The Christmas specials aren't fantastic. Except Tennant's first ever episode which I loved. They usually go for feel-good, schmaltzy, and too much CGI.
But I think it's silly to have written it off so easily. You've missed some great episodes. But, oh well! I'm sure you'll live.
Quote: Timbo @ November 15 2009, 9:43 PM GMTIt wasn't getting the science right I cared about. It was not even making a perfunctory attempt to explain why or how things were happening. People drank some unfiltered water and turned into human water cannons for no adequately explained reason. And why were these water-borne Martian bodysnatchers so determined to go somewhere with water when they were each capable of the output of the London ring main? And how did they do that? Apart from the limitations of the human body, where was the water coming from?
I don't normally go picking holes in stories, but with RTD there are more holes than plot. The bottomline for me is that RTD is a writer who simply doesn't understand sci-fi as a genre. All you get are flashy images that are not underpinned by any rationale, however tenuous. It is incredibly lazy writing.
I think Timbo and I are on the same page here.
I'm not too bothered about hard science in Doctor Who. My problem is a script problem.
I have no problem with the Doctor pointing his gizmo at the robot and reprogramming it by magic. I don't care about the feasibility of the human body producing water from nothing ad infinitum. You can just say "viruses" and leave it at that, it's fine.
What annoyed me was the script. If you're writing a script in which you make a big deal about these massive empty corridors they're forced to run down, and how it would be great if they had bikes, and if you're going to keep repeating that meme, and if you're then going to give us an jarringly plausible science reason why there are no bikes, but that reason draws into question the existence of the corridors in the first place, then I think you have a script problem.
Quote: zooo @ November 15 2009, 9:45 PM GMTSpeaking as an averagely brained viewer, I didn't notice any holes that bothered me in the slightest.
Maybe it's just science-minded/anal types who care. (not perjorative*)*word of the week.
Yay! Can I decide next weeks as well? 
As long as it can be used as an insult
Quote: PhQnix @ November 15 2009, 11:11 PM GMTYay! Can I decide next weeks as well?
Yes!
Quote: zooo @ November 15 2009, 9:35 PM GMTSave your moaning for the new shit doctor.
Wait and see! He might be brilliant if he is a bit evil!
First half I was thinking 'this is plod'. Second half was pure Who brilliance!
I didn't fancy the German girl as much when turned into a shit mouth martian killer slaverer though, which makes me think I must be a bit shallow 
You? Shallow? Never!
Yes, new doctor might be good. I'll give him a chance. But right now is more fun to hate him.
It took me a while to get over Shane Ramsay being in it without Daphne.
Des?
Quote: zooo @ November 15 2009, 11:46 PM GMTYou? Shallow? Never!
Yes, new doctor might be good. I'll give him a chance. But right now is more fun to hate him.
I'm NOT shallow 
I bet that's a Mahoosive insult to one of them Martians. >_<
Awww, Tennant will live on in our hearts and groins 
Quote: Badge @ November 15 2009, 11:48 PM GMTIt took me a while to get over Shane Ramsay being in it without Daphne.
Was that Shane Ramsey
Aww, I know you're not shallow. *pats*
It isn't so much the science as the story telling. I loved the way that they couldn't just do a runner because they had to get their tuck on the shuttle to avoid starving to death. Or how they weren't prepared for aliens that could go outside. That sort of adding in limits germane to the story is cool.
But big corridors do look daft, they totally did nothing with the setting.
If they'd looked a little at those existing biodomes it would have been way more cool.
It veered between the ridiculous and the sublime tonight, but I bloody enjoyed it. The Doctor being a bit angry and mental was awesome!
Can't wait for the Christmas special (is it a two-parter?). The Master is back!! Can't help but worry that The Doctor regenerating will ruin Christmas though I'm going to be a mess.
Quote: zooo @ November 15 2009, 10:59 PM GMTBut I think it's silly to have written it off so easily. You've missed some great episodes. But, oh well! I'm sure you'll live.
A couple of friends of mine still watch it and have said that some of the episodes were quite good.
Unfortunately they're more the rarity then the norm. The last time I tuned in was the London Bus one with Lee Evans as a scientist and I just gave up after 5 minutes.
Quote: NickTheDon @ November 16 2009, 1:21 AM GMTCan't help but worry that The Doctor regenerating will ruin Christmas though
Don't worry Nick, they're dragging this out like Eastenders, he won't snuff it until New Years Day.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ November 15 2009, 9:07 PM GMTIt wasn't terrible, I just didn't get why he turned bad at the end. I was guessing he'd been taken over by the Master, but when that didn't happen I couldn't figure it out.
I was hoping that it was heading that way - I remember when I was younger there was some speculation over whether the Master was actually a later regeneration of the Doctor.
RTD said he wouldn't be bringing the Master back again. Obviously he's changed his mind, so it wouldn't surprise me if he brings back the Rani while he's at it.