At least it's not ANOTHER series this time. BBC started broadasting the very kids-oriented "Totally Doctor Who" companion series last year, which was basically a semi-behind-the-scenes look at the show for kids, with contests, crafts, quizzes and the like, loosely tied in with that week's episode (unlike the hardcore "Confidential" episodes that also cover the main show). Now, TDW is adding a short cartoon series to the mix, featuring an animated Doctor and his new companion Martha Jones. Better still, Anthony Stewart Head voices the villain of the 13-part story!
From the one picture, it looks like the cartoon will be flash-based, which makes sense given that it's cheap and relatively easy to do. I doubt it'll make me watch TDW (last year I caught a couple episodes and they were pretty pointless to the hardcore fan), but I'm sure someone will post the relevant segments online somewhere.
posted
Someone get the Doc a fur coat and a few Dalmatians, that eye liner is a bit much.
Does look good, though. Of all the spin-offs, this probably has the most potential, since it can show things that would cost too much even with CGI effects. I'd rather watch this than that K9 thing, or the "I met the Doc and all I got was this this lousy super computer" show.
posted
Actually, from the look of the Doc and Martha in this pic, the character designs look very much in the same line as the "Scream of the Shalka" animation from a few years back - very probably the same people in charge. I'd expect the animation quality to be a lot higher, though!
posted
Yes....they've completely missed what drove Trek to nigh-extinction.
I give it two or three years before everyone is saying "it's time for Dr Who (or whatever franchise here) to die/end/take a long break."
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: Actually, from the look of the Doc and Martha in this pic, the character designs look very much in the same line as the "Scream of the Shalka" animation from a few years back - very probably the same people in charge. I'd expect the animation quality to be a lot higher, though!
Mark
I liked Scream of the Shalka, to bad that Doctor has been ripped from continuity.
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Hmmm, they've really taken to animation for Doctor Who haven't they? What with this and having recreated two lost Patrick Troughton episodes for a DVD release, they seem to have taken off with it. I'd much rather, though, they'd do more of the restorations (especially considering the lost episodes are the BBCs fault in the first place for literally throwing the films in the bin!) than pulling this out their asses.
Registered: Jul 2006
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OK, so they could do the animation for the Patrick Troughton episodes because they had the sound... can people remember what the scenes looked like or do the animators do what they like?
How many other episodes that were lost, still have audio available? I'm guessing there are some that are just gone. I'm sure they are on the planet somewhere.
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
quote:Originally posted by Zipacna: Hmmm, they've really taken to animation for Doctor Who haven't they? What with this and having recreated two lost Patrick Troughton episodes for a DVD release, they seem to have taken off with it. I'd much rather, though, they'd do more of the restorations (especially considering the lost episodes are the BBCs fault in the first place for literally throwing the films in the bin!) than pulling this out their asses.
Well, the BBC was pretty poor in those days and no one ever thought that syndication would become a standard in the industry. So why not ditch whole random crates of films and TV shows that no one seemed interested in or cared about?
I wouldn't mind seeing more restorations - bthough IMO they should do a whole story in animation if they're missing several episodes. That way, the DVD viewer will have the option of seeing the story entirely in one medium if they wish.
posted
I've got The Invasion, and it's pretty neat. The animation works well in black and white, and the fact that two epps are in flash realy does not detract from the quality of the serial.
They have not gone crazy, rather they stuck pretty close to what was there before, using remaining footage, stills from on the shoot, and the original shooting script as their guideline (although they have added an effect shot or two where it would not have been possible in 1968, and it does not change the story).
I do have reservations about whole serials being animated though. Where as the animation compliments the live action in this serial, I don't know that a whole one in flash would work.
As for this one - I'll watch it online - it's not worth getting a TV licence for (damn university houses needing one for each bloody room. grrr).
-------------------- I have plenty of experience in biology. I bought a Tamagotchi in 1998... And... it's still alive.
Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:I liked Scream of the Shalka, to bad that Doctor has been ripped from continuity.
Not necesarily. I usually just imagine that it's an embittered, somewhat more gothic 8th Doctor - the clothes and voice are similar, even if the face is not. Oddly, the bitterness plays nicely into the regeneration into the "real" 9th Doctor, who was guilt-ridden and full of the angst.
And oddly enough, this altenate 9th Doctor is played by Richard E. Grant, who played an alternate 10th Doctor in that comedy parody they did. A pity that incarnation lasted all of two minutes...
posted
Every missing episode still has an intact soundtrack. Apparently, back in the day, supernerds used to put tape recorders in front of their TV speakers and record the episodes, so they could listen to them again later.
I've sometimes thought myself that I'd like to see the missing episodes redone as animation (with the existing soundtracks). I didn't realize it had already been done. The mostly-still-frames reconstructions are rather difficult to watch.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
There are still one or two short segments in epps with missing audio but have the film, such as in the abominable snowmen. They've tried to cut Troughtons words from other recordings to match, but even the guy that did it admits its far from perfect.
The only other options would be to leave the sceen silent, or subtitle it, or have another actor dub it. I vouch for Jon Culshaw myself.
-------------------- I have plenty of experience in biology. I bought a Tamagotchi in 1998... And... it's still alive.
Registered: Apr 2005
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-------------------- "It speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow, it's not all going to be over with a big splash and a bomb, that the human race is improving, that we have things to be proud of as humans." -Gene Roddenberry about Star Trek
Registered: May 1999
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