My vision is impaired!!!
Continuing to Discover Doctor Who
- Thread starter S. Gomez
- Start date
My vision is impaired!!!
Okay, at the risk of being tarred and feather by the more seasoned and knowledgeable fans, I'm going to bring up the topic I mentioned a ways upthread. Namely: what should happen when the Doctor reaches his Thirteenth incarnation.
I think he should die.
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving this show. It's fun, imaginative, and open to different styles and genres of storytelling. But it shouldn't last forever. I know they could certainly find a way around it... but to be honest it would feel like cheating to me. They laid down the rule, unwittingly I'm sure, and I think it should be stuck to. And I think the Doctor would agree with me. He seems to be a character who realizes how precious life truly is, despite having a particularly long one. He ran away from Gallifrey and the Time Lords because, as he put it, "I was bored". It seems like a silly way to put it, but I think it's really right. He recognizes that stagnancy is something to be avoided at all cost--and you don't do that by living forever. Sure, he does it by hopping around the galaxy, but I think a part of him might also resent having to constantly regenerate his body. I'll be the first to admit I don't know him as well as some others here, but from what I've seen of his attitudes and philosophy, I don't think I'm far wrong.
I've been getting a bunch of general ideas for what the Thirteenth Doctor would be like; I won't go into a huge amount of detail here, but I'll share a couple of thoughts...
First, he's an older man, closer to William Hartnell's age. Not done as an homage (well, not really anway!), but more to point out the theme of aging and just how long he's been around. The other thing I'd probably do is have his Companion be a young girl, and they could have something like the interaction between the First Doctor and Susan--not really the same, a different relationship, but still the dynamic of a grandfather/granddaughter; maybe her name could be Alice (with a comment equating stepping into the TARDIS and tumbling down a rabbit hole, but that might be too much). They would pick up other Companions along the way, but in the end they would have a special bond together.
Another major theme would be saying goodbye. The Doctor always says goodbye to everyone he meets. All the Companions leave eventually, but the Doctor's the only one to stay (obviously). Maybe he resents it, maybe he's accepted it, but either way it certainly affects him. Which is why, even if the Time Lords were to offer him the chance at another set of lives, I'd like to see him turn it down: he's tired, he's lived a long and active life, and he's through with immortality--through with saying goodbye to everyone.
And get this. Arthur slays Mordred but not before being fatally wounded; Sherlock Holmes threw Moriarty down a waterfall (okay, he didn't die doing it but he was more than willing to, and he did fake it); how about having the Thirteenth Doctor finally destroying the Master at the cost of his own life?
I think he should die.
Don't get me wrong, I'm loving this show. It's fun, imaginative, and open to different styles and genres of storytelling. But it shouldn't last forever. I know they could certainly find a way around it... but to be honest it would feel like cheating to me. They laid down the rule, unwittingly I'm sure, and I think it should be stuck to. And I think the Doctor would agree with me. He seems to be a character who realizes how precious life truly is, despite having a particularly long one. He ran away from Gallifrey and the Time Lords because, as he put it, "I was bored". It seems like a silly way to put it, but I think it's really right. He recognizes that stagnancy is something to be avoided at all cost--and you don't do that by living forever. Sure, he does it by hopping around the galaxy, but I think a part of him might also resent having to constantly regenerate his body. I'll be the first to admit I don't know him as well as some others here, but from what I've seen of his attitudes and philosophy, I don't think I'm far wrong.
I've been getting a bunch of general ideas for what the Thirteenth Doctor would be like; I won't go into a huge amount of detail here, but I'll share a couple of thoughts...
First, he's an older man, closer to William Hartnell's age. Not done as an homage (well, not really anway!), but more to point out the theme of aging and just how long he's been around. The other thing I'd probably do is have his Companion be a young girl, and they could have something like the interaction between the First Doctor and Susan--not really the same, a different relationship, but still the dynamic of a grandfather/granddaughter; maybe her name could be Alice (with a comment equating stepping into the TARDIS and tumbling down a rabbit hole, but that might be too much). They would pick up other Companions along the way, but in the end they would have a special bond together.
Another major theme would be saying goodbye. The Doctor always says goodbye to everyone he meets. All the Companions leave eventually, but the Doctor's the only one to stay (obviously). Maybe he resents it, maybe he's accepted it, but either way it certainly affects him. Which is why, even if the Time Lords were to offer him the chance at another set of lives, I'd like to see him turn it down: he's tired, he's lived a long and active life, and he's through with immortality--through with saying goodbye to everyone.
And get this. Arthur slays Mordred but not before being fatally wounded; Sherlock Holmes threw Moriarty down a waterfall (okay, he didn't die doing it but he was more than willing to, and he did fake it); how about having the Thirteenth Doctor finally destroying the Master at the cost of his own life?
Hear, hear! See my comments in the "Does this mean Tennant wil be the last Doctor?" thread.
I agree with all of your ideas, particularly the goodbye aspect.
I agree with all of your ideas, particularly the goodbye aspect.
Good to see others enjoying the classic adventures of Doctor OHO.
As to whether the women ever kick butt I always liked Barbara and the lorry in The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
As to whether the women ever kick butt I always liked Barbara and the lorry in The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
I concur. As long as the ratings support it, the show should continue and the Doctor should continue to regenerate as often as necessary, so each subsequent generation has the chance to discover and enjoy the Doctor's adventures with new stories geared for them. Why should we deprive future generations of the chance to discover "their" Doctor?
The Robots of Death
This was pretty cool, I have to say, despite the rather mundane title (but then, how many of these stories can that be said of?). I was especially intrigued by the mystery of the situation, and it was lots of fun seeing the Doctor running around and solving things; the interaction between the crew of the mining tank (that's what I call it, though I think they just called it the mine) was also very enjoyable, with the actors doing a great deal to get you involved with their characters in such a short span of time. And Leela. Rrawr. I have a feeling she's going to become one of my favourite Companions...
This was pretty cool, I have to say, despite the rather mundane title (but then, how many of these stories can that be said of?). I was especially intrigued by the mystery of the situation, and it was lots of fun seeing the Doctor running around and solving things; the interaction between the crew of the mining tank (that's what I call it, though I think they just called it the mine) was also very enjoyable, with the actors doing a great deal to get you involved with their characters in such a short span of time. And Leela. Rrawr. I have a feeling she's going to become one of my favourite Companions...
It was just called 'the sandminer'. And yeah, it was a great episode. This particular season was known for its great gothic themed stories. Horror of Fang Rock and Talons of Weng Chiang are two more from that era that I'd recomend.
Unfortunately dear old Mary Whitehouse got her knickers in a twist over the violence in these stories and partly thanks to her bitching, the BBC decided the show needed to be toned down. After that, Tom Bakers stories took a decidedly silly turn. At least until John Nathan Turner took over during his last season.
The Talons of Weng-Chiang
YES! Yes, yes, yes! Perfect, on so many levels, just perfect. It gives me a great feeling of satisfaction whenever I watch/read a story that works so well; I've gotten that feeling today. And finally getting a chance to see the Doctor in one of my favourite historical periods, Victorian London (which I don't think happened before; I certainly haven't seen it), only makes it all the more endearing. I would have liked the stuff regarding the 51st century dealt with in just a little more detail (or at least not have it go by so fast); at first I was beginning to suspect "Weng-Chiang" was the Master!
(I should note that, though they certainly found a good actor, I wish they could have actually found a Chinese one to play Li H'sen Chang; I could spot his makeup right away, and it did make me wonder why...)
YES! Yes, yes, yes! Perfect, on so many levels, just perfect. It gives me a great feeling of satisfaction whenever I watch/read a story that works so well; I've gotten that feeling today. And finally getting a chance to see the Doctor in one of my favourite historical periods, Victorian London (which I don't think happened before; I certainly haven't seen it), only makes it all the more endearing. I would have liked the stuff regarding the 51st century dealt with in just a little more detail (or at least not have it go by so fast); at first I was beginning to suspect "Weng-Chiang" was the Master!
(I should note that, though they certainly found a good actor, I wish they could have actually found a Chinese one to play Li H'sen Chang; I could spot his makeup right away, and it did make me wonder why...)
Many fans have said the same thing! lol - it's just one of those '70s things. Happened quite a lot back then, I dimly recall.
For really bad make-up, check out the first episode of The Crusade, where Saladin and Saphadin (both played by English actors) look as if they've been painted with boot polish. Fortunately, the make-up's a lot more convincing by episode three (so it may possibly just be down to the surviving copy of episode one being a dark print).
If you ever find yourself in a TARDIS, go back to 1977 and try to find a Chinese actor working in Britain. It would be much harder than you might think.
I agree completely about the story. I think it's the absolute pinnacle of seventies Who, and for Tom Baker's Doctor. It really doesn't get better than this.
...and thank god Troughton didn't get to black up as he wanted to!
Yeah, I actually did figure it was something like that. I was just hoping that it wasn't a deliberate choice on the part of the producers; not that I thought it likely to be, just saying.
I have to confess, the joke is lost on me.
Horror of Fang Rock
Honestly, what else can I say? I love Doctor Who. It's quickly become one of my favourite television shows of all time--and this story simply continues in the tradition of most of the ones I've seen lately in proving it. It was a great example of how horror can be done effectively, impressively, and with a minimal amount of gore/blood/monsters; it was also nice to be treated to Terrance Dicks' sharp writing. The claustrophobic setting of the lighthouse is possibly the best advantage the story has, aside from the actors themselves.
And the final recitation of poetry at the end was a nice touch; so nice, I went and looked up the full poem, which is an excellent companion to the serial.
Horror of Fang Rock
Honestly, what else can I say? I love Doctor Who. It's quickly become one of my favourite television shows of all time--and this story simply continues in the tradition of most of the ones I've seen lately in proving it. It was a great example of how horror can be done effectively, impressively, and with a minimal amount of gore/blood/monsters; it was also nice to be treated to Terrance Dicks' sharp writing. The claustrophobic setting of the lighthouse is possibly the best advantage the story has, aside from the actors themselves.
And the final recitation of poetry at the end was a nice touch; so nice, I went and looked up the full poem, which is an excellent companion to the serial.
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