November 23rd, is the date that every sci-fi fan is eagerly waiting to see what the BBC has in store for us with its celebratory episode of 50 years of the world’s most famous Doctor.
In my quest for new news on the episode I stumbled across several so called ‘trailers’, some of which are so impressive you would believe that they are the real deal. There is one that even shows Matt Smith and David Tennant together!
We’ve already seen pictures of Matt Smith and David Tennant together in costume, so it is surely only a matter of time before such a clip appears online. The BBC are very good and keeping us fed with Doctor Who news, although I hope it doesn’t go down the route of Man of Steel and reveal way too much before we can actually see the episode.
So tell me. How excited are you for this episode and when do you think a real trailer will appear?
Image source: BBC
It’s a funny time for the show – you only need to browse the various forums to see fans’ divide in opinions over the quality of the current incarnation of the show. Some might say it’s got too big for its boots – the media hype surrounding it is as big as the show itself, and with a 50 year legacy, there’s a lot to live up to, and a lot of expectations for such an anniversary. It’s it’s a very different show now to what it once was, and we’re in a very different time culturally.
I’m not sure it’s possible to hold one’s breath in excitement over this anniversary – when everything will be spoiled and leaked on the internet beforehand. It may not be able to recapture the excitement and triumph of 1983’s The Five Doctors 20th anniversary special, but this is at least the chance to really celebrate the show’s legacy and influence over the past five decades. Without Doctor Who, there would be a lot of gaps in science fiction on television.
Yeah, I just spotted this too. It’s going to be feature length. Next they will be telling us that it will be released in cinemas… https://bit.ly/1dr7uQD
I’m excited about the anniversary, but I’m also a little bit afraid that I’ll be disappointed by it. They’ve already said there won’t be a reunion of classic Doctors – which, while we know the pros and cons of such, many real fans of the original series would dearly want to see this – and it’s the one and only chance to do so. Instead, we get the two most recent Doctors (yawn) and the wonderful John Hurt as a temporary incarnation. Oh, and the Zygons. Perhaps it’s because we’ve seen the writing and creativity vastly deteriorate over the last 3 or 4 years, that I don’t hold much faith in Steven Moffat’s interpretation of the show. Cliffhangers are gone, the Doctor’s a clown, the Sonic screwdriver gets them out of any given situation and the soap opera concerning the companions has taken precedence over clever and intelligent story writing, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Series 2 in 2006.
In my opinion, Mark Gatiss should have never been allowed near a Doctor Who script, so I’ve already got slight reservations about the Adventure in Time and Space docufilm thing. That said, Gatiss does work better when he’s given restrictions, so with his understanding of the series, this could be the real highlight. The recreated TARDIS interior looks absolutely amazing… moreso than it ever has, in fact! Likewise with the Daleks trundling over Tower Bridge. I’ve been saying that Doctor Who as it currently stands has run its course, and it needs to return to its more mysterious and unearthly roots. An Adventure in Time and Space may be just the ticket…
You know, I get annoyed when the local press claims “everyone” is excited about the fortunes of the local sports team when I couldn’t care less. I’ve got to call you out for the same reason.
“Every sci-fi fan” is NOT holding their breath for the “Dr. Who” anniversary. *Dr. Who* fans are very excited about this. There are many of you and it’s why the Hugo Award for Best Short Form Dramatic Presentation has been a waste of time for non-Dr. Who fans for several years. But you are not ALL of SF fandom.
I have nothing against the show and have friends who are fans, but I don’t follow it, don’t care to, and think the self-absorption of Who fandom is bordering on that of the Boston sports fans who assume my lack of interest in the Red Sox/Bruins/Patriots/Celtics MUST mean I’m supporting a rival team. The notion of “simply don’t care” does seem to compute.
Fair point. I myself am not an avid Doctor Who fan, but I personally am excited by this episode as the longest running science fiction show is celebrating 50 years. I think if it wasn’t for the success of Doctor Who we wouldn’t have many of the other shows we know and love on our screens.