Doctor Who

[AdmiralMemo]

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I like Donna, but really didn't like Catherine Tate as she mocked Science Fiction. Mocked in good humour, but mocked never-the-less. At least the other actors who have played companions who admit they're unfamiliar with Science Fiction/Fantasy respect it.

[Master Gunner]

From what I've seen, Catherine Tate mocks anything and everything - Science Fiction is just an easy target because of her tenure on Doctor Who.

[Robo4900]

[Awesome comic strip]

Could not be more spot-on.

[James]

TIL Greg still makes Real Life Comics. I read that shit WAYYYYYYYY back in the day. Like before LRR. Didn't realize he was still going. That's crazy.

[JayBlanc]

I actually think that Moffat managed to do some things very right with characterization in this episode - specifically with a certain new guy called Mr. Pink.

How long was that dude on screen? Five minutes, maybe? He's already received more proper characterization and establishment than Clara has to date.

However, Characterisation is very different from Character. An Actor can characterise for five minutes based on no written material at all, in fact the 'waiting at a bus-stop' improv is a well known method acting practice. Brief characterisation means very little towards if a character if properly fleshed out or not.

A good actor, and a good director can make a character we see for a few minutes appear full of character. It's when you have that character around for twenty minutes that the writing matters.

[AdmiralMemo]

TIL Greg still makes Real Life Comics. I read that shit WAYYYYYYYY back in the day. Like before LRR. Didn't realize he was still going. That's crazy.

Dude's now got a daughter going into pre-school.

[Arclight_Dynamo]

Rumours, rumours... Moffat might be looking for a replacement. On the other hand, maybe he isn't.

[Arclight_Dynamo]

However, Characterisation is very different from Character. An Actor can characterise for five minutes based on no written material at all, in fact the 'waiting at a bus-stop' improv is a well known method acting practice. Brief characterisation means very little towards if a character if properly fleshed out or not.

A good actor, and a good director can make a character we see for a few minutes appear full of character. It's when you have that character around for twenty minutes that the writing matters.

Sure. Still, I can see potential with this character - they've laid the groundwork for something interesting, at least. I'm cautiously optimistic.

[Robo4900]

I've heard some strong rumors about Moffat potentially being replaced, and while I could complain about Moffat's writing all day long, I think his problem is that he doesn't have anyone to bounce ideas off of. In Sherlock, he has Mark Gatiss to say "No, that's stupid" or "Perhaps they could do this instead" or "How about they do that at a different point".

However, if Moffat is replaced, it would certainly be interesting to see what a potential new guy brings to the series.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I can't think of any writer who is free who could replace him. That's my problem.

[Lord Hosk]

First, doesn't Mark Gatiss work on Doctor who as a primary writer or something like that too? Like he isn't officially in charge but what he says carries basically the same weight as Moffats word. Similar to Joss Wheaton with Marti Noxon, Drew Goddard and a couple others. Or the White House Chief of Staff, officially they dont have any power but in reality they are in charge and run things.

I dont know how much influence Gatiss has on Doctor who, but considering he is co-creator of Sherlock and in a similar position on both shows, and they suffer many of the same problems I would imagine that him taking over would be more of the same rather than any kind of departure.

This last inside the Dalek episode was more of the same, great idea, poor execution with characters that made no sense. The blond girl, like she made this great sacrifice but up until she did that did she even speak in the episode? We were clearly supposed to care about her but she didnt exist as a character until the moment we were supposed to care.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Mark Gatiss' episodes I've always found 50-50.

Last episode wasn't a written solely by Moffat. It was written by someone else.
-
New Last episode was fun. I will now avoid all comment sections regarding this episode as to not ruin my sincere opinion via peer pressure.

[tbug]

Robot of Sherwood felt a lot like Classic Who. I had ridiculous cheesiness, which you either love or hate.

Hai!

[Elomin Sha]

I can't think of any writer who is free who could replace him. That's my problem.

Hello.

[Arclight_Dynamo]

which you either love or hate.

Well, turns out I didn't love it, so...

[Robo4900]

I really liked it...

[elvor]

I was enjoying the episode, cheese and all. And then....

That bullshit golden arrow.

[JayBlanc]

I can't help but feel there's just something wrong with how the doctor has been so flippant about people dying. It's just jarring, I know they each have different personalities quirks, but respect for life has always been part of the Doctor's underlying personality, and it feels very wrong for the Doctor to make a bitter joke about someone dying...

[Arclight_Dynamo]

I'm actually okay with bitter jokes about people dying. That's a real way that a lot of people deal with hard issues - gallows humour to cover over your real feelings. Hell, I do that.

It isn't necessarily that the Doctor doesn't care; it could well be that he does care, and this is 12's way of dealing with those emotions. I feel it's being set up for a reveal at some point.

Or, you know, not. In which case, yeah, that's a real break with the character.

[RytelCSF]

To be fair, "Not sure if intriguing character flaw or bad writing" could be applied to pretty much the entirety of New Who.

[Arclight_Dynamo]

Well, that is true...

[Hiramas]

As far as I can figure out Moffats writing so far, I am sure that those really irritable quirks of the new doctor mean something.
The day of the doctor fundamentally changed something. We have the hint of Missy but there is no real connection yet. But I am convinced this irritating doctor is not just his new personality, but something more important.
Also, did anyone notice that not every villian gets to go to Missy? The evil guy this week did not. The other two were not evil per se. The first guy just tried to go to the promised land, the soldier sacrificed herself.

On the episode: not my favourite, but the Existenz of Robin Hood is significant, too.

edit: corrected spelling. damn phone.

[Elomin Sha]

Hirmas, your spelling didn't make your post very coherent. I thought you were a bot.

[Darkflame]

I enjoyed that upto the Arrow at the end, which seemed just a lazy last minute resolution.

Particularly as it seemed to be showing the gold was repairing something/containing something earlier - not some arbitrary power source. (which I wouldn't have minded as such - TimeMachine style gold power I can dig - but it should be established, and even then merely hitting the hull is a bit too arbitrary).

Besides, given the silly-levels in general, they could have shot the arrow though a window on the ship or something to hit something inside to make it fit a bit better. I am fine with silly, just like a bit more consistency really.
--
oh, pretty sure the Docs supposed to be more of an arsehole this time. Put it down to the new set of regenerations, or maybe fear of being the evil doctor, or whatever else. Either way, its clearly a intentional character difference. The same writters have been working on Who awhile, so if the Doctor starts being darker/nastier in his humour, its gota be intentional.