Sea Devils And Die: GeroniMoffat's Doctor Who In The 2010s

Yeah without an alien it would have just been them dicking round with Van Gogh, and considering the bit after the alien died was by far the worst bit of the episode it would have been terrible. The problem was that an alien no one can see is a decent idea and they could have made more of the tension and destruction and they didn't.

LOTS of ginger dialogue in this ep, I expect more complaints are on their way to the BBC following the "Ultimate Ginge" final line if nothing else.

Southern Lord have a lot of the hipper, heavier groups. Hydra Head and Translation Loss have a lot of the high-level post-metal type groups. Prosthetic has a lot of cool stuff, but they might be a little more brutal than you're looking for.
--X-Wing fighter in hand, "Godzilla" cranked on the stereo (J3ff T.)

LOTS of ginger dialogue in this ep, I expect more complaints are on their way to the BBC following the "Ultimate Ginge" final line if nothing else.
--Slumpman

Rusty fans think this is the best thing EVARR because it's an OBVIOUS reference to Donna and how GRATE she is btw. They also think Chickenbear is a reference to Tennant's haircut and how GRATE it is fwiw.

They also think Chickenbear is a reference to Tennant's haircut and how GRATE it is fwiw.

hang on WHAT?

I just think it's incredibly lazy writing on Curtis' part. What would the "world's greatest ever painter" and his biggest admirer who is also a time traveller have a conversation about if they ever had the chance to meet? Well, you know they both have the same colour hair so that, probably.

/They also think Chickenbear is a reference to Tennant's haircut and how GRATE it is fwiw./

hang on WHAT?
--ailsa

See? Now you know why I read Doctor Who Forums so you don't have to.

btw my post a couple of hours ago might be considered a Zing Touch error.

Also liked how the alien was a really small focus in the episode - mostly it was about Van Gogh and Amy.

Ditto. Must be turning into soppy old git, but was genuinely moved by Van Gogh in the gallery bit.

Also rather liked the glib explaining-away of his Scottish accent, in that to him Amy must have been talking in a Dutch accent.

And yes, liked the ungainly, 1950s-style device he needed to use to see the alien.

I mean, I know it makes sense that a high-tech far-future time travelling alien would have some handy thing like the sonic screwdriver, but it's a boring and portable solve-everything. They need to blow it up again, as with the 5th Doctor, and have him rely more on his brain or on something less obviously useful--like a heavy, ungainly thing with a wing mirror.

OK, saw this episode, which is the first Doctor Who I've watched since, ooh, Queen Victoria was in it.

Amy and Who is very John Steed and Emma Peel, I reckons. Karen Gillan does seem to have watched lots of Avenger episodes as 'source material', particularly.

you want a Who story without an enemy then xp

― mdskltr, (7 hours ago)

Sherlockian deductive abilities to the fore, there

Rly rly sick of historicals that turn out to be about aliens instead of historicals, especially when they have real people in them who might have been quite interesting to make up a story about [...]
― Señor Communications Adviser, (5 days ago)

Or what Dan said, that'd be more than fine too.

More with the yay- than nay-sayers on this one, though the latter have some valid points. Curtis gave the Doc some good lines, and I admit I got a little teary at Vincent in the gallery.

Oh, and I have an odd hunch that next week's might turn out to be surprisingly good.

I like the use of the screwdriver as a tricorder, which they seem to be doing a lot this year.

Appreciated the deliberate comedy bits of contrasting how gingerly the Doctor who treat each painting when Van Gogh himself would casually toss them around.

Also, one thing that i have noticed since really getting into the show is an appreciation of a sense of economy. All you need is just to shoot Matt Smith running around some cobblestone streets or in a cathedral to tell an interesting story.

Plus, the idea that Van Gogh wasn't completely mad, that he was dismayed at monsters that were actually there, is a good one. Didn't like the sense of "oh god we're going into music video mode" at the end, but whaddaya gunna do. The scene of the three of them lying in a field was excellent, if nothing else for the thematic joining of up of two people who had greatly different ideas of what the Universe actually was and how they saw it than most people, and both guys' perceptions greatly differed from each other.

The Doctor and Nighy complimenting each other's bow-ties was cute.

I like the use of the screwdriver as a tricorder, which they seem to be doing a lot this year.

haaaaaate this

nb loved when he pulled a great big slingshot out of his inside pocket in Hungry Earth, great for the absurdity AND him having SOMETHING ELSE useful in his jacket instead of tricordering it with A SCREWDRIVER

rather loved the "only going to use this to screw in screws" in Vincent along these lines

i didn't really notice the music video mode at the end, but my sister HATED it. she pointed out that most (all?) of the time they've used contemporary songs in the past (Toxic, Voodoo Child, Mr. Blue Sky) it's because someone is actually playing the song in the episode.

Yeah the sonic screwdriver has mostly been a bit rubbish and inadequate this series, which I quite like.

I really didn't feel the ending of this. A) wasn't it kind of out of character for the doctor? How would he know it wouldn't change (art) history)? II) it just seemed like a klutzy saccharine attempt to sweeten what was and is a real and heartbreaking tragedy; and 3) gah, the music, come back Murray Gold all is forgiven (not really).

I didn't even really notice the music at the end because I was all swept up in the "aww, this isn't changing anything but it's lovely for Vincent to know he's not all underappreciated".

And, yes, I think next week will be good, the <SPOILER FOR ANYONE WHO DIDN'T WATCH THE TRAILER> "I'm your new lodger" <END SPOIILER> line sets up some Being Human type japes, and I'm fine with Corden being in it as an actor because he's not writing "I am Smithy, I am grate and funny" lines for himself or anything (see also every pre-Runaway Bride defence of Catherine Tate ever).

Well, every episode has seen them fixing the problem that brought them to time X, but also creating another problem (crack/anomalous painting dedication/Rory etc) so I really don't see what the objections are to something that's clearly a THING this series.

Appreciated the deliberate comedy bits of contrasting how gingerly the Doctor who treat each painting when Van Gogh himself would casually toss them around.

It was a highly ginger episode. I haven't seen too much of this series but haven't much enjoyed what I have seen. Thought this particular episode was mince, though the guy playing Vince was obv. born for the role! Yes, Amy is very cute and all that but she is just too annoying, her voice is even beginning to annoy me.

... objected to the idea of Vincent Van Gogh being described as the greatest artist who ever lived, for starters!

Thinking back on that episode it really did feel like Curtis's sole frame of reference was a handful of Rusty-era episodes on DVD. This series has been mercifully short on slush so far so hopefully this is just an aberration.

Still have total faith that the Moffatt-penned finale will be awesome.

Oh right, this was written by Richard Curtis, no wonder it blew

That explains Bill Nighy then.

Sherlockian deductive abilities to the fore, there

see if you can guess what my deductive abilities are telling me now

that you've been persuaded that a quiet classic-style historical would be a lovely change of pace?

Thinking back on that episode it really did feel like Curtis's sole frame of reference was a handful of Rusty-era episodes on DVD.

Was this a leftover from RTD-era, rewritten to squeeze in Moffarc continuity? Does feel a bit like it, though way way more relaxed than any Rusty 45 minutes. (It was nice having the rub alium resolved in half an hour and knowing the rest would be a gentler epilogue.)

Curtis commissioned and produced Moffat's first Who telly though, Curse Of Fatal Death.

It started out ok - there were some cute lines and decent ideas - but it was just so schmaltzy. As soon as that foul Athlete song came on the episode was sunk beyond redemption. I thought bringing Vincent forward in time was really corny, and while the Starry Night bit could have been sweet, so much slush had been piled on I was completely put off. Nighy's speech about the greatness of Van Gogh sounded like something out of a exhibition catalogue or even a documentary - it didn't sound like real dialogue. It felt patronising, as if the viewer had to be told how great the art was and we weren't allowed to make our own mind up. Kids can tell Van Gogh is wonderful. Rubbish CGI turkey monster. And Tony Curran was ridiculously hammy. I quite liked his hamminess at times, but it felt incongruous, especially next to Matt Smith's nicely understated performance.
I dunno what it is with Richard Curtis. Co-writes a classic sitcom then completely turns to shit. Did the Devil rescind Curtis and Elton's crossroads pact?

Debate: Does Dr Who needs a 'no peril at all' episode?

The Timelord Buds Of May

Another reason for my disappointment was how poorly it compared to all the art shenanigans in City of Death...

Debate: Does Dr Who needs a 'no peril at all' episode?

― Jarlrmai, Monday, 7 June 2010 13:57 (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

The Timelord Buds Of May

― mdskltr (blueski), Monday, 7 June 2010 14:02 (11 minutes ago) Bookmark

last of the summer time

Last of the Summer Timey Wimey, surely.

(Two) Heartbeat

December to May

The Vicar of Wibbley.

Gallifrey and Juno

George and Mild Dread

"Venice in Mild Peril" coming soon.

Two Hearts In The Grave

Only Fools And Tardises

http://www.bbc.co.uk/torchwood/torchwood_new_series/ just thought I'd drop this here.

i know things about this :)

So it is for real, then? I assumed Torchwood was dead in the water.

Late to this one, enjoyed it, also nearly blubbed near the end (soft touch for that sort of thing though). Liked the whole 'is this how time goes?' and Dr's impatience bit - suggests he's actually not much of an artist himself, the painstaking element of him is missing. Parallel between chicken and VG bound things together a bit (definitely supposed to look like a chicken - the attack with all the chickens in VG's yard. All felt quite well proportioned, nicely done. Thought it was a quite good take on artistic vision actually - doctor saying he could never see things as amazing as VG was quite nice. 'Best artist of ALL TIME' thing grated slightly, but 'Most popular great artist' later on, felt more otm.

No way would they get rid of Torchwood, handy franchise innit.

I wish it had been about Pirosmani instead

Best artist of ALL TIME' thing grated slightly,

Yeah. I'm no art historian, but doesn't Picasso have considerably more claim to the title?

Wasn't the rationale that van Gogh was an artist EVERYONE would have heard of? Picasso may be more famous but I don't see a particular story come to mind, plus dude was a major bastard to women so... meh.

Oh yeah, Van Gogh is a way more obvious guy to do a story about... Was just annoyed by all the hyperbole.