Doctor Who SF Reboot! - Series 7 part 2

[darkhorseD]

Hey everyone, in light of the new season of Doctor Who starting September 2nd, I have been allowed to reboot the DW SF! So, the previous questions will be used as last time, and here they are:

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?
2.) What was the first episode that you watched?
3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?
4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?
5.) Who is your favorite Companion?
6.) Who is your favorite Villain?
7.) What is your favorite episode?
8.) How excited are you for Series 7?

So, here are my answers:

1.) I was first introduced to DW by my parents (sad isn't it?) about the time the fourth season was getting into high gear
2.) The first episode I watched was Rose, with Christopher Ecleston, or however you spell his last name, as the Doctor
3.) I never really watched the classic stuff, so, I'm obviously a NuWho fan
4.) Matt Smith easily wins the prize of Best Doctor in my book
5.) Thats a really difficult thing to ask, but, I've got to say, it has to be Rory
6.) My favorite villain, hands down, has to be the Master
7.) My favorite episode has to be Blink, it just keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time, and you never expect whats going to happen next
8.) I'm am very, Very, VERY excited for the new season!

[Louloudi the Centaur]

1. I first heard about it via a lot of the members on here, and also some videos I came across online.

2. The first episode I watched was "Rose" from Series 1 of the revival with my brother.

3. I can't answer this one because I've only seen all of NuWho, compared to clips of Classic Who, though I have liked things from what I've seen of both.

4. My favorite Doctor from what I've seen is the Ninth Doctor. He's always kind of reminded me of a grandfatherly war veteran, who tries to be fun, yet has a very serious, emotional side to him. I must say that the Eleventh Doctor is becoming a close tie with the Ninth though.

5. Donna Noble is my favorite companion, hands down.

6.My favorite villain is probably the Master, but I also love the Silence for their real creepiness, though technically they're a religious order.

7. There are lots of episodes I like, but three of my current favorites are Amy's Choice and The Pandorica Opens/ The Big Bang.

8. I don't feel as hyped as some of the bigger fans because I'm still a newer Who fan, but I'm still excited. From what I know, this series will be less complex than Series 6, a nice break from the sometimes confusing plot line.

[Ithilwen]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?
When I was about five years old, and I started renting the VHS tapes from my local library. After my library shut down, I didn't see it for a long time. I watched the first two episodes of NuWho when it premiered in America, but it didn't really stick with me at that time. I was mostly focused on other interests. Then about a year ago, my friend Malkah suggested I watch it again, and I did. So, I became a Whovian once more.

2.) What was the first episode that you watched?
Oh dear... I don't know, because I was so very little. I most likely rented a bunch of Doctor Who serials at once. I know I saw Paradise Towers at some point back then, along with many other Seventh Doctor era serials, so it could have been that. Or it could have been one of the Graham Williams Era serials like Creature from the Pit or Nightmare of Eden.

3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?
Both. They're all Doctor Who. There are definitely some eras I like more than others, though. My absolute favorite eras are: 1. The Phillip Hinchcliffe Era (Tom Baker's first few seasons), 2. The Russell T. Davies Era (Ninth and Tenth Doctors), 3. The Verity Lambert Era (the very start of Doctor Who), and 4. The Peter Bryant Era (The later serials of the Second Doctor).

4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?
The Fourth Doctor is my favorite. Tom Baker is amazing. Although, the Second, Ninth, and Tenth Doctors also hold a special place in my heart.

5.) Who is your favorite Companion?
This is very hard. There have been so many companions throughout the years, and almost all of them have been amazing. I don't think I could pick one single favorite, but I might be able to go with a 5-way tie among Jo Grant, Jamie McCrimmon, Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, and Rory Williams. But I'm also very fond of Sarah Jane Smith, Leela, Mel Bush, and Susan Foreman. Romana might end up becoming one of my favorites as well, but I haven't seen much of her since I watched her serials back when I was a little girl. I don't remember her well enough, and need to re-watch the ones with her two incarnations.

6.) Who is your favorite Villain?
As those before me have said, The Master is one of the best villains. I especially like John Simm's take. The Valeyard is another one I find intriguing just because of who he is, though we don't get to see him often. Other favorite villains would be the Daleks, the Sea Devils, and the Krynoid. There have been some really great one-time villains like Sutekh(!), Morbius, and Midnight. Although I'm not a fan of Moffat as a showrunner/writer, I have to admit he is the best when it comes to creating villains. All the villains he's made - The Weeping Angels, The Silence, The Vashta Nerada, The Empty Child - are definite favorites.

7.) What is your favorite episode?
My four favorites are The Mind Robber, Seeds of Doom, Midnight, and the End of Time special. I also really like The Ark in Space, Pyramids of Mars, Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways, Doomsday, Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords, and the Unicorn and the Wasp.

8.) How excited are you for Series 7?
Eh, not being a big fan of the current era, not too much. Many of the things the current showrunner does with the characters kind of ruins it for me, and I lost most of my interest back in Season 5. I've kept watching, but with less and less enthusiasm. I am curious about the new companion, though. And I definitely want to find out what they'll be doing for the 50th anniversary special. This season, I most likely will be unable to watch on TV or online, so I'll be relying mostly on Youtube clips, reviews, and spoilers. I'll probably have to wait to see it in full until it comes out on DVD or I find some way to (legally) watch online somehow.


~Riella

[stargazer]

1. When did you first hear about Doctor Who?

A long time ago (the mid-to-late 1970s), I stumbled across the Tom Baker era Doctor (back then there was no cable TV, and we just had the 3 major networks plus PBS. The latter introduced me to a variety of British TV, such as Monty Python and Doctor Who). We watched it in the TV lounge in the university dormitory; back then it was rather unusual to have your own TV at college, and this was a popular gathering spot. It also meant watching it with other fans.

2. What was the first episode that you watched?

No idea.

3. Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?

Yes. Though to be fair, I've probably seen as many of the new episodes now as the old, and they're fresher in my memory, so I may lean toward NuWho.

4. Who is your favorite Doctor?

David Tennant (Ten). But I have fond memories of Tom Baker (Four) as he was the first one I saw, and I'm getting used to Matt Smith (Eleven) as well.

5. Who is your favorite Companion?

That's even harder to answer. I like most of the modern comanions (Rose, Martha, Donna, Amy and Rory) but Sarah Jane Smith is still my favorite.

I do like the dynamic of having a married couple as companions, but the old softie in me wishes Amy wouldn't be so hard on "Rory the Roman."

6. Who is your favorite Villain?

The Daleks and Cybermen have sentimental value, so to speak, as old-time villains, but it's hard to beat the Master and the Weeping Angels.

7. What is your favorite episode?

Hard to choose. "Blink" is probably at the top - I think it makes a great introductory episode to show to new fans. I like "School Reunion" because we get to see Rose and Sarah Jane together. "The Unicorn and the Wasp" brings in Agatha Christie and some very funny moments. A number of my other favorites are listed in previous posts - including the season-ending ones like "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang." The very first episode (which I've only seen online), "An Unearthly Child" started it all off. It reminds me a lot of the old Twilight Zone which aired at about the same time...

How about the Christmas Specials? I enjoyed last year's "The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe" as an homage to LWW (though a few plot points, like harvesting a forest with acid rain, seemed a bit silly) - but my favorite has to be "A Christmas Carol" (2010), especially with its ending and some poignant moments between Kazran and Abigail.

8. How excited are you for Series 7?

I am looking forward to it. I'm curious about the new companion and the 50th anniversary.

[Arwenel]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?

I first heard about it from my dad; not sure exactly when, but quite a bit younger. He watched it sporadically in his teens/twenties. I didn't start watching it until *checks posts* earlier this year, or possibly late last year (thank you, Netflix!).

2.) What was the first episode that you watched?

"Blink" was the first full episode i saw, though i saw parts of "Dalek" prior to that.

3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?

I've only seen clips of Classic Who, so NuWho, all the way. I'm kinda interested in seeing some of Tom Baker (Fourth Doctor), since he was the one my dad saw and is generally highly regarded.

4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?

Nine, though i also really liked Ten.

5.) Who is your favorite Companion?

Rose Tyler, followed closely by Donna Noble. I haven't seen much of Rory and Amy, but i think i like them - Rory in particular.

6.) Who is your favorite Villain?

Weeping Angels, probably. The Empty Child was also good, the one in Midnight was really frightening, and the Daleks can be good (or overused). John Simm's Master was also good.

7.) What is your favorite episode?

Oh, what the heck, I'll go ahead and list all (most?) of them. Don't look at me like that, i've only seen the first 4 seasons of the reboot, so it's not like it'll go on forever:
"Dalek" - Eccleston was ... alright, i'll say it, fantastic. The range of emotions he goes through during this episode ..
"The Empty Child"/"The Doctor Dances"
"Boomtown" - Didn't like all the elements of this one, but i love the relationship between Nine, Rose and Jack.
"Bad Wolf"/"The Parting of the Ways" - Everything except the very end - would have liked Nine to be around longer, though i did like Ten, too.
"New Earth"
"School Reunion"
"Fear Her" - Some elements of it were cheesy and lame, but i liked seeing Rose handle things mostly on her own.
"The Runaway Bride"
"The Shakespeare Code"
"Gridlock"
"Daleks in Manhattan/The Evolution of the Daleks" - Not a particular favorite, but it's always nice to have Americans show up.
"42"
"Blink" - Proof positive that you don't need a high budget to be effective.
"Partners in Crime" - The Doctor and Donna's conversation, solely with gestures and mouthed words - hilarious.
"The Fires of Pompeii"
"The Sontaran Strategem"/"The Poison Sky" - Not an especial favorite, but it was nice to see UNIT, and i really liked Luke's last moments.
"The Unicorn and the Wasp" - I'm a Christie fan, and i loved keeping track of all the Christie titles they managed to shove in there.
"Turn Left"/"The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" - There are some serious logical fallacies involved, but there are some parts i really enjoyed.
"The Girl Who Waited" - Special mention of this, because it's the only one of the Moffat/Smith era i've seen and liked. Loved Amy and Rory's relationship throughout. Though the Doctor was a jerk.

8.) How excited are you for Series 7?

Solid meh at best. I've seen 4 episodes or so featuring Matt Smith; i can't see him as the Doctor, i don't like River, and i just don't like the general tone of it. At the moment, i'm caught between watching clips/reading spoilers, or trying to watch it when it comes on Netflix; i knew a lot about the plots of Series 5/6 episodes, so maybe not knowing the plots of Series 7 will help ... or maybe not. We'll see how it goes.

[Melian_Maia]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?
I believe I first heard about it here on NW. Ithilwen, Lady Arwen, and Booky were all talking about it and I decided that I wanted in. However, it took me several more months to start watching it.

2.) What was the first episode that you watched?
I started with The Eleventh Hour and loved it. I watched through season 5 and then went back and watched season 1. Still working on all the Tennant episodes...I don't even think I've finished one with him yet.

3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?
NuWho.

4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?
I really like Nine and Eleven, but have heard that Ten is the best. I've never been the best with decisions, so I'll just say that like them all.

5.) Who is your favorite Companion?
Rose. And Amy.

6.) Who is your favorite Villain?
The little boy, Jaime, from The Empty Child and the Weeping Angels.

7.) What is your favorite episode?
Um, my top two favorites would be The Empty Child and Blink.

8.) How excited are you for Series 7?
Pretty excited. I know that I won't be able to watch it until much later, but it's still a source of excitement for my sister and I.

[shastastwin]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?
Through NarniaWeb and several college friends who were slightly obsessed.

2.) What was the first episode that you watched?
Flesh and Stone (Part two of the Angels episode from Series 5)

3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?
Both. I've mostly seen NuWho (all the episodes) and I've only been able to see adventures with the first four Doctors (barring the crossover with East Enders that included 1-6 (I think)). I'm definitely a fan of Classic Who, at least in part.

4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?
Tom Baker, hands out offering jelly babies. I've been sold on him since I first saw him as Puddleglum in BBC's Silver Chair. I also really like Matt Smith, David Tennant, Patrick Troughton, Christopher Eccleston, and John Pertwee (in no particular order).

5.) Who is your favorite Companion?
This is probably a tie between Sarah Jane, Donna Noble, and Amy/Rory (I can't separate them). I also like River Song and Rose, but I haven't seen enough of the Classic companions to really pick favorites (though I do like Susan because she's a great character, especially in concept).

6.) Who is your favorite Villain?
The Weeping Angels, followed by the Master and the Vashta Nerada

7.) What is your favorite episode?
I don't have one. Some of my favorites include: Blink, The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang, Amy's Choice, The Planet of the Ood, The Ark in Space, A Christmas Carol, and The Horror of Fang Rock.

8.) How excited are you for Series 7?
I'm excited to see how they wrap up Amy and Rory's story, more Weeping Angels, a new companion and the 50th anniversary special. I'm losing faith in Moffet as a show runner, though so the season as a whole I may not be especially worked up about. I'll be watching it rather delayed, thanks to a friend who will be recording the episodes for me.

[King_Erlian]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?

It was on as far back as I can remember (in black and white in the 1960s, Saturday evenings on BBC1).

2.) What was the first episode that you watched?

The first one I can remember clearly was "Spearhead From Space", the first Jon Pertwee story in 1970. I have vague memories of Patrick Troughton running from the Cybermen but I was too young to follow the story then.

3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?

Both.

4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?

Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor), though David Tennant (Tenth) comes a close second. However in most cases, it took a few episodes for me to accept each new Doctor. There have been only two Doctors I liked from the first minute: Paul McGann (Eighth) and Matt Smith (Eleventh). Not as keen on Tom Baker as most Dr. Who fans.

5.) Who is your favorite Companion?

In the Classic series, I think my favourite was Tegan (companion to the Fifth Doctor), followed by Sarah Jane Smith (I think I had a crush on Elisabeth Sladen when I was ten, round about 1974). In the new series, Donna Noble.

6.) Who is your favorite Villain?

When I was six, the Autons really frightened me - the idea of something ordinary and familiar such as shop window dummies becoming deadly was terrifying; though I thought their re-introduction in the first episode of the Christopher Eccleston series lacked the tension of the original. The Master is a perennial favourite, my favourite Master being Roger Delgado (the original), though Anthony Ainley (Fourth/Fifth Doctor era) was very good too, despite being given some ridiculous costumes. I liked the Weeping Angels in "Blink" but I think they ruined the idea in the two-part Matt Smith story in Series 5.

7.) What is your favorite episode?

"Day Of The Daleks" (Jon Pertwee, 1972); "The Three Doctors" (Jon Pertwee/Patrick Troughton/William Hartnell, 1973); "City Of Death" (Tom Baker, 1979); "The Visitation" (Peter Davison, 1982); "Mawdryn Undead" (Peter Davison, 1983); "Father's Day" (Christopher Eccleston, 2005); "Blink" (David Tennant, 2007); "The Fires Of Pompeii" (David Tennant, 2008); "Amy's Choice" (Matt Smith, 2010).

8.) How excited are you for Series 7?

Very. First time being able to watch it in High Definition! If only the BBC could be persuaded to make it in 3D...

[Gymfan15]

FYI, the BBC has made a five-part mini series prequel called Pond Life and are releasing one episode per day until the Series 7 premiere on Saturday.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMdBsc5pQ1k

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQZc9DzneUI

These are both cracking me up considerably!

[shastastwin]

Regarding the "Pond Life" prequels:
The first four were pretty darn hilarious, similar but not quite as serious as the "Night and the Doctor" shorts from last season. I especially liked the two with the Ood. "Shut up and eat your breakfast."

Although we won't be able to take part in the BBC America marathons of Series 5 and 6 this weekend, I am still somewhat celebrating the new season by starting my copy of Tom Baker's Doctor Who scarf. I've only finished the first section, though, so this will be a project of some duration. I will post pictures here and in the knitting thread once it is complete. I hope everyone who is able to watch the premiere enjoys it (and is careful the use spoiler boxes for those of us not so blessed).

[stargazer]

I also enjoyed the Pond Life shorts...clever title.

I'll also miss this weekend's 5 and 6 marathons as I'm about to leave town for a camping trip, but I've caught up on them over the last week or so just the same, as my cable provider has seasons 3-6 all available on demand.

I'll also miss tonight's series 7 premiere, so I'll echo shastastwin's reminder about spoiler boxes.

Have fun making your scarf, st! I look forward to the pictures.

[Hermitess of Narnia]

1.) When did you first hear about Doctor Who?
I saw it on tv.
2.) What was the first episode that you watched?
The first one I watched all the way to the end from some point near the beginning was The Long Game.
3.) Classic Who fan or NuWho fan?
I like the new ones because the pace is faster but I enjoy both.
4.) Who is your favorite Doctor?
For the new ones, I cannot decide, but my favorites of the old series are the Hartnell Doctor because it is fun to guess what he is thinking, and the Davison Doctor because he has a nice smile. I'm afraid I can't watch the Baker Doctor without thinking "Puddleglum!"
5.) Who is your favorite Companion?
Donna Noble.
6.) Who is your favorite Villain?
Either the feline nurses (series 2&3) or the siren doctor (series 6).
7.) What is your favorite episode?
I'm not sure anymore, but here are my favorites: The End of the World, The Long Game, New Earth, Smith and Jones, Blink, Journey's End, The Next Doctor, Vincet and the Doctor, The Curse of the Black Spot, and The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.
8.) How excited are you for Series 7?
I've enjoyed the two trailers I've seen,but I don't have cable so I will have to wait a while.

[Gymfan15]

Guys, you know who that certain character in the season opener is, right?

It's the new companion! That's Jenna Louse Coleman who is playing the new companion who joins the show at Christmas. And before you give me the "same actor different characters" spiel, that would NEVER happen with a character of that magnitude within the same first half of the season.

So now we have to find out how this all ties in. The new girl's name is supposed to be Clara, but I read that Oswin is her last name so it works. Remember how she told the Doctor to remember her? She's going to show up and that is going to make their dynamic very interesting. Although remember, he never saw what she looks like so he may not even realize that it's her until much later

That definitely spiced up what was a good, but fairly uneventful season opener, lol!

[Ithilwen]

Well, as of yesterday, I get BBC America. So I was able to watch the series premiere after all!

I just finished watching a few seconds ago. Immediate thoughts: I thought most of the episode was a bit dull and boring, but I liked the end. The surprise twist that Oswin was actually a Dalek was amazing. It's not too often a companion gets to say they were once a Dalek. In fact... that never happens.

So now we have to find out how this all ties in. The new girl's name is supposed to be Clara, but I read that Oswin is her last name so it works.

Except for the fact that, in this episode, she said her full name was Oswin Oswald. Maybe her name being "Clara" was just a false report?

What does everyone think of the new theme opening? It's pretty close to last season's, but it's darker and the font is different. I'll have to see it a few more times before I make up my mind, but I think I like the new font for the "Doctor Who" title. It looks a bit retro, and reminds me of Classic Who.

SHOW SPOILER

I liked the design of Skaro. It wasn't very different from the way it was portrayed in Classic episodes.

I'm not sure I like it that the Doctor was erased from the memory of every Dalek, though. It's an interesting twist. But the Doctor/Dalek history is such a staple of the show, it doesn't seem right to erase it from their minds and start over. I have a feeling, though, that someday something will happen to bring the memory of the Doctor back to them.

~Riella

[Gymfan15]

Who actually names their kid Oswin Oswald? Oh yeah, the same people who named their kid Phillip Phillips. But I don't think that has a great deal of bearing on it at all. Just ask River Song...names are a very flexible thing.

Anyway, excited for the new season! It sounds like it's shaping up to be a good one.

[stargazer]

Just finished watching "Asylum of the Daleks." Not quite what I expected, but once the premise was set up I figured Oswin must already have been converted into a Dalek. I'm looking forward to seeing how they tie this all in to her becoming the next companion - some interesting potential there.

Other random observations: the new opening I think I'll like it upon seeing it a few more times. I'm glad they kept the "DW" letters that look like the TARDIS.

Interesting bit with Amy and Rory; I'm still hoping for a happy ending with those two.

Agreed about your last spoiler, Ithilwen - It might be fun for a little while for the Daleks to have lost their knowledge of the Doctor, but it's such a staple of their mindset that I think the writers have a way to get it back.

Next episode: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship 'nuff said.

I'm afraid I can't watch the Baker Doctor without thinking "Puddleglum!"

It's the other way 'round for me...I saw Tom Baker as the Doctor long before I saw the BBC SC. So my response was "Puddleglum's the Doctor!"