View Full Version : Doctor Who, Series Eight - "Goodbye, sweetie."
Dasquian Belargic
Jun 1st, 2013, 03:38:29 PM
Not that we really have any yet, but please be prepared for...
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxuvihJwAX1r3ovdbo1_250.gif
Okay I lied we have a massive spoiler.
There's no more Matt Smith (...after the 2013 Christmas Special)
http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/06/01/matt-smith-is-leaving-doctor-who/
:cry
Now let the speculation about who will be Twelve begin!
Droo
Jun 1st, 2013, 03:55:31 PM
This is not unexpected. I just hope they don't make it a complete downer, like Ten's departure, that wouldn't suit Eleven at all. Plus, it's Christmas.
On the bright side: http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2013/july-13/14610
:)
Rutabaga
Jun 1st, 2013, 04:29:59 PM
Well...it was bound to happen sooner or later. I can't say I'm totally surprised. And I agree, I hope his regeneration isn't a complete downer...to this day, I still can't watch The End of Time without some serious weeping. I don't know if I can take another regeneration like that.
Although I will most definitely cry if his last word is not "Geronimo!" :(
Now let the wild speculation about who the next Doctor will be begin.
Captain Untouchable
Jun 1st, 2013, 06:27:33 PM
I'm hoping we end up with someone we've never heard of. It seems to work out really well for them that way, Doctor Who becoming a springboard for their career... and it means they come in without us having any clues about how they're going to perform the part.
I suppose John Hurt's identity affects things a lot as well. If he's supposed to be an older version of Twelve, then that will presumably have some bearing on who gets cast: they might even have him regenerate old like Pertwee, and actually go with John Hurt. If he's an older version of Eight on the other hand (which would disappoint me, tbh), that wouldn't really make a difference.
Dasquian Belargic
Jun 2nd, 2013, 05:17:19 AM
I'm not convinced that Hurt is Twelve. I think he's an older incarnation. Like... 8.5 or something <_<
Droo
Jun 2nd, 2013, 07:23:10 AM
I'd prefer to see an older Doctor, male or female. In fact, I like the idea of Olivia Colman in the role. She's about the best we have to offer from our fair isles. Having said that, I wouldn't put money on the BBC executives green-lighting an older Doctor or a female Doctor, unfortunately.
Captain Untouchable
Jun 2nd, 2013, 07:29:20 AM
I'd be disappointed if he was 8.5, because Paul McGann is totally up for returning, and it's taking the piss a bit to recast him imo.
Dasquian Belargic
Jun 2nd, 2013, 08:06:01 AM
I don't mean recast McGann.. I was thinking he could be an incarnation of the Doctor between McGann and Eccleston, since I don't think we have actually seen his regeneration played out at any point?
I'm with you, Droo - an older Doctor would be great.
Captain Untouchable
Jun 2nd, 2013, 09:31:15 AM
Hmm. I dunno - I still think he's supposed to be the Valeyard: the Doctor's future evil self that comes somewhere between his Twelfth incarnation and his death. The concept was introduced in a Colin Baker episode... I think the Master at that point had already met him. Since "Valeyard" (val-ee-ard) is one of the names the Great Intelligence rattled off outside the crypt, and since that's established as being a time when the Doctor went by a different name...
Sure, Moffat may have something else in mind. It just seems like that is what they're gearing towards with the references/etc.
Captain Untouchable
Jun 3rd, 2013, 05:37:51 PM
GfO4dSEzoEs
Adorbs. :ohno
Rutabaga
Jun 3rd, 2013, 07:24:31 PM
Aw, that's too cute :)
Dasquian Belargic
Jul 5th, 2013, 12:56:05 PM
Looks like we may have confirmation on who John Hurt's character is: http://www.themarysue.com/john-hurt-doctor-who-character/
Captain Untouchable
Jul 5th, 2013, 02:10:12 PM
I dunno... I don't buy it. Or maybe I don't like it, so I'm sceptical because I don't want it to be true.
Don't get me wrong: I'm sure the Doctor having an evil / morally grey past incarnation would be cool, and it's a very Moffaty plot to have. But the Doctor already has a morally grey incarnation (the Valeyard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valeyard)) who is either 12 or 13... having an extra one just seems unnecessarily redundant. Plus, it'll really bum me out if Moffat snubs Paul McGann in favour of a cheap plot gimmick :(
I do have a work-around theory though. What I'm wondering/hoping is if John Hurt is both the Valeyard and the Doctor from the Time War. The Time Lords brought the Master back to life in order to fight the Daleks, because they needed that kind of "evil" to win... what if they recruited the Valeyard as well? The Valeyard could be responsible for all of the destruction that took place, which the Doctor is witness to knowing full-well that this is what he's destined to do in the future. It could even explain why the Doctor is the only Time Lord left: the Valeyard had to keep the Doctor alive so that he could eventually regenerate into him, else it'd create a time paradox. And, if Eight or Nine is a witness to what the Valeyard does, he can start dressing similar as a sort of reminder of what he's done/will do.
Depending on how the story is broken up, that'd potentially give you the option to sneak in a surprise Paul McGann cameo, a sneaky McGann > Eccleston regeneration cameo... and come Christmas you could show Eleven regenerating into the Valeyard and the Valeyard regenerating into Thirteen. That means that a) the new Doctor would be the Doctor's "last" regeneration, and b) the new Doctor would have to deal with the immediacy of having just done those terrible things. It'd also tie with the idea that Nine > Ten > Eleven > Twelve shows the Doctor becoming increasingly dark and warlike as he grows towards being the Valeyard... as opposed to having done terrible shit, become good again... and then started going dark for a second time.
Dasquian Belargic
Jul 5th, 2013, 02:29:43 PM
I'm not sure that I would see it as a snub of Paul McGann. There are a lot of Eight adventures that exist out of the TV series, so it seems like Eight has a lot of off-screen time to account for. It could be that by the time Eight regenerates, he would just look too old to have been played by Paul McGann, especially if he's been through the Time Wars.
Captain Untouchable
Jul 5th, 2013, 04:05:36 PM
Yeah, except the Doctor's ageing process is almost imperceptibly slow. Matt Smith has aged from 907 to about 1200 over the course of his run on the show, and he looks pretty much exactly the same. Besides, the audio book / novel events add up to the Doctor being 1700+ before he regenerates into Nine, and Seven stated his age as being 953 whereas Ten said he was 903... so the Doctor's age and ageing is easy to explain away.
The only reason that Moffat absolutely couldn't use Paul McGann (assuming John Hurt is the Eighth / 8.5th Doctor) is because people would recognise Paul McGann, and it would spoil the surprise. Which seems like a pretty shitty reason to use a different actor, imo.
Droo
Jul 12th, 2013, 07:50:57 AM
Don't forget, guys, the Doctor Who Prom is on tomorrow night at 19:30. It is at least going to be live on BBC Radio 3, and I think it will air later in the month on BBC One. I could be wrong though, it might be live on the telly, or at least if you hit the red button.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/whats-on/2013/july-13/14610
Dasquian Belargic
Aug 1st, 2013, 02:29:54 PM
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/08/01/official-bbc-to-reveal-new-doctor-who-in-live-broadcast-this-sunday/
7pm this Sunday we apparently find out who the next Doctor is fffffffffffffffffff
Rutabaga
Aug 1st, 2013, 09:48:04 PM
I think we need a group hug just in case :hug
Droo
Aug 2nd, 2013, 03:25:49 PM
This is probably just a lot of over-excited fanboy waffle, but I do like all the talk of Andrew Scott for the next Doctor. And on that note I do find myself wondering just how obscure an actor are they going to recruit for the role, given the announcement, it's the sort of reveal that lends itself to the idea that the actor will be known, in the hope that the casting news will generate an extra amount of buzz. Not that there won't be all kinds of buzz anyway.
Fred Fiddich
Aug 2nd, 2013, 06:59:10 PM
I just hope that whoever they pick, it isn't from the same "quirky but cool" mould... and mostly that's because the Companion is staying the same.
As far as I can remember, this would be the third time that two incarnations of the Doctor have had the same Assistant/Companion. The first was Three/Four, who shared Sarah Jane Smith; and of course Nine/Ten shared Rose. With those transitions (and tbh, with almost every other regeneration), the change in appearance, personality, and mannerisms was pretty dramatic. With Ten to Eleven though, they sorta got stuck on the idea that the Doctor should be silly, eccentric, and sort of cool. If we're going to have John Hurt added into the equation, I think it would be more interesting if the next Doctor was a bit more gruff. After all, if John Hurt is someone new then this "technically" would be his thirteenth and final regeneration (wibbly-wobbly not withstanding), so a Doctor who is all "This is my last life, I have to save as much as possible before my time runs out" might be interesting.
Maybe I've just been imagining Idris Elba as the Doctor a little too hard, though. I want that. :ohno
Dasquian the Elf
Aug 4th, 2013, 11:36:35 AM
30 minutes to go..
http://31.media.tumblr.com/3797f6376ef55c8137ca36a0649f4226/tumblr_mq2ftfbc9O1rnpy62o2_500.gif
Rutabaga
Aug 4th, 2013, 12:39:59 PM
Peter Capaldi was the odds on favorite, so it wasn't a total surprise to me...but I'm happy. Really, really happy. I think he's going to bring great energy and fun to the show. :dance
Droo
Aug 4th, 2013, 12:40:43 PM
Well, I'm absolutely thrilled with the choice for the twelfth Doctor. I wanted an older actor and with Peter Capaldi, I'm certain we'll get another brilliant charismatic Doctor. :D
Dasquian the Elf
Aug 4th, 2013, 01:19:39 PM
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m928w2ykuT1r9kmjj.gif
Rutabaga
Aug 4th, 2013, 01:24:11 PM
I. Love. Him.
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Dasquian the Elf
Aug 4th, 2013, 02:22:41 PM
<object width="560" height="315">
<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/VDGzzGRKukE?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true">
man, he looks so sinister at the end there :3:</object>
Captain Untouchable
Aug 6th, 2013, 07:34:59 PM
I'll be honest: I found the reveal a little anticlimactic. I had my heart set on Idris Elba, and with all the over-the-top fanfare surrounding the revelation, not to mention Neil Gaiman's reveal that they asked "a black actor" who turned down the role... my expectations were inflated far too much, I think. >_<
That said, the more I think about it, the more Capaldi seems like a potentially interesting candidate.
Trying to be as un-subjective about Moffat as possible, he seems to have had two big problems/challenges last season. The first is that he seems to thrive on writing "new stuff": the longer that Matt Smith was the Doctor, the further Moffat escalated the stakes and the intensity of his plots. He seems to be a storyteller who wants to inspire awe in his viewers... whereas Davis seemed a little more interested in inspiring aww. Capaldi doesn't strike me as someone who will deliver a Tennant/Smith style extrovert optimist performance: I think the challenge of writing such a radically different Doctor is going to be enough to allow Moffat to revert to square one... Capaldi will be new and surprising enough on his own without Moffat feeling the need to throw in bonus surprise newness.
The other challenge is the Ponds: no matter how amazing Clara was or could have been, she was on the back foot from day one. Again, I think Moffat felt the need to "go big" in order to compensate that, which meant that Clara became more of a 'what' than a 'who'. Between Capaldi's age and manner, and the reveal that Clara is kind of the Doctor's Doctor (she's the one who mysteriously shows up in his life/lives, essentially), there's the potential for something pretty cool... possibly something more like Eccleston-Rose, rather than the pseudo-Martha that Clara wound up being with Matt.
So yeah. I guess I'm kind of looking forward to it now?
Rutabaga
Aug 6th, 2013, 07:49:06 PM
I'm really, really hoping that Twelve will mean a reboot for Clara as well...I was so disappointed with the second half of season 7, it just did absolutely nothing to live up to the promise that I felt in Asylum of the Daleks and The Snowmen. In that sense, I think this was the appropriate time for Matt Smith to leave. Make no mistake, I enjoyed him immensely, but he was starting to get...well...boring, I guess is the best word. And it's not all his fault, of course the storytelling was at fault as well.
I also thought I'd share this, needless to say it's tremendously NSFW:
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Captain Untouchable
Aug 6th, 2013, 10:14:50 PM
I just pre-wrote a "What I'd Do With: Doctor Who" blog post for next Wednesday, about what I had imagined Idris Elba being like... but something occurred to me while writing it that has me properly excited now.
(Spoiler tags, so that on the off chance I wind up being right I can totes 'I told you so' about it. :uhoh)
I've been hipster-Whovian bitching about the whole Valeyard thing: the evil twelfth incarnation of the Doctor that John Hurt "should" be. However, if John Hurt slots in between Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston... it means that while technically Matt Smith is the eleventh Doctor, he's the twelfth regeneration of that particular Gallifreyan individual.
What if Matt Smith becomes the Valeyard?
Think about it. He's already Gone To War, blown up Cyber Legions, and that sort of thing. He's trying to erase his name from history, so starting to travel under a different name - ie. The Valeyard - would help with that. Losing the Ponds is just the last in a long line, and John Hurt could easily stab some emotional "And how many people have you got killed doing things The Doctor's way?" knife into Eleven's hearts. And then there's Matt Smith's slightly more menacing new look.
And, not only would this mean that Peter Capaldi would be a grim, post-evil "Oh god, what have I done?" Doctor... he'd also technically be the thirteenth regeneration: the final regeneration, plot shenanigans not withstanding. Peter Capaldi as a "I don't have any regenerations: I don't have time to fuck about with this shit" sort of Doctor? Yes please! :ohno
:cyduck
I think I broke myself.
Edit:
gEbwZ7W8tsw
Lindalee Rose, asking all the important questions about Peter Capaldi.
Dasquian Belargic
Aug 26th, 2013, 09:02:12 AM
Proms time, Whovians!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0394dg0/BBC_Proms_2013_Season_Doctor_Who_at_the_Proms/
Dasquian Belargic
Sep 14th, 2013, 01:29:29 AM
everybody seen this? :D
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1239465_716134781733885_1562432521_n.jpg
Rutabaga
Sep 14th, 2013, 12:28:23 PM
bad wolf bad wolf bad wolf bad wolf :eee
Dasquian Belargic
Oct 6th, 2013, 02:20:10 AM
The 50th anniversary special is going to be broadcast simultaneously in 75 countries!
I guess some of you will have to get up early to watch it live with us ;)
Rutabaga
Oct 6th, 2013, 11:13:40 AM
I have a horrible feeling that I'm going to be working that weekend so I'll have to record it and watch it after work. :(
Crusader
Oct 11th, 2013, 07:47:37 AM
Today I read that there are only 97 episodes instead of 106 episodes missing from Doctor Who.
Dasquian Belargic
Oct 14th, 2013, 02:18:47 PM
oh god *sobs*
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Dasquian Belargic
Oct 16th, 2013, 11:31:05 AM
First images of Eleven, Ten and ???? (John Hurt) together on set: http://www.themarysue.com/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-images/
Vittore Montegue
Oct 18th, 2013, 05:59:13 PM
Guys, I don't mean to alarm you, but John Hurt has a Tumblr (http://johnhurt.co.uk/), and the pictures he uploads are freaking adorable.
Also, he's using Tumblr correctly, because he's already got a picture of Tom Hiddleston in there.
Dasquian Belargic
Oct 19th, 2013, 01:44:01 PM
yesssssssssss
7hRy2N2CMhQ
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 7th, 2013, 12:25:26 PM
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hashtags. apparently the Doctor likes them!
Captain Untouchable
Nov 7th, 2013, 12:41:05 PM
Why did the chicken cross the road?
To cause the mass extinction of kittens, apparently. :|
Mu Satach
Nov 7th, 2013, 02:59:13 PM
Bah! I'm working a basketball tournament on the 23rd.
Droo
Nov 7th, 2013, 07:49:22 PM
qFT5YJfrmCQ
Looking forward to this. :D
Droo
Nov 9th, 2013, 10:32:53 AM
Today's first trailer:
Mkq8pnvsnQg
And here's the second one:
7z6FMCqYrBo
While I still feel I know nothing about the episode itself, which isn't a bad thing, I have to admit that second trailer has me psyched for the Day of the Doctor. :)
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 10th, 2013, 04:50:58 AM
Ahaha, I love the two of them comparing sonics :3:
Sleazy
Nov 10th, 2013, 06:04:19 AM
I think/hope this is going to be a Matt Smith adventure, with David Tennant tagging along to offer sass when required.
aka. best episode ever.
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 10th, 2013, 06:14:00 AM
Thinking about this episode this morning was hurting my brain because I was trying to apply time-travel logic to it and boggling over how Eleven and Ten could both possibly experience something for the first time, together, without breaking the universe :whaa
Crusader
Nov 10th, 2013, 07:22:41 AM
Well in the old episodes it just needed lots of energy from Gallafray to keep the paradox running.
Rutabaga
Nov 10th, 2013, 09:00:47 AM
I am so glad that I'm not scheduled to work on the 23rd, and I'm also very grateful that BBC America has announced that they are going to simulcast the episode WITHOUT COMMERCIALS. Oh happy day. :dance
Hobgoblin
Nov 11th, 2013, 09:15:07 AM
Thinking about this episode this morning was hurting my brain because I was trying to apply time-travel logic to it and boggling over how Eleven and Ten could both possibly experience something for the first time, together, without breaking the universe :whaa
The two most convenient ways to accomplish this are partial memory wipe after it's all over and having them very frequently off doing different things so that they relive the same day from different perspectives. I'm pretty sure there are others I can't think of, but those two would be the ones I'd probably do if I were in the writer's chair.
R4-K8
Nov 11th, 2013, 08:30:56 PM
It's worth bearing in mind that, aside from fixed points ...time in Doctor Who is fluid. I may be inferring wrong, but the trailer makes it seem like Eleven is only just starting to remember stuff, because Ten is only just starting to experience it?
Despite the fact that Amy was a time traveller, the crack in the wall was able to modify/change her memory (ie. Delete Rory) by removing stuff from earlier in her timeline. This is just the opposite... gaining new memories instead of losing them because something has been added to your timeline.
Crusader
Nov 12th, 2013, 12:26:28 AM
Or Ten is simply the Meta Crisis Docter that remained with Rose. This version of Ten does not share Eleven's future at all.
Sleazy
Nov 12th, 2013, 12:56:31 AM
Or Ten is simply the Meta Crisis Docter that remained with Rose. This version of Ten does not share Eleven's future at all.
I'm not sure if it was officially announced, but I am 99.99% certain that this is the legit Tenth Doctor, from his farewell tour. Apparently Ten's companion for this story arc is Elizabeth I, from much earlier in her reign, and we are going to find out why she wanted his head cut off during the Shakespeare episode. From Ten's perspective, this takes place during his "farewell tour", during the year where it was just specials.
It's also worth noting that based on the background, Rose seems to be with John Hurt, not with Ten. Given the fact that her eyes glow in the trailer, I wonder if she's Bad Wolf rather than actual Rose Tyler.
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 14th, 2013, 07:48:59 AM
So we have a mini-episode called "Night of the Doctor":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01lhhv4/Doctor_Who_Mini_Episode_The_Night_of_the_Doctor/
(...and it seems to be as I thought: Hurt sits between Eight and Nine as far as regenerations go)
Captain Untouchable
Nov 14th, 2013, 09:12:54 AM
Ordinarily I'd be bugged about confirmation of the [8.5th Doctor] thing... but considering who we got an unexpected six minutes of, I'm kind of okay with it. :ohno
Crusader
Nov 14th, 2013, 10:18:37 AM
Since 8 did never regenerate isn't it possible that he is just the older version of 8?
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 14th, 2013, 11:43:44 AM
The new mini episode shows him [actually regenerating from Eight into 'the War Doctor' aka John Hurt] :)
Rutabaga
Nov 14th, 2013, 09:38:16 PM
I just loved seeing [Paul McGann] back in action, even if it was just for a little over 6 minutes. :)
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 15th, 2013, 02:22:40 PM
The Science of Doctor Who, on iPlayer until Nov 21st: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03hybnv/The_Science_of_Doctor_Who/
Also an old episode of Buzzcocks with David Tennant as host, Catherine Tate and Bernard Cribbins as guests: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pgv4j/Never_Mind_the_Buzzcocks_Series_23_The_Doctor_Who_ Special/
Droo
Nov 15th, 2013, 03:25:17 PM
Also an old episode of Buzzcocks with David Tennant as host, Catherine Tate and Bernard Cribbins as guests: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00pgv4j/Never_Mind_the_Buzzcocks_Series_23_The_Doctor_Who_ Special/
Catherine Tate is killing me watching this! :lol
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 16th, 2013, 10:58:48 AM
another clip from the Day of the Doctor! I think this may a clip from the actual episode itself:
Zn9Ss9rZMcU
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 18th, 2013, 03:11:21 PM
spoiler-free:
jPyKA8YAUTU
Captain Untouchable
Nov 20th, 2013, 08:08:29 PM
http://24.media.tumblr.com/4a627d841809076c964274d4816ef487/tumblr_mwkx7rVa821rvya9ro1_1280.jpg
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 21st, 2013, 04:09:12 PM
nYPgggN28_o
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 22nd, 2013, 02:08:33 PM
spoilers for An Adventure in Space and Time
http://www.youtube.com/S9wtQay5yu8
:cry
Droo
Nov 22nd, 2013, 05:20:08 PM
I watched that earlier, and I think, for me, it's easily the best of Mark Gatiss' work that I've seen. It was a wonderful tribute to Hartnell, the cast, and crew who made Doctor Who happen. There wasn't a moment wasted, the whole thing was charming and entertaining throughout, and the entire ensemble nailed it. And yes, that was such a beautiful surprise at the end.
Also: "I don't want to go." :cry
Droo
Nov 22nd, 2013, 05:45:37 PM
Also, Americans, this airs tonight 9:00pm ET/PT on BBC America. You'd be mad to miss it!
Ilias Nytrau
Nov 22nd, 2013, 10:22:44 PM
I just watched 'An Adventure in Space and Time'... and it made my eyes leak.
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 23rd, 2013, 04:32:13 AM
I watched that earlier, and I think, for me, it's easily the best of Mark Gatiss' work that I've seen. It was a wonderful tribute to Hartnell, the cast, and crew who made Doctor Who happen. There wasn't a moment wasted, the whole thing was charming and entertaining throughout, and the entire ensemble nailed it. And yes, that was such a beautiful surprise at the end.
Also: "I don't want to go." :cry
So so true. I cried multiple times.
[Any time an old man cries, I can't stop myself crying... but this was sad on so many levels. Watching the change in Mr Hartnell once Verity and Waris left the show... when no one knew how to work the TARDIS :( he got so protective of the show and the set. I'm tearing up just thinking about it now.]
Jack Bradley
Nov 23rd, 2013, 05:21:23 AM
Get hyped :3:
a1AnTi1X2QM
Rutabaga
Nov 23rd, 2013, 03:19:15 PM
Damn ninjas have been cutting onions in my kitchen again. :cry
The Day of The Doctor was simply amazing.
Droo
Nov 23rd, 2013, 03:25:31 PM
["All thirteen of them!"]
Those eyes! I gasp-shrieked at that moment. Oh, man!
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 23rd, 2013, 03:27:28 PM
["All thirteen of them!"]
Those eyes! I gasp-shrieked at that moment. Oh, man!
*SHRIEK*
ohhhh man I lost my shit. that whole sequence. fucking... :3: gahhhh.
Atton Kira
Nov 23rd, 2013, 03:31:14 PM
ohhhh man I lost my shit. that whole sequence episode. fucking... :3: gahhhh.
Seriously, loved this to pieces. John Hurt especially was an inspired bit of casting: I'm so used to hearing his voice all majestic, but the tiredness he injected into it when he spoke was tragic. Seriously looking forward for what this means for the Doctor(s) going forward as well, because this is potentially a massive paradigm shift for the show.
13 out of 10, Moffat! :eee
Also, I may have misheard... apparently I'm related to a security guard at the Black Archives? :uhoh
Emelie Shadowstar
Nov 23rd, 2013, 03:53:28 PM
There was a lot of unbecoming fangirl squealing going on in my house.
Morgan Evanar
Nov 23rd, 2013, 07:57:31 PM
John Hurt was absolutely tremendous. I'm still processing the implications.
Moffat you beautiful bastard.
Mu Satach
Nov 23rd, 2013, 09:25:10 PM
Anyone check out Google today?
Rutabaga
Nov 23rd, 2013, 10:48:35 PM
Oh yes indeed. Yahoo as well. :)
Lilaena De'Ville
Nov 26th, 2013, 11:42:51 AM
Day of the Doctor was brilliant. :) I loved it. Incidentally, it won the Guinness Book of World Records record for largest simulcast of a TV drama, and also broke the ratings record for BBCA here in the states.
I miss Sandshoes. :(
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 26th, 2013, 02:20:58 PM
I miss chinny.
He's not even gone yet.
*SOB*
Droo
Nov 26th, 2013, 03:33:36 PM
As much as it will pain me to say goodbye to Eleven (and it will: he was my first Doctor, the one who got me hooked - The Eleventh Hour holds a special place in my heart :love), I have to admit I'm giddy with excitement for Twelve: he's going to be something really special, I think.
Dasquian Belargic
Nov 26th, 2013, 03:40:16 PM
I can't wait to see Twelve!
But I am still in mourning for Amy leaving. The Raggedy Doctor and the Girl Who Waited :cry :cry :cry
Hábrók
Nov 26th, 2013, 07:57:41 PM
Is he Twelve, or is he Thirteen?
Objectively speaking, he is the incarnation of the Doctor following the incarnation of the Doctor who we refer to as Eleven. That incarnation is Eleven by virtue of the fact that the War Doctor was not thought of as a proper Doctor. Now we know different however, and in terms of the Doctor's timeline, the War Doctor is now arguably the twelfth, chronologically, to be acknowledged as the Doctor.
Also, the new Doctor being the thirteenth iteration has more lore significance, because Time Lords are only supposed to have thirteen lives; and when he appeared, they referenced "all thirteen", implying he's the thirteenth. Depending on how Steve Moffat decides to move forward, the fact that Capaldi is the "last" proper regeneration - that he's the thirteenth - could very easily be a significant feature of the character, which might mean calling him Thirteen is more appropriate.
And then there is a rumour floating around that, because of David Tennant using up regeneration energy to grow a new him, there are arguably two Tennant regenerations, which would make Matt Smith the final/thirteenth... and that's possibly the plot of the Christmas special or somesuch. If that rumour is true (though since it's from the Daily Mail, it probably isn't), that would make Peter Capaldi the Doctor's fourteenth life, his thirteenth face, but only the twelfth "officially the Doctor".
:cyduck
Personally, I want to call Capaldi "Thirteen", because it's badass, he seems like a badass, and I really really liked John Hurt and want him to have an integer as well. But I guess time will tell regarding what the fandom collectively settles upon.
Rutabaga
Nov 26th, 2013, 09:16:28 PM
I totally miss Sandshoes too. But let me assure you, I have no doubt I'll be sobbing buckets next month when it's Chinny's time to depart. :cry
I'm also totally convinced that the Doctor has many more regenerations available since River basically gave him all of her remaining regenerations in order to bring him back to life in Let's Kill Hitler. As for numbers and whatnot, right now what I'm seeing online is that John Hurt's Doctor is referred to either as The War Doctor or Doctor 8.5, so that would still leave everyone else with the integers we're used to using. I don't know how canon that is, although "The War Doctor" was used in Night of the Doctor. I can live with this, though, because it's ultimately the easiest way to organize everyone.
Rutabaga
Nov 30th, 2013, 09:52:32 AM
Well, this is genius incarnate.
<object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/8C7Ys_hhHCA?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/8C7Ys_hhHCA?hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
Dasquian Belargic
Dec 2nd, 2013, 02:20:38 PM
^ Haha, I love it!
the guy who plays Eleven in that video was walking beside me in the DragonCon parade last year :)
Captain Untouchable
Dec 3rd, 2013, 03:13:09 AM
I was discussing the whole Daily Mail / Matt Smith = #13 rumour with someone earlier. Even if he does believe that he's the Doctor's thirteenth life... doesn't he explicitly know that he has more regenerations? Even if he did previously believe himself to be the thirteenth, the fact that "all thirteen" showed up, and the fact that he spoke to the Curator who pretty much said "dude, you're going to regenerate like, a whole bunch more times", there's no reason for him to believe that he's the last.
I suppose they could be going for a mega-feels "This is my last death...oh wait no it isn't!", but the audience already knows that, so I'm not sure it would work.
I hope the Daily Mail is wrong... if only because I want them to save the new batch of regenerations for Moffat's successor. A new lease on life, a new set of regenerations, and the option of using "they're River's regenerations" as an added justification for a female Doctor feels like the sort of thing that a new showrunner should do. Fresh start and all that.
Droo
Dec 3rd, 2013, 04:26:46 AM
Day of the Doctor spoilers to follow:
On Den of Geek, I read that Moffat had outright confirmed that Eleven, as we know him, [is the product of twelve regenerations.Naturally, there's Hurt's doctor, and the spanner in the works is Ten's hand regeneration thing that turned into half-human Ten who snogs Rose Tyler. If Moffat is then true to his word, the Christmas special should deal with how the Doctor will be able to regenerate again.] Even if that means Eleven already understanding it's possible from glimpsing his future. I like that, anyway, because it means we shouldn't get the excessively mopey kind of farewell that we had with Tennant's Ten.
Captain Untouchable
Dec 3rd, 2013, 06:28:12 AM
If that is indeed the case, I am irked.
The fact that Time Lords only have thirteen lives is a big deal. The only Time Lord to properly overcome that limitation is Rassilon, whose immortality was a plot hook in The Five Doctors. During the seventies or eighties, the thirteenth incarnation of the Master tried desperately to get more lives by any means necessary, and while not a fantastic movie, Paul McGann's only "official" story involves the Master attempting to steal more lives from the Doctor because he had none left; him getting more lives to wage the Time War was a big deal, because the Master finally got what he wanted. At another point, the Time Lords brought the Valeyard (an evil version of the Doctor from "between his twelfth and final regenerations") as a witness when the Doctor was on trial: his payment for testifying against himself was more regenerations... even the Doctor wasn't immune to the desire to cheat death. Thirteen regenerations is a Thing (TM).
The idea of Moffat turning around smugly and telling us that "actually, Matt Smith was the thirteenth all along" is a bit of a slap in the face: the same as name-dropping the Valeyard and then entirely glossing over everything that goes along with that. Even if you don't consider yourself beholden to the events of the classic era, the "oh-ho-ho you all counted wrong!" plot reveal which will then all be tied up in a nice neat little bow... it feels like such a hideous waste of storytelling potential.
It's... such a Moffat thing to do, that super-convenient last minute reveal that solves everything via exposition rather than actual doing stuff. It's like when you have a magnificently enormous sneeze coming, and it fizzles out before you get the chance to enjoy it. Being Thirteen could have been a really interesting defining characteristic of Capaldi's Doctor, but if Moffat isn't outright lying... it feels like they're slapping a reset button, and unless Moffat stepping down as showrunner and letting someone else take over is also a big plot reveal for this Christmas, I don't think I really want him slapping any reset buttons.
:grumble
Crusader
Dec 4th, 2013, 07:54:07 AM
I know exactly what you mean, Jace. Once a franchise breaks his own rules for "the rule of cool" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfCool) I generally call them out for being creative bankrupt and abandon their franchise (for example see how World of Warcraft has basically ruined the entire Warcraft Lore one Dungeon Boss at a time)...
Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 4th, 2013, 09:43:50 AM
I believe that is saying Matt Smith's doctor is [the twelfth not the thirteenth (and not the 11th), hence the other guys saying ALL THIRTEEN OF ME in Day of the Doctor.]
If they use River to handwave additional generations I'd be ok with it - this is obviously a franchise that doesn't know how to stop, hence a 50yr anniversary to begin with.
perhaps...maybe...just this once...EVERYBODY LIVES!
Droo
Dec 4th, 2013, 03:03:36 PM
I agree with pretty much everything you said, Jace. To clarify, I'm not in favour of this idea at all, if it indeed becomes a reality. When I said that "I like that," I was talking exclusively about the chance that Smith's departure won't be as self-pitying and self-indulgent as Tennant's. Looking back, I really hate that regeneration, and despite it making every effort to manipulate the audience to maximum effect, I find it nowhere near as moving or memorable as Nine's regeneration. But I digress. My Moffat disillusionment took root last series, particularly with the way he tied up the [Clara conundrum. The Impossible Girl! How? Oh, she walks into the Doctor's timestream, and is scattered all over his past, and although it is played off like some really big sacrifice, a minute later the Doctor trots in after her and pulls her out. A resolution completely unworthy of its build-up.] To be fair, he did a lot to get me back on side with Day of the Doctor, and I do have high hopes for Capaldi's tenure in the TARDIS, but this whole thing smacks of a smug rug-pull.
Having said that, I cannot for the life of me find that article I mentioned above. I'm almost certain it was on Den of Geek, but I can't possibly have just imagined those details out of thin air... can I? :uhoh
Captain Untouchable
Dec 5th, 2013, 05:15:20 AM
I believe that is saying Matt Smith's doctor is [the twelfth not the thirteenth (and not the 11th), hence the other guys saying ALL THIRTEEN OF ME in Day of the Doctor.]
If they use River to handwave additional generations I'd be ok with it - this is obviously a franchise that doesn't know how to stop, hence a 50yr anniversary to begin with.
perhaps...maybe...just this once...EVERYBODY LIVES!
Matt Smith's Doctor is [already the twelfth, because of John Hurt. What the article is suggesting is that he's actually the thirteenth, because David Tennant used up one of his regenerations to turn his severed hand into that clone that went off to live happily ever after with Rose.] That's the part that I'm irked about, particularly with Moffat's smug "you need to go back and count again" comments in interviews.
I agree with pretty much everything you said, Jace. To clarify, I'm not in favour of this idea at all, if it indeed becomes a reality. When I said that "I like that," I was talking exclusively about the chance that Smith's departure won't be as self-pitying and self-indulgent as Tennant's. Looking back, I really hate that regeneration, and despite it making every effort to manipulate the audience to maximum effect, I find it nowhere near as moving or memorable as Nine's regeneration. But I digress.
Yeah, we're pretty much on the same page, Droo. Unfortunately, I think that's exactly what a Eleven = Thirteen plot reveal would be for. Aside from the convenience of tying up loose ends, the only reason to "smug rug-pull" as you put it (I am stealing that phrase for future use!) would be so you can milk it for as much drama as it's worth. The Doctor dying - sacrificing his life for what he believes is the last time - could be turned into something really dramatic... if you hadn't already revealed to your audience and to your main character, that he is definitely 100% going to be totally fine.
If Capaldi is Thirteen, they have the opportunity to do something in the same ballpark as Season 3 of Supernatural. Instead of [Dean being reckless and trying to get as much good done as possible in the one year of life he has left], you've got the Doctor on the one hand trying to do as much good and save as many people as he can, but also being more wary of danger because if he dies there's no regeneration for him this time. When the Doctor dies for the thirteenth time, It should be like the end of that Supernatural season: [it didn't matter that we all know Dean would *somehow* be okay for Season 4, because Sam and Dean didn't know that. What makes Dean's death-by-hellhound so tragic is that Sam couldn't save him, and that Dean thinks he's about to spend the rest of eternity in Hell. For the characters, that scene is utterly without hope.]
Sadly, by making it possible for the Doctor to think "there were thirteen of me at Gallifrey, so clearly I have more regenerations", the character doesn't (or rather shouldn't) have that hopelessness. I suppose if Capaldi is the first of the River Regenerations, there'll be a question mark looming if he isn't quite sure how many regenerations River actually gave him... but it's not quite the same.
Then again, it's a family show. I suppose we can't expect anything too tragic.
Edit:
And yes, it really is possible and appropriate to reference Supernatural in any context. Just ask Tumblr. :uhoh
Dasquian Belargic
Dec 5th, 2013, 12:02:07 PM
I am trying to remember... when was the last time we heard, on the show, about the amount of regeneration the Doctor had/has left?
EDIT:
https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1459187_774750945872268_970752069_n.jpg
:ohno
Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 5th, 2013, 03:35:08 PM
I don't take anything they say too seriously because it's all "the Daleks are destroyed forever no wait they're back" "No more Cybermen for realsies this time, just kidding" so them saying "Oh yeah, he's got another regeneration or two perhaps" is really just following Doctor Who's grand tradition of doing whatever they like, screw continuity.
Droo
Dec 9th, 2013, 02:14:36 PM
http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/28529/doctor-who-steven-moffat-confirms-series-8-wont-be-split
Great news! :)
Captain Untouchable
Dec 10th, 2013, 09:24:38 AM
Confirmation (http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a536819/doctor-who-matt-smith-is-the-13th-doctor-says-steven-moffat.html) that Matt Smith is the thirteenth from Moffat himself. Sigh.
I get that no one else is particularly bothered, but this just really irks me. It feels like such a giant wasted opportunity, and I can't think of a good justification for it. :(
Dasquian Belargic
Dec 10th, 2013, 11:08:15 AM
An interesting blog article I read: http://tealeavesdogears.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/steven-moffat-doesnt-understand-grief-and-its-killing-doctor-who/
"What Steven Moffat doesn't understand about grief, and why it's killing Doctor Who"
Droo
Dec 10th, 2013, 11:27:20 AM
Confirmation (http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a536819/doctor-who-matt-smith-is-the-13th-doctor-says-steven-moffat.html) that Matt Smith is the thirteenth from Moffat himself. Sigh.
I get that no one else is particularly bothered, but this just really irks me. It feels like such a giant wasted opportunity, and I can't think of a good justification for it. :(
You're not alone in this. It sucks balls. The cynical part of me is thinking Moffat doesn't see himself as show runner by the time Capaldi's Doctor regenerates, chalking this down to a selfish grab at another huge part of Who lore, so he can stamp his name on it before he steps down. It's a huge wasted opportunity. Imagine what Capaldi could've done with a "no more regenerations" story arc.
Edit: And that article hits the nail on the head with regards to my objection in the way (season 7 finale spoilers to follow) [River Song's last farewell played out (even though, incredibly, Alex Kingston has suggested it might not be the last we see of her - no deaths or consequences, indeed), and then the handy happy resolution of Clara's sacrifice, which, it turns out, means nothing at all.]
Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 10th, 2013, 03:17:00 PM
An interesting blog article I read: http://tealeavesdogears.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/steven-moffat-doesnt-understand-grief-and-its-killing-doctor-who/
"What Steven Moffat doesn't understand about grief, and why it's killing Doctor Who"I completely agree with this article. It's so hard to invest in a show emotionally when nothing ever happens for real.
Droo
Dec 26th, 2013, 08:41:57 AM
Well, Matt Smith was wonderful right until the very end. [His last lines aboard the TARDIS were excellent, and I loved the way he glanced into the camera when he said "I will always remember when the Doctor was me." And then there was Pond. That needed to happen and it was a powerful moment, bringing Eleventh's story full circle.]
Shame the same cannot be said for Moffat's plot. It was all over the place and was undeserving of being Matt Smith's swan song. He needs a fearless editor who will trim the bloat from his stories and call him on his lazy half-baked plot resolutions - a regular feature of Moffat's Doctor Who these days. [The Doctor acquiring a new regeneration cycle is a massive moment in Whovian lore, and to wrap it up with a couple of lines of dialogue and a special effect was a colossal disappointment. It was a greedy grab at another piece of the pie for Moffat, and he did not give it the service it deserved at all.] I'd like to think that with most, if not all, of Eleven's storylines being wrapped up (Day of the Doctor stuff aside), Moffat has a second chance to write a tight coherent story arc for this new Doctor, hopefully learning from his mistakes and not having frayed old plot threads hanging about all over the place.
[It looked like Eleven was going to go out with a bang, quite literally, and I was all for that. It suited the character, but I'm glad we got some quiet time, affording Matt Smith a chance to say goodbye. His farewell was lovely, and then just like that, he regenerated and there was Peter Capaldi, staring his amazing stare at Clara. I loved that instant regeneration. It was a shock, but it was the emotional equivalent of quickly tearing of a plaster/bandaid: the last line has been uttered, the music has swelled, and then normally we have a drawn out special effect being the last thing we remember of our beloved Doctors; in this case, it was a fleeting glimpse, a smile, and then bang!]
There's nothing like the rollercoaster effect of a Doctor Who regeneration. The deep sadness of goodbye followed, with merciful haste, by a joyful hello. You can't beat it!
Obviously, spoilers ahead, but here's a behind the scenes video for you to weep over:
JgE1dkJanEc
Rutabaga
Dec 27th, 2013, 12:43:12 AM
I pretty much agree...as a whole, I thought the episode was a huge letdown. Way too drawn out, with some completely unnecessary stuff thrown in. [The Doctor posing as Clara's boyfriend for her family? The joke about them being naked with holographic clothes?] Oh, puh-leeze.
BUT the regeneration scene was simply brilliant and beautiful. (Even though BBC America went directly to commercials after the explode-y part. I was sitting there starting to bawl, and suddenly there was a car commercial, I think. It really broke the mood.) Extremely moving final words/thoughts from Eleven [plus the gesture of him untying the bow tie and dropping it on the TARDIS floor, and then the sudden, basically instantaneous change to Twelve...it was shocking. In a good way. And I immediately fell in love with Twelve. How could you not?] And yes, I'm sticking with the labels "Eleven" and "Twelve," no matter what anyone else says. So there. :p
It was just a shame that, despite using 2 blacklisting extensions at Tumblr, I knew within seconds when the episode had finished airing in the UK, because my dashboard got flooded with untagged spoilers that immediately blew the whole regeneration scene, including that one unexpected appearance and what Twelve's first words were. Poop. :(
Droo
Dec 29th, 2013, 11:02:00 AM
Rewatched this today, and I have one more thing to add, again, in praise of Matt Smith. Give the man a prop and watch him work it! It was a joy to watch him acting [with a cane, and then to behold the manic cartoonish physicality atop the clock tower as his new regeneration cycle is kicking in. I know that scene was written for Eleven, but I can't imagine any of his predecessors nailing that moment so wonderfully.] I'm going to miss him so much!
Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 29th, 2013, 11:18:58 AM
Watched it and the BBCA special Farewell to Matt Smith last night. I thought it worked, overall. The regeneration was [shocking right at the end, and I loved Clara's horrified expression when suddenly faced with Capaldi.
The whole Town Called Christmas and him defending it for hundreds of years was... overly contrived. If this hadn't been The Christmas Special perhaps it would have gone better because the frankly quite arbitrary Christmas bits wouldn't have been shoehorned in. I did like how it came to be that he and the Silence were fighting on the same side, though, that was cool.]
overall it was good and the Doctor is cool now - that's what Matt Smith did.
Droo
Jan 3rd, 2014, 06:55:57 PM
@bbcdoctorwho kindly tweeted this today:
Five years ago today the BBC announced who would play the Eleventh Doctor: A 26 year old actor called Matt Smith… pic.twitter.com/rauRcRKyAf (http://t.co/rauRcRKyAf)
Proof that the BBC is evil. Ouch. :(
Dasquian Belargic
Jan 10th, 2014, 02:18:48 PM
Moffat on what we can expect from series eight: http://www.themarysue.com/doctor-who-s8-updates/
There's nothing spoilery in there. Just confirmation that there will be no break in the broadcast of series eight and nine, and some of Moffat musing on the fact that River and Twelve make a much more convincing married couple than River and Eleven did. Also, that Twelve isn't going to be a "good boyfriend" Doctor like Ten and Eleven apparently were.
Vittore Montegue
Jan 15th, 2014, 11:22:52 AM
This works way better than it should. Kinda want to see a TARDIS sitcom now... :uhoh
lHnNHtQXNps
Dasquian Belargic
Jan 15th, 2014, 12:55:21 PM
Some on-set pictures of Twelve! http://nerdapproved.com/misc-weirdness/meanwhile-on-the-set-of-doctor-who-peter-capaldi-in-pajamas-on-a-horse-video/#!siolI (There's also a rather comical video to go with them!)
Do I spy Madame Vastra? :3:
Droo
Jan 27th, 2014, 10:12:05 AM
According to Moffat, Twelfth's costume will be revealed within a matter of days.
http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/29037/doctor-who-moffat-says-capaldi-costume-reveal-coming-soon
Can't wait. It might give us an idea of what kind of a Doctor we're going to get.
Dasquian Belargic
Jan 27th, 2014, 12:36:23 PM
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1176385_810531222294240_1619617419_n.png
:ohno
Lilaena De'Ville
Jan 27th, 2014, 01:11:23 PM
No scarf? No ridiculous hat?
i like it.
Droo
Jan 27th, 2014, 05:44:23 PM
Peter Capaldi, you suave motherfucker. That red tho! :love
Rutabaga
Jan 27th, 2014, 09:08:39 PM
I love it. Black and red are such a fabulous combination, and he looks quite smashing in it. :eee
Emelie Shadowstar
Jan 27th, 2014, 09:36:40 PM
DAT RED <3
I love how no-bullshit he looks but the red is this sneaky bit that is just a splash of color.
Suave does not begin to cover my feelings of this outfit. :swoon:
Dasquian Belargic
May 23rd, 2014, 02:06:17 PM
He's coming...
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:ohno
Droo
Aug 9th, 2014, 04:33:20 PM
So today I saw the new intro credits sequence, thanks to a spot of bootleggery. I saw it and felt giddy with excitement, and for two reasons: the first was because it was a wonderful sequence with a snazzy new theme, and the second (spoilers): because, last year, Jenny shared a fan-made attempt at the intro sequence for Series 8, which you can see here (http://youtu.be/oXOBHnWiinY). I loved it, I found the use of clockwork cogs and wheels, and then the numbers of a clock, to create a swirling effect akin to the time vortex particularly inspired. It was new, it was stylish, and it looked great. And I wasn't alone, it seemed the guy had a lot of support from his fellow Whovians. So much so, that it seemed his work had been brought to the attention of the show-runners, and lo, there it is on the screen! Almost exactly same sequence, except with more money thrown at it for extra effects, such as a gorgeous transition from the swirling clocknumbers into space itself, Gallifreyan symbols and all. We even get an eerie glimpse at Capaldi's now-famous stare. The whole thing is wonderful and has helped ramp up my excitement for this new series. I just love that the guys who make the show clearly listen to the fans and seem to be making a lot of wise decisions, from the intro sequence, to Capaldi, to not splitting the series in half again.
Edit: Moffat talks about it here (http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/aug/15/doctor-who-title-sequence-fan-video-steven-moffat).
Droo
Aug 16th, 2014, 12:46:29 PM
One week to go!
Rutabaga
Aug 16th, 2014, 02:11:10 PM
I am very excited! :dance
Rutabaga
Aug 16th, 2014, 08:11:33 PM
So I've just seen a post at Tumblr linking to a story at The Mirror claiming that Jenna Coleman is on her way out and will exit the show at Christmas. I don't know how accurate this is, but I have to be honest...if she does go, I'm not going to miss Clara a whole lot. Unless something changes in the first half of series 8, I'm always going to look at Clara as a poorly developed missed opportunity. :\
Droo
Aug 16th, 2014, 09:24:29 PM
I feel the same way about Clara. It's a shame because Jenna Coleman does a wonderful job with the material she's given and there was so much potential with her as the companion character. Potential that, I feel, hasn't been realised as a result of a number of tedious plot contrivances and half-baked resolutions. Also, I feel she was positioned precariously, introduced at the start of Series 7, then again in the Christmas special, before properly taking up the baton in the second half of the series. And her arc, I felt, was overshadowed by the looming approach of the 50th anniversary, and the set-up of that.
She never had the deep resonating connection with the Doctor that Amy had, even if sometimes they played it up like they were super close, it was an aspect of their relationship that I felt hadn't been earned. I was hoping for something really special to develop between her and Capaldi's Doctor, and while it may, it unfortunately won't be for long. That's assuming this is all true, of course. I'll be sad to see Jenna Coleman go, but I'll welcome a fresh face to go with our new Doctor, and have a Doctor-companion relationship start all over from scratch again.
Rutabaga
Aug 23rd, 2014, 09:59:14 PM
Dang, that was one hell of an introductory episode for Twelve. This whole episode alone was far better than anything we saw in the second half of series 7 by a huge margin. I finally got to see the Clara Oswald I'd always wanted to see, and I hope she continues on this path.
And Peter Capaldi? Flawless. Absolutely flawless. :eee
Droo
Aug 24th, 2014, 10:18:56 AM
If I have one complaint, it's that the episodes plot/villain was a little lacklustre. I saw the nod to the Madame de Pompadour coming a mile off, but it was a nice touch. Naturally, the villain played second fiddle to what was going on in the foreground with the characters, which is only right (especially in this instance).
What surprised me about this episode was that, in a lot of ways, this episode felt like it belonged to Clara instead of our brand new Doctor. And I was fine with that. This episode addressed my Clara concerns mentioned above, and as usual, Jenna Coleman was more than up to the task of delivering the goods. And speaking of which, there's Capaldi: from the moment he appeared on the screen, my brain just went "Okay, so that's the Doctor." There was no period of transition - he sold it and I bought it! He was wonderful, and I loved how his dialogue was knowingly anticipating the deluge of comments and criticisms about him being old, and grey, and slow, and Scottish, and not Clara's boyfriend, and his comment about his "attack eyebrows" had me laughing my arse off. In fact, so much of what he did was amusing. I love the camp hand gestures he's kept since his Time of the Doctor debut - leftovers inherited from Matt's frenetic performance? Quite possibly, but he does seem like he's going to be more of a classic sort of Doctor from the William Hartnell-John Pertwee era, and not just because of the age thing. I love that by the end of this episode, he is in a vulnerable place, and that the Doctor-companion dynamic has flip-flopped. We can expect some fascinating character development for both Clara and the Doctor over the course of this series, I reckon.
On reflection, I have another complaint, and it is one that I begrudge, because more Matt Smith should never ever be a bad thing. But it's like I said, I was sold on Capaldi right from the start, and this is his moment, so I can't help but feel Matt Smith's cameo short-changes him a bit. It's a beautiful and touching moment and one I was totally unprepared for, but I can't help but feel that, while the call was made to help Clara, it was really for the audience of naysayers, pleading with them to stick with the old guy. But there we are.
This episode wasn't afraid to take its time when it needed to, and I appreciated that. I hold The Eleventh Hour as the high water mark for new Doctor introductions, it was fast and fun and magical in the best possible way. It was the episode that got me into Doctor Who and it's one of my all-time personal favourites, so maybe I'm biased. I don't think I'll hold Deep Breath in the same regard but as an episode and a story it was a completely different beast, with an already established companion and cast of supporting characters to move it along. It had a great sense of fun about it, just enough threat to thrill the kids, and didn't cop out on the dead emosh stuff. Also, it had a new title sequence. Did I mention the title sequence? I love the title sequence! And I love the new theme too!
PS. Give Madame Vastra, Jenny, and Strax their own spin-off show, please!
Serena Laran
Aug 24th, 2014, 02:40:16 PM
Strax is hilarious. :D
Rutabaga
Aug 24th, 2014, 07:57:25 PM
The rumor about Jenna Coleman leaving at Christmas is still floating around unconfirmed...based on what I finally saw last night, I'm totally changing what I said before about not missing her if she goes. If she continues to be portrayed this way--very reminiscent of the Oswin Oswald who charmed us all in Asylum of the Daleks==then having her go would be a sad loss. And now it's going to be extra interesting to see [Danny Pink enter the picture and see how his presence shakes up the dynamic].
I initially thought the [phone call from Eleven] was a little much, but I quickly realized that it really was more for us as the audience than it was for Clara. And I thought it was some subtle breaking of the fourth wall that was pretty sweet.
And I thoroughly and completely agree that the Paternoster Gang needs their own spinoff. I still can't decide which of Strax's moments was funnier...throwing the newspaper up at Clara or crashing to the ground following Vastra's and Jenny's elegant ninja appearance. And speaking of Vastra and Jenny, I'd love to see a spinoff so perhaps we could see moments of them truly being a married couple. :love
Captain Untouchable
Aug 31st, 2014, 08:38:08 AM
I absolutely love Capaldi to pieces, and I'm really enjoying Clara actually being a character rather than a plot device. I'm finding the shift in tone/pace a little jarring - it's not a bad thing, I'm just more aware of it than I'd like to be - but I definitely like this more old school approach to the Doctor. Even the style of his (absolutely awesome) banter feels old school, and I'm really enjoying that.
This week's episode felt very old school as well: it had a very clear moral and message through it. I think it's interesting that the Doctor has developed this overt [dislike of soldiers. I'm sure part of it is preparation for him and Danny to not get along if/when he winds up in the TARDIS... but in the grand scheme of things, it's interesting that this is happening so soon after the 50th Anniversary and the War Doctor. It's almost like the Doctor's dislike of soldiers, him not wanting Rusty to hate what he hates, is more about him externalising his dislike/discomfort at John Hurt now being part of him. He is a soldier, and he is hateful... but he's trying not to be, just like he's trying to be good.] I could be speaking entirely out of my arse, of course: but that's my headcanon at this point.
What the blazes is going on [with this Missy woman, though? Is she just there to underscore the fact that the Doctor manages to either allow or cause someone's death every episode... or is she just the world's most niche collector?] :ohno
Rutabaga
Aug 31st, 2014, 11:59:08 AM
I loved this latest episode as well. These first 2 episodes of series 8 have been such an improvement over the last half of series 7 that I almost can't put it into words. The gravitas that Peter Capaldi is bringing to the role is something that the series has been in serious need of for quite a long time now, and Cap, I agree with your headcanon. Twelve is a more mature, introspective, and wounded Doctor than we've seen for a while, and it's already leading to more interesting stories. [The moment when Rusty said that the Doctor was full of hate and was a good Dalek was a very effective moment and led smoothly to Clara's assessment at the end, that the Doctor tries to be a good man but doesn't always succeed.] We're being reminded that the Doctor is a deeply flawed man, and the series is all the richer for it.
I also love that these first 2 episodes have truly led to my falling head over heels for Clara. She truly is a companion now, someone whose presence in the Doctor's life makes sense, and she's contributing so much now, it's wonderful!!! [The fact that she actually slapped the Doctor in this new episode was shocking but amazing. And made total sense as well.]
My only complaint about the episode is that Danny Pink has been introduced as [a potential love interest for Clara.] That was just a little too conventional and predictable for my tastes. BUT he obviously does have some major backstory for us to discover, and I'm really looking forward to seeing more.
I've seen a lot of speculation about [Missy's true identity online, and it was also discussed on the live After Who show on BBC America after the season premiere. One of the more popular theories is that she's a female regeneration of the Master. Or that she's a psycho Mary Poppins :lol.] I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the payoff is worth it. Based on the strength of the first 2 episodes, I'm thinking it will be. :thumbup
Droo
Sep 6th, 2014, 01:25:23 PM
I was dreading this week's episode. I had a feeling it was going to be this year's equivalent of the stinking third episode of Series 6 - you know, the one with the pirates. So glad I was so wrong. It was completely daft, of course, but so entertaining and one of the funniest - if not the funniest - episode of Doctor Who I've ever seen! Capaldi is a comic genius!
Two things in particular made me laugh so much I had to rewind the thing just to catch up on what I'd missed: the spot of Venusian Aikido, and the way he delivered the line "Because I'm already FRRRRRREEEE!" Pure random hilarity!
Captain Untouchable
Sep 6th, 2014, 07:30:08 PM
For me, that was the best episode of Doctor Who since 2005. I love the drama, I love the feels, but this was pure, twinkle-eyed entertainment. [All the homages to Errol Flynn, all the movie references, Clara being a fangirl, Capaldi being so angry and irritated, THE SPOON, Ben Miller playing an absolutely amazing Sheriff, the jokes about how it was far too green and sunny for Nottingham (having lived literally in Sherwood while at uni, I can confirm this is true!), the fact that for some inexplicable reason the Doctor is able to fit a pack of cling-film wrapped sandwiches in the pocket of his jacket...] it was superb.
I am utterly in love with Clara and Twelve, and I hope so much that the rumours are false.
Also, I take back almost everything bad I've ever thought about Gatiss episodes. I love his writing in Sherlock, but his Who episodes usually don't grab me, and being as much a fan of Robin Hood as Clara is... I was dreading this, and am utterly elated to have been utterly and unequivocally wrong to do so.
Rutabaga
Sep 7th, 2014, 12:03:45 PM
I was also extremely skeptical about this episode when I saw the preview. I'll admit I groaned out loud because I was afraid we were already being given a goofy episode, and I was especially concerned about how Clara came off in the preview. But thank heavens this was one of those cases where the preview simply did not do the episode justice at all. It was a charming exploration of legend vs. reality with some [exceptionally cool robots thrown in. (Was it just me? Was I the only one who was utterly fascinated by the look of these robots?)]
I totally lost it at how Twelve [produced the spoon,] and from then on, it was an unexpected delight. And once again they gave us the Clara Oswald I've always wanted to see. Definitely Mark Gatiss's best contribution to DW to date!
Captain Untouchable
Sep 12th, 2014, 07:27:49 PM
I was really fond [of the robots too. I especially liked the crucifix lighting effect that they did before they fired? Kind of a nice little touch what with the Crusades going on at the time and all, reminiscent of the little cross on the tabards of crusading knights, etc.]
Dasquian Belargic
Sep 14th, 2014, 02:56:08 PM
Have to say, I found this weekends episode pretty creepy!
Rutabaga
Sep 15th, 2014, 08:27:15 PM
It was really creepy, and also surprisingly touching. I liked it a lot. :)
Droo
Sep 21st, 2014, 01:54:38 PM
Overall, I found this week's episode more satisfying than the previous episode. Last week had great promise but turned out to be a bit of a damp squib with its saccharine resolution. This week was another fun episode - not on par with Robot of Sherwood, but it was another unique adventure that didn't rely too heavily on any gimmicks. There is a part of me that would've loved to have seen a tightly woven heist story in the manner of Inception, with all kinds of mind-bending time-travelling twists and turns, but I knew from the trailer that it wasn't going to be that kind of episode, and that's fine too. I liked seeing Capaldi's Doctor being more assertive and sure of himself this time around, too.
Dasquian Belargic
Sep 23rd, 2014, 11:07:00 AM
http://www.themarysue.com/doctor-who-recap-s8-ep5/
The Mary Sue articulated how I felt about the episode.
It looks like I'm alone in not enjoying the Robot of Sherwood... different strokes, I guess!
Rutabaga
Sep 24th, 2014, 11:15:19 AM
I agreed with that recap as well...the episode was entertaining but just way too derivative of episodes we'd already seen. And it took me way too long to finally decide that Bank Lady wasn't Missy.
Dasquian Belargic
Sep 24th, 2014, 01:39:36 PM
It's a shame really because the actresses they have playing Missy and Karabraxos have some serious acting chops. Missy especially.
Rutabaga
Oct 4th, 2014, 08:11:32 PM
I just finished watching Kill The Moon, and I loved it. Right now I would consider it my favorite Twelve episode so far. :thumbup
Dasquian Belargic
Oct 12th, 2014, 02:53:49 PM
It was a little jarring, to start this weeks episode so calmly after the end of 'Kill the Moon' - but overall I quite enjoyed it. I didn't expect to, but I did. Especially bits like:[
"So when you lied to Maisie, when you made me lie to Maisie-"
"I couldn't risk Gus finding out my plan and stopping me."
"So you were pretending to be heartless?"
"Would you like to think that about me? Would that make it easier? I didn't know if I could save her. I couldn't save Quell, I couldn't save Moorhouse. There was a good chance that she'd die too. At which point I would have just moved onto the next, and the next, until I beat it. Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones. But you still have to choose. "]
Rutabaga
Oct 12th, 2014, 03:27:29 PM
Agreed. Plus the throwaway bit with the [jelly babies] killed me. :eek
Droo
Nov 1st, 2014, 03:16:10 PM
[I wasn't expecting that from the Missy reveal. Chuffed with that one.]
I thought it was a really good episode, but I am really annoyed by just how much the trailer and promo material has revealed, not just about this episode, but the next one. In particular, I'm referring to [the Cybermen. I knew they played a part in the finale, and consequently, the big reveal wasn't a reveal - I noticed the Cybermen eye symbol everywhere and I figured out the dark water reveal (which is the real reason why I'm pissed, because I thought it was clever as hell, but they ruined it by showing the bloody Cybermen in the first place).]
Also, I thought [Danny Pink's death] was handled very well. It was so shocking and nicely observed with the use of the phone.
Rutabaga
Nov 1st, 2014, 08:13:13 PM
I wasn't completely surprised [by the Missy reveal, since there had been a lot of speculation about Missy = Mistress = Master], but I still let out a huge screech when it happened. It was perfectly timed and perfectly executed as well. The whole episode was so well done, to the point that I actually was [crying along with Danny as his finger hovered over the delete button]. :cry
My one complaint is the same as yours, Droo. I really wish they'd toned down [the Cybermen] angle in the promo material. If they'd kept it hidden, it would have played out much better and much more effectively.
Droo
Nov 8th, 2014, 03:17:41 PM
Brilliant series finale. These last two episodes have been brave enough to go to some truly dark places, and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. In two episodes, Missy has become my favourite character in Doctor Who.
Rutabaga
Nov 8th, 2014, 10:50:29 PM
This was me during most of tonight's episode ----> :cry
You're right, Droo, the series went very, very dark in these last 2 episodes. I understand the BBC got some complaints about it, but I appreciated the show being daring enough to go there.
Missy was FABULOUS. [She can't really be gone for good, can she???]
Captain Untouchable
Nov 9th, 2014, 01:35:17 AM
They were pretty sneaky with the special effects this time around: [I don't think we actually saw a Cyberman shoot/vapourise anyone else the entire episode, so we don't actually "know" that's what getting shot by a Cyberman is supposed to look like, as opposed to an invisibility ray or a dimensional shift or... something else. Aren't they normally red pew pew lasers? Bearing in mind that the Master/Mistress's signature thing for most of the character's existence is going to extraordinary lengths to avoid dying, I am 100% positive we will see her/him again at some point.]
Gutted about [Osgood], especially after the bow tie feels. I think that's the thing that had the most impact with these episodes: the fact that there was nothing glamorous about any of it. Danny did a pretty good job of channelling Idris Elba from Pacific Rim towards the end there... and I kinda like the Stark Industries Cybermen: not even remotely subtle, but pretty friggin' cool. :ohno
And thank you, Man Scout, for hearing me when I yelled "Cloudbase is Captain Scarlet!" at the screen. Nice to have those references back to the Valiant and such: they did a really good job of making it feel like there was a whole wealth and weight of lore building up to this. Wonder how long Moffat has actually known who "the woman in the shop" is, or if it was something intentionally vague that he just took wonderful advantage of.
And now I'm going to go sit and be miserable that we won't get [Osgood and CyberDanny as companions next year.] :(
Rutabaga
Nov 9th, 2014, 10:57:49 AM
I know, I was so hoping for [Osgood as companion that I nearly screamed when Missy killed her. Breaking her glasses was just another stab in the heart. And then to add insult to injury, Missy had to go blow the hatch and there went Kate... I was so grateful that at least Kate survived, and as a fan from the days of Classic Who, seeing the Brigadier in Cyberman form and knowing his last action was to save his daughter was one of the most beautifully bittersweet things I've ever seen on this show.]
Overall series 8 was SUCH an improvement over series 7, and these last 2 episodes in particular were spectacular.
Captain Untouchable
Nov 9th, 2014, 04:47:10 PM
I got a little bit choked up about [CyberBrigadier. That little speech about how love isn't an emotion, it's a promise... and to have the Brigadier not just save his daughter from falling out of the plane, but also save the Doctor from having to kill someone? Given how upset Eleven was when he found out the Brigadier had died, how that was the event that brought his little gallivant around the cosmos to a close, having the Doctor's back was another one of those love-promises.
Love/affection pretty much seems to have been the theme for Season 8, with all kinds of interesting twists. Clara most definitely loves the Doctor in a way, what with her being unable to leave him even though she should, the lies it made her tell, etc; and what she accidentally said to Danny reinforces that. Then there's the Doctor's affection for and obedience of Clara; his weird and twisted affection for his childhood best friend; the sacrifices people were prepared to make for Clara during the heist episode, and the fact that the entire plot hinged on the alien beastie's girlfriend being held hostage; that whole mother/daughter/sister theme in the episode with the trees; Robin and Marian; it's all been about how many different ways there are that you can "love" a person, and all of the stupid things you end up doing because of it.]
Rutabaga
Dec 26th, 2014, 04:46:52 PM
I really enjoyed the Christmas special yesterday. I started out thinking that it was a little, um, "derivative" of certain other productions, but then at least we got a clear explanation for why the story unfolded that way.
I'm still really happy with Peter Capaldi as Twelve. [The pure joy he conveyed as Twelve taking the reins of Santa's sleigh really tickled me to no end.]
I'm also really really happy that [Jenna Coleman is staying with the show. As I've said before, I didn't really like Clara much during the seventh season, but the eighth season made me do a complete 180. I really do like Clara now, and I think the chemistry between her and Twelve is great. I'm looking forward to seeing the two of them continue their adventures.]
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