Watching Doctor Who

The question this week relates to the bad elements of Doctor Who series four. Which was your favorite baddie in series four? As I was making my usual list, which you will find below, I discovered an interesting fact. Humans were at least partially involved in the badness a couple of times in this series, and in one notable case, were the baddies. So, go ahead. Consult the list I’ve compiled for you and tell me which baddie you preferred from series four. (My apologies to the folks in Australia who are still watching the series. This will be spoilery.)

The Bad and the Ugly:
1. Miss Foster (and perhaps the Adipose)
2. The Pyrovile
3. The Humans from Ood Operations
4. Sontarans
5. The Soldiers from The Doctor’s Daughter (And specifically the leader of the Humans)
6. The Vespiform
7. Vashta Nerada
8. The mysterious Shadow that takes over Sky Silvestry
9. The Time Beetle
10. Davros & The Daleks

Once again this year, I’m choosing Steven Moffat’s new baddie. As if it’s not bad enough that he’s already made us afraid of statues and blinking, now he’s given us reason to look suspiciously at dust motes too. I choose the Vashta Nerada as my favorite baddies from series four. The whole concept was dead clever. I’m betting that we encounter them in some form or other in the future. Especially considering that Steven Moffat is soon to take over Head Writer duties.

Which did you choose?

Doctor Who, baddie, Vashta Nerada

I’m mixing things up a bit this week and bringing you the weekly question on Monday. Terribly shocking, I know. In keeping with last week’s question, this week I am wondering: Which is your least favorite Ninth Doctor episode? Think back. Remember series one of the new Doctor Who? Which episode did you enjoy the least? (As before please be polite and no bashing. Your least favorite may be someone else’s favorite. And that other person is probably me.) To assist you in jogging your memory, I have linked the episode listings below to my review of each. I’m helpful like that.

So, which will it be?

Back in the days of the Ninth Doctor…
1. Rose
2. The End of the World
3. The Unquiet Dead
4. Aliens of London
5. World War III
6. Dalek
7. The Long Game
8. Father’s Day
9. The Empty Child
10. The Doctor Dances
11. Boom Town
12. Bad Wolf
13. Parting of the Ways

I thought about this for a bit before deciding, even though there was an episode that I’ve never really liked. The thing is, even though I love the Tenth Doctor, I also adore the Ninth. I feel bad disliking even one of his limited number of episodes. In the end, though, I still like The Long Game the least. The reason why is probably Adam. He really annoys me to this day.

Which one did you choose?

Ninth Doctor, Doctor Who, Rose, The End of the World, The Unquiet Dead, Aliens of London, World War III, Dalek, The Long Game, Father’s Day, The Empty Child, The Doctor Dances, Boom Town, Bad Wolf, Parting of the Ways

I’ve just gone back over all of the questions I’ve done so far (yes…it took a while) and I’m surprised to discover that I haven’t yet asked this question. How is that possible? So I have decided to rectify the situation. Which is your Least favorite episode of Torchwood series one? Now, I must insist that you all play nice. Be polite. No swearing or bashing, as your least favorite may turn out to be someone else’s favorite. I’m merely interested to know which one you dislike the most, and why.

As is usual, I have included the list of episode titles below to help jog your memory.

Torchwood Series 1:
1. Everything Changes (Gwen has a run in with Torchwood. Also? There is pizza.)
2. Day One (The worst first day on the job ever.)
3. Ghost Machine (No really. Don’t push that button.)
4. Cyberwoman (Ianto? What’s that in the basement?)
5. Small Worlds (Of Fairies and Jack’s past.)
6. Countrycide (I looked into the fridge and the fridge looked into me.)
7. Greeks Bearing Gifts (Tosh has a close encounter.)
8. They Keep Killing Suzie (The title pretty much says it all.)
9. Random Shoes (The ghost that loved Gwen.)
10. Out Of Time (How would you survive if transported into the future?)
11. Combat (Fight Club…with Weevils.)
12. Captain Jack Harkness (Captain Jack or Captain James?)
13. End Of Days (The creature from beyond the rift…)

I have to admit that my least favorite series one Torchwood episode is Countrycide. I rather expect this has a great deal to do with my extreme dislike of horror films. This episode did have several important character plot points, but I just couldn’t deal with the gore.

So, which is your least favorite?

Torchwood

Mr. Moffat is in the front row. Second to right.

Hello there folks. It’s question time. This week I’m looking toward the future and I’m wondering: What do you think will occur in Doctor Who when Steven Moffat takes over as Head Writer? Just look at what he’s brought us already: Captain Jack Harkness, “Are you my Mummy?”, Dancing and bananas, Reinette, Clockwork Robots, Weeping Angels, Sally Sparrow, and the stuff from this series. (Is that vague enough, folks still stuck before the Steven Moffat series 4 two-parter?) What new ordinary things will we gain new phobias about? What strong new characters will appear? How many trips to the 51st Century will we take? Who will the Doctor meet in the past?

What do you think? As per usual, I will give you some ideas to get you started. Then you can wander off at will.

Possible Glimpses of the Moffat Future:

• The Doctor meets Elvis! (Before he’s famous, of course, and The Doctor’s sideburns inspire him.)
• Oh No! Chocolate is actually an alien plot to take over the Earth. Don’t eat it!
• It turns out that The Doctor is the real reason that Chaucer disappeared so mysteriously. Who knew?
• The Doppelganger episode. The Doctor meets David Tennant!
• The Doctor finds himself in an episode of the classic show. Perhaps the first part of An Unearthly Child? (Like DS9 did with the Tribble ep.)
• The TARDIS somehow manages to land in a SciFi convention and The Doctor is forced to try and blend in.
• Hey! There’s a planet populated by creatures made of jam. Can the Doctor manage to avoid licking anything?
• Attack of the Alien Space Ducks! (Ducks in Space!)
• Amelia Earhart was caught in some sort of spacio-temporal distortion. The Doctor encounters her in an entirely other place and time…flying a Chula warship.
• In the 51st Century, The Doctor encounters a nightclub that specializes in 1940s music and banana daiquiris. Of course he has to investigate.

Okay. Personally, I think that the Elvis thing is the best bet from my list above. If chocolate turns out to be an alien plot…well, let’s just say I’m doomed. I’d love the Doctor to meet Elvis onscreen. Can you imagine those two thwarting an alien plot together? Most amusing.

So, what do you think we will encounter in the Moffat era?

Steven Moffat

Before I start, I just wanted to say thanks for sticking with me while we have a few server problems here at 451 Press. I’m not sure how this impacts outside viewing, but it certainly makes it darn difficult to post. Meh.

Anyway, this week I’ve been pondering memories. I’ve been a Doctor Who fan for slightly longer than twenty-one years, if I’ve reckoned my dates correctly. In that time I’ve seen any number of Doctor Who episodes, both classic and new series. I’ve even seen K-9 and Company! So, my question for you this week is: What is your strongest Doctor Who-related memory? Is it an episode that had a particularly strong impact on you? Perhaps it was a regeneration sequence? Was it a favorite character leaving? This time I am granting you leave to completely wander off the path. Just so long as your memory is Doctor Who-related, that is. I’m including a few suggestions, as per usual, but only to get you into the right frame of mind.

Memories of Who:

• The Fourth Doctor falling off of the radio tower and regenerating.
• The First Doctor Leaving Susan behind.
• The very end of Doomsday.
• The introduction of the Weeping Angels.
• The sudden realization that Professor Yana is the Master.

My strongest memory of Doctor Who is two-fold, and both having to do with Earthshock. When Earthshock was first shown where I grew up, I was spending the night at a friend’s house. We were crouched in front of the television. The events taking place on the screen were getting a bit stressful. And…

The power went out. For miles around. I’ll bet that you could have heard us scream “No!” for miles around, too.

Then, when I eventually saw the whole episode, I distinctly remember the silent credits moving over Adric’s broken badge for Mathematical Excellence. Just thinking about it now gets me all choked up. Poor Adric. Dying to save the world. *sniffle*

So, what did you come up with?

Doctor Who, Earthshock, Adric

This week it has begun to get quite warm in the part of the world that is headed towards Summer at this time of year. Naturally, this led me to think about Christmas. (Or, am I the only one who is thinking about snow right now?) As such, my question for you all this week is: Which is your favorite Doctor Who Christmas special so far? There have only been three at this point, so at least your choices are limited. You can’t even wander off this time, sorry. To help you jog your memory, I have linked your three choices below.

The Specials So Far…

• Christmas 2005 - The Christmas Invasion
• Christmas 2006 - The Runaway Bride
• Christmas 2007 - Voyage of the Damned

By now you’re wondering which I’ve chosen, right? I know that I would be in your place. Even given that there were only three to choose from, this was a very difficult decision. I couldn’t choose Voyage of the Damned, as for all that I enjoyed the acting, it really made me depressed. Finally, I decided on The Christmas Invasion. For all that I loved The Doctor going a bit too far near the end of The Runaway Bride, The Christmas Invasion had a sword fighting Doctor and a cup of tea that helped to save the day. I love a good cup of tea, and this just furthers the whole idea of tea as the healer of all ills.

Which did you choose?

Doctor Who, The Christmas Invasion, The Runaway Bride, Voyage of the Damned

Rumours never seem to stop swirling about how much longer David Tennant will remain as the Doctor. Folks have been hounding the poor man with this question since before he even began the job! So now I asking you lot. How much longer do you think that David Tennant will play The Doctor? Heck, as far as I’m concerned he can stay forever. Series four of Doctor Who will be his third year in the job. What do you think? As per usual, I am including some suggested answers to help get you thinking about this topic.

The 10th Doctor for how much longer?

• David signed the contract in blood, didn’t you know? He’s to play the Doctor forever.
• He’ll mysteriously die at the end of this series. The filming of the supposed “Christmas Special” was a ruse.
• The Doctor will die in one of the gap year specials. Daleks will be blamed.
• He’ll die in the first episode of series 5, just when everyone is lulled into a false sense of complacency.
• He’ll make it halfway through series 5 and go on to appear at conventions.
• The Doctor will regenerate during a guest appearance on the Sarah Jane Adventures.
• The 2009 Christmas special will be a heartwarming tale of the Doctor regenerating in embarrassing circumstances.
• Who’s this “10th Doctor” you speak of? The 9th Doctor never left.

Personally, I think that the regeneration will occur partway through series five. Now, I hope that this doesn’t actually happen, as I am now dying to see a full series of Moffat-led Tennant episodes. I mean, seriously. How awesome would that be? I know I asked for 3.5 years, but…that was my minimum request. Yeah. I think he should wait until halfway through series 6.

Hey. I can dream. What is your take on this situation?

David Tennant, Doctor Who, 10th Doctor

This week there will be no new Doctor Who in the US or UK. No new Sarah Jane Adventures either for that matter. In the UK our show has been pre-empted by the Eurovision song contest, just like last year. I’m really not quite sure why there’s a gap in the US. This leads me to my question of the week: What will you be doing this week when you are normally Watching Doctor Who? Will you be working on knitting a really long scarf? Perhaps you will be listening to some Big Finish Audio Adventures? How about watching some of Christopher Eccleston’s other films? If you haven’t decided yet, I’ve included some suggestions below.

How will you pass the time?

• Spending time pondering Steven Moffat as the new Doctor Who Head Writer.
• Drowning my sorrows down at the pub.
• Putting the finishing touches on my time machine (so I can skip ahead to the following week.)
• Enjoying my vacation.
• Watching some old episodes to stave off the withdrawal symptoms.
• Keeping an eye on some local statues…just in case.
• Throwing a cocktail party with Banana Daquiris and plenty of nibbles.
• Shopping for replacement parts for my…er…shed.
• Running for my life, just like normal.
• Watching the Eurovision song contest.

Actually, I’m on vacation this week from my day job. Interesting that this should coincide with the Doctor Who gap week. *raises one eyebrow* Now that I don’t have to be in town to watch the episode, I can go away for a few days. I’m also planning on watching Revenger’s Tragedy which stars Christopher Eccleston…as soon as it arrives in the mail, that is.

What’s that about my garden shed? No. It’s perfectly ordinary. It just sits there holding tools. Honestly. Look! A zeppelin!

What do you have planned?

Doctor Who

You knew that it was coming. This week’s question is quite simply this: Which is your favorite Torchwood episode so far? Think back over the last two series of episodes. Which one did you enjoy the most? Once again, I’m not saying “which was best written or acted?” I just want to know which one you personally found most enjoyable. So, which will it be? As per usual, I have listed the episodes here to jog your memory. Series 2 even has the links to the Reaction Posts.

Torchwood Series 1:
1. Everything Changes
2. Day One
3. Ghost Machine
4. Cyberwoman
5. Small Worlds
6. Countrycide
7. Greeks Bearing Gifts
8. They Keep Killing Suzie
9. Random Shoes
10. Out Of Time
11. Combat
12. Captain Jack Harkness
13. End Of Days

Torchwood Series 2:
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
2. Sleeper
3. To The Last Man
4. Meat
5. Adam
6. Reset
7. Dead Man Walking
8. A Day In The Death
9. Something Borrowed
10. From Out of the Rain
11. Adrift
12. Fragments
13. Exit Wounds

I suppose that you want to know which one I’ve chosen. Well, I have to say I like Greeks Bearing Gifts and Something Borrowed, but my favorite episode of both series is still Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It’s a rollicking good time with moments for all of the characters. How can you go wrong with that? Plus…”Bloody Torchwood” and a Blowfish driving a convertible. Oh yeah…and Captain John.

So…which one did you choose?

Torchwood, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Well, now that Torchwood series two is over in both the US and the UK I bring you the inevitable question. Which episode of Torchwood series two did you enjoy the most? I’m not asking which episode you felt was best written or best acted, merely a value judgment based upon your enjoyment. Were you mad about one of the Martha episodes? Did you particularly enjoy our trip to the department of backstory? Did you most enjoy the sleeper awakening? What shall it be? I’ve linked the list of episodes below to the reaction posts for each episode, just in case you need to jog your memory.

Torchwood Series 2:
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
2. Sleeper
3. To The Last Man
4. Meat
5. Adam
6. Reset
7. Dead Man Walking
8. A Day In The Death
9. Something Borrowed
10. From Out of the Rain
11. Adrift
12. Fragments
13. Exit Wounds

After due consideration, I’ve decided that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was my favorite episode this time. It contained both action and mystery with a large dose of teamwork and foreshadowing. And really, it quite entertained me. A fish driving a sports car. Owen leaning out of the window to shoot at the fleeing vehicle. Jack returning just in time. Oh, and Captain John Hart. How can you go wrong with all that? My second favorite would have to be Something Borrowed. Not only was I vastly entertained by the whole thing, but it also contained one thing I adore in shows like these: our heroes dealing with the clueless general public. My friends call me The Earth Lobby for a reason. They had to retcon everyone for goodness sakes. Overall, I liked this series better than the last. It was a great deal more even.

Anyway, that’s my vote. Which did you choose?

Torchwood, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Something Borrowed

Okay, this one is for The Vig. It’s a follow-up to my question about which companion costume you’d choose. This week I’m wondering: Which of the Doctor’s outfits would you like to wear? There are ten Doctors to choose from, and some of them even have a few different outfits to choose from. So, what will you choose? Are you a fan of the tenth Doctor’s blue suit? Do you have a secret yen for celery on your lapel? Perhaps you prefer a cloak and a frilly shirt. Let me know. To help you jog your memory of our Doctor’s stylish choices I am including links below. (No chance of wandering off this time, sorry. Just stick with our ten versions if you please.)

Doctor…who? (I get that a lot…)

• The First Doctor
• The Second Doctor
• The Third Doctor
• The Fourth Doctor
• The Fifth Doctor
• The Sixth Doctor
• The Seventh Doctor
• The Eighth Doctor
• The Ninth Doctor
• The Tenth Doctor

I actually have a thing for waistcoats, so is it any great surprise that I have chosen the eighth Doctor’s outfit? Actually, I think I’d look quite nice in it, and not merely because I’d have to get it custom made to fit me. (I’m five feet tall, for those of you who don’t know.) Mind you, I’d have to learn how to tie a cravat, but that would be a small price to pay.

So. Who’s outfit did you chose?

8th Dr. Image: BBC

With premiere day on its way (closer for some countries than others), I was wondering what you all have planned for the big event. Or, to put it another way: What are you doing for the Premiere? Do you plan to watch it with your supper? Are you going to a huge party that also includes the media? Do you have to record the show, as you are stuck at work? If you are not sure, I’ve included my usual list of suggestions to help you. Feel free to wander off from the list as you like, however.

For the Doctor Who Premiere I’ll be…
1. Going to a big Gala party to which you are not invited, darling.
2. Hiding behind the sofa.
3. Watching with friends.
4. Bouncing up and down with barely contained glee.
5. Shutting off the phone and demanding complete silence from children/pets/spouse, etc.
6. Working on my plans to take over the BBC.
7. Working on my plans to take over the Universe.
8. Stuck at work. Oh the Humanity.

Actually, I work earlier on that day, but I should be home in time. And I’m sure that you’ve guessed that I’ll be bouncing with barely contained glee the entire day. I’m full of glee, now, even. Look how close that premiere is!

What about you?

Doctor Who Premiere

This week I pose you a question of costuming. Yes, costuming. Imagine, if you will, that you could obtain the costume of any of the Classic companions. I know that this could be a variety of things, as the companions got to change their clothing often, but bear with me. If you could have the costume of any of the Classic Doctor Who companions, whose costume would you choose? Would you dress like Tegan, in her air stewardess outfit? Do you prefer Turlough’s schoolboy look? Or would you rather skip all of this and dress up as K-9? What do you think? As usual I have included a few names to jog your memory. Feel free to wander off in blatant disregard of rule one.

We are travelers in time…

• Leela (It’s the warrior woman look.)
• Jamie McCrimmon (Have Kilt, Will Travel.)
• Sarah Jane Smith (The journalist who can hold her own.)
• Ace (I dig the jacket. Is that a Blue Peter badge?)
• Susan Foreman (Typical alien teen?)
• Perpugilliam Brown (Shorts and a top, mostly.)
• Ian Chesterton (Science teacher chic.)
• Adric (Don’t forget the Badge for Mathematical excellence.)
• Romana I (Long flowing white dress…)
• Liz Shaw (The well-dressed scientist.)

Not only do I have the name of the companion that I’ve chosen, but I also bring you a picture of the outfit. I want Romana 2’s pink version of The Doctor’s costume. So, if anyone out there knows where I might find that pink coat, please let me know. This is one of those times that makes me really wish that I could sew. (I even took a class. Sigh.)

Well, that’s my choice. Who did you choose?

costuming, Doctor Who, Leela, Jamie McCrimmon, Sarah Jane Smith, Ace, Susan Foreman, Perpugilliam Brown, Ian Chesterton, Adric, Romana, Liz Shaw

For today’s Tuesday Question, I’d like you to speculate a little. Why, do you think, are they really having that Doctor Who gap year? What could their reasoning be? Does everyone need a break? Do the other two shows need more room for a while? Is there a little kid on the set who has scared everyone off by wearing a gas mask and calling for his Mummy? What do you think? This time I encourage you to come up with the most outlandish reason that you can. As usual, I offer you a few suggestions to get you started.

Is the Gap really the Untempered Schism?

• David Tennant wanted to play Hamlet.
• Russell T. Davies wanted time for a brief nap. (Does he *ever* sleep?)
• Steven Moffat was too busy working on the script for Tintin to submit a Hugo-winning script that year.
• The TARDIS is stuck in the Vortex for repairs.
• The remaining Dalek is on strike.
• The Doctor got the flight a bit wrong.
• The Rift opened and swallowed up the BBC offices in Cardiff. It’ll take them a year to rebuild.
• I’m not sure, but I’ll bet a Slitheen is involved somehow.

Okay. I’m sure that you all know by now that I feel that they wouldn’t have bothered with a Gap Year if David didn’t have the yen to play Hamlet. For someone who loves the stage as much as he does, that’s quite a coup. Really, though, I think that Russell T. Davies is actually an alien that needs to make a trip back home to visit his mother. (For all we know, he could really be Time Lord. He seems to sleep about as often as one.) The only way that he could work this out was to put Doctor Who on hiatus. Yep. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

What do you think?

Tuesday Question, Doctor Who, gap year

I welcome you all to a new week with the news that I have my computer back. Yay! Hopefully I’ll get everything back on track here soon. In the meantime, here is the first question that I’ve asked in a couple of weeks. Think back, if you will, to Torchwood series one. Who is your favorite Torchwood series one Scriptwriter? Do you like Chris Chibnall’s many scripts? Perhaps you preferred Helen Raynor’s Ghost Machine? Which of the nine series one scriptwriters do you think did the best job with what they offered? As usual, I have a list for you to peruse.

The Torchwood Series One Script Team:
1) Russell T. Davies (Everything Changes)
2) Chris Chibnall (Day One, Cyberwoman, Countrycide, End Of Days)
3) Helen Raynor (Ghost Machine)
4) P. J. Hammond (Small Worlds)
5) Toby Whithouse (Greeks Bearing Gifts)
6) Paul Tomalin/Dan McCulloch (They Keep Killing Suzie)
7) Jaquetta May (Random Shoes)
Catherine Tregenna (Out of Time, Captain Jack Harkness)
9) Noel Clarke (Combat)

This was actually a really easy one for me. There were things I loved about several of the scripts, but I felt that Toby Whithouse’s Greeks Bearing Gifts was the best of the lot. If only Toby had done more scripts. Sigh. He managed to give all of the characters interesting screen time. That’s not easy in an ensemble show like this. We even learned new things about Jack. All in a Tosh-centric episode.

So…who is your pick?

Torchwood, Russell T. Davies, Chris Chibnall, Helen Raynor, P. J. Hammond, Toby Whithouse, Paul Tomalin, Dan McCulloch, Jaquetta May, Catherine Tregenna, Noel Clarke