Re: Doctor Who
 

Definitely an early version of Davros. He/she has all.the features (apart from the blue bulb) ;)

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Well Millie Gibson didnt last long, just over one season it appears (S14).
She will exit early in Season 15, to be replaced by Varada Sethu (from Andor).

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Lots of companions only last a season or so. Guess her story arc is played out.

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Not diverse enough

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Here we go again:rolleyes:

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Well knowing Disney are now involved, I had already guessed that. ;)
The only real suprise was they have not (yet) said she will be gay as well.

Yes, here the BBC goes again, not enough representation anymore. :rolleyes:

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Nothing to do with that. She is a good actress from the things I've seen here in. If Ruby has her story finished then a new actress will replace her character. Disney don't have a say in production. That's down to RTD and Bad Wolf.

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you'd have to be very naive to believe that.

If they're stumping up the cash, they will absolutely have a say in it.

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RTD himself said they can provide notes or suggestions bur he doesn't have to use them. For example on the Christmas episode they suggested spending more of the budget and also introducing the doctor earlier. Which he did, shooting the snow man scene in August last year and the other early scenes.

It seems like no one lasts very long :(

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First two episodes drop at midnight 11 May on iPlayer and Disney plus elsewhere. Broadcast episode at 7 pm before Eurovision song contest.

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I see fans bleating on social media about having to avoid spoilers during Saturday daytime presumably because they want to watch it as-broadcast at 7pm. Others moaning at the principle of east-coast US audiences getting the luxury of the 7pm Friday drop because this means Disney has taken over.

Who fandom is possibly the most negative community on the entire planet, never satisfied, permanently paranoid and totally unable to simply enjoy anything (or understand that Disney is the thing that has most effectively future-proofed Doctor Who as a TV series for the foreseeable future).

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My mate was moaning to me about it last night. Blaming dosney etc and shame on the BBC.

However iplayer have been getting shows and series before airing for a while now. Its a non issue really.

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Absolutely. Great strategy to get a buzz going.

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It sure is. I think they might even put the weeks estenders on iplayer at the start of the week.

I know they did it for silent Witness last series. Each part aired Monday amd Tuesday nights but at 9am every Monday both parts were put on iplayer. I preferred it as could watch anytime and not wait for 9pm.

I think they may get better viewer numbers doing it on iplayer at midnight and then aorong later in evening. I'll watch before bed or as soon as I get up on Saturday.

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Yep, iPlayer has been getting stuff before it airs for quite a while now. I think ITV do the same.
Its rather curious they are doing two episodes on the same day, when they only have eight to air.

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The two being shown may be due the Euro 24 games in June. Anyway off to a great start...

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Only watched the first one, but it seemed like sentimental Disney bilge to me ! Money can spoil things.

When are they going to bring the Chumblies back? Or even better, the Quarks? ;)

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Disney didn't write or have an influence though. This was all RTDs idea.

Personally I liked Space Babies but Devils Chord was much better. The villain being linked to the Toymaker and putting actual fear in to the Doctor was really well done. I'm guessing a few of the villains will be linked in to that too.

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No interest in it. I used to love Dr Who but this flogging a dead Doctor.

It reminds of the Sylvester McCoy tenure, you knew the end was nigh.

If this survives it will be purely because of the Disney money, and it won’t last.

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Of course it will continue. Its not dead or dying

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I havent watched either of them yet, which is a sign of how bad its become.
There was a time when myself and my wife would always make sure we could watch it as it aired.
Jodie almost killed that off completely, and RTDs woke nosense over xmas was the final nail in the coffin.

We'll get round to watching them eventually, but we have other shows to catch up on first.

Oh, and more Disney nonsense, they have forced the BBC to call this Doctor Who 2023 (or 2024) season/series 1. Utter stupidity.

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Disney didn't force anything. RTD also wanted this to be season 1 as its a new beginning for the show.

It's a fresh new era. Just like 2005 was seris 1.

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I watched Space Babies last night and saved The Devil’s Chord for this evening. The one thing the two episodes had in common for me is that I grinned like an infant throughout them both. Whatever it is RTD is doing with it, it’s really rather good. In the past the show has had definite ‘eras’ - you can detect a distinct vein of gothic horror running through mid-Tom Baker for example. This present version of the show is leaning towards science fantasy with a definite fairytale influence. I can see it’s going to really annoy hardcore fans who still think everything should be judged against Genesis of the Daleks but I think Davies has pitched it well for the modern audience, especially as Disney’s involvement guarantees it a bigger international reach.

And I absolutely loved that they did the Austin Powers ending. Magical.

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Exactly that, I loved both stories and how they were presented to us, the viewer. I knew from the 60th specials that the fantasy and fairytale elements were coming. So had a vague idea of what we would get.

You then have those angry 'fans' who just moan about wOkE rubbish and oh the show has failed and is nothing like it used to be. However the show has always changed and evolved, thats how it has lasted 60 years.. No two eras were ever the same, stories evolved within the times they were made and what the writers wanted to convey. How the companions were and how they behaved. That is also very notable since it returned in 2005. Different writers had very different ideas and different directors interpreted those stories and made them work wonderfully.

Whether it was the silly Adipose, or the terrifying, the wire with the faceless ones. There has been history, sci-fi, fantasy, drama, comedy, horror, mystery and also many mixes of those different genres over the decades.

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If you believe that nonsense, I have a "leaning tower" to sell you.
Disney wanted it, to put firmly put their mark on the fact they are bank rolling it now.

Its no more of a new era than than the previous changes of Doctor.
Starting back at series 1 (in 2005) was debatable, but it was a clear relaunch after 16 years (excluding the film) so widely accepted. This is just a continuation of the current show, with a new doctor, if they started at one again everytime that happened, we'd be on our 14th/15th/16th Season 1 by now - there is simply no justification for starting back at Season 1 again.

I doubt I'll see any of them until next weekend at the earliest, so far, mixed reviews/responses from people I know who have watched them.

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Disney have no direct control over the series, or the content of it. RTD is firmly in control as showrunner and his production company Bad Wolf making it at their studios. First time the BBC have let a third party produce the show.

Disney get to make suggestions but as has been stated one more than one occasion by RTD and his team. They are only suggestions he he doesn't have to implement anything. Disney did indeed contribute to the budget by buying the international streaming rights to the show. Doesn't give them any control over writing, directing or any content. Production is firmly under Bad Wolf.

It was more than just another series though. New team running it, new international streaming partner, RTD is back, New Doctor and Companion and also a slight New direction with the idea of fantasy being a big influence. Also the doctor himself is refreshed with all his past trauma and issues being left with 14 to deal with

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Calling it series 1 is just marketing. Disney doesn’t want it to look like a ton of stuff is missing from its catalogue, and it suits the BBC to make it look like the thing has had a brand refresh. Though there can be little doubt that the desire for clear season/episode numbering on Disney+ is where the idea originated.

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Also less offputting to newbies. No one wants to start a show at season 16.

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Isn't it season 14?

Or if going on original numbering season 40. :D

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Watch episode 1 watchable, just seen 2 for me a load of rubbish have 3 recorded if no better ,for me , won't bother with it again :shocked: and I recall William hartnell as the doctor :cool:

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Moffat wrote tonight’s and it was as excellent as you would expect from him. It also helps that the chemistry between Gibson and Gatwa is genuine and powerful.

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I will not be bothering with it anymore, its turned into complete drivel.

As I mentioned, myself and my wife used to love it, and make sure we always watched it.
I asked her tonight, she just said no, after the xmas nonsense, she wasnt bothered anymore.

That was a slight surprise, but I decided to give EP1 a chance myself -- I gave up after about 20 minutes.

First you had Ruby entering the TARDIS and making no mention at all of it being bigger on the inside - seriously ? its the first and most obvious thing anyone notices.

Then you have Gatwa, I dont know if thats his normal way of talking, or put on for the show, but it just bugs me.

Then its another story about babies (hopefully no singing trolls this time).
How many times can you say "space babies" in the space of 15 minutes - a lot it seemed.

I stopped at the point of them blowing their noses, just nonesense, not even funny.

After Jodi, I thought it could only get better, esp with the help of Tennant to revive it.
I was wrong, it got worse, to the point I've lost interest, something I would never have imagined years ago.

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I think the bigger on the inside has been done to death so glad this dropped that. Though in the Christmas episode you saw her enter then leave and walk round it.

The babies thing seems to be a theme and knowing Russell will be part of the finale reveal, with Ruby's mum and being a foundling like the Doctor.

Boom(Moffats episode) was brilliant. A surprise appearance from the actress set to play the new series 2 companion also.

Clearly something building with the actress that has appeared as a background actor in every episode so far.

First episodes of RTD are usually silly fun.

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The actress who has appeared in every episode so far is called Susan Twist. Seriously - that’s her actual name. She’s obviously the Bad Wolf of this series in one way or another but for RTD to cast someone whose name may turn out to be the reveal takes meta to a whole other realm.

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Even that song title from Devils Chord was there is always a twist at the end.

They wouldn't be that obvious, would they? I think she will be related to the pantheon of gods that was mentioned a couple of times now and clearly Toymaker and Maestro are part of them and whatever their plan is.

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Really doubt I will be watching it to find out:D

I would love to see the first Doctor who again!!

That guy did the best I think at being the Doctor!!

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Kind of tricky as William Hartnell died in 1975. However, he has been played by David Bradley in the drama/doc about the early years of Who (An Adventure in Time and Space). Bradley also appeared as The First Doctor in three episodes of the show itself.

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David Bradley is now 82 himself, so probably not likely to ever play him again.

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Well many old stories are on DVD and online services now. My personal favourite is Slyvester McCoy who was the 7th doctor and last in the original era. Met him earlier this year and is a really nice guy.

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William Hurndall played him the “Five Doctors” but he died in ‘84.

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In the original run, Jon Pertwee was my favourite doctor, along with Sarah Jane Smith & Jo Grant as companions. I also liked Sylvestor McCoy with Ace as companion, Tom Baker was also good, but I preferred Pertwee. In the revival, David Tennant & Rose were my favourites, with Matt Smith and Amy Pond close second favourites. I also liked Clara, and while I very much disliked Whittaker, I did like Graham as a companion.

Ya I gotta find me some original episodes from the 60s! (Or 70s when it first came on)

Re: Doctor Who
 

Lucky for us in the UK they have all old episodes available to stream on BBC iplayer and many have been released on DVD over the past 20+ years.

Even the many of the lost stories have managed to find new life thanks to audio recordings, which they created animations for so people could see them again.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Latest episode is brilliant. 73 yards. Best of the season so far

Re: Doctor Who
 

Finally got around to watching the first two episodes.

Didn't like the first one.

The second one was much better. Liked it. Liked the villain, liked the way 'they' broke the 4th wall and started the Doctor Who theme themselves.

What I don't understand is why have The Beatles there? They did nothing with them. Then even have a song and dance routine and I guess they're foreshadowing 'the twist' at the end but so odd in an episode with The Beatles and a 60s-inspired dance routine that they don't use a Beatles song! Too expensive maybe? Twist and Shout is right there.....

Re: Doctor Who
 

The chord played on the piano in the hallway by John and Paul, that banished Maestro, is the one at the end of the crescendo in A Day in the Life. About 4m 20s in, if you can find it on Spotify or wherever. So real, actual Beatles music literally did banish the villain. You’d probably have to be proper fan to notice though. ;). The real world explanation for the lack of Beatles music is that it’s too expensive to use, which RTD was well aware of when he started. The episode answers the question ‘how do you do the Beatles without doing the Beatles.’

Oh, and Maestro is played by a bloke. A dress and make up doesn’t make someone a woman, or a plurality, or a whatever …

Re: Doctor Who
 

Ah I really like A Day in the Life and The Beatles. I am the sort of person who watched that entire Beatles documentary on Disney+. I guess I just don't have a musical ear and missed it. :erm:

Is this because of the Disney+ deal and the general worldwide rights issue?

I thought the BBC had a blanket deal with record labels to use music as they wanted.

Re: Doctor Who
 

You might be thinking about the PRS system that pays rights owners when a track is played on the radio? That’s not quite the same as incorporating it in a creative work like Doctor Who.

Re: Doctor Who
 

I remember watching an episode of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe where they said the BBC had a blanket deal for the UK.

A quick Google suggests it's this: https://www.bbc.com/academy-guides/m...re-the-issues/

It looks like it might not include every song and they have to record usage so that royalties are paid by PRS. The BBC paying a flat fee for the entire catalogue.

But I know Top Gear had such songs removed from international broadcasts.

I am not sure if The Beatles are included in this but given Doctor Who is now made for a international audience in mind I doubt they use this system.

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There was an old 60s episode of Who that had a beatles song in it but since then other version have replaced the song with something else.

I think that's what happened.

Yeah the main reason for The Beatles was a reason and an excuse to get them to Abbey Road where Russell wanted to set the episode. What better reason than having them and Cilla Black be there.

Jinx Monsoon is a drag act Chris. So we know they aren't female. They are literally a female impersonator. They won Drag Race once and then won the Queen of Queens series and have gotten pretty famous out of it. RTD wrote the part with them in mind.

I'm also sure the song at the end and all the fourth wall breaks will come back for the finale. Oh and Shirley Balas and one of the Strictly dancers were in that big song and dance sequence

Re: Doctor Who
 

Lily Savage and Dame Edna Everage were also drag acts, however their performers never claimed to be anything other than men impersonating women in order to get away with comic behaviour they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to.

Jinkx Monsoon is a drag character played by a man who claims to be an actual woman. Offstage he goes by the name Hera Hoffer and is undergoing plastic surgery and hormonal treatment in order to look more like a woman. If that’s how he wants to live his life, to the extent it doesn’t impinge on anyone else, that’s his business. He’s free to ask others to join in as well, as long as he’s also fine with others asserting that sex is immmutable.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Doesn't claim to be an actual woman. Used to identify as non binary but more recently came out as trans.

Re: Doctor Who
 

This isn’t really the space to discuss the problems with trans rights activism, however a key tenet of the movement is that a ‘trans woman is a woman’. Maybe we’ll kick off a separate thread on it some time, the tide is turning now anyway thanks to Cass.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Well I just saw ep5 "Dot and Bubble" and the following Unleashed ep



Will comment in a spoiler

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I spotted it in 7 mins lol.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Still geeking out over last night’s episode. The misdirection and the super-subtle clues to what’s really going on are just delicious.

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Fantastic episode and was literally on the edge of my seat for most of it.

I had an idea who it might have been but the reveal was perfection. Wish I could travel to next weekend and watch it already.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Top Who! Enjoyed Unleashed for the insights into the making of the episode and the Twist appearances that I had not noticed.

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i understand the need to save costs and to keep the writers from burnout and the actors etc but 8 episodes a season isn't good. could barely get to know the new doctor and the new companion.

at the very least it should be 10 episodes. If thats too much for RTD he should let more people take the strain. If Ncuti doesn't want to do 10 episodes find an actor who does want to.

Don't get me wrong i thought ncuti was really, really good

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I'm sure I read somewhere that they planned on getting back to 11 episodes a year, that's 10 plus the Christmas episode.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Finally took a look at the recent viewing figures.

The last season has the worst viewing figures for any season, ever.
(Not to mention the whole nonsense of renumbering it as Season 1 again).

The Christmas special 2024 has the 2nd worst figures for a Christmas (or New Year) special.

Series 15 (or Season 2) is due in 2025, still 8 episodes btw .. if anyone still cares ;)
If it were not for Disney paying towards it now, its likely it would be looking at cancellation (again).


* For anyone wondering, No, we (i.e. myself, wife & mum) no longer watch it, the 2023 specials were the final straw for us.

Re: Doctor Who
 

In the age of streaming and overseas sales, broadcast ratings are increasingly irrelevant.

Either way, Colin Baker is still available for hire if the BBC apologise to him ;)

Re: Doctor Who
 

You need to look at the context of those ratings though. Who was the 6th most watched show on TV Christmas day and was 4.11 million. It's now up to over 6 million with the +7 days. Not only that but the show is still one of the Beebs top 6 most profitable IPs that they own outright.

In addition to the ratings look at the audience share, as that has barely changed at all. Showing that as much as TV audiences have dropped its still achieving the same percentage of viewers. TV viewing has changed a lot now.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Latest rumour is that Ncuti will exit after Season 15 (Disney S2).

They was also a rumour the show would be cancelled as a result, but that seems unlikely as the BBC apparently have a 26 episode deal with Disney+.
So far (since Nov 2023) there have been exactly half of these aired, S15 will add another 8 eps, plus presumably another xmas special.
Thats 22 in total, so at least another 4 to be made (maybe 4 specials ?) or extend it beyond 26 episodes.

Either way, its doesnt seem likely to be cancelled after the end of the next season. Gatwa leaving however is quite possible.

Re: Doctor Who
 

I think the UNIT spin off show might be included in the total number of episodes as thats been filmed. No idea when it is due to air though.

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Season 15 begins on April 12th.

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I must admit I found the Christmas Episode dull.

Re: Doctor Who
 

I think it might have overstayed its welcome and could do with a multiyear hiatus before having a proper reboot under a new showrunner.

I don't think any of the Doctors have been poor, but have been let down by pedestrian writing with clunky dialogue and concepts. Most episodes feel like a slog that have been churned out without much love. Only the Toymaker episode had some of the classic fun and energy behind it.

Re: Doctor Who
 

New trailer.

https://youtu.be/MPxtqx55PA0

Re: Doctor Who
 

Zoiks.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Watched at the cinema.

A genuine WTF! Moment at that last bit.

Re: Doctor Who
 

What was the general reaction amongst the fans at the cinema?

Re: Doctor Who
 

For most of the last episode it was cheers and laughter 13 got a great reaction, I didn't hear anyone else laugh out loud at the two Ranis joke just me. Think they were a bit younger lol.

Re: Doctor Who
 

I just looked this up to see what the fuss was about .... Wow.

I may have to give the next season a look (if it happens of course).

---------- Post added at 21:09 ---------- Previous post was at 21:03 ----------

On another note, they release a trailer for the spinoff today as well.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Do not like the sea devil's new look. It's horrendous.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Looks like a sub-species … that’s how they explained the new series silurians compared to the old.

There’s an art to creature makeup. If you want emotional interaction between the humans and the ‘aliens’ you need the aliens to look human-ish. It just doesn’t work otherwise. Faceless monsters only work if you’re telling a story of faceless unrelenting horror entirely from the human point of view.

Re: Doctor Who
 

Ncuti's second season was head and shoulders way better than the first. Great writing and production quality. Bring on the new doctor (?)

Re: Doctor Who
 

it's so woke it's unwatchable it should be renamed Doctor they, them, their

Re: Doctor Who
 

Or Doctor Woo, as in Gender-woo.

The trans-identifying bloke who plays “Rose” Noble is so awful even RTD can’t bring himself to give him anything to do but stand there looking angsty. He has about 2 lines of dialogue, despite his vanishing/reappearing supposedly key to understanding how awful Conrad’s make-believe world is compared to the beautiful rainbow fantasy the Whoniverse has become.

If ever there was an example of casting/writing for representation over plot, this was it.

Re: Doctor Who
 

I'm hoping that if it returns, and the Doctor is now Billy, they may dial it back.
Looking at the clips of the regeneration, the black gay doctor looks like hes wearing a dress :rolleyes:

Re: Doctor Who
 

Pinstripe blue kilt. Not a dress.

Re: Doctor Who
 

It’s the sort of catwalk gents fashion kilt suit that’s probably not so well known down south. I actually thought it was rather smart … I almost wish I had the nerve to carry off that look :D

Re: Doctor Who
 

I mean I like the waistcoat but id never be able to pull off that look. Can't all be as fit and handsome as Ncuti:D. Not sure if I would ever wear a fashion kilt with combat trousers under it either