Doctor Who Thread III: Reverse the Polarity of the Neutron Flow

[Weezer]

Of course it looks silly, it's a DW classic monster. Just be thankful it's better than Kroll...

[Dr. Simon]

Yes, it's armour, although I always got the impression for some reason that the ice warriors were a bit tortoise-like. At least they've given them fingers rather than stick with the Lego mini-fig hands.

[Sunken Valley]

Hi.

With Season 7 part 2 coming on the end of this month (at 7pm), DWM did a little feature on what would be coming. I will tell you what I know.

8 Episodes.
Writers: Moffat, Neil Cross (new writer and creator of Luther), Mark Gatiss, Steve Thompson and Neil Gaiman.
Details as follows:

Bells of Saint John (Moffat)
Our premier. An urban thriller re introducing Coleman's character and set in present day. Aims to make us scared of wi-fi and will star the Spoon-heads. However, it was implied that the Spoon-heads and the wi-fi monster are different creatures. A wi-fi monster...that's scary! Seriously, that is a monster for the New 10s if ever I've seen one. Guest Starring Celia Imrie.

Episode 7 (Neil Cross)
Set on an Alien Planet.

The Cold War (Gatiss)
The Ice Warriors return! On a Submarine no less.

Phantoms of the Hex (Cross)
A Gothic Horror Ghost Story. Guest Starring Jessica Raine.

Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (Thompson)
What do you think this is about? Guest Starring Ashley Waters. Also, a great battle takes place behind the scenes. Episode 10 is always the best or one of the best episodes of the season. But Thompson is the worst writer. Who will triumph?

Episode 11 (Gatiss)
This year's Doctor Lite. Set in Victorian England and starring Everyone's Favourite Trio of Detectives (Strax, Vastra and Jenny). Guest Starring Dame Diane Rigg and her real life daughter Rachel Stirling.

The Last Cyberman (Gaiman)
Guest Starring Warwick Davies Check out this article to get yourselves hyped up.

Finale (not real name) (Moffat)
Starring The Detective Trio, River Song () and

Spoiler

Show

Richard E Grant as Dr Simeon

Who is excited.

[Androgeus]

Who is excited.

Me

River Song ()

I do wish Moffat would learn how to have a finale with out River Song

[Thufir]

Bells of Saint John (Moffat)
Our premier. An urban thriller re introducing Coleman's character and set in present day. Aims to make us scared of wi-fi and will star the Spoon-heads. However, it was implied that the Spoon-heads and the wi-fi monster are different creatures. A wi-fi monster...that's scary! Seriously, that is a monster for the New 10s if ever I've seen one. Guest Starring Celia Imrie.

Wifi monster sounds more interesting and more Moffat than the Spoonheads. Could be good.

The Cold War (Gatiss)
The Ice Warriors return! On a Submarine no less.

I just love the title pun.

Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (Thompson)
What do you think this is about? Guest Starring Ashley Waters. Also, a great battle takes place behind the scenes. Episode 10 is always the best or one of the best episodes of the season. But Thompson is the worst writer. Who will triumph?

If this is done well it should be amazing.

Episode 11 (Gatiss)
This year's Doctor Lite. Set in Victorian England and starring Everyone's Favourite Trio of Detectives (Strax, Vastra and Jenny). Guest Starring Dame Diane Rigg and her real life daughter Rachel Stirling.

The Last Cyberman (Gaiman)
Guest Starring Warwick Davies Check out this article to get yourselves hyped up.

Almost certainly will be the best episode of the series.

Finale (not real name) (Moffat)
Starring The Detective Trio, River Song () and

Spoiler

Show

Richard E Grant as Dr Simeon

Oooh. Spoilered information there is interesting.

I'm excited.

I do wish Moffat would learn how to have a finale without River Song.

He's made her kind of a big deal, she's supposed to be around for a bunch of significant episodes of the Doctor's life (Which obviously is what the finales tend to be), so...

[Sunken Valley]

I do wish Moffat would learn how to have a finale with out River Song

There's still season 8, which will star both Smith and Coleman and be run by Moffat. Although it will probably be the last series, ending with a regeneration (Matt Smith's contract with Who ends in 2014 and his prospects look good as he is currently the star of a new film directed by Ryan Gosling (currently shooting))

Edit: Spoonheads sound like Moffat's "not the episode focus" monsters like the Tessalecta, Smilers, Sky Sharks and Wooden Monarchs.

[dps]

There's still season 8, which will star both Smith and Coleman and be run by Moffat. Although it will probably be the last series, ending with a regeneration (Matt Smith's contract with Who ends in 2014 and his prospects look good as he is currently the star of a new film directed by Ryan Gosling (currently shooting))

Even if Matt Smith leaves when his contract is up, why do you think that would be the end of the show itself?

[Hullabaloo]

Even if Matt Smith leaves when his contract is up, why do you think that would be the end of the show itself?

I believe in BBC/British speak Series = Season. For example we are currently in series 7 of New Who.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I believe in BBC/British speak Series = Season. For example we are currently in series 7 of New Who.

The wording in question was "probably be the last series".

But I suspect what was meant was "last series helmed by Moffat". Personally, I'd love to see Gatiss take the reins, although my super secret inner fanboy pick is Neil Gaiman for showrunner.

[Androgeus]

Even if Matt Smith leaves when his contract is up, why do you think that would be the end of the show itself?

I think he meant "his last series", and that with Matt Smith leaving Moffat would step down to let some one else to have a go.

For a new head writer I'd keep an eye on Toby Whithouse. This guess is not because I'm a massive fan of a show he helmed (Being Human).

[CelestialStick]

I think he meant "his last series", and that with Matt Smith leaving Moffat would step down to let some one else to have a go.

For a new head writer I'd keep an eye on Toby Whithouse. This guess is not because I'm a massive fan of a show he helmed (Being Human).

Is that the British version of "Being Human?"

[Androgeus]

Is that the British version of "Being Human?"

Indeed it is.

[CelestialStick]

Indeed it is.

The American version looks terrible, so I've never watched it. Is the British version any good?

Edit: I think posting twice in a row violates the rules, so I'm add this here:

So I've been listening to the Beatles a lot lately, and "I Am The Walrus" reminded me of another reason I love the Three Doctors:

The Third and Second Doctor trying to explain to Jo what's going on.
Third Doctor: He's not so much one of them as one of us. One of me, to be precise.
Second Doctor: Ohh no, no, no! I'm sorry, my dear. I hate to be contrary, but he seems to be confused, poor chap, and I do feel you should have the correct explanation. (to the Third Doctor) You don't mind, do you?
Third Doctor: Yes.
Second Doctor: I didn't think you would! (Ignores him and talks to Jo.) You see, Jo — I may call you Jo, mayn't I? — You see... he is one of me.
Jo: Oh, I see! You're both Time Lords!
Second Doctor: Quite! Well... not quite.

Third Doctor: It's really very simple, Jo. I am he, and he is me.
Jo: And we are all together, goo-goo-ga-choo?
Third Doctor: What?
Jo: It's a song by the Beatles.
Second Doctor: (Happily) Oh? How does it go? (He places his record to his lips).

Now this reminds me a a couple of little gems from The Three Doctors:

Second Doctor: Ah, I see you've been doing the TARDIS up a bit! I don't like it...

And when Benton first enters the Tardis:

Third Doctor: Well, Sergeant? Aren't you going to say that it's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside?
Benton: ... It's ... pretty obvious, isn't it?

[Dr. Simon]

And that is why the Second Doctor is one of my favourites!

[CelestialStick]

And that is why the Second Doctor is one of my favourites!

Mine too!

[Hullabaloo]

Did I miss an episode, or is there no explanation for the regeneration from the tenth to eleventh Doctor?

The last of the tenth Doctor is the Christmas (?) one with the guy that thinks he is the Doctor. And the first of the Eleventh is him telling Amelia Pond that he will be back in 5 min.

[Eldan]

You missed a season, basically. After Journey's End, the finale of season four, there were four hour-long or longer specials.

The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, Waters of Mars and the double episode The End of Time.

[Dienekes]

Did I miss an episode, or is there no explanation for the regeneration from the tenth to eleventh Doctor?

The last of the tenth Doctor is the Christmas (?) one with the guy that thinks he is the Doctor. And the first of the Eleventh is him telling Amelia Pond that he will be back in 5 min.

Yeah you missed a lot. And yet somehow, did not miss anything at all.

[Eldan]

I liked Waters of Mars. And End of Time wasn't that bad, apart from some terrible special effects.

[Dienekes]

I liked Waters of Mars. And End of Time wasn't that bad, apart from some terrible special effects.

I'll be honest, it's been so long I can barely remember Waters of Mars. But, I must disagree with End of Time not being that bad, it was pretty dire, that denouement man, it was just painfully dull.

[Sunken Valley]

I think he meant "his last series", and that with Matt Smith leaving Moffat would step down to let some one else to have a go.

For a new head writer I'd keep an eye on Toby Whithouse. This guess is not because I'm a massive fan of a show he helmed (Being Human).

Hey, at least you got what I meant.

I'd discount Whithouse, he's working on a new show called "The Game" about Cold War MI5 spies and their invisible war. He'll want to stick with that.

Practically I'd bet Gatiss although he'd be a terrible show runner. Gaiman would be cool but he'd never take it. He's too big to take it. Thompson is underqualified and Chibnall I can't see.Maybe Neil Cross?

[Hullabaloo]

You missed a season, basically. After Journey's End, the finale of season four, there were four hour-long or longer specials.

The Next Doctor, Planet of the Dead, Waters of Mars and the double episode The End of Time.

Thanks, figured I missed something. Some how Amazon Prime showed me The Next Doctor as the last of the season, Guess I might have to hunt for the other 3.

[Weezer]

Thanks, figured I missed something. Some how Amazon Prime showed me The Next Doctor as the last of the season, Guess I might have to hunt for the other 3.

Yeah, it was kind of odd what BBC ended up doing, they made a season of "specials", and a lot of places (Amazon and Netflix in particular) don't really make that particularly clear.

[Kosmopolite]

Waters of Mars and it's lead into The End of Time were pretty good in my opinion. The former is certainly worth a rewatch this month, as the Ice Warriors get their only NuWho reference.

I rather like the Sim!Master myself, as the cackling Ainley never made sense to me as a driven genius or Moriarty. Have an explicity insanity of the character made him align a lot more clearly as a character in my head. I also love the love-hate-sexual-tension he had with Tennants Doctor. Very movie Sherlock Holmes, in my opinion. I do agree that the pre-regeneration stuff was a big much, though - including the two main (and barely-acquainted) black characters getting married...

As for whether Smith is leaving - if and when he does, I think the Moff will do it out of the blue, like RTD seemed like he was going to do in "Journey's End". I think it'll just happen mid-ep and mid-season. I think that lines up better with the Moff's usual MO.

Next show runner? No idea. I'm not convinced that Moffat will leave with Smith, but if he does, I loved Being Human and still love Sherlock, so Whithouse or Gatiss would be my picks, too. Especially since the latter would make excellent one-off Moff eps near inevitable, and a coherence between seasons that the RTD-Moff handover didn't have...

Okay, I'll stop talking now. :D

[Friv]

I realize that I'm about to change the subject, and also that this may not be news to everyone, but I don't care.

I am reading a Doctor Who book written by Steven Baxter.

It is about the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe.

I am three pages in and Jamie is wearing the Doctor's slippers and it is adorable.

[CelestialStick]

I realize that I'm about to change the subject, and also that this may not be news to everyone, but I don't care.

I am reading a Doctor Who book written by Steven Baxter.

It is about the Second Doctor, Jamie and Zoe.

I am three pages in and Jamie is wearing the Doctor's slippers and it is adorable.

What's the name of the novel? Is it original or a novelization of a show?

[Androgeus]

What's the name of the novel? Is it original or a novelization of a show?

Doing some investigating I think it's called The Wheel of Ice and it is indeed an original story.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I'll be honest, it's been so long I can barely remember Waters of Mars. But, I must disagree with End of Time not being that bad, it was pretty dire, that denouement man, it was just painfully dull.

Honestly, the denoument was my favorite part. By giving closure to it all, it helped me be okay with the fact that Moffat wasn't really touching any of the RTD continuity. (I'd previously seen through all of Season 5 and then earlier Who, so I was annoyed at the soft reboot. Seeing RTD wrap it all up made me more satisfied.)

[Kosmopolite]

I actually liked the change in tone for 11. I felt RTD had taken it to its obvious conclusion (and a little beyond) with the whole Lonely God stuff. Now he's more of an adventurer again, and I like that. 11 seems more like 2 and 3 combined, while 10 was very... I dunno. I like Tennant, but I think he and RTD left at the right time for me. I love the current run.

Unrelated question: for those of you more au fait with classic Who than I, what are the better Ice Warrior stories. I was hoping to watch some to prepare for Season 7b, but I'm finding The Ice Warriors a little formulaic. Any thoughts?

Cheers in advance.

[Dr. Simon]

Unrelated question: for those of you more au fait with classic Who than I, what are the better Ice Warrior stories. I was hoping to watch some to prepare for Season 7b, but I'm finding The Ice Warriors a little formulaic. Any thoughts?

The only ones I recall are The Ice Warriors, Seeds of Death, Curse of Peladon and Monster of Peladon. To be honest, none of them are great, although Curse has a certain rough charm to it.