Because it didn't make sense.

I didn't let my kids watch DW when they were very young - it scared them too much. Just because it has OTT monsters/aliens doesn't mean its a children's programme. Even from The Unearthly Child there was an appeal to adults (I used to watch it with my Dad - we both liked sci-fi).

J R R Tolkien used to bemoan the fact that various critics thought The Lord of the Rings was a childrens book, when it was never intended to be. It was a book which adults and children could both read. The people who disliked it were people who didn't "get" fantasy. IMO it's the same with DW.

If the various celebrities who have denigrated DW don't like fantasy, then fine, but don't make the mistake of assuming realism is more suitable to adults, because that is not always the case You only have to look at the soaps to see that.

Do they think Beowulf is a children's book?

Anyway, basically, I don't care what anyone thinks (and I get some teasing from family about my DW obsession) I LOVE DOCTOR WHO and will continue to watch it until it gets cancelled or I draw my last breath, whichever comes first

That is ridiculous. Did they do that for Series 3's finale two parter? Jack didn't exactly get off lightly in that.

I'm not sure! Perhaps its because it was The Doctor doing the actual torturing in 'Dalek'?

It would be like watching Winnie the Pooh headbutt a Heffalump
Last edited by Eaglestriker : 09-09-2010 at 19:40

It really shouldn't make any difference who's doing it though.

And Winnie the Pooh would never ever do that!

That's the attitude we like!

I always enjoy your apples BTW.

This thread all of a sudden has turned really funny, Winnie butting a heffalump. Granny may I just say that I'd rather have the series cancelled first (long time in the future).

David Mitchell should read Winnie The Pooh because it's actually quite philosophical. The original drawings are also brilliant. When I watched the Green Death a while ago it had some very telling questions about how humans abuse their enviroment.

Have you read Grimms Fairy Tales? lol. Those would give an adult nightmares, let alone kids, but some consider them for children.

I agree with the OP, the show is a family show, meant for people of all ages. If it was just a kids show it'd be just on the CBBC along with the SJA.

The 1996 TV movie was given a 15 rating by the bbfc when they first saw it and required 1 minute 6 seconds of cuts to get it down to the BBC wanted 12 rating.

These days it's a 12 with the 1 minute 6 seconds restored, as the bbfc are more liberal now than they were in 1996.

This is totally off topic, but there's an interesting article about the making of the TVM here: http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/tvm.html

Apparently, Dr Who is a kids programme. Apparently, Mitchell writes comedy.

There does seem to be this trend of slagging off Doctor who at the moment which is interesting. At the end of the first series in 2005 the awards and plaudits and praise given to the cast and crew were plastered all over the media.It won Bafta's but I'm sure it wasn't for best children's show. It was cool again and even Michael Grade who killed the original series admitted he watched it with his children. So what happened?

I will admit that the last series is vastly different from the previous. They did say that is was going to be more Harry Potter and fantasy in the press before MS stepped out of the Tardis. There must be a reason why the BBC chose the direction it did, we may never know.

I might have a theory, could it be that Doctor who isn't cool anymore? I've heard Stephen Fry, Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Trevor eve and now David Mitchell starting the lay the boot in. Is the show in the Colin Baker years where its now fun to slag off.

What feels familiar about this backlash is it reminds me of the old days of doctor who when you were mocked for liking the show. you were a Nerd or a Geek. What these actors are saying is, if you're an adult and you like this show then there is something wrong with you.

I think its a very British thing to hate success and to pull down something that is doing well. We have loads of soap operas with mental storylines and unlikely senarios. why are they having a go those. I'm sure the budget from Eastenders could make another Elisabeth R or something.

Maybe they see Matt as less cool than David or Chris. Maybe it's the bow tie. The British press have always built things up just to knock them down. When there's no news they create their own to fill pages. There's plenty of real news out there but the lazy gutter press can't be bothered to do their job properly and report on that when they can get paid the same amount to scan a few webpages and use that as "reliable source" material whilst sat behind a desk scratching their arses.

Not a patch on Tales of the Unexpected's classy dancing nude.


For some reason, I can't hear Uncle Quentin's name these days without thinking of Ronmald Allen's portrayal in The Comic Strip Presents, which I'm sure would not please Enid Blyton...

Yes I remember Rock Follies and loved Tales of the Unexpected. Come to think of it the only show we were not allowed to see was Benny Hill (thank God).

I don't think its a new thing at all...al this bashing from a few celebrities....and in all fairness, not all of them are bashing it...for example the Sherlock team....those two actors are just commenting on how they don't like the stuff that goes with the show...not the show itself.....
You often here someone or another calling the show a kids show....its nothing new....

And the press just love picking up on it...because that is what the press love doing...bad and negative things is what sells newspapers.....

I can absolutely without doubt say that in my own mind that Doctor Who is indeed a childrens programme. Just to add to that, I for one will never ever grow up.... Keep making the show and I'll keep being a youngster

Is Doctor Who a children's programme?

Unquestionably yes, tho' equally without question, there's a fair few things in there that appeal to adults.

Especially adults who refuse to grow up.

Like me.

Regards,

Cypher

No its called an opinion different to your own, but then you've always had trouble with them.

David Mitchell wasn't knocking Who per se (in fact I know for a fact he's a huge fan of it, but that's by the by), what he specifically said is that in the old days, people had the confusing idea that science fiction on television was solely aimed at children and that people would watch shows like Doctor Who as kids, then quickly "grow out" of them (probably due to teenage desperation to be cool kicking in!) and stop watching them.
When they began starting familes their kids would start watching Doctor Who but they wouldn't be dragged into watching "that silly show from when I was a kid"

This is in contrast of the parents of today, who seem obsessed with making their children like every little stupid thing they did as kids, and if they're anything to do with hollywood, remaking or relaunching an old show, regardless of quality!

Thank goodness Doctor who is of a high standard so that the parents of today actually forced their kids to watch something decent for nostalgia reasons.

i place it under a very cheesy family show or fantasy rather than childrens.

Seems to be a fair old mix of opinions so far which interests me because I know some people like to clump us together as "obsessed fanatics" as if we're all of one mind. A quick glance at any of this forum's threads would tell them that's nonsense.
I'm proud to be a bit geeky but as far as Mitchell goes I think he's still a tad ashamed of it despite it being a large part of his tv persona. From what he said it would definitely appear as if he's a fan of Dr Who, he just doesn't like nuWho as much. He wants a grumpy old Doctor as apposed to a smiley one. There's plenty of fans on here who feel that way too and are vocal in those beliefs. Fry is also a self-confessed fan who enjoys tweeting every thought in his head. I think Fry and Mitchell were expressing their thoughts from a fan point of view and have had throwaway comments blown up by the press. Trevor Eve missed out on the Rassilon role and has a new show to promote so maybe that has something to do with his minor outburst.
If they have a gripe with the way the BBC is run I just wish they'd focused their comments more because now they've just come across as moaning about Who.
Comparing Dr Who screen time to other shows such as BBC flagship Eastenders, Strictly etc and other channels similar programmes, Dr Who is hardly on screen at all. Yes, we get repeats on BBC3 but so does Eastenders etc and how many 'Waking the Dead' type dramas are there now? There's a plethora of merchandising for x factor type shows that dominate the media also.
All in all, Dr Who is certainly not "the problem with today's television". It's a show that we should be (and are) proud of.

David Mitchell is terrific both in Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb... but now he pops up anywhere and everywhere and I can't help thinking that on occasion he expects his opinion be treated with more gravitas than that of any other person. Perhaps, like Facepalmer says, he does want to shake off that geeky persona and be that little bit more edgy and I am being completely unfair in my assessment.

I seem to remember reading something whereby Sydney Newman wanted the series Doctor Who (not the person) to fulfill two roles. One was primarily as family entertainment, and the other was as historical education. Indeed, the good Doctor and his companions did travel to key parts of Earth history like the time of the Aztecs, Romans and the Crusades....very violent times indeed.

Dr Who is a Family Drama. Not just my opinion but the opinion of the TV Choice Awards and who are we to argue? lol

Dr Who won the award for "Best Family Drama" the other night. Congratulations to them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/ne...t_Family_Drama

Interesting in itself that the press are picking up on that at this time. Why is the slagging off suddenly happening now? It seems to me that there is a relevance in its timing