Slashdot Mirror
Dr Who Rolls On
derek_farn writes "It looks like us lucky Brits will be getting a Dr Who christmas special, plus a third series has been commissioned. Those of you who get their news from the BBC web site will know that the current Dr Who, Christopher Eccleston, left after the first series and was replaced by the actor who recently played Casanova in a mini-series (not quite the same as the women wearing lycra in Star Trek, but we Brits are a bit more reserved)."
The Badwolf is Dr Who.
www.whitedust.net
[1]Jane Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, confirmed last night that a third series of Doctor Who - plus a second Christmas special - has been commissioned.
First Post what?
Rose (played by Billie Piper) will also stay on for the entire second season, despite rumors that said otherwise.
Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups. -- 0 1 My two bits
sorry, but whats the point on this???
Let me be the first non-Brit to say: Hooray!
How is this the third series? It's more like the twelfth.
EXTERMINATE!*
(* can't wait till saturday)
The whole Bad Wolf thing has been particularly entertaining. They're even making comparisons to Pynchon in the UK.
Beg, buy, borrow or steal it. Whatever, just make sure you watch it!
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
stuff about "we" and "us" brits, the writer was obviously not british.
"not quite the same as the women wearing lycra in Star Trek, but we Brits are a bit more reserved"
Speaking as a descendant of two not so lovely branches on the human tree -- the French and the British -- I have to say that being reserved is generally a good idea when you are British.
(BTW...the Poles and nations north and east of Poland along with most Asian-Pacific nations seem to have the best looking people with some exceptions. Unfortunately, not a close branch for me...and quite distant from the Brits.)
Russell T. Davies has reimagined the show as homosexual innuendo, Dr Who was always camp but now it's a Gay drama series.
I'm really liking this new season. Its ashame that Christopher Eccleston is leaving. I think he does a great job, and Him and Billie Piper have great chemistry on screen.
Ecclestone made a damn fine doctor, making the series seem a bit darker than usual, whilst still keeping the series "Britishness".
I hadn't seen David Tennant before Casanova (a good little series IMHO), but I thought he gave the series both levity and a certain ruggedness, which are essentials to being a good doctor.
Hopefully he will continue what has been a very promising start to the new Doctor Who, though I do kind of miss the wobbly sets (The Slitheen kind of brought back the memories).
Hey looks like there is a new site bashing linux
Just thought I would post it so people are aware of this. Maybe Bill is behind it....
They should have gotten Ford Timelord play the new Doctor.
The original Dr. Who series was quick to tackle very controversial political issues, such as (in the early 1970s) the lack of British participation in the American occupation of Vietnam, as well as the threat of terrorism from various groups in Ireland, but with a futuristic setting and insight.
While I haven't seen it, I must ask, does this Dr. Who series do the same? Are they tackling issues such as the torture of innocents at Abu-Ghraib, Guantanamo, etc.? Will they look at the issues behind the fakery of terrorism?
In short, is this new series a provocative, worthwhile viewing experience?
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
I have to say: a brave (potentially stupid) decision by the Beeb. A new doctor in the second season can make or break that season. So commissioning a /third/ season before an episode with the twelfth doctor has been seen by the general public is, IMO, a dumb/dangerous decision.
-- Waht? Tehr's a preveiw buottn?
Ummm...I wonder if the wide-eyed little Daleks will run to the hearth and find their stockings full of EXTERMINATE? Will Dr. Who don a white beard and hitch a team of reindeer to the Tardis because Santa's sleigh can't hold enough presents for everyone? And what about the smash holiday hit at the end, "We Wish Who a Merry Christmas"
Does he travel now in a cell phone? There's an interdimensional trick . . .
So long and thanks for all the fish . . . !!!
"but we Brits are a bit more reserved."
Except at football* games, of course.
*"soccer", for the colonies
Rich And Stupid is not so bad as Working For Rich And Stupid.
Dr. who?
News Reporters Make Tasty Polar Bear Treats!
Companions should change more frequently than Doctors. Otherwise, it's hard to explain the Doctor's age increases.
Consider that:
Granted, the ninth Doctor has given his age at around 900 (which he's probably not being too truthful about because if the general trend continued he should have passed 1000 in his seventh form) but even still if a human companion sticks around for an entire Doctor's tenure and doesn't seem to age much it makes it hard to explain the Doctor's passing of years.
Will the Christmas special have Wookies?
[o]_O
i have never seen any of the older dr who episodes, i think i have seen a dr who movie but i can barely remember it, but i absolutely love the new episodes! every time they have a "to be continued..." episode
I sit and plan how to infiltrate the bbc james bond style just so i can see the next ep.
I really hope this new guy can match Eccleston, but right now i find Eccleston to be one of the best actors on tv, i even include voice actors in this statement.
the scene in the last ep when he is holding a bfg and then throws it to the guy he is pointing it at saying "like i was ever going to use that" or something like that was brilliant.
sorry for sounding so fanboyish but this show seams to drag this side of me out in the open, my beloved sarcasm is blown away when dr.who is on hehe.
Solid Splash design
Brits will be getting a Dr Who christmas special
Ah yes.
Time to break out the Dalek Christmas Tree and sit down for the Dalek Christmas feast, while listening to your favourite Dalek Christmas Carols
That's a problem? Methinks you guys are doing better than you let on...
The revolution will NOT be televised.
"Yes"
News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters? Like hell.
They parodied the circumstances leading up to the Iraq war in a two-parter with nonexistant "massive weapons of destruction" orbiting the Earth, so they're tackling political issues, all right.
Major concept shortage this year.
I've enjoyed nothing on TV this much since the demise of Bab5. Watch it. It's good.
Don't let THEM immanentize the Eschaton!
Not only have they gone after the non-existent WMD's in Iraq, but also capital punishment and the population being controlled by cable news channels...
Women in Lycra!
I mean, come one! Jeri Lynn Ryan! It's so obvious now that you point it out.
Deleted
Sig cancelled due to lack of interest
Ah, you should definitely be able to find some tapes of the older episodes. I've been watching a few lately because the heat has kept me upstairs and I just have a VCR there. It's really interesting to see how the different doctors played the part, and if you've ever considered the "Mary Ann vs. Ginger" question there are a number of lovely companions to check out.
The revolution will NOT be televised.
Well, the episode "The Long Game" deals with the manipulation of individuals through the media, specifically the news. Take a look at the current state of Fox News and so on and I'm sure we can all find something to nod knowingly at...
Anybody else thinking the word "terrorism"?qntm.org
I'm happy about a third season already being confirmed. However... Christmas special... what's up with that?
[TARDIS materializes on a cold Arctic plane.. The Doctor and Rose walk out shivering..]
Rose: Where are we, Doctor?
Doctor: Oi! The North Pole, of course -- 25 c.e. We're here to witness the first time Jesus delivers gifts to children around the world.
Rose: What the...?
--- Dan
I must admit i had never really heard of doctor who until the new series was shown on cbc. It's not something that's shown on space even. I don't really have a frame of reference to compare Eccleston to but I thought he did a very good job.
;)
I was also kind of happy they kept the daleks with the R2D2 design. I heard they were going to switch to some spider like thing. Don't mess with success or you'll end up like star trek
One thing that does annoy me is the short season. 13 episodes hardly feels like enough. At least it was longer than the hockey season. Movie night in canada is hardly the beer drinking hot wing fest that hockey night in canada used to be.
----
Go canucks, habs, and sens!
Strong enough for a man... but made for a Time Lord.
Yes.
His name?
Who.
The doctor!
Doctor Who!
I don't know, you brought him up! So what's his name?
No, Who is his name. Watt inevented the steam engine...
What invented the steam engine?!? Who were we talking about?
Yes.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Who has turned into a miserable chick flick. While Piper is cute enough, I really don't need a Sci-Fi Gimore Girls or Dawson Creek.
Not to mention the weak attempt at social commentary, "No Doctor, don't kill the Dalek, then you'll be just as evil as he is", or the constant references to the UN as if it were a legitimate institution.
Bottom Line: Eccelston is very good, Piper is cute, the chemistry is good, but the writing is way too estrogen infused.
Here's the full interview with Billie Piper:
Interviewer: Thank you for agreeing to chat with us, Billie. First off, why did you decide to stay on 'Doctor Who' for another series?
Billie: Because I want to! Because I want to!
Interviewer: I see... so your enthusiasm for the show is as strong as ever. I'm sure the fans will be pleased to hear that. The other question everyone's been asking is.... why you always run around in crowds?
Billie: Because I want to! Because I want to!
Interviewer: Why d'you always have to dance all night?
Billie: Because I want to! Because I want to!
Interviewer: Why d'you always say what's on your mind?
Billie: Because I want to! Because I want to!
Interviewer: Uh, it doesn't sound like you have a lot on your mind. What makes you think you can get away with palming one-dimensional answers off on your fans?
Billie: I can do anything that I want, I can, I can, I can, I can do anything that I want
Interviewer: Finally, in response to rumours of your sexuality, the question everyone wants an answer to- "Do you have a girlfriend?"
(Billie kicks the interviewer where it hurts and storms off).
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
There have also been Christmas spin-offs for Doctor Who, including a rather naff pop song titled "I want a Dalek for Christmas".
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
Of course, the robotic spider body should still have the toilet plunger laser gun...
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
this is 29th series not 3rd
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
gives a fuck?
This makes a big difference, as it mean that early stories could be longer if needed (6-part and 8-part stories were not uncommon, and the longest was 13), which made for potentially richer stories. On the flip-side, the actors were pushed to their physical limits and there simply wasn't that much time available for script editing or rehearsal.
The practical upshot is that modern stories have to sell on impact (there isn't time for an in-depth plot), whereas older stories had to sell on plot twists (otherwise nobody would tune in next week).
Personally, I think the 25 episode format was the ideal balance and I wish they would switch back to that. Since Dr Who has proven so popular in its revival, it is possible the BBC might do that. Especially as the actors are only lasting one season anyway. The BBC might as well get the most for its money.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
But they handled the Paul McGann regeneration so well, especially bringing in Sylvester McCoy, and the Frankenstein footage...
The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
While I haven't seen it, I must ask, does this Dr. Who series do the same? Are they tackling issues such as the torture of innocents at Abu-Ghraib, Guantanamo, etc.? Will they look at the issues behind the fakery of terrorism?
In short, is this new series a provocative, worthwhile viewing experience?
All the issues you listed are U.S. of A. political issues, you self-centered twit. Maybe something can be worthwile without pandering to your own, limited, worldview?
You can't take the sky from me...
not quite the same as the women wearing lycra in Star Trek, but we Brits are a bit more reserved
What was her name? Leela? Tom Baker's companion in the scanty animal skins. Brits helped pioneer the field, women in lycra is just the penulitmate expression of it.
Are you saying that terrorists don't exist? Obviously that's not true. People die all the time from terrorism. And sometime lots of people die in a day from terrorism (World Trade Center)
Are you saying that terrorists aren't really an enemy? Obviously that isn't true.
Are you saying that terrorists are not a threat? That might be debatable.
Are you saying that terrorism is the wrong word and the US should be fighting terrorists?
Actually, I'm British. I'm not American. And no, the political issues I listed affect the entire world.
Don't forget that countries like Britain, Italy, Poland, and many other non-American countries are stuck in the Iraqi quagmire. There are young British men and women being sent over to places like Iraq and Afghanistan only to be blown to bits by some roadside bomb, just like is happening to American troops. Numerous British and other non-American citizenry are being held in places like Guantanamo Bay, and innocent Iraqi citizens were (are?) tortured and molested in places like the Abu-Ghraib concentration camp.
All of those issues take place outside of America (ie. Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba), and involve many non-American citizens living in many non-American countries. To call them "U.S. of A. political issues" is an act of foolery!
But from the responses I've gotten, it is good to hear that this show deals with such world issues, since most American media will not.
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
From the creators of Benny Hill?
Larry Vance Never Underestimate Your Influence!
I have watched previous Dr Who series but the current series has me absolutely gripped. It is the best thing on TV at the moment.
This is largely in part due to the fantastic performances by Chris Eccleston and Billie Piper. The enthusiasm that they both bring to their roles is infectious and I spent the entire first episode with a silly grin on my face, loving every minute of it.
The Bad Wolf arc has kept certain newsgroups chattering for the last couple of months and it looks like a lot of threads will be tied up tomorrow.
The saddest thing is that Eccleston is not coming back. His successor has a lot to live up to.
Yes.... there are various references towards mass media moguls controlling the public, there has been a reference towards guantanamo in bad wolf (you are arrested and sentenced without trial....) etc... once you look deeper the whole series is highly sarcastic, and pretty dark.
You've summed up the first ten episodes, give or take some filler.
Next question!
BTW: Wanna play a fine game of Dalek on J2ME? http://home.arcor.de/heiko.selber/Dalek/Dalek.html
Say out loud: I'm an Aspie and I'm somewhat proud, I guess. Uh. Can I write an email in all caps instead? Hm...
Great.
thirteen? no, no, you misheard. i said thirty.
Regeneration sequence on Christmas? Remember that this is from the actor-writer team which brought us The Second Coming. Expect controversial, semi-subversive religious allegory.
saying how much Dr. Who sucks.
But I am ready to help. Want a jelly baby?
Die Hard is one of my brother's favorite Christmas specials.
"I'm not impatient. I just hate waiting." - My Dad
It's important to keep in mind that Russell T. Davies is someone who's not afraid to tackle controversial subjects, and that includes religion. For prove that he can pull it off, I recommend you to check out another Russell T. Davies production (featuring none other than Christopher Eccleson), which intelligently handled the subject of christianity: The Second Coming.
...from all of this, has to be Piper. Talentless teen pop sensation turned geek posterchild. She made this series - she actually WAS this series (her character is and is responsible for BAD WOLF) and she has defied every criticism I could ever think of. When she was announced I cringed - now I am whooping with joy - far more than CE, she MADE this (UK meaning of) series. Very happy Who fan...
Rose can't hold a candle to Lady Romana.
Lady Romana is best. Rose is second (or third, depending on if you count Romana as one or two.)
...us lucky people with broadband.
The Doctor Who episodes torrent just fine. Can't wait for Sunday when I get to see the season finale!
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
Umm.. that didn't come out right.. *the bbc* over a barrel.. ;)
It is useless to discuss politics on slashdot. There is a very high percentage of socialists who will not allow logical arguements or facts get in the way of the opinion that they have been told to have. Let me sum up. US is bad. Republicans are bad. FoxNews is evil propaganda, Al Jazeera and NPR only speak the truth. GWB is either an evil criminal mastermind or a chimp being controlled by Halliburton.
Every time you hear the word "terrorist", try replacing it with "freedom fighter".
Oh, and vice versa of course.
Not only "massive weapons of destruction", but also the crashing of a flying vehicle into a landmark tall building (in London) with a dummy pilot to distract attention from the enemy's real identity, to provide a decoy from the real plan, to conquer the Earth just to plunder its resources for a quick buck. As for "Boom Town", it's practically a philosophy lesson (with running and explosions and the only-just-averted End of the World, plus a nice supper at a decent restaurant).
Absolutely. Russel T Davies is proving to be something of a modern, big, gay, Welsh version of Ben Elton. It's all good.
The script for Feast of Steven is available, with all the other missing episodes, here.
I'd say, "Major concept shortage for the last five years". I mean, what percentage of movies this century have been re-makes of old ones, or adaptations of TV series or books? Or, while we're at it, TRILOGIES?
Hmmm JMS called ... we wants his plot device back !
And thats why Firecrackers and kittens don't mix.
You can watch Dr. Who on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Tuesdays nights.
Get out those rabbit ears you border huggers!
The torture of innocents? I think you mean the torture of guilty.
And sometime lots of people die in a day from terrorism (World Trade Center).
I'm sorry, besides the Americans that we've placed in Iraq for the terrorist's convenience, about 10 Americans have died in terrorist attacks since 9/11, worldwide. That's like 3 people per year? Compared to the hundreds, neigh, THOUSANDS of Americans, Iraqis, Afghanis, and Brits that have died as the result of the wars we started since then...
So they get lucky once, and we make people who had nothing to do with it (innocent citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan, caught in the crossfire of us and their defending armies) suffer. Excuse me, suffer is too weak a word here: We make them die.
Terrorism is a nuisance, at best, when compared to the hundreds of other more common causes of death in America (which the $BILLIONS we've spent in oversea wars could help remedy). Let's do some more comparisons, shall we? Just to show how ridiculous our reaction to 9/11 has been:
Leading causes of death (Year of 2001) [1]:
Heart Disease: 696,947
Cancer: 557,271
Stroke: 162,672 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 124,816
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 106,742
Diabetes: 73,249
Influenza/Pneumonia: 65,681
Alzheimer's disease: 58,866
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 40,974
Septicemia: 33,865
So let's see... top 10 sources of death in the US; total number of causalties to these total 1,921,083 people. Or (very) roughly 0.7% of the nation's population. Terrorism related deaths in the US in the year 2001 was um.... 2,986. A statistically insignificant number, once put into proper perspective. The ECONOMIC toll was obviously far greater, and is really immeasureable (though likely just as trivial...our economy recovered before Bush's first term ended). But terrorism is typically aimed at ending lives, not harming economies, which is what makes 9/11 quite distinctive, in my mind. Well, besides the whole crusade that followed.
So, let's take the (rough estimate, but easily agreeable) number of 80 billion dollars. Eighty billion spent in Iraq and Afganistan combined, to kill citizens and defending armies in the name of fighting terrorism. Well, we did catch some terrorists too. (Wait, are you a terrorist before or after you cause an act of terror? Nevermind, that's neither here nor there.)
Let's "fight" the five leading causes of death in 2001, and distribute this $80,000,000,000 proportionately amongst them:
#1 - Heart Disease: 696,947 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000 = $33,823,183,988.82
Let's write $33.8 Billion in checks to various Heart Disease research facilities and charities, and better educate people on the need to exercise and eat right. Hell, we could give a tax cut to people who eat right. Better than a tax cut "just for the hell of it," as per Bush's policy.
#2 - Cancer: 557,271 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000 = $27,044,638,350.74
Let's write $27 Billion in checks to research facilities and charities to investigate new treatments to various cancers, and to better educate the population on prevention. Hell, we can find out what causes most of them while we're at it.
#3 - Stroke: 162,672 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000 = $7,894,552,937.07
Let's give $7.89 Billion to stroke researches. Find a way to detect possible strokes before they occur. Find treatments to help mend damage which may lead to a stroke. Educate people on how to stay healthy (*cough*...)
#4 - Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 124,816 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000 = $6,057,382,459.14
Let's give $6.06 Billion to figure out what Chronic lower respiratory diseases are... Think emphysema is included in this? Asthma? So let's raise air quality levels with that $6.06 Billion, and educate people as to why they shouldn't smoke.
#5 - Accidents: 106,742 / 1,648,448 * 80,000,000,000 = Hell, do I even need to bother here? After spending billions on the above, people should get the point that their unhealthy lifestyles are s
DRM = Digitally Restricted Media. This is a viral sig, pass it on.
Welshie! Nooooo!!!
... and then they built the supercollider.
Ve didn't have much fun in Stalingrad... http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/nthmine.htm
Say out loud: I'm an Aspie and I'm somewhat proud, I guess. Uh. Can I write an email in all caps instead? Hm...
Don't forget the torture of a poor little DALEK, which earnt the DVD a higher age rating. Even if the enemy is DALEK bad, is it right to torture them?