I'd like a bunch of small stories in one episode where the problem could be instantly solved if they had the TARDIS, and they do.
"Wow, that'd have taken at least 30 minutes to fix if the TARDIS wasn't here!"
Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
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BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
I like the Doctor and I like Graham. Yaz and Ryan need to be fleshed out more in personality terms. Yes, we've learnt more about their lives and backgrounds, but they're not doing much to stand out; the same problem Martha had imo. Rose was in love with the Doctor, but was also someone who put a lot of effort in to stand out. Donna wouldn't back down from an insult or a fight, and would speak her mind no matter the situation. Amy and Rory felt like actual people, and both had oodles of personality. Clara was exceptionally curious, bold, she would strike out on her own without the Doctor's say-so, and strict when necessary. And Graham now is clearly a fairly average bloke you'd meet in the pub, enjoys a pint and a bit of comfy TV, has the British soft spot for the monarchy, tries to think the best of people. Ryan and Yaz I think I could say that they try to put the effort in when they're asked to do something, and Yaz I think is supposed to be a moral and emotional anchor (she's regularly checking in on how other people in the episodes are holding up), but they're not really standing out. They're both so... uncertain a lot of the time?
And the bigger problem is that since the first couple of episodes, there hasn't been a lot of development of the gang within being the gang, or at least nothing that isn't over and done with in half a minute. Graham's relationship with Ryan has been cast aside (for now, maybe it'll show up in the finale), and there aren't really enough moments when either or all of them get together and chat about the crazy stuff that's happening and how they see it. Like, if RTD or Moffat had written this most recent episode, you know there'd be a scene after they met King James where they get a moment alone to actually give their opinions on what they think of a rather famous king, and that'd give you some insight into their dynamic! But it's just... missing. They carry on as if it's nothing out of the ordinary. This is the first season with them, there should still be some fizz and amazement at time travelling, but the writers just aren't giving them any, and so instead it all feels dulled.
Graham is great. Yaz could be much better. Ryan is, so far, of no value as a companion.
That's because they don't have companions this year, they have friends.
Don't you have useless friends? I think we all have one.
I have plenty of friends.... but the ones who would be terrible going on epic adventures get the stories told to them later in the pub.
Ah man, now I want to see a pub inside the Tardis, with Ryan sitting having a beer alone, then at the end of the episode everyone else walks in, order a round, and tell him what he missed.
There's a real easy way to tell these companions are failing: When either them or the Doctor kicks it, no one is going to care if they turn up or not. They couldn't pull off the stuff Rose, Clara, Donna, Amy/Rory did in the emotional department. Maybe they're just too diluted being a trio and need 3 seasons to really get up to par, but it's pretty dire so far.
+1
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Mr_Rose83 Blue Ridge Protects the HolyRegistered Userregular
Apparently, the TARDIS Chronicles the Doctor's adventures somehow.
It records them all via the same telepathic link that enables the universal translator, then transmits them to a “safe” universe for storage and later retrieval.
All of new Who is going to be in the iPlayer for another year. Outstanding.
I’m up to Arya Stark’s episodes on my rewatch. This season was so much better than Capaldi’s first. And of course it has maybe the best episode of all time as well.
Hmmmmm. That seemed like a really good central idea botched by a crappy explanation.
A doppelgänger universe that was lonely and made itself attractive by showing you dead people is a great mystery to unravel. If it’d been a Moffat episode the moment of revelation would have felt clever andxearned, and if it had been an RTD episode the emotional impact would have been heavier and the explanation brushed off as unimportant.
As it was the explanation felt arbitrary and the emotional impact soft.
BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
Yeah, the sudden solitract explanation out of thin air and the frog on a chair really threw the tone off a steep cliff. The anti-zone was also surplus to requirements.
I did like "what do you need the bear traps for then?" "Well, bears."
...and of course, as always, Kill Hitler.
+3
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
What I don’t get is why it’s full of killer moths. What are they eating? How long has this zone been there? If they’re supposed to be a defensive part of the zone, I’m not sure how killer moths stop a sentient universe.
On that note, what function does a weird troll man serve? Why is he all about trading? Who is he trading with?
If the idea is to show a whole ecosystem and society exists in the antizone, they sure made it look like one corridor.
I think the whole explanation bit was superfluous.
If the Doctor has just figured out it was a copycat universe that would have been fine. It didn’t need a name, or a justification or anything. And the one they came up with was kind of meh, so why bother?
I liked the bonkers image of the frog at the end, though. And Yas got to use her police training, Graham got some emotions to work through and Ryan even had some character appropriate moments.
Zilla36021st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered Userregular
And:
If the Solitract's plan was to lure people in to staying by projecting dead loved ones, then shouldn't it have had a pick-and-mix field day when The Doctor showed up? Forget a house, you could fill a country with dead/lost companions.
Or maybe even just Amy Pond if you want to stick to >2005 onwards.
I'd have liked to see a little more pushback on the fact that that guy wasn't a very good father.
Wanting to see your dead wife? Sure, I can see that.
Deciding that the best way to do this is to abandon your blind daughter, making her think you've been kidnapped or killed by the monster you've created to keep her terrified so she doesn't wander off, because there are bears out there? Ehh, not so much.
Hey, maybe she'd like to be with her dead mom too, why not bring her along with you?
I'd have liked to see a little more pushback on the fact that that guy wasn't a very good father.
Wanting to see your dead wife? Sure, I can see that.
Deciding that the best way to do this is to abandon your blind daughter, making her think you've been kidnapped or killed by the monster you've created to keep her terrified so she doesn't wander off, because there are bears out there? Ehh, not so much.
Hey, maybe she'd like to be with her dead mom too, why not bring her along with you?
Because he knew that his daughter would not accept the replacement wife/mother, and he could not stand the thought of getting confirmation that his wife was fake. He wanted it to be real so badly that he'd do anything to keep the illusion going.
Or something like that. I think that's Doctory enough.
I'd have liked to see a little more pushback on the fact that that guy wasn't a very good father.
Wanting to see your dead wife? Sure, I can see that.
Deciding that the best way to do this is to abandon your blind daughter, making her think you've been kidnapped or killed by the monster you've created to keep her terrified so she doesn't wander off, because there are bears out there? Ehh, not so much.
Hey, maybe she'd like to be with her dead mom too, why not bring her along with you?
Because he knew that his daughter would not accept the replacement wife/mother, and he could not stand the thought of getting confirmation that his wife was fake. He wanted it to be real so badly that he'd do anything to keep the illusion going.
Or something like that. I think that's Doctory enough.
Finally got around to watching the Sunday episode. It was definitely top-3 for the season so far but it honestly just made me nostalgic for previous seasons.
Whittaker is a great actress but I feel like they've tried really hard to avoid making the Doctor 'bitchy' (or some other negative female stereotypical descriptor) by really cutting back on the all-knowing, bold, commanding presence of the Doctor that the character has shared, to one degree or another, across all of the new-Who actors previous. Thirteen always seems to be a bit uncertain about what's going on or how to handle it and never does the kind of grandstanding I Am The Doctor And You Will Do As I Say kind of thing.
In this most recent episode, for example,
I feel like Twelve would have known immediately what was happening upon entering the pocket universe on the other side of the anti-zone, why it was happening, how to fix it, and would have spent the rest of the run-time wrestling with the morality of erasing it followed by a significantly more impassioned and demanding speech to the frog.
Maybe I'm just misremembering pre-Capaldi Doctors. I dunno. Even the good episodes this season, with the possible exception of Rosa, all feel like they're just lacking something.
All of the Doctors (at least since the series started up again) have had moments when they've been pushed into a corner, only to show why that's a terrible idea, as leaving them without the opportunity to run means that they have to fight, and they're way too good at it.
Whittaker hasn't really had that yet.
Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
+4
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SnicketysnickThe Greatest Hype Man inWesterosRegistered Userregular
God "that's why I have so many rules" was a fantastic moment
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"Wow, that'd have taken at least 30 minutes to fix if the TARDIS wasn't here!"
And the bigger problem is that since the first couple of episodes, there hasn't been a lot of development of the gang within being the gang, or at least nothing that isn't over and done with in half a minute. Graham's relationship with Ryan has been cast aside (for now, maybe it'll show up in the finale), and there aren't really enough moments when either or all of them get together and chat about the crazy stuff that's happening and how they see it. Like, if RTD or Moffat had written this most recent episode, you know there'd be a scene after they met King James where they get a moment alone to actually give their opinions on what they think of a rather famous king, and that'd give you some insight into their dynamic! But it's just... missing. They carry on as if it's nothing out of the ordinary. This is the first season with them, there should still be some fizz and amazement at time travelling, but the writers just aren't giving them any, and so instead it all feels dulled.
Even in this last episode I think they took a shot at it when the King asked what Ryan's job on the team was and nobody had an answer.
Graham is great. Yaz could be much better. Ryan is, so far, of no value as a companion.
Don't you have useless friends? I think we all have one.
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I have plenty of friends.... but the ones who would be terrible going on epic adventures get the stories told to them later in the pub.
Ah man, now I want to see a pub inside the Tardis, with Ryan sitting having a beer alone, then at the end of the episode everyone else walks in, order a round, and tell him what he missed.
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https://youtu.be/ll_UhrQMC-I
I’m up to Arya Stark’s episodes on my rewatch. This season was so much better than Capaldi’s first. And of course it has maybe the best episode of all time as well.
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As it was the explanation felt arbitrary and the emotional impact soft.
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I did like "what do you need the bear traps for then?" "Well, bears."
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Also a lot of things about this episode reminded me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kingdom_(miniseries) , like the Antizone and it's strange inhabitant.
What I don’t get is why it’s full of killer moths. What are they eating? How long has this zone been there? If they’re supposed to be a defensive part of the zone, I’m not sure how killer moths stop a sentient universe.
On that note, what function does a weird troll man serve? Why is he all about trading? Who is he trading with?
If the idea is to show a whole ecosystem and society exists in the antizone, they sure made it look like one corridor.
I liked the bonkers image of the frog at the end, though. And Yas got to use her police training, Graham got some emotions to work through and Ryan even had some character appropriate moments.
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Or maybe even just Amy Pond if you want to stick to >2005 onwards.
https://youtu.be/vbt9GEZihtE
This episode was fantastic, IMO.
Good episode.
Deciding that the best way to do this is to abandon your blind daughter, making her think you've been kidnapped or killed by the monster you've created to keep her terrified so she doesn't wander off, because there are bears out there? Ehh, not so much.
Hey, maybe she'd like to be with her dead mom too, why not bring her along with you?
Or something like that. I think that's Doctory enough.
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If you're willing to go that far, hire a babysitter for god's sake.
I wanted Yaz at the end to ask if they could just call Child Protective Services to get them to have a look.
Whittaker is a great actress but I feel like they've tried really hard to avoid making the Doctor 'bitchy' (or some other negative female stereotypical descriptor) by really cutting back on the all-knowing, bold, commanding presence of the Doctor that the character has shared, to one degree or another, across all of the new-Who actors previous. Thirteen always seems to be a bit uncertain about what's going on or how to handle it and never does the kind of grandstanding I Am The Doctor And You Will Do As I Say kind of thing.
In this most recent episode, for example,
Maybe I'm just misremembering pre-Capaldi Doctors. I dunno. Even the good episodes this season, with the possible exception of Rosa, all feel like they're just lacking something.
Whittaker hasn't really had that yet.
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“The Angels just made their second mistake, Bob, because I’m not going to let that pass.”
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EDIT: lolololol
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