Timey Wimey Business- a thread for Doctor Who
- Thread starter AgentOrange
- Start date
Especially now that the limit is no longer a concern, why does it matter?
I'm not too fond of it either, but they did leave hints that this could happen way back in Day of the Doctor, specifically the curator who just so happens to look like the 4th Doctor mentioning something about "revisiting a few of your favorites"
As to why, for me I think it's because there's other Doctors out there that they could have used instead. McGann only has one episode and a movie to his name outside Big Finnish for example! I never was really into the 10th, but my understanding is his popularity is up there with Tom Baker's incarnation relatively speaking, so from a "bringing people back" standpoint I can see why, and there's probably some element of RJD worked well with him in the past, but it feels like a missed opportunity or a publicity stunt at first glance.
You know, I think ti's that tinge of "publicity stunt" that really sticks in my craw, on reflection. On the other hand, maybe it means they could bring Jodie back for a better season later, or McGann(or do a flashback pre-Time War season maybe?). Or my personal preferance, more Capaldi WITHOUT Clara trying to steal the spotlight.
As to why, for me I think it's because there's other Doctors out there that they could have used instead. McGann only has one episode and a movie to his name outside Big Finnish for example! I never was really into the 10th, but my understanding is his popularity is up there with Tom Baker's incarnation relatively speaking, so from a "bringing people back" standpoint I can see why, and there's probably some element of RJD worked well with him in the past, but it feels like a missed opportunity or a publicity stunt at first glance.
You know, I think ti's that tinge of "publicity stunt" that really sticks in my craw, on reflection. On the other hand, maybe it means they could bring Jodie back for a better season later, or McGann(or do a flashback pre-Time War season maybe?). Or my personal preferance, more Capaldi WITHOUT Clara trying to steal the spotlight.
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I'd very much love to see more of Paul McGann on-screen, but if we're stipulating "use a previous Doctor-actor as a new incarnation" to start with, I don't think there's much argument that David Tennant has the most fans of the viable alternatives (Tom Baker can still do a great job with voice acting, but few would argue he could pull it off physically at this stage, and he's the only one who even *approaches* the same level of sheer popularity, IMHO).
But, yes, there's no point arguing that it isn't a "publicity stunt." But, IMHO, we *expect* that for the 60th anniversary.
But, yes, there's no point arguing that it isn't a "publicity stunt." But, IMHO, we *expect* that for the 60th anniversary.
It's certainly a mix of "desperate PR stunt" and that it feels like catering to a very specific crowd of the modern fandom that has been wanting him to "de-regenerate" back into 10, since 10 left. I would like it much better if it had been any other previous Doctor. It just feels that this just them struggling and doing all they can to draw people back after Chibnal's seasons were so lack luster.
Yeah, I perfectly get the whys like I said above, and if it's what needs to be done to keep Who alive, great. It's just not my personal preferance. If I were to name a "publicity stunt" I'd want to see for the 60th, it'd be a multiple Doctors vs multiple Masters faceoff. Heck, you could even throw Missy there on the side of Light. You could even bring 10 back as one of the multiple Doctors, I'd be cool with that. You wouldn't even have to delay the actual new Doctor's debut that way.
I would have loved a Multi-Doc story as Jodie's actual last, let RTD have a chance at her Doctor and still bring back 10 for it. Right now the 60th feels less like a celebration and more like BBC begging people to come back. "Look, we brought back RTD! He actually know how to write the show!" "Look We brought back David Tennant! He's the actual for real Doctor, we swear it!" "Hey, we're even doing something with Donna! Please clap!"
But, Jenna Coleman is a babe.
Well, I finally worked up the nerve to sit down and start watching Jodie Whitaker's final year. Only one episode in so far...and dang it all, it feels like way too much is happening all at once.
I don't think that's horrible, and I know that everything will be sorted out, but still.
I don't think that's horrible, and I know that everything will be sorted out, but still.
I feel that due to the lack of episodes, there was a lot of exposition...
Still, this feels less like a season opener and more like a season finale. Granted, it's the start of the arc for Whitaker's finale, but still.
So apparently Disney is involved in Who now - officially announced as of a week ago or so. They're starting a new season numbering with the new season, and it's going to be on Disney+, though no word if the stuff before the anniversary specials will be. Sounds like they'll have a bigger budget and aim for a more cinematic experience... which could be good or bad so I'm withholding judgement for now. This also makes sense of why they brought RTD back beyond just knowing he'll bring back a bunch of potentially lapsed fans - he helmed the kickoff after the break before, and since this is essentially another new kickoff(just without the break) why not bring back the guy who made it work?
I'm curious about what people will call the eras now, because it'll be more than just Classic Who and nuWHo or whatever. Too bad it's not Japanese because the breaks line up pretty well with the Showa/Heisei/Reiwa divisions that get used in toku(which Who technically is, albeit British toku).
I'm curious about what people will call the eras now, because it'll be more than just Classic Who and nuWHo or whatever. Too bad it's not Japanese because the breaks line up pretty well with the Showa/Heisei/Reiwa divisions that get used in toku(which Who technically is, albeit British toku).
Whoniverse era. Based on BBC embracing that as the branding umbrella for the entire franchise.
Last I checked with Disney, they get the right to put Doctor Who on Disney plus across the globe aside from the UK and don't have a say in the production of the show and their not really in a procession to boss the BBC around at a time when they are struggling and the BBC is under pressure due to the license fee going to be scrapped when the current charter ends and last I checked RTD production company got bought by Sony not long after it was announced he was returning and they had the rights to produce Doctor Who, so the brand is pretty much caught up in a three way tug of war and I expect Sony would like a return on their investment while the BBC needs to get people watching the show again after the ratings dropped badly during Jode's tenure as the Doctor, which is why David was bought back to play the titlar character, for Disney, its just content for their failing streaming service, so the show needs to be good to justfiy the money spent!
My bad, apparently it was announced last year, I just missed it somehow or forgot about it... saw October 25th in the article and overlooked the year when I looked for more info.
There's specific anecdotes mentioned of Disney making requests for changes that did go through. So it's a bit more than just hosting the show for their streaming service.
As for era names, the best one I can think of for the era ending might be the Revival era. So we'd have Classic, Revival, then Whoniverse it sounds like.
Disney apparently has more input than you think: https://cultbox.co.uk/news/disneys-role-in-doctor-who-production-clarified
There's specific anecdotes mentioned of Disney making requests for changes that did go through. So it's a bit more than just hosting the show for their streaming service.
As for era names, the best one I can think of for the era ending might be the Revival era. So we'd have Classic, Revival, then Whoniverse it sounds like.
And what the Dickens is this?
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From what I can find, the Tales of the TARDIS stuff is the Doctor Who equivalent of our Gen 2 Cybernet Spacecube episodes - they edited some old Classic Who serials into a single episode, then recorded new bookend footage for the start and finish(presumably this was for a Doctor #7 episode) to frame it as them remembering the adventure. Funded entirely by BBC, no Disney money, so it won't be showing up on Disney+, just on BBC's stuff. Apparently there's only about 6 episodes they did this for, as a part of the 60th celebration. No idea how it fits into canon though, if at all, given McCoy's Doctor regenerated before getting that physically old - maybe it's a future incarnation that happened to look like him, given the Curator hint and it outright happening with 14? Or perhaps it's related to when Jodie had the alternate Doctors running around during that final story with the Master trying to steal her body?
... random thought: we know McGann regenerated into the war doctor into 9, and a McCoy Doctor regenerated into 8, but the TARDIS usually doesn't change unless the Doctor does, and the 7 that regenerates into 8 had a different looking TARDIS I believe than the last time we saw 7 in the Classic episodes. Theoretically, 7 could have gotten old like this, regenned into a unknown number of Doctors(potentially including the Valeyard) then back into 7, where the movie picks up from. You'd have to throw in some memory wiping, but they already did that with the Division and the Fugitive Doctor. The only issue left(and the thornier one) would be the regeneration issue, but you could tie that back into the Valeyard probably and do something neat with it. Not that I expect this is at all likely, but a fun little thought exercise now that they've opened the door for it with 14 copying 10.
... random thought: we know McGann regenerated into the war doctor into 9, and a McCoy Doctor regenerated into 8, but the TARDIS usually doesn't change unless the Doctor does, and the 7 that regenerates into 8 had a different looking TARDIS I believe than the last time we saw 7 in the Classic episodes. Theoretically, 7 could have gotten old like this, regenned into a unknown number of Doctors(potentially including the Valeyard) then back into 7, where the movie picks up from. You'd have to throw in some memory wiping, but they already did that with the Division and the Fugitive Doctor. The only issue left(and the thornier one) would be the regeneration issue, but you could tie that back into the Valeyard probably and do something neat with it. Not that I expect this is at all likely, but a fun little thought exercise now that they've opened the door for it with 14 copying 10.
Cheers! Yes, I just found a wiki about it (as Wikipedia's entry seems to redirect me to either page without the info about it) :
- https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/Tales_of_the_TARDIS
I think all of the new segments are available at YouTube too (for those without iPlayer).
Also for those that didn't know this; I didn't till recently; there is an app/streaming service called BritBox and they have a lot of BBC stuff on their for $9 a month; including the entirety of Classic Doctor Who. As well as stuff like Black Adder, Red Dwarf, Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes, Mr. Bean etc.
Disney + has now hit the reset button again for the 2nd time and again calling it Series I.
This will likely include the 3 specials with the 14th Doctor.
Disney wants this to be a new series fresh out of the gate.
More to come on this as confirmed.
I had seen Generation II on DVD (2nd era from BBC.)
What do you guys think of Disney hitting the reset button again?
Overall I feel the 15th Doctor is considered Series XL for continuity reasons.
This will likely include the 3 specials with the 14th Doctor.
Disney wants this to be a new series fresh out of the gate.
More to come on this as confirmed.
I had seen Generation II on DVD (2nd era from BBC.)
What do you guys think of Disney hitting the reset button again?
Overall I feel the 15th Doctor is considered Series XL for continuity reasons.