• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Doctor Who [Spoilers]

Except, we've had a mysterious reference - the Timeless Child - a recurrent villainous race, and many loose ends left dangling, like antagonists basically vanishing at the end of episodes. I prefer to hope that's not just careless writing.
It’s Chris Chibnail, until proven otherwise I’m going with sloppy writing.
 
I can't believe that is how they used Lee Mack. Such a wit in such a small role.
 
It’s Chris Chibnail, until proven otherwise I’m going with sloppy writing.

I wish I could dismiss this, but after the erratic first two seasons of Torchwood...

Then again, Broadchurch season one was apparently quite something. The next three episodes should tell.

I can't believe that is how they used Lee Mack. Such a wit in such a small role.

They didn't exactly make great use of Art Malik, either. Hopefully Alan Cumming fares better. This is especially odd given how they highlighted the guest stars at the end of the first ep.

Still, early days for a whole new team. My damnable optimism isn't dead yet!
 
When Chibnail first took over I read / heard somewhere that he wanted a different actor for the role very season to allow him to try out differetn things.
Maybe he could bring back some old ones, then? Paul McGann's character in Holby just got fished out of river, so he's free for the role...

I quite like Jodie W in the part, but I hope we see a darker side to the character this season, and fewer modern history lessons in the show (still, so far I've learnt that racism is bad and that some Muslims and Hindus don't get along - who knew?). That said, next week's jaunt to the 17th century could be good, but let's not forget what used to happen to eccentric women with strange powers back then...
 
Oh FFS.
Bubble is now Local Time Lord for Local People. Just up the road from BBC’s northern media hub.
Funny how she met the very gay King James and name-dropped Houdini instead of Jesus.
I’m half expecting Peter Kay to turn up as the new Master.

And the whole witch thing should have been the halloween episode.

I’m sure some people will like this but for me, this series is verging from cringe TV to extremely irritating.
 
Best episode so far! They were obviously enjoying the ripe dialogue and played it to the hilt. Sort of Witchfinder General or Blood On Satan's Claw with a sense of humour. It was about time we had a decent villainess. Liked the anti-scapegoating message too, to be aware witch hunting hasn't gone away, but they didn't let it take over the story and it remained a rip-roaring adventure. A bit of a shame Alan Cumming will never be the Doctor as they asked, but he was a riot as James I.

Oh, and what's wrong with Scooby-Doo (apart from Scrappy)? Scooby-Doo: Monsters Inc is one of the greatest cartoon series of the century.
 
Tom Baker has written a new Doctor Who! See here:
Radio Times with the story

New Doctor Who book, that is, based on a 4 decades old movie script he and the late Ian Marter tried to get made. Maybe there's hope for it yet? Tom did show up in the Shada reconstruction last year.
 
I'd probably better re-watch it but there's something about this episode and whole series that isn't gripping me.

If done well this episode had the potential to be a personal favourite.

I thought JW might not be able to do quirky but that's worked out. She doesn't seem commanding enough though. Use of 'Gang' is starting to grate.

King James was fairly good.

6/10 until I rewatch it and see if I was being unfair.
 
Oh FFS.
Bubble is now Local Time Lord for Local People. Just up the road from BBC’s northern media hub.
Funny how she met the very gay King James and name-dropped Houdini instead of Jesus.
I’m half expecting Peter Kay to turn up as the new Master.

And the whole witch thing should have been the halloween episode.

I’m sure some people will like this but for me, this series is verging from cringe TV to extremely irritating.

Agreed, and for me it was the worst episode yet and I was calling the script many times before it was said onscreen as the whole thing is just paint by numbers storytelling.

I know the viewing figures started well but then so did top gear with Chris Evans and we know how that went.
 
Best episode so far! They were obviously enjoying the ripe dialogue and played it to the hilt. Sort of Witchfinder General or Blood On Satan's Claw with a sense of humour. It was about time we had a decent villainess. Liked the anti-scapegoating message too, to be aware witch hunting hasn't gone away, but they didn't let it take over the story and it remained a rip-roaring adventure. A bit of a shame Alan Cumming will never be the Doctor as they asked, but he was a riot as James I.

Oh, and what's wrong with Scooby-Doo (apart from Scrappy)? Scooby-Doo: Monsters Inc is one of the greatest cartoon series of the century.
And when she began expressing mud, I thought "Here's Mud In Your Eye!"...
 
I really enjoyed this until aliens got involved - I was enjoying the hauntological stylings and felt that chucking in some sci-fi killed the mood for me.

Although to be fair I did find Bradley's hat way more amusing than I should have done.
 
Yet again though, she failed to save the old woman being dunked.
Sad. But hey, never mind. Who’s counting?

I bet that pristine room’s had some good reviews on Trip Advisor.
 
I really enjoyed this until aliens got involved - I was enjoying the hauntological stylings and felt that chucking in some sci-fi killed the mood for me.

Although to be fair I did find Bradley's hat way more amusing than I should have done.

Agreed.
I enjoyed the hat-tips to Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan's Claw (and a sort-of hat-tip to The Wicker Man - Willa/Willow) and the outrageously camp Alan Cumming was quite amusing. The rather pathetic aliens just felt superfluous after that though. One of the less-irritating episodes of this incarnation of DW. Maybe 6/10.
 
Britain's campest king played by one of its campest actors. I saw some people confused by his accent, although others seemed to think it was exactly how a posh Scot who was ashamed of his roots might have sounded. (I don't know if James had ever been to Morningside, but that was mentioned by more than one commenter. Hell, Morningside probably didn't even exist in the 17th Century.)

It might have been interesting if they'd played this as a straight historical. I kind of feel that way about most of them thus far. "Demons of the Punjab" might have been better without the actual demons. I don't know if "Rosa" needed the time travelling racist, but it did provide some drama.

Anyway, I'm still enjoying the series, even when I feel it didn't quite hit.
 
It might have been interesting if they'd played this as a straight historical. I kind of feel that way about most of them thus far. "Demons of the Punjab" might have been better without the actual demons. I don't know if "Rosa" needed the time travelling racist, but it did provide some drama.

Anyway, I'm still enjoying the series, even when I feel it didn't quite hit.

You've pretty much hit the nail on the head there, for me at least.
 
I wish King James hadn't been portrayed so pantomime - I know it's popular in the UK, but the rest of us thinks it's bloody annoying!:incan::frust:
 
I wish King James hadn't been portrayed so pantomime - I know it's popular in the UK, but the rest of us thinks it's bloody annoying!:incan::frust:

He fathered 7 children and had at least one mistress, so he obviously was partial to some heterosexual how's-your-father. The rumours of his bisexuality stem from his preference for male company in his younger days, when he was into jousting, hunting and falconry.
Alan Cumming probably can't do nuances of macho or butch!
 
I wish King James hadn't been portrayed so pantomime - I know it's popular in the UK, but the rest of us thinks it's bloody annoying!:incan::frust:
He fathered 7 children and had at least one mistress, so he obviously was partial to some heterosexual how's-your-father. The rumours of his bisexuality stem from his preference for male company in his younger days, when he was into jousting, hunting and falconry.
Alan Cumming probably can't do nuances of macho or butch!

I draw your attention to the word pantomime in my post - pantomime does not mean the same thing as "effeminate homosexual", it means cheesy overacting for the sake of a few laughs (and I repeat my post - I know it's popular in the UK, but to the rest of us it's bloody annoying!). The whole thing took out the seriousness of the episode and was distracting - much like a toothache...
 
I I know it's popular in the UK
Oh no it isn't.
Oh yes it is.
He's behind you!
This is exactly what I mean, the whole thing is just mystifying to the rest of us, and entirely unfunny.

And, David Plankton, quoting "Effeminate homosexual" and then getting a quick gay stereotype joke by putting "He's behind you" only reinforces a negative stereotype about gay people. I expected a more reasoned perspective from a fellow Fortean...
 
Here's an entertaining article on the fan videos produced in DW's wilderness years:
Radio Times article

Colin Baker getting it on with Nicola Bryant, the nympho Zygons (rated 18!), and less salacious stuff too.
 
This is exactly what I mean, the whole thing is just mystifying to the rest of us, and entirely unfunny.

And, David Plankton, quoting "Effeminate homosexual" and then getting a quick gay stereotype joke by putting "He's behind you" only reinforces a negative stereotype about gay people. I expected a more reasoned perspective from a fellow Fortean...

I know Plankton's postings very well and I can assure you he wasn't having a dig at gay people. Also I'm sure there are a fair few gay men who would find it inoffensive and a laugh.

As I've said here before in my youth I spent a lot of time going to gay nightclubs as they was less chance of getting your head kicked in and they were fun, with lovely people. I was lucky to be introduced to them by two gay friends.

Ribald doesn't come close to describe the humor that went on in those clubs.
 
Last edited:
I'm gay and I wasn't offended.

I would also like to add that, sometimes, I am not entirely comfortable with non-gay people making gay jokes as I'm not completely sure if it comes from a good place. Black people can call each other nigger as much as they like but I wouldn't because I'm not black. It depends on context and how well people know each other.

As to Cummings performance, I quite liked it. His campy "aren't-I-so-clever-and-naughty" acting style started when he was at drama school. I know because I was there at the same time. Generally I don't like it but I thought it worked for this. Isn't it a kind of conceit in fantasy writing that the personalities of famous people from history can be made up to suit the comedy/drama/plot/added twist because none of us know what they were really like?

I think the Dr now being in female form had to be dealt with head-on at some point; a story about a 17th century witch trial was a good way to do it.
 
Missed a trick by not putting a TRRROOOOLLLLL from Trollhunter in tonight's episode, but The Actor Kevin Eldon made up for it with one of his typically eccentric turns. At last, the mirrors plot from Poltergeist 3 is put to good use. Thinking big, the villain was an entire universe - a bit Sapphire and Steel, but at least the Doc saw eye to frog with it by the end. "Ah luv me sonic!" Yeah, we noticed! Can't say it wasn't different - I wasn't bored, and yet again Bradley Walsh makes me go misty.

Next week: the grand finale. Already?!
 
I'm aware of the pantomime reference, my point is that King James was portrayed in a negatively stereotypical "camp" manner, and Plankton seems to have dismissed my comment as unworthy of serious attention.
 
Back
Top