Doctor Who in Narnia?
This year’s “Doctor Who” Christmas special will be a take on “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardobe”: “The special sees the Time Lord (Matt Smith, 28) crash land in war-torn England. Posing as the caretaker of a creepy old house in Dorset he embarks on a magical mystery adventure with Madge Arwell and her two children, Lily and Cyril. The three have been evacuated from London as the capital comes under attack during World War Two. And there’s plenty of surprises as the Doctor leads them into a new world.” Read the story here. Thanks to ‘Ellie’.
The Doctor in Narnia? That sounds like a really fun idea, but I hope they don't take over a bunch of non-Gallifrey aliens as well. I wish that they would come up with a more original Christmas special, though. Besides, I thought parallel universes were off-limits, though the script-writers will probably just make the TARDIS even more remarkable than ever to explain this. Maybe they could fix the chamelean circuit and have it disguise itself as a wardrobe that was turned into stone. : )
I heard about this a couple days ago, but I'm kinda curious about the source for this – it's something called "Daily Star", which I'm not sure what it is, and my two major DW fansites have not reported this. They only reported what the actual press release says on the BBC website (the paragraph above plus a couple random quotes from Moffat)
But it would be cool. I suspect that legally they can't say Narnia, and they are not going to be using much of the original setting. The story is key, and they're probably not going to do the whole thing either. They'll probably have a lamppost though…
For the style in which I think it'll be, look at last year's special – A Christmas Carol in SPACE with flying fish in the fog. Absolutely brilliant. The Doctor will be aware of C. S. Lewis, of course. (He's aware of J.K. Rowling and Narnia (book series) is just as popular if not more.) Moffat can't write another story using the same idea unless he lampshades it. (the Doctor intentionally using an old story) Which he could do, of course. But he might come up with something new too! So many exciting possibilities…
Actually do wish that Moffat would be able to write the next Narnia movie, so if this is true, this is the next best thing to him writing Narnia. XD
YAY!!! I loved the spoof on the Christmas Carol that they did last Christmas. Can't wait to see this! It'll be nice to see something Narnian related while waiting for a real Narnia movie…if they do it, which I hope they do!! 🙂
Really enjoyed the doctor who christmas specials of past and would like to see this show with aliens in narnia instead of mystical creatures but still would like the doctor to run away from the lion or see him be enticed by the ice queen. Also show should be called 'the lion, the witch and the TARDIS'
I don't know anything about Dr. Who, but this sounds kind of interesting. If it's really going to be based on Narnia, though, I hope they don't do anything weird–like twist the storyline and make opposite versions of the characters. But I probably won't see it, so maybe it doesn't really matter…
I also liked Dr Who's take on 'A Christmas Carol,' and look forward with interest into seeing their take on Narnia. The first question that comes to mind (mine anyway) is what Douglas Gresham thinks of it – assuming he knows. It would certainly be courtesy if he was told in advance, or consulted. Perhaps he could have a brief cameo.
Have to say… I'm dreading this whole thing. I don't know how this will turn out, but I am not looking forward to it.
You know, I have no idea what you just said. (: I am not quite sure who "Doctor Who" is, anyway. Can somebody…Explain? (Sorry for the Not so Smart today person!)
In a way I'm dreading and in another way I am not. The way I am not is because I know Matt Smith will be great as he always is but then I dreading it because um…well…I am not completely sure. He'll do great this I know from watching so many of him playing the doctor.
It would be particularly good if the wardrobe turns out to be the Tardis malfunctioning.
Don't worry, it's not that you're not smart, it's probably that you are American (like myself). =P Doctor Who is a long-running British science fiction TV series which is, in my opinion, very fun and entertaining. 🙂 They have a Christmas special every year; last year it was based loosely on the Christmas Carol story.
To add to the previous explanation – it's something like a science fantasy horror tragicomedy, and involves romping about space and time in a blue police box that's bigger on the inside. Supposed to be a kids show across the pond: as much a part of pop culture over there as Star Wars is here.
And, of course, it's pretty awesome. Especially because Eleven (Matt Smith) is the best Doctor to have a Narnia crossover for a Christmas episode.
Thanks, Guys! I am now clued in.
So, for example, you might be dreading it because It would almost be embarrassing to the whole Narnia deal if these folks did it oddly? (That's probably why I am dreading it.)
Ha that sounds awesome!! I lOVE Doctor Who and having the Christmas special mixed with Narnia, but I hope they don't mess it up. But I also liked the episode they did about 'A Christmas Carol' so it could work. 🙂
Moff would not get any of the Christian themes right if he were even allowed to write the next Narnia movie and I seriously doubt that he would even want to go near the actual Narnia franchise as he has quite enough on his writing plate already!
The best he'll do with this Christmas Special is probably secularize it for a one hour parody very very very loosely based on the concept of entering another world via a wardrobe/…maybe the TARDIS is "cloaked" accidentally as a portal into another world…..
@Gavin Bollard — That would be a great idea for the TARDIS to malfunction and turn into a wardrobe/closet by accident. That's how most of the Doctor's adventures usually start anyway…accidents…LOL!
So….what exactly is this???? It it like a review on LWW of somekind?? And will it be on tv?? If so what channel?? I'm so confused…
honestly doctor who in narnia? that does not sound very narniaish to me
no offense
It is not a review, Dr. Who is a British TV show shown in America on BBC America, a premium pay cable channel.
Years ago they used to show reruns of it on PBS public stations….but all of the new episodes are on BBC America.
A lot of youngsters do not know about this show so don't feel confused.
Ditto, totally.
http://www.narniafans.com/archives/12209
This is really important and awesome (if it is true!)
Not to seem rude, but I'm not really a youngster. I'm 16…^_^
I wouldn't be so sure. His primary interest is always in telling a good solid story. And the core story of LWW is one that cannot be separated from the Christian themes. (That being said, I'd kind of like to see an adaptation that doesn't market so heavily on the Christian themes – I have some opinions on what that does to the wideness and depth of the audience versus other similar films with Christian themes that were not marketed on so much…)
But it's very true that he is a very busy writer and not likely to take up another film… even though it would be brilliant to get Narnia films targeted at a British audience with really 1940's British dialogue and a variety of British accents… 🙂
As to the Christmas DW special: I really don't care if they get 'Christian themes' in there because it's not Narnia, it's Doctor Who. Not expecting a fanfic-y crossover ripoff of LWW (that would get them in trouble legally, I do believe!) — I'm expecting a regular romp across time and space that's vaguely Christmas-y. (I'm also not expecting too many Narnia references; the Doctor probably has met C.S. Lewis. XD) Also, Narnia is one of the classic British works of the 20th century, I doubt anybody is going to stand for a unrecognisable obvious rewrite.
<smile> 16 is youngster in this case. No offense. 🙂 I am older than that, and I didn't know about it until this year. All the old series episodes were from the 60's to 80's; the new series restarted in 2005 and of course are only on BBC America (a cable channel). Netflix is a good source to watch this.
There are still reruns on some PBS channels! I saw that on my local PBS channel, at 11PM on a Saturday they were running some 2010 series 5 episodes & the accompanying BTS videos.
But it's not meant to be Narnia-ish! It's meant to be Doctor-ish, and I can't think of much that's more Doctor-ish, particularly Eleven. (Eleven fits in so well with the very idea of talking animals, mythological creatures, and magic.)
The reason why PBS can't get the rights to the show sooner is because BBC wants first dibs with the BBCAmerica channel. So I'll have to wait for over a year before I can see this episode.
I'm kind of excited for this episode. I don't think Moffat would use the Christmas Special to bash Narnia or Lewis. He said he wants it Christmassy and that's what I'm hoping for.
WHOOHOO!! *jumps up and down* What a mix! 🙂
Somehow I doubt the Doctor will be running into Aslan in this episode. The similarities will probably be merely superficial as the articles says; an ice-themed villain, some orphans in the countryside, and a forest chase. There are a lot of stories besides Narnia that use those plot elements.
For those of you who don't know anything about Doctor Who, it is a very exciting tv show where nearly everyone has an English accent(except the aliens of course) with pretty bad special effects and very little blood if any. What do people mean by "the Eleventh Doctor" or "The Newest Doctor"? They are just talking about the newest actor who plays the Doctor. This isn't your typical old doctor with white hair. He's actually a time-lord and he never looks old(although he's nine hundred years old). He travels space and time(including eighteenth century Scotland), usually whisking away a young woman into adventure.
My thoughts on Doctor Who in Narnia? I am very excited. Perhaps this episode will remind people of Narnia and make them want another Narnia movie soon.
I am very disapointed with Dr Who for ripping off Narnia. Can't they think of their own ideas?
Not especially ruining the Narnia part! Picturing Matt Smith with his sonic screw driver and Rory and Amy in the beautiful landscape of Narnia makes me not shudder but just if he doesn't see Aslan then I'll be perfectly fine with it.
They aren't necessarily ripping off Narnia, from what I've read there will be other elements at play besides Narnia elements. The Narnia like setting could actually be an acknowledgement to Narnia, and unless Moffat (the guy writing the episode) wants to put anti-Narnia stuff in there it could help the Narnia series remain in the public mind.
D.W. has made other nods to other series before that didn't seem detracting to those series.
I wish they could think of there own ideas. Although I LOVE DW, DW is a very antichristian show and LWW is a VERY christian film. So I think you should keep the chrisian themes. Great Idea though. Moffat obviousally likes copyng people for christmas specials. Last year he copied Dickens, and this year hes copying C.S lewis