Comments on: Doctor Who

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 22 May 2005 18:14:03 +0000

Well I’m a UK blogger who not only wrote a review of the first episode but has gone on to give fair mention to ‘The Unquiet Dead’ and ‘Dalek’. I will no doubt be mentioning it again as I am a massive fan of the way the BBC has approached this new series. It certainly takes from Buffy but nothing wrong with learning from masters such as Joss Whedon. Great blog, by the way - you’re now added to my blogroll. Thanks for some great writing.

By: Elle Wiz

Elle Wiz — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 17:24:01 +0000

Good point about nostalgia. I too have watched some older eps recently and been bored to tears, even with Tom “The Beloved” Baker. (Although having said that, perhaps I should look up Sylvester McCoy’s eps.) I think my mad crush on Eccleston (ears and all) has a lot to do with my positive reaction to Saturday’s show. But I still always think of him as very serious (SHALLOW GRAVE, pre-going mad; ELIZABETH; the lieutenant on CRACKER). To see him goofy and grinning was a LOT of fun! I feel like his Doctor is really his own, not a pastiche or parody of them who came before.

PS, live in the US, but was able to Torrent Saturday’s episode. Broadband - LOVE IT! Hope all you kind souls over there keep posting those links!

By: T.

T. — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 17:06:03 +0000

Gordon - that’s a good question. I don’t think I am letting sentiment get the better of me because in watching some re-runs of old episodes, I don’t feel any nostalgia for them. In fact, they bore me on the most part. This didn’t. I actually expected it to be worse than it was.

Having said that, I’m interested to see where it goes and I can’t say that I don’t have my doubts about where it’s going to head and whether they will take it in a new direction. Obviously it already is in the fact that they’ve done away with the cliffhanger endings and that they’ve already given more background and characterization to the assistant than any that I’m previously aware of.

By: Cat

Cat — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 14:16:57 +0000

I loved it! Maybe a bit more for its promise than for that particular episode, though, but I’m looking forward to Piper & Eccleston developing their characters & relationship.

The thing I always enjoyed about Dr Who was the silliness and the fact it didn’t take itself half as seriously as some of the fans did. It always struck me as the televisual equivalent of those ‘what if, right…’ conversations or dreams - tearing off to have a laugh telling the story and telling it well, without letting lack of budget get in the way. In other words, it looked fun and was well-scripted, and they seem to have retained that so far.

And that killer wheelie bin had me giggling myself off the sofa and onto the floor, to the bemusement of my other half just just never ‘got’ Dr Who in the first place. Potaytoes, potahtoes…

By: BF

BF — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 14:13:40 +0000

What didn’t you like about it, Gordon?

By: Gordon

Gordon — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 12:40:37 +0000

OR, it’s just not that good? Are we (well you and others) letting sentiment paint a rose (pun intended) coloured hue over things? If Dr.Who hadn’t existed before what would you think?

There is a fine line between appeasing fans and creating something new and I think the former was the major influence, in this first episode at least. It’ll be really good if they change it over the series but on first impressions they’ve got a fair amount of work to do.

I have Sky+, why would I watch this instead of something else?? Gimme a reason BBC, gimme a reason!!