bbc [Official] Doctor Who Thread

[+mram Subscriber²]

On 14/05/2024 at 09:31, FloatingFatMan said:

Yeah, not once did I mention that in any way, but zero points for trying, really...   

While my post was replying to you, it was in no way referring to only you on all elements.  There are a few on this thread who refer to Who as being "woke".  As if suddenly people started being gay in the last few years, and Who shouldn't refer to them.  And being overtly sensitive to that, almost as if they should stay in the back of the bus............. politely ignored, obfuscated, marginalized, etc.  We shouldn't be so sensitive to these points, amirite? 

Thats why I mentioned it.  Mostly people cite your message of "too much change, I'm out" along with specific elements that triggered them. 

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I personally liked the two episodes.

I loved the throwback to how the Doctor activated Rose's phone up on a space station, with a view, to call her mother, way back in the day.

[+mram Subscriber²]

On 14/05/2024 at 09:24, Good Bot, Bad Bot said:

I totally agree on why they did the whole bi-regeneration thing...a backup plan. No confidence in the new direction or Disney. I would sign up for another stint of David Tenant in a heartbeat but if went back to the original Doctor but it doesn't have to be Tenant as he could be around just long enough to regenerate.

It's not a backup plan.  At all.  Conspiracy theory.

Ncuti is not a gloom and doom machine.  That's just not his style.  Sure, he can be sad, angry, manic, but his status quo delivery is really super positive.

To carry forward the Doctor self-persecuting engine from the last decade to Ncuti is just wrong.  And as a story element it (the bigeneration twist) worked perfectly.  Tennant's Doctor is rediscovering life and happiness.  Ncuti is realizing it.

Ncuti is literally already filming the next season.  he's already had more than some Doctors.  So, cmon... he's nailing it.

[+Good Bot, Bad Bot Subscriber¹]

On 14/05/2024 at 12:53, mram said:

It's not a backup plan.  At all.  Conspiracy theory.

Ncuti is not a gloom and doom machine.  That's just not his style.  Sure, he can be sad, angry, manic, but his status quo delivery is really super positive.

To carry forward the Doctor self-persecuting engine from the last decade to Ncuti is just wrong.  And as a story element it worked perfectly.  Tennant's Doctor is rediscovering life and happiness.  Ncuti is realizing it.

Ncuti is literally already filming the next season.  he's already had more than some Doctors.  So, cmon... he's nailing it.

Thanks for setting me straight as I didn't realize you were a producer on the series but thanks for giving us the inside scoop on that. LOL I understand the plot device for the bi-regeneration but it seems obvious to me they wanted to hang on to the "original Doctor". Sorry but I can not care for the new Doctor or the direction of the show. I am a long time fan here (Tom Baker first Doctor) and have watched most of the episodes of the whole run except the Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy eras where I have watched few of the episodes have no plans to do so. I was not overly excited about the Doctor as a woman but watched them and while Jodie Winker was a fine Doctor her era was a victim of really poor writing (and some poor companions). So far i don't care much for this Doctor and the reboot of the show and how much I watch remains to be seen. 

I have no idea what the filming of the second season has to do with anything.

[branfont]

"Doctor Who's New Villains Reveal the Show's Latest Challenge":

"Doctor Who" returns this week with a pair of promising, if uneven, Russell T. Davies-penned episodes: "Space Babies" and "The Devil's Chord." One is a simple spaceship-set adventure, the other a stylish twist on a standard trip into the past. While "Space Babies" features a fairly straightforward monster in keeping with plenty of The Doctor's past villains, though, "The Devil's Chord" introduces Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), a physical embodiment of music itself and one of the "legions" whose arrival was teased by Neil Patrick Harris' Toymaker in "The Giggle."

A transcendental being capable of bending reality to their will, Maestro is one of the most formidable villains that "Doctor Who" has ever introduced, and Monsoon's charismatic, scenery-chewing performance as the character only makes them seem all the more imposing. However, while Maestro is responsible for all of the most memorable moments in "The Devil's Chord," their presence also results in the episode making what is a pretty rare mistake for "Doctor Who."

Maestro's first scene in "The Devil's Chord," in which they suck all of the musical life out of an unassuming 20th-century composer's soul, is absurd and terrifying in all the right ways. The same goes for the villain's chilling, first quasi-confrontation with The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa). These scenes, notably, mine most of their power out of Monsoon's physicality as Maestro and some uncanny staging techniques. Unfortunately, Maestro's scenes from that point on only become more and more outsized until the sheer spectacle of them overwhelms everything else.

 

https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/doctor-who-villains-challenge-disney-budget

[branfont]

"BBC Doctor Who fans label new series 'woke' and 'unwatchable' as viewer ratings drop":

BBC fans have been left divided over the new series of "Doctor Who," with some loyal viewers branding the show as 'woke' and 'unwatchable.' The 14th season of the long-running fantasy series returned to our screens this month.

"Sex Education" star Ncuti Gatwa started his travels as the Fifteenth Doctor alongside new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Over the weekend, there was a double bill as fans were treated to two episodes ahead of the Eurovision Grand Final.

Fans were also introduced to some new villians, including American drag artist Jinkx Monsoon who played The Maestro character in the second episode. There were also a number of cameos made by some familiar "Strictly Come Dancing" stars.

Following its return, fans watching at home have reacted online to the new series. One person slammed: "After the cast and crew told the old #DoctorWho fans to stop watching in favour of the 'modern audience', the current season's 2-episode premiere received the lowest overnight ratings in the show's HISTORY!!! #RIPDoctorWho."

 

https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1898937/doctor-who-bbc-ratings-drop-new-series

[FloatingFatMan]

On 16/05/2024 at 05:48, branfont said:

"BBC Doctor Who fans label new series 'woke' and 'unwatchable' as viewer ratings drop":

BBC fans have been left divided over the new series of "Doctor Who," with some loyal viewers branding the show as 'woke' and 'unwatchable.' The 14th season of the long-running fantasy series returned to our screens this month.

"Sex Education" star Ncuti Gatwa started his travels as the Fifteenth Doctor alongside new companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Over the weekend, there was a double bill as fans were treated to two episodes ahead of the Eurovision Grand Final.

Fans were also introduced to some new villians, including American drag artist Jinkx Monsoon who played The Maestro character in the second episode. There were also a number of cameos made by some familiar "Strictly Come Dancing" stars.

Following its return, fans watching at home have reacted online to the new series. One person slammed: "After the cast and crew told the old #DoctorWho fans to stop watching in favour of the 'modern audience', the current season's 2-episode premiere received the lowest overnight ratings in the show's HISTORY!!! #RIPDoctorWho."

 

https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1898937/doctor-who-bbc-ratings-drop-new-series

What do they expect, after Gatwa literally told people to stop watching and go touch grass instead? The BBC should have come down on him like a ton of bricks for saying that...

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

It's rather fitting that RTD brought the show back from the ether so it seems like it's going to be him who kills it again. 

This show is supposed to be sci-fi for all the family, kids included, he's turned it into some kind of inclusivity checking Drag show, I don't mind inclusivity if it's realistic but every second person on this series has specifically mentioned a gay relationship, 2 out of the 3 episodes have included or ended in a musical number, what the...

 

The stories have been amateurish to say the least, at least the effects have been pretty damn good, probably thanks to the larger budget supported by Disney.

 

They really need to bring some clever science fiction back instead of the universe-trotting hen night nonsense or it's going to die a death.

[David B.]

A villain pops up that takes all the joyful music from the entire world. Any "music" left is dark and depressing stuff nobody really wants to hear.

What would you expect to happen if the heroes got the joyful music back? How could people not see the musical bit coming?

Stop complaining about Disney making it "woke". They have zero say in what RTD does. He's made that more than clear any chance he can get. They have the distribution rights and that's it.

All I've seen is classic RTD style writing, but somehow people see "woke garbage". A good chunk of the people that complain aren't even real fans. Question them on details of the show and it becomes apparent they haven't watched it as much as they imply. Ignorant fools jumping on a bandwagon.

[BritBronco]

Great episode today. My little 8 year old loved it, even hiding her eyes when she got scared. Told her how i used to hide behind a chair when i was her age.

[margrave]

Just watched it. I think this was the best of this season so far. I do think they're getting better each time.

[margrave]

Ok.... this last episode made me feel lost.

 

Not 100% sure what happened.

[Steven P. Administrators]

Millie Gibson carried the episode so well, really loving her as a companion.

[WiltshireHam]

I got 10 minutes into the first episode of this season then gave up, I just have no enthusiasm for it any more.

[Brandon H Supervisor]

This last episode was wild. Took me a while till I fully realized what was going on, but I had unknowingly called it right away when the Doctor disappeared 😅

[Steven P. Administrators]

On 26/05/2024 at 16:53, Brandon H said:

This last episode was wild. Took me a while till I fully realized what was going on, but I had unknowingly called it right away when the Doctor disappeared 😅

Spoiler

Only thing I didn't get, is if the old woman was Ruby, what did she say to all those people that ran away? And what was the message she kept trying to give young Ruby (same arm and hand movements).

It was definitely a weird episode, and sometimes with Who I feel like you just have to accept the weird, sometimes it doesn't feel like there was or even had to be a logical reason for the whole exercise. 

[margrave]

Dot, and Bubble.

 

Lots in that episode that reflect the world for sure.

 

Such a GREAT performace by Ncuti too. I could feel the frustration he was showing at the end.

 

Deep.

[branfont]

On 05/06/2024 at 10:04, margrave said:

Dot, and Bubble.

It would've made a great "Black Mirror" episode with some minor changes.

[Guest DewThePDX]

On 05/06/2024 at 09:04, margrave said:

Dot, and Bubble.

 

Lots in that episode that reflect the world for sure.

 

Such a GREAT performace by Ncuti too. I could feel the frustration he was showing at the end.

 

Deep.

I love that the frustration and hurt wasn't for himself either. It could have been.

 

No. He was frustrated that regardless of their repulsive views that they wouldnt just let him save them. Hurt that they wouldn't even listen.

[BritBronco]

I

On 05/06/2024 at 12:25, DewThePDX said:

I love that the frustration and hurt wasn't for himself either. It could have been.

 

No. He was frustrated that regardless of their repulsive views that they wouldnt just let him save them. Hurt that they wouldn't even listen.

It was also the first part the Ncuti filmed. Not a bad first run at the Doctor.

[PsYcHoKiLLa]

On 05/06/2024 at 17:04, margrave said:

Dot, and Bubble.

 

Lots in that episode that reflect the world for sure.

 

Such a GREAT performace by Ncuti too. I could feel the frustration he was showing at the end.

 

Deep.

Apparently that was his first episode to film and the end was his first scene. Glad we're finally getting to actual stories and not just a series of Moulin Rouge episodes.

[margrave]

/shurg

 

Who knew cosplay could/would be deadly?! Learn something new everyday.

[branfont]

Seriously, is RTD trying to kill "Doctor Who"?

[BritBronco]

On 11/06/2024 at 17:55, branfont said:

Seriously, is RTD trying to kill "Doctor Who"?

Nope.

[FloatingFatMan]

On 12/06/2024 at 02:14, BritBronco said:

Nope.

The ratings disagree with you.