I feel like the last episode was an attempt to replicate the villains that Steven Moffat had success with during Russel T. Davies' tenure.
i.e. Vashta Nerada or the Weeping Angels.
Taking something from real life and just adding a subtle layer of fantasy/sci-fi to make it menacing. In this case it doesn't work, because it's just too heavy handed and muddled.
Been checking out the Lego Dimensions Doctor Who stuff. The level of fanservice they smushed in there is astounding. Not only does the Doctor regenerate when killed, each version gets their appropriate TARDIS interior and theme music (even Eight has his one off big Gothic desktop from the movie!) but each Doctor also has unique animations. Like Two has Troughton's silly walking. They have their own idle animations too;
I feel like the last episode was an attempt to replicate the villains that Steven Moffat had success with during Russel T. Davies' tenure.
i.e. Vashta Nerada or the Weeping Angels.
Taking something from real life and just adding a subtle layer of fantasy/sci-fi to make it menacing. In this case it doesn't work, because it's just too heavy handed and muddled.
Yeah, it felt very much like Gatiss was trying to do this series' Listen. The Doctor's initial explanation for the Sandmen kind of came out of nowhere. A lot of it felt to me like artificially ramping up of the stakes rather than it slowly building up naturally over the course of the story.
I was also mighty disappointed that the Doctor didn't look at Rassmussen and go 'You look oddly familiar.'
I feel like the last episode was an attempt to replicate the villains that Steven Moffat had success with during Russel T. Davies' tenure.
i.e. Vashta Nerada or the Weeping Angels.
Taking something from real life and just adding a subtle layer of fantasy/sci-fi to make it menacing. In this case it doesn't work, because it's just too heavy handed and muddled.
That's pretty much how I felt, but that's part of the game. For every Blink or Midnight, you have to sit through some meh clunkers.
My friends and I constantly add "space" to nouns when playing sci-fi games.
I just constantly add "land" to nouns when referring to non sci-fi things. It's more precise.
"Sea Pirates! You know, like Space Pirates. But on water!"
Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
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Zilla36021st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered Userregular
My friends and I constantly add "space" to nouns when playing sci-fi games.
I just constantly add "land" to nouns when referring to non sci-fi things. It's more precise.
"Sea Pirates! You know, like Space Pirates. But on water!"
I feel like the last episode was an attempt to replicate the villains that Steven Moffat had success with during Russel T. Davies' tenure.
i.e. Vashta Nerada or the Weeping Angels.
Taking something from real life and just adding a subtle layer of fantasy/sci-fi to make it menacing. In this case it doesn't work, because it's just too heavy handed and muddled.
Yes, exactly. Dr Who does this a lot and to the writing teams credit it mostly works... this one though?
For me it's a swing and a miss.
The whole thing came across as kinda dumb and unlike the last episode there wasn't really any good dialogue to save it.
But that's how you write sci-fi!
Take a normal sentence, add 'space' to the nouns, and "I'm just taking the car to the supermarket." becomes I'm taking the space-car to the space-market."
Instant sci-fi.
But that's how you write sci-fi!
Take a normal sentence, add 'space' to the nouns, and "I'm just taking the car to the supermarket." becomes I'm taking the space-car to the space-market."
Instant sci-fi.
space-supermarket. It's not just a regular Space-market.
Stercus, Stercus, Stercus, Morituri Sum
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Zilla36021st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered Userregular
But that's how you write sci-fi!
Take a normal sentence, add 'space' to the nouns, and "I'm just taking the car to the supermarket." becomes I'm taking the space-car to the space-market."
Instant sci-fi.
I'm not sure having a long time companion leave the show over what feels like the small print of a death sentence made for a particularly effective goodbye. It was well acted and everything, but hmmm.
The nitpicker in me wonders why she couldn't have just given the tattoo back to Rigsy, then Me could have taken it off.
And the me with a since of time thinks that was the longest 3 minutes ever.
edit: unless it was an 8, in which case that might be right.
The implementation felt ok, even if I was expecting a "jump in this convieniently located stasis pod". The setup felt...weird. I can see Clara doing it, but at the same time it feels a bit pointless offering to die for a character I can't remember having been in the series before.
I really like seeing angry doctor though. Also glad to see he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
The implementation felt ok, even if I was expecting a "jump in this convieniently located stasis pod". The setup felt...weird. I can see Clara doing it, but at the same time it feels a bit pointless offering to die for a character I can't remember having been in the series before.
I really like seeing angry doctor though. Also glad to see he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
Rigsy was in Flatline last series.
Character deaths always bother me slightly because they're generally written the same way as the typical problem of the week that the Doctor can avert at the last minute; we're too used to those by now, so as soon as it looks hopeless, we all start looking for the loopholes that usually get used.
Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
+2
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
I think this is the first time a companion has actually been KIA in the new run? Everyone else either left or got trapped in a pocket dimension/time lock. I agree that if it was anything but the actress leaving there would have been a neat get out of jail free, I've been thinking ever since I heard she was leaving that Clara should have just got hit by a stray laser beam or something else totally mundane that The Doctor can't really do anything about or blame anyone for. I did like the idea of the hidden street though, it makes sense that something along those lines should be knocking around if even Torchwood could get their hands on a perception filter.
Dark Raven XLaugh hard, run fast,be kindRegistered Userregular
some angry eyebrows in this ep huh
"you will save Clara, and you will do it now, or I will rain hell on you for the rest of time."
oof. Angry Capaldi might be my favourite.
Agreed that the actual death felt kinda limp, but apparently this is just the first part of a three part finale? Neat. There'll probably be more closure in the last couple episodes.
Still kinda annoyed that Sleep No More broke the 2-parter streak.
One of my favorite episodes in ages. They've been pushing the "Clara is arrogant and thinks she's equally as clever as the Doctor and it makes her untouchable" angle for awhile, in subtle ways, and they paid it off logically. If you're going to have life-and-death stakes feel believable all the time, you need the occasional death of someone important. And finally, that was the first time I've really liked Capaldi tapping into the Doctor's dark side. He's tried before but it hasn't always landed for me, but this time it absolutely did.
One of my favorite episodes in ages. They've been pushing the "Clara is arrogant and thinks she's equally as clever as the Doctor and it makes her untouchable" angle for awhile, in subtle ways, and they paid it off logically. If you're going to have life-and-death stakes feel believable all the time, you need the occasional death of someone important. And finally, that was the first time I've really liked Capaldi tapping into the Doctor's dark side. He's tried before but it hasn't always landed for me, but this time it absolutely did.
Agreed
Truth be told they where overdue for a companion death, a real one that sticks. You can't kill the Doctor and everybody knows it, but the companion should be mortal. As it is, there has been so many close calls that having the Companion in danger has become a ineffective.
They set up that the companions love traveling with the Doctor, which makes writing them out hard. Its either a stuck in an alternate universe, Trapped in the past or that thing that happened to Donna. I think Martha is the only one that left on her own accord.
Either that or a bunch of one shot companions.
Having Clara actually die would reset the stakes.
The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
The implementation felt ok, even if I was expecting a "jump in this convieniently located stasis pod". The setup felt...weird. I can see Clara doing it, but at the same time it feels a bit pointless offering to die for a character I can't remember having been in the series before.
I really like seeing angry doctor though. Also glad to see he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
To be fair, I really don't think she was offering to die for him. She thought she had figured out a way around it, and had absolutely no intention of dying. She only said the part about being willing to die for Riggsy to get him to go along with her clever plan.
+4
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Zilla36021st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered Userregular
That was a cool episode.
I was so sure they'd put her into the stasis chamber, but nope, it seems she's really dead. Got too big for her boots, paid a terrible price.
I wonder why Ashildr/Mayor Me doesn't want the TARDIS anymore? Must have done some off-world travel of her own at this point, she has lots of alien tech.
We have seen Claras played by Jenna Coleman die at least three times that I can recall. I'm sure that writers could bring her back at a future date under the same circumstances.
GONG-00 on
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She did conveniently head outside into the magic lamplight that 'alters your perceptions to your expected experiences' or however they put it. I could see that being used as a get out yet. Especially if this is a three parter.
Episode in general:
I liked it. Though the niggling massive plot jumps that seem to dog recent episodes were there. The Doctor never believed in hidden streets of London, until now for no apparent reason he suddenly jumped on that bring the only way Rigsy could have met aliens on London's streets. Other than y'know all the many, many times aliens appear on Earth everywhere the Doctor goes.
One of my favorite episodes in ages. They've been pushing the "Clara is arrogant and thinks she's equally as clever as the Doctor and it makes her untouchable" angle for awhile, in subtle ways, and they paid it off logically. If you're going to have life-and-death stakes feel believable all the time, you need the occasional death of someone important. And finally, that was the first time I've really liked Capaldi tapping into the Doctor's dark side. He's tried before but it hasn't always landed for me, but this time it absolutely did.
So much this. I really liked this episode. It's possibly the first A+ standard they've had in this season. Carpaldi just nailed it, I had the fucking chills.
"You'll find that it's a very small universe when I'm angry with you" Is just the coolest threat I have ever heard, and when it comes just after hearing a dying woman spend her last breath pleading with the Doctor to not lose his control because she knows just what could happen if he did makes it so much more powerful.
I honestly hope her death sticks, I completely disagree that someone like Clara should have had a big fancy death. Having it happen in this way, especially as a result of her own hubris, gives the show tension again.
One of my favorite episodes in ages. They've been pushing the "Clara is arrogant and thinks she's equally as clever as the Doctor and it makes her untouchable" angle for awhile, in subtle ways, and they paid it off logically. If you're going to have life-and-death stakes feel believable all the time, you need the occasional death of someone important. And finally, that was the first time I've really liked Capaldi tapping into the Doctor's dark side. He's tried before but it hasn't always landed for me, but this time it absolutely did.
So much this. I really liked this episode. It's possibly the first A+ standard they've had in this season. Carpaldi just nailed it, I had the fucking chills.
"You'll find that it's a very small universe when I'm angry with you" Is just the coolest threat I have ever heard, and when it comes just after hearing a dying woman spend her last breath pleading with the Doctor to not lose his control because she knows just what could happen if he did makes it so much more powerful.
I honestly hope her death sticks, I completely disagree that someone like Clara should have had a big fancy death. Having it happen in this way, especially as a result of her own hubris, gives the show tension again.
The strongly positive reaction to Clara actually dying like that makes me wonder if Moffat is running about the BBC shouting "Get a filming unit ready! Call Peter! We have one week to re-record the last episode, make it happen damnit!"
One of my favorite episodes in ages. They've been pushing the "Clara is arrogant and thinks she's equally as clever as the Doctor and it makes her untouchable" angle for awhile, in subtle ways, and they paid it off logically. If you're going to have life-and-death stakes feel believable all the time, you need the occasional death of someone important. And finally, that was the first time I've really liked Capaldi tapping into the Doctor's dark side. He's tried before but it hasn't always landed for me, but this time it absolutely did.
So much this. I really liked this episode. It's possibly the first A+ standard they've had in this season. Carpaldi just nailed it, I had the fucking chills.
"You'll find that it's a very small universe when I'm angry with you" Is just the coolest threat I have ever heard, and when it comes just after hearing a dying woman spend her last breath pleading with the Doctor to not lose his control because she knows just what could happen if he did makes it so much more powerful.
I honestly hope her death sticks, I completely disagree that someone like Clara should have had a big fancy death. Having it happen in this way, especially as a result of her own hubris, gives the show tension again.
The strongly positive reaction to Clara actually dying like that makes me wonder if Moffat is running about the BBC shouting "Get a filming unit ready! Call Peter! We have one week to re-record the last episode, make it happen damnit!"
I just think it would be so fitting to have Clara, possibly the biggest Mary Sue of all the recent companions die on what is essentially a milk run in Doctor Who terms because she thought she was smarter than she is. You get to have the Doctor be guilt ridden that once again he took a person, changed them dramatically by his mere presence and watched them kill themselves because they were trying to emulate him. Remorse ridden on the edge Doctor is the best Doctor.
More than that what the hell is the point in casting Peter Carpaldi as the Doctor if we're not going to let "Bad Doctor" out for a joyride during his tenure?
+11
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Librarian's ghostLibrarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSporkRegistered Userregular
So I have this theory that the show costume department has been running Capaldi through the Doctors. First season he's in a serious black and white outfit reminicient of the first Doctor. More formal but also more modern.
Most of this season he's been wearing a modern take on the Space Hobo of the second Doctor, complete with plaid pants. A t-shirt under hoodie under coat replacing the bag suit of Troughton. Both of which are a bit steryotypical of hobo-like clothes for various times.
Now he's got a velvet smoking jacket that just screams Pertwee.
I have no actual proof of this mind. Just a gut feeling.
The "ramp up" in terms of stakes seemed a bit too sudden with the Doctor giving up too easily, but I guess that is part of Clara talking him out of it. Still, it seemed such a short run-up to "companion dieing" level of threat.
Though I think it is time for a new companion (while she's had some good episodes/plot lines) and I feel Clara especially post-impossible girl reveal has been weak overall as a companion. I'm not ruling out the distortion field thingy with the lampworms as a possible out to bring back Clara. Though if they go that route, I imagine they'll be like now Clara realizes she has to stop travelling around with the Doctor and (finally?) come to terms to living life without Danny and not just keep running away from it.
The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. ~ Terry Pratchett
I hope the death sticks. And I hope that we get, not necessarily the Valeyard because you know, that discussion has been done to death. But a proper righteous fury Time Lord unchained, ignoring the rules of Time and Space.
I hope the death sticks. And I hope that we get, not necessarily the Valeyard because you know, that discussion has been done to death. But a proper righteous fury Time Lord unchained, ignoring the rules of Time and Space.
We've had that a couple of times already, though, and it always ends with him getting smacked back down, hard.
Ten had his 'Time Lord Victorious' moment, which was quickly cut off by a gunshot.
And Eleven had the whole Demons Run thing.
But Clara had a good point; even if he did lose it and start taking actual revenge, he'd stop as soon as he realised he was hurting children.
I'm guessing Ashildr's going to die/sacrifice herself by the end of the season, or maybe in the Christmas ep.
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i.e. Vashta Nerada or the Weeping Angels.
Taking something from real life and just adding a subtle layer of fantasy/sci-fi to make it menacing. In this case it doesn't work, because it's just too heavy handed and muddled.
Oh gosh they did Two absolutely perfectly. And they even have Eight doing his little 'these shoes fit perfectly!' thing.
This is probably going to be the video that I watch whenever I feel a little down.
Yeah, it felt very much like Gatiss was trying to do this series' Listen. The Doctor's initial explanation for the Sandmen kind of came out of nowhere. A lot of it felt to me like artificially ramping up of the stakes rather than it slowly building up naturally over the course of the story.
I was also mighty disappointed that the Doctor didn't look at Rassmussen and go 'You look oddly familiar.'
My friends and I constantly add "space" to nouns when playing sci-fi games.
That's pretty much how I felt, but that's part of the game. For every Blink or Midnight, you have to sit through some meh clunkers.
I just constantly add "land" to nouns when referring to non sci-fi things. It's more precise.
"Sea Pirates! You know, like Space Pirates. But on water!"
Yes, exactly. Dr Who does this a lot and to the writing teams credit it mostly works... this one though?
For me it's a swing and a miss.
The whole thing came across as kinda dumb and unlike the last episode there wasn't really any good dialogue to save it.
I think the Doctor was saying that people in space don't actually do that.
Take a normal sentence, add 'space' to the nouns, and "I'm just taking the car to the supermarket." becomes I'm taking the space-car to the space-market."
Instant sci-fi.
space-supermarket. It's not just a regular Space-market.
Wouldnt that be a Space-hyperspace-market ?
I imagine The Doctor isn't a huge fan of sci-fi!
Not sure that worked, to be honest.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
And the me with a since of time thinks that was the longest 3 minutes ever.
edit: unless it was an 8, in which case that might be right.
I really like seeing angry doctor though. Also glad to see he wasn't wearing a hoodie.
Character deaths always bother me slightly because they're generally written the same way as the typical problem of the week that the Doctor can avert at the last minute; we're too used to those by now, so as soon as it looks hopeless, we all start looking for the loopholes that usually get used.
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oof. Angry Capaldi might be my favourite.
Agreed that the actual death felt kinda limp, but apparently this is just the first part of a three part finale? Neat. There'll probably be more closure in the last couple episodes.
Still kinda annoyed that Sleep No More broke the 2-parter streak.
Then again, more of that story would have been unbearable
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Agreed
They set up that the companions love traveling with the Doctor, which makes writing them out hard. Its either a stuck in an alternate universe, Trapped in the past or that thing that happened to Donna. I think Martha is the only one that left on her own accord.
Either that or a bunch of one shot companions.
Having Clara actually die would reset the stakes.
I wonder why Ashildr/Mayor Me doesn't want the TARDIS anymore? Must have done some off-world travel of her own at this point, she has lots of alien tech.
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
Episode in general:
So much this. I really liked this episode. It's possibly the first A+ standard they've had in this season. Carpaldi just nailed it, I had the fucking chills.
I honestly hope her death sticks, I completely disagree that someone like Clara should have had a big fancy death. Having it happen in this way, especially as a result of her own hubris, gives the show tension again.
More than that what the hell is the point in casting Peter Carpaldi as the Doctor if we're not going to let "Bad Doctor" out for a joyride during his tenure?
Most of this season he's been wearing a modern take on the Space Hobo of the second Doctor, complete with plaid pants. A t-shirt under hoodie under coat replacing the bag suit of Troughton. Both of which are a bit steryotypical of hobo-like clothes for various times.
Now he's got a velvet smoking jacket that just screams Pertwee.
I have no actual proof of this mind. Just a gut feeling.
Though I think it is time for a new companion (while she's had some good episodes/plot lines) and I feel Clara especially post-impossible girl reveal has been weak overall as a companion. I'm not ruling out the distortion field thingy with the lampworms as a possible out to bring back Clara. Though if they go that route, I imagine they'll be like now Clara realizes she has to stop travelling around with the Doctor and (finally?) come to terms to living life without Danny and not just keep running away from it.
Ten had his 'Time Lord Victorious' moment, which was quickly cut off by a gunshot.
And Eleven had the whole Demons Run thing.
But Clara had a good point; even if he did lose it and start taking actual revenge, he'd stop as soon as he realised he was hurting children.
I'm guessing Ashildr's going to die/sacrifice herself by the end of the season, or maybe in the Christmas ep.