SPOILER WARNING. IT WOULD BE RATHER DIFFICULT TO DISCUSS THIS WITHOUT DISCUSSING WHAT HAPPENS IN IT. NOTHING MAJOR BUT I WILL TALK ABOUT THE HURT DOCTOR.
SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHO JOHN HURT IS PLAYING, TURN BACK NOW.
Alo Party Peoples.
Today I am doing something different. I usually wouldn't cover television, but since this is a feature length episode of one of my favorite shows, I decided to try it out. In particular, the fiftieth anniversary episode of Doctor Who. However, since many of you are likely unfamiliar with Doctor Who, I will provide some background first.
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC. It is also the longest running science fiction television series ever, having first aired on November 23 1963. It is about an alien, the titular Doctor, that travels with his human companions all over time and space. Hijinks insue. He does this in a police call box, Which is actually a living and sentient time machine called the TARDIS that is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
The classic series aired from 1963 to 1989 with a brief hiatus in 1985. In 1989 it was cancelled for various reasons that I don't have time to discuss here. There was an attempt to bring it back in 1996 with a TV movie that failed. It was then brought back sucessfully in 2005 and has been airing since.
How can a show about one person last for fifty years? When William Hartnell, the First Doctor, left the show due to his failing health they came up with the idea that when near death the Doctor's species, Time Lords, had the ability to "regenerate" healing any damage to the body with the trade off being a complete change in appearance and personality.
How can a show about one person last for fifty years? When William Hartnell, the First Doctor, left the show due to his failing health they came up with the idea that when near death the Doctor's species, Time Lords, had the ability to "regenerate" healing any damage to the body with the trade off being a complete change in appearance and personality.
This allowed them to change lead actors without having to worry about the audience thinking that this new guy wasn't the same guy. To date twelve actors have portrayed the Doctor in canon, with one being added in retroactively in between Eight and Nine. Occasionally he meets himself, usually on an anniversary.
It is rather niche in the US perhaps because the classic era was only ever imported on PBS stations, but in the UK it is much more mainstream, it's even a family show over there, and the revived series has a growing following in the US.
Overall it is a great show, and a favorite, and now I will answer some questions.
Overall it is a great show, and a favorite, and now I will answer some questions.
Classic Who or New Who: New Who, I am aware of the classic series. I am working through Netflix's tiny selection.
Favorite Doctor: Out of those I've seen (2,3,6,9,10,11) Nine/Christopher Eccleston
Favorite Episode: "Dalek" but I do have a soft spot for "The Fires of Pompeii" if for no other reason than I take a Latin class.
Least Favorite Episode: "Fear Her"
Favorite Companion: don't have one. I haven't seen enough of them to judge.
Favorite Villan: Weeping Angels
Least Favorite Episode: "Fear Her"
Favorite Companion: don't have one. I haven't seen enough of them to judge.
Favorite Villan: Weeping Angels
Favorite Moment: The Time Lord Victorious speech from "The Waters of Mars"
Before I begin I have something to say. Most of this will be from the perspective of a fan because, most of the people who watch it are fans of the show. Even then without the context of the last season you would be lost.
Enough talking about the show, let's talk about the show.
PREVIOUSLY ON DOCTOR WHO: Clara jumped into the Doctors timestream in order to save him at every point in his life. While there she discovered a hidden incarnation of the Doctor, played by John Hurt, in between his eighth and ninth lives.
Story: I apologize for this, but we have a very complicated story that I can't explain. Sorry, time travel stories tend to do that. I'll try anyway.
Rose/Bad Wolf(Billie Piper) opens fissures in time that bring together the War Doctor that is trying to end the Time War*, the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) who is stopping a race of shape shifting aliens from invading Elizabethan England, and the Eleventh Doctor(Matt Smith) plus companion Clara (Jenna Coleman) who are investigating a security breach in UNIT's** Under Gallery.
That's all I can say about it without spoilers, but for such a big hyped event, it's a little underwhelming.
Visuals: Sets great, costumes great, effects great for a TV budget, although for this show that is to be expected.
Acting: Matt Smith and David Tennant do their jobs well. Jenna Coleman is good. John Hurt is competent, the acting isn't bad, it's just not very notable
In conclusion, I'm a little disappointed. It feels like a student project, everyone shows up and puts in the effort, but you can tell they weren't enthusiastic about it.
In conclusion, I'm a little disappointed. It feels like a student project, everyone shows up and puts in the effort, but you can tell they weren't enthusiastic about it.
Which is odd, press concerning this thing has clearly shown that everybody was excited to be working on the anniversary of a British TV history touchstone, but the end result, it really embodies the remark "not bad" sorry Whovians.
Hats off to all and have a nice day.
Greg. B
Do you want me to cover the Christmas Special? Let me know on twitter.
I leave you now with my fanart.
* The final conflict between the Time Lords and Daleks that wiped them both out.
Clockwise from One: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker (no relation to Tom Baker), Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant, Matt Smith, Peter Cushing.
**United Nations Intellegence Taskforce.
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