tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post6547813190690896441..comments2024-01-09T12:26:53.045+00:00Comments on Howeswho: Doctor Who - The Stolen EarthDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13752147546933122889noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-30280384134655643612008-07-15T18:19:00.000+01:002008-07-15T18:19:00.000+01:00I think this review rather overstates the point ab...I think this review rather overstates the point about the production team expecting prior knowledge by viewers. Jack's post-Canary Wharf incarnation of Torchwood was a plot point in last season's "The Sound of Drums," while Martha Jones was seen in multiple episodes earlier in the current season (with UNIT, no less). OK, I'll give you Sarah Jane's "son", but SJS herself is probably better known to current viewers than half the previous TV Doctors. And as far as Davros, I think the Doctor's dialogue with him said as much as was needed for those who haven't seen his earlier appearances. At the very least, the fact that he's a disfigured humanoid in something that looks a lot like the bottom half of a Dalek tells you he's a bad guy. In short, there's very little here that a reasonably regular viewer wouldn't recognize.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-90705858817706710202008-07-14T23:37:00.000+01:002008-07-14T23:37:00.000+01:00Well...it's been over a week since one of the most...Well...it's been over a week since one of the most highly anticipated episodes of Doctor Who since the return of the series, and no review yet? I know you are a busy fellow, David, but I'm also wondering if you are hesitant to review what you thought was a terrible conclusion to Series Four? I have been able to look past it's few shortcomings and appreciate it for what it was - a wonderful, escapist piece of entertainment. We are always disecting and analyzing, sometimes too much, which leaves little room for simply enjoying being entertained. Just curious what you thought of it all...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-82699557566469570112008-07-11T21:27:00.000+01:002008-07-11T21:27:00.000+01:00Hope everything is well David ....What did you thi...Hope everything is well David ....<BR/>What did you think of the Soap opera/ staff party/ finale?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-54042380156569058802008-07-01T22:48:00.000+01:002008-07-01T22:48:00.000+01:00Ah yes the crucible...That's obviously where the D...Ah yes the crucible...<BR/>That's obviously where the Daleks go to play snooker.<BR/>They just remove their suckers from the end of their arms and they have their very own ready made snooker cues. Davros dons a white glove to help with replacing the coloured balls between shots. And the harvested humans are forced to be the audience.<BR/>Finally the mystery surrounding the balls on the Daleks' bases is revealed - they are spare snooker balls!<BR/>The Doctor regenerates into Steve Davis and thrashes Dalek ‘Hurricane’ Caan at snooker thus saving the universe.<BR/>What bigger climax could there be on which to end the series?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-51093391491277784502008-07-01T16:25:00.000+01:002008-07-01T16:25:00.000+01:00Well - David. I agree with all of this. It was a...Well - David. I agree with all of this. It was a bit confusing for me as someone who doesn't always remember the old series of Dr Who and or the previous companions (I was way too young to take it all in.) The thing that scares me the most about your blog is this - James Nesbitt... OMG! Please no! If there is any justice in the world. (An Irish Doctor - I ask you?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-65591058437750450532008-07-01T10:35:00.000+01:002008-07-01T10:35:00.000+01:00Well given that it's turned out to be not only the...Well given that it's turned out to be not only the most popular episode of DW ever, but one of the highest scoring pieces of mainstream TV (as opposed to niche shows which tend to get higher AIs due to having fewer casual viewers) ever, I think your fears were more than a little unfounded.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-29790217199434549832008-06-30T19:20:00.000+01:002008-06-30T19:20:00.000+01:00Hmmm. Well - I am certainly not averse to A Bit Of...Hmmm. Well - I am certainly not averse to A Bit Of A Palaver at the end of a series (being, like RTD, a Joss Whedon fan) but I did think this was rather a case of too many cooks... I loved the Daleks, indeed, and Julian Bleach - but how many times must the Doctor kill the sodding things? And how many more flimsy excuses can the writers dig up to resurrect them. <BR/>I didn't watch the Sarah Jane Chronicles (or whatever) cos I didn't know they were on, but I will watch them retrospectively if this will help.<BR/>I thought there were so many things wrong with this on so many levels - but yep, still enjoyable to watch for the frenetic pace, the events and the 'OMG NO, they didn't just DO that'!! I really wasn't happy with whiny Rose channelling Sarah Connor - she was just never that character. <BR/>I could go on but I won't (audience breathes a sigh of relief - just like with The Stolen Earth). One last comment, what does it take to make Freema Agyeman shut her flaming mouth?! Not referring to her talking. rather her 'acting' skills; fear - gaze into the distance with mouth hanging open; surprise - gaze at camera with mouth hanging open; happiness - gaze at DW with mouth hanging open; you get the picture. I expect she spent a fair bit on veneers and wants to get her money's worth by getting them out at every opportunity (bit like my friend with her implants but that's a story for another day!).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-6010606120850577632008-06-30T15:30:00.000+01:002008-06-30T15:30:00.000+01:00Mighty AI of 91 also disputes the idea that most p...Mighty AI of 91 also disputes the idea that most people mightn't follow it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-71712902015480144632008-06-30T00:13:00.000+01:002008-06-30T00:13:00.000+01:00It's probably unfair, but I still can't imagine wh...It's probably unfair, but I still can't imagine why self-confessed Doctor Who fans wouldn't have watched The Sarah Jane Adventures given that it stars an ex-companion and is set in the same universe. The 'it's just for kids' argument doesn't stick either because some stories ('Whatever Happened To Sarah-Jane>' in particular) were as good if not better than a hell of a lot of other material that's born the diamond, Pertwee or taxi-cab logo.<BR/><BR/>That said, surely the kids who are watching will have known who Luke and Mr Smith are and that's what really counts. They're also savvy enough to realise that if Captain Jack works for Torchwood, that's who he and who the work colleagues are and if they don't then how's it different to the way Martha's new workplace was introduced with all the references to characters from there that no one has seen before? Plus, we've all got to come to terms with the fact that the general public are fans too these days -- and that we didn't witness anything like the kind of back references which turn up in the average soap opera.Stuart Ian Burnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18132101517832896837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-56945145976447961972008-06-29T23:37:00.000+01:002008-06-29T23:37:00.000+01:00I was glad to see your comment at towards the end ...I was glad to see your comment at towards the end that you are still in fact enjoyed the show, because having read your recent reviews I was beginning to sense that you were becoming frustrated and disappointed in the show. I think as fans we always risk over-analyzing the show and fogetting to view it as casual viewers do - as pure entertainment. Even when poor writing lets the side down, the show is never less than greatly entertaining - certainly more entertaining than most anything currently on American TV! I look to forward to each week as an opportunity to escape and be entertained, and when the writing rises to the level of absolute and flawless brilliance, I'm even more pleased. Needless to say, the last few weeks have seen some up-and-down writing, but the entertainment factor has been through the roof! I can't wait to see how it all ends, and already feel confident that it will be more satisfying than last year's finale...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-54310583243962490802008-06-29T23:32:00.000+01:002008-06-29T23:32:00.000+01:00I agree with you David ....again. Arguably an exci...I agree with you David ....again. Arguably an exciting, fast-paced, polished piece of sci-fi .... but prepare for the rug to be pulled from under us.<BR/><BR/>1)Tenant can't regenerate because <BR/>he is in the Xmas special.( RTD simply MUST be aware that one of the many reasons the "Trial of a Timelord" season didn't work was the subplots all COULDN'T raise suspense as they were past events presented to the audience and the 6th Doctor. Can you see the Beeb promoting a big budget feature length yuletide romp set in, say, the gap between Martha & Donna?<BR/><BR/>2) We would know by now if they had replaced the Doctor....<BR/><BR/>(You are a lowly paid BBC dogsbody, in a credit-crunch & the possibility of Auntie radically cutting staff due to arguements over the license fee ... and you're offered, say, a 4 figure sum in a brown envelope by the Sun to spill the beans.....<BR/><BR/>Bear in mind that JNT couldn't keep secrets in the pre-internet/ mobile phone era ....<BR/><BR/>3) New Showrunner,New Doctor .... bit of a gamble for the big beast in the weekend tv jungle. Would you like to be known as the one who let a great actor like DT walk away and possbly be known as the person who killed "Who"? <BR/><BR/>Some odd moments in the episode could relevant, or not.<BR/><BR/>* Why do we hear Donna's odd ,(twin?), heartbeat ? See Lawrence Miles' blog.<BR/><BR/>* A bit suspicious that Harriet managed to rig up a secret intergalactic phone network. ( She can't type very well can she?)<BR/><BR/>* Mr Copper .....Que?<BR/><BR/>* Why did she check Sarah Jane's address? Is Luke going to get a present of a Pizza ?<BR/><BR/>* We didn't see Harriet die, did we?<BR/><BR/>* Am I the only one concerned that one of "Hinge & Bracket" are the head of the police force of the Universe?<BR/><BR/>* Davros finds it hard to believe that the Timelords failed to survive/ re-enter the Time War when a pepperpot did. I have commented on this topic before. Why did RTD kill off a race that has appeared in around a half a dozen stories .... is it just to bring them back as a suprise ?<BR/><BR/>* Is Wilf possessed by Uncle Albert from "Only Fools .."?<BR/><BR/>* Would DT's Doctor have a final speech really consisting of "sorry ... I'm regenerating"?<BR/><BR/>* Donna may have larvae on her back. What is her vital role? Bear in mind Rose wanted to warn them before Donna visited the fortune-teller, so there must be something going on. <BR/><BR/>Despite my reservations this was great stuff. Dotty, overcooked but a lot better than the rather thin fare offered so far this series. <BR/><BR/>I loved Davros but part of me was just relieved it wasn't Paul O'Grady portraying him. <BR/><BR/>I am desperate to find out what will happen. I may sound like Dalek Khan by Thursday<BR/><BR/>But I feel we should get the sleeping bag down from the loft, Mr God in the Machine & his partner Miss Reset Button may come round for, another, annual visit.<BR/><BR/>(RTD, put down the knife..... all is forgiven.... Please don't replace David with Russell Brand ...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7452303.post-24262927257903795382008-06-29T19:23:00.000+01:002008-06-29T19:23:00.000+01:00I for one, having never seen the Sarah Jane Advent...I for one, having never seen the Sarah Jane Adventures, had no idea what the giant supercomputer thing was, and she has a son?! And are we really expected to believe that in all the time Jack's been on Earth since he left the Doctor, he hasn't once gotten around to trying the precisely 100 possible combinations of two 1 digit numbers on his teleport thingy? And why did he just leave his minions to die in Torchwood, seeing as he knows that they can't kill the Daleks with machine guns, seems a bit callous. Apart from this I loved the episode, loads of action, brilliant effects, and Rose seems to have regained the ability to speak properly. The regeneration at the end I feel will somehow be aborted, we saw the hand in a jar a few times for the first time in ages, so something's going down (Shouldn't Donna have known about his regeneration ability anyway, at the end of the Doctor's Daughter, Martha and the Doctor were wittering on about regeneration, and I find it hard to believe that gobby Donna wouldn't have questioned him about it later). And yeah, I think there'll be a big copout with some sort of reset, which would be a shame, it would be nice if the Earth was somehow moved back, but the events weren't undone, but that won't happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com