Feature

LittleBigPicture: new TV column! This week, new Who and Frost lost

Kirsty

8th April 2010

Hello there Shizniteers. You're probably wondering what I'm doing here and what this new post is all about. Why, you're asking, am I reading a blog that's not about films, or film-related news? On top of that shocker, this lunatic appears to be talking in the fourth person and about TV. What in the name of Edgar Wright is going on?

Telly-vision is the old-fashioned idea of a shiny box which emits an ever-growing myriad of entertainment, news and cartoon bears with bog roll stuck to their touchies. I rushed out and got one of these TeeVees as soon as the telegram arrived informing me of this wonderous lightbox. Now, I'm locked in this closet with only a remote control and a massive box of Golden Grahams, forced to watch it all on a loop and tell you about it. It's good innit!

This week, there are some new beginnings to scrutinize, and some sad farewells to bid. One series in particular has really earned its gold carriage clock. I speak, of course, of Masterchef. Not really.

Doctor Who (BBC1, Saturdays)



This must be one of the most anticipated series openers this century. Unarguably, Russell T Davies did a wonderful job of resurrecting Who, and for the most part didn't put a foot wrong for four whole years (although his treatment of Donna Noble has been brought to the attention of the Geneva Council for Human Rights). However, the mere idea of having Steven Moffat in the showrunner's shoes was enough to cause sprains and chafing throughout the land, such was the ferocious fan-wanking that met his appointment.

Moffat's effect on the fragile minds of Whovians the world over has been palpable. Sales of stone garden ornaments plummeted, sales of elaborate fireplaces skyrocketed, and small children in gas masks are regularly being punched in the face outside burning buildings. The man wrote some of the greatest episodes of New Who's run, if not the whole series proper. Was the hype too much? In the back of my mind there was a tiny seed of doubt. What if we'd Tim Burton-ized Moffat? Placed him on a pedestal so high and precarious, that only the good Doctor could rescue him...

With series opener The Eleventh Hour, we can rest easier. It was a textbook example of character introduction; funny, intriguing and terrifying in equal measure. In the interests of full disclosure, I must admit that 22 minutes in, I jumped eight inches out of my chair and laugh/cried in terror. While the CG wasn't great, the concept of murderous creepies hanging out in the corner of your eyes was brilliantly nightmarish.

Stylistically, the transition from Doctors 10 to 11 was so smooth you could barely see the cracks. Some are nitpicking that Matt Smith's Doctor is too similar to David Tennant's, but I like to think that was a clever move on Moffat's part - after all, 11 wasn't full formed until the very end. Still cooking.

(As we're mentioning Tennant, wouldn't it have been serendipitous and wonderful if they could have found an actor by the name of Matt Elevenstone? Surely there's an Elevenburg out there... Or they could have contractually had him change his name by deed poll? As usual, I digress.)

In Amy Pond, the new companion, we are treated to a fully formed character with a relatable and solid back-story. Within 10 minutes, we know she is brave, feisty, Scottish and just marginally obsessed with The Doctor. Compare this to previous companion introductions - which have relied on entire families being featured so you are told their story, rather than see it for yourself - and we're already flying.

Playing with the Doctor's inability to accurately time-travel, and the quick slideshow of past monsters and previous incarnations gave a hint to Moffat's life-long love of Who. In short, we were right to be excited, and, friends, this is only the beginning. We'll keep a weathered eye on the Doctor and his adventures, paying special attention to the corners.

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