Re: Doctor Who [7]

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:30 pm

Interesting that is an RTD/Moffat plan they cooked up when Peter was cast in both Who and Torchwood.
It ties in with them having cooked up other seemingly very long game plan I mentioned previously, with Bad Wolf possibly being another.

Ive loved Moffat era Who, best since Classic, and more consistent than any single series of classic I can think of.

"Moffat's tenure as showrunner has made more or less a clean break with Torchwood"- Malick

Not sure thats true- the last series of Torchwood pretty much went off on it own way. With the events in it seemingly not happening in the Who universe. (That and it was bloody awful). I think Torchwood left Who, not the other way around.

by Mrs Figg Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:44 pm

'Ive loved Moffat era Who, best since Classic, and more consistent than any single series of classic I can think of'

Moffat certainly was consistent with Classic, when assistants ran round in miniskirts and not much else to do.

by malickfan Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:47 pm

I like both Moffat and Davies, but I'm really a casual fan of Who with only a grasp on the basics of the classic era.

Davies I think was better with Humour and characterisation than Moffat, and his story arcs were certainly better thought out and more dramatic than Moffat IMO. Although Davies more or less introduced me to the show, I can certainly recognise his weaknesses-Rose (got she got annoying) and her pining over an increasing morose whiny Doctor turned into a bad episode of eastenders, Farting Aliens, over reliance on the sonic screwdriver etc, and Too Many Daleks!!!.

Although Davies series had a better overall quality and consistency IMO, most of his bad episodes were truy absymale-Voyage of The Dammed and The End of Time were awful awful awful, and even to my newbie eyes It never truly felt like Doctor Who, a soap opera with elements of who thrown in.

Moffat on the other hand, I like the darker more mature turn his tenure has given us, the use of more than 2 companions, the alines he has created and the emphasis on more complex storylines (even if they are a bit dragged out). But I hate that Soggy River woman (Moffat's females are a bit uncomfortable) and never really warmed to Smith, and I also feel that some of the storylines under his tenure are too messy or quikcly resolved for their own good.

Personally I'd rather have Moffat return after he steps down than Davies, as at least Moffat seemed very sincere in making a striaght sci fi show, Davies on the other hand came across as a more casul fan and frankly less inventive writer.

But personally I'm hoping Paul Cornell or Toby Whitehouse gets a shot as showrunner soon.

by Mrs Figg Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:54 pm

I really can't stand Moffats female characters and the labyrinthine timey wimey plots are fucking annoying. For a casual viewer its easy to loose the plotlines under layers of wtf just happened. I think he tries too hard to be clever at the expense of character and storyline. I never got the soap opera bit about RTD, the soap opera of Amy/River/Rory was far worse, it was like Eastenders in Space.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Sep 28, 2013 6:04 pm

'The BBC will be showing "stings" for the forthcoming anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor tonight, the official site announced earlier today.
Revealing the ident and hashtag that will be used for the story, they will be shown on BBC One immediately before and after Atlantis - the BBC's new fantasy drama - which starts at 8.25pm.'- Gallifrey Base

"Davies I think was better with Humour and characterisation than Moffat"

They have very different writing styles. RTD's tv shows have always been at heart, kitchen sink dramas, which revolve around the characters.

Moffat is more broad strokes than that, allowing for a much wider universe for the characters to inhabit, but putting less focus on the characters themselves.

I disagree with you Malick on 11, perhaps because I know classic Who as well as NuWho and there are so many bits of Smiths Doctor that resonate with earlier incarnations.
He is the first of the NuWho Doctors for me to capture that eccentric, unpredictable alien for me, whom we get tricked into thinking of as human until he does something that suddenly, and starkly reminds us he is not and operates on quite a different moral code.
Both Eccelstone and Tennant were just like blokes that were really cool and super smart and had a TARDIS.
Smith for me is an alien.

I do agree however that when episodes in the RTD era were bad, they were really bad, and there is quite a lot of them, voyage of the damned, the one with the flying double decker bus, fear her, love and monsters, giant cyberking stomping about London, the list goes on and on.

Even in episodes that have brilliant moments of Who- such as the Doctor/Donna episode, is ruined by the ridiculousness of the overall plot and the sight of the TARDIS towing the earth through space whilst they all have a schmaltz fest onboard. Some of the most cringe worthy Who ever committed to tv, and yet it also has the brilliant exchange between Davros and the Doctor, the moving sacrifice of the exPM, and the heartbreaking ending to Donna's character arc in the same episode.

There are very few RTD era episodes I can watch from start to finish and not dislike large parts of as much as I like other parts. They are a bit all over the place in quality for me. And most of the episodes I really like from the RTD era were penned by Moffat , Empty Child.Girl in the Fireplace/Blink with Family of Blood and Midnight being the exceptions.

by malickfan Sat Sep 28, 2013 6:15 pm

Well I haven't actually watched series 6 yet (simply couldn't be arsed) so I guess I can't exactly put up a good case for moffat, though I did enjoy series five and 7b alot.

You may have a point about emphais on timey wimey , but in his defenese most of the plots and characters Davies wrote were so cheesy or simplisitc it just felt like ticking the box middling family entertainment, rather than ticking the boxes of Doctor Who.

And Petty very good points-I'm not really the best person to comment I guess!

I never said Smith was bad I just never really liked his doctor , and he is still too young IMO (I have similar opinions about Richard Armitage as Thorin-that kicks up a shit storm over at TORn! or 'Thorin Oooh Really Nice as it should be called).

I agree about Midnight-love the episode, along with The Waters of Mars real plesant surprise coming from Davies.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Sep 28, 2013 10:25 pm

I'm not really the best person to comment I guess!- Malick

Not having watched classic Who is not a perequisite to being able to comment on modern, so please dont feel that in any way hinders you.
But I do recommend some classic Who as it can often increase enjoyment of an episode on top of what is on the surface- a good example is the Snowmen xmas episode,

Spoiler:

Seems didnt miss much- at least I know what 'stings' means now in this contect- 'next to nothing' -

Fortunately there is a trailer on the way, according to the official BBC Who site it is currently in post production.

by Pettytyrant101 Mon Sep 30, 2013 10:06 am

When we caught up with Moffat last weekend we asked him, "Do you feel like you owe viewers some closure on the big questions, like who blew up the TARDIS? Or what the Silence was up to?"
And he responded, "Well, we are going to do it all. It's going to end at Christmas. Yeah, [there will be closure]. But 'owe them'? I don't know about 'owing.' But yeah, there's a plan, and we will end the Eleventh Doctor's run with the answers to some of those questions." -io6

by Pettytyrant101 Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:08 pm

Back in July BBC Worldwide announced its intention to take the broadcast of the 50th Anniversary special, The Day of The Doctor, worldwide. Today, it was announced that so far some 75 countries have signed up to make the broadcast a global phenomenon, which as well as the USA (BBC America), Canada (SPACE) and Australia (ABC), also includes places in Europe that currently show the series such as Germany (FOX) and Finland (YLE), and worldwide through the BBC Entertainment channel. Other networks are expected to be announced in due course.
In addition, over 200 cinemas around the United Kingdom are set to simulcast the episode, many of which will broadcast the adventure in 3D.
Tim Davie, chief executive of BBC Worldwide, said:
Few TV shows can still lay claim to being appointment viewing but Doctor Who takes this to another level. In its 50th anniversary year, we wanted to create a truly international event for Doctor Who fans in as many countries as possible and the simultaneous broadcast and cinema screening of the special across so many countries will make for a fitting birthday tribute to our Time Lord.
- Gallifrey Base

by Mrs Figg Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:12 pm

lets hope its not all hype and no knickers

by Pettytyrant101 Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:27 pm

Well we should get a trailer soonish, that will give some idea.

Im still more excited, and a hell of a lot more hopeful, about this than TH.

by Mrs Figg Wed Oct 02, 2013 11:49 am

yes me too, but if things are hyped out of proportion its always a let down. For example, I was really excited to watch the Gaiman episode, 'Nightmare in Silver' but I was very disappointed. It was dull as ditchwater.

by Pettytyrant101 Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:16 pm

Another minisode- same cap picture and sound quality as before-

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 7:34 am

Moffat talks 50th special (not really spoilery, no episode details, its more about intent behind it and direction of it- but spoilered for those who want no info at all)

Spoiler:

by Mrs Figg Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:34 pm

“My intent was to move it forward, to have a show that’s equally about the next fifty years of Doctor Who. Attaching the word fifty to anything… I almost tried to rip the logo off saying ‘Why is that good?! That show you’re watching is really old!’ Why is that a good thing to say?

what a dick

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:05 pm

I dont see how that makes him a dick- it seems a very valid question for a writer to ask- this show is 50 years old, what is it about it that means I am still watching? If you can work the answer to that out you can keep it going for the next 50.

by malickfan Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:35 pm

Incidently does anyone else know about the leak about Hurt's character? (It's rather obvious when you think about it)

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:37 pm

Ive read a variety of things, none of which seem like true leaks to me, or definite, more educated speculation. Feel free to post what you heard, just remember to put in spoilers.

by malickfan Sat Oct 05, 2013 8:58 pm

Spoiler about John Hurt's character:

by Mrs Figg Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:11 pm

Pettytyrant101 wrote:I dont see how that makes him a dick- it seems a very valid question for a writer to ask- this show is 50 years old, what is it about it that means I am still watching? If you can work the answer to that out you can keep it going for the next 50.

He was not asking a question, but making a judgement about the history of the show. Its great because its 50 years old, why the fuck would he want to deny that strong selling point? Why would he want to rip it out? its bizarre.

''Attaching the word fifty to anything… I almost tried to rip the logo off saying ‘Why is that good?! That show you’re watching is really old!'' Moffat.

Its good because for 50 years people have loved the show, Moffat is a dick.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:31 pm

I dont think it is great because its 50 years old, its great because people want to watch it. Thats whats important and thats what Moffats is saying -the 50th shouldnt feel like a retrospective of Who, it should be a big enough event in the Doctors story to justify itself- the story should be anniversary sized, rather then the episode just being an anniversary one that looks back over the shows history.

Try watching the previous anniversary episodes to see why looking back is not necessarily always a good thing to do.

I also dont think he is denying its history, certainly the BBC havent been or Moffat in interviews.
And given Moffat already sprinkled some nostalgia on the season finale and the presence of 10 and Rose in the special, and the fact Moffat has referenced the classic series more than any other writer (who else would have made a xmas special a prequel to a 2nd Doctor story you cant even watch as no copies of it still exist?- now thats one for the fans) I dont think he is dismissing anything.

by Mrs Figg Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:44 pm

the Whole point of the 50th anniversary is to celebrate 50 years of Who, whats the problem? whats with the prevaricating. sounds like a load of flim flam to me.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:46 pm

He thinks, and I agree, the best way to celebrate 50 years of the show is to do an episode thats not about the show navel gazing at itself, but to do an episode that's important to and about the Doctor himself.
Whats always been best about Who is its story telling, thats what saw it triumph despite often terrible effects, costumes and sets.
So the Anniversary episode should be a celebration of Who, not a celebration about Who.

by Mrs Figg Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:50 pm

whatever. you would defend him no matter what rubbish he spouts.

by Pettytyrant101 Sat Oct 05, 2013 11:54 pm

Well think about it, what would you have instead? Half the classic Doctors are dead, Tom Baker and Colin Baker are the size of small houses. If you fill it full of references to long gone companions and places most of your audience who have grown up on Nuwho wouldn't care or know what its about.
It has to be about more than the last 50 years.