Wednesday, July 05, 2006

"Doctor Who" Gets A New Sidekick

It's Freema Agyeman, who brings a little color (not to mention martial arts skills) to the role of sidekick for the new Doctor David Tennant. By the way, do NOT read this story if you want to avoid a major spoiler about Rose. (I wish someone had warned me.)
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The spoiler you read about Rose is an assumption. The Times don't know as nobody really knows. So don't worry.

12:36 PM
Michael in New York said...

Well, I hope you're right. (Not because I object to the plot twist but because I hate knowing plot details in advance.) But the Times just stated it flatly as fact as opposed to "reportedly" or some such thing. So if they are guessing, they did a very poor job of making that clear. I quite enjoyed season one with Eccleston. Seen any of season two with the new Doctor?

1:10 PM
Anonymous said...

I have seen both seasons, all the episodes.
The second season is as good as the first, if not better. What I love about the programme (both in the first and second series) is that it manages to combine many different elements, a joie de vivre, a melancholy, knowledge and innocence, comedy, pathos and adventure in equal measures and you never quite know what an episode is going to be, what buttons it's going to push.

Although Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant are both excellent, the new Doctor is very different from last series (although there is thread that connects them, a natural progression). The David Tennant Doctor is less guilt ridden, more affable, funnier, innocent, at least at first glance. He has an unmatched infectious joy for life but also an unpredictable, ruthless, melancholic streak underpining the character. Some of his funnier moments almost lull you to security but he can change to something dark and unsettling very quickly. Tennant is very charismatic, so you have to keep watching to see what he 'll do next.

2:00 PM
Michael in New York said...

Great to hear. I was worried when Eccleston didn't go for a second batch of shows. (Why they didn't insist he commit to two seasons is beyond me.) But it certainly sounds like it's turned out well. I like how they've maintained the simplicity (or perhaps, the handmade feel) of the low budget shows despite much better special effects. I like John Barrowman, but I'm not sure about the spinoff with Capt. Jack Harness.

2:22 PM
Anonymous said...

I think the actors' mentality regarding tv contracts are very different in England and the States. Doctor Who is a huge commitment compared with most british series (that typically have 6-8 episodes). Actors like Eccleston and Tennant who have acclaimed and award winning careers in theatre and tv (if not films) are used to the challenge of many different projects a year. Committing to one project for 9 months a year is very restrictive.

I don't think anyone could have convinced Eccleston to comit to more than one year, especially when the success and the future of the series were unknown. I am sure they signed Tennant for two, but it might be tricky after that.

The Captain Jack Harness spin off Torchwood is designed as adult drama, broadcast after 9pm (as opposed to Doctor Who that is broadcast at 7pm and its audience in the UK is to a large extent families and young children). So Torchwood should have a very different, darker feel.

9:29 PM

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