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Post by ShayMay on Apr 26, 2013 20:38:00 GMT
Most of Tumblr believes that if you like Doctor Who you're a misogynist.
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Post by Mambo's Here! Look Busy! on Apr 26, 2013 20:57:43 GMT
Really? Wow. Haven't seen that... I added some Doctor Who tumblr blog thinking it was the official one... so now I all I see is Doccy Who praise... and gumph. People reposting scenes from the show with text underneath it. Ugh. I know guys, I saw the same episode you did! Anyways I should explain. I thought Clara's "OMG we're all ghosts to you" kinda trite. I mean, Martha was actually taken to the end of time and she dealt with it pretty well, considering. Clara sees a picture of it and goes a bit bat[censored], when I was under the impression she was meant to be this tough-as-nails, gets-stuff-done superwoman... Also "monster of the week isn't really a monster' thing. Ugh. How terribly cliche. I suppose they wanted it to be a tad different from the last episode where it was made pretty damned clear the monster kinda was a monster (but he had feelings and a daughter and stuff, awww.... :B) but still, I felt it was a bit of an unnecessary twist.
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Post by L. T. Dangerous on Apr 26, 2013 21:09:47 GMT
I won't lie, I liked the new episode but, honestly (and I'm prepared for an absolute reaming here), after some thought, I just wish Doctor Who was regularly fun again. I know a lot of people don't like RTD's stuff but with Moffat at the helm, the show has been noticeably darker (even directorially so, the Matt Smith episodes are much dingier) and more serious. Then to lighten the mood, he leans on Vastra and Strax. And- to clarify- I do think Vastra and Strax are brilliant, but this is the same Steven Moffat who wrote one of my favourite sitcoms; he doesn't have to rely on the same two characters for a cheap "hur hur Strax is a bit dim and likes war" laugh. Also: The lovely speeches. They're great, they're brilliant. So, naturally, every writer has to shoehorn one in these days. Their abundance makes them less special. Oh and the root of every problem is always BLOODY ALIENS. I know, yes, it's a science fiction programme. But so many times we've had a great story on our hands and then "oh no it turns out, it's a Piddlydip from planet Farblekoop, they're [TRAIT RELATED TO THIS EPISODE]". This works with the regular baddies- Daleks, Cyberman, et al- because we're familiar with them. It has lost practically all of its punch with minor baddies. Remember when it was played for laughs in the Agatha Christie episode? The whole "HAHA I'M ACTUALLY A GIANT SPACE WASP FROM SPACE" was so mental and even received raised eyebrows in the episode itself. That the show is basically playing that straight almost weekly is worrying. I don't know, I guess series seven overall hasn't been that great. I'm not ready to say "Doctor Who is crap, I'm never watching again", but I think there's been a noticeable decline this series and splitting it in two has really not helped. Some of the episodes have genius ideas let down with sloppy execution. Also, Gareth Roberts' touch is sorely missed because, frankly, sometimes you just want to piss yourself laughing at this inherently [censored]ing lunatic programme and everything has been so SUPER [censored]ING SERIOUS this series I need a bloody smile. I dunno, I guess I needed to whinge a bit there. Still terrifically excited for Gaiman's contribution this series, however.
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Post by L. T. Dangerous on Apr 28, 2013 7:53:14 GMT
Well, then, good job that was pretty decently fun. Lots of imagination to it and not an alien in sight.
My one criticism is that while the different rooms of the TARDIS (ie, the bits with imagination) were lovely to finally see, we saw an awful lot more of the TARDIS' scenic corridors. Bit of a waste. But it's still nice to see a bit more of the "science" behind how it all works.
Next week's does look rather fun, provided it's not "lol aliens" at the end.
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Post by Devo DrakeFox on Apr 28, 2013 11:46:35 GMT
Yes! We've waited too long to see more of the TARDIS interior. I was rather intrigued by that History Of The Time War book. Hopefully one day we might actually see some of the events that took place.
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Post by Mambo's Here! Look Busy! on Apr 28, 2013 11:59:08 GMT
I actually really liked this episode. Nice, subtle nostalgyness in what appears to be the Doctor's own The Past room (Yayy the Doctors cot and umbrella! Yaay the Eye of Harmony! No Cloister bell though... ), scary monsters of the week (although the twist was kinda corny..). I enjoy stories about the Time Lords and the TARDIS and this was a treat. Great to see a little about how the TARDIS could work... The human-android twist was also interesting, but I don't think it added anything to the story. I wonder if it was there as an introduction to a later plot point, much like The Flesh last season. I also feel the Sonic06esque ending was a bit of cliche, but we can't have someone other than River Song knowing the Doctor's name, can we? Which brings me to my last halfbaked thought; Clara asks why the Doctor uses that name. Surely that's just a thing the Time Lords do ?! The Master, the War Lord, the Valeyard etc.... I know it's the point of this series but still, it seems not that much of a mystery to me...
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Post by ShayMay on Apr 28, 2013 14:24:42 GMT
Best episode of the series so far: perhaps the best episode ever, and I do not say that lightly. Great dialogue, great action, interesting visuals, and the Doctor was the best he's been since the end of series 5. He had a definition that I could latch onto; he was silly, yes, but also clever and vengeful without being reckless. Also he saved the day with Fire Woman. 10/10, best episode ever. @mambo: I don't think Clara knows about Time Lord naming conventions. Besides which, I think the question was more about why it's "The Doctor" specifically.
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Post by Mambo's Here! Look Busy! on Apr 28, 2013 15:04:15 GMT
Oh yes of course, but for me it doesn't seem like a satisfying mystery. It's not something they will actually reveal as it will piss too many people off... but I guess that's why Clara is there. Her mystery is a bit of a boost... Oooh I've got it! The Doctor's name is Clara!! Gawddamn tablet!
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Post by Ringo (2015 Edition) on Apr 28, 2013 18:50:40 GMT
Well, that ep was the most enjoyable Who to date. I liked seeing all the rooms of the TARDIS, the History Of The Great Time War book and the Eye of Harmony. Also liked the salvage brothers and the Time Zombies. While not the creepiest enemies I've ever seen, they were the most insane. The Doctor was absolutely marvellous, while Clara was just...being Clara. Looking forward to next week where the Sontarans make a return, that creature with the blank eyes looks scary, and what ever was that purple oozy liquid?
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Post by ShayMay on Apr 28, 2013 18:57:18 GMT
FORGOT THAT
Pink venom? "Sweetland" or whatever it was called? Totalitarian society which nobody can leave and is based on happiness?! IT'S THE HAPPINESS PATROL IT'S THE KANDYMAN SWEET JESUS IT'S CHRISTMAS
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Post by Knuckles on Apr 30, 2013 18:39:06 GMT
I thought the ep was decent, though there was so much happening that they didn't fully explore the potential of an episode inside the TARDIS.
Some good moments, and some of the rooms, especially the library were decent, though I was a little underwhelmed at the android/human storyline.
Again, The Doctor looking at Clara not as a companion but as "salvage" is interesting and shows the different dynamics he has with her than he did with Amy or previous companions. She really does seem to be little more than a mystery to him, or did until the end of this episode at least.
Not a fan of the timey wimey reset button ending, but to be honest it was expected as soon as Clara mentioned knowing his name.
All in all, 7/10, though it could have been more if executed properly.
This whole thing about the TARDIS not getting along with Clara is starting to be a little stale though, from episode 2 onwards there's been at least one mention of Clara not getting along with the TARDIS, as though it needs to be drummed in to us Clara is an enigma and the TARDIS is alive. Gaiman's personification of the TARDIS episode was excellent, but since episode 2 and especially in this episode, some of the personification has been a little over the top.
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Post by L. T. Dangerous on May 4, 2013 18:20:41 GMT
That was properly fun Really enjoyed that, lots of funny bits, a good mystery and some decent scares. The alien was a bit naff But that's okay 'cause it was more about what it represented. Plus it was a neat twist since you obviously think it's going to be some huge menacing thing.
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Post by Ringo (2015 Edition) on May 4, 2013 23:02:03 GMT
Well that was awesome. Best episode of this entire series, to be honest. I loved how Diana Rigg played her evil Lady Gillyflower part, the huge vat of crimson liquid, and the return of the Strax. I also loved how the butler fainted every time he saw things that were not of the human kind: when he saw the Strax woman, when he saw the Sontaran drone and when he saw the TARDIS disappear. The only bad thing about it was it took 25 minutes to actually see the Doctor. I liked his enthusiasm in the whole ep, though thankfully this time Clara didn't have one of her now famous hero speeches on hand!! Next week looks cool with the Cybermen making their first appearance since 'Closing Time' , but we shall see.
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Post by Supermorff on May 5, 2013 9:52:19 GMT
and the return of the Strax ... when he saw the Strax woman, when he saw the Sontaran drone Sorry, but there's name confusion here. The "Strax woman" is a Silurian; her name is Vastra. Strax is the name of the Sontaran drone (actually a former commander/nurse).
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Post by Alex on May 5, 2013 14:52:03 GMT
Second good Gatiss episode this series.
I think that more than makes up for the slightly rubbish ones he's put forward before (though Victory of The Daleks was ok until the ending).
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Post by Blizz on May 5, 2013 15:45:27 GMT
Definitely the highlight of this half of the series so far, though Cold Blood is a close second.
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Post by ShayMay on May 5, 2013 21:07:01 GMT
Wonderful episode. This series has either been soaring or subterranean, and this was one of the soaring ones. Literally my only disappointment was that it was nothing to do with the Happiness Patrol, which I knew it wouldn't be anyway.
Also, did anyone else pick up on the "Thomas Thomas" gag?
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Post by Alex on May 5, 2013 21:43:05 GMT
Also, did anyone else pick up on the "Thomas Thomas" gag? It was as subtle as a brick. Good joke, but took me "out of the moment" far more than any of the other (good) gags in the episode. "You have failed in your mission, horse!"
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Post by Mambo's Here! Look Busy! on May 6, 2013 7:01:45 GMT
Strax is great. How Vastra keeps control of him is hilarious. He was so excited to be running around shooting things! This was a pretty good episode, probably due to the lack of Clara! Hahah. The chair bit was funny, although I was half expecting it to have actually sped up the process! Sweet ville reminded me so much of Bournville. I guess this is the point, it's a community built for workers on the values of some kind of religion. But it still makes me shudder a bit! Nuuuu Cadburys!!
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Post by WinterFlames on May 11, 2013 21:03:33 GMT
*gibbers to self in the corner*
Season 5 was amazing, and 6 was great. What happened?
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Post by ShayMay on May 11, 2013 21:19:11 GMT
Overall, entertaining. But Gaiman is usually incredible at making me forget about nitpicking and just enjoy the storytelling, so what happened? This was built on some really shaky grounds. 1) Why would the Doctor EVER leave the kids to nap in the middle of a room where he KNEW Cyber-technology was skulking around? 2) The episode was apparently trying to bring the fear back to the Cybermen. They had: a fairground. Cybermen taking off their heads and spinning them 180º. A CAMP CYBERLEADER. 3) Chess game was entirely pointless and such a dull cliché. 4) Chess game was resolved when the Doctor decides to STOP PLAYING CHESS. I wouldn't have minded but it was a huge time investment that was literally dropped. Gaiman must have went "oh, I can't be bothered thinking of a clever way to end this game". 5) This is the big one. Dragon Ball Z school of plot resolution. "By the way, millions of Cybermen. Blow up the planet." That's not... tense or fulfilling, that's just lazy! It's the first chapter in "How to Raise the Stakes": blow up the planet. 6) Why were the kids there, seriously? Was this one of those production members' families things? Also, Clara. Urgh... right, there's a preview up that basically confirms that Clara is supposed to be bland. She's supposed to be the Doctor's dream girl or whatever. But for goodness' sake, it's the character that drives the plot! It doesn't matter if you KNOW she's dull, she's still dull! If a chef handed you a plate of fresh faeces, it doesn't matter that he KNOWS it's [censored], you still wouldn't eat it! It's symptomatic of the depressing trend in serialised media to work towards the next marketable finale/anniversary rather than prioritise the story. The fact that a main character being dull is a PLOT POINT is arse backwards to an alarming degree.
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Post by Mambo's Here! Look Busy! on May 11, 2013 21:33:16 GMT
I think the kids were there to reiterate the whole "Clara is caring" thing. Still, the kids were annoying and I found the whole "you're not my mum!/I hate you!" lines cliche and uninteresting. Oh great, a stroppy teenager, well done (!)
Nice to see different Cybermen with different catchphrases, though. And the references to ye Doctors of old...
Also the whole interstellar amusement park theme reminded me of both Futurama and Sonic Colours!
In other news, been watching some classic Who. Man, does it seem like Sylvester McCoy was an influence on Matt Smith!
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Post by The Shad on May 12, 2013 14:24:33 GMT
In other news, been watching some classic Who. Man, does it seem like Sylvester McCoy was an influence on Matt Smith!
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Post by Alex on May 12, 2013 14:32:49 GMT
I liked the episode, and I have actually quite liked Clara, though she really has not had the best episodes to work with to give her as full a character as pretty much any of the previous companions. The TARDIS episode was the closest, so far, really. I think the biggest issue with Clara is just that the chemistry of the show seems to have faded away with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill's departure. There's no secret that Matt, Karen and Arthur were all close friends off set as well as on, and you could feel that in their performances. There's no indication that Matt Smith and Jenna Louise Coleman don't get on, but there's clearly not the same close chemistry there, and it has affected the relationship we see on camera. But I do admit I am fascinated by the mystery of Clara. Moreso than the Doctor's name, to be honest. I'm glad we definitely will get a resolution to that next week. Really, though, next week will be good just because of Vastra, Strax and Jenny being back again. I'd say I'd love to see a spin off of them... but that would be inviting the ghost of Torchwood to rear its monstrous, horrifyingly ugly head again... Edit: However, even though I liked the episode, nothing that Shay said in his spoilered list was wrong. Especially point 5. Some good stuff brought up about the trailer for next week's episode: observationdeck.io9.com/there-could-be-something-amazing-hidden-in-next-weeks-503083269
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Post by Ringo (2015 Edition) on May 12, 2013 18:45:58 GMT
Good episode, the dilapidated interstellar theme park looked great, I loved the new and improved Cybermen, the previous incarnations of the Doctor, Porridge and the Cyber-Doctor. (That's what he should have called himself, not Cyber Planner, pffft) The only thing I really didn't like about the ep was that the kids were very annoying.
However, I'm looking forward to next week's finale, the return of River Song, and maybe shed some light on the Doctor's real name.
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