Any Doctor Who fans?

[Destiny]

I almost just want to skip this season and go straight to the next! They need to get an amazing new doctor, and an awesome writer. If they don't, I'm worried about the show. The ratings have gone down. 

I have the last two Christmas episodes that I haven't been able to bring myself to watch. I hope this season doesn't suck because Peter the Second deserves better than he got. WE deserve better.

Chris Chibnall is a competent writer. I have hope.

[Blahblah]

@Destiny Chibnall's credentials are excellent. I hope he doesn't try to keep things Moffat-y to ease himself in. I'm glad they have kept Nardole because Bill looks and sounds awful from the snippets they have released. You would think that shorts would show something to hook people in to a new character but I've just ended up hoping that Bill comes with subtitles because her accent is so thick (And i am British by birth so regional accents don't usually worry me). 

[Destiny]

I haven't seen anything of bill other than the picture. I still have episodes from 15 I haven't watched cos last season was just so awful. Moffat is terrible as a showrunner. He's not bad as a writer (though I hated the majority of his episodes even before he ran the show), but he needs someone to tell him no, that idea sucks, and he doesn't get that as showrunner.

I like Chibnall, though I haven't loved all his Doctor Who episodes, Broadchurch was great tv.

[ClaraOswin]

I love Broadchurch. I think another season is coming.

I'm so-so on Moffat.

I feel sort of indifferent about the last few seasons. I don't know why. But I'm just not as into it as I once was. I really like Capaldi though and will be sad to see him go.

Still very nervous about Bill.

[Destiny]

@claraoswin FYI the final season is currently airing in the U.K.

I LOVE Peter and was so excited for him when he was cast. I'm sorry he won't be staying to have a season under a competent writer. That said, I really hope leaving was his choice, because if the BBC blames him for the terrible writing he got that would be so unfair. He did the best he could with crap material.

[Blahblah]

@Destiny not sure if this link will work for you, but here is Bill's intro:

 

 

[send*the*ferrets]

I haven't seen broadchurch. I'm rewatching Doctor Who, because I literally can't remember the last two seasons with Capaldi- I remember a little bit with Me but that's it. Once that's over maybe I will start Broadchurch! I just got to Season 4 and I think watching Donna again is just going to make me more mad when I get back to seasons 8/9!

[Blahblah]

Well I take back all my doubts about Bill. I really enjoyed the first episode. Nardole ended up being the annoying character who really didn't need to be there.

And *squee* that John Simm is coming back. I know he wasn't everyone's cup of tea but I liked his Master. I can't wait to see him and Missy team up against the Doctor.

 

[motelmum]

That episode should have been called "keep sweet" rather than smile. All I could think about was this is how all these fundie women must feel.

[Blahblah]

Hmmm. So the new doctor has been announced. In case you haven't seen the reveal I won't post details. I will just say that I am reserving my judgement.

This season could be very interesting - Chibnall plus this new doctor. Hope they don't stuff it up

[Destiny]

I’m concerned that this new doctor will be played as a joke instead of a serious doctor. That said, that person is a fantastic actor and will play the doctor well. 

[Violet]

I'm looking forward to the new doctor. I did like Peter Capaldi but I got so fed up of Moffat's storylines that I stopped watching just before Clara was killed off.

I've seen bits of the second series of Broadchurch (couldn't watch all of it because they filmed the outside court scenes at the uni I went to and because I knew it wasn't a court I was struggling to take it seriously!) and from what I've heard/read/watched the writing was really good.

Fingers crossed!

[Destiny]

The first series of broadchurch is some of the finest tv I’ve ever had the privilege of watching. The later seasons were good but not as good.

Moffat sucks and I’m so fucking glad he’s gone.

[Khan]

After seeing the new Doctor announcement my heart sank. The actor is quite good but I fear that the Doctor will be seen or treated as a joke now.   

Flying Daleks pushed it too far for me. The fact that they couldn't climb stairs was such a comfort to my childhood self.

[Palimpsest]

10 minutes ago, Khan said:

The fact that they couldn't climb stairs was such a comfort to my childhood self.

And mine!   Note: My favorite companion is in my avatar.

I got so pissed at Moffat and felt so sorry for Peter Capaldi (a great actor) that I just stopped watching.  Happily waving goodbye to Moffat.

I am cautiously hopeful that the new Dr will work (and it is long overdue) and the writing will improve.

Another Broadchurch fan here too. 

[ADoyle90815]

At least, Moffat isn't around to fuck things up as people are already having a hard time with the new Doctor.

[Destiny]

Peter deserved so much better than he got. I feel sorry for him tbh. 

[church_of_dog]

I'm starting from the beginning, with the William Hartnell episodes.  How long until I know what y'all are talking about?  (I do know what the Daleks are at least)

It's a tossup at this point whether I have the stamina for this (multi-year project as I don't spend much time watching video in general, except -- maybe now that I have a treadmill...).  

If I find I can't hack the long haul, how far back should I start watching to be able to grok the current episodes with proper context?

[Destiny]

If you don't want to watch the whole mess (and I have), I would watch Four's episode Genesis of the Daleks, then start with Rose. That's what is popularly called New!Who, and includes the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors. That's around 120 episodes, and it should give you a solid basis for what the show is about. 

Personal bias, I find the whole of the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor's run not to my liking. 

[CyborgKin]

I'll just leave this here (assume spoilers): http://doctorwhogeneral.wikia.com/wiki/Times_Doctor_Who_Was_Ruined_Forever (it's funny)

[Palimpsest]

On 7/17/2017 at 11:35 PM, CyborgKin said:

(it's funny)

I thought it was hilarious!

@church_of_dog, if your time is limited: of the "old" Dr Who probably my favorite was the Key to Time series.  It features the 4th Dr, Tom Baker (who is nuts), a female Time Lord (Romana 1) who is pretty feisty, and my favorite companion, K-9, who is not a gimmicky robot, thanks!  So what if his batteries keep running down and he can't climb stairs.  He's the greatest!

The old Dr Who is famous for being very gimmicky with really bad monsters and terrible special effects.  To whit, the Dalek weapons of destruction are actually an egg whisk and a toilet plunger.  It was geared to children, although it often scared the heck out of me when I was a kid, but adults also loved it with a passion.

You could just start fresh with the new Dr Who with no problem.  It is much darker, much more adult, and often really scary.  Watch out for Weeping Angels.

I probably liked Christopher Eccleston best of the "new" Drs.  He has a brooding energy that made the switch from kid to adult content make sense.   It always takes me a few episodes to ease into a new Doctor, but I also liked David Tennant and Matt Smith after a while.

Poor Peter Capaldi.  He got so screwed.

[Destiny]

I loved Nine. He and Ten are tied for tops in my book, mostly because I really could believe they were the same man. Eleven I mostly couldn’t stand, but that’s the fault of poor writing. I like Twelve because of my love for Peter the Second,but my god, did he get screwed with truly terrible writing.
I found out about regeneration when Rose did, and did not forgive David for not being Chris until Doomsday when it finally hit me that they really are the same guy.

[church_of_dog]

@Palimpsest -- my time isn't necessarily limited -- ie I could make plowing through them all in order a years-long hobby -- but I'm not sure how long my interest would hold out.  Just this morning while on the treadmill I watched "The Reign of Terror" where they land in the midst of the French Revolution.  I think it's in the 2nd season -- The Doctor is still William Hartnell.  Everything is horrible -- the dialogue, the acting, the sets, etc. Horrible only by modern standards though -- if I think of it as quasi-intentionally bad (in a rather Monty Pythonesque way), it almost becomes amusing.  And it's actually far better than the very first episodes were in that regard.

But I'm starting to think that most episode groups pretty much stand on their own and don't require the knowledge of what came before -- in which case I could continue watching from the earliest I can find, while simultaneously starting to watch somewhere in the middle -- my thinking being that I will probably enjoy the newer ones more and that will keep me from flagging.  At some point I might stop moving through the older ones, although I guess I would be perennially worried I would miss the introduction of an important character or something...  Don't want to miss K-9!

I appreciate the guidance, and I'm on my way!

[Destiny]

8 minutes ago, church_of_dog said:

But I'm starting to think that most episode groups pretty much stand on their own and don't require the knowledge of what came before -- in which case I could continue watching from the earliest I can find, while simultaneously starting to watch somewhere in the middle -- my thinking being that I will probably enjoy the newer ones more and that will keep me from flagging.

That's why I suggested watching just the one section of Classic, because it makes Nine and Ten's journey so much more compelling. Those are the only ones I would watch before just starting with New!Who. Classic especially, is very stand alone. New!Who tends to have more season long arcs, so you are better imho starting NewWho starting with Rose (who I love so so so so much).

[church_of_dog]

7 minutes ago, Destiny said:

That's why I suggested watching just the one section of Classic, because it makes Nine and Ten's journey so much more compelling. Those are the only ones I would watch before just starting with New!Who. Classic especially, is very stand alone. New!Who tends to have more season long arcs, so you are better imho starting NewWho starting with Rose (who I love so so so so much).

Thanks @Destiny!  I think I will do as you suggest!