It’s the return of the Doctor

SCEPTICAL is the only way to describe how I felt about the new series of Dr Who.
I cried, I laughed and I cried some more when David Tenant said farewell in the last of the Dr Who Specials on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t know what to make of this new doctor, Matt Smith, with his weird alien-shaped face and funny accent. I was convinced that I would not, could not, like him and therefore with a sceptical heart, I tuned in to watch the first in the new series on BBC recently.
Before I begin explaining about the new Doctor, I should explain a little about the show in general. I have featured it on numerous occasions but as it is a new series, I will recap. Dr Who began on BBC in 1963 and ran until 1989 when it was felt that the adventures of the Doctor and the sets were all becoming a little bit too outdated. We were on the brink of a new decade and, basically, the need for the last of the Time Lord’s protection seemed a little silly. The Doctor has been played by 11 actors and has been assisted ably by more than one human. He is the last of his people from the planet Gallifrey and travels through time protecting species in a 1950’s Police Callbox-shaped time machine/spaceship called the TARDIS. The TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space) and is as much a character in the show as any of the human actors. He has faced some terrible foes in the past, including the Daleks (robot-looking creatures with only death and destruction on their mind).
Dr Who of the 1960s and 1980s received huge praise for his ability to tell a science-fiction story very well on a low budget and also for its pioneering work with electronic music. The theme tune alone is an iconic symbol of science fiction for many. An unsuccessful attempt was made to relaunch the series in 1996 with a film for television. However in 2005, the nostalgia-ready audience flocked to it and it hasn’t looked back since. The new run has had three doctors and a host of assistants, as well as some major budget increases, successfully capturing the hearts and minds of young and old.
The idea behind the show is much the same but the special effects, acting and creativity driving the show has all been kicked up a gear.
David Tennant’s tenure as the Doctor will possibly be remembered as the best. Tennant himself brought an energy, passion and humanity to the Doctor, which had possibly not been seen up until then. He was the face of successful stage shows and of course, the much-loved specials, which saw the Doctor move from weekly slots to one-off two-part specials at key times of the year such as Christmas and Easter. These specials were really mini movies and people would plan family gatherings around them.
But the final special, The End of Time not only came with a new Doctor but also a new head of writing and a new executive producer. The theme tune also got some reworking and a new logo sealed the transition from Tennant’s reign to new boy on the block, Smith.
As I say, I was sceptical, nervous, apprehensive. The logo change, the TARDIS change, even the music didn’t make me feel this way; it was simply a new face on the Doctor. However, despite some poor sound quality while watching it (which had everything to do with my visual device and nothing to do with the BBC), I loved it. I even liked him. I began by picking him apart. He talks too quickly, he’s not funny. But the truth is, he doesn’t talk too quickly and he is funny and once he ditched Tennant’s overcoat and put his own spin on things, although a dickie-bow is an unusual choice, he was accepted.
The storyline was also very good, gripping in fact. The special effects, structure and dialogue were all very good. It had the same suspense we have come to love and it is clear that the changes have been done for the good of the show and also as a nod to Tennant’s stamp on the show over the past few years. The current writer and producer is Steven Moffatt who did some scriptwriting on previous specials. He replaces Russell T Davies who many consider the lifeforce of Dr Who.
This new Doctor has also taken on an assistant, something that Tennant’s Doctor had not done in recent years for a barrage of reasons and humanities. The new assistant is Amy Pond, played by the Scottish actress Karen Gillan, virtually unknown in the television world. Other television work is sparse including a part in Doctor Who – The Fires of Pompeii and as part of sketches on The Kevin Bishop Show. A clear talent, Gillan’s ability in the assistant stakes is yet to be decided but it seems she will bring energy and mystery to the show.
The new Doctor Who series continues on BBC One each Saturday night.
The Saturday Show on RTÉ Two has gotten a new host for the next eight-weeks. Craig Doyle of BBC fame has joined the show to see if he can nab the full-time position with the national broadcaster. Doyle seems to be handling himself reasonably well and did have some interesting guests on his first show. To be honest, I can’t imagine The Saturday Show lasting more than one season with either of them but then again, I am sure people said that about Ryan Tubridy when he started out. The talents of Doyle remain to be seen but as to how RTÉ are going to decide who to employ, well that’s a real story worth looking at.
Check out Craig Doyle’s Saturday Night Show this weekend and decided for yourself.