Official Discussion: Dr Who Xmas Invasion

[Fenriswolf]

Absolutely LOVED it! Independence Day/Star Wars/Classic Doctor Who rolled into one. I can't believe anyone disliked it. Must be no accounting for taste.

 

There will always be something that people don't like, for instance. I despise, loathe and hate the new Battlestar Galactica with a passion. But I don't comment about it.

[Cypha01]

I expected this: Very well.

 

This is a global warning to everyone responsible for stepping over the line, there's an AUP on this forum that keeps it supposedly free from the usual backstabbing and malcontent of many other forums.

 

Keep it friendly and keep it fair.

 

"Go Dr who Self-righteous Squad ! you tell em" <-- This is the kind of thing I don't want to see, keep the discussions civil and even-handed folks no matter how much you can't stand a particular program, there are ways to vent about it without going overboard or making off-comments.

 

Cypha01: I'm on no-ones side but it takes two to tango there amigo.

 

I'm asking you kindly to simply take a different approach towards people who do rile you.

 

I also re-iterate that we'd rather this was a pleasant place to come to, where users were able to discuss things. But there's freedom of speech and being downright rude about it.

 

I'm asking folks who do get passionate about the things they love, moderate your responses, watch your language and most of all watch what you say about other people.

 

It was not a personal insult but a satirical comment about a certain brand of Dr Who fan response and that we are all adults and I can't see how anyone would run crying over me responding with as much zeal as I was responded to with. I was also watching my language and were not intent on insulting anyone, I just call a spade a spade and feel that everyone should be allowed to defend themselves without being slapped down for it or singled out.

[Fenriswolf]

I have no problem with personal defence as long as it remains civil. You can argue that it was a satirical comment and others can argue it was a personal attack/insult. Err on the side of caution in that respect. Without psychic abilities, fantastical time machines and mutant powers - intent on the internet is very hard to guage.

 

And I don't, as much as I'd really like to have a TARDIS.

[TFMF]

*trying to get back on topic* :)

 

ok - so my opinion on the Xmas Invasion was that it was a really good episode - I agree that the sword fight was a bit....bad i guess but they made it look ok - I liked the plot and David Tennant is a great Doctor.

 

And from looking at the preivew of the upcoming season - Season 2 is going to be a great season indeed - Cybermen!!! :cyclops:

[S0V13T]

The whole swordfight bit reminded me of a Mc Coy episode when the bad guys kept calling The Doctor "Merlin". I guess it would stand to reason that if the Doctor popped in on earth during the middle ages, that he would know how to handle himself in a sword fight.

 

And seeing as Tennant is a Scotsman like Mc Coy, I'm overjoyed to see that he has a bit of a dark side to him, that made Mc Coy one of the better Doctors, imo.

[Fenriswolf]

Here's one for you.

 

If he's within his regeneration cycle, whos hand is that?

 

Is it the 11th Dr's hand...which is a fighting hand, or his own hand?

[StitchInTime]

Well, I just watched it again, and honesty, I thought that most of it was awful.

 

I have revised my opinion of DT, however. I think he is a good actor, but they are not giving him much to work with. I sure hope the writing gets better in the new season. I'd like to see less 'Lassie Comes Home' and more stark, dark, and strange, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. :cyclops:

 

If he's within his regeneration cycle, whos hand is that?

 

Is it the 11th Dr's hand...which is a fighting hand, or his own hand?

Oy. :rolleyes:

[GorunNova]

It's funny that you should talk about continuity problems, given half of Star Trek and virtually ALL new sci-fi in North America ;p... far worse offenders, imho.

 

As for the regeneration cycle thing... it's still the 10th doctor's hand. It's just part of the regeneration.

 

Also, as for the liking/disliking of the episode... I find that it doesn't lessen my enjoyment of something if someone else dislikes it, so they can feel what they want. The Xmas Invasion wasn't perfect, and I personally found some bits rather... cheesy. Overall, I did enjoy it, though, and am really looking forward to the next season! I think David Tennant'll do well even given just this small sample.^^

[Fenriswolf]

Stitch: Heh, I had to...

 

Gorun: I think RTD tends to write cheesy, so I look forwards to the eps by the other writers like Steve Moffat etc far more.

 

[Ulysses]

I remember just before the last seaon started and the idea of CE being the doctor, I was secptic but thought what the hell i will watch it. Even thou i didnt think that the first episode was that great i did really start taking to it after a couple of episodes i think it was after watching "uninique dead" after which i was hooked.

 

As for David Tennant, i think already he is likable as the doctor and the xmas special could of been better i think it was a case of us getting used to a new face as the doctor, but i would actually say that given time (no pun intended) DT will equal CE's performance.

[Fenriswolf]

I like the fact that Tennant's Dr seems to echo some of the darker aspects of the 'More than just a Timelord' phase of McCoy.

[trebor]

but it is "a better taste required" show ;)

 

You mean like the episodes featuring farting aliens?

 

I recently got and watched the 2-DVD box set of 'City of Death' with Tom Baker. This xmas special was nothing special. It's not even a classic episode. I doubt anyone will ever want to make a special edition 2-DVD set out of it.

 

But what really irritated me was (again) the way RTD destroyed the established cannon of having the companions understand alien languages: it was always a gift given by the people who traveled in the Tardis. Now, everyone understands alien languages as long as the Dr. is awake? (what crap)

 

Maybe I'm too old and this show isn't meant for me. Maybe I don't 'get it'. But so far (except for 2 episodes: Unquiet dead and the Dalek story from Big Finish) I find most stories to be rather weak. I haven't seen stories this bad since The Twin Dilema.

 

I've been watching the show since the Pertwee era and for me, Russel T. Davies has RUINED Dr. Who. I wish it would turn back into an exciting multi-part series with cliff hangers and complicated plots.

 

The whole sub-plot of deadly santas/tree trying to kill the doctor, yet they are working for an invasion fleet that isn't aware of anything until they 'scan' and see the Tardis... says to me that this is not "a better taste" but rather a pointless tasteless plot.

 

I just hope RTD will resign and give the series to someone who actually loves and respects the show and doesn't write for people with an I.Q. of an 8-year old.

[mateya]

ok, I should refrase that - it is "a different taste required" show. and yes shorter attention span in people can affect the quality and complexity of plots..

[Fenriswolf]

Sign of the times I'm afraid, he's pitching the show to an audience who in the most have never heard of Tom Baker's excellent Doctor, nor really care. And now...I find that extremely sad since I grew up on the cusp of Pertwee and saw the rise of Baker.

 

With stories like the Talons of Weng Chiang and Logopolis Tom Baker is hard to beat.

 

What ever the problems this new series has/will have and the Xmas Special might not to be everyone's taste: It pulled in 9.8 Million viewers, which has ensured a happy BBC and made Dr. Who one of the hottest British Properties in TV.

 

Regarding the Alien Languages: The Doctor has a link to the TARDIS, it has been said on many an occasion that the machine is far more than that. In the new series its definitely something much more, so perhaps it was unable to provide the translation ability while the Doctor was in trouble. The Cloister Bell was ringing, and if I remember my old Dr. Who that's an extremely bad thing.

 

They were in close proximation to the TARDIS when everything was alright, so perhaps the TARDIS extended that translation link to the humans.

 

RTD isn't my favourite writer, but he gave us back Doctor Who. I can do without the Slytheen myself, but I rather enjoyed the series as a whole especially the Unquiet Dead and an Empty Child etc. It was nice to see the Doctor back on our screens again after 15 years of virtually nothing except parodies and cheap parlour tricks.

 

The Pilot Fish as they seem to be called were swimming along side the bigger Invasion ship, they picked up the residual energy from the Time Vortex. They also seem to be a robotic race, so hence the Doctor's comment of using him as a power cell for their batteries.

 

The Sycorax only picked up the TARDIS when Rose and Mickey activated an important function onboard, presumably the TARDIS isn't scanned as easily while its inert and pretending to be a Public Police Box.

 

These are just some of my particular theories however.

 

And it did amuse me that there might be legions of kids scared of Santa and Christmas trees, just like there's some particular woman in Ireland so scared of the Daleks she wants to ban Doctor Who.

 

 

 

 

[mateya]

just like there's some particular woman in Ireland so scared of the Daleks she wants to ban Doctor Who.

 

fantastic! :)

 

I must say I never watched all the previous series (they didnt pull me quite in - but I belive that quality of plots was much more complex then, then they are these days..) but this one (2005) I like a lot. it has a sort of modern feel to it and the doctor is a really cool guy (ok, both of them). oh and Im a female, so take a hint.. ;)

[Fenriswolf]

I know you're female, however it doesn't stop there being a particular woman in Scotland who is so psychologically scared of the Daleks she campaigned to ban Dr. Who because of it. It could have easily been a man, girl or boy. But I don't think the last two would be so foolish as to think a made-up Monster on the TV was scary enough it should be banned.

 

So what hint should I take?

 

I suggest that you re-evaluate what I said and the context it was said in.

 

Because from the use of the word: Fantastic one might get the wrong impression that you're actually supporting this person who wants to ban Dr. Who.

 

Minor clarification: Scotland not Ireland.

 

Of course on the other hand if you're saying that you like CE and DT because you're female and every female, and a few males I've spoken to so far have said DT is hotness...then that's ok :)

 

But here's the full story taken from the newspaper a while ago.

 

Daily Express, July 6th 2000. Page 12.

Headline:

 

HOW THE DALEKS HAVE MADE MY LIFE A MISERY

 

A mother-of-two who is terrified of Daleks claims the sinister sci-fi robots have ruined her life.

 

Shona McLaren, 39, is so scared of the Dr Who aliens she dreads the thought of them appearing on her TV.Hearing the words 'Exterminate, exterminate' sends her into a blind panic and even the show's theme tune makes her hide behind the sofa.

 

Mrs McLaren has sought medical help for her problem and has even asked members of her local church to pray for her. But despite attempts to confront her fears she is still no nearer to curing her bizarre phobia.

 

She now lives in fear of the BBC repeating any of the 600 episodes of the cult series which was first shown in 1963 and is dreading the making of a proposed Dr Who movie.

Mrs McLaren, of Tullibody, Clackmannanashire said: 'The sight of them on TV or in magazines drives me mad. I'm a mature woman with two kids but I've always dreaded the thought of them coming anywhere near me. Daleks make me ill - they've ruined my life.'

 

For years Mrs McLaren tried to hide her strange secret believing peopl would laugh when she told them. But she has now broken her silence in an effort to finally beat her phobia. Her first encounter with the characters came when she was just six, after sitting down to watch TV on a Saturday night. She said: 'One of my brothers told me there was a brilliant new show on called Dr Who and I sat down to watch. Then I saw the Daleks. I'd never seen anything so creepy. I broke into a cold sweat although my mum told me it was only make believe. I couldn't get them out of my head.'

 

Despite being teased by her brothers, Mrs McLaren managed to avoid Daleks until she saw a boy in an alien outfit at a fancy dress party when saw was 11.

Four years later the phobia was so bad she asked the ministers and elders at a local church to pray for her. 'They had prayed for all sorts of things before but never to rid someone of the fear of Daleks,' she added.

 

Now happily married to husband Kevin, 42, Mrs McLaren's phobia is as bad as ever and was recently sparked during a visit to Ingliston market in Edinburgh. Mr McLaren said: 'My sister Heather innocently mentioned there was a life-size Dalek on a stall. I turned round and Shona had already begun to charge up the street.'

 

Phobia expert Mark Kenwright, a cognitive behaviour therapist at London's Maudsley Hospital said Mrs McLaren's phobia was common. 'It may seem strange she fears something as odd as a Dalek but the fear is very real. Many phobias can be traced back to childhood experiences,' he said.

 

 

 

[mateya]

ah yes, a hint: "the doctor is a really cool guy (ok, both of them)" = Im a female, so its obvious I like them.

 

as for the use of word fantastic - I was being sarcastic. but sorry if that was misunderstood.. supporting the ban on dr who? even when I will be wery old and scared, I dont think that will ever happen :)

[Fenriswolf]

I edited to add the headline from 2000 in and I thought it might be the case, forgot to hit submit while I was locating more on the woman in question...scary how people can be affected.

 

But to re-iterate regarding CE and DT, my wife thinks DT needs longer hair but she quite likes him in the new role.

 

Very Arthur Dent, now there was a nice man.

[GorunNova]

If people can be irrationally terrified of chalk, are daleks much of a stretch? ^^

[Fenriswolf]

Aieeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

CHALK!

 

*runs away*

 

What will they be afraid of next though, Killer Christmas Trees?

 

"Daddy...I want that one!"

 

"No dear, you can't have that one."

 

"But why?"

 

"Because that one looks like the one on the make-believe Sci-Fi show, and it kills people..."

 

"Oh, oh-kay. Can I have a gun instead?"

 

"Sure, 9mm or full automatic?"