Doctor Who

[Iun]

I haven't watched Dr Who since the second Matt Smith season - it all got so complicated and meta that I found it difficult and dull to follow.

[Happenstance]

 

[Happenstance]

 

[Mr_Odwin]

19 hours ago, Happenstance said:

 

He is very good in sex education so if he brings some of that same energy he'll be great. I'm looking forward to it.

[darksnowman]

Just hope he and the rest of the cast get some decent scripts to work with.

Yes, I'll take decent.

[Happenstance]

 

[Beast]

22 hours ago, Happenstance said:

 

Yes!! My favourite pair! My favourite season! 

[Happenstance]

Just finished watching the new episode. It was so nice having Tennant back! Matt Smith is still my favourite Doctor but Tennant is a close second and I haven't really enjoyed the show in years, couldn't stand Capaldi's Doctor and Jodie Whittaker's Doctor was good but the writing for her was terrible.

Spoiler

Now I don't think it makes sense for Matt Smith to be a secret cameo during these 3 new eps but I did get the tiniest bit of hope when a version of his awesome theme played when Donna got her memories back and started to take down the dagger drive.

 

[Glen-i]

Just watched it myself.

Spoiler

Seriously, TARDIS? You're laid low by coffee? Something about the tone of voice Donna adopts when she blurted out "Oh my God, I did it again!" cracked me up. Peak Catherine Tate delivery right there!

It was a fun episode, solid start to this... Soft reboot, I guess? Their labelling it as Doctor Who (2023-) on iPlayer, so I assume that's the case.

I went into this thinking that how they get rid of the issue of Donna remembering the Doctor would feel like a bit of a cop-out, but no, it was a satisfying solution. Kudos.

EDIT: Oh, but I did have to laugh at how ridiculous the Sonic Screwdriver has become. Like, I know it's always been a massive device to let the Doctor do things the plot needs to continue, but I think I have to draw the line at it literally materialising bullet shields.

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Glen-i

[sumo73]

I watched it and while I should be happy that Russell T. Davis, David Tennant and Catherine Tate are back, the episode I watched felt average.

As for the recent Children in Need mini episode, I thought this one was better for Comic Relief was better -

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by sumo73

[Happenstance]

Just finished watching this week's Doctor Who. If they had just been an episode in the middle of a regular season I would have been fine with it but given that these are 3 special anniversary episodes why waste one of them like that???

[BowserBasher]

I have enjoyed both episodes so far. There does seem to be an overarching story coming out of them. Maybe it will continue on into the main series next year.

[sumo73]

Saw the last episode which did feel like a mid season episode but it was fine enough although the first five minutes felt a bit out of place with the rest of the programme.

[BowserBasher]

2 hours ago, sumo73 said:

Saw the last episode which did feel like a mid season episode but it was fine enough although the first five minutes felt a bit out of place with the rest of the programme.

The fact that it felt so out of place, makes me feel it may mean something down the line. It had to be there for a reason right, and not just the joke about the word. 

[Happenstance]

Ok then, that's The Giggle watched.

Spoiler

I'll get the big one out of the way straight away. I don't hate Tennant's Doctor sticking around but it does feel a bit like RTD coming back and not wanting to give up his favourite toy. Bit disappointed as well than when the Tardis split we didn't get Tennant's desktop back again. Also, we now have 2 Tennant Doctors out there living normal lives...

The episode itself I enjoyed for the most part. Neil Patrick Harris was excellent as always and the Toy Maker was a lot of fun. His ending was a bit anticlimactic though with a pretty basic throw and fumble in their dumb ball game. It kind of felt like this needed to be a two parter to really give the threat a bit more, everything was just wrapped up a bit quickly. Makes last week's episode feel even more of a waste to me.

Appreciated the mention of other companions (Rory getting done dirty again there!) even though the Amy one was a massive stretch. Dying of old age in New York is not being killed by a Weeping Angel.

Ncuti's Doctor seems cool. I'll be able to form more of an opinion on him when he gets some trousers I think  I'm looking forward to Christmas so we can see how he does on his own but it was a very positive start.

As far as anniversary specials go though these 3 weren't even close to the 50th. That was something really special and while these felt like a return to form, they still felt pretty basic Doctor Who.

[EEVILMURRAY]

I blasted through 3 last night. It was interesting how they explained Donna being able to survive but the whole "binary, binary, non-binary" moment was insanely cringeworthy and I can imagine RTD was beating himself off furiously as he was writing that, expecting the whole world to start flicking their respective beans and rainbow tattoos to be in high demand overnight because of this obvious pandering moment. If they bring New Rose back as a companion I hope not every episode will be a lesson in trans/etc acceptance and just let the character evolve. 

Neil Patrick Harris was as great as imagined, a shame he wasn't in it more.

When they said he has never lived life (I think Toymaker said it), did they not want to bring up the time he grew to a crippled old man in that Christmas town? 

[Ashley]

You've got a queer showrunner and a queer lead in what has long been considered a queer allegory, I don't see that changing anytime soon.

As I've no intention of watching does anyone want to explain to me how David Tennant came back? Curious how they explained that one, but clearly not enough to watch. 

[EEVILMURRAY]

1 hour ago, Ashley said:

You've got a queer showrunner and a queer lead in what has long been considered a queer allegory, I don't see that changing anytime soon.

As I've no intention of watching does anyone want to explain to me how David Tennant came back? Curious how they explained that one, but clearly not enough to watch. 

I don't think it was properly explained, other than "the universe did it because of destiny bringing us together again"

[BowserBasher]

Spoiler

From what I recall, Donna said something along the lines of

"You went back to this face (as in Tennant) cause you wanted to come home"

It seemed they were going for his doctor possibly had something unfinished or that he wasn't done being what he was. Pretty sure they just wanted a way to be able to bring Tennant back again if he or they ever wanted to. I have read speculation and rumours that there is possibly a UNIT spin off coming, and the fact that Donna was offered a position there, could mean that she would be in that, easy way to have Tennant's Doctor appear in it too.

What this does mean, is that there are now two versions of Tennant's Doctor running around the universe (or multiple universes).

 

[Ashley]

53 minutes ago, BowserBasher said:

  Regeneration (Hide contents)

From what I recall, Donna said something along the lines of

"You went back to this face (as in Tennant) cause you wanted to come home"

It seemed they were going for his doctor possibly had something unfinished or that he wasn't done being what he was. Pretty sure they just wanted a way to be able to bring Tennant back again if he or they ever wanted to. I have read speculation and rumours that there is possibly a UNIT spin off coming, and the fact that Donna was offered a position there, could mean that she would be in that, easy way to have Tennant's Doctor appear in it too.

What this does mean, is that there are now two versions of Tennant's Doctor running around the universe (or multiple universes).

 

Cheers

Spoiler

I did see something saying that now (based on the newest episode) rather than The Doctor existing as one entity where the form constantly changes, each form is now its own being because who doesn't love a multiverse? But it would seem to track with what you said; rather than it going "back" to DT, the fundamental principles of the regeneration has changed, perhaps sparked by his desire to see to unfinished business. Although does that mean previously each version 'lived' in the body or simply "I recall that version of me having unfinished business"?

 

[EEVILMURRAY]

Might explain the Tom Baker museum curator appearance...

[Happenstance]

26 minutes ago, Ashley said:

Cheers

  Spoilers (Reveal hidden contents)

I did see something saying that now (based on the newest episode) rather than The Doctor existing as one entity where the form constantly changes, each form is now its own being because who doesn't love a multiverse? But it would seem to track with what you said; rather than it going "back" to DT, the fundamental principles of the regeneration has changed, perhaps sparked by his desire to see to unfinished business. Although does that mean previously each version 'lived' in the body or simply "I recall that version of me having unfinished business"?

 

 

Spoiler

One thing that does get mentioned when they are talking about all the Doctor's past traumas is that Tennant's Doctor mentions how Ncuti's Doctor seems fine so it can't be that bad and Ncuti's Doctor says that he's fine because Tennant's Doctor obviously does the work to get better that they're telling him to do now so they must still be connected and Ncuti's is still a future version somehow.

 

[Jonnas]

I watched the three specials with my girlfriend because we heard Donna was back. I haven't watched Doctor Who in years:

Spoiler

First and second episode felt like classic Who episodes, especially that second one. And even though Tennant is obviously aged, it's nice to see him and Tate back for a few episodes. Love their chemistry.

Third episode was surprisingly weak. There was a lot of hubbub about how Toymaker makes no sense, but at the same time, they're finding musical scores in brain waves. And then The Doctor turns into two blokes and play catch until this multiversal being fumbles the ball. It's really weak writing, and a surprisingly small use of NPH, who could certainly do with a recurring role as this fun villain.

Ncuti seems like a fun Doctor. The new TARDIS, not so much, give me the classic, practical-effects, outdated zeerust architecture, please.

But let me tell you: that "non-binary" line in that first episode gave me the hardest laugh I've had at a TV show in years. The fact that it actually fits the general tone and writing of Doctor Who is just the icing on the cake.

 

[EEVILMURRAY]

On 12/10/2023 at 1:04 PM, Happenstance said:

 

  The Giggle Spoilers (Hide contents)

The episode itself I enjoyed for the most part. Neil Patrick Harris was excellent as always and the Toy Maker was a lot of fun. His ending was a bit anticlimactic though with a pretty basic throw and fumble in their dumb ball game. It kind of felt like this needed to be a two parter to really give the threat a bit more, everything was just wrapped up a bit quickly. Makes last week's episode feel even more of a waste to me.

 

I'm hoping they're going to use not showing the ball fall as a technicality to bring him back, as when the ball clipped his hand, you didn't see it hit the ground in glorious slow motion with an exaggerated bang noise - we there wasn't a rule about one chance to catch evidenced by Tennant's laying down juggling act - and even though they were on British Avenger's Tower, I expected Toymaker to dive off the tower and catch it before it hit the ground... but he didn't... he just folded, metaphorically and then literally.

[Glen-i]

A bit behind, yeah, but still...

Spoiler

This was better then the first episode, but it didn't feel very, well, "special-y" Felt like a standard Doctor Who adventure, which is fine.

The whole sequence when the Doctor figures it out and the chase scene afterwards was great though. My favourite part, there. I like it when Doctor Who gets a little unnerving and creepy. Weirdly off doppelgangers are a great way to do that.

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Glen-i