Doctor Who - Flux

[JCC]

So, I bought this on Prime but got caught up in watching it live today. The ads drove me crazy, so I will be a day behind for the remainder of the series. But, episode 1 was just awesome. Have no idea what the hell is going on, but is was damned exciting!

[JCC]

So, maybe I am the only one who cares about the show on here these days, but 2/3 through the current series Flux, it has been absolutely amazing. This week's was just superb. Right now, my favorite season since series 9 (Capaldi's penultimate series). Just fantastic. It will all depend on whether Chibnall can stick the landing in 2 weeks, but fingers crossed.

[msteelers]

We fell off the Dr Who wagon during Capaldi’s run. We want to get caught up, but time is an issue. I’m glad to hear this season is good!

[Kraken]

Thanks for reminding me that we must have at least one more episode in the can...last one I saw was the Sontarans.

[hepcat]

The first episode didn’t really grab me. I disliked it so much I just stopped watching. But I’ll give it another go.

[Kraken]

I feel like they're going for camp and missing. The dog people tripped my silly wire. But as a good Whovian I am entertained regardless.

[hepcat]

The dog people were where I lost it too. I had to fight the urge to just turn the tv off at that point.

But the second episode was much better (90 percent less dog people helped). I'll stick with it. I'm hearing rave reviews for the fourth episode.

[hepcat]

A female doctor was bound to get under some idiotic politician’s skin, I guess.

[Daveman]

As noted before in the other Who thread I've not cared for the recent Chibnall-led seasons (I put it all on him, I like Jodie Whitaker and her portrayal of the Doctor) but was hopeful things were on an upward trajectory since I thought his 2nd season was better than the 1st... but Flux has been horrible.

I'd have thought a single continuous season might have been a good thing, letting them tell a deeper story but it's all been this disjointed, overly complicated mess. I was happy to hear they were slimming down to just 2 companions but surprise, this season has had 4 or 5 "lesser companions" to fold in grabbing for screen time and attention.

I could go on but ugh... bring on the next showrunner ASAP.

[hepcat]

That's where I'm at now. Hated the first episode, thought the second one was passable, then it just kept going downhill for me from there. I find myself having to force myself to watch the show.

[JCC]

Wow, I completely disagree with both of you. This series has been fantastic. This week's episode wasn't quite as stupendous as last week's fantastic weeping angel centric episode, but it was still great.

Now, as I noted before, Chibnall has to stick the landing next week (ie. end the series without it sucking) but this has been by far my favorite Whittaker/Chibnall series.

I will say, I think this series was very much made for die hards like me. And I think the UK Audience Appreciation Index is lower this series compared to all others, but I don't give a shit about anyone's opinion but mine! LOL.

[Kraken]

That's where I'm at now. Hated the first episode, thought the second one was passable, then it just kept going downhill for me from there. I find myself having to force myself to watch the show.

Yeah, the one we watched last night ("Once Upon Time," I think?) was just chaos with the Doctor and companions blinking in and out of interleaving timelines, and the super cheesy effect of Whittaker on a wire in a pink mist. Hard to follow and hardly worth trying. It didn't help that the musical score drowned out the dialog more than once. I tried turning on captioning for a little while, but that was more annoying than helpful.

I think the next episode is the weeping angels one, and hope that revives my interest.

[hepcat]

I think the next episode is the weeping angels one, and hope that revives my interest.

Be prepared for disappointment.

I wanted to like it, but it’s just all over the place. The guy’s rewriting how everything works, but in the process he’s showing that he doesn’t understand what made many of us love Doctor Who to begin with.

Hopefully the next writer will get it though. Even better, I hope they drop all this retcon crap and get back to basics.

[JCC]

Watched the finale. I thought Chibs ended it about as well as he could have. A confusing, wild, entertaining ride. By far my favorite season for Jodie's Doctor, and I think I liked her version of the Doc the most in this season.

[hepcat]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I did not. I think I’m going to just pretend Chibnall’s seasons didn’t happen. He is not who I want writing Dr. Who. Thankfully, I believe he’s done.

[JCC]

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I did not. I think I’m going to just pretend Chibnall’s seasons didn’t happen. He is not who I want writing Dr. Who. Thankfully, I believe he’s done.

3 more specials in 2022. Then RTD returns and takes over for the next series in 2023 with a new Doctor. (DW's 60th anniversary. No pressure RTD!)

[Kraken]

Well, that finally ended.

There were several prominent characters whose roles I never really did figure out. Bargain-bin Benedict Cumberbatch (Snake Lord, or whatever)...the one-armed lady...and the Asian girl with the tamagotchi thing. Maybe they would've gelled if I'd paid closer attention, but every time they were on screen I wondered who they were and why they were there. And then they were gone again.

I did like the tripartite Doctor. That much was cool.

[Jeff V]

I played the Monty Python Flux game at Octocon once, it was fun!

[hepcat]

I do like Dan. He’s just naturally funny.

But at the end of the day, I didn’t want a rewrite of who the Doctor really is. I wanted a rogue Time Lord, from Gallifrey, who helps the universe and cracks wise while doing so. I don’t want a “timeless child” who’s past is shrouded in mystery.

I’m going to continue to ignore all that crap and pretend it never happened.

[JCC]

Being one doesn't preclude being the other. It's not like her origin was undone, we just know there was a life before the "first" Doctor that we knew.

Having said that, I don't completely approve of the change myself. I want more information, which I assume we will get from Chibs before he hangs up his hat.

And, I still want to know why Jo Martin's TARDIS is a police box. It really shouldn't be, based on comments the first Doctor says in the first story. In theory she shouldn't even be in the same TARDIS though both of these gripes can be explained but Chibs needs to do it, damint! LOL

John Bishop who plays Dan is a comedian. He personal history from going from a "normal" job to a comedian/actor is pretty interesting.

[hepcat]

Being one doesn't preclude being the other. It's not like her origin was undone

No, but you could also say that making the Hulk a Keebler Elf who then became a man and then the Hulk, but forgot that he has an insane need to make cookies and live in a tree, doesn't change the character. A line has to be drawn, I believe. And that line is "The Doctor is a Time Lord from Gallifrey". That's such an indelible part of the character that altering it in such a significant manner, then trying to say it doesn't count because they don't remember it (which begs the question, why do it then?), does still change the character in my eyes.

And don't get me started on the retcon he did with the Weeping Angels. Now they're essentially all powerful, if you think about it.

And, I still want to know why Jo Martin's TARDIS is a police box. It really shouldn't be, based on comments the first Doctor says in the first story. In theory she shouldn't even be in the same TARDIS though both of these gripes can be explained but Chibs needs to do it, damint! LOL

But that has been a charming part of the character since (literally) day one. The truth is monetary, the fictional reason is just fun.

I don't want this writer trying to explain anything else about the Doctor. In my opinion, they're just a mismatch for the character. Davies and Moffat weren't perfect, but I prefer their interpretations of the Doctor.

[hepcat]

Good lord, Chibnall has just given up on any pretense that he isn’t creatively bankrupt. He literally just made a Groundhog’s Day episode of Doctor Who for the holiday special.

His exit can’t come soon enough.

[JCC]

Good lord, Chibnall has just given up on any pretense that he isn’t creatively bankrupt. He literally just made a Groundhog’s Day episode of Doctor Who for the holiday special.

His exit can’t come soon enough.

Funny. I had the opposite reaction: "Why did Doctor Who wait this long to do this kind of story?!"

I enjoyed the special. I was pretty disappointed with Chibs' first series, but have enjoyed most everything since - especially Flux.

[hepcat]

I can’t wait for the episode coming up where the doctor fights a villain named Darth Vadar and Chibnall reveals the doctor is actually a Jedy warrior. I mean, why have they waited so long to rip off Star Wars? It will be brilliant!

Writing that, I realize that hack Chibnall may actually do it though.

Sorry. I’m harsh because the Groundhog’s Day storyline is one of the laziest things a writer can do. It’s almost like a public confirmation that you don’t have any good ideas.