Has anyone else fallen out of love with Doctor Who?
- Thread starter NakedMoleRat
- Start date
I have been watching some of the David Tennant era shows and there is such a huge difference- writing, acting, cinematography and especially antagonists.
Like many, I feel the new series peaked during Tennant's era. Smith did a decent job keeping it alive, and Capaldi was sadly a victim of poor writing.
We're a bit behind on the latest season, but the complexity of the show doesn't lend itself very well to going years in between seasons. I will likely continue to watch it recognizing the best days are likely behind us...
Sean
We're a bit behind on the latest season, but the complexity of the show doesn't lend itself very well to going years in between seasons. I will likely continue to watch it recognizing the best days are likely behind us...
Sean
TazMan2000
Master Member
I gave the show a chance, but the story writing isn't as good as before. The last couple of shows showed that they could do better, so there is hope for the future.
TazMan200p
TazMan200p
GirlyGothicGeek
Member
I stopped watching it mid-Capaldi, because I stopped getting BBC America and didn't know where else to find it. Honestly though... I was forcing myself through it every week, just hoping it would get better one day.
Capaldi was a great Doctor but with only a couple of exceptions had terrible scripts for his tenure.
I find it interesting that some of the writers whose episodes a lot of us loved seemed to forget how to write or bring good stories to the screen once they became the showrunner. Steven Moffat wrote some of the best stories for new who when RTD was the showrunner and did a decent job for a while but seemed to loose interest over his run. Chibnal doesn't seem to know what direction to take the show and I'm actually wondering how much input the BBC is giving into what should be on the show as I don't remember it being this preachy in the past even if they did do socially responsible episodes.
I haven't fallen out of love with it yet but like others I have to force my self to watch it in the hopes things will get better. They still do good episodes but the percentage of bad to good has gotten a lot worse.
I haven't fallen out of love with it yet but like others I have to force my self to watch it in the hopes things will get better. They still do good episodes but the percentage of bad to good has gotten a lot worse.
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From what I have heard the preachy content is from the BBC suits- they are doing this sort of thing to other shows as well.
The shows lately seem to have been written by a committee of people who did not talk to each other before filming began
The shows lately seem to have been written by a committee of people who did not talk to each other before filming began
Sybernettik
Active Member
Although I am finding that I do not enjoy the recent series of Doctor Who. I am very excited for Christopher Eccleston's upcoming audio episodes!
Out of curiosity, what would you recommend to someone unfamiliar with the series to start with?
I know most seem to prefer older ones, but many of those might be too dated to grab new first time viewer.
That question was for everyone.
I know most seem to prefer older ones, but many of those might be too dated to grab new first time viewer.
That question was for everyone.
Egon Spengler
Master Member
I'd start with Eccleston
Strikerkc
Sr Member
If you're starting out, avoid the old stuff. The old stuff will actually make more sense in the context of the newer ones if you watch those first.
And honestly, other than that, pick The doctor that looks most interesting to you, and watch that. And if you don't like that doctor after an episode or two, go try another one.
If you want to see all the "new" stuff in order, start with Ecleson and go from there.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Eccleston, He was driven, scarred, and still put helping others ahead of his own pain. Matt Smith REALLY sold a 1000-year-old man in a young man's body. Tennant was ok but mostly acted like a hyperactive 7-year-old. Capaldi was great at delivering prominent lines and moving dialog, but mostly suffered from conundrum! And I was SICK of Clara being the star of the show and he being her lap dog!
Zombie_61
Master Member
Wow. I agree with everything you've written here, except I'd need to swap Matt Smith's and David Tennant's names. I never once felt Matt Smith was anything other than what he was--a young man, because Smith hadn't had enough life experience to accurately portray someone with the weight of the universe on his shoulders during those heavier moments. He definitely exhibited the exuberance of youth, which was my problem with Smith as The Doctor--I wish he would have been far more restrained and less frenetic. Tennant could do "heavy", but it often came across as sadness rather than the weariness of 1,000 years. And that's why I like Eccleston's Doctor best--he could portray that heaviness and weariness better than any of the other Doctors.
cboath
Master Member
In starting out, yeah, i'd say Eccelston, but that's because the difference between starting at the modern start point and the original is vast. You're talking basically modern day story telling, visuals, etc, vs 1963 which is nearly the beginning of scripted TV. You can see the movement, frankly, from radio dramas - things dragging out that probably shouldn't simply because they could actually do it at the time, etc. One of the things I liked about watching from S1 was the progression of running a TV show from the beginning of TV shows almost.
Once you get hooked on the modern, it's easier to go back. There's only one episode from the new ones that made me wish i started with the old stuff first. That'd be the return of a certain companion. Didn't register a blip the first time i saw it because i had no reference. Supremely awesome af
Once you get hooked on the modern, it's easier to go back. There's only one episode from the new ones that made me wish i started with the old stuff first. That'd be the return of a certain companion. Didn't register a blip the first time i saw it because i had no reference. Supremely awesome af
I don't think I've loved it since David Tennant. I liked it until The latest Dr. Not becasue she's a woman - but because the shows have not been that good. I watched the first season of the new Dr. as it always takes a few eps for you to kinda get used to the new person... I got used to her and decided meh... why... and stopped. New writers are desperately needed.
Jedi Dade
Jedi Dade
Watched the reruns on PBS back in the 80s; it was he 4th doctor Tom Baker at that time, so I stayed on for a while with the 5th doctor and then lost interest, went to college, etc. Watched the McGann TV movie, then the warm re-boot with Eccleston, to Tennant, then petered off again. It's a sci-fi soap opera, where the same thing happens in slightly different ways, but the Doctor(s) always pull off a miraculous recovery in the last minute. People talk about Star Wars fatigue... I mean, with Dr. Who, where is there left to go? He's now been retconned to be the special child whose DNA gave rise to the Time Lords, so I guess there is that.
That was an outstanding episode and addressed one of the big questions of the series- "what after "
Each Doctor brings something unique to the character but I would also suggest starting with Eccelston. He sets the stage for the modern era.
Matt Smith got better as time went on, but to me he just did not have much gravitas in the role. David Tennant could assume control of any situation and even changed a government by just saying six words.
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NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Eccleston, episode 2, The end of the World, is my FAVORITE episode of all of Doctor Who, classic and current series' combined!
