 |
Doctor Who Club of Australia
45
Celebrating the 45th anniversary of Doctor Who
Sunday Nov 23rd at Drummoyne RSL Victoria Rd Drummoyne
11 am to 6 pm
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Theta Sigma
Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 4429
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
First of all I am not able to give this episode full marks due to the unnecessary cameo of Richard Dawkins (I much prefer former Treasurer John Dawkins).
Other than that this is a fantastic penultimate episode.
Wow upon seeing five names in the title sequence including a first for Lis Sladen as well as additional names that followed before the usual producer and director credit came up.
Wow what a three way crossover, with the main Torchwood and Sarah Jane Adventures characters (including Jack and Sarah) appearing here, this turned out to be.
Since he was in Daleks - Invasion Earth 2150 AD Bernard Cribbins gets to have a reunion with the Daleks.
Wow seeing Rose with that gun.
Davros finally appears in the current TV series here and played here by Julian Bleach. Not sure yet what to make of his performance.
What a cliffhanger and unbelievable how large the phrase "To Be Continued" came up on screen. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Greg
Site Admin
Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 1816
Location: Canberra
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Theta Sigma wrote: | | First of all I am not able to give this episode full marks due to the unnecessary cameo of Richard Dawkins (I much prefer former Treasurer John Dawkins). |
That's a silly reason. Or are you offended by Dawkins being a high-profile atheist?
As well as being a close friend of former Doctor Who writer and script editor, the late Douglas Adams, Dawkins is married to Lalla Ward - Dawkins and Ward met at a party thrown by Adams. He's also a high-profile scientist, the kind whose name is likely to be recognised by more than his fair share of the British public and hence given some additional credence because they do recognise his name! It may also be RTD's nod to the popular character of Romana, who cannot return to the series because of the basic set-up of the Time War, so a cameo from the actor's husband may be the best that could be managed!
John Dawkins, on the other hand, was an Australian Treasurer so disliked that even his own party made its displeasure known, causing the 'cautious pruner' (as one newspaper dubbed him) to resign. However, I think more people remember him by the abbreviated version of his surname - 'the Dawk'. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Theta Sigma
Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 4429
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Greg wrote: | | Theta Sigma wrote: | | First of all I am not able to give this episode full marks due to the unnecessary cameo of Richard Dawkins (I much prefer former Treasurer John Dawkins). |
That's a silly reason. Or are you offended by Dawkins being a high-profile atheist?
|
I just don't like him. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tegan
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Location: Brisbane, Australia
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Theta Sigma wrote: | | Greg wrote: | | Theta Sigma wrote: | | First of all I am not able to give this episode full marks due to the unnecessary cameo of Richard Dawkins (I much prefer former Treasurer John Dawkins). |
That's a silly reason. Or are you offended by Dawkins being a high-profile atheist?
|
I just don't like him. |
Greg's right. Marking a show down because of a cameo by someone you don't like is akin to saying that you won't eat beef because you saw Gordon Ramsay cook a roast.
Personally can't stand him, but he does know his stuff.
Would you mark the show down because of a dodgey CGI effect for instance?
There are far better reasons to mark Stolen Earth down, most of which are discussed in this thread. Still, in retrospect I rather like the episode. At least they didn't put the Doctor in a bird cage or turn him into a messiah.
And I don't mind RTD going out with a bang, it's not like he's going to get too many chances with Dr Who in the future. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Theta Sigma
Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 4429
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
First of all I should state that I do have atheist friends.
I am pretty sure that British Labour Doctor Who fans weren't too pleased to see Conservative MP Anne Widdecombe when she made her cameo in The Sound of Drums. I don't think it is any different with my opinion of Richard Dawkins' cameo. After all politics and religion are the two subjects that should not be discussed at a dinner table.
I respectfully diagree with Greg on his opinion of Richard Dawkins and I respect his opinion for giving my reason for not giving the episode full marks as silly.
Last edited by Theta Sigma on Wed Sep 03, 2008 2:37 am; edited 3 times in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sulp Niar
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 775
Location: Where You Only Live Thirteen Times
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Tegan wrote: | | Greg's right. Marking a show down because of a cameo by someone you don't like is akin to saying that you won't eat beef because you saw Gordon Ramsay cook a roast. |
To be fair... remember the negativity when Tate was cast in a one-off special? Nothing to when she was a full-time companion, but still... a lot of people (to an extent, me included) found it hard to disconnect Tate from Donna.
With that said, I wonder if people dislike 'The Chase' cos it's got the Beatles in it, for example. Interesting! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tegan
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Location: Brisbane, Australia
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Sulp Niar wrote: | | Tegan wrote: | | Greg's right. Marking a show down because of a cameo by someone you don't like is akin to saying that you won't eat beef because you saw Gordon Ramsay cook a roast. |
To be fair... remember the negativity when Tate was cast in a one-off special? Nothing to when she was a full-time companion, but still... a lot of people (to an extent, me included) found it hard to disconnect Tate from Donna.
With that said, I wonder if people dislike 'The Chase' cos it's got the Beatles in it, for example. Interesting! |
Based on her sketch comedy, which, I am assured is an acquired taste. I too was one who didn't want to see Donna as a full time companion. Not because it was Catherine Tate (also don't like her comedy) but because of the way Donna was written and performed in The Runaway Bride. Tate proved very quickly that given good writing and direction she is an amazing actor. The acronym BAFTA wouldn't be out of the question.
I still don't like her sketch comedy though.
Last edited by Tegan on Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tegan
Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 405
Location: Brisbane, Australia
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Theta Sigma wrote: |
I am pretty sure that British Labour Doctor Who fans weren't too pleased to see Conservative MP Anne Widdecombe when she made her cameo in The Sound of Drums. I don't think it is any different with my opinion of Richard Dawkins' cameo. After all politics and religion are the two subjects that should not be discussed at a dinner table. |
Lots of different people get cameo roles in Dr Who. Mostly they can't act, so they "play" themselves. From what I've seen of Dawkins, the way he performed in Dr Who is the way he always appears on TV. The cameo was, as most such bits are, totally superfluous, and therefore irrelevant to the show.
Had he been filmed and broadcast acting like an android and speaking like a Dalek, then the producer/writer/director could be canned for putting him in the episode.
As it stands, the 10 or so seconds could have been played by any actor capable of delivering a line. The fact is that cameo roles are often played by famous people simply to add a moment of "reality" to a fictional show.
P.S. [Edit]
Upon reflection, Richard Dawkins wasn't in the episode as a representative of atheism, he was there as a scientist and skeptic. He pointed out that it wasn't new planets in the sky, but an entirely different sky, therefore given two extraordinary scenarios that the Earth alone was more likely moved away from the solar system than a plethora of other planets were bought in and the sun moved away. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Sulp Niar
Joined: 07 Nov 2005
Posts: 775
Location: Where You Only Live Thirteen Times
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Tegan wrote: | | Sulp Niar wrote: | | Tegan wrote: | | Greg's right. Marking a show down because of a cameo by someone you don't like is akin to saying that you won't eat beef because you saw Gordon Ramsay cook a roast. |
To be fair... remember the negativity when Tate was cast in a one-off special? Nothing to when she was a full-time companion, but still... a lot of people (to an extent, me included) found it hard to disconnect Tate from Donna.
With that said, I wonder if people dislike 'The Chase' cos it's got the Beatles in it, for example. Interesting! |
Based on her sketch comedy, which, I am assured is an acquired taste. I too was one who didn't want to see Donna as a full time companion. Not because it was Catherine Tate (also don't like her comedy) but because of the way Donna was written and performed in The Runaway Bride. Tate proved very quickly that given good writing and direction she is an amazing actor. The acronym BAFTA wouldn't be out of the question.
I still don't like her sketch comedy though. |
That's true. I do remember there being the question, though, of whether she could act in a way that doesn't scream "Catherine Tate the TV Personality!"... essentially, if she could be not annoying. So the fact that she was Catherine Tate was definitely linked, it seemed, to her casting in the show, in a way that Billie Piper, well, wasn't (though there's two different main previous professions going on here).
I'm not arguing with you, by the way, I just find all this kind of stuff interesting, really. I remember my cousin practically thumping the screen when 'Voodoo Child' came on in 'The Sound of Drums', immediately saying "That would've got 4 or 5 if it hadn't been for that." I talked to him later and he finally agreed with me, but still, the fact that it could provoke that response is... well, I've said it about a thousand times... interesting!
(I'm not immune from this either, really... I still can't take Natalie Portman seriously, despite a plethora of decent-to-good roles in recent years) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
montypython
Joined: 25 Jan 2006
Posts: 844
Location: My own little world
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
| dean69 wrote: | | Journey's End would have scored full marks, however two elements let the story down in my summation... |
Aagh someone please delete this post! It's for the next episode and it's spoiling it!
As for The Stolen Earth, I thought it was pretty darn awesome. Though I agree that there were quite a few characters (someone commented last week that the opening credits would be a bit full). I thought the action was well balanced between them. Rose seems a lot more comfortable than last week, too.
It gave me chills when the Daleks' message came through. I really don't mind the Daleks - though their constant use makes me think that the human race was a bit unprepared in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. The writers should at least have some consideration for previous stories. Some people are suggesting that time gets rewound, but I don't want this to be a solution to every bloody finale!
Interesting revelation that Donna still has the bug on her back.
"Why don't you ask her yourself?". So, I loved this scene. It was just beautiful when "Rose's Theme" started playing. And the smiles on their faces as they ran towards each other ... and even the Doctor getting shot was perfect, because it's so Doctor Who. No happy endings, as David Tennant said on Confidental. It's funny - when they were running towards each other, my brother joked that one of them woud trip. He then joked that a Dalek would come out crying, "Exterminate!"...
This episode got a thumbs up in the Guide and a nice write-up. And on ABC Radio, Adam Spencer said it was the best episode he'd ever seen. He also apologised for giving away spoilers last week. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Dougy
Joined: 26 Jul 2005
Posts: 255
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
Everyone has pretty much said everything, but I really enjoyed the episode. I don't think it was perfect as a few things bothered me a little (the 'run' at the end, the phone singnal was a bit silly) but I had chills seeing Davros back!
I've no idea hwo they are gonna get out of that cliffhanger. We know David is bakc next year so it's gonna be interesting to see how they swing that.
One final note - is it just me or do the Daleks seemp retty easy to destory this time round? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mortigitempo
Joined: 30 Jul 2006
Posts: 30
|
| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
this was crap
- what was with the references to Bad Wold in the last episode. This made no sense
- what was with the stupid 'everyone on earth telephoning the doctor'. God, it felt like I was watching some lame excuse for an ABC kids TV show
- so the Doctor got shot becuase he was running towards Rose in a stupid moment of 'love'. This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen.
- where was the storyline? there was no storyline, it was just stupid to and froing from character to character.
Not to mention all the stupid fanwanking going on with SJA and Torchwood. At least Torchwood is an OK show, the SJA stuff is terrible... 'Mr Smith' - are you kidding me... Luke/!?! It's almost as bad as K9 and company. This is not Doctor Who.
Seriously, I can't believe anyone in this thread thinks this is a good episode. This was the lamest pile of dog droppings I've seen in my life. It was not just trite for Doctor Who but it was trite for TV in general. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ickabod
Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 552
Location: far far away
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 6:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
I enjoyed it....it was a bit of a fanwank but that's cool  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mister Andersen
Joined: 13 Aug 2008
Posts: 36
|
| Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| montypython wrote: | | Interesting revelation that Donna still has the bug on her back. |
She doesn't. It was dialogue meant to to indicate that the girl sees backwards and forwards in time, hinting at Donna's ultimate fate. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
