A Conversation for The h2g2 Doctor Who Group

Dr Who.

Post 561

Br Robyn Hoode - Navo - complete with theme tune

I suspect the latter... We know he has a wardrobe area and presumeably thee's somewhere for Donna's clothes too... Plus sleeping area...

I like his nifty 'console' sofa though... Like a car seat on playground springs smiley - biggrin


Dr Who.

Post 562

Ferrettbadger. The Renegade Master

On thebreaking news ticker or BBC.co.uk/news it says RTD is to step down. But no stary has yet appeared.


Dr Who.

Post 563

Ferrettbadger. The Renegade Master

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7411177.stm

And steven Moffatt to take over..... Oh happy days!!!!


Dr Who.

Post 564

Giford

Hmm, nervous.

RTD turned Who from a moribund ex-show into one of the hottest sci-fi shows worldwide. Yes, Season 4 has (to date) been below par, but long-time fans will remember that the show can get far, far worse.

That said, judging by the current list of writers, it's notable that every story Moffat has done (pending next week's two parter, obviously) has been a highlight of the season.

So it's a risk that we must all hope will pay off.

Gif smiley - geek


Dr Who.

Post 565

Ferrettbadger. The Renegade Master

Just to clarify....

My "Oh Happy Days" was in anticipation of getting Moffat, not getting rid of RTD.

A few gripes aside I have loved "new Who" and I am awfully greatful to Mr RTD for bringing back Who!!!

But I am really excited about Moffat being in charge.... smiley - nahnah


Dr Who.

Post 566

Just Bob aka Robert Thompson, plugging my film blog cinemainferno-blog.blogspot.co.uk

I'll be fascinated to see what changes he makes. Having said that, we've got a while to wait: RTD is doing the 3 specials over the next year before Moffat takes the controls for the next series. That would probably send it into 2010...


Dr Who.

Post 567

sigsfried

According to R4 it is 2010.


Dr Who.

Post 568

Mister Matty

I was just going to say, it's deffo 2010.

It's good news, of course. RTD's "vision" for the show was starting to feel a bit tired and many of the criticisms aimed at him are true.

I hope Moffat keeps the human-interest angle and the populist instinct Davies has shown whilst ditching the poorer stuff - the tiresome pop-culture references, the aping of US shows and the overly Earth-bound stories.

One thing I do worry is that Moffat might take the show too far from sci-fi and more into the realms of "Sapphire and Steel"-type telefantasy; his episodes have tended to edge towards that side of things. No bad thing in general but I'm not sure it'd be so good if the whole series was built around that vision. Moffat's tendency towards scarier and more chilling stories might alienate some younger viewers too.


Dr Who.

Post 569

Opticalillusion- media mynx life would be boring without hiccups

Have you heard this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7411177.stm


Dr Who.

Post 570

Mister Matty

smiley - laugh


Dr Who.

Post 571

Deb

I've only just caught up with 50-odd posts so sorry that I'm harking back a bit...

On the subject of the doc sorting out the cyanide, when he's finished didn't he make a comment about detoxing? I though that was the point of the ginger beer, anchovies & walnuts, getting rid of toxins rather than creating an antidote.

I did love this episode. I love Agatha Christie, I must have read most of her books at least twice. I also suspected the vicar right at the start cos in this type of thing it's often the least obvious person who "dunnit".

Deb smiley - cheerup


Dr Who.

Post 572

Alfster

Happy days are here again smiley - musicalnote

Caberet line up high kicking off stage left...smiley - magic


Dr Who.

Post 573

Bright Blue Shorts

Moffat has written my favourite episodes of the series (Blink, Girl in the Fireplace). On one of the Confidentials he states that the most scary monsters would be those without emotion which is why you have the gasmask child, the androids and the statues. Next week's episode is by Moffat and it's shadows; so keeping to his method.

As for alcohol, didn't Tennant drink alcohol when he got trapped at the party in 18th century France or was that a complete ruse to fool the androids. Could never quite decide.


Dr Who.

Post 574

Bright Blue Shorts

Right ... anyone for my storyarc theory?

I think we're all victims of misdirection ... remembering the "Daughter of London there is something on your back" prophecy ... I think Donna is going to turn out to be the 'villain' of the piece. Her presence was justified at the start of the series as being that she wanted to experience the excitement of travelling with the Doctor. But imagine if it was her who picked up the Master's ring that would provide a somewhat different yet legitimate motivation.

I've always felt that her character has changed from being dumb in the special to intelligent in this series. She has moments of arrogance where she gives The Doctor as good as she gets, or for example demands the UNIT guy gives her a salute. Wouldn't those be the sort of thing that someone carrying the spirit of the Master might require?

Anyone noticed the black ring that Donna wears on the middle finger of her right hand. She didn't have that in the Christmas special. It doesn't match the Master's ring but that could be because there's a jewel added to it.

More interestingly take another look at the Series trailer 3 ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WkOCp0eXsE ""He'll come back to save us and this time ... I'm gonna be be ready. Then just like that ... we'll be gone."

She's by a fire. Note how prominently the ring features at the end of it. Also listen to the words. Imagine if it were the Master talking. Listen to how she pronounces "The Doctor". Note how the final "We'll be gone" is not just Tate's voice.


Dr Who.

Post 575

Alfster

OOOooo well done Bright Blue Shorts. Though still not enough for me to want to keep watching it (I have avoided the last two episodes, T=teh Agatha Christie one and the not really Dr's Daughter). Though with two Moffats coming up.

Problem is I still don't like Tate amongst other things.


Dr Who.

Post 576

RadoxTheGreen - Retired

The Doctor temporarily rids himself of his Timelord DNA to become a human and nobody really questions it. He downs some walnuts, anchovies and a bottle of ginger beer to cure his alien anatomy and it sparks a major debate - hmmph.

RTD leaving? Well, he had out stayed his welcome anyway as far as I was concerned. He was fast becoming the new JNT (not good). Kudos to him for bringing the show back though.

Moffat? Excellent writer, doesn't mean he will be an excellent producer though. However, as one who was mentally scarred by the Troughton 'monster' era I thoroughly welcome the hope of Moffat turning the entire season into shows as scary as the Empty Child. Nothing wrong with going down the Sapphire and Steel route either, I'd love Who stories to be that tense. Next weeks 'Shadows' looks to have the promise of a show that will have kids across the land sleeping with the light on (note to self - buy shares in Powergen).

Yeah, the more I think about it, go for it. Scare the brats out of their wits Steve! Never did me any harm smiley - evilgrin


Dr Who.

Post 577

Just Bob aka Robert Thompson, plugging my film blog cinemainferno-blog.blogspot.co.uk

I hope they have less "Doctor does X" episodes. I remember seeing RTD saying that he tries to make every episode a blockbuster, and it seems he does a lot of them by throwing in a gimmick. "The Doctor meets Queen Victoria/Shakespeare/Dickens/Agatha Christie/his daughter", "Doctor goes to 1920s New York/pre-Revolutionary France/Pompeii/the end of time", "Doctor versus were-wolf/Satan/Daleks (over and over again)/ghosts". I want interesting story ideas, and this is one way of making them, but not the only one!


Dr Who.

Post 578

Giford

Moffat said: "I applied before but I got knocked back 'cos the BBC wanted someone else. Also I was seven."

smiley - laugh

Gif smiley - geek


Dr Who.

Post 579

Alfster

For us oldies...Moffat wrote Press-gang in the '80's & of course more recently Coupling.

He is very capable of putting together coherent stories and series. As he wrote these himself, rather than being a wroter of the odd episode, he has the knowledge of knwoing how to produce a programme.

And rememeber Verity Lambert who produced Dr Who was Moffats mother-in-law and was involved with Coupling as well so he's seen how it's done from the expert!


Dr Who.

Post 580

Alfster

<I hope they have less "Doctor does X" episodes. I remember seeing RTD saying that he tries to make every episode a blockbuster.

Blockbusters on a budget in 40minutes...which is always why I felt let down by his vision. They just never reached what they could be. Which one's do we remember? Blink, The Empty Child(big canvas of WW2 but not a 'blockbuster'), The Girl In The Fireplace(mixed reactions because you had to think abit about the plot) - all written by Moffat and none a blockbuster...no big-shooty scenes and not one big conglomerate company hiding aliens doing nerafarious things(the RTD staple plot line).

I did get fed up with sitting down and going 'Ah, this is the Dr does X' episode. Watch Coupling and you will see the incredible range of plot devices and techniques Moffat used to great effect in what was a romantic sit-com. Split-screens, the same scene shown from 3 differing view-points, Lou Gish tied to a bed...OK that just had a great effect on me(RIP Lousmiley - wah).


Key: Complain about this post