Dr. Who - End of Time pt2

So having seen the last of the David Tennant Doctor I am filled with loss. Seeing the new Doctor I am equally filled with dread and a sense that Twilight has usurped the TARDIS.

The episode The End of Time Part 2 was a mix of really interesting conclusions to virtually every loose end since the 10th Doctor, and perhaps the worst introduction to the 12th Doctor. While I thought that the way the Master was dealt with was a bit short, it was quite fitting. The return of the Time Lords was even more brief, and so much less satisfying.

It's hard to put it all into simple thoughts. The fact that Wilf was the man knocking, that The Master was so inhumane because he was the victim of an even worse atrocity, it all just fit. It was a bit too pat, too simple.

Ok, let me start over. The concept of a Master that was every person in the world was great. The fact that he wanted to use that planetary army to track down the source of the drumming that plagued his life and drove him insane was a bit of a surprise. Then again, his initial intention was to find the source so he could destroy it was very much in line with his character.

I liked how he was acknowledging his need of the Doctor as much as the Doctor needed him. How there was a symbiotic nature to them both, a destiny that required them both in equal parts.

The thought that the Time Lords were as warped and destructive as the Daleks is quite the twist. That they became cruel and homicidal, in fact even more monsters than the Master himself. It does explain why the Doctor used the "Moment" to destroy both races. It explains why he is so guilty and looking for retribution.

Still, the brief introduction of the Time Lords left me wanting to see more. The fact that they were sent back, possibly with The Master does mean they might be able to get back out again (since he was the key to them getting out in the first place). In fact they were almost useless. Though it was nice to see the Doctor's mother, or at least I think the woman appearing to Wilf was the Doctor's mother.

The way the Doctor traveled to give a final gift to all his companions before he regenerated was sweet. It was touching in much the way that Groundhog Day was funny. And his timing seemed ever so much inspired by that movie.

I was surprised by the marriage of Mickey and Martha Jones. Martha looked great with the braids though. Nice to see Captain Jack Harkness again. Though the 2 scenes seem to confirm that Torchwood is over, but since time is not a factor we can't be sure.

Then came the new Doctor.

I really don't like this kid. He looks odd. He acts juvenile. His actions are just not inspiring. Of Course I am over the age of 15 so I don't think they are trying to play this new Doctor to fans like me.

Looking at the scenes of what is to come I think that a clear move away from the old fans is coming. This is the Doctor for fans of Twilight and pre-teens. It's a Doctor that is geared to the fads of the current times and an insult to those that have followed sci-fi and this series for decades.

I hate to say it, but I think that the series has just gone from the most popular Doctor to the least. At least in terms of any fan that has enough maturity and refined taste to prefer quality. From what we have been shown I am left with the thought of how soon we might see the 13th Doctor.

John Simms and David Tennant have done Dr. Who well. As have all the companions. I will miss the series and their characterizations.

Dr. Who - End of Time pt 1 - thoughts

So having seen the Dr. Who episode End of Time Part 1 I am both filled with questions, and potentially filled with dread. But the episode started off to a pace that was way under par, so my feeling now is surprising.

The fact that the Master is back was great. I really like John Simms as the Master. Plus there was the assurance that The Master cannot die off, just as other standards of Dr. Who - the Daleks as an exaple - should not.

But for all the energy that John Simms brought to the episode, literally, the first 20 minutes or so are just flat. We get to see Donna and her grandfather again. Both we find out are integral to the plot. Just how is the real question.

Throughout the episode I was wondering how the Master will cause the death of the David Tennant. Until it hit me that he won't do it. I think that the grandfather is the one that will do it. Though Donna might be a cause, though that seems remote.

Basically we know, fans of Dr. Who that is, that the next episode will be the first appearance of the 11th Doctor. Which is something I'm not looking forward to. But I think that the sum total of the existence of the 10th Doctor will be revealed as well.

In the next episode I believe that we will find out that the 9th Doctor did not kill all the Time Lords. Like the Daleks, just a few escaped. And they have been waiting, judging the Doctor on what he did and has done since killing almost every Time Lord and Dalek. He will be put on trial, a trial that will sure find him guilty (having breached Time in the Water of Mars episode).

But back to the episode at hand.

Some things in this episode just don't make much sense. Like the Doctor walking into the line of fire of the Master. How could he have been so sure the Master wouldn't just kill him? Especially if he is so ravenously hungry that he is eating people regularly. I mean a Time Lord must contain a whole lot more energy than a human right?

What is that damn drumming the Master hears? Is it the judge of the Time Lords (Timothy Dalton) bringing the Doctor and the Master to trial for their crimes? Is it some fixed point in time that the Master fears understanding (like The Architect of The Matrix Reloaded)?

I liked the fact that EVERY human, except Donna and her grandfather, become the Master but it still doesn't make sense. If the device was to fix or heal an entire planet, how did it overwrite the genetic data of all humans to make Master clones? Are all the clones linked to the original Master - thus they all die if he dies? Will Donna, or her grandfather, sarifice their life to resequece all the Master clones back into regular people?

And what about that line that Torchwood is defunct? I know Captain Jack Harkness went to space for a while, but does that mean the show is done? Will the 11th Doctor ever meet up with Jack in the future, and how might that go? Wouldn't UNIT have rushed in to recover everything they could from Torchwood before someone else got their hands on all that potentially deadly alien stuff?

Obviously all of these issues will not be completely resolved in the next episode. Likely the return of the Time Lords, the Doctor being a renegade again, the death of Donna (she is supposed to burn up now that she has her memories, and possibly the power, back) and the eventual escape of the Master are all things that will be left for the 11th Doctor to figure out and deal with.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed by this episode. All the hype and anticipation of the departure of David Tennant's Doctor and the arrival of the new, geeky, kid (who am not impressed by) created a huge bar to hurdle. This episode did not do it. The next may, but that's a lot of information to cover in 1 episode.

Either way, I am a Doctor Who fan, and I will be watching next week.

The Doctor...I mean lawyer is in

What if The Doctor was American? I know, many of my readers don't get the reference. I'm talking about Doctor Who. Specifically, the man who was the latest Doctor and one of the most popular in the 46 year history of the television program. David Tennant.

Tenant is not a big name in the U.S., outside of sci-fi geeks and those that watch BBC America. But in Britain he is huge. Because playing the Doctor isn't something just anyone can do (normally). In fact, it's kind of like being picked as the next James Bond.

David Tennant did a wonderful job as The Doctor (no the character doesn't have a name that is known). he was spunky, fun, intelligent in an absent-minded manner, and had a very strong dark vicious streak in him. The kind of character you can enjoy and find incredible depth in.

After playing Dr. Who, the sky was pretty much the limit to what Tennant could have done next. Anything being done in England would have been extremely happy to even have him as a cameo just because he is that popular. But Tenant is a stage and television actor, so he seems to have stuck to his roots. he found a television show to star in.

That may be the end of the good news.

The television show that Tennant has picked is Rex Is Not Your Lawyer. Right off the bat a problem exists. The name is far too long. Never a good sign for 99% of television shows in America.

Add to that the fact that this television show idea is a brainchild of NBC (they haven't been doing so well since Seinfeld and Fraiser went off the air). Plus the news that this idea has been sitting on a shelf for 2 years waiting to get somebody who is capable and willing to take on the project. Not exactly inspirational news.

The concept is basically that a high-end lawyer has a breakdown. So he decides to coach witnesses instead of defending them. I'm laughing already. Yes, that core idea is the key to this comedy show. Since this is not a rip-off of an British comedy, I'm even less enthused.

Overall I am excited to see how David Tennant will do in America. I have no doubt that he is getting paid extremely well for this first shot. I'm equally sure that some Hollywood exec is dreaming of selling rights to the show back to England for a nice profit. And that's all the good news I can get from this concept.

There is no way of figuring out if this idea will work, or if it was put on a shelf for good reason. Tennant may be able to float the show alone, he might get a capable cast that can make it work with him. It might turn out to be an Ally McBeal. Or it could be the American version of Coupling.

At least if it doesn't work, Tennant can still jump in the TARDIS and go back across the pond. I'm sure the Brits will not hold his attempt to raise the standards of American entertainment, and getting paid handsomely well, against him.

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When you are The Doctor no more.. what is next?

Let’s say that you are an actor. Your last job was portraying a character who is loved by fans in over 100 countries, from the ages of 15 to 85. What could you possibly do next? (And no, I am not speaking about anyone connected to the latest Star Trek revisioning.)

Well if the character was Dr. Who, and you happen to be David Tennant, you go on to host Masterpiece Contemporary. No doubt there are thousands of American Dr. Who fans that are trying to figure this out. Tennant left Dr. Who (the next few new episodes we see will be his last), to be replaced by a skinny, geeky (in a bad way), barely adolescent, basically unknown actor. And this seems to be what he wanted to do next.

Masterpiece Contemporary might be best recalled by its old name Masterpiece Theater. It’s been running, on PBS in the U.S., since about 1971. Former hosts include some of the more loved Brits – like the former Alistair Cooke, and Russell Baker

Could Tennant have done better? I would imagine that there would be a hoard of films and television shows that would have loved to have his star power, and international fanbase as one of the better received Doctor’s. I mean Masterpiece Contemporary? Isn’t that where the formerly famous end their careers, with dignity?

Maybe I’m still bitter and twisted that Tennant left Dr. Who. Maybe I’m really not looking forward to the nebbish replacement. Perhaps I hoped for Tennant to take on a role of some importance and recurring nature that I could watch repeatedly. Like a BBC mini-series or something sci-fi.

Overall, it just ends up with a simple thought. The new Dr. Who will take more than a few episodes to overcome my apprehension, and the old Dr. Who will likely be unseen by most Americans for some time to come. Neither is a positive.

BBC makes questionable choice for Doctor Who

Matt Smith is the new Doctor. Who is he? Good question. He was nowhere on my radar screens, nor those of any Brit I have read about.

For those not familiar I'm talking about the 11th actor to play the titular role of Dr. Who. The show has been on the BBC for 45 years, and has been on American television (and BBC America) for decades. It is probably as popular and well-followed as Star Trek and/or Star Wars. It is definitely one of the top programs in the world, and likely the longest running non-news program (not including soap operas) ever.

Currently David Tennant is the Doctor. His appearance was debated long and hard, but he quickly won over fans with his quirky, witty, fast-paced portrayal of the Doctor. His version is brash, playful, and perhaps one of the most violent of all the Doctors. When he stated he was leaving the program after 3 years - which is a shame really - there was no end to guesses of who might replace him.

I too joined in on that game with a list of possibles, plus the insane postulation of a couple of Americans. And since that post I have had several friends debate the likelyhood of the first female Doctor (never going to happen), the first Black Doctor, and my insanity about an American Doctor. Suffice to say the debate over this role has been vigorous, especially in England.

But now the answer is before us. I present to you the new Doctor as of 2010



They have seriously lost their minds at the BBC.

Yes the Doctor is a geek. He is the ultimate nerd, given. But he is also cool and powerful and a hundred other quirks. He has been relatively plain (or ugly depending on your preferences), tall, short, old, young, and now he seems prepubescent.

Honestly, with no insult intended, Matt Smith looks ugly, way too young, and completely immature. I cannot for the life of me envision what makes him seem like the Doctor to anyone at the BBC. And I must admit that I say this without ever having heard his voice, nor seen his acting. Such is the difficulty of being in America.

Still I am a fan. And I am sure I will still watch the program. But with a great big cringe. Hopefully they will at least give the Doctor a companion of ample assets and beauty suffice to distract viewers from his visage. But that is more an American trick than British. [Seriously, like Baywatch had any substance beyond the cloth for the swimsuits]

From what I gathered there are a few things we can hope to expect from a Matt Smith Doctor. An new hairstyle - bald is preferred to what he has in the photo. Far less wit, delivered at far slower speeds.

Matt Smith is no Tom Baker, and decisively no David Tennant. He is young and these days on either side of the pond that is worth a lot to television and movie executives. Sadly that does not often equate to zealous or even moderate approval of the viewing audience.

But I am a fan of the Doctor. I have been for decades. I will watch and cringe, and hope to be amazed - or just not overly disappointed. I will hope for a buxom, brilliant, assistant. I will read the tea leaves for clues to the major villian. I will be a fan. Just that much more reluctantly, and far more willing to see the re-run than the first run.

[Patterson Joseph would still have been the best choice I think.]

Who to be Dr. Who?

Now that we know David Tennant will be regenerating into another Doctor at the end of 2009, the big question is who will become the new Dr. Who?

We can be sure of one thing, the actor will be British. So that narrows the field slightly. Going beyond that I feel pretty secure in also stating that the Doctor will be a man – though I’d put the chance of it being a woman at 1%. If such a thing were to happen it would end the series. Not because an actress is not capable, but because of the incredible lore that has been created up to this date.

So the Doctor will be a man, British, not ugly, about 30 – 35. The actor will have to be able to give credibility to being 900 some odd years old, wise, stupendously smart, a loner, and more than likely straight. These are all things we can be sure of as things the Doctor must convey.

Well here are some of the favorites from England via the Telegraph

David Morrissey - not a shot in the world. While the Doctor does not need, and often shouldn’t be famous (internationally at least) he does need a flair about him. I just don’t see the flair here. Plus he looks to effeminate (though initially the same might have been said about Tennant).

Robert Carlyle - a far better choice. I recall him in the movie Formula 51, with Samuel Jackson. Not the best movie but he does have a fun and vibrant style to him. He’s energetic and moderately charismatic. And he displays more than just a bit of darkness in him. A definite bonus in being the Doctor. Definitely in the running, in my opinion.

Patterson Joseph - a bold choice. Nothing says that the Doctor can’t be Black. It would definitely be a first, and ground breaking. Considering it’s the 21st century it’s not a terrible choice. And it opens up a host of new storylines that have yet to be covered. New ground is always interesting. Sadly, I don’t think the BBC is that strong willed though. Odds out, but worth a bet.

Catherine Tate - did I just mention the odds of a woman? Won’t happen. Again, not because of her talent. It just doesn’t fit the lore that has been created. Though it really throws up questions about what a Time Lord is, and about the children of the Doctor. But then again, she is human.

Rhys Ifans - Americans will recognize this guy as the field goal kicker in the movie The Replacements. I put him on the same level as Morrissey. He just doesn’t have the look. Not that there haven’t been lanky Doctors, but this guy just looks like he’d drop the first time a Dalek landed near him.

John Simm - hello! Well the British are known for being quirky, and having an unusual humor. I can’t see this. He was the Master after all. Does that mean that all Time Lords could have (or did) look exactly the same, just rotating through the different bodies at different times? I don’t buy it. Simm is a great choice, and had he not already been a Time Lord I’d think he could pull off the Doctor. But some changes are too bizarre even in the Doctor’s universe.

Though there is the possibility that the Master planned for the escape of the Doctor in Last of the Time Lords and did not die as he appeared to. He might have been the woman/wife that accompanied him (or at least his mind was) and thus escaped death and is now a woman. That might allow the Doctor to take his form – as a tribute to the only other Time Lord to survive the last great Time War. But I admit this is reaching a bit.

But if The Master can be The Doctor, then so can an American. And since this is impossible, I would love to see Robert Downey Jr. be the Doctor. He can be dark, does drama exceptionally well, isn’t bad at comedy, does accents better than average, and has the looks. And he’s done scifi well enough to have a blockbuster international hit. He’s just not British, nor available.

Another impossible choice would be Jamie Foxx. Ok, stop laughing. Yes I know Foxx is best known for more comedic roles. But as the up-coming The Soloist (with Downey) is yet another film in a string of far more dramatic and powerful roles for this talented actor. He has the bonus of being Black and thus the same new storylines as Joseph. So he can hit a balance on several levels. I don’t think he can do accents though. And again he is unavailable.

But for an American choice that is available, though still impossible I call on Terrence Howard. Having just been ejected from the Iron Man 2 movie he has time to fill. He can do a range of roles, though I don’t recall outright comedic ones. He has great looks – women will love him on the television every week. He also can fulfill the Joseph storylines. And he too has done scifi to exuberant levels (also with Downey).

So my 3 American choices won’t happen, without a Paradox Machine if you have one handy, so I have to say that of the above choices it will likely be Robert Carlyle. The BBC is just not bold enough for it to be any other choice, and Carlyle isn’t bad in any consideration anyway.

David Tennant, Who, no more

In over 45 years there has been one thing that is more consistent than Democrats raising taxes, Americans and Brits wondering why the other has such a funny accent, and William Shatner starring in something. The Doctor.

Now I know sci-fi fans (not the channel – ick) are right on point. The mere mention of The Doctor and they are thinking of a TARDIS and Daleks galore. But for those of you unfamiliar with Gallifrey, The Master, and Time Lords I’ll recap a bit.

The Doctor refers to Doctor Who. The show was started back in 1963 on the BBC. It has been on and off television there ever since. The show is now watched by millions across the globe in its current format, on the cable network channel BBC America, and occasionally rerun on the SciFi channel (amazing that they actually show a sci-fi show between the search for ghosts, and wrestling I know).

Doctor Who has a huge lore behind it, like the abovementioned Daleks (alien bad guys in metal shells that kill anything non-Dalek with particular glee/efficiency), The Master (mortal enemy of The Doctor), TARDIS (an acronym but basically the name of an old british phone booth that can travel time, and is enormously larger inside than out). But the show is viewer friendly and has added millions of fans over the years.

So far 10 people have played The Doctor (he has no known first or last name). This is not because it’s like a soap opera and different people just step in and shocking you one day. The Doctor can and does regenerate if he is killed, and thus becomes a new person with new personality and quirks. Thus there have been several beloved Doctors, and 1 or 2 that didn’t last so long. David Tennant has been the Doctor for 3 years and counting now. Sadly that countdown will be ending soon.

It has now been reported that Tennant will be leaving Dr. Who at the end of the 2009 series. This of course means that the Doctor will be regenerating into a new persona, but I must admit that I will miss his characterization. He’s done a great job bringing a wit and devil may care attitude to the Doctor that was firm and refreshing.

I don’t know how they will kill the Doctor this time, but I have to say that the end of the most recent season was a huge close to a story arc that was years, literally, in the making. The implications were devastating and impacting 3 separate television series – each a spinoff of Dr. Who. Plus it gives an insight to the mind and emotions of one of the most persistent scifi characters ever created.

The series won’t ever be the same. But then again, it rarely ever was. And that just one reason we love the Doctor.

(Does anyone think that Obama could be under the influence of The Master? Ok, low blow I know.)