Ypres 1914 in Doctor Who

[Anthony Pigott]

Did anyone see the Christmas Doctor Who? I'm not a fan of the 'modern' Doctor Who but it was on and I started watching when a Great War officer suddenly appeared. I gather the uniforms, etc. were done by Taff & Co. so doubtless were spot on but the trench systems looked to me rather sophisticated for 1914. What do others, more knowledgeable, think?

 

Anthony

[TGM]

I have the same question too.

I loved this episode - I had stopped watching since PC became The Doctor, but the GW theme, the clash of C20th (1910s) v C21st (2010s) sensibilities and the wonderful John Bradley and  Mark Gatiss kept me watching...Fab-u-lous!

[Ron Clifton]

I think the trench systems have more of a look of 1917 than 1914 about them.

 

I watched the episode and enjoyed it, though I was not entirely comfortable with the inclusion of the Christmas truce. But it was a nice touch that the British officer, who asked the Doctors to take news of him to his family, was called Captain Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart.

 

I do hope that the introduction of a female Doctor is not the harbinger of an attempt to impose modern "gender politics" on the series.

 

Ron

[Gareth Davies]

45 minutes ago, Ron Clifton said:

I think the trench systems have more of a look of 1917 than 1914 about them.

 

I watched the episode and enjoyed it, though I was not entirely comfortable with the inclusion of the Christmas truce. But it was a nice touch that the British officer, who asked the Doctors to take news of him to his family, was called Captain Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart.

 

I do hope that the introduction of a female Doctor is not the harbinger of an attempt to impose modern "gender politics" on the series.

 

Ron

 

Gender politics?  Approximately 50% of the population is female so casting a woman as the 13th incarnation is hardly going against the statistical run of play.  

 

It's 2017 (almost 2018) Ron.  Get with the beat.

[John(txic)]

Boring PC rubbish - gave up half-way through.  Much preferred the Hartnell-era Doctor; hopefully he could return in the next Regeneration?

[TGM]

I thought the  so-called 'PC' stuff could be taken in more than one way,... and as for the gender change of Doctor - IMHO the casting is more a shift towards a gender neutral  Doctor at best. An analyse the new Doctor's  hair style, facial features and clothes suggests something very different from the publicity surround the casting of the new Doctor.

[John_Hartley]

On 27/12/2017 at 11:19, Ron Clifton said:

British officer, who asked the Doctors to take news of him to his family, was called Captain Alastair Lethbridge-Stewart.

Apologies for being pedantic but that was Archibald, Alastair's brother and great-uncle of the later Alastair.

 

Thought the inclusion of the character just added to the rather oddness of the episode. Rather enjoyed the poking of fun at the First Doctor's old fashioned attitudes but, surely, as he was a time lord wouldnt he have visited modern times and known these were no no longer acceptable in the 21st century.  Rather a pity that the new Doctor isnt black as well as female.