Who is the Doctor, I hear you ask? Well, there is no simple answer to that question. But, in short, he’s The Doctor. Just … The Doctor.
Introduced to the masses in 1963, Doctor Who was about a man traveling through time and space in a spaceship known as the T.A.R.D.I.S. or Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. Bound by the laws of his people, the Gallifreyan Time Lords, the Doctor was not allowed to interfere with the course of time. However, whilst there are fixed points in time that can not be altered, there are events that aren’t fixed. It is here that the Doctor finds it difficult to just stand idly by. And so he takes on these threats to the world and tries to make things right, alongside companions that he picks up along the way.
This, however, is a very much simplified version of his story as the show did run until 1989 and for well over 20 seasons. Aliens and enemies of all shapes and sizes have passed and the lore of the Who Universe has expanded to way beyond explanation. Yes, you can explain who people are but not the rich and complicated history they share. Like The Daleks, an alien race that was at war with the Time Lords. You can explain what they are, but beyond a general approach to backstory, things might get extremely complicated.
The show was cancelled in 1989. But, with the Doctor only seven lives in to his existence, he still had a few to go. Oh, right, regeneration. To put it simply: Doctor dies, Doctor heals himself by regenerating in to a whole new person. It was invented as a way to continue the show when the original actor passed away.
Philip Segal had already been trying for years to bring the good Doctor to American audiences by making an American produced series. Fox however would only agree to make a made-for-TV movie. It was hoped that with its success, the series could still be on its way. Alas, no such luck. Everyone else loved the movie, but the American audience did not and so another project was shelved. Which, in retrospect, might have been the best thing that could have happened. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
An opening narration reveals that The Master, The Doctor’s Moriarty, had been tried on the planet Skaro and executed by The Daleks. His last wish was that The Doctor would return his remains to Gallifrey. Following this we get a scene inside the TARDIS, where The seventh incarnation of the Doctor, as played by Sylvester McCoy, is casually relaxing on his way back to his homeworld.
In the meantime, The Master has escaped from his prison and caused The TARDIS to emergency land in San Francisco in the year 1999. The Doctor, knowing that The Master had escaped, took a step outside to get his bearings when he got gunned down by members of a local gang.
A young man named Chang Lee came to The Doctor’s aid and waited alongside him to take him to the hospital. Once there however, The Doctor ceases to be and Chang leaves with his possessions. The Master, in the meantime, took hold of another man’s body and wants to use him to find The Doctor and take over his body. Seeing as The Master has gone through all 12 of his spare lives, he needs The Doctor to live.
As is custom with the man known as The Doctor, he regenerates and turns in to The Eight Doctor, as played by Paul McGann. Unfortunately, the regeneration took too long because of anesthetics put in to his system at the hospital, making him forget who he was. Now it’s a race against time as The Master has a plan that could jeopardize the entire Earth. Question is, will the Doctor, aided by the doctor who operated on him in the hospital, be able to save the day?
The plot reeks of stereotypical screenwriting, if you ask me. Crocodile Dundee in Australia? LET’S SHIP HIM TO AMERICA! Beastmaster? Beastmaster in the U.S OF A.! Homo-erotic man and the Masters of the universe? LET’S SHIP DAT ASS TO AMERICA!
But that’s not what I dislike the most. No, it’s the fact that they suck the magic out of the story. Completely and utterly. The only thing keeping this movie standing is the performance of The Doctors. McCoy and McGann are both excellent in their part and they are the ones that carry this movie entirely. Besides the usual staples of course like the TARDIS and the music. But, come on, look at what they did to The Master! Stock from beginning to end. Then there’s the overall story arc. This should have been an episode in the American series, if it ever came to be. Not something to win over the American audience.
From the beginning of the movie to the end, the characters are incredibly unimportant or uninteresting. Exceptions are The Doctor, Grace (his companion) and … euh … The Master that one time he was showing off his new duds … maybe.
First let’s talk about the villain: The Master, as played by Eric Roberts. Unfortunately, the man is dressed for the part. During most of the movie, Roberts is dressed in an outfit ripped straight from Arnie’s body in The Terminator. I mean, seriously! And then he also took Arnie’s acting method of being silent, brooding and emotionless. What fun he was. Only at the end did he show a hint of acting when he was finally allowed to do his thing.
Next up we have Grace, the companion. She’s … a companion. Very much like Martha Jones, truth be told. Though far less important in the bigger scheme, and obsolete if The Master hadn’t … Hmm, why am I suddenly hearing River saying: Spoilers!
Anyhoo, now we have the main event: The Doctor …s. Sylvester McCoy isn’t allowed to do much in this movie, as the story needed to move along in the beginning. It feels like he is only there to pass on the torch and it’s a real shame at that. It’s not until we see The Doctor as played by McGann that we begin to see some characterization. Because of his amnesia, we get to explore the Doctor and his purpose alongside him for just enough exposition to let us know exactly what we needed to know to feel involved. McGann’s portrayal of the Doctor is also very fun to watch as we go from a tormented soul to an enthusiastic, youthful man who likes to give people hints to their future so that they can become the best person they could possibly be.
The Doctor in this movie wears a frock coat, a waistcoat and a cravat which he found at the hospital. A very old fashioned appearance, but one that completely fits The Doctor.
Whereas The Doctor moved on to an expanded universe in comics, books and audio dramas, the movie had to come to an end, thereby ending an era of epic proportions. For the time being.
Doctor Who, the 1996 movie, is an enjoyable experience only because of the recognizable things from the series and the performance by Paul McGann. And these really are enough to drag you along at the tip of your seat for an experience that you’ll probably forget. All except The Eight Doctor, who deserved more than a one movie appearance in Live Action.
7/10
Introduced to the masses in 1963, Doctor Who was about a man traveling through time and space in a spaceship known as the T.A.R.D.I.S. or Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. Bound by the laws of his people, the Gallifreyan Time Lords, the Doctor was not allowed to interfere with the course of time. However, whilst there are fixed points in time that can not be altered, there are events that aren’t fixed. It is here that the Doctor finds it difficult to just stand idly by. And so he takes on these threats to the world and tries to make things right, alongside companions that he picks up along the way.
This, however, is a very much simplified version of his story as the show did run until 1989 and for well over 20 seasons. Aliens and enemies of all shapes and sizes have passed and the lore of the Who Universe has expanded to way beyond explanation. Yes, you can explain who people are but not the rich and complicated history they share. Like The Daleks, an alien race that was at war with the Time Lords. You can explain what they are, but beyond a general approach to backstory, things might get extremely complicated.
The show was cancelled in 1989. But, with the Doctor only seven lives in to his existence, he still had a few to go. Oh, right, regeneration. To put it simply: Doctor dies, Doctor heals himself by regenerating in to a whole new person. It was invented as a way to continue the show when the original actor passed away.
Philip Segal had already been trying for years to bring the good Doctor to American audiences by making an American produced series. Fox however would only agree to make a made-for-TV movie. It was hoped that with its success, the series could still be on its way. Alas, no such luck. Everyone else loved the movie, but the American audience did not and so another project was shelved. Which, in retrospect, might have been the best thing that could have happened. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.
An opening narration reveals that The Master, The Doctor’s Moriarty, had been tried on the planet Skaro and executed by The Daleks. His last wish was that The Doctor would return his remains to Gallifrey. Following this we get a scene inside the TARDIS, where The seventh incarnation of the Doctor, as played by Sylvester McCoy, is casually relaxing on his way back to his homeworld.
In the meantime, The Master has escaped from his prison and caused The TARDIS to emergency land in San Francisco in the year 1999. The Doctor, knowing that The Master had escaped, took a step outside to get his bearings when he got gunned down by members of a local gang.
A young man named Chang Lee came to The Doctor’s aid and waited alongside him to take him to the hospital. Once there however, The Doctor ceases to be and Chang leaves with his possessions. The Master, in the meantime, took hold of another man’s body and wants to use him to find The Doctor and take over his body. Seeing as The Master has gone through all 12 of his spare lives, he needs The Doctor to live.
As is custom with the man known as The Doctor, he regenerates and turns in to The Eight Doctor, as played by Paul McGann. Unfortunately, the regeneration took too long because of anesthetics put in to his system at the hospital, making him forget who he was. Now it’s a race against time as The Master has a plan that could jeopardize the entire Earth. Question is, will the Doctor, aided by the doctor who operated on him in the hospital, be able to save the day?
The plot reeks of stereotypical screenwriting, if you ask me. Crocodile Dundee in Australia? LET’S SHIP HIM TO AMERICA! Beastmaster? Beastmaster in the U.S OF A.! Homo-erotic man and the Masters of the universe? LET’S SHIP DAT ASS TO AMERICA!
But that’s not what I dislike the most. No, it’s the fact that they suck the magic out of the story. Completely and utterly. The only thing keeping this movie standing is the performance of The Doctors. McCoy and McGann are both excellent in their part and they are the ones that carry this movie entirely. Besides the usual staples of course like the TARDIS and the music. But, come on, look at what they did to The Master! Stock from beginning to end. Then there’s the overall story arc. This should have been an episode in the American series, if it ever came to be. Not something to win over the American audience.
From the beginning of the movie to the end, the characters are incredibly unimportant or uninteresting. Exceptions are The Doctor, Grace (his companion) and … euh … The Master that one time he was showing off his new duds … maybe.
First let’s talk about the villain: The Master, as played by Eric Roberts. Unfortunately, the man is dressed for the part. During most of the movie, Roberts is dressed in an outfit ripped straight from Arnie’s body in The Terminator. I mean, seriously! And then he also took Arnie’s acting method of being silent, brooding and emotionless. What fun he was. Only at the end did he show a hint of acting when he was finally allowed to do his thing.
Next up we have Grace, the companion. She’s … a companion. Very much like Martha Jones, truth be told. Though far less important in the bigger scheme, and obsolete if The Master hadn’t … Hmm, why am I suddenly hearing River saying: Spoilers!
Anyhoo, now we have the main event: The Doctor …s. Sylvester McCoy isn’t allowed to do much in this movie, as the story needed to move along in the beginning. It feels like he is only there to pass on the torch and it’s a real shame at that. It’s not until we see The Doctor as played by McGann that we begin to see some characterization. Because of his amnesia, we get to explore the Doctor and his purpose alongside him for just enough exposition to let us know exactly what we needed to know to feel involved. McGann’s portrayal of the Doctor is also very fun to watch as we go from a tormented soul to an enthusiastic, youthful man who likes to give people hints to their future so that they can become the best person they could possibly be.
The Doctor in this movie wears a frock coat, a waistcoat and a cravat which he found at the hospital. A very old fashioned appearance, but one that completely fits The Doctor.
Whereas The Doctor moved on to an expanded universe in comics, books and audio dramas, the movie had to come to an end, thereby ending an era of epic proportions. For the time being.
Doctor Who, the 1996 movie, is an enjoyable experience only because of the recognizable things from the series and the performance by Paul McGann. And these really are enough to drag you along at the tip of your seat for an experience that you’ll probably forget. All except The Eight Doctor, who deserved more than a one movie appearance in Live Action.
7/10
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