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@winston

Hope this works

 

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@davros Thanks for that. It was really helpful. It doesn’t sound like the Doctor Who I fell in love with. More…medieval fantasy? Maybe not, but…probably not for me.

But I can see how Chibnall might throw out the allusion to Lungbarrow to excite the punters.

In my eternal optimist mode, I hold out hope for the next episode

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@davros I meant to send the message above to you, not @nerys,  about Lungbarrow. Have been reading about it, and, why not? There is so much swirling around after only two episodes.

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@nerys I confess I had to look up Lungbarrow, but I see what you mean. Could Chibnall be throwing everything in? Including the kitchen sink?

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@galaxymage

Really like your idea of invoking Daedalus! Victorian engineer building tunnels under Liverpool and Daedalus constructing the Minotaur’s labyrinth. The parallel is striking, now you point it out. You never know, there might even turn out to be a place for Icarus as well…

 

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@brewski

Actually, as I think about it, I suppose that could be a resolution to Yaz’s story–i.e. the Doctor discovers her reality, while Yaz either goes off to explore the universe in her reality or returns to Earth (again, her reality), hopefully with the memories of her adventures with the Doctor intact.

However, in my reality, it is time for a cup of tea.

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@brewski

Yes, agree with everything you say. And it would be great if it works out.

But…how does one account for Yaz? If the Doctor is the real Doctor, is Yaz part of the alternate reality of the last three years? If the Doctor finds her reality, will Yaz have to disappear?

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@brewski

Now that is a bonkers theory. I like it!

I particularly like the idea that the Doctor is the real Doctor, but everything we have seen over the last three years has taken place in an alternate reality.  Back then, I always felt that the whole Timeless Children story was an invention of that unreliable narrator, the Master. In your bonkers theory could the Master have been an alternate Master?  Could the whole Timeless Children narrative have been taking place in an alternate reality? Could Gallifrey still be out there in a pocket universe?

Must watch both episodes again…

 

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Or knowingly?

 

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@bluesqueakpip

Your recent post led me back to your brilliant post  on Deus Ex Machina from…2014 (!) Have we been here for that long? No, longer! Which, in itself, is pretty fabulous.

You made the point in that earlier post that DEM could be used as a joke, even flirtatiously. But, if I read your recent post correctly, you imply that Chibnall is using it crudely, rather than jokingly.

Why not jokingly?

 

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Well, I thought that was pretty damn brilliant. Really enjoyed it. Finally, Jodie’s Doctor actually felt like a Doctor with authority.

I loved the premise of time running riot, and..I never thought I would say this…but Chibnall’s version of a Time War actually made more sense to me that Moffat’s version of a Time War. It was really about time. (No, that wasn’t intended to be a bad pun.)

I loved Swarm and Azure. Unrelentingly evil in a sort of Boris and Natasha kind of way.

Have to go, as the cat needs the daily insulin injection, but back later (tomorrow?) with more reflections.

 

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@craig There is a new post on the BBC spoilers page which I think should be moved to the actual Spoilers page.

 

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@whisht – so great to see you again! And so many others.

The Doctor. I know I have said this before, but Jodie Whittaker’s version still lacks authority. @mudlark made the same point above. I felt this has been her (or Chibnall’s) problem all along. And I point the finger at Chibnall because I have felt it was a conscious decision on his part to divest the Doctor of authority, to make her more…what?…I am still not sure what he was aiming for; perhaps it was a statement about us all being in control of our own destiny. If so, it might be a noble statement, but does it work in the context of the show? For me it doesn’t. Take it all the way back to Hartnell; his authority in The Aztecs was crucial. But he could equally be flawed (and often was)…in the context of being the authority figure. But with Chibnall, she has been divested of authority. For me, that robs the show of the ability to adequately and with subtlety convey the difference between right and wrong that Verity Lambert and Sidney Newman firmly established all those years ago.

Am I rambling? Probably. Am I nonetheless still looking forward to the next episode? Absolutely!

 

 

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OK, second viewing. So, there are 5 more episodes to go. Presumably, these will involve: 1) 19th century tunnels under Liverpool, 2) Diane from the Museum, 3) the Sontarans, 4) Claire and Weeping Angel, and 5) guy from Station Rose keeping watch on…stuff. They account for 5 separate stories, but are they separate? And are they going to be given an episode each? Or are they going to be woven into all of the subsequent episodes? I suspect the latter, even though each might get more air time in one particular episode. Finally, is there another character yet to be introduced? No idea. But one thing is pretty obvious it seems to me. This began, and will end, in Liverpool.

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Mrs Blenkinsop (internet wizard) found out how to watch it–which we did! (With ads, however, and I have not seen TV ads for maybe 20 years.) And they were as awful as they were 20 years ago.

Before my impressions, I have to say that all the comments I have read so far were outstandingly helpful in helping make sense of what was happening on screen. Because of all those comments  I was prepared for the “bitsy” structure.

Anyway, my impressions. The structure of the episode was pants, of course. I mean, really, there was no structure at all. And yet…I actually enjoyed watching it. It looked fabulous. Unlike the many embarrassing episodes before, it showed what you can do with a lot of money. And every character who was introduced gave me the impression that I would really like to see them again (as I know I will).

Do I have any completely insane theories? No. I am keeping an open mind about where this potpourri of random stuff is going to lead. But I am actually looking forward to seeing all of the characters again and finding out how it all fits together. And I have to say–this is the first time I have had that response since Chibnall took over the reigns.

But my final appreciation lies with everyone who has commented so far, for prepping me for the chaotic structure of the episode. Without you, my response would have been…”what the…?”

Is Dan actually the Master? Anything is possible, but…no, I don’t think so.

 

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@devilishrobby

Though maybe these comments need to go into another room called the room of wired and wacky theories

But that is precisely the mandate of this site: “Theories even more insane than what’s actually happening” And your comments fit the mandate splendidly!

Indeed that is what I have loved about all the comments on “Chapter One” so far. Dan as the Master?!

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@winston Your Halloween sounds great. The first year we arrived in Canada, on Halloween the very first arrival at our door was a tiny child, perhaps 14-15 months, but who could stand by herself, while here proud parents stood a few steps back. She had on this amazing costume, which was a huge round, white frilly dress, and a cap that was shaped like a candle. Mrs. Blenkinsop said: “You are gorgeous! Who are you dressed as?” And this tiny voice replied: “Cupcake”.

 

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@craig, Welcome back! Was starting to think you had been abducted and imprisoned by the Judoon. (Maybe you had, but managed to escape!)

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To all Canadian Whovians. I have discovered that season 13 is available on CTV SciFiChannel…if one knew how to access it…

Any and all advice would be wonderful.

 

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@devilishrobby Yes, you are probably right. It is, I believe, the first time in the show that it is revealed that there is another time traveller with similar technology. I don’t think it is until the end of Patrick Troughton’s run in “The War Games” that it is made clear that the Doctor is a Time Lord, and not until Pertwee that Gallifrey is mentioned. So, the meddling monk is really rather important in that sense. And as you say, it is important that when this other time traveller is first introduced, he is an opponent of the Doctor. And I particularly liked that the way the Doctor outwitted the Meddling Monk was to demonstrate the importance of having a time machine that is bigger on the inside!

 

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@devilishrobby The Time Meddler is a bit more whimsical than a story involving the Master. I tend to see it as different take on the whole question of whether time should be changed, which was first dealt with in The Aztecs. Good luck hunting on BritBox!

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@janetteb Tempting as it is, I just cannot break the habit of years when it comes to revealing plot details. I can only hope that there might be someone out there who sees a discussion taking place of a Hartnell-era story they have never seen, and whose interest is piqued enough to search it out.

For me, watching it again was like catching up with an old friend, and reinforced my belief that Hartnell was and remains my favourite Doctor.

 

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Have now watched parts 2 and 3 (out of 4) of The Time Meddler. This is a really enjoyable story. Part of the reason is that both Peter Butterworth (as the meddling monk) and William Hartnell (as the Doctor) had a background in comedy. So both of them could play their roles with a lightness of touch.

And the conclusion to the 3rd (penultimate) episode is wonderful, when the companions Vicki and Steven discover that…oh, obviously, I cannot reveal that…

So, what to do? Well…find it, watch it!

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Just finished the first episode (again)! So wonderful. At that point, Verity Lambert was in still in charge (and it shows), the writing was brilliant, the actors all worked, and Hartnell was was still at the top of his form. What a wonderful historical episode.

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Just finished watching (with Mrs Blenkinsop, of course) “Doctor Who and the Silurians”. What a great show. 1970 (I was 18) Mrs Blenkinsop would have been 15, so she came to the show a little later (I think at about 45, after we had been together for a while).

Why is it great? The Doctor is both a serious scientist and a paragon of humanity. Liz Shaw is (as a companion) also a serious scientist, and not the flighty girl that subsequent companions would become. An admission: Liz Shaw was probably my favourite companion, and might even help explain why I married Mrs Blenkinsop.

It is fascinating to compare it to the subsequent Silurian story with Matt Smith (also a personal favourite). The Matt Smith version retains a very similar tone (particularly the desire of humanity to destroy a perceived threat).

The other reason I find these two Silurian stories fascinating is that Chibnall wrote the later. And I loved it. Why did Chibnall fail to deliver (in my opinion) when he became show runner?

Anyway, to anyone who has never seen the 1970 Pertwee “Doctor Who and the Silurians” I heartily recommend it.

 

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Actually, yes, this looks potentially pretty good.

Of course, the Doctor is still just introducing herself,  or asking what is going on, rather than…exercising authority. But the trailer still looks exciting.

 

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It seems that JW has just finished filming Who.

Jodie Whittaker Wraps “Doctor Who” Filming

Also read over at the Radio Times that Chibnall is the sole writer for (almost) all of Season 13.

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-series-13-writer-directors-newsupdate/

 

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@winston Well, yes, of course JW is the real Doctor, just as T’nia Miller (from “Hell Bent”, who played the General on Gallifrey) would make an outstanding Doctor. But yes,  JW is obviously the real Doctor.

Ah, Bill Shatner…Today, he sent out a message calling for the protection of old growth forests in British Columbia. Who could not support him? But,…when Leonard Nimoy died, he couldn’t make it to the funeral, because…well, for some reason.

But at the end of the day…yes, there is something strangely loveable about him.

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@cathannabel My deepest commiserations. One Doctor quote that comes to mind–which I think of as relevant to all of us–is from “Vincent and the Doctor”:

The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things…and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant. And we definitely added to his pile of good things.

Take care.

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@devilishrobby Thanks for the link! Back on Hallowe’en–I wonder if there is a Halloween allusion? Anyway, it will be good to drink in some Who after a very long dry spell.

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Thanks for the info @devilishrobby. For something Chibnall describes as “epic and ambitious” it does seem like a rather minimalist advertising campaign, but who knows?

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@devilishrobby

Went looking, but found nothing. Is it on the BBC 1 Doctor Who site, or just randomly on BBC1?

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@thane16  I would love to watch “Foundation”, only to discover (via Mrs Blenkinsop’s internet skills) that we need a post-2018 LG TV to be compatible. (Our pre-2018 Australian LG TV does not cut it.)

As a response to this indignity, “pissed off” does not really capture my feelings adequately.

I know I am now a Canadian, but it would have been nice if I could have brought a little bit of pre-2018 Australia wth me.

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@nerys Yes, it was a pity about the lack of an in-person ceremony. Back in Australia, when Mrs Blenkinsop (originally Canadian) became an Australian citizen, her citizenship ceremony was both moving and rather wonderful. But when it came to be my turn, it was a Zoom event, which like all Zoom sessions, lacks the chemistry and emotional electricity that a live ceremony brings. Indeed, it had its bizarre side, as one of the pre-ceremony instructions was to have a sturdy pair of scissors on hand so that the authorities could see me cut up my permanent resident card when instructed to! If anything, the best moment emotionally had to wait until I received my statement of citizenship in the mail, at which point Mrs Blenkinsop was able to finally take a photo of the proud new Canadian.

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@jimthefish I’m sure you’re right (although I image his odds have shortened at those stupid betting firms). I like your idea of T’Nia Miller. In a sense, there are almost an embarrassment of riches when it comes to actors who could do justice to the role with the right writer. Whittaker could have, but…

I am particularly interested in how RTD is going to approach it the second time around, as the context of him taking on the role of showrunner is so very different this time.

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I’d say the odds of Olly Alexander as the next Doctor just shortened dramatically.

 

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Crikey! That is amazing news.

Where I am it is 9.17am, so I will probably wait a bit before raising a glass. But raising a glass is definitely on the cards.

A thought: should we expect the same RTD approach of yore or a different type of RTD approach?

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@winston I must report that tonight Mrs Blenkinsop made a salmon dish with a sauce that included…maple syrup! I just thought I should let you know.

I should also add that this evening we sat in the sunroom as the light faded and the sky had this lovely pinkish hue. It may be because we are close to the ocean, but the only place I have ever seen it quite like this is here in Canada.  And it is pretty wonderful.

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Thanks @winston, @janetteb, @dentarthurdent

@janetteb,  A prime minister who had won a beer drinking contest in Oxford. Let’s face it, they were the days. It wasn’t just beer and skittles, it was beer and leadership. Particularly compared to the current incumbent, who offers prayers and no leadership.

@dentarthurdent, Yes, I too get to retain my Australian citizenship, and who knows, if this wretched pandemic ever ends I might even be allowed to fly back for a visit.

@winston, I confess to still swilling Australian shiraz, and while I am open to wearing red plaid (pyjamas), I am afraid that poutine is, well, let’s just say…no.

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@winston Yes, voting! Loved your praying mantis election story. Not sure I have already told this story, but as an immigrant from Australia, living here for…eight years now, I had applied for citizenship ages ago, but Covid slowed everything down, and I only became a citizen about three weeks ago. Two weeks ago I found out that I could register to vote at one of the electoral offices so I jumped in my car, drove over, asked to be registered, flashed my driver’s licence, the computer verified me and, presto, I was registered. I was then asked if I would like to vote early since I was there, and did so. It all took about 5 minutes. I got back in my car feeling outrageously virtuous. And, reading about the chaos south of the border, decided that Canada has a pretty effective democratic system.

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@dentarthurdent Loved your 3am list of episodes! Am in complete agreement. (And I say that at 9am, fully charged up with caffeine.)

 

 

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@thane16, @janetteb, @nerys, @winston, @dentarthurdent

It suddenly occurred to me that, as we reflect on contemporary life, particularly our respective Covid lives, what we all have in common is that we are all part of the post-imperial Commonwealth. In other words, we all have British points of reference, and yet our identity is bound up with seeing ourselves as post-British, while always tethered in some respect.

I suspect that influences our love of, and response to, Doctor Who as well.

 

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Well, finally, in my part of western Canada, the govt has announced the introduction of a vaccine passport, necessitated by the havoc being wrought by the Delta variant and by those who resist vaccination. We are doing pretty well when it comes to folks happily getting vaccinated, with 75% of the eligible population (ie, over 12 years old) already fully vaccinated. But that will leaves 25% and there are 5 million people in the Province. I need a driver’s licence to drive a car, so I don’t see the problem with a passport to access stuff during a deadly pandemic. I attach a recent piece in a local paper. This guy has become my new hero.

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/pete-mcmartin-enough-is-enough-im-done-with-all-of-the-covid-19-skeptics

 

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@oochillyo

Declan, I can’t claim credit for creating it, of course. I only found it on the web. But I thought it was pretty cool.

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I am a few days late, but I thought the wonderful Una Stubbs, who recently died, deserved a tribute.

RIP.

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@dentarthurdent

“Some truly ‘terrible’ monsters from Old Who”

Respectfully, I totally disagree with you on that one. Of course, I was a youngster in the mid 1960s when I watched those shows, and they were perfect. Why? In part, precisely because of the lack of special effects, which meant you were always applying your imagination to what you were seeing. That element–the imagination that enhanced what you saw on the screen as you peeked from behind the sofa–is something I think has been lost in the era of marvellous special effects.

Who could not love the Slyther from “The Dalek invasion of Earth”…even when on a tea break.

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Was also reading that apparently Chibnall told the BBC when he signed up to be showrunner that the was only there for a three year stint. As I remarked to Mrs Blenkinsop, it turned out to be a three year stink.

Too harsh?

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The Radio Times has quoted a BBC statement: “We will announce plans for the new generation of Doctor Who in due course – watch this space!”

If true, that is good news.

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Even though I remain unconvinced that the BBC will commit to more Who, I still have this idea that Mackenzie Crook as showrunner and Toby Jones as the Doctor would be sort of wonderful.

 

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@jimthefish

Your speculation on possible scenarios for the future is fascinating. I would not rule out hiatus/cancellation though. Given the way the BBC has allowed the show to wither on the vine since the departure of Moffat, I begin to wonder if the suits at the BBC are even aware of the approaching 60th. Or if they are, I wonder if they care. I would not be at all surprised if there was some half-hearted “tribute” announcement followed by silence.

If it does continue, I suspect your theory about farming it out to a streaming service is highly likely. If that happens, the temptation to “internationalize” it in tone and approach might prove irresistible to the show’s new owners.

Of course, I hope I am wrong and that there is a full-throated celebratory announcement to the effect that the budget has been increased and the show will be back bigger and better than before with a genuinely exciting show-runner and new Doctor. But…does that really seem likely?

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