Doctor Who Thread

[Tom]

ed2 said:

BTW, for any BB watchers, does Davine wotsherface really say "You have ten seconds and then we're going to get you!" or was that creeped-up for the sake of the parody?

She usually says something along the lines of "I'm coming to get you!" while running to the outside front door, and there is usually a separate Big Brother announcer that counts down to the contestant's eviction.

Usually when a contestant breaks the rules, they don't get the luxury of being evicted through the front door, and get smuggled out somewhere else instead. Sole exception to this being last year's Kitten, who was given a proper eviction for the sake of filling up a Friday night broadcast.

[Tom]

robertfrazer said:

(but good grief, Captain Jack must have been very uncomfortable hiding that laspistol...)

Probably nothing he's not used to by now

I hope Captain Jack sticks around for the next series, he's a lot of fun and it's good to see the regular cast expand a little.

Does anyone understand the Bad Wolf thing now? Has it been properly explained, because I'm really unsure about why the references have been popping up. Some sort of cry for help by the Controller throughout history? And if so, how come the messages had started popping up before the Doctor's intervention on Satellite 5 (I suppose it might be another funny continuity error, a la Rose being unable to understand Welsh)?

[Ed]

Tom: Cheers. I thought that whole thing was pretty creepy, but then again I think BB is creepy too.

Robert:

robertfrazer said:

A few gripes, though. It was a little underwhelming to see the trio tool themselves up with an Arsenal of weapons, accompanied by a dramatic score, and then not even use them (The Anne-Droid could at least have been given a new haircut).

It was only the Doctor who didn't use them, and then because he clearly had no need. I actually loved that "like I was ever going to use it" line regarding the gun: what a breath of fresh air from the vigilante heroes of a lot of American television. But presumably the fact that they have weapons with them will be important next episode.

Furthermore, the manner in which the Bad Wolf 'revelation' was handled was extremely clumsy - Bad Wolf references have been blindingly obvious all throughout the series, we don't need its significance being spelled out for us in an excruciatingly laboured "LOOK THIS IS IMPORTANT" manner.

Apparently, we do -- I watched "Boomtown" at home and my family had entirely missed the Bad Wolf connections until that episode. Since the Bad Wolf thing is obviously pretty major, I can't see how it hurts at all to make sure everyone's on board -- I thought all the flashbacks were really satisfying, although the Bad Wolf One helicopter irritated me a bit since I'm pretty sure Rose didn't see that and so couldn't really have remembered it.

[Robert Frazer]

I actually loved that "like I was ever going to use it" line regarding the gun: what a breath of fresh air from the vigilante heroes of a lot of American television

Fair point, now that you mention it. It actually suits the Doctor to do something like that - he's not a Last Action Hero, and he finds different ways to confound his enemies. Regardless of that, though, there still was a sense of anti-climax when such a dramatic scene of reaching Floor 500 ended so abruptly - it didn't need to climax in a gunfight, but it should have ended with at least something explosive, like Jack firing a burst of shots into the ceiling to gain the staff's attention.

The Bad Wolf revelation should just have been kept to the Doctor shouting about wherever he goes, he always hears the words "Bad Wolf". That way, you could alert the audience to the signifcance of the continuity arc whilst still maintaining the flow of the story, and it would have been effective. The flashback sequence didn't suit that at all though. It was hamfisted - as if the BBC has just pressed "pause" on the episode whilst Davis leans out of the television and shouts "Hey! Pay attention!". It was disjointed and inelegant.

[JC]

robertfrazer said:

Furthermore, the manner in which the Bad Wolf 'revelation' was handled was extremely clumsy - Bad Wolf references have been blindingly obvious all throughout the series, we don't need its significance being spelled out for us in an excruciatingly laboured "LOOK THIS IS IMPORTANT" manner.

Actually a lot of people havent noticed this or if they have they have been unable to see most of them. For one thing each episode has a seven day gap between them and theres a lot more pressing things on the general viewers mind than "hmm I wonder if they'll say bad wolf again." When it comes to something like a verbal reference it isnt stored in the minds of those that are watching Dr Who for enjoyment rather than analitical manners.

Another thing which makes the bad wolf flashback important is a nother little problem and that is the television you watch it on. I spotted the kid spraying the bad wolf sign on the tardis. But I couldnt read it all because my TV in my room isnt a widescreen. All I saw was this

B (half a A)
WO

I imagine this was true for a few other hundred thousand of people who watched it.

I'm glad they did show where the references were because its making me want to go back and watch the previous episodes. Also something like this shows how complex Dr Who really is, its more than a simple Science Fiction show it is a show that is simple enough for children as young as 7 to understand but enjoyable and has a maturity for older adults to enjoy and relate to, whilst also being able to link the episodes together in this manner, which for a show thats only on one day of the week is pretty complex, because as it showed during the flashbacks, the references were staring us right in the face but a lot of people either didnt spot them or they spotted them but didnt find it significant.

Had the editors cut out the flashback sequence (which lasted a whole few seconds...) a lot of people wouldnt hve enjoyed the last 2 episodes of this series because they will feel robbed of missing out on a crucial plot development. Dont forget young children are watching this episode and to them it was a year ago when the Doctor said "Nice to meet you Rose, Run for your life!" and chances are if you asked them to tell you how the Doctor defeated the plastic monster thing in episode one they would either get it wrong or not be able to remember, let alone a reference to the words 'bad wolf.'

Handled extremely clumsy? Nah not really. and since the sequence lasted a whole what 5 seconds? Not really going to ruin the entire episode now is it?

[Ed]

robertfrazer said:

it didn't need to climax in a gunfight, but it should have ended with at least something explosive, like Jack firing a burst of shots into the ceiling to gain the staff's attention.

I see what you mean. Bit of a waste of ammo though. The weapons made sense from the point of view of the Doctor, Jack and Lynda because for all they knew, they might be facing more Anne-droids, but I suppose because we already knew the twist, it came across as anti-climactic. (Same with "The Long Game" really, though I thought there it was more problematic since the Floor 500 mystery was a much bigger component of the story).

I did sometimes feel the editing was a bit tight and stepped on the climax points. The "You've got to be kidding" teaser cut to the intro very quickly, the short scene with the Doctor readying his gun was very swift, and even the final scene with the Daleks getting ready to "Exterminate" seemed relatively short given what a breathtaking scene it was. I thought all those could have done with an extra beat. But I'd rather it brimming than padded so it's only a niggle.

The Bad Wolf revelation should just have been kept to the Doctor shouting about wherever he goes, he always hears the words "Bad Wolf". That way, you could alert the audience to the signifcance of the continuity arc whilst still maintaining the flow of the story, and it would have been effective.

Yes, but it's much more effective and exciting to show people briefly, especially since some of those were a bit obscure. You wouldn't want people at home thinking "eh? I don't remember that" when they could be going "oh yeah! I remember that one!" And the flashbacks were a nice way of tying in the series with a "season finale" vibe. Might not have used the timewarp background superimposed on the image, perhaps, but that's about it.

[d3k]

I watched the episode of this last night! It's pretty good.

Shame it took me till the penultimate episode to start watching.

[hyperdude]

WAAAAAH! I thought the creator of the daleks was killed this dosent make any sence.

[subsonic]

Hyperdude

davros has seamed to be killed several times as have the Dalek.

BTW I have a large collection of the old ones

[Hevs]

it may not be davros. maybe the supreme dalek?

[Ed]

For that matter, it could be that they've disguised the voice to hide who it really is. I remember on the '24' DVDs they said they disguised the voice of one of the characters for the teaser because it would have given away a big surprise. (Of course, you'd think the best solution would be not to trail the surprises in the trailers, but....).

[ronson]

I agree with frazer. At first I thought that the dalek god would be davros but the voice doesnt seem quite right. it would make more sense that it will be adam because davros hasnt been mentionned previously in the current series.

still I have seen the recent trailer today and I am looking forward to the season finale. rumours of series two shoot are for the end of July and a christmas episode but nothing has been confirmed yet.

[JC]

In my TV guide theres a huge section on Dr who and the guys behind it are quoted as saying this...

"Billy piper is set to leave the show halfway through series 2"

So we're gonna get a new Doctors assistant... anyone wanna guess who it will be?

[Tom]

Reports are flying fast and furious all over the place... some newspapers report that she won't appear in all thirteen episodes; others report that these reports are untrue and she'll actually appear in all of them. I'm hoping she sticks around for a while, for good continuity with the new Doctor (Tennant has vocally committed himself to Who for A Very Long Time). I don't think she'll stay on the series forever.

Incidentally the BBC recently changed its rules so they can order multiple series of a programme at a time, in the wake of the fiasco that allowed Eccleston and potentially Piper to jump ship.

[ronson]

i was reading today on ceefax that series 3 has already been ordered. this is great news but one hopes that this wouldn't be an overkill and force the scriptwriters into mass producing clag.

[Ed]

Can't see why it would. They'll still be doing the same number of episodes per year, it's just that now they'll be able to lay pipe for a third season without having to worry about it not eventuating.

[Tom]

The point of this is to sign David Tennant (and perhaps Billie Piper) up for a third series before he's started on the second one. Had Lorraine Hegglesey had the chance I reckon she'd have commissioned three series before the first episode had been broadcast.

[JC]

Now I loved that advert before hand... it had a 30 seocnd countdown!!! amazing.

sigh well fokes as they have been saying...

"Time is up..."

[Omnion (yes, he is a man)]

"New teeth. That's weird."
This new Doctor will rock the house!

Neat episode. Brilliant end to the series, awesome special effects, but...
IT WAS SO MEAN! THEY KILLED EVERYONE! I mean, okay, it's okay to kill some people, but all those characters that were so nice and good-natured and fun... it's not fair! ! !

The bit when they kill that Big Brother girl, aside from being horrible, was odd. If, in episode 2, we saw the same space station (I think it was the same one, anyway) withstand an exploding sun, how could a mere dalek shoot through it?

[Robert Frazer]

That's because it isn't the same space station from End of the World. It's Satellite Five from the seventh episode, The Long Game - they reuse the same set!

I'm a little busy for a review now, I'll post it later.

[Omega Wants Cake]

That scene where they killed the girl was brilliant, one of the most creepiest scenes on television in years. The way those Daleks silently floated up outside the window. >.<

[Retro]

MUST. EXTERMINATE. DR. WHO. WRITERS.

*shoots self accidentily*

That is all that must be said on my thoughts on the final episode, and they did so well with the Dalek actualy invasion as well...pity they had to go and say "Look at us! We iz tah modern issues!" with the Dalek development.


The 'God; of the Daleks was nicely put together, but again, I felt the religious idea was just unessesary to the extremes. Having the Daleks merely using the humans as a plan to gain numbers is evil and sinister enough, without having religious reasoning behind it.


I could KINDA see past that all...slight writing mistake to try and justify something that did not need justified.

But the cinematography during the invasion/Rose + family scene was horrible.

It was a massive Dalek invasion, them pouring out of the skies! In massive blocks of death pouring forwards...

Cut to a chip shop.

Then we have the slaughtering innocent people and massacring the defenders utterly....

Then we have a Mini cooper.

And finally we have the massive climax! The moment when the Daleks assault the final floor and kill the final defenders in a heroic last stand! The tide is turned on the humans the time is...

We have a recovery van and a bad actress.

Personally I didnt mind the Rose scenes, but it would have been better to have them first, then have the final defence as a full scene, with the Tardis appearing and suddenly making you remember (Oh yeah!) after it looked hopeless.

I wont even go into Time God Rose...that bit was just a walking plothole of EH? It felt too convinient, way too much.


However the actual Dalek killings were amazing, killing that girl through the window was chilling and murdering the innocents was true Dalek behaviour.

[JJ]

retrogamer said:

But the cinematography during the invasion/Rose + family scene was horrible.

It was a massive Dalek invasion, them pouring out of the skies! In massive blocks of death pouring forwards...

Cut to a chip shop.

Then we have the slaughtering innocent people and massacring the defenders utterly....

Then we have a Mini cooper.

Dude, it's called juxtaposition, and was masterfully well-done I think. It was designed to make us feel just as frustrated and powerless as Rose herself does.

And 'cinematography' is the art of how everything looks within a scene, for instance the lighting, mood, actor/camera positioning etc. You're talking about editing. [/ex-media student]

[Chigs!]

yum! I enjoyed that last episode immensly - the regeneration scene was a pleasant, if slightly bolt on surprise - tennent's going to take some getting used to, no doubt about that - but I live in hope

Roll on Christmas

[Tom]

I thought the whole series dovetailed beautifully into a wonderful (if not slightly overboard with the Buffy feel) final episode. And look, it's David Tennant - with his full-on Casanova accent (no "Scottish tilt" to be seen)! Wasn't that a surprise? Can't wait to see what he does with the character.

Not the only surprise though. The Dalek chase scenes had a lot to offer. We thought we knew how Lynda would die and we were wrong! Meanwhile, the Anne Droid surely captured the moment of the entire series here.

What of Captain Jack though - they seem to have left him stranded on Satellite 5; I was hoping he would remain as companion throughout the next series. They can't have resurrected him for nothing! Perhaps he remains outside the Tardis to question the Doctor's regeneration where Rose never can? Perhaps he will fall in love with the Doctor all over again...

All in all, fantastic! (I wonder if Tennant will retain this little catchphrase...)