h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

oh, well, who was t'other fella I saw a few times in a Patrick-ish role?

Would have loved to see it live you lucky wotsit - although I remain unconvinced over Jeff/Oliver. I know he wasn't meant to be a direct replacement but there was a gap and he turned up - not bad in his way, but not Jeff.

So, a brief aside if I may.

It's become trendy to bash RTD on this thread. And sure, there are other writers who have been more consistent with their stories.

But let's not sell him short. He took a moribund TV series that had had one outing of note in nearly two decades and turned it into just about the most popular show on TV. He kept enough of the tradition to delight the longtime fans, but at the same time wiped the slate clean enough to attract a whole new generation (come on, how many of you couldn't name *a single one* of the sketches on Chris' link?). He attracted a big-name, serious actor to the role. He got in some blimmin' good writers. He discovered a washed-up pop songstress and turned her into a respected actress. He got a budget out of the BBC, and then he found someone who could do special effects convincingly on his budget.

And most of all... he turned a cheesy nostalgia-fest into some *bloody good TV*. The Missing Earth achieved a combination of viewing figures and audience appreciation that had jaws hitting desks in TV-land.

So yeah, sure, the episodes he wrote haven't been consistently great. Yes, he goes over the top. But anyone who starts to doubt what he achieved, go dig out your copy of the TV Movie and see what other producers ended up with. What's that? You didn't buy the DVD of the TV Movie?

I rest my case.

Gif

clears throat
in order
susan,barbra,dodo,polly,vitoria,zoe,liz shaw,jo grant,sara jane,leela,romana1,Romana2,nyssa,tegan,peri,mel,Ace,grace and rose

I was wondering how long before somebody felt the urge to do that.

you missed out cuthbert, dibble and grub

Giford


And it's equally terndy to say that any criticism of RTD is 'bashing' rather than pointing out some of the issues with his view of what Dr Who should be.



As some of us confirm when we point out issues...he brought it back and did a darn fine job.



Actually, Billie Piper was a trained actress before she got the Smash Hits 'gig' and record deal. She sort of got dragged into the singing and it wasn't a career plan. Though of course if she hadn't gone down thath path she probably would not have been in a position to be well-known enough to be seen for Dr Who. Though I have no doubt she would have been a good jobbing actor even if she hadn't hit the public stage so early.

< But anyone who starts to doubt what he achieved, go dig out your copy of the TV Movie and see what other producers ended up with. What's that? You didn't buy the DVD of the TV Movie?

I rest my case.>

It's also a shame about the TV movie as Paul Mcgann has made a great audio Dr Who and also with the right scripts so could Mcoy.

And I haven't bought any DVD's of the new seasons. I just don't feel the need to have them on tap as I personally only think there are just over half a dozen I would rewatch....not that the others are 'poor' just not rewatchable from my personal point of view.

"I just don't feel the need to have them on tap as I personally only think there are just over half a dozen I would rewatch....not that the others are 'poor' just not rewatchable from my personal point of view."

Wow ... now there is a topic in itself ... I'd rewatch about 80% of them ... especially any of the Steven Moffat stuff ... must have watched Blink about ten times now (which for me is a lot) ...

Blink is the one I look out for to rewatch. THough I still haven;t rewatched Girl In The Fireplace which is pure proper sci-fi and is superb.

Hi 3D,

I pretty much agree - I'm not denying RTD's flaws. I'm just saying that his contribution to Who is a *lot* more than writing a few scripts.

Yes, McGann was great - which just highlights how crepe everything else about the TV Movie was. Didn't know that about Piper, but my point remains - it was RTD's choice to bring her in, and it was not an obvious one. While some people got sick of her towards the end, she contributed to Who's success. Other producers might have picked an unknown, or *shudder* a Bonnie Langford.

Gif

If I was going to try and get someone into Dr Who who had never watched it before I reckon The Girl In The Fireplace would be the episode I'd choose to show them. However when this did happen the one that I picked was Human Nature as it was on iPlayer at the time, and because they'd said 'I probably won't like it but I'll watch it with you', and I knew that's a goodun, and a 2 parter, which really annoyed them as then they really wanted to know what happened and had to wait until the next week.

All of the Moffat episodes are watchable time and time again, and a few notable other ones are as well, Human Nature/Family of Blood being the one that instantly springs to my mind. I also always enjoy New Earth when it's on (I think that's the title, the one with DT and BP and Cassandra's back in the cat-nun hospital. All the body swapping stuff I find really fun). And the Idiot's Lantern as well. Gotta love the '50s.

Thinking about it, the Doctor/Rose chemistry did bring a lot to S2, but one of the things that I liked about The Girl In The Fireplace was that Mickey was there as well. It meant that the feelings between the Doctor and Renette weren't overshadowed by Rose being there all the time, which would probably have happened if she hadn't been showing Mickey around. It also helped out the plot quite well with them finding out things independently, like the Doctor working out when the droids were looking for while Mickey and Rose discover the body parts wired into the machinery. I really hope that S5 when it comes out (or is it technically S6?) has more than just a single companion at some point, I find I really like the dymanic when it's a group of travellers rather than just a pair of them, and it means that there's far less chance of any fancying going on, which if it pops up again runs a serious risk of making the show repeat itself after Rose and Martha.

I'd rewatch almost all of them once. The only one I can remember seeing in the BBC3 schedules and tuning in was 'Midnight' - if that's the name of the one in the little shuttle with the alien that 'mimics' people. Love that episode.

the re-runs are great... I don't exactly rush to watch them, but it's nice to know that they're there... especially when you consider the lack of other good stuff on at the moment...

A Torchwood re-run wouldn't go amiss either... but given what's happening between now and the 10th it could be a while...

Torchwood's being rerun quite a bit (both series) on other channels ('watch' and one other I think...).

Yay for monday!

There's also 3 radio plays on R4. One each tonight, tomorrow and Friday.

radio?

I think I've heard of that - big in the 40s wasn't it?

yeah, and it's been going strong ever since!

(will download Torchwood as soon as I get home...)

Know I might have missed peopel talking about it, but I'll ask anyway. Has anyone seen Torchwood re-runs on BBc anywhere? Know they sometimes show Dr Who on BBC3 but I've never seen Torchwood.

nah, they seem to have hived the reruns off to the Watch channel and sometimes one of the other ones too.

That's what I was thinking. Not fair since all I get are ads for Watch and don't get the actual channel. And it looks like it has some great stuff on too! Would've thought the BBC could've put Torchwood on BBc3 or 4 somtime though.