New Doctor Who

[Balmundsig]

just a note from beast below dude, the whale was sealed inside the hull with tubes implanted in its head into its mouth. the abdicate button set it free which means all the rigging around its body fell away, the whole ship is on its back so would fall apart if it detached its self and left (which is what they expected it to do). but it keeps the city on its back and only the bottom of the ship is shed, thats why you see it at the end were there was hull at the beginning.

[Phoenix Taichou]

Double post, but that's because none of you losers bother to say anything else. XP

This week's episode was fantastic! Matt Smith was a lot better in this one, I feel. The Jammy Dodger moment was great, as was his angry rant at the Daleks. I feel it echoed what a lot of people might think about them, as they always manage to survive. His frustration was played perfectly and I had no doubt that he was the Doctor in this episode. Rather than The Beast Below, I feel Matt Smith's performance was on par with Tennant's previously, so I didn't feel that Tennant would have done a better job this time. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's nice that there are a lot of hard decisions and things, rather than everything falling into his lap. It's starting to feel a bit like the old Doctor Who again now I was hoping they'd take the android old man with them.

[Zirak]

just a note from beast below dude, the whale was sealed inside the hull with tubes implanted in its head into its mouth. the abdicate button set it free which means all the rigging around its body fell away, the whole ship is on its back so would fall apart if it detached its self and left (which is what they expected it to do). but it keeps the city on its back and only the bottom of the ship is shed, thats why you see it at the end were there was hull at the beginning.

A further point, though, is that the Abdicate button should destroy the ship no matter what the whale's intentions. The humans that built the country on the whale obviously didn't know it was there specifically to help them, so when they constructed the hull with the intention for it to break away should the Abdicate button be pressed, the whale's good intentions wouldn't save them. I'll concede that the ship was around the whole whale to begin with - that makes a lot more sense (though, since the whale lives in space and doesn't need oxygen, wouldn't the gas be toxic to it? Either way it can't be healthy to force it to have atmosphere within its own mouth), but if the Abdicate button was there to set it loose then it shouldn't be able to carry them anymore. The supports should've all been destroyed, so the whale shouldn't be able to carry the station. I'm arguing this from a more cynical point of view, since it's obviously Doctor Who and all that, but plot holes like that just bug me.

Leading on from this you might question the logic in building the whole station like that in the first place - surely if there's an empty or unused engine space, couldn't they build an engine once they're safely in space and then set the whale free afterwards? It's a bit odd that the only option they considered was torturing a sentient animal for all eternity in order for them to get around space. I think I just have issues with the whole premise.

Still, that's the weakest episode so far and the third was just as great as the first. I'm looking forward to the fourth - River Song and Weeping Angels!

[Ciaran]

Finally caught last Saturday's episode. I did try to watch it at the time, but there was too much other stuff going on around me.

I thought it was brilliant, Matt Smith is still brilliant and I'm really loving the new Daleks. The Jammie Dodger bit was great and I chuckled at the old guy who shouts "do your worst, Adolf!" towards the sky while shaking his fist. XD

[DT_Lover_Forever]

I have yet not seen Matt Smith in action, but I think it is rediculous to what Stefan Moffett has donto Doctor Who's origonality, like the TARDIS, and sonc Screwdriver, and the Logo, along with the etrance credits, and music, no authencity anymore. I hope Matt Smith is good. I hope that he pulls right through, and is good, like Tennant was. DT is my all time favourite Doctor, and always will be. ANd iam very skeptical about watching matt, but I will give him a go.
I am looking forward to seeing how Amy turns out though.

[Zirak]

I have yet not seen Matt Smith in action, but I think it is rediculous to what Stefan Moffett has donto Doctor Who's origonality, like the TARDIS, and sonc Screwdriver, and the Logo, along with the etrance credits, and music, no authencity anymore. I hope Matt Smith is good. I hope that he pulls right through, and is good, like Tennant was. DT is my all time favourite Doctor, and always will be. ANd iam very skeptical about watching matt, but I will give him a go.
I am looking forward to seeing how Amy turns out though.

Change will always result in division, you can't ever please anyone. However, I will say that as a strong Tennant fan Matt Smith definitely lives up to the standard he set.

All the changes Moffat has introduced has revitalised the series. Whether you like it or not, change is always necessary to breathe some more life into any ongoing series and the changes Steven Moffat has made have achieved that, at least for me (and a number of other fans). While Tennant was good, the series itself was becoming stale and Russell T Davis' habit of attempting to top every finale after the other was starting to reach simply impossible levels. To the point, I believe, that Tennant's final episodes did not actually top the Series 4 finale in terms of sheer scale. I suppose once you involve most of the known Whoniverse in an ending it's difficult to top it.

Another reason why I like Steven Moffat running the show is that I see him as a better writer than Russell T Davis. While he had his moments Moffat is consistantly good, moreso than Davis is. His episodes from Series 1 through to 4 (and now 5) are easily some of the best in the new Doctor Who.

Overall I believe the changes are positive, have brought the series some much needed vitality and achieved what they set out to do. I can only hope you watch Matt Smith with an open mind and give him a chance. He is fantastic in the role. The first episode of Series 5 proves that, in my opinion. I hope you enjoy it!

[DT_Lover_Forever]

Change will always result in division, you can't ever please anyone. However, I will say that as a strong Tennant fan Matt Smith definitely lives up to the standard he set.

All the changes Moffat has introduced has revitalised the series. Whether you like it or not, change is always necessary to breathe some more life into any ongoing series and the changes Steven Moffat has made have achieved that, at least for me (and a number of other fans). While Tennant was good, the series itself was becoming stale and Russell T Davis' habit of attempting to top every finale after the other was starting to reach simply impossible levels. To the point, I believe, that Tennant's final episodes did not actually top the Series 4 finale in terms of sheer scale. I suppose once you involve most of the known Whoniverse in an ending it's difficult to top it.

Another reason why I like Steven Moffat running the show is that I see him as a better writer than Russell T Davis. While he had his moments Moffat is consistantly good, moreso than Davis is. His episodes from Series 1 through to 4 (and now 5) are easily some of the best in the new Doctor Who.

Overall I believe the changes are positive, have brought the series some much needed vitality and achieved what they set out to do. I can only hope you watch Matt Smith with an open mind and give him a chance. He is fantastic in the role. The first episode of Series 5 proves that, in my opinion. I hope you enjoy it!

I understand what your opinion is, but not everyone has to follow that standard, on what you put. I either like it or I don't, simple.

I quite liked Davies' writing, and style to Doctor Who, and I found Moffets writing in series 2 was quite poorly compared to Davies' outstanding efforts. I like Julie Garners writing as well. It was very profound, and authentic.

Changes: I expected the TARDIS too change, as it repairs itself, after crashing. But I didn't expect it to go all metro-style, and look like a house, what happened to the Doctor's Domesticity, he didn't like Domestic, and they go make his ship look like a home.

The Credits entrance did not need to look like with 'clouds' it's a time Vortex not clouds, they took that away and I think that was un-called for. So was making the sonic screwdriver's light go green, as well as making it look like a torch.

If all these changes were called for, they weren't only the TARDIS revamp was. The Music, most probably has no recognition, that it is ever Doctor Who...shouldn't you remember the classic series? That is why I am complaining, because Davies' used the origonal, and helped it be modern, but taking instruments out of the 'new' theme, it's not Doctor Who at all.

Obviously, you don't see where I am coming from.

[Zirak]

I'm not saying everyone has to follow my standard. o.O All I did was state my opinion and put forward my arguments as to why I believe the changes were made. I never stated that you had to follow it, or like it. In fact, I made it clear to start with that change cannot please everyone, thereby showing I am aware that of different opinions on them.

I just want to make a few points on the statements you made:

Changes: I expected the TARDIS too change, as it repairs itself, after crashing. But I didn't expect it to go all metro-style, and look like a house, what happened to the Doctor's Domesticity, he didn't like Domestic, and they go make his ship look like a home.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this. To me the TARDIS does not, and has never looked like, a "home". It has Gallifreyan writing on the console, it has an organic and alien feel, and never once do we see typical characteristics of a home. That said, it is where the Doctor lives at the moment and it wouldn't be beyond reason to try and make it feel like a home. His connection to the TARDIS is quite strong and personal, so I think it's inevitable it would feel like his home. To be honest, that's the impression I got from the previous coral design as well.

The Credits entrance did not need to look like with 'clouds' it's a time Vortex not clouds, they took that away and I think that was un-called for. So was making the sonic screwdriver's light go green, as well as making it look like a torch.

Personally, I prefer the cloudy vortex with the intermittant lightning, but the opening sequence isn't really a big deal as far as series canon goes. On a similar note, the Sonic Screwdriver has changed significantly over the lifespan of the series so I don't think the changes there were all that unreasonable. It didn't always have a light and was even dropped for a whole incarnation. I just think that the RTD revamp can't be accepted as the way things have to be and stay since there were so many before Eccleston, Tennant and Smith. I guess partly Steven Moffat wants to make the new running of the series his own, since he is the new showrunner, and I do think he has its best interests at heart.

I do agree with you for the most part about the music -- it is a bit odd and considerably different to the old one. That said, it retains the same tune, so I think there is still a little of Doctor Who in there but yes, I do feel it was the most drastic change and one that might have distanced itself from the series as a whole.

As I said to begin with, I'm not trying to criticise. I understand what you're saying and I'm offering my views to explain what I think about them. Please don't take them as an attack or see them as "forced" on you. Diversity is unavoidable and necessary, right?

I just finished watching The Time of Angels and this was another great episode. I was a little worried re-using the Weeping Angels might lessen their impact but I think their return was executed perfectly and I love the further morsels of detail about their behaviour and abilities. I'm always fascinated in the back-stories of aliens and their worlds. Matt Smith's performance stayed strong and I think he's really cementing himself as an excellent Doctor. Can't wait for the next episode.

[Phoenix Taichou]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unNmAd48uY

for reference, all the past Doctor Who openings, which have all in turn either had minor or major changes to the music, opening titles or style of opening in general.

The change from the classic "time warp & head" style from William Hartnell through to Colin Baker was changed drastically with Sylvestor McCoy's opening.

The change in music from Tom Baker to Peter Davison was also a drastic change, yet it was always recognisable. Watch that video, and from Doctor to Doctor, sometimes the change is quite large yet still keeps that theme. If you played one choice of those themes randomly to 100 different people, I guarantee you that at least 80% will know it's Doctor Who, no matter whether it's Hartnell music, Davison music or Smith music.

In regards to the title, it has changed practically every time, and the most famous, most well known Doctor Who logo http://www.coolscifi.com/gallery/files/1/Doctor_Who_colorful_diamond_logo.png was inplemented with Jon Pertwee, stayed with Tom Baker, and then was changed with Peter Davison.

In regards to the latest series, I am much happier with RTD no longer doing it. His episodes were farcical and in my opinion helped put me off the new series (Ecclestone and Tennant) when I'd grown up watching the classics (Hartnell to McCoy). Moffat episodes have been great, with Moffat running hte Matt Smith series, every single episode has been great, and to me, brings it much closer to the greatness of the classic series.

If we're picking on things like the change in the sonic screwdriver, in my opinion thta's a pretty negligble change, and that's almost saying that you shouldn't change even the most minor of things. Everything about Doctor Who changes with each incarnation - that's pretty much the point.

I've never felt that the TARDIS should ever be a home by human standards. You do see at one point (I believe in a Tom Baker episode) various parts of the TARDIS, but you rarely ever do see any more than the console room (and something of a medical bay in some Hartnell episodes) and the closet/storage. From Hartnell to McCoy they had the honeycomb white theme going on. They made drastic (and IMO, bad - although I completely understand and agree with it) changes to the TARDIS for the movie, and then scaled it back down and made those same changes to the TARDIS for Ecclestone. The fact is not once resembled the original series other than the vagueries of the console also bothered me, yet I still understand the necessity for change for a modern audience.

Doctor Who has retained a large audience because of a combination of the old fans and of gaining new ones, and this is all through the changes over the years of the old, and the new series.

[Ciaran]

Just watched The Time of the Angels and really enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it was as good as Blink, but it was still very good. I'm enjoying this series so much at the moment, I cannot praise Matt Smith any more, he's getting better and better each week.

The Weeping Angels were great, like they were in Blink, and they've still managed to maintain their impact. I actually can't wait for Saturday now, I'm too excited!

[Phoenix Taichou]

They captured the fear effect quite well - I liked the video part. I missed the original weeping angels episode, so this is mostly new to me. Very good episode

[DT_Lover_Forever]

OK, I may have been a tinsy, or lets say way to sceptical on the whole idea of Matt Smith being the new Doctor.

I still don't agree with all the changes that they have made. Stephan (Steven - Doesn't know how he spells his name) Moffett, has made a Doctor Who, to suit the yougner generation, I understand that.

I have just seen 'The Eleventh Hour.' Let's say, I was amazed, and pretty stunned with Matt's acting of The Doctor, he is amazed me, and makes me excited to see the next episode.

I like the friendly and hyperness he brings to the show. More near David's perspective of The Doctor. But, I was very pleased with him, I never thought he'd be so stunning.

I think one change was best, Stevan Moffett, taking over as Head Writer, I think I prefer his writing, even though Russell, put of a brilliant ending to David's run as the Doctor, that was amazing. But in some cases, Steven has pulled of a brilliant first episode of Matt Smith, and has captured the feeling that more is too come.

I got a proper look into the TARDIS, it still feels a bit weird, with it being all class, and the thing that pumps the TARDIS through time, what is that thing anyway? --- What it looks like, like one of those plastic hook things, that holds those fish things, that you can put in a fish-bowl. But anyway that is my opinion...may this be the start of a birlliant series 5.

[Zirak]

So, the finale of series 5. Needless to say, there's a strong chance I'll be dropping spoilers in this, er..."rant" of sorts. You have been warned.

...


...


...


Seriously, last chance.

...

I've only just finished watching it, so I haven't had all that much time to reflect on it, but I think that Moffat's finale was one of the best of the entire series revival. While the scale of the problem wasn't cut back (reality being unwritten) it was pulled off in a way that relied far less on crowd-pleasing and big reveals. The focus was kept on the Doctor and his closest companions of this series (a total of three, really) which gave Moffat more room to explore the reactions of the characters that RTD could not do with his series 4 finale. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the end of series 4, but there were a large number of flaws and I've come to the personal conclusion that that particular finale could have done with less of the companions and spin-off characters it included. At the time it was quite enjoyable watching them all work together, but in the end I don't think it added enough to warrant that many characters. Just Rose, and maybe Martha, would have been quite enough, with maybe Jack Harkness as well. The focus of the finale should always be the Doctor first and then his most recent companions. I think a finale works better that way.

There were some really beautiful moments in this episode. Personally, I loved the way the Doctor was able to use the Vortex manipulator. We've seen Jack Harkness use it before but the Doctor just uses with such ease and dexterity that it really hammers home the expertise of a race of time travellers. I loved every moment of him using it. The other event worth mentioning is the lovely tie-in to episode 5 ("Flesh and Blood"). I just rewatched the scene from the original episode and every motion the Doctor makes, the words he says and the way he says them is absolutely identical. I thought that was a masterful execution by Steven Moffat, sent shivers down my spine. The man is an expert storyteller, in a greater league than Russel T. Davis.

One of the things that did stand out for me as a flaw, however, was the fact that the ending was very much a perfectly happy one. Sure, it led in perfectly to the next series but there were no lasting consequences of the near-destruction of the universe. In some ways it is refreshing, I'll admit, with no more emotional angst being heaped on the Doctor that he just ends up bottling inside, but I did feel the ending was too perfect. No one died, everyone lived, the whole of reality restored exactly the way it had been and the Doctor brought back with no lasting effects. While I'm all for happy endings it just felt a little bit out of tune with the overall mood of the series. Maybe I'm just not used to no RTD angst and this is a good thing, but I would have liked to see some sort of emotional drama, some that lasted. Either way, this does kind of bring me to the last point I want to make. Moffat left no threads hanging. Every time I asked "How did that happen?", or "How is that possible?" Moffat answered it in some way. It left me feeling very satisfied and looking forward to series 6. He leaves nothing unturned in his explanations.

Overall it was a fantastic finale, on a smaller yet greater scale to the previous ones at the same time (narrower focus, same epic scale of disaster). It looks like the backstory to River Song is due to be revealed in a big way next series and the last mystery of this series is also being worked on (what exactly did cause the TARDIS to explode? Who was the voice that River heard inside it?). I think this was a stellar effort by the whole cast and crew involved, and I can't wait to see what they do next.

[Phoenix Taichou]

response will give spoilers too


...


...


I want to work on some kind of built in spoiler tag... I'll figure something out.


...


...


...

As I was watching it some questions were raised that i thought "they're not going to explain that and that's going to bug me" but... they didn't, they explained it all, there really was no stone unturned. It was a fantastic episode that wasn't bogged down with excessive amounts of characters, I mean, you could say that the first part was a big "let's show every baddie they've faced in the last few series back" but even then they just weren't used.

Now, time travel is a huge pain in the arse to get done convincingly, Doctor Who has usually done it pretty well. Last nights episode where he's zipping around like that... that's the kind of time travel I bloody love, where everything you see from one point really happens, then you see it all again from the next point and everything is explained.

Companion wise, one of my biggest complaints from all of the new series was that I was sick of there being the lone strong, female companion that always ended up falling for the doctor or was just otherwise a bit cookie cutter. Catherine Tate was a great exception, and though some might say Amy Pond is close to this, I still think she just break away from it well enough. That's not the important bit though, as much as I love Amy Pond, the thing that's made me really happy with Matt Smith's first season is the way she was handled, or should I say, not "handled" with Paul McGann, giving the Doctor a romantic thing annoyed the tits off of me. I never used to watch Doctor Who for love, I watched it for awesome struggles with strange aliens in amazing new worlds, meeting new people from all sorts of places. Maybe it was because I was young, so when the thing with Rose Tyler through Eccleston and Tennant went on, that annoyed me a bit, but I will admit that it was well played. [As an aside, saying Rose Tyler is a bad assistant because she's got a chav family is as silly as saying Amy Pond is a bad assistant because she's Scottish, or that Catherine Tate is a bad assistant because she's got a voice that kicks your arse] but what I always wanted was less focus on romance between the Doctor and the cookie cutter female companion, and more other companions and people involved - which coming  back to this series is why I'm so happy with it. Rory may a bit bumbling and let's Amy kick his arse around a bit but the love between them through the series was really, really well done. I will admit I well'd up at the bit when Amy was looking at the history of the Pandorica, and it says how the "one centurion waited 2000 years, protecting the box with all of his devotion". Which is why I'm well happy that at the end of the episode, Rory stayed. I figured Amy would, but really glad Rory stayed. And River Song is excellent. I was surprised to Alex Kingston in it when she first appeared with Tennant, as she is rather good, but she's really carved the character out for herself, and it was great to see the episodes she was in, and makes the past ones she was in relevant too.

I think I really, really have rambled. I'll probably do a bit more of a concise thing about this in bloggedy blog later