Saturday 31 August 2013

Christopher Eccleston

Because his name definitely does not have an e at the end.

I've wanted to do a blog post on Christopher Eccleston for a while. I was going to write one about his lack of appearance in audios and so on, but instead I'm going to incorporate that into this, which will be a general overlook of his Era and my thoughts.

Christopher Eccleston is my Doctor. Yes, I have had the fortune of being a fan from 2005 meaning that I've had three - now four, and possibly four and a half/five if we count John Hurt - Doctors so far. But I'm only a fan because of Christopher Eccleston, Billie Piper and Russell T Davies.

I don't watch modern Doctor Who that much at all - and when I do, I don't normally watch a Ninth Doctor episode. Part of that is possibly because subconsciously, I want to protect his era. In my mind, I consider it as the best series so far - and though I know that opinion won't change, perhaps I still want to keep it as special.

I'm such a fan of "Series One" because it is superb. Yes, there are weaknesses. There's the Slitheen. But I used to be a huge fan of those episodes, and so I can't say I dislike them at all. Boom Town - it's set in Cardiff Bay, which I love, so there are elements of each episode that I adore. Rose is one of my favourite episodes EVER, as are The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances. All of these are held together by the consistently fantastic performance from Christopher Eccleston. He is amazing.

I constantly go on and on, in these blogs and probably life, about how Doctor Who should be a drama. Not a kids show, not a sci fi show, but a proper drama, with emotion and strong character. Oh and in Doctor Who's case - aliens. Series One fulfills this, and the casting of Christopher Eccleston allows it to be a drama. He and Billie Piper act superbly together, and it is their show. That's right, Mr Moffat, Series One wasn't just Rose's show - it was the Ninth Doctor's too.

The best thing about Christopher Eccleston, despite meaning we get only thirteen appearances from him, is that he only did one series. Because if he did two, he would've been sucked into the beginning of complacency and soap storylines that started around the time. Maybe Series Two would have been better if he stayed - because maybe RTD and the other writers would've kept to the more serious side. David Tennant's casting perhaps gave them the opportunity to make it more soap like. But there is a sense of complacency in Series Two, a sense that some of the episodes haven't had the effort put into them that all of Series One had. It's good that Christopher Eccleston was superb and in a superb and consistently great series. He's free from the more relaxed writing that appears - and the drama remains good.

There's also a sense of mystery around Eccleston. Think if Tom Baker had left before he started to get a bit rubbish, it's like that. There's a mystery about Baker as a man and in his performance - and the Ninth Doctor is the same. He's not the same as the other Doctors - he's distant, he's interesting to watch, and he gives the show credibility. Eccleston also gives himself and his Doctor mystery - and I don't think anyone, except the writers of Series One episodes, have got him right. I remember the novel The Deviant Strain being quite accurate, and I plan to finish that one day, but apart from that, Eccleston remains a mystery. Because his performance is so serious and drama is there, no one can get an accurate impression of him.

And thank God, that means that no Figure Adventure maker or Fan Film maker can ruin him - because they don't get him right in the first place. No one can, and this protects his performance.

 So I say that Christopher Eccleston's one series is the best of modern Who, it relaunched the series wonderfully, treated it properly and as a drama, and enabled a real sense of mystery. Eccleston's era remains safe and protected from other influences like audios. He has only six (is it six?) novels to his name, and a handful of comic strips.. 19ish adventures, and this Destiny of the Doctor audio that's coming. That's it. And that's perfect.

Because Eccleston is the closest Doctor to Hartnell that the show has ever got.


Tuesday 20 August 2013

The Daemons | A Personal Reaction

I was going to do this as a video review, but there were a few thoughts I needed to write down sooner, rather than waiting then speaking for thirty minutes, boring everyone.

So instead I'm boring you with text! The Daemons is a very famous Doctor Who story. One of the first promotional pictures for the classic series is the Doctor and Jo with Bok in front of them. I'm not sure if I've ever had that picture on my wall, but I remember looking at it a lot when I was younger and first getting into Who. Wondering what Bok did, more than what the story was like. Bok and the Master in his red dress are key images of the story - they're in every classic Doctor Who fan's memory of the show. Unfortunately - that doesn't mean that the episode they come from is very good.

I realise lots of people love it. I desperately wanted to love it (just as I did with The Ambassadors of Death, except that was wonderful). It was voted 32nd place in The Mighty 200 - which isn't bad at all. The highest Pertwee was Inferno at 30th (what were these people thinking?! Ambassadors and Spearhead need to be much higher!). But generally, The Daemons is considered one of the best.

I'm sorry everyone - but it isn't.

It is a great idea, and the idea of using black magic and the devil is really good. The country village looks perfect, the evil May Day dancers are a weird and quite good idea, the dodgy Vicar is a good idea. The relationship between everyone in UNIT. Everything about this story should work, and it should be amazing. Unfortunately - you then watch it. Considering it's a Barry Letts/Robert Sloman piece and considering I've waited years to see this - I am gutted that I didn't enjoy it that much.

Maybe it had too much to live up to. But so did Ambassadors (since that was another one I'd waited ages to see, and it's another Pertwee, there may be a lot of comparisons). Ambassadors succeeded - The Daemons did not. There's a novel called Grave Matter by Justin Richards, and that seems to bounce off the features present in The Daemons. Grave Matter is better. I once wrote a story loosely inspired by Grave Matter, and featuring the Master as a Vicar. Again - The Daemons was something I was very aware of - but I enjoyed my own story more. So perhaps there is the element that The Daemons could never beat what I thought it would be like.

If we look at the story itself though, there are other reasons why it doesn't work for me. The direction is good, that's not a problem, but I'm not sure if the problem is the script or the performances. I'm going with the script.

It was written for the actors, yes - but it was definitely not written for the characters. The Doctor and Jo are NOT like that in stories like The Claws of Axos, or even Terror of the Autons. The Doctor just bosses her about and treats her like dirt - and yes he's authoritarian in the others, but he always listens to her. He always takes her side, he always treats her as if she is an equal. In The Daemons, he just puts her down at every opportunity - and it really annoys me. That doesn't reflect Jon Pertwee and Katy Manning OR The Doctor and Jo, so I've no idea where Letts and Sloman picked that up from. As a result of the fairly poor writing between the two, it makes it feel like Jo is holding the Doctor back, something I've never felt for a companion who previously I've really loved.

Mike Yates has never been a favourite character of mine (I think I've always seen him as just getting in the way of Benton, who was my favourite), and although he's written strongly, I still haven't fallen in love with the UNIT set up. This story would not be a good one to show to a new Doctor Who fan, as it feels wrong for the rest of the era, strangely.

The Brigadier is brilliant as always - and it's such a shame to see him sidelined behind a heat barrier! Worse than that - he's stuck there for THE WHOLE STORY, pretty much. The WHOLE STORY, in a VAN. (Excuse the capitals.) He's not even there with anyone intelligent, but he's stuck there with Osgood, who does nothing except pad the episode out so it lasts 25 minutes. The Doctor's constant explanations to him make the episode seem longer and boring - when we could be back at the action.

Unfortunately - there's not much of that. The action happens every now and then, as it does in every Pertwee story. Except normally, it has a purpose, or it is generally "how the hell did they get away with that?". In The Daemons, they blow up a few trucks. The helicopter/motorbike/Bessie scene is very exciting I'll admit - but it still feels a bit pointless. The whole of Part Two of Planet of the Spiders, which is just action sequences, is thrilling - action in The Daemons is not. There, sadly, seems to be no passion or point behind it.

This story could very easily be a modern, 45 minute story. That way, the story wouldn't be stretched out. Because there's only one plot in The Daemons, there aren't layers like are present in Ambassadors (sorry, did it again). The Doctor knows what's wrong from the very beginning - and we don't see it until the start of Part Five. We get an explanation (albeit a very intelligent one in Part Three) but that's it, there's no pay off and the drama that promises isn't lived up to. There's not some great Doctor/Master debate about who Azal should listen to - it's just a bit of a quick shouting match. Though it's good they don't meet til Part Five for once.

But the lack of story in The Daemons means it would fit 45 minutes - plus the "saving the day with love" ending would fit in perfectly with what we've become accustomed to in modern Doctor Who. It's reassuring that no one else thinks it fits in The Daemons either. Because it's wrong - though not as annoying as some of the other issues I have, and it is touching.

For once I've mentioned all the problems I have with a story. The only other issues I have are the constant talk of science, and the Master. This story tries to do black magic - but right from the first (comic strip, stupid) scene with the Doctor controlling Bessie with science, it's lost the battle. Because every bit of magic is constantly undermined - so the concept of black magic isn't allowed to take off. It's purely there so the Third Doctor can show off and say how important science is. He's an exaggerated character in this, which is a shame, because I love the Third Doctor normaly.

The Master just annoys me anyway, as he completely ruins any type of story as it tells the audience how similar all these 'stranded on Earth' stories are.

Barry Letts and Terrence Dicks (who also dislikes the ending - woo!) hated exiling the Doctor to Earth and desperately tried to make it different. Unfortunately, they fell into all the traps possible, and the stories in their seasons for me, aren't as interesting as those in Pertwee's first. Season Seven knows the format, and just says "what the hell" with it, trying everything. The Letts/Dicks seasons try to resist it, but end up treading the same water.

This review (rant) has probably sounded so angry/annoyed because I'm so disappointed. I wanted to love it, and I don't know. I'm glad a lot of fans love The Daemons - but for me it's doesn't live up to all those excellent story features it has. There are other good points about it, of course there are, every Doctor Who story has good points. The Daemons isn't the worst of them at all - basically, it is a good story.

The trick is though - it just isn't a good story for me.

Saturday 17 August 2013

Are You My Mummy? The TV Movie

The TV Movie is one of my favourite episodes, even if not one of the best episodes overall. I can appreciate how different it is and so on - Mum is more likely to judge it based on "proper" Doctor Who. And that's the excuses made - and I promise you that there is no offence intended. Enjoy.

It begins.

James: How much of this have you seen?
Mum: Probably most of it in bits.

Mum: When is this supposed to have taken place? After Sylvester McCoy

Mum: Ok questions: Is this canon?

I laugh.

James: Absolutely 100% this is canon.
Mum: But did the BBC make it?
James: Yes – and no.
Mum: Right..
James: I'll explain later. Just marvel at how wonderful the title sequence. This is the first time they used words.
Mum: Really? I never noticed that before, I just assumed they always had words in it.

The Title Sequence finishes.

Mum: That's wrong.
James: What is?
Mum: Time Lords don't have 13 lives any more.

Get used to that topic over the next two blogs...

Mum: Is this Sylvester McCoy's TARDIS?
James: Kind of.

Sylvester McCoy is shown.

Mum: Oh!
James: Did you not see his name in the title sequence?
Mum: No I was watching the pictures.

The Casket shakes about a bit.

Mum: He's not that dead yet. So what's supposed to have happened to him now the Master has used his 13 lives – is it ashes in there?
James: Um, you'll find out what's in there.
Mum: So it's kind of a collaboration because McCoy's in it. Who's about to turn into Paul McGann.

Some sitting down.

Mum: I like the console.

The Master breaks out.

Mum: Ugh, it's a silver streak.

McCoy dances round the console to some awesome (and sadly unnoticed by mum) music.

Mum: That's interesting, he's got a telly like Matt Smith. They just all copy each other don't they, really?
James: Yeah pretty much.

San Francisco - 1999

Mum: I know it goes into the year 2000 with this?
James: Pretty much yeah.
Mum: And he (Chang Lee) helps him?
James: Yeah.

There's some running...



Mum: I think it would have been a better movie with SM in it.

James: An interesting opinion.

There's some guys with guns...

Mum: All those machine guns going off and they miss him.

The wind starts.

Mum: Something bad's going to happen to him. Oh the TARDIS is landing! That's not a proper landing noise. Oh yes it is. Oh he's landed inside the TARDIS.

He steps out of the TARDIS.

Mum: Oh he's not regenerated yet then.

He's shot.

Mum: Oh now he is.

Chang Lee emerges.

James: When he regenerates, see if you can tell me what killed him.
Mum: So the bullets didn't kill him.
James: Maybe they did.
Mum: But he's got two hearts so a bullet wouldn't kill him.

The ambulance.

Mum: That's how he got John Smith – that's now how he got his name though is it?
James: Nope.
Mum: Clearly McGann is counted as canon 'cos he goes to conventions.
James: Yeah he is definitely canon.

The Master rattles around the ambulance.

Mum: What is he – a snake? It's clearly the Master moving round.

The bullets are extracted. And it's a double exposure, Curtis.

Mum: So the bullet clearly didn't kill him cos it's in his arm.It's interesting how the Doctors regenerate over something really minor. I mean the amount of times DT got zapped by something and still didn't change. The closest he got was being hit by a Dalek and even that didn't kill him.

I should point out she is a big David Tennant fan.

Grace runs down the hospital in her dress, Mum laughs.

Mum: It's not very DW-y is it?
James: What makes you say that?
Mum: It's American-ised.

I have vague memories of Mum watching the death scene before – so this should be interesting...

Mum: Why she going to open him?
James: Cos his heart's going mad. She's a cardiologist.
Mum: Yeah..

I point out Grace explaining it.

Mum: But that's not good cos it's got two hearts. That would probably kill him. He's clearly not asleep, she can't cut him open! Why is she even trying?
James: Well he is now.

Mum's silent throughout the death scene.

Mum: That's a bit dramatic... He's clearly not dead.

It all calms down.

Mum: Yeah they couldn't show that in an episode.
Grace: This is no double exposure.
Mum: I was trying to tell you that.

Grace and her doctor argue.

James: You've gone very quiet.
Mum: Yeah it's a bit boring this bit. It's a bit like watching a Superman episode.
James: It'll get better when McGann turns up.
Mum: It's just a bit unrealistic...

I won't go there.

Mum: That snake's getting bigger.

Sylvester McCoy is wheeled in to meet possibly the worst double act since Hale & Pace in Survival.

Mum: Clearly he's going to regenerate. Is it cos they got the probe stuck inside him? Right now they've stuck him in a freezer.

Sleep tight.

Mum: It's hard to say what they picked to cause him to regenerate.

Bruce eats a snake.

Mum: They wouldn't get away with this now.
James: I remember when I first watched it I thought this isn't Doctor Who!

The regeneration scene begins. Once Mum's finished laughing at the Frankenstein bit she says:

Mum: This has been done before, I can't remember where. He's gonna knock on the freezer door and the guard person's gonna turn round.

And then this happens. We spend the actual regeneration debating lightning.

Mum: Why is there lightning?
James: It's not in the freezer
Mum: But he's in the freezer!
James: But the lightning is part of his regeneration!
Mum: But why would there be lightning?
James: Why is there lightning in the time vortex?
Mum: But that isn't a regeneration! What was that! Well that was rubbish.
James: This next bit's good.

He takes his first breath.

Mum: At least they've got the energy stuff.

I'm not gonna even bother explaining it.

Mum spends the next few scenes sighing and moaning about how the regeneration was a bit rubbish. I like it. But she doesn't. And she sighs as the man faints. Which I agree with.

Then the Doctor enters a wrecked area of the hospital:

Mum: Why is this even in the hospital? Why would there be broken pipes and mirrors?
James: Yeah I've never quite got that.

WHO. AM. I?

Mum: Oh now he's Jesus.

And then she says...

Mum: Are you sure he's considered canon?

I laugh. And cry inside. She really doesn't like this.

The Master's wife wakes up.

James: You're not gonna like this bit either.
Mum: *sigh

We talk about the thirteen lives aspect. Well, shout probably.

Mum: This film is redundant now – they've got rid of the thirteen lives.
James: No they haven't!
Mum: I've read it somewhere the other day – Moffat said 'oh we got rid of that/that doesn't count any more'

I didn't reply.

The Doctor goes wandering.

Mum: You'd think he'd take the tag off his foot. Oh he's just remembering who it is.

Mum “zones out” as Grace and her doctor talk. I'm with her on that to be honest.

Mum: She's not gonna find him, why would she want to find him?

The Doctor is reunited with Grace – and she's still quiet.. Except for when he removes the probe.

Mum: Bit graphic. No need.

The Master arrives.

Mum: Why does he know to look at the hospital?
James: Do you not know who he is?
Mum: No..
James: He brought Sylvester McCoy in in the ambulance.

The Master talks for a bit.

Mum: I don't like him.
James: I think that's the point.

A bit later...

James: So what do you think of PM so far?
Mum: Not a lot.

We'll wait 'til she gets to the shoe scene.

Mum: Should she not at this point apologise for having killed him?
Me: Yes...

Yet another thirteen lives discussion.

Doctor: I have thirteen lives.
James: Ooh tetchy subject that.
Mum: It's redundant!
Me: When they made this in 1996, it was was the truth and that's what they have to go on!
Mum: How does he predict her future? He can't read minds.

Chang Lee heads to the TARDIS.

Mum: Shall I give you an official verdict?
James: No you're watching the whole thing.
Mum: See just cos he has the TARDIS key – it wouldn't let him in. Ooh let's do the walk round the TARDIS bit – that hasn't changed. Did they build their own TARDIS?
James: Obviously.
Mum: Can I give my verdict yet – how did he [the Master] get in? “Oh I know I'll go to the TARDIS and that's where the young boy comes in 'cos he'll have a key.”

And a bit later..

Mum: Double official verdict.
James: Go on.
Mum: This is officially – rubbish. Sorry to be so blunt.
James: I really like it. To think you prefer Time and the Rani to this! For a lot of fans, it's the quirkiness they like.
Mum: No – this is not Doctor Who. They've stolen the TARDIS.

I try and explain it was a BBC/Fox co-production.

Mum: Well Fox paid the BBC a lot of money to let them do what they want.

I give up as McGann reveals his shoe's fit perfectly. Mum's not impressed. I'm laughing at this now but at the time it was fairly torturous. It's ok - our next blog is better, it has Tom Baker.

James: Just ignore everything else and focus on McGann.

The Master and Lee talk.

Mum: Why didn't he kill him?
James: Because he needs him. Listen.
Mum: How did the Master get in?
James: How did John Simm get into David Tennant's TARDIS?
Mum: Um..
James: Your argument is invalid.
Mum: I need to watch that – there must be a way!

There isn't. I hope.

Mum: This is an awesome inside of a TARDIS – I'll give you that. Good imagination. 'Cos the set's awesome – nothing else is. Was this film popular when it came out?
Me: In Britain yes.

Ooh the kiss.

Mum: So why do you not object to that?
James: Cos they do it – and they've not been 'will they/won't they'-ing for thirteen episodes.

Master: The Doctor is half-human.
Mum: What?
James: We won't talk about that.
Mum: Why? Suddenly he's half human.

Another debate happens – and I explain that most fans just ignore the half human thing. Mum is NOT impressed.

The Doctor rushes after Grace.

Mum: And he can walk through windows – I remember this bit.
James: Yes but you have to watch it to understand that.

I refuse to answer any more questions for now.

Mum: I'm trying to form my opinion on the Doctor. He's not canon.

It carries on...

Mum: It's clearly not canon! I don't think people should consider him as canon!
James: But he is!

I can't stop laughing at this.

Mum: It should go Sylvester McCoy -
James: John Hurt?
Mum: Not John Hurt! It should go Sylvester McCoy then CE.

Mum: They've turned the Master into a comic book hero – write that down! He's like Spider-Man!
James: But John Simm's Doctor blasted energy out of his hands! Let's not discuss the Master.

Mum sighs during the confrontation with the Police Officer. Is everyone else feeling as depressed reading this as I am writing it?

Mum: Doctor on a Motorbike.
James: He used to drive a classic car..

She's not even enjoying the chase! I'm seriously struggling with this.

Mum: This is painful.
James: Yes it is.
Mum: Well you wanted to watch it. I'm sorry but this is not canon.

She probably said more than that but it just blurs into “canon” and “not”.

Mum: So Sylvester McCoy goes into the Time War and regenerate into CE. He can't be real.

Oh dear.

Mum: Why couldn't they have made a new series with McGann in?
James: Exactly!

He repeats his half human thing – we won't discuss it again.

Mum: The running round and the hitting the alarm's a bit Doctor-ish.

Hooray!

Mum: That's the first time it's looked like Doctor Who.

I'm just dreading her thoughts on the ending.. Mum picks up that you can't go back on your timeline and I explain that that and the half human thing are the only 'errors'.

Mum: That's two massive holes in it! And you regard this as canon!

The Master drezzzes for the occasion – and Mum doesn't complain at the campness, rather surprisingly.

Mum: Is that the cloak you got very excited about?

I saw the Master's cloak at the Doctor Who Experience and got very excited. Very.

Mum: So they put his coat in the Experience so it must count.

I cannot believe she STILL thinks this isn't canon!

The Master kills Chang Lee.

Mum: Eugh!
James: The Doctor does that to someone in The Seeds of Doom.

Ok so that's mostly true, ish. A few more comments about the TARDIS refusing to open the Eye.

She compares the Master's face flashing to everyone changing into him in The End of Time.

The world ends. Then doesn't end. The Master falls into the Eye of Harmony.

James: Is it canon yet?
Mum:... No. Though that bit was quite Doctor-ish.

Mum: You can't go back and save her because – you can't go back.

Yeah I think that'll happen anyway.

Mum: Otherwise he'd have saved a lot of people.
James: Except Adric.
Mum: Well. Aw the TARDIS is bringing them back to life for him.

The Doctor hits the TARDIS.

James: Wasn't that nice?
Mum: There are nice touches but that doesn't make it the real thing. Just cos it's got a few nods does not make it canon.

Ah dear. The episode rounds off with the Doctor and Grace kissing. Which, contrary to Mum's belief, I don't have a problem with.

The episode ends.

Mum: Do you want the score?
James: No.
Mum: 3/10 for effort. No way should that be considered canon. Harsh but true. McGann could have developed if they'd have given him a proper series and not stuck him in some “parody”.

Next time she wants to watch a nice “classic, canon” episode.

I'm exhausted.

The good news is... We've watched The Deadly Assassin! And it will be up very soon indeed! And it's not too negative either. So all's good.

Thursday 15 August 2013

Psycho (1960) Review

I first learnt about Psycho in Year 8, in a Music lesson.

When looking at how music changed a scene, we were shown the shower scene of the film - and we watched it a few times and made notes. Then I kind of forgot about it, until I saw the trailer for the film Hitchcock, something which I now want to see all of. Since that trailer, the film's been in the back of my mind. On the shelves of HMV whispering "buy me".

So I bought it. And it's great.

Hitchcock was the "master of suspense", and Psycho certainly delivers that. I don't watch many 'horror' films, in fact any, and while Psycho isn't really the type of horror you find today - it's unnerving. The ability to unnerve the audience is much more powerful. The one thing everyone knows about Psycho is the shower scene - and I knew that happened fairly early on. Happening just before the half way mark, it really does change proceedings and twist things around.

But it leaves the question - what's the film about?

Because up until that point, or ten minutes before where the Bates Motel is introduced, the story has no purpose. It's simply about Marion stealing some money for her boyfriend but never giving it to him. (On that note - the speaking over the car scenes stuff is great, it gives you an insight into Marion and other characters' heads, something which the whole film is good at.) So until the shower scene happens - the film has no real purpose. We only start to examine Bates because of Marion - but we only really learn about him and his Mother after the scene has taken place.

It's just as well that scene's in the film - because that's the point. Which is slightly ironic - considering the biggest surprise in the film is its biggest promotion and most significant moment.

Aside from that, I knew little about the film. But it definitely didn't let me down - it is great. It takes a while to get moving, but there are some really profound conversations. The stuff with the Police Officer with and following Marion seems a little bit like padding - but everything else is great. It's brilliant psychological, and there's thousands of types of analysis you can put into it - which makes it my kind of film.

In terms of the ending - I saw it coming. But that doesn't make it any less weird, or unnerving. I won't put any spoilers in, because it really helped me not knowing what was coming. After the shower scene I was in the dark, going on my own guess work. I didn't know that certain things were going to happen in certain places - and even the trailer with Hitchcock himself shows that. Not knowing anything about it really made the film feel creepier, and it made it feel more real as well. The characters in the film are all completely believable and even likeable most of the time - and that's what makes certain bits creepier.

It's no wonder the film made Anthony Perkins a star - he's wonderful. His performance shows true acting, and he's great to watch on screen. And sometimes - he's too creepy to watch comfortably - and that shows how good an actor he was.

I've probably missed out a thousand things about the film - but all you need to know is that it's great. Don't look up the plot before you watch it - because it's great to be surprised by it. It will creep you out if you're an audience member, inspire you if you're a film maker or an actor, and should be on everyone's list of 'best ever films'.

I would say a bit more - but Mother wouldn't like that.

Monday 5 August 2013

Peter Capaldi & Doctor Who Live

Before I continue, I'd just like to say I am not judging Capaldi's performance before he's started. I'm not forming an opinion on his Doctor, and I'm not questioning his ability to play the Doctor.

But - I do have an opinion on his casting, in a "compared to everyone else - would you pick him?" kind of way.

The short answer is no, I probably wouldn't pick Capaldi if I was Show Runner. I'd have definitely gone with Matt and just written darker scripts for him, but Capaldi is probably not a choice I'd have made. I was explaining to Mum after the announcement that if I was lining all the potential actors up - so maybe Anuerin Barnard, Harry Lloyd, Peter Capaldi, Other People On My List, and some others, Capaldi is not a choice I'd make. And that's simply because in my eyes, if it's possible, he's too well known. The way he was revealed didn't help, and I think that's more what I'm against. So at least - even if I picked Capaldi, who definitely has a more classic look that I'm excited to see him use - I wouldn't have revealed him on Doctor Who Live.

For me, Doctor Who is a show that has reached popularity it never expected to reach again, yet it's not a show that fits Saturday Night shows in the mould of a game show or of X Factor.  Doctor Who Live, as lovely as it was seeing all these celebrities feel a real enthusiasm for the show, and as funny as Rufus Hound's mistakes were, just felt wrong for the series. The montage of clips with a John Hurt narration was excellent. I've missed that kind of thing that Confidential used to be. Talking to the old companions, talking to Bernard Cribbins, and even Zoe Ball's enthusiasm, it was all lovely. But - shouting Peter Capaldi as if he'd just won a talent contest sends shivers down my spine. In a bad way. And this is where the "he's too well known" doubt comes from.

Before there was an 'intimacy' to the announcements, there was a kind of "I'm the only one watching this - he's my Doctor". Capaldi's announcement in front of viewers worldwide emphasises the fact that Doctor Who is no longer a nice little programme that is deservedly popular - it is a brand. So fittingly, they've cast an actor who's popular, and who goes with the brand. He is a face for Doctor Who. For me, it feels more like "but he's Peter Capaldi! He's only gonna do a 20 minute Comic Relief special". He's that well known, it seems like we don't deserve to have him. It's great that he wants to do it, it's great that he's a fan (his letter in the Radio Times got him a lot of credit from me) and it's great that he seems genuinely nice to the fans. That all matters. But - it still feels like a bit of celebrity casting, and the very high profile way he was announced means that that was more important. The brand overtook the show.

Of course, even though he is famous, he can still do the job and very well I expect. I am excited to see what he does. He just doesn't quite feel like an actual Doctor yet. The way it was announced makes it seem even more showy. The other thing is that we missed out on a whole load of stuff. I want in-depth Moffat interviews - I want an in-depth Capaldi interview - I want decent promo pictures rather than just a white background one. Doctor Who Live replaced all the good stuff Doctor Who Confidential used to do (bar the montages) with Saturday Night (even though it was a Sunday) showy things. And in a way - it reduced the significance of Capaldi's casting. It was like OH MY GOD A FAMOUS MAN WILL BE THE DOCTOR not THIS IS YOUR NEW DOCTOR, BY THE WAY HE'S CAPALDI as it should have been.

So I definitely think Doctor Who Live missed several tricks. I do object to the way it was announced, as it focussed more on Capaldi's status as famous, rather than his ability to the job. That's probably influenced my bias about him being too famous.

I am very excited to see what he does though. I'm sure he'll do a great job. I want darker storylines, no love storylines, and at last, we might be rid of the fan girls. There are thousands of opportunities his casting allows.

I just hope the opportunity to publicise/merchandise it more isn't the only one taken advantage of. And they haven't made a good start.

Saturday 3 August 2013

Sherlock: Series 1 VS Series 2

This is going to be a tricky one.. Might be controversial.

Over the last week I've been rewatching Sherlock Series 1 and 2, culminating in the BBC One repeat of "The Reichenbach Fall". And I've had a few thoughts about both series - the merits or otherwise of both of them. It's lead me to the conclusion that Series 1 is amazing, and near perfect. But it's also lead me to the conclusion that Series 2 is just rather good. Just rather good. It's not really, in my eyes, the standard of Series 1 at all.

Series 1 is amazing. "A Study In Pink" is a near-perfect opening episode - and you can read my thoughts about that here. "The Blind Banker" is a stranger choice. As far as I can work out, it's more to showcase modern London/Cardiff than it is to showcase Sherlock Holmes' stories. It is a new story for Sherlock - and although it's probably not anyone's favourite of the series ('cos it can't compare to the others), it is very good, and I definitely prefer it now to when I first saw. Dimmock doesn't seem to have much point in the story - let's face it, second story in we want Lestrade or at least Gregson - but overall it is a good and clever story. It's fairly basic, and the "writing on the screen" technique is used well and effectively. "The Great Game" is another spin-off of various Sherlock Holmes stories, and it is awesome. I can easily sit and watch it all the way through, follow the story, and still be interested by it. The confrontation with Moriarty at the end is electrifying and the cliffhanger works really well. This is Sherlock Holmes made lovingly, effectively, and modestly. Can you sense what I'm going to say about Series Two?

Series Two is very good - and the stories are very good to watch. There are moments in all three that are really good and show that the show has moved on, grown up (already) and still keeping up the high standard. Indeed, the whole series operates on a very high standard. It's just simply that in my opinion - Series Two isn't as good. "A Scandal in Belgravia" starts off very well, if we ignore the naked Irene Adler, which seemed to serve no purpose other than... Well actually what purpose did it solve? I know it's explained in the story - but it feels a bit unnecessary. The most part of "A Scandal in Belgravia" is very much "Several Sex Scandals in Belgravia" - and it does feel a little bit too much. Steven Moffat, writing about sex too much? He's never done that before. (Sarcasm.) I think Arthur Conan Doyle would be spinning in his grave at some moments - surely Irene Adler is there to show an intelligence equal to Sherlock's - not this and also several innuendos.

There are several moments in the story that are really good. The resolution to the Series 1 cliffhanger is awesome, the client scenes are great, the moment the bed tilts up into shot is stunning. The SHER at the end is amazing. Unfortunately, amongst sex references and lots of plots crammed into one, the story gets lost in the middle. When it changes to being Christmas I was confused. I'm still confused. Yes, it looks lovely - but for me it's wrong for this story. There was plenty of time to include this scene. John having a string of girlfriends feels wrong as well - he's shown as a clever, ordinary, but a bit brilliant man. Not an everyday bloke. At least - not in the sense he needs loads of girlfriends. The whole Adler's dead - oh five minutes later she isn't - oh now Sherlock's depressed FOR NO REASON about a girl he met FOR FIVE MINUTES. Yes she probably appeals to him - but not that much. It's just strange - it's played a bit a bit too much from what's in the story. The idea about the plane is very clever but again, it's too much. The whole American storyline is again too much. Simplicity and cleverness worked in Series 1. "A Scandal in Belgravia" is clever - but not simple by any means. The screen trickery is good, but perhaps a little too much now.  Maybe they were trying too hard. Either way - not a favourite.

"The Hounds of Baskerville" - why HoundS, there was only really one and a drug, so it should be the HOUND of Baskerville - is probably the best of the series. But it's still not got the rewatch factor. I saw it a few weeks ago - and didn't really want to see it again as part of my rewatch this week. It is very clever, and like "A Scandal in Belgravia", the first time you notice it you see some really good elements. The scene in the lab where John's locked in was actually scary (TV doesn't tend to scare me that much) when I first saw it - and it retains that element even now. It is a really clever, exciting and scary story - the moment with the gas mask, the creepy old picture, the revelation of HOUND, they're all brilliant. It's held together really well too, and it feels more Sherlock Series 1, it's more simple. It tries to be less showy and so works better.

"The Reichenbach Fall" I loved when I first saw it. Who didn't? But again, as with the others, I noticed problems then. The main one being the scene on the roof. It's too long! At first it's another dramatic Moriarty/Sherlock scene - but then Sherlock climbs up to jump off then talks again, then Moriarty will reveal something then they'll talk then they'll talk a bit more. The tension's ruined a little bit by how long the scene takes - it  make you lose interest. But obviously - the cliffhanger is amazing. The episode really does feel tense all the way along - moments still make me shiver even now. Sherlock, despite being the focus, doesn't seem to do much in the episode apart from go along on other people's movements - and perhaps it needs a bit more of him. Maybe it doesn't work. But actually, forget what I said about Hounds, THIS is the best story of Series 2. All the same though, the essence of Sherlock seems to have been lost a bit under the showy, complex storylines.

It happens in most series. They tend to be a bit pleased with themselves in Series 2 - so it pushes it a bit further, with jokes, plots, scenes. And sometimes it works - sometimes it's too much. And I think for Sherlock - it's a bit too much.

So Series 1 definitely works better. Series 2 is impressive, but that doesn't fix the jumble of a story like "A Scandal in Belgravia". Eventually, Series 3 will get here too. I'm not looking forward to Martin Freeman shouting and breathing heavily when Sherlock's back and I'm not looking forward to them not talking for a lot of the first episode. But apart from that - should be good. I hope.