[Dr. Who] Doctor Who 2005

[Vilandra]

If you’ve been wondering what the new series of Doctor Who will be like, here’s your chance! We get the inside view from Russell T Davies…
Doctor Who is everywhere. And there’s no one more surprised about that than the executive producer of the hotly-anticipated BBC TV series, Russell T Davies. In recent weeks, though, Davies’s name has become just as widespread, his quotes appearing everywhere from Radio Times to The Guardian to Teletext to Radio 1. When a men’s magazine recently decided to photograph series star Billie Piper in her skimpies for their cover, Davies was there too. Well, not there, but in a little mini-interview alongside Billie’s. The reason for all this is very simple: he’s excited about what’s been accomplished on the new series and wants to tell the world. “The funny thing is,” he admits, “during all the years that it was off air, I never really used to dream about bringing it back. I used to wish it was on, but I was very happy with what it had been as well, and I thought we’d have to wait another 20 years until it came back; I thought a whole generation would have to pass. Little did I notice myself getting older and a whole generation did pass. You don’t feel like that when you’re living it; you think you’re always 21.

“I really thought it would come back in 2020 in the way that Sherlock Holmes gets revived every so often, something like that. So I didn’t plan it. I hadn’t been sitting there scribbling out ideas; I’d literally not sat and thought what I would do with it until they phoned up and said, ‘We want to make it,’ and then I’m like, ‘Oh, f**k’. The fact that I know it so well, that I had thought about it passively for so long, meant I did know straight away what I wanted to do with it.”

Davies has already had one well-received stab at Doctor Who with the Virgin New Adventures novel Damaged Goods, but he’s now been presented with a blank slate. His plan for relaunching the show is amazingly simple: “To keep the absolute basics: Time Lord, TARDIS, that essential core grouping of an alien with a Human together travelling through Time and Space. It’s a genius idea. You look at what they did in 1963 and they were brilliant. Whoever sat in that office and said, ‘Let’s have the inside bigger than the outside’ – we’re so used to that idea we take it for granted, and it’s genius! It’s absolute genius! How clever were they? So all of that you leave intact.

by Paul Spragg

Source: Cult Times (http://www.visimag.com/culttimes/c115_feat01.htm)

[prydain]

They should attempt a U.S. version of this.

[Vilandra]

They probably will lol

[Gollanth]

Have you had any of the eps in the States yet?

Chris Eccleston is pretty believable as the Dr and it's a shame he's now left for pastures new. I've never been a big fan of the series generally, but this one was pretty watchable.

[prydain]

No I don't think the U.S. has had them.

[Vilandra]

Nope, it's not aired here in the US. :(

[prydain]

It sounds kinda weird anyway. :P

[Vilandra]

Astrid is apparently sending me some tapes, so we shall see...

[prydain]

Haha cool. It needs a different name. IMO, anyway.

[Gollanth]

Haha cool. It needs a different name. IMO, anyway.
OMG!!! :eek: You can't change the name of the programme!! It's a tradition. It'd be like changing the name of Star Wars.

[Allycat]

Isn't it also a typical British show? I don't think they could get away with doing an american version... that'd be the same as a European Simpsons-family... it's just not right. ;)

[Vilandra]

I think they would just show the same show here...

[Rose Tyler]

Astrid is apparently sending me some tapes, so we shall see...

And she has them done too...they are somewhere under my bed. So just for you I shall venture under my bed, if you don't hear from me in a week then call my mother :D

I don't agree with changing Dr Who, it should just be shown as it is, its part of the beauty of it. I loved the new series Chris definatly made an excellent Doctor. And Billie Piper was not too bad either as Rose. I'm keeping my mind open for David Tennent but I wish he had kept his real accent instead of changing it :(

[Allycat]

I'm new to watching Doctor Who... I just saw the first four episodes of the new series over this weekend. My friend (Faldor from BB, for those who go there) urged me to watch it. It was great fun! Certainly not, qualitively speaking, on the same level as HEX, but enjoyable nonetheless. Hopefully I'll be getting more episodes soon. And I can join in an actual discussion... when's the second season coming out?

[dashboardprophet]

I'm a big fan of 'Dr Who', going back more years than I care to remember. Back in the days of my childhood everybody seemed to watch the show. It used to get gigantic viewing figures at its peak and it has never lost its iconic status in Britain. Prior to Buffy, I would probably have chosen it as my favourite TV show ever.

I was surprised when the BBC finally brought it back. There have been numerous failed attempts to do so in the past and I had largely given up any hope of it happening. I think Russell T Davies did a brilliant job, although I understand some fans were not enamoured with the episodes he wrote. Personally, I loved them and he has my eternal gratitude.

I wasn't sure about the casting of Billie Piper beforehand, but she was a revelation. Mind you, I recently watched the new BBC updating of 'Much Ado About Nothing' and realised what a good actor she is. It took me a few episodes to acclimatise myself to Christopher Eccleston but by the end I thought he was tremendous. It's a shame he decided only to stay for one season, but each new doctor is a new start. It's the way the show always used to work and it will continue like that.

Fantastic stuff!

[Mr Pointy]

I'm new to watching Doctor Who... I just saw the first four episodes of the new series over this weekend. My friend (Faldor from BB, for those who go there) urged me to watch it. It was great fun! Certainly not, qualitively speaking, on the same level as HEX, but enjoyable nonetheless. Hopefully I'll be getting more episodes soon. And I can join in an actual discussion... when's the second season coming out?
The second season should be on the BBC sometime next Spring but before that there will be a Christmas special showing on BBC1 on Christmas Day - David Tennant's first full ep btw. The new season will show the return of the Doctor's old enemies the Cybermen, in the same way that last season showed the return of the Daleks, as well as the return of some of the Doctor's old allies and at least one ep features Buffy's Anthony Head (as a villain, I believe)

You have a few choice eps to see yet Ally - my personal faves from the last season are the Second World War based two-parter(The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances) and the two Dalek stories (Dalek and Bad Wolf/The Parting of the Ways).

Check out the BBC's Doctor Who site for more info - HERE (http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/)

I also find that Faldor's recommendations are usually well worth checking out :)

[Vilandra]

Yep I'm still a-waiting Astrid to send me my Christopher Eccleston fix...yep :p

So Allycat, your initial impression of what the show would be like was wrong then? I repeat Allycat was wrong. :p ;) :D

[Allycat]

Hate to disappoint you Vilandra, but where did I actually state any kind of initial impression I had?! In fact, I had very little initial impression, because I had absolutely no clue what it would be about... I went into it, completely blind!

But rest assured, I have probably been of will be wrong at one point or rather... so you can do your ritual dance anyway :p

[Vilandra]

Oh wait that was prydain that was ripping on it lol :D

[prydain]

Oh wait that was prydain that was ripping on it lol :D


What the hell did I do?!

Picking on prydain >>>>>>>>>>>:lame:

;)

Sorry, I've been trying to find an excuse to use that emoticon FOREVER. :bigglasse

[Vilandra]

Oh yeah?

prydain = :lame:

:p

[prydain]

:tank: I'm coming after you Vilandra! lol

All who stand in my way shall end up.... :hanged:

Have a nice day!:sun:

[Vilandra]

:Axesmilie :fishslap: :crazymonk :hanli: :lol2:

[prydain]

WOw that axe seems pretty painful o_0

[prydain]

So...I'm watching this right now, and I'm thinking to myself "What the hell is this?!" but it's not BAD. My mom, who was a HUGE fan of the old ghetto version is loving it.

[Vilandra]

I'm loving it, but then again I love Chris Eccleston. Even if he is a United supporter lol

[prydain]

Gotta love Britney Spears' "Toxic" being "classical music", lol.

[Vilandra]

I laughed so hard at that part lol :D

[prydain]

Well I've never been high or anything...but I think this is one of those shows that you can REALLY enjoy after smokin' something, based on what people tell me, lol.

Overall it's an entertaining show but some stuff just confuses me. Even though I love sci-fi and fantasy, most good skiffy shows make the unbelievable seem believable, but this show requires a MASSIVE suspension of disbelief. That talking flab of skin? Living plastic? It's just...odd.

But I think I'll watch it next week, if I'm home. An interesting way to pass an hour.

[Black Eye Guy]

Gotta love Britney Spears' "Toxic" being "classical music", lol.

That I think was one of the funniest bit's in the entire series!

Prydain have you see more of it? What do you think now?
I have to say that I initially ignored thins show because I though it sounded really odd. But After I took the recommendation of the people on here (It was also mainly because Vil added the Doctor who section, I thought I should check it out so I could discuss - That’s Vil I owe you a great show now, lol ;)) and I watched it, I saw the first ep and really liked it, then just couldn't stop, I really felt like I was missing out by having now watched it before this!