Category: Doctor Who

The second half of the episode which started with “Rise of the Cybermen” sees the battle to stop John Lumic’s creations from taking over the yadda-yadda-yadda … I mean, in reality, the menace in this episode, though well done in a B-movie fashion, is really secondary, again, to the personalities involved — in particular, Rose dealing with her parallel Earth mother and father, and Mickey dealing with what a doofus he is.

More spoilish stuff below the cut (for those who haven’t watched it yet.

Continue reading “Doctor Who: “The Age of Steel””

Sat down and watched last Friday’s DW. I’m beginning to get a feel for what I do and don’t like about this particular series (vs. Series 1).

The episode, the first of a two-parter, reintroduces the classic Doctor villains, the Cybermen. The show tries to play it somewhat coy, not showing the critters or naming them until close to the end — though obviously classic Doctor fans were likely to recognize them in advance, and the title was, well, sort of a give-away.

Since the Cybermen on our Earth were all defeated (multiple times) some number of Doctors ago (we actually saw one of their heads in Henry Van Statten’s collection in “Dalek,” Series 1), Series 2 gets around this by dropping the TARDIS and Co. into a parallel world London. That also lets them update the Cyberman look (which has upgraded over
the years, anyway) into something … well, honestly, something a bit more Cylonesque.

It also provides for some ample B-plotting, as both Rose and Mickey deal with the differences between their home Earth and this. Which of them has the roughest time with the divergent paths is open to debate, but, as usual, Rose is played for pathos, Mickey for laughs. Well, kind of — there’s some teary bits for him, too, but there’s way too much of the classic “I’m Mickey and I’m so scared and excited I’m peeing my pants” stuff, too. Rose, meanwhile, is still tied up in emotional melodrama
we’ve already seen her go through, and spends more of the episode moping and looking lost and hurt than actually doing something.

The Doctor, meanwhile, once he gets the TARDIS back repairing itself, just sort of hangs, chiding Rose (again) and blowing off Mickey (again), but also generally enjoying himself until the Cybermen start up. And that’s where I realized what I’m just not getting from David Tennant, as the Doctor. He’s just too bloody light-hearted most of the time. Too glib. Too laughing. Too light-weight. And that’s not just a comparison to Eccleston, but to Baker and Pertwee, too.
The only moments in the episode where I really got any oomph from his performance was when he was shouting at the Cybermen. The rest of the time, and in most of the previous episodes this season, he’s just been — well, a clever, jolly fellow, young and slight and a bit callow and just plain old along for a jolly ride. There’s all too little gravitas, mystery, or emotion.

Though the reading glasses are an interesting touch.

So the problem I’m seeing in Series 2 (all 6 of its 14 eps) is this: the cast just isn’t jelling (or the stories aren’t jelling around them). Rose alternates between being irresponsible and angsty, Mickey alternates between being excited and terrified, and the Doctor — who ought to be their focus, and the show’s — just sort of grins along, stumbles across the mystery, comes up with a brilliant idea, and solves it, and on to the next destination, tra-la. There’s little relationship
between him and Rose — certainly none of the romantic tension and mystery of Series 1, and little of the Partners Journeying Into Wonder, either. I’d criticize his treatment of Mickey (why is he along, anyway?), except that (a) Mickey’s a flake and deserves it, and (b) it’s strangely toned down from last year.

Regardless, it’s just missing on that human, relationship, character level — which is where DW needs to go (since Alien Of The Week schtick doesn’t really cut it these days). It’s better than 95% of what else is out there, but it’s not as good or as fun or as moving as Series 1 was, or this series promised to be.

The episode as a whole, given that, was pretty good, taking plenty of time (maybe even a bit too much) to set itself up for the climax and this week’s ep. The fx are good (the original reveal as to how this London isn’t really theirs is a nice one), the villain suitably and predictably villainous, the supporting cast solid (well, the resistance fighters are a bit lame). And I’ll certainly be back next week, to see how it wraps up.

Watched Doctor Who: The Christmas Invasion and the “New Earth” episode of Doctor Who on the DVR last night.

Okay, so David Tennant isn’t bad. He hasn’t established a key presence yet the way Chris Eccleston did, and both the character and the actor are still trying to establish similarities and differences between the Ninth and Tenth Doctors (just not seeing the Ninth doing the sword fight sort of thing, and Tennant seems to get a bit more shrill, vs. forceful, than Eccleston).

Actually, it’s an odd pair of episodes to introduce the new Doctor/Companion dynamic, given both the Doctor’s status through most of the Invasion and the presence (and I do mean presence) of the villain through much of “New Earth.” It’s hard to explore how Rose and the Doctor are interacting when, for much of the time, they aren’t.

Storywise, “Invasion” has some excellent bits (the PM, UNIT, hints and bits of other stuff to come, the Button that Oughtn’t Be Touched, as well as all the Rose/Mickey/Jackie interaction), It’s a long episode, but it fills the time fairly well, albeit at times there was much more a sense of the protagonists simply observing events, rather than acting on them.

“New Earth” is more of a mixed bag — the cat-nun make-up is fabulous, and there are elements of the story that are interesting (the Face of Boe!). Other parts, though, are almost classic Doctor Who, and not necessarily of the good kind (transfer it to cheap video, ratchet down the mixed effects, and I could imagine this as a Fourth Doctor tale with Sarah Jane Smythe). The villain’s actions and attitudes are inconsistent with an earlier appearance, and everything wraps up far too neatly
at the end, deus ex machina. It’s, ironically, the weakest episode of the new Doctor Who to date.

That said, it was still a lot of fun, and I look forward to the rest of the Series.

Though Series Two of the new Doctor Who starts next Friday (woot!), the series itself will be out on DVD in January 2007, the week after the season finishes its US premiere run. So all of you poor, hapless individuals who don’t have access to Sci Fi (or to someone who has Sci Fi), you don’t have all that long to wait
…

(Of course, all those folks over in the UK have already seen it, those lucky bastards.)

Updating earlier news, the BBC confirms that (a) Doctor Who Series 2 will be aired on SciFi in the fall, and (b) “The Christmas Invasion” will be shown at the beginning of the block.

And, not coincidentally, SciFi confirms it, too:

SCI FI Channel and BBC Worldwide Americas announced a major licensing agreement for SCI FI to air the second season of the hit British SF series Doctor Who in the United States. The series will return to SCI FI on Sept. 29, kicking off with a two-hour premiere that will include the “Christmas Invasion” special in which David Tennant is introduced as the 10th Time Lord.

Billie Piper returns as the Doctor’s feisty young companion, Rose Tyler, and together they will travel through time and space battling new and returning aliens and monsters.

Chris Regina, vice president of programming, SCI FI Channel, said in a statement: “Our audience has clearly embraced Doctor Who, and it has delivered a significant increase in viewers in the time period. We are looking forward to keeping the momentum going with David Tennant as the new Doctor.”

Executive producer and lead writer Russell T Davies said in a separate statement: “We were delighted by the first season’s success in the U.S. and can promise new thrills, new laughs, new heartbreak and some terrifying new aliens in season two.”

Executive-produced by Davies and Julie Gardner, the second season of Doctor Who was the most popular program on Saturday nights when it aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom to critical acclaim.

Yay!

Word has it that Doctor Who Series 2 will return in late September.

Series Two of the new Doctor Who series starring David Tennant and Billie Piper will, by all indication, see its US debut on September 29 on the Sci Fi Channel, along with Series One repeats earlier in the day. The news hasn’t officially been confirmed by the channel; however, an NBC/Universal release (in PDF form) for Sci Fi shows that Doctor Who returns to the schedule on the evening starting
at 9pm four episodes, the first two of which are marked “new” (and “repeat” at 11pm and 12am, the usual pattern for a premiere night). Outpost Gallifrey was, in fact, told that the series was “almost certain” to return “this October” recently, although no information was forthcoming until this release. Sci Fi’s schedulebot does show four episodes broadcast that evening; in late September, there is almost no likelihood of a Friday night airing of reruns.

Will “The Christmas Invasion” be included? Says Benjamin Elliott of “This Week in Doctor Who,” “The Christmas Invasion is 59 minutes long without commercials, so it would either have to be a) skipped and shown later or b) have 15 1/2 minutes chopped out of it to fit SciFi’s schedule as currently displayed. It does have an extended trailer for Series 2 that could be cut and the credits will always get squeezed, but that still leaves 13 minutes unaccounted for. SciFi has always felt willing to change their schedule
at a moment’s notice, so things can always change. They could air Christmas Invasion complete and have filler to finish the 2 hours. But for now, we must assume one of the following 2 scenarios: 9pm Christmas Invasion and 10pm New Earth, or 9pm New Earth and 10pm Tooth and Claw. The Christmas Invasion isn’t required to enjoy Series 2, but some references (notably at the end of the series) make more sense if you see it, and as David Tennant’s debut story it helps establish the kind of Doctor he is.” Also noted
is the fact that the Daytime marathon on September 29 on the Sci Fi Channel is the last 8 episodes of Series 1, which makes sense to lead into the new episodes.

We’ll bring you official word from Sci Fi as soon as it’s official, but this matches everything we’ve been told about Sci Fi’s positive reaction to the first series ratings in the spring and the desire to bring the show back with new episodes by the end of 2006.

Update 6 August: Outpost Gallifrey has heard from our contacts that this is indeed Series Two and that it debuts with the two-hour block on 29 September because the third season of “Battlestar Galactica” debuts the following week with a two-hour episode block. Doctor Who and Galactica will air at 9pm and 10pm, respectively, with another series airing at 8pm throughout October and November, with a short break for the Christmas holidays. Our source also believes that “The Christmas Invasion” is being held
back in this first block, and will instead be aired as a special in December. More details soon.

Glee! I’m mildly irked at “The Christmas Invasion” being shuffled around the schedule, but I can live with that as long as it airs in the not-too-distant future.

(via Les)

Been making steady progress through my Doctor Who series 1 DVD set — slowed by basically watching each episode twice (once to rewatch it as-is, once with the commentary track on) and by preferring to watching it with Margie rather than blow through it just on my own.

The eps hold up extremely well on re-watching, especially knowing what’s coming over the rest of the season.  The commentary tracks are pretty good, too, with a variety of talent across the actors and production and writing staff participating, 2-3 per show.  There’s some great stuff here, even in just the first five episodes (ironically, the first ep is one of the weakest).  I’m struck by how much emotion’s on display here — not melodrama, but honest-to-gosh acting.  The personal costs of
being a Companion are laid out more clearly in just these five eps than in the forty years of Doctor Who preceding — and the hints at the emotional costs of being the Doctor are just as strong.

I really want to get through the set before passing it around amongst the uninitiated of our friends, but I might not be able to wait …

And, in an amusing side note, Les offers up a tribute to Doctor Who fans — which, with appropriate remapping of music and imagery, could work for pretty much any of our geeky obsessions …

I’ve been avoiding talking much about Doctor Who here, because (a) some folks haven’t been watching it (but will be, dammit, once I get the DVD set in July), and (b) other folk have already been seeing the next series (damned Canucks and Brits) and so it would all be old hat to them (or a temptation to say, “Oh, hey, well wait until you see the episode where the Daleks …”).

That said, I’m so enjoying this series. It captures the kind of bizarre cheesy charm of the old bargain-basement-budget originals while still working for modern dramatic sensibilities. Christopher Eccleston is a faboo Doctor, like Tom Baker after too many cups of coffee, but with a dark, fragile side, too, as if we’re about to see him crack if he’s pushed too hard in the wrong spot. Indeed, the only down side to this show is the knowledge that Eccleston only stuck it out for one season (and, yes, I’ve heard his replacement is quite fine, and I even believe it, but …).

Billie Piper makes a great Companion (not that kind of Companion, Doyce), intelligent, spunky, independent, yet with clear emotional attachments and troubles. She, too, is a worthy successor to that particular role.

I’ve only seen a part of the series, of course, but the “Dalek” episode was exquisite (except, perhaps, for a weak denouement), and Adam’s tale thereafter was masterful for its B-plot as much as for its A-plot.

I really want the DVDs to come out. Really soon now.

Spiffyness. A faboo collection of just about every variation of the Doctor Who theme that’s been officially broadcast. It’s interesting all the variations on the original Ron Granier music that have taken place — some of them frankly, pretty awful. (For the record, I love the current Murray Gold incarnation of Granier’s theme).

Here’s a nice collection of Doctor Who sound effects and dialog bits.

And for more history on the themes (not including the current mix or the ’96 movie), here’s some great historical narrative.