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companions are my favorite as normals who are just great people, who are friends to the Doctor and keep him in line.
Here here. This is the main reason I've liked Donna and Rory best as companions. They didn't hesitate to stand up to the Doctor when he does something stupid, and don't tend to fangirl around him, compared to Rose and Amy respectively.
(Haven't seen enough of Clara to say one way or the other, to be honest. Haven't gotten around to seeing the last season yet.)
Mark, I'm pretty certain the Delgado master was on his last incarnation and that's why he didn't regenerate when he became BurnVictimMaster. I'll have to check...
I'm totally with you on being glad the Cartmel Masterplan was never allowed to realize (as much as I did actually enjoy much of 7s era). Also before Ace became the Speshul Snowflake companion who was going to become a Time Lord... I don't like the Speshul Snowflake companion role that they gave to Amy and Clara and Rose ... companions are my favorite as normals who are just great people, who are friends to the Doctor and keep him in line. Ace was awesome enough as she was.
** spoiler omitted **
Kthulhu, you forgot the White Guardian. :)
Although I like the Clara's splinter idea, I don't think 10 would have recognized her, unless he remembers her from Day of the Doctor.
I think Roger Delgado being the last is a natural assumption rather than being explicitly stated.
Special companions: Rose became too much; Martha was a ship that passed in the night, Donna was great, Amy seemed promising but was a bit disappointing in the end. I have hopes for Clara now the 'born to save the Doctor' bit is out the way.
Cheers
Mark
companions are my favorite as normals who are just great people, who are friends to the Doctor and keep him in line.Here here. This is the main reason I've liked Donna and Rory best as companions. They didn't hesitate to stand up to the Doctor when he does something stupid, and don't tend to fangirl around him, compared to Rose and Amy respectively.
(Haven't seen enough of Clara to say one way or the other, to be honest. Haven't gotten around to seeing the last season yet.)
Personality wise I like Clara. You will see the part where they turn her into a plot device instead of a character, but as Mark says now that that particular storyline is over, it is hopeful she will back to being "just" a very interesting, intelligent, brave young woman.
@KSF - from your words, I concluded that I should probably watch 5 for a while instead of whatever the hack is going on with the show under Moffat's supervision. And, indeed, we agree to disagree about 10 in the 50 years anniversary - had he sometimes been like that during his seasons, I might very well have quit the show a long time ago.
Okay, I hope you find Davison's tenure to your liking. Be aware that it's during his run that the show starts its downward slump towards cancellation. (Though you could argue that started in Tom Baker's last season, or in Colin Baker's first.) If you haven't seen any classic Who, the show then was fairly different than what the show is now. (Now meaning since 2005.)
I'd recommend a few, but it's hard to say what to go with if you haven't watched classic Who before. If you start at the beginning of his run, keep in mind that, like any Doctor post-regeneration, it takes him a couple of adventures to hit his stride.
My favorites are: Enlightenment, The King's Demons, Warriors of the Deep (if you can handle one very bad special effect/monster), Resurrection of the Daleks, The Caves of Androzani (his last adventure), and maybe Black Orchid (which is kind of an odd one - The Unicorn and the Wasp was a slight nod back to it, in setting if not in plot).
You might also try a couple of Tom Baker stories first, to see what Davison is building off of/against. (Pyramids of Mars, The Horror of Fang Rock, The Ark in Space, Robots of Death, The Androids of Tara, there's a ton of good Tom Baker stories).
Last comment I'll send your way on the special. At some point, down the line, give it another look. There is a very specific scene, a very specific dialogue exchange, between 10 and 11, that does distinguish them in the way you're talking about.
Cheers. (Or "Allons-y," if you prefer.)
I get the feeling that was one of the options they were exploring had Liz Sladden lived longer. It's interesting that both were (more arguable with Liz but only because the competition was tougher) winner of "companion of the decade".
Sophie could totally pick up where SJ left off......
I would LOVE to see an "Ace Adventures" series, and based on interviews with her in Doctor Who Magazine, I'm pretty sure Sophie Aldred would be game for it.
Ace is also a significantly different kind of character than Sarah Jane, so it would be very clear she is not a replacement, she's doing her own thing. Even older, wiser, and running a charity, I'm pretty sure Ace probably still rides motorcycles, builds bombs for fun, and generally tries to buck the system whenever it gets in her way. :)
Ace wasn't only awesome to my mind; she and the McCoy Doctor were actually a team. Subsequent companions of the Eccleston/Tennant/Smith Doctors have been groupies or troops expected to follow the Doctor's orders, by comparison (or maybe, in the case of Capt. J. Harkness, been a tolerated ally).
I agree that Seven and Ace were a TEAM, and that is an essential dynamic for the Doctor-companion relationship to work. Mind, I think nuWho has accomplished that teamwork at times... I think the best nuWho TARDIS crews were also a team -- I think Donna and Ten for example--look at how they work together in a number of stories, that is neither "troop" and Donna was NEVER a groupies. Or some middle-period Amy-Rory, before things got weird, but they did tend to swing around. Clara could be too, she's not a groupie at all that I can recall, it's just her weird plot deviceness gets in the way a little of her character development.
I enjoy nuWho but one of my biggest problems with it is how often the series tries to shove down the viewers' throats just how amazing the Doctor is. The oncoming storm, the lonely god, the defender of earth, he's like fire, he's the HERO, GAG (the Doctor is an anti-hero, that's part of why he's awesome). We know the Doctor is amazing, we do not need to be told it so often. But there is this rampant fanboyism actually coded into much of the writing, and unfortunately it gets passed off onto the companion, often, to be the voice of the fanboy writer who just talks about how amazing the Doctor is instead of just letting us see the Doctor be amazing--and see the companion be amazing too, because after all, if you're going to travel with the Doctor, you should also be able to hold your own in the awesome department (and ALSO without the narrative dropping anvils on the viewers' heads reading 'companion is speshul').
I think they are slowly getting better about that though. "Day of the Doctor" wasn't actually bad in this respect despite it being all about the Doctor, and the one requisite Doctor-fangirl character managed to be endearing.
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Since we're talking about watching old Who, I'm going to segue into this: this is my stock advice for people wanting to get a feel for the show but not watch 26 years worth of television. I try to suggest no more than three stories per Doctor just to keep things from being overwhelming (Four gets Four because he was on for so long):
1st Doctor
"An Unearthly Child" - 1st episode only, don't worry about the cavemen. This is the first story ever and is the introduction to the whole thing.
"The Daleks" - This is one of three Dalek stories I actually like and of course introduces the iconic characters.
"Edge of Destruction" - More of a head trip and can be slow paced, but the stories that take place inside the TARDIS are enlightening in a number of ways, and it's important to see this one after you watch the first couple because of the developments between the Doctor and his companions. (The Doctor apologizes. This is important.)
2nd Doctor
"The Mind Robber" - A more whimsical yet daring exploration of where one might travel in the TARDIS, plus it features Zoe's sparkly bum.
"The Invasion" - One of THE best Cybermen stories, IMO, and moves at a better pace than "Tomb of the Cybermen" (which is often recommended instead). Has some great human characters and is also important as one of UNIT's earliest episodes. This is when the Cybermen were still scary and cool.
3rd Doctor
"Spearhead from Space" - Introduces the Third Doctor, Autons, and UNIT in its most recognizable form.
"Inferno" - A chillingly good alternate universe story.
"The Green Death" - So when you hear "the one with the maggots in" you know what they're talking about. Also has a tearful farewell. Alternately, pick a story with the Master in it -- someone else should recommend, as I haven't watched any Three stories in years (I'm not a big fan).
4th Doctor
"Genesis of the Daleks" - A seminal tale introducing Davros, the creator of the Daleks, and features the Doctor in a class moral dilemma.
"Robots of Death" - Murder mystery meets Isaac Asimov; a very well crafted tale, and it has Leela in it, who kicks ass.
The Ribos Operation" - Begins one of the first attempts of the Doctor having a season long arc, being the quest for the Key to Time. Introduces Romana, who is a Time Lord and she is awesome (I love a good b@#+~.) As well as the concept of the Guardians.
"City of Death" - A very nicely paced for its time story with a lot of wibbly wobbly timey wimeyness, and the Doctor and a less-b*%+!y incarnation of Romana running through Paris holding hands.
5th Doctor
"Snakedance" - Others would suggest its prequel "Kinda" but I feel "Snakedance" has many of the same themes without being too esoteric. The Mara was the first Doctor Who monster that I ever as a child was truly frightened of (I thought Daleks were a joke), even though it was clearly made of papier mache.
"Enlightenment" - Probably one of THE best Five stories, hands down. It has a nice balance between getting philosophical and having a rather captivating, well-paced story. The DVD has a director's cut "film" version that is nice to watch (with some improved special effects). Brings back the Guardians amongst other things.
"The Five Doctors" - It is a ridiculous panto, and you must watch it in all of its cheesy glory. Plus, it's set on Gallifrey.
6th Doctor
"Vengeance on Varos" - A rather dark tale, where the Doctor lands on a prison colony where they televise punishment as a form of entertainment. The 6th Doctor era suffers from a lot of bad writing; this was definitely one of the better ones.
"Mark of the Rani" - Introduces the Rani, another Time Lord foe, and is a generally interesting tale about evil scientists and Luddites and how to strike a balance in the march of progress.
"Trial of a Time Lord Part IV" (I can't remember the story title): Skip the first three parts, just know that the Doctor is on trial for being too meddlesome (high crime amongst the Time Lords). Has some interesting Gallifreyan mindf&!&ery going on, and fabulous hats.
7th Doctor
"Dragonfire" - A lot of people bash this one, and I don't know why. I really like the story and setting, and it introduces Ace, who is awesome. There's a lot of threads that make it a sort of sci-fi take on the Wizard of Oz, but where the Wizard and the Wicked Witch are one and same (and not nice at all).
"Remembrance of the Daleks" - While Silver Nemesis is the official 25th anniversary story, this one came before it and obviously also marks the anniversary by setting itself in London 1963 -- and does a much better job. This is the second of the three Dalek stories I actually enjoy (the third is "Dalek" from the 9th Doctor era). (Note, I recommended Genesis because it's important but it's not one I actually enjoy much.)
"Survival" - It's the last shout. It has its flaws, but it's the end of the era and the final lines are worth it, if not the whole tale.
Of course your mileage will vary.
Ace is also a significantly different kind of character than Sarah Jane, so it would be very clear she is not a replacement, she's doing her own thing. Even older, wiser, and running a charity, I'm pretty sure Ace probably still rides motorcycles, builds bombs for fun, and generally tries to buck the system whenever it gets in her way. :)
In the novels, Ace ended up with a short-range time vortex manipulator hotwired to her motorbike, which she would then ride backwards or forwards 300-400 years in either direction to kick arse. She'd also spent three years fighting Daleks on the front lines of a devastating future war between them and Earth. That works for me :-)
They were going to bring her back in the SJA and even had a line setting it up (a woman named Dorothy running a charity called 'A Charitable Earth') but didn't get round to it. Sophie Aldred has said that she doubts Ace would really be running a charity, unless it's a front for something else. She cropped up as a talking head in a few of the 50th anniversary celebrations and she's still in good shape for 51. If she was up for it, a reappearance could be great.
An interesting thing about finding Gallifrey:
Since we're talking about watching old Who, I'm going to segue into this: this is my stock advice for people wanting to get a feel for the show but not watch 26 years worth of television. I try to suggest no more than three stories per Doctor just to keep things from being overwhelming (Four gets Four because he was on for so long):
I would suggest "The Time Meddler" in place of "Edge of Destruction"--fun and our first look at another Time Lord.
Instead of "The Green Death", I would go with "The Daemons"--you get the Master and one of Lethbridge-Stewart's best lines ever. And BTW, this is my favorite era of the show...
I would not recommend "The Ribos Operation"--I found little to like in the "Key to Time" season. Instead try out "The Talons of Weng Chiang" for Leela in Victorian London and the Doctor channeling Sherlock Homes!
And for my money, 4's best adventure was "Pyramids of Mars".
Since we're talking about watching old Who, I'm going to segue into this: this is my stock advice for people wanting to get a feel for the show but not watch 26 years worth of television. I try to suggest no more than three stories per Doctor just to keep things from being overwhelming (Four gets Four because he was on for so long):I would suggest "The Time Meddler" in place of "Edge of Destruction"--fun and our first look at another Time Lord.
That is a fun story, I just value Edge of Destruction because it's really about the relationships of the TARDIS crew and has some good character development, and it is the first story that also shows that the TARDIS is more than just a machine.
Instead of "The Green Death", I would go with "The Daemons"--you get the Master and one of Lethbridge-Stewart's best lines ever. And BTW, this is my favorite era of the show...
Good call. I will trust someone who likes the era better than I do. And that's the one with the "chap with the wings, five rounds rapid" line, right?
I would not recommend "The Ribos Operation"--I found little to like in the "Key to Time" season. Instead try out "The Talons of Weng Chiang" for Leela in Victorian London and the Doctor channeling Sherlock Homes!
While I understand "Talons" was from another time, seeing a bunch of Englishmen run around in yellowface just really bothers me. Weng Chiang IS a good story, but the execution is a little hard to swallow with my contemporary sensibilities. Also in terms of an education about Doctor Who in as few episodes as possible, I think a Key to Time story is more desirable for the themes and characters. Although come to think of it, it actually shouldn't be "The Ribos Operation," it should probably be "The Pirate Planet" or "The Armageddon Factor." But, on the other hand, I actually really love the Key to Time season (the only story I didn't like was "The Power of Kroll"), so this is definitely a matter of taste.
For more Time Lordy stuff in Four's era, the "Deadly Assassin" might be a good idea. "Invasion of Time" wasn't very good.
And for my money, 4's best adventure was "Pyramids of Mars".
I haven't seen that one in years, so I can't say, but that makes me think I should see if I can find a copy (I've got a very old one on VHS, but I don't have the DVD version). But I don't really enjoy Tom Baker's early years that much, I find the stories too slow and I find Sarah Jane's role often does not match people's nostalgic memories of her (but in deference to that often very strong nostalgia I will say no more on the matter).
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Regarding Ace:
Did you know that the "Ace with a baseball bat vs Dalek" was the very first Crowning Moment of Awesome listed on TV Tropes, leading to the creation of all the collections that exist now? :)
Finally saw that episode a couple of weeks ago, tucked into the Revisted special for the 7th Doctor. Geoffrey from Fresh Prince of Bel Air was in that one too!
Regarding Ace:
Did you know that the "Ace with a baseball bat vs Dalek" was the very first Crowning Moment of Awesome listed on TV Tropes, leading to the creation of all the collections that exist now? :)
Finally saw that episode a couple of weeks ago, tucked into the Revisted special for the 7th Doctor. Geoffrey from Fresh Prince of Bel Air was in that one too!
That's the scene she mentions when people ask her "What did you do in Doctor Who?"
Imagine that people who meet Sophie Aldred ask her "What did you do in Doctor Who?"!!!!
Cheers
Mark
Can anyone confirm that if you watch the episodes on a computer through say local cable provider that you actually get more content. A friend of mine tells me that due to the hour restraints and commercials that we sometimes get cheated out of dialogue?
"Edge of Destruction" ... "The Mind Robber" ... "Snakedance" ... "Trial of a Time Lord Part IV" (I can't remember the story title)Note: DeathQuaker likes the trippy ones.
(Also, the missing story title is "The Ultimate Foe.")
Heh. I do. But I also suggest them because they reflect some of the "sideways in time" travel that you are supposed to be able to see on Doctor Who (even if not all are via the TARDIS). They also show the Doctor dealing with foes that aren't just monsters to be killed or driven off by conventional means, which I think shows an interesting side of him.
But they are head trips, and I did warn there was some mind-effery to be found.
And thank you! I kept thinking "The Invisible Enemy" and knew that was an entirely different story (the first K9 one).
Can anyone confirm that if you watch the episodes on a computer through say local cable provider that you actually get more content. A friend of mine tells me that due to the hour restraints and commercials that we sometimes get cheated out of dialogue?
If you mean in the US, I don't get any cable currently but yes, I do believe BBC America will often edit for time constraints. BBC America is also a terrible channel generally, based on past experiences.
If you can find a legal stream it is probably the best way to go. Sadly I think the showings in the movie theaters are over with.
Or you could just pre-order the DVD...
Question about the end.
When Tom Baker appears at the end as the Curator, is he meant to be a future regeneration of the Doctor? The dialogue to me implies that he is the Doctor who once again has taken on the look of Tom Baker. But if so, that would mean it's sometime after the 13th Doctor (#12 assuming we stick with current numbering and just call Hurt the War Doctor, 8.5, etc.). To date, unlike some Time Lords like Romana, the Doctor has never had any real control over his regenerations so it seems odd he'd be able to exactly recreate a previous incarnation.
If he isn't, then is this a case like Romana II in reverse? Romana I regenerated into Romana II taking the the form of Princess Astra. What if there is another, non-Time Lord character who is the Curator and when #3 regenerated into #4, #4 is actually (an unplanned)copy of the Curator? I know, seems unlikely and as stated above the dialogue and acting imply to me that he is in fact a future Doctor. He clearly can't be #4 since #4 never had an older appearance, regenerating into #5 before his fourth body could age.
For those of you who (like me) aren't as sharp eyed/eared as we could/should be:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/paulaersly/greatest-easter-eggs-from-the-doctor-who -50th-anniver
Question about the end.
** spoiler omitted **
you heard right. It was the Doctor
1. He got the Sisterhood of Karn to knock up the right cocktail (see Night of the Doctor). OR
2. The Doctor's been practicing. OR
3. All bets are off in a multi-Doctor story.
Probably all three.
Cheers
Mark
I've heard it suggested that the Doctor has some slight control over his regenerations. That, coupled with Eleven's comment about "never forgetting a face" (an idea repeated throughout the series as I understand it), suggests that the Doctor may steer his regenerations to look like people he's met and admired before.
This would explain the similarities in his appearance with the Curator, Twelve's similar appearance to what's-his-name from the Fires of Pompeii episdoe, and whomever else you please.
I prefer to think this isn't actually the case, and that the Curator was something more than just a dude running a gallery to accomodate a cameo, but I doubt we'll get a straight answer soon, if ever.
I can't believe I missed that whilst watching the episode:
Spoiler for the 25th anniversary special, not the Christmas one (be careful on the Internet, there are some MASSIVE spoilers for the Christmas special out there now).
Does any given incarnation of the Doctor age between regenerations?
Yes. Time Lords age like humans in appearance within a single incarnation, but incredibly slowly. For both the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) and the War Doctor (John Hurt) to have aged so visibly, their incarnations were probably around for hundreds of years each, which clashes with existing chronologies, but that's DOCTOR WHO for you. The First Doctor also aged from a baby to a very old man over the course of several hundred years (an estimated 250+ years of real time, although that's complicated because the First Doctor was hit by a Dalek superweapon a few months before his regneration which aged him by another few hundred years in an instant).
Based on continuity issues - the Doctor travelling continuously with overlapping companions - it appears that the Fifth Doctor didn't last very long at all, but with almost all of the rest there are gaps where you could fit years of adventures in. Over the course of the show, the Doctor appears to have aged the better part of a thousand years through such gaps.
Question about the end.
When Tom Baker appears at the end as the Curator, is he meant to be a future regeneration of the Doctor? The dialogue to me implies that he is the Doctor who once again has taken on the look of Tom Baker. But if so, that would mean it's sometime after the 13th Doctor (#12 assuming we stick with current numbering and just call Hurt the War Doctor, 8.5, etc.).
I think first of all, it is meant to be somewhat up to the viewer's interpretation. It could possibly be a future incarnation of the Doctor. It could be some kind of "echo" of the Doctor left behind by all the timey-wimey energy from the three Doctors converging in one space (they noted if they stay in one place too long, it invites paradox energy or something like that). It could be something entirely in Eleven's imagining, or something like the DreamDoctor.
My personal fanon is that it is a Watcher -- a sort of potential future Doctor who shows up not long before the Doctor regenerates, like the ones seen in (IIRC) "Planet of the Spiders" and "Castrovalva"--since as we know the Christmas episode will be Matt Smith's last. And with that, it taking Tom Baker's form (and as an older man than Four looked like) makes a lot of sense since the last time we saw a Watcher was when Tom Baker regenerated into Peter Davison. Mix energy of older-looking-Four-like Watcher with young-looking Eleven, get middle aged Peter Capaldi looking Doctor.
To date, unlike some Time Lords like Romana, the Doctor has never had any real control over his regenerations so it seems odd he'd be able to exactly recreate a previous incarnation.If he isn't, then is this a case like Romana II in reverse? Romana I regenerated into Romana II taking the the form of Princess Astra. What if there is another, non-Time Lord character who is the Curator and when #3 regenerated into #4, #4 is actually (an unplanned)copy of the Curator? I know, seems unlikely and as stated above the dialogue and acting imply to me that he is in fact a future Doctor. He clearly can't be #4 since #4 never had an older appearance, regenerating into #5 before his fourth body could age.
The idea that the Curator is another Time Lord is also an interesting one. That the Doctor unconsciously mimics the appearances of other Time Lords or Gallifreyans isn't the craziest theory I've heard... and would also explain why Six looks like the Gallifreyan chancellery guard Maxil.
The Fourth Doctor and Romana (and K9) could have been exploring together for centuries... That's one of the more obvious periods, though after he turned 750 or so.
Seven also visibly aged quite a bit.
There's also untelevised time for the Sixth Doctor, who may have traveled alone or other others before he properly met Mel.
(As an aside, one of my theories about why Mel is generally disliked--beyond the ear splitting scream--is that she was never properly introduced--most companions get a pretty good introduction story, where you learn who they are, where they're from, what they do, meet some friends/colleagues or family members... Mel never got that as she was inserted as someone the Doctor already new, and there was little to latch onto in terms of relatability. She was a series of quirks rather than a character.)
Why waste time introducing a character when you need to crack on and tell the amazing adventure that is Terror of the Vervoids. ;-)
Mel was supposed to be a 1980's tech savvy career woman and poor Bonnie was given a rehash of a TV role she did 20 years earlier. Mel was a terrible character but Bonnie Langford is at the bottom of the list when it comes handing out the blame.
Cheers
Mark
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Why waste time introducing a character when you need to crack on and tell the amazing adventure that is Terror of the Vervoids. ;-)
Mel was supposed to be a 1980's tech savvy career woman and poor Bonnie was given a rehash of a TV role she did 20 years earlier. Mel was a terrible character but Bonnie Langford is at the bottom of the list when it comes handing out the blame.
Cheers
Mark
The interviews I've seen with Miss Langford seem to make her a nice woman. Mel I wanted to see eaten by the silence. (not the order, or the silents, just be quiet)
I do wonder if Jool from Farscape was a nod to Mel. Intelligent, red hair, and a scream that could melt steel. :-)
There is a s#+% load of inconsistency in Dr Who... Expecting it or wanting will just do your head in.
Just who is the Doctor for example, at times it had been hinted that he is Omega, Rassilon, and another powerful figure from Timelord ancient history, is he The White Guardian..... How many regeneration has he had the Möbius episode indicates there are or could be others.
The Master is sitting on about 16 regenerations he was able to steal a few and the Time Lords we able to offer him more as well.
<nitpick>Morbius</nitpick>. Möbius is the strip. (Although I am sure the similarity is not coincidental.)
It just shows that different production teams/writers have had different ideas/headcanons for who the Doctor is. I can't recall where it was, but I remember reading somewhere where just as intentionally as "The Brain of Morbius" showed possible lives of the Doctor prior to Hartnell, others intentionally showed just the known lives of the Doctor to establish as canon that Hartnell was indeed the first.
And maybe it's all just "timey wimey" anyway--maybe he is and isn't, just depends on the moment and the active timestream.
I've never seen the suggestion that he is the White Guardian though--where did that come from? Just curious.
This has been said before, but I just feel like it needs to be clear... IIRC the Master as played by Roger Delgado was his 13th self. He was injured and wounded badly, and thus BurnVictimMaster seen in the Deadly Assassin and most of the Keeper of Traken was also the 13th Master, just wounded beyond recognition. Likewise, BurnVictimMaster took over Consul Tremas's body (Anthony Ainley), so the AinleyMaster is STILL the 13th Master, and the same goes for Eric Roberts. The Time Lords have offered him new regenerations before but in the classic series he didn't get them. He clearly did during the Time War. Simms is the 15th *known* Master--how often he regenerated during the Time War is unknown. I'm not disagreeing with you that there...
I was typing on my phone while I was supposed to be working... Lesson in that for me somewhere :-)
I have been trying to find who hypothesised that the Doctor was the white guardian but he was hiding it from himself, but I can't find any reference to the article... So the golden rule applies - it's not valid until I can reference it.
So the golden rule applies - it's not valid until I can reference it.
I thought the golden rule was "it's not gay if it's in a threeway"?
Any theories if Strax/gang will be seen with the 13th DR?
So the golden rule applies - it's not valid until I can reference it.I thought the golden rule was "it's not gay if it's in a threeway"?
Well yes there are many golden rules..... :-)
Any theories if Strax/gang will be seen with the 13th DR?
I could be wrong, but I think they've already confirmed they will be returning next year. I see them very much as one of Moffat's core concepts/ideas that he's brought to the table and will likely be de-emphasised or even disregarded entirely once he moves on, like how Torchwood and the large recurring cast from the 9th/10th eras has almost vanished after Daveis moved on.
Well, I won't miss Strax that's for sure. The Sontarans need to come back and be as vicious and as they can be for an early evening TV slot just to wipe away the legacy of the comedy clone.
Cheers
Mark
I don't mind Strax, but I agree the Sontarans, like all Doctor Who baddies, need to be terrifying and horrible.
Often this includes not overusing any given monster, because each time they get used there is temptation to self-parody, diminish in power, etc. plus it's harder to come up with a plot related to them we haven't seen before.
The Sontarans in the new series aren't really like the Sontarans in the old. The ones in the old series successfully invaded Gallifrey (if only briefly), whilst the Sontarans in the new series are so lame they couldn't even get an invite to the Time War. Also, the 'comedy Klingon' schtick was more the preserve of the Chelonians in the novels. The Chelonians were supposed to appear in the TV series a few times (most notably in the episode with the bus crashed on the desert planet, which started off as a direct adaptation of the novel THE HIGHEST SCIENCE, which introduced them) but have never made it because of budget: ambulatory warrior tortoises that don't look ridiculous is a tall order. I get the impression the Sontarans are sort of a second-best option.
That said, I thoroughly enjoy Strax and his spiel. It could get annoying if over-used, but right now his once or twice-per-season appearances and the occasional minisode broadcast feel just about right. This is why I'm so-so on the idea of a Paternoster Gang spin-off series: Jenny and Vastra could certainly carry it, but Strax could get annoying if they didn't give him more to do than express desires for comical levels of violence as the solution to every problem.
Mild spoiler for the Christmas special:
For those of you who (like me) aren't as sharp eyed/eared as we could/should be:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/paulaersly/greatest-easter-eggs-from-the-doctor-who -50th-anniver
Appreciated