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Doctor Who: The Flux
Dec. 8th, 2021 08:49 pmSo Doctor Who's 'Flux' mini-series has finished, and my overall verdict is…entertaining nonsense. Entertaining in that I mostly enjoyed watching the series, certainly more than I enjoyed the last two seasons, nonsense in that if you pause to examine almost any element of it in any depth whatsoever, the whole thing falls apart like a house of cards in a storm.
This, of course, is nothing new for Doctor Who, and the same critique can be made of a great many other episodes and story arcs over the years. They all tend to wear their flaws a bit differently, though, from era to era and from writer to writer.
Part of me is tempted to just draw a line under the sentences above and leave it there, but another part of me wants to at least try to delve into the pros and cons of the series in more detail. Maybe I'll just ramble on a bit (okay, a lot – I'll put it all under a cut to spare your f-lists!) and see how I get on.
( Read more )
This, of course, is nothing new for Doctor Who, and the same critique can be made of a great many other episodes and story arcs over the years. They all tend to wear their flaws a bit differently, though, from era to era and from writer to writer.
Part of me is tempted to just draw a line under the sentences above and leave it there, but another part of me wants to at least try to delve into the pros and cons of the series in more detail. Maybe I'll just ramble on a bit (okay, a lot – I'll put it all under a cut to spare your f-lists!) and see how I get on.
( Read more )
Doctor Who – early thoughts
Nov. 8th, 2021 10:31 amSo we've had two episodes now of this year's heavily serialized six-episode Doctor Who mini-series. It's still early days to offer commentary on the overarching plot, but in terms of substance and structure…I'm surprised to say that I'm really enjoying the season, so far.
( Read more )
( Read more )
So Rusty is coming back to Doctor Who! Who'd have ever believed it?
Interesting news. Very, very interesting. And exciting! For a while there it was starting to look as if there wouldn't be any Doctor Who for the 60th anniversary, as if the show might even be rested for a few years, but now we know there is a plan in place. And that plan involves a safe pair of hands, a highly acclaimed TV writer who already knows the show and the Whoniverse inside out.
Now, I'll admit, I don't agree with every creative decision Davies made during his first stint in charge of the show, although I understand why those choices were made in that context. He wrote his fair share of train wrecks! And, whichever way you look at it, this is a backwards step that doesn't exactly suggest a show brimming with confidence in the current status quo. Which is a fair assessment, really. The show has definitely struggled to maintain momentum since Davies left, its popularity waning under Moffat and then nosediving under Chibnall. It has been in real trouble, which is why its future seemed to be in doubt.
But, you know, if you're going to take a backward step, this is the way to go about it and also make it a strong forward step! They've not simply rehired an old producer, they've hired one of the best producers in the modern television industry. Multiple award winning Russell T Davies is an excellent dramatic writer, a forward-thinker with a passion for Doctor Who and a knack for strong character studies. Having him back, if only for a little while, is brilliant news.
The BBC, obviously, are hoping to re-capture the magic of the show's initial relaunch, back in 2005, when everything about Doctor Who felt fresh and exciting, like capturing lightning in a bottle. Davies made Doctor Who a cultural, commercial ratings smash, out of nothing, and now that the show is in the doldrums the BBC understandably wants to revitalise it. Davies, meanwhile, has spent the last 12 years honing his skills as a writer, growing in life experience and perspective, and no doubt coming up with all kinds of new ideas to take the show forward into a bright new future. I'm excited to see what those ideas involve, in a way that I have never felt excited about Chibnall's Doctor Who. Or Moffat's, for that matter. No doubt it will involve another soft reboot, Davies is highly unlikely to return to the show simply to retread old ground, and that's good. This is a show that thrives on change – and there is certainly plenty of baggage accumulated over the past 16 years that I'd be more than happy to quietly brush under the carpet and move on from!
I do think it's kind of a shame Jodie Whittaker is leaving with Chris Chibnall, as I'd be interested to see her Doctor written by someone else. Then again, I felt the same way about both Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi! Whittaker is an excellent actress who could and should make a great Doctor and has done her level best, but has been horribly hampered by poor scripts and creative direction which have left the show at its lowest ebb since the late 1980s. The companions of this era, likewise, although played by talented actors, have rarely managed to achieve much in the way of depth, in stark contrast to the rich characterisations of the first Davies era. Yes, a change is sorely needed.
Long term, the show does need to pass the baton on to someone new. Preferably someone who didn't grow up in the tight little fandom generation that Davies, Moffat and Chibnall all belong to. I mean, if the show can only be run by a handful of supremely talented ultra fans, then it has no real future, sooner or later it has to move on to someone from outside of that little clique. Someone who approaches the show from a completely different direction. Preferably also someone who doesn't feel compelled to take the show's history and canon apart all over again just so they can stamp their own initials all over it, the way all three reboot showrunners to date have. I strongly suspect that Davies's appointment is designed to provide a bit of breathing space to either find or train that person, he isn't going to stick around for four and a half years this time. I expect the anniversary and one series after that, and then he'll move on. Hopefully leaving the show in a better place than he found it!
So what are we going to get for the anniversary and beyond? A new Doctor, that's for sure. New companions. I'm excited to find out who all of them will be. Maybe more spin-offs, Davies is a big fan of those – he beat the MCU to the crossover punch by four years! My little niece has literally just in the last week or so discovered the Sarah Jane Adventures, the gateway drug to Doctor Who (we watched Revenge of the Slitheen five times last weekend!), and it would be lovely to see more spin-offs of that nature to capture the hearts of a new generation.
Moffat's take on the 50th anniversary had some great things in it (multi-Doctor shenanigans! John Hurt!), but overall was a torrid mess. All I ask of Davies for the 60th is a fun, nostalgic romp that actually celebrates all 60 years of the show in a respectful way, while also looking ahead to the future. That really shouldn't be too much to ask!
(I would also ask him not to revisit any form of Doctor/companion romance, especially not Rose, and to avoid any canon-shaking, universe-in-peril plot-storming, an anniversary special doesn't need any of that, it doesn't need high melodrama and especially it doesn't need to re-write the show's past, it just needs to be a fun celebration that remembers the long history of the show and reminds everyone why they fell in love with it in the first place).
(Not to mention, I really hope he's got over his need to give everyone a miserable ending – let companions leave with their heads held high, Rusty, please! Let them be happy and retain autonomy!)
Overall, the thing is…I know the RTD1 era was flawed. I also know that in spite of his having gained years more experience at his craft, some of those flaws are bound to re-emerge when he's running the show for a second time. And I know that I will be irritated when I see them again.
But I don't care. I really don't care.
I wanted to love Steven Moffat's Doctor Who, but I didn't. Aspects of it I ended up loathing with a fiery passion. And I've tried really hard to love Chris Chibnall's Doctor Who, but I can't. I don't hate it, either, mind. It's worse than that. At least when I loathed Moffat's Who I felt passionate about it! With Chibnall's Who, I just feel completely indifferent. He's had some really strong ideas (plus Jo Martin's Doctor! Who in the tiny amount of screentime she's had has been everything the Doctor should be) but the execution of those ideas...*sigh* Taken as a whole, it's just been really bland and meh. Which is something Doctor Who should never be. At least failure under Davies (and Moffat, for that matter) was never a dismal failure, it was always spectacular. Even on his worst day, Davies put Chibnall to shame, because although his first era had many weaknesses, above all else he knows how to tell a cracking story. His ambition is huge, his love for the show is unconditional, his talent is extraordinary. I am really excited to see what he does with the show next.
Interesting news. Very, very interesting. And exciting! For a while there it was starting to look as if there wouldn't be any Doctor Who for the 60th anniversary, as if the show might even be rested for a few years, but now we know there is a plan in place. And that plan involves a safe pair of hands, a highly acclaimed TV writer who already knows the show and the Whoniverse inside out.
Now, I'll admit, I don't agree with every creative decision Davies made during his first stint in charge of the show, although I understand why those choices were made in that context. He wrote his fair share of train wrecks! And, whichever way you look at it, this is a backwards step that doesn't exactly suggest a show brimming with confidence in the current status quo. Which is a fair assessment, really. The show has definitely struggled to maintain momentum since Davies left, its popularity waning under Moffat and then nosediving under Chibnall. It has been in real trouble, which is why its future seemed to be in doubt.
But, you know, if you're going to take a backward step, this is the way to go about it and also make it a strong forward step! They've not simply rehired an old producer, they've hired one of the best producers in the modern television industry. Multiple award winning Russell T Davies is an excellent dramatic writer, a forward-thinker with a passion for Doctor Who and a knack for strong character studies. Having him back, if only for a little while, is brilliant news.
The BBC, obviously, are hoping to re-capture the magic of the show's initial relaunch, back in 2005, when everything about Doctor Who felt fresh and exciting, like capturing lightning in a bottle. Davies made Doctor Who a cultural, commercial ratings smash, out of nothing, and now that the show is in the doldrums the BBC understandably wants to revitalise it. Davies, meanwhile, has spent the last 12 years honing his skills as a writer, growing in life experience and perspective, and no doubt coming up with all kinds of new ideas to take the show forward into a bright new future. I'm excited to see what those ideas involve, in a way that I have never felt excited about Chibnall's Doctor Who. Or Moffat's, for that matter. No doubt it will involve another soft reboot, Davies is highly unlikely to return to the show simply to retread old ground, and that's good. This is a show that thrives on change – and there is certainly plenty of baggage accumulated over the past 16 years that I'd be more than happy to quietly brush under the carpet and move on from!
I do think it's kind of a shame Jodie Whittaker is leaving with Chris Chibnall, as I'd be interested to see her Doctor written by someone else. Then again, I felt the same way about both Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi! Whittaker is an excellent actress who could and should make a great Doctor and has done her level best, but has been horribly hampered by poor scripts and creative direction which have left the show at its lowest ebb since the late 1980s. The companions of this era, likewise, although played by talented actors, have rarely managed to achieve much in the way of depth, in stark contrast to the rich characterisations of the first Davies era. Yes, a change is sorely needed.
Long term, the show does need to pass the baton on to someone new. Preferably someone who didn't grow up in the tight little fandom generation that Davies, Moffat and Chibnall all belong to. I mean, if the show can only be run by a handful of supremely talented ultra fans, then it has no real future, sooner or later it has to move on to someone from outside of that little clique. Someone who approaches the show from a completely different direction. Preferably also someone who doesn't feel compelled to take the show's history and canon apart all over again just so they can stamp their own initials all over it, the way all three reboot showrunners to date have. I strongly suspect that Davies's appointment is designed to provide a bit of breathing space to either find or train that person, he isn't going to stick around for four and a half years this time. I expect the anniversary and one series after that, and then he'll move on. Hopefully leaving the show in a better place than he found it!
So what are we going to get for the anniversary and beyond? A new Doctor, that's for sure. New companions. I'm excited to find out who all of them will be. Maybe more spin-offs, Davies is a big fan of those – he beat the MCU to the crossover punch by four years! My little niece has literally just in the last week or so discovered the Sarah Jane Adventures, the gateway drug to Doctor Who (we watched Revenge of the Slitheen five times last weekend!), and it would be lovely to see more spin-offs of that nature to capture the hearts of a new generation.
Moffat's take on the 50th anniversary had some great things in it (multi-Doctor shenanigans! John Hurt!), but overall was a torrid mess. All I ask of Davies for the 60th is a fun, nostalgic romp that actually celebrates all 60 years of the show in a respectful way, while also looking ahead to the future. That really shouldn't be too much to ask!
(I would also ask him not to revisit any form of Doctor/companion romance, especially not Rose, and to avoid any canon-shaking, universe-in-peril plot-storming, an anniversary special doesn't need any of that, it doesn't need high melodrama and especially it doesn't need to re-write the show's past, it just needs to be a fun celebration that remembers the long history of the show and reminds everyone why they fell in love with it in the first place).
(Not to mention, I really hope he's got over his need to give everyone a miserable ending – let companions leave with their heads held high, Rusty, please! Let them be happy and retain autonomy!)
Overall, the thing is…I know the RTD1 era was flawed. I also know that in spite of his having gained years more experience at his craft, some of those flaws are bound to re-emerge when he's running the show for a second time. And I know that I will be irritated when I see them again.
But I don't care. I really don't care.
I wanted to love Steven Moffat's Doctor Who, but I didn't. Aspects of it I ended up loathing with a fiery passion. And I've tried really hard to love Chris Chibnall's Doctor Who, but I can't. I don't hate it, either, mind. It's worse than that. At least when I loathed Moffat's Who I felt passionate about it! With Chibnall's Who, I just feel completely indifferent. He's had some really strong ideas (plus Jo Martin's Doctor! Who in the tiny amount of screentime she's had has been everything the Doctor should be) but the execution of those ideas...*sigh* Taken as a whole, it's just been really bland and meh. Which is something Doctor Who should never be. At least failure under Davies (and Moffat, for that matter) was never a dismal failure, it was always spectacular. Even on his worst day, Davies put Chibnall to shame, because although his first era had many weaknesses, above all else he knows how to tell a cracking story. His ambition is huge, his love for the show is unconditional, his talent is extraordinary. I am really excited to see what he does with the show next.
(no subject)
Oct. 7th, 2018 09:02 pmOkay, so the new Doctor Who was thirteen kinds of awesome. A proper soft reboot, acknowledging the long history of the character without being bogged down by it. Everything felt fresh and new - while also being beautifully old school Who. I loved how grounded and real the story and its characters felt - regular people leading regular lives, into which the Doctor comes crashing like a tornado. Perfect. I love them all already.
It feels good to love this show again.
It feels good to love this show again.
Twice Upon a Time
Dec. 26th, 2017 10:16 pmInitial non-spoiler reaction to the Doctor Who Christmas special: fairly typical Moffat fare - some truly lovely moments woven together by a load of nonsense dressed up as a plot.
This summary also applies to Moffat's characterisation (or mis-characterisation) of the First Doctor.
This summary also applies to Moffat's characterisation (or mis-characterisation) of the First Doctor.
(no subject)
Jul. 1st, 2017 08:31 pmDoctor Who season finale
The only appropriate reaction is: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only appropriate reaction is: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
things are looking up
Apr. 25th, 2017 07:00 pmWhat's going on? I have enjoyed two episodes of Doctor Who in a row now - if it carries on like this, I might actually start to get optimistic again!
I don't think either episode is perfect, by any means, there are weaknesses aplenty in terms of both plot and pacing - there's plenty I could say about this last episode becoming flabby and preachy toward the end and falling apart slightly in the resolution - but I can't quite bring myself to care, because Bill is like a breath of fresh air and the Doctor actually seems to be enjoying himself again, and I'm just so relieved.
I don't think either episode is perfect, by any means, there are weaknesses aplenty in terms of both plot and pacing - there's plenty I could say about this last episode becoming flabby and preachy toward the end and falling apart slightly in the resolution - but I can't quite bring myself to care, because Bill is like a breath of fresh air and the Doctor actually seems to be enjoying himself again, and I'm just so relieved.
(no subject)
Apr. 15th, 2017 08:59 pmI actually...quite liked tonight's Doctor Who. There were some scenes and details I side-eyed dubiously and I still don't like Nardole, and Moffat's overall style remains very much not my general taste, but even so, I managed to pretty much enjoy almost an entire episode. I can't remember the last time that happened.
Now, was it a one off? Or does this bode well for the season to come?
It helped that a large chunk of the episode was filmed just up the road from my office, so there was some truly class location-spotting going on! Plus a few moments of, 'hang on, you can't get there from there!'
Now, was it a one off? Or does this bode well for the season to come?
It helped that a large chunk of the episode was filmed just up the road from my office, so there was some truly class location-spotting going on! Plus a few moments of, 'hang on, you can't get there from there!'
Another random flyby update, because time she does fly! I can't believe it's the end of November already - how did that happen? Where did the time go?
For whoever cares, season three of Y Gwyll continues apace on S4C - the English version Hinterland should pop up on one or other of the BBC channels sometime after Christmas, so watch out for that. There's a really huge plot twist at the end of what on S4C was episode two, but on the BBC will probably be episode one, since they tend to merge the two-part stories into one longer episode shown on one night - so watch out for that!
In other telly news, I've been following the new Doctor Who spin-off, Class, and loving all the location-spotting! The location used for the Coal Hill Academy site is just up the road from my office, our shiny new Hadyn Ellis building (I remember when that was just a new build project we talked about endlessly in Estates Liaison meetings, and now look at it). Once I'd recognised it, I remember all the fuss when they were filming up there, and all the fake flower petals all over the road! Also, April's house is just around the corner from where I used to live, by St John's Church. Oh, and there are plots and characters as well, I guess...
In Old TV news, My Power of the Daleks DVD arrived today - a shiny new animated version of a completely missing Doctor Who adventure. Just when we thought the Classic Who DVD range was over and done with, they produce this! I sat down after work intending to watch just an episode or two, but ended up marathoning all six. I really enjoyed it - I'd read the novelisation previously, so already knew the story, but had never made it through the recon. However cheap the animation, it apparently made all the difference for me! The story is long and slow-paced, it's true, but I found it tightly plotted with strong worldbuilding and a sense of tension that escalated inexorably from episode to episode, while the Daleks are really creepy here - so manipulative and subversive. The wholesale slaughter in episode six is a bit grim, but certainly sells the high stakes, while Troughton makes an immediate impression and is well and truly cemented as the Doctor by the time we reach the end of the story - the success of this first ever regeneration is the reason the show is still on air today, 50 years later. Great stuff.
In work news, I am very happy for my colleague J, who has just gone off on adoption leave after being matched for adoption at last - they were approved way back in February, but had to wait until October before they were matched, and now have their children at home living with them at last. A little boy who just turned two, and a baby girl who will be one in December - just 14 months between them and much younger than they were expecting, so it's all a bit intense and chaotic for them at the moment, but such a precious time as they get to know one another and bond. Hooray for J and M and happy new home to little N and G.
In family news, my older sister has a diagnosis at last, almost five years after she was rushed into hospital with crippling migraine and intracranial pressure three times higher than it should be. Well, she has a partial diagnosis, at least, after finally, finally persuading a consultant to look at all her symptoms instead of each one individually. They have decided that she has fibromyalgia and osteo-arthritis. But the outcome of her sleep trial for apnoea isn't in yet, and they still don't know what to make of the oligoclonal banding found in her spinal fluid, so the diagnosis remains incomplete. But at least she is beginning to get somewhere at last.
In other family news, look at this baby getting all tall and chatty!
In the first picture, that's her reaction every time her absolute favourite Bing comes on the telly. Layla-May adores Bing. In the last pic, she is explaining at great length and volume why it is vitally important to stop and bang on every bench we pass. For science. She also tells lots of babbling baby jokes and then laughs at them. Funny baby. One day, she might even have hair.
I have become Yo, incidentally. And she calls herself Yay-Yay!
In other, other news, have some pretty pictures I took around and about the city this autumn. Every single one of these was taken at the heart of the city centre, believe it or not. Having nearly four miles of unbroken parkland stretching through the middle of city has its benefits!
For whoever cares, season three of Y Gwyll continues apace on S4C - the English version Hinterland should pop up on one or other of the BBC channels sometime after Christmas, so watch out for that. There's a really huge plot twist at the end of what on S4C was episode two, but on the BBC will probably be episode one, since they tend to merge the two-part stories into one longer episode shown on one night - so watch out for that!
In other telly news, I've been following the new Doctor Who spin-off, Class, and loving all the location-spotting! The location used for the Coal Hill Academy site is just up the road from my office, our shiny new Hadyn Ellis building (I remember when that was just a new build project we talked about endlessly in Estates Liaison meetings, and now look at it). Once I'd recognised it, I remember all the fuss when they were filming up there, and all the fake flower petals all over the road! Also, April's house is just around the corner from where I used to live, by St John's Church. Oh, and there are plots and characters as well, I guess...
In Old TV news, My Power of the Daleks DVD arrived today - a shiny new animated version of a completely missing Doctor Who adventure. Just when we thought the Classic Who DVD range was over and done with, they produce this! I sat down after work intending to watch just an episode or two, but ended up marathoning all six. I really enjoyed it - I'd read the novelisation previously, so already knew the story, but had never made it through the recon. However cheap the animation, it apparently made all the difference for me! The story is long and slow-paced, it's true, but I found it tightly plotted with strong worldbuilding and a sense of tension that escalated inexorably from episode to episode, while the Daleks are really creepy here - so manipulative and subversive. The wholesale slaughter in episode six is a bit grim, but certainly sells the high stakes, while Troughton makes an immediate impression and is well and truly cemented as the Doctor by the time we reach the end of the story - the success of this first ever regeneration is the reason the show is still on air today, 50 years later. Great stuff.
In work news, I am very happy for my colleague J, who has just gone off on adoption leave after being matched for adoption at last - they were approved way back in February, but had to wait until October before they were matched, and now have their children at home living with them at last. A little boy who just turned two, and a baby girl who will be one in December - just 14 months between them and much younger than they were expecting, so it's all a bit intense and chaotic for them at the moment, but such a precious time as they get to know one another and bond. Hooray for J and M and happy new home to little N and G.
In family news, my older sister has a diagnosis at last, almost five years after she was rushed into hospital with crippling migraine and intracranial pressure three times higher than it should be. Well, she has a partial diagnosis, at least, after finally, finally persuading a consultant to look at all her symptoms instead of each one individually. They have decided that she has fibromyalgia and osteo-arthritis. But the outcome of her sleep trial for apnoea isn't in yet, and they still don't know what to make of the oligoclonal banding found in her spinal fluid, so the diagnosis remains incomplete. But at least she is beginning to get somewhere at last.
In other family news, look at this baby getting all tall and chatty!
In the first picture, that's her reaction every time her absolute favourite Bing comes on the telly. Layla-May adores Bing. In the last pic, she is explaining at great length and volume why it is vitally important to stop and bang on every bench we pass. For science. She also tells lots of babbling baby jokes and then laughs at them. Funny baby. One day, she might even have hair.
I have become Yo, incidentally. And she calls herself Yay-Yay!
In other, other news, have some pretty pictures I took around and about the city this autumn. Every single one of these was taken at the heart of the city centre, believe it or not. Having nearly four miles of unbroken parkland stretching through the middle of city has its benefits!
(no subject)
Jul. 14th, 2016 09:43 pmOkay, so there’ve been film crews crawling around Cardiff Castle the last couple of days, I’ve been past the back of the castle a few times and seen all the prop and lighting trucks parked up there.
This evening I went past and there were horses, complete with riders. Dressed Early Modern style - like roundheads or cavaliers or something. That kind of era. Chain mail, helmets, the whole shebang.
There were also military trucks.
Doctor Who? I mean, we have a bunch of shows filming out of Cardiff these days, but surely only Doctor Who would have roundheads and modern military trucks in the same place at the same time?
A couple of weeks ago they were turning the back of the Main Uni building into a snowscape. In June.
I am now intrigued for the new season!
This evening I went past and there were horses, complete with riders. Dressed Early Modern style - like roundheads or cavaliers or something. That kind of era. Chain mail, helmets, the whole shebang.
There were also military trucks.
Doctor Who? I mean, we have a bunch of shows filming out of Cardiff these days, but surely only Doctor Who would have roundheads and modern military trucks in the same place at the same time?
A couple of weeks ago they were turning the back of the Main Uni building into a snowscape. In June.
I am now intrigued for the new season!
end of an era
Jan. 23rd, 2016 09:29 amSo Steven Moffat is standing down from his role as Doctor Who showrunner, with season ten to be his last, held back until 2017, after which Chris Chibnall will be taking over.
Well, it's no secret that I haven't enjoyed Moffat's tenure, which never quite rang the right note for me even from the earliest days. My feelings toward his showrunning style started off ambivalent back in season five, then slowly degenerated into outright dislike in the later years. His vision of the show simply doesn't work for me and never really has. It is more than time the baton was passed on.
As for Chibnall, his track record isn't great but neither is it terrible, and how he is likely to fare as showrunner is hard to judge from the commissioned episodes he's produced. He's another from the same stable that brought us Davies and Moffat, so it isn't a complete fresh start, but for better or worse he will bring his own vision to the show and only time will tell what that vision looks like. I'm choosing to be optimistic, because I want to love Doctor Who again. We'll see.
Really, the biggest drawback of this early announcement is that fans will have two whole years to work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation before Chibnall's first season airs - and two years is plenty of time for a lot of prejudices and preconceptions to set themselves in stone. I hope everyone gives him a chance before judging.
I really hope Capaldi stays on at least for Chibnall's first season - it's about time we got to see how a different showrunner handles an established New Who Doctor!
Shall I say what I'd really like to see? New Who has played with soap opera and comedic stylings, it's played with the concept of the Doctor as romantic hero, it's done the Time War, it's played with timey-wimey themes, it's played with the idea of the Doctor as Machiavellian Merlin a la the late '80s. I'd like to see the show get right back to basics with more of an early '60s styling - an ensemble cast and 'found family' theme, multiple companions from different eras or planets, character-driven storytelling that derives organically from the respective situations and personalities of the main characters - and by that I mean character stories, rather than plot-tied-to-character. It's unlikely to happen, though.
In other news, according to the Big Finish's planned schedule for the year, the following Doctors will all have more new adventures in 2016 than Peter Capaldi:
David Tennant
Colin Baker
Paul McGann
John Hurt
Peter Davison
Sylvester McCoy
(Plus Patrick Troughton via Frazer Hines' uncanny voice impressions!)
Well, it's no secret that I haven't enjoyed Moffat's tenure, which never quite rang the right note for me even from the earliest days. My feelings toward his showrunning style started off ambivalent back in season five, then slowly degenerated into outright dislike in the later years. His vision of the show simply doesn't work for me and never really has. It is more than time the baton was passed on.
As for Chibnall, his track record isn't great but neither is it terrible, and how he is likely to fare as showrunner is hard to judge from the commissioned episodes he's produced. He's another from the same stable that brought us Davies and Moffat, so it isn't a complete fresh start, but for better or worse he will bring his own vision to the show and only time will tell what that vision looks like. I'm choosing to be optimistic, because I want to love Doctor Who again. We'll see.
Really, the biggest drawback of this early announcement is that fans will have two whole years to work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation before Chibnall's first season airs - and two years is plenty of time for a lot of prejudices and preconceptions to set themselves in stone. I hope everyone gives him a chance before judging.
I really hope Capaldi stays on at least for Chibnall's first season - it's about time we got to see how a different showrunner handles an established New Who Doctor!
Shall I say what I'd really like to see? New Who has played with soap opera and comedic stylings, it's played with the concept of the Doctor as romantic hero, it's done the Time War, it's played with timey-wimey themes, it's played with the idea of the Doctor as Machiavellian Merlin a la the late '80s. I'd like to see the show get right back to basics with more of an early '60s styling - an ensemble cast and 'found family' theme, multiple companions from different eras or planets, character-driven storytelling that derives organically from the respective situations and personalities of the main characters - and by that I mean character stories, rather than plot-tied-to-character. It's unlikely to happen, though.
In other news, according to the Big Finish's planned schedule for the year, the following Doctors will all have more new adventures in 2016 than Peter Capaldi:
David Tennant
Colin Baker
Paul McGann
John Hurt
Peter Davison
Sylvester McCoy
(Plus Patrick Troughton via Frazer Hines' uncanny voice impressions!)
Smoke and Mirrors
Nov. 16th, 2015 08:56 pmOkay, I think I've got this out of my system now...I may not have liked these episodes much, but they certainly inspired me!
Title: Smoke and Mirrors
Show: Doctor Who
Characters: Harry Sullivan, Sarah Jane Smith
Spoilers: The Zygon Invasion / The Zygon Inversion
Summary: Companion piece to Z-67. The Doctor has asked for a favour; Harry and Sarah discuss over dessert
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Doctor, his TARDIS and his companions belong to the BBC. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Follow the fake cut to the story at my other journal
Also archived at A03 | Teaspoon
Title: Smoke and Mirrors
Show: Doctor Who
Characters: Harry Sullivan, Sarah Jane Smith
Spoilers: The Zygon Invasion / The Zygon Inversion
Summary: Companion piece to Z-67. The Doctor has asked for a favour; Harry and Sarah discuss over dessert
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Doctor, his TARDIS and his companions belong to the BBC. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Follow the fake cut to the story at my other journal
Also archived at A03 | Teaspoon
There were certain things I didn't like about Doctor Who's recent Zygon two-parter. This little missing scene story is the result.
Title: Z-67
Show: Doctor Who
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
llywela13
Characters: Twelfth Doctor, Osgood, Clara Oswald, Harry Sullivan (mentions thereof)
Spoilers: Missing scene from The Zygon Inversion. When the crisis is over, Osgood has a question to ask. Companion piece to Smoke and Mirrors
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Doctor, his TARDIS and his companions belong to the BBC. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Follow the fake cut to the story at my other journal
Also archived at A03 | Teaspoon
Title: Z-67
Show: Doctor Who
Author:
llywela13Characters: Twelfth Doctor, Osgood, Clara Oswald, Harry Sullivan (mentions thereof)
Spoilers: Missing scene from The Zygon Inversion. When the crisis is over, Osgood has a question to ask. Companion piece to Smoke and Mirrors
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The Doctor, his TARDIS and his companions belong to the BBC. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Follow the fake cut to the story at my other journal
Also archived at A03 | Teaspoon
First Doctor era Review Masterpost
May. 30th, 2015 07:17 pm
My never-ending review project has reached the end of the First Doctor era! That's three-and-a-bit seasons, 29 adventures and 134 episodes – he certainly served his time. I won't say how long it has taken to get this far, writing reviews takes time and I have precious little of that available, each project taking its turn (before eventually, usually, fading away) but it's been nothing but fun, getting to know the original Doctor and his wonderful companions.
That's what this project is all about, really – getting to know every part of the Doctor and every one of his companions. I've seen almost every televised adventure now, but writing about them in-depth, in order, teases out details I might not otherwise have noticed, allows me to join the dots and build up a complete picture of who all these characters really were and what they actually experienced – which doesn't always bear much resemblance to what the received wisdom of collective memory might claim.
When I first started watching First Doctor adventures, I found, as do most newcomers to the classic show, that it was quite a culture shock, the television of 50 years ago so very different from what I've become accustomed to in the shows of today: different structure, different format, different production values and technology, different acting style, different pace, different dialogue patterns. It takes a bit of getting used to! But I found that I adapted quickly, growing enormously attached to the characters and gaining a whole new appreciation of the televisual pioneers of the 1960s along the way.
This era of the show, like every other, has its ups and downs. It was limited by the technology available at the time, and sometimes over-reached itself, its ambition greater than what could actually be achieved. Sometimes the pacing didn't quite work, or the dialogue was clunky. Sometimes the plot was a bit thin for the time available and had to be padded out, while other times perhaps there was a bit too much story to cram into the time available and the resolution was rushed. Sometimes the characters fell a bit flat, or were required by plot to do or say something out of character. But you know what? Every one of those criticisms could also be aimed at every other era of the show, including the current one. Nothing made by man is perfect, after all. So yes, this era has its flaws, but the whole is immeasurably greater than the sum of its parts.
There is just something wonderfully fresh about this era of the show, back before a dense mythology had grown up around it, back when everything was new – there's such freedom here, as the show explores its concept for the first time, pushing boundaries and discovering what Doctor Who is capable of. There are some fantastic characters in this era, and they have some incredible adventures. Susan, Ian, Barbara, Vicki, Steven, Katarina, Sara, Dodo, Ben, Polly, not to mention the Doctor himself – it is well worth the effort of acclimating to the style and technology of the era for the sake of getting to know them.
Behind the cut is a masterpost of reviews and banners for the First Doctor era:
( Masterpost of links and banners )
Phew! Now onto the Second Doctor era!
Doctor Who Season 3 overview
May. 7th, 2015 09:45 pmSo my reviewing project has slowed, since I have far too many hobbies to juggle effectively, but it hasn't stopped yet - Doctor Who's third season is now complete, following on from Season One and Season Two
Season Three brings me almost to the end of the First Doctor era, closing with the Doctor just two adventures away from his first regeneration.
When I began this journey, I did not expect to fall so much in love with this era of the show, but the First Doctor and Susan, and Ian and Barbara, and Vicki and Steven and the others have well and truly won me over. The seeds of every Doctor there has ever been can be found in William Hartnell's performance – he is the Doctor, the pattern for every incarnation after him. Very much of its time, his era isn't always easy viewing for an audience accustomed to modern stylings and slick production values, but if you commit yourself to taking that journey with him and hook into the characters along the way, it really is a fantastic ride, an age when almost anything could happen. Although at times the show could be over-ambitious, the limitations of the cramped little studios often worked in favour of the drama, as, without sophisticated special effects to fall back on, there was much greater emphasis on characters, dialogue, drama and tension. Equally, while we are so accustomed to dramatic shortcuts now that it is easy to become frustrated by the slow pace of this storytelling, there is something only too relatable about seeing the characters struggling to overcome the obstacles they encounter along the way, rather than simply glossing over them to save time. There were no quick fixes in this era of the show, no shortcuts and no easy way out, the characters had to work through their adventures on their own wits in a way that brings their fantastic adventures right back down to Earth.
Of Hartnell's three complete seasons, the third is the weakest and there's no getting away from that. Those ten adventures, told over 45 episodes, were a time of transition for the show, both behind and in front of the camera, and it was very much a season of two halves as the departure of the show's pioneering first producer, Verity Lambert, ushered in a new era, leading to an experimental, more light-hearted and less character-focused second half of the season. The cast, meanwhile, went through a period of rapid turnover, swapping Vicki for Katarina for Sara for Dodo in the space of just four adventures. Space pilot Steven was the constant figure at the Doctor's side through all this, carrying entire adventures virtually single-handed, an absolute stalwart through some turbulent times, but he too had departed before season's end, while yet another change in the season finale saw granddaughter-figure Dodo exchanged for the trendy young adult pairing of Ben and Polly to launch a new era going into the new season ahead.
3.01 Galaxy 4
3.02 Mission to the Unknown
3.03 The Myth Makers
3.04 The Daleks' Master Plan
3.05 The Massacre
3.06 The Ark
3.07 The Celestial Toymaker
3.08 The Gunfighters
3.09 The Savages
3.10 The War Machines
All reviews hosted over at my other journal,whatinthewho
Season Three brings me almost to the end of the First Doctor era, closing with the Doctor just two adventures away from his first regeneration.
When I began this journey, I did not expect to fall so much in love with this era of the show, but the First Doctor and Susan, and Ian and Barbara, and Vicki and Steven and the others have well and truly won me over. The seeds of every Doctor there has ever been can be found in William Hartnell's performance – he is the Doctor, the pattern for every incarnation after him. Very much of its time, his era isn't always easy viewing for an audience accustomed to modern stylings and slick production values, but if you commit yourself to taking that journey with him and hook into the characters along the way, it really is a fantastic ride, an age when almost anything could happen. Although at times the show could be over-ambitious, the limitations of the cramped little studios often worked in favour of the drama, as, without sophisticated special effects to fall back on, there was much greater emphasis on characters, dialogue, drama and tension. Equally, while we are so accustomed to dramatic shortcuts now that it is easy to become frustrated by the slow pace of this storytelling, there is something only too relatable about seeing the characters struggling to overcome the obstacles they encounter along the way, rather than simply glossing over them to save time. There were no quick fixes in this era of the show, no shortcuts and no easy way out, the characters had to work through their adventures on their own wits in a way that brings their fantastic adventures right back down to Earth.
Of Hartnell's three complete seasons, the third is the weakest and there's no getting away from that. Those ten adventures, told over 45 episodes, were a time of transition for the show, both behind and in front of the camera, and it was very much a season of two halves as the departure of the show's pioneering first producer, Verity Lambert, ushered in a new era, leading to an experimental, more light-hearted and less character-focused second half of the season. The cast, meanwhile, went through a period of rapid turnover, swapping Vicki for Katarina for Sara for Dodo in the space of just four adventures. Space pilot Steven was the constant figure at the Doctor's side through all this, carrying entire adventures virtually single-handed, an absolute stalwart through some turbulent times, but he too had departed before season's end, while yet another change in the season finale saw granddaughter-figure Dodo exchanged for the trendy young adult pairing of Ben and Polly to launch a new era going into the new season ahead.
3.01 Galaxy 4
3.02 Mission to the Unknown
3.03 The Myth Makers
3.04 The Daleks' Master Plan
3.05 The Massacre
3.06 The Ark
3.07 The Celestial Toymaker
3.08 The Gunfighters
3.09 The Savages
3.10 The War Machines
All reviews hosted over at my other journal,
whatinthewhoThe Planet at the End of the Universe
Apr. 23rd, 2015 09:08 amSummary: All together aboard the TARDIS once more, Sarah's feeling complacent about life as a time traveller, Harry's in denial, and the Doctor is only too glad of an excuse not to return to Earth when a distress call takes the trio to a remote planet at the far edge of the universe, where an isolated survey team has fallen prey to a mysterious malevolent force.
Title: The Planet at the End of the Universe
Show: Classic Doctor Who
Characters: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 48,888 - 8/8 chapters, complete
Disclaimer: Not so much alternate universe as universe alteration, this story is (very) loosely based on the season 13 serial Planet of Evil, written by Louis Marks – a re-imagining of what it might have been like if Harry had returned to the TARDIS instead of staying on Earth at the end of the previous adventure. All characters herein belong to the BBC, along with the original concept and anything else that seems familiar. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Author's Note: Although loosely based on Planet of Evil, this is not actually a re-telling of that story, partly because adding another companion alters both the dynamic and the flow of events, but mainly because although the Doctor and Sarah are as cute as all heck in Planet of Evil, I've never been overly fond of the story itself, so here I've simply taken the core concept and constructed a new plot on top of it.
The story can be read at AO3 or at Whofic.com
Title: The Planet at the End of the Universe
Show: Classic Doctor Who
Characters: Fourth Doctor, Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 48,888 - 8/8 chapters, complete
Disclaimer: Not so much alternate universe as universe alteration, this story is (very) loosely based on the season 13 serial Planet of Evil, written by Louis Marks – a re-imagining of what it might have been like if Harry had returned to the TARDIS instead of staying on Earth at the end of the previous adventure. All characters herein belong to the BBC, along with the original concept and anything else that seems familiar. I have borrowed them for this story and am making no profit from this.
Author's Note: Although loosely based on Planet of Evil, this is not actually a re-telling of that story, partly because adding another companion alters both the dynamic and the flow of events, but mainly because although the Doctor and Sarah are as cute as all heck in Planet of Evil, I've never been overly fond of the story itself, so here I've simply taken the core concept and constructed a new plot on top of it.
The story can be read at AO3 or at Whofic.com
