Mark Watches ‘Doctor Who: The Movie’ Liveblog

OH HELL YES. It’s back! We haven’t done a liveblog in a while and I’m told that perhaps this is the only way we can all survive the only appearance of the Eighth Doctor, Paul McGann. Let us all suffer and rejoice while watching Doctor Who: The Movie.

For some of you, this may be your first chance to participate in an event like this, so stick around if you’re unfamiliar with a liveblog. You will soon learn the true beauty of such a thing!

Our liveblog of Doctor Who: The Movie begins at 11:00am PDT. What time is that where you are? Well, the lovely nanceoir created this nifty time zone guide to determine precisely what time YOU will start the movie in your respective place of watching!

At that exact moment, you may press play from the main DVD menu or on your digital file or WHATEVER. We may all be a second or two out of sync, but that largely doesn’t matter. During the liveblog, treat the comments below as your blank canvas of livebloggy goodness. Yell at the screen. Respond to others. Include appropriate GIFs and screenshots. In general, it’s a chance for all of us to experience this film at the exact same moment!

This is my first introduction to both the Seventh and Eighth Doctors, so I’m rather excited. I will watch past serials dealing with the Doctors I’ve yet to see in the coming weeks, but I thought it would be fun for all of us to do this as a liveblog! My review of the TV movie will go up on Monday at the normal review posting time.

See you tomorrow!

About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
This entry was posted in Classic Who, Doctor Who, Liveblogs and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

1,269 Responses to Mark Watches ‘Doctor Who: The Movie’ Liveblog

  1. Elexus Calcearius says:

    Its at like, 2: 00 AM my time. I really don't think I can bother waking up for this movie at that time, even if it is a liveblog.

  2. NB2000 says:

    This is probably the best way to make it through the cheesefest that is this movie. I mentioned over on the spoiler blog that I haven't rewatched this in a while so I'm totally going to be here for this. Eight! You poor thing, you deserved so much better than this mess.

    • Stephen_M says:

      Rewatched this last night and… Let's just say it's actually got better with the arrival of new Who.

    • Reddi says:

      How true. The movie was crap, but Eight was a wonderful doctor. He deserved better.

  3. James says:

    AHAHAHA AMAZING. I love the Eighth Doctor! Whilst it's his only appearance on-screen, has his own series of novels and a whole series of radio plays (starring Paul McGann and the lovely Sheridan Smith as his companion, Lucie) that are fantastic. I am glad he got those, because I adore him and this movie is… well, you'll see. Hilarious. But for all the wrong reasons.

    • All I can say re the radio plays is: "Scherzo". BLEW MY MIND. For its time, completely unexpected and radical — and Paul McGann and India Fisher are both fantastic in it.

    • anobium says:

      I bought a whole stack of those recently. I'm going to start listening to them after we watch the TVM.

  4. Hotaru-hime says:

    Oh man, I haven't seen this, so I will definitely be joining in the liveblog if I can get a copy…

    • ldwy says:

      I don't have a copy either, but I did find it on youtube. My plan is to have all the "parts" open and ready to click play whenever the previous one ends. I might end up slightly out of sync, but not by much 🙂 Maybe that'd work for you too.

  5. ldwy says:

    I will be trying so hard to join in. My day is a little up in the air as it stands now, but I'm hoping 🙂

  6. Maya says:

    Oooooooooooomg I've only seen it once and I spent the whole time LOLing uncontrollably and trying to convince my friend to see it. Soooooooooooooooooooooooo psyched!

  7. Kiwi says:

    Ahhh me and my awful timezone. 6am on a sunday morning… NO THANK YOU.

    I might actually watch it in my own time though, haven't seen it

  8. flamingpie says:

    awwwww damn I was hoping it would be at night, I can't participate. 🙁 HAVE FUN GUYS.

  9. sophpoph says:

    I was so looking forward to this as I just got a copy of the movie and haven't watched it yet. 4am on a Sunday here though! Not happening. Have fun guys 😀

  10. Suspicious Cookie says:

    Wish Cecamire and I had the energy to get up at 4 AM on Sunday for this. I managed 5 AM for the Half Blood Prince liveblog, but 4 AM is just too much 🙁 Have fuuuuun!

  11. keepthepunkrock says:

    I WILL BE THERE, SIR. SO EXCITE.

  12. thefireandthehearth says:

    Excellent! My first liveblog, and it's this wonderful mess! I'll be seeing you (figuratively, I mean).

  13. sabra_n says:

    I'll be at work, unfortunately, but I am very tickled that this is happening. Oh, Mark. You are not prepared for the full majesty of this movie's badness. :DDD

  14. RJM says:

    I'm very excited, but at the same time a little sad that this will be your last glimpse of Old Who. I don't suppose you could randomly watch some serials from time to time for us?

  15. ThreeBooks says:

    Oh my. I can't be around tomorrow so I just watched it… oh my.

    -heads off to Google to illegally download the Expanded Universe books-

  16. Zac says:

    man this is not the right way to learn about 7. 7 rocks.
    8 was cool too. but damn this movie is shit. I may have to hit the liveblog this time

  17. Penquin47 says:

    Woo! I have not seen the movie, but I have a copy that I was going to watch when it came up in chronological order.

    Sod that. Liveblog here I come!

  18. Emma says:

    3:30 am………..I'll see how long I can stay up for.

  19. azurefalls says:

    Oh balls, it's my best friend's 18th tonight. 🙁 That sucks.
    Well, not for her, obviously.

    Hope you guys have fun!

  20. Damn, 4AM. If I didn't have the flu, I might've woken up for this. Sadness.

    I hope everyone else has fun though!

  21. @amyalices says:

    Ahhhh! I think we actually have it somewhere, but I never got around to watching – it is CLEARLY FATE.

  22. ArrogantSage says:

    Never seen it before. I have it all cued up, hopefully I will be able to join in!

  23. taciturn1 says:

    Towards the end, people who watch the PAL (European TV/DVD system) version will probably be 3-4 minutes ahead of those who watch in NTSC (American TV/DVD system) version because of the different frame rates. I don't know which system it was filmed for and whether digital versions vary by country in the same way.

    • Donald G says:

      It's probably much too late to answer this question, but the official R1 NTSC release is a straight port of the R2 PAL release and is sped up by four percent. Due to this speed-up, the DVD of the movie is five minutes shorter than the version as aired in the US (without commercials).

      Most of the YouTube clips I've seen appear to be taken from the sped-up version, though there are some online where the voices sound at the proper American speed.

      Basically, if Paul's voice sounds deep and resonant, it's taken from an NTSC broadcast. If the Master sounds more nasal than Eric Roberts usually does, and if he sounds like he's occasionally inhaled helium before he laughs ("So that's how he intends to destroy me."), then it's taken from PAL.

  24. ThreeBooks says:

    Luuucckkkyyyy, it's been windy and rainy over here in California for the past few weeks…

  25. drippingmercury says:

    I've heard that Intense Debate has a "latest" feature that is helpful in such frequent update situations? Can anyone enlighten me further? I log into ID via wordpress and I'm not sure how I can most easily see what people are posting real-time, other than hitting F5 a lot. Do any of you liveblog pros have any advice?

    • psycicflower says:

      IntenseDebate has a last activity option at the top of the comments section which is the best for liveblogs because clicking it refreshes the comments without refreshing the whole page and the comments are in order from the most recent comment made. For example your comment was the top of the page for me because it was the most recent one made.

      • drippingmercury says:

        WHOA. WOW. That has been there THE ENTIRE TIME. Clearly my reading comprehension is minimal. "If it were a snake", and all… Thank you so much!

        ETA: … I mean really, I had previously googled this because I was so confused. HELLO THERE, top of the comment section. How did I not notice you? Clearly I am a fool.

        • psycicflower says:

          Someone else pointed it out back during the AVPM liveblog, I think, and it has been my saviour for liveblogs and busy posts ever since.

          • drippingmercury says:

            THANK YOU! I'm usually late to regular posts and liveblogs are frequently out of the question for me, so I've never needed to learn how to keep up in real time.

      • anobium says:

        Thanks for explaining that.

        (And drippingmercury, thanks for asking the question. I would have just muddled along with lots of page reloading if you hadn't.)

  26. psycicflower says:

    It's been really warm in Ireland too so I've been enjoying the weather as well. The whole day has just been sunshine and everyone cutting their grass 😀

  27. hassibah says:

    I will watch past serials dealing with the Doctors I’ve yet to see in the coming weeks

    Yes, serials, plural!
    I'm just saying =DDD

  28. psycicflower says:

    I haven't seen the movie before, although it's badness is legendary, and I've missed liveblogging the last few episodes of Fringe so I'm really looking forward to this.

  29. carma_bee says:

    Woo excited! I've only seen maybe the first 10 minutes.

    Also, I thought people here might be interested in this, I found this yesterday, someone made up a 'Have You Seen Him?' poster about the Doctor, as if it's made by Torchwood, and people are putting them up around where they live. I really want to change the name and email and see if there are any Doctor Who fans in my city using it. 🙂
    http://gallifreyangato.tumblr.com/post/3733868138
    There's also a UNIT variation at the Original Post link on that post.

  30. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    I AM SO EXCITED.

  31. leighzzz31 says:

    Oh,yay! 9 PM for me so it's perfect timing! First time watching the monstrosity that is the movie so it'll be fun reading everyone's comments!

  32. anobium says:

    I don't know if the cover designs are the same everywhere, but in Australia the DW Classic DVDs each have a strapline across the bottom identifying the era: "The Tom Baker Years 1974-81", and so on.

    Except the movie. It's got "Starring Paul McGann as the Doctor". That's disappointing; I was kind of hoping it would say "The Paul McGann Year: 1996"…

  33. Nixzoon says:

    Finally finished downl- buying this movie legally, just in time for the liveblog!

  34. NB2000 says:

    Ten minutes to go! Got my copy all ready!

  35. doesntsparkle says:

    I'm fighting the urge to just post random "Withnail and I" quotes while I'm waiting.

  36. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    SOON.

  37. @amyalices says:

    OKAY. It will have to be tandem cooking and typing, but that can be done!

    DVD found. Soup can go simmer itself for a bit.

    😀

  38. Hotaru-hime says:

    Only a couple minutes, everyone!

  39. ArrogantSage says:

    Alright. Had to clean the kitchen floor. Kids are messy. So, what did I miss? Oh yeah, it's almost time!

  40. Kaybee42 says:

    Ahhhh like three minutes! I AM READY!

  41. drippingmercury says:

    Chicken fajitas PREPARED, and SO AM I.

  42. thefireandthehearth says:

    Got my foodstuff, and got the DVD warming up. Two minutes!

  43. psycicflower says:

    I have my split screen, a drink and a bag of peanut M&Ms. I am ready.

  44. carma_bee says:

    yay, I found popcorn!

  45. NB2000 says:

    STARTING NOW! Right?

  46. Hotaru-hime says:

    Start!

  47. Christidaae says:

    PLAYYY

  48. echinodermata says:

    That cage is so wut.

  49. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

  50. thefireandthehearth says:

    OH GOD, THE VAGUE VOICEOVER TIEM

  51. psycicflower says:

    This is a very abrupt opening. Gallifrey still exists *tear*

  52. Maya says:

    WHEEEEEEEEEE IT'S 11!

  53. NB2000 says:

    Helium Daleks!

    I love how noticeable the drumming is in this version of the theme *taps along on desk*

  54. anobium says:

    Is it just me, or does this Skaro look a lot like NewWho's Gallifrey?

  55. @amyalices says:

    …Okay, these titles are epic. Aw yay, Sylvester McCoy is credited!

  56. Christidaae says:

    WHY IS THE TRAIL ON SKARO? SILLY
    and I dont like this theme, it's stupid.

    • anobium says:

      There is actually a precedent – at the end of one of the old Dalek stories, the Daleks took [spoiler] off to Skaro with them for a show trial because they were just that angry at him. So the Daleks might have tried the Master on Skaro, if he did something to really annoy them, like cut them in on a Fool-Proof Doctor-Proof Scheme that turned out to be not so Doctor-Proof after all. (Particularly since it wouldn't be the first time.)

      There's also precedent for another possibility, which is that the whole trial was a con cooked up between the Master and the Daleks so that they could petition the Time Lords to take the Master's ashes back to Gallifrey, and once he was inside the Time Lords' defenses he could spring back to life and put some evil plan into action. Only he sprung too soon and crashed the TARDIS instead.

  57. Hotaru-hime says:

    THEME SONG!!!!!!!
    It sounds so triumphant!

  58. The fuck those eyes. Were there regular irises inside those slits?

    • Mark says:

      It's a callback to the last Classic Who serial, "Survival", where the Master ended up taking on characteristics of a race of cheetah-people, including yellow cat-like eyes.

  59. anobium says:

    Hi, Gordon Tipple.
    Bye, Gordon Tipple!

  60. Maya says:

    OMG love the green laser bar cage. OMG IT'S THE DOCTOR WHO THEME MEETS STAR WARS

  61. ArrogantSage says:

    Music so tame

  62. Openattheclose says:

    How can you guest star in a movie?

  63. thefireandthehearth says:

    *boogies to the admittedly fun credits*

  64. NyssaOfTraken says:

    Have we started yet?

  65. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    Oooooh, I like this theme music! Well, this version.

  66. echinodermata says:

    look at that sonic. look at 7!

  67. doesntsparkle says:

    7's Tardis is dope.

  68. Hahaha Eric Roberts ~yaaaaaaaay~

  69. psycicflower says:

    A bit slow sounding but I like this version of the theme tune.
    13 lives, 7th life, exposition dump.

  70. Christidaae says:

    fancy Screwdriver there Doctor!

  71. keepthepunkrock says:

    ok so this is already super melodramatic and weird and overblown WAT

  72. thefireandthehearth says:

    Seven! YAAAAAY!

  73. Hotaru-hime says:

    Sylvester McCoy!!
    Was that a sonic screwdriver?

  74. Maya says:

    LOL LOOKS LIKE SEVEN HAS AN ALTAR TO THE MASTER.

    O HAI 7

  75. NB2000 says:

    OMFG THAT SET! TARDIS you have never looked prettier IMO. Lookit your columns and steampunk detailing!

  76. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    WAIT. A TIME LORD HAS 13 LIVES. What??? Have they ever mentioned that on the new series?

    • Maya says:

      There was a joking question about it in the Sarah Jane Adventures. But it was never really mentioned in nu!Who.

    • who_cares86 says:

      No. Because they're smart enough to realise that the show will go on beyond Doctor 13.

    • echinodermata says:

      Not in the new series, I don't think.

    • drippingmercury says:

      Don't think so, but I'm not sure I can handle only 2 more doctors!

    • doesntsparkle says:

      No, but they talked about it on Sarah Jane Adventures.

    • NyssaOfTraken says:

      Nope. I suspect that `rule` will be broken – `in time`. (Pun intended.)

    • carma_bee says:

      In the episode of Sarah Jane Adventures that he was in, Eleven kind of blew off the 13 rule and he said there were way more than that I think, but I don't know if it's been mentioned other times.

    • ArrogantSage says:

      I believe they changed that a bit.

    • taciturn1 says:

      No, but on the old one. RTD joked about it on SJA. But we still don't know how they will really deal with it. They will probably not stop at 13 though.

    • BBQ Platypus says:

      It was first established in "The Deadly Assassin." Best not to worry about it – it doesn't matter.

  77. ldwy says:

    i think i'm a little behind, and i think i'll fall more so
    🙁 still fun

  78. Hotaru-hime says:

    There it is, the library in the TARDIS!

  79. keepthepunkrock says:

    WAIT WAS THAT THE MASTER'S CREEPY TIME LORD SOUL ESCAPING FROM THE SPACE URN?

  80. leighzzz31 says:

    I love his voice!Narrate my life please Paul McGann!

  81. maccyAkaMatthew says:

    Couldn't find my copy and so I'm a couple of minutes late…

    I'll try and synchronise.

  82. Christidaae says:

    Seals of RASSILON.

  83. thefireandthehearth says:

    RASSILON, STOP PUTTING YOUR NAME ON EVERYTHING!

  84. EXPOSITION! CLOCKS! So many clocks! Do you think he had something to do with TIME? Gorgeous TARDIS desktop though.

  85. anobium says:

    Best TARDIS interior ever, or best TARDIS interior ever?

  86. NB2000 says:

    But where's the swimming pool?

  87. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    HAHAHA 900 YEAR DIARY. REALLY. WHO WOULD KEEP SUCH A THING

  88. echinodermata says:

    I like this main console. The blue tubes are cool.

  89. ArrogantSage says:

    Is he reading "The Time Machine"? LOL

  90. Patrick says:

    Little behind. Whey are there rocks in the time vortex?

  91. psycicflower says:

    Even as ashes in a box the Master likes messing with the Doctor.

  92. Windsright says:

    Master ESCAPED!

  93. thefireandthehearth says:

    God, dramatic TEACUP SMASH. What is this nonsense. Though the TARDIS console is fly, and the score is still pretty good.

  94. xpanasonicyouthx says:

    WOULDN'T IT BE AWESOME IF JOHN SIMM WAS THE MASTER AGAIN

  95. Penquin47 says:

    It's started!

    I'm a little behind. 🙁

    So, this past week we had a couple days at school where it was pointless to try to teach since about half of the school was gone. My classes watched Doctor Who, "Eleventh Hour". They really loved it.

  96. Hotaru-hime says:

    The Master has a habit of escaping death, eh?

  97. Maya says:

    UH OH THE MASTER IS ~SLITHERING~ AWAY.

    No seriously, wtaf is going on

  98. Sophi says:

    The cutlery breaking of DOOM! Breaking cutlery always signifies bad things. Also, campy music ftw.

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