Doctor Who

[Benji]

The Dalek backstory is so convoluted by now that they're just a mess of contradictions...I love them, but I always end up shouting at the screen throughout any Dalek episode, although fortunately not nearly as much as I did during the Emo Dalek nonsense.

For starters, why are they still so obsessed with killing the Doctor? Surely they've realised what happens when they do that. It doesn't work. That's a stupid minor gripe, though.

The bit that really made me cringe was the Dalek telling the Dalek/Human/Timelord hybrids "No, a Dalek must obey orders!", when less than ten minutes ago that same Dalek had disobeyed his. Nice one there, mate.

That annoyed me as well, here they are, apparently the only logical Daleks, working AGAINST logic.

[Skummy]

I must admit, when I first saw the Dalek/Human hybrid, I was expecting him to be killed by an overwhelming sensation of love because Daleks aren't used to such powerful emotion. While the actual ending was fairly predictable, I'm so happy that's the way it went instead. That said, the Dalek/Human was barely necessary, was he? Just seemed like a gimmick to hype the episode up, they could have easily had a regular Dalek perform his role if we're going to assume they can be logical and sentient now.

[lanky316]

Why must they use British actors putting on fake annoying American accents?

[Benji]

Why must they use British actors putting on fake annoying American accents?

It's our revenge for the American actors putting on awful fake annoying British accents.

Oh come on now lovie, let's put that attitude away and go have some tea and scones.

[ClaRK! Kent]

I guess most of the reason they were using British actors is because, y'know, it wasn't actually filmed in America, as was noted by a somewhat miffed David Tennant on Confidential this week. I doubt that flying in American actors or whatever is the best thing logistically.

I called Katsuya's theory the very second Khan started to temporal shift on Saturday, but I kinda hope they don't go that way because it'd get horribly convoluted.

Anyway, there's one Dalek left in the universe right now, and... frankly they should take a long break. 7 episodes in the past 3 seasons, which is nuts. Even back in the day with the 4-part episodes and whatnot, they never appeared in that many serials within that short a period, except back in the mid-60s when they got oversaturated and overexposed - which is why they were taken away for a while during the later Troughton/early Pertwee years. Hell, Tom Baker was the Doctor for 7 years and he met them twice, with like a 4 year gap in between. They've been showing up far too much lately, and it's not shocking anymore, seeing as they've been roundly kicked about every time.

They need to focus on the newer enemies, bring some people in and really make them a threat, which was the whole concept of the Cybermen back in 1966. Although, mind you, their track record with creating interesting new villains has been... very bad. Slitheen? Judoon, anyone? Yeesh.

Anyway, seeing as Russell T. Davies has basically stated that the Doctor is correct in saying he's the last Time Lord, but the Face of Boe is not wrong, that leaves a few wild theories to be tossed about, no?

My theory, currently, based on a script treatment my cool mature student friend once submitted to the Beeb in the mid-90s, is one word -

Susan.

[Iain76er]

I guess most of the reason they were using British actors is because, y'know, it wasn't actually filmed in America, as was noted by a somewhat miffed David Tennant on Confidential this week. I doubt that flying in American actors or whatever is the best thing logistically.

[ClaRK! Kent]

Probably, but take it from me, it's very difficult to cast a part. "He's American" is hardly a reason to give somebody a part if they're otherwise not suitable in some way. I thought the accents were pretty good, Diagoras and Tallulah especially. Lazlow wasn't great, and the guy out of Holby City was pretty much restrained to impersonating Denzel, but they were all passable to an extent.

Also, this is the Beeb we're talking about, you've got to have a pretty good agent for that kinda work, and British actors are more likely to have those kinda agents as they're more likely to have been to drama/film school here or whatever, which is the primary way of getting a dramatic agent.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

For enemies, the Sycorax had a fuckload of potential, and it would be silly to create them for a christmas special and then never use them again, I'd like to see them back. I agree with Sephiroth about the Daleks, they need a LONG break to come back as zOMG~!! Uber-Heels again.

Oh, and The Ood HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE to comeback the Ood were exceptional.

Oh, and The Autons anyone? Not the crappy ones from Rose, go and watch Spearhead from Space (It's a Pertwee one), the Autons were awesome then, and could make for a great two parter.

As for this weeks show, I'm regarding it as a Doctor Who I watched and found to be good. Sek should have lived though.

[lanky316]

Oh, and The Autons anyone? Not the crappy ones from Rose, go and watch Spearhead from Space (It's a Pertwee one), the Autons were awesome then, and could make for a great two parter.

[Katsuya]

I kinda hope we see the Slytheen again one day. They were the best new villains from Season One.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

You HAVE to be shitting me. The Sliteen were awful almost beyond imagination, and should be condemmed to the biggest part of TV hell.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Mushiking timmayy

[Benji]

Slitheen were horrendous.

Sycorax, Judoon and the Ood, those are the ones that need to replace. Sycorax were just outright badasses, which is rare with a Doctor Who villain. Judoon have a great concept being 'intergalactic police for hire', better to use them as a 3rd party to other stories. The Ood... well... they were so... words can't describe, they're easilly manipulated, have weird powers and just look cool.

But seriously, bring back Sec, best non-recurring 'new' character of the series.

[ClaRK! Kent]

Interesting idea re: the Autons, but I think continuity suggests they should stay gone now, especially seeing as the Doctor basically stated they'd been all but destroyed as innocent casualties in the Time War. That's the problem of course, the idea that the 'higher species' who the Doctor has battled with (Daleks, Nestene Consciousness/Autons, and to a lesser extent of the Gelf and such, etc) have been battered about by the Time War.

To be honest, I'd like to see them actually take an episode out and properly discuss the ripple effects of the Time War, because right now it's being used as an explanation in many quarters for any minor continuity problems between the old and new stuff, and it'd be nice to see them actually sit down and explain what the fuck happened.

I felt it was a shame they got rid of Sec, but I guess they're not quite ready to totally reshape the Daleks in the way they did with Davros in 1975. Alas.

[GhostMachine]

It sucks we don't get the new episodes of Doctor Who here in the U.S. until July or so. I think someone posted some of them on Veoh, but I'm not even going to bother watching them on there.

Doesn't the deal with Terry Nation's estate run out after this season?

Edited May 1, 2007 by GhostMachine

[ClaRK! Kent]

I assume they'll renegotiate, although that might explain why they're trying to make it look as though the Daleks are screwed. That way, if the deal falls through there's a reason for them to be gone, but they can write them back in if the deal is renegotiated.

[DFF]

I thought this week's episode was quite good as a one-off, filler/progression episode. Liked the references to Saxon on-and-off.

Yeah, umm, might add more later.

What did everyone else think?

[Timmoru Suzuki]

I reasonably enjoyed that, it was one of the better episodes in a very forgettable series so far. I like having the odd episode now and again where the 'monster of the week', isn't what the episode is about or based around, in this case that being progressing the relationship between the Doc and Martha and her family, and building up to Mr. Saxon, all of which was done well. Also liked the various discussions between Lazarus and the Doctor (the human that wants to live longer and the alien that can), and the part about living forever and you'll only end up alone. It's nice to have the Doc still think about Rose and obviously miss her terribly.

So in a huge historical shock, whilst it wasn't a classic, that gets a thumbs up from me!

[Vamp]

Despite being in the end trailer for about 3 seconds, Saxon seemed like the creepiest bastard in the world just by wearing an oxygen mask and tapping the table.

[Benji]

Despite being in the end trailer for about 3 seconds, Saxon seemed like the creepiest bastard in the world just by wearing an oxygen mask and tapping the table.

The fact the people around him were dead also helped

That trailer is currently on my iPod.

[9 to 5]

Aye, that bit almost seemed Life on Mars-like in a sense. Really sold me on it.