Doctor Who - Series 12, Chibnall's Revenge

[Mister Six]

Love that they managed to fit two #YazQuestions into the first 30 second (maybe more, I dunno, I'm not watching it again).

Fucking weird clip though. HE INSULTS HIS MATES OVER THE INTERCOM?! I MUST SEE MORE OF THIS THRILLING CHARACTER!

Meanwhile Capaldi got this as a teaser, two months before series 10: https://youtu.be/AAQPDDX8nhg

Maybe they're harder up for cash, but man alive, surely something could be put together that has a bit of oomph and mystery?

[chveik]

just searching you up, check you are who you say you are

maybe it's just me but it sounds really shit

[Ambient Sheep]

What do OG make of all this?

[mjwilson]

What do OG make of all this?

Someone started a thread with this clip by saying "In which Chibnall remembers how to write dialogue again."

[The Roofdog]

Someone started a thread with this clip by saying "In which Chibnall remembers how to write dialogue again."

I mean, I suppose that's true in the most literal sense.

[Old Gold Tooth]

just searching you up, check you are who you say you are

maybe it's just me but it sounds really shit

Definitely not just you. Clunky as fuck.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

OK, well I don't really think there's any point in watching this, is there?

What is the point of these nothingy preview clips? Shorn of context they make no sense whatsoever, it's just some people talking. There's no drama, no intrigue, nothing to make anything think, "Ooh, I'm definitely gonna watch that!"

All they tell us is that Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry are in the next episode, which we already knew. Chibnall presumably thinks that's enough to get bums on seats. Christ, he can't even sell his own show properly.

[Norton Canes]

What do OG make of all this?

Dunno, I steer well clear of the 'New series' sections. Especially when the new series is actually on.

[olliebean]

Honestly what the fuck is wrong with him. He can't genuinely think that's worth releasing as a teaser surely.

Lenny Henry was a guest on the programme, so they probably just sent the easiest-to-extract non-spoilery clip featuring plenty of Lenny Henry. Honestly, I doubt much/any thought went into how effective it was as a teaser. Although obviously some such thought should have been given.

[Old Gold Tooth]

All they tell us is that Stephen Fry and Lenny Henry are in the next episode, which we already knew. Chibnall presumably thinks that's enough to get bums on seats. Christ, he can't even sell his own show properly.

He's got form on this, when the "This Series on Doctor Who..." trail at the end of his first episode was just a montage of all the guest actors in dramatic one-shots.

At the time I thought it was a nice bold move to hold back the usual montage of aliens and running about, because it kept the mystery around what the revamped series would actually contain, but like a lot of his interesting decisions (no returning monsters, "family unit" of companions, etc.) it never came to anything.

[Small Man Big Horse]

The relentless slagging off of Chibnall in this thread (and many, many other places online) almost makes me feel sorry for the man sometimes. But then I think about rewatching season 11 and realise he deserves every bit of it, and if season 12 is as bad as is predicted I think I'd have preferred the show to be cancelled rather than him ruining it for years to come.

[Deanjam]

Remember also he went on TV as a fan and slagged off Pip and Jane Baker with no problems. Now they were terrible at writing Who, but so is he. So have away with it.

[Mister Six]

Lenny Henry was a guest on the programme, so they probably just sent the easiest-to-extract non-spoilery clip featuring plenty of Lenny Henry. Honestly, I doubt much/any thought went into how effective it was as a teaser. Although obviously some such thought should have been given.

Well yeah, that's the problem isn't it? He (and presumably the other producers) don't actually seem capable of looking at the show from an outsider's perspective and thinking "What does this look like to someone who hasn't been involved in producing this episode for the past six months?"

It's an even bigger problem when it happens in Chibnall's scripts, since an awareness of audience POV is pretty key to manipulating them into having an emotional and intellectual reaction to an episode. But he's pretty clearly incapable of that, hence the reliance on stock emotional beats ("Oh no, a relative of a minor supporting character died, look sad!") and all those weird scenes that look like they're leading somewhere or are about to deliver a big emotional moment but just... don't.

[Malcy]

They're starting to promote the S12 DVD/Blu-ray already...

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Gego-gf4A2A

[Replies From View]

Pre-order it before you realise it's shit!

[Replies From View]

The relentless slagging off of Chibnall in this thread (and many, many other places online) almost makes me feel sorry for the man sometimes. But then I think about rewatching season 11 and realise he deserves every bit of it, and if season 12 is as bad as is predicted I think I'd have preferred the show to be cancelled rather than him ruining it for years to come.

I love this post.

"I often feel sorry for the way Chibnall is unrelentingly criticised for the quality of his work, as I'm sure that if he reads these comments they'll get to him and hurt him deeply.  But on reflection I soon realise that there's no flaw to any of the arguments that are made against him - the man is a SHIT WRITER and he is FUCKING SHIT.  And I hope he reads this post and feels as SHIT deep down as he IS AS A WRITER."


It's the old - what's it called?  A sub-species of 'switcheroo'.

[Malcy]

A look inside the differences made to the TARDIS set.

https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-12-15/doctor-who-tardis-changes/

I like the sound of the new viewscreens.

[gilbertharding]

Could be worse. In a parallel universe, Adrian Rigelsford is sharpening his pencils ready to get writing series 12 - and he'll have it all finished by tomorrow afternoon.

[Bad Ambassador]

Lenny Henry's been complaining about a lack of BAME actors in Doctor Who, having apparently not having seen it in 15 years.

[Deanjam]

Not sure which thread to throw this in, but I really like the artwork for the Series 5 steelbook (my favourite new Who series) by Sophie Cowdrey.

[Mister Six]

Lenny Henry's been complaining about a lack of BAME actors in Doctor Who, having apparently not having seen it in 15 years.

Did a bit of a Google and he also said this:

"When [former head writer] Russell T Davies was doing Doctor Who, there was so many black people in the show," he continued, before adding: "I rang up and said, 'There are too many black people in the show — put in some white people, it's getting embarrassing'."

So it looks like he's mostly miffed at Moffat. And I could see the point, I suppose. Danny Pink and Bill are Moff's only two recurring or regular black characters, with the other ten or so being white or green. Although the supporting casts for the episodes were usually quite diverse, weren't they?

[Thomas]

"Why have we never had a black Doctor Who? They would rather have a dog do Doctor Who than a black person. There's no black people in Doctor Who."

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a30217885/doctor-who-lenny-henry-criticises-diversity-black-doctor-who/

I understand his miffedness as a gut reaction to that plethora of white faces, but a cursory Google reveals that Moffat (dismissed among the royal 'they' as some sort of dog-preferring racist) did offer the role to a black actor.

[Replies From View]

Not sure which thread to throw this in, but I really like the artwork for the Series 5 steelbook (my favourite new Who series) by Sophie Cowdrey.

Wasn't there already a series 5 steelbook?  I suppose they needed to redo it with the new logo though...

[Replies From View]

Did a bit of a Google and he also said this:

"When [former head writer] Russell T Davies was doing Doctor Who, there was so many black people in the show," he continued, before adding: "I rang up and said, 'There are too many black people in the show — put in some white people, it's getting embarrassing'."

So it looks like he's mostly miffed at Moffat. And I could see the point, I suppose. Danny Pink and Bill are Moff's only two recurring or regular black characters, with the other ten or so being white or green. Although the supporting casts for the episodes were usually quite diverse, weren't they?

Also, Danny Pink and Bill both racistly die in the exact same way.

[Bad Ambassador]

In as much as both become Cybermen. But one's knocked down by a car and the other one gets better and later becomes a cosmic lesbian.

[Old Gold Tooth]

Coming soon from Big Finish... Bill Potts: Cosmic Lesbian.

[Replies From View]

In as much as both become Cybermen. But one's knocked down by a car and the other one gets better and later becomes a cosmic lesbian.

Both are graved quite senselessly.  When it happened to Clara it was OH GOD NO I WILL OVERTURN THE UNIVERSE TO SAVE HER but both Danny and Bill are just kind of guffed off.

[Bad Ambassador]

Both are graved quite senselessly.  When it happened to Clara it was OH GOD NO I WILL OVERTURN THE UNIVERSE TO SAVE HER but both Danny and Bill are just kind of guffed off.

If anyone deserved to be cybered it was Danny Prick. Bill at least turned into a cloud of special energy. Danny just, what, exploded? Went to live in Dreamland? Something rubbish, anyway.

Also, don't Clara and Bill end up exactly the same way - turning into magic and flying around the universe with another woman?

[Camp Tramp]

Did a bit of a Google and he also said this:

"When [former head writer] Russell T Davies was doing Doctor Who, there was so many black people in the show," he continued, before adding: "I rang up and said, 'There are too many black people in the show — put in some white people, it's getting embarrassing'."

So it looks like he's mostly miffed at Moffat. And I could see the point, I suppose. Danny Pink and Bill are Moff's only two recurring or regular black characters, with the other ten or so being white or green. Although the supporting casts for the episodes were usually quite diverse, weren't they?

Did he not see the complaints from people who were miffed at seeing BAME people in time periods they didn't expect to see them in. I'm thinking of the black Victorian soldier in the Ice Warrior episode.

I think Moffatt himself has been quoted about colourblind casting?

[Small Man Big Horse]

Apparently a theatrical immersive experience is in the works - https://www.immersivedoctorwho.com/ - at £57.50 I'll never know what it's like, but if Chibnall isn't involved it might be fun I guess.