Doctor Who?

[brokenbetty]

I'm just glad that story arc has finished so I can stopped making smutty jokes about it

 

[marinyork]

Didn't see a problem with the season at all. First seasons for doctors are usually a bit weird and feel slightly strange - we've just forgotten this because Christopher Ecclestone was stupid enough to do just the one season and David Tennent was unusual in that his strongest season was his first one. Historically the season as a whole compares well either to any of the new doctor whos or first seasons for most of the people that have played the doctor.

The story arc was a mistake though, they were never particularly liked in the past or by british viewers. The other mistake is having the producer writing that many stories, but that's RTD's fault for starting that rather dangerous trend.

 

[jonesy]

Didn't see a problem with the season at all. First seasons for doctors are usually a bit weird and feel slightly strange - we've just forgotten this because Christopher Ecclestone was stupid enough to do just the one season and David Tennent was unusual in that his strongest season was his first one. Historically the season as a whole compares well either to any of the new doctor whos or first seasons for most of the people that have played the doctor.

Did you think so? I thought Series 3 was his best.

The story arc was a mistake though, they were never particularly liked in the past or by british viewers. The other mistake is having the producer writing that many stories, but that's RTD's fault for starting that rather dangerous trend.

I didn't actually have any objections to this story arc (much better than the Bad Wolf one...). Indeed, as series enders go, the idea of the Pandorica, the prison for the most dangerous thing in the universe, which turned out to be the Doctor, was rather a good one. But I'd agree that Moffat would have been better off concentrating on doing just a couple of stories, and making them the quirky, clever, one-offs in the middle of the series that he did so well before.

 

[marinyork]

Did you think so? I thought Series 3 was his best.

Yes. I rate them on the whole lot. Blink/Human Nature/Family of blood were excellent, unfortunately there were some gigantic clangers mixed in there like Smith and Jones, Gridlock and 42. The final three episodes were a good idea but not as well executed as might be despite a delicious casting of Derek Jacobi and John Simm. The other stories, the Dalek ones were not as good as they might have been Shakespeare Code was good and lazarus experiment missed something. All seasons have good, bad, all right, I just think 3 suffered a bit overall. Three was where they got a bit more adventurous with the stories and some of them have worked.

I didn't actually have any objections to this story arc (much better than the Bad Wolf one...). Indeed, as series enders go, the idea of the Pandorica, the prison for the most dangerous thing in the universe, which turned out to be the Doctor, was rather a good one. But I'd agree that Moffat would have been better off concentrating on doing just a couple of stories, and making them the quirky, clever, one-offs in the middle of the series that he did so well before.

I don't particularly have any objections to the story arc - it's just when I heard I thought as Colin Baker might say 'risky' - people just don't generally like that that much I think. The story arcs in the new series have been haven't been particularly successful either although they seem to generate fan traffic noise on the internet. But it's the story that matters and the final story yeah was fine.

I mean on story arcs you'd probably agree with me on the doctor who ones in the past, like I said other people seem to be much less enthusiastic on them and I see an irritation with them when deployed on other 00s/10s productions.

P.S. I think the biggest failing for this season has been Amy (and Rory). Don't know what they are doing there. Or even the wedding theme has to be repeated again so soon? Mickey already did useless boyfriend and occasional companion reasonably well in the past, I don't think Rory brings anything new on that one. To a certain extent it may have hindered/constrained character development for Amy too.

 

[summerdays]

Whilst I agree that they didn't need to repeat the boyfriend theme - I have enjoyed Rory for the humour that he has brought - Amy not so sure about about - but that is probably more to do with how seems to interview than the actual character. She seems very immature when she appears on chat shows - and responds as I might expect a teenager to respond.

 

[potsy]

Amy was at her best in the very 1st episode,don't care for the drippy boyfriend either.
Have warmed slightly to Matt Smith and River Song,think they'd be a better duo.

 

[gavintc]

Thought it is Bradley Wiggin's little brother when I first saw it.

 

[summerdays]

Slightly worried that he marries River Song though - should Dr Who ever get married?

 

[jonesy]

Yes. I rate them on the whole lot. Blink/Human Nature/Family of blood were excellent, unfortunately there were some gigantic clangers mixed in there like Smith and Jones, Gridlock and 42. The final three episodes were a good idea but not as well executed as might be despite a delicious casting of Derek Jacobi and John Simm. The other stories, the Dalek ones were not as good as they might have been Shakespeare Code was good and lazarus experiment missed something. All seasons have good, bad, all right, I just think 3 suffered a bit overall. Three was where they got a bit more adventurous with the stories and some of them have worked.

Ah, well it was because of those three, plus the two Master stories at the end, that I particularly liked Series 3. I agree on the clangers.

I don't particularly have any objections to the story arc - it's just when I heard I thought as Colin Baker might say 'risky' - people just don't generally like that that much I think. The story arcs in the new series have been haven't been particularly successful either although they seem to generate fan traffic noise on the internet. But it's the story that matters and the final story yeah was fine.

I mean on story arcs you'd probably agree with me on the doctor who ones in the past, like I said other people seem to be much less enthusiastic on them and I see an irritation with them when deployed on other 00s/10s productions.

Afraid I don't remember many of the classic series story arcs- I didn't actually see that many complete series. The only ones I can think of are the Key to Time and E Space ... others?

P.S. I think the biggest failing for this season has been Amy (and Rory). Don't know what they are doing there. Or even the wedding theme has to be repeated again so soon? Mickey already did useless boyfriend and occasional companion reasonably well in the past, I don't think Rory brings anything new on that one. To a certain extent it may have hindered/constrained character development for Amy too.

Yes, and while the Dream Lord could have made good use of it, and tried quite hard to, it didn't quite succeed in MHO.

 

[marinyork]

Ah, well it was because of those three, plus the two Master stories at the end, that I particularly liked Series 3. I agree on the clangers.

I quite liked Utopia, the problem was the start just seemed a bit irritating - ah we've landed on a planet 100 trillion years into the future with some people running around mindlessly, let's not bother to write much into that bit of the story, after that was fine though. I don't think Simms quite worked almost to the point that I'd have kept Jacobi for longer (why not?). Things like the clones of Simms seemed although a bit funny over the top. I quite liked Anthony Ainley from the classics unlike quite a lot of other doctor who fans which might be some of it - even though there were some pretty bad stories e.g. Time-flight and none that stand out as fabulous ones. Met him once, seemed a really intelligent guy and seemed to understand the limitations of the show - bit like Elizabeth Sladen without any of the ego and moaning.

Afraid I don't remember many of the classic series story arcs- I didn't actually see that many complete series. The only ones I can think of are the Key to Time and E Space ... others?

-The master stories on earth
-what is referred to as 'New beginnings' Keeper of Traken through to Castrovala,
-Turlough Black Guardian (Terminus, ARGH)
-Trial of timelord
-the Christopher Bidmead scientific stories when he was script writer (which also includes E-space which was even tighter).

All in the 80s apart from the earlier Pertwee ones.

 

[ufkacbln]

SLightly OT...

I found this whilst looking for something for work......

Dr Who theme on Tesla Coils

 

[Fnaar]

Ah, well it was because of those three, plus the two Master stories at the end, that I particularly liked Series 3. I agree on the clangers.

Yes, the Clangers was far better sci-fi!

Actually, i was ready to give up on Dr Who at start of this series, but I've really enjoyed it! I think Amy's quite good, but character needs developing a bit... trying to snog the Doctor was wrong, inho, and River Song is a great character. This Dr is growing on me too.

 

[marinyork]

Glad you enjoyed it fnaar. I'd be interested to see people's ratings for the 13 episodes in season 5/31 on a scale of 1-5 where 5 is Blink and 1 is Gridlock or something like that.

So
1. The Eleventh Hour
2. The Beast Below
3. Victory of the Daleks
4. The Time of Angels
5. Flesh and Stone
6. The Vampires of Venice
7. Amy's Choice
8. The Hungry Earth
9. Cold Blood
10. Vincent and the Doctor
11. The Lodger
12. The Pandorica Opens
13. The Big Bang

 

[Armegatron]

1. The Eleventh Hour 3
2. The Beast Below 3
3. Victory of the Daleks 4
4. The Time of Angels 4
5. Flesh and Stone 4
6. The Vampires of Venice 4.5
7. Amy's Choice 5
8. The Hungry Earth 3
9. Cold Blood 3
10. Vincent and the Doctor 5
11. The Lodger 5
12. The Pandorica Opens 6
13. The Big Bang 6

 

[PBancroft]

1. The Eleventh Hour 3
2. The Beast Below 3
3. Victory of the Daleks 3 (would have been a four, but it felt rushed)
4. The Time of Angels 4
5. Flesh and Stone 5
6. The Vampires of Venice 1
7. Amy's Choice 4
8. The Hungry Earth 3
9. Cold Blood 3
10. Vincent and the Doctor 4
11. The Lodger 4
12. The Pandorica Opens 5
13. The Big Bang 5

Overall I enjoyed it - but it was one of those series which was better in retrospect rather than at the time. I think it will stand up to repeated viewings more than the first view might suggest.