Doctor Who IV - Everything Whovian - Would you like a jelly baby?

[Crimson Knight]

Oh, and did anyone recognize Missys' assisstant as the fella from Mock The Week?

Thought he did well in the role, however limited, for the kind of entertainer that he is.

And, Xaltrea, how do you know Kill The Moon is about moon spiders? I didn't get that impression from the preview.

[Copper]

Oh, and did anyone recognize Missys' assisstant as the fella from Mock The Week?

Thought he did well in the role, however limited, for the kind of entertainer that he is.

And, Xaltrea, how do you know Kill The Moon is about moon spiders? I didn't get that impression from the preview.

The assistant made me laugh. He starred with Capaldi in the comedy In The Thick Of It and also the movie based on that called In The Loop (A warning to anyone who checks those out...definitely NOT for kids as there's a LOT of especially creative swearing in them both.)

[Jim Kelly]

Since you've asked, my favourite male companion of all time is Jamie McCrimmon. Also, I really like Lethbridge-Stewart--but the Brig isn't really a companion in the strict sense.

It's hard to say with the new series. Captain Jack would not have worked over a long time, because DW isn't TORCHWOOD--they couldn't have scenes of the Doctor and Jack getting all sweaty in the Tardis. And yet on TORCHWOOD, Barrowman didn't seem right in the lead role giving everyone else orders--his Captain Jack works best when clashing with a higher authority and going against the flow.

Mickey started out as pathetic but grew as a character. They really have a problem on DW writing black characters--with the exception of Martha Jones. It's kind of sad that Martha is thrown together with Mickey in the end. It's like on a soap opera where the only two black characters always end up together.

Rory Williams was about the best male companion on the new series so far. But he and Amy are a matched set. They're at their best when they're together--a chemistry that thus far isn't coming through for me with Clara and Danny. Without Amy, Rory is about as good as Steven Taylor on the old series (when all the female companions were gone and he was ready to walk out on the Doctor).

I liked Wilfred Mott and I liked Brian Williams--but neither of these fellows had enough screen time to qualify as long serving companions.

What made the team of Hines and Troughton work (or Courtney and Pertwee) is that they had good comic timing--they worked well off of each other. Capaldi is a Laurie in need of a Fry. A male companion really needs to have the ability not to take himself so seriously--which is what Rory, Wilfred and Brian had. You need someone who can banter. Good banter is very important for a companion.

Craig Owens would have made a good male companion, even the best in the new series. Stormageddon could be the best male companion in the future, after he's toilet trained.

[Crimson Knight]

Do you think there's any chance of Craig coming back, yourself?

And, I can see what you mean about Martha and Mickey, but I don't know. I think, is it not nice that if Mickey couldn't be with Rose, and Martha couldn't be with the Doctor, that, regardless of skin colour, they still found someone. That's nice at least, y'know?

And, I'm just not sure with his age and all if Wilfred would've managed as well, with the running and all, but he was a good friend. Brian might've been good, but after what happened with Rory, I'm not sure if he would've been able to forgive the Doctor, even if it's more down to reading an inscription, a Weeping Angel and all that.

Do you think Robin Hood or Danny, or the memory eraser fella from Time Heist, would make good companions?

[Jim Kelly]

The actor/comedian/writer, James Corden, who played Craig, is just too popular and in demand. In Britain, he's done several successful projects and he will be hosting his own talk show in America, on CBS in 2015. So I doubt he has room in his schedule for DW these days.

I was happy when Martha ended up with Mickey--but on second thought, it seemed like they both were each other's consolation prize. Nice, but . . .

Robin Hood was a great foil for the Doctor. So, yes, I think an actor and a character like that could do well. The guy from "Time Heist" seemed too generic--sort of tailored to the plot (the same way Clara's suit was tailored for just that story). Another actor I wanted to mention in my previous post is Roger Delgado as the Master. He wasn't a companion, but he and Pertwee had great chemsitry on screen--good banter. I can see why Pertwee wanted to leave after Delgado's death.

With Danny, they seem to be going in the direction of Ian and Steven, who both were serious-minded and got angry with the Doctor on several occasions. Of course, the reason those actors were on the show was because they could do all the action stunts, as Hartnell was not up to all that running around. Maybe that's the reason for casting Samuel Anderson. He might be able to outrun Capaldi--but I wonder if he can keep up with him.

[Cyke]

And honestly I think there would be quite a few upset P.E. teachers. I'd bet money there will be a bit a stink about it in the news.

Doubtful, seeing as how it's mostly played up for laughs and the Doctor's often wrong about humans anyway (his mind just couldn't accept that Danny was a maths teacher, for one). Besides, even though Danny wasn't a PE teacher, he saved the day by doing something that many PE teachers wish they could do.

On a larger note, if there's one thing the revival has done well, it's been to promote positive representations of all walks of life as long as you have a good heart, from temps to fashion models to MDs to teachers.

[Crimson Knight]

Doubtful, seeing as how it's mostly played up for laughs and the Doctor's often wrong about humans anyway (his mind just couldn't accept that Danny was a maths teacher, for one). Besides, even though Danny wasn't a PE teacher, he saved the day by doing something that many PE teachers wish they could do.

I thought what the Doctor said to the creature was what saved the world. How did Danny cartwheeling to move, or save, Clara, save the world?

[Cyke]

I thought what the Doctor said to the creature was what saved the world. How did Danny cartwheeling to move, or save, Clara, save the world?

The creature was about to explode had it not been for Danny's tech reveal and his Olympic aerial somersault, in order to buy the Doctor the scant few seconds he needed to input the commands that the Doctor originally forgot.

It was a team effort, but if Danny didn't distract the robot, the robot was going to continue ignoring the Doctor because of that one command and then explode before the Doctor had time to execute the command. The Doctor even said, "I need time! Distract it, Clara!" But Clara didn't know how, and that's when Danny stepped in.

[Crimson Knight]

The creature was about to explode had it not been for Danny's tech reveal and his Olympic aerial somersault, in order to buy the Doctor the scant few seconds he needed to input the commands that the Doctor originally forgot.

It was a team effort, but if Danny didn't distract the robot, the robot was going to continue ignoring the Doctor because of that one command and then explode before the Doctor had time to execute the command. The Doctor even said, "I need time! Distract it, Clara!" But Clara didn't know how, and that's when Danny stepped in.

Okay, I understand it a bit better now, thanks Cyke.

Even near the end, felt like Clara was congratulating Danny for nothing - what tech reveal though?

[Coin Biter]

I thought "Robot of Sherwood" was a funny one, as well. And there have been funny moments in all the Capaldi stories. But this one had a lot of jokes before it got down to the meat of the story. I didn't really like the interactions between Danny and the Doctor--maybe because they weren't funny, where everything else had been. I didn't think calling Danny a P.E. teacher was funny--I wondered if it was meant to seem racist. From Danny's p.o.v., did he think the caretaker was assuming that because he was black, he couldn't teach maths?

I doubt that would have been the script-writer's intention (would the script have been finalised before Danny was cast?), but I agree that the scene was uncomfortable rather than funny, and TBH the later confrontation felt a little off as well.

However, minor criticisms because in general I'm extremely happy how they're treating the Doctor's character and how people react to him. If this had been Tennant or Smith, Clara would have launched into a lengthy lachrymose speech about how wonderful the Doctor was, which would have done a disservice to all of the characters. Now his flaws are far more apparent. The conversations between Clara and Danny have been handled a lot better IMO than Amy/Rory and Rose/Mickey ever were.

[Jim Kelly]

Both Arthur Darvill and Matt Smith had a strong theatre background, having acted since they were children and having played opposite each other on stage, before they were cast for DOCTOR WHO. Karen Gillian was comparatively new to acting and younger than those two, so I think Darvill partly served to support her in the tough dramatic bits. Rory is given a much longer arc in his relationship with Amy before we really believe that the two love each other (and even toward the end, their relationship was constantly being tested).

It all seems to be happening rather fast with Clara and Danny--and will have to wrap up by the end of this year, if Jenna Coleman is supposed to be leaving. Coleman and Anderson, like Darvill and Smith, have a theatre background and a long list of acting credits between them--and they already have acted together on EMMERDALE--so I kind of expect more from them than Darvill and Gillian.

When Danny Pink performed that incredible athletic feat, the penny dropped, and I figured that is what they were going for with the whole P.E. teacher line. Pink seems to be hiding his iight under a bushel and just wants to be thought of as a math teacher--not a super-hero.

I'm sure that's what they were going for in the script, but it didn't work for me in the scene. I just felt very uncomfortable as I imagined Danny would have felt--it wasn't funny.

[Cyke]

Okay, I understand it a bit better now, thanks Cyke.

Even near the end, felt like Clara was congratulating Danny for nothing - what tech reveal though?

The watch decloaking. It was advanced tech, and the robot was programmed to respond more to tech detection than normal voices. Plus, the Doctor couldn't use the watch anymore for his second trap because he said the robot would have known what to look for (the Doctor, those sensors, the watch, etc), hence a new plan would be needed.

Now that I reflect on it, Clara said she'd get the watch from the Doctor some day, but it was just something she told herself in their usual banter. But she did it anyway and gave it to Danny. Instead of Chekov's Gun, it's Chekov's Watch

[Crimson Knight]

Both Arthur Darvill and Matt Smith had a strong theatre background, having acted since they were children and having played opposite each other on stage, before they were cast for DOCTOR WHO. Karen Gillian was comparatively new to acting and younger than those two, so I think Darvill partly served to support her in the tough dramatic bits. Rory is given a much longer arc in his relationship with Amy before we really believe that the two love each other (and even toward the end, their relationship was constantly being tested).

It all seems to be happening rather fast with Clara and Danny--and will have to wrap up by the end of this year, if Jenna Coleman is supposed to be leaving. Coleman and Anderson, like Darvill and Smith, have a theatre background and a long list of acting credits between them--and they already have acted together on EMMERDALE--so I kind of expect more from them than Darvill and Gillian.

When Danny Pink performed that incredible athletic feat, the penny dropped, and I figured that is what they were going for with the whole P.E. teacher line. Pink seems to be hiding his iight under a bushel and just wants to be thought of as a math teacher--not a super-hero.

I'm sure that's what they were going for in the script, but it didn't work for me in the scene. I just felt very uncomfortable as I imagined Danny would have felt--it wasn't funny.

Unless they keep Clara off screen, and have Danny as the sole companion to the Doctor. I mean, I know there'd be some reasons as to why not, but, working and romantic relationship could continue, despite one being on the TARDIS, the other in Coal Hill and other stuff.

Do the same with Danny for the most part, with Into The Dalek, Listen, all that, so maybe it could work. She parts ways with the Doctor, feeling they've served each other well and it's time to move on, but asks Danny to enjoy the cosmos now he's got a taste of it, keep the Doctor company himself and she'll see him when he's done.

And, at the end there, are you saying you feel it wasn't funny, or that Danny didn't? I don't personally think it was a black thing with the Doctor, but a soldier thing, and myself found it exceedingly unfortunate that the Smith-alike had to tell him that.

[Jim Kelly]

I don't think it was a black thing with the Doctor or with the writers. But if I put myself in Danny's shoes and I tell a guy repeatedly that I'm a Maths teacher not a P.E. teacher and this guy repeatedly and disrespectfully insists I'm a P.E. teacher--at some point I'm going to ask myself why he's being such a tool and I'm probably going to consider racism or classism as an explanation for such contempt.

Danny always comes across as an earnest fellow in all his scenes. Anyone of sense, in two seconds, would see that about Danny and would stop giving him the gears. But the Doctor doesn't know when to quit. And that turns the scene from funny to uncomfortable. Whereas with Clara, she can banter and let any insult roll off her--so it's all harmless fun with her and the Doctor.

[Kyer]

I don't think it was a black thing with the Doctor or with the writers. But if I put myself in Danny's shoes and I tell a guy repeatedly that I'm a Maths teacher not a P.E. teacher and this guy repeatedly and disrespectfully insists I'm a P.E. teacher--at some point I'm going to ask myself why he's being such a tool and I'm probably going to consider racism or classism as an explanation for such contempt.

Danny always comes across as an earnest fellow in all his scenes. Anyone of sense, in two seconds, would see that about Danny and would stop giving him the gears. But the Doctor doesn't know when to quit. And that turns the scene from funny to uncomfortable. Whereas with Clara, she can banter and let any insult roll off her--so it's all harmless fun with her and the Doctor.

I didn't take it as a racism thing either, but hope they don't take too long getting down to just what irks the Doctor about soldiers so much that he behaved so very badly to Danny. Yes, he has a history of not liking soldiers because of their tendency to shoot first and ask questions later, but he did have a wonderful relationship with The Brig, so much so that Eleven was went very depressed when he learned Alistair had passed on. Instead, his ire for soldiers seems to have gotten worse and I'd really like to know why.

Except please not in the next episode. Next episode will be the first time I purposefully miss a Doctor Who episode let alone a NuWho one.