Doctor Who Social Club
A community for discussing all things Doctor Who.
Rules
1 Be constructive
All posts/comments must be thoughtful and balanced.
2 Be welcoming
It is important that everyone from newbies to longtime fans feel welcome, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, religion or race.
3 Be truthful
All posts/comments must be factually accurate and verifiable. We are not a place for gossip, rumors, or manipulative or misleading content.
4 Be nice
If a polite way cannot be found to phrase what it is you want to say, don't say anything at all. Insulting or disparaging remarks about any human being are expressly not allowed.
5 Spoilers
Utilize the spoiler system for any and all spoilers relating to the most recently-aired episode. Spoiler protection will not be granted to information that is out in the mainstream media.
6 Keep on-topic
All submissions must be directly about the DW franchise (the shows, movies, books, etc.). Off-topic discussions are welcome at c/Quarks.
7 Meta
Questions and concerns about moderator actions should be brought forward via DM.
Upcoming Episodes
| Date | Episode | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 12-07 | TWB 1x01 | "Homo Aqua" |
| 12-07 | TWB 1x02 | "Plastic Apocalypse" |
| 12-14 | TWB 1x03 | "The Deep" |
| 12-14 | TWB 1x04 | "The Witch of the Waterfall" |
| 12-21 | TWB 1x05 | "The End of the War" |
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Yup. The tv landscape has changed in ways that no one can really understand.
I say it a lot, but from my perspective, RTD came back and made pretty much the same show he did the first time around, and got a vastly different outcome.
I wonder how much of that is wishful thinking on their part, and how much of it is structural, leaving them no choice. Any time I see a story about the state of the Beeb, it sounds pretty dire.
And even more, the TV landscape is still changing. Streaming is not a Klondike for companies or viewers anymore. I have no idea what's going to materialise further down the road, but the stage is definitely being set for a change. That's why it's so bad for BBC shows like Who that the broadcaster is stuck in a '90s understanding of viewerships.
As for RTD... I'm sure he was hired to work the same magic as he did in 2005, and I think he tried. But he's twenty years older now, and at a completely different place in his life and career. It was almost inevitable that this return would have a "How are you doing, fellow kids" feeling both on screen and in his press/social updates. And AFAICT his understanding of modern viewing habits is as poor as the BBC leadership's.
I would have much preferred if he'd stuck to the 60th anniversary specials and then taken a step back to coach his replacement from an executive or advisory position. But that's just wistful thinking, and rear view mirror rationalisation.
Honestly, I don't think he cares much. And to the extent that he does care, I think it's pretty solidly on the side of "Doctor Who is for kids," and so he's unafraid to get very silly with it.
Yeah...I had extremely mixed feelings about him coming back, and the outcome was really worse than I imagined. But he still managed to produce a few top-tier episodes in all that mess.
Onward and upward. I hope.
Yep. The show is a bloody mess right now, but my hope is somebody will turn out a fresh take within the next couple of years. There has to be somebody who can build from here and focus on making fun/scary/weird time travel stories without being bogged down by the history of it all.