[DiscoJon]

Probably because he is just a dick. My brother worked on GI Joe and said Eccelston was just a whiny, stuck up shithead to everyone.

If I was in that piece of shit movie I would have been a dick as well. But hey, a paycheck is a paycheck is a paycheck.

Eccelston was a FANTASTIC Doctor.

[Dragoon En Regalia]

Eccleston played a pretty good Doctor. Not the off-the-walls kind that Tennant and Smith are good at, but a more sullen, subtle Doctor coming off of the Time War and the events that happened then. The approach worked, even if the quality of the show back then was..*ahem*...

[mclem]

That's pretty awesome, BUT. It should be Tennant.

No, Tennant needs to take it into the stadium on opening ceremony night, with Huw Edwards commentating.

[CzarTim]

I found Eccleston to be a boring Doctor. When I first started watching the show on Netflix, I was finding it underwhelming until I skipped ahead to the Tennant episodes. I later went back and forced, FORCED myself through the Eccleston episodes. Billie Piper was the only redeemable part of his run.

[mrklaw]

I found Eccleston to be a boring Doctor. When I first started watching the show on Netflix, I was finding it underwhelming until I skipped ahead to the Tennant episodes. I later went back and forced, FORCED myself through the Eccleston episodes. Billie Piper was the only redeemable part of his run.

Its difficult to blame him though, thats how the part was written for him. The show was just getting its feet and so perhaps played it a little safe with the character, less of the eccentricities the Doctor is known for. Then when it was a success, they could relax a little and let the Doctor play

[Spiffy_1st]

I found Eccleston to be a boring Doctor. When I first started watching the show on Netflix, I was finding it underwhelming until I skipped ahead to the Tennant episodes. I later went back and forced, FORCED myself through the Eccleston episodes. Billie Piper was the only redeemable part of his run.

Just wondering, but have you seen the episodes inbetween series 4 and 5? Most importantly the one where Tennant dies. I was looking through and noticed they weren't there, which made me mad because anyone watching for the first time may not know they even exist, so the Doctor will just change without an explanation.

[CzarTim]

Its difficult to blame him though, thats how the part was written for him. The show was just getting its feet and so perhaps played it a little safe with the character, less of the eccentricities the Doctor is known for. Then when it was a success, they could relax a little and let the Doctor play

Fair point. Still would never watch it again though.

Just wondering, but have you seen the episodes inbetween series 4 and 5? Most importantly the one where Tennant dies. I was looking through and noticed they weren't there, which made me mad because anyone watching for the first time may not know they even exist, so the Doctor will just change without an explanation.

This was early last year, but I do remember seeing that one.

[infiniteloop]

I prefer the Eccelston series to all of Tennants.

Just wondering, but have you seen the episodes inbetween series 4 and 5? Most importantly the one where Tennant dies. I was looking through and noticed they weren't there, which made me mad because anyone watching for the first time may not know they even exist, so the Doctor will just change without an explanation.

Pretty sure they're all on there.

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Do...?trkid=2361637

[gabbo]

Its difficult to blame him though, thats how the part was written for him. The show was just getting its feet and so perhaps played it a little safe with the character, less of the eccentricities the Doctor is known for. Then when it was a success, they could relax a little and let the Doctor play

I felt his Doctor came off like some of the older Doctors; easy to anger and a little more laissez faire towards humans but still their fun-loving goofball galactic protector when necessary

[DrForester]

Fear Her 2 confirmed....

[CorrisD]

Fear Her 2 confirmed....

Pity I didn't get up early enough today for this, would have walked down the bay to watch.

[sionyboy]

Fear Her 2 confirmed....

Wow, quite a few committed fans, no way was getting up for 6.20am to see him. (and I'd seen the torch the evening before
.
Course if Karen Gillan had been running, i'd have been out of my bed like a rat up a drainpipe.

[gblues]

Wife & I are watching on Netflix, currently in S3. Just watched "Blink." Fantastic episode.

I really enjoyed Eccleston's Doctor, and it was a jarring transition when Tennant took over. But Tennant grew into the character and really made it his own. I can't say the same for Martha, but at least she's tolerable and not actively horrible.

[Havok]

In the last three weeks I've torn through the 2005-current Doctor Who content for the first time, through Netflix. And I had no idea that I had been missing out on such an incredible show. It manages to do what so few sci-fi shows try--be kind of campy and silly in presentation but have a very serious feel to it when needed. It's still, two series later, striking to me how different the 2010 series onwards from a presentation standpoint. More serious, or maybe just higher budget. Loved Eccleston and Tennant as their unique-but-not-really-different Doctors, and Smith is growing on me, though I miss the outbursts of random yelling that Tennant did.

I wish I could say the same for the companions. For me, none of the pre-2010 companions ever measured up to Rose, who I adored as a character and the last one who was able to really make me feel that deep, meaningful connection between the companion and Doctor (especially through The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit, which are two of my favorite episodes). The (series 4 end) Journey's End Rose goodbye stuff was just great. Karen Gillan is definitely getting to that level where I couldn't imagine the show without her inclusion, which I definitely couldn't say for the companions from Martha onwards.

Is Torchwood worth watching? I can't say that I thought any of that crossover stuff from the series 4 end was particularly compelling (to the point where I was straight up bored with the parts involving Sarah Jane, her stupid kid, and the Torchwood duo sans Harkness).

[RetroGamer42]

Just wondering, but have you seen the episodes inbetween series 4 and 5? Most importantly the one where Tennant dies. I was looking through and noticed they weren't there, which made me mad because anyone watching for the first time may not know they even exist, so the Doctor will just change without an explanation.

End of Time is on Netflix, but it's not part of the main Doctor Who series - It's a separate entry. Last time I checked, the only one of the specials that isn't on Netflix at all is Planet of the Dead. Which isn't a HUGE loss.

[DarkFlow]

In the last three weeks I've torn through the 2005-current Doctor Who content for the first time, through Netflix. And I had no idea that I had been missing out on such an incredible show. It manages to do what so few sci-fi shows try--be kind of campy and silly in presentation but have a very serious feel to it when needed. It's still, two series later, striking to me how different the 2010 series onwards from a presentation standpoint. More serious, or maybe just higher budget. Loved Eccleston and Tennant as their unique-but-not-really-different Doctors, and Smith is growing on me, though I miss the outbursts of random yelling that Tennant did. I wish I could say the same for the companions. For me, none of the pre-2010 companions ever measured up to Rose, who I adored as a character and the last one who was able to really make me feel that deep, meaningful connection between the companion and Doctor (especially through The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit, which are two of my favorite episodes). The (series 4 end) Journey's End Rose goodbye stuff was just great. Karen Gillan is definitely getting to that level where I couldn't imagine the show without her inclusion, which I definitely couldn't say for the companions from Martha onwards. Is Torchwood worth watching? I can't say that I thought any of that crossover stuff from the series 4 end was particularly compelling (to the point where I was straight up bored with the parts involving Sarah Jane, her stupid kid, and the Torchwood duo sans Harkness).

Torchwood is pretty good. It's aimed more at adults so there's a lot more sexual tension and jack being jack. It's also more x files for the first 2 series. After that they just do one story per series that IMO is where the show shines.

[Exterminieren]

Steven Moffat's won the Dennis Potter BAFTA for Special Achievement in writing, and Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch have proved that someone should set them up as a double-act immediately.

[BatDan]

Steven Moffat's won the Dennis Potter BAFTA for Special Achievement in writing, and Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch have proved that someone should set them up as a double-act immediately.

This just shows that Benedict should be cast as The Master. Get on that Moffat!

[infiniteloop]

Is Torchwood worth watching?

Nope

[Exterminieren]

Nope

Small amendment; watch Children of Earth. Some of the best stuff to come from the Doctor Who Universe.

Avoid series 1, some of series 2 and Miracle Day, though. The good bits of series 2 are really great.

[EleventhDoctor]

Small amendment; watch Children of Earth. Some of the best stuff to come from the Doctor Who Universe. Avoid series 1, some of series 2 and Miracle Day, though. The good bits of series 2 are really great.

This man speaks the truth. CoE is amazing but its really the only worthwhile thing from Torchwood.

[Sheppard]

Steven Moffat's won the Dennis Potter BAFTA for Special Achievement in writing, and Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch have proved that someone should set them up as a double-act immediately.

Holy shit.

[Havok]

Thanks guys! I'll give it a shot, I guess. I watched the first episode and thought it was okay, so we'll see.

[The Technomancer]

Steven Moffat's won the Dennis Potter BAFTA for Special Achievement in writing, and Matt Smith and Benedict Cumberbatch have proved that someone should set them up as a double-act immediately.

Really? Ugh. I don't hate his work, as much as it may seem to some people here, but...*sigh*

[Ventilaator]

Really? Ugh. I don't hate his work, as much as it may seem to some people here, but...*sigh*

I really wouldn't give the award to him for Doctor Who (One of the greatest Doctors in some of the worst stories in my opinion), but I can totally see it for Sherlock. It's so easy to handle that project horribly, but it's excellent.

[Exterminieren]

Really? Ugh. I don't hate his work, as much as it may seem to some people here, but...*sigh*

Considering all the stuff he's done over the past 20 years, I find it hard to make a case that he doesn't deserve it. Even taking Sherlock and Doctor Who away, Press Gang and Coupling are quality pieces of work.

[Error]

on season 3 of the modern take on Doctor Who and I have to say David Tennant is the best doctor, I liked Eccleston but David plays the doctor in a more... fun manner, it's contagious. Whereas with Eccleston it took me awhile to get into this new series, but I have to admit some of my favorite episodes so far were during the Eccleston era.

[Htown]

I think Tennant is still the best of the new Doctors, though they've all been good in very different ways.

[EleventhDoctor]

This whole Moffet-bashing phase is really getting passé, people.

[The Technomancer]

Considering all the stuff he's done over the past 20 years, I find it hard to make a case that he doesn't deserve it. Even taking Sherlock and Doctor Who away, Press Gang and Coupling are quality pieces of work.

I'll take your word for it and/or look into those myself then, but I wouldn't have given it for Who or Sherlock. Sherlock was very good and enjoyable but the writing is still too self-indulgent for my tastes (although the season 2 finale was fucking fantastic)

[DoctorWho]

This whole Moffet-bashing phase is really getting passé, people.

I think most of us saw it coming after RTD left. Everyone was praising Moffat as the man who will make everything ok. It was inevitable that people would turn on him as soon as he made a few unpopular decisions. He's been great for the series just as RTD was great for the series.

[Regulus Tera]

Moffat had had his share of stupidity that he deserves to be criticised for.

[DoctorWho]

Moffat had had his share of stupidity that he deserves to be criticised for.

No doubt but I think he's equally deserving of high praise when called for.

[Regulus Tera]

No doubt but I think he's equally deserving of high praise when called for.

Moffat's peaks in his tenure haven't been as high as those during RTD's era. If you ask me he's on free-falling mode.

[grimshawish]

No showrunner doesn't have big loyal followers or big haters.

Simple facts is Moffat is doing things differently - like it or don't - either way people should be able to discuss their feelings on decisions/stories/aspects freely.

But what can't be said is he is somehow killing the show.


I think as soon as it was announced he was getting the job one of his first quotes were about how people were already turning on him! RTD got a lot of stick as well.

My one thing with Moff is he tries, but I think he needs 'his Moff' as he was to RTD.
I mean Moff does have the biggest impact on all new-who outside of RTD himself, look at how much The Empty Child influences Series 2. Its rather great; both men have nothing but respect and admiration for each other and thats great to see come out of a show thats so intense and hard work. They both just wanted it to succeed and so worked well together.

I hope he hasn't hired Gatiss again, as the man has let him down - he simply can't write Doctor Who, but is good on Sherlock. Which is slightly awkward I suppose as they are best mates and Gatiss not getting a script would be very 'noticeable'.

But Moff doesn't get any more hate than RTD imo. In some ways its less.

[grimshawish]

Moffat's peaks in his tenure haven't been as high as those during RTD's era. If you ask me he's on free-falling mode.

Can't agree at all. RTD was in free-fall in the specials.
Moffat has had some huge peaks for me - his TARDIS team is just brilliant.

He just can't write fucking christmas specials for the life of him :D

[DoctorWho]

No showrunner doesn't have big loyal followers or big haters. Simple facts is Moffat is doing things differently - like it or don't - either way people should be able to discuss their feelings on decisions/stories/aspects freely. But what can't be said is he is somehow killing the show. I think as soon as it was announced he was getting the job one of his first quotes were about how people were already turning on him! RTD got a lot of stick as well. My one thing with Moff is he tries, but I think he needs 'his Moff' as he was to RTD. I mean Moff does have the biggest impact on all new-who outside of RTD himself, look at how much The Empty Child influences Series 2. Its rather great; both men have nothing but respect and admiration for each other and thats great to see come out of a show thats so intense and hard work. They both just wanted it to succeed and so worked well together. I hope he hasn't hired Gatiss again, as the man has let him down - he simply can't write Doctor Who, but is good on Sherlock. Which is slightly awkward I suppose as they are best mates and Gatiss not getting a script would be very 'noticeable'. But Moff doesn't get any more hate than RTD imo. In some ways its less.

I agree with a lot of what you said. I have a bad feeling Gatiss is the next in line for Showrunner. I like him but I don't want a season in which the majority of the work is his.

Then again, he may surprise us. Finding a showrunner who is as good as the Moff or RTD is going to be tough from here on out. There's no one at that level waiting in the wings.

[Regulus Tera]

I'm not saying Moffat is worse than RTD, I'm saying' Moffat's writing has become more disjointed and his characters even shallower since he took over the show. The Empty Child is leagues more interesting and emotionally fulfilling than whatever the fuck we got for the series six finale.

[grimshawish]

I agree with a lot of what you said. I have a bad feeling Gatiss is the next in line for Showrunner. I like him but I don't want a season in which the majority of the work is his. Then again, he may surprise us. Finding a showrunner who is as good as the Moff or RTD is going to be tough from here on out. There's no one at that level waiting in the wings.

Can't see Gatiss getting it (him and Roberts once approached the BBC about it actually, got turned down - am sure its on record they wanted to bring back 4 part 25 minute stories - which was something even the classic series should have moved away from); but I don't see an RTD/Moff hand over. Moff will likely say hes leaving then sit down with the heads at the Beeb and discuss possible replacements.

I've long felt we'll have 2 writers working together though, maybe with a lot more input from individual writers as oppose to the very much 'show runner' position.

Whithouse is probably the one I expect to get it, hes done Being Human and that was a big success for BBC Three and the guy who commissioned it is currently head of BBC One.

Am not a huge fan of his Who but God Complex is very good (how involved Moff was with this am not sure though).

I hope none of the Merlin team end up getting it, or silly moves like that. Theres some great writers out there - but I think people need to prove they get the show. And certainly on a show like Merlin they didn't know what kids wanted (pretty much a massive chunk of its audience is in fact 65+!). So I do prefer previous writers.

But an outside writer and a Who writer wouldn't surprise me. But its kind of unclear; as oppose to with Moffat where it was obvious for a long time.

[Quick]

Can't agree at all. RTD was in free-fall in the specials. Moffat has had some huge peaks for me - his TARDIS team is just brilliant. He just can't write fucking christmas specials for the life of him :D

I thought A Christmas Carol was brilliant, but The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe was a bit of a letdown. That's one out of two, so far. The Doctor, The Widow and the Wardrobe was OK until the end, where her husband was saved and everyone had a jolly Christmas. Maybe if it was handled differently (and I can't think of any different way at the moment), it would've been done better.

[King of the Potato People]

He just can't write fucking christmas specials for the life of him :D

A Christmas Carol was beautiful.

[LuffyZoro]

Wife & I are watching on Netflix, currently in S3. Just watched "Blink." Fantastic episode. I really enjoyed Eccleston's Doctor, and it was a jarring transition when Tennant took over. But Tennant grew into the character and really made it his own. I can't say the same for Martha, but at least she's tolerable and not actively horrible.

I honestly consider Blink the best episode of the new series.

[grimshawish]

I'm not saying Moffat is worse than RTD, I'm saying' Moffat's writing has become more disjointed and his characters even shallower since he took over the show. The Empty Child is leagues more interesting and emotionally fulfilling than whatever the fuck we got for the series six finale.

I do agree. Empty Child is out of this world good though.
As I say Moff needs 'a Moff' - that writer who comes in and creates big quality.

Atm people expect all Moff episodes to be of insane quality. Like Lets Kill Hitler is to me a really strong opener/regeneration episode - on par with a few RTD stuff, but people seem to think you know 'cause its Moff' he'll do something bigger, but hes also trying to just meet all the audience expectations - everyone possible.

He needs someone who can play around here and there, whilst he basically runs the show to ensure theres as much for everyone as possible.

The series six finale is pretty woeful, theres some decent stuff but generally its clear Moff just decided he wanted a series that clearly opened and finished, so killed The Doctor - its not really part of some big plan. Just 'checkpoints' for Moff. I prefer series 6a to 6b, it works really well compared to whats a trouble run to say the least.

From the stuff I've seen/heard of series 7 it could be brilliant. Really sound like its shaping up to be excellent (certainly the first half they've done so far, not heard anything about the new companion).

[grimshawish]

A Christmas Carol was beautiful.

Decent for me am afraid. I just feel its a bit lacking. But it is a million times better than Wardrobe, which you can tell Moff wrote in a rush and generally couldn't be bothered with until he got Amy/Rory/Eleven for the final scene. (I think he will personally miss that team as its obvious he enjoys writing them)

[Quick]

I honestly consider Blink the best episode of the new series.

Whenever I see Carey Mulligan, I think of Sally Sparrow. Moffat writes cool/great character names - Sally Sparrow, Kathy Nightingale, Amelia Pond, River Song, etc. Rory Williams is probably the most ordinary he wrote, but it's like he did that ironically because Rory's awesome.

And I'm now reminded that Andrew Garfield was in Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks two-parter. :lol

[EleventhDoctor]

Christmas Carol was great-but e most recent one was god awful, I'm sorry to say. It's probably the only episode in the Moffet era I think is really shitty.

[EleventhDoctor]

Whenever I see Carey Mulligan, I think of Sally Sparrow. Moffat writes cool/great character names - Sally Sparrow, Kathy Nightingale, Amelia Pond, River Song, etc. Rory Williams is probably the most ordinary he wrote, but it's like he did that ironically because Rory's awesome. And I'm now reminded that Andrew Garfield was in Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks two-parter. :lol

Yes there's a screenshot of him standing next to David Tennant...and one of the "pig men"

*sigh*

[BatDan]

I didn't think Wardrobe was that bad. It was just a light-hearted Christmas romp, nothing more nothing less. It wasn't a violent bloodbath like *sighs* Voyage of the Damned.

[Mr. Sam]

Wardrobe was, well, I don't know how to describe it except for "Eh." A bit messy and wholly unremarkable.

Christmas Carol was very fun; probably my favourite Christmas special.

[Quick]

I didn't think Wardrobe was that bad. It was just a light-hearted Christmas romp, nothing more nothing less. It wasn't a violent bloodbath like *sighs* Voyage of the Damned.

We're on the same page with Voyage of the Damned. Good first 30 minutes, terrible everything else. At least it gave us Wilf.