I just think the guy doesn't do himself any favours with some of the interviews he has given of late. Hire a bloody publicist. I don't know the bloke personally so can't say what he is really like, so he could be quite modest, shy and retiring (ok I take those last two back) but in the interviews he does come across as rather smug and arrogant, especially when making those remarks about the Cybermen and the Daleks.

Fair point and I do agree - I only mentioned it as a worst case scenario to counter the 'praise' aspect of winning awards

and I hope that Doctor Who continues to win awards. be interesting to see the results of the Hugos when they are announced. of course I would like GitF to win, not because RTD didn't write it, more for the fact I really enjoyed the story over the other contenders. If RTD wins, irrespective of my feelings regarding his writing style I would still be the first to congratulate him as at the end of the day AoG/Doomsday must have appealed more to the panel. no accounting for taste though.
Last edited by Black Guardian : 30-03-2007 at 12:37

Personally while I thought GitF was a good story the sci-fi aspect was a bit weak , AoG was better sci-fi but the story was hampered by the weak ending - I'd say AoG on it's own should win but by 'attaching' Doomsday it shouldn't if that makes any sense.

just give it to Tracy Ann Oberman who was the best thing in it..a woman after my own heart!

Nahhh I'd give it to Freema - she played 'wooden' better than Pinocchio ever managed !

a chip off the old block eh?! was that a collective groan I hear.

A 'joke' too far


Sometimes it's better to simple leave on a high note rather than try to over extend

perhaps I have been taking my lead from someone else in that dept....

And an excellent tutor he must be

I have tried out a few of the fart gags but so far not even raised a titter. must be my delivery or I keep using the same joke over and over again
Last edited by Black Guardian : 30-03-2007 at 13:04

Well, I'm plumping for School Reunion, it had a different scenario, "what happens when the doctor leaves a companion behind"

It's all about timing - too much too soon and it loses all impact , not enough and people get bored and go away . Not easy to get right but even more difficult to keep getting it right


I wouldn't complain if it won - of the three options probably the best 'balance'

Sorry, you've lost me now. Are you talking about jokes or farts?

Both !

there is also the school of thought of quitting whilst you are ahead or always leave your audience wanting more...

I see. That's interesting. The show was losing viewers dramatically through out and was critically panned. In it's actually very good third season it found its feet and really showed how good it could get. It even got some reviewers saying it was getting good. Then - in season 4 - they threw out the good they'd done and gave the ever shrinking audience nothing but televised fanwank - the 'let's explain everything any fan has ever idly wondered about' season.

IIRC the ratings had actually made minor improvements in season three (not much - but encouraging). So letting the fans dictate things in season four was not exactly a smart move - and not very entertaining for anyone wanting something new rather than extreme navel gazing.


You read his words just fine - but ignored their most obvious meaning in favour of something that they didn't support.

Possibly the Richard and Judy interview will have clarified things? The one where he pointed out that he identifies with the fans online and had a go at the 200 out of ten thousand (obviously not literally) who are negative. It might just be me - but I'd say that rather proves the point that I was making. Though I'm fairly certain someone from the six (or is it seven? ) will spin his words to make it sound otherwise.


Putting to one side the fact that Aliens of London/World War III clearly is seen as excellent TV by a lot of people. (One question from my students in the end of term Doctor Who session I ran yesterday - and boy was there a lot of enthusiasm from the 40 odd 11 - 18 year olds who came along, not to mention a few unattached teachers and learning assistants, for the new series - was to ask if the Slitheen were coming back this year. The proposal was enthusiastically received by just about everyone there.) There are three things to note about City of Death:

1) The AI scores were calculated differently back then - making direct comparisons impossible. I'm not even sure of the methods then used or how the scoring worked.

2) The story was broadcast during a period when the only TV was BBC One or BBC Two (which tended to broadcast something dull opposite Doctor Who). ITV was off air. Thus exceptionally high viewers and, most importantly, inevitably a fair number of viewers who were watching by default and wouldn't have rated a programme they normally don't like all that highly.

3) The story came in for a lot of stick from both fans and the viewer panel (as the BBC used back then) - mainly for its humour. For us now - who look at it and see how good it was - that is hard to take I know. But then you only have to recall that Hitchhikers was slagged off in many quarters to begin with.

And - you know - it is the truth that we can't say what the future response to a story will be. Will some current Who stories fall from grace like some of the old series stories did? Will stories that come bottom of fan polls now (L&M, Fear Her, Boom Town - all except the second of which I love) be reassessed as Deadly Assassin, City of Death (hell - much of the Williams era) have been? Who knows.

But we can say how things are being received right now - and the truth is - very well indeed. We put faith in AI scores not for their ability to predict posterity (they can't) but for catching the mood right now - whether an audience sits back after a showing and says - 'that were reet good'.

There now - if nothing else I'll have surprised Black Guardian by coming back.

surprise me? don't flatter yourself Thete. your reaction/response in wanting to have the last word is predictable as ever and trying to support it using your pupils is crass..because they like it then we all should or is it we just don't get it in your opinion?

I can't comment on the interview RTD gave on Richard and Judy as I deliberately didn't watch it. No doubt he was his usual genius self..in your opinion (not forgetting your pupils) as well.

If you go back and read a number of RTD's interviews one thing he is consistent in, of course in his genius way, is contradicting himself so how can one trust what he says one week isn't going to change the next. Talk about the blind leading the blind.

Also seen as a pile of crap by a lot of people.

Where is this school? Raxacoricofallapatorius?

Having the last word? So - if I stop taking part I'm 'running away' - but if I do make a post, in response to another post (just how forums work) - I'm just wanting to have the last word? Which is it BG - 'cos I can't be always running away AND having the last word...!

As for being 'crass' in using my pupils - all I was doing, as you well know, was pointing out that the Slitheen and their debut do have their fans. I didn't say anything about everyone having to like it because they do - that (as is thr case with so much that you post on these forums) is entirely in your imagination.


Ah - so that's how you deal with evidence that contradicts your preformed opinions. Sadly I'm not surprised.

Thank you for your intelligent contribution. It truly was worth the time it took you to type.

I think you will find it is RTD that contradicts himself. according to you I am consistent in my 'alleged' hatred of RTD..make your mind up Thete or are you back to you old tricks of twisting things to suit yourself.

you evidently think you are in the right and if that makes you feel better then so be it. I can live with what I think and feel about the programme and RTD's contribution as an Exec Producer (which I have praised him often enough) and my criticism of him as a writer.
Last edited by Black Guardian : 31-03-2007 at 17:16

Well done! That's more like it. Bit of humour.