Comments on The Woman Who Talked Too Much: Doctor Who: The Stolen Earth

rrsfchpdAlun I am just incredibly sad with a fairl...

2008-07-03T09:26:00.000+01:00

rrsfchpdAlun I am just incredibly sad with a fairly good memory for stuff which is fun but ultimately useless. I am also incredibly good at distracting myself with this kind of thing when I really ought to be doing something else...

You're right. I probably should seek help!

(Mind you, since I've spent time in the blogosphere with proper fanboys I realise I am only scratching the surface...)

Well, Marty, often an actor isn't present at the r...

2008-07-02T01:46:00.000+01:00

Well, Marty, often an actor isn't present at the read-through due to other commitments. This has happened to Catherine Tate, and to the guy who played the obnoxious boy-genius in that Sonatarian episode. When this happens, another actor "reads in". You see David Tennant reading in for the voice of the computer "Mr Smith" in this week's Confidential; evidently the usual actor wasn't there (and probably wouldn't be for the sake of two lines that he'd be ADR-ing anyway). Yes, Noel Clarke was present with Camille Coudouri sitting next to him; they're appearing in the final episode. A clip from that has been broadcast. (I'll shut up now...)

Jane, I have to say that your knowledge, not only ...

2008-07-01T22:15:00.000+01:00

Jane, I have to say that your knowledge, not only of the primary material, but also of the secondary sources (Wikipedia), as demonstrated by your answer to my post, is formidable! Whether it's anything else is between you and your therapist.

I still can't say I like "I'm so so sorry" as a catchphrase...

They showed the script read through on Dr Who Conf...

2008-07-01T16:58:00.000+01:00

They showed the script read through on Dr Who Confidential - no McCoy but the guy who play's Micky was there. But that could be a bluff..

Only twice (honest) - but I am a bit anal about th...

2008-07-01T15:33:00.000+01:00

Only twice (honest) - but I am a bit anal about that kind of thing. And I'm sure they keep reusing locations. The street that Donna lived in Leeds looked very like the one that Martha hid in last year, and the one Wilfred and Sylvia met the daleks in was rather like the one they used in Fear Her. Told you I was anal...

I noticed the church first and then no 1 did - probably a familial delusion brought about by overexcitement at watching the most thrilling ten minutes in Dr Who ever...

And no, I haven't spotted Donna with a watch.

Jane, how many times have you watched this? Your ...

2008-07-01T14:44:00.000+01:00

Jane, how many times have you watched this? Your attention to detail is astonishing!

Oh and was it just me and my oldest daughter who t...

2008-07-01T13:34:00.000+01:00

Oh and was it just me and my oldest daughter who thought the church the Tardis landed outside was the same one that Pete Tyler died in front of?

And is the drumming when Donna sat down important. Anyone spot whether or not she has an old silver watch floating about...

Ah now, I liked Sylvester McCoy. He had that eccen...

2008-06-30T14:11:00.000+01:00

Ah now, I liked Sylvester McCoy. He had that eccentricity and slightly dark edge. But he was my Doctor, and we all secretly love our own Doctor and hate all others...

I'll add to the cacophony of voices saying that we left that episode with the Doctor in the middle of regeneraion - any Dallas-style stepping back from that just isn't on. So while I love DT as the Doctor, he's got to go.

And what's more, I actually cheered when that Dalek appeared while Rose and the Doctor ran towards each other. I mean, just go the whole hog and put it in slow motion too! Why the Dalek couldn't have got Rose as well is beyond me.

I also love the idea of the BBC keeping something like that under wraps. So implausible!

And we're all agreed that Donna's going to die presumably?

Saf, I like your idea a lot. Multiple Doctor episodes were great (they all hate each other!) so let's have some more. And votes.

Very, VERY exciting stuff.

Persephone I like your thinkingAlun if you look on...

2008-06-30T11:14:00.000+01:00

Persephone I like your thinking

Alun if you look on wikipedia, I'm sorry, so sorry has been DT's catch phrase throughout, and I think CE's too.

Scott, Gwen and Ianto are what's left of Jack's Torchwood team (the other two Toshiko and Owen topped it at the end of the last series). As usual Jack is selfishly not putting them first even though they both fancy the pants off him. And yes. Torchwood is utterly rubbish and I don't know why I watch it.

Sarah Jane adopted this alien child thing in the pilot episode of the SJ Adventures, which is the only one I've seen. Mr Smith is her whizzy computer which lets her do all manner of things. K9 last time I looked was revolving out in space keeping his eye on something, but I can't remember what. I think she gets to say hello to him once a year. Which seems a bit unfair on the tin dog, but there you go.

I absolutely loved it, and didn't care that it was utterly preposterous. But I did think Sarah Jane was wetter then wet and Jack was pretty useless when the daleks arrived.

Anyone else wonder if Harriet Jones had really changed her spots? The way she jumped on Martha NOT to use the key seemed a bit odd to me, cos clearly the key is important and no doubt will have some life saving function.

I too think the hand has to be important, and surely the clone thing means that all they need to do is find Davros's weakness, and apply it to all his creations as happened to the adipose...

Though I really don't want to say goodbye to DT either, I kind of agree with Marie, if they HAVE pulled a fast one that is pretty cool.

But, no. Please. NOT Sylvester McCoy. My adult Dr Who watching point stopped as soon as he showed up, as I could never get him out of my head as the wierd irritating one on Vision On, and THEN they paired him with Bonnie Langford...

Persephone: "Dalek Caan gibbered away about a trif...

2008-06-30T10:11:00.000+01:00

Persephone: "Dalek Caan gibbered away about a trifold or threefold man."

Ah, there we are then. He'll split into three, we'll have Three Future Doctors episode on our hands, because all this story is missing is multiple Doctors, then there are three specials next year, one for each Doctor and the nation gets to decide in a massive X Factor style vote which one gets taken up when the Grand Moff takes the helm.

Could happen ;)

A few thoughts. Pretty random ones at that.We did...

2008-06-30T09:26:00.000+01:00

A few thoughts. Pretty random ones at that.

We didn't see Harriet Jones die. No body means they can come back in future episodes. Probably wrong and no big deal but worth noting.

90% of this episode was pretty much wasted on anyone who hasn't seen any of the Who spin-offs. Which means me and my entire family. Who are the Welsh floozies (male and female)? What is this Mr Smith computer?

I agree that he can't regenerate properly. The hand cropped up a lot in the Doctor's daughter episode but didn't seem to play a role in that. Hmmm.

Sarah Jane the most faithful companion?

K9?

Peter Purves?

Is it just this season that DT has had the gratin...

2008-06-30T07:15:00.000+01:00

Is it just this season that DT has had the gratingly insincere catchphrase "I'm just so, so sorry" - or variants thereof? He said it again just before the regeneration.

Good to have the Judoon back again.

I'd be delighted to see Rose, Martha, or Donna getting out of the shower. But yes it would be criminal to do a timey-wimey re-wind like last year.

I could see David Morrissey with River Song, could...

2008-06-30T00:07:00.000+01:00

I could see David Morrissey with River Song, couldn't you? Actually, I have little problem with any competent strong lead actor (over 35, please) taking on the role. James Nesbitt? Why not? Robert Carlyle? Definitely! I keep remembering Stephan Moffat's DW spoof "Curse of the Fatal Death" in which Rowan Atkinson, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Hugh Grant and Joanna Lumley all made rather splendid Doctors. It's a pretty flexible role.

Oh, come on, wouldn't it be fun to have Sylvester McCoy for a moment or two? How about Peter Davison? They interviewed him too....

Bagelmouse, I fully understand the urge to throw something at the screen; I damn near did during the Doctor Chant on TLOTL last year. If I were not forced by the vagaries of the CBC and their hockey and Olympics schedule to watch DW illegally on my computer, I might be tempted to do the same thing next week. However, we just got a new monitor...

I assumed that the Judoon exchange was some kind o...

2008-06-29T22:43:00.000+01:00

I assumed that the Judoon exchange was some kind of official ritual greeting. Mainly I just liked the bit when DT said "Mo Ho" super-seriously.

Would your theory make David Morrissey the next Doctor? I could certainly live with that. But maybe he just plays a medic. Less thrilled at the thought of a return of Sylvester McCoy, I still remember how distressed I was when he took over as the Doctor when I was 11, having seen him and been distinctly unimpressed in various kids' shows before then. Peter Davidson was my Doctor, and very early crush (as Tristan in All Creatures Great and Small). Brilliantly, Colin Baker appears to have ben wiped from my memory entirely!

Bagelmouse, I too am praying for no re-use of the dreaded time reset - way too Bobby In The Shower for me.

I was so mad when I saw that they were actually tr...

2008-06-29T22:24:00.000+01:00

I was so mad when I saw that they were actually trying it on with a regeneration. With all the location snaps of DT and the fact they're re-formatting the entire next year for him to go off and do Hamlet... I swear to god, if we have some kind of stupid time reset thing like the end of last series I will put my remote through my TV. See, if it was a proper regeneration I'd be with you thinking "wow, what a fantastic thing to pull on the audience!" but they're also lining up Ianto and Gwen to be given the dreaded deaded (when we know Torchwood's been recommissioned for at least a few eps) and we know DT's back... if this turns out to be some massive bit of misdirection I will spend the next two years with my hands over my ears singing 'lalalalala' until Steven Moffat takes over.

There have been a lot of quibbles about this episo...

2008-06-29T21:50:00.000+01:00

There have been a lot of quibbles about this episode, but I've yet to see this one: Why did the Doctor have to speak in Judoon to the Judoon? Last time it was because the Tardis was not transported to the moon along with the hospital. This time, he's just stepped out of the Tardis, so why is it not translating for him?

And what about Dalek Caan going on about the death of "the most faithful companion". What is this? Some kind of sick contest?

David Tennant has been snapped and videoed for hours on end filming the Christmas special, and has told Andrew Marr in a TV interview that he goes back to filming the other DW specials in January. I strongly doubt that this is part of an elaborate hoax to cover up a sudden early regeneration.

I've been refining this theory throughout the day. Sylvester McCoy suddenly, briefly and rather inexiplicably pops up for a one-sentence comment during the latest DW confidential. He's dressed in something looking very much like his Doctor gear. David Morrissey is in the Christmas special, and spies reported that the sign on his trailer read "The Other Doctor". Dalek Caan gibbered away about a trifold or threefold man. I'm not entirely joking in suggesting that the Doctor's regeneration might go awry with glimpses of a past and future incarnation, followed by Donna doing something with the severed hand (the camera directed our gaze at it right at the beginning of the episode) that will result in the restoration of the current Doctor, and the demise of Donna herself (possibly going with Rose, or even taking her place?).

Boy, I need to make better use of my time...