All New Who

I've seen 'em both. They're pretty pedestrian. Kind of Americanized, as I recall.

{{ The two films are rewrites of the two first Dalek tv serials, Daleks and Invasion Earth. Neither is as good as the tv original even if they do have more of a budget, the Daleks fire smoke as it was thought too aggresive otherwise, and Cushing's Doctor is not an alien he is just a human inventor.

According to the novelisation of Day of the Doctor the films exist because the 1st Doctor was a big fan of Cushing and became his friend and told him about his adventures, Cushing persuaded the studio to make the films based on those adventures, but crucial details like the Doctor being an alien were changed by order of UNIT.

{{The Doctor is a bit of a fanboy of Hollywood, 11 was big with the original Brat Pack and accidently married Marilyn Monroe ("That was never a real chapel!"). }}

You'd think if Cushing persuaded the studio to make them he'd have had a more interesting take on the Doctor! Perhaps he was being cautious not to overshadow his actor friend: that could have gotten sticky. Given the right vehicle he could have been more memorable than any except Tom Baker.

{{ Lol no, you misunderstand- thats all in universe, in Who fiction as the excuse for why the films exist and why they have the changes.
The real world reason the films exist is that Britain was gripped by 'Dalek-mania' at the time and they were instantly bankable. }}

That's somewhat playful but doesn't explain why Cushing has such a poor take on the Doctor.  I think the real world explanation (perhaps in universe as well?) is that the films were aimed for kids. In which case, why hire Peter Cushing? Playing for kids is not his strong suit, as his performance demonstrates. Kids need eccentricities: a grandfather type gets treated as a useful piece of furniture (with hidden candy) otherwise.

{{ Well the film version is more of an eccentric but otherwise normal human inventor, he's not a Time Lord and he's not from Gallifrey so has lost all the alienenss that all the tv actors (bar Jodie   ) managed to bring to the role.
Its certainly true that Who was targeted towards children, not soley -it was invented to bridge a tv scheduling gap between Jukebox Jury (popular with the young uns) and the Saturday sports results (popular with Dad's mainly back then) so its aim was to entertain and educate children whilst having enough meat in the topics to be of interest to an adult- the films definentely leaned more to the kids market part however, the Doctors granddaughter Susan for example is equivelent of a human teenager in the series and looks like this-



the film version much younger-




Also giving the Daleks smoke guns to kill with also speaks to a desire to reduce the violence, whereas the Tv originals of these stories are pretty dark in parts.

But you have to remember the draw for these films was not the Doctor, it was the Daleks- thats what audiences wanted to see. Its hard to compare the popularity and instant hit and cultural phenomeon in Britain the Daleks were- the only comparable thing I can think of is SW and how it was a craze instantly from launch. It was that sort of popularity and fervour only for Daleks.}}

{{ Seen a few of his vids, his dedication (and pedantic zeal) for tracking down dalek props and all their appearances is both admirable and not a bit barmy! }}

Huh...so there still hasn't been a second trailer/title revealed for Whittaker's last episode? Is the marketing on regeneration stories usually this late in starting? Or is the BBC simply glad to get her era over and done with and not going to bother promoting it?

I don't care either way, but given Chibnall's seeming lack of silence/interest in marketing his big final episode it kinda seems like he dosen't care either? Or is everyone just assuming Tennant will get all the hype/viewers instead? (well, let's be honest he will)

{{ The lack of any marketing for it has been unususal by previous regen stories, but I think there are a few different reasons for it.

First Chibnall has been reticent to do marketing, he does not enjoy doing interviews and is not comfortable or at ease in front of live audiences as Moffat and RTD are. He also likes to keep everything as suprises. I can in part go along with that as the BBC marketing during Moffats era in particular was way to far the other way to the point of giving full spoilers away in marketing. But instead of too much we get none at all till the last minute.

Second this is not just a regeneration episode, its a BBC Centenary Episode, one of many flagship BBC shows doing a special to mark the BBC's Centenary. And none of the marketing for any of them has begun. It is quite possible the marketing for this episode is packed in with the marketing for the Centenary in general.

And lastly it was impossible to keep under wraps that Tennant and Tate were returning, as they had to do outside filming, so that news was always going to swamp everything else on top of the news of RTD's return, its possible they have just decided to let it die down first rather than make it seem like they were competing. }}

Pettytyrant101 wrote:{{ The lack of any marketing for it has been unususal by previous regen stories, but I think there are a few different reasons for it.

First Chibnall has been reticent to do marketing, he does not enjoy doing interviews and is not comfortable or at ease in front of live audiences as Moffat and RTD are. He also likes to keep everything as suprises. I can in part go along with that as the BBC marketing during Moffats era in particular was way to far the other way to the point of giving full spoilers away in marketing. But  instead of too much we get none at all till the last minute.

Second this is not just a regeneration episode, its a BBC Centenary Episode, one of many flagship BBC shows doing a special to mark the BBC's Centenary. And none of the marketing for any of them has begun. It is quite possible the marketing for this episode is packed in with the marketing for the Centenary in general.

And lastly it was impossible to keep under wraps that Tennant and Tate were returning, as they had to do outside filming, so that news was always going to swamp everything else on top of the news of RTD's return, its possible they have just decided to let it die down first rather than make it seem like they were competing. }}

Good points.

Here's hoping there's a few more surprises to look forwards to (or react in crabbit rage to), for an era as divisive as Chibnall's it would be something of a shame it the final episode was a by the numbers damp squib, I'd rather something memorably crap rather than crap because it was so unremarkable.

{{ Far as I can tell its stuffed to the gills and we have to endure the longest ever Who episode at 90 minutes! Bloody BBC they didnt even give the 50th that long and that was when they had a good writer at the helm!!! But so far the Centenary seems to have, deep breath, Daleks, Cybermen and somehow cyberbloke the Master killed, the Master, the Ruth Doctor, UNIT, Ace, Tegan, and possibly Mel. And somewhere in all that they have to fit in Jodie and her regen story and presumably her love story with Yaz has to reach some sort of conclusion as she and Liverpool bloke, who has so little actual character I cant remember his name, are leaving too. Oh and the whole Timeless Child debacle needs some sort of resolution and the Division plot addressed.
So rather a lot, with my keen prediction being it will be an utter Chiballs mess.

On the plus side the people in charge of the classic bluray releases are doing sterling work, I really liked how they advertised the latest one, good job- }}

90 minutes. Yeeeeeey...

But I am glad it is coming to an end!

{{ Oh I forgot, as he's so forgetable Vinder and presumably pregnant girl from Flux are in the special too, somewhere in the melee of classic companions and the three biggest villains, Daleks, Cybermen and Master and everything else going on- I still fear they are somehow going to turn out to be the Doctors real parents. Which is info about the Doctor we should never, ever know. }}

Oh yes, those two as well. What a joy. I guess it would be too much to hope for that they are just reaaaaaaally excited about their tamagotchi pet because they are just so geeky and quirky thee-hee.

{{ Who news. RTD's return starting with the 60th will be a three part special. We already know Talalay is on board to direct at least part one, and now we know who is directing part 3- Tom Kinglsley, a BAFTA nominated director so it looks like RTD is continuing the trend of bringing back in quailty directors rather than Chibnal's choices of tv soap opera directors

Talking Chiballs his final episode the BBC Centenary special has a title- The Power of the Doctor. Presumably playing on the lost 2nd Doctor story title the Power of the Daleks. My expectations are at an all time low for this special, particularly as the only power the 13th Doctor has is to give preachy lectures with all the subtly of a sledgehammer to the ballsack.   }}

{{ Trailer and release date - oct 23rd for Jodies final episode.}}

Just that thumbnail picture alone makes me want to not view any of it, including the trailer.

23rd ey? So it will be over soon. That's positive at least.

{{ RTD talks messaging}}

He won't treat the viewers as idiots and he knows times and people have chaged. I am cautiously optimistic.

First the Jodie exit will happen and I will happily see her go. My silly nostalgic heart did jump from the little glimpse of 10s face.

{{ Only bit that worries me is when he says about the audience "now I have to listen to that audience".

I don't agree. Very few good things from trying to write for a specific group. Most good writing happens when the writer writes what they really want to, what makes them passionate, then you put it out there and hope enough other folk feel the same way about your ideas.
When you start trying to tailor or alter your writing to mee the expectations, or to please the demands of one group you risk diluting your work, alienating the rest of your audience, or at worse writing Rings of Power. }}

I was looking for glimmers of hope and heard him talking about writing for a smarter audience, not dumber.

{{ Its still writing 'for an audience' rather than writing what you want and hoping to find an audience, and I have concerns about such an approach, regardless of who the audience are. }}

We all know who his audience is, the loud gobbed ones on twitter who want diversity and representazione.

{{ Well in fairness RTD has always written to those aims anyway, its more a case of hoping he does so with tact, subtly, and with engaging and well written characters and plots.
Chibnal's problem was that the woke stuff was all there was- no good characters, no good plots, no good writing the Timeless Child nonsense is a good example, its a terrible idea that completely rewrites the shows history and fundementally alters the Doctor from just someone who wanted to do the right thing and to stand up and be counted, someone anyone could be in essence, to having to be someone super special and super important in the universe or you dont count, and the only reason for this terrible alteration was to be 'woke'- to undermine the Doctor having been white and male all this time, as if thats something inherently in itself that requires punishment and correction. }}