Doctor Who

[Deborah54]

This will be my 12th Doctor. I’m a big Doctor Who fan. Happy memories of Sat with my dad watching cyber men and darleks.
But what the hell has happened? I’ve just finished, well I managed 25 mins, before I couldn’t take it anymore the 1st episode with the new Doctor and sidekick. Awful acting with a ludicrous plot (yes I know it’s fantasy) but it’s never been this stupid. Can’t help but think the BBC aren’t bothered and think they can put out anything and we’ll watch. Russell T Davies should have his pens taken off him and spare us anymore pain.

I can’t be the only Doctor Who fan who thinks like this. Absolutely Gutted 😞

Yes it is. She was one of the crew ‘signing off’

Oo im glad I spotted her!

Just watched the first two and was very disappointed.
The Space Babies was just an awful script.
The babies looked as bored, depressed and bewildered as me most of the time.
As for a literal Bogey monster, I have enough of lads shouting out Bogeys! as a dare at school (some kind of TikTok challenge, it's like Dick and Dom never left. I'd call them Dick and Dick bit I'd lose my job and they wouldn't get the reference).
I had such high hopes for Ncuti but he sometimes comes across as smug, unstable and unsure tonally, with an accent/delivery that's all over the place.

The second one had more promise, as there is still a lot of goodwill left in me from Neil Patrick Harris's Toymaker, so his villainous son Maestro - played by a very camp but effective Jinx Monsoon - hit some high notes (pun intended).
Not put out by enby pronouns or lesbian laments, neither bother me at all but the final twist song did my head in (and this is someone who got on board with the goblin song at Xmas ffs). But if you are doing that at least do an homage to Twist and Shout, given you've used The Beatles as your denouement . Love so didn't mind Shirl and Jojo's cameos. The episode was a little inconsistent though.

Then Ruby - I mean no ill will against the actress - but she's a bit shrill and, to say she's meant to kick ass, a bit shrieky at times.
Her and the Doctor had great 60s costuming though. I'll give them that.

Maybe a few things become ironed out along the way but not the best start to a reboot.

Episode one was dire, absolutely dire and I've yet to get round to watching episode two - I cannot believe that I would ever have said that. Dr Who episodes are pleasures, but not this doctor. DD17, trained by me to be a massive Whovian, hated both episodes and is now trying to force me to watch episode two so I can join her in her misery. Golda Rosheuvel was good as nanny but that's about it. Gutted.

The fundamental issue (for me) is that it doesn’t seem to be a serious drama any longer.

I know it was always a family show, with a lot of kid appeal, but right back to 1963 the people making it and acting in it took it seriously, however daft the plot.

Thanks all for saving me the bother of watching it. It sounds awful. I liked the Ecclestone ones, loved Tennant and Smith, found Capaldi meh and absolutely hated the Whittaker ones. I was tempted to watch the first new episode or two, but doubted they'd learned their lesson after being slated for the terrible scripting and woker-than-thou preachiness, and it sounds like I was right to be sceptical. Oh well.

Currently watching the second episode. I thought the first was a bit crappy, the second one is worse. Might not watch any more to be honest 😞

She is also apparently going to play a character called Susan Triad later in the series.
S.Triad is an anagram of Tardis. 🤔

Anyone see any of the Santa Clause episodes on Disney? They are utterly awful - the cheesiest versions of 'good guy vs weird, cartoonish villians and everything is Too Loud and nothing has any real heart'

And I was just sat watching episode 2 thinking how much like that series, this Who series is - when the Carol of the Bells started playing and that just about sealed the deal

Ncuti is good and would be fantastic with better writing, I think. Ruby just seems like every companion we've ever known. Which is a bit of a shame.

I have started watching the old ones because I have bugger all else to watch atm, think I will try the Moffat episode next week and if that's shit give up.

Didn’t enjoy the first episode, just a stupid story. The second I really enjoyed. I love the new doctor, he’s so charismatic. I quite liked the villain too. The show has always oscillated between OTT and genuinely scary villains.

It’s no more political than it ever was. Everything’s political - if you don’t find something political it’s because the politics it’s espousing align with your own. If a vague sentiment that perhaps refugees aren’t the scum of the earth feels ‘political’…….well that says a lot, just not about Doctor Who:

Possibly reading too much into the Twist theory, but in the musical number, in the corridor just after the rainy bit, the notes for the words "always a twist at the end" are the same as for The Giggle (the "ha ha ha HA ha ha ha" scale), twice in a row, and that's when Henry Arbinger appears.
That's the only time in the song those notes happen in that order.

Funnily enough, I was thinking of going back to the really old stuff! Tom Baker etc al. Even the stuff before I was born maybe?
Out of curiosity, has anyone here watched the entire canon on iPlayer? From 1963 till 2024? It feels like more of an autumn/winter activity than a Spring one. But, we're still getting some cold, rainy days, so I could make a slow start?!

We tried with the kids who have become big fans. First two doctors just total washout, did enjoy some Sean Pertwee and some Tom Baker them it's diminishing returns.

There are some gems but a whole lot of stinkers too. DS2 cheered when adric died he was so awful and I wished the same on bonnie Langford every episode.

There is more variety in the older ones with minor characters having more place and a lot less of the sonic screwdriver and godlike doctor etc but equally it's not shakespeare!

If you’re doing this, I wouldn’t just watch them in order. I’d find out which serials are deemed “classics” and watch those, then work from there.

The biggest difference you’ll notice in the 60s episodes is pacing - they are much slower, as TV was back then. Personally I love them, but I can see why some modern viewers wouldn’t find them entertaining TV.

It’s a shame the first ever episode isn’t on the streaming service because I think it’s a real masterpiece of TV. Barely dated, a brilliant concise intro to the characters.

You can’t go wrong with most of Tom Baker’s first three seasons. “Robots of Death” if you want one recommendation.

@NormalAuntFanny and @Macbeff thank you for your advice. Very helpful.
I didn't realise the first ever episode isn't on iPlayer. How come? That's disappointing, I'd love to see it. How can I find it? Or is no longer available?

I have the "Unearthly Child" on DVD.
Its a legal issue over who owns the rights to it... so the BBC currently cannot broadcast it.

Ah, OK thanks. I've just had a look, and there are quite a few copies of the DVD available on eBay. I don't actually have a DVD player anymore! But, I've got friends who do, so I maybe I could organise a vintage Dr Who gathering one day, and a few of us could watch it together? You've inspired me!

*oh, by a few of us, I mean my friends. I didn't mean 'us' on this Mumsnet thread! 🤭
Thought I should clarify, in case you thought I was being over-friendly!

I started with spearhead from space ,enjoyed it (it's about the autons, same as first episode of new era).

Tbh the more I think about the new episodes, the more annoyed I get. Wtf happened? Why did nobody say at the concept stage "talking babies is a terrible idea"

I've just watched the second one and thought it was dreadful. Maybe slightly better than the baby one but still absolutely terrible.

@Pixiesgirl thanks, I'll look up Spearhead From Space 👍

@TryingToSeeTheFunnySide we have watched all of them, in order. Also added in the lost ones they animated with the original sound, and the ones only with TeleSnaps. So seen everything possible!

Great story, as is pretty much all of Pertwee’s first season.

The 60s ones were difficult to watch as there were missing episodes but I persevered. Loving the 70s especially JP and Sarah Jane. Especially spiders with captain Yates Just brilliant