As I said previously, I sort of see both sides of the argument on this one. I can well understand the whole 'Let's start it from scratch' philosophy that RTD applied to the New Series but I don't think a huge gap between Series isn't always a bad thing.
The TV Movie in '96 did the exact opposite of the New series and if you take the American setting out of the equation, it was a continuation of Classic Who some 7 years later, even though it didn't feel like it. It began with the previously seen Doctor and just took it very quickly towards a regeneration where a New Doctor could be introduced. I don't think that Movie would have worked so much if McCoy had played The Doctor all the way through or McGann had played it from the beginning straight off, but the important thing was that the link to the Classic Series was there.
With the New Series, there seemed to have been a severed link with both the Classic Series and even worse the TV Movie at first, almost as if none of it ever happened, despite a few throwaway references and the TARDIS etc. With or without McGann, I would have liked some better links quicker than we did. It wasn't until Dalek was transmitted that I felt I was really watching the same show and it was the first proper link with Classic Who.
I remember a review of 'Rose' on Aint It Cool News at the time complained that they missed a great opportunity to show visual references to previous Doctors when Rose visits Clive the conspiracy theorist. At the time as an old school fan I agreed with the review. But I tend to think differently now. I actually think they established things in the right order (though it could have worked just as well with McGann) that The Doctor is an ancient time traveller, but without introducing new viewers to the idea of him having had different faces until they show regeneration on screen. We have since been drip fed references to the classic series without it going over the heads of new fans.
It is sad we have the missing link with not seeing McGann regenerate, given the number of years between broadcast.
Like everyone else, I want to see a good story line (preferably with Daleks) but bringing Donna back would be the icing on the cake . At least give her memory back!
Things that would ruin it is
- The Master
- Cybermen (The last few episodes with them have been terrible)
- The Doctors enemies working together again
- River centered plot (she can make an appearance though)
I'd be the first to agree that the most recent cyberman episodes were rubbish but that doesent mean they cant make another really brilliant return. I'd Love to see the return of the original Mondas Cybermen that we saw in the classic series. I know the cybermen in series 6 were meant to be Mondasians but this was never confirmed onscreen, nor has the existence of cybermen in our universse been properly explained to new viewers. I DONT think this should be the Anniversary special (still holding out for an eighth Doctors regeneration episode for that) but I'd love to see an episode in the next series where both cyberraces could maybe meet and join forces, maybe bringing their different technologies together, allowing a victory of the daleks like redesign for the cybermen
I remember a review of 'Rose' on Aint It Cool News at the time complained that they missed a great opportunity to show visual references to previous Doctors when Rose visits Clive the conspiracy theorist. At the time as an old school fan I agreed with the review. But I tend to think differently now. I actually think they established things in the right order (though it could have worked just as well with McGann) that The Doctor is an ancient time traveller, but without introducing new viewers to the idea of him having had different faces until they show regeneration on screen. We have since been drip fed references to the classic series without it going over the heads of new fans.
It is sad we have the missing link with not seeing McGann regenerate, given the number of years between broadcast.
Yes, it was only an extra two years between Movie and New series than it was Movie and Classic Who. This was why I said gaps in TV Series are not a bad thing, they can be successful. I'm sure if McGann had come back into the role then the Movie would no doubt have been shown close to the first New series episode for people to catch up, so New viewers had a chance to acquaint themselves with the character and the effects wouldn't have been too dissimilar either for those who gripe about them in Classic Who.
Given that the McGann Doctor has made at least 4 appearances in New Who so far, I'd say that's not bad for an incarnation with only a single televised episode!
Comments
I remember a review of 'Rose' on Aint It Cool News at the time complained that they missed a great opportunity to show visual references to previous Doctors when Rose visits Clive the conspiracy theorist. At the time as an old school fan I agreed with the review. But I tend to think differently now. I actually think they established things in the right order (though it could have worked just as well with McGann) that The Doctor is an ancient time traveller, but without introducing new viewers to the idea of him having had different faces until they show regeneration on screen. We have since been drip fed references to the classic series without it going over the heads of new fans.
It is sad we have the missing link with not seeing McGann regenerate, given the number of years between broadcast.
I'd be the first to agree that the most recent cyberman episodes were rubbish but that doesent mean they cant make another really brilliant return. I'd Love to see the return of the original Mondas Cybermen that we saw in the classic series. I know the cybermen in series 6 were meant to be Mondasians but this was never confirmed onscreen, nor has the existence of cybermen in our universse been properly explained to new viewers. I DONT think this should be the Anniversary special (still holding out for an eighth Doctors regeneration episode for that) but I'd love to see an episode in the next series where both cyberraces could maybe meet and join forces, maybe bringing their different technologies together, allowing a victory of the daleks like redesign for the cybermen
Yes, it was only an extra two years between Movie and New series than it was Movie and Classic Who. This was why I said gaps in TV Series are not a bad thing, they can be successful. I'm sure if McGann had come back into the role then the Movie would no doubt have been shown close to the first New series episode for people to catch up, so New viewers had a chance to acquaint themselves with the character and the effects wouldn't have been too dissimilar either for those who gripe about them in Classic Who.