Unadulterated Thoughts on New New Doctor Who
I haven't read anyone else's reviews, personal or professional, so here we go. Unadulterated.
Not at all keen on the new title sequence. The logo is okay, but going to date very quickly, much more quickly than most of the others, except perhaps the psychedelic '70s version. The visuals are well done, but a little too "biological" (did anyone else think, "colonoscopy"?). But worst of all, the music is a travesty, an insult to Delia Derbyshire. I want that OFF MAH SCREEN!!! by next week. You're making me miss Murray Head, and nobody wants that…
Storywise, the episode was kind of Steven Moffat's greatest hits, wasn't it? Little GitF (better, more fundamental use of the time gap, I think); a little "Blink" (if I never, ever hear "timey-wimey" again, it'll be too soon); a little Empty Child (animating coma victims, om-comming, Annette Crosbie in place of Richard Wilson). Fine if it's just a little tribute, but if it's the beginning of repetition… Fingers crossed it's just a tip of the hat (but really, Steve, self-indulgent much?).
Initial impression of the characters - I was actually most taken by both versions of Amelia/Amy; amazing job of matching child and adult: the kid was terrific, and Karen Gillan impresses me so far. Matt Smith's Doctor is certainly less awful than Tennant. I had pretty much come to dislike Ten by the end of Christmas Invasion (not just the Harriet thing, but his telegraphing, mugging, inability to hoist a sword convincingly, and that stupid Lion King reference). And I don't dislike Eleven yet, so that's an improvement.
Smith reminds me a lot of Peter Davison (he even looks like a bonier version). Five was never one of my favourites - though I know he was of Moffat; he'd rate near the bottom with me, because he was so…uninteresting. Davison can obviously be charismatic and funny (Tristan Farnon, anyone?), but I never felt he was as the Doctor. Smith is a little more vivid, which is a good sign, but he doesn't really come off as alien yet, even though he was working (too) hard at "quirky". Then again, I don't think Ten ever did seem alien, and Nine probably didn't fully get "alien" until EotW, so I'm going to give him a bit of time on that. Biggest pet peeve so far - posture. Please stand up straight.
Also? Amy's nurse boyfriend (nice eyes!) is way more attractive than Geoff, who looks like an idiot. And I kept smiling at Nina Wadia's "Doctor" because no matter how hard she tries to be a hardass, she just looks so cute. I kept expecting her to produce a small aubergine.
Poor Karen in her little nightdress at the end! Hope she had on long johns underneath. Still hate the Doctor snapping his fingers to open the TARDIS like he's the Fonz. He's not. Stop it. The new TARDIS design looks… cheap. I really wanted to like it, but it just looks like a Perspex set with various bits glued on. Darkness can hide a multitude of sins, but I liked the old "organic" look of the Nine/Ten era better, or best of all, the steampunky Eight TARDIS.
Overall impression - despite the various niggles, this could be entertaining. I would have dumped the show after "Last of the Time Lords" if not for Donna, and I still haven't watched any of the "specials" because I just couldn't be bothered. But this could be what I was hoping for after S1 - an entertaining series that doesn't try so hard to be profound and heart-tugging that it just gets on my nerves.
Warily hopeful.
Not at all keen on the new title sequence. The logo is okay, but going to date very quickly, much more quickly than most of the others, except perhaps the psychedelic '70s version. The visuals are well done, but a little too "biological" (did anyone else think, "colonoscopy"?). But worst of all, the music is a travesty, an insult to Delia Derbyshire. I want that OFF MAH SCREEN!!! by next week. You're making me miss Murray Head, and nobody wants that…
Storywise, the episode was kind of Steven Moffat's greatest hits, wasn't it? Little GitF (better, more fundamental use of the time gap, I think); a little "Blink" (if I never, ever hear "timey-wimey" again, it'll be too soon); a little Empty Child (animating coma victims, om-comming, Annette Crosbie in place of Richard Wilson). Fine if it's just a little tribute, but if it's the beginning of repetition… Fingers crossed it's just a tip of the hat (but really, Steve, self-indulgent much?).
Initial impression of the characters - I was actually most taken by both versions of Amelia/Amy; amazing job of matching child and adult: the kid was terrific, and Karen Gillan impresses me so far. Matt Smith's Doctor is certainly less awful than Tennant. I had pretty much come to dislike Ten by the end of Christmas Invasion (not just the Harriet thing, but his telegraphing, mugging, inability to hoist a sword convincingly, and that stupid Lion King reference). And I don't dislike Eleven yet, so that's an improvement.
Smith reminds me a lot of Peter Davison (he even looks like a bonier version). Five was never one of my favourites - though I know he was of Moffat; he'd rate near the bottom with me, because he was so…uninteresting. Davison can obviously be charismatic and funny (Tristan Farnon, anyone?), but I never felt he was as the Doctor. Smith is a little more vivid, which is a good sign, but he doesn't really come off as alien yet, even though he was working (too) hard at "quirky". Then again, I don't think Ten ever did seem alien, and Nine probably didn't fully get "alien" until EotW, so I'm going to give him a bit of time on that. Biggest pet peeve so far - posture. Please stand up straight.
Also? Amy's nurse boyfriend (nice eyes!) is way more attractive than Geoff, who looks like an idiot. And I kept smiling at Nina Wadia's "Doctor" because no matter how hard she tries to be a hardass, she just looks so cute. I kept expecting her to produce a small aubergine.
Poor Karen in her little nightdress at the end! Hope she had on long johns underneath. Still hate the Doctor snapping his fingers to open the TARDIS like he's the Fonz. He's not. Stop it. The new TARDIS design looks… cheap. I really wanted to like it, but it just looks like a Perspex set with various bits glued on. Darkness can hide a multitude of sins, but I liked the old "organic" look of the Nine/Ten era better, or best of all, the steampunky Eight TARDIS.
Overall impression - despite the various niggles, this could be entertaining. I would have dumped the show after "Last of the Time Lords" if not for Donna, and I still haven't watched any of the "specials" because I just couldn't be bothered. But this could be what I was hoping for after S1 - an entertaining series that doesn't try so hard to be profound and heart-tugging that it just gets on my nerves.
Warily hopeful.