The Dr. Who Christmas Special (The Runaway Bride) ran over the Christmas holiday in the UK and was pretty good. David Tennant hits the right notes this time as the Doctor, and in a bit of an acknowledgement of how over the top he gets at times, his companion (Catherine Tate) gives him a slap when he starts getting all loud and manic when describing some silly sci-fi thingy, settling him down.

No one, unfortunately, gave a slap to the main villainess of the episode who hams it up in a almost too painful to watch fashion. Davies has apparently decided that all the bad guys have to be completely over the top, from Season 2's Cyberleader (which actually worked) to "The Wire" (The 50s TV woman, which didn't), and now "Arachnos" in the Runaway Bride. Her performance strips all the drama and horror out of the story, leaving only cringe.

So this year's Christmas special promises all of the same strengths and weaknesses that the show has had since the beginning of Season 2, for better or worse, with the addition of an improved Tennant.

Torchwood finished up over the holidays as well, and I have to admit I didn't bother to watch. I got through the first six episodes, but the stories, supposedly for "mature" audiences, are only mature in the same sense that, say, PORKY'S is for "mature" audiences. John Barrowman, who was so fun in Dr Who Season 1, is transformed into a Dr. Who "lite" and the result is spectacularly unwatchable. Anyone see the finale? Could it be worth watching? Apparently, Torchwood has been renewed for a second season, which tells you something about the dire state of programming on BBC3.

And finally, THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES pilot was shown just after the new year. A bit overlong, and I've never liked Sarah Jane much, even in the old shows. But surprise surprise, the show is really entertaining, kid-friendly, fun. The performances were good, the plot, about a soft-drink taking over the world, again mines pop culture of today, similar to Davies' Who plots. It did seem a bit familiar, though, I think having three shows all scripted and produced by Davies is too much and he's running out of ideas. Substitute bluetooth phones for soft drinks and you've got the cyber invasion. Not only that but there's a beastie on the ceiling, shades of the Simon Pegg episode of series one. And tiresomely, the villainess once again over-acts, though thankfully not as badly as the others. In spite of those points, THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES is a solid pilot that deserves to grow into its own show. It was better than any episode of Torchwood I've seen, and frankly beats The Runaway Bride as well. For once, I think Davies has gotten the premise just right, and hits the target audience right on the nose, while still making it fun for the family.

-- Peter

My wife and I have wanted to slap Tennant, too. It's good to hear that; perhaps the slap will resonate through Season Three. All Tennant needs to give a good performance is a supply of downers. :)

We have little interest in TORCHWOOD and maybe a bit more in SARAH JANE, but who knows if these will even air Stateside anyway? Davies must be exhausted. Just so long as quality control on WHO stays consistent.

I liked the Christmas Special too, especially the highway chase (you really don't see the TARDIS flying very often). I'm not picking up on the manic thing, maybe I'm too much of a fanboi... Otherwise I found, well I guess it's more than a hint, of darkness in the Doctor at the end interesting. Standing up there, framed by flames, looking very much like a... TIMELORD. I wonder if this can be traced back to the hints of darkness/mystery in the latter McCoy episodes? Perhaps we might meet The Valeyard again?

The first episode of 'The Sarah Jane Adventures' was everything the first ep of 'Torchwood' wasn't. Everything more or less worked. Seeing it was like getting back together with an old friend. Yeah, the story did feel a little re-cycled, but it is a kid's show (not that that's a defense). I liked all the memoriabilia in her attic room, the Dalek 'wanted poster', the two ancient pictures of the TARDIS, pictures of Lethbridge-Stewart (it'd be nice if he turned up), publicity picture from 'K-9 and Company' and others that I probably missed. You felt a real weight of history. The rest of the series is going to be half hour episodes, I imagine standalone, except when the writers feel ambitious and shoot for a two parter (last two eps of the series probably). I could be mistaken, time will tell.

Haven't been keeping up with 'Torchwood', though I know I've heard the latter half of the series supposedly picked up the slack quite a bit. They've been re-upped for a second series so maybe they'll get their sea-legs yet.

I'm still a little mystified at the negative reception (in some quarters) that TORCHWOOD has got. Sure, it has been patchy in places – with attempts to appeal to as wide an audience as possible backfiring in places (the episode where the plane arrives from the 1950s into the present was a little too sentimental for me), but overall I thought it was a rollicking good time.

The closing double episode was possibly the best yet. From Jack finally getting some lip action with two male cast members to a classic race-against-time thread which had me, at least, on the edge of my seat. It’s also clear that there’ll continue to be much cross-pollination over the three separate series in the future.

Personally, I can’t wait for the next series of TORCHWOOD.

...And, for what it's worth, I'm right there with you. I thought that the second half of the series was a definite step up (though I could have lived without "Combat" aside from the handful of decent moments in it), but I had a good time with it overall. It doesn't stand up much to careful scrutiny (for instance, can't Torchwood afford a larger staff for the Cardiff hub?), but it's generally been a rollicking good time 'round this household. And the two-part finale is definitely the series' highlight, and compares favorably with the best of RTD's run on the DOCTOR.

And like Terry above, I'm not particularly put off by Tennant's more manic Doctor. After the generally haunted and intense Eccleston incarnation (which I also dug), I've enjoyed the contrast of having a Doctor who reacts with such unabashed glee at what he likes about the universe. And besides, I just can't for the life of me imagine Eccleston taking part in the "Scooby Doo Hallway Sequence" (for lack of a better term) that opens up "Love and Monsters" -- and I can't help but find that scene just remarkably delightful.

I already posted this in sci-fi, but it really belongs here (I got a case of the stupids, and it won't let me delete the topic in sci-fi). So I'm sort of reposting.


When the new series of Doctor Who starts up this year, its companion program Totally Doctor Who will be showing 'The Infinite Quest' - a 13 part animated series starring the current Doctor and his new companion Martha; Anthony Head returns to voice a new character. The info's a little skimpy, but I think the episodes are going to be about 10-12 minutes long (being just a segment of the larger show). Here's a link to the story:

Who's a Toon?

The Doctor & Martha

The treat:
Doctor's Girls
(click on the image to enlarge it or on the 'Full View' link on the left.

I was poking around Outpost Gallifrey and found this tidbit:

Harkens back to the days when quite a few pbs affiliates ran Doctor Who on weekends.

No KPBS, dammit. Oh well, I expect I'll buy the DVDs eventually anyway. Thanks for the head's up.

That's not a complete list, so it could still pop up in your area. The best way to be sure is to keep checking you local pbs website. I think some stations will start airing as soon as next month.

No WHO on WTVS? Detroit TV sucks!

And who knows? Watching DR. WHO late at night on PBS, you're likely stumble upon something like this:

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

(Warning: Not entirely safe for work.)

My earliest days of watching The Doctor were during these late night broadcasts on MPT. If I'd seen something like in the above link, I'm not sure what I would have thought.

Most likely, I would've been creeped out.

Does the all-star Rowan Atkinson spoof of DOCTOR WHO exist somewhere on YouTube? That I'd like to see.

Atkinson as Doctor: "I've never had a companion before"
Julia Sawalha as companion: "But Doctor, you've had loads of companions..."
Atkinson as Doctor: (lustful look) "No, I mean I've never HAD a companion before"

It was good stuff!

This should ease your unearthly cravings:

Curse...youtube

My quest has ended...thanks for posting this, it's good fun.

It's been confirmed that series 3 of Doctor Who starts Saturday, March 31st. This next bit might be slightly spoilerish (you've been warned). Here's a partial list of season 3 episodes:

1. Smith and Jones by Russell T. Davies, directed by Charles Palmer
2. The Shakespeare Code by Gareth Roberts, directed by Charles Palmer
3. Episode 3 by Russell T. Davies, directed by Richard Clarke
4. Daleks in Manhattan (part one) by Helen Raynor, directed by James Strong
5. Episode 5 (part two) by Helen Raynor, directed by James Strong
6. The Lazarus Experiment by Stephen Greenhorn, directed by Richard Clarke
7. 42 by Chris Chibnall, directed by Graeme Harper
8. Human Nature (part one) by Paul Cornell, directed by Charles Palmer
9. The Family of Blood by Paul Cornell, directed by Charles Palmer
10. Blink by Steven Moffat, directed by Hettie MacDonald
11. Utopia by Russell T. Davies, directed by Graeme Harper
12. The Sound of Drums (part one) by Russell T. Davies, directed by Colin Teague
13. Episode 13 (part two) by Russell T. Davies, directed by Colin Teague

Courtesy of Outpost Galliyfrey

DALEKS IN MANHATTAN? I wish! I'd love them to stop over in Brooklyn. :)

Here's a couple of official Dr Who video bits provided to YouTube by the BBC:

David Tennant's Dr Who Video Diary 1

Freema Agyeman's Dr Who Video Diary 1

Obviously trying to stir up interest for the new season, but it's nice not having to wait to see them as dvd extras.

Here's the link to the BBC's YouTube page which lists the rest of the BBC clips currently available:

YouTube BBC

It's official that there will be a fourth series for Dr Who.

Doctor Who set for fourth series
(be warned: there's a slight spoiler for the season 3 opener in there.)

Can't say I'm surprised; it'll probably outlive all of its spin-offs. Another twenty year run isn't unimaginable.

Here's the complete list of episodes for series 3:

Series Three Titles
1: Smith and Jones
2: The Shakespeare Code
3: Gridlock
4: Daleks in Manhattan (Part One)
5: Evolution of the Daleks (Part Two)
6: The Lazarus Experiment
7: 42
8: Human Nature (Part One)
9: The Family of Blood (Part Two)
10: Blink
11: Utopia
12: The Sound of Drums (Part One)
13: Last of the Time Lords (Part Two)

Series three premieres this Saturday. Oh, and don't forget the animated Who adventure 'The Infinite Quest' running on Totally Doctor Who.

Outpost Gallifrey

I watched the season opener tonight. The first tiem I've ever actually watched the show with Tennant. It was pretty good, a diverting 45 minutes with a mix of humor and nastiness. I laughed out loud three or four times and cringed once which isn't a bad achievement for a sci- fi show. I did think the new companion epsode is getting a bit wearing after 44 years. Also, Tennant's doctor is oddly manic but he's ok. I like him well enough.

The running time is perfect for the show, thinking back I don't know how or why they spread those old plots over 4 to 12 30 minute parts!

Next week they visit Shakespeare, so, I think I might watch it again.

I've been watching the old Jon Pertwee Doctor Who's in chronological order for the first time in 20 years. Although I didn't notice it when I was a kid most of the 6 part episodes are heavily padded - especially when you watch them back to back which, of course, was not how they were originally shown or intended to be shown - and could have done with cutting at least 1 maybe 2 episodes out of them.

Cost reduction seems to have been a significant factor in the length of these episodes.

Just saw over at BBC America that it's getting more Doctor Who (series 2 I guess) as well as Torchwood & series 2 of Life on Mars among other shows "later this year".

Definitely stuff to look forward to. Did anyone notice that Hex series 1 is coming out R1 in a couple of months? Don't know about buying it, but it probably worth a rent.

BBC America

Where's PRIMEVAL? I hope SciFi will pick it up if BBC-A is passing on it.

Good ep of Doctor Who this weekend. The Doctor & Martha are gelling nicely. I've read a bunch of reviews and they all mention BACK TO THE FUTURE, 'A Sound of Thunder' (Martha's butterfly reference) ,and Harry Potter, but none of them picked up on Freedonia ("Land of the Freeeee"). Bit disturbing that or am I misreading Freedonia?

Dalek fans should be very happy with the "Daleks in Manhattan" story: great stuff, with pretty impressive CG recreation of Depression-era Big Apple cityscapes and surprisingly decent storytelling (so you can tell straight away RTD didn't have a hand in the script). Second part is next Saturday, and I can't wait. :P 'Tis like old times...

It's funny because it's true - albeit sadly in a way as well. RTD seems to define the type of creative mind that really needs someone editing his work and keeping him on track.

Maybe the sample's not large enough to draw a substantial conclusion, but doesn't it seem like the two part eps all come across stronger than the single eps, which seem to vary in quality much more?

Yes, the 2-parters do seem somewhat more satisfying on the whole, probably because they correspond more closely in running time to the old 4-parter paradigm of old, where stories could actually start slowly and hook you in, providing proper opportunities for character work and leaving the viewer with a real sense that their time had not been wasted. Plus, of course, you get the old cliffhanger scare.

Too many of the 45-minute stories spend the first 10 minutes establishing a generic Alien Threat, then squander the remaining half-hour in breakneck chase mode before wrapping the entire thing up with a perfunctory conclusion*; there's no actual drama to speak of at all. (Honourable exceptions include the first season Dalek and Dickens single-parters and the second season "Girl in the Fireplace", all of which echoed the spirit of the original series very pleasantly.)

"Daleks in Manhattan" managed to reinvent the old let's-humanise-the-Daleks notion (first raised in Troughton's "Power of the Daleks", or is it even older than that?) in an intriguing fashion, within an unusual historical context little used in SF (inviting comparison with John Carpenter's more didactic critique of the Reagan era in THEY LIVE), making for absorbing viewing. I just hope the second part fulfils the promise of the first...

* If it's RTD behind the word processor, 9 times out of 10 the alien menace will EXPLODE!! into gooey green globs, no matter what.

...but then, DALEKS IN MANHATTAN comes along and spoils the theory, as the worst of the new series two-parters to date.

Remember Davies' first two parter? The classic "farting aliens" show? The cliffhanger there involved every single character in the show, facing a variety of threats, all taken right to the final bell. It was cliffhanger piled on cliffhanger, and I loved it. Also brilliant was the single event that resolved all of them neatly in the opening seconds of the second part. (This was less entertaining every subsequent time a cliffhanger was resolved in this fashion, to be sure).

But in Daleks in Manhattan? No cliffhanger at all. Just a reveal of a really, deeply silly new Dalek villain.

The episode seemed padded out and slow, and utterly rehashed. Pig-men: Done, better, in the abovementioned two parter. Daleks: Done, better, in the first season single episode, DALEK. Already they are starting to be like they were back in the Pertwee years, trotted out every season for the most ludicrous reasons imaginable. I took pleasure in their off-beat appearances, then, but I thought, based on DALEK, they were going for use a bit more serious this time around.

My vote is for the single episodes, all the way, which seem to form natural groupings of their own, anyway, from the "history/supernatural" trilogy, in which he meets Dickens, Queen Victoria, and Shakespeare, and fights ghosts, werewolves, and witches repectively, to the "Face of Boe" three parter, and the real stand alone emotional episodes like Father's Day and Girl in the Fireplace. The two parters mainly have focused on Daleks and Cybermen, to their detriment. The best two parters have been the aliens in London two parter and the Impossible Planet, IMHO.

The new season is decent, and Martha Jones a great companion. Still, I hold out little hope for the Doctor's unnecessary reunion with Captain Jack -- shouldn't he be busy sinking his own TV show? And I've given up expecting the writing to once again return to first season heights.

Actually, I thought the first part of the "Daleks in Manhattan" 2-parter was a cracker - it was the second part, "Evolution of the Daleks", where everything fell apart for me. The new Dalek Hybrid was just a total zero as a narrative development, and the Dalek Master Plan this time around - downloading Dalek DNA into human host bodies to create a new Dalek army - was depressing retrograde rubbish, just a dull recapitulation of the old Robomen from DALEK INVASION OF EARTH way back in the Hartnell series.

Part 2 fell back on the worst aspects of RTD Who: emotive speechifying, valedictory music swelling in the background, totally predictable "unexpected" death scenes and hopeless pseudo-science making the Daleks seem like remedial high school dropouts. DNA can be transferred into blank human brains through lightning? Even during the infamous era of reversing-the-polarity silliness in the Pertwee years, script editors wouldn't have let that kind of fantasical expediency slip through. It reduces SF (of which WHO has always been a marginal occupant) to the level of a HARRY POTTER magic show, where problems are immediately solved by a wave of a magic wand/sonic screwdriver.

Still, I have high hopes for the long-rumoured return of the Master...