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Doctor Who

tayspru said:
I’d call it the Whoniverse Era , not least as Disney seem to have spin offs in the works
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No they don't. Disney, through Disney Branded Television, only have the rights to stream Whoniverse content (on Disney+) outside of the UK and Ireland. They do not have any production input, nor do they have any ownership. The show and its IP is still owned entirely by the BBC, who have outsourced production (through third party contracts) to commercial production companies BBC Studios and Bad Wolf, the latter of which is owned by Sony.

It's a bit of a convoluted system, so I can understand the confusion. The BBC national broadcaster now has to outsource the production of most of its entertainment content to third party production companies, or at least open it to tender. They bid to produce the shows the BBC wants and owns, or they sell content to the BBC which they already own. BBC Studios, although sharing the name of the parent organisation, is a private and commercial production company owned by the BBC. BBC Studios and Bad Wolf have the tender to produce the new series of Doctor Who. The BBC have sold worldwide distribution rights to Disney Branded Television. The money which Disney have spent, to distribute Doctor Who, will no doubt (in part) be invested in the show and they may have some 'notes' on finished episodes. They do not play a part in the production of the show, nor do they have the rights to produce any Who content.
 
Calling the next series season one doesn't mean much in the long run. It only serves the purpose to entice overseas viewers in with the Disney+ partnership.

In terms of spin offs, there’s only one that’s been heavily rumoured and that is a UNIT spin-off which was rumoured to have started production in September but has been postponed for whatever reason.

Either way Russel T Davies certainly has plans to expand the ‘Whouniverse’ but it seems like it will be a bit of a wait until we see new spin offs appearing.
 
James said:
Calling the next series season one doesn't mean much in the long run. It only serves the purpose to entice overseas viewers in with the Disney+ partnership.

In terms of spin offs, there’s only one that’s been heavily rumoured and that is a UNIT spin-off which was rumoured to have started production in September but has been postponed for whatever reason.

Either way Russel T Davies certainly has plans to expand the ‘Whouniverse’ but it seems like it will be a bit of a wait until we see new spin offs appearing.
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Didn’t a 6 episode run get leaked that follow on from the 3 Tenant / Tate specials
 
Just on a side note with the animation stuff.

Just seen advertised on Gold, they have done the animation for the 3 missing episodes of dad's army. Unfortunately the audio doesn't exist so the radio versions are used. Mostly the same actors.
 
I really, really want to like it, but I feel like this is The Force Awakens all over again. I'm increasingly feeling that RTD is George Lucas incarnate, especially with his recent changes to Davros, The Daleks and Adventures in Space and Time.

This was not a good Doctor Who episode for, as iPlayer bills it ,"2023 - ". An episode which requires you to have seen something which originally aired 15 years ago to understand it, is not a good way to kick start a new era. "Rose" this is not.

The Doctor never introduces himself as the Doctor, we're already supposed to know who he is. What's that box that appeared and he stepped in to? Imagine being this being the first episode you've ever seen of Doctor Who, it starts to fall down and become weak.

This is RTD doing a JJ Abrams and giving you those sweet, sweet memberberries courtesy of Disney's bank balance (also a Disney logo at the end? Ew.).

"Member Doctor Donna?"

"Oh yeah I member"

"Weren't they great together?"

"Oh yeah I member"

Swap out Tennant and Tate with any other Doctor/Companion combo and I don't feel it would hold up (Eccleston and Piper notwithstanding), and even if it did it's not an episode you use to launch a brand new era. It relies entirely on your emotional connection to a series which aired 15 years ago. I know those episodes are available on iPlayer, but they're now classes as a separate era, in much the same way as "classic Who" was with the 2005 reboot. RTD billed this as a clean slate, but doesn't deliver.

The pacing was great, the story was weak. It was a lot of fanservice, which as a fan I'm semi thankful for, but I'm not giving RTD a pass with this one.
 
It was always going to be a tricky start. Clearly after a soft reboot whilst tying up the last 18 years.

I'm not happy they fetched Donna noble back,.like you say. Fan service. The lazy "offspring" character, calling her rose as well. Doesn't sit right.plus not having the balls to say the grandpa was dead, had a chance to have a lovely send off for cribbins. Missed.

Good voice work from Margolis I thought, hope the next episodes improve. Not as bad as it's been for for far to long now.

As a who fan. I'm glad to see Tennant back and he is clearly loving being back. But I want to see the new guy.
 
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Perhaps the "reboot" comes with Ncuti. This is meant to be an anniversary special afterall.

Personally I loved it, with the highlight being Murray's scoring. The Disney money being spent is evident and I think this is what the show has needed. The whole thing felt cinematic as opposed to budget with cheap writing and lazy acting. The scene with the new TARDIS interior was a delight.

Really looking forward to the new series now!

Edit: I recall reading an interview from RTD citing the next season witn Ncuti as "Series 1", implying a nice stepping on point for new Who fans. The anniversary specials are clearly meant to be fan service.

Also, I know Bernard Cribbins did film scenes and passed away after shooting was complete, so he's likely to feature in the next episode or so.

I saw Tennant and NPH on set during filming in Bristol last summer, so looking forward to seeing that chaotic scene translate to the screen.
 
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I stand corrected if cribbins has filmed a scene. I keep away from everything now so I avoid any spoilers so didn't know he had been on set.

It was a good episode. Pace, look and feel and the plot really good. It's was like a warm blanket having a RTD who with Tennant as the doctor. As stated, I'd had enough of Donna Noble by the end of her series. Only so much of Catherine Tate shouting I can take. If it was me, I would have done more with her child. Tie up the link later on. Old face, strange new child. Ahhhh this why the TARDIS was drawn to you.

Looking forward to what is coming.
 
I really enjoyed it. Doctor Who is back! It wasn't an amazing episode, but a fun, no-thrills storyline to ease people back in. I felt the pacing was slightly off in places, but then they had a lot to cram in. My only main criticism is that these are being billed as 60th-anniversary specials; the first episode was more of a 10th Doctor/Donna Noble anniversary special. I hope there's a bit more to the following two episodes.

I found the whole Chibnall/Whittaker era very difficult to watch. I'm a big 'Who fan, normally rewatch episodes, and I've never rewatched a single episode of the Chibnall era; it felt like a chore to watch.

The whole point of these specials is fan service and to get casual viewers from the Tennant/Tate era to return. There has been a sharp decrease in interest in Doctor Who over the past five years, so they've gone for the tactic of fan service and nostalgia; whether that works or not, we'll see. Personally, I would have maybe gone for three specials based around three doctors or a multi-doctor story (I know they've been done to death, but it works).

The real reboot will be from the Christmas special, and the next series in 2024 is being billed as 'season one'. I'm looking forward to that.
 
James said:
I really enjoyed it. Doctor Who is back! It wasn't an amazing episode, but a fun, no-thrills storyline to ease people back in. I felt the pacing was slightly off in places, but then they had a lot to cram in. My only main criticism is that these are being billed as 60th-anniversary specials; the first episode was more of a 10th Doctor/Donna Noble anniversary special. I hope there's a bit more to the following two episodes.

I found the whole Chibnall/Whittaker era very difficult to watch. I'm a big 'Who fan, normally rewatch episodes, and I've never rewatched a single episode of the Chibnall era; it felt like a chore to watch.

The whole point of these specials is fan service and to get casual viewers from the Tennant/Tate era to return. There has been a sharp decrease in interest in Doctor Who over the past five years, so they've gone for the tactic of fan service and nostalgia; whether that works or not, we'll see. Personally, I would have maybe gone for three specials based around three doctors or a multi-doctor story (I know they've been done to death, but it works).

The real reboot will be from the Christmas special, and the next series in 2024 is being billed as 'season one'. I'm looking forward to that.
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I actually quite liked Flux, but I'm a bit of an outlier in that respect. It was refreshing to see Who attempt to tackle an actual serial again, and on an epic scale, rather than RTD's rather tiresome monster of the week format. I think by this point most fans had checked out though, the previous Chibnall seasons were tough to watch, especially Spyfall.

Going back to 45 mins definitely seems like a good move at the moment too, which should help with pacing.

I did wince at the "Whoniverse" opening banner. It felt very American, very Disney/Marvel. I didn't like the Star Wars universe one either though. It feels like a bit of a tired trope now, than something fresh to unite a brand. Who hasn't struggled before with identifying its spinoff shows.
 
I admit I enjoyed Flux and The Power of the Doctor as Jodie's final episode.

I don't mind the Whoniverse branding. However, I'm a bit wary of Disney's influence on the show and hope it doesn't impact the upcoming series significantly. Since Marvel/Star Wars has become a bit of a hot mess, churning out show after show, I hope RTD/Bad Wolf/BBC ensure that Doctor Who doesn't fall down the same path.
 
James said:
I admit I enjoyed Flux and The Power of the Doctor as Jodie's final episode.

I don't mind the Whoniverse branding. However, I'm a bit wary of Disney's influence on the show and hope it doesn't impact the upcoming series significantly. Since Marvel/Star Wars has become a bit of a hot mess, churning out show after show, I hope RTD/Bad Wolf/BBC ensure that Doctor Who doesn't fall down the same path.
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It was originally promised that Disney would have no creative input or control in the series, but RTD has said in interviews that he runs the scripts past Disney Branded Television execs, which would suggest that this is no longer true.

I am upset that over a decade of funding cuts to the BBC means that they've ended up handing over the keys to one of their tentpole and signature properties. I'm also uncomfortable with RTD managing to force the BBC to cede creative control to Bad Wolf, as part of the condition for his return, essentially making it his own little fiefdom.
 
Who was on a steady decline from mid Matt Smith era. Capaldi and whitiker both suffered from good ideas poorly executed.

Late smith and early capaldi suffered from the over reliance on Clara Oswald to drive the plots. I have a feeling that moffatt never knew if Jenna Coleman was staying or not, so could never shut the door on her story wise had to do some rejigging. Having said that, the acting in her final episode from her and capaldi was sublime.

Chibnall era was ok. He did have the unfortunate issue of making sure the Doctors story kept going passed the 12 regenerations and the idea he had. Wasn't too bad. There are some good episodes. Flux and power were good, then we have the appalling sea devils episode. Even during promotion of that, you could Jodie knew it was shite.

It's a good start and hopefully it will continue. I just wish we had someone other than Catherine Tate alongside the doctor. SHOUTING SENTENCES EVERY SO OFTEN LIKE ALL THE OTHER CATHERINE TATE Characters DO.
 
I would blame Moffat for the shows fall from grace and not Chibnall like everyone seems to point the finger at.

Moffat's biggest mistake was to remain as showrunner longer than he should have been which like 8 years if I'm right which caused the quality to stagnant badly and caused many to tune out and arguably never recovered. My DW friend always told me that ideally a showrunner should stay for a maximum of 5 years which RTD did and even Chibnall for all his faults left at the right time too though the damage had long since been done.

Had Moffat left sooner than he did then maybe things might have gone better but Chibnall probably wasn't the right choice but in many ways he was set up to fail IMO. Even if you ignore the female doctor, there was so many issues in which combined with the allegations of woke, shody writing, poor marketing, a divided fanbase that seemed as bad as the Star Wars fandom and the infamous Timeless Child episode which was the final straw for many, it just seemed that that whole era was just doomed to fail though I'd argue Moffat was the real villain in all this.

The whole Davros change which caused controversy was, while had the best intentions at heart, was perhaps badly handled with his interpretations being that this was Davros going forward was perhaps not the best way to handle it given we live in an environment of change for the sake of change for existing characters which never goes down well. Honestly, the more change you give a character, you'll then wonder why didn't you bother make a new character. But yeah, no idea what to expect here.
 
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