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

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  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,605
    I think it's incredibly well-written: that kitchen scene between Donna and her mum imparts so much information at us, including their respective points of view and aims for the rest of the episodes, together with backstory and plot, and gives us some actually funny gags too, all without slowing the episode down at all. That's some really skillful writing.
    I also thought it was funny that this week's episode mentioned the Flux, and in two lines made it much more impactful and dramatic than it ever was in six episodes' worth of Chibnall's writing.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2023 Posts: 16,605
    7 day ratings of 7.6m, coming in at the 10th rated show that week (and I'm A Celeb is on every day).

    For reference: only two other dramas got higher ratings this year: Happy Valley and Death In Paradise. Does that still feel low, all things considered?
  • I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed the first one. I thought Eccleston had an edge and earthiness to his Doctor that grounded the camp stuff in the first season, and that was lost when Tennant came in and Davies started leaning into the wacky stuff more. But he seems to be playing it differently this time. Older, wearier, less full of himself. I can’t picture him hiding from the soldiers and investigating on the sly like that in any of his actual seasons. He’d have swaggered in with his catch phrases (that’s another thing, Donna said one of them, has he said any?) and let everyone know in the most obnoxious way possible that he was by far the cleverest person there.

    I wasn’t keen on the ending, thought it felt like a bit of a cop out how it literally got reversed like that, and I wasn’t really sure what they were trying to say with the binary/non binary thing. Didn’t think the baddy was great either. But at the end of the day, once it ended, I was excited to watch the next one. On the other hand, I found out from that next one (which was brilliant) that half the universe was destroyed in one of the Jodie Whittaker ones, and I still have absoloutely zero desire to bother going back to watch any more of them after that dire first season of hers. I still can’t believe they dropped the ball so badly there. All that publicity and goodwill immediately pissed up the wall.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,605
    To be fair, even if you'd watched Flux it wouldn't have been too clear if half the universe had been destroyed or not; it was a terrible muddle.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    The Giggle preview
  • Posts: 6,022
    And of course, the original "The Celestial Toymaker" will be published as a DVD, Blu-Ray and SteelBook in the coming months :



    Not really a fan of the animation, but at least, we'll have the complete story instead of just the surviving episode.

    Oh, and a track of the Christmas episode, titled "The Goblin Song", will be out by monday, december 11th, to benefit Children in Need.

    https://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/doctor-who-releases-christmas-single-the-goblin-song/

    goblinL.jpg
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,413
    I wonder if The Giggle will have more of a 60th Anniversary feel, as the first two specials beyond the return of RTD Season 4 characters up to now does not feel like a celebration of 60 years of DW.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,605
    Tennant & Tate coming back is enough for me; I'm not hugely interested in seeing lots of old Doctors etc. They did that in Whittaker's last episode last year and it left me cold. Just a big, good story will be all the 60th I need.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    Anniversaries are the best times to bring back past Doctors, but we already had Doctors 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 back last year. I'm not expecting much classic who appearing beyond a certain 80's companion returning. That said, The Giggle looks like it's going to be a crazy finale to the 14th Doctor specials.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,413
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,413
    The Giggle well that happened.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    CHRISTMAS TRAILER | The Church on Ruby Road | Doctor Who
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    "Everyone's gone mad, including the government."

    Just like the real life UK Government then.

    That was the best of the specials, it was creepy an surreal. Some nice references worked in. I wasn't expecting a The Greatest Show In The Galaxy reference.

    Bi-regeneration? So there will be two separate strands of the Doctor out there. Why would there need to be two? That is a whole strand of regenerations that we might not ever see. I think a conventional regeneration would have worked, especially how the post regeneration Doctor would still have all that excess energy.

    Ncuti's Doctor looks to be an incorrigible charmer. And the Tardis looks good with the ambient lighting.
  • Posts: 6,022
    Good episode all around. So many references it would take at least ten pages to get them all (recognized that reporter ?). Great acting by Neil Patrick Harris. And it's obvious that David Tennant has received some lessons from his father-in-law.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    First 2 acts were good for the most part with some enjoyable call backs and effective horror.
    The last act was a mess and cringe, some of the worst DW I have seen, great potential was wasted. The Doctor and Tardis duplicating total BS, unnecessary IMO.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    R.I.P.
    Sabalom Glitz

    ---

    I think a lot of this episode was a back door pilot for a Whoniverse spin off show.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,605
    I thought it was a great idea for the 60th anniversary to give the Doctor the retirement and family he deserves after all this time- a happy ending, and a glorious new start too. Gatwa is immediately superb, can't wait to see more.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,413
    1993: DOCTOR WHO - The Wilderness Years | Entertainment Express | Classic BBC clips | BBC Archive
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    Just watched The Power of the Doctor and I never thought i would say this, it is far superior to the 60th specials.

    I was trying to figure out why the 60th specials have fallen flat in many ways, then realized I just did not feel anything for the most part whilst watching them.

    The Power of the Doctor had some genuine deep cuts and good scenes that resonate.

    Jodie's Doctor had backbone, I am not a fan of that era though Jodie's Doctor showed strength.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    Watching Rose, Christopher Eccleston really sold this reboot, he can flip from jovial to deadly serious in a instant which added tremendous depth to his character.

    This is a brilliant episode to introduce another generation.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    The End of the World is brilliant, this is one of the best seasons of DW.

    'Everything has it's time and everything dies'. brutal,

    The ending of this episode is as good as it gets, it astounding it is one of the most natural interactions in fiction you will ever see.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    Dalek is a masterpiece of DW... 'Elevate'

    'You would make a good Dalek'
  • DenbighDenbigh UK
    edited December 2023 Posts: 5,970
    So I've not really taken the time to comment each week but I've been watching and wanted to wait until I'd seen all three episodes of the specials to really gather some thoughts.

    Overall, I have to be honest and say I've been quite underwhelmed by these episodes and that is unfortunately still the case now that we've reached the end of the specials. I think each episode has had really interesting elements and elements that I enjoyed but as whole each episode has been really missing the mark for me...

    I think the biggest contributor to that is I was getting the feeling that this was all rather rushed and put together quite quickly, even with things like the title sequence, it all just felt a bit off. The first episode started off really well but as it moved on and solutions started to present themselves, I was starting to feel like we were moving at quite an awkward pace. The second episode while fun and interesting to an extent, felt almost like filler and would've been better suited to a full series than a three episode special where we've still got things to address, and then the final episode, again really fun elements and interesting ideas, it all started to feel rushed and pulled together at an alarming rate.

    I'm afraid I'm someone who isn't too keen on this whole bi-generation thing because to be honest I don't really see the point and I don't know what we're meant to be saying or exploring? I do think Ncuti looks like he's gonna be a lot of fun and I'm hoping that this fresh start for the next series will mean I'll enjoy it a lot more than I have these specials, which I was really excited for considering how Doctor Who hasn't resonated with me for a while. As it stands, nothing has come close to how much I enjoy Series 1 - 9.

    But overall it was nice to see Tennant and Tate back in action but I just think things were rushed and I didn't really see the point in some choices, given we didn't really have the time to explore them. Either way I'm looking forward to the Christmas Special and the next series. Ncuti is going to be a lot of fun I reckon.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    edited December 2023 Posts: 13,999
    I am really lost on the reason for the bi-regeneration. If I put my cynical/suspicious hat on, then it feels like a contingency plan. If anything goes wrong, they they can just drag Tennant in for a one-off special, and show him regenerate and continue from there. I really cannot see another reason why this was done. This might end up making Ncuti's Doctor feel 2nd rate, as good as he might end up being, because we all know that the 14th Doctor is still out there, having not properly regenerated.

    And now that I am thinking about it, would this not have been a good time to bring back The Valeyard? A little late, but would have made more sense if Tennant's 14th Doctors regenerates in two, one is the 15th Doctor, the other being The Valeyard.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited December 2023 Posts: 16,605
    Although I’m sure there’s a bit of him with half an eye on a spinoff or bringing Tennant back again in the future, I really think that the main reason was to give the Doctor a happy ending after all these years; as simple as that. It worked for me.
    The overnight ratings were pretty much the same as for the last two episodes- these didn’t lose any viewers, which is impressive.
  • CraigMooreOHMSSCraigMooreOHMSS Dublin, Ireland
    Posts: 8,231
    Yes, I think as soon as both Tennant and Tate were confirmed you'd have guessed they were going to attempt some sort of closer for those two iterations in a manner that wasn't a downer (we've had enough of that with almost all of the companions so far). And credit to them, I think they pulled it off well.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited December 2023 Posts: 25,413
    SPOILERS!!!
    The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video | The Church on Ruby Road | Doctor Who

    %-(
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,999
    SPOILERS!!!
    The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video | The Church on Ruby Road | Doctor Who

    %-(

    giphy.gif

    ... was that?
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 25,413
    SPOILERS!!!
    The Goblin Song - Official Lyric Video | The Church on Ruby Road | Doctor Who

    %-(

    giphy.gif

    ... was that?

    DW in name only...

    I watched some of The Giggle again and RTD IMO clearly does not care for the original fans of the show. I will watch the Christmas Special though after that I will likely wait until the likes of 8th Doctor gets his own show in the Whoniverse, hopefully someone like Moffat will be involved in that, I am grasping at straws.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 16,605
    I'm an original fan, as RTD is himself, and I loved it. I think the goblin stuff looks huge fun and at an impressive scale.
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