One problem I have with Doctor Who is that it seems to have become the blueprint for how we do science fiction in this country now. Everything now has that RTD\DW flavour, such as the recent Triffids show.
Doctor Who... Page 366
I want to see more lesbians.
We indulged RTD's gay consciousness raising for five years, now let's give the straight guys something to look at.
Where do you get all these photos of Aaron and Zooo, Griff?
Quote: Griff @ January 2 2010, 2:02 PM GMTI think the opposite is true about Doctor Who. The production values are fantastic, the cast are giving it welly, and they tend to avoid too much stunt casting. (Peter Kay notwithstanding).
The production values on X Factor are amazing, doesn't mean it's any good and as for the stunt casting - Simon Pegg, Victor Meldrew, Kylie Minogue, Life On Mars bloke, f**king Catherine shitty Tate and probably loads more, but as I gave up on the show quite early on, who knows what other bits of Heat Magazine pond life sprung up on the show.
I agree with you that the writing has been poor, but this may not have been the fault of the writers themselves. The BBC has crafted an early evening Saturday slot for dross like Robin Hood, Merlin, etc. and there seems to be a definite template as to how these programmes are created. I suspect that there is a lot of meddling going on behind the scenes and that scripts are regularly edited to make them more 'child friendly'.
Don't forget that RTD had to go begging to a Canadian broadcaster to get the money to make the show, the BBC didn't want much to do with it. The bright, shiny colours and moronic plots with lots of running drew in the kiddie winks and the show became a success. And in typical Beeb fashion, after initially shitting all over the project, they were the first to champion it's success and cash in on it.
If after a five year run, you can only name a handful of episodes as being 'good', it says something about the show and I'm glad I avoided most of it.
And though others have pointed out that the TARDIS can't be used for helping the Doctor escape, what's the point when you make the Sonic Screwdriver a magic wand that can do anything. All you've done is replace one deux et machina with another. Gah!
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 2 2010, 3:03 PM GMTIf after a five year run, you can only name a handful of episodes as being 'good', it says something about the show and I'm glad I avoided most of it.
YOU can only name a handfull of episodes that are good maybe, I could name a whole lot more.
Can he shoot laser beams out of his hands, or is it just The Master who can do that?
Quote: Griff @ January 2 2010, 2:44 PM GMTDon't even start me on Torchwood.
The week long run it had in '09 was absolutely superb. Really great stuff. Yes ther previous two series were very ropey indeed though.
Ach, if people dislike Who so much, and only want to bitch about it, don't watch it. Simple. I think there wer some great, great stories, and I think we're looking towards a much improved version of the show under Moffatt.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 2 2010, 3:14 PM GMTThe week long run it had in '09 was absolutely superb. Really great stuff. Yes ther previous two series were very ropey though.
Ach, if people dislike Who so much, and only want to bitch about it, don't watch it. Simple.
I think people love Who Matthew that's why certain eps rankle with them I guess. I am a big fan of The Doctor.
Quote: Griff @ January 2 2010, 3:16 PM GMTI've explained this before. I watch it because occasionally it is brilliant, and so each week I tune in with the hope that this will be one of those times. It is the triumph of hope over experience.
I know, I know, the constant kicking of shows bugs me at times is all. Especially a show I'm as gay for as I am Who, I can't help it.
Don't get me wrong, there's been a lot over the last few years I've disliked too, and far too many humdrum, filler episodes. I suppose I just naturally look on the positive more than the negative.
Quote: Griff @ January 2 2010, 3:20 PM GMTIt's much harder for me to just turn it off than something like Torchwood which I had no investment in at all, and happily abandoned halfway through series 1.
Ooh, so did you really not see the latest story? Because if you didn't, truely, it was like a different show; like what you thought/hoped Torchwood might be before you actually watched an episode. 
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 2 2010, 3:19 PM GMTI know, I know, the constant kicking of shows bugs me at times is all. Especially a show I'm as gay for as I am Who, I can't help it.
Being a bit older, I remember the halycon days of Tom Baker as Doctor Who and some of the brilliant storylines that made it such a classic. Whereas back then, the scripts were great but the ropey special effects let them down, the inverse is true today.
If the only DW you can remeber previously involved Sly McCoy, then I can totally understand why RTD's Who is considered great.
Saying that you are 'gay' for Who did make me lolz.
And I have to agree that the new assistant is quite lovely to look at.
Quote: Griff @ January 2 2010, 3:23 PM GMTA lot of people have told me it was great. Does it still make sense even if you've missed a series and a half before it?
Oh yeah, it references the fact once or twice that two of the characters died in series two, but that doesn't really affect the story as such. It's great stuff, and Capaldi is outstanding.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 2 2010, 3:25 PM GMTIf the only DW you can remeber previously involved Sly McCoy, then I can totally understand why RTD's Who is considered great.
Ha, well, he's the Who I remember watching when it was actually on the clearest, but I have seen all the older stories too.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ January 2 2010, 3:30 PM GMTHa, well, he's the Who I remember watching when it was actually on the clearest, but I have seen all the older stories too.
The McCoy period was beyond weird as the BBC were actively trying to kill off the show, hence my absolute hatred for the Beeb when it comes to sci-fi. They considered the genre to be too low brow and ridiculous and wanted to spend more money on crap like Eastenders.
Then we all know what happened in the 90's - people began leaving the mainstream broadcasters for Sky and aside from the football, the other biggest draws were the latest American sci-fi shows on Sky 1.
And then what do you know? The Beeb started getting into bidding wars to buy shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and X Files. Idiots.
Quote: chipolata @ January 2 2010, 2:43 PM GMTOne problem I have with Doctor Who is that it seems to have become the blueprint for how we do science fiction in this country now. Everything now has that RTD\DW flavour, such as the recent Triffids show.
Oh and this. 100% spot on.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ January 2 2010, 3:45 PM GMTThe McCoy period was beyond weird as the BBC were actively trying to kill off the show, hence my absolute hatred for the Beeb when it comes to sci-fi. They considered the genre to be too low brow and ridiculous and wanted to spend more money on crap like Eastenders.
Then we all know what happened in the 90's - people began leaving the mainstream broadcasters for Sky and aside from the football, the other biggest draws were the latest American sci-fi shows on Sky 1.
And then what do you know? The Beeb started getting into bidding wars to buy shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and X Files. Idiots.
Oh and this. 100% spot on.
They are trying to raise their game; that thing with vampires, Torchwood, Day of the Triffics, that thing with a big plague. They don't always get it right and they must lose loads as the Yanks never buy our cheapo scifi product (comparatively).
Quote: Gagsy @ January 1 2010, 9:41 PM GMTI had the thought that the 'Timelady in white' might have been Romana...
Occurred to me too. Or perhaps Barbara.