True but he said himself that the Angels couldn't risk looking at each other and he makes sure they do by rigging the TARDIS to take everything except Sally and Larry. It's an awful lot of trouble to take for simple act of Self defence.


I agree

They were excellent episodes, two of the best in fact, but I wonder how much that has to do with RTD, as I read the original novel they were based on, and to be honest I thought it was bloomin' awful.

Nice idea, terribly done... The TV episodes were infinitely better, thankfully, which I suspect is thanks to RTD.

Well the thing is, there doesn't seem to be any other defense against them. Sometimes - at least in Doctor Who - genocide is the only option.

By the way - the idea that they feed on your unlived life has got to be one of the most nonsensical ones I've ever heard. They don't steal your future, they just move you. It's one of the things that makes me wonder if bringing them back was a great idea.

Well that, and the fact that with River Song there I'll be rooting for the Angels!

Maybe he was being compassionate as other wise they would have died with their 3 month "mayfly" lifecycle?

Now they get to live forever.

Doubtful. And I'd disagree with your assessment of the book, too. Paul Cornell is an excellent writer, I think-one of the best around at the moment. What did you think of his other script?

Well see I don't know ting I wouldn't be surprsied if RTD had gooten into it there are liitle moments taht are very him, for example the whole 'what do you do for him?' from John Smith, and Martha's 'only just met him but love him to bits' etc... obviously I havent read the books so cant make a fair comparison and will bow to greater knowledge on how the two stack up.

What about the idea that the Sun could be "Switched off"? Or only some planets having a north?

But the unlived lives thing I think it's not so much about the stolen future its about the energy of the days people "might" of had. The Doctor describes them as "creatures of the abstract" living off of "potential" energy which to me makes sense because you can't steal a future that from someone that they were never going to have anyway.

I'm looking forward to seeing River Song back too. Will there be answered questions or more mystery?

Up there as one of the best stories of Nu Who

Maybe 10 just really enjoyed ironic punishments?

Certainly in my top three of stories. Ten's acting was brilliant in it, quite heart wrenching.

Starts filming for HBO's Game of Thones in June where he plays Viserys Targaryen.

I don't see why its doubtful. I'd say it was doubtful that RTD didn't get involved with the script. I don't doubt for a second that he didn't change some of the more dubious aspects of the original novel. The Family of Blood, for example were far superior villains than the hunters in the original, and I'd bet my sweet old granny that RTD was responsible for them, along with the Fob Watch as opposed to a cricket ball (!!!???).

Doesn't he say in Writers Tale something along the lines of (forgive my misquote)... If people knew how involved he was in other scripts they'd be surprised? Other than Moffat, I think he had a huge hand in other scripts.

Father's day was good. I did enjoy it, but then I enjoy anything that's Doctor Who these days. My enjoyment is based entirely on how much my kids enjoy it, and seeing them so caught up in it, as I was when Tom Baker was The Doctor, makes the programme unmissable for me...

It probably was Tennant's finest hour as the Doctor. He really made you feel for John Smith when he realised he wasn't real and didn't want to die so the Doctor could come back.

It's a shame he didn't get more meat like this to play with during his tenure.

I think there was an excellent run in that series, Human Nature, Family of Blood, Blink and Utopia.

I'd agree, only I'd say the excellent run started with 42 and ended before Utopia.

The Shakespeare Code, Human Nature/Family of Blood, Blink, and the Master Trilogy are the stand out episodes for me although there are other good episodes i haven't mentioned there too.

It's documented in the Writer's Tale that RTD was responsible for a lot of Family of Blood.

Ah cheers, newbie. I wonder if anyone else thinks tehre was such a good run of episodes elsewhere in the series?

So, anything in the script that you actually liked was not by the original author but must have been by RTD, because that's the impression he gives in a book he's modestly written about himself. Right.

I can't actually understand that viewpoint. If I'm not enjoying something personally, I'm not influenced by someone else's enjoyment of it. Must be a parent thing.

As has been pointed out several times, The Writers Tale is NOT a book written by RTD about himself. It is a compilation of emails between RTD and Ben Cook over the course of the last couple of years.

Indeed, and such a shame it spectacularly all fell to pieces in the next two episodes.

It is a parent thing. When my kids sit entranced by Doctor Who it reminds me of the days when I was their age, entranced by Tom Baker. To see them enraptured by the screen is a joy to behold, and although I know I'd watch if they weren't there and I'd most certainly enjoy the experience, it is heightened immeasurably by sharing the experience with my children.

Doctor Who and The Simpsons are the only shows we watch as a family, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

On the other point, I don't for a moment attribute everything I like about the show to RTD. Paul Cornell is a great writer, and I envy his talent in that respect. I just made the point that I thought the programme was far superior to the novel, and I believe that was thanks to RTD's involvement.

The Writer's Tale wasn't by RTD, either. It was the publication of emails sent between him and that other bloke whose name escapes me. Maybe a bit self-indulgent, but also a great resource if you are an aspiring writer.

Yes a real pity, 1 episode where the Doctor was hardly in it or was some old midget! Very disappointing.

Agreed. I can recognise that Doctor Who isn't aimed at my age group but I got a real kick out of seeing my son a little nervous about the Daleks.

Didn't last though, he sniggered at the last lot


Regarding OP: Human Nature is a great story. I read it first and was really surprised when I heard they were going to make it into a TV double episode. As a story it has nice sci-fi elements, nice additions to Whovian continuity and nice reflections on English history. An example of Who at its best IMO.

As an additional bonus it also the half-human silliness of the movie that much more unlikely.

Isn't it? Doctor Who is aimed at all age groups.