Doctor Who

[Don Wiskerando]

It's hard to shake the suspicion that Moffat is more invested in Sherlock than he is in Doctor Who.

I love them both, but surely the BBC could have engineered a situation where two of their biggest shows weren't being run by the same man at the same time?

He's hardly whizzing out new epiodes of Sherlock though. We've had a veritable bounty of Doctor Who compared to Sherlock.

[Harsin]

Be warned mahoosive spoilers are floating around for the Christmas Special. I read them thinking they would be complete bollocks, but then that picture came out and it looks like they're probably true.

[Zio]

It's mental though - in some respects, the BBC act as if they're secretly trying to kill it off again, but it's one of their biggest money-spinners.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

It's hard to shake the suspicion that Moffat is more invested in Sherlock than he is in Doctor Who.

I love them both, but surely the BBC could have engineered a situation where two of their biggest shows weren't being run by the same man at the same time?

You've got some flat out mental suspicions, son. Sherlock's main problem is that its leads are both in high demand for numerous big cinema productions so even though the BBC only makes 3 episodes at a time, they've a tiny production window to do so. Throw in both shows being subject to budget cuts due to the license fee freeze - despite their worldwide success and popularity - therefore increasing the strains of the productions, and the well documented fiascos involving the Doctor Who production staff for the last few years and you've got a pair of productions that would drive anyone to distraction.

At the same time, he's pretty much worked his entire life to get to this point, do you really think he's going/wants to give up either now? Both shows are blatantly very dear to the guy, no matter what any of us think of his writing of late..

[Space Gibbon]

Hate to be that guy, but the talk of the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver being the same one - In Smith and Jones, the screwdriver blows up and he has to get a replacement later on. And in The Eleventh Hour, he gets a new one out of the Tardis as well. I suppose you could argue it's actually the Tardis making the calculation.

I liked the way the Eleventh's "I've been running my whole life" became the "I've been running it all my lives" referring to the Gallifrey-saving calculation.

On a side-note, my main problem with the last season of Doctor Who (I think) is Clara. She doesn't seem to have a story or personality other than 'feisty'. She's unflawed, she's too smart, and she seems to be too close to the Doctor for the relatively short time period they've been around.

[letsbook]

On a side-note, my main problem with the last season of Doctor Who (I think) is Clara. She doesn't seem to have a story or personality other than 'feisty'. She's unflawed, she's too smart, and she seems to be too close to the Doctor for the relatively short time period they've been around.

... but... tits.

[Sprite Machine]

Have you seen the Five(ish) Doctors yet Sprite? You'll love that.

Finally did, and yes! It was really good. Davison's great!

Loved the bit with Russell T at the end.

I like how the BBC can make programs that criticise / take the piss out of themselves. It's endearing.

------

On a side-note, my main problem with the last season of Doctor Who (I think) is Clara. She doesn't seem to have a story or personality other than 'feisty'. She's unflawed, she's too smart, and she seems to be too close to the Doctor for the relatively short time period they've been around.

Agreed.

... but... tits.

...

Agreed.

[Harsin]

Watching that Tom Baker bit again, do you think he went off script? The writing seems relatively nuanced up until he starts bellowing 'MAYBE I AM YOU!' and Matt Smith looks a little taken aback for a moment. I imagine it's quite hard keeping Mad Tom on a leash nowadays, I like to imagine they did 140 takes and that was the only usable one.

[JPickford]

On re-watching I noticed that in the sealed letter from the Queen she says that she's appointed The Doctor as curator. So I think that, along with Tom Baker's monologue removes any doubt.

So I guess Tom Baker is the first appearance of a post 13th Doctor. I guess he'll get more/infinite re-gens when he rescues Galifrey.

I'm now thinking that the real purpose of the the War Doctor was to make Capaldi the 13th (and last) so the limit can be dealt with sooner. Otherwise McGann might just have well played that role.

[choddo]

Ah there's always been a limit has there? Rings a vague bell.

[Glasgowchivas]

Ah there's always been a limit has there? Rings a vague bell.

12 regenerations allows for 13 Doctors, which we reach with Capaldi, though there is loads of in-universe stuff that could be used to increase or even do away with this "limit", which is what's going to happen.

We just don't know how it's going to happen yet.

[Garwoofoo]

I'm now thinking that the real purpose of the the War Doctor was to make Capaldi the 13th (and last) so the limit can be dealt with sooner. Otherwise McGann might just have well played that role.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Moffat's effectively brought it forward. I'm really glad it looks like they're dealing with it though rather than ignoring it as it's one of those strange bits of Who lore that everyone seems to know for some reason.

It'll lend a nice urgency to Capaldi's hunt for Gallifrey too. Part of the problem of Smith's run for me is that everyone's seemed completely invincible throughout - by the time you've brought a companion back from the dead half a dozen times, and rebooted the entire universe, there's not much sense of danger left. A bit of desperation in the Doctor's hunt will add a lot to the show I think.

[Graham S]

well documented fiascos involving the Doctor Who production staff

What were these?

Hate to be that guy, but the talk of the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver being the same one - In Smith and Jones, the screwdriver blows up and he has to get a replacement later on. And in The Eleventh Hour, he gets a new one out of the Tardis as well. I suppose you could argue it's actually the Tardis making the calculation.

Cloud saves.

[Mogster]

They specifically say that it's the software that's the same, not the hardware. So yeah, cloud saves.

Thanks to Sprite and the recent festivities I've decided to start a complete run of the entire series myself. I'm not bothering with the reconstructions though, as I'm not quite that insane dedicated.

[Gorf King]

Unfortunately, some of Troughton's best episodes include reconstructions. The two Dalek episodes from his first series being cases in point, the first of which is also his first episode, and so pretty much unmissable. The absence of a complete The Evil of the Daleks is an itch I sometimes want to scratch, as it's probably the first piece of television I have reasonably clear recollection of. Of being scared shitless, obviously, which is almost certainly why it stuck in the mind. Though I must have seen the first Power of the Daleks as well in some form, as I remember a sense of dread and anticipation of the things appearing again.

I watched a few of Troughton's episodes myself fairly recently, and it's funny how much of the imagery and actors, and a few of the scenes, had a weird, dreamlike familiarity. Obviously it was well over 40 years ago that I must have seen them, and at such a ridiculously young age I wouldn't have thought they'd get lodged in the memory much, if at all. But obviously they were just hiding away in the subconscious all along, ready to reveal themselves as the source of a lifetime's mental disturbance. That and my parents also letting me watch Quatermass and the Pit, which provided a good decade's worth of nightmares.

Ah, children's telly. Enjoy.

[biggerbob]

Am I being really dumb or did the Earth being invaded by Zygons story not get resolved? The Doctors made them sit down and talk, but then there was the thing with the inhaler implying that the two scarf women had worked out which ones they were and then everything just moved on to Gallifrey.

[SqueakyG]

Am I being really dumb or did the Earth being invaded by Zygons story not get resolved? The Doctors made them sit down and talk, but then there was the thing with the inhaler implying that the two scarf women had worked out which ones they were and then everything just moved on to Gallifrey.

I also thought the two Osgoods sharing their inhaler was a plot development meaning they had sussed out which one of them was human and which was Zygon, and I thought it would lead to talks breaking down and a more... conclusive... conclusion to the plotline. But apparently it just meant that they were cooperating, thus telling the audience that the negotiation would be successful and peaceful. I think it was a misjudged bit of acting/direction.

Also, screw any negs, I thought she was very fanciable! I wouldn't watch her shitty sketch show though.

[Mogster]

It was both. They sussed out who was who as the human had the inhaler, and shared it because they were cooperating. They also chose not to let the others know that they knew. I thought it was a nice little scene myself.

[Lag]

Tom's putting it in now.

[JohnC]

I also thought the two Osgoods sharing their inhaler was a plot development meaning they had sussed out which one of them was human and which was Zygon, and I thought it would lead to talks breaking down and a more... conclusive... conclusion to the plotline. But apparently it just meant that they were cooperating, thus telling the audience that the negotiation would be successful and peaceful. I think it was a misjudged bit of acting/direction.

They clearly figured it out and they clearly decided to keep it secret (the whole finger on the lips thing). Any confusion comes from not paying any attention.

[JPickford]

Indeed. It was clearly meant as a signal that the underlings at least wanted to co-operate rather than fight.

That said, there was an awful lot to take in. It took my a second viewing to get everything. It could easily have been twice as long and not felt padded.

[Davros sock drawer]

Unfortunately, some of Troughton's best episodes include reconstructions. The two Dalek episodes from his first series being cases in point, the first of which is also his first episode, and so pretty much unmissable. The absence of a complete The Evil of the Daleks is an itch I sometimes want to scratch, as it's probably the first piece of television I have reasonably clear recollection of. Of being scared shitless, obviously, which is almost certainly why it stuck in the mind. Though I must have seen the first Power of the Daleks as well in some form, as I remember a sense of dread and anticipation of the things appearing again.

I watched a few of Troughton's episodes myself fairly recently, and it's funny how much of the imagery and actors, and a few of the scenes, had a weird, dreamlike familiarity. Obviously it was well over 40 years ago that I must have seen them, and at such a ridiculously young age I wouldn't have thought they'd get lodged in the memory much, if at all. But obviously they were just hiding away in the subconscious all along, ready to reveal themselves as the source of a lifetime's mental disturbance. That and my parents also letting me watch Quatermass and the Pit, which provided a good decade's worth of nightmares.

Ah, children's telly. Enjoy.

Hoovered up all those little nuggets of my own childhood memory a while ago now ("Ah, so that's why I have nightmares about Cadavers in Grandfather Clocks!"), although mine are from '74 to '81 mostly. At least if they discover some more Troughton episodes you might have some more dusty Madelines to re-awaken.

[NEG]

Am I the only one that saw Gallifrey/going home as a death metaphor? He didn't like the fact it all ends at tranzalore, we need a new destination, etc.

Granted all the BIT TRIP Flux 'going home in the last moments of your existance' stuff came to mind to make the comparison.

I don't think it's actually meant to be found (though I'm sure one day it will by writers long after Moffat), just a nice way of saying I'm living to die like anyone else, or something along those lines.

Watching that Tom Baker bit again, do you think he went off script? The writing seems relatively nuanced up until he starts bellowing 'MAYBE I AM YOU!' and Matt Smith looks a little taken aback for a moment. I imagine it's quite hard keeping Mad Tom on a leash nowadays, I like to imagine they did 140 takes and that was the only usable one.

Even if he was, would the fans have/want Tom any other way? Hell no

[HarMGM]

I love how there's already a tumblr for Capaldi's eyebrows.

http://petercapaldieyeshotfanclub.tumblr.com/

Anybody expecting the Tennant fangirls leaving the show? Think again!

[Hideous Kojima]

Worth it just for the ending.

[SeanR]

Tom *sniff*

[Glasgowchivas]

So, moustache or not on Capaldi?

He's been sporting a Musketeer-type thing for a while, I can see them going with that.

[Mr Cochese]

Nah.

[womblingfree]

The five(ish) Doctors was pretty great. Just the right levels of sentimentality, in-jokes, old Dr naffness and satire.

It was a kind of genteel Extras and had some genuine lols.

[Bluejam]

Watched The Five (ish) Doctors last night, Much lolz. The Captain Jack bit was great especially. I wonder if they had to adjust Colin's 6th doctors coat so he could wear it....

Overall, very impressed with "An Adventure in Time and Space" and "The Day of the Doctor"

My wife watched them with me and after watching An Adventure.. she said wanted to watch 'Unearthly Child' (unaired pilot AND normal one)

Naturally, I want to marry her again

Didnt put her through the other 3 episodes of Unearthly Child mind...