@janetteb I definitely agree with you about the Paul McGann movie. I had no idea he was so good because … well, that movie didn’t offer a clue. But when I saw The Night of the Doctor, I was so impressed with him. As you say, what a difference a good script and good direction make!

@winston Yup, Mark Carney’s dance card is full … more than…[Read more]

@janetteb I agree with you about the budget and special effects. First of all, the FX should support the script, not replace or outweigh it. I think there’s a certain quality of FX to properly support the story. Less, and you get things like the embarrassing unconvincing ‘guns’ in Blakes 7, or the gods in The Greatest Show in the Galaxy looking…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent  Sorry, we are not prepared to lend out Mark Carney at this time, he is way too busy here or at least he better be. There’s a lot going on.

Peter Capaldi  would make a great Bond and he already has attack eyebrows.

@janetteb   The Who movie was an American production that was filmed in Canada so you can’t blame us, especially on…[Read more]

@translatorcircuit

You’ve twisted my words

I’ve just re-read my post and your earlier one and I don’t agree with this but no matter.

You obviously have strong views on the BBC and, again, I don’t agree. But, as Elwood P Dowd once stated:

Well, an element of conflict in any discussion’s a very good thing. It means everybody is taking part and n…

[Read more]

@janetteb   I wanted to like it (the movie).   Maybe I was being a bit indulgent of it.   I haven’t felt impelled to re-watch it though.   And as I recall, it didn’t really feel like Doctor Who.

Night of the Doctor, now, was an excellent little cameo.  (Is ‘cameo’ the right word?)   Moff’s dialogue was on its best form.   As it was with the onl…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent @janetteb

Yes, he would have been a terrific on-screen Doc I think. His Big Finish audios are apparently very good (caveat – I’ve not listened to any) and give the 8th a new lease of life. Same with the 6th’s audio stories as I understand it.

With the upcoming, urm, hiatus, maybe BF stories are the salve for my DW itch.

@janetteb    You mentioned the Who movie with Paul McGann.   I think, based on seeing him in The Night of the Doctor, he would have made a fine Doctor.   He had the gravitas, the personal magnetism, the looks.

Most unfortunately, he fell into the Gap.   I’ve seen the movie.   Taken as a random sci-fi movie, there was nothing wrong with it.   Jus…[Read more]

@nerys   @janetteb   Well that Guardian article was – interesting.   What took me by surprise was the author’s nomination for all-three-in-one   – Peter Capaldi.   Seems a bit startling at first.   But maybe not so far-fetched.   Could he do Bond – I think as an ageing but still deadly Bond he certainly could do it.  Could he do the Doctor – we kn…[Read more]

@janetteb @nerys

I shall consider my response to all these parallels. Couldn’t give a two peeps on Bessie’s horn about Jimmie Bend-Sinster.

The rest is too raw.

Moffat’s recent response to the ongoing Whovian Torture sounded quite alarmed. The corporation is in charge, why are they asking a very ex show-runner?

Who has The Ming Vase??

@translatorcircuit @nerys @janetteb @dentarthurdent

the cbeebies thing is frankly an insult. Kid’s show

In understand the sentiment but I’m not so sure. I wonder if the BBC is playing a longer game here than we give it credit for. Consider:

They run a kid-friendly version of the show. This will accomplish three things.

1. It gets ’em hooked on…[Read more]

@ps1l0v3y0u    @janetteb   I didn’t know Wells was so personally  interesting.   We had to do some Wells novel in English at school, so of course we were scornful of the old-fashioned language.   It wasn’t The Time Machine or War of the Worlds, and I was never sure if the latter was written by H G or Orson anyway  🙂       In my early sci-fi…[Read more]

@dentarthurdent @janetteb
I’ve said enough. I think we agree that something peculiar happened with the show at some point, and this was manifested by the mess of Chibnall’s tenure and the unsatisfactory elements of the latest RTD run. I don’t think the BBC are interested. And they now seem happy to blame showrunners. Michael Grade all over again…[Read more]

@janetteb   Well, I think I can recommend The Well and The Story and the Engine.   But of course it’s all a matter of taste.

And I do agree also about UNIT and the series.

@janetteb   I think I agree with almost everything you said there.   Big universe-threatening episodes always depress me.   How are they going to be overcome by a couple of people, even if one of them has a time machine?   And when they are, the result seems almost trivial.   Makes the previous fearsome threat look like a scuffle outside a pub at…[Read more]

@translatorcircuit @nerys @janetteb @whohar

the cbeebies thing is frankly an insult. Kid’s show.

I might say the bbc’s behaviour was inexplicable but you may well get your wish @translatorcircuit, the days of The Corporation as we know it could be numbered. They know it. They literally cannot afford a challenging exciting show.

This may exp…[Read more]

@whohar @janetteb @translstorcircuit

The Big Spoof? As you say, surely not. The only explanation must be the slow motion car crash. This was coming since RTD finished series 4 with The Parting of The Ways.

At some point the special was planned and The BBC then decided they couldn’t back it. It’s not the same institution that brought the show bac…[Read more]

@whohar @janetteb @translatorcircuit

I did have a thought that this is all a bluff by the BBC / Bad Wolf / RTD, and that the Christmas special is already in the bag – with Tennant and Piper reverse bi-generating into the new Doc. Surely not though.

Assuming we take it at face value – and remember that RTD has basically admitted that he / BBC / B…[Read more]

@whohar @janetteb @translatorcircuit

The cliff-hanger, as Belam says, does seem to be the key, almost a taunt. ‘You want a show based on continuity but without continuity? Try THIS.’ This suggests both sides knew what was coming.

I am actually very annoyed, mainly with the BBC. I’m afraid for The Corporation too; it’s been in right wing’s…[Read more]

@janetteb

I think it would be good fun. I’ve been part of / run writers groups / rooms before and found it really rewarding.

Not sure about the logistics of doing that on here though.

(I might work on it while I am on holidays in two months time.)

If you do and if you want another pair of eyes on it, I’m happy to take a look.

@janetteb @ps1l0v3y0u

Bravado. Yes. Creative Differences. Also yes.

The BBC are going to go out to competitive temder for the new series, so my read is that there was definitely some tension about the show. Maybe the external discussion also affected the decision.

The BBC went out to tender for the CBeebies version of DW last year. It’s…[Read more]