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Funny thing—my family never got into Jodi Whitaker as the doctor. Not sure if it was her or the writing. It’s especially odd because I only have daughters and thought they’d be really excited for a female doctor. Seems they would all rather watch reruns with David Tenant and Matt Smith.
 
I'm hopeful and think that it may be good news. I'm hoping it's a sign of a move toward making the show return to what it was rather than what it has become.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
And I read that Daniel Craig thinks Bond should be a man. He had a good point: women and other minorities need better roles written around their qualities.
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
Funny thing—my family never got into Jodi Whitaker as the doctor. Not sure if it was her or the writing. It’s especially odd because I only have daughters and thought they’d be really excited for a female doctor. Seems they would all rather watch reruns with David Tenant and Matt Smith.
IMO, it’s the writing. I’ve seen her in other stuff and not had problems. The first half of Capaldi’s tenure it seemed, to me, that they were still writing for Smith. I hated Capaldi until they figured it out.
 
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Both Peter and Jodie were hamstrung by bad writing and poorly contrived companion scenarios. Clara/Pink and the Doctor Club both forced bad storylines that diverted attention from what everyone tunes in for, the Doctor. Chibnall’s writing was particularly bad.

There was plenty of criticism about Russell Davies when he ran it before, but nothing like late-era Moffitt and Chibnall get. Perhaps they get it so bad because they’re held up against the Davies years?
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Both Peter and Jodie were hamstrung by bad writing and poorly contrived companion scenarios. Clara/Pink and the Doctor Club both forced bad storylines that diverted attention from what everyone tunes in for, the Doctor. Chibnall’s writing was particularly bad.

There was plenty of criticism about Russell Davies when he ran it before, but nothing like late-era Moffitt and Chibnall get. Perhaps they get it so bad because they’re held up against the Davies years?

Absorbaloft > Danny Pink.

RTD would indulge in a silly story now and then. Moffat would indulge in an overly contrived story ark that buggered up a whole season or more. Moffat was superb as a writer: name the three best RTD stories, and you have probably mentioned at least two shows Moffat wrote.

Blink > Capaldi.

The Capaldi years are one of the all-time biggest lost opportunities of Who-dom. They could have softened and sanitised Malcolm Tucker juuuust enough for family television, and had the best "kind-hearted curmudgeon" since Hartnell. Instead we got Colin Baker 2.0, with a companion that had an even more annoying mandatory clause than the Terry Nation Estate ... instead of just having to have one Dalek show each season, Companion Whats-her-face had to point out to the Doctor at least three times per show that she is a lesbian.

Perhaps the return of RTD will be a return to form for the show ... one can hope. Will it be enough to bring me back? Possibly but I'm not holding my breath.
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
Absorbaloft > Danny Pink.

RTD would indulge in a silly story now and then. Moffat would indulge in an overly contrived story ark that buggered up a whole season or more. Moffat was superb as a writer: name the three best RTD stories, and you have probably mentioned at least two shows Moffat wrote.

Blink > Capaldi.

The Capaldi years are one of the all-time biggest lost opportunities of Who-dom. They could have softened and sanitised Malcolm Tucker juuuust enough for family television, and had the best "kind-hearted curmudgeon" since Hartnell. Instead we got Colin Baker 2.0, with a companion that had an even more annoying mandatory clause than the Terry Nation Estate ... instead of just having to have one Dalek show each season, Companion Whats-her-face had to point out to the Doctor at least three times per show that she is a lesbian.

Perhaps the return of RTD will be a return to form for the show ... one can hope. Will it be enough to bring me back? Possibly but I'm not holding my breath.
Blink was the best episode with almost no Doctor, Heaven Sent was the best episode with only the Doctor, IMO. Only Capaldi could have pulled that one off.
 
I can remember watching Baker's Dr Who on PBS in the 70's on a 12" b&w tv. I had no clue what was going on, but I enjoyed it anyway. It must have been the 2010s before I was able to reconnect with Dr Who on cable, binge watching and even buying some DVD sets. I'm all-in for any Weeping Angels or Dalek episodes.

I liked Jodie in other shows and looked forward to her as Who. I didn't make it past 2 episodes. I can't remember if it was Jodie, the companions, the writing, or the wokeness that turned me off. The whole thing was just awful. Hopefully, the new guy can turn it around.

Any horror fan should at least check out the 1st Weeping Angels episode called "Don't Blink".

 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
Smith couldn't, but I think Tennant could have done.
I need to rewatch Tenant. My initial reaction would be to politely disagree, but then DT did have his darker moments. Oh well, a good excuse to go on a DW binge this weekend. :)
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
My suggestion for RTD's new Doctor: Paul McGann.

Yep, do a few seasons of that "old" Doctor. You have a whole bunch of Big Finish scripts that can be dusted off for television with little editing needed. Paul "deserves" to actually have a real "run" as the Doctor and he's still young enough to do it, and it can fill in a bunch of the "missing history" for the TV show.

I need to rewatch Tenant. My initial reaction would be to politely disagree, but then DT did have his darker moments. Oh well, a good excuse to go on a DW binge this weekend. :)

Having seen some of the other stuff that Tennant has done, I think he has the ability to pull it off (even if we'd agree Capaldi still does it better) although it might have been more of a course change for the way his version of the Doctor had been written for the majority of his run.

(So Tennant could do it, but it doesn't suit the "Tennant Doctor").
 
The core of Dr Who is horror blended with sci-fi. The possibilities are endless if you have writers with imagination and talent.
 

oc_in_fw

Fridays are Fishtastic!
My suggestion for RTD's new Doctor: Paul McGann.

Yep, do a few seasons of that "old" Doctor. You have a whole bunch of Big Finish scripts that can be dusted off for television with little editing needed. Paul "deserves" to actually have a real "run" as the Doctor and he's still young enough to do it, and it can fill in a bunch of the "missing history" for the TV show.



Having seen some of the other stuff that Tennant has done, I think he has the ability to pull it off (even if we'd agree Capaldi still does it better) although it might have been more of a course change for the way his version of the Doctor had been written for the majority of his run.

(So Tennant could do it, but it doesn't suit the "Tennant Doctor").
Been meaning to start watching Good Omens.
 
My suggestion for RTD's new Doctor: Paul McGann.

Yep, do a few seasons of that "old" Doctor. You have a whole bunch of Big Finish scripts that can be dusted off for television with little editing needed. Paul "deserves" to actually have a real "run" as the Doctor and he's still young enough to do it, and it can fill in a bunch of the "missing history" for the TV show.



Having seen some of the other stuff that Tennant has done, I think he has the ability to pull it off (even if we'd agree Capaldi still does it better) although it might have been more of a course change for the way his version of the Doctor had been written for the majority of his run.

(So Tennant could do it, but it doesn't suit the "Tennant Doctor").

I'd love to see McGann, like yourself I really enjoyed the Big Finish audio plays but I can't see it happening.

Olly Alexander has been mentioned a few times to take over, it'd make sense he's worked with RTD before.
 
Absorbaloft > Danny Pink.

RTD would indulge in a silly story now and then. Moffat would indulge in an overly contrived story ark that buggered up a whole season or more. Moffat was superb as a writer: name the three best RTD stories, and you have probably mentioned at least two shows Moffat wrote.

Blink > Capaldi.

To Doc’s point, if you look at the body of episodes for new Who (Wikipedia is outstanding in this regard), Moffat is responsible for several of the great episodes in RTD’s tenure (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances (high water mark for Eccleston IMO); The Girl in the Fireplace; Silence in the Library; and Blink). I take comfort that RTD personally wrote many of the touchstone episodes of his tenure as showrunner. Very good stuff there.

There is no reason why they can’t do a retro series with McGann. It would be an excellent opportunity to show off early years of the Time War before he went to visit Ophira and the Sisterhood of Karn and regenerated into the War Doctor.

Oh, and one last plug. Everyone should do themselves a favor and watch or listen to the Tom Baker era Brain of Morbius, which introduced us to the Sisterhood in the first place. Top work by Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane.
 
I never really gave the current lineup a chance. I watched a few story arcs and got kind of turned off. Sometime between now and 2023 I am going to have to make myself pick it back up. I loved both Davies and Moffat, but, Chibnall and the companions killed it for me.
 
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