posted
Just wondered what the state of play was with the new series of Doctor Who that started on the BBC this weekend - are we discussing it here, or are we leaving it until the Sci-fi Channel has shown all of the Christopher Ecclestone episodes?
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Chris Eccleston is a feature film actor, and isn't used to television making. This, combined with his own fear of being typecast (and an apparent desire to NOT be typecast into only serious movie roles), seems to be the reason behind his leaving after only one season. In the end no one seems to care, as the franchise was treated to a year with a leading man who is apparently also one of the finest actors in Britain (at least according to the producers), and replaced by yet another. Personally, I've finally accepted it, as Chris's Doctor was so well done it easily had as many memorable moments as whole years of previous Doctors. Despite the brevity of the ninth incarnation, it just WORKED WELL.
As for the true season premiere - brilliant stuff. Doctor Who comes back with a vengeance, giving us a modern tale to apologize for the three-month gap since the Christmas Special. Tennant is in fine form, having adapted to the Doctor's Tennanth incarnation and very comfy in his new body and role. Billie Piper resumes her role as if no time has past, and really steals the show in several scenes. Doctor Who is back and here to stay!
-Note the updated opening theme (really just a grandiose version of the existing one with REAL instruments complementing the synths), and the more James Bondie music accompanying certain themes.
-The beginning has a mere cameo by Jackie and Mickey, seeing Rose off on her next adventure. It's still a little wierd seeing how "road trip" Rose's relationship is with the Doctor, versus the "lost in time" or "wandering the universe" models we used to see. Barring the oocasional misstep, the Doctor and his TARDIS know where and when to go, when it seems nececssary to get there. So, having the show still grounded in Modern-Day London is both realistic and expected given the Rose-Doctor dynamic.
-The Doctor is summoned to the year 5,000,000,023 by the Face of Boe, via a message to the psychic paper (which we see in operation for the first time rather than as a blank piece of paper), acting as a beeper. Here on this new planet, things look even LESS futuristic than Platform One did.. But you don't care much, really.
-Naturally, despite being New (...) New York, everyone speaks with a British Accent, including the Duke of Manhattan. I blame the TARDIS' gift of tongues.
-The set decorator for the show seems to have a thing for draping cheap plastic sheeting from the ceilings as a way to make things look futuristic. He did it here, and on Satellite 5, and presumably will do so in at least two upoming episodes.
-Damn, these cats are cool.
-Cassandra is back, with an identical face, this time pulled literally from her ass. She's got a Gollum-esque minion this time named Chip to move stuff for her. Stuck secretly under the hospital, the lonely Cassie figures out there's something the Sisters of Plentitude that run the hospital are up to no good, and sets out to figure it out for herself - swiping Rose's body in the process.
-What the hell is a "chav"?
-Billie playing Cassandra is just fantastic to watch, and not having seen her play anything else besides Doctor Who, it's a relief to see that she actually CAN act different characters. She really chews the scenery here, as will Tennant when his character is Cassandrized later on.
-The Mulder and Scullyesque UST is in full form too, giving "Rose" and the Doctor a full-on snog, to which the Doctor yelps "Yeah - still got it" without any real reaction. The asexuality of the Doctor is a good barrier to the two of them ever getting together, despite this incarnation being much more younger-looking and passionate than the last.
-Cassandra's blackmailing plan quickly backfires, triggering a fun anti-zombie romp where the diseased clones infect people with every disease ever. Question - do people DIE because of being touched, or are they merely converted or incapacitated?
-So, the Face of Boe calls the Doctor all the way here to tell him something, then DOESN'T, then just disappears? What a face.
-And Cassandra's ultimate fate does carry some poetry to it, with one of her own finest memories being precipitated by herself.
In the end, a great episode to begin the reign of the tenth Doctor. In a way, I'm reminded of Star Trek's "Naked Time / Naked Now" idea, where Gene Roddenberry plopped the new TNG crew into a very similar situation the TOS crew experienced, to show off the commonalities and differences between the shows. They sort of do it again here by revisiting two popular characters in a similar time zone, but with a new Doctor, and I think it works.
Mark
PS - North American viewers will note that inaddition to the previews at the end of each episode, the BBC website is also releasing one-minute "Tardisodes" online and to UK cellphone subscribers. These shorts are all-new footage that help set the context for the next episode. In this case, the upcoming "Tooth and Claw" next week is shown via 15-second preview here, and the Tardisode gives us a glimpse at where our furry antagonist comes from. Neat!
quote:Originally posted by Mark Nguyen: -What the hell is a "chav"?
I'm about to head out so I can't put all my thoughts up here right now, but I had to answer this one. If you click here then it should help identify the chavvy goodness for you. Up where I come from (Scotland) the word "ned" is the more common usage. See, every day is a school day!
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Where I come from (Kent) Chav is not only the correct term, but a social norm.
-------------------- 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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They have a foothold down here in Wiltshire too. Walking around town you get a definate village of the damned/puppet masters vibe...but with big white puffy jackets and excessivly common accents. They don't speak propper like wot ay duz.
posted
Was there a thread for The Christmas Invasion??
I realised when I saw the thread for season 2 I hadn't downloaded TCI (I don't even know if they screened it on the ABC here during Christmas or are leaving it to show before they start the new season).
Someone I know who had been home to Wales during Christmas saw the episode and wasn't thrilled. I just THEN finished watching it and I absolutely LOVED IT!! Hasn't lost any of the spark and charm and awesomeness of season 1/27.
Love it, loved it, loved it!
I don't know what to say. Don't trifle with the Doctor! I love how he had Tom Baker's scarf on when choosing a wardrobe. Have we seen any of the regeneration side-effects seen here for previous doctors?
I see Harriet Jones - Prime Minister's point - but of course I also see the Doctor's.
So what EXACTLY were the 6 words? "Do you think she looks tired"?
Loved it.
Andrew
P.S. I love the little bit of continuity with the scaffolding arounnd Big Ben. Any ideas as to what ship crashed 10 years ago? Think we'll find out?
Andrew
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
posted
There was an interesting touch I noticed in New Earth, but I'm not sure if I'm just reading into it to much.
When Rose was leaving home at the end, her mum said "goodbye, love you", the usual stuff, Rose replies "love you", then when Mickey says "I love you", Rose just says "bye" and runs off into the TARDIS. We all know Rose isn't really too keen on him anymore, but that little touch made me chuckle.
As for the rest of the episode, I thought it was mostly well acted, especially when the Doctor's all wet and bounding around shouting about life. The only thing that didn't work for me was Cassandra's sudden acceptance of death. One minute she was doing anything she could to survive, the next minute she was fine about dying. I understand there was a scene which would have made this more believable, but it had technical glitches and couldn't be used. Still, there's a possibility that she could've transfered her coinciousness into her past self after the Doc and Rose left.
posted
I think that her being inside on of the peely skin people made her have some sort of change o heart. Of course, I think that her turnabout (see what I did there?) may have worked better if it were a two parter of even a four parter like wot it was in the olden days.
-------------------- I have plenty of experience in biology. I bought a Tamagotchi in 1998... And... it's still alive.
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quote:Originally posted by Johnny: There was an interesting touch I noticed in New Earth, but I'm not sure if I'm just reading into it to much.
When Rose was leaving home at the end, her mum said "goodbye, love you", the usual stuff, Rose replies "love you", then when Mickey says "I love you", Rose just says "bye" and runs off into the TARDIS. We all know Rose isn't really too keen on him anymore, but that little touch made me chuckle.
I noticed it too - and I guess it'll play into the future episodes when Mickey actually comes along for a ride. Still, Rose bothers to give Mickey a full kiss on the lips, which suggests some lingering ties - she was never really going anywhere with him, but at the least she acknowledges that he wanted to go somewhere with her.
We're supposed to see some major growth with Mickey this year, and I'm guessing that even this brief appearance is part of his overall arc.
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My thoughts a comin'! 
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