Television Doctor Who

lsd said:
Tennent is one of the best Doctors so it is worth staying at it . I was never that keen on Matt Smith but he was ok and Capaldi was excellent bar the storylines.

Have only seen a few of Jodie Whittakers and don't feel the need to watch any more . She seems ok but the writing is absolutely terrible and it just is not Doctor Who at all
Click to expand...
It's largely great until series 11.

Smith is the best Doctor since Tom B.
 
Yeah, the reason it is bad isn’t because the doctor is a woman. She’s a great actress but the storylines are poor and the writing is dogshit. I like the meaning behind some of the filler episodes but the writing is either cringe or stupid.

If we are being honest though, they don’t try to market for adults as much anymore. It’s mostly marketing to children. The difference before with that is even if it was marketed to children the writing was good enough and there were little bits that adults could enjoy.
 
lsd said:
Tennent is one of the best Doctors so it is worth staying at it . I was never that keen on Matt Smith but he was ok and Capaldi was excellent bar the storylines.

Have only seen a few of Jodie Whittakers and don't feel the need to watch any more . She seems ok but the writing is absolutely terrible and it just is not Doctor Who at all
Click to expand...
Tennent get my vote, he had some fanatic eps.
Girl in the Fireplace, Demon Planet , Satan Pit, to name only a few.
Smith was just behind him, i liked the River Song thread running though it all.
I enjoyed the 2 season of Jodie's
 
TheReligion said:
Is anyone familiar with the classic series in this thread?
Click to expand...
I'm 28 but I watched the old stuff when I was really young (Dad's influence) before the new series came out. Patrick Troughton and John Pertwee were quality, as were the Peter Cushing films.
 
luke511 said:
I'm 28 but I watched the old stuff when I was really young (Dad's influence) before the new series came out. Patrick Troughton and John Pertwee were quality, as were the Peter Cushing films.
Click to expand...

How do you view the new series in relation to that?

I kind of want the darker streak to feature again rather than the magical everything is okay in the end scenario. Classic who used to get the balance right.
 
TheReligion said:
How do you view the new series in relation to that?

I kind of want the darker streak to feature again rather than the magical everything is okay in the end scenario. Classic who used to get the balance right.
Click to expand...
The Eccleston and Tennant series had the right amount of darkness I reckon, having to leave Rose in a parallel universe or the master artificially aging the Doctor by 100 years into a withed old man for example, but I felt like the writing took a big turn during/after Smith and it got cringey, I lost interest after that.
 
TheReligion said:
Is anyone familiar with the classic series in this thread?
Click to expand...

Watched them all on Britbox recently and enjoyed them all to a degree .

Troughton and Pertwee were excellent but Tom Baker was the best in my opinion .

He just seemed born to be the Doctor and everything he did or said was perfect

I loved Eccleston and Tennant in the modern era but Baker will always be the best
 
luke511 said:
The Eccleston and Tennant series had the right amount of darkness I reckon, having to leave Rose in a parallel universe or the master artificially aging the Doctor by 100 years into a withed old man for example, but I felt like the writing took a big turn during/after Smith and it got cringey, I lost interest after that.
Click to expand...
The Capaldi final series was the darkest of any new Who I'd say. World Enough and Time especially.
RTD wrote some seriously dark stuff (Midnight, the toclafane arc, Turn Left, Waters of Mars) but it always turned out ok in the end.
 
lsd said:
Watched them all on Britbox recently and enjoyed them all to a degree .

Troughton and Pertwee were excellent but Tom Baker was the best in my opinion .

He just seemed born to be the Doctor and everything he did or said was perfect

I loved Eccleston and Tennant in the modern era but Baker will always be the best
Click to expand...
pauldyson1uk said:
I am a bit older than you, watched the classic ones, John was decent, Tom Baker was better, the Cushing films were good.
Click to expand...
Fingeredmouse said:
Very: to the extent it's embarrassing frankly.
Click to expand...

So what's your top 5 stories in classic Who and why? I'm curious!
 
Wow it's hard to think of ones off the top of my head as regards favourite stories

Planet of the Giants was good for the first Doctor

Troughton had so many episodes missing but The War Games was excellent

The Sea Devils with Pertwee

Baker gets 2 for me

Genesis of the Daleks and the Brain of Morbius .

As for companions

Ian and Barbara

Liz Shaw

Zoe

Sarah Jane

Melanie
 
I can remember an audio version of Genesis of the Daleks on a tape when I was a kid - it was so well written it beats the shit out of most subsequent episodes even without the video.

The bit about climbing up the rocket building is the bit that stands out most it was very well done - I didn't actually see the episode until after I had listened to it - if you are able to do it and have the time I would recommend it.

I suppose these days you can just stick the episode on and turn the picture off to try it - might be a mad suggestion but it really was something else.
 
lsd said:
Wow it's hard to think of ones off the top of my head as regards favourite stories

Planet of the Giants was good for the first Doctor

Troughton had so many episodes missing but The War Games was excellent

The Sea Devils with Pertwee

Baker gets 2 for me

Genesis of the Daleks and the Brain of Morbius .

As for companions

Ian and Barbara

Liz Shaw

Zoe

Sarah Jane

Melanie
Click to expand...

Some gems in here. Genesis is legendary and the most important Dalek origin story. I love the overlap and metaphor of the first world war.

I enjoyed The Mind Robber for Trougton.

The Cat said:
I can remember an audio version of Genesis of the Daleks on a tape when I was a kid - it was so well written it beats the shit out of most subsequent episodes even without the video.

The bit about climbing up the rocket building is the bit that stands out most it was very well done - I didn't actually see the episode until after I had listened to it - if you are able to do it and have the time I would recommend it.

I suppose these days you can just stick the episode on and turn the picture off to try it - might be a mad suggestion but it really was something else.
Click to expand...

Oh that scene is great. I haven't seen it in years but I do recall it clearly. As above a great serial.

Fingeredmouse said:
Web of Fear
City of Death
Caves of Androzani
Talons of Weng Chiang
Day of the Daleks

I'll state why when I'm sober!
Click to expand...

Very solid list although I'm surprised about Day of the Daleks. The rest seem to suggest you enjoy the atmospheric episodes. Ghost Light anyone?

I'll try and do my own list. I need to have a look through all of the serial names incase I forget any!
 
pauldyson1uk said:
What a let down, even with Capt Jack, this was the worst Special ever. How many times can they bring back Darleks and then destroy them !!
Click to expand...

At least once a series. They overused them to the point when you just cant take them seriously as a threat anymore.


Absolute meh special. Jack was there just seemingly to be there. The Doctor in prison was a great set up but way too rushed (although her forgetting The Silence was there every day was a nice touch).

Jodie has been fantastic (and even the companions have been pretty solid) but the stories themselves have been totally forgettable for the most part. I was already struggling with mustering enough enthusiam to watch it after the totally stupid Master recasting last year and then they go one better...... introducing John Bishop-feck right off.
 
I just wish they'd clear out the TARDIS and let Jodie go on her own. That John Bishop is joining is sickening. I can't stand him.
 
I stopped watching after Jodie’s first season as I found the companions extremely annoying & the storylines terrible. Tuned in for the special & it was awful.
 
Doesnt sound like its time to try the show again. I couldnt stand it after Matt Smith left, although I watched 1 or 2 with Jodie to see how it was and then never again
 
There's chat that next season is her last.

Although tbh I don't mind her, it's the storylines and the companions that aren't Bradley Walsh I haven't enjoyed.
 
I think it will do the show good to limit the companions. It's too much hard work to build up meaningful relationships between them and involves far too much repetition. A quick example would be in the special where the Doctor basically had to apologise to each one about disappearing and letting them down. Slowed things down and when you only have 45 minutes to an hour you can't be flitting between three different companions all the time AND start and end a story.

The set up works best with the Doctor +1 and that's how it should be for me.
 
A friend made a point about Doctor Who recently which I'd like to think isn't true, but may be...

Viewing figures have pretty steadily declined post Clara and River...which was the last time there was any romantic or sexual undertones between the Doctor and a companion. Even with Clara and Capaldi, you had Clara's love story with Danny Pink and the Doctor's dislike of him/potential underlying jealousy. Then the Doctors complicated relationship with River. Before that Rose, Martha and Amy there was always some romantic tension either reciprocated or not...

My friend thinks this is what has caused the drop in interest, as almost successful shows have some love story plot line. Now, I'd LIKE to think this isn't true as it's such a stupid thing and shouldn't be a necessary feature in a show about an alien travelling through all of time and space...but...do they have a point? Does the show need the Doctor to have a romantic story line for it to bring in the viewers?
 
Trequarista10 said:
A friend made a point about Doctor Who recently which I'd like to think isn't true, but may be...

Viewing figures have pretty steadily declined post Clara and River...which was the last time there was any romantic or sexual undertones between the Doctor and a companion. Even with Clara and Capaldi, you had Clara's love story with Danny Pink and the Doctor's dislike of him/potential underlying jealousy. Then the Doctors complicated relationship with River. Before that Rose, Martha and Amy there was always some romantic tension either reciprocated or not...

My friend thinks this is what has caused the drop in interest, as almost successful shows have some love story plot line. Now, I'd LIKE to think this isn't true as it's such a stupid thing and shouldn't be a necessary feature in a show about an alien travelling through all of time and space...but...do they have a point? Does the show need the Doctor to have a romantic story line for it to bring in the viewers?
Click to expand...

Whilst there are many reasons for the shows decline, not least the fact that Chris Chibnall is a hack, the romantic undercurrent is definitely a key element in the success of the revived show. Doctor Who became more successful than ever before by incorporating more traditional drama elements designed to appeal to a non sci fi audience and the romantic undercurrent was a large part of that. More recent seasons have dropped a lot of the generic traits that attracted a broader family audience and unsurprisingly as a result the show has become more niche, not helped by the excessive amounts of fan service which only appeal to and make sense to the anoraks who have watched every episode. Russell very deliberately avoided a lot of the shows lore back in Season 1 and shifted the emphasis on to the companion and her wider life and this won over a mass audience, returning to something like this would be the shows best bet for regaining lost audience share.
 
Gandalf said:
Whilst there are many reasons for the shows decline, not least the fact that Chris Chibnall is a hack, the romantic undercurrent is definitely a key element in the success of the revived show. Doctor Who became more successful than ever before by incorporating more traditional drama elements designed to appeal to a non sci fi audience and the romantic undercurrent was a large part of that. More recent seasons have dropped a lot of the generic traits that attracted a broader family audience and unsurprisingly as a result the show has become more niche, not helped by the excessive amounts of fan service which only appeal to and make sense to the anoraks who have watched every episode. Russell very deliberately avoided a lot of the shows lore back in Season 1 and shifted the emphasis on to the companion and her wider life and this won over a mass audience, returning to something like this would be the shows best bet for regaining lost audience share.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. I wonder how they'd play it with the female Doctor, what's her type!

Gotta say though, I've rewatched virtually every episode in the past year, and the Rose stuff was a bit creepy, I'm not sure they'd get away with that now. An 800 year old super smart alien portrayed by a 40 year old actor falling in love with a 19 year old human (who had a boyfriend too), very strange.
 
Trequarista10 said:
I think you're right. I wonder how they'd play it with the female Doctor, what's her type!

Gotta say though, I've rewatched virtually every episode in the past year, and the Rose stuff was a bit creepy, I'm not sure they'd get away with that now. An 800 year old super smart alien portrayed by a 40 year old actor falling in love with a 19 year old human (who had a boyfriend too), very strange.
Click to expand...

Added to that just look at the way the boyfriend, a young black man, is treated and spoken about in those first two seasons. I know it was not intentional but rewatching it in 2021 it makes you cringe.
 
I wonder who picks the new Doctor if they are introduced at the end of the season with Chibnall being in charge?

Hopefully Davis is in charge of that decision and in my opinion Tom Ellis would be excellent
 
Mickeza said:
Russell is back! Maybe some of the viewers will come back with him…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58682472
Click to expand...
I hope so, u gave up after half of jodies first season, it was atrocious
lsd said:
I wonder who picks the new Doctor if they are introduced at the end of the season with Chibnall being in charge?

Hopefully Davis is in charge of that decision and in my opinion Tom Ellis would be excellent
Click to expand...
Tom Ellis would be frigging awesome.
 
I am just ready for Jodie"s turn to be done. I enjoyed her at first, just as I did when Peter became the Doctor, but with both runs, the writing just got dull. Both great actors but given crap to work with. I hope Davies has a good writing team lined up.
 
lsd said:
Watched them all on Britbox recently and enjoyed them all to a degree .

Troughton and Pertwee were excellent but Tom Baker was the best in my opinion .

He just seemed born to be the Doctor and everything he did or said was perfect

I loved Eccleston and Tennant in the modern era but Baker will always be the best
Click to expand...

I live quite close to Tom Baker and have seen him out and about a number of times.

A few years back I was in Tesco at the back of a very long queue and he was about ten places ahead of me. Suddenly out of nowhere his loud booming voices shouted out “YOUNG LADY CAN YOU OPEN ANOTHER TILL PLEASE? I MAY BE A TIME LORD, BUT I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WASTE!!”

Crazy as a box of frogs, but what a legend!
 
Was never a fan of Chibnall's writing, because he had all the subtlety of a truck smashing into a brick wall. The Rosa Parks episode could have been amazing but instead it came across as hammy because he doesn't know how to weave social commentary with actual storytelling. It also didn't help that the characters seemed to be defined purely by whatever single trait Chibnall decided they would represent. And the "fam" stuff, where the dialogue and actions of what should've been just one companion was awkwardly split between three folk who would stand about saying nothing whilst they waited for their turn? Fecking hell. Also, Jodie deserves way better than having to say "OH!" and widen her eyes every thirty seconds.
 
Trequarista10 said:
A friend made a point about Doctor Who recently which I'd like to think isn't true, but may be...

Viewing figures have pretty steadily declined post Clara and River...which was the last time there was any romantic or sexual undertones between the Doctor and a companion. Even with Clara and Capaldi, you had Clara's love story with Danny Pink and the Doctor's dislike of him/potential underlying jealousy. Then the Doctors complicated relationship with River. Before that Rose, Martha and Amy there was always some romantic tension either reciprocated or not...

My friend thinks this is what has caused the drop in interest, as almost successful shows have some love story plot line. Now, I'd LIKE to think this isn't true as it's such a stupid thing and shouldn't be a necessary feature in a show about an alien travelling through all of time and space...but...do they have a point? Does the show need the Doctor to have a romantic story line for it to bring in the viewers?
Click to expand...
The absolutely tragic standard of writing hasn't helped
 
Mr Pigeon said:
Was never a fan of Chibnall's writing, because he had all the subtlety of a truck smashing into a brick wall. The Rosa Parks episode could have been amazing but instead it came across as hammy because he doesn't know how to weave social commentary with actual storytelling. It also didn't help that the characters seemed to be defined purely by whatever single trait Chibnall decided they would represent. And the "fam" stuff, where the dialogue and actions of what should've been just one companion was awkwardly split between three folk who would stand about saying nothing whilst they waited for their turn? Fecking hell. Also, Jodie deserves way better than having to say "OH!" and widen her eyes every thirty seconds.
Click to expand...
Chibnall was certainly the problem. I had feared this after the utter shower of effluent that is "Cyberwoman" on Torchwood.
I'd like to have seen Jodie under a decent showrunner but it looks like she's gone too.
Lydia West seems to be the front runner.
 
Last edited:
I personally think Jodie was undone by her demographic Tardis. She had to share scenes with dull companions who didn’t even offer Waterhouse amusement (yes I’m old).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.