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I came to a new realization about the Stargate franchise this morning that I wanted to share, primarily after reading a new interview with Joe Flanigan (John Sheppard on Stargate Atlantis) on GateWorld. It seems so clear that I’m surprised I never fully connected the dots before now: the producers of the Stargate franchise have become spoiled and impulsive, and sooner or later it may be the death of the franchise.
So, a new era of Doctor Who history is dawning. And with a brand new production team, Doctor and companion, comes the inevitable new logo. So far, this redesign has rather divided fan opinion. Those who are passive towards it (including our very own Mr. Stewart) claim it brings nothing new to the table. That it is bland and unoriginal, and that the emblem that goes with it is rather naff. However, I think it works.
The very key to its appeal lies in the fact that it is unremarkable. It’s functional; it’s sleek and not at all garish. I’m already picturing in my mind the various bits of merchandise we’ll be seeing in 2010, marvelling at how great the logo looks on those DVD covers and action figures. It is basically a re-working of the 60s logos, with some of the metallic sheen that the TV movie version had. The emblem, I can only assume, will become the new Doctor Who watermark, an identifiable badge, if you will. I’m all for that, if only because it’ll look nice on the book spines
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Having bashed ‘Delta and the Bannermen’ to hell a few weeks ago, you’ll probably be expecting me, whilst reviewing this, the ‘Remembrance of the Daleks’ special edition DVD, to angrily remove both discs from their case and Frisbee them out of a nearby window. You can, however, relax. This 1988 adventure is the shining jewel in the crown of Doctor Who’s twenty-fifth season. Although it does have faults, ‘Remembrance’ is helped along by a first-class script, some ingenious set design and a stellar cast.
This story marks one of the few occasions during the period on which factors during the production generally gelled. Ben Aaronovitch’s script seems to nail not only the Doctor’s characterisation, but that of most of the other characters, too. There’s a depth to the narrative, an undertone of darkness and manipulation that is sadly misplaced during the course of Ben’s season twenty-six story, ‘Battlefield’. Much like many of the worst Doctor Who stories, ‘Remembrance’ is the product almost of a series of coincidences. The environment in which the series was produced during the late 1980s was rather confused and hap-handed. However, on occasion, the production team would create something marvellous. Read More >>
The latest Torchwood offering, Children of Earth, has been something of a mixed bag. In typical Russell T Davies fashion, the main story involves a catastrophic event affecting the entire world all at once, which is directly witnessed by virtually everyone in the world. Gone are the small scale stories of old; as RTD is so fond of pointing out, no one in this day and age could possibly care about a story unless it strikes close to home, right? In this case, all the children of the world begin speaking a single message: “we are coming.”
Phew! It’s been more than a week since I last posted, blame lack of news and little to comment on. But with the news that Matt Smith has started filming for his tenure as everyone favourite Time Lord it’s given us all something to talk about.
I’m looking at this shot of Mr Smith on set and I guess I’m doing a typical fan reaction to how a new Doctor looks and wondering what the hell he is wearing. But I realize that’s part of The Doctors appeal, being the quirky lovable roguish genius who can either blend in or stand out no matter what he wears. But I’m still wondering what kind of look they were going for here.
A favourite of many Whovians, this 10-episode epic is so engaging and inventive that it’s almost an affront to scrutinise its technical drawbacks. Watching it for the first time, this reviewer almost forgot about the fact that it marks the second Doctor’s departure from the TARDIS, not to mention that of his two most memorable companions, Jamie and Zoe. Sure it’s long, but its length gives you a chance to stand back and examine the bigger picture, the intricacies of the multiple plot threads that begin to come together tidily towards the climax.
The Script, considering it was completed in a hurry, is top-notch. I’m glad that Malcolm Hulke joined Terrance Dicks for the creation of this venture. Hulke’s stories are well known for incorporating his political views, so it’s no surprise that when given the opportunity to co-write a story about various periods in earth’s military history, he uses this as a siphon for his anti-war views. Unlike many of Hulke’s other ‘Who serials, the views he presents in ‘The War Games’ are more subtly woven into the plot, perhaps due to Dicks’ input. This allows the story to develop around these themes, rather than have them swamp the narrative. The central concept of this adventure is, while perhaps a little far-fetched, rather an interesting one. The systematic abduction of thousands of warmongering humans is an imaginative idea to say the least. It is gratifying that even at such short notice, Dicks and Hulke take the time to create a viable explanation for this bizarre scenario.
For the absence of any Doctor Who news lately, with the exception of the John Barrowman interview; which has been talked about on the forums. I decided to delve into the world of Doctor Who fan fiction. I made like little Jack Horner and stuck my thumb in and pulled out a plumb, a delicious plum which may not be the biggest one in there, but one I savored.
On paper, this story promises much: a refreshingly domestic, historical setting, a fleeting cameo by a well-known star, and plenty of fast-paced action. Having not seen ‘Delta’ since I acquired a copy of the VHS a few years ago, I was optimistic about what lay ahead as I put the disc in the DVD player. The reality is, however, that this is an outrageously shoddy production.
The first thing that struck me whilst watching episode one was the utterly terrible incidental music. This is quite possibly the worst Doctor Who score I have ever heard. Keff McCulloch attempts to ground the story within the 1950s using Rock and Roll riffs and vintage vocals, but fails dismally. It’s so undeniably synthetic and flat that it succeeds only in evoking memories of other 1980s Doctor Who serials. And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for electronic and synthesised music, but it really has to be done right; ‘Caves of Androzani’ springs to mind. Just think of how ‘Delta’ would have been improved by a competent and ably executed score.
Because every site has a guide somewhere…
100, 000 Unearthly Gum (look, just being on the safe side here, ok?)
In this, the first exciting adventure of Doctor Who, two school…no, hang on…no, that’s not right. It’s not actually exciting really, is it? Ah. Right.
In this, the first story – there, thats better – two schoolteachers neglect their duties and fail to call in Social Services when they discover that one of their pupils is ‘a bit odd’. Nowadays no one would really bat an eyelid and Susan would be labeled as having some form of social disorder, but hey, this was the 60’s.
So with Torchwood getting thrust onto BBC 1 next week, Russell T Davies made an appearance on Radio 4 to talk about the Doctor Who Franchise.
Now I admit to being part of the Doctor Who camp who hates the direction RTD has taken the show (more on that some other time) and franchise over the years. I am glad he managed to get the show back on the air after so long but it feels like every series just seems to get worse and worse, which I guess can be blamed partially on getting caught up with the hype. I started to notice things were wrong when Tennant’s first season started, examples being “New Earth” and the abysmal “Love and Monsters.” I don’t want to take away from how well Tennant and the companions have performed, as they have been a strong pillar of the show and upheld the mantle well.