Parting of the ways is an amazing finale with stakes and emotion and a great finish. The only real weak aspect is the Deus Ex machina of the time vortex and how poorly thought out it is. How do you lose a time war when any one of a hundred time lords could sacrifice a single regeneration to become a god and wipe out the Daleks?
Doomsday does a decent job of dealing with the plot threat as well as managing the emotional beats for the whole cast. Right up there as one of the better finales
Last of the Time Lords is utter dreck and completely fails to deliver after how good the setup was. The Doctor Dobby? The floating Jesus analogue complete with “I forgive you”? The whole planet chanting Doctor? Martha’s heroes journey turning out to be her spending a year telling the whole planet about the guy she’s in unrequited love with? Drivel.
Journey’s End is pretty good if a little clunky. The earth being towed was cheesy bad and the Donna min wipe is bad for various reasons discussed to death already. Human Doctor is also not my favourite thing
End of Time goes on for too long and let’s RTd indulge in his worst habits like repeating weird stuff (“Hotter! And hotter! And hotter!” Or the master slobbering over food constantly. Why?!), weird cheese (the spiky headed aliens entire schtick). But it does do the emotional stuff really well regarding Wilf and the Doctor. The final tour is a bit overdone.
Moffat’s finales range from great (The Big Bang, Name of the Doctor, Hell Bent, The Doctor Falls) to ok (Death in heaven), to meh (Wedding of River Song) but overall its probably the highest standard of finales of all 3 show runners imo
"Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination."
The ending to End of Time hits so much differently and more powerfully now...for multiple reasons.
But even though the rest of it is pretty mediocre, that death scene between Cribbins and Tennant is just so powerful. I felt Tennant's reign was best when he was allowed to show the boiling emotion underneath the jovial surface. The Day of the Doctor made it clear but before then you could see this was a Doctor who was broken and pretending to be as he was before the fall of Gallifrey. 'The Man Who Regrets'.
The Happiness Patrol was kind of worse than I remember. I think the dog needed to be bigger.
On to Silver Nemesis.
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TraceGNU Terry Pratchett; GNU Gus; GNU Carrie Fisher; GNU Adam WeRegistered Userregular
Silence in the Library and Forest of the Dead are I think my two most favorite episodes of Nu-Who. Honestly just so so good at every aspect of Dr. Who you want.
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Dark Raven XLaugh hard, run fast,be kindRegistered Userregular
I like those kinda episodes where things spiral way out of the Doctor's control. Time of Angels is another good one - he thinks he's doing River a favor containing a single Weeping Angel, and then whoops we got hundreds to deal with and Amy is infected and oh shit we're all going to die.
Nothing beats Oxygen though. One of my all time favorite episodes, and it should have been such a simple & safe adventure, showing Bill a space station nearly gets them killed.
My biggest question for the series going forward, and I think it's far more important than almost anything else: Are they bringing back Murray Gold as composer?
I hope not, he had a great run but the thing I really like about Classic Who is that it changed musical styles every few years which kept things from getting stale.
For me the bombastic orchestral stuff from Gold was getting a bit overdone. I really liked Segun Akinola's work on series 11 to take DW music in a more otherworldly electronic direction in almost a modern style nod to some of the 70s/80s Doctor Who soundtracks.
BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
You know, I think this episode should've just climaxed with the Boney M scene. Jodie's look of fear as the disco lights come on, and the Dalek/Cybermen trepidation is beautiful. If the Master's Grand Plan was to trap the Doctor and do a dance off with her, that would've been far cooler than the actual plot.
I like those kinda episodes where things spiral way out of the Doctor's control. Time of Angels is another good one - he thinks he's doing River a favor containing a single Weeping Angel, and then whoops we got hundreds to deal with and Amy is infected and oh shit we're all going to die.
Nothing beats Oxygen though. One of my all time favorite episodes, and it should have been such a simple & safe adventure, showing Bill a space station nearly gets them killed.
This is exactly why Midnight is my favorite Dr Who episode.
EmperorSeth on
You know what? Nanowrimo's cancelled on account of the world is stupid.
You know, I think this episode should've just climaxed with the Boney M scene. Jodie's look of fear as the disco lights come on, and the Dalek/Cybermen trepidation is beautiful. If the Master's Grand Plan was to trap the Doctor and do a dance off with her, that would've been far cooler than the actual plot.
I feel like the only reason that the Master was Rasputin was because they had the rights to the song
A shame that they weren't stuck with Buddy Holly by Weezer
What's really frustrating about the Rasputin thing is that there is so much fucking meat on the bone with a Rasputin time travel story and they fucking wasted it on this bullshit.
The American corporation will have a say in creative decisions for Doctor Who, under the terms of a co-production deal made with the BBC over its long-running sci-fi series.
The American corporation will have a say in creative decisions for Doctor Who, under the terms of a co-production deal made with the BBC over its long-running sci-fi series.
"Doctor, why are the Daleks in Disneyland?"
"Because, in all of time and space, there's never been a theme park like this!"
What's really frustrating about the Rasputin thing is that there is so much fucking meat on the bone with a Rasputin time travel story and they fucking wasted it on this bullshit.
My 9 year old loved the Rasputin bits and now wants to learn about Russian history! Definitely needed more Rasputin Master.
Just an excuse for the sight gag of putting the Master in paintings, I’m afraid. Or getting the Doctor’s attention?
I think the common thread of the better Chibnall stories is that they are a string of individual cool moments. It’s the coherence between moments he seems to struggle with.
UNIT did not acquit themselves well in this one. Locking the Master up inside their own headquarters (even in the '70s they had the sense to keep him at a remote site) and then having no strategy in place for dealing with a Cyberman incursion. Well except those blast doors that nearly sliced Tegan in half.
I will have to watch the episode again.
I think Ace was using a kinetic bat.
The original was destroyed, but the Doctor could have got her a replacement.
After threatening to do my top 10, I’m gonna make good on that promise. To do so I’m gonna start from 9-on and just keep adding episodes until I hit 10 and then see what is dislodged. Italics means it got bumped:
Girl in the Fireplace Smith and Jones Human Nature/Family of Blood Blink Utopia Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead Midnight Waters of Mars Eleventh Hour Vincent and the Doctor Pandorica Opens/Big Bang Doctors Wife A Good Man Goes to War Last Christmas Magicians Apprentice/Witch’s Familiar Heaven Sent
Takeaway? I really liked Moffat overall. 9th Doctor was great but are outshone by others. I need to rewatch the series as I’ve forgotten a number of the season 6 and some of season 7 Smith episodes.
Finally got around to watching the Power of the Doctor. Went as I expected as most regen stories go in modern era. Was...OK. Jodie's Doctor is still useless and always seems so confused.
But the Sylvester McCoy/Sophie Aldred scene...I'm not crying, you're crying. Biased as I am, I always felt their Father/Daughter relationship was special (yes yes Susan but that was very different) over the usual TARDIS friend or debatable love intrest (come on Sarah Jane was absolutely the first Rose). This was a nice piece of closure.
Even the Janet Fielding/Peter Davison scene was nice. Tegan still the worst though.
The most redeeming facet of Power of the Doctor may well be that Tegan was still the worst. It's the most rigorous continuity that this era of the show has ever had!
Still retelling Doctor Who episodes to my 4yo at story-time. When we got to the end of "Last of the Time Lords" and I told her of Jack reminiscing about how "they used to call me the Face of Bo", she made a literal face. The only thing more adorable was how genuinely happy she looked when the Doctor and Donna found each other again in "Partners in Crime".
Just finished retelling "The End of Time" to my 4yo. She concluded: "I would give the Master a candy. If I meed him and he's angry I'll give him a candy. Then he won't be angry anymore. Because he'll have a candy."
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Doomsday does a decent job of dealing with the plot threat as well as managing the emotional beats for the whole cast. Right up there as one of the better finales
Last of the Time Lords is utter dreck and completely fails to deliver after how good the setup was. The Doctor Dobby? The floating Jesus analogue complete with “I forgive you”? The whole planet chanting Doctor? Martha’s heroes journey turning out to be her spending a year telling the whole planet about the guy she’s in unrequited love with? Drivel.
Journey’s End is pretty good if a little clunky. The earth being towed was cheesy bad and the Donna min wipe is bad for various reasons discussed to death already. Human Doctor is also not my favourite thing
End of Time goes on for too long and let’s RTd indulge in his worst habits like repeating weird stuff (“Hotter! And hotter! And hotter!” Or the master slobbering over food constantly. Why?!), weird cheese (the spiky headed aliens entire schtick). But it does do the emotional stuff really well regarding Wilf and the Doctor. The final tour is a bit overdone.
Moffat’s finales range from great (The Big Bang, Name of the Doctor, Hell Bent, The Doctor Falls) to ok (Death in heaven), to meh (Wedding of River Song) but overall its probably the highest standard of finales of all 3 show runners imo
But even though the rest of it is pretty mediocre, that death scene between Cribbins and Tennant is just so powerful. I felt Tennant's reign was best when he was allowed to show the boiling emotion underneath the jovial surface. The Day of the Doctor made it clear but before then you could see this was a Doctor who was broken and pretending to be as he was before the fall of Gallifrey. 'The Man Who Regrets'.
The Happiness Patrol was kind of worse than I remember. I think the dog needed to be bigger.
On to Silver Nemesis.
Nothing beats Oxygen though. One of my all time favorite episodes, and it should have been such a simple & safe adventure, showing Bill a space station nearly gets them killed.
I hope not, he had a great run but the thing I really like about Classic Who is that it changed musical styles every few years which kept things from getting stale.
For me the bombastic orchestral stuff from Gold was getting a bit overdone. I really liked Segun Akinola's work on series 11 to take DW music in a more otherworldly electronic direction in almost a modern style nod to some of the 70s/80s Doctor Who soundtracks.
This is exactly why Midnight is my favorite Dr Who episode.
I feel like the only reason that the Master was Rasputin was because they had the rights to the song
A shame that they weren't stuck with Buddy Holly by Weezer
not just new episodes apparently- show input as well
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/10/25/doctor-who-get-american-makeover-disney-takes-british-classic/
"Doctor, why are the Daleks in Disneyland?"
"Because, in all of time and space, there's never been a theme park like this!"
My 9 year old loved the Rasputin bits and now wants to learn about Russian history! Definitely needed more Rasputin Master.
I think the common thread of the better Chibnall stories is that they are a string of individual cool moments. It’s the coherence between moments he seems to struggle with.
I think Ace was using a kinetic bat.
The original was destroyed, but the Doctor could have got her a replacement.
Girl in the Fireplace
Smith and Jones
Human Nature/Family of Blood
Blink
Utopia
Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
Midnight
Waters of Mars
Eleventh Hour
Vincent and the Doctor
Pandorica Opens/Big Bang
Doctors Wife
A Good Man Goes to War
Last Christmas
Magicians Apprentice/Witch’s Familiar
Heaven Sent
Takeaway? I really liked Moffat overall. 9th Doctor was great but are outshone by others. I need to rewatch the series as I’ve forgotten a number of the season 6 and some of season 7 Smith episodes.
I am really getting sick and tired of the collector's market in the USA.
But the Sylvester McCoy/Sophie Aldred scene...I'm not crying, you're crying. Biased as I am, I always felt their Father/Daughter relationship was special (yes yes Susan but that was very different) over the usual TARDIS friend or debatable love intrest (come on Sarah Jane was absolutely the first Rose). This was a nice piece of closure.
Even the Janet Fielding/Peter Davison scene was nice. Tegan still the worst though.
It's on Amazon streaming for sure. Seems to be $3 unless you have Paramount.
Or if your cable has BBCA, probably catch a rerun.
Edit: also no, the Doctor has no power compared to the mighty U S A!!
Someone get me RTD on the phone right now.