Russell T Davies yes/no

[JRoss]

RTD's a better producer than writer, I think. He's got some irritating habits, such as turning the Doctor into a mary sue and being a bit too "everything's magical" about it all, not to mention his over-escalation of the series finales.

However, I've found Moffat to be a bit disappointing. The finale of Series 5 was nonsensical. It really didn't work. After having nothing but great work from Moffat for years, the show deserved much better than he gave it at the end, although the build-up was generally good.

 

[sidious618]

RTD's a better producer than writer, I think. He's got some irritating habits, such as turning the Doctor into a mary sue and being a bit too "everything's magical" about it all, not to mention his over-escalation of the series finales.

I find Moffat to be more like that than RTD but I've yet to see series five so Moffat may no longer be that way.

 

[RoJoHen]

I finally finished Series 5 last night, and I'm definitely disappointed. Aside from the fact that the finale made absolutely no sense, I just found most of the series incredibly dull.

Granted, I found Series 1 pretty dull, too, so maybe it's just because it was Moffat's first year in charge. Overall, the non-Tennant years are proving to be the most disappointing for me.

 

[Captain Pike]

I thought about making a JNT vs RTD thread, but it's apples and oranges really. The most you could hope to do is compare JNT to RTD in his role as a producer specifically, and imo in that context RTD is a clear winner (albeit one with the advantages of modern technology, budget and sensibility, as well as a BBC boardroom elite who aren't openly hostile to the programme's continued development).

 

[Gepard]

Aside from the fact that the finale made absolutely no sense, I just found most of the series incredibly dull.

Amen to that. If Doctor Who is going to be nonsense, let's at least have RTD's energetic, amazing nonsense and not the warmed-over dullness of much of S5.

 

[RoJoHen]

Aside from the fact that the finale made absolutely no sense, I just found most of the series incredibly dull.

Amen to that. If Doctor Who is going to be nonsense, let's at least have RTD's energetic, amazing nonsense and not the warmed-over dullness of much of S5.

Yeah. RTD was far from perfect, and many of his stories were incredibly silly, but at least they were fun!

 

[sidious618]

I'm getting series 5 for Christmas and you guys are making me nervous.

 

[The]

Ignore them. I thought it was absolutely stellar. Matt Smith exceeds Tennant in every scene, and just owns the part. The stories are the same mixed bag you get every season. The only thing missing is a sense of gay whimsy. It's Doctor Who for the heterosexual man...

 

[Gepard]

I'm getting series 5 for Christmas and you guys are making me nervous.

It's not bad, it's just...less. And it did give us "Vincent and the Doctor," which may be the greatest episode of Doctor Who ever, so that's a strong argument in favor.

It's Doctor Who for the heterosexual man...

I grok now why a lot of people around the board seem to hold you in contempt.

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm getting series 5 for Christmas and you guys are making me nervous.

It's not bad, it's just...less. And it did give us "Vincent and the Doctor," which may be the greatest episode of Doctor Who ever, so that's a strong argument in favor.

You know, I thought it was really good too. However, I am currently rewatching Season 1, and I couldn't believe how much "Vincent" seemed like a rip-off of "The Unquiet Dead."

It's Doctor Who for the heterosexual man...

I grok now why a lot of people around the board seem to hold you in contempt.

No kidding.

 

[The]

^ Lighten-up, it was a joke...

 

[Skywalker]

I'm getting series 5 for Christmas and you guys are making me nervous.

Don't worry. Series 5 is the best one yet.*

*In my opinion. Before anyone reads that and gets all uppity.

 

[Gepard]

However, I am currently rewatching Season 1, and I couldn't believe how much "Vincent" seemed like a rip-off of "The Unquiet Dead."

Wait, what? Aside from involving a historical figure, the two have nothing in common.

Also, I thought "The Unquiet Dead" was really boring and emotionless, nether of which describe "Vincent." Different strokes, I guess...

^ Lighten-up, it was a joke...

A homophobic joke, yeah. Also not funny -- so, no not a joke at all. Just anti-homosexual. Well done.

 

[RoJoHen]

However, I am currently rewatching Season 1, and I couldn't believe how much "Vincent" seemed like a rip-off of "The Unquiet Dead."

Wait, what? Aside from involving a historical figure, the two have nothing in common.

Also, I thought "The Unquiet Dead" was really boring and emotionless, nether of which describe "Vincent." Different strokes, I guess...

Depressed historical figure that meets the Doctor, has an adventure that brings him out of that depression, only for it to happen too late because he dies soon after.

Yeah, the plot was different (although in both cases I found the plot kinda lame), but the point was the same.

 

[Gepard]

^Interesting point. I forgot about the latter two plot elements.

Still, the execution was completely different, and if I had to pick a prototype episode for "Vincent," I'd go with "Father's Day," if only for the "tearjerker-with-large-monster-shoehorned-in-kind-of-awkwardly" factor..

 

[RoJoHen]

Yeah, "Vincent" is clearly the better episode. I was just surprised how similar it was to "The Unquiet Dead" when I rewatched it the other day.

I just rewatched "Father's Day" today, actually, and yeah, really awkward monsters...and an ending that doesn't actually make any amount of sense.

 

[VDCNI]

I'm getting series 5 for Christmas and you guys are making me nervous.

Just skip The Beast Below & Victory Of The Daleks oh and the Silurian nonsense and you'll be fine oh and anytime Amy frowns, moans or bitches. That will leave around 20 minutes all involving Alex Kingston which is great!

But seriously it's a good season - I enjoyed it is much as seasons 1-3 and the specials. Smith is fantastic but Amy,for me, is a drag on a lot of the episodes, even more than Martha was but if end up liking her you should be fine.

 

[RoJoHen]

Amy just didn't seem to serve much of a purpose. Yeah, she introduced the Cracks, but as a character, I found her boring and bitchy. I really liked Rory, though, and I wish he had been in more of the season.

 

[Gepard]

...and an ending that doesn't actually make any amount of sense.

It works emotionally, though; Rose is never really able to get her father back (because who can?), the universe knows this, and the solution requires his sacrifice to keep it all in balance. That just makes the small amount of time they did have all the more tragic.

 

[RoJoHen]

Oh, I know, I get what they were doing. It was just awfully convenient that the car that killed him was trapped in that little time loop so he could just run out and die whenever he wanted.