Can't be spoilers as it's only just starting, but I must say

[Lindley]

The funny thing is, Murray Gold's "All The Strange, Strange Creatures" basically was a secondary theme tune by the end of Tennant's run. I mean, no one would have stood for that over the titles, but it was instantly recognizable and emblematic.

Given how much that track depends on the interaction between the underbeat and the top melody, I'm surprised he's make a mistake like that.

 

[Captain Pike]

I think it's a shame that the theme is playing second fiddle to all that superficial bullshit that Murray Gold has piled on top.

I think you may have something there.

Although I thought that some of the incidental music was some of Gold's best work, the orchestral bits in the theme could be excised without any great loss.

Although then we would be left with pretty much The Trial of a Timelord theme, as there is not a lot more to it.

 

[Australis]

I do agree that the incidental music was pretty good, especially the bit used in the closing scene ending on the wedding dress.

I maintain deleting the horn section out of the first eight bars will fix the worst of it.

 

[The Wormhole]

If The Wormhole found a real version with video on there, I'd like to know where.

This is the one I saw.

EDIT: Seems as though someone else already posted the link. Oh well.

EDIT AGAIN: After listening to the extended audio version, I admit, it sounds a bit better that what's in the opening. But still this version of the theme is going to take some getting used to.

 

[Bones2]

Maybe it's being used to the Tardis buzzing around all lively like, but the title sequence just feels slow. The font is a bit Outer Limits too.

As for the new theme, it's given me a new appreciation for the previous new Who arrangements. Didn't realise when we were well off in that respect.

 

[The]

I think it's a shame that the theme is playing second fiddle to all that superficial bullshit that Murray Gold has piled on top.

This.

 

[Cyke101]

I think it's a shame that the theme is playing second fiddle to all that superficial bullshit that Murray Gold has piled on top.

This.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYONE'S PROBLEM IS WITH MURRAY GOLD'S MUSIC.*






(*yelled Cyke over the trumpets)

 

[Classic Fan]

I think it's a shame that the theme is playing second fiddle to all that superficial bullshit that Murray Gold has piled on top.

I think you may have something there.

Although I thought that some of the incidental music was some of Gold's best work, the orchestral bits in the theme could be excised without any great loss.

Although then we would be left with pretty much The Trial of a Timelord theme, as there is not a lot more to it.

Well said, guys.

I loved the opening credits, the music was brave, bold and new. Granted, Gold could dumb down the stuff over the top that is over shadowing the theme, but essentially, they have brought back the classic 70s sounding theme and modernised it.

Still liked Golds re-orchestration for season 4 and the specials though, a bit Rock and a bit loud, but it was different. Much the same way as Gold theme for 2005 comeback was a bit moody and dark.

And it just so happens that i love this new arrangement even more when listened to on its own, without the sound effects and visuals that seem to distract the ears somewhat, its fabulous.

 

[23skidoo]

As the new series approached I predicted two things with certainty.

One of them I'm happy to say was proven wrong, which was I expected the new Doctor to be universally hated (more because he wasn't Tennant than anything else).

The other is that no matter what they did someone was going to blow an O-ring over any theme arrangement that wasn't a carbon copy of Derbyshire's original.

Well, one for two isn't bad.

It's 45 seconds long, and these days most shows are eliminating themes altogether. Be glad to have any theme.

I haven't seen the show yet (it airs in Canada in 2 weeks) but I did look at the opening credits and as a 25-year fan of the franchise, I loved it. It brings back memories of the original series, evokes the new, spooky mood they want to put on the show (getting good Graham Williams vibes) and it's exciting. Plus it's something fresh and new after 5 years of the original version of the opening credits and theme (the 2007 version wasn't that different from the 2005) which was starting to get old.

My only complaint is I hope the CD version is more than 65 seconds long.

Alex

 

[Cutter John]

*walks in and gives 23skidoo a hug*

Thank you. I was starting to think I was the only person on the planet who liked it.

I'm used to it of course, since i enjoyed the PT too.

 

[Classic Fan]

*walks in and gives 23skidoo a hug*

Thank you. I was starting to think I was the only person on the planet who liked it.

I'm used to it of course, since i enjoyed the PT too.

I liked it, i loved it infact.

As my post says, im also in the majority that liked it first off, most apparently hate it cos its new and different.

 

[AdmiralGarak]

There are a number of minor variations of the previous theme in "Voyage of the Damned" and the opening few episodes of Season 4. This new one may be tweaked in the next few episodes, as well.

 

[Cutter John]

Having watched it a few more times, I'm wondering if adding in the sound of the lightning bolds isn't throwing the music off somewhat. And I di think the transition from the background bass to the main theme when Matts name appears is a little too abrupt. And I'm still not 100% sold on the new logo (still tons better than the previous gold lozenge though).

So there, I got in my negative comments.

 

[Sci]

So Murray Gold has done four versions of the Doctor Who theme song -- Series One, Series Two and Three, Series Four and Specials, and Series Five.

Of these, I'd say that the Two/Three version was his strongest.

Having said that -- I don't understand people who call this arrangement a "mistake." It's not a "mistake," it's a different choice made as a result of different tastes. I don't like the Peter Davison version, but that doesn't mean it was a "mistake" -- it just means my tastes are different.

 

[Bones2]

One thing I've seen said elsewhere that makes a lot of sense to me is that any child who gets into the show now probably won't get how the Doctor Who theme goes. They could listen to that every week and not know the main melody. This is what the Murray Gold bastardisations do. They remove the integrity of the classic tune itself, dressing it up in so much orchestral posturing that the tune's pretty much lost.

 

[Sci]

One thing I've seen said elsewhere that makes a lot of sense to me is that any child who gets into the show now probably won't get how the Doctor Who theme goes. They could listen to that every week and not know the main melody. This is what the Murray Gold bastardisations do. They remove the integrity of the classic tune itself, dressing it up in so much orchestral posturing that the tune's pretty much lost.

I think that it's possible that a child watching the Series Five arrangement might not pick up on the original opening notes but instead pick up on the new string section instead.

I don't think it's reasonable to conclude that a kid watching Gold's previous three arrangements wouldn't pick up on the basic Doctor Who theme song.

And it's not a "bastardization;" it's a different arrangement that's not to your taste, is all. Learn to dislike something without condemning it.

 

[Bones2]

No, when the theme is pretty much buried by the posturing, that is to be condemned. You can hear that version over and over and not know the Doctor Who theme. This wasn't the case with the 2005-09 versions, but it is with this. I'm no big hater of Murray Gold, but this is awful.

 

[Sci]

No, when the theme is pretty much buried by the posturing, that is to be condemned.

One part of the theme song is competing for the listener's attention with a new addition (the new string section at the very beginning). That doesn't mean the whole theme is "buried by posturing," especially since the parts that play when the names actually appear is not only prominent but taken directly from an original series arrangement.

You can hear that version over and over and not know the Doctor Who theme.

Oh, bullshit. It's incredibly obvious it's the Doctor Who theme song once Smith's name appears.

This wasn't the case with the 2005-09 versions, but it is with this. I'm no big hater of Murray Gold, but this is awful.

In your opinion.

Which is perfectly legitimate. This is probably my least favorite version of the Doctor Who theme song, truth be told.

But that doesn't mean that it's not quality work, and that doesn't mean that there's not someone else for whom this arrangement is going to be magical, their absolute favorite.

For all that Doctor Who fans like to claim that the show's all about change, they sure do get up in arms when anything on their list of "Things I Don't Expect To Change on Doctor Who" actually does get around to changing.

 

[Bones2]

You can hear that version over and over and not know the Doctor Who theme.

Oh, bullshit. It's incredibly obvious it's the Doctor Who theme song once Smith's name appears.

Erm, you're missing the point. If you've never heard the Doctor Who theme before in any form and you listened to that version ten times, you wouldn't be able to hum the Doctor Who theme at the end. The tune is buried. The tune itself is a classic piece of music, and it's lost in there. Anyone who hadn't heard the Doctor Who theme before wouldn't know it after hearing that. And what's the point of a theme tune if someone new to it wouldn't know the melody after hearing it?

 

[Sci]

You can hear that version over and over and not know the Doctor Who theme.

Oh, bullshit. It's incredibly obvious it's the Doctor Who theme song once Smith's name appears.

Erm, you're missing the point. If you've never heard the Doctor Who theme before in any form and you listened to that version ten times, you wouldn't be able to hum the Doctor Who theme at the end. The tune is buried.

Yes you would, and no it's not. Even the part that's competing for attention with a string section that I think is too loud is still the first thing to start the song and is noticeably audible throughout the song.