What’s wrong with this picture??
I love Doctor Who. I just loathe the look of this new ‘new year’ special.
I wrote extensively last week about how much I adore the show. And I do try and remain positive. There is no virtue in senseless cynicism or posting negativity for its own sake.
On the other hand? Criticism is not necessarily destructive. And if we all hang on an edge awaiting someone’s offence then the baddies have won the free speech war.
To quote The Untouchables, as a hoodlum forces a barman to accept bad booze? ‘It’s not supposed to be good, it’s supposed to be Bought!’
What I mean is? Kindness and objectivity must never be used as the tools to shield mediocrity. That’s what is so wrong with politics and film these days.
Therefore? I have to take issue with this new Dr Who. Not coz it’s a girl or multi-racial/ethnic/sexuality’ed/cultured (it always was: real fans know that’s why the show endured). It’s because it’s just not very good at the moment, imho.
This new trailer? Is proof. Sure just a trailer. But…yuck, meh, no. Dark, dull, crammed, rushed, hysterical, banal, uninspired, second rate.
Sorry 🙂
- Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) is back. Fine. I love that character and admire the actor. But he is taking centre stage here, in part due to the charisma vacuum elsewhere? His whole selling point was chemistry as supporting player with the specifically Eccleston/Tennant shaped Doctors. So his belated return now is kinda redundant?
- The Doctor seems reduced to a cameo? And looks like a miserable soap opera character rather than the glorious inspiration one expects. Awful.
- Redesigned Daleks ARE fun. I genuinely bemoan the day the ‘spider dalek’ was rejected as a concept. But that HAS to be alongside rather than in place of the traditional template and with new concept to match the new look. Using them as drones, with the government? Yawn. Done before and better.
- Oh, Look! A TRUMP REFERENCE. Seriously. The dude is not even the satirical hot-point he once was. Biden is prepping his new administration. The world did not end. Move along.
Above all? Yet AGAIN. A NEW YEAR’S SPECIAL? Do it at Christmas. Or DON’T DO IT AT ALL. Rest this show. Then reboot, recast, retool, reclaim. Save the brand, save the licence fee.
