When it was announced in 1995 that 'Dr.Who' was going to return as an made-for-television movie co-produced by the B.B.C. and Universal T.V., Paul Mount wrote an article for 'Starburst' magazine offering advice to incoming producer Philip Segal. Amongst other things he recommended that the new film not pander to long-term fans by making unnecessary continuity references to past adventures. Alas the film, though it had its good points ( McGann was an incredible Doctor ), did not work as a starting point for a new series. The 'kisses to the past' crippled its chances of finding a new audience.
However, Mount's sensible advice seems to have been more closely heeded by Segal's successors, Russell T.Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young. 2005 will surely go down in 'Dr.Who' history as its most incredible year. Everything worked; a first-rate new Doctor ( Christopher Eccleston ) and companion ( Billie Piper ), big audiences ( 10 million for the first episode and Christmas special ), major awards, critical acclaim and those idiots who spent years giggling at the Daleks' seeming inability to negotiate stairs were silenced forever. But then Eccleston dropped a bombshell, quitting after just one series. It looked like the honeymoon was over. But the public appears to have embraced his successor, the excellent David Tennant. On top of this the show boasts fine S.F.X., like the spaceship crashing into 'Big Ben' in 'Aliens Of London' and superb story lines such as 'Tooth & Claw', 'Army Of Ghosts/Doomsday'. Davies established a 'tone' for each episode, writing the lighter ones himself while farming out the more serious ones to Paul Cornell and Steven Moffat.
Judging from some of the other comments here it seems some people are having problems adjusting to the new look of the show, levelling at Davies the venom once reserved for the late John Nathan-Turner. I would ask them to give it a chance. The original show, after all, also produced more than its fair share of rubbish. The new 'Dr.Who' is basically the same as the old, only updated for the 21st century. Had the wobbly sets, Dudley Simpson music and fake monster costumes been retained, it would have been laughed off the air. Some fans have accused Davies of 'ruining' the show. They need to remember that there was no show for sixteen years until he came along. Objections to the new Cybermen put me in mind of an article from the now-defunct 'Dr.Who Bulletin' titled ''80's Cybermen Just Aren't Scary'. So it goes.
However, Mount's sensible advice seems to have been more closely heeded by Segal's successors, Russell T.Davies, Julie Gardner and Mal Young. 2005 will surely go down in 'Dr.Who' history as its most incredible year. Everything worked; a first-rate new Doctor ( Christopher Eccleston ) and companion ( Billie Piper ), big audiences ( 10 million for the first episode and Christmas special ), major awards, critical acclaim and those idiots who spent years giggling at the Daleks' seeming inability to negotiate stairs were silenced forever. But then Eccleston dropped a bombshell, quitting after just one series. It looked like the honeymoon was over. But the public appears to have embraced his successor, the excellent David Tennant. On top of this the show boasts fine S.F.X., like the spaceship crashing into 'Big Ben' in 'Aliens Of London' and superb story lines such as 'Tooth & Claw', 'Army Of Ghosts/Doomsday'. Davies established a 'tone' for each episode, writing the lighter ones himself while farming out the more serious ones to Paul Cornell and Steven Moffat.
Judging from some of the other comments here it seems some people are having problems adjusting to the new look of the show, levelling at Davies the venom once reserved for the late John Nathan-Turner. I would ask them to give it a chance. The original show, after all, also produced more than its fair share of rubbish. The new 'Dr.Who' is basically the same as the old, only updated for the 21st century. Had the wobbly sets, Dudley Simpson music and fake monster costumes been retained, it would have been laughed off the air. Some fans have accused Davies of 'ruining' the show. They need to remember that there was no show for sixteen years until he came along. Objections to the new Cybermen put me in mind of an article from the now-defunct 'Dr.Who Bulletin' titled ''80's Cybermen Just Aren't Scary'. So it goes.