Dr. Who

[LN 910]

Well, assuming they're the same birthdays as the actors (as usually happens for companions etc) then you're right. Brig's Grandfather.




Broadchurch was part of the UK's flirtation with Scandi-Noir dramas and Scandi-Crime which became very in vogue at the time a few years ago. Broadchurch's first season set the bar ultra-high on how to do it and the second season where it was more about the aftermath was a very clever idea to follow through on as well. It's really only one of two such things the UK pumped out at the time I will really watch (the other is The Fall with Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan).

She was definitely one of the stronger performances in an already heavily studded cast (Arthur Darvill, David Tennant and David Bradley starred) and she definitely has the range to pull it off.

======================

Looking at the "Tardis Team" that they're going with it's got Chibnall written all over it, he wants to drag a lot of Torchwood elements back into the Dr Who series proper where several characters from the Cardiff team were well developed and well rounded.

It also has enough of a range in the casting that should hit most of the "boxes" that the BBC lay down to meet their obligations.

Hence far more safe looking castings. Also far more Northern feeling since the primary production centres of the BBC have now moved to Wales and Manchester.

Someone as big in the UK as Bradley Walsh being cast (Law and Order: UK, Tonight at the London Palladium, The Chase) is going to be a huge boon to the show. Walsh can be a solid, serious actor when called for, and a complete prat fall straight man goof when needs be. A good, safe casting choice to appeal to families.

Mandip Gill is another good, solid seeming choice. She did 3 years in the soap Hollyoaks (designed to appeal to a teen/young adult crowd) before her roles became a little more spotty but has a reccuring role in the BBC Birmingham's "Jewel in the crown" production of Doctors a day time soap that has surprisingly high ratings despite being on in the middle of the day.

The only one I don't know much about is Tostin Cole, who starred in the shortlived BBC Three attempt to make a "yoof wing" to Eastenders with E20 which was a fucking disaster from start to finish and lasted barely a year. He did however get his own plotline in Season 5 of "Hollyoaks Later" which is a once a year spinoff of the same Drama Gill also worked on that's generally well received as it does what Torchwood was designed to do, more adult themes.

Basically all the elements are there, solid people at the top (Chibnall's joined by Matt Stevens who did An Adventure In Time and Space) with a very solid looking cast.

Just depends on how much BBC Diversity Officers now hack away at it.

All that AND no Moffat?! INB4 new golden age for the show's popularity.

 

[The Valeyard]

I've just now discovered that aside from the general disdain thread, the portrayal of the First Doctor alone has spawned an 11 page thread. Here's page 1.

Spoiler

 

[LN 910]

I've just now discovered that aside from the general disdain thread, the portrayal of the First Doctor alone has spawned an 11 page thread. Here's page 1.

Spoiler

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Burn all Doctor Who forums.

 

[SnowBall]

Caught the last twenty minutes and was bored throughout. Moffat had totally sucked the energy out of Dr Who during his reign. Look at Series 5 & 10 and you'll see a huge difference in quality.

I think its safe to say that despite his problems, RTD was the superior showrunner.

I honestly couldn't stand the Davies era of Doctor Who. Eccleston was ok, season 2 was awful save for the season finale, season 3 was ok, and season 4 was good until Rose came back.

Maybe it is because I got into the show at season 5 but there was something about 1-4 that just bothered me. I just hated 10 and most of the companions except Donna.

And while Moffat has said dumb shit in the past the whole thing with him having an ego was something Tumblr made up and circulated around social media. There used to be a ton of anti Moffat blogs that would obsessively scour all the interviews he made, cherry pick quotes, and take them out of context. It quickly spread to other social media sites. It got to the point where fans pestered many of the actresses asking if they thought he was sexist only for them to shoot down all the rumors. Capaldi also had to repeatedly tell fans to knock it off with the false rumors that he and Moffat got into fights behind the scenes.

At first I used to believe them until people who actually met him said that he was the complete opposite of what they heard online. Also he left Twitter after getting he and some of his colleagues were sent death threats by some of the major anti Moffat lolcows. I do give him credit for getting off social media and staying off, which is a rare thing with people.

Yet again it could be because the anti Moffat crowd was my very first exposure to SJWs and outrage culture with some of my first favorite lolcows being the danger hairs behind the STFUMoffat Tumblr.

 

[AnAspieWithAVengeance]

That pertweedoctor poster rolls my eyes. A lot of the posts I agree with, apart from the odd moron who's probably got die thatcher badges on their tweed denim jackets.

 

[SnowBall]

I've just now discovered that aside from the general disdain thread, the portrayal of the First Doctor alone has spawned an 11 page thread. Here's page 1.

Spoiler

View attachment 342449 View attachment 342450 View attachment 342451 View attachment 342452 View attachment 342453 View attachment 342454 View attachment 342455 View attachment 342456 View attachment 342457 View attachment 342458 View attachment 342459 View attachment 342460 View attachment 342461 View attachment 342462 View attachment 342463 View attachment 342464 View attachment 342465 View attachment 342466 View attachment 342467 View attachment 342468 View attachment 342469 View attachment 342470

Apparently that seems to be the norm on GB from all the horror stories I heard about the site.

I honestly wasn’t bothered by the bigotry of the first Doctor in the special except for the “ jolly good smacked bottom” line. That was very cringey. Though to be fair that was an actual line from a first Doctor serial.

 

[AnAspieWithAVengeance]

Broadchurch was part of the UK's flirtation with Scandi-Noir dramas and Scandi-Crime which became very in vogue at the time a few years ago. Broadchurch's first season set the bar ultra-high on how to do it and the second season where it was more about the aftermath was a very clever idea to follow through on as well. It's really only one of two such things the UK pumped out at the time I will really watch (the other is The Fall with Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan).

She was definitely one of the stronger performances in an already heavily studded cast (Arthur Darvill, David Tennant and David Bradley starred) and she definitely has the range to pull it off.

I've never bothered with Broadchurch. Everyone tells me it's really good, but I've never got round to it. Maybe its because UK Television are obsessed with endless dramas that its put me off the genre.

Looking at the "Tardis Team" that they're going with it's got Chibnall written all over it, he wants to drag a lot of Torchwood elements back into the Dr Who series proper where several characters from the Cardiff team were well developed and well rounded.

It also has enough of a range in the casting that should hit most of the "boxes" that the BBC lay down to meet their obligations.

Hence far more safe looking castings. Also far more Northern feeling since the primary production centres of the BBC have now moved to Wales and Manchester.

On second glance, I like the look of the cast. Its equal gender, equal diverse, and seems as you said, very safe. Also its the second northern doctor in the show's history if I'm right. I don't mind diversity, just as long as they're memorable characters.

Someone as big in the UK as Bradley Walsh being cast (Law and Order: UK, Tonight at the London Palladium, The Chase) is going to be a huge boon to the show. Walsh can be a solid, serious actor when called for, and a complete prat fall straight man goof when needs be. A good, safe casting choice to appeal to families.

Walsh is fine. I wouldn't call him a national treasure, but recognisable sure. He's multi talented and does well in whatever department.

DRAMA (Law & Order, Corronation Street)
COMEDY (London Palladium)
PRESENTING (The Chase)

Mandip Gill is another good, solid seeming choice. She did 3 years in the soap Hollyoaks (designed to appeal to a teen/young adult crowd) before her roles became a little more spotty but has a reccuring role in the BBC Birmingham's "Jewel in the crown" production of Doctors a day time soap that has surprisingly high ratings despite being on in the middle of the day.

The only one I don't know much about is Tostin Cole, who starred in the shortlived BBC Three attempt to make a "yoof wing" to Eastenders with E20 which was a fucking disaster from start to finish and lasted barely a year. He did however get his own plotline in Season 5 of "Hollyoaks Later" which is a once a year spinoff of the same Drama Gill also worked on that's generally well received as it does what Torchwood was designed to do, more adult themes.

I'm aware of Mandip but not hugely. Did she play the character that The McQueens adopt. Sorry, I'm not a major Hollyoaks fan. Its the type of soap that is more a parody of the genre than an actual representation of soap.

I do like EastEnders though and thought E20 was decent. Not great, but that's because the writers were all teenagers themselves. Series 1 was the best one. 2 & 3 less so.

Basically all the elements are there, solid people at the top (Chibnall's joined by Matt Stevens who did An Adventure In Time and Space) with a very solid looking cast.

Just depends on how much BBC Diversity Officers now hack away at it.

Pray those BBC Diversity Officers are at least fans of Doctor Who, or are willing to give Chibnall the freedom to do things.

 

[AnAspieWithAVengeance]

I honestly couldn't stand the Davies era of Doctor Who. Eccleston was ok, season 2 was awful save for the season finale, season 3 was ok, and season 4 was good until Rose came back.

Maybe it is because I got into the show at season 5 but there was something about 1-4 that just bothered me. I just hated 10 and most of the companions except Donna.

While I prefer RTD over Moffat, he certainly had issues in his run too. Just that they were way smaller than Moffat's great balls of fire.

Rose got insufferable in Series 2, and I think Donna definitely divided fans. I liked her, but I could see why she could wind people the wrong way.

And while Moffat has said dumb shit in the past the whole thing with him having an ego was something Tumblr made up and circulated around social media. There used to be a ton of anti Moffat blogs that would obsessively scour all the interviews he made, cherry pick quotes, and take them out of context. It quickly spread to other social media sites. It got to the point where fans pestered many of the actresses asking if they thought he was sexist only for them to shoot down all the rumors. Capaldi also had to repeatedly tell fans to knock it off with the false rumors that he and Moffat got into fights behind the scenes.

At first I used to believe them until people who actually met him said that he was the complete opposite of what they heard online. Also he left Twitter after getting he and some of his colleagues were sent death threats by some of the major anti Moffat lolcows. I do give him credit for getting off social media and staying off, which is a rare thing with people.

Yet again it could be because the anti Moffat crowd was my very first exposure to SJWs and outrage culture with some of my first favorite lolcows being the danger hairs behind the STFUMoffat Tumblr.

To be fair, Moffat just in general annoys me. He comes off very smug and know it all, that I can't really take him seriously. Capaldi's run was mostly autopilot writing. No real candidate for A+ television whatsoever. Series 9 I reckon is one of the worst Doctor Who runs of them all.

 

[SnowBall]

Moffat just comes off as socially awkward when it comes to public interviews. He has mellowed out considerably after leaving social media and learning not to give a fuck about online danger hairs screaming over every thing he does.

That said I respect the opinions of everyone here even if I disagree with most of them.

 

[The Valeyard]

I honestly wasn’t bothered by the bigotry of the first Doctor in the special except for the “ jolly good smacked bottom” line. That was very cringey. Though to be fair that was an actual line from a first Doctor serial.

That is true. However, in the context of The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the line (while still cringey) was directed at his granddaughter as opposed to a woman that his incarnation has just met.

 

[SnowBall]

That is true. However, in the context of The Dalek Invasion of Earth, the line (while still cringey) was directed at his granddaughter as opposed to a woman that his incarnation has just met.

Oh no I definitely agree with you on that, I just remembered it was a line from a first Doctor serial but originally forgot which one it came from. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

I've never bothered with Broadchurch. Everyone tells me it's really good, but I've never got round to it. Maybe its because UK Television are obsessed with endless dramas that its put me off the genre.

The reason is why because we're very good at them. Broadchurch is definitely a proper pinnacle of it and I urge you to give it a go. On the technical side it's very good and a number of roles were written for the actors in mind and it definitely shows. My hope is Chibnall does the same with the new companions.

On second glance, I like the look of the cast. Its equal gender, equal diverse, and seems as you said, very safe. Also its the second northern doctor in the show's history if I'm right. I don't mind diversity, just as long as they're memorable characters.

It seems to work on paper. I am hoping there's going to be memorable characters like Micky Smith and Rory and Amy Pond.

I want to see the companions develop as people, something rather lacking in Clara and a fucking void in Bill.

Not all of them being from the same time would also be a boon too.

Walsh is fine. I wouldn't call him a national treasure, but recognisable sure. He's multi talented and does well in whatever department.

DRAMA (Law & Order, Corronation Street)
COMEDY (London Palladium)
PRESENTING (The Chase)

Walsh is a very long standing Dr Who fan as well, watching the show since its initial air date back in the 60s. It's about as safe a casting choice as one could possibly get.

I'm aware of Mandip but not hugely. Did she play the character that The McQueens adopt. Sorry, I'm not a major Hollyoaks fan. Its the type of soap that is more a parody of the genre than an actual representation of soap.

I do like EastEnders though and thought E20 was decent. Not great, but that's because the writers were all teenagers themselves. Series 1 was the best one. 2 & 3 less so.

She played Pheobe Jackson in the show and was killed off as part of the serial killer plotline they had going in 2015. IIRC she'll also make the first British-Indian Companion in the show's run.

Pray those BBC Diversity Officers are at least fans of Doctor Who, or are willing to give Chibnall the freedom to do things.

Well there seems to be more touches of Chibnall afoot as there's the smell of compromise around the episodes. All episodes of next season will be 50 minutes a piece with 2 less episodes to worry about.

Chibnall's writing is always at its best when given a rough hour long mark.

While I prefer RTD over Moffat, he certainly had issues in his run too. Just that they were way smaller than Moffat's great balls of fire.

Rose got insufferable in Series 2, and I think Donna definitely divided fans. I liked her, but I could see why she could wind people the wrong way.

RTD's writing and continuity was wonky as anything but he knew how to do emotion on the screen well.

Nearly all of the most memorable moments of Dr Who definitely come from his run of the show. The Master's reveal with the brilliant John Simm, Donna at her lowest in Turn Left, and who the hell can forget the incredible ending of David Tennant's Ten?

I think the big issue was that Moffat is very good as a writer in small doses. In the early series his episodes were always the ones to look out for because they were proper, dark and clever ideas (The Weeping Angels were his development too). It's obvious when he took over lead of the show he became spread too thin having to oversee all the epsiodes and attend every reading.

This made the show suffer as a whole as, rather than going all out and developing actual dark Dr Who plots there became this thin veneer of whiny, mopey Doctor throughout (especially so in Capaldi's case). Which was also rather pointless as, well, he resolved most of those issues in The Day of the Doctor.

 

[TheImportantFart]

Just watched the Christmas Special - could've been worse and thank fuck it wasn't obsessed with the Christmas theme which has ruined previous specials, but the whole thing just felt like an inconsequential runaround in the end. Basically just a holding pattern until we got to the regeneration scene which took fucking ages when it arrived.

Portraying the First Doctor as a sexist left a really bad taste in my mouth and just felt disrespectful to William Hartnell, especially since it was only done for the sake of cheap "comedy". The First Doctor almost never behaved like that, and even when he did it didn't go on nearly as much as this episode implies.

That said, I am actually excited for a new Doctor and a new show runner. I'm sure that excitement will quickly diminish when the show actually airs, but it's the first time I've really looked forward to a new season in a long time.

 

[SnowBall]

Moffat also didn't write every episode in his run either. In the RTD era he actually had full control over his scripts and Davies never edited them because he liked Moffat's writing enough.

I can definitely see where everyone is coming from with Davies but I still just can't get into his run, especially with Tennant's Doctor. With Chibnall I'll wait before passing judgement.

As for the special I actually liked it but I think what held it back was the First Doctor in general. They could have cut him out of the plot and it wouldn't have made much of an impact.

 

[LN 910]

While I prefer RTD over Moffat, he certainly had issues in his run too. Just that they were way smaller than Moffat's great balls of fire.

Rose got insufferable in Series 2, and I think Donna definitely divided fans. I liked her, but I could see why she could wind people the wrong way.



To be fair, Moffat just in general annoys me. He comes off very smug and know it all, that I can't really take him seriously. Capaldi's run was mostly autopilot writing. No real candidate for A+ television whatsoever. Series 9 I reckon is one of the worst Doctor Who runs of them all.

Series 9? I quite enjoyed that one, some of the few enjoyable modern Moff eps came from there. Series 10 I dropped two episodes in, that one was quite the dumpster fire.

The reason is why because we're very good at them. Broadchurch is definitely a proper pinnacle of it and I urge you to give it a go. On the technical side it's very good and a number of roles were written for the actors in mind and it definitely shows. My hope is Chibnall does the same with the new companions.



It seems to work on paper. I am hoping there's going to be memorable characters like Micky Smith and Rory and Amy Pond.

I want to see the companions develop as people, something rather lacking in Clara and a fucking void in Bill.

Not all of them being from the same time would also be a boon too.



Walsh is a very long standing Dr Who fan as well, watching the show since its initial air date back in the 60s. It's about as safe a casting choice as one could possibly get.




She played Pheobe Jackson in the show and was killed off as part of the serial killer plotline they had going in 2015. IIRC she'll also make the first British-Indian Companion in the show's run.



Well there seems to be more touches of Chibnall afoot as there's the smell of compromise around the episodes. All episodes of next season will be 50 minutes a piece with 2 less episodes to worry about.

Chibnall's writing is always at its best when given a rough hour long mark.



RTD's writing and continuity was wonky as anything but he knew how to do emotion on the screen well.

Nearly all of the most memorable moments of Dr Who definitely come from his run of the show. The Master's reveal with the brilliant John Simm, Donna at her lowest in Turn Left, and who the hell can forget the incredible ending of David Tennant's Ten?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=_68Vyc24i1s
I think the big issue was that Moffat is very good as a writer in small doses. In the early series his episodes were always the ones to look out for because they were proper, dark and clever ideas (The Weeping Angels were his development too). It's obvious when he took over lead of the show he became spread too thin having to oversee all the epsiodes and attend every reading.

This made the show suffer as a whole as, rather than going all out and developing actual dark Dr Who plots there became this thin veneer of whiny, mopey Doctor throughout (especially so in Capaldi's case). Which was also rather pointless as, well, he resolved most of those issues in The Day of the Doctor.

I thought the episodes were going to be an hour long?

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

Series 9? I quite enjoyed that one, some of the few enjoyable modern Moff eps came from there. Series 10 I dropped two episodes in, that one was quite the dumpster fire.

I thought the episodes were going to be an hour long?

I heard 50, it could be 60. 60 would be ideal for Chibnall's style of writing and allow all the companions some screen time.

Either way, the Christmas Special got rather low ratings for Christmas Day, The Queen's Speech got the top spot with 7.8m tuning in in the UK but this was across three networks (BBC, ITV and Sky, who had the honour of producing it this year.)

Dr Who was Sixth in the rankings at 5.7m, being beaten by (in order) The Queen, Mrs Browns Boys, Strictly Come Dancing, Call the Midwife and Eastenders.

 

[LN 910]

I heard 50, it could be 60. 60 would be ideal for Chibnall's style of writing and allow all the companions some screen time.

Either way, the Christmas Special got rather low ratings for Christmas Day, The Queen's Speech got the top spot with 7.8m tuning in in the UK but this was across three networks (BBC, ITV and Sky, who had the honour of producing it this year.)

Dr Who was Sixth in the rankings at 5.7m, being beaten by (in order) The Queen, Mrs Browns Boys, Strictly Come Dancing, Call the Midwife and Eastenders.

The fact my favourite show gets routinely assraped by Mrs. Brown's Boys is depressing.

 

[Ponderous Pillock]

The fact my favourite show gets routinely assraped by Mrs. Brown's Boys is depressing.

 

[LN 910]

Since we're posting Dr Who fans acting autistic, here's something from the ArchivistBecks thread:

You should read the full source, it's hilarious, she really does just attach herself to everything.

 

[LN 910]

Just watched the Christmas Special, I'm half and half on it. Some of the nicer moments I liked, the banter could be funny, but whenever Moffat reared his ugly head I detested it. Bill has a potential as a likeable character, but the way Moffat writes her just screams "who do you do, fellow k̶i̶d̶s̶ homosexuals?"

First Doctor was extremely out of character, how is the WW1 soldier less sexist than the man with the time machine? I know the Doctor's changed over time and isn't completely static, no character is, but it's completely unlike him to act that way.

Direction was mostly good, loved the snowy visuals, of course the CGI looked like it was from a PS2 game. Rusty came back, I don't know why, I liked that episode but I wasn't clamouring for a return of this character. I thought he was friends with the Doctor, maybe I missed something by not watching series 10.

The sequence at the end was the most visually stunning part of the episode, and didn't have any annoying forced jokes, so I'm convinced Moff had no part in it. Cliffhanger was cool, looking forward to seeing Jodie's new Doctor, even if I can't understand a word she's saying. I guess lots of planets have a north.

I did a passby of the tv with the Christmas special on and heard just a snippet of the first doctor 'sexism' bit with sassy black woman and noped the fuck off to drink more booze.

How can ANYONE stand this show? Honestly. The dialogue is cringeworthy. That whole 'I know the fairer sex too' line like 'LOOK I AM APPARRENTLY A LESBIAN DOESN'T THAT FLY IN THE FACE OF YOUR CIS WHITE MALE FANTASY?!' Probably gave me some form of cancer Idk.

Blame Moffat.