The Writer's Tale - Russel T. Davies

[Csalem]

This book has been mentioned in a few threads but I hope no one minds if I start one thread just for the book and some general thoughts on it.

I got this book last Monday and am slowly working my way through it and I must say I'm addicted to it. It is full of great insights into the show, how it is put together and how much thought goes into everything. My respect for RTD, which was pretty high to begin with, has gone up tenfold!

Some info I've learned from the book which amazed me was that Dennis Hopper did want to be in Who and was nearly cast as Mr. Copper in VotD but the BBC turned him down. RTD does rewrites on nearly everyone's scripts except for four - Steven Moffat, Chris Chibnall, Mathew Graham and Stephen Greenhorn. In it he mentions he wrote 50% of Human Nature and most scripts he will make some sort of change to nearly every line. Also before the Pompeii episode was decided upon, it was going to be a WW2 story with Nazis written by Mark Gattiss. Finally, he was meant to do a script for Torchwood 2. Originally it was the return of Suzi(!) but then it became the pilot. In the end he just did the pre-title sequence.

So far (200 pages in) there are allusions to the fact that everyone was very disappointed with how Torchwood 1 turned out.

Finally, his comments about Helen Raynor certainly made me think about what I will be writing on these boards in future.

All in all a spectacular read and well worth the price, even if I did think it was a bit high at the time. Now I must go back to finishing it!

 

[OmahaStar]

Finally, his comments about Helen Raynor certainly made me think about what I will be writing on these boards in future.

Please to be explaining.

 

[captcalhoun]

he says that she saw what some people wrote online about her and was "physically shaking like she'd been assaulted" or something to that effect.

 

[Csalem]

Yeah he said that she went onto OG after the Dalek episodes aired and it took him two hours to calm her down. She wanted to give up writing there and then over those comments. She said it had the same effect on her as if she was in a pub and a fight broke out beside her.

 

[USS KG5]

Yeah he said that she went onto OG after the Dalek episodes aired and it took him two hours to calm her down. She wanted to give up writing there and then over those comments. She said it had the same effect on her as if she was in a pub and a fight broke out beside her.

The Internet is totally over the top about perceived lack of quality in episodes - it is compressed, faceless BS and lack of perspective on a vast scale at its worst.

 

[I am not Spock]

God, if I was a TV writer, I wouldn't dare come on Net sites like this one. Some of the attacks on episodes can get downright personal. I feel sorry for Ms Raynor.

 

[USS KG5]

God, if I was a TV writer, I wouldn't dare come on Net sites like this one. Some of the attacks on episodes can get downright personal. I feel sorry for Ms Raynor.

The problem is a lot of people feel like the Internet is a place to say and do whatever they like because it is anonymous.

I bet half the people who say terrible things online would never do it to the person in real life.

Also constructive criticism is somewhat lacking - for me Raynor's two-part episode was not the best of nu-Who. However, a discussion of why that was (and for Brits the Radio Times having the end-reveal monster on the cover the previous week did not help) and what was done well (the sets and settings, the Daleks in the art deco era etc) compared to what was done poorly (the episode would maybe have made a superb one-parter with trimming) was not what Ms. Raynor saw. She probably wouldn't have minded that.

What she saw were childish, petulant, nasty and above all extremely personal attacks from small-minded idiots, and we see too much of that on the Net these days.

 

[Australis]

Okay. Helen Raynor wrote the Dalek In Spats eps. For that, she deserves some harsh criticism, as far as her wtriting's concerned. Personal attacks are unnexcessary and wrong, plain wrong. RTD also owns some blame for those eps by giving her that oputline to follow. Seriously, pigmen??

To be fair, her S4 ep was much better. I hope she doesn't take those personal; attacks, uh, personally, yuou know what I mean. A lot of Net posters, in any forum, are small minded nerds whom play the man, not the ball, and are lesser people for it.

 

[captcalhoun]

well, when my stuff gets published/filmed i'll still come on here and if anyone starts attacking me, i'll let rip at them...

 

[Csalem]

I finally finished this book yesterday morning and it was a great read.

There was a funny line in the script for The Stolen Earth that RTD put in but knew it was going to be cut. After Luke explains how they can contact the Doctor through all the phone lines the scene goes:
Captain Jack: Brilliant! Who's the kid?
Sarah Jane: That's my son!
Captain Jack: Captain Jack Harkness, nice to meet you.
Sarah Jane: And he's 14.

This had me in stitches. (And no I'm not some sicko)

 

[Starkers]

Always nice to know RTD can reign himself in on occasion.

 

[TedShatner10]

I do not trust the opinion of ignorant, high functioning autistic morons who STILL beat down on Helen Raynor after her more successful Sontaran two parter and her integral work as a script editor. And while Chris Chibnall certainly put the 'cunt' into such dreck like "Countrycide", I kinda of liked "42" and prefered it to "Tooth and Claw" or "The Unicorn and the Wasp".

And somebody online had the arrogance and audacity to assume Steven Moffat would forget about Season Three and Four completely, despite their universal popularity and success out in the real world.

 

[danjamesb]

Some shameless self-promotion:

I spoke to Russell and Benjamin about The Writer's Tale last week, and you can read the full interview on Unreality-SF.net now.

 

[Top41]

^Cool! That's sweet!

I really want to read this book. Does anyone know if it's available in the US?

 

[Brendan Moody]

I really want to read this book. Does anyone know if it's available in the US?

Not quite yet; the release date in the US is November 13, so it should start to be available here around then.

I've just finished reading an imported copy; it is, as everyone is saying, a fabulous and fascinating book.

 

[OmahaStar]

Some shameless self-promotion:

I spoke to Russell and Benjamin about The Writer's Tale last week, and you can read the full interview on Unreality-SF.net now.

Lucky bitch.

*jealous*

 

[Admiral_Young]

This is on my wish list for Christmas time...I'm holding out hope that my local library orders this though and gets it in so that I don't have to spend the fifty dollars Canadian its going to cost.

 

[Top41]

I really want to read this book. Does anyone know if it's available in the US?

Not quite yet; the release date in the US is November 13, so it should start to be available here around then.

I've just finished reading an imported copy; it is, as everyone is saying, a fabulous and fascinating book.

That's not too long to wait--thanks for the info! It sounds really good.

 

[Cutter John]

This is definately on my shopping list then. I've always wondered what made RTD tick.

I'm with you guys. I can only take OG in small doses with its bitching and sniping. (Part of the reason I usually do my best to be polite online). We have these people to thank for the production team having a slightly negative view of the fans, and why we have such a bad rep overall.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I've just got it from Amazon, it's currently half price.