1 First! Terminate! Terminate! First!

2 Damn! an uneven spot on the floor! Termination Cancelled

3
It was good.

A helluva lot better than the subsequent episode with the angels.

4 Shit. Stairs. Exterminate. Exterminate.

5 Slightly off topic but if you're a Douglas Adams fan..  I believe the name of the Dr. Who episodes he penned was 'The Pirate Planet' or something similar.. 

 

6 I never like Dr. Who before but really got into it with David Tennant as The Doctor. He's great.

Interesting thing about Blink...it's a Doctor Lite episode. He's hardly in it. Because of the way the BBC shoots the series they need to shoot two episodes at one each year. Usually one is all The Doctor and little of the companion and vice versa.

This one is a stand alone episode that The Doctor and The Doctor mythology but he's not in it, it's characters that kind of cross paths with him.

It's a great, great episode but it's not indicative of the series.

7 This is actually funny from the Huffington Puffington Post:

"CIA Forms New Division, Stop Terrorists From Uniting (STFU)

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) -- On the heels of forming its new WikiLeaks Task Force (WTF), the CIA said it was establishing a new division called Stop Terrorists From Uniting (STFU).

CIA director Leon Panetta spoke about the agency's plans for both WTF and STFU at the CIA's new headquarters, the Langley Operations Location (LOL).

"We are very excited about these new divisions," Mr. Panetta said. "Here at LOL, the words on everyone's lips are WTF and STFU."

The CIA director said that the agency was about to announce the formation of another new division, the Langley Mobile Foreign Antiterror Organization (LMFAO).

"When we talk about our anti-terror efforts from now on, the first thing you'll think of will be LMFAO," he said.

Mr. Panetta excused himself for a closed door meeting of the National Security Forces Workgroup (NSFW)."

8 >>>Interesting thing about Blink...it's a Doctor Lite episode. He's hardly in it. Because of the way the BBC shoots the series they need to shoot two episodes at one each year. Usually one is all The Doctor and little of the companion and vice versa. yeah I read that on Wikipedia. I think that's a good thing, because you really can't ever be too scared on behalf of the Doctor. You know he can't die. And HE knows he can't die, in the show, so he's always so aloof and jokey about the possibility of death. When it's some other character, you have a little more fear that yeah, this person can die.

9 I also recommend "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" from Season 1 (Eps 9 and 10). They didn't make the list, but they should have.

10 Oh...the girl in it is Carey Mulligan. For some reason she normally wears he hair short (she's Gordon Geko's daughter in the Wall St. sequel).

When I'm Emperor of the World,, she will have to wear it like it is in this episode (not sure if she grew it out or it's a wig).

11 4 Shit. Stairs. Exterminate. Exterminate.

Posted by: daleks at December 23, 2010 01:21 PM (2rOwc)

Which is why WE are Superior.

12 But he's a 'Time Lord!'

13 #7 A broken clock is right twice a day. Every now and then HuffPo has a good one.

14 Mmmmmmm Billie Piper.  Oh and Catherine Tate.  And Freema Agyeman.  And Karen Gillan.  And Alex Kingston.

Its a who's who of hot British Chicks-the only one missing is Nigella Lawson...

15 I never saw the first two Doctors except in cameo appearances on later shows, but I liked Pertwee and Baker the best and I think the newest ones suck big time. And who wouldn't like a hot babe dressed in animal skins running around, hunting anything that moves and calling IT guys "teshnicians"?

16

Why hasn't anyone paid attention to me? 

I'd make a great BBC production or Movie.

17 Sarah Jane Smith rulez!!11!1!

18

Why hasn't anyone paid attention to me?

I feel for you.

19 Which is why WE are Superior.
Get bent, hose heads.

20 I've never seen any Dr. Who.  I only know what a Dalek is because of that song "I am a Dalek" where they keep yelling Exterminate! at the end.

21 Posted by: ace at December 23, 2010 01:24 PM (nj1bB)

The key to it is the writer...Steven Moffit. He's fantastic. Everyone talks about Russel T. Davies, who restarted the franchise, but Moffit's episodes are the best.

Jimmmie mentioned The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances two-part episode, that was Moffit. He also wrote The Girl in the Fireplace which was great, the Christmas short "Time Crash" and the double episode Silence in the Library/Forrest of the Dead.

They are the best of the Tennant era (well, Empty Child/Doctor Dances was Christopher Eckelson as The Doctor).

Moffit is now the show runner but the new Doctor isn't as good as Tennant, though his companion is smoking hot. I would have loved to have seen a full season of Moffit/Tennant together.

22 The guy who did that episode is now the showrunner.

23
Pertwee was the best Doctor.

He'd karate-chop the bad guys. In one episode, he picked up a rifle and shot a bad guy.

The other Doctors were pacifist pussies.

24

Its a who's who of hot British Chicks-the only one missing is Nigella Lawson...

She's a lot of woman...in a good way. 

25 Next up: the two parter Human Nature/Family of Blood (season 3, episodes 9 and 10), which I hear is also really good.

They are good episodes but I'm not sure they are great entry  points to the series. You have to have an affinity for The Doctor, who he is and what his life is like to really appreciate the story.

26

Is this the show that's on BBC America?

I've never really watched that channel other than my old guilty pleasure of Footballer's Wives. That was trashtastic on so many levels.

27

 I'm not sure they are great entry  points

This has never seemed to bother Ace.

28 >>>The guy who did that episode is now the showrunner. I did the full "Wikipedia Walk" last night, so I know that

29

I've never really watched that channel

Top Gear - Best Show on TV.

30 Talons of Weng Chiang was one of my favorites, along with The Horror of Fang Rock

31 What a depressing thread. None of this is going to matter in a million years. Why bother?

32 Another thing about Dr. Who (at least the modern version, I never watched the old ones)...I've never seen a show that can so uneven. Not only within the course of a season (some episodes are always better than other no matter the series) but within a given episode. They go from schlocky drek to moving and thoughtful and moving in a heartbeat.

I guess that's part of the overall sense of the show almost from the beginning and the Brits love that about it but not having that familiar background (like I do with say Star Trek) I find it jarring and a bit annoying at times.

33 Top Gear - Best Show on TV. Posted by: garrett at December 23, 2010 01:35 PM (teqkw) Agreed.

34
ahh, both excellent episodes from Tom Baker, Gail.

At the end of Fang Rock, the Doctor recites a few verses from Flannery O'Connor, I think. Very cool.

35 33 What a depressing thread. None of this is going to matter in a million years. Why bother?

Posted by: marvin the paranoid android at December 23, 2010 01:36 PM (2rOwc)

Um... you do realize we are speaking of a TIME LORD?  A guy who travels in Time?

Thus, yes, it will matter in a Million years...

36 "I've never really watched that channel

Top Gear - Best Show on TV."

I like Later Jools Holland.  Also that episode of  Top Gear where they interview Jools Holland.

 

37 yeah it's horribly uneven, I remember that when I sorta watched the Tom Baker ones, one would be great, the next one, just awful. that's why I never really bothered, and why I'm going to only go from lists of best episodes.

38

Re Torchwood, which I've also enjoyed:

[Russell T.] Davies, who created the "Doctor Who" spinoff, will of course write several episodes of the 10-part series, but other writers for Season 4 include John Shiban (Breaking Bad," "Supernatural," "The X-Files"), Doris Egan ("House," "Tru Calling," "Dark Angel'), Jane Espenson ("Game of Thrones," "Battlestar Galactica," "Buffy") and John Fay (a U.K. "Torchwood" writer).

BRB with the link for that.

39 Who are we talking about, again?

40 Marvin forgot his towel.

41

yeah it's horribly uneven, I remember that ... one would be great, the next one, just awful.

Soccer is the same way. The Brits love that, too.

42

Never even heard of Top Gears.

I want a la carte cable. I don't even watch 95% of the channels I have. Such a waste of $$$.

43 Sometimes I get lost in the Nerd Forest (loved the Star Wars linky earlier), but I draw the line at Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Dr. Who.  Well, to be fair, I've never seen an episode of it, so I really can't make a proper judgment on its relative merits, except by observing its most ardent fans.  And just like with Apple products and the music of Rush, which are fine products to be sure, it's the *fans* of such things that are the biggest turnoff...

Too many uber-dorks like Dr. Who, so that's probably why I've never seen it.

44
Some of the old DW's are excellent cures for insomnia.


For instance, The Time Museum with the 1st doctor, or The Dominators with the 2nd doctor will put you right to sleep.

45

Did suddenly realize that the "Doctors" are getting progresivly younger...

Pretty soon? Teenage Dr. Who Angst? 

46 Also on Netflix:

Tin Man, an Oz remake with a smokin' hot Wicked Witch.

Bitch Slap, a businesswoman, a stripper, and a drugged out enforcerette do a job.  One of the dirtiest movies with no nudity I've seen.

The Secret of Kells, animated movie about some monks in Ireland needing to finish writing a book before the Vikings come.  Yeah, it's better than it sounds, and the animation is cool.

47

 And just like with Apple products and the music of Rush, which are fine products to be sure, it's the *fans* of such things that are the biggest turnoff...

We sell a lot of T-Shirts to those guys.

48 Top Gear - Best Show on TV."


Have you seen the American version on The History Channel? It's the most unnecessary show in the history of TV. Just watch the original version on BBC America.

That's another show that's uneven. It's pretty old so a lot of it is them going through the motions but some of the earlier stuff, where they travel is great. The South  America one was fantastic, so was the Vietnam episode.

49 Soothsayer, you're thinking of the Ballad of Flannan Isle by Gibson--the episode was partly based on it.

50

One of the dirtiest movies with no nudity I've seen.

You are recommending it?

wait...

and none of these are pron...

Who are you? and what did you do with FUBAR?

51

http://tinyurl.com/265fv87

That's the Torchwood article, which also says it will be on Starz in the summer of 2011. Annoying...

52 I always got a kick out of seeing Tom baker in other roles, too, like Puddleglum in the old BBC Silver Chair (Narnia) and a looney Elizabethan ship captain in a Blackadder episode-- "You have a woman's bottom" is a line that sticks in my mind.

53

Have you seen the American version on The History Channel?

Holy Bucket of Suck!

You are right...ill conceived and absolutely superfluous. 

now, 'Ninja Warrior' coming to the US?  That could be full of win.

54 Posted by: ace at December 23, 2010 01:40 PM (nj1bB)

These things are obviously subjective but I'm not sure how anyone can say The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone is the best episode as that list does. It involves the Weeping Angles from Blink but it's not nearly as scary/moving as Blink (the scene in the hospital between Billy and Sally is just wonderfully bittersweet...what could have been).

I think the best episode from the Matt Smith era is the Vincent Van Gogh one (Vincent and the Doctor). It was actually written by Richard Curtis, so it's got some of that Brit Rom-Com thing going on but it's very nicely done.

55 44 Okay, here we go: the best Doctor.

Haha! I saw that when first came out. Then the TV series came on and I was like...those salt and pepper shaker robots are in these shows too?

56
yes, that's it, Gail!

Flannan...Flannery...

57 Who are you? and what did you do with FUBAR?
And why do you have a goatee?

58 On a Clear Day you can see all the way to the end of Karen Gilan's legs.

I really find the show annoying a lot of the time but I watch it for some reason.  David Tennant was great but I like the new guy very much.  The acting between him and Karen is superb at times, feels very 'real'. 

59 Somewhat related: I can't stand any of the Law and Order series but strangely enough I kind of like the UK version. Freema Agyeman certainly helps.

60 That episode is good, but mostly only because the girl is cute.

61 Cute girls make many things better. 

62 52 Top Gear - Best Show on TV."


Have you seen the American version on The History Channel? It's the most unnecessary show in the history of TV. Just watch the original version on BBC America.

That's another show that's uneven. It's pretty old so a lot of it is them going through the motions but some of the earlier stuff, where they travel is great. The South  America one was fantastic, so was the Vietnam episode.

Posted by: DrewM. at December 23, 2010 01:46 PM (HicGG)

I saw the commercial for it and noticed one of the guys is the "youngish" comedian that is one of Denis Leary's buddies.  Can only take him in low doses.  His voice and accent can get annoying.

63 My personal favorite was the spoof BBC did with Rowan Atkinson (2-parts) "The Curse of Fatal Death"... as one of their annual Comic Relief things.

You have to know some Doctor Who to get it, and some inside jokes for old time Doctor Who watchers, but mostly just funny.

64 I could never get into Who. The Baker episodes were the first few I saw, and, as silly as it seems, the production value just torpedoed it. They used some kind of videotape that just looked awful even for the time. The staging as well left much to desire.

That said, I like the Christopher Eccleston version. While he seems to play more of a nihilist version of the Dr., he's a much better actor than any of the others. Plus the dialogue, production value, and SFX are all well done.

65 I like Later Jools Holland.  Also that episode of  Top Gear where they interview Jools Holland.

Yeah, too bad Jules is no longer shown on BBCA.  Also, too bad the XOOM HD channel it was on next went belly up in '07 or '08.  Old episodes of Later with Jools are on Ovation (it's on Dish Network), but it stinks not being able to get them just a week old like a couple years ago.

Also, what's with the streaming BBC iPlayer still not working for those of us outside the UK?  I know that Brits pay hefty TV license fees to support the BBC, so they don't feel like they should share with those of us who don't, but there's got to be an ad-based solution there somewhere that could allow worldwide access.

Then again, there's always FREE youtube and FREE torrents for Jules, QI, Mock the Week, Have I Got News For You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and Mitchell and Webb.  So we've got that going for us...

66

"Yeah, too bad Jules is no longer shown on BBCA. "

Yeah, I have to settle with the Comcast In Demand episodes which are hidden in the music section under BBC Imports. And most of them seem to be at least 5 years old. Bastards.

67 Can't stand Russell T. Davies' *NEW* *BETTER* *GAYER* DR. WHO.

Give me men in their 40s and 50s playing actual aliens on cheap videotape instead of manipulative sugary Tiger Beat fodder.

68
"Blink" is very good. But my favorite is the two-part episode "The Impossible Planet"/"The Satan Pit".

69

Torchwood is probably the lamest TV show ever. Just rearrange the Doctor Who name make it "adult edgy", burn up a years worth of budget and presto ... a flop. It had potential but sucked quite badly.

 Top Gear is one of the best talk shows ever. Not the crappy American spinoff, the British (original) version. Even Graham Norton does a better job than all of our billionaire talk hosts combined.

I love British TV. They make do with only a small percentage of the money American TV does and produce infinately more entertaining television. America should learn from them a bit and stop trying to do big budget copies of what they do. I often wonder if Americans realize how much of their TV is straight off BBC and despite having all the money in the world, seriously inferior.

What ever happened to that promise from the Democrats back in the day when they were trying to get FOX news off cable by passing some law that would allow us to only pay for what we watch on Cable?

70 I love British TV. They make do with only a small percentage of the money American TV

Some BBC shows might but I'd bet Top Gear is one of the most expensive non-drama shows to produce.

All the traveling they do must cost a fortune.

More importantly, shooting all those driving segments must take a ton of crew, setups and time. All of that equals money. A lot of it.

71 I don't think it's true that the Doctor can never die.  Sure, he regenerates, but I don't think that would happen if, say, someone put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, or completely vaporized him or something.

The regeneration process has to have something to work with, and if his brains have been splattered against the wall, I think he'd just die.

72 I'd like to know when there is going to be another James Bond flix.

73

The Blink episode is the only episode that ever gave my little one nightmares, he loves Doctor Who and is looking forward to watching the new Christmas episode on Saturday. But, thanks to Blink he now eyes all stone statues much more cautiously. It was fairly creepy. And, I agree with whomever said upthread that the one they did last season along the same theme wasn't as good, the suspense was not the same at all.

I don't much care for Matt Smith as the new Doctor, I'm a David Tennant fan (well, and Tom Baker) but I like Matt Smith's companion.

74 You got to admit that Britsh television is gayer than gay. However, I just watched an old brit series, Mr. Palfey and I am going to rent Callan which stars a very very young Edward Woodward. Both are about spies. So, if you are into no frill television which is fairly well written, check out The Sandbaggers, Mr. Palfrey, and hopefully, Callan (I haven't seen it yet).

75

Teenage Dr. Who Angst? 

That would be Matt Smith.

I think the best episode from the Matt Smith era is the Vincent Van Gogh one (Vincent and the Doctor).

Totally agree with this.

Too many uber-dorks like Dr. Who, so that's probably why I've never seen it.

Wow, really? I've always found that it is obscure enough here that hardly anyone who considers themselves a cool geek likes it. So the fact that only uber dorks like it is a plus to me, because none of the hipster douchebag poseur geeks like it.

76 By the way, anyone who likes Dr Who, or British science fiction in general, should take a look at "MisFits," a terrific, relatively new series that just finished it's second season.

The premise:  five delinquent young adults get struck by lightning and get super powers.

The tone is really kind of hard to describe.  It's very funny, but it's not a comedy.  It's like an especially dark version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with less sentimentally and more drugs, booze, nudity and dick jokes.

The first season was good, and the second season is even better.

As far as I can tell, the only way for anyone in America to see it is by downloading a torrent, unfortunately, but I just discovered the show and find it mesmerizing.  One of the lead actors, a Scottish kid, is so charismatic that I could easily see him becoming Dr Who at some point in the future.

77 Also, and this is my last comment on the subject because I'm about to go full on geek, I have to say that one of the reasons Matt Smith's doctor disappoints me is that he is the first one who seems really kind of against humans and their stupid ways--the shows with him as the doctor seem to embrace just about every lefty cause there is, for example humans are killing the planet, humans hate "others" and will kill them when they have the chance etc.

78 By the way,  I've got to say, the last season of Dr Who was largely a letdown.  Steven Moffat is a great writer, but I can't even think of a single episode this year that was as good as any of his previous episodes.

And I liked Matt Smith, but I didn't love him.  And I'm afraid that the folks who thought he was too young might have had a point.  I'm not opposed to a young Doctor in theory, but I do think the Doctor should have some gravitas, and I just don't think Matt Smith does.

79 I'm looking for a History Channel doc that aired last week: Third Reich: the rise and Third Reich: the fall. It got good reviews. It's from the kraut perspective and has footage not used before.

80 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blink is my fave Who episode. If you want to sampe more episodes of the new series, look for ones written by Moffat. I think he's the best Who writer. His new Sherlock series for BBC (only 3 episodes ) is also impressive.

81 As nearly as I can figure, Dr Who is a cultural institution like Star Trek and those who like it are willing to ignore its manifold shortcomings and enjoy it for what it is, low budget sci-fi with and interesting premise and uneven execution, often with a hottie for decoration.  I'm good with that.

82 Just got done watching it, thanks steve_in_hb & Ace for the recommendation, it was a good one. I haven't watched Dr Who in years.

83 Posted by: Svlad Cjelli at December 23, 2010 01:29 PM (teqkw) Funny you should ask: http://bit.ly/fsuGJR

84 And who wouldn't like a hot babe dressed in animal skins running around, hunting anything that moves and calling IT guys "teshnicians"?

--------------------

Ah, yes, Leela of the Sevatim. She became the Doctor's companion when I was 12. She was the first woman to make me feel funny down there. I had no idea what it was, but it was thrilling.

There are a few old Who episodes with her in them on Netflix streaming. I watched some a few weeks ago. The thrill is definitely not gone. Bunk!

85 Never even heard of Top Gear

------------------------

You have no idea what you're missing.

86 I'm the geek of the family, but the wife absolutely loves Doctor Who. She was heartbroken when Tennant left, but she's warming up to the new guy.

She's antsy to see the Christmas episode on Saturday.

87 My favorite Doctors are Tennant and Baker. Matt Smith is pretty good as the 11th Doctor, but so far he's played an amalgamation of all the other Doctors and I also agree with the poster who said he lacks gravitas. Meanwhile, when Tennant was on the show, he proved once again that he's a classic actor who's well-rounded and able to seamlessly move from drama to comedy back to drama. I'd say his only downside was a tendency to occasionally be too "shouty" or overdramatic. 

It's also a shame that Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead didn't make the list. That was a Moffat two-parter which is a better overall episode than Runaway Bride and The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone. Smith's Da Vinci episode also should have made the list.

88 89 Never even heard of Top Gear

------------------------

You have no idea what you're missing.

A student in one of my college writing classes wrote a paper about why Top Gear is the best show on TV.

89 Dr. Who rocks. I never miss an episode.

90 Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead

Ugh, you got it stuck in my head.
Donna Noble has left the library. Donna Noble has been saved.

91 Miss'80sBaby@91:
"I also agree with the poster who said he lacks gravitas."

Yeah, and I really wanted to get behind him (cough).  I mean, the guy is a fine actor, but he's only 28 years old, and unfortunately, nowadays, it takes a really special 28-year-old to be mature.  Your average 28-year-old today is still largely adolescent.

Dr Who should have more maturity to him than I think Matt Smith has.  When I watch Smith, it seems clear to me that he's a young guy with a fairly undeveloped worldview.  That's not really his fault, though; he just hasn't seasoned yet.

92 Oh, and in honor of Dr Who and Christmas, here's a little outtake from the 1970s where Tom Baker gets mildly dirty toward his co-star Mary Tamm.

93 British TV..Watched Spooks (MI5 US Title) for a few seasons, they got into the bad mouthing the U.S. just about every episode and I stopped watching.
Same with Top Gear. At least the 2 episodes I watched.

94 Wait, Top Gear badmouths the U.S.!?!  I thought it was a car fetish show or something.

Seriously, could someone please explain the appeal?  I don't understand.  What's enjoyable about watching guys drive cars?

95 I have to say that one of the reasons Matt Smith's doctor disappoints me is that he is the first one who seems really kind of against humans and their stupid ways--the shows with him as the doctor seem to embrace just about every lefty cause there is, for example humans are killing the planet, humans hate "others" and will kill them when they have the chance etc.
Posted by: ParanoidDoctorWhoFanInSeattle at December 23, 2010 02:58 PM (RZ8pf)

The interesting thing about this incarnation is that while he does seem hostile to 'stupid' humans, the reality is that more than once, it's a stupid human (Amy) who saves the day.

I think a lot of hardcore fans of Who are upset because in someways she was the key to the whole season and several episodes individually (think "The Beast Below" or "Victory of the Daleks").

It's not just her human empathy but her brains that solve the puzzle he couldn't.

I'm not sold on Smith as The Doctor but the dynamic with Amy is interesting. In the 1st season, Rose was the star. Eccelson's Doctor was unlikable. She was the star and we had to trust that if she liked him, we should too. Now, I never like Rose that much but it was a more even dynamic.

Tennant's Doctor was clearly in charge and the companions were often just props for him.

96 9 I also recommend "The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances" from Season 1 (Eps 9 and 10). They didn't make the list, but they should have.

Posted by: Jimmie att December 23, 2010 01:25 PM (bofTB)

I agree. Those were two of my favorite episodes. I actually thought Chris Eccleston was a really good Dr. Who. I was sad to seem him go.

David Tenet though, is an excellent replacement.

97 >>>Too many uber-dorks like Dr. Who, so that's probably why I've never seen it. yeah, but the episode I linked is 44 minutes. worth 44 minutes, surely. Kevin, glad you liked it. Creepy. Even better than the monsters was the clever time-travel stuff, which I always like.

98 >>>David Tenet though, is an excellent replacement. based on last night's wiki-wander I think I read tennant was cast as the doctor first, but couldn't do it for a year, so eccleston was hired for one season only. just pointing out that maybe eccleston was the actual "replacement."

99 Jimmmie mentioned The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances two-part episode, that was Moffit. He also wrote The Girl in the Fireplace which was great, the Christmas short "Time Crash" and the double episode Silence in the Library/Forrest of the Dead.

They are the best of the Tennant era (well, Empty Child/Doctor Dances was Christopher Eckelson as The Doctor).

Moffit is now the show runner but the new Doctor isn't as good as Tennant, though his companion is smoking hot. I would have loved to have seen a full season of Moffit/Tennant together.

Posted by: DrewM. at December 23, 2010 01:30 PM (HicGG)

Those were all excellent shows. I was wondering why some shows were awesome and others not so much. The Wolf and Queen Victoria was pretty good too.

100 The Girl in the Fireplace is also excellent

101 It's also a shame that Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead didn't make the list.
Posted by: Miss'80sBaby at December 23, 2010 03:54 PM (0g3ST)

It's not a very good list. In fact, any list that leaves "The Girl in the Fireplace" off isn't worth taking very seriously.

"Vincent and the Doctor" is much better than "The 11th Hour".

How is "The End of Time" (especially the 2nd hour) not on the list? Or "The Waters of Mars"?

102 Posted by: ace at December 23, 2010 04:44 PM (nj1bB)

Yeah, the whole Eccleson leaving thing was a big mystery. The BBC flat out lied in their initial release and how to retract.

I'd never seen the placeholder thing for Tennant but there are so many stories and theories about it and that makes as much sense as any.

103

based on last night's wiki-wander I think I read tennant was cast as the doctor first, but couldn't do it for a year, so eccleston was hired for one season only. just pointing out that maybe eccleston was the actual "replacement."

Posted by: ace at December 23, 2010 04:44 PM (nj1bB)

I have to admit that David Tenet is unquestionably better. My original favorite was Tom Baker, but I think people pretty much agree that David Tenet holds the title for best doctor ever.

104 "Eccelson's Doctor was unlikable."

I disagree; I adored his Doctor.

Also, I don't think that story about Tennant being the first choice is right.  Eccleston had a long history with the producer and was, at least in the UK, a huge name star and an actor with much critical acclaim.  Getting him was a coup for the show and helped propel the show to a respectability that it had rarely had before.  Tennant became a star because of Dr Who.  Eccleston was already one.

But Eccleston, from what I've read, didn't have a great time doing it and clashed a lot with the directors and the producer and opted to drop out fairly early in the production process.  No one should have been surprised by that, either, because he has a history of doing that going back to at least "Cracker" which he also left after one year.

105 It's not a very good list. In fact, any list that leaves "The Girl in the Fireplace" off isn't worth taking very seriously.

Amen to that! That was one of the most poignant and moving episodes ever.

What's the consensus on the new doctor? I've only seen one episode with him in it, and I wasn't much impressed with either him or the plot. (Something about this warrior that guards this chamber for like a thousand years, waiting for his girlfriend inside to awake and the doctor to arrive and save her, or something.)

106 Ace, you should really check out those "Misfits" links I posted above.  I think it would be right up the average Moron's alley.

107 Posted by: Kensington at December 23, 2010 04:52 PM (BFRQw)

That's interesting. I don't think I've ever read that about him.

I know a lot of people liked the fact that it was a darker more challenging take on the character but not actually that they liked him.

I love the concept though that the character sort of stays the same but changes dramatically. Can you imagine Kirk (and Who is the UK's version of Trek, culturally at least) going through that process and what would have happened to the franchise?

It opens up a lot of possibilities.

108

The interesting thing about this incarnation is that while he does seem hostile to 'stupid' humans, the reality is that more than once, it's a stupid human (Amy) who saves the day.

I think a lot of hardcore fans of Who are upset because in someways she was the key to the whole season and several episodes individually (think "The Beast Below" or "Victory of the Daleks").

It's not just her human empathy but her brains that solve the puzzle he couldn't.

I haven't watched since the special with the thief and the bus on a desert planet with Tenant, but could it be that they are planning to utilize the Doctor's apparent disdain for humans as plot point?  To have him eventually realize how he's been acting and correct his outlook later on.

109 kensington, I might check 'em out. I'm not averse to that, but I don't like watching stuff on computer. I might wait 'till netflix.

110 One of my favorite episodes is the last one in the "Key to time" (Tom Baker) series. I absolutely Loved the end when the Dr had finally acquired all the pieces of the Key to time and used them to stop the warring between two planets. After everything was resolved,  Romana asked the Dr "What should we do with it now? (or some such)

He responded "Do? Why we can do anything. We Can do anything we want. We can take over the galaxy! We can Rule the Universe! WE CAN BE ALL POWEFUL! (Wild eyed and acting crazier and crazier...) Romana asks him "Doctor, are you all right? "  At which point he immediately reverts back to his normal solemn voice and says "Of course, but could you imagine what would happen if I wasn't ?"

That scene just kills me!

111 >>>I think that story about Tennant being the first choice is right. Eccleston had a long history with the producer and was, at least in the UK, a huge name star and an actor with much critical acclaim. Getting him was a coup for the show and helped propel the show to a respectability that it had rarely had before. Tennant became a star because of Dr Who. Eccleston was already one. That is not in any way inconsistent with my story. Big names are hard to sign for extended runs on tv shows. if it's pitched to established star eccleston that it's one and done, he may be more, not less, inclined to take a job he otherwise wouldn't.

112 That's interesting. I don't think I've ever read that about him.

Again, from what I've read, Eccleston was ultimately disappointed by the scripts. He had done...meatier...stuff with Russell T Davies before and didn't quite realize how far downward RTD was going to dial things in order to suit Dr Who's family audience.  Most of RTD's previous stuff was a lot more adult than Dr Who, really.

Then, they were shunted off to Wales for nine months, and since this was, for all intents and purposes, a brand new production, the growing pains were more severe and the learning curve more steep than anyone had anticipated.  There were rumors throughout the production of series one (the Eccleston year) that the show was going to be a disaster based on how many production problems they were having.

Fortunately, it all came together (I loved series one), but Eccles had had enough.  I've heard that he didn't even really get on well with Billie Piper.

Again, I think he's a great actor, but I often get a whiff of the David Caruso prima dona stink about him.

113 in other words, the deal might have been good for the show (big name star to jump start it) and good for the actor (hell, why not play dr. who for one season)?

114 Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) fans should be looking forward to the final season of "Secret Diary of a Call Girl."

Starts mid-January on ITV in Britain, not yet announced on Showtime in the U.S. (One could, of course, find a t*rr*nt. But that would be wrong.)

115

"The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances",

"Vincent and the Doctor",

"The Girl in the Fireplace",

"Tooth and Claw" and

"Silence in the Library/Forrest of the Dead", the first episodes with River Song before her coming back in

"The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone" are all great episodes.

 

 

 

 

116 Posted by: Kensington at December 23, 2010 05:06 PM (BFRQw)

Sorry, I meant to quote the part that you adored his Doctor. That's what I'd never seen before.

I saw a recent interview with him where he said he wanted to stay on but wasn't given the chance.

It's pretty clear it was a messy ending and everyone has their own version. There's probably a bit of truth in a lot of the version. Big decisions like that rarely come down to one thing alone.

117 One thing, if there are any potential fans left reading this...Don't watch just the BBC America versions. The original BBC ones run much longer and often a lot is lost in the editing.

Netflicks or iTunes is the way to go for the full episodes.

118 106 It's not a very good list. In fact, any list that leaves "The Girl in the Fireplace" off isn't worth taking very seriously.

"Vincent and the Doctor" is much better than "The 11th Hour".

How is "The End of Time" (especially the 2nd hour) not on the list? Or "The Waters of Mars"?


I agree, they all should have made the list. The order is also puzzling to me, since their #1 would be closer to #9 if I were to rearrange what was on the list. How is that episode better than Blink or Army of Ghosts/Doomsday? Why isn't Human Nature/Family of Blood on this list?

119

Ace:
"in other words, the deal might have been good for the show (big name star to jump start it) and good for the actor (hell, why not play dr. who for one season)?"

The only problem with that is that the BBC was just launching the show and almost certainly would have preferred the stability of not changing the lead actor after one series.  There was real fear that the ratings wouldn't hold up.

One thing about Dr Who that many fans don't quite realize is that changing the lead actor was historically a very iffy proposition, and the show routinely saw its ratings crash after a change, going all the way back to the first time they did it.  The ratings were low when William Hartnell was fired, but they positively cratered with the arrival of Patrick Troughton

Now, the situation with the new series is different.  It turns out that David Tennant's ratings were not only higher than Christopher Eccleston's, but they kept increasing throughout his tenure.  He really was quite a phenomenon ultimately.

But that's not what the historical norm for Dr Who had been.  Colin Baker's ratings collapsed from the start.  Sylvester McCoy never really even got off the floor.  Even Tom Baker's early ratings were a considerable drop from Jon Pertwee's.  In fact, the BBC was so worried about this happening when Peter Davison came on board that they went so far as to change the transmission day from once a week on Saturday to twice a week on Monday and Tuesday.

The common perception is that the audience embraces a new Doctor right from the start, but it's actually a fairly recent development (in terms of the ratings and the general audience, not the hardcore fans), and there was no way they could have anticipated that when the show came back in 2005 after being largely forgotten by the general audience.

120

DrewM:
"One thing, if there are any potential fans left reading this...Don't watch just the BBC America versions. The original BBC ones run much longer and often a lot is lost in the editing"

That being said, the BBC America On Demand versions are always the uncut ones, and the network has a policy now of making sure that the initial broadcast of each new episode is complete and unedited.

So the Christmas episode on Saturday should be unmolested.

121

"kensington, I might check ["MisFits"] out. I'm not averse to that, but I don't like watching stuff on computer. I might wait 'till netflix"

Unfortunately, the show has yet to air over here, and I don't think it's likely to get to Netflix anytime soon.

I know I'm being uber-geeky about it, but it really was an exciting find, perhaps the best new show I discovered this year, and almost no one in the states has even heard of it.

122 So the Christmas episode on Saturday should be unmolested.
Posted by: Kensington at December 23, 2010 05:51 PM (E2IdR)

Excellent!

They butchered the hell out of "Journey's End".

Speaking of which...how long until Tennant and Piper come back for guest shots revolving around Rose and the 1/2 human Doctor in the parallel universe?

123

DrewM:
"Speaking of which...how long until Tennant and Piper come back for guest shots revolving around Rose and the 1/2 human Doctor in the parallel universe?"

Never, I hope.  Rose getting stuck in the parallel world made her ending poignant.  Bringing her back twice, and giving her a life-size Doctor clone in the bargain, takes away the poignancy of it.  It's fanwank.

Of course, it's also brilliant, and creating a "Doctor" that can age normally makes it possible for David Tennant to guest star thirty years from now without anyone having to explain why he looks so old.

And speaking of Rose and her 1/2 human Doctor, enjoy this.

124

Wait, let's try that last link again.

This should be right.  It's an artists funny take on Rose and her human Doctor replacement.

125 Posted by: Kensington at December 23, 2010 06:13 PM (E2IdR)

Cute.

As for the guest shots, you know it's coming.

Either they'll do it to goose the ratings if they are low or wait until it's canceled and repeat what they did in The End of Time.

126 David Tennant is not coming back. As a boy, he wanted to play Doctor Who but even then he only wanted to do it for awhile. So, before he got the role ( "a dream come true" ), he said he said he would be on the show for a few years and that was it. Doctor Who also brought him great fame and he's landed some meaty roles since, including his own series, so he doesn't really have a reason to do a cameo. From what he's said, he really wants to move-on with his life and do other projects, which makes sense.

127 Gotta say, as much as I love Doctor Who, Matt Smith will never be as good as Tennant was. Tennant could go from powerful and intimidating to goofy and lovable with ease. All Smith seems capable of is 'somewhat flighty' to 'mild hissy fit'. It's just not the same.

128 Glad someone noted, the "Blink" ep is not the most recent season (God, I'm a bigger WhoVerse geek than I supposed!). Matt Smith grew on me. He's older than Tennant in some ways -- it's in his eyes -- DT certainly had the boyish energy; Smith seems to be an old man in a young man's body -- and, may I add here, what a nice body it is. Rory (Amy's husband -- yecccchhhhh)'s a pussy. He's just there to appease longtime Who fans who hate the thought of sexual sparks between the Dr & the Companion. They think of the Doctor as Man w/o Penis. How boring is that?

129

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130 There are cybermen all in WASHINGTON D.C. why else are they so cold and callus

131 I'll pay attention to it when they start calling it Dr Whom.

132 Blink is my favorite David Tennant episodes.

133 This is a smart blog. I mean it. You have so much knowledge about this issue, and so much passion. You also know how to make people rally behind it, obviously from the responses. Youve got a design here thats not too flashy, but makes a statement as big as what youre saying. Great job, indeed.