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19 March 2013 at 06:19 #3291
Looks like a second series of Utopia will happen:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/mar/18/channel-4-commissions-utopia-second-series
That’s if the writer can figure out how to extend it (as season 1 was somewha self contained)
Good news though
16 March 2013 at 09:22 #3205ah @jimthefish and @juniperfish – both of you trying to to tell us about the same unlikely story….
I smell something fishy!
[I’ll get my coat!]
13 March 2013 at 06:46 #3161Ah Janette, I knew that -I’m sorry, I was trying to be funny but my tone got completely lost in the keyboard!
I was also harking back to a previous conversation I’d had here when I’d been unfairly critical of Whithouse (and rightfully he was defended!)
So, apologies and for the record (everyone) I did like BH in all it’s unevenness!
😉
12 March 2013 at 23:29 #3155hey @bluesqueakpip, I think I understand the difference you’re alluding to, but can’t imagine how that would be played out (I’m trying to think of people actually answering a question…).
However, what’s maybe interesting is that although no one can speak falsely, the one thing we do know is that “the Doctor lies”.
;¬)
which is slightly more amusing than the far longer, duller post I’m trying to write around this darn arc and what it could mean!
12 March 2013 at 22:40 #3153ooh @janetteb – bit hash on Whithouse’s writing, but I s’pose even though I enjoyed some bits of Being Human, I guess you’re right…
;¬)
11 March 2013 at 09:15 #3143hmm… a nice test @jimthefish… and agree with your points, but I can’t imagine any of the Doctors actually hanging around!
There’d be running off somewhere, saving the world when we all know that the we only put the world to rights at the end of the evening…However, been wondering if the same test can be taken to the companions… they’d hang around I’d imagine, though would we all gravitate to the one(s) we fancied?
And though I think any of the male companions would be flattered being chatted up (eg Harry), I think most of the female companions would give the lads short shrift…
9 March 2013 at 19:20 #3121um, hopefully we haven’t lurched too awkwardly into religion (surest way to get someone annoyed!).
@bluesqueakpip I don’t know about RTD’s other writings on religion so can’t comment. It dawned on me that it was weird that there could be a personality for ‘god’ (old testament anger then new testament love), but I do think that there’s good drama to be had with characters being able to keep 2 truths in mind at the same time (and I’m not referring to suspending disbelief).
[ahem] but anyway – Who was ‘History and Science’, so I prefer my Spartacus “I am a critical thinker – I am a free man!” to RTD’s quasi-mystical rubbish.
ah well, – all of its a bit bonkers!
;¬)
9 March 2013 at 16:50 #3101actually @juniperfish – I did kinda think about RTD and that storyline but only afterwards (it was a weird train of thought that got me to “I am the Doctor”!).
I actually hated that whole ‘resurrection of the Doctor’ thing with Tennant rising up with arms outstretched – urgh! Really hated that, and the whole ‘chant his name’… I’m from a Roman Catholic background (though my current avatar may suggest where my head is at), so perhaps it made my bile rise a little more than others, but still. It suggested both hubris and cheap theatricality.
[ahem]
Obviously my nod to grandiose theatricality is at least a nod to a film heroing butting-up against authority!
;¬)
9 March 2013 at 16:28 #3099he he! thanks @juniperfish – though I’m more ‘flingin-ideas-at-a-wall-and-hoping-one-will-stick’ than anything else!
Though Spartacus is more an Easter theme – so maybe the 50th is closer to my next bonkers theory (oh yes, I have others…!)
:¬)
now, back to the rugby (and a rather fine red, though sadly not red-head!)
9 March 2013 at 15:25 #3095I have a bonkers theory! I have a bonkers theory! I have a bonkers theory!!!!
@blenkinsopthebave – over here, over here quick!(I paraphrase):
“On the Fields of Trenzalor, the first question, hidden in plain sight, will be asked. A question that must not be answered!”Presumably that is – “Dr Who? Dr Who??”
Now, imagine that the reason it mustn’t be answered, is because the Dr’s enemies are trying to kill him in battle on the Fields of Trenzalor. If he’s identified (on the Field) he’ll be killed.
So what’s the bestway to not answer that question?
By answering it of course! a la Spartacus…“I am the Doctor!”
Now, imagine that all the fans are encouraged to do the same, out loud at screenings, in their homes, over Twitter (#iamthedoctor)….
4th wall, here we come!!
[ieeee thenk youw]
6 March 2013 at 13:38 #3063@scaryb – “something in the WiFi”? – is that the London Underground wifi? Has that Virgin WiFi resurrected the GI???!!?
Damn that meddling Branson!
;¬)
howdy @jimthefish – that thar’s a darn fine avatar!
5 March 2013 at 12:37 #3045hey Whohar (hm, that sounds a bit like a US Marine greeting!) and jimthefish,
agree with the amnesiac doctor being done before (twice? more than that??) but still, I was presuming “silence will fall” when no one knows the answer to the question “Doctor Who?” (including the Dr?).
Now I think I prefer your moment of indecision – “what kind of doctor am I? a man of violence? a man of peace and science?”.
Always thought his face-off with Julian Bleach’s Davros was one of the best bits of Who I’ve seen…
1 March 2013 at 22:17 #2975oh @phaseshift – I would pay you in real Earth pounds to blow up a Metal Mickey!
It really was a crap programme!
28 February 2013 at 21:48 #295328 February 2013 at 21:39 #2951@jimthefish – A Chris Morris episode of Who???
you’re a genius!! Brass Eye is some of the best TV I’ve ever seen in any genre*
*yeah yeah I’ll say the same thing about something else in the next 10 mins but its just so good, and better than the Brooker stuff that I’ve seen. Having said that, it’s obvious I need to start watching Black Mirror!
28 February 2013 at 21:24 #2949;¬)
really had a lot of fun reading those comments about the avatar – thanks!!
@phaseshift– not a fan of Mickey magic??!!?
;¬o
would it have been better if I’d been able to find a photo to copy of Twiki from Buck Rogers?!? (“Minnieminnieminnie”)!
To explain myself in terms of “why the hell is Mary holding a Metal Mickey?”….
Many years ago, in a galaxy far far away…. I was an illustrator (editorial stuff mainly in magazines) and this was a xmas card that was something to make me laugh! There were a couple of variants but nothing doctorish I’m afraid!
Haven’t painted anything in years, so haven’t anything to hand for avatars apart from old scans, so I’m really feeling lazy compared to @janetteb!!27 February 2013 at 23:08 #2919wow @janetteb – I’m impressed you’re trying to do something especially for the blog! I fear if I’d waited until I’d picked up the brushes again, it’d be the 100th anniversary!
:¬)
So, sadly, I’ll have to make do with stuff I did and scanned about 14 years ago!
good luck though!
26 February 2013 at 22:46 #2909Hey – thanks @bluesqueakpip!
Unfortunately the full image can’t be put into the avatar (ie its not square), but hopefully its enough for people to at least say “huh, is that…? wha?”
Which is generally the feeling I like leaving!
;¬)
26 February 2013 at 22:42 #2905Hi @bluesqueakpip – I’ll trust you on Whithouse!
I’m not a writer so unfortunately only see the surface. Completely appreciate how hard writing must be and writing arcs even more so, so not trying to kick his shins for poor writing!
Just feel that the stories he writes aren’t that interesting – he’s more interested in witty dialogue and so relies on actors a lot more (to deliver it).But as I say – I’m a glib viewer and I’ve agreed with so much of what else you’ve said elsewhere, so I’ll watch again with a better eye (or ear!)!
:¬)
26 February 2013 at 21:43 #2899hi all – just trying out a new avatar.
Thought my previous one was just a tad…. sinister.
But not necessarily in a good way!Happy to change back, or try new ones once in a while (though I don’t have many scans of old pictures so… well, they’ll get very random after this…. red bra avatar anyone??!??)
[ahem]
26 February 2013 at 21:35 #2897Hi @miapatrick – yep – agree that’s how the characters started out (ie needing the supernatural to make the shared-house setup ‘tick’ and not be Thirtysomething!) though I’d always thought the werewolf was an alcoholic (not sure why, except for ‘explosions’ of anger every once in a while).
Love your insight into the new characters. Funnily enough, based on that I’d say that they’ve gone ‘back’ to a “supernatural Friends” setup (with they-fancy-each-other and Ross/ Joey partnerships). Maybe the simplicity of this makes it better as well as better actors..? but I still think its maybe down to just having better actors!
but god that whole story arc of the baby was awful. Makes me shudder to think Whithouse is taking over DW. If he tries a grand story arc then we’re doomed. Lets hope he goes old-skool with something far more episodic!
24 February 2013 at 11:58 #2865@jimthefish – Wagon Wheels have jam in them now??
hmmm…. perhaps you can have too much of a good thing….
23 February 2013 at 18:58 #2855blimey &miapatrick and @bluesqueakpip – I don’t think I’ve ever done anything that well!
well done – whatever you (don’t normally) do when excelling, reward yourself now!
;¬)
23 February 2013 at 11:18 #2845Hi @phaseshift,
In terms of Being Human, I’ll admit that I agree its a shame this is the last series.
That’s not because the last couple of series have been particularly good (even though I watched them), but because the actors of the werewolf and the ghost are so much better than the originals.
As I think I mentioned somewhere else, there seems to be a helluva lot of whining in Being Human (if Toby Whithouse takes over DW gawd help us). The previous actors whined in an annoying way, whereas the newer actors are just a bit better and able to do a bit more with it.This is not (definitely not) because I fancy the ghost.
23 February 2013 at 11:09 #2841Hi @jimthefish,
In terms of Utopia, I think it worked for me mainly due to the great cast and great direction/ art direction. It was beautiful – sumptuous and drenched in colour, wonderfully framed shots, it really hit a comic-like feel (while not going down the “Dick Tracy” route). Also the soundtrack was fantastic – delicate and disturbing and witty.I can’t really comment on the writing – I’m not a writer, my background is more visual.
The first few episodes I kinda had no idea what was going on; no idea what the individual characters wanted (so no idea why they were doing things). I don’t know if this was the fault of the writing. It was however the actors and the ‘feel’ that won me over.By the end, I was actually excited about watching the final episodes.
If you do watch it – wear headphones if you can. It will help with some of the dialogue but especially the soundtrack which really comes into its own on headphones.
I may try and watch it again (if only to figure out what was going on!)20 February 2013 at 22:21 #2781wow – thanks @jimthefish / @phaseshift (especially for the background to his time on Who),
though not a ‘surprise’, nice to know there’s some more to read (pun groan-punishingly intended). Sounds similar to his time on 200AD doing the Future Shocks perhaps..?
btw I think I read that Steve Moore was a bit of a mentor to (the unrelated) Alan.
Anyway, haven’t got all his stuff, but when its good, its very good.
thanks again, really helpful19 February 2013 at 23:34 #2771ah, really Jimthefish…. not a surprise they’re better than average…. will hunt them out!
thanks for the tip!
19 February 2013 at 23:28 #2769(as jimthefish says)
anyone been watching Utopia?One of the only programmes I’ve recently made an effort to watch real-time.
actually hands-clappingly good.visually stunning and though the twisty-turny plot has been done better elsewhere, it was thoroughly good through great direction, art direction, great casting and acting.
hey ho
19 February 2013 at 21:49 #2765ah @haveyoufedthefish, I was wondering if anyone would mention Alan!
Seems to me his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is all about time hopping and wondering who’s around at the time (albeit fictional in that series).
His stint on the Dr Who comics is probably not that memorable (I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone suggest reading them), but surely he’s a better writer now…? I’d love to see him be asked to do something (anything!).
though the ire of his “oh, and you had to make my comic strip into a TV programme…” might wear thin even with him! (btw I loved one interview where he said he did the whole dis-owing thing in a huff and then had 3 or 4 films get green-lit over the same weekend, waving goodbyw to much needed and unexpected money call-by-call!).
17 February 2013 at 23:06 #2733ah but @bluesqueakpip, after seeing Craig’s link of the Daleks, wobbly sets in high-definition 3D just wouldn’t be right!
(though I think you are!)
14 February 2013 at 22:04 #2661I agree @blenkinsopthebrave, but we’ll scare them off with our avatars…
12 February 2013 at 22:00 #2639As ever you’re right JimTheFish!
Quick – over to the Speculation Board!
12 February 2013 at 20:03 #2635ah @bluesqueakpip, I had Omega slowly lifting his helmet to reveal.. Davison!
You can put on a bit of weight in Negative Space (or wherever it was) can’t you?
12 February 2013 at 06:44 #2619They should’ve blown the budget on a 4G version…
9 February 2013 at 13:16 #2549in terms of wild speculation, and although I actually don’t really believe it, and I’ve said before that I was giving up on the anagrams(!), an anagram of “Clara Oswin Oswald” is:
“DW is now also Clara”a regeneration at the end of the year into JLC??? As I say, even I don’t believe this but just wanted to give @blenkinsopthebrave a bit of bonkersness.
And another for blenkinsopthevbrave could be a tie in to the Hand of Omega.
Dr HoO?
9 February 2013 at 12:50 #2545nice @jimthefish – really like that real imaginary friend.
kids not being believed is a constant for them. Yet they often make stuff up! So there’s a great story in there (a la Cry Wolf) about a kid making stuff up, but then coming across a ‘real’ imaginary friend – who isn’t a monster to the kid, but who somehow feeds off the situation.
Or how about an alien who has a human imaginary friend! Told from the alien’s point of view as well as the kid’s.
Both are seen as ‘monsters’ by the others’ worlds (the alien might have a habit of making human people who annoy it/the kid disappear; the human kid would be a monster for verbally teasing/bullying other kids to an alien for whom conflict and nastiness are horrific which is why they simply make others who threaten it disappear).9 February 2013 at 12:01 #2533hey – some really nice monster ideas here (and thanks for not tearing mine to shreds!).
I always thought Who’s monsters worked best when they reflected kid’s anxieties – eg Blink (being basically a children’s game), the one where the person repeated exactly what was being said, or the monster-in-the-cupboard/ under the bed.
so, what other kid’s games or anxieties are there? Horribly now, it will probably be based around body image (too fat/ too thin). Or cheating (either for exams, sports drugs etc).
So, how about a monster tempting kids to take a drug/or other ‘magic’ to transform their body, or get smarter… and if that monster is something that themselves once fell to temptation and now tempt others then all the sweeter…
9 February 2013 at 09:33 #2525I’m with jimthefish on this I think.
Though I watch Being Human, I always found it incredibly patchy.
Some great acting (Herrick), some appalling.
And the script is so often people whining which is grating with poor actors.So even as a Head Writer role I’d be disappointed, let alone a producer, story-arc role (the war baby arc has scarred m I’m afraid!)
6 February 2013 at 23:33 #2447ah – a challenge laid by @rob, so here’s a try at a ‘monster’ who is morally ambiguous (as I agree with @juniperfish that that is far more interesting):
How about a male companion (doesn’t have to have been with the doctor for long) who takes a shine to whoever the female companion is. (not too hard to imagine!)
On a planet, he is attacked by a local baddy (irrelevant who it is), and is left for dead by the Dr.
However, the male companion survives the attack and runs to the Tardis for safety just as it’s dematerialising; jumps ‘into’ it as its fading and… screams… [screams are heard by Dr and companion from inside].
As Tardis materialises elsewhere, Dr and companion rush out to find the male companion in a steaming heap, gibbering and phasing in and out of time. Obviously torn apart from jumping into a dematerialising Tardis…
Dr can’t treat him. So, decides to take him to New Earth and Sisters of Plenitude to heal (before they were doing their nasty experiments). Even gets the female companion to ‘drop him off’ (as otherwise they might recognise the Dr in the future).However, its the presence of a time-phasing human that actually inspires the cat-nurses to experiment on someone who ‘phases’ the virus out of their body. A human petri dish that rejuvenates…. a necessary evil for the greater good etc. But he suffers decades of pain…
This time-phasing man is finally able to break out (heart-rendingly after everyone else was freed by the DR and not him) and… learns to control the phasing (now that he no longer is in constant pain from time-phasing and virus experiments) and decides to find/follow the Dr through Time to punish him for leaving him for dead. He even suspects that the Dr left him for dead as the Dr was jealous of the companions’ feelings for each other…
So we have a Time Monster – no longer ‘human’, no longer able to love or be loved, torn apart by jealousy of the Dr and female companion’s friendship, able to interfere across timelines… and yet we feel sad for, and slightly unsure if the Dr really did do wrong by him.
somewhere in all that you could have quite a bit of fun with the interplay with characters and notion of what ‘is’ a monster (ie it is the-thing-that-is-not-Human and the Dr made him so).
blimey, is that the time? [gets coat and goes to bed – hope i don’t have nightmares!]
4 February 2013 at 06:35 #2373Ah, @juniper fish, did yo mean “green egos and ham”?
An envious, slightly overacting Intelligence?
(slips out door)
3 February 2013 at 11:16 #2333on another thread, @blenkinsopthebrave was asking for more bonkers theorising, so here goes…
Clara is a manifestation of the Great Intelligence. Have we had that one before?
So, what basis for this… well, I’m on thin ice (reaches for coat) but Oswin (“I snow”) was never enough of a clue but got me thinking…The GI was able to infect/take over computers before… did it take over the Tardis and make it explode… scattering itself (“I snow”) throughout time… but still not quite right…
But if I was a Great Intelligence trying to find the Dr in order to battle him, appearing as the ‘same’ attractive young woman throughout time, would be the bait I’d use!
bonkers enough?
29 January 2013 at 20:54 #2091hmmm…. Warner heh?
Love the actor but my initial feelings are he’d be less ‘fun’ and more dangerous. There’s a real steel to the actor.certainly no jellie babies…. he’d make a better Master or First (slightly crankier).
but its always nice to see the big heavyweights of acting happy to be in Who!
Maybe Terence Stamp for Master?? (I kid, I kid)
19 January 2013 at 10:20 #1719ah @craig – I’m afraid I not only know of any books, but I’m not sure anyone else has ever made the connection!
Maybe there is no connection – it only occurred to me when chatting to a mate who’s a parks manager and something about emergent patterns and behaviours made me think of navigating forums and knowledge bases but… it never went much further than that (story of my life!).
To be honest, you’ll be able to tell me more based on your experience!
oh, btw I could never stand Nielsen (no concept of what “design” means – he conflates it with images), but Krug is better, but I’ll see if I can find a booklist a colleague lent me (she’s far more thorough professional than I!).
18 January 2013 at 20:51 #1679oh and righteous vituperation is a wonderful thing PhaseShift
18 January 2013 at 20:49 #1677he he @scaryb, I’ve now realised my avatar is a bit sinister too (thouh maybe i chopped off too much of the letters….
[its not a picture of me btw!]
17 January 2013 at 21:21 #1627Hi guys – I have no suggestions, but just observations!
@craig – obviously you’re a star, @everyone else – you’re obviously stars too!I just wanted to mention a design process called “desire lines” which I think we’re adopting and it’ll be fascinating to see what happens.
I work in/’do’ user experience and have always wanted to convince a client to create an unordered system; for behaviour to create the ‘experience’ but, well… clients kinda want to know what they’re paying for, and what I just typed either sounds wanky or scary (or both!).
oh, btw – if it matters, if I post to one topic and any moderator happens to think “actually this should be moved to another topic, or cross-posted to multiple topics” it should be fine, as I’ll basically either go to the thread I had posted to and am interested in, or simply look at all recent activity (wherever it is) – which is what i do as i can’t remember where i posted anyway!
oh and btw again – love the Faces thread.
this is fun – thank you!
16 January 2013 at 23:11 #1511ah @phaseshift – its great to have your illicit needs provided for at the corner(shop).
16 January 2013 at 00:00 #1483these seem so….. anachronistic.
Which is somehow… appropriate?
13 January 2013 at 14:39 #1361good call @Pahseshift – whether the writers wrote for her abilities or not, she definitely was able to be a ‘moral’ balance to that Dr. And I was just as dubious about an actress I’d always thought of as shouty rather than intelligent (and I was happy to be proven wrong).
thanks for the link – will watch with interest!
11 January 2013 at 23:18 #1259ah, @jimthefish yes…. erm… no. Really?!??
Mad Mel the mad middle aged Dane??!!?
;¬)anyway here’s a Facebook update from a mate of mine in Brisbane:
‎31c , 8:30 am, phew … It’s going to be a scorcher today
weirdly, the very next update is from another unconnected friend:
Got visa for Siberia at last!. Next stop thermal underwear shop!
I guess, take care everyone!!
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