Dr Who

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Can't believe no-one has posted anything about quite possibly the greatest TV show ever made!

Well the new series is nearly upon us, and as I found this on youtube today Clicky, I thought I would start a new thread (its a new long trailer for the new series).

Feel free to talk about all of the series and doctors on here, although I would imagine that it will be predominantly made up of the reboot.

From the reboot, Matt Smith is by far my favourite. Never liked Ecclestone and although I liked Tennant, I just feel that the last lot of specials were terrible and tarnished his memory. Matt Smith plays him brilliantly and doesnt make me miss DT one bit.

So what are your opinions of this fantastic show and how good does that trailer look?

Loved it.

Really enjoyed it as well. Loved the inclusion of Capaldi and Baker.

Crikey, I wish David Tennant would come back permanently as the Doctor. If that's possible, which it probably isn't.

Soooooo Good!!!

Loved all the interactions between the many doctors and Billie Piper is just gorgeous - But don't tell the wife

Just got around to watching it, after an evening of romancing the missus, good £50 spent between flowers, tea, film and snacks, still no end in sight to my dry spell, I wonder why I bothered

Anyways enough feeling sorry for myself, really enjoyable loved all the interplay between the Doctors and John Hurt slipped right in

There's probably a few gaping plot holes, why only 13 Doctors showed up at the end being the main one, but I'm not a man to get bogged down in these things, and my main impressions were that of complete joy

The scene where they escaped from the painting was just badass beyond words

The Xmas special teaser at the end looks great as well, but I don't want Matt to go, best Doctor by a mile for me

Loved it

Just saw it.

Loved it...and great to see Tom Baker again.

Nearly took my mind off the cricket...

I really liked it, I particularly liked the merging Tardis themes as three Doctor's travelled.

Really enjoyed it , watched it with my son .... isn't it weird how kids brains work ? all he kept saying was i wonder what colour the new doctors sonic screw driver will be !

There's probably a few gaping plot holes, why only 13 Doctors showed up at the end being the main one

Hinting that Capaldi will be the last one, Time Lords are only supposed to have 13 lives. 

I loved it, I went to the cinema and saw it in 3D having booked my tickets week in advance (it was a sell out.) Think it was done very well, the nostalgia was handled extremely well having not got bogged down in trying to make too many references or bring back too many faces. The story was strong and clever and John Hurt's Doctor was excellent, by the end he felt as much a part of Doctor Who as any, which is no mean feat. I am going to be gutted when Matt Smith goes, but loved the Capaldi cameo, which gave me goosebumps. 

Lots of people had dressed up to see it, one young boy came in a full body home-made Cyberman costume, the cinema clapped for him, that must have made his year.

Goodbye Matt

Seems that the episode is getting a lot of online criticism which is strange as I thought it was excellent episode.

Goodbye Matt - best doctor ever IMO. And that's having grown up wih tom baker. Capaldi looks like he is going to be a hoot.

I liked it all the way upto the last 5 -10 minutes , i wasn't impressed with the ending .

Neither was my son who was looking forward to a new Dr , and just said " Is that it ? " when it happened

I liked it, it didn't have any of the dragged out sentimentality of Tennant's departure, it was quick and sudden and was nice as they allowed Matt Smith's Doctor to die of old age rather than go out with a bang, it was almost as if he was content to go, rather than Tennant's who didn't want to go so his regeneration was more violent.

Anybody else expecting Peter Capaldi to make a challenge as best doctor since Tom Baker? Hope the scripts don't let him down but all the signs are good tbh,director,Timelords coming back,roll on Autumn!

I've just watched the day of the doctor with John hurt again.

Just to clarify, I didn't watch it with John hurt but my daughter but he was in it.

Absolutely fabulous.

I loved the cameo with Tom baker but it reinforced that Matt smith has been the best doc so far. He was amazing and out doctored tenant in every scenes he final scene with Tom was just amazing. And for every insane tic that Tom had, it added to mates character. Perfect in every way.

Can't wait for capaldi.

I'm glad there is somewhere out there who thinks Matt Smith's Doctor is much better than David Tennant's. The internet is full of people who adore Tennant and hate Smith, but I think Matt Smith is miles better than Tennant ever was. I also think the writing of the show is better, if just more confusing (which I actually like!) I will definitely miss him more than I ever missed Tennant. What's strange is that despite this overwhelming fan base on the internet for Tennant and Russell T-Davies, the show has never been more successful than it has been with Smith and Moffat. 

Despite that, I am definitely looking forward to Capaldi, think he will so different to Smith's Doctor to make me be able to like both without it affecting the other. Hope they don't take him too dark though as I think that will take away a lot of the spirit of Doctor Who and will also impact how successful it is, and the more successful it is the bigger budget, the higher quality of actors etc. etc. they can bring in.

Crimey, I grew up with Tom baker and Peter Davidson. I can still remember when Tom fell from that pylon.

And for everyone who talks about the hey day of who, it has never been better that smith. The stories might have been. But smith is the certainly the first since the reboot who has conveyed someone who is both alien and human at the same time. And this is someone who was 27 at the time I loved the tom baker cameo but it reinforced how good Matt was. Capaldi has some big shoes to fill. But I am hopefully. His age gives him an advantage that he doesn't need to try and copy matt.

In my mind the best doctors have been ;

Smith
Baker
Davidson

Really enjoyed that as an a opener to capaldis doc.

Think he is going to be very good. Some great one liners and still quite an energetic pace to his chat.

More of the same please.

Watched it last night, entertaining although the newspaper being hurled at Clara's head seemed slapstick, not really expected in Doctor Who! I enjoyed it and my wife did too (she's the Doctor Who mark), looking forward to next week.

Marky wrote:Watched it last night, entertaining although the newspaper being hurled at Clara's head seemed slapstick, not really expected in Doctor Who! I enjoyed it and my wife did too (she's the Doctor Who mark), looking forward to next week.

That was so out of place, but made it funnier!

I'm going to speculate now but I watched the episode tonight and the little hints at age and how he changes his face depending on what is required, the eyebrows being evil, the fact he's capable of murder etc lead me to believe they're going with a Valeyard plot with Capaldi.

For those unaware of who the Valeyard is;

"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor – even you. The Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say you do not improve with age." - The Master

The Valeyard originally appeared way back versus Colin Baker's sixth doctor as the series villain, although Capaldi is the 12th Dr, the War Doctor sort of takes him to 12.5, halfway house for the Valeyard?

I also reckon Missy will be revealed as The Master.

The master is a strong possibility. My other thought is that she is the tardis. 

She called the doc her boyfriend which reminded me of the doctors wife episode. 

The set also reminded me of the planet they were on for the girl who waited although that could be the bbc being cheap!

It's pretty much the same set as the Girl who Waited!

More reasoning on the Valeyard returning is the episode last year the Name of the Doctor when the Great Intelligence namedrops the Valeyard as a name the Dr will be known as before the end of his life.

Well that was cracking last night. Best Salem episode yet and I love how the doc is a ruthless bar steward this time!

I'm getting more into Doctor Who now but that companion is dreadful. Personality of a kettle and obviously very shallow.

Adam D wrote:Well that was cracking last night. Best Salem episode yet and I love how the doc is a ruthless bar steward this time!

That's because he's evil!

"Salem"?

Enjoyed last night's episode as well, think Capaldi has eased into the role, quite surprised how quickly I've bought into him. Don't think he will deal with the dramatic speeches as well as Smith did though.

Think that was one of the weakest episodes in a very long time, the worst episode of the Moffat-era for me. It felt very much like the episodes before he took over. Mark Gattis does unfortunately tend to write the weakest episodes but I felt like that one was really poor. The plot "twist" was very similar to the first episode which is a bit of a cop out and the setting just felt gimmicky without it being any fun. Also the ending was ridiculous and nonsensical. Really disappointed with that one.

Hopefully the next episode will be a return to form as I thought the first two episodes were fantastic.

It was very much one for the younger kids, absolutely awful episode, even Missy didn't bother to turn up.

I felt at times it was trying too hard to be the funny episode, when Doctor Who is at its most funny when it doesn't try to be funny. Not a very good explanation for the robots either and I thought Robin Hood 

Spoiler:

I enjoyed it - My son is starting to take an interest in Dr Who and it was a really good episode to sit and watch with him. In terms of the series overview you always expect a few filler episodes but I'm sure the robot references will continue throughout

Everyone wants to go to The Promised Land.

I've read quite a few reviews of last nights episode and they are glowing but for me, it was an episode that I wanted to love but just didn't.

It didn't really make sense. If it's all in your head, then what was under the blanket ? What turned off the tv? What moved the chalk? What was knocking on the hull? If there was a monster, are we supposed to forget about it?

Also, although the twist of going to the young doctor was excellent (or possibly it was the young master?) , how did they get to galiffrey? It's disappeared I thought, hidden. If it's as easy as going back in your own timeline, then the time war lock was pointless!

Also, orson (or was it awesome?) pink was at the end of the world. He claimed to be the great grandson of Danny and Clara. That means the end of the world is in 150 years odd. I'm sure they have travelled further into the future before?

Having said all of that, the acting was great. Didn't hate it but it was not great.

But then again, I enjoyed last weeks robin episode!

I loved that episode, I thought it was a classic Moffat episode who has always done horror really well. I took it as there was never a monster, that it was all in the head just like when you put something down and you think it's been moved, it actually hasn't you just can't remember that you moved it. The chalk simply fell off the book. Clara and the boy were just getting scared and so were seeing things, that was the whole point. I felt the idea was that because The Doctor was believing it the audience also thought there was something more, as did Clara and then this transferred to the little boy. 

The fear that we all experience was exaggerated for The Doctor because he had been spending so much time alone, this was then paralleled by Orson Pink who was also all alone and his fears had grown exponentially. 

Most of the things were actually given other explanations, the TV always does that, it's "probably" the air escaping, "probably" the air shell breaking etc. We just didn't believe it because we couldn't believe that it was just The Doctor being scared because he's not normally a character you associate with fear. 

Also Orson was one of the first time travellers and they got it wrong and sent him too far, he was supposed to go a week in the future but ended up at the end of the universe, it did say that in the episode but you must have missed it which is surprising as it was a good minute to two minute portion. 

The only thing I don't have an explanation for is gallifrey, unless it is only time-locked after a certain point in time, the "Day of the Doctor" and it is possible to travel back in time to it. Or it's certainly possible that the Tardis did manage to travel into the pocket universe because of the mental link but obviously The Doctor won't know this because she told him not to ask where they had been.

Under the blanket I'm guessing could actually have just been one of the other children, who then got scared because all the people in the room were acting terrified of it and then the kid ran away. We only think it's a monster because The Doctor wouldn't be so irrational. I think that's why he was talking about evolution etc. it was a contrast that we see The Doctor as so rational that we don't believe later in the episode that he's actually just afraid, just like everybody else.

The best bit for me was the exchange between Clara and the Doctor, coming after the Doctor had shouted at her to do as she was told.

"I don't take orders Clara"
(Quietly) "Do as you're told"

It's that sort of thing why I think Clara (and Coleman) are great.

Another example was when she said to John Hurt
"It's your eyes - they're so much younger" - just little lines like that.

I think they've definitely made much more of an effort to flesh Clara out this series and she's a much better companion for it. I think the problem was when she was first introduced they had to tie up the 'Impossible Girl' thread and also spent a lot more time dealing with the 50th and 11th regeneration which she meant she was pushed to the side. This series has featured her almost equally as The Doctor and she feels much more like a fuller character. I also really like the Danny Pink character and am looking forward to Doctor interacting with him.

re Clara I agree, she seems a much better character in this series, and the chemistry with Capaldi is better too. I think another thing slightly wrong with her in the previous series is that she replaced the Ponds who'd been with Matt Smith since the beginning - two-and-a-half seasons whereas Clara had just half a season. Smith's Doctor was already well developped (and on his way out so to speak) and Clara's development felt a little rushed and underwhelming as a result (it did to me anyway). Whereas with Capaldi they're being developped together which makes it a lot better for me.

Have quite enjoyed this series. Capaldi doing an excellent job so far IMO. I'm not sure I agree that he's darker, for me all the reboot doctors have had their darker moments, certainly Smith had plenty. I would though say he's less "friendly". Not sure that's the right word, but he seems more distant, if you understand what I mean: Ecclestone, Tennant and Smith all gave the impression about caring deeply about certain things, so far we haven't seen that side of Capaldi.

As for the last episode "Listen" I'm siding with Crimey. Thought it was brilliant. Moffat does those episodes really well, great last twist and IMO the ending/explanation was left just open enough. Really enjoyed it.

I just didn't feel much for that episode, the 'twists' were both telegraphed a mile off and the overarching plot hinted at in the beginning three episodes seems to have been put on the back burner, there should have been some brief mention of Missy or the Promised Land.

Hero wrote:I just didn't feel much for that episode, the 'twists' were both telegraphed a mile off and the overarching plot hinted at in the beginning three episodes seems to have been put on the back burner, there should have been some brief mention of Missy or the Promised Land.

they didn't even explain why they imprison the people that have been turned to brain soup.

Yes, it is a generational thing.  It always is.  Something that has lasted 50 years... that's a lot of growing up for a good few generations.  

So it's not surprising to see Tennent there in top, as the chattering classes of social networkdom are mostly from a certain age group that probably were most influenced by his time as the Doc.

I wouldn't at all be a regular viewer of the present generation of Doctor Whos (too old now for the youthful indulgence of it all). Colin Baker was probably the last guy I watched on some kind of regular basis - but even then the interest was waning big time.

So............. of course my choice is influenced by the generational factor.  But still, I think I can look dispassionately enough at many Docs, even the bits and pieces I've seen of the more recent ones.

I think storywise, in sheer youthful adventure fare, John Pertwee's Dr Who time was the most enjoyable.  I think it was his period that actually cemented the legend of Dr Who as an iconic show.  And I do think he was a great Doc - fatherly rather than brotherly, and I think kids loved that aspect of him then.  He was more guaranteed to keep you safe when you hid behind the sofa!  He seldom played stupid, seldom engaged in comedy, seldom acted mentally Confused (which seems to be a requirement for many more recent Docs - for a reason I'll point out later!)
So I'd put down Pertwee as the James Bond Doc, the guy who made the character silver-screenish...and the period I loved most.


I've seen a good bit of Tennent but there were far too many cliched arched eyebrow semi-comedy moments for my liking...and the bumbling could be tiring  - the pauses in language and wild eyed searching for meaning in his mind.  Over acted zanyness.
I've also seen a bit of the new guy (Capaldi) and disappointed by how wooden he appears -which surprised me because he's an accomplished actor - but he doesn't seem comfortable with 'Kid's/fantasy drama level' and seem to have a tough time getting comfortable with the material he's given

So........................ the best Dr Who ever in my opinion is without a doubt that mad, dangerously unhinged but wildly charismatic - Tom Baker.  He's the very Doctor many of the new ones try to get to - that slightly unhinged, often bizarre and otherworldly unknowable character.  They try but the original was Baker and he didn't have to try at all.

I quite enjoyed this weeks episode. It was more like a relationship sitcom with an alien thrown in but it worked for me.


Capaldi was great in this episode.

That was probably my favourite episode of the series so far. Enjoyed the character development and the fact the afterlife part has been revisited and expanded.

I've loved every episode so far apart from the Robin Hood episode, the writing is really, really good.

This Saturdays episode was brilliant. Really enjoyed it.

Clara's tearful telling off of the Doctor - brilliant.

Yeah had it's moments but frankly I was rather disappointed with this week...daft story ( I know they're all daft really , but still something about this one just tripped my suspension-of-disbelief sensors )
Still agree Clara and Capaldi do make a wonderful pairing : perhaps we should run a Poll on the best Doctor/Companion combinations ? They would win a lot of votes already ...

Bloody amazing episode. Possibly up there as one of my faves of all time.

Capaldi come rely owned it and Clara was great too.

Really enjoyed this week. I've actually enjoyed every episode, even the much maligned Robin Hood one