Doctor Who News, Articles, Cast and Crew Interviews

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Can someone summarize Dr. Who for me? I saw only parts of a couple episodes on PBS but it seemed like one of those British shows that wouldn't translate well to American audiences.

[Egeria]

For any Dr Who fans.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertain...io/4326005.stm

[Madeleine]

Very British indeed.

The Doctor is a Time Lord who tends to meet with a near-fatal accident which causes him to 'regenerate' into a brand new person every time whichever actor who's playing him wants to leave the show. (There've been about eight or nine now since 1963(ish).)

He travels through time and space in a TARDIS. It landed on Earth in the '60s and took the form of a Police Box (now-obsolete police-only phone booth) to blend in, but the disguise feature broke after that, so it still looks that way. A TARDIS is really huge inside, and the word 'tardis' is now part of the English language meaning anything that's bigger on the inside than outside (like a really decent handbag, or a baby's stomach).

The Doctor is pretty eccentric and generally decent, but his personalities vary wildly depending on which actor's era it is. He's always accompanied by an assistant or two; strays, hitchhikers, fellow travellers and the like. The female ones tended to sprain their ankes lots and need rescuing.

The stories (which were usually told over four episodes) were set in the present day, future or past, and on Earth or other planets. The most famous adversaries were the Daleks (also in the english language now, meaning someone who appears to be programmed and mechanical) which were giant pepperpots on coasters with a sink plunger and an egg whisk for arms. They said "Exterminate! Exterminate!" and all the children watching would hide behind a cushion.

The sets were made of cardboard, air-fresheners painted silver, and bits of tin foil. The costumes were made to a similar standard. It looked great.

I loved it when I was little, and Peter Davison (Doctor #5) was my hero.

[DownFallAngel]

So what's his mission? To travel back in time and just keep an eye on things?

[jckfan55]

I heard many local PBS stations stopped carrying it a long time ago because it became too expensive. I loved the Tom Baker episodes.

[IMForeman]

What didn't you like about it? I thought it was cool the autons were great!

I did like it overall, but it was flawed. The biggest problems are:

1.) The sound mix. There are huge chunks of dialogue that get lost to the music and soundfx, making it difficult to make out at times. This actually could get fixed before the 26th.. they do have time.

2.) The music. Just frelling awful. Loud, blaring, corny, and completely at odds with what's happening onscreen. There are a few auton scenes that should be menacing, but aren't because the music was all bombast and techno. Keff Mcullough wasn't this bad. Wish they'd gotten Mark Ayres.

3.) The pacing. Roses's introduction is rushed. The auton story is rushed. It's all a case of too much in not enough time... but it's a pilot, and barring having made it in 2 parts, I'm not sure what could have been done about it.

That's all just the flaws to my perspective. As for why the Sci-Fi Channel would pass on it... I can just see this being a tough sell to an American network. The fact it's shot on processed video, and it's at times corny humor... unless you're an American who likes British stuff (as I am), it would have been a very tough sell. Visually it won't compare with the likes of the Stargates and BSG.

-IMF

[IMForeman]

So what's his mission? To travel back in time and just keep an eye on things?

"The Doctor is a legend woven through history..."

He doesn't have a mission per se. He just sort of travels through time and space, anywhere there's trouble, and he fights evil and helps things be as they should be. He's sometimes referred to as "Time's Champion."

-IMF

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The more I read, the less I think this has any chance with American audiences. It makes Farscape seem much more palatable.

[DownFallAngel]

"The Doctor is a legend woven through history..."

He doesn't have a mission per se. He just sort of travels through time and space, anywhere there's trouble, and he fights evil and helps things be as they should be. He's sometimes referred to as "Time's Champion."

-IMF

A simple 'Yes' would have suffied. lol. Thanks man. Aprreciated.

[yaaayoubetcha]

That sucks!


I was really looking forward to new Who. Maybe they'll wise up and take a risk.

[FoolishPleasure]

I'm an American and I loved Dr. Who. . .translated okay with me.

Tom Baker was the best. . had a crush on Peter Davison. Sort of disappeared around here though, sadly.

[Allan]

Dr. Who will air in Canada on April 5 on the CBC.

[morjana]

From SF Crowsnest:

DAILY NEWS

Hugo nominees in short fiction categories available online for 2005.

http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2005/nz8070.php

Hugo fiction online
20/05/2005 . Source: Jessica Martin

The organisers of Interaction, the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention, have written in to point out that works nominated in the short fiction categories of this year's Hugo Awards are available online.

To facilitate those who wish to find the online versions, the Interaction Web site now contains a page of links to the various sites where the stories are held.

"The short fiction categories of the Hugo Awards have always been among the most difficult to vote for because the stories are published over the period of a year and in various publications," said Vincent Docherty, Co-Chairman of Interaction. "However, with the coming of the Internet, authors and publishers have increasingly elected to make their nominated works available online, in most cases at no charge. We are delighted that the best work of 2004 is now more accessible, and that members will be able to enjoy all of the stories as well as having a more informed choice when they come to vote."

For more details check out these coordinates: http://www.interaction.worldco*n.org.uk/hugolink.htm

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Free Dr Who E-books

http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2005/nz8086.php

Free Dr Who E-books
15/05/2005 . Source: Jessica Martin

The good old BBC are making some of their out-of-print Doctor Who novels available as free e-book downloads.

They include titles such as The Dying Days By Lance Parkin (can the Eighth Doctor thwart an Ice Warrior invasion?), and Scales of Injustice By Gary Russell (the Silurians come up against a sinister government department).

Check them out over at http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/doctorwho/ebooks/index.shtml


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Morjana

SG1-Spoilergate
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/SG1-Spoilergate/

Richard Dean Anderson Fans
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[Qasim]

Doctor Who has topped a poll to find the best British fantasy show. The recently-revived science fiction drama beat comedy classic Red Dwarf into second place in a survey of 4,000 readers of SFX magazine.

SFX magazine editor Dave Bradley told BBC online that Doctor Who was "a great British institution which has entertained people for generations... The recent series has just introduced a whole new generation to the concept and reignited our love for it."

Other series to make it onto SFX's top 10 include cult classic The Prisoner (5), and old favourites such as Blake's 7, Quatermass (7), surely due for a revival in these anxious times1, and The Avengers (9). Most of the places in the list are occupied by genre classics but Channel 4's hip vampire drama Ultraviolet lends the run-down a more contemporary edge. ®

1. Doctor Who
2. Red Dwarf
3. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
4. Blake's 7
5. The Prisoner
6. Sapphire and Steel
7. Quatermass
8. Ultraviolet
9. The Avengers
10. Robin of Sherwood

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08..._fantasy_poll/

[Metarock Sam]

Woooooooo
My top 3 fave brit sci fis are at the top 3
Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy own all british sci fi.