Just the Doctor

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:42 pm

I picked this up recently from the 2005 relaunch (if you can really call it that) and holy crap, this is the best show ever, why have I never seen it before?

Everything about this show is so well thought out and perfect, from the concept of regeneration allowing the show to last since the 60s, to the companion being the eyes for the audience into the crazy world of this 900 year old alien and his blue box. PLEASE tell me there are more Whovians here!

I've only been able to see 3 Doctors, but of them Tenant is my clear favorite. He was the PERFECT Doctor in every way, but I do also enjoy how each actor brings a bit to the character. I was sure when Tenant was out, so was I. How could I ever love another? But Matt Smith has been a more than adequate replacement, and some of the story lines since he joined have been fab (I cried when the met VanGogh!).

However, I have an issue. Apparently, Karen Gillan will be returning for the next season. Here's my issue. I have no issue was Amy, I just don't want my companions sticking around that long. 2 season maximum.

Ok, maybe I just miss Donna.

But clearly, bow ties are cool!

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:52 pm

Oh, there are many Whovians lurking here. Please say you watch Torchwood as well. You can't deny Captain Jack.

You know, try as I might, I just don't care for Amy that much. I like her storyline but I don't really like the character so much as the characters that are connected with her. Rory, absolutely love Rory and who couldn't love River?

Donna will probably always be my favourite companion though. I remember watching the first appearance and apparently missing the fact that Catherine Tate was going to be back so I was absolutely bemoaning the fact she didn't stick around from the first.

The Van Gogh episode is one of my favourites for Matt Smith doctor seasons and, yeah, there might have been a bit of a sniffle at the end of that episode. This season is off to a good start as well (won't go into it just in case others haven't seen it)

Bow ties *and* fezzes.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:18 pm

Eh, I enjoy Captian Jack very much, but never got in to Torchwood. Children of Earth was SPECTACULAR but the show never did it for me. But I'm willing to give it another try.

Agreed for Rory! Love him to death! I cried every time he died, which was WAY too often. And Donna was my favorite! I loved her story, and in the end it was so tragic. All she wanted was this adventurous life, then she had it, and then she was forced to forget it. And I loved the whole Doctor Donna reveal. Amazing.

I enjoyed how they started the new season, I love that they set the first storyline in the US, as a nod to the US following to the show. The River reveal was mind blowing.

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:27 pm

I absolutely adored Owen...so of course he died first...then came back as a zombie...then died again.

Rory is absolutely fantastic and obviously the Dr. Who's version of Kenny with how often he dies. I always do hope that they revisit Donna sometime though I'm not certain how likely it is...but we revisited Rose and Martha often enough, surely it can come up sometime. I basically just loved how Donna handled herself and her reactions, especially to the Ood.

There is absolutely nothing like using Hitler as a red herring for a plot. I about died.

Ult_Sm86 · Post by **Ult_Sm86** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:53 pm

Matt Smith Doctor is TEH SHIT.

I love Doctor 11, I love current Doctor Who, and I'm so excited for what's coming.

I'm hoping for some more K-9 and after last season's big spoilers (I'm not saying, I'm just saying -- if you watched you get the innuendo), I think there are oodles of great, fun, unexplored places to take this show.

Just no American remakes please

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:06 pm

Ferguson wrote:I absolutely adored Owen...so of course he died first...then came back as a zombie...then died again.

Rory is absolutely fantastic and obviously the Dr. Who's version of Kenny with how often he dies. I always do hope that they revisit Donna sometime though I'm not certain how likely it is...but we revisited Rose and Martha often enough, surely it can come up sometime. I basically just loved how Donna handled herself and her reactions, especially to the Ood.

There is absolutely nothing like using Hitler as a red herring for a plot. I about died.

I actually have an issue with how disconnected the Matt Smith Dr is from the previous ones. There was always some thread that seemed to carry them from one to the next, Rose was there between Eccleston and Tenant. There was nothing between Tenant and Smith, it was like something completely new and different. I would love a BIT of bleed from the others, something that connects them all again, like seeing Donna or (guh) Martha again. Even Captain Jack (who I have heard is coming back).

And the Hitler thing was great. That episode was SUCH an awesome intro into the next half of the season.

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:17 pm

Yeah, it'd be nice to see a bit more bleed through. I do like that Smith Doctor got to start fresh. It was a great jumping on point for people as well but now that he's well settled it'd be a good time for some of the recent history to slide it's way back in.

My life will never be complete since I can't have shoved Hitler into a closet. It simply won't.

And the idea of remakes frighten me a good deal.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:23 pm

I don't see a remake ever happening, simply because it's so widely available here. And American remakes of British shows are very rarely a success. Coupling was horrific, and I recently found out there was an American IT crowd? WTF? We have BBC America and the internet, we DON'T NEED REMAKES!

However, the Starz Torchwood is fine. I don't mind that.

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:30 pm

Yeah, the only show I can think of that actually made it off of a reboot was The Office so...they just really need to learn how to pick things more carefully, especially if the original was actually popular enough to all ready make the jump, no point at all if that's the case.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:43 pm

Ferguson wrote:Yeah, the only show I can think of that actually made it off of a reboot was The Office so...they just really need to learn how to pick things more carefully, especially if the original was actually popular enough to all ready make the jump, no point at all if that's the case.

I think the big reason The Office took off was that Ricky Gervais was very involved. I believe he's an executive producer, plus he has writing credits on nearly all of the episodes.

On the other hand, Steven Moffat had NOTHING to do with the US Coupling. Which is a crime, because he should be involved with as many things as humanly possible, because he rocks hard.

Ult_Sm86 · Post by **Ult_Sm86** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:44 pm

Wilfred (though not British) made a nice transition, or so I feel.

But I've never gotten into Torchwood, original or Starz. Maybe I should give the Starz version a try when it shows up on DVD/Blu-Ray.

I'll be honest, I didn't get the appeal of: "What do people who know the Doctor do when they don't have the Doctor -- but are still faced with Doctor-Size problems?"

To me it's just "Doctor Why?"

Also, I'm not fanboy for Jack, but ohmama do I love Amy. :growl I feel a lot of the pull for Torchwood is the Jack fans.

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:12 pm

I actually got into Torchwood before I got into the relaunch of Dr. Who so I can honestly say I like Torchwood for Torchwood's sake but I can see a lot of that pull, yeah. So can those responsible for the show considering who lived and who died but, then again, I still need to watch the latest season.

Who else knows the horror that was the Red Dwarf American version? Please tell me I'm not alone in having witnessed that terror.

Garble · Post by **Garble** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:15 pm

I have the American Red Dwarf on my computer. Yeah, it just wasn't.

My older brother used to watch 4th doctor era Doctor Who on PBS when I was little and I barely remembered anything beyond guy with scarf in a police box that's bigger on the inside and sometimes he's got a robot dog with him. Then I started watching the 2005 relaunch when it came on Sci-Fi and got hooked again. I eventually watched the original series episodes from 4th Doctor to TV Movie.

I've been enjoying the crap out of Matt Smith's run. Though I'm worried that the puzzle-solving aspect of the show is becoming too dominant. I like the puzzley bits, but I find that instead of just watching the show, I'm picking everything apart as I watch it to see what's going to turn out to be something later. That's fun, but it might take away from being able to sit back and just enjoy the spectacle the way I could with episodes like End of the World, or Unquiet Dead.

Post by **Elwing** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 7:26 am

Mmm, Red Dwarf. As for the doctor, where have you been all my life? I had the serious bad luck of growing up in a part of the world where DW never really made it on tv (except for a brief stint on the TROS tv station when I was 6, and I had nightmares about that man with his long scarf for years after)
But now I have finally seen the light and I'm totally enjoying this show. Brilliant writing, full of surprises, and excellent actors. I enjoy the complicated plots, so far.
As for Torchwood, I watched a few of the latest series, did not really get into it, and gave up. Sorry

Angelique · Post by **Angelique** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:27 pm

I seem to live in a small-town enclave of Whovians. My whole family has Dr. Who Nights (as we don't get BBC America, when we get it on Netflix becomes an occassion to celebrate). We don't share the same fervor for Torchwood, but do enjoy that show too.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:38 pm

I have to admit (or reiterate) I LOVE Captain Jack. He's a fabulous character and I enjoy his willingness to screw anything with a hole. I've heard rumors that he'll be appearing a bit more on Doctor Who and I can't wait to see Matt Smith react to his sexual advances.

So many species, so little time.

Ferguson · Post by **Ferguson** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:47 pm

Why else would he have become a Time Agent if not to make time for that sort of shenanigans?

Indigo_Lady · Post by **Indigo_Lady** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:17 am

I have been a big fan of The Doctor for a long time. My family used to make fun of me when I watched it on public broadcasting as a kid because they thought the earlier shows were a little campy, but I loved them. I must say that the reboot has been even better. The story lines are well executed. I've really been enjoying the whole thing about River Song. BBC America just ran a special about the companions and they talked about their idea for their time crossed romance. How the more he gets to know her, the less she knows him. So poignant. The earlier Doctors were usually neutral about that kind of relationship (Although there was Romana...)

I do have to admit that I liked David Tennant' s personality a bit more than Matt Smith. His character seems to be a bit of an immature child at times, although I do love the wonder at which he approaches life (I could do without the petulant temper tantrums). We need more of this kind of great story telling in the US.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 5:52 am

Indigo_Lady wrote: I've really been enjoying the whole thing about River Song. BBC America just ran a special about the companions and they talked about their idea for their time crossed romance. How the more he gets to know her, the less she knows him. So poignant.

I LOVE that about River and the Doctor's relationship. It's sad and wonderful at the same time. I remember in an episode her saying to him "One day I will see you and you won't know who I am." And in the show, that had already happened. That made me tear

The concept of two people who's timelines are running opposite one another and are meeting each other is really clever. We saw the time the Doctor first met River, and now we're seeing when River first met the Doctor, and in actuality, he had been an enormous part of her entire life. Though I'm super curious as to how she managed to stay with Amy as long as she did. Can't wait until the next episode!

Post by **Elwing** » Thu Sep 01, 2011 7:21 am

I didn't think I was going to like River, but she grew on me. You have to love a character who gets lines like:

"Well, I was on my way to this gay Gypsy bar mitzvah for the disabled when I suddenly thought, 'Gosh, the Third Reich's a bit rubbish. I think I'll kill the Führer."

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 12:02 am

I set up my TiVo to record Doctor Who, and it's been recording all day today. I'm watching The Girl in the Fireplace, one of my FAVS that I totally forgot about.

AND look what I found while screwing around the internet!!

[Edited on 2/9/11 by NachtcGleiskette]

[Edited on 2/9/11 by NachtcGleiskette]

Ult_Sm86 · Post by **Ult_Sm86** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:08 am

I have some friends who are Johnny-Come-Latelys to Doctor Who, got into it 'cause another mutual acquaintance (and ex-mortal enemy) was into it and he's a trend setter (so to speak), amongst this group of hipster-geeks. They really just get into whatever he does. It's sorta sad. Hive mind stuff.

Anyways --

These kiddos seem to think the Episode 7 (season 6 of course) reveal of WHO River Song actually is was a total bull shit, "fanfiction" write-up.

1) They're idiots. Moffet has said repeatedly in interviews he's known River's origins since the beginning. The only thing I can think of that might've changed in that equation is Donna and Amy and that would be for the sake of aging actresses.

2) They're idiots. They also hate Amy Pond. How do you fucking hate Amelia Pond? I mean... I kind of understand SOME of their reasoning, but these people are also saying ROSE was the best companion.
Really?

ROSE? Rose TYLER? I mean I'm not trying to say "I'm better than you and know more--" But.... her most explored character-trait was her affection/adoration/general obsession for the Doctor.

She was a Doctor's girl, and that's it. Amy has some DEPTH, some hidden secrets. Some personality. Her love of art (in teh Van Gogh episode-- still brings me to tears). Her choice to always want Rory over the Doctor but her fear of having to choose (in just about every episode), her loyalty to her friends and to the Doctor (again, just about every episode). She's just such a great character.

I don't get it.

I'm not fishing for an argument, more for an explanation. Anyone else feel this way??

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:17 am

Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Let's not get down on Rose Tyler. And here's the thing: I think everyone really relates to their first companion. Rose was the first for everyone who jumped on for the relaunch in 2005. So I can see loving her for that alone. Other than that, she was set up as a very important character to the Doctor, and she is romantically linked to him...in a way.

I have to say, Amy isn't my favorite companion, but she's not my least either (Martha, GAG). My absolute fav was Donna. Donna's whole story was incredible, and I loved her because she was the first companion that did not carry some torch for the Doctor. She was in it for the fun and adventure. And she had some amazing adventures, and even became part time lord in an effing incredible story. Then, like that, her life with the Dr was taken from her and she wasn't even allowed to remember it. So tragic. All she wanted was adventure, and she had it and more, but never knew. (And speaking of tears, remember the Pompeii episode? Though I will admit, the Van Gogh one had me in tears as well.)

And speaking on River, I think it's perfectly clear that River was always supposed to be who she is. These kids don't know Steven Moffat. He's a genius. GENIUS. I've never seen anything he's done that wasn't off the charts incredible. I know he had to have that planned from the beginning. He introduces River as having a long relationship with the Dr, so clearly they were going to explore it.

ALL this being said, I don't think they're idiots. They just have a differing opinion

.

Angelique · Post by **Angelique** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:27 am

Rose had her moments, but I like Amy, Donna, Martha, Perri, Sarah Jane, etc., all better.

NachtcGleiskette · Post by **NachtcGleiskette** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:31 am

An aside: