Season 14; Russell T Davies Returns

Agent Coulson · 25-12-2023 8:34pm

Breaking the 4th wall at the end was a bit strange though they seemed to be leaning into that character knowing something about the Tardis/Doctor throughout the episode.

A grand Christmas Day episode overall.

This may sound strange however I think the Disney money might actaully hurt the feel of Doctor Who these 4 episodes all felt and looked a bit to shiny & slick for me.

I think was mentioned up the thread a bit and I have to agree I needed to watch it with subtitles the Doctors accent is just a bit to heavy for me.

Overall happy enough with his first real episode as the Doctor and I liked the new companion as well.

ebbsy · 25-12-2023 8:36pm

What that episode proves is that Ncuti is a good choice to play the Doctor.

His companion also complements him well.

All in all, the signs are good.

corkie · 25-12-2023 9:00pm

https://tardis.fandom.com/wiki/The_Church_on_Ruby_Road_%28TV_story%29

Fun and enjoyable episode, but there has been better 'seasonal' specials.

The story marked the return of the Christmas Specials to televised Doctor Who, having been absent since 2017's Twice Upon a Time

Stark · 25-12-2023 9:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121535746#Comment_121535746

Will judging from the teaser trailer, it's only going to get worse (for them).

ebbsy · 25-12-2023 11:36pm

Any ideas who that woman at the end might be ?

Agent Coulson · 25-12-2023 11:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121536114#Comment_121536114

Just a guess wild guess but a relation of some sort to...

Pond, River and now Flood.

fritzelly · 25-12-2023 11:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121536114#Comment_121536114

I would guess its to be the season mystery of who Ruby's mother is - seeing as she has no known relations on Earth

corkie · 25-12-2023 11:39pm

@martingriff Looks like GB News took a twitter post and labeled an article on it.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/mrs-brown-s-boys-and-woke-doctor-who-bbc-s-xmas-tv-is-the-prime-argument-against-the-licence-fee-rise-analysis-by-alex-davies/ar-AA1lYEy7

And it looks like we need to wait until May for the new season.

https://deadline.com/2023/12/doctor-who-2024-trailer-premiere-ncuti-gatwa-millie-gibson-1235681850/

pixelburp · 26-12-2023 1:44pm

GB News remains a gold example of how something simply doesn't exist outside a very narrow band of the internet: used either as ammunition for confirmation bias that the world has gone Woke, or those seeking cheap lols at right wing nutjobs having aneurysms over a world they don't understand. But in the real world, the channel goes unwatched and the name unheard of.

ednwireland · 26-12-2023 9:02pm

That was a lot better than i was expecting! If very daft.

solidasarock · 26-12-2023 10:59pm

It was a very fun and goofy episode.

Very much reminds me of the xmas episodes of the Tennent era which upped the cheese and where great post xmas dinner family TV that could pull in new audiences before a actual season starts.

The new Doctor and Ruby seem good so far. Fun performances. And you just cant beat that Murray Gold music.

I also like RTD's handling of the timeless child mess. Stepping back and just focusing on the Doctor not knowing where he came from and the emotional effect of that is a decent character wrinkle they can play with for years.

I wonder how long the Mavity gag will go on for. Its my kinda stupid joke.

Stark · 26-12-2023 11:20pm

Stopped watching the Chibnall era after the first season so only have superficial knowledge of what went on. The Timeless Child thing doesn't bother me too much, there were hints before the Chibnall era that there was more to the Doctor's life than the versions we've seen on screen. And means we don't need another solution to the regeneration limit if the show lives on to Doctor no. 24 or whatever. Gallifrey being destroyed all over again annoys me though, especially after the trouble Moffat went to of resurrecting it following the Time War shenanigans. Would be nice to leave the door open for Time Lord society stuff or new Time Lord allies/villains.

exaisle · 27-12-2023 11:30pm

Having just watched the recent episodes, I hzve to say that RTD just GETS Doctor Who and shows a sense of fun and imagination sadly absent from the Moffat and Chibnall eras. Despite their successes elsewhere, both showrunners produced shows that were increasingly formulaic and unimaginative.

The choice of new Doctor is inspired. Its difficult not to like him and Ruby is equally interesting and engaging.

I look forward to the new series!

TheValeyard · 02-01-2024 2:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121542188#Comment_121542188

Think its unfair to say Moffat had a lack of imagination. Some of his story arcs were the best in the entire Who history.

Stark · 02-01-2024 2:58pm

The Moffat episodes were the best ones of the original RTD run. (Not even going to qualify that with "imo", it's pretty much fact). He didn't always strike a hit when he was showrunner and had to write a lot more episodes but there was still a lot of good stuff during his tenure. Only real criticisms I had were the timey wimey stuff got a bit much, especially with the Melody Pond/River Song/Impossible Astronaut arc and the period between the Ponds departing and Twelve arriving got quite dark and depressing.

pixelburp · 02-01-2024 8:25pm

Steven Moffat's work was the high point of Davies' tenure to the extent that Moffat taking over the show when Davies left was the most obvious of obvious inheritors to the throne. His run could get a bit overly dependent on "Puzzle Box" structure - but his was the best writing, characters and Doctors of the modern era IMO.

corkie · 04-01-2024 11:21pm

What If All Doctors Were Played by David Tennant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1R1duHlm94

corkie · 06-01-2024 5:43pm

David Tennant's Regeneration Finally Completed Doctor Who's Toymaker Plan From 57 Years Ago

The Fourteenth Doctor’s regeneration during The Giggle is a big deal for many reasons, including that the show tried to make it happen way earlier.

Doctor Who Spoof 1985

Comedian Lenny Henry plays The Doctor in his comedy show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60shMyabeMo

Ncuti's costume and variants seem modeled after this.

Lenny Henry Regenerates Into David Tennant! | Red Nose Day 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6lfnMV4i2U

EoinMcLovin · 20-01-2024 8:29pm

https://tvline.com/casting-news/millie-gibson-leaving-doctor-who-season-15-varada-sethu-1235137056/

Doctor Who to Replace New Companion Millie Gibson With Andor’s Varada Sethu

Agent Coulson · 21-01-2024 12:24am

That’s a shocker as I thought she was great in the Christmas episode

Varada Sethu was fantastic in Strike Back looking for to seeing her in Doctor Who now.

pixelburp · 21-01-2024 9:59am

What is it about Doctor Who that since returning it has barely ever managed to keep a secret to itself.

I think the John Hurt War Doctor reveal was kept under wraps, as was Tom Baker's cameo for the 50th anniversary. Otherwise there's almost never a genuine shock or surprise.

CastorTroy · 22-01-2024 4:16pm

Yeah the only thing they keep secret now is how it will happen.

Think the last thing that didn't leak was probably Jenna appearing in Asylum after her companion casting had been announced.

I guess that's what happens when filming so far in advance. Like Millie no longer working with Doctor Who and Varada having a role there would definitely leak. Same way I would like the Doctor regen to be a surprise but will never happen these days.

Mormegil · 15-03-2024 4:16pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/doctor-who-returns-11-may-iplayer-bbc-one/

11th May Premiere with a Double Bill on BBC1 airing before Eurovision.

IPlayer and Disney+ Release at Midnight.

Agent Coulson · 15-03-2024 4:34pm

Debuts on Disney+ and the iPlayer before it airs on the BBC 1.

The BBC and Disney+ will launch the latest season of the classic sci-fi – the first since the Disney streamer came on board – simultaneously around the world.

The show, which stars Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor with Millie Gibson as his companion Ruby Sunday, will launch on Disney+ in the U.S. and internationally on Friday May 10 at 7pm ET.

This is the same time that the show will drop on the BBC’s streaming service iPlayer before it gets its linear airing later on Saturday, May 11. It follows a series of specials that premiered at the end of last year.