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[Rob Pegler]

I've never presented my opinions as anything other than my opinions. I may state them in a rather blunt way, but I guess that's how I roll. It's mostly tongue-in-cheek anyway - those LJ posts, for example, are mostly written for the benefit of my friends on that site, who know when to take me seriously or not (a skill you apparently have yet to cultivate). I do my best to back up my statements on the more serious stuff, but if I have to start putting disclaimers on my every comment to reassure you that it's only personal opinion (especially when I'm discussing a fucking TV show) things are going to get positively boring around here. And given that most of the people on this site - yourself included - state their opinions on a myriad of subjects without any such reassurance or apology (and there are folk a damn sight blunter than me around here) I can only assume that the problem isn't with what I'm saying, but with you deciding to take it personally.

In short, if my comments "grind your gears", feel free not to read 'em. I'm not here to keep you happy, dude.

[Matthew]

Now that we've had (I hope) the post-ultimate word on that, let's get back to Doctor Who.

I have some issues with Amy Pond too.  She's not a bad character per se, I just find her a little obnoxious. 

IMO, the DW writers have a tricky situation when it comes to creating companions.  In the early days you could have a pretty female lead who screamed and needed to be rescued a lot.  Over time that sexist stereotype became less interesting to viewers.  They experimented with a few ways to deal with the situation.

One way was to use male companions.  There really isn't as big an issue if a guy is helpless in the face of aliens and monsters and needs to be rescued all the time.  (My favorites of this type were Jamie and Harry Sullivan).  They can be brave and smart, just nowhere near the Doctor's league when it comes to dealing with things (Jo Grant, Liz Shaw, and Sarah Jane Smith--I'd probably put Martha Jones here too).  They can be the Doctor's equal (or near-equal Nyssa and Romana), or they can have a set of strengths that the Doctor doesn't have (Leela).

The most popular solution (IMO) was to create characters who were essentially normal humans with strong personalities and then let them succeed on attitude alone.  Teegan and Ace from the old show and Rose, Donna and Amy from the new all fit into this type.  They have had varying degrees of success (again, IMO).  Teegan had attitude but it didn't really help her  that much.  She ended out falling into the looks-hot-when-meanced-by-monsters stereotype but with none of the sweetness of earlier characters.  Ace could blow things up, which had it's moments, but was IMO hard to like on every level.  In the modern series, Rose was great when she was a brave shopgirl but not as good when she became super-rose.  Amy I don't like much (at least not yet).  She reminds me a little of Teegan, very pretty but hard to take.  Donna Noble is IMO, the most interesting of all the modern companions.

[heavens2kadonka]

I take comfort knowing there is at least one argument here that I'm not involved with.


Just finished season 4 of the reboot, four more specials until the start of Matt Smith.  I have wound up LOVING David Tennant.  

Blink = amazing, though it seemed too short: me and the girl have theorized that had it been a two-parter, more time could have been spent building up the creepiness that is the weeping angels.  

The "data ghost" effect in "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead" was probably the most jarring element of the whole story.  I thought the monster itself was weak.

"Midnight" was amazing.  The way the other crew members lost their rationality did a lot to add to the episode.  As good as this episode is, however, IT DOES NOT EXCUSE DAVIES FOR HIS WRITING "Love and Monsters."  

The season 3 closer was okay.  The season 4 closer has been my favorite so far.  The moment where the Doctor and Rose part again was so very, very depressing.  

Martha's ass distracted me most of the 3rd season.  

Van

[Rob Pegler]

I take comfort knowing there is at least one argument here that I'm not involved with.

Oh yeah? You wanna fight about it?

Blink = amazing, though it seemed too short: me and the girl have theorized that had it been a two-parter, more time could have been spent building up the creepiness that is the weeping angels.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS JUST AN OPINION, AND SHOULD IN NO WAY BE REGARDED AS IRON-CLAD FACT.
(Except it totally should, because I'm always goddamn right and well you know it.)

I probably mentioned this in the LJ posts I linked to, but I found the Weeping Angels a bit weak, because all they did when they finally caught up with you was send you back in time, and most of their victims seemed to be happier for it. It was mighty clever (like so many other things on Who) but I kinda felt they were wasted.

Also, I still wish Sally Sparrow had gone on to become a full-time companion. Or just transported herself to the real world so she could date me.

The "data ghost" effect in "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead" was probably the most jarring element of the whole story.  I thought the monster itself was weak.

The scene with Donna comforting Miss Evangelista's data ghost as she faded out was one of the most effective "tear-jerker" moments I've ever seen on screen. Like I've said before, those Who writers know how to play a riff on the old heartstrings.

"Midnight" was amazing.  The way the other crew members lost their rationality did a lot to add to the episode.

Pretty much a tutorial on how to write a gripping story set entirely in one room. The tension started building fom the moment the co-pilot saw the shadow outside running towards the ship, and didn't let up until the very end. When people tell me the Weeping Angels were terrifying, I can only point them towards the Whatever-It-Was in Midnight. Not only because you didn't know what it was, but because you never found out what it wanted - its motives were never explained, and may well have been incomprehensible to us if they had been. Now that's a frightening alien menace.

And based solely on her performance in this episode, Lesley Sharp is now officially the Scariest Woman Ever.

Martha's ass distracted me most of the 3rd season.  

No arguments there. Amy's miniskirts had much the same effect on me throughout Season Five.

[heavens2kadonka]

Sally Sparrow WOULD have been a great companion.

The most emotional moments for me are split between the "what if?" scene in "Family of Blood"  and the Bad Wolf Bay scene in "Journey's End."  IMO, the Doctor has the shittiest existence in the universe. 

THIS is one of my fav moments of Dr. Who, though it is followed with that horrible episode, "Voyage of the Damned." 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/x0cyxb2kG9E" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/x0cyxb2kG9E</a>

Van

[heavens2kadonka]

So am I the only one who felt like posting on this topic after seeing the awesomeness that is "Let's Kill Hitler?"

Van

[Matthew]

Haven't seen that yet but I did manage to catch the first 7 episodes.

I thought they were good, though Amy Pond will probably never make my "favorite companions" list.  I am warming up to the Mat Smith doctor slowly.  He seems more like the doctor as action hero with way too many tough guy quips and threats for me.  And what's up with blasting aliens with his sonic screwdriver.  I thought the point of that was that it was a tool, not a weapon.  It's changed from a whimsical and useful gadged into a glorified raygun.

I sound grumpoier than I am.  Overall I like this series, just not as much as either the Eccleston or Tennant seasons.  And i did think "A Good Man Goes to War" was an excellent episode with the secret of River Song being the best revelation in a very long time.

[Doug (Ancient) Wojtowicz]

So am I the only one who felt like posting on this topic after seeing the awesomeness that is "Let's Kill Hitler?"

Van

Mels was SOOOO much fun.  And wow, that cliffhanger at the end of last season did NOT disappoint.

River has a LOT to do before becoming River. 

Does anyone see a swapping of regenerations between the Doctor and River in the future?  Specifically he's the reason why Spacesuit River CAN regenerate?

[heavens2kadonka]

Well, after three seasons of Tennant's sad-rain sequences and RTD's "fuck your happiness" moments in one form or another, I can easily accept that this doctor would have some residual bad mojo and more of a penchant for standing and fighting as opposed to running.  It's certainly a personal preference, but I find Moffat's style of telling and presentation more enjoyable.  Matt Smith is a good fit, though I miss the hell out of Tennant.

I vote bring Tennant back as the Master, or even the Valeyard.  How about THAT? I also wish they could convince Paul Cornell to write a few more episodes. 

Van

[Doug (Ancient) Wojtowicz]

I thought they were good, though Amy Pond will probably never make my "favorite companions" list.  I am warming up to the Mat Smith doctor slowly.  He seems more like the doctor as action hero with way too many tough guy quips and threats for me.  And what's up with blasting aliens with his sonic screwdriver.  I thought the point of that was that it was a tool, not a weapon.  It's changed from a whimsical and useful gadged into a glorified raygun.

I haven't seen him using the Screwdriver as a major WEAPON.

He did pop the fake Amy's cohesion, but that's about the only "combat" bit I really saw. 

Plus, the Doctor IS in the realm of what River revealed at the ends of A Good Man Goes to War.  His threats, his anger, his "toughness" is from a lot of bad things he's done to even worse people.

Tennant as the Master?  Oh... brilliant.

[dannynyc]

as i saw, after first page, no ome mentioned torchwood as a some kind of spin off. it is great serial, especially season 3- children of earth, and ongoing 4th serial- miracle day.

doctor who is one of my fav serials, probably the most loved british scy fi serial. the reason that brought me on this forum is this topic, actually, beacuse i started to re-watch all seasons and googlin something

[heavens2kadonka]

I've heard Torchwood is pretty good, and I certainly plan on giving it a shot.  Captain Jack is one of my favorite characters of all time!

...They also need to bring a War Tardis into the series.  Btw, I sense there is some definite backstory that needs to be explained with the Doctor-Tardis relationship. 

Van

[Doug (Ancient) Wojtowicz]

I've heard Torchwood is pretty good, and I certainly plan on giving it a shot.  Captain Jack is one of my favorite characters of all time!

...They also need to bring a War Tardis into the series.  Btw, I sense there is some definite backstory that needs to be explained with the Doctor-Tardis relationship. 

Van

Rob, beg or steal a copy of The Doctor's Wife.  That is EVERYTHING that needs to be explained about the Doctor-Tardis relationship.  Easily one of the most delightful episodes of the Matt Smith series, which, is pretty much saying it has to be one of the best episodes of television.

Ever.

EVER!

[Matthew]

I've heard Torchwood is pretty good, and I certainly plan on giving it a shot.  Captain Jack is one of my favorite characters of all time!

If you're a Captain Jack fan you may very well like Torchwood.  The show is eggier than Doctor Who, though not (IMO) in a good way.  I thought they went with shock value at the expense of consistant characterization and thematic depth.  I watched the first two series and liked the stories just well enough to put up with the characters.  Children of Earth was a dramatic leap forward in quality and I loved that.

[heavens2kadonka]

For me, what made Capt. Jack so likeable was that even though I did not fancy his absurd libertinism (really dude? She says "chan" and "do" every sentence...), the writing was able to soften the blow with humor.   Making a dislikeable character likeable ON PURPOSE, without making the character a butt monkey (pun!) requires amazing writing.  

I always had a love-hate relationship with RTD.  His ability to develop characters as I have seen on Dr. Who has only been surpassed by Paul Cornell.  It explains why "Midnight," which was in many ways kind of a generic episode, wound up being one of the greatest episodes in the series for me: his characters are believable, deep and "organic."  Btw, thanks to Camaris's blog for helping me recognize and name RTD's superlative!

The hate comes from the overall negativity that Davies' episodes exude.  It is one thing to have melancholy episodes, and even bad endings: life is supposed to be good and bad.  However, RTD seemed to only be able to write emotionally negative episodes; this was done to the point that when I think of the Tenth Doctor, I picture the scene where David Tennant is staring sadly and he's being rained on, or the scene(s) with Rose, or the time with Donna, or OH GOD THAT TIME WITH WILF AND THE KNOCKING...  

My God man, there is such a thing as happiness, and it's not found boning a concrete slab (had to be mentioned).

So yeah, still iffy on Torchwood.

Van