Doctor Who

[WebWarlock]

That is too bad about the ratings. But most people I talked to about it (I know, I know statistics of small numbers) had already seen it.

Now if Sci-Fi BBC did a simucast (or even delayed it 6 hours for Americans) I bet the numbers would be much higher.

Warlock

[BBOvenGuy]

Tonight's episode, "The Unquiet Dead," features Eve Myles as Gwyneth the servant girl, who will star opposite John Barrowman in Torchwood later this year.

It also includes one of my favorite "little touch" effects - the snow falling off the TARDIS as it dematerializes at the end. They never did anything like that in the old days...

[Gatito Grande]

Who played Dickens? (his familiar face was driving me nuts the entire episode, and the closing credits were freakin' unreadable )

After 3 eps, I'd say that this is a diverting way to kill an hour on a Friday night, but no threat to BG in terms of quality science fiction television (in terms of Hugos).

GG JMO. Out

I realize that the majority of you reading this thread, are going on way more than 3 eps, as are the Hugo nominations...

[BBOvenGuy]

Who played Dickens?

Simon Callow, who has played both Dickens and Ebeneezer Scrooge before.

After 3 eps, I'd say that this is a diverting way to kill an hour on a Friday night, but no threat to BG in terms of quality science fiction television (in terms of Hugos).

Well, first of all, you haven't seen any of the three nominated episodes yet (four actually, since one of them is a two-parter). In fact, the two-parter coming up next is the low point of the season, if you ask me. So you have yet to see the new show at its best.

Secondly, Doctor Who and Galactica are two completely different entities. I happen to like them both, and they resonate with completely different parts of me. Galactica is a gritty reflection of our times. Doctor Who celebrates a sense of wonder and of the absurd. Each is "quality" SF in its own way, and I think either is worthy of this year's Hugo. It'll just depend on what the WorldCon membership is more in the mood for. A few years ago, the movie Galaxy Quest won the Long-Form award (and well-deserved, too). If the Hugo voters are thinking like that again, Doctor Who will have a considerable advantage.

[billy]

After 3 eps, I'd say that this is a diverting way to kill an hour on a Friday night, but no threat to BG in terms of quality science fiction television (in terms of Hugos).

Funnily enough from what I've heard both BSG and Doctor Who appeal to quite a few people who wouldn't normally go near any sci-fi shows. I've no idea about the Hugos but I've just stopped watching BSG. Far too miserable for me, but I'm still in mourning over losing Starbuck.

Simon Callow, who has played both Dickens and Ebeneezer Scrooge before.

And as gay as they come.

http://myweb.lsbu.ac.uk/stafflag/simoncallow.html

He is one of the few major British actors who has come out, and is convinced he made the right decision. 'I was told it would ruin my career and who knows if I have lost out on parts? But I have no gift for fiction. The most important thing for us to do as citizens is to stand up and be counted'.

[Feena]

Fantastic news!

Doctor Who has been nominated for a Bafta in the Best Drama series catagory

Bafta TV Awards 2006: The shortlist

Bodies (BBC Three)
Doctor Who (BBC One)
Shameless (Channel 4)
Spooks (BBC One)


Wikipedia Bafta

[BBOvenGuy]

Funnily enough from what I've heard both BSG and Doctor Who appeal to quite a few people who wouldn't normally go near any sci-fi shows. I've no idea about the Hugos but I've just stopped watching BSG. Far too miserable for me, but I'm still in mourning over losing Starbuck.

See, that's what I mean about it depending on what the WorldCon membership is in the mood for. The nominated Galactica episode, if I recall correctly, features a Pegasus officer trying to force information out of Sharon by raping her, and ends with Cain and Adama each ordering their subordinates to assassinate the other. In contrast, my pick for the Hugo, "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances," features the Doctor being able to save everybody ("Just this once, everybody lives!") and ends with a dance number in the TARDIS console room.

Plus the Doctor Who two-parter also features that spectacular scene of Rose hanging from the barrage balloon during an air raid, and introduces Captain Jack Harkness. What's not to like about that?

[Gatito Grande]

Was last week's ep shown out of order?

I ask, because tonight's ep made mention of the "we went 5 billion years into the future" ep, but not "we went 150 years into the past"

GG Or is it YADWI? Out

[That would be, "Yet Another Doctor Who Inconsistency", of course! ]

Nice cliff-hanger tonight...

(Boy, poor Big Ben is really taking it, in sci fi: V for Vendetta, and tonight, this! )

[BBOvenGuy]

Nope, they were shown in the right order. Maybe going 5 billion years into the future left more of an impression on Rose than going to Cardiff.

Glad you liked the cliffhanger, although as I said last week, this particular two-parter is the low point of the season for me.

[Ben Varkentine]

(Boy, poor Big Ben is really taking it

I beg your...oh, right...

[Twisted Minstrel]

Just to put my two cents in - I've seen the first three episodes on the Sci Fi channel as well and hate to say it -but I'm largely underwhelmed.

After reading all the great notices in the UK, I really expected something different, inventive and (hopefully) on par with the best science fiction shows that have been produced in the last decade or so (Babylon 5, BSG, even the X-Files). Now, I'm quite willing to wait to see if it improves - and they've certainly given some hints to a strong backstory with the Time War - but so far the stories have been fairly lame, hurried and not particularly exciting.

One thing I'm immediately aware of with this new show is that I'm not 12 years old watching it. I don't know if that speaks for anyone else here, but I grew up with Pertwee, Baker #1 and Davison. I've seen quite a bit of Troughton and only a couple of Baker #2. My memory tells me the show was denser back then, making up in maginative storytelling what it lacked in production values. I don't remember feeling that it treated me like I was a kid, or was written 'down' to that level. The stories were fun, real adventures and the 'villians' were fascinating. With this new show, I do feel like I should be a kid watching them as they don't seem to be terribly concerned with the depth of anything. It's all flash and no substance.

But that might just be the mid-30s me thinking too. I guess I would have preferred a more 'battle-scarred' Doctor than a grinning goof with a heavy Northern accent who seems as likely to be from another planet as a bag of chips (is the best wit they can bring out of him really 'Shut it!"?). The 'Time War' - which I hope fulfills its promise as a great backstory and actually takes center stage at some point - left him an orphan. Why then, is he not shown as being more affected by it? I honestly pictured something along the lines of Brendan Gleeson's "Mad Eye Moody."

I guess my overall disappointment is in the things they didn't really improve on from the original show - the companion is still a small young girl in need of rescue and lots of explaining, who still shouts at the Doctor when she doesn't think he's being fair. This sort of character arrangement is nothing at all new.

Anyone can say they would have done it differently, but I'm really surprised someone like Russell Davies didn't do more, right from the first, to take the Doctor right into the 21st century with a serious bang. Instead, it just feels like its limping along, assuming we'll just fall for the old tricks - the Tardis wheeze, the sonic screwdriver, the theme music - and not notice the weaknesses. Maybe he's got something up his sleeve. I hope so.

[BBOvenGuy]

Oh, there's definitely an attempt to make the new Doctor Who a kid-friendly "family show," but I don't think that's out of step with the way it was done before, or at least in the years before John Nathan-Turner took over. Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee were both very much children's heroes, although the way a "children's hero" was played back in the 60s and 70s was probably different from today.

Supposedly Russell Davies will be bringing a more "adult" way of telling stories to the spinoff, Torchwood.

[billy]

I found this on Outpost Gallifrey.

Billie's hot mail! Apr 2 2006

Wales on Sunday

DAVID Tennant may be the housewives' favourite, but it's Billie Piper who gets sent knickers in the post!

Piper, who revives her role as Doctor's assistant Rose in the new series of Doctor Who, revealed all to Roast at the launch of the second BBC One series this week.

"I have had some ladies knickers in the post," confessed Piper at Tuesday's party at the Wales Millennium Centre, where the first episode of the sci-fi fave was premiered.

And her confession left her Casanova co-star red-faced, saying: "I can only dream of women's knickers in the post."

But despite losing out, Tennant said he was chuffed to be voted a gay icon.

The 34-year-old Scot was recently named the Pink Paper's 'sexiest man in the universe' in its annual poll, ahead of Brad Pitt and David Beckham.


But despite setting men's pulses racing, Tennant says the only thing he gets sent are scarves.


"Somebody sent me a Tom Baker scarf. It had the right colours and everything, it is quite weird but lovely that someone spends all that time knitting it."


And on his gay icon status, he said: "How can you react to something like that? If you start playing up to it you would immediately become less attractive to the people who thought you were attractive in the first place.


"It's flattering to come ahead of Brad Pitt and Beckham. It's a mystery to me but I am very proud of it."


Billie and Tennant share a lingering screen kiss in the first episode of the new series New Earth.


But when asked to compare Tennant's kissing prowess to former Doctor Christopher Eccleston, Piper refused to say who she would rather pucker up to.


"They're different men," said the 23-year-old. "I had a longer kiss with David, which I really enjoyed. It was quite sexy." She joked: "He has quite nice lips. It was fun."


But Billie ruled out a full-on romance for the screen duo, saying it would ruin the chemistry, comparing it to Ross and Rachel's on-off affair in Friends.


"You want it to happen, but at the same time you don't want it to happen," said Piper. "It's one of those weird things like Ross and Rachel, you want them to get it back on but you don't."


Although both Tennant and Piper have both signed up for another series of the BBC show, screenwriter Russell T. Davies said a Welsh Doctor could be on the cards in the future, naming Michael Sheen as a possible candidate.

I caught the first season two trailer when I was visiting my parents at the weekend. Rose visiting her first alien planet! A werewolf! That Kiss! I can't believe how much I'm looking forward to the new series.

Unfortunately I also had to watch all of Strictly Dance Fever. When did talent shows become so cruel? Was Arlene Philips born without a heart?

Anyway, Doctor Who...

Only eleven days to go!

[Feena]

I guess I would have preferred a more 'battle-scarred' Doctor than a grinning goof with a heavy Northern accent who seems as likely to be from another planet as a bag of chips (is the best wit they can bring out of him really 'Shut it!"?). The 'Time War' - which I hope fulfills its promise as a great backstory and actually takes center stage at some point - left him an orphan. Why then, is he not shown as being more affected by it? I honestly pictured something along the lines of Brendan Gleeson's "Mad Eye Moody."

The Time War comes more into focus from Episode 6 onwards, and the Doctor really shows his scars in that episode. CE is a great actor and is so intense in a scene near the beginning.

I think he's been surpressing the guilt he feels, and then something opens the floodgates.

[BBOvenGuy]

Rose visiting her first alien planet!

I believe Rose has visited alien planets before. She tells Mickey about a couple of them in "Boom Town." But this will be the first time we've seen her on an alien planet.

[BBOvenGuy]

Ratings for "World War Three" on the SciFi Channel were up a couple of percentage points. It was the highest rated episode since "The End of the World." And this week, it's the return of the Daleks, in an episode that definitely veers to the dark side. It's also the first of the three Hugo nominees.

And while I still say "World War Three" was the low point of the season, I did like the bit about tricking the UN with threats about "massive weapons of destruction."

Meanwhile, did any of you British folks see the Doctor Who Confidential on BBC3 the other night? I downloaded it last night, and it was fabulous! The new season looks like a real winner. I liked the bit where the Doctor, Rose and Sarah Jane tell Mickey to wait in the car with K9.

[justin]

Meanwhile, did any of you British folks see the Doctor Who Confidential on BBC3 the other night?

I caught the end of it. (I was mainly interested in seeing the Christmas Invasion, which I missed over Christmas)

The next series does look like it's going to be good. I particularly like the look of the new cybermen.

Speaking of TCI one thing I thought was particularly unbelievable about that was the idea of a British prime minister saying no to the US president. Yeah, like that'd ever happen.

[billy]

I believe Rose has visited alien planets before. She tells Mickey about a couple of them in "Boom Town." But this will be the first time we've seen her on an alien planet.

I forgot about that. It's a pity. My favourite scene from The Unquiet Dead was Rose walking out of the TARDIS and into the past for the first time. It would have been good to see her visiting her first planet.

John Barrowman has been a guest presenter on This Morning for the past few days and to-day he and one of the regular presenters were interviewing David Tennant. John was a little excited.

[BBOvenGuy]

The BBC has an interview with Elisabeth Sladen here, complete with a couple of photos from "School Reunion."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/progin ... _highs.pdf

It's on "Page 6," which is really Page 7 of the PDF file.

[Feena]

*bounces around the room like a loon*

Only 4 hours and 5 minutes until New Earth!!!!

The BBC have put out a 3 minute preview which is currently only (legitimately) available via the TV interactive button. If any of you happen to find a copy of it (and don't mind seeing a few spoilers ) try and see it because it's FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Episode 2 Tooth and Claw looks especially exciting

[Sasha]

Spoiler:

Wow. Just wow. For once in my life, I have no words.

Well, except for 'OMG! The campness!'

I will no doubt post something slightly more coherent when I have recovered from soaking wet David Tennant and Billie Piper with her shirt unbuttoned.

[Feena]

I loved it!!!!

Yes it was a bit silly at times, and the plot wasn't the most complex, but it made me laugh out loud several times, and chuckle at lots of things. The effects were excellent, they've moved on a lot from last season

DT was very different from CE but great in his own way, which is how it should be. BP was amazing - very versatile

The trailer for next week looks amazing!!

Spoiler:

The werewolf looks better than the one in Harry Potter!!

[Triscuit7]

Shifting back to the 9th Doctor....

DALEK

I saw it for the 2nd time on SciFi Friday night. And, well, it was as awesome as the first time! It was great to be able to see it at home where I could get all emotional over a Dalek. I saw it the first time at WorldCon in Glasgow last August and I alway feel a bit weird when I cry in public. But I did then and I did again on Friday. I cannot wait until July.....

Ciao, Melissa

[Feena]

:thud

*posts an almost empty post because there are NO words as to how good Tooth and Claw was!!!*

I love Doctor Who!!!

[billy]

Tooth and Claw was just superb. The scariest Doctor Who I have ever seen.

Spoiler:

The Torchwood Institute.

And next week it's Tony Head and Sarah Jane Smith!

[BBOvenGuy]

"Oh my God! They're werewolves! Awooooooooo!"

What a phenomenal episode.

I don't think I've ever seen Doctor Who look better. Imagine what the Doctors of old could have done with this kind of production team backing them up. And David Tennant is making the most of it.

Things I liked:

The Doctor's alias - "James McCrimmon" Anybody else catch it?
Scottish accents! (especially Rose's)
A take-no-prisoners Queen Victoria (although I didn't like Rose trying to get her to say, "We are not amused.")

One question, though:

Spoiler:

Okay, so Russell Davies is setting things up for Torchwood in this episode. But if The Doctor is supposedly banished from the British Empire and the Torchwood Institute is supposed to be on the lookout for him, what the heck were they doing when he was UNIT's scientific advisor all those years? Yes, I know perfectly well that nobody had invented the Torchwood Institute back when they were making those episodes, but Russell Davies knows his Doctor Who continuity. He's got to have an explanation somewhere down the line. Doesn't he?

[werewolf123]

BBOvenGuy: You cannot step in the same stream twice, water or time. I mean the doctor did not even look the same.

[billy]

The Doctor's alias - "James McCrimmon"

From Balamory. Was the Balamory reference lost on fans outside the UK? It's a very popular TV show for young children just in case anyone was wondering.

Spoiler:

Okay, so Russell Davies is setting things up for Torchwood in this episode. But if The Doctor is supposedly banished from the British Empire and the Torchwood Institute is supposed to be on the lookout for him, what the heck were they doing when he was UNIT's scientific advisor all those years?

Spoiler:

I'm sure we'll get an explanation, but could it be that they simply realise the Doctor is one of the good guys when he helps out the Brig in the 60s?

[Cazzie]

I thought this episode was much better than last week's, but what I'm really looking forward to is the next one.

And I laughed at the Balamory reference. Although I didn't pick up on the alias part.

[Twisted Minstrel]

I am seriously jealous of the British kitties enjoying the new season - I am still somewhat underwhelmed by this 'first' one. I just can't put my finger on what I find so disappointing, but maybe it's just time-shock. Last time I was a regular Who watcher I was in my mid-teens and it's been a good 20 years since then. I'm just waiting to catch up to my younger self.