Ever since shortfinals vanished last spring there hasn't been much whovian activity here on dkos. I thought I'd pass on my thoughts on the start of the new season and the new version of the doctor.
Before watching it I confess to being highly conflicted in my expectations. I liked the idea of an older doctor but I didn't like the idea of a 'darker' doctor that seemed to be bandied about. Not everything has to be about the 'long, dark tea time of the soul'. Angst has its place but I do think that modern television is rather overdoing it.
The last two episodes also left me uncertain whether to be optimistic or pessimistic. The 50th anniversary episode, The Day of the Doctor, was, I felt, quite magnificent, easily the best of the anniversary shows in the show's history. It was fast paced without being frenetic, not afraid to make fun of itself, and genuinely exciting. Given the scope of the story the moments of grand spectacle were restrained and highly effective. In contrast the Christmas regeneration special (I can't remember the title and am not inclined to look it up) was not at all inspiring. It has the unfortunate tendency of the new show to throw everything but the kitchen sink into big spectacles (Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels, The Silence, oh my!). And the incredibly protracted ending just about put me to sleep.
