Dr Who.

[Sam.]

So.. what did all the brits think of the new Dr. Who? I thought it was awesome, but then, im not old enough to remmebr the last one.

[Eggie]

I liked it. My parents liked it.
My all-round opinion of this = likable

Kind of makes me feel like I missed something...

[PaulSC]

It was alright - I thought Eccleston was very good indeed.

But ooh, I just hate that slick, plasticy look all these modern high(er) budget BBC productions always have. At a time when US TV dramas can look every bit as great as high budget cinema productions, I find this kind of ugly, fake look very hard to swallow, to be honest.

We'll have to see how well they pull off regular storylines to really get an idea of how well it's working, of course. But I can't getting the feeling that once the novelty value wears off, it won't last too long. The whole thing kind of reminds me of that Randal and Hopkirk remake from a few years back, unfortunatly.

[Privateer Puddin']

I thought it was good, having not seen much of the past doctors.

From previews i've seen, it seems theres now bad cgi rather than bad 'blue peter' like enemies

[Chicky]

Ahh it was great, Chicky really liked it. And i am also to young to have watched the old ones on the box, but my parents bought me like every Dr.Who video they could find when i was a kid  :

[Evil]

But ooh, I just hate that slick, plasticy look all these modern high(er) budget BBC productions always have. At a time when US TV dramas can look every bit as great as high budget cinema productions, I find this kind of ugly, fake look very hard to swallow, to be honest.

I know what you mean. I can't watch BBC because the image quality drives me crazy. Though I still watch Dr Who or Red Dwarf on PBS every once in a while. Usually late at night when I'm too tired to notice the quality.

[Mr Flibble]

Well I watched it, and I thought it was great.

Evil, is Red Dwarf really as popular in America as the DVD commentaries would have us believe?

[Kweepa]

Well I watched it, and I thought it was great.

Evil, is Red Dwarf really as popular in America as the DVD commentaries would have us believe?

Red Who?
It's on BBC America occasionally, but hardly anyone watches BBC America.

[BerserkerTails]

Well, I live in Canada, and love Red Dwarf, so I dunno. And I know a lot of people who know of it too.

As for the new Doctor Who, I saw the episode a few weeks back when it was leaked to THE INTERNETS, and I thought it was really good. Eccleston seemed to make a good doctor, and the show was on the whole rather enjoyable. I do agree with the whole "BBC-Quality" issue, however.

The thing that bugs me, is that you look at shows like "Coupling" and "The Office", and they don't seem to have that low-budget image-quality look to them, yet the new Doctor Who does... Hmmm, odd.

[Mr Flibble]

Well, the BBC gives shows (especially sci fi) quite low budgets, which affects the type of film they use.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but since The Office didn't need to buy aliens and planets, they could afford better film. Or perhaps even that CineMagic thing that producers love so much.

The best comparision between "filmized" cinemagic shows and regular shows is Red Dwarf, and Red Dwarf ReMastered. There is quite a difference. Besides, if you wanna talk bad images, watch channel Five. Sorry, watch "five" (thats what they like to call themselves). Sometimes I use a black and white TV, and channel five is just unwatchable.

[PaulSC]

The best comparision between "filmized" cinemagic shows and regular shows is Red Dwarf, and Red Dwarf ReMastered. There is quite a difference.

Is that the thing where they reprocess the video footage, altering the framerate to give it that pseudo-film quality? It's usually pretty horrendous when they do that, I think.

I wish they'd just gone with film for this Dr Who, because the ugliness really bothered me - not helped by the slightly odd, slightly crap directing. I get the feeling it'll bug me through the whole thing, but I'm hoping the writing and performances will shine through in the end.

I doubt this new Dr Who is low budget by modern BBC standards, though. They seem to be hoping for a saturday night ratings winner, so I imagine they invested quite a bit in it. Admittedly a high budget BBC show is probably nothing compared to a big budget US show.

[Etcher Squared Games]

wow, i'm a Dr. Who fan and I didn't know of this?

I looked at IMDB.com but didn't find a reference to this new Dr. Who.

Is it only on in the UK?
Who is the new doctor?

[Ashen]

Chris Eccleston.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436992/

I think it's only in the UK for now, but since the first episode was leaked from a Canadian source, I assume it'll reach the rest of the world eventually.

I really liked it, actually. I didn't notice the quality issue people have mentioned, (although it's true, the average BBC series costs about as much as one episode of American TV) and I liked the slightly retro, man-in-a-rubber-suit effects used for most of it. Billie wasn't even as god-awful as I thought she'd be. I just hope future episodes are more serial, like the previous versions, and not just one 45 minute episode per story.

[BerserkerTails]

I just hope future episodes are more serial, like the previous versions, and not just one 45 minute episode per story.

Oh, I think once the Daleks get introduced, you'll see more continuity between episodes.

EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!

[AGA]

A scene from it was filmed right outside my building. I live in an old, Victorian-style building, with an old-style pub just across the road. It was snowing the day they filmed. I came home drunk one day to find they'd sealed off the road (including the front door to my building). They had to escort us across the set. I saw Billie Piper!! She was completely wrapped up in a big warm coat though, given the cold weather.

[Evil]

Evil, is Red Dwarf really as popular in America as the DVD commentaries would have us believe?

Not in Iowa, nor anywhere else as far as I am aware of. Don't get me wrong, it's great comedy, but America loves their "reality shows".

[MrColossal]

Evil.. Are you telling me Red Dwarf isn't a reality show?

[Privateer Puddin']

Sometimes I use a black and white TV, and channel five is just unwatchable.

I think that's just the reception your getting, watch it on sky and it's clear as anything else

[Sam.]

I don't think the quality of BBC drama is bad, i think its in a style that is not pleasing. Everything is given this, greasy, "lloking through glass" kind of look. It looks cheap. but if the content is good, why worry about the film quality? Maybe if we get some more series' it'll get better, is the orignal who did.

[Phoenix]

I like the new look for Dr who and the few jokes were ok but the bucket burping that was a bit too far and I thought they spent money on the special effects but the still use the crap looking fade away with the police box! Billie was ok and the new Dr gives alot more depth to his character. Oh red dwarf is the best! Can't wait till the film comes out, but Craig Charles would rather go on the games than work on the film