Doctor Who

[Onno]

What your thoughts on the season arc? I still like it, though it could have been executed better, and it's definitely the weakest Moffat-era season arc in my opinion.

I loved the season arc, but it was indeed a bit rushed. I liked all the episodes though, even though The Curse of the Black Spot and Night Terrors weren't that fantastic and didn't really fit into the story arc IMO.

[Super Dude]

Jeezum, this wait is killing me worse than the last DT album cycle.

[Jamesman42]

I'm actually not thinking "holy fuck give me new DW now". This will be my first season where I get to start as the episodes come, and I feel patient for that to start.

[BlackInk]

I'm actually not thinking "holy fuck give me new DW now". This will be my first season where I get to start as the episodes come, and I feel patient for that to start.

Same situation, same patience.

[ozzy554]

Well at least I still have some classic who to watch while waiting for the new season. Im currently in the sixth doctor era

[Scorpion]

I fucking love Colin Baker. A great, refreshing change from the rather wet-blanket that the 5th Doctor was (okay, that's pretty harsh, but it does go into that direction - he was much less of a forceful personality than pretty much any of the other Doctors), even though some of the stories are atrocious with a capital A (The Twin Dilemma, I'm looking at you!). He and Peri made a great team.

Favourites from the Colin Baker era would be Vengeance on Varos, Revelation of the Daleks, The Mysterious Planet and Mindwarp.

Also, just because, here's a ranking of the Doctors of the classic era.

1. Tom Baker
2. Sylvester McCoy
3. Patrick Troughton
4. Jon Pertwee
5. Colin Baker
6. William Hartnell
7. Peter Davison

[masterthes]

Almost done with Pertwee. Just have Planet of the Spiders to go. May do a top 10 after. We'll see

[El JoNNo]

Anyone else find the classic series to be drawn out too much? I've watched a number of the Tom Baker episodes and i find they drag the scenes on far too long. I feel that many of the stories can be condensed from 4 episodes to 2 or 3.

[ariich]

1. Tom Baker
2. Paul McGann
3. Patrick Troughton
4. Jon Pertwee
5. Peter Davison
6. Colin Baker
7. Sylvester McCoy
8. William Hartnell

Anyone else find the classic series to be drawn out too much? I've watched a number of the Tom Baker episodes and i find they drag the scenes on far too long. I feel that many of the stories can be condensed from 4 episodes to 2 or 3.

At times, for sure. I think that aspect of the show got better as it went on though.

[Jaq]

The pace of episodic television has grown faster as time has gone on. For it's time, Doctor Who was actually considered a very pacy show, with only the six part episodes (and of course the monstrous ones in the early years that went from 7 to 10 episodes) feeling padded. Transplant a television viewer from 1970 to today and they would have flat out culture shock trying to watch a modern Doctor Who episode, which is essentially two old episodes in length doing the job of four. Plus it was a function of the budget, especially in the early days, when the time between episode production and airing was absurdly short: the longer you can use the same set and the same shot, the better.

[ozzy554]

I actually like the old format better. The doctor had more time to look around and investigate things to find a solution instead of using his sonic screwdriver to get out of every situation. One of the my favorite things that JNT did with the series was get rid of the screwdriver because he thought it made things to easy for the doctor then.

[Scorpion]

Anyone else find the classic series to be drawn out too much? I've watched a number of the Tom Baker episodes and i find they drag the scenes on far too long. I feel that many of the stories can be condensed from 4 episodes to 2 or 3.

It got better as the years went on - during SMC's time, nothing really dragged anymore (though to be fair that was at the longest four and sometimes even three eps), but I also have to say while there are some that are far too long, there are a few serials that are astoundingly long and EXTREMELY good as well, making them kinda a double win - The War Games comes to mind.

[jonny108]

Some news!

Hermione Norris to guest star in Doctor Who opposite Peter Capaldi when Doctor Who returns this Autumn.

Speaking about her casting, Hermione Norris said, ‘It’s exciting to be part of such an iconic show, and one that my kids can watch!!!’

Norris has recently been starring in The Crimson Field on BBC One, and is no stranger to solving mysteries having played Ros Myers in the BAFTA award-winning drama Spooks. Prior to that she starred in comedy-drama Cold Feet.

Steven Moffat, lead writer and Executive Producer, said, ‘It’s a testament to the quality of Peter Harness’s intense and emotional script, that we’ve been able to attract an actress of the brilliance of Hermione Norris. And for the first time since 1984, the Doctor Who production team is heading to Lanzarote. The Doctor is returning to the scene of an old adventure – but there have been sinister changes since his last visit.’

The episode is written by Peter Harness (Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Wallander), produced by Peter Bennett and directed by Paul Wilmshurst (Strike Back, Combat Kids). The episode also stars Ellis George, Tony Osoba and Phil Nice.

Other guest stars confirmed to join Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman in the new series, which will TX on BBC One later this year, include Ben Miller, Tom Riley and Keeley Hawes.

They're currently shooting block 4 of the new series (episodes 7 and 8) written by Peter Harness and Jamie Mathieson. Two new writers!

[Scorpion]

OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD.

I love Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, so I'm fucking psyched to hear the guy writing an episode - let's hope he's as good with screenplay as he is with novels.

And Lanzarote? That would mean Planet of Fire, right? Weird... I was pretty certain that pretty much everything was said and done there, so what can that possibly mean?

[masterthes]

Susannah Clarke wrote Jonathan Strange. I don't know what you are thinking

[Super Dude]

I actually like the old format better. The doctor had more time to look around and investigate things to find a solution instead of using his sonic screwdriver to get out of every situation. One of the my favorite things that JNT did with the series was get rid of the screwdriver because he thought it made things to easy for the doctor then.

Oh yeah, and with the early Dalek episodes especially, seeing the COMPANIONS be the ones that save the day! Who would believe that in new Who?

[Scorpion]

Susannah Clarke wrote Jonathan Strange. I don't know what you are thinking

... I don't know it either. I just read JS & MN in brackets behind Peter Harness and had a brainfart.

[masterthes]

So here's roughly my top 10 from the Pertwee era. This was tough

10. The Curse of Peladon
9. Inferno
8. The Time Warrior
7. Monster of Peladon
6. The Daemons
5. Colony In Space
4. The Time Monster
3. Carnival of Monsters
2. The Three Doctors
1. The Mind of Evil

[Scorpion]

Yeah, I agree that it's tough. Mine would be something like this:

10. The Ambassadors of Death
09. The Time Warrior
08. The Three Doctor
07. Day of the Daleks
06. The Curse of Peladon
05. The Silurians
04. Inferno
03. Spearhead from Space
02. Invasion of the Dinosaurs
01. Carnival of Monsters

It's a great era though - also, here's my Top 10 from Tom Baker.

10. The Android Invasion
09. The Brain of Morbius
08. The Deadly Assassin
07. Genesis of the Daleks
06. The Ribos Operation
05. Warrior's Gate
04. Pyramids of Mars
03. The Talons of Weng-Chiang
02. The Ark in Space
01. The Pirate Planet

[ariich]

I would say Inferno is easily Pertwee's best, what an excellent story!

[jonny108]

More casting news!

Comedian Frank Skinner is to guest star in Series 8 of Doctor Who.

Skinner is set to appear in Jamie Mathieson’s episode alongside David Bamber, Daisy Beaumont, Janet Henfrey and Christopher Villiers.

Skinner said: “I love this show. I subscribe to Doctor Who magazine, I’ve got a TARDIS ringtone, a five-foot cardboard Dalek in my bedroom and when I got the call saying they wanted me to read for the part, I was in the back of my tour bus watching episode three of The Sensorites. I am beyond excited.”

Steven Moffat said: “It’s no secret that Frank’s been pitching vigorously to get into Doctor Who for a while. He’s been volunteering to be ‘third monster on the left’ as long as I’ve been in this job.

“But now, in Jamie Mathieson’s sparkling script, we finally have a part that can showcase all of Frank’s famous wit and charm. Hopefully he’ll get out of my garden now.”

[ariich]

I love Moffat's comments.

That's cool anyway, should be fun!

[masterthes]

Already finished Baker's first season (and for the record, I'd rank Genesis over Ark in Space already)

[Scorpion]

I dunno... I find Genesis is plagued by the problem that many 4+-parters have... it's just too long. Now, there are exceptions (The War Games is one of my favourite serials, for example, as is Talons of Weng-Chiang), but on the whole I prefer the 4 parters. Plus, the set in Ark in Space is one of my favourites... I love how the sterility of it enhances the creepiness of the serial.

Plus, the whole "Do I have the right?" scene in Genesis is AWESOMELY acted, but the whole "Oh look, I can't commit genocide... let's drop it and have a Dalek run over it to wash the Doctor's hand of it" has always irked me. That, and the giant clams.

Don't get me wrong, I love Genesis, but I don't find it quite as good as the general opinion seems to be.

[ariich]

I never worry too much about the quality of the effects/props/monsters in classic Who.

So ignoring the giant clams, I think Genesis is fantastic.

[masterthes]

Oh yes, that whole speech was simply marvelous. Baker has had me hooked right from the start

[jonny108]

First teaser trailer. Airing August!!   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYN6ruU672Y

[BlobVanDam]

I saw it earlier. I was all excited for a teaser, but I'm not sure that's even enough to tease. Ooh, it's a still silhouette against the TARDIS set!

[Super Dude]

As one commenter pointed out, this shows us less than we already know.

[BlobVanDam]

That's true.
We've seen Capaldi in costume already, both officially and in set footage, so there's nothing to reveal there as far as we know. The silhouette therefore doesn't tease at anything. It shows the TARDIS exploding, but TOTD already showed that the TARDIS was crashing and that the new season will start off with that danger, so nothing new there either, assuming this is from that same incident. So that doesn't tease at anything unexpected either.

What a Doc-tease.

[Jamesman42]

New font on "Doctor Who"? Or am I making that up?

Edit: Also, and obviously this could be wrong, but the teaser gives off a feel that the show is gonna get darker than Matt Smith's era.

I'm down for that.

[BlobVanDam]

New font on "Doctor Who"? Or am I making that up?

Edit: Also, and obviously this could be wrong, but the teaser gives off a feel that the show is gonna get darker than Matt Smith's era.

I'm down for that.

Being such a short teaser, I'm not sure it's indicative of anything, but it would be in line with what I've read. This doctor is supposed to be more serious, and Moffatt said they're changing things up. I don't have a preference either way, as long as it's done well, and utilizes Capaldi's strengths to make a great Doctor.

It's the same font as before, but the letter spacing and aspect ratio has been changed to the season 7 version, so it does look noticeably different.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't have a preference either way, as long as it's done well, and utilizes Capaldi's strengths to make a great Doctor.

So the Doctor will now curse like a sailor?

Hell yes 

[robwebster]

It's the same font as before, but the letter spacing and aspect ratio has been changed to the season 7 version, so it does look noticeably different.

They've got rid of the DW emblem, too. From what I'm aware, it's a brand new logo, with a subtly different font, but it owes quite a lot to the previous one. I think they've got rid of the serifs, too?

[BlobVanDam]

It's the same font as before, but the letter spacing and aspect ratio has been changed to the season 7 version, so it does look noticeably different.

They've got rid of the DW emblem, too. From what I'm aware, it's a brand new logo, with a subtly different font, but it owes quite a lot to the previous one. I think they've got rid of the serifs, too?

Series 7 doesn't include the DW emblem with the writing, it's shown afterwards, which is what they've also done here, showing it at the end of the video.
Upon closer look, the "topology" (for lack of a better term) of the letters is the same in terms of serifs etc, but you're right that it is a brand new logo/font, subtly different to the old one. Just a bit of a refresh to spruce it up a bit.

From this I'm expecting another periodic update of the intro, and maybe the music too. The series 7B intro has actually been my least favourite so far (including the music), so I'd be ok with that.