Eccleston's Dr Who

[Slade]

I'm curious. Has Christopher Eccleston's Dr Who series been shown in the US yet? If so, what did American fans think of his portrayal?

It was a massive hit here in England, where it's credited with re-inventing the concept of family viewing. We thought Billy Piper was surprisingly good too.

[duality72]

Nope, still not shown in the U.S. and no deal in place to ever show it, as far as I know. Some of us have managed to catch the episodes anyway, though, one way or another. My wife and I think it's great, if a bit different, and anxiously await new episodes. Americans probably don't think of Billie Piper as "surprisingly good," though, since we had no idea who she was in the first place.

[FisherQueen]

It hasn't shown in the US yet- I heard that they hadn't decided which station would get it, Public Broadcasting or BBC America. I've downloaded bootlegs of it and really like it- it keeps so much of what I liked about Dr Who, but also has actual special effects and interesting character development. I can hardly wait to see the next season. I don't know Billie Piper (I gather she was some sort of minor annoying celebrity in England?), but I liked her as a companion. I thought Captain Jack was a little cheesy and fake- I will forgive him for it if it turns out that he is just acting a part to Hide a Dreadful Secret.

Disclaimer: I am only bootlegging this because it is unavailable to me. When I can get it on DVD, I will buy the discs and delete my copies. Really.

[duality72]

And by "a bit different," I mean from the original Dr. Who.

[everyone loves monkeys]

Admittedly, being English, I'm probably not who you were looking for but i still think it was great. I think Eccleston is good in most things, have you seen him in revengers tragedy? its fantastic, Eddy Issard's good in that to. I all so liked the second coming.

Everyone (o.k., my mum, who is a fan and the reason i know about the above work) is disappointed hes not doing the next series. I, however am looking forward to it; David Tennant was great in Casanova and I'm expecting to see some of the same cheekyness which suits the Dr character. Probably going to be less sex in Dr who though.

[What Exit?]

I look forward to seeing. Hopefully someday soon.

I grew up watching the Tom Baker Doctor.

Jim

[hazel-rah]

The show probably won't be aired in the US. Too expensive. The complete first season is, however, being released on DVD in North America on February 14th. Costs a hundred bucks, but I'd imagine you'll be able to find it for less than that.

[Silentgoldfish]

They've released the Christmas special with David Tennant as the new Doctor and I'm thinking he's at least as good as Eccelson.

[Scissorjack]

Originally Posted by duality72

Americans probably don't think of Billie Piper as "surprisingly good," though, since we had no idea who she was in the first place.

She was one of those teen-slut pop nymphettes a few years back, who then went on to marry a DJ about 3 times her age when the hits dried up: I think most people had her figured for rehab by now.

[Slade]

Originally Posted by Case Sensitive

She was one of those teen-slut pop nymphettes a few years back, who then went on to marry a DJ about 3 times her age when the hits dried up: I think most people had her figured for rehab by now.

My favourite Billy Piper joke explains that she, like Dr Who itself, "was designed for children but often enjoyed by adults".

[Scissorjack]

Originally Posted by Slade

My favourite Billy Piper joke explains that she, like Dr Who itself, "was designed for children but often enjoyed by adults".

Heh.

[Menocchio]

Originally Posted by Silentgoldfish

They've released the Christmas special with David Tennant as the new Doctor and I'm thinking he's at least as good as Eccelson.

This Yank agrees. In fact, I think I like him more, he's so charmingly deranged.

I wasn't really exposed to the older Who (and what I saw was so old fashioned, slow paced, and hokey looking that it failed to grab me) but this version is really interesting to me.

[Smapti]

To the best of my knowledge, the CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corp.) is the only network airing Doctor Who in North America at this time. It's thus accessible to Americans who live far enough north that their cable company carries CBC - that's how i've been watching it.

[TommyTutone]

Another yank who watched the series (and XMas special) via less than savory methods.

Loved Eccleston, Piper, and Captain Jack. Very sorry to see Eccleston leave so soon, although Tennant was very good in his first appearance.

The show would benefit with ditching (or at least showing up less frequently) Piper's mum and beau, and having the TARDIS get the hell out of Cardiff a little more frequently.

Dr. Who is a series where I would in a HEARTBEAT buy season by season if it was available as I used to watch all of the old Hartnell/Baker episodes on PBS when I was a lad. I know I can buy story arcs, but I'd prefer the completeness (as much as possible with so many missing episodes) of a season-to-season release.

[N9IWP]

New Dr. Who originally slated for Feb 14 is delayed:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4870

Brian

[Odinoneeye]

They didn't show it in the U.S., but I get a Canadian station out of Windsor and they carried it.

[Nonsuch]

Originally Posted by N9IWP

New Dr. Who originally slated for Feb 14 is delayed:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4870

Brian

Dammit ... I'm looking forward to that set!

[Ponder Stibbons]

Originally Posted by hazel-rah

The show probably won't be aired in the US. Too expensive.

Expensive? To who? I take it you mean that the BBC wants way more than any US broadcaster is willing to pay. But surely this wouldn't apply to the BBC America cable channel, would it?

[WotNot]

Originally Posted by Ponder Stibbons

Expensive? To who? I take it you mean that the BBC wants way more than any US broadcaster is willing to pay. But surely this wouldn't apply to the BBC America cable channel, would it?

'Fraid so – BBC America isn't actually part of the BBC at all, they just licence the name. They have to pay to show BBC programmes just the same as any other foreign broadcaster.

Of course, the idea that the BBC is asking too much seems to be more internet rumour than anything else. I've yet to see any reliable source for it.

[garius]

For the pleasure of you yanks, and us misplaced Brits:

Sci-Fi Channel Picks Up Dr Who

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by garius

For the pleasure of you yanks, and us misplaced Brits:

Sci-Fi Channel Picks Up Dr Who

Great news, thanks for the update.
Love them Fireworks.

Russell T Davies, Head Writer and Executive Producer told us: "The Doctor's made all sorts of journeys in Time and Space, but this is one of his most exciting yet! I'm a huge fan of the SCI FI Channel, and I'm delighted that Doctor Who is appearing on a channel that supports and enhances the entire genre."

Jim

[cerberus]

Isn't the Doctor nearing the end of his regenerations?

The ten Doctors:

1. William Hartnell (1963–1966)
2. Patrick Troughton (1966–1969)
3. Jon Pertwee (1970–1974)
4. Tom Baker (1974–1981)
5. Peter Davison (1981–1984)
6. Colin Baker (1984–1986)
7. Sylvester McCoy (1987–1989, 1996)
8. Paul McGann (1996)
9. Christopher Eccleston (2005)
10. David Tennant (2005–present)

Only two more left, unless he recharges or something.

[GuanoLad]

Russell T Davies, Head Writer and Executive Producer told us: "The Doctor's made all sorts of journeys in Time and Space, but this is one of his most exciting yet! I'm a huge fan of the SCI FI Channel, and I'm delighted that Doctor Who is appearing on a channel that supports and enhances the entire genre."

Why do all press releases use the word "delighted". Every one of them does it. It makes it sound so false.

[GuanoLad]

Originally Posted by cerberus

Isn't the Doctor nearing the end of his regenerations?

...

Only two more left, unless he recharges or something.

The thirteenth regeneration is the Valeyard.

[hazel-rah]

Wow, I thought the Sci Fi channel hated Doctor Who. Anyway, the best part of this news is the fact that the DVDs for Season One are still coming out on February 14th in Canada. So I don't have to wait until July.

[yojimbo]

I can see potential problems with this from the moral majority if it's marketed the same way as the UK. Who is indeed a kids programme enjoyed by adults but it is focused on kids. The first new season included same sex kissing and very obvious references to bi-sexuality and cross species sex. Interesting to see how this is handled in the States.

I loved the first season and really enjoyed Tennant's first outing over xmas.

[RTA]

I have been gradually buying up the old story lines avaliable on DVD. They are great (albeit a tad pricey if you have ambitions of owning them all). Lots of extra features, commentary, "making of" documentaries etc.

And might I add, that they have all been digitally remastered for what is to me a really unexpected picture clarity. Growing up in the US seeing the episodes on shoddy video transfer, I had no idea what I had been missing.

[Nonsuch]

Originally Posted by yojimbo

I can see potential problems with this from the moral majority if it's marketed the same way as the UK. Who is indeed a kids programme enjoyed by adults but it is focused on kids. The first new season included same sex kissing and very obvious references to bi-sexuality and cross species sex. Interesting to see how this is handled in the States.

I doubt anyone will care, if they [mainstream arbiters of "moral" values] even notice. What worries me more is the cutting of episodes for commercials—it should work in terms of overall running time, but will probably play hell with the flow and pacing of the episodes.

As far as the show finally getting picked up in the US: Woo-hoo!!

Though I will still be buying the Canadian DVDs immediately they're available.

[jjimm]

Originally Posted by yojimbo

The first new season included same sex kissing

Did that by any chance involve Billie Piper?

*cough*

*touches self inappropriately*

[yojimbo]

Unfortunatly not. T'was the Doctor and other male characters.

[jjimm]

*stops touching self*

[garius]

Isn't the Doctor nearing the end of his regenerations?

If i remember my Who correctly (but i may be completely wrong on this - I'm very rusty) the limitation is not a physical one, its just the number that Timelords are "allowed" so to speak.

Since the Doctor has been President of Gallifrey and has been pretty useful for the Timelords as a kind of unofficial agent of change, i doubt they'd begrudge him a few more.

Its also been hinted in the past that he's a helluvah lot older and more mysterious than we think anyway. Even that Rassilon and Omega weren't part of a duo, but in fact part of a trio...

[N9IWP]

New DVD release date July 4:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4885

Brian

[Ponder Stibbons]

Woooo! Woooo! It's about time. Although I wish I didn't have to wait until March.

Also, here is the news from the Sci Fi channel's site.

[Don Draper]

Originally Posted by hazel-rah

Wow, I thought the Sci Fi channel hated Doctor Who.

The Sci-Fi Channel reportedly were offered the series even before it debuted in the U.K., and turned their noses up at it. They stated that, in their opinion, the show was not up to their "high standards of quality" (cough**Lexx**cough**Crossing Over**cough**Fact or Fiction?**cough), but likely had to do with the fact that the Sci-Fi Channel really doesn't want to run any show they don't own the rights to, hence reems of home-produced garbage shows ("Battlestar Galactica" excluded) get preferential treatment over interesting imports.

[The Weird One]

Originally Posted by yojimbo

Unfortunatly not. T'was the Doctor and other male characters.

*starts touching self*

[bonzer]

Originally Posted by garius

If i remember my Who correctly (but i may be completely wrong on this - I'm very rusty) the limitation is not a physical one, its just the number that Timelords are "allowed" so to speak.

Since the Doctor has been President of Gallifrey and has been pretty useful for the Timelords as a kind of unofficial agent of change, i doubt they'd begrudge him a few more.

If exile has meant you've missed the new series:

SPOILER:

IIRC, it's mentioned in it that all the other Timelords had been killed in something called the "Time Wars" and Gallifrey destroyed, so there may be none of them left to object anyway.
But, of course, the Daleks were also supposed to be extinct as part of the same backstory to the new series and ...

[Monkey Chews]

Originally Posted by GuanoLad

The thirteenth regeneration is the Valeyard.

Well, not quite. IIRC, the Valeyard is some kind of potential future, a distillation of the doctor's darker side, who appears between his 12th and 13th incarnations, (much like the Watcher appeared between the 4th and 5th Doctors), who had somehow gained independent existence. Weren't the Time Lords going to give the Doctor's future regenerations to the Valeyard if he managed to defeat the Doctor? (Makes you wonder how the heck they'd do this. Is there some kind of Regeneration Transfer form you need to fill out? Is there a regeneration bank? I'm sorry sir, your regeneration request has been declined due to insufficient balance. Please die again later.)

In the novels (again IIRC), the unstable 6th doctor is so worried by his own behaviour and the possibility his darkness is going to make the Valeyard become a reality that his subconscious makes a deal with Time to regenerate and become it's agent, and avoid this fate. So he (subconsciously) sends himself rushing headfirst into the Rani's tractor beam, and regenerates into the Seventh Doctor. He then proceeds to faff about playing the spoons until he unexpectedly runs into one of the Wolves of Fenric on the planet of Icefall, realises that he's on a mission, and becomes Time's Champion.

As to going beyond his twelve regenerations... well, even if the Time Lords aren't in a position to be handing out new life cycles (as they stated they are able to do, in The Five Doctors), the Master managed to go beyond his thirteen lives without any help from them, so I'm sure the Doctor will be able to figure out a way to do it.

[Peter Morris]

The Master's attempts to extend hisd lifespan resulted in the destruction of a large part of the Universe. I doubt The Doctor will follow suit.

[mamboman]

We've seen Eccleston's Who in Australia. I have to say I was not impressed, but then I am old, hardcore and have been tut-tutting the decline of about Dr Who since Jon Pertwee left. However opinion around me has me definitley in the minority. Most folks seem to like the new Who very much. Just not me.

mm

[Monkey Chews]

Originally Posted by Peter Morris

The Master's attempts to extend hisd lifespan resulted in the destruction of a large part of the Universe. I doubt The Doctor will follow suit.

Nah, he extended his life by using the powers he gained from a 5-minute stint as Keeper of Traken to take over Nyssa's dad's body. Admittedly, that's not something the Doctor is likely to try, but it shows that it's not that big a deal.

The Master destroyed half the universe the following week, and that was, you know, an accident.

Put me down as liking Eccleston a lot (except for the cheesy "I'm being an oddball" grin, which wears a bit thin after the first 56 times he flashes it at unexpected moments), and loving what I've seen of Tennant so far. Also much love for Rose, Captain Jack and Rose's mum.

[Ximenean]

From what we've seen so far I think David Tennant is much better than Christopher Eccleston for this part. Eccleston is too earnest and just can't do comedy, whereas Tennant gives the character the impishness and joie de vivre that a good Doctor should have.

Looking over the list of episodes in the 2005 series, I realise that my other problem with the show is too much Russell T. Davies. The episodes I liked were The Unquiet Dead (the Charles Dickens one, written by Mark Gattiss), The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances (Stephen Moffat) , Father's Day (Paul Cornell) and The End of the World (Davies) (I didn't see Dalek).

The other episodes, all written by Davies, seemed uneven and confusing, veering erratically and unsuccessfully between silliness and suspense, and I found some of them frankly difficult to follow.

Still, it looks like there are fewer Davies-scripted episodes in the next series so things may improve.

[capybara]

Just saw the first three episodes last night, and never having before been a Dr Who fan (didn't watch it much growing up) I liked it a lot. A little less campy than the older ones, perhaps, but stillquirky and creative.

[Tuco]

Originally Posted by yojimbo

I can see potential problems with this from the moral majority if it's marketed the same way as the UK. Who is indeed a kids programme enjoyed by adults but it is focused on kids. The first new season included same sex kissing and very obvious references to bi-sexuality and cross species sex. Interesting to see how this is handled in the States.

I loved the first season and really enjoyed Tennant's first outing over xmas.

IIRC the Dr Who episodes were an hour long when shown in the UK, whereas when the BBC shows a US show that's an hour long (eg. Buffy) it's 45 minutes long without ads. So presumably the US version will get 25% taken out of each episode, that should be more than enough to make it US-friendly.

[Ximenean]

The Christmas special was 60 minutes, but the regular episodes are only 45 minutes, perhaps with sales to commercial broadcasters in mind. Or perhaps they just felt that was a good length.