Matt Smith Year Two - What Would You Like To See?

[Rob McCow]

Regardless of the rumours (Apart from the writers, I don't think there are any yet - are there?) what would we want to see in Matt Smith's second year? And what do you think that the production team should put in the bin?

Personally, I'd like to see a small-scale Dalek story. With the Daleks it's always been taken to the extreme because they're the Doctor's greatest enemy. But I think they could be much more interesting and frightening when they're doing a normal mission or invasion. Whatever people think of the re-boot, I'm delighted that they ditched the whole "last survivors of the Time War" business.

I'd like to see a new monster or villain in the season finale.

The 11th Doctor getting a kiss. Not that I'd really like to see it, it's just that even Eccleston got more action in his first year. And simply having River Song land on top of you doesn't quite cut it.

While slightly oddball episodes such as Amy's Choice and The Lodger were fine, I'd like to see a few more action-based stories like The Beast Below. I had a bit of a sense this year that there were a lot of 'oddball' unusual episodes towards the second half of the season.

Can we have a historical story with no alien monsters?

And no more Chibnall. That is all.

[Si Hunt]

I think the kissing thing was taken quite far enough before this year, and we don't need any more contrivances for tongue hockey. However, I too would like to see a smaller-scale Dalek battle: perhaps they could invent some sort of new Dalek War as a backstory, and then show some smaller encounters, like the Doctor helping a group of humans on a remote outpost who have to fight Three Lone Daleks who have crashed.

I'd like to see a jungle planet (for Gods sake, film it in Kue Gardens!), an adventure set in the 1960's or the 1980's, the return of the Ice Warriors, my usual bugbear a Proper Auton Story, maybe just ONE adventure set in present day Cardiff (perhaps time to bring back Captain Jack) just to see Matt Smith there, more of the TARDIS, River Song as a companion, an old woman companion with Matt's Doctor, and some redesigned Cybermen in a space setting, like on a Space Wheel or a Moonbase.

Oh, and a present day "Three Doctors" with McGann, Tennant and Smith! PLEASE! Three is a nice number for a multi-Doctor story, they all still look good and if Ecc would rather be getting his bits out for BBC3 then they can trap him in a Time Eddy.

Si.

[matthewsch]

No more Chibnall ruining potentially decent storylines. No reset button finale, nothing on the big scale, just something clever and complex that ties up the series. No more cracks or whatever appearing in every episode. Some of the River/Doctor meetings that we've heard of from River's diary. No Doctor romance or kissing or anything. No Daleks, just for one season, please. Gareth Roberts, Paul Cornell, Tom McRae. Captain Jack. Sarah Jane & gang. River and Captain Jack flirting.

[Si Hunt]

No Daleks, complex stories, no emotional involvement - are you trying to rid of us of the viewers we've got left?

I'm intrigued why you want to see River flirting with Captain Jack for all kinds of reasons. Why is that?

Si.

[Alex]

Add me to the "No Daleks" list, especially in the season finale.

I'd like to see all new monsters and no old ones, a story set completely in the Tardis, a historical set during the time of Jesus (never going to happen, but one can but dream!), no famous guest stars unless they're actually really decent actors, Captain Jack and Captain John Harker (but no one else from Torchwood), another Simon Nye episode (though this seems doubtful) and one written by Joss Whedon (which you can also add to the "Never going to happen" list).

[Jason Thompson]

The 11th Doctor getting a kiss. Not that I'd really like to see it, it's just that even Eccleston got more action in his first year. And simply having River Song land on top of you doesn't quite cut it.

Nor, apparently, does the hottest redhead companion ever snogging his face off and offering herself on a plate....

[Perry Vale]

what would we want to see in Matt Smith's second year?

I'd like to see him sign for another two years.

That is all.

[Si Hunt]

the hottest redhead companion ever

So basically she's foxier than Catherine Tate and Bonnie Langford.

Whoop!

Si.

[Logo Polish]

And don't forget Mark Strickson. Though his was dyed admittedly.

[Lissa]

So is Karen's Gillan's. Though I'll let her prove me wrong if she insists.

[Jason Thompson]

As far as the actual question is concerned, I'd like to see less emphasis on big season arcs, less attempt at going bigger and badder with every finale, and the new Daleks wiped out by a surviving troop of old style ones in a big Dalek civil war.

[matthewsch]

No I definitely want emotional content, even romantic would be great, as long as it doesn't involve the Doctor in a romance.

a historical set during the time of Jesus (never going to happen, but one can but dream!)

Unfortunately, that'd never happen (nothing involving Jesus anyhow) because whatever angle the BBC took it from, they'd tread on a lot of people's toes and anger a lot of people. It's one of those areas that's best left alone in mainstream television, sadly. We can only wish... and write fanfiction/audio plays!!!

As far as the actual question is concerned, I'd like to see less emphasis on big season arcs, less attempt at going bigger and badder with every finale, and the new Daleks wiped out by a surviving troop of old style ones in a big Dalek civil war.

I second that!

[Lissa]

I'd like them to create a totally new alien race and push them as the new Big Bad.

I'd like them to create a new, recurring human(oid) villain to have the sort of relationship of equals Pertwee and Delgado had.

I'd like the new universe to be different from the old one. Not necessarily in big, high concept ways but just different.

I'd like them to adapt the BF play "Coliditz". I heard it again recently and it would make a great two parter.

I'd like them to do a mirror universe episode with evil kinky Amy and sinister beareded Rory.

I'd like Stephen Fry to write his long rumoured episode.

[SiHart]

What I'd like is:

- A proper "this universe" Cyberman story.
- A non- alien historical adventure
- No more meeting geniuses of art/ literature.
- A quiet but brilliant season closer rather than "Series finale"
- Deaths that stay dead!
- A new recurring villain.
- More new to Who writers!

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

I'd like them to adapt my favourite Big Finish play "Catch:1782", where the Doctor and his companion visit a University and the companion is thrown back in time to meet the ancestor of her Uncle who falls in love with her and keeps her trapped there as she loses her memory, meanwhile the Doctor and a friendly college professor have to travel back and rescue her without arousing suspicion or changing time.

The cliffhanger, where the Doctor thinks his companion has become part of the web of time and is doomed to live in the past forever, would be particuarly chilling.

I just like the mix of time travel and cosy contempory University setting, it has a "back in time for tea" historical feel.

Si.

[Larry]

What I'd like is:

- A proper "this universe" Cyberman story.


Si xx

same with me but if that were to happen I wan't to see a new design using an updated version of the Earthshock Cybermen.

No Daleks, a story every other series is more than enough.


the return of at least one classic series monster we haven't seen and that for me would be the Zygons, the potential for an absolute cracker if it were written by Stepen Moffat.

an episode directed by Graeme Harper.

Rory, to remain a full time companion.

end credits to be made longer so we can have full themetune version, like we had with series 2.

[Perry Vale]

In a more detailed response to my earlier one....

I honestly would change very little for S6, as I've enjoyed all of S5 (with the exception of THE/CB to a lesser extent), and I really think it's my favourite season ever. Heck, even Murray Gold can stay, as far as I'm concerned!

- I would like to see more of the type of writer brought in such as Nye and Curtis

- I have no desire to see any of the directors from Seasons 2-4 returning, or any of the writers particularly, bar perhaps Cornell

- This will probably never happen, but I really hate the placement of the 'Next Time' trailers. They're very intrusive, and stop you from taking those few moments to digest the adventure you've just seen

- a tightening up and improvement of the CGI

- a budget that at least goes up with inflation

- no Captain Jack

- keeping the locations away from Londiff/Cardon

Otherwise, just more of the same please!

[Andrew Curnow]

I'd like really just two things:-

1. Less revisiting the past. Maybe it sounds daft, but particularly when you get the Daleks, Sontarans, etc, etc all showing up together it starts to make the Doctor's universe a little bit small, even insular. I liked it when each story could be set in a completely different universe, for all the connection there was. A big, wide, endless, infinite universe, not the closed 'regular street' I sometimes feel we're getting.

And, far more importantly:

2. Hat.

[Awesome Wells]

I'm with Steve in the fact that I wouldn't really want to change anything at all. But even more, I'd like to be surprised by something and say afterwards, "That's a good change. I wish I'd thought of that."

There are one or two things I'd like, but we'll never get rid of the Daleks or the immediate 'next time' trailers so there's no point in moaning about them. Actually, I've thought of one thing I would change: the viewing figures. If I could persuade more people to watch this wonderful series, with its superb lead cast, I would. Whether they be people who switched off because they were sick of Tennant or people who've never tuned in at all, I would urget them to do so. They really don't know what they're missing, and it's a shame.

[Si Hunt]

switched off because they were sick of Tennant

I feel duty bound to point out that the ratings only stopped being sky high when he left! So for "because they were sick of Tennant" read, "because they loved Tennant"

a budget that at least goes up with inflation

Science... fiction!

That said, if I was a wise controller of BBC1, Doctor Who is exactly the program I would keep renewing through the financial crisis/lean years, because it's best writers have the talent to write episodes that are imaginative even if they arn't expensive - "Vincent and the Doctor", for example.

Si.

PS How about giving Terrance Dicks a stab at writing modern day Who? Is he not commissioned just because he's old? That doesn't make him not very good, does it.

[Awesome Wells]

I feel duty bound to point out that the ratings only stopped being sky high when he left! So for "because they were sick of Tennant" read, "because they loved Tennant"

Perhaps it should have read "because they were immediately repulsed by Matt Smith."

[Dino]

The only thing I'd be happy to see is the Doctor get out of his depth.
Although The Big Bang killed the tension and drama of the last cliffhanger, people have reacted to him differently by seeing him vunerable?
This is a dilemma of course, because the Doctor is supposed to be ahead of the game at most times? All human and audience hopes rest on the Doctor and it would be great to see that challenged more than once at the climax of the series?
Not make the Doctor more human and emotional! Even Chibnall wouldn't want that! But the worlds just be just as dangerous for Time Lords with two hearts as it is double for red hair, one heart and skirt?

[Larry]

oh and I would most defiantly like to see much much much less use of that bloody sonic screwdriver.

[Perry Vale]

I feel duty bound to point out that the ratings only stopped being sky high when he left! So for "because they were sick of Tennant" read, "because they loved Tennant"

I feel duty bound to point out they only dropped by about a quarter of a million. With less trailers, and less Radio Times coverage. And less 'BBC News' coverage. And also I'm duty bound to point out that S5 had higher average viewing figures than S2 or S3.

PS How about giving Terrance Dicks a stab at writing modern day Who? Is he not commissioned just because he's old? That doesn't make him not very good, does it.

That's a very good point, and I've always summised that he wasn't asked because he would have disagreed with RTD too much, as to the Doctor's general personality.

oh and I would most defiantly like to see much much much less use of that bloody sonic screwdriver.

I *think* we've started to see less of it as the season went on, and have noticed a couple of lines of dialogue that seem to back up the fact we won't. We'll see though.

The only thing I'd be happy to see is the Doctor get out of his depth.

Again, I'd argue we've seen that a couple of times already this season.

[Perry Vale]

But even more, I'd like to be surprised by something and say afterwards, "That's a good change. I wish I'd thought of that."

That's such a good point/suggestion, and something I wholeheartedly agree with.