Doctor Who [6]

you're weird  

So...what do you gys make of Capaldi's casting? (I'm too lazy to look back through the thread...)

I couldn't be happier with the choice, very very talented actor, great fan of the show and a older man to boot, I never really cared for smith all that much but I'm already enthusiastic about his replacement...

you're weird - Mrs Figg

And you are just noticing this now!  

But hey, it was 3am, I was very drunk and I naturally had a camera, a candle and a Dalek within arms reach, afterall who doesn't?- just be glad I am of a childish bent of mind and nature, or else all I might have put up pics from yet another round of "What's under my kilt?" the game all the family won't enjoy (unless you are from a really 'rural' family where your sister is also your cousin, aunt and wife- in which case you've probably already played it  ).

"So...what do you gys make of Capaldi's casting? (I'm too lazy to look back through the thread...)
I couldn't be happier with the choice, very very talented actor, great fan of the show and a older man to boot, I never really cared for smith all that much but I'm already enthusiastic about his replacement..."- Malick


Well I rate Smith in my top three Doctor of all time, right alongside 2 and 4 so I am going ot be way more cut up when he leaves than I was with 9 or 10, so Im not looking forward to that.  

On the other hand I thought the casting of Capaldi was a fantastic idea,you cant follow young with younger adn you cant follow eccentric with more eccentric so I think this casting was smart and keeps the show fresh (I am also a huge fan o the political satire The Thick of It and have all fours series of it plus the spin off film so I was already a Capaldi fan). I cant wait to see what direction they go in.

So I am what I should be approaching a regen- equal parts upset and excited.

I remain unconvinced until I see him in action, he has the ability to be brutal and cold, and also warm and friendly, its certainly a surprise, i was hoping for Joe Gilgun, and I was really not impressed by the new casting choice, but I will wait and see. Its also going to be odd with Clara, not too sure they will have any chemistry, mind you I am not convinced by her at all, I hope they get a new wacky assistant.

The Doctor Who fan orchestra presents- Amy's Suite-

Mrs Figg wrote:I remain unconvinced until I see him in action, he has the ability to be brutal and cold, and also warm and friendly, its certainly a surprise, i was hoping for Joe Gilgun, and I was really not impressed by the new casting choice, but I will wait and see. Its also going to be odd with Clara, not too sure they will have any chemistry, mind you I am not convinced by her at all, I hope they get a new wacky assistant.

Hmm...Gilgun is a great actor, but I'm glad they are going back to the series roots and casting an older man again, I've got a bit tired of energetic gurning Tennants and Smiths running around all the time (christ that makes me sound old! I'm 21!) hopefully this will take the series in a darker direction less reliant on family friendly 'energetic leading man' stories, and as we move ever closer to the final 13th incarantion of the doctor it makes sense to me to bring a bit of gravitas and age to the role.

What exactly was it about Capaldi that annoyed you?

I didn't actually watch much of the last series so I haven't seen clara do much, but I'm glad there probably won't be any romantic tension between the two, that was getting old (I'm a grouchy git when it comes to romance sorry).

I've got a bit tired of energetic gurning Tennants and Smiths running around all the time- Malick

I agree on Tennant (that and being moody and whiny way too much in the last few series) but not with Smith.
I feel the eccentricities of Smith's performance come directly from how he portrays the Doctor, whereas Tennant's always seemed forced to me- 'the Doctor should be a bit whacky so we have to make him a a bit whacky.'
Smith's 'gurning' I felt is more in line with Tom Bakers or Patrick Troughton's take on the Doctor.
And the casting has followed the pattern of those two Doctor's as well, as 2 was followed by Jon Pertwee and 4 by Peter Davidson- both of whom played a more 'straight' performance as the Doctor.

"as we move ever closer to the final 13th incarantion of the doctor it makes sense to me to bring a bit of gravitas and age to the role."- Malick

And the Valeyard, who has been name dropped a few times in Nuwho, most recently in The Name of the Doctor.

I've got to confess my knowledge of Classic Who is currently milited to about a dozen barely remembered Baker Episodes, the two dalek films (though they don't count) and a shit load of wikipedia articles...so the Valeyard means nothing much to me, though the idea is pretty cool-I gather he is a physical disliation of the doctorrs regeneration/personilty between the 12-13 doctors?

Yes, spot on.
In the the 7th Doctor story Trial of a Timelord (which ran the entire series and is hit and miss) the Doctor is finally put on Trial by his people- the Prosecutor is the Valeyard who it turns out is as you say to be a future dark version of the Doctor.
Many fans also think the Dream Lord from Amy's Choice is actually the Valeyard getting closer to the surface.
And if rumour is right and

Spoiler:

then although Capaldi will be the 12th Doctor, he will also be the 13th regen. Which is Valeyard time.

I can recommend a few classic stories from all eras that probably are a must see- and provide links to them on Dailymotion if you like (dont worry I will keep it to as few as possible).

malickfan wrote:

What exactly was it about Capaldi that annoyed you?

He doesnt annoy me, and I totally agree about the older man thing and romantic shennanigans, I much preferred Tennant and Eccleston to Smith, he really annoyed me for about two seasons, but he grew on me in the last season, I will be glad to see the back of River too. As regards Capaldi, dunno, he doesnt appeal. He is a good actor, but I dont like him.

You watched any Who yet David?
After all this time of avoiding spoiler and the like I am dying to know what you are making of series 6   and the, Great Debates surrounding it that have raged on here.  

I'll get to it. I just wanted to watch the Hobbit edit again, seeing as how there's conversation on the purist thread.

Well much as I value input on the purist thread, GET ON WITH IT!!  

Oh alright then... 

Let me fill in what I've missed on series 5 first though, OK?

{{{You'd think he'd at least allow me as much time to watch all these hours and hours of material as it took him to get just to get it down the street to the post office. }}}

Mrs Figg wrote:
I much preferred Tennant and Eccleston to Smith, he really annoyed me for about two seasons,

Interesting, the only thing I've seen Tennant in that I really liked was the version of Casanova he did with Peter O'Toole as the elder version reminiscing to a hauntingly fragile Rose Byrne.  Usually his facial expressions are just overwrought and it annoys me.  The Doctor should be more in control than that.

Let me fill in what I've missed on series 5 first though, OK? - David

You mean you havent even done that yet?  

Basically, the whole thing gets boring after Donna, so I wouldnt bother.

A very positive outlook there Mrs Figg!

I for one am full of Who excitement, anticipation for the 50th and xmas episode and the appearance of a new Doctor- and I wouldnt be so excited for all that if it wasnt for the high level of Who I have come to expect since Moffat took over and cast Smith.
I havent enjoyed and been as involved in a period of Who so much since the 70's and early 80's.

And if there was a scale of excitement I'd be at the top of it on Who and so far down I'd be half way to Australia at least on TH.
So for me they are doing plenty just right.

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Let me fill in what I've missed on series 5 first though, OK? - David

You mean you havent even done that yet?  

4 more episodes of series 5 to watch, Wondering if I ought to watch Pandorica again to put it in context of the greater character arc, or just dive straight into series 6. Probably the latter. I'm trying to reserve judgement on Rory and Amy until I see the full arc, but I sure hope they both grow up soon.

Are you including the xmas ep (A Christmas Carol) in those four episodes? (I didnt realise you had so many of series 5 still to go  - what you still got to see?)

On the 'grow up' thing- thats a new one on me, not heard that complaint before, could you give some more info about what you mean?

I don't have the list in front of me, but I'm including the Xmas episode. As I said, I'm trying not to over analyze them till I see where the character arc is going, so for now please just take my comment as a generally crabbit "Kids these days! What's the world coming to!   "

Dont worry I wasnt about to mount a robust defenc of all things Amy and Rory (yet anyway  ) I was just curious as it hinted at an annoyance (or another one!) that I hadnt heard before.

And do remember to at least wear a xmasy hat and jumper for the xmas episode- as they are broadcast to the overstuffed, slightly tipsy inhabitants of Britain on xmas day they are very much in the xmas spirit.
Ideally eat a lot of mince pies, stuff yourself with turkey, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes and trifle. Have a couple of buckies, and ideally get an elderly relative to come round and drink too much sherry- then watch for the complete UK experience.  (watching the Queens speech first and standing for the national anthem is an optional extra)

You stand for the national anthem broadcast by telly?

And people think Americans go overboard with patriotism. Sheesh.

I/ve fininshed all of season 5 but the xmas ep.  Amy's Choice confirmed what I was saying about growing up literally.  The line is something like
Rory--We've got to grow up sometime.
Amy--Why?

That whole episode was way too overtly Jungian and Post Modern for my tastes.  And worse, it was done clumsily with too many spoilers. Oh and Rory Dies. But the point is that in all episodes before Rory's death, Amy's character is particularly flirty and dingy (in my opinion not in a good way). After Rory's death and her decision to kill herself, her character, though still flaky, is noticeably more mature in how she treats people.  So I'm expecting this "youth" was written and acted intentionally, and Amy's character will continue to mature and hopefully become more 3 dimensional as life's lessons build throughout  the series.

The Vincent ep handled the psychological issues less clumsily. I liked it. We'll see how it holds up to a 2nd watching.

The single most annoying thing to me has been how often human emotion trumps alien technology. The scientist droid in Victory of Daleks whose bomb can't blow up because he remembers a girl once, the Tardis thingy that selfdestructs because the Doctor's flatmate tells his girl he loves her. Gag!

It's like the worst of the OS Star Trek where Kirk destroys super megacomputers and highly evolved alien brains by asking them simple paradoxes. I used to shout and throw things at the TV when they cheated the resolution like that!

All that said, I've really enjoyed it. I want a Star Whale please!