Last Christmas Grading and Discussion Thread

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Not really. RTD's format appealed to all groups, but it appealed more to teenagers. Not little kids. A little kid wouldn't appreciate Midnight for instance. Or they would, like many kids love John Carpenter's Halloween, a very adult film.

For every Midnight, there's a Partners in Crime (with cute little fat blob creatures) or The Next Doctor (with a giant mecha Cyberman). Considering the face parasites in this Moffatt episode, whether this is targeted at 10 year olds is certainly up for debate as well.

We can all debate who the target audience is, but that's different from saying the target audience should be older because the global audience is older.

What I'm saying is, its not just kids who're watching the program, but adults. Saying that the show's target audience is kids is an easy way to excuse storytelling weakness - especially when kids themselves have high expectations but lack the experience to distinguish.

 

[Samurai8472]

 

[Timewalker]

I have a 10 year old niece and a 12 year old Nephew who have been watching since season 1.

These 10 year olds I spoke of are not fresh off the boat.

They are hardened veterans.

You have a 10-year-old niece and 12-year-old nephew who have been watching Doctor Who since 1963?

 

[Guy Gardener]

They were both born on February 29th a very long time ago.

Why are you making such a big deal, are you ageist?

We can't all be young and spriteful like you Timewalker.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Not really. RTD's format appealed to all groups, but it appealed more to teenagers. Not little kids. A little kid wouldn't appreciate Midnight for instance. Or they would, like many kids love John Carpenter's Halloween, a very adult film.

For every Midnight, there's a Partners in Crime (with cute little fat blob creatures) or The Next Doctor (with a giant mecha Cyberman). Considering the face parasites in this Moffatt episode, whether this is targeted at 10 year olds is certainly up for debate as well.

We can all debate who the target audience is, but that's different from saying the target audience should be older because the global audience is older.

What I'm saying is, its not just kids who're watching the program, but adults. Saying that the show's target audience is kids is an easy way to excuse storytelling weakness - especially when kids themselves have high expectations but lack the experience to distinguish.

Right, but I don't think the target audience has changed at all. It's a show that's designed to be accessible to ten year olds and always has been. That doesn't mean it's exclusively targeted at them - it certainly isn't. But the show is meant to hit a family audience, including the kids of the family.

 

[DWF]

This is how Steven Moffat defines the show.

Calling Dr Who a children's show isn't a definition of the audience, it's a definition of the SHOW. In style, pace, tone, sensibility, Dr Who stories are children's stories. Like Harry Potter, Star Wars, The Hobbit, Narnia, Toy Story, The Incredibles and all gorgeous, magical stuff. Does that mean it's not for adults? Don't be daft, adults love children's stories - just look at that list. Some of the most famous creations in the human history! People who grow out of children's stories are people who never understood them in the first place.

Grown-ups are not excluded from this party. Grown-ups are specifically targetted and invited. There are are generally at least two grown-ups per family, and we want the whole of that family round that telly. And we want each of them secretly thinking this programme is really for THEM.

The children's own programme that adults adore. Never been said better. That's what it is. That's what it says on the tin.


From 'The Doctor Who Forum'.

 

[Mr Awe]

I was waiting for a mention about the Afghan kid that Danny handed over to Clara. She didn't mention him once. I have read reviews and articles about this episode, and not one person has mentioned this. The death of this kid had a major influence on Danny, and he sacrificed his chance of returning to life by giving that chance to a kid he killed. Instead, I am reading about the big house that Clara is living in. I am like, who cares? Tell me about the child.

He went to live with his parents. Case closed. Sure, some strange stories about what happened but what more is there to say?

Mr Awe

 

[Timewalker]

They were both born on February 29th a very long time ago.

Why are you making such a big deal, are you ageist?

We can't all be young and spriteful like you Timewalker.

It annoys me when people talk about Eccleston's season as the first season. It's like none of the Doctor Who stories that happened before then exist.

 

[Sindatur]

They were both born on February 29th a very long time ago.

Why are you making such a big deal, are you ageist?

We can't all be young and spriteful like you Timewalker.

It annoys me when people talk about Eccleston's season as the first season. It's like none of the Doctor Who stories that happened before then exist.

Pssstttt... NuWho is referred to by even the Showrunners, in Seasons, whereas Classic Who follows the BBC standard of Series.

So, unless someone outisde the BBC's supporting Audience says it out of ignorance or not thinking, Season 1 is Eccelston's Period and Series 1 is William Hartnell's first year.

 

[Timewalker]

They were both born on February 29th a very long time ago.

Why are you making such a big deal, are you ageist?

We can't all be young and spriteful like you Timewalker.

It annoys me when people talk about Eccleston's season as the first season. It's like none of the Doctor Who stories that happened before then exist.

Pssstttt... NuWho is referred to by even the Showrunners, in Seasons, whereas Classic Who follows the BBC standard of Series.

So, unless someone outisde the BBC's supporting Audience says it out of ignorance or not thinking, Season 1 is Eccelston's Period and Series 1 is William Hartnell's first year.

Psst. I have always seen Classic Who referred to in terms of seasons. I've also seen plenty of people, even on this forum, refer to nuWho in terms of "Series ___".

It appears to me to be a British vs. North American way of referring to them.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Did I just watch season 34 or series 8?

 

[ATimson]

Did I just watch season 34 or series 8?

I was about to say "Neither, 'Last Christmas' was the first commission of series 9". But I'm not sure if that's actually true.

I know "Last Christmas" had its own production block. But was it allocated as the end of series 8 (like the David Tennant specials year was added on to series 4) or as the start of series 9 (like the earlier David Tennant specials)?

 

[Guy Gardener]

If Tenants specials count as a season, then so does The 8th Doctor movie.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Given that series 8 was released before Last Christmas was out, I'd say the latter is the first episode of the new series.

Its how its almost always been, with the specific exception of regeneration stories.

 

[Sindatur]

Yea, the Christmas Specials between Seasons are generally listed as ep S0xE00

 

[ATimson]

Yea, the Christmas Specials between Seasons are generally listed as ep S0xE00

I'm not sure that how they're listed on torrent sites generally has much to do with the actual production paperwork.

 

[Sindatur]

Yea, the Christmas Specials between Seasons are generally listed as ep S0xE00

I'm not sure that how they're listed on torrent sites generally has much to do with the actual production paperwork.

Yea, I don't know about Torrents (I DVR and then burn to DVD), but, IMDB (And I believe Wikipedia) lists them as ep 00 of the following Season.

 

[Mr Pointy Ears]

I didn't think much of it,last years xmas special was a lot better.

 

[Samurai8472]

5: Thrones Marathon

Get ready for lots more "Game Of Thrones" references. The first was "Winter is coming" in "The Snowmen"


I wonder if a dragon will show up in series 9

 

[The Laughing Vulcan]

5: Thrones Marathon

Get ready for lots more "Game Of Thrones" references. The first was "Winter is coming" in "The Snowmen"


I wonder if a dragon will show up in series 9

Didn't one hatch from the moon?