Ground the Doctor for a while, bring on all the UNIT cast we’ve brought back multiple times now (Kate, Mel, Shirley Anne Bingham, etc) just as regulars and base things out of that set. Reuse as many props and sets as we can between shows, go really light on effects and cgi.
Stories now normally span multiple episodes. Sacha Dhawan’s back as the Master… every week. Cast a Doctor who has good chemistry with him. (Actually, just for fun, what if we also brought back Michelle Gomez as Missy, and the two of them are both causing trouble for UNIT and each other? Both are flirting outrageously with the Doctor.)
Alien costumes are now what turned up in an estate sale last week. Running in corridors, quarry’s, filming wherever is convenient.
Crank out the episodes, with a “good enough” approach to filming and minimal retakes. Focus on character work, not so much epic universe ending plots.
I feel like not seeing them enough is the problem here. Actually give them scenes and dialogue and character development and they are no longer cardboard, and the problem is taken care of.
Kate especially has had over 10 years on and off screen, and I’ve seen little to no improvement. (May be one for the controversial opinion thread.) I’m just bored of the current UNIT set up, and also of Kate. I’d bin it all and either leave UNIT be for a long while, or build from the ground upwards.
Was literally just thinking this as I read the above posts.
I think the concept of Flux, with the overarching story mostly secondary to the monsters of the week, was actually strong, and I liked Karvanista a lot. As a less sci-fi person, I didn’t love the concept of the Flux itself, but I didn’t dislike it. What let it down for me was the Ravagers.
Yeah! Bring back Osgood!
A less military, more sciencey focus for UNIT would be great. Scientists/engineers (Shirley, Susan, Mel, Morris, Vlinx, maybe Rose) already outnumber military figures (Kate, Ibrahim) among the named characters.
Yes, which really makes a streamer a less than ideal co-production partner for the BBC (as opposed to the CBC or Syfy, or Comedy Central or Oxygen for Ab Fab), because when they’re relying on people retaining their subscriptions, their participation is in turn less reliant on the show itself, and more on the quality of the rest of their catalog. It doesn’t matter how good or bad DW is if there’s nothing else on D+ that Who fans want to watch.
It’s an especially sad state of affairs when you remember DW was created by an immigrant, a woman, and a gay man of color.
I’ll keep ■■■■■■■ saying it, give it to Helen George. She has very provably been able to do a long running, character focused (including incredible focus on women, non-white characters, and families, which clearly Russell has a bit of a yen for in this era) period drama, and Doctor Who has cropped up in it enough times that I have to believe she has some fondness for it.
BBC a bit concerned currently about how they’re going to continue the show themselves.
I know (iirc) their budget suffered because of the Tories’ shit, but seriously? Come on. It really feels like we’re in a Michael Grade “we have to compete with Star Wars’ special effects or we shouldn’t do it at all” situation.
I don’t even think Russel knows why she has rose’s face yet
May I direct him to forum.tardis.guide for some ideas.
No billie wasn’t even on set. She filmed everything with an incredibly small crew in front of a green screen in London … There were a few alternate takes of Billie’s first lines, I was hoping for a bit more edge but all gave me Jodie vibes
If true, this would suggest that Andrew is quite high up in the production crew, no?
Nothing is confirmed no, billie saw it more of a favour to Russel than anything. She’s happy to do a special or series, but is also fine to just film a quick something in an attempt to help out the show, even if it ends up being no use
Please, PLEASE, God, give me a series with Doctor Billie. I don’t want it to be a trick. I want them to commit to the bit, and more importantly, I want Billie Piper to play the Doctor. Please, God, I’ve been a very good girl and said all my prayers. (I haven’t.)
