f13.net

And probably suck quite a bit.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/cult/news/drwho/2004/03/20/10073.shtml

I lost interest sometime in between the Peter Davison era and the Colin Baker appearance.  Also about the time I kissed my first girl.  Coincidence?

Hmmm, I barely remember him from Shallow Grave.

I'd watch it, so long as ERIC FUCKING ROBERTS is allowed nowhere near it.

That should be on the front page of Variety from now until eternity.

Well, to be fair his most memorable moments were in Cracker and The Second Coming.

But I still don't see him pulling off the other-worldly nature of a Time Lord.

Ah well.

Good actor etc.

But I can't remember him ever managing to drop the mancunian accent.

Hard to see how Dr Who can avoid being crap if the star is walking about sounding like Terry (http://www.mpce.com/christian.htm) Christian (http://mpce.com/real/christian.ram).

There may be a romantic connection between the Doctor and his new assistant. Which is probably a good thing as it rules out Queer As Timelords (Russell Davies being the main writer).

The current betting is for Billie Piper to play the Doctor's assistant Rose Tyler:

(http://www.ibne07379.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/billie%20piper/billie-3.jpg)

Whoa.

Nice pic righ. On the other hand, is that a Kill Bill avatar? If so I may have to Kill You.

It's a blonde lass in yellow spandex waving a katana. Which, I'll grant you is one of the more alluring things about Kill Bill.

Does anyone know where one could download mpegs or whatnot of the new Dr. Who series? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/)

Bruce

I heard Hillary Duff is going to play Sarah. The good Doctor will be played by Ben Affleck. Adric will be played by Scott Evil.

 :mrgreen:

You are a mean, mean man.

And no, I don't know. I didn't even know the series was filmed and televised yet.

I honestly don't know how you people can even watch that show. I stayed confused for almost every single episode. Guess it's more of that British drama I can't understand... it's too interesting to ignore but not enough to eat popcorn to.

Saw an article on this in our local paper a week ago.  The new doctor will be in a leather jacket!

But the police box tardis and the sonic screwdriver remain.

Gods, I loved this show when I was kid - toilet paper special effects and all - and I still do.

The dialects looked liked they used a toilet plunger for their one arm lol.

Anyway, something like this might make me watch cable TV.  Something I have not done in 20 years.

I don't like the new TARDIS interior.

I prefer the old one.

Harumphf!

What old one?  There have been dozens of different TARDIS interiors.

Bruce

They've all been focused around a certain theme. Just cleaner and sleeker as the seasons went on.

I did enjoy those few Tom Baker's with the old wood interior, as well.

[EDIT] Good website for TARDIS interiors. (http://www.tardis.ed.ac.uk/~abr/pics/tardis/interior/)

ICK. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/gallery/01gallery/1024/17.jpg)

[EDIT 2] Fly that freak flag high! (http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=931.msg21418#msg21418)

I enjoyed the show in 7th and 8th grade.

I think it got me hooked on bad sci-fi.

I have never seen an episode of this ever. I just noted it based on Simpson's references, but I have no idea what it's about.

Its about a guy who travels in time and space, fighting badguys. But his time/space ship isn't that accurate. And when he dies, he gets reborn (as a new actor).

Unless multiple copies of himself show up for reunion shows.

I've got my "Five Doctors" dvd sitting at home. Though calling it Five Doctors was missleading as Tom Baker had a grand total of two minutes of airtime.

The new series debuts in Canada on April 5th, 8pm on CBC.

Paelos, this is one of those shows that you either got or you didn't.  It was the ultimate in low budget sci-fi, which meant things actually revolved around the stories instead of the effects. One early episode featured a space ship sequence that I swear was a potato on a string with a sparkler sticking out of it.

They played the shows up here on Saturdays at midnight back in the eighties - the entire two hour episodes at once. British family I knew introduced me to it. The whole family would stay up watching the silly show.

Was one of the longest running shows in TV history if I have my facts right.

I thought it was fairly decent.  I grabbed the torrent off #BT on effnet on Sunday morning after it aired and there were plenty of people seeding it.

Bruce, my brother has the leaked episode, if I can get ahold of him (he be on other side of world atm and not super good at checking email), I wil PM you a link.


though I don't have my super secret fact finder... pretty sure it is the longest running tv show ever.

as others mentioned it.... you either get it or you don't.   The show is geared towards kids, but here I am, thirty something with ~20 doctor who DvDs... and I don't even own a TV or a DvD player.

The show can be hit or miss... some great episodes (fyi Douglas Adams wrote several) and some very painful ones.  The low budget special effects are part of the appeal.  It had some great villians, great plots, etc.  /shrug... I love it, but am never surprised when peoples response is "dude this sucks" when they see it for the first time.

My favorite doctors: for a long time it was Tom Baker, but Jon Pertwee has been edging him out.... FYI saw A Funny Thing Happened to me on the way to the Forum recently and Jon Pertwee has a cameo as (if memory serves) the boat captain.


-fraeg

I think my favorite Dr. Who episode(s) is "The Invasion of Time". That's not out on DVD in the US yet, is it?

Fuck. I wrote a huge long post about what Dr. Who was all about, and IE crashed and ate it.

So, instead, if you want to understand what Dr. Who is about, go read this. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Who)

Dr. Who became very popular in America in the early 1980s when local PBS stations started airing syndicated episodes from the BBC.  Remember, there was no Internet, cable television was still new, and there really hadn't been any good sf on TV since Star Trek.  Oh sure, you have a few shows like SpaceL 1999, and various other series that popped up every couple of years, but they never lasted more than a year or two.  Star Wars and Star Trek movies had revived the genre on the big screen, but very little had happened on television except for Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers, and, again, they didn't last very long.

And yet here you had PBS providing a weekly dose of sci-fi which we had never seen before, along with that geeky British twist which I alluded to in the Douglas Adams discussion.  And these were arguably some of the best episodes from the "Golden Age" of Dr. Who (3rd, 4th, and 5th Doctors), and we ate them up because THEY WERE ALL WE HAD, MAN.

So, after running uninterrupted for like 40-something years, and then sputtering along in fits and starts the past several years, they finally have a fresh new series with a fresh new look.  And I'm eager to get my hands on some episodes, because they are only being shown on the BBC currently.

Bruce

I was in on that early 80's PBS thing. I agree, it was about the interesting stories and characters, and since I could only catch the occasional episode (living in the country: weekend chores ftw), it was often a mystery to me. A contrast to the other shows Bruce mentions, which were pretty straightforward scifi fare. Dr. Who intruiged me because it rose above it's poor budget to deliver something unique (on my tv at the time).

I'm also drawn to well-done time travel stories, partly why I loved Eternal Darkness so much.

As bad as the Doctor Who special effects were, they really weren't that much worse than the ones on Battlestar Galactica or Space 1999. They just had worse miniatures and used crappier, much much crappier film stock. You can cover a lot up with good film stock and lighting, luxuries the Who series didn't have until Fox got a hold of it.

And Fox's version wasn't terrible, except for ERIC FUCKING ROBERTS as the Master. Seriously, WTF. Was David Haselhoff not free that week? Now that makes me stabby.

The new Who can be found on the same BT sites that I mentioned in the Battlestar Galactica thread.

I always liked Anthony Ainsley as the Master. He was creepy in that pretty boy serial killer kinda way.

I never did get to see his final episode "Survival" although I did read the noveilization.

I must have a couple hundred Dr. Who books in a box somewhere.

Not sure why everyone is bagging on the effects. Considering when it started (early 60s) and that it was a weekly show on public TV (BBC) they were pretty good. Back when I was a fanboy I remember reading that Kubrick called the Dr. Who F/X guys up when he was making 2001. I had a big stack of VHS tapes of these things until my mom tossed them  several years ago (along with my 50 odd Atari 2600 cartridges, grrrrr). Didn't realize they were out on DVD.

As for favorite doctor, I like Hartnell for his imperiousness, Troughton for his Moe haircut, Pertwee for his asskicking, Baker for his goofiness and Davison for his joi de vive. Didn't watch it much after that although I met Colin Baker at a convention once.

The show also had the benefit of an occaisional babe as companion. I had a thing for Sarah Sutton. Although some companions I wanted to stab with a sharp stick <cough> Adric <cough>.

I was partial to Robert Delgado as the Master.

I wouldn't say it was a "kids" show, more like a 13-17 year old dorky boy show.

/currently drunk geek

I liked Delgado, too.  Silly man went and popped his clogs, though. :(  Ainsley always reminded me of my somewhat faggy cousin... the decorator. 

Of all the British TV shows to watch, you pick this dumb thing.  Sigh.

Although, Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death was amusing.

Wow. Even shorter lifespan then MxO. I still can't believe how fast that forum got dropped here.

Anyways, here's some gems I scrounged up years ago either on the newsgroups or some FTP site. It's a series of three commercials Tom Baker did for a company called New Zealand Superannuation. Kinda grainy and I converted them from the original avi's to wmv's. Thought I'd toss 'em in here to bring a tear to the eyes of the Gallifreyian fanbois.

http://home.comcast.net/~raydeen/AD1.WMV
http://home.comcast.net/~raydeen/AD2.WMV
http://home.comcast.net/~raydeen/AD3.WMV

Am I the only one who just read that as:

"Oh crap!  This show might actually be successful and I might actually be good at it.  I had better get the hell out of here before I become a success!"

Or is it just that I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet?

Becuase the BBC somehow manages to get away with calling a story about who it is going to cast in its own damn shows a news story, there is a link here on who is being considered to replace Ecclestone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4396295.stm

imo it should either be Richard E Grant, or someone old. It will actually be that twerp off of Casanova ofc. Who is neither. Obviously.

I suspect he was worrying about getting stuck in the role.  If you're an actor and you get successful doing a particular TV series character, you basically aren't going to be doing ANYTHING else for the next X years.  This is great when you're a young starving actor just looking for a steady paycheck and some name recognition, but if you're an established actor looking for a broad range of challenging roles, you might find yourself quite unhappy.  Moreover, there is the risk of being typecast to the point that, even once you leave the role, it's hard to get a job doing anything else.  Look how many bad comedied Robin Williams endured after Mork & Mindy before Hollywood figured out how to write for him, and how many more it took before he got to play, for example, a bad guy.

Bruce

I think most writers would give their left nut (or reproductive organ of your choice) to be "typecast" into something successful enough to get a regular paycheck. I'd also wager that they feel actors worried about typecasting are great, strutting ponces who need to take their over-sized paycheck and shut the fuck up muchly.

Along with pro athletes who make the "league minimum."

Well, fuck.

For those of you who have not yet pirated it (and Schild, you should really lock and delete threads that call for this type of shite), it was a fantastic debut and a real return to form for Doctor Who.

And then I come here, home of all that is shit, and you fuckers depress me with this.  He quit.  Already.

Fuck sake.

I'm now going back to my holiday and leaving you fuckers to it.  Hey, here's an idea - why not discuss a handheld computer no-one cares about.


Fuckers.

There's nothing sadder than a pissy Euro is there? About a TV show I mean.

Unfortunately SciFi channel in the US passed on the show so the only way us Yankees can get the show is to download it.

I have a FOAF who has the first episode on DVD, but I'm still hoping to get direct links from someone.

Bruce

Well, for any of you near the Canadian border, CBC is available via antenna :)

Yeah, you're probably right.  Dawn greets me the next day and I've showered and eaten and composed myself.


Fuckers.


You have to understand what Doctor Who means over here.  It's ingrained as part of the Great British Culture, I'm afraid, and so many of us who lived 'behind the sofa' watching for countless years (bear in mind I'm 30 - I've seen a fair few episodes), this project was just going to bomb horribly.  There was no way it could be good, there was no way it could succeed and Billie Piper can do nothing but suck Orange Dick.

And yet, there it came and it was really, really, really good.  And, who knew, Billie could actually act.  Eccleston was a fantastic Doctor and I could see him doing it for as long as he liked, with full fan approval.

And then, the bombshell.

Did I over-react ?  Perhaps.  But it's still a little sad that something we thought was going to bomb flew so beautifully out of the nest and soared up in to the clouds....into a jet engine.

Fuck.

To Put it to some of you - Imagine they suddenly announced tomorrow that NO-MORE games would be released for the PSP.  Yeah, like that.  Or, imagine Blizzard just flat out stated - we're not patching again, sorry.

I really, really mean it - you guys have to understand the whole Doctor Who UK thing.  It's not even that it's a fanbase, or a 'sad convention' thing;  it's part of the culture.  It was either that or get involved in Miner's Strikes or the CND.

You'll get through it man, with time.  Hell, I survived the hockey lockout - now if you want to talk about something ingrained in to a country's culture...

Eh?  What's that?  Time and channel please.

Living just south of the border from Montreal has it's benefits....  The Canadian networks come on basic cable.

The other mainly being the amazing hockey coverage. How can anyone actually watch the American coverage? 

Because it's all some of us have got, man. And right now, we've got fuckall.

GODDAMN COCKSUCKING CROTCH PHEASANTS.

Ahem. Forgive the derail, I'm still bitter.

I like Barry Melrose. John Buchigross kinda sucks. Darren Pang reminds me of a yard gnome. Vern Lundquist has been doing the NCAA tourney coverage in the meantime I've noticed.

I miss the days when I lived in Dallas and could hear Ralph Strangis and Darrel Ray do the coverage of the Stars.

Do not mock the Buccigross. He is freaking hilarious, especially the column he writes on ESPN. I dig him because he's not like any other sportscaster, and just throws weird shit out at you. Plus, he busts his ass just about every year to make sure his kid has a backyard ice rink to skate in. That's a man what loves him some hockey.

Pang is a yard gnome. Somehow, he was an NHL goalie. Go figger.

He's not terrible, he just kinda sucks in my view. I don't find his brand of weird amusing I guess. Melrose I like because of the suits and the mullet.

Phear the Melrose mullet!

(http://www.wine.com/wineshop/product_detail.asp?PProduct_ID=YNG229120_2001&Nu=p_family_name)

The new series debuts in Canada on April 5th, 8pm on CBC. for he who asked.

Melrose is one of the few I don't mind on American coverage. JD is quite good too for NY.

None of you has heard a proper hockey play by play until you've heard Jim Hughson cover the Canucks for Sportsnet.

Well, to comiserate (sp?) with Ironwood, I'm very P.O.'d that the new series tanked this quickly because it was directly responcible for the cancellation of the original series here in the states. The BBC requested that the American PBS affilates drop their contracts for the original series so as not to conflict with the possible syndication of the new series. And in my area the show had *just* started over from the beginning. I was able to get the first 12 episodes (sort've-the local PBS station managed to get them out of order) on tape before they were pulled and replaced with Red Dwarf. Now I love Lister and Rimmer as much as the next guy but Red Dwarf no es mas macho por Doctor Who. (probably not the correct translation-I'm trying to remember the lyrics to Laurie Anderson's 'Smoke Rings'). Royally pissed I am. And I can't even watch the G.D. new series.

Honestly,  I'm not a huge hockey fan.  The Canadian coverage makes it enjoyable for even a casual viewer.  Not to mention Don Cherry and Ron McClean (bah, that is his name right?). 

Well, thank the lord it turned into a hockey thread....

 :-D

Second Episode Aired - really good once again with great performances from both leads.  Which is just salt in the fucking wound, really.

I guess no-one gives a shit about spoilers, but it would appear that all the other timelords are now dead.   Good, is all I can say.  With the exception of the Master, the 'Dirk Gently' character and possibly the Time Meddler and the War Games fellow, the other time lords were all wankers.

Anyhoo....

Just to be clear, the new series isn't cancelled; they are just getting a new Doctor.

Bruce

huh?

I'm pretty sure the war and destruction of Gallifrey (I refuse to google for its correct spelling) was always the back story, and the Doctor was always the last 'time lord' (the existence of the Master and a few other incidental time travellers was "they aren't time lords - they are just guys with time machines").

Er, you're not correct.

There were a hell of a lot of Peter Davidson and Tom Baker Episodes SET on Gallifrey.  Without exception, they sucked.

Also, Troughton was exiled by the Time Lords Council.

I mean, I suppose if you take an 'eternity' view on the matter then, yes, the planet and all the people are dead.

My head hurts now....

And thanks for the clarifcation Bruce, I knew that it was continuing with a new Doctor already, but others might have been confused.

Hmmm, I'm sure I'd heard the weepy destruction story somewhere before.

Back on the subject of Ecclestone leaving, he damn well better agree to come back for at least one episode to do the death and regeneration sequence. In fact, that ought to be written into the contract of all future Doctors.

Whomever it is next, lazy ass Doctor Whos who can't be arsed to die properly and just slink off between series' are not acceptable.

Actually I think the Tom Baker episodes involving Gallifrey are some of the best.

Also, Colin Baker had a whole "Trial of the Time Lord" season set there.

Bruce

The worrying thing about this 'come back and do the regeneration sequence' is that it's written in stone that regenerations are finite :  as long as the Beeb keeps fucking up the contracts for the actors, they could burn through the Docs regenerations in no time....

 :roll:

I liked the Tom Baker Gallifrey episodes as well. Teela (Leela?) was my favorite Who buddy, because of pretty obvious reasons.

Ok, ok - Slighty difference of opinion then.  I'll just say they weren't to my tastes and leave it at that.  (Though Leela and Tom were my favourites too.  Though if you're talking about sheer sex appeal, Nicola Bryant owns all.)

I have just purchased the 'Day of the Triffids' DVD that has just been released by the Beeb.  I am looking forward to tonight when I will realise that my childhood was more fun and scary when I was a child....

This is true, but there are many possible outs.  The Time Lords on Gallifrey implied that they had the power to give The Master a new set of regenerations; also The Master himself had several schemes for surviving beyond his 13th body.  Given this and the width and breadth of time and space to work with, there are lots of plots one could construct to give The Doctor additional lives.

Even if you didn't want to do that, you could go other directions.  You could show episodes of a "young" Doctor #1, before he looked so old.  You could do "lost episodes" using a pre-existing Doctor.  You could claim Patrick Troughton's "forced" regeneration into Jon Pertwee really doesn't count.  There are a lot of possibilities.

Bruce

I met Louise Jameson at TARDISCON in 1984, I think.  Stunning woman.  Somewhere there is a picture of me with her sitting on top of a(large) remote-controlled K-9, but alas, I lost my copy long ago.

Bruce

The BBC apologised yesterday to Ecclestone for attributing the remarks mentioned above about typecasting and gruelling film schedules.

Turns out Ecclestone had told the BBC months previously he'd only be doing one series and that he would want to 'seek new challenges'.

Given the variety of roles Ecclestone has played previously, and given how easily he has always been able to find work, I find to hard to be surprised that he doesn't want to do the same thing for years on end. Why would he?


Hardly (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001172/). I think he considers himself to be quite successful enough - list below doesn't include an armful of stage credits...

EEEEVIL Ones..... I don't see that one working.  Heh.

Your point is taken - I wasn't being 100% serious anyway - after all, regenerations were just a plot device in the first place.

To those of you who like Wyndham - Get the Triffids DVD.  It's actually every bit as good as I remember.  Scared the wife, and that's alright with me.

Okay, so I saw the first three episodes last night.

The first one was pretty cool; good yet simple plot and nice special effects.  They do a good job of re-introducing the Doctor to the audience for first-time viewers, so they understand a bit about who he is and what the TARDIS is and so on.  The second episode, while I felt didn't hang together quite as well, is nevertheless one of the most innovative and interesting concepts Dr. Who has had in a while.  The special effects continue to be good, the dialog is improved, and it had some GREAT aliens.  The third episode was typical, traditional Dr. Who fare, although again with much better special effects and production values than we are used to.

The new Doctor is probably my favorite since Tom Baker.  He's about 1/3 Jon Pertwee (#3) -- he's "action-man", not afraid to get his hands dirty, blow up a few things, and use his gadgets to accomplish his task.  Another 1/3 is really William Hartnell (#1) in a way, although Colin Baker (#6) had this as well -- he's quite full of himself and rather dismissive of humans.  He's a bit troubled and somewhat antisocial, but there appear to be real reasons for this, instead of being just a general character trait

The rest of his character is pretty unique, although you see some glimpses of Tom and Colin Baker in it, especially in his wit.  More interestingly, this is the first doctor who (in-character) actually appears to have a bit of sex appeal.  It makes for some great moments in camera, mainly because it isn't something we've seen before.  The other interesting aspect is a noticeable pragmatic, perhaps even amoral, streak; he'll do the "right" thing if he can, but otherwise he'll just do what he can and not worry about the repercussions.

I won't go into spoilers, but something big has happened in the universe and with the Time Lords, and this might actually be a unifying story arc, and it has clearly affected The Doctor.  It's not clear what all of it means, yet.  At one point, The Doctor says the time stream is "in flux", and this suggests that it may be possible that anything we see may ultimately not actually have "happened" in the Dr. Who universe.  In fact, since we don't have a regeneration scene (although he does allude to a recent regeneration), this series could theoretically take place after the Doctor's 12 regeneration, or even before his "first" (there's nothing in stone that says Hartnell was indeed the Doctor's first body).

Bruce

The only doctor I'd previously considered to have any "sex appeal" would've been Peter Davison (#5).

Sylvester McCoy (#7) really came into his own, I think, and rivals Tom Baker as one of the best.

I really disliked Colin Baker during his time as Doctor, but having watched "Trial of a Time Lord" quite a few times since then, I have grown to appreciate him in the role a bit more.

FOAD

Glad to see I'm not the first person this thought has occured to.

Even if the other person has a twisted and broken mind.

It would be an interesting little twist.

There's a lot more in the first 3 that I'd like to discuss, but I'm tired tonight - Perhaps I'll post tomorrow when I'm at work (!)

Up yours you limey twit.

I thought he was Scottish?

 :-D

But seriously, and now I've had ten hours sleep :

How the hell can you like McCoy as ANYTHING???  The episodes for the McCoy era were just plain BAD.  The writing was awful, the acting was dreadful and the whole thing was grinding down under Grade like it was going to be buried any minute.

I know, personal taste and all that, but when someone says summat like that I can only think that they're actually stirring rather than putting forward a serious viewpoint.  I mean, for fuck's sake the guy was fighting MR BASSET AT ONE POINT.  Jesssssusssss.

Though I loved the put down.

So, some discussion then :

I love the new Whos.  I think it's got right back to what it's all about :  A childrens/teen drama series that deals with hefty subjects in an entertaining way.  It's brilliant and I have LOVED watching as I get that old feeling of Doctor Who being worth a damn.

Eccleston is fantastic.  I mean it;  He's really, really bloody good.  Not only does he manage to encapsulate the manic energy of the Doctor, he also manages the sympathy, the irony, the humour and, above all, the total arrogance of the man.  He's played it perfect so far and I can't fault him save one thing.  You know, the whole 'ain't doing it again' thing...

Bruce was right about the story arc and I'm glad they decided to do one - looks like some severe devastation has happened that we are getting eased into gently.  Timelords - all gone.  Gallifrey ?  Probably all gone too.  And, judging by the emotional content and hinting around the edges, we're probably going to find out that it's either the Doctors fault or something that he's been persecuting himself about since it happened.  Bear in mind that MANY other Doctor Who episodes have dealt with the 'responsibility' of being a timelord and not messing about with things - I think this is a theme that is going to get thrown back at us.  In Episode 3 we see some real remorse about the situation leading to an incredible lapse of judgement.
It also explains the 'love interest' angle - more in a sec.

The Assistant :  You know, when it was announced that Billie Piper was going to be the new assistant, I almost threw up.  I thought - that's it by.  It's just not going to be good and no-one's taking it seriously over there obviously.

I am a Dick.

Billie Piper can act.  She's been brilliant.  Who'd have thought that a mediocre singing career and a failed marriage was only setting her up for what is a finely played role.  She's managed to inject a note of the everyday in Doctor Who and give the kids something to identify with.  That's always been the point of the assistant - to ask the Doctor the questions that the audience wants to.  Billie is so far playing a blinder and I'm really pleased.  She's also managed to get out of the 'you just sit there looking pretty and scream' nonsense that assistants usual fall into.   I'm glad to hear she's going to continue with Doctor Who and I hope that she gets herself a couple more acting gigs, since it's definetly a strength.  Well pleased and even more pleased to admit I was horribly, horribly wrong about her.

So, the 'baddies' have been up to snuff so far - the usual mix of the surreal and the alien.  The 3rd episode was a retread of some that have gone before (I kept thinking of the Horror Of Fang Rock when I was watching it).  I also liked the fact that they brought Dickens in, since that's a fine old tradition of Who as well.  I'm interested to see how they're going to manage the Dalek episode, and hope that it gets it right.

Gripes :  I can understand WHY they're doing a more emotional bond between the Doc and the assistant.  It's a new age of TV and everyone understands sexual tension and a love interest.  However; when the Doc first tries to convince Billie into his TARDIS, did anyone else think - he's going to ask her to come in and see some puppies in a minute !  It's the first time we've seen a Doc desperate for human contact.  That's been explained a little bit with the death of his race and the loneliness he feels - he almost shagged a tree, after all, not even Bruce has done that - but I still think some of it is a little 'desperate'.

Also, I wanna see some other planets.  Yeah, it was a really good device to give us Earth past present and future - but let's see what's out there, eh ?

Ok, since there's two people on this whole board who give a shit, I'll shut up now.

Over to Bruce with the weather.

Actually I do give a shit, but Im not at episode two yet here in Canada, so I'm avoiding reading too much in advance.

Really ?  Damnit, maybe spoiler tags would have been an idea - though on re-reading, I don't think I talked much abot the episodes actual content...

Granted some of the episodes were bad, but many were very good. Hell, even Ace stopped being terribly annoying after awhile.

Ice Hot!

We seem to disagree on so very, very much.  Still, it's up to you.


Edited to Add :

Pop Quiz, Slick :  Find me ANY episode in the following that's not dire :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/episodeguide/index_seventh.shtml

Ace? *shudder*

Jon Pertwee and Jo, when she says goodbye in The Green Death?  that seemed to be far more than mere paternal feelings on the Doctors part... He came across as a bit desperate to me

Anywho:  Ironwood, you are probably a metric fuckton more familier with the episodes than I am,  what are some episodes that you consider to be the real standouts?  I was always partial to The Sunmakers and Carnival of Monsters, someone else here mentioned Invasion of Time.

As for sidekicks  Mary Tamm as Romana I is the one I enjoyed the best, largely due to me getting sick of the slew of braindead and helpless sidekicks... Though I must confess, while her voice drives me nuts.. Perri aka Nicole Bryant has her plusses.

-me

Regarding Sylvester M.

Can't stand the guy, Curse of Fenric was the worst episode I have ever seen of any Doctor.

The best part of Sylvestor McCoy's performance was seeing him get gunned down in the tv movie. Pricless!

Bruce

You know, the Brits were first labelled 'limey' because the Royal Navy stocked their ships with limes to stave off scurvy. Or rickets. Or whatever it was.

Anyway, great thread, I just forgot most of what I knew about the good Doctor. I wish the DVDs were cheaper, I'd love to go back and get a metric crapload of them, so many memories of youthful weekends and the quirky Doctor.
So, yeah, one more lurker here :)

Horror of Fang Rock.  Robots of Death. The Brain Of Morbuis. Planet of the Spiders.  The Three Doctors.  ANYTHING with Delgado as the Master. Silurians and Zygons.  Most of the Dalek episodes.  Cybermen - The Borg of their time -  crushing throats and cracking skulls.  Particularly Earthshock;  though mostly because that killed that little turd Adric.

Outstanding Best Ever Episode :  Destiny of the Daleks.   Honest to God, the best episode ever in my opinion.  The Daleks and the Movelans were fantastic thematically and putting the Doctor and Davros as polar opposites was inspired and inspiring.  Romana was fantastic.  The Doctor Died.  It was a brilliant episode.  Paper, Rock, Scissors for teh win.


As to your other point, I didn't really think that much of the goodbye.  It was, for me, much more of a fatherly sendoff than a runner up in a podging contest.  Pertwee, IMO, played it much as a father at a wedding.  But it's all in the eye of the beholder I guess.

Hmm, favorite Dr. Who episodes is a tough one.  You mention Destiny of the Daleks, which was great, but I think Genesis of the Daleks is better, and really needs to be watched before Destiny.

My favorite Dr. Who episode might be City of Death, which follows right after Destiny.  The Doctor and Romana critiqueing on the Mona Lisa - what more needs to be said?  It's a very funny episode, and tightly scripted.  I'm also very fond of the Key to Time saga (season 16), and particularly the finale, The Armageddon Factor, has some great moments.

It's ironic that the unifying element here is Douglas Adams, who came on board at the end of 16 and for all of season 17, which the above episodes are all part of.  So really, watch them all. :)  I am also rather fond of Tom Baker's last episode, Logopolis.

So Tom Baker is my favorite doctor, obviously, but Jon Pertwee also provided some memorial moments.  I would recommend Inferno as the one episode that should be watched of his tenure.  I also admit I have a weakness for Death to the Daleks, which while generally regarded as a weaker episode, I find a lot of fun to watch with some great crowd-rousing moments as well.

Bruce

Bruce is right on the money here about needing to watch Genesis first.  Though I still prefer Destiny's themes and plot.  Genesis goes very heavy on the morality of time travel as well, which is not really handled so heavily again until Adric dies.


Incidentally, BBC 3 runs a program right after Doctor Who - an 'uncovered' and behind the scenes show, narrated by Simon Pegg.  Are you guys getting that too ?  It's really fascinating in it's own right and I believe will be included in the special DVD's that will get released in the new series.  Well worth it IMO. 

No, I haven't seen them... then again, I didn't know to look for them on BitTorrent. :)

Bruce

Didn't see that here either on CBC.

I really need to add some more dvds to my zip list. Thanks for titles guys, its been so long since I've seen many of these that I forget the names of the episodes I enjoyed.

closet luddite here

buying a tv, cable, the bbc package.....seems a bit much just to be able to see the Doctor.  But then I might be able to hold my end of the conversation when people ask me about The Apprentice and General Hospital.

Watched The Two Doctors this weekend... gotta say I was pleasently surprised.

An episode I forgot to mention as being a favorite was:  State of Decay  aka the vampire/goth one.

Yes, there are some downsides.

Actually, the best part of that episode was John Cleese and some woman critiqueing the Tardis.  :-D

I guess it's just me, but I don't feel McCoy deserves all the bashing. I always felt that he was as good as any of the doctors (most comparible to Troughton (sp?) if you ask me), but that the writing had reached such a low point. Well, writing and set design. It seemed that no one was putting any time into either. Some good concepts but really poor production and execution. The only things that really save some of the final episodes for me are seeing some of my favorite brit-com stars appearing in them. Richard and Onslo from Keeping up Appearances  (and I'd swear Daisy was in the same episode with Richard Briars (Tom Good) - Paradise Towers), Mrs. Raven from My Hero in The Curse of Fenric, one of the brothers from Butterflies was in one of the Peter 'Davidson episodes, Geoffrey Palmer was in an episode, but that was much earlier and I believe in the Tom Baker era. It seemed like all the steam went out of the series after Baker left.

And maybe I'm again in the minority, but I liked Paul McGann. The movie was pretty bad and I think only did as well as it did because we were so starved for any kind of Who over here in the States we would've settled for a Hanna-Barbarra production of the Harlem-Globetrotters vs. the Daleks with special guest appearances by Laverne and Shirley, Vincent Price, Scrappy Doo, and the Baby Jesus.

And now it seems we're right back where we started as the old Who has been pulled and no one seems to want to purchase the rights to the new one.

I feel Sonically-Screwed.

I think the sonic screwing is the price of the goddamned DVDs.

Ok - just finished watching the 4th and 5th episodes. That was damn good - I especially liked Rose's mother yelling at the doctor for putting her in dangerous situations.

And next week....we have Daleks! EXTERMINATE!

4 wasn't terribly good, but was 'saved' by the exposition of 5.  If it had been watched by me in a 'whole sitting' I would have been happier with it...

As you say, Daleks.  Sweet.  And whatnot.

However, from what I could gather from the trailer, it's set on Earth.  AGAIN.

I mean, what's the fucking point of a box that can go anywhere in the universe ?  At least when they did that shit with Pertwee they said 'Oh, and you're fucking grounded Doctor.  Go anywhere you like as long as it's Sussex'.

Sigh.

-They ran out of quarries?

I really should stop reading this thread so as not to spoil things when i finally see the new episodes.

-me

Just watched "Aliens of London" last night (#4 I think). Anyone else have a strong urge to yell out in a booming voice: "Piiiigssss iiinnn Spaaaaaaace!"

I think that was probably on purpose.  The suit he wore was the exact same....

(Oh and having rewatched five a couple of times, I still get a chuckle at the 'aliens can launch weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes' line.  Classic politicking there.)

Dalek epsiode wasn't bad, I was somewhat concerned that they'd have difficulty maintaining the sense of menace that the old daleks did given how ridiculous they appear by modern standards.

They did pretty well. Though the stairs scene, frankly, was even worse than the Slyvester McCoy stairs scene. And the ending was crap.


Also, guess which planet they are visiting next (it begins with E).

Watched 7 and 8 last night.

I thought 7 was mediocre, but 8 blew me away. The flashback scenes were great at the beginning and ending.

GET OFF OF EARTH.  OR AT LEAST EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE.

IT'S TIME AND SPACE.  TIME AND SPACE.


DAMMIT.


Still a damn good series tho.

Right on.  I finish up episode ten and get a few glances at the preview of eleven and the first thing out of my mouth is "Mickey AGAIN?"  I wouldn't mind staying on Earth so much if they could resist stopping by Rose's apartment every other episode.  The Nestene should have done away with Mickey.  And now I am denied having a Dalek obliterate him.  I'd settle for a stray brick at this point.

My wife was glad to see a couple gay references in #10.  I'm waiting for an appropriate point to tell her about Russell Davies' other work.

fuck all of you who are able to watch this


I am so not looking forward to paying for this season on DVD

On the bright side, if you are a Doctor Who fan, you will not even remotely regret the purchase.

It's that good.

(Those of you who want to 'compare' it to anything other than other Doctor Who, please fuck off.  Cheers)

I take back my bitching after watching Boom Town (#11).  Despite a very Davies script, looks like Mickey is gone and the preview of #12 had a whole bunch of Daleks.  Sweet.  Plus my wife likes Captain Jack, so everyone is still a winner.

I watched a couple of the Dr. Who Confidential shows. They explained they are staying on earth and keep going back to Earth, and Rose's mum so they stay grounded in reality - and how it's about relationships and people - not necessarily about a neat box that travels in time. BTW - the confidential's are great. A lot of the old doctors are interviewed and it's great to hear Tom Baker bitching about K9 and having to kneel due to share scenes. Or holding open doors and saying, "After you K-9".

Yeah, I know.  I watch 'em.  But they only explain in so far as the script and the dynamic is concerned.

What they don't explain is why the CHARACTERS ever leave.

Oh, and in the new one we get Rose giving us a ten minute speech about all the alien worlds they've visited.  Why not show us some bitch ?

(But hey, you know how happy I am with the series, so you know it's a minor tongue in cheek gripe.  I'm just being a bad wolf.)

Yeah, of all the spokesmen Doctors you could have had, you choose Colin Baker.

That Dalek is toast...

Unless Colin Baker is behind it.

Him and the Valeyard.

Follow up interview.  The last episode is probably going to rock, but I'm not going to be so 'WUA' as to definitely say so...

Good news about the Christmas special and the second series.

http://news.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=642742005

Good.

Crap.  Oh well.

Already in the final episode of the series, The Parting of Ways.

It was, er, interesting.

Does anyone else find the idea of a cave called "Wookey's Hole" disturbing?

So much so that I wish you had never written that post.

I aim to please.
You aim, too, please.

One of my favorite camp bathroom signs.

NO NO NON NONONONONONONONOONONOOONONONONONONONONnnon non nonononnnonn onon nononon on



Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I can handle a guest appearance by K9, as long as its not ongoing. The voice alone would turn me off the series if I had to listen to it every week.

Yes... Mistress.

I will have to get more paper towels to wipe off the excess fan service next season.  Why not get back the "real" sonic screwdriver while dunking heads in nostalgic toilets?

I have yet to watch an episode of the new series. And yes, I did like Sylvester McCoy and Colin Baker.

Sux.

I never understood anagrams.

I was just thinking that there aren't enough cop shows around.

... IN SPAAAAAAACE!

See the new Cybermen design here. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4426416.stm)

Surpisingly... me likey.

Yeah, this was all over the papers this morning.  Part of me says 'Whoa, cool'.  Another part says 'Where's the Bloke ?'

I'm looking forward to it, of course, but every time they mention Sarah and K9 I get the screaming Heebs.  Don't know if I'll be able to stomach it.

Bring back Lexx.  :hello_kitty:

Christmas Special was actually damn good.

Tennant is doing an excellent job.

Torchwood is going to suck fucking dick, but the new Who series looks to be rather smart from the trailers.

Merry Christmas all.

Since UK Nova decided to delete my account (and they are fucking impossible to get into) I am forced to search the net like common rabble.  Links appreciated if anyone has one, those without virii especially so.

About damn time.

Wow.  Scifi is all over the place with the quality of their programs, much?  Dr. Who would be a good match with BSG for a block of quality, well acted drama-cum-science fiction.

I managed to catch a bunch of the Dr. Who episodes on Canadian network tv this summer (being near the border is good.  Get both US networks and Canadian),  and it's pretty good.  Eccelstion was great.

I caught one on Cernadian tv, too. Always forget to watch serials and I hadn't set up my DVR to catch them. I love my DVR, even if it is a Cylon...or Dalek or whatever.

<Insert necropost joke here>

Scifi is starting the run of the new Dr. Who episodes that both the Brits and the Canadians viewed almost a year ago.  At 9 PM next Friday.

I caught a few episodes on CBC, thanks to living within spitting distince of Quebec, and I think it's worth checking out.  The Doctor is good,  effects aren't cheesy,  and the plots are well-crafted.

It's definitely not the "Star Trek" clone that too much of American scifi has to live with.

It's no BSG, but it's fun.

Daleks and Cybermen still don't look like humans.

Well, I caught the first episode and part of the second (have it on tape and will finish it later). Someone please tell me it gets better. I don't know how to take it. The start of the second episode almost had Hitchhiker's Guide overtones. Were they going for quirky? Or is the writing just that bad? It's down there with any of the worst Colin Baker or Sylvester McCoy episodes. And what's really throwing me off is the fact that it's filmed and seems to have fairly good effects. It's jarring with the acting and the story line.

I was pleased with how it started out. I immediatly recognized the alien baddies (could've sworn they were originally called the Autons, but it's been so long), but then it just got all silly. Is it because they're trying to shoehorn everything into an hour? Dr. Who was always great because the story was long enough and complex enough that it kept you going for a few hours (or weeks at a time). This series seems rushed and half-baked.

And I hate what he's done with the place. Ugliest Tardis Ever.

Best Doctor Who in recent years? The parody called 'Curse of Fatal Death' with Rowen Atkinson. Yes, it was silly, but it was true to the original in so many ways that this series isn't.

Tell me it gets better.

Um.  Yes, it gets better.  However, if you didn't like the 'tone' of the first, switch off.

Seriously.  Don't waste your fucking time and ours listening to you.

Switch it off.

Nestenes control the Autons, btw.  The Nestene consciousness was the orange chap in the pool.  The Autons were merely the plastic servants.

Rushed and Half-baked it is not.  It does get more serious later on, but the undercurrent of 'THIS IS FOR CHILDREN FIRST AND FOREMOST, SO LET'S HAVE FART JOKES' never leaves.

Nor should it.

Go watch BSG.

I also thought the first ep wasn't particularly good.  If you are basically going to remake a well-known and liked episode you are facing an uphill battle in the first place, but the execution wasn't very good. Probably too much to bite off trying to fit an entire plot line plus exposition on the whole series backstory.   Second ep was definitely an upgrade. Still felt rushed though. I guess I'm too used to the old ones where they have 90-100 minutes to put together the story. 

I hated the first episode.  It was crap.  I haven't watched the second yet as it aired at the same time as the F1 race.  I did record it, however, so I'll give it another try.

Well, I did just watch the second episode. It got slightly better. There was a little bit of the old Who in there somewhere.

As the show being for children first and foremost, yes it was/is and should be.. But it used to be  much more than that. Classic Who worked on many levels. It was funny and intelligent at the same time. But never do I remember it stooping to fart jokes thank you very much. It was originally written as  semi-historical sci-fi show for kids, sort've pseudo-educational (from what I've read). And it worked very well and outlasted it's original planned 13 episode run for very good reason. It was smart. Goofy costumes aside and effects aside, the story and characters were what counted and kept people enthralled. I'm 37 years old and still love it. Call me a geek or weirdo, I don't care.

I like BSG. A lot. But it's a different show. I guess I wanted the new Who to have matured a bit since it's last run.

And I'll f'ing waste my time as I see fit. You'll only waste yours if you choose to do so.

And that couldn't have been Earth being incinerated. Everyone knows it was moved waaaaaay out of it's orbit and renamed Ravolox.  :-P

The first ep was ok, not bad. I liked the second one, especially the nice touch of the last human basically being Joan Rivers.

I thought the first half of the series was fairly weak, but really turned the corner after "Father's Day". If I were to sit someone down to watch just one episode I think that would be the one.

Well, episode 3 (Unquiet Dead) made a believer out of me. That felt lilke the old Doc. I guess my only real gripe with the series now is that when the whole story is compressed into that 45 minute segment, there's no 'cliff hanger' feel to it. That's what really made Doctor Who great, not knowing exactly how he or his companions was going to get out of whatever the current scrape was. All in all, it's shaping up. 'Course most of you already know that being that you live 365 days and 5 hours in the future.

I'm fairly unimpressed with the new Who. I'll admit a lot of my problems come from two things:

1. British TV has terrible production values.
2. The dialogue is, how should I put this, Not Impressing Me.

But I'll persevere. I'd like to think there's a good storyline or two in there.

Who looks bad.  Writing is bad, set is bad.  "But I trusted you!"  What, in however many centuries the doctor has lived, he's never met someone who lied? 

The first episode was just dreadful.  The rest have been better but still not very good.  For some reason, the guy who plays Dr. Who's over acting annoys me.  I've seen him in other stuff from time to time and he's an ok actor, just not as Dr. Who. 

I have had hiccups for almost 20 minutes.   :-(

Suck on a Jelly Baby. Should fix it.

At least it's watchable.  I'm sure that if I were still living in England right now, I would hate it even more.  That's what one does in England.  One hates stuff.

In England there is so much stuff to hate.

This is different from message boards about MMOGs in some way?

No... who said that?

This is the first episode not written by Davies.  That's what I imagined New Who would be.  The non-Davies episodes are my favorites while my wife (a non-Whovian) prefers the Davies scripts, or anything with Captain Jack.

I don't recall the Autons being called Autons in their first appearance; Spearhead From Space if I recall.

I've got it on DVD. Gonna have to dig it out and watch it again. I just immediately remembered them and thought it ironic (and cool) that they would feature in the first episodes of two Doctors (I'm pretty sure Spearhead was Pertwee's first ep.)

They were.  They were also called Nestenes as a race because they were centralled controlled by the Nestene consciousness (which always looked like a great big squiddy.)  Terence Dicks was teh bomb for Who scripts.

My bad, I watched Spearhead last May while at Hilton Head, SC.  Nestenes, yes, but I just don't remember the word "auton"... but whatever.  It was Perwee's first, yes.  I find that Pertwee has overtaken Baker as my second favorite, over the years.

New Tenant series consistantly good also.

Just finished watching Girl in the Fireplace.

:)

Incidentally, despite me moaning about this earlier in the thread, it was a great episode.

Honestly, after re-reading, is there ANYTHING I'm going to be right about in this thread ever ?  I'm far too pessimistic....

We just got one of the Tennent episodes from someone who I'm sure Ironwood knows, or knows of, but I won't say because I don't want anyone to get in trouble, although I really doubt anyone is looking.   :-)  Who knows?  Homeland security could be all over this.

Hope they have better luck with the code...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5146666.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5146666.stm)

Hmmm.

I would have preferred it if they'd brought back Mdm Pompadour as his assistant.  That would have worked wonderfully I think.

Hmmmm...

I think I tried to watch a Dr. Who episode once.

But I find the people in these British shows to be rather unattractive as a general rule, and so I care a lot less...and my attention wanders.....

Oh, look!  A shiny green scorpid!

You're Right.  Unattractive. (http://www.sophiamyles.co.uk/images/photos/phot_tunderprem06.jpg)

That episode was repeated on bbc3 last night - I was thinking exactly the same.

Yeah, but you usually do.

 :-D

I think this might better sway him.

(http://images.scotsman.com/2005/04/16/1604whob.jpg)

Well, this guy (http://www.johnbarrowman.com/) really helped my wife get into Doctor Who.  But your generalization does stand.

Nice try, Signe.  Let's not forget Captain Jack's blatant trisexuality.

Good call, Yeg.

That was actually interesting.

Don't have that much interest in swaying him.

Note that Barrowman is not actually English.

~sigh~  Back to square one, then, I guess.

I couldn't explore too deeply.  At work and all.

All systems subject to monitoring at all times.

208 days till I become a civilian again.

None of these guys shown and no Dr. Who ever has been my cup of tea, anyway.  The cuter the man is, the more "meh" I feel about them.  Most of them haven't a bit of character in their faces.  I did enjoy Tom Baker and thought he was rather interesting looking but he's mad as a hatter, you know.

Yeah, most of the cuter ones aren't worth the drink and taxi ride in bed, anyways.

They either lack skill "I'm hot! I don't need to work on my skillz!", or are unwilling to engage in ...  I'll stop there, or they actually expect position to be negotiable (It's not).

Luckily, I like the shy geeky look.  Some of them are surprisingly enthusiastic in the right conditions ^^

Now back to your regularly scheduled sci-fi discussion, already in progress.

Who has this need for Dr. Who characters to be pretty? As far as I am concerned, the more they look like backwoods inbred welsh washerwomen the better. Its Dr. Who for chrissake, not Bay Watch. The brits have been making up for their unsavory genetics by making good drama for centuries. No reason to change a good formula. Besides, beauty is relative. Best crime drama out of the UK for me was Prime Suspect. On the surface, Helen Mirren looks like crap, but her character's personality ended up making her a sex icon, of sorts, anyway.

I agree.  I like to see a face with character in it.  I think wishing them all to look Welsh is a bit extreme, though, Engels. 

Well, the main characters have absolutely no need to be pretty.

As long as the extras or guest stars are.

I just need some eye candy in my shows.  As a general rule.

I still love Columbo. ~shrugs~

There are always exceptions.

This is probably as good a time as any to ask: what the hell is the deal with Cardiff?

I thought Sarah Jane, Peri, and Ace were all cute.  The few male companions I'd have to agree weren't that great (Adrick was too annoying for me want to remember), but Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and Sargent Benton both looked nice in uniform.

Peri was gorgeous.  And she had massive, massive norks.


However, please to get your gayness out of my thread.  This isn't hotornot.  Let's be honest, Billie Piper is not the prettiest of girls, yet manages to be strangely attractive despite it.  What's more important is that despite all our reservations (and scroll back a couple of pages for my own little vitriolic rant) she's a fine actress who was given an excellent script and managed to pull off the rebirth of a show which was dead and buried.  Sure, Eccleston had a lot to do with that as well, but Tenant has shown us that for this bunch of writers, it's not so much the doctor that's important but his assistant.  Which is the way it SHOULD be.

Anyway.  I will probably return you to Xerapis who's quite literally fagging up every thread he touches.

Opinions vary.

I'm an activist and I'd have to agree with Ironwood.

I missed this question the first time around :  What are you actually asking here ?  And are you certain that you want answers ?

I was just wondering why most of the new series is set in Cardiff, even Unquiet Dead.  I am not certain that I want answers.  Please be gentle.

Because it's not.

I believe it's filmed in Cardiff, if that's what you meant?

About half the episodes are set in London.

It is filmed in Cardiff.  Yes, most of the episodes that deal with 'current time' or thereabouts are given over to London or Wales.  I ranted about this also a couple of pages back.  I want some more fucking planets please.

Time AND Space, Bitchcakes.

Pertwee.

Sigh.  And, like I said, if you look back at what I ranted, you'll notice that I used the line "At least when they did this to Pertwee they had a narrative device, as in 'you're grounded, bitchcakes'..."

I'm just being a smartass (and don't particularly like re-reading full threads every time I post).  I agree with you they should use more 'locations' and about the narative bit.

Just watched the last 4 or 5 episodes of Season 3 thanks to BT (and I don't mean British Telecom). Goddamn those were the best episodes I think I've ever seen in any of the series, Genesis of the Daleks and Inferno having been my previous favorites. One word to the BBC presenters though: Don't refer to the last episode of the season as being the series finale as we Americans shit our pants when we hear that. That's 'So Long, Farewell' in our language.   :-D

But jeebus, everything from Human Nature to the end was frigging brilliant. I won't wreck it for those who haven't seen (only reason I cheated was because I got drunk and mis-programmed the VCR and missed Human Nature and then couldn't stop myself from watching the rest.) but had it been'The End', it would have been fitting. Damn good writing. Hopefully it only gets better next season.

They have sort of introduced a narrative device explaining the Doctor's constant obsession with Earth. I don't know that I like it, but it's not absent.

What ?

Earth girls are easy?

Blink is hands down one of the best 'sodes ever.  Even some Who hating friends were able to appreciate it (large amount of knob creek on the rocks helped).

new monsters/bad guys = good.   I wish they would put to rest their urge to re-re-re-visit the "classic" bad guys.

So Torchwood is debuting on the BBC America this Saturday night. I'm Tivo'ing it, despite the warnings.

Having watched everything to date on the new who series, and torchwood ( <3 Internets), i must say its been one of the best shows in a while.

And Billie Piper IS hot (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.themindrobber.co.uk/sexy-billie-piper-images/rose-billie-piper-bum.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.themindrobber.co.uk/billie-piper-as-rose-new-earth.html&h=178&w=293&sz=70&hl=en&start=11&um=1&tbnid=fp4JROEsNqajUM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbillie%2Bpiper%26ndsp%3D18%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26hs%3D38J%26sa%3DN). The latest doctor is perfect!

typed shit out, then backspaced a bunch.

There are some episodes that i really enjoyed, I suggested not being very sober in the off chance it will help you ignore some of the weaker aspects of this series.

There is a premier episode on BBC America On Demand.  I'm watching it right now.

What the hell are you all talking about ?

TORCHWOOD IS EVIL.  DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO ITS EYES !!!!

Well, I only watched a little bit of it so I don't know how right our Ironwood might be.  On the other hand, the final of Flight of the Conchords was very good.  I miss it.

aren't we like, supposed to let em watch it first?  but yeah, Torchwood Does a very nasty faceplant early on into the series.  What is it with the english and bad teeth?

From the chin down.

I enjoyed the two parter Dr. Who the last couple of weeks.  Even some good acting.  I did not notice much good acting in Torchwood. 

I'd have to agree with regard to Billie Piper. In that she's kind of monkey-faced, yet manages to be reasonably attractive. I think Freema Agyeman is considerably more attractive, but there's a big aspect of her character that's just fucking annoying. Much like Billie's in S2.

ahem.

What episodes are they up to in the States now? I thought one of the standouts of S1 was The Empty Child. The Doctor Dances was also pretty decent, but I preferred the first part of the story. I've only watched a couple of Torchwoods so far. Maybe 3 of them? Not sure about it yet. Lesbian kissing is always nice, but I have other DVDs for when I really want to watch that sort of thing...

Well, at least you people and me will never fight over women. I find Billie Piper more beautiful than Freema.

Physical attractiveness is horses for courses. And they're both definately attractive. More attractive han I can ever remember the Doctor's companions being, in fact.
But then again, I was a kid when I was watching Mrs Baker, Perwee, etc. Thanks to our friends at, erm, British Telecom, that's an issue slowly being taken care of though...

The two parter the last couple weeks was pretty good.  Well paced,  good character development,  and some interesting actors and writing.  It's not just monster of the week.

The montage which Baines narrates on the punishments the Doctor was inflicting on the Family?  Pretty brilliant.  "He was being kind" indeed.

Zoe.  Nyssa.  Peri.

All of them.  At the same time.  Please.

You are a racist.

You don't seem to know what that word means. But then you are just a Grublet, maybe you will know the definition of words you are using once you grow up to be an adult grub.

I am aware of what the word means. I was trying to flame-bait you and you had to go and make it all boring. Poo.

I'm terribly sorry. Try again and I will be more accommodating to your wishes.

Be very careful with Tebonas, Grublet, because Germans are notoriously twitchy.

Well played!

Yeah, if you really want to bait me just call me a German. There are hours of fun to be had!  :-D

Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! ... Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput.

Where is the numchuck git and Stotlemeier (the chief from Monk)? Yes, beer hounds smell of dolphin forests when they spurt.

Idiot.  It was a typo.  He obviously meant "gerspout."

I watched the first Torchwood. I liked it, though it certainly isn't as good as Doctor Who and had its awkward moments. And what's up with Capt. Jack's hair? He looks like a racoon nested in his follicles.

Plus he's followed the tradition of David Boreanaz and gained 30 pounds upon being given his own series. :)

Dr. Who won a Hugo (http://www.thehugoawards.org/)! 

I've seen the first 3 episodes of Torchwood and while it's no Dr. Who it's a fun show.  I'll probably watch more.

Or, from another point of view, complete and total toss.

YMMV.

Hrm.. that's the Joke from the Python "deadliest joke ever" sketch, isn't it?

I believe so.

Aye, the only good German is a dead German and all that nonsense...

His hair isn't bad considering he gets very ugly in the future (http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40961000/jpg/_40961945_faceofboe300.jpg).

Germans aren't that bad. The Scots on the other hand.....

Back on the Who subject, I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction. After scouring the net looking for confirmation on whether or not there would be a 4th season, I came across some info that stated that Sally Sparrow would more than likely be the next companion (or one of them at any rate). My prediction is that she turns out to be the next Sarah Jane Smith of the series, the one companion that spans a lot of adventures and possibly multiple Doctors. Rose was close but not quite. Sarah was always my favorite companion and I can see Sally giving her some competition.

Haven't seen Torchwood yet. Don't have the digital cable so British Telecom may have to come through again unless Sci-Fi picks it up next year after the BBC:A run.

well that would work for me.  I think Blink is one of the best Who 'sodes of the old or new series.  And Sally Sparrow was a big part of it.  Plus I would show her my Timey Whimey Machine anyday  :-D

Seriously though, I hope the rumor mill is correct on this one.

as fer torchwood, it is kinda like drinking luke warm budwiser when what you really want is a nice cold quality beer.  It is still beer, but it is a crappy substitute.

Catherine Tate (The Bride in last Christmas special) will be the 4th season companion. Freema's Martha Jones will be in the second half of season 4 after saving the world for 3 episodes of Torchwood's second season.

indeed. Tennant's doctor seems much more angry than any of the old ones. Well, angry, and also "so sorry" rather a lot.

That bit actually reminded me of the later episodes of the 7th Doc (McCoy).

The new Dr. Who writers get the character.  We know the Doctor is going to win.  Everytime.  The only question is at what moral cost? 

The Doctor was unwilling to go full bore at the Family because he was the only one at risk.  When they started fucking with a bunch of other innocent people,  then they were in trouble.  Even then,  he doesn't kill them.  He just imprisons them, leaving them a chance for redemption.

Dr. Who is basically a show about an omnipotent being who operates under strict self-constraints imposed by his moral beliefs.  Many of the times the present Doctor is "so sorry" are because he's lying:  he can fix the problem (he has superscience and a fucking time machine),  but he's unwilling to violate his beliefs in that manner,  or because of his own selfish failings (when he admits to the matron that he can bring back John Smith,  but he won't.  He selfishly wants to be the Doctor.)

That would rule.  I thought her and that episode was very entertaining and the perfect follow up to the bummer that was losing Rose.

More proof, if any were needed, that everyone on the Internet is a fucking liar.

Seriously, next time try the BBC website.  :)

Why should he believe you?  :-D

Because he's Zod.

We just had that. Now I want the T-shirt, but which one?

http://www.zazzle.com/the_angels_have_the_phone_box_shirt-235648489040302963

http://www.cafepress.com/phonebox.141520861#

(there are dozens more - of course - but those are the better ones)

I like this one:

(http://images.cafepress.com/product/141520861v4_240x240_Front_Color-Navy.jpg)

Blink was really one of the best episodes of any show I've ever seen. Now I want to see more of Sally Sparrow and wouldn't have minded seeing more of Billy Shelton. Great characters, great writing, great acting, and the design on the weeping angels was just amazing. Though I liked the Catherine Tate and think she'll make a good companion, Sally Sparrow was even better.

The episode was written by Steven Moffat, the person behind the series "Jekyll", currently on BBC America, and "Coupling". He also wrote the Dr. Who episodes "The Empty Child" / "The Doctor Dances" from season one and "The Girl in the Fireplace" from season two.

Ah, "girl in the fireplace" was quite good as well.

Yes, I'm finding Moffat's episodes are really quite good. Reminds me, I have to re-get most of Coupling. Funny show, though it did start to get a bit repetitive after awhile.

Oh, and Spaced.

My only problem with Dr Who is the massive US DVD box set pricegouge we get on them.

Id be willing to pay 50 a series/season, but shy of a 100?  BLEARG.

And I would so love to own "Dalek" (This is when I became a fan of Dr Who for the first time in my nerdy ass life.), Girl in the Fireplace, and this last 2 parter (which also has Daisy from Spaced in it!   :heart: ) but itll be over 200 bucks even with online discounts.  Its sorta like Zeta Gundam, though I can at least see Who on my DVR once or twice if I happen to catch the BBC America repeat of a repeat.

As to Torchwood?  2 episodes in and its like the Dysfunctional Delta Green, (its a Call of Cthulhu thing!) only in the UK with really bad teeth.  Seriously Gwen, either stop smiling like that, or get that shit fixed!
Its not bad so far and this OMG SEX ALIEN bit wasn't all that offensive really.  Ive endured the last 5 minutes of Love & Monsters (which was generally good until then), a couple sex jokes don't bother me too much.

I'm sure Cyberwoman will break me though.. man does that outfit look stupid!

Though I still love BBC America.  Got to see all of Spaced & Black Books, and Robin Hood which fucking rocked.  (And unlike Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven, managed to be a bit more subtle in its modern political opinion shown through a medieval lens.. and has the best Sheriff of Nottingham I have ever seen.  He is awesomely evil!)

Black Books is fucking fantastic.

Torchwood begins to get much better starting with the episode "Countrycide".

Is that the third one? 

I figured I'd give the series a shot, despite Ironwood's warning.  I should have listened.  Really, the first one wasn't so bad; not so good, but neither was it terrible.  The second was painful.  I mean... really?  That got SHOWN?  Don't people kill themselves out of shame anymore?  It really may be warranted.

Number 6. Number 7 was another shitty episode on par with number 2. Skip that.

In the same way that hypothermia eventually makes you feel warm all over.  Despite the fact you're fucking dying.

Seriously, you're all nuts.

You need a hug. Perhaps a loaf of Amish Friendship Bread?

The latest Doctor Who episode (The End of the Universe) was fucking fantastic. I got fanboi goosebumps watching it.

I've gotten halfway through the Day One episode of Torchwood (The Orgasm Vampire) and while it still isn't great, it isn't OMFG bad yet.

Torchwood does improve about halfway through the season. The hard part is making it that far.

I may not be qualified to judge though because I'm actually starting to enjoy the new Flash Gordon series. :)

Jeebus, talk about the kiss of death.

I look at it this way. Even the Orgasm Vamp isn't as bad as ANY MOMENT of that execrable Flash Gordon series.

If you can manage to get past the fact that the new Flash Gordon is making a complete mockery of a beloved set of old characters it's really a perfectly serviceable generic sci-fi series.  You just have to smack yourself in the head a few times until you forget that Ming the Merciless isn't supposed to look like Corbin Bernsen in LA Law.

Quite the recommendation, thanks.

Flash Gordon is a new low for Sci-Fi, which is amazing considering how bad Black Scorpion was.

I just assumed the head-smacking started with the writers of Flash Gordon, continued through the producers and directors and ended with the actors, all mindlessly banging their heads against the walls until a show fell out.

As someone who hasn't watched Dr. Who since Tom Baker.. how is the show nowadays?  Is it worth me trying to find it and catch some episodes?

I saw a couple of Torchwood and wasn't too impressed.  I'm pretty much just watching Eureka and BSG, if and when they ever show episodes again.

Season 1 of the new show was ok, season 2 and 3 were pretty good.

I'd like to see the Doctor to go completely off his rocker for a season.  He's been building up to it for a while.  Explore why he is a Runner.

I never enjoyed Dr. Who when I was younger.  I just couldn't get into it for some reason, despite my love for Sci Fi and the other British fare that made it to my PBS station.  However, I love this current Dr. and the last two seasons have had me watching Sci Fi channel as regularly as when Battlestar is on.  Yeah, I think you should find it and catch some of the episodes.

Hell, it makes me want to go back and catch some of the old seasons of the Dr. again and see if it's my taste that's changed, or if this is simply different writing.

It's a bit of both, Merusk. The writing is much more updated and naturalistic than the old Who (not necessarily better), and it's format is more amenable to modern tastes.

My nephew was hooked on Dr. Who and I watched it with him years and years ago.  I always enjoyed Tom Baker and Peter Davidson the most but David Tennant is my favourite so far.  Christopher Eccleston was a fun doctor, too.  I didn't like Flash Gordon a bit and didn't even make it through the first episode but, because he's a dear, I'll follow Reg's advice.  Next time I find myself watching it, I'll hit myself repeatedly in the head.

This last week's episode of Torchwood was pretty good, outside of Jack's subtle (well subtle for Jack anyhow) attempts to get in Gwen's pants (as opposed to the giant gap in her front teeth.. im nearsighted and watching an SD broadcast on a HDTV and its annoying as fuck!) via "firearms training".

Though for Who, outside of the obvious fact The Master is an EEVILL Timelord, what is so scary about him from those of you who might know?

He's an Evil Timelord. That should be scary enough.

But consider if the Doctor, with all his knowledge and brilliance, was a completely amoral, self-serving, homicidial meglomaniac who traveled through time attempting to amass as much personal power as possible.

Part of the problem with envisioning that is that you've only ever gotten glimpses of just how powerful the Doctor is.   (Albeit I've only got ~3 seasons of knowledge to pull from, maybe older stuff showed it a bit more.)  He keeps a (relatively) low profile for a being of unimaginable power and knowledge.  Not to mention the flaky persona he wears so people don't shit their pants around him.   

That low profile? Yeah, that's what the Master DOESN'T do. He's out there, fucking shit up, trying to steal all the power he can, no matter the cost. One of the inviolate laws of the Time Lords that he broke was about regeneration. Time Lords only get 13. He had used all his up, meaning he was going to buy it. He cheated that to extend his life, and almost destroyed Galifree in the process. I think that was the one he was trying to steal the Rod of Rasselon, he assassinated the leader of the Time Lords in order to get his guy in there and try to get the Doctor blamed for it.

Think how the Doctor dealt with The Family. The Master can do that kind of shit too, and does on a regular basis just for shits and giggles.

Thanks for the heads up.. I guess I'll have a look and see if I can find the newer episodes and give'em a try. 

And he makes little dolls out of people. That shits crazy scary, yo.

So.. voyage of the Dammed?  thoughts?

don't wanna spoil it for peeps who haven't seen it i suppose.  I enjoyed it much more than the runaway bride.  I had hoped it would be set on the "real" titanic, not a spaceship called the titanic.  Some decent humor.  A lot of the episode felt like a tribute/ripoff of The Robots of Death (tom baker era).

I think I'm right in saying that a current or future Doctor going on board the real Titanic causes continuity headaches.

Prior incarnations of the Doctor have already talked of memories of being on board the ship.


Not that this would be an insurmountable problem - but not one I can imagine Russell Davies being interested in dealing with, or one we'll see in a christmas special.

Normal Christmas Episode.  Ie, Wankfest of Feelgood fucking Nonsense.  Entertaining, but in a kiddies way.  Not much for adults.

However :  Trailers for Next series (Sontarans, get it right up ye !!) as well as a trailer for series 2 of Torchwood (let's all pound our fucking nuts with this shit program once again, as it seems to take all the good bits of Dr Who and FUCK IT UP ROYALLY.)

The only thing I will say is that Martha makes 'Special Appearance' in TW this season and, giving it's a more 'Adult' version, I fully expect her to get double penetrated by two Cybermen while swallowing the load of a nasty Pox-Ridden Rutan.

Fuck Torchwood.

I liked the Christmas special. I'm not sure where you're coming from calling it "feel good for kiddies." Perhaps it's a UK thing but in North America "feel good for kiddies" wouldn't have had a sad ending.

Which is why every Hollywood ending you guys make are all the fucking same and pathetic.


She got to travel the universe as a fucking sunbeam.  She's happy.

If that's not enough, She's actually really a popstar who's worth millions and beat cancer.  Your Pity is misplaced.

It was a Christmas special for God's sake. In a Christmas special you don't normally kill off all but one likable character. The other Doctor Who specials didn't do it. I can't begin to imagine how repulsively oversweet you must have thought they were.

Wow! Really? Are you telling me that all of these actors I see bad things happen to aren't really suffering? Gosh! Do I ever feel silly now!

Did you even watch the Racnoss Special ?  The one with the bride who found out her true love had been poisoning her so that she could be fed to a bunch of spiders ?

And then he died.  And she was responsible.  And then she was left alone with nothing in her life ?

Yeah, that was a heartwarmer, right enough.

The First Christmas one was a happy ending because it brought us David Fucking Tennant.  And he's awesome.

Beyond that, you're taking this waaaaaaayyyyy too seriously.

Hmm. The bad guys all died and one of the good guys was left slightly sad at the end.

Versus.

Most of the good guys died and the asshole that you aren't intended to like lives and becomes rich.

This year's special was grimmer by far.

Well I'm not actually but I was forced to respond with sarcasm when you decided to tell me that when bad things happen to actors on television that it isn't actually real.

Was the first Christmas special the one where the Doctor toppled the British Prime Minister?

I liked it. The likeable people were dropping like flies, but as Ironwood said, this is no happy "nothing has consequences for anyone" constructed ending.

And I may like next season from the previews, lets see.

yeah first one was the "blood science" one where project torchwood blows up the spaceship that is already leaving.

But yeah even though the nice people get killed off, it still felt smarmy.  My brother's take is that so far every xmas special has made him groan, but the regular series has always impressed him.  Anyway I am quite confident I will enjoy the new episodes, hell if they can come up with something half as good as last years Blink then i will be happy. 

As for torchwood... quit whining, stay the fuck out of each others pants, go see an orthodontist,  treat your significant others with some respect. 
Which in that hip new fangled gaming slang translates roughly to "less QQ more Pew Pew".

Yeah, that's actually the one problem with Torchwood, IMO. The characters all insist on acting like complete fucking morons for no reason other than they all appear to think with their dicks, even those who don't have dicks. There have been some strong shows, and some very weak ones like that goddamn fairy episode.

I'm still waiting for the episode that explains the whole Torchwood team is an experiment to keep people alive and occupied that were beset by aliens that eat 99% of their brains.

Only explanation how they could survive for that long being that retarded.

Isn't Torchwood kind of true to form for most of the *late night* shows on BBC?  I mean it's supposed to be more adult oriented as it runs in a later time slot. 

Personally the show is ok... I'm really only watching it for Captain Jack.  It has a lot of potential, I just hope they fix it up in the second season.  I do hope they cut down on all the sex/relationship crap that goes on though and just get down to the story.

The sex crap is what fucks it up. There are some episodes that have been fun enough to watch but way too many of them seem to somehow revolve around someone sticking their dick (metaphorically for the ladies) into someone or something they shouldn't be. The fact that captain Jack meets the real captain Jack and then kisses him just seems so pointless, it really didn't add anything to the story. It was a gay kiss for the sake of a gay kiss and the show just needs less of the 'sex because we can show it' mentality.

I did enjoy the Christmas special, it wasn't one of the best but based on previous specials my expectations weren't exactly huge. It was somewhat sappy but you really can't have a Christmas special where everyone dies and the doctor is left with nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth as the good people spend eternity in the void between dimensions or something (and yes, American happy endings give me cavities with the sweetness). I did quite like the touch of everybody abandoning London to avoid whatever was going to be happening to it that Christmas, it was one of those little 'realistic', self-aware touches that works and features enough in the new series that I still enjoy it.

Rumours abound of Mr Tennant leaving.

 :uhrr:

That would SUCK. I love his take on the Doctor.

But based on how well Tennant did after Eccleston's fantastic turn, I think they could likely find another good Doctor.

At that pace they will run out of regenerations soon. I'm looking forward to their explanation how he gets new ones.

Blah.  Tennant leaving would suck bad.   :cry2:

The new series can not start soon enough!

I'm not.  It's fairly easily explained, alas, and it gets more common with every frigging episode.

Hell, We've lost count of the number of times The Master has regenerated now.  I suspect he's going to regenerate into a plastic Spork soon.

.
.
.
.

AN EVIL SPORK !!!

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/IMG_3989.jpg)

 :ye_gods:

I'm no expert on the old series, but weren't the Masters additional regenerations all evillish (that and being granted a new set by the now non existing other timelords)?

But yes, I would also prefer the guaranteed awesomeness of the current Doctor to some vague chance of another good one in the future.

At one point during the Tom Baker era, the Master had run out of regenerations and his body was decaying. He was dying the only death that's permanent for Time Lords. He managed to shift his consciousness to another body with a whole new set of regenerations and cheat death. The Doctor considered it the ultimate in selfish evil.

Of course, the latest Master said he was on his last one, but we know that's probably not true. And I'm sure they'd find some way for the Doctor to continue on.

Huh?  When he was dying from the gunshot, the Doctor demanded that the Master regenerate, to which he responded, "I refuse".

Don't blame me, my memory is faulty. You're probably right about that. I thought he'd said something during those episodes about being out of regens again.

It could be that he just wanted to mess with the doctors head and had a backup plan in place. Witness the scene with the ring and the womans hand at the end of the episode!

He didn't refuse.  He had his Brainwashed RedDressed Chick as a backup escape hatch.  It was all a trick.

He was only on his SECOND regeneration there, of the new set that the Timelords gave him to fight the Daleks.  He has, in fact, worked his way through 26 bodies now, by my reckoning.

This depends, of course, if you believe 13 regenerations or the more traditional 12.

I always thought it was 13 bodies meaning 12 regenerations.

And I don't remember them ever clairfying whether it was Time Lord law (enforced by god only knows what) or physiology that limits them.

If they decide it is the former then I guess it all becomes moot.

It would seem to be a biological limit which can be 'refreshed'.  (Like a spiritual version of a liver transplant).

Hence why the Timelords can grant extra and why The Master was able to 'steal' extra like the fucking vampire he is.

It's always been my thoughts that the other Timelords are so fucking boring that they can't wait to get their miserable fucking existence over with, so no-one bothers with more.

So first episode of the new series aired sat.  And as always was promptly available for download just a few hours later.

Was at a friends house with a sweet  :drill: tv that we then watched it on after the bitorrent fun..

So anyone else watch it or am i just going to be a spoilsport if a blather about it?



slight spoiler below





































had a very good WTF!?! that occured in the last 15 seconds of the episode...why? cause they want to, cause they want to. <- attempt at semi-clever spoiler

Yeah watching it. And those last seconds make me giddy for the possibilities of this years big bad.

Sci Fi doesn't start it up till the middle of the month for US folks.  I guess being a few weeks behind isn't bad, though it makes talking about the show impossible online.
SA folks already blathered the Torchwood season 2 ending and we still have 2 more episodes to go.
(Of course they hate the show, even season 2 which is so far really fuckin good.  But SA hates almost everything anyhow.)

Its gonna be a busy Spring for me and TV watching.  Dr Who, Robin Hood season 2, Battlestar Galactica season 4, Sara Jane Adventures, and Spectacular Spider Man.

Much of it is either Sci Fi channel or BBC America.

Yeah, Torchwood season 2 is significantly better than season 1.

You forgot Press Gang.  :grin:

We've just had the second episode of a Moffat two-parter here and it was bloody amazing. One of the best stories since the reboot.
He's also going to be running the whole show once Russell T. Davies quits after the next (pseudo-)series.

I've seen a couple episodes and become hooked.  I want to buy all the Eccleston and Tennant episodes out on DVD, stat. I enjoy the story and writing, and everytime someone talks I can laugh on a different level because they sound different than me!

Just now finished the Library two-parter.  That was a damn good story.  And I loved the Doctor's "look me up" line.   :drill:

Just don't look too hard for the plot holes.  Like most Moffat ones, there's a shitton of them.

Next weeks looks like awful filler, but the End-Of-Series two parter is shaping up nicely.  Once again, a BIG return of a very popular old enemy.

Those who haven't seen ALLL the spoilers Plastered ALLL over the internet can PM me for a hint.  And when I say hint, I'll just tell you.

It's either going to be awesome or shitty mcshit on par with the Second part of Last of the Timelords.  Which was fucking Dire in the extreme.

I'm hoping for a finale that actually involves the Doctor, as opposed to his assistant and the second coming of Jesus/Luke Skywalker.

It does interest me that having started the series off with something of a reset of the Doctor's mythos (Time Lords and Daleks wipes, essentially he's just a mysterious figure with a dark past) they're now moving onto creating some new elements with the introduction of his "daughter" and all that description of him in the the future. The Library episode all together was good, really good. There was one moment in particular I wasn't a huge fan of but I figure I'll refrain from spoilers and complaining about it only makes me feel like radbidfanboy_001.

The Library episode must be for you Brits. We just got the Doctor's Daughter episode this past week. This season has been as good as last. I'm surprised that both Torchwood and Doctor Who have used Martha Jones so much (pleasantly surprised, of course). Did she just not want to commit to a whole season, because she's already done 6 episodes between the two shows.

Martha Jones is going to Torchwood on their new "family" type show.  Gone are all the swearing and sex.

The last two episodes of Who have been great.  The whole library episodes started out meh in the first one, but closed out solidly.  I just wish there were more episodes.  I mean as it is we have like 3 episodes left and then we have 3 movies coming to hold us over til 2010?   :ye_gods:

I'm not sure if we are behind or not here Haemish, but I just torrent the new episodes every Sat. night lol.

Ummmm... what's left? I like Torchwood, but that's very much their MO. A sanitized Torchwood just doesn't seem like it would have the same punch.

Apparently word is that it's actually surprisingly good (from someone on an inside track to previews c/o working for various entertainment magazines).  Obviously for the rest of us, jury's out.  It's the doctor-lite one the week after which will probably be an awful thriller.  Then again, Blink was doctor lite too and that turned out alright.

The idea of filler episodes doesn't frighten me in Doctor Who. Its a format where filler works, and I still find Blink one of the best episodes of last season.

Filler in Who is hugely different to normal show filler.

More in a sec.

If Blink is filler, MORE FUCKING FILLER. Blink was one of the most intelligently crafted, exciting and entertaining pieces of television I've ever seen. There are entire seasons on entire networks that don't measure up to the quality of that filler episode.

Everybody lives.

Awesome episode.

Dr Who filler is not what usual 'filler' in a season is ;  that is, time 'away' from 'the main arc'.

Dr Who's never been about that.

Filler for Who is pretty much about when they've run out of budget after having blown all the money on the 'Big Bad' of the season.  That's not to say it's bad.  Indeed, I wish they'd spent more of the Master money on other episodes, because when you're out of money, you HAVE to write better.  (Usually).

Blink wasn't filler.  Sure, it was Dr Lite, but that doesn't matter a fuck.  Love and Monsters, however, WAS Filler, because, well, it had no budget and pretty much Blew.  To be honest, Filler for Who is where there's pretty much a low-budget low-writing no interest monster that you know you're never gonna see again or care about.  One-trick monsters or stories.

Anyway.  Apparently the next two episodes have a Dr Heavy and then a Donna Heavy theme, setting us up for the two parter.  I would say, to it's credit, that the 'new' releases since Eccleston hasn't really had all that much Filler, but if you look at Dr Who as a whole, there's tons of it.  Fuck me, Colin Baker and McCoy are pretty much all filler in my mind.  Total shite.

You just changed the definition of filler.

Filler episodes are episodes that don't concern the main arc. The name doesn't say anything about the quality. Blink was filler, just like Love and Monsters was. The only difference is that Blink was good filler.

Indeed.  I did.  I said I was going to.  On the first line of my post.  See ?

If you'd like, please to explain to me the 'Main Arc' of Doctor Who.

We will then see if we can agree on what deviates from it.  Or die of old age on the first part.

The Suck.  The Unending, Endless, Parade of Suck.

So where's the talk about The Doctor's daughters pants???

Pants?

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/georgia_moffett058.jpg)

(http://www.georgiamoffett.co.uk/images/gallery/georgia_moffett037.jpg)

I don't think we disagree like you think we do, Ironwood. We are just talking semantics here. For you filler has a negative meaning, for me it just means "Nonarchey episode".

Guess what I meant with "Its a format where filler works"? Who isn't heavily serialized and the main arch basically consists of hints throughout the season.

And now to the important things. Lets concentrate on his daughters pants.

Not only that, but there are rumors that Capt. Jack won't be full time on Torchwood as well.

What... the... fuck? Did the production team just catch a case of the retards? I like the other characters, but none make the grade like Capt. Jack. You might as well call it X-Brits without him.

The only one I liked was Owen AND HE'S DEAD! :tantrum:

Maybe... 

I can't believe they didn't kill off that horrible, whiny, gap-toothed woman when they had the chance.

Tits. It's the most plausible explanation.

Long live Moffat.

I'm a Huge NewWho fan, and I'm completely stoaked that he's going to be taking the reigns. RTD does things too simply for my taste.

The next two episodes are worrying me. The first is 'Midnight', a donna-light episode, with the Doctor being scared of knocking, then next week, 'Turn Left', a Doctor-light episode with just Donna. I'm holding my breath on 'Turn Left' because of the obvious spoiler, but i'm not so sure about 'Midnight'. After such a great two parter, I don't know if it'll be able to sustain the excitement.

The thing i love about NewWho is the series arc words. First season we had Bad wolf, then Torchwood, and last season Mr Saxon. they've done things a bit differently this season which is even better. You've got missing planets, missing bees, something on donna's back, the darkness, songs, and of course the medusa cascade, but what, if anything, do they mean???

.....sorry, geeked out for a second.


.....crumpets

One thing's for sure :  It'll have fuck all to do with the Metabilis Spiders.

Oh God.  That was truly fucking retarded.


Also, next week, Metabilis Spiders.

Fuck me, it's hit the shitter quick this season.

You'll be happy to know that 2 posts above me is the #3 google result for 'Metabilis Spiders'

No more Donnas, please.  We need more companions like Katarina, Peri Brown or Zoe Heriot.

Great.  My one moment of True Hope in life cast in Google stone for all to see.

And I was wrong.  Hope Dashed.

 :oh_i_see:

I like Donna.  Certainly more than Martha.  Peri's accent was atrocious.  I couldn't stand her.  She's from Guilford, too, IRL.  I hate Guilford.   Katarina and Zoe?  Sheesh.  They were companions for like, what?  Ten minutes?  I didn't much like the earliest Dr. Who shows, anyway.  Tom Baker was when I started really liking them, though I didn't mind Pertwee.  I liked Tegan from the Tom Baker episodes.  She was fun.  Oh, and K9.  I loved K9. 

I'm not usually a big fan of TV Science Fiction.  I really think I liked Dr. Who because it was camp and the effects were so awful that they made me laugh.  I remember one alien that was a giant Fish head wearing a shower curtain.  He had a goofy high voice, too.  You could see shoes sometimes.  It's the same feeling I had when I watched Thunderbirds.  (though only stoned, same with The Wombles and Clangers)  Sometimes you could see toilet paper rolls and bottle caps and the ships taking off were always a riot.  How can you not love stuff like that?  I got used to Dr. Who, though, and eventually became addicted.  I loved Tom Baker and didn't think anyone could be as good until David Tenent.  He's made me appreciate Dr. Who all over again and for better reasons.  (though some of the effects are still silly and funny)

Best Zoe moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPitIie-2EE

She really knows how to scream.

I thought yesterday's UK episode, Midnight, was a classic. Scary without having any monsters and a example of a ship in a bottle episode done right (the first episode of The Mind Robber is another).

And the Medusa Cascade came up again, which probably means something?

No love for Nyssa and her flounsy skirt?

From the spoiler I read yesterday, if you dislike Donna you're going to be pissed come the season closer.

The sneak peek frightens me. The Doctor might be dead until they resolve the finale. The suckiness could be on par with the "The doctor is an old gnome in the cage" finale.

Please tell me it ain't so and that retardednes only lasts for next week.

Was this in reference to Midnight? 

Expand por far vore?

I hated Midnight.  I thought it was the usual pretentious claptrap from Russell, saved only by Tennant.  Again.

The rest of the extras were straight out of old soaps and fucking drama school and it showed.

Awful, awful episode.

Sorry.  I realise that a lot of people liked it.

I don't watch soap operas, so the actors weren't a distraction for me.  :awesome_for_real: I thought it was a decent enough episode, and one where the Doctor pretty much failed at everything he tried.

Also, it did show that if they ever wanted to do "The Ten Doctors" all they'd need to do for #2 would be to hand David Troughton a black wig.

I have to say I liked it as well but more because of the setup and, dare I say, the writing.  It was all set in one room and featured few practical effects and less makeup effects and was still quite effective.  I wasn't bothered by the cast and I quite liked that we saw something a little different to the usual fare of predictably predictable plots and run-of-the-mill monster-of-the-week too-many-hypenated-sentenced episodes.

But I can understand the annoyance factors.

So, how long before the producers decide to "shake up the series" and bring the doctor back as black, female, etc.?

Well...he does have a daughter....

What's that got to do with anything ?

Starbuck....

Do not respond to the troll.

And he had a granddaughter, too.  :grin:

And we've already had more black and female timelords than I can count.  Even fucking alien ones (If you know what I mean.)

The question was a complete non-sequitur.

Not a bad episode and the teaser for next week looked awesome.

Yeah, I'm really getting into it. I always thought the new Who was fun but not a patch on the best American shows like BSG in its prime, but I'm beginning to change my mind.

Two decent RTD episodes in a row - I think we're the ones trapped in a parallel universe.  :grin:

I liked this episode but as the first part of a season finale I'm not sure it quite delivered. I'll admit that the teasers for next week sure leave thinking it's going to be an actually enjoying conclusion (as opposed to last time) but since last season I'm just not sure that I'm ready to get excited.

Eh ?

Next week is the first part of the two parter.

This was merely a prelude.


Also, they're pretty much doing an 'X-Men' with this whole crossover shit.  I'm waiting to make up my mind.

Oh, is it going to have the Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures actors in it as well? I noticed that they were all mentioned as dying on Donna's parallel Earth in the last episode.

It's going to have everyone bar the kitchen fucking sink.

It's RTD own wee bow out homage to himself.

Which frightens me somewhat. I don't even watch Sarah Jane Adentures (its a childrens TV show is all that I know, but so - technically - is Doctor Who) and loathe three thirds of Torchwood. Band them together with Rose (who only got uglier in her time away and thus lost her one redeeming feature) and this could rival the puppet Who love god finale.

Or it could work out. I'll keep an open mind.

I will optimistically think of it as the last chance to kill off that horrible gap-toothed woman from Torchwood. :)

Rose did get ugly while she was gone didn't she? I can't quite put my finger on it. It's like her face became harsher. Did she lose a lot of weight or something?

I don't like Torchwood and I don't like any of the actors in it, but gap-tooth?  She has a space between the front teeth like Lauren Hutton.   She's not missing one and they look fine.  Cute, even.  I bet you just hate Welsh people and women you don't stand a chance with! 

Also, Billie Piper just did some series where she played a prostitute.  Maybe she 'toughened' up for that?  I heard she was nekkid in it, too, and the Hollywood job offers dried up after.  I have no idea why I read that story.  I usually don't even know who anyone is talking about!

I just dislike the character so I'm doing the perfectly standard human thing of zeroing in on the character's most visible attribute and mocking it.  If I didn't hate her so much I'd probably think the gap was just adorable. Especially if she was wearing an eye patch and had a parrot on her shoulder.

You're right though. I do hate the Welsh with the flaming passion of a hundred volcanoes. It's odd really, considering I've never actually met a Welsh person. But there you go.  I'd probably also hate women I don't have a chance with but I've never met one of those either.  :awesome_for_real:


Hmm could be. It might even just be a new style of makeup to make her look more like the kind of girl who would be carrying a bazooka like in the previews.

Links, plzkthx.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Already posted about it in the tv thread. Nudity isn't particularly worth it.

That's alright - we hate you too.

Trailer for "The Stolen Earth" (this Saturday's episode): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q2bRZZITzk

I bet you have a great big gap in your teeth too don't you? Apparently that's the easiest way to detect a Welsh person. Well, that or a complete psych profile to detect the intrinsic evilness. 

Interesting....

Yeah...

Um, time to reset the characters and get some better looking actresses perhaps.  Although, I did like Donna's hair style.

 :nda:

Hmm, not bad at all. And there's still the possibility of certain Torchwood characters being permanently and irrevocably killed too.

I'll admit this one hit a few good buttons with me, I may be speaking too soon but I don't think it's going to be any kind of repeat of last season's horrible finale.

I don't know what anyone is talking about now. 

And they should kill off ALL the Torchwood characters.

Oh I don't know. I still have a soft spot for Captain Jack even if he is annoying. He's just not good enough to anchor his own series.

Bah, I like Torchwood. I even liked Sarah Jane Adventures, though it was horribly kiddy. And I liked last season's finale.

Just got done with the 2-part Library episode and loved that too. I'm always a sucker for future characters being introduced before they are supposed to be introduced. So how many more episodes do I have in this season after "Forest of the Dead?"

I think you've got two more before you get to the two part finale, one focusing on the Doctor and one on Donna.

Library and Forest were awesome episodes.  Every single episode I've seen of Doctor Who is better than 90% of anything I've ever seen on television.  Me want all DVDs of the current run. 

EDIT:  And Donna reminds me that British concepts of beauty are...different.  So does Rose, for that matter.  Martha Jones must've been a happy accident. 

Martha looks good from the chest up.

I think there's a very small number of people that would classify Catherine Tate (Donna) as a looker, before Dr. Who she was famous as comedian. As for Billie Piper, I never thought she was especially good looking in the episodes but in some of her interviews she's really looked cute. I think I'm in a minority in not liking her in the series though from people I know. Not especially gone on Martha Jones either, none of the women in Dr. Who or the spin-offs really strike me as beautiful which seems unfair when so many of the male actors are hotties. I blame the pink mafia for that.

Polly, companion of the First and Second Doctors:

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/med_anneke_wills.jpg)

Perpugilliam "Peri" Brown, companion to the Fifth and Sixth Doctors:

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/nicolabryant.jpg)

Sarah Jane, before she caught old age:

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/Sarahjane.jpg)

Victoria Waterfield, traveller with the Second Doctor:

(http://www.clisham.com-a.googlepages.com/VictoriaWaterfield3.jpg)

Anneke Wills needs to eat a sandwich. Or twelve.

Otherwise, I agree with Oban.

I loved it.

I admit the "Children of Time" sequence gave me minor goosebumps.

And Rose being completely ignored in that sequence and huffing and puffing gave me the best laugh of the week!

Plus Harriet Jones, balls of brass.

I think most of the Doctor's female companions have been sexy, and that includes Donna. It just may not be in the typical model sort of way.

I was referring to the new series, historically the Doctor has been accompanied by hot women, many scantily clad, but the imo the new series hasn't had any especially good looking females. Not ugly or anything but not up to the level of the old companions and not David Tennant or Captain Jack levels of hotness.

The two surviving guys on Torchwood (Captain Jack and whatshisname) are heading closer and closer each week to the pudgy side of hotness though. Perhaps having Martha around will give them some incentive to diet.

God, I SO don't think Captain Jack is hot.  He always looks as if he has too much make up on or something.  What a dreadful series Torchwood has been so far, too.  Luckily, I don't rate companions on "hotness" or "boobage" so my perspective is based mostly on personality.  Oh and acting ability.  I know, I know.  What a silly thing to look for!  Donna is a decent actor and she's funny in a believable way.  I didn't find Martha to be a good actress, funny or believable.

I liked Rose best of the companions so far. Maybe because it wasn't just Rose all the time by herself. There was her clueless boyfriend and her mom who I thought was funny around a lot of the time as well.  I'd rank Donna as number two though.

Do you remember Captain Jack when he first appeared on Doctor Who  in season 1 or 2 though? It was the episode with the gas mask kid.  He's definitely gone way downhill as far as appearances go since then. Perhaps it's part of his ongoing transformation into the Face of Bo. :)

He was cuter before Torchwood, though out of all the Captain Jack's in the world, he's my least favourite. 

The Stolen Earth gets a pretty big thumbs up from me. though i guess i need to  :nda: for a week.

 

Agreed, can't wait for the next episode!   :ye_gods:

Well,  :nda: and Martha, who has the  :nda: key, which is a  :nda: and then Rose  :nda: when the Regeneration   :nda: but doesn't then  :nda: the Doctors Daughter   :nda: and   :nda: Jack and Ianto  :nda: and followed  by  :nda: Wogan  :nda: who is really   :nda: Davros with the Daleks and a   :nda: followed by   :nda: a large  :nda: bucket of   :nda: manure.

Basically, it's like BSG.

The Doctor's daughter comes back?  Yes please!

Jack/Ianto Spitroast.

You heard it here first.

To any concerned parties you could probably replace all Ironwood's  :nda: with  :awesome_for_real:

Slightly related

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/06/28/david-tennant-is-made-of-awesome/

Heh.  That's hilarious.  I do not know how he manages not to slip back into his normal accent when discussing the Housemartins.

What is his normal accent?

You really ought to listen to some of his radio interviews.  He's got quite a broad, almost Paisley, accent.  (Even though the wife tells me he's not from there).

Best season ender I've seen for the modern Doctor Who. Tell me how much you hated it Ironwood.  :drill:

A fair bit.

Aw come on, Daleks speaking German made the episode worthwhile.

Indeed.

My take on it is roughly 50/50.  Daleks and Davros in particular were fantastic.  That wasn't the problem with the episode.

However, I'll not go into any detail on what the problems actually were, since Americans and Canadians are, I understand, behind on these matters.

The whole Rose thing was a fiasco smelling like bad fan fiction from start to finish. I guess one can say that without spoilering too much. I would have kept laughing at her uselessness if the show focused a little more on that.

She's a hooker now.  I don't think she must be a very good one, though.  I watched one episode and no one had an orgasm. 

Also, gone are the good old days of snickering at the daleks from the top of the stairs.  Nothing will ever be the same again.

Ah ok. Not enough puppy slaughtering. I understand.

El-evate and Ex-term-in-ate!

 :nda:

Like most RTD episodes, and especially like most RTD end-of-season spectaculars, it had some brilliant parts and some godawful parts...and was in dire need of a strict editor to rewrite and/or cut the godawful ones.

It wasn't a perfect episode, but I liked/enjoyed it a bit. 

It was a decent way for RTD to go out with a bang at least.

I'd prefer the bang to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Each series has tried to have a bigger, more ridiculous closer. With more dangling plot lines and inconsistencies.

This one didn't make me see red like the last one, at least this one actually had the Doctor in it. What annoys me most about RTD's finales is that they've all involved the day being saved by the Doctor's companions. I don't watch the show specifically to see Rose or Martha or whoever the fuck else happens to be sharing the TARDIS with the doctor at that time find a way of saving humanity, the companions are meant to be there to give the audience an in to the world not to save the Doctor from whatever terrible old foe has returned to piss him off.

I know the whole "Oh shit, the Doctor has feelings! Rage!!11!" is one of the biggest complaints a lot of fans have but I can deal with that much. It also seems to be dissipating, Donna for all her annoyances didn't have any kind of heartfelt feelings for the Doctor and vice versa. It was nice to see him back to having a companion who was just along for the ride.

I think it was basically him putting all his characters in the last episode more then anything.  Although there was the whole "Children of Time" thing that's been talked about during this seasons eps.

well Donna =  :drillf:  and I am pretty pissed off that she got left holding the shit end of the stick.

Pretty over the top kitchen sink ending. Though i guess RTD wanted to go out with a bang.

meh suppose I should be polite and hold off a week.

More like near a month, thanks to Sci-Fi's holiday marathons.  :awesome_for_real:

Hrm... I guess it IS possible for a writer to yank his own pud on international T.V.  I'm pretty sure that's what I just saw.

Well, I liked it.  Some awesomely awesome overacting. 

I liked the Rose-Doctor resolution, though it was a bit of a cop-out for a happy ending. The Donna thing though? I'm not sure I liked that at all. I dug her character and to see her relegated back to the one thing that absolutely killed her soul... I would have rather the mind-meld killed her than left her without any memories of her time with the Doctor. Maybe it leaves her open for a return, but man that was sad.

I really hope that Mickey joins Torchwood. I like how that character has evolved. The Sarah Jane stuff... meh, I could take or leave her show. It was definitely for kids.

So we have 5 specials with David Tennant released between Christmas '08 and the next season in '10, and a 5-part Torchwood mini-series with Capt. Jack and who knows who else. Does anyone know for sure if Tennant is going to return in 2010 besides Russell Davies and the BBC?

Yeah, after thinking about it a little bit, the biggest tragedy of the whole Donna situation is that she went back to being a vapid twit.  I wish she could've at least kept some of the good traits she gained in her travels. 

That was a large portion of my problem with it.  I saw the whole of the 3 hours as RTD parading his awesomeness before us, practically shouting "Look at everything I've done. I'm fucking AWESOME."  Then giving the Doctor-Donna and resolving Doctor & Rose as a final bit of "ha, still awesome aren't I?"  I could hear the air whipping around his wrist as his hand was a blur of motion at that bit.  Then the final climax, where the moneyshot hits us in the eye with a "FUCK YOU, I'M NOT LETTING ANY OF YOU HAVE THAT, SHITHEELS!"

Hey, look on the bright side - after the specials next year, that's it. No more RTD.

I thought the RTD era ended with the end of this season. 

I hadn't heard that RTD was leaving after the specials. The wikipedia entry talking about whether Tennant will return or not made me think Davies was still going to be in charge of it in 2010.

The Specials have already been filmed.  It was RTD who did 'em.

So he's done, but not on the TV yet.  If you see what I mean.

I've heard James Nesbitt is tagged as the next Doctor.  ugh. 

I thought it was Robert Carlysle?

This is the latest story (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2222208/Doctor-Who-Robert-Carlyle-tipped-to-replace-David-Tennant.html) I can find about the fifth series. And it doesn't really tell much of anything. Anyone else got any recent links?

I love James Nesbitt.  And Robert Carlyle.  I wouldn't mind either.

The exact same fight, with some similar names, popped out during the first changeover.

I wouldn't worry about it until it happens.

It's hard to fuck up the Doctor.  It's all about the writing.  McCoy and Baker were given shit, shit, shit stories.

(Oh and they sucked mightily acting wise.   :awesome_for_real: )

Still two of my favourite Doctors, I think my mind set of overlooking budget sets extended to the stories and acting. Kind of like filling in the holes in a string vest so I'm left with a nice shirt.

Well I really liked it, but I'm just into RTD's style. I didn't like the Rose resolution, because I believed the Doctor would have done something like that. It's like he wants to be all emo and lonely and whatnot, so he seeks out opportunities to get rid of his companions. I just wanted to smack him, because he could have found an alternate solution if he wanted.

Mickey and Martha should totally join Torchwood. That would rock. I'm not a big fan of the Sarah Jane series, but I loved her involvement in the finale. It was more than the characters meeting; it was the shows themselves. They actually felt like episodes of Sarah Jane or Torchwood, because of the lighting and camera angles and such. Heh. "Mr. Smith, can't you stop with that fanfare?"

The saddest thing for me was, of course, Donna returning to who she was before meeting the Doctor. I really can't see how she can be kept from the truth for too long. Donna's too pernicious. If she doesn't find out eventually, I'll consider that a mistake in characterization. Rose coming back? I wouldn't rule it out.

At the very end, when the Doctor was in the TARDIS, drenched with rain, and slowly looked up...I half-expected him to see a woman in a wedding gown. But he didn't. And that was the best way to end that episode.

RTD?

Russell T. Davies, series producer and the guy credited with bringing Who back into the spotlight.

I don't get the hate of him that some have.  I've liked every single episode I've seen since 2005. 

Yeah, me too. The only thing I have against him is an almost pathological attempt to point out that certain characters are bisexual. More apparent on Torchwood than on Dr. Who but still.

Ah, ok.. So i'm assuming from the posts here he is no longer with the project?

Yeah.  Many Who fans are like RPG Codex types and insist everything the guy does suck even though he pretty much revived Doctor Who and made it probably the biggest hit it could possibly be in the current way TV shows work.

(Except for RPG Codex they hate Bethesda, which pretty much started the second they announced Fallout 3.)

His first series stuff was awesome, but he did become a victim of his own success and believed his own hype.  Most of his later stories were, er, a little off.  The season 2 finale was, in the words of the picture that Somethingawful then made, 'Something Hugely Retarded'.

That was when he lost it.

My problem with him is outlined above.  Yeah, I liked this Dr. Who, and it's the first one I've watched since the early 90's when PBS re-ran old episodes and I watched it out of a semblance of "needing" to as a sci-fi fan.  The guy was REALLY just into himself for this last episode and it turned me off. 

The Dalek one was better than the Master one.

The Master one was a masterpiece of suck.  The first episode was genius.  The second one was so badly written I could have done better by inserting a crayon into my dick and wiggling my hips in front of a large A3 sheet of paper.

I disagree with you, both about the Season 2 finale and the Season 3 one. Season 2 was fantastic. Both were better than Season 4.

Wait, are you seriously telling me that Dobby Doctor turning into Fucking Tinkerbell and getting the whole world to say 'We BELIEVE IN THE DOCTOR, WE DO, WE DO' and then hitting the fucking temporal reset button was a GOOD ending ?

Are you ?

Because I have a whole bunch of letters on this keyboard to spell Fuck Off with.

Spell away.

The Doctor channeling the psyhic energy of an entire world, thanks to the Master's psychic machinery? I wouldn't say it was a brilliant ending, but it wasn't the vortex of suck that you think it was. A bit on the cheesy side, yes, but certainly not the worst I've seen.

He flew.  He flew across the room while glowing.

They turned him into Tinkerbell.

 :uhrr:

Anyways....

Davros was great.

He's always glowing. Shit, he glowed when he tossed his regeneration into his severed hand. Hell, even DONNA glowed.

He never flew and gained fucking Jedi powers though.

No no no no no Haemish. Really. I know you're working hard to beat the Southern insensitive Hick label attributed to anyone from Mississippi, but really, in this situation, you're just flat out wrong. That ending was beyond excrable.

First and foremost, you do not kill off the Master. Period.
Second, everything Ironwood said, cept with spittle flecking my screen.
Third, stop spending time at Grandma's bingo matches, your getting soft in the head.

...and if you're going to at least pretend to kill off the Master, don't STEAL THE WHOLE FUCKING THING FROM FLASH GORDON LIKE SOME FUCKING HACK.

The 'picking up the ring' bit at the end made me groan aloud.

GORDON'S ALIVE ?!

I will agree with you about the Master's ring thing. I half-expected him to show up this season.

But, say what you will, I liked the finale of Season 3 about as much as I liked Season 4. Both could have been better, but they could have been a lot lot worse.

SciFi had a story about the third series of Torchwood filming. (http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=1&id=59151)


No Mickey, Rickey, or Martha mentioned.

That's actually quite surprising.  Since they've been hyped and hinted at in the last season of Who.

Terrible acting, terrible writing, terrible terrible.  I hope they do better next time around.

I'm assuming you mean Torchwood.

I dunno why I like it so much, although with Toshiko gone it's gonna suck a bit more.  I think I really just like the whole Capt. Jack character.

That and since they have crappy short 13 episode seasons over there.. its at least something related to Dr. Who.  I can't get into the whole Sarah Jane show though.

I kind of liked Tosh, too.  And I did mean Torchwood.  I've only seen a wee bit of the Sarah Jane show.  I think it might be a bit TOO geared towards kids for me.

I liked Torchwood, and thought it got better over time. Second season was certainly superior to the first if only for the toning down of the all-too often salaciousness. No Mickey, Rickey or Martha is disappointing, though.

I thought Martha was a terrible actor.  But she seems to have got a gig doing the UK version of Law and Order.  What kind of crazy nonsense is happening on British TV these days?

You just hate her because she's not Welsh.

Wait.  What?  Does this have something to do with the sexy sheep picture I posted in the lame-ass tits thread?  That was for you boys, that was!

Geeze I've been making all these Welsh comments and you don't even remember why? A while back I made a nasty comment about that horrible gap-toothed woman in Torchwood and you accused me of hating the Welsh.  :-)

(http://www.bigskyfilmfest.org/images/selections2006/les_blank/gap_tooth_woman%20.jpg)

Gap-tooth girls make the world go 'round.

I liked Martha, but it could be just cuz I found her hot.  But UK TV seems to have the same actors in everything.  Which is either awesome or lame depending on your viewpoint.

Was it wrong to be all "OMG ITS DAISY!"  :heart: When Jessica Stephenson did a guest role on Doctor Who?  If it was, I don't wanna be right!

I think you are confusing gap toothed girls with fat bottomed ones and Reg obviously hates sheep.

I'm not watching the new stuff, but I figure this would be the appropriate thread to post this.

Just watched the first 1963 story arc on DVD. I'd been warned about the low production values, but I thought it was stellar, almost an art move style. Luckily, I watched the first revision of the pilot episode rather than the second revision that actually aired. The first was so much more artistic with a much better performance from the Doctor. Surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did, the newer series (this thread) didn't do much for me. The discovery scene when the two teachers find the tardis in the junkyard and the doctor comes out and fucks with them was great...and they nerfed it in the second revision  :oh_i_see:

The News of the World reports that two of the upcoming "Doctor Who" TV specials will reportedly be filmed in America next year.

With the full season being replaced by at least two specials next year, word now comes that these tele-movies will include not just a U.S. setting but a U.S. assistant as well.

Showrunner Russell T. Davies "is determined to go out with a bang and the specials will be explosive - we're spending much more money on them than normal".

Meanwhile the BBC have announced that "Torchwood" will have an unusual schedule next year. As previously reported, the third season will be cut from twelve episodes to just five.

Now its reported that these episodes, operating under the moniker 'Children Of Earth', will be shown over five consecutive nights on BBC One sometime next spring.



So bascially they are going what like 2 years without a real season of Torchwood or Doctor Who?

That's what it sounds like.  I'm not surprised.  Television in Britain can be odd compared to US television.  There have been other shows that I thought were cancelled and then suddenly appeared again.   I enjoy Dr. Who but I won't miss Torchwood. 

Because it's shite.

It is that, and more.

boo and hiss.

was really hoping to see martha and mickey in Torchwood.  Martha not as much as mickey