Sci-fi Fans

[Lazlo78]

I'm unsure if others have mentioned this, but Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos ranks amongst the finest sci-fi literature IMHO. Wonderful plot lines, characters with depth, loads of great technology, a spiked creature that impales people on a tree of thorns, and packed with intertextual references to Keats, Shakespeare etc. - what's not to like? I've read loads of sci-fi and these books are simply the best I've come across...

 

Alternatively, his Ilium/Olympos Circle centered around Homer's classic interwoven with Shakespeare, Proust and Robots from the far side of the galaxy (ha! ), is well worth a read.

 

Go for it - you'll thank me later...

[Colinjb]

Backtracking a bit now to Babylon 5.

 

It was mentioned that the main actor from series one, Michael O'Hare who played the character Commander Sinclair left the series after alleged friction/issues with the rest of the cast. After his death in May, J. Michael Straczynski the series creator finally revealed why he left.

 

During the filming of the first season of Babylon 5' date=' O'Hare began having paranoid delusions. Halfway through filming, his hallucinations worsened and the stress of playing a character who was suffering from a similar mental illness was becoming overwhelming. It became increasingly difficult for O'Hare to continue work, his behavior was becoming increasingly erratic and he was often at odds with his colleagues. O'Hare sought treatment for his mental illness, but feared that, as the main character of [/font']Babylon 5, taking an extended medical leave of absence would destroy the show just as it was getting off the ground.J. Michael Straczynski, the show's creator and main writer, offered to suspend the show for several months to accommodate O'Hare's treatment; however O'Hare refused to put so many other people's jobs at risk.

 

Straczynski agreed to keep his condition secret to protect O'Hare's career. O'Hare agreed to complete the first season but would be subsequently written out of the second season so that he could seek treatment. He reappeared in a cameo appearance early in season two and returned in season three for the double episode "War Without End" which closed his character's story arc. He made no further appearances in Babylon 5.

Although his treatments were somewhat successful, he was never fully cured. On his return to Babylon 5, Straczynski promised again that he would keep his condition secret to his grave. O'Hare told him to "keep the secret to MY grave", pointing out that fans deserved to eventually learn the real reason for his departure, and that his experience could raise awareness and understanding for people suffering from mental illness. On May 25, 2013, eight months after O'Hare's death, Straczynski fulfilled his promise and finally revealed the reasons behind O'Hare's departure from Babylon 5 at the Phoenix Comicon.^[3]

 

Really quite sad.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

I saw the (rather good) Mat Damon star in the (not very good) movie 'Elysium' the other day.

 

Just like every other big budget Sci Fi film I've seen recently it took the germ of a decent idea - Humanity divided into a pampered elite minority living in orbital space stations and a impoverished earthbound majority in this case - added some truly impressive special effects to the mix before proceeding to ruin it all with excessive amounts of unnecessary Terminatoresque violence. Science Fiction should not be reduced to a mere setting for action films as is so often the case now. But it's are fault of course, for as long as fans like us continue to pay good money to see mediocre films like this, then Hollywood will continue to churn them out I suppose.

 

I hope I'm not alone however in finding the ridiculously pat and utterly unbelievable 'happy ever after' conclusion surgically grafted on to the arse end this movie to have stretched creditability far beyond any reasonable limit. If this type of swill was intended to make me 'feel good' after the heroic sacrifice of Mat Damon (as I suspect it was) then I can only say it had quite the opposite effect on this viewer. 4/10

 

Compared to how wonderfully innovative and unexpected the best of todays TV now is, cinema by comparison seems in grave danger of falling into a decline it may never recover from.

 

 

.

Edited 30 August, 2013 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[Saint J 77]

Stargate to get movie reboot

 

Yet another large sci fi franchise set for a reboot. I love the confusing quote...

 

Emmerich told Digital Spy: "We went to MGM, who has the rights, and proposed to them to do a sequel, but as a reboot... and reboot it as a movie and then do three parts. Pretty soon we'll have to look for a writer and start."

 

Very much like the Star Trek reboot, after all the hours of television Stargate has amassed it seems a bit of a kick in the teeth to the long time fans. As one fan said in that article "Please NO! Just give us the SGA and SG1 movies that were promised. MGM - that is what the fans want, that is what they've been loyal to all these many years. Not some movie from decades ago. We have moved on from that, so should you!".

 

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a513056/stargate-to-receive-movie-reboot-trilogy-planned.html#ixzz2e6xqgoyK

[alpine_saint]

Stargate to get movie reboot

 

Yet another large sci fi franchise set for a reboot. I love the confusing quote...

 

Emmerich told Digital Spy: "We went to MGM, who has the rights, and proposed to them to do a sequel, but as a reboot... and reboot it as a movie and then do three parts. Pretty soon we'll have to look for a writer and start."

 

Very much like the Star Trek reboot, after all the hours of television Stargate has amassed it seems a bit of a kick in the teeth to the long time fans. As one fan said in that article "Please NO! Just give us the SGA and SG1 movies that were promised. MGM - that is what the fans want, that is what they've been loyal to all these many years. Not some movie from decades ago. We have moved on from that, so should you!".

 

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a513056/stargate-to-receive-movie-reboot-trilogy-planned.html#ixzz2e6xqgoyK

 

Will never happen. Emmerich and Devlin have been making this pitch for years ('cos they didnt like SG-1), and MGM have lost interest in the whole franchise.

 

http://www.gateworld.net/news/2013/09/emmerich-still-working-toward-stargate-movie-reboot/

 

I am so p*ssed off that SGU wasnt finished properly.

Edited 6 September, 2013 by alpine_saint

[dubai_phil]

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/7-upcoming-films-that-prove-sci-fi-is-back-in-a-huge-way.html/

 

7 Upcoming Films That Prove Sci-Fi Is Back in a Huge Way

 

Going to be a busy time through 2014.

 

Although not all of them seem to be "true" Sci-Fi, the Nolan story looks interesting though

[alpine_saint]

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/7-upcoming-films-that-prove-sci-fi-is-back-in-a-huge-way.html/

 

 

 

Going to be a busy time through 2014.

 

Although not all of them seem to be "true" Sci-Fi, the Nolan story looks interesting though

 

It sounds like a rip-off of Stargate, imo.

 

I think they all sound derivative, tbh. Enders Game (which sounds at this point the most interesting to me due to lack of decent synopsis info on some of the others at this time) sounds like Starship Troopers, Her sounds like a drawn-out rip off of the HAL/Bowman scenes from 2001, Catching Fire is a sequel, and Gravity may well be a cinematographers wet dream, but has it got a decent plot with only 2 actors or is it being hyped by the Hollywood inner clique because of who the two actors are ? From the pure Sci-Fi perspective, I am curious as to what the Wachowksi brothers (or brother and sister) have come up with, but even that has left me with a distinct Dune-y feeling..

Edited 11 September, 2013 by alpine_saint

[Lazlo78]

Enders Game sounds like Starship Troopers

 

Please elaborate this - I'm not sure I'm following

[alpine_saint]

Bright kids at school graduate and fight against an evil invasion.

 

Or have I read a misleading synopsis ?

 

EDIT: Wow, the baddies are even bugs :

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enders_game

Edited 13 September, 2013 by alpine_saint

[Bearsy]

Bright kids at school graduate and fight against an evil invasion.

 

that ain't at all what Starship Troopers was about!

 

Edit - It was exact opposite! Dumb kids at school graduate & are brainwashed by fascist regime to conduct evil invasion!

[badgerx16]

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Good news everybody! ... well maybe.

 

The strange world of early Doctor Who obsessives is tonight agog with rumours that a substantial stash of (long thought lost) early William Hartnel and Patrick Troughton episodes has been unearthed in Ethiopia of all places. It could all be a cruel trick I suppose - there is a history of that kind of thing - but just imagine how wonderful it would be if the BBC could make a official announcement of this find during the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.

 

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/lost-doctor-who-classics-found-53619.htm

Edited 6 October, 2013 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[Saint J 77]

Good news everybody! ... well maybe.

 

The strange world of early Doctor Who obsessives is tonight agog with rumours that a substantial stash of (long thought lost) early William Hartnel and Patrick Troughton episodes has been unearthed in Ethiopia of all places. It could all be a cruel trick I suppose - there is a history of that kind of thing - but just imagine how wonderful it would be if the BBC could make a official announcement of this find during the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.

 

http://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/lost-doctor-who-classics-found-53619.htm

 

Would be amazing if true, but the updated article says it looks like it's been made up, shame! I hope they are out there somewhere and found soon, in the near future. Funny enough the last lost episodes were found in Southampton.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-06/doctor-who-newly-discovered-lost-episodes-to-be-released-for-sale-this-week

[Saint J 77]

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-10-06/doctor-who-newly-discovered-lost-episodes-to-be-released-for-sale-this-week

 

Today is the day we are meant to find out which episodes have been found. On some of the fan site forums they are saying it's not as many episodes as reported. I hope these fans are wrong but from what I've been reading it's only a handful of episodes not the 106 that was first reported. Slightly disappointing but it's better that some episodes have been found than no episodes found. We can only hope the rest are out there somewhere if it's not the big haul that was first reported.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Stop Press ... Stop Press ... Stop Press ...

 

There is apparently a official news embargo in place until midnight, but Lance Parkin has blown the story and the truth will out! I understand that all five missing episodes of the Troughton serial 'The Enemy of the World' have been unearthed. But that's not all - four (of the missing five) episodes from the the second Doctor's much loved Yeti epic 'The Web of Fear' have returned to the fold - a story that I vaguely remember scaring the living daylights out of me as a very young boy.

 

This is FANTASTIC news of course - and there is the hint that there may be more to come ...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXgA2GjQ8n4

[Saint J 77]

Stop Press ... Stop Press ... Stop Press ...

 

There is apparently a official news embargo in place until midnight, but Lance Parkin has blown the story and the truth will out! I understand that all five missing episodes of the Troughton serial 'The Enemy of the World' have been unearthed. But that's not all - four (of the missing five) episodes from the the second Doctor's much loved Yeti epic 'The Web of Fear' have returned to the fold - a story that I vaguely remember scaring the living daylights out of me as a very young boy.

 

This is FANTASTIC news of course - and there is the hint that there may be more to come ...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXgA2GjQ8n4

 

While I am very pleased to hear these particular episodes have been recovered, I still feel a little disappointed that more episodes haven't been found. I too have heard the rumour that there could be more to be announced at a later date but I'm guessing its not anywhere near the 90 odd episodes that were first reported. I guess I am being greedy! Great credit to Phillip Morris, the director of Television International Enterprises Archive, who unearthed the programmes by looking up the records of overseas shipments of tapes made by the BBC. Lots of people have rightly said that it is sad that Nick Courtney is not around to see the return of his first story as Lethbridge-Stewart.

Edited 10 October, 2013 by Saint J 77

[Saint J 77]

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/10/11/doctor-who-missing-episodes-returned-everything-you-need-to-know/

 

"Obviously inflated rumours about as many as 90 missing episodes being found in Ethiopia have circulated in Doctor Who fandom over the last few months. Nine episodes is still a remarkable find, though. In fact, it’s the largest batch of episodes to be returned since 19 were given back to the BBC by the BFI way back in 1977. The discovery brings the number of missing Doctor Who episodes down to 97."

 

Looks like its only 9 episodes, unless they are holding back on more for closer to the 50th Anniversary.

[percy windham]

theres on the missingepisodes forum, with a post from Phillip Morris from 2005 asking if anyone had thought to look in these places for missing episodes. its amazing to think that this recovery started 8 years ago!

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Tales of a hundred or so missing episodes being found were always far too good to be true I suppose. Nevertheless, this morning the overwhelming impression this story leaves on me is one of genuine excitement for what has been recovered, rather than any sense of disappointment for what is still missing. In a strange way it would almost be a shame if they did find all the missing episodes, because then we would never have days like this again.

 

Perhaps only our fellow 'Whovians' reading this will comprehend the sheer adrenalin rush Philip Morris MUST have felt when he first saw those old film cans laying forgotten on the shelf of a remote Nigerian TV relay station. For those left mystified by all this fuss about rediscovering some fifty year old black & white television, all I can say is for the real Who fan this news is (quite literally in my case) the stuff dreams are made of.

 

PS - if you happen to find a film can at a car boot sale somewhere with the words 'Tenth Planet episode four' written upon it ... well please do buy it!

Edited 11 October, 2013 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[Saint J 77]

[alpine_saint]

Isnt the "Holy Grail" supposed to be to find the last episode of "Tenth Planet" ?

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Doctor Who: The Daemons (1971)

 

Back in Who's earthbound 'Pertwee/UNIT Era' again for a story that is certainly among my personal all time favorites. The villainous Master is scheming to gain control of the world by summoning Azel ("the last of the Daemons") and persuading this all-powerful devil-like monster that only he is worthy to rule. It turns out that mankind's development has been heavily influenced by the Daemons over time and they see this backward planet as a sort of plaything of theirs. Should the Master's evil plan backfire (and the Masters plans always backfire of course) then this fearsome cloven hoofed beast might well decide that Earth is a failed experiment and he might just as well destroy it ...

 

Memorably set in the Wiltshire village of Aldbourne (aka 'Devil's End') this wonderful yarn has obviously been heavily influenced by the films 'Village of the Damned' and in particular the Hammer movie 'Quatermass and the Pit' that came out a few years beforehand - but as these are some of my favorite films yours truly has very few problems with that. Ultimately this serial lives or dies upon how successfully the production team manage to realize the Daemon. All I can say is you can rest assured that (overlooking the limitations of early 1970's Colour Separation Overlay technology and Azel's wrinkly stockings) my 8 year-old self found the Daemon to be one of those genuinely 'behind the sofa' Doctor Who experiences!

 

PS, the Brigadier is in especially good form here. So RIP Nick C, you were great.

 

Edited 27 October, 2013 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[dubai_phil]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/film-news/10404130/JJ-Abrams-and-Lawrence-Kasdan-take-over-Star-Wars-Episod-VII-script.html

 

Trouble at Mill on the Star Wars VII script?

 

JJ Abrams becoming part of the story writing team?

 

Hmm

[alpine_saint]

My hopes/expectations plummet further by the day..

[pap]

It's as if a billion voices suddenly cried out in unison "I've got a bad feeling about this".

[dubai_phil]

It's as if a billion voices suddenly cried out in unison "I've got a bad feeling about this".

 

Movie opens 6 months into The Enterprises' 5 year mission. Kirk (with beard) is stroking the blonde hair of that Science Officer Chic when Spock looks up from sitting on Uhura's lap to say

 

"Captain, I have detected an anomaly on the sensors it seems to be some kind of Worm........."

 

Cut to explosions, Red Shirts being sucked into space or horribly disfigured and Enterprise emerges into orbit around a deserted M Class planet. After a scan they detect an object so send an Away Team down. First Red Shirt touches the Circular Object and is instantly vapourised. Scotty fires his phaser at it and it shatters.

 

From the dust Harrison Ford steps up and says WTF took you guys so long.

 

His conversation is cut short as Uhura calls Kirk and says there is another Triangular shaped Ship entering orbit and has asked us to surrender in the name of the crackle hiss static.

 

At which point the Extension/Media Centre at SMS emerges from behind a hill

 

Yeah, that's about it

[hypochondriac]

I don't give a crap about star trek but he better not ruin star wars (more than the prequels did).

[pap]

I don't give a crap about star trek but he better not ruin star wars (more than the prequels did).

 

I'm not hopeful. JJ Abrams, for me at least, has never produced an entirely satisfactory body of work. I never watched ALIAS, but people tell me it's good. A lot of people loved LOST. I can't really say I understood what it was all about. The island was weird because it was weird, dumbass! Oh, and it might have something to do with an eternal battle between what you might call God and what you might call evil. Spoiler for LOST? Hardly. It made no sense. This was his own creation.

 

First Star Trek movie was alright; I'll confess to liking it on my way out. Was even looking forward to the second. Both films are extremely well made from a visual perspective, but they're just big dumb action movies. Cool sh!t happens so more cool sh!t can happen. Doesn't matter if it makes a lick of sense. I've been floored by the Rule of Cool before. I watched some utterly derivative Guy Pearce sci-fi movie a while back which was a cookie cutter of other movies, mostly rubbish, but had an extremely memorable ending. Abrams wants to give you something amazing every five minutes. It's f**king tiresome.

 

One of the reasons the original Star Wars movie works so well is that it dwells on the important moments, often letting John Williams' score and a bit of scenery do the work. Can't imagine Abrams being down for that sort of lark.

Edited 28 October, 2013 by pap

[hypochondriac]

I wanted Brad bird to get the gig. He would have done it right.

[hypochondriac]

And pap I agree with your final paragraph. The epic nature of star wars was the important bit and the pacing is a huge part of that. If we get loads of dumb action then I'm out.

[dubai_phil]

Anybody want to be in t eh next Star Wars movie?

 

Seriously!

 

http://entertainment.uk.msn.com/trending-blog/star-wars-open-auditions-held-for-new-movies

 

What are you doing later this week? Chances are you're either going to be at work, school or home so why not shake things up a bit and audition for a part in the upcoming Star Wars movies?

 

Yep, news recently leaked on the casting Twitter account @UKopencall that casting sessions for Star Wars: Episode VII will start later this week.

 

Auditions are due to take place at various locations across the UK and Ireland, including London, Dublin and Glasgow, with the casting notice detailing that film-makers are looking to fill two roles.

The roles are described as a 'street smart and strong' orphaned girl in her late teens and a 'smart capable' man in his late teens or early 20s.

 

The casting call was headlined as a "nationwide search for lead roles for a Disney movie."

 

The Star Wars movies have given major roles to little known actors and actresses in the past, including Mark Hamill who was cast as Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy.

 

Auditions are set to begin in Bristol on 9 November - better start brushing up on your Shakespeare monologues, people!

 

[badgerx16]

The origin of John Hurt's Doctor...

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01lhhv4/Doctor_Who_Mini_Episode_The_Night_of_the_Doctor/

[Saint J 77]

The origin of John Hurt's Doctor...

 

[video=youtube;-U3jrS-uhuo]

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01lhhv4/Doctor_Who_Mini_Episode_The_Night_of_the_Doctor/

 

That's a great 6 minutes and 49 seconds of Doctor who and the best mini episode they have done yet! I'd love to see a mini series of Paul McGann's adventures, surely its do-able in web episode format. This short story already seems well loved by a lot of the fans. Lets have some more 8th Doctor screen time. A DVD release would fly off the shelf.

[Jimmy_D]

That's a great 6 minutes and 49 seconds of Doctor who and the best mini episode they have done yet! I'd love to see a mini series of Paul McGann's adventures, surely its do-able in web episode format. This short story already seems well loved by a lot of the fans. Lets have some more 8th Doctor screen time. A DVD release would fly off the shelf.

 

So, possibly, Eccleston is pushed out to 10, Tennant to 11, Smith to 12…

 

All of a sudden I'm noticing the slight passing resemblance between the Valeyard and Capaldi, and wondering if that grand unveiling of the next Doctor was misdirection.

[Bearsy]

What is the point of Doctor Who? Whenever I watch it, which ain't often, he seems to rock up in some place/time for no apparent reason and then discover there is some alien shenanigans going down. He always seems surprised bout his, tho it happens every week.

 

What I want to know is, why does he go to the places that he goes? Does he just choose places at random, or is someone telling him to go the places? If he's being sent there to sort out the trouble, why does he not expect trouble? If he is just going there randomly, how come aliens is turn up every time? Is he following them? Are they following him? What is going on in this dumb show!

 

Srsly, I still won't watch it cos I think the show is terrible, but I would like to be educate!

[pap]

What is the point of Doctor Who? Whenever I watch it, which ain't often, he seems to rock up in some place/time for no apparent reason and then discover there is some alien shenanigans going down. He always seems surprised bout his, tho it happens every week.

 

What I want to know is, why does he go to the places that he goes? Does he just choose places at random, or is someone telling him to go the places? If he's being sent there to sort out the trouble, why does he not expect trouble? If he is just going there randomly, how come aliens is turn up every time? Is he following them? Are they following him? What is going on in this dumb show!

 

Srsly, I still won't watch it cos I think the show is terrible, but I would like to be educate!

 

Doctor Who ain't Eastenders, Bear. Lots of time elapses between most episodes. It's expensive to send a BBC camera crew after a roving Timelord 24/7, so they only turn up when there is guaranteed alien action. The TARDIS phones ahead.

[dubai_phil]

That's a great 6 minutes and 49 seconds of Doctor who and the best mini episode they have done yet! I'd love to see a mini series of Paul McGann's adventures, surely its do-able in web episode format. This short story already seems well loved by a lot of the fans. Lets have some more 8th Doctor screen time. A DVD release would fly off the shelf.

 

Only problem is IPlayer is UK restricted needs to be You Tubed!

[dubai_phil]

Hmm, an upside down Doc?

 

http://www.news.com.au/national/nationals-mp-george-christensen-puts-up-a-motion-for-the-lower-house-to-formally-request-that-the-bbc-film-next-dr-who-series-here/story-fncynjr2-1226762795923

 

Well, he DID come to Dubai with a London Bus, so why not?

 

Could be a huge money spinner for the Beeb, get foreign nations to pay for him to film there...

 

Ah no that won't work, it's the Beeb

[Saint J 77]

Only problem is IPlayer is UK restricted needs to be You Tubed!

 

I think as soon as the McGann episode went live on Iplayer, it was also made available on you tube for the international audience. So I am sure they would do the same if they ever did make a web series. I'd love to see him get a chance to flesh out his Doctor on Screen. I know he has continued to develop the 8th Doctor in the Big Finish audio stories but it would still be great to see more screen time for his Doctor. This Short has already had over 2 million hits on you tube in just 5 days and apparently topped the iplayers most watched.

 

I have really enjoyed both David Tennant and Matt Smith portrayal of the Doctor, they both really made the part their own. But in that short story of the 8th Doctor's demise you can really see what a good Doctor he might of been. The fact that Paul McGann is that much older than David and Matt is clear because in just under 7 minutes McGann's performance of the 8th Doctor felt so much more mature and grown up.

 

Unfortunately I don't think a web series will happen, due to Peter Capaldi series coming soon. The BBC might feel it would steal some of his thunder having another Doctor making stories at the same time.

[Saint J 77]

After the hugely popular reaction to the recent minisode, DWO caught up with The 8th Doctor, Paul McGann, for an exclusive video interview.

 

[Bearsy]

Doctor Who ain't Eastenders, Bear. Lots of time elapses between most episodes. It's expensive to send a BBC camera crew after a roving Timelord 24/7, so they only turn up when there is guaranteed alien action. The TARDIS phones ahead.

 

I feel like ur being facetious pap! Is that the genuine explanation? Is there really no-one in charge? I thought it might be like that one show Quantum Leap where baby jesus sends him to places striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap... will be the leap home.

[pap]

I feel like ur being facetious pap! Is that the genuine explanation? Is there really no-one in charge? I thought it might be like that one show Quantum Leap where baby jesus sends him to places striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap... will be the leap home.

 

Well it's hinted that the TARDIS might be some kind of forever unknowable entity working to ensure time doesn't get messed up, but at the same time, time gets messed up all the time.

 

Speaking somewhat less facetiously, the show is all over the place and has been for years. Russell T Davies, first show runner of the modern Who, was particularly adept at writing himself into corners that could only be solved with a bit of deus ex machina.

[mcjwills]

Only problem is IPlayer is UK restricted needs to be You Tubed!

 

Not if you use Hola unblocker in google chrome can acess iplayer straight away, friend of a friend tried it for itvplayer from USA

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

As a keen student of early Doctor Who you can probably tell there was no way on (or off) of Earth I was ever going to miss the Beeb's new drama about the creation of Gods Wonderful Sci-Fi Series back in November 1963 - 'An Adventure in Space and Time' (BBC2 Thursday).

As this was written by long term Who fan and all round good guy Mark Gatiss I was expecting this to be good television. But the programme I saw last night somehow managed to exceed any (high) expectations I may have had for it - indeed so very impressed was I with it that I thought is was close to being a bloody triumph. Bravo to all concerned.

 

With the bar already set quite this high unless tomorrows 50th anniversary episode turns out to be something really rather special then methinks a spirit of revolution may start to build among the massed ranks of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. Will it be a case of down with Moffat and Via Gatiss I wonder?

 

I'm off to the cinema tomorrow to pay good money to find out ... watch this space, watch the skies, just watch!

[Bearsy]

My brother told me yesterday that he's going to the actual cinema on Saturday to watch the new episode Doctor Who. He dropped this information into conversation so casually that at first I didn't fully appreciate the horrific implications. It's possible that my brother, my own brother, might be a massive Geek! He's going in fancy dress FFS!

[dubai_phil]

Well, better than nothing i suppose.

 

BBC Entertainment are giving us the last Matt Smith series starting tomorrow.

 

As we'll be down the pub drowning our sorrows as we slip to 7th or 8th or out all night going mental IF we go top, I reckon it will be time to try Hola and aim for an IPlayer on Sunday when the world straightens out a bit

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Going to the trouble of seeing 'Day of the Doctor' on a 3D cinema screen was well worth the effort I thought - there was a special atmosphere in the room you seldom get to experience when seeing a ordinary movie with a general audience. I can confirm that the (mostly younger generation) fans present certainly seemed to have enjoyed and appreciated this unique opportunity to see the Doctor in such a grand setting. We really must do this again sometime methinks.

 

As for my take on it, I thought it exhibited all the strengths, and many of the weaknesses, of the Moffat era. Matt Smith is such a endearingly quirky, believably alien, Doctor that I strongly suspect we'll miss him terribly when he goes in a few weeks time. Peter Calpadi has a tough act to follow. Backing this prodigiously talented young actor with established stars of the caliber David Tenant and John Hurt results in a cast list any drama director would surely die for. The script sparkled with inventiveness and humour too, so much so that it's been many years since I've heard a audience laugh out loud quite so often in a cinema.

 

The problem with Steven Moffat is that being both Series Producer and Script Writer he could use a strong (Terrance Dicks like) Script Editor who might dare to whisper in his ear on occasion and tell him when his storylines are becoming too complex, too unfocused, and too adult perhaps. While Day of the Doctor was billed as the story of the cataclysmic 'Time War' between the Dalek's and the Time Lords (a conflict that has haunted this series ever since it was resurrected in its modern form back in 2005) instead of concentrating on that devastating struggle much of the script was devoted instead to this Zygon Invasion/Elizabethan subplot that did little to advance the main plot.

 

But I don't want to be too critical because on the whole 'Day of the Doctor' was a notable success I thought. Indeed, I'm not at all ashamed to admit that the unforgettable moment near the end when (quite impossibly!) the sound of Tom Bakers wonderful old voice echoed from the screen brought a tear to the eye of this aged Whovian ...

 

... oh and tears being another experience you seldom see in a cinema.

[dubai_phil]

OK, I have NO idea if it is on Sky or Beeb yet (or even finished)

 

Almost Human.

 

It's a mix of RoboCop, BladeRunner, I Robot and possibly in a way a feel of the new Total Recall all mixed up together in a Mob/Mafia/"Police Show".

 

2048, all Cops are required to have a Robot Partner. Crime now is all Hi Tech.

 

This is a REALLY well put together series, watched the Pilot & Episode 1 tonight and it brings a complete mix of Sci-Fi, Buddy movie, disturbed loner etc.

 

Bearsy & Tokes would just LOVE the whole concept of a world as shown in the first full episode with the Sex Bots.

 

Didn't tell Mrs D_P anything aboout it (was on demand /our Sky+) She actually thought it was a bloody good film and was totally freaked when it seemed to end in mid movie.

 

The CGI Cityscape & Effects are right up there.

 

Hope it continues aa it has started. A broken Cop with an out of Date Robot partner who has a soul...

 

Deffo Series Record after tonight

 

Check it out gang

[Saint137]

Loved it also, and wish I'd gone and seen it at the cinema. Moffat is a genius but agree he needs a strong script editor as felt there was a fundamental flaw with the Day of the Doctor

 

(spoilers follow)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why didn't the later Doctors just tell John Hurt's Doctor that his genocide failed? The Daleks survived anyway, ergo no point in trying to destroy them. It was the centrepiece of the episode (and distilled in to a couple of minutes 50 years of what the Doctor stands for) and felt it fell a little short. Still hugely dramatic and emotional, a true edge of the seat moment.

 

Tom Baker was my Doctor and I had the same reaction as I did at the end of "An Adventure in Space & Time" (which is well worth a watch if you haven't seen it).