As soapbox regulars will know, when there's a series of Dr. Who on air especially when the Daleks are in it, I witter on like a ten year old.
There's a very good reason I've been quiet about series five which ended last weekend and it's taken me til now to summon up the courage to say it, I THOUGHT IT WAS PANTS !
I always knew David Tennant would be an extremely difficult act to follow, but they've lost people on the show before who we all loved. Rose Tyler was a superb character and Martha Jones didn't take long to endear herself to the fans. I liked Catherine Tate as the gobby Donna Noble, but I didn't love the character.
So, I approached the new series with an open mind, ready and willing to give Matt Smith and Karen Gillan a fair chance, but even by the end of the series, something failed to impress.
I think the first mistake has been Steven Moffat trying to erase all trace of Russel T Davies' influence on the series so changes were made. Theme rearranged (there were a ruck of complaints to the BBC about that), new Tardis, new sonic screwdriver and worst of all, those hideously rotund, plastic new Daleks.
But it would appear there were behind the scenes changes which have influence the show. Budget cuts too one wonders, if you compare the interior of the Dalek ship from this previous series to those prior which were all arches and gold interior now replaced by something that looked like an abandoned warehouse painted white with a bit of distemper.
Little bits of the plot running through the series, failed to gel at the end. The cracks in time, why Amy had no knowledge of the Daleks etc. The final two part show was pretty incomprehensible for an adult to follow let alone kids (which I am told form a large part of the audience).
We had the doctor crossing his own timeline, something he constantly says he can't do. We had a Dalek pleading for mercy (and he wasn't the only one). Daleks do not plead for mercy.
Steven Moffat penned some of the most memorable episodes in previous series. The girl in the fireplace, Blink etc so now he's in charge, why has the show turned into one enormous dogs dinner?
Now the bookies are laying odds that poor Matt Smith will get the push by the end of the next series (he's already contracted to do one more). Odds are at the time of writing 9:2.
When the BBC repeated time after time the other series on BBC3, I would often tune in and watch the episodes again. I've absolutely no desire to do so with any of the episodes from this past set.
Viewing figures are down by approximately 1.2 million per episode. Rather like losing politicians who still claim a victory, warm weather and the world cup are being blamed for the decline and the increase of people watching the show online (which they can't do til after the ep airs). It's a paper thin defence.
The way things are going, I wouldn't be at all surprised if either the show itself gets axed of Moffat get the push by the end of series 6.
As for the new Teletubby plastic non menacing Daleks. From what I've picked up on Twitter and other placed on the interweb, just about everyone has seen through the merchandising angle. Five or is it six different coloured Daleks, gotta collect em all.
Apart from the battle green "ironside" Dalek, I don't think I could let one of the new ones in the house for fear all the others here would turn on it.
Poor show Steve Moffat and poor show BBC for letting merchandising ruin a series with a fifty year (almost) history. The show is pants and it's not Matt or Karen's fault.
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