Dr. Who

[Simond]

Know who else decided to take Doctor Who in a slightly darker, more fantasy-horror direction?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Hinchcliffe

So as the complaints are basically "Oh no, it's becoming more like when it was at its strongest", I shall bear that with great equanimity. 

[Slyfeind]

It was good to see the episode actually be about the Doctor, or at least through his POV. Also good to see Dumbledore in the series. I actually liked the story, though predictable, and I agree with the sentiments that it was merely a time travel story, and not a Doctor Who story.

[apocrypha]

Like almost every single episode of the Moffatts the Christmas Special started off well and rapidly went downhill I thought.

They have great set designs, good production values, potentially interesting (if relentlessly stereotyped) characters, some decent acting.... and then nowhere to go with the story because it all has to be so fucking mainstream and PC and wishy-washy. Bland with a side-dish of bland sauce. Ooh let's have some more plucky little future Brits and/or a clichéd evil corporate boss/army chief/politician story.

Hot assistants are all very well but this franchise needs less toy marketing and more writers with imagination and balls (metaphorically).

[Simond]

I'd imagine it's quite tricky to do a take on "A Christmas Carol" without 'plucky lower-class people' and 'corrupt, greedy businessman' though. 

[Ironwood]

Know who else decided to take Doctor Who in a slightly darker, more fantasy-horror direction?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Hinchcliffe

So as the complaints are basically "Oh no, it's becoming more like when it was at its strongest", I shall bear that with great equanimity. 

Who said this ?  Seriously, quote the chap that said that Moffat was doing this and it was a bad thing ?  Moffat hasn't done that.  He isn't fit to lick the sweat from PH shadow.  He's an utter fucking hack.  His horror is about as scary as semolina and has about the same consistancy.  His time travel blows.  His stories SUCK A BIG FAT COCK and his making the daleks for the Ipod generation makes my scrotum shrivel.

You keep on fighting the good fight against the demons in your head that are apparently talking to you and making you read stuff wrong, but really, it's pretty much majority opinion at this stage that the last season was one of the weakest in Who history with the excellent cast fighting a losing battle against shitty writing and production decisions.

Stop picking a fight for the fucking sake of it.

[01101010]

 His stories SUCK A BIG FAT COCK and his making the daleks for the Ipod generation makes my scrotum shrivel.

Oh dear god this is going straight to sig. 

thank you kind sir.

[Oban]

[Sir T]

I am still at a loss what the flying shark was all about.

The shark was jumping Dr. Who.

[Ironwood]

Part of me was waiting for it to turn to the camera and start the 'Suck My Dick, I'm a Shark' song.

Hell, hot blonde could have helped with the lyrics.

[Mattemeo]

Fun but inconsequential episode, very Christmassy. Had to watch it twice as I was cooking Christmas dinner when it was first broadcast and really had no idea what the hell was going on in the spare moments I had to see any. Just about made sense the second time round, though. Sharks notwithstanding. Jenkins was hot, but I could have done with more of the 2 mile tall redhead, as ever.

[EDIT: had that discussion before]

[Khaldun]

This level of hatred totally baffles me...I really rather liked the Xmas special.

[Slyfeind]

I cannot imagine how anyone could think flying sharks is not awesome.

[HaemishM]

I thought that the Christmas special was the best Moffat episode besides the Vincent Van Gogh episode - which is kind of funny because neither episode is really about the Doctor. Yes, it was sappy as hell but, you know, Christmas. It's hard to do the Christmas Carol story without sappiness or cliche. I think it was a bit of a copout that the Doctor could go back through this kid's timeline but not go back and find a cure for the hot singing chick. Moffat really does fail on the whole concept of time travel, and his obvious intention to make Doctor Who into a fairy tale has clearly made for horribly inconsistent and silly stories. But I did like this one well enough. As always, Matt Smith hit it out of the park with his acting. I really, really hope they give him better stories this season, because I really want to see him in good stories before they pick the next Doctor and Moffat fucks off somewhere else.

[Mattemeo]

As always, Matt Smith hit it out of the park with his acting. I really, really hope they give him better stories this season, because I really want to see him in good stories before they pick the next Doctor and Moffat fucks off somewhere else.

I reckon we'll get a third season with Matt Smith's Doctor. Moffat's writing might be a divisive line, but Smith has won a lot of hearts over, a feat worthy of substantial praise considering the fangasms that his predecessor inspired. He's simply a very. very good Doctor. My personal favourite since Tom Baker.

[Sky]

Just wanted to chime in on the current Doctor. When they revived the series, it just didn't pull me in. Caught the marathon (this past season?) of the current Doctor and was first a bit dismissive (why is crispin glover in the tardis) but the acting and snappy dialogue pulled me in. First one was with the Dream Lord, some good interaction amongst the three principles, then the one about the lizard people where I thought the bit actors were actually pretty good, the (indian?) female geologist iis one of the best throw-away characters I've seen.

[NowhereMan]

The last season or two of Dr. Who has astounded me in terms of getting really great acting to sell acceptable special effects and crappy storylines. Honestly I'd like to see some more intelligent stories getting peddled, I know the Christmas special can get away with schlock but it's really not that out of character for Moffat's overall approach. I'm beginning to think he's an excellent writer who just has a horribly misguided approach to things and having someone else directing him with a clear and appropriate vision would result in much better stuff.

[palmer_eldritch]

Just wanted to chime in on the current Doctor. When they revived the series, it just didn't pull me in. Caught the marathon (this past season?) of the current Doctor and was first a bit dismissive (why is crispin glover in the tardis) but the acting and snappy dialogue pulled me in. First one was with the Dream Lord, some good interaction amongst the three principles, then the one about the lizard people where I thought the bit actors were actually pretty good, the (indian?) female geologist iis one of the best throw-away characters I've seen.

Meera Syal, who is best known as a comedian and turnes out to be an amazing serious actor too, a bit like Robbie Coltrane or Hugh Laurie. It seems bizarre when that happens. Actually the best character in new season four was probably Bernard Cribbins, who was also best known as a comedian or light entertainer before that.

[Sir T]

Good comedians make good actors. To be a good comedian you have to learn the importance of Dialogue, timing, the flow of a narritive building up to a punchline. the importance of a look or the way you stand to the delivery of the joke. If you are off by a 10th of a second in your delivery, the Joke dies and you are there looking like an idiot. Comedians call it dying on stage.

People forget that Tom hanks was a comedian. Whoopie Goldberg was a comedian. Will Smith was a comedian and singer. Hell Billy Connely has had some fantastic dramatic film roles.

[Ironwood]

I love the way that All Sweeping Generalisations are Right.

[Sir T]

Typical Scotsman.

[Ironwood]

 

Ironically, I was watching a documentary about Father Ted.  Both the chaps that headed that weren't actors, but comics, unlike the rest of the cast.  Ardal was saying that he found acting really, really hard.

Strange.

[Mattemeo]

Ardal was saying that he found acting really, really hard.

Strange.

To be fair, if you've ever seen O'Hanlan in anything besides Father Ted, that makes a lot more sense.

[rattran]

He was good in My Hero. He was amusing enough in Dr Who even.

[apocrypha]

Good comedians make good actors. To be a good comedian you have to learn the importance of Dialogue, timing, the flow of a narritive building up to a punchline. the importance of a look or the way you stand to the delivery of the joke. If you are off by a 10th of a second in your delivery, the Joke dies and you are there looking like an idiot. Comedians call it dying on stage.

People forget that Tom hanks was a comedian. Whoopie Goldberg was a comedian. Will Smith was a comedian and singer. Hell Billy Connely has had some fantastic dramatic film roles.

Eddie Izzard. Great comedian. Shite actor.

I also think Tom Hanks and Whoopie Goldberg are shite actors.

[Bunk]

I enjoyed the Christmas special. I was really worried about it being another retelling of the same Scrooge story, but the general plot was mixed up enough to keep it entertaining. I get the complaints on the whole timeline inconsistency, they are pretty egregious in some of Moffat's stories, but I've taught myself to ignore it and enjoy the ride. (and intentionally ignore things, like how Moffat currently has things working would completely invalidate "the Girl in the Fireplace")

I'm also really suprised at how much I'm enjoying the two companion dynamic.

I think also, I am able to fixate on more minor details, like how that carraige should have been dangling vertically underneath the damn shark...

[Mattemeo]

He was good in My Hero.

[Slyfeind]

I'm also really suprised at how much I'm enjoying the two companion dynamic.

Yeah this for me too. I absolutely did not like Rory at first...


Spoiler'd. :P

[Sky]

Spoilers for the newb, hah. Actually, he just disappeared in the last ep I watched. I think their interaction (him and Amy) was pretty good "Don't ever call me Chubbo"

[Slyfeind]

Spoilers for the newb, hah. Actually, he just disappeared in the last ep I watched. I think their interaction (him and Amy) was pretty good "Don't ever call me Chubbo"

Heh. Oops. Months-old episodes are now spoilerfied. 

[Sky]

I was joking, I'm not hardcore about Dr Who.

[Mrbloodworth]

David Tennant is a lucky man.

[Furiously]

He's marrying his daughter!!!

[Slyfeind]

OH MAN! Cute. I remember when rumors were floating around when they were seen together going into Tennant's home, and he squashed the rumors by actually admitting they were dating. I thought that was pretty funny.

[Simond]

Of course, that makes that Ten-meets-Five sketch look slightly...odd in retrospect.

[Ironwood]

Women are crying all over Paisley.