Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I read Selenak's post, who loved the rings of Akhenak, and paratti loved Cold War, and so I started wondering if there's something wrong with my perception. Yes, they need fresh - preferable female - blood, and not in a gross way. ^^
I quite liked Cold War, but more because it felt like it was returning to the show's roots. With this show you're in for the long haul or not at all - there'll be a new Doctor, new writers along sooner or later, after all. I'm quite excited about the 50th anniversary thing in November. There's a Gaiman episode coming up soon, too.
I do agree about the female writers, though. The Beeb never seems to notice there's a problem.
Like I said, I really liked the cast of Cold War and I liked the premise of the episode, but the whole deterrent/cold war/balance of military power/first strike theme seemed a little heavy handed, and as someone who hasn't seen the early incarnations of the show the ice warrior means nothing to me. *sigh* Well, I didn't really like Rose much, either (although I loved her mom and dad), so I guess I'll just have to stick around long enough for the show to morph into something more thrilling... :)
My problem is that compared to her other two incarnations, this Clara is rather dull. I would have paid good money to see Dalek!Clara as a companion.
And this week's episode was boring and stupid, so there's that. But I've been watching Who since Doctor Three, so it takes more than one meh season to put me off. *g*
It's not my fault! I was at the mercy of PBS! We've rented a bunch of Troughton and Hartnell episodes as soon as they were available over here, though. I know them well enough to go "Is that an Ice Warrior?" the minute the thing thawed out. *g*
Two and One are amongst my top five. I curse still the fact that they lost most of The Celestial Toymaker - scared me rigid, way more than mere Daleks or cybermen.
I didn't watch most of the last few seasons (stopped at the end of S4), but I've tuned in again recently, mostly because I don't have a lot of sci-fi in my life right now. It seems like the show is awfully formulaic - easy resolutions, a 'big bad' that is built up but has no real oomph, and characters I don't connect to. I want to enjoy the show too, but at the end of the episodes, I find myself thinking something along the lines of 'So what?'.
Yes, I think you nailed it: the big bad is built up but then he/she/it goes away in a heartbeat. The soul eating super nova is one example, the ice warrior another. I miss antagonist like the Master (very chilling madman with a few likeable traits) or the demon from the pit, or the Silence or the Shadows in the Library. Those were frightening, yet fascinating. And some of the cyberman episodes were really brilliant, too. And victory was usually paid for dearly.
At the end of an episode I want to feel a mixture of relief, happiness and sadness. Plus, I want it to have pushed some boundary, to have challenged my conceptions and expectations (okay, maybe not in every episode, but at least sometimes).
Lately, I feel they are in such a rush to tie things up, they end up with an untidy knot. *sigh*
I'll continue watching, obviously, but I have to say that there are other shows that I am more keen on....
I haven't been very enamored of Dr. 11 or perhaps his stories. I think right now at least, the show is a victim of it's own popularity. Also I'm one of the few people who probably didn't like either Amy or River Song. I have to say I still adore The Empty Child (a Dr 9 ep) but right now the show seems a little formulaic if that can be said of a Dr Who ep. I long for some really clever scifi or fantasy elements, the likes of which we used to get and which we started with when Eccleston restarted the franchise. I'll tune in for the 50th and it's not that I haven't enjoyed some of 11's eps it's just that it all feels a little staged for ratings, like the quirkiness is a bit forced and some of the charm is gone, so I see where you're coming from.
Some of the 11 stories are pretty good with some surprising twists, (and the Vincent Van Gogh epi was amazing) but River Song is a bit too important, and her origin was too contrived. I loved Amy at first, but found her too "special" in the long run. I like it if the Doctor deals with "proper" humans. My favourite non-Doctor regular characters (and not bad guys) are: Donna, Rory, Wilf, Jackie and Pete Tyler, Harriet Jones, Martha, Vastra and her wife, Rose, Amy, River and only then Clara. Of course, Dalek!Clara or Victorian!Clara were fun, too. More than normal!Clara.
I liked ten best, but I really enjoyed Eccleston, too. And I don't think Matt Smith is doing a bad job, I feel it's the meagre quality of the lines more than a problem with the delivery.
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I read Selenak's post, who loved the rings of Akhenak, and paratti loved Cold War, and so I started wondering if there's something wrong with my perception. Yes, they need fresh - preferable female - blood, and not in a gross way. ^^
nite nite
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I do agree about the female writers, though. The Beeb never seems to notice there's a problem.
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*sigh*
Well, I didn't really like Rose much, either (although I loved her mom and dad), so I guess I'll just have to stick around long enough for the show to morph into something more thrilling... :)
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And this week's episode was boring and stupid, so there's that. But I've been watching Who since Doctor Three, so it takes more than one meh season to put me off. *g*
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If one has been with the Doctor for a few decades, a couple of iffy episodes are as nothing...
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The soul eating super nova is one example, the ice warrior another. I miss antagonist like the Master (very chilling madman with a few likeable traits) or the demon from the pit, or the Silence or the Shadows in the Library. Those were frightening, yet fascinating. And some of the cyberman episodes were really brilliant, too. And victory was usually paid for dearly.
At the end of an episode I want to feel a mixture of relief, happiness and sadness. Plus, I want it to have pushed some boundary, to have challenged my conceptions and expectations (okay, maybe not in every episode, but at least sometimes).
Lately, I feel they are in such a rush to tie things up, they end up with an untidy knot. *sigh*
I'll continue watching, obviously, but I have to say that there are other shows that I am more keen on....
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I like it if the Doctor deals with "proper" humans. My favourite non-Doctor regular characters (and not bad guys) are: Donna, Rory, Wilf, Jackie and Pete Tyler, Harriet Jones, Martha, Vastra and her wife, Rose, Amy, River and only then Clara.
Of course, Dalek!Clara or Victorian!Clara were fun, too. More than normal!Clara.
I liked ten best, but I really enjoyed Eccleston, too. And I don't think Matt Smith is doing a bad job, I feel it's the meagre quality of the lines more than a problem with the delivery.
Oh well, I'll continue to watch...
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