Postby drinian » Mon Apr 05, 2010 11:11 am
Wow, a new logo, a new title sequence, a new musical theme, a new head writer, a new companion, and of course a new Doctor -- we're getting as close to a total reboot as Doctor Who gets. I have to say I'm happy; Tennant was brilliant, but Russell T. Davies seemed to have monster-of-the-week tunnel vision and Steven Moffatt wrote some of the best episodes of the previous few series. As I understand it, he was one of the principal torch-bearers in the dark period between 1989 and 2005, editing Doctor Who Magazine and co-writing the Comic Relief special "The Curse of Fatal Death."
It seems we're getting a continuation of the joy and exuberance that Tennant brought to the role with Matt Smith so far, bordering on arrogance. I have to wonder if this season will see the humbling of the Time Lord in the same way Eccleston's season ended with his realization that he had become a monster of a warrior.
It's worth noting that Matt Smith would be the first Doctor young enough to have mostly grown up in the period when Doctor Who was off the air, and yet I feel like this incarnation is at least as true to the original as the past few. Still, no crochety old men in scarecrow suits this time (sadly enough?). He seems to be pulling off the role of a 900-year-old quite well.
And did I spot Vincent van Gogh in the previews? I suppose that might be one of this year's historical episodes. I would really, really, really like to see some more multipart stories with depth beyond what they can do in a frenetic fifty minutes. This series' music and design, so far, remind me of a 1940s adventure serial, or Indiana Jones.
In any case, the new outfit makes me think that I might be on the lookout for some tweeds before this year's Otakon... I like it.
Also, just saw this link on Slashdot to a classic bit from the Tom Baker serial "The City of Death," with John Cleese making a cameo. Must get back to the old series at some point. (Tom Baker's autobiography is a rollicking good read, by the way, even if he glosses over how he basically abandoned his first wife).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7VglzL_NZE