Doctor Who [2]

now I'm done.

Loving all this guys. Great stuff. The Who thread hasnt been this busy in ages! Thankyou.

And some good news, well a bit of prestige for a once obscure culty show like Doctor Who (stateside at least)- its made the cover of Entertainment Weekly- apparently this is considered quite a breakthrough (perhaps our US members can explain why, I've no idea)

Here's a copy of the report commissioned by the BCC to look into the possibilty of scifi series (eventually being Doctor Who of course).



Interesting it could have ended up being about a telepath rather than a time-traveller! I doubt that show would still be about for a 50th anniversary.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:And some good news, well a bit of prestige for a once obscure culty show like Doctor Who (stateside at least)- its made the cover of Entertainment Weekly- apparently this is considered quite a breakthrough (perhaps our US members can explain why, I've no idea)

Entertainment Weekly is a bit of a gossip rag but making the cover means that you (either a person or a movie/show) is successful and famous and either popular or infamous. For a show like Doctor Who that has languished in relative obscurity in the US it's a sign that it is becoming more mainstream and well-known. EW's readership is not primarily geeks or Anglophiles, the two groups most likely to be aware of Doctor Who in the past, but in the last few years general awareness of Who has gone way up Stateside.

That report is an interesting read, Petty, especially their list of requirements. It seems that the BBC had their priorities straight both in terms of storytelling and marketability.

Thanks for the EW info Eldo- I seee why they are so chuffed about it now. Also its apprently the first British show ever to grace the cover, which suprised me.

And yeah the BBC prettymuch got the basics right from the start- sending some folks out just to read as much sci fi as possible to see what in the genre was suitable was a smart move.
Although criterea no1- no bug-eyed monsters didnt last!

I'm a little surprised that it's the first British show too, actually. I suppose most of the time it's just the American remake that gets the cover though (The Office, Top Gear, etc.).

I liked how they described their research into contemporary science fiction. Dream job right there.

Yeah those were the days Eldo when you could be respectable and earn a decent wage reading scifi for BBC reports!

Just had a thought though. The new series is shaping up to be potentially rather good and it leads straight into the 50th Anniversary stuff.
So hows everyone doing on their viewing? You really want to be at the end of series 6 and ready to go by the start of the new series ( about a month away I reckon). At the minimum I'd say series 5 and 6 were essential before watching 7.
Norc? How you getting on? Eldo, did you ever watch a whole series?
And whoever else is watching or catching up. Where you got to? Needing links for anything?
The clock is ticking.

And Norc I expect something like these from you shortly!

"I am the Doctor" violin


"Vale Decem"violin

Songs of Captivity and Freedom



A Mad Man with a Box (featuring 65 violin tracks apparently ) I really, really like this version.



An a unique interpretation of the WHo theme by classical violinist Nigel Kennedy.



Plenty to inspire I hope Norc- time to get practisicing!

Series 5

http://www.tubeplus.me/player/867635/Doctor_Who/

(you want a different series just click on the relevant series- same as the Ds9- touch nothing basically except what you need to- click on the series- that takes you to a player screen, above which you will see the episode name several times- click on the episode name, if it doesn't play click the next one down (I found those hosted on something called gorrillavid seemed to work fine-so click that one I'd recommend)

wow... okay... challenge accepted.
Found sheet for Vale Decem and Songs of Captivity and Freedom. I've also earlier found the doctor intro (and it's sick!). I doubt I'll manage all the parts in fancy little frames and all, all me, but I do have a little chamber orchestra on hand which I perhaps can persuade. The Captivity song seems the easiest and it had the most playable melody. I also think it will sound great on viola, since it's quite deep. And.. the best part. My dad has an electric violin and a little .. erm.. studio in the basement which I probably can maybe borrow if he has the time. now only need some time to practise.

And dont forget to catch up on your Who viewing too before the new series begins.

erm, yeah, ofcourse, but I do have a life ;D I'll try and take an episode or two a week and we'll see how far I get.

Life? Oh yes, of course youre young, I'd almost forgotten about having a life!!

Still any good Doctor would prescribe you 2 pisodes per week as a minimum I feel, for your own good health of course.
But there are 26 episodes and 2 xmas specials in series 5 and 6, mmmm- I could pick out the necessary story arc episodes for you from those and list them- but you'd miss some good inbetween episodes too, although you could always go back and see them.

Do you want a list of must see episodes to follow the overall arc?

yeah, probably, if there are episodes i don't have to see. what season doed the ninth start? cus that's where i started.

9th Doctor is a good place to start but you have 6 series to watch to catch up from there. (about 70 hours worth)
Each new Doctor they reinvent things so thats always a good place to start- to have any chance of catching up on current threads before the new series I think starting with the 11th Doctor is a good idea.
You can go back and watch the others.

I'll put up the relevant episodes shortly (this could be tricky).

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Norc? How you getting on? Eldo, did you ever watch a whole series?

About that...

we can use the same list and try to finish it together it could e a competition

We could try, but my TV watching has stalled out again, even for 22 minute anime episodes. I don't know how many hour long episodes I could take since I never got in the habit of regular TV watching as a kid.

Watching regularly and talking about it with people here would be helpful, though.

computer I'm planning to use the website Petty put up. Then when the new series comes out.. I'll be ajour at least.

Come on Eldo- you know you want to.

series 4 (10th Doctor)
1. Silence in the library/ Forest of the dead (Rivers introduction- very important for everything that follows)

series 5 (11th Doctor)

1 The eleventh hour
2 the beast below (this is not 100% essential, but it does helkp establish the releationship between Amy and the Doctor)
3. The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone- 2 parter, but essential.
4. Vampires of venice (not necesary, but the first ten minutes probably is or following episodes wont make as much sense as you wont know where Rory came from)
5.The Hungry Earth/ Cold Blood- again not 100% necessary but the last 15 minutes are crucial, so at least watch that much or you wont know where Rory has gone)
6.Vincent and the Doctor
7 The Pandorica opens/the big Bang- season finale

series 6


1. the impossible astronaut/ day of the moon
2. The doctors wife
3 the rebel flesh/almost people
4 A good man goes to war/lets kill hitler
5 the god complex
6 the wedding of river song

Watching regularly and talking about it with people here would be helpful, though.- Eldo

Good idea Eldo- we can have a watch along!

The first ep of series 7 premiers at the Edinburgh film and tv festial between 23rd-25th of August- it will be on TV very soon after that.
So we have till then. Four weeks basically!

I watched The Eleventh Hour and the first few minutes of the episode where the Doctor travels through time alone to leave messages for the Ponds in history books and also to have sex with old timey women. I don't remember what that one was called.

I've never seen anything from the Eccleston, Tennant, or previous Doctors. *shame*

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Watching regularly and talking about it with people here would be helpful, though.- Eldo

Good idea Eldo- we can have a watch along!

The first ep of series 7 premiers at the Edinburgh film and tv festial between 23rd-25th of August- it will be on TV very soon after that.
So we have till then. Four weeks basically!

I'd be willing to start with Silence in the Library. I'm busy this weekend (going to Otakon: one of the larger anime conventions in the country which is conveniently located in Baltimore ) so it'd have to start either tomorrow or some time next week.