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

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  • Posts: 7,653
    @MajorDSmythe

    Trust me when I say that Colin Bakers Doctor is the one who most benefitted by the choice done by Big Finish.

    And of course the 8th Doctor who got a whole brillaint life through BF.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    SaintMark wrote:
    @MajorDSmythe

    Trust me when I say that Colin Bakers Doctor is the one who most benefitted by the choice done by Big Finish.

    And of course the 8th Doctor who got a whole brillaint life through BF.

    When I do branch out to other Doctors audios, Colin Baker and McGann would be the two i'll try.

    Moffat has confirmed that series 8 will not be split:

    http://news.drwho-online.co.uk/#Steven-Moffat-Confirms-Season-8-Wont-Be-Split

    Good news.
  • Posts: 12,526
    Glad it will not be split! Good news indeed! <:-P
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,355
    Two weeks to go and I can't wait!
  • Posts: 12,526

    Fantastic! Weeping Angels are in it!!!!! <:-P Looks like the Silence have had an upgrade too with thunderbolts coming out of their fingers? Can't remember them doing that before? No pun intended! ;))
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited December 2013 Posts: 13,355
    They did in Series 6 but that was long ago, April 2011, so I understand if you'd forget that!

    I'm going to miss Matt Smith, thanks for casting him Moffat.

    Below Moffat says goodbye to Smith:

    There's the fiction of it and the changeover of Doctors, which is moving at a fictional level, but I'm losing a really good friend. It's a very real and human thing. I'm sitting here knowing that this is the very last time that I'll ever be on a Doctor Who panel with Matt - and we have done so many.

    We've had so many adventures… from the terrifying beginning when Matt had to go outside and say, 'Does anybody want me to sign anything?' and nobody knew who he was. In that first year, I had 'Not Russell' carved in my forehead and Matt had 'Not David' carved in his and everyone just thought we were idiots.

    We just plodded around trying to make Doctor Who and people were saying, 'You're so not making Doctor Who!' - up to the moment where it hit and it became a huge thing. It is Matt's Doctor that has taken Doctor Who to the rest of the world - that is this man's achievement. Let's be clear about that.

    There are occasionally - among sillier Doctor Who fans - attempts to say that [the show] is doing less well than it used to. Doctor Who has never ever come as close to doing as well as it is right now. So much of that is down to Matt. So much of it is the international appeal of this man - he is the Doctor.

    Honestly, you can ask as many people as you like, dig as deep as you like - you will never ever find a negative story about Matt Smith. You simply will not. Everybody adores him.

    He makes the crew work faster. Marcus Wilson (producer) would always get him to the set quicker than he needed to, just 'cos Matt's presence gets everybody energised. He is tireless - not just in his performances, but with the extra demands of being a leading man, of being the company leader. He is so good at that and yet he works so hard at his own performance.

    I will miss my friend and I will miss the most tireless and inventive actor I have ever worked with."

    Smith replied:

    "I've been lucky. Steven's my greatest friend in this industry as a result of having had four years with him and not only that... the brilliant mind that is The Moff... the imagination... think of the monsters he's brought us, the characters... just the constant invention that is wild and unabashed and breaking new ground the whole time.

    I'm really sad, because you leave your best friends to go and do something else with people who aren't your best friends, which is annoying! You're like, 'You're not Jenna and Steven, ya weirdos!'

    But thanks Moff and Jenna and everyone who's worked with me... and thanks to all the fans - it's been the best time. Thank you for having me."
  • Posts: 12,526
    I remember when Smith was cast their was a mixed reaction? I was on the hopeful side and I am pleased to say Matt worked out brilliantly I think. Thanks for all the fun Matt! It's been fun! Look forward to your final appearance! =D>
  • Yeah it's weird, when they first announced Smith was taking over I could think of plenty of people that I thought were better choices but now I can't think of anybody who would've done a better job. Very inspired casting.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited December 2013 Posts: 13,355
    Like I said back when he was cast, there's a reason a 26 year old was given it: because he's damn good and will do something special with it. He did just that.

    The 25 years of difference between Smith and Capaldi is also an inspired idea, I feel. Steven Moffat is doing great things for Doctor Who.
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
    Moffat I think is the best thing to ever happen to the show. I think he wrote the best episodes during Davies' time as showrunner (Blink, the one with the creepy gas mask kids, etc), and then when he took over he gave it the kick up the arse it needed.

    I think the show during Tennants era was becoming stale. It'd been the same thing since Eccleston's series, the doctor travels around mopes over the time war and/or Rose, also a couple of words are mentioned. These words eventually lead up to a finale involving either the Daleks or The Master.

    Then Moffat takes over and straight away the quality of writing shoots up. He doesn't need to constantly rely on the same returning characters and monsters because his original creations are brilliant. He's given the show a really ambitious arc, which I did think got a bit too complicated, but I can forgive it for that and it's a million times more clever than anything in the 2005-2010 era.

    He's a fantastic writer that turned what was (imo) just a decent watch every now and again into brilliant must see TV. Hope he stays on for a while.
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited December 2013 Posts: 13,355
    I agree with you. Series 4 was very much when it became apparent to me both Tennant and Davies were out of ideas. It was no longer that enjoyable to watch which is strange as many people lead a series for more than four years and can keep the quality to a certain level but with Davies, it was on the decline more than anything else.

    Moffat will stay with Capaldi I'm sure, so that's another three series at least you'd hope.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I too was unsure of Smith when he was announced as the next Doctor. But as Victory Of The Daleks had hit our screens, I knew they'd made the right choice. Series 6 was disappointing, and series 7a was slightly better, but Matt Smith has never been anything less than a fantastic Doctor, a sheer delight to watch from the very beginning. So as we approach the Christmas special, I am both saddened at the departure of Smith and excited to see where the show will go with Capaldi.
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
    Just realised: The eyepatch woman who led The Silence talked about an "endless bitter war" against the Doctor.

    I thought this was war was just The Silence trying to kill The Doctor. And that they wanted to do this because of the series 7 finale: they knew that he'd let Richard E Grant into his tomb and that it'd f**k up the universe if all his previous victories were undone, so they decided to kill him to prevent this ever happening. And the fall of the 11th= The TARDIS falling onto the planet. All made sense to me.

    But now I think that was unrelated, and that she was talking about something completely different that makes much more sense: The endless bitter war is what's going to happen in the christmas special. The Daleks, Cybermen, Angels, etc, are all fighting the doctor.

    The plot synopsis talked about a "signal" that draws them there, I'm thinking this signal is either something that they want (probably a weapon or something which would be dangerous in their hands, therefore the doctor has to stop them), or just a trap leading the doctor there, and they're trying to kill him out of spite because he's always defeating them.

    The Silence (and that woman), lived on the planet Trenzalore where this war takes place. They even help the doctor at first (seen in the advert when he's leading an army of them). And as we saw in the series 7 finale it's a gloomy wasteland full of graves by the end of it. So they go back in time to try and stop this ever happening by killing the doctor earlier on. To do this they first try to blow up the TARDIS but that goes tits up (which we saw in series 5), then they kidnap River as a baby and train her to assassinate the doctor but he manages to fake his death (which we saw in series 6).

    Anyway, that's the war, and by the end of it he's obviously going to die and turn into Peter Capaldi. But according to Moffat, he's on his last life. This makes perfect sense because we saw in the series 7 finale that he was actually dead, leaving behind that weird portal into his timestream, and it was the 11th doctor's TARDIS. Plus they talked about the fall of the eleventh. So he dies there, for good, as Matt Smith.

    So how's he going to regenerate? Well in the 50th anniversary he found out that he actually saved the time lords (he just didn't remember it). So I reckon once he's dead and his tomb's there, they'll appear and resurrect him, giving him unlimited lives (or at least another 13).

    This is my theory which I think ties everything together nicely and allows a fresh start for Capaldi's series (which I'm hoping will involve John Simm's Master now we know that he's alive).
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,978
    Here's the first clip from the Christmas special, not sure if anyone has seen it yet:

    http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=112761
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited December 2013 Posts: 13,355
    A surprise face will return and read one of the final lines for Matt's Doctor:
    A ghost from Christmas past and a big fan favourite visits The Doctor just as he is about to die and regenerate into a new-look Time Lord.

    BBC bosses are staying tight-lipped about the identity of the returning legend. But since the sci-fi show is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, fan speculation will run wild about the mystery figure.

    Millions of viewers will be tuning in to the Christmas Day episode, called The Time Of The Doctor. They will see the Time Lord (Matt Smith, 31) face a deadly battle with his old foes The Daleks, Cybermen and Weeping Angels.

    And it doesn’t end well. At the close of the show, The Doc will reveal his time is up and he is dying. However, in a spine-tingling moment just before he regenerates, the spectre of a huge favourite from the past appears in the Tardis.

    Who says: “Times change and so must I but I will always remember when The Doctor was me.” And the spook tells him: “Good night.”

    Fans will then see him transform into a new Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, 55.

    Companion Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman, 27) looks on in shock as the Time Lord gets a new face and a new personality. Show boss Steven Moffat 52, said: “It was very emotional saying goodbye to Matt.

    “It’s the end of an era. But we move on. We have just done a read-through of the first episode for Peter and he is amazing.”
    http://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz-tv/hot-tv/356783/Dr-Who-Mystery-favourite-in-Xmas-plot
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    Why would she look on in shock, if she's seen the Doctors past selves and knows about his ability to regenerate?

    :-?
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
    It'll be either Amy, kid Amy or River.
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
    Is it bad that I'm more excited for this than I was the 50th?
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited December 2013 Posts: 13,355
    Is it bad that I'm more excited for this than I was the 50th?

    Not really. This will be an answer filled episode and last time we see the great Eleventh Doctor.

    Three days to go!
  • Posts: 7,653
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Is it bad that I'm more excited for this than I was the 50th?

    Not really. This will be an answer filled episode and last time we see the great Eleventh Doctor.

    Three days to go!

    I did watch the 50th anniversary edition tonight on BBC3, when Tom Baker speaks it is so incredible grand...........
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 12,837
    SaintMark wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Is it bad that I'm more excited for this than I was the 50th?

    Not really. This will be an answer filled episode and last time we see the great Eleventh Doctor.

    Three days to go!

    I did watch the 50th anniversary edition tonight on BBC3, when Tom Baker speaks it is so incredible grand...........

    Don't get me wrong I really liked the 50th but this is going to finish up a story that's been going on since 2010, plus it has The Angels in it, and Peter Capaldi will be in it at the end, I really can't wait.

    I haven't been this excited to see how something ends since Breaking Bad.
  • Posts: 7,653
    SaintMark wrote:
    Samuel001 wrote:
    Is it bad that I'm more excited for this than I was the 50th?

    Not really. This will be an answer filled episode and last time we see the great Eleventh Doctor.

    Three days to go!

    I did watch the 50th anniversary edition tonight on BBC3, when Tom Baker speaks it is so incredible grand...........

    Don't get me wrong I really liked the 50th but this is going to finish up a story that's been going on since 2010, plus it has The Angels in it, and Peter Capaldi will be in it at the end, I really can't wait.

    I haven't been this excited to see how something ends since Breaking Bad.

    I was excited about the whole end of the year when it comes to Doctor Who, the regeneration of the 8th made me curse the BBC for not doing a mini-series with the 8th Doctor, Adventures in space and time was bloody brilliant & the 50th with Tennant & Smith, still love the rabbitscene, was really good and gave the show a totaly new direction.
    And in two days of course the final day of Smith finishes a brilliant two months of Stephen Moffat bringing his A-game to Doctor Who.
    A week later Moffat and Gattis, hopefully the next DW showrunner, with their next tour the force.

    The BBC rules for me with its brilliant shows.

  • Posts: 7,653
    Have to eat some crow as this years Christmas special was a bit of ........... terrible mostly, it ticked all the boxes of unresolved issues in the Smith catalogue in a rather casual way. Smiths regeneration was poor when compared to that of the 8th Doctor & the War Doctor.
    Happy with Capaldi but would prefer a less arcy way of telling the next series. It has become too complex for my kids to enjoy anymore. The still miss Tennant and must agree that Davies did steer a better ship.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,978
    I thought it was mostly good. The grandstanding at the top of the tower got a bit ott, and the regeneration itself was a bit flimsy. But once Clara followed The Doctor into the TARDIS, not only was it was quite moving, but it managed to avoid becoming saccharine like Tennant's departure.
    We never saw the usual close-up shot of the actors faces, which makes me ask the question, might this be for The Valeyard to appear at some point? If the Valeyard can now appear at all.

    As for Capaldi, let's wait and see if he can remember how to fly the TARDIS. After my initial scepticism, it took just 3 episodes for me to be convinced that Smith was the right actor for the role...
  • Posts: 6,396
    I thought it was a pretty decent offering and certainly a considerable improvement over the 50th special.

    I think Capaldi will do a bang on job as the Doctor. Looking forward to the new series.
  • Fecking daleks got destroyed in tje thick of it and ginge isn't as fit
  • Fitting end to Matt's era, if not a bit melodramatic at times. In the end all that matters is the farewell and closure, which was written beautifully.

    Now - do you know how to fly this thing?! ;)
  • edited December 2013 Posts: 1,107



  • I really enjoyed it. Thought it tied everything together nicely and it was a good send off for Smith. I was confused by some of it but I was a bit drunk, might have to watch it again.

    The bit where he tricked Clara into going home because he knew he was dying was a nice callback to Eccleston's last episode. I really liked the idea of a war lasting hundreds of years and The Doctor getting old too (although I still don't understand how he didn't age before then even though he lived hundreds of years, maybe it's because the TARDIS wasn't there).

    Wish we'd seen more of the war than just some montages of him blowing up monsters though. The weeping angels especially were underused.

    It was good though. Managed to be emotional but not stupidly melodramatic like Tennant's exit. Clara is my favourite out of all the companions, glad she's staying.
    Fecking daleks got destroyed in tje thick of it and ginge isn't as fit

    I was quite drunk but I think the point I was trying to get across here was that Jenna Coleman is fitter than Karen Gillan.
    SaintMark wrote:
    Smiths regeneration was poor when compared to that of the 8th Doctor & the War Doctor.

    How? His regeneration was so explosive that he managed to kill all the daleks.
    SaintMark wrote:
    The still miss Tennant and must agree that Davies did steer a better ship.

    Nah. Moffat's stories might get a bit too complicated but at least they have a good pay off in the end. Davies just turned The Doctor into Jesus or had Catherine Tate press a "disable all the daleks" button.
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