Doctor Who - Season 5 (2010)

[RTSDaddy2]

My wife and I are long time fans of the doctor, though sadly work kept us away from the David Tennant years; we're in catch up mode now and its already easy to see why people were sad to see him go.

That said, Matt Smith and Karen Gillan as the Doctor and Amy Pond found a special place in our hearts as well this weekend as Seaosn 5 kicked off.  The Time Lord is alive and well, and in good hands in this young man.  We found a place to watch episode two actually (BBC is about two weeks ahead of the run on BBC America) entitled "The Beast Below," and found the closing moments between Amy and the Doctor very much tear-jerking in that it was such a pivotal moment in her understanding who she was and who / what the Doctor really is, or what he's about. I know that sounds silly, but if you've not seen it, listen closely during the last few scenes between them...the dialogue is truly marvelous. We can't wait to see part 3, "Victory of the Daleks" - seems like anytime those things are around the writing goes through the roof.

Anyhow - whether in the majority or minority - Smith and Gillan had some BIG TIME shoes to fill based on what I've heard and read (and slightly seen), and in these two fans humble opinion, they're doing an incredible job.

[solidteezme]

Tennant was THE DOCTOR, Nuff Said.

There the ones you want to get hold of, but the one about starship UK was good, i think its the first time ive seen the doctor get that pissed off. 

[danny_galaga]

Yeah, i missed the screening of the first episode of series 5 last night. But the station that screens it here has it on i-view. I will test out my bandwidth tonight 

[SirPeale]

Plus Karen Gillan is /really/ easy on the eyes.

[solidteezme]

Its strange i can't imagine someone in the US or Aus to watch somthing so British,

But then you think about it and all the American stuff I watch on TV in the UK (How i met your mother, friends, scrubs, fraiser, my name is earl etc) and it dosen't feel strage at all.   

What other British programmes are watched internationally?

Solid,

[Howard_Casto]

Doctor Who (the show) isn't really british at all.  The only odd thing about that show is that when he's on earth, 99% of the time he's in the UK and all of his companions just happen to be from the UK. IMHO, unless they are trying to make the doctor a tad bit racist this is very unrealistic.  By sheer population numbers alone the doctor should have visited america, china, and india far more than he has and should have had companions from each country. 

I realize that this happens on American television as well, but that makes sense.  America is a large place with a lot of people in it.  The UK is a postage stamp of a country and yet in any scifi show that comes out of the UK all the super natural oddities and/or alien invasions just happen to occur either in london or south whales.    Don't feel bad though, this also happens with Japanese media.  That is even more laughable because Japan has NO strategic value what-so-ever despite it's rather large population per square foot.

[solidteezme]

Doctor Who (the show) isn\'t really british at all.  The only odd thing about that show is that when he\'s on earth, 99% of the time he\'s in the UK and all of his companions just happen to be from the UK. IMHO, unless they are trying to make the doctor a tad bit racist this is very unrealistic.  By sheer population numbers alone the doctor should have visited america, china, and india far more than he has and should have had companions from each country. 

I realize that this happens on American television as well, but that makes sense.  America is a large place with a lot of people in it.  The UK is a postage stamp of a country and yet in any scifi show that comes out of the UK all the super natural oddities and/or alien invasions just happen to occur either in london or south whales.    Don\'t feel bad though, this also happens with Japanese media.  That is even more laughable because Japan has NO strategic value what-so-ever despite it\'s rather large population per square foot.

It\'s made by the BBC. for a British audience. It\'s fairy unrealistic in the fact all the aliens speak english.

Oh i forget thats because the tardis can translate in your head!

I get you point though.

[HaRuMaN]

What other British programmes are watched internationally?

I used to love watching Absolutely Fabulous.  My wife was a fan of Fawlty Towers and Are You Being Served.  (We're in US, btw).

[wp34]

What other British programmes are watched internationally?

"The IT Crowd", "Top Gear" and "As Time Goes By" are some of my favorite shows.  My kids really love "Top Gear".  I heard they were working on an American version but I'm not sure it would play over here.

Still waiting for "When the Whistle Blows" to play in the US.   

[polaris]

Doctor Who (the show) isn't really british at all.  The only odd thing about that show is that when he's on earth, 99% of the time he's in the UK and all of his companions just happen to be from the UK. IMHO, unless they are trying to make the doctor a tad bit racist this is very unrealistic.  By sheer population numbers alone the doctor should have visited america, china, and india far more than he has and should have had companions from each country. 

I realize that this happens on American television as well, but that makes sense.  America is a large place with a lot of people in it.  The UK is a postage stamp of a country and yet in any scifi show that comes out of the UK all the super natural oddities and/or alien invasions just happen to occur either in london or south whales.    Don't feel bad though, this also happens with Japanese media.  That is even more laughable because Japan has NO strategic value what-so-ever despite it's rather large population per square foot.

 
where does one start with a post like this.
was the xenophobia and america is awesome chat really necessary, has it added anything to this thread do you think?
 
you're not really as ignorant as this post implies are you? i suspect you're just trolling for kicks

[Howard_Casto]

Doctor Who (the show) isn't really british at all.  The only odd thing about that show is that when he's on earth, 99% of the time he's in the UK and all of his companions just happen to be from the UK. IMHO, unless they are trying to make the doctor a tad bit racist this is very unrealistic.  By sheer population numbers alone the doctor should have visited america, china, and india far more than he has and should have had companions from each country. 

I realize that this happens on American television as well, but that makes sense.  America is a large place with a lot of people in it.  The UK is a postage stamp of a country and yet in any scifi show that comes out of the UK all the super natural oddities and/or alien invasions just happen to occur either in london or south whales.    Don't feel bad though, this also happens with Japanese media.  That is even more laughable because Japan has NO strategic value what-so-ever despite it's rather large population per square foot.

 
where does one start with a post like this.
was the xenophobia and america is awesome chat really necessary, has it added anything to this thread do you think?
 
you're not really as ignorant as this post implies are you? i suspect you're just trolling for kicks

How do you get Xenophobia out the fact that I pointed out that the Doctor travels all over the universe to every period of time and yet when he's on earth his travels are pretty much limited to the UK?  If anything, yes, the producers of Dr. Who could be seen as very xenophobic, but I certainly am not.   I evne pointed out that the doctor never travels to india and china.... my point wasn't that america was superior in any way, but that the UK is very tiny and it sure would make a lot more sense for an adventurer like doctor who to explore the WHOLE planet, and not just europe. 

I also don't see how pointing out facts like the UK is significantly smaller than the US China or India makes me ignorant either.

My guess is you've had an emotional, rather than intellectual response to my post. 

I suggest you look at the thing logically.

Just as an example, let's say you are an alien race from the doctor who universe.  Now if you were going to take over the world would you choose to start in a crowed country like england with minimal natural resources, virtually no place to hide, and a realitively small population, or would you start in a place like China or the US, where you have vast, unpopulated stretches of land to hide in, large stores of natural resources and a massive, population of humans to destroy/experiment on. 

Now don't you think it's a little silly that nearly every plot to take over the world on doctor who starts in london or south whales?


I don't think I sad anything bad about the UK as a country or it's people and if you read it that way you are mistaken as to my intent... it just happens to be a small country, which makes it a rather silly choice for a show about traveling. 

You seem to be the one trolling from my perspective. 

One british doctor who fan asked how americans perceived doctor who and another american doctor who fan (me) replyed.


Getting back to the discussion.  Doctor Who never really felt british to me because they never dwell on the fact that the "earth base of operations" seems to be the UK adn they are often traveling about in time and space.  BUT the fact that the UK IS the base of operations tends to take me out of the story sometimes.  Other than that I find it to be show with great international appeal.

[polaris]

i think you're a little too american to understand, sorry , carry on.

[Epyx]

Its strange i can't imagine someone in the US or Aus to watch somthing so British,

But then you think about it and all the American stuff I watch on TV in the UK (How i met your mother, friends, scrubs, fraiser, my name is earl etc) and it dosen't feel strage at all.   

What other British programmes are watched internationally?

I grew up with the Doctor here in Canada on our local KVOS tv 12 station...every Sunday Morning at 1am they would play each episode in movie format (back to back). So roughly 2 hours of the Doctor each weekend.  They showed every surviving episode back then (early 80s) from Hartnell through Colin Baker and of course Baker was my favourite.

I love the new series as well. 

Then again here in Canada we get a lot of British television.

[Level42]

The last time the doctor was aired over here in holland was the 80's I guess. Stupid TV ---uvulas--- here, nothing but talk-programs and stupid quiz shows.

Anything SF is categorically blocked. The last SF series aired here was ST.

One of the WORST things to do is to move a story from it's location. I absolutely HATE the recent The War of The Worlds movie for it. How arrogant can one be that every time aliens attack, the story is in the US ? I if were an alien, I'd start out in a place like Africa with very little technology around you and weak defenses.....

[Epyx]

One of the WORST things to do is to move a story from it's location. I absolutely HATE the recent The War of The Worlds movie for it. How arrogant can one be that every time aliens attack, the story is in the US ? I if were an alien, I'd start out in a place like Africa with very little technology around you and weak defenses.....

That is one way...but then again when Lion and Hyenas converge at a kill site the male lion will target the strongest hyena in the hyena pack and kill it, sending a message to the rest of the pack.

What is to say that Aliens wouldn't use this same philosophy?

[protokatie]

Regardless, Dr Who sucks. I mean really, who would Watch that crap and even make a replica of the tardis for their livingroom.

[RTSDaddy2]

Solid, I knew I'd get a David Tennant fan a little ruffled.  And lord, we could debate that all night once I've gotten caught up on David's years (truthfully I am not 100 percent sure how we missed seasons 2-4, except that Sci-Fi may have dropped it,  or we simply forgot it was on, or were busy at the time).  If you grew up in the 80s, Tom Baker is the only TRUE DOCTOR.  I've not seen anyone come close.  

Then we could break this down into who's the best of the new doctors....and I still thought Eccelston's (sp?) doctor was just "fantastic" (no pun intended), plus I loved Billie Piper as Rose.  

This is why I want to get through all three seasons with David over time - because truthfully I like what I've seen so far. When it was initially told that David was taking over, I wasn't worried about him handling the role because I'd heard of him, knew his background, etc...but I never thought about him doing three seasons plus the specials. For what it's worth, going back to Tom, when a guy hangs around for more than a season, I don't have to wonder how good a doctor he was by viewing episodes...I KNOW.  

Peale, you also hit the nail on the head. Damn if Karen isn't a fine looking young woman. Likewise, however, she's obviously got the acting chops to carry the role of companion to the doctor. I love her take on Amy Pond, the wide-eyed innocence, yet seeing the character growing before our eyes in "The Beast Below."

The scenes toward the end of that episode are just spectacular stuff if you know the history of the doctor...the Doc's venomous "No one human has anything to say to me today" (pretty close) will eventually become one of Matt's greatest lines....because as Solid said, this is the first time we've seen the Doctor totally ticked off.  Yet, if you go back and watch again, another beautiful thing emerges as Amy recalls him telling her (and I can't recall the exact line now) to look again and really see things for what they are...and she realizes that the Star Whale came to the UK ship because it could not bear hearing the children cry.  

My favorite moment of all - and my wife's - though is still the scene overlooking the stars where Amy tells the Doctor she suddenly understood the Star Whale's feelings...because she'd met someone who was older than they appeared, the last of their kind, yet good-natured and willing to help.  No kidding, my wife and I both were in tears (she more than I) at such a beautiful, flat out, blow you away scene that said of Amy's character "I still don't understand all this, but NOW I understand who the Doctor is a bit better than I did a day ago."

I've been on Doctor overdrive lately - at least since Saturday - and I'm not 100 percent sure why. There was just something about Matt's look that made me think they'd gotten it right and I had to see the guy taking David's place..if he had ANY hope of getting it done.  Bottom line, he does.  He won't make us forget David, but dammit there's fun times ahead with Matt & Karen - one can just FEEL it, that this is truly only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  

[danny_galaga]

Its strange i can't imagine someone in the US or Aus to watch somthing so British,

But then you think about it and all the American stuff I watch on TV in the UK (How i met your mother, friends, scrubs, fraiser, my name is earl etc) and it dosen't feel strage at all.   

What other British programmes are watched internationally?

I grew up with the Doctor here in Canada on our local KVOS tv 12 station...every Sunday Morning at 1am they would play each episode in movie format (back to back). So roughly 2 hours of the Doctor each weekend.  They showed every surviving episode back then (early 80s) from Hartnell through Colin Baker and of course Baker was my favourite.

I love the new series as well. 

Then again here in Canada we get a lot of British television.

Dr Who has always been huge in Australia. A few years ago, they re-ran (along with the BBC in the UK) the whole series, from 1963 to 1989. I think that took about 3 years of constant airing, 4 days a week to accomplish. I Think i missed maybe two or three episodes in that time (",)

I was rapted to see the first episode for the first time during that re-run. And the explanation of his name. I think his grand daughter introduces The Doctor to her teachers, and one of them says "Pleased to meet you, Dr Foreman" to which he replies "Dr who?"

[Epyx]

Regardless, Dr Who sucks. I mean really, who would Watch that crap and even make a replica of the tardis for their livingroom.

Your opinion. To me it is one of the best SF shows I have ever watched...what it lacked in budget in the original series it made up for in story lines and character.  I find your referral to it as crap a little unenlightened but again that is your opinion.

[Grasshopper]

Regardless, Dr Who sucks. I mean really, who would Watch that crap and even make a replica of the tardis for their livingroom.

Your opinion. To me it is one of the best SF shows I have ever watched...what it lacked in budget in the original series it made up for in story lines and character.  I find your referral to it as crap a little unenlightened but again that is your opinion.

Lol. I'm pretty sure that Katie is joking. Why do I say that? Well in another thread she details how she made a replica of the Tardis for her living room!

[protokatie]

Regardless, Dr Who sucks. I mean really, who would Watch that crap and even make a replica of the tardis for their livingroom.

Your opinion. To me it is one of the best SF shows I have ever watched...what it lacked in budget in the original series it made up for in story lines and character.  I find your referral to it as crap a little unenlightened but again that is your opinion.

Lol. I'm pretty sure that Katie is joking. Why do I say that? Well in another thread she details how she made a replica of the Tardis for her living room!

Yep! I'm surprised that epyx didn't see my post about my tardis...
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=101405.0

Regardless, i am more of a torch wood fan than a dr who fan, but I have fond memories going back to my childhood watching dr who.

[Epyx]

Yep! I'm surprised that epyx didn't see my post about my tardis..

Doh

[RTSDaddy2]

Not trying to force this back to life, but owe Solid a bit of an apology.  We still like Matt and Chris as the doctor.  My wife and I, however, only 1/2 way through "Tooth and Claw" Tennant's second adventure, agreed.....we're with you.  David was the doctor, period, end of discussion.

[Grasshopper]

David was the doctor, period, end of discussion.

I beg to differ. Jon Pertwee was the doctor. Full stop. End of discussion. Everyone else who has followed has been a mere imposter.

[DYNAGOD]

I find the current doctor to be suitable for the role insofar, however I find them rehashing the daleks "again" to be a weakhanded and uncreative move.
The writers have a completely fresh start, new companion, new tardis,  and all of time space and creation across multiple dimensions as their playground and with all that possibilty they go pulling the the dalek out of mothballs? (reenvisioned or not)
Happy the doctors back on again, just disapointed in the current direction.  

[danny_galaga]

David was the doctor, period, end of discussion.

I beg to differ. Jon Pertwee was the doctor. Full stop. End of discussion. Everyone else who has followed has been a mere imposter.

I think you'll find Tom Baker was the doctor 

[Epyx]

I think you'll find Tom Baker was the doctor

+1 

[RTSDaddy2]

I believe I said that earlier, but let me try and clarify this so there's no confusion:

Tom Baker= Doctor of the 80s

David Tennant = Doctor (so far) of the 2000s

[patrickl]

Tom Baker did Dr Who till 1981. So he'd be more the Doctor of the 70s.

From the eighties I remember Peter Davison (wearing the cricket shirt). I don't remember the other two actors of that decade.

[Bobulus]

Probably the odd man out here, but I like Matt Smith's Doctor a lot more than David Tennant's.

I'm not sure if it was the writing or the actor, but the character of Ten got kind of old for me after a while. For one thing, he really only had two moods: Manic and Shouty. And the Shouty bits always annoyed me, because he'd chew people out for stuff he'd done himself, and it never had the gravitas of Nine. It seemed like maybe they were writing the character to be a bit of a hypocritical 'the rules don't apply to me' type, but other than the ending of The Waters of Mars, there's really no consequences for that.

And don't get me started on the weird Rose/Ten romance stuff or that hand-clone.

Anyway, I feel like both the actor and the writing are a lot sharper this season, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it!

(For the record, didn't see much of the old show, other than Tom Baker reruns on PBS)

[Grasshopper]

Anyway, I feel like both the actor and the writing are a lot sharper this season, and I'm enjoying the hell out of it!

Agreed. The writing in this new series has definitely gone up several notches. I'd stopped watching Dr Who primarily because the stories were often so lame. It had also become a bit too touchy feely for my taste. But I haven't missed an episode of the new series so far.

The improved writing quality is almost certainly down to the fact that Steven Moffat has now taken over as head writer and producer. Most of the good recent episodes were written by him.

As far as the new Doctor is concerned, I initially thought he was far too young, and I still feel that to a degree. But I have to say he's far better than I expected him to be. Obviously he's nowhere near as good as Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker were but I think I'd give him the edge over David Tennant.

I'm also really liking Karen Gillan as the Doctor's new companion. I think she could potentially be the best companion since Louise Jameson, and anyone who remembers Leela will know that's high praise indeed. 

[Paladin]

Wow, I thought the writing of these new episodes had gone downhill not up.  I particularly thought that 'Victory of the Daleks' was one of the worst episodes I've seen in a long time.  I thought the central plot was laughable, and without giving anything away, so was just about everything else that happened in that episode. 

The original show was supposed to be for kids.  I thought the Ecclestone/Tennant episodes seemed targeted to a more adult audience, and the newest season seems like it's going back to appeal more to kids.  Don't get me wrong, I've watched the Sarah Jane Adventures which are definately aimed for the younger crowd, and I will say that the writing is better than a lot of the 'adult' crap here in the US.  I just haven't been 'pulled in' yet.

I don't have a problem with Matt Smith, it just seems to me that so far (I've only seen the first 3 episodes) the stories have been lacking.

I've still got hope and although I don't have my own Tardis, I won't be selling my Dr. Who pinball machine any time soon!

[Ond]

What a tasty thread!  (makes great reading in my lunch break)  Yeah the new Daleks episode hmmm    at least it was good to see Daleks again!  
I grew up with Doctor Who from about Jon Pertwee as the doctor I guess.  Jon/Tom years had to be the best.  Was it just me or were the Jon Pertwee series the scariest? (from the point of view of an 8 y/o) Cybermen used to scare me shitless    them and Davros!  I can't resist, I'm gonna throw it out there, who was the hottest Dr Who companion? (this time from the point of view of a 15 y/o hormone tripping lad)  I say Leela wins hands down.  Rather odd discussion earlier in this thread.

[falcon NL]

Well im completely new to the doctor!

They dont air that amazing show here in the Netherlands! But untill this point i loved every single episode, not the mention Emy is really good looking  I love it any i would hate to see this doctor go, because i believe he is doing a amazing job!

[Epyx]

I can't resist, I'm gonna throw it out there, who was the hottest Dr Who companion? (this time from the point of view of a 15 y/o hormone tripping lad)  I say Leela wins hands down.

Agree with Leela and I will throw Nyssa in there as well

[Bobulus]

Wow, I thought the writing of these new episodes had gone downhill not up.  I particularly thought that 'Victory of the Daleks' was one of the worst episodes I've seen in a long time. 

Victory was the least good of this season's episodes so far, but every season has a few stinkers. 'Love and Monsters'...need I say any more?

The original show was supposed to be for kids.  I thought the Ecclestone/Tennant episodes seemed targeted to a more adult audience, and the newest season seems like it's going back to appeal more to kids.

Hard call to make. Probably part of it is the different takes the head person has on the Doctor. RDM seemed to have a bit of a god-complex doctor, with various times when he was powered by faith, floating, doing miracles, and once even held aloft by two glowing angels (that titanic in space one). The new head guy, Moffat, seems to be viewing the doctor as more of a fairy tale character, a mad man in a box who travels around having adventures. I guess you could argue that that's a more childlike approach to the character, but I'd say it's also more true to the character.

[Havok]

I believe I said that earlier, but let me try and clarify this so there's no confusion:

Tom Baker= Doctor of the 80s

David Tennant = Doctor (so far) of the 2000s

Tom Baker = Best of all the Doctors.

He's what Sean Connery is to James Bond!