The Sonic Screwdriver: Is it overused?

[P-90_177]

I hope that the new Doctor played by Peter Capaldi is a Doctor that uses his brain and doesn't rely on the sonic screwdriver.


They over used it last series. It's use as a "get out of jail" card and lazy writers. Hope this changes

Discuss.

It picks locks... so yes it literally is.

More accurately it's a device with which to speed the actual story a long rather than dealing with minutia.

I didn't find it was over used last season either. The only time it got used really heavily from my recollection is during the Rings of Akhaten, which I admit did jump the shark a little bit and I was a bit uneasy about how they used it but I think it made sense. It uses sound waves after all and they will create and actual physical force so why not use it to deflect certain types of attack or keep a door open? We already know there's a psychic element to it as well.

Other than this I'm fairly sure it was actually used less than in series 5 and 6 all in all. You probably notice it more since the eleventh doctor is a lot more physical than the tenth doctor with it when he makes use of it. Always waving it about dramatically, and with the screwdriver having a chunkier design anyway that would add to it.

[The Flyattractor]

When its used to do Sciencey stuff it isn't bad. But at times when its over used it takes away from the Doctor being THE DOCTOR. Like in the Clockwork Robots story (girl in the fireplace?) When they first landed on that space ship and the Doctor saw the antique clock on the mantle and he had to use the ss to tell that iwas a real antique clock. Any other doctor prior to Eccelston could have told that just by LOOKING at it. That kind of stuff is a prime example of when its over used.

[Coco Pops]

When its used to do Sciencey stuff it isn't bad. But at times when its over used it takes away from the Doctor being THE DOCTOR. Like in the Clockwork Robots story (girl in the fireplace?) When they first landed on that space ship and the Doctor saw the antique clock on the mantle and he had to use the ss to tell that iwas a real antique clock. Any other doctor prior to Eccelston could have told that just by LOOKING at it. That kind of stuff is a prime example of when its over used.

You are making me want to watch this now. I never noticed 10 doing that with the mantle clock..

[maneth]

I like the screwdriver a lot, so I wouldn't want Capaldi to be another Davison. That said, there must be some limit to what it can do...

[Greenee]

... jump the shark ...

What a nice expression. Never heard it before.

[P-90_177]

I like the screwdriver a lot, so I wouldn't want Capaldi to be another Davison. That said, there must be some limit to what it can do...

Well we know it has limits... It doesn't do wood... Or turkey...

[cosmichobo]

What a nice expression. Never heard it before.

It's a reference to the 70's/80's tv show, Happy Days, which ran for about 10 years. In its 5th season, they had an episode in which a character, on water skiis, jumped over a shark... As the storyline was a far departure from Happy Day's standard teen angst threads, and the shows ratings were on the decline, "to jump the shark" has come to be known as the point where a tv show begins to decline, and makes a radical departure from its established norms, often simply as an attempt at increasing the ratings...

[Coco Pops]

It's a reference to the 70's/80's tv show, Happy Days, which ran for about 10 years. In its 5th season, they had an episode in which a character, on water skiis, jumped over a shark... As the storyline was a far departure from Happy Day's standard teen angst threads, and the shows ratings were on the decline, "to jump the shark" has come to be known as the point where a tv show begins to decline, and makes a radical departure from its established norms, often simply as an attempt at increasing the ratings...

Mind you in that 5th season we had Fonzie who looked nothing like a teenager hanging around with them, and banging teenage girls

[Greenee]

Thank's for the explanations. I thoght it was just a phrase of english language, I just did't know before. I did't thaught it could be a referrence to an other show. Never heared of the show either, but I'm too young for it anyway.

But to go back to topic, I'm still trying to decide if they overuse the sonic. Acutully I allways liked it.

[cosmichobo]

Thank's for the explanations. I thoght it was just a phrase of english language, I just did't know before. I did't thaught it could be a referrence to an other show. Never heared of the show either, but I'm too young for it anyway.

Too young? But that means... I'm too old!? I was about 8 when Happy Days ended... But it's currently screening here in Oz on Free To Air tv every afternoon...

But to go back to topic, I'm still trying to decide if they overuse the sonic. Acutully I allways liked it.

Again, sign of age, but as I grew up in the sonic-getting-fried-by-a-Terrileptile... ("The Visitation") So, IMO the sonic can easily be removed without any problems, and as intended in that era, it encourages creativity in the writers.

[P-90_177]

Too young? But that means... I'm too old!? I was about 8 when Happy Days ended... But it's currently screening here in Oz on Free To Air tv every afternoon...



Again, sign of age, but as I grew up in the sonic-getting-fried-by-a-Terrileptile... ("The Visitation") So, IMO the sonic can easily be removed without any problems, and as intended in that era, it encourages creativity in the writers.

Back then though the writers also had four episodes to tell the story. Granted you still get two parters, but largely the writers have to get a story wrapped up in 50 minutes. As a writer myself I'd rather use the sonic and get to concentrate on more character interaction and plot development than spend ten minutes dealing with exposition for how The Doctor gets out of certain situations.

Besides everything else I'd rather there be the sonic than have the kind of situations you get in Stargate and Star Trek where all problems can be solved by a little bit of hacking or fiddly rewiring. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be fun to have an episode or two where something happens to the sonic and he has to do without it. That kinda happened in the Eleventh Hour. But all in all I have no problem with how much the screwdriver is used now.

[Greenee]

Too young? But that means... I'm too old!? I was about 8 when Happy Days ended... But it's currently screening here in Oz on Free To Air tv every afternoon...

Well I was born in the late 80ies. And I don't know it ever aired in Germany (and if it did, it would have been dubed, so no chance to link the jumping shark to that shwo myself) And it was only about 2 years since I've discouverd my love for british TV-shows, i.e. Doctor Who so your right, I got used to the sonic from the beginnig. I agree with P-90_177 though. I don't think you have to bann the sonic compleatly (though I don't think anyone here was sugessting that) for having the Doctor to deal without it.

[cosmichobo]

I agree that with the 45min timeframe, it does make it difficult to achieve a "traditional" story without things like psychic paper and sonic screwdrivers... Not impossible, of course, because other shows do it... And, I guess it has created something tangible that says you're watching Doctor Who.

But... For example, in Remembrance of the Daleks, the Doctor rewires a Dalek shuttle, whilst engaged in conversation with a Dalek. I love that scene. With a modern sonic however, it's basically null and void. Doctor enters shuttle, waves sonic, Dalek goes dormant/dies, Doctor has all the answers to the Dalek's plan, let's go. Later, same story, he gets 2 scientific advisors to "help" him prepare a link to talk to Davros - by carrying a huge CRT tv down a flight of stairs... That scene just strengthens my love of Rachel and Allison, but the modern series just wouldn't have the time.

I think the over use of the sonic debate often really comes down to a Classic Vs NuWho debate, because the sonic is used to expedite the story to fit the time slot, but in so doing you also reduce the potential for characterisation.

[P-90_177]

There are still occasions where you gebtthe doctor needing to macgyver together some sort of device though. Take the psychic device in Hide for example which actually offered a call back to a classic series episode. Or the machine he used in Vincent and the doctor to identify the monster.

[Greenee]

Or the machine he used in Vincent and the doctor to identify the monster.

Oh, I loved that thing! So silly. Brillant!
Edit:
Ups, no I mixed that up with that thing from "the lodger". But that monsterdeinvisableiatordevice was good too.