Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Series
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Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
And 5's sarcasm. Sarcasm would suit Capaldi down to the ground.
And 5's sarcasm. Sarcasm would suit Capaldi down to the ground.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
My parents are diehard classic Who fans who loved the series from Hartnell to McCoy. They were just kids when the series first aired so they grew up with it in an era when there really wasn't anything else on TV. Having them over for Christmas, I thought it would be nice for us to all watch the Christmas special. They couldn't stand it after the first half hour. In their own words, it was a pile of rubbish and I understand why they feel that way. Even I agree that Matt smith flailing about like an enormous twit is not Dr Who. Seeing their perspective, I was hard pressed to find a reason why I should have enjoyed that nonsense.
The good part of the story finally arrived about halfway through, but by then my parents had left the room. Their expectations were already drowned in the intellectual feces of silly spectacle, cheap gags and empty dialogue that went way too fast for them to follow. I was disappointed because they couldn't bring themselves to watch it. I am glad Matt Smith is gone. He did some amazing episodes. "The Rebel Flesh" is one of my favourites. But I want the series to slow down and tell stories again.
The Time of the Doctor felt like Moffat was saying:
"Okay, we gotta wrap up the Trenzalore thing. Let's do Trenzalore and move on because we've written ourselves into a corner with the Doctor's death. We already spent all our creative energy on "Day of the Doctor", so let's throw a bunch of jokes and crap in there for Christmas, tell a bare minimum of (narrated) story about the Doctor's last battle because good writing takes time and care, give Smith an emotional sendoff that makes Davies look like an amateur, tell Capaldi to put on his best psycho face, break out the champagne and call it a night."
I really hope they take some of the creativity that made the new Sherlock episode so amazing and apply it to Capaldi's run. I really do.
My parents are diehard classic Who fans who loved the series from Hartnell to McCoy. They were just kids when the series first aired so they grew up with it in an era when there really wasn't anything else on TV. Having them over for Christmas, I thought it would be nice for us to all watch the Christmas special. They couldn't stand it after the first half hour. In their own words, it was a pile of rubbish and I understand why they feel that way. Even I agree that Matt smith flailing about like an enormous twit is not Dr Who. Seeing their perspective, I was hard pressed to find a reason why I should have enjoyed that nonsense.
The good part of the story finally arrived about halfway through, but by then my parents had left the room. Their expectations were already drowned in the intellectual feces of silly spectacle, cheap gags and empty dialogue that went way too fast for them to follow. I was disappointed because they couldn't bring themselves to watch it. I am glad Matt Smith is gone. He did some amazing episodes. "The Rebel Flesh" is one of my favourites. But I want the series to slow down and tell stories again.
The Time of the Doctor felt like Moffat was saying:
"Okay, we gotta wrap up the Trenzalore thing. Let's do Trenzalore and move on because we've written ourselves into a corner with the Doctor's death. We already spent all our creative energy on "Day of the Doctor", so let's throw a bunch of jokes and crap in there for Christmas, tell a bare minimum of (narrated) story about the Doctor's last battle because good writing takes time and care, give Smith an emotional sendoff that makes Davies look like an amateur, tell Capaldi to put on his best psycho face, break out the champagne and call it a night."
I really hope they take some of the creativity that made the new Sherlock episode so amazing and apply it to Capaldi's run. I really do.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
"Not Dr Who?" Please. The Doctor himself and the series he's a part of have been redefined and reinvented many times over the past 50 years. Of all the shows in TV history, this is probably the one for which a narrow, exclusionistic definition is the most indefensible.
"Not Dr Who?" Please. The Doctor himself and the series he's a part of have been redefined and reinvented many times over the past 50 years. Of all the shows in TV history, this is probably the one for which a narrow, exclusionistic definition is the most indefensible.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Yea, it surprises me when so many people say Eccelston was so dark. He had a gruff exterior, and Tennant and Smith had a much friendlier exterior, but, Tennant and Smith were both darker and more dangerous than Eccelston (Eccelston's bark was worse then his bite usually, and Tennat and Smith's bites were worse then their purring)
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
That may well have made my afternoon
That may well have made my afternoon
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
To be honest, I'm sort of glad to see Smith go. Never really gelled with his doctor that much.
To be honest, I'm sort of glad to see Smith go. Never really gelled with his doctor that much.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
I wouldn't say Smith was my favorite Doctor -- I never liked his acting quite as much as that of his two predecessors -- but he was a lot of fun, and he did what a Doctor Who star is supposed to do, which was to make the role his own and bring a distinct and striking personality to it. So he was definitely a successful Doctor. Maybe a bit too gimmicky and catchphrasey, but that's been a feature of the modern show all along.
I wouldn't say Smith was my favorite Doctor -- I never liked his acting quite as much as that of his two predecessors -- but he was a lot of fun, and he did what a Doctor Who star is supposed to do, which was to make the role his own and bring a distinct and striking personality to it. So he was definitely a successful Doctor. Maybe a bit too gimmicky and catchphrasey, but that's been a feature of the modern show all along.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
I wouldn't quite say he made the character his own. He based half of himself on Patrick Troughton.
I wouldn't quite say he made the character his own. He based half of himself on Patrick Troughton.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Meanwhile, I found The Rebel Flesh story to be pretty bad and consider it to be one of the low points of Smith's run.
Meanwhile, I found The Rebel Flesh story to be pretty bad and consider it to be one of the low points of Smith's run.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
That's what they keep saying, but I don't see any resemblance at all. Troughton's Doctor was unassuming, kindly, and diffident, happy to be underestimated except when it was necessary to take charge, which he managed to do simply through sheer competence and insight. Smith's Doctor is a brash, loudmouthed braggart who always thinks he's the smartest, coolest, most interesting person in the room and is determined to convince everyone else to agree that he is. Whatever the intent may have been, they're pretty much diametric opposites in execution. Okay, they both like funny hats and bow ties and having fun, but the Eleventh Doctor was a lot more self-conscious about it than the Second, for reasons that became clear in "The Day of the Doctor."
That's what they keep saying, but I don't see any resemblance at all. Troughton's Doctor was unassuming, kindly, and diffident, happy to be underestimated except when it was necessary to take charge, which he managed to do simply through sheer competence and insight. Smith's Doctor is a brash, loudmouthed braggart who always thinks he's the smartest, coolest, most interesting person in the room and is determined to convince everyone else to agree that he is. Whatever the intent may have been, they're pretty much diametric opposites in execution. Okay, they both like funny hats and bow ties and having fun, but the Eleventh Doctor was a lot more self-conscious about it than the Second, for reasons that became clear in "The Day of the Doctor."
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Just because something has been "redefined" and "reinvented" many times doesn't mean that it has always been redefined and reinvented into something better. My parents loved Eccleston's run and that was a bigger reinvention of Who than anything that came before it.
Taste is subjective. My point was that my family could not enjoy the Christmas special for what it was. Most of it was a big bloated mess in their eyes and I've come to agree with them.
Just because something has been "redefined" and "reinvented" many times doesn't mean that it has always been redefined and reinvented into something better. My parents loved Eccleston's run and that was a bigger reinvention of Who than anything that came before it.
Taste is subjective. My point was that my family could not enjoy the Christmas special for what it was. Most of it was a big bloated mess in their eyes and I've come to agree with them.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Yes, taste is subjective. Which is why it's completely obnoxious to say that a version of the Doctor is "not Doctor Who" just because he's not your favorite version thereof.
Yes, taste is subjective. Which is why it's completely obnoxious to say that a version of the Doctor is "not Doctor Who" just because he's not your favorite version thereof.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Just imagine the shock for someone who watched the earliest episodes, say, no more than Hartnell's first year and then was presented with the Pertwee era! Colour, Earthbound, a physically active Doctor, no family relation (Susan), no more straight historicals. That person would be exclaiming, "This isn't Doctor Who!" And that was just a gap of 5 years.
I can't imagine what it'll be in another 10, let alone 50! It's like the British weather. Just wait a bit and it'll change, hopefully to your liking, maybe not. Just wait long enough and it'll hit upon something you'll like.
Me? I'm just sittin' back enjoying the ride.
Sincerely,
Bill
Just imagine the shock for someone who watched the earliest episodes, say, no more than Hartnell's first year and then was presented with the Pertwee era! Colour, Earthbound, a physically active Doctor, no family relation (Susan), no more straight historicals. That person would be exclaiming, "This isn't Doctor Who!" And that was just a gap of 5 years.
I can't imagine what it'll be in another 10, let alone 50! It's like the British weather. Just wait a bit and it'll change, hopefully to your liking, maybe not. Just wait long enough and it'll hit upon something you'll like.
Me? I'm just sittin' back enjoying the ride.
Sincerely,
Bill
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
My wife can't stand old DW but we've watched it together since the Tennant era (couldn't persuade her to give it a go during Eccleston's tenure). She loves it now.
My wife can't stand old DW but we've watched it together since the Tennant era (couldn't persuade her to give it a go during Eccleston's tenure). She loves it now.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Well to be fair the latest Christmas special wasn't exactly the strongest Smith episode. Even those of us paying close attention thought it was a bit of a mess on first viewing (I've come to appreciate it a lot more since then).
I can only imagine how confused and turned off people would be if they were tuning in to watch Smith for the first time.
Well to be fair the latest Christmas special wasn't exactly the strongest Smith episode. Even those of us paying close attention thought it was a bit of a mess on first viewing (I've come to appreciate it a lot more since then).
I can only imagine how confused and turned off people would be if they were tuning in to watch Smith for the first time.
Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
Actually, it's completely obnoxious to take someone else's opinion that the show is not living up to their expectations of Doctor Who and addressing that opinion as one would address a hoard of barbarians ready to storm the gate.
Actually, it's completely obnoxious to take someone else's opinion that the show is not living up to their expectations of Doctor Who and addressing that opinion as one would address a hoard of barbarians ready to storm the gate.
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Re: Steven Moffat Talks About The "Raw", "New Direction" For The Serie
I just find it funny how the same person could write the amazing 50th anniversary special, which in my opinion is the only contender for this year's Hugo award, and yet so majorly drop the ball for the christmas special. Did he run out of time and budget?
I just find it funny how the same person could write the amazing 50th anniversary special, which in my opinion is the only contender for this year's Hugo award, and yet so majorly drop the ball for the christmas special. Did he run out of time and budget?
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