Russell T. Davies Returns to Doctor Who as New Showrunner

[The Wormhole]

3) @The Wormhole My denials were rooted in things I believed at the time about the future of the program and in an unwillingness to contemplate that the then-just-announced Ncuti Gatwa wasn't going to be the Doctor that immediately followed Jodie

What are you even talking about? The post I linked above was from September 25 2021. Ncuti Gatwa's casting was announced May 8 2022. You could not have been "unwilling to contemplate Gatwa wasn't going to be the Doctor immediately after Whittaker" at that time because you would not know Gatwa would be the Doctor for a little over another seven months. In fact, you spent those seven months arguing with the rest of us and saying a new Doctor would not be cast at all in 2022. Which you were also wrong about.

Did you seriously just try to retcon your own posting history?

 

[DigificWriter]

What are you even talking about? The post I linked above was from September 25 2021. Ncuti Gatwa's casting was announced May 8 2022. You could not have been "unwilling to contemplate Gatwa wasn't going to be the Doctor immediately after Whittaker" at that time because you would not know Gatwa would be the Doctor for a little over another seven months. In fact, you spent those seven months arguing with the rest of us and saying a new Doctor would not be cast at all in 2022. Which you were also wrong about.

Did you seriously just try to retcon your own posting history?

No.

I made a genuine mistake and conflated later instances where I was dismissive of the 60th involving multiple returning Doctors with the specific instance you were trying to cite.

 

[JD]

Anger and frustration are not rational reactions, but they are valid and legitimate reactions.

If you have all of the necessary information, sure, but when you don't, it's just overreacting.

 

[Rich Watson]

Remember how they had to shoot for a month without Ncuti as he was still doing "Sex Education" ? Lots of shots of Millie with a stand-in or talking to nobody.

They're back now to do the other half only this time it's him talking to nobody. Good luck to the editors!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

That car only has just over a month left before its road tax runs out. lol

 

[Captaindemotion]

That car only has just over a month left before its road tax runs out. lol

Time travel, dude

 

[The Knappos]

I am envious of those who are disappointed (or even angry) at the returning elements. Your expectations are going to be so low that the episode can't help but exceed them when it's on.

Whereas I'm more of an "Oooh, OK. We'll see how that goes." Which means I'm more likely to be disappointed, but not as likely as those who're saying "YAY!!!!" to everything.. your expectations are so high, the episodes' odds of coming in under them are pretty good.

 

[Rich Watson]

Nothing particularly exciting in the new DWM. Another director with prior Bad Wolf experience and some ho-hum casting announcements.

I have to say I've been a bit surprised by the lack of big name actors so far.* I thought with Russell's current cachet there'd be some people that made you go wow, they got them. (I know Jinx is a big name but not in the acting world.)

*NPH excepted.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Ho-hum?

Could you at least tell us who was announced and let us be the judges of that?

 

[Brendan Moody]

Sophie Ablett and Millie Kent are the actors who were announced.

RTD’s column in this issue is about the nuances of when to make big announcements given the show’s long production cycle; he acknowledges that spring is going to be a bit quieter. I would guess they’re holding some of the bigger guest cast announcements, particularly in cases where the person doesn’t do any location filming.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Sophie Ablett and Millie Kent are the actors who were announced.

Thank you.

While I'm not familiar with either of their works, that doesn't take away the potential of them performing great characters.

RTD’s column in this issue is about the nuances of when to make big announcements given the show’s long production cycle; he acknowledges that spring is going to be a bit quieter. I would guess they’re holding some of the bigger guest cast announcements, particularly in cases where the person doesn’t do any location filming.

Which makes perfect sense. I do get tired of the sense of entitlement certain Doctor Who fans (and granted it's not just with Doctor Who) about information and expectations. Been going on for a long time, even before Chibnall. It's only gotten worse over time.

 

[Starkers]

I'm more bothered about people who are right for the roles rather than big names for the sake of it. I still recall that frankly bizarre trailer at the end of The Women who Fell to Earth. "Look at all the famous people who'll be showing up this season!"

 

[Rich Watson]

I'm more bothered about people who are right for the roles rather than big names for the sake of it.

The two aren't mutually exclusive. If Brian Cox turns up in (on screen) role is anyone going to call it stunt casting because he's too famous?

 

[Steve Roby]

I'm more bothered about people who are right for the roles rather than big names for the sake of it. I still recall that frankly bizarre trailer at the end of The Women who Fell to Earth. "Look at all the famous people who'll be showing up this season!"

I don't remember that trailer, but I was very offended by Chibnall's stunt casting. Kylie Minogue, John Hurt, Timothy Dalton, Derek Jacobi...

 

[The Wormhole]

I don't remember that trailer, but I was very offended by Chibnall's stunt casting. Kylie Minogue, John Hurt, Timothy Dalton, Derek Jacobi...

I see what you did there.

 

[Starkers]

I don't remember that trailer, but I was very offended by Chibnall's stunt casting. Kylie Minogue, John Hurt, Timothy Dalton, Derek Jacobi...

No need to get your knickers in a twist, I wasn't complaining about Chibnall's casting of actors per se, I was making a point about this weird trailer. No context, no dialogue, no idea what episode's they're in or what the episode is about or whether they're an enemy or an ally, in fact no idea what any of the episodes are about other than obviously some seem to be set in the past?

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[Allyn Gibson]

2) Regeneration ending up resulting in a Doctor reusing a face has never been explicitly been done before and, while I would normally be receptive to such a choice, my anger at what I thought RTD's motivations were overrode every other emotion

3) @The Wormhole My denials were rooted in things I believed at the time about the future of the program and in an unwillingness to contemplate that the then-just-announced Ncuti Gatwa wasn't going to be the Doctor that immediately followed Jodie

For what it's worth, if NPH is playing the Celestial Toymaker as is rumored (and perhaps confirmed?), then there's the possibility that Jodie's Doctor did regenerate into Gatwa, but due to the Toymaker only looks like Tennant. The Toymaker having the ability to mess with the Doctor's appearance goes back to his very first appearance -- he made the Doctor invisible, and the producers considered using this trick to replace Hartnell. Personally, I think the fact that the Doctor's clothing changed during the regeneration, when it never has before, suggests that there's nothing normal about this regeneration.

 

[DigificWriter]

^ It's already been officially stated and confirmed that Jodie's Thirteenth Doctor actually regenerated into an incarnation whose physical appearance resembles that of the Tenth Doctor.

It should be noted that, while I don't personally like the decision, it isn't without in-universe precedent (The Curator); it should also be noted the Doctor's clothing changing as a result of the regeneration isn't without in-universe precedent, either (The unconscious Second Doctor was found by Ben and Polly wearing his iconic outfit + The First Doctor's cape).

 

[Allyn Gibson]

^ It's already been officially stated and confirmed that Jodie's Thirteenth Doctor actually regenerated into an incarnation whose physical appearance resembles that of the Tenth Doctor.

That's fine. I'm not yet convinced that we'll have a glowy, explody regeneration scene from Tennant to Gatwa.

 

[Samurai8472]

In DWM, Murray teased that, throughout series 14, the theme song will change every week to fit the episode.

Details from Doctor Who Magazine

Spoiler

-Millie Kent and Sophie Ablett will join the cast for series 14
-Jinkx Monsoon appears in the second episode, which will be directed by Ben Chessel, it's said to be a musical and is penned by Russel
-The finale of series 14 will be shot as part of Production Block 5
-One episode title was heard in a line of dialogue in Star Trek: Picard's most recent season
-Russel says promotion will ramp up further after Comic Con season
-Murray Gold has finished the scores for special one and three, but hasn't begun on two yet
-New variations of Donna and The Tennant themes will be in the specials
-Series 14 is described in general as being a musical...probably because Monsoon might be in more than one episode