The lowest ever viewing figures, an identity crisis for the show and a confusing Billie Piper-based cliffhanger – whoever takes on the BBC fantasy drama has quite the job on their hands …
I can’t get behind the “killed Who” sentiment, given the massive popularity that started with his first run, but he certainly has…certain tendencies that I’m not a big fan of, especially when it comes to finales.
“killed Who” is my hot take phrasing, but I guess I want I meant is more that the decision made locked the show into decline because he couldn’t come back from decisions that at the time I liked, but in retrospect made it hard for the show to evolve.
I don’t think Who is dead, I hope it can keep going (ideally on a smaller budget) indefinitely, I just think in retrospect what to many fans was peak Who, actually set up it’s decline.
Yeah, I could probably go on for hours with my various, sometimes contradictory, thoughts about the state of affairs.
And hell, I probably will at some point, because what else are we going to do around here for the foreseeable future?
For now, I’ll just say that for better or worse, I think RTD picked up where he left off with this era, and made pretty much the same show he did back in '05.
But the '05 audience has changed since then, and this era didn’t seem to attract a new generation of fans (at least, not in sufficient numbers).
I was thinking about the show so far, and I would put the current situation at Chibnall’s feet, not Davies’. Davies ramped up the stakes, sure, but all of Moffat’s run was basically just releasing all of that lingering Davies-era pressure and resetting Doctor Who back to baseline. When he left, the Time Lords were back, the Doctor was mostly healed emotionally, and the Doctor’s closing words were about being kind, not vengeful. Yes, we still had some big events, but each one was more contained in its own way.
I would say that Moffat worked hard to close the chapter on the Davies-era changes and bring storylines down to more reasonable levels. Then Chibnall showed up and ramped them back up.
I mean, it was his right to do so, but while Moffat tried to put the “toys back in the box,” so to speak, Chibnall basically glued the bricks together in a way he liked, and now we’re all living with those changes. I’m sure it will be fine. The IP just needs a rest or that left turn I mentioned earlier.
True, it’s hard to justify making a show evolve when its current form is arguably the most popular it’s ever been (in the Davies years). I actually preferred Moffat’s run. I think the Ponds were great companions, and while it does go off the wall at points, it puts a lampshade on it by having characters go out of their way to tell the Doctor that he’s changed and it’s a problem. Unfortunately, the show didn’t really course-correct after that arc.
I would say Tennant is my Doctor, but that’s because he was my first Doctor. Smith’s storylines, in general, are more engaging and better paced without the angst.
I can’t get behind the “killed Who” sentiment, given the massive popularity that started with his first run, but he certainly has…certain tendencies that I’m not a big fan of, especially when it comes to finales.
“killed Who” is my hot take phrasing, but I guess I want I meant is more that the decision made locked the show into decline because he couldn’t come back from decisions that at the time I liked, but in retrospect made it hard for the show to evolve.
I don’t think Who is dead, I hope it can keep going (ideally on a smaller budget) indefinitely, I just think in retrospect what to many fans was peak Who, actually set up it’s decline.
Yeah, I could probably go on for hours with my various, sometimes contradictory, thoughts about the state of affairs.
And hell, I probably will at some point, because what else are we going to do around here for the foreseeable future?
For now, I’ll just say that for better or worse, I think RTD picked up where he left off with this era, and made pretty much the same show he did back in '05.
But the '05 audience has changed since then, and this era didn’t seem to attract a new generation of fans (at least, not in sufficient numbers).
Hello again, I wanted to add to my thoughts.
I was thinking about the show so far, and I would put the current situation at Chibnall’s feet, not Davies’. Davies ramped up the stakes, sure, but all of Moffat’s run was basically just releasing all of that lingering Davies-era pressure and resetting Doctor Who back to baseline. When he left, the Time Lords were back, the Doctor was mostly healed emotionally, and the Doctor’s closing words were about being kind, not vengeful. Yes, we still had some big events, but each one was more contained in its own way.
I would say that Moffat worked hard to close the chapter on the Davies-era changes and bring storylines down to more reasonable levels. Then Chibnall showed up and ramped them back up.
I mean, it was his right to do so, but while Moffat tried to put the “toys back in the box,” so to speak, Chibnall basically glued the bricks together in a way he liked, and now we’re all living with those changes. I’m sure it will be fine. The IP just needs a rest or that left turn I mentioned earlier.
True, it’s hard to justify making a show evolve when its current form is arguably the most popular it’s ever been (in the Davies years). I actually preferred Moffat’s run. I think the Ponds were great companions, and while it does go off the wall at points, it puts a lampshade on it by having characters go out of their way to tell the Doctor that he’s changed and it’s a problem. Unfortunately, the show didn’t really course-correct after that arc.
I would say Tennant is my Doctor, but that’s because he was my first Doctor. Smith’s storylines, in general, are more engaging and better paced without the angst.