feeling listless

Who I mean what else was I going to be writing about? I found out in the best way possible - seeing a Dalek drift by on the bottom of the front page of The Daily Telegraph on a morning paper review on tv, then on BBCi on Freeview at half past midnight just before I began taping Kurosawa's Throne of Blood. And it's going to be on Saturday nights at 6:30. For now everything seems right. Russell T. Davies is a renowned fan (read this piece from The Guardian about the DVD release of Queer as Folk and see how it's mentioned either directly or other) who has written a novel and short stories. Just like the old days it?s being personally supervised by the head of drama (Mal Young) and it's a full commission, not some maybe. I should at this point trot out my usual hopes and fears - that it's a continuation rather than a remake, that forty odd years of continuity isn't dumped, so much as not referred to. That it's a family show without being stupid, witty without slapstick. That the old monsters are only brought back for a valid reason and that they aren't changed for the sake of it. He should also take advantage of the range of writing talent on offer right now. Paul Cornell, Lance Parkin and Mark Gatiss are all respected tv writers (and actor in the latter case) and having their names attached also would make this seem even more real. I certainly don't think Davies should write it all.

Quick word on casting. Although I love the hotly tipped Alan Davies and he's been great in Jonathan Creek etc, just to cast him because he looks like a young Tom Baker isn?t the way to go. The Doctor needs to have a strong presence and I just don't see him facing down a Dalek. Of course I'd love Paul McGann to instantly get the role, but failing that can I suggest Peter Davison? He's a bit older now and has proved to have developed into a very good actor in recent ITV dramas. He's also been excellent in the Big Finish audios and I think he always secretly regretted leaving the series at the time when he did. You'd have some of the continuity with the past and also the older Doctor, Davies seems to be interested in. I think he's talking about a kind of Pertwee / Jo Grant dynamic which is just fine.