold much appeal for them any more? I'm not saying I'm happy for less fans, but I don't hear a lot of DW talk now that we've had Capaldi for a couple of years.
I wonder if Dr. Who is on its way back into the recesses of fandom? I'm actually okay with that. I jumped on with the most recent stuff, and I'll likely stick around, but I think much of the fanaticism of DW has been all the fan girls and their crush on Matt Smith and David Tennant. It didn't hurt that they made for eye candy locker posters. Now that there's this guy who is as old as their dad, I wonder if DW doesn't hold much appeal for them any more? I'm not saying I'm happy for less fans, but I don't hear a lot of DW talk now that we've had Capaldi for a couple of years.
There was a dramatic drop in Dr. Who cosplay at the NYCC this year, but that probably peaked two or three years ago. I'm sure there's some correlation though.
I wonder if Dr. Who is on its way back into the recesses of fandom? I'm actually okay with that. I jumped on with the most recent stuff, and I'll likely stick around, but I think much of the fanaticism of DW has been all the fan girls and their crush on Matt Smith and David Tennant. It didn't hurt that they made for eye candy locker posters. Now that there's this guy who is as old as their dad, I wonder if DW doesn't hold much appeal for them any more? I'm not saying I'm happy for less fans, but I don't hear a lot of DW talk now that we've had Capaldi for a couple of years.
That's the least of its problems.
The freezing of the TV licence leading to staggered production and scheduling was the first big blow.
And secondly, Moffat has stayed too long as showrunner and his tone for the show has become tired. Its not as bad as Al Jean ad infinitum on the Simpsons, but his voice is no longer fresh.
So I'm going to try to get into this show. But I want the full experience. How do you think I should go about it?
And for a newcomer like me, is the older stuff watchable? And will I get a richer experience by watching it?
You could watch the original series (the 1963-1989 run) if you want, but if you started with the new series (2005-Present) that's fine too. The show is not wholly reliant on continuity.
So I'm going to try to get into this show. But I want the full experience. How do you think I should go about it?
And for a newcomer like me, is the older stuff watchable? And will I get a richer experience by watching it?
It's impossible to watch the full run of older episodes, mainly because a lot of the Hartnell and Troughton episodes no longer exist. But both Netflix and Amazon have a decent number of older episodes you can watch, but not full runs. I agree the show isn't totally reliant on continuity, though, so you can go back and watch episodes from any of the older doctors as an isolated experience.
I just started watching the new run with my son, who's now 8, and it's a satisfying experience even if you haven't watched the old episodes. Plus you have the full run of continuity. So, my recommendation would be to start with Eccleston, go to the present, then go back to watch older episodes.
This is similar to what everyone does, I think. I started watching at the end of the Tom Baker area and later went back to fill in Pertwee, Troughton and Hartnell when I could.
So I'm going to try to get into this show. But I want the full experience. How do you think I should go about it?
And for a newcomer like me, is the older stuff watchable? And will I get a richer experience by watching it?
You could watch the original series (the 1963-1989 run) if you want, but if you started with the new series (2005-Present) that's fine too. The show is not wholly reliant on continuity.
I would only add that you should start at the beginning of a Doctor's run. I don't think it matters which Dr., just pick one and go. And, unless you have a penchant for crappy special effects, I would go with "New Who".
So I'm going to try to get into this show. But I want the full experience. How do you think I should go about it?
And for a newcomer like me, is the older stuff watchable? And will I get a richer experience by watching it?
You could probably leap on with any Doctor, however, it wouldn't hurt to just start with Eccleston and the new series.
I would only go back and watch the old episodes if you're curious (and if you enjoy the new series enough, you'll probably enjoy watching at least a sampling of each of the Doctors).
I wouldn't bother doing complete runs of the old series unless you really become a fan. I'm someone who's recently watched Doctors 1-3 in their entirety (including reconstructions of the missing stories), and I've enjoyed it, but I can't imagine too many people with the desire or interest to put in the effort required. I think that minus the nostalgia someone like me has from seeing it as a kid, the bulk of it will seem almost alien to people used to modern television. Much of the Hartnell era is like watching a stage play that happens to have aliens and spaceships in it.
I wonder if Dr. Who is on its way back into the recesses of fandom? I'm actually okay with that. I jumped on with the most recent stuff, and I'll likely stick around, but I think much of the fanaticism of DW has been all the fan girls and their crush on Matt Smith and David Tennant. It didn't hurt that they made for eye candy locker posters. Now that there's this guy who is as old as their dad, I wonder if DW doesn't hold much appeal for them any more? I'm not saying I'm happy for less fans, but I don't hear a lot of DW talk now that we've had Capaldi for a couple of years.
My wife says Capaldi is her favorite Doctor, mainly due to the level of acting skill he brings to the show.
But I think the combination of an older actor and coming down from the 50th has tamped down the fandom some. When I saw the 50th in theaters, it was packed. Capaldi's debut - pretty empty. The recent theatrical showing of Black Water/Death In Heaven was better attended, though, and there was even some cosplay.
I get the impression that while most people like Capaldi, he's very few people's favorite Doctor. I think he's giving us a very complex, layered performance, but it's perhaps not showy enough to strike a chord. It's pretty easy for someone to emulate Tennant or Smith. Capaldi? Not so much
I suspect that we'll probably have one more year with Capaldi, then the BBC will do something to try and boost ratings again. Probably a new showrunner, and definitely a Doctor who's not an older white male. Probably not a young white male, either. They'll either go 30s-40s, or even change the race or gender. Personally, I think that after going with an older, more traditional Doctor, the time would be ripe for a big change.
I think it's one of the best episodes they've ever done. I'm hoping things don't fall apart in the finale, because so far this has been an almost perfect season for me. "Sleep No More" was the only weak one for me, and in other seasons that would have been a high point.
I think it's one of the best episodes they've ever done. I'm hoping things don't fall apart in the finale, because so far this has been an almost perfect season for me. "Sleep No More" was the only weak one for me, and in other seasons that would have been a high point.
I cannot agree more.
Although, while watching Heaven Sent I looked at my kids and said, "It's Dr. Who vs. the Game of Thrones opening credits."
Comments
I'm going to go back and watch Ep 1 & 2 again.
Big news! Today BBC Three announced a new Doctor Who spin-off entitled “Class”. Scripted by YA author Patrick Ness, the series is set in contemporary London and executive producer Steven Moffat says it focuses on “growing up in modern Britain - but with monsters!” Look for it to air next year!
FYI, The image is linked to the official BBC announcement.
Loved the cards!
I'm so stealing this!
This brilliant tinkerer is building a Doctor Who K9 with a Raspberry Pi for a brain
http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-10-15/this-brilliant-tinkerer-is-building-a-doctor-who-k9-with-a-raspberry-pi-for-a-brain#fb
The Funko Pop 12th Doctor figure that I won at Friday's Legion of Rassilon meeting (a S.F. Bay Area Doctor Who club that meets monthly at a local IHOP to watch Doctor Who) came in handy.
It's interesting to see Capaldi shift his performance so much. It's as if they took a look at the "dark" Doctor they presented us with last year and decided he was much better suited to play a funnier Doctor, and I think it works. I think the shift started with the Christmas Special, but we got a little bit of it in Robots of Sherwood. I think at the time some (myself included) thought he was too silly in that episode, but in hindsight I think that portrayal holds up better than the non-hugging asshole we got leading up to it.
So far it's been great. Production values are like 1,000 times higher than in my childhood and the stories are still compelling.
http://www.fathomevents.com/event/doctor-who-christmas-special-2015
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/searchpage.jsp?id=pcat17071&st=Doctor+Who+blu-ray
!!Face the Raven - S9 E10 Spoilers!!
I want to like Peter Capaldi, and I think I'm warming up to him a bit, but I don't think I ever really enjoyed Jenna Coleman (Clara) as a companion. She always seemed brash and impulsive and contrarian to what the Doctor was trying to accomplish. I suppose that's a good fit for the Doctor. I can't say I'm happy about the developments though. However, maybe it's because of the longevity of Donna and Amy/Rory, but I felt more when they left the show than with Clara. In the world we live in, I also find it difficult to think this is the very end. However, I remember reading somewhere that Jenna stated this would be her last series.
I wonder if Dr. Who is on its way back into the recesses of fandom? I'm actually okay with that. I jumped on with the most recent stuff, and I'll likely stick around, but I think much of the fanaticism of DW has been all the fan girls and their crush on Matt Smith and David Tennant. It didn't hurt that they made for eye candy locker posters. Now that there's this guy who is as old as their dad, I wonder if DW doesn't hold much appeal for them any more? I'm not saying I'm happy for less fans, but I don't hear a lot of DW talk now that we've had Capaldi for a couple of years.
The freezing of the TV licence leading to staggered production and scheduling was the first big blow.
And secondly, Moffat has stayed too long as showrunner and his tone for the show has become tired. Its not as bad as Al Jean ad infinitum on the Simpsons, but his voice is no longer fresh.
And for a newcomer like me, is the older stuff watchable? And will I get a richer experience by watching it?
I just started watching the new run with my son, who's now 8, and it's a satisfying experience even if you haven't watched the old episodes. Plus you have the full run of continuity. So, my recommendation would be to start with Eccleston, go to the present, then go back to watch older episodes.
This is similar to what everyone does, I think. I started watching at the end of the Tom Baker area and later went back to fill in Pertwee, Troughton and Hartnell when I could.
And, unless you have a penchant for crappy special effects, I would go with "New Who".
I would only go back and watch the old episodes if you're curious (and if you enjoy the new series enough, you'll probably enjoy watching at least a sampling of each of the Doctors).
I wouldn't bother doing complete runs of the old series unless you really become a fan. I'm someone who's recently watched Doctors 1-3 in their entirety (including reconstructions of the missing stories), and I've enjoyed it, but I can't imagine too many people with the desire or interest to put in the effort required. I think that minus the nostalgia someone like me has from seeing it as a kid, the bulk of it will seem almost alien to people used to modern television. Much of the Hartnell era is like watching a stage play that happens to have aliens and spaceships in it.
But I think the combination of an older actor and coming down from the 50th has tamped down the fandom some. When I saw the 50th in theaters, it was packed. Capaldi's debut - pretty empty. The recent theatrical showing of Black Water/Death In Heaven was better attended, though, and there was even some cosplay.
I get the impression that while most people like Capaldi, he's very few people's favorite Doctor. I think he's giving us a very complex, layered performance, but it's perhaps not showy enough to strike a chord. It's pretty easy for someone to emulate Tennant or Smith. Capaldi? Not so much
I suspect that we'll probably have one more year with Capaldi, then the BBC will do something to try and boost ratings again. Probably a new showrunner, and definitely a Doctor who's not an older white male. Probably not a young white male, either. They'll either go 30s-40s, or even change the race or gender. Personally, I think that after going with an older, more traditional Doctor, the time would be ripe for a big change.
Although, while watching Heaven Sent I looked at my kids and said, "It's Dr. Who vs. the Game of Thrones opening credits."
please, please, please let the finally be good.