Matt Smith Dr Who

Leo McKern was my first instinct, until I remembered how long ago it was, and then remembered Gamobon

I've been ruminating on it for a couple days now, and I think the McKernification of Gambon was probably deliberate. Gambon in the present played the part much differently than he played his own father. He looked a bit more padded out, he had the goatee, he had the shout down, I think it was an actor's choice to emulate an actor from 40 years before to differentiate him. Consider it a '60s hommage in a show born in the '60s, perhaps in keeping with the elaborate (And basically pointless) Star Trek riff in the same ep.

All my Christmases came at once... Doctor Who AND Katherine Jenkins (it's a shame she's dating a 2 storey tall rugby star with bulging muscles... I've got no chance of pushing him out of the picture... unless I have a slingshot and 5 pebbles).

I think what's great about her is that when she sings a song you can see from her eyes that she's genuinely engaging with it intimately... and that just blows me away.

There are people in some quarters being highly critical of it... but, like the Vincent episode haters they haven't got a soul, so we shouldn't pay attention to them.

Trailer for the next series looks fantastic!

Spot the Half Built Tardis reappearing at 32 seconds in?

"The secret of acting is sincerity.
If you can fake that, you've got it made." - George Burns

hypatia said:

"The secret of acting is sincerity.
If you can fake that, you've got it made." - George Burns

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So you don't think she does engage with the music on a deeper level? Have to disagree. Apart from the fact she started out as a music teacher and has a strong musical background that led to her becoming one of our finest mezzo-sopranos (and the new UK "forces' sweetheart"), she doesn't just look like that when singing for broadcast... she was doing it with the behind the scenes stuff.

Maybe I'm wrong... but I sure hope not

I could be misinterpreting the quote, but here's how I understand it. The word "fake" might imply some form of a scam, but that's not how I take the statement. Take for example, if an actor is playing a scene in which another character that their character loves dies. In performing the scene, they're not genuinely reacting to a death, they're "faking" it. But the scene will be touching to the viewer if the actor is still able to behave in a way that approximates a sincere reaction.

As for your other post above, I haven't paid one speck fo attention to opinions of the new Doctor Who except for the few folks here who talk about it, so I didn't know there were people who hated the Van Gogh episode. I guess I'm fairly soulful then 'cause the ending totally makes me teary.

Galahad said:

All my Christmases came at once... Doctor Who AND Katherine Jenkins (it's a shame she's dating a 2 storey tall rugby star with bulging muscles... I've got no chance of pushing him out of the picture... unless I have a slingshot and 5 pebbles).

Spot the Half Built Tardis reappearing at 32 seconds in?

Click to expand...

I had not heard of Katherine Jenkins before (I am a Canuck) ... but wow. Her voice is incredible.

I thought that looked more like the pilot-less time machine from "The Lodger".

admiraldave said:

I thought that looked more like the pilot-less time machine from "The Lodger".

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You are right... but if I recall correctly from the dialogue, The Doctor identified it as an attempt to grow a Tardis.

On the Doctor Who wiki page for the Lodger, the spaceship is referred to as a faux-Tardis and furthermore:

According to the Doctor, the ship is an attempt by someone to build a TARDIS. However, it is too weak to link with a Time Lord but too strong for a human.

Click to expand...

Galahad said:

hypatia said:

"The secret of acting is sincerity.
If you can fake that, you've got it made." - George Burns

Click to expand...

So you don't think she does engage with the music on a deeper level? Have to disagree. Apart from the fact she started out as a music teacher and has a strong musical background that led to her becoming one of our finest mezzo-sopranos (and the new UK "forces' sweetheart"), she doesn't just look like that when singing for broadcast... she was doing it with the behind the scenes stuff.

Maybe I'm wrong... but I sure hope not

Click to expand...

It is impossible to sing a song, or play a scene in a play over and over again, without knowing how to "make it fresh". A great performer must find a way to get along even on the days when he doesn't really feel it quite as deeply.

Some of it must be an act, or she'd be too inconsistent in her performance to be a professional. Besides, choking up with emotion closes the throat off, and that instinct alone must be relearned in order to perform a song as excellently as you describe.

It's not a measure of her sincerity or lack thereof, it's a measure of her professionalism.

vacantlook said:

I could be misinterpreting the quote, but here's how I understand it. The word "fake" might imply some form of a scam, but that's not how I take the statement. Take for example, if an actor is playing a scene in which another character that their character loves dies. In performing the scene, they're not genuinely reacting to a death, they're "faking" it. But the scene will be touching to the viewer if the actor is still able to behave in a way that approximates a sincere reaction.

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That is exactly it. I also should point out that George Burns was a comedian who took nothing seriously (at least his persona didn't). So of course it's stated sarcastically, as he delivered all of his lines.

As for your other post above, I haven't paid one speck fo attention to opinions of the new Doctor Who except for the few folks here who talk about it, so I didn't know there were people who hated the Van Gogh episode. I guess I'm fairly soulful then 'cause the ending totally makes me teary.

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I read some of what is posted in here, and stop reading when major spoilers seem to be discussed. It sounds pretty much like the typical "Who". I hardly am in a place to judge, but most of the incarnations seem to work out, when the writing is good.

vacantlook said:

So, I feel kinda stupid that it took me so long to realize the dude in the Doctor Who A Christmas Carol was Dumbledore. I eventually realized it was him based on his voice, and I talk to my mom all, guess who that is, and she's like, uh, it's him, and I'm like, oh, you already know that, and she's all, um, yeah. So, yeah, I felt a bit stupid. The HP movies always made me think Michael Gambon was tall, but Doctor Who shown him shorter than Matt Smith, so.... Anyway. Happy Christmas people; "well done."

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I always think of Michael Gambon as Inspector Maigret, and recognize him immediately. As Maigret, he is rather tall.

I'm okay with Matt Smith as the Doctor, but I preferred Eccelston and Tennant. For some reason, I wasn't too impressed with this Christmas Special. Perhaps it's because I had just come from seeing the new True Grit, which did impress me.

Galahad said:

admiraldave said:

I thought that looked more like the pilot-less time machine from "The Lodger".

Click to expand...

You are right... but if I recall correctly from the dialogue, The Doctor identified it as an attempt to grow a Tardis.

On the Doctor Who wiki page for the Lodger, the spaceship is referred to as a faux-Tardis and furthermore:

According to the Doctor, the ship is an attempt by someone to build a TARDIS. However, it is too weak to link with a Time Lord but too strong for a human.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

If someone is growing a Tardis it leads to the question, "Who?", they will need access to Time Lord (or similar technology).
Is there another Time Lord running around? The top of a house is a silly place for say The Master to plant the Tardis seed.

Well it's an attempt... it is someone trying to replicate Time Lord technology... not necessarily a Time Lord.

I think Moffat would be smart enough to leave the Master out of things for a bit... especially as he seems to be steering us towards the Valeyard.