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[2xblended]

Thanks for this thread @EastofHollywood.

I tried to get into Jodie's Doctor but I just couldn't. I liked her in Broadchurch (loved Tennant in it!), but she wasn't The Doctor for me, unfortunately.

Who's everyone's favourite Master? Mine was definitely John Simm when he played David Tennant's Master. That whole story arc was great and they were both fantastic together.

 

[Damita]

I loved Doctor Who until around series 6. Then I found the writing began to really deteriorate and good episodes became rarer and rarer.

I remember being very excited when Peter Capaldi was cast but by then the writing was so bad I gave up on watching the show several times.

Chris Chibnall's run of episodes, however, has been the most appalling level of quality of TV storytelling I've seen on just about any show I've ever watched. Dear God, what has happened to this programme? It is absolutely insufferable and unwatchable. I really gave it a fair chance too as I loved the idea of a female Doctor but I've found Jodie Whittaker to be an extremely limited actress, if not outright terrible...all that constant gasping for air like a fish out of water as she delivers every single line, but then again with what she's had to work with I fear I'm being unfair. Although I saw footage of her in a play called Anti-gone and her performance was the same, so maybe that's just her style.

Because newer episodes have been so bad I've been retreating into the classic era. I watched The Five Doctors the other day, which was delightful and now I'm going back to where it all began. I've seen earlier episodes before but I have a whole new appreciation for them now after seeing how bad the show can be in the wrong hands.

I wish Chibnall leaving filled me with hope for the show getting better again in its current form but he's pretty much completely destroyed it for me. The timeless child storyline was the final straw. Utterly unforgivable.

 

[Rockin' Robin]

Where to start?
The reinvention of Doctor Who back in 2005, was brilliant Christopher Eccleston was an excellent Doctor, so was David Tennant. I lost interest in the series, when Peter Capaldi took over the role. He is a fine actor, but he is one of my least favourite Doctors.
It was in Capaldi's era, that they began messing with what had been a successful format.
My heart sank when they cast Jodie W as the Doctor, I am a bit of a traditionalist and believe the Doctor should be played by a man. I tried to embrace the new format of the show, but I really didn't enjoy being lectured to. The original concept of the programme was to entertain, not "alienate" the audience.
Ironically I think Jo Martin did an excellent job playing the Doctor, she has gravitas. She certainly made her mark, in a rare enjoyable episode from the Chibnall era. But it was a missed opportunity, because they could have done so much more with the character. She would have made an excellent Doctor.
I wish we could time travel back to 2005, when the show was relaunched. If the producers of Doctor Who had continued with this format, it would still be a successful show with high ratings.

 

[Ginnyjo]

I grew up with Dr who, loved it, adored it, was terrified of it as a child, Colin Baker was my Dr. then again Ace was a bloody awesome companion.
When it came back in 2005 I was delighted, Eccleston was great, going against popular opinion but Tennent ran too long, they dragged the arse out of him and Roses storyline. I wasn't hoping for much when Smith was cast, but mannnn he was awesome, made it fun again.
I'd high hopes for Capaldi and there was flashes of brilliance, but the writing let him down, sadly I can barely tell you whats happened with Whittakers Dr, and I've watched every episode, it's just been meh.
I'll just go back to Smith reruns

 

[StephenTJackson]

Dr Who is meant to be a bit of escapism, fun and a little scary. It has got all woke and preachy. Last few series have turned me right off.

Doctor Who has always had an element of being woke etc. But in a much more understated way that it doesn't take over an episode. And that's been the problem recently, it's been smack you in the face, front and centre preaching rather than just quietly there.

 

[EastofHollywood]

Doctor Who has always had an element of being woke etc. But in a much more understated way that it doesn't take over an episode. And that's been the problem recently, it's been smack you in the face, front and centre preaching rather than just quietly there.

I think that was true. If you look at the Van Gogh episode which won an award for its portrayal of mental Health issues and some of the stuff that Chibnall was hitting us over the head with, the difference in subtlety is off the scale. But I think it takes a phenomenal writer to do that, and a sci fi writer to write about social issues, as all sci fi writers do in a way where its not necessarily obvious, and Chibnall, IMO is neither.

 

[EastofHollywood]

Oh yeah
I think I'd like a male Doctor again. I think they should have gone with a non white man. I don't think Jodie Whittaker is a great actress. The other incarnations could hold together some ropey writing with their charisma and personality, but I dont think Jodie managed it, and the writing was terrible at times.
But I liked Clara, who nobody else liked!

 

[Xales]

Tom Baker made a great appearance in one of the Matt Smith episodes as the caretaker offering him a jelly baby. Can't remember the title of the episode.
I thought Bradley Walsh made a great companion but I wasn't keen on Jodie and some of the episodes (spiders) my 6 year old was too scared to watch yet she loved all the episodes from Matt Smith and Peter Capaldi. My daughter also has the claim to fame that Colin Baker gave her her bottle when she was a tiny baby, while I got to drink my cup of tea. He is such a lovely man. Nicola Bryant is also lovely. Sylvester McCoy I've met twice and he remembered me asking about Radaghast.
also the other thing about Jodie's latest series about the Doctor's origins goes against what was written in Lungbarrow about the origins of the Doctor. Not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it, as it gives the Doctors real name.

The Day of the Doctor. Loved it when Tom Baker turned up

 

[MrFMercury]

I was so excited when a woman was cast and really liked her as the Doctor but the writing has been nothing short of awful. I’ve met Jodie and she’s lovely and the look on my child’s face when a female Doctor was revealed will stay with me. But pretty quickly I had repeated concussion from being bludgeoned with the lesson of the week. Every week.

Eccleston and Tenant are ‘my’ Doctors and I love their arcs. John Sims is my favourite Master too. I was frustrated when they got rid of Pearl during Capaldi‘s run because it felt like we were starting to get some consistently good storylines.

It makes me so sad to see how far Who has fallen. I was at a cinema showing of the 50th special and there were so many people there for it, so happy and excited, cheering and booing in the cinema. It’ll be the 60th soon and if they did the same thing again, I wonder how many would turn up. I‘d be there but probably out of loyalty more than anything else.

 

[EastofHollywood]

Thanks for this thread @EastofHollywood.

I tried to get into Jodie's Doctor but I just couldn't. I liked her in Broadchurch (loved Tennant in it!), but she wasn't The Doctor for me, unfortunately.

Who's everyone's favourite Master? Mine was definitely John Simm when he played David Tennant's Master. That whole story arc was great and they were both fantastic together.

I've loved all the Masters. I think it really gives the actors a chance to go bonkers on the evil, but they all end up having a core of vulnerability. I thought the Timeless Child nonsense, if applied to the Master would have gone someway to explaining away his madness- that he had been experiemented on, and that he wasn't really from Gallifrey, so he was treated as a lesser Timelord, but the story as it was was complete nonsense. I said on the other thread that I think they should have saved Sacha Dhawan for The Doctor role, as I think he would have been fabulous. Of the modern era, I loved Missy I think.

 

[Scotch Mist]

Nah, My son (like me) is doctor who mad...we found ourselves turning over... it's just lame, and for the love of christ, CAN WE STOP SAYING FAM.

I fucking hate that FAM shite
Whittaker is appalling in the part and all of the companions are tediously dull. They need to jettison the whole lot or the show is dead.

Anybody will be better as Dr Who than her!

 

[hypoharpy]

I really didn't like Peter Capaldi's interpretation but that may have been the material he was given.I desperately wanted to like Jodie Whittaker in the role but she was came across as preachy and one dimensional . Again, probably the scriptwriting.I hope new plots, showrunner and Doctor can revitalise this programme.

Favourite Doctor: Tom Baker
Favourite Companion: Donna Noble
Favourite Villain: Weeping Angels

 

[Reverend]

TWho's everyone's favourite Master? Mine was definitely John Simm when he played David Tennant's Master. That whole story arc was great and they were both fantastic together.

I think they are all great, but my favourite two are Anthony Ainley on TV (I grew up with him), and Geoff Beevers on audio Big finish.

Good story regarding Roger Delgado (first Master) though. They were filming the Daemons in the village, and Roger would entertain the children and adults with stories of his life, and from great literature, and everyone loved it, particularly the kids. The final scene from the episode sees the Master being driven away to prison, and people were supposed to boo him, and people didn't want to, because they all loved him!!

 

[Restless Native]

I actually enjoyed the last series Peter Capaldi did. I watched the first series with Jodie but it was just awful.

 

[PollyPerks]

I grew up with Dr who, loved it, adored it, was terrified of it as a child, Colin Baker was my Dr. then again Ace was a bloody awesome companion.
When it came back in 2005 I was delighted, Eccleston was great, going against popular opinion but Tennent ran too long, they dragged the arse out of him and Roses storyline. I wasn't hoping for much when Smith was cast, but mannnn he was awesome, made it fun again.
I'd high hopes for Capaldi and there was flashes of brilliance, but the writing let him down, sadly I can barley tell you whats happened with Whittakers Dr, and I've watched every episode, it's just been meh.
I'll just go back to Smith reruns

My Doctor who fan story is quite similar to yours! I started a bit earlier - Peter Davison is the Doctor I remember most from childhood and I missed most of Colin as we moved to a country where Doctor Who wasn't shown, but got back to it for McCoy's era and loved him and Ace.

While it was off air I just remembered it fondly as something wonderful from my childhood, never in a million years expected it to come back. So when it was announced to return it felt like every Christmas and birthday come at once! Loved Eccleston, loved Tennant too though I agree about the Rose storyline being tiresome. Then Matt Smith came along Absolutely my favourite Doctor ever, he was just completely perfect and I loved Amy, Rory and River too. That was such a golden time to be a Doctor Who fan.

I too had high hopes for Capaldi and I loved his first series - the spiky, grumpy take on the character was an interesting turn. But series 9 bored me to tears, series 10 wasn't much better and I really hated all of 12's self-righteous speechifying. My least fave of the New Who Doctors, sadly, despite being a great actor and seemingly a lovely man.

I agree with your summary of 13's tenure too, very uninspiring, especially when you know how thrilling Doctor Who can be with the right actor and inventive writing. Am keeping positive though and hoping for something good to follow on from Jodie and Chris C!

 

[Reverend]

Is Tom Baker still alive?

Tom Baker and Sylvester McCoy will never die. They will just be picked up by their motherships to take them back to their planet of origin.

 

[Dollylovesshoes]

I’m old school I love all the old Dr’s ..I can’t stand new stuff.don’t make sense I like years ago music and fab actors.No this shit.

 

[EastofHollywood]

I liked Clara too but felt they could have done more with her character

Agree. She is a fab actress.

 

[bluesky30]

I've heard they're bringing back RTD as show runner. I like RTD and welcome the change but it's clear the show needs saving. It's been run into the ground. I was very disappointed in Chibnall considering he wrote my favorite two parter Human Nature/Family of Blood.

I know Capaldi was hit or miss but he was my doctor from the start. I could tell he (and Tennant) had so much fun playing The Doctor. I think they're childhood dream coming true helped them to rise above bad writing. As for Jodie it's clear they've given her no direction. Her doctor seems stuck in the post regeneration phase. She's never snapped out of the haze to recover all her knowledge and memories. She'll try to recall something, make a joke about not remembering it, pause for a few seconds, and then bam she gets it. They've done this for her entire run. I've grown to like all the Doctors at some point throughout their run. Some of them have taken longer than others but they've got there in the end. Jodie has never wowed me.

I don't care what the timeless child storyline says about it, William Hartnell is the first doctor.

Give Paul McGann a proper go. That man has been waiting for a phone call!

 

[Damocles]

Anyone had their kids hiding behind the sofa watching Chibnall's "Feminista Who"?

Nah, My son (like me) is doctor who mad...we found ourselves turning over... it's just lame, and for the love of christ, CAN WE STOP SAYING FAM.