FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
edited June 2005
David Tennant will be playing him in the second series. I was just wondering - how come they called the old ones 'Seasons' but they call the new ones 'a Series'? What's the difference?
I think I'm going to change my avatar tomorrow. I'm not entirely happy with this one. What d'you think? Another one of Peter Davison as the Doctor? Or a more recent one of Chris Ecceleston?
I thought Christopher Eccleson was the best Dr Who, why did he leave?
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
He says that being the Doctor is too time consuming and that it's all he's been able to think about 8 months straight. He says he just can't do that again for a second series. By the way did you get a look at my EDIT?
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
If you don't want to know what happens in Saturday's episode then don't read the papers - The Mirror had a picture in it today of the wee beastie to come !
YNWA 97
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Ok I'll change to a Chris Eccleson avatar. I actually have been watching The Last Detective. Only for the past 2 weeks so I guess it's a shame this Sunday is the last episode.
Relax darling, I'm on top of the situation -{
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
The Mirror ran another story yesterday and gave away most of the end
That last episode was amazing. Epic, beatiful, romantic and pretty damn sad! It was like watching the last LOTR, or the last Star Wars, it had this really epic feeling. The special effects were awe inspiring, and to think this is a TV series!
And I've got to admit, I found David Tennant's Dr Who instantly likable! Although he was on for about 7 seconds, He looked the part and had that 'Doctor' charisma. Gonna miss Eccleston though
I'll post more after Confidential, but BBC!!!!! I could hug you and give you a big wet kiss!!! Not only was Christopher's exit clearly known from the very moment RTD put pen to paper, but all this this "will he, won't he" with David Tennant was a load of old nonesense! That was known from the start too!
Last Episode; incredibly cheesy and corny, though it is all you'd expect from Dr. Who. One of the finest episodes in the series and I genuinely felt sorry to see Eccleston depart. Once again, a good performance from Billie Piper, and the Daleks added a lot to the feel of the story. I thought the bit where the Daleks appeared at the window of the space-ship when that poor girl thought she might be alright was particularly effective.
First, this series has been one of the best things on TV in years. I've loved every second of it, even the "weaker" episodes. The writing has been first class, the direction magnificent, the production high quality, the effects exemplary and the acting just superb. Chris Eccleston I've always liked as an actor, and off screen he seems such a truly decent bloke (did anyone catch him on Top Gear last week?), but he's done wonders for this series. He literally has lifted Doctor Who out of "light entertainment" to heavy hitting drama, with a brilliant comic touch. Billie Piper has left me speechless, really, and I'd marry her tomorrow. John Barrowman has also been a surprisingly entertaining and welcoming member toward the end, and proved three doesn't always have to be a crowd.
Now, to save using the spoiler thing for the rest of this post, it CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!
Tonight's episode...the highlights...
Well, it's proved no one was right here with the Bad Wolf. It was nothing. It was a message. A message from Rose, to Rose.
The Dalek Emperor, just as he looked in the past, but with 21st Century touches. Impressive. Oh, and the way the Daleks seemed to jump back when the Doctor told them all to shut up.
The merciless slaughtering of civilians by the Daleks, reminding you just how evil these creatures really are.
The heartbreaking moment when the Doctor tricks Rose into the TARDIS, only to lock her in it and send it back to 2005, to save her from the imminent Dalek invasion.
The equally warming moment when not only Mickey tries to help Rose break into the heart of the TARDIS, but her mother arrives with a recovery lorry, flashing lights an'all!!
Billie's astonishing performance after she's looked into the time vortex and repeating the Doctor's words from episode 2 "Everything has it's time. Everything dies" as she wipes out the Daleks.
But by far and away the best bit, was the very end. I was very surprised that the Doctor didn't appear to "die", there was no cliffhanger or separation from Rose, he warned her of his imminent regeneration. His last words "You were fantastic. And you know what? So was I" were class, as were his FIRST words "Hello! Mmmm...new teeth...How weird..."
"Now where were we? Oh yes! Barcelona!" and the look on Rose's face!
And I did like the James Bond-esque...
The Doctor Will Return In...The Christmas Invasion
:007)
And to BBC Cymru, who's courage brought it back - diolch yn fawr iawn! {[]
I am utterly stunned at how good British TV can be sometimes ... to our US and RoW members, I hope you are already viewing DW or will be soon as this series blows the concept of TV vs film way out of the water.
The acting standard has been high throughout, but the writing has been absolutely stellar. I had also feared originally that the huge amount of CGI would spoil the plot speed or make it into some Star Wars wannabe, but the CGI used throughout was done so with care, mixing green screen, love action and (take note Eon for I feel you have forgotten the importance of this in recent Bonds) models.
I was genuinely sad when Eccleston bowed out of the role, but from the few seconds of his replacement (wonderful regeneration scene btw) I think we are in pretty safe hands.
The news of the commissioning of a third series can only be a good thing ... and I was very pleased to hear it earlier today.
The Mirror ran another story yesterday and gave away most of the end
And that's what you get for reading such trashy papers 8-)
NEWS!
Third series commissioned for 2007, plus a Christmas 07 special.
Billie Piper will be in ALL episodes of Series 2, plus the special. How many she will appear in Series 3, however, is still being discussed.
John Barrowman WILL return as Captain Jack Harkness in Series 2, but not in the opening block of episodes. Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri will return as Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler respectively.
David Tennant's Doctor will not be wearing the leather jacket he regenerated in, he will choose a new outfit.
And last, but by no means least, the Cybermen WILL make their return in Series 2.
Heavy hitting drama and excellent writing. With all this praise I'm reading, (and coming from people that nine out of ten times I agree with) it's taking my breath away.
It has been a while since TV was better then TVB, if you know what I mean.
And I'll be purchasing the first season. Yes, I will.
Hang around until Christmas, IEU2D, because that's when the deluxe box set is released with all the episodes.
What can I add to what's already been said? Yesterday was my bf's birthday, and he refused to go out for a meal or anything because he wanted to see the last episode of Dr Who. This from a man who normally despises fantasty/sci fi.
Superb writing, acting, direction - the whole caboodle. Heat predicted that BAFTAs will rain down, and if they can get past the usual snobbery about genre television, I'd have to agree (the campaign for Billie to get Best Actress starts here!) And the regeneration scene was really goosebumps inducing. My only worry is that DT's first episode sounds a bit, well, camp - I hope "The Christmas Invasion" doesn't have a negative impact on people's perception of him as the Doctor.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
edited June 2005
Not much I can add to all that has gone before. A great series, strongly cast with good, solid storylines that appealed to the younger and older generations alike. The special effects were truly special as well - take note Eon !
The series got better and better, everyweek I thought "they can't beat that episode", yet somehow they did. Full marks to the BBC for having the courage to back RTD in this venture - the budget must have frightened a few of the top brass at the Beeb.
Tennant will have a hell of a job trying to follow Ecclestone, lets hope he gets strong storylines, and great one-liners, too.
I just wonder if they knew all along that Ecclestone would only do one series and so pre-hired Tennant or did they re-shoot the end when Ecclestone announced he wouldn't come back ?
I just wonder if they knew all along that Ecclestone would only do one series and so pre-hired Tennant or did they re-shoot the end when Ecclestone announced he wouldn't come back ?
BBC Wales and RTD always knew that CE was signed for one series and one series only. The beeb top brass tried to divert attention by falsely stating otherwise and had to apologise to CE.
I imagine that they did reshoot DT into the end of the episode (as he doesn't appear on the DW Uncovered program to go with the final show)
Yes, an excellent series but I thought the last episode was a bit rushed and confused, didn't really get the Bad Wolf thing at all and all those daleks needed a bit more time... they looked a bit silly going through space like that too.
David Tennant might be a bit of a one-note actor, I hope the next seriese has more darker moments. The problem with this one was that as the writer was so keen to keep it entertaining with funny one-liners, to reassure the viewer, you never really got the feeling you were in an alien environs or that anything truly ominous and otherworldly was going to happen.
The Parting Of The Ways was a real rollercoaster. In turn, I was elated, confused and sad. I decided it would be better to reflect on it for a couple of days before I posted my opinions here.
It began very promisingly, I really liked the materialization of the Tardis (consuming Rose and a Dalek)inside the lead Dalek spaceship. After Captain Jack has disposed of the Dalek the Doctor decides it's time to leave the Tardis and "meet the neighbours". Suicide you would think. Conveniently, the Tardis has a forcefield that the Daleks can't penetrate which makes the most evil killers in the universe look rather impotent. Still, there's a nice amusing moment as the Doctor says, "Is that it? Useless! Nul Point!"
The Dalek Emporer is very impressive to look at and the booming voice is very chilling. I was hoping that the Emperor would turn out to be the lone Dalek from episode six. Personally, I would have been happier with that.
There's a great moment after the Doctor re-enters the Tardis. He bows his head against the Tardis doors, now knowing the full horrific consequences of his premature departure from Satellite 5 a century earlier.
Back on Satellite 5, there's a good scene on Floor 00 where Captain Jack appeals to the remaining people to volunteer in the coming fight against the Daleks, but they don't believe him, he only gets one volunteer. Off course, we know that they are all going to die. When it happens it's very chilling. The Daleks enter the floor screaming "Exterminate", the people panic, but the mass killing is not shown, it is heard by Lynda (with a y) through a communication link. Distressed at the sound of the killings, Lynda turns the communication link off.
Meanwhile, on Floor 500, the Doctor is trying to build up a Delta Wave which will destroy the Daleks, but he is running out of time. In a wonderful scene the Doctor lures Rose into the Tardis on false pretences. He leaves the Tardis telling her that he is going to power up the game station, when in reality he is sending her back home for good.
Back home in 2005. There's a great scene in the cafe where Rose decides that she can't accept a return to normal life "getting up, going to work, going home, eating chips and going to bed." She is desperate to get back to the Doctor and after seeing more Bad Wolf references she is convinced that she will see him again, if only she could open the console of the Tardis and see it's heart (the time vortex). The way it was eventually done (by a pick-up truck) seemed rather silly and unbelievable on first viewing. On reflection, it's not so silly and unbelievable when you think how old the Tardis is, and how much of it has been "cobbled together" by the Doctor.
Back on Satellite 5, the Daleks are fighting there way up to Floor 500 in computer game style with a different obstacle at each level, including the Anne Droid. Predictably, one by one, all the remaining humans are eventually killed off, including Lynda. Even after being assured by the Doctor that she would be alright because her location was re-inforced against meteors. You would think that the Doctor would know what the Daleks are capable of better than anyone. Still, I liked the way those Daleks suddenly appeared in front of the viewing window. Now, only the Doctor and Captain Jack survive.
At the same time, the rest of the Dalek fleet has been invading Earth, bombing the continents, systematically wiping out the human race. Unfortunately, none of this is seen. Budget restraints no doubt. Wouldn't it have been great to have seen some War Of The Worlds type scenes with Dalek spaceships bombing buildings and people running round the streets in terror.
Captain Jack sacrifices himself in order to give the Doctor the few extra seconds he needs to complete the Delta Wave connection. It turns out that the Delta Wave will kill all life on and above the Earth because the Doctor hasn't got enough time to refine it.
The Doctor is then surrounded by the Daleks and the Emperor asks him "What are you. Coward or killer?" "Coward, any day", replies the Doctor. This scene doesn't ring true with me. The Doctor already knows by this time that he is the last man standing on Satellite 5, he also knows that the Earth has been decimated by the Daleks with the vast majority of it's inhabitants already dead or dying. He also knows that there are human colonies scattered throughout space which would ensure the survival of the human species, at least in the short term.
The Doctor's not a coward. That scene doesn't have nearly the same impact as the one from Genesis Of The Daleks, "Have I the right?"
So, the Doctor's time is up, or is it? Back in 2005, the console of the Tardis has been forced open revealing it's heart (the time vortex) which consumes Rose as she gazes into it. The Tardis travels back to Satellite 5 just in time to save the Doctor.
"I am the Bad Wolf". So, it was Rose all along. Hang on a sec. "My Doctor", "I see every atom of your existence and I divide them". That's not Rose speaking. For me, Bad Wolf = The heart of the Tardis speaking through Rose, sending and scattering the message Bad Wolf through time to Rose, so that she will return in the Tardis to Satellite 5 to save "My Doctor". Well done, Russell T Davies. You fooled most people, including me. I thought that if a single human was involved directly or indirectly with Bad Wolf it would have been Adam.
The time war is ended and all the Daleks are reduced to dust, or are they? I very much doubt it. "I bring life". Well, that's wonderful of you, Rose/Heart of Tardis. Great, Captain Jack's alive, but hang on a sec. What about all the other people who died on Satellite 5, not to mention the very many dead people on the Earth below?
Rose will die if the Doctor does not act. "I think you need a Doctor". He kisses Rose and is consumed by the Heart of the Tardis, he quickly sends it back to where it belongs. Rose is now safe, but the Doctor isn't. Rose was consumed for more than a couple of minutes while the Doctor was consumed for a matter of seconds, yet he is the one that "dies". This doesn't make sense. Logically, you would think that the Doctor would survive longer because he is of the Tardis.
I was talking about this afterwards with my brother and he pointed out to me that it was possible that this sequence was originally written and possibly filmed with a different ending, meaning the Doctor survives with no regeneration. His theory being that, even though Russell T Davies knew Christopher Eccleston was only ever going to do one series, it was far from certain there would ever be a second series. The second series wasn't confirmed until after filming was more or less complete which mean't that a regeneration scene was required with no time to change anything else.
What about David Tennant? Well, there was no sign of a Scots accent. A very promising start indeed. )
I feel a genuine sadness at the departure of Christopher Eccleston. I haven't felt this way about a regeneration since Jon Pertwee changed into Tom Baker. I will really miss Eccleston. I wish him all the best for the future and I will certainly follow his career more closely from now on. I had only ever seen him in Shallow Grave previously, so I didn't know what to expect when he was announced as the ninth Doctor. I took an instant liking to him, and his portrayal of the Doctor from the start (even though he could be rather rude at times). It was in episodes such as 'Dalek' where Eccleston showed his real class. Yes, he was FANTASTIC!
And do you know what? So am I.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
WOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!! POSSIBLE MAJOR SPOILERS
EDIT: MAJOR SPOILERS
That was totally amazing! And I have no problem whatsoever in saying that the Daleks did freak me out and I did get a little bit scared. Which is fantastic! I wanted to get scared by the Daleks and I did!
My parents and my brother went out that evening to a barebecue but I didn't want to go so I stayed at home all evening. The entire night I carried my sonic blaster that around the house with me. How lame is that? )
To be honest though, this episode didn't really impress me as much as I had hoped, yet it was still good.
I am now completely adicted to drawing Daleks! ) My bedroom wall will be filled before long. ) I also read through 1 of the photonovels (The Evil Of The Daleks) on the website. It's quite amazing what they've done. They've taken every episode that is missing and turned it into a photonovel. It's a series of pictires that you can flick through with a bit of writing underneath, that tell the story. It takes around 20 minutes for me to read through each of the episodes the story's split into.
Unfortuantely I missed the episode on saturday morning because my mate couldn't tape it. bUt I enjoyed the one on sunday, as there were quite some memorable line's such as: "I sometimes wonder why I like the people of this miserable planet so much,".
My dad's rugby will still be on when they show an episode with the Daleks and when they show The Caves of Androzani, so I hope my mate can tape them, as I'm really looking forward to seeing them and they sound great.
I hope everyone will continue to post here right up until Christmas, because it would be a shame if this thread was forgotten.
Now, The Christmas Invasion. The Invasion of what, and by who...
In a question and answer article (which you can read in full by clicking on the link below), Russell T Davies reveals some secrets about The Christmas Invasion episode and the new series with David Tennant as the Doctor.
"Some great new stuff. Some famous old monsters called Cybermen will be coming back and they are as equally scary as the Daleks. They will be marching onto your screens in 2006.
"Lots of new villains too and one or two favourite characters from this year as well.
"But at the same time the Christmas special has a brand new monster to fight, and that's gonna be good!"
In the first series we had the Bad Wolf running through, is there anything similar in the second series?
"Yes there is, and that word has already been heard on screen. And that is all I'm saying. You'll have to go back and trawl through 13 episodes to realise what I'm on about.
"You'll hear the word in the Christmas special though."
Can you tell us a bit about the Christmas special?
"It's going to be 60 minutes long. It's the first story of the new Doctor Who played by David Tennant.
"I remember when I was young it's very strange when a new Doctor comes along, and that's exactly how Rose feels. Her mum gets involved again, but beyond that I can't give anything else away.
"It's as Chrismassy as can be. It's got reindeer, it's got sleigh bells, it's got the works."
I just wan't to make some comments about the return of Doctor Who.
In terms of pure entertainment, I can't remember when I last enjoyed a series so much. It was like being a kid again. The series was nothing short of a triumph and great credit must be given to the BBC for bringing it back and having the guts to spend £10 million. Now it seems like a very wise investment.
Great credit must also be given to Russell T Davies, for he created the look of the new series and wrote most of the scripts. He was also instrumental in the inspired casting of Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in the lead roles.
Overall, the special effects were of a very high standard for a tv show, I was certainly impressed. Some of them were very ambitious, most notably in The Empty Child with Rose hanging from the barrage balloon over London during a night time air raid by the Luftwaffe. I think they pulled that off pretty well.
Murray Gold's music seems to have had a fair amount of criticism. I don't buy that. It's quite an undertaking to score a 13 episode TV series. Although some of his music left me unmoved, I never found it annoying or intrusive. In fact, if you'll forgive the pun, there's actually some real Gold nuggett's to be found throughout the series, most notably for me in Father's Day.
The direction was of a high order throughout the series. Special praise from me goes to Joe Ahearne for his work on Dalek, Boom Town, Bad Wolf and Parting of the Ways. An example, my favourite scene of the entire series which comes from Bad Wolf. The Doctor, Captain Jack and Lynda (with a y) rush into The Weakest Link studio to try and save Rose from the Anne Droid. Rose is "disintegrated" right in front of the Doctor who collapses to his knees then paws his fingers through the ashes in a state of total shock. Captain Jack lashes out at the studio floor manager, "YOU KILLED HER! YOUR STUPID FREAKING GAME SHOW KILLED HER!" Security arrives, one of them grabs the Doctor by an arm (while the other swings limply)and put's a gun to his head. The Doctor is read his rights but he can't hear or see anything, his mind is in total shock at the "death" of Rose. Throw in some dramatic music from Murray Gold and you get an awesome scene superbly acted and directed by all involved.
The acting was of a very high standard, overall. Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper were outstanding. They had good chemistry with each other and their acting grew stronger as the series progressed. My favourite Eccleston performances were from Dalek, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances and Bad Wolf. My favourite Piper performances were from Father's Day and Parting of the Ways.
The biggest surprise to me has been John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. When I saw the trailer for The Empty Child alarm bells started ringing. How wrong I was, Barrowman can act convincingly both serious and comedic, he also has good screen presence. His man of action character was a nice contrast to the Doctor's and they complimented each other very well.
The support cast also deserve praise. Noel Clarke's character Mickey started off being the butt of the Doctor's jokes, "Ricky the fool". However, both Clarke and his character Mickey grew in stature as the series progressed. Jackie Tyler (Camille Corduri) was about the only character I didn't really warm to during the series, with the exception of Parting of the Ways. I found her annoying, but then I think that she was mean't to be annoying.
There were other wonderful performances throughout the series and I will list my favourite's here.
Simon Callow - Charles Dickens in The Unquiet Dead
Annette Badland - Margaret Slitheen in Aliens of London/WW3 and Boom Town
Corey Johnson - Henry Van Statten in Dalek
Simon Pegg - The Editor in The Long Game
Shaun Dingwall - Pete Tyler in Father's Day
Florence Hoath - Nancy in The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
Richard Wilson - Doctor Constantine in The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
I really do believe that there wasn't one bad episode in the whole series. However, some were indeed better than others. My favourite episodes were,
Dalek
Father's Day
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
Bad Wolf
Saturday night's are not going to be the same. At least until next March.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Last night was found to be incredibly boring for me, with no Doctor Who on.
I know I can watch and enjoy the old episodes on UKGold but it's not the same. I can't see them on Saturday mornings cause of my dad's rugby and even if I see the Sunday ones, I'm missing the new ones that have much better special effects.
I swear, one Saturday night, if something good isn't on soon, I am going to literally die of boredom!
To just prove how bored I was, I ended up watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with my brother, gulping down cans of Shandy. I mean, I totally hate that movie!
Something else is that for some unknown reason, UKGold isn't showing Resurrection of the Daleks! I was mega looking forward to it. It now means that I'll 100% surely get to see The Caves of Androzani, but it's Daleks!
The Dalek army that I'm sticking up on my wall (after I've drawn them) is now at around 27. I think soon I'm going to try and draw an Emperor Dalek.
So, how is everyone else coping?
I bought the second volume of the new series yesterday and a Docotor Who poster! it replaced my War Of The Worlds one which I got fed up of by now! had to watch the DVD instead of another new episode! argh can't wait till christmas!
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Cool!
Question1: Where did you get the poster from and what's it of exactly?
And question 2: How did you get that cool avatar?!
I've ordered my copy of Volume 2 off the internet (well I got my dad to), so I'm still waiting. At least it's cheaper though.
Even though Doctor Who's not going to be on TV again till Christmas, I (like Hell's Angle) cannot wait and so will therefore not be shutting up about!
Doctor Who rocks!
got the poster from HMV, there were 2 different ones, one of a dalek and one of chrisropher Eccleston & Billie Piper, I got the second!
I made the avatar, if you want one like that making then send me some squarish pics, or it will look squashed!
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
My mates boyfriend gave me this! I thought it was hilarious! )
Comments
I think I'm going to change my avatar tomorrow. I'm not entirely happy with this one. What d'you think? Another one of Peter Davison as the Doctor? Or a more recent one of Chris Ecceleston?
I thought Christopher Eccleson was the best Dr Who, why did he leave?
Definetaly a Chris Eccleson avatar!!
Peter Davison is in The Last Detective on ITV1.
Ok I'll change to a Chris Eccleson avatar. I actually have been watching The Last Detective. Only for the past 2 weeks so I guess it's a shame this Sunday is the last episode.
And I've got to admit, I found David Tennant's Dr Who instantly likable! Although he was on for about 7 seconds, He looked the part and had that 'Doctor' charisma. Gonna miss Eccleston though
I'll post more after Confidential, but BBC!!!!! I could hug you and give you a big wet kiss!!! Not only was Christopher's exit clearly known from the very moment RTD put pen to paper, but all this this "will he, won't he" with David Tennant was a load of old nonesense! That was known from the start too!
The regeneration was SPECTACULAR!
Well done BBC, keep it up for next time!
First, this series has been one of the best things on TV in years. I've loved every second of it, even the "weaker" episodes. The writing has been first class, the direction magnificent, the production high quality, the effects exemplary and the acting just superb. Chris Eccleston I've always liked as an actor, and off screen he seems such a truly decent bloke (did anyone catch him on Top Gear last week?), but he's done wonders for this series. He literally has lifted Doctor Who out of "light entertainment" to heavy hitting drama, with a brilliant comic touch. Billie Piper has left me speechless, really, and I'd marry her tomorrow. John Barrowman has also been a surprisingly entertaining and welcoming member toward the end, and proved three doesn't always have to be a crowd.
Now, to save using the spoiler thing for the rest of this post, it CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!
Tonight's episode...the highlights...
Well, it's proved no one was right here with the Bad Wolf. It was nothing. It was a message. A message from Rose, to Rose.
The Dalek Emperor, just as he looked in the past, but with 21st Century touches. Impressive. Oh, and the way the Daleks seemed to jump back when the Doctor told them all to shut up.
The merciless slaughtering of civilians by the Daleks, reminding you just how evil these creatures really are.
The heartbreaking moment when the Doctor tricks Rose into the TARDIS, only to lock her in it and send it back to 2005, to save her from the imminent Dalek invasion.
The equally warming moment when not only Mickey tries to help Rose break into the heart of the TARDIS, but her mother arrives with a recovery lorry, flashing lights an'all!!
Billie's astonishing performance after she's looked into the time vortex and repeating the Doctor's words from episode 2 "Everything has it's time. Everything dies" as she wipes out the Daleks.
But by far and away the best bit, was the very end. I was very surprised that the Doctor didn't appear to "die", there was no cliffhanger or separation from Rose, he warned her of his imminent regeneration. His last words "You were fantastic. And you know what? So was I" were class, as were his FIRST words "Hello! Mmmm...new teeth...How weird..."
"Now where were we? Oh yes! Barcelona!" and the look on Rose's face!
And I did like the James Bond-esque...
The Doctor Will Return In...The Christmas Invasion
:007)
And to BBC Cymru, who's courage brought it back - diolch yn fawr iawn! {[]
The acting standard has been high throughout, but the writing has been absolutely stellar. I had also feared originally that the huge amount of CGI would spoil the plot speed or make it into some Star Wars wannabe, but the CGI used throughout was done so with care, mixing green screen, love action and (take note Eon for I feel you have forgotten the importance of this in recent Bonds) models.
I was genuinely sad when Eccleston bowed out of the role, but from the few seconds of his replacement (wonderful regeneration scene btw) I think we are in pretty safe hands.
The news of the commissioning of a third series can only be a good thing ... and I was very pleased to hear it earlier today.
NEWS!
Third series commissioned for 2007, plus a Christmas 07 special.
Billie Piper will be in ALL episodes of Series 2, plus the special. How many she will appear in Series 3, however, is still being discussed.
John Barrowman WILL return as Captain Jack Harkness in Series 2, but not in the opening block of episodes. Noel Clarke and Camille Coduri will return as Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler respectively.
David Tennant's Doctor will not be wearing the leather jacket he regenerated in, he will choose a new outfit.
And last, but by no means least, the Cybermen WILL make their return in Series 2.
It has been a while since TV was better then TVB, if you know what I mean.
And I'll be purchasing the first season. Yes, I will.
It's now the 6 month wait till The Christmas Invasion, that's the downside
Therefore it's going to cost £5 per episode, and to get them all will be £56! (they cost 13.99 per DVD)
What can I add to what's already been said? Yesterday was my bf's birthday, and he refused to go out for a meal or anything because he wanted to see the last episode of Dr Who. This from a man who normally despises fantasty/sci fi.
Superb writing, acting, direction - the whole caboodle. Heat predicted that BAFTAs will rain down, and if they can get past the usual snobbery about genre television, I'd have to agree (the campaign for Billie to get Best Actress starts here!) And the regeneration scene was really goosebumps inducing. My only worry is that DT's first episode sounds a bit, well, camp - I hope "The Christmas Invasion" doesn't have a negative impact on people's perception of him as the Doctor.
@merseytart
The series got better and better, everyweek I thought "they can't beat that episode", yet somehow they did. Full marks to the BBC for having the courage to back RTD in this venture - the budget must have frightened a few of the top brass at the Beeb.
Tennant will have a hell of a job trying to follow Ecclestone, lets hope he gets strong storylines, and great one-liners, too.
I just wonder if they knew all along that Ecclestone would only do one series and so pre-hired Tennant or did they re-shoot the end when Ecclestone announced he wouldn't come back ?
BBC Wales and RTD always knew that CE was signed for one series and one series only. The beeb top brass tried to divert attention by falsely stating otherwise and had to apologise to CE.
I imagine that they did reshoot DT into the end of the episode (as he doesn't appear on the DW Uncovered program to go with the final show)
David Tennant might be a bit of a one-note actor, I hope the next seriese has more darker moments. The problem with this one was that as the writer was so keen to keep it entertaining with funny one-liners, to reassure the viewer, you never really got the feeling you were in an alien environs or that anything truly ominous and otherworldly was going to happen.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
The Parting Of The Ways was a real rollercoaster. In turn, I was elated, confused and sad. I decided it would be better to reflect on it for a couple of days before I posted my opinions here.
It began very promisingly, I really liked the materialization of the Tardis (consuming Rose and a Dalek)inside the lead Dalek spaceship. After Captain Jack has disposed of the Dalek the Doctor decides it's time to leave the Tardis and "meet the neighbours". Suicide you would think. Conveniently, the Tardis has a forcefield that the Daleks can't penetrate which makes the most evil killers in the universe look rather impotent. Still, there's a nice amusing moment as the Doctor says, "Is that it? Useless! Nul Point!"
The Dalek Emporer is very impressive to look at and the booming voice is very chilling. I was hoping that the Emperor would turn out to be the lone Dalek from episode six. Personally, I would have been happier with that.
There's a great moment after the Doctor re-enters the Tardis. He bows his head against the Tardis doors, now knowing the full horrific consequences of his premature departure from Satellite 5 a century earlier.
Back on Satellite 5, there's a good scene on Floor 00 where Captain Jack appeals to the remaining people to volunteer in the coming fight against the Daleks, but they don't believe him, he only gets one volunteer. Off course, we know that they are all going to die. When it happens it's very chilling. The Daleks enter the floor screaming "Exterminate", the people panic, but the mass killing is not shown, it is heard by Lynda (with a y) through a communication link. Distressed at the sound of the killings, Lynda turns the communication link off.
Meanwhile, on Floor 500, the Doctor is trying to build up a Delta Wave which will destroy the Daleks, but he is running out of time. In a wonderful scene the Doctor lures Rose into the Tardis on false pretences. He leaves the Tardis telling her that he is going to power up the game station, when in reality he is sending her back home for good.
Back home in 2005. There's a great scene in the cafe where Rose decides that she can't accept a return to normal life "getting up, going to work, going home, eating chips and going to bed." She is desperate to get back to the Doctor and after seeing more Bad Wolf references she is convinced that she will see him again, if only she could open the console of the Tardis and see it's heart (the time vortex). The way it was eventually done (by a pick-up truck) seemed rather silly and unbelievable on first viewing. On reflection, it's not so silly and unbelievable when you think how old the Tardis is, and how much of it has been "cobbled together" by the Doctor.
Back on Satellite 5, the Daleks are fighting there way up to Floor 500 in computer game style with a different obstacle at each level, including the Anne Droid. Predictably, one by one, all the remaining humans are eventually killed off, including Lynda. Even after being assured by the Doctor that she would be alright because her location was re-inforced against meteors. You would think that the Doctor would know what the Daleks are capable of better than anyone. Still, I liked the way those Daleks suddenly appeared in front of the viewing window. Now, only the Doctor and Captain Jack survive.
At the same time, the rest of the Dalek fleet has been invading Earth, bombing the continents, systematically wiping out the human race. Unfortunately, none of this is seen. Budget restraints no doubt. Wouldn't it have been great to have seen some War Of The Worlds type scenes with Dalek spaceships bombing buildings and people running round the streets in terror.
Captain Jack sacrifices himself in order to give the Doctor the few extra seconds he needs to complete the Delta Wave connection. It turns out that the Delta Wave will kill all life on and above the Earth because the Doctor hasn't got enough time to refine it.
The Doctor is then surrounded by the Daleks and the Emperor asks him "What are you. Coward or killer?" "Coward, any day", replies the Doctor. This scene doesn't ring true with me. The Doctor already knows by this time that he is the last man standing on Satellite 5, he also knows that the Earth has been decimated by the Daleks with the vast majority of it's inhabitants already dead or dying. He also knows that there are human colonies scattered throughout space which would ensure the survival of the human species, at least in the short term.
The Doctor's not a coward. That scene doesn't have nearly the same impact as the one from Genesis Of The Daleks, "Have I the right?"
So, the Doctor's time is up, or is it? Back in 2005, the console of the Tardis has been forced open revealing it's heart (the time vortex) which consumes Rose as she gazes into it. The Tardis travels back to Satellite 5 just in time to save the Doctor.
"I am the Bad Wolf". So, it was Rose all along. Hang on a sec. "My Doctor", "I see every atom of your existence and I divide them". That's not Rose speaking. For me, Bad Wolf = The heart of the Tardis speaking through Rose, sending and scattering the message Bad Wolf through time to Rose, so that she will return in the Tardis to Satellite 5 to save "My Doctor". Well done, Russell T Davies. You fooled most people, including me. I thought that if a single human was involved directly or indirectly with Bad Wolf it would have been Adam.
The time war is ended and all the Daleks are reduced to dust, or are they? I very much doubt it. "I bring life". Well, that's wonderful of you, Rose/Heart of Tardis. Great, Captain Jack's alive, but hang on a sec. What about all the other people who died on Satellite 5, not to mention the very many dead people on the Earth below?
Rose will die if the Doctor does not act. "I think you need a Doctor". He kisses Rose and is consumed by the Heart of the Tardis, he quickly sends it back to where it belongs. Rose is now safe, but the Doctor isn't. Rose was consumed for more than a couple of minutes while the Doctor was consumed for a matter of seconds, yet he is the one that "dies". This doesn't make sense. Logically, you would think that the Doctor would survive longer because he is of the Tardis.
I was talking about this afterwards with my brother and he pointed out to me that it was possible that this sequence was originally written and possibly filmed with a different ending, meaning the Doctor survives with no regeneration. His theory being that, even though Russell T Davies knew Christopher Eccleston was only ever going to do one series, it was far from certain there would ever be a second series. The second series wasn't confirmed until after filming was more or less complete which mean't that a regeneration scene was required with no time to change anything else.
What about David Tennant? Well, there was no sign of a Scots accent. A very promising start indeed.
I feel a genuine sadness at the departure of Christopher Eccleston. I haven't felt this way about a regeneration since Jon Pertwee changed into Tom Baker. I will really miss Eccleston. I wish him all the best for the future and I will certainly follow his career more closely from now on. I had only ever seen him in Shallow Grave previously, so I didn't know what to expect when he was announced as the ninth Doctor. I took an instant liking to him, and his portrayal of the Doctor from the start (even though he could be rather rude at times). It was in episodes such as 'Dalek' where Eccleston showed his real class. Yes, he was FANTASTIC!
And do you know what? So am I.
POSSIBLE MAJOR SPOILERS
EDIT: MAJOR SPOILERS
That was totally amazing! And I have no problem whatsoever in saying that the Daleks did freak me out and I did get a little bit scared. Which is fantastic! I wanted to get scared by the Daleks and I did!
My parents and my brother went out that evening to a barebecue but I didn't want to go so I stayed at home all evening. The entire night I carried my sonic blaster that around the house with me. How lame is that?
To be honest though, this episode didn't really impress me as much as I had hoped, yet it was still good.
I am now completely adicted to drawing Daleks!
Unfortuantely I missed the episode on saturday morning because my mate couldn't tape it.
My dad's rugby will still be on when they show an episode with the Daleks and when they show The Caves of Androzani, so I hope my mate can tape them, as I'm really looking forward to seeing them and they sound great.
I hope everyone will continue to post here right up until Christmas, because it would be a shame if this thread was forgotten.
Now, The Christmas Invasion. The Invasion of what, and by who...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4100000/newsid_4104500/4104586.stm
Are there any famous villains for the new series?
"Some great new stuff. Some famous old monsters called Cybermen will be coming back and they are as equally scary as the Daleks. They will be marching onto your screens in 2006.
"Lots of new villains too and one or two favourite characters from this year as well.
"But at the same time the Christmas special has a brand new monster to fight, and that's gonna be good!"
In the first series we had the Bad Wolf running through, is there anything similar in the second series?
"Yes there is, and that word has already been heard on screen. And that is all I'm saying. You'll have to go back and trawl through 13 episodes to realise what I'm on about.
"You'll hear the word in the Christmas special though."
Can you tell us a bit about the Christmas special?
"It's going to be 60 minutes long. It's the first story of the new Doctor Who played by David Tennant.
"I remember when I was young it's very strange when a new Doctor comes along, and that's exactly how Rose feels. Her mum gets involved again, but beyond that I can't give anything else away.
"It's as Chrismassy as can be. It's got reindeer, it's got sleigh bells, it's got the works."
In terms of pure entertainment, I can't remember when I last enjoyed a series so much. It was like being a kid again. The series was nothing short of a triumph and great credit must be given to the BBC for bringing it back and having the guts to spend £10 million. Now it seems like a very wise investment.
Great credit must also be given to Russell T Davies, for he created the look of the new series and wrote most of the scripts. He was also instrumental in the inspired casting of Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper in the lead roles.
Overall, the special effects were of a very high standard for a tv show, I was certainly impressed. Some of them were very ambitious, most notably in The Empty Child with Rose hanging from the barrage balloon over London during a night time air raid by the Luftwaffe. I think they pulled that off pretty well.
Murray Gold's music seems to have had a fair amount of criticism. I don't buy that. It's quite an undertaking to score a 13 episode TV series. Although some of his music left me unmoved, I never found it annoying or intrusive. In fact, if you'll forgive the pun, there's actually some real Gold nuggett's to be found throughout the series, most notably for me in Father's Day.
The direction was of a high order throughout the series. Special praise from me goes to Joe Ahearne for his work on Dalek, Boom Town, Bad Wolf and Parting of the Ways. An example, my favourite scene of the entire series which comes from Bad Wolf. The Doctor, Captain Jack and Lynda (with a y) rush into The Weakest Link studio to try and save Rose from the Anne Droid. Rose is "disintegrated" right in front of the Doctor who collapses to his knees then paws his fingers through the ashes in a state of total shock. Captain Jack lashes out at the studio floor manager, "YOU KILLED HER! YOUR STUPID FREAKING GAME SHOW KILLED HER!" Security arrives, one of them grabs the Doctor by an arm (while the other swings limply)and put's a gun to his head. The Doctor is read his rights but he can't hear or see anything, his mind is in total shock at the "death" of Rose. Throw in some dramatic music from Murray Gold and you get an awesome scene superbly acted and directed by all involved.
The acting was of a very high standard, overall. Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper were outstanding. They had good chemistry with each other and their acting grew stronger as the series progressed. My favourite Eccleston performances were from Dalek, The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances and Bad Wolf. My favourite Piper performances were from Father's Day and Parting of the Ways.
The biggest surprise to me has been John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness. When I saw the trailer for The Empty Child alarm bells started ringing. How wrong I was, Barrowman can act convincingly both serious and comedic, he also has good screen presence. His man of action character was a nice contrast to the Doctor's and they complimented each other very well.
The support cast also deserve praise. Noel Clarke's character Mickey started off being the butt of the Doctor's jokes, "Ricky the fool". However, both Clarke and his character Mickey grew in stature as the series progressed. Jackie Tyler (Camille Corduri) was about the only character I didn't really warm to during the series, with the exception of Parting of the Ways. I found her annoying, but then I think that she was mean't to be annoying.
There were other wonderful performances throughout the series and I will list my favourite's here.
Simon Callow - Charles Dickens in The Unquiet Dead
Annette Badland - Margaret Slitheen in Aliens of London/WW3 and Boom Town
Corey Johnson - Henry Van Statten in Dalek
Simon Pegg - The Editor in The Long Game
Shaun Dingwall - Pete Tyler in Father's Day
Florence Hoath - Nancy in The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
Richard Wilson - Doctor Constantine in The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
I really do believe that there wasn't one bad episode in the whole series. However, some were indeed better than others. My favourite episodes were,
Dalek
Father's Day
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
Bad Wolf
Saturday night's are not going to be the same. At least until next March.
I know I can watch and enjoy the old episodes on UKGold but it's not the same. I can't see them on Saturday mornings cause of my dad's rugby and even if I see the Sunday ones, I'm missing the new ones that have much better special effects.
I swear, one Saturday night, if something good isn't on soon, I am going to literally die of boredom!
To just prove how bored I was, I ended up watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets with my brother, gulping down cans of Shandy. I mean, I totally hate that movie!
Something else is that for some unknown reason, UKGold isn't showing Resurrection of the Daleks!
The Dalek army that I'm sticking up on my wall (after I've drawn them) is now at around 27. I think soon I'm going to try and draw an Emperor Dalek.
So, how is everyone else coping?
Question1: Where did you get the poster from and what's it of exactly?
And question 2: How did you get that cool avatar?!
I've ordered my copy of Volume 2 off the internet (well I got my dad to), so I'm still waiting. At least it's cheaper though.
Even though Doctor Who's not going to be on TV again till Christmas, I (like Hell's Angle) cannot wait and so will therefore not be shutting up about!
Doctor Who rocks!
I made the avatar, if you want one like that making then send me some squarish pics, or it will look squashed!