I honestly don't get the negativity towards it. It's a new show with nothing to base the negativity on beyond "I wanted something different and I'm going to dislike this based on the fact it isn't that!"
LOL Class
- Thread starter JRoss
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I've been puzzled by the indifferent reaction, too. Partly, I think it's because the BBC hasn't given fans a reason to care yet. It's a series built around original rather than pre-existing characters, and Deep Space Nine and Voyager both managed to succeed with connections as tenuous to their parent series. Closer to debut, when we have trailers and a better idea of what the series is, attitudes may shift.
FWIW, I like that they went outside the box with an original concept and characters. I can't say that I care much at this point yet, but the originality is a point is Class' favor.
I will be very surprised if it is.
I agree, there's just not much to grab onto at this point. And, from what little we've heard so far, it sounds like this was a concept that was completely separate from the DW universe and they shoehorned it in to try to capitalize on the existing fan base. That may or may not be true, but that's the impression that many have.
I guess I don't see how the concept is that original?
Personally, based on the concept alone, this is probably a series I would not be interested in without the DW connection. I'll give it a shot but I can't say I'm exciting about it.
The good news is that this series has a very low bar and it should be easy to exceed expectations!
Mr Awe
It is surprising how negative folks are being. Does it leap out at me as the kind of show I'd love? No not really, but there are plenty of shows I've been ambivalent about that I ended up loving, and shows that had great concepts that were shite, so at the very least I'll watch a few episodes before I make any kind of judgement.
I don't recall coming across anyone being particularly negative about the series, it's just that we're all consistently unenthusiastic (whereas normally you might expect some positives and negatives to make an equilibrium).
(Two hundredth post, Whoop Whoop Whoop Whoop!)
(Two hundredth post, Whoop Whoop Whoop Whoop!)
I'm not negative: I'm just completely and utterly indifferent. How is it any different from The Sarah Jane Adventures without Sarah Jane? Yes, we don't have much details to go on, but there are other more interesting basic premises that have been knocking around for several years and they weren't utilized.
Well for starters it’s skewing towards a different demographic to TSJA and should be more adult in tone. Which isn’t to say TSJA didn’t tackle adult issues, ironically it was often a more grownup show than Torchwood, but at the end of the day it was a kids show on CBBC and there was a limit to what it could do.
I agree that, at the moment, there isn’t much of a hook to hang on Class, but that may be the point because it may be that the characters and their stories are more important than the aliens in the background, or it may be that the Beeb are intentionally holding stuff back to make a bigger impact.
It will be very interesting to see how it is advertised and sold to viewers. My only real fear is that it’s some god awful youff abomination of the kind BBC3 did far too often at one time (see Spooks: Code9 for example) though the involvement of Ness would seem to make that unlikely. It might be rubbish, it might be great, it might just be a show that’s not made for me, which is fine. I am intrigued to see how much mention the wider Whoniverse gets after the Doctor makes his cameo appearance though.
I agree that, at the moment, there isn’t much of a hook to hang on Class, but that may be the point because it may be that the characters and their stories are more important than the aliens in the background, or it may be that the Beeb are intentionally holding stuff back to make a bigger impact.
It will be very interesting to see how it is advertised and sold to viewers. My only real fear is that it’s some god awful youff abomination of the kind BBC3 did far too often at one time (see Spooks: Code9 for example) though the involvement of Ness would seem to make that unlikely. It might be rubbish, it might be great, it might just be a show that’s not made for me, which is fine. I am intrigued to see how much mention the wider Whoniverse gets after the Doctor makes his cameo appearance though.
Their drama output has been much better than that for a long time now though. Being Human, Fades, In The Flesh, Orphan Black, Tatau, Thirteen, etc. are all good and very well liked shows. OK, Fades and Tatau weren't the best and Orphan Black is BBC America.
I'm reasonably enthusiastic, especially since reading one of Ness's novels. It has more potential to be surprising and different than something like a series about Vastra, Jenny, and Strax would have.
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The Doctor is confirmed to appear in the opening episode.
http://www.cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/confirmed-peter-capaldi-will-be-appearing-in-class
http://www.cultbox.co.uk/news/headlines/confirmed-peter-capaldi-will-be-appearing-in-class
This were exactly my thoughts when the offical synopsis was published. I really get the vibe that this is supposed to be a TSJA-Replacement but more adult and also kinda a "filler for the "DW-Gap".
Adjust for drift.
7 year olds in 2007, are 16 now.
Today, the original SJA audience is more sophisticated than they were in 2007.
They want more.
This is more.
7 year olds in 2007, are 16 now.
Today, the original SJA audience is more sophisticated than they were in 2007.
They want more.
This is more.
Three novels coming out in October:
http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2016/09/class-books-060916144508.html
From the looks of the covers the series won't be entirely school-bound.
And I can understand why they want Patrick Ness' name on there in big print but it's still a bit unfair to the actual authors.
http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2016/09/class-books-060916144508.html
From the looks of the covers the series won't be entirely school-bound.
And I can understand why they want Patrick Ness' name on there in big print but it's still a bit unfair to the actual authors.
I remember that RTD's prmise for the SJA was that there was plenty of alienesque (and other) adventures to be had right here on Earth, and that they wouldn't need to fly off to other worlds for the hell of it. Given his propensity to tie so much of his stuff to Earth anyway, it sorta follows that he'd build it into SJA and Torchwood for that matter.
Here, they're not nearly as tied to Earth, but the whole thing DOES revolve around school life, so there's that to use as a base. Either way it does seem that they're a bit more bold in stepping out of the confines of the school grounds, at least in novels where budget isn't as much of a factor...
Mark
Here, they're not nearly as tied to Earth, but the whole thing DOES revolve around school life, so there's that to use as a base. Either way it does seem that they're a bit more bold in stepping out of the confines of the school grounds, at least in novels where budget isn't as much of a factor...
Mark
I've never heard of AK Benedict, but I've read Guy Adams's Torchwood novels and they're pretty good. I'd be so bold as to say The House That Jack Built is one of the best Torchwood novels period. James Goss's Doctor Who novels are hit or miss but he usually has an interesting prose style. Though I wasn't impressed with his City of Death novelization, he tried too hard to imitate Douglas Adams's writing style proving one thing: unless you are Douglas Adams, don't try to write like Douglas Adams. And truth be told, even he didn't always pull off his unique style.
Yes, but Gareth Roberts didn't try imitating Douglas Adams, indeed Roberts specifically avoided doing so because he knew he wouldn't be able to do it justice.
Okay, there is an Adams-esque sentence on the first page, but it's pretty good, so I allow it.
A.K. Benedict wrote a Torchwood audio drama this year, The Victorian Age. I haven't listened to it yet.
I think James Goss is one of the best writers Big Finish has going for them; he is capable of thinking outside the box and not churning out the same old aliens invade/capture escape shit again and again. His River Song story is incredible. I don't think I ever read any of his prose, though.
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