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'Anyone for a jelly baby ? ' - Doctor Who discussion thread.

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  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    It's an odd time to bring back a past Doctor. At least give the new Doctor a series to acclimatize to the role.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    I think it may be possible that Gatwa isn't actually available yet..?
  • CharmianBondCharmianBond Pett Bottom, Kent
    Posts: 557
    Bringing a past Doctor back for the anniversary year is the least odd time, plus it means Gatwa won't be overshadowed by it when he takes over.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited May 2022 Posts: 13,978
    I've been rewatching series 5 (2010) these last few days, and just watched episode 6: Vampires Of Venice. This was a really strong first series for Smith, with the only weak link being The Lodger, and that is only between James Corden irritates me no end. Take this 2 minuite clip, it begins with some humour, and ends with a sacrifice, and yet it doesn't feel jarring:



    Along with the writing, Smith was consistently strong this series too. He can be authoritative when the Doctor needs to take charge of a situation, and humorous in the lighter moments. I mean, he was good all through his era, but the writing was average across the board in series 6, and somewhat improved in series 7 (compared to series 6, but not quite on par with series 5).
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Vampires of Venice got pretty lukewarm reviews at the time, but I really enjoyed it. It's a solid, proper Doctor vs the monsters plot and has a big exciting climax. It's good stuff.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited May 2022 Posts: 4,166
    The amount of leaks coming out of this production is mind-boggling. I haven't even watched Dr. Who consistently for years now and I feel I already know much about the next three episodes.
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    This is fun:
    They're back... David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who

    I can't access the Link, though I recently heard that Tenant is appearing for three specials and that
    Jodie will regenerate into Tenant.
    Why do I feel this is some elaborate way of retconning the Chibnall era? From what I've seen of it I haven't been impressed so perhaps it's not a bad thing.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Is it that leaky? They have to film on the streets and they know they'll be seen so they have to announce cast members, even though they want to keep them a surprise.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 4,166
    mtm wrote: »
    Is it that leaky? They have to film on the streets and they know they'll be seen so they have to announce cast members, even though they want to keep them a surprise.

    Maybe I'm talking as someone impartial to Dr. Who. I do have friends who are fans though. From what I understand a probable reason they announced Gatwa through an unceremonious Twitter post is because the news was about to leak. No idea if that's true though. That and specific plot details seem to be being posted on Reddit days before they're announced?
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Yeah I must admit I don't know about Gatwa, that does sound plausible. It was quite a low key announcement (even though they cleverly managed to hijack the Baftas and get him on all the front pages from that) and as he actually doesn't seem to be filming at the moment I'm kind of not sure why they announced him. It may well be because they knew Tennant was filming the next week in public and they didn't want people to think Tennant was back full-time, I don't know.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    Posts: 4,166
    mtm wrote: »
    Yeah I must admit I don't know about Gatwa, that does sound plausible. It was quite a low key announcement (even though they cleverly managed to hijack the Baftas and get him on all the front pages from that) and as he actually doesn't seem to be filming at the moment I'm kind of not sure why they announced him. It may well be because they knew Tennant was filming the next week in public and they didn't want people to think Tennant was back full-time, I don't know.

    Yeah, I even thought it was a bit weird. I can remember the big TV special they did when Peter Capaldi was announced and all the hype around it. That and Dr. Who Confidential making a big song and dance about the 11th Doctor and Matt Smith just kinda... well, popping up rather abruptly at the end, haha.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Yes I think the Capaldi special was a bit too much in a way, it felt a bit silly and he looked embarrassed. I thought they probably did it best with the little unveiling film for Whittaker they popped on during Wimbledon.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited May 2022 Posts: 25,159
    TOBY STEPHENS WAS THE FIRST CHOICE FOR THE NEW DOCTOR WHO
    https://cosmicbook.news/toby-stephens-doctor-who-cut-marvel-style-universe?amp
    I have heard a lot of rumours recently though taking with a pinch of salt. Toby would have been great though.
    007HallY wrote: »
    The amount of leaks coming out of this production is mind-boggling. I haven't even watched Dr. Who consistently for years now and I feel I already know much about the next three episodes.
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    This is fun:
    They're back... David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who

    I can't access the Link, though I recently heard that Tenant is appearing for three specials and that
    Jodie will regenerate into Tenant.
    Why do I feel this is some elaborate way of retconning the Chibnall era? From what I've seen of it I haven't been impressed so perhaps it's not a bad thing.

    I also think it's an attempt to get viewers back, the last Jodie episode had the worst viewing figures of the New Who era.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    TOBY STEPHENS WAS THE FIRST CHOICE FOR THE NEW DOCTOR WHO
    https://cosmicbook.news/toby-stephens-doctor-who-cut-marvel-style-universe?amp
    I have heard a lot of rumours recently though taking with a pinch of salt. Toby would have been great though

    I like him a lot, but that story does sound like absolute rubbish to me! :)
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited May 2022 Posts: 4,166
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    TOBY STEPHENS WAS THE FIRST CHOICE FOR THE NEW DOCTOR WHO
    https://cosmicbook.news/toby-stephens-doctor-who-cut-marvel-style-universe?amp
    I have heard a lot of rumours recently though taking with a pinch of salt. Toby would have been great though.
    007HallY wrote: »
    The amount of leaks coming out of this production is mind-boggling. I haven't even watched Dr. Who consistently for years now and I feel I already know much about the next three episodes.
    Fire_and_Ice_Returns wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    This is fun:
    They're back... David Tennant and Catherine Tate return to Doctor Who

    I can't access the Link, though I recently heard that Tenant is appearing for three specials and that
    Jodie will regenerate into Tenant.
    Why do I feel this is some elaborate way of retconning the Chibnall era? From what I've seen of it I haven't been impressed so perhaps it's not a bad thing.

    I also think it's an attempt to get viewers back, the last Jodie episode had the worst viewing figures of the New Who era.

    Makes sense. As I've said, from what little I've seen I've not enjoyed the later Dr. Who episodes (I'd say the same about the Smith/Capaldi years too when I stopped watching consistently). I get the sense its the same with general viewers and fans.

    Stephens sounds too plausible to have been considered, if that makes sense. I'm sure he'd have had a good audition should this be true, but I don't think he would have brought anything new to the part fundamentally. Heck, I'm not sure if Jodie brings anything new to the Doctor either, her gender aside. From what I've seen of his previous work, Gatwa would very likely bring something different to his interpretation of Dr. Who. So his casting is interesting at least.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Wait, so this rumour suggests that Stephens was the original choice by RTD, but (presumably the PaedBC) over ruled RTD? I was under the impression that the PaedBC were to have less control over the show next year.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited May 2022 Posts: 16,423
    I don't think the BBC have ever imposed their will on DW, the showrunners have said previously they were actually surprised how much freedom they were given; and I know BBC Studios (then called Worldwide) were unsure about the choice of Capaldi at the time but the production were allowed free reign. Now it has become an even more independent production it seems even less likely; especially as RTD is so hugely respected for what he did for the show before- I suspect they'd trust his judgement on anything and want to keep him sweet to make the show a success. And if you look at the shows he's been making recently and his increased efforts in getting more exposure for gay performers especially (although I don't think Gatwa has made his personal life public) then his choice of Doctor was pretty much expected. This rumour doesn't really bear much scrutiny at all.
    Especially the idea that they'd filmed the regeneration already and then ditched him. That's tot.

    But who knows, maybe he is an actual guest star in the next special. He seems attainable.
    MajorDSmythe wrote: »
    Wait, so this rumour suggests that Stephens was the original choice by RTD, but (presumably the PaedBC) over ruled RTD? I was under the impression that the PaedBC were to have less control over the show next year.

    What does PaedBC mean?
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    My mistake, I meant the PeadBC.
  • 007HallY007HallY
    edited May 2022 Posts: 4,166
    mtm wrote: »
    I don't think the BBC have ever imposed their will on DW, the showrunners have said previously they were actually surprised how much freedom they were given; and I know BBC Studios (then called Worldwide) were unsure about the choice of Capaldi at the time but the production were allowed free reign. Now it has become an even more independent production it seems even less likely; especially as RTD is so hugely respected for what he did for the show before- I suspect they'd trust his judgement on anything and want to keep him sweet to make the show a success. And if you look at the shows he's been making recently and his increased efforts in getting more exposure for gay performers especially (although I don't think Gatwa has made his personal life public) then his choice of Doctor was pretty much expected. This rumour doesn't really bear much scrutiny at all.
    Especially the idea that they'd filmed the regeneration already and then ditched him. That's tot.

    It would be odd to learn that Gatwa's casting was preferred by BBC committee because it has RTD's fingerprints all over it as a creative choice, at least from what I can tell. Gatwa's known for playing an overtly camp, gay character in Sex Education, and RTD has written shows in the past such as Queer As Folk, Bob and Rose, It's a Sin etc. We now have confirmation that Yasmin Finney, a transgender actress, is the new companion. In RTD's last tenure he introduced characters such as Captain Jack Harkness, an overtly pansexual character, and many elements of the show at this time can be looked back on as 'camp'. I think that sense of fun, camp, and what I suppose one would now call 'queerness' will be there in RTD future tenure, along with sensitive storytelling. It's pretty fitting and if leaned into more overtly would make for an interesting interpretation of the show/character.

    I mean, Chibnall's era had a female Doctor, but as I said, I'm not sure if Whittaker added anything new to the part and was half-way to doing an impression of Tennent most of the time. It appeared to lean into superficial political liberalism with its story choices but didn't seem to hold much weight or had much sense of 'fun' in how they explored them. If anything that seems more 'BBC' to me than RTD's work.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Yeah exactly, it feels very RTD; I can’t really see him picking Stephens, good though he is.

    Has Finney been confirmed as the new companion though? I haven’t seen that. The press release just said she was in it, and they filmed a scene this week where she waved goodbye to Donna as Donna got in the TARDIS.
  • thelivingroyalethelivingroyale
    Posts: 12,837
    MajorDSmythe wrote: »
    It's an odd time to bring back a past Doctor. At least give the new Doctor a series to acclimatize to the role.

    I can see the logic behind it. Bring back the most popular actor to get eyes on it again before the next actor’s debut. I do feel a bit sorry for Smith/Capaldi/Whittaker though, if this is true. Isn’t throwing things back to before they were cast a bit like saying “yeah sorry guys, you just weren’t as good”? Although I suppose they could still be in it, we don’t know yet.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited May 2022 Posts: 16,423
    Yes we don't know what's happening yet, there may well be more. And of course the main reason he's back is that it's for the 60th Anniversary of the show.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited May 2022 Posts: 13,978
    To all seems a bit.. messy to me. The buzz of a new Doctor should be all that is needed. It sounds like Tennant is getting his own special to me. It'll be an anniversary year, so we get to see past Doctors again (especially after the last anniversary more or less ignore 1963-96). But there's also a new Doctor waiting in the wings... :-??

    Is Whittaker going to regenerate into Tennant, then Tennant into Gatwa? Or is the regeneration going to be from Tennant to Gawta?

    Then there's a rumour of an animated mini series for the classic Doctors, which McCoy and McGann on board already.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited May 2022 Posts: 13,978
    The Fallout: London mod features two familliar voices in cameos. Jump to 5:43...

  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 5,994
    Of course, the Daleks had to be at the Jubilee parade :

  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,159
    Gerard wrote: »
    Of course, the Daleks had to be at the Jubilee parade :


    The Jubilee was amazing.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    It's a pity that they couldn't have stopped by Westminster Bridge to recreate that famous photo.

    article-2014334-0CFD78CF00000578-242_634x341.jpg
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,159
    MajorDSmythe wrote: »
    It's a pity that they couldn't have stopped by Westminster Bridge to recreate that famous photo.

    article-2014334-0CFD78CF00000578-242_634x341.jpg

    Yeah that would have been great.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 5,994
    The next guest star that will appear in the 60th birthday episode will be (drumroll, please !) :

    Neil Patrick Harris :

    https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-neil-patrick-harris-newsupdate/
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,423
    Sort of slightly underwhelming for me (given he was in It's A Sin) but still a genuinely big name, known all around the world.
    Remember this? :P

    "Who? Who's that??"

  • GerardGerard
    edited June 2022 Posts: 5,994
    Well, to be fair, Alan Cumming is a famous actor, and Chris Noth had some cred also (Law and Order, Sex and the City).
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