| Author | Message | ||
     Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Well, no-one's started a thread for this yet, so I thought I'd better start one up. Anyone seen the trailer? Impressed or otherwise? I'm looking forward to it after seeing the trailer. The idea of a Moffat-penned Dickensian Christmas tale with the Doc appeals to me.  | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
I've seen it described (by Moffat) as A Christmas carol with a sea monster in it... Well that makes me want to watch it anyway. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.23.9.238 |
Christmas Carol - why, that's never been done before, has it? Sigh. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
not with a sea monster... | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Let's face it, The Clockwork robots episode was Tom's Midnight Garden with Madame Pompidou and a scary monster and that was one of the best in that season... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Wasn't last year's a Dickensian thing, too? How very uninspiring. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Last year's was the death of david Tennant wasn't it? | ||
| Skip (Wolfnoma) Username: Wolfnoma Registered: 07-2010 Posted From: 216.54.20.98 |
I'm actually quite excited about this one. Why? Simple, I have coverted my daughter into a "Whovian" She's 11 and thinks Tennent is the best Dr. I think Baker (4th) is the best, but then again, I grew up with Baker. (On a side note, I really enjoyed Eccelstien's version of the Doc as well.) | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.132.95.4 |
Help! I was so bored I fell asleep! I am so sad that Matt Smith, one of the best Doctors ever, is trapped in this bucket of echoes. I thought it was a wisp-thin story padded out to bursting point with over-sized mega-music. I hate posting this, but I think Moffatt is muffing it.  | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.202.102 |
I fell asleep. Luckily woke up to catch the typically excellent Royle Family. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.132.95.4 |
Ah yes, that was really good. My youngest has just gone mad on the Royle Family and My Family (what is it with kids and family sitcoms - really?). I'm glad because I'd not watched the Royles for years and the catch up of old eps on demand has been perhaps one of the best parts of this Christmas. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.202.102 |
Last year's was hilarious, Tony. The Gold Egg Cup. The Royle Family was my upbringing. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.169.220.33 |
I am Jim. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.202.102 |
Apparently, I'm Craig Cash. Tony said so. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.31.202.102 |
Fancy going down the Feathers, Des? | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 78.152.217.122 |
I've only seen the first five minutes of the WHO special but it's already dispiriting. I think I figured out what's been missing from the series for years - humility. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Not watched it yet (Who, that is) - doesn't sound too inspiring ... Re The Royle Family, I can only watch so much of that without getting fed up of it and wandering off to do something else. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.10.163 |
OTT cornball nonsense of quite numbing proportions!! 4/10 for me. Anyway, I made it to Leeds safely and still hope to meet up with some of you fine people through the week. I'm here until next Sunday. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
>>Anyway, I made it to Leeds safely and still hope to meet up with some of you fine people through the week. I'm here until next Sunday.<< Excellent, Stevie - I wondered if you'd made it. Did you get my email with phone no? | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.8.130 |
I did, Caroline, and this is the first opportunity I've had to get properly online since arriving. We're heading out for Boxing Night pub crawl in Leeds tonight, but that might not be your scene lol. Then again... | ||
| Protodroid (Protodroid) Username: Protodroid Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 109.79.81.78 |
I feel a cheaper way to produce The Royle Family might be a large mirror in the corner of every living room. | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 61.216.46.132 |
I haven't seen the Christmas episode, but I thought the last series of Doctor Who was pretty weak. Lots of noise, very little substance. Flimsy, silly scenarios with a couple of nice bits here and there amid all the shouting, running around, loud music, one-liners and increasingly wearisome grandstanding on the part of the doctor (why does he do this so often now? Every episode he or someone else is going on about how incredibly brilliant or dangerous he is). Despite the often low-budget effects, the show used to have atmosphere and suspense, and always displayed a certain level of characterisation and thoughtful story-telling. It's a shame to see it become increasingly brash and hollow in recent years. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.169.220.33 |
Last night's Royle Family was *SO* much better than the Dr Who. Especally for those interested in creative horror with a black comedy angle. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.9.106 |
I could see what they were attempting to do with the 'Doctor Who' Special but it was such an ambitious idea to try and pull off it would have needed far more time and effort and committment put into the production to have any chance of making us suspend our disbelief. The whole thing came across as half thought out, rushed and grotesquely mawkish, with baffling plot holes and illogicalities that not even the young Dickens, at his most crowd pleasing, could have hoped to pull off. Missed 'The Royle Family' due to getting lost in two-player games on the PlayStation... Leeds Utd whipped Brazil's ass. Leeds, Leeds, Leeds!!!! | ||
| Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts) Username: Tom_alaerts Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.176.147.106 |
I thought it was quite charming. Very Dickensian, of course, yet with a few nice finds. Nothing really deep of course but an episode with a heart. > but I thought the last series of Doctor Who was pretty weak Huw, did you see the Van Gogh episode? That was one of the very best Doctor Who episodes I ever saw (from the modern series the first Blink episode and the last Dalek episode were the only ones on the same level, in my opinion). | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.171.129.78 |
I groaned when I heard Who was gonna be a Christmas Carol thingy. Wasn't expecting much so wasn't disappointed when I didn't get much. The Moff's relying too much on quick time travel hops to get him out of dead ends in his story. Best telly this Xmas has been the ghost story, Top gear, and catching Scrooged again. | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.171.129.78 |
Oh, I've also happened upon something called Peep Show, which was rather amusing. I shall perhaps try see some more of it if it's repeated. Really rather funny, though I saw from the credits it had been co-created by a bloke called Andrew O'Conner, which made me wonder what'd happened to the 80s comedian and Saturday night quiz show guy of the same name. Cos I'm odd like that. On the names front, I've noticed that the name Brian Wankum pops up at the end of one American TV series, which also makes my girlfriend laugh. Now, is it V or The Event. I forget. | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.182.24.98 |
Mark - 'tis the same Andrew O'Conner. Peep Show is often patchy, but can still be absolutely hilarious even in its seventh series. | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.171.129.78 |
You're pulling my plonker, Mick! Are you sure it's the same bloke? He didn't seem funny enough in the 80s doing Copycats to come up with something like Peep Show. Man, now I'm really interested to know what Bobby Davro's up to... | ||
| Barbara Roden (Nebuly) Username: Nebuly Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 216.232.180.184 |
I was alternately laughing (for the right reasons; some wonderfully funny lines in the show, which accords with Dickens's original, which has some brilliant dry wit) and discovering that there must be something in my eye; in short, the perfect sort of show for Christmas Day, mixing humour with sentiment in a way that would, I think, have Charles himself nodding approval. This is, after all, the author who - in the fifth and final of his Christmas Books, THE HAUNTED MAN, - had a despairing man try to rid himself of his memories, to avoid the pain of the past; only to realise that you cannot rid yourself of painful memories without getting rid of pleasurable ones as well. So it makes sense that in the DOCTOR WHO version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL we see a man gain new, happy, memories, and the ramifications thereof. I'd never heard of Katherine Jenkins, and assumed she was an actress whose singing voice was dubbed; I was astonished to find she's a singer whose first acting role this was. And Michael Gambon was nothing short of wonderful. Please, someone, cast this man as Scrooge in a new version of CHRISTMAS CAROL. We don't need one, but - well, Michael Gambon as Scrooge is enough to sell me on the project. In short, I thought this was first-rate Christmas Day entertainment. And the trailer for the new season left me thinking, in true Dickensian fashion, 'Please, sir, I want some more. . . .' | ||
| Huw (Huw) Username: Huw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 220.138.167.63 |
Tom, the Van Gogh episode was one of the few I really enjoyed from the last series. Tony Curran, the actor who played Van Gogh, has been in a lot of good stuff over the years, both on TV and in film - I keep expecting him to become more well-known, but he seems to be stuck at the supporting role level, unfortunately. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Well, I watched it last night - and I couldn't put it any better than Barbara did. I, too, was alternating between laughter and tears - I thought it was wonderful Christmas entertainment. OK there were plotholes galore, but isn't there always in Doctor Who? Michael Gambon was, indeed, wonderful in the "Scrooge" role, though Catherine Jenkins' singing isn't really my kind of thing. It was most appropriate for this story though. Matt Smith is certainly the best Doctor of the entire resurrected series in my opinion, and I'm really looking forward to the next series. | ||
| Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts) Username: Tom_alaerts Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.176.147.106 |
I was also surprised to discover that it was Catherine Jenkins singing. What a lovely classic voice ! | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Just watched this: grandiose, sentimental, unimaginative garbage. Sorry, but I hated it. The whole thing represented everything that's bad about "New Who" and nothing that's good. On the other hand, the trailer for next year's series looked good. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.41.102 |
I agree with you, Zed. Sorry, Caroline. I'm going to be in Leeds city centre for the day on Wednesday if you fancy that pint mate. Name a place and a time that suits and I'll see you there. | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.169.220.33 |
I agree with Zed, too. Sorry, Caroline. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Stevie - I emailed you. I'm afraid I'm looking after my son all day Wednesday. That's when my wife returns to work. We'll have to meet up one of these times, though. I have a feeling we'd get on very well in real life. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 88.111.142.151 |
I didn't like it and as for that shark ... | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.21.167 |
I think so too, and sent you a reply. Really enjoying 'Rain Dogs' so far, flying through it in fact! I'm off to Elland Road with the woman today, to see Portsmouth humbled, then it's the "meet the folks" ritual afterward <ulp>. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Stevie said: "I agree with you, Zed. Sorry, Caroline." Des said: "I agree with Zed, too. Sorry, Caroline." *chuckles* Why are you both apologising to me? I didn't write it! I must add, it's not really my kind of story - I just thought it was excellent family fayre for Christmas. But it's not one I'd go out and buy a DVD of or anything like that. I thought it was good for what it was though - a Christmas Day Doctor Who. Certainly beats the one with Kylie in the other year anyway ... Stevie - just emailed you. I'm afraid I've only just got on the computer today and I'm otherwise engaged tomorrow (Wed) too - carpet and furniture shopping. Sorry! But since you seem to be over here quite a bit now, I reckon we can fix a meet-up some other time. Glad you're enjoying your visit! | ||
| Seanmcd (Seanmcd) Username: Seanmcd Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 217.35.242.218 |
I must admit I quite enjoyed this Christmas special. As Caroline said it was a good family friendly tale with a good heart. Nothing too challenging which suited the afternoon perfectly. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
I really really enjoyed it when I watched it last night. The Doctor advising the young "scrooge" on his love life was brilliantly funny - "It's either that or sit in your room reinventing the screwdriver..." | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 89.194.31.199 |
I thought it was the weakest, most throw-away of Matt Smith's episodes to date but still not bad enough to put me off him. I still expect the new series to be one of the highlights of the TV year. | ||
| Seanmcd (Seanmcd) Username: Seanmcd Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 217.35.242.218 |
My wife and daughter still think he 'looks weird'. They still prefer David Tenant. | ||
| Weber (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Stevie, I've emailed you. battery problems on my phone so I couldn't reply by text | ||
| Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer) Username: Matthew_fryer Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 90.195.182.42 |
I enjoyed the first half of the episode, but the rest was too twee for me. There's plenty of full-on sentiment elsewhere on Christmas telly. I expect a bit more from the Who. And nobody's beating "Blackadder's Christmas Carol" when it comes to takes on Scrooge. |