Ted and I watched the last episodes of season 1 Dr. Who yesterday evening. Having never previously seen Dr. Who, and having heard pretty much across the board rave reviews, I have to say the show lived up to my expectations.
First off, I did know enough about Dr. Who to think it was right bastardly of Christopher Eccleston to only do one season, even before I had any emotional attachment to him. Now I think it’s twice as bastardly, because I adored him. (I said, when we were done with the show, “I’d run off with the Doctor to explore the universe,” and Ted said, “Of course you would. He’s got a big nose and he’s skinny.” Which, well, YEAH, but that wasn’t what I meant!)
There was lots and lots of talk about the “Everybody lives,” scene, when the show aired. I donno if it’s because I hadn’t seen any other Who, or because I’d heard all about the scene (though I didn’t realize it was coming until about halfway through the episode), but it wasn’t nearly as effective in the watching as it was in hearing people talk about it. I thought the “Father’s Day” episode was much, much more powerful. Ted and I were all, “We’re not gonna cry! We’re not gonna cry! SNIIIIF!”
It was most of the way through “The Empty Child”, or possibly into “The Doctor Dances” that I realized that the Captain Jack character must in fact be the actual same character in “Torchwood”, which, since I had no idea what “Torchwood” was about (Ted filled me in, at least vaguely), came as a revelation to me. I thought it must just be the same actor. I liked Jack. What a flyboy. And what awesome casting. He’s unreal, he looks so flyboy. *laugh*
I woulda thought that in “Dalek”, the Dalek saying, “You would make a good Dalek,” to the Doctor would stop him cold. I liked that episode very much; I like the Rose character a lot. (Man, the poor Doctor. “I said space travel, you said no. I said time travel…” Waugh. Not that that’s that episode, just … nice bit of characterization there.)
I did expect the Dalek in that episode to end up somehow being the propagator of the Daleks in the season finale, and am not entirely convinced they shoulda done it the way they did. However, I really *liked* the season finale very much; I liked the moment Rose and the Doctor shared in both seeing time and space the same way. Just for a moment. That was quite wonderful. I also liked her bringing Jack back to life; it harkened back to the, “Life is easy,” comment from “The Doctor Dances”, and I thought that was awesome. And I thought her compassion, in the Dalek episode and then in the final episodes, was very much the strength of the character, and I kinda wondered if all the incarnations of the Doctor need a human along (I know they’ve all *got* one along) for that reason.
I was a little cranky about the Bad Wolf suddenly showing up all over the place (it felt like bad storytelling, a case of “Oh crap, the Doctor is leaving, we’ve got to retcon stuff into place to give us a reason to reincarnate him!”), until they did the flashbacks that showed us where the Bad Wolf had been used time and again. I forgave them a lot with the Dickens episode and even more with the kid spraypainting “Bad Wolf” on the side of the TARDIS, so, okay. They knew what they were doing from the start. I’m mollified.
The green monsters in people suits episodes spent way too much time unzipping, giggling and farting, in that order, but the payoff with the 3rd episode was really quite nice. Poor Mickey. Such a decent guy, and so totally unable to compete with the Doctor.
Speaking of Mickey: talk about Things You Wouldn’t See On American TV. This struck me when I watched “Love Actually” and again in watching Doctor Who. They do not just randomly and casually and meaninglessly cast black men across from white women in American tv or film. Yay for the Brits. :)
So now I’m kinda wondering if I want to go back and watch older Who, ’cause I enjoyed this series so much. Presumably I should turn to
Started watching S3 Dead Zone tonight. Some heart-stabby goodness there, though I frequently want to kill the Sarah character for being a twit. But Anthony Michael Hall, yay grown-up-geeks :)
Rumor has it that first season Beauty and the Beast will be out on DVD in February. I’ve placed a pre-order. Let’s see if it actually comes through. :)
Ok, fanboy out. :)
I’ve been watching Doctor Who for years over‘s and ‘s shoulders, but it was Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor that really actually made me a fan. He is indeed fabulous. So’s Tennant, his successor. ^_^
Re: older Who… there’s some godawful crap plots in older Who, but then again there’s some pretty neat stuff as well. Just be prepared for much goofier special effects, alien costumes/makeup, etc.
Yay! Another convert!
I’ll be interested to see what you think of Eccleston’s replacement.
I vote for watching tenth doctor next!
I’m so sullen over Eccleston leaving I’m disinclined to like poor Tennant, though I’m told he really is very good. :) But, since I know that this is how the Doctor works, I shall have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Next year, when S2 is out on DVD. :)
I hate Eccleston! In one season, one season!, he has rewritten everything I ever felt about Dr Who, which remember I grew up watching every week as a kid (from under the couch mostly – daleks being unable to bend down and see me there). Then he left! Aaaargh! David Tennant is pretty good, but it just isn’t the same. He doesn’t have that manic intensity that Eccleston can turn on like a flashlight. I love that!
I felt exactly the same so will to try to talk you out of it. I am quite fond of the shorty little Scots loon but he isn’t Eccleston and a still small part of me is always grinding my teeth slightly when I watch him.
Yes, I have so much love for Eccleston that Tennant had a lot to live up to. I think Tennant makes a very good Doctor, but he doesn’t hit me in my “squee” zone the way Eccleston does. OTOH, Tennant really does “it” for a number of other people, so you may find yourself won over quite quickly. It all depends.
I will refrain from giving you my thoughts on 2nd season until you’ve seen it.
from under the couch mostly – daleks being unable to bend down and see me there
*LAUGH* Brilliant planning on your part. Well thought out.
Oh crumbs. I think this will take a major post (and professions of faith, almost) to reply to properly.
Having said which, if you check this site, you’ll find the top ten old series currently are:
Talons of Weng-Chiang
The Caves of Androzani
Genesis of the Daleks
City of Death
Pyramids of Mars
The Deadly Assassin
Inferno
The Tomb of the Cybermen
The Evil of the Daleks
The Robots of Death
…which would not be far from my own assessment – nine of the ten available in their entirety on video (most, indeed, on DVD) and six of them featuring the superb Tom Baker.
But I shall write something more comprehensive tomorrow.
Your ‘this site’ links back to this journal entry, but that’s a very useful list! -laughs- I really look forward to your in-depth post. :)
I am unable to give you unbiased advice, as I think that all Doctor Who must be viewed until eye-bleeding occurs. But that’s me, isn’t it.
As long as you’re not one of these people that are hardcore about the thought that F/X and costumes must look great, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be gotten out of all the previous Doctors. I imagine you’d prolly like Peter Davison (the 5th doctor), and prolly Tom Baker (4th) and Jon Pertwee (3rd) most of all… but I could be wrong.
I’m one of those rare souls who likes all the Doctors (well, except for Paul McGann, the 8th – whom I’ve only seen in the horrible Fox tv pilot from the 90s – though I’ve heard good things about the audio books or whatever he’s done with other stories) – doubly so, b/c most Whofans LOATHE Colin Baker (6th) and he’s one of my faves.
I’m one of those. I loved Chris Eccleston, but I love David Tennant even more. First couple of episodes were a little flat, but they totally hooked me with M. Pompadour, and the rest of the season rocked. Worth watching.
It’s true that Torchwood stars Captain Jack, and while it’s a different show, I’ve been enjoying it very much also.
(I think these days I watch more British TV than American/Canadian TV… :-)
Yay Doctor Who! I’m utterly delighted (and not particularly surprised) that you liked the series!
I loved Eccleston, and he was really my first Doctor, too (I’m not to count the movie), and very much wish he’d stayed around longer, but OMG, does Tennant make my toes curl. I love the mad gleam in his eye, and later Confidentials show him all scruffy and black-clad-shirt-part-unbuttoned and I swooned every time he came onscreen during those particular interview bits (much to everyone’s amusement). I hope you like him, too!
1st epidode 2nd season got me “sqee”ing for Tennant. His first realization of what his new personality is like. And I have a thing for Punk Boys anyway. :)
After you have seen “Inferno” we can tell you the oft repeated Jon Pertwee anecdote, and then you will be a true Dr Who fanboy.