MetaChat - Doctor: Runaway Bride + Torchwood and probably spoilers

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26 December 2006

Doctor: Runaway Bride + Torchwood and probably spoilers →[More:]

spoilers

spoilers. no more warning.

That was decent. I like Doctor Who better than anyone on this side of the pond probably should, so I was just happy to have something new to watch. I thought the effects were okay, someone had complained to me that they were really terrible in this one. I really liked the alien ship. Sort of a crystalline/cobweb cross. I hate spiders though. And the Empress's facial expressions and general mannerisms were way over the top. Very glad the bride-that-wasn't didn't want to stick around. Saw some interesting bits in the previews. Black Dalek on the Tardis, rhino aliens, etc.

When does the new season start anyway? Winter? Spring? Summer? Fall? Gerbil?

The newest Torchwood was perhaps above par for the series. The show could be good if it worried less about acting "mature" by cursing and screwing as much as possible and more about dealing with aliens. A couple or three episodes have been pretty good but overall it comes off like one of the crappy syndicated scifi shows that were all over the place stateside for a while, trying to capitalize on the success of Star Trek and/or X-Files and failing terribly.

Ignoring some weak story ideas, I think the main barrier for me really enjoying Torchwood is that thus far Capt. Jack and Owen are the only two characters that I like. I do really like the Torchwood music though, so the show has that going for it.

post by: weretable and the undead chairs at: 18:51 | 4 comments

the Empress's facial expressions and general mannerisms were way over the top.

Oh man, no way. That actress looked more alien than anything I've seen last season. Definitely creepy. David Tennant is settling into the role nicely as well. I thought the episode was one of the best so far, but I'm a sucker for a pun: "This time it's personnel".

I have the same feelings as you do about Torchwood. Great production values, but a bit hollow. It seems like they're trying too hard to follow a formula, and not hard enough making the plots engaging. Still, it's better than half the dreck on TV these days.

posted by Popular Ethics 27 December | 02:49

I haven't seen Torchwood yet, but I'm mildly excited too.

posted by drezdn 27 December | 09:45

I found Dr Who a bit weak this xmas but my friends children pronounced it awesome and who am I to disagree with the target audience.

Torchwood has its moments but has yet to find its feet. I find myself mightily intrigued by the link between Owen and the Weevils though and hope the series cliffhanger has something good and dark.

posted by seanyboy 31 December | 06:12

Couldn't watch until yesterday, when my nephew was finally available.

I liked it, just a little less maybe than last year's. It's a special, written for a broader audience, and that helps and hurts it in certain ways (some of the regular shows, for instance, come off a bit juvenile). The TARDIS chase was incredible. I wasn't as keen about the prosthetic Racnoss, and they seemed to be covering up the prop's lack of mobility by having the actress writhe. We didn't get to see the baby Racnosses -- seeing them eat Lance might have made the Doctor's drowning them a bit easier.

I didn't know Catherine Tate at all previously but I saw some YouTubes that convinced me she's a contemporary UK Carol Burnett. I thought she did fine with a character that desperately needed to evolve, and did more or less, through the events of the episode.

Russell T. was spot on with turning a "jump for your life!" moment into an aside about the Doctor's relationship with Rose and companions overall.

Given that Tate is busy anyway there was no chance of her being a companion, and this was a nice bumper to make the transition to Martha Jones less jarring. Very needed, I thought.

posted by stilicho 31 December | 18:11

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