I imagine that'd be dissapointing for Capaldi. The Colin Baker curse would strike again...
2 million fewer viewers
- Thread starter JRoss
- Start date
I can't quote numbers, but a lot of their revenue probably comes from the US showings.
The similar question could be asked, "why do European bands sing in English?"...because that's the larger and/or more valuable market for them.
Maybe not exactly the same, but the US is an important market.
That's the problem of being the only changed variable on the show.
(Assuming this isn't just a blip and we're not all looking back and laughing in 11 weeks at how silly we were.)
I went to the comic con in Chicago last month, and 50% of the stuff there was Doctor Who.
I know it is generally considered a British show, but it has become incredibly popular in the US. There were fezes and bow ties everywhere.
Maybe that's the problem with Capaldi's Doctor. He doesn't have any good merchandise.
I think a better start would be a new showrunner.
Maybe one, who wasn't a "fanboy" himself, when he was little?
I know opinions vary, but I really think Moffat did a great job with the dynamic between the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River. He built his own little world within the greater Doctor Who universe. Once all those things went away, however, I think he had a hard time capturing that magic again. He had to continue with new characters (including the new Doctor), but I don't think he had as clear of an idea of what to do with them.
There is an awkwardness to Series 8. Individually, I think Capaldi and Jenna did a great job, but there's something about them that doesn't quite fit in with the stories being told.
There is an awkwardness to Series 8. Individually, I think Capaldi and Jenna did a great job, but there's something about them that doesn't quite fit in with the stories being told.
RTD was a fanboy when he was little, wasn't he? I don't that being a hindrance to the job.
However, I do think Moffat's basic carte blance he's been given thanks to Sherlock is what hurts the show. No one can say no to him - Caroline Skinner did, and she was fired.
She wasn't just fired, she was Erased...
And it wasn't just her. The constant turnover of Producers (except for Moffat) and general chaos of his time in charge is a subject worth a tell-all book someday.
My fear is that he's so entrenched now that if we reach a point where someone has to take a fall, it will be the other grumpy Scottish guy.
I have to admit that I've entertained the thought that the BBC headline about "millions desert" supported the chatter that persons within the BBC have it out for Moffat and want him gone. Even though the overnights don't really matter, if they remain low that could build the case that the Beeb could use to drop the axe.
I agree, it doesn't have to be a hindrance. (yes, he was).
But it would be a new approach. If I compare it to Star Trek, Harve Bennet/Nicolas Meyer weren't fans but they made one of the best Star Trek movies. (I admit it can go terribly wrong... I only say JJ
)I just think that doctor who needs new ideas. I really liked the two episodes done by Jamie Mathieson "Mummy on the Orient Express" and "Flatline".
Will she write new episodes?
I thought that S8 was probably the weakest series since Doctor Who returned. Even though Capaldi was the only "changed variable" on the show, I don't think it was his fault. Really, the stories, plot logic, and characters (mainly Danny Pink) were at a low point. Capaldi did the best with what he had to work with.
I do think it's time, past time, for Moffat to leave the show. And I say that as a general fan of what he's done for DW, as well as other programs.
Mr Awe
Totally agree!
I just checked at IMDB. Moffat gets 7 credits for the new season so it will be all "variations on Blink/girl in the fireplace/Silence in the library" again.
It's WAY too early to drop Capaldi. That would scream 'Who's done, cancel it !'
I'll agree about the awful and unlikeable Danny Pink (though he was wonderful compared to the foul and repulsive Donna), but lets not judge the Moffat era overly harshly - remember how much of the RTD era was utter crud.
But they are easily the three best episodes since it came back...
I'm enjoying Capaldi as the Doctor, but I'm old school. I can imagine all the younger crowd disliking him because of the whole wish-fulfillment romantic angle. It's OK to have a crush and fantasize over the previous few Doctors, but not to have those same feelings for someone that looks like your (great) grandpa.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again here: even though by the end of this year Jenna will have done 2 series with Capaldi vs. 11 episodes with Smith, it's her time with Smith that I suspect I'll remember most. They were a perfect Doctor/Companion pair. 7B was the last time I remember enjoying the show so much I couldn't wait for each episode. I did miss the Ponds, but that was erased pretty quickly once Eleven and Clara got going.
I think Moffat misfired when he created conflict between them. It has nothing to do with Capaldi and Jenna personally. They do work well together. They have chemistry all their own. But creating friction between them and doubt in Clara's mind just wasn't the way to go. I get that you had to change the dynamic. You couldn't have constant flirting between them as if you still had two actors close in age. But Moffat could've made Capaldi's doctor more of a professor type, kind of impatient, just not as cranky. A little personality tweaking is all that was needed. The "change" between Doctor personalities from 11 to 12 didn't have to be so drastic, to the point where it affected his relationship with Clara.
It's like he had one of those apps from the woman in Bells of St. John. He put some of the settings too high on this Doctor's personality, and made a bad choice in taking an entire series to have Doctor and Companion find their groove again. When there was no real reason why the should've lost it in the first place.
Oh, I never said anything about judging his era harsly at all. As I said, I am, generally speaking, a fan of his. He's contributed a TON to DW.
However, there's a point where you can stay too long and the creative juices for a particular series can slow down. I think he's reached that point with Doctor Who.
Mr Awe
Yeah, I wouldn't mind someone else getting a shot at running it now. As regards Capaldi, if they stay with full seadons, another one or two would be good. If they switch to specials, another two or three years.
Somewhere along the way we need an 8th Doctor special or miniseries.
Somewhere along the way we need an 8th Doctor special or miniseries.
But they are easily the three best episodes since it came back...
Yes, but not that good that I need to see the different elements each week again. It's like a special candy. Don't eat too many of them, they might taste stale after a while.
Take the newest episode: The statues from "Blink" have made many changes since that episode was made around 10 years ago. Now they were hands with eyes on them that came out the the ground and "don't blink" had changed into "don't move".
Moffat was good, when he was occasionally writing a script but I can't see monks, children, pentatonic child-tunes, monotone sentences and/or robots each episode.
