US Sci-Fi Channel to air new Doctor Who

[lfcrule1972]

If you're a really good boy digi maybe the Galatica fairy's will bring you a copy....

[spinningwheel]

Galatica fairy's

 

 

Well, so much for 'Don't ask...don't tell' then isn't it lfc???

[dbminter]

Now, did me ears deceive me or did the Doctor introduce himself as Dr. James McCrimmon at the start of Tooth And Claw!?

[digidragon]

No, they didn't, and yes, he did.

 

And, BTW, db, don't go posting any BSG spoilers. Especially the one about Starbuck being a cylon. Oops...

[dbminter]

Nope. But, here's a BIG spoiler... Starbuck's a WOMAN in this new series!

 

 

About real Starbuck spoilers there's only one in the premiere... and, it's a revelation that I saw coming about a year and a half ago. If one just keeps their eyes open and remembers past plot points.

 

 

HA! I loved it! The Doctor introducing himself as a former companion! Sweet! And one that, plus, had had his mind supposedly wiped of his time with the Doctor to boot!

[jack]

I got the Horror of Fang Rock in the post this week, missed that one when it was aired first time round and had only ever read the paperback. I loved it! The Rutan was a great creature. Now am I right in thinking that was the only story that featured the Rutans? I know they were mentioned by the Sontarans on more than one occasion but I cant remember them ever appearing again.

[dbminter]

I had a similar experience with The Horror Of Fang Rock. When it first aired on my local PBS affiliate, I was very sick over that weekend and fell asleep before it aired. So, I had to catch it on its rerun about 2 years later.

 

 

Horror is the only official appearance of the Rutan. As you mention, they are referenced in, at least, The Sontaran Experiment, coming soon to DVD, if not out in R2 already. Big Finish has used them for Benny Summerfield, and they did appear in the Sontaran direct to video adventure, Shakedown. Plus, many other assorted appearances, mostly in novels.

 

 

I always thought it funny that the Rutan resembled a lime sourball that had been dropped on the floor after partially licking it.

 

 

I love Terrance Dicks talking about how green is always the choice of Doctor Who monster color in (More Than) Thirty Years In The TARDIS. "Green! Green! Why is it that the common color of most of the monsters is always green?!"

[jack]

Weird! the Sontaran experiment is out tomorrow! //www.bbcshop.com

[dbminter]

Well, I do keep up to date with the official Who site. I check it at least once a month, on the 2nd.

[jack]

And theres me thinking you were looking into the future!! I was going to ask you how long it will be untill Billie Piper agrees to marry me!! =))

[dbminter]

No, that happens in a parallel universe called D. Leusion. And, as the Doctor said, entering parallel universes is a one way trip... unless it's convenient for Jon Pertwee to do it.

[dbminter]

I just now realized. The Cybermen just turned 40 years old! They'd better start replacing the parts by now, I suppose.

 

 

Which also means that we are approaching the 40th anniversary (the 29th) of a Doctor Who staple: the infamous regeneration. With a Doctor rapidly running out of regenerations himself.

[lfcrule1972]

How many regenerations are they allowed then db ?

[dbminter]

Well, it had been established that Time Lords had 12 regenerations. But, the Master was able to circumvent it, so, the Doctor will, too, if he is popular enough. Plus, it is not entirely established if the Doctor is telling the truth or not. If Hartnell was the First, as the flashbacks from The Brain Of Morbius seem to indicate other regenerations before that one.

 

 

Which I've always found it interesting about the First Doctor. How did he manage to live to be so old if he's regenerating every few years?

[lfcrule1972]

Perhaps he liked that regeneration and stuck with it for 40 years !!

[jack]

The age thing is an oddity, in Tomb of the Cybermen the Dr states that he is 400 years old or something like that and the current Dr has stated his age to be around 900 years old. Not 100% sure of these figures but they are roughly right, but when you have a long hard look at the length of time companions stayed with the Dr and the way they have overlapped with each other you can say that the Dr must have done a hell of a lot of years in the rare occasions he has travvelled on his own. He could have gained a few years during the Pertwee era by sneaking off while Jo and the unit gang were asleep and staying away for a few years and then returning the next morning, if you get what I mean. Obviously, we have no idea how many years the Eccleston or McGann Dr's travelled on their own for, so that could account for a few years there.

 

In the Five Doctors the time lords offer the master a whole new regenration cycle in return for his help, so this suggests that regenration is something that is bestowed on a Time Lord rather than something that is natural to them. I read somewhere that the Time Lords are chosen from the ordinary Gallifrey population and when they graduate from the academy they are given a Tardis and a regenration cycle, but i'm damned if I can remember where I read this or wether it was official or not.

 

Please feel free to contradict me as I really arent sure of my facts here.

[dbminter]

Yes, the Doctor has stated he's 400, 750, and over 900 years old, depending on the writer.

 

 

The Master thing in Five Doctors is a valid point. However, it could also be written off as just something that CAN be done but necessarily isn't. e.g. a sort of "for the rich only" status. Hence, only the President and the higher ups can offer access to the technology. Although, it seems to be relatively to easy to get, since the Master, himself, gave himself a new regeneration without anyone's aid.

[jack]

Was that a regeneration? I thought he just pinched Tremas' body and moved his "Spirit" into it. His plan was to use the power of the keeper to merge with the Doctors body, but when that didnt work he just grabbed the nearest availble one. Maybe the twelve regenerations limit was something imposed by the Time Lords, now there arent here anymore the Doctor can go merrily on his way regenarating with nobody to stop him

 

Now, I have it in my head that during the Deadly Assasin someone refers to Sheboogans which is the lowest class of Gallifreyan, but they arent time lords. This makes me think that the ordinary people can be "promoted" to Time Lord status and thus become able to regenerate. The Sheboogans are the lowest of the low, criminals and hooligans so they wouldnt be able to acheieve higher status but maybe others would.

 

 

Ha! Found it! I knew i'd read this somewhere

 

 

The families of High Gallifrey are split into a number of Chapters. The origin of these Chapters is shrouded in mystery, and may have grown from workers' guilds or unions, or perhaps from family groupings. Currently there are a large number of these Chapters, though only three, the Prydonians, the Archalians, and the Patrexes, are of any real political significance. Of the three, the Prydonian Chapter is both the largest and the most influential. It has given rise to more Presidents than all of the other Chapters combined, and a very high number of the the politicians and movers of Time Lord society are from this Chapter.

There are other, more plebeian, classes of society, but theses are not Time Lords. They are the common folk of Gallifrey, the lowest of whom are known as the Sheboogans--considered lazy, feckless, and often criminal. Naturally, the Time Lords have as little contact as possible with these members of society, and are not terribly interested in the way that those beings run or organize their lives.

 

Time Lord Politics.

 

Mind you, could all be complete bollocks!!

[spinningwheel]

Mind you, could all be complete bollocks

 

Could be???COULD BE????

[dbminter]

Bollocks Of The Daleks - Episode 1! Well, the do have all those balls on their bases.

[lfcrule1972]

I haven't seen that episode db - perhaps it's in the new Torchwood episode this Sunday ?

 

Just heard on the radio that the new Torchwood has "fuck" in it twice in the early minutes and more gore - can't wait. That said our 5 year old may be a little shocked !!

[digidragon]

According to one reviewer, "Torchwood wears its 'grown up' heart on its sleeve, with a piss, a bugger, a fuck and a bollocks all in the first 10 minutes, while the second episode features a sexually voracious alien parasite."

 

And nearly all the reviews I've seen are really positive

[dbminter]

I never realized it when I made that comment! It would be perfect Torchwood fodder!

 

 

Here in the US, Cartoon Network's Adult Swim kind of plays loose with the words. One week on Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex - 2nd Gig (I swear, that show must hold the record for longest title.) Batou says, "SHIT!" completely unbleeped when a suicide bomber detonates himself inside their helicopter. The next week, he's bleeped for saying the same word... but, to make up for it, the next week, he's allowed to say it TWICE in the same episode! Of course, this is the same network that allowed him to say prick last year! And then again in this year's finale. You know you're dealing with a finely tuned mind who gets to say things like, "Hey, you're that prick!"

[dbminter]

One thing I see Torchwood working well with, IF they go route, is to remember the origins they set up for it. To give the series a sort of version of Daleks for themselves. A main enemy to fight, but, not to make every episode about them. And, that would be to remember the werewolf strain that has infected the Royal Family. So, have the odd outbreak of Lycans here and there to have to mop up.

 

 

Otherwise, I have to be honest, I don't really see that much reason for the series beyond shock value, purient content, etc. Of course, I haven't seen an episode yet so, I can't comment on the final product. But, what they've said about Torchwood over the year has me a bt worried about how the product could go.

 

 

I am intrigued by this idea, though, of a kiddie's series for K-9 and Sarah. Pit K-9 against the Daleks!

[dbminter]

Wow, this was a surprise!

 

 

The #5 request for the Funny Five countdown on this week's Doctor Demento Show: Doctorin' The TARDIS by The Time Lords!