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"It feels different this time..." - The new Doctor Who Thread

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
Ah, okay. Yeah, I can see that, appearancewise. Pertwee, ultimately, was more of a tinkerer, while Troughton was more of a chemist/hippie/cosmic hobo. Whittaker has always felt to me like a Tennant riff.
 

Vaeran

(GRUNTING)
(he/him)
I wish Whittaker had gotten to play her Doctor under a showrunner and writing team that actually gave her something to work with instead of the literally nothing that she got. I'm trying to think of memorable moments or great episodes from Thirteen's run, but all I'm coming up with is things like her blowing off Graham's cancer confession, condemning the spiders to starve to death, standing up for Space Amazon... I had my problems with Capaldi's Doctor as well but he grew on me after a while, and had some really standout stories. Whittaker/Chibnall's era just feels like a flat, featureless expanse with a few "yikes" craters scattered across it. None of this is Whittaker's fault -- she did the best she could with the material she was given -- but it still feels shitty that the first female Doctor's tenure feels like such a bland misfire. I just have no real attachment to her, and that's a shame. Maybe she can be rehabilitated via Big Finish audios the way Colin Baker's Doctor was, but that's probably a ways off.

Anyway, I'm ready for a change. Another woman would be great, or a person of color, or both! Honestly, whatever it takes to make shitheads like Ian Levine choke on their own manbaby tears.
 

ThornGhost

lofi posts to relax/study to
(he/him)
Ah, okay. Yeah, I can see that, appearancewise. Pertwee, ultimately, was more of a tinkerer, while Troughton was more of a chemist/hippie/cosmic hobo. Whittaker has always felt to me like a Tennant riff.

That makes sense to me too. Tennant feels like the most universally liked Doctor of the current era, almost a baseline, so that seems the safest bet for a personality when making other major changes to the formula.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
It is a good article, and it's what I feel like as I've just started series 4 in my rewatch and a couple days ago I watched Partners in Crime, where the Tenth Doctor laddishly brags to Donna about Martha that "she fancied me," the smug asshole (I wanted to punch him more in that moment than even during the Sixth Doctor days, Peri-choking very much aside). The Tenth Doctor can be loveable and I like watching him, but he's not a carefree, happy go lucky guy who's always a delight to be around. I'm glad the article points out the Human Nature two parter at length - seeing John Smith turn into the Tenth Doctor is fascinatingly depressing, and Joan's dressing down of the Doctor after he asks her to travel with him is spot on (after which the Doctor silently leaves, like a sulking child).
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
I always thought it was taken as given that Ten has a some very dark sides bubbling just below (and occasionally above) the surface. He seriously toys with the idea that just giving in and becoming dictator of the universe to set things "right" would be a good idea - Time Lord Victorious and all that. A huge character arc through his run is his fear of where that path could take him and the degree to which he needs others to keep him grounded and not just going off the rails completely.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I am, quite literally, speechless. I have no idea what to make of it. Like, we've seen his Doctor Who already, we know it'll be better than Chibnall's. But why not hire someone new? Why not a woman showrunner? What the fuck?

At least it's not Pete McTighe, like I was positive it was going to be. Bullet dodged there.

My "wtf" is not negativity, btw. I am 100% bewildered is all.
 

Vaeran

(GRUNTING)
(he/him)
MASTER: hey remember that Timeless Child stuff
DOCTOR: yea
MASTER: lol i was kidding
DOCTOR: ...
MASTER: *boogies to Scissor Sisters for 42 minutes* :D!
 

Phantoon

I cuss you bad
Actually, I'm really happy Davies gets the 60th. He's a damn good writer, I just hope he's got new angles to try.
 

Phantoon

I cuss you bad
I suspect Davies was concerned that if the next showrunner was as inept as Chibnall Doctor Who was heading to a cancelling again.
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Well huh. That's maybe not as exciting as some of our best suggestions, but certainly much better than our worst fears. I won't begrudge him another shot at it all.
 

Kazin

did i do all of that?
(he/him)
I suspect Davies was concerned that if the next showrunner was as inept as Chibnall Doctor Who was heading to a cancelling again.
The more I think about this news (and it's pretty much dominated my thoughts all day lol), the more I think this is a damning indictment on the Chibnall era. I mean, I don't think Davies would just come back to "save" Doctor Who (he's too good a writer to regress in his career like this, so I'm betting he has a great new idea for the show), but the BBC themselves absolutely would try to lure him back on that pretense if the Chibnall era isn't as well received as they want it to be.

Or, perhaps my dislike of the Chibnall era is blinding me. What I wouldn't give for Davies' unfiltered/uncensored thoughts on The Battle of Ribbles and Kilts and The Timeless Children, though. "Shite," I'd imagine.
 

ThornGhost

lofi posts to relax/study to
(he/him)
Yeah, this seems...fine? Davies' original pitch for Who was a strong one and I imagine whatever his new thoughts are will be good too. I wish Whittaker would stick around just for the chance to have a stronger show runner with her, but I get it.
 

Gaer

chat.exe a cessé de fonctionner
Staff member
Moderator
I am excited to watch Dr. Who again.

It would be great if someone else was the showrunner too, but RTD will at least have a chance to make Dr. Who super fucking gay now.

The queerest.

Seriously thank the gods above and below for this.

Maybe the starts could align and grant us a true miracle and Whittaker stays for one more season?

Please?
 

Positronic Brain

Out Of Warranty
(He/him)
Whittaker and RTD would be too good for this earth, the BBC would collapse under its awesomeness and the resulting explosion would reverberate in time and undo Brexit and make half the PMs grow a heart. Not happening. A shame.

(I’m too excited about RTD - he’s a known quantity and as much as like things to move forward, at least I can count on him to do a good job.)
 

Positronic Brain

Out Of Warranty
(He/him)
Addendum- I don’t know what RTD’s plans for the 60th is, but odds are it’ll be a multi doctor thing, so maybe we’ll get a bit of Thirteen and RTD together after all. And if he manages to get Nine onboard I’ll scream, and if he gets Nine and Twelve to share at least a scene I swear I’ll name my firstborn after him*.

* offer may be cancelled at any time by Ms Brain
 
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Phantoon

I cuss you bad
I think we can rule 9 out happening with Davies, ever. Doctor Who irreparably destroyed their relationship, and I don't think Eccleston is the kind of person to forgive.
 

Phantoon

I cuss you bad
Shooting the first block something happened. I think they were hugely short of time and people were being treated very badly. Chris is a good guy and wasn't having it and bridges got incinerated.
 

Sprite

(He/Him/His)
I can’t wait for Who fans to be like, “Russell T Davies is ruining the show, there’s no way this would have happened under Russell T Davies”
 
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