The RTD Legacy Questions

[Jon Masters]

Its less than 24 hours until we reach the End of (RTD) Time itself. And, as is traditional at New Year to look back and look forward, here are a selection of questions to ponder and answer concerning DW under RTD's giant Welsh hands:

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?

[Andrew Curnow]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?
In general, although I know it's not fashionable in some quarters, I'm a big fan of RTD's stories. Today though, my three favourites are:

1. Aliens of London/World War Three
Farting aliens notwithstanding, I loved this one right from the off. Given the length of an old-time four-parter, it's the first New story that feels 'epic' simply through its running time. And the extra time allows time not just for the alien menace to build, but also for the 'new' concerns, such as the 'reality' of a companion's family & friends, to breathe. The first time I watched the second episode I said to Little Miss (from the edge of my seat) that it was as good as it ever was, and still today I love that climax, and the genius of the Doctor being able to save the whole world even though he's trapped in a metal box.

2. Gridlock
I'm trying to stop rambling on like I did above, so I'll just sum up that this one is so damn moving.

3. Rose
It's got to be this one hasn't it, really. If this episode had been a turkey, that would have been it, but it's not. And the London Eye scene? STILL makes me laugh today (thanks to Mr Gardener).

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?
1. New Earth
Rewatching it recently, it's not as bad as I first thought, but it's still pretty bad. I can see that there's some logical thought behind the reuse of elements from the previous series (ie, to show the 'new' audience that the new Doctor is still the same old Doctor) but I think that's misjudged and unnecessary, and reusing music and even the ending, is just bad. And the liftshaft bodyswap crosses a line from amusing into tiresome.

2. Journey's End
(Just that episode). It's too cluttered; Rose doesn't need to be back because by now we don't care about her as much as we do the current companion Donna; despite Liz's praise in DWM, it's no better or worse than The Five Doctors, in that the final farewells are just as quick and arbitrary and unlikely. And see below about the resolution of the plot.

3. I'll have to get back to you, I can't really think of a third that irritated me.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?Confidence. That sounds silly perhaps, and maybe they didn't really feel it during production, but series one 'feels' confident when it bursts onto the screen. It is big, bold, in your face, and doesn't for one moment try and compromise what the show is. That extends to bringing back the Daleks (and UNIT I suppose) which I think a lot of message-board discussion pre-2003 warned against.

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?
Weak endings. I'll quickly add that the old series had them too, but there's been a lot in the new show - TEOTW's fans for a start, right up to Journey's End. That last one is the worst by far for me, as I still don't know what they did to destroy the Daleks - for all the sense it made, they might as well have had a big 'DALEK SELFDESTRUCT' button.


5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?
A male companion played by a bloke from Devon in his mid-30s...


6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?
Confidence. That detemination to always be as good as possible. And the ability to tell totally different stories from one week to the next.

[Larry]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Stolen Earth - there are very few stories in both old and new series that I would say was perfect and i'sd give full marks to but this is definitely one of them. I've never been a big fan of Davros and it was a brave decision to bring him back but RTD did it brilliantly.

School Reunion - Sarah Jane Smith - enough said I think.

Tooth And Claw - think I like this story so much because it was a story that would of fitted perfectly into season 13 .



2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Long Game - after the brilliance of the previous episode (Dalek) it was such an anti climax it's a story that I find dull and boring.

Love and Monsters - it's one of those stories that you really have to be in the right mood for all credit for RTD for trying some thing different but it's not some thing i'd like to see again.

Journey's End - the Doctor/donna thing and how they defeated the Daleks with the companions pushing them all around also al that gratuitous smugness and patting each other on the back as all the companions operate the consol.


3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ? - for me it's the fact that thanks to him Doctor Who, now has a whole new genewration of young children who have become fans it's no longer the embarrassing joke it had become and is tv that he whole family can sit down and watch and enjoy.




4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?
the on going love story between Rose and The Doctor it was ok to start with but just got nauseating toward the end as Rose became a more irritating person.

5. If could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

To be honest I don't think there is any thing I'd change



6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ? - just don't try to make too many changes yo what has proved to be a successfull format.
__________________

[WibblyWombly]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Sound of Drums- the flashback of Gallifrey was superb and I love John Simm's portrayal of the Master. Some nice Doctor-Master scenes, the Laser screwdriver and a stunning cliffhanger make this season 3's best story IMO.

School Reunion- brilliant all round. I've always loved K9 and Sarah. The villians were cool and there were some nice emotional scenes.

Doomsday- The Dalek vs Cybermen battle was epic. Some nice plot twists, beautiful scenes and Catherine Tate. What more could you want?

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

Boom Town- just completely dull and boring. Two people talking over dinner. There were some nice ideas, it was just way too boring.

The Long Game- As Larry said it's just way to boring and slow.

Love and Monsters- Not enough Tennant and also rather boring.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?
Turning Doctor Who into a family show. No longer is it embarrasing with rubbish special effects and terrible acting. Now it can be taken seriously and isn't just for nerds like me .

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?
Having almost every episode set on or near Earth. Every episode involves humans too. Apparently he wants kids to 'relate' to it. Doctor Who is meant to be about escapism. We need more alien planets!

5. If could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?
Basically nothing except more alien planets and slightly less focus on the life and family of the companions.

What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?
Just everything brilliant and good he has done for the show.

[Jason Thompson]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Christmas Invasion. The first Christmas special and really feels properly Christmassy. All the others IMO suffer from RTD's insistence on making Christmas episodes Christmassy, to the point where the latest one really feels like Christmas has been shoehorned in. I know the Christmas elements were also shoehorned in to a non-Christmassy script in the first one, but somehow that episode got it right in a way none of the others did.

Army of Ghosts/Doomsday. The ending's a bit weak but is executed so well you don't realise it until you think back on it after.

Rose: Not the most spectacular script by any means, but the one on which almost everything hinged. This was the one that had to bring Doctor Who back and it succeeded brilliantly.


2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Long Game. Not remotely memorable and rather dull.

New Earth. Just silly. A great example of RTD setting things in the far far FAR future, with little concept of what those timescales actually mean in terms of planets and species. And yes, I still maintain that throwing drugs at sick people is a stupid way to cure them of every known illness.


Boom Town. A different idea, but not much to hang 45 minutes of episode off, and after raising difficult issues of conscience for the Doctor a deus ex machina takes all the responsibility and moral conflict away from him by offering a new safe option. (the Torchwood episode Small Worlds used the more adult nature of the show to deal with this much better by actually forcing Jack to make a horrible decision with no third option presented at the last minute.)

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

He managed to make it new and 'cool' but still recognisably the same series (despite what a small but vocal minority of blinkered 'fans' maintain). There were no guarantees, but he pulled it off, and that really is fantastic.

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

A rigid adherence to a formula that has been repeated over four seasons now. A companion with a somewhat dysfunctional family that keeps coming back in the series, even to the point of having the Doctor modify a mobile phone so everyone can call everyone wherever and whenever they may be; a historical celebrity episode; a big arc with little things mentioned throughout the series leading to the big finale; a dark and moody 2-part story towards the end; a big finale that threatens the whole world or the whole Universe, in which a catastrophe is averted or undone by some convenient plot device; a contrived Doctor/companion kiss and various other elements.

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

Getting away from Earth and humans, or at least explicit mention of them. Aliens can be people and characters without being human, and I don't buy his line that no-one cares about non-human characters and storylines.

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?

The confidence of storytelling and the willingness to try new things every so often. Midnight is not a favourite episode of mine by any means, but at least they tried it.

[SiHart]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

Right then:

The End of the World
Bceause I sat there thinking yes! The 45 minute episodes can work well, the start of the Doctor's Time War arc was incredibly intriguing and the ending was wonderful.

The Stolen Earth/ Journey's End
OK, the end may not be perfect, but I think The Stolen Earth stands as one of the most exciting episodes of Doctor Who ever made. It's wonderfully exciting and the cliffhanger was certainly one of the most talked about moments of the series, ever.

Gridlock
A good, solid, and ever so enjoyable episode of Doctor Who. Just another one full of fine, memorable moments and because no-one would ever, ever have predicted that The Macra would be back.

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

Planet of the Dead
Sometimes a romp is what you want, but I don't think this one quite worked for me. It was fun, but nothing very much beyond that.

The Next Doctor
Again, it seemed like diminishing returns- lots of nice moments, but once you know what what's upwith Jackson Lake, it doesn't really stand rewatching.

The Long Game
Slow and was just average. That's probably not too damning, but I really struggled to think of another one that I don't like too much.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

Making it one of the most talked about shows these days. I don't think that any of us could have predicted that. He made the show appeal to every age group and girls and everyone. That took some doing!

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?
The Doctor as "The Lonely Angel" and his whole godlike aspect to the character. I liked him much better as a mysterious traveller in time and space. Somehow it makes the Doctor a less appealing character.

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?
Being something of a tradiotnalist, I'd have liked more 2 parters per season.

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?
The willingness to puch the show forward and do things that have never been done before (tm RTD). Resting on its laurels is something Doctor Who should never do, as the last year has shown. I've love the way that over the past 4 years they've pushed the format into places we'd never have thought it could go and on the whole it's been very successful.

Si xx

[Zbigniev Hamson]

This should be fun

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?
I really enjoyed The Christmas Invasion at the time, and rewatched it several times shortly after. I still would probably enjoy it, but I haven't seen it fora while.

I also really liked Love & Monsters at the time, but I don't think I've rewatched it at all so who knows what I'd think now.

I quite likes The Waters of Mars too, but I don't know how much of that he wrote.

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?
I didn't like any of his others. At all. Not one.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?
The fact that it's on television at all I suppose. Or Steven Moffat, but time will tell on that one

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

Probably him sticking around after the first year and just doing the same thing over and over again for hte next 4 years.

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

An urgent job on some other series from 2006 onwards.

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff?
As little as possible.

[Si Hunt]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

"Tooth and Claw", "Army of Ghosts" and "The Stolen Earth", the latter two for being epic and brimming with good ideas and the former for being a lovely, atmospheric little tale.

Some examples of the great ideas in the latter two - "My vision is not impaired", the brilliant Cybermen/Dalek dialogue - "This is not war, this is pest control!", the Voidship, the lovely bit with Sarah and Davros, the time-ravaged, premonition making crippled Dalek... I could go on. Teeming with great little original ideas. I think for anyone to suggest RTD did the same thing over and over must make them a bit short sighted.

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

I didn't like "Last of the Time Lords" - I thought it was overblown and I didn't like John Simms version of the Master, though he was better in this weeks episodes. "Midnight" I didn't get on with - I know some people liked it, but there was too much shouting for me. I don't think it'll ever be one of my favourites. And "New Earth", while redeemed by the lovely ending, I didn't largely enjoy because of the nonsense potion business and the silly body-swapping acting.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

There have been so many - so I think, lovely, original little touches that look mad on paper but somehow work beautifully on screen. And bringing Doctor Who crashing into the world of modern telly such that it's now the most popular thing on.

Oh, and Catherine Tate.

Oops, that's three!

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

The overblown music at times.

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

A McGann/Eccelston/Tennant multi-Doctor story! Everything else I think he's done. I wanted Cybermen most of all, really.

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?

Only the basic things - the human side of the program, the brilliant ideas and the clever linking between adventures. But only because I think a new producer should bring his own touches to the program.

Si.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

...the time-ravaged, premonition making crippled Dalek... I could go on. Teeming with great little original ideas. I think for anyone to suggest RTD did the same thing over and over must make them a bit short sighted.

the insane, premonation making bedraggled Time Lady?

[Si Hunt]

Twice is hardly over and over again, though is it. And they are two quite different characters, linked only by having second sight.

Actually the idea of the technologically superior Time Lords relying on a Soothsayer was quite a good and interesting one, we've never had that before. So thanks for highlighting another good RTD original idea for me

Si.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Pfft

[WhiteCrowNZ]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?

The Girl In The Fireplace - I absolutely love that story, and there was real chemistry between Tennant and Myles

Human Nature/Family of Blood - Marvellous! Actually I'm now worried as I've chosen two Doctor Who romances. But by not being the Doctor it seemed more about the Doctor.

The Impossible Planet/Satan Pit - pure gripping terror!

And it's not really fair cos I could quite easily add Journey's End, Empty Child, Blink and many more to this bracket.

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

Doomsday - The Cybermen are perhaps my favourite foe, but they were pretty much turned into cannon fodder in the much hyped Dalek-Cyberman war.

Fear Her - Kind of pointless episode.

Love and Monsters - Pavement love - wtf!!!

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

The 45 minute format.

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

Martha Jones. Actually she was good in season 3, I just don't think they should have brought her back.

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

Bring back the Valeyard!

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?

Well nothing. I don't think I'd like any producer to be straight-jacketed.

I am wondering what will replace the gay agenda in fan fury!

[Zbigniev Hamson]

I may have misunderstood.... I thought it was about stories penned by RTD himself, not just any story under his editorial control.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

I was going on it being the whole of his era! I mean after all he has final say over which stories are made or not.

[Jon Masters]

I may have misunderstood.... I thought it was about stories penned by RTD himself, not just any story under his editorial control.

That's what I originally intended, but it's fine - after all, as The Writer's Tale and the interview on Radio 2 show, he did some re-writing on nearly every script anyway.

[Jon Masters]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?
Gridlock - a very well constructed story, with a great central premise, and emotional stuff that actually fitted into the story rather than feeling bolted on.

Turn Left - for almost exactly the same reasons.

The Next Doctor - my favourite of the specials because the Doctor gets to be very doctorish for once.

2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

Journey's End - what should have been the greatest story ever becomes a 'guest stars do a turn' and a plot scribbled on a matchbox as an afterthought.

New Earth - again, a story written to satisfy the writer's whims rather than be a good story.

Love & Monsters - just not my thing.

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?
Christopher Eccleston - just a shame he couldn't hang onto him

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?
The 'supercompanion' who is more often right than the Doctor, despite allegedly being an 'ordinary person'. Never has the Doctor been so sidelined before; no wonder he has time for all that blubbing

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?
Don't go overboard with the end of season specials - just make really good stories rather than way-out "spectaculars".

6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?
A determination that DW is the best programme the BBC produces, and so can afford to spend however much time, money and effort getting it to look and feel just right.

[FlyingBeastie]

1. What are your 3 most favourite RTD stories and why ?
(I literally chose ones he wrote, by the way)

In order:

--> Midnight

--> Bad Wolf/Parting of the Ways

--> Boomtown

All of the stories aforementioned had brilliant writing, suspense, great character development, wonderful acting, and above all in some shape or form revealed something instrumental and vulnerable about the Doctor. In my opinion, these stories are when RTD was at his finest.


2. What are your 3 least favourite RTD stories and why ?

In no real order:

--> Journey's End

--> Last of the Timelords

--> The Next Doctor/ Planet of the Dead/ End of Time Pt. 1

I don't really have to say anything about the first two that hasn't been said already, and the last choice goes all together in a big pile of AWFUL ranging from BAD to MEDIOCRITY to EVEN WORSE. Honestly, maybe we were spared from more episodes like these if there had been a full season

3. What is the most brilliant thing that RTD brought into DW in his time ?

Donna. I honestly believe Donna is the best thing he brought into DW. She was a different kind of companion for the Doctor and I think she worked beautifully in the show. She had the sort of Tegan Jovanca formula going, except they actually gave Donna background and purpose along with her personality. In my opinion, of all the companions introduced (PROPER companions, in my opinion Capt. Jack doesn't count) she was the best and my most favorite.

4. What is the most annoying thing that RTD brought into DW ?

Hokeyness. Whoever wrote the story "Fear Her". This whole "I'm 900 and something" or another. So the Doctor had the lifespan of a fruitfly in the new series? Make the bastard 1,000 already!!! And the utter death of the Cybermen

5. If you could go back to the start, when RTD was planning to bring back DW, what one thing would you like him to include in his plans ?

To have brought back the franchise with Paul McGann. I honestly think they should've. If they initially thought it was only going to last a season, why not bring back McGann? If it hadn't worked, no hard feelings. If it had? Maybe McGann would or wouldn't have signed on for a second series, then maybe they could've brought Eccleston aboard and contracted him for more than one series (at LEAST two) and then we could've had Tennant. By now, Tennant would've been on his second season, cos' I honestly feel like we've been short changed two Doctors. There are only 2 more actors who can portray the Doctor- that is, if Matt Smith doesn't utterly fail and before we know it we're looking at one last incarnation of the Doctor


6. What legacy should be carried forward from RTD's time into the era of the Moff ?

Definitely NOT Rose, and more companions like Donna- "a mate" companion. I'm tired of this forced fanfic romance nonsense happening on Who. They should start putting some more male companions in the TARDIS to fix that up... and, well, to keep me interested what with the Doctor's new... loads of fingers and face...

[Jason Thompson]

There are only 2 more actors who can portray the Doctor- that is, if Matt Smith doesn't utterly fail and before we know it we're looking at one last incarnation of the Doctor

Just because someone in 1976 wrote that Time Lords can only have 12 regenerations, if the show continues to be a success do you really think they'll stop when the 13th Doctor leaves rather than find some way to carry on (say by ignoring a 30-year-old line written purely to explain why the Master is a decomposing wreck rather than a freshly regenerated younger man)?

[shada pavlova]

Just because someone in 1976 wrote that Time Lords can only have 12 regenerations, if the show continues to be a success do you really think they'll stop when the 13th Doctor leaves rather than find some way to carry on (say by ignoring a 30-year-old line written purely to explain why the Master is a decomposing wreck rather than a freshly regenerated younger man)?

Yes. If you're going to start ignoring continuity, you might as well just throw everything out of the window, and have the Vervoids, WOTAN and Susan all teaming up with no explanation.

[SiHart]

I think you can be selective about which bits you slavishly follow and which you don't. Let's not forget that in 1975 fans were up in arms about Davros and the wholly new creation myth of the Daleks which contradicted the story of the Dals in The Daleks and in 1976 fans were up in arms about the portrayal of Gallifrey that didn't keep to established facts. Now those are wholly accepted, so changes can be made...

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

It's not about ignoring continuity, it's about expanding it. Continuity doesn't say a Time Lord can't regenerate more than 13 times. It says that ONCE, the Doctor SAID that was the case. Future continuity could further say that either he was wrong, or the Time Lords have increased it, or whatever.

Anyway, there's more been implications that the 13 lives thing was wrong (e.g "The War Games", "The Five Doctors") than the solitary mention of it being true, so even if you take continuity as sacred that "fact" is dubious.

Si.

[Perry Vale]

Maybe McGann would or wouldn't have signed on for a second series, then maybe they could've brought Eccleston aboard and contracted him for more than one series (at LEAST two)

McGann wouldn't have worked for so many reasons (but that's a discussion for elsewhere I think), but I don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that Eccleston would have signed up for the show after he'd seen how it was realised on screen.

[Logo Polish]

It's not about ignoring continuity, it's about expanding it. Continuity doesn't say a Time Lord can't regenerate more than 13 times. It says that ONCE, the Doctor SAID that was the case. Future continuity could further say that either he was wrong, or the Time Lords have increased it, or whatever.

Anyway, there's more been implications that the 13 lives thing was wrong (e.g "The War Games", "The Five Doctors") than the solitary mention of it being true, so even if you take continuity as sacred that "fact" is dubious.

Si.

While I agree with the main point, Deadly Assassin isn't the only time the claim is made, the Master and Doctor repeat it in Keeper of Traken, and it's also stressed several times in Mawdryn Undead. It's also arguably implied by the nature of the Valeyard in TTOATL.

[Si Hunt]

And the TV Movie!

Si. :mobile

[Andrew Curnow]

But since then we've heard that the Master was resurrected by the Time Lords to fight in the war - possibly Rassilon too. Not to mention the offer of a whole new life cycle back in The Five Doctors. I can't imagine it being an issue if/when the time comes - in fact I wouldn't even be that surprised if Moffat chucks in an almost throwaway line in one of his scripts just to get it sorted!!