Eccleston Didn't Enjoy Working on Doctor Who

[RobCoxxy]

Ecclestone was brilliant. Seeing as he was conflicted, almost depressed after the whole time war thingy, he was a good "introductory" new doctor.

Tennant was amazing, but RTD's writing realllllllly held him back.

Moffat's Tennant episodes were brilliant, the Matt Smith episodes are also really good, you can tell the quality of writing has improved.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Sad to read this, in that he didn't enjoy playing this role given the conditions. I thought he was rather underrated as The Doctor and played him very well. He was quite different from all the others but in a good way.

 

[Chipperz]

Forced to spend time listening to Davies, Piper and Barrowman? That must have been hell.
At least he's gone onto better things...like G.I.Joe...

Well, think about this for a second - he has a really, really, really hard time on the set of Doctor Who, and then he blows off steam in a part that was easy, fun and probably paid more per hour than the entire BBC's budget for the show. Is it so hard to imagine him in G.I. Joe?

OT - I understand why he left, but I did feel bad that he went so soon, while Matt Smith is catching up, Eccleston is still my favourate Doctor.

 

[Bellvedere]

I really liked Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor. I liked David Tennet too but he as the series dragged on he became such an annoying character. Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor was much more fun. It's a shame he didn't enjoy it.

 

[Phantomess]

I do remember seeing him say that he didn't enjoy the role once before. I can't remember where. But I do think he had a unique take on the Doctor, I just preferred David Tennant's performance. He brought wonderfully vivid pain to the scenes that needed it. That's not to say that I didn't like Eccleston, I just liked Tennant better (and cried when I found out that he was leaving).

I am warming up to Matt Smith, though. Strangely enough, I thought no-one could follow Tennant but Smith is just enough like Tennant's Doctor to be a successful successor. Managed to get a hold of "The Lodger" and LOVED it. Who knew the Doctor was a top striker? Hey, maybe we can recruit him to the Socceroos! (joking...)

 

[Jared]

I have to admit I didnt like him much anyway, so, not too much of a loss.

Its a shame though he didnt enjoy his time as such an iconic hcaracter though!

 

[Ubermetalhed]

I thought Eccleston's acting was alright, decent but nothing on Tennant's performance. I for one am glad he left so early, as we then had four glorious years of the Tenth Doctor

P.S. I find it ridiculous how people love shoving the blame on Davies, even on this topic. It seems he's the big scapegoat for the revived series. If you had an issue, even some minute cosmetic detail Davies had no part in, he's to shoulder the blame for it.

I think TVTropes says it best with this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScapegoatCreator], and partly this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheyChangedItNowItSucks]. The rest of the haters seem to do it because it's the 'cool' thing to do.

It's not that it's the 'cool thing to do', most people hate RTD because most people have common sense, they have an idea of good writing and direction and some also realise that he butchered alot of the original series mythos.

I for one liked Eccleston he felt like a natural progression in the Doctor's regenerations. Tennant on the otherhand was too different, the fact he was basically a deus ex character was ridiculous and the hackneyed plots and unnecessary romances were a disgrace to the series name.

Moffat has finally returned to alot of the DW roots while still keeping it as related to RTD's mess as he can. The darker writing and direction harks back to alot of the older episodes, Doctor Who once again has substance and Matt Smith quite frankly is brilliant.
I'm sure if Moffat and the new writers could erase the RTD era from DW they definitely would.

 

[Cabisco]

I'm not surprised he thinks this after the way he was treated by Russell T Davies.

Why, how was he treated by him? This is just a general question.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

I thought Eccleston's acting was alright, decent but nothing on Tennant's performance. I for one am glad he left so early, as we then had four glorious years of the Tenth Doctor

P.S. I find it ridiculous how people love shoving the blame on Davies, even on this topic. It seems he's the big scapegoat for the revived series. If you had an issue, even some minute cosmetic detail Davies had no part in, he's to shoulder the blame for it.

I think TVTropes says it best with this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScapegoatCreator], and partly this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheyChangedItNowItSucks]. The rest of the haters seem to do it because it's the 'cool' thing to do.

It's not that it's the 'cool thing to do', most people hate RTD because most people have common sense, they have an idea of good writing and direction and some also realise that he butchered alot of the original series mythos.

I for one liked Eccleston he felt like a natural progression in the Doctor's regenerations. Tennant on the otherhand was too different, the fact he was basically a deus ex character was ridiculous and the hackneyed plots and unnecessary romances were a disgrace to the series name.

Moffat has finally returned to alot of the DW roots while still keeping it as related to RTD's mess as he can. The darker writing and direction harks back to alot of the older episodes, Doctor Who once again has substance and Matt Smith quite frankly is brilliant.
I'm sure if Moffat and the new writers could erase the RTD era from DW they definitely would.

The fact the show gained consistently high ratings(surpassed only by those damn soaps) would disagree with you. And frankly, to say an opinion that differs from yours is somehow 'illogical' is extremely arrogant, FYI. Judging by those, the majority of RTD haters exist on the internet, with a few as hardcore fanboys.

This really begs the question, had RTD brought back DW in the same style as the old series, would it have been as popular? I don't think it would. The classic style was just generally too slow paced to keep many of the younger viewers(who were the target audience, by the way) interested. The only fans would have been fans of the Classic series, and there would have been far fewer of them.

Davie's writing and producing kept me enthralled. It had the emotion, drama, and for lack of a proper word, epicness that in my view Moffat has failed to deliver.

I'm not even going to get started on Tennant. He wasn't voted best Doctor on a fluke. Maybe YOU didn't like his erratic way of acting, but clearly lots of people, including myself, did.

 

[SirCannonFodder]

Three words for why I didn't like RTD: Tinkerbell Jesus Doctor.

 

[Ubermetalhed]

I thought Eccleston's acting was alright, decent but nothing on Tennant's performance. I for one am glad he left so early, as we then had four glorious years of the Tenth Doctor

P.S. I find it ridiculous how people love shoving the blame on Davies, even on this topic. It seems he's the big scapegoat for the revived series. If you had an issue, even some minute cosmetic detail Davies had no part in, he's to shoulder the blame for it.

I think TVTropes says it best with this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScapegoatCreator], and partly this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheyChangedItNowItSucks]. The rest of the haters seem to do it because it's the 'cool' thing to do.

It's not that it's the 'cool thing to do', most people hate RTD because most people have common sense, they have an idea of good writing and direction and some also realise that he butchered alot of the original series mythos.

I for one liked Eccleston he felt like a natural progression in the Doctor's regenerations. Tennant on the otherhand was too different, the fact he was basically a deus ex character was ridiculous and the hackneyed plots and unnecessary romances were a disgrace to the series name.

Moffat has finally returned to alot of the DW roots while still keeping it as related to RTD's mess as he can. The darker writing and direction harks back to alot of the older episodes, Doctor Who once again has substance and Matt Smith quite frankly is brilliant.
I'm sure if Moffat and the new writers could erase the RTD era from DW they definitely would.

The fact the show gained consistently high ratings(surpassed only by those damn soaps) would disagree with you. And frankly, to say an opinion that differs from yours is somehow 'illogical' is extremely arrogant, FYI. Judging by those, the majority of RTD haters exist on the internet, with a few as hardcore fanboys.

This really begs the question, had RTD brought back DW in the same style as the old series, would it have been as popular? I don't think it would. The classic style was just generally too slow paced to keep many of the younger viewers(who were the target audience, by the way) interested. The only fans would have been fans of the Classic series, and there would have been far fewer of them.

Davie's writing and producing kept me enthralled. It had the emotion, drama, and for lack of a proper word, epicness that in my view Moffat has failed to deliver.

I'm not even going to get started on Tennant. He wasn't voted best Doctor on a fluke. Maybe YOU didn't like his erratic way of acting, but clearly lots of people, including myself, did.

High ratings do not equal quality, would you regard the X factor as quality? And i do believe that you were the one who made the generalisation that the 'haters' do it because it was the cool thing to do, so it seems perfectly valid for me to defend myself against that statement.

Yes, i agree that it was targeted at younger viewers but this in itself is wrong. Doctor Who has a mythos, legacy and style to it, it is not meant to be a silly kids tv show, there is meant to be depth to it.

The old series attracted both adults and kids, it was intellectual enough for adults but also fantastical enough for children. Doctor Who was also meant to be scary, that was one of the main draws. RTD removed all these elements, intellect,fantasy and scares for cheap tacky mindless drivel that only small children and the easily impressed would enjoy.

I emplore you to watch the first ever episode of DW and tell me that an episode of RTD's series is better. The acting, dialogue and progression of story telling is truly wonderful.

Regarding Tennant's popularity this is due to people having NO knowledge of the original series or any other of the Doctor's (Jon Pertwee anyone?) and the fact that Tennant is a pretty face accounts for his popularity more than anything. I'm sorry but... Tennant took around 20minutes to die, every other Doctor took it like a man. Tennant wasn't Jesus even though everyone seemed to regard him as that.

On a final note regarding RTD's butchering of the series, the Doctor DOES NOT become romantically involved with companions, something i believe Moffat is well aware of judging by the rejection by the Doctor's rejection of Amy's advances in the new series.

Moffat knows his roots,the cheeky library card with William Hartnell's face for example shows this. Moffat is bringing back the scares and the depth back to DW and thank god because by the time Tennant had decided to die (in the most ridiculous fashion imaginable), Doctor Who was ready to be put down once more.

 

[Volucer]

I have to agree with Ubermetalhed, RTD did a pretty good job of butchering Who. Godzilla cybermen, flying buses, slitheen, everybody loving the doctor (not as a friend, as in love), the hour long death scene, the queen waving to the flying titanic, but most of all, the Daleks.
I understand they need to appear every series now, but every appearence they were wiped out, only to return stronger, to get wiped out again, to return stronger. I much prefer what SM has got with them now. There's an army, and they escaped, but they were not all destroyed to be miraculously reborn. The only reason I kept watching was in the hope that it would get better, and it has...now that RTD has left.

More on topic though, as disappointed as I am that Eccleston left after only a year, if it was for the greater good and to preserve his performance as the doctor I'm glad he did. Much better than going the way of Colin Baker.

 

[oranger]

"I didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in ..."

My translation: SOMEBODY had control issues, and took it to work.

 

[Icecoldcynic]

Not really all that surprising considering how quickly he left the show. I didn't particularly like him as the doctor in any case.

 

[the fifth]

I liked Eccleston's doctor because he was darker than the others and he actually could be imposing unlike the other two who i would laugh at if they tried to start a fight. while i kind of like the new one more Eccleston could do some things much better.

 

[TimeLord]

There goes my idea of a 3 Doctors Episode

I love Eccleston

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Forced to spend time listening to Davies, Piper and Barrowman? That must have been hell.
At least he's gone onto better things...like G.I.Joe...

Well, think about this for a second - he has a really, really, really hard time on the set of Doctor Who, and then he blows off steam in a part that was easy, fun and probably paid more per hour than the entire BBC's budget for the show. Is it so hard to imagine him in G.I. Joe?

Hard, no? Lazy, yes. His performance in G.I.Joe was totally by the numbers. A nice steady paycheck for not doing much work. Sort of like certain footballers I could mention...

I thought Eccleston's acting was alright, decent but nothing on Tennant's performance. I for one am glad he left so early

So no bias then

, as we then had four glorious years of the Tenth Doctor

Glorious, hardly. A space-romcom that had the titular character funneled as a writer outlet maybe.

P.S. I find it ridiculous how people love shoving the blame on Davies, even on this topic. It seems he's the big scapegoat for the revived series. If you had an issue, even some minute cosmetic detail Davies had no part in, he's to shoulder the blame for it.

Well, given he was the writer, director, hirer, UBERCHEESE OF UBERCHEESE AND IT WAS ONLY HIM THAT EVER DID THE NEW WHO; you can't really blame people. Davis's ego almost matched Lucas in his control over every aspect of the programming, and most of the staff of Who have hinted at that. For proof, watch any of the Confidentials or even his wild parading in any of the annuals where he says that the Doctor speaks to him personally. That's a hell of an ego complex.

I think TVTropes says it best with this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScapegoatCreator], and partly this [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheyChangedItNowItSucks].

Ok, let's get this straight. Davis WASN'T the creator, and Who changes every damn season, almost every writer; what Davis, and to an extent, Gatiss did was use the Doctor as a channel for their own frustration.

The rest of the haters seem to do it because it's the 'cool' thing to do.

Yeah, because the best way to deal with criticism is to label all your critics as "moaning internet ninnies"...oh wait, Davis did that. [http://www.russelltdavies.com/#/news/4514672815]

Or the "Greatest Doctor Who Book" - The Writer's Tale, which was penned, photographed, illustrated and everything else by RTD. This man's ego knows no bounds.

But let's take a look at what kept you "enthralled"...
Season 1: Bad Wolf - Rose is writing cryptic cosmic graffiti to herself so that when she becomes a Goddess, she knows that...what exactly...oh, she becomes a writer and can write things out of canon.
Season 2: Torchwood - RTD takes one of the most popular BBC series to have 13x45 minute adverts for his new show.
Season 3: Harold Saxon: RTD takes 11x45 minute adverts to popularise a nemesis battle, steals heavily from other sci-fi series and the Bible, and then restarts the world WITH THE BRITISH PM KILLING THE AMERICAN PM ON NATIONAL TV....but no-one notices that.
Season 4: He actually starts to get it. He starts producing decent episodes, but then collapses with the whole "I WILL REWRITE CANON" lark.

And don't start me on the inexorable "specials" which defy logic, sense and anything else for a cheap heartstring pull.

Speaking of heartstrings, let's take a closer look at Tennant's finer moments
John Smith - Now, the romance between him and Joan Redfern is wonderful. There's a real feeling between the two of them that they don't like part of each other, but they acually really care, and there's NO barriers between them apart from their own feelings.
Madame Pompadour - Again, there's a wonderful romance, spoiled by the Doctor's own naivety.
(Especially as it's watched over by Martha- who we can see is enamoured of him)

And then we'll put it against Rose...

"OH WE'RE SO IN LOVE. LOOK AT ALL THE BARRIERS THAT MYSTERIOUSLY APPEAR AND LOOK AT US SCREAM IN ANGUISH AND MAKE YOU SCREAM FOR OUR LOVE THAT IS LOVELIER THAN ANY OTHER LOVE."

Last time I read something like that it was in Twilight/Transformers/Star Wars prequels. Romance needs to be between people, not between obstacles.

Now, to give him his due, he has managed some excellent work. Midnight and Keep Left show him understanding the Doctor, rather than channeling his own work into the Doctor; but against Human Nature, Blink or School Reunion, they feel like "could have beens".

What RTD is write sit-dram/coms, he doesn't write Who. Torchwood, at the best of times, was "which lesbian alien shall we fail to kill today, in a Welsh way".

Moffat, Whithouse, Ford, Roberts all write Who well. Their shows keep people entertained, enthralled and talking about them afterwards.

RTDs get people shouting out of angst or loathing. Usually against the insatiable use of symbols for everything. Like SirCannonFodder said

Three words for why I didn't like RTD: Tinkerbell Jesus Doctor.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

To me, Dr. Who will always be that old guy with the tophat anyway.