Doctor Who Series Four Is A Go

netglen writes to mention that the fourth series of Doctor Who is a go. The BBC confirms that another season of the popular sci-fi series will be made, although the article is sketchy about the current doctor and his attachment to the next season. The third series starts at the end of this month in Britain with new companion Martha Jones, played by Freema Agyeman, replacing Billie Piper's Rose. "Tennant, who plays the time-travelling hero, would not talk to reporters about his role in future series. 'Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?' said the actor. "

Comments

What a coincidence

[Profane MuthaFucka]

I'm playing doctor right now.

Woo Hoo.

[eriks]

The first episode airs on my birthday! Too bad I'll have to wait a year or more to see it, since I'm not in the UK... NOT! starts up torrent client and waits patiently...

Re:Woo Hoo.

[Marko DeBeeste]

My birthday, too. And Christopher walken's

Re:Woo Hoo.

[Hatta]

Is this really series four? Isn't it something more like series 24 by now?

In any event, does anyone have a good torrent site for the old Dr Who? I've been looking but I
can only find the odd episode or two, nothing nearing any sort of completion. Is there an
equivalent to DapCentral for Dr Who fans? There's just gotta be.

Re:Woo Hoo.

[admdrew]

I think it's fourth series/season of the *modern* Dr. Who (featuring the 9th and 10th Doctors, so far).

Re:Woo Hoo.

[5E-0W2]

Series 29 actually. But what are a few series of exquisite t.v. between friends?

Re:Woo Hoo.

[eriks]

Also Leo Buscaglia, Liz Claiborne, Shirley Jones, Herb Alpert, Rhea Perlman, Al Gore, Marc McClure, and... Ewan McGregor, who was born in Scotland, just like David Tennant... I digress -- but nevertheless had a little fun with wikipedia :)

Re:Woo Hoo.

[pjbgravely]

http://www.tvtorrents.com/

Has some holes but most seasons are complete. Season 1 to 18 all say complete, I guessing they are not counting the lost episodes. Looks like most of the torrents have lechers so you should be able to keep a 1 to 1 ratio. If you need an invite let me know, I might even donate a few Gig for a fellow fan of the Doctor.

Re:Woo Hoo.

[bradavon]

The series was basically restarted, now called the Classic and News series. It has connections to the old but also feels mostly disjointed. I love both.

Re:Woo Hoo.

[Anonymous Coward]

The first episode airs on my birthday! Too bad I'll have to wait a year or more to see it, since I'm not in the UK... NOT! starts up torrent client and waits patiently...

So long as you are in the Western Hemisphere you are unlikely to have any problems watching it on your birthday. Given that torrents are generally up within hours of a broadcast finishing. Since the BBC dosn't have ad breaks only mimimal editing would be needed too.

Re:Woo Hoo.

[Drooling Iguana]

The old series was fairly disjointed, too.

I think the philosophy always was something along the lines of "When you're making a show about a guy who travels through time and is constantly changing history, you don't have to worry about continuity too much."

Who?

[strredwolf]

"The Doctor"

"Doctor who?"

"Precisely."

Something tells me there's an Abbot and Costello joke there to be found....

Re:Who?

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't mean to suggest that joke was obvious, but there are as yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon jungle that knew you were going to say that.

Re:Who?

[Anonymous Coward]

That joke was lame in my kindergarten in 1975

Re:Who?

[Hognoxious]

1975? It was found in the ruins of Pompei.

Re:Who?

[RobertLTux]

just find "first" and then thats where Who will be (when is another)

Re:Who?

[Anonymous Coward]

Written on parchment clutched in the hand of dead slave later identified as Lurcio.

Billie Piper

[MikeDataLink]

The most common rumor is that Billie Piper (--YUM See pic at link--) wants to play the doctor in the next season. The theory is that the doctor will regenerate as her because of his love for her and because he misses her. My opninion is that they could do this and make it an incredible season, or totally ruin it. we'll have to see.

Re:Billie Piper

[Guntram Shatterhand,]

I don't think she can really pull it off. Plus this whole 'Doctor as a woman' thing was played for laughs during Curse of Fatal Death and it just wouldn't work very well. Also, as a big Doctor Who fan, Rose has really annoyed the hell out of me. Total Mary Sue character, and that would take it way over the edge.

Re:Billie Piper

[Anonymous Coward]

Billie Piper's Rose will be missed by just as many as found her annoying.. I doubt they'll bring her back, which is too bad.

sigh....

Re:Billie Piper

[symes]

One of the reasons they introduced the regeneration theme to Dr Who was to avoid having to deal with actors egos and salary demands. Sticking with one actor playing the Dr would mean, as the series increased in popularity, that actor could make more demands. Regeneration neatly negated actor ego.

Although Billie Piper playing the Dr is, just maybe, possible it doesn't entirely hold with the ethos of encouraging new actors playing the Dr role.

Re:Billie Piper

[bmsleight]

Well - As a big Doctor Who fan myself - Billy Piper was one of the best assistants IMHO, but I think Catherine Tate was the best.

Re:Billie Piper

[Hennell]

Yeah, its an odd feature of the Time Lord molecular structure that every couple of years they regenerate into someone cheaper...

Re:Billie Piper

[sgilti]

Wow, she looks terribly airbrushed in that link. Aside from that though, in general, I'm in love with that girl, and would gladly let her play doctor.

Re:Billie Piper

[NexusTw1n]

Er, no. The reason regeneration exists is because William Hartnell became ill, forcing the BBC to recast the lead in one of the most imaginative bits of writing seen at the time.

It has nothing to do with actor's demands, Who was created as a cheap, live, TV serial that was supposed to educate people about history.

Back in the early 60's BBC actors were paid pretty workman like rates of pay, and certainly didn't command huge fees for being stars.

Re:Billie Piper

[ben0207]

Well - As a sensible human being who pays a TV license - Billie Piper was a pretty good assistant IMHO, but I think Catherine Tate should die in a fire.

Re:Billie Piper

[fermion]

This is not completely unheard of. Lalla ward originally played Princess Astra on the last segment of the Key To Time series. She then took over from Mary Tamm as the Time Lord named Romana. While Ms. Ward was not nearly as entertaining as MS. Tamm, it was a useful diversion.

It certainly would be nice to see the Doctor become a female. Most science fiction has delved into the gender non specific domain, often with good results. I hate to say it, but Ms. Piper seemed to be cast mostly as a fluff character, a plot device that allowed the Doctor to explain pertinent points to the audience, as well as a genuine romantic interest to satisfy those that needs sexual tension. It is not clear how that personality would meld into the expected actions of the doctor. The Doctor is far from infallible, and in the current incarnation is rather moody, but no Doctor has worried about all the stuff that Rose does.

All this is really irrelevent, as the BBC will do whatever will bring the rating and whaterver is cheap. Just look at the two part Dalek episode. Lets not create new materials, just rehash the old ideas.

What would be god, given that Sarah Jane Smith, and her wonderful inquisitiveness, has been introduced to the new generation of Dr Who fans, is that Elisabeth Sladen be given the part of the Doctor. If the Doctor does love humans, she was his first, at least in the context of the show.

Re:Billie Piper

[Anonymous Coward]

If this is the case then both the doctor and companion will be women. With the tendency of the newer seasons to romantically link the doctor and companion, I can't wait for the new episodes to ... ummm, push the envelope.

Re:Billie Piper

[dpilot]

Who was Catherine Tate?

I was always partial to Sarah Jane Smith.

Re:Billie Piper

[Anonymous Coward]

Er, no. The reason regeneration exists is because William Hartnell became ill, forcing the BBC to recast the lead in one of the most imaginative bits of writing seen at the time. The man was 55 when he started the role... how many years did they intend to get out of him?

Re:Billie Piper

[ben0207]

The worst thing to happen to comedy in the last five years, and I include Little Britain in that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_TateIf you must...

Re:Billie Piper

[meringuoid]

The man was 55 when he started the role... how many years did they intend to get out of him?

How many years do you think they expected the show to run? You're commissioning a quirky semi-educational historical SF show basically aimed at kids. Do you seriously expect it to become a cultural icon and still be popular 44 years later? They probably expected it to run a few years and then get cancelled.

Traumatising three successive generations of schoolchildren with nightmarish horrors from the dark places of the cosmos wasn't originally on anybody's agenda :-)

Re:Billie Piper

[Anonymous Coward]

Sigh.... There have been rumours in the press that "the next Doctor will be a woman" in the leadup to every regeneration since the 1980s. It hasn't happened yet, and I'll believe it when I see it.

As for the "theory", although some Time Lord's have "easy" regenerations and appear to be able to control what they will regenerate into (see particularly Romana's regeneration at the start of Season 17 - that's the season Douglas Adams script-edited.), the Doctor is most definately not such a Time Lord. All of his regenerations have been difficult, usually life-threatening and he has always been as suprised as those around him by his new appearance.

Re:Billie Piper

[dpilot]

Haven't seen Doomsday yet. It's sitting on my hard drive along with the rest of the second season. I've only watched The Christmas Invasion.

Re:Billie Piper

[clickclickdrone]

>I doubt they'll bring her back, which is too bad.
Well, she left of her own accord so it's down to her really. It's not unknown for older assistants to return - Sarah Jane for one.

Re:Billie Piper

[clickclickdrone]

>Catherine Tate
Can't stand her. I missed that episode because I knew I'd probably have trashed the TV if I had to watch her.

Re:Billie Piper

[mpe]

One of the reasons they introduced the regeneration theme to Dr Who was to avoid having to deal with actors egos and salary demands.

It might have more to do with the first actor considering retirement. William Hartnell did most of his acting before Doctor Who.

Re:Billie Piper

[mpe]

How many years do you think they expected the show to run? You're commissioning a quirky semi-educational historical SF show basically aimed at kids.

It's rather hard to guess what an audiance will go for in the field of popular entertainment.

Do you seriously expect it to become a cultural icon and still be popular 44 years later? They probably expected it to run a few years and then get cancelled.

On the other hand TV execs expected ST:Enterprise to last at least as long as ST:TNG, ST:DS9 & ST:Voyager... This is something the BBC havn't assumed with New Who, even though many of the people working on the production (including the lead actor and lead writer) are fans of the original series.

Re:Billie Piper

[montyzooooma]

John Simm (from the BBC's excellent Life On Mars) has been seen in Dr Who season 3 promotional stills so maybe he's going to be the next Doctor. It would be a logical move and LOM finishes once this current run is over.

Re:Billie Piper

[Avatar8]

While I doubt this will occur, there is one twist that I think would allow the show to extend indefinitely and would be another creative twist similar to replacing Hartnell.

Tennant is now the tenth Doctor, correct? (Hartnell, Troughton, Pertwee, T. Baker, Davison, C. Baker, McCoy, McGann [I count this movie since McCoy was in it], Eccleston and Tennant). source: http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=dr.+who (There was an extra Doctor in there [Craig], but only for two episodes which I have not seen, so I suspect it was a alter ego/mirror/doppleganger kind of thing.)

According to lore and one of the episodes I vaguely recall involving the Master trying to steal the Doctor's body, time lords can only regenerate twelve times. That means the Doctor is nearing his end. Obviously, to continue the series the writers will come up with something clever to perform a transfer or get around the twelfth regeneration. Here's where this rumor might have some credibility.

Doctor regenerates into a woman (#11) which may or may not be Billie Piper. Since the doctor gets younger each regeneration, Billie might fit the bill nicely. Dr. Rose picks up a male assistant, falls in love and gets pregnant. Eventually she gives birth to a half time lord, half human. At some point (maybe birth, maybe puberty, maybe 18 yrs old) all the memories and experiences from the past Doctor transfer into this offspring continuing the line.

Alternatively, Dr. Rose could tryst about the universe getting knocked up by every compatible species and slowly give birth to a new generation of time lords. :-) In more spectacular, sci-fi fashion, Dr. Rose might get pregnant once, travel back to 0,0,0 and in some chaotic, meta-physical, multi-dimensional manner give birth to a new line of time lords and bring Gallifrey back into being.

If anything like this comes true, I think someone owes me a few pints of Guinness. ;-)

Re:Billie Piper

[symes]

You are, of course, quite correct. It was after they had introduced the regeneration theme for Hartnell that they realised they had devised, by accident, a means of keeping future Drs' egos in check.

Re:Billie Piper

[RegularFry]

If anything like this comes true, I think someone owes me a few pints of Guinness. ;-)

Sounds to me like you've already had a few pints of Guinness :-)

Re:Billie Piper

[mink]

Well I seem to remember various things the master did to get more life. I also remember some of the Timelords from the Council on Gallifrey saying they could offer a full set of new regenerations (I forget if this was to entice the Master or the Doctor into going along with something).

The only problem with that is the whole time war business and a lack of Gallifrey existing. However since the TARDIS still works, that means Time Lords were not completely obliterated from time (Eye of Harmony powers all TARDIS machines).

Considering the Eye of Harmony was in the Panopticon last I noticed, then either it's now in the Doctors TARDIS, or Gallifrey is "not dead yet".

Given all that I suspect that "The Athletic Supporter of Rassilon" is floating about somewhere and is the key to some monsterous power.

Fantastic!

[RyanFenton]

For those who haven't checked it out recently, the new Dr. Who has been a wonderfully creepy, charming and clever British fantasy/"sci-fi" show. It constantly transcends the borders between being powerfully authentic in a moment, breaking/mocking convention (many that it invented), and being surprisingly authentic in its morality and complications. Not complicated in the usual soap-opera way either - but in the real sense of exploring the unknown in wild new ways. Sure - it bullshits on its way to tell a story, but even its bullshit is more authentic than most "sci-fi".

Check it out, if you have time for a new minor curiosity in your life.

Ryan Fenton

Re:Fantastic!

[NfoCipher]

>the new Dr. Who has been a wonderfully creepy, charming and clever British fantasy/"sci-fi" show.

And this is different from the "old" Dr. Who how exactly?

Re:Fantastic!

[Cpt_Kirks]

The new Doctor has been a hoot, both of them.

I started watching WAY back in the Tom Baker days. I'm the same age as Russel T. Davies, in fact.

Hmm, is Sci-Fi going to pick up Torchwood, or should I just DL it? How is Torchwood? Have you seen it yet?

Re:Fantastic!

[pluther]

Dr. Who switched to color before I did. It wasn't until I got to college that I found out that Tom Baker's episodes weren't black-and-white.

Torchwood is *excellent*! Though, completely different from Dr. Who. It's set in the same world, and stars Captain Jack, but the only other crossover element is that the Tardis sound makes a couple of guest appearances in the last episode. If Sci-Fi has any plans on picking up Torchwood, they're being very quiet about it. Even if they did, they'd edit it quite a bit. (You can say/show things on British TV that Americans are too uptight for.)

Re:Fantastic!

[Anonymous Coward]

Hi! You must be new here. This is a website called "Slashdot". Yes, the actual words "slash" and "dot". Yeah, it confuses people when you tell them the address, doesn't it?

Anyway, just Eff Why Eye, but I get the impression that everyone on Slashdot might have already checked Doctor Who out. Some type of nerd thing, I hear.

Re:Fantastic!

[brucifer]

I've heard a lot of people criticize Torchwood, but I really enjoy the show. Its fairly well written and has a pretty decent cast. Although I think the female lead needs a new haircut.

I would download Torchwood. You can usually find pretty decent quality rips of the HD broadcasts. If you find an episode that weighs in around 700mb, it should be pretty good quality. Or so I've seen from the ones downloaded.

Re:Fantastic!

[Cheetahfeathers]

I would be pretty surprised if anyone in the US picked up Torchwood. It's a much more adult show than Doctor Who. An adult show in Britain isn't so afraid of a little skin and naughty language as the US is. If Torchwood is picked up, be ready for it to be censored.

Re:Fantastic!

[pagaboy]

Basically, Torchwood = Doctor Who + sex/whatever - charm - decent storylines. Except for "They keep killing Suzie": that episode was good. Goodness knows how they got to make a second series though, as it was overall total crap.

Re:Fantastic!

[itsdapead]

How is Torchwood? Have you seen it yet?

Variable - its wort a watch, but it is trying to be an "adult" show in a universe established by a "family" show. As a friend of mine nicely put it "Its not really adult, just unsuitable for children".

I felt a bit let down by the season finale which degenerated into the "big giant monster summoned by creepy bad guy for no readily apparent reason" mould. Plus, the characters tend to spontaneously change depending on who's job it is to french the alien this week. As others have mentioned, I wouldn't expect it to show on US terrestrial with the way the wind is blowing at the moment - lots of naughty words, sex and refernces to homosexuality.

If you want disturbing, grown-up Brit fantasy then try "Ultraviolet" (the late-90s miniseries from UK Channel 4, NOT the recent and hopefully unrelated film) or maybe (if you want some eye candy with that) "Hex" from Sky.

Oh, by the way, there's been a pilot of a "children's" Doctor Who spinoff called "The Sarah Jane Adventures" too. If you're a Futurama fan you may recognise part of the plot...

Re:Fantastic!

[jayeffaar]

I would guess that they're making as second series because your opinion isn't the only one that matters. Judging from the comments preceding yours, you should see that not everyone agrees that it was crap. I thought it was a bit uneven, but it got pretty good towards the end as they were building up their own mythology, and I generally liked it.

Re:Fantastic!

[itsdapead]

An adult show in Britain isn't so afraid of a little skin and naughty language as the US

True, as long as they don't decide that, because its Fantasy it has to be for kids. The BBC cut "Buffy" so they could show it at 6pm, and what Channel 4 did to "Angel" can't be mentioned on a forum like Slashdot where Wheedon-loving nerds of a sensitive disposition may be reading. Then the BBC suddenly find the cojones to ignore the silly complaints about Doctor Who scaring kids* (could the good ratings have anything to do with it?). Basically, the British pointless, arbitrary censorship rules are just inconsistent with the US pointless and arbitrary censorship rules (you know the film censors cut that bit from the Abyss where they drown the rat...? WTF?)

* Hah. Kids these days never watched Pertwee-era Doctor Who in black and white during the 70s miners strike, knowing that the daily power cut was due and at some point during the episode the lights would go out... Mummy!

Re:Fantastic!

[howlingmadhowie]

torchwood is great, if you like watching two women or two men snogging.

so basically, summing up. it's great.

Re:Fantastic!

[mackyrae]

I don't know about the other nerds here, but I don't watch new Doctor Who. I watched the old Doctor Who reruns all throughout the 90s though. Tom Baker years were the best.

Re:Fantastic!

[Phoobarnvaz]

If Sci-Fi has any plans on picking up Torchwood, they're being very quiet about it. Even if they did, they'd edit it quite a bit. (You can say/show things on British TV that Americans are too uptight for.)

If you haven't noticed...Battlestar Galactica has used the "F" word on several occasions this season on several episodes. This being the case...the language isn't going to be an issue...but the form of the naked persons is. With Sci-Fi not being on broadcast TV...the FCC has no control over anything they may do.

Re:Fantastic!

[meringuoid]

Then the BBC suddenly find the cojones to ignore the silly complaints about Doctor Who scaring kids* (could the good ratings have anything to do with it?).

Well, that and the fact that most of those kids' parents grew up being terrified by the show on a regular basis. Everyone had nightmares about one monster or another, everyone's hidden behind the sofa. I mean, if you don't want your kids to be scared by dreadful monsters, watching Doctor Who is a bit silly.

* Hah. Kids these days never watched Pertwee-era Doctor Who in black and white during the 70s miners strike, knowing that the daily power cut was due and at some point during the episode the lights would go out... Mummy!

Mu-mmy. Mummy. Please let me in Mummy, I'm scared of the bombs... (Just the voice still terrifies the hell out of my little sister two years later. Now that's proper Who!)

Re:Fantastic!

[pluther]

I haven't noticed, no. But I'm only about halfway through season 3.

You mean they have actually switched to saying "fuck" instead of (or in addition to?) "frak"?

For the love of Baltar... why??

(I still miss Feldercarb, too!)

Re:Fantastic!

[Phoobarnvaz]

I haven't noticed, no. But I'm only about halfway through season 3. You mean they have actually switched to saying "fuck" instead of (or in addition to?) "frak"?

I noticed it happening when they on New Caprica during the occupation...then seems to be happening more & more in the last 1/2 of the episodes from season 3. They are still using "frak" as well.

For the love of Baltar... why??

Probably for the reason is to see if they could get away with it. Sci-Fi allowed it on the show & seems to be happening more & more often as the season progresses. As for myself...there's a time & place for everything. Used in a porn movie or on a channel like HBO & such...yes...used in a TV episode on a "basic channel" during the evenings when whoever may be watching your show...no.

Re:Fantastic!

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow that has got to be the one of the worse shows I've seen. The overacting makes me want to gag? Especially the limp-wristed lead actor. Did I mention it is extremely g@y (literally)? Is that why you like it? You like the sausage? I can't believe that show is still running. Is it?

Re:Fantastic!

[thinkninja]

Can you quote dialog/cite scenes from episodes? I think you may be right but my memory is a little hazy. I also thought the word 'fuck' didn't exist in the BSG universe.

Re:Fantastic!

[pmontra]

Another crossover is the right hand of the ninth Doctor. It was chopped off him with a sword in the second episode of the 2006 season, then regenerated. It's kept in a jar full of an unspecified liquid and it has been shown in many episodes of Torchwood, including the last one, when it glows moments before the Tardis' sound made its guest appearance.

Re:Fantastic!

[shewasmadeofchimps]

torchwood is awful. buffy the vampire-slayer wannabe that fails hopelessly. they have decided that the definition of a mature programme is just to add dollops of sex to the storylines.

Re:Fantastic!

[clickclickdrone]

>And this is different from the "old" Dr. Who how exactly?
The sets don't wobble.

Re:Fantastic!

[clickclickdrone]

>Americans are too uptight for
Russell T Davis issued an edict that every major character in Torchwood had to have some same-sex action. He also wrote the rather good Queer as Folk (not the poor US version) and is a tad gay himself so he has a bit of an agenda.

Re:Fantastic!

[mgblst]

Maybe I am an old fool, (it has been said before), but i don't like the new dr who, and definately not the new torchwood. I like the characters of doctor who, I liked the two latest doctors, but I did not find the story lines particularly good. Am I alone (I seem to be alone in the UK), but the lines are not very complex. Maybe they never were, but I remember them being quite good.

Re:Fantastic!

[Orange Crush]

Battlestar Galactica has used the "F" word on several occasions this season on several episodes.

Mary McDonnell actually addressed this during her Q&A at MegaCon in Orlando last month. They get a lot of latitude with ad-libs and tweaking delivery to keep things natural and "film documentary esque." If you hear "fuck", it was either "frack" in the script or the actor was ad-libbing and the director liked the take too much to re-shoot or dub.

Re:Fantastic!

[pluther]

Ah!
I never got that that was actually the Doctor's hand.
Hm. Interesting.

Re:Fantastic!

[mpe]

I felt a bit let down by the season finale which degenerated into the "big giant monster summoned by creepy bad guy for no readily apparent reason" mould.

Sort of attempting to copy Buffy S7...

Re:Fantastic!

[Repugnant_Shit]

Amen. It has such potential, but the characters all seem very cartoony, and the amount of sex is over top. Even the lesbian episode didn't make it right :(

Re:Fantastic!

[Phoobarnvaz]

If you hear "fuck", it was either "frack" in the script or the actor was ad-libbing and the director liked the take too much to re-shoot or dub.

Went thru several episodes last night trying to find this...but didn't in the episodes I watched. When I was looking for it...couldn't find it...but if I'm sitting there enjoying the episode...it pops up. Just remember that I had to go back over the scene when I saw it to make sure I heard it correctly.

Re:Fantastic!

[Stone Pony]

Seconded.

Torchwood is okay at best, and is striving for something between Buffy and the X-files, without really getting there (obviously, it's better than the X-Files was once it turned into the most embarrassingly-up-it's-own-backside show of the last twenty years, but what isn't?). One or two episodes were quite good - the one narrated by the dead guy, and I believe the series finale was pretty good (I'll have to watch my recording of it some time). In general though, it rapidly became something to be watched if it happened to be on, rather than an "appointment to view".

Ultraviolet was a terrific series, and one that I could certainly stand to see again. It starred Jack Davenport, from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and Idris Elba, lately of The Wire, among others.

Re:Fantastic!

[Drooling Iguana]

More of an Angel wannabe than a Buffy wannabe, from what I've seen.

Re:Fantastic!

[Walt Dismal]

I have hunch that hand will appear again someday. Probably they'll kill the doctor off for ratings (like Superman!), then the fallback to keep the series going will be to clone the doctor from the hand. Hey, but maybe someone evil will steal some tissue and clone their own, evil, doctor. Who knows, a Cyberdoctor, or a Dalek 'can' with a doctor brain innit.

And my two cents on Russell Davies. I frikkin hate him and his agenda. You just know he secretly thinks he's Captain Jack, and any small animal with a sexual organ or a rectum is not safe around him.

Re:Fantastic!

[pipingguy]

I don't always have time to check it out on CBC but the episodes I've seen were decent and featured some really creepy-looking aliens - cool and surprising!

Re:Fantastic!

[WilliamSChips]

It's supposed to look cheesy.

Re:POLL

[cybermage]

What's better...

Don't you mean "Who's better?"

Although, I guess that's a bit of a presumptive question :)

Re:POLL

[WizMaster]

House hands down. Most people never even heard of Doctor Who. I'll probably download the series some time in the future (new and old) but House is still better.

Sounds great...

[supersocialist]

I love David Tennant, but I'm hoping he gets encased in carbonite and Rose takes the Tardis back to grab Chris Eccleston.

Re:Sounds great...

[mackil]

I could not agree more! David Tennant did a great job, but Eccelson was incredible. He had real chemistry with Billie, while Tennant and Piper just never felt quite right. I was actually relieved when she got herself trapped in the alternate universe.

Re:Sounds great...

[caldodge]

Unfortunately for Dr Who fans, Chris is currently playing an invisible mutant on "Heroes".

Re:Sounds great...

[chromatic]

Wow, I'd like to see that!

Re:Sounds great...

[Dun Malg]

Wow, I'd like to see that!

Unfortunately, I think you probably wouldn't like to. It's fucking awful. It's done with a neat flashy comic book style, but the pacing is War and Peace slow, so every show leaves you saying "did anything happen in this episode?" The style demands action and energy, but the execution is totally inept. In hindsight, there's clear movement to the story, but it's about 1/3 of a season's worth of story stretched boringly out to a full season. Simply terrible writing.

Re:Sounds great...

[NoodleSlayer]

I would have to disagree. I've been perfectly happy with Heroes pacing considering there's a lot of characters they have to establish and the characters have been excellent. Hiro I think is one of the best TV Characters in ages and is just so weird and quirky and funny that I absolutely love seeing him on the screen.

Not to mention they're usually telling 4 or 5 different somewhat-intertwined stories at once.

Re:Sounds great...

[Anonymous Coward]

Invisible? Does that mean he could just record his performance in front of a microphone in Manchester?

Re:Sounds great...

[Anonymous Coward]

For unknown reasons, I'm now wondering what would happen if an invisible mutant passed wind in a crowded elevator. Darn you Heroes fans.

Re:Sounds great...

[eMilkshake]

Seriously, a 2 doctor ep with these two would be amazing! What's Tom Baker doing noeadays? Put the three of them in an ep and you've hit gold.

Re:Sounds great...

[drsquare]

but the pacing is War and Peace slow, so every show leaves you saying "did anything happen in this episode?"

A bit like Lost and the Sopranos then? I'm sure they do this just so they can milk it for as many episodes as possible.

Re:Sounds great...

[Anonymous Coward]

Good idea! He's in New York at the moment, but he might be a bit difficult to spot...

A fourth season

[91degrees]

Well, I expect to see William Hartnell will reprise his role for the first couple of stories, but I expect they'll recast. I'd say the actor Patrick Troughton, who played Phineas in the recent Jason and the Argonauts movie would be a good choice.

Hold on. It is 1966 isn't it? My TARDIS often gets the date wrong.

Re:A fourth season

[Anonymous Coward]

I was about to say that. Bullocks to converting a classic series's numbering scheme for a US release...

And have you been using Mark III parts in your Mark II? That could cause eratic jumps.

Re:A fourth season

[Guntram Shatterhand,]

Yes, yes it is. Say, could you start taping Doctor Who for me? Start at the last episode of Tenth Planet, I won't mind. (DVD-R, please)

Re:A fourth season

[Kazzahdrane]

Actually, it's called the "First/Second/Third Series" over here in the UK too. I *think* they can "get away with this"(obviously there's no laws about this sort of thing) because the new show is called Doctor Who and the original was called Dr. Who. I could be wrong though, I'm not a big fan (though I loved the new first series and really want to watch the 2nd one) so I'm sure a proper Whovian (sp?) knows the answer.

Re:A fourth season

[Anonymous Coward]

Most, if not all, seasons have stated the full title Doctor Who. Youtube link supplied at the end.

And ofcourse there is no law against it, ones intellectual property, they can do whatever they want with it. Look and ID and Doom III...It is just annoying to fans who have been following it for years, if not decades. Sure alot of them dont care, but it irks the mess out of some of us. Also while Whovian is what many fanclubs describe themselves as, or they did in the 70s, the general statement is that fans are described as Timelords. Campy, yes, but it gets the point across quite quickly and efficiently, like Browncoat, without the negative connotation associated with terms like Trekkie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmiW0gIpGMU

Re:A fourth season

[Dogtanian]

No, the show was always called "Doctor Who" from the very beginning (go to YouTube and search for "Doctor Who title sequence", it's interesting if nothing else). It'd be a pretty silly excuse anyway. Personally, I don't think it's that big a deal unless it's causing confusion.

The biggest thing that grates for me about the new series is the self-conscious comic-bookishness feel of the whole thing at times; even worse (and something I loathe) is when it descends into outright comedy. Sure, Doctor Who was frequently witty, but there's a difference between funny and witty lines and comedy. Ditto the feeling that it's not taking itself seriously. For all that Dr.Who could be cheesy and camp at times, for all that there may have been some dodgy acting (probably down to time constraints) and the actors/producers/directors not taking it too seriously behind the scenes, you at least got the impression that they tried to play it straight. Well, until near the end of the original run, anyway.

Jon Pertwee himself said that the original series suffered towards the end of its life (in the late 80s) when it seemed to stop taking itself seriously; some of the earlier Sylvester McCoy stuff was downright camp and stupid, and it annoyed me at the time (not that it was really McCoy's fault). Looking back now, it seems that they'd started pulling out of the kitsch morass by the final season, but then the bastards axed it. Ironic that I thought that Survival was the best Dr.Who story I'd seen for ages at the time, but didn't realise it would be the last one...

Anyway, there are plenty of good aspects about the new series too. Apart from the obvious technical improvements, whether you like them or not, the new series has also managed to be emotionally affecting in ways that the old one never was (e.g. Rose's dad), and... sometimes it's gratingly awful, sometimes it's very good.

Re:A fourth season

[Kazzahdrane]

Haha Timelords, that's awesome. As a Browncoat, I understand the need for a cool nickname for a fanbase. Thanks for enlightening me about a couple of things :)

Re:A fourth season

[bobcat7677]

Yay browncoats. Stupid Fox network. I will never forgive them.

Re:A fourth season

[Hognoxious]

I *think* they can "get away with this"(obviously there's no laws about this sort of thing) because the new show is called Doctor Who and the original was called Dr. Who

That's the kind of shit that happens when you try to use a natural (external) key. I did tell them. But did they listen? The hell they did.

Re:A fourth season

[91degrees]

Although I'm not sure whether they had any concept of seasons at all back when the early Doctor Who was being produced. The concept is very much tailored to the way the American networks did things. There was a much clearer segregation between stories than seasons. I heard somewhere that the season numbering was done retrospectively.

And have you been using Mark III parts in your Mark II? That could cause eratic jumps.

Lol. The number of times The Doctor took bits out or swapped wires around, I always wondered how the thing worked at all.

Re:A fourth season

[FusionDragon2099]

One problem: nobody knows where the hell the last part of The Tenth Planet is. The BBC archives misplaced it, and it is now one of the most sought-after pieces of lost footage ever.

Re:A fourth season

[Anonymous Coward]

Umm, that was the joke.

Dr Hollywood Who?

[athloi]

Unlike the older series, which was "campy," this looks "cheesy." Too much CSI for the UK TV people?

Re:Dr Hollywood Who?

[Anonymous Coward]

CSI Doctor Who already exist as Torchwood

doctor who is a go

[Anonymous Coward]

I had to read that title a couple of times before I realized it were referring to a series called "Doctor Who".
first it was
Doctor, who series four, is a go.
then
doctor who series, four is a go.
and final I realized it was "doctor who"-series season four is a go.

Series 4 ?

[rossdee]

Surely seies 4 of Dr Who was around 40 years ago with Patrick Troughton.

There have been quite a few different Doctors since then.

Re:Series 4 ?

[General Wesc]

In Britain, they say 'series' where Americans say 'season'.

Re:Series 4 ?

[Sobrique]

Given we're on the tenth doctor, 4 series would be quite a churn :)

Re:Series 4 ?

[OzPhIsH]

We must be caught in some kind of time hole..

Re:Series 4 ?

[maxume]

Right, and if you count all the 'seasons' of Doctor Who that they have had on the TV, they have had somewhat more than 4.

Re:Series 4 ?

[itsdapead]

(Yawns and dons anorak) the revied series is made by a totally different production team in a different branch of the BBC (BBC Wales) so for administrative purposes they started from 1 again. Fortunately, I think the "classic" series still ran long enough to piss on Stargate SG1's "longest running sci-fi show" fireworks so its not a big deal.

Anyway, the new version would count as a Galactica-style reboot if the original show hadn't rebooted more often than Windows ME anyway.

Re:Series 4 ?

[rossdee]

And in other countries that speak English (rather than american) too.
I was born and raised in NZ, but now live in the US.

Re:Series 4 ?

[General Wesc]

The new reincarnation is being treated as a different seri^H^H^H^Hprogramme from the old in the story. I'm simply making it clear for those wondering that it's a difference in language. Not the person I was replying to, I would assume. I should have made that clear.

Re:Series 4 ?

[Avatar8]

Indeed. Stargate is full of itself and something else.

Original Doctor Who series was from 1963 to 1989, rather contiguously.

Stargate SG1 just started it's tenth year and it's being shut down next year I heard (or hope).

OK, you've got me.

[Anonymous Coward]

'Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?'

Actually, no, I don't. Googling just seems to bring up a bunch of rumors. What's he said before?

Re:OK, you've got me.

[AlexanderDitto]

I suspect the answers are "many" and "never," respectively, which I suppose is why you can't seem to find the answer on Google. Because it doesn't exist.

Of course, if you'd kindly step into the inconspicuous looking police box... I'm sure we could find the answer somewhere. Or... somewhen.

Side notes

[Anonymous Coward]

Producers are also excited that there will be a robotic dog named "Commander Taco" in the new series, along with pink ponies everywhere. Ponies!!!!!!!!

In a side note, Doctor Who says that the Tardis backup control system is run under Gallifreyan Linux, a time-enhanced version of the operating system dating back to ancient public-domain code. In 2080 it forked to Cyberman Linux and Dalek Linux, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Cyberlinux insists that all meat is evil, and Dalek Linux has only error message: "EXTERMINATE!"

Brilliant!

[Lurker2288]

Jettisoning Rose in another dimension was a step in the right direction. Now, if we could just find a way for Christopher Eccleston to come back, the show might have a chance to be less annoying.

Tenant has moments ("that's the sort of man I am" from 'The Christmas Invasion') but on the whole he just seems too goofy for a guy who's supposed to exploring the whole of time and space.

In any case, it's nice to know it will be around for a while.

Re:Brilliant!

[illegalcortex]

Tenant has moments ("that's the sort of man I am" from 'The Christmas Invasion') but on the whole he just seems too goofy for a guy who's supposed to exploring the whole of time and space.

Really?

Re:Brilliant!

[Bemopolis]

I had blocked Colin Baker out until that. Bastard.

Re:Brilliant!

[Paulrothrock]

Let's imagine: Time and space are your playthings. The vast majority of species little more than amusing trifles. You can go from the beginning of the universe to the end of time and be back in time for tea. Your ship looks like a bright blue police box and your only real enemies are ugly lumps of goo in armored suits.

Wouldn't you be a little goofy?

Re:Brilliant!

[LoadStar]

Well, I'll respectfully disagree. I thought Rose was easily the best companion so far, particularly after series 2 (series 28, if you include the former run) greatly improved the chemistry between Rose and The Doctor.

As for the differences between Eccleston and Tennant - I was concerned when I heard that they were going to have another regeneration after just one series, particularly with how well Eccleston took to the role... but my concerns were quickly eliminated after just the first episode with Tennant. I don't think the series has ever been better than it was during series 2, honestly. I'm cautiously optimistic about series 3... I'll be interested to see how the chemistry changes with the new companion, Martha Jones.

Re:Brilliant!

[Lurker2288]

Fair enough. Admittedly I'm a newcomer to the show, so I don't really have a lot of context by which to judge. And Tenant isn't bad by any means--just a bit uneven in my view. I, too, look forward to season 3.

Do you follow Torchwood, by any chance? I wasn't thrilled at first, but I have to admit it seems to improve as it goes on, at least through the first half of the season.

Re:POLL

[Dogtanian]

I'll probably download the series some time in the future (new and old) but House is still better. I still can't buy Hugh Laurie's American accent, but apparently all the real Americans thought it sounded convincing, so I guess it probably has more to do with his typecasting in my mind...

Translations for U.S. Fans

[bokmann]

In the U.S., the new Dr. Who is on both SciFi and BBC America.

In America, what the british call a 'series' we call a 'season'. So, to our ears, this is an announcement that yes, there will be a 4th season.

The first season is curently being played on BBC America (last time I checked).
The second season, with Tennant, is airing on the Sci Fi Channel.
The third season should be airing in England - almost immediately, if it isn't already.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[pembo13]

It's kinda sad that you figured that some people here would not be able to conclude that themselves.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[Anonymous Coward]

The last I heard, SCI-FI wasn't going to air the 3rd season in the US until sometime this summer. Does anyone know the precise time?

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[Anonymous Coward]

Sigh...

OK, For the last time: "England" != "UK".

I quite understand the mistake, but feel obliged to correct it.

Mostly because this year is the 300th year of the Act of Union http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acts_of_Union_1707.

That's right - 300 years and people still get it wrong.

Actually quite a big topic over here come May. Mainly because the way things are going with the UK government, during the upcoming elections of the Scottish Parliament the Nationalists might just get a foot in the door and move us towards a referendum for independence. Like most of UK politics we seem to just be sleepwalking into this one...

The Union is one of the single biggest defining documents for the creation of the modern world. Without it: no industrial revolution, no enlightenment, no single navy, no outward exploration, no Empire, no World Wars (well, maybe).

Anyway, I digress...

So, check it out: UK means United Kingdom. BBC means British Broadcasting Corporation.

Like: England is one Kingdom, Scotland one too, Wales another (well, principality), Northern Ireland as well (ok, province)...

Fair enough, I can see this gets confusing... Anyway, I'm British and proud of it.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[LordSnooty]

Maybe we can start calling bits of the US by the state name, cos it's really just the same thing. So there'll be a story about a new start-up with an odd service in say San Francisco and I can come on spouting stuff like "yeah, these guys in Mississippi must be on crack if they think this'll work". Or say a tale of police brutality in New York could be met with "I for one welcome our new Californian police overlords". Let's see how they like it.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[PaprikaPal]

The new Doctor Who season starts on the 31st of this month per the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[AoT]

As a Californian I would whole-heartedly approve.

Carry on with the plan.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[Oktober Sunset]

woah just a second. If your going to rag on a dude, make that sure you're correct yourself.

Britain != United Kingdom

Britain is England, Scotland and Wales.

The UK (or United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland in full) is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

And it was created by the 1800 act of union http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Union_1800

So that's 207 years and you're still getting it wrong

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[mgblst]

Have reread the grandparent post, and he has not said anything wrong. He said it will be playing in England soon, which is correct. He is still allowed to call it England, just because it will be playing in Scotland and Wales doesn't mean he has to refer to it as playing in UK.

And don't be too hard on the poster, even people here in the UK have problems with telling the different between Britain, UK, British Isles, England, and they have no excuse.

Re:Translations for U.S. Fans

[WilliamSChips]

You already do that when you call us "Yank".

Regenerations

[Zombie Ryushu]

Has it occurred to you that this is Regeneration number 10 for the doctor if you count Paul McGann? He has two more, then what will they do?

Re:Regenerations

[Guntram Shatterhand,]

I've heard they're going to take care of that. Plus, since the show will probably never explain this mysterious 'Time War' between the Time Lords and the Daleks, it might be a jump to say that Eccleston was the ninth regeneration. For all we know (and from what the late Davison/C. Baker stories say in passing), the Time Lords might be able to regenerate past their thirteenth and onwards. Of course, that's going to be explained in this season with the return of...well, that would be telling.

Re:Regenerations

[yermoungder]

Something similar to what "The Master" did when he ran out...

Re:Regenerations

[Anonymous Coward]

There will be a spin off when the 12th Dr meets back up w/ his granddaughter Susan, who will be elderly, but still on her first body.

Re:Regenerations

[Ramble]

In an old episode the master (God bless Roger Delgado's soul) did something to the Eye of Harmony (stole it, or used it) to gain an extra 12 regenerations.

Re:Regenerations

[Anonymous Coward]

It seems that the answer has already been aluded to. First episode of Dr Who 2006 - New Earth. The Face of Boe has a secret he cannot tell the doctor at that time and teleports away. It makes for a perfect and suptle move on Davies part to have written that in. I am more concerned about the thought of actors for the next doctor. Some of the suggestions have been downright horrendous, kinda like the choices for the director of The Hobbit.

But aslong as there are Daleks, I'll continue to watch the series.

Re:Regenerations

[Cheerio Boy]

Has it occurred to you that this is Regeneration number 10 for the doctor if you count Paul McGann? He has two more, then what will they do?

I'm going to post a crazy idea that I'd love to see - The Doctor regenerates into The Master and we run the series from the other direction so to speak.

Yes, I already know it'll never happen but it's a neat idea...

Re:Regenerations

[MenTaLguY]

Fencepost error: twelve regenerations separating thirteen incarnations. He actually gets three more. Still, they will be cutting it pretty thin soon...

Re:Regenerations

[Don Sample]

I can't find any references to it now, but I thought I remembered from back in the day that when the idea of the Doctor's regenerations first came up they established that he had already undergone several of them before the series started. From the established backstory, the Tom Baker Doctor should have been his last regeneration. That was why they did the whole rigamarole with "The Watcher" for the regeneration into the fifth Doctor.

Re:Regenerations

[NexusTw1n]

Paul McGann counts. He was in a BBC production (unlike Peter Cushing's Dalek films) and so is an official regeneration. RTD has confirmed this.

The Doctor has control of the eye of harmony, one of the central elements to timelord power, with that he can gain additional regenerations. That's based on stories already written. Considering this is a science fiction series, where they solved the problem of a sick lead actor by inventing regeneration in the first place, there is probably an infinite number of ways they can "solve" the 12 regeneration problem.

Re:Regenerations

[Doug Neal]

Has it occurred to you that this is Regeneration number 10 for the doctor if you count Paul McGann? He has two more, then what will they do? Yeah, tell me about it, it's stressing me right out. I haven't slept for days!

Re:Regenerations

[Fractal Dice]

In "The Five Doctors", the High Council offered the Master a full cycle of new regenerations in return for his help. Thus the canon has established the technology exists in the Whoverse to continue on beyond twelve regenerations (not that the Master was having that much trouble stretching out his regenerations anyway).

Can I get my geek card stamped please?

Re:Regenerations

[Legion303]

"Can I get my geek card stamped please?"

Sure thing...hey, that's 10! Here's your free Davros keychain.

Re:Regenerations

[Anonymous Coward]

Well the rumor has been floated that he (doctor) has a son. My take on that, it is a human solution to the problem. My idea is that when Chris Eccelston absorbed the time enegries it renew his regeneration cycle. I went as so far as to write bbc about this idea. Have not heard back on this

Re:Doctor Who sucks

[Anonymous Coward]

I like it. It's silly sometimes, but at least it's better than most of the TV you can get in the US.

It's a bit of Monty python meets Star Trek meets Twilight zone. It's not for everyone.

Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[foo fighter]

Season 1 of this new run really turned me off and I haven't come back.

When I first saw the original series as reruns on over-the-air public television back in the late-80s to early-90s I thought the terrible special effects and camp were charming. The underlying plots were usually OK and kept me watching since they were so different from what Star Trek or Star Wars offered.

But now that I'm older I find the new series dependance on terrible, cheap special effects, mediocre acting and dialog, and camp just offputting. Also I'm much more busy with a wife and kid and don't (won't) devote as much time to television as I used to. My sci-fi budget is filled with Battlestar Galactica.

It's somewhat ironic that I prefer the new Galactica and old Who and very much dislike the original Galactica and new Who.

Do I lose my geek card for posting this?

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[Anonymous Coward]

nope you are not wrong, the old who had far more interesting stories which ran over multiple weeks. this is just 45 mins to introduce a story and wrap it up, as bad as trek (minus ads)

ok they've made it look nice, but its banal. to add insult to injury the series 4 has a number of cameo roles by famous people/actors. that is a sign of the kiss of death, its not being taken seriously.

dr who is and will always be that loon tom baker (great autobiog, read it). anybody else is pretty poor. and tennant, i don't know who he is blowing at the bbc, but has been in so many things over the last 3/4 years its a joy NOT to see or hear (i.e. radio) him in something. same bloody character every time.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[caldodge]

> Do I lose my geek card for posting this?

I don't have a firm opinion on the Doctor, since I never saw a complete episode of the old series.

But yes, if you liked the old Galactica better than the new one, you'd better hand over your card now.

Don't make me call for backup.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[symes]

Do I lose my geek card for posting this?

Try this test and report back

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[zippthorne]

Original Galactica had a really depressing premise, the utter decimation of almost all of mankind except for a ragtag fleet and perhaps a few others. But they ignored that and did some kind of love-boat clone instead. The new Galactica is much more true to the premise and seems a lot better planned too. I actually believe that they could take years to get to earth and not have a single 'filler' episode.

Galactica Grew up.

I don't know about original dr. who, but the recent series is pretty juvenile, cheesy, unbelievably one dimensional. It doesn't have anything new either. Everything I've seen has been done before, and done much better. Perhaps on one of the previous Who seasons itself. I think even "sci-fi original series'" have handled some of the themes better.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[rucs_hack]

actually a lot of the early Doctor Who was written by some very talented people (eg Terry_Nation) who often worked to incredibly short deadlines, and had crap all in the way of money to back of the special effects they wanted in.

Bizarrely that produced some wonderful SF and social commentary that is still of interest to SF buffs old and new.

I don't like to say that I disapprove of special effects, I don't, and sometimes I even like the very latest thing. Let me say right off that my primary interest in SF is on the cheaper end of the scale. I'm a H2G2/pulp SF fan, I don't much go in for the extravagant approach currently being taken in SF drama (I don't want to talk about the H2G2 film, no really, I don't..).

'Star wars that was' rocked, but the new stuff is crap I feel. Not because of the special effects, but because they weren't the kind of thing you'd stick on after a night out to watch for the n'th time and quote your way through, they had no depth, you couldn't relate to the characters. That was what Star wars was about to me, pure, unadulterated escapism, masterfully done, You wanted to *be* Han Solo or Obiwan (or Luke, if you're some kinda pooftaah :). The most I got out of Phantom Menace was an urge to make JarJar real so I could kill it oh so many times.

Blade Runner was full of special effects, and that is an awesome film, so it can't be that all SFX are bad.

I think the problem isn't something you can lay at the feet of Electric Light and Magic and their ilk. Nope, the problem is that Film and television SF makers seem to have forgotten that SF is as much about social commentary as it is about lasers. My problem with adaption of old Pulp SF stories to multi million doller SFX orgies is not that they've changed the story as a rule, that can't be helped. It's that they have often removed the entire point of the story and extracted just the SF bits.

And yet I like Blade runner. Why is that? Because while they almost entirely changed the story, they left the underlying point, the way in which man might treat a self aware creation that does not do as it is told, intact, and expressed it using the same general idea but with some innovative alteration to the core story.

I'm not against all new SF. I liked Stargate, and I do enjoy a bit of star trek on the side from time to time. That said, my favorite Stargate Episode is 'Window of Opportunity', not some of the later SFX crazy episodes.

I wait hopefully for a new SF film that can be truly considered a classic, and has all the very latest SFX bells and whistles. I'm sure it will happen eventually.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[maxume]

If you insist on keeping score, you lose ten points for not reading the post correctly(even though it wasn't remotely ironic).

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[Anonymous Coward]

BSG is just space soap opera. You might as well watch Days Of Our Lives.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[ettlz]

But now that I'm older I find the new series dependance on terrible, cheap special effects, mediocre acting and dialog, and camp just offputting.

And some. That recent Primeval thing on ITV beat seven shades out of the modern Doctor Who. It might not have been as sparkly or as hyped or have the pedigree (which the new Doctor Who series almost criminally squandered) but at the very least it had decent dialogue, consistency, non-dumbass characters and a certain measure of restraint.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[Dogtanian]

In its defence, the old Doctor Who episodes fitted a 25-minute time slot versus 45 minutes for the new ones. When you take into account title sequences and inter-programme filler, and recap footage from previous episodes (sometimes quite long) that's roughly twice as long.

Also, some of the new ones sometimes split a story over two episodes; that's equivalent to four old episodes, the standard story length. Yes, I know they did quite a lot of 6-episode stories in the 1970s (before my time); I've seen them, and they're too long. I believe they started doing that to save money on sets etc. when they went to colour.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[Anonymous Coward]

RTD is an arsehole, the much maligned JNT was a better producer and Eric Saward was a better script editor and writer.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[senatorpjt]

0% scored higher (more computer geeky),
0% scored the same, and
100% scored lower (less geeky).

What does this mean? Your computer geekiness is:

Step aside Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds, and Steve Jobs... You are by far the SUPREME COMPUTER GOD!!!

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[ettlz]

RTD is an arsehole

Well I don't know about that, but he certainly hasn't shown a great deal of understanding of science fiction. In fact, some of the modern episodes I'd construe as anti-sci-fi and anti-sci-fi-fan.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[prandal]

That recent Primeval thing on ITV beat seven shades out of the modern Doctor Who. It might not have been as sparkly or as hyped or have the pedigree (which the new Doctor Who series almost criminally squandered) but at the very least it had decent dialogue, consistency, non-dumbass characters and a certain measure of restraint.

You have got to be kidding. Primeval was dire beyond belief. Lousy acting, characters who were totally unengaging, the same story told half a dozen times with only the monsters changed.

Utter bilge.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[NoMaster]

Lousy acting, characters who were totally unengaging, the same story told half a dozen times with only the monsters changed.

So you're saying it's worse than Who, but better than Torchwood? ;-)

Torchwood had promise. So much promise, so much of it squandered. Every single episode threw away a little bit more of it - push the reset button, Owen's now an arsehole again. Push the reset button, Gwen's now got a thing for Owen. Push the reset button, Ianto's now thinking about Jack & stopwatches. Push the reset button, ...

Off the top of my head, the only one which didn't waste its promise like that was the "out of time" one. And that was ruined by the most repulsive sex scene you'll ever see outside of a "The Fat and The Furries" porn flick, and a trite ending for the young girl.

And the last storyline - a decent first episode*, ruined by a crap second one. Spend a whole episode building up the creepiest villan they've ever had, Bilis Manger, then waste him by just having him there to call up a poor copy of Dr Who CGI. Then they rip off an ending from the Bible...

What a total waste of brilliant concepts...

At least "Primeval" has that blonde bint - I presume she's some English pop-tart? - running around in her underwear in most episodes. And an internally consistent ongoing storyline. Personally, I'd rank "Primeval" right up there near New Who (though not for depth or staying power), and far far superior to "Torchwood".

-----

(* If you can overlook the "blood won't last 60 years, but pencil will?", "the man from the 'lectric will never find it there!", "hey Ianto, why'd you stop shooting Owen?", and "so, was Capt'n Jack shot down by the Jerries, or by his own men for being a poof?" plotholes.)

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[ettlz]

Quoth the grandparent:

Lousy acting, characters who were totally unengaging

Is the grandparent trying to use this to argue against Primeval? This is the single, greatest failure of the new Doctor Who series.

Torchwood had promise. So much promise, so much of it squandered.

Torchwood never had any promise as long as Russell T. Davies was involved. That man shouldn't be let anywhere near a science fiction series.

At least "Primeval" has that blonde bint - I presume she's some English pop-tart? - running around in her underwear in most episodes.

Like I said, consistency.

Personally, I'd rank "Primeval" right up there near New Who (though not for depth or staying power),

Give it time. But as for depth... since when was Doctor Who deep?!

and far far superior to "Torchwood".

Frankly, Teletubbies was better sci-fi than Torchwood, which should've been strangled at birth along with its characters. Frankly, I think a lot of people are erroneously in awe of the new Doctor Who, see the mediocre special effects and believe the BBC hype. It's not what it used to be; even the dreaded TV movie had a better story (if you rip out a few bad seconds) and the new series simply doesn't deserve its name. If the BBC really cared about sci-fi and the fans who watch it (instead of taking them for granted or passing them off as irrelevant geeks), it would do the decent thing and commission something entirely new or re-make Blake's 7 and do a proper job of it this time round.

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[clickclickdrone]

>some very talented people (eg Terry_Nation)
And of course Douglas Adams (RIP)

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[rucs_hack]

I wasn't sure if his work was actually broadcast, it's the only area of his work I've never looked into.

Anyway, I still haven't forgiven him for dying without finishing Salmon of Doubt [sob]

Re:Turned Off by (the new) Season 1

[NoMaster]

Torchwood never had any promise as long as Russell T. Davies was involved. That man shouldn't be let anywhere near a science fiction series.

Agreed on the second sentence. The only good thing you can say about him is that he had the pull to bring back Who. The problem is, after that he should have stopped pulling...

(And let's not speak of Chris Chibnall. Ever...)

But Torchwood did show promise. The first couple are a bit of a wash, being packed full of character and concept intro, but the third introduced some heavy emotional/perceptual/self-examination concepts to the characters - primarily Owen, who started the episode as a very laddish prat, but was suddenly deeply affected by effectively participating in a rape. Unfortunately, Mr Little Red button comes along, and by the next episode Owen's a laddish prat again, feeling up Gwen in the freezer as Ianto's huge moral dilemma goes on the rampage - seemingly, just so Ianto can sulk for a couple of episodes before introducing Capt'n Jack to the delights of stopwatches.

And so it goes on, episode after episode. "Beep! Starting Windows..."

("Countrycide" was funny, though - am I the only one who spent the whole episode expecting Hillary Briss to pop up at the end? The whole thing had a very Royston Vasey look ;-)

Give it time. But as for depth... since when was Doctor Who deep?!

It had its moments where it handled some fairly radical (for its time) themes. Environmentalism, the nature of self, slavery, unrestrained authority, the ambiguity of moral choice, etc. It wasn't all robot dogs and shrieking assistants ;-)

Frankly, I think a lot of people are erroneously in awe of the new Doctor Who, see the mediocre special effects and believe the BBC hype.

I'd agree with you there, but I'm not one of them. It suffers the a bit of the same problem as Torchwood; it introduces deep stuff (particularly in the first series; the Doctor's loneliness and sometimes manic and flip method of dealing with it comes to mind) but then that's ignored until it's needed to fill a few unfilled seconds again. At least the Magic Reset Button doesn't get a continual workout.

To be honest, my biggest problem with the new Who is the continual re-hashing of the Daleks; the first time was fine, but the rest were unnecessary and rather forced.

... it would do the decent thing and commission something entirely new or re-make Blake's 7 and do a proper job of it this time round.

Umm, have you seen Blake's 7 recently? I have and, apart from bits of the first series, it's pretty much all camp badness. It no more deserves resuscitation than do On The Buses or Are You Being Served?...

(I may however be biased by certain members of my family and friends, who sometimes seem to be teetering on the edge of writing Blake's 7 slashfic of the B/A variety...)

Gun carrying Doctor

[Anonymous Coward]

I stopped liking the new series the instant Doctor Who used a gun.

Growing up with Tom Baker, one of my idles because he always beat the baddies without using a gun, like all the other popular shows.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[NexusTw1n]

Apart from Leela the knife wielding savage, and K9, who the Doctor equipped with a laser pistol you mean?

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[payndz]

K9, who the Doctor equipped with a laser pistol

Well, technically it was a blaster, not a laser, and it was Professor Marius who equipped...

Oh god, I'm never going to get a girlfriend, am I?

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[Anonymous Coward]

Just ignore the shooty dog thing.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[NexusTw1n]

Only the first K9 was built by Marius, every subsequent model was built by the Doctor, and had a lethal laser weapon equipped as standard.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[pluther]

When did the new Doctor use a gun?

I do remember Tom Baker using a gun at one point. Well, sort of. (The episode involved a carnivorous alien plant, on earth, and a bunch of mind-controlled humans. Does that narrow it down much?)

"Doctor! You can't take them all on yourself!"
"Of course I can! I have a pistol!"

I don't think he actually *fired* it at any point, though...

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[whovian]

Tom Baker's Doctor in Invasion of Time fired the demat gun at a Sontaran.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[Anonymous Coward]

Episode Title: Seeds of Doom

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[FusionDragon2099]

Series 1, Episode 6, "Dalek". The Ninth Doctor points a weapon at a Dalek, threatening to destroy it.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[Oktober Sunset]

I think that Tom Baker once capped a cyberman, inside the TARDIS with his own gun, which shouldn't have been possible as the TARDIS is supposed to be in a state of harmony which means weapons cannot fire.

Re:Gun carrying Doctor

[Half a dent]

Also Peter Davison shot a Cyberman which got complaints to the BBC from Who fans at the time because the Doctor "wasn't supposed to do that kind of thing".

Re:POLL

[Simon Andrew]

Have to agree on Hugh Laurie's accent. I can't watch House without expecting him to slip back into Prince George from Blackadder at any moment. They really have to try and sneak a 'Huzzah!' into an episode somewhere...

Other sci-fi news: BSG season 4 extended

[ZipR]

From 13 to 22 episodes... http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11755

Good

[Anonymous Coward]

'Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?'

I'm going to say 11 and 43. He's a little nutty.

Anyway, good news it's continuing on. One thing that bothers me is it seems like this newer Doctor Who series has a much higher turnover rates with all the primary through tertiary characters than the good old days (say, Peter Davison - marginally - and prior). Tennant is more my kind of Doctor than the Eccleston but the Doctor died, Mickey Smith left, then Rose left and I've only watched parts of two seasons. It seems a bit too reliant on personal drama compared with the old Doctor Who and I wonder how long it will be before I develop a callous to the characters.

Re:POLL

[nomadic]

I still can't buy Hugh Laurie's American accent, but apparently all the real Americans thought it sounded convincing, so I guess it probably has more to do with his typecasting in my mind...

The accent is a surprisingly good one, but the cadence is off a little bit.

It's a refreshing change, most Brit actors have horrible American accents, but none of them (or the people casting movies) seem to realize this.

Re:Doctor Who sucks

[Anonymous Coward]

Hear that?
That's the sound of crickets and lonely shame...

Re:POLL

[caldodge]

As a lifelong American (50 years so far), I have to disagree. I think he does a great American accent (it IS a challenge for him to pronounce such things as "coronary artery" properly, but he does it).

Re:Doctor Who sucks

[Anonymous Coward]

*crickets*

Re:POLL

[hercubus]

i _hate_ what passes for an American accent on most Brit TV shows

Mr. Laurie is spot on > 90% of the time, including shifting tone to "dripping sarcasm" and "duhhhh"

talent. genius. scary

the Brits on "The Riches" aren't too bad

Re:POLL

[Deadstick]

I'll back that up...if I didn't know, I'd have taken for granted he was a Merkin graduate of a Midwestern state U.

rj (65 years in Florida, Georgia, Ohio, California & Colorado)

a piddly pom a piddly pom

[Anonymous Coward]

a piddly pom a p1ddly pom
a p1ddly pom a p1ddly pom
a piddly pom a piddly pom
a piddly pom pom
WOOR WOOO! WO0O0O0OR WO! WU WU WOO WOOR WOO
a piddly pom a p1ddly pom ...

Re:a piddly pom a piddly pom

[Anonymous Coward]

... Delia Derbyshire rotates in grave ...

Re:POLL

[MythMoth]

I reckon he could do the "american pretending to be a brit" accent... I'm told he got the oz accent with an american twang just right in the end of series two.

Thank god it's back on Five here in the UK!

See Dead Again for the worst British American accent I've ever heard. I can't watch it without cringing every time Branagh speaks (mind you it's a terrible film anyway).

Re:POLL

[The Great Pretender]

I also have a very hard time with his accent, it sounds really forced. As with dogtanian, it doesn't help that I grew up in 80's UK as a teenager in the world of Ben Elton. However, all of my friends here in the US don't seem to think there's anything wrong with it...

Oh, no!

[DeeVeeAnt]

My boys will make me video each episode and watch them endlessly. Hooray for geek kids. Unfortunately we are off on holiday that week, so I'm hoping somebody will post a torrent when it airs, if not sooner.

Re:Doctor Who sucks

[Hognoxious]

OK, have it your way: baseballs.

Re:POLL

[N7DR]

I also have a very hard time with his accent, it sounds really forced.

Well, the people who run the show would not agree with you. They didn't realise he wasn't American when he auditioned. (Wikipedia: "Laurie's American accent was reportedly so flawless that [director] Bryan Singer singled him out as an example of a real American actor, being unaware of Laurie's background". They don't have a citation, though.)

Personally, the first time I saw the show, it kept bothering me they'd cast someone who looked so much like Hugh Laurie, but who couldn't possibly be him.

Re:POLL

[Kesh]

His accent sounds just like every American actor in WW2 films, which is probably the disconnect. It's a kinda unrealistic, "perfect" American accent you'd hear from a national newscaster. Still, it's what we're used to for precisely that reason, so no complaints on this side of the pond.

Labyrinth works better.

[SPQR_Julian]

You remind of the Doctor.
What Doctor?
The Doctor with the Power.
What Power?
The Power of Who, dude!
Who dude?
You do.
Do what?
Remind me of the Doctor.

Re:Labyrinth works better.

[baldass_newbie]

That was my senior year yearbook quote.
And I felt like a fag for using it.

Re:Labyrinth works better.

[Anonymous Coward]

Please give credit where credit is due - that was done by Shirley Temple and Cary grant.
Bowie was doing a cover of it.

Hey TARDIS Boy!

[fm6]

Since you have a TARDIS, would you mind dropping by 1970 London and grabbing the famous missing tapes? (Hey, now we know what happened to them!) And while you're at it, you should probably acquire a compatible deck!

No, WE are the SUPREME BEINGS, we

[Anonymous Coward]

must dominate, we are the . Exterminate (iPhone)! Exterminate (Microsoft)! Exterminate (Yahoo)! Exterminate (Viacom and all media)! Exterminate (all radio ads)! Exterminate!!!!

OT - love the sig

[spindizzy]

It's very cool to see a reference to the original Firefox. Bizarrely coincidental that I'm having a very young Clint Eastwood day. Of course far more worrying that I instantly recognised the reference...

Rasselon's Tomb ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Remember Rasselon's Tomb ?

Timelords may normally be limited to 12 regenerations, but Rasselon had a few tricks up his sleave. There is always some scope to bend the rules, and the Dr has certainly done that on more than one occasion.

There is still the storyline around the fall of Arcadia, and whatever the Time Lords chose to do when things got tough. I wouldn't be surprised if they bent a few rules towards the end, and the idea that the Doctor is the last surviving timelord gives the writers a lot to work with.

Female Doctor also done as fan-produced episodes

[LionMage]

Actually, I had a different experience of the whole "Doctor as a woman" thing. I'd never heard of Curse of Fatal Death before (sorry, not a die-hard Dr. Who fan), but when I was an undergrad, MITSFS ran a marathon for incoming freshmen which included some amusing fan-produced "episodes" of various shows. There was an entire tape full of episodes featuring a female Doctor, though I don't remember who played the role. It was fun, though, with production values that approached those of the real show. I guess this is something that gets passed around at science fiction conventions. I know, hardly canon, but then CoFD doesn't sound like it's considered canon either.

According to this article, it looks as though Russell T. Davies is considering Sigourney Weaver for such a role, though I can't imagine having a Yank on the show would go over well with UK audiences.

My hopes for the next season...

[icj]

I hope that the TARDIS goes to a lot more places than England in this series. There are other places to visit on our planet. Why not show up somewhere random like Micronesia or something? Also, a lot of the episodes seem to be centered on recent times or in the last 100 years. I guess all I would like from Dr Who is a little more variety. Am I being unreasonable? I mean they have a device that can make the lead characters show up at any place at any time. Why not use it to its full potential?

Re:My hopes for the next season...

[AlexanderDitto]

The Ninth Doctor went to Utah, though we never actually got to see much of it, besides the underground, and several of the episodes (three, I think) were on a space station, which is technically not England.

Otherwise, one of the plots revolved around a rift in time that had opened up in, where else, England, so they couldn't very well leave and expect the rift to follow, now could they?

I suppose they could also make the argument that tearing people from the past out of their ages is a typical time travel faux pas.

Re:My hopes for the next season...

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually the rift etc was centred on Cardiff which is in Wales, not England!

Pedantry aside, I wold also like a few more locations but I suspect costs are an issue

No accounting for taste. Or finding any, either.

[fyngyrz]

Dr. Who continues to run.

Firefly couldn't get past... what, 14 episodes?

Sigh.

A wee consideration....

[Chas]

That we call BUDGET.

Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[unitron]

Speaking of "House", Hugh Laurie would probably make the best Doctor Who since Tom Baker.

Re:Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[meringuoid]

Speaking of "House", Hugh Laurie would probably make the best Doctor Who since Tom Baker.

If I remember aright, he was the Doctor. For about thirty seconds.

Joanna Lumley is of course the definitive Thirteenth Doctor.

Re:Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[unitron]

Must have been some episode that never made it to my neck of the woods. Can you provide any more details?

Re:Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[meringuoid]

Must have been some episode that never made it to my neck of the woods. Can you provide any more details?

Curse of Fatal Death, a one-off charity special from 1999. Burned up the Doctor's entire remaining supply of regenerations in a matter of minutes. Presumably not canonical :-)

Re:Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[unitron]

Many thanks, but I'm thinking that perhaps you've confused Hugh Grant with Hugh Laurie, who's currently starring as Doctor Gregory House (and who was an excellent Bertie Wooster several years back), hence my original post's subject line's oh-so-subtle pun.

Re:Is there a Doctor Who in the House?

[meringuoid]

Many thanks, but I'm thinking that perhaps you've confused Hugh Grant with Hugh Laurie, who's currently starring as Doctor Gregory House

In fact, rewatching the episode, it was actually Richard E. Grant I'd confused with Hugh Laurie. Probably because I'm accustomed to seeing Hugh Laurie with Rowan Atkinson. Too many Doctors, too many Hughs, too many Grants, and it'd been eight years since I'd seen the thing anyway...

regenerations are limited

[Anonymous Coward]

I think the Dr is only supposed to regenerate 12 times before death. They are getting close to that limit. I remember those episodes where the Master was trying to get pass that limitation but failed. I wonder how they will explain this.

Re:regenerations are limited

[Anonymous Coward]

well, the master was granted a new regeneration cycle in the five doctors by the high council, so I'm sure the doctor will figure out how they did it

Re:POLL

[Megane]

Personally, the first time I saw the show, it kept bothering me they'd cast someone who looked so much like Hugh Laurie, but who couldn't possibly be him.

Count me as one of the people who still didn't know until it was mentioned in this very thread. Holy crap.

I knew he was a Brit with a great American accent, and I've seen the audition video where he quite literally got it in one, but it never occurred to me that this stubbly, surly guy was the same actor who played a completely silly pouf in powder makeup.

Fantastic! (except rentals)

[Anonymous Coward]

Apparently the rental versions of Dr. Who season 2 were burned with a serious error. Specifically, the "New Earth" episode on disc 1 cuts out and starts showing gruesome scenes from the new "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Netflix pulled ALL discs with no word when fixed copies will be available, if ever.

Re:Female Doctor also done as fan-produced episode

[Sponge Bath]

I can't imagine having a Yank on the show would go over well with UK audiences.

They should get Mira Furlan (as a bald woman Doctor).
I'm sure she would love to do more sci-fi and everyone loves Croatians.

Cool.....now if they could just.......

[cary67]

.....bring back the Daleks....

Re:Cool.....now if they could just.......

[f1r3f0g]

and The Master!!

Re:Cool.....now if they could just.......

[gbobeck]

.....bring back the Daleks....

They did in the first season of the new Dr. Who (the 2005 season). The Daleks were in the second season (2006), and will be in the new 2007 (third season) too.

Not Quite

[Shawn Parr]

While actor ego is an interesting reason they may have done this, unfortunately it had more to do with William Hartnell's age and health concerns during the first series.

BAD WOLF

[Anonymous Coward]

I know the reference is officially old, however...

BAD WOLF

Fourth series?

[Trogre]

What happened to season 30 or whatever the current ones are up to? I'm pretty sure season 4 was wrapped up pretty well back in the '60s or whenever.

TARDIS MAME Console

[Anonymous Coward]

Speaking of Doctor Who someone has buitl a MAME console inside a TARDIS. You can read about it here:

http://www.asciimation.co.nz/tardis

Yes, the same guy who did the ASCII Star Wars. That guy obviously has way too much time on his hands!

I have a TARDIS

[Anonymous Coward]

It is in my living room.

http://www.asciimation.co.nz/tardis

I play MAME on it.

Originally though the show was supposed to be a mix of Sci-Fi and historical stories and some of the early (in the 1960s) stories did show other parts of the world and historical times. But in the end they decided to just go with the sci-fi type stories.

Re:POLL

[Anonymous Coward]

They do, but want revenge for Dick van Dyke's cockney.

Re:POLL

[Trogre]

Definitely typecast. I keep expecting him to blurt out "Hoorah!" after each sarcastic witticism.

Re:POLL

[Spacejock]

Audience participation - I supply the Huzzahs and Hoorahs myself.

Re:No accounting for taste. Or finding any, either

[aztracker1]

I blame the marketing on the Firefly thing... I remember the adverts for it when it was on the air, and it really just didn't appeal to me... I actually watched it when it came out on SciFi channel in reruns and really wished I would have watched it, and encouraged others when it was on... Also, the movie irked me.

All that aside, Doctor Who is a SciFi staple, like Star Trek. As the first two seasons of Enterprise proved, people will watch for name alone. Personally I liked season 3, and *really* was liking season 4 of Enterprise, but by then it was too late. The newer Doctor Who series (since 2005) has been really good, and I honestly look forward to seeing more... Yeah, the special effects are a little lacking, but that's part of the fun.

Re:POLL

[RyatNrrd]

House hands down. Most people never even heard of Doctor Who. I'll probably download the series some time in the future (new and old) but House is still better.

So you're ignorant, yet you have an opinion?

How novel.

I can't wait, PVR set!

[bradavon]

As I do live in the UK I will be there on the 31st of March - Woo hoo! BiTorrent pah the quality won't be nearly as good. Tivo and Sky+ being types of PVRs.

Worried...

[wetelectric]

I'm liking the new episodes but.... The doctor and his assistant should never kiss! There should be no romance there..lets hope this new series doesn't go the way of 'Torchwood'. I mean sex monster aliens? bah

Blame Canada!

[tb3]

Or thank us, actually. You should notice at the end of each episode that "Doctor Who" was produced in co-operation with the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). In spite of this the CBC aired the second season months later than the BBC or Sci Fi, and took a six week break over Christmas. And they still haven't aired the Christmas special "The Runaway Bride" (even though I gather we haven't missed much.)

No word of "The Sarah Jane Adventures", either, with is a pity, because I think Elizabeth Sladen is still really hot!

Oh, and "Torchwood"? The CBC co-produced that, too. Check then end credits. But no word if it will ever air in Canada. I've googled the CBC website; the word 'Torchwoood' does not appear anywhere on the site.

So, Canadians, your tax dollars have been financing shows you can't see. Americans who can watch it on Sci Fi, you're welcome.

Re:Blame Canada!

[Anonymous Coward]

Canada - America's Bitch since 1812

Doctor needs improved doctumentation

[Anonymous Coward]

"'Do you know how many times I have been asked that question? Do you know how many times I have answered it?' said the actor. "

Whenever this happens to the rest of us, we just publish a FAQ.

Re:POLL

[iainl]

If I knew how to cite the extras on the Season 1 DVD set, I'd fix that for them. But I don't.

House is great.

Re:POLL

[Anonymous Coward]

What about the guy from The Dresden files? His accent seems pretty good to me. What do you think? He is from about 10 miles away from where I live and I didn't even realise he was English. Only found out after seeing him in an episode of "Jonathan Creek" the other day. He was in "Holby City" for quite a while too, apparently.

Captain Jack Harkness is played by a yank

[palladiate]

Captain Jack Harkness is played by a yank and he was popular enough to get his own show. I think it may be because John Barrowman is the Typhoid Mary of teh ghey. I say this, in all seriousness, as a straight man.

That said, a female Doctor would be very cool.

Re:Sounds great... - Tom Baker

[Markvs]

Unfortunately, ol' Tom (the oldest surviving Doctor!) is 73 years old (b. 1934 in Liverpool. He's still doing some voice work, but I haven't seen him on camera after his stint on Monarch of the Glen in 2005 as Donald MacDonald... and that was a decidedly sedentary role.

I'd love to see it, but I suspect that Tom would have a less action-oriented role to play.

Re:ATTN: SWITCHEURS!

[bob.appleyard]

I see someone's decided to comment spam /. Classy.

Great...

[Anonymous Coward]

Great, the doctor looks gay and Martha Jones is as homely as sin.

Re:No accounting for taste. Or finding any, either

[caseydk]

I never got into Dr. Who until I caught the latest few episodes on BBC America around Christmas. I immediately got the first season on DVD and it was fantastic. I'm looking forward to catching up and seeing the new ones soon.

Huh?

[AP31R0N]

There is a FOURTH Dr. Who series? There was the old one, then the new one with Billie Piper et all, and now two others. Does this mean there are three Dr. Who shows running at once? Is this some sort of multiple timeline thing? Or do this mean this is the fourth SEASON of the new Dr. Who series?

Re:Huh?

[demon]

In the UK they refer to a season as a "series" - don't ask me why, but that's how it works.

Am I the only geek not into Dr. Who?

[elrous0]

At the risk of losing my geek license, I have to admit that I just never could get into it. It's not that I had or have anything against low budget stuff (I used to watch the old 70's "Tomorrow People," which had production values similar to the original series, and I enjoyed "Lexx," with similar production values to the new series). I just never found the writing that compelling.

While I'm at it, I thought Babylon 5 was WAY overrated and I *did not* think that "Holy Grail" or "Life of Brian" were even close to Monty Python's best movies ("And Now For Something Completely Different," and "Meaning of Life" were MUCH better).

Oh yeah, and JRR Tolkien sucks. His prose is overwritten, his characters are one-dimensional, and his plots are mind-numbingly dull. As Randall Graves once put it, his plots are mostly just a lot of walking...hundreds and hundreds of pages of walking. His work is pedestrian in more ways than one.

There, I said it.

Re:Am I the only geek not into Dr. Who?

[Workaphobia]

No, you're not. I do not understand the attraction to Doctor Who - unless you're going to riff it, it has no entertaining value. Case and point: the episode that introduced Rose, and moreover the agony that was the actress who played her mother.

I didn't catch Babylon 5 or a lot of other sci-fi shows, but I thought both the Battlestar Galactica movie and Firefly were vastly overrated.

And everyone knows JRR wasn't a real writer. He allowed the story to end half way through the last part of the trilogy, leaving no material to fill the rest of the book except for an anticlimactic confrontation with Sauruman.

It's the same with Star Trek - there's a lot of suck in those episodes. But I do enjoy watching it anyway. I guess it's just a matter of suspending your taste long enough to get hooked.

Re:Female Doctor also done as fan-produced episode

[I_M_Noman]

everyone loves Croatians

Except Serbians.

Going to be on forever

[Plekto]

The backlash by the fans in the U.K. when they even mentioned that they might cancel it was enormous. And the Doctor IIRC, still has 3 more regenerations(though technically 5 more, since there's an evil version of hi in the "future" and the 8th doctor which was in that once movie - well, we don't know - the actor could come back as a later version of himself(time travel and whatnot - go figure - lol)

Not going anywhere. And, yes, it's a bit campy.

The real news, though, is that it appears as if Tom Baker himself might be playing The Master sometime in the future - which should be really neat.(or at least possibly playing the Valeyard(sp?) - his evil future self, since he's not too far off in appearance these days from the originals, oddly enough).