Doctor Who Season 4 (1 Viewer)

[Dave Scarpa]

I agree it was my least favorite of the 4th season, we never really did find out the aliens motivation , it felt more like a Trek Alien, than a Dr. Who Alien. The Purpose of the episode examining Mob mentality hhas been done to death, and it felt too muck like a bottle show to save money than a show that needed to be done. And all the mimicking was annoying, I got the point then they continued for 20 min. At least we got a fantastic Galactica this week to make up for it.

 

[BrianW]

I just watched "Silence in the Library" here in the states. It was pretty creepy.

I like the way Moffat's scripts villify childhood phobias for dramatic effect:
"Empty Child" / "The Doctor Dances" - Fear of zombies
"Girl in the Fireplace" - Fear of monsters under the bed
"Blink" - Fear of statues
"Silence in the Library" - Fear of the dark

What's next? Fear of clowns? Fear of falling? Fear of needles? Any of those could be good.

Perhaps he should employ more adult phobias:
Fear of losing one's hair.
Fear of losing a job.
Fear of antiperspirant not working.
Fear of dentures falling out.

Well, okay, I guess adult phobias aren't nearly as dramatic.


Not having seen the second half, I must say that I have no clue what's actually going on. I can't wait for the next episode.

If you can donate your face to the library, are there other places you can donate other parts of your body? Museums? Theme parks?

 

[Stephen Orr]

Wow, just finished "Turn Left." RTD is determined to go out with a bang, isn't he? Great "what if" story that will have continuing reprecussions. And the preview for next week, hail hail the gang's all here!

 

[Jason Smalley]

I really did find myself enjoying "Turn Left" even though it is very depressing from Donna's right turn on. Unlike many in Doctor Who fandom, I don't have any issue with RTD's scripts. I like "Love & Monsters," I LOVED the Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords trilogy last series, and this last story line seems to be even more intense if that is even possible. It is going to be a long wait for New Who in 2010 with only Three specials in 2009 and 5 Torchwood episodes in 2009.

I also can't wait for the entire "Time Team" to fight the baddies coming up (although I assume many people know what an who are coming, I don't want to spoil it for any of those who don't).

 

[andrew markworthy]

They accidentally gave it away in the UK weeks ago by showing the trailer for this rather than the trailer for the Death in the Library episode which should have been shown.

Incidentally, this isn't meant to be a spoiler, but I suppose you folks all know that there won't be a series of Dr Who in 2009? It's being put on ice for a year and will be back in 2010.

BTW, got my tickets to see David Tennant play Hamlet at Stratford upon Avon this August, with Patrick Stewart playing Claudius.

 

[Ed Moroughan]

Dude, that sounds awesome. I envy you!

 

[Kevin Hewell]

Have a good time over at Stratford.

 

[RickER]

I didnt know Torchwood was going to be an even shorter season next year. Whats up with that?

 

[Jason Smalley]

It is moving from BBC2 to BBC1 for a one week mini-story arc. According to Julie Gardner (BBC Wales bigwig and Exec Producer for Doctor Who and Torchwood) says she wanted to make it event television. I'm just happy it is continuing as I liked the first series and really liked the second series.

Separately, in an interview for a Canadian website, John Barrowman stated that the next "full" season of Torchwood will only be ten episodes in 2010 due to general BBC cost cutting maneuvers affecting most, if not all series.

It is not immediately known to me what, if any effect this reduction will have on Doctor Who.

 

[RickER]

Thanks Jason, i didnt know that. I hope it still gets aired in the US with only 5 episodes next year. Same with the Who specials. I hope we dont have to wait until the "longer" season, or i guess series, in 2010 to see the specials.

 

[Tony J Case]

Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw - that was a BRILLIANT episode. It wasnt as good a Doctor-Lite episode as Blink, but I loved the whole It's A Wonderful Life slash Father's Day with just a hint of Arthur C. Clarke's story The Nine Billion Names of God. Very nicely done.

And then of course the climax of the episode where Donna said those two magic words and my brain exploded.

And next weeks episode trailer, with a full on Torchwood crossover (or so it would seem)? Man, can't wait for that!

 

[andrew markworthy]

Yes, but not, it seems, soccer coverage. Over the last couple of weeks we've been treated to blanket coverage of Euro 2008, a soccer tournament that has absolutely no UK sides in it. So there's money for that, but none for decent quality drama. And don't get me started on ****ing Wimbledon, which starts today - 8 hours coverage a day, of which about a third is watching a bunch of overpaid prima donnas sitting down having a rest, another third bouncing the ball up and down waiting for just the right moment to serve and in the remaining third listening to the BBC commentators making excuses for the usual Brit no-hopers. Grrrrrrrrr ...

 

[PhilipG]

Not a sport fan then, Andrew?

Personally I'm loving the Euro 2008 coverage. I enjoy the women's tennis too (admittedly for more dubious reasons).

If the BBC wants to cut costs, they should do so by not producing any more of their stupid, bloated, self-promoting trails. Then, they should axe their vastly-overpaid "stars" (Jonathan Ross, Graham Norton et al), and give some new blood a chance to impress. Then they should stop trying to compete with the commercial channels at dumbing down, and concentrate on what they're good at: news, documentaries, drama. Quality led, not (necessarily) ratings led. As for sport, on the one hand I don't want the Beeb to spend over the odds for it, but on the other, I don't want it all on subscription-only. Maybe just let ITV have it.[/end of my twopennethsworth]

edit: as for the latest Who... I'm not a fan of "What if" sci-fi, so that ep was pretty "eh" for me. And Billie had something seriously wrong with her voice for most of it. But the next ep looks like it has potential...

 

[andrew markworthy]

Not at all - I am a great fan of women's diving, and I look forward to high definition coverage of the event at the Olympics.

A large part of the BBC's problems is over-diversification. For the benefit of non-Brit readers - over the past couple of years, in addition to BBC 1 and BBC 2, we now have BBC 3 and BBC 4 - channels that only broadcast digitally. They offer tremendous programmes for people with more than two brain cells (loads of arts programmes, some of the more art house movies, etc). But they also bring in a very small audience share. We also have a ridiculous number of BBC-run radio stations. In addition to each region of the country having its own radio station, we have about 8 national ones, one 'serious' one for news and high-quality drama, one for classical music, and then umpteen stations aimed at different fragments of the pop music fanbase.

All this is a classic case of more is less. With resources spread so thin, the BBC is practically constrained to produce two types of programme: the prestige series that will export well (all the costume dramas, Dr Who, etc) and then anything that doesn't export well and hence must be made as cheaply as possible whilst appealing to the lowest common denominator. The result is that we get hour after hour of programmes on gardening, cookery, 'reality' TV, and 'comedy' programmes made by ex-arts students that consist either of being snide about everything, or repeat the same vaguely amusing when seen once sketch with minimal variation week after week.

The result is that audience shares drop more and people in their droves turn to DVDs or watch the better quality American programmes being shown on the satellite channels. The solution to all this should be to cut back on the garbage, close down at least some of the channels, and pile the better quality stuff into the schedules. Instead, the BBC diversifies even more (we now have view on demand, for goodness' sake - what the **** is so difficult about recording the programme when broadcast?) and throws money, not at the high quality stuff (which is getting cut back) but on paying the existing 'talent' more and more to present the down market section of the market, in the belief that it's the lobotomy classes that should be pampered.

The BBC is paid for by license fee; its remit is 'to educate and entertain' (preferably both at the same time; e.g. originally Dr Who was intended as an educational programme to introduce children to science and history), not to pander to audience figures. Increasingly it is failing to do the former with precious little effect on the latter.

Sorry for the little rant, but I had to vent my spleen.

 

[Francois Caron]

Is it safe to have both Whosies and Trekkies present in the same audience?

Your explanation of the current state of the BBC was excellent! And unfortunately, it's not an isolated case. Even in Canada, our own private broadcaster has also been diversifying its channel line-up. But unlike the BBC, the Canadian channels aren't all that appealing. In fact, our cable and DTH satellite channel choices degenerated so much that a year and a half ago, I've simply called it quits and canceled everything. I've really had enough watching a river of crap.

Today, I now have my own television broadcast license, and will soon broadcast my own river of crap!

It's nice to know Torchwood will still be available even though the series will be shorter. In fact, it might help them since they don't have to spread their resources so thinly, and may develop stronger storylines.

The Doctor Who finale should be both exciting and terrifying! Exciting in the action and drama department, and terrifying for the Doctor who might now find himself in the same room with up to FIVE of his former companions! And if you're asking how that can be terrifying, imagine being in the same room with five of your former lovers!

 

[Tony J Case]

If because Patrick and David get talking behind the scenes, Patrick winds up on Doctor who (thereby completeing the Geek Hat Trick, of X-Men, Trek and Who), I'd gladly sacrifice some Trek and Who fans to a riot or two for the cause.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

.
It's going to be big.

 

[andrew markworthy]

If the seats are anywhere near the comfort level they were last time I went to Stratford, I think the audience will be too bent over with cramp to contemplate anything violent.

 

[Tony J Case]

The one word message for the human race. . . .

(warning: mad crazy spoilers for The Stolen Earth)

 

[RickER]

Wow, just when you wonder how they can top the season before!