Has anyone else fallen out of love with Doctor Who?
- Thread starter NakedMoleRat
- Start date
Zombie_61
Master Member
Oh, good. That means they'll be wearing Sonic Facemasks in TARDIS Blue throughout the episode and the other characters will only be able to understand what they're saying psychically.
Richard Baker
Sr Member
Graham is the only one I like...
Perhaps with Yaz bring solo she might remember that she had some Police training and contribute a bit
Perhaps with Yaz bring solo she might remember that she had some Police training and contribute a bit
astroboy
Master Member
After a long break (lack of interest) I just finished the peter Capaldi era. I have to say, I loved the last couple of episodes. I'll never get tired of them landing in the bowels of a spaceship in trouble. The more this show is like "hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy", the better. It was a great sendoff for Bill, too.
My Blame is entirely on Moffat. He's very similar to JJ abrams. They both believe that if you add enough exclamation marks at the end of a line, then we won't notice how shoddy the plotting is. Keep it epic. Keep everyone running.
However, "heaven sent" was one of the best Doctor who episodes ever.
My Blame is entirely on Moffat. He's very similar to JJ abrams. They both believe that if you add enough exclamation marks at the end of a line, then we won't notice how shoddy the plotting is. Keep it epic. Keep everyone running.
However, "heaven sent" was one of the best Doctor who episodes ever.
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ForbiddenOnion
Active Member
Agreed! I think the end of Capaldi's era saw alot of improvement and Heaven Sent is absolutely one of the best episodes in the entire series. The Moffat/Abrams comparison is very apt, as I too always saw Moffat as someone who was always more interested in a hook over a fully fleshed out story. I think overall the show needs to take itself less seriously. Back in the day when Douglas Adams was contributing and Baker was the Doctor it really felt like they were hitting their "weird" stride and having fun. I think we really have to go back at look at JNT's tenure as the head honcho and how he took the show away from that direction.
Doctor Who should always strive to be a little weird, a little out there.
Doctor Who should always strive to be a little weird, a little out there.
To awaken this hibernating thread...
The real issue seems to be mortality. Or lack thereof. Some of the best stories center around the idea that we are mortal, our time is limited, and so are our accomplishments. So, what we do has weight and meaning, because the clock is running down and ultimately we pass. Whatever we have or have not accomplished is left to future generations to handle.
With Doctor Who, the Timelord ticking clock is extended by a prolonged natural lifespan, and then a total of 12 lifetimes. So... we can get more done in a series with the same "person", but the end ultimately will come.
...until now, when from a practical standpoint, they had to get around the 12 regeneration limit. Since the Doctor is now (and will be) basically immortal, and has survived everything thrown at him/her on a galactic (nay, universal) level, the drama is gone. Writers have tried to make up for it by tragedies with the companions, etc. But since we know that our protagonist will always triumph, always survive, and never really "die", then what story are we trying to tell?
The real issue seems to be mortality. Or lack thereof. Some of the best stories center around the idea that we are mortal, our time is limited, and so are our accomplishments. So, what we do has weight and meaning, because the clock is running down and ultimately we pass. Whatever we have or have not accomplished is left to future generations to handle.
With Doctor Who, the Timelord ticking clock is extended by a prolonged natural lifespan, and then a total of 12 lifetimes. So... we can get more done in a series with the same "person", but the end ultimately will come.
...until now, when from a practical standpoint, they had to get around the 12 regeneration limit. Since the Doctor is now (and will be) basically immortal, and has survived everything thrown at him/her on a galactic (nay, universal) level, the drama is gone. Writers have tried to make up for it by tragedies with the companions, etc. But since we know that our protagonist will always triumph, always survive, and never really "die", then what story are we trying to tell?
Almizilero
New Member
I can live with the immortality. I mean, since regeneration has been a big deal, we've always known when it came. So the Doctor was safe the rest of the time anyway. And there's still the change, so she/he is still afraid of that.
The problem for me is how little I care for the characters at the moment. I just rewatched Face the Raven and teared up when Clara "died". And I don't even like her that much. Even the more comparable departure of Martha still gives me a punch. But with Graham and Ryan? Nothing. Two less figures standing around in the background of that dreadfully ugly TARDIS. They've been around for two series and I still feel like I have no idea who they were.
The problem for me is how little I care for the characters at the moment. I just rewatched Face the Raven and teared up when Clara "died". And I don't even like her that much. Even the more comparable departure of Martha still gives me a punch. But with Graham and Ryan? Nothing. Two less figures standing around in the background of that dreadfully ugly TARDIS. They've been around for two series and I still feel like I have no idea who they were.
Jaitea
Master Member
I've just fallen in love with Doctor Who all over again,....Classic Doctor Who, just signed up with BritBox
Being born in 68, I only remember Tom Baker episodes, just watched a lot of Pertwee stories,....'The Three Doctors', 'Day of The Daleks' & 'The Time Warrior', great to see some familiar faces,....Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett), June Brown (Dot Cotton from Eastenders)
The stories are brilliant, so much energy & imagination,....'Day of the Daleks' is almost the exact plot of 'The Terminator'
I feel excited now, that there is so much in the collection for me to explore
J
Being born in 68, I only remember Tom Baker episodes, just watched a lot of Pertwee stories,....'The Three Doctors', 'Day of The Daleks' & 'The Time Warrior', great to see some familiar faces,....Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett), June Brown (Dot Cotton from Eastenders)
The stories are brilliant, so much energy & imagination,....'Day of the Daleks' is almost the exact plot of 'The Terminator'
I feel excited now, that there is so much in the collection for me to explore
J
ForbiddenOnion
Active Member
I've recently dived back into the classic stuff and rediscovered my love as well. Although I think Baker truly was the best embodiment of the character, Patrick Troughton is and always will be my favorite Doctor. Something about the way he carried himself as being such a goof but being ten steps ahead of everyone else, it feels like it was the prototype for what everyone after him would do.
Also, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy were both incredible and deserved way better treatment.
Also, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy were both incredible and deserved way better treatment.
In the mid 1980s, there was a tour in the United States of Dr. Who TV show props. Basically the carried them around in a large semi-trailer, and would "park" at certain venues and have people pay $$ to tour the traveling museum. I remember when they came to Mobile, Alabama, and basically set up shop in the mall parking lot.... and Jon Pertwee was with them, to meet fans an sign autographs. A schoolmate of mine went to meet him and get an autograph.
Seemed so... odd and tragic at the time.
Seemed so... odd and tragic at the time.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Likewise. I have almost all 26 seasons of the classic show on DVD. I’m only missing a few episodes here and there.
It usually takes me 1/2 a season to adjust to a new Doctor. At the risk of being labeled a misogynist - I am not thrilled with her version of the Doctor. I don't think its her performance as much as I REALLY dislike the stories. in my opinion the latest showrunner writer combos have been awful.
I still like and watch the older Doctors when they come on, but the new one - I'm not sure I can tell you when the show airs anymore.
Jedi Dade
I still like and watch the older Doctors when they come on, but the new one - I'm not sure I can tell you when the show airs anymore.
Jedi Dade
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Classic Doctor Who: Solid gold.
New Doctor Who: Polished brass.
New Doctor Who: Polished brass.
I disagree. The problem with Nu-Who is it's so damned inconsistent it hurts. Speaking as a Classic fan (Patrick Troughton is my Doctor of choice) some of the episodes from the new series stand up among the best that Doctor Who has ever offered. Sadly the writing is all over the place and it often suffers from "bigger is better" syndrome. A single menacing Dalek? Terrifying. A huge army of them that gets wiped out my some deus ex machina BS? Eye rolling. But no, especially under Moffat each series finale had to have more and more to the point that it became absolutely laughable.
Simple well written stories like Dalek, Family of Blood, etc. That's what I want more of personally. Because of the aforementioned inconsistency I stopped watching during Capaldi's run. I adored him as the Doctor but aside from the Mummy train episode I just wasn't enjoying the stories anymore. As soon as he had sonic sunglasses I checked out.
I will say as well though, I was getting really tired of the constant holier than thou "men bad", "guns bad" crap as well. Guns are tools, tools which the Doctor has used countless times. Why all preachy about them now?
ForbiddenOnion
Active Member
I agree, I think another one of my bigger issues with NuWho (although I've watched all of it through Capaldi and Jodie's first season) is this obsession with presenting The Doctor as some kind of messianic figure. When I was younger, I definitely bought into it but as time went on and as I've rewatched both old and knew, I don't really gel with the god Doctor the show has crafted. I really like the idea of him being the last Time Lord much more than him being a super special immortal Time Lord. I think the Doctor works best as an a wonderful eccentric who just wants to help where he can. The Doctor never wanted followers or to have such power or responsibility. Making him more outwardly heroic kinda makes him a little more bland in my opinion. The new series is usally at it's best (to me anyway) when I feel like any incarnation of the Doctor could be dropped into the story and it would still work.
When I rewatched the 50th, the whole Curator bit with Baker struck a different tone with me this time. I started thinking about taking the show at face value that The Curator really is some future incarnation of the Doctor who has settled down. But then it hit me how at odds with the current show that idea is. The Doctor is no longer the wandering handyman of the universe, he's become almost like Superman. The show has beaten us over the head with the idea that should he no longer exist the entire universe would suffer...in short, I don't see the newer incarnations of the Doctor as a being who could retire. I remember being excited when Moffat was teasing the idea of the Doctor wanting to go back into obscurity when he wiped the Daleks' memory of him...but oh well.
Just think the show needs to get back to basics. And no, this doesn't mean it has to be a man in the Box.
When I rewatched the 50th, the whole Curator bit with Baker struck a different tone with me this time. I started thinking about taking the show at face value that The Curator really is some future incarnation of the Doctor who has settled down. But then it hit me how at odds with the current show that idea is. The Doctor is no longer the wandering handyman of the universe, he's become almost like Superman. The show has beaten us over the head with the idea that should he no longer exist the entire universe would suffer...in short, I don't see the newer incarnations of the Doctor as a being who could retire. I remember being excited when Moffat was teasing the idea of the Doctor wanting to go back into obscurity when he wiped the Daleks' memory of him...but oh well.
Just think the show needs to get back to basics. And no, this doesn't mean it has to be a man in the Box.
cboath
Master Member
A big part of that problem, too, is the BBC itself. Since about the time Capaldi came on, it's been on a 'we'll air whenever we get around to it' schedule. I mean, you couldn't schedule it worse if you were trying to kill it.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
I’ve been getting into the Big Finish audios. Especially the Tom Baker and Paul McGann ones. For me, for now, this is Doctor Who.
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Not to mention the “We’re taking 18 months off to come back stronger” maneuver they’ve been doing a lot of. Jody took over in what, 2018 and she’s done two series so far.
Then again, Doctor Who came back in 2005, so they’ve only done 12 series in 17 years.
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