Series 12

TheTimeTraveller wrote:Well. After a year away from the forum and not having watched any Doctor Who newer than 1976, I have returned.

The finale of nuWho series 12 remains unwatched as does all of the female spinoff version and most of Capaldi. Nothing to interest me. What has interested me is having a look on GalBas to see how authoritarian and shrill it has become. It used to be full blown Happiness Patrol but it's more like The Village now.

This finale and its inevitable grand mal seizure of wokeness has set the bar incredibly low for the "festive" "special" and the putative series 13, but I don't think the show will continue to be honest. It's one of the pet projects of the BBC luvvies but despite that the country is in paroxysms and BBC is now more out of step than it has ever been. In that environment, where the once "crank" or liminal view that the license fee should be scrapped is now mainstream and probably a foregone conclusion, BBC will never compromise. They will double down.

The creeping infection of nuWho political content into classic Who is a cultural crime. Restoration of lost episodes, animations and so on need to respect authorial intent.

As for Big Finish, it has also reached the end of its life cycle. It's so very tired, and shilling the nuWho wokefest stuff will hasten its end.

"Cheers,

Jon Blum" etc.

Welcome back, Time Traveller. I was just drafting up your entry for the "Missing Hivers" section, but obviously, you've invalidated it now...

Mott1 wrote:If Doctor Who is all about change, according to Jon Blum, why can't he change back into a William Hartnell type (the original white male version - gasp!) and the show change accordingly too? Or into season 18 of Tru Who with the more serious Tom Baker? Either would be about as big a change from where we are now as it's possible to get.

Anyone who still thinks all change is good needs to google the phrase 'jumped the shark')!

Oh well, obviously, Doctor Who can change into absolutely anything. Except, of course, back into being good. That would just be too much for the plebs in the television audience to cope with...

UncleDeadly wrote:

Mott1 wrote:If Doctor Who is all about change, according to Jon Blum, why can't he change back into a William Hartnell type (the original white male version - gasp!) and the show change accordingly too? Or into season 18 of Tru Who with the more serious Tom Baker? Either would be about as big a change from where we are now as it's possible to get.

Anyone who still thinks all change is good needs to google the phrase 'jumped the shark')!

Oh well, obviously, Doctor Who can change into absolutely anything. Except, of course, back into being good. That would just be too much for the plebs in the television audience to cope with...

Exactly, Uncle D.

Whilst few of us here really expect or want the show to be a carbon copy of its old eras, we do at least expect those years to be honoured in whatever changes the new show makes. Dr Who was at its best when it challenged ruthless businesses or the establishment (The Sunmakers, The Green Death, Inferno) and provoked fresh thinking, and if ever there were a time when there's a stack of real-life material to base stories on it's 2020!

But no - when it comes to their concept of 'change' the BBC, Radio Times and the largely uncritical media keep pushing the concept of the main character possibly changing race as well as gender, and in their other shows such as King Lear & the upcoming Terry Pratchett adaptation. Oddly, with what's been going on in the world lately, I can't share their enthusiasm for it being the biggest priority right now...

Leaving aside the fetishistic aspect and the soap opera / Buffy-isation, David Tennant as geek chic was an appropriate updating of the Edwardian Gentleman eccentric or Cosmic Hobo (ugh) concept, and to that extent definitely respected authorial intent.

Matt Smith without the Moffwho rubbish would again have been very okay as an updated but clearly thematically similar Doctor character. Capaldi didn't work on most levels and seemed to me to be Moff self insert more than anything. The female spinoff - well, it's over now so it scarcely matters. It's like casting a japanese chap as Othello- a woke experiment.

"A successs.... A glorious ssUCCESSSsss!"

TheTimeTraveller wrote:Leaving aside the fetishistic aspect and the soap opera / Buffy-isation, David Tennant as geek chic was an appropriate updating of the Edwardian Gentleman eccentric or Cosmic Hobo (ugh) concept, and to that extent definitely respected authorial intent.

Matt Smith without the Moffwho rubbish would again have been very okay as an updated but clearly thematically similar Doctor character. Capaldi didn't work on most levels and seemed to me to be Moff self insert more than anything. The female spinoff - well, it's over now so it scarcely matters. It's like casting a japanese chap as Othello- a woke experiment.

"A successs.... A glorious ssUCCESSSsss!"

Glad to see my Magnus Greel comparison is taking off. Jon Blum hates that becuase he knows it's true.

He and the others just flat out ignored the links I posted to Classic Who smashing New Who in DVD sales. It was literally "enemies of the state."

I disagree that Tennant was an appropriate updated form of True Who. He was more of a Xena/Angel clone. Smith was a proper version, but too much of Moff's personality crept in. Same with Capaldi.

Jodie is not the character at all meanwhile, whilst Jo Martin unlike Jodie in real life is a bit of a bitch, smearing critics of identity politics as comparable to the guy who killed Martin Luther King. Her Doctor would be even worse than Jodies.

Moffat speaks again on the revelations, mostly falling back on the "what exactlly fits in canon?" defence.

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-04-10/steven-moffat-the-timeless-children/?fbclid=IwAR0bt7y7puiTol_cz9GyBZefJnFpACrkC-ebSBxWEYeMU9DaO8T2BNBQOQ0

And he was doing so well with cheering fans up with his content too, now he's doubling down on Chibs' vision

It's now been three days, and there's been no acknowledgement whatsoever of Pip Baker's death from any of the BBC's official social media accounts. They clearly have plenty of time for the usual smug, self-congratulatory NuWho bullshit, but can't be bothered to post even a quick, one-sentence message of condolence for the classic writer whose stories are still making them a mint in blu-ray sales at a time when they can hardly give away copies of the current series.

ClockworkOcean wrote:It's now been three days, and there's been no acknowledgement whatsoever of Pip Baker's death from any of the BBC's official social media accounts. They clearly have plenty of time for the usual smug, self-congratulatory NuWho bullshit, but can't be bothered to post even a quick, one-sentence message of condolence for the classic writer whose stories are still making them a mint in blu-ray sales at a time when they can hardly give away copies of the current series.

Really?? No mention on anything? Well, that's just disgusting, isn't it? Sadly typical of the BBC these days though. Its reflective of a longstanding bugbear for me, in as much as when someone of import dies, the BBC just seem to make a quick value judgement, based on their supposed level of "fame", rather than their achievements or influence, as to whether its worth reporting or not.

For example, last year the legendary New Orleans pianist, Dr John, passed away and if the BBC said anything at all, it was very fleeting. In 2018, Harlan Ellison and Blues guitar legend Otis Rush, whose influence on the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jimmy Page etc. is basically incalculable, both left us with nary a mention from the BBC.

Something related that I felt was particularly appalling was the BBC's coverage of Barack Obama's Blues night at the White House in 2012, which made a huge fuss of how Mick Jagger persuaded the president to stay and sing a verse of "Sweet Home Chicago". NEVER HAPPENED. The uncut footage and the US coverage show that it was Otis Rush's contemporary, the equally influential Buddy Guy who went on mic and demanded that the president stay and sing. Jagger merely handed the mic over.

So, the BBC clearly decided that Buddy Guy wasn't famous enough in this country so the truth was inconvenient and they made it all about Jagger instead (who, obviously needs the publicity). It doesn't seem to cross the BBC's mind that the reason many haven't heard of musicians like Buddy Guy is that people like them won't give them any air time!

I don't know how the BBC can square something like that with their "Diversity and Inclusivity" policy because, apparently, when given the opportunity to provide publicity for a highly influential black American musician, who spent many years struggling to get by and isn't half as known as he should be, they would rather give it to someone like Mick Jagger, a filthy rich "privileged white male" with, in my opinion, very questionable talent.

Apologies for the somewhat off-topic rant but the BBC have been making my blood boil for some considerable time now. This is just one more straw for the camel's back.

What, precisely, do they care about, aside from contravening their remit and advertising shitty pop music on BBC Breakfast?

Cornell's written his story again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/ea758c64-014d-40f3-ba6f-3136207abfa2

Richayard wrote:Cornell's written his story again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/ea758c64-014d-40f3-ba6f-3136207abfa2

It's nice that he at least tried to make up for the "socially awkward" bit from "Can You Hear Me?" by having The Doctor ignore it when in "task mode"

It's kind of a reverse of Data finding it easy to turn off his emotion chip in Star Trek: First Contact

ClockworkOcean wrote:It's now been three days, and there's been no acknowledgement whatsoever of Pip Baker's death from any of the BBC's official social media accounts. They clearly have plenty of time for the usual smug, self-congratulatory NuWho bullshit, but can't be bothered to post even a quick, one-sentence message of condolence for the classic writer whose stories are still making them a mint in blu-ray sales at a time when they can hardly give away copies of the current series.

Is this still the case?

Pepsi Maxil wrote:Is this still the case?

Yep. They've completely snubbed him.

Unbelievable.

The Baker team had to rush out a finished script with a suitable conclusion to a fourteen part epic without a script editor to guide them. They also had to pen a debut story without knowing who was even going to play The Doctor. They should both be respected for that. They also understood how to write for the Time Lord characters:

Pip and Jane wrote:Take the Rani – now if you’re creating somebody who’s supposed to be a superior being, somebody at the apex of all evolution – she can’t start talking, I don’t think, in an ordinary way. As we understand it – Eric told us this – the Time Lords have no magic power, all they’ve got is this ability to think more and use their minds in a way most of us haven’t yet evolved to. You’ve got to demonstrate that. The Valeyard was a tremendous villain. He had this tremendous intellectual capacity. You’ve got to give him something that matches that. You’re trying to say ‘This is a character different from the rest’, he can’t just mouth mundane chit chat.

They also had this to say:

Pip and Jane wrote:It’s a shame that something’s happened to the working vocabulary nowadays, so that it’s gradually being gleaned down to a much smaller range. We don’t believe in writing down (to the audience). We’d have thought ‘Doctor Who’ followers would appreciate that.

They had no contempt for their audience. This is the biggest difference between them and the vast majority of NuWho writers who think you're too stupid to understand anything.

As far as I know, besides fans, the only (technically official one) to speak about it was Colin Baker himself on Twitter. Nothing from the BBC though, an absolute disgrace.

The Rani was a great character, and Mark of the Rani is one of my favorite stories. Maybe I'll put that one on tonight...

I will forever thank them for Time and the Rani. I absolutely love that story and I will never understand the hate it gets. Think I'll give it another watch at the weekend.

So there's this big telethon thing on BBC ONE tonight, and ten of The Doctors have recorded a video message for it...except for Eccelston, so taking his place is Jo Martin.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52379802

0:21 "Never be cruel..."

...says the woman who recently called a fellow actor a "fucking cunt" because he doesn't share her racist, sexist political views.



0:23 "Never give up, never give in..."

...says the man who stood idly by while a group of hateful extremists hijacked the show, desecrated its history, undermined his character, then forced him out without a single utterance of protest on his part.



Seeing the classic Doctors in there with those talentless halfwits... Colin in his Jodie t-shirt...


One can always rely on Doctor Who to make an already miserable day even shitter.

ClockworkOcean wrote:0:21 "Never be cruel..."

...says the woman who recently called a fellow actor a "fucking cunt" because he doesn't share her racist, sexist political views.



0:23 "Never give up, never give in..."

...says the man who stood idly by while a group of hateful extremists hijacked the show, desecrated its history, undermined his character, then forced him out without a single utterance of protest on his part.



Seeing the classic Doctors in there with those talentless halfwits... Colin in his Jodie t-shirt...


One can always rely on Doctor Who to make an already miserable day even shitter.

Glad to see more people are seeing how unfit for purpose Jo Martin is. She was awful in the role, and the idea that anyone could think she was a good Doctor is as laughable as Ade Edmondson being a good Buffy.

I guess people's standards have been set so low by Jodie that literally anyone seems like an improvement now. All I can say BBC is fuck off.

Stop trying to cynically use the lockdown to drum up interest in this dead brand with the watchathons, the godawful short stories hacks like Moffat and Paul Cornell have been spewing out, and these condescending opportunistic videos.

It's not going to work because even if you do get people watching again, they'll just switch off as soon as they see Jodie's face twisting, squeaky voiced "I'm right mad me are" bubble from Ab Fab knock off, along with her fam consisting of a plank of wood, a game show host and a laughable excuse for a police officer fighting some bland monster that's a stand in for a first year political student message.

Maybe a talking broom that hates non binary Muslims?

Zarius wrote:

Why is talking like William Shatner at 0:30?

Also, Colin's behaviour since 2017 has been appalling. He's completely false and I don't think any of you should believe a word he says.

ClockworkOcean wrote:0:21 "Never be cruel..."

...says the woman who recently called a fellow actor a "fucking cunt" because he doesn't share her racist, sexist political views.



0:23 "Never give up, never give in..."

...says the man who stood idly by while a group of hateful extremists hijacked the show, desecrated its history, undermined his character, then forced him out without a single utterance of protest on his part.



Seeing the classic Doctors in there with those talentless halfwits... Colin in his Jodie t-shirt...


One can always rely on Doctor Who to make an already miserable day even shitter.

Hope you don't mind, but I posted your comment on the comments section of that video. I just couldn't stand seeing the sheepish morons gawk at how moving it was. Seeing Jo Martin get her face in there really pissed me off. I feel someone needed to call it out.

Richayard wrote:Cornell's written his story again

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/doctorwho/entries/ea758c64-014d-40f3-ba6f-3136207abfa2

I've said it before and I'll say it again. New Who is to the original what When The Whistle Blows was to the office.

For those of you who haven't seen Extra's, Ricky Gervais' character Andy Millman sets out to do a sitcom like The Office, but the BBC scared that it wouldn't work, turn it into lowest common demoninator.

They include canned laughter, make him wear a stupid wig, wear silly glasses, make coarse sexual jokes, have him spout a stupid catchphrase "ARE YOUR HAVING A LAUGH, IS HE HAVING A LAUGH" and it does end up being popular among the masses for a short while, but in the long run it's a joke.

Sound familiar?



When The Whistler Blows not only summed up the dumbing down of sitcoms as seen with Mrs Brown's Boys, but British tv in general it would seem.

The Catchphrase



The lowest common demoninator sexual humour





The desperate celebrity cameos and references to popular culture that make no sense within the plot.





and from Paul Cornell's latest abomination.

Paul Cornell wrote:Which was how they’d ended up in a bare room, one hundred feet underground, sitting in a circle, with the names of famous people stuck to their foreheads.


From where she was, Yaz could see that the Doctor had a note reading ‘Lewis Capaldi’ stuck to her forehead, Graham had ‘Mel and Sue’ and Ryan had ‘Theodoric the Great’. She, of course, had no idea what was stuck to her own forehead. Though whatever it was clearly delighted Ryan and Graham, who’d come up with it between them.

‘All right,’ said Ryan. ‘So, am I… alive?’

The Doctor looked alarmed. ‘D’you think you might not be?’

‘Is this person alive?’ Ryan pointed to his piece of paper.

‘Wait, when is this?’ said Graham. ‘I mean, when is now? ‘Cause we’ll have to put down a rule to mean –’

‘Is this person,’ continued Ryan, ‘alive in 2020?’

‘That’s a terrible impersonation,’ said the Doctor.

‘What?’

‘Of him on the piece of paper. You sound nothing like him.’

‘Ah,’ said Graham, nudging Ryan, ‘it’s a him.’

Ryan pointed again at the piece of paper and paced his next sentence like there was a social media handclap between every word. ‘I don’t know who I am.’

‘Bit soon for that,’ said the Doctor, ‘we’ve only been here one day.’

It ended up being one of the longest party games Yaz had ever taken part in. Or maybe it just felt that way. Following Ryan’s painful discovery of the history of the late Roman empire and a bit of confusion about what the word ‘goth’ meant in that context, Graham’s correct guess about how he could be two people at once, and the Doctor’s anecdotes about playing the triangle for the ‘lovely Scottish lad and his dad’, Yaz decided to make a serious attempt to deduce whose name she was wearing. ‘Am I a woman?’ she said.

And finally as seen with the SJW, woke audience, it gets an audience of morons too.

Dear me....

I naturally salute any genuine charity work being done to help a good cause by any one involved but sorry to say there's something that smacks of desperation and feels faintly distasteful about this 'special Dr Who tribute'.
It feels somehow disrespectful to 'True Who' when old greats like Tom have to share screen time with those pathetic 'New Who' pretenders. The genuine Doctors really don't need to be linked to that rubbish and I'm just thankful that Bill, Pat and Jon couldn't appear and therefore aren't sullied by association with such a naff stunt.

Ps any one else think Davis Tennant not looking too healthy in this?

No Christopher Eccleston - definitely moved on. Matt Smith looked a bit uninterested and annoyed. Capaldi looked good. Tom looked poorly, sad to see. Tennant, for me, is just ego. Davison still showed great humanity, and McCoy too. Whittaker and Martin - meh. Colin looks pretty healthy for his age. I thought it was a nice gesture, but it made me feel nostalgic for the “good old days” again...