For All US viewers, Doctor Who premieres on the SciFi channel tomorrow with a 2.5 hour extravaganza. First up is the Christmas special "The Runanway Bride" and then the official season premiere entitled "Smith & Jones" where we meet the Doctor's new companion.

"The Runaway Bride" starts at 8:00 PM EST (after an airing of "Kindred:The Embraced" at 7:00, does anyone else remember that show?!).

For All US viewers, Doctor Who premieres on the SciFi channel tomorrow with a 2.5 hour extravaganza. First up is the Christmas special "The Runanway Bride" and then the official season premiere entitled "Smith & Jones" where we meet the Doctor's new companion.

"The Runaway Bride" starts at 8:00 PM EST (after an airing of "Kindred:The Embraced" at 7:00, does anyone else remember that show?!).

Thanks for the heads up, I will have to make sure the CR is programmed.

I do not remember "Kindred: The Embraced". When was it on?

I do not remember "Kindred: The Embraced". When was it on?

I have it on DVD...I watched the first run in i want to say 96 or 95...check IMDB

According to IMDB Kindred: The Embraced (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115232/) aired in 1996. Series based on the White Wolf role-playing game, Vampire: the Masquerade. Julian Luna, the undead Prince of the City, leads the Vampire Clans as he falls in love with Caitlin, a human reporter. Julian Luna, prince of several disparate vampire, or kindred, clans in San Francisco, has his job cut out for him as he must try to keep a tenuous peace among them while not being afraid to apply ruthless justice against those who would break kindred rules. Infractions that merit "final death" include the taking of human life and changing humans into vampires who have not volunteered for the transformation.

I am not sure if it was cancelled because of low ratings, or because of the tragically young death of series star Mark Frankel (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291233/), but I liked the show when it aired. Now I know that it's on DVD, I'll have to add it to my list. :D

Doh, I missed a vampire show. But, only 5 minutes until The Doctor. :)

I can't wait to get home from work Saturday morning, take a nap & watch 2.5 hours of the Doctor!

Ok, I am watching both again now. I taped them.

I really do not like Donna. Whiney! Stupid!

I hope she gets a brain during the season shooting before she comes back fro Season 4.

Dr. Martha Jones is smart. Is beautiful. Is daring. She is a companion. :D

I look forward to this season, :D :) but I am concerned I may not watch Season 4 just because of Donna. :(

Is Donna supposed to be a regular? She looked like a one show character.

Donna was only supposed to be a one-shot wonder, but our British friends have informed us that she will be a series regular for Season 4 and Martha is only going to be in a few eps. :(

OK, my thoughts on "Runaway Bride" and "Smith & Jones" - I was right, Catherine Tate (the bride) is only OK in VERY small doses. 90 minutes of her was WAY TOO MUCH!!! She is nothing that a modern companion should be. She isn't smart or graceful under pressure or the yin to the Doctor's yang.

The ep itself was pretty decent, I even managed to feel a little (TINY!) bit sorry for Donna when her fiance was so mean to her, but... honestly, she is SO annoying!!!

I loved the incredibly campy Rachnos empress, she made me giggle. Yes, I know, she was probably supposed to be terrifying, but I thought she was hilarious. Actually, the only character in the new Doctor Who that has terrified me was the little boy-thing with the gas mask back in season one's WWII two-parter. "Are You My Mummy?" **shivers** eeeekkkkkkk!!!

"Smith & Jones" was a wonderful intro to new companion Martha. I admit to being pretty sceptical that anyone could replace Rose, but Martha is perfect for our poor, heartbroken Doctor (kudos to David Tennant, by the way, for yet another incredibly brilliant yet subtle portrayal of a heartbroken Time Lord!). Martha is smart, funny, sexy (but not a vapid sex kitten), graceful under pressure & managed to not let the Doctor outshine her. I look forward to the rest of the season, they make a good pair so far.

Donna was only supposed to be a one-shot wonder, but our British friends have informed us that she will be a series regular for Season 4 and Martha is only going to be in a few eps. :(

OK, my thoughts on "Runaway Bride" and "Smith & Jones" - I was right, Catherine Tate (the bride) is only OK in VERY small doses. 90 minutes of her was WAY TOO MUCH!!! She is nothing that a modern companion should be. She isn't smart or graceful under pressure or the yin to the Doctor's yang.

The ep itself was pretty decent, I even managed to feel a little (TINY!) bit sorry for Donna when her fiance was so mean to her, but... honestly, she is SO annoying!!!

I loved the incredibly campy Rachnos empress, she made me giggle. Yes, I know, she was probably supposed to be terrifying, but I thought she was hilarious. Actually, the only character in the new Doctor Who that has terrified me was the little boy-thing with the gas mask back in season one's WWII two-parter. "Are You My Mummy?" **shivers** eeeekkkkkkk!!!

"Smith & Jones" was a wonderful intro to new companion Martha. I admit to being pretty sceptical that anyone could replace Rose, but Martha is perfect for our poor, heartbroken Doctor (kudos to David Tennant, by the way, for yet another incredibly brilliant yet subtle portrayal of a heartbroken Time Lord!). Martha is smart, funny, sexy (but not a vapid sex kitten), graceful under pressure & managed to not let the Doctor outshine her. I look forward to the rest of the season, they make a good pair so far.


I agree. Catherine Tate is large dose is not good. I thought 90 minutes of her was too much as well. As to feeling sorry for her and her horrible boyfriend. I did not. She was that painful for me to take.

I agree, "Are you my Mummy?" boy was very frightening and something I would have shivers for myself if I had meet in person.

Smith & Jones. I really do like Martha. I thought she was good. She is a good modern companion. She is smart and brave and human. Not just something that is vapid and screaming and shrewish and is upset when the worlld is not in the making of her dreams, unlike other companions that accept and try to make changes.

Watched both episodes. I liked em. Looking forward to more. :)

The Runnaway Bride
Ah, good old BBC3!:) They repeated The Runnaway Bride last night, just in time to refresh my memory.(have not seen it since Xmas)
Overall, it was a pretty good, fast paced, action episode. Not anywhere near the best of the New Who bunch, but solid.

Obviously Donna is the talking point now she is retuning full-time in season 4.
She was bloody annoying for most of the episode, wasn't she.:( Her constant shouting was a pain in the arse, as was her constant interupting of the doctor when he was trying to explain something- "Wot?", "You talking Martian, or wot", "Shut up and tell me wots goin on" ect...
And her slapping his face when he starts wittering, I have a feeling this will be a running gag in season 4.
To be fair, when she calmed down and just talked to the Doctor, she was very likable. IMHO. And she certainly did not deserve the treatment she got from her fiance. That was a genuine savage blow her character recived, and your heart did go out to her.
Overall, I'm not very hopeful of her as a full-time companion. While she is of the same working class background as Rose, you never saw that wee spark that was instanly evident in Billie Piper's character.
But I'll give her a fair crack of the whip in the role before casting judgement.

Two things I did notice in this episode.
1) Remember last Xmas, in David Tennant's first full episode. He was asking himself "What kind of man am I" after his regeneration. Then at the end of the episode he killed the Sycorax Leader without looking at him and said " No second chances, that's the kind of man I am.".
And in this episode he said-" Only madmen speak to an empty sky. And trust me, you DO NOT want to make me mad.".
Well, both of these statements rang true in this episode. He gave the Empress one chance, then wiped her and her children out while he watched coldly!:o
You will see the Time Lord really dish it out later on in the series.;)

2) WEE SPOILER While watching last night, I noticed a wee line that took extra significance.
When the British Army tanks move into the streets of London to attack the Racnoss ship, you hear the officer in one tank relay the message " Mr Saxon has given the order. Fire at will!".
Remember the name Mr Saxon.:o;)
BRG

Oooh! A mystery spoiler! Cool!

Smith and Jones

Ah! A fine, fast, and fun opening to the new season. And an introduction to a new companion- Martha Jones.:)
While not the greatest ever DW, it certainly was far from the worst. We had action, comedy, and some nice visual FX. Plus 3 aliens. The villianous Plasmavore, the Judoon(who look like walking Rhino Stormtroopers!:D) and Slabs cunningly disguised as motorcycle couriers(who look suspiciously like The Stig from Top Gear!:o). While not The Daleks or Cybermen, these baddies will appeal to the younger viewer.

I really liked Martha from the minute she first appeared. She is smart, brave, quick thinking, cool under pressure, has a nice manner about her, and is bloody cute!:)
A differant type of girl from Rose in the fact that she is from a middle class family who have a more money and are better educated than the working class Rose & Jackie Tyler. But still, you can see she does not have a perfect family. Her mum looks like a strong intelligent woman, but a bit of a battleaxe. Her dad looks like he is bang in the middle of a mid-life crisis. And then we have her brilliant younger sister, and the down to earth young brother.
It seems to be a fact of the New Doctor Who that the companions family are going to be semi regular stars in the show. And indeed, like Jackie & Mickey, the Jones family pop up throuout the season.

So, a good start, and a wee bit better than 'The Runnaway Bride' IMHO. Next week is one of my favorite of season 3- The Shakespeare Code, probably the best in the first half of season 3.:)
BRG

I am definitely looking forward to seeing the Shakespeare ep! The Judoon were fun, with their rhino faces, phallic ships and high tech magic markers... :D

A platoon of Judoon on the moon!

I've caught a few fragments of S3 episodes, and liked what I saw. Looking forward to seeing them in order and correct context. :D

The Shakespeare Code

Hey nonny, nonny!:D I loved this episode. Just pure fun for 45mins!:)

I always find these adventures set in the past to be above par, and this was no exception. A good story, some comedy, great looking villians, and one of the greatest Britons who ever lived as a guest character. What more o you want?;)

I thought Dean Lennox Kelly's performance as Shakespeare was bizzare, yet brilliant. Indeed, why play the great man as a dull & bookish chap when you can play him as a strutting, swaggering, high-kicking Tudor Rock God!:o:D And the northern accent gave him a very 'Britpop in the Elizabethan era' vibe.
And Christine Cole, who played the young witch, how hot was that girl!:o Again, an excellent performance by the lass.

The sets were fantastic, really made you feel you were in 1599 London. Plus they had the added bonas of being given permission to film in the actual Globe Theatre in London, a very rare honour.
The one thing I think might annoy a non-British audience, the hero worship towards The Bard did get a little over the top, but you must remember, he is that important a figure to us Brits.
And I think the went to the 'quoting Shakespere' gag once or twice too often-

DW- All the world's a stage.
WS- Oh, that's good....I may use that.;)

And I notice a wee Harry Potter book 7 referance, pretty good timing for the States, as I belive the book is due out this week.;)

Next week, Gridlock, a wierd on this. Starts off thinking its a one thing, but there is a great reveal at the end.
BRG

PS-WARNING!!!
Not really a spoiler, but in this episode you can see where a number of the fans went off the character of Martha. While she said she was not interested last week, it is pretty obvious this week that she is smitten. While the Doctor is still pining after Rose.
So Martha just looks like a second rate replacement in the Doctors eyes, and the viewer cant help thinking the same.
Not Freema's fault, she is playing the character rhe way it is written, and indeed, this is a major character journey. But still, the damage was done and in many eyes she never recovered.:(
However, I have always felt she was a great addition to the show.:)

I liked this episode. To be honest, while I haven't seen all the past eps, I haven't seen one yet I didn't like.

As to Martha....I actually like her better than Rose. (I think she's hotter and smarter t say the least. ;) )

Loved the Potter refs. :D

I liked Martha too! The first HP ref. was cute, but the second was too much.

I really enjoyed this ep. It was especially nice to see the Globe Theater, I got to see a performance of Romeo & Juliet there when I was in England a few years ago and it was so well done that it was the very first time that I actually liked Juliet's character. I always thought she was a whiny little you-know-what, but the performance at the Globe made me realize that wasn't the way she should be.

Anyway, back to the ep. I thought the Harry Potter references were funny and seeing Shakespeare shouting "Expelliarmus" at a bunch of alien witches just made me giggle. The whole ep was well done and none of it dragged or made me wish the scene had been done differently. It made perfect sense to me when they treated Shakespeare as a sort of rock god. I mean, honestly, they didn't have TV or movies (or rock concerts) back then, who else would they get all excited over in the "entertainment industry"? lol

Another thing that had me giggling was when Shakespeare flirted with both Martha & the Doctor and the Doctor made his comment about 57 academics punching the air. lol... he must have been an enlightened & modern man like our beloved Captain Jack. :D

Gridlock

Come on, admit it! You all thought, like BRG, that this was just an anti-pollution, anti-congestion, piece of Green propaganda poseing as an episode of Doctor Who!;)
Well, it may have looked like that for the first 15 mins(and no doubt, the Green message was deliberate), but it turned into a rather great episode. IMO.:)

Yes, you can spot a few problems with the story. Indeed, if this was a 20-odd year traffic jam, and everybody outside the motorway or it's service areas are dead, then how could people only be joining the traffic flow?
And yes, it was pretty obvious that everyone was driving the EXACT same make & model of car! Christ, even the old Soviet Block nations had a wider choice than New New York!:o

But for the good parts. First off, a great guest appearance from Ardal O'Hanlon who played Brannigan! Great to see him in Doctor Who, even under all that cat makeup, he still gave his trademark lovable performance!:)
Also, the Macra as a villian. While the look just like giant CGI crabs, I was suprised to learn from a DW fan on another board that they have been in the series before, in a lost 1967 Patrick Troughton adventure "The Macra Terror". So it was a nice wee throw back.
And I enjoyed seeing The Face of Boe and Novice Hame again.:)

Three parts of this episode really raised this up a level for me.
First. When the Doctor askes Brannigan, and the 'sisters' if the have ever seen a police car, ambulance, or recovery vehicle in all the years stuck in the jam. Even through the makeup, you can see the fear in Brannigan's face, clearly the know deep down that they are all going to die in the traffic jam, and there is no help coming.
Second. The final meeting between the Doctor and Boe. I thought it was a really nice scene, with great dialog. And it was sad when he finnaly died. As Russell T. Davis himself sai, " I would not have believed you could get such emotion from a giant rubber head!":D
And Third. How nice was the final scene with the Doctor and Martha. With the hym being sung in the background, the Doctor finally opens up to Martha, he tells her about the Time War, how he is the last Timelord, and about his dead planet Gallifrey. A lovely way to end a fine episode!:)

Next week, part 1 of the first two parter of the year, and they are back!:eek:
Daleks in Manhattan followed by Evolution of the Daleks is the two part Dalek story set in 1930's New York.
BRG

PS-MINOR SPOILERS......BEWARE UNWARY READER
I hope yo payed close attention to the Face of Boe's final message to the Doctor, because it will pay off towards the end of the season- "You Are Not Alone...."

Missed this one unfortunately. :(

We just watched it. At first I was bored, but I ended up liking it!

Not alone refers to The Master, no?

We just watched it. At first I was bored, but I ended up liking it!
Yep, pretty much how I felt, it started off slow, but built into something good!

Not alone refers to The Master, no?
Cheeky Monkey!;) You should have added a spoiler for that. But indeed, you are correct, The Master will return at some point in Season 3.:o
BRG

Sorry, I was just guessing!

I was a bit bored with it at first, but then I started to see where they were going with it and really enjoyed it. It was wonderful to see the Face of Boe again, it is amazing how much emotion you can get out of a giant rubber head!

All those vehicle looking the same was a bit odd, but I can only imagine what an expensive nightmare the CGI would have been if they were all different. I am willing to accept what they did, considering that the rest of the ep looked so sharp and slick. I loved the giant crabs, eeeek!

David Tennant is just amazing, he is so wonderful at conveying the deepest emotions with just his face, I am so glad they chose him when Chris Eccleston left.

On a side note about David Tennant, his mum just passed away after a long battle of cancer, so my thoughts go out to him. David's mum & dad really made themselves open & available to David's fans, so a lot of people felt like they really knew them.

Hooray, the Daleks are back!

PS - I have NO idea who the Master is, I never saw any of the eps with him, so all I know is a brief blurb or two that people have written online. I am glad that the Doctor isn't alone, even if the Master turns out to be really evil... but don't tell me if he does!!!

The Daleks are back & they are making pig people slaves! Eeeeeeekkkkkk!!! Part One was quite promising, I am looking forward to next week's conclusion. My one quibble is that I would like to see more new "villains". This season they seem to be revisiting a lot of things we have already seen in other season. Just a minor quibble, though, I am quite pleased with the way things are going so far.

Indeed, I believe they should give the Daleks a year or two off.;)

They are THE great villian of Doctor Who, and a cultural icon in the UK. However, like The Borg in Star Trek, I feel they should be used sparingly, as they are weakened from overuse.
This is the way it was in the old days. The Daleks & Cybermen could go 4-5 years without an appearance. In fact, each Doctor would typicaly only have one encounter against them, which always made them special.

I also quite enjoyed that episode, and you must admit, in the Empire State Building in 1930's New York, the Daleks have the perfect art deco look for the era!:D
I was not overly keen on the Pig Slaves, they looked more like kiddie TV than Dr Who. And you really noticed some very dodgy accents by Brit actors trying to play American.:o I though the lassie who played Tallulah was especially bad in the accent department!:rolleyes:
BRG

Actually, I thought Tallullah sounded just fine for the time/place/occupation. Some of the other accents were a bit off, but not jarringly so to my American ears.

The pig slaves were very silly looking, but they didn't make me laugh the way that crazy spider chick did a couple of episodes ago! I know she probably scared little kids, but she was so ridiculously campy I couldn't help but laugh.

I have heard that the second half of this storyline is much better than the first, is that true?

I would say that it is better, but to be honest, I found this two parter, and the episode that follows to be the weakest three of the season. Still good, still enjoyable, but definately below the normal high standard.
Just wait though!:o The second half of the season may indeed blow your mind!:D There are a few staggeringly good eps to come.:)

So I had Tallulah's accent all wrong!:eek: I will take your word for it, but in my defence, my main exposer to New York accents have been Friends and Seinfeld.;)
BRG

Ah well, Friends & Seinfeld didn't do the best New York accents. It was OK for educated contemporary New Yorkers, but Tallulah was a showgirl from the 1930's and it sounded like a lot of the accents I have heard over the years in movies.

We'd have to ask an old New Yorker for their official opinion, though. What do I know, I'm from Cow Hampshire! ;) :D

Season 4 News

My one quibble is that I would like to see more new "villains". This season they seem to be revisiting a lot of things we have already seen in other season. Just a minor quibble, though, I am quite pleased with the way things are going so far.


I don't think RTD has read your mind Uno, because another wee snippet of news from season 4 has been released, and you guessed it! Another villian will reappear!:rolleyes: Although, it is one I'm quite looking forward to seeing again.

It's The Ood.:o Those strange aliens with the weird eyes and the mouth tenticals, last seen in the brilliant second season two parter The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit.:) Apparently this will be an early adventure for Donna, and will take place on the Ood home planet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2007/07/25/47491.shtml

And a wee bit of sad news, David Tennant, who is filming the Christmas special of Doctor Who in Cardiff, has recently lost his mother.:( She died of cancer.
However, the fans of Doctor Who have raised thousands of pounds for the hospice in Paisley which cared for her.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6924416.stm
Anyway, condolences to David at this sad time.
BRG

The second half of that Dalek two-parter (was it "Evolution of the Daleks") was OK, but I think it could have been better. I think I might just be tired of the Daleks. They need to stop using them for a while, otherwise they will lose all their appeal as a great villain. Since they only used the Oood for that two-part storyline last season I am completely OK with them coming back. They haven't been overused the way that the Daleks have... but I still want to see new villains!

I loved seeing Martha figure things out, it was good to see that she can handle things on her own. DT was brilliant as usual, of course.

Looking forward to next week.

I agree, not a bad two-parter, but it really could have been better.

BTW, a number of Doctor Who fans have been speculating about the ending. When Dalek Khan used the "emergency temporal shift" to escape from the Doctor, do you think this was the same Dalek who ended up in mid 21st century Utah in some billionaire's private museum, as seen in the season 1 episode Dalek?;)
Could well be, as they established that using the temporal shift severly drains the Dalek's power, and the Dalek from season 1 was running on empty until the touch from Rose revived it.:o

Next week is The Lazarus Experiment, a present day episode, which features Martha's family. Again, and enjoyable episode with some great moments, but also one of the weaker episodes of season 3. But it has a great guest star in Mark Gatiss.:)
BRG

PS- SEASON 4 RUMOUR!!!
Uno, I think your plea for the Daleks to be given a rest has fallen on deaf ears, as reports in the media say the will indeed be back in season 4.:(
However, there is a juicy rumour spreading that legendary actor Sir Ben Kingsley will star in that episode as Davros, evil leader of the Daleks, and one of THE great Doctor Who villians!
The news could be confirmed this week, and if so, it really could be a cracking episode!:D

Oooh! That is a great theory about Rose's Dalek being the one that left Manhattan! I'm not familiar with Mark Gatiss as an actor, but I will look forward to his performance. I would love to see Ben Kingsley as Davros, that would be quite a coup for RTD to get someone of his caliber on there. They have been quite fortunate in their guest stars, but Ben Kingsley, wow!

I did like The Lazarus ep, but now I see why people were getting all upset about Martha's "crushing" on the Doctor. If they had a nice. light hearted flirtatious friendship I would be OK with it, but I don't want another love interest for the Doctor, it is too soon and too much!

The FX for the ep were pretty good, too, it is amazing how things have improved over the years so that things like Lazarus became look nearly real on screen... you can't even see wires on things anymore, lol. :D

What's up next for us, BRG?

Yep, not a bad episode. Some good action, some good lines, and a really good performance by Mark Gatiss as Lazarus.:)
Did you notice the wee joke when he reversed the polarity of Lazarus's machine? It the old days, John Pertwee used to love saying "Reverse the Polarity" and would insist writers include the line.;)

Next week, an interesting one. 42, and as the title suggests, this is a unique 'real time' episode, where the action all takes place during 42mins- the leagth of the episode.:)
I'm giving away a wee bit of a spoiler, but I'm sure you will not be suprised. The Doctor & Martha arrive on a space ship some time in the future, but it is in the middle of a crisis, and has only 42mins until the situation turns critical!:o
A good episode, but really just filler until the first of the fantastic second half episode which start the week following.:D
BRG

PS- SEASON 4 NEWS
A few more details of season 4 have been confirmed. Alas, still no news on Sir Ben Kingsley, which must be considered an unconfirmed rumour still. But two guest stars have been announced.
Felicity Kendal, a great actress who was most famous as the lovely Barbara Good in the classic 1970's BBC sitcom The Good Life, and recently has been staring in ITV's Rosemary & Thyme as Rosemary, one of the two ealderly crime-fighting gardiners!;)
And also announced is Tim McInnerny, known to millions in the 80's as Lord Percy in Blackadder I & II, and as Captain Darling in Blackadder Goes Forth!

Oooh! A Blackadder actor?! Brilliant!!!

I never saw the John Pertwee episodes, but it is nice tha they paid tribute to him.

As stated in my other post in the Torchwood thread: http://www.deadparrottavern.com/forum/showthread.php?p=206414#post206414

I should be able to DVR the complete series here in the next few weeks and also be able to see the new series as it is aired. :D

Where does "Blink" fit into the series?

My DVR recorded it the other day off of CBC. Just curious.

Thanks

Where does "Blink" fit into the series?

My DVR recorded it the other day off of CBC. Just curious.

Thanks


Blink is episode 10 of 13 in season 3.(or 11 of 14 if you count last years Xmas ep)
It is technically a wee filler episode before the big finish with the last 3 episodes of the season, but most felt it was easily the best episode of the entire 3 years of new DW!:)

It should air in the USA in 2 weeks, as I believe they are in the middle of the excellent Human Nature/Family of Blood two parter. Family of Blood should be on next weekend.
BRG

Blink is episode 10 of 13 in season 3.(or 11 of 14 if you count last years Xmas ep)
It is technically a wee filler episode before the big finish with the last 3 episodes of the season, but most felt it was easily the best episode of the entire 3 years of new DW!:)

It should air in the USA in 2 weeks, as I believe they are in the middle of the excellent Human Nature/Family of Blood two parter. Family of Blood should be on next weekend.
BRG

Air in the USA in two (2) weeks. My DVR recorded it the other day from Canada.

I say it is a conspiracy. First the British and the BBC and then CBC and Canada and then the USA. *POUT* You mean we are not the center of the universe?

Thanks for the info. I really enjoyed the show.

I loved Human Nature & can't wait for the conclusion. Of course, this is a holiday weekend, so no new Who till next weekend. :(

I loved Human Nature & can't wait for the conclusion. Of course, this is a holiday weekend, so no new Who till next weekend. :(

Don't worry, it is worth the wait!:) This two-parter is an absolute classic.
And what is the episode which follows, why it's Blink, which is even better!:o:D

BRG

The BBC have announced that Doctor Who will take a year off in 2009!:o:confused:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6976178.stm

Season 4 will go ahead as normal with the main series running from spring-summer 2008(usually starting on Easter weekend) with a Xmas special.
However, season 4 will be shelved until 2010. In its place in 2009 will be 3 'Doctor Who Specials', which I assume will be 1 hour or feature leagth episodes at key holiday weekends.

While David Tennant is confirmed for the 3 specials in 2009, rumours are spreading that he will bow out before season 5 kicks off in 2010. Also, many believe RTD will hand over the show to a new producer in 2010.

I must admit, I am dissapointed that Doctor Who will not be on as a regular season in 2009. However, this is not uncommon at the BBC, remember, Red Dwarf sometimes had 3-4 years between seasons.;) Plus, it will give Torchwood a chance to really step out of its big brothers shadow.
BRG

:( :( :( :( :( :( :(

I must admit, I am dissapointed that Doctor Who will not be on as a regular season in 2009. However, this is not uncommon at the BBC, remember, Red Dwarf sometimes had 3-4 years between seasons.;) Plus, it will give Torchwood a chance to really step out of its big brothers shadow.
BRG

Giving Torchwood a chance may be a good reason. But, several Star Treks have run at the same time. :)

BRG, you were right, I loved Family of Blood! David Tennant is a fantastic actor, he was able to be a completely new character with just body language. I wouldn't want this Doctor mad at me, though! **shivers**

Yep, that was a fantastic two parter, and I felt it had some of the finest scenes in the 40+ years of Doctor Who.

I thought Jessica Hynes, who played Joan, deserves a special mention, she was brilliant in these episodes. Indeed, of Joan & John Smith, it was Joan who was the strong one, and it was her streagth which gave John Smith the courage to become The Doctor again.
And that scene at the end, when the Doctor returns after dealing with the family, how good was that!:)
With her love- John Smith, essentially dead, she reject the Doctor's offer of becoming a companion with a line which was an absolute killer-
" Tell me Doctor. If you had not come here, on a whim, would anybody have died?"......:o Brilliant!

Other mentions. The two kids, Thomas Sangster who played the clairvoyant Tim, and Lauren Wilson who played young Lucy Cartwright. Both gave great little spooky performances! And I loved the notion of young Lucy, with her red baloon, trapped inside every mirror in the world!:o
And I thought Harry Lloyd gave a wonderfully over-the-top perfomance as Baines, one of the best villians I've seen in DW!

Next up Uno, Blink! With Sally Sparrow, a character who is surely too good to be a one off. Really, don't miss this!;)
BRG

PS- One final mention about 'Family of Blood'. I thought the last scene, when the old Tim is at a War Rememberance service thinking about his fallen pals from 90 years ago, and he looked over to see The Doctor & Martha, not a day older than he remembered them in 1913, and then he broke down in tears.
This was a very moving scene, and I have heard many say that this two parter should be aired on Rememberance Weekend just for this two minute scene.
And I wholeheartedly agree.

I thought Jessica Hynes, who played Joan, deserves a special mention, she was brilliant in these episodes.
She was brilliant, very well played. Actually, all of the guest stars in this ep were very talented.



" Tell me Doctor. If you had not come here, on a whim, would anybody have died?"......:o Brilliant!
Oh, that line gave me chills! It was so very true!



And I loved the notion of young Lucy, with her red baloon, trapped inside every mirror in the world!:o
All the punishments he meted out to the Family were brilliant, but the mirror one for Lucy & the scarecrow one for Baines were the best. I will never look at a scarecrow the same way again.



And I thought Harry Lloyd gave a wonderfully over-the-top perfomance as Baines, one of the best villians I've seen in DW!
He was so wonderfully over-the-top insane, it was great! It was all just his body language and those psycho eyes!



This was a very moving scene, and I have heard many say that this two parter should be aired on Rememberance Weekend just for this two minute scene.
And I wholeheartedly agree.
Add my agreement as well, that was a very touching scene! Loved the poppies. Americans don't do that as much as the Brits seem to, at least not around here anyway, and it's a shame.


I am definitely looking forward to the next ep!

Interesting bit of trivia on Harry Lloyd:
He is the great-great-great-grandson of author Charles Dickens


And, oooh, I didn't recognize him as Will Scarlett when he was playing psycho Baines, but now I know who he is I am even more impressed, I would never have guessed!

BRG, you were sure right about "Blink" it was amazing! I think that it has possibly surpassed "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" as my fave Doctor Who story. Of course, they were written by the same man, Steven Moffat (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0595590/) who also wrote "The Girl In The Fireplace" so I should have expected an excellent ep from him.

The Weeping Angels were a BRILLIANT invention & I will never look at a statue the same way again! As a matter of fact, I kept a VERY close eye on the small fairy statue in my garden when I went to take the dogs out to the bathroom that evening. I got goosebumps more than once during this ep and I watched it twice within 24 hours (and would have watched it more if I could have found the time) and I almost never do that.

Bravo to everyone involved, cast & crew, on "Blink" that was the best hour of TV I have seen in a long, long time!

Glad you enjoyed it Uno!:) It was a massive hit over here, but you can never tell if overseas audiances will react the same way.

Sally Sparrow was something special, was she not?:D You could see why fans were demanding she be promoted to Companion as soon as this ep had aired!;)
And I completely agree about Steven Moffat, the guy just hits it out the ballpark every time! Again, most fans are hoping he takes over from RTD when the time comes.

Ok, you are fast approaching the end of season 3, but fear not! You have an excellent 3 part story to finish with.( Well, it is actually an episode which leads directly into the final two parter, so not an official 3 parter;))

First of the last three is Utopia, with the return of an old favorite. Yes, Captain Jack is back!:D And also we have the living legend who is Sir Derek Jacobi as guest star!:)
While these last 3 episodes are not quite at the same level of the last few, they are still excellent.
BRG

I can't wait to see Captain Jack & the Doctor together again!I am sure that Jack has a few words for our Time Lord!

I think I would have loved Utopia if "Blink" & the Family of Blood 2 parter hadn't been so incredibly well done. As it is, I did like Utopia, but if Steven Moffat had written it, I would have liked it better! :D

I never saw any of the old Doctor Who eps with the Master, so I guess a little of the story was lost on me, but I look forward to seeing what happens... even if it does mean that the season is coming to a close. :( I loved the look of the ship and the needle-toothed baddies and the Professor/Master's assistant was also an interesting character.

I just watched the first part of the "Master". The one right after the Professor.

I really did not like it. :(

I did not like the bullets bouncing off the car and then as they were going away one parting shot breaking the back window.

I am not sure why this little thing is bothering me so much. I can suspend reality and enjoy science fiction and fantasy, and aliens and future technology, but something this simple made me just groan.

I do like Blink and still have a copy in my DVR.

Not your cup of tea, Uno.:( Sorry to hear that.

To be honest, this two parter seemed to split DW fans. Some thought it brilliant, some felt it too daft. I'm in the middle after a second viewing, but to be honest, at first I was not keen on it.

What do you think of John Simm as The Master? I just felt he played it too silly, which is a shame because when he turns serious in the character, he looks great.
I loved the way Jacobi played The Master, just pure evil. And the way he transformed from the nice old Professor Yana into the evil Master with just a look in his eyes was astounding!:o That is the sign of an absolutly top drawer actor.:)
Although I thought he layed on a wee bit too much ham when he hissed " I...am...the MASTER..." to his assistant just before he fried her!;)

On the episode you just watched. I though there was one outstanding scene. When the Docor & Master talk on the phone about the Time War, I loved the way the two guys played it.
And It was really cool to see Gallifrey, with the young Master looking into the Vortex and going mad!:o

Well, I hope you enjoy part two a wee bit better, however it will probably leave you feeling the same as part one I'm afraid.
Still, worth sitting through to see the end of season 3, with the wee teaser for the Xmas ep.
BRG

Not your cup of tea, Uno.:( Sorry to hear that.

lol... that last comment was actually by Shadow Runner, BRG. You must be so used to replying to me you were thrown off by someone else posting in the forum. :p

I actually liked it for the most part. The Master played it a little too campy & silly, with not as much menace as Jacobi had, but that was really my only quibble with the episode. I thought it was well-paced and had all sorts of fun/interesting/well-done scenes.

John Barrowman is just so great as Captain Jack and he & David Tennant play very well off each other. I think I like the three of them almost as much as I liked him with Doctor # 9 & Rose.



On the episode you just watched. I though there was one outstanding scene. When the Docor & Master talk on the phone about the Time War, I loved the way the two guys played it.
And It was really cool to see Gallifrey, with the young Master looking into the Vortex and going mad!:o

The phone conversation between the Doctor and the Master was very well done and I absolutely loved seeing Gallifrey. It is actually the first time I ever remember seeing it on screen, since, before the new Who premiered I hadn't watched Doctor Who since I was a very young girl.

Not your cup of tea, Uno.:( Sorry to hear that.

To be honest, this two parter seemed to split DW fans. Some thought it brilliant, some felt it too daft. I'm in the middle after a second viewing, but to be honest, at first I was not keen on it.

What do you think of John Simm as The Master? I just felt he played it too silly, which is a shame because when he turns serious in the character, he looks great.
I loved the way Jacobi played The Master, just pure evil. And the way he transformed from the nice old Professor Yana into the evil Master with just a look in his eyes was astounding!:o That is the sign of an absolutly top drawer actor.:)
Although I thought he layed on a wee bit too much ham when he hissed " I...am...the MASTER..." to his assistant just before he fried her!;)

On the episode you just watched. I though there was one outstanding scene. When the Docor & Master talk on the phone about the Time War, I loved the way the two guys played it.
And It was really cool to see Gallifrey, with the young Master looking into the Vortex and going mad!:o

Well, I hope you enjoy part two a wee bit better, however it will probably leave you feeling the same as part one I'm afraid.
Still, worth sitting through to see the end of season 3, with the wee teaser for the Xmas ep.
BRG


There were parts that were good yes.

But soup with a turd in it is still soup with a turd in it. I think they got sloppy and tried to go to fast and close somethings out.

Just my thoughts. I have it still reocrded to try again.

Sorry Shadowrunner & Uno!:o:rolleyes::D

Just force of habit I'm afraid, it is usually Uno who posts comments on DW.;)
BRG

So... "Last of the Time Lords" was a terrible letdown from such an otherwise stellar season. :( In the first place, why in the world did they turn an unregenerated Doctor into Dobby the elf?! And then put him in a frickin' parakeet cage?!

Then, the Tinkerbell-esque scene where the Doctor was regenerated and levitated by the thoughts of the people of the world was just... cheese. VERY bad, incredibly stinky cheese. Boooooo!!!! Hisssssss!!!

It did have some good scenes and there some wonderful parts, but unfortunately, they were overshadowed by the ridiculous bits. I understand that the US version cut out some important parts that were in the original version that really should have been left intact.

Ah well, I don't think we have seen the last of the Master and I am definitely looking forward to the Christmas special next year. The Doctor's "What? What?! What!!!" when that ship struck the TARDIS was hilarious. Although, hasn't he already been ON the Titanic?! Wouldn't that be a paradox?

So... "Last of the Time Lords" was a terrible letdown from such an otherwise stellar season. :( In the first place, why in the world did they turn an unregenerated Doctor into Dobby the elf?! And then put him in a frickin' parakeet cage?!

Then, the Tinkerbell-esque scene where the Doctor was regenerated and levitated by the thoughts of the people of the world was just... cheese. VERY bad, incredibly stinky cheese. Boooooo!!!! Hisssssss!!!



Ah, RTD at his over the top best!:rolleyes: Next time he should let Steven Moffat handle the big season finale.;)

Another thing which annoyed me was when they pushed that big red reset button at the end, so in effect, the only people who died were The Master and the US President.

The Master, well with that ending straight out of the 1980 Flash Gordon film, blended with Vader's funeral pyre from Return of the Jedi, I indeed think we will se him agian.;)
Many fans think that since it was obviously a woman who picked up the ring, that it may be a hint at the return of The Rani. However, RTD has said that it was only a device to insure that The Master could return in the future when the show is run by other people, but that the character will not return under his leadership of the show.

The Titanic episode should be a good one. And only 3 months to wait!:)
BRG

PS- I noticed during the week that childrens channel CBBC have started airing the new Doctor Who spin-off show Sarah Jane Adventures, a childrens show starring the lovely Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, who was a companion to John Pertwee and Tom Baker's Doctor in the 70's, and who appeared in a S2 episode beside David Tennant.
I'm not sure how it is being received, but it is airing once a week on BBC1 as well as the dedicated CBBC Channel.

PPS- Oh, BTW Uno. I also noticed season 2 of Robin Hood started last Saturday on BBC1.:) Unfortunatly I missed it as my mums car is broken down and I was running her to her work in mine.:(

Oooh! I can't wait for Robin Hood's second season to make it over here! With the Hollywood writer's strike looming, I think we will be starting to see more Brit imports in the coming months. I'll have to see if I can find the Sarah Jane adventures somewhere, I saw some of the people at the Skiffy board talking about it.