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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Amph Doctor Who Discussion (Russell T. Davies returns)

Discussion in 'Community' started by Darth Guy, Jan 3, 2013.

  1. darthcaedus1138

    darthcaedus1138 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2007
    I actually wouldn't mind seeing him play the character how he wanted to do it, apparently he disagreed with Russel T's version but did it because he had to lol
     
  2. DebonaireNerd

    DebonaireNerd Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2012
    Still waiting on my S2 blu-ray to arrive, there's been a delay with the distributor or something like that according to the email i've received. I'll still catch up. What i'll do is i'll watch Christmas Invasion and New Earth on DVD back to back over the weekend if I haven't had an update by today. So annoying, I ordered this two weeks ago!
     
  3. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
  4. V-2

    V-2 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2012
    Hinchcliffe and Platt? Interesting..! Ghost Light is in my top-1 list, Hinchcliffe's era contains some of my favourite stories too... The whole of the Nerva arc, right up to Weng Chiang...

    Shame about the price though, eh. No way can I afford £45/55 for two audio stories. BF's pricing strategy is insane.
     
  5. Kran Starborn

    Kran Starborn Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2013
    I am so happy that I received my 10th Doctor suit today and I think I look rather nice in it can't wait to go to cons and cosplay as 10th Doctor.
     
  6. Mar17swgirl

    Mar17swgirl Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 26, 2000
    Sorry to disrupt any discussion, but I need to leave this here... :)

     
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  7. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 27, 2005
    Today is Christopher Eccleston's 50th birthday.
     
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  8. mackpol

    mackpol Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2002
    50th? You're kidding!
     
  9. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 27, 2005
    Born Feb 16th, 1964 according a few sorces I check with before posting that
     
  10. mackpol

    mackpol Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2002
    Well well he certainly don't look it, I think it's the actor that plays Spike in Buffy that's around that age too, which also surprised me.
     
  11. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Yeah James Marsters is 51 now and still doesn't quite look a day over 30, so it was a surprise to me during when I learned (I think this was during the sixth or seventh season of Buffy) that he was in his 40s at the time I heard how old he really was.
     
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  12. Kran Starborn

    Kran Starborn Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2013
    Here is a very clever what if Doctor Who was an American show that I saw on the Doctor Who tumblr and what actors would be playing The Doctor:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Just YES!! on who would be The War Doctor in this what if. Thoughts?
     
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  13. Rew

    Rew Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 22, 2008
    Happy birthday Christopher Eccleston. :)

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Everton

    Everton Chosen One star 10

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    Jul 18, 2003
    Yes. One. Thank goodness Doctor Who isn't an American show.
     
  15. Kran Starborn

    Kran Starborn Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2013
    Everton I don't know I thought some of the actors picked are interesting choices and the way they are as actors I feel fits the personality of The Doctor at least with some.
     
  16. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    This, I mean, I could see Tony Shalhoub as an Americanized Seven (Or if he was interested, maybe as a newly created Time Lord in S8 or S9), but overall... yeah, thankfully Doctor Who isn't an American show.
     
  17. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    I got kissed by Paul McGann today. That is all.
     
  18. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Nope. Not all. Deets.
     
  19. Mar17swgirl

    Mar17swgirl Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 26, 2000
    You lucky *****. [face_envious]
     
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  20. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    He's adorable and so sweet and sassy and funny and charming. I want to take him home and keep him forever.

    Also, Arthur Darvill gushes over his Nan and his cat, which is also adorable.
     
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  21. DebonaireNerd

    DebonaireNerd Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2012

    I think Six needs more Cowbell and Eight needs to stop "umming" and "arring" through his dialogue.
     
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  22. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 27, 2005
    I should never work on anything while listening to any Doctor's regeneration music. It leaves mysterious saltwater tracks on my keyboard and me with a headache.
     
  23. DebonaireNerd

    DebonaireNerd Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2012
    My blu-ray still hasn't arrived for S2 so i'm just going to have to continue otherwise i'll get too far behind. I'm hoping it arrives soon. Grrrr...

    2.01: The Christmas Invasion

    "I gave them the wrong warning. I should have told them to run, as fast as they can. Run and hide, because the monsters are coming - the human race."

    The expectations of Doctor Who in 2006 were obviously at their peak following a successful launch with Christopher Eccleston. This episode would also mark the beginning of a tradition at Christmas where we are treated to a brand new episode of Doctor Who which would both cap the year off and hold us over until the next Season. Obviously, the tone is a bit lighter and for good reason it doesn't carry itself too seriously which is important to contrast itself from the core canon of the series. Keeping in mind that the Christmas Specials don't fall outside of the actual canon as they follow from the events that preceded it but they mostly are one-shot adventures for fun. Although it's an unfair comparison, the launch for Tennant's Doctor is a far stronger one than that of Rose. But, it ought to be. RTD had a year as show runner under his belt, the BBC gave the show a much larger budget and the running length of the episode is just under one hour.

    Tennant does a great job in his debut performance as the Doctor, albeit spending most of it on his back with his eyes closed. But his cheeky and jovial nature is a welcomed and necessary departure to that of Eccleston. There's also some hints of the cynicism and judgement that his Doctor will subject his foes too. His confrontation with Harriet Jones is sublime. Apart from that, there's not a whole lot to say about him in this episode because the story is mainly driven by Rose, Jackie, Micky and Harriet. The interplay between the protagonists feels natural which is no doubt attributed to the fact that they're more settled into their roles and the writers now have a greater understanding for whom they are writing. I enjoyed the scenario of the A+ blood being used as a control mechanism to hold the Earth hostage, though I must say that if a sample of wheat was sent in the probe, then wouldn't 90% of Earth's population be on the roof given they consume bread or some other product of grain? Just saying. I know, it's the Christmas Special and it's about fun so I haven't deducted any points for this. But it is an interesting point.

    Where the episode does show its flaws is mainly where most Christmas episodes tend to lose their appeal; the length. Clocking in at nearly 60 minutes, this is easily an episode that could have been trimmed down by ten to fifteen minutes as some of the scenes in the Cardiff flat do feel a little tacked on. I would have gladly traded those in to see some more of UNIT and give the Brigadier a cameo or at least a mention. This goes back to a criticism I made during the Rose review where RTD was a little too self-conscious of giving some nods back to the classic era. A nice "where's Lethbridge-Stewart?" would have been nice, but we'll be nicely treated come School Reunion. I also would have liked for Tennant to have done a little more despite the build-up being effective and nicely paid off. But at the same time I would have liked to have seen Tennant show off some more of his acting chops in building the identity of his Doctor. To this day I am extremely disappointed with the costume discovery. Much like 5, it's just sitting there on display, waiting to be put on - the entire outfit. I would have liked a bit more discovery and layering here. But it is a terrific outfit. Inevitably better than Nine's.

    Otherwise, this was an excellent way to introduce the Tenth Doctor and to this day stands as one of the best Christmas Specials in a series of one-shot episodes that seem to miss the mark more often than hit it.

    4 out of 5
     
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  24. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 27, 2005
    I liked the wardrobe scene.[face_dunno]

    This episode often ties with The Runaway Bride as my favorite Christmas Special. It really is a brilliant debut for Ten. My one quibble (which I'll get into a later because I'm really really tired) as I hinted at when talking about AOL/WWIII was Ten's treatment of Harriet Jones. One would have thought that the Doctor, of all people would have understood the choice Harriet felt she had to make to protect Earth (not that I necessarily condone it myself, mind you). The one consolation is that this moment of hubris in the Doctor sets the stage for a donwfall of sorts for him in near the end of S3 (which we'll get to when the time comes).
     
  25. darthcaedus1138

    darthcaedus1138 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2007
    I'm gonna just fall in line with TryWhistlingThis, though I have watched New Earth already.

    The Christmas Invasion: A very solid episode overall, though the first half of it is incredibly draggy. The lack of a Doctor throughout the first half beside the intermission in which he reminds everyone the show is called Doctor Who, and not Rose and Company, is kind of annoying. This episode is just a bit too long. I really hate the Santa costume robots and the killer Christmas tree. It just seems like a slapped on 'I guess it's Christmas!' kind of idea that I find actually distracts from the episode itself. Mickey's pretty sad here, somehow hacking into the United Nations feed, which is terrible. Don't attribute 'hacking' to random characters, introduce a character who can do it, that's all I'm saying. Harriet Jones is awesome, she's always introducing herself despite being PM. I like the Sycorax, great enemy, great blood trick, great ship, great design.....they're great.

    Tennant is quite good in this. More chipper and upbeat than normal, but it's his first episode, and when he does his "No second chances, I'm that kind of a man." bit it works. I'll be watching him though, because that's something that doesn't stay true. (The second chances thing, not him being good)

    I was gonna give this a 3, but I think I'm gonna bump it up to a 3.5/5.