Doctor Who [11]

Q and A with Peter and Jenna in Germany- its quite good, and Peters final sentiments about the show display the heart of a true Whovian

The finale of last series Dark Water and Death in Heaven are going on a limited cinema release in the US in 3D alongside a specially shot 'prequel' to series 9.

Some disquiet among UK fans that its not being showing in UK cinemas as well- the reason given being that with several Who events in the UK upcoming including the symphonic it was one too many things to organise- this excuse is not washing with many however who feel that as they are the tax payers who fund the program it should not have exclusive releases not available in the UK.

Anyone got any feelings on the matter?

Was the 3D conversion and theatrical distribution paid for by the American licensee? That's the only way that justification makes any sense to me. Though you'd think that the BBC could easily get their hands on the converted version. I dunno how much theatrical distribution would cost but DW is popular enough that I'd think they could earn it back with ticket fees.

I wouldn't be inclined to pay to watch the Series 8 finale in the cinema (and I don't know anyone personally who would), and someone is bound to leak the prequel at some point anway so I'm not too bothered personally, Eldo makes a good point in his post-American/Canadian viewers who watch the show live legally, to the best of my knowledge, do so through a subscription service on BBC America etc so whilst they aren't paying for the TV license they still pay to watch the show, the show is huge in North America (comparatively speaking) at the moment, and with all the entertainment coverage etc it would probably be a big boost to the shows publicity.

But yeah it is kinda annoying, they did the same thing two years ago when the showed the DOTD trailer exclusively at an American convention first...

Was the 3D conversion and theatrical distribution paid for by the American licensee? - Eldo

No, its being done by BBC Worldwide which is the corporate arm of the BBC set up to handle sales to overseas markets.
A share of profits from BBC Worldwide does get paid back in as part of the license fee, but it less than 20% of the total- the other 80% coming from Brits- and that 20 is worldwide sales not just North America.

'I wouldn't be inclined to pay to watch the Series 8 finale in the cinema '- Malick

I find it an odd choice, and that's coming from someone who really liked it- but one of the reasons I really liked it is that it was a proper finale- tying up and bringing to  climax not just story threads but thematic ones that had been built up all series long- which is why the choice seems weird- its not the 50th which can be watched as a standalone- all the information required to follow it is in that story- or even like Deep Breath which introduced a new Doctor and was a starting point.

To be honest I think after the previous successes of putting Who episodes into cinemas the BBC have got blinded by the cash generated and are just looking for any excuse to do so now.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:
I find it an odd choice, and that's coming from someone who really liked it- but one of the reasons I really liked it is that it was a proper finale- tying up and bringing to  climax not just story threads but thematic ones that had been built up all series long- which is why the choice seems weird- its not the 50th which can be watched as a standalone- all the information required to follow it is in that story- or even like Deep Breath which introduced a new Doctor and was a starting point.

Maybe Series 9 picks up straight after/links into it in some way? Although it ties in heavily with the series 8 arc I suppose you could watch it as a standalone 'epic trailer' of sorts for series 9...

To be honest I think after the previous successes of putting Who episodes into cinemas the BBC have got blinded by the cash generated and are just looking for any excuse to do so now.

Agreed, I've read the Series 9 preimiere may be getting limited screenings as well, how does a 60 minute part 1 of 2 shot on normal cameras justify a cinematic release? seems gimmicky. The Novelty is going to wear off soon I think...its not like they will earn alot of money from it anyway...

Kinda ironic Moffat and co are so desperate to block a Movie when they seem happy to try to attempt the same with a BBC budget...

If they are that desperate to generate cash with a feature length Episode they could always give McGann a call

I don't think its Moffats idea- its BBC Worldwide who are in charge of these decisions.
But the 50th did do very, very well cash-wise- if it and Deep Breath had been counted in that weeks box office they would both have topped US charts on the days they were being shown- that's a lot of extra money for something you've already made, paid for and sold at a profit to tv stations around the world before you start.

Its not hard to see how BBC Worldwide's money men have got $ signs in their eyes.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:I don't think its Moffats idea- its BBC Worldwide who are in charge of these decisions.
But the 50th did do very, very well cash-wise- if it and Deep Breath had been counted in that weeks box office they would both have topped US charts on the days they were being shown- that's a lot of extra money for something you've already made, paid for and sold at a profit to tv stations around the world before you start.

Its not hard to see how BBC Worldwide's money men have got $ signs in their eyes.

Fair point (though as it cost me £12.50 to see Deep Breath at the cinema, its not surplussing they are raking in the cash ), but writing episodes around the concept of a cinema showing is risky, Deep Breath didn't even feel like a TV film, merely an extended episode, if Moffat was heavily nudged into doing this rather than enthusiastic, who's to say what the finished episode will end up like, could be gimmicky or trying to hard to be cinematic, Doctor Who is a low budget family TV show, not the best format for cinematic storytelling.

I agree- I dont know, but I have a feeling that Moffat never wrote Deep Breath with thought of it going into the cinema, and that the decision was made on him and then he had to go back and add scenes to give it a longer running time, there are a couple of bits in it which smack of this, the longest and most notable is Clara's 'medical' from Strax, which is pure padding. Amusing enough but still pure padding, and it smacks of a late inclusion to stretch the running time.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:I agree- I dont know, but I have a feeling that Moffat never wrote Deep Breath with thought of it going into the cinema, and that the decision was made on him and then he had to go back and add scenes to give it a longer running time, there are a couple of bits in it which smack of this, the longest and most notable is Clara's 'medical' from Strax, which is pure padding. Amusing enough but still pure padding, and it smacks of a late inclusion to stretch the running time.

That said, after starting to watch Classic Who, it felt kinda good to have some padding back

don't know if you have already posted this.

This is a very good article:

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/how-series-8-was-all-about-growing-a-hero-75093.htm

Yeah I'd agree with their overall assessment- always doing something new with Who is Moffat

I liked this one.
http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/a-bad-wolf-or-just-plain-bad-addressing-rose-criticisms-62953.htm

I just started The Robots of Death. It is full of interesting (a bit dated, but whatever) sci-fi stuff like robots capable of beating humans at chess but also constrained by "a million different layers of" behaviour code safeguards.

I particularly liked the explanation of transdimensional theory as put out by Baker's Doctor. He just picked up his new companion last week, and things are quite exciting!

Hey I just saw that trailer, there were the spongy-thingums with the suckery-bits and lots of flashy lights! Daleks, iron...slotted figures? Helmets?

And apparently the Doctor goes to Westeros for a bit too! That should be interesting.

Forest Shepherd wrote:Hey I just saw that trailer, there were the spongy-thingums with the suckery-bits and lots of flashy lights! Daleks, iron...slotted figures? Helmets?

And apparently the Doctor goes to Westeros for a bit too! That should be interesting.

I am glad someone noticed the trailer.

Faaake. What caused the other window to implode?
Sheesh, wake up sheeples!

I liked this one.
http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/a-bad-wolf-or-just-plain-bad-addressing-rose-criticisms-62953.htm
- Amarie

I would have to take issue with a few of their assessments here (would you expect anything less?!)

Lets start with the first point under the headline-

Series 2- the defence here is simply to list examples of where ose helps the Doctor or saves the day- trouble is this has everything to do with her being the character of companion and nothing to do with her personality- all companions you can list episodes where they help the Doctor or save the day, its part of the job descriptions- its how its gone about that is in question with Rose, not that she does those things.

Her Selfishness- "Obviously Rose should live with her mum FOREVER. Obviously she should stay with her boyfriend (that would rather go watch the football at the pub than console her after she lost her job and almost died) FOREVER."
Oh dear you know the case for defence is in trouble when it starts with a strawman argument- no one is arguing Rose should have stayed with Mickey or her mum, its not that she leaves home, its the manner she does it in and the cavalier uncaring attitude it shows towards those who love her most.

I should also add that the way the Doctor is written towards Mickey is just as bad as Rose- he is dismissive, cruel, unkind and like Rose sees no future worth in Mickey- telling her 'he's not coming'.
Yet by the end of Mickeys story we have seen the potential he had and what he can do and become- its bad enough Rose refused to see that and was unfair towards him, but its actually worse in my view for the Doctor to react that way to him and dismiss Mickeys potential so offhanded, and at times seemingly to impress his new girlfirend Rose by slamming her old boyfriend.

Too Clingy- they offer almost no defence here and the sentence- 'if you still want to call her clingy, we have to note that she is not the only clingy one in the relationship.' is basically an admittance of her clinginess- but they are right she is not the only one- part of the whole issue I have with 10/Rose is the creepy arsed love story- that's just not the Doctor.

Jealousy- well the defence here eventually has to admit- "Unfortunately, I can’t argue on behalf of Rose in ‘The Stolen Earth’, when she remarks ‘I was here first!’, and believe that was a mistake on RTD’s part."

Now there is a choice of what to believe here- eiother RTD who created Rose wrote her consistently for 4 years on a show that was his personal baby, crafter her plot lines and brough the back for his rousing finale forgot how to write her and made a 'mistake'/
Or RTD is too good a writer for that and knew the character intimately, and as it one thing she says or does which follows in a long line of behaviour pointing towards this sort of personality, he knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote that line- he was writing her in character. That's what Rose would say in that situation because she is the jealous type. That's how she is written.


' just started The Robots of Death.'

I love that story! Hope you enjoy it- and the robot design is superb, the ones in the 10 xmas episode on the Titanic are a design tribute to them.


'And apparently the Doctor goes to Westeros for a bit too!' - Forest

Moffat has quelled or created some speculation on that one-

Spoiler:

'I am glad someone noticed the trailer.' - Figg


That may be because if you go back a page or two you will find the trailer from the day of release at Comic-con, along with a whole load of other stuff from Comic-con like the Q&A panel and Doctor Who in Lego Dimensions.


'What caused the other window to implode?'

Multi-dimensional infraction and narrative necessity.

here we go

I never brought it up! - I'm just responding to the article- and you have to admit lines like -"if you still think she is clingy, she is not the only one" and "I can’t argue on behalf of Rose in ‘The Stolen Earth’, when she remarks ‘I was here first!’, and believe that was a mistake on RTD’s part" aren't exactly a strong defence of her.

she doesn't need defense. Rose is the most popular companion of all time. official.

That will be the same poll that puts Donna Noble in third, behind Amy Pond?