Doctor Who - Spoilers!

[Memnoch]

My hope for Doc 11 is that they make him less magical than 10. I liked Tennant's Doctor, but they basically turned him into a wizard. I also think it's time for the sonic screwdriver to go away again, that thing is a magic wand now.

Oh it's not going away but Moffat seems to have a better handle on things. I personally can say I cant wait for Christmas Day/Boxing Day and then New Years Day/January 2. I'm undecided if I want to wait the 24 hrs or so to see the specials. This show is my television crack at times.

 

[William Shatners Toupee]

My hope for Doc 11 is that they make him less magical than 10. I liked Tennant's Doctor, but they basically turned him into a wizard. I also think it's time for the sonic screwdriver to go away again, that thing is a magic wand now.

I agree with that big time. Many 10th Doc eps were ruined by some "magical" ending where the Doc un-anti-climactiacally pulled something out of his butt to solve the problem at the end of a story and that has ruined many a 10th Doc story for me (like the Sontaran two-parter). I expect that to completely end when RTD leaves, no question.

I don't mind the Sonics use in the show yet and everything they built into it, but I would welcome a return to the Doc needing to make more gadgets again. Actually, I'd like the Sonic to get tweaked so he could point it at bad guys guns and make them become undone and fall apart (laugh).

 

[bcm77]

One thing I hope that the new era brings back is an element of fallibility to the Doctor and friends as they've become far too indestructible which has made the show so damn predictable.

As an audience we KNOW the heroes will ultimately win so the job of the writers is to make us suspend our disbelief and think that the good guys may not actually prevail etc etc but with RTD's Who it's been far too easy to see the "magic switch" coming which for me takes most of the fun away, add an extremely unlikeable Doctor and/or companion into the mix and the show becomes unwatchable.

I'm not necessarily saying another shock companion death like Adric's or something similarly dramatic should be done but it would be way better than nobody ever getting remotely hurt unless you count a certain Captain dying several hundred times.

On the other hand, if he really wants to be bold Moffat should kill someone like Sarah Jane off ( though that would obviously depend on the future ratings of her own series ) to demonstrate that nobody is untouchable.

I also think if/when any companions/allies of the 11th Doctor leave they should stay gone for good instead of being brought back a series or so later when the writers can't create of any decent new ones, especially if they get a brilliant exit like the one Rose got in "Doomsday".

Another thing I'd like from the new regime is the end of the "celebrity producer" image that RTD has tried to cultivate.

IMO producers and writers should stay behind the scenes and focus on making the show great and not try and get their face in the media at every opportunity to hype the show and make condescending remarks to his audience about "what makes good drama" or other similar BS on things like Confidential.

If the quality is there, minimal hype is required and it also doesn't make the producer look like a complete tit when they claim their latest story will be "the most epic yet" and it falls somewhat short.

According to RTD "The End of Ten" will be enough to "blow our heads off" but whether this means in frustration at the appalling quality of most of his season finales remains to be seen.

Not by me though as I'll either be out or watching some more Classic stories. I watched the first 2 parts of "The Caves of Androzani" yesterday and I was somewhat shocked as Peter Davison actually had a bit of spark in his character whereas all the previous stories I'd seen he was the epitome of blandness.

Too bad Robert Holmes is no longer with us as if he made Davison intresting he may even have made Tennant likeable for more than a few weeks.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I remember liking the Baker Who as a child and wanted to get back into it since the revamp has been so great. GeekChic recommended City of Death, so I bought that on Amazon.

Is this the level of most of the Baker Who? Is there a better example? Cause aside from Julian Glover as the villain - it seemed they were more concerned with showing that they actually got to film in Paris, rather than developing any decent story or characters.

 

[pixletwin]

I actually have never been a fan of City of Death. I actually enjoy Leisure Hive and Meglos far more.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I remember liking the Baker Who as a child and wanted to get back into it since the revamp has been so great. GeekChic recommended City of Death, so I bought that on Amazon.

Is this the level of most of the Baker Who? Is there a better example? Cause aside from Julian Glover as the villain - it seemed they were more concerned with showing that they actually got to film in Paris, rather than developing any decent story or characters.

With Tom Baker, it's best to stick to the Sarah Jane/Leela run. After that, his performances start to get pretty self-indulgent.

Try Genesis of the Daleks, Pyramids of Mars, The Deadly Assassin and Talons of Weng Chiang.

 

[bcm77]

Is this the level of most of the Baker Who? Is there a better example?

By no means. The last 3 years of Tom's run are not as good as his earlier ones though there are still a few good stories.

10 "must see" stories are,

1."Genesis of the Daleks"
2."The Talons of Weng-Chiang"
3."The Deadly Assassin"
4."The Brain of Morbius"
5."The Hand of Fear"
6."The Seeds of Doom"
7."Planet of Evil"
8."Pyramids of Mars"
9."Horror of Fang Rock"
10."Robots of Death"

I like "City of Death" due to the Douglas Adams humor that plays such a part but after that the quality definitely declined, partially due to the scripts and also because Tom was said to have been tiring of the role by that point and had become very difficult behind the scenes.

His final season is quite intresting all the same as it shows a 4th Doctor that often seems a million miles from the one we first saw in 1974's "Robot".

The toothy grin and flippant remarks are still there on occasion but he's generally a lot darker, even morose at times and looks both aged and somewhat haggard as Tom was ill for a while during filming which actually added to the effect of that incarnation of the Doctor looking noticeably affected by all the stuff he's been through.

Pick of the last season is easily "Warriors Gate" though I also like "State of Decay".

 

[William Shatners Toupee]

Not a big "City of Death" fan either.

My go to Tom ep is always "Robots of Death" first. I can't get enough of it.

 

[pixletwin]

I getting ready to fire up the old torrent search in about 24 hours from now.

Anyone else?

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I getting ready to fire up the old torrent search in about 24 hours from now.

Anyone else?

Nah, I'll wait for saturday to watch it in HD on BBCA.

 

[Darth Caedus]

I getting ready to fire up the old torrent search in about 24 hours from now.

Anyone else?

Yep. Thought I would check right now to see if anybody put it up early, but not up yet

 

[Matt S]

Forgot all about this....is this just a one hour? Not happy with this years specials. At all

 

[Kabukiman]

I getting ready to fire up the old torrent search in about 24 hours from now.

Anyone else?

I'm with ya! No BBC America here.

 

[bcm77]

I getting ready to fire up the old torrent search in about 24 hours from now.

Anyone else?

Nope. Aside from the obvious fact that I'm in the UK I've got the 2nd half of "The Caves of Androzani" to watch and also the following which Santa brought me,

"The Beginning" box set consisting of,
"An Unearthly Child"
"The Daleks"
"Edge of Destruction"

Parts 1-5 of the "Hornets Nest" audios
( Tom Baker returns to the role in 5 stories lasting 70 minutes each!!! )

I was in the pub yesterday and a preview for today's episode came on the TV so I started booing very loudly. Got some odd looks but I'd already had quite a bit to drink by then so I wasn't bothered

 

[pixletwin]

Not up yet. (Brendan, me and my boys watched Logopolis last night.. it will be interesting to see how they bcompare the two).

 

[Kabukiman]

Waiting patiently.

 

[bcm77]

Not up yet. (Brendan, me and my boys watched Logopolis last night.. it will be interesting to see how they bcompare the two).

My guess would be they'll like the new show more as it looks more appealing visually.

 

[pixletwin]

It's up and mine is on its way.

 

[Kabukiman]

It's up and mine is on its way.

Same here!

 

[Rogue Trooper]

Last 2 minutes was the best part, otherwise i thought it was a little dull story wise.
Did the show always have this sort of humor running throught each episode which i just find annoying and what do you know another token gay in a RTD who.

Prefrered The Gruffalo anaimation before the snow