New Dr Who Series 8 Directed by Ben Wheatley

Very interesting that the 1st 2 episodes of Series 8 are by Ben Wheatley (A Field in England, Kill List, etc) should think they'll be good.

Also exclusive to cinemas (in the UK only I presume?), the episode will be followed by a live by satellite Q&A with Peter Capaldi.

 

As long as the story is good too.

 

tomm night!!!

Anyone going to see it on the big screen sunday?

 

It's on Aussie TV at 450AM. Worldwide simulcast.

 

Big screens around the world.

 

looking forward to the new Doctor

 

I thought this episode was absolute drivel. All the Moffatt-era plots and supporting cast seem to be on a merry-go-round, each appearance more pointless than the last. Surely time for a new team to take over? Capaldi deserves better.

 

Haven't seen it yet as I don't have live TV but will catch it on iplayer tomorrow. Mainly positive in the comments here: http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/31818/doctor-who-series-8-deep-breath-review

 

not bad...

slow start but I warmed up to it, and we were cooking with gas by the end. Welcome Peter, your going to do great!

now bring on the Daleks

 

Ditto. I'm completely unfamiliar with Peter Capaldi but I watched him thinking they finally have a quality actor in the role. But every series has seen weaker stories year over year. It's beginning to look like this series will be no different.

 

Capaldi seems to be a fine choice as The Doctor! His style makes me think of the eccentric way Tom Baker played this role. Compared Matt Smith the chemistry between him and Clara will be quite different...
Having said that...the story of this episode was all over the place!

 

saw it in the cinema ! it was great ! well worth watching !

 

Agreed. It was trash. I have been a Dr Who fan since William Hartnell and I loved the Tennant era. Matt Smith was a pain and the scripts were all over the place. Last night's episode was like "Carry On Doctor". His character seemed too close to Matt Smith's (zany, eccentric, fast talking, half-mad,...). I turned the junk off after 5-10 minutes.

 

Terrific opening episode. It's so refreshing to get a smart DrWho episode. Yes, there was humor, some of it even slapstick, but it worked well as a counterbalance to weightier themes and clever, adult dialog. This was so much better than the puerile, sophomoric, talk-fast-so-you-don't-focus-on-the-mumbo-jumbo exposition that was prevalent all too often in the past. Hope they keep it up, though sad to hear that the devastatingly pretty Jenna Coleman will be leaving...

 

If you are that much of a fan then you should know that after a regeneration, the doctor is always rather disoriented by the experience and you would have stuck around longer than 5 mins.

 

they carried Peter Davidson around for the first couple of episodes when he replaced Tom Baker.

 

Not thrilled with Capaldi's debut.

I realize that this was basically an introductory episode, but ... my main complaints and disappointments:

I know the Doctor is suppose to be confused and disoriented after a rejuvenation, but the new Doctor seemed more like a mentally ill street person than anything else - meager to no real sense of intelligence, wit or courage. I have the sneaking suspicion that Capaldi was miscast, but it may just be a matter me adjusting to him over time. This is his first episode and he probably needs time to develop his characterization of the Doctor. [I wasn't overly fond of Matt Smith, bwt.] I'll still tune in for a few more episodes, but I'm not hopeful.

I have never liked the lizard lady. "never liked" is an understatement. I cringe every time she appears in an episode. And there was far too much emphasis on her in the episode. Other than being a smug, overbearing, unbearable, and oppressively sanctimonious presence running other people's lives there was not much point, plot wise, in her appearance.

Clara and the Doctor are no longer an 'item' - got it - don't need to have that endlessly pounded that into my brain. Clara can't accept that the Doctor is not the same person and she's berated and castigated through-out the whole show that there's something wrong with her - that's she's insensitive and hateful - it's even insinuated that her reaction is on the same level of a bigot . Huh? Okay, here's a major flaw with the whole rejuvenation concept - it's the same Doctor when it really isn't. That's an illogical yet accepted understanding within the concept, within the internal logic, of the show, but that's the point, isn't it? Different guy - different characterization. And apparently this series finds another love interest for Clara in a future episode.

 

I thought Capaldi and Coleman bounced off each other very well. I too have been watching since the Bill Hartnell days. The show is so good these days. Matt Smith was a force of nature and I really believe Capaldi will struggle to appeal to the younger crowd who loved Matt. However, the program's strength is in the writing. If the script and dialogue are good, people will stay. It was....erm....very adult last night. Jenny's corset scene should have been at least...ooooo....ten minutes longer....

 

I watched the new Doctor Who last night and I have to say, as with all the new Doctors, it will take me some time to get used to the new Doctor. Though, I admit, I know I will like Capaldi much better than Matt Smith (never could get used to him.) Of the recent Doctors, David Tennant has been my favorite, with Christopher Eccleston a close second. Don't know how Capaldi will stack up against those two.

As for the episode, I enjoyed it and considered it a nice introduction for the new Doctor. I found the storytelling and writing no different than many of the other episodes of the Moffat-era revival of Doctor Who. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? If I'm entertained, I consider it a good thing and I was entertained by last night's episode.

 

Moffatt, please stop using Sontarans for comic relief.

 

Oh come on - it is funny. Strax had the best lines & scenes last night. I look forward to his appearances more than any other character.

 

I'd rather have Strax than the other two. There really was no point to the episode taking place in Victorian London other than the ability to feature three tired recurring characters.

 

I also found it disappointing, weak story and as stated above we seem to be on a merry go round of plots/characters, cue yet another appearance by the Daleks, I wish they'd taken the regeneration as an opportunity to reboot the writing and production team. I'd much rather Moffat concentrated on making more Sherlocks and left Doctor Who to someone else, hopefully someone that actually loved the classic period Who and treats the programme with the respect it deserves rather than playing it for cheap laughs.

 

Caught the Midnight screening close by and felt pacing of story was clunky toward middle half, and Peter Capaldi as the Doctor looks interesting. Still will watch through a few more episodes see how it develops!

 

Enjoyed it a lot. There have been much worse Tennant and Smith episodes.