WATCH DOCTOR WHO
Ever wondered what people were talking about when they said the two mysterious words Doctor Who?! Fear no more because it will all be clear when you have read this post.
7 reasons why you should be watching Doctor Who
1. it's a mix of drama, Sci-Fi and adventure. Who doesn't like this?!!
2. the chemistry between Ten and Rose is a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
3. DAVID TENNANT!
4. the funny dialogue
5. it's pretty (see: picspam)
6. I need more people on my flist to squee along with me, so give it a chance. For me?
7. after the Veronica Mars (season) finale, you will need a new show to obsess about to get through the next months. Doctor Who will do perfectly :D
What is it about?
Doctor Who (also abbreviated as Dr. Who or DW) is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as the Doctor. This Doctor explores time and space with his companions (fancy word for sidekicks). The programme is one of the longest-running science fiction television series in the world and also a significant part of British popular culture. It originally ran from 1963 to 1989 and it was relaunched in 2005 as Doctor Who (2005).
Who are they? - The Characters
Nine - portrayed by Christopher Eccleston
The Ninth Doctor masked a lonely, melancholic personality with an almost manic exterior. He often made jokes in the face of danger, but would then become grim and serious when on his own. He was impatient with humans and well-versed in pop culture.
He spoke with a distinctly Northern accent.
look: black leather jacket, dark jumper
Ten - portrayed by David Tennant
The Tenth Doctor is a light-hearted, easy-going personality with a strong personal sense of justice, who doesn't believe in second chances. Where the Ninth Doctor tended to be somewhat standoffish around most humans, the Tenth is more extroverted and gregarious. He has a tendency to babble, mixing apparent nonsense with vital information. He can also be rude on occasion, and is not always aware of it. Like the previous Doctor, the Tenth Doctor is well-versed in human popular culture, to the point where he finds himself unconsciously quoting The Lion King during a confrontation with the Sycorax leader.
The Tenth Doctor speaks with an Estuary English accent.
look: a dark brown pinstripe suit, shirt and tie, light brown overcoat, pair of white tennis shoes and a pair of reading glasses (Tennant describes the outfit as geek chic)
Rose Tyler - portrayed by Billie Piper
When Rose met the Doctor in Rose, she was 19 and working as a shop assistant at Henrik's department store in Regent Street, London. Her boyfriend is Mickey Smith, whom she left behind when she joined the Doctor on his travels. She lived with her mother Jackie before she left. Her father Pete, died in a car accident. Rose is a quick-witted, inquisitive and compassionate young woman, who despite the strange events she was thrown into was quick to adapt to them.
look: she tends to wear the wrong outfits for every period/time she visits
Mickey Smith - portrayed by Noel Clarke
Mickey is Rose's boyfriend. His initial reaction to the Doctor was not as cool as Rose's, he was scared out of his mind really. When the Doctor invited Rose, he pointedly said that Mickey was not invited. Later on, he did earn The Doctor's respect when he helped him and Rose a couple of times. his website: www.whoisdoctorwho.co.uk
Jackie Tyler - portrayed by Camille Coduri
Jackie is the mother of Rose Tyler and still lives in present-day London. Jackie is a single mother, her husband Pete Tyler having died in 1987 when Rose was about a year old, and does not seem to have any form of steady employment. When she meets The Doctor she tries to flirt with him, to little avail. This first encounter set the stage for a sometimes anatgonistic relationship between the two. When she found out about Rose's adventures, she begged her to stay.
Captain Jack Harkness - portrayed by John Barrowman
Jack is a rogue time traveller. We meet him for the first time when he saves Rose in the War and flirts with her on top of his space ship. At first The Doctor doesn't trust him, but they later work together in their fight against the Daleks.
TARDIS
(Ok, so not a real character, but worth mentioning) The TARDIS is the Doctor's time machine and spacecraft. The name is an acronym of Time And Relative Dimension (or Dimensions) In Space. It has a distinct (dis)appearing-sound and it is (like the Weasley's car) much bigger on the inside than it appears to be on the outside. The TARDIS also has a soul.
A bit more info on Doctor Who
Regeneration
I realise the Nine/Ten Doctor thing might be a bit confusing, but it is really simple actually. Because The Doctor is a Time Lord he is able to regenerate after suffering mortal injury, illness or old age. The process repairs and rejuvenates all damage, but as a side-effect it changes the Time Lord's physical appearance and personality semi-randomly. There have been ten Doctors so far, all with their own unique personalities and quirks. When Nine regenerated he became Ten, much to Rose's surprise.
Companions
The Doctor always shares his adventures with (a) companion(s) or assitent(s) (used in fandom), but called friends by The Doctor himself. The Doctor regularly gains new companions and loses old ones; sometimes they return home or find new causes - or loves - on worlds they have visited. Some have even died during the course of the series. There have been about 30 compaions during the course of the entire series.
Adversaries
Well, the baddies! The Doctor fights them off in every episode and there have been too many to name them all, but the Daleks are probably the best known adversaries faced by the Doctor. Some villians are rather grey instead of the black and white personification we sometimes get when it comes to the battles.
Love
You'd think that with the amount of chemistry you see on the screen between the Doctor and Rose (especially since Ten arrived) they'd be all over each other in some dark corner of the TARDIS when they were not fighting some baddies, except ... Not so much. See, this is something complicated, the Doctor and romance. And highly confusing ... and a bit frustrating for the shippers. In a December 2005 interview on BBC 4, David Tennant described the relationship between the Doctor and Rose as "basically a love story without the shagging".
Practical Stuff
Ok, When is it on?
- For the European audience: Saturday 7pm BBC One
repeated Sunday 7pm and Friday 9pm BBC Three
- The US: Friday 9pm and 12am on the SciFi Channel (?)
- Australia: probably in 2 or 3 months
- Canada: I heard the 2nd season will start on the day of the last ep in the UK
- Brazil: People&Arts, on Friday 10pm and Saturday 7am Brasilian time
- download: mininova.org
There is more?
Yes, there is! There is not only the weekly episode on BBC One, but there is also:
- The Tardisode, a short teaser which includes some footage that is connected to the upcoming episode, but is not included in it. They are not regular trailers or previews. The BBC site refers to them as prequels. You can either view them online or receive them on your cellphone
- Episode Commentary: Sun 7.15pm, Fri 9pm BBC Three
also downloadable for free at the bbc website
- Totally Doctor Who: Thursday 5pm BBC One (a show aimed at kids, with Who-guests, a Who-Ru quiz, Companion Academy, prizes to win, ...)
- Doctor Who Confidential: Saturday 7.45pm BBC Three (30 minutes behind the scenes episode)
- a Doctor Who magazine
How many episodes are there?
There were 13 in the first season, then there was a mini-episode and a Christmas Special. The second season will also be 13 episodes. (Four have been aired up until now.) Then there'll be another Christmas Special and a third season. It's nice to have some security, no? For a complete episode guide, click here.
More, please, more!
Ok, some interesting stuff ...
- David Tennant has been a Who fanboy since he was a kid. Him playing The Doctor? Has been his dream role.
- There'll be a spin-off show called Torchwood revolving around Captain Jack. Noel Clarke (Mickey) will be one of the writers on the show. It will probably air in the fall.
- Doctor Who won five trophies in the Cymru awards 2006 in Cardiff: best drama series, drama director, costume, make-up and photography direction.
Links
bbc.co.uk/doctorwho - everything Dr Who straight from the source
Doctor Who info at wikipedia.org - very useful information about the entire series
television without pity - yep, they review Dr Who too!
who_daily
Teh Pretty
Disclaimer and credits
caps thanks to _jems_ and bellanut
some info (for the characters) used from wikipedia.org
Warning: a bit picture heavy. Maybe. ;) And I also tried to keep it a bit general, not give away too much spoilers for those that have not seen any episodes yet. I should probably say that I did include some "spoilers" (none for the unaired episodes though), but they are all very, very general and mild really, and not so much about the storylines or character development. Trust me, you'll still enjoy the show when you have read this.
7 reasons why you should be watching Doctor Who
1. it's a mix of drama, Sci-Fi and adventure. Who doesn't like this?!!
2. the chemistry between Ten and Rose is a.w.e.s.o.m.e.
3. DAVID TENNANT!
4. the funny dialogue
5. it's pretty (see: picspam)
6. I need more people on my flist to squee along with me, so give it a chance. For me?
7. after the Veronica Mars (season) finale, you will need a new show to obsess about to get through the next months. Doctor Who will do perfectly :D
What is it about?
Doctor Who (also abbreviated as Dr. Who or DW) is a long-running British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC about a mysterious time-travelling adventurer known only as the Doctor. This Doctor explores time and space with his companions (fancy word for sidekicks). The programme is one of the longest-running science fiction television series in the world and also a significant part of British popular culture. It originally ran from 1963 to 1989 and it was relaunched in 2005 as Doctor Who (2005).
Who are they? - The Characters
Nine - portrayed by Christopher Eccleston
The Ninth Doctor masked a lonely, melancholic personality with an almost manic exterior. He often made jokes in the face of danger, but would then become grim and serious when on his own. He was impatient with humans and well-versed in pop culture.
He spoke with a distinctly Northern accent.
look: black leather jacket, dark jumper
Ten - portrayed by David Tennant
The Tenth Doctor is a light-hearted, easy-going personality with a strong personal sense of justice, who doesn't believe in second chances. Where the Ninth Doctor tended to be somewhat standoffish around most humans, the Tenth is more extroverted and gregarious. He has a tendency to babble, mixing apparent nonsense with vital information. He can also be rude on occasion, and is not always aware of it. Like the previous Doctor, the Tenth Doctor is well-versed in human popular culture, to the point where he finds himself unconsciously quoting The Lion King during a confrontation with the Sycorax leader.
The Tenth Doctor speaks with an Estuary English accent.
look: a dark brown pinstripe suit, shirt and tie, light brown overcoat, pair of white tennis shoes and a pair of reading glasses (Tennant describes the outfit as geek chic)
Rose Tyler - portrayed by Billie Piper
When Rose met the Doctor in Rose, she was 19 and working as a shop assistant at Henrik's department store in Regent Street, London. Her boyfriend is Mickey Smith, whom she left behind when she joined the Doctor on his travels. She lived with her mother Jackie before she left. Her father Pete, died in a car accident. Rose is a quick-witted, inquisitive and compassionate young woman, who despite the strange events she was thrown into was quick to adapt to them.
look: she tends to wear the wrong outfits for every period/time she visits
Mickey Smith - portrayed by Noel Clarke
Mickey is Rose's boyfriend. His initial reaction to the Doctor was not as cool as Rose's, he was scared out of his mind really. When the Doctor invited Rose, he pointedly said that Mickey was not invited. Later on, he did earn The Doctor's respect when he helped him and Rose a couple of times. his website: www.whoisdoctorwho.co.uk
Jackie Tyler - portrayed by Camille Coduri
Jackie is the mother of Rose Tyler and still lives in present-day London. Jackie is a single mother, her husband Pete Tyler having died in 1987 when Rose was about a year old, and does not seem to have any form of steady employment. When she meets The Doctor she tries to flirt with him, to little avail. This first encounter set the stage for a sometimes anatgonistic relationship between the two. When she found out about Rose's adventures, she begged her to stay.
Captain Jack Harkness - portrayed by John Barrowman
Jack is a rogue time traveller. We meet him for the first time when he saves Rose in the War and flirts with her on top of his space ship. At first The Doctor doesn't trust him, but they later work together in their fight against the Daleks.
TARDIS
(Ok, so not a real character, but worth mentioning) The TARDIS is the Doctor's time machine and spacecraft. The name is an acronym of Time And Relative Dimension (or Dimensions) In Space. It has a distinct (dis)appearing-sound and it is (like the Weasley's car) much bigger on the inside than it appears to be on the outside. The TARDIS also has a soul.
A bit more info on Doctor Who
Regeneration
I realise the Nine/Ten Doctor thing might be a bit confusing, but it is really simple actually. Because The Doctor is a Time Lord he is able to regenerate after suffering mortal injury, illness or old age. The process repairs and rejuvenates all damage, but as a side-effect it changes the Time Lord's physical appearance and personality semi-randomly. There have been ten Doctors so far, all with their own unique personalities and quirks. When Nine regenerated he became Ten, much to Rose's surprise.
Companions
The Doctor always shares his adventures with (a) companion(s) or assitent(s) (used in fandom), but called friends by The Doctor himself. The Doctor regularly gains new companions and loses old ones; sometimes they return home or find new causes - or loves - on worlds they have visited. Some have even died during the course of the series. There have been about 30 compaions during the course of the entire series.
Adversaries
Well, the baddies! The Doctor fights them off in every episode and there have been too many to name them all, but the Daleks are probably the best known adversaries faced by the Doctor. Some villians are rather grey instead of the black and white personification we sometimes get when it comes to the battles.
Love
You'd think that with the amount of chemistry you see on the screen between the Doctor and Rose (especially since Ten arrived) they'd be all over each other in some dark corner of the TARDIS when they were not fighting some baddies, except ... Not so much. See, this is something complicated, the Doctor and romance. And highly confusing ... and a bit frustrating for the shippers. In a December 2005 interview on BBC 4, David Tennant described the relationship between the Doctor and Rose as "basically a love story without the shagging".
Practical Stuff
Ok, When is it on?
- For the European audience: Saturday 7pm BBC One
repeated Sunday 7pm and Friday 9pm BBC Three
- The US: Friday 9pm and 12am on the SciFi Channel (?)
- Australia: probably in 2 or 3 months
- Canada: I heard the 2nd season will start on the day of the last ep in the UK
- Brazil: People&Arts, on Friday 10pm and Saturday 7am Brasilian time
- download: mininova.org
There is more?
Yes, there is! There is not only the weekly episode on BBC One, but there is also:
- The Tardisode, a short teaser which includes some footage that is connected to the upcoming episode, but is not included in it. They are not regular trailers or previews. The BBC site refers to them as prequels. You can either view them online or receive them on your cellphone
- Episode Commentary: Sun 7.15pm, Fri 9pm BBC Three
also downloadable for free at the bbc website
- Totally Doctor Who: Thursday 5pm BBC One (a show aimed at kids, with Who-guests, a Who-Ru quiz, Companion Academy, prizes to win, ...)
- Doctor Who Confidential: Saturday 7.45pm BBC Three (30 minutes behind the scenes episode)
- a Doctor Who magazine
How many episodes are there?
There were 13 in the first season, then there was a mini-episode and a Christmas Special. The second season will also be 13 episodes. (Four have been aired up until now.) Then there'll be another Christmas Special and a third season. It's nice to have some security, no? For a complete episode guide, click here.
More, please, more!
Ok, some interesting stuff ...
- David Tennant has been a Who fanboy since he was a kid. Him playing The Doctor? Has been his dream role.
- There'll be a spin-off show called Torchwood revolving around Captain Jack. Noel Clarke (Mickey) will be one of the writers on the show. It will probably air in the fall.
- Doctor Who won five trophies in the Cymru awards 2006 in Cardiff: best drama series, drama director, costume, make-up and photography direction.
Links
bbc.co.uk/doctorwho - everything Dr Who straight from the source
Doctor Who info at wikipedia.org - very useful information about the entire series
television without pity - yep, they review Dr Who too!
who_daily
Teh Pretty
Disclaimer and credits
caps thanks to _jems_ and bellanut
some info (for the characters) used from wikipedia.org
Warning: a bit picture heavy. Maybe. ;) And I also tried to keep it a bit general, not give away too much spoilers for those that have not seen any episodes yet. I should probably say that I did include some "spoilers" (none for the unaired episodes though), but they are all very, very general and mild really, and not so much about the storylines or character development. Trust me, you'll still enjoy the show when you have read this.