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

Gotta keep chasing that big US audience.

Did people watch the Coming Soon Christmas bit and if so can we talk companion?

I didn't and would like not to, but this may be a minority opinion now

Well maybe if they used American actors for American parts it would all be better?

Mike McShane is American, isn't he?

Canadian, if I remember WLIIA correctly.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Roeland Park, Kansas,

There is a 'special' accent I call "Radio 4 American".

I stand corrected on McShane.

Huh, I thought he was Canadian too.

oh was that Mike McShane in the last episode, I didn't recognise him. But he's been an ex-pat for years hasn't he? Was certainly in London in the 90s cos I saw him around Soho/Berwick St a few times at the time.

Had wondered if any of that was filmed in NYC for some reason, was that Cardiff doubling for Central Park?

Just thought they'd normally used English actors with bad BBC US accents as a staple through the history of the programme.

Central Park played the role of Central Park in tonight's performance.

No, that was genuinely Central Park. The dalek one didn't have any actual filming in NYC (apart from Confidential).

Wondered if they would, if the budget had sunk. Wasn't really sure if they actually needed to since it was only used intermittently.
Must cost quite a bit to shift the production to the U.S. if it could be recreated at home?

The opening scene with them reading in the park was very ostentatiously "look, we actaully filmed this in NY!"

Guess I'm kind of wondering why they would do something like that if they didn't actually need to. Seemed to be a pretty fleeting glimpse of actual NYC, years ago they would have just filmed somewhere else that didn't automatically incur costs to get to in the same league and tried to pass it off. So if there are budgetary constraints why are they using up what budget there is in that way?
Would have been nice to get a couple more episodes without as exotic locations?
Or has it come down to individual budgeting of individual episodes over so much money spread over a full series? Maybe it wouldn't make up that much difference, but surely relocating across continents costs something in itself?

The NYC shots spent a large percentage of their budget this year, which is why the dalek one didn't do it and why the dinosaur mattes were reused from Walking With Dinosaurs.

They also used the trip to the US to do a bunch of promo.

Would have been nice to get a couple more episodes without as exotic locations?

It doesn't work like this, they were commissioned for 14 episodes.

Would have been nice to get a couple more episodes decent scripts without as exotic locations?

I've been hoping they're saving all the good scripts for next year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XWU6XL9xI4k

The Angels Take Manhattan didn't make me cry, but this made me tear up a little.

Aw, yeah, that's nice.

Oh, this came out. I've not read it.

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2012/09/27/doctor-whos-first-e-book-exclusive-inspired-by-the-angels-take-manhattan/

Does anybody know where the snow scene in the dalek episode was shot? Just been wondering since seeing it. Was it the U.K. somewhere? Wasn't aware there was now around with nice weather when it did snow.

Almeria in Spain.

Anyway, I wasn't taken with the Ponds thing but you probably all guessed that. It does raise the question of how they became well enough established in 1946 to adopt without Rory drawing enough attention to himself and get drafted.

Maybe the US army has a policy against recruiting those with too much residual time energy.

Actually, how did Chris Chibnall write this? Was it, in fact, supposed to be at the end of The Power Of Three and spoiler Angels which is why it wasn't filmed?

Was it, in fact, supposed to be at the end of The Power Of Three and spoiler Angels which is why it wasn't filmed?

no, that is highly unlikely. it was more likely written as a potential coda to the final episode.

Why would Steven Moffatt ask Chris Chibnall to write a coda to his (Moffatt's) conclusion to a story? That makes less sense.

bcz moffat has this thing where each writer has a kind of writerly ownership for the original character they introduced?

i don't think this was written with the intent of getting it filmed, i think it is basically fanfic - a bit from moffat's first weeping angels episode, played out with chibnall's 'brian williams' character.

"Fifty Shades Of Pond"

ugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtG5dK_HaGg

That's kind of great. Love the one from Invasion of Time when Tom and Andred say it at the same time.

I saw this the other day and found it relevant to my interests

Tom Baker Releasing Audio Book Reading of Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol

if you find the compilation of Baker T's "What??!"s plz to post

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/11/watch-a-trailer-for-the-doctor-who-christmas-speci.html?utm_source=contactology&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Paste+Lifeline+11%2F19%2F12

Christmas special then... prequel has that awful expository voiceover thing that has become one of the most annoying elements of the Moffat era. Maybe he thinks it's like being read a bed time story, but the magical elements shouldn't need to be tacked on like that. And another Victorian Christmas episode? C'mon Moff, isn't that a bit easy? I know the Christmas one is just a bit of fun, but as an introduction to the new companion it's important it's not a complete shiter. Richard E Grant hamming it up with killer snowmen? Hmmm. One criticism I've seen of Moffat's era is that the Doctor's characterisation is all over the place, and it's something I've come round to. In this prequel he starts off all dark and moody and retired, but in the trailer he's back to his wacky self.

I feel the worst for Matt Smith, he does very well with what he's given, which is sometimes very terrible.

yes. yes. too true.

One criticism I've seen of Moffat's era is that the Doctor's characterisation is all over the place, and it's something I've come round to. In this prequel he starts off all dark and moody and retired, but in the trailer he's back to his wacky self.

Dunno if this is an entirely fair criticism; Eleven has always been portrayed as particularly mercurial.

but as an introduction to the new companion it's important it's not a complete shiter

at least it means (i think) we're getting a companion not from the present day. huzzah!

oh man I carefully watched the minisode but not the trailer to avoid spoilering myself but that is very very promising you're right

chap otm, also lol as though it's new for a Doctor to be mercurial

Mercurial yes, but then there's mercurial and there's spotty characterisation. I'd generally give them the benefit of the doubt, but it's as if they've been leading the Doctor in one direction then not really following it through - ie the dark Doctor, his big moment of messianic hubris was never really THAT big or dark. Then all of a sudden he's jolly again.

Anyway, return of Tenant? Dunno how they'll work it, but it'd be nice to have him back...

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/11/19/david-tennant-back-for-doctor-whos-50th-anniversary/

I just assumed he'd be back for the anniversary tbh

I don't know how it would work. I don't have much confidence in Moffat's ability to write a big 50th anniversary story now. I wish someone else was writing it, but I don't really have any suggestions as to who that would be.

Have none of you watched The Three Doctors, The Five Doctors or The Two Doctors? This is maybe the least surprising surprise tied to the 50th anniversary possible.

otm

I thought they would probably get him back, I just doubt it's going to be any good. Getting Eccleston back would be the real surprise, given how much he talks about never wanting anything to do with Doctor Who ever again.

Yeah, that would be a massive coup

of course, they could just cobble together old footage and build a performance for him like they did for Tom Baker in The Five Doctors

'starring Sean Penn as Christopher Eccleston'