RTD criticises young screenwriters

[rushy]

The fact that "Timewave" is considered some kind of embarrassment and a top 10 worst episode by a lot of Red Dwarf fans annoys me on an almost irrational level

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Mar 28, 2024 12:11:29 GMT rushy said:

The fact that "Timewave" is considered some kind of embarrassment and a top 10 worst episode by a lot of Red Dwarf fans annoys me on an almost irrational level

Some of it is funny and to be honest the "worst" of Dwarf is usually just middling or slightly bad. I don't think there's an episode that is below a five. I'm not a huge fan of it myself though the stuff with Johnny Vegas is hilarious.

[iank]

Yeah that was one of the better 'new' ones I thought. An accurate portrayal of the victimhood generation.

[burrunjor]

It was okay, but I DO think that introducing the idea of there being hundreds of humans out there was a pretty big deal for just one episode. The Dwarfers aren't alone anymore.

It also was a bit of a repeat of things we've seen before like a monster being created from Rimmer's neurosis (with Barrie even using a similar voice to the self loathing beast and Holovirus Rimmer. That's his go to bad guy voice. To be fair it is hilarious haha.)

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Sometimes the "Dave" era can feel a little bit overpopulated.

[Cherry Pepsi Maxil]

Series 12 is generally the best of the newer ones. Cured wouldn't look out of place in Series 5 or 6.

[burrunjor]

[rushy]

I'd have cast Richard Armitage.

[iank]

Because of your skin colour and you blowing him in the audition. That's why.

[Ludders II]

Apr 12, 2024 19:10:49 GMT rushy said:

I'd have cast Richard Armitage.

Interesting choice. I've seen him in Spooks, and North and South. I'm not sure what he'd be like with the quirkier aspects of the Doctor, but he seems like a pretty good 'serious' actor based on what I've seen. A bit like Eccleston without the accent. 

[rushy]

The quirkier aspects of the Doctor aren't very important to me. I think Armitage could handle them just fine, but if he can't, then I'd just make him eccentric through the dialogue/props/costumes like with Pertwee.

But being able to command the room and wield authority is so vital. When the Doctor walks into the room, it should be an event unto itself.

[Ludders II]

Apr 13, 2024 1:57:21 GMT rushy said:

The quirkier aspects of the Doctor aren't very important to me. I think Armitage could handle them just fine, but if he can't, then I'd just make him eccentric through the dialogue/props/costumes like with Pertwee.

But being able to command the room and wield authority is so vital. When the Doctor walks into the room, it should be an event unto itself.

Definitely with you on the Pertwee aspects.
I just have no confidence in the writers. What on paper should be a great Doctor will just get f*cked away by the NuWho conception of the Doctor's character. We saw all this with Capaldi.

[rushy]

I've said it several times, but if you really want to get to the heart of the character, go back to William Hartnell. He's cold, opinionated, devious, almost cruel. And then he opens up to be hilariously kooky and fiercely loyal. And despite being intensely charismatic and fun to watch, he never takes the limelight away from the companions either. His performance has never been bettered.

[rushy]

Apr 13, 2024 2:07:14 GMT Ludders II said:

I just have no confidence in the writers. What on paper should be a great Doctor will just get f*cked away by the NuWho conception of the Doctor's character. We saw all this with Capaldi.

Well, obviously this whole process would start with the sacking of the entire current creative team

[burrunjor]

Apr 13, 2024 1:32:35 GMT Ludders II said:

Apr 12, 2024 19:10:49 GMT rushy said:

I'd have cast Richard Armitage.

Interesting choice. I've seen him in Spooks, and North and South. I'm not sure what he'd be like with the quirkier aspects of the Doctor, but he seems like a pretty good 'serious' actor based on what I've seen. A bit like Eccleston without the accent. 

For fun I'm just going t go through some brilliant could have been Doctors. 

Out of the way, Tim Curry. Damn tragedy he wasn't cast. He'd have been every bit as good as Tom Baker with a similar mad cap energy, natural eccentricity, crazy, bulging eyes and deep booming, deliciously posh voice. Really speaking as a Scotsman, I honestly think the best actors for the role are English only because the English do have that history of madcap artistocrat, or even just posh guys like Vyvian Stanshall that the Doctor often embodies in some ways. From Hartnell's crazy giggling and sense of humour to Pertwee's arrogance and fancy clothes, to Tom's..... Everythng LOL. It's a very English persona. 

That said I don't mind non English actors playing the role as there are other aspects to the Doctors character that aren't limited by that. Still on paper at least a crazy posh guy who is both stuffy and wild is perfect. 



Everything about that screams Doctor to me. 

Rik Mayall meanwhile also would have been a great Doctor and Ade Edmondson still would be, but not for the reasons you think. Whilst both played madcap characters, obviously that style would be too much for the Doctor. However both were also great serious actors, and both did express a desire to do more serious acting. There's a series called Rik Mayall presents which sees him play more straight roles. One is even a rom com where he plays a Hugh Grantish character with Helena Bonham Carter being his love interest LOL. Huge departure for both of them. I think Rik or Ade would have been like Jon Pertwee with this in mind had they been cast and would have been very serious Doctors and used it as a way to show how they could do other things. Rik also had the perfect look for the Doctor in his heyday, with his long flowing hair. 



He looks so Doctorish there, I mean the coat is wrong LOL, but other than that I can see Doctor material in him.

Julian Barratt meanwhile would also have been a perfect Doctor. He was part of The Mighty Boosh. He played lots of roles, but his main one was the uncool Jazz fan. He has the right look and he is also known for playing crazy, eccentric characters, but is also a good serious actor. I can see him as a Troughton type Doctor based on his past performances, but who knows maybe he'd use it as a way to do something else too? His Doctors quirk would definitely be his love of Jazz haha.



Julian Richings meanwhile would be another great choice. A while back when Jodie's era was going to shit, I ironically suggested they give it to a streaming service like Netflix who could put more money into it, and go back to having longer stories as they sometimes release stories in a one, and they favour serialized stories. I suggest it be an alternate sequel obviously with a new 9th Doctor, a great focus on horror, stories set n other worlds, and Dana DeLorenzo as the feisty companion and Richings as a distant, scary, alien Doctor. 

Honestly he'd be perfect. Check him out as Death in Supernatural. Tell me you can't see a lot of Hartnell's Doctor in him? Not only does he even look a bit like Hartnell, but his Death reminds me of Hartnell in his first story. He embodies that same ancient being that's not cruel per say, but more just tired with humanity that Hartnell has, but who underneath can be surprisingly decent. 



Finally Jason Watkins is another great character actor who is well known for playing villains and oddballs and I can see similarly doing a great against type performance as the Doctor. He'd be a McCoy era type of Doctor. He could be fun and playful, but quite sinister like McCoy at times. 

 

Meanwhile some of my other choices include Robert Carlyle and Dylan Moran who have been pushed many times in the past by others and even the media at times.