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Hub Magazine on Pulse
Pulse people: from left, Claire Foy as Hannah; Emily Beecham as Stella; Gregg Chillin as Rafee; Arsher Ali as Adam; Matti Houghton as Jess.#120 of the excellent Hub online magazine carries a very kind review of the Pulse pilot, and an interview with myself talking about it. You can find that, and check out the previous issues, here.
And SFX Magazine #196, which should start sneaking into shops early today, has a news piece about the pilot, chats with me and Executive Producer Simon Heath, and doubtless has some more photos.
I gather that Lisa Bowerman's reading of my Bernice Summerfield short play Closure at the end of the Sci-Fi London Doctor Who day went very well. Congratulations to all involved. We couldn't make it because of a wedding of some old friends of ours, which was a lovely thing to be part of, and went into the early hours, and had a handy break for Doctor Who. (We're doing three weddings in five weeks, it seems to be the fashion this Spring.)
I've already mentioned how my love for Doctor Who is at some sort of all time high right now, but Moffat's latest two parter broke the dial, and caused me to exclaim, as I virtually never do, 'best... Doctor Who... ever!' It wasn't just that mixture of the epic and the personal, and the feeling of unrolling myth, and those incredible leads, it was the attention to detail, and how the whole piece never forgot it was a horror story. 'For fun, sir.' And I should mention, because we people of the book so rarely do when it's a positive, the heroic Christian character, who isn't a hypocrite, and doesn't come to see the error of his ways, and impresses the Doctor. I was moved by that kindness on the part of an atheist author. I'm now in the midst of a fandom of an intensity I haven't felt since I was ten, that I've recognised in other people since, but haven't truly shared. This must be what it feels like to follow a football team like they're your loved ones. It's great, but kind of scary. All the Doctors were wonderful, of course, and so were all the companions, but the Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond... and I'm sure shortly the wonderful Rory... in twenty years time, I think I'm going to be saying 'that was my Doctor.' Cheerio!
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>in twenty years time, I think I'm going to be saying 'that was my Doctor.'
And somewhere, Sylvester McCoy cries...
(although yes, I sort of see what you mean. He almost feels like "the" Doctor, rather than "a" Doctor. Which is sort of terrifying in itself, particularly after only five episodes)
I know what you mean, Paul. I've been watching Doctor Who since the age of the Venusian-karate-kicking, silver-haired dandy ( who was "my" Doctor )but I've never been won over so quickly by a new Doctor as I have been by Matt Smith. He just gets everything right: the remote "alien" quality, the paradoxical humanity, the childishness, the sudden rage, everything. And his quiet moment with poor Amy in the forest was just beautiful. And still 8 episodes to go!
Nothing will ever shift Patrick Troughton from being "my" Doctor, and certainly not this new fellow ... because it's Patrick Troughton all over again in a younger frame, and I just couldn't be more delighted.
Yes, I'm GIDDY with Doctor Who these days. In particular on this two-parter, there were SO. MANY. moments where I thought I heard Pat's voice. But it's not just Smith -- its everything, the whole Troughton era all over again. This Doctor can be surprised, he can lose, he can be defeated -- but never outwitted. His companion is (despite the ending of Flesh and Stone, which I'm not buying for a minute) a brave young person very much a combination of Ben and Polly and Jamie. And more.
Add in a strong writing team, an outstanding guest cast (Iain Glen *really* surprised me with a strong portrayal on this last one), Smith and Gillan's and Moffat's own contributions and of course the decent budget and promotion, and the conclusion is inevitable: THIS is the show this show has always wanted to be. It's here. Revel in it.
>>And I should mention, because we people of the book so rarely do when it's a positive, the heroic Christian character, who isn't a hypocrite, and doesn't come to see the error of his ways, and impresses the Doctor.
I can't tell you how impressed I was with that.
I've been enjoying the new season in a generic "More Doctor Who!" kind of way, but in that episode some scenes came together and made me look at the whole thing so far in a whole new light. Now I'm bouncing up and down waiting on the rest of it!
I'm SO glad that you're saying this about the two-parter! Obviously, we haven't gotten it in the States yet, and I'm trying REALLY HARD not to watch them before they're on BBC America - especially hard, considering that all of my friends are already caught up. ARGH. But I'm staying strong. Also, part of the fun for me is the anticipation.
Anyway, after the brilliant first episode, the following two were kind of a let-down. The Doctor's been pissing me off the way Hartnell's Doctor does, and that's not good. Still not sure how I feel about the 64-Pack Crayola Daleks (Tor review to come). But I trust your enthusiasm and am eagerly awaiting the next eps!
Off to go Tweet about Pulse some more. :) You keep posting links, and I'll keep tweeting them. Also, the cast is kinda hot! THAT'S how you should be marketing this, Paul. Blood, Gore, and Sexy People. You can't fail.
Paul: Feeling the same way about Doctor Who. Haven't felt like this myself since the Tom Baker era, when I first latched on with The Hand Of Fear. I haven't looked at a Tupperware lunch box the same way since.
Look forward to Pulse, and would very much appreciate the opportunity to talk about it with you as well as all your other projects. As in the ones you can talk about at some point.
Anyway gorgeous day. Am off for a brisk walk while the sun is still out.
I have to agree with everyone else here that Matt Smith has really done great things with his portrayal of The Doctor and Steven Moffat is doing an excellent job at the helm! The two-parter with the Weeping Angels was probably some of his best work yet. You got some mythology, some great character moments, foreshadowing, and a nice mix of humor and terror. ("I made them say 'comfy chairs'.")
For those who want to complain a bit about the ending, I thought it was quite amusing and served 4 important functions. First, it was a bit of comic relief at the end of a quite terrifying episode, not only for the viewers, but the characters as well and allows things to end on an up beat. Second, it served to re-establish a bit of the characterization of the Doctor from the classic series. After all the romantic tension between the Doc and Rose or the Doc and Martha from the RTD era, it was nice to get reminded that the Doctor is truly a fish out of water in romantic situations like this. In the classic series, all of the companions were exactly that: companions! I can't think of a single instance where the Doctor showed that he fancied any of his female companions, and vice versa. (I think Tom Baker and Lalla Ward got darn close on a few occasions, but then you have to take into account the off-screen activites.) Third, I also think the scene underscores a lot of the dysfunction (perhaps even obsession) that the Doctor inadvertently caused in Amy's life from their first meeting when she was 7. Fourth, it serves as a logical setting for the reveal regarding the Time Cracks and the date of their origin. And it also serves to remind us that there's something off about Amy because of all the things she doesn't remember, but should.
The guy you really gotta feel sorry for during that scene is poor Rory. After all he's gone through while growing up with Amy and agree to be the physical manifestation of Amy's imaginary friend....only to find out the imaginary friend isn't imaginary and to make matters worse, whether the Doctor likes it or not, he's become competition with Rory for Amy's affections, and Rory's suddenly the underdog. Perhaps next week's episode will change that? I can't wait!
Hrm. I'm not sure I have a favorite Doctor. Growing up watching the show not in sequential order on PBS kind of warped my sense of who goes when. I think I'll have to say "whoever I'm watching/listening/reading at the moment."
@Brett. I've enjoyed every episode thus far, and yes this two part episode that's just passed by has to be the best we've seen from Moffat in awhile.
Agree completely with what you said about Amy and the Doctor at the end of the episode. I found it really funny.
Also agree with you about Rory. He's the Tin Dog as it were for this new era of Doctor Who.
@Chas_m: I was raised with Tom Baker.
What have seen of Patrick Troughton in stories such as Invasion, Tomb Of The Cybermen and War Games. I've really enjoyed.
I think Matt Smith is channeling a little of all the Doctors though. The bit in the last few episodes where he was sniffing books was similar to Sylvester McCoy listening to Apples don't you think?
Yeah, Seb, that's how I feel about it. Chas: so Amy has a sexuality, what's not to buy about that? (I may have been able to put that better.) But yeah! Ter: I'm interested in what the Smith/Hartnell piss off is. And yes, the Pulse cast's hotness is resplendent. And you, erm, get to see quite a lot of them. Brett: I just thought it was real. Ian: Rory as tin dog, absolutely. That character, the sweet, a bit useless, identifiable guy, always shows up in Moffat's work. And yes, I think Matt's taking stuff from all kinds of Doctors, and from just him.
Hartnell/Smith piss off:
The big thing that bothered me about the First Doctor was that he always seemed to turn his anger about situations gone awry outward when, very often, he caused the problems he was upset about in the first place. Or, he'd criticize Ian and Barbara for doing something he would later do himself. Made him seem rather like a bag of douche.
With Eleven, that pattern is starting, and it bothers me, particularly in Victory of the Daleks. Now, I know the Doctor has never thought clearly when around the Daleks...but for fuckssake, if he would've been a bit quieter about his suspicions, NONE OF IT WOULD'VE HAPPENED. Instead, he starts beating on a Dalek with a wrench, gives them exactly what they want - which anyone watching probably assumed had SOMETHING to do with the Doctor - then gets all upset with everyone around him when he has to clean up his own mess.
But even more than that, both in that episode and the one before it, the Doctor is completely ineffectual. He seems like he's pretty much along for the ride as everyone else solves the problem. And while I like the dynamic that's being set up of The Doctor setting 'em up so Amy can knock them down, right now it feels like the Doctor's leaving everything up to her. It doesn't feel balanced. Which is strange. Normally, I'd be complaining that the companion doesn't have enough to do. But now it feels like the companion is doing all the heavy lifting while the Doctor acts like a douche. A very charming douche, but still.
But again, I've only just watched Victory of the Daleks. I hear the next two episodes are great, so I'm eagerly anticipating them.
I could never have dreamed when I watched the first episode of Doctor Who back in 1963 that I'd still be watching the show almost fifty years later - or indeed that it could possibly still be going half a century later.
And, yes, Matt Smith is wonderful in the role. He seems effortlessly 'Doctorish'.
- Rob Hansen
I think four and five will really help with that. And I think it's interesting you mention Hartnell, in that we're not meant to look for him to be perfect, or even a hero, particularly, and I think that trend continues with Matt. Who fans also always look for the Doctor to be a messiah, and he so seldom is. And yes, Rob, that's how I feel too.
Haven't seen the fourth and fifth, which could change the picture quite a bit, but one thing that struck me in the first episode was that the Doctor's behavior echoed details that River Song spoke of the first time we saw her. He snaps his fingers to open the TARDIS; the enemy flees before him just because of who he is.
That touches on an odd aspect of the show. For various reasons, it's been convenient to have the Doctor act like a rather safe and cuddly (if sometimes cranky) eccentric. After all, Doctor Who started off as a children's show, and anyway it's hard to write stories if the protagonist is too powerful, and hard to keep the character sympathetic if he pushes his weight around too much. So the Doctor has very often been played as uncanny but otherwise more clever than strong. But that tends to contradict what's otherwise implied, which is that as a millenium old Time Lord he ought to be very powerful.
The Davies series took steps to resolve that. What comes out with the Tennant Doctor is that yes, he is very powerful; get him really angry, and he's like a god, as we see in "Family of Blood." But he's not quite sure he can handle being powerful, and in fact he often can't, at least without the emotional support of his companions. Left alone, near the end, he succumbs to hubris. Since he's fundamentally very decent, that leaves him conflicted, and the sometimes bumbling exterior and occasional rage make sense from someone who's trying not to let his strength and lack of sentimentality come too much to the surface.
"Silence in the Library" pointed to a future Doctor who was at ease with both his decency and his strength, and accordingly was a very potent figure. And what was a bit surprising about the first appearance of the current Doctor was that he seemed to be getting there faster than expected. It was a completely logical step, though, in restrospect. Moffat was picking up from Davies and treating the at least the last couple of regenerations as stages of emotional development. The tenth incarnation apparently worked out some things for the Doctor.
I very much like where things have gone with this. During the Nathan-Turner years so many tics were constructed for the Doctor that you felt they'd lost the character entirely. Rationalizing the production decisions in terms of the overall story, it made the Doctor look annoyingly twitchy and self-defeating. The Eleventh Doctor is a much better balance; he just seems himself, rather than someone who's being a bit schizoid and self-consciously eccentric. He's gotten his act together, and it's given him a lot more vitality, without making him conventional.
I certainly don't, nor have I ever, expected The Doctor to be a messiah, or anywhere near perfect. But he IS the hero of the story. I mean, his name's in the title and everything. He might not be A hero, but as the protagonist, he's supposed to be OUR hero.
I get that The Doctor isn't perfect - nor should he be. I mean, he comes from a race of douchebags on Gallifrey, and while he's the coolest one who had the good sense to high-tail it with a TARDIS, he's still a Time Lord, and Time Lords seem to be inherently douchey. :) And I get how tempting it would be for him to be a megalomaniac with all the power he's free to wield on a day-to-day basis. I get that. But we should want to be on his side more often than not. He should have the answers more often than not, and when he doesn't have the answers, we should feel BAD that he doesn't. We had a bit of the megalomania with Ten and it took a woman killing herself to snap him out of it. He's JUST had that.
I'm just saying that the first episode was BRILLIANT, and then the subsequent eps so far have found The Doctor doing nothing except whining about the choices he's always "forced to make", bringing trouble onto himself, and yelling at/condescending to everyone around him when he can't solve the problems he's created. Then Amy saves his ass. That's fine in moderation, I guess. I just hope it doesn't go on for much longer, that's all.
Teresa, I do understand your point about wanting the Doctor to be an active figure. That, in fact, is one of the things I like best about the current Doctor, who seems to have left his conflicts behind. The British version of the preview for the series takes the top of your head off by showing precisely that. This Doctor is someone you really don't mess with, at the same time he retains his decency and sense of wonder.
On the other hand, perceptions do seem to differ about whether the current Doctor actually is like that. My feeling is that three episodes is really not a statistically significant sample, but so far I see no reason to think otherwise. The Doctor has his act pretty much together in the first episode. In the second, the day wouldn't have been saved if he hadn't been driving things -- he was the one with the tough-mindedness and conscience to push on, and to face doing something that he knew he couldn't live with. Amy did find a way out of that, and though the solution was obvious from the beginning, it did hit some interesting notes. But she wouldn't have found the answer if the Doctor hadn't forced her to stick to the subject. Amy had elected to forget the whole problem even existed, after all, and if it had been up to her they would have bugged out.
As for the third episode, I think it's best just to throw out the data point. None of it made any sense -- for example, no matter how clever you are, it still isn't possible to construct spaceships on the spot and get them into space when your industrial base produces nothing but propeller-driven craft, and even if you already had the ships and pilots who knew what to do with them, you still couldn't get them into position in time. (How long did it take Apollo to reach the Moon?) So I say it was just a throwaway episode meant to sell Dalek action figures in six exciting new colors, and I say forget about it.
I know no one's on this thread anymore, but as this wouldn't go anywhere else, here's the link to my Tor review of "Victory of the Daleks," which just posted now. It explains my position a bit better than my long-ass comments. :) (though I'll admit, I plagiarized my own long-ass comments to write the review!)
http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=59301
Like Teresa,
I'm very aware that this thread is no longer read lol.
Damn me and my penchant for rhyming words.
Paul: Just want you to know that I have got an advance review copy of Pulse from Aunty Beeb and I'm hoping to get my review posted as soon as I've sorted out some of the tech issues have been having with the website. Hence no updates at all this week.
Long story short. I've become to big of a resource hog on the server that I host with. Which roughly translates to it not being a very good server:)
So in the process of moving it all to a new home.
Excellent stuff, hope you enjoyed it.
Paul: I enjoyed it immensely. Certain elements of the drama and camera angles used put me in mind of the 1978 movie Coma. Not sure if you'll remember that one.
It was all clever stuff.
Thanks very much. Coma was a big influence on the production.
Apropos of next-to-nothing: Paul, have you seen this bit of fan art of all eleven doctors... as owls? When I saw the thumbnail I thought it would be too cutesy for my taste... be sure to click on it to enlarge it.
http://pu-sama.deviantart.com/art/Doctor-Hoo-163575084
That's very odd. I'll use it for Ten Things in a couple of weeks, if I may. Cheers.
Of course! (S'not like I can forbid you to use a link to something not mine on the public internets anyway!)
What I love about it is the amount of character in each figure... expression, body language... she just nails each Doctor. It's so well done, far more so than you'd expect from this sort of thing. It doesn't make it any less of an odd thing to DO, but it's very well done nonetheless. :)