New Dr. Who a disappointment?

[Conrad]

Chaps! Blokes! Fellas!  *Do* be careful about calling Doctor Who "English".  We over here in the UK see ourselves mostly as "British", even if the current Doctor Who* has been made by BBC Wales.

Flash T's comments chime pretttty closely with mine own.  Christopher Eccleston is a striking Doctor; Billie Piper is - well, pretty Billie Piper-ish, though fortunately this is all she needs to be.

Not a bad opening episode, and I speak as one who saw the first episode ever.
(1963, if you care to know).

* Christopher Eccleston hails from Salford, where I work.  A rather low-rent low-brow low-aspiration part of the UK.

[trekgeezer]

There were two pilots made for Red Dwarf in the states, but they failed. One had a female Cat played by Terry Farrell and Jane Leeves was cast as Holly. Can't remember who they had playing "Cloister the Stupid" (Dave Lister) or Rimmer, but Robert Llewelyn was Kryton in both.

I saw a blurb that Dr. Who is already renewed, but Eccleston wasn't returning.

[BoyScoutKevin]

That is correct. I guess Eccleston is afraid of being typecast and wants his first season of Dr. Who to be his last season. Since it does appear to be a success, they'll probably get someone else to replace Eccleston. Unless I have miscounted my Whos, Eccleston's replacement will be the 10th Dr. Who. I do wonder what'll they'll do, when they reach the 13th Dr. Who. Which they well might. As I can remember reading, a long time ago, that a Doctor can only regenerate 13 times and no more.

[Yaddo 42]

Wish they hadn't counted Paul McGann as offically part of the cycle, and burned up a whole regeneration on one TV film, the books ( I know they have their following but I could never get into them, plus they quit carrying them in any bookstore in my area years ago), and those audio stories. Maybe they should count his Doctor like Peter Cushing's, just call him an alternate version. I liked his Doctor however, just wish more had become of it. If Eccleston is leaving maybe they can get him and call "do over".

Another few regenerations and the Doctor will have to resort to the Master's tactics to keep going.

[trekgeezer]

I thought the number of regenerations was 12. I remember when the Master ran out and was a  rotting corpse and ended up stealing someones body to go on.

 Roger Delgado was the Master during the Pertwee years, later replaced by Anthony Ainley at the end of the Tom Baker years. I always thought Delgado was the most sinister of the two, but I am partial to the Pertwee years.

[AndyC]

Finally saw it last night. Wasn't aware it was going to air on CBC in Canada. I liked it. I think the story was somewhat limited, because it had to centre around the Doctor meeting his new companion, and explaining everything for the benefit of people who don't know. But when they get into some more unusual stuff, in times and places other than present-day London, it should be pretty good. Next week's episode looks like it will do just that.

I think it does capture the feel of the old Doctor Who. This Doctor is an eccentric smartass, kind of whimsical, but with a serious side, and I loved the new TARDIS. Some people might find the show a bit hokey, but I think that's because the fun and adventure is put ahead of scientific accuracy, which is no bad thing. It's what Doctor Who is about.



Post Edited (04-06-05 14:27)

[BoyScoutKevin]

And I always thought the number of regenerations was 13.

If Paul Eccleston does leave at the end of the season, it is believed British actor David Tennant would replace him as Dr. Who.

Of course, there are some who believe the next Dr. Who should be a woman, as there is nothing in the history of Dr. Who, which says that it can't be a woman. If so, the name most bandied about is that of Amanda Donohoe. Who some of you may remember as Lady Sylvia Marsh in "Lair of the White Worm." She certainly would bring some sex appeal to the role.

[AndyC]

That's what I think has really hurt Doctor Who since the last seasons of the original series - the lack of a consistent identity for the Doctor. Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, Baker and Davison each did a pretty decent stretch in the role, with regenerations being a rare event, representing real milestones for the series. Each incarnation of the Doctor was allowed to fully develop. If the role is going to keep jumping around from actor to actor, this new series will never get off the ground. Regeneration is a nice tool to keep the show and the character going when the star must move on, but it can't happen every year or two.