Doctor Who

[Doctor Sοnic]

I thought that was quite a good episode, despite the inconsistencies.

The inconsistencies being the disappearing pirate and the leeches in the saltwater.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Doctor Sοnic

[Patticus]

Apparently she is

a character listed on IMDB as 'Lady Kovarian'. She is credited as 'Eye Patch Lady' in Day of the Moon and Curse of the Black Spot, but come E7, 'A Good Man Goes To War', she is credited as Kovarian.

Most of you might recognise the actress Frances Barber as Moss' therapist on The IT Crowd. She was also in the Polymorph episode of Red Dwarf where she drains Cat of his vanity.

[PSI Wind]

A little interesting fact about this weeks episode. The episode was initially intended for Series 5, but was pushed back. And also, last weeks episode was originally gonna be in the Autumn part of the season, but was switched around with "What Are Little Boys Made Of?". Why? Moffat (yes, you read right) found the episode "too dark" O_O.

Edited May 9, 2011 by PSI Aqua

[Velotix von Skruviktorrius]

Completely unrelated to the current discussion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNplESJ8gss

The live performance of the 2010 theme.

100 times better than the studio recording Y/Y?

[Doctor Sοnic]

The live performance of the 2010 theme.

100 times better than the studio recording Y/Y?

Now that is awesome! Though I love the studio version as well.

[PSI Wind]

MAJOR

FUCKING

SPOILERS (If true)!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

As usual, there are people who go to the filming of episodes and report on what they saw (some with pictures and videos as well). Well, one of them seems to be saying that River called Amy "mother". So, does this mean Amy is River's mum? And if so, is that little girl from Episode 1 & 2 a young River? I'd take this all with a grain of salt, but still.

Also, anyone watch the Today show on NBC? Well, yesterday, they had Meredith Viera go to filming of Episode 13. She guest-stars in the episode as well as a news reporter. Here's her line - It does have a small spoiler:

Crowds lined the mall today as Holy Roman Emperor, Winston Churchill returned to the Buckingham Senate on his personal Mammoth.

Edited May 10, 2011 by PSI Aqua

[Badnik Mechanic]

This is one for the iplayer people.

Blue Peter had a huge look on next weeks episode.

We have a second Tardis. The sneak peak showed us inside it and how it opperates, it's oddly more wacky than the doctors current tardis.

[PSI Wind]

This is one for the iplayer people.

Blue Peter had a huge look on next weeks episode.

We have a second Tardis. The sneak peak showed us inside it and how it opperates, it's oddly more wacky than the doctors current tardis.

I hear this other TARDIS looks like the one from the RTD era.

[TrueBlue]

So true, I've been looking forward to this episode for a long time. All these "Spoilers" aren't helping.

[Mollfie]

I'm looking forward to the next episode mostly because Neil Gaiman wrote it.

[Patticus]

I'm looking forward to the next episode mostly because Neil Gaiman wrote it.

[Doctor Sοnic]

The next episode is one I've been looking forward to for quite a while. Neil has dropped alot of very interesting hints about it including:

That it has a connection to the 1969 story 'The War Games' which was the final Patrick Troughton story and the last to be filmed in black and white.

Edited May 10, 2011 by Doctor Sοnic

[TheGerkuman]

Neil Gaiman wrote the Sandman Comics and the books Coraline, Stardust and Good Omens (the latter co-written with Terry Pratchett).

[Badnik Mechanic]

£14 for frobidden planet.

Edited May 13, 2011 by Hogfather

[TheGerkuman]

So, this week's episode.

I liked it. NG got the writing spot on for a lot of it, and the Doctor and Idris had great chemistry. Also, there were some lovely moments in it. However, I can't give it full marks because I HATED the Auntie and Uncle characters. Complete wastes of space.

Still probably one of the best eps this series, so far.

[Patticus]

That was a corking episode. Wished they used a

classic series control room instead of the Ecclestone/Tennant control room,

[Kevin]

Pretty good episode this week. I thought Neil Gaiman's writing in it was well done.

Also, anyone watch the Today show on NBC? Well, yesterday, they had Meredith Viera go to filming of Episode 13. She guest-stars in the episode as well as a news reporter.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Kevin

[Mollfie]

Refresh my memory, what other episodes (or, er, shows) has this man done? What's his writing pedigree?

You did not just ask me that O_O

Neil Gaiman has written books, plays, scripts, comics, song lyrics, journalism, the list is pretty endless lol.

He's written Coraline, American Gods, Sandman, Stardust, Beowulf, Mirrormask, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Wolves in the Walls, The Graveyard Book...to name but a few things.

More: http://www.neilgaiman.com/works/

Anywaaaays I really liked this episode. It had a good mix of everything that makes Dr Who good, avoiding all those things that I've found annoying in past episodes. I'm not surprised though seeing as it was Neil Gaiman who wrote it.

I love the tardis <3

Edited May 15, 2011 by Mollfie

[Doctor Sοnic]

Interesting episode, different than what I had expected. Very enjoyable though.

Neil Gaiman certainly loves references to past Doctor Who stories, which is great!

As well the return of the RTD console room (of which I'd heard rumours) there was the Time Lord messages in boxes (from the War Games) and references to the Eye of Orion. Probably lots more that I can't remember as well.

One of the best lines:

Amy on the Doctor being a Time Lord: "Its just what they're called, doesn't mean he knows what hes doing"

And did anyone else notice the bit about:

"The only water in the forest is the River"

[PSI Wind]

Saw this on Tumblr.

Edited May 15, 2011 by PSI Aqua

[Glenn]

So things are finally looking up.

This episode proved that you don't need silly, confusing ongoing storylines to make decent, modern adventures for the Doctor. It was creepy, scary, shocking, emotional, exciting, funny and totally self-contained (save the clue given to Rory and the brief reminder at the beginning... tiny moments that could have been removed and forgotten about). It explored an element of the Doctor we'd never seen, too, without doing anything horrible or dramatic to him.

Next week looks to push the "scary" envelope a bit further, as well.

Starting to enjoy this properly.

[Flyboy Fox]

It's a stroke of good timing that this was the first Doctor Who episode I've seen in a very long time (I saw the first couple of Matt Smith's debut, but then was without television until now). Being so self-contained and a story-unto-itself let me get right back into it. The script was superb; that perfect blend of funny, deadpan, witty and serious. The concept was one I imagine would have had to have come up with eventually, so not hugely original, but expertly played. She reminded me a little of crazy Queen Liz from Blackadder in her mannerisms and poise, but her 'relationship' with the Doctor was beautifully explored in the short time they had.

In an amusing (to me) aside, my mum asked me who Neil Gaiman is after I told her he wrote the episode. My mum is a total Terry Pratchett nut, she has all his books and reads them over and over, and at this exact moment she had Good Omens sitting on the table next to her. I lol'd. She never even noticed there was a co-author. But I explained about Gaiman's better known projects, and my particular fondness for the Sandman graphic novels. We made a deal; she'll read some Gaiman if I read some Pratchett. Seems fair enough =D

But yeah, excellent episode. I hope I won't be too out-of-the-loop if the next episode is more main-plot-centric. I might need to go back and catch up a bit. What are some key episodes I should see if I want to catch up with the 11th Doctor's exploits?

[Glenn]

I hope I won't be too out-of-the-loop if the next episode is more main-plot-centric. I might need to go back and catch up a bit. What are some key episodes I should see if I want to catch up with the 11th Doctor's exploits?

Well, basically, there have been three episodes thusfar of the current season, before the one you watched. If you can find them, watch them. At least this current ongoing storyline will hopefully make a little more sense, therefore. They're entitled as follows...

- "The Impossible Astronaut"

- "Day of the Moon"

- "Curse of the Black Spot"

Beyond that, the Eleventh Doctor featured in one entire season previous, known as Series Five online/on DVD. It was kinda self-contained and pretty cool, and there haven't been too many references towards it thusfar in the current season. That said, it introduced Amy Pond and the Eleventh Doctor himself, as well as a few cryptic nods (so far nothing more than a teasing novelty, not that important) to the villains featured in "The Impossible Astronaut" and "Day of the Moon". Basically, it hinges on whether you've got the time/money to invest in a DVD box set that retails around £40. If you have, highly recommended. If you haven't, don't worry. You won't get too confused and you won't miss anything vital to the ongoing storyline.

[Flyboy Fox]

Excellent, thanks Glenn! I did see the first couple of episodes to the 11th Doctor's debut, so I know how Amy Pond came into the picture and who she is. If the rest of that season is relatively unimportant for now, I guess I'll just use iPlayer to catch up on the last three episodes that you mentioned so that I'm up to speed with this particular story arc (:

[Doctor MK]

I might need to go back and catch up a bit. What are some key episodes I should see if I want to catch up with the 11th Doctor's exploits?

I'd say the most important episodes from Series 5 and 6 so far are...

5.1 The Eleventh Hour

(The Eleventh Doctor's opening story, introduces the "crack in time" story arc)

5.4 The Time of Angels / 5.5 Flesh and Stone

(the return of River Song, more about the cracks in time)

5.12 The Pandorica Opens / 5.13 The Big Bang

(simply put, a lot of stuff happens in these two episodes - plus more River Song)

6.1 The Impossible Astronaut / 6.2 Day of the Moon

(you absolutely positively have to see these two if you want to follow Series 6 from here on in - plus, guess who's back? River Song!)

The other episodes do still have relevance to the overall story arcs but these are probably the most plot-centric ones. For example, you'll need to have seen the Series 5 finale in order to know what "Rory the roman" is all about, and "silence will fall" (which was dotted all over the place in Series 5) comes to fruition in Series 6's opening two-parter. As a general rule, anything with River Song in is important as her identity is (apparently) finally going to be revealed in Episode 7 of Series 6, which will be a major plot point in the series.

EDIT: Ninja'd by Glenn! It's true, you don't need to have seen Series 5 to follow Series 6, but it does help to understand some of the little touches. But you simply must watch Series 6's opener, The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon. Must.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Doctor MK