Doctor Who

[Dznygrl79]

I was kinda sad to see David Tennants last Doctor Who episode last night, I think he did a wonderful job as The Doctor. I must admit I was sobbing by the end of the episode. I was glad that he got to visit all his friends before he regenerated. Also what did you think of Matt Smiths (Doctor 11) first appearance? He has some very big shoes to follow with a new writting team. Also what was your favorite D. Tennant episode? I would have to pick Tooth and Claw

[g0189a]

I thought the end dragged on a bit even if he did get to say goodbye to his friends. I also would liked to have seen more of the timothy Daulton/Rassilon storyline developed a bit more.

My favorite one is Girl In The Fireplace. Not your typical episode but shows the range of David Tennant and sealed his place as a really good version of the doctor.

[Ruprect]

I second Girl in the Fireplace. Although for best episode of Tennant era I would go with Blink but since he was barely in it I don't count it as much a Tennant episode.

[Dznygrl79]

Blink gives me chills, no matter how many times I see that episode I still jump! True I would say one of the best! I have a the angels have the phonebox shirts, I'm an avid who fangirl!

[Rhetoric2000]

The episode was actually a good summary of the Russel T Davies era - great character writing, terrible plotting. Hopfully Stephen Moffatt - who has written most of the great New-Who stories can sustain himself over multiple episodes.

It would be very difficult for any Doctor Who (inded any sci-fi programme) to beat the back-to-back brilliance of The Family of Blood and Blink. Three episodes that were virtually perfect all together.

[handmaidenofprincesses]

I loved David Tennant as the Doctor and, I'll admit, I cried hysterically throughout the end of the episode (it's a good thing there wasn't a lot of dialogue at the end). I've seen Matt Smith in the Sally Lokchart mysteries (which he did with Billie Piper for Masterpiece theatre), and although he wasn't bad, I can't picture him living up to the high standards DT set.

Personally, I loved the End of Time 2 parter, especially John Simm's incredible reappearance as the Master. The discovery of the meaning behind the drumbeat and the shared line between DT and Simm of "Get out of the way" made the episode for me. I hated Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Timelords because the Master was SO crazy and so different from the past. This time, though clearly nuts, there was (dare I say it) a method to his madness.

Also, when DT began to regenerate and said "I don't want to go" I think my heart might've shattered into a thousand pieces!

Overall it was an excellent and fitting farewell for the best Doctor, but I'm not as excited as usual about the upcoming season. Maybe I'll watch, maybe not- if I do, it'll never be the same.

As to my favorite DT episode, I don't think I can pick just one! I know, I'll go by assistant lol

So, Rose: I loved his premiere in the "Christmas Invasion" for the long speeches ("I'm the Doctor, but beyond that, I - I just don't know. I literally do not know who I am. It's all untested. Am I funny? Am I sarcastic? Sexy? Am I an old misery? Life and soul? Right-handed? Left-handed? A gambler? A fighter? A coward? A traitor, a liar, a nervous wreck? I mean, judging by the evidence, I've certainly got a gob!!")

Martha: I liked Smith and Jones for some reason. idk what it is about that episode in particular but I've seen it somany times I could probably recite the dialogue. ("Barefoot on the moon!")

Donna: Again, really hard to decide,season 4 was my favorite. I loved "Midnight," it scares the daylights out of me. But my favorite was probably Stolen Earth/Journey's End- 2 Doctors and a DoctorDonna, can't go wrong!

Oh,I'm going to miss DT.... I really hope NBC picks up Rex is Not Your Lawyer so I can see him on a weekly basis again!

[Dznygrl79]

I so agree! It is going to make it hard to watch Doctor Who without David, as far as Russell, I have not seen seasons other than the ones he wrote so I kinda liked his writing. Steven Moffet's writing gives me the willies, I had only known him from Coupling so when I saw some of his work on the Doctor and then Jekyll I started hiding under the blankets, I still will not watch Blink without the lights on!

Breaking it down by companion is hard because my favorite Billie Piper Episode is with the 9th Doctor I loved The Empty Child!
("Are you my mummy?)
Martha would have to be The Family of Blood Saga my heart broke for her as he fell for another woman.
Catherine Tate I don't know the Red Nose Day sketch they did together while not an episode makes me laugh each time, but I guess Partners in Crime, I love the adipose!

Also it was good seeing Morrissey and Tennant together in The Next Doctor after they starred together in Blackpool.

[handmaidenofprincesses]

See, I didn't like Family of Blood. I mean, it was brilliant writing, but I still didn't like it. There were bits of the John Smith character that just didn't feel right to me, as though they were too much of a stretch from he actual Doctor, idk..

But I agree that the best work DT and Catherine Tate ever did together was their sketch for Red Nose Day! I don't usually find Tate's Lauren Cooper sketches amusing, but I could watch that one all day!!

[QTPie68]

I am old-fashioned when it comes to Dr. Who, so although I enjoyed the Dr (both ones) and Rose, him falling in love with her just didn't seem...well, right, although I really liked Billie Piper in that role.

I enjoyed Donna and DT. She really played well with him, and nice to see a strong headed and yet gentle too, companion.

My thoughts on the new Doctor....gosh he seems young, but then, they said that about my favorite Dr, Peter Davidson too.

[handmaidenofprincesses]

I wouldn't hold Matt Smith's age against him as quickly as I would be concerned about his acting ability! I saw him in a Masterpiece theater film he did with Billie Piper a while back, and although he wasn't a bad actor, I'm having serious difficulty imagining that he can pull off the emotional spectrum required in Doctor Who.

That, and I'm a bit displeased that "Geronimo"seems destined to become his catchphrase. To go from something original and amusing like"Allons-y" to something a bit over-used and not nearly as flexible as "Geronimo" is disappointing!

[handmaidenofprincesses]

My favorite one is Girl In The Fireplace. Not your typical episode but shows the range of David Tennant and sealed his place as a really good version of the doctor.

Just a note, the best moment of season 2 was when the Doctor comes in in this episode with his tie round his head, singing "I Could've Danced All Night" and says "Have you met the French? My God, they know how to party!" :D

(I suppose the fact that I'm of French descent doesn't make me biased at all to this quote lol)

[Rhetoric2000]

See, I didn't like Family of Blood. I mean, it was brilliant writing, but I still didn't like it. There were bits of the John Smith character that just didn't feel right to me, as though they were too much of a stretch from he actual Doctor, idk..


Interesting you should put it this way - you may or may not know that this was the one story in New-Who that was directly taken from an unofficial novelisation from the break between 1987-2005. The basis for the story therefore is not actually Tennant's Doctor and Martha - it was written as an adventure for the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace.

My other favourites while I'm here:

- Midnight. Shows how good RTD is when he really pares it down.
- The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit. Brilliant scary stuff.
- Unicorn and the Wasp.I have disliked a lot of the comedy in New Who but this was great.
- The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances. Eccleston not Tennant I know but should always be up there in best stories lists.

My favourite Who moment is from the Empty Child - Eccleston's reaction to the telephone on the TARDIS actually ringing - soooo chilling.

My favourite Tennant moment is his standoff with Anthony Head in School Reunion.

[handmaidenofprincesses]

My other favourites while I'm here:

- The Impossible Planet/ The Satan Pit. Brilliant scary stuff.


Ooh the Impossible Planet/Satan Pit was awesome. I love the bit between the Doctor and Ida Scott:
"The Doctor: ...Maybe we opened the prison, but not the cell.
Ida Scott: We should go down. I'd go. What about you?
The Doctor: Oh, oh in a second! But then again... That's so human. Where angels fear to tread... Even now, standing on the edge, it's that feeling you get, yea? Right at the back of your head. That impulse... That strange little impulse... That mad little voice saying, "Go on! Go on! Go on!... Go over! Go on!..." Maybe it's relying on that... For once in my life, Officer Scott, I'm going to say... retreat. Ugh, now I know I'm getting old. "

[QTPie68]

Interesting you should put it this way - you may or may not know that this was the one story in New-Who that was directly taken from an unofficial novelisation from the break between 1987-2005. The basis for the story therefore is not actually Tennant's Doctor and Martha - it was written as an adventure for the Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace.



That is really interesting, because I think that it would have worked better with MCoy and Ace.

[QTPie68]

I wouldn't hold Matt Smith's age against him as quickly as I would be concerned about his acting ability! I saw him in a Masterpiece theater film he did with Billie Piper a while back, and although he wasn't a bad actor, I'm having serious difficulty imagining that he can pull off the emotional spectrum required in Doctor Who.



Which one was that? Something about a young lady and a missing stone....and she ends up getting stoned (haha) to remember who killed her dad??

[handmaidenofprincesses]

Which one was that? Something about a young lady and a missing stone....and she ends up getting stoned (haha) to remember who killed her dad??

There were two, actually, both Sally Lockheart mysteries. One was called "The Ruby in the Smoke" (I think that was the one you're remembering) and "The Shadow in the North." They're based off a series of novels by Philip Pullman; there are 2 more novels which have yet to be made in films, "The Tiger in the Well" and "The Tin Princess."

[Rhetoric2000]

So is anybody watching the new series?

I absolutely loved the first Matt Smith episode. I think there was something so Doctorly in the first exchange with the young Amelia that IMHO was missing throughout the matey-matey Tennant era, along with humor that was warm and witty withough being infantile.

Amy Pond looks like a great companion too, and the upcoming episodes are making me seriously excited.

Bring on The Beast Below.

[Dznygrl79]

I really enjoyed the first episode! I was in love with Amy from the first excahnge. Stephen Moffett is a darker writer so I will be looking forward to more "monsters" this series!
At first I was not sure but Matt has me sold if he can keep up the same energy all season.
Can't wait to see where and when they end up this time! Without trying to give a spoiler did I see a red Dalek?

[thrillme]

Loved Tennet....I think I'm going to like the new one too. I think Amy Pond is going to be my absolute favorite. She is positively adorable and so stubborn.

I didn't mind the Doctor falling in love with Rose. Goodness all that traveling around spending so much time with humanity...it's bound to get one of those two hearts pumping. It's got to get lonely sometimes. I was crushed when he took Donna home and she doesn't remember anything...Just blew him off...so sad.

[Dznygrl79]

Oh him being in love with Rose made it so great! I absolutely bawled at the end of Doomsday, and then again when he took Donna home. I thought I was good until I watched Davids last episode as he said goodbye to everyone I think I went through a box of tissues, he is such a great actor and so convincing.

Amy is great I hope I will fall in love with this season also!

[Rhetoric2000]

Not to give away a spoiler Dznygrl, but yes you did see a red dalek.

I wasn't really much of a fan of the Ten-Rose romance, or indeed them as a pair in general. Don't get me wrong, I think Rose was initially a terrific character. Nine-Rose(-Jack) are one of the best crews Who has had, but that season with Tennant and Piper didn't do much for me. Tennant and Tate was much more to my taste.

Plus, the Doctor has had much more independent, intelligent, resourceful and, well, better looking companions over the years and didn't show much interest in them. The whole thing just seemed to be RTD writing the world's most expensive fan fiction with his Mary Sue replacement character, and I think the extent to which he tried to drill home the Rose-is-the-greatest-companion-ever was both insulting to the show's history and ruined any chance that Martha had of catching on as a character. The only romance involving the Doctor in New Who that worked IMO was the Human Nature one with Jessica Hynes. That was wonderful.