2005 replies to this topic

[Orion]

'The Waters of Mars' is done and in the can. David and co are filming the explosive two part finale now.

in which is

Spoiler

Bernard Cribbins, Catherine Tate and...JOHN SIMM!!!!!

Edited by Orion, 12 April 2009 - 02:22 PM.

[DamnCoffee]

Oh, and...

http://2.bp.blogspot...00/DSCF4627.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot..._7b655ee97f.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot...00/DSCF6112.jpg

[Orion]

Oh, and...

http://2.bp.blogspot...00/DSCF4627.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot..._7b655ee97f.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot...00/DSCF6112.jpg

and then

Spoiler

Jessica Hynes

[DamnCoffee]

I hope we see the return of the Torchwood team. Jack, Gwen and Ianto.

Gwen should be a full time companion, imo.

[Sniperscope]

I really did enjoy PotD, I thought it was brilliant!

Fair enough Mharkin it's your opinion but I think "brilliant" is a superlative too far!
"Brilliant" has been DALEK, EMPTY CHILD, GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE, SATAN PIT, HUMAN NATURE, BLINK, SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY...

POTD is panto at the level that even JNT would be embarrassed about...there was not one shred of tension in the whole story and all of those stereotypes on the bus were completely superfluous to the story.
At first I thought we were going to get something like the tension of FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, but alas it rapidly degenerated into childish excesses...

I agree with you 100% on the bus ending - quite dire. RTD really stretching for a warm and fuzzy there that seemed almost cynical in it's execution. Why did everyone look at the bus take off in gooey-eyed wonderment? They had all just been on the frakking thing two minutes before!!!

These specials are starting to confirm what has worried me from the start. By releasing each episode to coincide with a pagan festival we get a kind of watered down, light-weight pantomime adventure that's aimed too squarely at not upsetting Mr and Mrs Suburbanaverage with their 1.4 kids sitting down to "telly" after tea...

Can anyone seriously envisage a risk-taking adventure at Christmas and New Year for Tennant's swansong that might actually *gasp* unsettle the viewer a wee bit?
On the evidence so far I doubt it very much... Tennant deserves so much better.

Edited by Sniperscope, 13 April 2009 - 12:20 AM.

[Sniperscope]

I hope we see the return of the Torchwood team. Jack, Gwen and Ianto.

Gwen should be a full time companion, imo.

Gwen? *cringe* No thanks!
Torchwood? I'd rather not see that incompetent, squabbling, Buffy ripped-off, Scooby-gang in DW!
Jack's a good character though with a lot of personality but was woefully underused in JOURNEY'S END...
Actually the only character from TW that would be a superb companion they killed off... :`[

Edited by Sniperscope, 13 April 2009 - 01:07 AM.

[DamnCoffee]

Russell T Davies said that PotD was the last episode the Doctor had to 'have a bit of fun', so I wasn't prepared for a dark outing. I liked PotD because it was just sheer fun, which is why I'm hoping for the exceedingly dark follow-up's that have been promised.

[Sniperscope]

Russell T Davies said that PotD was the last episode the Doctor had to 'have a bit of fun', so I wasn't prepared for a dark outing. I liked PotD because it was just sheer fun, which is why I'm hoping for the exceedingly dark follow-up's that have been promised.

Did he say that? Well here's hoping that RTD is true to his word!
Ta for that Mharkin!

[Zorin Industries]

I really did enjoy PotD, I thought it was brilliant!

Fair enough Mharkin it's your opinion but I think "brilliant" is a superlative too far!
"Brilliant" has been DALEK, EMPTY CHILD, GIRL IN THE FIREPLACE, SATAN PIT, HUMAN NATURE, BLINK, SILENCE IN THE LIBRARY...

POTD is panto at the level that even JNT would be embarrassed about...there was not one shred of tension in the whole story and all of those stereotypes on the bus were completely superfluous to the story.
At first I thought we were going to get something like the tension of FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, but alas it rapidly degenerated into childish excesses...

I agree with you 100% on the bus ending - quite dire. RTD really stretching for a warm and fuzzy there that seemed almost cynical in it's execution. Why did everyone look at the bus take off in gooey-eyed wonderment? They had all just been on the frakking thing two minutes before!!!

These specials are starting to confirm what has worried me from the start. By releasing each episode to coincide with a pagan festival we get a kind of watered down, light-weight pantomime adventure that's aimed too squarely at not upsetting Mr and Mrs Suburbanaverage with their 1.4 kids sitting down to "telly" after tea...

Can anyone seriously envisage a risk-taking adventure at Christmas and New Year for Tennant's swansong that might actually *gasp* unsettle the viewer a wee bit?
On the evidence so far I doubt it very much... Tennant deserves so much better.

Yes, there is a problem with making story neutral and audience neutral specials (especially at Christmas). I though PLANET OF THE DEAD was an okay romp (someone please fire Murray Gold who doesn't know when to sodding stop his music and tends to whitewash everything with the same pomp and brass). It played better second time round (the technicalities certainly). But these remaining specials are a three parter anyway (hence the near to Christmas scheduling of the next special) so they hopefully will commit themselves to a darker finale for Tennent - who is already on the losing streak now as everyone knows he is merely babysitting the part. The shame so far is that these specials were meant to be for the audience who has kept with the show since at least 2005 and so far that audience was let down (if Easter is anything to go by). However, they are not going for "easy" on the final two specials which heavily rely on knowing certain episodes from DOCTOR WHO's past adventures.

[Sniperscope]

Yes, there is a problem with making story neutral and audience neutral specials (especially at Christmas). I though PLANET OF THE DEAD was an okay romp (someone please fire Murray Gold who doesn't know when to sodding stop his music and tends to whitewash everything with the same pomp and brass). It played better second time round (the technicalities certainly). But these remaining specials are a three parter anyway (hence the near to Christmas scheduling of the next special) so they hopefully will commit themselves to a darker finale for Tennent - who is already on the losing streak now as everyone knows he is merely babysitting the part. The shame so far is that these specials were meant to be for the audience who has kept with the show since at least 2005 and so far that audience was let down (if Easter is anything to go by). However, they are not going for "easy" on the final two specials which heavily rely on knowing certain episodes from DOCTOR WHO's past adventures.

You know I don't even need a particularly dark sequence of stories for Tennant's farewell, just fantastic adventures that are as fun as they are intellectually stimulating.

Certainly POTD is an OK entry in the series, but it just struck me as I was watching it how formulaic and self-consciously OTT it all was. Of course there is always that potential in a full-length season, but when this is one of only 4 specials then I would expect RTD to come up with better thought-out material.

It's a good point you make about these specials were meant to be a celebration of New Who and its fans... the last two have been far too childish and panto for my liking. Frustratingly both have had intriguing concepts (especially THE NEXT DR) but have been let down by substandard direction and lazy plotting.

My biggest concern is that if you look at the finales for the previous 4 seasons it has become a kind of an arms race where each one has become bigger, louder and increasingly ludicrous in scope.
I hope we get something more personal like HUMAN NATURE/FAMILY OF BLOOD that will allow Tennant something meaningful rather than RTD's usual by-the-numbers-end-of-the-universe-kitchen-sinkers of Reality Bombs, Paradox Machines and ominous proclamations of doom from conveniently placed psychics...

Edited by Sniperscope, 14 April 2009 - 12:15 AM.

[Zorin Industries]

I hope we get something more personal like HUMAN NATURE/FAMILY OF BLOOD that will allow Tennant something meaningful rather than RTD's usual by-the-numbers-end-of-the-universe-kitchen-sinkers of Reality Bombs, Paradox Machines and ominous proclamations of doom from conveniently placed psychics...

Watch this space. HUMAN NATURE / FAMILY OF BLOOD are not entirely unconnected to Tennent's finale....(?!)

[dee-bee-five]

I hope we get something more personal like HUMAN NATURE/FAMILY OF BLOOD that will allow Tennant something meaningful rather than RTD's usual by-the-numbers-end-of-the-universe-kitchen-sinkers of Reality Bombs, Paradox Machines and ominous proclamations of doom from conveniently placed psychics...

Watch this space. HUMAN NATURE / FAMILY OF BLOOD are not entirely unconnected to Tennent's finale....(?!)

Indeed. I wonder if Donna and her grandad have fob watches...? Grandfather and granddaughter dynamic - same as the first Doc and Susan...

I enjoyed PotD. It was a romp. It wasn't supposed to be anything else. And it entertained me.

[Sniperscope]

I hope we get something more personal like HUMAN NATURE/FAMILY OF BLOOD that will allow Tennant something meaningful rather than RTD's usual by-the-numbers-end-of-the-universe-kitchen-sinkers of Reality Bombs, Paradox Machines and ominous proclamations of doom from conveniently placed psychics...

Watch this space. HUMAN NATURE / FAMILY OF BLOOD are not entirely unconnected to Tennent's finale....(?!)

Indeed. I wonder if Donna and her grandad have fob watches...? Grandfather and granddaughter dynamic - same as the first Doc and Susan...

I like your thinking DB5! Arguably HN/FoB are Tennant's finest episodes - it would be wonderful if his finale harkened back to that...
I had heard an unsubstantiated rumour on DR WHO PODSHOCK that

Spoiler

Tennant's Journal of Impossible Things from HN/FoB may make a return...

[Zorin Industries]

I hope we get something more personal like HUMAN NATURE/FAMILY OF BLOOD that will allow Tennant something meaningful rather than RTD's usual by-the-numbers-end-of-the-universe-kitchen-sinkers of Reality Bombs, Paradox Machines and ominous proclamations of doom from conveniently placed psychics...

Watch this space. HUMAN NATURE / FAMILY OF BLOOD are not entirely unconnected to Tennent's finale....(?!)

Indeed. I wonder if Donna and her grandad have fob watches...? Grandfather and granddaughter dynamic - same as the first Doc and Susan...

I like your thinking DB5! Arguably HN/FoB are Tennant's finest episodes - it would be wonderful if his finale harkened back to that...
I had heard an unsubstantiated rumour on DR WHO PODSHOCK that

Spoiler

Tennant's Journal of Impossible Things from HN/FoB may make a return...

I was to add something here but the spoiler option does not appear to be working. Or is it me?

[DamnCoffee]

I had heard an unsubstantiated rumour on DR WHO PODSHOCK that

Spoiler

Tennant's Journal of Impossible Things from HN/FoB may make a return...

Yep, that is indeed true...

Spoiler

Joan Redferns great, great grandaughter, publishes the Journal in the present day. I've seen filming pictures of the Doctor in a book store, attending a signing of the Journal. I think this will aid the return of...

i) The Master
ii) Donnas memory

[Zorin Industries]

Spoiler

Joan Redfern's great grand daughter is trying to cash in on the Journal's selling power a la JK Rowling and will be played by Jessica Hynes.

Donna Noble may just indeed marry someone completely inappropriate which may just compel her grandfather Wilf to join up with the Doctor to rescue her (Donna has the name "The Runaway Bride" remember). Her current memory meltdown may only aide her spouse's marriage plans.

A few old faces return and I will say no more (and I don't strictly mean the newer old faces either...).

[DamnCoffee]

WOW... are you implying some returning characters from the

Spoiler

Classic Series?

[col_007]

I really enjoyed Planet of the Dead cant wait for The waters of Mars then DT's swansong with you know who returning why is everyone critical of everything in The New Doctor Who

Edited by col_007, 14 April 2009 - 04:40 PM.

[DamnCoffee]

I'm not! I love it!

[Sniperscope]

I really enjoyed Planet of the Dead cant wait for The waters of Mars then DT's swansong with you know who returning why is everyone critical of everything in The New Doctor Who

Grew up with DW and still love it.
It's my favourite show of all time, it has defined my life and it always will do. POTD was fine - not stellar.
BTW - I don't register a distinction between so-called "New" and "Old" Who personally - perhaps you do do - but when you think about it there's a big difference between criticism and outright hatred or just being a passive drone.
No need to be confused old chap - some people have opinions. That's what a forum is here for, afterall!!!

Edited by Sniperscope, 15 April 2009 - 06:42 AM.

[dee-bee-five]

I really enjoyed Planet of the Dead cant wait for The waters of Mars then DT's swansong with you know who returning why is everyone critical of everything in The New Doctor Who

I'm not. I grew up with Who; I'm even old enough to remember the 60s black and white eps on TV. Pertwee was my favourite, probably always will be. But I love the so-called new-Who. Russell T. Davies - easily the best writer currently working in British TV - has done wonders with the revived show and I've loved everything about it. Tennant has almost - almost, but not quite - eclipsed Pertwee for me and both he and RTD are going to be very, very hard acts to follow.

There has been some sniping about the new version of the show. But that's the British for you - they do so hate success...

[Sniperscope]

Spoiler

Joan Redfern's great grand daughter is trying to cash in on the Journal's selling power a la JK Rowling and will be played by Jessica Hynes.

Donna Noble may just indeed marry someone completely inappropriate which may just compel her grandfather Wilf to join up with the Doctor to rescue her (Donna has the name "The Runaway Bride" remember). Her current memory meltdown may only aide her spouse's marriage plans.

A few old faces return and I will say no more (and I don't strictly mean the newer old faces either...).

Woah some interesting ideas there Zorin!

Spoiler

Really like the Journal idea, bit cooler on more of Donna's marriage woes but completely enthralled by old, old faces returning...
hmm... Sarah Jane probably, the Brig perhaps? A previous Doctor? Positively exciting news!
Actually the person I'd most like to see back is Benton! Have you heard him in interviews? Such an genuine enthusiast about the show, Tennant and RTD. Recently he was saying how thrilled he would be to be invited back to the show...

Edited by Sniperscope, 15 April 2009 - 12:12 PM.

[danslittlefinger]

EPISODES
Spearhead From Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
Terror of the Autons
The Mind of Evil
The Claws of Axos
Colony in Space
The Daemons
The Curse of Peladon
The Day of the Daleks
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster
The Three Doctors
Carnival of Monsters
Frontier in Space
Planet of the Daleks
The Green Death
The Time Warrior
Invasion of the Dinosaurs
Death to the Daleks
Monster of Peladon
Planet of the Spiders

I'd like to know what are all of your thoughts are on this?

Best: The Day of the Daleks
Anything with the Daleks and Ogrons in is good by me. Plus it was an all around well thought out tale. Emphasis on man creating their "own temporal paradox" is quite thought provoking. Also self sacrifice (Schuler and Team Leader) to help change an outcome is getting your money's worth.

Worst: The Claws of Axos
Just seeing an Elvis look-a-like CIA Agent did it for me. That and the Chin fellow.
Irritating.

I have to also add as a footnote The Five Doctors (just tragic to see the Master as not being Delgado and actually being represented like a complete wimp.)

[Sniperscope]

EPISODES
Spearhead From Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
Terror of the Autons
The Mind of Evil
The Claws of Axos
Colony in Space
The Daemons
The Curse of Peladon
The Day of the Daleks
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster
The Three Doctors
Carnival of Monsters
Frontier in Space
Planet of the Daleks
The Green Death
The Time Warrior
Invasion of the Dinosaurs
Death to the Daleks
Monster of Peladon
Planet of the Spiders

I'd like to know what are all of your thoughts are on this?

Ah Jon Pertwee! Loved his era! A lot of people give it flak because being based on Earth limited the stories to alien invasions or insane scientists / businessmen, but the whole rapport between Pertwee, Jo, the Brig and Benton was what made it. As well as the James Bond feel, car chases and battle set-pieces every story! Of course Delgado's incredible portrayal of the Master made this era too! When you see Simms' OTT Joker-like effort (I actually normally like him as an actor) you do wonder a bit about how that character has devolved over the years...

Anyway, Dan'slittlefinger, from your list of brilliant Pertwee offerings...

BEST:INFERNO. What a great story! Fantastic fascistic alternative universe, Venusian Karate, Liz actually looking for once quite yummy, the perfect rapport between Pertwee and the Brig, the alt. Brig (was it Squad Leader?) in an eyepatch! Pure class. It's a bit of a slow pace but somehow you don't fully notice the length because the story is so absorbing.

WORST: GREEN DEATH. As a kid this story absolutely terrified me with the horrible maggots and green pulsating scars... but I watched it on DVD last year and was just agog at how bad it all was! The worst moment has to be the toy Bessie cruising through maggots! Appallingly bad as were all the CSO scenes as well as the laughably slow pace of the maggots! BUT!!! the ending between the Doctor and Jo is just beautiful. People think this whole lonely Doctor thing is a new idea with Tennant, but when Pertwee leaves the cottage at dusk and we see him drive off into the sunset it's one of the most genuinely touching scenes in all of WHO.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: THE SEA DEVILS for just pure action and suspense. And SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE. The editing is fantastic in this one - as well as being entirely shot on film- it has a real cinematic quality about it.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS: INVASION OF THE DINOSAURS. CSO disaster!!! One of those classic examples in WHO where the idea vastly outweighs the budget!!! TIME MONSTER. Boring, silly Zzzzzzzz.

Edited by Sniperscope, 21 April 2009 - 11:08 PM.

[dee-bee-five]

EPISODES
Spearhead From Space
The Silurians
The Ambassadors of Death
Inferno
Terror of the Autons
The Mind of Evil
The Claws of Axos
Colony in Space
The Daemons
The Curse of Peladon
The Day of the Daleks
The Sea Devils
The Mutants
The Time Monster
The Three Doctors
Carnival of Monsters
Frontier in Space
Planet of the Daleks
The Green Death
The Time Warrior
Invasion of the Dinosaurs
Death to the Daleks
Monster of Peladon
Planet of the Spiders

I'd like to know what are all of your thoughts are on this?

Best: The Day of the Daleks
Anything with the Daleks and Ogrons in is good by me. Plus it was an all around well thought out tale. Emphasis on man creating their "own temporal paradox" is quite thought provoking. Also self sacrifice (Schuler and Team Leader) to help change an outcome is getting your money's worth.

Worst: The Claws of Axos
Just seeing an Elvis look-a-like CIA Agent did it for me. That and the Chin fellow.
Irritating.

I have to also add as a footnote The Five Doctors (just tragic to see the Master as not being Delgado and actually being represented like a complete wimp.)

How? How is one expected to choose the best story out of Pertwee's tenure? I can't even choose the best out of his first season, because they were all so bloody brilliant (though, if pushed, I'd have to go for Inferno). I can only really talk about my favourite Pertwees.

Like you, I love The Day of the Daleks, even though it's painfully obvious the BBC only had three working Daleks at the time! The Daemons, of course, which I managed to put on DVD... The Sea Devils... The Green Death... Oh, and to those who complain about Invasion of the Dinosaurs... c'mon, look beyond the piss-poor specials effects because it has a fabulous story.

The relatively few Pertwee misfires for me are Planet of the Spiders (a poor swanson), The Time Warrior and The Monster of Peladon.

[trs007]

FINALLY got to watch PotD last night. I liked it, and that Lady Christina (Michelle Ryan)--WOW.

Story was fun, the bus bit a tad silly, but somehow Tennant makes it work.

[danslittlefinger]

Thanks so far deebeefive and sniperscope for the answers on my research.
I would love more people to offer their choices. It's a little project I'm working on.

[trs007]

Pertwee always was, and is still, my favorite Doctor. Maybe it's because, like many things, he was my first. 1973--10 years old and over a friend's house when, during channel surfing, we stumbled across Part 4 of Terror of the Autons. Didn't know WHO WHO was! That episode drew me like a moth to the flame. I raced to the TV guide to see what we were watching. Next week, armed with this new information--The Mind of Evil. Well, that was it, I was hooked.


Picking a favorite story from the Pertwee era is next to impossible for me. I can say, that my least favorite of the lot is The Mutants. No matter how much I try and get into that story, even years later, as I have ALL the Pertwees on DVD (either VHS burns or actual BBC product), I am just not that impressed.

[Brian Flagg]

Finally! Tat Wood's & Lawrence Miles' ABOUT TIME 3 (revised edition), which covers the Pertwee years is due to be republished May 19, 2009! Copies of the old edition were selling for up to $500.00!!!

http://tinyurl.com/c7pe63

[danslittlefinger]

Some casting and storyline news for the new Dr Who - Matt Smith series, I put it into a spoiler just in case.

Spoiler

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1172944/X-Files-star-Gillian-Anderson-returns-screens-evil-scientist-Doctor-Who.html
She always knew the truth was out there - now Gillian Anderson is set to prove it as she appears in the next series of Doctor Who.
Sci-fi fans will remember Anderson as the X Files detective Dana Scully who was always searching for signs of extra terrestrial life.

And now she is set to prove aliens really do exist - by appearing alongside one in the hit BBC show.

The 40-year-old is expected to play a Time Lady, the Rani, a glamorous but evil scientific genius, reprising a role played by actress Kate O'Mara in the 80s.
A source told the Express: 'Gillian obviously has a massive sci-fi following and it's felt it would be a major coup to have her appear in Doctor Who.
'The team behind the show are keen for the next Doctor to have lots of new enemies and Gillian would be a glamorous and impressive addition to the list.'
Matt Smith takes over as the Doctor next year following David Tennant's resignation.
Anderson is currently preparing to star alongside former Doctor Who Christopher Eccleston in a production of A Doll's House at the Donmar Warehouse in London's West End.