April 7, 2008 Archives

I watched the season 4 premiere of Battlestar Galactica last night. It was a pretty damned good episode and really got the viewer immersed in the narrative right from the start. Now, when you compare it to the season 4 premiere of Doctor Who it's fairly obvious that there must be a considerable disparity between the budgets for both shows. Both are flagship shows for their broadcaster but it's clear that BSG has a much higher budget. And when you consider the BBC's place in the global market, that's a shame.

Dr Who is probably one of the best shows on British TV at the moment but when you compare it to BSG it's really does feel like it's made on the cheap. The BBC really need to inject some extra money into the show; especially considering it's their top cash cow. Don't get me wrong; I love Doctor Who, but BSG just comes across as a slicker, more polished product.

Just one example of the gulf in production values is the bit in 'Partners In Crime' where Donna is hanging from a window cleaner's cradle. It's blatantly obvious that it was green screened; you can tell from the fuzziness around Donna. A lot of effects in Doctor Who feel decidedly cheap and tacky. I know people will argue that Doctor Who has always been like that and it's part of the charm. But, the truth of the matter is that the TV marketplace has moved on from the 70s and 80s and cheap and tacky looks just that. Cheap and tacky. Especially, when compared to some of the more polished product available.

While I can applaud the 4th season of Doctor Who I still feel troubled by the obvious failings in the production values of the show.