Doctor Who mega-thread [Spoilers][Merged]

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Calling a show that started in 2005 new is something I find bizarre. But that’s me.
 
Calling a show that started in 2005 new is something I find bizarre. But that’s me.
It's all relative, given that the original started in 1963, what else might one call them?
 
Doctor Who. It's not exactly rocket science. It's the same show, after all.
There was a 17 year hiatus in production and a major format change from 4-6 episode cliffhangers to 60-minute single episodes. Although (and props to the Beeb) they have by and large made a decent fist of retaining a Dr. Who look and feel without it looking dated. The scripts are pretty hit-and-miss, though,[1] although I haven't regularly watched it post-2005.[2]
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[1] Spitfires in space - srsly?
[2] Actually I gave up on Dr. Who around the Colin Baker era. Sylvester McCoy was better, but I didn't watch a lot of it and was largely drifting off regular TV watching in general by then. I did like Rememberance Of The Daleks, though - if nothing else for the in-jokes.
 
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There was a 17 year hiatus in production and a major format change from 4-6 episode cliffhangers to 60-minute single episodes.
So? Cold Feet had a similar hiatus and nobody argues that it's a different show. In Who's case this is backed up by them having Sarah Jane Smith as a recurring character.

It's the same show. And it's not the first time they had shifted from a 25 minute to a 45 minute format. They did that back in the 80s, too.
 
So? Cold Feet had a similar hiatus and nobody argues that it's a different show. In Who's case this is backed up by them having Sarah Jane Smith as a recurring character.

It's the same show. And it's not the first time they had shifted from a 25 minute to a 45 minute format. They did that back in the 80s, too.
I've never even heard of Cold Feet, so I can't really comment on it. Probably didn't make it onto TVNZ's buy list. I suppose you're right, though - the new Red Dwarf isn't really called New anything.

Occasionally I've referred to it as TNG Who. May the force be with you.
 
I've never even heard of Cold Feet, so I can't really comment on it. Probably didn't make it onto TVNZ's buy list. I suppose you're right, though - the new Red Dwarf isn't really called New anything.

Occasionally I've referred to it as TNG Who. May the force be with you.
May the Force be with you , Harry - Gandalf
 
Doctor Who. It's not exactly rocket science. It's the same show, after all.
It kinda is, but... it kinda isn't? It's the same main character and overall concept, but a lot of things are very distinct, it's not quite a direct link between the two. You could make a solid argument that it's a new show that is just strongly inspired by the old one...

Personally I think that for detailed discussion it's usually easier to refer to eras of the show by Doctor, like you'd generally refer to long-running comic books by each creator's run on the series, else you get into ridiculousness quickly.

One thing I have noticed about New Who is that the Doctor threatens and postures at bad guys a lot more than in Old Who. I found it a bit jarring when they put lines like that in the scripts. There was a shade of that in the first JW episodes, but I saw more of it in clips from David Tennant and Matt Smith.
As we've discussed upthread, the bit in 9's last episode - where the Doctor is threatening to build a bomb that will wipe out all of the Daleks but also destroy all life on earth, and the Emperor of the Daleks calls his bluff - does this sort of plot point very well... I'm not sure it would fit with any of the later Doctors though, when they're really past the Time War PTSD.
 
It kinda is, but... it kinda isn't? It's the same main character and overall concept, but a lot of things are very distinct, it's not quite a direct link between the two. You could make a solid argument that it's a new show that is just strongly inspired by the old one...

Personally I think that for detailed discussion it's usually easier to refer to eras of the show by Doctor, like you'd generally refer to long-running comic books by each creator's run on the series, else you get into ridiculousness quickly.


As we've discussed upthread, the bit in 9's last episode - where the Doctor is threatening to build a bomb that will wipe out all of the Daleks but also destroy all life on earth, and the Emperor of the Daleks calls his bluff - does this sort of plot point very well... I'm not sure it would fit with any of the later Doctors though, when they're really past the Time War PTSD.
If a character hadn't appeared in both shows, you might have a point. But as I said, Sarah Jane Smith is a direct contamination of a character from the 70s. K9, Davros. It's the same show.

That said, separating by Doctor and/or showrunner is always a viable approach.

And 9 not wiping out the Daleks is a direct callback to 4 also choosing to not wipe them out. It’s perhaps 9s most Doctorish moment.
 
Doctor Who is the same show, but when it came back there was significant enough retooling of the show that I think it's important to have a way acknowledge the divide. When I use Old Who and New Who, I am not suggesting that they aren't the same show, just that they are significantly different eras of the show.
 
Doctor Who is the same show, but when it came back there was significant enough retooling of the show that I think it's important to have a way acknowledge the divide. When I use Old Who and New Who, I am not suggesting that they aren't the same show, just that they are significantly different eras of the show.
If you watch McCoy's final season and RTD's first, there's a surprising amount in common. Especially in terms if the companion.
 
Ace is closer to the likes of Rose than any other companion, though they are of similar age. She's also one of the best
 
Because how else do you discuss that twist! :O

I did NOT see that coming.

Great start.
 
Best series opener in a long time. And I saw the twist coming seconds before it was revealed. But only when the guy said, "You got me."

Shame Lenny Henry was a guest star. He's been my pick for the new Doctor since Tennant announced his departure. I know it's been done before that a guest went on to land the lead role. But it was only once. And it didn't end well.
 
Uh, yeah. Wow. Really well done twist, and congrats to the BBC for managing to keep it in their pants for once. I hadn't thought they'd go back to that particular well quite so quickly, but they pulled it off.

Rest of the episode, it was silly in just the right sort of way to be Who, and it was nice catching up with everyone again.

I do hope someone in their script team queried using "Vor" as the name for the evil totally-not-Google organisation. "Vor is more powerful than some national governments", "Vor sneaks into every corner of modern technology"... it sure does, BBC. It sure does.
 
I do hope someone in their script team queried using "Vor" as the name for the evil totally-not-Google organisation. "Vor is more powerful than some national governments", "Vor sneaks into every corner of modern technology"... it sure does, BBC. It sure does.

I assume it's derived from the same latin root (as in vore hentai - I assume that's what you mean), meaning to eat :smile:

Good episode. It seems like DW maybe got its edge back.
 
Well, then. They finished that one off pretty well. I was very impressed.
 
Good second part. Potentially cool season arc - hope they don't fuck it up.
 
This week's episode was some good running about doing Doctor Who things, but did you GET the SUBTEXT at the end? You might have missed it, they were being VERY SUBTLE about it.
 
This week's episode was some good running about doing Doctor Who things, but did you GET the SUBTEXT at the end? You might have missed it, they were being VERY SUBTLE about it.
No more subtle than The Green Death. Or The Sun Makers. Or Daleks, come to think of it. Subtlety is not one if Who's stronger suits.

But, a fun episode and local boy Spencer Wilding gets creature and creature movement credit. Not bad for a 6'5 kickboxer turned rubber suited stunt performer.
 
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This week's episode was some good running about doing Doctor Who things, but did you GET the SUBTEXT at the end? You might have missed it, they were being VERY SUBTLE about it.

I think the beating-you-over-the-head bit right at the end was unnecessary, in that it didn't seem to be giving the audience a lot of credit ("er, yeah, we get it..."). But I'm certainly not opposed to Who being used as a vehicle to say stuff about stuff.
 
I don't see any reason why they should be subtle about it given how serious the situation is.

Sci fi has always addressed current issues. You might as well complain about every star trek episode ever.

I enjoyed it. I twas another great episode.
 
I think the beating-you-over-the-head bit right at the end was unnecessary, in that it didn't seem to be giving the audience a lot of credit ("er, yeah, we get it..."). But I'm certainly not opposed to Who being used as a vehicle to say stuff about stuff.
Given the situation it was highlighting i think was - and is - very necessary
 
I don't see any reason why they should be subtle about it given how serious the situation is.

Sci fi has always addressed current issues. You might as well complain about every star trek episode ever.

I enjoyed it. I twas another great episode.
No, no. I like the show, I liked the episode, and I like that the writers clearly have something they want to say, as you say sci-fi has always done it. I'd just rather it had been more integral to the storyline than just an "oh shit!" moment at the end.
 
That was fucking mindblowing

This is the best since series 4, possibly even 1.

Moffat must be crying into his cornflakes
 
It was good. Not sure I like the idea of messing with the regeneration count again. But I'm happy to wait and see where it goes.
 
I really hope Jodie sticks around and the BBC don't burn her out like with capaldi
 
Three series is about normal. But yeah, I’m liking her.
 
They are utterly killing it this series. This was a deeply mature episode using the Who framework to discuss some very serious things.

I don't know about other countries, but in the UK we got an "If you have been affected by this, here are some places you could go to for help..." PSA during the end credits.
 
I did get an iPlayer subscription (TV licence has to be useful for something) to look at a few epsiodes of the Jodie Whittaker Doctor a little while ago, mainly to see what the fuss was about as I haven't actually followed Doctor Who since Colin Baker took over from Peter Davidson. It would be an overstatement to say I was impressed but I thought she made a pretty good fist of the Doctor - the character was recognisably The Doctor, and better than some efforts I've seen. Having said this, my memory of The Doctor was Tom Baker as a wee lad of about 8-10, and given that was arguably peak Who viewed through nostalgia-tinted glasses it's a pretty tough act to follow.

But this thread is praise indeed. I might resurrect my iPlayer subscription and watch some of this series.
 
Looking good going into the series finale.

But the news about David Tenant's son wanting to play the Doctor amused me. A third generation Doctor seems like a must have.
 
So I have a question:
Why does the Doctor have two hearts?
 
So I have a question:
Why does the Doctor have two hearts?
Because Terrance Dicks. Or possibly Robert Holmes, who is the source of a lot of lore. Mostly in the form of the throwaway lines.
 
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Because Terrance Dicks. Or possibly Robert Holmes, who is the source of a lot of lore. Mostly in the form of the throwaway lines.
No, I meant within context of the world. Apparently all Gallifreans have two hearts. But if the Doctor is NOT Gallifrean, why does she have two hearts?
 
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