Voyage of the Damned
Another year another Doctor Who Christmas special. Who would have thought that this would become a tradition?
Initial Thoughts?
Mo - When the ‘Titanic’ crashed into the TARDIS, I thought this might’ve been some kind of 9th and 10th Doctor team-up (especially after seeing the excellent ‘Time Crash’ mini episode), but alas it’s a Titanic space-ship instead, hovering over present day Earth. Another Christmas themed tale (a Christmas special so fair enough I suppose), but again more robotic baddies involved - and aside from some jokes about previous Christmas perils and the “I’m the Doctor, I’m a Time-Lord..” speech, the story felt underwhelming. This combined with the return of Donna Noble doesn’t bode well.
Russell - Well, after the initial let-down of realising that it wasn’t actually the Titanic we were dealing with, just a space-going ship with the same name, I settled into this quite nicely. It’s not the best thing that they’ve ever done, but it was still an enjoyable little Christmas adventure.
James - I found it enjoyable though, a bit like last year’s, elements of it fell a bit flat. Using the formula of “The Poseidon Adventure” crossed with “Titanic” meant that everyone was going to get something out of it, but it didn’t really hold any surprises for myself. The whole introduce a character give them a little background and then bump them off was a little tired, but I’m sure kids found it highly entertaining. I liked the concept of the Titanic being a spaceship, and it proved that when it comes to cruises, you can’t even have a good time on one operated by extra-terrestials – if it isn’t meteors killing everyone, it would probably be a norovirus that would have everyone puking and shitting. Hmm, I’m surprised RTD didn’t go for that approach instead.
Overall, it did pretty much what I expected it to do – provide great entertainment for all the family. It was good to see Who doing something so ambitious.
Mark- As a disaster movie homage it worked fairly well assembling a mismatched group and then killing them. I’m hopeful that now even RTD has voiced that his specials have taken on similar elements that next year he stops playing it so safe and tries something new.
Kylie - we should be so lucky?
Mo - She wasn’t that bad but I didn’t see what the fuss was all about, the money could’ve been better spent, perhaps in creating a Christmas special that isn’t set on/around Earth and doesn’t feature killer robots and a space-borne menace descending to cause some killing. (I’m a misery this year, aren’t I?)
Russell - The combination of Doctor Who and Kylie Minogue was always going to appeal as they have a reasonable crossover among their respective fandoms. Thankfully, she quickly dispelled the memories of some of her less-appealing acting roles (Street Fighter, much of her time in Neighbours, those awful sketches on her recent ITV special) and went out to prove that, actually, she can act. A good cast all round, although I’m still undecided about Bernard Cribbins being an occasional recurring character though.
James- Really, her character could have been played by anyone, the only reason she was in it was so the BBC could chuck her name out every five minutes on the run up to the programme. This may be more a problem of the script, although I don’t think her acting was spectacular, whereas Tennent continues to chew scenery (in a good way).
Mark- I have to agree with James that Kylie did her role fine, but she was just there as stunt casting to get the media interest. I hate to say it, but Catherine Tate made more of an impression last year.
CGI/Special effects?
Mo - Very good, the ship design especially, and the ‘Host’ looked ok, but kept reminding me of Axons (bring them back!).
Russell - A few weeks back, I bought myself a very large television, which suited this episode perfectly. The shots of the ship in space were very impressive, and The Host worked quite well, even when flying.
James - The Titanic looked fabulous, full marks there. The Host were pretty good as well, although the budget restrictions still show when you have them flying around.
Mark - No real clunkers and the Titanic really did look good. It was also nice to see that they could do industrial stuff in the lower bits of the ship even now their favourite factory has been demolished.
London - a dangerous place?
Mo - This scene was good I thought, with Bernard Cribbins turning up and the joke about Londoners not hanging around - never mind London folks, the whole of England is getting dangerous whenever the TARDIS turns up…
Russell - London has always been a dangerous place, and Doctor Who reflects this. If it’s not Sycorax flying overhead, it’s the Ice Warriors, or it’s War Machines in the Post Office tower, or the Cybermen in Camden. Good to see that RTD has acknowledged that he’s done the same thing three times in a row with the Christmas special – now, can you please do something different next year?
James - Well, London is a dangerous place, although we didn’t bloody leave when the Germans were bombing us, so I’m a bit put out everyone legged it just because aliens keep trying to kill you one day of the year. Bernard Cribbins doesn’t count, how sane can a man be whose job is to sell newspapers when there is no-one to sell them to?
And I prayed for the ship to smash Buckingham Palace; is that heresy?
Mark - You’re not the only one. To be fair though only London and Cardiff exist in RTD Who.
The intro.
Mo - Revamped again, the guitar riff might’ve annoyed if not for the ooo-eee-ooo that harks back to the lovely weirdness of the older version of the tune.
James - I need to listen to it a few more times I think, although I’m not sure why they bothered to change it in the first place?
Russell - On my first few listens, not too keen. More and more conventional instruments (or samples thereof) seem to be making their way into the theme, and they don’t belong there.
Things that someone orchestrating a new arrangement of the theme should listen to:
- The original version (or, at least, all the versions up to pre-JNT)
- Orbital’s version
- David Arnold’s version from the audios
- Orbital’s live version
- Spread Your Love by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
- Strict Machine by Goldfrapp
- Empire by Kasabian
- The original version again
Listen to that lot, go into the studio and make something bloody weird. The original version, even when you hear it today, makes you think “I don’t know what the hell this is, but I want to watch this show”. That’s what the Doctor Who theme should be.
Hopes for Season 4?
Russell - Firstly, I hope that the BBC can bring back the downloadable commentaries on their website. Secondly, I hope Donna is a lot less annoying than she was in the worst moments of last year’s Christmas Special (Note to Catherine Tate and David Tennant – the word acting does not start with the letters o-v-e-r) and that she’s not another bloody companion with a crush on the Doctor. Can we also please not have her popping back home every five minutes to see her family? The return of the Sontarans and U.N.I.T. (and the Brigadier? PLEASE?) pleases this old-school fanboy, and the Pompeii episode looks suitably grand.
James - Catherine Tate is probably going to be the balance as to whether the series will be as enjoyable as the previous. The trick may well be how well defined the character is and how well the writers understand that. Apart from Tate, I have high hopes for the series. I expect it to be a lot of fun, and with a bit of luck have some episodes the quality of “Human Nature” and “Blink” and less Dalek nonsense.
Mark - There’s no chance we’re not going to get Daleks again. Catherine Tate needs to be allowed to develop as Donna and not just be shouty woman. At least RTD has realised that having someone moon over the Doctor is a disservice to their character. I want to see Martha showing her skills and her brains when she shows up. No family please. Even though RTD has said they are backing away from the darkness I’m still hoping we’ll see more because that’s when Tennant shines.
Hopes for Torchwood?
Mo
- Less profanity and sex just for the sake of it and better stories. Judging by the teasers there is some hope.Russell - I hope that Torchwood will be watchable and enjoyable, or at least bearable, with characters who you want to follow. (They don’t have to be likeable, but they shouldn’t make you feel like you want to pull your eyeballs out of their sockets). The best review I’ve ever read of Torchwood season 1 said “Imagine a sci-fi franchise that somehow skipped the stage of being a proper TV show and went direct to fanfic, and you get the general idea.” – This year, I want the actual show.
Mark - I want a team that actually functions like a team. I want to see a Torchwood that doesn’t make me go “and you set this bunch of losers up to honour the Doctor”. I’d like to see the other Torchwood offices. I want good stories and Chris Chibnall to grow up and stop running a show that thinks mature storylines involve boobies and swearing.
James - Erm, not be shit?
The Doctor Who Roundtable will return. God help us all