Spoilers The Well grade and discussion thread

[Saul]

I kinda think it was a mistake to make this a sequel to Midnight because there will be unfair comparisons. And I will be one of those people making them...
Midnight is a really strong RTD episode.
The nature of the threat is different in The Well, so already the most interesting and deadly aspect that made Midnight so great is gone...
The writing of RTD, his characters, just aren't on par with his early work on DW. So in general I'm just less invested and the prancing back and forth to the changing room in the Tardis doesn't endear me to this new Doctor and companion. Midnight started off as a somewhat humorous holiday for the Doctor and Donna but ended with a toll taken on the Doctor. As a viewer I was left with a feeling that he'd gone through a genuine change (which is not easy to pull off for an episodic series). I don't feel that toll here, just a happy go lucky Doctor and companion prancing off to the changing room again.

 

[JD]

You're kidding but I'm not!

Everytime it seems like we're close to a true historical, I feel disappointed when aliens show up. I think my biggest disappointment in recent time was "The Witchfinders" where I strongly believe the episode would've worked not just fine, but better without an alien presence.

But, alas, I fully realize I'm in the minority so I'll get off my soapbox now.

I wouldn't mind seeing a purely historical story, there have definitely been times where it seemed liked they forced some kind of sci-fi element into a historical episode, when it would have worked just fine without them.

 

[The Wormhole]

Definitely wouldn't mind seeing a pure historical. Hell, modern Doctor Who has been one for twenty years, doing one historical at this point could become a fan favorite just because of how different it would be.

Or barring an actual historical, I'd be open to an episode set in modern times with no sci-fi elements. Say something like the Anita storyline in the Christmas special done as an entire episode. Have the Doctor cut off from the TARDIS and stuck in modern Britain for a year, or at least several months. He makes a friend and we see that friendship develop over the course of however long the Doctor's exile lasts with the Doctor getting involved with the day to day drama of that friend's personal life.

 

[Redfern]

Petty quibble here...

An ever changing wardrobe, radically different for each episode, has got to be a pain for license holders trying to merchandise a given actor's spin upon the Doctor. Like Character Options who produces the action figures, which of Ncuti's outfits should they select? True, the toy company did make a choice, opting for a sculpt that matched at least 2 adventures when accounting for a variant paint job. And going for one of the few times Gatwa actually wore a long coat, it looked a tad more traditionally "Doctor-ish" compared to some others.

But the economic climate is not like it was during the latter '00s when CO was riding high and could budget for a boatload of variants. Money is lean now so Character has to decide, "Which costume best represents this Doctor?" With Ncuti, dang, that's a tough choice.

Really, I just don't see a "theme" with Gatwa's clothes. Tom Baker, on the other hand, did. Casual viewers understandably just see a coat, a battered wide brim hat and an insanely long scarf. But in reality, there existed a lot of variation within that concept. First year, Tom wore a pullover and the coat was a modest length "safari" jacket. The next year, he swapped to a buttoned vest and the coat was longer and vaguely purple. For a few adventures he swapped to a grey coat, then back to a dark one. In his earlier stories, he wrapped the scarf tightly around his neck; later, it hung more loosely with open open loops. Eventually he wore the hat less and less. During the Graham Williams run, he omitted any kind of waistcoat for just a shirt and the coat became tan. Finally, during his last series, everything went purple with his longest coat yet and the introduction of the (in)famous question marks. But throughout all those changes, there existed a "motif". Anybody of any body shape, hair color, ethic background could wear any of those designs and people would recognize they are dressing like the Fourth Doctor. Fit those same fans in some of Ncuti's clothes (like the all white outfit in "Lucky Day") and I suspect even fans might have to think for a bit before finally "getting it".

Well, I did warn it was a petty peeve.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Isn't Gatwa's Doctor another variation of the Lonely God theme that the Ninth and Tenth inhabited? I would not go as far as to say he has "no theme" no matter how much you may not connect with him.

 

[Starkers]

Isn't Gatwa's Doctor another variation of the Lonely God theme that the Ninth and Tenth inhabited? I would not go as far as to say he has "no theme" no matter how much you may not connect with him.

Redfern is talking about a clothing theme, not the character's narrative theme.

 

[Redfern]

Redfern is talking about a clothing theme, not the character's narrative theme.

Thanks for the clarification. Right, I was posting about clothing.