The beauty about DW is that if you can't fully engage with the current Doctor, companion, showrunner etc, there'll be another one along in a bit!

Everyone takes (and brings) something different to their support of DW. After all it would be boring if we all liked exactly the same things.

Hello

I'm not even sure a person's preference of a Doctor is relative to his skill as an actor. more time and placement.

The time you become aware of Dr Who, as an entertaining entity.

Some are quite set on the time and placement paradigm. They will destroy any Dr Who that vaguely resembles their fallen hero.

I'm more fluid- I like/love Matt Smith because of his kinetic energy

And the writing. The writing is magnificent.

It's also epic.

Writing in epic style is hard- extremely difficult.

It's funny how different people can have such opposite opinions. I'm completely the other way round!

I've got every episode of New Who (I'm certainly no hater of the previous 4 years), but I recently browsed through the lists of them and was surprised at how many bad episodes (in my opinion, of course!) there were. In fact, one of my biggest disappointments was how often I counted a great part one, followed by a dire part 2. Of course, in most of those cases, it related to the finales and we haven't seen a finale to this year yet, so I can't fully compare.

But there haven't been many times I've bothered re-watching most of the previous years episodes. I actually really loved Eccelston's year and have rewatched his quite a bit, but even though I loved Tennant, I've not watched many of his eps more than once or twice.

This year, however, I've been eager to watch every episode again immediately after viewing it. I've enjoyed every episode to date to varying degrees (Victory of the Daleks being the weakest so far, imo) and can't stop watching them. Matt Smith and Karen Gillan have had me fixed to the screen. Not simply due to each individual's performance, but because I really like the dynamic between them - far more than the dynamic between 9 or 10 and any of their companions (and that's not a knock to them. The only dynamic I didn't like was 10 and Rose; never worked for me).

Hear Hear!!!


And that is the great thing...and the reason why we can't generalise about why and who watches for what reason....just above, someone said Moff's stories are ambiguis, and RTD's are upfront...while for me its the opposite....


As long as this leads to interesting discussions instead of telling each other that you should or shouldn't be enjoying the new series.....alll is great!!!

This thread is mental!!!

and they say being a Doctor Who fan isn't stressfull

Actually for the first time, a thread that was about to go off the hooks...has turned very pleasent.....and it quite fun to talk in here!!

No, I don't think anyone's ever said that, in fact...

Isn't it fun when it's like that?!lol!


I agree, you should never, ever get stressed out about a TV show!!!!

2 episodes apparently...

I agree with you on the most part. I don't think we knew what to feel in the RTD era, they aren't simplistic, there are layers and layers. I mean, Rose's ending with the clone Doctor is an example. It appears to be happy, but is it? Even Billie was questioning if it was a happy ending or a tragic one in Confidential. Or Midnight where RTD plays with the idea of who is actually the monster in the story. Or the complexities of Joan, Martha, John Smith and the Doctor in Human Nature/Family of Blood. I mean, I think these are nuance stories.

On topic, I like Matt as the Doctor

Lets all take a deep breath!!! in and then out

that's better

Just for a bit of context....

Doctor Who Series 2 - What a disappointment

so basically some people were making some of the same comments at the same point during DT's first series...

I think the major problem here is too many changes at the same time.

A new Doctor is always traumatic - the actor is still trying to work out how to be still recognisably the Doctor whilst also being different from all the previous actors; the writers are still trying to work out how the new actor will play the Doctor and trying hard to resist the temptation to just write for the previous one; the audience is still mourning for the previous Doctor and will lapse into comparisons. It normally takes the second season until everyone feels comfortable with the new Doctor (including the actor himself) - which is why it is such a pity CE left so soon.

Normally there is some continuity to help the audience through - such as Rose with CE to DT. The companion themselves is going through the same confusion as the audience. In the classic series, the only time a companion (or more) didn't continue through a change of Doctor was Troughton to Pertwee, and even then we had the Bridgadier (whilst not a regular companion, he had appeared with Troughton twice so was familiar to the audience).

Apart from the reboots (the movie and RTD's first season), this is the first time we've had a new Doctor and a new companion at the same time.

Then we have a new TARDIS interior - the interior has changed over the years, but typically more subtly and again mid-Doctor so that the change wasn't so disconcerting.

And finally we have a new script editor - again, a change of script editor in the classic series often resulted in a change of style in the series. Early on in Tom Baker's time we had a season of very atmospheric "horror" style stories; later seasons emphasised the comedy (possibly too much). RTD put more emphasis into the relations; Moffett seems to be more sci-fi. RTD didn't really do story arcs - more dropped teasers to the finale into episodes; with Moffett you are getting a more definite plot line development throughout the series. Neither are right or wrong - those who didn't like RTD's style will probably prefer Moffett's and vice versa.

It is this sort change which ultimately keeps the show alive and fresh. However, having so many changes at the same time was probably not the best idea.

Matthew

Well, I don't know about that. The real miracle is that the show is as good as it is. New Dr, new companion, new showrunner, new titles, new music, new Tardis, etc. etc. and they can club together and produce something like The 11th Hour or Time of Angels.

The reality is there are no "major problems". A small number of people are finding it hard to adjust. Read the thread i linked from series 2, it's little different (actually I dare say it's more negative than this thread has been). The viewing figures are solid as a rock. The AI's remain consistently high. Those that can't adjust may eventually drift away but others will/have taken there place.

I loved the first 4 series of NuWho and I love classic who, been watching Who for far too long ( early 70's flares, big collars etc. ) I think for such a long running show it's been fairly consistent in having good interesting stories. I liked the last 3 episodes of series 5 not loved them, but I'll still be watching. Matt has to have time to grow into his role, if you've got him instantly great but some of us take a litte time to adjust bear with us. It always takes me a little time to get use to a new Doctor so I try not to make too many damaging statements. Amy might take a little longer though.

I was speaking relatively! Yes, agreed, that many people don't have a problem - however, for those that do, I suspect the major problem (for them) is the culture shock of so many changes at once.

Matthew

I must disagree, I think Chris had his Doctor laid down straight from "run." After all, there had been quite a gap, the writers and directors had a fresh start for a character.

Well, I can see why a complete clean break may work - however, I can also see that it can be a risky approach and how some may be turned off by so many changes at the same time.

Matthew

I just think it's change period. Some people deal with it better than others. Some are less able to move on from what went before. Again the reaction from some to series 2 is so close to being identical it's unreal!

Anyway, a bit more statistical trivia, there has been a large poll going on over on GB for a few weeks now asking people to vote for their favorite new series Doctor, results to date as follows:

9 - 21.57%
10 - 31.80%
11 - 46.63%

Now all we can take from that I think is that fandom have responded very favorably to MS as a whole. I personally think it's nice to see good support for all three as they have all been very good in my view.

I don't think we can know how this would pan out with the wider audience (the only poll I have seen was a yahoo one which was hacked by CB and DT fans!!!), but the consistent AI at least gives us an indication they at least aren't displeased, and it has been reported in media outlets that the response to MS has been very good.

This, seems to be calming down a bit now (thankfully, it grated on me the first week or two, was doing a lot of tongue biting).

Yes I saw that poll over there the other day! I was both surprised and very happy with the stats. It's a massive thumbs up for Matt from Whovians.

Absolutely agree with this. I think the one thing that was missing for me at the beginning of the season was there was no references to anything that happened before or any character who was there during Tennant's time. Don't get me wrong, that needed to happen if the show was going to start afresh but it just seemed the whole four or so years just hadn't happened at the beginning of this series(save the regeneration sequences, though even they were short). Taking into account also the fact the TARDIS, theme music and title sequence changed, plus a new companion and Doctor, it was a lot to take in but I'm over that now and enjoying it immensely!

You will find a very similar reaction about CE at the beginning of season 1 from those who remembered the classic series and started comparing CE with previous actors. Which is why (in answer to CD93) I think it a pity CE didn't do a second series; not so much because CE was still finding his feet but because many people, particularly fans of the classic series, were still getting used to CE as the Docotor. (I also think the crew as a whole were still finding their feet - a good example was the response to complaints that the trailers spoilt the cliff hanger in two parters by moving the trailers to after the credits after a cliff hanger).

You'll also find similar reactions in the media whenever a new doctor took over in the classic series (although not on internet forums obviously!)

Matthew

i liked CE with the smile and the ears, i liked DT snarling and grunting through gritted teeth, i like MS with the hands and the shouting and the hair. i'm just easily pleased i guess, i just love doctor who and long may it remain.