The Best Of The Modern Doctors…

modern doctors-00Something very special is happening right now, right before your eyes and if you don’t look, it might just pass you by!… The unveiling of Peter Capaldi’s twelfth Doctor shows us that the latest incarnation is without a doubt the very best of the modern doctors and paired with Jenna Coleman’s ‘Clara’, we get a truly magical relationship to boot…

Tonight, Peter Capaldi, sitting on a train in a tuxedo, talking to an English gentleman, pulled out a sterling silver cigarette case from his lapel pocket, opened it, and from it offered the man a selection of jelly babies… For those of you who don’t understand how astonishingly fantastic this is, just close your eyes and think of all the shoes you’ve ever wanted but could never have… Now multiply that by ten!!!…

Where To Start?… Peter Capaldi
modern doctors-01Capaldi’s Doctor is an adult (THANK THE LORDS!) and after many years of less than stellar performances, it’s nice to see the character get somewhat back to it’s roots. This doctor is arrogant, mysterious, egotistical, a bit twisted and there’s a lot going on below the surface (you can see this in Capaldi’s face!) He is not at all juvenile yet still mischievous and he has absolutely no ‘teenage crush vibe‘ going on for his companion (or anyone else)…

Clara The Companion
Picture Shows: Jenna Coleman as ClaraJenna Coleman didn’t do much for me paired with Matt Smith but together with Capaldi, she has found her true calling. This relationship is astonishing. She ‘handles‘ the doctor, puts him in his place, stands up to him yet at the same time she’s in complete awe of him; she respects him, doesn’t understand him, is a little afraid of him. The dynamics between these two are layered and complex. It will be a shame when she leaves because this pairing is up there with the very best of them all…

Moffat (Producer)
We need a change here; a new producer and a new direction. I like Series 8 thus far, no serious complaints (generally speaking). But, the doctor spends too much time with humans and there is too much superficiality in the storytelling. Plus, change is good. Give someone else a chance to bring their vision of the Doctor to life. Bye bye Mr. Moffat

Format
When I was (very) little, we had only four TV channels so there wasn’t much variety but we did have a local PBS which ran full length Doctor Who serial reruns every Sunday morning. Starting with Jon Pertwee and on through to Peter Davidson, I grew up on classic Doctor Who. With no money for sets and cheesy effects the BBC relied on magical storytelling to hit home every time. Over each two hour serial, I was mesmerized as the story started one place, twisted and turned and then ended up someplace entirely different. It was like a long, winding journey. And so I say, 42 minutes just won’t get it done. These modern episodes should run in two parts or be a full 90 minutes long. Alas, that will never happen (but it is how the world should be!)…

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Recent History
Eccleston, WTF man? His performance was really good but whatever went on there clearly effected the later part of his all-to-short run. Tennant was solid, comical, a good change from the past, no serious complaints. Smith, his first episode was magical, by the time he left I was cramping up. His was far too undignified, they should have reigned him in. Hurt, I have no idea what they were thinking. Crack kills people!…

In Conclusion…
So, if it’s 2017 and you’re reading this, and you are about to embark on a Peter Capaldi Doctor Who marathon for the first time, you’re going to get part way into the series, roll your eyes back, shake your head and say “Wow, I missed this, this is amazing, those were truly the days, what was I thinking,,, Wow!

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This happened to me when a friend recommended in 2006 that I watch the long cancelled ‘Firefly‘. I remember distinctly sitting there and thinking to myself: “Where was I when this was being aired? What was I doing? What was I thinking? I need to open my eyes!” Wait, what am I missing now?” You get my drift…

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Well, if you’re reading this in today’s dollars, you probably agree with me and we’re both smiling (or you disagree and you’re just plain wrong!)

If it’s 2017, go download series 8, pop lots of corn, get very comfy and prepare yourself for a very, very special ten hour treat…

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Doctor Who via BBC One…

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