On The Sofa (5)

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@scaryb @Purofilion

(and it is a species of troll) –  )

I think “thundering bellend” pretty much covers it.

[Rob @rob]

@pedant

Broadsword to Danny Boy monumental bellend at angels one five

So much better than bandit 😉

[Anonymous @]

@bluesqueakpip @devilishrobby

If you’re having withdrawal symptoms from Doctor Who:2048 or if you’re feeling masochistic, there’s a new version out…

Benedict Cumberbatch vs Otters 😀 ( surely it should be the 12th Doctor vs Otters ? )

 

@pedant

I think “thundering bellend” pretty much covers it.

Couldn’t have put it better myself and thanks as it’s just reminded me I need to research ‘Blossom-end Rot’ for my pests & diseases module.

[JimTheFish @jimthefish Time Lord]

Just to echo to @phaseshift that glad to hear your brother is on the mend.

[janetteB @janetteb]

Hi @danmartinuk I am another refugee from your blog. I read it every week still and recommend the (increasingly scarce) positive posts for at least the first few pages before the overwhelmingly negativity defeats me. I feel really bad about not posting my own comments though. I am constantly reminded by my SO that I should not let the trolls have the final say but time and tolerence are limited. Anyway do, do keep up with the blogs and I promise to make a greater effort next season to ignore the trolls and just post. The trolls may make the most noise but they are not representative of the general readership. But Dan I must dispute your views re’ Danny… Please jump into the discussion on the Death in Heaven thread..

Cheers

Janette

 

 

[BadWulf @badwulf]

Yay! I’ve finally watched the original <i>The Daleks</i> story! Only 51 years late!

I can really see why it made an impact on beople back in 1963, and why Dalekmania became such a phenomenon – the design of the Daleks themselves, and the Dalek city, and really the rest of Skaro (particularly the petrified forest and the swamp) came together to create a suitably post-apocalyptic alien world.

The only downpoints were, at 7 episodes long, some of the episodes are padded, and the Thals were a bit pathetic – partly:
1) They seemed to be very easy to convince out of their pacifism
2) Their gender politics was a trifle unenlightened (“I say Barbara, you see to the food while the rest of us chaps go and stand guard”)
Also, they seemed to come from the RADA accented group of nuclear-holocaust survivors.

@fatmaninabox @phileasf @drben @alex And anyone else who’s interested in the scores, I’ve given it a 4 on the ratings spreadsheet. This has boosted my average Dalek episode rating, but reduced the overall Dalek episode rating. Mind you, every one else who’s scored it has rated it 4 as well, so I’m not particularly out of line with popular opinion!

[PaperMoon @papermoon]

@purofilion – I’m originally from the Brisbane area, Redcliffe actually, though I no longer live in Oz.

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@phaseshift     Sorry to hear you’ve had a stressful time; I’m glad your brother is getting better. I hope it’s all behind him and you now!

@purofilion   I have recently discovered that Rachel Tallalay teaches in the theatre program at the University of British Columbia, here in Vancouver. There was a story about her in the local media just before the finale ran. She talked about using DW episodes as study materials for her directing classes.  🙂

@fatmaninabox    Are internet trolls included in the “pests and diseases” section of your textbook?

[Anonymous @]

@papermoon ah haa. Redcliffe. yes, I know it well. It’s quite amazing to visit now -lots of water features, new parks. Millions have been spent. With this heat, I wish I lived somewhere else. Somewhere cheap would be good.

@arbutus indeed?  How xciting/ I often  think these directors don’t necessarily ‘teach and work’* as it were. But there she is. I might visit the site.

*rather stupid expression:  but you get what I mean.

@badwulf yes, I agree re The Thals. The accents; the gender roles and it IS  over long.

Kindest, puro

[WhovianLookingForTheDoctor @whovianlookingforthedoctor]

New member. Yay!

Anywho... Ya know that number they gave us for the Doctor? Well, I called it and then after I hung up, my phone acted REALLY weird. It froze up, then apeared to restart. Craziest thing ever.

So a while back, before I had seen Emperor of the Daleks, I believe right after I had watched the one with Van Statten and the Dalek, I had this nightmare… or something. I was in a building with Rose, and a bunch of other people. We were attempting to stop the Daleks from taking over the world. We heard Daleks coming down one hallway, so we went down another. We got to the doors and they had been locked so someone sonic’d them open and we ran out into the parking lot. There was this energy dome thing all around and the sky was kind of gray. Stormy, sorta, except it wasn’t raining, thundering or lightning. we tried to get in a van, but something electrical field looking started to show, so we didn’t. it happened to every car we tried to get in. The Daleks we saw were different colors, and the Emperor was there, but in a huge Dalek form, instead of the ship. I remember feeling hopeless, and walking a lot. I woke up, and wanted to know what happened.

A few weeks ago, I walked into my kitchen and looked at a ceratin area. Then I looked away for a split second, and I had forgotten why I went in there. I asked my Dad about it, and he couldn’t remember either.

There’s my first entry.

[PaperMoon @papermoon]

@purofilion – millions weren’t being spent when I lived there, lol.

@badwulf – I watched The Daleks recently too. I noticed that Ian is the one who seems to take charge rather than the Doctor. The early seasons of Doctor Who often went on for 5 or episodes, in season 3 The Dalek’s Master Plan is 12 episodes long, but some of the episodes are still missing.

[janetteB @janetteb]

@papermoon I just watched Dalek Invasion of Earth and Ian and Barbara respectively both do at least as much as the Doctor. I think the trolls who complain that the series is too focussed on the companion now either forget, ignore or are ignorant of the old series. (actually probably the later and of the new series too) And BtW welcome to the forum. I have a feeling my aunt lived in Redcliffe. It sounds familiar. It is the only suburb of Brisbane I have ever heard of.

Cheers

Janette

 

[Anonymous @]

welcome above to you! Sorry too long a name for me!  great entry: your dream reminds me a little of an American drama I saw once called Under the Dome. As for going places and not knowing why:  that happened when I turned 40. Frequently, I forget why I’ve done something, people I’ve called and lists I’ve written. I need a memory upgrade.

[Whisht @whisht]

I know I’m late, but also just wanted to say I’m glad your brother’s getting better @phaseshift

[Apopheniac @apopheniac]

Hello @whovianlookingforthedoctor and welcome

I woke up, and wanted to know what happened.

That’s a wonderful sentiment about a dream.

Hello @papermoon and @purofilion

I have friends in River Downs, outside of Brisbane.  Do you know it?  It’s fantastic to see people congregating here from so many places around the globe.

Hello @badwulf

I watched The Daleks a few months ago.  Your post reminded me of things that I thought about it, too.

Their gender politics was a trifle unenlightened

Well, it was of its time and I like watching old movies / old TV shows to get that ‘capsule’ feeling – like opening a time capsule to see what people were thinking and how they behaved long ago.

Late last night, I watched The Tenth Planet (so now I have three First Doctor stories under my belt so to speak, having also seen An Unearthly Child).  It was interesting to see the Cybermen in their original outing (please someone correct me if that wasn’t the first Cyberman story), and compare them to what we’ve recently seen in Dark Water / Death in Heaven.  But watching stories out-of-order is confusing — I didn’t know enough about Ben & Polly or how they ended up with The Doctor to feel enough sympathy with them.  I probably need to visit the Tardis Data Core and read up.

[BadWulf @badwulf]

@apopheniac @purofilion – Re: attitudes to gender in very early Doctor Who

It definitely does place The Daleks in its specific era – it is very peculiar to me to see how Barbara seems to automatically defer to Ian, and how Ian sends his fellow teacher and  a female alien away when dealing with the dying mutant inside the travel machine, just because he thinks that feminine sensibilities might be squeamishly upset by the sight.

@papermoon @janetteb – Re: early companions vs later companions

Yes – I think that certain trollish criticisms of the latest companions do seem to be ignorant of the fact that the roles played by the companions have been many and varied during the run of the programme – there is no one single “correct” template of companion behaviour that must be followed formulaically.

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

Hi @danmartinuk

I feel enormously guilty for not commentating more on your blog, but I put in a pre-emptive note regarding my reasons. I’d like to send you a big thanks once again though, because it was through your blog that I actually re-engaged with other fans in a way that I’d backed away from for quite a while, finding certain elements of it bewildering in their negativity. I think your obvious enthusiasm was infectious and summoned the spirit of Who.

I think the back end of Series 5 to Christmas Carol was like one great after show party, a fun atmosphere with some marvellous posters. Thank you for introducing us.

I have a lot of sympathy for a lot of the writers on the G. I used to occasionally post ideas and comments to their Ideas forum and once, in a conversation about ATL participation BTL, pointed to you and Phelim O’Neil as good examples of proactive engagement. Knowledgeable, willing to have a joke, or talk through a point. Making reference to us in subsequent blogs. It did make it feel like a community. That has to be a two way arrangement though, and I fear that the new format of threading just encourages flame wars, those who like them, and a level of easy going “my opinion is sacrosanct” mind-wank that old format, where you had to work through the points people raised, didn’t. The people I found an escape from in those early days, seem to have found you.

I think the level of vitriol all writers seem to suffer over there now, whatever their subject, whatever their position, is pretty appalling. I can easily understand why some writers consider BTL a cess-pit, and why comedians can do entire routines based on things they read BTL.

I shall be back for the Christmas Special. I shall be in robust form. I shall be aided by a bevy (or three). No prisoners!! (and I follow @scaryb is her request to others to sprinkle a little bit of Christmas Magic/Gin over the proceedings).

@Purofilion – the collected works of Dan Martin (and you’ll see some familiar faces appear BTL over time). http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/series/doctor-who-episode-by-episode

[BadWulf @badwulf]

@apopheniac Late last night, I watched The Tenth Planet (so now I have three First Doctor stories under my belt so to speak, having also seen An Unearthly Child).  It was interesting to see the Cybermen in their original outing (please someone correct me if that wasn’t the first Cyberman story), and compare them to what we’ve recently seen in Dark Water / Death in Heaven.

I have still yet to watch The Tenth Planet – I probably have an unreasonable aversion to watching any of the incomplete stories. You are correct that it is the first Cyberman story.

The clips I have seen of it do make me feel that the Cybermen are creepier than in later stories – they really do look like cobbled together pieces of technology covering up what used to be a humanoid.

The first Cyberman story I ever saw was Earthshock, on its original broadcast (when I was 6), and that has really been the definitive version of them for me. The AG Cybermen have only seemed to  achieve a “scary” quality to me during the mass Cyber-conversion scene in The Age of Steel.  Since then they have felt like the equivalent of Star Wars stormtroopers – an armoured legion that exists just to be mown down at the climax of a story.

Partly I think this is the fault of the direction since then – like the brightly lit Silurians in Warriors of the Deep, Cybermen in full daylight stomping down the street look faintly ridiculous as opposed to threatening (to me at least).

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

Many thanks to all for the best wishes.

My Brother (and this is said in the fine tradition of a younger sibling) is a massive idiot. But he’s my massive idiot, and that makes him important. He also had children, which makes me a delighted uncle, able to wind him up something chronic by tempting them to the darkside of things he doesn’t necessarily approve of. Because every child needs a slightly insane Uncle or Aunt to give them irresponsible days out, don’t you find? 😀

I’m much relived he’s on the mend.

[BadWulf @badwulf]

Well – I’ve now just seen the Edge of Destruction two-parter, and I must say I was very impressed. Some memorable firsts:

• The TARDIS revealing that is is more than just a mode of transportation
• The Doctor’s speech being the first *really* Doctorish thing he has done
• The first “Inside the TARDIS” story

I really enjoyed it – the direction was really good, and the character development allows you to feel as if these people are now coming together to form a team, as opposed to being hostile and mutually antagonistic, or at least working to different agendas.

I rated it a 4 out of 5

[Bluesqueakpip @bluesqueakpip]

@phaseshift – yes, I’m glad your brother’s getting better too.

I thought it, but somehow forgot to post it.

[PhaseShift @phaseshift Time Lord]

@craig

Yes – Curse of Fenric. The clear winner in our choice for the FIRST SCOTTISH DOCTOR.

If you fancy kicking off tonight my DVD player is positively aching for some Who. Or we can leave it for a week and go then, although I think that may slide us into more Christmas Special preview territory.

@bluesqueakpip

Many thanks. Just saw your comment on the Master Blog about you being busy, and if anyone can understand that at the moment… well, you know. Off to answer some points on there. Cheers.

[Craig @craig Emperor]

@phaseshift Feel free to power up that DVD player. Part 1 is now up for discussion.

http://www.thedoctorwhoforum.com/forums/topic/the-curse-of-fenric-part-1/

[Whisht @whisht]

@danmartinuk – just to add my thoughts to many here; I’m for one really grateful that you run a fun blog on the Guardian that is unfortunately populated by commenters who probably don’t read what you’ve written.

And by that I mean the posters who don’t reference your post, but simply want to run into a bar and yell their ‘thoughts’ as loudly as possible (“worst ever… Moffat can’t write… Clara is terrible… blah blah blahhhh”).

And I have to hold my hand up and say that although I do read what you’ve written, I give up the BTL stuff due to it not having anything to do with either what you’ve written or what I’ve watched. And I’m hardly someone who’s drunk the kool-aid and has no reaction of ‘meh’, but I find the level of reaction here to be far more insightful and make me re-think what I’ve watched.

And at the very least have a laugh.

But I’ll try harder and see if I can inject something back over at the mothership.

But only if you include more music!

😉

[PaperMoon @papermoon]

<h2>@janetteB and @badwulf – for me, the companions are just as much a part of the story as the Doctor. I agree that there is no correct template for a companion, and I think this can be applied to the Doctor also, as he has never quite been the same person, while still recognizably the Doctor.  @ janetteB – you probably haven’t heard of Redcliffe as a suburb of Brisbane because it’s a city in it’s own right.</h2>
@ Apopheniac – I’ve not heard of the town you mention, but I no longer live in Australia. It’s great to be on a site where people from so many different places are welcome.

[Juniperfish @juniperfish]

@danmartinuk

Sorry you had a wobble and the commentators are getting you down on The Graun.

I think very fondly of the times we had on your blog – although I do spend my time here instead these days because we have  a collective spirit of enjoyment and a (fan) culture here.

The Guardian would have to consider changing the way it mods in order to change the culture I think.

Because we can, we have a modding policy (and some excellent mods) which just doesn’t tolerate bad behaviour and we have a collective commitment to keeping the space pleasant, which is about a sense of belonging, shared “ownership” and responsibility (although @craig does all the hard work behind the scenes).

I’ll make an effort to drop by your blog at Christmas – promise 🙂

 

[lisa @lisa]

@danmartin — I have seen your blog in the Guardian and have also previously made similar remarks
as you have regarding the comments. So I was just wondering about what you were thinking about
the new format that they were using? To me it is very much more like ‘tabloid’. So to me I
was wondering if that might in some way unintentionally contribute to the increase in ‘tabloid-ish’
commentaries? I don’t think this new format is a real improvement. It makes the content seems less
serious [if that’s the right word]? In a world filled with so much turbulence it seems wrong to
me to be taking current events less serious. But that’s just IMHO
Hope to hear from you about the DVD event!

[Mudlark @mudlark]

@danmartin  May I join with those who have already expressed appreciation of and thanks for your blog in the Guardian.  I always read it with interest, although I have never ventured to comment and, these days, seldom venture to continue BTL, for the all the reasons that others here have expressed.   The way you have been able to carry on with it in the face of so much trollish negativity is wholly admirable.

[Anonymous @]

@phaseshift  thank you for that recommendation. Indeed, what I have read so far, is absolutely fascinating. Others including @mudlark are using the acronym BTL, eer, sorry to look like a twit, but what is BTL? I’m sure it will come to me….?

@apopheniac  I don’t know River Downs! Could it be one of those new suburbs?

Bring on The Curse of Fenric!

Kindest, and thanks, purofilion

[Apopheniac @apopheniac]

Hello @purofilion

BTL = Bacon Tomato Lettuce.  On a soft bread roll, it’s the most excellent sandwich *, with a bit a chilli sauce.

* except for a mutton lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean, and the tomato is ripe and perky …

Kidding aside, BTL = Below The Line.  Where we unwashed leave our comments.  ATL = Above The Line, where people are inexplicably ** paid to write drivel to entice us unwashed to leave comments.

** Have you seen The Guardian lately?  Jessica Valenti is the most inexplicable ATL writer I’ve ever seen.  She must have some serious pictures of Alan Rusbridger in her file cabinet.

[Anonymous @]

Robotic Security Guards, that look like daleks.

 

Interesting article on gizmodo about a company designing robot security guards that look  like daleks.

 

http://gizmodo.com/this-company-is-making-robot-security-guards-that-look-1659238379

 

 

 

 

[Anonymous @]

@apopheniac  I see! yes, on a BTL roll I was with you but was still puzzling about this in relation to a newspaper in the UK or anywhere. I’m now proud to use this term in front of colleagues!

On another matter, where you discussed re-watching The Caretaker differently and you commented on how we see everything through our own experience: this is the real issue with the ‘don’t argue’ comments people make. Here, and on the sites belonging to newspapers and periodicals. One person, inexplicably to us, sees a definite character portrayal that ‘can’t be interpreted in any other way’.

If we do, then we’re open to all sorts of abuse and flaming. If only these people realised that opinions are brought about by simply being individuals; that without such individuality and separateness there would nothing on which to comment! No place for them to write their ARSE-ness, as it were. It’s flaming obvious really.

[Arbutus @arbutus]

@purofilion     I think part of the problem lies with the fact that these people really don’t understand how they come across to us. I had an exchange of views awhile back with someone who appeared very briefly on this site, where I told them that it wasn’t as much their opinion as their tone that people were objecting to. They were quite annoyed with me because they honestly didn’t believe that the written word carried a tone. I realized at that moment that this would never be resolved with this person, because they honestly didn’t understand exactly how they were giving offense.

@apopheniac     You win this week’s Arbutus Award for random use of Princess Bride quotations! Congratulations and enjoy, your shipment of ROUS’s should be arriving shortly.   🙂

[janetteB @janetteb]

@phaseshift. Glad your brother is on the mend.

@arbutus & @apopheniac I second that award. I worked out what BTL meant but every time I see it I hear Billy Crystal’s voice in my head.

Cheers

Janette

[stormintheheartofthesun @stormintheheartofthesun]

Hi all, new member here. Just thought I would introduce myself.

I first started watching Who about 2 years ago. 9 was my first Doctor. I was immediately hooked. I was completely fascinated by the character of the  Doctor. Here you had a hero who was really complex and layered and who faced some difficult situations. And I loved the added element of the companion and the dynamic between them and the Doctor.

I have read that many have fond memories watching Doctor Who as youngsters. Being a fan from across the pond I didn’t have that opportunity. When I was young my family and I would watch Star Trek:TNG. That was where my love of Sci-fi started, and my appreciation of a good fan community. So I was really excited to see that this show that I was completely in love with had so many other people that love it too.

I was really glad to find this community too. I love a good friendly debate and I love reading other people’s perspective on things. I really must commend this community on keeping the atmosphere so positive. I’m looking forward to the future of Who and reading all the possible bonkers theories as well. 😉

[darkanian @galasura]

Hi! I’m new to this site! I wanted to ask a question! in what episode of the modern series discover that it was the doctor to end the time war killing all?

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@darkanian

Dalek, I think, was the first where is was spelled out.

[darkanian @galasura]

no. in that episode only says that the war is over and they are all dead . 🙁 helpp

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

Nope – he said he killed them all

Dalek: [scared] Keep back!
The Doctor: [the Doctor confronts the Dalek] What for? What’re you going to do to me? Because if you can’t kill, then what are you good for… Dalek? What’s the point of you? You’re nothing! What are you doing here? What the hell are you here for?
Dalek: I am waiting for orders.
The Doctor: What does that mean?
Dalek: I am a soldier, I was bred to receive orders.
The Doctor: Well, you’re never going to get any. Not ever.
Dalek: I DEMAND ORDERS!
The Doctor: Well they’re never gonna *come*! Your race is dead! You all burned, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race, wiped out in one second.
Dalek: You lie!
The Doctor: I watched it happen. I *made* it happen!
Dalek: You destroyed us?
The Doctor: [the Doctor walks away from the Dalek] I had no other choice.
Dalek: And what of the Time Lords?
The Doctor: [pause] Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost.

[darkanian @galasura]

I am italian. Italian dialogue is different in that episode:( bad .. ty!!!!!!!

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

Interesting. What does the Italian dialogue say?

[darkanian @galasura]

oh no it is correct I checked now! I do not know why I had not heard that important dialogue. maybe I was in the bathroom xD tyyy

[Anonymous @]

@galasura @pedant no, you weren’t in the bathroom! . And for the record, the Italian dialogue is the same.  I speak it (badly, I grant, but thanks to a musical education I do a little). The subtitles are very accurate. Shame poor pedant had to type out the whole thing. Kindest, purofilion

[Anonymous @]

@galasura oops, apologies: I should have read the whole dialogue you had going!  Welcome to the Forum: we are generally very friendly (even me): perhaps you can go to the memories area and write about your own first memories of Dr Who and what you love about it; who your favourite dr from your childhood was etc..

Kindest and welcome, purofilion

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

Shame poor pedant had to type out the whole thing.

Ah – so you haven’t discovered the joy that is IMDB then? Copy & Paste ftw!

[Anonymous @]

@pedant no. Also, I don’t get internet slang. I’m always googling ftw or rofl; & what in perfidious hell is XD?

[IAmNotAFishIAmAFreeMan @pedant]

@purofilion

XD = grin so big it makes you cross-eyed

ftw = for the win (note the “Oswin” variant 🙂 )

rofl = rolling on the floor laughing

IMDB.com Internet Movie Database (which also covers telly). Handy source of C&Pable stuff.

HTH. 😉

[Anonymous @]

@pedant thank you for that. I had discovered IMBD a long time ago (great for when you and spouse are discussing: “now who was that guy in that movie with that other dude and the girl with the hair?”) and also knew a few odd slang terms like ROFL (from other people round-a-bout) but not XD, so thanks for this. I feel ever so knowled-gable and eddercated now.

[darkanian @galasura]

Helloooooooo it is here where I can ask questions about the story?  why  there are dalek in the second, third, fourth season ?? war time … and divine rose at the end of the first season .. I do not understand why there are still so many dalek

[BadWulf @badwulf]

@galasura (darkanian) Daleks are like cockroaches – if you’ve had an infestation, you can get rid of as many of them as you like, but some will always get away by hiding in the shadows.

The in-Whoniverse reason is: The Cult of Skaro (Sec, Thay, Caan and Clyde) were hiding in the Void, in a voidship that was also housing a Timelord prison containing millions of Daleks. When Caan escaped from 1930s New York, it managed to breach the timelock, and release Davros and the Dalek Empire, who then hid in the Medusa Cascade, stealing planets and creating the reality bomb. A few daleks escaped from the destruction of the Crucible, and used the Doctor to resurrect the New Paradigm Daleks. It is now unclear what happened, except that it seems likely that the New Paradigm Daleks collected up all the scattered Dalek remnants into the Parliament of the Daleks.

Suffice it to say: Dalek history is *complicated*

The real reason is: They are too iconic to destroy completely forever

[Author]

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