[2boxers]

grrrrrrrrrrr ****ing stupid ****ing ****ing code

[brianjohn]

Cheers Jearm.

[retired_Christia17]

Originally posted by Matt K:

Also, the much maligned "Fear Her" was a last-minute, zero budget replacememt for the Stephen Fry story, which I have no doubt would have been fantastic.

It wasn't actually. The script had already been commissioned anyway just in case Stephen Fry's script wasn't suitable. The Fry script was then moved to series 3 early on in the series 2 production process.

Eventually the script was dropped altogether as Fry didn't have the time to work on it.

Fear Her was just a poor story. When the highlight is out-takes of the cat refusing to go into the box as prompted then you know it's a poor story.

[tonyas]

You have to bear in mind that season 1 had more time available to it for scripting and pre-production work. I think that they were in pre-production for a few months longer then season 2 and 3 and so could spend more time working on the scripts.

IIRC season 2 and 2 were commissioned during the run of season 1 and because there was less time available to work on scripting season 2 some of the stories were weaker then they could have been.

As season 3 was commissioned at the same time as season 2 it had more time available to be spent of scripting and pre-production, probably almost as much time as season 1. So its understandable that it's better then season 2.
Also having a new Doctor would have had an effect on the scripts for season 2. For season 3 they could play to DT's strengths.
I got the impression that some of season 2's stories were written with CE's Doctor in mind.

I think that season 4 was commissioned a while ago possibly during the season 2 run and so, hopefully, should be good quality.


Perhaps Doctor Who will need a longer break sometime soon. So that they can spend time getting good scripts written.
If the rumour that RTD wants to leave are true then that could be the ideal opportunity for Who to take an extra 6-12 months break to regenerate itself.
If I was the Beeb I'd commission the series in pairs, so commission season 5 and 6 together and with the extra break and new blood hopefully Who can keep fresh and enjoyable. The if season 5 was doing good in the ratings commission season 7 and 8. Then after that take another longer break to get more new blood in.

Also I'd replace the main writer every 4 seasons so that the whole show keeps fresh and have new ideas on the story arcs. Possibly even have a 2 season story arc with a cliffhanger at the end of the first pair of seasons.

[retired_tharani]

Can't believe the Rose hate gav, she was fffb - carried it at the start of season two imo, don't think Martha has stepped up to anything like that level yet, still time of course.

Oh, and suprised you didn't mention "The Girl in the Fireplace" for Series 2, arguably my favourite of the whole return - so sad when he gets that letter from Madame de Pompadour.

I didn't particularly like Rose either. Didn't hate her but for me BP's acting is too one dimensional - things going well, just smile; things going badly, just smile; everyone about to annialated, let's see, how do we react?...I know...just smile.

Straight out of the Tom Cruise guide of how (not to) act.

I know a lot of people didn't seem to like but I loved the Girl in the Fireplace as well. Great time travel and sci-fi concepts, brilliantly realised.

[retired_tharani]

If I was the Beeb I'd commission the series in pairs, so commission season 5 and 6 together and with the extra break and new blood hopefully Who can keep fresh and enjoyable. The if season 5 was doing good in the ratings commission season 7 and 8. Then after that take another longer break to get more new blood in.

Also I'd replace the main writer every 4 seasons so that the whole show keeps fresh and have new ideas on the story arcs. Possibly even have a 2 season story arc with a cliffhanger at the end of the first pair of seasons.

I totally agree with this spankie.

I have been saying for some time that we shouldn't get too hung up on RTD. We all owe him a huge debt of gratitude ofr resurrecting the series and giving it a much better look and feel than any previous series but he is not irreplaceable.

There a lots of good writers out there and if we look at the best of the last two and half series RTD didn't write the ones that I personally considered were the best.

New writers were brought in for this series - and so it goes on - Dr Who does not need RTD to survive.

[retired_Christia17]

I wouldn't mind seeing a longer break between series that means it's on during the Autumn, as the darker nights would mean even better ratings.

[retired_sajnesh]

just watched it - superb episode, best since the doctor dances/empty child (which I am still scared of now, and I'm 29 on Friday!)

[retired_tikoalegendre]

I have a question. Just watched 'Doomsday', and my minds been been ticking over again. The alternate universe to our own that Rose ends up in has it's own Torchwood right?

The Torchwood in our universe was created by events the Doctor was a part of. So there must've been the same set of events leading to the creation of Torchwood in the alternate universe. So there must be another Doctor in the alternate universe. Right?

[retired_smartie]

With a few people mentioning The Girl in the Fireplace, has anyone read "The Timetraveller's Wife" which that episode appears to use elements of? It's a good(ish) book but I havent finished it.