I have a lot of feelings about the new era of Doctor Who that was shown to us last night, on a simple rating scale I give it a 7 as a Whoniverse story, and a solid 9 as the first episode of a new...
I have a lot of feelings about the new era of Doctor Who that was shown to us last night, on a simple rating scale I give it a 7 as a Whoniverse story, and a solid 9 as the first episode of a new era.
I loved every second of it, the definitive article as a pronoun for The Meep (and The Doctor responding with: oh I do that too).
The portrayal of transness and gender, but also not brushing it aside and instead doubling down, showing transphobia, and how there is beauty in being trans.
I was not (and still not) a huge fan of Donna as a companion (I know, serious minority opinion, I just really loved Martha okay). But, all things considered she did a great job bringing the role back.
David Tennant, the years have been so kind to him. Beautiful, passionate, incredibly emotive space man. Excellent.
The psychic paper calling him "Mistress" because it hasn't caught up with the times (and new-old face) yet. Absolutely great.
The new Tardis is massive and minimal, and beautiful, and retro, and the circle things are back. We are so back. I wonder if it will incorporate more stories and showing us the inside of the Tardis. We've seen a little, heard a bit more, but those doors look useable.
I love how new features of the Sonic Screwdriver have been dropped on us, including how it can be used as a computer (with a holographic display) and create shields? I wonder what more they will add. I hope they bring back the Sonic Sunglasses that 12 often wore, at least as a callback soon (Sonic 3D glasses?)
This felt like a classic Doctor Who episode, a lot of memorable lines and quips. Looking forward to seeing what RTD has in store for us!
I'm really glad the show (and by that I mean Russell T Davies) is back, and I'm very biased towards older new-who, so when I say I really enjoyed this episode, know that a lot of that might be me...
I'm really glad the show (and by that I mean Russell T Davies) is back, and I'm very biased towards older new-who, so when I say I really enjoyed this episode, know that a lot of that might be me willing myself to enjoy it. I really thought this episode was great, it was funny and silly, heartwarming at times, and such a good throwback to pre Chibnall-Who.
I loved the way they handed transness, it felt so human. Sylvia making a mistake and then feeling awful and correcting herself, and Donna being okay with it was imo so realistic. I think most of us with trans friends have done that at some point, but it's not something I've seen on television before.
That being said, I do think some pretty serious sins were committed. Unlike @drannex, I loathe the introduction of the sonic screwdriver's superpowers. Call me old schooled, but I liked when the sonic screwdriver just picked locks and scanned things. It seems to have gotten more and more powerful, to the point where it now can create magical forcefields and computer screens from thin air. Imo this takes away from the Doctor's own skill and wit. I fear that the screwdriver will continue to be/become a tool who's only function is to get the writers out of whatever contrived position they've written the doctor into by acting essentially as Harry Potter's wand.
The other main issue I had was the ending where SPOILERS Donna and Rose un-timelord themselves simply by 'letting it go'. They smirk at the Doctor and remark that a male presenting doctor would never understand that the solution was just to 'let it go'. This rubs me the wrong way for two reasons.
First: it doesn't really even make sense. Any number of ways to rid them if their power would have been perfectly acceptable, but them simply saying 'i don't want it anymore' may just be the worst. On top of this, Jodie Whittaker's doctor was female presenting, and apparently didn't think of this, and neither did timelord Donna the first time round. Clearly this was just a plot point written in so they could get their smarmy remark, which leads me to the second issue I take with it.
Russell spends the entire episode building on this idea that gender isn't quite what it it seems. The doctors psychic paper shows that he's still a woman (sidenote, I'm almost certain that's now how psychic paper works), we have a trans protagonist, the 'binary/non-binary' bit, and the discussion about pronouns all lead to this conclusion that gender isn't this resolute, absolute thing. Having said all that, I find it odd that Donna and Rose then make this quip about how the doctor wouldn't understand because he's a man and that if he were a woman he would know how to 'let things go'. Why Russell falls back on an outdated and perhaps a little sexist joke right at the resolution of this discussion of gender I truly don't know (I say sexist, but tbh I really don't think it's all that bad but I do think it's quite out of place).
Angry rant about the pretty insignificant problems I had with the episode aside, I do have a lot of hope for the future of the show. I do just hope that the specials represent what they usually represent, which is the crazier, fan serviceier side of doctor who, and hopefully it settles down a little in Ncuti's season.
The Doctor Who release schedule has been so confusing since COVID. I really enjoy the show but have no idea when new episodes are coming. Seemed like they advertised Tennant/Donna for two years....
The Doctor Who release schedule has been so confusing since COVID. I really enjoy the show but have no idea when new episodes are coming. Seemed like they advertised Tennant/Donna for two years. Is this Jodi Whittaker's last episode? Is it the 2023 holiday special? I watched Season 12 and the Flux thing, what do I watch next?
The release schedule has been confusing since the Matt Smith era, they just randomly skip years or split seasons. I've personally given up trying to follow when episodes will be coming out and...
The release schedule has been confusing since the Matt Smith era, they just randomly skip years or split seasons. I've personally given up trying to follow when episodes will be coming out and just treat it like it's been re-cancelled once a season ends. Then when I see online discussion about it again, it's a pleasant surprise and easier to not be disappointed by the off years.
This one was the most pleasant surprise in quite a while.
There are 3 episodes with David Tennant and Donna before Christmas. These are the 60th anniversary shows. The next regular season with a new actor for The Doctor starts with a Christmas special on...
There are 3 episodes with David Tennant and Donna before Christmas. These are the 60th anniversary shows. The next regular season with a new actor for The Doctor starts with a Christmas special on December 25.
Official link for the episode here, if that's handy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001sx3h/doctor-who-2023-the-star-beast Such a fun episode! Upsetting "Series 14"->"Season 1" Disney...
Such a fun episode! Upsetting "Series 14"->"Season 1" Disney shenanigans aside, I really had a great time with this. Although my enjoyment of the past few years of the programme possibly devalues this... The Meep was practically one of the coolest things that I've seen in this programme in years—the complex animatronics, the detailed puppeteering, wow!—and it was generally a story difficult to not enjoy. The final minute was also just a classic moment that really showed me that we're going to some great places in episodes to come.
It was a really fun episode. I really liked the meep in the pile of puppets getting poked and all the different puppet representations of the classic monsters. I can imagine that being fun for the...
It was a really fun episode. I really liked the meep in the pile of puppets getting poked and all the different puppet representations of the classic monsters. I can imagine that being fun for the props department. I also love the new tardis, very modern and contemporary whilst also feeling fun.
Why is this change attributed to Disney? Disney only acquired the streaming rights to new episodes; I'm not sure it would give them a say in production numbering. I know hating on Disney is in...
Upsetting "Series 14"->"Season 1" Disney shenanigans aside
Why is this change attributed to Disney? Disney only acquired the streaming rights to new episodes; I'm not sure it would give them a say in production numbering.
I know hating on Disney is in vogue, right now, but I could see why they would make this change even if Disney wasn't involved: a reset in the show's production numbers makes sense with Bad Wolf Productions taking over creative control and production from the BBC as a way of signaling a new era of the show.
Yes, this is how they are taking it, they are trying to do a soft-reboot in a way with this. I believe the nomenclature is Classic Who -> New Who -> and now The Whoniverse, or Modern Who. I...
Yes, this is how they are taking it, they are trying to do a soft-reboot in a way with this. I believe the nomenclature is Classic Who -> New Who -> and now The Whoniverse, or Modern Who. I imagine "New Who" will be given a different name eventually.
Production team entirely changed, and its a pseudo soft-reboot in that they are reteaching everyone what has happened and not just continuing the story lines directly. Beautiful thing about Who, is that this sort of thing is just built in as a key part of the show.
I stopped watching Doctor Who after Matt Smith because (iirc) all the multi-seasons story arcs were finally resolved, and I didn't really like Capaldi's character. And then I completely missed...
I stopped watching Doctor Who after Matt Smith because (iirc) all the multi-seasons story arcs were finally resolved, and I didn't really like Capaldi's character. And then I completely missed Whittaker's seasons, and now I'm reminded that Doctor Who still exists.
Did I miss some really important episodes or story arcs that still need resolution, or can I just read what happened and watch that latest special episode?
I don't think you missed anything you couldn't catch up on by reading. The main things are some resolution of the Galifrey plot from earlier seasons, and the Timeless Child from Jodie's era (which...
I don't think you missed anything you couldn't catch up on by reading. The main things are some resolution of the Galifrey plot from earlier seasons, and the Timeless Child from Jodie's era (which is kinda controversial but RTD stated he won't retcon). There's also some minor things, like putting a final bow on River's storyline, that are better watched than read.
But I would suggest going back and giving Capaldi's Doctor another try. Capaldi took a little while to grow on me, but I feel like he really started to shine after Clara left. Hell Bent/Heaven Sent is one of the best two part episodes of Doctor Who, and there are two excellent portrayals of The Master that are worth going back to watch.
I fell off Doctor Who a while back, but for those more up to date can I ask, how did they justify in-universe additional regenerations of the Doctor after the thirteenth? Wasn't that supposed to...
I fell off Doctor Who a while back, but for those more up to date can I ask, how did they justify in-universe additional regenerations of the Doctor after the thirteenth? Wasn't that supposed to be the limit?
Original justification - River kisses Matt Smith and possibly gives him her regenerations along with the energy to cure him. 2nd justification - more from gallifrey (forgot this one) Short answer...
Original justification - River kisses Matt Smith and possibly gives him her regenerations along with the energy to cure him.
2nd justification - more from gallifrey (forgot this one)
Short answer - yes they did a thing that I'm vaguely aware of making The Doctor's regeneration number no longer be a concern. I think. (I haven't seen it yet. I'm very behind)
I have a lot of feelings about the new era of Doctor Who that was shown to us last night, on a simple rating scale I give it a 7 as a Whoniverse story, and a solid 9 as the first episode of a new era.
I loved every second of it, the definitive article as a pronoun for The Meep (and The Doctor responding with: oh I do that too).
The portrayal of transness and gender, but also not brushing it aside and instead doubling down, showing transphobia, and how there is beauty in being trans.
I was not (and still not) a huge fan of Donna as a companion (I know, serious minority opinion, I just really loved Martha okay). But, all things considered she did a great job bringing the role back.
David Tennant, the years have been so kind to him. Beautiful, passionate, incredibly emotive space man. Excellent.
The psychic paper calling him "Mistress" because it hasn't caught up with the times (and new-old face) yet. Absolutely great.
The new Tardis is massive and minimal, and beautiful, and retro, and the circle things are back. We are so back. I wonder if it will incorporate more stories and showing us the inside of the Tardis. We've seen a little, heard a bit more, but those doors look useable.
I love how new features of the Sonic Screwdriver have been dropped on us, including how it can be used as a computer (with a holographic display) and create shields? I wonder what more they will add. I hope they bring back the Sonic Sunglasses that 12 often wore, at least as a callback soon (Sonic 3D glasses?)
This felt like a classic Doctor Who episode, a lot of memorable lines and quips. Looking forward to seeing what RTD has in store for us!
I'm really glad the show (and by that I mean Russell T Davies) is back, and I'm very biased towards older new-who, so when I say I really enjoyed this episode, know that a lot of that might be me willing myself to enjoy it. I really thought this episode was great, it was funny and silly, heartwarming at times, and such a good throwback to pre Chibnall-Who.
I loved the way they handed transness, it felt so human. Sylvia making a mistake and then feeling awful and correcting herself, and Donna being okay with it was imo so realistic. I think most of us with trans friends have done that at some point, but it's not something I've seen on television before.
That being said, I do think some pretty serious sins were committed. Unlike @drannex, I loathe the introduction of the sonic screwdriver's superpowers. Call me old schooled, but I liked when the sonic screwdriver just picked locks and scanned things. It seems to have gotten more and more powerful, to the point where it now can create magical forcefields and computer screens from thin air. Imo this takes away from the Doctor's own skill and wit. I fear that the screwdriver will continue to be/become a tool who's only function is to get the writers out of whatever contrived position they've written the doctor into by acting essentially as Harry Potter's wand.
The other main issue I had was the ending where SPOILERS Donna and Rose un-timelord themselves simply by 'letting it go'. They smirk at the Doctor and remark that a male presenting doctor would never understand that the solution was just to 'let it go'. This rubs me the wrong way for two reasons.
First: it doesn't really even make sense. Any number of ways to rid them if their power would have been perfectly acceptable, but them simply saying 'i don't want it anymore' may just be the worst. On top of this, Jodie Whittaker's doctor was female presenting, and apparently didn't think of this, and neither did timelord Donna the first time round. Clearly this was just a plot point written in so they could get their smarmy remark, which leads me to the second issue I take with it.
Russell spends the entire episode building on this idea that gender isn't quite what it it seems. The doctors psychic paper shows that he's still a woman (sidenote, I'm almost certain that's now how psychic paper works), we have a trans protagonist, the 'binary/non-binary' bit, and the discussion about pronouns all lead to this conclusion that gender isn't this resolute, absolute thing. Having said all that, I find it odd that Donna and Rose then make this quip about how the doctor wouldn't understand because he's a man and that if he were a woman he would know how to 'let things go'. Why Russell falls back on an outdated and perhaps a little sexist joke right at the resolution of this discussion of gender I truly don't know (I say sexist, but tbh I really don't think it's all that bad but I do think it's quite out of place).
Angry rant about the pretty insignificant problems I had with the episode aside, I do have a lot of hope for the future of the show. I do just hope that the specials represent what they usually represent, which is the crazier, fan serviceier side of doctor who, and hopefully it settles down a little in Ncuti's season.
The Doctor Who release schedule has been so confusing since COVID. I really enjoy the show but have no idea when new episodes are coming. Seemed like they advertised Tennant/Donna for two years. Is this Jodi Whittaker's last episode? Is it the 2023 holiday special? I watched Season 12 and the Flux thing, what do I watch next?
The release schedule has been confusing since the Matt Smith era, they just randomly skip years or split seasons. I've personally given up trying to follow when episodes will be coming out and just treat it like it's been re-cancelled once a season ends. Then when I see online discussion about it again, it's a pleasant surprise and easier to not be disappointed by the off years.
This one was the most pleasant surprise in quite a while.
Jodie Whitaker's last episode was "Power of the Doctor" in 2022 (a year and a month ago). There were two other specials between that and Flux.
There are 3 episodes with David Tennant and Donna before Christmas. These are the 60th anniversary shows. The next regular season with a new actor for The Doctor starts with a Christmas special on December 25.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Who_(series_14)
Official link for the episode here, if that's handy: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001sx3h/doctor-who-2023-the-star-beast
Such a fun episode! Upsetting "Series 14"->"Season 1" Disney shenanigans aside, I really had a great time with this. Although my enjoyment of the past few years of the programme possibly devalues this... The Meep was practically one of the coolest things that I've seen in this programme in years—the complex animatronics, the detailed puppeteering, wow!—and it was generally a story difficult to not enjoy. The final minute was also just a classic moment that really showed me that we're going to some great places in episodes to come.
It was a really fun episode. I really liked the meep in the pile of puppets getting poked and all the different puppet representations of the classic monsters. I can imagine that being fun for the props department. I also love the new tardis, very modern and contemporary whilst also feeling fun.
Why is this change attributed to Disney? Disney only acquired the streaming rights to new episodes; I'm not sure it would give them a say in production numbering.
I know hating on Disney is in vogue, right now, but I could see why they would make this change even if Disney wasn't involved: a reset in the show's production numbers makes sense with Bad Wolf Productions taking over creative control and production from the BBC as a way of signaling a new era of the show.
Yes, this is how they are taking it, they are trying to do a soft-reboot in a way with this. I believe the nomenclature is Classic Who -> New Who -> and now The Whoniverse, or Modern Who. I imagine "New Who" will be given a different name eventually.
Production team entirely changed, and its a pseudo soft-reboot in that they are reteaching everyone what has happened and not just continuing the story lines directly. Beautiful thing about Who, is that this sort of thing is just built in as a key part of the show.
I stopped watching Doctor Who after Matt Smith because (iirc) all the multi-seasons story arcs were finally resolved, and I didn't really like Capaldi's character. And then I completely missed Whittaker's seasons, and now I'm reminded that Doctor Who still exists.
Did I miss some really important episodes or story arcs that still need resolution, or can I just read what happened and watch that latest special episode?
I don't think you missed anything you couldn't catch up on by reading. The main things are some resolution of the Galifrey plot from earlier seasons, and the Timeless Child from Jodie's era (which is kinda controversial but RTD stated he won't retcon). There's also some minor things, like putting a final bow on River's storyline, that are better watched than read.
But I would suggest going back and giving Capaldi's Doctor another try. Capaldi took a little while to grow on me, but I feel like he really started to shine after Clara left. Hell Bent/Heaven Sent is one of the best two part episodes of Doctor Who, and there are two excellent portrayals of The Master that are worth going back to watch.
I fell off Doctor Who a while back, but for those more up to date can I ask, how did they justify in-universe additional regenerations of the Doctor after the thirteenth? Wasn't that supposed to be the limit?
They addressed this back in Matt Smith's finale: Gallifrey just gave him more.
Alright, a little contrived but not outside the scope of what I'd expect from what is essentially Space Magic. Thank you!
Original justification - River kisses Matt Smith and possibly gives him her regenerations along with the energy to cure him.
2nd justification - more from gallifrey (forgot this one)
Short answer - yes they did a thing that I'm vaguely aware of making The Doctor's regeneration number no longer be a concern. I think. (I haven't seen it yet. I'm very behind)
https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/doctor-who-wild-blue-yonder/XuzXbW2LsMuU
Episode 2 has been released.
Ep2 is my favorite kind of Who episode, take something normal-ish and make it terrifying. Not-things are the perfect level of uncanny creepiness.