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Sci-Fi

Dr. Who on Sci-Fi Channel in March 352

Posted by CmdrTaco from the everyone-fake-your-accent-to-celebrate dept.
Karl J. Smith writes "Dr. Who will be airing on the Sci-Fi Channel in March The DVD release has been moved from February 14th to July 4th (although it's still Feb 14th in Canada). Be sure to check out the hilarous announcement from the BBC."
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Dr. Who on Sci-Fi Channel in March More

Dr. Who on Sci-Fi Channel in March

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  • yay! New Who! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bobalu ( 1921 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:15PM (#14458648)
    What the heck, I'm watching the old ones on 20 yr old VHS.

    Sci-Fi has been the pits for a long time, I'm glad to see it.
    • Some of us in the northern US have already watched the first season due to our proximity to Canada and CBC [www.cbc.ca].

      • Re:Been seeing it in the US on CBC (Score:5, Funny)

        by Tumbleweed ( 3706 ) * on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:34PM (#14458833)
        Some of us in the northern US have already watched the first season due to our proximity to Canada and CBC.

        And some of us in the US have already watched the first season due to our proximity to the Internet. :)
        • FYI There's a few minutes between the last episode and the Christmas Special if you caught the short 5-minute help-the-kids-with-your-money thing that the BBC did.

          It was 5~7 minutes long.

  • I like the new Daleks (Score:5, Funny)

    by nizo ( 81281 ) * on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:15PM (#14458649) Homepage Journal
    Here [bbc.co.uk] is an image of the new Daleks. They look like they are ready to provide for all of our food mixing and toilet plunging needs.
    • Thanks for the product idea!

      -Kitchen Aid

    • Actually, if you look closely, their left arms are the "brackets" (for lack of a better term) that hold paint rollers. I smell a coverup.
    • Wait, what?

      This is the NEW Dalek?

      That's what, thirty years, and these guys are still using toilet plungers and paint rollers for their futuristic space robots?

      Even MST3K had better robot props, and they used everyday objects on purpose as a joke (probably a Dr. Who joke, now that I think about it).

      If this is what socialized television has to offer, remind me to never vote for socialized medicine!
      • Remember that this is a continuation of the *same* series as the original Doctor Who, not a reinvention of the series in a new form.

        And, given that the Doctor is a time traveler, he's already encountered Daleks in their future forms. BBS can't just go and say they've "redesigned themselves" without pulling a George Lucas on the old episodes.

        And that would be silly...

      • Wait, what?

        This is the NEW Dalek?

        That's what, thirty years, and these guys are still using toilet plungers and paint rollers for their futuristic space robots?

        Even MST3K had better robot props, and they used everyday objects on purpose as a joke (probably a Dr. Who joke, now that I think about it).

        Wait till you see that baby in action. Then laugh. In drama, really, the prop doesn't matter, it's how it's used that counts. But when you see how that thing is used, you'll agree it's a very effec

        • Wait till you see that baby in action. Then laugh. In drama, really, the prop doesn't matter, it's how it's used that counts. But when you see how that thing is used, you'll agree it's a very effective bit of design.

          Yeah, the toilet plunger was used in the 2005 season. It was pretty cool to finally see it getting put to use.

          I don't care about all the crap (no pun intended) people give the toilet plunger on the pepper pots. The same people would complain even more if it were ever changed to something more

        • Re:I like the new Daleks (Score:4, Funny)

          by Syberghost ( 10557 ) <syberghost@@@syberghost...com> on Friday January 13, 2006 @08:05AM (#14462566)
          Wait till you see that baby in action. Then laugh.

          Ha ha, stupid Dalek.

          EL-E-VATE.

          Oh crap.

      • Re:I like the new Daleks (Score:5, Informative)

        by EvilMonkeySlayer ( 826044 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @06:19PM (#14459220) Journal
        The estate of Terry Nation (the people who own the rights to the Daleks after Nation died in '97) demanded very little in the way of changes to the looks of the daleks. The BBC tried to get them to update the daleks for the 21st century but they wouldn't budge.
        Hence why they still look like they do, HOWEVER.. there are a number of Dalek surprises in the new Dr. Who series, so don't be so quick to knock them. (over.. *cough* sorry)

        The special effects as a whole on the Dr. Who series vary from okay to excellent.
        Special mention should be made of the episodes "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances", which quite frankly are the best scifi episodes i've seen in years bar none, not only for the special effects but for the incredible writing and directing.

  • BitTorrent (Score:4, Funny)

    by SatanMat ( 757225 ) <PowellS@gmail.com> on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:16PM (#14458655) Journal
    Wow!! I guess this means I can stop downloading it now. Thanks SciFi! I can't wait to wait.

  • Cool! (Score:5, Informative)

    by Matey-O ( 518004 ) <michaeljohnmiller@mSPAMsSPAMnSPAM.com> on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:16PM (#14458656) Homepage Journal
    Having Bittorrented the whole first series, I'm both delighted and annoyed I'll have to watch it all over again before catching new episodes. If you hvan't seen it yet, you're in for a TREAT!

    (NOW is the Golden Age of Sci-Fi.)

  • soundwarning? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:18PM (#14458677)
    could you PLEASE give us a frickin' sound warning for such links? this is defiitely not safe for work!

  • Forget Doctor Who, I want Torchwood (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Em Ellel ( 523581 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:21PM (#14458695)
    Doctor Who universe for adults with Captain Jack.... can't wait....

  • SWEET!!!! (Score:2, Informative)

    by PinkyGigglebrain ( 730753 )
    ...nuff said.

  • Good news (Score:5, Interesting)

    by metamatic ( 202216 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:28PM (#14458770) Homepage Journal
    Best SF series I've seen on TV in years.

    Now, will the Sci Fi channel show it properly, or will they chop the sides off to squeeze it onto a 4:3 screen? Perhaps it's time to write to them now, begging...

    • Sci-Fi has no fear of letterboxing. Battlestar Galactica and the Stargates are all widescreen. I don't remember if Farscape was widescreen from the start, or if they switched a few seasons in. Heck, Sci-Fi bragged about showing Babylon 5 in the original widescreen format.

  • I guess the only question is..

    Will the US get second season episodes around the same time they're broadcast in the UK (and the rest of the world)?

    At least now there's something to watch while we're waiting for Battlestar Galactica at 10pm. OK, something more watchable than that dreck Stargate series they now run at 9pm. Now, put something decent on at 8pm, and you've got me solid from 7 (Firefly) through the end of BSG.

    • Will the US get second season episodes around the same time they're broadcast in the UK (and the rest of the world)?

      Considering the second season has already started airing, probably not...

      • Really? I had thought that only the Christmas Special (which is not part of the 2nd series) had aired.

      • Will the US get second season episodes around the same time they're broadcast in the UK (and the rest of the world)?

        Considering the second season has already started airing, probably not...

        No it hasn't, starts April. First season was mixed, with the best episodes ('Dalek', 'The Empty Child', 'The Doctor Dances') being up there with the best television drama you'll ever see and the worst ('The End of The World') being entertaining and perfectly watchable. This is good stuff - clear your diary now.

        • I agree, some of the episodes were really hokey, but others were positively brilliant.

          The Dalek one was especially touching.

          I saw someone's sig on /. and it said "Real Daleks don't use stairs, they level the building"

    • 2nd Series (Score:3, Informative)

      by tm2b ( 42473 )
      [After doing some digging]

      For reference, the 2nd series ("season" in the US idiom) will start to air in the UK in ("from") April [gallifreyone.com]... so it seems possible that they'll go right into it, though TFA specifies that SciFi only has an option on the 2nd series.

      I do wonder how they'll handle the Christmas specials... historically they were distributed differently from the main Doctor Who series, but it's been a long time since that was an issue.

  • Humour and Sci-Fi (Score:5, Informative)

    by MosesJones ( 55544 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:29PM (#14458780) Homepage

    Why is it that so rarely, and with US shows almost never, Sci-Fi can contain humour as well as the fantastic? Dr Who, paticularly this new series, has been a superb combination of both the "serious" science fiction combined with the humour of having HUMANS involved in it. This isn't the gag line humour of STNG but the actual real humour of decent TV programmes. The writing in Dr Who is brilliant, the pathos parts are strong, its got the science fantastic and both Rose and Dr Who (as well as Captain Jack) have top moments of both drama and humour.

    Series 1 was superb, and Series 2 is shaping up to be even better.

    Rose: "But you sound like you come from the North"
    Dr: "Lots of planets have a North"
    • Umm, Firefly?
      • Or even the show mentioned in your sig.

        Also, Battlestar Galactica has some comedy in it as well. Its just often quite dark. But the "Six Degrees.. " (not sure of the full title) episode from last season was quite funny.

        But the new Dr. Who is quite good.
    • Why is it that so rarely, and with US shows almost never, Sci-Fi can contain humour as well as the fantastic?

      I don't find it too rare. Consider Farscape and the Stargate series. Both seemed to strike a balance adding humor to an otherwise dramatic series. They key is adding it when it's appropriate...

      But it would be nice to see a quality science fiction comedy about now, along the lines of Red Dwarf. Perhaps we could get the Sci Fi channel and the Henson company to co-produce a series based on the r

    • The creators of Stargate have stated in interviews that the secret to the show's success is that it's really a comedy disguised as a serious show. :-)

      As the poster above me said, they tend to balance things pretty well.
    • "The Fifth Element" is an example of humor in American science fiction.
      • It turned inside out ... and then it exploded. :-)
      • French sci-fi actually. It was written and directed by Luc Besson, the designs for the future technology were made by Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières, and it was made by a French production company (although it was filmed in England).

        I'm guessing that they filmed in English and used a largely American/British cast in order to reach a larger market.
      • I think that I sense your sarcasm in this. ^^ Because, of course, the Fifth Element by Luc Besson can be considered to be a French movie.

        But I loved this movie, too, with its style borrowed from Heavy Metal Magazine (especially the cab driver).

    • I have always appreciated Dr Who, because as far into the fiction and fantasy world as it delves, there is always a kernel of basic science in it.

      The vast majority of science fiction programming currently being made has this format:

      • Overall storyline: (A) Spend the first 10 minutes introducing the creatures. (B) Spend the rest of the movie shooting them.
      • Costumes: paramilitary black.
      • Setting: claustrophobic dark blue rooms.
      • Dialogue: semi-military jabber (say "sir" a lot), mostly about who is tough

  • YES!!! (Score:2, Insightful)

    by SecretMethod70 ( 569755 )
    I am SO glad to hear this! The Sci-Fi channel is pretty terrible lately, and Doctor Who will surely get a decent audience - at least one better than the Sci-Fi original movies they air! This news has made me absolutely giddy!

    Fantastic! ;)

  • ...being a big Dr Who fan 'n' all. I have downloads of the whole of the latest series and the Xmas Invasion. I've watched them all 2-3 times. And yet I'm not excited. The reason being, I've discovered Lost [go.com]. "4 8 15 16 23 42" beats "Bad Wolf" any day. As an ex-pat I feel like such a traitor. But the Americans had to make a good TV series one day.

  • What about the old stuff? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by solios ( 53048 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:42PM (#14458908) Homepage
    There's 26 seasons of Oldskool Who in the BBC archives.* You're lucky if you can find anything other than Tom Baker (fourth doctor) on PBS or BBC America (and the BBCA Who is seriously {edited|eviscerated}- there's lots of Who available to the enthusiasts - would it hurt 'em that much to get it on the air?

    Yeah, some of it's Bad, but a lot of it's pretty damned good.

    * More like ~26. Several Hartnell and Troughton episodes are missing.
    • There are a bunch of missing episodes, but they have still photos and the audio tracks to all of them, so you can find reconstructions where they put up photos along with the sound tracks, using subtitles to explain actions that are missing when necessary. It's not the same as watching a real episode, but you can follow the story.
    • There's a lot of missing episodes from the Hartnell and Troughton era, although there are "reconstructions" with stills from most the lost episodes and the original soundtrack. There's actually about 3-4 full seasons that are mostly lost, so the actual total is about 22+ seasons of the old version.

      Plus one movie (Doctor Who 1996 with McCoy and Paul McGann)

      Plus one special (2-parts -- "Dimensions in Time")

      Plus one hillarious spoof (Curse of the Fatal Death)

      Plus one spin-off (K9 and Company)

      And if y
      • Were I to not send you DVDs, it wouldn't be more like six or seven. I've seen a great deal of Who - enough to come to the conclusion that the program went on Indefinite Hiatus at the end of Series 26 due to bad script{s| editing} moreso than any other reason.

        The only "downside" to being moderately sk00led is that I can watch a BBCA ep and notice just how badly it's been chopped up. Gotta wonder how many people are first exposed to older Who with a handful of badly-recut, totally-incoherent episodes and ge

  • Dr Who Porn (Score:5, Funny)

    by Tx ( 96709 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:44PM (#14458925) Journal
    You can also see the Daleks in porn movie "Abducted By The Daleks", I kid you not. The sun [thesun.co.uk] has the details. It's really quite good .. so I hear ;).

  • how nice of them (Score:2, Informative)

    by lone bear ( 67361 )
    to have music on the site that CAN NOT BE TURNED OFF without shuting down the speakers on my computer.

    i regularly listen to a stream that has low audio levels, so when i clikced on that link i was blasted by whatever cr?p they were playing.

    guess i'll not be finding out about whatever this is from the bbc.

    feh

  • 'Sold' to the United States (Score:3, Insightful)

    by ettlz ( 639203 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:46PM (#14458948) Journal

    Well, in that case BBC, can I have a cut of the profits — what with my license fee paying for it in the first place.

    Consider it a shareholder dividend.

    • Well if it makes you feel any better, money made from commercial sales of BBC programs gets ploughed back into the BBC rather than going to the government, so your licence fee doesn't need to go up so much to pay for new programming and the digital channels. Better than a kick in the nuts, anyway.

  • What I want to know... (Score:4, Funny)

    by techno-vampire ( 666512 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @05:47PM (#14458951) Homepage
    If the BBC ever announces, "Next [Some Show] followed by Dr. Who." does that mean that Who's on second?

  • oh really? (Score:2, Funny)

    by PONA-Boy ( 159659 )
    jellybaby anyone? I've got plenty.

  • Again. SCI-FI and BBC miss the mark (Score:3, Insightful)

    by suitepotato ( 863945 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @06:03PM (#14459087)
    First, calling the recent resurrection of Doctor Who the first series and noting an option for series two is sacrilege and spits on the work done by thousands of individuals over more than thirty years. THAT was the first series. This is just the latest continuation.

    Second, there should have been a deal for the entirety of the series from Hartnell onward.

    Third, SCI-FI knows as much about science fiction as USA Network does and it constantly shows with their killing of Farscape, stuntcasting on SG-1, showing The Flinstones, and so forth.

    I'll be very resistant to applauding this until SCI-FI shows they can stick with anything longer than it takes for them to be distracted by something shiny like a child with ADD.
    • Just an FYI... "series" is the word they use for "season" in the UK and other countries.

      It'll make a lot more sense (and hopefully bring your blood pressure down a little) if you realize that when they say "series one", what they mean in our terms is "season one". :-)

      Just my $.02...

  • New Who is Pretty Good (Score:4, Informative)

    by ewhac ( 5844 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @06:03PM (#14459089) Homepage Journal
    As a longtime Dr. Who fan, I was seriously concerned that the new production would be an embarrassment. However, after a friend of mine loaned me all his Torrented DVDs (which I still need to return), I have to say I'm quite pleased with the new series.

    Eccleston lends his own interpretation to the role, as have all the performers before him, but the resulting character is unmistakably The Doctor. Further, his companion, Rose, is not a ditz (don't let the peroxided hair fool you), but a very capable and driven person in her own right.

    They also bring back some old enemies, and they do it very well. You'd think after nearly 40 years, the whole Dalek thing would be worn out. You'd be wrong. With just the tiniest bit of imagination from the series creators, Daleks are damn threatening again. And they don't do it with an excess of outright brutality or graphic violence, just a single-minded, unstoppable efficiency.

    About the only thing I don't like about the new series is the newly designed TARDIS. It's too unfamiliar.

    Hopefully the SciFi network won't wreck the show by inserting endless commercial breaks. But if you're a Doctor Who fan and you haven't seen these shows yet, you won't be disappointed.

    Schwab

    • About the only thing I don't like about the new series is the newly designed TARDIS. It's too unfamiliar.
      It's Blue... it's a police box... what else does it need?

      Maybe you're talking about the interior?

      In that case, I agree, but there's no way they could have had the same visual impact with a big circle-paneled room that had a console in the middle.
  • K9 returns to our screens, in the new series that is being filmed down the road from me in Cardiff, Wales at present, .

    I have seen BBC trailers that show K9!

    And he (she? it?)better be on there or else I'm demanding my license fee back http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/ [bbc.co.uk]


  • You guys are going to love the one with the monsters circling the church. Or the skin lady. Or the elephant nose guys.

  • Brief review of Doctor Who 2005 season (Score:3, Informative)

    by Magnifico ( 30966 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @06:27PM (#14459285)
    If you're familiar with the classic Doctor Who shoe will see enough similarity in the new Doctor Who to invoke fits of nostalgia.

    The overall biggest change for me was he pacing of the stories is much, much faster, however, and it took a bit of getting used to. For me, I found the stories closest to old Doctor Who series were "The Unquiet Dead" and "The Christmas Invasion". Aside from the "Christmas Invasion", which is the last story in the 2005 season, the shows are a lot shorter, only 45 minutes.

    Technobable is kept relatively low and the acting is first rate. The F/X are what you'd expect from a sci-fi television show today and are mostly first rate. Gone are the days of wobbly sets, but the actor-in-rubber-suit monsters still come and go. Some of the old monsters are back too -- Autons and Daleks.

    The series pretty much focuses in on present-day Earth in England. The Doctor and Rose, his new companion, make jaunts to the past and future, but never leave the Earth far behind. There is a bit more "touchy-feely" type stuff than classic Doctor Who, but it thankfully doesn't reach the "soap opera" level.

    All in all it was an enjoyable romp through the Whoniverse. It's about time someone in the USA picked up the series.

  • Hmmm... if the BBC and the SciFi Network are on good terms now, perhaps they can agree to release the lone 8th Doctor [bbc.co.uk] story (sometimes known as The Enemy Within and sometimes less fortunately as The TV Movie) on DVD in the U.S.

    The BBC did a non-US release years ago, but since the SciFi Network inherited the distribution rights in the US, there's never been a US release.

  • iTunes Download? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by r_benchley ( 658776 ) on Thursday January 12, 2006 @06:52PM (#14459481)
    It's very cool that the BBC struck a deal to get Docto Who shown here in the States, but has anyone discussed the possibility of offering episodes as downloads from the iTunes Music Store? The SciFi Channel has made Battlestar Galactica available, and this could be a great way to help boost viewership. Granted, it's a different situation from Battlestar Galactica and all of the other shows offered for download, as Doctor Who is owned by the BBC, not the SciFi channel. Still, it would be cool if they could reach an agreement to make it available for legal download.

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