Jodie Whittaker as Dr Who

[Butts]

I'm afraid tonight's opener just didn't work for me.

I didn't particularly feel a Female Doctor was a great innovation and my fears have been confirmed after watching the show.

To be fair to her there was no continuity linking this new series with the previous one in terms of companions or adversaries.

For the advent of a New Doctor the series favourite paraplegic deserved being resurrected along with his erstwhile companions. Yes, Davros and The Daleks.

 

[GusB]

I watched it, but I can't say anything about continuity because I saw very little of Peter Capaldi's Doctor. The whole lot of the "new Doctor Who" was released on iPlayer, but I've not had the time to catch up so far.

Does Jodi Whittaker make a good Doctor? I'm not sure, but I feel we should give her a chance.

 

[Starmill]

I thought it was wonderful; I was really impressed. I haven't really watched it since series 6 but The Woman Who Fell to Earth I thought was a fantastic opening.

 

[Butts]

I thought it was wonderful; I was really impressed. I haven't really watched it since series 6 but The Woman Who Fell to Earth I thought was a fantastic opening.

Glad you enjoyed it

 

[Butts]

I watched it, but I can't say anything about continuity because I saw very little of Peter Capaldi's Doctor. The whole lot of the "new Doctor Who" was released on iPlayer, but I've not had the time to catch up so far.

Does Jodi Whittaker make a good Doctor? I'm not sure, but I feel we should give her a chance.

Agreed.

 

[Typhoon]

I didn't particularly feel a Female Doctor was a great innovation and my fears have been confirmed after watching the show.

Do we have a female Doctor or do we have a female playing the Doctor? Do Galifreans(?) have gender as we know it, indeed, if they do, do they only have two genders? I don't know, I largely lost interest after Tom Baker.
​

I did see a couple of the Peter Capaldi episodes and there was something 'edgy' about him that persuaded me he was probably a 'good' Doctor. They just need to avoid the blandness of the Davison - Colin Baker - McCoy era.

To be fair to her there was no continuity linking this new series with the previous one in terms of companions or adversaries.

Isn't it a new production team? New broom and all that. And wasn't the companion (Pearl) killed off?

Daleks, Cybermen and Ice Warriors are all previous era and stories may be exhausted. Are any of the new era villains worth resurrecting as it seems new villains are invented and discarded (with few exceptions)?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Are the Daleks not appearing at all in the new series?

I only ever watch episodes with the Daleks in...

 

[Senex]

Jodi Whittaker was absolutely fine as the Doctor (if somewhat over-excited), but did it all have to be so multi-culti politically correct right from the very start?

 

[Termy]

While the opening wasn't great, I really enjoyed her performance as the Doctor .She captured the essence of a Time-Lord post-regeneratiom quite nicely. I'm going to give the show a week or three to settle. New Doctor, New Companions and New Producer. That's a lot to take in after all.

Are the Daleks not appearing at all in the new series?

I only ever watch episodes with the Daleks in...

No. None of the old enemies are slated to appear this series IIRC, and for good reason (and good riddance!). The show has done them to death recently, so Chris Chibnall wanted something different.

 

[Puffing Devil]

I think this is another great chapter in the Series and the most important since the Russell T Davies/Christopher Eccleston reboot in 2005.

Not convinced by the Cockney Sheffield bus driver, I'd be happy for Bradley Walsh to return to hosting quiz shows. He's no Bernard Cribbins....

 

[Journeyman]

Jodi Whittaker was absolutely fine as the Doctor (if somewhat over-excited), but did it all have to be so multi-culti politically correct right from the very start?

Are you honestly offended by that?

 

[Journeyman]

I think this is another great chapter in the Series and the most important since the Russell T Davies/Christopher Eccleston reboot in 2005.

Agreed - I haven't watched it for quite a while, I liked David Tennant but couldn't get into Matt Smith or Peter Capaldi at all. Also found too many supporting characters annoying - Amy Pond, her pathetic boyfriend, River Song, Clara...couldn't stand any of them.

I settled down to watch it last night and thought it was great. It feels like a HUGE shake-up, but at the same time a return to some of the show's core values, and I'm really keen to see how it pans out.

If you're actually offended by anything in the show, may I politely request you might want to get out more?

 

[PeterC]

Not so much the actors, although I wasn't impressed by Smith, but the storylines had become far too vague and obscure. The new team seemed to come up with a coherent and free standing story for the first episode.

The usual problem with a new Doctor is that the first few scripts were usually written with the previous Doctor in mind so the new actor needs a little time to "play themselves in". I'll keep an open mind for at least 3 episodes before deciding about the present line up.

 

[Journeyman]

Not so much the actors, although I wasn't impressed by Smith, but the storylines had become far too vague and obscure. The new team seemed to come up with a coherent and free standing story for the first episode.

That was another thing that was annoying me, and eventually trashed my enjoyment of The X-Files too - a big, complex backstory that starts becoming really difficult to follow. I prefer the "standalone adventure" format, which was always the way Doctor Who worked in the past, and I'm pleased to see it back.

 

[Geezertronic]

Please lock this thread until I have had chance to watch it

 

[IanD]

Have no problem with a female actor playing the doctor. Just not this one with her constant gurning and over the top acting (OK for the theatre, not necessary for film and TV). Seems to be a current trend though, maybe started by Suranne Jones in Doctor Foster. The BBC should have stuck to what they know and given the role to Zoe Ball or Claudia Winkleman.

Edit: Disappointed by Bradley Walsh too. Liked him in Law and Order UK, don't think he works in Dr Who. It's probably going to put me off The Chase now as well.

 

[ainsworth74]

Not so much the actors, although I wasn't impressed by Smith, but the storylines had become far too vague and obscure

I would tend to agree that that was the main issue with the last few series. Pretty much after Davies left the seat as show runner and was replaced by Moffat. Moffat wrote some absolutely cracking episodes when he was doing the odd one or two parter but as show runner? I'd suggest his story arcs often spent too long trying to show you how clever they were being whilst not actually delivering something that was entertaining and never delivered a satisfactory resolution (something which afflicts his version of Sherlock). It almost feels like he's excellent at writing within someone else's overall framework but less good at being the one to develop the framework!

As to the latest iteration? A very enjoyable first story and a good opening from Jodie Whittaker. It always takes some time to bed in a new Doctor and for the actor to find their feet. But on last nights showing I'd say we're off to a good start and just need to see how it develops!

 

[DarloRich]

I'm afraid tonight's opener just didn't work for me.

I didn't particularly feel a Female Doctor was a great innovation and my fears have been confirmed after watching the show.

Bird Dr Who? A bird. As Dr. Who? What is the world coming to. Scandal. Call the Daily Mail. End of civilization. Like it matters.

 

[tbtc]

As to the latest iteration? A very enjoyable first story and a good opening from Jodie Whittaker. It always takes some time to bed in a new Doctor and for the actor to find their feet. But on last nights showing I'd say we're off to a good start and just need to see how it develops!

I'd agree with that.

First episodes are really difficult to pitch - you've got to balance between the old viewers who know how Who works with the brand new ones (who might be a bit confused by some of the lore), you've got to introduce a brand new central actor/actress plus a whole new cast of regulars and give them all back stories (whilst hinting at other things), whilst keeping it pretty fast paced *and* have some kind of baddie to investigate/defeat...

...I think it struck the right note between being knowing (the monologue about not being afraid of change) without appearing too preachy - you've got a diverse group of supporting characters with their own traits (without stereotyping them too much) - you've got to make the Doctor seem dumb enough that a seven year old can empathise with her (e.g. not knowing the word "tongue") at the same time as being super-intelligent enough to amaze us - you've got to find a new type of villain that isn't a rehash of the hundreds of previous ones (one that is scary enough but not too scary to alienate new viewers)...

...that's a lot of boxes to tick - you can cut some corners half way through the series (or in the second/ third series) - you don't have to spell everything out in future episodes - but at the start you need to cater for experienced adults and newbies.

As for the complaints about "diversity"... that's what a modern city like Sheffield looks like - it'd be weird if you can accept time travel in a universe with a thousand weird and wonderful alien races but expected all of the humans to be straight/ white/ male! The same people who complain that the country is "over-run" with others are usually the first to complain when some people from other cultures are cast in something (can't have it both ways).

 

[Butts]

Bird Dr Who? A bird. As Dr. Who? What is the world coming to. Scandal. Call the Daily Mail. End of civilization. Like it matters.

Indeed, as a fan for over 50years I am somewhat disappointed.

The preponderance of Colonials in supporting roles left me somewhat aghast. I appreciate some parts of the UK are multi-racial but not to the extent featured in the show.

However the non-appearance of Davros or the Daleks is the greatest let down of them all.

 

[341o2]

Spoiler: Text alternative

Image of a dalek asking a female incarnation of The Doctor "Oh... Is your husband in?"

 

[Starmill]

Jodi Whittaker was absolutely fine as the Doctor (if somewhat over-excited), but did it all have to be so multi-culti politically correct right from the very start?

I didn't notice this effect. I just thought it was representing Sheffield.

 

[trainmania100]

Anyone know what class multiple unit was in it? I'm thinking a VEP

 

[tbtc]

Indeed, as a fan for over 50years I am somewhat disappointed.

The preponderance of Colonials in supporting roles left me somewhat aghast. I appreciate some parts of the UK are multi-racial but not to the extent featured in the show.

However the non-appearance of Davros or the Daleks is the greatest let down of them all.

I didn't notice this effect. I just thought it was representing Sheffield.

I'm with @Starmill here - it's cast like a modern city like Sheffield looks - okay, there's maybe some over-representation but it's only fair to have a token southerner bus driver (definitely a minority community in Sheffield, but nice to see them represented since we are an inclusive bunch)...

Anyone know what class multiple unit was in it? I'm thinking a VEP

Without wanting to spoil the surprise, there's a separate thread here >> https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-of-train-was-that.170710/page-2#post-3669772

 

[Geezertronic]

Just watched it, thought it was ok. Will definitely watch future episodes. The only issue I have is the remixed theme tune at the end is awful

 

[Starmill]

Just watched it, thought it was ok. Will definitely watch future episodes. The only issue I have is the remixed theme tune at the end is awful

Cold open I think so I guess next week will show us the new opening titles?

 

[martin2345uk]

An pretty damn amazing overnight rating of 8.2 million... I think we can call the launch episode a success! Next week's will be telling...

 

[Teflon Lettuce]

my take on the new doctor? I've always it would be a nice twist for the dr to be a female... however I always envisaged either Joanna Lumley or Stephanie Cole being given the responsibility of such an important landmark, so I was disappointed when the new doctor was announced.. Having said that, now I've watched the first episode I'm pretty much sure that the series is in safe hands... she's won me back to the show after Capaldi drove me away

 

[johntea]

I haven't really watched since Eccleston (shame he only did one series) so I thought I would tune in since apparently there won't be any fancy story arcs or anything too confusing this series and it was an enjoyable enough way to pass an hour, maybe I'm slightly biased coming from Yorkshire

In fact my biggest problem was trying to snap out of thinking I was watching an episode of 'The Chase' every time Bradley Walsh popped up!

 

[Butts]

View attachment 53550

This cartoon sums it up very succinctly a female Doctor and no Daleks (or Davros) !!

Seriously, I feel the reboot would have been ideal for viewers completely new to Dr Who but not for experienced traditionalists like my self.