Well, when an episode is entitled Chapter 1, you know what you’re going to get. An episode in which we establish the characters, the setting and the problem.

My guess is (agree with you, @devilishrobby) that the problem is still the Doctor’s Memory Wiped Past and we are now in Act Three of that story. That’s why the Inciting Incident is…[Read more]

@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…[Read more]

@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!

@devilishrobby

What do I mean? Have you watched Elementary?  Sherlock Holmes it ain’t! More what I’d call a ‘spoof.’

If you enjoy it, fine there is always room for spoof TV.

@winston

They all regenerated in front of our eyes. If she is your Doctor, that’s fine. I am not that easily pleased unfortunately.

Missy

@devilishrobby Was ‘starting from scratch’ with JW and her all-new companions a mistake? I don’t know that it was, after all Eleven (Smith) started out with a brand-new Amy, and that worked fine. I must admit I found the change from Ten disconcerting at first, but within an episode I was hooked on the story.

@winston I think just one principal…[Read more]

@devilishrobby   With much better scripts and much stronger direction, Jodie might have been a more credible Doctor.   She’s reputed to be a good actress, but (IMO) that doesn’t really show up in Season 11.   An ancient alien from outer space? – nah, just not convincing.   Also, companions.   Too many of them, and they all have the same accent as…[Read more]

@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.

@devilishrobby

Re your post 72157:  that is the first time in many years that I have seen/heard anyone use the word nesh. In fact, I don’t think that I have ever known anyone other than my family use it. I’ve always assumed that it was northern English dialect, since my father’s family were from Lancashire/West Yorkshire, and my mothers from…[Read more]

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?

@devilishrobby

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

About a week ago I was theorising about the numbering of the Doctor’s regenerations and questioning whether Eight’s regen into the War Doctor, or Ten’s regen into 10.5, really counted.

Well, I was wrong.   They did count.   I jut watched The Time of the Doctor and about halfway through, the Doctor specifically says they did.   12 regen…[Read more]

Wow a couple of days of not checking and there is soo much to catch up on. 🙂 I had to make notes.

to start with I am references posts from prior to my last post. I think I was either rushed or tired then. so, to my notes,

@Dentarthurdent I fondly remember watching the old Sherlock series. I think Green Screen was either pioneered by the Star…[Read more]

@devilishrobby

Yes but…  (as they say)

The numbering you have given may be technically correct.    Though (as always among geeks) one could quibble.    Does the regen from McGann 8 to the War Doctor count, since it was considerably modified by the Sisterhood of Karn?

This raises the question of how the regenerations were kept track of.  …[Read more]

@devilishrobby

My comment to one of yours earlier:

I too think that having a female Doctor even when it kind of backfired, was a great idea. On one had it was just natural that the Doctor could be a woman (I think it was even often teased in the show and there even was a timelord which regenerate into a woman.). On the other hand, I think this…[Read more]

@devilishrobby   I expect your knowledge of the oldWho production staff is better than mine (which is virtually non-existent) so I’ll happily take your word that female production staff have been frequent.   What I don’t know (and regardless of gender) is whether it’s usual for the showrunner to double as head writer?    I just Googled and, appare…[Read more]

@devilishrobby —

I believe the Beeb’s centenary year is 2022, which is the year the specials and Jodie’s regen story are planned for with the 60th the year after. That would mean a new showrunner having to introduce a new Doctor (and presumably new companions) as well as marshalling through 60th celebration duties and that strikes me as…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent and @devilishrobby In Dalek Invasion of Earth, which we watched just last week the “robomen” were wearing a kind of metal band over their heads which controlled them. And even though it is only a week ago, I am not entirely certain but  I think they were basically “dead”, and not “recoverable”. Back in Old Who days human life was…[Read more]

@devilishrobby My youngest son recently gave me a long lecture on The Cartmell Plan. If only he was that dedicated to his study. He was researching Dr Who while I was researching the Spanish Civil War on his behalf. I got the impression from what son said that the Timeless Children concept might have evolved out of the Cartmell Plan but I was far…[Read more]

@devilishrobby   I should probably acquire a few more episodes of Seven.   I effectively stopped watching Who partway through Jon Pertwee’s stint  (following TV series in those days required real dedication, since asynchronous viewing was not possible).   So the only Sevens I’ve seen are the last three, Ghost Light, Fenric and Survival.   I think…[Read more]

SPOILER, SPOILER, SPOILER...