This week brings us to the end of the first Season/Series of RTD2.
Continuing from the events of last week, Empire of Death is scripted by show runner Russell T. Davies, and is directed by Jamie Donoughue, returning from last week's The Legend of Ruby Sunday. The episode is described by Davies as 'extra long,' clocking in at 55 minutes. Empire is described thusly by BBC: The Doctor has lost, his ageless enemy reigns supreme, and a shadow is falling over creation. Nothing can stop the devastation... except, perhaps, one woman.
A clip from the episode is available online, but is, for some reason, defying embed. Hopefully you can see it HERE.
This run of episodes has been a very mixed bag for me.
In terms of overall style and production value, the current iteration of DOCTOR WHO is stellar: it looks and sounds fantastic, its performances are uniformly earnest and heartfelt, its effects largely top-notch (although a few are a tad dodgy).
This said, it's hard to escape the sense that this current run feels like something of 'proof of concept.' There's a lack of weight to the proceedings here, a feeling that the consequence of the show's dramatic or affecting moments don't necessarily resonate through the characters or their journeys.
And, perhaps most debilitatingly, this iteration of the Doctor often feels a tad ineffectual - sometimes coming across as reactive, instead of proactive. Observational, instead of commanding. It feels that, somewhere along the way, The Powers That Be have mistaken Ncuiti Gatwa's contagious charm and charisma for gravity, and the qualities are simply not the same, nor are they necessarily distinct. Gatwa comes across as a Time Lord who'd be tons of fun to hang out with - but not necessarily a Time Lord you'd trust to save you when the chips are down, and when all hope is lost. And it's chiefly this disparity that keeps the show from soaring. This isn't a sleight against the immensely capable Gatwa as much as it's a poke at the fundamental conceptualization of this iteration of the Doctor. This show, in a very real sense, feels afraid to commit - moreso than any previous iteration of DOCTOR WHO, ever, save the Chibnall Era. Perhaps the reasoning for this boils down to some comments recently made by Davies regarding the DW's current ratings, and the mission he was charged with when returning to the franchise... “In coming back, I wanted to make it simpler and I wanted to make it younger..." [EDIT] "And actually, I was brought back to bring in a younger audience." More of Davies' comments can be found HERE. My point being: perhaps the cursory and frivolous nature than can often be sensed dampening S1 is a direct result of the show, itself, not being perceived by its creators as having the flexibility or maturity to invest in the narrative and emotional potentials it puts on the table, but leaves unexplored. And I can't help but wonder if this is underselling the capabilities or flexibility of the 'younger audiences' it's attempting to cater to. To be afraid to 'own' one's storytelling because you're going for a 'younger crowd' feels a bit cynical and dismissive? Just pontificating and exploring here. I have a crashing headache today, and am not sure if this is making any sense at all. If it doesn't, ask me and I'll try again. The discussion for Empire of Death is now underway! I may or may not post a 'bridge' discussion board to carry us to the Moffat-scripted Christmas Special. But, either way, there will be a separate discussion opened for that one. We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING SOON: DOCTOR WHO: JOY TO THE WORLD
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I had a very nice, and surprisingly lengthy, post all lined up for this episode, but when I hit 'publish, Weebly (the blog editor) completely ate my post, as well as my backup (!?).
I don't have the time to start from scratch, so consider this the discussion forum for The Legend of Ruby Sunday. Legend is described thusly by BBC: The Doctor and UNIT investigate Ruby's past. But as the Time Window reveals horrifying secrets from Christmas Eve, the mysterious Triad Technology unleash the greatest evil of all. ...and is said to be a two-parter with next week's Empire of Death, which is described this way by BBC: The Doctor has lost, his ageless enemy reigns supreme, and a shadow is falling over creation. Nothing can stop the devastation... except, perhaps, one woman.
The Legend of Ruby Sunday discussion boards are good to go!
Enjoy! Lament! Theorize! Analyze! Obsess! Dismiss! Always... We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING NEXT WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: EMPIRE OF DEATH
This week brings us Rogue, the six episode of this Series/Season, and the antepenultimate installment of this batch of stories.
Scripted by Kate Herron (a director on SEX EDUCATION and LOKI) and actress/writer Briony Redman, this episode was pimped fairly early on on the promotion of 'the new DOCTOR WHO,' quickly becoming known as 'the one that looks like BRIDGERTON.' It's described thusly by BBC: The Doctor and Ruby land in 1813, where guests at a duchess’s party are being murdered and a mysterious bounty hunter called Rogue is about to change the Doctor’s life forever.
Ben Chessell directs this week's installment, which will lead us into the final two adventures of this batch of episode: The Legend of Ruby Sunday and Empire of Death. At least one of which will return Susan Twist to the show, and hopefully expand upon/explain her mysterious presence a bit more. Time Lord? TARDIS? Master Variant? SO many possibilities...
With this...the discussion for Rogue is afoot! We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING NEXT WEEK: THE LEGEND OF RUBY SUNDAY
This week brings us Dot and Bubble, scripted by showrunner Russell T. Davies, directed by Dylan Holmes Williams (who helmed last week's 73 Yards), and described thusly by BBC:
The world of Finetime seems happy and harmonious. But an awful terror is preying on the citizens. Can the Doctor and Ruby make them see the truth before it’s too late? THIS piece in RadioTimes indicates that this episode finds no small part of inspiration from Davies' love for BLACK MIRROR, and was actually pitched to Moffat back when Moffatt was taking the reins of the show, and had asked Davies if he'd like to script something for the series. Davies: "I thought of it way back when, around 2009, when I was still working on Doctor Who, because I pitched it to Steven Moffat in a restaurant in Los Angeles. He was saying, 'Would you come back and write for the programme?' Every year, he’d ask me. How lovely. "So I pitched this episode [in April 2010], in a restaurant called Hal’s on Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Karen Gillan [who played Amy Pond] was there. They were in LA to launch their first series, and I remember pitching – I used to call this – 'visible Twitter'. [EDIT] "We didn’t go very far with the conversation, because the idea was literally too expensive. But you wait 15 years and here we are."
It'll be interesting to see such a long-gestating tale come to fruition, but I do hope, at some point, Team Davies manages to attach a bit more gravity to their current storytelling. Not 'gravity' in the dramatic sense, 'gravity' in the sense of 'identity' and holistic grounding. 'Gravity' as in lack of frivolity.
The Dot and Bubble discussion is now ready to be 'happy and harmonious!' We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING NEXT WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: ROGUE
This week brings us 73 Yards, described thusly by BBC:
Landing on the Welsh coast, the Doctor and Ruby embark on the strangest journey of their lives. In a rain-lashed pub, the locals sit in fear of ancient legend. The episode is described as 'Welsh folk horror' in this introductory reel from show runner Russell T. Davies...
UK ratings for recent episodes of the show have been on the lower end of numbers that were already in a slide during the Chibnall Era. How DW is faring on D+ in the States is an altogether different matter, and remains a mystery as of publication.
Last week's Boom, from previous WHO overlord Steven Moffat, brought a touch of ingenuity and solidity to proceedings that have, so far this Series/Season, been all over the place. The existence of the episode was certainly reassuring, but it's also problematic: when a previous showrunner out-writes and out-creates the current showrunner, viewers are inherently catapulted into an uncomfortable, and even confusing disassociation of perceptions, loyalties, and, perhaps most problematically, desires. What will the flavor of 73 Yards be? What will it say / show about the creative path of the show moving forward, if anything? Finally, The Legend of Ruby Sunday and the provocatively titled Empire of Death, the final two episodes of this Season/Series, will be screening in UK cinemas Friday June 21 at 11pm. More information and tickets can be found HERE. With the way viewing figures are shaking out, and given UKvians decided lack of enthusiasm for inconveniently timed events, it'll be interesting to see if anyone is actually in theaters for this. With that, the 73 Yards discussion is afoot! We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING NEXT WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: DOT AND BUBBLE
This week brings us Boom, the first of two new scripts by former WHOrunner Steven Moffat this year (the other being its upcoming Christmas Special, Joy to the World).
Space Babies and The Devil's Chord, the opening installments of this particular run of episodes, were strange, sometimes amusing, sometimes bewildering, often frustrating, sometimes dopey, and occasionally striking - episodes of decidedly uneven results, whose overall qualities never quite equaled the sum of their better parts. Per THIS piece at Radio Times, the episodes premiered to 'close to the lowest ever for the show,' with the caveat that these figures only account for viewings on BBC proper, and do not yet factor in BBC iPlayer streaming figures, nor (presumably) the Disney+ numbers. Which leads to some potentially fateful questions: Has as the show's audience, in fact, really/truly dwindled? Or, is viewership now sufficiently split by streaming models that the total engagement of viewers will eventually be compensated for when streaming numbers are factored across during the long game? Did the Chibnall Era hurt the show's perception more than is currently understood/anticipated (I personally believe this to be a significant part of the equation)? Are the loud and ongoing 'woke' conversation and accusations which are swirling about dissuading people from connecting to, or remaining connected to, the show? Or, is the show's apparent wobble attributable to some combination of the above? What little we know about Boom suggests it may be the first episode of Davies' second tenure to 'feel' more like the DOCTOR WHO many have been expecting all along. But, this is only a vague (and as yet unsubstantiated) sense of a tale about which we really know very little. What we DO know is that BBC describes it thusly: Caught in the middle of a devastating war on Kastarion 3, the Doctor is trapped when he steps on a landmine. Can he save himself and Ruby, plus the entire planet... without moving? Here's a clip:
This article pointedly indicates that Boom's origins can be found in a DOCTOR WHO story from 'decades ago,' but, predictably, stops short of saying what we should be looking for/expecting. Such is life in the Moffatverse. Boom is directed by Julie Ann Robinson, who helmed Space Babies. Such is life in the Daviesverse.
Will the show find a more even footing? Will its ratings rise? So many questions, so much strangeness and adventure ahead! The Boom discussion forums are now open, and the Golden Guidelines are active, as always. Welcome, and enjoy! We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING NEXT WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: 73 YARDS
This week brings us 2 (two!) new DOCTOR WHO installments - discussion for the first of them, SPACE BABIES, can be found at https://www.geeklectica.com/dw/doctor-who-space-babies.
This discussion is reserved for the second of the two episodes, The Devil's Chord, featuring a highly promoted guest appearance by drag queen/performer Jinkx Monsoon.
Per the reference to Abbey Road Studios in the trailer posted at the top of this article (and per the show's official synopsis), The Devil's Chord will be the episode in which these singularly unconvincing Beatles are encountered.
Soooooooooooooo, yeah.
We'll see how this goes. The Devils' Chord is scripted by reigning series overlord Russell T. Davies, and directed by Ben Chessell - whose numerous credits are utterly unfamiliar to me (not that this means anything). It's described thusly by BBC: The Doctor and Ruby meet The Beatles but discover that the all-powerful Maestro is changing history. London becomes a battleground with the future of humanity at stake.
And with that...
It's a Docback, yeah, yeah, yeah!
A Docback, yeah, yeah, yeah!
We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind.
COMING NEXT WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: BOOM
This weekend brings us an atypical debut strategy for DOCTOR WHO - the concurrent release of 2 (two!) new season/series episodes: the amusingly and enigmatically entitled SPACE BABIES, and THE DEVIL'S CHORD.
This discussion thread is reserved for SPACE BABIES; it seemed logical to split our discussions into 2 (two!) threads for posterity's sake - as it would be easier to locate the individual threads (i.e. search for them online, find them in the site's menu, etc.) if the episodes are presented individually. Although, I understand this makes for a bit more inconvenience in this moment: sorry about that. SPACE BABIES is helmed by Julie Ann Robinson, whose credits include a wildly varied resume including THE GOOD PLACE, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, MASTERS OF SEX, and BRIDGERTON. It's scripted by show runner Russell T. Davies.
Its essence is described thusly by BBC:
Ruby learns the Doctor’s amazing secrets when he takes her to the far future. There, they find a baby farm run by babies. But can they be saved from the terrifying bogeyman?
To commemorate the coming of the Doctor's newest series/season, BBC recently released this trailer/sizzle reel for what we might expect.
I've been preoccupied with a number of distracting and challenging life changes over the past month, so I'm leaving room for me not to be 'correct' regarding what I'm about to say (i.e. perhaps I've missed something?)
[ENGAGE RUN-ON SENTENCE!] But, considering the show's budgetary uptick, considering its splashy casting of Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor, considering its arrival on Disney+ in the US (where it looks super-great in dazzling 4K, by the way), and considering we're plowing into a brand new chunk of episodes after a sizable break, it feels as if the promotional ramp-up to this new season/series has felt a tad...muted... compared to what has come before? [RUN-ON SENTENCE DISENGAGED!] Especially when taking into account that fewer resources and less horsepower were behind the show in the past? Maybe this is a product of the way multiple endnotes (like BBC and D+) interface, or fail to interface, or perceive the value of their property (whether individually or collectively)? Or, maybe I'm flat-out full of shit and wrong. Come what may, it'll be fascinating to see how things shake out moving forward. The SPACE BABIES discussion thread is now screaming for your attention. For now, and forever...
We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind.
ALSO THIS WEEK: DOCTOR WHO: THE DEVIL'S CHORD
Apologies for the tardiness of this post, and for the brevity of this post. Been fighting off a very complicated respiratory malady (chest infection of some sort) that has brought me thisclose to hospitalization.
Nonetheless, I wanted to be sure to open up a discussion thread for The Church on Ruby Road - Ncuti Gatwa's first full-on adventure as 'the fifteenth Doctor,' and introducing new 'companion' Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) to the Whoniverse.
Church is described thusly by BBC:
Long ago on Christmas Eve, a baby was abandoned in the snow. Today, Ruby Sunday meets the Doctor, stolen babies, goblins and perhaps the secret of her birth... The episode famously includes 'The Goblin Song,' which debuted to the world a few weeks ago via this extended clip...
The Church on Ruby Road discussion boards are now open and awaiting your thoughts, feelings, loves, hates, approvals, derision, and so forth. The rules are the same as always:
We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. In a day or two I'll open up a "Journey to Series 1" board which will carry us through to the new Season/Series. When that arrives, we will then revert to the standard episode-specific discussions formats. Wishing all of you peace and joy and happiness for this Holiday Season, and beyond!
This week brings us The Giggle, the second-to-the-last of Russell T. Davies' 60th Anniversary Specials, and potentially the last time we'll get a full-on adventure with David Tennant's iteration of the Doctor. Unless THIS rumor is true...
The Giggle is described thusly by BBC...
"The giggle of a mysterious puppet is driving the human race insane. When the Doctor discovers the return of the terrifying Toymaker, he faces a fight he can never win." So, that trailer reveals that TARDIS gets a juke box. A Tennant thing? A Gatwa move? Here's our fullest looks yet at Neil Patrick Harris - who had never even heard of DOCTOR WHO before being cast in it - as The Toymaker in this week's episode...
And, if you're as in love with the cavernous and odd new TARDIS interior as I am, this little BTS snippet might be of interest/amusement...
With that, The Giggle discussion boards are now ready for discussion boarding.
We warmly invite and encourage an open discourse and free exchange of ideas, but will enforce a strict zero tolerance policy regarding trolling, disrespect, or hate speak of any kind. COMING DECEMBER 23 (EPISODE PREMIERES DECEMBER 25) DOCTOR WHO: THE CHURCH ON RUBY ROAD |
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