Doctor Who Season 2--10/13/06

[Volaran]

Possibly due to the illegal (or at least questionable) nature of this sort of downloading I suppose. The other possibility is a certain subset of all fandoms that deal with long running series. Specifically the segment that believes opinions grow more valid the further back you've watched the show. Of course, it could be a joke based on that as well.

I don't have any problem with the way Sarah Jane was portrayed, and from the interviews I've seen, neither did Elisabeth Sladen, who certainly seems to have a solid idea of what Sarah Jane is in her head. People change, and there are exceptions to every rule.

I think one of the problems with Who, and I see it most with long time viewers is that based on a number of factors including when they started watching, when they stopped watching, and what they did in regards to fandom, is that some fans have such a strong idea of what Doctor Who should be in their minds, that they are unwilling to accept the degree to which the series can stretch.

I don't like everything about the new series. For instance, the behaviour of Rose and the Doctor throughout Tooth and Claw strikes me as in bad taste, but I'm certainly enjoying the overall product.

I certainly would not deny anyone the opportunity to watch every episode of the new series and seeth with hatred at what has been done to their beloved Doctor, anymore than I would try to deny someone who hates Wizards of the Coast products from buying every single splatbook in order to tell others how terrible they are.

I am however, pleased that my preference is to close a book I don't enjoy, or stop watching a program that grates on my nerves. More free time to persue things I enjoy that way.

For the record, I thought School Reunion was overall quite good. The school angle as ultimate power seemed a litte mundane though, as a setting for potential ascension to godhood.

 

[horacethegrey]

Possibly due to the legal nature of downloading I suppose. The other possibility is a certain subset of all fandoms that deal with long running series. Specifically the segment that believes opinions grow more valid the further back you've watched the show. Of course, it could be a joke based on that as well.

So even if I watched the 30+ year run of Doctor Who, my opinion on it is automatically discounted because it's stored in my hard drive? That's some pretty flawed logic there. Seriously though, if the original series was available on video where I live, I'd probably get it. But since it isn't, I have my satisfy my hunger for more Who by downloading the old serials. Now I'm not gonna pretend it's right nor justify my reasons for doing so, but I'm doing it anyway, so take from that what you will. I can't help it if the new series has made me such a fan.

Oh, and I strongly dislike those segments of fandom you mentioned. For me, those are the type of fans who turn off new fans from the fold. What with their supposed superiority in having watched all of a particular series' episodes, or collected all the merchandise and whatnot, or read all the spinoffs, etc, etc. It's bloody fanboy elitism at it's worst, and I've seen it on a number of fandom message boards that I've frequented.

I think one of the problems with Who, and I see it most with long time viewers is that based on a number of factors including when they started watching, when they stopped watching, and what they did in regards to fandom, is that some fans have such a strong idea of what Doctor Who should be in their minds, that they are unwilling to accept the degree to which the series can stretch.

I can understand that. It's when they call me an idiot for liking the new series just because it messes with their so called idealiistic vision of the show is when I take issue. I strongly dislike those who shove their opinion down my throat.

And besides, hasn't the show gone through a lot of changes over it's long run? So how can one say that there's a definite vision of Doctor Who?

I don't like everything about the new series. For instance, the behaviour of Rose and the Doctor throughout Tooth and Claw strikes me as in bad taste, but I'm certainly enjoying the overall product.

I too have some dislikes with the new series. Tennant's Doctor is a bit too goofy for my taste (alhtough I do enjoy his performance overall), not like Eccleston's Doctor (my fave), who gave the part some pathos and occasional darkness.

Anyway, I'm ending my little rant here, lest this thread go far off topic.

 

[Thurbane]

And besides, hasn't the show gone through a lot of changes over it's long run? So how can one say that there's a definite vision of Doctor Who?

Tom Baker era. Period. It's scientifically provable.

No seriously, I was a huge fan of the original series - some of my earliest childhood memories are of sitting down to watch John Pertwee and later Tom Baker. But the two latest series have been thoroughly enjoyable, IMHO. True, I miss the old format of having a story shown in about 4 or 5 1/2 hour installments, but that just isn't that feasible with the viewing habits of most people today.

Old Who, new Who...it's all good.

 

[Aesthetic Monk]

In the original series, Sarah Jane was very strong-willed, independent, and free-spirited. Sure, "School Reunion" makes mention of the fact that the Doctor couldn't take Sarah to Gallifrey. However, it FAILS to bring up the point that Sarah was planning on leaving anyway.

Well, I'd say she actually wasn't, having just seen this a couple of weeks ago. She *says* she's planning on leaving, but then she protests when the Doctor calls her bluff, as it were.

More generally, I thought the Sarah Jane characterization this time was about five times more textured than anything in the original series. It may not be to everyone's liking, but it works wonders for me.

Edit: By this, I mean generally that Sarah, like most companions, had a personality that was pretty clearly subservient to the plot of TOS. If the plot called for her to be "plucky," she'd be plucky; if someone needed to be captured, she'd be captured. I'm not saying that the current series doesn't "use" characters like that, too, but I think, with its focus on "drama," its characterization is a little deeper and a little richer. "School Reunion" is a pretty striking example of the differences in the two series in terms of the things each is concerned with.

 

[Prince Atom]

I'm not so sure I like the whole "Sarah Jane Mooning over the Doctor" angle. Perhaps if she didn't have K9 all those years to remind her, she might have found someone else. Admittedly, no one else has a TARDIS.

Anyone care to conjecture why she's carrying a defunct K9 around with her instead of leaving him at home? Is she just hoping to run into the Doctor? I guess it was a bit of shorthand -- it would waste minutes for them to go back to Sarah's place to pick him up -- but it seems sort of pathetic.

I liked the interaction between Rose and Sarah Jane. The Loch Ness Monster trumps all others!

TWK

 

[sniffles]

I'm not so sure I like the whole "Sarah Jane Mooning over the Doctor" angle. Perhaps if she didn't have K9 all those years to remind her, she might have found someone else. Admittedly, no one else has a TARDIS.

It's easy to think that Sarah should have just 'moved on' after all those years in which the Doctor didn't even come back to say hello.

I was just reflecting the other day on her career as the Doctor's traveling companion, and I realized that it's no wonder she had difficulty adjusting. She'd been to at least half a dozen alien planets and traveled all throughout Earth's history. After that going back to being a journalist in Croydon must have been quite a come-down, particularly if she was assuming that the Doctor would pop back to pick her up at any moment.

Unlike many of the Doctor's previous companions, Sarah hadn't had the benefit of overlapping her tenure with that of a pre-existing companion. She didn't have anything to base her expectations on. And when she met him the Doctor was in rather unusual circumstances, with his choice to continue hanging about with UNIT despite no longer being exiled to Earth.

In any case, she obviously did adjust to her 'normal' life, to judge by her reason for being at the school. Seeing the Doctor again just brought back a lot of memories, as it would likely do in any person.

Perhaps she was carting K-9 around with her in hopes that if she switched him back on occasionally he might function properly for a bit. I've been having the same sort of issue with my television set lately.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Perhaps she was carting K-9 around with her in hopes that if she switched him back on occasionally he might function properly for a bit. I've been having the same sort of issue with my television set lately.

You cart your television set around with you?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

You cart your television set around with you?

Stranger things have happened... Not that I can think of one just right now. Er, ahem...

 

[MonsterMash]

I liked this episode, but I miss the older format where there was more time to develop characters and the plots. Still had some great lines though:

Mickey: I'm a tin dog!



K9: We are in a car

 

[sniffles]

You cart your television set around with you?

Maybe Sarah thought driving K-9 around in the car would shake up his batteries a bit?