Dr. Who

[Gerald]

I don't know her as I've never watched Broadchurch, but it's quite a bold decision, I never expected it. I thought making the Master a woman was as far as they would go.

Actually there seems more enthusiasm about the revelation of the new Doctor than there was about the last season. I felt it was Capaldi's weakest season, but then in the end it became real good - the last three episodes were excellent.

 

[Gerald]

So, will her companion be female or male?

Most likely male. All the male Doctors had female companions, Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Clara, Bill. When you have a male and female there's a more interesting dynamic and a way for both sexes to identify.

 

[AnnaMarie]

Most likely male. All the male Doctors had female companions, Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy, Clara, Bill. When you have a male and female there's a more interesting dynamic and a way for both sexes to identify.

There have been times when there was both a male and female companion at the same time. (The two teachers with Susan the very first season. And the Ponds. And for a while with Rose there was a male companion.) Has there ever been just a male companion?

 

[Bev Vincent]

There's a new showrunner next season, too.

 

[Bev Vincent]

Has there ever been just a male companion?

He travelled with just a male companion a few times in the series:

• The First Doctor and Steven from "The Daleks' Master Plan", part twelve[1] to "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve", part four[2]
• The Second Doctor and Jamie from "The Faceless Ones", part six[3] to "The Evil of the Daleks"[4]and again from "Fury from the Deep", part six[5] to "The Wheel in Space"[6] and also for the beginning of "The Two Doctors"[7]
• The Fourth Doctor and Adric from "Warrior's Gate", part four[8] to "Logopolis", part one[9]
• The Fifth Doctor and Turlough from "Resurrection of the Daleks", part two[10] to "Planet of Fire", part one[11]
• The Tenth Doctor and Jackson Lake in "The Next Doctor"[12]
• The Tenth Doctor and Wilfred in "The End of Time"[13]
• The Eleventh Doctor and Rory Williams from "The Almost People"[14] to "A Good Man Goes to War"[15]
• The Eleventh Doctor and Craig Owens in "Closing Time"

 

[Gerald]

There have been times when there was both a male and female companion at the same time. (The two teachers with Susan the very first season. And the Ponds. And for a while with Rose there was a male companion.) Has there ever been just a male companion?

Yes, several times: Has the Doctor only had a male companion before? | Doctor Who Answers | FANDOM powered by Wikia

When I think of the companion, I think of the 'main companion', the one they use on the posters and that he has the closest emotional connection with in the story. In the new series that's always been women, but he indeed travels with several people sometimes, like Amy and Rory - and even Rory's dad.

I think the 'main companion' with this new Doctor will be a male.

 

[AnnaMarie]

He travelled with just a male companion a few times in the series:

• The First Doctor and Steven from "The Daleks' Master Plan", part twelve[1] to "The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve", part four[2]
• The Second Doctor and Jamie from "The Faceless Ones", part six[3] to "The Evil of the Daleks"[4]and again from "Fury from the Deep", part six[5] to "The Wheel in Space"[6] and also for the beginning of "The Two Doctors"[7]
• The Fourth Doctor and Adric from "Warrior's Gate", part four[8] to "Logopolis", part one[9]
• The Fifth Doctor and Turlough from "Resurrection of the Daleks", part two[10] to "Planet of Fire", part one[11]
• The Tenth Doctor and Jackson Lake in "The Next Doctor"[12]
• The Tenth Doctor and Wilfred in "The End of Time"[13]
• The Eleventh Doctor and Rory Williams from "The Almost People"[14] to "A Good Man Goes to War"[15]
• The Eleventh Doctor and Craig Owens in "Closing Time"

I mean as the main companion for a season.

Did Craig travel with him? I recall the Doctor spending time with Craig, but was he actually a companion?

Adric I read about. I think he was a companion who travelled with him.

 

[Bev Vincent]

Yes, Adric traveled with him. He was so annoying they killed him off!

 

[Spideyman]

This coming Saturday July 22 BBC is having a Doctor Who Christmas in July. 11 Christmas specials will be shown. Have fun!

 

[Dana Jean]

This coming Saturday July 22 BBC is having a Doctor Who Christmas in July. 11 Christmas specials will be shown. Have fun!

Thanks Spidey!

 

[Rrty]

Just jumping into the thread, I'm not sure if this has been already discussed.

I won't go into a huge essay about this, but out of curiosity, in terms of the new Doctor Who series (as opposed to the classic episodes, of which I only know the Fourth for the most part -- really enjoyed that period) -- are people really enjoying it? It's lately been a struggle for me. To be very succinct: dialogue too fast, no tension, it seems to be merely a vehicle for characters to make melodramatic, silly speeches (i.e., there are grueling scenes where the plot stops and the Doctor and his companion argue with each other and try to one-up the other and make the comic-convention demo scream with delight; these appear to be character-building scenes that never make any sense to me). I wish more focus and value were placed on concept/plot. Big example of that: the brilliant "Blink."

 

[Dana Jean]

Just jumping into the thread, I'm not sure if this has been already discussed.

I won't go into a huge essay about this, but out of curiosity, in terms of the new Doctor Who series (as opposed to the classic episodes, of which I only know the Fourth for the most part -- really enjoyed that period) -- are people really enjoying it? It's lately been a struggle for me. To be very succinct: dialogue too fast, no tension, it seems to be merely a vehicle for characters to make melodramatic, silly speeches (i.e., there are grueling scenes where the plot stops and the Doctor and his companion argue with each other and try to one-up the other and make the comic-convention demo scream with delight; these appear to be character-building scenes that never make any sense to me). I wish more focus and value were placed on concept/plot. Big example of that: the brilliant "Blink."

Well, I honestly shouldn't throw my 2 cents into this mix as I missed the first 2 seasons of Capaldi. So, I was not terribly sad to see him go and the stories were just okay. But I blamed myself and not the writers, for not committing to this Doctor.

With both Tennant and Smith, I bawled like a baby when they went through their regenerations.

 

[Spideyman]

I think some series are just sit and enjoy the storylines. Others require a commitment and attention during each show and even a possible re watching to get finer points. That's how I take Capaldi's seasons. Wasn't able to watch his first season on a regular basis, but have been catching them on BBC in the mornings. It was a foundation to the other seasons.

Tom Baker was and always will be my favorite. Yes, the show changed- do we call it modernization- progress? As each writer brought his own development to the show, one could see differences in the rapport between the Doctor and companion. Some shows were better than others-- different writers!

The process of Capaldi's regeneration has been a complex one and on a personal level I feel for him- what his "Doctor" stands for and what he has tried to be. Yes, I will miss him and yes it touches me as he regenerates.

 

[Rrty]

Well, I honestly shouldn't throw my 2 cents into this mix as I missed the first 2 seasons of Capaldi. So, I was not terribly sad to see him go and the stories were just okay. But I blamed myself and not the writers, for not committing to this Doctor.

With both Tennant and Smith, I bawled like a baby when they went through their regenerations.

Dana, I'll tell you, it's a weird thing -- every time I see a trailer for a new season of these post-2005 (I think) Doctor Who's, I get excited. Then, when I start watching the episodes, I am inevitably let down (unless it is a Blink-like one). Let me tell you what happened to me this week. I was catching up on this latest season, and honestly, I started jumping ahead within the episodes to make the time go by faster -- I just can't do it anymore. No big deal, on the scale of importance in life it's fine and meaningless. I just find it curious. I guess the show really is for kids, as they say. It's too bad. The whole Missy thing this season is dull (bring back the Master from "The Deadly Assassin," remember that one, where he is all decayed?). I agree too on what you say, the Tennant one at least was slightly better in terms of storylines.

It would be nice, though, if they could become a little more serious and stop having the characters spouting baby-talk (imagine, for instance, a Who episode that was done like Cloverfield). Let me ask too: I think there were a couple Doctor Who movies, weren't there, maybe one on Fox years ago? Were those done in a serious way without silly talk? I was thinking I should try to see them.

 

[no bounce no play]

We spent the long weekend rewatching Matt Smith's first couple seasons. Smith is my favorite of the new doctors. There was one episode I'd forgotten about that I really like - Night Terrors. The Doctor tries to find out why 8-year old George is so terrified. Great story!

 

[Hill lover35]

Dana, I'll tell you, it's a weird thing -- every time I see a trailer for a new season of these post-2005 (I think) Doctor Who's, I get excited. Then, when I start watching the episodes, I am inevitably let down (unless it is a Blink-like one). Let me tell you what happened to me this week. I was catching up on this latest season, and honestly, I started jumping ahead within the episodes to make the time go by faster -- I just can't do it anymore. No big deal, on the scale of importance in life it's fine and meaningless. I just find it curious. I guess the show really is for kids, as they say. It's too bad. The whole Missy thing this season is dull (bring back the Master from "The Deadly Assassin," remember that one, where he is all decayed?). I agree too on what you say, the Tennant one at least was slightly better in terms of storylines.

It would be nice, though, if they could become a little more serious and stop having the characters spouting baby-talk (imagine, for instance, a Who episode that was done like Cloverfield). Let me ask too: I think there were a couple Doctor Who movies, weren't there, maybe one on Fox years ago? Were those done in a serious way without silly talk? I was thinking I should try to see them.

Moffet who is the head writers got lazy, and the writing was crap. For capaldi, and that is annoying. I liked him a lot next to the 9th doctor

 

[AnnaMarie]

Let me ask too: I think there were a couple Doctor Who movies, weren't there, maybe one on Fox years ago? Were those done in a serious way without silly talk? I was thinking I should try to see them.

There was one movie.

1996 Paul McGann was the 8th doctor.

 

[Mr Nobody]

Moffet who is the head writers got lazy, and the writing was crap. For capaldi, and that is annoying. I liked him a lot next to the 9th doctor

Unfortunately true. Moffat (and his sidekick, Gatiss) have both been guilty of thinking they can churn out any old shyte and it'll be taken for gold. What makes it all the more galling is that they both can write. Or maybe they just got bored? I don't know. Moffat seemed to rediscover his mojo (and his love of DW) last season, once the end was in sight, so maybe that was a part of it.
Tbh, though, the BBC has to take a fair portion of the blame. They should have offered him the choice between DW and Sherlock, not allow him to do both.
Capaldi was also wasted for most of his tenure. He still made a very good Doctor, though, and what he might have done with better or more consistent material can only be guessed at.

As for Rrty's point about the show being for kids...that's a long-running debate. There are those who say it was always a kids' show and there are those (like me) who argue it was always a family show. I remember plenty of too-scary-for-kids scenes (or even entire episodes or stories) from when I was a nipper, and there've been a few in 'Nu-Who' that I wouldn't let a kid watch without me having seen it first. On the whole, though, the Beeb's oversight mob have meddled with the tone too much, and seem to have forgotten or completely ignored the fact that kids don't like being condescended to, and too much juvenilia in a supposedly serious show is a turn-off to both kids and the adult audience alike.

 

[johntfs]

I've never seen any of the episodes with Capaldi in them because I never thought they could match up to the promise of this:

 

[JMR]

I started watching Doctor who but we started with the first Doctor Who on netflix in black and white. So Far were up to seeds of Death 1969