Seb Patrick once met Paul McGann, who immediately pretended to be Mark McGann. He writes for Den of Geek, BBC America, Film4 and the official Red Dwarf website, among others. He owns over thirty toy Daleks and wishes the Dapol factory tour was still open.
Was a lovely start, I thought. Thought Smith was great, loved the food testing scene, loved the child’s perspective, almost felt a tear as Amelia was left waiting.
Watching Confidential on BBC3 now.
Although a bit disappointed to hear the cellos are still in the opening theme, doing what they were doing last time, it really didn’t bother me as I was so anticipating the episode itself. I can imagine a lot of people fuming about those, and the way the Doctor sent the aliens off with an almost Tennanty “I’m the Doctor, so be afraid” self-confidence, but I actually really liked this episode, mostly because it seemed tonally right, and just giving nods to the RTD era to pave the way into what’s to come. Either way I’m very happy and am not thinking “oh dear, well, this series will gradually settle and find itself”, which is how I felt after the first episode in 2005.
I was going to watch K9, but I can’t find it anywhere so I’ll watch that medical drama everyone’s going on about instead.
Loved it. Not keen on the new theme arrangement, but it does get a bit better with every listen (the full length version at the BBC website is the best by far).
Definitely the best season opener of 21st century Who, I’d say.
I’d second that re the theme. It still hasn’t got better after watching the episode for a second time. Still I am sure it will grown on me, probably.
Watched the episode four times yesterday, and that theme definitely grows on you. I like it.
Four times?! My God, that’s commitment. I’ve kept it down to once a day (ie twice).
Off into town later for a new Sonic Screwdriver.
Watched the episode four times yesterday, and that theme definitely grows on you. I like it.
If you consider the new theme to be a development of the previous Murray Gold versions, rather than something wholly new, it helps I think. It feels very much to me like the composer has given his earlier work a spooky slant, rather than started again with a spooky approach to the Derbyshire original. If that makes sense.
But I’m happy, and I think it’ll fit more and more as the series progresses, and its “Tim Burton” / “Harry Potter” undertones become increasingly evident.
I liked it. I like the season 4 arrangement of the theme best, but that doesn’t mean I dislike the new theme. New opening credits were really cool, loved the hurricane/lightning motifs. All the new things work just fine in my opinion, and I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Just watched it again. I love that the Doctor is his companion’s lifelong imaginary friend. A masterstroke.
Also good: the Doctor is imprecise with his TARDIS landing again. I was hoping this unpredictability might come back into the series: it seems so long since the Doctor wasn’t 100% in control of where he was going. While it has served to seed the relationship between him and Amy, I am sure it won’t be dropped now. Either the new TARDIS is a little screwy or he can’t control it – either way I like it.
I also think the TARDIS interior is a big improvement this time – with all those staircases going off into unknown places, it offers so much potential for kids to imagine adventures lost in the infinite labyrinth of the TARDIS. Just as it should do.
Was a lovely start, I thought. Thought Smith was great, loved the food testing scene, loved the child’s perspective, almost felt a tear as Amelia was left waiting.
Watching Confidential on BBC3 now.
Although a bit disappointed to hear the cellos are still in the opening theme, doing what they were doing last time, it really didn’t bother me as I was so anticipating the episode itself. I can imagine a lot of people fuming about those, and the way the Doctor sent the aliens off with an almost Tennanty “I’m the Doctor, so be afraid” self-confidence, but I actually really liked this episode, mostly because it seemed tonally right, and just giving nods to the RTD era to pave the way into what’s to come. Either way I’m very happy and am not thinking “oh dear, well, this series will gradually settle and find itself”, which is how I felt after the first episode in 2005.
I was going to watch K9, but I can’t find it anywhere so I’ll watch that medical drama everyone’s going on about instead.
Loved it. Not keen on the new theme arrangement, but it does get a bit better with every listen (the full length version at the BBC website is the best by far).
Definitely the best season opener of 21st century Who, I’d say.
I’d second that re the theme. It still hasn’t got better after watching the episode for a second time. Still I am sure it will grown on me, probably.
Watched the episode four times yesterday, and that theme definitely grows on you. I like it.
Four times?! My God, that’s commitment. I’ve kept it down to once a day (ie twice).
Off into town later for a new Sonic Screwdriver.
If you consider the new theme to be a development of the previous Murray Gold versions, rather than something wholly new, it helps I think. It feels very much to me like the composer has given his earlier work a spooky slant, rather than started again with a spooky approach to the Derbyshire original. If that makes sense.
But I’m happy, and I think it’ll fit more and more as the series progresses, and its “Tim Burton” / “Harry Potter” undertones become increasingly evident.
I liked it. I like the season 4 arrangement of the theme best, but that doesn’t mean I dislike the new theme. New opening credits were really cool, loved the hurricane/lightning motifs. All the new things work just fine in my opinion, and I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Just watched it again. I love that the Doctor is his companion’s lifelong imaginary friend. A masterstroke.
Also good: the Doctor is imprecise with his TARDIS landing again. I was hoping this unpredictability might come back into the series: it seems so long since the Doctor wasn’t 100% in control of where he was going. While it has served to seed the relationship between him and Amy, I am sure it won’t be dropped now. Either the new TARDIS is a little screwy or he can’t control it – either way I like it.
I also think the TARDIS interior is a big improvement this time – with all those staircases going off into unknown places, it offers so much potential for kids to imagine adventures lost in the infinite labyrinth of the TARDIS. Just as it should do.
Trailer for episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9gl5TWMULo
“We should never have come here…”