15th Doctor's Sonic Reveal
- Thread starter Reidydog
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Snooze
New Member
AnubisGuard
Master Member
Unlike 13's, that's a bizarre sonic I actually like. It looks like there's some functional logic to it – a sort of sonic tricorder, with screens and buttons and flip out scanners.
Sonic Remote Control.
Joking aside, it does make sense to have something a bit more alien looking.
The Sonic Screwdriver was essentially a magic wand, at least this looks like it would actually do some of the things the sonic was supposed to do.
If Dr Who wore something a bit more alien looking it would also make sense rather than human clothes. People might say it's to blend in on Earth but that doesn't hold for when he goes to alien worlds. Plus if humans know of the existence of aliens after all the invasions it isn't like Dr Who needs to blend in.
Joking aside, it does make sense to have something a bit more alien looking.
The Sonic Screwdriver was essentially a magic wand, at least this looks like it would actually do some of the things the sonic was supposed to do.
If Dr Who wore something a bit more alien looking it would also make sense rather than human clothes. People might say it's to blend in on Earth but that doesn't hold for when he goes to alien worlds. Plus if humans know of the existence of aliens after all the invasions it isn't like Dr Who needs to blend in.
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signeddiamond
Well-Known Member
I kinda dig it. Look forward to seeing how it actually plays on the show!
Sean
Sean
Starganderfish
Active Member
Yikes. Thats a no for me.
I really dig Matt Smith's sonic with the flip-out claws and the green light effects. I have one of the wand company ones and it's a really nice piece and the claws make it super fun to play with. I think it's my favourite sonic (a controversial opinion I know)
Eccleston/Tennat's was a great bridge between the older series designs and some nice modern touches.
Capaldi's always looked like a plastic toy, and following on from the whole "Sonic Sunglasses" thing it felt like they were trying a little too hard.
Wasn't a fan of Whitaker's - her acting, the writing, the direction, all the shaky-cam, and extreme close-ups... just the whole package, and her sonic was on par with everything else from those seasons.
I'm quite enjoying the new Tennant sonic from the 60th specials, it feels very reminiscent of both his/Eccleston's sonics as well as Smith's, and it ties in with the feeling that they are trying to steer the ship back onto the right course.
I've only watched the first of the three specials at this stage, so have no idea about Gatwa's acting or characterisation, but his sonic looks like an over-excited attempt to "modernise" the look, a bit like how the "Apple Store" aesthetic of the new Tardis rubs me the wrong way.
Fingers crossed they're able to smooth off some of the rough edges of the show as the season progresses, and from what I know of Gatwa, he seems a lot more charismatic than Capaldi or Whitaker, so will hopefully be able to win fans back over.
But this sonic is an easy pass for me.
I really dig Matt Smith's sonic with the flip-out claws and the green light effects. I have one of the wand company ones and it's a really nice piece and the claws make it super fun to play with. I think it's my favourite sonic (a controversial opinion I know)
Eccleston/Tennat's was a great bridge between the older series designs and some nice modern touches.
Capaldi's always looked like a plastic toy, and following on from the whole "Sonic Sunglasses" thing it felt like they were trying a little too hard.
Wasn't a fan of Whitaker's - her acting, the writing, the direction, all the shaky-cam, and extreme close-ups... just the whole package, and her sonic was on par with everything else from those seasons.
I'm quite enjoying the new Tennant sonic from the 60th specials, it feels very reminiscent of both his/Eccleston's sonics as well as Smith's, and it ties in with the feeling that they are trying to steer the ship back onto the right course.
I've only watched the first of the three specials at this stage, so have no idea about Gatwa's acting or characterisation, but his sonic looks like an over-excited attempt to "modernise" the look, a bit like how the "Apple Store" aesthetic of the new Tardis rubs me the wrong way.
Fingers crossed they're able to smooth off some of the rough edges of the show as the season progresses, and from what I know of Gatwa, he seems a lot more charismatic than Capaldi or Whitaker, so will hopefully be able to win fans back over.
But this sonic is an easy pass for me.
ahuntley
Well-Known Member
Looking at this from an industrial design perspective, I actually really like this. Finally a functional torch, which is surprising considering how often the Doctor finds himself in dimly lit places. I also like the folding feature (much easier to pocket) and the swiss army like adaptability of the individual gadgets. I feel like those might be a bit more grounding than the usual "it just does the thing" nature of the Sonics by giving the Screwdriver a more tech based interface. I'm curious where they will go with it in use.
Starganderfish
Active Member
See, I could maybe buy into all of that for say the 13th Doctors because AFAIK, she explicitly built it on Earth, without the TARDIS, using scrounged materials and technology. In that case, something chunkier, with more "visible tech and functions" could make sense.
But assuming this Sonic (like previous iterations) is created by the TARDIS , a device that warps space and time, is at least partially sentient, and uses "Arthur C Clarke level" magi-tech...I don't need this device to be grounded or understandable.
Part of the core concept of the Sonic (at least in the revived series) is that it's a preposterously small and seemingly simple device, with ludicrously incomprehensible capabilities, that's made by a race that's mastered all of Space and Time. The joke is that this guy is thousands of years old, immensely powerful and knowledgeable, his species are practically gods and he pulls this little doohickey out, calls it a screwdriver, and it does pretty much anything he needs it to. I don't want him using a Star Trek tricorder. I want him using what's basically a magic wand.
greatwazoo42
Master Member
I hope it hinges closed to look like a pocket watch when not in use. That'd be cool.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Is that a retractable bubble wand on the end?
It makes sense on a tool evolutionary aspect.
The telephone that William Bell invented looks radically different that what we carry in our pockets and call a phone today.
So, sure, why not?
It makes sense on a tool evolutionary aspect.
The telephone that William Bell invented looks radically different that what we carry in our pockets and call a phone today.
So, sure, why not?
As technology advances it tends to get smaller. At this point the sonic screwdriver should be a key fob or a usb stick size. In the new series it's controlled by telepathy, so bulky thing with a lot of buttons is silly. I know that's not visually interesting enough, but it would be more appropriate. That's why the small phaser from Next Generation kind of fell out of use. It wasn't very visual interesting on the screen.
johnny5676
Well-Known Member
Saw this on facebook thought i would share here
Starganderfish
Active Member
lol. Looks like the sole of a sports show in that pic. Nice that they tied in the Tardis blue I guess.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
And some Star Trek chevrons in the gold section of the main body.
No idea if this is the actual functionality of the sonic, but this print & design was cool to me...
There is a point where technology can be too small to easily use. The first calculator watches came with an easily lost stylus to operate the calculator buttons. The solution was to enlarge the keyboard to be used with just your fingers, no stylus. My first CD player in the late 80's was 90 percent empty casing (I had to open it up to put the CD tray back on track). The CD player was large so the display could be easily seen, and the controls manipulated.
The mini phaser caused problems for the audience and the SPFX people who had trouble putting in the phaser beams because the phaser was lost in the actor's hand. The prop was just too small.
