As an old Whovian, I'm a little concerned about dark, brooding Eccleston and his modern dress, and I'm afraid that decent special effects means that a lot of the humor and charm of the original may go out the window. But I love the pic showing what clearly are the Autons. Here's hoping the show's heart is in the right place--and that it makes it to the U.S. sooner rather than later!
Russell T hasn't yet produced a drama which hasn't been less than fascinating, and his dialogue is legendary. His devotion to Who is equally legendary (remember Vince in Queer as Folk?) and I can't imagine anyone better. On top of that, you've got great writers working on the show, and a superb actor in the form of Christopher Ecclestone. My only question mark is over Billie Piper; can she handle proper acting? But I am so looking forward to this. As Trek's barely breathing body staggers to an end in the US, it's good to see the mantle of superior sci-fi being passed this side of the Atlantic.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
My dad's looking forward to it. He used to watch it when he was little and I'd like to see it myself. Sounds good.
Oh - ever here this one:
"Knock knock,"
"Who's there?"
"Dr,"
"Dr who?"
"That's right!"
My dad's told it far too often I think I'll scream if I hear it again!
An episode of the new series of sci-fi drama Doctor Who has been leaked onto the internet.
A 45-minute episode, called Rose, has appeared three weeks before the series is expected to begin on BBC One.
Rose is the name of the character played by pop singer Billie Piper, who will be the assistant to the Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston.
It is unclear how it came to be on the web and whether it is the final cut. The BBC was unavailable for comment.
The episode - which appears to be the series' first instalment - begins with the Doctor and Rose being chased by Autons, shop mannequins that have come to life.
The series is hotly anticipated by fans, who have remained avid followers since the last series ended in 1989.
It has since been resurrected for a one-off TV movie and as animated online adventures. In 2003, it was voted the show people would most like to see back on TV.
It also has been revealed that Eccleston, who appeared in Shallow Grave and Cracker, e-mailed writer and executive producer Russell T Davies to ask for the role.
"He e-mailed me and said if we were looking for a Doctor Who, he'd be interested," Mr Davies told Radio Times magazine.
"It was gobsmacking because you think he's going to be doing Hamlet all the time," he said. "Which, come to think of it, he was."
The first two episodes were written by the time Eccleston was cast, Mr Davies said.
"So I'd established a template for what I wanted, which fitted Chris perfectly. That was a happy accident - we both wanted to strip it down, make it more down-to-earth."
Julie Gardner, head of drama at BBC Wales, which has made the series, told the magazine: "We got to Chris fast.
"Russell and I had both worked with him before - he was one of the first people who was mentioned."
Eccleston will be the ninth Time Lord to take to the Tardis when the show returns.
Eccleston has also starred in TV dramas Our Friends in the North, Hearts and Minds and Linda Green as well as films such as The Others and Gone in Sixty Seconds.
Quoting Alex:
Thanks for the link, M5! Already plan on saving it. Any chance you can tape the rest for me ?
But no doubt the taping would be done in the PAL format, which when you play it in a VHS machine, looks like strands of Christmas tree tinsel! If you think buying the entire series was expensive, just wait 'til you convert PAL to VHS!
And those were pretty cool trailers--I like the grungy look of the TARDIS interior, even if it doesn't match the painted cardboard of the 1960s! )
I know it's a rough cut with yet-to-be-added digital effects, but - superb!! Very contemporary and very British; Rose is a very modern London teenager (and any reservations about Billie's acting should be put to sleep), and Christopher Ecclestone is simply fantastic. He's a bit off the wall, a little bit bonkers, speaks with a northern accent ("If you really are alien, then how come you sound like you're from the north?") and is definitely eccentric. It's also rather dark and menacing at the right points, with a good dose of humour and light heartedness at the right points. Round family entertainment, as was the original.
It could have been a little bit longer, I did feel it was rushed just a tad to fit into the 45 minute slot, but the scripts are slick and fast, the effects (though incomplete on this particular version) are bang up to date, and the old TARDIS, though a bit funkier on the inside, maintains it's old donkey braying sound effect. Oh, and the theme and title sequence of the TARDIS flying through space (without Ecclestone's face), are well in keeping with the original.
Quoting Moonraker 5:
It could have been a little bit longer, I did feel it was rushed just a tad to fit into the 45 minute slot. . .
This may have been mentioned before and I just forgot about it, but is the show still in serial format, or are the 45-minute episodes all self-contained adventures? I'm actually hoping for the latter, since I felt the Colin Baker serials suffered from poor pacing and slightly distorted storylines.
Quoting Moonraker 5:
Oh, and the theme and title sequence of the TARDIS flying through space (without Ecclestone's face), are well in keeping with the original.
What? No face of the Doctor appearing out of a cluster of stars or from a cosmic lava-lamp? That's just plain wrong!
Quoting Hardyboy:
the 45-minute episodes all self-contained adventures?
They are all self-contained, yes. Series 1 is 13 stand alone episodes.
Quoting Hardyboy:
What? No face of the Doctor appearing out of a cluster of stars or from a cosmic lava-lamp? That's just plain wrong!
Nope, opens with the blue swirling vortex and the TARDIS flies past on it's awkward path. It then re-emerges and slows right down as it passes by, before disappearing down a red swirling vortex. The actors' names then appear from round the vortex before "slamming" onto the screen and then flying past, before the new logo spins into the main picture.
The theme does open up with the "scream" though, and there's a heavier orchestral string movement in the rear over the "dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum", giving it a bit more of a dramatic edge. The top-level melody is the spooky Delia Derbyshire original though.
Quoting Hardyboy:
Is the show still in serial format, or are the 45-minute episodes all self-contained adventures? I'm actually hoping for the latter, since I felt the Colin Baker serials suffered from poor pacing and slightly distorted storylines.
As I understand it, a few are actually two-parters ...
Quoting Predator:
As I understand it, a few are actually two-parters ...
Yeah there are actually three two-parters in the first series. The daleks make their appearance in the middle episode, shown on April 30th I think. There's a glimpse of the revamped dalek look in the latest trailer on the BBC website. They're dirty bronze in colour now and a bit more sinister looking than I remember them to be...
Simple things now like being able to see in the TARDIS from outside when the door is open and the incorporation of the door and the illuminated Police Public Call Box sign on the inside make all the difference though.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
My dad has gone about this show for years. So I don't care about Ant and Dec! I'm going to watch every single episode I can!
I'll tape Ant and Dec
Relax darling, I'm on top of the situation -{
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
I'm really looking forward to watching this now - just hope the series can live up to the expectations of it.
FelixLeiter007 - why don't you tape Doctor Who and watch Ant & Dec ? That way, if you enjoy it, you can watch it again.
Less than 48hrs to go. Up until now, I have avoided all the trailers for the new series of Doctor Who. Trailers can often look very impressive, but the finished article can often look less than impressive.
However, I have kept reasonably up to date regarding news, information etc. It's good to know that the Daleks have not been exterminated from the series, it would not be the same without them.
For me, up until now, the 1970's has been the high point of the Doctor Who series, which featured Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as the Doctor. I am especially a big fan of the late, great Jon Pertwee. What a terrific actor he was.
I wonder how the new series will compare with the old? And how will Christopher Eccleston compare with his predecessors?
Quoting FROSTY:
P.S.: I REALLY DID hide behind the couch once, while watching the show - I was about 3 years old at the time though!!. )
You and me both Frosty ... I remember it like it was yesterday (no it wasn't yesterday ). It was a Tom Baker episode and a disembodie dhand was crawling across the floor towards the doctor ... needless to say id was the denouement of an episode. (If any knowledgeable people can tell me which adventure that was in ...)
Quoting FROSTY:
Yeah, they've always been my favourite villains - along with DAVROS.
GENESIS OF THE DALEKS (Tom Baker)
DESTINY OF THE DALEKS (Tom Baker)
RESURRECTION OF THE DALEKS (Peter Davison)
are well worth checking-out, for those WHO haven't seen them!.
For me, Genesis of the Daleks is Doctor Who at it's very best. Davros is a classic villain.
Quoting FROSTY:
For me, the stories between around 1975 - 1979, with Tom Baker, are probably the apex of the series,
all them great stories with SARAH-JANE, LEELA, and K9 etc.
Yes, it was definitely a high point although I am not (and never was) a big fan of Leela and K9. However, I always have been a huge fan of Sarah Jane.
Quoting FROSTY:
I like everything about Eccleston - except the accent!.
I really liked PAUL McGANN (who I thought was the best Doctor since Tom Baker),
it's a pity that he only did one t.v. movie.
I have an open mind regarding Christopher Eccleston. I will reserve my judgement on him and his accent until I have seen at least a couple of episodes.
I wasn't all that keen on Paul McGann, but it was indeed only a one off performance. He may have grown on me given more time.
Quoting FROSTY:
P.S.: I REALLY DID hide behind the couch once, while watching the show - I was about 3 years old at the time though!!. )
When I was around 6 or 7 years old I remember watching an episode that featured a creature that was similar to a doll. It was of similar size, but it looked very ugly. All of a sudden it came to life and started walking. I didn't hide behind the couch, but I was definitely spooked.
Unfortunately, probably because I was so spooked, I can't remember the name of the creature or the name of the episode it appeared in.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
Quoting Sir Miles
FelixLeiter007 - why don't you tape Doctor Who and watch Ant & Dec ? That way, if you enjoy it, you can watch it again.
Quoting i expect u2 die:
It's just finished, and I really liked it! It was slightly slow moving, as it was the first episode, but I think Eccleston makes a good doctor!
That's good to hear, definitely green with envy over here! Hope it lasts a long time ...
I agree ... lot's of setting up but not much in the way of plot. Nevertheless it was a pretty cool story ... I almost wished they had made that story into a classic 4 x 30 minutes adventure ...
Chris Eccleston is great as the doctor but played it more for laughs than I had expected. And Billie Piper is actually rather good too. I shall await next week with interest!
Quoting Predator:
I agree ... lot's of setting up but not much in the way of plot. Nevertheless it was a pretty cool story ... I almost wished they had made that story into a classic 4 x 30 minutes adventure ...
Chris Eccleston is great as the doctor but played it more for laughs than I had expected. And Billie Piper is actually rather good too. I shall await next week with interest!
He certainly made me laugh, though - as did the dummies!
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,762Chief of Staff
Quoting Predator:
I almost wished they had made that story into a classic 4 x 30 minutes adventure ...
Exactly what I thought after it had finished, I just wanted the story to continue. I really enjoyed it and so did my little boy, it was just scary enough for the little ones (and not so little ones) without them getting too frightened. I had a few good out-loud laughs as well.
As said, Eccleston played the role of the Doctor very well and Piper was good too - but then she did train to be an actress rather than a singer in the first place. I wasn't sure I was ready for a leather-jacket-and-jeans wearing Doctor but it worked. As Eccleston said last night on Jonathon Ross, he wanted to convey the Doctor's alien-ness by acting alone - and he did, with some great writing by Russell T Davies.
I can't wait for next weeks episode now, but I would like the stories to be a little longer.
Warning! Warning! You are in Great Danger. Keep away from your dustbin or you will be EATEN.
Doctor Who: A new beginning or a false dawn?
I won't judge Christopher Eccleston completely on just one episode, but if this is the sign of things to come then I think he will be very popular. Eccleston's Doctor shows no signs of his predecessors eccentricity, at least in the way that he dresses. There's no cape, no hat, no scarf. He is dressed all in black. He talks with a very broad northern English accent. But as the Doctor replies to Rose's question,
Rose: "If you're an alien, how come you sound like your from the north?
Doctor: "Lot's of planets have a north."
You can't argue with that.
He may dress differently and he may talk differently, but Eccleston portrays the Doctor's eccentric nature very well. It wasn't as dark a performance as I had expected. Maybe that will come in later episodes.
After seeing Billie Piper in The Canterbury Tales I had no problem taking her seriously as an actress. Likewise, I won't judge her on just one episode, but the early signs are positive. At least she's not one of those assistants that just stand there and scream everytime there is a sign of an alien.
The opening title sequence and theme are very much in keeping with tradition except for one thing. The Doctor's face is no longer visible. The special effects are a considerable improvement (only to be expected), which gives more credibility to the storyline, and the viewer.
The Tardis is very much the same as before, at least on the outside. On the inside it is considerably different, it looks very big compared to the past and is visually very impressive to look at.
The opening episode was entertaining enough. It was well paced and basically involved around living plastic taking over the world, mainly in the form of shop window dummies. I have some small gripes which didn't spoil my enjoyment, e.g. how easy it was for Rose to track the Doctor via the internet. And how Rose couldn't tell the difference between her real boyfriend and his oh so obviously plastic replacement.
So, is it a new beginning or a false dawn?
Ultimately, it will be determined by the audience figures. I would expect them to be high for the first episode at least. If the first episode is a true indicator of what is to come then I am optimistic for the future.
Man, I envy you guys. Any clue when it will air in the U.S.? Ah, well, when it does it will probably be shown on BBC America, which I don't even receive! Please, someone, give me some cheese to go with my w(h)ine!
Doctor Who's long-awaited return was a ratings success for the BBC, attracting up to 10.5 million viewers on Saturday.
The opening episode of the first full series since 1989 saw the Time Lord - played by Christopher Eccleston - meet his assistant Rose (Billie Piper).
Written by Russell T Davies, it is the first of 13 new episodes of the drama, which was first screened in 1963.
"We're pleased so many people sat down as a family to watch the return of the Doctor," a BBC spokesperson said.
Unofficial overnight figures show the programme got an average of 9.9 million viewers - a 43.2% share of all viewers - with a peak of 10.5 million viewers, a 44.3% share of the audience.
Warm reviews
The series has been warmly reviewed, with past Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy telling the BBC News website he was "captivated" by the partnership between Eccleston and Piper.
FelixLeiter ♀Staffordshire or a pubPosts: 1,286MI6 Agent
I took Sir Miles's advice and taped it. I watched it after Easter lunch today with my grandparents.
It was great! My grandparents watched it with me to, as did my dad.
My grandpa fell asleep, my nan kept on calling him Dr No and my dad was pointing out everything (tardis etc) and going on about it, just to show off.
I can't wait till next week, but it's a shame there'll only be 13 episoes.
Comments
@merseytart
Oh - ever here this one:
"Knock knock,"
"Who's there?"
"Dr,"
"Dr who?"
"That's right!"
My dad's told it far too often I think I'll scream if I hear it again!
New Dr Who leaked onto internet
An episode of the new series of sci-fi drama Doctor Who has been leaked onto the internet.
A 45-minute episode, called Rose, has appeared three weeks before the series is expected to begin on BBC One.
Rose is the name of the character played by pop singer Billie Piper, who will be the assistant to the Doctor, played by Christopher Eccleston.
It is unclear how it came to be on the web and whether it is the final cut. The BBC was unavailable for comment.
The episode - which appears to be the series' first instalment - begins with the Doctor and Rose being chased by Autons, shop mannequins that have come to life.
The series is hotly anticipated by fans, who have remained avid followers since the last series ended in 1989.
It has since been resurrected for a one-off TV movie and as animated online adventures. In 2003, it was voted the show people would most like to see back on TV.
It also has been revealed that Eccleston, who appeared in Shallow Grave and Cracker, e-mailed writer and executive producer Russell T Davies to ask for the role.
"He e-mailed me and said if we were looking for a Doctor Who, he'd be interested," Mr Davies told Radio Times magazine.
"It was gobsmacking because you think he's going to be doing Hamlet all the time," he said. "Which, come to think of it, he was."
The first two episodes were written by the time Eccleston was cast, Mr Davies said.
"So I'd established a template for what I wanted, which fitted Chris perfectly. That was a happy accident - we both wanted to strip it down, make it more down-to-earth."
Julie Gardner, head of drama at BBC Wales, which has made the series, told the magazine: "We got to Chris fast.
"Russell and I had both worked with him before - he was one of the first people who was mentioned."
Eccleston will be the ninth Time Lord to take to the Tardis when the show returns.
Eccleston has also starred in TV dramas Our Friends in the North, Hearts and Minds and Linda Green as well as films such as The Others and Gone in Sixty Seconds.
(Joint production partner CBC will air the first episode on April 5th in Canada)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/video/index.shtml
Doctor Who, rules .. (and acquiring the entire collection over here has dug deep in my pockets, but it was worth it)
But no doubt the taping would be done in the PAL format, which when you play it in a VHS machine, looks like strands of Christmas tree tinsel! If you think buying the entire series was expensive, just wait 'til you convert PAL to VHS!
And those were pretty cool trailers--I like the grungy look of the TARDIS interior, even if it doesn't match the painted cardboard of the 1960s!
I know it's a rough cut with yet-to-be-added digital effects, but - superb!! Very contemporary and very British; Rose is a very modern London teenager (and any reservations about Billie's acting should be put to sleep), and Christopher Ecclestone is simply fantastic. He's a bit off the wall, a little bit bonkers, speaks with a northern accent ("If you really are alien, then how come you sound like you're from the north?") and is definitely eccentric. It's also rather dark and menacing at the right points, with a good dose of humour and light heartedness at the right points. Round family entertainment, as was the original.
It could have been a little bit longer, I did feel it was rushed just a tad to fit into the 45 minute slot, but the scripts are slick and fast, the effects (though incomplete on this particular version) are bang up to date, and the old TARDIS, though a bit funkier on the inside, maintains it's old donkey braying sound effect. Oh, and the theme and title sequence of the TARDIS flying through space (without Ecclestone's face), are well in keeping with the original.
It's Doctor Who, 21st Century style.
This may have been mentioned before and I just forgot about it, but is the show still in serial format, or are the 45-minute episodes all self-contained adventures? I'm actually hoping for the latter, since I felt the Colin Baker serials suffered from poor pacing and slightly distorted storylines.
What? No face of the Doctor appearing out of a cluster of stars or from a cosmic lava-lamp? That's just plain wrong!
The theme does open up with the "scream" though, and there's a heavier orchestral string movement in the rear over the "dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum", giving it a bit more of a dramatic edge. The top-level melody is the spooky Delia Derbyshire original though.
As I understand it, a few are actually two-parters ...
Simple things now like being able to see in the TARDIS from outside when the door is open and the incorporation of the door and the illuminated Police Public Call Box sign on the inside make all the difference though.
I'll tape Ant and Dec
FelixLeiter007 - why don't you tape Doctor Who and watch Ant & Dec ? That way, if you enjoy it, you can watch it again.
However, I have kept reasonably up to date regarding news, information etc. It's good to know that the Daleks have not been exterminated from the series, it would not be the same without them.
For me, up until now, the 1970's has been the high point of the Doctor Who series, which featured Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as the Doctor. I am especially a big fan of the late, great Jon Pertwee. What a terrific actor he was.
I wonder how the new series will compare with the old? And how will Christopher Eccleston compare with his predecessors?
Not long to find out.
You and me both Frosty ... I remember it like it was yesterday (no it wasn't yesterday
Y'know ... you could have a point there!
For me, Genesis of the Daleks is Doctor Who at it's very best. Davros is a classic villain.
Yes, it was definitely a high point although I am not (and never was) a big fan of Leela and K9. However, I always have been a huge fan of Sarah Jane.
I have an open mind regarding Christopher Eccleston. I will reserve my judgement on him and his accent until I have seen at least a couple of episodes.
I wasn't all that keen on Paul McGann, but it was indeed only a one off performance. He may have grown on me given more time.
When I was around 6 or 7 years old I remember watching an episode that featured a creature that was similar to a doll. It was of similar size, but it looked very ugly. All of a sudden it came to life and started walking. I didn't hide behind the couch, but I was definitely spooked.
Unfortunately, probably because I was so spooked, I can't remember the name of the creature or the name of the episode it appeared in.
FelixLeiter007 - why don't you tape Doctor Who and watch Ant & Dec ? That way, if you enjoy it, you can watch it again.
Thanks for the idea!
Chris Eccleston is great as the doctor but played it more for laughs than I had expected. And Billie Piper is actually rather good too. I shall await next week with interest!
He certainly made me laugh, though - as did the dummies!
Exactly what I thought after it had finished, I just wanted the story to continue. I really enjoyed it and so did my little boy, it was just scary enough for the little ones (and not so little ones) without them getting too frightened. I had a few good out-loud laughs as well.
As said, Eccleston played the role of the Doctor very well and Piper was good too - but then she did train to be an actress rather than a singer in the first place. I wasn't sure I was ready for a leather-jacket-and-jeans wearing Doctor but it worked. As Eccleston said last night on Jonathon Ross, he wanted to convey the Doctor's alien-ness by acting alone - and he did, with some great writing by Russell T Davies.
I can't wait for next weeks episode now, but I would like the stories to be a little longer.
Doctor Who: A new beginning or a false dawn?
I won't judge Christopher Eccleston completely on just one episode, but if this is the sign of things to come then I think he will be very popular. Eccleston's Doctor shows no signs of his predecessors eccentricity, at least in the way that he dresses. There's no cape, no hat, no scarf. He is dressed all in black. He talks with a very broad northern English accent. But as the Doctor replies to Rose's question,
Rose: "If you're an alien, how come you sound like your from the north?
Doctor: "Lot's of planets have a north."
You can't argue with that.
He may dress differently and he may talk differently, but Eccleston portrays the Doctor's eccentric nature very well. It wasn't as dark a performance as I had expected. Maybe that will come in later episodes.
After seeing Billie Piper in The Canterbury Tales I had no problem taking her seriously as an actress. Likewise, I won't judge her on just one episode, but the early signs are positive. At least she's not one of those assistants that just stand there and scream everytime there is a sign of an alien.
The opening title sequence and theme are very much in keeping with tradition except for one thing. The Doctor's face is no longer visible. The special effects are a considerable improvement (only to be expected), which gives more credibility to the storyline, and the viewer.
The Tardis is very much the same as before, at least on the outside. On the inside it is considerably different, it looks very big compared to the past and is visually very impressive to look at.
The opening episode was entertaining enough. It was well paced and basically involved around living plastic taking over the world, mainly in the form of shop window dummies. I have some small gripes which didn't spoil my enjoyment, e.g. how easy it was for Rose to track the Doctor via the internet. And how Rose couldn't tell the difference between her real boyfriend and his oh so obviously plastic replacement.
So, is it a new beginning or a false dawn?
Ultimately, it will be determined by the audience figures. I would expect them to be high for the first episode at least. If the first episode is a true indicator of what is to come then I am optimistic for the future.
Although I've yet to read a good review of the programme in a newspaper yet ! Did they really watch the same programme as us ?:)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4385801.stm
Doctor Who is Saturday night hit
Doctor Who's long-awaited return was a ratings success for the BBC, attracting up to 10.5 million viewers on Saturday.
The opening episode of the first full series since 1989 saw the Time Lord - played by Christopher Eccleston - meet his assistant Rose (Billie Piper).
Written by Russell T Davies, it is the first of 13 new episodes of the drama, which was first screened in 1963.
"We're pleased so many people sat down as a family to watch the return of the Doctor," a BBC spokesperson said.
Unofficial overnight figures show the programme got an average of 9.9 million viewers - a 43.2% share of all viewers - with a peak of 10.5 million viewers, a 44.3% share of the audience.
Warm reviews
The series has been warmly reviewed, with past Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy telling the BBC News website he was "captivated" by the partnership between Eccleston and Piper.
It was great! My grandparents watched it with me to, as did my dad.
My grandpa fell asleep, my nan kept on calling him Dr No and my dad was pointing out everything (tardis etc) and going on about it, just to show off.
I can't wait till next week, but it's a shame there'll only be 13 episoes.
Happy Easter everybody!