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andrasteLess than a day to go in Britain, by my imprecise calculations, and only slightly longer in the magical kingdom of Downloadia. Squeal! Time to celebrate the incipient start of the season with some speculation.
First of all: spoil me for anything not in the trailers and die.
Smith and Jones
All anyone, including me, cares about with this one is meeting Martha. From the trailers, I think I'm going to like the new girl.
Bold Prediction: Solid rather than brilliant, much like Rose, but with positive signs for things to come.
The Shakespeare Code
Gareth Roberts has done some sterling work in Doctor Who books and comic strips over the years - he's got a great way with Four and Romana, and fans of Mickey Smith should not miss The Lodger. He's produced the odd clunker as well, but has certainly more than earned his shot at a TV episode.
Bold Prediction: I see an 80% chance of this being the first classic of the Martha Jones era.
Gridlock
One rumoured title for this one was Grimlock. I am kind of sorry they did not use this, even though I would have spent the whole time waiting for the transforming robot dinosaur to show up. Anyway, looking forward to cat people and everyone's favourite big giant head.
Bold Prediction: Not earth-shattering, but a fun episode with foreshadowing for the season finale.
Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks
Not sure about either of those titles - why not The Daleks Take Manhattan? Trailers make it looks spiffy, though, and I loved Ghost Machines. Looking forward to what they do with this.
Bold Prediction: Helen Raynor pulls off Daleks in New York with style and verve.
The Lazarus Experiment
Looks like an interesting premise, at least. Also, David Tennant in a tux is always win.
Bold Prediction: Um, no idea. The writer is an unknown quantity.
42
Oh, Great Maker, must we? With Chris Chibnall writing, this could be the first truly awful episode of New Who. And no, I don't think there were any in the first two seasons. I liked Boom Town and Love and Monsters and thought Fear Her was decent over all with a couple of awkward moments. The weak links for me so far have been The Long Game and The Idiot's Lantern, and those were just average, not terrible.
... but I digress. I have disliked Chris Chibnall's writing since I saw half an episode of Born and Bred, a program seemingly made from the pulped remains of a dozen other shows set in charming British villages. His work on Torchwood has done nothing to change my mind.
Bold Prediction: I'll be pleasantly surprised if it sucks less than Countrycide.
Human Nature/The Family of Blood
Have not read the book. However, it looks like it may be an adaptation of Goth Opera as well as Human Nature, which would thrill me. Even if we can't have the bit with Doctor's ex trying to turn him into her vampire king.
Bold Prediction: Could go either way. Scarecrows look good.
Blink
They seem determined not to tell us anything about this, apart from 'Steven Moffat'. And at this point, is there anything else we need to know?
Bold Prediction: Utter genius. But not as good as The Empty Child.
Utopia
All I have to say is: Jack! W00t!
Bold Prediction: I will not care how good or bad it is, because of Jack.
The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords
Awesome episode titles! Apparently this is where Mister Saxon, this year's Bad Wolf, shows up. Apparently somebody clever has worked out that 'Mister Saxon' is an anagram of 'Master no. Six', i.e. the sixth actor to have played the Master. This is the villain everyone is anticipating.
However, if you arrange those words slightly differently, it turns into 'No Master - Six'. Which immediately makes me wonder if Saxon is actually the Valeyard.
You might think this is an insane idea, given what a hopelessly fanwanky mess The Trial of a Time Lord turned out to be, but forget about all that. Nobody would have to mention the word 'Valeyard' or all that BS about his being from 'between the Doctor's twelfth and final incarnations'. For the story to work, Mr. Saxon would just have to be a future incarnation of the Doctor who had turned bad. (The reason 'no Master - Six' seems significant to me is obscure and fanwanky. In the New Adventures, the Valeyard is revealed to actually be the Doctor's Sixth incarnation, who went crazy after Seven killed him. Or, er, something. In any case, RTD knows his NAs better than I do.)
I mean, I'm still expecting Saxon to be the Master. Having had Daleks and Cybermen, his eventual appearance seems inevitable. Still, what if the Doctor really is the last of the Time Lords, against audience expectations? What if Jack did get into the Doctor's TARDIS, but it was the wrong Doctor? Now that would be a surprise end to the season.
Bold Prediction: Could be even better than Army of Ghosts. John Simm was fantastic in the trailer, whoever he was playing.
First of all: spoil me for anything not in the trailers and die.
Smith and Jones
All anyone, including me, cares about with this one is meeting Martha. From the trailers, I think I'm going to like the new girl.
Bold Prediction: Solid rather than brilliant, much like Rose, but with positive signs for things to come.
The Shakespeare Code
Gareth Roberts has done some sterling work in Doctor Who books and comic strips over the years - he's got a great way with Four and Romana, and fans of Mickey Smith should not miss The Lodger. He's produced the odd clunker as well, but has certainly more than earned his shot at a TV episode.
Bold Prediction: I see an 80% chance of this being the first classic of the Martha Jones era.
Gridlock
One rumoured title for this one was Grimlock. I am kind of sorry they did not use this, even though I would have spent the whole time waiting for the transforming robot dinosaur to show up. Anyway, looking forward to cat people and everyone's favourite big giant head.
Bold Prediction: Not earth-shattering, but a fun episode with foreshadowing for the season finale.
Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks
Not sure about either of those titles - why not The Daleks Take Manhattan? Trailers make it looks spiffy, though, and I loved Ghost Machines. Looking forward to what they do with this.
Bold Prediction: Helen Raynor pulls off Daleks in New York with style and verve.
The Lazarus Experiment
Looks like an interesting premise, at least. Also, David Tennant in a tux is always win.
Bold Prediction: Um, no idea. The writer is an unknown quantity.
42
Oh, Great Maker, must we? With Chris Chibnall writing, this could be the first truly awful episode of New Who. And no, I don't think there were any in the first two seasons. I liked Boom Town and Love and Monsters and thought Fear Her was decent over all with a couple of awkward moments. The weak links for me so far have been The Long Game and The Idiot's Lantern, and those were just average, not terrible.
... but I digress. I have disliked Chris Chibnall's writing since I saw half an episode of Born and Bred, a program seemingly made from the pulped remains of a dozen other shows set in charming British villages. His work on Torchwood has done nothing to change my mind.
Bold Prediction: I'll be pleasantly surprised if it sucks less than Countrycide.
Human Nature/The Family of Blood
Have not read the book. However, it looks like it may be an adaptation of Goth Opera as well as Human Nature, which would thrill me. Even if we can't have the bit with Doctor's ex trying to turn him into her vampire king.
Bold Prediction: Could go either way. Scarecrows look good.
Blink
They seem determined not to tell us anything about this, apart from 'Steven Moffat'. And at this point, is there anything else we need to know?
Bold Prediction: Utter genius. But not as good as The Empty Child.
Utopia
All I have to say is: Jack! W00t!
Bold Prediction: I will not care how good or bad it is, because of Jack.
The Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords
Awesome episode titles! Apparently this is where Mister Saxon, this year's Bad Wolf, shows up. Apparently somebody clever has worked out that 'Mister Saxon' is an anagram of 'Master no. Six', i.e. the sixth actor to have played the Master. This is the villain everyone is anticipating.
However, if you arrange those words slightly differently, it turns into 'No Master - Six'. Which immediately makes me wonder if Saxon is actually the Valeyard.
You might think this is an insane idea, given what a hopelessly fanwanky mess The Trial of a Time Lord turned out to be, but forget about all that. Nobody would have to mention the word 'Valeyard' or all that BS about his being from 'between the Doctor's twelfth and final incarnations'. For the story to work, Mr. Saxon would just have to be a future incarnation of the Doctor who had turned bad. (The reason 'no Master - Six' seems significant to me is obscure and fanwanky. In the New Adventures, the Valeyard is revealed to actually be the Doctor's Sixth incarnation, who went crazy after Seven killed him. Or, er, something. In any case, RTD knows his NAs better than I do.)
I mean, I'm still expecting Saxon to be the Master. Having had Daleks and Cybermen, his eventual appearance seems inevitable. Still, what if the Doctor really is the last of the Time Lords, against audience expectations? What if Jack did get into the Doctor's TARDIS, but it was the wrong Doctor? Now that would be a surprise end to the season.
Bold Prediction: Could be even better than Army of Ghosts. John Simm was fantastic in the trailer, whoever he was playing.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-03-31 07:45 pm (UTC)That was my reaction, too, watching the trailer. It wasn't like I wasn't spoiled for it, but I still shouted, "JACK!" at the computer screen.
(happy bounce)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-04-02 07:25 pm (UTC)