I guess we’ll see how many posts this gets until we decide one whether or not to do a weekly thread, but this is the discussion thread for Doctor Who Series 8 (34) Episode 1, the first one with the new Doctor!
The rule is:
Boxed spoilers until it finishes airing on the US West Cost (Sorry Alaska/Hawaii). This is at 2AM August 24 UTC. Here’s a countdown to that time. Open spoilers after that.
Anyway
Dinosaurs.
What time does it begin airing in England?
8PM UTC+1, so 7PM UTC. (Actually, it’s 7:50, but close enough)
Here is a neat story how the BBC went and used a fan’s version of the credits for series 8. They have beefed them up, but used his idea. I assume they updated the graphics, added new music, etc. But the idea was his and they used it.
Here is the fan’s original video.
It’s simul-screening here in Australia at the same time as it does in the UK, which is around 4:50am AEDT.
Does anyone know if Amazon (or anyone else) will have the episodes available as they come? Or do I have to wait til the whole season is finished?
I think iTunes usually releases them as they come if you get the Season Pass, but it may take a day or two for them to pop up.
In the last couple years I’ve bought the season pass from Amazon, and the episodes are usually up by the next day.
Well twenty odd minutes until it airs, all set up here to watch it on BBC 1 HD, deep joy.
Although Capaldi has said the Doctor will have no Martin Tucker characteristics I would love to see one really dark and venomous stare from the Time Lord, roll on 19.50.
Peter.
I’ve seen 4 episodes and I think you will be very pleased with Capaldi.
After a slightly wobbly starting sequence, I thought that was pretty damned good. There’s a noticeable shift in tone, pacing and even soundtrack from before. Capaldi nails it, and Jenna Coleman gets more to do in this than in half the previous season. I’m pleased.
Well I’ve just seen his first and he’s a curious character.
Some of his best written lines, with no spoilers:
when talking to a tramp about his appearance ‘I never know where the faces come from, they just pop up.’
And later in the same conversation 'I’m Scottish, I’m Scottish, I can complain, I can reallycomplain about things’
Lovely line from Madame Vastra: ‘The game is afoot and w’re going to need a lot of Tea.’
Sorry if the formatting is awry, more of a WYSIWYG kind of person.
The Audio levels were unusual, I’m an ex BBC Post Production sound person and I was riding the volume control, odd.
There are a couple of instances of the fire of Capaldi, aka Malcolm Tucker, no cosy Doctor methinks. perhaps more of the really alien aspects of Hartnell or Baker.
Very good, smart, contained, densely layered script, orchestration was wonderful apart from the fact that classically trained musicians shouldn’t try and do ‘poppy’ stuff.
9.3/10.
Peter
I really didn’t enjoy that episode. I really don’t like the ‘crazy’.
I noticed that too. I usually attribute that to not having a 5.1 setup in my current living situation, but I’m not sure if that’s likely.
I liked it. I think everything felt right, with enough new stuff to be a definite change, and enough familiar stuff to be the same show. I am optimistic that lessons have been learned from the previous season.
Guanolad, I was watching an HD signal with Audio set up for a simple stereo, discrete speakers, plenty of speaker separation and no post processing/compression etc.
I know a few, I left some years ago, of the people involved in post production sound and at times this was bordering on the inaudible/unintelligible.
In previous days we would always replay the final broadcast mix either through a commercial TV or through near-field speakers on the sound desk itself to check compatibility, problem being of course that everyone in the Dubbing Theatre knew the script and musical score backwards. Add to that the slight paranoia about letting a fresh pair of ears listen to a final mix and watching a final cut revealing the story.
Never happened in my day, not!
Peter
I had to do the same at several points. How odd. At least the score never threatened to drown out dialogue, as has happened quite a lot since the revival.
I’m afraid it’s the classic ‘not ‘seeing’ the trees for the woods’ type thing.
Spend enough time working on a programme and you’ve heard all the rushes’ (raw Audio from location), so many times that you subconsciously replace the inaudible with your memories.
Add post production sound effects, dialogue replacement and music…
Then add a 5:1 sound mix and let the fun begin.
Me, I long for the days when we transmitted in simple stereo and always checked for mono compatability.
Rant over, going back to my TARDIS.
Peter, Underhill not Capaldi Ha.
Oh and should have added that most TV Reviewers in Print and online will have an expensive and up to date Audio set up, anyone remember Grandpa Simpson having his dentures explode in the Simsons during a Dolby THX presentation?
Peter
And she gets better in forthcoming episodes. I feel bad now that she is leaving.
Did all four of the potentially-leaked, unfinished, episodes eventually turn up then? Your post is a bit spoilery here too.