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. "
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...
"The Doctor"
"Doctor who?"
"Precisely."
Something tells me there's an Abbot and Costello joke there to be found....
--
# Canmephians for a better Linux Kernel
$Stalag99{"URL"}="http://stalag99.net";
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.
Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
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
What's better...
:)
Don't you mean "Who's better?"
Although, I guess that's a bit of a presumptive question
Some people have a way with words, and some people, um, thingy.
I love David Tennant, but I'm hoping he gets encased in carbonite and Rose takes the Tardis back to grab Chris Eccleston.
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.
Surely seies 4 of Dr Who was around 40 years ago with Patrick Troughton.
There have been quite a few different Doctors since then.
"Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
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.
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?
obviously no deficiencies vs. no obvious deficiencies
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...
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.
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...
"Bah!" - Dogbert
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?
You must think in Russian.
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.
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...
If the masses can keep you down, you're not the Ubermensch.
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.
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?
"Can I get my geek card stamped please?"
Sure thing...hey, that's 10! Here's your free Davros keychain.