• Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

cheese toast

Member
Oct 29, 2017
727
Amazon jumping the gun on the next episode, on the back of an episode featuring a totally-not-Amazon retailer.

Coinkydink?
 

Taki

Attempt to circumvent a ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,308
You don't even have to buy the season pass to see the new episode. All you need to do is buy Kerblam. It'll still be playing the newer episode instead.
 

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
Another thing I didn't like about Kerblam is how upset Thirteen gets about how Kira's treated by her boss but then she knows no such emotion or fury over Kira actually being killed. It's all "the system has a conscience".
 

-shadow-

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
Just finished with Kerblam, the week of Black Friday an episode about automation and consumerism, perfect!

giphy.gif


Outside of that, it was a really fun episode. Red herrings enough to keep you guessing until the moment just before the reveal where the perfect hint is dropped. Fun moments between the characters and everyone was used brilliantly.
Even the ending I felt was good, he had a chance and was warned twice which for some of the other Doctors was even twice too many.
Really excited for the next two episodes, both are a non Chibnall story, so should at least be pretty entertaining. Curious about the season finale though, here's hoping Chibnall finally manages to score a good one.
 

APZonerunner

Features Editor at VG247.com
Verified
Oct 28, 2017
1,725
England
take with a hard grain of salt. Capaldi was rumoured to leave after 1 season as well.

I don't know that he was rumoured to leave so specifically, but it wasn't much of a secret that after Series 8 failed to set the world on fire the BBC thought casting somebody older like that was a mistake. BBC sources (presumably covering their asses so they could blame Moffat etc if the ratings tanked) said and leaked some pretty shitty things to newspapers about Capaldi's age around that time. This then led to speculation he was gonna get kicked out.

As so often is the case with these things, that's not true, but there's truth to it, basically.
 
Last edited:

Ventilaator

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
781
Meanwhile I'm over here like "The show is finally good again, why would anyone want Chibnall to go? Did you even see what the show was like during Moffat??"

So that form that was posted above is 100% correct about how we're never going to reach a point where the show just runs and people watch it and like it.
 

APZonerunner

Features Editor at VG247.com
Verified
Oct 28, 2017
1,725
England
The thing about the rumour that maybe makes me wonder if it could be true is I was surprised when Chibnall took over the show - as here he is coming off the back of award-winning, home-grown drama... and he's taking over this franchise he doesn't ultimately own and have full control over? He's not quite the same level of mega-nerd as RTD and Moffat were, either, and it made me wonder how long he'd do it for before he wanted to do something else.

Because of that, the narrative of the show as a victim of its own success - where the BBC now wants more, quicker, and Chibnall isn't willing to meet that requirement... on paper it makes sense, because we know RTD faced similar demands in his era, when the show was wildly popular. Indeed, Sarah Jane Adventures exists because the BBC started to put early production in motion for - I shit you not - a CBBC show about the Doctor, the Master and other time lords as kids on Gallifrey. RTD found out, thought the idea was a disaster, and pitched them SJA to stop them from making that show without him. Then, midway through Series 3, with Torchwood, SJA and Doctor Who plates all spinning, RTD nearly had a breakdown. So, y'know...
 
OP
OP
Dwebble

Dwebble

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,623
I'm sticking with my knee-jerk reaction that Chibnall is the anti-Moffat- as a writer, he's mediocre at best, but he's an excellent showrunner. The only thing holding this series back is his own writing, because the other elements that he's put together are top-notch.
 

-shadow-

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,110
Chibnall I wouldn't mind at this point, he's never really quite delivered, unless the season finale and Holiday Special is mind-blowing...
 

Deleted member 7051

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,254
I can see Chibnall going since there were whisperings he wasn't liking the dramatically different work schedule. Apparently it has been a bit of a culture shock since filming seven episodes of Doctor Who takes way more time and effort than eight episodes of Broadchurch and he isn't going to have the luxury of a two year break between seasons.

I'm kinda disappointed there doesn't seem to be an overall story going on, though. Usually the first season of each Doctor has a strong narrative thread, whether it's Missy, the cracks in the walls or Bad Wolf.
 

Rassilon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,584
UK
I'm kinda disappointed there doesn't seem to be an overall story going on, though. Usually the first season of each Doctor has a strong narrative thread, whether it's Missy, the cracks in the walls or Bad Wolf.
There was some mention of the 'Timeless Child' but I don't think it's been mentioned again. Unless there's some highly cryptic arg going on that involves watching episodes backwards whilst reciting John Pertwee's disco classic 'I am the Doctor'.
 

Blader

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,604
Because of that, the narrative of the show as a victim of its own success - where the BBC now wants more, quicker, and Chibnall isn't willing to meet that requirement...

The thing about this though is, what exactly was Chibnall expecting? Both of his predecessors, with a couple exceptions, delivered a series a year for the past 13 years. The expectation of a new series per year shouldn't be coming out of nowhere. And frankly, if RTD and Moffat were capable of delivering on that while also balancing duties on other shows at the same time, I don't see why Chibnall couldn't either.
 

M.Bluth

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,242
The thing about this though is, what exactly was Chibnall expecting? Both of his predecessors, with a couple exceptions, delivered a series a year for the past 13 years. The expectation of a new series per year shouldn't be coming out of nowhere. And frankly, if RTD and Moffat were capable of delivering on that while also balancing duties on other shows at the same time, I don't see why Chibnall couldn't either.
And, maybe it's ok to go with a weird break in the third year or whatever, but fresh on in your run, with 10 scripts, maybe 11 with a special, I find it hard to believe they didn't go in intending to deliver full seasons for this year and 2019.
Especially considering the fact that you've got the first female Doctor cast. Yes, it sucks, but everyone is keenly aware that the shitheads are looking for any wobble to point and proclaim the real mistake was casting a woman. So far they're not finding that with the ratings, but a year long break or an even shorter run next year might be it. And that's so annoying!

I might not be in love with this season, and I guess I don't care if Chibnall stayed or not, but I NEED Jodie Whittaker's Doctor to succeed in every possible way.
 
Oct 25, 2017
1,685
Man, its really been 5 years since the Anniversary. Crazy.
I remember going to the London ExCel event for the day with a friend, having my photo taken in Smiths first TARDIS, the panels with the actors. Coming home, watching An Adventure in Space and Time to see the fun out. Was a fantastic day.
Then going to the cinema to see The Day of The Doctor on the Saturday. Man as a Who fan, it hasnt ever reached the heights that weekend did. Captured the country and most of the worlds attention for one brief moment in time.

I do hope the 60 is celebrated in similar style, but I also hope that Chibnall is no where near the show when it comes around. He is right now, the biggest issue with it and needs to go as soon as possible. I had my fears when he was announced and they've only gotten worse since the show came back on air. After all the rumours and issues we heard about potentially losing the Christmas slot if we didnt have one last year and Moffat pulling one out the bag, only to lose it this year is just disgraceful in my opinion.

Jodie is amazing (apart from that extremely weird way she points the sonic screwdriver) but I dont expect we'll ever see her truly shine unless Chibnall leaves and the keys to the show are handed over to someone who seems to know what actually needs to be done.
 

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
I don't know that he was rumoured to leave so specifically, but it wasn't much of a secret that after Series 8 failed to set the world on fire the BBC thought casting somebody older like that was a mistake. BBC sources (presumably covering their asses so they could blame Moffat etc if the ratings tanked) said and leaked some pretty shitty things to newspapers about Capaldi's age around that time. This then led to speculation he was gonna get kicked out.

As so often is the case with these things, that's not true, but there's truth to it, basically.
Wow I never heard of this. I'm so happy we got Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, and IMO the best Doctor

Man, its really been 5 years since the Anniversary. Crazy.
I remember going to the London ExCel event for the day with a friend, having my photo taken in Smiths first TARDIS, the panels with the actors. Coming home, watching An Adventure in Space and Time to see the fun out. Was a fantastic day.
Then going to the cinema to see The Day of The Doctor on the Saturday. Man as a Who fan, it hasnt ever reached the heights that weekend did. Captured the country and most of the worlds attention for one brief moment in time.

I do hope the 60 is celebrated in similar style, but I also hope that Chibnall is no where near the show when it comes around. He is right now, the biggest issue with it and needs to go as soon as possible. I had my fears when he was announced and they've only gotten worse since the show came back on air. After all the rumours and issues we heard about potentially losing the Christmas slot if we didnt have one last year and Moffat pulling one out the bag, only to lose it this year is just disgraceful in my opinion.

Jodie is amazing (apart from that extremely weird way she points the sonic screwdriver) but I dont expect we'll ever see her truly shine unless Chibnall leaves and the keys to the show are handed over to someone who seems to know what actually needs to be done.
And yeah, I agree completely with all this. The writing for the Doctor especially has been really bad.

I went to see the 50th in theatres too, was great. Then the Time of the Doctor afterwards was hype even if it didn't turn out so great and Series 8 was fantastic.
 

Kino

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,317
I don't know that he was rumoured to leave so specifically, but it wasn't much of a secret that after Series 8 failed to set the world on fire the BBC thought casting somebody older like that was a mistake. BBC sources (presumably covering their asses so they could blame Moffat etc if the ratings tanked) said and leaked some pretty shitty things to newspapers about Capaldi's age around that time. This then led to speculation he was gonna get kicked out.

As so often is the case with these things, that's not true, but there's truth to it, basically.
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/rumor...l-leave-doctor-who-after-just-1-season?page=3

It was a pretty widely circulated rumor back during s8. Capaldi was not well received initially, and the general mediocrity of s8-both in ratings and quality-leant credence to the idea that he was just a "transition" for a more radically different doctor, which ended up being true in a way.

The reception this season of Who is getting here doesn't surprise because back on the old forum, Capaldi was getting it just as bad, if not worse.
 

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/rumor...l-leave-doctor-who-after-just-1-season?page=3

It was a pretty widely circulated rumor back during s8. Capaldi was not well received initially, and the general mediocrity of s8-both in ratings and quality-leant credence to the idea that he was just a "transition" for a more radically different doctor, which ended up being true in a way.

The reception this season of Who is getting here doesn't surprise because back on the old forum, Capaldi was getting it just as bad, if not worse.
I actually think Capaldi was much more radically different as the Doctor than 13 is. Especially in Series 8, Capaldi was tonally totally different, much older than other of the other new Who Doctors, IMO a breath of fresh air. Despite the gender change 13 doesn't seem very different from Doctors like 9, 10, and 11.

The style and overall tone have probably had the most radical change the show has had though, and for the worse IMO.
 
Oct 25, 2017
1,685
I really wish Capaldis' Doctor had stayed more cold instead of warming up in the later series. His line of "She cares so I dont have to" was a breath of fresh air and a Doctor that was more snappy and cold would've been nice to see evolve over the course of the show, instead of getting one series on it and then going back to being a somewhat more forgiving style Doctor like the older ones.
 
Last edited:

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
I really wish Capaldis' Doctor had stayed more cold instead of warming up in the later series. His line of "She cares soI dont have to" was a breath of fresh air and a Doctor that was more snappy and cold would've been nice to see evolve over the course of the show, instead of getting one series on it and then going back to being a somewhat more forgiving style Doctor like the older ones.
Exactly how I feel, that's actually one of my favourite moments of his. Into the Dalek is one of my favourite episodes regarding how his character is written. Even his look in that episode was the best.

I do really like really like his rock star phase in Series 9, though, letting him actually play an electric guitar was awesome, and he was still pretty dark in Hell Bent. I just found him a little generic in Series 10.
 

acheron_xl

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,447
MSN, WI
I really wish Capaldis' Doctor had stayed more cold instead of warming up in the later series. His line of "She cares so I dont have to" was a breath of fresh air and a Doctor that was more snappy and cold would've been nice to see evolve over the course of the show, instead of getting one series on it and then going back to being a somewhat more forgiving style Doctor like the older ones.

I don't know. 12 having 6's planned arc, only good is something to be cherished.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
I don't know. 12 having 6's planned arc, only good is something to be cherished.

I agree with this. 12 is still the only modern Doctor with an actual finished character arc. Ten and Eleven had hints of one, but they were both so bogged down in the "archetypal" Doctor elements that their character development never felt like it followed a linear path. Bits and pieces of it came and went and they'd always "snap back" to default after a big moment.
 

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
I agree with this. 12 is still the only modern Doctor with an actual finished character arc. Ten and Eleven had hints of one, but they were both so bogged down in the "archetypal" Doctor elements that their character development never felt like it followed a linear path. Bits and pieces of it came and went and they'd always "snap back" to default after a big moment.
Yeah, 11 went dark and moody in The Snowmen after losing Amy and Rory and then basically went back to normal.

I think 10 had more of an arc than the others though, the main arc being that he kept losing people and becoming lonelier, and never got what he thought he deserved. It's definitely a sadder arc than 12's.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
Yeah, 11 went dark and moody in The Snowmen after losing Amy and Rory and then basically went back to normal.

I think 10 had more of an arc than the others though, the main arc being that he kept losing people and becoming lonelier.

Ten was way closer to it than Eleven, for sure. But Ten in the beginning of the End of Time wasn't that different from Ten in Utopia.

Which is odd, because Ten's premiere episode was all "no second chances" and "that's the kind of man I am"...and then they never really followed up with that outside of The Runaway Bride and the very end of The Family of Blood.
 

Blader

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,604
Twelve's arc is something I didn't really appreciate until I started rewatching his seasons, but that growth + Capaldi's performance makes Twelve very close to being my favorite Doctor.


On a separate note, I was wondering - would the reduced episode order make a bottle episode like Midnight or Heaven Sent unlikely during Chibnall's tenure? With fewer episodes and a bigger cast to play with, I wonder if there's more pressure to make sure they're using everyone in every episode.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
Twelve's arc is something I didn't really appreciate until I started rewatching his seasons, but that growth + Capaldi's performance makes Twelve very close to being my favorite Doctor.


On a separate note, I was wondering - would the reduced episode order make a bottle episode like Midnight or Heaven Sent unlikely during Chibnall's tenure? With fewer episodes and a bigger cast to play with, I wonder if there's more pressure to make sure they're using everyone in every episode.

Yes. Absolutely. If you only have six or seven episodes, you're a lot less likely to burn one of them on an experimental, non-standard storytelling kind of bit.
 

Deleted member 3815

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,633
It's the show's 55th anniversary today!

Also, this seems like something the thread might find useful lately:

jxgcZSA.png

Is that a joke form? Because the complaint that the Doctor not being played by a PoC is a valid point as my family have such a low faith in the BBC that they don't believe that the Doctor will be played by a PoC actor and that the role will forever go to a white actor.

It's one of the reason why I find it difficult to care for Jodie's Doctor.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
Is that a joke form? Because the complaint that the Doctor not being played by a PoC is a valid point as my family have such a low faith in the BBC that they don't believe that the Doctor will be played by a PoC actor and that the role will forever go to a white actor.

It's one of the reason why I find it difficult to care for Jodie's Doctor.

It's a joke form, yes.

Also, the Doctor was very nearly played by a black man after David Tennant. Paterson Joseph was one of the top choices for the Eleventh Doctor but it ended up going to Matt in the end. As far as I've heard, there's never been any particular resistance within the BBC re: a black Doctor.

I believe they also asked Chiwetel Ejiofor once.
 

Deleted member 3815

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,633
It's a joke form, yes.

Also, the Doctor was very nearly played by a black man after David Tennant. Paterson Joseph was one of the top choices for the Eleventh Doctor but it ended up going to Matt in the end. As far as I've heard, there's never been any particular resistance within the BBC re: a black Doctor.

I believe they also asked Chiwetel Ejiofor once.

There may be no resistance but it's taking far too long for change to happen, heck with the companion I can count only a handful that are PoC as the rest were white.

It just feels like that no one is actively pushing for it.
 

Halbrand

Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,615
It's a joke form, yes.

Also, the Doctor was very nearly played by a black man after David Tennant. Paterson Joseph was one of the top choices for the Eleventh Doctor but it ended up going to Matt in the end. As far as I've heard, there's never been any particular resistance within the BBC re: a black Doctor.

I believe they also asked Chiwetel Ejiofor once.
The one issue is that it makes a lot of historicals more difficult/awkward
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
There may be no resistance but it's taking far too long for change to happen, heck with the companion I can count only a handful that are PoC as the rest were white.

It just feels like that no one is actively pushing for it.

As far as I can tell, the only reason it hasn't happened yet is just bad timing/bad luck. There were multiple attempts to make it happen over the past decade and they just haven't worked out yet. I fully expect the next Doctor after Jodie to be a black man.
 

APZonerunner

Features Editor at VG247.com
Verified
Oct 28, 2017
1,725
England
It's a joke form, yes.

Also, the Doctor was very nearly played by a black man after David Tennant. Paterson Joseph was one of the top choices for the Eleventh Doctor but it ended up going to Matt in the end. As far as I've heard, there's never been any particular resistance within the BBC re: a black Doctor.

I believe they also asked Chiwetel Ejiofor once.

Moffat offered the job to a black man before Smith. He's admitted this but he's never said who it was (for good reason, as that's the sort of thing that'd follow the actor around for the rest of their life). There was a lot of smoke around Paterson and in interviews he's as good as admitted he auditioned for the role - plus Paterson had just recently worked with Moffat on Jekyll, playing a very over-the-top, eccentric role. Patreson has never said if he was the one who turned it down, and I can't see a smaller-level actor like him turning it down - so I imagine he auditioned and wasn't right. I think the one who turned it down was probably Ejiofor, tbh.

Nobody auditioned for 12 other than Capaldi and nobody auditioned for 10 other than Tennant, so it only really came close to happening that once... but it was a close call.
 

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,486
Moffat offered the job to a black man before Smith. He's admitted this but he's never said who it was (for good reason, as that's the sort of thing that'd follow the actor around for the rest of their life). There was a lot of smoke around Paterson and in interviews he's as good as admitted he auditioned for the role - but never said if he was the one who turned it down. I think the one who turned it down was probably Ejiofor, tbh.

Yeah. I'm pretty sure Ejiofor turned it down as well, just based on the trajectories of the two actors' careers and the way they've spoken about it in public when asked. I wouldn't be surprised if both of them were in the running, and Ejiofor said no and Joseph didn't nail the audition.